USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Canaan > The history of Canaan, New Hampshire > Part 5
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69
41
PROPRIETORS' MEETINGS, 1786-1845.
This is the first appearance on the proprietors records of the name of Daniel Blaisdell. The December meeting was ad- journed until the next June, 1787, and again adjourned until July. The proprietors failed to meet then.
They were earnest, industrious men, working always with a purpose, and whose hours of leisure were all filled with labor, but they were not men fitted by education to make a record. When their day's work was over they sat down and thought of the next day, letting the past take care of itself, and the life of one day was only a repetition of the day preceding. The dis- inclination to think of what was past, shows itself in a niggardly manner throughout all their records. The town clerks were illiterate and bungling and often neglected to record most im- portant events. Selectmen, assessors and committees were equally negligent. Thus it occurs that there are several hiatuses in our history which greatly mars its continuity, and leave many blank years. Thus the record for 1787 closes June 3d, with George Harris for clerk. In the meantime Mr. Har- ris died, "made his exit out of time in a sudden and unex- pected manner," as the old record has it, and then for nearly ten years until January 10th, 1797, the clerk gives no sign. Not a line to show that those men kept records, and so long had the proprietors neglected their affairs that they had lost the right to control their property and were obliged to call in the assistance of the law to reinstate them in their rights. Joshua Wells, Rob- ert Barber, Joshua Harris, William Richardson, William Ayer and Ezekiel Wells, made application to Jesse Johnson, a justice of the peace of Enfield, who issued a warrant, came over and restored life to the defunct "propriety" by organizing a meet- ing with legal officers. Meantime in all these years they had not been idle. Their committee had kept at work with a surveyor laying out hundred-acre lots and intersecting them with high- ways. In 1788 a road was laid out "commencing at Grafton line, at a corner bound between Nathaniel Whittier and Daniel Blaisdell's, to be four rods wide to the head of Broad Street, so called; thence eight rods wide, 288 rods to Mr. Elias Lath- rop's." In 1793 the road leading from "Capt. Joshua Wells' to Dame's Gore," a distance of 1,240 rods, was surveyed. There were evidences all over town of work, in surveys and pitches,
42
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
but no record of any deliberative meeting is recorded. At this meeting, warned for the second Tuesday of January, 1797, provi- sion is made by empowering the clerk, so that the life of the cor- poration might hereafter be continued and in case of his death, the "Lot laing Committee," shall have the power to call a meet- ing "upon the petition of one-sixteenth part of the proprietors." Ezekiel Wells is appointed clerk, which office he holds until 1808. During this period nearly all the land in town is surveyed and recorded in his handwriting. Ezekiel Wells is given the privi- lege "of laying out a second hundred-acre lot, insted of a lot the Governors lot has took, which was No. 1 in the 2nd. Range."
After nearly nine years the books and papers of the pro- priety are scattered and Ezekiel Wells, Daniel Blaisdell and Capt. Robert Barber were chosen to look them up. Capt. Caleb Clark, one of the lot laying committee, has died in the meantime and Lieut. William Richardson is appointed in his place. And Nathaniel Bartlett takes the place of Samuel Jones, who has left town in 1795, although he appears as the owner of land until 1797. This meeting remains adjourned for more than a year. For more than four years there is no record, then the clerk is applied to to warn a meeting for August 27th, 1801.
The article respecting any further division of the undivided lands is passed. Thomas Miner, Daniel Blaisdell and Jehu Jones are appointed assessors and Ezekiel Wells collector to collect the one dollar tax on each right voted to defray the "charges of the proprietary." This meeting remains in session by adjourn- ments for nearly two years, when the clerk is again requested to warn a meeting on the 17th of May, 1803. The proprietors voted that Ebenezer Clark, then the representative to the General Court, "present a memorial praying them to grant the dis- puted lands that Esq. Hoyt, in behalf of the Proprietors of Graf- ton petitioned for at the last session of said Court, adjoining the easterly line of Hanover." Clark had been urged by the town to remonstrate against Hoyt's petition. This land was State's Gore, called also Gates's Gore from the name of the person who purchased it of the state. Later in September, Daniel Blaisdell is allowed four pounds, two shillings, "which is in full, except on Clark's action." This was for legal services in the adjust-
43
PROPRIETORS' MEETINGS, 1786-1845.
ment of the disputes over Dame's Gore line. William Richard- son is allowed six pounds "in full," for like services.
