USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Manchester > Willey's semi-centennial book of Manchester, 1846-1896, comprised within the limits of the old Tyng Township, Nutfield, Harrytown, Derryfield, and Manchester, from the earliest settlements to the present time > Part 24
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
with liberty only to attend church on Sunday. One day he ventured to step across his lines to pick up a hawk which he had shot, and for this he was heavily fined. During the height of the tory excitement there was a barn-raising on the hill in East Derry, and a conflict was feared between the tories of the English Range and the Pinkertons, Aikens and Wallaces. But friend and foc raised the barn, imbibed the whiskey and departed for their homes in peace. The women of that day had their intense political sympathies as well as the men. It is said that the wife of Dr. Alexander Cummings "wished that the English Range, from its head to Beaver pond, ran ankle-deep in whig blood." After the battle of Bunker Hill many of the tories became ardent patriots. As a class they were elderly men of wealth, education and respect- ability, some of them holding office under the crown, and it is not surprising that they should hesitate to go at once into rebellion. After the close of the war a question arose whether the tories who had fled from the country and given their aid to England should be allowed to return. The feeling against them was deep and bitter, and the popular sentiment was strong in opposition to their being tolerated in the country. In London- derry this feeling was peculiarly strong. The citi- zens learning that, on the adoption of articles of peace, a clause had been inserted at the request of the British plenipotentiaries, that congress recom- mend that the several states make some provision for the return of the loyalists and refugees, a town meeting was immediately called, "to see if the town will take some effectual measures to prevent those men who have been the cause of so much desolation and bloodshed in the land, to return and dwell among us, and enjoy the blessings of peace and the sweets of liberty." At the meeting thus called, May 29, 1783, a unanimous vote was passed, "to instruct the representatives to use the utmost of their power in the General Court, that the refugees have no liberty to come back to this statc," and these instructions were drawn up and adopted by the town, and addressed to Col. Daniel Reynolds and Archibald McMurphy, representatives in the legislature :
208
Nathan Parken
2 11
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
Gentlemen. Whereas, by an article in the preliminaries for peace between the United States of America and Great Britain, it is to be recommended by Congress to the several states to make some provision for the return of the royalists or refugees ; and we conceive that every state in the Union are to act thereon as they think best. and that nothing therein is binding on the part of the state : and as it is our undoubted right, at all times, to instruct our representatives : we do now solemnly, in town meeting. instruct you to use your influence in the General Court to prevent the return of all or any of the miscreant tories who have gone from this state to the enemy : as the tories have been the principal cause of this long and bloody war. They have murdered our brethren in cold blood ; they have burnt our towns, robbed and plundered our citizens, ravished our daughters, and been guilty of every sort of rapine and carnage that can be thought of ; and by their lies, continually sent across the Atlan- tic Ocean, the war spun out to so great a length. We expect that you will use your best endeavors, that nothing may ever be done for those infernal wretches, by this state, further than to provide a gallows, halter and hangman for every one that dare to shew their vile countenances amongst us.
Attest, WILLIAM ANDERSON, Town Clerk. May 29, 1783.
H JON. NATHAN PARKER, son of Deacon Matthew and Sarah (Underwood) Parker, was born in Litchfield Nov. 21, 1808. His mother was a daughter of Judge James Underwood of that town. He was the youngest of six children, and his education was obtained at the public schools and in Henniker Academy. Going into business in Merrimack, he remained there until 1840, when he removed to Manchester and began to take a leading part in building up the thriving town, which six years later was to become a city. He and his brother, James U. Parker, raised in Litchfield almost all the $50,000 capital of the Manchester bank, and upon its organization, Feb. 3, 1845, he was chosen cashier, holding that posi- tion until 1865, when the bank was closed and the Manchester National bank organized. He became president of the latter institution, in which office he remained until his death, May 7, 1894. The Manchester National bank is an enduring monu- ment to the sagacity and integrity of Nathan Parker and his associates. Upon the organization of the Manchester Savings bank in 1845, Mr. Parker became its treasurer and held that position for nearly forty-eight years. At the time of his
