History of Salisbury, Merrimack Co, New Hampshire, Chapter 1 *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net. Submitted by: Rick Giirtman rickman@worldpath.net Date: May 22, 2001 *********************************************************************** Salisbury History The following history is from "The History of Merrimack and Belknap Counties, New Hampshire". Edited by D. Hamilton Hurd and Published in 1885. HISTORY OF SALISBURY. BY JOHN J. DEARBORN, M.D., TOWN HISTORIAN. CHAPTER I. THE name Salisbury is derived from the Latin salua, which signifies safety, or health, and the Anglo-Saxon "bury," or "burgh," a corporate town, hence, the town of health and safety. It was named directly from Salisbury, Mass., which was so called from Salisbury, England. It is situated in latitude 43° 23', on the west bank of the Merrimack and Pemigewasset Rivers, sixteen miles north of Concord and eighty miles from Boston. It was originally bounded north by Andover, east by the rivers, above named, south by Boscawen and Warner, west by Warner and what was Kearsarge Gore, and contains tweuty-eight thousand six hundred acres. The town has produced more brains than any other municipality in New Hampshire, other things being equal. There are three, perhaps four, hamlets in the town, but the main dependence of her people has always been upon the native products of the soil. For many years her hardy and fearless settlers were the pioneers of civilization, repelled the assaults of savage beasts and more savage men, defended their rude dwellings "from violence and destruction," and bared their brows to the tomahawk and scalping-knife and their breasts to the Indian bullet. "Through the fire and blood of a seven years' Revolutionary war " her sons shrank from "no toil and no danger" that they might establish a free country. For several years after its settlement there rose no smoke from the habitation of any white man between Salisbury and the settlements on the rivers of Canada. Her women were slain by the tomahawk, and her men and maidens ambushed, seized, made to run the gauntlet and carried away into captivity; while the inhabitants of other towns were obliged to abandon their recently-made homes, the stalwart inhabitants of Salisbury stood firm, built their cabins and defended them. When Philip Call, Nathaniel Maloon, Jacob Morrill, Ephraim Collins, Samuel Scribner, Robert Barber, John Bowen, Jonathan Greeley, John and Ebenezer Webster, Andrew Bohonon and Edward Eastman and their associates built their rude dwellings in Salisbury (then Stevenstown) they formed the exposed picket-line in this State, and they maintained it till the peace of 1763, notwithstanding Nathaniel Maloon, his wife and three children were seized by the Indians and carried to Canada and sold into captivity, and the wife of Philip Call was murdered, and Samuel Scribner and Robert Barber were also captured and sold into captivity. In the cause of religion Salisbury was equal to any other town in the State, and in 1773, Rev. Jonathan Searle settled over the Congregational Church, which church has continued to this day. Long before Concord made a move Salisbury had established an academy, which was one of the noted institutions of learning in the State. When the Merrimack County Agricultural Society was formed, in 1824, Salisbury furnished more members than any other town, and their first gathering was at Salisbury. When we speak of great men, how illustrious does this noble old town appear! what a roll of honor does she furnish! The Websters, the Bartletts, the Pettengills, the Eastmans, the Haddocks, the Pingrees, the Smiths, the Gales, the Sawyers and the Greeleys. Thomas W. Thompson, Richard Fletcher, Parker Noyes, Israel W. Kelley, George