USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Warner > The history of Warner, New Hampshire, for one hundred and forty- four years, from 1735 to 1879 > Part 14
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Warner, Sutton, and Fishersfield, in 1785, elected Matthew Harvey, of Sutton, representative. Mr. Har- vey went from Deerfield, and settled on the large farm at North Sutton which Jonathan Harvey came into possession of, and occupied through life. The sons of Matthew Harvey were Jonathan, who served in congress, Matthew, who served in congress and who was governor in 1830, John, Philip, and perhaps others.
Mr. Harvey, during his year, served at three ses- sions of the legislature,-two at Portsmouth and one at Concord.
At a meeting held October 11, 1785,-
Voted that the Selectmen should settle with Mr. Tappan Evans on account of his Carrying on the law sute Commenced against the town by Barnet Lowell.
Voted to Sell the howling of the Rev. Mr. Kelley's Sellary wood for the current year to the loest Bider.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1786.
Isaac Chase, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk. David Bagley, Richard Straw, Selectmen. Zebulon Morrill, )
Voted that Thomas Annis Constable Should not Collect the minister tax he has a Gainst those people that have Brought theire sertificates to sartify theay have Joined the Baptis Society and also those people Called Sheaker.
249
SECOND PRESIDENT OF THE STATE.
. There were people in town at this time professing to be Shakers, a denomination which was introduced into this country in 1774. One or two of the follow- ers of this sect in Warner (and perhaps there were no others in town) lived on the Tory Hill road. One of the leading principles of this religious denomination is opposition to war.
An adjourned meeting was held March 28, 1786, and of this meeting the record says,-
Whereas Isaac Chase, Moderator of the above meeting Resined his seat, Voted to Chuse another man as a moderator in his sted. Voted that Joseph Sawyer should be moderator of this meeting. Voted to Rais 18 pounds for Schooling for the Current year.
Voted that the Sellect men Should Divid the School money into Districts.
Vote for President.
John Sullivan, None.
John Langdon, 29
Sullivan is here placed first, because he was elected, though Warner did not give him a single vote. This rule, of placing the successful candidate at the head, will be adhered to throughout this volume.
Voted the Select men with a sever Should preamble the County Road and make such alterations and exchanges as theay shall Judge Best.
Warner, Sutton, and Fishersfield elected Zephaniah Clark, of Fishersfield, for representative, in the year 1786. He attended three sessions during the year,- one at Concord, one at Exeter, and one at Portsmouth. Total number of days, 76.
:
250
HISTORY OF WARNER.
Mr. Clark kept a hotel, and carried on a large farm at what is known as the Chandler place, in Newbury. It is the place which our townsman, Jonathan H. Maxon, recently owned and occupied.
At a meeting legally called, and held at the meet- ing-house, Sept. 29, 1786, James Flanders acting as moderator,-
Voted to Bild a Bridge over the River on the County Road Where the old Bridge now is or as near that place as may be Thought Proper.
Voted not to Bild a Meeting House.
Voted to Reconsider the vote past not to Bild a meeting house. Voted too Bild a meeting house.
Voted the meeting should Be a Jorned to the 19th day of Oct. next.
At the adjourned meeting,-
Voted not to raise money to build a bridge over the river.
James Flanders, whose name appears above, was from Hawke, N. H. (Danville). He settled on Burnt Hill, between the Clough and Bartlett places, but no house now occupies the site of his buildings. It ap- pears, by public documents now in existence, that he was both " farmer and cordwainer." He had a small, productive farm, which occupied his time in summer, and he made and mended shoes in winter. He was much in public life : was in the state senate nine or ten years, and in the house as many. While his edu- cation was scant, his judgment was sound, and for many years he was a leading man in the councils of
251
TOWN AND CLASS RECORDS.
the state. He was a ready and effective speaker, and his influence in the halls of legislation was large. His sons were Calvin, Abner, Ezra, Philip, and Timothy. Walter P. Flanders, of Milwaukee ; William W., of Wilmot; the present Philip, of Warner; Isaac C. Flanders, who lived many years in Manchester, but who has returned to Warner,-and many others, are his grandsons.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1787.
