a brief history of newton, new hampshire

Ferrin_newton_nh_history.doc_history

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A Brief History of Newton, New Hampshire

Introduction

The following chronology consists of excerpts from a “A Chronology of the Life and Times of Jonathan Farren”, which is an expanded version of a chronology researched and compiled by James E. Shaw in 1993 for The Ferrin Family Newsletter. In 1994, George G. Gleason of Hampton, NH, began researching for the FFN in local libraries and archives and found a tremendous amount of information, including a number of original documents signed by Jonathan Farren and many of the Newton and South Hampton town records reproduced here.

The following documents are copied as exactly as possible from the source documents, including the imaginative spelling, the erratic capitalization and punctuation used therein. In some cases, the transcription of a document in this chronology was made from a copy of the original holographic document by James E. Shaw, George Gleason or me. Most often, though, the following documents are copied from a typeset version of the original document by an unknown transcriber. Thus, the documents you see on your screen are at least one or two removes from the original document, and there are bound to be occasional errors in the transcriber’s interpretation of the original handwriting as well as in the typography. In general, though, this presentation of these documents will give you an accurate impression of the appearance and content of the original source material.

Don’t suppose that the writers of these documents were “poor spellers” or ignorant in any sense of the word; keep in mind that the majority of these documents were written before the first dictionary of the English language, which was published in 1760 and codified spelling for the first time. Instead of focusing on the unconventional spelling, pay attention to the extensive vocabulary used by the writers: these New Hampshire farmers weren’t “simple farmers” by any stretch of the imagination.

Writers of the period used a form of abbreviation wherein the first few letters of the word would be written, then the final letter would be appended in superscript. When you’re looking at the original holography, it makes sense and is perfectly understandable; though it makes less sense when you see the word reproduced in typescript as it was originally written -- this, by way of explanation, is why you’ll see words such as Gentleman rendered in the following documents as Gentmn. Another common abbreviation of this sort you’ll see in the following documents is the use of Sd to represent Said.

Many of these documents were originally written by people who used the Anglo-Saxon “thorn”, which represents the “th” sound and resembles a “Y”, in their writing. The thorn was used along with the form of abbreviation where only the last letter or the last few letters were appended to the first part of the word in superscript. Thus, you’ll see the rendered as Ye, that as Yt, these as Yese and so on. A reader of the time would have pronounced these words, respectively, as the, that, and these, if reading them aloud.

An understanding of the archaic letter formations and writing conventions in 18th century holography is also important to reading and transcribing documents of the time. However, as it isn’t a direct concern for understanding the following chronology, I won’t discuss it here but will provide a link at the bottom of this page for those who’d like to learn more about it.

As for how names are written in the following documents, you’ll see that the spellings used for any given surname vary a great deal. Apparently, even individuals would use different spellings of their surname at different times. In some cases, the use of a variant spelling can be attributed to the preference of the scribe writing or copying the name. Therefore, if you are


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looking for references to a particular person or family in these documents, be alert to possible variant spellings of the surname, as you’ll probably find at least a few.

You’ll also see some signatures on documents written thusly: “ Samuel X Goodwin his mark”; what this means is that the person was probably illiterate and had someone else sign his name to a petition and then “made his mark” to indicate that the signature was made for him. This brings up another point about transcription: the person or persons who transcribed the Newton & South Hampton petitions and town records were apparently not consistent in indicating whether a person signed a document with a mark or by actually signing their name. Note that some people who “signed with a mark” in some transcribed documents are not noted as “signing with a mark” on others. Probably that person signed both documents with a mark and the only difference is that the transcriber didn’t choose to note it in a particular transcription.

For perspective on the social and political issues of concern in the following documents, I highly recommend Peaceable Kingdoms: New England Towns in the Eighteenth Century by Michael Zuckerman, Vintage Books, 1972. For a fascinating look at intergenerational relations and the social position, obligations and privileges of the elderly in colonial New Hampshire, see Growing Old in America by David Hackett Fischer, Oxford University Press, 1977.

I’m very interested in corresponding with people who have information on Jonathan Farren’s life, especially before 1719, or who are researching original records in the Newton, Merrimac or Amesbury area.

However, please DO NOT email me with questions about genealogy for the individuals or families listed in these documents! Instead, consult the primary sources, which are: Joseph Merrill’s History of Amesbury and Hoyt’s Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury. The land which is today Newton, NH, was originally part of Salisbury, Massachusetts; then it became part of Amesbury, Massachusetts; then part of the West Parish of Amesbury; then part of New Town or South Hampton, Massachusetts. If genealogical information on Newton residents in the time period covered by this chronology is available, you’ll most probably find it in Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury.

If you have questions about people or historical information mentioned in this chronology and want to hire an honest, affable, enthusiastic, energetic, erudite and expert researcher with an encyclopedic knowledge of the history and genealogy of the area, I highly recommend George G. Gleason, Gentmn.

Please post your comments or questions about this chronology in the Newton Guest Book.

Thanks to Scott Finley for giving me the opportunity to share these documents with you!

Jerry Ferrin Email: [email protected]


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History of Newton, New Hampshire Copyright Jerry D. Ferrin 1999

Come with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when the area that is today part of

Newton, New Hampshire, was part of Amesbury, Massachusetts. We’ll begin about 86 years from the eve of the French and Indian Wars, when the English colonists had pushed forth their frontier, and the French fomented war twixt the French Jesuit-led Abenakis and the English colonists as a barrier against the further spead of the English northward into territory claimed or coveted by the French...

The history of Newton, NH, properly begins in Amesbury, Massachusetts, as it was originally part of that town. From 1724 until 1741, the land that today comprises Newton was part of the West Parish of Amesbury, Massachusetts. In 1727, Jonathan Farren bought a homestead at Cottle’s Plain in Amesbury, Essex county, Massachusetts. In 1741, he became a resident of South Hampton, NH. Then, in 1749, he became a resident of New Town, NH. Thus, he was a resident of three different townships in two different states within the space of 22 years although his physical residence never changed!

As we wend our way through the years leading up to the founding of New Town, NH, you’ll read contemporary accounts of the events in this frontier area at the limits of English colonial settlement where savage Indian attacks were a fact of life for many years.

We’ll follow a sorrowful father to the graves of his wife and four children, all who died in a single day during one of the diptheria epidemics which swept the area.

We’ll accompany one of the most well-known heros of colonial America, Capt. John Lovewell, on the successful second of his three expeditions against hostile Indians, and pass with a glance his fateful and fatal third expedition, as no known Newton residents were part of it.

First person accounts will take us to the 1745 assault by English colonists on the French fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, an event which first gave rise in English colonists to what later became known as “American nationalism” and which led to the Revolutionary War against England. You’ll see that early residents of Newton, NH, were there, wallowing through the storm in their malodorous fishing boats, landing on Cape Breton through heavy surf, tugging cannons through marshes like mules to take advantage of their enemy’s errors in fortification design, and taking the fortress.

Our thread of the story begins in a small cottage as the day breaks in Olde England, an ocean and nearly 120 years away from the heart-pounding birth of American nationalism before the walls of Fort Louisbourg. As sturdy and honest John Gould paces the yard outside his small cottage, the starlings and sparrows are all atwitter above him as the light of morning gilds the twigs and leaves which hide them...

1614: About this time, Nathan Gould was born to John and Judith Gould of King’s Langley, Co. Herts, England. He was the nephew of Zaccheus Gould of Topsfield. He received land in Amesbury between 1657 and 1667; may have come to Amesbury in 1652. He took the Oath of Allegience in 1677. He married Elizabeth (________?). Their daughter, Elizabeth Gould, was their fourth child of seven, and was born 4 April 1664. She married Thomas Beadle & they gave land in 1726 to “our son Jonathan ffarren”. The land deeded to him, as a revocable gift, was the lot of land given by the town of Amesbury to Nathan Gould in The Children’s Land Division, land which had been set aside for distribution to the children of early English settlers. Elizabeth inherited it in her father’s will, dated 21 Dec 1692 and proven 27 Sept 1693. (OFS, p. 178)

1659: “To encourage settlers (in Amesbury), 500 acres of land beyond the pond was set


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apart for the children. This section was known as the Children’s Land. It was intended for the oldest son in each family; but in case there were no sons, then a daughter took the family share... A committee, consisting of Thomas Barnard, George Martin and Samuel Foot ‘these three are appointed to lay out the land upon the river, and are to have two pense and acre for laying it out’. Twenty six lots were laid out, number One commencing at the Buttonwood Road, and extending along the river westwardly towards Haverhill. Probably these lots were not completed and drawn till 1661, as Widow Colby and Widow Peasley received lots.” (HEC, p. 1498)

1660: In Amesbury, “...to enjoy all the rights of freemen, grants must be obtained from the commoners who held the territory, granting it to whom they pleased. On the 10th of December ... the following were admitted townsmen, viz: Samuel Foot, Samuel Colby, Nathan Gold (Gould), William Osgood and Robert Quinby. The Children’s Land was also divided among the children of the proprieters.

When our ancestors came to this wild territory, wolves were very plenty and troublesome, and bounties were early offered for their heads, but 30 s. was hardly sufficient to destroy them, and this year it was increased to 50 s., if not killed by Indians. The General Court had previously ordered the constables to pay the Indians three quarts of wine and a bushel of corn per head for all they killed.” (HEC, p. 1498)

1663: “This year the town (of Amesbury) bought one acre of land of Edmund Elliot for a burying ground. It was the eastern part of the ancient cemetery at Bartlett’s Corner. Up to this time Golgotha had been the only burying place in town.” (HEC, p. 1499.)

This land, which became the “ancient cemetery” mentioned by Joseph Merrill, is today called Union Cemetery and, near a large stone with plaque marking the site of the 1st meeting house in Amesbury, you’ll find the gravestones of The Reverend Thomas Wells and Mary Parker Wells, his wife. (GGG) They were the paternal grandparents of Sarah Wells Farren and, thus, ancestors of anyone descended from Sarah’s husband, Jonathan Farren.

4 April 1664: Birth of Elizabeth Gould, daughter of Nathanial & Elizabeth _____ Gould, (OFS, p 179) She would have been 40 years old when she gave birth to her 3rd child, Thomas Beadle, Jr., in Amesbury in 1703. Old Families of Salisbury & Amesbury notes that she was living in 1692, but this must have been a reference to her mother, Elizabeth, who was living in 1692 when Nathanial Gould made his will. Elizabeth (Gould) Beadle was still living 17 March 1735 when Thomas Beadle, Jr. mentioned her as his wife in his will. (FFN #9, p. 30-31)

1665: “The most important event of this year (in Amesbury) was the building of a meeting house on the acre bought of Edmund Elliott... It was a small house, thirty by twenty-five feet, but large enough to seat the few inhabitants of the town.” (HEC, p. 1499)

1667: “At the meeting (of the town of Amesbury), the division of land set apart for the children in 1659 was ‘ordered to every child according to his father’s estate’.” This was called “The Children’s Land Division”. (HEC, p. 1500)

30 April 1668: Birth of Thomas Beadle in Newbury, Massachusetts, to Robert & Martha Beadle. (Robert was a planter and lived in Newbury first in 1664; in the Amesbury portion of Salisbury a short time about 1666, then in Newbury till 1679, when he settled in Amesbury, where he died in 1683. (ANT, p. 185) Thomas Beadle would have been 35 years old when his 3rd child, Thomas Beadle, Jr. was born, and about 67 years old when he died in Amesbury.

1672: After the town of Amesbury voted “not to ad any more to Mr. Hubbard’s maintainance, neither in land nor anything else”, this preacher, who had been hired the year before, left town. “...in less than two months an invitation was extended to the Rev. Thomas Wells, a young man of good talent. He had preached at Newbury and the Shoals some, and may have occupied Mr. Hubbard’s pulpit on some occasion, when his eloquence had captivated the


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hearts of the people. He was readily obtained, and his salary fixed at forty pounds per year and the use of the land set apart for the ministry. It was offered, but not carried out, to build him a house “fower and forty foot long or there abouts, and twenty foot wide and thirteen foot and a half stood”... Mr. Wells built to suit himself. The Vane lot (now Bartlett’s Corner, was obtained of Abner Jones, and here Mr. Wells lived during his long pastorate of sixty years.”

Joseph Merrill, writing about 1887, said “The lilacs and well near the new High School still mark the spot where the ‘village preachers modest mansion stood”. (HEC, p. 1500) In 1995, George G. Gleason showed Yr FFN Edtr the site where this house once stood on the corner lot across the road from Union Cemetery; today a financial institution occupies the lot.

1675: “The business of the town of (Amesbury) at this time was farming, fishing, making staves and building vessels. These occupations required other tradesmen, such as blacksmiths, weavers, carpenters, tailors, etc. River and harbor fishing came next to farming in importance, furnishing an important article of food. The raising of cattle and sheep was by no means neglected, if we may be allowed to judge from the old inventories. The small grains were also raised in abundance, and orchards are mentioned... No potatoes are found on ancient inventories till about 1730.” (HEC, p. 1501)

1676: “In the early years of the (Amesbury) settlement, little, if any, trouble was occasioned by the Inidans, but having grown more numerous, they grew troublesome, obliging the inhabitants to keep constant watch day and night. For the convenience of the watchmen, the town was divided into wards, each having a watch house for quarters. Each ward was required to furnish wood for the watch house, under a fine of fine shillings for neglect. The garrison houses were to be kept in order, and everything betokened an alarming state of affairs. No one ventured into his field without a gun, and even friendly Indians could hardly be trusted. The forts or garrison-houses were built in different sections of the town, that should an alarm occur all might readily seek safety therein. There was a garrison near the Estes estate, one at Pond Hills, one at ‘Jamaco’ (today the town of Merrimac), one near Birchy Meadow, and probably one at the Highlands.

The constables and watches were obliged to keep nights from May to October, and all persons (males) over sixteen years of age were required to take turns or hire a substitute. No persons were allowed out after ten o’clock at night, and lights were to be put out at that hour, and all noises cease in the streets.” (HEC, p. 1501)

7 July 1677: In Amesbury, “The much-feared Indian raid occured this year, and several persons were murdered, not withstanding the great precautions taken to prevent a surprise. Secretary Rawson, in a letter to Governor Anderson of New York, says ‘As for the damge done us by the eastern Indians, mentioned in our letter dated July 28th, was in taking our fishing catches about Cape Sable, and a notorious murder committed upon some men, women and children at Amesbury about the middle of July, but not known to us or ye Commisioners at Pemaquid until after the peace was concluded between some of the eastern Indians & Captain Brockles.’ From the above it would be inferred that the murders here were committed by eastern Indians, but it is a matter of history that there were Indians nearer home quite as treacherous as those further east. There was one Symon, who had lived with the English, and with William Osgood awhile, that was a treacherous fellow. He was without doubt the leader of the murderous assault made July 7th this year when men, women and children were killed.

Robert Quinby is supposed to have been killed, and his wife knocked down and left for dead, but recovered, and stated that Symon was with the party and attempted her life. The names of those killed are not given by the records.” (HEC, p. 1501)

(The following autograph letter by Phillip Challis is from Volume 69, page 142,


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Massachusetts Archives, and a typeset copy was published in 1903 by Hamline E. Robinson, a descendant of Lieut. Philip Challis.

In the Robinson transcription, he faithfully reproduced the holography of the original letter in which the Anglo-Saxon character called a “Thorn”, which looked like a captial Y and represented the “th” sound, was used.

