USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Warner > The history of Warner, New Hampshire, for one hundred and forty- four years, from 1735 to 1879 > Part 16
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ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1803.
James Flanders, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk. For Governor.
John Taylor Gilman, 50
John Langdon, 111
Aquila Davis, representative.
Richard Straw, Richard Bartlett, & Selectmen. Joseph Sargent,
Voted to chuse a Committee of three men to Draw a Draft or plan of the Bridge to be Bilt acrost the river near the Baptis meeting house.
290
HISTORY OF WARNER.
Joseph Sargent was from Amesbury. He settled in Schoodac, where two of his grandsons now reside. Caleb, Ambrose, David, Joseph, Zebulon, and Clark were his sons. He served as selectmen several times, and was a justice of the peace for many years.
At a meeting held August 29, 1803, two jurymen were selected. The record is as follows :
nicholas Evans Choosen moderator and David heath and Moses annis Jun. was Choosen to Serve as petit Jurors.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1804.
James Flanders, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
John T. Gilman, 70
John Langdon, 112
Aquila Davis; representative.
Benjamin Sargent,
Joseph Sargent, Selectmen.
Joseph Bartlett,
Voted not to raise any money to hier preaching.
Voted to raise 1000 dollars towards Bilding School-houses.
Voted that Every District Shall have theire own perpotion of the 1000 Dollars towards Bilding school-houses in theire owne Distrects according to the veluations for the town taxes.
Voted that mr. peabody may have liberty to pole to mr. Gil- more's Distrect.
The exact meaning of the above language does not appear ; but probably the intention of the vote was, to disannex Mr. Peabody from the Foster-Kimball dis- trict, to which he belonged, and annex him to the
291
TOWN RECORDS.
Gilmore-Burnap district. This "mr. peabody" was Jedediah Peabody. He lived on the old Major Hoyt road, and near Henniker line. There is a large tract of land lying on that road, called the "Peabody pas- ture," having upon it chestnut trees of immense size. This lot was once the mowing, tillage, pasture, and woodland of Jedediah Peabody. Here he lived and prospered ; but the buildings have been gone, and the place given up as a farm, more than half a century.
The Peabody children, to reach the Burnap school, must have travelled from two and a half to three miles. They were obliged to go, first, down across the Henniker line, then to make more than a right angle, and pass by the Jacob Whitcomb, Dea. Wiggin, and David Gilmore places, to the top of the school-house hill, where that institution of learning then stood which Mr. Peabody had the liberty " to pole to."
At a legal meeting, held July 16, 1804,-
Voted to chuse a committee of three men to Exemon and try John O. Ballard and Samuel Ballard wether theay are of an a Bilaty according to Law to support their farther.
Voted to support major Ballard three months to lowest Bidder per week; the support of major Ballard Bid off by Daniel Bean at 68 cents per week.
This Major Ballard lived on what is known as the " Ballard place" (now Dunbar's). He had been a man of standing and wealth, but had lost his property by a habit which has cursed its millions, and he was now a town charge.
292
HISTORY OF WARNER.
John O. Ballard became the famous teacher at Hopkinton Lower Village, whom hundreds, who have been his favored scholars, yet remember. Before Mr. Ballard established his school at Hopkinton, he con- ducted a similar one a few years in Warner. The house in which he kept this school was between the Parade and Rev. Wm. Kelley's; but no trace of even the foundations or cellar of that building can now be found. Hezekiah Colby, the father of Chellis F., Philip, Willaby, Samuel, and John P., on coming from Amesbury, lived in this house a year or two, and till he permanently settled on the Mark Colby farm.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1805.
James Flanders, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
John Langdon, 141
John T. Gilman, 54
Aquila Davis, representative.
William Ring,
Richard Bartlett, Selectmen. Moses Annis,
Voted to raise 150 dollars to hier preaching the Ensuing year. Voted not to raise any money to finish the meeting-house.
