USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hillsborough > The history of Hillsborough, New Hampshire, 1735-1921, Volume 1 > Part 3
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Contemporary with the grants of these towns it is not certain there was a single inhabitant within the entire extent of territory, though tradition does credit two squatters with having erected rude cabins and making small clearings. One of these named
34
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
Keyes had pitched his tent within the grant of Weare, and the other within the bounds of old No. 7, as Hillsborough was originally known. Mention of this couple will be more definitely made later on.
As late as 1713, but a little over twenty years before these grants were made the only settlement in Hillsborough County was in that part of Old Dunstable now included in Nashua. But within seven or eight years adventurous settlers had penetrated into the deeper woods and established homes in Hollis, Litchfield, Merrimack, and Amherst. From these outposts hunters and trappers, eager to secure the pelts of the bear, deer, beaver, or other fur-bearing animals, ranged the valleys of the Pascataquog and Contoocook rivers. Thus from 1715 to 1735 the beautiful valley of the Contoocook, if not inhabited by an actual settler, was well known to scouts and hunters, who saw in the densely wooded intervales and the heavily timbered uplands bright pros- pects for the future husbandman.
The Contoocook River was a favorite stream among the Indians, and its name is a memory of them, one meaning being "great place for crows." The Penacook family or tribe, whose chief lodgment was near where this river united with the Merri- mack, held sway over the country, the dusky warriors flitting hither and yon like shadows in the forest. Along this stream they had hunted and fished from time immemorial-unnumbered generations. Over this route went and came many of the war- parties sent out by their sachem to meet their enemies in life and death grapples. It was somewhere in this vicinity that the ancient and half-mythical chieftain, Kenewa, went forth to battle with the fiery Mohawks in one of their invasions, to disappear as com- pletely as did Varus and his Roman legions in the dark Germanic forests.
Many relics, such as spoons or ladles, spear-heads, arrow points, tomahawks, pestles and mortars used in grinding maize, with similar devices fashioned out of stone by the rude yet cun- ning hand of the dusky artisan have been found, showing that at one time they must have been numerous in this vicinity. Almost within the memory of the oldest inhabitant has come hither the aged Pompanoosick, last of the renowned chieftains of his race,
35
"PEOPLE OF PLYMOUTH."
to bid his farewell to the scenes of his ancestors, the unbidden tears springing to his bronzed cheek in spite of the stoicism of generations of warriors.
These warlike denizens of wood and water, flitting hither and thither in the dim aisles of the old forest or gliding like shadows along the winding river, left a history written only in the deeds of their conquerors, and not always with a fairness that has done them justice. As has been stated, at this period few were left to molest the people who had taken up their land without hesitation or compunction.
Owing to the loss or disappearance of certain records and private papers belonging to the original proprietor of this town- ship, there is some uncertainty in regard to the action in the grant or grants of the territory comprising the present town of Hills- borough. The courts of Massachusetts on January 16, 1735-6, granted to Col. John Hill, of Boston, a man of considerable ability, wealth and influence, who was interested in the settlements of other townships in New Hampshire, a tract of country "about six mile square" in the heart of an unsurveyed wilderness.
This conveyance does not state that others were interested in this grant, nor even that Col. John Hill had a partner, and yet before the close of the year papers were drawn up which seem to show that a body of men, the list headed by the name of Isaac Little, and known as the "People of Plymouth" had obtained a grant of "eight-sixty thirds" of this land, as witness the following instruments executed by these grantees :
DEED OF CONVEYANCE OF ISAAC LITTLE AND OTHERS.
