Chapter 54 - Stratham from History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire From: Julie Dorfman - dorfmans@mindspring.com Source: History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and Representative Citizens by Charles A. Hazlett, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill., 1915 Page 714 CHAPTER LIV STRATHAM Geographical-Charter-History of Churches-Military Records-Wiggin Public Library The town of Stratham is located in the eastern part of the county, and is bounded as follows: on the north by Great Bay and Greenland, on the east by Greenland and North Hampton, on the south by North Hampton and Exeter, and on the west by Exeter and South Newmarket. The population in 1910 was 602. The surface of Stratham is rolling, and the soil very fertile and produc- tive. A petition signed by fifty inhabitants of Squamscot patent to the gov- ernor and council, in which they set forth that they are in number upwards of sixty families, and live very remote from any public meeting-house for the worship of God, and meet with great difficulties to get to the nearest meet- ing-house in the winter time ( which is Exeter) , that they have never been joined to any town, and that their children had no advantages for education, etc., was presented December 3, 1709, praying that a charter for a town might be granted them with the following bounds: Beginning at a rock called Brandy Rock (so called to this day), near Sandy Point, and to run up the river to the mouth of a creek called Wheelwright's Creek, and to run at each end into the woods upon a southeast line three miles. The petitioners also represented that they had the capacity and were willing and ready to main- tain a minister and schoolmaster. It appears by the records that there was a remonstrance to this petition, signed by nineteen men living within the bounds of Squamscot, in which they desire that the petition will not be granted. As for the petitioners, they say, most of them are poor people, and several of them, according to the best of our knowledge, instead of defraying any town charge, are likely to be a town charge themselves. Signed your earnest desirers. In one of our early record books I find the following in relation to the charter of the town: Ordered and appointed that Squamscot patent land be a township by the name of Stratham, and that there be a meeting-house built for the public worship of God with all convenient speed, and that it stand on the king's great road leading from Greenland to Exeter, within half a mile of the midway between the two southeast lines of said towns, and that a learned and orthodox minister be obtained to preach in the same by the 14th day of March next. Signed by George Vaughan, lieutenant-governor. March 20, 1716. The following interesting old documents are not only of general interest, as illustrative of, the early times, but also furnish us with a list of early inhabitants : Page 715 PETITION FOR A TOWNSHIP To the Honourable the Left Goverrlour, Councill and Representatives con- ven'd in Generall Assembly: We the subscribers hereof inhabiting in and about Swamscott, not lying in any Township and living att a considerable Distance from the publique worship of God, not haveing the benefitt of instructing our youth, besides many other great inconveniences which we labour under, Being now by the Providence of God att peace in our severall Dwellings and being no less than thirty five familys all well disposed to maintaine the publique ministry and defraying of all other necessary charges to the best of our abilities, and hope- ing that within a little time we shall increase to a far more considerable nlunber, Doe most humbly pray that your Honours would please to settle and confirm us the severall Inhabitants extending from Wheelwright's Creek downwards to Sandy Point as a distinct Township of ourselves, impowering all such officers among us as your Honours in your great wisdome and pru- dence shall judge most meet: We crave leave to subscribe your Honours most humble and most obedient servants. Andrew Wiggin, senr William Moores Senr James Rundlet Isaac Cole William Moore, junr Charles Rundlet Simon Wiggin Oen Renels, his mark C Saml Leavett, sen Andrew Wiggin, jun. George Vasay Saml Leavitt, jun Thomas Vesy Richard Downes ? Edm Gramon X mark Bradstreet Wiggin Thomas --? Stephen England William French Jonathan Norris Edward Masry Z mark