USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Warner > The history of Warner, New Hampshire, for one hundred and forty- four years, from 1735 to 1879 > Part 5
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
Samuel Walker,
Nathan Currier,
Elijah Blaisdell,
Bartholomew Heath,
Moses Pressey, Joshua Bagley,
Jeremy Fowler, Daniel Chase,
Paskey Pressey,
Isaac Chase,
Thomas Jewell,
Abner Watkins,
William Rowell, Jr., Francis Davis,
Nathan Goodwin.
A part of these men became actual settlers ; others settled only "by proxy."
The proprietors met again the 30th of August, of the same year, to receive the report of the committee for laying out "Settlers' Lots." The committee re- ported that they had been upon their mission, and had laid out and numbered sixty 40-acre lots for set- tlers, but they presented no plan of their survey, and none is in existence. It is therefore impossible to de- termine the exact situation of those sixty lots. They were resurveyed and renumbered in 1770. The com- mittee were allowed for their service 75 pounds and 4 shillings.
SETTLERS' BOND.
The proprietors of the township were generous to the first settlers. They granted to each one a 40-acre lot of land; they granted, also, five acres of intervale land to each one of the first ten settlers who should apply immediately. Each settler as he came was to
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EARLY SETTLERS.
make his own selection from the sixty lots till they should all be taken up.
But there were obligations resting upon the other party. A bond had been agreed upon at some pre- vious meeting for the settlers to sign, the conditions of which were, that "each settler should build a house 16 by 18 feet square, or equivalent thereto, and clear three acres of land fit for grass, pasturing, or tillage,-the houses to be built in two months, and the land to be cleared in three months, after the lot had been selected."
On the fulfilment of these requirements, the settler was to receive a deed of the 40-acre lot which he had selected and improved, and (if one of the first ten) a deed, also, of five acres of intervale "nigh said upland."
EARLY SETTLERS.
During the year 1763, a few families availed them- selves of the foregoing propositions, and became resi- dents of No. One. Daniel Flood came that year, and settled on what has long been known as Denney's hill. But he did not come from Rye, as many have believed. The Christian name of the first man in America by the name of Flood, was Edmund. He came to Plymouth, Mass., in the ship Ann, in 1623, but he disappears from there before 1627. He may have died, may have gone back to England, or may have removed to the new settlement at Merry Mount. The next one we find of this name is Henry Flood,
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
in Boston. We find Richard Flood in Haverhill, in 1741. In the roll of Capt. John Hazzan's company for the reduction of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, in 1757, we find Daniel and Silas Flood. One of these was the father, and the other the uncle, of Daniel, Amos, and Richard (brothers), who came to Warner from Amesbury.
Daniel Flood, prompted, undoubtedly, by the lib- eral offers of the proprietors of Warner, came to town a single man, in quest of a home. In pursuing his journey up the river, he called at the last house (that of Daniel Annis) for rest and refreshment. This, also, was the first house that he saw above the Con- toocook river. Before the snow flew the coming win- ter, he had his log house completed and in good order, on Denney's hill. He also had Rachel, second daugh- ter of Daniel Annis, safely domiciled there. Unlike old Jacob, our hero did not serve fourteen years, nor even seven, for his Rachel. She went promptly, and with the ready consent of her parents. Stingy old Laban was not there to speculate in his daughter's attractions.
Paskey Pressey, with his family, came also from Amesbury, in 1763. He settled in Joppa, on the farm which Capt. Matthew D. Annis occupied after- wards for forty years, and on which James Emerson now resides. Mr. Pressey served in the Revolution- ary war.
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EARLY SETTLERS.
Isaac Waldron and his two sons, Isaac, Jr., and Jacob, came the same year from the same town, and settled on that part of the Gould road called Wal- dron's hill. Jacob Waldron was one of the selectmen of Warner, being chosen at the first election after the incorporation of the town. His sons were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Benjamin.