To all People to whom these presents shall or may come Greeting
Know ye that we Isaac Little of Pembroke John Cushing Junr of Scituate and James Warren of Plymouth all in the County of Plymouth Esqrs Thomas Church of Little Compton Job Almy of Tiv- erton and Charles Church of Bristol all in the County of Bristol Esqr and Shuball Goreham of Barnstable Esqr and the said Charles Church as assignee of Joseph Mason of Swansey in the County of Bristol Esqr for a valuable consideration to us paid by John Hill Gent and Gershom Keyes Trader both of Boston in the County of Suffolk and therefore do by these present fully and absolutely Grant bargain sell aliene transfer convey and confirm to them the said John Hill and Gershom Keyes in equal halves or Shares and to their heirs and as-
1128588
36
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
signs forever eight Single Shares or eight Sixty third parts of a new Township lying on the Line of Towns between Connecticot and Mer- rimack Rivers being the Township Number Seven bounding East on the Township Number Six and West on the Township Number Eight into which township we have been admitted in pursuance or conse- quence of our Petition preferred to the Great and Generall Court of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay namely by the Committee of said Generall Court as also our associates of which the said John Hill and Gershom Keyes are a part To have and to hold The said Eight rights or Shares or Eight Sixty thirds parts of said Township Number Seven to them the said John Hill and Gershom Keyes and to their heirs and assigns forever free and clear from all incumbrances by us made or suffered to be made and done to be held by them the said Keyes and Hill and their heirs executors and administrators or assigns in equal halves or Shares as aforesaid always subject to the Terms and conditions of Settlement
In Wittness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and Seals this 22d day of December Anno Dom: 1736
Isaac Little and Seal John Cushing Junr and Seal James Warren and Seal Thomas Church and Seal Job Almy and Seal Charles Church and Seal Shuball Gorham And Seal Signed Sealed and Delivered in presence of us
Richard Hubbard Luke Hardy
Suffolk ss Boston Decem 30 1736
Isaac Little John Cushing Junr James Warren Thomas Church Job Almy Charles Church and Shubel Gorham Esqrs the above Sub- sribers personally appearing freely acknowledged the foregoing in- strument to be their Act and Deed
William Dudley J; P:
Recd ye Day above said the instrument by which it appears the aforesaid Charles Church Esqr assignee to Joseph Mason Esqr and the same is annexed
John Hill Gershom Keyes (Middlesex Co. Deeds, vol. 38, p. 24.)
DEED OF JOSEPH MASON TO CHARLES CHURCH.
To all Persons to whom these presents may come know ye that where as I Joseph Mason of Swansey in the County of Bristol Esq. was one of the Subscribers to a petition Signed by Isaac Little and
37
EARLY NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS.
others for a Township in some of the unappropriated Lands of the Province which petition was so far granted that said petitioners might have one of the Townships in the Line of Towns and in as much as it is so very remote from where I now dwell I do by these presents bargain Sell and confirm unto Charles Church of Bristol in the County of Bristol Esqr and to his heirs and assigns for ever all my right and title to said Township be the same more or less having received a valluable consideration for said right or Share in said Township
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty Seventh day of December Annoque Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and Thirty Six
Joseph Mason and Seal In presence of us John Mason Barbara Mason. Recorded May 9, 1737 (Middlesex Co. Deeds, Vol. 38, p. 24.)
To understand the perplexing situations that follow it should be remembered that the settlement of New England while begun under a single grant was very soon divided and rival factions came to the front. One of these, known as the Masonian Pro- prietors, secured, in a measure, the ownership of much of the northern area, including most of New Hampshire and a part of Maine, under the title of Laconia. The parties interested in this plantation were influential men of London. The rights of the Massachusetts grantees apparently were not considered. Under this condition New Hampshire, which had no charter from the English parliament and whose governors were appointed by the King, was known as a "royal province." Of this class were also New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia. Almost all of these were originally proprietary govern- ments, and fell into the hands of the King when these proprietors relinquished or for any reason lost their claims.
Distinct from this purchase of "Laconia," but somewhat sim- ilar in purpose, certain gentlemen of wealth and influence under the name of the "Plymouth Company" had obtained from the English courts a grant covering five colonies or territorial settle- ments designated as Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, New Haven, Providence, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. It was with members of this body of speculators that Colonel Hill had to deal. During the long years of colonization and frontier
38
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
perils ever the question of right of domain over New Hampshire by the Massachusetts Bay Company was agitated .*
The provincial government of New Hampshire in 1745, during the interval of the first settlement in Hillsborough consisted of a royal governor, council and assembly. Benning Wentworth was governor and his council was composed of ten gentlemen, who represented the wealth and aristocracy of the day. The assembly, as it was convened on January 24, 1745, had represen- tatives from thirteen towns, viz .: Portsmouth, three members ; Dover, three; Hampton and Hampton Falls, three together; Exeter, two ; and one for each of the following towns, Stratham, New Castle, Rye, Kingston, Greenland, New Market, Newington, Durham and Londonderry. The representative from Newington was dismissed, but later another person was chosen to fill the vacancy. It will be seen that the populous (if such a term could be used at that period) portion of the province was very limited in its area, and did not come very far towards the western section of the territory.
*The name New Hampshire comes from two words meaning "home place"; that is, the syllable Ham is the Scotch form for "home," and shire denotes a place or locality. In England it was broadened so as to have a signification very nearly to our "county." The letter "p" seems to have been added in the 16th century. So, from representing a solitary homestead or farmhouse, it was made to cover a village (hamlet), town, province and anon a state, a very applicable name and one that commands our respect .- Author.
