USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Canaan > The history of Canaan, New Hampshire > Part 8
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On the thirteenth day of March the inhabitants of Canaan, Grafton and Orange met at Simeon Arvin's and elected John
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HISTORY OF CANAAN.
Burdick representative to the General Court. This is the first Canaan man to serve in that capacity. On April 22, the town met at the meeting house for the first time. Nine pounds was raised to defray town charges.
On October 28, the town met at the meeting house for the second time, and continue to thereafter, although the building is still unfinished. The town voted "to make up this town's pro- portion of Minute Men forty shillings per month, togather with. what the State and Continent gives them when they are called into actual service." John Worth is chosen "to officiate in the office of Justice of the Peace in the town of Canaan and for the County of Grafton." This is the first justice chosen in the town, although William Ayer had held a commission from the state for several years and continued to until he left town.
At the annual meeting in 1795 they met at the meeting house, but after transacting a little business they adjourned to Simeon Arvin's. The present selectmen are "to settle with Jehu Jones and other collectors as far back as they find anything due the town." Money was found due the town uncollected, but the collectors wanted further remuneration for making any further efforts, and the town voted "not to pay them anything," and "to prosecute all Town Collectors which are delinquent in settling with said town, as soon as may be convenient."
Thirty pounds was raised for town charges and eight shillings on the pound for highways. John Currier is collector at the rate of "three pence three farthings on the pound."
In 1796, twelve pounds was raised to defray town charges, six shillings rate for roads and four for bridges. Clark Currier is appointed collector of school money.
On October 16, the people met to cast their votes for six electors for president of the United States : Beza Woodard, Esq., 23 votes; John T. Gilman, Esq., 23 votes; Benjamin Bellows, Esq., 22 votes; Oliver Peabody, Esq., 22 votes ; Ebenezer Thomp- son, Esq., 20 votes ; Timothy Farrer, Esq., 25 votes.
On October 20, 1796, the people of Hanover appointed an agent, Jonathan Freeman, to prefer a petition to the General Court to have the land east of Moose Mountain annexed to Canaan or some other town, as may be convenient. Canaan took
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TOWN MEETINGS, 1786-1797.
no action nor appeared. This land was a part of a gore which ran across the north line of the town from the Connecticut River to Canaan. No action was taken upon this petition other than the natural consequences, which would result from the situation of the land. It belonged to Hanover and there it is now.
The first book of records of the town closes with a meeting on the twenty-fifth of January, 1797, called in regard to preaching, and the town vote to "procure a book for records for the use of the town." The town meetings through this first volume relate to but few subjects, the election of town officers, roads, schools, and preaching, which will be dealt with elsewhere. (This book of the first records of the town has disappeared and no one seems to know where it has gone. My father, in his life time, made a copy of them for his more ready reference. It is the only copy known.)
The inventory for the year 1793 contains 127 names, the list is probably defective, one leaf may be missing. Quite a number of familiar names are absent. This is the first year the select- men have made an inventory. The largest taxpayer was Samuel Jones, who had four acres of tillage, twenty acres of mowing, twenty acres of pasturing, twenty-two animals, and his tax was five pounds, six shillings and eleven pence. John Scofield paid a tax of four pounds, sixteen shillings, and six pence, on four acres of tillage, twelve acres of mowing, twenty-five acres of pas- turing and fourteen animals. Thomas Miner had two acres of tillage, nine acres of mowing, twelve acres of pasturing, two animals and paid a tax of three pounds and ten shillings. These three men were large landowners of undeveloped land.
The inventory for 1794 contains 141 names, three of them non-residents. The total amount of tax raised was 161 pounds and two shillings. Under the head of "money on hand or at interest," "Samuel Noice" is taxed for fifteen pounds for 1793. No other person has "Money on hand." In 1794 this fifteen pounds is taxed to Allen Miner, which is a mistake, as it, no doubt, should have been taxed to Samuel Noyes, who was a man of means. It would appear that all the rest of the people traded on "Grane," calves, pigs, or whatever they could produce for "'exchange."
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HISTORY OF CANAAN.
Samuel Jones, John Scofield, Robert Barber, Ezekiel Wells, Caleb Welch and Thomas Miner are the largest taxpayers, in order, all large owners of undeveloped land.
