USA > New Hampshire > The history of New-Hampshire. Comprehending the events of one complete century and seventy-five years from the discovery of the River Pascataqua to the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety, Vol 2 > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24
22
HISTORY OF
1717. 'Governor is impowered to execute the King's 'commiffion,' and afferting that the Gover- nor was not in the Province when the Lieu- Affembly Records. tenant Governor diffolved the Affembly, they declared that they could not act with the Houfe, unlefs they were re-elected. This remonftrance was deemed a libel, and the Governor in Council having fummoned them before him, laid them under bonds of four Council hundred pounds each, for their good behav- Minutes. iour. He then iffued a proclamation, affert- ing his fole power, as commander in chief ; and declaring that the Lieutenant Governor Penhal- low's MSS. had no right to exercife any acts of govern- ment without his fpecial order.
To maintain a controverfy with a fuperior officer on the extent of power, equally claim- ed by both, requires a delicacy and addrefs which does not fall to the lot of every man. An afpiring and precipitate temper may bring on fuch a contention, but difqualifies the perfon from managing it with propriety. Had Vaughan propofed to fubmit the quef- tion to the King, he would have acted more in character, and might have preferved his reputation, though he had loft his power. But having offended the Governor, and dif- gufted the Council and Affembly, he could hope for no favor from the Crown. When the report of the proceedings was fent to England, Sir William Afhurft, who had great intereft at Court, and was a friend to New- England, and who greatly difrelifhed the memorial which Vaughan had formerly pre- fented to the King, eafily found means to difplace him ; and in his room was appoint- ed JOHN WENTWORTH, Efq. whofe com-
Athurit's letter MS.
-
O TIOTSIN
m
23
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
miffion was publifhed on the feventh of De- 1717. cember. The celebrated Mr. Addifon, be- ing then Secretary of State, this commiffion is counterfigned by a name particularly dear to the friends of liberty and literature. Orig. MAS.
John Wentworth, Efq. grandfon of Wil- liam Wentworth, formerly mentioned as one of the firft fettlers of the country, had been in the early part of his life, commander of a fhip ; and had acquired a handfome fortune by mercantile induftry. Without any fupe- rior abilities or learning, by a fteady atten- tion to bufinefs, and a prudent, obliging de- portment, he had recommended himfelf to the efteem of the people. Having been five years in the Council, before his appointment as Lieutenant Governor, he had carried the fame ufeful qualities into public life, and preferved or increafed that refpect which he had acquired in a private ftation. The ran- cour of contending parties made moderation a neceffary character in a chief magiftrate ; and the circumftances of the Province, at that time, required a perfon of experience in trade, at its head.
It being a time of peace, after a long and diftreffing war, the improvement of which the Province was capable, in regard to its natural productions, lumber and naval ftores, rofe into view and became objects of clofe at- tention both here and in England. As ear- ly as 1668, the government of Maffachufetts, Mail. Rec. under which the Province then was, had re- ferved for the public ufe all white pine trees of twenty-four inches in diameter, at three feet from the ground. In King William's reign, a furveyor of the woods was appointed Courci! Mnuten.
-
24
HISTORY OF
Uhher's MSS.
Council & Affembly Records.
Penhal- low's MSS.
