Chapter 32 - Greenland from History of Rockingham County, NH Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by MLM, Volunteer 0000130. For the current email address, please go to http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000130 Copyright. All rights reserved. ************************************************************************ Full copyright notice - http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm USGenWeb Archives - http://www.usgwarchives.net ************************************************************************ Source: History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and Representative Citizens by Charles A. Hazlett, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill., 1915 Page 418 CHAPTER XXXII GREENLAND Petition for Privileges-Petition for a Township-Documentary History- Petition of Inhabitants of "Breakfast Hill"-Qther Petitions-Taverns- War of the Revolution-Action of the Towns-Town Stock of Ammuni- tion-Hiring Soldiers-Annexation to Massachusetts-Civil History- Incorporation of the Town-The First Town-Meeting-Officers Elected- Ecclesiastical-Congregaltional Church-Methodist Episcopal Church- Brackett Academy-Military Record-Weeks' Library-The Oldest House. The Town of Greenland lies in the eastern part of the county, and is bounded on the north by Great Bay and the Town of Newington; on the east by Portsmouth and Rye; on the south by North Hampton and Stratham; and on the west by Stratham. The surface of the town is rolling and its soil fertile. Documentary History.- The Parish of Greenland was incorporated in 1703, and two years later, 1705, the inhabitants petitioned for liberty to have "a minister and school-master among themselves." The following is a copy of the petition : To "His Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq., Govern'r and Commander in chiefe in and over his Majesties province of New Hampshire, and Vice Ad- miral of the same. The humble Petition of John Johnson Abraham Lewis and Samuel Weeks on behalfe of themselves and the inhabitants of Green- land, belonging to the town of Portsmouth, Humbly sheweth "That there are about three hundred & twenty persons: men women and children in Greenland who are Obliged to come to the Bank to meeting, and the distance being five or six miles and the season of the yeare occasioning bad travelling as also the danger of the Enemy makes it very difficult and Tedious to gett to the said meeting, or to send their children every day to school being not able to Table them abroad: soe that your poor petitioners are almost deprived of publickly hearing the word of God or getting their children Edu- cated with Reading and writing And your petitioners have desired at a publick Towne meeting to have the Liberty of a Minister and schoolmaster among themselves. They paying their sallary and to be Exempted from pay- ing to the minister and Schoolmaster at the Bank but there is no care taken about itt by the Town who continues silent in the matter. May it therefore please yr Excellency to consider premise and to order as you in your prudent Judgment shall see meet-relating to the same whereby yo'r petitioners may Page 419 obtain the priviledge of a Minister and schoolmaster among themselves as aforesaid. And they as in duty bound shall ever pray &c JOHN JOHNSON ABRAHAM LEWIS SAMUEL WEEKS "This petition is referred to the Selectmen of Portsmouth to make answer and objections if they have any to myselfe in a months time. J. DUDLEY" In 1716 Ebenezer Johnson and others petitioned to be joined to the Parish of Greenland as follows: 17th Jan. 1716. To the Honourable George Vaughan Esq. Lt. Governor of his Majesties Province of New Hampshire an the Honourable his Majesties Counsel--- The Humble petition of the inhabitants That live on the Pattin adjacent to Greenland who are on this side of the line, which was formerly run be- tween Portsmouth and Exeter beginning att Walls Crick and running to Hampton bounds--Humbly Sheweth That we the subscribers would humbly pray that we may be joined to Greenland Parrish because we there commonly attend the worship of God, which is abundantly more convenient for us than other place of publick worship and have diverse of us been help full in build- ing an house to worship God In ther att sd Parrish. We likewise the In- habitants of Greenland being a poor & small Parrish Humbly pray your honours to Grant that all the Inhabitants which are within the afore sd line from Walls crick to Hampton bounds may be added to us-- We therefore humbly crave your Honours Grant of these our request & your petitioners as In Duty bound shall pray&c. Ebenezer Johnson, John Cate, James Berry, Assessors; Nathaniel Wright, Richard White, Fred Allen, Samuell Folsom, Mikel Hicks, Walter Philbrick, John Emery, Isaac Foss, Jonathan Weeks, Tho Letherbe. Petition for Certain Privileges.