At an adjourned meeting on March 29, 1804, Daniel Blaisdell, William Richardson and Joshua Harris were chosen a commit- tee "to prosecute any person who have or shall hereafter tres- pass on any common lands of the proprietors." This meeting finally, after more than a year and seven adjournments, dies, and the Clerk in September, warns another meeting for the 8th of October. At that time all the articles are passed and this meet- ing is adjourned six times. Finally on the 12th day of February, 1805, the proprietors vote to have Daniel Blaisdell and Wil- liam Richardson, their committee chosen in 1801, settle the ac- tion with the proprietors of Orange. That town had sought to evict Josiah Clark; the result was that Orange paid all the costs. Daniel Blaisdell received $17.10 for his services and John Currier $1.10 and William Richardson $4.50. In November, 1805, they raised $186 to establish the line between Canaan and Hanover. John Currier, Ezekiel Wells and William Richardson were chosen assessors to assess the tax on the rights. Daniel Blaisdell to collect it and pay it to John Currier, the treasurer, the old assessors are to pay any money they have to the treasurer. Nathaniel Barber had pitched seventy-seven acres of land on the 3d hundred of Richard Sparrow, and he was given the liberty to lay it out somewhere else on land not already taken.
In 1806 Richard Clark, Jr., son of old Richard, has "the liberty to pitch and lay out as much land as falls short on the third Hundred of Thomas Gustin Second Right on undivided land adjoining said Clark land." The time for laying out the first, second, third hundred-acre lots of upland and the first ten acres of intervale continues to be extended to the 13th day of November, 1809, with warnings from time to time against tres- passers, that the committee will prosecute them if they settle on any lands which belong to the propriety. The proprietors are anxious to ascertain how much land had been taken up, and by so doing determined how much there is left and it takes many years with much prodding on their part to get the settlers to survey and record their pitches. During these years there are numerous adjourned meetings held, at which the time is continually ex- tended. The meeting warned in 1806, keeps in session until
44
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
1808. Taxes are assessed on July 27, 1807, of $13 on each pro- prietor's right for the purpose of laying out the lots.
On October 8, 1807, the proprietors voted that the real owner "of the 3rd. Hundred of Lewis Loveredge have the privilege of pitching and laing out 50 acres of said lot on any lands wich is pitched or laid out to any other person notwithstanding the survey made to Jonathan Page." This land lay a little northerly and west of Bear Pond and for many years no owner had paid taxes on it nor for some years to come.
On February 22, 1808, John Currier was chosen the new clerk. The old clerk had become tired of writing adjournments. He continues in that office thirteen years until June, 1821.
On June 23, 1808, a committee, consisting of Capt. Joshua Harris, Daniel Blaisdell, Esq., and Capt. Ezekiel Wells, is chosen to ascertain the quantity of land in town not divided. At this meeting Micah Porter's intervale was voted to be surveyed. Thomas Baldwin sold it to Samuel Jones and Jones sold it to Porter, but the right to which it had been laid was forgotten, and the title was defective. In 1809 it was surveyed as sixteen acres adjoining Joshua Harris' land. Thomas Miner had deeded twenty acres of William Chamberlain's right, which was entitled to only ten acres of intervale, and the proprietors confirmed ten of the acres to the right of Clement Daniels. In 1809 the pro- prietors having brought suit against Robert Barber to eject him from a piece of intervale, agreed to settle and pay the costs, and leave Barber in possession.
From November, 1809, to July, 1812, there was no meeting of the proprietors. During this time they had evidently ascertained the amount of undivided land, for when they meet on July 9, 1812, they proceed to vote to lay the 4th Division of Upland of seven acres. The trespass committee are impowered to make set- tlement with all trespassers. This meeting by various adjourn- ments continues until December. Then there is no meeting until March, 1814, when the clerk warns a meeting for the 10th. They then authorize the trespass committee to bring actions against those who have forfeited their pitches by failing to have them recorded and surveyed in the manner laid down, and for cutting timber on the forfeited pitches. A second Division of Intervale of one acre is voted to be laid out to each right. From
45
PROPRIETORS' MEETINGS, 1786-1845.