Thus, in the following letter, you’ll see “the” written as “Ye”, “that” written as “Yt”. “them” written as “Ym “ and “themselves” written as “Ymes”.) Amesbury: 9: 5mo: 1677 Sr: Be pleased wh these to understand yt yestrday being ye Sabbath. There was 5 Indians seen by Jno Hoyt junr follow one another in a strait file upon Thomas Hayne’s hill & go into ye bushes & a sixth to follow ye five: & in ye Afternoone one Indian was seen by Sergt Belshers men: & yt last night ye Indians weere about ye garison wher Sergt Belshers men keep: & just now there was an Indian seen under the fence creeping towd ye place where ye men were slaine on friday last: Soe yt wee doe assuredly conclude yt Symon & his party are nott drawn off fro ye town, but ever & anon show ymes by one two or some few of ym to draw out our weake strength unto ym and so cutt us off And ye grounds of this our opinion is further confirmed unto us by ye relation of ye wounded woman which accordin to her desire wee whose names are undr written tooke fro her mouth: viz: That there were about ten yt killed our men, & about twenty yt shee saw in all, & yt shee knew ye most of those yt she saw iff nott all of them to be Indians yt Dwelt formerly here abouts & at Newberry ffalls: although shee did nott know all ye names but some shee knew by name: & named Symon: & Pooky John formerly soe called now named Andrew: and one Jeepsey now called Samuel & one named Joseph as she thinks. And yt it was Symon yt knockt her on ye head. whom when he came to her she desired him nott to kill her: why sd he goodwife Quinby: ( wch was her name) doe you think yt I will kill you? sd shee because you kill all english: sd he I will give Qurtr to never an e nglish dogg off you all, & gave her a blow on ye head whereupon she called him Rogue & threw a stone att him & then he gave her twoo more & setled her for Dead: Wee Asked whither she was sure yt it was Symon & how long it was ere yt she saw him before She Answd yt about 3 years since he was att their house with an ottor: wch time pson & Token Sargt Samll ffoot being there att ye house doth very well remember & Affirms ye same. This considered in conjunction wth Symons’s being & living an apprenticed servant with goodwife Quinbles father att ye same time yt her selfe also lived wth her father whose name was Will Osgood seems to confirm unto us her perfect knowledg of Simon Which things Considered wee Doubt nott but yt It is Symon & his party yt layd siege unto or towne neither Do we scruple ye womans certaine Knowledg of Symon Indian further more shee relates yt when Symon was about to kill her & she called to ye garrison: He sayd why doe you call fo ye garrison: I will have that too by and by This is a faithful & true relatn & acct off or present concernmts fro Sr yr humble servts Philip Challis Leftt Jeremiah Belsher Samuell foot”

Hamline Robinson notes, with his reproduction of this letter: “Samuel Foot, one of the signers of the above letter, was captured by the Indians and tortured to death July 7, 1690, as told in Mather’s Magnalla, Book 7, Article 11. And John Hoyt, Jr., who is spoken of in the letter,


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was killed by the Indians August 13, 1696.” (SYM) Following is the letter by Phillip Challis with the spelling modernized, punctuation added and with abbreviated words spelled out:Amesbury: 9 : 5 mo: 1677 Sir: Be pleased with this to understand that yesterday being the Sabbath, there was 5 Indians seen by Jonathan Hoyt, Junior, following one another in a straight file upon Thomas Haynes’ hill and going into bushes and a sixth (Indian was seen) to follow the five. And in the afternoon one Indian was seen by Sargent Belsher’s men; and that last night the Indians were about the garrison where Sargent Belsher’s men keep (watch); and just now there was an Indian seen under the fence creeping toward Thomas Haynes’ toward the place where the men were slain Friday last. So that we do assuredly conclude that Symon and his party are not drawn off from the town, but ever and anon show themselves by one, two or some few of them to draw out our weak (military) strength unto them and so cut us off (from safety). And the grounds of this, our opinion, is futher confirmed unto us by the relation of the wounded woman which, according to her desire, we whose names are underwritten took from her mouth, viz: That there were about twenty (Indians) that killed our men, and about twenty (Indians) that she saw in all, and that she knew the most of those that she saw if not all of them to be Indians that dwelt formerly hereabouts and at Newbury Falls. Although she did not know all the names (of the Indians) but some she knew by name; and named Symon; and Pookey John, so called, now named Andrew; and one Gypsy now called Samuel and one named Joseph as she thinks. And that it was Symon that knocked her on the head, whom when he came to her, she desired him not to kill her. “Why,” said he, “Goodwife Quinby (which was her name), do you think that I will kill you?”. Said she: “Because you kill all English (inhabitants)”. Said he: “I will give quarter to never an English dog of you all”, and gave her a blow on the head, whereupon she called him “Rogue” and threw a stone at him. And then he gave her two more (blows) and settled her for dead. We asked whether she was sure it was Symon and how long it was ere that she saw him befo re. She answered that about three years since he was at their house with an otter, at which time “pson” (person?) and token Sargent Samuel Foot being there at the house, doth very well remember and affirms the same. This considered in conjunction with Symon’s being and living (as) an apprenticed servant with Goodwife Quinby’s father at the same time that (she) herself also lived with her father, whose name was Will Osgood, seems to confirm unto us her perfect knowledge of (the identity of) Symon. Which things considered we doubt not but that it is Symon and his party that laid siege unto our town, neither do we scruple the woman’s certain knowledge of Symon Indian

Furthermore, she relates that when Symon was about to kill her and she called (for help) to the garrison (soldiers on duty), he said: “Why do you call for the garrison? I will have that too, by and by”.

This is a faithful and true relation and account of our present concernments from, Sir, Your humble servants, Phillip Challis, Lieutenant Jerimiah Belsher Samuel Foot

The Death of Symon, Indian

Increase Mather, in his Remarkable Providences, Library of Old Authors edition, London, 1856, pp. 253-254, gives the following vivid account of the ending of Simon:


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“That remarkable judgement hath first or last fallen upon those who have sought the hurt of the people of God in New England, is so notorious as that it has become the observation of every man. This Israel in the wilderness hath eat up the nations his enemies; he hath broke their bones, and pierced them through with his arrrows. Some adversaries have escaped longer unpunished than others; but then their ends have been of all the most woeful and tragical at last. I shall instance only in what hath lately come to pass with respect unto the heathen who rose up against us, thinking to swallow us up quck when their wrath was kindled against us. Blessed be the Lord who has not given us a prey to their teeth! The chieftains amongst them were all cut off, either by sword or sickness, In the war time, excepting those in the eastern parts, whose ringleaders outlived their fellows; but now God hath met with them. There were in special two of those Indians who shed much innocent blood, viz. Simon and Squando. As for bloody Simon, who was wont to boast of the mischiefs he had done, and how he had treacherously shot and killed such and such Englishmen, he died miserably last winter. Another Indian discharging a gun, happened to shoot Simon, so as to break his arm. After which he lived two years, but in extremity of pain, so as that the Indians, when enquired of how Simon did, their usual answer was, “Worse than dead.” He used all means that earth and hell (for he betook himself to powaws) could afford him for his recovery, but in vain. Thus was the wickedness of that murtherer at last returned upon his own head.” (SYM)

1678: In Amesbury, “Samuel Colby, living at Bartlett’s corner, was chosen to keep a public house of entertainment, which is the first tavern mentioned on the records. These were popular resorts much favored by the people.” (HEC, p. 1501)

1680: “Mr. Wells’ salary was increased to fifty pounds per year during the remaining time which he may be engaged in work of the ministry. His eight years service was no doubt satisfactory. (HEC, p. 1502)

1682: “George Martyn, Robert Jones and John Prowse were appointed to lay out the “Peeke” (Peak) land, which embraced a large tract near Kingston, called “the farmes”, on the map of 1715. It probably included all of Newton, NH, and possibly part of South Hampton, NH. These farms were laid out in regular order, having suitable roads located between them, crossing at right angles.” (HEC, p. 1502)

1686: The Rev. Mr. Thomas Wells was chosen registrar, and the recording of births, marriages and deaths in Amesbury, of which no previous record is found, commenced at this time. (HEC, p. 1502) Thus, had Jonathan Farren been born in Amesbury, his future grandfather-in-law, would have recorded his birth in the registry, but his birth is not found in these records.

1687: “The Indians were again on the warpath, greatly alarming the people (in Amesbury), but no damage was done. Captain Pike’s troop of horse was thought to be insufficient to protect the scattered inhabitants of the two towns (of Amesbury & Salisbury), and assistance was asked of the General Court, but none was given.

Wolves were still troublesome and a bounty of twenty shillings was offered for every one killed.” (HEC, p. 1502)

1689: “The town’s management of religious matters was very singular, especially in regard to the minister. Mr. Wells was settled according to the customs of the time, which was for life, and yet the town annually voted that they were clear of him and he of them. At the annual meeting it was ‘voted that we desire to have a minister among us’, just as though Mr. Wells must leave unless engaged anew. The next vote was to send to him to know whether he had a mind to stay and ‘continue in the work of the ministry among us’. The next was ‘that the town was clear from Mr. Wells and Mr. Wells from the town’. Having established the two points of


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independence, they went to work and voted ‘to pay the minister 50 pounds per year’ and ‘at the same meeting the town made choice of Mr. Wells’ to be their minister. They then voted that ‘Mr. Wells shall have his firewood brought home to him for this year ensuing.’ Thus in their own peculiar way they satisfied themselves and gave Mr. Wells a plentiful supply.” (HEC, p. 1503)

1690: “Indian wars were almost continually harassing the colony, making it necessary to keep companies of soldiers to guard against surprise. These troops were raised in the towns, the only exception being in “frontier towns” which were excused from contributing to the common safety on account of their exposed situation.

Amesbury petitioned the General court to be considered a frontier town and very likely her request was granted. Merrimac was then called ‘Jamaco’ and suffered severely from these raids, and this year Capt. Samuel Foot was captured and tortured to death by the Indians. He died July 7th, but the cause of death is not stated on the record. He probably lived on the plain not far from the cemetery (on Church St. in Merrimac today) and kept the garrison there. At the same time three men were killed and three houses burned.

Edward Cottle, one of the first little colony here, lived at ‘Jamaco’, and a tradition has been handed down that his house was burnt twice, once by accident, and once by Indians. He was discouraged and removed to Duke’s Colony. John Hoyt, Jr., suffered by having his house plundered by Indians.” (HEC, p. 1503)

1692: “The most noted and saddest event of the year (in Amesbury) was the accusation, trial and conviction of Susannah Martin as a witch. She was the widow of George Martin, a prominent man of the first company (of settlers in the area). She was a good, but outspoken, woman and died a martyr to the superstitions of the times. This singular delusion prevailed to an alarming exent at this time, filling the jails with suspected persons of both sexes. The dark stain of (the) Salem witchcraft (trials) can never be blotted from history.” (HEC, p. 1503)

1693: “This year ‘tything men’ were first chosen (in Amesbury), their duties being very much like those of constables of modern times. As an inducement to faithfulness, they were to receive the benefit of informers, which probably meant part of the fines. They were to carefully inspect all licensed houses and inform of all disorders and misdemeanors which they may discover.” (HEC, p. 1503)

1694: Rev. Thomas Wells was hired at a salary of twenty pounds to be schoolmaster for the Amesbury area in addition to his responsibilities and salary as the minister of the Amesbury church.

“The Indians were still troubling the settlers by the raids. On September 4th, Joseph Pike, deputy sheriff of Essex, while traveling with one Long between Amesbury and Haverhill, fell into an ambuscade of the enemy on the ridge near Gilman Merrill’s, and was murdered. It may have been at this time that one Rowell, a mailcarrier between Newbury and Portsmouth, was killed in Patten’s Hollow.” (HEC, p. 1503)

1695: In an Amesbury Town Meeting,” Voted that all those that are towns men and freemen that have liberty to vote in ye town affires as ye law directs shall attend Town meetings upon legall warning given them at a reasonable time of ye day and for their non appearance shall pay as a fine two shillings a day to be disposed of for the youse of the towne.” Merrill notes that the fine was about the same as the pay for a day’s work so that nothing was to be gained by staying away. (HOA, p. 139)

1696: “Again we find the Indians committing depredations on the towns, and John Hoyt and one Peters were killed in Andover while on the road to Haverhill. It was at this time that the murderous descent (by Indians) was made on Haverhill, where nine persons were killed or carried into captivity, and among the number the plucky Hannah Dustin. (HEC, p. 1504)


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25 Sept 1696: “A black frost. Ye ice on ye side of my house as thick as window glass”, noted John Higginson of Salem, MA. (TWF, p. 17)

1697: The year Jonathan Farren was born, according to the inscription on his gravestone erected by his son, Aquilla Ferrin, in the Old Town Cemetery in Newtown, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. (FMF, viii.)

1697: “Samuel Gill, then in his 10th year, was captured by the Abenakis at Salisbury in Massachusetts, carried to St. Francis - a French settlement - and converted to Catholicism. Some years later he married a young English girl, said to have been named James and to have been captured at Kennebunk”, wrote Francis Parkman, who cited a computation that in 1886, their descendants numbered 952, and gave them as an example of how “... descendants of captives brought into Canada by the mission Indians during the various wars with the English Colonies became a considerable element of the Canadian population.” (HCC, pp. 76 & 77)

“The little church at Amesbury built 32 years ago was hardly large enough to hold the people, and Mr. Wells asked leave to build a pew on the outside, between the south door and the southwest corner.” (HEC, p. 1504)

Winter of 1697-98: The New England and Middle Colonies endured “The terriblest winter for continuance of frost and snow, and extremity of cold, that was ever known”, according to a record made at Sudbury, MA. It was considered to be the most severe winter English settlers experienced in the 16th century, it was unequalled until the winter of 1740-41. (TWF, p. 17)

30 July 1698: Sarah Wells, the future wife of Jonathan Farren, was born in Amesbury, MA, to Titus and Joanna (Rowell) Wells. (Her ancestry chart may be seen on pages 18 & 19 of FFN #4.)

1699: In Amesbury, “An appropriation of five pounds was made to build galleries on ye foreside and at each end of the meeting-house. The population increased by slowly during the first half-century of settlement, if we may judge by the fact that galleries were but just needed. It should be considered, however, that their old-style settees seated more people in the same space than modern pews.

Educational matters were not forgotten, and this year it was left to the selectmen ‘to procure a School Master or school Dames that may supply the town’, and six pounds was allowed toward paying the master. The custom had long prevailed of raising by subscription some portion of the school money.” (HEC, p. 1504)

19 Feb 1699: Birth of Hannah Beadle, first child of Thomas & Elizabeth (Gould) Beadle. in Amesbury. She was unmarried in 1744. (ANT, p. 183)

25 Sept 1700: Birth of Elizabeth Beadle, 2nd child of Thomas & Elizabeth (Gould) Beadle, in Amesbury. She married Samuel Sargent on 29 Sept 1743. (ANT, p. 183)

1701: “The earliest record of the Society of Friends (Quakers) commences this year (in Amesbury), although a few were living in town at an earlier date. The Hampton Monthly Meeting decided to build a meeting house twenty-six feet square and fourteen ‘foot stud’, and here the members from Amesbury, Salisbury and Hampton met for some four years. (HEC, p. 1504)

The Quakers were badly treated, as the following extract from the record shows: “Isaac Morrill, Junr and his brother, and John Tompson, came to the the house of Jeremiah Dow of Salisbury the 13th day of the 11th month 1701 the sayd Jeremiah Dow being from home, his wife in Kindness to them, they being neighbors, fetched or caused to be fetched a Pott of Cyder for them to Drink which when they had drunk up the Cyder, the said Isaac Morrill (having bin constable the year before) carryed away the quart pott that the Cyder was in, and a pair of fire-tongs, a tray and a cake of tallo, to satisfy the HIreling Minister Caleb Cushen for preaching.