Perhaps others came the same year, though there is no certainty of it. But from this time forward the settlement of the town was expedited. During the succeeding decade, the following persons, many of them with families, were added to the population of the youthful town,-viz., Daniel Flanders, Isaac Chase, Eliphalet Danforth, Francis Davis, Samuel Roby, Richard Goodwin, Joseph Currier, Philip Flanders, Abner Watkins, Elijah Blaisdell, Joshua Bagley, Dan- iel Chase, Daniel Young, Daniel Currier, Jeremy Fow- ler, Barnard Hoyt, Enoch Blaisdell, Parmenas Wat- son, Nehemiah Heath, Joseph Sawyer, Jacob Tucker, Moses Clark, Ebenezer Eastman, Theodore Stevens, Jonathan Fifield, David Gilmore, Seth Goodwin, Eze- kiel Goodwin, Joseph Foster, Abner Chase, Stephen Edmunds, Hubbard Carter, Thomas Rowell, Robert Gould, Theophilus Currier, and Nathaniel Trumbull.
The sons of Daniel Annis each settled down upon his lot during this period.
Daniel Flanders came from Hawke (now Danville) ; lived at the lower village, near the Henry B. Chase
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
place. He was Warner's first town-clerk. His farm extended across the river, and the lightning struck one of his trees near the Hutchinson place, broke it down, and shivered it to pieces. Flanders hauled it home for firewood, and, in doing this, stuck a sliver into his hand. He got cold in this slight wound, and died. From that circumstance most of the people be- lieved, and some believe to this day, that the electric fluid poisons the wood, and that a scratch from a splinter of such a tree is sure death.
Isaac Chase came from Amesbury ; settled first on the Stephen George place, afterwards on the Moses F. Colby farm. He often served as moderator of town- meetings, and as selectman. He was one of the early representatives of the " classed towns."
Francis Davis was from Amesbury. He settled at Davisville, and was prominent in the affairs of the town and state for many years, as the records herein- after will show. His sons were, Zebulon, Wells, Fran- cis, Aquila, Paine, and Nathan.
Samuel Roby settled in Schoodac, near the Bos- cawen line, where he died at a good old age. He had a large family, and one son (Hiram) yet remains.
Richard Goodwin came from South Hampton, and settled just above Rev. William Kelley's, between the Parade and Kimball Corner. He was a brother to Ezekiel and Seth.
Joseph Currier was from Amesbury. He lived at
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EARLY SETTLERS.
the present Richard S. Foster place. He was the father of Jacob and Capt. Benjamin Currier, and the grandfather of the late John Currier, Jr. He was familiarly known, in his day, as "Ensign Jo Currier."
Philip Flanders was from Hawke, a brother to Daniel, who came to Warner with him, and to James and Christopher, who came afterwards. Philip settled where the symmetrical elm tree now stands, it being the first place on the Schoodac road. He was the father of " Major Philip," who lived on the pine plain, and who is yet remembered by many of the people of Warner.
Abner Watkins was from Nottingham West (now Hudson). He settled in Joppa, on Lot 25, by the first survey ; and in 1767 he bought Lot No. 26 of Reuben Kimball, for &40 lawful money. He lived on the exact spot where the Origen Dimond house now stands. He married Ruth, the youngest daughter of Daniel Annis. He was one of the early selectmen of Warner. He was also a Revolutionary soldier. After a residence of several years in Joppa, Watkins ex- changed farms with William Merrill, of Nottingham West, went back to his birth-place, and Merrill came to Warner. In due time, Merrill conveyed the farm to Isaac Sweat, of Boscawen. Sweat conveyed it to Samuel Pearson, of Newburyport, Pearson to Isaac Dimond, Dimond to his son Origen, and the latter to Smith Rand. Watkins, in 1793 or 1794, returned
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
to the shadow of Kearsarge, and settled in the Gore.