1717. by the Crown ; and an order was fent to the Earl of Bellamont, to caufe acts to be paffed in his feveral governments for the preferva- tion of the white pines. In 1708 a law made in New-Hampfhire, prohibited the cutting of Laws Chap. 20. fuchas weretwenty four inches in diameter, at twelve inches from the ground, without leave of the furveyor ; who was inftructed by the Queen, to mark with the broad arrow, thofe which were or might be fit for the ufe of the navy, and to keep a regifter of them. What- ever feverity might be ufed in executing the law, it was no difficult matter for thofe who knew the woods and were concerned in lum- ber, to evade it ; though fometimes they were detected and fined. Great complaints were frequently made of the deftruction of the royal woods ; every Governor and Lieuten- ant Governor had occafion to declaim on the fubject in their fpeeches and letters ; it was a favorite point in England, and recommend- ed them to their fuperiors as careful guar- dians of the royal intereft. On the other hand, the people made as loud complaints a- gainft the furveyor, for prohibiting the cut- ting of pine trees, and yet neglecting to mark fuch as were fit for mafts ; by which means many trees, which never could be ufed as mafts, and might be cut into logs for fawing, were rotting in the woods ; or the people who got them were expofed to a vexatious profecution. When no furveyor was on the fpot, the Governor and Council appointed fuitable perfons to take care that no wafte fhould be made of the maft trees ; and thefc officers, with a very moderate allowance, per- formed the duty, to much better purpofe,
I
25
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
than thofe who were fent from England and 1717. maintained at a great expenfe to the Crown. Affembly
Records
As thofe trees which grew within the lim- its of the townfhips were deemed private 1718. property, the people were defirous to get other townfhips laid out, that the trees might be fecured for their own ufc. This was a diffi- cult point. The Affembly, in 1704, during the controverfy with Allen, had explicitly difclaimed all title to the wafte lands, by which they underftood all thofe without the bounds of their towns. The heirs of Allen kept a jealous eye upon them. Ufher, who claimed by mortgage from Governor Allen, was ftill living, and was daily inviting pur- chafers by advertifements. The heir of Sir N. England Courants. Charles Hobby, whofe claim was founded on purchafe from Thomas Allen, had offered his title to the Affembly, but they had refufed it. The creditors of Hobby's eftate had ap- plied for letters of administration ; and though the matter had been, by the Judge of Probate, fubmitted to the General Court, and Records. Affembly by their advice fufpended, yet the letters had been granted. Allen's other heirs were in a ftate of minority in England ; but their guardian was attentive to their intereft. The controverfy had become more complex than Print. frte before; and the claimants, however multi- title. of Allen's plied in number and difcordant in their views, yet had an intereft feparate from that of the public. The royal determination could not be had, but on an appeal from a verdict at law ; but no fuits were now pending ; nor could the lands be granted by royal charter, without feeming to intrench on the property of the claimants. Notwithftanding thefe
D
26
HISTORY OF
1718. difficulties, the neceffity of extending the fet- tlements, and improving the natural advan- tages of the country, was too apparent to be neglected.
-
Laws
Council Minutes.
1719. Great quantities of iron ore were found in many places ; and it was in contempla- tion to erect forges ou fome of the rivers and to introduce foreign artifts and labourers to refine it. A law was made laying a penalty of Chap. 90. ten pounds per ton on the tranfporting of it out of the Province ; but for the further en- couragement of the manufacture, it was deemed neceffary, that fome lands fhould be appropriated, to the purpofe of fupplying with fuel, the iron works which were to be erected, on Lamprey river, and of fettling the people who were to be employed in that fer- vice. On this occafion, it was recollected, that in 1672, while this province was fubject to the Maffachufetts government, and after the town of Portfmouth had made a liberal contribution for the rebuilding of Harvard College, a promife had been made by the General Court to grant to that town a quan- tity of ' land for a village, when they fhould Maff. Rec. ' declare to the Court the place where they ' defired it.' Upon this, a petition was pre- fented to the Governor and Council praying for a fulfilment of this promife; and after fome hefitation, a grant was made of a flip of land two miles in breadth above the head Couuncil Minutes. line of Dover, for the ufe of the iron works, which was called the 'renewing a grant for- 'merly made.' This was known by the name of the two mile flip, and it was after- ward included in the townfhip of Barrington. In fome parts of the province, were many
,
27
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
pitchpine trees, unfit for mafts, but capable 1719. of yielding tar and turpentine. A monopoly of this manufacture had been attempted by a company of merchants ; but when Council many thoufand trees were prepared for ufe, Minutes. they were deftroyed by unknown hands. Afterwards a law was made providing that Laws. tar fhould be received in lieu of taxes, at Chap. 19 twenty fhillings per barrel. This encouraged the making of it for fome time. Another Chap. 94 law laid a penalty on the injuring of trees for drawing turpentine. But private intereft was too ftrong to be counteracted by a fenfe of public utility. Too many incifions being made in the trees at once, they were foon deftroyed ; and as thofe which were near at hand became fcarce, the manufacture was gradually difcontinued.
Hemp was another object. Some had been fown, and from the fpecimen of its growth, much advantage was expected. An act was made to encourage it ; and it was allowed to be received at the Treafury, in lieu of money, at one fhilling per pound. But as there was fcarcely land enough in cultivation, for the production of corn, it was vain to think of raifing a lefs neceffary commodity.
The Parliament of England was attentive to the advantages which might be derived to the nation from the Colonies, to which they were particularly incited by the war, which at this time raged between Sweden and Ruf- fia, the grand marts for naval ftores in Eu- rope. A duty which had been paid on lum- ber imported from America, was taken off ; and this was efteemed fo great a favor to New-Hampfhire that the Affembly thanked
Chap. 94.