death he was the oldest bank president in the United States. Mr. Parker was one of the pioneer railroad men in New Hampshire, taking an active part in many enterprises. He was one of the largest stockholders in the Concord & Montreal railroad, and was treasurer of the old Concord railroad for many years. He was formerly also a director and the treasurer of the Manchester & Lawrence railroad, and for a long term of years a director of the Concord & Portsmouth railroad. Mr. Parker never sought political preferment, but he was elected to the board of selectmen in 1845, the year before the incorporation of the city and the year during which the present city hall was built, the old town hall having been destroyed by fire in 1844. He represented Manchester in the state senate in 1855-56, and might have been president of that body had he so chosen. In 1863-64 he was a member of the house of repre- sentatives. He was always a staunch Republican, although not an extreme partisan. Mr. Parker married, in September, 1837, Charlotte M. Riddle of Merrimack, granddaughter of Capt. Isaac Riddle, a wealthy farmer, mill owner, and con- tractor of Bedford, who built the first canal boat that was floated on the Merrimack river. Mrs. Parker died in 1859, leaving one son, Walter M. Parker, who is now president of the Manchester National bank. One who knew Nathan Parker well thus wrote of him at the time of his decease :
In the death of Nathan Parker, Manchester loses a citizen who has always been assigned a first place among those who have given her an enviable reputation in financial and business circles. He was a quiet, retiring man, who had no political ambition, no relish for show, no desire to be known outside the business in which he was engaged. and he devoted himself entirely and persistently to his calling ; but he was widely known. and wherever known he was highly respected. His integrity was never questioned, his sagacity seldom failed, and so success- ful was he in the management of his own affairs and in the dis- charge of the numerous trusts that were committed to him. that he came to be regarded by a large clientage as almost infallible. The banks which he established, and which were the objects of his greatest pride and closest devotion. grew under his skilful and conservative direction to be great financial institutions, and the other moneyed enterprises with which he was identified were among the most successful of his time. a time when recklessness and incapacity often wrecked and ruined others. He was a kindly man, and always approachable and always pleasant. but never effusive or profuse in words. He made no enemies.
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
H JIRAM FORSAITHI, son of Robert and sors. Ile is one of the few surviving original Elizabeth (Caldwell) Forsaith, was born in members of the Franklin-Street Congregational Society, and is a member of Washington Lodge of Masons. Since 1857 he has been identified with the Amoskeag Veterans and has been captain of the organization. Feb. 17, 1845, he was married to Frances M., daughter of William and Sophia (Weston) Gregg of Antrim, who died in 1855. Two sons were born to them: Fred S., born May 17, 1850, who married Eliza, daughter of Joseph MeIntire of Manchester, and Gregg, born July 17, 1855, died Aug. 15, 1882.
Goffstown Sept. 6, 1820. He was educated in the public schools and at Pembroke Academy. Coming to Manchester in 1838, he was a clerk in a store until 1844, and then after two years as bookkeeper at Nashua he returned to this city as clerk and paymaster of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Com- pany. He remained in this position until 1855, when he went into the hardware business. Six years later, in company with his brother, Samuel C.,
HIRAM FORSAITH.
he started what is now known as the S. C. For- saith Machine Company. The partnership lasted four years, when they separated, his brother con- tinuing the business and Hiram starting a shop of his own in what was then known as Meehanies' row, where he manufactured wood-working ma- chinery for fourteen years. He afterward travelled for his brother and was for many years eonneeted with the wood-working business and iron industry. He was a member of the common eouneil in 1865-66, being president of that body in the latter year. In 1891 he was a member of the legislature and has served several terms on the board of asses-
T THE BEAR HUNT OF 1807 .- The last sueeessful bear hunt in the Nutfield region of New Hampshire took place early in Mareh, 1807. Two men who were out hunting in the northwestern part of Londonderry eame upon the traek of a bear and immediately started in pursuit, the animal leading them only about two hundred yards. His course was due south, and after fol- lowing him four miles without bringing him within range of their guns the men relinquished the chase to four or five other hunters whom they chanced to meet. The latter pursued the bear ten miles, when he took refuge for the night in a swamp near Pelham meeting-house. Early the next morning a large party assembled to eapture him, but he quickly left his retreat and retraeed, in part, his steps of the previous day. Still eluding his pursuers, he passed the second night in a swamp near the Windham meeting-house. On the third morning he started north and ran along the eastern boundary of Londonderry, followed by a crowd of men, boys, and dogs. Towards noon he took to a large pine tree near the site of the old church in Londonderry, and was killed by a shot from a gun in the hands of Deaeon John Fisher. The earcass was taken to Daniel Gilehrist's house and dressed, when it was found to weigh two hun- dred pounds. As fifty men, all told, had been engaged in the ehase, four pounds fell to the share of each. The skin was exchanged at Deaeon Pinkerton's store for several gallons of whiskey, and the capture of the bear was duly celebrated by the erowd.
THE THREE QUARTER MILE RANGE.
