{"1": {"fulltext": "F 44\\n.A5LJ2", "height": "3400", "width": "2116", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0001.jp2"}, "2": {"fulltext": "^m^\\nLIBRARY OF CONGRESS. I\\nUNITED STATES OF AMERICA, f\\nw\\nv-\\nTT ~z 3\\nJj\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0S\\n6-S\\n-9\\n.^i\\n;-fl.\\no.\\nJ 13\\n0 3\\n7:^\\nz", "height": "3284", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0002.jp2"}, "3": {"fulltext": "2 -rv ^=J\\nj ..o, ,::g^^v:\u00c2\u00bb,-s\\nzrss*\\n3\\n.J -:s\\nj\\nj\\no\\nJ JS^\\n/i\\n33\\n5B\\ny i\\n3^g\\nT,^-\\ny^ 2\\n2\\n3\\ni\\nJ _\u00e2\u0096\u00a0\\n^3\\nj\\n3\\nII", "height": "3316", "width": "2001", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0003.jp2"}, "4": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3284", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0004.jp2"}, "5": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0005.jp2"}, "6": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3284", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0006.jp2"}, "7": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0007.jp2"}, "8": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3284", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0008.jp2"}, "9": {"fulltext": "HISTORICAL DISCOURSE\\nDELIVERED AT\\nAMHERST, N. H.,\\nHUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY\\n|}f(li(,iti$i| 4 Hit ^mt^u^^ikul j|(cdinij=|{(nt.5vt,\\nBY THE PASTOR, J. G. DAVIS;\\nWith sketches of Persons, Places, and Churches connected with\\nthe parish originally called Souhegan West, by Rev. A.\\nHeald, S. H. Keeler, D.D., W. B. Towne,\\nand D. F. Secomb, Esquires.\\nCONCORD, N. H.\\nPRINTED BY THE REPUBLICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION.\\n1874.\\n^r1", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0009.jp2"}, "10": {"fulltext": "-1\\nAmherst, Jan y 26, 1874.\\nKev. Dk. Davis:\\nDear Sir, The undersigned, having heard, with great satisfaction,\\nyour address commemorative of the one hundredth anniversary of\\nthe dedication of the church, and feeling that it should be put in\\nform for preservation, earnestly request a copy for publication. A\\ngeneral desire is also expressed that the other valuable and interesting\\nhistorical papers presented on that occasion m^y be printed with the\\ndiscourse.\\nWm. a. Mack, H. E. Woodbury,\\nDavid Fisk, William Pratt,\\nLuther Elliott, George Danforth,\\nAaron S. Wilkins, Levi J. Secomb,\\nGeo. W. Boswortii, Z. Perry,\\nWilliam Wetherbee.\\nAmherst, Jan y 27, 1874.\\nGentlemen,\\nIn compliance with the request, so kindly expressed in your commu-\\nnication of the 26th, I submit the manuscript of my discourse to j our\\ndisposal. The history is by no means complete, but, connected with\\nthe other papers that you propose to print under the same covers, will\\nserve to .keep alive the memory of the fathers, and -thus quicken our\\ngratitude to God for the great benefits conferred on us through their\\ntoils. With sincere esteem,\\nYours, J. G. Davis.\\nTo William A. Mack, Esq.,\\nDavid Fisk, and others.", "height": "3284", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0010.jp2"}, "11": {"fulltext": "INTPtODUCTIOK\\nAt a meeting of the Congregational Church, held Nov. 18, 18T3, it\\nwas Voted, That the officers of the cliurch, with Messrs. Levi J. Secomb\\nand Jotham Hartshorn, be a committee to learn the wishes of citizens\\nand church members, and ascertain whether it be expedient to observe\\nthe centennial of the dedication of the Congregational meeting-house,\\nwhich occurred Jan. 19, 1774.\\nThis committee met at Dea. Boylston s on the 25th, and decided\\nthat it is expedient to commemorate the dedication of the meeting-\\nhouse, by a sermon and other ajipropriate exercises. It was subse-\\nquently determined to obtain sketches of the history of other churches\\nwhich have been organized within the original limits of Amherst, as Mil-\\nford, Mt. Vernon, and the ]5aptist and Methodist churches in town.\\nInvitations were accordingly issued to pastors and others to furnish\\nsketches of churches and deceased persons, with historical reminis-\\ncences suited to the occasion. Services were assigned to Sunday the\\n18th, and to Monday p. m. of the 19th of January, when the Methodist\\nand Baptist societies, and the congregation from Mt. Vernon, united\\nwith the parent church in the worship of God in the old meeting-house.\\nThe day was pleasant, and the sleighing excellent. The house was\\nfilled in every part, the aisles being furnished with extra seats.\\nThe services of the morning opened with the doxology; invocation\\nand reading of the scriptures by Rev. Mr. Ruland; prayer by Rev.\\nDr. Keeler; and singing 1st version of the 78th psalm,\\nLet children hear the mighty deeds\\nWhich God performed of old Tate Brady\\nfollowed by the historical discourse, and prayer by Rev. Dr. Clark.\\nIn the afternoon, after singing, and prayer by Rev. Mr. Ileald. the\\nsalutations of the Methodist church were presented by Rev. Mr. Ruland\\nin a cordial address, when Rev. Mr. Heald read his sketch of the Bap-\\ntist church, and Dr. Keeler followed with the history of the church in\\nMt. Vernon.\\nThe next day a large audience assembled in the Town Hall, at 1", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0011.jp2"}, "12": {"fulltext": "4\\no clock p. M., the pastor of the Congregational church presiding. Rev.\\nMr. Heald offered prayer, when, in answer to a call from the chair,\\nHon. Wm. B. Towne gave a succinct history of the origin of the town\\nof Milford, the organization of the church, and the services of its\\nministers.\\nIn response to some remarks on the life and services of Daniel Camp-\\nbell, Esq., one of the early settlers, Hon. Chas. H. Cftmpbell, of Nashua,\\nmade a spirited address, abounding in choice anecdotes of the olden\\ntimes, witli grateful reminiscences of his ancestors and other respected\\ncitizens living in the neighborhood, establishing a claim* in behalf of\\nthe beautiful swell of land, which these men and their descendants have\\noccupied for nearly a century, to be called the Moderator s Hill.\\nTo this address succeeded the reading of interesting memorials of\\ndeparted worthies and their times, by D. F. Secomb, Esq., of Concord,\\nthe son of John and brother of Levi J. Secomb, whose names are as-\\nsociated with long terms of service in important offices of the town.\\nThe exercises were enlivened by cheery songs of the Apollo Club\\nfrom Nashua. With a few earnest words from Dea. Boylston on the\\nimportance of making provision fo^^the publication of a history of the\\ntown, the meeting was closed.\\nIn the evening an organ concert was given by Geo. H. Ryder, of\\nBoston, in which he was aided by Miss H. A. Russell, Mr. Merrill and\\nhis club, with the new instrument he had set up the week previous in the\\nmeeting-house. In concluding this sketch of the commemorative ser-\\nvices, it is due to the authors of the several papers, now printed, to say\\nthat they are not as complete as they intended. The time for prepara-\\ntion was too short for extensive research or exhaustive treatment. In\\ngiving the sermon and sketches to the press, they are influenced by a\\ndesire to piace these fragments of history in a form in which the ma-\\nterials may be preserved for the more thorough and comprehensive\\ntreatment which the good name and services of Amherst, Mt. Vernon,\\nand Milford deserve.\\nThe claim is justified by the fact that six individuals, belonging to three families in\\nthat school district, have served as moderators at forty-one of the one hundred and\\nfifteen annual town meetings held since the incorporation of the town. The same per-\\nsons have served fifty-seven years on the board of selectmen, and represented the town\\nfourteen years in the general court. They are Daniel Campbell, Daniel Campbell, Jr.,\\nCharles H. Campbell, John Secomb, Levi J. Secomb, and William A. Mack. s.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0012.jp2"}, "13": {"fulltext": "DISCOURSE.\\nJOHX 4 38. OTHER MEX LABOURED, AND YE ARE\\nENTERED INTO THEIR LABORS.\\nHAGGAI 2:9. The glory of this latter house shall be\\nGREATER THAN OF THE FORMER, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS.\\n1 KIXGS 8 57. The Lord our God be with us, as he was\\nWITH OL R FATHERS. LeT HIM NOT LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US.\\nTlie great law of human progress, by which one generation\\nenters on the labors of the preceding, and profits by its toil,\\nhas manifold illustrations. There was a preparation for the\\nspecific mission of the apostles, in the results wrought out by\\nthe counsels and experience of prophets and teachers who\\nwere commissioned before them. Each age gathers wisdom\\nfrom the labors and researches of the preceding age. In ev-\\nery science, and in every art, we are constrained to acknowl-\\nedge our mdebtedness to the genius and industry of depart-\\ned generations. So is it in respect to social customs, relig-\\nious institutions, and all the essential features of our civiliza-\\ntion. We have but taken up and carried forward the work\\nwhich our fathers laid down.\\nOne of the most important uses of historical discourses and\\ncommemorations is, to teach us wliat we owe to the past to\\nbring to mind the conditions of hardship and toil; the enter-\\nprise and patient industry by which our present prosperity\\nwas attained. Without some effort of this kind, by which\\nwe reproduce the lives and labors of those who have gone be-\\nfore us, we shall not adequately value the heritage on which", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0013.jp2"}, "14": {"fulltext": "6\\nwe have entered, and by which we are so richly endowed.\\nThe event which we commemorate this day is not in itself\\nso remarkable as to deserve special notice. The dedication\\nof a house, erected for public worsliip at this day, has seldom\\nany wide interest beyond the gratification of those who are\\nto be accommodated beneath its roof. But this was not the\\nsentiment a hundred years ago. The erection of a meeting-\\nhouse, in the early history of the New England towns, was\\nmemorable as the result of a purpose to honor God in cir-\\ncumstances of hardship and destitution. It was accomplished\\namidst difliculties, and with an outlay of time and labor\\nwhich was a heavy tax on the inhabitants. The building of\\nlofty height, which was usually planted on some eminence, was\\nthe exponent of an idea that entered into and fashioned the\\ncharacter of the people. It was not merely an expres-\\nsion of religious feeling, l3ut an expression of the principle\\nthat religion is to be maintained by the keeping of Sab-\\nbaths, and regular public instruction in the doctrines of the\\nBible. When we learn that the grantees of the Narragan-\\nsett township^were required to pass such lailes and orders\\nas will effectually oblige them to settle sixty families, at least,\\nin each township, with a learned and orthodox ministry,\\nwithin the space of seven years from the date of this grant,\\nand when we learn that if the said grantees shall not effec-\\ntually settle the said number of families in each township,\\nand also lay out a lot for the first settled minister, one for\\nthe ministry, and one for the school in each of said town-\\nships, they shall have no advantage of, but forfeit their re-\\nspective grants, it is obvious that, in the minds of those\\nlegislators, education and religion were held essential to the\\nwell-being of society that in peopling a township there was\\na necessity of providing for the education of children, and\\nfor the religious culture and worship of all the inhabitants.\\nIf these ideas could not be realized, they were not disposed\\nto encourage new settlements.\\nIt has been alleged that the members of the Massachusetts", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0014.jp2"}, "15": {"fulltext": "government, in making tliese grants, were influenced more\\nby motives of policy than those of benevolence, as they\\nwished to retain property in the lands, in case the jurisdic-\\ntion was taken away. That considerations of this nature\\nwere active in promoting these grants maybe admitted. To\\nsuppose that these settlements would be undertaken without\\nany prosjjcct of personal advantage, is to assume a superhu-\\nman virtue in our ancestors to which they made no claims.\\nThe commendable feature of the transaction is, that, having in\\nview the acquisition of landed property, they did not overlook\\nnor neglect the higher conditions that respected the service\\nof God and the spiritual welfare of the emigrants. The per-\\nsons to whom the grant No. 3, at Souhegan West, was made,\\nlived in Essex county, Massachusetts; and, as few of the\\noriginal proprietors came into New Hampshire, the harmony\\nof their action in accepting the trust is the more noticeable.\\nIt is with some diffidence* that I attempt to describe the\\nmovements of the first settlers. The early landmarks have\\ndisappeared; and it is not easy to reproduce the scenes in\\nwhich they planted their habitations. To men employed in\\nsuljjugating the forests, clearing lots, making roads, and\\nrearing log houses, there was no leisure, and little disposi-\\ntion, to make careful records of the place and progress of\\ntheir occupations. The first settlement in the territory was\\nmade in 1734, the same year in which the proprietors held\\ntheir first meeting at Salem Village (now Danvers), Mass.\\nThe emigrants were mainly from the towns of Essex county\\nat a later period valuable accessions to the population came\\nfrom Middlesex county. On taking possession of the town-\\nship in 1735, after a plan which distributed the soil into\\nThe author desires to acknowledge his indebtedness to Dea. E. D. Boylston for the\\nuse of original letters and other valuable 3ISS. from his private collections, with the\\nloan of the Proprietors Records belonging to Hon. C. H. Campbell. His thanks\\nare due to D. F. Secomb, Esq., of Concord, for many anecdotes of the early inhabi-\\ntants, with copies of papers from the archives of the state. Edward Spalding, m. d.,\\nand William 11. Towiie, Esq., have also aided him by personal recollections and other\\ninformation.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0015.jp2"}, "16": {"fulltext": "8\\nthree sections, with sub-divisions into lots of sixty acres\\neach, the proprietors vote to lay out a place whereon\\nto erect a meeting-house; and, in August of the same\\nyear, they also vote to build. A meeting-house would be\\nof little use without worshippers. We accordingly read\\nof appropriations, to induce people to move hither and\\ntake up lands. At first, a grant is made of \u00c2\u00a36 to each\\nsettler on clearing two acres of land, and the comple-\\ntion of a house 18x18, and 7 feet stud, a grant subse-\\nquently increased to \u00c2\u00a320 to actual settlers. This will\\nexplain tlie delay in executing the earlier votes. Tlie way\\nwas not prepared. Openings must be made in the forests,\\nthe soil broken, and crops raised, before men and materials\\ncould be had for the house of worship. In February of\\n1737-38, the subject is brought up anew, and they decide\\nto build a house forty-five feet in lengtli, thirty-five in\\nwidth, and twenty-two feet stud, a structure of generous\\nproportions for that period, answering in its area to one half\\nof the room we now occupy. They proposed to cover the\\noutside and erect a pulpit within twelve months, and X3\\nper right was assessed on the proprietors to pay for the same.\\nThis house, which was located on the rising ground at the\\njunction of the roads then leading to Bedford and through\\nthe west parish to New Boston, was actually raised in May\\nof 1739, when Capt. Ebenezer Raimond was instructed to\\nprovide entertainment for the raising, a laborious and\\nsomewhat dangerous undertaking. In that year, the inhabi-\\ntants were authorized to draw \u00c2\u00a320 from the treasury\\ntowards their having the word of God preached among\\nthem for the next six mos., which was supplemented by\\nanother grant of \u00c2\u00a320 in July, to pay for preaching till next\\nMarch, if they bring the men s names that preached ten\\ndays, a somewhat ambiguous condition, but intended, I\\nassume, to prevent a misapplication of the money, as, in\\nDecember, they adopted a different rule, by which 50 shil-\\nlings was voted for each Sabbath they shall have preaching", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0016.jp2"}, "17": {"fulltext": "among them. Without certain information, it is doubtful\\nwhether preaching was maintained with mucli regularity.\\nAccording to a tradition, the thirteenth family that settled\\nin the township was that of Mr. (afterward Rev.) Daniel\\nWilkins (Harvard col., 1736). lie came with his wife from\\nMiddleton, Mass., in compliance with the solicitations of\\ntlic families that came here from that place and vicinity.\\nThis was in ll-iO; and in April of the following year, the\\nproprietors concur in the action of the settlers in desiring\\nMr. Wilkins to become their minister, provided we can\\nagree with him for salary and settlement. The negotiations\\nresulted favorably, and in August they vote to accept the\\nreport of the committee that was chosen to treat with Mr.\\nDaniel Wilkins about salary and settlement. At the same\\nmeeting a committee was chosen to take care of the ordi-\\nnation, with instructions not to exceed X40, but as much\\nless as they can. This committee was also to designate\\nthe time and advise the clerk, that he may put it into the\\nnewspaper. On the 22d of September, 1741, the church\\nwas organized, and six males, including the pastor elect,\\nsul)scribed the covenant, which, with slight alterations,\\nabides in use unto this day. The covenant contained six\\narticles, presenting a concise and admirable statement of\\nChristian duty.* No confession of faith was required and,\\nafter repeated inquiries, I have never been able to learn at\\nwhat time, or by whose counsel, the articles of faith now\\nprefixed to the covenant were adopted. On the next day,\\nSeptember 23d, Rev. Daniel Wilkins was ordained pastor,\\nby a council of five ministers and fourteen lay delegates, of\\nwhom the church in Middleton, from which Mr. Wilkins\\ncame, sent five, and the church in Dunstable three. Rev.\\nNathaniel Henchman, of Lynn, was moderator of the coun-\\n*The only rules adopted by the church besides this covenant, for more than thirty\\nyears, are the following: In 1750, Voted, That no persons should have the privilege\\nof baptism for their children, without a certificate from the churcli to which they\\nbelonged. In 1757, Voted, That the satisfaction for all public oflences shall Le equal\\nto the crimes.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0017.jp2"}, "18": {"fulltext": "10\\ncil, and Eev. Stephen Chase, of Lynn, preached the sermon.\\nThe prayer of ordination was probably offered by Rev. An-\\ndrew Peters, of Middleton, the other parts of tlie Kervice\\nfalling to Rev. James Osgood, of Wenham, Mass., and Rev.\\nJosiah Swan, of Dunstable. Immediately after the ordina-\\ntion, six females were admitted to church membership,\\nSarah Wilkins, the wife of the pastor, being of the number.\\nBut where, we ask, were the services of installation held\\nDid the people gather in some opening of the forest, amidst\\nthe sounding aisles of the dim woods Did the fathers\\nfind a sanctuary in the unfinished apartment of a log house?\\nPossibly they found accommodation in the convenient\\nhouse of entertainment which Capt. Richard Mower was\\nto build, in consideration of lot No. 25, of which lie was to\\nhave sure title; perhaps a shelter was found within the\\nframe of the meeting-house, which might have been covered\\nwith boughs or boards for the occasion. We cannot answer\\nthe question, concerning which we may well be curious, as\\nsomewhat to our amazement we read,* more than two years\\nafter the installation, that the committee to be chosen get\\nthe meeting-house boarded, and the floor laid, the body seats\\nmade up, and the pulpit made, and the doors made and\\nhung, as soon as can be. In February following (1744),\\nthey vote that they will do something towards finishing\\nthe meeting-house, viz., to clapboard it, and make the win-\\ndow frames, crown and glaze them, to point the ground-\\npointing, and prime the flew-boards, window frames, sashes,\\nand doors and in case there is not an Indian war next fall,\\nto lath and plaster the meeting-house, as the committee\\nshall think best. These votes were doubtless carried into\\nefltect during the next summer, so far as to exclude the wind\\nand snow, as a meeting of the proprietors is called at the\\nmeeting-house early in the year 1745. But what a picture\\nthese votes suggest to the imagination, of the privations\\nProprietor s Eecords, Oct. 18th, 1743.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0018.jp2"}, "19": {"fulltext": "11\\nand hardship of the early inhabitants. If tlie ordination\\ntoolc place on the site of the nieeting-honse, they had at\\nthe best only a roof over their heads. The population of\\nthe township could not have exceeded twenty families, and\\nthey over-worked by clearing lands, building barns, houses,\\nfences, and making pathways through the forests. Money\\nwas scarce, and the currency continually depreciating. Yet\\nthey endured hardness as good soldiers, the pastor giving\\nan example to his flock, putting his lumd to the axe and the\\nplough, sharing all the exposures of his brethren. And\\nthese exposures were such as might dishearten brave men.\\nOn their scattered farms they were much annoyed by wild\\nbeasts. Wolves prowled about tlicir patiiways, and preyed\\nu})on their sheep at times the bears caused them nuich\\ntrouble but these perils were soon aggravated by apprehen-\\nsions of more deadly foes.\\nFortunately for the townships lying back from the Mer-\\nrimack river, the Indian population had not been numerous.\\nWhether wasted by disease, or driven back by earlier con-\\nflicts, the region which the settlers entered had been deserted\\nby the aborigines. Before the announcement of war be-\\ntween France and England, the allies of the former had been\\nexcited to hostilities by emissaries of the same power tliat\\nprovoked tlie expedition against Louisbourg. Working south-\\nward from the Canadas, the Indians hovered about the infant\\nsettlements, capturing and slaying the inhabitants, and burn-\\ning their dwellings wherever tliey were unprotected. In\\nthis exigency the inhabitants of Souhegan West procured\\nammunition, and proceeded to fortify their dwellings and\\nmake provision for defence against the assailants. They\\nalso held a meeting at the house of their pastor, in wliich\\nthey unanimously agreed that Daniel Wilkins, in tlie name\\nand behalf of the settlers of this plantation, should repre-\\nsent to the Governor and Council of the Province of New-\\nHampshire our distressing circumstances, on account of\\nour exposure to the French and Indian enemy. Tiiey", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0019.jp2"}, "20": {"fulltext": "12\\nneeded defence while about tlieir work. The petition pre-\\npared by Rev, Mr. Wilkins was presented at Portsmouth,\\nJune 22, 1744, and\u00e2\u0080\u0094\\nHumbly sheweth the said town has been settled by his\\nmajesty s subjects about nine years, and a gospel minister\\nordained almost three years; that the settlers have an eye\\nat enlarging his majesty s dominions, by going into the wil-\\nderness, as well as their own interest that some thousands\\nof pounds has been spent in clearing and cultivating the\\nlands there, and vast sums in building houses, barns, and\\nfences, besides much time and expense in building fortifica-\\ntions, by His Excellency the Governor s order.\\nThat the breaking up of the settlement will not only\\nruin the memorialists, but greatly disserve his majesty s\\ninterest by encouraging his enemies to encroach on his de-\\nserted settlements, and be also hurtful to the province by\\ncontracting the borders and drawing the war nearer the\\ncapital.\\nThat it was by a long and importunate intercession of\\nthis province (and not of the memorialists seeking) that\\nthey are left under the immediate care of this government,\\nwhich they conceive gives them so much the better right to\\nits protection.\\nThat as war is already declared against France, and a\\nrupture with the Indians hourly expected, your memorialists,\\nunless they have speedy help, will soon be obliged to forsake\\ntheir town, how disserviceable soever it may be to the crown,\\ndishonorable to the government, hurtful to the province, and\\nruinous to ourselves.\\nWherefore, your memoralists most humbly supplicate\\nYour Excellency, the Honorable Council, and House of Rep-\\nresentatives to take the premises into your wise and mature\\nconsideration, and to grant them such reasonable relief as\\nmay enable them to subsist in the war and secure against\\nthe ravages and devastations of a bloodthirsty and merciless\\nenemy and your memorialists, as in duty bound, will ever\\npray.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0020.jp2"}, "21": {"fulltext": "13\\nIn his argument Mr. Wikins insists that the danger is\\nimminent, and adroitly reminds the government that it was\\nnot of their choice that they were dependent on its protection.\\nIn answer to this petition, scouts were provided for this\\nplace, and Salem Canada (now Lyndeborongh) on the west.\\nTlie following year, at a meeting of the proprietors at Chelms-\\nford, Mass., a motion was carried imposing an obligation to\\nget sixty families to settle in the township immediately, ac-\\ncording to the act of Massachusetts. But with all their\\nefforts, it was difficult persuading men to move up into the\\nwilderness, where, as yet, there was no smith to sharpen\\ntheir tools, no mill to grind their corn, and the dread of\\nthe Indians required the inhabitants to keep armed. In\\nMay of 1747, the government having withdrawn its protec-\\ntion, a new petition is forwarded to His Excellency Benning\\nWentworth, which showeth that the plantation contained\\nthirty-five families, and about fifty-eight men upwards of\\nsixteen years old:\\nThat when we began our settlement we apprehended no\\ndanger of our ever being a frontier, there being at that time\\nso many above us begun and obligated to fulfil the conditions\\nof the Massachusetts grants, which occasioned us to settle\\nscattering, only regarding the advantage of good and com-\\npact farms.\\nThat the difficulty of war happening so early on our set-\\ntlements, and the defenceless condition they were in, has\\nobliged them all, viz., Peterborough, Salem Canada, New\\nBoston, and Hillsborough (so-called), entirely to draw off,\\nas well as the forts on Connecticut river left naked, where-\\nby we are now left as much exposed as any of the frontiers\\non Merrimack river.\\nThat the first year of the present war we were favored\\nwith a scout from this province (which we thankfully ac-\\nknowledge), and Salem Canada with another, which was\\nequally serviceable to us. Since that time both Salem Can-\\nada and this place has had a guard from the Massachusetts", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0021.jp2"}, "22": {"fulltext": "14\\ntill the winter passed, together with our inhabitants keeping\\na constant scout (though much impoverished thereby).\\nThat this encouragement has occasioned our venturing\\nhere till now.\\nThat, as we ai e now left without either scout or guard,\\napprehend we are in imminent danger, yet loath to yield our-\\nselves such an easy prey to our enemies, or suffer ruin by\\nleaving our improvements waste, one whereof we have no\\nreason to tliink but must unavoidably be our lot unless the\\ngovernment compassionately grants us protection.\\nThis application for soldiers to protect the inhabitants is\\nsigned by twenty-three persons among whom appear the\\nnames of Wilkins, Shepard, Pcabody, Hutchinson, Cheever,\\nHoward, Hartshorn, Bixbc, Seetown, Bradford, Ellenwood,\\nClark, Towne, Lyon, Stiles. These were among the earliest\\nland-owners and tlieir descendants continue with us unto\\nthis day. The hardships of the first settlers were not readily\\nmitigated, as we may infer from their continued apprehension\\nof attacks from the Indians, and the necessity of maintain-\\ning guards and scouts and ranging companies at suitable ral-\\nlying points in the territory. Certain houses w^ere entrenched\\nby stockades, and the walls made bullet-proof for the shel-\\nter of women and children. There were seven of tliese gar-\\nrison houses, at which a watch was maintained at different\\nperiods. Tlie Rev. Mr. Wilkins occupied one of the garrison\\nhouses, and took his turn in the watch which was maintained\\nby the citizens whenever an invasion was threatened. For\\nmonths in succession it was tlie habit of the men to carry\\ntheir muskets to tlie meeting-liouse, to be within reach and\\nready to be lifted should an alarm be given during the ser-\\nvice. The vigilance they practised reminds us of the pre-\\ncautions taken by Nehemiah against Sanballat and Tobiah,\\nthe Arabians and the Ammonites, in all which they were en-\\ncouraged by the example of the pastor, who came to the\\nplace of worship having his gun in one hand and his Bible\\nin the other. Both implements of his warfare were taken", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0022.jp2"}, "23": {"fulltext": "15\\ninto the pulpit. The Indians frequently came hither with\\nhostile intentions but the settlers usually obtained informa-\\ntion of their designs, and no one was killed or taken captive\\nfrom Amherst. According to a family tradition,* a i)arty\\nunder the lead of Dea. llobbsf fell in with the Indians, on a\\nSunday morning, when a smart fight ensued, in which Ilobbs\\ndisplayed remarkable courage and prudence, bringing off his\\nmen with few wounded, none mortally, while they were\\npositive that several Indians were killed. The result of\\nthis encounter was to give the men great rej)utation for\\nbravery in circumstances of danger. The minister and\\nothers used to speak of the exploit with great satisfaction.\\nOn the other hand, it is reported that the Indians said that\\nSouhegan deacon no very good, he fight Sabba day. The\\ndanger and annoyance from the Indians, which Farmer| as-\\nsigns to a period commencing ten years later, at the outbreak\\nof the French and Indian war in western Virginia, in 1754,\\nbelongs in fact to this earlier period. In the expeditions\\nsent out at the latter date for the defence of the colonies\\nand the conquest of Canada, the inhabitants of Souhegan\\nWest shared with the neighboring towns in furnishing their\\nproportion of soldiers and on the declaration of peace in\\n1708, they shared in the prevailing sentiment of joy and\\ngratitude at the relief.\\nTo return to the immediate interests of the parish. It is\\ncertain that the intentions of the proprietors in completing\\nthe meeting-house were not carried into full efiect in 1751,\\nContained in a letter of Pliilip C. Williins, grandson of the minister.\\nt January the sixth, 1742, the church voted tliat there be five sacraments within a\\nyear, the first, the first Sal)bath in JIarch, the second, tlie (irst Sabbatli in i\\\\Iay, and\\nthence bi-niontlily. The last sacrament was observed on the first Sabbath of Xovember.\\nAt tlie same time tlie church chose Humphrey Hobbs deacon. This ofiice he\\nresigned in 1744, and James Cocliran was cliosen in his room. Dea. Ilobbs seems to\\nhave left town soon after, as he had command of a company of rangers employed la\\nthe defence of the settlements on Connecticut river, at Charlostown No. 4. lie had the\\ncourage and capacity of a true soldier, and is probably mentioned as Hobbs, cap-\\ntain, in Report of Adj t-General N. H., Military History, vol. ii, p. 158.\\nt N. U. Historical Collections, vol. v, p. 88.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0023.jp2"}, "24": {"fulltext": "16\\nthirteen years after the vote fixing the site and dimensions\\nof the building, and eleven years after the frame was set up,\\na delay which has its justification in their poverty and the\\npressure of adverse circumstances. In succeeding years we\\nfind votes for the assignment of seats, or dignifying the\\nhouse, as it was called in Massachusetts also, petitions from\\nsome who wished to sit together for the better control of\\ntheir families in worship requests that the quiresters might\\nsit in company to improve the psalmody or religious singing.\\nOn one page, the young men petition that they may make\\nseats on the beams in front of the meeting-house, probably\\nthe unfinished gallery, and others of a similar import,\\naiming at better accommodations. On the first application,\\nthese requests were usually negatived but better opinions\\nprevailed, and, in the progress of years, families were allowed\\nto sit in companies, the singers were brought together, and\\npew ground was assigned to those who would pay for it,\\nthe money being applied to finishing up the mccting-house.\\nAt the best, the arrangements of the first house of worship\\nmust have been inconvenient, and when any improvements\\nwere attempted, difficulties would be suggested which usual--\\nly defeated these designs. On the incorporation of the town,\\nthere were fresh reasons for postponement, as the question\\nthen arose whether the house belonged to the town or to\\nthe proprietors, the conflict of ownership affording suffi-\\ncient reason to hinder any outlay of money. On what terms,\\nor at what date the ownership was adjusted, I cannot deter-\\nmine. The town at length held possession and these delays,\\nwith the consequent vexations, may have served a useful j)ur-\\npose in preparing the community to build another and more\\ncommodious house of worship.\\nBefore I speak of the origin of the new house, the building\\nin which we are now assembled, it will be of service to no-\\ntice some of the changes which had transpired, affecting the\\nprosperity of the township. In 1741, the inhabitants, much\\nagainst their wishes, had come under the jurisdiction of the", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0024.jp2"}, "25": {"fulltext": "17\\nprovince of New Hampshire and in 1760, on the 18th day\\nof January, one hundred and fourteen years ago this day,\\na charter was granted, by which the town was incorporated\\nby the name Amherst. The population was sufficient to se-\\ncure a representative to tlie general court. Mr. Wilkins was\\nchosen minister of the town, with a salary of X47 10s. ster-\\nling money of Great Britain, or its equivalent in the currency\\nor products of the country.\\nThe tedious and exhausting war with the French had ter-\\nminated successfully in the conquest of Canada. Agricul-\\nture had revived domestic arts and manufactures began to\\nengage the attention of the people and a more equitable and\\neasy administration of justice was now demanded. Hitherto\\nthe town of Amherst lay wholly on the north side of the\\nSouhegan river, the town of Monson, which was situated be-\\ntween this place and Hollis, lying on the south. For some\\ncause not fully understood at this day, there was an antip-\\nathy to the people of Monson, which led the people of\\nAmherst to reject all proposals for annexation. They even\\nrefused them a place in the meeting-house, unless they\\nwould severally be assessed to support the minister; but in\\n1770, about the time of the final distribution of the proprie-\\ntors lands by the action of the general court, Monson was\\ndivided between Amherst and Ilollis. By this arrangement\\na strip of land, some two miles in breadth and six in\\nlength, say thirteen square miles, was added to the terri-\\ntory, and several families, needing church accommodations,\\nto the population. In the meantime a lively competition\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0was started among the townships of this region in hope of\\nobtaining the county seat, whenever the expected division of\\nthe state, by shires or counties, should be established. Peti-\\ntions, counter-petitions, and remonstrances were sent from\\nthe places most interested to the assembly. A remonstrance,\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0which has attracted special notice, went from this place,\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0written by Mr. Wilkins, against making Merrimack the\\nshire town. The precise influence of these efforts cannot\\n2", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0025.jp2"}, "26": {"fulltext": "18\\nnow be determined Uit on llie formation of Hillsborough\\ncounty, Amherst became the shire town. In anticipation of\\nthis decision, a new imj)ortance was given to the i)lace. Men\\nof enterprise seeking business, and professional gentlemen\\nmoving hither, the town voted to build a new meeting-\\nhouse, to be located on the training field, seventy-five by fifty\\nfeet, a huge, barn-like structure; also, voted to raise\\n\u00c2\u00a3150 lawful money towards defraying expenses of said\\nbuilding.