June, 1814, to June, 1816, there is no meeting. Ezekiel Wells, John Currier and Daniel Blaisdell are chosen the lot "laing com- mittee in futer;" Daniel Blaisdell is chosen treasurer, Joshua Harris committee to prosecute trespassers with Moses Dole. A further division called the 5th, of seven acres is voted to be made of the land in the proprietary. Then for nearly five years the records are silent, until April 17, 1821, the clerk warns a meeting and an agent is chosen to "inquire into each survey bill and make a new and complete index of the same, to take notice of any apparent mistake has been made in any survey." They choose the best man in town for their agent, Daniel Blaisdell. And the records bear witness of his work. He found three rights that had two ten-acre lots of intervale laid out to them, and that there were three rights, Thomas Miner, Abner Chamberlain and Clement Daniels, "hath had no ten-acre lot laid out to them." It was apparent that some of the former owners had deeded the same right twice. In 1821, June 4, Elijah Blaisdell is chosen clerk, and continued in the office until 1845. No meeting is held until 1823, when at the request of Daniel Blaisdell, "owner of the shares of Rufus Randal, Ephraim Wells, Thomas Gustin, James Nevins, Esq., and forty other shares or rights, a meeting is held on the 22 day of March." John M. Barber prays the pro- prietors to set off a piece of land to him in consideration of his deeding the rights of Thomas Miner, Benjamin Chamberlain, Asa Daniels and Joseph Eames, to them. They voted to deed him a strip of land lying between Josiah Barber's and the river, to satisfy these rights of their full share of land. And on the 5th day of April, 1823, Barber deposited the deed with the clerk and it was recorded in the book of records and those rights cancelled.
On June 14, 1823, the proprietors voted that all the undivided lands between the following limits, "beginning at the Meeting house, thence on the road leading to Lebanon by William Camp- bell's farm, to the schoolhouse in his district, thence northerly on the road by Daniel Kimball's to Deacon Pillsbury's, thence southerly in the road to the meeting house begun at, be reserved to make out the fourth and fifth divisions of upland, on all the rights not as yet laid out or otherwise cancelled." There was in this a lot of land lying around Bear Pond, for the most part
46
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
worthless and included the Pond, which at that date was many rods larger than now. Daniel Blaisdell prays the proprietors to set off to him land to satisfy twenty-two rights of which he is. the owner, viz. : William Chamberlain, Joshua Rathburn, Josiah Gates, Jr., Capt. John Wentworth, Rufus Randall, James Jones, Thomas Gustin, second right; Amos Walworth, Stephen Kellogg, Joseph Babcock, William Fox, Jr., Thomas Gates, John Tribble, Jonathan Beebe, 3d, Ebenezer Peck, Ebenezer Harris, Daniel Harris, Ebenezer Eames, Samuel Meacham, Richard Sparrow, Sylvester Randall and Caleb Whiting, the first Divi- sion of Intervale of John Newmarch and Thomas Miner. Land within the following limits was set off to him: "to begin at the Grafton Turnpike road on Orange line, thence northerly on said Turnpike road to the corner by Joshua Wells farm, thence to fol- low the road leading from said Wells to Dames Gore thence to follow the line of said Gore to Orange line, thence by said Orange line to the place begun at" "Provided he reserves within said limits enough land to satisfy the second division of intervale of one acre to each of those rights which has not yet been laid out or cancelled." The quitclaim deed was executed within six days and the rights cancelled.
They also voted at this meeting to lay out a sixth Division of Upland of six acres. On March 18, 1824, Daniel Blaisdell, owner of the right of Ephraim Wells, receives "the strip of swamp land adjoining the intervale of Asa Paddleford and Deacon French, near Enfield line southerly and the lands of Reuben Gile easterly, the land of Joseph Follensbee westerly and adjoining northerly on the road that leads from said Follensbee's to said Giles, extending on said road from the line of Giles land south- erly about forty-four rods, to a stake and stones being the corner of said Follensbee's land, near his orchard." "Also a small strip adjoining the westerly side of the Turnpike road, and Or- ange line and between Orange line and lands of said Blaisdell," and this right or share is cancelled. On June 30th, Daniel Blaisdell, owner of the School, Minister and Isaiah Rath- burn rights, receives the "strip of swampy land lying westerly of Goose Pond Brook, adjoining land of Daniel Pattee and Levi George, and adjoining westerly on upland of Ahimez Wright, and easterly on upland of Jason Kidder and extends northerly
47
PROPRIETORS' MEETINGS, 1786-1845.