BY REV. JESSE G. McMURPHY.
T "HIS range of homesteads, occupied before the charter of Londonderry was granted, and probably not included in the deed of John Wheel- wright to the colony of Nutfield, remained for many years in doubtful ownership, the people of Haverhill claiming it and all that tract of land in the present township of Derry lying east of a meridi- onal line passing through the most easterly corner of the English Range. The beginning of surveys was at the inlay of Capt. David Cargill's fulling mill, and the millpond lay wholly in the disputed territory. An examination of the head- lines in the vicinity of this starting place will show the insignificant variations in the course of an imaginary boundary once considered a matter of weighty importance. The origin of the name of the range is found in the dimensions of the home- steads. They were laid out two hundred and forty rods in length and of sufficient width to contain from forty to fifty acres of land. The westerly ends were considered more convenient and ser- viceable for the proprietors' residences and culti- vation, and the easterly ends remained for pas- turage and timber. The highway for the accom- modation of the range settlers passed along the western ends and was a principal line of communi- cation between Boston, Haverhill, and the settle- ments lying to the north of them.
At the top of the map is shown a portion of Stephen Pierce's homestcad. He was an ancestor of the governor. Adjoining was the homestead of Andrew Spalding, the lots forming an exact isosceles triangle filling the space between the English Range and the Three Quarter Mile
Range and the homestead of Samuel Graves. The settlers upon these lots of the Three Quarter Mile Range were disturbed by the people of Haverhill and probably with good reasons, as it appcars quite evident the deeds, grants, and charters of the times were conflicting and the actual settlers found themselves involved in seem- ingly inextricable difficulties, and compelled to fight or surrender without knowing the true cause of their misfortunes. It appears upon the records of the town that Governor Wentworth received and occupicd a farm in this range, the first slice taken off the Haverhill claim, and that he formally resigned this land eight years later. Perhaps a transcript of these records may be of interest as fully explaining the transaction. The Governor Wentworth place is clearly identified as the farm occupied afterwards by the Hunters and later by J. T. G. Dinsmore, and now in possession of Robert Rogers, the house next above that of Benjamin Adams :
Nutfield September 16th 1721. Laid out to the Honorable Lieutenant Governor Wentworth forty acres of land it being the second division of land in the above said town bounded as fol- loweth : beginning at a white oak tree at the south west corner. from thence running east two hundred and forty rods and bound- ing upon Alexander McMurphy's land until it come to a stake & heap of stones, from thence running north twenty eight rods unto a white oak tree marked, from thence running west two hundred and forty rods unto a white oak tree marked. from thence running south unto the bounds first mentioned. James McKeen, James Gregg. David Cargill. John Goffe. Samuel Moore, John Coghran. Joseph Simonds. James Alexan- der, James McNeal. Committee. Recorded this TS" September 1721.
P1. JOHN GOFFE. Town Ciera.
19
213
map of The Three quarter mile Range. Prepared conch drawn by Revel J. G. Mc murphy. all rights reserved.
Stephen Pince
Andrew Spalding Forty eight acres Carlout in Nutfield 1720. Recorded march 31, 1721.
Jon. Bient Governor Wentworth Forty acres laick out in Vulfuld September 1655 1721 Recorded Soft 18, 1721. Resigned Felg 11h 1728 for land at deverilto.
Alexander mc murphy and James biggett, Fifty acres laid out in Londonderry March 1723. Recorded Flec = 13,17 23.
John mc murphy. Fifty acres cause out in Londonderry March 1722. Recorded Alcun 12,1723. 1
1 Havid Gargill, Jr. Forly acres laid out ifilondonderry march 1722, Recordul march 4, 1726.
I Gargill , In.
auch
Gargiles
Filling mist
John Archibald Fortyacres laid out in londonderry March 1722. Recorded march 4,17 23.
William Thompson forly acres laid out in Londonderry March 1722 Recorded January 23. 1723. 1
Robert Morrison
Road laid out Februning 17th 1723.
William Gilmore ... Fifty acres laid out in Nutfield 1720. Recorded June 1,1722.
James mc Meal
Sixty acres laid out in Londonderry in September 1721 Recorded Feb. 26,1723.
Hugh montgomery. Forty acres laid out in Londonderry Match 1722. Recorded Feb. 22, 1723.
Revel James Mcgregor, Nfortylacres laid out in Londonderry march 1722. Recorded Feb. 115- 1725.
John Richey and William Wilson. Forty acres laid out in Londonderry Match 1722. Recordiel Feb. 13, 1723.