Voted to Give major Straw's School. Distrect Liberty to Bild their school house on a nother spoot of Ground that the town's Committee Did not appoint whear theay can be beter Convened.
Voted that Each society in this town Should have theire por- potion of the 150 dollars voted to be raised to hier preaching, to hier such ministers as Shall be most agreeable to them.
293
TOWN RECORDS.
Moses Annis, who comes forward here as one of the selectmen, is not the son, but the grandson of Daniel the first. The first Moses died before 1790, and left no descendants. This Moses was a son of Thomas, and the father of the present Moses G. Annis. The first Moses lived on the Gould Annis farm till his death, and then the second took possession.
At a legal meeting, held Oct. 3, 1805,-
Nathaniel flood was Choosen to finish the collection of the taxes committed to his farther Daniel flood, Deceased, which he Did not collect.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1806
Thomas Annis, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
John Langdon, 124
Timothy Farrar, 29
James Flanders, representative.
Richard Straw,
Joseph Bartlett, Selectmen. David Heath,
At a legally called meeting, held April 16, 1806, Henry B. Chase acting as moderator,-
Voted that the Selectmen Should Esertain and collect to Geath- er all the household furneture Cloathing &c. belonging to the wife of Joseph Davis late of Warner desseced-and sell the same in that Way and manner as theay Shall Judge will be mose advan- tage to the town's use.
Voted to give a bounty of 20 cents to any pearson or pearsons
294
HISTORY OF WARNER.
living in the town of Warner that Shall Kill a crow within the bonds of said town and Bring the Same to the Selectmen from this time to the first Day of July next.
Henry B. Chase was born in Cornish, N. H. He came from there to Warner in 1805, and opened a law office in the Lower Village. He married a daugh- ter of Nathaniel Bean. He was the first postmaster in Warner, his appointment being dated 1813. He was also the first register of probate for Merrimack county ; was appointed in 1823, and released from the office in 1840. He served repeatedly as representa- tive in the legislature of the state, and was speaker of the house in 1817.
There was a scheme in the early part of the cen- tury for connecting the waters of the Merrimack and Connecticut rivers by means of a canal. This canal was to pass up through Warner to Sunapee lake, and thence onward to the Connecticut river at Claremont. During the year 1816 a committee of the Massachu- setts legislature, with which Henry B. Chase was as- sociated by the legislature of New Hampshire, made a thorough survey of the contemplated route. The lake was found to be more than 800 feet above the level of the two rivers, and the enterprise was aban- doned as wholly impracticable.
Mr. Chase was a man of fine presence, a sound law- yer, and an upright citizen. He died January, 1854, aged 77, leaving one son, a lawyer in Louisiana, and
295
TOWN RECORDS.
three daughters,-Mrs. Grimes, Miss Nancy Chase, and Mrs. Otis Brewer, of Boston.
LICENSES.
Warner, May ye 3d, 1806.
this may Certify that we appoint Ezra flanders as a Retailer of Speriatous Lequars by the Glass or Gill at his store or house in warner for the year 1806.
Richard straw, David heath, Selectmen.
From four to six licenses of this character were granted to as many different persons each year. It was a period of dissipation, from the year 1800, or be- fore that, to about 1830. The licensed places were not confined to the villages, but were distributed over town, and they afforded excellent opportunities for neighborhood idleness and wrangling.
Ezra Flanders was a son of James. His “store or house" was both store and house, being the ancient yellow building in the Lower Village, between the site of the Anti-pedobabtist church and the old Hen- niker road.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1807. Thomas Annis, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
John Langdon, 97
James Flanders, representative. Richard Straw, David Heath, Selectmen.
Moses Annis, ~
296
HISTORY OF WARNER.
Voted to Raise 500 dollars to support schools. Voted not to raise any money to hier preaching.
Voted not to raise any money to finish the meeting house.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1808.
Thomas Annis, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
John Langdon, 83
Richard Bartlett, representative.