Joshua Bagley was from Salisbury, Mass. He set- tled at the present Samuel H. Dow place, by Bagley's bridge. His son David, who was town-clerk thirty- nine or forty years, occupied the same farm till his death, as did also his grandson Joshua.
Daniel Young was a soldier in the Revolutionary army. He lived on land now owned by Levi Bartlett, some little distance south of the Gould road and west of Bartlett brook. His buildings were destroyed by fire.
Daniel Currier came from Amesbury, and settled in Joppa, where his son, Zebulon D., long resided, and where his grandson, Charles Currier, now lives. He was the father of Stephen, Daniel, Jr., Zebulon D., and Nathan.
Barnard Hoyt was from Amesbury. His lot was at Waterloo, on the south side of the river. He was the ancestor of David and Barnard Hoyt.
Parmenas Watson settled in Joppa, near the Clarks. There is no house now standing on the place which he occupied, but a barn remains. The present Joppa school-house is very near the site of the house in which he lived and died. He was one of the first dea- cons of the Congregational church, and he frequently served as selectman of the town. He was the father of Jonathan, and the grandfather of Capt. Cyrus.
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EARLY SETTLERS.
Nehemiah Heath came from Hampstead, and settled at the place where John Tewksbury now resides, near the site of the old " Kelley stand." He, also, was one of the first deacons of the Congregational church. His son, Dea. David Heath, followed him, on the farm and in the church.
Joseph Sawyer was also from Hampstead. He set- tled near the old cemetery, on the right hand side of the road leading up to Joppa. His sons were Moses and Edmund : the one lived near Bear pond, and the other at what is now called " the old poor-farm."
Jacob Tucker was a soldier of the Revolution. His home in Warner was on land now owned by the Har- ris family, on Tory Hill road.
Ebenezer Eastman was from Concord. He settled on Waldron's hill,-a soldier of the Revolution.
Theodore Stevens was also from Concord. He took up a settler's lot on Waldron's hill, but never really made his home in town.
Ebenezer Stevens, his son, took possession of the lot, and occupied it many years. But most of his life- time was spent on the river above Roby's Corner, where he was surrounded by a large family, all en- gaged in manufacturing business.
Jonathan Fifield lived just below Gould Annis's, on the south side of the main road, but did not re- main long in town. His wife had the misfortune of being considered a witch.
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
David Gilmore was from Amesbury. He first set- tled at Davisville, then on the Gould road, and last in school district No. 8, near Wiggin Corner. He was the father of John and Mitchell, and the grandfather of Mitchell, Jr., Aiken, Elijah R., and others.
Seth Goodwin was from South Hampton, or Ames- bury. He settled on the Moulton place, in Schoodac.
Ezekiel Goodwin (a brother to Richard and Seth) lived at the Dea. Bailey place, where John Johnson now resides. He was a temperance man at that early day. When, in the Revolution, the regiment to which he belonged was called out to do picket duty for the night, a ration of rum was issued to each man. Good- win didn't drink, but he made the rum serviceable to himself. He always found a man to take his place on guard,-however black or bleak the night,-for his gill of liquor. Whether the rigid prohibitionists of to-day would approve this practice, " deponent know- eth not."
Joseph Foster came from Amesbury, lived in the Kimball district, where David Foster, his grandson, now resides. His sons were Joseph and Benjamin, and his grandsons living in Warner are David and Stephen.
Abner Chase was a brother to Isaac and Daniel. He lived at one time in Waterloo; was a soldier in the Revolution.
Stephen Edmunds was from Amesbury. He settled
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EARLY SETTLERS.
where his grandson by the same name now resides, on Tory hill. His son John, who was the father of the last Stephen, occupied the farm during his lifetime.
Hubbard Carter was on Tory hill, at the " Ben Sar- gent place," which is now in possession of a son of Abner Sargent. Carter was in the Revolution.
Robert Gould came from Amesbury, and settled on the Gould road. He was a brother to Jonathan and Amos, and the father of John and David.
