USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Warren > The history of Warren; a mountain hamlet, located among the White hills of New Hampshire > Part 24
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Another thing might also be established, and as it was imme- diately done, it is proper to mention it here. It was the opening of a Court. In it Judge Joshua Copp ; presided for a long time with dignity, and dispensed exact justice. As he grew in years Judge Jonathan Merrill succeeded him, and was noted for firm- ness and the energy with which he enforced his decisions. This is well illustrated in the celebrated case, Isaac Clifford versus John Morrill. Clifford sued Morrill for the value of a hog which he had sold him, and the case was returned before his honor Judge Merrill. Each had a lawyer from some distant land, and after a full hearing, the case was decided for the defendant. The first time afterwards the Judge met Mr. C. the latter would not speak, but grunted like a hog at his honor. The same thing happened the next time they met; whereupon Judge M .; turned short about,
* See Vol. i. Town Clerk's Records.
t First Marriage in Warren .- Esquire Joshua Copp performed nearly all the marriage ceremonies while he held office. He married John Marston, the first marriage in town. The latter had no money and was to pay a bushel of beans in advance. He only carried half a bushel, got married and trusted too for the other half; and would not pay because he said his wife kicked him out of bed, and he had to lie underneath. Marston moved to Romney and was a drunken man. Weld, who kept store, paid him in rum to run naked through the street. Weld's wife horsewhipped Marston, making the fur fly good, and then whipped her hus- band too.
# Esquire Jonathan was a man who could shake folks, if he was smiling and smooth as oil. When he and his father with their families were moving to War-
280
HISTORY OF WARREN.
seized uncle Isaac by the collar, shook him nearly out of his boots, got an apology out of him in double quick time, and only released him when he had promised to behave well in the future .*
But more often when the parties were not satisfied with the decisions of our distinguished jurists, they took an appeal and carried the case to a court of higher powers and broader jurisdic- tion, established by the great Republic of New Hampshire, in some place far across Warren's borders.t
But the highest of all the rights and privileges that could now be exercised, was that of sending a minister, ambassador, or pleni- potentiary extraordinary, commonly termed the representative, to the Great and General Court we have mentioned, which like the aforesaid renowned Amphictyonic council, made the general laws which were for the government of the numerous proud little democracies of the republic. By so doing they secured the high honors thus conferred, and had a voice in equalizing the light bur- dens of taxation imposed.
Thus the work was done. The assemblies, otherwise called town meetings, were short but they answered the purpose, and our grand little hamlet was organized a healthful State. It was to pay a light tribute, as we have seen, in the shape of State and Conti- nental taxes, for protection, to the great Republic that had such a kind regard for it, but in other respects was wholly free.
Still there was no danger, even if it had not been compelled to pay a farthing. Its mountain boundaries were a safeguard and a barrier against neighboring territories, and the wild mountain-
ren, they met a man who wouldn't turn out. High words ensued, and then the 'Squire and the stranger took off their coats and went at it. The stranger got a thrashing, and Stevens Merrill whose religion forbade him to fight, turned the stranger's horse out of the road, and they went on their way rejoicing.
* Isaac Clifford of Wentworth, was in Col. David Hobart's regiment from Dec. 7, 1776, to March 1777. He was the son of Isaac Clifford of Kingston, N. H., who married Sarah Healy and then moved to Romney. Isaac Clifford, of Romney, was the ancestor of all the Cliffords in the Asquamchumauke valley. Hon. Nathan Clifford, one of the Judges of the United States Supreme Court, is one of the family .- See Hist. of Chester, p. 493.
t Whipping Posts and Stocks .- Warren never had these useful machines for preserving the peace and inculcating good order. But our friends down at Plym- outh did. At the latter place, Col. William Webster, " the old man of all," had charge of them, and it is said he could lay on twenty lashes as handsomely as any man that ever lived. By an act passed in 1701, a penalty was inflicted for profane swearing, of sitting in the stocks not exceeding two hours, and for a second offence, not exceeding three hours; for drunkenness, to sit in the stocks three hours. Theft might in some cases be punished by whipping, not exceeding twenty stripes. The stocks and whipping were legal penalties, by an act passed in 1791 and in force in 1815.
281
THE LITTLE BRIEF AUTHORITIES.
eers of old Peeling, and the land of Trecothick and the other surrounding regions, seldom durst venture across them.