--In 1720 Greenland had so increased in population and importance that the inhabitants petitioned the Governor and Council for privilege to chOose a constable, and one of three members to repre- sent them in the General Assembly. This petition is dated March 18, 1720- 21, and is as follows: Petition to be Freed. } To ye Honble John Wentworth Esq Ltt, Governr and Com- Province of New Hampr} mandr-in Chief for ye time being, & to ye Honble ye Council } of of his Majestys Province aforesd. The petition Jams Johnson, Saml Weeks & Josh Weeks of Greenland in behalfe of sd Parrish--Humby Sheweth-- That on ye 15th Instant att a Parrish meeting Lawfully conven'd we your Petitioners were electd a comitte to address your Honrs & this Honble Board in behalfe of our sd Parrish for some further libertys & Privilede to be granted in & amongst ourselves for yt yr Petitionrs have now only ye liberty of Raising money on ye Inhabitants there for ye support of ye ministry schoole & poor wthin yr District; & ye Province Tax being Raised by the Selectmen & Page 420 assessors of Portsmo who living Remote canot posibly be apprized of ye per- ticular Capacity of ye several Inhabitants there-- Whereby ye Tax is many times very unequal-- Wherefore your Petitionrs Humy Pray, yt your Honours in your Great Wisdom wil see cause to order yt we may be dismissed from ye Bank from having any tax laid on us there; & yt we may be freed from ye charge and Trouble of attending ye Publick Town meetings there & yt a Committee be By your Honrs chosen to Proportion Greenland in ye Province Rates & yt ye same may be Raisd in Equal Proportion by our own assessors & yt Mr Treasurer be Directd to issue forth his Precept to our Parrish for yt End & yt we may choose a constabl amongst ourselves to collect ye assessments yt are from time to time made & yt we may be allowd ye Privilidge of choosing one assembly man in our Parrish to Represent us in Genll Assemly we paying him out of the Parrish stock which Grantd yr Petitionrs shal as in Duty bound ever pray &c. JAMS JOHNSON SAMLL WEEKS 18, Mar. 1720-1 JOSH. WEEKS March 21St at a Council-- Psent ye Lt Govr Wentworth, Saml Penhallow Esq. Richd Wibird, Collo Walton Esq. Thos Wastbrook, Esq. George Jaffrey- The above Petition Read, and Granted and Ordered that a com'ttee upon Oath take an account of ye Rateable Estate of ye District of Greenlnd by wch ye Proportion of the Prov. Tax, is to be Settled who are to make Return to this board, that the Treasurers warrant be made out accordingly. Petition of Greenland for a Township To His Excellency Samuel Shute Esqr Capt Genll & Com'andr in Cheif & Over His Majtys Prov. of New Hampsr and to the Honble the Council of sd Province-- The Humble Petition of Saml Weeks James Johnston & Mathias Haines of Greenland Parish in the Town of Portsmo in ye Prov. of New Hampsr aforesd for themselves & in behalf of sd Parish, Humbly Sheweth. That yor Petitioners are a district of Portsmo and always have been accounted Part of sd Portsmouth, and have paid Rates in sd Town accordingly, and but very Lately have been made a Separate Parrish, and the Town of Portsmo aforesd having obtained a grant of yor Excellency & Honrs for a Township. Yor Petitioners Humbly pray that yor Excellency & Honrs would be pleased to Ordr that yor Petitioners, as they all along have paid their part of the charges & help to support the warrs against the enemy as inhabitants of Portsmo aforesd That they may now Reap the benefit of the aforesaid Grant of Land in proportion wth their neighbours--the other inhabitants of sd Portsmouth or that yor Petitioners may have an Equivalent of Land adjoyning to the aforesd Grant, Granted unto us. And yor Petitioners as in Duty bound will ever Pray: SAMLL WEEKS, JAMES JOHNSTON, Portsmo May 10th 1722. MATTHIAS HAINES. Page 421 Petition of inhabitants of Breakfast Hill * * So called from the circumstance that a party of Indians in 1696, after an early attack on inhabitants of Portsmouth, and the slaughter of fourteen persons, hastily retreated, and stopped on the declivity of a hill (now in Greenland) and took break- fast. Ever since it has retained the name of Breakfast Hill. To the honble John Wentworth Esq. Liut Governr-& Commander in Chief in and over his Majties Province of Newhampshire to ye honble the Council & house of representatives Conven'd in Genll Assembly. The humble Request of us the Subscribers inhabitants about Breakfast hill & owners of Land neare Greenland meeting house, humbly Desires, That whereas we are soe neare said meeting house & have paid our part towards the maintenance of ye Ministry there Evr since it hath been built, Yt for the future wee may be by act of Government set of towards payment of the ministry to yt place It being most convenient for us by many miles--& your Petitioners shall ever pray &c. May 25th 1725 his mark Thomas O bery Jon his O mark, bleak Isaac his § mark, foos James fooler desires to pay to Greenland & Sande-bech be a parish of themselves. James Whidden James Johnson R. Wibird John Wheden Petition for extension of boundary lines } To the honble John Wentworth Esq. Liut Govonr & Commander Province of } in Chief in and over his .M3;jties Province of N ew