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 31
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Hotel Bradford at Derry Depot has been a noted house from the beginning, and has been managed with varying sueeess under limitations of patronage. Its proprietors have been : - - Woods,
Richard Melvin kept a publie house many years in Derry Village in the building now known as Hildreth hall. He was suceeeded at the tavern by many who are well-known eitizens, ineluding John Sanders, Newell and William Crowell.
There were other well known hotel men in old Londonderry, conspieuous among them being Franklin Tenney, who served an apprenticeship with his unele, Jesse Gibson, at the store and tavern in North Pelham, and is now proprietor of the National Hotel, Washington.
OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, LONDONDERRY.
EN
THE JAMES MCMURPHY HOUSE. DERRY.
THREE QUARTER MILE RANGE .--- II.
D' IRECTLY south of the original Three Quar- ruptedly for more than a century. On the north
ter Mile Range (see page 213) lies a small territory that was called the Half Mile Range, on account of the breadth measured from the old Haverhill false line of 160 rods. For some reason, however, the range was never subdivided and remained almost as origi- A map of the Three Quarter mile Range prepared and E drawn by Revel g. F. mc murphy all rights reserved Park-II. nally laid out to Squire John Mae Murphy, excepting that his son Alex- 5 ander, to whom 0 00 25 . 50 two acres of land. One hundred words he gave it, a 24 . bought the other quarter - mi Nutfield 1820 fait out John Richer William Wilson Cante, Mutluluk 1721) Bard out ninety of a mile of To the Revel James Mac gregor & Bons. Recorded March 24, 1721 James Adams in 1728, thus Forty acres of Recorded 1720, Homestead, June 14, 1721 8/ lewall From June 14. 1 Futfull, June 1721 twenty acres of land! restoring the full breadth of David Graig the 240 rods. South of this farm the re- Nutfield, July 25, 1720 Foursed re anth seven acres acordul no Barr, 17 of langh laid out to Recorded July 25, 1720. maining lots were of the full Nattule, June 1719 Sixty acres of land measure from east to west, laid out to William Humphry Recorded July 20 1720 Deixardi Pichola 6 Recorded Jany 10,172 down to the de Homestead : 4. 23172 3 short range that runs with James Nichols a headline abut- Haver hill False line ting upon the Weber 28, 1720 lower side line of the east lot. The MacMur- Nutfuld august-5, 1719, écrites land Thomas & teas One hundred and twenty aux acres of land laik out to g to James mc keert komistraces phy farm was Jonathan Tyler, Butfull ! of land, seffe Ricordia Archibald Stat very rugged The Levert hundred alles A part of The five Card Tout 2.7 Recorded March 2, 1734 laid out to and formerly Lov. Wentworth. Jonathan Lyfter, 25.733 and stony, por- Seventy three aerts of land Londonderry tions of it rising to an elevation that commanded Doek farms; the next farm above, laid out in 1723 a view of the Atlantic ocean, and making a to William Humphrey, was called the Old Con- tinental lot, and was owned at one time by James .Choate, father of George I. Choate; the farm next above, laid out to the original rights of Samuel suitable site for government surveys. The greater part of this farm is now in the possession of H. P. Weeks, who bought it of the Warner family about twenty years ago, they having oeeupied it uninter- and John Moore, was called Stony Park, and next
of this farm, and between it and the homestead of Daniel McDuffce, was a lot laid out to the right of David Cargill, and another to the right of Col. Walton, but the rights of these two proprietors were sold to Squire MacMurphy and are not represented in the map. The lot of Col. Walton is now . Londonderry, Apul 1, 1726 Brauch out 60 1 f John mac murphy Two hundred and known as the Adams place, Recorded June 24, 1726 Thirty acres of land and James 10 Adams had a Alexander mac murphy his son duced that's land august-25, 1742. house there at 1/ the time the highway was laid out from Gov. Shute's Samuel Houston Read James Mac Gregor Nutfield march 1722 laur out the Nulfield march 1722 Eighty acres of land lace out to John Bass 2.7 No. 63 Recorded January 28 1723 farm to Haver- hill along the false line. As James Adams is not named in the eharter, he was eonse- Sulfite, march 1722 Forty nine acres of land laid outtto John Stewart, Recorded Nov. 4, 1724 27. quently either a purehaser or Eighty acres of land Card outt to Samuel moore and John moore Recorded July 24, 1724. he elaimed un- 7 1 75 der the Haver- hill grant. John Recorded Decembre 4, 172 Gondondury, march Thirty acrestof To lande Couch out to William Humphrey: 6,1724 Cross at one time owned the Tutfull march 1722 27 Billiam acres It can laid out to farm laid out - 1 1 1. in 1722 to Wil- liam Nichols and extending east and west Jaens mas. 17221 cy acres mar. 1722 James Adams at the north John Mitchell James Morrison & Acordul Acc. 19, 172318 Je del mar 141723 matthew Taylor, 1 John morrison after Gov. Wentworth ends of the Securitys brook + bridge Robert Kennedy James Thompson, James me real
270
271
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
came Brandy Rock farm, so called from a rock on the highway where liquor was drunk and the bottle broken. John Cross sold the Nichols farm to Henry and James Taylor in 1824. Robert Kennedy's name is mentioned rather indefinitely in the records as occupying lands in connection with the immense grants to Gov. Wentworth. The Kennedy land joined the Morrisons, and both came into the possession of the Taylor family, Matthew Taylor purchasing, in 1732, the land upon which his great-grandson, J. Calvin Taylor, now lives. The two Morrison brothers were blacksmiths. In 1720 two lots, containing ninety- two acres, were laid out to Rev. James McGregor, his land being bounded on the east by that of James McNeal, who was so molested by thc Haverhill trespassers that the selectmen gave him another lot.