Yet it was a high honor as we intimated before- worth a thousand times the small pittance rendered-to have all the machinery of State running within its territory. As in old Rome the consuls, so in our mountain town the selectmen were the high functionaries and rulers, taking precedence of each other in the order of their election. And then, afterwards elected or appointed the judges who presided in the courts, the great ambassador or representative, the treasurer who kept the money in a ponderous " safe"-his pocket,-the custodian of the peace, the mighty constable, the superintendents of the great public roads, the high- way surveyors, the conservators of the royal game, called deer keepers, the tythingman who kept order on the Sabbath, the gatherer of the revenue or tribute, styled the tax collector, the hog constables, politely termed hogreeves,* who put yokes upon the necks, and rings in the noses of swine-each well filled his sub- ordinate place and helped continue the State.
Of course now the citizens of our beautiful hamlet, especially those loyal to King George, fondly appreciated the efforts of the kind go-between, the great Committee of Safety, and the other patriotic agents, who had contributed so much to bring about this healthful organization, and gently reciprocating the fond affection of the young and vigorous Republic of New Hampshire, exerted every energy to become a great and powerful democracy, much to the benefit of themselves and their neighbors round about.
* Hogreeves .- Charles Bowles was the first hogreeve in Warren. By an act of George I, 1719, it was enacted that no yoke shall be accounted sufficient that shall not be the depth of the swine's neck, and half so much below, and the sole or bottom three times as long as the thickness of the swine's neck. The ringing was to insert a piece of iron wire through the hog's nose, bring the ends together, and twist them so that it should project about an inch above the nose, which would prevent rooting.
CHAPTER II.
HOW THE REVENUE WAS RAISED TO CARRY ON THE WAR MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF SEVERAL PATRIOTIC GENTLEMEN CALLED TORIES, AND WHAT SOLDIERS WERE FURNISHED TO FILL WAR- REN'S QUOTA; AND OTHER VERY INTERESTING AND ENTER- TAINING MATTER.
THE young Republic wanted money ; the good citizens of Warren knew it; Samuel Emerson, of Plymouth, had instructed them how it must be raised; the selectmen wanted to try the new democratic machine, and they immediately called a town meeting for that purpose. August 28, 1779, it was held. Gardner Dustin having been chosen moderator they refused by vote to accept a plan of government sent them by the Continental Congress and then voted to raise one hundred and fifty pounds to lay out on highways and one hundred pounds to defray town charges .*
And now the selectmen, as assessors, went to work imme- diately. They traveled from clearing to clearing, the little islands in the woods, for the forest was the rule and the openings the exceptions in these bright primitive days; they counted the horses and neat cattle, and estimated the broad acres of arable, mowing and pasture lands, and then carefully calculated each man's pro- portion. The lists made out, they were placed in the hands of Simeon Smith, constable, for collection, he filling the office of tax collector as well.t
Simeon Smith was a man of perseverence, but he found his
* This was depreciated currency - the old Continental money.
t For the first inventories of Warren, and tax list, see Appendix.
283
A "PUBLIC VANDUE."
task a difficult one. Some paid willingly, and some resolutely declared they would not pay at all. He coaxed and flattered, but all to no avail. Then he determined to try what virtue there was in law. In right good earnest he went to work. He took the hardest cases first. Stevens Merrill, the stern, silent man, was the toughest customer. His whole tax was 29/ 15s 11d, and he declared he would not pay it. So Simeon Smith took his cow by distraint, and advertised it for sale by posting a notice in Obadiah Clement's bar-room. It read as follows :-
"TO BE SOLD AT A
PUBLIC VANDUE
at the highest bidder, at the house of Mr. Obadiah Clement, an innholder in Warren, the 21st day of December, at six o'clock, P. M., One Cow. Artical of sale to be seen at time and place by me the subscriber.
SIMEON SMITH, Constable.
Warren, Dec. 18, 1779."
Then the conditions are set out at length, something as follows :- " A cow to be sold; no man to bid less than a pound; if two persons bid at the same time, then the cow to be set up again ; cash or money to be all paid down : if the buyer won't pay, then he shall forfeit the cost of the vandue. Obadiah Clement apinted vandue master and clark of the sail."
But Simeon Smith had to look sharp or he would not be able to keep that cow to sell. Stevens Merrill was on the watch to retake her. Three nights the constable had her in possession, and each night he had to post a guard over her. The first night two men at the price of ten shillings each, stood sentry ; next, one man performed the duty through all the dark hours for the same amount, and the third night two strong men mounted guard, and also had a large force at convenient distance, who would come at call to assist them if necessary. There was great danger, and people were afraid of Stevens Merrill, for he was brave as a lion, and his son Jonathan as cunning as a fox. In the still hours of night they might come and steal the cow away. And so they
284
HISTORY OF WARREN.
watched, but the " terror " of the mountain hamlet did not come .*
December 21, 1779, the cow was sold, being struck off to Reuben Whitcher, the " hiest" bidder, for ninety pounds. Mr. M. received all the money except what was necessary to pay taxes, costs, and charges.