Daniel Flood, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
James Flanders,
Benjamin Sargent, Selectmen. Chellis Foote,
For President.
John Sullivan, None.
John Langdon, 94
Benjamin Sargent was from Amesbury. He settled on Tory hill, where a son of Abner Sargent now re- sides. His sons were Humphrey, Simeon, Asa, Isaac, Moses, and Benjamin. The latter occupied the old homestead through his life.
Chellis Foote was also from Amesbury, and his home in Warner was at the Chellis F. Kimball place. He was the father of Kimball's wife.
At a meeting of the inhabitants of Warner, Sutton, and Fishersfield, held at the meeting-house in War- ner, March 26, 1787, Capt. Daniel Flood acting as moderator, James Flanders was chosen representative.
17
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
LOCATION OF THE MEETING-HOUSE. At a meeting held August 30, 1787,-
Voted to chuse a Committee of three men out of three Indifer- ent Towns to appoint a place where to Set a meeting house in this town.
Chose Col. Joshua Bayley, of Hopkinton; Lieut. Phineas Bean, of Salisbury ; and Lieut. Moses Connor, of Henniker, for said committee.
Voted to Set the meeting house when Bilt at the place where the Committee shall appoint.
The old sixty-dollar church at the Parade, which answered very well for 1770, was considered hardly good enough for 1787. Besides, there was a growing uneasiness in regard to its location.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION-HALF-SHIRE TOWN-COURT'S COM- MITTEE-COURT-HOUSE-A PROTEST-TOWN RECORDS-HOUSE UNDER THE LEDGE.
HE "Articles of Confederation," which served a good purpose through the struggle of the colo- nies for independence, were not sufficient for the country when the storm had passed. Soon after the close of the Revolution, the necessity of " a more per- fect union " began to be made apparent. The proper steps for a national convention having been taken by the congress, delegates from all the states except Rhode Island assembled at Philadelphia, in May, 1787, to consider the question of the reorganization of the government. On the 17th day of the September fol- lowing, this convention of delegates agreed upon and reported a "federal constitution." This constitution was soon submitted to the several states, to be by them ratified or rejected. It was to go into effect when nine of the thirteen states had, by their conven- tions, approved of the same.
At a legal meeting, held in Warner Jan. 24, 1788, Thomas Annis acting as moderator,-
Voted not too Except of the new Constitution.
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
This was the federal constitution framed at Phila- delphia, and the voice of Warner seems to have been against it. The above vote is to be regarded as a vote of instructions to the delegate to be chosen from Warner to sit in the convention which was to act on this constitution.
The record continues :
Voted to chuse a man to Joine a Convention at Exeter on the 2d Wednesday in February next on account of the new Constitu- tion.
Voted for Nathaniel Bean Esq. to Joine said Convention.
Voted to a Jorn this meeting untel the town can be Sentered Relative to Setting a new meeting house.
The meeting was then adjourned to the 7th day of February.
The New Hampshire convention, called to consider the federal constitution, was held at Exeter on the 2d Wednesday of February, 1788. It excited a deep interest, not only in New Hampshire, but throughout the country. It was composed of an able body of men. Gen. John Sullivan was its president, and Hon. John Calfe its secretary. Langdon, Pickering, Bart- lett, John T. Gilman, Joshua Atherton, Parker, Bel- lows, West, Livermore, Badger, and other leading spirits, were there. The debates ran high. Sullivan, Langdon, Pickering, and Livermore were the princi- pal speakers in favor of ratification ; while Atherton of Amherst, Parker of Jaffrey, and others, violently opposed it. Among the things objected to with great
255
THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.
vehemence in the constitution, was the clause per- mitting the abolition of the slave trade after 1808, and prohibiting any material action on the subject before that time. Mr. Atherton opposed this clause with much warmth. " The idea," he says, "that strikes those who oppose this clause, so disagreeably and forcibly, is, that if we ratify the constitution, we become consenters to and partakers in the sin and guilt of this abominable traffic in slaves, at least for a certain period, without any positive stipulation that it shall even then be brought to an end."