BOUNDARY LINE CONTROVERSIES. B
The boundaries of the several plantations included within the limits of the Mason grant (see page 84) and subdivided by numerous later deeds, of which the Wheelwright deed (see page 76) is a specimen, were only established after many years of controversy, and in few, if any, instances were the lines fixed where the grantors and grantees had placed the bounds. It is impossible to establish a single corner bound of the old deed of Nutfield, and yet the wording of the description is as complete as that of any conveyance of modern times. As the southwest corner of Ches- ter is the bound of commencement in the Wheel- wright deed, it is necessary to ascertain wherc that corner was supposed to be in 1719. At the time the people of Nutfield were seeking to obtain a deed, their neighbors were also asking for a similar grant about eight miles square, and it may be inferred that the Chester people, who were not emigrant settlers, but speculators from Ports- mouth, Dover, Hampton, Newbury, and other towns, believed that eight miles square of territory included all the waste land between the Merrimack on the ivest and Exeter and Kingston on the cast, and from the Isle of Hooksett falls on the north to Dunstable, Dracut, and Haverhill on the south. It is quite evident that no waste land actually
existed outside the territory of eight miles square which the Chester speculators were trying to secure. At various times the people of Tyngs- borough revived these old claims to land east of the Merrimack, as far north as Amoskeag falls, and carried their grievances to the General Court, to be defeated in the end as to the main point, but satisficd in general by some compromisc. Jona- than Butterfield of Chelmsford was found occupy- ing a large farm and living in grand style at a place which may be located as near Plummer's corners, in Londonderry, but he was not required
N.w Com
. 1
represented
The Grant of theshow
or Chester as land
out and approved at
and Council
January ## 1720,
Charter may 8- 1722
when the
made to Corates
in the charter'
bou
Surveys of 1720
Londonding as
chartered June 211 /722
by King George The First-
of Great Britainé
sixth line of butfilis Old Haverhill line
old Haverhill line
Dunstable
trail
fourth like
Fifth line
The line of old) the line of Aracuti as
Aunstable wiki
Represented in The Feed
colony squil.
of Got John Wheelwieght in 1719
mak of the
original sal grants
old
to cheshire und Nietfeld pucharcel and drawn by
Rev. R. g. A. murphy
all rights reserved
Five miles
3. Hast- comin of Exile as quem
Theets
> I S. W. Come of Chester
N. W comes of Kingston as represented in The
merrimack never
The Grant of Nutfictie
isone.
S. t. Coman of Chester in The Charter of 1722
Then of Exeter 1780 1
VI Ghestes in. 1722
The
Portsmouth by Governor
First-line of
S. W Gen
made to chester
Reeds
gor on
Le grand
Son's Funny
Track from-
The need of Got John Wheelwright October 20
to vacate his possessions, the Nutfield committee giving him the farm in 1721. His name remains to this day associated with certain localities, as Butterfield's rock, Butterfield's meadow, Butter- field's farm.