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“ (HOA, p. 150) Many small vessels were built at this time on the river for fishing and the West India

trade. The name of one has been saved and handed down: the ‘Katch Peter” of thirty tons. (HEC, p. 1504)

10 March 1701: At an Amesbury town meeting, “ ...Thomas Bettall & Rogr Stevens & Orlando Bagley & Moses Morrill were chosen survaiers of ye highways for ye town of Amisbury for this yeare ensuing.” (ATR, p.90)

18 Nov 1701: “John Pressey died (in Amesbury). He testified against Susanna Martin in 1692. (HOA, p. 158)

1702: “A stringent law was passed this year, requiring (Massachusetts) towns to maintain schools and employ qualified teachers, other than ministers, under a penalty of twenty pounds. To comply with the law, the (Amesbury) selectmen were authorized to hire a master. Thus the free-school system was permanently established...

The Quakers were taxed for support of preaching (by the Amesbury Congregationalist minister), and this year the constable took two calves from Ezekiel Wathen, valued at thirty shillings, to pay his rate.” (HEC, p. 1504)

1702: King William of Britian died this year. “Only twice in ...his reign did he enjoy something like popularity with the English Nation: after his wife Mary’s death in 1694; and in 1697, when he won peace with France. But otherwise, this brave soldier and masterly statesman was unloved. After Mary’s death from smallpox, William cared for little except his single-minded crusade against Louis XIV of France. Physically, he had never been robust. Now he was degenerated alarmingly. At 45 he was already an old man, his lungs tortured by asthma and bronchitis. Little wonder that William began drinking heavily to make life bearable. And when he died in 1702, few Englishmen mourned him.” (HOB, p. 215)

Queen Anne, who ascended to the throne when her brother-in-law, William III, died, was 37 years old at the time, “a permanent invalid suffering frequent and agonizing pain.” “Anne’s great sorrow was her inability to bear living children, and 17 pregnancies in 16 years left her with no heir and a shattered constitution...her devotion to duty was formidable. For 14 years she dragged her sick body to endless council meetings, straining her afflicted eyes over state papers and striving to calm the bitter quarrels between Whig and Tory”. As the last Stuart to rule Britian, her last years were dominated by the question of royal succession, though in 1701 her nearest Protestant heir, the House of Hanover, had been chosen to succeed her. In the final days of her life, she was able to put aside her detestation of her Hanoverian cousins and send an emissary to the future George I to assure him of her kind regards, thus helping to assure a peaceful change of dynasty for her kingdom. (HOB, p. 219)

7 March 1702: At an Amesbury town meeting, “...Thomas Bettell Rogr Stevens Ensign Bagly and John Blesdell ware chosen servaeirs of ye highways ...for ye yeare insuing (ABT, p. 92)

19 Mar 1702: “...then Thomas Beetell & Rogr Stevens took ye oath of Surverers of ye highways before the Selectmen of Amisbury.” (ABT, p. 93)

1703: A small vessel was built (in Amesbury) this year, and registered by the name of “Friend’s Adventure. “There was taken from Ezekial Wathen two thousand and one hundred shingles to pay the ‘priest’s rate’ this year.” (HEC, p. 1504)

11 Mar 1703: Birth of Thomas Beadle, Jr., 3rd child of Thomas & Elizabeth (Gould) Beadle, in Amesbury. (ANT, p. 183)

1704: Indian attacks upon Almsbury, Haverhill & Exeter, Massachusetts. (PIW, p. 25) “The Indians were very troublesome and a general alarm was given (in the vicinity of Amesbury),


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causing the people to flee to the garrison houses for safety. Among those who hastily snatched their guns and sought safety in the garrisons was John Collins, of Salisbury, a Quaker. He was afterward sorry that he showed such want of faith in his professed creed, and made confession as follows: “I do acknowlidg that When I take up arms and Run to Garrison ffor safte from the Indians since I was convinced of Gods blessed truth. It brought grate trouble upon me and Gods Rightous Gugments I felt upon mee which brought me to a deepe consideration of the Eviel of my so Dooing but as I was made willing to come out of these things againe I find God is wiling to forgive mee thearefore I desire my breathern to forgive me and Researve me Into unity with them. (signed) John Collins. (HOA, pp. 154-155)

“At this date tanning was an important business, as most of the leather used was of home manufacture. Many old tan-pits were to be seen a half-century since...” and Merrill states that their remains could still be seen in several places in Amesbury in 1888. “A square-stern vessel of about 40 tons was built this year and named the ‘Success’. Many others were no doubt built, although no record of them is found.” (HEC, p. 1504)

4 July 1704: “The saddest event of the year was the death of the Weed Family. Sarah, wife of Nathaniel Weed, and her three children: John, Daniel and Sarah, died in one day... Their death resulted from an epidemic commonly denominated “Throat Distemper” (and known today as diptheria) which appears to have been very fatal at the time. It was a fearful sight: in that house of mourning lay four of the family, the mother beside her darlings, the oldest of whom was less than three years old, all clad in the habiliments of the grave, and all borne away to return no more to that hithertoo happy home”, wrote Joseph Merrill. (HOA, p. 157)

“The father returned with a heavy heart; they were his all; he had no more of whom death could rob him. All was gone in a day. The impression on the public mind was such as to cause this terrible affliction to be handed down from generation to generation, until the present time. The record, also, confirms its truth... In 1711, Mr. Weed married Sarah Sawyer and named three of his children born subsequently, for the lost ones.” (HOA, p. 158)

1704: “The Friends (Quakers) turned out John Ring, John Green, Samuel Norton and Samuel Cass for ‘baring arms’ and other bad conduct. “ (HOA, p. 158)

18 Dec 1704: “John Collins, who offended the Friends in 1704 by defending himself against the Indians, is again at fault, ‘having parsistid In preaching contray to the Manefestation of ye spirite of God in us wee desire him as fformerly to take care of his wayes in all so to his doctrin & bee silent till friends have unity therewith’. But, althought several times subsequently warned, he, like Joseph Peaslee, persisted in preaching till, at the monthly meeting, held December 18th, it was voted ‘that hee ye sd Collins is denyed by us’. “ (HOA, p. 159)

Winter of 1704-05: “Severe winter; series of storms left snow almost 3 feet deep at Philadelphia in late January; great storm on Jan. 26 caused highest tide in 20 years at Salem, MA; hard freeze at Boston as late as April 23rd.” (TWF, p. 17)

1705: “The town (of Amesbury) was troubled with Indian depredations to such an extent that the children were in danger on their way to school, and it was unsafe for the ‘Jamaco’ (West Parish of Amesbury) people to come down to meeting. To obviate the danger, schools were kept in less exposed places, and Mr. Wells preached at Jamaco every third Sabbath. As their numbers increased, the Indians became more agressive, and murders more frequent.

The Friends in Amesbury and Salisbury took measures to build a meeting house, and a committee was appointed to select a location. Thomas Barnard gave a small piece of land, which tradition locates on Friend Street, near #8 Mill. The first marriage recorded on the Friend’s book of records took place this year at the house of Thomas Barnard. The groom was John Peasley, grandson of Joseph, the (unsanctioned) preacher, and the bride was Mary Martin, grand-daughter


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of George and Susanna Martin. The marriage was signed by forty-seven witnesses.” (HEC, p. 1505)

Winter of 1705-06: “Second severe winter in a row; cold at Christmas 1705 froze Hudson River at New York City, 132 sailors froze to death when ship grounded at Sandy Hook in bitter gale; winter began Nov. 30 and lasted until Feb. 13 at Dover, NH; cold, backward spring followed. (TWF, p. 17)

1706: “The first rate to pay for schooling (in Amesbury) was made this year, placing educational interests on a firm basis.

The Indians who were threatening the settlements last year continued their hostile demonstrations, and several of the inhabitants were killed about the 1st of July. The militia were called out, but the savages had fled beyond reach, and nothing was accomplished.” (HEC, p. 1505)

25 March 1706: “...Tho Bettell & Rogr Stevens was sworn to ye offices of Servayers of ye highways for ye yeare insuing before the Selectmen of Almisbury Dat. April ye19th 1706. (ABT, p. 106)

1707: “This year the town voted to hire four or five school “Dames” for young scholars, and two masters for two months, to teach young persons to read and write and cipher. Seven schools were thus provided (in Amesbury) during a portion of the year.” (HEC, p. 1505)

3rd & 4th July 1707: Indians were on the warpath, following is Penhallow’s account: “...270 men were coming upon us. Their first descent was of Dunstable, the third of July, where they fell upon a Garrison that had twenty Troopers posted in it, who by their Negligence and Folly, keeping no watch suffered them to enter, which tended to the destruction of one half of their Number. After that a small Party attack’t Daniel Galeucia’s House, who held them play for some time, till the old Mans Courage fail’d; when on surrendering himself, he inform’d them of the state of the Garrison; that that one Man was kill’d & only two Men and a Boy left; which caused them to rally anew, and with greater Courage than before. Upon which one with the Boy got out on the back side, leaving only Jacob to fight the Battle, who for some time defended himself with much bravery; but overpower’d with Force; and finding no one to assist him, was oblig’d to quit it, and make his escape as well as he could; but before he got far, the Enemy laid hold of him once and again, and yet by much strugling re rescued himself; Upon this they burnt the House, and next day about forty more fell on Amesbury, where they kill’d eight; two, at the same time, who were at work in a Field, hearing an Out-cry, hastened to their Relief; but being pursued, ran to a deserted house, in which were two Flankers, where each of them found an old Gun, but neither of them fit for service; and if they were, had neither Powder nor Shot to load with; However, each took a Flanker, and made the best appearance they could, by thrusting the Muzzles of their Guns outside the Port-holes, crying aloud, “Here they are, but do not fire till they come nearer”; which put the Enemy into such a fright, that they instantly drew off. From thence they went to Kingstown, where they kill’d and wounded several Cattle”. (Penhallow, pp. 35 & 36)

1708: “Benjamin Eastmen petitioned the town (of Amesbury) for leave to build a fulling mill just below the mill bridge, on the Powow River, and also to take the water underground across the road to drive the mill. The request was granted, and thus was put into operation the first fulling-mill of which we have any account.” (HEC, p. 1505)

8 March 1708: At an Amesbury town meeting, “...Thomas Bettell Thomas Challis and Orlando Bagley ware chosen viewers of ye fences for ye town of Amisbury for this year insuing.” (ABT, p. 114) “...and Ensign Bagley: Thomas Bettell: Rich Currier: Benony Tucker: Charles Sargent took their respective oaths to ye offices they ware chosen unto, before ye Selectmen of


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Amisbury.” (ABT, p. 115) 29 August 1708: Indians were again on the warpath, as Penhallow describes: “About this

time eight hundred French and Indians were forming a desperate design against us, but on a division among themselves fell short of the mischief they designed us. However one hundred and fifty on August 29th at break of day fell on Haverhill, and passing by the Garrisons got into the very Center of the Town before they were discovered. They attempted to fire the Meeting-house, and after that did burn several houses near it. Major Turner, Capt. Price & Capt. Gardner were happily there at that time, and ralled together what Forces they could; but most of their Men being posted in remote Garrisons, were unable to assist them. However with such as they could get together, they faced the Enemy with much bravery, and in less than an hour put them all to flight, leaving nine of their dead, and carrying off several that were wounded. But the Slain on our side were thrice as many, by reason of the surprize that they at first were in; among whom was the Reverend Mr. Rolph the worthy Minister of that Town, with Capt. Wainright. A while after James Hays of Amesbury was taken, and one at Brookfield; they also kill’d Robert Reed and David Hutchins of Kittery.” (Penhallow, pp. 47 & 48)

“JOSEPH BARTLETT, born Nov. 18, 1686; died 1754, aet. 68. In 1707, he was drafted and sent with others to Haverhill, to defend the town against an expected attack of French and Indians from Canada. Aug. 29th, 1708 , about 160 French and 50 Indians attacked the town, and set fire to several buildings. Mr. Bartlett and others were in the chamber of Capt. Wainwrights house, from the windows of which they fired upon the enemy. They were informed that their only safety was in surrender. Mr. B. secreted his gun in the chimney, above the fireplace; went down; asked for quarter; was bound, and carried to Canada, where he remained a prisoner until he was redeemed. On the 5th of October he started on his return to Newbury, where he arrived on the 8th of Nov, 1712, after a captivity of over four years. He afterwards visited Haverhill, found his gun where he had secreted it, and it finally came into the hands of his grand-nephew, Richard Bartlett, then of Amesbury, Mass., who carried it while a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Richard Bartlett subsequently removed to Warner (NH), where he spent the remainder of his life. He frequently exhibited the old musket to visitors, as a rare curiosity. Many years since, on the 4th of July, a number of boys collected at Mr. Bartletts, and, in honor of the day, awakened the echoes of the Warner Hills by discharges of the old gun. Boy-like, not quite satisfied with reports, and desiring it to “speak a little louder”, they loaded it with about 12 inches of powder, and ramming down upon that several inches of soil, they applied a slow-match, when the gun literally “went off”, and stock, lock and barrel were torn to splinters. In June 1874, the writer (Levi Bartlett) collected the fragments of this gun of “ye olden time”, with rivets and cords restored it to nearly its original shape, and deposited it in the rooms of the New Hampshire Historical Society, where it can be seen by the public in general, and the Bartletts in particular. After Joseph’s return from Canada, he settled on a farm in Newton, NH. He was a worthy man, a Justice, and Deacon of the Church. His first wife was Miss Tewksbury, by whom he had no issue. His second wife was a Miss Hoyt. Their children were: four sons - Joseph, GERSHOM, Richard and Matthias; and his daughters - Elizabeth, Mary, Hannah, Sarah, Mercy and Lydia. Of these, MARY became the wife of the late Gov. JOSIAH BARTLETT. Many of the descendants of Joseph are now resident in Newton. One of them, John L. Bartlett, was a member of the N.H. Legislature, 1872; and another, Frank D. Bartlett, in 1873. ( Sketches of the Bartlett Family, by Levi Bartlett; pp. 40 - 41. Amesbury Library call # g929.2 B284 )

14 March 1709: At an Amesbury town meeting, “...Thomas Bettell Thomas Challis and Orlando Bagley senr ware chosen Servaiers of ye highways for ye year insuing.” (ABT, p.114) 1710: “Col. John March, John Barnard, Joseph Brown and Jarvis Ring petitioned for leave to


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build iron-works on the Powow River without being taxed, which was readily assented to by the town (of Amesbury). The works were built, and in operation many years. This was a new branch of business and, in connection with the saw mills, grist-mills, and fulling-mill, was making brisk times in the little village. It is probable that the stock of this company was divided into twenty-four shares, as ancient inventories mention 1/24 part of the iron works and mill privilege. In 1733 these shares were valued at seven pounds each, or 168 pounds for the whole concern. The ore was mostly raked from the bottom of the large ponds in Newton and Kingston, although some bog ore was dug. The stones in and near Powow River show strong indications of iron, and in the northern part of Newton (NH) the road walls are largely composed of iron stones. The fact that most of the ore was obtained in Kingston may account for the removal of the works to Trickling Falls, after some years experience at the Mills.

Captain Harvey petitioned for leave to build vessels at Jamaco (West Parish of Amesbury), and was allowed to do so. The town landings were always free to the business men in town.