Jonathan Clement was as obdurate as Mr. Merrill. He was determined not to pay, and there was also a special " vandue " for the sale of some of his property.
All the rest of the few contrary citizens now saw that our constable was in earnest, and so paid up. But such things often happened afterwards. The very next year Jonathan Merrill and Joshua Merrill had some of their ewe sheep sold, and a little after, Joseph Patch had " so much of his good inglish hay sold as would pay his taxes," and somebody else had the exquisite pleasure of seeing their two " puter platters " auctioned off for their rates.t
The next year Col. Clement was himself constable, having taken the place of Joshua Merrill, who backed out of the honor. Col. C. collected and paid over an immense sum of money to Maj. Child, for supplying the troops to the westward, and also furnished a large sum to the Committee of Safety .; Thus the sinews of war
SIMEON SMITH'S ACCOUNT.
£
s. d. f.
The acompt of my feeas for distraining
0
10 0
0
To two keepers one knight
1
0 0
To one keeper one knight
0
10 0
0
To two keepers one night
0
10 0 0
one keeper one knight
0 10 0 0 Merrill
0 0
24 6 0 0
6 14 17 11 2
Tax
14 17.11 2
t For account of these sales, see Town Clerk's Records, Vol. i. 311 to 314.
# " Thursday March 8th 1781. Ordered the Treasr to Discount with Obadiah Clemens, Constable for Warren, One thousand and five hundred pounds, old Emission, being so much paid to Major Child by order of the Committee of Safety, agreeable to his Receipt of the 10th of Octo 1780 for surplying the Troops at the Westward, £1500."-N. H. Hist. Coll. Vol. vii. 252.
Cold Winter.
The winter of 1780 was terrible cold. There were forty days, thirty-one in March, that it never thawed on the south side of the house.
Dark Day.
May 19, 1780, was the dark day. The sun was seen at rising, but it was soon obscured by clouds and smoke, and it became so dark that fowls went to roost and candles were lighted.
.
1 0 0
To one knight
To evidences to tendering the Overplus money that is due to the said 1 16 0 0
To expenses of the cow & under charges and expenses for keeping . 18 10
285
HOW THEY OPERATED THE "DRAFT."
were procured and the Continental Congress and the young republic satisfied.
But something else beside money must be had. Men to fill up the army were absolutely necessary. We have seen what a num- ber, considering the whole population, had gone voluntarily, but now, though the will was good, the country was weary and drafts must be made. The soldiers had got to come, and the citizens in their democratic capacity were ready to furnish them.
The selectmen also called a town meeting for this purpose. It was held July 10, 1780. They all felt very patriotic in Obadiah Clement's old bar-room. The good " old west endea rum " made them stomachful and brave, and they voted without a dissenting voice " that the soldiers shall be raised by a rate for that present time." Also voted Obadiah Clement, Joshua Copp to be a com- mittee to provide soldiers for the town, " AND TO EXEMP THOSE THAT HAVE DONE TURNS IN THE WAR, TILL OTHERS HAVE EQUILL TO THEM."
This was done in the selectmenship of Joshua Copp, Thomas Clark, and John Whitcher, and our committee assured by these high rulers that all their expenses should be promptly paid labored bravely to hire a soldier, for only one was wanted then from the town. . They succeeded and Caleb Young* went as Warren's levy into the Continental army. He was but a youth who happened to tarry a few days at Obadiah Clement's inn, and a few pounds for a bounty and several mugs of flip, in which the hissing logger- head had been thrust, made the young man exceeding brave and caused him to greatly desire " to hear drums and see a battle."
Next year the town had to furnish another man. March 7, 1781,t " Voted, that the selectmen be a committee to provide one soldier for three years, or during the war." This time the task was more difficult, but Col. Clement who was now the first " in the triune of mighty governors " yearly chosen, called selectmen, bent all his energies to the work and accomplished it.
CHARLES BOWLES, a young stalwart man, of dark complexion,
* Caleb Young enlisted July 11, 1780.
t The new voters in the year 1781, were-
Charles Bowles. Amos Heath.
Jonathan Foster. Joseph French.
John Hinchson.
Peter Stevens.
Henry Sunbury.
William Tarleton. William Whiteman.