The excitement in Chester was great when it was learned that the Scotch-Irish colony of Nut- field had obtained from some one a decd of land equal to ten miles square, and the Chester specu- lators immediately proceeded to increase the amount of their claim from eight to ten miles square, and urged upon the governor and council
272
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
to hurry the confirmation of their grant. When country to expel the intruders by force if neces- they measured off their lands from the supposed sary. Not frightening the encroachers away, they next built a fence all the way around the chest- nut country included in the Chester grant. The charter of Chester antedated that of London- derry, but both documents were made with refer- ence to the quarrel, so that no further misunder- standings should arise. The accompanying map by James Betton shows where the Chester line in 1766 crossed the Cohass brooks. boundaries of Exeter and Kingston ten miles into the country, the Merrimack was still a long dis- tance westward of them, and as the Nutfield deed extended all the way from the southwest corner of Chester to the northwest corner, and westward to the Merrimack, there was a general complaint that the intruders had seized upon everything and eut off all approach to the valuable fishing grounds that were yearly becoming more profitable. Natur- ally the title to this coveted land began to be S LAVERY was not unknown in Londonderry before the Revolution. According to the eensus of 1773 there were twelve male and thir- Chester Line W. N. W 80 rods Chester W. N. W. 82 rods, to the brook The Transcript of a piece of meadow granted in Jerry field beginning at the brook upon chester line. Then W N. Won said line 80 rolls to a state Then South 82 rows to a stake There 6, 8. 8. 36 rocks to Read brook so called Them by said Food Groot . witherly to where it joins the Great brook Then up said Great brook to the bounds first The content of this plane is mentioned, containing 31 acres & 140 roos. tecn female slaves in the town, and they scem to have been regarded as chattels, not as human beings, al- though they were The content of this flame ins Packes 2 4/ 100 Brook February 24# 1766, humanely treated. February 24# 1766 ALS. Tal-15 roads to Rev. Wm. David- son, minister of the laid down by the scale East Parish, owned South 82 rocks two, a mother and brook By The Hill's Groot where the tu brook . This side of the dotted in a daughter, named Poll and Moll. In 40 rods the West Parish, 8.8.6 36 rods to Read brook The transcript of a certain tract of land 8.8. W. 28 rows. Dead brook lying in Perryfuld beginning at a stake & he stones near the road by The Gillis brook socalled on thester line then on said line- 92 rocks to the brook them beginning at The aforesaid stake I stones and running i. S N. 28 rods to the brook. is not included . it contamos Sacres & then down that brook to where thester line cuts the brook, containing 13 acces &2 Thomas Wallace and Deacon James James Betton Thompson, both very devout men, were slave owners. Surveyor. questioncd and the possibilities of legal objections scrutinized with the utmost jealousy. Judged from the standpoint of the times it ap- pears clear that the Chester people had a real grievance, and the Nutfield 31 acres & 140 rods or 31 neres & 3/4 and 20 rocks. settlers had ocea- Laid down by the rule of proportion at 10 roots to an mich sion for anxiety. جـ This mak was James Betton, Surveyor copied from the original plan of James Betton for Willey's Book of Nutfield by Rw. f. g. mc murphy Fortunately foi both parties, the boundaries of ad- joining plantations on both the east and the south were materially changed, greatly to the ad- vantage of both. Exeter corner was established several miles farther east, the Haverhill and Kingston lines were moved It is related of a negro boy named Toney, who away, Dracut and Dunstable retreated, and there remained abundance of land for two townships of ten miles square each. But the occupation of the entire bank of the Merrimack from the Isle of Hooksett falls to Dunstable was not to be allowed, and the continual fomentation of spirits already agitated led to a settlement of the quarrel that was more nearly just to both towns, although it curtailed the fishing privileges immensely and practically deprived both parties of any real property in the river. The Chester people con- tinued to pctition the General Court, and at the same time sent armed men into the Nutfield
was the property of Mr. Wallace and who had cost his master one hundred dollars, that he was very proud of his money value. Once in the spring freshet he built a raft and went to ride on the flowed meadow of the fourteen-acre meadow brook. His frail craft, not being solidly made, began to go to pieces, and Toney, having in view both his own life and his master's property, shouted to Mr. Wallace: "Come and save your hundred dollars." Soon after the Revolution slavery ceased in most of the northern states, and there is no record of slaves being owned in Lon- donderry after the beginning of the present century.
SHRIEVALTY OF HILLSBORO COUNTY.
