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 7
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Nutfield, February 13, 1720. A by-way laid out from John Shield's, from thence running about southerly across the lots until it come to the southwest corner of Joseph Kidder's fence, from thence running west and southerly along by Joseph Simond's house and continuing as the path now goes until it comes to John Senter's house, continuing southerly until it goes up a small hill, and then turning more easterly towards Beaver brook on the east side of the great hill until it comes to the mill bridge into the road leading to Mr. Gregg's.
Clough is on the Simonds place, Hill owns the Keycs place, and Morrill is on the Robie lot. Palmer comes next on John Senter's lot, Jonathan Clement lately on the Robert MeKeen lot, and
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
Walter S. Clement has the lot laid out to Samuel, that John Goffe, being the first elerk officially John, and Janet MeKeen.
On the road that led up between John Goffe's and Joseph Kidder's lots are now found the resi- denees of the Chases, Horaee A. Hill, C. W. True, S. P. Clark, O. S. Bartlett, and Mr. Towle.
Returning to the southwest corner of Joseph Kidder's fenee, and continuing the record of the same date as the last : "A by-way laid out from the southwest corner of Joseph Kidder's fenee, from thenee running about southeast along by Beaver pond until it come to the southerly side of Governor Wentworth's lot, then turning more easterly by marked trees to Samuel Houston's, and so over Beaver brook by Capt. Cargill's gristmill, then running more southerly by marked trees until it come to John MaeMurphy's lot and thenee run- ning up between the said John MaeMurphy and Robert Boyee, the road being equally divided be- tween the two until it come to the said Boyee's house." This road led to the meeting-house and is easily followed. It is evident from the record that Captain Cargill had a gristmill at the upper end of Beaver pond before Feb. 13, 1720.
In following the record the location of several houses is definitely fixed, and these ineidental allu- sions to the positions of houses are the only reliable evidenees of the occupation of the lands at the time, for traditions are vague and contradictory, and almost any man who has lived on a farm for the greater part of his life has his mind filled with legends of old settlers, and eellars, and springs, and mythical personages of various kinds, and will point out the landmarks to inquirers mueh the same as the Arabs are said to point out the springs and tombs and marvellous footprints of the patriarehs.
Considering the dates assigned to the allot- ments of land in this town, the records of eer- tain births may be of particular interest. It is not necessary to infer from these records that these births actually occurred in Nutfield, although recorded in the .regular manner and form : " John Goffe was born Mareh 16th, 1700. Han- nah Goffe was born February 4th, 1705. Sarah Goffe was born August 19th, 1709. Mary Goffe was born April 12th, 1711." The most reason- able inferenee to be drawn from the record is
connected with the history of this town, placed these births on record. But what can be alleged as the cause of the following that antedates the time of settlement, and is even more precise and formal ? " William Smith, son of James Smith and Jean his wife, was born February 9th, 1715. Rachel Smith, daughter of James Smith and Jean his wife, was born April 19th, 1718." This is a name that does not oeeur in the schedule and there was no record of any land being allowed to any of his family in the Proprietors' Book, but in the laying out of some land to John Bell, it is ineidentally discovered that the adjoining lot has been occupied by James Smith. ยช Sarah Graves, daughter of Samuel Graves and Sarah his wife, was born Dee. 17th, 1709. Samuel Graves, son of Samuel Graves and Sarah his wife, was born April 16th, 1711. James Graves, son of Samuel Graves and Sarah his wife, was born April 22nd, 1714. Anna Graves, daughter of Samuel Graves and Sarah his wife, was born July 26th, 1716." There are other records of births oeeurring earlier than the organized settle- ment of the colony in Nutfield, but these fully establish the surpassing interest attaching to the publishing of the Records of Londonderry.
BEAVER POND, OR TSIENNETO LAKE, DERRY.