H.ampshire New Hampr } and to the honble the Council & house of Representatives Con- } ven'd in Genll Assem-bly for sd Province. The humble Petition of Capt Samuell Weeks, Capt Joshua Weeks & Mr John Cate. In the behalfe of the Poore parrish of Greenland as they are Impowered by said parrish to represent the same with the select men of Greenland. humbly Sheweth. That whereas by a vote formerly of the Town of Portsmouth (of which the said Greenland is a part) It was voted that Greenland Bounds should be on the South side of Packers farm (which supose is now Doctor Marches) and Whereas by a Vote of the Genll Assembly 28th July 1714, Its said that Greenland bounds to Packers Bridge and thence to Joshua Haineses Mr Cates & Edwd Ayerses farm, The Same is verry Ambiguous Whether these are included or excluded and alsoe Mr. Edward Ayers at that time had two farms Southwest of sd Packers or Marches farm--& it is not mention'd which--And Whereas Capt Langdon & the committee that made the last return: Page 422 run the line from said Marches iarm to Edward Ayres Southwesterly farm, Exclusive of said Farm; which line comes to Northward of Berry Brook in the Rhoad to Sandy Beech, which is not above a mile from Greenland Meeting house, and Excludes fifteen families that live about Breakfast hill from ye sd Parrish of Greenland that used to pay there towards maintenance of the ministry & lyes most convenient for them to come there, The loss of so many families is verry Great & Grievious to your verry poore petitioners: Therefore your humble Petitioners Humbly prayes (That considering your said parrish of Greenland consists chiefly in verry poore Inhabitants) and Containes a verry small Quantity of Ground; Great Part of said Pa.rrish being not three Quarters of a mile Deep & In the Deepest or Widest place verry little above a mile--That they containe a small Compass of Grond & no probability of Increasing themselves-humbly prayes your consideration & order that the ire line betwixt them and Portsmouth may Extend Due south from Marches farm to ye farm Mr Edward Ayers Bought of the Admr of Richard Jose Esq Deceas'd and thence South East to New Castle line which line will take in the fifteen families afore sd and suppose the line formerly Intended--But if it should seem meet to your honrs to take these fifteene families from said Parrish it would occasion theire Breaking up not being able of themselves that remaine to support the charges of the Ministry with the other contingents on them, All the Committees that Ever made any returne relating to a Divissionale line being all of Portsmouth they made it as much in theire favor as possible by all Strain'd construction--Therefore if your honrs se not meet to Grant us the line Desier'd, That then yr honrs will appoint a Comittee of som other Towns (wholly Indifferent) to make and settle a line as they shall see con- venient, accordin to Portsmouth Town Voate, in 1705 and in Greater Cer- tainty than hath as yet been Don, And your Petitioners as in Duty Bound shall ever pray &c. May 19th 1725. JOHN CATE JOSHUA WEEKS EBENEZER JOHNSON MATHIAS HAINES SAMLL WEEKS May ye 26th 1725. In the House of Representatives read and ordered that the Select men of Portsmo be serv'd with a copy of the petition and they to notifie the town of Portsmouth, To Appeare the second day of the setting of the next Genll Assembly to show cause (if any they can) why the Prayer of the Petition may not be granted. James Jeffry, Cir. Assm In counl Eodm die. Read and concurred Richd Waldron Page 423 Petition relating to tax warrant. } To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Captain General } Governor and Commander in Chief in & over his Majestys Province of } Province of New Hampshire, The Honble his Majesties Coun- New Hampr } cill and House of Representatives in General Assembly Con- } vened-Jan. 12th 1763. Humbly Shews-James Bracket & Simon Dearbom both of Greenland in said Province yeomen and two of the selectmen of said Greenland for the year 1762 the Maj. part for themselves & in behalf of the Inhabitants of said Greenland that the selectmen of said Greenland for said year Raised a Tax on the said inhabitants and gave a list thereof to Joseph Pickerin Constable of said Greenland for said year with a warrant, and the hands of the Majour part of the said selectmen, in consequence thereof the said constable hath made distress on sundry of the said Inhabitants of said Greenland who refused to pay their Respective Taxes and for which sundry actions are brot against him to the In£erior court to be held in March next, and on examining the warrant aforesaid, it appears that the Selectmen have neglected to seal the same, which is thought necessary by Law, and if so will greatly hurt said Inhabitants, for altho most of them may not dispute it, yet there are many that do & so pay no Tax this year, Besides bringing a great charge on the said Inhabitants for the suits already commenced & others that may be, wherefore the Petitioners as aforesaid Humbly pray the advisement