\\nThis plan was subsequently modified by a change which\\ndirainislied the size of the structure, and provided somewhat\\nfor its embellishment. They voted to contract the dimen-\\nsions, by taking five feet from the length and five from the\\nbreadth to have a porch at one end, and a steeple, with\\nbelfry and weathercock, at the other. This was the approved\\npattern at that period. Previously, if a meeting-house had\\ntower and bell, the spire rose from the centre of the roof,\\nand the bell-rope came to the floor in the middle aisle.\\nA measure of such importance as the erection of a new\\nmeeting-house was not carried without much excitement and\\ndebate. The opposition was strong, but not unanimous, or\\nthe project would have failed. The interests of Chestnut\\nHill folks and of Monson folks were of course antagonistic.\\nPeople in the north-west part of the town grumbled at the\\nprospect of paying towards a new house in which they were\\nnot to worship, and the district embracing Shepard s mills\\nwas thoroughly disaffected. Petitions crowded upon the\\nselectmen, and a town-meeting was called November 6, 1770,\\nfor the purpose of annulling or modifying the previous votes,\\nand see if the town would not consent to repair the old\\nhouse; but the majority were united and unyielding, and\\nthey voted to ratify, establish, and confirm the previous\\naction of the town, and refused to repair the old meeting-\\nhouse. Then followed a series of meetings to change the\\nlocation but they were ineffectual. The objection, that the\\nsite was too wet at certain seasons of the year, did not pre-", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0026.jp2"}, "27": {"fulltext": "19\\nvail and the alleged superiority of a location near the unit-\\ned roads for good underpinning and freedom from water\\ndid not convince those who preferred the site on the training\\njfield. The building committee, who supervised the work,\\nconsisting of Robert Read, Samuel McKean, Archelaus\\nTowne, John Shepard, Jr., and Moses Nichols, adopted the\\nplan of the old North Church in Concord, so pleasantly as-\\nsociated in our minds with the fruitful ministry of Rev. Dr.\\nMcFarland. The house was set broad side to the south, with\\nfolding doors opening from the broad aisle on an ample pave-\\nment, flanked by two horse-blocks. The work was com-\\nmenced in the spring of 1771, the town manifesting its hos-\\npitality by voting ami)lc supplies of victuals and drink for all\\nwho should attend the raising. The occasion brought togeth-\\ner a great company, strong men and agile, besides many\\nspectators. The committee of entertainment must have\\nmanaged with some discretion, not exceeding their instruc-\\ntions, that, with such powers to distribute New England\\nrum among the thirsty crowd, the huge timbers of this mas-\\nsive frame were set in their places without serious injury to\\nlife or limb. The master-builder was Dea. Ephraim Barker,\\nwho had a wide reputation as a skilful mechanic.\\nIt illustrates the habits of this pei iod to learn that the rais-\\ning was followed by athletic games and feats of strength. The\\niron-sided men, who were present from far and near, must not\\nseparate without an exhil/ition of their strength and agility.\\nOn this occasion there was a wrestling match and the min-\\nister s son, afterwards Dea. Samuel Wilkins, ran a short dis-\\ntance on a wager, carrying on his shoulders the chairman of\\nthe building committee, who, like Eli of old, was fat and heavy\\nprobably the heaviest man then in town.\\nIn December the town voted to finish the outside of the\\nmeeting-house, clapboard and glaze the same, complete the\\nsteeple, and lay floors. One hundred and sixty pounds were\\ngranted to pay the expenses thus far.\\nFor various reasons the work proceeded slowly. The", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0027.jp2"}, "28": {"fulltext": "20\\npeople were poor, and serious dissensions impaired tlieir\\nstrength. Portions of the town were dissatisfied, and con-\\nsequently reluctant to pay their taxes.\\nOtlier matters of grave concern were pressing on their at-\\ntention. The people of New Hampshire, in sympatliy with\\nthe citizens of Massachusetts, had long regarded, with min-\\ngled feelings of dread and indignation, the acts of the Brit-\\nish parliament. The course of adverse legislation, the stamp\\nand tea tax, which led sagacious men like Adams and Fiank-\\nlin to anticipate a separation of the colonies from the mother\\ncountry, and the assertion of their independence, had now\\nreached a point when open resistance was freely talked. Re-\\nmembering the persistent encroachments of England upon\\ntheir liberties, the people welcomed the idea of making com-\\nmon cause with other colonies in plans of mutual coopera-\\ntion and defence. The discipline of the French and Indian\\nwar had begotten a thoroughly military spirit in this part of\\nthe land. There was no lack of courage but the poverty of\\nthe citizens was undeniable. Whence could they obtain the\\nmaterials of war, the arms and ammunition, requisite to con-\\ntend with such a power as Great Britain These questions\\nwere already holding the thoughts of multitudes. We detect\\ntheir presence in the action taken at the town-meetings. In\\nSeptember, following the dedication of this meeting-house, by\\nvote of the town, a building is constructed for the safe stor-\\ning of powder. It was suljstantial, being made of chestnut\\nlogs hewn twelve inches square, and covered with plaster.\\nIf any are impatient of the delays attending the completion\\nof the building, let them consider that the minds of the peo-\\nple were sorely distracted by local dissensions, which found\\nadjustment only in the formation of two other parishes or\\ntownships, besides the uncertainty and excitement attending\\nthe ripening apprehension of conflict with Great Britain.\\nOf the services at the dedication we have no minute in-\\nformation. It had not been the custom in New England to\\nset apart places of worship by a solemn public consecration.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0028.jp2"}, "29": {"fulltext": "21\\nThe first house was never formally dedicated. On this oc-\\ncasion several ministers were present as the guests of Mr.\\nWilkins. We have no record of the names, but tlie neigh-\\nboring ministers might be expected, e. g., Livermore of Wil-\\nton, Goodrich of Lyndeborough, Kidder of Dunstable, Emer-\\nson of HoUis, Burnap of Merrimack, to whom he extended\\nthe right hand of fellowship two years before, and possibly\\nsome visitors from the older towns of Essex county, Mass.\\nA sermon was preached by the pastor, in which he is said to\\nhave given a history of the church and the early transactions\\nof the settlement. Could we but recover the MS., what\\nlight it would throw upon the habits, the religious doctrines\\nand worship, of the first inhabitants We have no question\\nof the genuineness of their faith and of the sincerity of their\\nlove. A people moving into the forests, to clear for them-\\nselves homesteads in the solitudes of the wilderness, do not\\ntake on themselves the burden of building meeting-houses\\nand sustaining ministers without deep convictions of the\\nvalue of the gospel. But it would gratify our reverent curi-\\nosity to know more exactly how these men felt, what operated\\nto cheer and what to depress them, what books they read,\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0what tunes they sung, how they fared in the winter* without\\nthe regular service. But the records are very scanty. In\\ngratitude to God*, they set down the names of the children\\nas they were baptized but of their own toils, their prayers,\\ntheir self-denial, and their achievements, they say nothing.\\nThe strength of their devotion may be inferred from their\\nsacrifices to maintain worship and their belief of the truth,\\nfrom the unfaltering purpose to train up their children under\\nthe instructions of an orthodox ministry.\\nIn Dec. 4, 1771, before the new meeting-house was ready\\nfor occupation, on the question of giving the old meeting-\\n*From letters and various memorandums, it appears that before the forests were cut\\noff the snow accumulated in such quantities that the roads in winter were impassable.\\nThe people went abroad on rackets; and contracts for the delivery of fuel and lumber\\nprovided that the same should be drawn on the March crust, when teams could usu-\\nally move in any direction, with no obstruction save buildings and trees.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0029.jp2"}, "30": {"fulltext": "9,9\\nhouse to the county for a court-house, we read, Secondly,\\nvoted, and hereby do give, grant, and forever quit claim all\\nour right, title, interest, claim, and property in and unto our\\nold meeting-house in said Amherst, to the justices of the\\ncourt of general sessions of the peace for said county, for\\nthe use of said county, reserving to ourselves the privilege\\nof congregating in said house from time to time, as we shall\\nsee meet, for the space of two years, to commence from this\\ntime, without having it made inconvenient for that purpose\\nreserving to ourselves the right to remove the pulpit out of\\nthe house at any time within the two years aforesaid Pro-\\nvided, nevertheless, and the above vote is upon this condi-\\ntion, that the justices aforesaid cause a new county jail to be\\nerected within one hundred and sixty rods of said house, as\\nit now stands otherwise, the above vote and every clause\\ntherein contained to be void.\\nThe conditions prescribed by the town were accepted, the\\njail erected on the spot where stands the old county house,\\nand the first house of worship was transferred from the use\\nof the church to the service of the state.* At the expira-\\ntion of the tw^o years, as we liave seen, the new house was\\ndedicated to the worship of God. The floor of the house or\\npew ground was subsequently sold at auction to the highest\\nbidder, the purchasers erecting pews at thtsir own cost, un-\\nder the direction of a committee, who were instructed to\\nhave three tiers of pews on the south side, one on the\\nnorth, two tiers at the east end, and two tiers at the west\\nend alleys to be between the pews and seats, and between\\nthe pews a description which becomes intelligible when\\nwe learn that below the pulpit were seats for the deacons,\\nand, across the aisle from them, rows of seats for the aged\\nmen, the fathers of the congregation. The pews intended\\nfor families were eight or ten feet square, surmounted by a\\n*In 1789 this building was removed from the original site to the plain, and, before it\\nwas quite finished, burned by the fire of an incendiary. Memoir of Joshua Atherton,\\np. 31.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0030.jp2"}, "31": {"fulltext": "23\\nrail, which was supported hy small wooden balusters, through\\nwhich the children could peer out and get a view of the\\ngalleries and the inmates of adjoining pews. The pulpit or\\nimprisonment was built high np against the north wall,\\nhaving a narrow stair-case on the left or west side, and a\\ndoor that shut the preacher in. Over the sacred desk, and\\nhanging from the ceiling by an iron rod, was the sounding-\\nboard, an ol)ject of wonder and curious speculation to all\\nthe juvenile hearers, wlio were meritally asking what would\\nhappen if it should fall upon the minister. The scats, we\\nare told, were not on golden hinges hung, and as they\\nwere lifted, when the congregation rose, the uprising and\\ndown-sitting of the people were accompanied with a crash\\nand clatter not unlike the discharge of musketry on training\\ndays. The pews also had arm-rests and leaning-boards for\\nthe support of weary heads. When these bars were lifted,\\nbeing set upright, something formidable migh t have been\\nanticipated from this bristling movement. The house had\\ngalleries on three sides, supported by smooth, substantial\\nwooden columns, which were painted in imitation of marble.\\nAgainst the walls was a tier of pews, in front of which were\\nseats for strangers, for domestics, a reserved bench for the\\nblacks, and in front of the preacher a section of the gallery\\nwas set apart for the singers. Tlie rich and poor met togeth-\\ner in the sanctuary, and united in recognizing the Lord their\\nmaker but it was not in harmony with the ideas of that day\\nthat they should sit together hence the divisions, arrange-\\nments, and orders of which I have spoken. The churches\\nwere democratic in their theories of church government and\\nmembership, but they were not yet emancipated from the force\\nof hereditary customs. The various arrangements for the\\naccommodation of worshippers were not completed at once.\\nSeveral years elapsed before the house was furnished through-\\nout with seats in the style which you associate with the\\npalmy days of Dr. Lord s ministry. In the ordering of the\\nhouse of God, changes were esteemed dangerous innovations,", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0031.jp2"}, "32": {"fulltext": "24\\nand the proposition to assign seats to the singers, for the\\nbetter regulation of psalmody, came before the town sev-\\neral times witliout approval. The affairs of the country\\nhad the precedence of all other matters and things, the\\nacts of the grand congress at Philadelphia, the business of\\nproviding soldiers, procuring salt and powder, designating\\ncommittees of safety, and choosing delegates to state and\\ncounty conventions. These duties, together with measures\\nof relief for soldiers families, and safeguards against the in-\\ntrigues of tories, gave the people sufficient occupation. The\\ninevitable anxiety attending the exhausting conflict was aggra-\\nvated by differences of opinion respecting the principles and\\nconduct of public men, and the consequent exasperation and\\nbitterness of feeling did not subside with the close of the war.\\nContrary to what might have been our expectation, the re-\\nturn of peace brought no relief from political strife. The\\nquestions that became prominent i-cspected tlie relation of\\nthe new states to one another and the general government.\\nLocal questions of civil riglits, the jurisdiction of courts and\\nmagistrates, also required adjustment; the choice of rulers,\\nand the selection of delegates to settle the powers and du-\\nties of state officers and frame a constitution, were impera-\\ntive affairs. Almost all of these subjects were brought be-\\nfore the citizens in their primary meetings. The importance\\nwhich they attached to them is evinced in the appointment\\nof large committees for counsel and correspondence, and\\nfrequent adjournments to wait further information.\\nMeanwhile, Pastor Wilkins growing infirm and needing\\nan assistant, the duty of supplying the pulpit w as intrusted\\nto a committee in 1776, who were to employ such young\\npreachers as they chose. Soon after, the congregation were\\nevidently interested in Mr. Sweatland, and wislied to secure\\nhis services. In 1778, liberal proposals were made to Mr.\\nJohn Blydenburg to settle as colleague with Mr. Wilkins\\nbul without success. Similar propositions were offered Mr.\\nEdmund Foster, which he declined. In the autumn of 1779, a", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0032.jp2"}, "33": {"fulltext": "25\\ncall was extended to Rev. Jeremiah Barnard,* of Bolton,\\nMass., on similar terms. He was willing to accept; but the\\nordination did not occur till the following March, when the\\nsermon was preached by Rev. Zabdiel Adams of Lunenburg,\\nBridge of Chelmsford giving the charge, and Emerson of\\nHollis the right hand of fellowship. The oj)position to his\\nsettlement was in part personal, some of the liearcrs prefer-\\nring a more positive style of preaching; for it was manifest\\nthat Mr. Barnard did not jircsent the doctrines, as tliey were\\ncalled, with much prominence and pungency. But tliis con-\\nsideration had less weight than territorial interests. For obvi-\\nous reasons, the settlers on the green hills of the north-west\\ndesired the benefits of a ministry nearer home. They lived\\nremote from the first meeting-house, and the second was yet\\nhalf a mile farther off by the travelled way. They had en-\\ntered into agreements to support Mr. Willvins, and to pay\\nother charges until they should be set off as the second\\nparish. Of course they were determined not to sliare in ad-\\nditional burdens. On the other hand, it was to be said that\\nthe population of the town (1,428 in 75) was not too large\\nfor one parish. The majority did not wish the territory di-\\nvided their local importance, tlieir wealth or numbers,\\ndiminished; and the import of their successive votes, in\\nanswer to the petitions from the north-west, make it clear\\nthat they would not let that people go if they could help it.\\nThe struggle was carried on for years in various shapes, some-\\ntimes involving litigation in which the majority were not\\nalways successful and in September, 1780, only six months\\nafter Mr. Barnard s ordination, the second church in Am-\\nherst was formed, and the ecclesiastical strife, in that direc-\\ntion, ended. From that date tlie town acted as a parish.\\nTiie efforts that had been made for the formation of a\\nthird parish in the south-west part of the town, wliich re-\\nsulted in the organization of a church in 1788, also originated\\nMr. B. was the son of Robert Barnard, of Bolton, Mass., where he was born Feb\\n28, 1750. He graduated at Harvard college in 1773.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0033.jp2"}, "34": {"fulltext": "26\\nin pleas of greater convenience for the inhabitants but the\\narguments were not so obviously just and subsequent events\\nincline one to the opinion that the movement had in it an\\nelement of carnal policy. The town of Amherst owed\\nmuch to the ministry of Rev. Mr. Wilkins. We have no\\nstatistics from which to deduce exact statements respecting\\nthe results of his ministry. From all that I can gather, he\\nwas a man of great simplicity and purity of character.\\nHaving an intelligent and well-balanced mind, he made\\nhimself the guardian and friend of his people. In their\\nperils and discouragements he shared in their distresses,\\nand bade them take heart. Twice, probably, in the history\\nof the plantation, his counsels prevented their abandoning\\nthe territory. He must have been patient, and of a scholarly\\nturn of mind he must have been diligent in pastoral labors,\\nteaching them by families, or he would not have instructed\\nthe people so thoroughly. He was evidently wise and kind,\\nor he would not have held so large a place in their affections.\\nIn person, he was a thick-set but well-formed man, of ruddy\\ncountenance and genial speech. At the age of sixt3^-thrce his\\nmental faculties became impaired, and he was unequal to the\\nduties of the ministry but the people cared for him thouglitful-\\nly, seeking his presence and services in their families as long\\nas he could venture abroad. When he died the town assumed\\nthe whole expense of his burial, and honored his grave by a\\nmonument on which they inscribed in glowing words their\\nadmiration of his virtues, and their grateful remembrance of\\nhis laborious services as their minister.\\nThe years following the close of the revolution were\\nmarked by a general decline in the tone of religious feeling.\\nInfidelity prevailed widely among men of wealth and culture.\\nThe claims of piety were openly derided, and the fashionable\\nsentiment favored a thoughtless and jovial manner of life.\\nThe minds of men were agitated by political questions, in\\nwhich pastors and churches were often involved. The\\nformation of the national and state constitutions, the inau-", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0034.jp2"}, "35": {"fulltext": "27\\nguration of new ofBccrs, the interpretation of their ])o\\\\vers\\nand duties under the new administration, the adoption of a\\nbetter system of finance, the introduction of new industries,\\nand the necessity of repairing the wastes of tlie war, en-\\ngrossed the attention of the people. Tlie concerns of relig-\\nion were very much crowded aside. Amherst, being the\\nshire town, the seat of the courts, in what had become a\\nthickly settled portion of the state, became the resort of\\nlawyers, politicians, and patriots. The Hillsborough county\\nbar was distinguished for the talent and legal ability of its\\nmembers. The sessions of the court occupied several weeks\\nof the year, and the business was of such importance as to\\nbring hither the foremost lawyers of the state. The town al-\\nso became the centre of a large and lucrative trade, and the\\npopulation in 1790 reached two thousand three hundred and\\nsixtj -nine. As a consequence of this prosperity, aristocratic\\ntastes and customs prevailed, a fondness for gaming, danc-\\ning, and convivial entertainments, which did not favor sobri-\\nety or a serious tone of thought.\\nThere was little in Mr. Barnard s })reaching to disturb the\\nprevailing sentiment. He was an amiable man, made his\\nhouse attractive to the young people, and in various ways\\ncontributed to the good order and social culture of the com-\\nmunity. His sympathies were not with the Calvin istic school\\nof ministers, and as years advanced his chosen associates\\nwere of the less evangelical type. During the period of\\nhis active ministry two hundred and fifty-three persons were\\nadmitted to full communion, an average of seven per annum.\\nSeveral others owned the covenant, as it was called, and had\\ntheir children baptized. This is not the place to discuss the\\nmerits of that custom but the erroneous practice was dis-\\ncontinued before the settlement of his successor. At this\\nday it is not easy to pronounce judgment on the actual fruits\\nof Mr. Barnard s ministry. He entered the field while the\\nland was overshadowed by the war-cloud of the revolution,\\nand his retirement from active duties was close upon the", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0035.jp2"}, "36": {"fulltext": "28\\nconclusion of the war of 1815. How far these events con-\\ntributed to the predominant political tone of his sermons I\\ncannot determine. The dissatisfaction felt by many who\\nloved a more discriminating gospel was doubtless increased\\nby this patriotic zeal for the federal side in politics. It has\\nalso operated to the prejudice of Mr. Barnard s ministry that,\\nlike Mr. Wilkins, he lived many years after he became infirm\\nand quite unequal to public service, and during that time he\\nwas not altogether in sympathy with his earnest and success-\\nful colleagues. Unless we assume that Amherst was unusu-\\nally favored in the additions to its population from abroad,\\nthe ministry of Mr. Barnard must have been of much practi-\\ncal force, or the people would not, by such majorities, have\\nwelcomed a preacher like his successor. Mr, Barnard lived\\nto the advanced age of eight3 -four, dying January 15, 1835.*\\nWe now reach a period which is well known by tradition to\\nthis generation. Your fathers worshipped in this house, and\\nsome of their number joined in the call by which Mr. Nathan\\nLord, of South Berwick, Me., became pastor. Tlie vote of\\nthe church is said to have been unanimous, and the town\\nconcurred with them in tlieir action. At the ordination,\\nDr. McFarland preached the sermon; Rev. David McGregor\\noffered the prayer of consecration the senior pastor gave\\nthe charge; and Rev. Dr. Moore gave the right hand of fellow-\\nship.!\\n]\\\\Ir. Lord had very positive and distinct views of the\\nduties of the ministry, and he brouglit to the perform-\\nance of those duties a vigorous and well-trained mind.\\nHis preaching was marked by clearness of statement, neat-\\nness and precision of style, and a prevailing seriousness\\nFor list of Mr. Barnard s published writings, see Farmer s History (New Hamp-\\nshire Historical Society s Collection), vol. v, p. 115.\\nt The sermon, charge, and fellowship of the churches, delivered on that occasion, were\\npublished by R. Boylston, Amherst, 1816. Dr. Lord, son of Hon. John Lord, was born\\nat South Berwick, Me., 28th of November, 1792; graduated Bowdoin College, 1809;\\nAndover Seminary, 181.5; pastor, 1816-1828 president Dartmouth college, 1828-1863;\\ndied at Hanover 9th of September, 1870.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0036.jp2"}, "37": {"fulltext": "29\\nwhich kindled the sensibilities of his hearers. His enthu-\\nsiasm in presenting and defending the Edwardean theology,\\nawakened the sympatliy of many in the church, while his\\ntact and culture enlisted friends in the congregation. He\\nwas a good organizer, and had much tact in dealing with\\nmen. The affairs of the church, which had fallen into\\nneglect, were straightened and reduced to order discipline\\nwas restored, and the spiiitual forces of the gospel soon\\nbegan to assert their power in the community. Worldly\\nmen were troubled, and various methods were tried to hinder\\nthe growing seriousness. The opposition to his jjreaching,\\nhowever, served to unite the hearts of his supporters,*\\nand begat in them a watchful and earnest spirit. Men of\\nprominence for ability and influence were brought into the\\nchurch, and a new tone of spiritual activity animated the\\nwhole body. As the opposition to his ministry turned on\\nquestions of theological belief,! an earnest controversy arose,\\nin which the doctrinal position of the majority was clearly\\ndefined. No wisdom or prudence, on the part of the })astor,\\ncould prevent the open rupture w hich resulted in a secession\\nof part of the church and congregation. The year 182-J:,\\nwrites the Rev. Silas Aiken, brought with it severe trials\\nto both the pastor and the church, in the withdrawment of\\nseveral members, in order to form a Unitarian church in\\nconnection with a new society^ recently established, and to\\ncome under the pastoral care of Rev. E. Q. Sewall. But in\\nall these trials the Lord assisted them. He brought Zion\\n*The Tuesday afternoon prayer-meeting, wliich is still maintained by the church,\\nwas instituted at the house of the junior pastor during these trials, April 4, 1S23.\\nt The style and matter of the discussion that agitated this community, may be learned\\nby consulting the tiles of the Farmer s Cabinet for 1S17-1S.\\nt At a special town-meeting, Nov. 18th. 1822, the disaffected members of Mr. Lord s\\ncongregation asked the use of the church their proportion of the time; vote, yeas, 87,\\nnays, 131. IS 24, March 27, Charles H. Atherton, David Holmes, Epliruim JJIanchard,\\nElisha F. Wallace, and their associates, forniid themselves into a religious society, and\\ntook the name and style of The Christian Society in Amherst. The Unitarian meet-\\ning-house (03x4. feet) was rai.sed June 9, 1835, under direction of Jolm Cronibie, Jr., of\\nNew Boston. Dedicated, Nov. 24. Sermon by Kev. Mr. Maynard, pastor, from Acts\\n17: 24. This house is now occupied by the IJaptists.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0037.jp2"}, "38": {"fulltext": "30\\nout of all her troubles, and set her feet in a large place.\\nOn the failure of his voice, Mr. Lord resigned, and, having\\na call to the presidency of Dartmouth college, he was dis-\\nmissed Nov. 22, 1828, to accept that office.* The additions\\nto the churcli under his ministry gave new force to the institu-\\ntions of religion the church was homogeneous in sentiment,\\nits discipline reestablished, and the way prepared for the\\nenlargement of its numbers on the evangelical basis.\\nOn the 4th March of the following year, in compliance\\nwith a unanimous call from the Congregational church and\\nsociety (the relation of the town to the support of the min-\\nistry having ceased). Rev. Silas Aiken was settled. The\\nservices of his ordination f are still remembered, and the es-\\nteemed pastors who officiated at the time. Mr. Aiken brought\\nto the ministry certain gifts by which he was qualified for\\nspecial usefulness in tliis field. He had not the polished\\nmanners and graceful address of Dr. Lord. He was tall and\\nstrongly built, with a certain abruptness and angularity of\\nmovement consequent upon a shy and reserved nature. He\\nhad vigorous health, strong lungs, a stalwart frame, great\\nnatural shrewdness, and a masculine understanding. He\\nanalyzed his subject and laid out the plan witli strong hand-\\nling, and the filling up was wrought with intense feeling. In\\nthis was the secret of his power. Often, when preaching,\\nthe emotions of his great heart hurried him on into strains\\n*1828. Dec. 16th, Perley Raymond, Timothy D. Wood, and John Hazeltine, with\\ntheir associates, united in forming a religious society by the name of the First Metho-\\ndist Society in Amherst, with the intention of maintaining worship on Chestnut hills.\\nApril 9, 1839, at the suggestion of Rev. John Adams, John Haseltine, Solomon Barron,\\nLoammi Eaton, Levi Duncklee, and their associates, formed themselves into a society,\\ntalcing the name of the First Methodist Society. In April, 1840, they took posses-\\nsion of the lot, on which their house of worship now stands, and in which slips were\\nsold to members in February, 1841.\\nfThe sermon was preached by Rev. Samuel Green, of Boston; prayer of ordination\\nby Rev. Eli Smith, of Hollis; charge to the pastor by Kev. Dr. Church; fellowship of\\nthe churches by Rev. A. Richards; address to the people by Rev. Mr. Nott, of Nashua.\\nDr. Aiken, son of Phineas Aiken, was born in Bedford, May 14,1799; graduated at\\nDartmouth college, 1825; ordained pastor, 1829,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 at Amherst till 1837; Park street,\\nBoston, 1S37-1848; Rutland, Vt., 1849-1863; trustee Dartmouth college, 1840-1862; died\\nat Rutland, April 7, 1869.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0038.jp2"}, "39": {"fulltext": "01\\nof fervid and subduing eloquence. In these seasons of im-\\npassioned address, he literally besought men with tears to be\\nreconciled to God. The success of his ministry in a athcrinsi;\\nconverts was great beyond precedent. Of the ministry of\\nhis successors, Rev. F. A. Adams, vn. and Rev. W. T.\\nSavage, d.d., who were both able and scholarly men, I make\\nno sketch. Each of thcni j)erformcd valuable services here,\\nand in other fields of Christian labor they have won an en-\\nviable reputation for talents and fidelity.\\nThe church, which was organized in 1741 by six members,\\nin the simplest form of Congregationalism, out of a popula-\\ntion of fourteen families, had increased, under the four pas-\\ntorates which I have delineated, to a membership of three\\nhundred and eight in a population of sixteen hundred, with\\ntwo other churches in the township. The average of annual\\nadditions for the last ninety-three years is ten and the whole\\nnumber, from the formation of the church to this date, must\\nbe nearly eleven hundred and fifty.\\nBut the real usefulness of a church and the ordinances of\\nworship is not to be stated in figures. Who shall estimate\\nthe value of the influences emanating from this sanctuary,\\nas they have moulded and enriched the minds and hearts of\\ntills people and their descendants Who can trace the\\nvarious lines of profitable thought, of virtuous endeavor, and\\nself-denying Christian duty here started Who shall measure\\nthe enlargement of mind, the elevation and refinement of\\nfeeling, consequent on the manifestation of the truth from\\nthis pulpit Who will tell us how much of sin has been\\nIn the spring of 1835 llip Spirit came dowTi liko showers that water the earth.\\nThe week of the annual state Fast was wholly given to the work, with preaching twice\\na day, inquiry and prayer meetings morning and evening. Business was mainly sus-\\npended and the whole population seemed drawn by a heavenly influence to the Iiouse\\nof God. The great question witli all seemed to be,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 What must I do to be saved?\\nFathers, mothers, children,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 in some cases, whole families,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 yielded to the Spirit, and\\nbecame obedient to the heavenly vision. The pastor labored with a strong hand, and\\nwilling, joyful heart, characteristically declaring that though there was much work to\\nbe done, when seed-time and harvest came together it was easy working. As the re-\\nsult of this revival, one hundred and one members united with the church, nearly all of\\nwhom honored their professions. [From the manuscript of Dea. E. D. Boijlston.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0039.jp2"}, "40": {"fulltext": "32\\nrestrained, liow much of folly prevented, how much of suffer-\\ning saved, by the counsels here uttered Who will anticipate\\nthe rewards of that consecration which hallowed this terri-\\nitory for more than a century, as it will appear in the divine\\nrecords of sins forgiven, souls purified, and men redeemed\\nThese servants of Christ, having served their generation by\\nthe will of God, have fallen asleep. They rest from their\\nlabors, and their works do follow them.\\n[At tliis point, while the speaker paused, the choir sang, with pleasing\\neffect, the following stanzas\\nThough earthly sliepherds dwell in dust,\\nThe aged and the young;\\nThe watchful eye in darkness closed,\\nAnd mute the instructive tongue,\\nThe eternal Shepherd still survives,\\nNew comfort to impart;\\nHis eye still guides us, and his voice\\nStill animates our heart. Doddiige.\\nThe history of church music, as it has been employed in.\\nthis house and in the earlier sanctuary, would furnish an\\nentertaining chapter. In the absence of any record, as the\\ngift of song runs in families, we may assume that John Sea-\\ntown, the first deacon of the name and fourth in order of elec-\\ntion, was a leader under Pastor Wilkins. We should not\\nprobably err in asserting that he pitched the tune and led in\\nthe psalm, standing in front and below the pulpit, as his son\\nand successor in office did thirty-five years afterwards. At\\nthat period Sternhold Hopkins, or the Bay State Collec-\\ntion of Psalms and Hymns, was used in this vicinity. The\\nchoice of tunes did not exceed twelve in the three metres.\\nOne story survives, which deserves preservation for the\\nbenefit of distracted parishes. It appears that Pastor Wilkins\\nand the singers had introduced a new hymn book (probably\\nthe incoming version of Dr. I. Watts), to which some in the\\ncongregation were violently opposed. The excitement was", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0040.jp2"}, "41": {"fulltext": "33\\nso great that a compromise was attempted by using the new\\nversion only for the last tune, when tlie opposers retired\\nfrom the house, rather than hear the words of the devil.