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WILLER'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
SILAS G. CLIFFORD, the son of Benjamin S. of the first store at the Depot. Jan. 1, 1889, Mr. and Mary J. (Shaw) Clifford, was born Nov. 14, 1862, in Epping, N. IL. He attended the com- mon schools and at the age of nineteen entered the office of B. W. Hoyt's shoe shop in Epping, going in June, 1884, to Derry and finding employ- ment in Col. W. S. Pillsbury's shoe fac- tory. In a short time some change of em- ployment became necessary, and he made an engage- ment with Rollins & Smith, then in the grocery business. In 1883 Mr. Clifford purchased an inter- POSTOFFICE, DERRY DEPOT. est in the firm
occupying the store now owned by E. N. ford, previous to his appointment in the Whitney, the firm name becoming R. W. Pillsbury & Co. This was a store of general merchandise,
SILAS G. CLIFFORD.
including nearly every article in consumption. Mr. Pillsbury soon disposed of his interest in the store to Mr. Whitney, and Mr. Clifford alone remained with the latter at the old stand, the site
Clifford received the appointment of postmaster and entered upon his duties, severing his relations with the above mentioned firm. The public has been thoroughly satisfied with the cordial and cheerful attention bestowed upon it in the delivery of mail and other ser- vices of the post- office. The amount of business trans- acted at the Depot postoffice has long since surpassed the combined receipts and disbursements of 1 all the other offices in town, although so young in point of history. Mr. Clif- postoffice, acted three years in the capacity of deputy sheriff under the late J. Horst Kent. He is widely connect- ed with the so- cial interests of the community by his member- ship and associa- tions in the St. Mark's Lodge of Masons, the In- dependent order of Odd Fellows, and the Knights of Pythias. He is a member of Trinity Comman- dery, Manches- ter, and of Aleppo Temple, Boston. MISS ETHEL E. BOYD, POSTAL CLERK.
LD ZEKIEL, the last deseendant of one of the few friendly Indian families who here and there remained in the Merrimack valley after the final retreat of their raee to the Canadian bor- der, upon the Dover massacre in 1689, lived for many years alone in his eabin, which stood on land originally settled by James Wilson, who came from
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
Londonderry, Ireland, soon after the arrival of the first colony. Zekiel's eabin was in a meadow, and a eanal eonneeted it with a pretty sheet of water, about three hundred feet distant, so that he could paddle his eanoe from what is still known as Zekiel's pond to his eabin door. Until within a few years the eanal was still dimly traecable, and the meadow in eultivation diselosed sueh a multitude of Indian relies as to make the tradition eredible that it had onee been an Indian eamping ground, and that it was here where Hannah Dustin, with her eaptors, rested the first night after the Ha- verhill massaere in 1697. The Wilson farm was sold to Joseph Proetor, grandfather of Alexis Proe- tor, in 1789.
C RIME was not by any means unknown in the early and simpler times of the colony. There were, however, not so many laws, and consequently not so mueh law-breaking, as in modern days, and justiee seems oeeasionally to have misearried in its old familiar way. About 1750, Jotham Odiorne, a wealthy resident of Portsmouth, received two anonymous letters, threatening his life and the burning of his property unless the sum of five hun- dred pounds should be left " at the westerly end of the long bridge, which is between Kingston and Chester," on a eertain night. History records that the money was deposited there -though why this formality was necessary is not very elear -and a guard stationed elose at hand to arrest the blaek- mailer. Strange eoineidenees have frequently happened, especially in eonneetion with eriminal matters, and this time it happened that Captain John Mitehell, a reputable eitizen of Londonderry, came along and alighted from his horse near the spot where the money had been placed. He was, of course, immediately arrested, and committed to jail at Portsmouth to await trial. He protested his innoeenee, but publie sentiment seems to have been very generally against him, and so strong was the belief in his guilt that he found it difficult to secure a lawyer to undertake his defenee. Rev. David MacGregor, however, pastor of the West parish, and third son of Rev. James MacGregor, was convineed of Captain Mitehell's innoecnee, and although the aeeused was not a member of his church, and not even friendly to him, the preacher
offered himself as his attorney. Mr. MaeGregor was not versed in the forms and techniealities of the law, and was totally ignorant of eriminal pro- eedure, but he managed Mitehell's defenee with great ability and ingenuity, and supported it with powerful argument. The evidence, however, ap- peared to be against the defendant, and he was eonvieted and sentenced to pay a fine of one thou- sand pounds, and eosts. Unable to pay the fine, he was kept in prison until, by the exertions of Mr. MaeGregor, he was released on bail. His bond was renewed from time to time, until at length his innocence was fully established by the finding of new evidenee, and he was honorably ae- quitted.
