USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > New Durham > The history of New Durham, New Hampshire: from the first settlement to the present time > Part 4
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When the districts were mapped out, the residents in each were taxed for the building and support of the school. These build- ings were simply constructed of one room, a fireplace for heat and benches for the pupils. The older boys took turns toting the wood and tending the fire, the girls used brooms of bound twigs to sweep the floor. Later in the 1800's, iron stoves, desks and blackboards were installed. Children walked to school through all kinds of weather.
There were fourteen districts originally, but as the population shifted, the number of school houses diminished, and as the number lessened, the schools were kept open more weeks in the year ! School
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committees were organized in later years, and they took their jobs seriously. They hired and fired the teachers, visited schools regu- larly and when the Town reports were published, the School com- mittee gave a detailed report of each school, with very candid and sometimes unflattering estimates of the teachers' ability !
Compared to the advantages of today, these schools, some within the memory of some of our senior citizens, might appear to have been crude and poor, but many country girls and boys re- ceived excellent instruction there, and in later life were proud to have attended a one-room country school.
The northwest section of the original land grant, which was bounded by the southeasterly shore of "Merrymeeting" (Alton) Bay and ran to the water's edge on the north, was known as New Durham Gore. Since the main activities in early settlements such as religious services, town meetings and other gatherings were held in the Meeting House or nearby tavern, the inhabitants of the Gore found themselves so far removed from the center as to make it difficult, if not impossible to participate in any civic affairs.
The residents of the Gore were also expected to pay their share of the salary paid to Mr. Porter, the minister. This quite likely caused some resentment, for Mr. Porter, in the four years he was here (1773-1777), divided his time between preaching at the Meeting house, on the Ridge, at the Gore and in the Army, so perhaps he didn't give them their money's worth.
In the winter of 1777, the settlers in that part of town gathered at the home of Joseph Roberts and set up a governing body of their own, choosing Joseph Roberts, Timothy Davis and Charles Rogers "gentlemen selectmen"; the same Roberts Town Clerk, and Jacob Chamberlin, (the first white, or non-Indian child born in that sec- tion) as constable. They continued to govern themselves apart from New Durham from that time on.
In 1788, New Durham received a petition from Joseph Pearce and others to "set off a part of New Durham to the Gore as a parish by itself," and the town voted to appoint Thomas Tash, Esq. an agent in behalf of the town to oppose it. But the Gore set out in earnest to disannex itself. Six petitions were made to the Provincial (later, State) legislature before the seventh was success- ful. In March, 1796, New Durham sent a committee to perambulate the town lines "in the second division nearest the Gore and nearest Middleton and make such alterations as they may judge reasonable." On June 16, 1796, the Gore, together with other acreage, was in- corporated as Alton.
An inventory of the town was taken in 1784 by Robert Boodey, who was paid two dollars for doing it. There were 94 men paying poll taxes and they owned altogether 84 oxen, 124 cows and 47 horses. There were four mills running, all at a profit.
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tablished here. It was later the home and Tavern of George Ela; now owned by Mrs. Charles Bennett.
Home and Tavern of Josiah Edgerly in 1793 on the Bay road. The New Durham Library Society was es-
IN
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LING
Four postal routes through the state had been established in 1791 and while service was still slow, it was more orderly and dependable than the hap-hazard deliveries of former years. Roads were widened and improved, bridges repaired and new ones built, which made travel easier.
In June, 1795, it was voted to erect four "post guides" in town under the direction of the Selectmen, similar to those in Dover. Capt. George Burnham bid for them and did the job for $9.00. Later Joseph Jackson made three more for $5.00.
The State constitution was revised again, Thomas Tash Jr. being a delegate to the convention that met Sept. 7, 1791 in Exeter. The following spring "it was laid before the town, the amendments . .. proposed to the Constitution and took the minds of the People upon the same." They later accepted them.
In March, 1793, 67 votes were cast for the first "Governor" of the State of New Hampshire, His Excellency Josiah Bartlett, Esq. In 1795, the English monetary system was abolished and money was counted in dollars and cents thereafter.
A great interest in learning was evidenced by the formation of the New Durham Library Society in 1796, composed of some forty members, "each of whom have paid four dollars apiece for the use of said Society which money has been laid out to the best advantage in furnishing said Library with the best and most useful collection of books for the use of the members". Among the purchases were "A View of Religions", 1791, by Hannah Adams and dedicated to John Adams, Vice-president of the United States; "Sacred Biog- raphy"; many volumes of Shakespeare; "The Busy Body", a comedy ; English history and a few books of poetry.