The friends of the constitution did not dare risk a vote on the question of ratification. They pleaded for an adjournment, in the belief that further discussion among the people would work a favorable change in public opinion. The motion to adjourn prevailed.
During the recess, the constitution continued to be the standing topic of discussion in town and neigh- borhood meetings, and it continually increased in strength. Some towns which had instructed their delegates to oppose ratification, " changed drag-ropes," and instructed them to favor it.
Eight states had already given their assent to the constitution. The ninth only was necessary to its ratification. The adjourned meeting of the conven- tion was held at Concord in June. Amendments were proposed by those who were determined to defeat the constitution, but they were voted down. Then the
256
HISTORY OF WARNER.
opponents in their turn urged an adjournment, but this was defeated. The majority was clearly against them. Finally, on the fourth day of the session, the momentous question was taken. While the secretary was calling the roll of the members, a death-like silence prevailed. When he had finished, Gen. Sulli- van arose and announced,-
Number of votes for ratification, 57
Number of votes against ratification, 46
-and New Hampshire ratifies the constitution of the United States.
The result excited throughout the country a thrill of joy. At Portsmouth the event was celebrated by a grand procession, and other demonstrations of popu- lar gratification.
Nathaniel Bean, in accordance with the instruc- tions which his constituents had given him, voted against ratification.
At the adjourned meeting, Feb. 7th,-
Voted not to Bild a meeting house on the plain above Joseph Currier's, and the meeting was dismissed.
The Joseph Currier place is the present Richard S. Foster place, and "on the plain above Joseph Cur- rier's" means on the plain to the eastward, where the meeting-house was finally located.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1788.
Joseph Sawyer, moderator.
David Bagley, town-clerk.
Benjamin Sargent,
Richard Bartlett, Selectmen.
Parmenas Watson,
Asa Matter
257
HALF-SHIRE TOWN.
For President,
John Langdon, 11
Josiah Bartlett, 54
The legal voters of the classed towns,-Warner, Sutton, and Fishersfield,-met at the meeting-house in Warner, March 27, 1788, and chose
James Flanders, representative.
HALF-SHIRE TOWN.
At a legal meeting, held May 22, 1788, Capt. Asa Pattee was chosen to serve on the jury at Amherst.
Voted to have a half shaire town in the northern part of the County.
Voted not to Except of the Report of the Committee concerning the place Where to Set the meeting house.
- Voted not to Bild a Meeting House on the plain on the north side of the River against the new Bridge.
The record continues :
It was put to vote to See if the town would Bild a meeting house where the old one now Sets, 30 for that place 28 against it, So it past in the afarmetive.
Motion was made to Set a meeting house in the Senter of the town 38 for the Senter 18 against it, so it past in the negitive.
Voted to petition the General Coart for a Committee to ap- point a place Where to Set a meeting house in this town and the meeting was dismissed.
ASA PATTEE. The name of Pattee appears in the foregoing records of the meeting of May, 1788 The orthography of this name has undergone several changes. Petty, Pettee, Patty, and Pattee, all come from the same original word.
1 258
HISTORY OF WARNER.
Sir William Pattee was physician to Cromwell and King Charles the Second. He was one of the found- ers of the Royal Society, and was knighted in 1660. He was a copious writer on political economy, and Macaulay mentions this fact in his History of Eng- land.
Peter Pattee, a son of Sir William, was born in Lansdown, England, in 1648. In 1669, on account of certain political notions which he entertained, he found it necessary to take a hasty departure from his country. He went to Virginia. After remaining there a few years, he removed to Haverhill, Mass. In November, 1677, he took the oath of allegiance to the Crown. He married at Haverhill, and became the father of a large family. He built the first mill and established the first ferry in Haverhill, and the ferry retains his name to this day.