Daniel Mc Auffee, One hundred acres laid out in Mutfuld, November 20, 1721. Recorded The same day.
John Mc Murphy amendment land lail out in Londonderry april 1, 1726 Recorded June 24, 1726.
Revel James MeGreg
0 or
0 10 25 50
Bob. John Wheelwright, Sixty acres.
Lt. Gov. John Wentworth. Sixty acres
Samuel Houston, Sixty acres laid out in Recorded The same day. brook above The bond.
Fulfill 'in 1720 Recorded april 61725 David Cargill, Sixty acres land out
!
Recorded January 9th 1719.
- laidout in Tutfull Oct. 12, 1720. John Frehiball. Sixty aeres lail. Erist mio
Beau 1720
Fifty one acres tearel outin
Vulftitel March 25, 1720 Record Jan 30,1721
Robert Boyce, Sixty acres laid out in Nutfull May 1720. ..
Alexander Mcneal. Julfeild 1720.
Sixty acres laid out in. Recorded July 2 nd 1721.
Robert morison
William Thompson
Recorded December 27, 1722.
David Gargill Forty. one acres
laidout in Nulfulle July 20 1720 Recorded august- 2 ml 1 720.
Revit James Mc Gregor ninety-two acrestand out in Nulfuld 1720. Recorded March
24,1721.
Haverhill Faissvine Road laid February 10,
John memurpl
Recorded November 5, 1720%
fifty one acres laid out in Nulfelel '720.
out in tutfield 1722. Recorded Hecan 21 1724/
5 one hundred rods 1
Ein Nutfull 1720 Recordul aug 2 1 /20-
1
MAP OF THE THREE QUARTER MILE RANGE.
215
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
February 11th 1728-9. It is hereby to be known that the Honorable John Wentworth, Esq., Lieutenant Governor in and over His Majestys Province of New Hampshire, doth resign his right and title to the land mentioned in the above record, he having the equivalent of said land laid out on the westerly side of that land commonly called Leveretts Land, etc.
I was present when the aforesaid Governor Went- worth resigned the above land Attest. per JOHN MACMURPHY, Town Clerk.
The land received by Governor Went- worth instead of this farm in the Three Quarter Mile Range is identified by deeds in possession of J. Calvin Taylor as part of his farm and deeded by Governor Wentworth to his an- eestor (great-grand- father) Matthew Taylor, in 1732.
Alexander Mae- Murphy, who was granted the lot south of Governor Went- worth, was the great- grandfather of Alex- ander MaeMurphy now living in Derry at the age of eighty-two years.
J. WENTWORTH.
MRS. BETSY (COBURN) ANNIS. Aged 92 years.
MRS. SARAH (COBURN) MORRISON. Aged 89 years.
Sisters residing in Londonderry, 1894.
No certain infor- mation explains the fact that the records show a manifest error in the allotment of these farms. If the record of the Governor Wentworth land is correct, Alexander MaeMurphy had possession of a homestead prior to Sept. 16, 1721. The records of deeds at Exeter, N. H., show that Jamcs Lig- gett sold his half of that homestead laid out to him and Alexander MacMurphy in 1722. The second division of Squire John MacMurphy, immediately south of Alexander MacMurphy, was laid out to him in March, 1722-3, and yet the description of
the land shows Alexander MaeMurphy to have occupied before that date. It is possible that Squire John MaeMurphy, who was a man of great prudenee, the first magistrate and town clerk of Londonderry, recognized the faet that no docu- ments issued prior to the date of the charter could be considered legal or valid. James Mac- Murphy, the son of Alexander of the Three Quarter Mile Range, sold his in- terest in the home- stead, after his father's death, to his brother Alexander, and bought land of David Morrison in Eayers Range, where his deseendants have lived ever since. The two MaeMurphylots are now owned by Benjamin Adams, and he also owns the lots of the Cargills. his house being just above the original inlay of Capt. David Cargill's fulling mill.
The eastern half of David Cargill's lot was sold to Robert Gillmore at an early date, and Mareh 25. 1724, David Cargill deeded a lot of sev-
enty acres to Robert Gillmore for building him a fulling mill; the lot was north of William Gill- more's farm, henee it is evident the Cargills had bought large traets of land from the original proprietors at an early date in addition to many grants from the town. The Cargills sold both mills and real estate to John MaeMurphy in 1732. and he disposed of them by his will of 1755. James McNeal sold his homestead to James Gill- more April 13, 1722, according to the traditions and papers of the Gillmore family.
