USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Fitzwilliam > The history of Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, from 1752-1887 > Part 13
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Selectmen, John Mellen, Joseph Grow, and Edward Kendall. Constable, Edward Kendall.
The record of the above-mentioned meeting, March 17th, 1774, is here given in full :
- - Town being met and Voted and Choose James R[eed Moderator ].
Voted and Choose said Reed [Town Clerk].
[Voted and C]hoose said Reed first Select[man].
Voted and Choose Mr. John Mellen 2 Sele[ctman].
Voted and Choose Lieut. Brigham 3 Selectman.
And also Voted the above said Reed, Mellen and Brigham assessors for the present year.
Voted and Choose Levi Brigham Constable and Collector.
Voted and Choose John Mellen Treasurer.
153
TOWN MEETING, 1774.
Voted and Choose Joseph Grow and Caleb Winch Tidingmen for the present year.
Voted and Choose Samuel Killpatrick, John Anger, Francis Fullum, David Parey and Stephen Harris High way sveurs.
Voted and Choose Nathaniel Wilder and John Fassett fence vewers.
Voted and Choose John Whitney, James Reed Jr Deer Refs. (Reeves).
Voted and Choose Samuel Killpatrick Lather Sealer.
Voted and Choose Jonas Knights, David Parey Hog Refs or Field Drivers.
Voted and Choose Nathaniel Wilder Svauer of Lumber.
Voted and Choose Joseph Hemenway Clark of the Markett, Sealer of Wats and masuers.
[Voted] the sum of seven pounds [for the] use of a scool for the pres- ent year.
Voted that a pound be bult 25 feet square [and that the sides] be laid up ? feet High with a wooden gate with iron Hinges, all to be Com- pleted by the first of June next to the exceptance of the Town, and Jolin Mellen is bondsman to see the work Don.
Voted the sum of £4. 10. 0. 0. to Defray nacasary Charges and building the above mentioned pound, and to provide scales, Wats, Masuers, etc.
Voted €50. 0. 0. 0. L M to make and repair Roads the present year to be worked out at said - - - after the rate of four pence a nower for each one, the work to be Don in June & September.
Voted that the oners of the 2 corner pews in the Body parte of the Meeting House have Liberty to eut [windows] at the east and west end of the Meeting House for the benifet of those Pews, they doing it and keeping them in Repair at there one cost.
Voted That Town Meetings in this Town for the present be warned by a notification being posted by wrighting on a poste at the Meeting House to be provided for that purpos.
Voted and Excepted of a Road laid out by Edward Kendall and Joseph Grow, 2 of the Seleetmen of said Town for the year 1773. Said Road Runs upon the north line of Lott - in the 8 rang Leading south by the House of Joseph -- to Lott no 2 in 8 Rang and so on as it is marked and Trod.
A true Entrey of all the Vots and Trans[actions] passed at said meeting.
pr James Reed Moderator and Town Clark.
The words or passages enclosed in brackets are supplied to fill vacancies in the burnt record. Blanks are left where the proper words cannot be given.
The following entry appears upon the same page with the record given above :
154
HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.
" of July 1774 then Mr. Stephen Harris took the Charge of our Meeting House to see that the windows was shet and the doors opened."
Upon this record it may be remarked that this appropriation for educational purposes, apparently small, being only seven pounds, was in reality quite liberal, for money at that time had a great purchasing power. Moreover, if the teacher of the single school received as wages four shillings or four shillings and sixpence per week (sixty-six and two thirds, or seventy-five cents), which was considered in those days a good price, and boarded around, as was the custom, the seven pounds must have supported a school of considerable lengthi. It appears also from this record that the town entered at once upon the busi- ness of making and repairing roads, a work previously done at the expense of the proprietors, from which it would seem evident that most of the responsibilities of the proprietorship were immediately assumed by the town. But to this there was one exception, for the proprietors were still bound to pay the salary of the minister, and between the two parties there was a sort of partnership in the meeting-house, for we find both ordering changes and making repairs in that building, and moreover receiving and acting upon petitions from indi- viduals for the privilege of cutting windows, lengthening the seats, or building new pews. As the two parties were made up to a great extent of the same persons, there appears to have been no partienlar clashing of interests, and they worked to- gether harmoniously for the space of twenty five years, or until 1798, when the proprietors voluntarily relinquished all claims to the meeting-house, upon the town's becoming re- sponsible for the salary of the minister.
A fac-simile of the first leaf of the burnt record book that has been preserved is here given. The original size of the leaf, eleven by seven inches, here reduced in size to five and a half by three and a half inches, is shown by the shaded part upon which the burnt leaf is laid. The margin shows the correct proportionate part of the leaf that is gone.
