USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Weare > The history of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888 > Part 28
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"For Value Received in Behalf of the town we the Subs do promise to pay to John Colby on his order the Some of twenty Bushels of Merchantable indian Corn per month from the time of my inlistment til i am Deschargd Sd Corn is to Be paid By the first Day of february nex as witness our hands [Names torn off.]
[ENDORSEMENTS.]
" Wcare March 15 1782 reseved of the within not twenty five and one half of Corn.
" Wcar May 21 reseved forc bushels of enden Corn of the within order."
§ " Josiah Corbett, Weare, mustered, September 13; discharged December 19; tinie of service 3 months, 17 days, amount of pay 7:2: 8."
1 " Enoch Hoit was from Hopkinton. Hc had served before for that town in the first New Hampshire regiment." - Kidder's Hist., p. 142.
1781.]
BEEF, RUM AND CORN FOR THE ARMY.
At the annual town - meeting they chose "Capt. Nathaniel Fifield* and Capt. George Hadley a committee to raise the Conti- nental beef, this town's proportion." They bought the beef of many partiest and it is hard to tell how much they paid for it for the account is mixed up with that of sums paid to soldiers. They had got sick of using large figures and so kept the account in pounds, shillings and pence in silver. They also bought live stock, hired them pastured and turned them in as beef .;
Early in September an order came from the state for the town to provide its share of rum for the Continental army. Nothing could be done without a vote of the town, and September 15th the select- men warned a meeting to be held Oct. 2d, to vote what method the town will take to do it. A dispute had also arisen about the sum Ensign Moses Eastman should be paid for enlisting Jacob Gile, and another article was put in to see what the town would do about that.
At the meeting they voted to furnish the rum, but the clerk forgot to make a record of it. We find in the selectmen's accounts that they paid for rum this year for the town £244 8s. 12d. 1f.§ Con- gress had hitherto provided the rum for the soldiers, but now, as usual, they had no money, their currency was worthless, they could not raise a tax, and they had to go, by aid of the states, to the people for their supplies. On the second article they voted to pay Moses Eastman six hundred Continental dollars for his trouble and expense enlisting Jacob Gile. ||
The army again went into winter quarters at the close of the year. But the men must have food, and congress called for it in the same
* It is said that Captain Fifield, who was very patriotic, was so pleased at being appointed to collect the Continental beef that he killed his best ox and turned it in, and would have killed its mate had not his wife prevented.
t BEEF ACCOUNT.
" Paid for beef.
John Huntington 23:6:0 Caleb Peaslee. 1 :7:6
Benj. Selley. 2:2:0
Abner Hoit. 17 : 5 : 11
other parties 10 :0:0"
" Weares proportion of Beef 1781. "NO -
Proportion 15,330 1bs.
" July2 4 00. 1400
Aug. 71 455
22 4
2650
15,330 lbs."
Sept 26 8
4230
Dec 11.
5550
Due . 1045
- Army Rolls.
+ " Paid for pasturing beef cattle. Nath. Fifield 0:16:0
Benj. Selley.
0: 8:0 |Plumer Hadley. .18 : 0:0" § From the selectmen's papers: " Obadiah Eaton, Expense for giting the Rum & transporting the same 1 : 10 : 0 : 0"
|| For some reason this did not settle it, and in 1782 they voted to pay Eastman £3 48. and to give Gile £5 as a town bounty.
239
240
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1782.
way as for the rum. The state Committee of Safety sent to our town for eighty-six bushels of Indian corn as her proportion, to be delivered at Salisbury, Mass. The selectmen, according to custom, Dec. 26th, called a town-meeting to be held Jan. 10, 1782, and one of the things to be done was "to vandue of the Hawling of eighty eight bushels of Indian Corn to Salisbury Point to the lowest bidder."