W. Nesmith, Samuel I. Wells and Thomas Worcester became her citizens by adoption. There has been but one man who gained the title of " Defender of the Constitution,'' and he was born and reared in Salisbury. Hon. Ichabod Bartlett, Ezekiel Webster, Charles B. Haddock, Joel Eastman, Samuel C. Bartlett (the learned president of Dartmouth College), William H. Bartlett, Samuel E. Pingry (present Governor of Vermont), all were natives of the town, and for a list of other noted men the reader is referred to the collegiate record. NATURAL DESCRIPTION. The original growth of wood on land adjacent to the rivers was pitch, Norway and white pine, with occasional elms, maples and birches; on the uplands all the native hard woods were found. The soil is strong, deep and loomy, with a substratum of pan. RIVERS. The east part of the town is watered by the Pemigewasset and Merrimack. Blackwater passes through the western part of the town, from north to south, forming a large bay which abounds with a variety of fish. A considerable portion of Kearsage Mountain is within the bounds of Salisbury. HILLS. Searle's (and called "Mount Pisgah" by Daniel Webster) is near the centre of the old town. On its top was located the first church, and its top was the scene of the alarm-fires kindled as signals in the perilous days of the pioneers. The other hills are Loverin's, Calef, Bean, Bald, Smith's and Raccoon. PONDS AND BROOKS. Tucker's Pond is the largest body of water within the limits of the town. Greenough's and Wilder's Ponds complete the list. Bog or Banley, Chance Pond, Stirrup Iron, Punch and Wigwag Brooks are the principal small streams. MINERALS AND ROCKS. The rocks are mostly Montalban and Simonite. A species of bog-ore, containing iron, also exists. The mineralogy of Kearsarge is Andalusite and tourmaline. Tripoli is found in large quantities. Plumbago exists in several sections of the town. Silver exists in small quantities. There is also a huge boulder foreign to this section. Its dimensions are fifty-seven feet in length, twenty-six in height, and a circumference of one hundred and fifty feet. BAKERSTOWN. It was the policy of Massachusetts, during the pendency of the boundary question, to confer grants in the disputed territory on soldiers who had been engaged in the French and Indian Wars. The records of the General Court of Massachusetts indicate that John Tyler, Joseph Pike and others presented a request "for two townships to be granted to the officers and soldiers of the companies under command of the late Captain John March, Captain Stephen Greenleaf and Captain Philip Nelson (deceased)." The General Court answered their petition by granting them two tracts of land, one of which included the town of Salisbury, and it is not known where the other was located. The date of the grant was February 3,1736. Richard Hazen, as surveyor, laid out the township to contain six squares miles, which was divided between fifty-nine grantees or proprietors. It does not appear that the charter was accepted so far as Bakerstown was concerned. The grant was named Bakerstown in honor of Captain Thomas Baker, who, in 1720, killed the Sachem Waternumus by the rapid stream now called Baker's River, at Plymouth. Stevenstown. As we have seen, the grantees of Bakerstown failed to comply with the terms of their grant. The boundary question had been settled and Massachusetts had no title to the territory, and the Masonian proprietors were the rightful possessors. In the month of December, 1748, these proprietors granted the same territory to other parties than the original grantees, as appears by the Proprietors' Records. " PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 'At a meeting of the Proprietors of Lands purchased of John