Chapter 46 - Nottingham from History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire From: Cindy Webb - sewnseek@hotmail.com Source: History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and Representative Citizens by Charles A. Hazlett, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill., 1915 Page 614 CHAPTER XLVI NOTTINGHAM Geographical-Topographical-Petition for a Grant of the Town-Name of Town-The Royal Grant-Original Proprietors-The Survey-Ecclesias- tical-Attorneys-Physicians -Early Families -Public Library -The Square- Revolutionary-Indians The town of Nottingham lies in the northern part of the county, and is bounded as follows: on the north and east by Strafford County, on the south by Epping and Raymond, and on the west by "Deerfield and Northwood. The surface is hilly and rugged. The population by the United States census of 1910 was 607. Nottingham originally comprised, in addition to its present territory, that of the present towns of Deerfield and Northwood, and was granted in 1721, chiefly to inhabitants of Boston and Newbury, Mass., and New Hamp- shire. The petition for this tract of land was under date of April 21, 1721, and was signed by 101 persons. After the petition had been granted, but before the royal charter was received, the proprietors at Boston, at a legal meeting, voted that the pur- chase should be called New Boston, and why the name of Nottingham should appear in the charter instead is not known. The royal charter was obtained May 10, 1722. It was given by "George, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc.," and signed by Samuel Shute. Original Proprietors.- The following is a list of the original proprietors of the town: Joseph Maylem, Ezekiel Walker, Elisha Story, James Pitson, Nathl Martin, John Walker, Peregrin White, Thomas Mandsly, Francis Hatton, Richd Greggory, Willm Pitson, John Grainger, Saml Whitwell, John Warrin, Zach. Fitch, David Chapin, Wm Pearse, Nicho Belknap, Ebenr Bur- gess, James Stringer, John Brown, James Wright, David Dolbeare, John Brock, John Russell, Stephen Perks, Willm Young, Nathl Hasy, John Pratt, Jeremiah Staniford, Ebenezer Messenger, Peter Gibbins, Benjamin Gambling, Thomas Phipps, Thomas Peirce, Clement Hughes, Majr John Gilman, Capt John Gilman, Benjn Harris, Willm Briggs, John Goodman, John Allen, Joseph Dodge, Thomas Creese, Willm Creese, Willm Cleferton, Richard Heard, Samuel Durant, John Proctor, Thomas Clerk, James Cumming, Robert Auchmuty, John Steel, Nathl Joslin, Jabez Joslin, Saml Story, Willm Langdon, Clement Renough, Joseph Calfe, Thomas Ward, Jeremiah Calfe, Saml Kindal, Willm Partridge, Henry Somerby, Edwd Sargent, Joseph Chandler, John Calfe, Mary Plummer, S. Bradstreet, Robert Addams, John Tufts, Thomas Arnold, Nathl Sargent, Jotham Odiorn, Benning Wentworth, Page 615 John Newton, ]oseph Richards, Benjamin Bickford, Jonathn Clement, Faun Clement, Daniel Sawyer, Beniah Titcomb, Nathl Hale, John Calfe Junr, John Bayly, Job Giddins, Mary Cottle, Richard Williams, Sarah Boardman, John Wiat, Joshua Moody, Anne Smith, Benj. Woodbridge, Richard Kent, Jacob Knowl, Samuel Jones, Aaron Morril, Stephn Sawyer Junr, Philip Hodgkins, Cutting Noyes, Abram Rowel, Mary Somerby, Stephen -Ackerman, Mary Wheeler, John Faver, Ostin Boardman, Thomas Dean, Moses Stickny, John Wadleigh, Stephen Coffin, Stephen Coffin, Stephen Coffin, Edward Hall, Joseph Hall, Peter Gilman, Nathl Rodgers, George Smith, Richard Wilborn. Province of New Hampshire, May II, 1722. His Excellency the Governour, The Honourable the Lieut.-Govr, and the Council enterd associates with the within named persons, viz.: His Excellency, a home Lott and farm of Five Hundd Acres. The Lieut. Governor, the Same. Saml Penhallow, a Proprietor's Share. Mark Hunking, Ditto. George ]affrey, Ditto. Shedrech Walton, Ditto. Richard Wibird, Ditto. Thomas Westbrook, Ditto. Thomas Packer, Ditto. Archd Maxfedrice, Ditto. 1722. 1723. June 13, admitted proprietors. March 26, admitted proprietors. Joseph Savel, Joseph Joslin, Robt Pike, Joshua Peirce, Eleazer Russell, Nath'l Rodgers, John Cutt, First Minister. Joseph Moulton, The whole 132 shares. June 13, 1722, at a meeting of proprietors held at Exeter, at the house of Maj. John Gilman, it was voted, "That Maj. John Gilman, Capt. John Gilman, and Capt. John Wadleigh be a committee to agree with men to build a bridge and make good ways to Nottingham." Selectmen seem for the first time to have been chosen at the annual meet- ing of the proprietors at Portsmouth, March 26, 1723. This meeting was held at the house of Mrs. Suzanna Small. "Col. Thomas Packer, Esq., was chosen