In open meeting the "Hawling " was set up at vendue, one-half at a time. The first half was struck off to Lieut. William Dustin for $9.25, and the second half to Stephen Emerson for the same sum. The selectmen entered in their book that they "paid for Carring Corn to Salisbury Point £5 15s. 6d."
CHAPTER XXV.
THE REVOLUTION.
THE last battle of the war was fought and won at Yorktown. The contest was virtually over. Yet England was not ready to make peace or acknowledge our independence, and congress was compelled to keep up the army.
Our town knew this, and the selectmen put the old, stereotyped article in the warrant for the annual town-meeting, "to see what meatherd the town will take to raise soldiers for the year ensuing." At the annual town-meeting, March 12th, the voters chose Capt. George Hadley and Obadiah Eaton a committee to raise soldiers, and they were to call on the selectmen to furnish the money by tax- ing the polls and estates.
The committee filled the quota in due time, in the usual way. They procured five men* for the Continental army, and paid each of them a town bounty of £72 in silver money, or its equivalent. They did not get the silver money, of course; that was not to be
* Year 1782. Silver Money.
Silver Money.
Jeremialı Fogg ..
72 : 0 : 0 : 0 | Robert Collins. 72 :0:0:0
Mustered May 15, 1782.
Mustered May 10, 1782.
Daniel Greeley, of Salisbury .... 72: 0:0:0 Mustered May 15, 1782.
Aaron Basford .. 72:0:0:0
Mustered May 10, 1782.
Stephen Bohonon ... 72:0:0:0
These men were in the First New Hamp- shire regiment.
Mustered May 10, 1782.
- Kidder's Hist., pp. 160, 164.
241
SOLDIERS' NOTES.
1782.]
had ; they got its equivalent, but in a different way from ever before. Last year the soldiers had good Indian corn ; this year they were paid in live stock. The town, by its committee, gave its note* to pay each soldier, or his order, fifteen middling, three-years-
* NOTES GIVEN BY THE TOWN OF WEARE TO THE SOLDIERS, IN 1782.
" WEARE, May the 11th day 1782
" For Value Red we in Behalf of the town of Weare do Promies to pay Robert Col- ens or his order, Fifteen Midling three year old heifers with Calf or Calvs By their Sids Five of the Said heifers to Be Paid the tenthi of May 1783, & Five to Be paid the tenth of May 1784 & Five More to Be paid By the tenth of May 1785, Provided the Sade Collinss Doth preform the three years Servis in the Continantal Army & if Sade Collins Doth Not Preform the hole of Sade Servis he is to B pade In preportion out of the above Some According to his Servis Witness our hands
" OBADIAH EATON } Committee to hire GEORGE HADLEY { Soldiers For Weare.
[ENDORSEMENTS.]
" Wares May 251-1782 Wher as I am Bound to the Continal army my orders to Pay the within written Note to my own Brothers and Sisters to be Equaly Devided amongst them if I Never Return again as Witness my hand his " DAVID EATON
ROBT X COLINGS mark"
" WEARE May the 11th day 1782 -
" For Value Recd We in Behalf of the town of Weare Do Promies to pay to Aaron Basford or his order Fifteen midling three year old heifers with Calf or Calvs By their Sides Five of the Sade heifers to Be paide the tenth of May 1783 & Five to be pade the tenth of May 1784 & Five more to Be pade By the tenth of May 1785 provided the Said Basford Doth preform the three years Servis he is to Be paid In preportion out of the above Somes According to his Servis " OBADIAH EATON Committee to hire GEORGE HADLEY Soldiers For Weare.
[ENDORSEMENTS.]
