USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Lyndeborough > The history of the town of Lyndeborough, New Hampshire,1735-1905 > Part 20
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179. Wellman, James. James Wellman was born in Salem- Canada in 1747 and died in the Revolutionary Army.
180. Wellman, John. John Wellman was a Revolutionary soldier. In 1776, he did service for some Wilton man, unnamed in our town records. Of his subsequent services we have no record.
The Wellmans above named, Abraham, Jacob, Jr., James and John, were sons of Capt. Jacob Wellman, who served in the militia of our town before the Revolution. His commission, re- ceived from the Royal Governor, Benning Wentworth, as ensign bears date of Oct. 12, 1764, the same year in which our town was chartered. The captain's commission is thought to have been issued in 1765.
18I. Whittemore, Aaron. Aaron Whittemore was at B. under Capt. Peter Clark.
182. Whittemore, Maj. Amos. Amos Whittemore was in Capt. McConnell's Co. in N. Y. in 1776. He was the son of Benjamin and Hannah (Collins) Whittemore, born, probably, in 1747. He settled in Lyndeborough in 1771, and married Molly Taylor of Amherst.
Our records inform us that Sergt. Amos Whittemore, Lieut. Samuel Houston and Simeon Fletcher did one-third of a turn each. They hired James Burnham. He served, also, in the Ti. campaign under Capt. William Barron. In N. Y. he did personal duty, and appears to have been in the battle of White Plains. He paid one month's bounty for a man to go to W. P. in 1780.
The Antrim historian relates that "at one time during the Revolutionary War, he received orders to march the next morn- ing : "He was wofully short of pantaloons and knew not what to do. After consultation with his blessed wife Molly, about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, he went and sheared a sheep (probably a black one), and his wife carded, spun and wove the wool and made it into a pair of pantaloons, ready for the morning's march.
204
HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
Such were many of the wives of Revolutionary heroes." He was a citizen of Lyndeborough throughout the Revolutionary War, and for ten years after its practical termination. He was promoted ensign, and later lieutenant, and was a major in the militia.
183. Whittemore, Jonathan. He was a brother of Aaron, and assisted by the paying of one month's bounty to hire Wil- liam Burnham for a year in the Continental Army in 1777. He also paid one month's bounty for a man to serve six months in the Continental Army ; and further, he paid one-half month's hire for a man to serve in the West in 1781.
184. Whittemore, Samuel. Samuel Whittemore paid two months' bounty to hire John Woodbury to go to R. I. for six months in 1779.
185. Wilkins, Amos. The name of Amos Wilkins does not appear on the printed Revolutionary Rolls. But he hired Samuel Hutchinson as a substitute, who fought in Capt. Peter Clark's Co. at B.
186. Wilkins, Elisha. Elisha Wilkins was a soldier in Capt. Levi Spaulding's Co., and took part in the battle of B. H. He enlisted May 1, 1775, and served three months and eight days.
187. Wilkins, Joseph, Jr. Joseph Wilkins, Jr., enlisted to go to New York, and passed muster Sept. 26, 1776, and con- tinued in the service till the first of Dec. It is stated that "each went for himself only." But it also stated that "Nicklus Beesom went in the room of Jesse Putnam, and received two Dollars of Putnam for the same." The eleven men who went at the time specified above appear to have been in the battle of White Plains, Joseph Wilkins being included.
188. Willson, Joseph. Joseph Willson enlisted in the First N. H. Regt. in 1776, and also at various times afterwards. In Feb., 1781, he enlisted to remain during the war, and in conse- sequence of the surrender of Cornwallis, which practically closed the war, he was discharged in Dec., 1781.
189. Woodbury, John. John Woodbury was one of the eight men that in 1776 "went from Winter Hill to Canada and concluded the same back to Trenton." John Clark, Ben- jamin Bullock and Samuel Whittemore hired John Woodbury, and he enlisted July 12, 1779, in one of the N. H. battalions, raised to reinforce the Continental Army and to aid in the de- fense of R. I. His term of service under the last enlistment was six months, and each of the men named above paid for two months of his time.