moderator, John Calfe, clerk." And the selectmen were "Mr. Elisha Story at Boston, Capt. Edward Sargent at Newbury, and Mr. Benj. Gambling at Portsmouth." The town was surveyed in 1732 by John Brown and Stephen Hosmer, Jr. Ecclesiastical. - The institution of religious worship was contemporary with the settlement of the town. The first preacher was Reverend Mr. Maylem, in 1729. He was succeeded by Revs. Joshua Moody, Stephen Emery, Mr. McClintock, Mr. Goodhue, Benjamin Butler, Oliver Dodge, James Hobart. A church building was erected early in the history of the town, and a second one in about 1804 or 1805, which was taken down in 1840. When the Congregational Church was organized we cannot tell; the people united in church relations in 1742. Rev. Stephen Emery preached for seven Page 616 years, followed by Rev. Benjamin Butler and Rev. J. LeBosquet. In 1840 a church was organized. This was the third that had been formed, the first two having ceased to be. Rev. Jonathan Ward, Rev. E. C. Cogswell, Rev. E. Dow and Rev. C. H. Gates supplied at different times. Rev. E. C. Cogs- well was the author of "History of Nottingham, Deerfield and Northwood." "The Free-Win Baptist Church was long since organized, and was min- istered unto by Elders Dyer, Tuttle, and others, while a Christian Baptist congregation centered at Tuttle's Comer. The Universalists claimed one- third of the meeting-house at the Centre, and sustained worship one-third of the time. Adventists held meetings in various parts of the town at their convenience and as interest demanded." - Cogswell. Rev. I. D. Morrison is the present minister of the Universalist Society. One hundred and four signed the Association Test and twenty-five refused or neglected to sign, but nine of the twenty-five advanced money to hire men to go to Crown Point. For military record, see history of Northwood. Attorneys-at-Law.-Jonathan Rawson, a native of Massachusetts, com- menced practice in 178-, removed to Dover, died 1794, aged thirty-six. Jonathan Steele, a native of Peterborough, practiced law for a while in Nottingham. His wife was a daughter of General Sullivan. Was appointed judge of the Superior Court of Judicature in 1810 and served until 1812. Thomas Bartlett was appointed a judge of the Court of Common Pleas, a county court, in 1790, and continued until 1805. Bradbury Bartlett was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas, 1832. He was son of Judge Thomas Bartlett. James H. Butler was appointed to the same office. Physicians. - Samuel Shepard, Henry Dearborn, and Charles S. Downs have practiced medicine here. Early Families. - Among the early families are mentioned those of Bart- lett, Butler, Cilley, Colcord, Dearborn, Demeritt, Gerrish, Gile, Goodrich, Gove, Harvey, Kelsey, Langley, Lucy, McClary, McCrillis, Marsh, Nealley, Norris, Scales, Simpson Stevens, Tuttle, Watson and Winslow. Nottingham Public Library was established with state aid in 1893. It contains about one thousand volumes. Pistuccoway is the name of the grange in Nottingham. The editor is indebted to the well known historian John Scales of Dover, a native of Nottingham, for the following sketches of "Nottingham Square," "The Company of April, 1775," and "In Indian Times." Nottingham Square. - After the Royal Charter was signed by Governor Shute, no settlements of any account were made until after 1732, when the first survey was made by John Brown and Stephen Hosmer, Jr. An elaborate plan of Nottingham Square was made, which is still preserved with the town records. That "Square" is the same today as it was when the first settlers built their houses on its sides. No land owner has ever been permitted to encroach upon it. The location is level, on the summit of a magnificent hill, which commands far-reaching views at all points of compass. The roads leading from it are the same today ( 1914) as they were marked out on the surveyor's plan. The road to the northeast is King Street; that to the southeast is Queen Street; that to the southwest is Fish Street; that to the northwest is North Street. Page 617 Joseph Nealley who was an officer in the Revolution resided on North Street, a short distance from Colonel Bartlett's store. It is one of the most beautiful locations about the Square. Two of his grandsons, Benjamin F. and John H. Nealley were mayors of Dover, N. H. A great granddaughter was wife of United States Senator James W. Grimes of Iowa. His grand- son, Capt. Joseph Cilley, who was also a grandson of Col. Joseph Cilley, of the Revolution, was a brave officer in the War of 1812. In later years he was known as Col. Joseph Cilley, and his