USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Weare > The history of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888 > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110
4 Richard Nason. .5 Days
5 Elisha Prescut. .6 Days
6 James Prescut. .5 Days Nathan Green
87
FIRST SAW-MILL.
1752.]
The grant required that a saw-mill should be built, and the pro- prietors thought that the prospect of good houses erected at the outset would greatly tempt settlers to go to their township, so they were in favor of building at once. This was in 1749.
In their notice, dated July 4, 1750, for a meeting to be held July 9th, article four was to see if the proprietors will do anything with regard to building a saw-mill this present year .* What they did we do not know, for the record is lost.
Next year the matter was up again. In their notice of Aug. 13, 1751, for a meeting on the 29th instant, the second article was to consider the most proper method to be taken by the proprietors with regard to building a saw-mill. This also came to nothing. The proprietors were too much engaged in other matters.
But in 1752, when the two years were out and there was danger of forfeiting the grant, they acted with more energy. At a meeting held Feb. 29th, Dea. Jonathan Fifield, Richard Nason and Capt. Sam- uel Prescutt were chosen a committee "to see upon what terms they can agree with any one to build a saw-mill, and to see if those
7 James Prescuts Son. 6 Days
Bradbury Green
S Moses Blake 6 Days
9 Pain Row. 6 Days
10 Benja Page. 6 Days
11 Theophilus Bachelder.
12 Caleb Benet. 6 Days
13 Ebenezer Sanbun
6 Days
14 John Sanbun.
.6 Days
Enoch Sanborn
15 Reuben Sanbun.
on Reubn Sanborns
17 Reuben Bachelder. .6 Days
.6 Days
Deacn
18 Elezer Quinby.
.6 Days for Henry Robie
19 John Marston .. .6 Days
20 Nathan Brown. .6 Days
Thos Brown
21 Ebenezer Lourel. .6 Days
his father Jno Loverin
22 Benja Leavirt .6 Days
Jacob Brown
24 Sam" Robie. .5 Days
25 Daniel Robie.
.6 Days
26 David McCalops
4 Days
on ye Right of Timo walker"
*" These are to Give Notice to the Proprietors of the Tract of Land Granted to Ichabod Robie Esgr and others by the Purchasers of the Right of John Tufton Mason Esqr To meet at the House of Benjamin Swett Inholder in Hampton falls on Monday the Ninth day of July Instant at three o'Clock in the afternoon
"2 If any Neglect then to pay their Proportion to take such measures as shall be tho't Proper with Regard to such
"3 To take such Measures as shall be further Necessary for forwarding Setlers
"4 To see if the Proprietors will do any thing with Regard to building a Saw Mill this present year
"5 If there shall be occasion to Raise Money for any of the Purposes aforesaid : or to do any other thing which shall be tho't necessary for the benefit of the Proprie- tors at said meeting
" Hampton falls
July 4th 1750
- Philbrick Papers.
" MESHECH WEARE - Com : tee "
SAMLL PRESCUT JOSIAH BACHELDER
.6 Days
16 Elisha Bachelder. .6 Days
"1 That Such of the Proprietors as have not already paid what has been Voted upon Each Right may then pay their Proportion that the men who have done Labour may Receive their money
88
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1752.