190. Woodbury, Josiah, Jr. Josiah Woodbury, Jr., was one of Capt. Levi Spaulding's Co., which marched from Lyndebor- ough Apr. 23, 1775, and then served one month and thirteen days. He also passed muster Sept. 26, 1776, in Capt. McCon-
205
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
nell's Co. in New York. He was, therefore, in the battle of White Plains. He was also in Capt. Peter Clark's Co. at B., as substitute for Mr. Walter Ross.
191. Woodbury, Nathaniel. Nathaniel Woodbury was also one of Capt. McConnell's Co., and was in the battle of White Plains, N. Y .. Oct. 28, 1776. He was also in the battle of B., in Capt. Peter Clark's Co. as a substitute, or as hired by Mr. Edmund Bickford.
192. Woodward, Eleazar. Eleazar Woodward hired Jacob Dutton for three months in the R. I. campaign in July, 1778. He also paid two months' bounty toward a six months' man to serve in the Continental Army. He was one of the town committee, chosen to enlist its quota Jan. 29, 1781. His name is on the re- monstrance against the petition of the northwest part of the town in 1783.
193. Woodward, Ithamar. Ithamar Woodward was one of the men who enlisted Sept. 26, and continued in service till Dec. I, 1776. He was in Capt. McConnell's Co. in New York, and was in the battle of White Plains Oct. 28. He was one of the strong remonstrants against being annexed to Greenfield, much preferring to be joined to Francestown, a preference in which the General Court gratified him, by annexing his and his asso- ciates' estates to Francestown Dec. II, 1792.
194. Woodward, John. John Woodward was one of the three men who hired John Mellen to go to R. I. for six months, the others being William Blaney and Moses Lewis. He lived near the Francestown line, and opposed being set off into Green- field.
This completes our list of Revolutionary men. It speaks for itself with great and forceful eloquence, as well as for the town in which these men lived.
A CENSUS OF REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS.
In a letter from St. Paul, Minn., July 29th, 1891, W. H. Grant, Esq., wrote to D. C. Grant, his brother : "I found hid away in one corner of a book-case among a lot of public docu- ments, at the Historical Library, the other day, a very interest- ing book. It was a census of the Revolutionary Pensioners living in 1840, each town, county and state arranged by itself. It is a book published by the Government in 1841, showing name and age of pensioner and with whom the pensioner re- sided. I give you the Lyndeborough and Greenfield lists with their ages :
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
LYNDEBOROUGH
Age
GREENFIELD Age
Jonathan Butler
87
Joseph Eaton.
81
Jedediah Russell
88
William Holley
75
Joshua Sargent
82
Ebenezer Farrington 83
Oliver Perham
78
Jacob McIntire
84
Abraham Rose
80
Lucy Perry
73
Edmund Perkins
80
William Brooks
79
Phineas Kidder
84
Simeon Fletcher
80
Ruhama Burnham
76
Simon Low
85
Of all the Lyndeborough Revolutionary soldiers he wrote that "Simeon Fletcher was the only one left, residing in either Lyndeborough or Greenfield," when the book was published. He states further, " I have examined the entire New Hamp- shire list, and find the name of but one other Lyndeborough soldier, John Purple, aged 97, then living in Amherst." John Purple served for Lyndeborough, but was an Amherst resident when he enlisted.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE MILITIA.
The excellent sketch of the Lafayette Artillery Co. by Mr. Jacob A. Woodward* will be referred to as probably containing the fullest and best information for present use.
It was written with unusual particularity and thoroughness for the Company's Centennial celebration, Sept. 9, 1904.
THE LAFAYETTE ARTILLERY COMPANY.
