USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Concord > The history of Concord : from its first grant in 1725, to the organization of the city government in 1853, with a history of the ancient Penacooks ; the whole interspersed with numerous interesting incidents and anecdotes, down to the present period, 1885 > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
Voted, That Mr. Timothy Clement, Mr. Joseph Eastman, Mr. Jeremiah Stick- ney, Mr. Edward Abbott, Deacon John Merrill, Mr. Abraham Bradley and Mr. Ebenezer Virgin be a committee to approve of a person to build the mills before mentioned, and to agree with said person upon proper terms for the well-regu- lating said mill for the benefit of the proprietors.
Voted, That this meeting be adjourned to the second day of November next, at one of the clock in the afternoon.
BENJAMIN ROLFE, Proprietors' Clerk.
Attest : Examined by BENJA. ROLFE, Clerk. A true copy.
To BENJAMIN ROLFE, Clerk for the Proprietors of Penny Cook :
We, the subscribers, proprietors of Penny Cook, desire you would warn a meeting of said proprietors on the second day of November next, at three of the clock in the afternoon, for to agree upon and order another division or divisions of land, and to choose a committee to make amendments to the interval lots in interval land, or in other land, and to do any other thing that the committee which was appointed by the General Court's Committee was to do, if the com- mittee appointed by the General Court's Committee do not come up and proceed upon the business before the first day of November next, and also to choose a committee to see if Mr. Nathan Simonds hath complied with his obligations to said proprietors in building of a grist mill and saw mill, and in keeping of them in repair, and to proscente said Simonds if he hath not complied with his bargain, and to choose a committee to exchange the house-lot belonging to the school right for such land as may be thought best.
Dated at Penny Cook, the 19th of October, 1732.
HENRY ROLFE, TIMOTHY CLEMENT,
JOHN MERRILL, JEREMIAH STICKNEY, EDWARD ABBOTT,
ABRAHAM BRADLEY,
JOSEPH EASTMAN,
GEORGE ABBOTT,
JOHN CHANDLER,
ISAAC WALKER.
A true copy. Examined by BENJA. ROLFE, Clerk.
[Agrecably to a notification, a legal meeting of the proprietors of Penny Cook was held at the meeting-house, Nov. 2, 1732.]
Mr. Ebenezer Eastman was chosen moderator.
110
TIIE PLANTATION OF PENACOOK.
grist-mill and saw-mill on Turkey river, on very liberal con- ditions. The conditions were taken up by Henry Lovejoy and
Voted, That Mr. Abraham Bradley, Mr. Ebenezer Eastman, Mr. Timothy Clement, Mr. Joseph Eastman and Mr. Ebenezer Virgin be a committee to make amendments to the interval lots in interval land or other land, and to do any other business which the committee which was appointed by the General Court's Committee was to do.
Voted, That Capt. Jolin Chandler, of Andover, Mr. Ebenezer Virgin, and Mr. Jeremiah Stickney, be a committee to see if Mr. Nathan Simonds have complied with his obligations to said proprietors, in building of a grist mill and saw mill, and in keeping of them in repair ; and to prosecute said Simonds if he hath not complied with his bargain.
A true copy.
Attest : Examined by
BENJA. ROLFE, Proprietors' Clerk :. BENJAMIN ROLFE, Clerk.
[Upon the request of proprietors, and agreeably to a notification, a legal meet- ing of the proprietors was held at the meeting-house, 7th Dec., 1732.]
Voted, That Deacon Ephraim Farnum be moderator of the present meeting.
Voted, That any person or persons that is agreeable, and shall be accepted of by the proprietors, that will build a grist mill and saw mill on Turkey river, in Penny Cook, for the use of the proprietors of said Penny Cook, shall have the whole stream of said Turkey river in Penny Cook and forty acres of land adjoining to the mills, and one hundred acres of land that shall be accounted good land, in the judgment of a committee that shall lay out the same, which land shall be within a mile or two of the mills, and forty pounds in money, or forty pounds' worth of work, when the builder of said mill shall call for it.