Tufton Mason, Esq., in the Province of New Hampshire, held at the dwelling-house of Sarah Priest, a widow, in Portsmouth, in s'd Province, on Wednesday the seventh day of December, 1748, by adjournment, "voted, That Ebenezer Stevens, Esq., & associates have a Township equal to six miles square, beginning on the north of Contoocook [Boscawen], in the most convenient form, without interfering with the Township called No. One [Warner], as the Grantors shall think proper. . . . "Geo. Jeffery, Proprietors' Clerk." Following are the names of the grantees. A copy of this grant and the grant of Massachusetts, by the name of Bakerstown, and other matters pertaining to this subject will be found in J. J. Dearborn's " History of Salisbury," now in press. The grant bears date of Wednesday, the 26th day of October, 1749. " Ebenezer Stevens, Ebenezer Page, Samuel Bean, Benjamin Stevens, Nathan Sweatt, Elisha Winslow, Moses Quimby, Joshua Woodman, Jobn Hunton, Jedediah Philbrick, Thomas Newman, Samuel Colcord, Jonathan Greeley, Jr., Joseph Eastman, Jr., John Fifield, Jr., Henry Morril, William Calfe, John Hunton, Jr., John Ladd, Jr., Benjamin Wadleigh, Nathaniel Ladd, Ebenezer Stevens, Jr., Elisha Sweat, Samuel Sanborn, John Darling, Jr., Samuel Webster, John Currier, Samuel Winslow, Jr., Humphrey Hook, Jacob Quimby, Jonathan Greeley, Tristram Sanborn, Jr , Ebenezer Long, Abraham Greene, Joeeph Bean, Jr., Tristram Quimby, Benjamin Ladd, Jeremiah Philbrick, The Rev. Joseph Secombe, James Tappan, Tristram Sanhorn, tertius, Peter Sanborn, Captain Joseph Greeley, William Buswell, tertius, Nathaniel Hunton, Samuel Eastman, Jr., Samuel Fifield, Joseph Clifford, Ebenezer Eastman, Jeremiah Webster, Jonathan Sanborn, Ephram Collins, Joshua Webster, Samuel Stevens, all of Kingston in said Province ; Peter Ayer, of Haverhill; Jabez True and David Greeley, both of Salisbury [Mass.]; Benjamin Sanborn, of Kingston afores'd; Philip Call being in on part of the land hereinafter mentioned ; and Peter Derborn, of Chester." The grantees were in earnest to commence a settlement, and on October 25,1749, issued a call for their first meeting, at which time all the necessary officers were chosen. Meetings were held as occasion required, and annually town officers were elected until the incorporation of the town. In 1752 it was voted to " plow twelve acres of land," and in the year following (1753) the proprietors voted to build four houses. This year the Indian depredations were such as to call on the State for a guard to protect the inhabitants. In the year 1759 land was granted to Captain John Webster for building a saw-mill. MAJOR EBENEZER STEVENS, for whom the town was named, was the first grantee and a prominent man in Kingston, where he died November 1, 1749. He was for several years a member of the Assembly, and four or five years Speaker of that body, from 1743 to 1747. It was through his influence that Ebenezer Webster, the father of Daniel, located here. In addition to the early settlers on page 602, we find Benjamin Sanborn, William Silloway, Henry Morrill, Tristram Quimby, Jacob Quimby, James Tappan, William Newton, John Jemson, John Bawley (Burleigh), David Hall, John Fifield, Jr., John Huntoon, Joseph Bean, Jr., Jabez True, Daniel Greeley and Tristram Sanborn. Incorporation of the Town. Immediately after the passage of the act of 1766 to enable the proprietors of Stevenstown to raise money by a direct tax, to carry on the settlement of the town and defray the necessary expenses, a petition was presented by residents in the township to His Excellency the Governor for an act of incorporation. On the 1st day of March, 1768, Governor Wentworth, in the name of King George the Third, declared and ordained the township called