Richard Straw, -
Joseph B. Hoyt, Selectmen.
Moses Annis,
Voted to Choose assessors to asest the Selectmen in making and porportioning the Inventary the present year.
Voted to raise 200 dollars towards finishing the meeting house.
FIRST SUPERINTENDING COMMITTEE.
Voted to Choes a Committee to Enspect and Examon the School masters that may be hiered to teach Schools in this town the Ensuing year wether theay are Qualified as the Law Directs.
Henry B. Chase, William Ring, and Abner Flanders were chosen for said committee.
Joseph B. Hoyt, who appears here as one of the selectmen, was from Kensington. He settled in the south part of the town, and erected his first buildings on the hill, up easterly a half mile from the present house. His best tillage land was there, but he had no road, and never could have had one at that place. After a residence of a few years on the hill, he came down to the Henniker road, and rebuilt there. He
297
TOWN RECORDS.
became a major in the state militia, as did two of his sons,-Joseph S. and Stephen K. Capt. John Hoyt, who died young, was another of his sons. Stephen K. occupied the old homestead a great many years, but he is now residing in Portland, Me.
At a meeting legally called, and holden Feb. 11, 1809,-
Voted not to concur with the church in calling William Harlow to settle as a Gospel minister in this town.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1809.
Richard Bartlett, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Jeremiah Smith, 66
John Langdon, 140
Richard Bartlett, representative.
Benjamin Evans,
Joseph Bartlett, Selectmen.
Moses Annis,
Voted to Bild a pound with stone, with a Large pece of hewed timber all round on the top.
Edmund Sawyer bid off the building of the pound at thirty-seven dollars, and did the job in April, 1809. That pound now stands, it being in Warner village, on the north side of Pumpkin Hill road.
Benjamin Evans, a son of Tappan Evans, was born at Newburyport in 1772, but was brought to Warner with the family before 1780. His mother was called
298
HISTORY OF WARNER.
" the handsomest woman in Newburyport," and the son was a man of striking personal appearance.
The writer has been unable to gather many facts in relation to the early life of this noted man. His ed- ucation .was limited, but having commanding natural abilities, he wielded a large influence in Warner, and in the state for many years. He married a Miss Wad- leigh (an aunt of the late Judge Wadleigh, of Sutton), and commenced life at Roby's Corner. There he had a farm and a saw-mill, the mill being a few rods below the present river bridge. In 1803 he went into mer- cantile business at South Sutton, and at once became a prominent and influential man there. Though he remained at Sutton but four years, he served several times as moderator at town meetings, and several times as selectman. In 1807 he returned to Warner, and made his home from that time through life at the village. He was the leading business man in town for a long period of time. Besides carrying on his country store, he dealt largely in cattle and hides, and was extensively engaged in coopering. He lived some twenty-five or thirty years in what is now known as the Bates house, and the remainder of his life at the Porter house. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He knew every man in town, and could readily call each one by name. He served as mod -. erator of town meetings, as selectman, and as repre- sentative to the General Court a great many years.
Binfor Ever
299
BENJAMIN EVANS.
He was elected senator in old district No. 8 in 1830, and was in the governor's council in 1836 and 1837. He was appointed sheriff of Merrimack county in 1838, and he held this, his last office, till 1843, the year before his decease.
He had six daughters, but no son who lived to ma- ture age. One of his daughters married Reuben Porter ; another, Nathan S. Colby ; another, Dr. Leon- ard Eaton ; another, Stephen C. Badger; another, H. D. Robertson ; and the last, Abner Woodman.
Mr. Evans died November 12, 1844, at the age of 72 years, and his dust sleeps on a beautiful table-land in Pine Grove Cemetery.
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CHAPTER XXII.
TOWN RECORDS-THE COLD FRIDAY-WAR OF 1812-REV. JOHN WOODS-A COLD SEASON-MASONIC-DIVORCE OF CHURCH AND STATE-HERESY-QUAKER WOMEN WHIPPED.
