USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Lyndeborough > The history of the town of Lyndeborough, New Hampshire,1735-1905 > Part 5
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But there seems to be evidence that in these years material progress in this town was much interfered with. For, in May, 1747, Rev. Daniel Wilkins, Pastor at Amherst, petitions the Government once more for protection, stating, " That when we began our settlement we apprehended no danger of our ever being a frontier, there being at that time so many above us begun and obligated to fulfill the conditions of the Massachu- setts grants, which occasioned us to settle scattering, only re- garding the advantage of good and compact farms.#
* See Hist. of Rindge, pp. 41 and 42. t Stearns, Ezra S. Hist. of Rindge. Į N. Bouton Town Papers, Vol. IX, pp. 7, 8.
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" That the difficulty of war happening so early on our settlements, and the defenceless condition they were in, has obliged them all, viz., Peterborough, Salem-Canada, New Boston, and Hillsborough (so-called) entirely to draw off,- as well as the forts on the Connecticut river left naked,-where- by we are now left as much exposed as any of the frontiers on Merrimack river.
" That the first year of the present war we were favored with a scout from this province (which we thankfully acknowledge), and Salem Canada with another, which was equally serviceable to us. Since that time both Salem Canada and this place has had a guard from the Massachusetts till the winter passed, together with our inhabitants keeping a constant scout (though much impoverished thereby.)
" That this encouragement has occasioned our venturing here till now.
" That as we are now left without either scout or guard, (we) apprehend we are in imminent danger, yet loath to yield our- selves such an easy prey to our enemies, or suffer ruin by leav- ing our improvements waste, - one whereof we have no reason to think but must unavoidably be our lot unless the govern- ment compassionately grants us protection."*
This indicates that Salem-Canada was a sharer with its neighbors in the fears and inquietudes of the time. Some of the children of the first families in this town were born else- where. "The second child of Ephraim Putnamn was born in Salem ; the oldest child of Melchizedeck Boffee was born in Litchfield ; the oldest son of Jacob Wellman was born in Dun- stable, because, as the family record says, "his parents had gone there on account of the depredations of the Indians."t
A note appended to the historical address of Hon. W. B. Towne published with the account of the centennial cere- monies of the dedication of the meeting-house at Amherst, in 1874, implies that it was almost an act of benevolence on the part of Massachusetts that she "granted military aid to this infant settlement five years after it had been adjudged within the jurisdiction of New Hampshire." It would be unfair to deny Massachusetts the credit of rendering a most excellent service. But did not this act have in it a measure of self- protection ? These infant settlements were the outmost guards,
* Centennial of Amherst Meeting-house, by Dr. J. G. Davis, pp. 13, 14.
f Salem-Canada, pp. 23, 24.
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
the advance posts of civilization; and Massachusetts well knew that if these barriers were burst by the marauding sav- ages, her own homes and firesides could have no assured safety. It argued the rather, a wise and comprehensive policy on her part, that she sent forward her scouts and aided the pioneers to maintain their newly planted, wilderness abodes. Thus could she most effectively secure the safety of her own citizens.
But the citizens of Salem-Canada must endure yet another trial. Many and various petitions are in circulation about this time. Among these was that of Samuel Dustin and others of the Haverhill and Methuen Districts, for which see Batchellor, Vol. XXVII, p. 401, and Vol. XXIX, p. 236. The latter page refers not only to that of Samuel Dustin, but also to one which proved much more mischievous ; for the reason that it was suc- cessful, and also injurious in its results. For this reason I transcribe a copy of it which was forwarded "To the Gentle- men Purchasers and Proprietors of Capt. John Tufton Mason's Right to Lands in ye Province of New Hampshire ; " and was endorsed by Nicholas White and Nathaniel Bartlet.
I give it verbatim et literatim, omitting the preamble :
[Petition for Grant, 1748] [Masonian Papers Vol. 8, p. 127] Portsmouth November 2ª 1748.
