USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Derry > Willey's book of Nutfield; a history of that part of New Hampshire comprised within the limits of the old township of Londonberry, from its settlement in 1719 to the present time > Part 27
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An examination of the records of the town of Londonderry in respect to the original occupa- tion of the High Range and adjoining lands dis- closes the fact that while the allotments were not made until the town had been settled nearly twenty ycars, the samc names appear in the schedule. Some of these proprietors appear to have considered the acquisition of territory a source of revenue, and the' wisdom of their judg- ment is generally manifested in the long contin- uance of the ancestral name in the community. As an instance of this characteristic and of this persist- ence of name, it may be noted that Abram Holmes was the proprictor of a homestead of sixty acres of land in the Eayers Range, and for his second division he received a farm that was called forty acres, morc or less, and measured cighty acres, being onc hun- dred and sixty rods long and eighty rods wide ; also one acre and one hundred and forty-five rods of meadow at Bear hill, just west of Samucl Mor- rison's lot ; also a meadow of thirty-five rods near
John McClurg's lot ; also seventy rods of meadow between the lots of John Wallacc and John Givean ; also thirty rods of meadow between John Wallace's and David Morrison's lot. These mea- dows were scattered widely and must have been harvested with considerable difficulty. Under date of Oct. 28, 1720, there is upon record the state- ment that Abram Holmes had not complied with the homestead conditions and had requested the committee of public affairs to allow him until the first of January to make a settlement upon his lot. Permission was granted, with the understanding that he must settle then or the lot would be dis- posed of to others ready to make immediate settlement :
Londonderry November 30th 1736. Then laid out to Abra- ham Holmes ninety acres of land for twenty eight acres of good land which is thirteen acres of amendment land, said land lieth north of Bear meadow in said town : beginning at a pine tree marked standing at a meadow that goes by the name of Cald- well's meadow, then west one hundred and sixty three rods to a maple tree marked, then north one hundred and three rods by marked trees to a stake and stones, then east one hundred and sixty three rods to a pine tree marked J. H. then south to the bounds first mentioned. Note there are four acres of land in said bounds reserved for a highway to the town where they see cause to lay it out, in said land, and this with some land in Canada is full satisfaction for the amendment land of the afore- said Holmes. Note: all the corners are marked J. H. John Archibald, James Rogers, John Wallace, committee. Recorded this Sth of September, 1738. Pr. JOHN WALLACE.
Town Clerk.
At a meeting of the proprietors of Londonderry June Ist 1738, the foregoing record was read and approved of by the pro- prietors aforesaid for the aforesaid Abraham Holmes' benefit and his assigns forever. Attest per JOHN WALLACE.
Town Clerk.
21
233
Abreun Holinès Finely acre's Child out in Londonderry Non by 30, 1736. Recorded Sept 81738
David Mac Allister Sixteen acres laice out in Londonderry any 20173 Record fr ist 31738
Lo David 9. Thomas Boytes Three hundred and tin acres lund out in
Londonderry November. 14, 1728
Recorddect January 4,729
Jo Stephen Perce Wamuel Chorrisom Thirty acres laid out Non 71736 Recorded March 31. 1740
To Andrew Spalding ninety acres laid out in Londonderry Hec 6,1730 Recorded June 30 1738
Galdu
1
To Matthew Clark One hundred and Sixty acres laid out in Londonderry Fabry 23 1730 Recorded March 11,1739
Bear Muadow
To Samuel Barr!
utch
June Lui
Tree marked
-
il buch tu
1
William Aiku 150 acres
To Samuel Houston One hundred and ! forty four acres land out in Londonderry June 25,1729 Recorded January 24th 1730
To James Gregg Benjamin Kidder Henry Green one hundred and seventy five acres! land out in Londonderry January 7, 1731 Recorded Fabry 12, 17:3/
Farid Gargell's Land
boid out in Londondury
Recorded June 23, 1429 forly acres, June 17,1720, Two hundred and
map of a portion of the High Range Fand Moose Hill" prepared and drawn by the Reept J. G. mc murphy all rights reserved.
John Goff's Land
0 2,5 50 75 100 one hundred rods
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Junky 3, 1738 Record June , 1738
November 30 17300 lanature
Recorded Baht 81738,
five twenty acre meadow
1
-
ham Holmes Eighty acres, land. out in Londonderry, hinity acres laid out in Londonderry SeAbraha
Samuel Lords Can , Pravidly yo meada,
1
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Found Morrison Two hundred and forty four acres laid out in Londonderry January 13 1729 Recorded May 13, 1724
meadow
,
MAP OF A PORTION OF THE HIGH RANGE AND MOOSE HILL.