grandfather as Gen. Joseph Cilley, they obtaining their titles by service in the State Militia. Capt. Joseph Cilley resided in the house that stands on the south- west corner of the Square, and which is the residence of his grandson, Joseph Cilley (1914). Rev. Benjamin Butler, the first minister of Nottingham (1757). He came to Nottingham in 1755, and at first resided where Joseph Cilley now lives but in 1750 he bought of Gov. Benning Wentworth the lot on which the present Butler residence now stands, and built that house that year, and took up his residence there, since when it has remained continuously in possession of the Butler family, 158 years. Dr. Henry Dearborn, known in history as Gen. Henry Dearborn, had a house on the north side of the Square, on the east side of the street; the "Elsie Cilley Cilley Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution," has marked a spot with a stone marker. Capt. Cutting Cilley lived on the north side of the Square, near Col. Thomas Bartlett. Nottingham Square furnished more officers in New Hamp- shire Revolutionary army than any other town in the state except one or two that had a larger population. Joseph Cilley was colonel of the Second New Hampshire Regiment, and in the service three years; after the war he was general of the New Hampshire Militia, and is known as General Cilley. In the southeast corner of the "Square" was placed the schoolhouse; it has been there continuously to the present time. In the northwest corner was the meeting-house and the town meetings were held there until about 1860, when the meeting-house was removed and a town house was built at the foot of the hill; on the north side where town meetings have since been held, the locality is known as Nottingham Center. In the southwest corner the garrison house, in connection with a large store-house was built. The first minister's house was close by, on the west, where now (1914) Mr. Joseph Cil1ey resides. Dwelling houses were located on all the streets, down the hill-sides and "The Square" was the center of business for more than a a century and a quarter, and during that time the families of good influence in town and county lived here, the Cilleys, the Bartletts, the Butlers, the Simp- sons, and others; it was from here that Gen. Ulysses Simpson Grant's ancestor emigrated to Ohio (before it was Ohio), from whom the general received his middle name, Simpson. Joseph Cilley, father of Col. Joseph Cilley of Revolutionary fame located on Queen Street, near the line of the Square, and there his descendants lived until after the close of the nineteenth century. William Nealley, ancestor of a distinguished family, lived on the same road about a mile from the "Square." Israel Bartlett, father of Col. Thomas Bartlett, who commanded a regiment at West Point, in the Revolution built his house on King Street, a short distance from the "Square." Page 618 Another Colonel Thomas resided until his death in 1803. Colonel Thomas had a store on the northwest corner of the "Square," which was removed in 1806, when his son Bradbury Bartlett built the house which now (1914) stands there, owned by his daughter, Mrs. Sarah Brainard, who is now in her ninety-third year. Thomas Bartlett was member of the Committee of Safety, and besides holding other important positions was colonel of a New Hampshire regiment that served at West Point. After the war he was major general of the New Hampshire Militia, succeeding his father-in-law Gen. Joseph Cilley. For the last ten years of his life he was one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas. Dr. Henry Dearborn, who was brother-in-law of Col. Thomas Bartlett, having married Mary Bartlett, his sister, was captain of a company in Col. John Stark's regiment at the battle of Bunker Hill. Next he was captain of a company that went to Quebec, in the fall of 1775 with the regiment under command of Benedict Arnold, marching up the Valley of the Kennebec River, to its head waters and then through the forest to Quebec. He was taken prisoner there December 31st, but was released on parole in May, 1776, and exchanged in March, 1777, when he was appointed major in Scam- mell's (Third N. H.) Regiment, and served bravely in the battles of Still- . water, Bemis' Heights, Saratoga, Monmouth and Newton. In 1781 he was appointed deputy quartermaster general on Washington's staff, with rank of colonel and served at the Siege of Yorktown. At the close of the Revolu- tion he resided in the District of Maine, where he was member of Congress; United States marshal; major general of militia; secretary of war in Presi- dent Jefferson's