Nathaniel Wright Mark Stacey Thomas Spild, sen X Jonathan Wiggin Richard Morgan Sen. R. mark Thomas Read mark Richard Mongen, O mark Tho. Wiggin A SUBSEQUENT PETITION FOR A TOWNSHIP To the Honble Geo: Vaughan, Esq. Lt. Govr & Commander in Chief of his Majesties Province of N. Hampr & to his Majesties Council of ye Prov: aforesaid : The Petition of his Majties good subjects sundry the Inhabitants of ye town of Exeter: Most humbly shewith:- The great hardships & Inconveniences which we (yr Honrs Petitioners) are made the subjects of by a late order from the Honble Board :-( viz. )- yt all ye Inhabitants of Exeter to ye eastwd of west creek line should be joyned to ye Parish of Greenland, in answer to a petition presented by Mr . Josh: Weeks subscribed by sundry the inhabitants of the town of Exeter aforesd, praying to be added to ye sd Parish of Greenland, for that we ye subscribers who are on ye east side of sd line never had any knowledge of sd Petition till after 'twas p'sented & then not seasonably enough to counter Petition before ye ordr May it Please yr Honrs : We have once & again Petitioned to be made a township: yt is, ye Inhab- itants of Swampscutt Patent wrof vie are some and Intend one address more to yr Honrs on the same head, tho' were that nothing at all we cannot but Page 716 represent to yor Honrs the gt hardship we labour under on acct of ye ordr aforesd inasmuch as there is a majr numbr yt never knew of sd Petition (that are joyned to ye Parish of Greenland by ye ordr made upon it) than those that signed it. Whereupon we cannot but humbly pray for a Counter Ordr to the Order aforesd at least for so long a time as till both p'titions may have a hearing wth will be a plain means to a final determination of the matter. However all is submitted to yor Honrs by yor Honrs most obedt servts ANDREW WIGGIN THOMAS WIGGIN JONATHAN WIGGIN WILLM FRENCH. Jany 4th 1715-16. PETITION TO BE SET OFF A TOWNSHIP To his Honour George Vahan Esqr Lieut Govemour and commander in cheif in & over his Majesties Province of New Hampshire in New England, & to his Majesties honoured Counsell for sd Province: We the Inhabitance of Quamescuk patent, humbly sheweth:-The very bad circumstances we lay under by reason of our great distance from the pub- lick Worship of God and haveing no benifitt of any School, notwithstanding we have ever paid our proportion to the School of Exeter, and are now by the Providence of God increased to shuch a number as we hope we are able of ourselves to maintain a Minister & a school & other town charges as shall nessesarily fall upon us, with our proportion of publick assessments: There- fore we your petitioners does humbly pray that your Honours would pleas to set us of from all other Towns and Parishes and grant us a Township by ourselves& bound us as followeth: viz. Beginning at Sandey Point boundmg upon Exeter river untill it comes into Wheelwrights Creeks mouth & from thence upon a southeast line three miles into the land; from sd Sandey point to run three miles into ye land upon a southeast line with an head line ac- cording to ye sd Patent, which will be greatly to the joy & sattisfaction of your petitioners whose names are under writen. We your Petitioners does further humbly beg leave to inform yours honors of our ill convenences, being laid some times to one town & some times to another & all wayes a great distance from the Publick worship of God; with submission we would pray your honors to consider which is most reason-Whether those men which lay near Greenland should joyn with us your petitioners, or all we availl to them : We submitt to your honors pleasure. Dated this tenth day of January Inst. I715/16 Simon Wiggin Stephen England Benjamin Palmer Andrew Wiggin John Haniford Moses Rallins Thomas Vezey William Powell Aaron Rallins William French Owen Runals, senor James Robison Jonathan Wigens Owen Runalls, juner Samll Green Moses Leavitt juner James Palmer Edward Fifield Richard Calley Edward Maservy Thomas Rallins Page 717 David Robison John Searll Jonathan Clark Joseph Rallins James Keniston Nathaniel Folsom Arthur Benitt Richard Crockett Richard Morgan Joseph Hoitt John Satchell Nathaniel Stevens John Mead John Sinkler John Robarts Matthew Tomson Joseph Mason James Dorety William Moore Samuel Filler Daniel Leavitt George Veasey Gillies Brier Abraham Stockbridge Thomas Wigins senr Thomas Toms John Jones Thomas Wigens, junr