\\nMr. Wilkins, says the chronicler, thought these persons\\ndid not know what they were opposing. He accordingly\\narranged an exchange and the new minister began with the\\nnew version, and used it all day. At the last singing the\\ndisaffected hearers left the meeting as usual but when they\\nlearned soon after that they had heard the hated tunes all\\nday without knowing it, the opposition became so ludicrous\\nthat they were content to say no more about it.\\nIn Mr. Barnard s day the quiresters were permitted to\\nsit together; and, while it was their duty to make har-\\nmony for others, they did not always maintain peace among\\nthemselves. On one occasion, when the singers were in\\npractice for the apjiroaching Fourth of July, some otfence\\nwas taken and on the following Sabbath the chorister, the\\npastor s son-iu-law, found himself alone in the singing-seats.\\nNot Avilling to sing alone, he also retired. When Mr. Bar-\\nnard rose in the pulpit, the seats were empty. After the in-\\ntroductory service, he read a hynm. Then, laying .down the\\nbook with some energy, he called on the congregation to\\nunite in prayer. Not much time elapsed before he took up\\nthe singers, praying that, if they would not unite in prais-\\ning the Lord in the sanctuary, they might not be permitted\\nto sing together on any occasion whatever. Going on in this\\nstrain for some time, the singers thought it best to return.\\nFirst, the chorister took his place, then the next in rank, un-\\ntil finally, before the close of the prayer, the scats were filled\\nand the second hymn was responded to with unwonted\\npower. In the closing period of Mr. Barnard s ministry,\\nJonathan Hildreth acted as chorister, and his services were\\nwidely esteemed.\\nThere was a large choir in Dr. Lord s time, as a place in\\nthe singing-pews was a coveted distinction and when the\\nranks were full the singing meant something. With bass\\n3", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0041.jp2"}, "42": {"fulltext": "34\\nviol, violin, and brazen instruments (says my informant),\\nand such voices as Benjamin Kendrick s, Ambrose Seaton s,\\nMary Goss s, and twenty others, male and female, the people\\ncould make melody in their hearts if they desired to.\\nThe introduction of organs marks a later period, and\\nbrings to mind the assiduous zeal of Mrs. Prentiss, and the\\nalmost affectionate solicitude of Bro. Aaron Lawrence, with\\nthe sturdy presence, clear tenor voice, and piping violin of\\nMr. Elbridge Hardy. I could speak of other male and female\\nsingers who have contributed to our edification and delight\\nin the sacred service of song and praise.\\nMusic, when soft voices die,\\nVibrates iu the memory.\\nI recall the names of many, both of the living and the\\ndead, towards whom we feel more gratitude than we have\\never expressed.\\nThe house in which we are assembled occupied the spot\\non which it was raised, and in substantially the form ah-eady\\ndescribed, for 65 years two generations, with thronging\\nfamilies, had gathered within its capacious walls for worship.\\nUp to the year 1832 the house had been held and controlled\\nby the town, in the interest of the majority. Witli the\\nchange in the statutes, respecting the support of religious\\ninstitutions in New Hampshire, the town disposed of the\\nhouse by auction to the highest bidder, reserving only the\\ntower, clock, and bell, when the building became the property\\nof the Congregational society. The necessity of thorough\\nrepairs and of improved accommodations for seating the\\nworshippers was manifest to all. The work of remodelling\\nand removing was commenced in 1836, when the building\\nwas turned half round, and then moved backwards from the\\ncommon to the site on which it now stands. The galleries\\nwere taken down, the floor raised, new windows inserted,\\nand the building so extended as to embrace the porch which\\nsustained the steeple. By this means a gallery was con-", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0042.jp2"}, "43": {"fulltext": "35\\nstnicted over tlie entry, which fiiniished seats for the choir.\\nWith a new pulpit, and pews of the modern pattern, the\\nhouse was accepted by the congregation from the contractor,\\nMr. Jona. Knight, with expressions of approbation. The\\nhouse was reoccupied January 1, 1837, when Dr. Aiken\\npreached a sermon from 2 Chron. 6:18, on the end for\\nwliich houses of worship are reared, and the means by which\\nthat end can be secured. The occasion was one of mem-\\norable interest, as the preacher gave utterance to his earnest\\nthoughts on the duty of {)ul)lic worship, and the obligation\\nthat binds men to make the services of tlie earthly sanctuary\\nthe means of preparation for tlie kingdom of heaven.\\nFrom that date no essential changes were made in the\\nstructure or furnishing of the house till 1857, when the\\npulpit was refitted, the aisles recarpeted, and the pews paint-\\ned, the expense being defrayed by tiie ladies of the congre-\\ngation. In 1858 the chapel,* a tasteful and convenient build-\\ning for social worship was erected by the contributions of\\nindividuals. On January 20, 1859, it was dedicated by suit-\\nable religious services. Other outlays have been made, as\\noccasions required, for the preservation of the meeting-house\\nand the comfort of the worshippers. By the latest of these\\nap[)ropriations the gallery has been shut off and the audi-\\nence-room reduced to the original dimensions, the windows\\nfurnished with new sash-lights, the close pulpit exchanged\\nfor an open platform, with chairs and desk of choice Avork-\\nmanship, while a new and superior organ, on a raised floor,\\nfor the singers, at tlie west side of the pulpit, brings the\\nchoir before the audience and within easy communication\\nwith the preacher.\\nIt is a pleasant coincidence that, in refurnishing this house,\\nthese various improvements, the organ, the pulpit, furniture,\\nand other valuable accompaniments, the gifts of present and\\nformer worshippers, an expression of love to this church and\\nThe contract for the chapel, taken by Jotliam Hartshorn Sons, was performed in\\na very satisfactory manner. The entire cost was about $1,300.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0043.jp2"}, "44": {"fulltext": "36\\nof gratitude to God for benefits received here, should, with-\\nout special design, have been ready for service to-da}\\nAs the first tones from that noble instrument have called\\nus to\\nPraise God, from whom all blessings flow,\\nlet our hearts respond by a renewed consecration to the\\nauthor of these mercies, the God of our salvation.\\nThis house of worship, ante-dating the declaration of the\\nnation s independence, has stood unharmed througli the\\nchanges of a century. It has survived storms and tempests,\\nthe perils of fire, and tlie fitful vicissitudes of this uncertain\\nclimate. It has witnessed the civil revolutions, the modifi-\\ncations of law and executive administrations, which intro-\\nduced the republican form of government, and have made the\\nUnited States of America a great name among the nations\\nof the earth. It has also witnessed changes in arts and man-\\nufactures, in social customs, employments, modes of travel,\\nand of domestic life, by which we are far removed from the\\nsimple, I might say the straitened, habits of the fathers.\\nOf the four generations who have worshipped in this sanctu-\\nary, the first two were usually clothed in homespun gar-\\nments, the handiwork of wives and daughters who put tlieir\\nhands to the distaff, and wrought in wool and flax and divers\\ncolors of needle-work. It was no unusual sight, of a Sab-\\nbath morning in the olden times, to see at tlie farmer s door\\nthe horse, with saddle and pillion, prepared for the meeting.\\nThe older boys and girls having set forth on foot at an earlier\\nhour, the father mounted to hold a child in front, and the\\nmother taking the seat behind, with the youngest in her\\narms, the family became one troop as they reached the\\nplace of worship. It seems hardly credible, that, as late as\\n1820, women of excellent standing in the out-districts walked\\nto meeting with bare feet, carrying shoes and stockings in hand\\nuntil nearing the church, when they put on these articles for\\nthe service, which were to be taken off again as they went", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0044.jp2"}, "45": {"fulltext": "37\\nhome. Amidst the snows of winter, ox-sleds were often iii\\nrequisition for the accommodation of neighboring households\\nand the abounding delight of the young people. At the close\\nof the religious services by which this house was dedicated,\\nwe are told by Dea. Samuel AVilkins that the assembled min-\\nisters and dignitaries dined at the house of his father. The\\nprincipal dish on the table was hasty-pudding and milk.\\nWhile they were eating, he told them a ludicrous story\\nabout catching a sheep, at which ye fathers were well pleased,\\nand the pudding flew well.\\nOther details of that and succeeding periods would liavc\\nan equally strange and novel air to the larger portion of this\\naudience. The state and customs of society existing in Dr.\\nLord s day are very much clianged. The great progress in\\nthe knowledge and science of music, the greatly enlarged\\nand improved collections of psalmody, all the new and per-\\nfected arrangements for ligliting and warming our houses of\\nworship, illustrate the real advancement which has been\\nmade in our civilization. Very few, probably, in this house\\nhave heard a hymn lined off by the pastor in the Sabbath\\nworship. That practice has ceased with the noise of viols,\\nand the long drawn note of the pitch pipe. The days of the\\npillion, of foot-stoves, of home-spun garments and the ty th-\\ning-men, are gone gone^ as irrecoverably as the stone horse-\\nblock from which sheriff Kelley proclaimed, by beat of drum,\\nthe l)irth-day of the nation, on the 18th of July, 1776.\\nThe meeting-house, as the name indicates, was the place\\nof all public gatherings. Here the citizens assembled in\\ntheir primary meetings to vote on town affairs here they\\nrallied in patriotic conventions here they listened on recur-\\nring anniversaries to civic orations, agricultural addresses,\\neducational lecturers, and whatever might be judged profita-\\nble to the body politic. Jury trials have, on more than one\\noccasion, been held within these walls, and, in 1794, the\\nmembers of the two houses of the New Hampshire legisla-\\nture stood here, with uncovered heads, to unite in seeking", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0045.jp2"}, "46": {"fulltext": "38\\nthe Divine guidance and blessing on their deliberations. It\\nis probable that the sessions of tlie larger branch of that\\nbody were held in this room, for the want of better accom-\\nmodations.\\nThis house, always open to the sons and daughters of sor-\\nsow, has not been frequently used for funeral services, our\\nafflicted families preferring a more private ceremonial and\\nit has never been a fashion with us to resort to this place for\\nthe solemnization of marriages. Yet no other spot is asso-\\nciated more vividly with all those social changes the sea-\\nsons of sorrow and of joy that make life memorable than\\nthis sanctuary. Hither you came in early childhood, delight-\\ning in the stirs and shows of the goodly company that\\nthronged the way to the place of worship. Here you felt\\nthat mysterious pressure of reverent sentiment that accom-\\npanies the presence of large numbers really intent on God s\\nworship. Here you listened to prayer and praise, with emo-\\ntions intensified by conscious union witli othefs engaged in\\nthe same duty. Here you have been pleased and wearied,\\nsometimes longing to hear more, and then impatient to be\\nreleased, as your mood or your tastes may have harmonized\\nwith the preacher s efforts. Here, too, you have known the\\npower of revealed truth, enlightening your conscience, search-\\ning your understanding, and awakening a sense of accounta-\\nbility unfelt elsewhere. Whatever your use or improvement of\\nthe hours spent here, I know there are associations connect-\\ned with the old meeting-house that stir the deepest springs\\nof your being. There is something in the company of fathers\\nand mothers, of kindred, companions, and neighbors, wliich\\nlends a pathos and weight to the word spoken here that few\\ncan resist. The audience-room may be architecturally defec-\\ntive, the walls cold and unsightly there may be much\\nthat is grotesque in the dress or conduct of the worshippers\\nand yet, if Christ be preached and God worshipped, the rude\\nstructure is thereby sanctified, and we say, This is holy\\nground.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0046.jp2"}, "47": {"fulltext": "39\\nThis is true of hundreds of our New England temples, hut\\nemphatically is it true to us, when we stand in the sanctuary\\nwhere our fathers worshij)ped when we crowd the pews\\nwhere mothers, sisters, and brothers sat by our sides and\\nheard the gospel when we walk the aisles where we took\\nupon us the vows of the Christian profession, \u00e2\u0096\u00a0avouching\\nthe Lord to be our God, and giving ourselves to Jesus Christ\\nas the only Saviour. Here we were made partakers of the\\nheavenly gift, and tasted the powers of the world to come.\\nBut will God in very deed dwell with men upon earth?\\nOf a truth, the Lord our God hath been with us, as He\\nwas with our fathers, and the glory of this latter house\\nhas been greater than of the former. Whatever the recog-\\nnized value of the established institutions of religion, in\\ntheir bearhigs on the cause of good order, sound morals,\\nand popular education however important the meeting-\\nhouse, as a source of healthful social influences, upholding\\nlaw, encouraging virtue, and strengthening all humane and\\nphilanthropic sentiments, still, its supremest power comes of\\nthe vital forces of the gospel, when the preaching of Jesus\\nChrist and him crucified becomes the wisdom and the power\\nof God unto salvation. Very memorable have been the dis-\\nplays of Divine grace in this sanctuary. In the great\\ningatherings of 1831 and 1835, in 1842, and again in 1849,\\nthis church received large accessions to its numbers and\\nstrength. Multitudes thronged these seats during those\\nseasons of religious impression, and the consequent changes\\nin character and conduct attest the genuineness of the work.\\nThe ways of the Spirit are by no means uniform, but, when-\\never He visits our congregations, the word becomes quick\\nand powerful, a revealer of the thoughts and intents of the\\nheart. Then sinners are convinced of sin and acknowledge\\ntheir errors then they sec the attractions of the cross, and\\ngive themselves to the service of Christ, the great Redeemer.\\nIn the experience of this renewing, sanctifying power of the\\ntruth, men attest the superiority of the gospel to all other", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0047.jp2"}, "48": {"fulltext": "40\\ninstrumentalities for reforming the guilty, and delivering\\nthe enslaved from the bondage of sin. Hence, the causes of\\ntemperance, of missions, and of moral reformations find\\ntheir strength in the sanctuary. Here are witnessed revivals\\nof the spirit of missions, renewed consecrations to the work\\nof temperance and benevolence. As an illustration of this\\nlast experience, let me quote what is recorded of such a\\nrevival at the meeting of the General Association in this\\nhouse in 1832 On Wednesday, at the anniversary of the\\nNew Hampshire Bible Society, so enlarged were the hearts\\nof the people of God, that a contribution was taken up of\\n$205.85, and a subscription made amounting to $819.50,\\nbesides two gold necklaces Avorth $20. But on Thursday,\\nat the close of the missionary sermon by Rev. Edward L.\\nParker, of Derry, a missionary spirit broke out and pervaded\\nthe great congregation, and such a scene was opened as\\nnever before was witnessed in New Hampshire. It was\\nresolved to raise the ensuing year |G,000 for the New Hamp-\\nshire Missionary Society, a large portion of which was\\npledged on the spot. About one hundred and twenty\\nentered their names as life members. The collection,\\nincluding money and jewelry, was liberal beyond the expec-\\ntation of the largest hearts. Old Testament times seemed\\nto have returned, when they came, both men and women,\\nas many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and\\near-rings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold and\\nevery man that offered, offered an offering of gold unto the\\nLord.\\nWith such testimonies of the Divine influence, opening the\\nheart and transforming the will, might be connected the re-\\nlation of personal experiences by which the lives of many\\nhave been lifted to a superior plane, and the world made bet-\\nter by their example. Very gladly would I follow the history\\nand recount the deeds of some of the early members of this\\nchurch. I should be glad to unfold the part they took in the\\nDr. Bouton s Historical Discourse at Boscawen, 1859, p. 45.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0048.jp2"}, "49": {"fulltext": "41\\ncouncils of the town, and the self-denial they exhibited in\\nplanting and sustaining the institutions by which we liave so\\nlargely profited. In the study of their principles and con-\\nduct, Ave might learn the sources of that far-seeing wisdom\\nand that persistent courage which wrested victories out of\\ndefeat, and enabled them, in tlie conflict of opinions, to adopt\\nthat line of practical administration Avhich grants liberty\\nwithout licentiousness, and maintains law without oppression.\\nAmong the acts, resolves, and other papers submitted to the\\ntown and determining its action in the forming period of our\\nhistory, from 1763 to 1789, there are many sentiments which\\ncommand our admiration for their just expression of moral\\nand political truth. After a survey of the lives of tlie men\\nwho occupied leading positions in the church and commu-\\nnity, whose sepulchres are witli us unto this day, it would\\nnot be less profitable to follow the steps and trace the influ-\\nence of many who have gone forth fi-om this churcli to find\\nemployment elsewhere. I would gladly repeat the record of\\nsome who have finished their course, having kept the faith.\\nI can think of one, and another, and another, of godly men\\nand saintly women, wlio, having witnessed a good confession\\nin larger spheres, have chosen to rest at last in our village\\ncemetery. Their memory is blessed. I have in mind others,\\nyet active, who are pillars of beauty and strength in the towns\\nand cities of their adoption, who remember with liveliest\\ngratitude the old meeting-liouse, where in early cliildhood\\nthey were taught the sure principles of the word of God, and\\nwhere, in opening manhood, they entered into covenant with\\nChrist and liis people. Other witnesses there are, daughters\\nlike unto corner stones, polished after the similitude of a\\npalace; but I will not multiply testimonies to prove that\\nthe Lord lias been with us as he was with the fathers, and\\nthat the old meeting-house is not past useful service.\\nPeace be within tiiis sacred place,\\nAnd joy a constant guest\\nWith holy gifts and heavenly grace\\nBe her attendants blest!", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0049.jp2"}, "50": {"fulltext": "42\\nAmong the thoughts suggested by this hurried survey of\\nthe past and its customs, the habits, usages, and places of\\nworsliip, the men and women into whose labors we have\\nentered, I mark the unity, the identity of human interests,\\nin all this diversity. How like us in hopes and fears, in anx-\\nieties, affections, and joys, the departed generations How\\nakin in sorrows, sickness, bereavements, and deatli We\\nsmile ]ierhaps at their errors, pronounce upon their faults,\\nand think that we are better than they. We read of their\\nhardships, their patient endurance, their courageous indus-\\ntry, their reverence for God, their pious observance of the\\nSabbath, with a conviction that they were better than we.\\nSo the balance of our judgment vibrates; but how like us,\\nin their deepest wants, their aspirations, their hearts desires!\\nand how clear that the only abiding satisfaction, for us as\\nfor them, is in the faithful discharge of duty, the exercise of\\nright affections, and the sustaining power of a hope in the\\nDivine mercy There is no better lesson accompanying\\ntheir histoi y than this testimony, that our sufficiency is not\\nof ourselves. Our obligations to the fathers are great. For\\nus they cleared the forests, made highways, reared the\\nchurches, wrought out problems in civil and religious polity.\\nWe live in better houses, have more freedom, more wealth,\\nmore culture and privileges, because of their labors but in\\nall that experience, so varied and instructive, comes the re-\\npeated admonition, Man shall not live by bread alone\\nAgain as we go over the history, it occurs to us that all\\nthese persons, whatever their occupations or characters, are\\ngone They have died. Not the chief actors only, the\\npreachers and singers, the magistrates and deacons, the\\nland-owners, the lawyers and eloquent orators,^ but all, the\\nmothers, the maidens, the Monson folks, the federalists, the\\nrepublicans, the few colored people all that busy, plotting,\\nstriving multitude, those who did and those who did not go\\nto meeting, are dead And of all that thought, labor, desire,\\nenjoyment, what abides The fathers, where are they and", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0050.jp2"}, "51": {"fulltext": "43\\nthe prophets, do they live forever Before another period like\\nthis which we review is passed, all of this audience will have\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2joined the mighty congregation of the dead. These dwellers\\non the western heights, these children from abroad, these\\ncitizens from adjoining towns, these familiar faces of neigh-\\nbors and companions who greet us on the street, will be\\ngone Some will try to keep alive our names. Some,\\npossibly, may be curious to learn what part we acted, to what\\nend we lived. Whatever the judgment posterity may pro-\\nnounce on us, let us not forget the final trial that is to\\nsearch every man s work of what sort it is.\\nTo this end, let us pray, The Lord our God be with us\\nas he was with our fathers, enabling us to avoid their\\nerrors, to imitate their excellence, and make sure of His\\nsalvation.\\nHISTORY OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH.\\nBY REV. ALBERT HEALD, PASTOR.\\nOn the second day of tlie present month (January, 1S74),\\nthe Baptist church had been constituted forty-four and a half\\nyeai s. Prior to its formation there were a number of persons,\\nliving in various parts of the town, who held the distinctive\\nsentiments of the Baptists but these resided chiefly on Chest-\\nnut hill and in that vicinity. Many of these held tbeir rela-\\ntions with ditferent churches in neighboring towns others had\\nnot connected themselves with any religious body.\\nThe first organization for the purpose of securing preaching\\nwas formed October 6, 1S28, with the following declaration of\\npurpose: Being deeply sensible of the importance of the\\npreached as well as the written word, to ourselves and families\\nthe privations that we, who live in this vicinity, have to under-\\ngo, by being located so far from the ministrations and believing", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0051.jp2"}, "52": {"fulltext": "44\\nthat it is our duty to contribute to the support of a preached\\ngospel, and that united exertions are both desirable and bene-\\nficial, we feel it our duty and privilege to procure as many\\npersons in this region as are willing to sign this paper for the\\npurpose of forming a religious society, denominated the First\\nBaptist Society, in Amherst, N. H.\\nTo this the following names were subscribed at its foimation,\\nto Avhich many others were afterwai-ds added\\nEalpii Holbrook, James Prince,\\nEbenezer Holbrook, Robert Fletcher,\\nOliver Mears, Otis Fletcher,\\nFranklin Mears, Benjamin Damon,\\nHenry Tewksbtjrt, John Washer,\\nJoseph Harvill, Benjamin R. Shepherd,\\nJohn Rollins, Joseph Harriden.\\nA constitution was prepared and adopted, in which two very\\nimportant principles are announced as the fundamental ground\\nof their action\\n1. That morality and piety, governed on evangelical princi-\\nples, give the best and greatest happiness in society.\\n2. That the public worship of the Deity is the best way of\\npromoting this morality and piety.\\nThe church was organized on July 2, 1829. Letters were\\nsent to the churches in Londonderry, Milford, New Boston,\\nWeare, and Goffstown.\\nThe following ministers were present Rev. Samuel Abbott\\nand Rev. Isaac Durrah, Londonderry; Rev. Samuel Everet,\\nMilford; Rev. John Atwood, New Boston; and Rev. Simon\\nFletcher, Goffsto\\\\\\\\\u00c2\u00bbn.\\nThe council consisted of twelve members. Rev. Samuel Ab-\\nbott was chosen moderator, and Rev. S. Fletcher, clerk.\\nThere is no record of the original members of the church. A\\nfew may be still living, but they have long since removed their\\nrelation to other churches, or gone to their rest and reward.\\nThey held their meetings at first on Chestnut hill, and con-\\ntinued them there until 1837.\\nIn 1835, on February 3, a protracted meeting was com-", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0052.jp2"}, "53": {"fulltext": "45\\nmenced, conducted by Rev. Jolin Peacock, and continued six-\\nteen days. This was the commencement of one of the most\\nextensive revivals ever enjoyed in this community. The first\\nsermon was preached, by the leader of the meeting, from John\\n11 5(5, What think yc, that he will not come up to the feast?\\nHe did come in wonderful power, so that, literally, there was not\\nroom enough to receive the blessing. Multitudes came from all\\nthe surrounding sections, were filled, and carried away the\\nsweet influence of the S|)irit s presence. Tlie work spread to\\nthe north, east, south, and west. The school-house where they\\nheld their meetings became altogether too strait for them. The\\nwindows were removed from the north end of the house, and\\nlarge numbers were accommodated on the ground or ledge that\\nrose gradually from the north side of the building. That they\\ncould have been comfortable at this season was remarkable. He\\nwho moved in the meeting, melting hard liearts, ordered the\\nweather so that it met their circumstances. Another method\\nwas also adopted to meet the emergency the congregation was\\ndivided. In the morning, dunng a part of the time, the uncon-\\nverted assembled at the school-house, while Christians met at\\nthe house of Dea. J. Harvill, the former to listen to a sermon,\\nand the latter to hold a season of prayer. In the afternoon the\\norder Avas reversed. Christians met at the school-house, and\\nanxious inquirers at the private dwelling. Tliere are many\\nnow living who remember these scenes very distinctly, and are\\ncheered as they recount what God did for them.\\nRev. J. Peacock, who was a native of Amherst, and led these\\nmeetings, after nearly forty years of hard service, with glorious\\nresults, as an evangelist, has returned to his native town, ex-\\npecting to make it his home the remainder of his days, and rest\\nat last with his kindred. lie was greatly assisted in these meet-\\nings by Rev. Silas Aiken, then pastor of the Congregationalist\\nchurch, and Rev. Thomas Savage, of Bedford. The church,\\nwhich has for one hundred years worshipped in this house, re-\\nceived the largest accessions to its numbers during this year of\\nany for the century just now closed. There were many scores\\nthat found Christ, either directly or indirectly, from the interest\\nconnected with this protracted effort.\\nOn these hills was this church first constituted: and it maybe", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0053.jp2"}, "54": {"fulltext": "46\\nrisked why tliey did not remain there. Paradoxical as it may\\nseem, it was because God had so abundantly blessed them.\\nThis church was not very much strengthened, and this was ow-\\ning mainly to their location. As one result of the revival, they\\ndismissed a part of their number to form a church at Bedford.\\nLike the fiimily in an out-of-the-way place on the hills, their\\nsijiritual children did not remain at home. Yet for a time they\\nclung to the hill, for there were many precious associations clus-\\ntering around it. They loved the place, for here had God glo-\\nriously manifested the power of his grace and triith.\\nA committee was appointed to procure a lot upon which to\\nbuild a meeting-liouse. The place was selected and staked out;\\nbut this was the extent of the movement in this direction.\\nThese Christians had before gone long distances to meeting; and\\nthey could again make a sacrifice for the cause. Some of them\\nhad made a journey very regularly to Milford, of eighteen miles\\nout and back, to attend meeting on the Sabbath. It must be\\nconceded that something more than mere captiousness, or ca-\\nprice, or prejudice prompted them, especially when they wei e\\nobliged to pass this house, where such men as Rev. Nathan Lord\\nand Rev. Silas Aiken jjreached the gospel with so much ear-\\nnestness and power.\\nLi 1837 they moved their meeting to the village. To many\\nof them it was a great sacrifice. For a time they had no cer-\\ntain abiding-place. Sometimes they worshipped in the school-\\nliouse, sometimes in a hall over a store situated on the common\\nnear where the monument now stands, and eometinies in the\\ncourt-house. Nov. 19th, 1841, the record reads, Being de-\\nprived of the use of the court-house, we made arrangement\\nto worship in the Unitarian house. This they continued to do\\nfor a part of the time for three years, when the house was con-\\nveyed by the Christian society to the First Baptist society in\\nAmherst, by deed dated April 7, 1844.\\nA condition in the subscription to the shares for the building\\nof this house was, that the Christian society should transfer the\\nhouse to any other religious society when they should hold two\\nthirds of the pews in the same. This condition being secured\\nto the Baptist society by purchase and transfer, at an expense\\nof between $1,000 and $1,100, it was accordingly deeded to", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0054.jp2"}, "55": {"fulltext": "47\\ntliem by said Christian society, and it has for the hist thirty\\nyears been their place of worship. In 1851 the liouse was\\nrepaired at an expense of $300, and again, in 1870, at an ex-\\npense of $500.\\nBequests. The first bequest was made by Fanny G. Flinn,\\nMay 8th, 1838, of $90, to be expended in annual instahnents of\\n$5 eacli. The second was made by James Prince, of tlie income\\nof $200 for ten years. The third was left by Joseph Harvill,\\nof $200. The fourth, of $1,000, by Mrs. Lucy Coggin, to pur-\\nchase a parsonage, was offered on condition that tlie cliurch and\\nsociety would raise $500 to repair the meeting-house which\\nwas done. Mr. Luther Coggin gave the lumber to build a\\nstable. Miss S.L. Lawrence left by will $250 to jjurchase a bell.\\nThis now amounts to about $300. Besides these, there have\\nbeen gifts of a Bible and hymn-book for the desk, a cal)inet organ\\nfor the choir, chairs for the altar, and a beautiful communion set,\\nby Mrs. Mary Twiss and her children.\\nPastors. The church was supplied by different individuals,\\nfor a short period each, for the first twelve years:\\nRev. ]\\\\[AS02\u00c2\u00abr Ball Settled Aug. 1, 1841; closed his laborg\\nFeb. 18, 1844.\\nRev. Aarox Hates Settled March 17, 1844; closed his\\nlabors March 30, 1845.\\nRev. Amasa Brown Settled May 2, 1845 closed his labors\\nApril 7, 1847.\\nRev. David Bukroughs Settled Aug. 1, 1849; closed las la-\\nbors Dec, 1854.\\nRev. Samuel Jones Settled M.ay 11, 1856; closed his labors\\nMay 10, 1857.\\nThe pulpit was supplied, during the winter of 1857-58, by\\nRev. JoHK H. Thyng. During the winter of 1858-59 Rev.\\nSamuel Cook supplied the church.\\nRev. Amos W. Boardman Settled July 31, 1859; closed his\\nlabors July 14, 18G1.\\nRev. J. Baskwell Settled Dec. 4, 18C3; closed liis labors\\nDec. 31, 1865.\\nRev. John Peacock supplied the church from Feb. 1, 1866,\\nfor nearly two years.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0055.jp2"}, "56": {"fulltext": "48\\nRev. Eli P. Notes Settled April 1, 1868 closed his labors\\nNov. 1, 1870.\\nRev. Albert Heald Settled Jan. 1, 1870, whose pastorate\\nstill coMtinues.\\nDeacons. The church has been served by nine deacons\\n1. Benj. Damon, 5. Edward M. Holt,\\n2. Joseph Harvill, 6. Joseph Russell,\\n3. William Goodnow, 7. Samuel Fletcher,\\n4. Simeon Wilson, 8. Josiah M. Parker,\\n9. Daniel Cram.\\nStatistics. About three liundred have united with the\\nchurch. It is impossible to decide correctly from the records.\\nAll the original names are wanting. One hundred and ten have\\nbeen baptized one hundred and forty added by letter, and ten\\nby experience. Some have been added when no record has\\nbeen made and some evidently dismissed in the same manner.\\nIncidents. The first communion occurred on August 16,\\n1829; the first baptism, November 7, of the same year. The\\nfirst case of discipline was commenced January 15, 1832. The\\ncase was continued, and April 14th it voted to give Sister N.\\nseven months to become reconciled quite a probation, but not\\na hundredth part as long as God grants to many a poor sinner to\\nbecome reconciled to him. On July 6, 1833, this probation\\nclosed without a reconciliation, the seven months having been\\nlengthened to fifteen.\\nThe first death occurred March 27, 1846, sixteen years and\\neight months after the organization the last death, December\\n27, 1873, of brother Willie P. Upton, who united about eigh-\\nteen months before. He was an active, growing Christian, and\\na young man of much promise. May all the members be as\\nwell prei)ared and as willing to go, when their Lord shall call\\nfor them, as was this young brother.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0056.jp2"}, "57": {"fulltext": "A BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH\\nOF THE\\nCHURCH IN MONT VERNON,\\nPRESENTED BY THE ACTING PASTOR,\\nREV. S. H. KEELER, D. D.,\\nAt the Centennial of the Erection of the Congregational\\nMeeting-house, in Amherst, January i8, 1874.\\nThe daughter of ninety-three, residing at Mont Vernon, hav-\\ning been invited by her venerable mother, aged one hundred\\nand thirty-three, to hold a united service with her, January 18,\\n1874, in observance of the centennial of the erection of her\\nsanctuary, in which they formerly worshipped together, cheer-\\nfully complied with the request, gave up her public worship at\\nhome, and, Avith her i-)astor, passed the Sabbath with the parent\\nchurch.\\nHaving in the morning listened with great interest to the his-\\ntorical sermon by Rev. Dr. Davis, and having been requested\\nto occupy a part of the afternoon in reminiscences of the church\\nin Mont Vernon, the pastor jDresented the following brief his-\\ntorical sketch. Having also been requested to furnish a copy\\nof the same, that it might be published with the sermon of Dr.\\nDavis and other services of the day, the following pages, with\\nsome additions, are hereby offered for the above purpose\\nThe church in Mont Vernon Avas organized as the second\\nchurch in Amherst, September, 1780, by a council called for\\nthat purpose. Who composed the council I have not been able\\nto ascertain, as no records of these transactions ai*e to be found,\\nnor of the church itself, for some thirteen years, nor have I been\\nable to learn the number that composed the church at its forma-\\ntion. There is traditional proof, however, that the original\\n4", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0057.jp2"}, "58": {"fulltext": "50\\nmembers were quite remarkable for their sound, intelligent\\northodoxy, and the quiet yet decided earnestness of their piety.