Voted, That Mr. Timothy Clement, Mr. Joseph Eastman, Mr. Jeremiah Stick- ney, Mr. Edward Abbott, Deacon Jolin Merrill, Mr. Abraham Bradley and Mr. Ebenezer Virgin, be a committee to agree with a man or men to build the mills before mentioned, and to agree with said man or men upon proper terms for the well-regulating said mills for the benefit of the proprietors.
BENJA. ROLFE, Proprietors' Clerk.
A true copy.
Attest : Examined by BENJAMIN ROLFE, Clerk.
1733.
[Upon the request of proprietors, a meeting was notified as follows :]
By virtue of an order from under the hands of ten of the proprictors of Penny Cook, these are to notify the proprietors of Penny Cook to assemble and meet at the meeting-house in Penny Cook, on Monday, the twenty-sixth day of March current, at eleven of the clock in the forenoon, then and there to approve of the men which the committee have agreed with to build the mills ; also, to make snel additions to the grants which are already made for encouragement to any person or persons that shall build the mills in lands or streams or ponds for mills, or for making such satisfaction to said persons that build said mills for the improvement which said person or persons shall make on the forty acres
111
PROPRIETARY RECORDS.
Barachias Farnum, and the mills in due time were built at what is now called Millville, at the lower falls - at present owned by Dr. George C. Shattuck, of Boston.
-
granted them, as the proprietors shall think fit, in case said persons shall ever forfeit said forty acres to the proprietors, or to act or transact any thing that shall be thought proper by the proprietors for the encouragement of building mills in Penny Cook ; also, to choose a committee to lay out such lands as shall be granted to said persons for building mills; also, to consider what shall be proper to be done with the meadow belonging to said proprietors that is now common, and to pass such votes concerning it as the proprietors shall think fit ; also, to give the committee which was chosen to lay out a twenty acre division, a longer time to do it in ; also, to dispose of the addition which is laid out to the school lot for the year ensuing, as it shall be thought best by the proprietors.
Dated at Penny Cook, the tenth day of March, 1732/3.
BENJA. ROLFE, Clerk for the Proprietors of Penny Cool :. Examined by BENJAMIN ROLFE, Clerk. A true copy.
At a legal meeting of the proprietors of Penny Cook, on Monday, the twen- ty-sixth day of March, 1733, Capt. Ebenezer Eastman was chosen moderator of this present meeting.
Voted, That Mr. Henry Lovejoy and Mr. Barachias Farnum be accepted and approved of for building of mills on Turkey river, in Penny Cook.
Voted, That in case the above-said Henry Lovejoy and Barachias Farnum, or their heirs or assigns, shall ever forfeit the mills above-mentioned unto the pro- prietors, the proprietors shall pay the said Lovejoy and Farnum, or their heirs and assigns, the value of the one half of the iron work and stones of the said mills, as they shall be valued when the mills shall be forfeited.
Voted, That the aforesaid Lovejoy and Farnum, and their heirs and assigns, shall have liberty to flow as much swamp as they can for a mill pond, [so long as they keep the before-mentioned mills in good repair, ] betwixt the first and second falls below the lowest pond on Turkey river in Penny Cook.
Voted, That Mr. John Chandler, Dea. John Merrill, Mr. Edward Abbott, En- sign Jeremiah Stickney, and Mr. Timothy Clement, be a committee to lay out the hundred acres and the forty acres of land which is voted as encouragement to build mills in Penny Cook, as soon as they can with convenieney, and make return of their doings at the next meeting after the land is laid out.
Voted, That the before-mentioned Lovejoy and Farnum shall not be obliged to tend the grist-mill on any days in the week except Mondays and Fridays, (provided they grind all the grain that shall be brought to the mills on said days,) during the term of ten years from the date hercof.
Voted, That the Rev. Mr. Timothy Walker shall have the improvement of the addition to the school lot for the year ensuing.