235
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
Londonderry. November 30th 1736. Then laid out to Abraham Holmes ninety acres of land for twenty two acres of good land which is for eleven acres of amendment land, said land is situated and lieth in Londonderry aforesaid south west of the five-and-twenty acre meadow, beginning at a pitch pine tree marked standing on the line of David Morrison's land from thence south-west-by-south one hundred and sixty six rods by marked trees to a pitch pine tree marked J. H. from thence south east eighty two rods by marked trees to pitch pine tree marked J. H. and bounding on the common land, thence north- east-by-north to the five-and-twenty acre meadow to a stake and stones, then up said meadow bounds thirty nine rods to said Morrison's land, then southwest about twenty five rods to a pitch pine tree marked, then northwest to the bounds first men- tioned. Note that there are four acres of land in said bounds reserved for a highway to the town where they see cause to lay it out. Also note that the laid out meadows in said bounds are reserved to their owners. John Archibald, James Rogers, John Wallace, Committee. Recorded this 8th of September 1738.
Pr. JOHN WALLACE, Town Clerk.
At a meeting of the proprietors of Londonderry June Ist 1738 the foregoing record was read and approved of by the aforesaid proprietors for the aforesaid Abraham Holmes' benefit and his assigns forever. Attest pr JOHN WALLACE, Town Clerk.
In the allotment of land to Abram Holmes the reader is made acquainted with a common feature of the records. There were other proprie- tors who received much more land, but this is an average amount, and the name has remained to the present. The farm of ninety acres laid out to Abraham Holmes at the north end of the High Range at this present time is divided into several parts and owned by Plummer, Grecly, Gage, and McAllester. All except Daniel Gage of Lowell arc townspeople. Jonathan McAllester, a lineal descendant of David McAllester, owns a portion and lives near by on his ancestral domains cast of Bear meadow on the road leading to the High Range over Moose hill. David Morrison was a brother-in-law to David McAllester, and within ten years of the time the two hundred and forty acres were laid out to him, or about the period of his brother-in-law's settlement in Londonderry, con- veyed a large portion of this land to him, and there the name of McAllester has remained for more than a hundred and fifty years.
The farm next south of Abraham Holmes, laid out to Stephen Pierce and Samuel Morrison, is owned by George Plummer. Stephen Pierce,
who was the grandfather of President Franklin Picrcc, as a proprietor under the charter, received a homestead between the English Range and the Three Quarter Mile Range.
The farm assigned to Andrew Spalding has been divided into many portions. One portion was known as the Dismoor farm. Bennett, Hurd, and Greely about cover the limits of the original lot. Matthew Clark was a large landholder and left his sons many farms in various parts of the town. His homestead was located in the English Range. He was drowned accidentally at Amos- keag Falls, May 28, 1731, and his estate passed to his heirs soon after this lot of one hundred and sixty acres of land was assigned to him.
The present owners of the Matthew Clark lot are Lowd, Miller, Towns, and Farley. Samuel Houston's lot descended to the Caldwells, and Bolles, perhaps, although it is not always clearly evident that certain boundaries are original, and the former lincs of division cannot be ascertained without actual surveys.
It is traditionally affirmed that Charles S. Pillsbury occupies the original lot of James Gregg and Benjamin Kidder. At the date of the laying out of this lot of one hundred and seventy-five acres to Gregg and Kidder the southern boundary was recorded as touching on John Goffe's land. The clerical ambiguity is permitted to remain in the spelling of the name, as no person can identify the owner at the present time, and the land was soon afterward assigned to John Woodburn and John Senter, two persons whose histories are indelibly impressed upon the lives and memories of many generations.
The highway leading southward across the easterly ends of the High Range farms was a very important line of communication before the con- struction of the Mammoth road. It connected at the south end with the old Dunstable path, now known as the Nashua road from Derry.
The lot of eighty acres laid out to Samuel Barr came into the possession of the family of Peter Patterson and remaincd a long time in their name. They also obtained a part of the Cargill land, the upper portion, and Thomas Patterson died there a few years ago. The greater part of the Cargill land was eventually converted into
236
WILLER'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
farms, and by patient industry became the cul- the country in 1730, and if eredence is to be given tivated and valuable homesteads of the Boyds. to the reports of some of the oldest residents of that part of the town, those piteh pine trees marked with initials of owners on one or more sides stood a long time, in fact were of longer duration than the generation that saw them marked and registered. Col. Calvin and Mason Boyd, making extensive improvements on their farms, erecting large build- ings, raising large families, and dying at an advanced age, are worthily remembered and hou- ored by their townsmen.