\\nI have been informed, also, that, soon after the organization of\\nthe church, the Rev. Mr. Coggin, of Chelmsford, Mass., preached\\nto a large congregation in Major Cole s barn, on the importance\\nof erecting, without delay, a house of worship; an undertaking\\nof no small difficulty, amid the pecuniary stress of those revo-\\nlutionary days. The sermon, however, was decidedly eifective.\\nOn the following April, each farmer in the settlement not only\\ncontributed freely his quota of timber, which, according to the\\nfashion of those times, was timber icith a icitness, both in dimen-\\nsio7is and loeight, biTt they drew it quite the last of the month,\\non a depth of ice-crusted snow, above which neither fence nor\\nwall was visible. Fifty-four persons were legally constituted\\nthe Second Parish in Amherst, in June, 1781.\\nThey are spoken of as a band of resolute, noble, and pious\\nmen, whose orthodoxy was unquestionable, and who felt that\\nthey were laying the foundation for future generations. A lot\\nof land having been given to the parish by Lieut. James Wood-\\nbur} the house was erected with as little delay as possible, and\\ngradually finished, as the people were able. There is no record\\nof its formal dedication. During the first winter, so urgent was\\nthe demand for the church, that, though but partially fitted up\\nfor the purpose, and entirely destitute of any warming appara-\\ntus, yet the house was well filled with worshippers, some of\\nwhom walked even from Chestnut hills, five miles distant.\\nAmong these were not only strong men, but noble and resolute\\nwomen.\\nThe new church and parish, although supplied with preaching\\nby several candidates for the pastorate, were destitute of a set-\\ntled minister till Nov. 3, 1785, when Rev. John Bruce became\\ntheir first pastor. He was a native of Marlboro Mass., born\\nAug. 31, 1757 a graduate of Dartmouth college at the age of\\ntwenty-four, where, by his studious habits, his mild, serious, and\\ndutiful character, he won from his teachers the title of good\\nMr. Bruce. After a pastorate of some twenty-five years, the\\nlongest of any of his successors, he suddenly died of apoplexy,\\naged fifty-one, on the Sabbath morning of March 12, 1809, with\\nhis armor on. While his people had assembled and were wait-", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0058.jp2"}, "59": {"fulltext": "51\\ning for their pastor, a messenger announced the sad intelligence\\nof Ills death, an event sorrowful to them, but joyful to him.\\nHis ministry was eminently successful. The whole number\\nadded to the church during his pastorate cannot be definitely\\nstated, as for several years its records are not to be found. A\\nmemorandum, however, in the hand-writing of Mr. Bruce, has\\nbeen found, containing evidently a list of church members prior\\nto 1799, making the membership up to that time, by letter and\\nby profession, one hundred and ten. The year 1799 was ren-\\ndered memorable not only by the first religious revival enjoyed\\nby this church, but as the first ever known in this region. The\\nblessed result of it to this church was the addition of fifty mem-\\nbers by profession, making the whole number added during Mr.\\nBruce s ministry one hundred and sixty. The happy influence of\\nthis revival was not limited to this church, but extended far and\\nwide among neighboring churches. Many years afterwards.\\nRev. Mr. Bradford, of Francestown, said that, when informed\\nof the numbers converted to Christ in Mont Vernon, he was so\\nmuch affected that he shut himself up for the day, and wept\\nand prayed. This revival was not only the harbinger, but the\\nglorious beginning, of no less than six or seven seasons of spe-\\ncial religious interest with which the church has been favored\\nsince that period.\\nThe next pastor of this church was Rev. Stephen Chapin, a\\ngraduate of Harvard, and a pupil of Dr. Emmons. He was in-\\nstalled November, 1809, and, after an efficient pastorate of nine\\nyears, was dismissed November 18, 1818. During his ministry,\\none hundred and fifteen were added to the church. As the\\nresult of a revival in 1817, fifty-one professed Christ on one\\noccasion. The cause of his dismission was a change of vicAvs in\\nregard to the mode and subjects of baptism. He afterwards\\nreceived the honorary title of d. d., and died Avhile president of\\nColumbia college, Washington, D. C, October 1, 1846, aged 67.\\nThe next pastor of the church was Rev. Ebenezer Cheever, a grad-\\nuate of Bowdoin college. He was ordained December 18,1819,\\nand, after a pastorate of between three and four years, was dis-\\nmissed April 8, 1823. Twenty-two members w^ere added to the\\nchurch during his ministry. During the same period, in 1820,\\nthejirst /Sabbath-school of the church and society was organized.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0059.jp2"}, "60": {"fulltext": "52\\nIt was composed of children only. During his ministry, thirty-\\nnine cliilclren were consecrated to God by baptism.\\nMr. Cheever was succeeded by Rev. Nathaniel Kingsbury,\\nwho was ordained November 8, 1823, and, after a ministry of\\nbetween twelve and thirteen years, was dismissed, on account\\nof ill health, April 6, 1836. His pastorate was one of the most\\nprosperous and successful of those enjoyed by the church. It\\nwas blessed by two revivals of great power and thrilling inter-\\nest, one in 1828, resvdting in an addition of thirty-four to the\\nchurch, the other in 1831, that period of protracted meetings\\nand of remarkable revival scenes, the result of which was an\\naddition to the church of some sixty by profession. Prayer-\\nmeetings, held at sunrise, were sustained for months, and con-\\nverts went forth into remote districts to aid in social meetings,\\neven during the busiest seasons of the year. And yet, so did\\nGod favor liis people with health, with sunshine and showers,\\nthat tlieir temporal prosperity, even, was never greater. The\\nwhole number of members received to the church by letter and\\nprofession, during the ministry of Mr. Kingsbury, was one hun-\\ndred and fifty-four. This period was distinguished also as the\\nbeginning of the temperance reform in Mont Vernon. The\\ndifficulties which had to be met at that day can hardly be im-\\nagined now. Then public opinion was so opposed to it, that\\neven church members would indignantly leave the sanctuary if\\nthe subject was alluded to in the pulpit. And it is said that, as\\nMr. Kingsbury was passing in the dy-ection of the new road\\nthat was being made between Mont Vernon and Milford, he\\novertook one of his deacons, with two pails of liquor, who ad-\\nvised his minister to go the old road, as the workmen were so\\nintoxicated on the new one that he would be insulted. Through\\nthe persevering efforts of pastor and people, liowever, the tide\\nof intemperance was rolled back, if not entirely stayed, and\\ntemperance took its appropriate place in the church from that\\nday. In 1837 the sanctuary was removed to its present loca-\\ntion, remodelled, and furnished with a bell and organ it was\\nalso sujjplied with furnaces, and otherwise rendered commodious\\nand comfortable.\\nThe next settled pastor was Rev. Edwin Jennison, a graduate\\nfrom the Theological Seminary at Andover. He was installed", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0060.jp2"}, "61": {"fulltext": "53\\nApril 6, 1836, and, after a ministry of a little more than five\\nyears, was dismissed on account f ill health, Aug. 19, 1841.\\nHe was regarded as a superior sermonizer, but seldom visited\\nhis ])eople. Twenty-three were added to the church during his\\nministry. His health continuing to fail, he visited Europe, and\\nwas afterwards settled at Ashburnham, Mass. Rev. Mr. Jenni-\\nson was succeeded by Rev. B. Smith, a graduate of Dartmouth.\\nHe was installed April 19, 1841, and, after a ministry of some\\nnine years, was dismissed April 30, 1850. During his pastorate,\\nthirty-two were added to the church. Several important cases\\nof discipline were settled and strong ground was taken by the\\nchurch against slavery and slaveholders.\\nHis ministry was succeeded by that of Rev. Charles D. Her-\\nbert, who was installed Nov. 6, 1850. After a j)astorate of\\nbetween five and six years, he was dismissed July 21, 1856.\\nDuring this period, fifty-five were added to the church. In 1852,\\nquite a number in the academy became hopefully the disciples\\nof Christ. The church then numbered one hundred and sixty-\\nthree, and the average age of the members was about fifty-six\\nyears.\\nThe pastorate of Rev. Mr. Herbert was followed by that of\\nRev. Charles E. Lord, a graduate of Dartmouth. He was in-\\nstalled Feb., 1857. After the lapse of some four years, he was\\ndismissed, on account of his wife s ill health, March, 1861. Dur-\\ning his ministry, thirteen were added to the church. In a letter\\nof commendation, written to Mr. Lord by a committee of the\\nchurch chosen for the purpose, after speaking of their regret at\\nparting with him, and of the growing attachment of the church\\nand people to him, the committee bear the following testimony\\nto his ministrations: They have been highly acceptable, and\\nhis preaching clear and instructive and no difficulties have oc-\\ncurred to mar the enjoyment of the retrospect.\\nThe ministry of Mr. Lord was followed by that of Rev. Geo.\\nE. Sanborn, a graduate of Amherst college, Mass. He was\\ninstalled April 2, 1862, and, after a pastorate of three years,\\nwas dismissed May 29, 1865, to accept a call from Northboro\\nMass. Nine were received to the church during his ministrj\\nThe church records bear the following testimony of the regard\\nof the church for Mr. Sanborn while their pastor: \u00e2\u0096\u00a0Jiesolved,", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0061.jp2"}, "62": {"fulltext": "54\\nThat this church highly appreciate his ministerial and pastoral\\nlabors, and greatly regret that the ties which have bound him\\nand them together should be so soon sundered; and they con-\\nsent to it only at the call of duty.\\nAs successor to Mr. Sanborn, the Rev. B. M. Frink was in-\\nstalled over this church and people Nov. 1, 1865, and was dis-\\nmissed to accept a call from the Central churcli, Portland, Me.,\\nOct. 23, 1867. During his pastorate of some two years, forty-\\nseven were added to the church. A majority of these were\\nreceived as the fruits of a revival of religion which occurred\\nduring the winter and spring of 1866, a period of great and\\ngeneral interest, the results of which were precious. The min-\\nistry of Mr. Frink was eminently active, acceptable, and labo-\\nrious. Added to the good results already noticed, it should be\\nmentioned that the pulpit was appropriately remodelled and\\nrendered more convenient and attractive, and the present com-\\nmodious and much needed parsonage was erected. Both these\\nimprovements were largely owing to his personal and persever-\\ning efforts, aided by the liberal offerings of the church and\\npeople.\\nThe present acting pastor of the church and people was a\\ngraduate of Middlebury college, Vt., and, also, of the Theologi-\\ncal Seminary, Andover, Mass. He commenced his stated min-\\nistry in Mont Vernon April 1, 1868, having supplied the pulpit\\nfor several Sabbaths the previous winter. He declined the re-\\nquest of the church and people for his installation, because,\\nwhen he began his labors among them, he thought his ministry\\nmight be so brief that it might not be best either for him or\\nthem. Had he supposed that his pastorate would be as pro-\\ntracted and pleasant as it has been, he w^ould not only have\\nyielded to the request of the church and people for installation,\\nbut acted upon his own conviction, as a general principle, that\\na regularly settled pastor is always preferable, other things be-\\ning equal, to the comparatively unsettled relation of an acting\\npastor. For nearly six years the present ministry has been one\\nof great harmony and pleasure, and attended with most unex-\\npected success, on the part of the incumbent. Seconded by the\\nwilling cooperation of the church and people, a debt owed by\\nthe latter, of some six hundred dollars, has been cancelled, the", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0062.jp2"}, "63": {"fulltext": "55\\nparsonage has been improved, the sanctuary has been rendered\\nmore comuiodious and attractive, the organ has been replaced\\nby one better suited to the service of sacred song and the Large\\nexpense of these and other improvements has been cheerfully\\nmet. It should be mentioned, also, that in so doing the church\\nand parish have been essentially aided by the Female Home Cir-\\ncle, who, in various ways, have raised some fourteen hundi ed\\ndollars. During the present pastorate, some eighty have been\\nadded to the church, making an aggregate of some fifteen per\\nyear. Of this number, fifty-three have been added during the\\nyear 1873. Most of these are the precious fruit of the revival\\nof religion which occurred in connection with a series of re-\\nligious meetings held with the church and people the last of\\nApril, the pastor being aided by Rev. Mr. Potter, the evan-\\ngelist. The religious interest thus begun continued through\\nthe summer and autumn, and, though lessened in degree, still\\ncontinues.\\nOne of the most interesting and even remarkable results of\\nthis revival is, that the large majority of those who have ex-\\npressed hope in Christ, and united with the church, are in the\\nmeridian of life, men of influence, and eight or ten husbands\\nand their wives there were also several youth, and one man\\npast four score years. By these additions the things tliat re-\\nmained have been strengthened, and the prosperity and perpe-\\ntuity of the church, which had been seriously endangered by\\ndeaths and removals, have been promoted. The whole number\\nwho have united with the church since its formation in 1780 is\\nnot far from eight hundred. And, notwithstanding the changes\\nby which it has been diminished since then, its present num-\\nber is not far from one hundred and seventy, resident and non-\\nresident. The church has sent forth eight tninisters, two at a\\nvery early day, viz., Joshua Howard and Daniel Weston more\\nrecently, Solomon Kittredge, Charles B. Kittredge, J. W. Per-\\nkins, Darwin Adams, H. A. Kendall, and J. C. Bryant. It has\\nalso supplied the churches in the cities and large towns with\\nsome of their most efiicient members. It is estimated that some\\nfifty young men belonging to Mont Vernon have been prepared for\\nusefulness, and gone forth to exert it elsewhere, within the last\\nfifteen years, and perhaps as many young women and, although", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0063.jp2"}, "64": {"fulltext": "56\\nit is gratifying to know that they are benefiting other commu-\\nnities and other churches, it has been evidently at the expense\\nof this church and people and the more favored churches and\\nparishes are verily their debtors. And the same is true, doubt-\\nless, with reference to very many of our rural places in the\\nState.\\nSuch is a brief and imperfect review of the church and parish\\nof Mont Vernon, from 1780 to 1874, a period of nearly ninety-four\\nyears. The compiler has gathered the facts and events with\\nwhich it is fraught from the most reliable sources witliin his\\nreach, partly from the history of the churches of New Hamp-\\nshire, and partly from the church records of more recent date.\\nIt is obviously suggestive of interesting and instructive lessons,\\nhonorable to God, and pertinent to the present generation. It\\nobviously teaches the hopeful and encouraging fact, that though\\npastors may pass away, and many who once composed the\\nchurch may not continue, by reason of death and other remov-\\nals, yet the church itself lives, and will be immortal till its mis-\\nsion is fulfilled. What a lesson of gratitude does the contrast\\nbetween the privations of the fiithers and mothers of the past,\\nand the privileges of to-day, read to the present generation\\nand how does it enhance their obligation How manifest, more-\\nover, the faithfulness of God to his gracious promise, Them\\nthat honor me I will honor.\\nREMINISCENCES\\nFORMER CITIZENS AND NATIVES OF AMHERST,\\nBY DANIEL F. SECOMB, CONCORD, N. H.\\nOne hundred years ago our fathers met to dedicate the house\\ntheir hands had built to the worship of the Builder of the Uni-\\nverse. To-day, but one person then living is numbered among\\nthe living inhabitants of our town. Scattered far and near, the\\nashes of the congregation then assembled rest in peace. Their", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0064.jp2"}, "65": {"fulltext": "57\\nwork is done. Wliat remains of it is with us. We may profit\\nby tlieir labors, and imitate their virtues.\\nTlie long contest for the possession of the North American\\ncontinent, between France and her savage allies on one hand,\\nand Great Britain and her colonies on the other, had been closed\\na few years before by the capture of Quebec, and the subse-\\nquent cession of the French colonies to the English, wlien the\\nEnglish government, finding itself heavily in debt, projiosed to\\nincrease its revenue by taxing its thriving colonies. Before con-\\nceding this claim, the colonists asked for a representation in\\nparliament, contending that taxation and representation should\\ngo together. This being denied, a conflict between the parties\\nbecame inevitable. The sturdy backwoodsmen, descendants of\\nEnglish Puritans and Scotch Presbyterians, who had fought and\\nconquered savages and wild beasts, met in deadly combat the\\ntrained soldiers of the mother land.\\nWith all its serious aspects, the contest had in it a good deal of\\na grim sort of humor. When the tea was forced upon the Bos-\\ntonians, it was received under protest; but a teapot of gener-\\nous dimensions was soon found by his Majesty s loyal subjects\\nto steep it in, the finny inhabitants of Boston harbor being\\nafforded an opportunity to participate in the drinking. And\\nwhen the demand was made upon the colonists to deliver up\\ntheir arms, the Spartan answer Come and take them was\\nsoon understood to include what might be found with them.\\nOur fathers entered into the discussions of those stormy times\\nwith sjnrit. One month before the dedication of the house,\\nthe tea-party had been given at Boston and fifteen months\\nlater came the opening conflicts of the war at Lexington com-\\nmon and Concord bridge.\\nIn May, 1775, says Mr. Fox, in the history of Dunstable, the\\ncounty of Hillsborough, with a population of fifteen thousand\\nnine hundred and forty-eight, had six hundred and fifty men in\\nthe army, or a little more than one to every twenty-five of its\\ninhabitants; and its shire town was certainly not behind its\\nneighbors in jiatriotism.\\nIn April, 1776, two hundred and one of its male citizens\\nabove twenty-one years of age signed a paper, now on file in the\\noffice of the secretary of state, pledging themselves, to the", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0065.jp2"}, "66": {"fulltext": "58\\nutmost of their powei-, at the risk of their lives and fortunes,\\nwith arras, to ojopose the hostile proceedings of the British fleets\\nand armies against the united American colonies.\\nStanding first on the list of signers to this bold defiance of\\nBritish power we find the name of Nahum Baldwin, the village\\nblacksmith, representative to the general court in 1775 and 1780,\\nmoderator of the annual town-meeting, town clerk, and select-\\nman in 1778, and for fourteen years a deacon of the church. He\\nwas appointed colonel of a regiment, raised in 1776, to reinforce\\nthe army in northern New York. This regiment was dismissed\\nat North Castle near the close of the year. Tliis seems to have\\nbeen the only military commission held by him. He died May\\n7, 1788, at the age of fifty-three years. Some of his descend-\\nants now reside in Antrim, N. H.\\nSecond on the list we find the name of Moses Nichols, a\\nphysician of good repute, a native of Reading, Mass., who came\\nto Amherst early in life, and commenced the practice of his\\nprofession. In 1765, 1768, and 1773 he served as one of the\\nselectmen, was town clerk in 1773, moderator in 1767, 1769,\\n1770, 1771, 1773, and 1777, and representative in 1775, 1776,\\nand 1781. He was also register of deeds for Hillsborougli county\\nfi om 1776 until his death. He was appointed colonel of the\\nfifth regiment of militia December 5, 1776, in place of Col.\\nLutwyche, who had joined the British commanded the right\\nwing of Stark s army in the battle with the Hessians and tories,\\nnear Bennington, August 16, 1777 was colonel of a regiment\\nin General Whipple s brigade, at Rhode Island, in 1778 and,\\nafter the close of the war, was appointed brigadier general of\\nthe fourth brigade N. H. militia. He died May 23, 1790, aged\\n49 years.\\nStephen Peabody, another signer of the test paper, was an\\nactive whig. He was son of William Peabody, who came from\\nBoxford, Mass., to Souhegan West, as early as 1742. He served\\nas one of the selectmen in 1770, 1772, 1773, 1776, and 1779, and\\nwas representative in 1779. He was adjutant of Col. Reed s\\nregiment in 1775; major of a regiment, raised for the defence\\nof Portsmouth and its harbor, in 1776; captain of a company,\\nraised for the relief of-Ticonderoga, in 1777; aid to Gen. Stark\\nat Bennington and lieut. colonel, commanding a regiment in", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0066.jp2"}, "67": {"fulltext": "69\\nGen. Whipple s brigade, in 1778. He closed his career Septem-\\nber 19, 1782, at the age of thirty-seven. His remains rest in\\nthe cemetery at Mont Vernon.\\nPrior to the first of April, 1777, one hundred and twenty of\\nthe citizens of Amherst had been engaged in the war in this\\nnumber were two colonels, one major, and five captains. Twenty\\nof its soldiers lost their lives in tlie course of the war.\\nIn the census of 1840 the following soldiers of the revolution\\nwere returned as living in Amherst, Mont Vernon, and Milford\\nIN AMHERST. IN MONT VERNON.\\nJohn Purple, aged 97 Andrew Leavitt,\\nTliomas Melendy, 91 Solomon Kittredge,\\nJoseph Crosby, 87 Jonathan Lamson,\\nNathan Kendall, 85 Zeplianiah Kittredge,\\nDavid Fit-k, 83 Israel Farnum,\\nBenjamin Damon, 78 Daniel Averill,\\nEphraim Goss, 74 in milford.\\nSamuel Lovejoy,\\nIsaac Burpee,\\nJoshua Atherton, one of the four citizens who refused to sign\\nthe test paper, was, so far as I am able to learn, the only per-\\nson who was subjected to any open persecution on account of\\nhis opinions. He Avas confined for a short time in the jail at\\nExeter, and, with his family, suffered other indignities. He\\nsubmitted patiently, accepting the consequences of adhering\\nto his convictions; and, at the close of the war, was soon rein-\\nstated in the confidence of his fellow citizens. He represented\\nthe town in the convention which ratified the federal constitu-\\ntion in 1788, and made a speech (almost the only one made on\\nthat occasion, which has been preserved) against its adoption.\\nHe was afterwards representative, senator, and attorney-gen-\\neral. He died April 3, 1809, aged 71 years.\\nThe declaration of independence was proclaimed by the\\nbeat of drum, by Moses Kelley, sheriff of the county, from the\\nhorse-block, in front of the meeting-house, July 18, 1776. An\\nevent now transpiring at Philadelphia may be known to us in\\nfive minutes afterwards, such has been the progress made in the\\nmode of transmitting intelligence within ninety-eight years.\\naged 87\\n(C\\n85\\ncc\\n84\\nC(\\n83\\n81\\n74\\n84\\n84", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0067.jp2"}, "68": {"fulltext": "60\\nSamuel Dana was one of the worthy citizens of Amherst.\\nThe commencement of the revolutionary war found him settled\\nin the ministry, at Groton, Mass., but being suspected of favor-\\ning the mother country, he was compelled to relinquish his\\ncharge, and for some time was without any settled employ-\\nment; but in 1783 he was admitted to the practice of the law.\\nOn the ninth of January, 1789, he was appointed judge of pro-\\nbate for the county of Hillsborough, which office he held for\\nsome years. He died April 2, 1798, at the age of fifty-nine\\nyears. He was the first master of Benevolent Lodge, No. 7,\\nFree and Accepted Masons, and was buried with masonic hon-\\nors, an oration being pronounced on the occasion by Timothy\\nBigelow, Esq., then a resident here.\\nOne who remembered Judge Dana well, said, He was one\\nof the most useful men that ever lived in town ever active\\nand ready to devise and execute plans for the comfort and con-\\nvenience of its citizens. Some of his descendants have been\\nmen of note, and filled important offices in the state. Among\\nthem were Chief Justice Samuel Dana Bell, Senator James Bell,\\nDr. Luther V. Bell, and Samuel N. Bell, recently member of\\ncongress.\\nJohn Shepard, Jr., was a native of Concord, Mass., and came\\nhere at an early age with his fiither, who built the mills known\\nas the Shepard mills, on the Souhegan river. He served on the\\nboard of selectmen eleven years, and was also town clerk eleven\\nyears. His record, after the lapse of a century, is as legible as\\nprinted matter. He learned to write by making characters with\\nhis finger in the dust which settled on the boards in the grist-\\nmill which he tended. For some years he was justice of the\\ncounty court and justice of the peace. He died at Milford,\\nDecember 4, 1802, aged seventy.\\nWilliam Gordon, died May 8, 1802, at the age of thirty-nine\\nyears; graduated at Harvard college 1779; was a senator in the\\nlegislature, member of congress three years, and attorney-gen-\\neral. He built the house afterwards occupied by Hon. C. H.\\nAtherton, whose sister he married. His son, William Gordon,\\ngraduated at Harvard college, 1806; practised law in Charles-\\ntown, N. H. and died in the Asylum for the Insane, at Brat-\\ntleborough, Vt., January 12, 1871, aged 83 years.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0068.jp2"}, "69": {"fulltext": "61\\nPvobert Means, born in Stewartstown, Ireland, August 28,\\n1742, settled here prior to the revolution, and soon became\\none of the leading citizens of the town. By his industry and\\napplication to business he acquired a large property. He rep-\\nresented the town in the legislature for three years, was for\\nthree years a member of the state Senate, and one year one of\\nthe governor s council. He died January 24, 1823.\\nBenjamin Kendriclc, born in Newton, Mass., January 30,\\n1724, settled on what is now the town farm, then in Monson,\\nin 1749, and became a citizen of Amlieist on tlie annexation of\\na part of Monson to this place, Sejitembcr 13, 1770. He was\\ntown clerk of Monson some years, and selectman of Amlierst\\nin 1771. His daughter Anna was the wife of Governor Benja-\\nmin Pierce, and the mother of General Franklin Pierce, at one\\ntime president of the United States. He died Nov. 13, 1812.\\nDaniel Warner was a native of Ipswich, Mass. born June\\n25, 1745. After residing some years in Nashua, then Dunstable,\\nhe settled in Amherst, of which he was a useful and influen-\\ntial citizen. He was employed to take the census of Hillsbor-\\nough county in 1790, 1800, and 1810. Was lieutenant-colonel,\\ncommanding 5th regiment N. H. militia, 1796, moderator of\\nthe annual tow^i-meeting in 1798, and represented the town\\neight years in the general court. He died March 20, 1813. His\\nwidow survived until March, 1833. His son Daniel died while\\na member of Harvard college. John, another son, died while\\nin service in the last war with Great Britain.\\nJedediah Kilburn Smith, a native of the town, son of Jona-\\nthan Smith, who came here from Danvers, Mass., represented\\nthe town in the general court in 1803 and 1804; was a member\\nof the tenth congress, councillor for Hillsborough county four\\nyears, senator four years, justice of the court of common pleas,\\nand post-master. He died December 17, 1828, aged 59.\\nClifton Clagett, son of Wyseman Chigett, attorney-general\\nof the province of New Hampshire, was born at Portsmouth\\nDecember 3, 1762, settled in the practice of the law at Litchfield\\nin 1787, removed to Amherst in 1811, and died here January\\n29, 1829. He was a member of the eighth, fifteenth, and six-\\nteenth congresses, represented Amherst in the general court in\\n1816, was justice of the superior court for a short time, and\\njudge of probate for Hillsborough county.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0069.jp2"}, "70": {"fulltext": "62\\nCharles Humphrey Atherton, son of Joshua Atherton, was\\nborn August 14, 1773. For more than forty years he was register\\nof probate for Hillsborough county, a member of the fourteenth\\ncongress, represented the town in the general court in 1823, 1838,\\nand 1839, and was for fifty years one of the leading members\\nof the Hillsborough county bar. He died January 8, 1853.\\nHis son, Charles Gordon Atherton, an able lawyer, was born July\\n4, 1804 graduated at Plarvard college 1822; settled in the prac-\\ntice of the law at Nashua; was speaker of the house of repre-\\nsentatives three years, representative to congress four years,\\nand senator six years. He died while senator, November 15,\\n1853.\\nHorace Greeley was probably the most widely known of the\\nsons of Amherst. He was born of good Scotch-Irish stock,\\nin the north-east part of the town, near Bedford line, February\\n3, 1811. Possessing but few of the advantages enjoyed by youth\\nat the present day, by his energy and perseverance he wrought\\nhis way up from poverty and obscurity to a commanding posi-\\ntion among the journalists of the country and the world. The\\nTribune^ with 1,250,000 readers, was a power in the land, and\\nits editor-in-chief well deserved the title given him by a distin-\\nguished contemporary Our later Franklin. He died Novem-\\nber 29, 1872.\\nEiihraim Putnam Bradford, mentally and physically one of\\nthe greatest of the sons of old Amlierst, was son of Capt. John\\nBradford, a soldier of the revolution, who removed after the\\nclose of the war to Hancock, and died there at the age of ninety-\\nthree, June 27, 1836. The son was born in the north-east part of\\nthe present town of Milford, December 27, 1776; graduated at\\nHarvard college in 1803, and was settled over the Presbyterian\\nchurch at New Boston, February 26, 1806, where he remained\\nuntil his death, December 14, 1845. With more ambition and\\nindustry he might have graced any city pulpit, or filled most\\nacceptably the place so long held by Dr. Lord at Hanover. To\\nhim Clark B. Cochrane, in his centennial address at New Bos-\\nton, applied the words of the patriarch of Uz, Unto him\\nmen gave ear, and waited and kept silence at his counsel they\\nwaited for him as for the rain, and they opened their mouth\\nwide as for the latter rain. Silas Aiken (good authority here)", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0070.jp2"}, "71": {"fulltext": "63\\nonce wrote of liim, He was, literally, one of nature s noble-\\nmen, of princely person, with a sonorous, commanding voice,\\nexceedingly fluent and accurate in speech, modelled somewhat\\nafter Johnson s style, so richly gifted in mind and heart that,\\nwith little preparation, he stood among the first preachers in\\nthe state.\\nMary Manning Barker, daughter of Dea. Ephraim Barker, to\\nwhom he was married September 1, 1806, was a most worthy\\ndaughter of old Amherst, and a fit companion for such a man.\\nShe was born October 9, 1785, and is still living.\\nIsaac Hill stands at the head of the graduates from the Cab-\\ninet oflice. He was born in what is now Somerville, Mass.,\\nApril 6, 1788 removed with his family to Ashburnham in\\n1798; came to Amherst at the age of fourteen, making the\\njourney from Ashburnham on horseback, seated behind his em-\\nployer. Here he remained seven years. On the 18th of April,\\n1809, he issued the first number of the iVeio Hampshire Patriot^\\nat Concord.* This paper he conducted with much ability for\\ntwent} years, during a large part of which time it was the ac-\\nknowledged leader of the republican journals in the state.\\nTowards the close of his life, in connection with his sons, he\\npublished Jlills N em Hampshire Patriot, and the Farmers\\nMonthly Visitor, a paper devoted to the interests of the farm-\\ners of New Hami)shire an exceedingly popular and useful\\npublication.\\nHe represented Concord in the legislature in 1826; was sen-\\nator from District No. 4 four years; for a short time second\\ncomptroller of the U. S. treasury; five years U. S. senator; and\\nthree years governor of the state. He died at Washington,\\nMarch 22, 1851.\\nLuther Roby, a native of the town, son of James Roby,\\nborn January 8, 1801, was, like Gov. Hill, a graduate from the\\nCabinet ofiice. He removed to Concord late in the autumn of\\n1822, and, on the sixth of January, 1823, issued the first num-\\nber of the New Hampshire Statesman^ of which lie was man-\\n*One who was intimate with Gov. Hill when in Amherst, relates that he met him\\nwhile on his waj- to Concord to establish the Patriot. To the inquiry, AVhere are you\\ngoing? Hill replied, I am going to Concord to print the truth; I have printed lies\\nlong enough.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0071.jp2"}, "72": {"fulltext": "64\\nager and proprietor for the first six months of its existence\\nhe, however, disposed of his interest in it before the close of\\nits first year, but continued in the printing and pubhshing\\nbusiness. In 1832 he established a stereotype foundry, where\\nhe niannfnctured several sets of plates for the Bilile, in pearl\\ntype, they being the first of the kind made in New England.\\nOther books were stereotyped at his foundrj^, and several sets\\nof plates manufactured there were sold to publishers in other\\nplaces and large numbers of Bibles, Testaments, and other\\nbooks have been printed from them.\\nFrom plates manufactured in his foundry, and others pur-\\nchased by him, he has printed 153,000 Bibles, of various styles,\\n248,000 Testaments, 110,000 copies of Watts s Psalms and\\nHymns, besides 1,000,000 spelling-books, and large numbers of\\npamplilets. Latterly lie has devoted much time to opening and\\nworking the granite ledges in the city of his residence. The\\nintroduction of Concord granite, as a building material, will\\nadd much to the wealth of the city, and furnish hundreds of\\nits citizens with employment.\\nFor nearly thirty years he was an active member of the fire\\ndepartment of Concord, of which he was chief engineer eight\\nyears. He was one of the representatives from Concord in 1837\\nand 1849.\\nJohn Farmer was for about a third of his life a resident of\\nAmherst, coming here in 1805 from Chelmsford, where he was\\nborn June 12, 1789. At first he served as clerk in a store,\\nwhich occupation his feeble health finally compelled him to re-\\nlinquish. He then engaged in teaching, in which profession he\\nexcelled. In 1820 he published an historical sketch of Amherst,\\nwhich was revised and enlarged in 1837. He also commenced\\nthe study of medicine with Dr. Spalding, but shortly relinquished\\nit, and removed to Concord in 1821; there formed a business\\nconnection with Dr. Samuel Morrill, in which he continued for\\na short time. After quitting this, he devoted most of his time\\nto antiquarian and historical researches, in which matters he\\nsoon became an acknowledged authority. He was one of the\\nfounders of the New Hampshire Historical Society, of which he\\nwas for fourteen years the corresponding secretary. Ever ready\\nand willing to aid in any good work, according to his strength", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0072.jp2"}, "73": {"fulltext": "Go\\nand ability. He died, honored and lamented, August 13, 1838.\\nHis remains lie beside tliosc of his friend, Josepli Low, the first\\nmayor of Concord, on whose lamily monument a suitable inscrip-\\ntion is placed, in memory of the greatest antiquarian of New\\nHain])shire.\\nJose; h Low was one of what Dr. Bouton styles the Am-\\nherst colony. It consisted of several young men and women,\\nmost of them natives of Amherst, who settled in Concord many\\nyears ago, being nearly all of the same age. They were much\\ntogether, aiding and assisting each other. Most of them ac-\\nquired a competency, and nearly all of them were among the.