CHAPTER III.
FOUNDERS OF NUMBER SEVEN.
Easier to Get the Grant of a Town Than to Find Settlers-First Con- veyance of Land Made to Samuel Gibson of Boston-Other Pur- chasers of Lots-Deeds to Isaac Baldwin-Deed to John Traill and Jeremiah Green-Deed of Keyes to Huntington-A Title that Outlived Many of the Others-Keyes to Samuel Brown-Boundary Dispute Finally Submitted to the King and Council-Line Fixed in 1740-Hard Lines on Colonel Hill-But He Was not the Only Sufferer-Petition of Samuel Brown-Contains an Important Date Relating to the Time of Settlement-Court Allows Him Re- dress-Undaunted Colonel Hill Continues His Battle-Deeds and Mortgages Relating to the Settlement of the Town.
All grants of territory in New England imposed upon the grantees certain obligations which they were in duty bound to perform. While Messrs. Hill and Keyes had not found it very difficult to secure the grant of Number Seven, by purchase of the Plymouth grantees and by action of the court, it was not so easy a task to find persons willing to take up lots in the unknown woods so far removed from Boston which even then was the "hub" of New England, though the colonists of the new country had come hither imbued with the spirit of adventure and pre- pared to meet hardships of almost any degree that they might establish themselves in a free land.
Colonel Hill was a man of wide and influential acquaintance, while his partner had become familiar with the region by an actual attempt at settlement. The first man they seemed to have found willing to make the venture was Samuel Gibson, a sturdy Scotchman not long since come to Boston. So the first convey- ance of land in the grant of which record has been found, and which was dated nearly two years after the initial grant, and attendant movement, under date of December 29, 1737, reads as follows :
John Hill Esq. & Gershom Keyes, Trader, both of Boston for £100 convey to Samuel Gibson of Boston, Labourer, a Certain Lott of
39
40
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
Land in a Township Granted to Isaac Little Esqr and others of Old Plymouth Colony and their Associates which Township is Called No. 7 in the line of Towns between Merrimack & Connecticut River said lott of land Contains Seventy Acres and lyeth in the north range being the house lot No. 49 which was surveyed by Joseph Wilder Junr Bounds north on Lott No. 48 and South on Lott No. 50, it butts on undevided land. it began at a Stake and Stones at the north west angle. from thence ran east one hundred and Sixty to a grey oak at the north East angle, from thence it ran South Seventy rods to a stake and Stones to the South east Seventy rods to a stake and Stones to the South east angle from thence it ran west one hundred and Sixty rods to a Stake and Stones to the South west angle and from thence it ran straight to where it began. Also One hundred acres more lying in Common and undivided land being the sixtieth part of Six thousand acres lying in equal wedth upon the westerly side of said Township No. 7. Said Six thousand acres adjoining on a Town- ship Called No. 8 and to be an Equal wedth acrost the Township No. 7. To Have and to Hold, etc.
Providing that before June 1, 1740 said Samuel Gibson shall settle said lot No. 49 according to the Grant of the great & General Court which is that the Said Samuel Gibson his heirs, Executors or Admin- istrators Shall build a Dwelling house of eighteen feet square & Seven feet wide & seven Feet Stud at the least and fence in and break up for plowing or clear and Stock with English grass five acres of Land upon the aforesaid Lot Number 49 and Settle a family thereon at or before the first day of June anno Domini 1740 afore mentioned. Likewise pay the sixtieth part of Settling a minister in said Township of which Conditions if the said Samuel Gibson . . . shall fail . . .
then the aforesaid Deed . . . to be null and void and of none Effect.
September 23, 1738, apparently not satisfied with the amount of land he had secured, Mr. Gibson acquired an additional interest in the township upon the same conditions as the preceding instru- ment.
Now that a beginning had been made it seemed easier to find customers, and deeds of conveyance are found quite frequently among the early records. As these were usually made under the same stipulation and condition, though the prices varied, it does not appear necessary to give the conveyances in full. It will be noticed that at this early date considerable discrimination was made in reference to the values of the lots even if unimproved. At that time it was customary to deed lots sufficiently large for homesteads, and then convey them portions of "common
4I
EARLY PROPRIETORS.
land" so called. Frequently these last were lowlands or meadows where wild grass could be secured to feed the stock during winter. Often these sections had been cleared by the beavers damming the waters and the overflow killing out the trees. In pioneer days some of these localities yielded a great burden of fairly good fodder for the cattle. The following were purchasers of lots in the township:
Alexander Turner, of Worcester, Mass., husbandman, bought "a farm for £100 containing fifty two acres, which Lott is number thirty two ... and one hundred lying in common and undivided lands," August 5, 1738.