Theophilus Currier was from Amesbury. He set- tled at the "Kiah Corner," near the Evans Davis place. His sons were Enoch, William, and Theophi- lus. The sons of Enoch, are Enoch, the 2d (now liv- ing), and Jesse D. Ezekiel G. Currier, the tanner, was a son of William.
Nathaniel Trumbull, a Revolutionary soldier, was born at Concord, in 1746. He settled in Schoodac, near John Jones's, and died there seventy-five years ago.
Daniel Annis, Jr., settled on the Ira P. Whittier place. He received a forty-acre lot as a settler at that place, and he bought the lot and gore which constitute the Ballard farm, and added that to his domain.
Thomas Annis selected his forty acres just below his father's, at the Samuel H. Dow place. He built his house and other buildings on the upper side of the road, where the old cellar is now visible. In
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
1771, Thomas bought of his father, Daniel Annis, sen- ior (who was now growing old and infirm), the home- stead of the old gentleman. The Hillsborough coun- ty records show that Thomas paid his father £180, lawful money, for the sixty acres of land where he then lived, with the house and barn thereon, "the said land being all the land which was granted unto me, the said Daniel Annis, by the Proprietors of the township of New Almsbury, as a settler." This is the Paine Davis place. After this purchase, Thomas went there to live. He built on the exact spot where the house now stands, and probably built the identical house that Davis now occupies.
Thomas Annis was thrifty, and by additional pur- chases was soon in possession of a large estate. The land all about Tom pond was his, and the pond owes its name to this circumstance.
Moses Annis took his forty acres as a settler, where Moses G., commonly called Gould Annis, now resides ; but Gould does not descend from this Moses. He left no heirs. Gould was the son of Moses, which was the son of Thomas, which was the son of Daniel. He is therefore a great-grandson of the original settler.
Solomon Annis selected his forty acres still further down the main road. The old cellar which he dug is distinctly seen, but it has been covered by no house for a great many years. Pass down the road from Moses G. Annis's, cross the little brook and rise the
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EARLY SETTLERS.
hill nearly to the top, turn square to the left, get over the fence and go a few rods towards the railroad, and there will be seen the cellar which Solomon Annis finished the day he was twenty-one years of age.
In April, 1778, " Solomon Annis, of township No. 6, county of Lincoln, in the Province of Mass. Bay," deeded to Moses Annis this lot of land which he had received as a settler, for £28 lawful money. This Lincoln county lies on the coast of Maine, beyond the Kennebec. Solomon Annis, having a roving dis- position, had gone down there, glowing representa- tions having been made of the richness of the coun- try, and of the chances for thrift. He soon found however, that all was not sunshine in that place. He packed up and returned with his family to Warner, where he ended his days.
Each one of the settlers already named availed himself of the generous offer of the proprietors, and selected his gift-lot according to his own best judg- ment. Most of them did wisely in coming. They were generally destitute of means, but were willing to work, and anxious to better their fortunes. They, and those who followed them in succeeding years as settlers, came with no pomp or parade, but in the most quiet, humble, and undemonstrative way. “Not many wise men, after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble," indeed, not many of very lofty preten- sions, were among the early settlers of Warner. 7
CHAPTER VII.
EARLY SETTLERS, CONTINUED-BOAT ON THE CONTOOCOOK- SECOND SAW-MILL.
URING the Revolutionary war, and for several years after its close, settlements were made in Warner with encouraging rapidity. But the gift-lots had been appropriated, and settlers now had to pay money for their lands. Perhaps they could better afford to do this than the first comers could afford to accept them as a gift. It would be a difficult task to determine in what order the settlers came to town in those years, and that task is not attempted here.
The names of many of the early settlers of Warner do not appear in the following catalogue, because they appear elsewhere on these pages. The names of others, who are as worthy as the best, do not appear at all, because the writer has no knowledge of them, and because it is not the purpose of this book to notice every individual, nor even every family.