\\nmost respected citizens of the place; they were Francis N\\nFi.sk, William Fisk and wife (Margaret Dodge), William Low\\nand wife (Grace Nichols), Joseph Low, Benjamin Damon and\\nwife (Sophia Nichols), Peter Robinson, and Isaac Hill. All lived\\nto a good old age, Francis N. Fisk, the oldest, being ninety\\nyears and five months old at the time of his death.\\nWilliam Fisk, son of Dea. William Fisk, was born at AYenliam,\\nMass., April 20, 1755; came to Amherst with his father in\\n1773 he served on the board of selectmen for twenty-five\\nconsecutive years, eighteen of which he was also town clerk\\nsix years he represented the town in the general court; was\\nsenator from the seventh district four years, and twice an elect-\\nor of president and vice-president of the United States, besides\\nholding other important ofiices. He was for a long time one of\\nthe leaders of tlie old republican party, and was a man of de-\\ncided ability. He died June 4, 1831.\\nA history of the Fiske family was published by x\\\\lbert A.\\nFiske, Chicago, 1867.\\nSamuel Bell resided here for some years. His connection with\\nthe Hillsborough bank, of which he was president, injured his\\npopularity here, as the vote for governor in 1819 and subse-\\nquent years will show but the people of the state generally\\nhad full confidence in him. He was a member of the senate\\nfrom the seventh district in 1807 and 1808, in both of which\\nyears he was its presiding ofiicer councillor for Hillsborough dis-\\ntrict one year; justice of the supreme court three years; gov-\\nernor four years and senator in congress twelve years, bei no-\\nthe second senator from New Hampshire who served two full\\n5", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0073.jp2"}, "74": {"fulltext": "66\\nterms in that body. Although he spoke but seldom in the senate,\\nhis advice was sought by his colleagues on all matters of impor-\\ntance, and it is said the memorable speech of Mr. Webster, in\\nreply to Col Hayne, January 26, 1830, was made at his sugges-\\ntion and request. He died at Chester, December 23, 1850, aged\\neighty years. Govei-nor Hill once indorsed him as being one\\nof the best of men, and the very best of governors.\\nReuben Dimond Mussey, son of Dr. John Mussey, was born in\\n1780. For some years in early life he resided on the place now or\\nformerly occupied by Mr. Freeman Bills. Some reminiscences of\\nhis boyhood may be found in the Cabinet of April 1, 1874. He\\ngraduated at Dartmouth college in 1803 studied medicine, and\\ncommenced the practice of his profession at Salem, Mass., about\\n1809, where he remained until 1814, when he accepted a pro-\\nfessorship at Hanover, and removed there, remaining until 1888,\\nwhen he removed to Cincinnati, and became professor of sur-\\ngery in the Ohio Medical college. This position he filled\\nuntil 1852, when he became connected with the Miami Medical\\ncollege as professor of surgery. Leaving this in 1860, lie came\\nto Boston to superintend the publication of one of his works,\\nand remained there until his death, which took place June 21,\\n1866. He was an earnest and laborious student in his jirofes-\\nsion, in which he gained distinction as an instructor.\\nMiss Hosea, Isaac Brooks, Esq., and Mr. Eli Wilkins were\\namong the early teachers in the schools of Amherst. Miss Hosea\\nseems to have been inclined to take life easily. I have the au-\\nthoritv of one of her pupils, who was afterwards for a long time\\none of ye f\\\\\\\\thers of ye towne, for saying, that after she had\\nheard her pupils through tlieir lessons, she would request them\\nto be good children while she took a nap but while the teacher\\nslept, the wide awake pupils, the father aforesaid included, em-\\nployed themselves in chasing squirrels on tha log fences, or\\nstoning the red-headed woodpeckers, which then abounded on\\nthe chestnut stubs standing in the fields near by. A dark col-\\nored slate stone, standing near the south-west corner of the new\\ncemefery, marks the resting-place of this pioneer teacher. On\\nit we read the inscription, Miss Mercy Hosea, died August 3,\\n1838, aged 95.\\nIsaac Brooks, Esq., was born in Woburn, Mass., August 16,", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0074.jp2"}, "75": {"fulltext": "67\\n1757. He had the reputation of being an excellent teacher,\\nexcelling particularly in penmanship, as an examination of the\\ncounty records from 1805 to 1828 will show. He married Ab-\\nigail Kendrick, a sister of the mother of Gen. Pierce, and died\\nDecember 21, 1840.\\nEli Wilkius, Esq., served on the board of selectmen eight\\nyears, commencing with 1781. He was an excellent penman.\\nWhile teaching school he evidently did his best to keep out of\\nharm s way himself, and guard against any unnecessary blood-\\nshed among his pupils, one of whom (perhaps his testimony\\nshould be taken with some grains of allowance) used to say,\\nthat master Wilkins would, after putting on his coat and hat,\\nopen the door, and, having secured a way of escape for himself,\\ndismiss his disciples Avith the injunction to let any killing that\\nmight be done be done accidentally. They were then left to\\nfight it out at their leisure.\\nI think that few complaints were made of frequent changes\\nin text-books used in the schools in those times. The Testament\\nand ^Esop s Fables, the last adorned with marvellous wood-cuts,\\nfurnished the older pupils with reading matter; Dilworth and\\nCocker furnished the arithmetics; while Perry s Spelling-book\\nand the New England Primer, containing the shorter catechism\\nand the lamentable account of ye burning of Mr. John Rog-\\ners, delighted the hearts and eyes of the youngest of the flock.\\nStrange visitors sometimes put in an appearance at these old-\\nfashioned temples of science. On one occasion a house adder, of\\nfair proportions, was discovered on the plate of the old school-\\nhouse, in the Campbell district, in close proximity to the teach-\\ner s head. A confusion of tongues ensued, and, after a vigorous\\napplication of clubs and the broomstick, the intruder Avas slain,\\nto the great edification of the company.\\nSamuel Wilkins, son of the first minister, was one of the\\nthree deacons elected January 10, 1774. He served on the\\nboard of selectmen fifteen years, and was town-clerk ten years.\\nHe seems to have been a stout muscular man in his prime,\\nabounding in life and good liuraor. Like his father lie became\\nvery infirm in his old age, but was tenderly cared for by his\\nsons Daniel and Thomas. In his youth he delighted in feats of\\nstrength and agility, and but few were found who could master", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0075.jp2"}, "76": {"fulltext": "68\\nhim in wrestling. Many anecdotes are told of him, showing\\nhis wit and good humor. On one occasion a boy, belonging to\\na family whose reputation for veracity was not very good, ap-\\npeared before him very much frightened, saying he had seen a\\nbear in the woods near by. What sort of a tail had he said\\nthe deacon. A long bushy one, said the boy. Is your\\nname Pike? quoth the deacon. Yes. Go right along, the\\nbear won t hurt you.\\nWlien a little past middle life he had the misfortune to lose\\nhis wife, a most estimable woman, who left him with a large\\nfamily of little ones. After a proper time had elapsed, he\\nsought another partner, and, after making himself agreeable as\\npossible to the chosen one, he one day asked if she thought of\\ngoing to heaven. Somewhat surprised, she answered that she\\nhoped to. So do I, said our deacon what say you to making\\nthe rest of the journej^ with me? Not being denied, a very\\npleasant journey of some forty-four years duration commenced\\nshortly after.\\nJohn Hubbard Wilkins, youngest son of Dea. Wilkins, grad-\\nuated at Harvard college, 1818, was for a long time a publisher\\nand stationer in Boston, and at one time the whig candi-\\ndate for mayor of that city. He was one of the first in this\\ncountry to accept the views of Baron Swedenborg, and was\\nfor a long time an active member and supporter of the Church\\nof the New Jerusalem, in Boston.\\nGeorge Wilkins Kendall, a grandson of Dea. Wilkins, was\\nborn in the old north-west parish, now Mont Vernon. He spent\\na good portion of his boyhood at his grandfather s, and is re-\\nmembered by those who attended school in the old Taylor\\ndistrict, at that time, as the wag of the school, abounding in\\nsallies of wit and good-natured mischief. Pie was one of the\\noriginators, and for some time editor-in-chief of the New Orleans\\nJ^icayime. He travelled in nearly every state of the Union,\\nand was a member of the ill-starred Santa Fe expedition in\\n1841. After the close of the war with Mexico, he went to Texas,\\nand engaged in sheep raising. He died there some years since.\\nAnother of the deacons of happy memory, who would have\\ndelighted the heart of Parson Murray, was the second Dea. Sea-\\nton, a native of the town, born (so says the town book) April", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0076.jp2"}, "77": {"fulltext": "G9\\n8, 1756. His family was originally from Scotland. On the over-\\nthrow of the Stuarts, to whose fortunes the Seatons adhered,\\ntheir estates were confiscated and the family dispersed. John\\nand Andrew Seaton went to Tellahoage, Ireland. Some years\\nafter, John came to New England, and settled in Boxford, Mass.,\\n1729. Andrew sailed for Boston ten years later, with his fam-\\nily, and lost his wife in the wreck of the ship. He reached\\nBoxford in 1740. John, son of John, married Ismenia, daughter\\nof Andrew, and settled in Amherst. He was elected deacon\\nJanuary 10, 1774, and held the office till he removed to Wash-\\nington, N. H., 1787. He was a man of genuine worth the\\nfother of Ann Seaton, Avho married Hon. John Duncan, of An-\\ntrim, and of Dea. John Seaton, the subject of our notice, who\\nwas endowed with the gift of song. His ear delighted in the\\nsounds of the viol and harp, and in his youth lie was chief\\namong the dancers. In his mature life he was for a long time\\nthe leader among the singers in the sanctuary.\\nI remember bira as an old man who generally came late to\\nmeeting, riding with his aged companion in an ancient chaise,\\nwhich might have suggested the legend of ye Deacon s one-\\nhorse shay to Dr. Holmes. After securing his horse, he would\\nmake his way up the broad aisle to ye deacon s seat, his prog-\\nress being announced by a pair of desperately creaking boots.\\nHis nose, of imperial dimensions, which would have excited\\nthe admiration of the first Kapoleon, and won for its owner the\\ndecoration of the grand legion of honor at sight, was the source\\nof much amusement to him. Being seated at table one day, a\\nstranger, who sat opposite him, suggested rather angrily that\\nthe application of a handkerchief to it would be a benefit. Ever\\nready to oblige, the deacon handed him the handkerchief with\\nthe request that he would attend to it, as he was nearer the\\noffending member than its owner. A good understanding be-\\ntween the parties was arrived at at once.\\nMeeting the mail carrier, Wheat, one day, who, for some rea-\\nson, disliked him, the deacon seized Wheat s nose, which rival-\\nled his own in size, with his left hand, turning it as far as he\\ncould from him, at the same time turning his head half round\\nto the right, he said I think, brother Wheat, that we can pass\\none another. With charity for all, bearing malice towards", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0077.jp2"}, "78": {"fulltext": "70\\nnone, the good deacon jDassed tlirough life, and fell asleep\\nOctober 3, 1836.\\nJonathan Hildreth, son of Jacob, born August 12, 1767, was\\nfor a long time a noted teacher of music in Amherst. For some\\nyears he was the chorister at the meeting-house. Being some-\\nthing of a mechanic, he constructed several bass viols, some of\\nwhich were used to aid in the services of the choir. He died\\nJuly 4, 1816. His cousin, Benjamin Kendrick, was afterwards\\nleader of the choir, and was noted for his skill in music. He\\ndied December 15, 1853, aged 74.\\nIn the army which took Quebec in 1759 was a youth of fif-\\nteen winters, named Henry Cod. After the close of the war he\\nobtained some knowledge of medicine, and engaged in practice\\nin Amherst. Adding another syllable to his name, he became\\nDr. Codman. He seems to have possessed naturally a good\\nstock of common sense, and had some skill in his profession,\\nbut was rough and eccentric in his manner. Towards the close\\nof his life he indulged far too frequently in the use of what the\\nfathers called strong waters. Many anecdotes of a ludicrous\\ncharacter are related of him. On one occasion he was called to\\nvisit a young lady belonging to one of the first .families, who\\nhad been severely wounded in the neck by being thrown from\\na carriage. She was well covered with blood when the healer\\nentered the room, well set up. Well, Sal, quoth he,\\nyou look like a great stuck pig (the adjectives in the origi-\\nnal omitted).\\nSpeaking of the doctors in Amherst, he said there were quite\\ntoo many. There are but four, was the answer. There are\\na thousand, said Esculapius. How do you make that out?\\nThere s me, I am one; there s S., he s a cypher; there s C,\\nanother cypher; and N., another one; and one and three cy-\\njihers make a thousand, don t they?\\nOne time when the dysentery prevailed in town, the doctor was\\nvery successful in saving his patients. Other practitioners were\\nnot so fortunate, and lost nearly all. A good old lady, who\\nwas much among the sick, noticed that whenever he was called\\nhe left pills of an enormous size, giving directions that one, two,\\nor three, or as many as the patient felt inclined to take, should\\nbe administered at a time the more the better. After the sickly", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0078.jp2"}, "79": {"fulltext": "71\\nseason was over, the gooil lady asked him wliat the pills were\\nmade of. Rye meal, said the doctor, the best tiling in the\\nworld for the dysentery.\\nHaving taken a drop too ranch, before starting on a pro-\\nfessional trip one day, his horse stumbled and speedily unloaded\\nhis master, with the attendant saddle-bags. The medicines con-\\ntained in the saddle-bags were badly mixed. So, stirring them\\nall together, he administered doses of the compound with great\\nsuccess, performing wonderful cures, to his great delight. Speak-\\ning of it to a friend, the friend suggested that he had better\\nprepare another dose similar to the one he had just used up.\\nI would do it, said the doctor, but I ll be hanged if I know\\nthe right proportions of the medicines.\\nBeing summoned one day to visit an old lady in the northerly\\npart of the town, he told some boys he met that he was going\\nup to kill old Goody S. She was seventy-six years old, and had\\nno business to live any longer. For his part, he did not mean to\\nlive so long as that would kill himself first. As good as his\\nword, he died March 14, 1812, aged sixty-eight years.\\nIn the longevity of its inhabitants, I think Amherst compares\\nfavorably with other towns of equal size. I have in my posses-\\nsion a list of one hundred and forty-four persons who have here\\ndeceased since January 1, 1823. Of them, one hundred and five\\nwere between eighty and ninety years thirty-six between ninety\\nand one hundred years; and three over one hundred years of\\nage.\\nThe oldest person of whom I have any record, who has died\\nin town, was Mrs. Ilepsibah Hartshorn, daughter of Eben and\\nLydia Holt, from whom Holt s meadow derives its name. She\\nwas born June 13, 1747, and died January 11, 1851, at the age of\\none hundred and three years, six months, and twenty-eight days.\\nShe had been a cripple for many years, walking by the aid of a\\ncrutch; yet she milked her cow after .she had passed her ninety-\\nfifth year. For some years before her death her hearing was\\nmuch impaired. She occupied a log house, the last of its kind,\\nI think, in town, which was taken down after her death.\\nMrs. Mary Barnard was born at Lancaster, Mass., March 29,\\n1722, and died here October 13, 1823. She was a daughter of\\nJeremiah Holman, and was married to Robert Barnard, of Bol-", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0079.jp2"}, "80": {"fulltext": "72\\nton, Mass, One.of lier sons was Rev. Jeremiah Barnard, the\\nsecond minister of Amherst, Her daughter, Miss Lydia Bar-\\nnard, born at Bolton, JMass,, October 6, 1757, died in Amherst,\\nSeptember 17, 1859, lacking but a few days of one hundred and\\ntwo years. A granddaughter, Mrs. Betsy King, daughter of\\nRev. Jeremiah Barnard, died at Rockdale, Iowa, January 14,\\n1872, aged ninety-six years, six months, and eleven days,\\nDaniel Campbell, Esq., the oldest man who has ever deceased\\nin Amherst, was born in Londonderry, now Windham, N. H.,\\nJune 27, 1739 settled in Amherst in 1760, where he resided\\nuntil his death, which took place October 7, 1838. In his active\\nlife he was one of the leading citizens of the town, serving as\\nmoderator at the annual town-meeting, selectman for many\\nyears, and representative. Possessed of a strong will, an iron\\nconstitution, and energy enough for a dozen men, his strength\\nand faculties held out remarkably to the last. In his old age\\nhe was quite a politician. He attended and voted at the town-\\nmeeting the spring before liis death.\\nJenny Hylands, to whom he was married, June 25, 17G0, was\\na few months older than her husband, and a native of London-\\nderry. She was a woman of rare energy and excellence; one\\nin whom the heart of her husband did safely trust. She\\nliterally made linen, and sold it. She looked well to the ways\\nof her household, and ate not the bread of idleness. Her hus-\\nband praised her. Her children also arise up and call her bless-\\ned. She died November 25, 1815, aged seventy-seven.\\nThis family, consisting of five members, is remarkable for\\nlongevity, the father dying at the age of ninety-nine, the\\nmother at seventy-seven, their son at seventy-five, their eldest\\ndaughter at eighty-two, and their youngest daughter at ninety-\\ntwo an average of eighty-five years.\\nThe oldest person who ever lived in town is Mrs. An ah Goss,\\nwho will complete her one hundred and fourth year on the 1st\\nday of February, 1874.\\nAccording to the census of 1870, there were eighty-two per-\\nsons in town over seventy years of age. Of these, fifty-nine\\nwere between seventy and eighty twenty-two between eighty\\nand ninety and one over one hundred years.\\nThe eldest male native of Amherst, now living, is probably", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0080.jp2"}, "81": {"fulltext": "73\\nMr. Uriah Wilkins,* son of Aaron and Lydia Smitli Wilkins,\\nwho completed his eighty-fifth year, November 4, 1873. Two\\nof liis brothers have deceased, one aged eighty-four years and\\nfour months, the other aged seventy years and one month one\\nis still living, aged eighty-three years and three months. Two\\nsisters have deceased, one at the age of eighty-six years and\\ntwo months, the other aged seventy-five years and four months\\none is now living, aged seventy-nine years and seven months.\\nAverage age of the members of the family at the present time,\\neighty and four sevenths years.\\nBut I trespass too long upon your patience. Our town and\\nits people have a history of which no one need be ashamed.\\nGenerations of patriotic, noble-hearted men, and chaste, loving\\nwomen, have here lived and passed away. Tlieir memories are\\nblessed. Let it be our endeavor so to live, that the record of\\nthe sons and daughters of old Amherst, handed down to us,\\nshall be transmitted without spot or blemish to our successors.\\nTo the foregoing description of former citizens, by Mr. Secomb,\\nI append a list of the officers of the church, with such facts re-\\nlating to their lives and characters as I have been able to gather\\nsince the discourse was written also, a list of all the grad-\\nuates at colleges from Amherst, so far as I have been able to\\nascertain the names.\\nJ. G. DAVIS.\\nDEACONS OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL\\nCHURCH IN AMHERST.\\nHumphrey Hobbs, the first in this office, was elected January\\n6, 1743. He was a man of great personal courage, having the\\ntrue instincts of a soldier. His success in the conflict with the\\nIndians in Amherst seems to have led him to enter the volun-\\nteer service in defence of the province. He was captain of a\\nMr. Wilkins died early in April, 1874.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0081.jp2"}, "82": {"fulltext": "74\\ncompany, stationed at Charlestown, No. 4, and in that capacity\\nexhibited superior qualities in skirmishes with the Indians.\\nJoseph Boutell, the second deacon, was elected June 3, 1743.\\nFrom an obituary notice, published in the first volume of the\\nAmJierst Journal, I learn that he served in this office fifty-two\\nyears, during which his exemplary behaviour rendered him an\\nhonor and an ornament to the holy profession he had made and\\nthe office he sustained, and secured for him the respect and\\nesteem of all who knew him. He died May 19, 1795, in his\\neighty-ninth year.\\nThird James Cochran was elected deacon in 1744, to fill the\\nvacancy made by the resignation of Dea. Plobbs. I have not\\nbeen able to learn his origin. He held the office, enjoying the\\nconfidence of his brethren, till his death, January 5, 1774.\\nOn the 10th January, 1774, a meeting of the church, duly\\nnotified, was held for the purpose of choosing several breth-\\nren into the sacred office of deacon, when, by a major part of\\nthe votes taken, Mr. Samuel Wilkins, Mr. John Seaton, and\\nMr. Nahum Baldwin were chosen into said office. This election\\nwas consequent on the death of Dea. Cochran, and the fresh\\ninterest awakened by the completion of the new meeting-house.\\nAll these persons are mentioned elsewhere, and in connec-\\ntions that prove that they were men of vigorous sense and prac-\\ntical talents, asserting a decided influence among their townsmen\\nin the agitation and debates of that stirring period. Dea. Wil-\\nkins resigned his office in 1816.\\nOn the 18th of June, 1788, Dea. Baldwin, having died in\\nMay, and Dea. Seaton having removed from town the preced-\\ning year, Mr. Ephraim Barker and Mr. Joshua Lovejoy were\\nchosen into the office of deacons.\\nDea. Barker was widely known as a man of business, and a\\nsuperior mechanic. He was twice married, had a large and\\ninteresting family, and was highly respected by the community.\\nHe was distinct and tenacious in the expression of his theo-\\nlogical opinions. Being an excellent singer, he acted as chorister\\nin the church for many years. He was a native of Rockingham\\ncounty; born in or near Exeter, 1732, and died September 29,\\n1800.\\nJoshua Lovejoy and his wife brought letters from the Second", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0082.jp2"}, "83": {"fulltext": "75\\nchurch in Andover, Mass., on which they were admitted to this\\nchurch April 22, 1781. He was a man of fair talents, without\\nmuch education. Served as selectman and town clerk in the\\nyears 1790-1794. He removed from town soon after, and died\\nat Sanbornton, January 28, 1832, at the age of eighty-eight.\\nOn the 3d September, 1795, Dea. Boutell having deceased,\\nand Dea. Lovejoy having left town, Mr. Amos Elliott, born June\\n17, 1755, son of Francis, and John Seaton, son of John, born\\nApril 8, 1756, were chosen deacons. Dea. Seaton is described\\non page 68, and, notwithstanding his peculiarities, was a valuable\\ncitizen. Dea. Elliott was a farmer, of retiring manners, but\\nhighly esteemed as a consistent Christian. After his death,\\nApril 7, 1807, John Hartshorn, born June 21, 1759, second son\\nof James, who came to Amherst late in the autumn of 1761,\\nfrom Reading, Mass., was elected deacon September 1, 1808.\\nLike Dea. Elliott, whom he succeeded, he was by occupation a\\nfarmer, and a man of few words. In personal appearance he\\nwas a man of dignity, as became the office, in which he pur-\\nchased a good degree, being a man of sound judgment and\\nreal Christian worth. He continued in office till his death,\\nNovember 28, 1842.\\nIn the spring of 1816, Richard Boylston, David Holmes, Ed-\\nmund Parker, with their waves, united w ith the church, and\\nseveral ineffectual efforts were made to persuade these gentle-\\nmen and others to accept the office of deacon. In one case, if\\nnot more, the candidate was elected in anticipation of his be-\\ncoming a member of the church. After the installation of Dr.\\nLord as pastor, the objections previously entertained were re-\\nmoved, and Matthias Spalding and David Holmes consented to\\nsferve.\\nDr. Spalding, born at Chelmsford, Mass., June 25, 1769, grad-\\nuated at Harvard college, 1798, commenced practice in Am-\\nherst, 1806, where lie gained a wide reputation as a skilful\\nphysician and surgeon; was elected deacon May 29, 1817, and\\ncontinued in office till his death, May 22, 1865. Through life\\nhe was distinguished for his fine social qualities, gentlemanly\\ndeportment, and steadfast support of religious institutions. In\\ntimes of difficulty he was a good counsellor, and by his consid-\\nerate management was often of great service to the church in", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0083.jp2"}, "84": {"fulltext": "76\\nmainta niui discipline. For a more complete statement of his\\ncharacter, as a citizen, an esteemed and honored member of the\\nmedical profession, and other particulars of his long and useful\\nlife, see Spalding Memorial, pp. 79-83.\\nDavid Holmes, who was elected deacon at the same time?\\nafter a few years, in 1823, resigned his office, as his views of\\nreligious doctrine were not in harmony with the prevailing sen-\\ntiment in the church. He became an active member of the\\nChristian society, and, on his removal from town, settled at\\nLowell, Mass.\\nAmos Elliott, son of Amos, and the second deacon of that\\nname, was elected November 1, 1823. He is represented as a\\nman of slight figure, a skilful musician, fond of books, and often\\nemployed in teaching school. He held the office three years,\\ndying in 1826, at the age of fifty-two. The name and services\\nof the Elliotts, fother and son, are pleasantly associated with\\nthose of Dea. Hartshorn, in the cherished remembrances of the\\nneighborhood in which they lived, generally designated as\\nChristian Hill.\\nEdmund Parker was born at Jafirey, February 7, 1783; grad-\\nuated at Dartmouth college, 1803. Came to Amherst, where\\nhe studied law. Opened a law office in 1807, and soon gained\\ndistinction in his profession. He was a thorougli student of the\\nScriptures, and his life was penetrated and directed by its pre-\\ncepts. Elected deacon May 15, 1832. He retained the office\\nuntil his removal to Nashua in 1836. He is described by Dr.\\nEdward Spalding as a representative man, to whose wisdom\\nand prudence others willingly deferred. In social and public\\nmeetings he was conspicuously active and influential, especially\\nin seasons of unusual religious interest, when his sound judg-\\nment and devout piety made him a true colleague to his pastor,\\nand a paternal helper to those seeking the way of life. Under\\na natural sedateness and gravity of manner, which to a stran-\\nger indicated something of sternness, there glowed a warm and\\ngenerous heart, full of kindly impulses, and ever ready for some\\ngood Avord or work. He loved the society of the young, and\\nin his advanced years retained the playfulness of a boy. Few\\nmen take as much pains as he did to encourage and lend a help-\\ning hand to those beginning the struggle of life. Take him", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0084.jp2"}, "85": {"fulltext": "lor all in all, he filled with rare completeness the measnre of a\\nChristian gentleman s life. He Avasa trustee of Dartmouth\\ncollege from 1828 to 185G. On his removal to Nashua lie was\\nchosen deacon in the Olive Street church, and continued in office\\ntill the time of his death, which occurred at Claremont, while\\non a visit to his daughter, Mrs. Prentiss, September 8, 1856.\\nAbel Downe, born November 2, 1788. Came to Amherst\\nfrom Fitchburg, Mass., about the year 1832. Chosen deacon\\nJanuary 21, 1836, and continued in office till his death, Septem-\\nber 28, 1840. He is described as a man of quiet manners and\\ngenial spirit, a trustworthy citizen and devoted Christian. He\\nwas much esteemed by all who knew him.\\nDavid Fisk, 3d, born at Merrimack, September 12, 1792, was\\nelected deacon Nov. 18, 1836. A man of commanding presence,\\nvigorous mind, and decided oj^inions. He was prompt and true\\nin meeting the calls of duty. He was firm in the expression of\\nhis religious sentiments, but, practically, benevolent and kind.\\nHaving served in this office with an upright and zealous Chris-\\ntian character for twenty-three years, he removed to Nashua\\nin 1860, where he died, after an honored old age, June 22, 1873.\\nFor details of his life, see history of the Fiske family, p. 156.\\nCyrus Eastman, born May 7, 1787, at Concord, of a race dis-\\ntinguished for the substantial qualities of energy, prudence, and\\npiety, was chosen deacon December 30, 1836. Naturally im-\\npulsive, and almost indiffijrent to his own pecuniary advantage,\\nhe was humble and hearty in his devotion to the welfare of the\\nchurch. Averse to strife, he shared his full proportion of all\\nthe burdens of society, fulfilling the duties of his office with\\nreverence and fidelity until the end of his life, December 17,\\n1862. See Farmer s Cabinet, December 25, 1862.\\nAaron Lawrence, born in Hollis, December 3, 1803, was train-\\ned in a store for mercantile pursuits. Tall, but slight in figure,\\nhe was never robust in health. Naturally timid and distrustful,\\nhe persisted, in obedience to the calls of duty, till he acquired\\ncharacter and influence. He united with the church early in\\nlife, and for many years was the only young man in it. He was\\na cordial supporter of the ministry, thoughtful and friendly to\\nthe young and the homeless, generous to the needy, and a\\nliberal patron of all Christian enterprises. Elected deacon", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0085.jp2"}, "86": {"fulltext": "78\\nNovember 2, 1860, He held the office till his death, September\\n1, 1867, when a sermon was preached delineating his character.\\nHis attachment to the church and the town was manifested by\\nvaluable legacies.\\nIn reviewing the names of these officers, it is manifest that\\nthis church has been highly favored in the consistent and trust-\\nworthy character of its deacons. The larger portion of this\\nnumber were men of intelligence and superior understanding,\\nillustrating in their lives the principles of the New Testament.\\nThree fourths of the catalogue attained to an unusual age, con-\\nfirming the declaration of the Psalmist, Those that be plant-\\ned in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our\\nGod. They shall bring forth fruit in old age. They shall be\\nfat and flourishing, to show that the Lord is upright.\\nThe present officers of the church are, Barnabas B. David,\\nelected January 2, 1845 Edward D. Boylston, elected April 12,\\n1860; Charles H. David, elected November 2, 1871.\\nGRADUATES AT COLLEGE FROM AMHERST.\\nAT HAKVAED COLLEGE.\\nNAME.\\nDATE.\\nPROFESSION.\\n*John Wilkins,\\n1774,\\nInstructor.\\n*Jacob Kimball,\\n1788,\\nFarmer.\\n*Charles H. Atherton,\\n1794,\\nLawyer.\\n*Daniel Weston,\\n1795,\\nClergyman.\\n*William Gordon,\\n1806,\\nLawyer.\\n*James F. Dana,\\n1813,\\nPhysician.\\n*Samuel L. Dana,\\n1813,\\nPhysician.\\n*John H. Wilkins,\\n1818,\\nBookseller.\\n*Charles G. Atherton,\\n1822,\\nLawyer.\\n^Stephen R. Holmes,\\n1822,\\nInstructor.\\nDeceased.", "height": "3347", "width": "2084", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0086.jp2"}, "87": {"fulltext": "79\\nAT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE.\\nNAME.\\nDATE.\\nPROFESSION,\\n*Reiiben D. Masscy,\\n1803,\\nPhysician.\\n*Benjamin F. Frencli,\\n1812,\\nLawyer.\\n*Jaines McK. Wilkins,\\n1812,\\nLawyer.\\n*Levi Ilartshonij\\n1813,\\nClergyman.\\nAllen Fisk,\\n1814,\\nInstructor.\\n*Samuel Wliiting,\\n1818,\\nLawyer.\\nCharles F. Elliott,\\n1829,\\nPhysician.\\nEdward Spalding,\\n1833,\\nPhysician.\\nCharles E. Parker,\\n18.34,\\nPhysician.\\nWilliam Read,\\n1839,\\nPhysician.\\n*Ed\\\\vard H. Pratt,\\n1841,\\nPhysician.\\nAlfred Spalding,\\n1843,\\nPhysician.\\nEdward Aiken,\\n1851,\\nPhysician.\\nJohn II. Clark,\\n1857,\\nPhysician.\\n*Cliarles II. Wallace,\\n1857,\\nStudied Law.\\nVaola J. Hartshorn,\\n1860,\\nClergyman.\\nWarren TTphani,\\n1871,\\nCivil Engineer.\\nAT BOWDOIN COLLEGE\\nNAME.\\nDATE.\\nPROFESSION.\\n*Robert Means,\\n1807,\\nLawyer.\\n*William Appleton,\\nLawyer.\\n*James Means,\\n1833,\\nClergyman.\\nAT AMHERST COLLEGE\\nNAME.\\nDATE.\\nPROFESSION.\\nWilliam 0. Baldwin,\\n1851,\\nClergyman.\\nJohn E. Wheeler,\\n1857,\\nClergyman.\\nWm. B. Clark,\\n186.5,\\nBanker.\\nAT WILLIAMS COLLEGE\\nNAME.\\nDATE.\\nPROFESSION,\\nEdward C. David,\\n1850,\\nLawyer,\\nWilliam G. David,\\n1852,\\nPhysician.\\nDeceased.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0087.jp2"}, "88": {"fulltext": "80\\nTlie following documents, from authentic sources, may pos-\\nsess some interest to those who are curious in such matters.\\nS.\\nOn the 16th of March, 1621, the inhabitants of Plymouth, Mass.,\\nwere alarmed at seeing a sturdy Indian walk into their settle-\\nment, and, passing by the houses, go directly where the people\\nwere collected. He saluted them in broken English, and bade\\nthem welcome. He was affable; told them his dwelling was five\\ndays travel from thence, and that he was a sagamore or prince.\\nHe understood the geography of the country; gave an account\\nof the different tribes, their sagamores, and number of men.\\nThey kindly entertained him, and gave him a horseman s coat.\\nHe tarried all night, and received, on going away, a knife, a\\nbracelet, and a ring, and promised in a few days to return again.\\nHe returned, according to promise, and brought five others with\\nhim. They sung and danced, and were very friendly and\\nfamiliar.\\nThe 22d of March Samoset came again, and brought Squande\\nwith him, wlio had been carried to Spain and sold there but,\\nescaping, had made his way to London, and from thence to\\nAmerica. Three others accompanied them, and gave informa-\\ntion that Massasoit, one of the most powerful sagamores of the\\nneighboring Indians, was neai He soon appeared on the top\\nof a hill near by, accompanied by sixty men. Edward Winslow\\nwas sent to treat with him, carrying presents of jewelry, food,\\nand strong water. After receiving the presents, they were\\ndesired to visit the governor, who received them with drum and\\ntrumpet sounding, and other military parade. A green rug and\\nthree or four cushions were spread for the company. The gov-\\nernor kissed the king s hand, and the king his, and both sat\\ndo\\\\vn. Strong water was then given the king, who drank a\\ngreat draught that made him sweat all the while after. Vic-\\ntuals were then set before them. Massasoit at this meeting\\nentered into a formal and very friendly treaty with the English,\\nwherein they agreed to avoid injuries on both sides, to punish\\noffenders, to restore stolen goods, to assist each other in all jus-\\ntifiable wars, to promote peace among their neighbors, c.\\nMassasoit and his successors, for forty years, inviolably ob-", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0088.jp2"}, "89": {"fulltext": "81\\nserved this treaty, and tlie English were mucli indebted to liini\\nfor his friendship.