HE "cold Friday," which aged people remember with a shudder, occurred January 19, 1810. The mercury runs lower every winter than it run that day ; but the out-door man, in this country, has never seen weather more severe than that. On that day a harsh, violent wind prevailed from morning till night, and many buildings were destroyed by it. The cold Friday was known and is remembered through- out the New England states.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1810.
James Flanders, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
John Langdon, 181
Jeremiah Smith, 37
Richard Bartlett, representative.
Daniel Bean,
Moses Annis, Selectmen. David Heath,
301
TOWN RECORDS.
Daniel Bean was a son of Nathaniel. He lived at Waterloo, and was largely engaged through life in running mills at the great falls, and in agricultural pursuits. He also kept tavern in the very house now occupied by Dolphus Bean, from 1804 to 1829. His first wife was a daughter of Capt. Asa Pattee, and his second, a Miss Sibley, of Hopkinton. His sons were Daniel, Jr., William H., Stephen S., and Dolphus S .; and his daughters were Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. Kimball, Mrs. Dr. Eaton, of Bristol, Mrs. Nathan Martin, Mrs. A. G. Haines, and Mrs. N. G. Ordway. Mr. Bean died in April, 1855, aged 81.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1811.
Richard Bartlett, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
John Langdon, 192
Jeremiah Smith, 46
Richard Bartlett, representative.
David Heath,
Daniel Bean, Selectmen. Moses Annis,
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1812.
Richard Bartlett, moderator. David Heath, town-clerk.
For Governor.
William Plumer, 150
John T. Gilman, 73
302
HISTORY OF WARNER.
Benjamin Evans, representative.
Jacob Collins, David Heath, ¿ Selectmen. Richard Straw, )
The town records are now kept very accurately. Dea. Heath is a fair penman and a good scholar.
WAR OF 1812.
The inhabitants of the town of Warner met accord- ing to warning, August 24, 1812, chose Richard Bart- lett, moderator, and took action as follows :
Whereas by an act of Congress of the United States passed April 10, 1812, it is among other things declared that the Presi- dent of the United States be authorized to require of the Execu- tives of the several States and Territories to take effectual meas- ures to organize and equip according to law and hold in readiness to march at a moment's warning their respective proportions of 100,000 Militia, it is also declared that said detached militia shall not be compelled to serve a longer time than six months after they arrive to the place of rendezvous-
Therefore Voted that the town of Warner pay or cause to be paid to the non-commissioned officers and privates belonging to said town who are liable by said Act of Congress to be called upon, the sum of five dollars for each and every month they shall actually be in the service of the United States, according to said Act, and the sum of two dollars when ordered to march.
The two dollars for pocket-money, and the five dollars per month in addition to the regular govern- ment pay of the soldier, was a very handsome bounty.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1813.
James Flanders, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
303
TOWN RECORDS.
For Governor.
John Taylor Gilman, 81
William Plumer, 199
Richard Bartlett, representative.
Jacob Collins, Henry B. Chase, Selectmen. Abner Flanders,
Voted that Nathaniel Bean pole off to the north Village School District for the futer.
Voted that the Selectmen Should Converse with John O. Bal- lard concerning the Support of his farther for the futer and See if it is not his Right by Law to Support him.
Abner Flanders, one of the selectmen, was another of the sons of James. He removed to Vermont when quite a young man, and there settled. He was sev- eral years a representative in the legislature of that state, from his adopted town, Hyde Park.
REV. JOHN WOODS.
At a legal town meeting, held Oct. 8, 1813,-
Voted to Joine with the Church in this town in Giveing Mr. John Woods a call to Settle in the minestry in this town.
Voted to Give Mr. Woods 300 Dollars annually for his Services as a minester in this town.
Here is a cordial indorsement of the young minis- ter, but for some unknown cause the town "soured on him " just three weeks after the above votes were passed.