Upon the first page, as shown in the illustration, is the war-
Halle. in Thurfeng want march at ons of then un? Theuse to Cho
1 Perator to usquea, Said meeting, 1 " this Town officeen on the Law Dirato for the
for the sun"id: " since l and say How much. 1 1 My to see if he Journ will Grant money to betraute 12. 3's and Jay How much. 1 1.
in the town will y vant money for the Clear with Her 4:00 repairing of The Road in said Jeron anddas How much
Tu to see if the gown will Grant liberty to ane ye " parfois to put windos in any Part of The auction House for the perfect of their persuasiva hereson las They Whale think proper- a feed the gown will accept any food or Roads be laid before them for that Burgos-
y to see if The Johan will place a note that They waiting for the future's may be warned by The Contar I'veyupis Coping of the warrant at publick place in? Touch will out there on as They Shall Think Prop thu ir ies of The town will accept any accounts May be laid by one Them for That propor John Miller 1
und market by Vivant Kindal ou tiful and h to see therij march 1774
2 and Choose June Wir und Choose said
hans 3, duction.
voter and; Tion, Pacekandid .. roter and Chools Joseph Grow ana Calabra inch saving men forthe new year sted und Choofc.
Janniechlu patrich Utial
way 1 David party, 1
and Choote nathanich withci( Concrete,
ei and Chocic John undery carfett ( and Choose sammen Rice patrick utter ance. w und chools Joner 2 nights (roghet, we vid parney &lidl drivers Q and ins 2 Nathanice wilder & Juaner of I and Choose Jorgch Hemenway ( Clark of (The market Jeales et wait and malucos
Leven,
Use of a. cool!for the present wie,-
155
PETITION FOR PEW GROUND.
rant for the meeting held March 17th. 1774, while upon the second page is a part of the record of the meeting.
Another town meeting seems to have been held on August 1st, 1774, at which a petition was presented and acted upon, involving other changes in the meeting-house. This is given entire :
We your humble Petitioners Do ask and Petition for all the Pew ground in the east Gallary exclusive of three seats which we the Sub- seribers or Proprietors Do Covenant and agree to and with each other to build and Complete [on said] pew ground into one pew and complete the same decently, and your answer or Compliance will oblige your Verey Humble Petitioners. Dated at Fitzwilliam July 4, 1774. Signed Joseph Kneeland, John Herrington, Joseph Potter, Luther Trowbridge, Joshua Herrington Jr. Thomas Tolman, Benjamin Davidson, Ezekiel Mixer, David Perry, John Whitney, Daniel Mellen, John Mellen.
The action of the town upon this petition was as follows :
The votable Inhabitants of Fitzwilliam at a meeting of said Town on the first day of August did take the above Petition under Consideration and did vote that the Request of said Petition be granted to the Sub- scribers on condition of there fulfilling there Perposalls in making a Hansom Pew in said front Gallery by Rasing the front of the Pew no hier than the Tops of the seat before said pew but the Length of the Banesters and the Rale that the Banesters are set in, and keeping it in Repair by them or there Suxecors, and the windos behind and that they take in as maney Partuers as [can be seated] comfortably in said pew and keep it so (long as) they abide in this Town.
Other similar petitions and grants are found recorded upon the proprietors' records.
This matter of obtaining pew ground in the meeting-house that had remained unoccupied, building pews thereon, and oc- cupying the same by companies of individuals, was one of much interest in the early history of this town.
These associations were regularly and, it would seem, legally organized ; they called their meetings (which appear to have been frequently held) in a formal manner, and kept a partic- ular record of all their proceedings. Two of these record books came into the hands of and were preserved by the late Captain William F. Perry. The oldest contains the records
156
HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.
of one of these pew organizations, beginning with December Sth, 1779.
The petitioners and grantees in all these cases were invari- ably men, but they seem to have had no objection to the soci- ety of women in their pews.
Voted Betsy Dodge set on said Lanes' Right.
Voted Lucretia Newton into said Pew.
Voted that Anna Harris, Drissilla Poor, Drissilla Platts to sit in said Pew During Pleasure.
The second of these pew record books contains sixty or eighty pages of the proceedings of another pew association. The date is August 1st, 1791 :
The Names of the Persons that own Rites in said Pew-
Lieut. Josiah Hartwell, Chistophir Osgood, Stephen Harris, Thomas Bruce, John Whitney, John Amadon, Nathaniel Glezon, Nathaniel Grover, Joseph Pratt, Moses Pratt, Josiah Drury, Joel Millen, Ward Fassett, Abel Angier. A Meeting Warned and hild at time and place, and 1st Chose a moderator to Governed said meeting.