Ephraim Morrill came from Amesbury, and settled at the Moses Morrill place, near the Pumpkin Hill school-house. He had, at least, two sons,-Ephraim,
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born in 1790, and Moses, born in 1794. The old homestead is occupied by the widow, and a son of the latter.
Christopher Flanders, a brother to James, came from Hawke, remained but a few years in town, and removed to Canada.
Samuel Savory was from Derry. He first settled at the Quimby or Jacob Chase place, within the limits of Salisbury, then moved into the Gore. His sons were Robert, John, and Daniel, and his only grandsons now in Warner, are Jesse, George, and John. [See account of tornado.]
Moses Colby settled in Warner, on Burnt hill. He was the father of Samuel, and the grandfather of Charles H. and Samuel W. He was born in Newton, N. H. After his arrival in Warner he lived fifteen years in a log house without chimney or windows. His grandson, Samuel W., occupies the original home- stead.
Asa Harriman was of the fifth generation from Leonard, who came from Yorkshire, England, in 1640, and settled in Rowley, Mass. Asa's father was a sol- dier in the French war, and also in the Revolution. He moved from Georgetown, Mass., to Epping, N. H., in 1777. Asa, at the age of 18, went to live with his uncle, Capt. Benjamin Evans, of Rocky hill, Salisbury, Mass. He there married his wife, and in 1787, at the age of 21, settled in Warner. On the 9th day of
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
March, 1794, he was killed while felling trees. He was then 28 years of age. He left a family of four chil- dren,-two girls, one six and the other four years of age, and two boys, Benjamin E., aged three years, and David E., aged one. His widow lived sixty-two years to a day after his decease.
Hezekiah Colby came from Amesbury, and made a temporary home between the Parade and Rev. Will- iam Kelley's house. In the course of six months or a year he selected a farm for his future residence, it being the Mark Colby place. His sons were Chellis F., Philip, Willaby, Samuel, and John P.
Levi Colby was a brother to this Hezekiah. He set- tled at the Fair Ground; and the railroad, when it came along, ploughed through his old cellar. Fred Myron Colby, the young writer of Warner, is a great- grandson of this Levi, being the son of Levi O., who was the son of Valentine, who was the son of Levi.
David Colby was another brother to Hezekiah. He lived at the Willaby Colby place, which is now owned by Francis Robbins. He was the father of William, who was drowned in the great freshet of 1824, and of David, who died not many years since. The latter was a good, honest soul, but a little peculiar. His face was set like a flint against innovation. The cut- ting of the railroad up through his old homestead vexed him very much. When inquired of how the railroad folks were getting on up there, his character-
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EARLY SETTLERS.
istic answer was, "They goes headlong, and they're going to the devil ! " -
Simeon Bartlett, a brother to Joseph and Richard,- a son of Simeon Bartlett, of Amesbury (one of the proprietors of Warner),-settled on the north-eastern slope of Burnt hill, but died at an early age. His daughter married Dr. Lyman.
Benjamin Hill was from Hopkinton. His farm was the present Warner poor-farm, on Burnt hill.
Josiah Melvin was from Pelham. Melvin's Mills vil- lage takes it name from him. Some of his descend- ants are yet in Warner, but the family, like most others in this day of enterprise and easy transit, are much scattered.
Thomas Barnard, who settled at the North village, near the present residence of his son, Joseph O., was from South Hampton.
John Clement, father of John, and grandfather of John W., was from Salisbury, N. H. John W. Clem- ent's farm, on Tory hill, was the homestead of the first John, and the second.
Isaiah Flanders, whose home was at Warner vil- lage, was from South Hampton. He had several daughters, one of whom married Nehemiah Ord- way, another a Mr. Dike, and another a Mr. Tewks- bury.
Francis Davis came from Amesbury, in 1789, and settled on a good farm near the Kiah Corner. His
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
grandson, Evans Davis, now occupies the same place. His sons were William F. and Francis Davis; and of his daughters, one married Nathan Foster, another Major Joseph S. Hoyt, and another a Mr. Whitcomb.