of this Honble Court on the Premises--and that you will be pleased to pass such Order thereon as to make the said Warrant good & Valid The want of seals notwithstanding or grant such other Relief thereon as to you shall seem meet. And your petitioners as aforesaid shall as in duty bound ever pray. JAMES BRAcKETT SIMEON DEARBoRN Selectmen of Greenland Province of } In the house of Representatives Jany 19, 1763. This petition New Hampsr } being Read Voted That they be heard thereon on fryday next, & that they Cause the sundry persons who prosecuted the constable for Illegally making Distraint to be notified thereof that they may be present if they see cause. A. Clarkson, clerk. In council Eodm Die. Read & concurr'd, T. Atkinson Jr Secry. Province of } New Hamps } In the House of Representatives Jany 21, 1763 The party being heard on the within Petition-- Voted & Resolved that the Warrant Referr'd unto in the within Petition is a good & Lawfull War- rant, the want of seals notwithstanding, and also resolved that all the warrants given by ny selectmen or assessors singly or con-Junctly within this Province for the Collecting of any Rates or Taxes for the year 1762 shall be Looked upon and accounted legal and Valid the want of seal or Seals notwithstanding S. Sherburne Speaker. Page 424 In Council Jany 22d 1763 Read & concurr'd with this addition (viz), That if the Plaintiffs mentioned in the within Petition, shall withdraw their suits & not prosecute them, that in that case no complaint be Receiv'd for cost in such actions from the constable or other Defendant in any of the actions aforesaid. T. Atkinson, Junr Secry. Province of } New Hampr } In the house of Representatives Jany 25th 1763. Read and Concurred. H. Sherburne Speaker. Consented to B. WENTWORTH. Petition for representation in the General Assembly. To his Excellency Jonathan Belcher Esq. Capt. Genll and Commander in cheif in and over his Majties Province of New Hampshire, the honble the council & house of Representatives conven'd in Genll Assembly. The humble Petition of Capt Joshua Weeks Ebenezr Johnson & Matthias Haines, Select men for the parrish of Greenland in sd Province In bebalfe of the said Parrish, most humbly Sheweth-- That the Parrish of Greenland for several years past since they have been set of from Portsmouth have not had the Bennefit of having a voat in makeing choice of any person to sit in the Genll Assembly, and therefore are humbly of opinion that they are much Grieved in not having any person to represent them in Genll Assembly nor any Vote in the choice of any other: Therefore yor humble Petitioners most humbly prays For themselves and in Behalfe of said parrish of Greenland That your excellencie & honrs &c will as in yor wisdom you shall see meet to make such order act or Law so that your Petitioners may have the liberty of other Towns or precincts to have the choice of some one of their Freeholders to Represent them in the Genll Assembly & your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray JOSHUA WEEKS EBENEZER JOHNSON May the 10th 1732. MATTHIAS HAINES In the house of Representatives. Voted, that the prayer of the Petition be answered and that his Excel- lencie be desired to Issue out a precept for an assembly man to appeare at the next sessions in the fall-- James Jeffry, Cir. Assm May the 12th 1732. In council May 13, 1732 Read & Concurred R. Waldron, Sec'y I assent to the foregoing vote, May 15, 1732. J. BELCHER Portsmouth votes relating to Greenland Att a Genll Town meeting held in Portsmo ye 4th June, 1705: Where as ye Town of Portsmo payes £100 p Annum for ye support of Page 425 their ministers in sd Town-- Att the Request of ye inhabitants of Greenland part of sd Town considering ye Distance of Ground ye number of persons & ye Danger of passing to Public worship. Voted, That ye inhabitants of Greenland be paid out of the Town stock their proportion of sd £100 During ye Maintenance of an able Minister amongst them and no longer & ye sd Proportion be yearly, Proportiond by the Selectmen for time being ye Bounds of Greenland to be on ye south side of coll Packers farme. Pr Samll Keais, Town clerk. True Coppy out of ye third Book of Records for Portsmo : foll. 12: p Josh Peirce, Town cler. 15 Mar. 1719-20 Att a Genll Town meeting in Portsmo ye 8th April, 1706, 1706. Voted, That ye Inhabitants of .reenland in this Town being freed from paying ye proportion of Rates for ye Ministrye fix'd att Straberry Bank in consideration of their maintaining a minister amongst themselves ye sd Inhabitants of Greenland having procured yt they may have 150 acres of land out of ye commons lying & being att Greenland: Bounded to ye Sow west End of ye Great Swamp & ye sd 150 acres to be taken out or Deductd from wt may fall to ye share of sd inhabitants of Greenland of sd comons when- ever there shall be a Division of all ye Towns comons ye sd 150 acres to be laid out by ye Lott layers where it may be most convenient for ye ministry & school for ye use of that part of ye Town. Samll Keais, Town Cler. True coppy from ye 3d Book of Record for Portsmo foll: 13th Josh : Peirce, Town Cler. 15th Mar. 1719-20. And That the Parish of Greenland be bounded upon the Great Bay by the farm of ye widow Jackson, Joshua Peirce, & Israel March; & so to Packers bridge, and thence to Joshua Hainses, M Cates & Edwd Ayras's farm and from thence southwesterly to Hampton bounds; and that these Present Inhabitants with the lands and estates they live upon & whosoever shall live upon them hereafter or build & Inhabit within the limitts afore- said, shall pay their Parish Taxes to Greenland. The Above is an Extract out of ye Council book pass'd by the Genll Assembly ye 28th of July, 1714. Attest. Richd Waldron, Cler. con. Taverns.