The school appropriations were raised to thirty pounds, and schools were ordered to be kept half the time at the meeting house (in Amesbury) and half the time at the house of Roger Stevens, at Jamaco.” (HEC, p. 1505)

All the inhabitants of Amesbury were ordered to brand their cattle with the town brand. (HOA, p. 161)

9 May 1710: John Kimball, Senior, was chosen representative for the town of Amesbury. (HOA, p. 161)

16 May 1710: Thomas Fowler was chosen representative of the town of Amesbury. “It is very probable that Mr. John Kimball, Sr., died at this time, as he entirely disappears

from the records hereafter. He was a prominent man in town, serving as representative three years and was elected a fourth time, and, also, held many other offices. He lived near the pond’s mouth and owned seven lots in that division, which was called the ox pasture, in 1699, embracing all between the pond and pond road, and two lots north of the road, very near the pond’s mouth, and there are indications of a former residence there. He was, probably, an extensive farmer, and very active in town affairs, but a firm believer in witchcraft, giving foolish testimony against Susanna Martin at her trial. It should be remembered, however, that he lived in an age of superstition, when clear-headed, sensible persons were much bewildered on this subject.” (HOA, p. 162)

1711: “The Grammar School was ordered to be kept at the meeting house (in Amesbury) four months, at the Pond Hills fort four months, and at Left. Foot’s fort (in Jamaco) or thereabouts the last four months.” (HEC, p. 1505)

1712: “Powow River, even in ancient times, failed to supply the mills with water during the dry season of the year, and to supply the deficiency, resort was now had to Kimball’s Pond. Capt. John Wadleigh built a dam at the pond’s mouth ‘to preserve water in a dry time for grinding’. This was the first attempt to use the waters of Kimball’s Pond.

Thomas Currier, the third town clerk since 1654, died this year, having served since 1674, when he superseded his father, Richard... Thomas held the office of selectman for seventeen years, besides filling almost every other town office. He was a schoolmaster, and chosen by the town ‘to teach to wright and sipher such as shall come to him’...he had, by some means, acquired a good education for those early times, and if through the town schools, it speaks well for their efficiency and his industrious habits.” (HEC, p. 1505)

16 April 1712: Indians were again raiding English frontier settlements. Encouraged by French Jesuit priests, raiding parties would attack towns for the purpose of taking English


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captives to carry off to Canada as slaves or for the ransom they could obtain for their captives. Penhallow wrote: “I now return to our Frontier, where at Exeter April 16th, 1712, they kill’d Mr. Cunningham as he was travelling the Road from Mr. HIlton’s to Exeter; After that they shot Samuel Webber, between York and Cape Neddick; Others fell on several Teams in Wells, where they slew three & wounded as many more. One of the slain was Lieut. LIttlefield, who a little before was redeemed out of Captivity, and a Person much lamented. Soon after they appeared in the middle of the Town, and carried away two from thence. They went to Spruce Creek, where they kill’d a Boy and took another, and then went to York, but being pursued made their escape. Another Party fell on the upper branch of Oyster River, where they shot Jermiah Cromett, and three Miles higher burnt a Saw-mill with a great many thousand of Boards. Nest day they slew Ensign Tuttle at Tole-End, and wounded a Son of Lieut. Herd’s as he stood Sentinel.” (Penhallow, pages 72 & 73)

14 May 1712: Indian attacks continue... “May 14th about thirty French and Indians who had a design on York, surpriz’d a Scout of ours as they were marching to Cape Neddick, where they slew Sergant Nalton, and took seven besides: the remainder fought on a retreat till they got to a Rock, which for some time prov’d a good Barrier to them, and there continued until they were relieved, by the Vigilant Care of Capt. Willard. About this time fifty of our English who went up Merrimack River returned, with the good Account of eight Indians that they had slain, and of considerable Plunder besides which they had taken without the loss of one Man.” (Penhallow, p. 72)

1 June 1712: Indians raided Spruce Creek, “where they shot John Pickernell as he was locking his door, and going to the Garrison; they also wounded his Wife and knockt a Child on the head, which they scalpt, yet afterwards it recovered.” (Penhallow, p. 72)

3 June 1712: Indians were seen at Amesbury, then at Kingstown “where they wounded Ebenezar Stephens, and Stephen Gilman, the latter of which they took alive and inhumanely Murdered.” (Penhallow, p. 72)

18 July 1712: Indians “fell on a company at Wells” where they killed one person and took a Negro captive, who later escaped. “The Sabbath after they endeavoured to intercept the People at Dover as they came from Worship; upon which a scout was sent in pursuit, but they made no discovery. Yet in the intermitting time they took two Children from Lieut. Herd’s Garrison, and not having time to Scalp them, cut off both their heads and carried them away. (PIW, p. 73)

Soon after, in what Penhallow said was the “last Action that happened (of any moment)” in this war, was “at Mrs. Plaisted’s Marriage with Capt. Wheelwright’s daughter of Wells, where happened a great concourse of People, who as they were preparing to mount in order to their return, found two of their Horses missing; upon which Mr. Downing with Isaac Cole and others went out to seek them; but before they had gone many Rods, the two former were kill’d and the others taken. The noise of the Guns soon alarm’d the Guests, and Capt. Lane, Capt, Robinson and Capt. Herd, with several others mounted their Horses, ordering twelve soldiers in the mean time to run over the Field, being the nearer way: But before the Horsemen got far, they were ambushed by another Party, who kill’d Capt. Robinson, and dismounted the rest; and yet they all escaped excepting the Bridegroom, who in a few days was redeem’d by the prudent Care of his Father, at the Expence of more than three hundred Pounds. Capt . Lane and Capt. Harmon mustered what Strength they could, and held a little dispute with them some time, but there was little or no Execution done on either side.” (PIW, p. 74)

13 Oct 1712: Orlando Bagley, Jr., grandson of the first Orlando Bagley (who was the constable compelled to arrest Susanna Martin for witchcraft in 1692), was chosen Amesbury town clerk, and held the office till 1754. He was also a schoolmaster and chosen to keep a


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private school by the town. (HEC, p. 1505) A number of facsimile reproductions of documents written by him may be seen in FFN # 9.

1713: “At this time Amesbury extended to Kingston, and the selectmen notified them those of that town to meet them ‘at ye pond’s mouth, called ye country pond, to perambulate the town line’.” (HEC, p. 1505)

11 July 1713: Articles of Pacification were drawn up up Portsmouth for the cessation of hostilities between the French & Indians, on one side, and the English settlers on the other when a “Suspension of Arms” was declared between the French and English Crowns.

Articles of Pacification

Whereas for some Years last past we have made a breach of our Fidelity and Loyalty to the Crown of Great Britain, and have made open Rebellion against her Majesty’s Subjects, the English Inhabiting the Massachusets, New Hampshire, and other her Majesty’s Territories in New England; and being now sensible of the Miseries which we and our People are reduced unto thereby; We whose names are hereunto subscribed, being Delegates of all the Indians belonging to the Naridgwalk, Narabamegock, Amasecontee, Pigwacket, Pennecook, Rivers of St. Johns and Merrimack, parts of her Majesty’s Provinces of the Massachusets Bay, and New Hampshire, within her Majesties Soveraignty, having made Application to his Excellency Joseph Dudley, Esq. Captain General and Governour in Chief in and over the said Provinces, that the Troubles which we have unhappily rais’d or occasioned against ther Majesty’s Subjects, the English and our selves may cease and have an end; and that we may again enjoy her Majesty’s Grace and Favour; And each of us respectively for our selves, and in the Names and with the free Consent of all the Indians belonging to the several Places and Rivers aforesaid, and all other other Indians within the said Provinces of the Massachusetts Bay, and New Hampshire, hereby acknowledging our selves the Lawful Subjects of our Soveraign Lady Queen Anne, and promising our heartly Submission and Obedience to the Crown of Great Britain, so solemly Covenant Promise and Agree with the said Joseph Dudley, Governour, and all such as shall be hereafter in the place of Captain General and Governour in Chief of the said Provinces and Territories on her Majesty’s behalf in form following; that is to say, That at all times forever from and after the date of these Presents, we will cease and forbear all acts of Hostility towards all the Subjects of Great Britian, and not offer the least Hurt of Violence to them or any of them in their Persons and Estates; but will henceforth hold and maintain a firm and constant Amity and Friendship wit h all the English, and will never entertain any Treasonable Conspirasy with any other Nation to their disturbance: That her Majesty’s Subjects the English shall and may quietly enjoy all and singular the Rights of Land and former Settlements, Properties and Possessions within the Eastern parts of said Provinces of the Massachusetts Bay and New Hampshire, together with the Islands, Inlets, Shores, Beaches and Fishery within the same, without any Molestation or Claim by us or any other Indians, and be in no wise Molested or disturbed therein; Saving unto the Indians their own Ground, and free liberty of Hunting, Fishing, Fowling, and all other Lawful Liberties and Privedges, as on the 11th Day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred and ninety three: That for Mutual Safety and Benefit, all Trade and Commerce which hereafter may be allowed betwixt the English and the Indians, shall be only in such Places, and under such Management and Regulation, as shall be stated by her Majesty’s Government of the said Provinces respectively.

And to prevent Mischiefs and Inconveniences, the Indians shall not be allowed for the present, or until they have liberty from the respective Governments to come near unto any


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English Plantations or Settlements on this side of the Saco River. That if any Controversy or Difference happen hereafter, to and betwixt any of the English

and the Indians for any real or supposed Wrong or Injury done on the one side or the other, no private Revenge shall be taken by the Indians for the same, but proper Application shall be made to her Majesty’s Governments upon the place for remedy thereof in due course of Justice, we hereby submiting our selves to be ruled and governed by her Majesty’s Laws, and desire to have the Protection and Benefit of the same.

We confess that we have contrary to all Faith and Justice broken our Articles with Sir William Phips, Governokur in the year of our Lord God 1693; and with the Earl of Bellamont in the year 1699.

And the assurance we give to his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq in the year of our Lord God, 1702, in the Month of August, and 1703, in the Month of July, notwithstanding we have been well treated by the said Governours. But we resolve for the future not to be drawin into any perfidious Treaty or Correspondence to the hurt of any of her Majesty’s Subjects of the Crown of Great Britian; and if we know of any such, we will seasonably reveal it to the English.

Wherefore we whose Names are hereunto subscribed, Delegates for the several Tribes of Indians belonging to the River of Kenebeck, Amerafacoggin, St. John’s, Saco, Merimack and the parts adjacent, being sensible of our great Offence and Folly in not complying with the aforesaid Submission and Agreements, and also the Sufferings and Mischeifs that we have thereby exosed our selves unto, do in all humble and submissive manner, cast our selves upon her Majesty for Mercy, and Pardon for all our past Rebellions, Hostilities and violations, of our Promises; praying to be received unto her Majesty’s Grace and Favour.

And for and on behalf of our selves, and all other the Indians belonging to the several Rivers and Places aforesaid, within the Sovereignty of her Majesty of Great Britain, do again acknowledge, and confess our hearty and sincere Obedience unto the Crown of Great Britain, and do solemnly renew, and confirm all and every of the Articles and Agreements contained in the former and present Submission.

This Treaty to be humbly laid before her Majesty for her Ratificastion and further Order. IN WITTNESS whereof we the Delegates aforesaid, by Name Kizebenuit, Iteansts, and Jackoid for Penebscot, Joseph and Aeneas, for St. John’s, Warrueensit, Wadacanequin and Bomazeen for Kenebeck, have hereunto set our hands and Seals this 13th day of July, 1713. (Signatures) (The facimile reprint of Penhallow’s Indians Wars includes facsimile reproductions of both the English and Indian signatures from the original document. PIW, pp. 74-78)

Penhallow notes that, within two years, of the signing of this agreement, that the Indians, “being spurred on by the Jesuits, again began to insult the (English) Inhabitants though peaceful conditions generally prevailed until 1720. (PIW, p. 84)

1714: “In 1714 Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch to rule Britain, died. A new dynasty came to the throne - an obscure family from the far-away Electorate of Hanover in Germany. The following year, George, Elector of Hanover, was crowned king, as George I. He could not even speak English, but he had been chosen by Parliment as the nearest Protestant heir to the childless Anne. His selection marked a turning point in British constitutional history. For the Hanoverians were strangers in a foreign land, and they had to rely on the guidance of their ministers and Parliaments more than any British monarch had ever done before.” (HOB, p. 221)

“Throughout his reign, George remained unmistakably a foreigner, happiest when visting


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his Hanoverian home. He never mastered his new language and had to talk to his ministers in French and Latin. Yet he took his royal duties seriously, especially where foreign policy was concerned. Unpopular as a man, he was an effective figurehead and a magnet for national loyalty against the troublesome background of Jacobite rebellion.” (HOB, p. 227)

7 Jan 1714: A town meeting was held to consider what should be done in regard to the original Amesbury town meeting house, built in 1665, as it was in need of repair. “...but those present hardly felt like deciding upon what should be done, and so adjourned half an hour, to meet at Samuel Colby’s. He was innholder, and when met the meeting felt better spiriits and proceeded to business. Without opposition, it was ‘voted that ye selectmen should repair ye ould meeting house’. “ (HOA, p. 164)

24 January 1715: At a Amesbury town meeting adjourned from January 7, when it was considered whether to build one or two meeting houses and what the locations should be, it was “...voted to build but one meeting house, and located...on ye parcel of land called ye parsonage near Edward Hunts, which was on the corner of Martin Road. Its dimensions were 45 feet long, 35 feet wide and the walls had 20-feet long posts. The town promised the people at Jamaco to build another meeting house there three years after the completion of this one. (HEC, p. 1506)

Joseph Prechet was chosen Clerk of the Market for Amesbury this year; the duties of the office were defined in an act passed in 1696, as follows:”Sect. 2d: That the clerks of the market in each town within this Province, or any one of them, shall, and are hereby impowered and required once a week of ofterner, as they shall see cause, to enter into any shop or place where bread is usually sold or baked for sale, and to weigh the same; and all bread which they shall find under the due assize acording to the proportion before mentioned, or not being marked, to make seizure of and deliver two-thirds part thereof to the selectmen or overseers of the poor in such town, for the use of the poor within the same, the officer to have the other third for his pains.” (HOA, p. 166)

13 July 1715: An Amesbury town meeting was held and 150 pounds raised to “carry on ye work of finishing our Meeting house and likewise to expend ye charge that we have already been out in building’. Mr. Skipper Lunt was the master builder.

At this time the timbers the house were already raised. “It was said to have been very heavily timbered and was, no doubt, a very substantial building, although perfectly plain, without porch or spire. On this gently sloping knoll it stood for two generations or more. It would be an interesting sight if we could be allowed a glimpse of that sedate assembly as they wended their way from all sections of town on each returning Sabbath to this new but unadorned house of worship. They came from the Ferry, the Powow River, the Lyon’s Mouth, the Pond, the Pond Hills, the Bear Hill, Jamaco, Nickol’s Creek, the (Merrimac) River and the many old roads and fields where they were then located, some on foot, but mostly on horseback, two or three to a horse. Clothed in homespun, the work of their own hands, a few yards woven in a day, and colored and dressed in their own fulling mill, neat and comfortable, they humbly gathered to worship the God of the Pilgrims, who had so graciously protected and blessed them in the wilderness. And with each returning Sabbath the dignified and erect form of the venerable minister, Mr. Wells, was seen on his way to church, riding on his ‘blackish mouse coulored horse’. “ (HOA, P. 169)

The location of this church is marked today by a bronze plaque on a huge boulder in the oldest part of the Union Cemetery in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Nearby you’ll find the gravestones of the Revd Thomas Wells, his wife, and other early residents of the area.

1716: “In consequence of depredations by wolves, a bounty of 20 shillings was again offered for ‘every Woulf killed by any person belonging to said town’ (of Amesbury).