Stevenstown to be a town corporate, vested and incorporated into a body politic by the name of Salisbury. The first town-meeting, held on the first Tuesday in April, chose officers and transacted all necessary business. THE ASSOCIATION TEST. The articles of which we trust all the readers are sufficiently acquainted with; therefore will not enter into detail. The signers are: " Ebenezer Johnson, Reuben Greeley, Job Heath, Samuel Scribner, William Suton, Phineas Bean, John Collins, Benjamin Bean, John Jemson, John Sanborn, Moses Elkins, Robert Smith, Leonard Judkins, Shubael Greeley, David Pettengill, William Webster, John Fifleld, Jeremiah Webster, Ephraim Heath, Nathaniel Maloon, Iddo Scribner, Benj. Scribner, John Scribner, John Challis, Ephraim Colby, Andrew Bohonon, Moses Selley, Joseph French, John Bowen, Daniel Scamell, Robert Barber, Ebenezer Clifford, Abel Elkins, Dan. Warren, Jacob True, Rev. Jonathan Searle, Andrew Pettengill, Jonathan Fifleld, Benjamin Huntoon, Joseph Bartlett, Jacob Garland, William Searle, Edward Fifleld, Ezra Tucker, Hezekiah Foster, John Bean, Edward Scribner, Joseph Marston, Benjamin Greeley, John Webster, Jr., Annaniah Bohonon, Gideon Dow, Stephen Call, Benjamin Sanborn, John Webster, Nathaniel Marston, Reuben Hoyt, Abraham Fifleld, Cutting Stevens, John Gale, Ebenezer Webster, William Calef, Edward Eastman, Jonathan Cram, John Row, William Eastman, Abel Tandy, Moses Garland, Eben Tucker, Nathaniel Maloon, Jr., Obediah Peters Fifield, Edward Scribner, Jr., Moses Sawyer, John Fellows, Daniel Huntoon, Andrew Bohonon, Jr., Nathan Colby, Jacob Bohonon, Joseph Basford, Israel Webster, Matthew Pettengill, Joseph Fifield, Richard Purmont. "This may certify to the General Assembly or Committee of Safety of the Colony of New Hampshire, That we, the subscribers, have offered the within Declaration to the Inhabitants of the Town of Salisbury and they sign freely. "Sinclair Bean and Joseph Bean excepted. " EBENEZER WEBSTER, " JONATHAN FIFIELD, Selectmen for Salisbury" Nathaniel Maloon, Jr., was the third selectman, and, with two exceptions, the test was signed by every male adult in the spring of 1776. It does not appear that the two who refused to sign were unfriendly to the cause of the colonies. They were trusted with town business, and aided in supplying the demands of the army. Sinclair Bean was a Quaker in his religious belief, and the other a justice of the peace under royal authority. In 1817, President Monroe made his tour through New England, arriving at Concord on the 18th of July, where he was received with the most genial hospitality, and every evidence of high personal regard was shown him. On Monday, the 21st, he arrived at Salisbury South Road, stopping at the residence of Mr. Andrew Bowers, now the Congregational Church parsonage. His visit was unexpected, and no preparations had been made for his reception. Samuel Greeley, as chairman of the committee, waited upon President Monroe, tendering him the hospitality of the town in a neat and appropriate speech, to which the President responded, and many of the inhabitants were introduced to the chief magistrate of the United States. FORMATION of the STATE GOVERNMENT. On the 14th of November, 1775, in accordance with a recommendation of the Continental Congress, the Fourth Provincial Congress of New Hampshire adopted a plan of representation, upon which an election of delegates was held. In this plan Boscawen and Salisbury were entitled to one delegate. Henry Gerrish, of Boscawen represented the towns in this Assembly. At the first Constitutional Convention, which was held at Concord June 10, 1778, Salisbury was represented by Captain Ebenezer Webster and Captain Matthew Pettengill. At the second Constitutional Convention, held