Peter Pattee was the grandfather of Captain Asa, who is mentioned in the above record, who was born at Haverhill in 1732, and who came to Warner about the close of the Revolutionary war. He was captain in the old French and Indian war, and was present at the taking of Quebec in 1759. On coming to Warner he located where the village now is, and built the first frame house in that village, viz., the Dr. Eaton house. Here he kept a hotel a number of years. He was the father of John (who was the father of Asa, Jesse, and Cyrus), and of Daniel, who settled in Canaan, and
259
COURT'S COMMITTEE.
whose descendants are prominent people in Grafton county. Mrs. Daniel Bean and Mrs. Jacob Currier were his daughters.
Asa Pattee, whose portrait is here seen, was the son of John, the grandson of Captain Asa, and the great, great, great grandson of Sir William. He was born at Warner, Oct. 14, 1800, and was educated at the district school on Tory Hill, and at the Ballard school in Hopkinton. He married, in 1827, Miss Sally Col- by, a daughter of Stephen Colby, one of the Revolu- tionary soldiers, and a prominent man a century ago.
Mr. Pattee was a practical farmer through life, hav- ing one of the best farms in town. He served repeat- edly as selectman, and also as representative. He died Jan. 9, 1874, aged 74. His sons were Stephen C., John (deceased), Dr. Luther, and Dr. Asa F. His daughters were Mrs. Palmer (deceased) and Mrs. E. C. Cole.
COURT'S COMMITTEE.
State of New Hampshire. In the House of Representatives, June 17, 1788.
Whereas Benjamin Sargent and Richard Bartlett, Selectmen of the town of Warner, in behalf of said town have petitioned the General Court, setting forth that, whereas the said town hath, for a long time, greatly suffered for want of a larger Meeting House, and are so unhappy as not to agree upon a place to build a new one, and praying said Court to take it under their wise considera- tion and appoint a Committee to appoint them a place to set said meeting house, or relieve them in some other reasonable way, therefore Be it Resolved that Col. Ebenezer Webster, Major Rob- ert Wallace and Lt. Joseph Wadley be a Committee to fix on a
260
HISTORY OF WARNER.
spot in said town to build said meeting house on, the expense of which Committee to be defrayed by the inhabitants thereof.
Thomas Bartlett, Speaker. John Langdon, President.
The senate concurred with the house in the fore- going action, and the committee went upon their mis- sion. On the 12th of September, 1788, they reported as follows :
The Committee having attended to the business referred to, and after viewing the greater part of the town, with the situation of the inhabitants thereof, agree to report, as their opinion that the spot of ground where the old Meeting House now stands is the most suitable place to set the new meeting house on.
Eb. Webster, ) R. Wallace,
Warner
Committee.
Sept. 12, 1788.
J. Wadley,
Here, then, was a victory for the old Parade,-but let the reader pause, and see what becomes of this report.
NOT PEACE, BUT A SWORD.
At a meeting legally called, and holden Oct. 30, 1788, to take this report into consideration, Joseph Sawyer acting as moderator,-
Voted not to Bild a meeting house on the spot of Land that was a Greead upon by the Committee appointed by the General Court.
So the tables were turned. But the friends of the old site were not satisfied. They claimed that in a full meeting they would have a majority, and they demanded another trial. The whole town was aroused.
261
TOWN RECORDS.
The selectmen called the legal voters together again at the meeting-house, Nov. 25, 1788. After choosing Tappan Evans moderator,-
Voted, at said meeting to Reconsider that vote past the 30th day of October, which was not to Bild a meeting house on the spot of Ground agreed upon by the Committee appointed by the Court.
Voted at said meeting not to Bild a meeting house on the spot of ground agreed upon by the same Committee. [Thus the old site is again rejected.]