C OL. DANIEL F. HEALY, sheriff of Hills- county in 1874, he served in that capacity until boro county, was born at Cedarburg, Wis., 1884, when he was elected to the office of sheriff, which position he has since occupied. In his official position Sheriff Healy has won the confi- dence and esteem of both bench and bar. Faithful to all his duties and to the trusts eonfidcd to his eare, his efficiency and integrity are eommended by judges and lawyers alike. Hc has always been a member of St. Anne's church, the oldest Catholic parish in the city, and his numcrous social and fraternal connections include the Grand Army, the Foresters, the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, the Amoskeag Veterans, and the Derryfield Club. His title of eolonel was obtained by serviee on Gov. Goodell's staff in 1889-90. He was married in 1878 to Mary A., daughter of Timothy Sullivan of Manchester, and four children, three of whom survive, were the fruit of this union : Daniel F., Jr., James C., and Arthur S., aged respectively sixteen, fifteen, and twelve. Mrs. Healy died in 1885, and in September, 1893, Col. Healy was married to Sarah J. Carbery of Peabody, Mass. Dec. 20, 1849. His parents, Cornelius and Mary Healy, were natives of Ireland who cmigrated to America in 1845 and settled first in Manchester, where they were married in 1848, removing the same year to Wisconsin, where they remained until the father's untimely death in 1850. The widowed mother and son then returned to Man- chester, where he has ever since resided. She died in 1854, leaving her only ehild to the eare of his grandfather, Daniel Healy. The lad attended the public sehools in the old Bakersville distriet until the age of eleven, when he went to work in the Manchester Mills, and for the succeeding years divided his time between work and attending the old Park-street grammar school. In February, 1864, when only fourteen years of age, he enlisted as drummer boy in the Sixth New Hampshire Regi- ment, but through the persistent efforts of his grandfather and the latter's counsel, Hon. Cyrus A. Sulloway, the runaway boy was, by special order of the war department, discharged and sent Deputy Sheriff Harrison D. Lord was born in Barnstead Dec. 23, 1825. Coming to Manchester in 1844, he learned the machinist's trade and was employed by the Amoskeag company until 1865. He was then eleeted eity messenger and held the office for five years, serving also as constable in the meantime. He was appointed to his present position in 1876, and from that ycar until 1885 was also deputy sheriff of Rockingham eounty. Gov. Currier appointed him to the office of eoroner, which he still holds. Mr. Lord was a member of the legislature in 1870, and for eight ycars has been on the board of assessors. He was married in 1854 to Miss Juliette True of Centre Harbor, who died, leaving two sons: Harry T., born May 7, 1863, and Samuel J., born Sept. 14. 1869. In February, 1875, he married Mrs. Susan Beane of Manchester, who died in July. 1877. home. The military spirit of the young soldier was, however, not so easily daunted, and a second time he went south and made himself useful by attending to the wounded in camp and on the battlefield. In 1866 he bound himself for three years as apprentice in the machine shop of the Manchester Mills, and during all his apprentice- ship he attended evening sehool and a business college. Having served his time, he worked at his trade of machinist in the Manehester Loeomo- tive Works, and in 1870 entered the employment of Varney & Niehols, machinists, remaining with them until 1874. His skill at his trade received reeognition in his sclection, together with Wil- liam F. Barrett, to put into operation the Cheney paper mill at Henniker, and in his special employ- ment upon the knitting machines for the works of ex-Gov. Smyth at Hillsboro Bridge. His political Deputy Sheriff William J. Starr, son of William and Joanna (Cronin) Starr, was born in Manchester April 20, 1863. After graduating from the seientific department of Dartmouth Col- lege in 1884, he engaged for a number of years in the banking and investment business in the West. eareer began in 1874 with his election to the state legislature ; in 1876 he was a member of the Man- chester common couneil, and in 1888 he was an alternate delcgate to the Republican national con- vention. Appointed deputy sheriff for Hillsboro
26
273
274
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
April 1, 1895, he was appointed deputy sheriff. it should be made in the records. This is the Hle is a member of St. Anne's church and of the Knights of Columbus.
Deputy Sheriff Frank T. E. Richardson, son of Reuben M. and Mary A. (Sanborn) Richardson, was born in Chester April 26, 1841. Coming to Manchester in carly youth, he was graduated from the high school, and for several years he was employed in various capacities by different eorpora- tions. In September, 1862, he became accountant in the office of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company and filled that position with marked fidelity for twenty-eight years, resigning in 1890 to accept the paymastership of the Stark Mills, where he remained four years. In January, 1894, he was appointed deputy sheriff, and has sinee devoted himself to the duties of that office. He has been a member of the legislature, supervisor of eleetions and for many years a member of the sehool board. Mr. Richardson is prominent in Masonry and Odd Fellowship. He was married in 1863 to Mary C., daughter of Merriek and Eusebe (Gerry) Houghton of Sterling, Mass., and three daughters have been born to them.