at Concord on the second Tuesday of June, 1781, Captain Ebenezer Webster was the delegate. In June 1783, the same convention met and agreed upon another form for a Constitution, Jonathan Cram having been chosen a delegate. FEDERAL CONSTITUTION. The first session of the convention to consider the subject met at Exeter February 13, 1788. Salisbury sent as delegate Colonel Ebenezer Webster, who, at the first meeting of the convention, opposed the Constitution, under instructions from his town. In the mean time Colonel Webster conferred with his constituents, asked the privilege of supporting the Constitution, and he was instructed to vote as he might think proper. When the convention reassembled, in June, 1788, Colonel Webster made the following speech. It did great credit to the head and heart of the author. SPEECH OF COLONEL EBENEZER WEBSTER. " Mr. Prerident: I have listened to the arguments for and against the Constitution. I am convinced such a government as that Constitution will establish, if adopted, a government acting directly on the people of the States, is necessary for the common defense and the general welfare. It is the only government which will enable us to pay off the national debt, the debt which we owe for the Revolution, and which we are bound in honor fully and fairly to discharge. Besides, I have followed the lead of Washington through seven years of war and I have never been misled. His name is subscribed to this Constitution. He will not mislead us now. I shall vote for its adoption." The first convention for the revision of the State Constitution was convened at Concord on the 7th of September, 1791. Salisbury sent as delegate Rev. Jonathan Searle. The second convention for the revision of the Constitution met at Concord on the 8th of October, 1850. Salisbury selected as delegate, Abraham H. Robinson, a practicing physician in the town and a graduate of Yale College. In 1876 the State Constitution was revised for the third time, which made the fifth Constitutional Convention. The delegate from Salisbury to this convention was Nathaniel Bean. *********************************************************************** Vote for State President, from 1784 to 1791, inclusive. In the lists below the successful candidate is indicated by an asterisk. (*) 1784. *Meshech Weare, 28. 1785. Col. Josiah Bartlett, 30. *John Langdon, 0. 1786. John Langdon, 29. George Atkinson, 2. *John Sullivan, 0. 1787. John Langdon, 27. *John Sullivan, 24. 1788. *John Langdon, 33. John Sullivan, 15. Josiah Bartlett, 5. 1789. *John Sullivan, 23. John Pickering, 15. 1790. John Pickering, 62. *Josiah Bartlett, 0. 1791. *Josiah Bartlett, 78 Vote for Governor, from 1792 to 1885, inclusive. Successful candidates indicated by an asterisk (*),-- 1792. *Josiah Bartlett, 86. 1793. *Josiah Bartlett, 100. Timothy Walker, 1. 1794. *John T. Gilman, 106. 1795. *John T. Gilman, 86 1796. *John T. Gilman, 103 Abiel Foster, 1. 1797. *John T. Gilman, 110. 1798. *John T. Gilman, 82 1799. *John T. Gilman, 72 Oliver Peabody, 22 1800. *John T. Gilman, 134 Timothy Walker, 40 Philip Carrigan, 1 1801. *John T. Gilman, 103 Timothy Walker, 50 Scattering, 5 1802. *John T. Gilman, 133 John Langdon, 44 1803. *John T. Gilman, 157 John Langdon, 66 1804. John T. Gilman, 135 John Langdon, 79 1805. John T. Gilman, 144 *John Langdon, 127 1806. *John Langdon, 122 John T. Gilman, 73 Scattering, 58 1807. *John Langdon, 111 Timothy Farrar, 33 Scattering, 18 1808. *John Langdon, 66 Thomas W. Thompson, 22 1809. *Jeremiah Smith, 168 John Langdon, 121 1810. Jeremiah Smith, 158 *John Langdon, 144 1811. *John Langdon, 166 Jeremiah Smith, 154 1812. John T. Gilman, 162 *William Plumer, 145 Scattering, 2 1813. William Plumer, 176 John T. Gilman, 173 