The Library was kept at the home of Josiah Edgerly. Since he was also licensed "to keep a public tavern at his dwelling house", the thought occurs to us that the town of New Durham must have been unique in having a Library and a bar in the same building !
The first years of the nineteenth century brought more im- provements and new laws for the State of New Hampshire and these were of great benefit to large and small towns alike. Progress was somewhat impeded, however, when the United States declared war on England on June 18, 1812.
More than 2000 New Hampshire men were called to serve in the small army and navy of the Republic, and again New Durham men rose to the need of their country. A battalion of Artillery was stationed at Fort Washington for the protection of Portsmouth harbor and was under the command of Colonel Edward Long. One of the several companies which remained until the danger of British attack on that port was past was headed by Reuben Hayes and in- cluded many New Durham men. They enlisted Oct. 3, 1814, for sixty days. Alfred Smith was 1st Lieut., Thomas Tash (3rd) 2nd Lieut.,
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Nicholas Grace Sergeant, David Durgin, Corporal, Joseph Berry and Asa Davis, Musicians. Privates in Capt. Hayes' company from New Durham included the following:
William Davis
David Willey, Jr.
Ephraim Chamberlain
Samuel Davis
John Chamberlain
John Davis
Asa Libby
George Durgin
John Hurd
Samuel Kenneson
Stephen T. Davis
John Willey
Edmund Tibbetts
Jacob Tash
Benjamin Berry
David Davis
William Chamberlain
Paul M. Runnals
John Webster
Aaron Bennett, Corp., and John Coleman, Fifer, served in Lt. Nathaniel Burley's company; Timothy Langley and Jacob Colomy were in Capt. John D. Harty's company, and Zacheus Perkins a Sergeant in Capt. Joseph Kimball's company.
Capt. James Hardy's company enlisted on August 11, 1814, for three months, and included the following men from New Dur- ham:
John Garland, Sergeant
John Leach
Isaac Pinkham, Sergeant
Josiah Main
Stephen Chamberlain
Jonas Trefethen
Jacob Chamberlain
Stephen Webster
Sirpless Davis
Jeremiah Willey
John Grace
Joseph Willey
Jacob Hanson
Stephen Willey
There were probably others, but since place names are not always recorded in the muster rolls, we cannot name them for certain.
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CHAPTER EIGHT The Murder of Peter Drowne
A true and factual account of a local tragedy is usually in it- self sufficiently horrifying to satisfy the most morbid taste, but in the re-telling of a tale - even over a short period of time, - it collects many embellishments. When the story has been repeated for 174 years, it has collected enough imaginative additions as to almost obliterate the truth. But here is the story; as Mr. Ripley used to say, "Believe it or not."
We do not know where Peter Drowne originally came from. He witnessed a deed for Col. Tash in 1767, probably not in this town; he was a Captain in the army in Rhode Island in 1778 and he is listed then as "from New Durham", but the first mention of his name here was in 1780, when he was chosen Town clerk, a position he held again from 1782 until Feb. 4, 1788. He also served as Selectman for four years; as a Lot Layer, accompanied by Capt. Samuel Runnals, he surveyed the parsonage lot in the second divi- sion in 1786. There is no evidence that he owned a house or had wife or children. His recorded possessions in 1784 were a horse and 230 acres of "wild land".
Elisha Thomas served as a private soldier under command of Col. Tash in 1776. He was married and the father of a "numerous family of children", to quote his words, and lived on the main road about halfway between Fulling Mill brook and Willeys' Mills. He served as Constable in 1780 and '83, which office then included the duties of Tax Collector.
On the night of February 4, 1788, a group of men, including Col. Tash and one of his sons, were gathered in a tavern at New Durham corner. Some say that it was Ela's tavern, but of course Mr. Ela didn't own a tavern until much later. Some say it was "Randall's" tavern. It might have been Major Mooney's big tavern at the cross road to Middleton. Anyway, no matter.