Voted, That the committee which was chosen to lay out a twenty aere divis- ion shall have a longer time to do it in, viz. : till the first day of December next.
Voted, That Licut. John Chandler, Mr. Abraham Bradley and Ensign Jere-
112
THE PLANTATION OF PENACOOK.
Committees were also chosen to settle the bounds of Sewall's farm, and to lay out "emendation lots," in interval or other lands, and " to see whether Nathan Simonds hath built the mills
miah Stickney, shall be a committee to let out the common meadow belonging to the proprietors, (which shall not be laid out to particular persons, ) to the highest bidder for the year ensuing.
BENJAMIN ROLFE, Proprietors' Clerk.
A true copy.
Attest : Examined by BENJAMIN ROLFE, Clerk.
1734.
[Upon the request of proprietors, a meeting was notified as follows :]
Notice is hereby given to the proprietors of the common and undivided land in the township of Rumford, to assemble and meet at the meeting-house in said Rumford, on Wednesday, the ninth day of June current, at one of the clock in the afternoon, then and there to order the proprietors' clerk to put the house lots and six acre lots belonging to said proprietors in said township upon record. Also, to receive the report of the committee which was chosen to lay out a twenty acre division ; also, to receive the report of the committee which was chosen to make the emendation to the interval lots, and to order the land which is laid out by the said committees to be recorded ; also, to choose a man or men to be with the clerk whilst he is recording said land ; also, to choose a committee to make sale of some of the common land belonging to said proprietors, to pay the proprietors' debts, or else to raise money for the paying of said debts and defraying the necessary charges of the proprietors ; also, to choose assessors, collector and treasurer for said proprietors ; also, to make a grant of a traet of land to John Wainwright, Esq., his heirs, &e., for the services which said Wainwright hath done for said proprietors, (as he was one of the General Court's committee for bringing forward settlement here,) and for his being a clerk to said committee, and for his recording of some of the land which is laid ont here ; also, to choose a committee to lay out such land as shall be granted to said Wainwright, his heirs, &c .; also, to see if the proprietors will change the house lot laid out to the school right with Mr. Abraham Bradley for other land ; also, to choose a man or men to prosecute any person or persons that shall commit any trespass or trespasses upon the common or undivided land within this township - saving and reserving a liberty to the proprietors for cutting fire-wood and timber for their own use within this town ; also, to choose a committee to allow of propri- etors' debts, and to give an order to the treasurer for the paying of the same ; also, to choose a committee to lay ont the land which was formerly granted to Mr. Cutting Noyes, for his encouragement to live and do the blacksmith work here.
Dated at Rumford, the third day of June, 1734.
By order of ten of said proprietors, in writing :
BENJAMIN ROLFE, Clerk for the Proprietors of Rumford. A true copy. Examined by BENJAMIN ROLFE, Clerk.
113
PROPRIETARY RECORDS.
on Mill brook according to bargain, and to prosecute in case of failure."
At a legal meeting of the proprietors of the common and undivided land in the township of Rumford, on the nineteenth day of June, 1734 -
Voted, That Capt. Ebenezer Eastman be moderator of the present meeting.
Voted, That the proprietors' clerk shall record the house lots and six aere lots belonging to the proprietors within this township.
Voted, That the land which is laid out by the committee which was chosen at a legal meeting of the proprietors of Penny Cook, on the fourteenth day of Sep- temher, 1732, to make a first division of upland to each grantee of Penny Cook, consisting of twenty acres in quantity and quality, shall be accepted, and the proprietors' clerk is hereby ordered to record the same.
Voted, That the land which is laid out by the committee which was chose at a legal meeting of the proprietors of Penny Cook, on the second day of Novem- ber, 1732, to make emendation to the interval lots, shall be accepted and re- corded by the clerk ; and that the said committee be further empowered to make the interval lots belonging originally to James Simonds, Jonathan Pulsifer and Stephen Osgood, equal in quantity and quality to any other lots belonging to any of the proprietors of Rumford.