" To His Excellency Bening Wintworth Esqr. Capt Generall and Governer In Chief In and over His majesties Province of New Hampshirer To the Honrd Councel In Sd Province
*May it Plees your Excellency & Honners It haveing been Practist to Grant tracts of Lands to Such Persons as Have dun servis In ye wors and In Hopes of obtaining the Like favour wee yoour Humble petitioners would Gest mention Sumthing wee Have dun Sum of us was Present at the taking Poortrial others at Capertoon others In Hopes of Doing Great Servis Inlisted against Canodi and others of us Have Suffered greatly Not onely In ye Present but former wors yet so It Hath hapned No lands have been Given to us as yeat and being Greatly Stratned for want thereof & finding Sum Lands Not Laid out betwixt a place Cold Salem-Canody & a Remote place Cold grotten if your Excellency & Honnours would be Pleased to Grant us out of sd Lands a Nuf for a Small town Ship of Six
* Batch, XXVIII, p. 446.
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or Eight miles Squeare, or So much as you in your Wisdum Shall think Best it would Greatly oblidge your Humble peti- tioners.
Nicholas White Nathaniel Bartlet."
To this petition were fiftyone other names subscribed. It seems to have been the first occasion of the dismemberment of Salem-Canada. Three days later, the following obligation was assumed by Col. Joseph Blanchard of Dunstable :
Portsmouth November 5th 1748.
*"Gentn the Proprs of Masons Grant &c ª
Whereas I the Subscriber have this day Recd your Request and Authority to Lay out into townships the Lands As therein described And to Admit Setlers at my descretion And On Such Conditions on your behalf as I Shall think Equitable I hereby Oblidge my Self to Reserve on Quarter part at the least And As much more as the Expediency of the Setlement will Allow of &c the township to be Allotted out and the Setlers at the whole Charge therein And will Con- stantly Acquaint You with my proceedings thereing
I am Vr Humb Sert
Jos. Blanchard."
Again, under date of Nov. 30, 1748, he (Jos. Blanchard ) sent a letter from Dunstable to " The Venerable Society of Mason Hall," after having entered upon his work as their agent, in which he stated, " I have wrote to the Proprietors' Clerk of Groton and the Proprietors Clerk of Town- shend, Intimating ye Authority you gave me, Particularly that at my Dis- cretion I was to Admit Inhabitants, and if they inclined to Setle I should Accommodate them as far as I Could in faithfulness to my trust provided I had their Answer in twenty days to the Same purpose I have Wrote Collo Berry one of ye Principal Proprietors of New Ipswich and to Sev- erall of the Proprietors of Rowley Canada, Desireing a positive Answer. This has sufficiently Allarmi'd the vicinity, And Application has already been made for twice the Quantity of Land you Left with me to dispose of . .. Iapprehend I Shall Quietly Succeed, unless Collo Berry be Poutey and Sullen on Behalf of New Ipswich, Which Since I have entered upon it Desire under your directions my Liberty may be Continued to Setle with him, or Any Others that Shall be Obstinate. The Writings I'm not Capable of forming, shall depend on them being done at Ports- mouth. The Proprietors of Souhegan West, Since I was at Portsmouth have Divided their Com'ons and I hear bid Defiance to your Title, if no Notice be taken of them I apprehend it will have An ill effect and per- haps create you a Squabble with many other towns, and your Setting up your Bristles early might put an end to it. (but as to yt you know best what to do. )"+
And they proceeded to set them up quite early, as the follow- ing communication will show.
* Batch, XXIX, pp. 232, 233. + Batch, XXIX, p. 234.