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Orlando Bagley, Jr., the town clerk who was also a schoolmaster, gave one quarter of an acre of land to the town for the building of a schoolhouse, as schools had mostly been kept in private homes. Thus began the Pond Hills school house. (HOA, pp. 168-169)

28 May 1716: The seizure of property belonging to Quakers to support the Congregational minister continued, as shown by this town record: “Taken from John Challis (by distress) a yearling heifer and proceeded with according to law. Sold for eleven shillings by me Henry Trussel late Constable of Amesbury.” (HOA, p. 169)

24 & 25 Oct 1716: “Massachusetts: hurricane swept offshore shipping, dismasting several ships; noticed at Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Boston area; trees and fences blown down.” (TWF, p. 17)

1 Nov 1716: “New England: Dark day caused by smoke in atmosphere; half hour darkness during Sabbath services thought to be an omen of God’s displeasure”. (TWF)

27 Feb 1717 - 7 Mar 1717: “New England: The Great Snow of 1717, the most celebrated snowstorm in colonial history; consisted of two major and two minor snows over a nine-day period; accumulated to 36 inches at Boston, 60 inches to the northward; all travel, even church-going, halted for two weeks (TWF, p. 18)

1717: At Amesbury, “the meeting house was not wholly finished, some persons not having built their pews according to order. These were given twelve months’ longer time, and if the pews were not then bulit the privilege was lost. The pulpit, deacons’ seats and many of the pews were completed and seats assigned to many persons, and meetings were discontinuted in the old church, which was now given to the faithful pastor, who had occupied it for forty-five years.

Mr. Wells’ experience with the town, in a financial point of view, had not been of the most pleasing kind; wars and scarcity of money had often rendered it difficult to raise his salary and caused some friction between the parties. He now proposes a final settlement up to September 29, 1714, the town giving him leave to build a pew in the east meeting-house and also in the one to be built in the west end of the town (at Jamaco), and he to abate ten pounds of his rate made October 23, 1716:

“To ye Moderator of ye present meeting of ye inhabitants of ye town of Almsbury, March ye 15th, 1716: to be communicated to ye town that if they please to grant me ye privilge of a pew in ye new meeting house on ye left hand next ye south door seven foot in length and so wide as present vacant space in ye judgement of ye workmen or Mr. Skipper Lunt or both of them, shall admit of for needful passage to ye adjoining vacant space, an an other in ye upper meeting house, granted to be built for place and dimentions at your own pleasure, provided it may not appear to be a ridiculous mockery, both to be built at ye charge of me my heirs or assigns. I will in addition unto ten pounds, already allowed which was left out of rate dat. Sept 14, 1715, allow ten pounds more out of ye present rate dat. Octobr 23, 1716, or ye next, and sign a general aquittance for ye town, a copy whereof may be seen next underwritten, and I expect my former papers given in to ye town and committee to be returned unto me, and this also if voted on ye negative”. (The receipt follows....)

“Id acquitt, discharge and absolve ye inhabitants of ye town of Amesbury, considered conjunctively as ye town, of all debts, dues and demands whatsoever relating to my yearly salary for my ministerial maintainance from ye beginning of ye world unto ye twenty-ninth day of September, in ye yeare of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and fourteen. As witness my hand Thomas Wells


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Minister of Amesbury”

The town accepted this proposition and harmony was restored. Ever since the settlement of Mr. Wells there had been more or less trouble in regard to his salary. Hard and troublesome times pinched the people so that they could barely live, and, no doubt, failed to pay their minister. But they seldom refused to grant him any favor he asked of them, and were really unwilling to part with him. (HOA, pp. 171-172)

15 July 1718: “Capt. John Barnard died July 15th. He had held many offices in town and was a man of sterling integrity and greatly respected. He was one of the committee to locate the meeting house in 1714 and on the committee to run the line next to Haverhill in 1714, and the town meeting adjourned to his house in 1709. He was, probably, a son of Capt. John Barnard, who died in 1700, and grandson of ‘Robert Barnett’. “ (HOA, p. 172)

1719: “In the early years of the town “Lot layers” were important officers; their duties being those of lotting out the new divisions, laying out highways and at stated periods returning all lots in town for record in the town-book. Samuel Weed had served in the capacity from 1694 to the present time, when he was discharged. The town voted him ‘ancient and decayed’, although but sixty-six years of age.” (HEC, 1506)

“Capt. John Foot, Orlando Bagley, Sr., and Thomas Challis were chosen to return the bounds of land ‘into ye town book and also to join with ye selectmen concerning ye setting and exchanging highways’.” (HOA, p. 172)

A school-house was ordered to be built at Jamaco, which may be the second one in Amesbury. (HEC, p. 1506)

13 March 1719: Titus Wells, father of Sarah Wells, registered ownership of a horse in the Amesbury Town Records: “Titus Wells Entered a brown collored Mare with white in her face and on her nose with a slot in ye top of ??? eare with a half crop in ye ??? eare (ABT)

30 Mar 1719: The location of Jonathan Farren’s house is described in “The Return of Weed’s Lot in The Children’s Land Division in Amesbury, MA., as being near the Northwest corner of Bear Hill in what is now Merrimac, MA. (FFN #9, p. 88) However, George Gleason says that the three different hills we see on topographical maps have been collectively referred to since earliest days as simply “Bear Hill”, so more research is needed before we can positively identify the location of this lot of land. “The Return of Weed’s Lot” found for the FFN by George G. Gleason, Gentmn:

“ 1st lot in number in that division of land called the Chil bounded as followeth: at ye Southeast corner with a white oak tree marked SC which is Samuel Colby’s bound straight from there to a white oak tree on ye Northwest end of Bear Hill marked FH straight from there to a white oak stump near Jonathan Farren’s house: straight from there to a red oak tree standing by the highway near Jacob Hoyt’s house and straight from there to ye white oak tree marked SC first mentioned: abutting easterly partly on land in possession of Sam Colby and on a highway; westerly on ye original right of Nathan Gould and south partly on a highway and partly on ye town common - d partly on ye original right of Geo. Martin. d March ye 30th, 1719.” (signed by) Orlando Bagley


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Thomas Challis John Hoyt

From this record, we now know that Jonathan Farren was living in a house on the “northern” half of Nathan Gould’s Children’s Land lot at least eight months before his marriage, which was the same parcel of about fifteen acres which Thomas & Elizabeth (Gould) Beadle deeded to “our said son Jonathan Farren” in 1726. The fact that Thomas Beadle was Jonathan’s “landlord” from 1719 to 1726 means that he was almost certainly also Jonathan Farren’s employer during those years.

See the map section in FFN#9 for a topographical map of this area and a 1952 aerial photograph of this area: this lot of land is located on river bottom land , The parcels of land Jonathan later bought at Cottle’s Plain a few miles north of his 1719 house are located in a valley drained by Bugsmore Creek, which is called “Hume Brook” today. This information is critical in understanding the farming conditions with which Jonathan had to contend, as it bears directly on the number, severity and type of “killing frosts” which would have destroyed or damaged his crops if the frost occured late in the spring after crops were sprouting or early in the fall before crops were harvested.

“As I recall”, wrote Professor William R. Baron, an authority on colonial agriculture and climatology, “a stream that branches off from the Merrimack River runs through Amesbury and to a stone’s throw of the center of Newton. I suspect that your ancestor farmed the rich bottom land in that little valley. If he did, then his farm operation would have been more susceptible to radiational killing frost more often than some surrounding high locales. However, any farmer of the period would have risked the increased possibility of frosts for the use of the fertile river bottom land as much of the upland was/is not nearly as fertile”. (WRB)

9 Oct 1719: Marriage intentions of Jonathan Farren & Sarah Wells recorded. (ABT) 10 Dec 1719: Jonathan Farren married Sarah Wells, daughter of Titus Wells, in a

ceremony performed by her grandfather, Rev. Thomas Wells, in Amesbury, MA. (ATR) Winter of 1719 - 1720: “Atlantic seaboard: Severe winter, coldest since 1697-98 at

Boston; Hudson River at New York City crossed on foot in mid-January; sheep buried alive in snow in Boston area; said to have been the coldest winter ever know in Virginia.” (TWF, p. 18)

1720: “Gideon Lowell petitioned (the town of Amesbury) for leave to fence in the road over Bailey’s hill, and offered to give a piece of land at the mouth of Powow river for a landing place. The offer was accepted by the town.

Richard Currier petitioned for leave to build a vessel or vessels on the above landing, and was allowed the privilege. Ship building on the river at this date was a very important branch of business and was fast building up the ferry.” (HOA, 173)

In this year, Indians “began to be more insolent, and appear’d in greater Bodies; upon which Colonel Walton was ordered with Capt. Moody, Harman, Penhallow, and Wainwright to send to their chiefs for the late Hostilities which they had done in killing the Cattle, & c. The Indians, fearing the event promis’d to pay two hundred Skins, and for their fidelity to deliver up four of their joung Men as Hostages. After this they became tolerably quiet, but in the Spring grew as insolent as before.” (PIW. p. 84)

July 1720: Indians came to Kenebeck in ninety canoes to Padishals Island. “...which lies opposite to Arowsick, and sent to speak with Capt. Penhallow, who fearing an intreague, refused. Upon which one hundred and fifty of them went over to him, whith whom he held a Conference; especially with Mounsieur Delachase, and Sebastian Ralle, who were Jesuits; Mounsieur Croizen from Canada, and St. Castenn from Penobscot came also wlong with them, who brought a Letter


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for Governour Shute in behalf of the several Tribes, importing That if the English did not remove and quit their Land in three weeks, they would burn their Houses and kill them as also their Cattle. Upon this an additional number of Soldiers were sent under the command of Colonel Thaxter and Lieut. Col. Goff; and several Gentlemen of the Council were also appointed to enquire into the ground of these tumults, and if possible to renew the Pacification; who accordingly went and sent Scouts to call the Indians in, but they slighted the message with derision. Hereupon the Soldiers were order’d to continue, and reinforce the Garrisons that Winter.” (PIW, p. 85)

17 April 1720: Death of Sarah (Barnes) Rowell in Amesbury, wife of Thomas Rowell and maternal grandmother of Sarah (Wells) Farren. (FFN#4, p. 18)

13 May 1720: Jonathan’s first child, Timothy, was born. (FMF) 1721: “Some difficulty haven arisen in regard to hogs running at large, a special meeting

was held (in Amesbury) ‘concerning of ye taking of ye sharpness relating to swine. ‘and it was ‘Voted that all hoggs should go at large on ye commons in said town for ye year ensuing they being yoaked and ringed as ye law directs’.” (HOA, p. 174)

1721: “This year the General court authorized the emission of bills of credit to the amount of 50,000 pounds. There was a great scarcity of money, and it was becoming very difficult to transact the ordinary business of the colony. These bills were loaned to the towns and held by trustees, who loaned them, on good security, to the people. Each town received in proportion to its last province rate, which rule gave Amesbury 373 pounds. Captain Richard Currier, Jonathan Blasdell and Orlando Bagley, Jr., were chosen trustees, to loan the money on time, which should not exceed four years. For their services they were to receive one fourth of the interest.

At this date hogs were allowed to run at large, and it was now ‘voted that all hoggs should go at large on ye commons in said towns for ye yeare ensuing, they being youked and ringed as ye law directs’.

The people at Jamaco were growing impatient in regard to their meeting house. Mr. Wells was willing to preach there a portion of the time, but no suitable meeting place was found. Late in the season (Dec. 11th) a meeting was called to consider the matter and it was decided to proceed in building a meeting house at ye west end of ye town, commonly called Jamaco. Thomas Challis and four others opposed the measure, they being Quakers, but without avail. The meeting decided to locate the house on ye country road, near ye house of Thomas Bettells’. Thomas and Jeremiah Fowler owned land near there and offered to give one-quarter of an acre for the purpose. Captain Richard Currier, Jacob Sargent and Orland Bagley were chosen to proceed with the work. The house was to be the same dimensions as the one at the parsonage.” (HEC, p. 1507)

In 1756, a town meeting house was erected on “ye country road, near ye house of Thomas Bettell’s”, but it was for town meeting house for Newton, New Hampshire, not the West Parish of Amesbury, Massachusetts.

1 Aug 1721: Mary, Jonathan’s 2nd child, was born. (FMF) 7 Sept 1721: Patrick Farrin (no known relation to Jonathan Farren) married Joanna (or

Johana) Tuttle in Boston, Ma; ceremony performed by Thomas Cheever, a Presbyterian minister. (BM)

November 1721: “At the Friend’s November monthly meeting in Amesbury, a communication from the quarterly meeting was read, asking the opinion of the meeting in regard to wearing wigs. Some of the order were conforming to the fashions of the world and ornamenting their persons with borrowed hair. This wicked departure from the plain course


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marked out by the founders of the order received very grave consideration at the next monthly meeting at Hampton, and the following conclusion was reached: ‘The matter above mentioned consarning ye wearing of Wigges was Discorsed & It was concluded by this meeting yt ye Wearing of Extravegent superflues Wigges Is all to Gather Contreary to truth’. “ (HOA, p. 175)

14 May 1722: “The location of the new church had given such general dissatisfaction that at Jamaco that a meeting was called, May 14th, to further consider the matter. At this meeting a reconsideration of the vote locating the church on the country road was carried but not without strong opposition. An out-of-town committee was chosen...with full power to determine the location. The result was that the house was built on the plain a few rods from the the present Congregational Church and not far from the cemetery.” (HEC, p. 1507) See page 20 of FFN # 8 for a photo of the boulder marking the location of this church in present-day Merrimac, MA.

“The Indians were now becoming very troublesome, frequent raids were being made upon the settlements, which kept the people in constant alarm. They suddenly appeared at Jamaco, causing a general flight to the forts for protection...It is probable that near this time a descent was made upon the Pond Hills.” (HEC, p 1507) Tradition says that David Currier, the great ancestor of the Curriers there, while at work in his field next the Great Swamp, was aroused to a sense of danger by the growling of his dog, which lay not far off. Being thus put on his guard, he made a hasty survey of the surrounding premises, and presently espied an Indian very quietly picking huckleberries near the woods. Snatching his gun he fired, wounding the Indian slightly under the arm, which so frightened the poor fellow that he called for quarter without firing. ‘Lay down your gun and I’ll give you quarters!’, was the reply, which he did very readily. He was taken to the garrison house....and subsequently eschanged. The gun was kept and is now (in 1880) in the possession of Mr. John Currier, who lives on the premises. He was one of a party of five or six who were on the warpath seeking mischief. Startled by the firing, they were seen running over the hill towards the pond a few minutes later.” (HOA, pp. 178-179)

“An effort was made to engage a colleague for Mr. Wells. The eloquent young minister had now grown aged in the service, and it was proposed to lighten his load by employing a young man to assist him. A town-meeting was called to ‘make choyce of men to assist our reverent Mr. Wells, Minister, in ye work of ye Ministry’.” (HEC, p. 1507)

13 June 1722: The Indians renewed the hostilities: “...about sixty of them in twenty Canoos, came and took nine Families in Merry meeting-Ray, most of which they afterwards set at liberty, but sent Mr. Hamilton, Love, Handson, Trescot and Edgar to Canada; who with great difficulty and expence afterwards got clear. Then they made a descent on St. Georges, where they burnt a Sloop, took several Prisoners, and fought the Garrison some time.” (PIW, p. 85)

July 1722: Indian hostilities continued, a large group of them from Penobscot, “...killed five and engag’d the Fort twelve Days; being very much enouraged by the influence of the Fryar (Jesuit priest) that was with them. But finding they could make no great impression, endeavoured to undermine it, and had made a considerable progress therein, till upon the falling of much Rain, the Trenches caved in, which caused the seige to break up, with the loss of about twenty of them in the Engagment, as we were afterwards informed. About the same time Capt. Samuel (an Indian) with five others boarded Lieut. Tilton, as he lay at Anchor a fishing near Damaru Cove; They pinion’d him and his Brother, and beat them very sorely; But at last one got clear and released the other; who then fell with great fury upon the Indians, threw one over-board, and mortally wounded two more.

