USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hillsborough > The history of Hillsborough, New Hampshire, 1735-1921, Volume 1 > Part 19
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Isolated as the early settlers were and time pieces not as common as they are to-day when a clock can be bought for a small sum, it was perfectly natural the people should desire to have a meeting house bell. There is no music sweeter or filled with a higher cadence than the notes of a church bell pealing forth His morning messages over hill and valley upon a New England Sabbath. What more beautiful picture can be imagined than the sight of its humble followers coming from every quarter with sedate countenance and quiet steps towards the open door of the sacred edifice the central magnet of all points of the compass.
For the following twenty years the "Old Meeting House" was simply a town house, where the voters of the town con- gregated to settle their political differences wih very little regard for any religious obligation.
Eventually the new house was without a pastor, when a struggling Methodist society obtained permission to hold its meet- ing there in 1860. This served to awaken the lagging interest of the Congregationalists, who rallied to the support of a minister. Without a house of their own, the Methodists held their meetings in the old house.
Soon it came about that the Methodists had secured a very promising young preacher, who demurred at occupying the high, old-fashioned pulpit, declaring he felt too much as if he were in a box! Immediately the premission of the selectmen was ob- tained, and carpenters (spare the term) "with a strange lack of appreciation of the fitness of things, proceeded to cut away the
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
reading desk, to suit the whim of a stranger to the associations connected with the hallowed spot, from which the gospel had been proclaimed to hundreds of worshippers in the preceding century, scarcely one of whom was then living to rebuke the unseemly act."
This work of despoilation was followed by one equally, if not more reprehensible in the course of a few years. The Con- gregational Society being about to give an entertainment in the old building, some of the young folks thought it would be a great improvement to cut away some of the pews, so as to give more floor space. That night a party of men entered the sacred precinct and demolished the pews north of the east and west central aisle.
The changes in population as the years passed brought pre- judices against the building. Perhaps not as much against the hallowed structure as against its location, which had once been selected with great equanimity. The enterprises at Bridge Vil- lage, with ever-increasing number of inhabitants, made the old house an undesirable place for them to go even once a year to the annual town meetings. At the March meeting in 1872 an attempt was made to remove the town meetings to the factory village. The persons working for this end failed to get a majority this time, but two years later, in 1874, it was voted to abandon the "Old Town House," as it was now known, and to hold the town meetings at Bridge Village, where certain enterprising individuals had agreed to furnish a suitable hall free of expense to the town for ten years.
So after four-score years the house built with so much of sacrifice, generosity and pride was abandoned, a lonely landmark of the changes of time. Almost immediately it became the victim of vandals, men, women and children who seemed to have for- gotten the dignity and sanctity of the ancient building and im- proved every opportunity to cut away and carry off "relics" of the time-honored structure. I do not know what the punishment will be, but somewhere and sometime, if there is a retributive justice, not a few persons will have to answer for the sins com- mitted under that innocent term, "Relics!" Save the mark !*
*L. W. Densmore.
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FATE OF THE "OLD MEETING HOUSE."
Seeing there would soon be nothing left of the old building but its walls, a movement was started by some of the more patriotic citizens to see if something couldn't be done to save the structure in a manner "which would be alike creditable and profit- able to the town." This was in 1883, and a committee was chosen consisting of William H. Manahan, James M. Wilkins, Jacob B. Whittemore, Walter P. Straw and Charles W. Conn, to in- vestigate and report as to what might be done.
This committee apparently was not very active, as there is nothing to show what they did until a report was rendered at the annual meeting in March, 1886, when it was voted to accept the return and to raise the sum of eight hundred dollars "to repair the town house at the centre, and that the selectmen act as a com- mittee to carry out the vote in regard to repairing the same."
Evidently the Selectmen were not in accord with the vote, or public sentiment was too strongly opposed to such action, for nothing further was done to save the building, not even to raise the money to preserve it.
In 1889 an article in the warrant "to see if the town will take any action on repairing or disposing of the old town house" was dismissed. The following year, however, the town voted to raise the money to repair the house.