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
Portsmouth Decr 3ª 1738
S' We have both your Letters before us as to that of ye 30th of the last month for which we are obliged we greatly approve of your Scheme and ye Progress you have made and hereby give you full Power of agreeing with any person of note that can be Serviceable in Securing ye Peace and Quiet of the Settlers either in New Ipswich or other Town as to Souhe- gan West if they should be troublesome they can expect no favor from this Society and we shall soon prosecute Some of the foremost in the Opposition which if you think proper please to inform them of and let us know the men."*
+Further ; in response to an overture for settlement from the inhabi- tants of New Boston in May 1751, the Masonian proprietors voted June 10, 1751, that "Joseph Blanchard Esq. be and hereby is Authorized and fully impowered to Settle agree and Compound all Claims and Demands Differences Disputes and Controversies whatsoever made being and Sub- sisting between the Said Proprietors and the Claimers of the Said Tract of land under the Said Government as fully and amply to all Intents and purposes as said Proprietors themselves."#
Again; those proprietors voted in November of the same year 1751, in regard to towns No. I, No. 2, New Ipswich, and Peterboro Slip, so called, that, "in as much as the Said Joseph Blanchard hath been at much trouble Cost and Charge in managing carrying on and Effecting the Said Business and whereas in each of the said Tracts of land so granted one of the Said Reserved Shares is drawn by and entered to the said Joseph Blanchard Therefore, Voted That all the Right and Interest of the Said Proprietors of in and to each of the said shares so drawn by and entered to the Said Joseph Blanchard Shall be and hereby is granted unto him the Said Joseph Blanchard to have & to hold the Same unto him the Said Joseph Blanchard his heirs and Assigns in Severalty for his Service in doing the aforesaid Business."S
The petition before cited, of Nicholas White, Nathaniel Bartlet and others, seems to have received speedy attention ; for early in June of the following year, Joseph Blanchard made such an assault upon the south side of the old town of Salem- Canada as has never ceased to grieve and annoy many of its worthy citizens. At an adjourned meeting of the Salem- Canada proprietors in Salem, Mass., June 27, 1749, it was voted, that, " Whereas the committee heretofore chosen to treat with Col. Joseph Blanchard relating to the claimers under Mason (according to their verbal reports) have not agreed with him; Therefore, Voted, the Hon. Benjamin Lynde, Joseph Blaney, Benjamin Pickman Esq. and Maj. Joshua Hicks a committee to confer with said Blanchard, and make the best enquiry with the claimers and also their demand ; and to agree
*Batch, Vol. XXVII, pp. 63 and 64.
#Batch, XXIX, p. 441.
+Hist. of New Boston, p. 67. §Batch, Vol. XXIX, p. 437.
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SALEM-CANADA
and settle with him in behalf of said claimers on the best terms they can in behalf of the Proprietors ; to the which agreements the said Propriety determine to abide by, and this vote shall be the said Committee's power to effect the same."*
Daniel Epes Jun Pro. Clerk.
From the last mentioned date till Jan. 22, 1753, no entry is made in the records of Salem-Canada. But on May 1, 1753, it was voted by the proprietors " to choose a committee of seven persons to effect the settlement of the Propriety in securing the whole land laid out and to be laid out, according to the pro- prietors agreement with Joseph Blanchard Esq., as also the building of a meeting-house according to said agreement, and to get a plan of the land and lots when laid out, to transmit a list of persons admitted into said Propriety to said Blanchard, and to get a patent of said lands drawn and executed by said claimers under Mason, and to do what may be thought proper and to the advantage of the propriety." The committee chosen were :
Hon. Benjamin Lynde, Esq. Benjamin Pickman Esq. Daniel Epes Jun. Joseph Blaney Esq. Maj. Joshua Hicks Mr. Stephen Putnam, & Mr. Benjamin Goodhue.
Committee.