"Ware May 25 1783 this Day have Recievd of Obadiah Eaton one heffer to be tuck out of the (?) Recived by me AARON BASFORD
" Weare July 26. 1784 this Day Recived upon the within ritten note one heffer and Calf
" Wear October 4 1785 reseived five pounds ten shilins of the within not "is ay AARON BASFORD " " WEARE, May 11th 1782
" Whereas Stephen Bohonon of Salisbury in the State of New Hampshire hath In- listed himself himself into the Continental Army for the Term of Three Years Next Ensuing for the Town of Weare for which Service as a Town Bounty we the Sub- scribers for & in Behalf of the Sd Town of Weare Do Promise to Pay to the Sd Stephen Bohonon or his Order Fifteen Midling Three Years old Heifers with a Calfe by their Sides each one or fair with Calfe So as to Calve in good Season for a Dairy for the Year they are to be Paid in to be Paid as follows Viz Five of Said Heifers &c to be Paid on the tenth Day of May 1783 and Five of Sd Heifers &c to be Paid on the Tenth Day of May 1784 & the other Five to be Paid on the tenth Day of May 1785 Provided the Said Bohonon Doth Perform the said Three Years Service in the Continental Army & if by any Means he Doth not Perform the whole of Sd Term of three Years the Sd Bohonon is to be Paid in Proportion as above according to the time he Shall " OBADIAH EATON } Committee to hire Soldeirs Serve Witness our hands GEORGE HADLEY , For the Town of Weare
[ENDORSEMENTS.]
" Weare may 29th yr 1783 Received Eight Pound Eight Shillings and By A note of hand for twelve Pounds twelve Shillings when Paid in full for the first Payment of the within written Note Per me . JOHN SWEATT
" Weare May ye 31st 1784 Red two Cows in part of this within written note "per me STEPHEN BOHONON.
within Reten Note to John Sweatt STEPHEN BOHONON "
" Sir Please
"Salisbury
"WEARE May 16 1782
" Whereas David Greeley of Salisbury hath Inlisted himself into the Continental Army for Three Years Next Ensuing for the Town of Weare for which Service as a Town Bounty we the Subscribers for & in the Behalf of the Town of Weare do Promise to Pay the Said David Greeley or his Order Fifteen Midling three years old Heifers with each a Calf by her Side or fair with Calf So as to Calve Seasonably for a Dairy for the Year they are to be Paid in & are to be Paid as follows (viz) five of Said Heifers to be Paid the tenth Day of May 1783 & five to be Paid the tenth Day of May
16
242
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1782.
old heifers, with each a calf by her side or fair with calf, so as to calve seasonably for a dairy for the year they are to be paid in.
The soldiers marched away by the usual route to the Hudson river, near Newburgh, where they spent the season. They enlisted for three years. In autumn they marched up the river, and were " hutted " at New Windsor, where they spent the winter of 1782-3. They also remained here during the season of 1783; saw no fight- ing, but helped make up the regular army that congress found it necessary to keep in the field till peace was declared. They were discharged Jan. 1, 1784, before the end of their term of service and so did not get all their heifers.
Weare furnished other men* this year for the army. The State Committee of Safety called for them. The town also had several remaining over of those who had formerly enlisted for three years, or during the war. The town paid them various sums as bounties or wages; and also quite an amount for procuring them and the support of their families .; Other towns claimed some of them, but our town was generally successful in holding them. Moses East-
1784 & the other five the Tenth Day of May 1785. Provided the Said David Greeley Shall Perform the Said Three Years' Service in the Continental Army & if by Death or any other Means the Said Greeley Doth not Perform the Whole of Said Service of Three Years he is to be Paid in Proportion as above According to the time he Shall Serve Witness our hands " OBADIAH EATON } Committee to Hire Soldiers GEORGE HADLEY for the Town of Weare
[ENDORSEMENTS.]
"Weare May 29 Yr 1783 this day Recived five Heifers & calves for the first Pay- ment of the within wretten Note I say Recived by me SHUBAEL GRELE
" June 8 1784 reseved of the with not sixteen dollars"
"WEARE May 25 yr 1782
" For Vallue Recived I the subscriber do in Behalf of the town of weare do Promis to Pay unto Stephen Bohonon or his order the Sum of two Pounds two shillings & money in Silver on demand with Intrest til Paid.