2d. Voted and Choose Stephen Harris Jun. Clark for said Pew.
3d. Voted that Betsy Park shall sit in sd Pew on Whallem Fassitt's rite in sª Pew.
Voted that Rocksene Amadon shall Set in sd Pew on John Osgood's rite.
At a later meeting, among many other acts the following appears :
Voted that if any Porson or Porsons shall put into sd Pew any of the Town's pepal more than tow Sunday bewins meeting shall forfet his rite in said Pew.
This plainly has reference to the owners seating visitors or other persons in the pew " bewins" or between the meetings of the association.
Voted that if any Porsen or Porsens shall By a rite in said Pew shall make Reeesquest (request) to the Clark of said Pew.
In 1SOS. " Voted snsy Pennemon on Demons' rite."
The last record in this curious book was made in 1809.
The rules of this pew association were very strict, for they
157
TOWN MEETING, 1775.
voted that " if any person or persons shall behave himself ont of order on the Sunday shall quite his rite," while no one was permitted to sell his right to any person " that the proprietors shall not think proper."
It is hardly to be supposed that such an order of things pre- vailed in the first meeting-houses of the neighboring towns.
1775. The difficulties and disputes between the colonies and Great Britain had now assumed large and alarming pro- portions, and henceforward for the space of eight years in the history of this town its aets will be found to have been influ- enced greatly by the wants of the country at large, and the calls for funds, provisions, and troops. These matters will have their appropriate place in the chapter on the Revolution- ary War.
March 16th, 1775, the annual town meeting was held which had been called by James Reed and John Mellen, selectmen. Joseph Hemenway was moderator, and John Locke was chosen town clerk. It was voted " that all the freeholders shall vote in this meeting." John Mellen, Levi Brigham, and John Locke were chosen seleetinen and made assessors. John Mel- len was chosen treasurer and constable, but Daniel Mellen was accepted in his place for the latter office. After the choice of the other town officers, it was voted to raise seven pounds for the support of a school, five pounds to provide a town stock and to defray town charges, and fifty pounds for the making and repairing of roads to be worked out at fourpence per hour.
Voted to accept the pound built by Nathaniel Wilder, Mr. John Millen, ingaging in his behalf that the gate should be hung in a fort- night.
Voted to allow Steven Harris ten shillings for service done in cleans- ing the meeting house.
Voted to allow Levi Brigham for service done as Constable in warning ont Moses Whitney and family in 1774 the sum of two shillings.
Under the same date, March 16th, 1775, is the following entry :
then Ichabod Smith undertook for one year to take care of ye meeting house, to see the doors opened and shut at proper seasons thearefor, the
158
HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.
windows properly shut and ye house properly swept for ye sum of six shillings, by order of the Selectmen.
The other matters acted upon at the annual meeting in 1775 were of secondary importance.
Of the " warning out" alluded to in the record above, this may here be said :
Rindge was settled and incorporated earlier than Fitzwil- liam, and we learn from the history of that town that "for many years nearly all who removed hither without regard to their social or financial standing were warned out."
As the adjoining towns of Jaffrey and Fitzwilliam pursued substantially the same course, it was undoubtedly the common custom of the times. It will be remembered that one of the reasons assigned for seeking incorporation was to obtain power to warn out vagrants. And so all were warned out. This seems to have been done as a legal formality, rather than be- cause families of character and means were not welcome as set- tlers. Very early the towns had, by statute law, the authority to free themselves from the presence of dangerous persons and of individuals and families that might become a tax upon them as paupers. Some of this class of persons resembled the tramps of the present day in that they believed that the community owed them a living, and that if this could not be easily gained by manual labor it must come in the way of charity. But there were others who differed from the tramps of our day, in that they were not single men, but had families that they took with them wherever they went. Sometimes these families were large, and it did not require a very long residence in any place to obtain a legal settlement, and so be able to claim sup- port from the town in case of sickness or extreme poverty.
To provide against this liability, the selectmen had anthor- ity to order the constable to warn such persons and families out of town, and to remove them by force if they did not obey the command. Occasionally the orders were enforced, but generally they seem to have been wholly disregarded, and it was expected that they would be. Some of these persons afterward became the most respectable and responsible citizens in the town, like Deacon Griffin, who was town treasurer for
159
WARNING OUT OF TOWN.
thirty years in succession. In some cases the warrant was very brief, while in others it was made out with considerable formality. A copy of one of the latter class is given in full :
In His Majesty's Name, we require You to repair to the residence of Abner Ball now residing in Fitzwilliam and Mary Ball and Elizabeth Ball and Jerome Ball, the offspring of the said Abner Ball and Mary his wife with all their effects, to warn and bid depart out of the Town of Fitzwilliam to the place from whence they came within the space of - days, no more to return upon their peril. Heareof fail not and make due return of this warrant to one or more of the Selectmen with the day of the date of said warning as you would avoid the penalty of the law made and provided in that case.