Capt. Savage, Capt. Blin, and Mr. Newton, who at this time were coming from Annapolis and knew nothing of their ravages, went into Passamaquady for Water. They were no sooner ashore, but found themselves hem’d in by a Body of Indians, the French basely standing by and


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suffering it. They wanted to divide the Cargo of the Sloop among them, and at last sent Capt. Savage on board to procure some Ramsome. But the Wind rising, he was forc’d off, and made the best of his way to Boston: Those that he left (after some Difficulty and Expence) were released.

Capt. Harmon who was now in Kenbeck, went up the River with a Detachment of thirty four Men, and seeing some fires, went ashore in the Night, where he came on eleven Canoos; the Indians were lying round the Fire, and so wearied, by much Dancing the day before upon the Success they had, that they stumbled over them as they lay asleep. Reports were various as to the number of Indians that were then slain, some say eighteen, others not so many; However they brought away fifteen Guns; and a a little distance found the Hand of an Englishman laid on the stump of a Tree, and his Body mangled after a bararous manner; having his Tongue, Nose and private parts cut off: They brought away the Body, and gave it a decent Burial. It was found to be the body of Moses Eaton of Salisbury. In this brave attempt of Capt. Harmon, which was effected in ten minutes, we lost not one Man, yet at the same time a great Body of Indians lay near, who being startled at the Noise that was made, arose and fired several Guns but did no Damage.

The Country at this time was in a surprizing Ferment, and generally disposed to a War; but the Governour and Council could not readily come into it, considering the vast Expence and Effusion of Blood that would unavoidably follow; Besides some were not satisfied with the Lawfulness of it at this time: For altho’ they believed the Indians to be very criminal in many respects, yet were of Opinion that the English had not so puntually observed the Promises made to them of Trading Houses for the benefit of Commerce and Traffick, and for the preventing of Frauds and Extortions, too common in the private dealings of the English with them. But the grand abuse to them is the selling of strong Drink to them, which has occasioned much quarreling and Sin and the loss of many Lives, to the great Scandal of Religion, and reproach of the Country. His Excellency was sensible of the Promises made them at the Treaty of Pacification; which he failed not to lay before the General Assembly; but he met with so much opposition that nothing could be effected. The hiring an Armouror at the Publick Charge, was also engaged, but nothing done therein; So that the Indians were full of resentments, and thought themselves wrong’d. Yet all this time they made no application unto the Government for redress, which they ought to have done by the Articles of Agreement, but broke forth into Horrid and cruel Outrages, by burning killing and destroying. At last the Governour by repeated Addresses from the People, was obliged to call the Council together to concert what was proper to be done, who advised, to the proclaiming an open War. But their not consulting before hand with the other Governments, was certainly a great oversight; who probably would have come into it, and thereby have help’d to support the Charge, which now lay wholly on Massachusetts and New Hampshire”. (PIW, pp. 86-87)

25 July 1722: Proclamation By Samuel Shute

“Whereas the Indians inhabiting the Eastern parts of this Province, notwithstanding their repeated Sumissions to his Majesty’s Crown and Government, their publick and solemn Treatys and engagments, entered into with the Government here established, to demean themselves peaceably and amicably towards his Majesty’s good Subjects of this Province; and notwithstanding the kind and good Treatment they have received from the Govenment, have for some Years last past appeared in considerable Numbers in a hostile manner, and given disturbance to his Majesty’s Subjects, in the Eastern parts of this Province, killing their Cattel


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and threatning destruction to their Persons and Estates; and in abuse of the Lenity and Forbearance, have lately with the utmost Injustice and Treachery proceeded to plunder, despoil, and take Captive many of his Majesty’s good Subjects, to assault, take, burn & destroy Vessels upon the Seacoasts, and Houses and Mill upon the Land; to wound some, and in a most barbarous, and cruel manner to Murder others, of the Inhabitants of this Province; and in a way of open Rebellion and Hostility to make an Audacious and furious assault upon one of his Majesty’s Forts when the King’s Colours were flying.

I do therefore by and with the advice of his Majesty’s Council, hereby declare and proclaim the said Eastern Indians, with their Confederates, to be Robbers, Traitors and Enemies to His Majesty King George, his Crown and Dignity; and that they henceforth be proceeded against as such: Willing and Requiring all his Majesty’s good Subjects, as they shall have Opportunity, to do and execute all acts of Hostility against them; Hereby also forbidding all his Majesty’s good Subjects to hold any Correspondence with the said Indians, or to give Aid, Comfort, Succor or Relief unto them, on penalty of the Laws in that case made and provided. And whereas there be some of the said Indians who have not been concerned in the perfidious and barbarous Acts beforementioned, and many may be desirous to put themselves under the protection of this Government.

To the intent therefore that utmost Clemency may be shewn to such, I do hereby grant and allow them to come in and render themselves to the commanding Officer of the Forces, or to the respective Officer of any Party or Parties in the Service; provided it may be within forty Days of this Time. And to the intent that none of our Friend Indians may be exposed, or any Rebels or Enemy Indians may escape on pretence of being Friends; I do hereby strictly forbid any of the said Indians to move out of their respective Plantations, or such other places whereto they shall be assigned, or to come into any English Town or District, within the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay or the County of York, without being attended with such Men as I shall apppoint to oversee them, at their peril, and as they tender their own safety. And further, I forbid all the Friend Indians to hold Communion with, harbour or conceal any of the said Rebels, or Enemy Indians, requiring them to seize and secure all such that may come among them, and to deliver them up to Justice.

And all Military Commission Officers are hereby authorized and commanded to put this Declaration and Order into Execution.

Given at the Council Chamber in Boston the twenty fifth of July, 1722. (signed) Samuel Shute GOD Save the King.”

23 Feb 1723: “Boston: Severe northeaster during full moon raised greatest tide ever known by twenty inches; streets and cellars near harbor flooded; described by Rev. Cotton Mather in letter to Royal Society and in humorous article by Benjamin Franklin in New England Courant. “ (TWF, p. 19)

1724: “The new church at Jamaco was so far completed as to be ready for those having permission to build their pews, and they proceeded with their work. For the privilege of pew-room each proprieter was to pay ten shillings, and if not built before the last of May, the right was lost. Jamaco was now well prepared for religious worship, with the exception of a minister. And here question arose, -- how shall he be hired and paid? To settle this question a town-meeting was called, April 24th, when it was decided that each end of the town would pay their own minister. This was virtually a division of the town line into parishes, which soon


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followed. The dividing line was Nichols’ Creek and up the brook to the country road, thence north to the pond, and across to Back River, thence up the river to Bartlett’s Brook to his saw-mill, and thence, as the brook goes, to the country pond.

“Jamaco” was a name used at the time for the West Parish of Amesbury, which then included the land which is today Merrimac, MA, and Newton, NH. The location of “the new church at Jamaco” is marked by a bronze plaque on a large boulder in the Church Street Cemetery in Merrimac, Massachusetts.

Ship building was a permanent branch of business in those days, and did much toward building up the village. (HEC, p. 1508)

20 Feb 1724: Jonathan Farren’s third child and second daughter, Elizabeth, was born in Amesbury this day. (FMF)

1725: “Captain Currier, Jacob Rowell and Samuel Lowell had leave to build a wharf on the Powow River...this was, no doubt, needed for the accomodation of unloading their vessels which returned from the West Indies and other ports with cargoes of merchandise. Mr. Currier’s warehouse stood nearby, according to the record.”

In a town meeting, agreement was reached between the East and West parishes of Amesbury for the support of Rev. Wells in his old age. (HEC, p. 1508)

The Second Expedition of Lovewell’s War : Several Accounts Which Appear in Chronological Order According to Their Date of Publication

Capt. John Lovewell’s Daily Journal of the 2nd Expedition

28 Jan 1725: Haverhill & Billerica men (and, presumably, Jonathan Farren from

Amesbury) arrived at Dunstable, MA, to join the men from Groton & Lancaster who had arrived the day before to take part in Captain John Lovewell’s 2nd expedition against the French-led Indians who had been raiding English settlements along the MA/NH border. (JLJ)

29 Jan 1725: Lovewell and his 87 soldiers “mustered and came over the river”, going north from the Merrimac River. (JLJ)

Following is a list of the 62 names given in the 1728 “Report” when a grant of land was made to the snowshoe militiamen who went on Lovewell’s Second Expedition:

(Record of Perfons wn ye 10 Indians were killed) Jacob Ames Moses Hazzen Jos Read Jethro Ames S. Hilton Neh Robinson Benony Boynton Jno Houghton John Sawyer Eben Brown Jer Hunt Sam Sawyer Moses Chandler Joshua Hutchins Wm Shaden Jacob Corey Wm Hutchins Sam Shattock Fra Dogett Saml Johnson Jno Stephens Caleb Dostin Sam Learnerd Sam Stickney Jno Duncan Jno Levingston Sam Tarbol Thomas Farmer Stephen Merrill Sam Trull Ephm Farnsworth Sam Moor Jno Varnum Rueben Farnsworth Ben Parker Ben Walker Jona Ferren Ben Parker (Jr.?) Joshua Webster Saml Fletcher Jona Parks Joseph Whitcomb


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Robert Ford Jona Parks (Jr.?) Henry Willard Phin Foster Jacob Pearly Jos Wilson Jacob Gates Jere Pearly Jos Wheelock Moses Graves Rob Phelps Jno White Rich Hall Jno Pollard Jos Wright John Hazzen Oliver Pollard

According to Kidder, above is “the list of 62 when ye 10 Indians were killed” as given in his book; however, there are only 59 names listed in his book. (JLJ, see FFN #8, pp. 4-8)

30 Jan 1725: Lovewell & his men traveled 5 miles “ up to Nantecuck”. (JLJ) 31 Jan 1725: After travelling 10 miles, Lovewell & his men encamped above Cohaffet.

(JLJ) 1 Feb 1725: Lovewell and his men “...travelled 10 miles and encamped about 3 miles

above Amufkeeg. (JLJ) 2 Feb 1725: Lovewell & his men “...travelled 15 miles and camped at Pennycook.” (JLJ) 3 Feb 1725: Lovewell led his men 12 miles further and they camped at Contoocook. (JLJ) 4 Feb 1725: Lovewell noted in his journal that “ we lay still and sent out scouts” in search

of signs of raiding Indian parties. (JLJ) 5 Feb 1725: Lovewell’s expedition “traveled 8 miles towards Winnepefeocket, and

encamped”. (JLJ) 6 Feb 1725: After traveling 5 miles, the expedition camped at The Lower Pond, below the

Winnepefeocket River. (JLJ) 7 Feb 1725: The number of men under Lovewell decreased to 80 this day, as he noted in

his journal: “ One of our men being cut very bad with an axe, we sent 6 men home with him, and traveled 8 miles that day.” (JLJ)

8 Feb 1725: Lovewell noted: “We lay still by reason of a storm of snow”. (JLJ) 9 Feb 1725: Lovewell and his men “...traveled 14 miles, & encamped at the N.W. corner

of Winnepefeoket”. (JLJ) 10 Feb 1725: Lovewell’s expedition traveled 16 miles and encamped at the north side of

Cufumpe Pond. (JLJ) 11 Feb 1725: Lovewell noted: “We traveled N. & by E. from said pond, & encamped and

sent out scouts, and some of our scouts thought they discovered smokes, and others thought they heard guns. (JLJ)

12 Feb 1725: Lovewell noted: “We lay still and sent out scouts, who discovered nothing. (JLJ)

13 Feb 1725: Lovewell noted: “We say still and sent out scouts, and for want of provisions thirty of our men went home. (JLJ)

14 Feb 1725: Lovewell and the 50 men remaining with him “...traveled 10 miles toward the Easterly part of the White Mountians, & encamped upon a branch of Saco River; sent out scouts and killed a Black Moose that day”. (JLJ)

15 Feb 1725: Most of Lovewell’s expedition “lay still” in camp while scouts were again sent out in search of Indians. (JLJ)

16 Feb 1725: Lovewell and his men “...traveled 6 miles, and came upon the tracks of Indians, and we left 16 men with our packs, and the rest pursued the tracks till dark that night, and stayed there all night. (JLJ)

17 Feb 1725: The next morning, Lovewell and the group of men with him followed the trail of the Indians until about 8 o’clock “...and then we found where the Indians had lain


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twenty-four hours before, & we having no victuals, returned again to the 16 men we had left our packs with, & refreshed ourselves, & then we all pursued the remaining part of that day, & the night ensuing, 6 miles.” (JLJ)

18 Feb 1725: On the trail of the Indians, who were apparently heading south, Lovewell and his men “...traveled about 20 miles and encamped at a Great Pond upon Saco River. (JLJ)

19 Feb 1725: Another day of hard travel: “ We traveled 22 miles & encamped at a pond.” (JLJ)

20 Feb 1725: Lovewell noted: “We traveled about 5 miles, & came upon a wigwam that the Indians had lately gone from, & then we pursued their tracks 2 miles further, & discovered their smokes (the smoke from their fires), and there tarried till about 2 o’clock in the morning, & then came upon their Wigwams & killed ten Indian men, which were all that were there, and not one escaped alive. (JLJ)

21 Feb 1725: “We came 6 miles”, Lovewell noted in his journal. (JLJ) 22 Feb 1725: In order to see if his party was being pursued by

Indians, Lovewell kept most of his men in camp for the day and kept scouts “on our back tracks”. (JLJ)

23 Feb 1725: It may be that the scouts did find evidence of pursuit the previous day, as Lovewell and his men traveled 30 miles this day before they camped at Cochechea. (JLJ)

24 Feb 1725: Lovewell and his men traveled to Oyster River, 6 miles. (JLJ) 25 Feb 1725: Lovewell and his men rested for the day “...as our men were lame in their

feet”. (JLJ) 26 Feb 1725: Lovewell noted: “We marched down to Capt. Knight’s, at Newington. (JLJ) 27 Feb 1725: Lovewell and his men boarded a sloop, a sailing ship, to return to Boston.

(JLJ) 9 Mar 1725: Lovewell notes that the sloop arrived in Boston, Massachusetts. 10 Mar 1725: The date when Capt. John Lovewell wrote the copy of his journal of the

2nd expedition which was submitted to the legislature, dated March 10, 1724/25. (JLJ)

1725: “The Brave Lovewell Lamented” A sermon by the Rev. Mr. Thomas Symmes:

(The following excerpt from the original sermon, was published in connection with a narrative by Rev. Symmes of Lovewell’s War upon the text , 2 Samuel 1:27 - “How are the mighty fallen and

the weapons of war perished!”. as quoted in The Original Account of Capt. John Lovewell’s ‘Great Fight’ with the Indians at Pequawket, May 8, 1725 by Rev Thomas Symmes of Bradford,

Mass., a new edition with notes by Nathaniel Bouton, Concord, NH; P.B. Cogswell, Printer, 1861)

“Let us all religiously lament the fall of the Brave LOVELL, and several of his gallant

company, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Let us take up this lamentation over them! How are the mighty fallen! And if we would herein approve ourselves to God, let us consider that these brave men (though I hope we have many left as capable of serving their country) yet they were no inconsiderable part of the beauty and strength of New England: It is evident to the country, they were men formed and raised up by Providence to serve us in pursuing an Enemy, of whom we may say as of the wild ass, The wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children. Job 24:5.

These our worthy friends could endure hardness as good soldiers, and were well able to


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encounter the fatigues of long marches, both in winter and in summer. some of them were well acquainted with the woods, and with the customs and lurking places of the enemy, and were mightily spirited to pursue them; and God did graciously preserve and prosper them this last winter in two expeditions; first delivered two Indians into their hands; and then ten stout fellows as you all remember, whom they killed, without receiving any harm from them! This was the Lord’s doings and marvelous in our eyes! and in this last engagement, they were inspired with a great deal of bravery and good conduct, and their company crowned with wonderful success. Now to lose such experienced soldiers, and men so respected in the country, is a great loss!