Voted, That Lieut. John Chandler and Mr. Timothy Clement be a committee to be with the elerk whilst he is recording the land, and to see that he makes a fair record of the same.
Voted, That one hundred and fifty pounds be raised for paying the proprietors' debts, and defraying the necessary charges of the proprietors.
Voted, That Mr. James Osgood, Mr. Nathaniel Abbott and Deacon John Mer- rill, be assessors for the proprietors.
Voted, That Mr. Aaron Stevens be collector.
Toted, That Mr. Edward Abbott be treasurer for the proprietors.
Toted, That one hundred acres of land, within the township of Rumford, be granted by the proprietors of Rumford to John Wainwright, Esq., his heirs and assigns, in consideration of and in full for the services which said John Wain- wright, Esq., hath done for said proprietors, as he was one of the General Court's Committee for bringing forward the settlement here, and for his being a clerk to said committee, and for recording the land which was laid out here and is already recorded.
.
Voted, That Mr. Nathaniel Abbott, Mr. David Kimball and Mr. Ebenezer Virgin, be a committee to lay out the hundred acres of land granted to John Wainwright, Esq., his heirs and assigns, and that the committee make return of the laying out said land to the proprietors.
Voted, That Benjamin Rolfe, Capt. Ebenezer Eastman and Mr. Abraham Bradley, or either of them, be attorneys or attorney for the proprietors of Rum- ford, to prosecute any person or persons that shall commit any trespass or tres- passes on the common and undivided land in the township of Rumford, saving and reserving a liberty to the proprietors for cutting fire-wood and timber for their own use within this township.
Voted, That Benjamin Rolfe, Richard Haseltine and Lieut. John Chandler, be
8
114
THE PLANTATION OF PENACOOK.
Still, however, the proprietors did not deem themselves in full possession of town rights and privileges. Hence, in December,
a committee to allow of proprietors' debts, and to give an order to the treasurer for the paying of the same.
Voted, That the committee that was chosen to lay out the land voted to Col. Wainwright, Esq., shall lay out forty acres of land to Mr. Cutting Noyes, for his living here as a blacksmith ; the said committee to make return of their doings to the next proprietors' meeting for their acceptance.
Attest :
BENJA. ROLFE, Clerk.
A true copy. Examined by
BENJAMIN ROLFE, Clerk.
To BENJAMIN ROLFE, Esq., Clerk for the Proprietors of Rumford :
We, the subseribers, proprietors of Rumford, desire you to warn a meeting of said proprietors on Tuesday, the 11th day of March 1734/5, at three of the clock in the afternoon, then and there to give Lieut. John Chandler liberty to build a saw mill on Rattle Snake brook, and liberty of a convenient yard for his logs and boards, and liberty to flow the great pond called Rattle Snake pond ; the said Chandler to pay what damages he shall do to the proprietors by flowing the pond ; the said Chandler to enjoy said privileges during the term of fifteen years from the date hereof ; also, to accept of the return which the commit- tee that was chosen to lay out one hundred and forty acres of land for the encour- agement of building mills on Turkey river, in said Rumford, hath made, and to order the said land to be recorded by the clerk ; also, to choose a committee to let out the common meadow belonging to said proprietors for such a term as the proprietors shall think proper.
Dated at Rumford, the 24th day of February, 1734.
EBENEZER EASTMAN, JEREMIAII STICKNEY,
EPHRAIM FARNUM, JOHN CHANDLER,
RICHARD HASELTINE, JAMES OSGOOD,
NATH'L ABBOTT, EDWARD ABBOTT,
GEORGE ABBOTT, JEREMIAH BRADLEY.
A true copy. Examined by BENJA. ROLFE, Proprietors' Clerk.
Notification was given agreeably to this desire.
1735.
At a legal meeting of the proprietors of Rumford on Tuesday, the 11th day of March, 1734/5, Ensign Jeremiah Stickney was chosen moderator.