The time which elapsed between June, 1749, and March 20, 1753, seems to have been passed in trying to effect an agree- ment, which appears to have been accomplished only with great difficulty. The indications point to a coercion of the commit- tee by the agent, into consent to a procedure which was in no way agreeable to them. There was no escape from the validity of Mason's claims, nor from the clutches of those who had purchased his rights. If the Salem-Canada settlers wished to retain their lands, new titles to them must be secured. The agent of the Masonian proprietors was empowered to make terms at his discretion; and his discretion in this instance seems to have been to make their surrender of a large tract of Salem-Canada township, a condition of obtaining a charter for the residue of the town. An exaction like this the committee could not have endured except under dire pressure. Their ac- quiescence in it was evidence of their inability to do better.
* Props. Rs, 1749.
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
Having thus, Shylock like, exacted his pound of flesh, blood and all, the agent took and joined it to the tract called Groton Gore, and constituted the new township which he called No. 2, which at a later day was chartered by the Provincial Govern- ment under the name of Wilton.
*It may be interesting to note that in the new town, Mr. Blan- chard was both a grantor and grantee, thereby being entitled to draw six lots. His lots were numbered on the original plan of Wilton, 8 in each of ranges three and four, 20 in range two, 5 in range four, 10 in range three, and 4 in range eight. Thus he was permitted to draw equal rights with the Masonian pro- prietors in every town which he succeeded in organizing. The more towns, the more farms and money for the agent and his venerable principals. Groton Gore might easily have been parcelled out to Monson or Raby or to Peterborough Slip, as a portion of it was at a later day, and it would have made a wel- come addition to their scant territory. But that course, would not add the farms and pounds sterling to the property of the grantors and their agent. They would gain much more by striking at the heart of Salem-Canada, and compelling it to deliver up some of its choice treasures, both of land and inhab- itants, to construct with them township number two. The latter scheme would result in much greater profit to the gran- tors ; and the multilated town would do better to refrain from being "pouty or sullen " about it, like Col. Berry.
In its attempt to settle with this agent, Amherst learned that charters were "costly things," although her inhabitants were required to pay but fifty-one shillings sterling money, each, to the grantors, and three shillings like money to the committee for " time Expenses and trouble in procuring " the grant. t
# The grantees of New Ipswich were less favored, for they had to "pay fourteen Pounds Cash, old tenor " at the executing of their grant. But these expenses were still moder- ate compared with those of the town called number one (Mason.) This, though entitled to rank first in accordance with its number, was placed a full calendar month behind num- ber two, in the date of its charter. And again, while no ex- pense of settlement is stated in regard to the latter, the expense for each settler in number one, was "thirty pounds Cash Old Tenor." No definite statement of the cost of Salem-Canada's
* Batch, Vol. XXVIII, pp. 450 to 453 and plan. + Batch, XXVII, 72.
# Batch., XXVIII, 117.
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SALEM-CANADA
charter has been discovered. But there is little reason to sup- pose that there was any omission of expense, or that the cum- brous document was conferred as a gratuity.
The Masonian proprietors and their agent do not, however, seem to have been wholly unconscionable in their dealings with Salem-Canada .* For, they made a pretence of adding to it on the north as much territory as they took away on the south. The sop was unsatisfying. How thoroughly the adding of it was a pretence is shown, when less than two years later, a large portion of it was annexed to New Boston, thereby mak- ing that town "Seven miles long by six miles broad." t
The New Boston charter shows that, beside his own allow- ance for service, the agent further secured that one half right in the New Boston settlement should be granted to Joseph Blanchard, Jr., then twenty-two years of age, and together with this, "two Lotts in the Great Meadow," requiring that the reservations for him, Joseph Blanchard, Jr., should be like those of the grantors," free from all Dutys, Taxes, Charges, or Expence whatsoever until improved by the Owner or Owners, or some holding under them." In view of the recent generous addition made to its territory, New Boston would surely be very ungrateful to refuse Joseph Blanchard, Jr., a trifle like that.