The most skillful, dexterous, courageous and successful soldiers, had used to be truly religious and well prepared for death; seeing they are not invulnerable, but as liable to die, as others. An Indian bullet will kill a hero, a champion, as easily as a faint-hearted coward: a Captain, or Chaplain, as soon as a bringer up of the front half files; or the most inferior private soldier.

Seeing then our soldiers carry their lives in their hands, when they go forth to war, and are still liable to be ambushed, whenever they travel in the vast howling wilderness, and, killed unexpectedly, as well as slain in a pitched battle, they had need be always ready not only to fight, but to die; and make their appearance before God. And in order thereto, they should keep on good terms with God, who can easlly preserve them though a thousand fall at their side, and ten thousand at their right hand; and can cause one of them to chase a thousand, and two of them to put ten thousand to flight.”

28 Jan 1725 to 27 Feb 1725: The Second Expedition of Lovewell’s War

“Capt. Lovewell, who was endowed with a generous Spirit and Resolution of serving his Country, and well acquainted with hunting the Woods, raised a new Company of Volunteers, & marched some miles beyond their common Head-quarters: On the Easterly side of Winnepissocay Ponds he cross’d an Indian Track, and soon after espied two of them whose Motions he watch’d all the Day, and at Night silently came upon them as they lay asleep round their Fire. At his first firing he kill’d seven, after that two more, and wounded another, which was their whole Company: Who being within a Day and halfs march of our Frontiers, would probably have done Mischief, had they not been so seasonably prevented. Their Arms were so new and good, that most of them were sold for seven pounds apiece, and each of them had two Blankets, with a great many spare Moggasons, which were supposed for the supplying of Captives that they expected to have taken. The Plunder was but a few Skins; but during the March our Men were well entertained with Moose, Bear and Deer; together with Salmon Trout, some of which were three foot long, and weighed twelve pounds apiece.” (PIW, p. 110)

6 April 1725: “Jonathan Farren has entered a Redish collored horse with a white face and a Red star in his forhed”, from an entry in Amesbury Town Records showing that Jonathan had registered his ownership of this horse so that it could graze on town common lands. On the same day and in the same record, the earmark Jonathan used to identify his cattle was entered: “Jonathan ffarren’s eare mark for his Cretures is a slit in ye end of each eare and a Cross slit on ye under side ye left eare”. (FFN#6, p. 12) This was the first mention which has been found of Jonathan (by researcher James E. Shaw, Gentmn) in records of the area after his marriage in 1719.

“For many years past those keeping horses were required to enter them with the (Amesbury) clerk, giving a description, in order to obtain a license for them to run at large on the town’s commons. Unless such license was procured they were liable to be taken up as stray


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beasts. A book was kept for that purpose, and to enter ear marks, which is yet in the clerk’s office, although very much worn. Such licenses were required from 1694 to 1733, after which none are found. The town commons were gradually narrowing down till they finally disappeared altogether. In 1694 there were 17 horses licensed, in 1725 only 21; but no doubt there were many not licensed - kept at home for work. Cattle and sheep were also marked by slitting and notching their ears, and the varied marks displayed considerable ingenuity.” (HOA, p. 198)

1726: Publication in Boston of The HISTORY of the Wars of New England With the Eastern Indians. Or, A NARRATIVE Of their Continued Perfidy and Cruelty,from the

10th of Auguft, 1703, To the Peace renewed 13th of July, 1713. And from the 25th of July, 1722, To their Submission 15th December, 1725, Which was Ratified Auguft 5th 1726 by

Samuel Penhallow, Esqr.

This book, known today as Penhallow’s Indian Wars, is one of the rarest books of its class. It is one of the earliest of New England imprints. At the time of publication, there were probably not more than 175,000 people in New England. In the introduction to a facsimile reprint of the first edition (ISBN# 0-8369-6663-5), Edward Wheelock says: “...matters concerning the Indians were, excepting possibly religious controversies, of the greatest interest to readers of that time and copies of books such as this one were literally read to pieces”. Wheelock says that only 5 copies of this book in perfect condition in their original bindings are known to exist today.

“To the New England colonist”, wrote Wheelock, “the depredations of his Indian neighbors were of literally vital interest. The pioneer in the new settlements de-forested his land, tilled his fields, gathered his harvest and, on the Lord’s Day, walked to his meeting-house, at all times armed with his flintlock for self defence against the native whom he had armed at a sinister profit with musket, powder and lead. When at last, Anglo-Saxon determination had conquered and the Indian was eliminated from the problem of pioneer existance, the growing generation of New England boys and girls read into fragments the “Narratives”, “Captivities:, and “Histories” of those of their forebears who providentially had escaped the enemy, or redeemed after “captivation” had lived to print the tale.”

“A specific instance of this interest”, Wheelock continued, “is seen in the practice of making Indian affairs the chief topic in the published sermon - the newspaper of that day. Whatever the occasion, this discourse afforded the opportunity for publishing, with appropriate comments, the latest news of important events - conflagrations, marine disasters, earthquakes and the always important accounts of depredations and massacres in the frontier settlements. Penhallow, for instance, acknowledges his indebtedness for the latest details in his narrative of Lovewell’s fight to such a sermon by ‘the ingenious Mr. Symmes’. He, the minister at Bradford, seems to have secured, by reason of his proximity to the scene of that memorable encounter, ‘exclusive information’, as it would be called in modern journalism and to have hastened its early publication.”

Unfortunately, since the inventory of Jonathan Farren’s estate didn’t list the titles of the books owned by him, we don’t know if Jonathan owned a copy of Penhallow’s history. We can, however, be confident that this is probably the only book Jonathan could have read which recounted a historical event in which he took part. And, given the wide distribution of the published sermon by Rev. Symmes on Lovewell’s Fight. it is not unlikely that Jonathan had the opportunity to hear that sermon read by some other minister, or to have a chance to have read it for himself.


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6 March 1726: Thomas & Elizabeth (Gould) Bettel deeded the northerly half of the original lot granted to Nathanial Gould, Elizabeth’s father, in the Children’s Land Division, to “our said son Jonathan ffarren”. This was the land where Jonathan Farren’s house stood on 30 March 1719. The deed included the odd provision that they could take the land back if ever they needed to do so: “Always Provided and ye true Intent & meaning is any Thing to ye Contrary notwithstanding viz If ye sd Thomas Betle or Elizabeth his Wife Shall or may have occasion to make Sale of sd land for their or either of their Maintenances, it it so be that They Stand in Need, it Shall and may be lawfull for them or either of them so to do as free & clear as if this Gift had never been made”. (Essex Co. MA Deed Book 59, p. 107 - see FFN# 6, p. 13) If Thomas or Elizabeth Bettel ever tried to revoke this gift, they were apparently unsuccessful as Jonathan owned this land until March 4th, 1762, when he sold it to Charles Sargent. (Deed Book 119, p. 186 - see p. 66 of FFN#8 )

19 May 1726: The church of the West Parish of Amesbury was organized and the church covenant was signed by Rev. Paine Wingate, John Foot, Thomas Fowler, Abraham Merrill, Thomas Colby, Titus Wells (father in law of Jonathan Farren), Valentine Rowell, Samuel Stevens, Joseph Sargent, Joseph Bartlett, Phillip Rowell, William Moulton, Tappan Ordway, John Blaisdell and Abraham Merrill, Jr.

Jonathan Farren is named on the list of people living in the West Parish of Amesbury who were taxed for the support of this parish. (See FFN#8, pp. 21- 24).

The Church Covenant of the West Parish of Amesbury “Forasmuch as the Lord hath accepted us sinful wretches into covenant with his Majesty, in Christ we therefore avouch the Lord to be our God, and make firm and sure covenant with his Majesty and one with another (through the grace of Christ) to give up ourselves to him; to submit to his Government, and all his holy ordinances, acknowledging him for our Prophet, Priest and King; to walk before him in all things according to the rule of his Word; shunning all Atheism and Anti-Christianism with all other errors and pollutions in the worshp of God. We do also bind ourselves to walk together with the Church and all the members of it in the mutual love and watchfulness to the building up of each other in the faith and love of our Lord Jesus Christ; to yield obedience to his holy will and to carry on the duties of his worship in public and in private according to Gospel order and institution; hereby craving help at God’s hands for performance hereof we do also with ourselves give up our seed unto the Lord to be his people and to submit under the watch and discipline of this Church according to the Rules of Christ.” (HEC, chapter CXXVI)

The site of this church/meeting house is marked by a bronze plaque on a large boulder which can be found today in the old cemetery of Church Street in Merrimac, MA. Unless they were buried in a forgotten family cemetery, it is probable that this cemetery is the resting place of the 3 children of Jonathan and Sarah Farren who did not survive to adulthood: Jonathan, their 6th child, b. 18 Aug 1728; Jonathan, their 8th child, b. 7 Feb 1736 and baptized 28 Sept 1740; and Sarah, their 9th child, born 5 Oct 1737 and baptized 28 Sept 1740. (FMF, p. 10) Yr Humble & Obt Svt , ye fferrin ffamily Newsltr Edtr, visited this cemetery in Oct. 1995 and searched for Farren headstones but failed to find any.

15 June 1726: Ordination of Rev. Paine Wingate in the Second Amesbury Church; following is an alphabetized list of people taxed in 1726 for the support of this church, which gives an accurate idea of the extent and character of the population of “Jamaco” (the West Parish) in 1726:


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Eben Aboot John Foot, Jr. Samuel Poore Charles Allen Samuel Foot Joseph Pregett John Bartlett, Sr. Jerimiah Fowler Jacob Pressey John Bartlett, Jr. John Fowler John Pressey Joseph Bartlett John Fowler (Jr.?) John Pressey (Jr.?) Thomas Bartlett Jonah Fowler William Pressey Robert Beede Thomas Fowler Robert Ring Thomas Beedle William Fowler Issac Rogers Thomas Beadle, Jr. Richard Goodwin Phillip Rowell John Blasdell (Widow) Hannah Gurdy Valentine Rowell Abner Brown Benjamin Hadley Andrew Rowen (Widow) Mary Busell George Hadley Andrew Rowen (Jr.?) Phillip Call Joseph Hadley Charles Sargent (Widow) Margaret Challes Samuel Hadley Charles Sargent, Jr. Jonathan Cleark Samuel Hadley, Jr. Daniel Sargent Jonathan Clement Joseph Harvey David Sargent Abraham Colby John Harvey Jacob Sargent Elias Colby William Harvey Jacob Sargent, Jr. Ezekiel Colby Nehemiah Heath John Sargent Isaac Colby Daniel Hoyt Jonathan Sargent Jonathan Colby Jacob Hoyt (“Joyt” in list) Joseph Sargent Samuel Colby, Jr. John Hoyt (Widow) Mary Sargent Thomas Colby Timothy Hoyt Phillip Sargent Timothy Colby John Hunt Phillip Sargent, Sr. Joseph Collins Samuel Hunt Timothy Sargent David Coope Samuel Juell William Sargent, Jr. Joseph Currier Jonathan Kelley Joseph Shoort Ephriam Davies Richard Kelley Samuel Silver John Davies John Lanckester Samuel Stevens Jonathan Davies Joseph Lanckester Thomas Stevens, Jr. Joseph Davies Micah Lancaster John Straw Joseph Davies, Jr. John Martin Jedidiah Titcomb Nathaniel Davies Samuel Martin Henery Trussell Samuel Davies Abraham Merrill Henry Trussell, Jr. William Davies Nathaniel Merrill Benjamin Tucker Joseph Davis Joseph Moody Benony Tucker Thomas Davis William Moulton Ezra Tucker Henry Dow John Nichols Nathaniel Tucker James Dow Jonathan Nichols Thomas Wells Thomas Dow James Ordway Titus Wells Cutting Feavor John Ordway Abner Whittier Jonathan Farren Ephraim Pemberton John Whittier Capt. John Foot Isreal Young

Remember that the West Parish of Amesbury encompassed, at this time, the land which is

today Merrimac, Massachusetts and Newton, New Hampshire, as well as part of South Hampton, New Hampshire. Therefore, the preceding list of names represents early residents of the areas


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which later became these various towns.

1727: King George the Second assumed the Crown of Britain. (HCC, p. 150)

At the annual town meeting in Amesbury, it was “voted that no person shall cutt down or other ways destroy any trees standing on ye country rode or any town way within two miles of Merrimack river, on ye forfeiture of forty shillings per tree so cut or destroyed’. In 1888, Joseph Merrill quotes this town record, then comments: “How changed are things! At present there are not trees enough beside the road for the weary traveler to rest under.” (HOA, p. 186)

Yet, sixty-two years later, when Wallace B. Ordway published his historical essay, “The Merrimac River Gundalow and Gundalowmen”, the forest had returned to the banks of the river: “Many of the old landing places are clogged with driftwood and covered with lush growths of rushes, loosestrife and trees. The ruts from ox and horse carts (have) disappeared. Miss Georgianna Emery in her ninethieth year recently viewed the scene at Emery’s Landing. Close by was an old grist mill on the site of one built by her ancestor, John Emery, more than three centuries ago. She looked toward the mill at a rise of land between the landing and the mouth of the Artichoke River, and saw trees with trunks measuring more than four feet in circumference. ‘They kept this place for drying hay’, she said, ‘but these trees have grown up’.” (MRG, pp. 14-15)

In October of 1995, when ye FFN Edtr was given a tour of the Amesbury area by George G. Gleason, Gentmn, the forest extended down to the banks of the Merrimac in every area they observed.

1727: “For a long series of years, perhaps from the first, people had paid their province or country rates in grain and the products of their farms, which had to be transported to Boston and delivered to the government. This year the town (of Amesbury) offered to abate one-fifth to those who should pay direct to the treasurer of the province. The tax was 72 pounds and six shillings this year. Prices as fixed by law were:

‘beef, 3 pounds per barrel; pork, 5 pounds 10 shillings; winter wheat, 8 shillings per bushel; summer wheat, 7 shillings per bushel; barley, six shillings per bushel; rye, 6 shillings per bushel; Indian corn, 4 shillings per bushel; oats, 2 shillings per bushel; flax, 16 d. (pence) per pound; pease clear of buggs, 9 shillings per bushel; firkin butter, good, sweet, 12 d. per pound; hemp, 9 shillings per pound; beeswax, 2 shillings 6 pence per pound; dry hides, 6 pence per pound; leather, 12 pence per pound; merchantable dry codd, 30 shillings per quintal; oyl, 2 pounds 10 shillings per barrel; whalebone, six feet long and upwards, 3 shillings 6 pence per pound; bayberry wax, 16 pence per pound;


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turpentine full bound, 13 shillings per cwt (hundredweight); merchantable bar iron, 48 shillings per cwt; cast iron potts and kettles suitably sorted, not too heavy, 48 shillings per cwt.; well-cured tobacco, 4 pence per pound; good tryed tallow, 8 pence per pound. (HOA), p. 186)

27 Sept 1727: “New England: Hurricance of 1727; ‘then the Lord sent a great rain and

horrible wind; whereby much hurt was done, both on the water and on the land’ said the Rev. Samuel Phillips in a sermon; many ships at Marblehead wrecked; trees torn up by roots; chimneys downed at Boston; barns demolished.” (TWF, pp. 19-20)

29 Oct 1727: “Old diaries and account-books mention an earthquake in Amesbury which occurred October 29th at ten o’clock p.m. David Blasdells account-book calls it the first earthquake. Richard Kelley wrote as follows in his diary: ‘In ye yeare 1727, October 29, about ten of ye clock, it being Sabbath day night, was the Grate earthquake which was extrodenery loud and hard as awaked many out of sleep, the housen did shake & windows ratel and puter and dishes clater on ye shelves & ye tops of so many chimneys fell off & many were so shatered as that people were fain to take them down and new build them again’.” (HEC, p. 1508)

1 Nov 1727: Jonathan Farren paid John Barnard 100 pounds for 33 acres of land in Amesbury, MA, at a place called Cottel’s Plain, including a house, other buildings, fences, fruit trees and other trees thereon standing. (Essex Co., MA, Deed Book 61, p. 5 - see FFN#9, p. 32)

Cottel’s Plain is an area which today is part of Newton, New Hampshire. This piece of land was most probably along the south side of Dugway Road. This is the piece of land referred to in his will as his “homestead living”. His farm also encompassed land in the area north of Dugway Road and west of Currierville Road, including a mill pond which still exists today.