Ebenezer Sargent, father of Dea. James, and great- grandfather of Alfred W. Sargent, of the North vil- lage, was from Amesbury. He settled where Dea. James Sargent lived most of his lifetime, and where Willaby Colby and his son John now reside.
Isaac Walker settled in Schoodac, his house being on ground now within the limits of Schoodac ceme- tery. He did not remain long at this particular place. He was in the Revolutionary war. Philip Walker was his son, Isaac and Barnard Walker his grand- sons, and Abiel is his great-grandson.
Richard F. Rogers, father of John, Thomas, and Joseph S., was from Newburyport.
The Dimonds,-Ezekiel, Israel, and Isaac (broth- ers),-were from Dimond's hill, in Concord. Ezekiel settled in the Mirick neighborhood, where his son Cal- vin lived and died. Israel (generally called “ Potter Dimond") lived at Dimond's Corner, and Isaac lived in Joppa, where his son, Capt. Origen, resided many years.
Nathaniel C. Whittier, the father of Richard B., was from Salisbury, Massachusetts. He came to Warner in 1795, and died at Waterloo in 1815, aged 31. His widow lived to the age of 93, and died a few years ago at Warner village.
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EARLY SETTLERS. 1
Deacon Bailey was from Haverhill, Mass. He bought his farm (which is now owned by John John- son) of Ezekiel Goodwin. His sons were Dudley, Robert, and Webster Bailey.
Capt. John Denney was an Englishman, and a sea- faring man. He lived on Denney's hill after the Flood family were gone, and gave name to that pleasant eminence. His children all died young.
Dea. Jonathan Wiggin was from Stratham. He was the father of Lot, Jonathan, Thomas, George W., and Stephen. Thomas occupies the old home- stead.
Philip Osgood was from South Hampton. He set- tled at Waterloo, where John Davis, 2d, resides. He was the father of Levi, Caleb, Jacob, Joseph, Tappan, Philip, and Nehemiah. The second generation have all passed away, and the only grandsons of Philip, senior, now living in Warner, are Noah, John, and Jacob, sons of Jacob.
Reuben Clough, the father of Joseph and Reuben, was from Sandown. He settled in Schoodac, at the Wm. D. Trumbull place. He was the grandfather of Reuben Clough, Jr., and of Joseph, Jr.
Isaac Dalton was from Salisbury, Massachusetts. He came to Warner in 1784, and settled in the North village, where Levi O. Colby resides, at the foot of the Minks. Here he carried on both farming and tanning. Late in life he removed with his family to
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HISTORY OF WARNER.
the main road, at the lower end of Warner village, and there died in 1838. Mrs. John Stewart was his daughter, and his sons now living are Col. Isaac and Dr. John E. Dalton, both in the West.
Philip Colby, the father of Thomas and Philip, 3d, and the grandfather of Timothy L., came from South Hampton, and settled on a great farm in school dis- trict No. 10. His grandson, Timothy L., is in posses- sion of the old homestead.
John Colby was a brother to the above Philip, but a much older man. He had one son, Hezekiah, 2d. His house was near the Caleb Kelley place, on the north side of the Mink hills. Hezekiah lived and died on the old homestead, but it is now deserted.
The Sargents,-William, Stephen, and Abner (broth- ers),-were from Amesbury. William was the father of Capt. William R. and of Abner, Jr .; Stephen, the father of Abner on Tory hill, of Daniel, and of Jacob R., deceased; and Abner, the father of Harrison R. They all lived between the Burnt Hill school-house and Smith's Corner.
Benjamin Currier was from Deerfield. He settled on Pumpkin hill, near the old cemetery. He had at least two sons,-Benjamin and Daniel P.,-who reside in Manchester, and carry on the carriage business there. He had, also, certainly one daughter, who married Capt. Safford Watson, and who is now living, a widow, at Sutton Mill Village.
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