As stated, a portion of David Morrison's lot was deeded to David McAllester, and upon that Jonathan MeAllester now lives.
There was at the date of the allotment of land a large area of meadow. Some of these meadow areas are represented on the map with names, but ten times the number are re- eorded in the Pro- prietors' Book. Among these meadows per- haps the five-and- twenty aere mea- dow is a fair speei- men. It was di- vided into innu- merable parts, and the carly settlers living several miles distant were anxious to have even a small por- tion of a few square rods in this meadow. Some- times these mea- dows were four or five miles in length, extending throughout the whole course of a river, brook, or ereek, and only a few rods wide at the widest, and for some portions of the stream the width was inconsiderable.
Some care has been taken to indieate the eor- ner bounds of these old allotments of land, as adding an interest in the map to those who have had any experience in surveying, or derive pleasure from the perusal of old deeds, or enjoy the recog- nition of a landmark that was old in the days of their grandfathers. The pitch pine tree was a common bound in the records of this section of
The two par- sonages and ehurelies on the Mammoth road, and the soldiers' monument and Glenwood eem- etery, are all lo- eated on the Mor- rison land. The two houses and other buildings of the Maeks are on this traet, with the greater part of their farms. The Maek farms inelude a portion of the lot granted to Andrew Todd, and among the relies found in Robert C. Maek's antiquarian eol- leetion is a pow- der horn pieked up in the woods near his house, with such engravings and letters traeed in the horn that he believed it to have been the property of Lieut. Andrew Todd.
SCHOOLHOUSE IN DISTRICT NO. I, LONDONDERRY.
It has been noted that this part of the town was allotted nearly twenty years after the settle- ment, but it remains to point out to the reader that the meadows were appropriated as early as any land in the township, and probably were eut and harvested for more than forty years before the Nutfield colony thought of seeuring a elaim upon them. The people of Haverhill continued to
237
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
maintain their rights to meadows in the easterly part of the town, and the people of Dracut, Tyngs- borough, and Dunstable contended for the west and the south for many years after the eharter of King George I. granted a township to this eolony in the name of Londonderry.
July 28, 1723, there was laid out to James Blair one acre and ninety rods of meadow in the upper end of Bear meadow, bounded by the upland and by stakes that bounded some meadow of James Leslie. As James Blair lived in the English Range, he must have travelled twelve miles, counting both ways, for a day's work harvesting hay in that meadow, unless he sold his right to others. The same day there was laid out and recorded to James Leslie one acre and seventy rods of meadow in Bear meadow bounded by stakes between James Blair on the north and James Lindsey and Matthew Clark on the south. Looking at the records again, it is seen that James Lindsey had for his share one acre and a half of the meadow at Bear meadow at the lower end and bounded on Leslie and Clark by stakes. Sir James Leslie lived in the English Range, as did also James Lindsey and the others. On the same date there was laid out to Matthew Clark at Bear meadow one acre and a quarter of meadow bounded by stakes on Samuel Houston and James Lindsey, and thus every reeord adds a new name to the list of owners to a small meadow that not one of the proprietors lived within six miles of, and in a region not appropriated or platted into farms for many years afterward. This was an unsettled region and the bear, moose, and wolves, with other smaller beasts, still elaimed the privi- lege of pieking berries, or browsing upon the tender shrubs, and other benefaetions of nature not yet claimed by man.
It is quite probable that John Goffe is the earlier form of a familiar name. And it is alleged on good authority that John Goffe was a refugee in this eountry prior to the settlement of the Nut- field colony, being one of the three famous regieides of history (Wheaton, Whalley, and Goffe) that were concealed in Connecticut for a time. John Goffe may have been a squatter or a home- steader on the theory of oceupation eventually seeuring a title, for it appears that the old book of
records, called erroncously, perhaps, the Propric- tors' Book, contains these entries, subjoined for the delectation of those who are interested in searching out the footsteps of marked individuals : "John Goffe, Jr., was born March 16th, 1700; Hannah Goffe was born Feb. 4th, 1705-6; Sarah Goffe was born Aug. 19, 1709; Mary Goffe was born April 12, 1711." At the time these children were born to John Goffe, neither Londonderry nor Nutfield was here, but with the families of Butter- field, and Smith, and Graves, and Phillips, and others, they were here in anticipation.