Just what action would have followed this vote cannot be told, for soon after, an unexpected denouement most interesting and possibly most important closed the chapter in the history of the town. On the morning of June 19, 1892, it was discovered to be in flames, and despite the desperate efforts that were made to save it, the venerable meeting house perished in the tempest of its own flames. So the old structure went out in a halo of its own light, the torch of its burning timbers, leaping high towards the sky, seen for more than fifty miles.
This fire was supposed to have been set by an incendiary, but, if so, the culprit was never apprehended. And this was the fate of the "venerable house to which one hundred years ago our , ancestors gladly thronged to hear the word of God; where their children were baptised, from whence their young men and maidens set out on the journey of life, and through whose doors so many have passed to the narrow house appointed to all men. Its walls in years gone by echoed to the tread of future chief
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
magistrates, senators, jurists, soldiers of distinction, missionaries who spent their lives in foreign lands, men of action in the busy affairs of life, most of whom have passed away." What a centennial !
The "Old Meeting House," as it was most commonly designated, was a spacious structure without steeple or bell. ¿ The exterior of the building, when in a state of good repair, was painted white, while the roof was red. Standing upon its lofty site, it was seen at a great distance from the surrounding towns, and presented a good specimen of the style of church architecture prevailing in New England at the time.
CHAPTER XII.
AN OLDTIME TOWN MEETING.
A New England Institution-Immigrants from 1630 to 1650-Country Gentlemen-Contrast of Character as to the Virginians-Original Townships-Early Meeting Houses-"Old Centres"-First Town Meeting in New England-Selectmen-Freemen-Clerks-Con- stables-"Vandue" of Taxes-Other Officials-Meaning of Term "Town"-Society Land-Early New Hampshire Government-A Town Meeting Held in the Meeting House at the Centre in 1779- The Warrant-Leading Citizens-The Man who Was Always First -"Little Dan" Kellom-Captain Symonds-Major Andrews- Lieutenant Bradford-Daniel Gibson-Robert Taggard-Thaddeus Monroe-McClintocks-And Others-Spirit of '76-Meeting Opened with Prayer by Parson Barnes-Town Clerk's Record-Voting without a Checklist-Economies in Salaries-Committee of Safety -Constable-Treasurer-Tithing Man-Hayward-Field Driver or Hog Reeve-Cattle Marks-Deer Reeve-When the Meeting Place Was Changed to Bridge Village-Fairs and Public Markets- Warning Strangers Out of Town.
The town meeting is peculiarly a New England institution, and marks the establishment of a government by the people for the people. It is true it had its example to a certain extent ad- vanced in the mother land, but the men who came here between 1630 and 1660 were the fathers of local government in its highest degree. The Pilgrims, strictly speaking, and we are relating to those who came in 1620 and immediately after, the men and women who had fled from Nottinghamshire, Eng., to Holland, and those closely associated with them, said nothing of civil government, but fled the country to escape religious persecution, and in their earnest endeavors to secure church freedom ignored personal liberty.
Thus this accomplishment was left to those who came later from Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Dorset, Devonshire, York- shire and adjoining sections mainly between 1630 and 1650, their paths made easier and clearer by the pioneers in their faith who
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
had so far asserted themselves as to be already felt as a power. These leaders were mostly country gentlemen of considerable means, and with good education and high ambition. They belonged largely to the class of Hampden and Cromwell. Their followers, the rank and file of the New England colonists, were intelligent and ambitious to improve their social and financial condition. And, let it be said to their credit, they came with little or no bitterness towards the mother-land. There were few, if any, dependents or vicious-minded among them; no idle, nor shiftless, nor disorderly persons. With these sturdy, God-fearing men came their wives, daughters, sisters and sweethearts to soften the rougher elements in their rugged characters. All of this was in direct opposition to the colonists of Virginia, made up mainly of outcasts, adventurers and prison birds, without a woman to leaven the loaf, until she was sent without her wish to be bidden off at auction by the lawless seekers for wives as you would buy cattle. Let it be said to her credit, she surrendered gracefully, and by her influence established good society.