There are 141 names on the inventory for 1795. The sum total of the tax is 182 pounds, 3 shillings and 8 pence. The largest taxpayers, in order, were John Scofield, Samuel Jones, their taxes being about $22 each; Caleb Welch, Joshua Harris, Eze- kiel Wells and Richard Clark 3rd.
CHAPTER VII.
TOWN MEETINGS, 1797-1818.
At the annual meeting on the fourteenth of March, 1797, the vote for governor was forty-seven votes for John T. Gilman and sixty-four votes for Moses Dow. Daniel Blaisdell had forty- three votes for senator. On the next day the towns of Canaan, Enfield and Orange met at the "Meeting House and chose Daniel Blaisdell representative."
At the annual meeting, William Richardson was chosen jus- tice of the peace by a majority of nineteen. Six shillings on the pound was raised for highways, and two shillings and six pence to defray town charges and "making and mending bridges."
The collection of taxes was struck off to Richard Clark, 3d, at two pence on the pound. Ezekiel Wells, Daniel Farnum and William Richardson were chosen hogreeves. The hogs were not much restrained of their liberty, for that reason the duties of these officers was not more than complimentary. This office was held in so little honor that the men appointed to it were chosen more as a joke, and in later years, to make it the more ridiculous, as many as twenty were appointed, of which the first was called the "General," and the others held subordinate positions on his staff, as "major," "captain," "corporal." Hogs found in trespass were placed in the pound. Some expense attended their release, and this fact made men observant of the ways of their hogs.
In 1798, the competition for the collection of taxes was spirited. Several bidders appeared and the excitement was high. Bidding began at three per cent. and went down until Richard Clark, 3d, determined not to be beaten, offered "a onepenny on the pound, for the privilege of collecting the money." The next year Richard paid only "a happenny on the pound for the privilege." William Richardson is justice of the peace this year.
In 1798, no money seems to have been raised to defray town
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HISTORY OF CANAAN.
charges. In 1799, sixty dollars was voted to be raised, and six shillings on the pound to repair highways and bridges. The Widow Folsom and her children were "on the town." Mrs. Folsom was bid off to John Perley at "20 cents per week so long as he keeps her." She was the widow of Samuel Folsom, men- tioned in 1790, and there were eight children. The selectmen wrote twice to her father, "Capt. Steaven Harriman of Hopkin- ton," to come to her relief and save the town any more expense. No doubt he did, for her name does not appear again.
In 1800, Timothy Johnson is chosen collector of taxes, and "he is to have one penny on the pound for collecting." One hundred dollars is raised for town charges, and eight shillings on the pound for highways. The selectmen are to "act discre- tionary, respecting taxing non-resident proprietors." At this time so much of the land was owned by non-resident proprietors, who never came to see their possessions and would not pay their tax that it led the town into as much expense to get the tax as the tax amounted to, the land being unimproved and unoccupied, if sold at tax sale there was not likely to be any one to buy it. Besides the greater portion of the land in town was still "com- mon," had not been divided. The Widow Judkins is bid off to Prescott Clark at seventy-nine cents a week for one year.
Ruth Woodbury and her child were vendued to Samuel Welch for $32.50 for five months, and another child was sold to Daniel Farnum for twenty dollars "until he is twenty-one." The hus- band and father was James Woodbury, a Revolutionary soldier, who came to Canaan about 1780. He fell in love with Sally Springer, and wanted to marry her, but she preferred Daniel Blaisdell. The old man afterwards married and had a large family, some of whom were paupers and lived on the town. Daniel and Sally had a son James, who was a vain man, filled with conceit, very pompous and overbearing. He would always wear gloves when he could get them, and was usually on a swell when the older people were about. One day, having on a little larger swell than usual, old Esquire Richardson, who had been a justice of the peace since 1798, took him down as follows: "Um, you needn't feel so damn smart with your old gloves on, it's only an accident you didn't have ole Jim Woodbury for
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TOWN MEETINGS, 1797-1818.
your father." The census of the town for 1800 was 835 inhabi- tants, an increase in ten years of 352.
At this date there were four sawmills in town, Trussell's at the "Village," Matthew Greeley's at Goose Pond, Robert Bar- ber's, afterwards Welch's, and Scofield's at West Canaan. The mill at Goose Pond was built previous to 1790 by John Perley, who had come from Gilmanton, and had passed into the posses- sion of Mills Olcott, Esq., of Hanover, and then into Mr. Greeley's hands. Clear pine lumber was worth $14 per thousand, common lumber $5, and there was no market beyond the imme- diate vicinity of the mills.