John Fett Widow Leavitt John Wigens Thomas Brier Israel Smith Daniel Moody William Scamon Benja Leavitt. John Mason Satchell Rundlett The first town meeting in Stratham was held April 10, 1716. Capt. Andrew Wiggin was chosen moderator; David Robinson, town clerk. A committee of five was appointed to build a meeting-house. The committee consisted of Capt. Andrew Wiggin, George Veasey, Nathaniel Ladd, Joseph Rollins, and William Scammon. It was voted that the house be forty-eight feet long, thirty-six feet wide, and twenty feet stud. At a subsequent meet- ing it was voted to raise the meeting-house on land of Daniel Leavitt. (This was near the site of the present Congregational Church.) At a legal meeting held August 15, 1716, William Moore was chosen to represent the town in the General Assembly, January 2, 1717. Andrew Wiggin was chosen to represent the town in the General Assembly. It appears by the record that he served as representative until 17444 (and David Robinson as town clerk forty-seven years, or until 1763 ). At the same meeting it was voted that Capt. Andrew Wiggin and Thomas Rollins shall entreat with a minister to preach three or four Sabbaths in the year by way of contribution. March 25, 1717, it was voted that Mr. Rust shall preach in the town, if he be willing, for a quarter or half a year. April 24, 1717, a committee appointed for the purpose, report an agree- ment with the Rev. Henry Rust to come and settle among them as a minister of the gospel. The first year to give him sixty pounds, second year, seventy pounds; third year, eighty pounds; one-third to be paid in corn, pork, and beef, the other two-thirds in money, and one hundred pounds in money, to be paid in four years toward building him a house. The Rev. Henry Rust, upon the consideration of the terms was engaged to settle. March 25, 1718, voted that theRev. Mr. Rust shall be ordained as soon as convenient, and the providing for the ordination be done by contribution, and that Capt. Andrew Wiggin's house shall be the place for the people to carry on and provide for the ordination. It was voted that Capt. Andrew Wiggin shall have liberty to set in whatever seat he pleaseth. It is stated in Bouton's provincial papers that Mr. Rust died in 1740; this is a mistake; he died in March 20, 1749. At a town meeting that year it was voted that the reverend mini1;ters, who were his bearers, should each preach one-half day in the meeting-house. At the same meeting it was voted to pay his son Henry, who was the executor, £163, old tenor, as soon as pos- sible, he to give acquittance unto said town from all demands of his father's salary from this day. 42 Page 718 At a meeting held October 4, 1716, it was voted, "That every man In the town Shall Bare his one charge toards the Raising of the said meeting- house." There were nine individuals who "entred thare decents" against this vote. The meeting-house was built in 1718. The pews being "built with winscot worke and all of a kind." Each man was obliged to build his own pew, keep it in repair, to maintain all the glass against it, and he must build, too, on the spot assigned him. The 1718 meeting-house was replaced by a new building in 1768, and that in turn by the present one in 1837. The town voted, "that when the cometey have seatid the meeting house every person that is Seatid shall Set in those Seats or pay five shillings Pir day for every day they set out of there Seates in a disorderly manner to ad- vaince themselves higher in the meeeting house." The officers chosen annually were a moderator, clerk, constable, five selectmen, two assessors, a committee of three to call the selectmen to account, tithingmen, surveyors of highways .and fences. It was voted at this meeting that James Palmer's barn be a sufficient pound for the year ensuing. At the annual meeting in 1727, George Veasey, Jonathan Wiggin, and Moses Leavitt were appointed a committee to sell the common land and buy a bell for the meeting-house. In 1730, Andrew Wiggin and Richard Calley were appointed a committee to strengthen the steeple for the safety of the ringing of the bell at the charge of the town. At the same meeting it was voted that there be a committee chosen to appoint a place or places for a schoolhouse or houses in town. At the annual meeting, 1733, voted that there shall be a schoolhouse built by the mouth of the lane by Mr. Jonathan Chase's, by the way that