More attention has been given this man than his merits warrant, or that he would have received, but for the great injury which he did to the early settlers. That the injury was deeply felt from time to time by the citizens of Lyndeborough will occasion little surprise to persons fully informed in regard to the facts. Their sense of the injury done the town is on record in a remonstrance against a further division of the town, which was presented to the legislature in 1784, bearing the honored names of Levi Spaulding, Ephraim Putnam, and Peter Clark. They state, that "there was a large piece of the Town taken off from the South part of Said Town and Added to Wilton, by Joseph Blanchard Esq" who was agent for the Masonian Proprietors, which was a great dammage to this Town." These worthies did not state all the respects in which it was a damage. But to us it is clear ; first, that it weakened the settlement at a time when it was far from strong, and that too while a cruel Indian war was distressing it; secondly, it gave Wilton many choice farms, together with some of the fore- most citizens ; thirdly, it added territory on the north, and thus
* Batch. XXVIII, p. 59.
+ New Boston H'y, p. 68.
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
left the mountain near the middle of the town, separating its inhabitants and making united action very difficult ; and fourthly, the people, thus separated, felt it necessary to seek better con- veniences elsewhere, and consequently a series of disruptions commenced which has harassed the town even to the present day.
The old town continued its course as best it could under this great disadvantage. The committee chosen to treat with Joseph Blanchard did not complete their negotiations till Dec. 5, 1753. They then succeeded in obtaining that cumbrous and formidable document known as the charter of the Masonian proprietors. It is as follows :
CHARTER OF LYNDEBOROUGH, 1753 .*
Province of New Hampr.
Pursuant to the Power and Authoriy granted And vested in me the Subscriber by the Prop's of Lands Purchased of John Tufton Mason Esq" in the Province of New Hampshire At their meeting Regularly Called for that Purpose,-
I do by these Presents On the terms And Conditions with the res- ervations herein After Expressed Give And Grant All the Right title property And Possession of the Proprs aforesd According to the fol- lowing Proportions of Interest vizt to Benjamin Lynd's Esq four Shares Benjamin Pickman Esqr three Shares Robert Hooper Esq One Share, to the Heirs and Assigns of Joseph Sweat Esq Six Shares to Joseph Blaney Esq two Shares Samuel Wells Esq two Shares Daniel Epps Junr. Esqr two Shares Major Joshua Hicks two Shares Benjamin Goodhew three Shares Thomas Fletcher Two Shares Joseph Richardson two Shares George Goold two Shares Ephraim Ingalls Two Shares And to the fol- lowing Persons vizt Joseph Bowdage Esq Josiah Bowers Stephen Puttnam the Heirs of James Lendall Esq late Deceased Jonathan Bowers Major John Fowle John Bickford William Holt Moses Graves Oliver Fletcher Esq Timothy Cumings to Mrs Hannah Cobbit Joseph Clough David Stinson Daniel Nickolls Robert Swan, And Jonathan Peal to Which Sev- enteen One Share Each of in And to a tract of Land in the Province of New Hampl aforesd Containing by Estimation twenty eight Thousand Acres Part thereof Heretofore Called Salem-Canada the Whole tract Bounded As follows, Beginning at the Northeast Corner of a tract of Land Called Duxbury School Farm And in the line of that tract or town- ship Called Souhegan West from thence running West by the Needle One mile two Hundred And Eighty Rods to the East line of a tract of Land Called Nomber two from thence North by the Needle four Hundred And ninety Eight Rods to the Northeast Corner of Sd Nº two from thence west by the Needle by Sd Nº 2 five miles to a White Ash marked the Corner of Petersborough Slip And of Nº 2: And from thence west by the Needle two Hundred and Forty Rods by Sd Petersborough Slip to a Beach tree
* Farmer's MSS. Town Papers, Vol. 4, p. 275 ; Batch., XXVII, p. 401.