It is not surprising that we find the New England colonists immediately uniting in the formation of religious society and asserting the principles of a democratic government. For the accommodation of the first a meeting house was erected as soon as might be, and for the convenience of the second this same house of worship became the hall for these town meetings which were at once the wonder and the making of New England.
Patterning somewhat after the old country the territory was first divided into certain dimensions called townships, these being usually about six miles square, though many of the earlier districts were considerably larger, sometimes being ten miles square. Usually about the centre of this territory a meeting house-mind you it was not called a "church" in those days- was erected, and this attraction generally drew the people here until a village of considerable size, in many cases, sprang into existence. In the changes of the rolling years few of these "Old Centres" are to-day invested with the life they knew and were a part of a century ago. The site did not always prove ad- vantageous to continued growth, when the town and the church were divorced and the husbandman lost his prestige as the
Photograph by MANAHAN.
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING.
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"FATHERS OF THE TOWN."
dominating figure of industry. Some waterfall in a remote quarter of the town, which gave an impetus to manufacture, or a railroad station became the scene of traffic, either of which was a disturbing factor in rural life and created new centres of population.
As early as 1635 a warrant for the first town meeting was posted and the good people gathered at the meeting house to provide suitable rules and regulations to shape the conduct of public affairs. It was originally intended to hold these meetings monthly, but this soon proved too great a demand upon the time of a busy class of citizens, and the meetings were called less and less frequently. This could be safely done as a board of officers known as "Select Men," usually consisting of five of the most prominent men in the community, were chosen to look after matters in the intervals. Finally these came to be elected for a year, and the meetings were made annual, unless some uncommon subject demanded a special meeting, and March, the least busy period of all the year for the tillers of the soil, was selected as the month in which to hold these gatherings. Soon the Selectmen became known as "The Fathers of the Town," a very apt term, considering that they were in truth masters of the situation and lawmakers as well as lawgivers.
At first only "Freemen" were allowed to vote at town meet- ings, and by this term, we must understand that the person had been admitted on account of his influence and standing in the community to take part in the affairs of the church, but before the end of the 17th century this rule was abolished by the Provinces of Massachusetts and Connecticut, while no other province ever accepted this rule.
The next officer of importance to the Selectmen, and we are not unmindful of the Moderator, who must have been the oldest official, was the person who was intrusted with the keeping of the records, the Clerk. He was understood to be a person of more than average education and a good penman, though we must confess that many of them fell far short of these acquirements. There had to be men to keep the peace, and the restrictions were very rigid in those days, and these officers were called "Con- stables." As soon as the time came when money was needed to
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
finance the public business taxes had to be assessed, which called for "Assessors," though the Selectmen usually performed this duty, and do until this day in most country towns. In order to obtain these taxes, men had to go out and collect them, for even then money was not paid over until called for, and this duty was performed for a time by the Constable. Eventually the collection of taxes was bid off by some reliable person at a public "vendue," an old term for auction, the lowest bidder carrying off the prize, which frequently proved anything than what the name indicates. As highways were laid out and bridges built it became necessary to look after these, so "Highway Surveyors" were chosen. As schools were established men were required to look after these, hire the teachers, care for the houses, and see to the general wel- fare of these institutions, so "Prudential School Committees" were chosen. As the system of education broadened "Super- intendents of Schools" were chosen or appointed by the Select- men. As eventually the poor came among others, "Overseers of the Poor" were elected to look after these. So, one by one, as the system of public government widened and the towns became more populous, other officials came into existence, while, on the other hand, with the change that followed certain offices became obsolete.