Many of the men there that night had served in the Revolu- tionary war. We can readily imagine that on any night at the tavern, the war was fought over and over again. What the argument was all about on that particular night, we shall never know, but it grew heated, and Elisha Thomas, in furious anger, produced a stone and started to attack one of the men. Capt. Drowne stepped between them and took Thomas to one side to try to reason with him, but in his rage Thomas drew a knife and stabbed Drowne in the chest. He died a few hours later .*
* Another version has it that Thomas intended to kill Abraham Libby, but in the dark- ness stabbed Drowne with a butcher knife from the tavern kitchen. Learning his mistake, he cried "I have killed my best friend!"
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The knife still in his hand, Thomas attempted to escape, and Col. Tash's son was wounded several times while trying to prevent it. He was soon caught, however, and taken to the jail in Dover. Someone rode to Thomas' home to tell his wife of the tragedy, whereupon she, in great despair, took her youngest child of six to a neighbor's for tending and set out for Dover to see her husband. On the return trip her horse ran away and in the resulting fall, she broke three ribs.
But this was not the end of the unfortunate woman's grief: when she eventually reached home she found that her house had burned to the ground and her other five children were dead in the fire !
Col. Tash presided as Justice at Elisha Thomas's trial for mur- der; he was found guilty and was said to be the first man to be hanged in New Hampshire.
We could end the story here and it would probably be better if we did, but in the course of our research, we found several recorded items that seemed curious indeed. Who was the Elisha Thomas who was chosen Pound Keeper 11 years later in 1797, and Collector of school money in 1801 ? In that same year, the Selectmen described a road to be laid out "beginning ... of the lot of land on which Elisha Thomas Dweling house NOW STANDS". And said Thomas signed a receipt for $20 damages paid by the town for the road that was to run through his land.
But in 1808, his name is written in the town records for the last time. The town voted "that the Selectmen immediately open a road laid out some time since through part of Lot # 60 ... for- merly owned by Elisha Thomas and now owned by Gideon Davis."
We shall leave it to the reader to solve this one.
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CHAPTER NINE The Meeting House
Timothy Murray and Shadrach Allard reported to the Pro- prietors in 1770 that "Thar is the Meeting House Inclosed, Shingled and under floor laid under pined and window frames in and no more finished towards it."
It is small wonder that, with the settlers working every day- light hour to build their own homes, clear land and fell trees (to fulfill the requirements of the land grant) that this building was several years in the making. For this Meeting House was a two- storied affair, the specifications calling for it to be forty two by thirty five feet, the posts to be twenty feet "with proportionable timbers fit for such a building", and it was to have twenty five windows.
The first Town meeting was held at this Meeting House Mon- day, the second day of March at ten o'clock in the forenoon, 1772.
The site was a rocky ledge on a high point of land at what was soon to be known as New Durham Corner. The lofty elevation was necessary; not, as some liked to think, that they would be that much nearer to God in His heaven but for the more practical reason that it was a better vantage point from which to protect themselves from marauding Indians, who had been known to attack gatherings of voters or worshippers, or to steal their horses while the hymns were being sung.
Just what the seating arrangements were in the twenty years after its completion, we do not know. There were no heating facili- ties of any kind - that, and the absence of proper pews, may have been very good reasons for many town meetings held elsewhere. Religious services were conducted there by Rev. Nathaniel Porter during his short ministry in New Durham; in February, 1779 the town voted that "Mr. Randal shall preach in the Meeting House."
In 1791, the town began to take steps toward improvement of the interior of the building. In these and subsequent plans, there was not a word about providing any heat! One supposes that if the congregation were seated in enclosed pews with warm stones at their feet and entered into prayers and psalm-singing with enough gusto, they could keep from freezing.
On June 6 of that year, a meeting was held in this manner:
"Met agreeably to notification ... and chose Capt. Samuel Runnals Moderator Pro Tem. The articles of the sale of the pews in the Meeting House at public vendue are as follows: Vizt: The
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windows, it was cut down to its present size in 1838 by order of the Selectmen. The Meeting House at New Durham Corner, completed in 1772. Originally a two-story building with 25
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highest bidder to be the purchaser. 2nd: the privileges of the pews to be sold only and the purchaser of each pew to build his own pew ... The purchasers are to give their notes for the respective sums they shall bid ... which sums shall be paid in merchantable white pine boards or white Oak lumber at Dover landing at the current market price at or before the first day of April next ... "
The auction then took place, the prices ranging from $5.00 to $15.50. The gentlemen who bid at this first sale for the privilege of building their own pews were: Lt. Stephen Berry, Lt. Joseph Berry, Lt. Joseph Wille, Mr. John Roberts, Samuel Runnals, Shadrach Allard, Thomas Tash, Jun., Sam Wille, Joseph Durgin, Stephen Berry, Jun., Josiah Edgerly, Joseph Mooney, Ebenezer Durgin, Capt. John Colomy, Capt. Samuel Runnals, Benjamin Edgerly, John Edgerly, Col. Thomas Tash, Benjamin Berry, Joseph Durgin, Daniel Colomy, Capt. George Burnham, Joseph Mason, Joseph Jack- son and Joseph Evans.