THRIFT AND SORROW do not seem to
be necessarily incompatible. It is related of one of the early settlers of that part of Nutfield called Kilrea, that she was a very industrious woman and that her natural bent of character was shown at her husband's funeral. While the corpse was awaiting the rites of burial, she ealled out, impatient of delay : " Hand me the spinning wheel, and I will draw a thread while the crowd are gathering." Just as philosophical as she was Old Mellows, who lived north of the cemetery on Graveyard hill. His wife had gone on a visit to Beverly, and on returning in a rickety old chaise she was thrown out and her neck broken. At the funeral, two days later, the afflicted husband remarked that had it not been for "the little delay at Beverly, Betsey would be with us on this great oceasion."
COURT HOUSE, MANCHESTER.
HON. JOHN GAULT CRAWFORD.
H JON. JOHN GAULT CRAWFORD, son of meetings and raising volunteers. Enlisting in September as a private in the Second Michigan Cavalry, he was appointed sergeant major and later was commissioned lieutenant and detailed as battalion adjutant by Philip H. Sheridan, who was then colonel of the regiment. Returning to Michigan in 1863, he raised a company for the tenth cavalry and was commissioned captain by Governor Blair. He was in twenty engagements and was twiee wounded. In 1864 lie was elected to the Michigan state senate and served two years. He was admitted to the bar in 1865 at Pontiac, Mich., and to the United States court in 1867. Removing to Laneaster, N. H., in 1870, he practiced law until 1881, when he was ap- pointed by President Gar- field United States consul at Coatieook, Canada, holding that office three years and winning a repu- tation as one of the most efficient consuls in the serviee. He came to Manchester in 1890 and has been engaged in the practice of his profession ever sinee. Mr. Craw- HON. JOHN G. CRAWFORD. ford has been on the stump in every campaign sinee 1856, and being an eloquent and earnest advocate of Republican prin- eiples, he has rendered inealeulable service to his party. His reputation as a public speaker is by no means confined to New Hampshire, for he has been in great demand as a campaign orator in Michigan, Massachusetts, Vermont, and other states. The voters of 137 towns have listened to him, and many elose distriets have been carried for his tieket by his masterly presentation of the Hosea W. and Caroline M. (Gault) Craw- ford, was born in Oakham, Mass., April 21, 1834. His ancestors, who came to America in 1713, were among the first settlers of Rutland, Mass. Aaron Crawford, the first of that name in this country, and his wife, Agnes Wilson, were Scotch-Irish. The family is descended from Alexander, the second son of Sir Mal- eolm Crawford of Kil- birny, Scotland, "the fif- teenth in descent from Jo- hannes de Craufurd, who lived about the year 1140, and is the first one of the name of whom there is any record. John G. Crawford is of the twenty- sixth generation from Jo- hannes. His great-grand- father was a captain in the Revolutionary war and was present at the capture of Burgoyne. His grand- father also served in the Continental army for a time near the elose of the struggle for inde- pendenee. John G. Craw- ford's early educational advantages were limited to the distriet schools of his town, with a few terms at the academy. In the spring of 1855 he went to Kansas, when the territory was first opened to settlement, and took an aetive part in the struggle with the border ruffians, serving with General Lane and John Brown. Returning to Massachusetts in 1856, he resumed his studies and in 1859 entered the law office of J. M. Gorham of Barre, Mass., continuing his legal studies and teaching winters until the spring of 1861, when he went to Michigan on a visit. A few days after his arrival there Fort Sumter was fired on, and Mr. Crawford immediately began addressing war issues. April 16, 1863, Mr. Crawford married
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
239
Emma Tindall in Michigan; after her death he was married, June 30, 1867, to Abbie T. Stevens of Franklin, Mass., and on April 30, 1885, his second wife having died, he was united in marriage to Mary A. Harrington of Woreester, Mass. Hc has one daughter, Carrie E., born Sept. 30, 1870. Mr. Crawford is a member of the Masonie frater- nity and of Louis Bell Post, G. A. R. He attends the Hanover-Street Congregational ehureh.