Deputy Sheriff Thomas Hobbs was born in Manchester Mareh 4, 1868. His father, Hon. Edwin H. Hobbs, was at the head of the eivil engineering department of the Amoskeag Manu- facturing Company for many years and was a state senator. After two years at Dartmouth College, Mr. Hobbs was engaged in business for several years, and Jan. 1, 1895, was appointed deputy sheriff.
Deputy Sheriff Joseph N. St. Germain was born in Sherbrooke, Province of Quebee, Sept. 2, 1870, and graduated from the Sherbrooke Univer- sity in 1889. He came to Manehester in 1890 and was secretary of the Littlefield Drug Company until February, 1895. In April of the same year he was appointed deputy sheriff. Mr. St. Germain has the reputation of being the most expert swordsman in New Hampshire, having perfeeted himself in the art of feneing in Paris.
entry he made, and it is the only authentic account which has been handed down of that memorable event : " on tusday nobr ye 18th 1755 at foure aelock in the morning and ten minets there was an Extrornary Shock of An Earthquaik and con- tinuous afterwards with smaller shoeks."
A LEXANDER McMURPHY was born in Londonderry Dee. 9, 1813, in the house where he now lives. He received a common school education, with the addition of a few terms
ALEXANDER MCMURPHY.
at Pinkerton Academy. He learned the earpen- ter's trade, and being very elever in the use of tools, he was seeured by his brother-in-law, Jacob Chiekering, in Andover, Mass., to work in his age, his father offered him the homestead if he would return and assume the responsibility of
T THE EARTHQUAKE SHOCK on Nov. 18, piano factory. When he was twenty-one years of 1755, was so severe in Nutfield that Moses Barnett, the town elerk, felt that some mention of
275
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
paying certain sums of money to his sisters, and chains, wheels, rollers, and screws. Buildings were give a bond of maintenance for the support of his parents. He accepted the conditions and returned to Derry in 1835. In addition to carrying on the
MRS. SARAH A. (GIBSON) MCMURPHY.
farm, he took an active part in the building of the First Congregational church. He became a work- ing member of the society, and joined the church and choir, experiencing warm delight in the regular attendance upon all his duties, and the family pew was constantly filled with the members of the household, which was large in those days. Alexander McMurphy served in the companies of militia training in Derry and neigh- boring towns, and was promoted to a lieutenancy Jan. 23, 1836, by Gov. Wm. Badger.
April 25, 1844, he was married in Pelham, N. H., to Sarah A. Gibson, daughter of Squire Jesse and Sarah (Atwood) Gibson, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Cyrus W. Allen.
Mr. McMurphy found opportunity to add to his small income upon the farm by taking up the business of moving buildings, in which he was quite successful. He purchased, for raising and moving buildings, a complete outfit of blocks,
loaded upon wheels and moved with ox teams several miles. On one occasion he moved a two- story building, a dwelling house 40 x 24, from Derry village to Manchester.
In the spring of 1855 Mr. McMurphy's barn was burned, with one horse, four cows, and four oxen, without any insurance.
Mr. McMurphy was twice appointed a justice of the peace. He has not served in many town offices, a few years as road surveyor, school com- mitteeman, or commissioner, being his only service.
In 1870 he made an unfortunate sale of wood and timber, and was involved in a lawsuit for the recovery of the price. The case was continued through many years with the best legal counsel, the expenses of the counsel and fees amounting to sixteen hundred dollars, and although he secured a verdict in his favor and execution for a judgment
HANNAH JANE MCMURPHY.
of over seven thousand dollars, there was nothing found to levy the execution upon, and he has never recovered a dollar ; the claim now amounts to a small fortune. This was his second
276
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
great loss, but it did not overwhelm him. He her accomplishments, handles the artist's brush with delicate effects and has produced some pleasing pieces.
has been a vigorous fighter for his rights and has seldom been free from the entangle- ments of the courts throughout more than half a century of active life. He fought for principles and not gain. Once he might have obtained the full amount of his claim by giving two hundred dollars to his opponent's counsel in that seven thousand dollar suit and he refused, even when his faithful companion offered to advance the money on the moment for the sake of settlement.
Once again, in his seventy-seventh year, he made another unfortunate sale and was drawn into endorsing accommodation paper beyond and out- side the value of the timber sold, until the banks felt compelled to elose upon him, and soon covered everything that he possessed or held with writs of attachment, and it seemed as if he could not redeem his pledges; but he made no com- promise and paid one hundred cents on a dollar, although it left him land poor and in debt.
The record of births in this family is as follows :
Jesse Gibson, a sketch of whom is given elsewhere : Eliza Jane, born June 19, 1848, died Feb. 3, 1858; Angeline, born
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