In 1760 there were in the Province of New Hampshire, ten regiments of militia, viz .: One of cavalry and nine of infantry. The most of these had seen service in the French and Indian war then just closing. New Hampshire had furnished more than five thousand men for the six campaigns for the reduction of Crown Point and the Canadas, and ending with the capture of Montreal. The militia were thoroughly organized, both offic- ers and men having seen seven years of service. There is noth- ing to show that any of the men of Lyndeborough, then Salem- Canada, served in these campaigns, but it must be remembered that the town was young, the settlers poor, and having all they could do to maintain a foothold in their new country. In April, 1764, the town was incorporated, and on the fourth of October following, John Stephenson was commissioned captain, and Jacob Wellman ensign of the tenth company in the sixth regi- ment of the militia of the Province of New Hampshire. The commission of John Stephenson is in the possession of Willis J. Stephenson of Lyndeborough, a great-grandson of the above mentioned John. It is signed by Benning Wentworth, Captain- General and Governor-in-Chief in and over his Majesty's Prov- ince of New Hampshire. From that October day to the present time, a period of one hundred and forty years, the town has maintained one or more companies of active militia, ready to take the field on short notice. It is to be regretted that no roster of this first company can be found.
In 1773 the number of regiments was increased to twelve, and the officers Major-General and Brigadier-General for the first
*Mr Woodward says : "We are indebted to Mr. Joseph A. Johnson for much of the in- formation in regard to the early history of this company ; to valuable letters of the late William H. Grant, Esq., and to Mr. Charles H. Tarbell for courteous help."
208
HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
time were commissioned. In September, 1776, an act was passed for forming and regulating the militia within the state, greatly changing the whole system. The state militia was divided into seventeen regiments. It provided for two classes of soldiers, a "Training Band " and an "Alarm List."
The training band was made up of all the able-bodied male persons in the state from sixteen years old to fifty, except cer- tain persons in position and employment specified, and negroes, mulattoes and Indians. There was to be one major-general, with power at all times to draw forth the militia, or any part of them, as he should judge expedient for the immediate defense of this or any of the United States of America. The field officers were one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel and two majors for each regi- ment, and they were to divide their regiments into companies consisting of, as near as might be, sixty-eight privates each. The companies were to choose a captain, two lieutenants and one ensign. Each officer and private soldier was to equip him- self and be constantly provided with a good fire-arm, good ram- rod, a worm, priming-wire and brush, a bayonet fitted to his gun, a scabbard and belt therefor, and a cutting sword or a toma- hawk or hatchet, a pouch containing a cartridge box that will hold fifteen rounds of cartridges at least, a hundred buck-shot, a jackknife, and tow for wadding, six flints, one pound of powder, forty leaden balls, fitted to his gun, a knapsack and blanket, a canteen or wooden bottle sufficient to hold one quart. Each town was to provide and deposit in some safe place for use in case of an alarm, a specified number of spades or shovels, axes and picks, and to provide arms and equipment for those unable to provide for themselves. Each company was to muster eight times a year, including the regimental musters. Treating with victuals or drink on any training or muster days subjected any officers, so offending, to court martial.
The alarm list included all male persons from sixteen years of age to sixty-five, not included in the training band, and not ex- empted in the first section of the act. They were to serve in a separate corps, were subject to be called out of their towns by no officer under the rank of colonel, and once in every six months they were to be called out by the captains of com- panies of the training bands to have their arms and accoutre- ment examined. Under the provisions of this act Lyndebor- ough became a part of the Ninth regiment, whereof Daniel Moore of Bedford was colonel. Pursuant to this act Peter Clark
209
THE MILITIA
became captain and Samuel Houston lieutenant of the Lynde- borough company. Both of these men subsequently did heroic work in the cause of liberty. In 1780 a new militia act was passed, but did not differ essentially from the preceding. The next considerable change was made in 1792, after the adoption of the present constitution, wherein it is declared that a " well regulated militia is a proper, natural and sure defense of the state." This act made many changes, and by the new arrange- ment Lyndeborough became a part of the second battalion of the 26th regiment, and in 1796 Daniel Gould was commissioned major of the battalion, while the regiment was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin Pierce of Hillsborough, afterward governor, and the father of President Pierce.