It is only in New England that we find the town system complete. It is true there are copies of it to be found in the South and West, but there considerable of the county is mixed with the purely local community government. The designation "Town" meant originally an inclosure within a hedge, or an area that was set apart by some dividing line. The word "Common" used to denote a plot of land frequently found in or near the centre of a hamlet comes from the custom of cultivating land in common ; that is, where a community works together towards its support, and the unit is swallowed up in the general management of neighborhood affairs. This condition prevailed largely through the reign of the Norman kings of Great Britain, and the theory became current that in every township the waste or common land, that is, the ungranted land, belonged to the lord overruling that district, and the landholders were the lord's tenants. Some- thing of this right was exemplified in New England where the
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FIRST GOVERNMENT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
granting power-the Governor-held unto himself and his ad- visors certain lots or tracts of land. This may roughly apply to the Society-Land of which mention has been made.
In the preservation of local self-government lies the main- tenance of national government. It is true a stage is reached when the simpler form of town government must yield to broader forms of city control, but there is a danger underlying this, when the power of the people becomes vested in the hands of a few ; when the individual surrenders his unalienable rights to the political baron holding in the hollow of his hand the fortunes of the many. There were other barons in the days of old which the town meeting sought to overthrow, just as there are political barons to-day trying to trample under feet the high ideals of the New England town meeting of yesterday.
Until 1641 the early settlements of New Hampshire had no general government, when at their own request the inhabitants of New Hampshire were admitted to the protection and jurisdiction of Massachusetts, being made a part of Old Norfolk County. This arrangement afforded satisfaction to all concerned inasmuch as the welfare of four independence communities consisting of Dover, Portsmouth, Hampton, and Exeter comprised the extent of the inhabited portions of the province. Finally, as the popula- tion increased, and scattered homes were being founded else- where, discontent began to appear, and in the hope of quieting this New Hampshire was made a separate royal province. Richard Waldron was made Deputy President, and the govern- ment of this province was intrusted to a deputy or lieutenant Governor, until the administration of Governor Belcher, who was the last one to hold administration over both provinces, with his lieutenants looking after the interests of New Hampshire. It was under this government that Col. John Hill secured his grant of the territory comprising old Number Seven.
While a separate province it must not be forgotten that the government of New Hampshire in every branch was subject to the whim and caprice of the mother country, until July 1, 1774. Before this time, on May 24, of the same year, it had been voted that a committee of seven responsible men, who were among the leaders of the day, should investigate and formulate some form
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
of government that should make the province into a state that it might better control its civil and industrial affairs. The result of the action of this committee was a call for an election of delegates from the several towns to meet at Exeter on the 21st of July. This became known as the Provincial Congress. Hills- borough had not reached that stage in which she felt like taking an active part, and sent no delegate. This convention, as it was more frequently called then, was succeeded by four others, the fifth or last convening Dec. 21, 1775, and on the 5th day of the following January it resolved itself into a House of Repre- sentatives and adopted a constitution. This act marks the begin- ning of the government of New Hampshire as an independent state.
We cannot better illustrate the workings of an oldtime town meeting than by following somewhat closely one held in the "Old Meeting House" at Hillsborough Centre on March 25, 1779, with occasional glimpses of other meetings held at various times. The cloud of the Revolution still hung over the meeting, which was very real in its actions as in its intentions. The warrant was laboriously drawn by the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, who, according to the custom of those days, was also Town Clerk, so that officer was indeed an important dignitary in the com- munity. The entire document is reproduced here in its original and quaint wording, as nearly as may be in type :
WARRANT FOR TOWN MEETING MARCH 25, 1779.
State of Nuhapshear to nehemiah Wilkins Constabel of the Countey of Hillborough Ss town of Hillboroug greatten
Sel In the name of the government and People of this State you are Hearby Requiered forth with to warn all the freeholders and outher inHabetence of the Town of Hillboroug qualifyde to Vote in town meetens to meet at the meetten house in sd town on thursday the Twenty fifith Day of March next at Ten oclock in the forenone than and thare to act as foloers viz
first to Chuse a moderator to Regulate Said meetten. . .
2ly to See if the Town will alow the Seelectmen and Town Clark Resenable Pay for thair Sarves this Prastnt year. . .
31y to Chouse Town Clark Select men Committey of Safety and all other Common and ordenary Town offises .
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OLDTIME TOWN MEETING.