leadeth to Jonathan Clark's, and another the south side of Joshua Hill's house. At a meeting, in 1733, a committee was chosen to take down the bell, which is broke, and send it to London to be new cast. "To the Inhabitants qualified to vote in Stratham, Greeting : Inasmuch as there is much uneasiness among the people of this town under the Rev. Mr. Rust's ministry, that they are obliged to go to other towns on Sabbath days to hear the word of God preached to them more agreeable to the won- derful outpouring of God's Spirit of late, and Mr. Rust has been applied to, to call a Church meeting, to but a church meeting can't be obtained. These are therefore in his Majesty's name to notify you to meet at the meeting- house on Friday, the 3oth day of September, at 2 O'clk p. m., to know the mind of the town in respect to the ministry, and to choose a committee to agree with some person qualified for the ministry, and that is a friend to and a subject to the wonderful outpouring of God's Spirit at this day to preach to the people in the meeting-house one half each Sabbath day for as long a time as shall then be agreed on. This by the request of a number of Free- holders in this town. Given under hands at Stratham, Sept. 21, 1746. "BENJAMIN NORRIS, "NOAH BARKER, "JOSEPH MERRILL, "TREOPRILUS RUNDLETT. "Selectmen of Stratham." Rev. J oseph Adams, the second minister of the town, it seems by the record, had preached for two or three years, more or less, in town previous to the death of Mr. Rust, for it was voted in town meeting in 1746 that Page 719 Rev. Joseph Adams be invited to settle as a minister of the gospel in Strat- ham. Rev. Joseph Adams died in Stratham, February 24, 1785, aged sixty- six, havIng served as minister for the town thirty-eight years,--ordained March 20, 1747. During Mr. Adams' ministry a difficulty occurred respecting the singing In church. The singers wished to break up the old habit of "lining," as it was called-the deacon reading one line at a time for the choir to sing. It was settled by a compromise. The town voted that the deacon should "line" half the time. They had the bass-viol in those days, and the deacon said they had "got a fiddle into the churh as big as a hogs-trough." November 10, 1785, a petition, signed by 101 legal voters, was presented to the selectmen for a town meeting, to see if the town would vote to give Rev. James Miltimore a call to settle as a minister of the gospel in this town. Meeting held November 28, 1785, Hon. Paine Wingate, moderator. Voted to give Mr. Miltimore a call, chose a committee of thirteen to present the call to Mr. Miltimore, and to take into consideration what support he should have. The committee reported that he have ninety pounds lawful money an- nually as a salary, have the use of the parsonage land and a house at the expense of the town. The report was accepted. Mr. Miltimore's letter of acceptance, addressed to the inhabitants of the town of Stratham, was read in town meeting, January 2, 1786. He was ordained February I, 1786. Rev. James Miltimore was dismissed from the ministry in Stratham, at his request, by vote of the town October 5, 1807. List of Pastors.-Henry Rust, Joseph Adams, James Miltimore (grad- uated at Dartmouth College, 1774): Jacob Cummings (Dartmouth College, 1819), 1824 to 1834; William J. Newman, 1836-49 (Joseph R. Wbittemore, one and one-half years stated supply) ; John M. Steele, sixth pastor, installed November 30, 1853. He was succeeded by Edward C. Miles, Levi Goodrich, Albert B. Peabody, Geo. W. Savory , Geo. A. Foss, Henry E. Green and Geo. E. Lake. 1791. Voted to have the bell belonging to the town cast over, and that all those of the Baptist Society and the people called Quakers, who object to the vote, may give in their names to the selectmen before the assessment is made and be excused from any tax on account of casting over said bell. It was voted at the annual meeting in 1795 that every man may wear his hat if he pleases. At the annual meeting in 1799 it was voted to build four new school- houses; voted to purchase the stuff this year and build them next year. At the annual meeting in 1803 it was voted to raise $300 for schools, and that each district may hire a schoolmistress two months, and pay her out of the said $300. In 1778 Maj. Benjamin Barker and Maj. Mark Wiggin were chosen delegates to attend the first state convention at Concord, to be holden