R' EV. JESSE GIBSON McMURPHY was born April 8, 1845, in Derry, N. H., on the farm where five generations of the same surname have lived. He labored on the farm in summer and attended Pinkerton Academy in winter until fitted for college. Before and during his eourse in Hanover he taught one term in each of five years to assist in bearing the expenses of an education. He was graduated at Dartmouth in 1868. The following year found him in the state of Wiseonsin attached to a body of engineers with headquarters at Milwaukee, aeting under appointment, as United States foreman on harbor improvements along the shores of Lake Michigan.
In the spring of 1870 he returned to New Hampshire on a visit and was married to Miss Mary L. James, April 23 of that year, by Rev. William House of Londonderry. Miss James was an estimable lady of refinement and culture, who, by her own industry, had obtained a thorough Normal Sehool training at Salem, Mass. She was the daughter of Capt. Joseph Warren and Harriet Neely (Hoyt) James of Deerfield, N. H.
Mr. and Mrs. MeMurphy went again to Wis- eonsin, where both fell under the influence of the Episcopal Church and united in membership by confirmation. Mrs. MeMurphy continued teach- ing and Mr. MeMurphy began to study for Holy Orders at Nashotah Theologieal Seminary, became a candidate May 8, 1871, graduated in 1873, was ordained to the diaeonate in Milwaukee June S. 1873, by the Rt. Rev. William E. Armitage, and
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Assembly Room
Reception Rooms
Art Studio
Library looking east
Library looking west
The Mc Murphy Home School and Residence
MISS ALICE STEVENS, KINDERGARTEN,
MISS S. M. MORRISON, LATIN, GREEK AND GERMAN
PROF. BRUNO SODER, OF BERLITZ SCHOOL, GERMAN.
MRS. M. L. McMURPHY, PRINCIPAL. LITERATURE AND ART
The Home School.
Racine, Wisconsin.
MRS. I. M. BLACK. PRIMARY AND INTERMEDIATE.
MISS ALICE ABBOTT, ENGLISH AND MATHEMATICS.
PROF. NICHOLAS C. BISCHE, OF BERLITZ SCHOOL,
FRENCH.
REV. J. G. McMURPHY, RECTOR.
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
admitted to the priesthood May 31, 1874, in of homesteads and the progressive development the same city and diocese, by act of the Rt. Rev. in this, his native town. Henry J. Whitehouse.
For the next three years Mr. McMurphy was an instructor in Racine College and pastor of Im- manuel Church in Racine, Wis. He has remained a resident of that city ever since, or more than twenty years. The McMurphy Home School was opened in 1877 and has been maintained seventecn years (1894), during which period many young ladies have been prepared for college, and in east- ern schools - Vassar, Smith, Wellesley, and in the University of Chicago - have done credit to their former instructors. Other graduates have become worthy citizens and married and their children have grown up to enter the same school.
REV. JESSE G. MCMURPHY.
Mr. McMurphy has found time to translate in metric stanzas many choice selections from the German, French, Italian, and Spanish authors, some of which have appeared in papers and maga- zines, and he has not neglected the ancient lan- guages. A more laborious and protracted under- taking has been the collection of genealogical tables of his own and kindred families from every state, and records of the settlement and allotment
Hc is a conservative churchman in practice, but has been a member of the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament for twenty-two years, allying him strongly with the restoration movement in England and the English colonies, and he also daily unites with the Society for the Promotion of Christian Unity in the works of that order.