"as witness my hand " [Name torn off.]
" WEARE May 25 yr 1782
" for Vallue Received I the subscriber do in Behalf of the town of weare do Promis To Pay unto David greeley or his order the sum of three Pounds Seventeen Shillings & Nine Pence L. money in Silver on demand witli interest til Paid as whitness my land " [Name torn off.]
* Other Weare men in the army in 1782 : -
Elisha Roberts, of Seabrook. He was claimed by some other town.
Daniel Clough, of Hopkinton. The town voted, Jan. 14, 1783, to give him $30 a year for the time he serves the town in the Continental army during the present war. He was claimed by Hopkinton, but Weare retained him.
Stephen Andrews, of Hillsborough.
David Bryant, of Weare. He deserted from the First New Hampshire regiment, and soon after died.
Michael Lyons, of Ireland, was in the First New Hampshire regiment, and deserted. Jonathan Tucker, of Raymond, was in the same regiment for Weare. - Kidder's Hist., pp. 147-165.
t In 1782 there was trouble with John Flanders. The town voted not to allow him three months' wages, but to sue him for tliem; also not to give the three years' sup- plies that his family has had.
1782: Items from the selectmen's books :-
" Paid Capt. George Hadley for soldiers. 0: 6:0:0
Paid Obadiah Eaton for soldiers bounties 43: 6:8:0
Paid Obadiah Eaton for soldiers. 78 :17:0:0"
243
BOUNTIES PAID BY THE TOWN.
1783.]
man was appointed to go to the Committee of Safety at Exeter and get Elisha Robards allowed on the Weare quota, which he did. Hopkinton claimed Daniel Clough, but Weare retained him also.
It had become so natural for the town to furnish its quota for the Continental army, that in 1783 the selectmen again put an article in the warrant to see if the town will choose a committee to hire soldiers for the year ensuing, if any are called for, and to call on the selectmen to raise the money. At the meeting Obadiah Eaton was chosen to do these things, but he had no need to act, for Sept. 3d, peace was declared, and our independence was acknowl- edged.
The town had something to do about the war at town-meeting for a long time. In September they voted to allow Elisha Robards £6 1s. for his services during the war in the Continental army, which Moses Eastman promised him ; and Sept. 11th, just after the treaty of peace, they chose John Robie, Esq., and Lieut. Ithamar Eaton a committee to dispose of the town's stock of powder ; they sold it and turned the money into the town-treasury. There was no more need of it, they thought. In December the town refused " to give back the bounty to the soldiers that the state has taken out of their depreciation notes." Many old war bills were paid this year .*
In 1784 the town tried to give the soldiers a bounty, but the vote failed to pass. They also voted not to make up Jonathan Tucker's bounty to him as good as it was when he enlisted as a soldier from said town. But they did pay three soldiers additional bounties, and also Obadiah Eaton for what he paid on that account .;
But in 1786 they were more liberal, and " voted to allow Daniel Clough fifteen dollars for the six months on furlow before he had a Discharge from the Continantal army by his Excellency General Washington."
Afterwards the state requested lists of all the bounties given
* " 1783 Paid Jonathan Atwood for soldiers wages ...... 4: 0:0:0 . . Paid Daniel Clough forhis serv- ing in the Continental army for said town .. 6: 0:0:0
Paid Asa Heath for his serving in the army in 1778. 1 :17 :0:2 Paid to Samuel George 4: 0:0:0 Paid to Daniel Clough .. 2: 0:0:0 t " 1784. Paid Daniel Clough for his service in the army. 12 : 0:0:0 Paid Jacob Gile for soldiery .... 5 : 0 :0:0
Paid to Elisha Robards .. 2:10:0:0 Paid to Obadiah Eaton for hir- ing soldiers and their boun-
ties ... .