June 10, 1778. At the annual meeting in 1786, a committee consisting of N. Rollins, Andrew Wiggin, Jr., and Stephen Piper, was chosen to sell the upper par- sonage lot (so called) and apply the money towards the purchase of Capt. Jonathan Wiggins' house and lot for the use of the Rev. James Miltimore. Page 720 At the annual meeting in 18Q9, Nathan Wiggin, Phinehas Merrill, Esq., and George Wingate were chosen a committee to inspect the schools. This was the first board of superintending school committee in town. In 1829 it was voted to instruct the selectmen to purchase a larm for the use of the poor in town. In 1837 the town meeting-house was taken down, the Congregational Society built a new church the same year, and prepared a room in the base- ment for the purpose of holding town meetings. From 1717 to 1837 the warrants for town meetings called the voters to meet at the town's meeting- house. A petition signed by twenty-four legal voters was presented to the select- men to layout a cemetery. In accordance with this vote a lot was selected near the Baptist Church, on land of Andrew Wiggin, Esq., at a cost of $300. At the annual meeting in 1877 it was voted to build a town house. and that the sum of $3,500 be raised for that purpose. Josiah B. Wiggin, Free- man H. Burleigh, James W. Rollins, and Otis B. French were appointed a committee to locate said house, and report at an adjourned meeting. At the adjourned meeting the committee reported in favor of a lot offered by George Wingate, near the postoffice. The report was accepted and adopted. Free- man H. Burleigh, James W. Rollins, and Charles W. Jones were appointed a building committee. At the annual meeting in 1878 it was voted to sell the town farm, accord- ingly it was sold to E. J. Folsom for the sum of $3,500 by John N. Thomp- son, chairman of selectmen. Baptist Ministers.-The following is a list of the Baptist ministers from the organization of the church: Samuel Shepherd, Samuel Cook, Samuel L. Gilbert, J. H. Learned, Thomas Archibald, John M. Wedgwood, Benjamin Knight, Charles Newhall, William H. Dalrymple,]acob Tuck, M. B. Laning, Noah Hooper, Henry Stetson, H. N. Wiggin, I. W. Coombs, Frederick W. Klein, F. J. Franklyn, Wm. H. Thorne, Thomas S. Sparks, Henry Y. Vinal. The first Baptist church was erected June, 1771. The present church was erected in 1840. Christian Ministers.-The following is a list of the ministers of the Christian Church from its organization in 1812: Noah Piper, Frank K. Stratton, James L. Pierce, William B. Cottle, John W. Tilton, Henry C. Plaisted, George W. Thompson, George E. Merrill, A. H. Martin, Harriet Freeman, J. H. Mugridge, 1889-90, 1894-97, 1903-13; E. K. Amazeen, 1890-1902; Arthur Varley, 1892-94; J. A. Bealright, 1897-99; Geo. H. Kent, 1899-1902; D. C. Crafts, 1902-03. The Christian Church building was erected in 1840. The Free-Will Baptist Society ceased to exist and its church building was torn down about 1805. All the churches in Stratham are now cooperating as the "Federated Churches," holding services in different churches alternately. P. S. Sailor is pastor. MILITARY RECORD Revolution.---On April 19, 1775, the British attacked Concord, Mass. One day later, April 20, with no means of communication more rapid than horsemen, the news of the march of the British troops, and that they and Page 721 the patriots were fighting; had reached Stratham, the people had been notified; had assembled in town meeting, had ordered a company of twenty-five men to reinforce their brethren in Massachusetts, had fixed the rate of their com- pensation--eight dollars a month-the town to furnish powder, ball, flints, and provision, and a committee of three, Stephen Piper, Benjamin Barker, and Captain Pottle, were charged with the duty of seeing that those twenty- five men were provided with supplies during the expedition. There are charges in the town books that year for such unaccustomed items as guns, flints, lead, biscuits, pork, etc., bought for the soldiers. A supply of blankets was secured from domestic stocks, and the men hurried away to Massachu- setts. In all the history of that uprising, no town acted more promptly, sys- tematically, and intelligently than ours. In most cases men went forward on their own responsibility with little or no arrangement for sustenance. Stratham men marched under the official authority of their town, paid and maintained by it. Stratham furnished one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, two majors, four captains, eight lieutenants, two ensigns, and as far as our record shows, 153 privates,-a total of 171 officers and men. The following is a partial list of soldiers from Stratham who died in service during the Revolutionary. war: William French, Josiah Piper, William Brasbridge, John Tilton, Thomas Wiggin, Joseph Jewett, John Taylor, Robert Kimball, John Goss, John Foss, Joseph Thurston, Joseph Burleigh, Levi Chapman, Coher Wiggin, Nichols Mason. War of the Rebellion.