In 1801, Reuben Kimball took the Widow Miriam Judkins for $80 during the rest of her life, $20 a year until paid, he to give bonds. One hundred and thirty dollars is raised for town charges and thirty cents for highways.
At the annual meeting a prayer was addressed to the grantees of the town, asking them to fix a "Right or share in the town lands at 310 acres and to deed the remainder of the territory to the town." But the proprietors had not yet arrived at the un- selfish conclusion that 310 acres was equal to 330, and the prayer was answered in the negative.
In 1802, they voted not to have a town treasurer, the select- men were to perform that duty. The same appropriations were made for town charges and highways as last year.
In 1803, the same amount was voted for highways and $80 for town charges. They voted, with the consent of the proprie- tors of the meeting house, to build a "Pound" on the "Com- mon," between the meeting house and the Pond. "Thirty-six feet square, of hewn timbers, eight feet high from top of sill to top of plate," to be finished in an acceptable manner by the first of September. The building of it was bid off to Prescott Clark for twenty-five dollars. The old pound was built among a lot of alder bushes. The timbers rotted away in a few years, and it was removed. It was also voted to fence the burying grounds "with good wall or posts and boards spiked on." There were five of these grounds at that time, namely: The "Street," "Wells," the "Cobble," West Canaan and West Farms. "Lt. Whittier, Wm. Richardson, Capt. John Currier, Capt. Ezekiel
6
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HISTORY OF CANAAN.
Wells, and Lt. Thomas Miner" were the committee chosen to see the work completed. In 1804 the town voted fifty dollars for town charges and the same as before for highways. It also voted forty-five dollars to procure "weights and measures as the law requires."
On June 19, 1804, Canaan Social Library was incorporated into a proprietorship by the following men: John Hoyt, James Doten, Caleb Welch, James Johnson, Jr., Ebenezer Clark, Caleb Welch, Jr., Micah Porter, Hubbard Harris, Joshua Pillsbury, Levi George, Joshua Harris, Richard Otis, Elias Porter, John Currier, Ezekiel Wells, Jacob Trussell, Thaddeus Lathrop, Jr., Jacob Dow, Nathaniel Tucker, Nathaniel Bartlett, Moses Dole, Robert Wilson, Richard Clark, 3d, Caleb Pierce, Micaiah Moore and Nathaniel Barber. They could receive subscriptions to the amount of $1,000. Jacob Trussell was to warn the first meeting. Capt. Moses Dole was to purchase the books. Something like two hundred volumes were purchased, and Doctor Tilton covered them with sheepskin from Jacob Dow's tannery. Such books as Boswell's "Life of Johnson," Cooke's "Voyages," Davidson's "Translation of Virgil," Buchan's "Medicine," "Pilgrim's Progress," etc., were among them. The following is a copy of the subscription paper which led to the incorporation :
We, the subscribers, tacking in to considderation the Benefit of hav- ing a Libra in this town, as sune as we Can get phifty shairs sind for at two Dollars a shair. Tharefore we think it is Best to meat at the meeting house on Monday, the 27th day of June, at wone o'clock p. m. to set a time when the money shall be paid and what method the proprators will tacke to get the books. 1803, Canaan, June 15.
Thirty-five shares were all that was ever issued.
In 1832, there was an article in the warrant to see "if the town will vote $50 for new books for their Lyceum." It was not acted on. Assessments were made each year, some paid and others did not; their shares were sold and the new owners failed to pay assessments. The books became old and were finally divided up amongst the members. Some of them are to be found in the Town Library.
In 1805, $150 was raised for town charges, and the same as before for roads. Joshua Richardson, John Currier and John .
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TOWN MEETINGS, 1797-1818.
Fales were chosen by the town to settle with Gordon Burley, "on the vendue deed he holds from the town of land of Joseph Randlett." Randlett's land had been sold for taxes, during the time he was having a dispute with Homer, the then owner of Dame's Gore. The town having no jurisdiction of the Gore land, had presumed to tax what they had no right to. In a sub- sequent meeting, the town voted to have the selectmen "settle with Burley as reasonable as possible." This land was the third one hundred acres of the right of Samuel Meacham, and was located north of the old Nathan Cross farm. John Currier was appointed to go to Wentworth "to find Ruth Woodbury a place to board."