4ly to See if the town will make additton to the Reverent mr Barnses Salery this Pryear and How much . .
5ly to See if the town will agree to Buld a bridg over Contucook rever so Called this Prasent year
if agree to buld a bridge to See if the Town will Chouse a Com- mittey to Look out a Plase to buld Said Bridge & to oversee and Cary out Sd work-
6ly to See how much money the Town will Rase to Clear and Repair the Hiwayes this prasint year and How much thay will alow a man per Day and How much for a yoke of oxen with ample- ments fit to work at the wayes . . .
7ly to See if the town will give the revrnt Mr. barns the Prevlege of fancing and improving the Cleared Land South of the meetten hous this Prasint year with his leaving Proper roome for the hi- way.
8ly to See what the town will Du with the Pue ground in the metten house
9ly to See if the town will give mr barns the Pue wast of the pulpit which is allredy bult . . .
10ly to See what the town will Du with the fary this Prasint year.
11ly to See How much money the town will rase to Defray town Charges the Prasint year
12ly to hear the town aCompts
Hear of fale not and make Du retorn of this warint with your Duings to us at or before Sd Day given Timt Bradford Select
under our hands and Seall this twenty Daniel mcneall
Sixth Day of febauary A D 1779 . . . Samuel Bradford Men
Persuant to orders I have worned the Inhabetence of the town of Hillborough to meat at time and Plase
atest
Nehemiah Wilkins Corstabel
Timothy Bradford Town Clark
Though the fury of March weather was nearly spent, it being then in the last week of the month, we can still imagine that the snow had not yet melted away in the shaded places, and that there were deep snow drifts on the road leading up to the Centre from Concord End, as well as places of deep mud, as witness the hale and hearty greeting of Dea. John Hartwell: "Zounds, boys! 'tween the snow and the mud I thought mebbe I'd never get here. Couldn't get a hoss through to save your neck."
Good traveling or bad the steady-going voters of the town, to a man, always managed to get there on time, save a few who
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
were compelled to tarry at home a little longer than their neigh- bors to finish the chores. If the men were busy, so were the women, for this was as much their day as that of the men. While their liege lords were at town meeting mingling votes with gossip, they were visiting friends plying tongues that never seemed to tire any more than the knitting needles that kept time to their words with an incessant clicking.
The meeting was warned at ten o'clock, and as early as nine the men began to gather in front of the old town house, as it was on this day, though only two days since it was "the meeting house," when good Parson Barnes preached his double sermons that reached into the tenthly, etc.
The first man on the grounds, and he proudly claimed that he had not missed the honor since the earliest town meeting had been held in November, 1772, was Daniel Kellom, "Little Dan," as he was generally known. Having as far to come as any person there, and not known to have any ambition for an office, with little to say or do after he had reached the goal, no one really ever understood just why Dan possessed this single ambition. After all we cannot help having a high regard for Dan Kellom, for it is the prompt man who usually wins out. At any rate he was on hand early this particular March election, with a cheery greeting for those who came after him.
Capt. Joseph Symonds, tall and erect of carriage, his neck decked in the high dickey and cravat of his day, was another early comer. He was deacon of the church, and was expecting to be re-elected Moderator for this meeting. With his courteous address and deep, sonorous voice, that made him a telling speaker at a prayer meeting, he presented a commanding figure as a presiding officer. In fact, when you come to think of it, Hills- borough may be proud of her long list of Moderators, thirty-two in her 144 years of political life, and not a weak official among them. Where can one find a more illustrious group than the following names selected at random : Capt. Joseph Symonds, Maj. Isaac Andrews, Gov. Benjamin Pierce, who held the office over twenty years, Hon. John Burnam (eight years), Dr. Reuben Hatch (three years), Hon. Franklin Pierce (since President of the United States), Col. Hiram Monroe, the Wilsons, father and
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SOME OF THE EARLY CITIZENS.
son, Hon. Henry D. Pierce, Hon. Cornelius Coolidge, not to mention those who are living but whose modesty forbids me from calling ?
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