Voted not to appoint any place or places to Meet att for publick worship this winter, and the meeting was dissmissed.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1789.
Tappan Evans, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
Richard Bartlett,
Richard Straw,
Selectmen.
Tappan Evans, -
TOWN POUND.
Voted not to Bild a pound the current year.
Voted to Raise 30 pound for schooling for the current year, to be paid in produce at cash price.
The selectmen were instructed to divide the town into districts for the accommodation of scholars.
Voted that every district shall have the liberty to provide their own school-masters, provided theay Do it in a proper season of the year, if not the Selectmen is to provide a master for them.
A meeting was held March 29, 1789, to vote for president of the state, with the following result :
John Sullivan, Josiah Bartlett, 53
None.
262
HISTORY OF WARNER.
At the same meeting,-
Voted not to chuse a Representative for the present year.
At a subsequent meeting, held April 25, the last vote was reconsidered, and James Flanders was cho- sen representative.
At the same meeting, voted to build a meeting- house between Joseph Currier's and Isaac Chase's, on the north side of the road. Also, chose a build- ing committee, consisting of Joseph Sawyer, Tappan Evans, Richard Straw, Jacob Waldron, Benjamin Sar- gent, Reuben Kimball, and William Morrill.
William Morrill was from Rye. He settled in the westerly part of Warner, between the Mink Hills and Bradford pond. After his day, the old homestead was occupied many years by Captain Stephen Hoyt. Samuel, Israel, and Francis were his sons, and Mrs. Watson, Mrs. Cheney, and Mrs. Hoyt, his daughters.
At the same meeting,-
Voted that the Committee should advertise the lower pew- ground in the meeting house above voted to Be Built and sell the same at publick vandue in behalf of the town.
COURT-HOUSE.
At the same meeting,-
Voted for Doct. Currier, Esq. Bean and Mr. James flanders for Committee to Draw subscription papers and present them to the Inhabitance too see how much theay will sine towards Bilding a Coart house in this town.
263
COURT-HOUSE.
Warner was now making some effort to become the half-shire town of Hillsborough county, but Hop- kinton had more money and a much larger popula- tion than Warner at that time, and the courts went there.
At an adjourned meeting, held at the meeting- house, April 30, the meeting-house building commit- tee reported that they had agreed with Isaac Chase for half an acre of land on which to build, and had taken a deed for the same. Then the meeting ad- journed for two hours. This was to give the voters an opportunity to go over the river and take a view of the situation.
The meeting, on reassembling,-
Voted to chuse a committee too petition the General Coart in behalf of the town that our representative may have a seat for the present year.
There had been some informality about the elec- tion of representative this year. In the first place, on the regular day for the election, the town "voted not to send." At a subsequent meeting that vote was re- considered, and James Flanders was elected. But it does not appear that the other towns of the district (Sutton and Fishersfield) participated in this election. Warner stood alone. Perhaps that was irregular, but this was the end of the class.
The petition to the General Court was successful, and Mr. Flanders took his seat in the house.
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
At the same meeting, a committee, consisting of Benjamin Sargent, Tappan Evans, and Richard Straw, was appointed to take charge of the building of the house, to hold the funds which might be realized, and to give security for the same.
Voted to Impower the same Committee to sell the Bilding of the meeting house to him that Will Do the most towards Bilding the meeting house for what the pew ground is sold for if theay can Do it to the advantage of the town, if not for that Committee to proceed in Bilding the meeting house as far as the money that the pews sold for Will Goo. [Here is a chance for the reader to exercise his intellect.]
A PROTEST.
On the 19th day of June, 1789, certain citizens of the town made solemn protest against the building of the meeting-house near Joseph Currier's. Among other things in this protest they said,-
We whose names are underwritten are and shall be dissatisfied with said house as a Meeting House for the town of Warner, and we shall give no aid to the building of the same, for the following reasons :-
1. Because a Committee from the Court appointed another place.
2. Because it will necessarily cost a large sum of money to make highways to said house to convene the people, which other- wise would not be wanted.