26:16:0:0
Paid to Daniel Clough as a soldier ... 2: 0:0:0 Paid widdow Corles for her husbands servis. 0 :11 :0:0"
Paid Elisha Roberd for soldiery 2: 3:1:0 Paid Obadiah Eaton for sol- diers bounties ... . . 4:16:0:0 "1785. Paid Nathan Gove for solders bounty in favor of Elisha Roborth 1 : 16 : 0 : 0"
H
244
HISTORY. OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE. [1783.
during the war, and the selectmen, in 1788 and in 1791, furnished them .*
Our town had but one man killed in battle, Ebenezer Sinclair, in 1777, at Saratoga; and Thomas Tuttle and Moses Follensbury died in the service. Considering the length of the war and our number of men, it is remarkable there were so few deaths. Several took furloughs without leave, but they went back, served again
*" a Copy of the Bounts Given to the Soldiers by the town or individels
" Bountys Given by the town of weare or Individels During the late war.
"List of those men that went to tye 5 munthis year 1776
£
" Phineas ferrine 9: 0:0
Sam1 Page. 6: 0:0:
Joseph Emons .. 6: 6:0
Ezra Clement.
3: 0:0:0
Thomas Eastman 6: 0
Caleb atwood. 3: 0:0
william Qumbe ... 3
Jeremiah Page. 3
Timothy worthley 3: 0:0:0
Enoch Sweat .. 9
Daniel Bayley. 3: 0:0:0
Sam Eastman.
6
moses Flood.
Coton webster 6
Joseph Kimball 3:12:0
Daniel Clough During the war, 28: 10: 0
" Six month Servise those men that Served in the Continantal army the year 1780
£ Silver
£ Silver
" Daniel Clough
12:0:0:0
John Colby. 12:0:0:0
william Hodge. 12 : 0:0:0
Asa heath .. 15:0:0:0
Solomon Tole. 12 : 0 : 0 : 0 |Joshua Huntington. 12:0:0:0
"July 3th 1780 melitia men three month Servise " Continantal
Continantal
paper money
paper money
"Thomas Bayley
1800 : 0: 0: 0
1500 : 0 : 0 : 0
John flanders
1200 : 0:0:0
Isaac foot. 1200 : 0 : 0: 0
Joshua atwood. 1500 : 0 : 0 : 0
moses Sargent .. 1800
Thomas flanders. 1200: 0: 0:0
Olonder Bayley. 1800
"those melitia men that went Cohose Six munths July 5th 1780
" Continantal money
Continantal money
" Caleb watson.
900 : 0 : 0:0
Philip Sargent .900 : 0: 0: 0
wigens Evens.
900 : 0: 0:0
"for Eight months Servise in the year 1781
" Silver mony
Silver mony
" James Gile
15 :0 :0:0
moses flood. 16:10:0:0
Sam1 Eaton .. 15:0:0
Joseph flood. 15: 0:0:0
James king. 15
Josiah Tucker 16:10:0:0
" year 1782
" Silver money
Silver money
" Jeremiah fogg.
72 :0:0:0
Robert Collins.
72:0:0:0
David Greeley ..
72:0:0:0
Aaron Basford.
72:0:0:0
Stephen Bohonon. 72 : 0 :0 :0
"year 1777 bounty paid by the town
" Jotham Tuttle Eight months .. 12 : 0 : 0 : 0 | John Caldwell. 12:0
Daniel flood. 12 : 0 : 0 : 0 |Bracket Leavit. 12:0:0:0
Joseph flood. 12 : 0 :0:01
Sam' page. 12:0
" 1778 Nine months Servise
" paid Moses Sanborn. 60 : 0 : 0 | william powell .. 60:0
paid Jotham Tuttle. 16:0
Sam! Rowell.