---Names of soldiers from Stratham who served in the war of the Rebellion: Horace J. Willey, Levi W. Colbath, Josiah N. Jones, J. Osborne Jones, George H. Rundlett, John H. Chase, Charles H. Chase, Howard M. Chase, John L. Chase, John Murphy, John H. Whidden, Bennet Leighton, Cassius C. French, George W. French, Charles W. French, Daniel J. Wiggin, Alonso Wentworth, William Wentworth, Jeremiah H. Jones, Frank L. Rundlett, George Dearborn, John W. Bride, George Smith, George Chapman, Jacob Wentworth, Lawrence B. Otis, Charles Midwood, John W. Chase, Levi Chase, Alvin S. Wiggin; Henry F. Brown, William M. Upton, Charles H. Plaisted, William H. Hawkins, Oliver S. Pearson. John L. Sinclair, Robert Innis, John W. Mason, Thomas H. Brown, George F. Smith, John Sanborn, Alexander Moore, George B. Wiggin, Jonas Pear- son, William Rodman, Charles A. Lord, Samuel B. T. Goodrich, Samuel M. Pearson, Howard M. Rundlett, Robert Miles, Charles H. Robinson, Thomas Barker, Williani H. Huntress, Rufus L. Jones, James M. Bowley, Walter S. Weeks, William H. Yeaton, Ezra Bartlett, George W. Bowley. Phinehas Merrill, Esq., was perhaps in his day one of the most useful and eminent men that this town has produced, born in 1767. He was repre- sentative several years, and for many years town clerk and one of the select- men. Widely known as a civil engineer, his surveys of land are pronounced by modern surveyors as very accurate. He taught all the schools in town for a good many years, was the author of a series of arithmetics, published a map of the town in 1793; also about 1800 a map of Exeter and a map of the state. A very accomplished penman, specimens of his work with the pen compare favorably with the best we see now. He died in the prime of life, 1815. We have had other distinguished men, such as Paine Wingate, Dr. Josiah Page 722 Bartlett, and the Ron. Judge Daniel Clark. who have been members of Con- gress. Dr. Josiah Bartlett, Jr.-Probably no man ever lived in Stratham who was more popular and generally respected than he. His fine personal appear- ance, with his cheerful social qualities, made him a universal favorite. His practice was extensive not only in this but surrounding towns. He was for many years one of the main pillars of the Congregational Church. His un- timely death in the midst of his usefulness by drowning on his return from a medical convention in New York, by the giving way of a bridge in May, 1853, was not only a calamity to his family, but to this whole community. The Stratham Public LibrGry is the outgrowth of a subscription library organization called the Literary and Social Union, started in 1876. Their library books came into the possession of the town in 1891. That year it received aid from the state and occupied a room in the town hall with over two thousand volumes in 1906. Previous to the subscription library, there were several library associations; the first one was organized December 10, 1793. Apparently there was then or had been recently another library in town, as they called theirs "The Stratham N ew Library," afterward they called it "The Stratham Union Library," until its close in 1822. A similar association was formed January 1, 1863, under the name of the "Stratham Athenaeum." The Wiggin Library building was erected in 1912 by Mrs. Emma. B. Wiggin, in accordance with the wishes of the late George A. Wiggin. Marion Wiggin is the librarian. There are 2,623 volumes on the shelves. Edward Tuck purhased and gave to the town Stratham Park in 1906. The tablet on the summit of the hill was designed and made by Lester W. Lane of Stratham. The societies are the Winnecutt Grange, Bunker Hill Council and Junior O.U.A.M. ********************************************************************** * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. 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