In 1806, crows had become so troublesome that twenty cents a head was offered for dead ones by the town. Thirty dollars was raised for town charges, and the highway rate was raised to fifty cents. The question of taxing non-resident land came up again in the warrant, and the town dismissed the article. Eze- kiel Wells was appointed pound-keeper of the new pound. He lived then in the old house of the Wallaces, burned in 1898.
In 1807, $200 was raised for town charges, and forty cents for roads. An "able bodied man shall receive six cent per hour for labor on the highways and the same for oxen." And prob- ably the men performed as much labor in an hour at that price as they did later for seventeen cents per hour. They also voted to tax non-resident lands. The people objected to bearing the burdens of others.
In 1808, $150 was voted for town charges and forty cents for roads. In 1809, seventy-five dollars was raised for town charges and thirty cents for roads. Some men were employed to build a bridge over the river near Josiah Clark's mill. It required a gallon of Micaiah Moore's rum to complete it, the workmen drank it all, and then asked the town to pay for it, which was declined with thanks.
In 1810, $200 was raised for town charges, and the same as last year for roads. Joshua Harris was appointed the first post- master of the town and held the office for three years. The census of the town in this year, 1,094, showing an increase in ten years of 259.
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HISTORY OF CANAAN.
In 1811, $200 was raised for town charges and "fifty cents on a hundred dollars" for roads. William Campbell is to "find bed and board for Widow Pattee and abigail, keep their clothes good, until next March meeting for $1.89 per week. The town to pay their doctor's bill." Mr. Fisk gets $100 for Ruth Wood- bury.
In 1812, $300 was raised for town charges and fifty cents for roads. Robert Williams, Jr., bid off the Widow Pattee and her daughter for seventy-five dollars for the year.
Canaan was a strong federal town and was, of course, opposed to the war with Great Britain. Party lines were closely drawn, and much bad language uttered. Some personal altercations occurred, which left bad feelings, and threats of chastisement were heard. In reference to the war of 1812, both parties held meetings and passed resolutions, but the Federalists only, being largely in the majority, were able to put themselves upon record.
On the 27th of July, 1812, a town meeting was held. Thomas H. Pettingill was moderator and John Currier clerk. A com- mittee composed of Mr. Pettingill, Caleb Seabury, William Rich- ardson and Jacob Trussell was appointed to make report of the opinions entertained by the people. The committee introduced their report with a lengthy "whereas," detailed the country's grievances, and followed by "Resolves" of a highly patriotic nature, as follows :
Whereas the constituted authorities of our country have declared this nation to be in a state of war with one of the great beliggrant nations of Europe, and in pursuance of that declaration have caused a call to be made for a number of training bands to hold themselves in readiness to take part in the service of their country. Which call we acknowledge they have a constitutional right to make for the pur- pose of executing the laws of the union to suppress insurrection and quell invasion. And, whereas, it hath been the modern custom of Europe degraded by the iron yoke of its present military despot, to select by conscription such subjects as his sovereign pleasure dictates to fight it battles. And, whereas, the tyrannical and slavish custom hath of late been introduced into this land of liberty and equality, and there is danger of its becoming the permanent usage for raising troops. And, whereas, we trust there is yet in this town too much of the true spirit of seventy-six, to suffer such a degrading and unequal custom to prevail here while the citizens who compose the training band, (although respectable) are by no means the most wealthy and
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TOWN MEETINGS, 1797-1818.
although the general government compensates with a lebral hand, with regret we perceive, that the compensation offered by law for the serv- ices of the non-commissioned officers, and soldiers is by no means an equivalent and while we conceive it to be equally our duty to obey every constitutional call of our government and frown with indignity on every uncinstant infringement of our rights, we deem it also our duty not to suffer the poorer class of our citizens to protect the lives and prop- erty of the wealthy without due compensation. Therefore, resolved, and voted that if the non-commissioned officers and privates, who are to be detached from the training band in this town, shall be called into actual service, for either of the above purposes, that the selectmen be hereby authorized and directed to assess a sum of money on the poles and ratable estate, liable by law to be taxed, sufficient to make up said troops the sum of ten dollars per month, including the pay they shall actually receive from the government, whether they volunteer their services or are drafted. And it is our duty to believe that they will not be called for any but the above purposes. And we earnestly recommend the former, as to occupy the ground of slaves is humiliating to free men.