3. Because we have the land to purchase, which, in another place, we have in plenty.
Signed, Aquila Davis, Joseph Bartlett, Calvin Flanders,
Moses Stevens, Jedediah Peabody, Benjamin Whitcomb,
265
HOUSE UNDER THE LEDGE.
Edmund Sawyer,
Jonathan Smith,
Joseph Burnap, Asa Putney,
Moses Annis,
Francis Davis,
John Hall,
Joseph Foster,
James Pressey,
Jonathan Colby,
Nathan Davis,
John Davis, William Ring,
David Gilmore,
Ezekiel Goodwin,
Moses Clement,
William Currier,
Parker Clement,
Isaac Waldron, Jr.,
Oliver Clement,
Jacob Whitcomb,
William Morrill,
Thomas Annis,
Paskey Pressey,
Francis Thurber,
Daniel Watson,
Moses Sawyer,
Zebulon Morrill,
William Lowell,
Moses Clark,
John Kelley,
Benjamin Foster,
William Sanborn,
John Person,
Jonathan Gould,
Stephen Badger,
Jonathan Watson,
Jonathan Straw, Moses Flanders.
Here are the names of forty-six men, several of ·whom were leaders in town affairs, and most of whom stood high in the church. It was a formidable pro- test, and it shows, beyond a doubt, that intense feel- ing existed throughout the town on the question of changing the location of the meeting-house.
HOUSE UNDER THE LEDGE.
Notwithstanding this large array of names, the work of building went on. During the summer of 1789, the heavy hard-wood frame of the new church was raised, and the house was partially finished. It was called "The House under the Ledge." It was a
Well's Davis,
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
square building (about 50 by 60 feet), looking like a great barn, open up to the ridgepole. The swallows built their nests in it, and they were often seen, dur- ing religious services, flitting across the open space, like birds of evil omen. The house was never plas- tered, except on a small space back of the pulpit. Galleries ran around on three sides. The pews were square, like sheep-pens. The pulpit was so high that the necks of the congregation ached as they looked at the minister. There was a porch and great door at the south, there was another door opening on the west, and another on the east, like the gates of Jeru- salem.
Such was the temple of worship in Warner, from and after 1790. It also served as a town-house. Town-meetings were held in it from the beginning, and for many years after it ceased to be occupied for religious purposes. About the year 1855 it was taken down, and the main part of the frame was worked into the bridge at Ela's mill. Having, probably, served its purpose in bearing invisible spirits over the dark stream that separates time from eternity, it becomes the strong bridge to bear visible feet across Warner river.
THE WAR NOT ENDED.
Returning to the records of the town, it will be seen that peace did not yet reign. At a meeting in the
267
JOSEPH BARTLETT.
old meeting-house, at the Parade, Nov. 19, 1789, Thomas Annis acting as moderator,-
Voted not to meet in the new meeting house for Religious wor- ship for the futer.
At another meeting, held the next month,-
Voted that Mr. Kelley should not preach in the new meeting house, for the futer time.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1790.
James Flanders, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk. William Ring, Joseph Bartlett, Selectmen. Aquila Davis,
Joseph Bartlett was from Amesbury. He was a son of Simeon Bartlett, one of the proprietors of the town, and Simeon was a brother to Dr. Josiah Bart- lett, of Kingston, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and governor of the state. Four brothers,-Joseph, Richard, Simeon, and Levi,-came to Warner, and here made their homes. Levi became insane, and was consumed in a building that was de- stroyed by fire. Richard and Simeon are spoken of on a former page. Joseph was the father of our ven- erable townsman, Levi Bartlett. He lived at the Lower Village, near the Henry B. Chase place, and was there engaged in trade. He also taught school and did something at farming. He was a man of marked character during his lifetime, and was consid-
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