C OL. ANDREW C. WALLACE was born in Antrim Oct. 26, 1820. He is a great- grandson of Deaeon Isaae Cochran, who was an officer in the Revolutionary war and who was present at the surrender of Burgoyne. Deaeon Cochran built the first two-story house in the town of Antrim, where he settled in 1785. Col. Wallace lived in his native town until he was seven- teen years of age, when his father, who was a earpenter, removed to Bedford. Here he worked
at his father's trade until he became of age, and coming later to Manchester he was in the employ of Baldwin & Stevens until 1848, when he pur- chased their machinery and started in business for himself, manufacturing sash, doors, and blinds. He was burned out in 1852, and he then removed to Littleton, where he remained about a year engaged in business. Returning in the spring of 1853, he established himself on Main street, where he has ever sinee been located and where he earries on a large business in the manufacture and sale of lumber. He has ereeted several business bloeks and is a large real estate owner. Col. Wallaee has always been greatly interested in the fire department and in the state militia. From 1848 until 1882 he was a member of the fire department, and for eight years was on the board of engineers. He was an active member of the old Stark Guard, and a charter member of the Amoskeag Veterans, being major commanding of
168
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COL. A. C. WALLACE AND HIS LUMBERMEN.
2.40
WILLET'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
the latter organization when it visited the centen- nial exposition in 1876. In politics, Col. Wallace has been one of the most efficient workers and wisest leaders of the Republican party, and his efforts have many times enabled that party to carry the city. He was a member of the board of alder- men in 1857-58 and in 1881-82, and of the state legislature in 1856, '71, and '72. Other honors have frequently been urged upon him, but he has declined them all. Since its organization he has been a valued member of the water commission.
COL. A. C. WALLACE.
As a breeder and owner of blooded road and trot- ting horses, Col. Wallace is one of the best known men in New England. Few men possess sueh execllent judgment coneerning horses as he, and his opinion is frequently sought. For years he owned the noted stallion Ned Wallace, whose record was 2.25, the fastest trotter of his day in New Hampshire. Col. Wallace was president of the Manchester Driving Park Company for several years and has perhaps done more than any other one man to promote the interests of the trotting turf in this vicinity.
LIORACE GREELEY'S VISIT .- Horace Greeley visited Londonderry in the autumn of 1832. He was then about twenty-one years old, tall, pale, and thin, somewhat awkward, but dignified and manly. Making the home of John Dickey his headquarters for more than a week, he visited his relatives and old acquaintances in the neighborhood, starting out in the morning and returning at night. His evenings were spent in reading or telling stories in his quaint and pleasing way. Sometimes sights and ineidents of New York life were the subjects of his conversation, but his greatest delight was in relating anecdotes of settlers on the western frontier. He always faseinated both young and old. During his stay he attended a militia muster of the old eighth regiment on the field of John Pinkerton. Although not mueh interested in military affairs, he started off with high hopes of meeting some friends whom he had not yet seen. Rain, however, spoiled the day's enjoyment, and he soon returned, and expressed a rather indifferent opinion of New Hampshire militia musters, deelaring that " they weren't much of an institution, after all." After partaking of the hospitalities of all his relatives in Londonderry, Manchester, and Windham, he departed for the seene of his labors, and in a few months started his first newspaper, the New Yorker. He was in town again in June, 1840, on his way to the Harrison convention at Coneord, and he subsequently made frequent visits to Lon- donderry, twiee being accompanied by his wife, and on three oeeasions he made publie addresses in town. In 1847 he spoke at Derry, Exeter, and Chester, and while at the latter place was the guest of Hon. Samuel Bell, whom he ever after- ward spoke of as resembling his ideal states- man, Henry Clay. At the time of Greeley's death there were 119 residents of Londonderry who were of his kith and kin.
D EER-KEEPERS, "to sce that the dear should not be destroyed," were chosen annually by the town of Londonderry as late as 1768. Decr were frequently seen within the limits of old Nut- field in the early years of the present eentury, but they were not so numerous as to require the services of a keeper.
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
G LENWOOD CEMETERY .- This cemetery is of recent origin and of less antiquarian interest than several others except in the instances of a few monuments that have been erected to perpetuate the memory of families widely scattered whose dead, in part, repose in other burial grounds. The situation of this cemetery in Londonderry is central, with reference to the two religious societies and their meeting-houses upon the Mam- moth road. Sheltered by a grand old oak forest upon the north and east and lying by a great thoroughfare, this cemetery will serve as a per- manent place of burial. At the entrance is the substantial tomb of David R. Lcach, erected in 1873. The record of his death and age are not visible from the exterior. The Patterson monu- ment bears about forty inscriptions of historic and genealogical value.
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