cabinet from 1801 to 1809. Major general United States army in command of Northern Department from January 27, 1812, serving till close of the war. Minister to Portugal from May, 1822, to June, 1824. On his return he settled in Roxbury, Mass., where he died June 6, 1829. He was born in North Hampton, N. H., Feb. 23, 1751. General Dear- born in person was large and commanding, frank in his manners, and remark- able for his integrity. He published an account of the battle of Bunker Hill, and wrote a journal of his expedition to Canada, imprisonment at Quebec and other adventures. . Henry Butler, son of Rev. Benjamin Butler, who was born in 1754, was lieutenant in Capt. Joseph Parson's company, at Rhode Island, August, 1778. and captain of a company in Col. Thomas Bartlett's regiment at West Point. After the war he succeeded General Bartlett as major general of the militia which office he held until his death January 17, 1808. . Cutting Cilley, a younger brother of Gen. Joseph Cilley, was captain of a company that was organized in Nottingham in the fall of 1775, and was stationed on Peirce's Island to defend Portsmouth Harbor against the ex- pected attack by the British war ships, which had destroyed Falmouth, Maine, and he with his company, remained in the New Hampshire coast defense through the year 1776 and part of 1777. Later he did other service in the war. Other Nottingham men held positions as lieutenant and lower offices in companies. So the Revolutionary military record of this town is one of the best in the state. The Company of April, 1775. - Dr. Henry Dearborn, who was born in North Hampton, February 23, 1751, studied medicine and commenced prac- Page 619 tice of his profession, when he was twenty-one years old, in 1772, at Notting- ham Square. During that year he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Bartlett, sister of Colonel Thomas, and they commenced house-keeping in a house that stood on the east side of the road, that leads north from the "Square" and next to it. The spot is marked by a granite marker placed there by the D. A. R. of Nottingham. While he was studying medicine he also studied the military tactics of that period. He at once became popular with the people, being affable in his manners and thoroughly versed in his profession of medicine. His brother-in-law, Thomas Bartlett, kept a store of general supplies of everything in demand by the townspeople. This was on the west side of the "Square," a short distance from Doctor Dearborn's residence. This store was the news center of the town; so of evenings and leisure days, everybody, from time to time, came in there to trade and get the latest news from Portsmouth and Boston, in regard to the approaching conflict with the Mother Country. As the news grew more war- like Doctor Dearborn suggested that the townsmen organize a company for drill in military tactics, and he would act as drill master, the large level open space on the "Square" affording an admirable place for the drill. His suggestion was adopted and during the year 1774 quite a lot of active and very efficient work was done under Doctor Dearborn's instruction. Men came there for instruction from all the towns around. Some of these men were with Major John Sullivan, December 15, 1774, when he took the guns and powder up to Durham from Fort William and Mary. Doctor Dearborn kept the men drilling all winter, 1774-75, as opportunity and weather permitted. On November, 1774, a town meeting was held, at which a committee was appointed to "inspect into any person" suspected of being a Tory. Early in the morning of the 20th of April, 1775, the news of the battle at Lexington and Concord reached Thomas Bartlett's store on Nottingham Square; from there messengers were sent in all directions carrying the news And a call from Doctor Dearborn for the men who had been drilling to assemble on the "Square" as soon as possible to organize and march for Boston. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon of that day 100 men had assembled on the "Square," armed and equipped with the best they had, ready to start for the seat of war. Doctor Dearborn took command as he had been their drill master, and at that hour they started for Medford, Mass., going through Epping, Brentwood, Kingston, etc., to Haverhill and thence by the nearest roads to the objective point, a distance of sixty miles, at least from the "Square." The tradition is that they arrived at Medford at 4 o'clock on the morning of the 21st; all accounts are agreed that the arrival was before sunrise; so those patriots accomplished long and hard journey in twelve hours, or a little more, which is one of the quickest military marches on record, and the most difficult part of it was traversed at night. After remaining there a while most of the men returned home, there being no apparent need for them to remain, but Doctor Dearborn remained and helped organize companies and regiments of New Hampshire men who later participated in the siege of Boston. Doctor Dearborn was then twenty-four years old. That march to Medford closed his career as a physician and opened his military career and brilliant and long public career as already stated. It is not possible to obtain all the names of the men who participated in Page 620 that famous march, but the following are known to have been among the number: Henry Dearborn, Joseph Cilley, Jr., Thomas Bartlett, Henry Butler, Zephaniah Butler, John Simpson, Nathaniel Batchelder, Daniel Moore, Peter Thurston, Andrew McClary, Benjamin Johnson, Cutting Cilley, Joseph Jackson, Andrew Nealley, Samuel Johnson, Robert Morrison, William Woolis, Eliphalet Taylor, William Blake, Nathaniel Twombly, Simon Batch- elder, Abraham Batchelder, Simon Marston, Moses Gilman, William Simp- son, John Nealley and Samuel Sias. All these men did good service in the war from time to time, during the eight years that followed. Zephaniah Butler was brother-in-law to Col. Joseph Cilley, and was one of his staff officers in several campaigns. His grandson, Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, was one of the distinguished men in the Civil war. John Simpson was one of Captain Dearborn's company at the battle of Bunker Hill, and is said to have been the man who fired the first gun at the "rail fence" under Colonel Stark. In 1778 he was lieutenant in Capt. Simon Marston's company, in Colonel Peabody's regiment, and was subsequently promoted to major. His brother Robert Simpson, who also served in the war, is the great- grandfather of Gen. Ulysses Simpson Grant. Joseph Jackson was sergeant in Captain Dearborn's company at Bunker Hill; later he was captain of a company in several campaigns. Many years after the battle of Bunker Hill, about 1818, Captain Dearborn published an account of it as he saw it. In his description Captain Dearborn says he was by the side of Colonel Stark as the regiment marched over Charlestown neck, where a British floating battery in Mystic River was throwing round, bar and chain shot over the road on which the New Hampshire men had to march. Captain Dearborn says: "My company being in front, I marched by the side of Colonel Stark, who moving with a very deliberate pace, I suggested the property of quicken- ing the march of the regiment, that it might sooner be relieved from the galling cross fire of the enemy. With a look peculiar to himself he fixed his eyes upon me and observed with great composure 'Dearborn ! one fresh man in action is worth ten fatigued ones,' and continued to advance in the same cool and collected manner." This was about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, and they kept on their way, and soon arrived at the position assigned them at the rail fence. Speaking of his position there Captain Dearborn says : "My position in the battle, more the result of accident than any regularity of formation, was on the right of the line, at the rall fence, which afforded me a fair view of the whole scene of action. My men were intent on cutting down every officer in the British line. When any of them discovered one, he would instantly exclaim, 'There! see that officer! let us have a shot at him.' Then, two or three would fire at the same moment; and as our soldiers were excellent marksmen, and rested their muskets over the fence, they were sure to make him fall. An officer was discovered to mount near the position of General Howe, on the left of the British line and ride towards our left, which a column was endeavoring to turn; this was the only officer on horse- back during the day, and as he approached the rail fence, I heard a number of our men observe, 'There! there! see that officer on horseback, let us fire!' 