James Meyer, of Boston, purchased November 21, 1738, "a farm containing two hundred acres ... Sied Farm on the South side of the great river lyes." Mr. Meyer was a "Shaymaker," and he paid £60, upon the same condition of settlement.
Jabez Huntington, Norwich, Conn., purchased November 22, 1738, "a certain Lott of land containing seventy acres and is House Lot Number 50. .. Also one hundred Acres more lying in Common and undevided land."
James Maxwell, of Stow, Mass., husbandman, bought for £100 "Lott No. 20 of fifty acres ... their being an allowance of a highway a crost the west End and south side. Also one hundred acres lying in common an undivided land."
The succeeding conveyance varies so much from the others that it is given in full:
BALDWIN DEEDS.
John Hill Esq. & Gershom Keyes, Trader, both of Boston con- vey to Isaac Baldwin of Sudbury, Housewright, for £100 a certain Lot of Land in a Township granted to Isaac Little Esqr and others of old Plymouth Colony and their Associates which Township is called No. 7 in the Line of Towns between Merrimack and Connecticut River Said Lot of Land contains fifty Acres and forty rods being the House Lot No. 6 which was Surveyed by Joseph Wilder Junr and bounds Northwest on undivided land and South East on Lot No. 5. It butts Eastwardly on Lott No. 7. and Southwest on No. 9 It be- gan at a Beach at the North East Angle thence it ran South Forty Degrees and thirty minutes west one hundred and eighty rods to a beach to the Southwest Angle from thence it ran East forty Degrees and thirty minits South fifty rods to a stake and Stones-to the South- east Angle. from thence it ran North forty Degrees and thirty min- its East one hundred and eighty rods to a Stake and Stones to the
42
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
North East Angle and from Thence it ran straight to where it began. Also one hundred Acres more lying in Common and undivided Land being the Sixtieth part of Six thousand acres lying in equal wedth upon the Westly Side of Said Township No. 7 Said Six thousand Acres in adjoining on a Township called No. 8 and to be of an equal wedth acrost the Township called NO. 7 To have and to hold Dated Dec. 5, 1739
Witness Stephen Willis
Josiah Flagg
Provided that before June 1, 1740, said Isaac Baldwin shall settle same
according to the Grant of the great General Court which is that the said Isaac Baldwin his heirs Executors or Administrators shall build a Dwelling house of eighteen feet Square and Seven feet stud at the least and fence in and break up for plowing or clear and Stock with English grass five acres of Land upon aforesaid Lot Num- ber Six and Settle a family thereon at or before the first day of June anno Domini 1740 aforesaid and mentioned Likewise pay the Sixtieth part of Settling a minister in said Township of which Conditions if the said Isaac Baldwin . . . shall fail . . . then the aforesaid Deed . . . to be null and void and of none Effect.
In less than two weeks the grantee of the foregoing lot made another purchase, as witness the following deed :
To All People to whom these Presents shall come Greeting.
Know Ye that we John Hill Esquire and Gershom Keyes, Trader, both of Boston in the County of Suffolk and Province of Massachu- setts Bay in New England, for and in consideration of five pounds to us in hand, well and truly paid by Isaac Baldwin of Sudbury in the County of Middlesex Housewright, the receipt whereof we hereby acknowledge, have given, granted, bargained, Sold, aliened, Euseokied, released, quitclaimed and confirmed, and by these Presents do freely, clearly and Absolutely give, grant, bargain, Sell, aliene, Ouseokie, release, quitclaim and confirm unto the said Isaac Baldwin, and to his heirs and Assigns forever, a certain Lot of Land, containing eighty six acres and one hundred and twenty eight Rods, and it is the Lot Number two. In a Township called Hillsberry, or No. 7, in said Line of Towns between merrimack River and Connecticut river, said Township was granted to Isaac Little Esquire and others of Old Plymouth Colony and their Associates. Said Lot is bounded North- west, on the Lot No. 1, and undivided Land, and Southeast on the lot No. 32 and undivided Land, it begins at a Stake and Stones, the South- west Angle and from thence it Runs East one hundred Rods to a Stake and Stones, and then it turns an obtuse Angle and runs East fourty Degrees and thirty minutes North, one hundred and Sixty six
43
DEED OF NORTHEAST SECTION.