286
HISTORY OF WARREN.
having some of the blood of Ham flowing in his veins, and his hair slightly " kinky," had just settled on the top of that fertile ridge over which wound the Height o' land road towards Tarleton lake. He had also made another opening in the woods in the north part of the town, near the line of old Coventry. He was a good man, religiously inclined, somewhat given to preaching, and when his patriotism was roused, as only Obadiah Clement knew how to rouse it in those days, was decidedly in favor of the war. In the time of the town's sorest need, he came to the rescue, pock- eted a good fat bounty, as is the custom in all times when it is to be had, and as many another had done, shouldered his musket and went marching away to the wars.
When the contest was over, he came back, got married, set- tled down, labored hard week days, preached with unction on the Sabbath and raised up a large and respectable family of children. It was his boast through life that he fought his country's battles bravely .*
* CHARLES BOWLES was at the battle of Bennington, in Col. David Hobart's Regt. His Captain was Jeremiah Post. He enlisted July 24, 1777, and was dis- charged Sept. 25, 1777, having served two months and three days. He received in all 9 pounds and 9 shillings, and traveled to No. 4, 72 miles, and from thence to Bennington, 142.
Col. David Hobart was from Plymouth .- See Sec. State's Records.
CHARLES BOWLES' CERTIFICATE.
"in the year 1781 i, charles bowles, made a pitch of one hundred aker lot of land by order of the Committee of Coventry which lot was Savaid by Josiah Burn- ham by order of said Committee in the aforesaid eighty one i wentto work and fall trees and made me a house on said lot-then i was called into the army in 1783 i went to work with some hands with me and cleared and soed one bushel and half of grain and in october 1780 i moved my family thare whare i have made my home ever since till i sold my enterest to Obadiah Clement and said Lot hath never been claimed by any other person till this day as I have ever heard
CHARLES BOWLES."
Charles Bowles was claimed by the town of Andover, N. H., as a part of their quota, May 8, 1782, but that town did not get liim .- Sec. of State's Records.
FAMILY RECORD OF CHARLES AND MOLLY ( Corliss) BOWLES.
He was born Oct. 20, 1760, at Hanover, Mass.
She was born Mch. 3, 1768, at Salem, N. H.
Married Apr. 14, 1784.
James, born Dec. 19, 1784, at Warren, N. H.
Molly, born Dec. 12, 1787 at Warren, N. H.
Charles, born Jan. 24, 1789, at Warren, N. H.
Elenor M., born May 18, 1792, at Warren, N. H. Jesse, born Feb. 26, 1795, at Warren, N. H. Euna, born May 17, 1797, at Warren, N. H. Hannah, born Mch. 3, 1799, at Warren, N. H.
Jonathan, born Jan. 12, 1801, at Warren, N. H. Died Aug. 23, 1803. Sarah, born May 20, 1803.
Charles Bowles afterwards became a Free-will Baptist minister, and is now one of the saints of that church. A volume of some 300 pages printed matter has been published, giving a history of his wonderful powers and eloquence as a min- ister. He was a mulatto.
287
ADDITIONAL SETTLERS.
In 1782 * the same thing happened to the town again, and HENRY SHAW, t a new comer who paid the great tax in town that very year, of three shillings and nine pence, also went to the war from our hamlet. He got a snug little bounty of sixty-nine pounds fifteen shillings, lawful money, for enlisting. What became of him we are not informed; but it is certain he never returned to Warren.
Now this was all on account of the organization- what the town was obliged to do according to law. But a hundred other things were done about these times, many of which are exceed- ingly interesting to us, who live in "this latter and degenerate age."
MOSES COPP, ¿ son of 'Squire Joshua Copp, though a mere boy, had been in the army a great deal, and was noted for his daring and bravery. He was at West Point when Arnold sold himself to the British. DAVID MERRILL, a strong muscular man, who mar- ried 'Squire Joshua's daughter, but did not then live in town, assisted in rowing Arnold to the hostile man-of-war that received him. He was paid a large sum of gold for his services,- not very meritorious ones as most folks think at the present day.
The great Committee of Safety admired William Heath, our lank rawney hunter of fighting proclivities, and paid him £18 for depreciation .**
* The new settlers in 1782, were,-
Jonathan Harbord.
Barnabas Holmes. Moses Noyes.
Gordon Hutchins. Henry Shaw. Nicholas Whiteman.