\\nIn 1(362, Alexander, the son and successor of Massasoit, jeal-\\nous of the growing power of the English, invited the Narragan-\\nsetts, a powerful tribe, to join witli him in revolting from the\\nEnglish. Learning this. Gen. Winslow went with ten men and\\nbrought him to Plymouth, where, though he was treated very\\ncivilly, his vexation and madness threw him into a fever, of\\nwhich he died. Ilis brother Philip succeeded him, and renewed\\nthe covenant with the English yet, in 1671, he commenced hos-\\ntilities against them, but was soon subdued, and promised never\\nto begin war again before he had made complaint himself to\\nPlymouth colony.\\nIn 1674 one John Sassamon, an Indian whom the settlers\\nemployed as a missionary to instruct his brethren, informed the\\ngovernor that Philip and several other sachems were plotting\\nthe destruction of the English. Soon after this Sassamon was\\nfound murdered. Three Indians were arrested, tried, convicted,\\nand hung for the murder. Philip, much offended at this, sent\\naway his women, armed his men, and robbed several houses of\\nthe settlers in the vicinity of his own dwelling.\\nJune 24, 1675, the colony observed as a day of humiliation\\nand prayer. As the people of Swanzey were returning from\\npublic worship, the Indians, lying in ambush, fired a volley,\\nkilling one man and wounding another. Two persons who went\\nfor a surgeon were shot, and in another part of the town six\\npersons more were killed.\\nThe war thus commenced raged fiercely through the summer\\nand autumn of that year. Finally the Indians were defeated in\\na fight at Hatfield, and sought shelter on a small piece of dry\\nland, surrounded by a great swamp. There they fortified them-\\nselves as well as they were able, and awaited the onset of the\\nEnglish, which was made December 19, 1675, and resulted in\\nthe total defeat and overthrow of the Indians, probably 1,000\\nof their number being slain, or dying of wounds received in the\\nbattle. The victory was, however, dearly bought by the con-\\nquerors, a large number of whom were slain. Philip escaped,\\nand Avith his remaining warriors did much mischief Finally,\\nbeing closely pursued by the English, he took refuge in a swamp,\\n6", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0089.jp2"}, "90": {"fulltext": "82\\nwhere lie was shot througli the heart by an Indian, Augnst 12,\\n1676. His head was sent to Plymouth, where it was received on\\nthe day they had devoted to solemn thanksgiving.\\nNever, says the historian, has New England seen so dismal a\\nperiod as the war with Philip. About 600 men, the flower of\\nher strength, had fallen in battle. There were few families\\nwho had not lost some near relation. Twelve or thirteen towns\\nhad been utterly destroyed, and others greatly damaged.\\nAbout 600 buildings, chiefly dwelling-houses, had been burned,\\nand a large debt contracted. About every eleventh family had\\nbeen burned out, and an eleventh part of the militia slain. So\\ncostly is the inheritance we have received from our fathers.\\nWith the avowed intention of rewarding the soldiers who\\nserved in this war, coupled probably with the desire to strength-\\nen their claim to the government and soil of New Hampshire,\\nthe general coui-t of Massachusetts, at its session in June, 1728,\\nmade the following grant\\nAt a Great and General Court or Assembly for His Majesty s\\nProvince of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England, Begun and\\nholden at Boston, the 29th day of May, 1728.\\nJune 15, 1728, In the House of Representatives.\\nIn answer to the Petition of the Soldiers that served in the\\nNarraganset War. Resolved, That Major Chandler, Mr. Ed-\\nward Shove, Major Tilestone, and Mr. John Hobson (or any\\nthree of them) be a Committee, fully authorized and empow-\\nered to survey and lay out two tracts of land for townships, of\\nthe contents of six miles square each, in some of the unappro-\\npriated Land of this Province; and that the said lands be\\ngranted and disposed of to the persons, whether Oflicers or Sol-\\ndiers, belonging to this Province, who were in the service of\\ntheir country in the said Narraganset War, or to their lawful\\nRepresentatives, as a reward for their public services and is in\\nfull satisfaction of the Grant formerly made them by the Great\\nand General Court. And forasmuch as it is the full Intent and\\nPurpose of this Court, that every Officer and Soldier should\\nhave a compensation made him over and above what wages and\\no-i-atuities any of them have already received.\\nThat Public Notice be given in the News Letters, and adver-", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0090.jp2"}, "91": {"fulltext": "83\\ntiseraents be posted up in every Town in the Province, notify-\\ning all Persons that now survive and that were in that fight,\\nand the legal Representatives of those deceased, that tliey give\\nor send a list of their names and descents to this Court at their\\nnext fall session and when such list is completed, by a Com-\\nmittee then to be appointed by this Court, the Grantees shall\\nbe obliged to assemble in as short a time as they can conven-\\niently, not exceeding six months, and proceed to the choice of\\na Committee to regulate each Propriety, who shall pass such\\norders and rules as will oblige them effectually to settle sixty\\nfamilies at least in each Township, with a learned Orthodox\\nminister, Avithin the space of seven years from the date of the\\nGrant. PROVIDED, nevertheless. That if said Grantees shall\\nnot effectually settle the said number of families in each Town-\\nship, and also lay out a lot of land for the first settled minis-\\nter, One for the Ministry, and one for the school in each of\\nsaid Townships, they shall have no advantage, but forfeit their\\nsaid Grants, any thing to the contrary herein contained not-\\nwithstanding.\\nExd, pr. Thads. Mason, Dep. Sec y-\\nIn Council read and concurred. Consented to.\\nWilliam Dummer.\\nA true copy. Attest Samuel Kneeland, Clerk.\\nJune 8, 1732.\\nIn the House of Representatives, Voted to allow a further\\ngrant of land to the Officers and Soldiers who were in the Nar-\\nraganset fight, so that every 120 persons whose claims had\\nbeen or should be allowed within four months from that date,\\nshould have a Township of the contents of six miles square; and\\nthat the same Committee, who laid out the two first Townships,\\nshould lay out the remainder at the expense of the Province.\\nConcurred in by the Council, June 9, 1732.\\nJ. Willard, Secy.\\nApr. 20, 1733. Approved, J. BELCHER^ Gov.\\nThe whole number of persons whose claims were allowed,\\nbeing eight hundred and forty, an act was passed June 30, 1732,\\ngranting them 5 additional townships. This act was concurred", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0091.jp2"}, "92": {"fulltext": "84\\nin by the Council, July 4, 1732, and approved by Gov. Belcher,\\nApril 26, 1733.\\nAll the grantees, or their representatives, assembled on Bos-\\nton Common, June 6, 1733, at which time they divided them-\\nselves into seven distinct societies, of 120 persons, each society\\nbeing entitled to one township. Three persons were chosen\\nfrom each society, who, on the 17th of October, 1733, assign-\\ned the several townships among their respective societies. No.\\n3, afterwards called Souhegan West No. 3, was assigned to the\\nSalem Society, which consisted of the following persons\\nSALEM.\\nJohn Harradvvay s heirs,\\nJohn Elwell,\\nJohn Rabson,\\nThomas Putnam,\\nNathaniel Soams,\\nRobert Hutchinson,\\nEzekiel Marsh,\\nWilliam Fuller,\\nJonathan Marsh,\\nJonathan Verry,\\nJoseph Holton,\\nJohn Flynt,\\nSamuel Pickworth s heirs.\\nWilliam Curtis,\\nJohn Trask,\\nThomas Bell,\\nJonathan Lambert,\\nWilliam Osburn,\\nJohn Bullock,\\nJeremiah Neal,\\nJohn Gloyd,\\nHabbakuk Gardner,\\nJohn Abbott,\\nThomas Kency s heirs,\\nEdward Hollis heirs,\\nJoseph Prince,\\nJohn Tarbell s heirs,\\nThomas Larkin,\\nSamiuel Manning s heirs.\\nMARBLEHEAD.\\nWilliam Hind,\\nRichard Shapley,\\nJonathan Wolcott,\\nJoseph Majory,\\nHenry Collins,\\nJohn Newhall,\\nThomas Baker,\\nWilliam Bassett,\\nThomas Martin,\\nJoseph Sweat,\\nJeremiah Getchel.\\nLYNN.\\nSamuel Greaves,\\nSamuel Edmonds,\\nJohn Farrington,\\nMichael Bowden,", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0092.jp2"}, "93": {"fulltext": "85\\nRichard Johnson,\\nWilliam Collins,\\nEbenezor Bunill,\\nBenjamin Potter,\\nJoseph Farr,\\nBenjamin Ramsdell,\\nRuth Driver,\\nSamuel Newhall,\\nJohn Ballard,\\nRichard Moor,\\nJoseph Farr,\\nRobert Rand,\\nEdmond Lewis,\\nSamuel Tarbox s heirs,\\nJonathan Johnson,\\nEbenezer Burrill,\\nTimothy Breed,\\nAndrew Townsend s heirs,\\nJoseph Haven.\\nGLOUCESTER.\\nJacob Row,\\nSamuel Ingersoll,\\nEdw. Harrington,\\nEbenezer Tyler,\\nJames Fry,\\nWilliam Ballard,\\nJohn Press on,\\nJohn Day,\\nSamuel Stevens.\\nANDOVER,\\nJohn Ballard,\\nEbenezer Barker,\\nAndrew Peters,\\nJohn Parker.\\nTOPSriELD.\\nZaccheus Perkins,\\nNathaniel Wood,\\nMoses Pingreese,\\nAbraham Fitts heirs,\\nThomas Davis heirs,\\nElihu Wardwell s heirs,\\nJohn Hutchins heirs,\\nJosiah Clark s heirs,\\nJames Foi d s heirs,\\nSamuel Perkins heirs,\\nJoseph Herrick,\\nJonathan Wilds heirs,\\nSamuel Kneeland,\\nSamuel Kneeland.\\nBEVERLY.\\nThomas Rayment,\\nRalph Elinwood,\\nHenry Bayley,\\nChristopher Reed,\\nLot Conant,\\nThomas Blackfield,\\nAndrew Dodge,\\nJoseph Morgan,\\nWilliam Dodge s heirs,\\nJohn Dodge s heirs,\\nJonathan Byells,\\nWilliam Payment s heirs,\\nJoseph Pickett,\\nSamuel Harris heirs.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0093.jp2"}, "94": {"fulltext": "86\\nWENHAM.\\nThomas Abbott,\\nElizabeth Fowler,\\nJohn Batchelder,\\nWilliam Rogers,\\nThomas Perkins.\\nBOXFOED.\\nStephen Peabocly,\\nJames Curtis,\\nJohn Bowtell,\\nJoseph Hatch,\\nJohn Andrews,\\nJohn Bixbe.\\nBEADFOED.\\nIchabod Boynton.\\nSCARBOEOUGH.\\nJohn Harmon.\\nEEADIXG.\\nThomas Bancroft.\\nTOEK.\\nDenison Sargent.\\nFALMOUTH.\\nPhilip Dexter.\\nCHATHAM.\\nRobert Nicholson.\\nThe first meeting of the grantees of IsTarraganset No. 3, or\\nSouhegan West, was held at Salem village, now Danvers, July\\n17, 1734 and their first meeting within the limits of the town-\\nship was held at the meeting-house, January 30, 1745.\\nThe first settlement of the town was probably made in the\\nspring of 1735, by Samuel Walton and Samuel Lampson, on\\nthe place now occupied by Mr. Bryant Melendy. Walton died\\nin Amherst. None of his descendants remain here. Lampson\\ndied in Billei-ica, but his children remained in Amherst, where\\nsome of their descendants still reside.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0094.jp2"}, "95": {"fulltext": "87\\nCHARTER OF AMHERST\u00e2\u0080\u0094 1760.\\nPnOVIXCE OP NEW HAMPSHIRE.\\nGeorge the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain,\\nFrance, and Ireland, King, Defender of Faith\\nTo all to whom these Presents shall come. Greeting.\\nWhereas our Loyal subjects, Inliabitants of a Tract of Land\\nwithin our Province of New Hampshire, known by the name of\\nSouhegan West, on the western side of Merrimac, have humbly\\npetitioned and requested us that they may be erected and In-\\ncorporated into a Township, and Infranchised with the same\\npowers and priveleges wliich other Towns within our said Prov-\\nince by law have and enjoy. And it appearing to us to be con-\\nducive to the general good of our said Province, as well as of\\nthe said Inhabitants in particular, by maintaining good order\\nand encouraging the culture of the land, that the same should\\nbe done. Know Ye, therefore, that We, of our special Grace,\\ncertain knowledge, and for the encouragement and promoting\\nof the good ends aforesaid, By and with the advice of our trusty\\nand well beloved Benning Wentworth, Esq., our Governor and\\nCommander-in-chief, and of our Council for said province of\\nNew Hampshire, Have erected and ordained, and by these Pres-\\nents for us, our heirs and successors, Do Will and ordain that\\nthe Inhabitants of the Tract of land aforesaid, and who shall\\ninhabit and improve thereon hereafter, the same being Butted\\nand Bounded as follows Viz., Beginning at Souhegan River;\\nthence running North, 1 degree West, on the townships of Mer-\\nrimac and Bedford, six miles thence running west on Bedford\\nand a tract of land called New Boston, six miles thence South\\nabout five miles and a half to Souhegan River aforesaid thence\\nby said River to the place where it began Be, and hereby are,\\ndeclared and ordained to be a Town Corporate, and are hereby\\nerected and Incorporated into a body Politic and Corporate, to\\nto have continuance until the first of January, 1762, by the\\nname of Amherst, with all the Powers and Authorities, Privi-\\nleges, Immunities, and Franchises which any other Towns iu", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0095.jp2"}, "96": {"fulltext": "88\\nsaid Province, by Law, hold and enjoy to the said inhabitants,\\nor who shall hereafter inhabit there, and their successors, for\\nsaid terra, always reserving to us, our Heirs and Successors, all\\nWhite Pine trees that are, or shall be found growing, and being\\non said tract of land lit for the use of our Royal Navy Reserv-\\ning also to us, our Heirs and successors, the power and the right\\nof dividing said town, when it shall appear necessary and con-\\nvenient to the Inhabitants thereof. Provided, nevertheless, and\\nit is hereby declared, that this Charter and Grant is not intend-\\ned, and shall not in any manner be construed to extend to, or\\naffect the Private Property of the soil within the limits afore-\\nsaid. And as the several towns within our said Province afore-\\nsaid are by the laws thereof enabled and authorized to assemble,\\nand by the majority of voters present to choose all such officers,\\nand transact such affairs as in the said laws are declared. We do,\\nby these presents, nominate and appoint Lieut. Col. John Goffe\\nto call the first meeting of said Inhabitants, to be held within\\nsaid town, at any time within forty days from the date hereof,\\ngiving legal notice of the Time and design of holding such\\nmeeting. After which the annual meeting in said Town shall\\nbe held, for the choice of Officers and the purposes aforesaid, on\\nthe second Monday in March annually.\\nIn testimony whereof we have caused the Seal of our Prov-\\nince to be hereunto affixed.\\nWitness Benning Wentworth, Esquire, our Governor and\\nCommander-in-Chief of our said Province, the eighteenth day\\nof January, in the Thirty-Third year of our Reign, and in the\\nYear of our Lord Christ, One thousand and seven hundred and\\nsixty.\\nBENNING WENTWORTH.\\nBy his Excellency s command, Avith advice of Council.\\nTheodore Atkixsoj^, Secy.\\nProvince of New Hampsliire,\\nRecorded in the Book of Charters, page 212 and 213, this\\n19th day of January, 17G0. pr.\\nTHEODORE ATKINSON, Secy.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0096.jp2"}, "97": {"fulltext": "89\\nWARRANT FOR THE FIRST TOWN-MEETING.\\nFROM THE TOWX RECORDS.\\nProvince of New Hampshire, January 21, 1760.\\nNotice is hei eby given to all Persons Inhabiting that tract of\\nLand formerly known by the name of Souhegan West, or Nar-\\nraganset No. 3, that Whereas it has pleased his Excellency Gov.\\nWentworth, with the advice of the Council of this Province,\\nto Incorporate the tract of land with the Inhabitants into a\\nTownship by the name of Amherst, and as it has pleased the\\nsaid Governor and Council to nominate and appoint me, the\\nsubscriber, to call the first meeting for the choice of Town Ofii-\\ncers.\\nThese are, therefore, to Warn all the freeholders and other\\nInhabitants of said tract of Land now in the Town of Am-\\nherst, that they meet at the Meeting House in said town upon\\nWednesday, the Twentieth day of February next, at ten of the\\nclock in the forenoon: To first, hear the Charter read; second,\\nTo choose all Town Officers for the Year ensuing, and till the\\nsecond Tuesday of March in the Year 1761, as other Towns\\nwithin this Province do.\\nGiven under my hand this day and year above written.\\nJOHN GOFFE.\\nRECORD OF THE FIRST TOWN-MEETING.\\nProvince of New Hampshire, February the 20th, 1760.\\nBy virtue of a Charter, Granted by the Governor and Coun-\\ncil of said Province, incorporating the tract of land, with the\\ninhabitants of it, formerly known by the name of Souhegan\\nWest, into a town by the name of Amherst, and appointing\\nLieut. Col. John Gofie to call the first meeting for the choosing\\nTown Officers for the ensuing year, by virtue of said charter I\\nhave called a meeting this twentieth day of February, 1760.\\nUpon said day the Inhabitants universally met, then without\\none contrary vote made choice of Solomon Hutchinson for\\nTown Clerk, who was immediately sworn to the faithful execu-\\ntion of that office.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0097.jp2"}, "98": {"fulltext": "90\\nVoted, Col. John Gofle Moderator for said Meeting.\\nVoted, that the Charter is accepted.\\nVoted, that there shall be five Selectmen for the present year.\\nVoted, that these shall be Selectmen Solomon Hutchinson,\\nWilliam Bradford, Reuben Mussey, Reuben Gould, Thomas\\nClark.\\nVoted, a Committee to examine the towns accounts William\\nLancy, Benjamin Taylor, Thomas Wakefield.\\nTythingmen, David Hartshorn, Nathan Kendall.\\nVoted, that the Selectmen be fence-viewers.\\nClerk of the market, Thomas Wakefield.\\nDeer keepers, Joseph Steel, Joseph Prince, Will Lancy.\\nField drivers, Nathan Fuller, Ebenezer Weston, Jr., James\\nSeetown, James Rollins.\\nConstables, Ebenezer Weston, Joshua Abbott.\\nSurveyors of Highways, James Seetown, Ephraim Abbott,\\nSamuel Stewart, Andrew Bradford, Will Lancy.\\nVoted, that the Selectmen shall be overseers of the poor for\\nthe present year.\\nVoted, Surveyor of lumber John Shepard, Jr.\\nThese ofticers were sworn on said day to their several offices\\nby John Gofie, Esq.\\nASSOCIATION TEST OF 1776.\\nCopied from the original in the office of the Secretary of State,\\nConcord, JV. IT.\\nTO TUE SELECTMEN OF AMHERST.\\nIn Committee of Safety, April 12, 1776.\\nIn order to carry the underwritten Resolves of the Hon ble\\nContinental Congress into execution. You are I equested to\\ndesire all males above Twenty One years of age (Lunaticks, Id-\\niots, and Negroes excepted) to sign the declaration on this\\npaper: and when so done, to make return hereof, together with\\nthe name or names of all who shall refuse to sign the same, to\\nthe General Assembly or Committee of Safety of this Colony.\\nM. WEARE, Chairman.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0098.jp2"}, "99": {"fulltext": "91\\nIn Congress, Maicli 14, 1776.\\nResolvecl, that it be recommended to the several assemblies,\\nConventions, and Councils, or Committees of Safety of the\\nUnited Colonies, immediately to cause all persons to be dis-\\narmed within their Respective Colonies, who are notoriously\\ndisaffected to the cause of America, or Avho have not associated,\\nand refuse to associate, to defend by arms, the United Colonies\\nagainst the hostile attempts of the British fleets and armies.\\nExtract from the minutes.\\nCHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.\\nIn consequence of the above resolution of the Hon. Conti-\\nnental Congress, and to show our determination in joining our\\nAmerican brethren in defending the Lives, Liberties, Properties\\nof the Inhabitants of the United Colonies\\nWe, the Subscribers, do liereby engage and promise, that we\\nwill, to the utmost of our power, at the risque of our Lives and\\nFortunes, with arms, oppose the Hostile ])roceedings of the\\nBritish Fleets and Armies, against the United American Colonies.\\nNahum Baldwin,\\nMoses Nichols,\\nWilliam Bradford,\\nJosiah Crosby,\\nPeter Woodbury,\\nThomas Burns,\\nRobert Means,\\nNathan Jones,\\nJoseph Boutel,\\nTimothy Smith,\\nThomas Carell,\\nEphraim Hildreth,\\nNathan Kendal,\\nBenjamin Day,\\nReuben Boutel,\\nEbenezer Kea,\\nKendal Boutwel,\\nOliver Carlton,\\nHezekiah Lovejoy,\\nEnos Bradford,\\nHenry Codraan,\\nPeter Robinson,\\nJona. Smith,\\nJohn Burns,\\nStephen Washer,\\nSamuel Harris,\\nDavid Hildreth,\\nEphraim Barker,\\nRobert Reade,\\nSamuel Hall,\\nArchelaus Towne,\\nDarius Abbott,\\nJoseph Gould,\\nJona, Sawyer,\\nSamson Crosby,\\nHenry Kimball,\\nWilliam Low,\\nSamuel Stanley,\\nJona. Grimes,\\nAmos Flint,\\nWilliam Read,\\nJoseph Steel,\\nWilliam Odell,\\nNathan Fuller,\\nJohn Dunklee,\\nAmos Green,\\nJames Hartshorn,\\nJohn Washer,\\nDavid Green,\\nPhineas Upham,\\nNathl. Barrett, [Jr., John Shepard, Jun.\\nNathan Hutchinson, Simpson Steward,\\nJohn Grines, Samuel Sterns?\\nIsrael Towne, Jun., Dimond Mussey,\\nWilliam Taylor, Moses Barron,", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0099.jp2"}, "100": {"fulltext": "92\\nThomas Towne,\\nDaniel Stephens,\\nJames Seeton,\\nBenjamin Hopkins,\\nJacob Curtice,\\nJacob Curtice, Ji\\nJonathan Taylor,\\nJosiah Dodge,\\nWilliam Codman,\\nSilas Curamings,\\nThomas McAlester,\\nJoseph Steel Jun.,\\nTimothy Nichols,\\nBenj. Hopkins, Jr.\\nEben r Hopkins,\\nJohn Burns,\\nBenj. Hartshorn,\\nJohn Seaton,\\nWillm. Wilkins,\\nFrancis Lovejoy,\\nJohn Cochran,\\nJames Gillmore,\\nJosiah Sawyer, Jr.,\\nJon a. Twiss,\\nRichard Hughes,\\nJohn Hartshorn,\\nNathan Jones, Jun.,\\nAmos Flint, Jun.,\\nSaml. Stratton,\\nNathan Hutchinson,\\nJohn Averill,\\nWilliam Lamson,\\nJohn Cole,\\nIsaac Weston,\\nNathan Cole,\\nThomas Towne,\\nJoshua Wright,\\nJoshua Wilkins,\\nThomas Clarke,\\nJona. Lund,\\nIsaac Wright,\\nBenj. Kendrick,\\nJosiah Kidder,\\nWilliam Peacock,\\nJoseph Pierce,\\nDavid Duncklee,\\nJohn Kendall, Jun.,\\nIsaac How,\\nJacob Blodgett,\\nAdam Patterson,\\nJosiah Sawyer,\\nGeorge Burns,\\nJohn Burns, Jun.,\\nJoseph Rollings,\\nIsaac Holt,\\nJoseph Cogin,\\nJohn Roby,\\nJohn Twiss,\\nJames McKean,\\nThos. Wakefield, Jr\\nEbenr. Holt, Jun.,\\nJona. Lamson,\\nEphraim Abbot,\\nMoses Kimball,\\nSamuel Taylor,\\nAllen Good ridge,\\nThos. Averill, Jun.,\\nFrancis Elliott,\\nElisha Felton,\\nRichard Ward,\\nNathl. Haseltine,\\nStephen Farnum,\\nWilliam Wallace,\\nPeter C. Parker,\\nAndrew Bradford,\\nStephen Burnham,\\nAbner Hutchinson,\\nDavid Truel\\nBenj. Merrill,\\nJonathan Lyon,\\nWilliam Hogg,\\nJohn Mitchell,\\nJohn Lovejoy,\\nJacob Lovejoy,\\nJacob Hildreth,\\nSamuel Henry,\\nJohn Patterson,\\nJoseph Prince, Junr.,\\nWilliam Fisk, Jr.,\\nWilliam Fisk,\\nBarthl. Dodge,\\nWilliam Small,\\nJoseph Small,\\nWilliam Small, Jun.,\\nEben Hutchinson,\\nJohn Harwood,\\nJohn Tuck,\\nWillm, Peabody, Jr.,\\n.,Jona. Wilkins, Jun.,\\nJohn Seccombe,\\nJacob Standly,\\nWillm, Peabody,\\nJoseph Boutwel,\\nReuben Holt,\\nMichael Keef,\\nJoseph Prince,\\nAbijah Wilkins,\\nThomas Weston,\\nJacob Smith,\\nEzekiel Upton,\\nNathan Cleaves,\\nJoel Howe,\\nStephen Peabody,\\nWillm. Odell, Jun.,\\nEbenr. Temple,\\nEphraim French,\\nBenjamin Dodge,", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0100.jp2"}, "101": {"fulltext": "93\\nLemuel Winchester, Israel Towne,\\nDaniel Smitli,\\nIsaac Smitli,\\nNathan Flint,\\nJohn Damon,\\nJames Woodbury,\\nBenj. Temple,\\nJoseph Langdell,\\nJames Gajro,\\nWillm. Mellendy, Jr.,\\nEbcnr. Weston,\\nRichard Gould,\\nSaml. Blasdell,\\nSolomon Kittredge,\\nTimothy Hill,\\nJohn Wilkiiis.\\nJohn Bradford,\\nJoseph Dunkley,\\nEbenr. Averill,\\nElisha Hutchinson,\\nJoseph Farnum,\\nAmos Stickney,\\nJoseph Wallace,\\nTo the Hou ble The Committee of Safety, For the State of\\nNew Hampshire, or the General Assembly thereof:\\nPursuant to the Eequest on this paper, from the Committee\\nof Safety to us directed, we have invited those Persons therein\\nnamed to sign the Declaration on this paper, and all that have\\nseen it have signed it except Joshua Atherton, Esq., Mr. Daniel\\nCampbell, Mr. Samuel Dodge, and Col. John Shepard.\\nTHOMAS WAKEFIELD, 1\\nREUBEN MUSSEY, 1^ Selectmen.\\nSAMUEL WILKINS, J\\nIt will be remembered that at the time this paper was signed\\nmany of the young, active men of the town were in the army,\\ndoing what the signers pledged themselves to do hence their\\nnames do not appear on this paper.\\nCOMMITTEES OF SAFETY CHOSEN BY THE TOWN\\nDURING THE REVOLUTION.\\n1776 Josiah Crosby,\\nWilliam Bradford,\\nPeter Woodbury,\\nThomas Burns,\\nRobert Means.\\n1777 Hezekiah Lovejoy,\\nStephen Peabody,\\nNathaniel Howard,\\nJosiah Crosby,\\nJohn Bradford.\\n177\u00c2\u00a7 John Bradford,\\nJohn Seaton,\\nHezekiah Lovejoy,\\nOliver Carlton,\\nTimothy Smith.\\n1779_John Bradford,\\nOliver Carlton,\\nHezekiah Lovejoy,\\nJames Hartshorn.\\n1780\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Robert Means,\\nHezekiah Lovejoy,\\nAmos Flint.\\n1781 James Woodbury,\\nWilliam Peabody,\\nWilliam Hogg,\\nWillinm Bradford, Jr,", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0101.jp2"}, "102": {"fulltext": "94\\nThe articles of confederation between the several colonies\\nwere agreed to by by the citizens of Amherst at a town-meeting,\\nheld January 27, 1778.\\nPOPULATION OP AMHERST.\\nMay 13, 1747. Thirty-five families, fifty-eight men above\\nsixteen years old. Whole population about two hundred and\\ntwenty-five.\\nIn a census taken in 1767, the population is classified as\\nfollows\\nBoys, from 16 years old and under, 200\\nUnmarried men between 16 and 60 years, 63\\nMarried men 185\\nMen above 60 years, 17\\nUnmarried females, 270\\nMarried females, 147\\nWidows, 18\\nSlaves males, 6 females, 2, 8\\nMales, 421 females, 437; total, 858\\nSeptember 13, 1770, a portion of Monson, containing about\\neight thousand three hundred acres, with the inhabitants thereon,\\nwas annexed to Amherst.\\nIn 1775 the population, as shown by a census taken by order\\nof the state authorities, was 1,428. The original returns of\\nthis census are missing.\\nIn 1790 the population by the U. S. census was 2,369.\\nJanuary 11, 1794, Milford was incorporated: the south-west\\nparish, containing about 80 families, became apart of that town.\\nIn 1800, by the U. S. census, the population of the first parish\\nwas 1470 of the north-west parish, 680 total, 2,150,\\nDecember 15, 1803, the town of Mont Vernon, containing about\\n700 inhabitants, taken wholly from Amherst, was incorporated.\\n1810 United States census, 1,554\\n1820\u00e2\u0080\u0094 1,623\\n1830\u00e2\u0080\u0094 1,657\\n1840\u00e2\u0080\u0094 1,565\\n1850\u00e2\u0080\u0094 1,613\\nI860\u00e2\u0080\u0094 1,508\\n1870\u00e2\u0080\u0094 1,353", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0102.jp2"}, "103": {"fulltext": "OUR FATHERS THEIR FAITH AND\\nTHEIR PRACTICE:\\nTERI|1T0RI/L HISTOI|Y OF THE FIP^ST PAI|ISH,\\nAND AN ACCOITMT OF THK\\nFIRST CHURCH IN MILFORD, FORMERLY\\nAMHERST.\\nBY WILLIAM B. TOWNE,\\nAfter God had carried us safe to New England, and we had\\nbudded our houses, provided necessaries for our Hvehhood, reared\\nconvenient places for God s worship, and settled the civil gov-\\nernment, one of the next things Ave longed for and looked after\\nwas to advance learning, and perpetuate it to posterity* Such\\nwas the polity of the early settlers. With a country poor, and\\nthe people few in number, we find a collegef established, and\\n\u00e2\u0099\u00a6New England s First Fruits, London, 1643. Mass. Hist. Coll. I, p. 242.\\nt In the autumn of 1636, only six years from the first settlement of the Massachusetta\\ncolony, the General Court voted \u00c2\u00a3400, equal to a tax for one year upon the entire set-\\ntlement, towards the erection of a public school or college, of which \u00c2\u00a3200 was to be paid\\nthe next year, and X200 when the work was finished. In 1638 the Rev. John Harvard, a\\nconsumptive, who had been in the country a year or two, died, leaving \u00c2\u00a3779 17s. 2d., one\\nhalfof his estate, and his entire library, consisting of three hundred and twenty vol-\\numes, towards the erection of a college. In that day of small things this bequest was\\na large sum, and in March, 16-3!), it was ordered that the college should be called Harvard\\ncollege, in honor of its benefactor. The first person who had charge of the institution\\nwas Nathaniel Eaton\u00e2\u0080\u0094 a very unfortunate appointment. He was accused of ill-treating\\nthe students, of giving them bad and scanty diet, of exercising inhuman severities\\ntowards them, and of beating his usher, Nathaniel Briscoe, in a most barbarous man-\\nner. As a result, the court dismissed him from ofiice, fined him one hundred marlts\\n(\u00c2\u00a366 13s. 4d.), and ordered him to pay \u00c2\u00a330 to Briscoe. He was then excommunicated by\\nthe church at Cambridge, soon after which he wen t to Virginia, from tlience to England,\\nwhere he became a violent persecutor of the Nonconformists, was at length committed\\nto prison for debt, and there ended his days. But this misfortune neitlier checked the\\nzeal nor dampened the ardor of the earnest men who Lad the work in charge. Pierce s\\nHistory of Harvard University.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0103.jp2"}, "104": {"fulltext": "96\\na little later, an enactment to the end that learning may not\\nbe buried in the graves of our forefathers, every township, after\\nthe Lord hath increased them to the number of fifty house-\\nholders, shall appoint one to teach all children to write and\\nread and where any town shall increase to the number of one\\nhundred families, they shall set up a Grammer school, the\\nmasters thereof being able to instruct youth, so far as they may\\nbe fitted for the University. Here we have a distinct recog-\\nnition of the idea of education for the whole people. In these\\nmeasures, says the historian,! especially in the laws establish-\\ning common schools, lies the secret of the success and character\\nof New England. Every child, as it was born into the world,\\nwas lifted from the earth by the genius of the country, and in\\nthe statutes of the land received, as its birthright, a pledge of\\nthe public care of its morals and its mind.\\nWithin thirty years of their settlement we find this people\\nsurveying land, and laying out farms in the valley of the Souhe-\\ngan, regarding it as within their province. And such a conclusion\\nwas not strange. Gosnold, Pring, Waymouth,$ and Smith,\\nof Virginia fame, an escaped Turkish slave, whose life seems\\nto have belonged more to a mythical age than to that century,\\nwith others of less celebrity in the mother country, had explored\\nthe coast, its bays and its rivers but of the interior but little\\nColonial Laws 74, 186.\\nt Bancroft s History of the United States, vol. 1, p. 459.\\nJ Waymouth entered the Penobscot or Kennebec river, and in a shallop, brought in\\npieces out of England, ascended not much less than three score miles, and kidnapped\\nand carried away five of the natives. One, standing before, carried our box of mer-\\nchandise, as we were wont when I went to traftic with them, and a platter of pease,\\nwhich meat they loved but before we were landed, one of them, being so suspiciously\\nfearful of his own good, withdrew himself into the wood. The other two met us on\\nthe shore side to receive the pease, with whom we went up the cliff to their fire, and\\nsat down with them; and while we were discussing how to catch the third man that\\nwas gone, I opened the box and shew them trifles to exchange, thinking thereby to\\nhave banished fear from the other, and draw him to return. But when we could not\\nwe used little delay, but suddenly laid hands upon them, and it was as much as five or\\nsix of us could do to get them into the light horseman (boat); for they were strong, and\\nso naked as our best hold was by their long hair on their heads. Mass. Hist. Coll.,\\nvol. 28, p. 144-5.\\nII Smith made a rude map of the coast, superior, perhaps, to any that had preceded it,\\nand was the first to give the country the name of New England. He declared that\\ntruth was more than wealth, and industrious subjects more available to a king than\\ngold.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0104.jp2"}, "105": {"fulltext": "97\\nwas known. The marvellous accounts of the cx})lorcrs, and the\\nreligious condition of the country favored colonization and be-\\ntween 10 21 and 1681, including both years, there were not less\\nthan twenty charters granted for the purpose of settlement or\\ncommerce on the coast of New England* The grant of Capt.\\nJohn Mason, in UV22, extended on the coast from where the wa-\\nters of the Naumkeag discharge themselves into the ocean to\\nthe river Merrimack, extending inland to the sources of these\\nstreams. The same year Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges\\nobtained a grant from the Merrimack to the Kennebec river,\\nbounded by the ocean, and extending back to the great river of\\nCanada. In 1028 Sir Henry Roswell and others received a grant,\\nin width from three miles north of the Merrimack river to\\nthree miles south of the Charles, bounded on the Atlantic, and\\nextending back to the western ocean and it was under this\\ngrant that the Massachusetts settlers held their possessions.\\nThe next year, 1G20, John Mason received a grant extending\\nfrom the middle of Piscataqua river and up the same to the\\nflirthest head thereof, and from thence north-westward, until six-\\nty miles from the mouth of the harbor were finished also\\nthrough Merrimack river to the flirthest head thereof, and so\\nforward u}) into the land westward until sixty miles were fin-\\nished and from thence to cross overland to the end of the sixty\\nmiles accounted from the Piscataqua river together with all\\nislands within five leagues of the coast. f Now it is obvious\\nthat grants so profuse and inconsistent could not all stand, and\\nout of the two last mentioned grew the controversy between\\nNew Hampshire and Massachusetts, which lasted nearly a cen-\\ntury, and was renowned for its acrimony and bitterness. A\\ngeneration passed away, a new generation took it up, and thus\\nit was carried along till terminated by royal authority. I have\\nalready stated that within thirty years of their arrival the in-\\nhabitants of the Massachusetts colony were surveying land and\\nlaying out farms in the valley of the Souhegan. Within the\\nperiod mentioned, settlements had extended up to Groton and\\nChelmsford. From 1655 to 1665 the country was at peace with\\n\u00e2\u0099\u00a6Palfrey s History of New England, vol. 1, pp. 397-8.\\nt Farmer s editiou of Belknap, p. 8.\\n7", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0105.jp2"}, "106": {"fulltext": "98\\nthe aborigines, and the tide of popvilation rolled onward rapidly.\\nIn addition to those on the Souhegan, grants were made on both\\nsides of the Merrimack river, on the Nashua rivei on Salmon\\nbrook, on Penicliuck pond, on Penichuck brook, and in other\\nlocalities, and, with their continuance, the grantees, and those\\nwho desired to settle on the farms granted, felt the need of the\\nprivileges and immunities of an incorporated township. In ac-\\ncordance tlierewith, in 1673, they petitioned the General Court\\nand were incorporated, the township being named Dunstable,*\\nand deriving its name from Dunstable in England, some of the\\nproprietors being from that place. It must have been some-\\nthing like fifteen miles from its eastern to its western boundary,\\nand more than twelve miles from its northern to its southern, as\\nit embraced the city of Nashua, the towns of Hudson, Hollis,\\nTyngsborough, all of Amherst that lies south of the Souhegan,\\nall of Milford on the same side of that river, except a strip a\\nmile in width on the west side of the town, contiguous to the\\ntowns of Wilton and Mason, all of Merrimack on the same side\\nof the same river, most of the town of Litchfield, and portions\\nof the towns of Londonderry, Pelham, Brookline, Pepj)erell,\\nand ToAvnsend. At this time the north-western corner of the\\ncounty of Middlesex, Massachusetts, was on the south bank of\\nthe Souhegan river, a few rods below the bridge recently erected\\neast of the Pine Valley Corporation, and the county maintained\\nits jurisdiction till 1741, when the boundary line between\\nMassachusetts and New Hampshire was determined, severing\\nDunstable, and bringing about two thirds of the township\\n*The following year the plantation was surveyed and its boundaries were as lollows:\\nIt lieth upon both sides Merrimack river on the Nashua river. It is bounded on the\\nsouth by Chelmsford, by Groton line, and partly by country land. The westerly line runs\\ndue north until you come to Souhegan river, to a hill called Dram-cup hill, to a great\\npine near to the said river at the north-west corner of Charlestown school farm, bound-\\ned by Souhegan river on the north and on the east side of the Merrimack it begins at\\na great stone which was supposed to be near the north-east corner of Mr. Brenton s\\nfarm, and from thence it runs south-south-east six miles to a pine tree marked F, stand,\\ning within sight of Beaver brook; thence it runs two degrees west of south four miles\\nand a quarter, which reached to the south side of Henry Kimball s farm at Jeremie s\\nhill thence from the south-east angle of said farm it runs two degrees and a quarter\\nwestward of the south near to the head of the long pond which lieth at the head of\\nEdward Colburn s farm. And thus it is bounded by the said pond and the head of said\\nColburn s farm, taking in Captain Scarlett s farm so as to close again; all of which is\\nsufficiently bounded and described.