who do it shall have the mill privilege for their own but to be obliged to keep a mill there for the term of ten years to saw stuff to the halves to supply such as settle there with boards and other sawed stuff which they want or only to build the mill for the pro- prietors," and make a report at the adjournment of this meeting, Monday noon, March 16th, at Sweet's inn .*
The committee acted promptly, reported, and it was voted that they would build a saw-mill at the place left for it to be for the use of the proprietors, and to be put under proper rules to supply the settlers with boards and sawed stuff. Moses Blake,t a millwright, was present at the meeting, and he said he and his associates would build it for £700 old tenor, and would find the iron work, saw and all materials, and make a strong, substantial dam to stop the water for its use. He was to give a bond for the faithful performance of the work, which was to be completed in seven months, and the proprietors were to pay him one half when he begins and the other half when it was done.#
Moses Blake had plenty of help,§ and he put the enterprise through. They were not wholly alone in the wilderness, for a few clearings had been made. But no one lived near, and they prob- ably ate and lodged in Bennett's cabin which stood a few rods to
*" Voted That Deaen Jona Fifield Ensn Richard Nason & Capt Sam! Preseutt be a Comtee : to : See upon what terms they can agree with any person or persons to build a saw mill for the benefit of the Proprietors at the place which is left for a mill priv- iledge if the person or persons who build the mill shall have ye mill priviledge for their own but to be obliged to keep a mill there for the terin of ten years to saw stuff to supply to ye halves such as settle there with boards or other sawd stuffs whch yy want : or only to build ye mill for ye use of ye prors And said Comtee to make report to the prors at ye adjournmt of this meeting. Adjournd to monday ye 16th day of march next at 12 o Clock at Swetts " - Philbrick Papers.
t Moses Blake had been to Robiestown before to work for the proprietors.
+" Aprl : 24 : 1752 John Willson paid Nine Pounds old Tenor for the first payments for building a Saw mill upon the Rights of Collo Halee & Joseph Messervee Memo- randum said willson says yt Loverin ought to Clear ye 6£ due before on said Rights " - Philbrick Papers.
+" Voted That a Sawmill be Built by the Proprietors at the Place in said Traet of Land left for a Priviledge of a Sawmill said mill when built to Remain for the use & benefit of the Proprietors to be put under proper Regulations for Supplying Settlers there with Boards and Saw'd Stuff which they may want for their use in building & Setling there And whereas Moses Blake &c have undertaken to build said mill voted that they be allowed 700 ₺ old Tenor for Building said inill they to find Iron work Saw and all materials and Compleat said mill every way fit to work and to build a Suitable Dam Strong and Substantial for Stoping the water for ye use of sd mill And it is further voted That Each proprr pay his proportion of the 700 £ 32 within Six weeks from this time & ye other half in Seven months And in case they do not pay within that time their Rights to be forfeited and sold to raise the money And a Comtee be Chosen to take suitable obligations from sd Blake &e : for their faith- fully performing their undertaking And to pay them one half Said Sum upon ther so Ingaging and the other half when the work is Compleated said work to be Com- pleated within Seven months " - Philbrick Papers.
§ The men who probably worked on the mill : " Moses Blake, Jon& Sanders, Deacn Bachelder, Capt Prescutt, John Loverin, Pain Row, James Preseutt, Benjn Hilyard Theos Baehelder, Caleb Bennett, James Pearkins, John Marston, Nathan Tilton, Peter Cram, Enn Nason, Jona Hilyard, Henry Robie."
PEASLEE'S MILL .- SITE OF THE FIRST SAW-MILL.
89
FIRST SAW-MILL.
1752.]