'No, not yet, wait till he gets to that little knoll-now!' My men fired and he fell dead from his horse. Page 621 "It is a very pleasing thought to me to know that my great-grandfather, Nathaniel Batchelder, stood beside Captain Dearborn that day and did his duty bravely with the rest. NOTTINGHAM IN INDIAN TIMES On Flag Day, June 14, 1902, Mr. Scales delivered the following address. It was prepared more especially for the children who were present from every section of the town: "The regent of Elsa Cilley Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolu- tion requested me to appear before you and tell you something about the Indians who used to live in Nottingham or visit here when they were carrying on war and hunting for white men's scalps. Your school books have a good deal to say about Indians in general, but do not say much about them in Nottingham. "Of course some of you, probably not all, have seen a real live Indian; certainly you did if you visited Buffalo Bill's Wild West show when it visited the cities in New Hampshire a year or two ago, when a large number of them from the Indian reservations were permitted by the United States Government to come East. They were ferocious looking fellows, and as they rode their horses bareback with the speed of a race course, it made the spectators feel frightened just a least bit, lest their horses run over the spec- tators. Well, Wild West fellows were just like the Indians who used to live in Nottingham or came here in war time, except the fellows 160 years ago did not ride such fine horses, but traveled on foot generally, in paths where they could not ride a horse ; they marched 'Indian file,' that is one behind another, and when they were on the 'war path' they kept their movements concealed as much as possible by the bushes and trees. "The Indians were in Nottingham a long time before any white men came here, and built houses, and cleared farms, and probably they would not have made war on the English settlers if England and France, thousands of miles from here had not been almost continuously at war for 100 years before the Revolution. The Indians took sides with the French in Canada; the French in Canada made war upon the English in New England, whenever the French in France made war with the English in Old England. The great mistakes the New Englanders made was in allowing the French to win to their side the Indian warriors; the Indians never made war on the French, while they were continually fighting the English settlers from 1675 to 1763, a period of more than eighty years. For fifty years, from 1675 to 1725, Dover, Dur- ham, Exeter, Hampton and Haverhill were the points of attack; it is a story of cruelty and bloodshed from beginning to end. The last person killed in Dover by the Indians was in 1725; after that the settlers in the new towns, Nottingham, Barrington, Rochester and others, had to stand the attacks from the wily red men and his French backers. "Old Nottingham, you know, included Deerfield and Northwood, so when I say Nottingham I mean all of these towns, for the Indian wars were over before Deerfield was cut off from Nottingham in 1766; .Northwood was set off still later, in 1773. "There was only one tribe of Indians living in Nottingham when Capt. Joseph Cilley and his wife, Elsa Rollins, came up here from Salisbury and Page 622 commenced their settlement at Rattle Snake Hill on the southeast side of the Square. That tribe lived near the north part of what is now called North River Pond, near the line which now divides Nottingham from Northwood. The name of the chief who ruled over this tribe was Swausen. He was generally disposed to be friendly with the white men for ten or fifteen years after Captain Cilley built his log cabin on the ledge farm, after that he did not restrain them so much, and entertained other Indians who came here from distant tribes and from Canada. "A block house, or garrison, was built on the Square about the time Captain Cilley came here; some say it stood in the field south of Mr. Butler's and on the east side of Fish Street. Others say it stood north of the Bartlett burying ground, near the site of the residence of the Neally family. The probability is that it was near Mr. Butler's as there was an ancient burying ground in the field between Mr. Butler's barn and Fish Street, and it was there that the victims of the Indians were buried, in 1747, 155 years ago. There were old Indian graves in the same vicinity .The next garrison house was built by Capt. Jonathan Longfellow, on the farm now owned by the Misses Marston, not far from Deerfield Parade. The Longfellow garrison was in possession of the Marston family from 1765 till it was torn down a half century ago. When it was built, about 1740, there was no other house between it and Canada; it was on the border line of Indian attack. Captain Long fellow had to keep guard and watch all the time when the wars were raging between England and France, and the Provincial Government frequently sent soldiers there to assist him. "In 1747 the selectmen of Nottingham, one of whom was Israel Bartlett, grandfather of your worthy regent's grandfather, and the first