--At a town-meeting held November 11, 1771, it was voted that three taverns could not be kept "on the parade, so called." It seems in the early days the people exercised a care over the "taverns" and tavern-keepers, for at the same meeting it was voted that Mr. John Folsom should not keep a tavern, and then a petition be presented to the court "that he may not be licensed to keep a tavern, and if he now is licensed, that said license be abrogated and rendered null and void." War of the Revolution.- The first vote on the old town-book concerning Page 426 the Revolutionary struggle is under date July 12, 1774, when it was voted that Clement March and William Weeks be appointed delegates to attend the Provincial Congress to be held at Exeter for the choice of delegates to the Continental Congress. Thus was Greenland early awake to the importance of the then impending struggle. January 9, 1775, the town voted to approve "of the measures agreed upon by the Continental Congress," and also voted "that John Haven, William Weeks, James Brackett, Clement March, and Greenleaf Clark be a committee to carry such measures into execution." April 21, 1775, it was voted "to send to the aid and assistance of our brethren of the Massachusetts Bay in tneir defence against the ministerial troops." "Voted, That twelve men be immediately enlisted and sent for the above purpose." "Voted, That said men be allowed two shillings lawful money per day each, and be found necessary provisions during this continuance in said service," "Voted, That Captain Nathan Johnson enlist said men." Town Stock of Ammunition--May 1, 1775, it was voted to procure ten fire-arms and a barrel of powder. July 17th, a committee was appointed to ascertain the number of persons not provided with guns. Hiring Soldiers.--It appears that the recruiting officer was abroad in the land during the Revolutionary struggle, as well as during the late War of the Rebellion, for under date April 2, 1777, the town "Voted, That Mr, James Brackett and Lieut. David Simpson be a com- mittee to go to Durham to endeavor to hire soldiers to serve for this town in the Continental service." It was also "voted, to pay the expense that the officers of the militia were at in treating the soldiers to encourage them to enlist on Tuesday, April the 3d, and Wednesday, April the 3d." It was also "voted, to pay a bounty of $20 to those who should enlist for three years, or during the present war with Great Britain." Annexation to Massachusetts.--The following is a list of those in Green- land who, in 1739, petitioned to be annexed to Massachusetts: Samll. Weeks, Joshua Weeks, Benjn. Macres, Samll Chapman, Pennel Chapman, Ebenr. Johnson, Matthias Harris, Lewis Harris, James Johnson, Samll. Davis, John Weeks, Jr., Ebenr. Johnson, Jr., Samuel Weeks, Jr., Joseph Hill, John John- son, George Kennison, Joseph Melon, Joseph Weeks, Samll. King, Joshua Macres, Robert Bryon, Jr., Jona. Dockum, ]r.,Jno. Dockum, Robert Bryon, Jno. Watson, Tucker Cate, Jno. Rawlins, Wm. Sympson, Samll. Bryon, Jno. Lang, Jedediah Weeks, David Dearborn, Jno. Weeks, Walter Weeks, Matthias Weeks, Benja. Kennison, Jona. Weeks, James Cate, Enoch Clark, Bracket Johnson, Samll. Hiex, Henry Clark, Elias Philbrook, Benja. Philbrook, Joseph Grant, Jona. Weeks, Henry Clark, Jr., John Johnson, Elisha Bryon, Nathl. Huggin, Danll. Aldin, Jr., Nathan Johnson, Jr., Joseph Nelson, Jr., Leonard Weeks, and Wm. Walles. Page 429 Civil History.-The town of Greenland was incorporated in 1703. The first record of which we have any knowledge is under date March 14, 1749. as follows : "Att a legall meeting of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Greenland held at the meeting-house on March 13, 1748-49. "Voted, Clement March, Esq., moderator; Walter Weeks, clerk. "Voted, Daniel Lunt, Ebenezer Johnson, Walter Weeks, selectmen. "Voted, William Rains, Jr., Nathan Marston, assessors. "Voted, Samll. Rains, Jr., constable. "Voted, Clemtt March, Esq., Enoch Clark, viewers. "Voted, Joseph Clark, Francis Berry, tythingmen. "Voted, Joseph Maloon, W. Jinkins, survs. of highways. "Voted, Natll GroW, B. Kenniston, hog constables. "Voted, Will. Berry, Joseph Rains, to take account of the heads and stock. "Voted, Henry Clark, Jr., John Watson, fence-viewers. "Voted, Clemtt March, Esq., Danl. Lunt, Tho. Packer, Esq., a