Aff.mbly Recorde.
28
HISTORY OF
1719. Shute for the fhare he had in obtaining it. About the fame time, an act of Parliament was made for the prefervation of the white pines. ' Penalties in proportion to the fize of the trees, were laid on the cutting of thofe which grew without the bounds of town- fhips ; and for the greater terror, thefe pen- alties were to be recovered by the oath of one witnefs, in a Court of Admiralty ; where a fingle Judge, appointed by the Crown, and removeable at pleafure, determined the caufe Statute of George 1. Chap 12. without a Jury. While this bill was pending, Henry Newman, the Agent for New-Hamp- MS peti. tion, fhire, petitioned againft the feverity of it, but without effect.
Great inconveniences had arifen for want of a due fettlement of the limits of the Prov- ince. The people who lived near the fuppo- fed line, were fomctimes taxed in both Prov- inces, and were liable to arrefts by the offi- cers of both ; and fometimes the officers themfelves were at variance, and imprifoned each other. Several attempts had been made to remove the difficulty, and letters frequent- ly paffed between the two Courts on the fub- ject, in confequence of petitions and com- plaints from the borderers. In 1716, Com- miffioners were appointed by both Provinces, to fettle the line. The New-Hampfhire Commiffioners were furnifhed by Lieuten- ant Governor Vaughan, with a copy of the report of the Lords Chief Juftices in 1677, and were inftructed 'to follow the courfe of ' the river Merrimack, at the diftance of three ' miles north as far as the river extends.' The
Original MS. in- Aruftions.
MS letter Lt. Guver- nor Went- commiffioners on the other fide complained worth. that this power was not fufficient ; if by fuf-
الاحمري
29
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
ficient it was meant that they had no power 1719. to vary from their inftructions, the objection was true, but why this fhould have been objected it is not eafy to account, fince the inftructions would have given Maffachufetts all which they could claim by virtue of their old charter ; or the judgment upon it, on which they always laid much ftrefs. Three years afterward the affair was agitated again, in obedience to an order from the Lords of Trade ; who directed a map to be drawn and fent to them, in which the boundaries of the Province fhould be delineated, and the beft Original accounts and vouchers procured to elucidate MS order. it. Commiffioners were again appointed to meet at Newbury ; and thofe from New- Original Hampfhire were inftructed by Lieutenant MS in- Governor Wentworth to confer with the oth- ftructions. ers ; and if they could agrece, in fixing the place where to begin the line, they were to report accordingly ; but if not, they were to proceed ex parte, 'fetting their compafs on ' the north fide of the mouth of Merrimack ' river at high water mark, and from thence 'meafuring three miles on a north line, and ' from the end of the firft three miles on a " weft line into the country, till they fhould 'meet the great river which runs out of ' Winipifiogee pond.' To this idea of a weft line, the Maffachufetts Commiffioners object- ed ; and defired that the commiffion of the Governor of New-Hampfhire might be fent to Newbury, which was refufed, and the conference ended without any agreement. However, a plan was drawn agreeably to thefe inftructions, and fent to the Lords of Trade ; and Newman the Agent was in-
1
30
HISTORY OF
. Penhal-
1719. ftructed to folicit for a confirmation of . it. In thefe inftructions, the ideas of the gentle- men in government are more fully expreffed. The due weft line on the fouthern fide of the low's MSS. Province, they fuppofed, ought to extend as far as Maffachufetts extended. The line on the northerly fide adjoining to the Province of Maine, they fuppofed, ought to be drawn up the middle of the river Pifcataqua, as far as the tide flows in the Newwichwannoch: branch ; and thence northweftward, but whether two or more points weftward of north was left for further confideration.
Hume.
MS df John
Harvey.