1814. *John T. Gilman, 207 William Plumer, 149 Scattering, 3 1815. *John T. Gilman, 183 William Plumer, 145 Scattering, 1 1816. James Sheafe, 176 *William Plumer, 172 Scattering, 3 1817. *William Plumer, 170 James Sheafe, 147 Scattering, 4 1818. *William Plumer, 173 Jeremiah Mason, 145 1819. *Samuel Bell, 161 William Hale, 135 Scattering, 2 1820. *Samuel Bell, 295 Scattering, 8 1821. *Samuel Bell, 215 Jeremiah Mason, 3 1822. *Samuel Bell, 209 Jeremiah Mason, 1 1823. Samuel Dinsmore, 148 *Levi Woodbury, 135 1824. *David L. Morrill, 135 Levi Woodbury, 38 Scattering, 2 1825. *David L. Morrill, 273 Scattering, 4 1826. Benjamin Pierce, 153 *David L. Morrill, 63 Scattering, 4 1827. *Benjamin Pierce, 212 Scattering, 16 1828. Benjamin Pierce, 193 *John Bell, 167 Scattering, 1 1829. *Benjamin Pierce, 159 John Bell, 78 1830. *Matthew Harvey, 150 Timothy Upham, 68 1831. *Samuel Dinsmore, 157 Ichabod Bartlett, 81 Scattering, 1 1832. *Samuel Dinsmore, 134 Ichabod Bartlett, 60 1833. *Samuel Dinsmore, 164 Author Livermore, 29 1834. *William Badger, 236 Scattering, 9 1835. *William Badger, 138 Joseph Healey, 61 1836. *Isaac Hill, 135 William Badger, 5 Scattering, 4 1837. *Isaac Hill, 156 1838. *Isaac Hill, 154 James Wilson, 99 1839. *John Page, 158 James Wilson, 102 Scattering, 1 1840. *John Page, 159 Enos Stevens, 77 1841. *John Page, 160 Enos Stevens, 94 Scattering, 1 1842. *Henry Hubbard, 192 Enos Stevens, 59 Scattering, 4 1843. Anthony Colby, 39 *Henry Hubbard, 113 Scattering, 9 1844. *John H. Steele, 128 Anthony Colby, 72 Scattering, 14 1845. *John H. Steele, 128 Anthony Colby, 69 Scattering, 13 1846. Jared W. Williams, 141 *Anthony Colby, 79 Nathaniel S. Berry, 20 1847. *Jared W. Williams, 173 Anthony Colby, 87 Nathaniel S. Berry 16 1848. *Jared W. Williams, 180 Nathaniel S. Berry, 77 Anthony Colby, 1 1849. *Samuel Dinsmore, 163 Levi Chamberlin, 56 Nathaniel S. Berry, 17 1850. *Samuel Dinsmore, 165 Levi Chamberlin, 62 Nathaniel S. Berry, 17 1851. *Samuel Dinsmore, 159 Thomas E. Sawyer, 54 John Atwood, 18 1852. *Noah Martin, 163 Thomas E. Sawyer, 64 Scattering, 16 1853. *Noah Martin, 147 James Bell, 51 John H. White, 17 1854. *Nathaniel B. Baker, 153 James Bell, 51 Jared Perkins, 13 1855. Nathaniel B. Baker, 144 *Ralph Metcalf, 131 Scattering, 2 1856. John S. Wells, 150 *Ralph Metcalf, 126 Ichabod Goodwin, 4 1857. John S. Wells, 149 *William Haile, 135 1858. Asa P. Cate, 154 *William Haile, 120 1859. Asa P. Cate, 152 *Ichabod Goodwin, 118 1860. Asa P. Cate, 159 *Ichabod Goodwin, 127 1861. George Stark, 152 *Nathaniel S. Berry, 94 1862. George Stark, 138 *Nathaniel S. Berry, 95 Paul R. Wheeler, 13 1863. Ira A. Eastman, 147 *Joseph A. Gilmore, 52 Walter Harriman, 31 1864. Edw. W. Harrington, 152 *Joseph A. Gilmore, 108 1865. Edw. W. Harrington, 146 *Frederick Smyth, 108 1866. John G. Sinclair, 156 *Frederick Smyth, 102 1867. John G. Sinclair, 139 *Walter Harriman, 94 1868. John G. Sinclair, 153 *Walter Harriman, 94 1869. John Bedel, 122 *Onslow Stearns, 87 Scattering, 1 1870. John Bedel, 83 *Onslow Stearns, 82 Samuel Flint, 38 Lorenzo D. Barrows, 11 1871. *James A. Weston, 127 James Pike, 94 Scattering, 7 1872. James A. Weston, 115 *Ezekiel A. Straw, 115 Lemuel P. Cooper, 7 1873. James A. Weston, 113 *Ezekiel A. Straw, 107 Scattering, 9 1874. *James A. Weston, 123 Luther McCutchins, 75 Scattering, 1 1875. Hiram R. Roberts, 129 Person C. cheney, 89 Scattering, 1 1876. Daniel Marcy, 137 *Person C. Cheney, 80 1877. Daniel Marcy, 118 *Benjamin F. Prescott, 90 1878. Frank McKean, 124 *Benjamin F. Prescott, 80 Scattering, 5 1879-81. Frank McKean, 108 *Natt. Head, 75 Warren G. Brown, 16 1880-81. Frank Jones, 128 *Charles H. Bell, 110 1882-83. M. V. B. Edgerly, 113 *Samuel W. Hale, 103 1884-85.*Moody Currier, 111 John M. Hill