1
MRS. J. G. MCMURPHY AND TWO CHILDREN.
In 1875, Mr. McMurphy was elected a mem- ber of the Wisconsin Academy of Arts and Sciences and lectured before the assembly. He is corre- sponding member of the New Hampshire State Historical Society, having been elected June 13, 1894.
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. McMurphy : (1) Sarah Russell, b. Sept. 29, 1871, graduated at the McMurphy Home School 1890, from the New England Conservatory of Music at Boston, in 1892, and now teaching her third year in St. Mary's Institute, Dallas, Texas. (2) Alex- ander James, b. Aug. 29, 1875, d. y. (3) Jerome C., b. April 19, 1881, now at Racine College, Wis.
M USCULAR CHRISTIANITY is not of re- cent origin. Rev. James MacGregor was a muscular Christian, as he proved upon more than one occasion. In the summer after the arrival of the first settlers at Nutfield a large party of men came up from Massachusetts, as had been their custom for several years previous, to mow the grass on the fine natural meadows. Their coming was not wholly unexpected, but it was supposed they
4
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
would refrain from their purpose after being told that the Nutfield settlers had a claim to the land and grass. They laughed to scorn the claims of the settlers, however, and proceeded to carry out their intention. Then Mr. MacGregor, at the head of his parishioners, went out and ordered them off the ground. This angered the leader of the party, who stepped up to the minister and, shaking his fist in his face, exclaimed in a threatening voice, alluding to his clerical attire, "Nothing saves you, sir, but your black coat." "Well, it shan't save you, sir," retorted Mr. MacGregor, and throwing off his coat, was about to smite him hip and thigh, when the boasting leader, with his party, beat a hasty retreat.
THE FIRST BIRTH IN NUTFIELD was
that of Jonathan Morrison, son of John and Margaret Morrison, who was born Sept. 8, 1719, within less than six months after the settle- ment of the colony. The second child born was James McKeen, Jr. Their births were not far apart, and there had been much anxious specula- tion which mother's son should obtain the prize of a farm, or lot of land, which was to be assigned to the first-born son of Nutfield. Jonathan Morrison, the winner of the prize, became celebrated as a mechanie, being the first, and for a considerable timc the only one in Peterboro, where his father settled. He was not a jack at all trades, but was a really skilful millwright, stonecutter, blacksmith, carpen- ter, house-joiner, and gunmaker. Highly gifted, quick and very ingenious, he was also generous in the extreme. He removed from Peterboro to Vermont, and died about the year 1778. The rec- ords do not state whether he ever availed himself of the prize which he won by his promptness in arriving at the Nutfield colony.
JAMES H. CROMBIE, M. D., the son of James Crombie, M. D., was born in Temple Sept. 2, 1813. His father removed to Franeestown in 1820 and continucd in the practice of medicinc there for many years. After receiving a thorough preparatory cducation, the son began the study of medicine at Woodstoek, Vt., and continued his studies at Boston and at Keene. His instructor at the latter place was Dr. Twitchel, one of the eminent surgeons of his time. Graduating from
Dartmouth Medical College in 1837, Dr. Crombie immediately began active practice with his father in Francestown. He soon attained a wide reputa- tion for skill in surgery, many of his more impor- tant cases being reported in the medical journals. In 1850 he removed to Derry, where he soon built up an extensive practice. He had always taken great interest in military matters, having been for years surgeon of the old corps of Amoskeag Vet- erans, and immediately after the battle of Peters-
JAMES H. CROMBIE, M. D.
burg he entered the army as contraet surgeon, serving in that capacity for several months. Upon returning to Derry he resumed the practice of his profession and continued it until his death, which occurred June 30, 1884, from hypertrophy of the heart. He left a widow, but no children. His fellow-members in George E. Upton post, G. A. R., were his faithful attendants during the last days of his distressing illness. Dr. Crombie was widely known and highly respected for his skill as a phy- sician and his personal qualities.