60:0:0:0
paid Ephraim Sargent. 60
-
" paid Asa Heath nine months 20:
"1781 Paid Josiah Corbell Eighty Bushell of indian Corne at four Shillings per Busliell. 16:0:0:0 pd moses tollonsbury Eighty Bushells of indian Corn at four Shil- . 16: 0:0:0
lings pr bushell.
pd Jacob Gile five pound Lawful money. 5:0:0:0
Sam1 George.
245
RETURN OF BOUNTIES.
1783.]
and were forgiven. Two or three foreign bounty-jumpers, hired by the town, deserted, but they were not apprehended, and none were hung or shot for bad conduct, as we have learned.
"Those indevidels that hired for the Compain to tye for five months in the year 1776
" Capt. Ithamar Eaton } Benjamin Silley hired Phinas ferrin
Capt. George Hadley John Simons
hired Joseph Emons for. £6: 0:0:0
Sam! Philbrick Hired Joseph kimball for
3:12:0:0 Jolın Robie Hired Timothy worthly for 3: 0:0:0 Josiah Brown Hired Caleb atwood for 3: 0:0:0 Eben mudgit hired Daniel Bayley for 3: 0:0:0
Obadiah Eaton hired Sam' Page for. 4: 0 :0:0
James Emerson hired Ezra Clement for. william Dustin hired Ruben Trusell two month.
"Dated at weare January 16th 1788 atts " JOHN ROBIE
"a True Copy
ITHAMAR EATON
" A Coppy of the Return of Soldiers bounty Returne to the Secretary Office June 25th 1791
" JOHN ROBIE Selectm ITHAMAR EATONS
" Return of bounties given by the town of weare or endevedles during the late war "year 1776 twelve months Servis to Canada
" James Brown 18: 0
Sam' Caldwell Jur 18
Stockman Sweatt 13: 10
Benj Sweatt. 13: 10: 0
moses flood .: 16: 10
moses folonsbury
18: 0
"year 1776 twelve months Servis to portsmouth
" Ruben martin 4 : 10 | Jacob martin. . 4:10
Sam' martin 4:10
"year 1776 two months to portsmouth
"John Blake Jur 1:16
Sam' paige Jur 1 :16|
Abijah Watson. 1:16
"year 1776 two month to New York
" Sam worthen. 3 : 0 | Sam1 paige 3ª. 3:0
daniel person. 3:01
"year 1776 two months to New York those men that Give bounties for Said Ser- vis are as follows " £
£
Daniel person. 3:0
Sam1 paige 3ª 3:5
Charles george. 3:0
John Huntington. 3:0
Joseph Colby. 3:0
Sam' Straw. 3:0
Elijah gove
3:0
Sam Worthen 3:0
Stephen Emerson
3:0
"year 1776-7 Seven months to tye
" Ruben martin. 9 : 0 : 0 | Saml martin. 9:0:0
" year 1777 two month to benington
"paul Dustin. 3 | Isaac Sargent. 3
Daniel gould. 3
Sam' Bruklebank 3
Daniel Hadley. 3
Ezra pillsbury . 3 Ruben trusell. 3 Daniel Emerson 3
"year 1777 to fort Edward 3 week
"Ithamar Eaton. 0:18
Obadiah Eaton. 0:18
george Hadley 0:18
Samuel worthen. 0 :18 | Caleb atwood. 0:18
."year 1781 two month to hobert-town
" Joseph pillsbury.
6 : 0 : 0 | Enoch Hoit .. 6:0:0
Daniel Straw 6 : 0:0 |moses follonsbury 6 :0:0"
John Colby.
6:0:0
£9: 0:0:0
3: 0:0:0
10: 0:0:0
Selectmen "
Jacob Carr. 18: 0:0:0
Ruben Trusell. 18: 0
Thoms Colborn. 13:10
John Kimball. 18: 0
| John paige .. 1:16
" Caleb Emery. 3:0:0
Ezekiel Cram 3.0
Thoms Cram. 3:0
Joseph Huse. 3:0
Israul Straw. 3:0
John Follonsbury. 3:0
marden Emerson.