Voted, That John Chandler shall have liberty to build a saw mill on Rattle Snake brook, and liberty of a convenient yard for his logs and boards, and liberty to flow the great pond called Rattle Snake pond,- the said Chandler to pay what damages he shall do to the proprietors by flowing the pond ; the said Chandler to enjoy said privileges during the term of fifteen years from the twenty-fourth day of February, 1734.
115
PROPRIETARY RECORDS.
1732, Henry Rolfe, Esq., in behalf of the settlers, presented the following petition :
HENRY ROLFE'S PETITION AB'T PENNYCOOK, DECEME, 1732.
To His Excelleney JONATHAN BELCHER, Esq., Captain General and Governor in Chief .- The Honorable Council and Repre- sentatives in General Court assembled.
The Humble Petition of Henry Rolfe on Behalf of the Setlers at l'enny Cook --
HUMBLY SHEWETH, That your Excellency and Honours were Pleased the Last year to order the Inhabitants and Setlers at said
Voted, That the return which the committee that was chosen to lay out one hundred and forty acres of land for building of mills on Turkey river, shall be accepted and recorded by the clerk, which was as followeth, viz. :
We, the subscribers, being chosen a committee at a legal meeting of the pro- prietors and freeholders in the township called Penny Cook, also Rumford, on the 26th day of March, in the year 1733, to lay, for the encouragement of build- ing of a grist mill and a saw mill, one hundred and forty acres of land, at or near the place where the said mills are to be set on the river called Turkey river, we have, by the desire of the owners of said mills - Mr. Barachias Farnum and Mr. Henry Lovejoy -laid out one hundred and forty acres in two pieces, and is bounded as follows, viz. : The first, containing forty acres, and begins at a white oak, marked, near the road that leads from the meeting-house to said mills ; thence southeasterly, about thirty-eight poles, to a stake and stones ; thenee westerly, about one hundred and ten poles, to an elm, marked, by Turkey river ; thence by said river, about one hundred and eight poles, to a maple, marked ; thence southwesterly, about thirty poles, to a crotched white oak, marked ; thence northwesterly, about ninety poles, to a pitch-pine, marked ; thence westerly, about eight poles, to a crooked pitch-pine, marked, by the mill pond ; thence northwesterly, about thirty poles, across the mill pond, to a white oak ; thence north, about thirty-five poles, to a white oak marked ; thence north- easterly, about twenty-eight poles, to a white oak, marked F. L .; thence easterly, about one hundred and ten poles, to the road and bounds first mentioned.
The second, containing one hundred acres, and is adjoining to the other forty, and bounded as follows, viz .: Beginning at a pitch-pine, marked F. L., by the road that leads from the meeting-house to the mill on Turkey river ; thence westerly, about forty-eight poles, to a white oak marked F. ; thence southwest- erly, about twenty-seven poles, to a white oak, being a bound of the forty acres, and thence southeasterly, about thirty-eight poles, to a stake and stones ; thence westerly, about one hundred and ten poles, to an elm by Turkey river ; thence by the forty acres laid out to the mill before mentioned, about one hundred and eight poles, to a maple by said Turkey river, standing in a bend of said river ; thence crook, as the channel of said river runs - that being the bound of the southeasterly side of said hundred acres of land - about one hundred and thirty poles, to a large hemlock on the river's bank, marked F. L. ; thence southeast-
116
THE PLANTATION OF PENACOOK.
Penny Cook to Raise money for the necessary Charges within said Plantation ; to Choose Officers for the Levying and Collecting the
erly, about nineteen poles, to a beach marked F. L .; thence northerly, about one hundred and seventy poles, to the bounds first mentioned.
Penny Cook, July the 9th, 1733.
TIMOTHY CLEMENT, JEREMIAH STICKNEY, JOHN MERRILL, JOHN CHANDLER, EDWARD ABBOTT,
Committee.
A true copy of the original return, recorded and examined by BENJA. ROLFE, Proprietors' Clerk.
Voted, That Lieut. John Chandler, Mr. Nathaniel Abbott and Mr. James Os- good, shall be a committee to dispose of the common meadow within this town- ship, for the year 1735, as they shall think most for the benefit of the proprie- tors.