Rods to a Stake and Stones, in the meadow being the North East Angle, and from thence it turns and runs North fourty degrees and thirty minutes West seventy rods to a Stake and Stones, being a North east Angle, and from thence it runs strait to where it begun. To have and to hold the aforesaid Lot No. 2, with the Buildings, Fences, and Improvements, Appurtenances, Privileges and Commodities to the said Lot belonging (Except hereby all after divisions) unto him the said Isaac Baldwin, and to his heirs and Assigns forever, to his and their only, sole, and proper use, benefit and behoof from henceforth and for ever, absolutely without any manner of Condition, Redemption, or Revocation in any wise, so that to and from all right, Estate, Title, Interest, Reclaims, Challenge or Demand whatsoever, to be by us the said John Hill and Gershom Keyes our heirs or assigns at any time hereafter had made or claimed of in or to the said granted and re- leased Land and Premises, we and they and Each of them shall and will be utterly debarred and forever excluded of, and from the Same, by force and vertue of these Presents.
In Witness whereof we the said John Hill and Gershom Keyes have hereunto set our hands seals this sixth day of December Anno Domini, one thousand and seven hundred and thirty nine, and in the thirteenth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Brittain, France and Ireland. King, Defender of the Faith &c.
John Hill and Seal Gershom Keyes and Seal.
Witness by William Moore, Jona Chandler -Middlesex County Deeds, Vo. 40, p. 343.
The sales of land in Township No. 7 seemed then to move slowly for the next deed is dated April 2, 1740, and conveyed for seven hundred pounds a larger tract to-
John Trail, Merchant, and Jeremiah Green, distiller, both of Bos- ton, "A certain Farm containing fourteen hundred acres of Land, lying In the North East Corner of the Township Number Seven in the County of Middlesex in the Line of Town's which Township was granted to Isaac Little the Esquire and Others of the Plymouth Col- ony and their Associates, said Land is bounded as followeth vizt .: beginning at the North East Corner of said Farm, which is the north corner of said Township, from thence it runs on the North line of said Township, South Eighty four degrees and thirty west four hun- dred and fifty one Rods, from thence South fifteen Degrees East four hundred and ninety seven Rods, by Land now belonging to Samuel Brown, from thence North eighty four degrees and thirty minutes
44
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
and thirty minutes East Four hundred and fifty One Rods by Land belonging to said John Hill to the east line of said Township and from thence North fifteen Degrees West four hundred and ninety seven Rods on said East line to the first mentiond bounds."
This deed has attached the surveyor's plan of the tract, and is the only one that has such an instrument. It is unfortunate that while the name of the surveyor, Joseph Wilder, Jr., is fre- quently mentioned, the plan of his survey has not been found, and it is probable that it disappeared with other of Colonel Hill's papers that would prove of great value in making it easy to locate these early lots now. Though there is nothing to show it, Colonel Hill and his associates early made a division between themselves of their new possessions.
Before the giving of the above deeds by Colonel Hill his partner made the following conveyance :
DEED OF KEYES TO HUNTINGTON.
Gershom Keyes of Boston, merchant, for £918-9s. conveys to Joshua Huntington, merchant, Norwich, Conn., all that my part or parcel of land which is lying and being in the Township Number Seven in the County of Middlesex and is by Estimation six hundred and eighty Acres and one hundred and twenty rods of land bounded as followeth beginning on the Southeast Side of the great river and bounds on the Lots Number 43 and 63 and partly on the River and then on a farm and on the Lot Number 44 and then on the river to the Town-line It began at a Stake by the river the Southeast Corner of the Lot Number 44 and from thence it runs East 32 De- grees South 40 rods to the Southeast corner of the lot 44 from thence it runs North on the lot and the farm two hundred and sixty Rods to stake the Northeast Corner of the farm and from thence it runs west thirty two Degº North one hundred and sixty five rods to the river and then runs South fifteen Degrees East forty Rods to the Southeast corner of the Lot 43 and from thence East fifteen De- grees South eighty rods across the heads of the lots Number 43 and 63 to the Town line & from thence with the Town line to the south- east Corner of the Town and of this town and from thence west five Degrees and thirty minits South with the Town line to the river where it began Item with the Moiety or half part of a large Tract of land containing one thousand and eight hundred acres which I have in Common wth Major John Hill of Boston in the County of Suffolk excepting one hundred Acres of said Eighteen hundred Acres to be taken off from said Tract on the west side to be of an equal wedth all of the whole length or bredth of said Eighteen hundred
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