Now that the pews were under way, other improvements were planned, as follows:
Thursday, June the 7th, 1792
"Voted: To let out the building of the porch to the Meeting House to the lowest bidder, and to be of the following dimensions namely: it shall be ten feet wide by the Meeting House and twelve feet deep - and the Ridge pole to be even in height to the eaves of the Meeting house and it is to be finished and completed in the following manner, to wit: there shall be two doors below and one window in the front and a pair of stairs of three flights and a door to enter into the Gallery - and to be shingled and clapboarded and underpinned in a suitable manner. .. . set up to George Davis . .. at $39.50 ... to be built within six months."
June 9th, 1792
"Voted: that the pulpit and canopy be built according to that in Mr. Powers' Meeting house in Gilmanton.
Set up the building, the Pulpit, Canopy, Windows, Deacons' seat and Stairs to be completed in five months from this date - . . . struck off to Samuel Runnals and Josiah Edgerly for 98 dollars."
Sept. 22, 1792
"Voted to remove the singing seats into the galleries.
Voted: to reduce the alleys (excepting the Broad alleys and Door alleys) to 2 feet and a half, instead of three feet wide.
Voted: to move Col. Tash and Capt Colomy's pews on the floor of the Meeting House into the room of the former singing seats.
Voted: Mr. Thos. Edgerly eight dollars for the six pillars be- ing his account brought in for the same. Set up the building of the
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Parsonage pew and long seats on the floor four in number and plac- ing of the pillars ... and it was struck off to Josiah Edgerly . . . for $13.50"
In that same year, it was voted to build a Town pound. It was to be of round timber, built near Mr Samuel Gilman's land; he agreeing to give the land and timber. Abraham Libbey agreed to build it for $6, and was made pound keeper. The stone pound, still standing behind the Meeting House, "the wall to be 6 feet thick at the bottom and 2 feet thick at the top, 30 feet square" was built, after many postponements, in 1809.
In the next thirty years, the Meeting House saw its heyday, being the locale of regular and special town meetings and church services, which in those days were often "revival meetings", scenes of great emotion and excitement, to say the least. The new church on the Ridge was built in 1819 and from then on, the building on New Durham Corner was known as "the old Meeting House". Wind, weather and stray cattle were taking their toll and though many votes were passed to repair it, replace glass or paint it, etc., these decisions were not often carried out.
On March 30, 1835, it was finally voted not to repair the build- ing, and that the inhabitants "do relinquish all their right ... to the owners of the Pews in said house." In March of the next year they considered selling the land on which it stood and appointed a committee to investigate a new site and the probable expense of a new Town house. But the urgency of buying a farm in which to house and care for the town poor took precedence and the plans for a new Town house were abandoned. In March, 1838 it was voted:
"That Samuel Runnals, Jeremiah Edgerly, Mr. Jones and others shall bring back that part of the old Meeting House which they took away, or take the remainder of said house away." And also voted at the same time:
"That the old Meeting House shall be cut down to a one story house and that the Selectmen shall superintend the doing of the same and they shall cause said house to be repaired in a manner sufficient and comfortable to hold the annual town meeting in next March."
Thus the building took on the appearance that is familiar to- day. Town meetings continued to be held there until the new Town House was built on the Plains in 1907. The property was purchased by Zanello D. Berry in 1912 and has been maintained by the Berry family ever since.
It stands today sheltered with a new roof, its beautiful windows boarded up against vandals; a mute reminder that here it was that the founders of our town strove mightily to "maintain good order" in the Town of New Durham.