the west. They built the mill on lot No. 3, on the north side of the stream, and had it done before the end of seven months. At a pro- prietors' meeting held Oct. 24, 1752, the committee chosen to build the saw-mill reported that the same was complete and they brought in Mr. Joseph Wadleigh, the man appointed to judge of that fact, and he said he had worked on it for Moses Blake and others, and it was all done except hanging the saw which was there. He added that the dam, the mill and the machinery were all right. The pro- prietors were pleased ; they voted to accept the report, and at once paid and discharged Moses Blake .*
Soon after, Dec. 8th, notice was given for a meeting to be held Dec. 12th, and the second article was " to agree upon such method, as the proprietors shall judge best, to put the mill under improvement so as to answer the purposes mentioned in the grant." At the meet- ing they chose a committee to manage it, and now when the spring should come, with its lengthening days, bright sun and warm rains, they would start it up, and then should be heard along with the voice of the stream the music of its water-wheel, the bite of its saw gnawing its way through the great pine logs, and the rattling note of the kingfisher as it dove for its finny prey in the limpid pools, below. All the settlers shall soon have good framed houses and barns, boarded, clapboarded and shingled. No log huts shall be found in town. But this bright picture soon faded out. Within a few years there came an immense freshet which swept the dam and mill away. When the waters subsided some one gathered up the mill irons and hid them under a great log on the bank of the stream. Robert Peaslee found them there in 1828, more than three- fourths of a century afterwards. The saw was made to cover the
*" At a meeting of ye Proprietors Oct 24 : 1752 Capt Samuel Prescutt Chosen moder- ator by ye vote of ye Proprs at ye meeting March 16 1752 The Persons Chosen to build a Sawmill on sd tract of Land Reported that they Had Compleated the Same at this meeting Mr Joseph Wadleigh the man appointed to Judge when said mill was built whether it were so Compleated as to answer the End Appeared at this meeting and Reported to the meeting that he had assisted said Moses Blake & others in Building a Sawmill in said tract of Land within two or three months past And that the Build- ing said mill was Compleated in Every Article Ready to be improved for sawing so as to answer the End According to his judgment Excepting only that the Saw was not hung but a Saw is Provided Ready to be hung. But in Every other Respect he judged the mill the Dam the Ironwork the Running Geers and Every article so Com- pleated as to answer the End
" And Upon Mr Wadleigh Report it was Voted that said Moses Blake & others who Undertook to build Said mill should be fully Discharged from any thing further to be done by them in building said mill
" Voted That Deacn Fifield & Ensn Nason be a Comtee to Examin and Settle all the Accots of the Propis to this time and make Report to the Propre as Soon as may be
" MR LOVERIN
" CAPT PRESCUTT MR BLAKE MR PEARKINS
JOHN TILTON MR HILYARD
MR NASON MR CRAM
MR ROBIE JAMES PRESCUTT "
- Philbrick Papers.
90
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1752.
mould-board of a wooden plow which was used by Moses Peaslee for many years. The next saw-mill was built at Oil Mill about ten years after.
The way made into Robiestown led to the Center Square. It crossed the river at some point, there was no bridge, and they had to ford it. It was a hard job when the water was high or the stream covered with thin ice; so they thought it would be for their interest to build a bridge. In the notice dated June 6, 1752, for a meeting to be held June 16th, is the following: "to take such methods as shall be tho't proper for building a Bridge over Piscata- quage River as soon as may be."*
At the meeting they voted to build one over the "Piscataquage,"t so called, in said tract of land where the way is cleared to said river. Ensign Nason, Mr. James Prescutt and Mr. John Loverin were chosen a committee to manage the affair. Then the proprie- tors voted that those who did not go to clear the way could have liberty to go to build the bridge, and any other of the proprietors could go, one man upon each right ; those who do not go to pay their proportion in money, and if there are not twenty persons to „go then the committee to hire other men to make up that number to go one week, beginning on Monday next and to make up the week : the bridge to be done first before any other work. Twenty-six
*" These are to Notify the Proprietors of the tract of Land Granted to Ichabod Robie Esqr and others by the Purchasers of the Right of John Tufton Mason Esqr To meet at the House of Benjamin Swett Inholder in Hampton falls on tuesday the Sixteenth day of June Instant at two of the Clock in the afternoon
"1 To See if the Proprietors will Come into some method for to Clear the Center Square so Called or Such part of it as shall be tho't proper and to build a house thereon of Such Sort as shall be agreed upon as Soon may be And also to take such methods as shall be tho't proper for building a Bridge over Piscataquage River as soon as may be
" 2ly That such as have not paid their proportion of Charge may pay at said mecting Perticularly what Relates to building the Saw Mill: And to take such methods as shall be tho't best with such as do not pay " MESHECH WEARE
" Hampton falls JOSIAH BATCHELDER
SAML PRESCUT Comtee " June 6th 1752
- Philbrick Papers.