Voted to pass the second resolve, which is in the following words :
Whereas, the publick concerns of our beloved country have of late assumed a dangerous and alarming aspect. And our government hav- ing in our opinion quit the highly honorable prudent and natural po- sition taken by that man whose wisdom prudence and discernment united all classes in the best means to promote the great interest of the commonwealth.
And, whereas, the government of the United States, hath declared this nation to be in a state of war with Great Britain, who was at the time of that declaration the purchaser and consumer of about 7/s of that vast amount of our domestic productions exported abroad for market, the income of which enriches our citizens and filled our national treas- ury. And while we acknowledge their right by constitution to declare war, and our duty to obey every constitutional injunction of our gov- ernment, we claim with equal confidence the right guarranteed to us by the same constitution, and that of the State of New Hampshire, of freely expressing our opinions, of that as well as all others of a pub- lic nature, without being put in fear by every engine of tyranny or even of mobs with the disgrace of the American name hath been set on foot and executed in the city of Baltimore and Savannah.
Therefore, being assembled to consult upon the common good. Re- solved, in the opinion of this meeting, that in the present critical situ- ation of the European world, it is the heighth of imprudence for this nation to enter into and prosecute a war with either of the great con- tending parties, in our opinion, a declaration of war against either Great Britain or France, is and to the least discerning mind must be
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HISTORY OF CANAAN.
considered as taking part with its enemy, and thereby subjecting this nation to the ruinous effect of that destructive war, which at present and for many years past, hath involved Europe in that wretchedness and distress, which shakes human nature even to name, the termina- tion of which no mortal eye can see nor the most sagestive mind can conceive.
Resolved, that whereas, the present majority both in Congress and in our Cabinet, have in the opinion of this meeting, either turned a deaf ear to or have treated with neglect the remonstrations of the people against the late declaration of war and measures of restrictions on our own commerce. That at this critical period, it is not only the privilege, but the solemn duty of every citizen (while he religiously submits to the powers that be) to use all legal and constitutional measures to con- vince the unconvinced, that a change of public officers is absolutely necessary in order that the privileges liberty and prosperity, which our ancestors purchased with blood and immence treasures may be handed down to posterity unimpaired.
Resolved that every constitutional attempt to suppress the people or their representatives from freely expressing their opinion as well against as in favor of the measures of administration (which such opinions grounded in truth) is in the opinion of this meeting a gross infringement of the most valuable right of free men, and that every office holder or office seeker or any other person who either directly or indirectly shall threaten any citizen with a coat of tar and feathers, or any other art of mobbery, to deter him from freely expressing such opinion, merits and ought to receive the sovereign contempt of a free people, and we shall ever hold ourselves ready to aid government with our lives and fortunes in suppressing any mob, under whatever name it may assume or in whatever garb it may be clad.
A copy of these resolutions was forwarded to Hon. Nicholas Gilman, one of our senators in Congress, and through him the voice of Canaan was uttered in the halls of Congress, but the war still went on.
In November of this year, New Hampshire had the high honor of discovering Daniel Webster. His first election was announced. Canaan gave him 159 ballots. His opponent receiving forty-six. In 1813, the town voted $250 for town charges and fifty cents for roads. The selectmen of Orange asked Canaan to receive the jurisdiction of a part of that town. Canaan declined to accept. Much expense and more annoyance had already occurred from the litigous disposition of Nathan Waldo, Esq., whose influence was paramount in Orange, and it was through this trait in the man's character, that led a portion of the people of Orange to ask
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TOWN MEETINGS, 1797-1818.
protection from Canaan. Upon the slightest pretext, and upon no pretext, he was ready to appeal to the courts, and when beaten upon one point would try another. But he was finally beaten himself, and having wasted all his property, was carried to Haverhill jail for debt, upon the limits of which he and his wife died and were buried by the county.
In 1814, $200 was raised for town charges and fifty cents for highways. Non-residents' lands were released from taxation excepting hundred acre lots. This was done at the instance of the proprietors. Robert Wilson takes the Widow Pattee and her daughter for $50, and the selectmen are requested to provide for James Woodbury and family and the Widow Buntin and her family. Mr. Buntin had owned, at one time, Barber's mill.
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