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CHAPTER TEN The First Ministers
Rev. John Addams had presumably come with the early set- tlers, for he was here in 1765, being named one of the "commis- sioners". There were four ministry or parsonage lots within the town limits; the Meeting House was built on Lot # 10 and a house on Lot # 9, which tradition says was the home of the "first settled minister in New Durham". John Davis, who fought in the Revolu- tion, brought his wife Elizabeth and their children from Kittery to this house in 1787. One of their children had drowned near their former home and Mrs. Davis wanted to move far away from the dangers of the ocean. Mrs. George H. Jones, now a resident of Ro- chester, is the great-granddaughter of John Davis, and lived here during her early years.
Mr. Addams paid non-resident taxes on Lot #41 in the second division for many years, but other than that we know nothing of him.
In September of 1772, the town was apparently without bene- fit of clergy and voted to enlist the help of the Proprietors in "settling and maintaining a minister among us". They chose Capt. James Stillson, James Berry and Robert Boodey as a committee to give Rev. Nathaniel Porter a call, and voted sixty pounds lawful money for his support yearly. Mr. Porter was then 28 years old - a graduate of Harvard College in the class of 1768 and a Congre- gationalist.
Even before his acceptance, the town voted to build a house for him. In April 1773, they finally agreed to the dimensions and specifications of the dwelling, as follows:
"to buld a house tow story hig thorty eaght Fet long and twentey eight feet wide and to be compleated. That this house is to be borded and clabborded and Shingled and a Chimnely Bult and seller Duge and stond and one end glased and two rumes fitted to Dwell in in fifteen monthes from the Date here of this sad house is to be Built on the Ministers Lot No
In twelve months after the above Mentened gob is Compleated to glase the Remainder of sad house and fit one room more and from five years from the Date here of the sad house is to be com- pleated.
Robert Boodey Nathan Keneston Shadrach Allard is a Com- metey to see the work of sad house compleated .. . that each Labourer shall have two shillings and sixpence Lawful money per day "
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In August of 1773, Mr. Porter accepted the call in this manner: "To the Inhabitants of the town of New Durham:
Having deliberately considered the call which you have given me to settle with you in the Gospel ministry, am inclined to think from the unemnity there seems to be among you and other con- cerning circumstances that tis my duty to accept and do hereby signify my acceptance of said call and being sensible of my in- sufficiency for these things for so ardent and important a work do earnestly request your innocent prayers to the Throne of Grace for me that I may be assisted and strengthened therefore that I may discharge my duty faithfully, be instrumental in saving souls and finally rejoice with you all in the Kingdom of Glory.
Nathaniel Porter."
The very same month, the town voted to reduce his salary to forty pounds ! Nevertheless, Mr. Porter settled in New Durham on September 8, 1773.
The house was not finished for three years. The American Revolutionary war had flared up in 1775, times were hard and money scarce. The Proprietors had never advanced any money for the support of the minister and now, of course, never would. The town was forced to make an assessment on all "polls and ratable estates" for all the money now due the minister and appealed to the inhabitants of the Gore to meet with them and work out some agreement for sharing the preaching and the salary.
In 1777, Mr. Porter demanded his salary, including payment for the time he was absent from the area serving as a Chaplain in the army. The town objected to this and angry meetings took place. In June of that year, Mr. Porter offered as an easement, to give up his house "now built and standing" if they would pay him in full. This was not accepted and he finally had to give in; he abated twenty pounds, gave up his house, and, as a result of a church council meeting, held in October, 1777 at the home of Mr. James Berry, it was mutually agreed that Mr. Porter be dismissed .*
During the winter of 1777-1778, some men from New Durham chanced to hear a preacher who so impressed them with his sin- cerity and devoutness that they asked him to come to their town and administer to them. Shortly afterward he came to New Dur- ham, and preached with such success that they entreated him to move here and make his home with them. After still another visit, accompanied by fasting and prayer, this man was convinced that it was the will of the Lord, and he agreed. He said, however, "I have a family and am not able to move them any further than I can carry them by water; and if you will carry them and me to your town, I don't expect that you will let us lie outdoors, but I expect that you will find me a house and I mean that these hands of mine
A year later, he was installed in Conway. In 1814, both Harvard and Dartmouth Col- leges conferred on him the degree of D.D., the first instance in which this honor was he- stowed on a minister in Strafford county. He resigned after 37 years of ministry in Con- way, and died in 1837, aged 92.
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shall administer to my necessities." On the 23rd of March, 1778, Mr. Benjamin Randal left Newcastle with his family; on the 26th they arrived at New Durham where he made his home for the rest of his life.
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