In 1803 several artillery companies were organized and an- nexed to the regiments in the limits in which they were located. It was also provided that there should be at least one company of light infantry or grenadiers to each battalion, and a company of cavalry and also of artillery to each regiment. It was also provided that in forming companies of artillery and cavalry no more than one-eleventh part of any infantry company should enlist therein. It was also made unlawful for any non-commis- sioned officer or private to fire any gun on the day or evening of a muster, in or near any public road, or any house, or on or near the place of parade, without the permission of a commis- sioned officer.
It was also provided that the state should furnish one cannon with carriage, harness and apparatus to each artillery company ; also music, money and colors, that suitable meats and drinks, or thirty-four cents in lieu thereof should be furnished each non- commissioned officer and private, within their several towns, on regimental or battalion musters. Each town was required to be constantly provided with certain amounts of powder, balls, flints and camp kettles, that these companies might constantly be in readiness in case of an emergency.
Such, in brief, were the conditions in 1804, under which the Lafayette Artillery Company was organized. The arrogance, and acts of annoyance by Great Britain, which culminated a few years later in the War of 1812, were stirring the public mind. The people had but won their independence after a long, bloody struggle, and they felt that to preserve their hard-won liberty, they must have a well-drilled militia, and the military spirit ran high. This company was first known as the Artillery Company
210
HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
of the 22nd Regiment, and was not christened the Lafayette Artillery Company until many years later. The early history of this organization is shrouded in the mist of a hundred years. No records of the first twenty years of its existence can be found, if, indeed, there ever were any ; but it would be a story of meet- ings for drill, and of gathering at the muster-field, "armed and equipped as the law directs." Its first cannon, of which there is any record, was an iron four-pounder, and was handled with drag-ropes. This gun was condemned in 1844 as unfit for ser- vice by the inspectors of the 22nd Regiment, and a brass six- pounder was substituted. This gun is now in the possession of the company. It bears the date, 1810, and is famous as the only gun in the state service fit to be fired when the War of the Re- bellion broke out. It was taken to Concord at Governor Gil- more's order, and used to fire salutes. Its voice has been heard on many muster-fields and at many celebrations in the towns in this section of the state. The company has come to regard it with much veneration and affection. It is much to be wished that a description of the first uniform of the company might here be given, but nothing of the kind is available. The members of the company wore side arms prior to 1856, and since that time have carried muskets instead. Those side arms, in part, were a short, broad-bladed sword worn in a belt.
The company was organized in Peterborough, and for a num- ber of years was essentially a Peterborough affair. A majority of its members were Peterborough men ; Lyndeborough came next, and some men were enlisted from other towns. It will be noticed that the commissioned officers for a number of years after its organization were from Peterborough. As the years passed by, Lyndeborough came to the fore in the number of men enlisted. Now, what came about in 1833 is a matter of record, but the causes of the changes in that year are mostly a matter of tradi- tion only. From stories of elderly men, from the fact that two companies appeared on the muster-field in that year, both claim- ing to be the Artillery Company of the 22nd Regiment, it would seem to be a plausible theory that Lyndeborough insisted on having the commissioned officers, and that Peterborough re- sisted, and that there was a quarrel between the men of the two towns, which resulted in a division of the company. The Peter- borough contingent was commanded by Captain Samuel Cary, who had been its captain in 1829-30-31, and the men from Lyndeborough and Wilton were led by Captain Eleazer Put-
211
THE MILITIA
nam. They had borrowed the famous "Molly Stark," a gun owned by the New Boston Artillery Company, together with their uniforms, and it was for Col. Luther Dascomb, who was colonel of the regiment at the time, to decide which was the artillery company of the regiment. Now, whether the fact that some of the men in the Lyndeborough company were from Wil- ton, Col. Dascomb's town, had anything to do with his de- cision, is a matter of conjecture, but, at any rate, he decided in favor of the Lyndeborough company, and since that year (1833) the organization has been known as a Lyndeborough institu- tion. They sent up a squad of men and a pair of horses and captured the old iron field-piece, which was theirs until con- demned as unfit for service.