At a meeting, held Nov. 1st, the vote giving to Mr.
304
HISTORY OF WARNER.
Woods $300 annually was reconsidered ; and at the same time the town voted not to give him the inter- est on the parsonage money, amounting to twenty- two dollars and a half annually.
In this connection the following record should be presented. The bad orthography and the grammat- ical blunders are attributable to the town-clerk.
December 1813, then peorsonely apeared philip flanders Jun. and Gave his Desent against the Settlement of Mr. John woods as a minister in this town.
Notwithstanding these hostile indications, Rev. Mr. Woods came on according to agreement. He was ordained June 22, 1814, one of the hottest June days ever known. He remained in Warner till 1823. [See Ecclesiastical History.]
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1814.
Thomas Annis, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
John 'T. Gilman, 82
William Plumer, 232
Benjamin Evans, representative.
Thomas Hackett,
Abner Flanders, Selectmen.
Richard Straw,
Thomas Hackett, senior, lived on the Tory Hill road, near where Richard B. Whittier now resides, perhaps on the exact spot. The second Thomas (who
305
TOWN RECORDS.
was the selectman) was a son of the first. He lived a number of years at the McAlpine place. While in Warner he drew a thousand-dollar prize in a lottery, and in him was verified, for the millionth time, the adage, "It is easier to stand adversity than pros- perity."
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1815.
Thomas Annis, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk. For Governor.
John T. Gilman, 70
William Plumer, 229
Philip Flanders, representative.
Richard Straw,
Thomas Hackett, Selectmen.
Moses Annis,
Voted that no horse nor Cattle Shall be alowed to run at Large on the highway in this town from the first day of December tel the Last Day of march under the penalty of paying 25 cents per head one half to complainer the other to use of the town for every offence.
[Unless there has been a radical change in the seasons, there must have been some blunder about the above vote.]
Philip Flanders, representative, was a brother to James, Daniel, and Christopher. He lived, as stated elsewhere, at the Elm farm.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1816.
Thomas Annis, moderator.
David Bagley, town-clerk.
306
HISTORY OF WARNER.
For Governor.
William Plumer, 240
James Sheafe, 65
Henry B. Chase, representative.
Benjamin Evans, -
Thomas Hackett, Selectmen.
Moses Annis,
Voted to receive Jonathan Watkins and the farm he lives on if the Same shall be anexed to the town of Warner by an act of the General Coart.
Voted to receive the land owned by Thaddeus Hardy if anexed on to warner by an act of the General coart.
A COLD SEASON.
The summer of 1816 was cold and unfruitful. On inauguration day, in June, there was snow to the depth of four inches on a level. Not a month in the whole season escaped the frost, and the corn-crop, as well as certain other crops, was substantially de- stroyed. There was great scarcity in the country, . and much suffering in the fall and winter of 1816 and the spring and early summer of 1817. Corn, which in productive seasons sold for fifty cents a bushel, would now bring three dollars, and there was almost none to be had at that.
It was probably at this time that Isaac Dalton, who was afterwards for many years a deacon in the Congregational church, inquired of Enoch Morrill, a brother church-member, at the close of the services
307
· TOWN RECORDS.
one Sabbath day, if he could spare him a bushel of corn. " Ask me to-morrow," said Morrill, " and I will tell you." No more was said. On Monday morning, Dalton, who lived at the Levi O. Colby place, trudged off over to Morrill's, on Pumpkin Hill, a distance of four miles, with a bag under his arm, and said, "I have come to see if you could spare me that corn I spoke to you about yesterday." " I have no corn to sell," was the unexpected reply ; " and I answered you as I did, that you might learn to remember the Sab- bath day and keep it holy."
Such people may have been conscientious, but their influence and example were hurtful. Their religious beliefs were harsh and unrelenting, their visages were austere and sour, and boys and girls habitually shun- ned these "vessels of vinegar on the highway to heaven."