committee to settle the account of the parish with the selectmen for the years 1744, 1745. "Voted, Ja. Nud, John Johnson, to settle the value of the lands in the parish." Enoch Clark, Walter Weeks, and Ebenezer Johnson were selectmen in 1750. Conspicuous among the votes at the early town-meetings were those relat- ing to the ministry. Nearly the entire business transacted by the town was in relatlon to regulating the minster's salary , collecting his rate, etc. The Congregational Church in Greenland was organized in July, 1706, consisting of twenty-nine members, whose names are as follows: William Philbrick, John Cate, Ebenezer Johnson, Joshua Raines, Samuel Foss, Richard White, Joshua Weeks, Samuel Weeks, Hannah Lewis, Elinor Johnson, Mary Philbrook, Margaret Johnson, Judith Cate, Comfort Weeks, Mary Whidden, Ellis Haines, Prudence Philbrook, Martha Philbrook, Elinor Berry, Elizabeth Berry, Hannah Brick, Susannah Foss, Mary Foss, Abigail Burnham, Dorothy Crockett, Sarah Babbe, Sarah Kenstone, James Sherburne, -- Sherburne. Pastors.-Rev. William Allen was ordained July 15, 1707. Died Septem- ber 8, 1760, aged eighty-four years. Rev. Samuel MacClintock was ordained as colleague with Mr. Allen, November 3, 1756. Died April 27, 1804, aged seventy-two. Rev. James Armstrong Neal was ordained May 22, 1805. Died July 18, 1808, aged thirty-four. Rev. Ephraim Abbott was ordained October 27, 1813. Dismissed October 28, 1828. Rev. Samuel Wallace Clark was ordained August 5, 1829. Died August 17, 1847, aged fifty-two. Rev. Edwin Holt was installed March 8, 1848. Dismissed January 7, 1851. Rev. Edward Robie was ordained February 25, 1852, and is the present pastor having served fifty-two years. The present church edifice was built in 1756, was remodeled in 1834, and Page 430 renovated again in 1881. It is the second church edifice occupied by the society. George Brackett, Esq., Who died June 23, 1825, aged eighty-eight, gave in trust to the Massachusetts Society for promoting Christian knowledge $5,000, on conditions that that society pay $200 annually to the pastor of the Congregational Church in Greenland. Mr. Brackett was very desirous of doing good with his property. He founded the academy in Greenland which bears his name. He gave $2,600 to the academy in Hampton, also considerable sums toother charitable objects. The gift of $5,000 to the Massachusetts Society for promoting Christian knowledge was made six or seven years before his death. Francis March, Who died in New York in 1858, aged seventy-one, a native of Greenland, left by will a legacy of $5,000 to the Congregational Church and Society for the support of their minister. The clock on the Congregational Church was presented to the town by Simeon S. and Abby Barrell Brackett in 1909, in memory of their children, Ellen Augusta and Colborn Barrell, who died in their twenty-sixth and twenty-third years. Mr. Brackett is a life long resident of the town and a direct descendant of the first immigrant, Anthony Brackett. Rev. Samuel MacClintock.--A worthy patriot during the Revolution was Rev. Samuel MacClintock, D. D., pastor of the Congregational Church. He was the son of William MacClintock, Who lived at Medford, Mass., where Samuel was born May 1, 1732. He graduated at Princeton in 1751. He settled in the ministry at Greenland in 1756, where he had supplied the desk for the aged Mr. Allen. He was of warm temperament, and encouraged enlistments in the army destined for the overthrow of the French power in America. That his practice might tally with his preaching, he volunteered as chaplain for Col. Goffee's regiment. He continued with his regiment until after the fall of Montreal and its return to Crown Point, which place he left September 22d and returned home, accompanied by Moses Ham, Samuel Sleeper, and Henry Hill as a guard. In the War of the Revolution he warmly espoused the patriot cause, went into active service, officiated as chaplain, "in turn with other clergymen in the province," for the New Hampshire troops in the vicinity of Boston in 1775, and was the regularly appointed chaplain of Stark's regiment of 1775, and Cilley's of 1776, the former ever speaking of him with pleasure as "my chaplain." Dr. MacClintock died April 27, 1804, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. Rev. William Allen, who was ordained July 15, 1707, as pastor, and continued over fifty-three years, died September 8, 1760. His grave in the Greenland Cemetery was but poorly marked until about 1890 when Mrs. Caroline A. Weeks raised a nice marble stone to mark his resting place. (See second column for Methodist Church.) Methodist Church.