While thefe things were in agitation, the Province unexpectedly received an acceffion of inhabitants from the north of Ireland. A colony of Scots prefbyterians had been fettled in the Province of Ulfter, in the reign of James I ; they had borne a large fhare in the fuffer- ings, which the proteftants in that unhappy country underwent, in the reign of Charles I and James II; and had thereby conceived an ardent and inextinguifhable thirft for civil and religious liberty. Notwithftanding the peace which Ireland had enjoyed, fince the fubjection of the Popifh party by King Wil- liam, fome penal laws were ftill in force ; which, with the inconvenience of rents and tithes, made thefe people with for a fettle- ment in America ; where they might be free from thefe burthens and have full fcope for their induftry. One Holmes, a young man, fon of a clergyman, had been here and carri- ed home a favorable report of the country, which induced his father, with three other prefbyterian Minifters, James Macgregore, William Cornwell, and William Boyd, and a
31
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
large number of their congregations, to re- 1719. folve on an emigration. Having converted their fubftance into money, they embarked in five fhips, and about one hundred families 1718. o&. 14, of them arrived at Bofton. Cornwell, with about twenty families more, arrived a Cafco. They immediately petitioned the Affembly of Maffchufetts for a tract of land ; who gave them leave to look out a fettlement of fix miles fquare, in any of the unappropriated lands at the eaitward. After a fruitlefs fearch along the thore, finding no place that fuited them there ; fixteen families, hearing of a tract of good land, above Haverhill, called Nutfield (from the great number of chefnut and walnut trees there) and being informed that it was not appropriated, determined there to take up their grant ; the others difperfed .themfelves into various parts of the country.
As foon as the fpring opened, the men went from Haverhill, where they left their fami- lies, and built fome huts near a brook which falls into Beaver River, and which they nam- ed Weft-running brook. The firft evening after their arrival, a fermon was preached to them under a large oak, which, is to this day regarded with a degree of veneration. As foon as they could collect their families, they called Macgregore to be their minifter, who fince his arrival in the country had preached at Dracut. At the firft facramental occafion, were prefent two minifters and fixty-five communicants. Macgregore continued with them till his death ; and his memory is ftill precious among them : He was a wife, affec- Æta 52. tionate and faithful guide to them, both in civil and religious concerns. Thefe people
April 11.
March, g. 1729.
HETT
1
32
HISTORY OF
1719. brought with them the neceffary materials for the manufacture of linen ; and their fpin- ning wheels, turned by the foot, were a nov- elty in the country. They alfo introduced the culture of potatoes, which were firft planted in the garden of Nathaniel Walker of Andover. They were an induftrious, frugal and confequently thriving people.
They met with fome difficulty in obtain- ing a title to their lands. If the due weft line between the Provinces had been eftablifhed, it would have paffed through their fettlement and divided it between Maffachufetts and New-Hampfhire ; but the curve line, follow- ing the courfe of Merrimack at three miles diftance, would leave them unqueftionably in New-Hampshire. This was the idea of the General Court of Maffachufetts, who, up- on application to them for a confirmation of their former grant, declared them to be out of their juridiction. Among the many claimants to thefe lands, they were informed, that Col. Wheelwright of Wells had the beit Indian title, derived from his anceftors. Sup- pofing this to be valid in a moral view, they followed the example of the firft fettlers of New-England, and obtained a deed of ten miles fquare, in virtue of the general licenfe granted by the Indian Sagamores in 1629. To prevent difficulty from Allen's claim, they applied for leave of fettlement to Col. Ufher, who told them that the land was in difpute, and that he could not give them leave, but that he fuppofed they might fet- tle on it, if they would hold it either of the King or of Allen's heirs, as the cafe might be determined. They alfo applied to the Lieu-
Uther's MSS.
33
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
tenant Governor of New-Hampfhire, who 1719. declined making them a grant in the King's name ; but, by advice of Council, gave them a protection, and extended the benefit of the law to them ; appointing James M'Kean to
Council be a Juftice of the Peace, and Robert Wier a Minutes. Deputy Sheriff.
Some perfons who claimed thefe lands, by 1720. virtue of a deed of about twenty years date, from John, an Indian Sagamore, gave them fome difturbance ; but, having obtained what they judged a fuperior title, and enjoying the protection of government, they went on with their plantation ; receiving frequent addi- tions of their countrymen, as well as others, till in 1722, their town was incorporated by Harvey's the name of Londonderry, from a city in the and Mac- north of Ireland, in and near to which moft Mss. regore's of them had refided ; and in which fome of them had endured the hardfhips of a memo- rable fiege .*
The fettlement of thefe emigrants, on the wafte lands, opened the way for other plan- tations. Thofe who had borne the burthens
*Jobn Barr, William Caldwell and Abraham Blair, with feverel others who had fufered in this fiege, and came to America, were by King Wil- liau's Special order made free of taxes through all the British donations.