Given under our hands and seal this 22d day of March 1775 and in ye fifteenth year of his majestics' Reign, George ye third.
Ye 7th of April 1775 John Mellen John Locke Select Men.
Warning given and ye warrant returned to the selectmen by Daniel Mellen Constable. A true entry. John Locke Town Clerk.
It might be inferred that Mr. Ball did not like the command which was given to him " in his Majesty's name," as he was in the Revolutionary army fighting against " his Majesty" be- fore the year was out.
The following list is compiled from the records and is given as approximately fixing the date when the persons named came into the town. The list given is not complete, as it is known that many persons were warned out whose names do not ap- pear in the records. The recording of the warrants seems to have been in some measure optional.
LIST OF PERSONS RECORDED AS WARNED OUT OF TOWN.
1775 Abner and Mary Ball and their children Mary and Jerome and Elizabeth.
1776 Samuel and Hannah White and their child Diadamia. Reuben and Sarah Parmenter and ch. Joel.
1778 Jedediah and Deborah Smith-Eleazer and Mary Pratt-Mary Buekman-Nathaniel and Hannah Rugg and ch. Reuben and Rue.
1780 Daniel and Martha Biglow and ch. Amos-Rachel and Thankful Bontwell-Susanna and Mary or Molly and Lucy and Peter Adams.
1782 Robert Homer and his wife and ch. John and William and Moosha (?) and James and Benjamin and David.
1783 Mary Rice, so-called, and " Salla Haggity."
1785 Samuel and Lydia Taylor -- Sarah Taylor-Dolly Whitney-Mar-
160
HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.
garet Walls-John Walls-Joshua and Sarah Twitchell and ch. Polly and Joshua-Ichabod Hayward or Howard.
1787 Zaccheus and Susanna Hall and ch. Zacchens-Ebenezer and Meribah Robbins and ch. Ebenezer and Noah and William-Hack- aliah and Nelly Bridges and ch. William - Eli and Thankful Smith-Benjamin Elwell-Benjamin Puffer-Thomas and Ruth Conant and ch. Polly-Phineas Reed-Ebenezer Colburn-Ebene- zer May-Samuel Griffin-James and Elizabeth Stone and ch. James and Jonathan and Jerusha and Betty-Solomon and Mary Miller and ch. Daniel and Persis and Submit and Lydia-Jonas and Mary Gary and ch. Polly-Asa and Tamasin Goodale and ch. Elnathan-Micah and Elizabeth Perry and ch. Rhoda-Samuel and Rhoda Rockwood and ch. Martin-Edward and Eunice Payson and ch. David-Ruth Jackson.
1789 Jonathan and Elizabeth Broadstreet-Allen and Hannah Stone- Levi and Azubah Stockwell- Hiram and Phebe Prescott-Aaron Gary-Samuel and Lydia Patch and ch. Oliver and Samuel and Abraham and Lydia and Susanna-James and Betsey Morse and ch. Elizabeth and Ede and Joseph and Silas and Asa and Mitte-Caleb and Abigail Deeth and ch. Polly-Jonathan Pierce and wife and ch. Huldah and Polly and Esther and Rhoda and Anna.
The following will explain itself :
At a meeting of ye Inhabitants of the Town of Fitzwilliam held on ye 10th day of May 1775. Voted and chose ye Revd Mr. Benjamin Brig- ham to Represent ye Town in ye Provintial Congress to be held at Exeter on ye - day of may instant, with power to act in behalf of him- self and his Constituents in all things for the public good in Conjunction with the Representatives of the several Towns in this province, for the space of six months or untill another be chosen in his place.
John Mellen, Moderator.
Entry John Locke, Town Clerk.
Thus the honored pastor was chosen the first representative from this town to what soon became the General Court of New Hampshire.
It will be remembered that a few days before this appoint- ment the struggle with Great Britain had assumed the form of open hostility and actual war, in the fierce attack upon the royal troops at Lexington and Concord, Mass. Weighty re- sponsibilities, therefore, rested upon the Provincial Congress about to meet at Exeter. From all that can be learned, the choice of Mr. Brigham was eminently wise, as he was, without doubt, a man of excellent judgment and a firm and devoted patriot.