- The first Methodist sermon preached in Greenland was in August, 1808, by Rev. George Pickering. In July, 1808, he organized a church, consisting of forty members, among whom were the following persons, the only names preserved in the history of the organization: Samuel Hatch, Sr., and his wife, Polly Hatch, Samuel Hatch, Jr., William Simpson and his wife Abigail, Abigail Packer, Thomas Page 431 Chapman and Sally, his wife, Joseph Clark and Comfort, his wife, Isaiah Berry and Elizabeth, his wife, Mary Marston, Olive Snell, and Elizabeth Gookin. The pastors of the church from its organization to the present, with the year of the appointment of each and not the time of service, are as follows: 1809, George Pickering; 1810, John Brodhead; 1811, Orlando Hinds; 1812, Lewis Bates; 1813, Jonathan Cheney; 1814, William Hinman; 1815, Martin Ruter; 1816, Caleb Dustin; 1817, A. Metcalf (a local preacher who supplied the church until 1835); 1835, Russell H. Spaulding; 1836, J. H. Patterson; 1837, Samuel Prescott; 1838, E. D. Trickey; 1840, A. H. Worthing; 1841, John Smith; 1842, Matthew Newhall; 1844, Richard Newhall; 1845, James Adams; 1847, Franklin Furber; 1849, Benjamin R. Hoyt; 1851, Silas Green; 1853, James Thurston; 1855, Lorenzo Draper; 1856, N. L. Chase; 1858, J. W. Guernsey; 1860, Charles Young; 1861, Eleazer Smith; 1863, George S. Barnes; 1865, Nelson Green; 1867, A. C. Manson; 1869, George N. Bryant; 1871, Fred. D. Chandler; 1873, Hugh Montgomery; 1875, N. M. D. Granger; 1877, George W. Ruland; 1880, W. E. Bennett; 1882, W. H. Jones; 1884, O. S. Baketel; 1887, D. W. Downs; 1888, S. P. Heath; 1889, Mellen Howard; 1891, J. W. Adams; 1894, T. D. Folsom; 1896, F. 0. Tyler; 1899, A. E. Draper. The present pastor is Rev. L. Bragg. The first church edifice was erected in 1815. Previous to this worship was held in private houses. In November, 1836, the church edifice was destroyed by fire. The present edifice was erected the following year, 1837. It was quite thoroughly remodeled in 1872. Brackett Academy was incorporated by act of the Legislature of New Hampshire, A. D. 1824. Its title-name was derived from its principal bene- factor, George Brackett, Esq., whose family were among the earliest settlers on that beautiful and fertile tract of land in the town of Greenland bordering the southeastern shore of'the Great Bay, and known in the vicinity as the "Bay-side." The sum of $2,000 was granted by Mr. Brackett to the trustees named in the act of incorporation, for the purpose of founding a literary institution for the higher education of the youth of the community in which he and his ancestors lived. Additional funds to the amount of about two thousand dollars appear to have been contributed by others, citizens of the town and friends of popular education. The first meeting of the board of trustees was holden August 11, 1826. It consisted of Rev. Ephraim Abbot (afterwards principal), Rev. Huntington Porter, Nathan Parker, Stephen Pickering, and J. W. March. In the mean time, between the date of the act of incorporation and the first meeting, funds had been procured, material and labor contributed by the citizens, to erect quite an imposing edifice, according to the standard of architecture of those earlier days. The preamble of the constitution drafted by the Rev. Ephraim Abbot, a learned and progressive Congregational minister of the town, is a model of excellent English, as well as a concise and expressive statement of the value and importance of a good education to every community. It reads as follows: "A serious consideration of the great design of the Parent of the universe in the creation of man, and of the improvements in knowledge and virtue Page 432 of which the human mind is capable, and a full conviction that youth is the important period, on the improvement or neglect of which depend conse- quences of the highest moment, both to individuals and to the community, have determined me to appropriate, in the following conveyance, a part of the substance wherewith God has blessed me to the purpose of laying the founda- bon of an academy for the instruction of youth, not only in English and Latin grammar, arithmetic, and the sciences, but more especially to teach them the great end and real business of life." The first principal was Rev. Ephraim Abbot, a Congregational clergyman, settled over the church at Greenland. It is recorded of him that he worked on the building, then being erected, with fore-plane and hewing-axe. He was also the first president of the board of trustees. He resigned in 1829, both as principal and trustee. Rev. Huntington Porter was the second president of the board, from 1829 to 1840, and Joseph Hale second principal of the academy. The funds contributed being exhausted, as appears by the record in 1830-31, the building was subsequently leased, free of rent, to any competent teacher who applied to the trustees with testimonials as to his fitness. From 1840 to 1876 ex-Governor Ichabod Goodwin was the acting president of the board of trustees. He was succeeded in 1876 by Charles W. Pickering, of Greenland, but the old charter has been so far modified by the Legislature that the town has control under lease from the trustees of the academy building for all purposes, public and literary. This change was made in 1876, in order to induce the town to appropriate a liberal sum of money to remodel and refurnish the building, which was accordingly done. The build- ing is used for the high school, town hall and a room for the selectmen. Military Record.