t " At a meeting of ye Proprietors June 16th : 1752
" Ist Capt Prescutt Chosen moderator
" Received of Ichabod Robie Paid for the Right he bought of Joseph Hulls 17-10-0 " Recd of Jona Barker by ye hand of Mr Henry Robie 4-10-0 on ye Right of Enock Barker for ye mill payment
" Voted That a Bridge be built over Piscataquage River so Called in said tract of Land where the way is Cleared to sd River That Such of ye Proprietors as did not go to Clear ye way have each of them liberty to go to build said Bridge And any other of the Proprietors that incline to go have liberty to go upon that business one man upon each Right And such of the Propres as do not go are to pay their Proportion in money And if there are not twenty of ye Proprrs that will go then to hire other men to make up that number to go for one week beginning on monday next and to make up the week about building sd Bridge & Clearing part of ye Center and build- ing a good Camp on it if there be men Enough But if there are not men Sufficient to do more than the bridge that to be first Compleated & that Ensn Nason Mr James Prescut & Mr John Loverin be a Cointee for to manage the affair
" Paid Mr Swett Expenses 2-8-0"-Philbrick Papers.
91
FIRST BRIDGE.
1752.]
men worked, beginning Monday, June 22, 1752, and ending Satur- day, June 27th. The record says they came home this day .*
Where was the bridge built ? Meshech Weare's minutes do not state. It must have been in one of three places : either at the Oil Mill, or where the Emerson bridge is now, or near where the center rangeway crossed the river, the way following up the left bank of the Piscataquog to that point, or coming down the Indian trail from Dunbarton. One of the reasons for thinking it was at the Emerson bridge is that a road was laid out soon after the town was incorporated, from Oil Mill up the Piscataquog to lot seventy, range three, and in the record of it, Emerson bridge is mentioned. But it seems to us more probable that the first bridge was near the cen- ter rangeway, but if any one wishes to have it at any other point he can do so.
The way was cleared, made a good cart path, and the bridge was built. The next great thing to be done was to clear Center Square, and build a good house or camp thereon. Center Square was men- tioned several times in 1750-51, but no work was done there in those years as we can learn. In a notice dated Aug. 13, 1751, for a meeting to be held Aug. 29th, the first article was about a way to the Center Square, but what was done at that meeting can not now be told.t
James Pirkens
.6 Days
Samll Prescut.
.6 Days
James Prescut
.6 Days
John Lourin ..
12 Days
Nathan Tilton
.6 Days
his own
Jona Swain ..
.6 Days
his own
Elezer Quinbe
.6 Days
wid Quinby
Benja Leavit.
.6 Days
Benja Sweet.
.12 Days
Thomas Cram.
Capt Cram
Benja Hilyard.
.6 Days
Enoch Gove.
6 Days
his own
Benja Tilton ..
.6 Days
Capt Tilton
Wortle 2 oxen.
half a day
0-15-0
John Robie.
.6 days
his own
James Wilson.
6 days
Robert Wilson.
6 days
Thurlo
.6 days
Thurlos Son
6 days
TUSDAY
Ebenezer Derbon.
.5 days
Jona Blunt.
.5 days
Jona Blunts Son
.5 days
Enoch Colby.
5 days
Peter Derbon
5 days
Abner Philbrick
Jona Sanders
.4 days
June 27 We : Came Home "-Philbrick Papers.
t" These are to Notify the Proprietors of the tract of Land Granted to Ichabod Robie Esqr and others By the Purchasers of the Right of John Tufton Mason Esqr,
* " June 22 1752
.6 Days Edmond Brown.
.6 Days
for his Uncel Timothy Brown
his own
Edd Gove
Jos Prescutt
WENSDAY
92
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1752.