At a legal meeting of the proprietors of Rumford, regularly assembled at the meeting-house in Rumford, on the twenty-third of February, 1735,
Toted, That Capt. Ebenezer Eastman be moderator of this present meeting.
Voted, That the proprietors' clerk shall record the house or home lots belong- ing to the proprietors of Rumford, as they are numbered in the proprietors' book, unless some of the lots have been laid out anew since the first draft for the conveniency of building, and in such case the proprietors' clerk is ordered to record them as they were laid out last.
Voted, That Benjamin Rolfe, Esq., Lieut. John Chandler and Mr. Abraham Bradley, be a committee to measure the six acre lots of interval belonging to the proprietors of Rumford, and to erect new bounds where the old ones are removed or gone, and to take a new plan of said lots, with a north and south line upon each plan, and to take an exact and true account of the bounds of each lot, and to deliver the plan or plans so taken, with an account of the bounds, to the proprietors' clerk ; and the proprietors' clerk is hereby desired, empowered and ordered to record said lands, agreeable to such plan or plans as shall be delivered to him by said committee, and also to enter a true copy of said plan or plans in said proprietors' book.
Voted, That Lieut. John Chandler shall be chosen and desired to assist the proprietors' clerk in recording the house-lots and interval six acre lots, and to see that the clerk makes a true record thereof.
Voted, That the return which the committee which was chosen to lay out one hundred acres of land for John Wainwright, Esq., hath made shall be accepted, and recorded by the proprietors' clerk, which is as follows, viz. :
Whereas at a legal meeting of the proprietors of the common and undivided land in the township of Rumford, on the nineteenth day of June, 1734 :
We, the subscribers, were appointed a committee and empowered to lay out one hundred acres of land in said township of Rumford, for John Wainwright,
117
PROPRIETARY RECORDS.
Same, and Did Invest them with Certain Powers, as per the order of January, 1731, herewith also Presented, may appear. But so it is,
Esq., his heirs and assigns, in consideration of and in full for the services which said John Wainwright, Esq., hath done for said proprietors, as he was one of the General Court's Committee for bringing forward the settlement here, and for his being a clerk to said committee, and for the recording of the land which was laid out here and is already recorded, as by vote of said proprietors may fully appear, have accordingly attended the service, and laid out said hundred aeres of land, being bounded as followeth, viz .: Beginning at a pitch-pine marked W., standing by the road that leads from Rumford meeting-house to Contoocook ; thence running northwesterly by said road, about one hundred poles, to a pitch-pine marked J. W. ; thence sonthwesterly, about one hundred and sixty poles, to a pitch-pine marked J. W. ; thence southeasterly, abont one hundred poles, to a white oak marked W. ; thence northeasterly, about one hun- dred and sixty poles, to the bounds first mentioned.
Rumford, February 20th, 1735. NATHANIEL ABBOTT, Committee. EBENEZER VIRGIN,
A true copy of the original return, recorded and examined by
BENJA. ROLFE, Proprietors' Clerk.
Voted, That the return which the committee which was chosen to lay out forty acres of land for Mr. Cutting Noyes, shall be accepted and recorded by the clerk, which is as follows, viz. :
We, the subscribers, being chosen a committee at a legal meeting held by the proprietors of the town of Rumford, on the 19th day of June, 1734, to lay out for Mr. Cutting Noyes forty acres of land in the township aforesaid,- we have laid the same on the east side of the river, adjoining to land now in the posses- sion of David Barker, which is bounded as followeth. viz. : Beginning at a pitch- pine tree marked B. ; thence sontheasterly, by a highway, about sixty-eight poles, to a white oak marked B. ; thence northeasterly, about one hundred and forty-five poles, to a white oak marked B. ; thence northwest-and-by-north, about twenty-three poles, to a stake and stones,-it being the northeasterly bounds of said Barker's land ; thence about one hundred and sixty poles, by said Barker's land, to the bounds first mentioned.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.