In connection with the above the following record from the Orderly Book of the company may be of interest : -
WILTON, Dec. 3, 1833.
" We, the undersigned, desirous of becoming an organized Company of Artillery in the twenty-second 'Regiment ' of New Hampshire Militia, do hereby agree to uniform and equip our- selves according to the following plan, viz .: The cap shall be a Bonaparte cap with a black 'Ploom,' the coat Blue and trimmed with yellow ball buttons and yellow worsted cord ; with white pantaloons, with black 'gaters' in Pickets and black stocks, yellow belts for the sword with a belt over the shoulder, and Boots."
Eleazer Putnam Harvey Holt Moses Parmenter
William Holt Wm. Bachelder Samuel Osgood
Ezra Dane David Holt James Marshall
Solomon Cram
Amos M. Whittemore Ezra Ellingwood
John F. Holt Smiley Blood Joseph Karr
Lyman Stone
Dennis Abbott John B. Kidder
William Bayles
Luther Cleaves
John Parker
Isaiah Holt
Then follows the certification of the field officers that the uniform was satisfactory, and that they (the Company) should constitute the Artillery Company of the 22nd Regiment N. H. Militia. Signed by
LUTHER DASCOMB Field Officers 22nd SAMUEL RYAN Jr. § Regt. N. H. Militia
The uniform described above is the oldest that can be re- membered by anyone now living. Mr. Joseph A. Johnson says, "It was probably worn many years prior to 1833."
212
HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
The company was incorporated in 1837 and the following is the notice thereof :
"Notice is hereby given that John F. Holt, John B. Kidder and Amos M. Whittemore, their associates and successors, be and hereby are made a body corporate and politic by the name of the Lafayette Artillery Company in the 22nd Regiment New Hampshire Militia, and that they may hold personal property not to exceed six hundred dollars, and are entitled to all the privileges incident to incorporations of a similar nature, and that John F. Holt, John B. Kidder or Amos M. Whittemore, or either two of them, may call a meeting for making by-laws for the future observance of said Company, not repugnant to the laws of the State, by giving 4 days' notice thereof personally or in writing."
Lyndeborough, Aug. 25, 1837.
(The Adjutant General's office gives it as Jan. 13, 1837.)
In 1840 the ladies of Lyndeborough made a silk flag and presented it to the Company. It was carried many years and although worn and faded it is still treasured by the Company as a souvenir of the past. Some years later the late Col. King of Wilton presented the Company with a staff for this flag, through Amos Herrick, a member of the Company, Col. King being unable to be present at the ceremony. The Company ordered their clerk, Mr. J. A. Johnson, to write Mr. King a letter of thanks for the gift. Another flag was presented by citizens of the town in 1862. It was originally 10x18 feet in size, but has been reduced by wear to 9XII, and is badly tattered and faded.
Feb. 22nd, 1891, at the annual celebration, Mr. Byron Putnam presented a large flag to the Company. Mr. Putnam formally presented the flag and Maj. C. H. Holt accepted in behalf of the citizens and Company. This flag is 12x21 feet.
The earliest roster and roll of membership of which there is any record is that of 1820. It is inserted here as a matter of historical interest.
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
James White, Capt.
Nathan Leathers, Lieut.
Isaac Hadley, Ensign. Sergeant, Benjamin Brackett.
The commissions of these officers were dated April 20, 1820.
PRIVATES.