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Proprietor s Records.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0106.jp2"}, "107": {"fulltext": "99\\nwithin the jurisdiction of New Hnmpshii-c. Tliis wns very dis-\\ntasteful to many; nevertheless, with the settlement of the prov-\\nince line there was an improved condition of things.\\nConfidence was strengthened, the tide of settlers moved on-\\nward, real property was in demand, and with the increase of\\npopulation petitions were numerous for a division of the New\\nHampshire part of old Dunstable. Accordingly, in April, 1746,\\nthe legislature of New Hampshire divided it, incorporating the\\nnew town of Dunstable,* also Ilollis, Merrimack, and\\nMONSON.\\nThis last named town embraced within its limits most of the\\npresent populous part of Milford on the south side of the Souhe-\\ngan river, all of Amherst on the same side of that river, and a por-\\ntion of the north-west part of Hollis. Col. Joseph Blanchardf\\nwas authorized to call the first meeting of the inhabitants, which\\nwas held May 1, only thirty days after the date of the act of in-\\ncorporation. At a subsequent meeting, held on the 27th of the\\nsame month. Col. Joseph Blancliard, James Wheeler, and Rob-\\nert Colburn were chosen a committee to make the bound be-\\ntween the town of Hollis and the town of IMonson. At the\\nsame meeting it was also voted that there be a pound created\\nand built near to the house of William Nevins upon the most\\nconvenient piece of ground. The following petition from the\\ninhabitants was presented to the general assembly of New\\nHampshire, under date of May 13, 1747. The petition of the\\ninhabitants of the town of Monson, hereto subscribers, humbly\\n*In 1837 thfi name was changed to Nashua. In 1842 the town was divided, and the\\nnorth portion incorporated by the name of Nashville. In 1853 Masliville and Nashua\\nwere consolidated and chartered as tlie city of Nashua.\\nt Col. Joseph Blanchard was son of Capt. Joseph and Abiah (Hassell) Blanchard; was\\nborn at Dunstable Feb. 11, 1704; married Rebecca Hubbard; was an accomplished land\\nsurveyor, and for several years was agent of the Masonian ])ropiietors; was in 1740, by\\nmandamus, appointed one of the councillors of New Hampshire, which position lie sus-\\ntained till his death; commanded a regiment in the French war, and was in 1755 sta-\\ntioned at Fort Edward, AVashington county. New Vork, one company of his command\\nbeing the famous Kogers rangers; was also judge of the superior court from 1749 to 1758.\\nHedied April 7, 175S, and his widow April 17, 1774. They had thirteen children, among\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0whom was Augustus nianchard, Esq., who died in Milford in 1801J, having been clerk of\\nthe south-west parish ten years, town clerk for the first ten years alter the town was in-\\ncorporated, and a representative of the town to the general court.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0107.jp2"}, "108": {"fulltext": "100\\nsliGweth, that the said town is Litely begun to settle, and but\\nabout fifteen fixmilies there that they are one of the frontier\\ntowns west of Merrimack river, and the most northerly one al-\\nready incorporated lying between Hollis and the new plantation\\ncalled Souhegan West; that could we be assisted by soldiers,\\nsuch competent number as might enable us to defend ourselves,\\nshall cheerfully endeavor to stay there, by which we shall serve\\nas a barrier in part to Hollis, Merrimack, and Dunstable that\\nthe last year we were favored by soldiers from Massachusetts*\\nthat prevented 0)u- drawing off; tliat should the war be pur-\\nsued by the enemy as vigorously as last year (unless we are\\nfavored by some assistance from the government), we humbly\\napprehend it would be too great presumption to venture our-\\nselves and families there that it will be very ruinous to your\\npetitioners to leave their settlements and the frontier widened,\\nand for a necessary defence will require a greater number of\\nsoldiers than to assist its there. Wherefore your petitioners\\npray that a guard for two garrisons and a small scout on our\\nfront may be granted to us. James Wheeler, William Nevens,\\nWilliam Colburn, Robert Colburn, Jonathan Taylor, Samuel Le-\\nman, Samuel Leman, jr., Abraham Leman, Thomas Nevens,\\nBenjamin Hopkins, Isaac Farwell, Stephen Haselton, John\\nBurns, Thomas Murdow.\\nUpon the foregoing petition, and a similar one from Souhegan\\nWest, the assembly gave orders for enlisting or impressing fif-\\nteen good effective men, under proper officers, to scout and\\nguard Souhegan West and Monson till the twenty-third day of\\nOctober next if need be, and that said men be shifted once a\\nmonth.\\nIn 174S,. Dunstable, Merrimack, Hollis, Nottingham, and Mon-\\nson united in the choice of a representative to the general as-\\nsembly, the session to be holden at Portsmouth on the third day\\nof the next January. The town this year voted to raise \u00c2\u00a360\\nold tenor for the use of highways, one half to be done in June,\\nat twenty shillings per day for a man and eight shillings per day\\n*It seems from the tenor of this petition that Massacliusetts granted military aid to\\nthis infant settlement five years after it had been adjudged within the jurisdiction of\\nNew Hampshire.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0108.jp2"}, "109": {"fulltext": "101\\nfor n pair of oxen tlie other half to be done in September, at\\nfifteen shillings per day for n man, and the same price as in June\\nfor a pair of oxen.\\nIn 1749 the annual meeting was at the house of Mr. Thomas\\nNevins. The fifth article in the warrant was to see if the town\\nwill agree to tax the lands within the whole township for the\\nuse of preaching. At the meeting the town voted to dismiss\\nthis article. At the same meeting a road two rods wide\\nwas laid out from opposite Souhegan bridge, commonly called\\nLyon s bridge,* up the river through the farms of Madam Tall-\\ner, Col. Joseph Blanchard, Benjamin Hopkins, and others. f\\n1750. At the annual meeting this yeai Benjamin Hopkins,\\nRobert Colburn, and Nathan Hutchinson were chosen a com-\\nmittee to adjust the boundary line between Monson and Hollis,\\nand the town again declined to tax the lands within the whole\\ntownship for the support of preaching.\\n1751. Voted that the road from Nathan Hutchinson s land\\nto Mr. Hopkins house be discontinued, or shut up for a time,\\nwithout the inhabitants please to put up good gates or good\\nhandy bars.\\n1753. At the annual meeting this year the second article in\\nthe warrant was to see if the town would raise a sum of money\\nfor a school the third, to see if it would tax the lands for build-\\ning a meeting-house; and the fourth, to raise money for the sup-\\nport of highways, all of which articles were decided in the\\nnegative. The boundary line between the town and Hollis\\nseems not to have been settled, as at this meeting the matter\\nwas referred to the selectmen.\\nThe following petition, in substance, was i)resented to the\\ngeneral assembly of New Hampshire by the selectmen:\\nWhereas, the inhabitants of Monson have received a late\\norder to render into the office of tlie secretary of state an\\ninvoice of their polls and estates in order for apportioning the\\nIn llie early settlement of the country the bridge over the river near tlie Amherst\\nrailroad station was called Lyon s bridge, and derived its name from Kbeuezer Lyon,\\nwho lived near it as early as 1748, and wlio died in 1798, iiged 88 years.\\nt Widow Abagail Tailer, of Boston, at this time owned a farm of 300 acres in the\\nneighborhood of the East Milford railroad flag station, Col. Joseph IManchard anotlier\\nbetween that and where the present village in MiU ord is now located, and Benjamin\\nHopkins owned the Charlestown school farm.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0109.jp2"}, "110": {"fulltext": "102\\ntaxes, which we have done, and would further beg leave to re-\\nmonstrate our infancy and inability to bear any part of the pub-\\nlic burden at present that there is but thirty-six polls in the\\nAvhole, several of them being transiently hired to labor for a\\nshort space of time that there are but twenty-one houses, chief-\\nly small cottages, only for a present shelter, the charge of build-\\ning yet to come that the householders are all plain men,\\ndwelling in tents, husbanding their employments, their im-\\nprovements very small, their lands unsubdued, their progress\\nmuch retarded by their necessity to work out of town during\\nthe prime of the year, or at other business to procure provisions,\\nand, though the town is a part of old Dunstable, it has till now\\nbeen a jiortion and remained a total wilderness that till within\\na few years the owners were under no obligation to settle the\\nlands that were very recently granted to gentlemen in farms,\\nby which means the few settlers are scattered all about the\\ntown, and that much labor has and must be spent in opening\\nand making roads, bridges, c., that are of present necessity a\\nburden too heavy for the small, weak number that is there that\\nin the late war they were at the expense of garrisoning, scouting,\\nand defending themselves, besides many other charges they\\nmust have and must go through; so therefore apprehend them-\\nselves utterly unable to bear any part of the public taxes as yet;\\nbut hope their small beginning in time may become useful, if\\nthey may be nursed and favored now in their infancy. Where-\\nfore your petitioners pray that they may be considered in their\\ninfant and chargeable state, and that they may not be taxed till\\nthey are of ability to go through their own necessary charge,\\nand when that shall be, they will cheerfully contribute accord-\\ning to their power.\\n1754. This year John Shepard,* William Peabody, Andrew\\nBradford, Israel Towne, Archelaus Williams, Richard Gould,\\nThomas Williams, John Hutchinson, John Edmonds, and others,\\nJohn Shepard then resided within the present limits of the village in Miliord,on the\\nnorth side of Souhegan river, where Mr. John Marvell now lives; William I eabody on\\nthe old I eabody farm, farther up the river on the same side, late the property of tlie\\nlate T T. Farnsworth and Israel Towne, within the present limits of Amheisi, on the\\nfarm owned by Abel and Frank W. Chase. The prayer of the petitioners would liave\\nannexed to Jlonson a strip of territory about seven miles in length by two in width,\\nand would have included nearly the whole of Amherst plain.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0110.jp2"}, "111": {"fulltext": "103\\npetitioned the governor and council to be annexed to Monson.\\nThey represented themselves substantially as inhabitants of a\\ntract of land north of and adjoining Monson, lying within no in-\\ncorporation, town, or district; that the town of Monson is situ-\\nated in length, east and west, near eight miles, in breadth but\\nabout four miles, and is bounded on the northerly side by Sou-\\nhegan river, both sides of whicli river are generally fruitful and\\nprofitable land for corn and grass tliat if the town of Monson\\nwere enlarged on the north so as to add and include the follow-\\ning tract of land beginning at the north-east corner of Monson,\\non Souhegan river, and running north by the line of Merrimack\\ntwo miles, then begin the west station at the north-west corner\\nof Monson and run thence north two miles, tlien in a straight\\nline to the eml of the two miles first mentioned which would\\nbe an addition of about seven thousand acres, and would make\\nthe town about five and one half miles in width generally that\\nthe said river is small that many bridges are now and must\\ncontinue to be kept in repair, so that the river is no incon-\\nvenience to this union that it will be for the accommodation of\\nMonson, and that several of the petitioners have for many\\nyears been settled here, and have made their improvements at\\nheavy expense that they have not had the benefit of any in-\\ncorporation in any town, nor do they see any present prospect\\nof incorporation unless they are annexed to Monson.\\n1755. At the annual meeting this year the question of taxing\\nthe land for building a meeting-house was again agitated, and\\nagain decided in the negative.\\n1756. At this annual meeting the question was again raised,\\nand again decided in the negative, and an effort to raise a sum\\nof money for a school part of the year was also decided in the\\nnegative. Before the close of the year, however, a special meet-\\ning was called to fix upon a place for locating the meeting-house,\\nand it was decided to set it in the most convenient place, near\\nthe centre of the town.*\\n1758. The annual meeting this year was held at the house of\\nArchelaus Towne, innholder. The third article in the warrant\\n\u00e2\u0099\u00a6Tradition points to a locality on the northerly slope of Duiicklee liill as the place\\nfixed upou, and it still retains the name of the ineotiug-house lot.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0111.jp2"}, "112": {"fulltext": "104\\nwas to see if the town will vote to tax the lands of residents\\nand non-residents for building a meeting-house, which question\\nat the meeting was decided in the negative. The fifth article\\nin said warrant was to see if the town will come into any\\nagreement with Capt. Shepard concerning the one half of his\\nbridge, or allow him some satisfaction for the same. On this\\narticle it was voted to allow Capt. Shepard some satisfaction for\\none half of his bridge, and James Wheeler, Benjamin Herrick,\\nand Natlian Hutchinson were chosen a committee to adjust\\nthe matter. At a subsequent meeting this year it was voted to\\nraise \u00c2\u00a3250 old tenor for the use of highways, \u00c2\u00a370 to pay Capt.\\nSliepard for one half of his bridge over the river at his mill, and\\n\u00c2\u00a316 to William Jones for plank put on said bridge. The \u00c2\u00a3250\\nfor highways was never raised, the inhabitants at a later meet-\\ning reconsidering the vote.\\n1759. The town again voted not to tax the lands for building\\na meeting-liouse. Chose William Jones and Josiah Crosby to\\ninspect the deer.\\n1760. Voted to petition the governor and council of the\\nprovince to setoff or annex the land on the south side of Mon-\\nson to Hollis, and to annex such part of Souhegan West to the\\nremainder of Monson as will be sufficient to maintain the gos-\\npel, and other charges incident to towns.\\n1761. Voted to raise \u00c2\u00a3100 old tenor to defray town charges;\\ndeclined to tax the lands for building a meeting-house voted to\\ngrant the petition of Hollis that a mile and one half, or there-\\nabouts, be set off agreeable to the petition of said Hollis; and\\ndismissed the article relative to fixing a place to locate the\\nmeeting-house.\\n176.3. Benjamin Hopkins, John Burns, Joseph Gould, John\\nBurns, jr., Thomas Burns, and George Burns, at the annual\\nmeeting, protested against a division of the town. The voters,\\nhowever, sustained their former position also, voted to raise\\n\u00c2\u00a3300 old tenor for the support of preaching, each person to pay\\ntheir money where they hear.\\n1764. Voted to sink the \u00c2\u00a3300 old tenor raised last March for\\nthe support of preaching. The fourth article in the warrant\\nthis year was to see if the town would agree to build a meet-", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0112.jp2"}, "113": {"fulltext": "105\\ning-houso, and fix npon a place to set it, which article was de-\\ncided in the negative. The fifth was to sec if the town would\\nraise a sura of money to hire preaching, which was also decided\\nin the negative. The sixth was to see if the town would raise\\na sura of money in order to make satisfaction to the towns of\\nHollis and Amherst for the privilege of worshipping with them.\\nFor this purpose it was voted to raise \u00c2\u00a3400 old tenor. The\\nseventh article was to see if the town would provide one or\\nmore burial-places in the town, which article was dismissed\\nThe tenth article was to see if the town would be at the charge\\nof making another I oad where Mr. Benjamin Hopkins has flowed\\nthe town road, or take a course of law with him for damages.\\nUpon this article the town voted to take a course of law, and\\nappointed the selectmen to prosecute the suit. On the 12th of\\nSej^tember this year another town meeting was held, at which\\nit was voted to build a meeting-house, to petition the general\\ncourt for a tax upon the lands of residents and non-residents for\\nbuilding the same, and Benjamin Hopkins, Nathan Hutchinson,\\nand Josiah Crosby were chosen a committee to carry the matter\\nto the general court.\\n1765. At the annual meeting this year the fourth article in\\nthe warrant was to see if the town will vote to tax the lands of\\nresidents and non-residents to build a meeting-house and settle a\\nminister, and if not, to nullify and make void the former vote for\\nthat puri)ose. The proposition to erect a meeting-house and\\nsettle a minister was not sustained. The town this year voted\\nto raise \u00c2\u00a3250 old tenor to defray town charges.\\n1767. The town voted this year that the money raised in the\\nyear 17G4, and assessed for the towns of Hollis and Amherst,\\nshould not be collected.\\n1769. The town declined to raise money for the support of\\nhighways.\\n1770. On the ninth day of April a special meeting was called,\\nwhen it was Voted that the town be divided between Hollis and\\nAmherst, both of these towns having assented to the arrange-\\nment. The division was as follows, viz.: Beginning at the\\nnorth-east corner of Monson, and running south by the line of\\nMerrimack two miles, then due west to the west line of Monson,", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0113.jp2"}, "114": {"fulltext": "106\\nthen north to Soiihegan river, then clown said river to the\\nbound first mentioned to be annexed to Amherst, the remainder\\nto Hollis. By this arrangement Amherst acquired its first ter-\\nritory on the south side of the Souhegan river. Tlie reason\\nassigned for a division in the petition of Monson* to the govern-\\nor and council was, that the land in and about the centre of\\nsaid Monson is so very poor, barren, broken, and uneven, as can-\\nnot admit of many settlers, so tliat those families that are in\\ntown are almost all planted in the extreme parts of it. We\\ntherefore conceive that if a division were made, as above men-\\ntioned, the interest and good of the people in it would be much\\npromoted thereby, especially as we have no prospect of ever\\nbuilding a meeting-house, in the centre or elsewhere, any way,\\nto accommodate us, by which difficulty we think the gospel will\\nnot be settled amongst us while in the present situation. Thus\\nwas Monson blotted out, after an existence of twenty-four years.\\nFor the last twelve years of her continuance, her annual\\n*TOWN CLERKS AND SELECTMEN OF THE TOWN OF MONSON.\\n1746.\\n1747.\\n1748.\\n1749.\\n1750.\\n1751.\\n1752.\\n17.53.\\n1754.\\n1755.\\n1756.\\n1757.\\n1758.\\n1759.\\n1760.\\n1761.\\n1762.\\n1763.\\n1764.\\n1765.\\n1766.\\n1767.\\n1768.\\n1769.\\n1770.\\nTown Cldrk.\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nBenjamiu Kenrick.\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nArcbelaus Towne,\\nArchelaus I owne,\\nArchelaus Towne,\\nBenjamiu Kenrick,\\nFirst Selectman.\\nBenjamin Hopkins,\\nBenjamin Hopkins,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nBenjamin Hopkins,\\nBenjamiu Hopkins,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nBenjamin Hopkins,\\nBenjamin Hopkins,\\nBenjamin Hopkins,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nNatlian Hutchinson\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nBenjamin Hopkins,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nArchelaus Towne,\\nArchelaus Towne,\\nArchelaus Towne,\\nBenjamin Kenrick,\\nSecond Selectman.\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nBenj. Hopkins,\\nRobeit Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nWilliam Nevins,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nRobert Nevins,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nJohn Brown,\\nBenjamin Kenrick\\nJohn Brown,\\nJonathan Taylor,\\nBenj. Hopkins,\\nWilliam ISevius,\\nWilliam Nevins,\\nDaniel Kenrick,\\nNat n Hutchinson\\nWilliam Nevins,\\nWilliam Nevins,\\nRobert Colburn,\\nJosiah Crosby,\\nJoseph Gould,\\nWilliam Nevins,\\nThird Selectman.\\nWilliam Nevins.\\nWilliam Nevins.\\nSamuel Leman.\\nSamuel Leman.\\nNathan Hutchinson.\\nNathan Hutchinson.\\nWilliam Nevins.\\nBenjamin Farley.\\nWilliam Nevins.\\nWilliam Nevins.\\nWilliam Jones.\\nJohn Brown.\\nWilliam Nevins.\\nThomas Nevins.\\nBenjamin Kenrick.\\nNathan Hutchinson-\\nRobert Colburn.\\nJosiah Crosby.\\nWilliam Nevins.\\nBenjamin Kenrick.\\nNathan Hutchinson.\\nJosiah Crosby.\\nDaniel Kenrick.\\nThomas Burns.\\nJosiah Crosby.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0114.jp2"}, "115": {"fulltext": "107\\nmeetings were liekl at the house of ArcheLaus Towne inn-\\nholder.\\nShe had no public structure except a pound. She resolutely\\nrefused to raise money for the support of schools, and while she\\noccasionally, at a special meeting, voted in favor of the first\\nsteps towards public religious instruction, at her annual meet-\\nings, she invariably negatived such vote. A century has passed\\nsince her demise, and but for the recent findingf of a portion of\\nher records, but few persons of to-day would know that she ever\\nexisted.\\n1771. The harmony that prevailed last year, when annexation\\nwas so popular, was not of long continuance, for in January of\\nthis year about thirty of the most prominent of those that were\\nlast year annexed petitioned the governor and council for a\\ndivision of Amherst. They recite in their petition,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 That the\\ntown of Amherst is about nine miles in length, by reason that\\nabout half the town of Monson was of late annexed to it, and\\nis capable of being divided into two towns or parishes without\\nprejudice to or spoiling the same; that many of us live in that\\npart of Amherst which Avas lately Monson, and our being an-\\nnexed to said Amherst was contrary to our desire and interest\\nthat v, e are so remote from the centre of Amherst that it is,\\nand ever will be, with great expense, inconvenience, and diffi-\\nculty to us and our flimilies to attend public worship, by reason\\nof the distance; that many of our estates are not so valuable\\nby reason of our being annexed to Amherst, for before that our\\n*Arclielaus Towne, son of Israel and Grace (Gardner) Towne, was born at Topsfield,\\nMass., in 1734; came to Souhegan West with his father at the ape of about si.x years;\\nmarried .Martha, born July 24, 1737, daugliter of Kphraim Abbott. They re.sided in\\nMonson, at what is now known as Danforth s Corner, in Amherst, where he kept a tav-\\nern for several years. They had seven children. His wife died in 1773, after which he\\nraised a company, took command of it, joined the continental army, and died at Fish-\\nkill, K. Y.. in November, 1779. He was a man large of stature, of great physical\\nstrength and power ot endurance, fond of the hardship and e.xcitement of irontier life,\\na natural leader, and one that commanded the confidence of his associates.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Narrative\\nof Jonathan Towne, who died at Miliord Dec. 31, 1842, in the 89th year of his age.\\ntThe Hon. Samuel T. Worcester, of Nashua, being engaged in the prei .aration of an\\narticle upon the early history of Holli. i, was informed by his brother, the Hon. John N.\\nWorcester, of Hollis, that there formerly existed, in the town clerk s ottice of that\\ntown, records relating to Monson. This led the former to procure the nearly worn out\\nvolume, have what remained of it bound, and put in condition to prevent further im-\\nmediate waste.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0115.jp2"}, "116": {"fulltext": "108\\nsituation was nigh the centre of Monson, and on that account\\npurchased our lands at a dear rate, and Monson being annihi-\\nlated, our situation is more inconvenient than before.\\nAmherst followed with a counter petition, in which it was\\nstated,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 \u00c2\u00abT])at for more than twenty years last past a number\\nof persons living on those lands lately known by the name of\\nMonson, but more lately joined to Amherst, not having a min-\\nister settled among them nor accommodation sufficient for that\\npurpose, as they said, very constantly attended the worship of\\nGod with us in said Amherst, not doing anything with us\\ntowards our meeting-house, nor towards the suj.port of our\\nminister, except some small private donations made to our\\nminister. However, they repeatedly requested our town to\\nconsent to receive them, promising to meet at any place that\\nthe major part of the people should fix to build a house on,\\nwhereupon our town, after repeated solicitations to receive\\nthem, gave their consent. And your excellency and honors,\\nsome time in July last, saw fit to aggregate about one half of\\nsaid Monson to said Amherst. Soon after, our town saw it nec-\\nessary to build a meeting-house, and voted to do it, our present\\nmeeting-house being small and insufiicient for the old town and\\nsaid new addition. The most of the people of the new addition\\nwere present, and some voted in the affirmative, some in the\\nnegative but they began to tliink that the charter subjected\\nthem to the same duties with us of the old town, that they\\nmust defray some part of the charges of building and so forth,\\nand not only so, but must do something towards supporting\\nour minister. These reflections affected some of them very\\nsensibly. They had not been acquainted with anything of the\\nkind. They were ready to construe it as a degree of persecu-\\ntion and the like. And to remedy this evil they are about peti-\\ntioning to have our town, as it now lies, divided into two.\\nparishes, which we think can not be done without a manifest\\ninjury to more than three quarters of the town. A very consid-.\\nerable quantity of land in our town is barren and poor, and will\\nnot admit of two parishes besides, it lies in such a situation by\\nreason of a river and hills, that the whole of the people may\\nmore conveniently meet at one place, the place pitched upon,\\nthan at any two places in the town.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0116.jp2"}, "117": {"fulltext": "109\\nNo action was taken by the state autliorities ujjon either of\\nthese petitions, and qniet seems to have been restored. The\\nnew meeling-liouse was built and dedicated, tlie worshippers\\ngathered in tliis new sanctuary from all parts of tlie town, and\\nthe continuous exercises of yesterday and to-day, after the lapse\\nof a century, are a fitting recognition of that event.\\nTHE SOUTH-WEST PARISH.\\nIn the year 1782 forty-seven persons, as follows, viz.,\\nNathan Hutchinson,\\nAndrew Bradford,\\nJosiah Crosby,\\nSampson Crosby,\\nJames Oilman,\\nThomas Burns,\\nIsaac Abbott,\\nElisha Hutchinson,\\nBenjamin Hutchinson,\\nJosiah Crosby, Jr.,\\nJohn Wallace,\\nStephen Crosby,\\nAugustus Blanchard,\\nJohn Burns,\\nWilliam Crosby,\\nJohn Bradford,\\nThaddeus Grimes,\\nIsrael Burnham,\\nJohn Grimes,\\nNathan Hutchinscfn, Jr.,\\nBartholomew Hutchinson,\\nDavid Burnham,\\nArthur Graham,\\nWilliam Wallace,\\nEbenezer Averill,\\nMoses Averill,\\nJoshua Burnham,\\nStephen Burnham,\\nJonathan Hutchinson,\\nAbner Hutchinson,\\nWilliam Feabody,\\nElijah Averill,\\nEbenezer Hopkins,\\nJonathan Grimes,\\nGeorge Burns,\\nWilliam Grimes,\\nDarius Abbott,\\nSamuel How,\\nJonathan Towne,\\nHenry Codman,\\nWilliam Melendy,\\nSamuel Dodge,\\nBartholomew Towne,\\nBenjamin Ho[)kins, Jr.,\\nBenjamin Conant,\\nBenjamin Hopkins, 3d,\\nSamuel Graham,\\nwere constituted the third or south-west parish in Amherst,\\nfor transacting ministerial affairs only. The reason assigned\\nby the incorporators for the formation of this parish was, that\\ntheir local situation rendered it impracticable for some of them\\nand many of their children to give a general attendance at the", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0117.jp2"}, "118": {"fulltext": "110\\nstated place of public worship, and, further, that they conceived\\nthey could well be spared, there being about three hundred\\nratable polls taxed to the first parish. There was no boundary\\nto the new parish, neither were the members exempt from\\nformer obligations, one condition being, that nothing in its or-\\nganization should be construed to exempt any of said parish-\\nioners, their polls or estates, from paying their just proportion of\\nall ministerial charges already arisen in said town of Amherst,\\nnor from the future support, according to contract, of the Rev.\\nDaniel Wilkins, the late minister of said town then living.*\\nThe date of incorporation was November 23, and the first meet-\\ning was held at the house of Thaddeus Grimes, on the four-\\nteenth day of the next January. At this meeting Capt. Nathan\\nHutchinsonf was chosen moderator; Augustus Blanchard, clerk\\nand treasurer Augustus Blanchard, Lieut. Thomas Burns, and\\nCapt. John Bradford, assessors and Benjamin Hutchinson, col-\\nlector and it was voted to build a meeting-house of the same\\nsize and bigness the north-west parish hath built, except the\\nporches, and that Lieut. Darius Abbott, Capt. Josiah Crosby,\\nand Capt. Andrew Bradford be a committee to provide timber,\\nboards, and shingles, and let the same out at public vendue to\\nthe lowest bidder. At the first annual meeting of the parish,\\nholden at the house of Thaddeus Grimes, innholder, on the\\nfourth day of March, 1783, it was voted to raise \u00c2\u00a332 4s. to dis-\\ncharge the expense of the parish being set oflf, \u00c2\u00a395 to be laid\\nout in purchasing timber, boards, shingles, and other materials\\nfor building the meeting-house, \u00c2\u00a315 to pay for preaching the\\ncurrent year, and that Capt Nathan Hutchinson, Lieut. Thomas\\nBurns, and Capt. John Bradford be a committee to hire preach-\\ning. Later in the same year another meeting was called to\\n*The Rev. Daniel Wilkins at this time was aged and infirm, had been settled up-\\nwards of forty years, and lived onlj three months after the formation of this parish,\\ndying February 11, 1783, in the seventy-third year of his age.\\nt Capt. Nathan Hutchinson, a very active and efficient man in town and parish\\naffairs, was son of Benjamin and Sarah (Tarbell) Hutchinson, of Bedford, Middlesex\\ncounty, ]Mass., and married Rachel Stearns. In 1744 he purchased of Benjamin Hop-\\nkins one hundred acres of land, near the centre of the Charlestown school farm,\u00e2\u0080\u0094\\nbounded north by the river, south bythe south line of said farm, of equal width at\\neach end, also bounded by a black oak on Saddle hill. He came here from Billerica\\nin June, 1748, located on Elm street, where E. D. Searles now resides, and died June 12,\\n1795, aged 78 years. His widow died on the 25th of July, in the same year, aged\\n76 years.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0118.jp2"}, "119": {"fulltext": "Ill\\nmake choice of a place where the meeting-lionse slioulcl be\\nerected, and make provision for clearing the same. After ad-\\njourning from the house of Mr. Grimes to the place regarded as\\nthe most desii able location, it was voted that the house should\\nstand about twenty rods south of Shepard s bridge, on a rise of\\nground. This vote would have located the meeting-house on\\nwhat are now the premises of Doctor S. S. Stickney. At a meet-\\ning held still later this year, Capt. Nathan Hutchinson, John\\nWallace, and John Burns were chosen a committee to procure\\nstone for underpinning the meeting-house, and Joshua Burnham\\nwas authorized to purchase a parish book.\\nAt the annual meeting, holden March 2, 1784, it was voted to\\nproceed with the meeting-house, and to begin to frame it the\\nfirst Monday in June, and raise it as soon as possible. Capt.\\nNathan Hutchinson, Capt. Josiah Crosby, and Capt. Andrew\\nBradford were chosen a committee to see that the meeting-house\\nis framed, underpinned, and raised. It was also voted to raise\\n\u00c2\u00a330 towards the expense of the meeting-house \u00c2\u00a320 to pay for\\npreaching; that three shillings per day be allowed each man for\\nwork on the meeting-house, the laborer to board himself; and\\nthat any person who shall hereafter join the parish, shall be\\nexempt from any tax raised, to raise, board, and shingle the\\nmeeting-house. For some reason, not discernible at this time,\\nthe location that had been fixed upon did not prove satisfactory,\\nfor, at a special meeting held on the 1.5th day of June, it was\\ndecided that it should be located about ten rods north-west from\\nthe former place, between two pitch pine stumps; that Augustus\\nBlanchard, Lieut. Thomas Burns, Joshua Burnham, Capt. John\\nBradford, and Lieut. Benjamin Hutchinson, be a committee to\\ncarry on the work, and that said committee provide one barrel of\\nrum, two barrels of cider, and one quarter of sugar for the rais-\\ning. Thus, it would seem that the meeting-house was raised in\\nthe summer of 1784, for, on the second day of September of this\\nyear, a special meeting was called, and the second article in the\\nwarrant was to see if the parishioners would board, shingle, or\\nfinish any part of the meeting-house frame, when it was voted\\nto board and shingle it that it be boarded with square edged\\nboards, and that the boarding and shingling be let to the lowest\\nbidder at vendue. At the same meeting, it was voted to raise", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0119.jp2"}, "120": {"fulltext": "112\\n\u00c2\u00a340 to defray the expense of furtluir finishing tlie meeting-liouse\\nand Lieut. Thomas Burns and Lieut. Darius Abbott were ciiosen\\na committee to wait upon Governor Hopkins, and get the dona-\\ntion he hath offered to procure the nails. It was common among\\nour ancestors in England, and continues to the present time, of\\ndenominating the chief man, or the man at the head of promi-\\nnent movements or establishments, as the governor;* and the\\ntitle, in this case, must have been derived in this way. In\\n1659, the general court of Massachusetts granted to the town\\nof Charlestown 1,000 acres of land, from the unappropriated\\nlands of the province, for the support of a school. The next\\nyear it was surveyed by that celebrated land surveyor, Jonathan\\nDanforth, of Billerica, and described thus: Laid out, for the\\nuse of the school of Charlestown, one thousand acres of land,\\nmore or less in the wilderness, on the western side of Merrimack\\nriver, at a place commonly called by the Indians, Sowheaganncke,\\nbeginning at the foot of a great hill, and so extending eastward\\nabout two miles down said river, and bounded by the river on\\nthe north, and by land laid out for Mrs. Anna Cole on the east,\\nthe wilderness elsewhere surrounding according to marked\\ntrees, all of which are sufficiently bounded with C, and is more\\nfully demonstrated by a platt taken of the same. t The title of\\nIndians was extinguished by deed, dated July 14, 1671.