The summer of 1816 was very discouraging to the farmers and people of Warner. Indeed, it was so to the whole of New England, but the spring of 1817 opened auspiciously. The season was a remarkably productive one, and every man could say to his neighbor,-"For the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig-tree and the vine do yield their strength."
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1817.
Aquila Davis, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
308
HISTORY OF WARNER.
For Governor.
William Plumer, 241
James Sheafe, 49
Henry B. Chase, representative.
James Bean,
Richard Straw, Selectmen.
Reuben Porter,
Voted to Discontinue the road from the Gide post near Joseph currier's a crost the river to the Gide post Southerly of Buring Ground to the road Leading to hiniker.
Capt. Joseph Smith was chosen Collector of taxes at one cent and nine mills on the Dollar.
James Bean was a son of Nathaniel, who settled on Pumpkin Hill. He was born May, 1785, and he al- ways resided in town. He died at the age of 45. No sons of his, but four daughters, are now living, viz., Mrs. Tufts, of Medford, Mass., Mrs. Ira Harvey, Mrs. Geo. T. Watkins, of Kansas, and Mrs. Geo. S. Rowell.
Reuben Porter was from Weymouth, Mass., where he was born about 1790. He came to Warner in 1812, and commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Moses Long, who was then at the Centre Village. He abandoned that study to engage in mercantile busi- ness. Subsequently he went to North Sutton, where he had a large farm to care for and cultivate. He served several years, both in Warner and Sutton, as selectman ; also served as representative from Sutton, and as senator for old District No. 8, in 1834 and 1835. He recently returned with his family to War- ner, and is now living, at the age of nearly 90.
309
TOWN RECORDS.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1818.
Benjamin Evans, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
William Plumer, 262
Scattering, 34
Benjamin Evans, representative.
James Bean,
Reuben Porter, Selectmen.
Timothy Flanders,
Voted that Kiea Sarge Gore Should be anexed to the town of Warner.
Stephen Currier, jr., Choosen Collector of taxes for one cent and four mills on the dol.
The Gore was annexed to Warner by act of the legislature at the June session of 1818.
Timothy Flanders was another of the sons of James. He lived (certainly for many years) at Melvin's Mills, and died there some thirty years ago.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1819.
Richard Bartlett, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Samuel Bell, 185
William Hale, 54
Benjamin Evans, representative.
James Bean, - Selectmen.
Reuben Porter,
Richard Straw,
310
HISTORY OF WARNER.
Voted that the easterly part that is below thomases pond so cold of the School District no. one Should be Sot off to a School District by them Selves.
This was the establishment of the Davisville school district. The inhabitants of Davisville had, prior to this, belonged to the Dimond's Corner district.
Jonathan Emerson was appointed to collect the taxes at one cent and four mills on the dollar.
At a legal meeting, held August 21, 1819,-
Voted that the road from wells Davises to Nathaniel Bean's be Discontinuard as a publick road for the present but to be pasable by Gats and Bars for the present.
MASONIC.
A lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, called " War- ner Lodge, No. 35," was organized in 1819. As its hall, furniture, records, &c., were destroyed by fire in May, 1849, and the lodge thereafter soon ceased to exist, but little is known of its history or its work. It had upon its rolls the names of many of the lead- ing men of the town. Among its officers, during the period of its existence, were Aquila Davis, Henry B. Chase, Henry Lyman, Stephen Putney, Joshua Saw- yer, James Bean, Thomas R. White, Nathaniel Davis, H. G. Harris, Caleb Buswell, Noah T. Andrews, Abner B. Kelley, Isaac Gould, Zebulon Davis, Daniel Wat- son, Isaac Dalton, Daniel Runnels, Nicholas Fowler, Richard Bartlett, Nicodemus Watson, Abner Wat- kins, Chase Fowler, James Allison, Ithamar Watson, David Harvey, Joseph Clough, and others.
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