Bartlett who settled in this town, petitioned Gov. Benning Wentworth and his council for help and protection against the Indians who had already driven off many of the farmers and their families. In this petition he says: " 'Our settlements are remote one from another in a mountainous and broken country; our fields are generally encompassed about with trees and bushes, which continually exposes to the danger of being surprised by the enemy while about our daily labor; our common roads and highways are no less dangerous to pass. We lie open to a wide wilderness which sur- rounds us on all sides, by which means the enemy may come, undiscovered, very near our garrisons, which we have hardly men enough to defend, our number being now very small, many having already removed out of the town, and others are so much discouraged that we fear our numbers will be much less in the ensuing summer than they are at present.' "The result of this petition was that the governor sent a company of rangers to aid Captain Longfellow. They staid at his garrison and their duty was to march and watch and keep guard on a line of forests from Chester to Rochester, fifteen or twenty miles; as they had to range back and forth through the woods they were called rangers. They had no horses to ride, or roads to march in; they had to cut bushes and spot the trees along the route in order to know where to go, lest they get lost; and as they marched they watched lest an Indian might surprise them and shoot from bushes, or from behind a tree. "This all may seem very strange to you children, but is was a stern reality to your grandfather's grandfathers and grandmothers, most of whom were but boys and girls then like you here today. I do not imagine the soldiers Page 623 found much fun in it. The farmers were frequently alarmed when at labor in their fields; they did not dare go out to work without their guns, and often- times one man kept watch while the others worked. After the farmers had grown their crops they sometimes lost them by the Indians breaking down the fences and letting in the cattle. Sometimes the Indians would wilfully destroy the crops themselves. Their cattle and horses were sometimes killed by the enemy, who cut the flesh from the bones and took out the tongues which they preserved œor food by drying in smoke. When your great, great grand- mothers went out to milk the cows they had a man stand guard with a gun in his hands, ready to shoot if Indian appeared. "Notwithstanding Captain Longfellow and his rangers kept close watch the enemy got through their line and came down here and murdered three persons, Robert Beard, John Folsum and Elizabeth Simpson, who lived on Fish Street near the Square. By the way, you know the origin of the name of that street was because the settlers went that road when they started for Amoskeag Falls, now Manchester, to get their supply of salmon and shad, in the season when the Merrimack River was full of those fish. Now you know our salmon comes from Oregon and Alaska, in cans. Your ancestors caught their supply themselves and brought home cart loads of it salted, or cured so it could be kept for future use. I suppose Captain Cilley used to go a-fishing with the boys, and his wife Elsa used to cure and cook the fish after they got home. The fact is they had lots of good things to eat 150 years ago. Another by thought, in this connection is, the great difference between the people then and the people now. Then they did not think it any hardship to ride long distances over rough roads, or no roads, and up steep hills; now, most people think they are terribly burdened and fatigued, if they ride anywhere four or five miles, unless they have an electric road with fine cars, or an automobile. But I am away off; I was going to tell you the story about the Indians murdering those people on Fish Street 150 years ago. "Andrew Simpson was one of the first settlers on Fish Street down at the foot of the hill, and I think his descendants still own the place, not far from the Colonel Cilley residence. Mr. Simpson married Elizabeth Patton of Canada. At the time of her death she was a large, fleshy woman and quite lame. It was the custom of the people at night to go to the block house, already mentioned, and by day go out to their farm houses and attend to their work. On the day of her death Mrs. Simpson went down the hill to her home to churn and bake, intending to return before night to the garrison. While she was thus engaged two Indians sneaked into the house and mur- dered her with their tomahawks. Soon after, on the same day they surprised Beard and Folsom