| The\\nnorth-west corner of this tract of land was on the south bank of\\nthe river, a iew rods below the new bridge at Jones s crossing,\\nand was identical with the north-west corner of Old Dunstable,\\nthe north-west corner of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, for\\nmore than sixty years, and the north-west corner of the late\\ntown of Monson. This tract extended down the river to the\\npresent east line of the firm of William Ramsdell, and no more\\nattractive piece of land of the same magnitude exists in this\\nregion. The town of Charlestown continued to own it till\\nMay, 1743, when it was purchased by Benjamin Hopkins, of\\nBillerica, for \u00c2\u00a3375, and as early as 1745 he resided on it. A\\nsaw-mill is a necessity in a nevv settlement, and he early built\\nThe translators of the Bible observed it, in James 3 :4.\\nt Mass. General Court Records.\\nt Middlesex County Registry of Deeds.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0120.jp2"}, "121": {"fulltext": "113\\none upon Whitehall brook, a little west of where the house of\\nMoses Proctor now stands and, if any one will proceed into\\nthe field, about fifty rods northerly of the house of Luke Smith,\\nto a little point of land on the border of the brook, overlooking\\nthe river and the intervale, and remove tlie turf, he will occa-\\nsionally find in the soil a small [)iece of brick or stone that has\\nonce been in a chimney, a wall, or a fire-place, indicating that a\\ndwelling once stood there. It was on this spot in the wilder-\\nness, with nothing to guide him l)ut marked trees, that Mr.\\nHopkins erected his bullet-proof dwelling a kind of fort, built\\nof timber, to protect himself and funily from the fierce beasts of\\nthe forest, and fiercer men. On the north side of the river lived\\nWilliam Peabody, John Shepard, and Israel Towne on the\\nsouth side his nearest neighbor was in the Avest parish of Dun-\\nstable, now Ilollis; and his oldest son married Anna Powers,\\nthe first white child born in that town* Such is a brief out-\\nline of one Avho had, by universal consent, acquired the title of\\nGovernor,! and who, after a residence of upwards of forty years in\\nthe neighborhood, was making a donation to purchase the nails\\nfor the new meeting-house. At a subsequent meeting, in No-\\nvember, it was voted to provide clapboards, door-steps, boards\\nfor the lower floor, sashes, suitable stuff for window-frames,\\nand glass, and that Capt. IsTathan Hutchinson, Capt. William\\nPeabody, and Capt. Josiah Crosby be a committee to provide\\nthe materials voted, and see that they are delivered at the meet-\\ning-house.\\nAt the annual meeting holden on the 1st day of March, 1785,\\nit was voted to raise \u00c2\u00a350 to be laid out on the meeting-house,\\nand to raise \u00c2\u00a330 to hire preaching and defray parish charges.\\nOn the 7th day of the same month there Avas a special\\nmeeting called, and the second article in the Avarrant was to see\\nif the parishioners will build porches to the meeting-house, or\\nlet any person or persons build the same for the ground the\\nsame may save in the house. At this meeting it Avas voted to\\nbuild porches, and a committee Avas chosen for that purpose,\\nNarrative of the venerable John Hopkins in 18-10.\\nfHe died Jimo 11, 1787, aged 85 years; and his widow died July 30, 1792, aged 93\\nyears.\\n8", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0121.jp2"}, "122": {"fulltext": "114\\nand instructed to have the work done as soon as the other out-\\nside work on the house was completed. At the same meeting\\nWilliam Peabody, Benjamin Hopkins, and Joshua Burnham\\nwere chosen a committee to hire preaching the current year.\\nAt another special meeting, held on the 25th of April, Nathan\\nHutchinson, Augustus Blanchard, and Thomas Burns were\\nchosen a committee to sell the pew-ground in the meeting-\\nhouse, at public vendue, to the highest bidder, and give proper\\nconveyances to the purchasers, and that the money arising from\\nthe sale be laid out in further finishing the meeting-house. It\\nwas also voted to put in all the joist and braces in the meet-\\ning-house not already in, and that John Burns be allowed 23\\nshillings lawful money for doing the same.\\nA still further special meeting Avas held on the 5th of Septem-\\nber, when it was voted to lay the lower floor, and to let the\\nsame out at vendue to the lowest bidder, and it was struck off\\nto Thomas Boynton at thirty-nine shillings. Thomas Burns,\\nNathan Hutchinson, and John Wallace were chosen a commit-\\ntee to procure proper floor nails, see that the sills were properly\\nunderpinned, and the floors laid in a good workmanlike man-\\nner. On the 25th day of December, another special meeting\\nwas held, when it was decided to have the sashes, window-\\nframes, doors, body seats, and stuff for the body seats, put up at\\nvendue, to be bid off by the lowest bidder. Nathan Hutchinson,\\nCaleb Jones, and Josiah Crosby were chosen a committee to\\nvendue the work off, to procure at the expense of the parish all\\nthe necessa ry materials for doing the Avork, and to see that it\\nwas done in a good workmanlike manner, the work to be com-\\npleted by the first day of next June. The sashes Avere bid ofl\\nby Thomas Boynton, at 15s. 2d. old tenor; the window frames, by\\nDavid Chandler at 8s. lid. front door, by Benjamin Conant at\\n20s. the body seats and stuff for the same, by Nathan Hutch-\\ninson.\\nA warrant was issued for an annual meeting to be held on the\\n7th day of March, 1786; the fourth article therein being to see\\nif the parishioners would finish the outside of the meeting-house\\nor any part thereof; and the fifth was to see if they would have\\nthe \u00c2\u00a340, voted at the last annual meeting to be laid out on the", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0122.jp2"}, "123": {"fulltext": "115\\nmeeting-house, assessed and collected; but the records contain\\nno refeience to this meeting. There was, however, a special\\nmeeting lield on the fourtli of September in this year, wlien it\\nwas voted to accept the plan of Temple meeting-house porches\\nand build in the same form, and also voted to procure glass and\\nglazing materials for the meeting-house. At the annual meeting\\nin March, 1787, there was no allusion to the meeting-house, but\\n\u00c2\u00a330 was voted for the support of preaching. At a meeting in\\nSeptember of this year, a committee was chosen to get the glass\\nset, and the sashes put in the window-frames, and \u00c2\u00a310 was voted\\nto set the front-door steps, clear round the meeting-house, and\\nlevel the ground before said house.\\nThe year 1788 was an eventful one in parish affairs. William\\nCrosby gave the parish the following described pieces of land,\\nviz. Beginning at the south-west corner of Shepard s bridge,\\nthence running southerly on the Avest side of tlie road leading\\nfrom said bridge to my house,* until it comes to the main road\\nthat leads from my house to Wilton, to a stake and stones\\nfrom thence westerly on the north side of said road about eight\\nrods to a white oak stump thence northerly to a black oak\\ntree marked, standing on the bank of Souhegan river; from\\nthence by said river to the place of beginning, being the land\\nthe meeting-house stands on. Also, one other piece, to be ap-\\nl^ropriated for a burying-ground, on the west part of my form,\\nbounded as follows, viz. Beginning at a large white pine tree\\nstanding on the bank of the river a few rods north of the ditch\\nbridge (so called) from thence east thirteen rods to a stake\\nand stones; from thence south twelve rods to a stake and\\nstones from thence west until it comes to the river and from\\nthence by the river to the bound first mentioned, containing\\nabout one acre. These were parts of a tract of land of 500\\nacres granted in October, 1G59, by the General Court of Massa-\\nchusetts to Mrs. Anna Cole. The record reads thus In\\nconsideration of the liberal drifts to the country in the will of\\n*The first house erected on Union square\u00e2\u0080\u0094 was raised in 178.3, was occupied early in\\nthe preseut century by Dr. Robert Fuller, was known for many years as the old Fuller\\nhouse, stood where the town hall now stands, and was removed to make room for thftt\\nstructure.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0123.jp2"}, "124": {"fulltext": "116\\nCapt. Robert Keayne,* the whole court met together and voted,\\nc. At the date of the grant she was tlie widow of Capt.\\nKeayne, but the next year became the wife of Samuel Cole.\\nThis tract was bounded on the north by the river 350 rods, and\\nextended from the west line of the present farm of Matthias F.\\nCrosby on Elm street down the river, near to the steam-mill of\\nDavid Heald. In 1780, Josiah Crosby, in consideration of three\\nhundred bushels of grain, two thirds Indian corn and one third\\nrye, purchased 113 acres in the north-east corner of this tract,\\nextending on the river from near the steam-mill, before men-\\ntioned, up a little above the west corner of the old cemetery.\\nIn 1782 he sold the same to his son William, and in the first of\\nthese conveyances it is referred to as part of the tract belonging\\nto Mather Byles.f\\n*Robcrt Keayne, merchant of London, came over in the ship Defence in 1635, aged\\n40 years, with liis wife Ann, aged 3S years, and son Benjamin, aged 16 years. He is\\ncharacterized by Winthrop as a man of eminent parts, an ancient professor of the\\ngospel, coming over for its advancement and for conscience salce, as wealthy, given to\\nhospitality, very nscful to the country, and a large contributor to its free schools. He\\nwas one of the founders and the first captain of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery\\nCompany, was four times a representative of the town of Boston, and once speaker of\\nthe House of Deputies. Notwithstanding his virtues and usefulness, he became obnox-\\nious on account of selling dearer than the law allowed, for which offence, after solemn\\ntrial, he was convicted and fined \u00c2\u00a3250. His will occupies 148 folio pages of the probate\\nrecords of Suffolk county, Massachusetts, in which he vindicates his character with a\\npathos indicative of a keen sense of the injustice to which he had been subjected,\\nadding that though he had suffered enough from the public to tie up both his hands,\\nyet being desirous to requite evil with good, and though he cannot forget, being willing\\nto forgive, and deeming it a want of gratitude to God for prosperous men to leave all\\nto wife, children, or relatives, and nothing to the public or to charity, he proceeds to\\ngive \u00c2\u00a31200 to objects of public use or private charity, included in which were \u00c2\u00a3250 to\\nHarvard college.\\nt Mather Byles was born in Boston, March 26, 1706, and on his mother s side was\\ndescended from Richard Mather and John Cotton was graduated at Harvard Univer-\\nsity, in 1725, and ordained the first pastor of Hollis Street church in 1733. His first\\nwife was a niece of Governor Belcher, the second a daughter of Lieutenant-Governor\\nTaller, and it is probable this land came to him by inheritance. He continued his pas-\\ntorate till 1776, when, on account of disloyalty, the connection was dissolved and never\\nrenewed. The next year he was denounced in town meeting, subsequently tried,\\nfound guilty of attachment to the royal cause, sentenced to confinement, and with his\\nfamily to be sent to England. This sentence was never enforced, and he died in^Bos-\\nton, July 5, 1788, having received the degree of D. D. from Aberdeen University in\\n1765.\\nHe was distinguished among liis contemporaries for his wit, his solid learning, and\\nMs excellent literary taste. Pope, Lansdowne, and Watts were his correspondents, and\\nmany of his witticisms have come down to us. On one occasion, when required to\\nremain in his housa under guard, he persuaded the sentinel to go on an errand for", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0124.jp2"}, "125": {"fulltext": "117\\nThe month following the gift of the land, the parish voted\\nto ceil round the meeting-house as high as the Avindows to\\ncase, make, and hang the end-doors, lay the platforms for the\\npews on the lower floor, and case the lower windows; and the\\nsoutli-west corner, from the front to the west door, including the\\nwest door, ceiling, casing, and laying the platforms, was let to\\nJoshua Burnham for 39s.; the south-east corner, from the front\\ndoor to the east door, including the east door, the ceiling, cas-\\ning, and laying the platforms, was let to Josiah Crosby for 41s.;\\nfrom the east door to the west door round the north side, the\\nceiling, casing, and laying the platforms was let to Jolin Wal-\\nlace for 51s.; the platforms for the pews in the inside S(]uare was\\nlet to Jotliam Shepard for 19s., the work being let by vendue to\\nthe lowest bidder, the boards and nails for all the work and the\\nhinges for the doors to be found by the parish. At a special\\nmeeting called in September, the parish further voted to finish\\nthe whole meeting-house; and Augustus Blanchard, Thomas\\nBurns, and Josiah Crosby were chosen a committee of the pew-\\nground in the galleries, and lay the same before the parish on the\\n29th inst., to which time the meeting was adjourned. At the ad-\\njourned meeting, the plan of the committee was accepted, and\\ntjiey were authorized to sell the jjcws at public vendue to the\\nhighest bidder, and apply the proceeds to tlie farther finishing of\\nthe house and as it might be necessary to give the connnittee fur-\\nther instructions, the meeting adjoui ued to the 13th of October.\\nAt this meeting the pews were sold, and the stufl and material\\nfor finishing the house vendued to the following persons, they\\nbeing the lowest bidders, namely, to Josiah Crosby, jr., 2 M\\nlaths at 7s. each, and 1 M feet merchantable boards at 18s.;\\nAugustus Blanchard, 2 hhds. lime at 2-4s. 6d. each Joseph Wal-\\nlace, 2 M laths at 7s. each; Stephen Crosby, 3 M laths at 7s.,\\nhim, promisinj^ to perform sentinel s duty iu liis absence. To the great amusement of\\nhis neighbors he gravely marched before his own door with musket on his slioulder\\ntill his keeper returned, and wlien inijuired of in relation to his occupation, said he\\nwas guarding Mather Byles. After his trial, in alluding to the fact that he had been\\nput under guard, the guard removed, and then again replaced, he observed that he had\\nbeen guarded, re-guarded and disregarded. In 1780, on the celebrated dark day, a\\nlady who resided near the doctor sent her young son to him to know if he could\\naccount for the uncommon appearance, ills reply was, Give my compliments to\\nyour mamma, and tell her I am as much iu the dark as she is.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0125.jp2"}, "126": {"fulltext": "118\\n1 M feet boards at 18s., and 2 hhds. lime at 24s. each Isaac\\nAbbott, 2 M latlis at 7s. each, 3 hhds. lime at 24s. Andrew\\nBradford, jr., 1 M laths, 7s.; Caleb Jones, 1 M feet 1^ in. white\\npine boards, 1 M feet inch do. do. clear stulF for the work in-\\ntended Daniel Johnson, 1 M feet merchantable boards, 18s.;\\nJosiah Osgood, 1 M do., 18s., 2 corner girths, 12 by 14 inches\\nJoshua Crosby, one half M white pine boards for ceiling, 9s.\\nJacob Hale, 500 feet pine plank 2 in. thick 14 in. wide, 16s. 100\\nfeet pine plank, .3 in. thick, 14 in. wide, at 4s.; 400 slitwork, 3 by\\n4 in, at 8s., and hhd. lime, 25s.; hewed white pine timber, 6 by\\n7 in., suitable length for the gallery breast-work, sills for the\\nseats and studs at 8s. 6d. Thomas Burns, 2 hhds. lime, 25s. each.\\nIn December the parish voted to agree with Mr, Thurston or\\nsome other minister to preach six months during the year next\\nensuing.\\nAt the annual meeting, in 1789, it was voted to raise \u00c2\u00a336 to\\npay for preaching and defray parish expenses; that twelve feet\\nin the front of the gallery be appropriated for a pew for the\\nsingers; that ten pounds be laid out in work round the moeting-\\nhouse, and that John Burns, Caleb Jones, and Benjamin\\nConant be a committee to see the work done. In October it\\nwas voted to enlarge the singers pew, and that it be seventeen\\nfeet, and no longer. At the annual meeting, the next year, it\\nwas voted to build and sell two pews of six feet front each, at\\neach end of the singers pew in tlie gallery, and that the pews\\nbe built at the expense of the parish.\\nIn January, 1791, at a special meeting, the question of having\\nthe parish set off by lines was agitated, and a committee was\\nappointed to treat with the first parish for the following lines,\\nviz., Begin at the north-east corner of Ebenezer Averill s\\nland, and running southerly, including Andrew and John Brad-\\nford s intact, William Peabody s, the wadow Shepard, Jotham\\nand Daniel Shepard and John Shepard, Esq., until it comes to\\nSouhegan river, then down said river to Merrimack west line?\\nincluding all belonging to Amherst, on the south side of said\\nriver. At the annual meeting this year, it was voted to raise\\n\u00c2\u00a340 to pay for preaching, and to defray parish expenses but\\nthere Avas nothing in the warrant relative to the parish being", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0126.jp2"}, "127": {"fulltext": "119\\nset oif by lines. In June, however, a special meeting was\\ncalled, when not only tlie question of the parish being set off by\\nlines was agitated, but the question of being set off as\\na separate town was considered, and it was voted to petition\\nthe General Court, as soon as may be, to be set off by lines or a\\nseparate town; and a committee, consisting of Joshua Burnham,\\nJosiah Crosby, Augustus Blanchard, Thomas Burns, and Porter\\nLummus, were appointed for that purpose, and \u00c2\u00a312 appropriat-\\ned to pay their expenses.*\\nAt the annual meeting, in 1792, it was voted to raise \u00c2\u00a360 to\\npay for preaching, and defray parish expenses, and in June, of\\nthis year, the parish was incorporated, by the name of the south-\\nwest parish, in Amherst, and boundaries fixed thereto. In\\nOctober, it was A oted to sell the remaining pews at public ven-\\ndue, apply the money arising from such sale to the ])ainting\\nand further finishing the meeting-house, and a committee was\\nappointed to give a title to the pews sold. At the annual meet-\\ning, the next year, the parish voted to raise \u00c2\u00a35.5 to pay for\\npreaching, and to defray parish expenses, and that the funds\\nof former collectors be applied to the further finishing and\\npainting the meeting-house,\\nThus we see that it took upwards of ten years of continuous\\nstruggle for the parishioners to complete their house of worship,\\na struggle that Ave of to-day can scarcely comprehend. Nearly\\nforty years since, a venerable man then living, one of the found-\\ners of the church and an active worker in this enterprise, was\\nasked by the speaker what year the meeting-house was com-\\npleted, to which he replied, We scarcely knew when it was\\ncompleted ourselves, for at no time during the Avork did Ave have\\nany clear conception of Avhat would constitute a finished house.\\nWe Avorshipped in Col. Shepard s barn,t and when the meeting-\\n*The parish not only took this step to be set off, but in October, 1793, voted to peti-\\ntion the General Court in connection with the mile slip, Duxbury school iarni.anda\\npart of HoUis, to be set otr as a separate town, and in Jan., 1794, these several parcels\\nof territory were made a separate town, and incorporated by the name of Milford.\\nt To us, worshipping in the comfortable if not luxurious houses of to-day, holding a\\nmeeting in a barn seems an absurdity,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 yet an inquiry into the practices of the early\\nsettlers shows that this was no uncommon thing; aud a sermon preached in the barn of\\nMajor Cole, of Mont A ernon, by Kev. Mr. Coggin, of Chelmsford, Mass., upon the\\nimportance of building a meeting-house in that parish, was an effective instrumentality\\nin accomplishing that work.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0127.jp2"}, "128": {"fulltext": "120\\nhouse was so far finished that we coukl hokl meetings in it, we\\nthouglit we had accomplislied a great work. TVe were poor, our\\nmeans necessarily limited, frequently divided in council, and\\nnothing but the privilege, for ourselves and our children, of wor-\\nshipping God in his sanctuary could have held us together and\\ninduced us to complete the work. Truly was it said yesterday,\\nin the excellent historical discourse to which most of us listened,\\npeople do not move into the forests, clear for themselves home-\\nsteads in the solitudes of the wilderness, and take on themselves\\nthe burden of building meeting-houses and sustaining ministers,\\nwithout deep convictions of the value of the gospel.\\nCHURCH ORGANIZED.\\nThe church in this parish, denominated the third church in\\nAmherst, was organized by an ecclesiastical council, Nov. 19,\\n1788.* The council consisted of Jonathan Livermore,t Abiel\\nFiske4 John Bruce,|| Moses Putnam, Ebenezer Rockwood, Rich-\\nard Ward, Daniel Mansfield, and William Bradford.\\nIn the proceedings of the council twelve persons are named\\nas constituting the church, viz.\\nNashua,\\nHudson,\\nAmherst,\\nLitchfield,\\nHollis,\\nPelham,\\nLyndeborough,\\nNew Ipswich,\\nOrganized.\\nOrganized.\\n1763\\nHancock,\\n17S8\\n1769\\nMillord,\\n1788.\\n1771\\nWeare,\\n1789\\n1771\\nDeering,\\n1789\\n1772\\nGrceufield,\\n1791\\n1772\\nBrookline,\\n1796\\n1773\\nPeterborough,\\n1799\\n1780\\n*TIie churches organized in Hillsborough county, previous to the commencement of\\nthe present century, are as follows:\u00e2\u0080\u0094\\nOrganized.\\n1685 Wilton,\\n1737 Hillsborough,\\n1741 Goffstown,\\n1741 Temple,\\n1743 Merrimack,\\n1751 Mason,\\n1757 Francestown,\\n1761 Mont Vernon,\\nfRev. Jonathan Livermore, a native of Northborough, Worcester county, lilass.,\\nborn in 1739, was graduated at Harvard college in 1760; was the first minister of\\nWilton, being ordained there in 1763. He sustained the pastoral relation in that place\\nabout fifteen years, when he was dismissed, but did not leave town, remaining till his\\ndeath, which occurred July 20, 1809, aged 79 years.\\ntRev. Abel Fiske was born at Pepperell, Mass., May 28, 1752; was graduated at\\nHarvard college in 1774; tiuight the Grammar school, and studied divinity at Concord,\\nMass. was ordained at Wilton in November, 1778, and was pastor of the church till his\\ndeath, which took place April 21, 1802, at the age of 50 years.\\nllRev. John Bruce, the first minister in Mont Vernon, was born at Marlborough,\\nMass., in 1757; entered Dartmouth college at the age of about twenty years was gradu-\\nated in 1781 was settled in 1785, and continued his pastorate till his death, which\\noccurred March 12, 1809.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0128.jp2"}, "129": {"fulltext": "121\\nStephen Burnham, Thomas Bnrns,\\nCaleb Jones, Jonathan Towne,\\nElisha Hutcliinson, Benjamin Conant,\\nJohn Wallace, Benjamin Hutcliinson,\\nJoseph Wallace, William Melendy,\\nNathan Hutchinson, Jonathan Jones.\\nAttached to the covenant are seven additional names, viz.:\\nJames Wallace, Letitia Wallace,\\nHannah Bradford, Mary Wallace,\\nMary Burnham, Betsy Wallace.\\nSarah Hutchinson,\\nThe first meeting was held at the house of William Crosby\\nsoon after the organization, Avhen Elisha Hutchinson was chosen\\nClerk, which office he held till his death. f At this meeting an\\nexamining committee was chosen, and it was decided that\\napplicants for admission might relate their religious experience\\nverbally or in writing, and that no persons should be admitted\\nwho would not come up to the standard of full communion.\\nThe next year several meetings were held, but they related\\nsolely to the discipline of a member. Then follows a period of\\nnearly six years in which no meeting seems to have been held,\\nat the expiration of which time the church and town concurred\\nin giving Mr. Kiah Bailey a call, the vote in the joint body\\nbeing forty-nine for, and thirty against. Subsequently, the\\nWilliam Crosby, the benefactor of the parish,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 wliose house seems to have been open\\nfor parish, church, and other meetings, whenever business vital to the welfare of the\\nbody politic was to be considered,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 was a descendant of Simon Crosby, aged 26 years,\\nwho, with his wife Ann, aged 25 years, and their son Thomas, aged 8 weeks, and came to\\nthis country in the ship Susan and Ellen in 1G35 Founders of New England, page 22),\\nsettled in Cambridge, near where Harvard college is now located, and was the son of\\nJosiah and Sarah (Fitch) Crosby, who came here from nillerica in 1753, and located on\\nthe opposite side of the road near where the late Frederic Crosby lived. He was born\\nJan. 29, 1758; married Sarah, daughter of John Shepard; and died esteemed and\\nrespected, May 12, 1S31, aged 73 years. His younger brother Asa, who was born July 15,\\n1765, and who died at Hanover, April 12, 1836, was the father of Hon. Xathau Crosby\\nof Lowell, Dr. Josiah Crosby of Manchester, the late Dr. Dixi (Crosby of Hanover,\\nProf. Alpheus Crosby of Salem, and the late I rof. Thomas Russell Crosby of Hauoyer.\\nt Elisha Hutchinson, grandfather of the famous Hutchinson family of vocalists,\\nwas the son of Joseph and Hannah (Richaidson) Hutchinson; was born at Middleton,\\nEssex county, JIass., Dec. 6, 1751; married Sarah, daughter of Amos and Mary Buxton\\nof Danvers; settled here, in 1779, on the farm, in the north part of the town, now in\\npossession of Dodge G. Hartshorn, and died Oct. 12, 1800, aged 49 years.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0129.jp2"}, "130": {"fulltext": "122\\ntown non-concuiTed in the movement. The next year, 1796,\\nthe church and the town concurred in giving Mr. Phineas Ran-\\ndall a call to settle with them in the work of the ministry, but\\nMr. Randall did not accept. Then follows a period of nearly\\ntwo years, wlien no meeting was held, after which Rev, Abel\\nFiske, of Wilton, was elected Standing Moderator, and a com-\\nmittee chosen to give information to the members whenever a\\nchurch meeting should be appointed by the moderator. About\\nthis time tlie town voted, seventy-six to thirty-one, to give Mr.\\nNath l IT. Fletcher* a call, but the church did not concur. At this\\ntime the church had been organized nearly ten years, but\\nits existence must have been merely nominal. It could only\\nhave lived in name, as no deacons had been chosen, nor mem-\\nbers admitted either by letter or by the profession of their\\nfaith, and there is no record indicating that a communion season\\nhad been observed. In March, 1798, the question of receiving\\nmembers by letters from other churches was considei ed, and in\\nApril it was decided in the affirmative, and nineteen members\\nwere thus received, five being from the church in Amlierst, two\\nfrom the second church in Amherst, six from the church in\\nWilton, three from the church in Billerica, two from the church\\nin Dracut, and one from the church in Durham. It was also\\nvoted at the same meeting to have the sacrament of tlie Lord s\\nSupper administered twice during the coming season, and two\\npersons were appointed to wait on the table. Two additional\\npersons were also chosen for the purpose of conversing with\\nthose who should apply for admission, and the moderator was in-\\nstructed to call a meeting at any time, at the request of\\nany seven members. In August, 1799, a meeting was held to\\nconsider the question of giving Mr. Micah Stone a call, but it\\nNathaniel Hill Fletcher, sou of Deacon Abel and Abigail (Hildreth) Fletcher, was\\nborn at Boxborough, Middlesex county, Mass., April 16, 1769; was graduated at Har-\\nvard University in 1793; received the honorary degree of A. M. at Brown University\\nin 1799; was settled at Wells, Me., in 1800; was married February 8, 1801, to Sarah,\\ndaughter of John Storer, of the same place; and, after a ministry of 27 years, resigned\\nhis pastorate and returned to Boxborough, where he died Sept. 4, 1834. Several of\\nhis sermons were published, among which was one delivered at Deerfield, in this state,\\nin 1812, at the ordination of Kev. Kathaniel Wells; a Thanksgiving sermon, delivered in\\nMassachusetts, in Kovember of the same year; one delivered at the funeral of Rev.\\nPaul Coflan, D. D., of Buxton, Me., June 8, 1821; and one on Christian communion,\\nin 1827.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0130.jp2"}, "131": {"fulltext": "123\\nwas regarded as inexpedient. In tlie year 1800 the church,\\nfifteen of the nineteen members present, voted to invite Mr.\\nThomas Beede to become tlieir pastor, and tlie town concurred,\\nproposing ^566 as a settlement to be paid within one year after\\nthe ordination, an annual salary of $333 while he supplied the\\ndesk, and $110 annually during his residence in town, after he\\nshould be unable to supply the desk and the next year a\\nunanimous call of the church was extended to Mr. Joshua Lane.\\nIt would be interesting at the present time to know what were\\nthe hindrances to the settlement of the various candidates, and\\nhow the matter in each case was treated by the parties in in-\\nterest but the records are silent on the subject.\\nIn March, 1802, the church, nineteen members being present,\\ninvited Rev. Humphrey Moore to settle with them in the gospel\\nministry. The town concurred, in April, and chose a commit-\\ntee of fifteen to determine what settlement and salary was\\nproper to offer Mr. Moore for his services in the ministry. This\\ncommittee, after the consideration of the matter for one hour,\\nreported 6600 as a settlement to be paid, or to become due in\\none year after the ordination, |400 as an annual salary, and a\\ngratuity of 8100 per annum while he should remain their minister,\\nand be unable, through infirmity or old age, to snp])ly the desk.\\nIn August, Mr. Moore gave an answer in the affirmative, and\\non the 13th day of the following October he was ordained, the\\nexercises on the occasion being,\\n1. Anthem.\\n2. Introductory Prayer, by Rev. Ebenezer Hill, of Mason.\\n3. Sermon, Luke ix, 60, by Rev. Elijah Dunbar, of Peterboro\\n4. Ordaining l^rayer, by Rev. Jacob Burnap, of Merrimack.\\n5. Charge, by Rev. Jeremiah Barnard, of Amherst.\\n6. Concluding Prayer, by Rev. Lemuel VYadsworth, of Brook-\\nline.\\n7. Benediction by the pastor.\\nWith the settlement of the new pastor, a brighter day dawn-\\ned upon the church. The month following, a confession of fixith\\nwas adopted, deacons chosen,* and stated communion seasons\\nMoses Towne and Benjamin French were chosen, neither of whom accepted, and at\\nthe next meeting, holden in May, 1803, John WaUace and William Lovejoy were chosen,\\nand entered upon their duties.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0131.jp2"}, "132": {"fulltext": "124\\nagreed upon steps indicating faithful, earnest work. At the\\ntime of the ordination, the church had been in existence about\\nfourteen years, but had had no additions except on one occasion,\\nand then by letter. The subsequent year witnessed the mem-\\nbership doubled, thirty-two being added on profession of their\\nfaith, and seven by letters from other churches.\\nOf the pastorate of Mr. Moore, extending over a third part\\nof a century, I need not speak.* It is in part if not in whole\\nwitliin the memory of many present. The 335 additions to the\\nchurch during his ministry testify to the diligence and faithful-\\nness of his labors, and are evidence of consecration to his chosen\\nwork. And in conclusion, let me add that, in what I have said\\nto-day, I have endeavored to let the fathers speak in their own\\nlanguage, revealing their characters in their own words, supply-\\ning no motives, and purposely abstaining from comments, that\\nwe might, unprejudiced, commend what was commendable and\\nnoble in their lives and if, amid their trials, their sufferings, and\\nsacrifices, we discovered mistakes in method, what was little in\\ncharacter, or want of devout affection for one another, it might\\nbe earnestly deplored, and avoided in our own experience.\\n*Eev. Humphrey Moore was dismissed March 9,1836; remained in the parish, and\\ndied April 8, 1871, in the 93d year of liis age. The following named pastors have suc-\\nceeded him\\nRev. J. W. Salter was installed April 2T, 1836; dismissed Oct. 24, 1838.\\nKev. Abxer B. WAK^\u00e2\u0080\u00a2ER was ordained Feb. 6, 1839; dismissed Oct. 27, 1846.\\nKev. Lycurgcs p. Kimball was installed May 19, 1847; dismissed Aug. 7, 1849.\\nRev. E. N. Hidden was installed Nov. 21, 1849; dismissed April 7, 1858.\\nRev. S. C. Kendall was installed April 7, 1858; dismissed Oct. 1.5, 1860.\\nRev. F. D. Ater was ordained May 1, 1861 dismissed Sept. 8, 1867.\\nRev. Geo. E. Freeman was installed Dec. 23, 1868; dismissed Dec. 14, 1871.\\nRev. Geokge Fierce, Jr., was installed Oct. 29, 1872.", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0132.jp2"}, "133": {"fulltext": "HISTORICAL DISCOURSE\\nDELIVERED AT\\nAMHERST, N. H.,\\nHUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY\\n|}etfifatiDi| of il\\\\t ^oiiijitfiHtioujtl 1p[tdiit0=^ou$^,\\nBY THE PASTOR, J. G. DAVIS;\\nWith sketches of Persons, Places, and Churches connected with\\nthe parish originally called Souhegan West, by Rev. A.\\nHeald, S. H. Keeleu, n.i)., W. B. Townb,\\nand 1). F. Sechmh, F iiiiiires.\\nCONCORD, N. H.\\nPIUNTKD n\\\\ THK UKPIBLICAX PRESS ASSnci A 1 ION.\\n1874.", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0133.jp2"}, "134": {"fulltext": "y^", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0134.jp2"}, "135": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0135.jp2"}, "136": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0136.jp2"}, "137": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0137.jp2"}, "138": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0138.jp2"}, "139": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0139.jp2"}, "140": {"fulltext": "5 \u00c2\u00abs:\\ncc cc\\nc c:\\nc d\\nc c:\\nd C\\nc: c:\\nCC\\nCCC\\nO\\nC C\\ny r\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0C^KTi\\n5i c:\\ndccL\\nCi C\\nC XC\\nc: XI 4\\nc:\\nIf\\nss*\\n~ccc:\\n:cc i:\\n::c\\nc c\\n_C C\\n:c\\ndCc cc\\nrc c cc\\n:i c e\\nc :i c \u00c2\u00abc\\n^Z: c c\\nc c r^ cc\\nc c r c\\nC c\\nr d c cc\\ncc^\\ncc^\\n-c c \\\\S\\nc \u00c2\u00abc^ V\\nc c: c cc\\n^\u00e2\u0080\u00a2ccc le:\\n-^^Ccc; dd^^c\\n=^c\u00c2\u00abc:. \u00c2\u00abici:\\n=-c$c: ac^\\n-CiC .acr^-f\\ns^c \u00c2\u00abz cc\\nS=^c;/c\\nS^. ^^c^\\nl c\\nc c\\nV.d c\\nc c\\n^c: c\\n\u00c2\u00abi: c^c\\nCCc\\nCc c\\n^g C cc\\n5^^\\n^C c\\nd c c\\nC 4\\n:Ld5d c c\\nc;.\u00c2\u00abr_ o\\n5^ CTd c\\ncr d c c\\n_dCd cC\\n4^ c c\\n^CCC CC\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0c t c;\\nCC1 c?c\\n-=c^ c: t c\\nAC c d CC\\n^ciS Cd: mi\\nc -cdi a:", "height": "3347", "width": "2042", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0140.jp2"}, "141": {"fulltext": "c etc\\nO C^\\n-cc;\\nS^ ^C2 -CXL\\nd. cic- c c^ c\\ncc\\nd^ cc r c:\\nrc i*\\ncccc\\n1CC C\\n^C c\\n^c C\\n^C C\\nttcc:\\nCf\\n^C C\\n5c\\n?oc\\n^ccC\\n^ac\\ncc\\nS t\\ncc.\\nL\\nL.\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2cc^\\nrC\\n\u00c2\u00abs c:\\nCC\\nCC\\ncc\\nL O.\\ncc\\nr\\nCiC\\n1 CC\\nCC\\nc ss\\ncc\\ncc\\n^C c^\\n\u00c2\u00abc c_\\n-9 c^-\\nccc\\nV. S\\nc\\ni c X\\nL^ C S:\\ncr fc\\n_ S K\\nX t C\\nc:^\\nOf\\nc\\nc c\\nC\u00c2\u00abC^\\nc\\nc\\n.X- C i\\nc c\\ncc\\nLC^\\n\u00c2\u00ab::cc", "height": "3326", "width": "2022", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0141.jp2"}, "142": {"fulltext": "LIBRARY OF CONGRESS\\n013 997 269 7", "height": "3452", "width": "2052", "jp2-path": "historicaldiscou00lcdavi_0142.jp2"}}