BALLOU - McGREGOR.
DWARD BALLOU, the son of Jonathan and Feb. 6, 1841, married George A. Seavey of Wind- E Janet (MeGregor) Ballou, was born in Deer- field, Nov. 5, 1799, and was employed in his father's store until he came to Londonderry and settled at
EDWARD BALLOU.
the upper end of the Aikens Range, where the family has sinee lived. Nov. 13, 1823, he married Isabella D. MaeGregor, daughter of James and Rosanna (Aiken) MaeGregor, who lived on the Major John Pinkerton place, lately oeeupied by Alexander MaeGregor, and now in the possession of Deacon T. T. Moore. This marriage was sol- emnized by Rev. Daniel Dana of Londonderry, and twelve children blessed the union : (1) George W., born Jan. 19, 1825, who was never married and earries on the farm ; (2) Samuel A., born Mareh 3, 1827, died Sept. 16, 1843 ; (3) Jennette MeG., born April 19, 1829 ; (4) Rosanna A., born Mareh 8, 1831, died Feb. 20, 1833 ; (5) Naney McG., born Aug. 31, 1833, died Feb. 10, 1837 ; (6) Sarah W., born Dee. 21, 1835, a school teacher, married to William S. Baker of Portsmouth Sept. 14, 1858, by Rev. E. N. Hidden of Derry ; no children ; she died Sept. 11, 1865 ; (7) Isabella MeD., born Sept. 26, 1838, died July 31, 1855 ; (8) Mary B., born
ham, whose sketeh is given elsewhere ; (9) Naney R., born May 21, 1843, married to Caleb Clark of Windham, Sept. 6, 1865, by Rev. L. S. Parker of Derry, and had three children : Lilly, died young ; Edward B., born 1872 ; Mary Louise, born 1874, a popular teacher in Windham ; (10) Samuel E., born Aug. 29, 1845, unmarried ; (11) E. Louisa, born June 25, 1848, took care of her mother's aunt in Boston many years and inherited her fortune, mar- ried Thomas Chapman, and with her husband lives in Windham ; (12) Edwin L. Parker, born April 25, 1851, married Mrs. Sarah Josephine Clay Johnson and lives on the John Bell place at the upper end of the Aiken Range in Derry.
Edward Ballou, the father, was a justice of the peace, served as seleetman in Derry several years, was representative in the legislature two years, and died Sept. 19, 1863. James MaeGregor Ballou is living (1895).
ISABELLA D. (MACGREGOR) BALLOU.
The father of Mrs. Ballou was born in Lon- donderry Mareh 28, 1777, and married Rosanna Aiken of Chester, Dee. 22, 1803. She was born Mareh 2, 1784, the daughter of Samuel and Isa-
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WILLET'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
bella (McDole) Aiken. The marriage was per- Londonderry, who had previously kept a store in Deerfield ; they had a son, Thomas, who became a physician and settled in Kingston. (6) Robert, who married Polly Hovens of Rhode Island and lived there some years, until the death of John formed by Rev. Mr. Colby of Chester, now a part of Auburn. Their children were : (1) Agnes, born Oct. 10, 1804, died July 15, 1811 ; (2) Isabella D., married Edward Ballou ; (3) Alexander, born Nov. 6, 1809, married Sarah Wyse ; (4) Lewis A., MacGregor, when he returned to Londonderry and
born Aug. 12, 1812, married a Whittier and Au- gusta Blodgett ; (5) Eliza Jane, born July 14, 1820 ; (6) John A., born Oct. 14, 1822.
After the death of Mr. MaeGregor the widow married Dearborn Whittier of Hooksett, Jan. 3, 1827. She died Nov. 23, 1867 ; he was killed by the cars at Wilson's Crossing, Jan. 26, 1850. Mrs. Ballou had her first child in her arms when she shook hands with Lafayette at East Derry in 1824.