--Greenland during the late Rebellion furnished thirty- eight men for the service, and the bounties paid amounted to $24,184. The following is a list of their names, as far as we have been able to secure them: Jeremiah Mahoney, Peter Barry, James Berry, Pierpont Hammond, John Herrington, Isaiah Bugley, John W. Pickering, John P. Weeks, John A. Tucker, Rufus Simpson, Augustus L. Clark, Ebenezer W. Smith, Joseph San- born, Joseph A. Young, James Welch, Ephraim Pickering, Thomas H. Brown, Jacob Davis, Charles T. Farrell, Edward Burleigh, William H. Mix, Solomon Gray, Albert Durgin, Arthur T. Ball, J. O. Keefe, John Gofy, Robert C. Pierce, Ephraim Packer, Lincol Roak, Charles Burleigh, George Ham, John Sherburn, Horatio Littlefield. The following died in the service: John W. Pickering, Joseph Sanborn, Jacob Davis, Jeremiah Mahoney, Peter Browman, John Freeland. Weeks' Public Library.--The initial steps towards the establishment of a public library were taken at the annual town meeting in 1893, when a vote was passed binding the town to an annual appropriation of not less than twenty-five dollars, for that purpose, in accordance with the provisions of the library law. No active steps were taken to carry the vote into effect until the latter part of the year 1896, at which time arrangements were in progress for opening the library, and to that end $100 worth of books were sent to the town from the state. Before the preparations for opening the library were completed, the trustees were informed that during the previous year Mrs. Caroline A. Weeks, Page 433 of Greenland, had placed funds in the hands of Charles A. Hazlett, of Ports- mouth, having in view the erection of a library building, at some future date, for her native town. As a result the preparatlons for opening the library were suspended temporarily. In March, !897, the town appropriation was increased to $100. In the spring of the same year active steps were taken towards the erection of a library building. A suitable lot was secured and the building was erected during the year. The structure is forty feet front by thirty feet deep, of the colonial style of architecture, with pilasters of the Corinthian order; it is constructed of pressed brick, with marble trimmings, granite underpinning, slated roof, copper finials, and windows of plate glass. Over the entrance door appears the inscription "Weeks Library," in marble; and above this a marble book with " A. D. 1897" upon its open pages. The vestibule has a floor of composite marble tiles, and at the left of the entrance a bronze tablet of the Corinthian order bears, in raised letter- ing, the following: "This building erected as a memorial to George Weeks, Mary T. Weeks, and J. Clement Weeks, by Caroline Avery Weeks, MDCCCXCVII." The walls are adorned with life-size oil portraits of those whose memory the institution was designed to perpetuate. The building was constructed and furnished in accordance with plans designed by Mr. Haz- lett. It was dedicated May 19, 1898, with appropriate ceremonies. The volumes now nwnber over 5,000. C. W. Brewster in his Rambles speaks of the Weeks House. "The oldest house now standing. built in Portsmouth, is the quaint brick house on the Weeks farm in Greenland." This is no blunder, although it may seem like one, for at the time that house was built Greenland was a part of Ports- mouth. We can find no written record of the year of its being built, but a family tradition dates its erection in 1638, by the father of Leonard Weeks. Leonard was born not far from that time, and had four sons: John, born 1668; Samuel, born 1670; Joseph, born 1671; John, born 1674; and two daughters, Mary and Margaret. From Leonard the present owner and occupant of the farm descended. The house was built on the main road, at that time; but the new road, built nearly a century ago, leaves it a little ways off from the main road at the present time. The house is 36 feet long by 22 feet wide. The speckled ap- pearance of the house is made by having black hard-burned bricks for headers allover the front. The bricks were burnt in front of the house. The walls of the house are eighteen inches thick. It is of two stories; the lower story is eight and one-half feet in height, the second eight. The win- dows were originally of small diamond glass set in lead. The timbers used throughout the house and for the roof are all of hard wood. The beams in the cellar are squared 12 by 14 inches. The sleepers are of red oak, about ten inches in diameter, with the bark on. There are planks on the inside of the walls, and the plastering is on rift wood nailed to the plank. There are marks of the house being injured by an earthquake, probably in 1755. If tradition is correct, this is the oldest house in New Hampshire, Brewster further says that "The house was evidently built as a sort of gar- rison, with a view of safety from being burnt by the Indians."