while at work in a field and killed them with their guns. The Indians then made their escape undiscovered. As soon as the murder was discovered the remains of the unfortunate people were removed to the garrison and later were buried in the old burying ground already spoken of. "Tradition has it that these Indians when at Boscawen in 1753 at a place known as Indian Bridge, they stopped with Peter Bowen and got very drunk on rum; while in that condition boasted they had killed three persons, two men and a woman in Nottingham. They said the woman was 'big' and when they were killing her she 'blatted like a calf.' They spent the night with one Peter Bowen; while they were asleep Bowen drew the bullets from their guns, fearing they might attempt to shoot him. In the morning they wanted him to carry their packs on his horse and not daring to refuse he Page 624 complied with their request. The names of these Indians were Sabatis and Plausawa. Sabatis proposed that he and Bowen have race and Bowen consented, but allowed Sabatis to outrun the horse. As they went along and came near the river, Sabatis proposed another race with the horse; this time Bowen got a little ahead of Sabatis, when he heard a gun snap behind him and turning saw the smoke of Sabatis' gun aimed at his head.- Leaping from his horse he plunged his tomahawk into Sabatis' head and killed him. Plau- sowa aimed and fired at Bowen, but did no damage as the bullet had been removed by Bowen the night before. Bowen then attacked Plausowa and killed him. This was down in the road near the Merrimack River. "Bowen was afterwards indicted by the grand jury at Portsmouth for having killed the Indians without proper cause to justify him, but a crowd assembled about the jail the night before the trial and broke it open and released Bowen. It is said that Nottingham men had a hand in the work of breaking open the jail; everybody seemed to be satisfied that justice had been done in releasing him, as the people believed the Indians had been pun- ished as they deserved. "I want to say a few words about that Longfellow Garrison, which my grandmother's grandfather built, and which Miss Marston's grandfather tore down. The house was very long and very wide, and not very high; it was one story with a lookout perched on the roof, to which they could climb on a ladder and watch what was going on outside. There were three large rooms, and two smaller sleeping rooms. It was built of hewn timbers, laid one upon another, hence was bullet proof. The rooms were ceiled at the top and sides, except the kitchen. There was a huge chimney with big fireplaces and everything was quite comfortable. The windows were small, and the doors were solid oak. Until all the Indian wars were over a large yard around the house was enclosed by high posts, stuck into the ground close together, forming a stockade, over which the Indians could not climb, and through which their bullets could not pierce. There was a huge gate, which when closed was fastened by an iron bar, placed cross ways behind it. As soon as anybody got inside that gate they were safe. It was in this yard that the soldiers had their tents, and slept when not on the watch. "This old garrison and the high stockade had sheltered many a family in time of danger from the Indians. It is the tradition that a family con- sisting of the husband, wife and two children had a lively experience in getting to the garrison during one of the Indian wars. They lived two or three miles away. One night, while the husband slept and the wife was sitting up a little later than usual to do some knitting or mending she heard a noise in front of the house; she suspected the Indians had come, so she quietly and hastily covered the fire with ashes, put out the light and awakened her husband. "Soon a louder noise about the house proclaimed the presence of the Indians. They could not defend their home, so they took the children and the family gun and went out at the back door, while the Indians were at the front and escaped to the woods near at hand; then they groped their way silently to the old garrison, while the Indians ransacked and burned the house. When they reached the garrison and got inside of the stockade the mother fell fainting from fear and exhaustion. They found a safe shelter and good cheer, as did several other families. I could tell interesting stories about those Longfellows but time does not now permit." ********************************************************************** * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. * * * *The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.