3:0
-
-
John Ordway. 3
marden Emerson. 0:18
246
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1770.
The town furnished, in all, two hundred and six soldiers for the war ;* a larger number, according to the population, than any other town in the state. Nearly all the town-officers and the leading men took their turn in the army. On the whole, they did their duty faithfully, were patient in camp, enduring on the long marches and courageous in action. They fought bravely in nearly every Northern battle from Bunker hill to Yorktown. Weare may well be proud of the part it took in establishing a free and independent republic.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE FRIENDS OR QUAKERS.
JONATHAN Dow and Elijah Purington, it is said, were the first Friends who came to Weare. We learn from a deed recorded at Exeter that Dec. 15, 1766, Jonathan Dow, of Hampton Falls, bought of John Gage, of Dover, one whole right in the town of Weare for £41 1s. He settled on lot thirty-seven, range five; the place now occupied by Edward, son of the late Daniel Paige. Elijah Purington settled at Weare Center on lot thirty-eight, range five, on the spot where his descendants now reside. These men probably came to Weare in 1768. In 1769 Elijah. Purington was first selectman, and in 1770 Jonathan Dow held the same office.
In the next fifteen years probably as many as fifty families of Friends came to Weare, the majority from Seabrook, Hampton, Kensington, Lynn and Salem. In 1776 twenty-nine Friends refused
* The following summary was found on the army rolls in the Secretary of State's office : " 44 Weare Bounties &c p 80 -
" ap. 1775, 1 Lexington p Roll.
8
5
76 July 4 Wymans Regt 14 men.
70
12
77 apl 7 Continental 10 men ..
154
78 May 8th 9 Continental 7 men 346. 145 & 100 bus Corn a 41. . 20
13
77 July 19 Starks Brigade 1 man.
10
80 July 23 Nichols Reg. 8 men paper 1200.
20
12
6
81 - - 31 New Levies 6 men Silver 58.
93
81 -
15 Continental Dan Clough ditto.
28
10
81 27 Reynolds Regt 3 men do. 37
82 17 Continental 5 men do. 360
- Army Rolls, vol. iii, p. 44.
1078 5 10 %
8
79 July 11 Continental 3 men 61% 139, 16.
9
1
S
80 - 21 New Levies 6 men Silver ...
75
80 July 5 25 Frontiers, Runnels Co 3 men paper 58 2700. 46
11
FRIENDS' NORTH MEETING-HOUSE.
247
THE INNER LIGHT.
1775.]
to sign the Association Test, not because they lacked patriotism, but because their religion forbade them to fight. Jonathan Dow and Jedediah Dow built the first two-story houses in town, in 1775, and it was a Quaker who, that year, first drove a chaise to Weare .* They were a thrifty people from the start.
The Friends early built a meeting-house for public worship, but the precise date can not be given. It stood near Weare Center, on lot thirty-eight or thirty-nine, range five, on a road long ago abandoned and near the present town-hall.
It was used for many years ; in 1786 a town-meeting was called to be held on Center Square, and when met they voted "to adjourn to the Friends meeting-house, eight minutes." After this town- meetings were often held in it.
In 1792 it was proposed to build a larger house, but in 1795, acting, it is said, on the advice of David Sands, "a travelling minister" from New York, the society built two meeting-houses, one called the north, the other the south. These, with many alterations and enlargements, are the meeting-houses still occupied, and from the time of their completion, "First-day " and " Mid-week" meet- ings have been held in both.
It is well known that Friends are " vague of Creed and barren of rite ; holding, as in the Masters' sight, act and thought to the Inner Light," and that their church organization is very simple.t
* " Edward Southwick, of South Danvers, Mass., at the age of eighteen years ac- companied the first chaise that went into the town of Weare, which was probably about 1775." - Philbrick Papers.
+ THE FRIENDS OR QUAKERS.
" The ruling principle of Quakerism is the universal inner light."
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