This, with feveral other circumstances relating to these people, I took from a manufcript letter written (1729) by Mr. John Harvey, fchool- matter in Londonderry, to Mr. Prince, la the fame letter was the fol- lowing brief account of the fiege above menticred. ' Londonderry was ' befieged near half a year (1689) by King James's army, when be had ' all Ireland fubdued but Derry and a little plice hard by. The hofirged " defended the city, woft of thero being prefbyterians, till they were very ' much pinched by famine, that a dog's head was fold cheap enough at half 'a crown ; and yet God fupported them uoti King William fent them ' relief by two fhips with men and provifions from England ; at which ' fighe before the fhips got up to the city and landed their men, the be- 'fiegers moved their camp and fled to the weft of Ireland, where after- ' wards two bloody battles were fought and the parifts fuhdued.
' Two things further (fays he ) I have to relate refp. Sting Derry, I. The ' church of Derry is fo ftrongly built with floue and li pe that in the ftee. ` ple they had a cannon fixed, which did were hurt to the Irish army than ' fix upon the walls. 2. There was one Col. Murray in the fi.ge. He ' and a party were out againft che enemy, and having got the advantage E
34
HISTORY OF
1720. and diftreffes of war, in defending the coun- try, had long been circumfcribed within the limits of the old towns ; but were now mul- tiplied, and required room to make fettle -- ments for their children. They thought it hard to be excluded from the privelege of cultivating the lands, which they and their fathers had defended ; while ftrangers were admitted to fit down peaceably upon them. Thefe were weighty reafons. At the fame time no attempt was making, by any of the claimants, to determine the long contefted point of property ; and in fact, no perfon could give a clear and undifputed title to any of the unfettled lands.
In thefe circumftances, a company of about one hundred perfons, inhabitants of Portf- mouth, Exeter and Haverhill, petitioned for liberty to begin a plantation, on the norther- ly part of the lands called Nutfield. Thefe were foon followed by petitioners from the other towns, for the lands which lay contig- ous to them. The Governor and Council kept the petitions fufpended for a long time, giving public notice to all perfons concerned to make their objections. In this time the lands were furveyed, and the limits of four
' in an engagement with them a mile from the walls, the enemy's General, ' who was a Frenchman, and he, met ; and having both fired their piftols, ' drew their fwords, and the General having a coat of mail, had the ad- ' vantage of Murray, fo that he could not hurt him. At length Murray ' obferving that there was no touching him but through the harnefs in bis s face, put his fword in through the bars of the harnefs and killed him.' They made a great flaughter that day.'
Nothing was more offenfive to thefe emigrants than to be called IRISE. Macgregore in a letter to Governor Shute, (1720) fays : ' We are furpri- 1 fed to hear ourfelves termed Irifh people; when we fo frequently ventur- ' ed our all for the British Crown and liberties againft the Irifh papifts ; ' and gave all telts of our loyalty, which the government of Ireland re- ' quired, and are always ready to do the fame when demanded.'
The people of this country did not underftand the diftinclion ; nor in fact did they treat thefe ftrangers with common decency on their first arrival. The grudge fubfifled a long time, but is now worn out.
1721.
ל
1784639
35
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
propofed townfhips determined ; and the peo- ple were permitted to build and plant upon the lands ' provided that they did not infringe 'on, or interfere with, any former grants, Council ' poffeffions or properties.' Some of thefe Records. lands were well ftocked with pine trees ; which were felled in great abundance ; this occafioned a frefh complaint from the King's furveyor.
At length, charters being prepared, were figned by the Governor; by which four town- fhips, Chefter, Nottingham, Barrington and Rochefter were granted and incorporated. The grants were made in the name of the King, who was confidered as the common guardian, both of the people and the claim- ants ; but with a claufe of refervation, ' as far as in us lies,' that there might be no infringe- ment on the claims.
The figning of thefe grants was the laft act of Government performed by Shute in New- Hampfhire. A violent party in Maffachu- fetts had made fuch ftrenuous oppofition to him and caufed him fo much vexation, as rendered it eligible for him to afk leave to return to England. He is faid to have been a man of a humane, obliging and friendly difpofition ; but having been ufed to military command, could not bear with patience the collifion of parties, nor keep his temper when provoked. Fond of eafe, and now in the de- cline of life, he would gladly have fpent his days in America if he could have avoided controverfy. The people of New-Hampfhire were fatisfied with his adminiftration, as far as it refpected them ; and though they did not fettle a falary on him as on his predecef-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.