The Provincial Congress (doubtless the one that met in
161
OPPOSITION TO UNION WITH SWANZEY.
Exeter in May, 1775), having passed a resolve that Swanzey and Fitzwilliam should unite in sending a representative to that body, the town held a meeting, probably near the close of 1775. to consider the matter, when it was
Voted that it is the opinion of ye Town that by being cupled with Swanzey they have not a free and full representation, agreeable to the advice of the Continental Congress.
Voted not to meet with Swanzey to Elect a Representative to Repre- sent them in Congress.
Voted to send a Committee to Swanzey at their meeting to signify the Reason of their not meeting with them for the above purpose.
Voted that Majo Brigham, Majo Farrar, Lieut. Hutchings consist of the above Committee.
John Farrar, Moderator.
A true Entry John Locke, Town Clerk.
Swanzey had a larger population at that time than Fitz- william, and the people of this town perceived that their can- didate would probably fail of an election. At a later date the plan of the Provincial Congress seems to have been adopted, and these two towns constituted a single representative district.
1776. A part of the record of the annual town meeting held March 21st, 1776, it is impossible to make out, but what follows is legible :
After the appointment of the necessary town officers, the town
Voted to Deacon John Locke for service done as a committee to wait upon the Superior Court at Keen in october last in order to lay before the Court some greavences and for service done as one of the Committee of Correspondence and Saifty for the last year, the sum of £0. 19. 0. 0. for expenses only.
Also allowed Joseph Hemenway "for service done as a committeeman to attend a County Congress for expenses and horse the sum of £0. 19. 0. 0." To Ichabod Smith was voted six shillings "for taking care and sweeping the meeting [house ] one year."
" Also allowed Lieut. Levi Brigham for supporting Jolin Camp and family, by order of the selectmen, the sum of ten
11
162
HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.
shillings." This John Camp appears to have settled in the township before its incorporation, and for this reason could not be legally compelled to leave it.
A road laid out by the selectmen having been accepted, and a recess of half an hour having been taken, the town
Voted that no cattle be suffered to run at large in the Town belong- ing to Non- Residence, and that the field Drivers upon complaint coming to them shall drive all such Non-Resident cattle out of the bounds of the Town taking witness that they went no farther and apply to the Town for reasonable cost.
Voted that the Selectmen make inquirery Concerning the maintainance of those paupers who came into Town before it was incorporated.
At this meeting no money was raised for the school, as, for some reason not named, the amount raised in 1775, for this purpose, had not been expended. Three pounds were raised to meet town charges.
1777. On March 20th, 1777, the annual town meeting .appears to have been held, at which the usual town business was transacted, but the dates are so often lacking in the records that it seems next to impossible to harmonize the different en- tries. Ten pounds were raised "for the use of a school," forty shillings to meet town charges, and thirty pounds for re- pairing highways " to be worked out at fourpence per hour." " Voted to pay for travel three miles per hour." Ichabod Smith was again paid six shillings " for keeping the Meeting House." " Voted and chose Maj. Asa Brigham to meet the Town of Walpole and consult affairs."
This last action doubtless had reference to Revolutionary matters.
1778. Annual meeting. The town " voted to give up a note that the Rev. Mr. Brigham gave to the Town, " the value of which is not stated. This was probably done on account of the depreciation of the currency in which his salary had been paid. With the same intent, doubtless, the town voted at this meeting " and raised thirty pounds to addition of Rev. Mr. Brigham's salary for this present year."
Also it was voted that " the school money should be spent in either squadron as they shall think proper," from which
163
DEPRECIATION OF CURRENCY.
it would appear that the town had now been divided into some- thing like school districts, which were called squadrons.
llaving given the names of the officers of the town, the amount of the several appropriations, etc., for the earliest years after the incorporation, it is deemed best to tabulate the same for the years that followed in a separate chapter, unless, as sometimes happened, there seems to be some special reason for giving them here,
1779. Annual meeting. The town " Voted three Imun- dred pounds in addition to Rev. Mr. Brigham's Salary for this present year." Amos Knight, constable, is allowed four pounds " for carriing of a family to Winchendon in the year 1778." Ten shillings was the allowance made " for the cair of the meeting-house" this year.
Ilow much the paper currency had depreciated at this time has not been accurately ascertained-indeed, the depreciation was greater or less in different localities ; but not long after the date of this meeting one dollar in silver was allowed in paying taxes to be equal to seventy-five dollars in paper money. The depreciation of the currency caused so much trouble that in 1781 the Legislature made an authorized scale of de- preciation, by which contracts made at different times might be legally adjusted. This scale is given in Chapter XI.
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