as far as Wright's and Kidder's lands extends," and these rights are cancelled. Moses Lawrence, owner of the rights of Samuel Dodge, 3d, Lewis Loveridge, Stephen Kellogg, Thomas W. Waldron and John Newmarch, has set off to him to satisfy these rights the following land: "within the following limits, begin- ning at Dames Gore line on the road by Joseph Bartletts, thence on the road to the corner of the road between Bartletts and Josiah Barbers, then on the road by Lawrences, to the road by Nathan Cross, then on the road northerly to Dames Gore line, thence westerly on Gore line to place begun at." "Also all the undivided land not laid out southerly of and adjoining said Law- rence home farm and adjoining westerly on land belonging to Josiah Barber and David Richardson and easterly on lands owned or occupied by Lieut. Richard Clark and Elijah Blaisdell, and to extend southerly the whole width of the piece, to land of Uriah Welch, supposed to contain thirty-five acres." The pro- prietary seems now to have about finished its labors, but there are still some rights uncancelled. And these are the property of the estate of Daniel Blaisdell. After slumbering for nearly twenty-one years, Joseph Dustin and Elijah Blaisdell, son and son-in-law of Daniel Blaisdell, request Jonathan Kittredge, a justice of the peace, to call a meeting of the proprietors at Heath's Inn for the 21st day of July, 1845. They seek to choose a moderator and a new clerk. Elijah Blaisdell, the old clerk, had removed from town and became thus incompetent. They met and chose Jonathan Kittredge clerk. And he proceeds to call a meeting according to law that the proceedings which they are about to take may be legal, and afford them a good title to the undivided lands they propose to sell, for during those years Mr. Dustin has found numerous gores and pieces, not included in the old surveys and which have descended to the heirs of Daniel Blaisdell. On the 2d day of December, 1845, they meet and confirm a deed of land which Daniel Blaisdell gave James East- man, dated November 24, 1832, of land on the west side of Goose Pond. Blaisdell was the owner at the time of his death of all the rights uncancelled except the rights of Richard Wibard, Daniel Rogers and William Wentworth, George and William King. The proprietors vote to cancel ten rights, in consideration of this conveyance, viz .: John Chamberlain, Abner Chamber-
48
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
lain, William Chamberlain, Jr., Aaron Cady, Aaron Cady, Jr., Nathaniel Cady, Daniel Fowle, Samuel Dodge, Thomas Gustin and Thomas Gustin, Jr.
They voted to reserve the common land lying on the westerly side of the Mascoma River, northerly of H. G. Lathrop's and adjoining Dame's Gore, for the right of Richard Wibard. Jo- seph Dustin and Elijah Blaisdell are appointed a committee to dispose of the remaining undivided land which is not enough to make any further division and account to the proprietors "for their equal share of the proceeds, excepting the land ad- joining Bear Pond and the piece reserved for Richard Wi- bard's right." So ends the records; there was no accounting so far as recorded. It is, however, well known that Mr. Dustin under that vote sold several pieces of land. The land around Bear Pond he claimed as his own and was not sold out of the family until long after his death. It was never surveyed.
There still remain uncancelled the rights of George and Gibson Harris, Allen Whitman, Jared Spencer, Ephraim Wells, Jr., Thomas Wells, Jedediah Lathrop, Clement Daniels, David Cham- berlain, Israel Kellogg, George Lamphere, Phineas Sabine, Jabez Jones, Richard Wibard, James Nevins, George King, Wil- liam King, William Wentworth, Thomas Parker, and Daniel Rogers. The right for the propagation of the Gospel and the Glebe Rights were not cancelled, but the proprietors assumed ownership of them after the Revolution, and sold the land set off to these rights to different parties who occupied them.
.
CHAPTER V. TOWN MEETINGS, 1770-1785.
The first town meeting of which there is any record was called by Benjamin Giles, justice of the peace, "upon the peti- tion of more than ten freeholders, inhabitants of the Township of Canaan," on the 3d day of July, 1770. The charter pro- vided that the first town meeting should be held on the third Tuesday in August, 1761; it certainly was not held in Canaan. Thomas Gustin was to be the first moderator and all annual meetings were to be held on the second Tuesday of March "for- ever hereafter." At the first meeting at John Scofield's house, John Scofield was chosen moderator; Samuel Benedict, clerk; John Scofield, Joseph Craw and Samuel Benedict, assessors; Asa Williams, tithingman; Ezekiel Wells, surveyor of roads. And all future meetings shall be warned in the manner follow- ing :
The annual meeting on the second Tuesday in March to be annually warned by the Town Clerk, for the time being, by setting up a warning of Notification at least ten days before sd meeting, at some public Place in sd Canaan. And also the Clerk for the time being, shall at any time when applied to by seven Freeholders of sd Canaan, or the Assessors for the time being, Warn a meeting of the Freeholders of sd Town to be held at any proper place in sd Town, by setting up a Warning seven days at least before sd meeting at some public place in sd Town.