WARREN, August 26, yr. 1782.
t"HENRY SHAW. Received of the selectmen of warren Sixty Nine pound fifteen shillings Lawful money as a Bounty for inlisting to serve in the Continental army three year for the town of Warren from the time he pass muster I say received per me
test JOSHUA MERRILL
JOSHUA COPP
A true copy Exmd
his HENRY M SHAW mark
Attest JOSHUA COPP, Selectmen WILLIAM BUTLER, of STEPHEN RICHARDSON, ) Warren." Warren, 1782, Aug. 28th.
Henry Shaw.
1787 Recd an order on the Treasurer for twenty pounds.
JOSEPH PATCH.
-See Sec. of State's Records.
# Moses Copp married a daughter of John Mills, and after the war, moved away to Canada. He had several sons. One settled in Iowa, ( Burlington,) and at his death left a property of more than one hundred thousand dollars. Moses Copp was entitled to a pension, but never got it because he lived in Canada. He was accustomed to scold about it.
** See N. II. Hist. Coll. Vol. vii.
288
HISTORY OF WARREN.
Right at home Mrs. Joseph Patch had another pleasant adven- ture in which she exhibited the pluck of her father, and the shrewdness of her sharp brother Jonathan. One day when her husband was away, an old soldier called at the house and walked in without ceremony. Mrs. P. and her children were at dinner, and the stranger helped himself. Then he became saucy and impudent, and when he was proceeding to offer her some personal indignity, saying he would burn the house if she resisted, she drew herself up firmly and said to her little boy, " Go to the barn and tell your father to come in instantly. I'll see if I am to be abused in my own house." The ruse worked admirably. The son started on his errand, and the old straggler, who had heard of Patch and did not care to meet him, rushed out of the house and disappeared in the thick woods in the shortest time possible.
But the saddest thing was the death of Ephraim Lund. He had served three years and then re-enlisted during the war. It was in a battle in the south, shortly before Cornwallis' surrender, that he met his death. He died bravely; a comrade placed the green turf above him, and dropped a tear on the new made grave. The spot where he is lying is unmarked and forgotten; and his little clearing where he lived, the green woods upon Mt. Mist, and on the shore of Tarleton lake, know him no more forever.
Many other men who came to Warren shortly after the contest closed, also served in the war. Of these, Joseph French and Samuel Knight, who were at the battle of Bunker Hill, are per- haps the best remembered .*
While the town was thus gallantly raising men for the army, other great events were transpiring in the wild but pleasant regions beyond the western mountains. When Burgoyne had marched down by Lake Champlain, the inhabitants on the long river of pines, the Connecticut, had been terribly frightened, and leaving homes, crops, and cattle, had hurried away into the eastern inte-
* Other revolutionary soldiers who lived in Warren, are Asa Low, Jacob Low, Luke Libbey, the latter served seven years and six months, was taken prisoner, carried to England and kept there fourteen months. John Abbott, he served seven years and was a drum-major, and Reuben Batchelder. Mr. Batchelder never got a pension. He would tell in his old age how he suffered in the war, and then cry about it. He was a prisoner, and came so near starving that he had to eat the very leather breeches which he wore. Henry Sunbury who lived on the Height-o'land, was a Hessian in the British army, and was taken prisoner at the surrender of Burgoyne.
.
289
THE HAMPSHIRE GRANTS.
rior, where buried in the fastnesses of the mountains, and in the deep woods, they felt that they were safe. But in the closing days of the war when many of the Green-mountain boys were away fighting bravely under Washington and Greene, frights came oftener to the dwellers of the New Hampshire Grants, as they were known in those days. To understand these terrors fully it will be necessary for us to write a few dignified pages.
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York as we told in the history of the old proprietors, each laid claim to the Vermont territory. The people of that hilly country wanted to be admitted into the confederation, and the Continental Congress did not dare do it for fear of offending these other important States. The would be State of Vermont was slightly discontented at this; the British government knew it, and now when the prospect of fail- ing in subjugating the rebels was every day becoming more apparent, it was thought to coax her away along with the " Ca- nuck " country and the land of the " Blue-noses," and continue her a pleasant British province.
For this purpose agents with British gold in plenty in their pockets, travelled the whole country through. The few who were venal, they bought, but the most were faithful to the rebel cause. To capture the leaders of the latter class and to give the tories who were frequently rather roughly handled, revenge, marauding par- ties consisting of French, Indians, and loyalists, hurried to the Connecticut valley. Then there were the wildest kind of panics, and men, women, and children, ran away. Nearly all would go, and at times the Coos country would be nearly deserted.
The Committee of Safety made every effort to render assistance. A large number of soldiers were raised to defend the land of the Coosucks, and Captain Absalom Peters* who chose the neighbor-
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