216
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
There were peculiar means of identifying the lots in said town. James Gregg, James McKeen, David Cargill, Hugh Montgomery lands : the farm in the Three John MeNeal, Committee. Recorded this 14th of March, 1723-4. Quarter Mile Range joined upon the farm in a Pr. JOHN MACMURPHY, Toron Clerk. short range southeast of Beaver pond also laid out to Hugh Montgomery. The farm of Hugh It is certain that this was the original order of this short range from the transcript of the lay- ing out of a highway. The highway began at a bridge built by Robert Boyes at the outlet of Beaver pond : Montgomery is not shown in this map but its location was along the side of the homestead of William Thompson. The transcript of William Thompson's homestead is not found, but the fol- lowing record of Hugh Montgomery's lot will serve several important purposes :
Londonderry July 29") 1723. Laid out by the selectmen a road or street beginning at the bridge at the lower end of the
ELM STREET, MANCHESTER,- LOOKING SOUTH.
Londonderry March 1720. Laid out to Hugh Montgomery a lot of land containing sixty acres be it more or less which lot is bounded on the west by a white oak tree marked, thence run- ning northeast by marked trees and bounding on Robert Morri- son's lot to a stake, bounding on John Archibald's lot and bounding on said Archibald's lot to Haverhill false line, so running north on said line to a stake, and from said stake bounding east on James McNeal's lot to a stake, thence running forty rods south to a stake, thence running west on Mr. McGregor's lot to the aforesaid Haverhill line and bounding south on said line to a white oak tree marked thence running southwest and bounding on William Thompson's lot to a stake, and bounding northwest to the bounds first mentioned ; together with an interest in the common or undivided lands equal to other
pond called Beaver pond and running up through the Ministerial and through John McNeal's lot and by marked trees to the road now fenced through John MacMurphy's lot and through Robert Boyce's lot and through Alexander McNeal's lot and through Robert Morrison's lot near his house, and running through Hugh Montgomery's lot and through William Thomp- son's lot and along through David Cargill's lot to the east of his old house where good ground answereth, and so running straight toward Mr. James McGregor's house, or barn, and so by the house to John Richey's house, the said road to be kept and continued clear four rods wide, and the timber of said road to be reserved for the use of said road. Samuel Moore, James Nichols, Robert Boyes, Selectmen. Recorded this 30th of September 1723- Pr. JOHN MACMURPHY, Town Clerk.
217
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
The positions of some very old houses are indicated by the records, and it seems that David Cargill owned a house that was considered old the next year after the charter was granted to Lon- donderry. The deed of John Wheelwright, had it been sufficient to establish a clear title, would have included a portion of land that the people of Chester secured under a charter that antedated the charter of Londonderry, and several farms were laid out to the Haverhill line north of Stephen Pierce's homestead. The great farm of Governor Shute was still farther north, and a highway connected it with Haverhill and Boston, the centre of power and authority in the Massa- chusetts Bay colony. To exhibit the rapid changes in ownership of lands in this part of the town and allow the reader to see the impossibility of con- structing a map that will be absolutely free from the charge of anachronisms, another record of a highway is here given :
Londonderry February the 18th 1724-5. Laid out by the selectmen a straight road beginning at the common land lying to the northwest of Governor Shute's lots and running southerly across the said lots and through Samuel Rankin's lot to the line between Thomas Cochran and James Caldwell the two thirds upon James Caldwell's land and the other third upon Thomas Cochran's land, and across William Adams's lot straight to Patrick Douglass's house and to the lean-to, and turning more easterly across Robert Boyes's lot to Governor Wentworth's farm, and so on the said farm to the west end of Alexander MacMurphy's field and across his lot, and across John MacMur- phy's second division and David Cargill's to the brook at the Inlay of the Fulling Mill, and as near a south line as ground will allow to John Archibald's house, and straight to William Gillmore's house, and as straight as good ground will allow to Daniel McDuffee's new house, and so to James Adams's house, and so as straight to the easterly corner of John Richey's home lot as ground will allow and then running partly on the second divisions and partly on John Richey's lot as good ground will alllow to the corner of John Barr's lot and so running partly on John Barr's lot and partly on the second divisions as good ground will allow to the line between William Humphrey and John Barr's lot, running on said Barr's land as far as the select- men have viewed, and then running on said Humphrey's land to the road leading to Haverhill, the said road to be two rods wide. This by order of James Alexander, William Coghran, John Blair, Robert Boyes. Selectmen. Recorded this 27th of Feb- ruary 1724-5.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.