Charles M. Howe
William Matthews Pliney E. Yer
213
THE MILITIA
Milton Carter
Ahamaaz Jewett
James Howe
Charles Smith
Samuel H. Howe
William Puffer
John Barber
William Breed
Charles Fletcher
Robert White
Mathew Grey
Anson Moore
John J. Holt
William Scott
Silas Barber
Norton Hunt
James Wilder
Isaiah T. Smith
Samuel Gates
Jeremiah Steele
Adam Miller
James H. Swan
Eli Upton
Jonathan Felt
Nathaniel Felt
A large majority of these men were probably from Peter- borough.
From a careful examination of the records it would seem that the following persons were members of the Company from 1833 to 1838 which includes the year of its incorporation :
Eleazer Putnam
Henry Herrick
Amos M. Whittemore
William Holt
Putnam Cram
John S. Hutchinson
Ezra Dane
Sumner Blanchard
Isaac Butterfield
Solomon Cram
George Bales
Sherebiah Manning
John F. Holt
Andrew Harwood
Eben Averill
Lyman Stone
Daniel Holt Herrick
John S. Fuller
William Bales
Rodney Hunt
John Adams Adney C. Searles
William Bachelder
Ezra Ellingwood
Abel Hutchinson
Smiley Blood
Joseph Karr
Charles Osgood
Dennis Abbott
John B. Kidder
Asher Bennett
Luther Cleaves
John Parker
Joshua Rogers
Moses Parmenter
Alvin Upton
Enos Crooker
Samuel Osgood
Joseph H. Ford
Henry A. Abbott
James Marshall
Jesse Read Alonzo W. Stiles
Daniel P. Goldsmith
Sylvester Bradford John I. Carson
Samuel B. Bales
Thomas B. Kidder
Albert Hardy
Josiah Parker Jr.
Franklin H. Kidder
Jonas Wheeler
John Putnamı
Benjamin F. Stevens
Otis R. Fisher
Joseph A. Johnson
John Frye
John R. Fish
James H. Grant
Calvin Holt
Phillip Putnam
This company is now one of the oldest military organizations in the country. Decade after decade it has made its appearance in the camp and on the muster field, and much might be writ- ten of scenes and incidents connected with its history, but the limits of this sketch forbid. It was a part of the New Hamp- shire militia from 1804 until 1866 or thereabouts, when the N. H. National Guard was organized and the old regimental divisions were done away with. From 1866 to 1878 it was a part of the First Regiment N. H. N. G .; in the Second Regi- ment from 1878 until 1882, when it was mustered out of the
Joel H. Tarbell
Carl Searles
Isaiah Holt
John Hutchinson
214
HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
National Guard. As an incorporated independent company it has maintained its organization since.
The Company was mustered into the U. S. service Aug. I, 1864, at Lyndeborough, by Capt. William M. Graham, First Artillery, U. S. A., and was sent to Newcastle, N. H., to do gar- rison duty. It was mustered out Sept. 23, 1864, at Fort Consti- tution, Newcastle, by Thomas S. Dunbar, First Lieut. 14th In- fantry, U. S. A. Previous to this enlistment many of its mem- bers had seen service at the front. This company had 135 men in the service of the United States during the war of the Re- bellion. The first New Hampshire man killed in that war was Harvey Holt, a member of this Company. Its Rolls have con- tained the names of many of Lyndeborough's most honored citizens. Their roll books contain the names of upwards of 700 persons. In 1878 the members of the Company arranged to celebrate the seventy-fourth anniversary of their organiza- tion, and Feb. 22nd, the birthday of the "Father of our Coun- try," was selected, and Joseph Chamberlain, a former captain, made the address. From that year until the present, the day has been celebrated by the Company by a free dinner, an ora- tion, music, speaking by invited guests, and a ball in the even- ing. Its observance has gradually grown until now it is the one day in which the people from all sections of the town get together for a good time. It was through their influence and exertions that the commodious hall at the south village was secured, they contributing liberally to its cost, and also giving the lot of land upon which it is built. Part of it is now used as the Armory. It was erected in 1888.
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