April 24, 1752, a notice was given for a meeting to be held May 12th, and the first article was " to see if the proprietors will come into some method to clear Center Square so Called or such part of it as shall be tho't proper and to build a house thereon of such sort as may be agreed upon as soon as may be." * The record of this meeting is also lost.
A notice dated June 6th, for a meeting June 16th, had the same article in it, so probably nothing was done about Center Square at the May 12th meeting.
At the meeting voted that the men who go to build the bridge, if there are men enough, shall make up part of the week in clearing a portion of the Center [Square] and build a good camp thereon.t It is highly probable that this was done, they were so intent on doing it ; and it may be that the men who worked on the road oc- cupied the camp some of the time. But this part of our history is under a cloud that perhaps never can be dissipated.
These things then were done: the survey made, plan returned, rights drawn, rates assessed and collected, rights forfeited and sold, a way looked out and made, a saw-mill erected, a bridge built, and the Center Square probably cleared, with a camp thereon. But we never learned that the township was fenced.
To meet at the House of Benjamin Swett Inholder in Hampton falls on Thursday the twenty ninth day of August Instant at two of the Cloek in the afternoon
" 1 To take such methods as shall be tho't best by the Proprietors for Clearing and making passable as soon as possible the way which has been Looked out by the Committee Chosen for that Purpose to the Center of said tract of Land
"2 To Consider of the most proper method to be taken by the Proprietors with Regard to Building a Saw mill And to pass such Votes Relating thereto as shall be tho't best And if needfull to Choose a Committee or Committees to manage the same or any other method that shall be tho't proper-
"3 To Consider of any method that may be tho't further necessary for forwarding the Settlement of said tract of Land, and if necessary to Raise money : And to take such measures as shall be tho't proper with Regard to such as do not pay their pro- portion of Charge -
" MESHECH WEARE
" Hampton falls JOSIAH BACHELDER . Com : tee " SAMEL PRESCUT
Augt 13th 1751 - Philbrick Papers.
*" These are to Notify the Proprietors of the tract of Land Granted to Ichabod Robie Esqr and others by the Purchasers of the Right of John Tufton Mason Esqr To meet at the House of Benjamin Swett Inholder in Hampton falls on Tuesday the twelfth day of May next at two - of the Cloek in the afternoon
" Ist To See if the Proprietors will Come into some method for to Clear the Center Square so Called or such part of it as shall be tho't proper And to build a house thereon of such sort as shall be agreed upon, as Soon as may be
" 2ly That Such as have not paid their proportion of Charges may pay at said meeting - And in perticular what was Voted at the Last meeting towards building a Saw mill which was nine Pounds old Tenor upon each Right One half of which was to be paid within Six weeks from that time which time will be ended on the 27 Day of April Instant : And it was further voted that Such as Did not pay within that time their Rights to be forfeited and Sold to Raise the money : Accordingly at this meet- ing to see if the proprietors will proceed to make Sale of all Such Rights as are not paid for Agreeable to said vote that so the Committee for building said mill may be Inabled to Comply with their ingagements
JOSIAH BACHELDER 1 " Hamton falls April 24th 1752 - Philbrick Papers.
" MESHECH WEARE JONA FIFIELD Com : tee "
t See note (t), p. 90, ante.
1
93
SETTLERS.
1750.]
Many things remained to be done: a minister was to be procured, a meeting-house built, the masts preserved, and the greatest of all was to get the forty families to move into town. How they suc- ceeded in accomplishing the last we shall try and tell in our next chapter.
CHAPTER X.
SETTLERS.
HAMPTON, which included the present towns of Hampton, North Hampton, South Hampton, Hampton Falls, Seabrook and Ken- sington, was settled in 1636 by Puritans from Massachusetts with Rev. Stephen Batchelor as their minister. The little colony in- creased rapidly and overflowed into the adjoining towns of Stratham, Kingston, Danville, Sandown and Hampstead.