The same names appear on this occasion, with the addition of Ezekiel Wells, who with his brother, Joshua, arrived the previous year, that we are already familiar with in the Proprietors' Rec- ords. The Wells brothers were both unmarried, Joshua being a disappointed man of thirty-five and Ezekiel eleven years younger, who came because Joshua did. In 1771, at the second annual meeting, the same names appear as before, only a little changed about; Samuel Jones is constable; Asa Williams, fence- viewer; Ezekiel Wells, tithingman; Samuel Chapman, surveyor. In 1772 appears the same scant records of Samuel Benedict as clerk, not a profitable clerk for us, who are striving to learn
4
Broad Street and Hart Pond from Pinnacle
50
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
philosophy by studying the history of persons who first cut down trees, and made roads in Canaan. The names of Ebenezer Eames and Caleb Welch are added to the previous list. This is the first year in which selectmen were chosen; they had been called assessors.
In 1773 the place of holding the annual meeting was changed from John Scofield's to the dwelling house of Thomas Miner, when Caleb Welch was chosen town clerk; Thomas Miner, mod- erator, and Samuel Chapman, the lame basket-maker, tithing- man.
A census of the town was requested this year and it was made up in the following manner :
Unmarried from 16 to 60 12
Married from 16 to 60
11
Boys 16 years and under
16
Sixty years and upwards.
-
Females, unmarried
11
Females, married.
12
Widows
-
62
The number of ratable polls was nineteen. In 1774 the annual meeting was "lagally warned" and held at the "dwelling house of Samuel Chapman." And here is an addition to the old list of names: Charles Walworth as selectman and Ezekiel Gardner, tithingman. And here also on this occasion, for the first time, appears the name of "Thomas Baldwin Surveyor of highways." Young Baldwin is, just before this time, twenty-one years old, and has now cast his first vote. He has already made himself useful to the people because of his superior intelligence.
Nearly all these people were of Connecticut, of the old Puri- tan stock, and brought their peculiar notions of the sanctity of the Sabbath to Canaan. They used to assemble in barns and houses, where the elders led in prayer and they all hummed a song of praise, and this young man was elected to read a printed sermon. On this occasion it was "voted that they would build a pound, between Mr. Samuel Chapmans and Moose Brook, to be built by the inhabitants on the first Monday in May next." And they built the pound on the west side of the brook, not far
51
TOWN MEETINGS, 1770-1785.
from Mr. Miner's mill. But the pound, like the mill, has long ago disappeared from sight. In 1775, January 16, the select- men were directed to send a letter to the "Committee of Cor- respondence" at Exeter, "to answer their request." John Scofield was appointed to carry the letter. He assured the com- mittee that the people were in sympathy with the movement for the redress of wrongs. The committee of correspondence was appointed by a convention of deputies, which met at Exeter January, 1775, to consult on the state of affairs, appoint dele- gates to the next general Congress to be holden at Philadelphia in May following. They issued an address to the people, warn- ing them of their danger and exhorting them to union, peace and harmony; to frugality, industry, manufactures and learn- ing the military art, that they might be able, if necessary, to de- fend the country against invasion.
A circular was sent out to the towns in New Hampshire in which they said :
You are requested to desire all males above twenty one years of age to sign the declaration on this paper, and when done to make return thereof, togather with the name or names of all who shall refuse to sign the same, to the General Assembly or Committee of Safety of this Colony.
On the first day of July the list of subscribers to the " Associa- tion Test" was made out and forwarded. It was found that 8,199 male persons over twenty-one years of age, then living in New Hampshire, had solemnly promised to risk their lives and prop- erty in defense of their country and families against British aggression, while 773 for various reasons refused to sign. The greater part of the latter class were hostile to colonial inde- pendence. There were twenty-four Canaan signers, by which it will be seen that at that date, which was nearly ten years after the settlement of the town, there were but twenty-four males in it over twenty-one years.
This paper sent to Exeter is as follows :
We, the subscribers do hereby solemnly engage and promise, that we will to the utmost of our power, at the risque of our lives and fortunes, with arms oppose the hostile proceedings of the British Fleets and Armies against the United American Colonies.
52
HISTORY OF CANAAN.
CANAAN SIGNERS.
Ebenezer Eams
John Scofield
Richard Clark
Samuel Lathrop
James Treadway will on certain conditions (viz) (1)
John Scofield Jr
Gideon Rudd
Caleb Clark
Joshua Wells
Thomas Miner
Samuel Joslen
Samuel Jones
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