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SALEM-CANADA
Marked from thence North by the Needle Six miles and Three Quarters to a tree Marked for the Corner of Sd tract from Thence East by the Needle three miles and One quarter to a tree marked in the Western line of New Boston from thence South by that line One mile And An half to the most Southwesterly Corner of New Boston aforesd from thence East by Sd New Boston line three miles One hundred And twenty rods to a Black 'Oak marked Still by Said New Boston line & runs South two miles And An half To a Stump and Stones from thence East One mile And Eighty rods to the northwest Corner of that tract Called Southegun west aforesd from thence South by the line of Said Souhegun west four miles One Hundred And twenty-three rods to the Bounds first men- tioned, & to all the Bounds aforesd lett Either of the lines aforesd be more or less. Which tract of Land or Township Shall from this time be Called Lyndes Borough, the Premises aforesd under the terms & Condi- tions with the Reservations hereafter express, (that is to Say) that the Grantees afored According their Respective Shares (exceping as hereafter excepted, have twenty One Thousand & thirty Acres Part of the aforesd twenty eight Thousand Acres As the Whole of the grantees part of the Premises in the following manner vizt that each of the Grantees named in the Schedule hereunto annexed Own And Enjoy the Severall And Re- spective lotts to their names Respectively affixed, As part of their Shares, That the following Severall Lotts, (And to be part of the Grantees proportion aforesd) be grauted As aforesd free from Duty Set- tlement or taxes in Bringing forward or Compleating the duty as the Conditions of this grant to the Severall Persons hereafter named As fol- lows To David Badger the lott Nº 117, to Francis Densmore the lott Nº 106 to Bartholomew Jackson lott Nº 100, To John Skead the lott Nº 50, To Paul Raymond the lott Nº 99, Which lotts Contain by estimation one Hundred And thirty Acres each And is part of the Second Division for- merly laid out in Sd tract, To James Twadle in the Right formly Edward Fladre the Home lot Called 24 East with An Addition Round About it of Sixty four Acres to Compleat the quantity of One Hundred And thirty Acres to Deacon Nathaniel Puttnam Peter Martin & George Dealands Heirs to Each One lott, to be lay'd Out in the undivided Lands which three lotts Are to Contain One Hundred And thirty Acres each And to Benjamin Lynde As Assignee to John Dale Sent the home lot Nº 21 And One Hundred and Twenty Acres to be lay'd out in the Undivided Lands Which Sd persons in their Capacitys as above Shall be Intitled to no further part of ye Premises.
That Out of the Grantees Proportion there be three Shares more granted One for the first Settled Minister And One for Ministry And One for the Schole there forever Which Said Shares Shall be And Contain in the Severall And Respective lotts entered in the Scheedule hereunto Annexed As their Whole & Respective Shares & Shall be free of Duty of Settlement And all taxes in performing the Condi(ti)ons* of this Grant.
To have and to hold to them their Heirs & Assigns forever under the following Conditions with ye Reservations hereafter mentioned Vizt.
That there be reserved out of said Tract, One Farm of Five Hundred Acres, at the South-Westerly Corner of said Tract and also One Hundred
*ti is probably omitted by misprint in Bachellor, XXVII, 403.
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
and Fifty Acres, Adjoining on that Corner of ye Township that Bounds on New Boston West Line, & One Hundred and Fifty Acres as discribed in ye Plan of Said Tract
And that there be further reserved to and for the use of ye Grantors, their Heirs and Assigns, Free of all Charge and Incumbrance of Settle- ment or Taxes, until improved by the Owners, or by them sold, Six Thousand and Sixty Six Acres, and laid out into Nineteen Equal shares at the Charge of ye Grantees, in ye following manner Vizt That there be in ye next best Accommodations of ye undivided Lands, Three Thousand Six Hundred and Sixty Acres, laid out for the Grantors aforesaid, for Quantity and Quality, with ye Lands already laid out, in Nineteen Equal shares, as aforesaid and that there shall be next laid out, in ye said undi- vided Lands so much to each Grantee, who has not his full Proportion in ye Lands already laid out, and set in ye Schedule, as shall make their respective shares equal with the rest.
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