Hampton was a hive from which after 1750 settlers swarmed into all the new towns. Pittsfield, Chichester, Sanbornton, Gilman- ton, Salisbury, Meredith, Moultonborough, Northwood, Deerfield, Orford and our town of Weare were either directly or indirectly peopled from there. No other town did so much to develop and enlarge the state. The Hampton people were a strong race both physically and intellectually and their descendants, the Websters, Marstons, Sanborns, Weares, Tappans, Dearborns, Greens, Leavitts, Perkins and others, have filled at some time almost every place of honor and trust in the gift of the people. Our town proprietors, as has been told, were of South Hampton, and a large share of our first settlers were descendants of Hampton folks.
It was one of the prime conditions of our grant that thirty fami- lies should settle in four years from date. That time would expire Sept. 20, 1753. Early in 1750, the town proprietors made liberal offers to Jeremiah Bennett and Timothy Blake, two of their num- ber, to go and settle, but they failed to do so. Soon they promised provisions for a year and the work of eight men for a fortnight to any man, or men not exceeding six, who would go and settle within a year ; but this offer did not get them. Then they got Col. John Goffe of Derryfield, now Manchester, to help them and he procured one man to move into our town.
94
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1750.
NATHANIEL MARTIN* was the first white settler of Robiestown, now called Weare. He was a hunter and fisherman from old Derry- field, had married Colonel Goffe's daughter Marcie and came to Weare in the fall of 1750. He built his log cabin in the Piscata- quog valley, fifteen rods or so east of the blue, winding river, just west of the Kuncanowet hills, by the old mast road, then only a winter logging path,t and on lott wenty-six, range one. Looking south from it he could see a high hill in the gore, and still farther south Joe English in New Boston.
His cabin was easily built; it was small and low, made of round logs locked together at the ends by cutting each log half off, the cracks " chinked and daubed " with moss, clay or mud to keep out the cold, light poles for rafters covered with peeled spruce bark or hemlock, door of hewn boards pinned together, the window, a hole cut through the log wall, open in warm, fair weather but closed with a wooden shutter in cold or storm. The floor was of poles evenly laid; under it a hole dug a few feet deep and not stoned was used for a cellar, and a small loft overhead reached by a ladder served as a chamber. In one end of the cabin was a huge fire-place eight feet long, built of stone and large enough to take in logs as big as a man could lift ; its mantel was of green oak and its chimney, built outside, a cob-work of sticks thickly plastered with clay, so large it lighted the room by day and the children sitting in the fire-place corner at night could look up through it at the sky and stars. Such were all the cabins of the first settlers for not as yet had a saw-mill been built.
May be a party of eight men which the town proprietors had voted came from Hampton Falls to help him build his cabin and clear his land, perhaps Col. John Goffe and friends lent a hand, and of course he got the year's provisions which had been offered.
* Nathaniel Martin, son of Samuel Martin, was born in the lower part of what was then called Harrytown, afterwards Derryfield, now Manchester. His father had a ferry across the Merrimack known as Martin ferry, about a mile north of Goff's Falls. Nathaniel had four brothers, Samuel, Ephraim, Ebenezer and Joshua, all stout, hardy, fearless men. Joshua who lived in after years in Goffstown was especially distin- guished. Their father died when they were young, and they supported their mother and themselves many years by farming, hunting and fishing. Widow Martin was a strong, active woman, and when her boys were away was ever ready to take the oars and ferry people across the river. She could do it with ease and skill. Nathaniel Martin when a young man removed to Amoskeag. In a short time he went to Bedford, where he married Marcie Goffe, daughter of Col. John Goffe, and from thence to Weare. They had nine children, six sons, Ichabod, Timothy, Nathaniel, Robert, Moses and Jesse, and three daughters, Hannah and Deborah, the name of the third not given. Mr. Martin in his old age went back to Derryfield to live, and then for a time resided at Martin ferry in Hooksett. Some of his children removed to Maine, and Jesse, in religion a Methodist, was a minister of the gospel at Vassalborough.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.