James MacGregor, the second of the name in Londonderry, and father of James 3rd, married Agnes Cochran. Their children were : (1) Jennet, who married Jonathan Ballou of Deerfield and had a family of children ; (2) Mary Ann, who never married ; (3) Rev. David, of whom a portrait is herewith given ; he graduated at Dartmouth, studied theology, became a Presbyterian clergyman and was the first settled pastor of the society in Bedford. He married Mary Butterfield of Hano- ver, and after her death he married Mary Orr of
REV. DAVID MACGREGOR.
settled at the Upper Village. He afterward bought the farm where Reed P. Clark lately lived in Lon- donderry, and lived therc, raising a large family of children, and some of the descendants remain there still. (7) Betsey, never marricd. (8) Polly, mar- ried Jonathan Emerson, lived on the Pinkerton place on the turnpike, and had one son. (9) James, of whom an account is given elsewhere.
Mrs. Ballou remembers this elopement story of the MacGregors : Rev. James MacGregor, first pastor of the church in Londonderry, had died and his son, Rev. David, was then pastor of the East Parish church. Alexander, another son, lived on some of the MacGregor lands where the Mor- risons recently lived, and where the old MacGregor house, the first framcd house in Londonderry, was still standing a few years ago. James, another brother, had a pew in the meeting-house. Susan, a daughter of Alexander MacGregor, fell in love
Bedford ; she died, and his third wife was Rebecca Merrill of Londonderry. He left children. (4) Alexander, who married Polly Pinkerton and lived in Londonderry, and he had one son, John P., adopted by Major John Pinkerton. (5) Susan, who married Thomas Bassett, a storekeeper in with one Burnside, who kept a store in the East
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
Village and was not liked by the stricter Presby- Burnside, however, did not hesitate a moment, and terians, especially by the MacGregors. Susan's touching the door lightly with his hand, he vaulted over it and sat down beside his wife, to the amaze- ment of the congregation and the mortification of the MacGregors. Such audacity was unbearable, and James MacGregor seized the young man by the shoulders and would have pitched him out of the pew but for the timely remonstrance of the scandalized pastor. Stopping in the midst of his sermon, Rev. David McGregor called out : " Brother James, do not disturb the house of God !" parents opposed the intimacy between her and Burnside, but their mutual affection ripened, and failing to secure the consent of her father and mother, Susan determined to elope. The arrange- ments were quietly made by procuring a license from the Governor, and the time was set. Susan prepared her wardrobe, tied it in a bundle, and on the day of the wedding placed it behind the door that opened into the stairway in the front hall. Burnside gathered his friends on horseback, and This restored order, and the young couple remained halting them a few steps from the house, rode up to the door in great style. Susan caught up her bundle from behind the hall door, and before any of the family knew what was going on, had mounted the horse behind her lover, and the party had started for a minister. Noth- FIRST FRAMED HOUSE IN NUTFIELD. ing was done to interfere with the wedding, and Mr. and Mrs. Burn- side settled down to housekeeping, to the great in- dignation of the MacGregors, who refused to visit them. Mrs. Burnside, however, sought to over- come their scruples by taking her husband to church the following Sunday. With great assur- anee she marched up the aisle a little late, followed by her husband, and stopped in front of her uncle James MacGregor's pew. He instantly opened the pew door and let her in, but seeing Burnside he suddenly closed the door and shut him out. together. But the MacGre- gors did not visit Susan un- til after the birth of her first child, when it was common- ly reported that she was in deli- eate health and might not live long. Then they relented, and were in a measure recon- ciled to the mar- riage. It is said that the issue of this marriage became renowned in the succeeding generations and one of the sons was a general in the Revolutionary war. This Susan MacGregor and James, 2nd, were the only children of Alexander, the son of the Rev. James, first pastor of this town. Alexander married and settled in Rhode Island, and died after the birth of these two children. His widow married an Allen and remained in Rhode Island, but the two chil- dren were brought to Londonderry and raised in the family of James MacGregor, who figures as the uncle in this story.
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