1728: “The province treasurer was directed to issue 60,000 pounds in bills of credit to be loaned to the towns on the same principle as those of 1721. In the first issue of 50.000 pounds the town (of Amesbury) received 373 pounds, and had the same proportionate share have been received now, it would have been 447 pounds instead of 473 pounds which was received. This shows that the town had been prosperous for the last seven years above the average of the province. This was called the Second Bank. (HEC, p. 1508)

“John Challis, William Moulton and John Sargent were chosen trustees to receive and loan the money in sums not less than two nor more than ten pounds to any one person. The rate of interest was fixed at six percent. The trustee were ordered to render their account before November 29th.” (HOA, p. 188)

8 Jan 1728: Charles Greenfield sold 6 acres of land in Almsbury to James George; the western boundary of this land adjoined land owned by Jonathan Farren (which must have been the Barnard land). (FFN#9, p. 79)

29 May 1728: The General Assembly of the Province of Massachusetts set aside two tracts of unappropriated land for all person in the Narragansett War & asked that a list of their names be laid before the general court. On the back of a copy of this advertisement is a list of the men present “when ye 10 Indians were killed” on the 2nd expedition and Jona Ferren is one of the 62 names given. These two grants were Suncook, now Pembroke, NH, and Voluntierstown, now Petersham, Massachusetts. On 20 June 1733, Jonathan Farren & others were admitted to the Voluntierstown Grant. In 1735, Jonathan Farren deeded this land to Samuel Willard of Lancaster for the sum of 36 pounds “currant money of New England”. (FMF, p. 1)

21 Nov 1729: “Josiah Bartlett, son of Stephen and Hannah, was born at the Ferry (in


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Amesbury... He studied medicine, and removed to Kingston, NH, where he became prominent in political affairs from his intense love of freedom, and was elected to Congress early in the Revolutionary struggle, and is said to have been the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was very popular in the State of his adoption, and was chosen its first Governor. Just prior to the Revolution his house was burnt by the Tories, who hated him very cordially for his patriotism.” (HEC, p. 1509).

A full-figure bronze statue of Josiah Bartlett stands in Amebury today at an intersection near the Amesbury town library.

1730: “The punishment of certain offences in the early history of the colony was singular, but far more effectual than that of modern times. Sitting in the ‘stocks or bilbowes, or putting their tounges in split sticks’ were common punishments for small offenses, and, no doubt were effectual in shaming culprits. The stocks were set up in some public place where friends, as well as foes, would be likely to notice them. At this time, the town (of Amesbury) had on hand a lot of small rogues who deserved punishment, but no stocks suitable for the occasion, and so the annual meeting ‘voted to have one paire of stocks immediately built and set where ye Selectmen shall think most convenient’.” (HEC, p. 1509)

31 Mar 1730: Jonathan Farren bought one and 1/2 acres of land from John Peaslee for 9 pounds. It was located on Cottle’s Plain next to Henry Tressel Jr and to other land owned by Jonathan Farren. It had originally been a part of Commoner’s Land owned by Charles Greenfield. (Essex Co. Deed Book 60, p. 76 - see FFN#9, pp. 4 & 78) In this deed, John Peaslee identified himself as a Millwright and Jonathan Farren as a “Laburer”. (The deed was recorded on this date.)

1731: Jonathan Barnard obtained leave (from the town of Amesbury) to build a bridge ‘across ye falls on Powow river, about four rods below the bridge now across sd river, provided ye Town of Salisbury may consent thereto, he ye sd Barnard to make and keep ye sd bridge forever in good and sufficient repair, in consideration whereof he ye sd Barnard to have our part of ye ould bridge and also ye liberty of making a dam across sd river for his own use for ye flooding and stopping of water for ye use of a mill or mills not damnifying ye highway nor ye town of Salisbury nor any other dam or dams, mill or mills.’ (HEC, p. 1509)

8 Mar 1731: Samuel Colby and Jonathan Farren were chosen hog reeves at an Amesbury Town Meeting. (ATR, p. 206)

Winter of 1732 - 1733: A severe winter with most of the harbors on the Atlantic seaboard frozen over; Casco Bay in Maine was frozen solid for two months. (TWF, p. 20)

June 1733: “For many years the Friends (in the Amesbury area) have had much trouble with John Collins about ‘bearing testimony’ or preaching, against which he had been repeatedly cautioned and admonished, even to ‘denying him to be in unity’ with them, but all to no purpose. Judging from the lenient treatment he received, he must have been an able speaker, although somewhat rash in his expressions. At the monthly meeting in June he was present and expressed his mind as follows:

“John Collins being spoke to concerning our Last Labouring with him to forbear offering among us by way of publick Testamony or preaching: The sd John Collins stood up in sd meeting and made the following speech of Protestation : (which was as followeth) viz. I had rather than conforme to your judgment go and Kiss the Popes toe: or turn Powower among the heathern: yea and go joyn with mehomit and be carried into the uttermost Parts of the Earth and there be put in Jayl near to hear joyfull sound more: yea or if hell was open before me and God behind mee with all his heavenly Host, and they the Heavenly Host should tell me that if I would not conform to you he would Immediately cast me in thither I would Rather trust in his mercy


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that he would not, than conforme to what you would have mee; which was to forbear speaking in our meetings until he be reconciled to his Brethren.’

Verily, perfect freedom was not found even among the Order of Friends. After laboring with him some five years longer, he was, in 1738, formally turned out of the society. Mr. Collins was of Salisbury and, probably, an honest free-thinker.” (HOA, p. 195)

20 June 1733: Jonathan Farren & others were granted land in Voluntierstown, MA, for their service in the 2nd expedition of “Lovewell’s War”. In 1735, he sold this land to Samuel Willard of Lancaster for 36 pounds current money of New England. (FMF, p. 1)

May 1734: “At the May session of the (Massachusetts) General Court a very stringent law was passed in regard to fishing in the Merrimac River. People had, hitherto, been allowed to set up ‘wears, hedges, fish-garths, stakes, kiddles or other incumbrences’ but these were all forbidden under a penalty of 50 pounds for the first offense, and 100 pounds for all subsequent offenses. This was, probably, the first attempt to regulate the river fishing. Salisbury early exercised authority over the Powow, but the Merrimac was free.” (HEC, p. 1509) By the same act, anyone was authorized to destroy such obstructions. During the first years of the settlement, fish were very plentiful and were easily taken by these various contrivances, but, as they grew more scarce, the public was opposed to any waste by traps, etc.” (HOA, p. 196)

10 July 1734: The Reverend Thomas Wells, paternal grandfather of Sarah Wells Farren, “...died this day in his 88th year. He was born at Ipswich, Jan 11, 1647, and was a son of Dr. Thomas Wells, who died in 1655, while Thomas was a mere boy. some provision was made for his education, so that he studied for the ministry and was called to settle in Amesbury...his life work was here, and during his long pastorate of sixty-two years, he labored faithfully for the good of his people. He married Miss Mary Parker of Newbury, by whom he had seven sons and three daughters.” (HEC, p. 1509)

“His pastorship extended through many trying times, when his people could hardly raise enough salary to support him. Indian wars, citizens murdered and carried into captivity, unfruitful seasons and many other trials were not uncommon. He was obliged to preach when it was dangerous to travel to church, especially so far as ‘Jamaco’. All these troubles prevented the people from raising sufficent crops at times to supply their wants; but, under these trials, he was ever ready to suffer with his people, and more than once voluntarily abated part of his salary. At times vexed with the peculiarities of his church, yet he was ever ready to bear and forbear. The times in which he lived, although not partucularly noted for free speech, were somewhat remarkable for plain language, and in answer to a vote of the town touching his continued services, he commences thus: ‘I had a great deal rather you would supply yourselves better’, and closes by charging them to never let him hear more from them unless they accept his terms, signing ‘Just as you please I am your humble servant’.

For many years he kept the book of births and deaths, and his penmanship was good, plain and bold. (See an example of it, with his signature, on page 7 of FFN # 9) He was not wholly dependant upon his salary for his living, as his good management had enabled him to become quite a land-holder. He lived in his own house nearly the whole of his long ministry. He kept a horse and other stock. In 1694 he had a white horse; in 1708 and 1709 he had a black white-faced mare; in 1710 he had a brown-bay horse; in 1711 a blackish mouse-colored horse, and, in 1712, a brown-bay horse, gristly crooked Blase on his forehead and right eye walled. During the last few years the Rev. Edmund March was his assistant, as age had unfitted him to some extent for the performance of all the required duties.” (HOA, pp. 197-198)

He was buried beside the 1st Amesbury meeting house where he had preached for so many years. His gravestone, which is of hard slate and is remarkably well-preserved today, may


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be seen in the oldest part of Union Cemetery in Amesbury, MA, near the boulder with a bronze plaque which marks the location of the first Amesbury meeting house. He was buried beside his wife, Mary (Perkins) Wells, who died on 26 Jan 1726. Though her sandstone gravestone is badly weathered, it is still legible. (See ancestry chart for Sarah Wells Ferrin on pp. 18 & 19 of FFN#4)

May 1735: “About this time, the country was visited with a new epidemic disease, which has obtained the name of the throat distemper. The general description of it is a swelled throat, with white or ash-colored specks, an efflorescence on the skin, general dibility of the whole system and a strong tendency to putridity. Its first appearance was in May 1735 at Kingston in New Hampshire, an inland town situated on a low plain. The first person siezed was a child, who died in three days. About a week after, in another family, at a distance of four mils, three children were successively attacked, who also died on the same day. It continued spreading gradually in that township through the summer, and of the first forty who had it, none recovered. In August it began to make its appearance at Exeter, six miles northward; and in September, at Boston fifty miles southward, though it was October before it reached Chester, the nearest settlement west of Kingston. It continued its ravages through the suceeding winter and spring, and did not disappear until the end of the next summer.

The most, who died of this pestilence, were children; and the distress, which it occasioned, was heightened to the most poignant degree. From three to six children were lost out of some families; several buried four in a day, and many lost their all. In some towns, one in three, and in others one in four of the sick were carried off. In the parish of Hampton Falls it raged most violently. Twenty families buried all their children. Twenty-seven persons were lost out of five families; and more than one-sixth part of the inhabitants of that place died within thirteen months. In the whole Province, not less than one thousand persons, of whom above nine hundred were under twenty years of age, fell victim to this raging distemper.

Since the settlement of this country such a mortality had not been known. It was observed that the distemper proved most fatal when plentiful evacuations, particularly bleeding, were used; a great prostraction of strength being an invariable symptom.” (HNH, p. 118 - see pages 26 & 27 of FFN# 8 for Belknap’s complete account of the diphtheria epidemic in 1735 and 1736.)

In his history of Amesbury & Merimac, Merrill notes: “It seems to have been more sickly this year, more deaths than usual being recorded. Jacob Jones died June 2nd. Thomas Fowler lost two children, and Rev. Pain Wingate his two oldest.” (HOA, p. 200)

“Diptheria : an acute febrile contagious disease marked by the formation of a false membrane especially in the throat and caused by a bacterium which produces a toxin causing inflammation of the heart and nervous system.” (WCD, p. 235)

13 May 1736: Deed recorded of land sold by Jonathan Sanborn of Kingstown, NH, to Jonathan Farren of Almsbury, MA, for land in Kingstown. (Rockingham County Deeds, Vol 23, page 102)

7 Feb 1736: Jonathan Farren’s eighth child and sixth son, also named Jonathan, was born. It is probable that Jonathan’s sixth child, named Jonathan, died before this time, perhaps in the epidemic of “Throat Distemper” (diptheria) which ravaged this area in 1735 . Most of the people who died were children. (See FFN#8, pp. 27-28) Neither of the two sons named Jonathan are known to have lived to adulthood. (FMF) At the time, it was common to give a child the same name as an elder sibling who had previously died.

1737: In Amesbury, “...a new move was made this year, looking to the erection of a house for idle persons, by the towns in this vicinity; but not receiving support from the other towns, nothing was accomplished.


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Wolves were even at this late day becoming troublesome, and a bounty of forty shillings was offered for each one killed. (HEC, p. 1509)

Spring and Summer 1737: Crop conditions in Amesbury were recorded in Captain Richard Kelley’s diary: “In ye spring of ye year in 1737 was an extrordenry seaseinn for hay by which reason maney chatell in ye countrey wear lost and many others brought very low. And the sumer after was the scarcest time for corn that ever I knew”. (HOA, p. 201)

14 Mar 1737: Jonathan Farren was chosen as one of a number of Surveyors of highways at an Amesbury Town Meeting. Others chosen for the same office were: David Merrill, Jonathan Currier, Joseph Jewel, John Hoyt Jr, David Tuexbury, Gedion Rowel, John Bagly, Ezekel Colby, Deacon Thomas Stevens, Timothy Sargent, Jonathan Clement, Samuel Hadly Jr, Samuel Peaslee, Jonathan Clerk and William Rowel. (ATR, p. 227)

19 Mar 1737: Jonathan Farren & others took the oath of office for Surveyors of Highways. (ABT, p. 229)

27 Sept 1739: Jonathan Farren paid Thomas Carter two hundred pounds for 36 & 1/2 acres of land “Scituate in Almsbury aforesd being the Southerly part of end of a Lott of land in the fourth Division so Called the fifth Lott in Number appurtaining originally to the Right of John Coleby”. This land, on the south side of Bagsmore Creek (known today as Hume Brook), was bounded on the west by land belonging to James George and on the east by Thomas Warthen’s land. (Essex Co. Deed Book 70, p. 45. See FFN#9, pp. 24-25 and FFN#8, pp. 78-79)

1740: “The prominent event (in Amesbury) this year was tunneling the pond ridge. This singular geological formation of sharp ridges, extending in one continuous and nearly unbroken line from the Ferry Hill, far into Newton, NH, has ever been to the student of nature a great curiosity. Its general course is northwest, and stretching along the Great Swamp, passing the pond, it still continues its well-defined course, slightly broken by some pre-historic cause near the late Thomas Colby’s, sufficiently to afford the only outlet which Kimball’s Pond originally had. It then passes into Newton, and is there known as Pine Hill. On the early record this break is termed ‘the terrormost end of ye pond ridge.’ A large tract of meadow land lay near the pond’s mouth, almost worthless from stagnant water.

To improve and render valuable this waste tract, the project of tunneling was undertaken by Orlando Bagley, Esq., and Capt. Caleb Pilsbury. Having obtained leave of the town, a favorable locality was selected where the base of the ridge contracts somewhat, and the work of excavating a tunnel or drain was commenced and carried through to completion. This opened a short, direct route through to the Powow River, which in its winding course comes near the pond. (HEC, p. 1510)

28 February 1740: This winter was an exceptionally cold one in Amesbury and the Merrimac River was frozen over, as the following entry from Richard Kelley’s diary records:

“febuary 28, 1740-41, then I went down to newbury with my team & carried a load of wood for Mr joseph Dow and sume other teams with me, we went on to ye River at Sweats ferry & I went off down at newbury a letel above the great meeting house and i saw no hole open all the way as we went no not so big as to put ons foot in & mr Wells Chase cut a hole through ye ice at deare island in ye strongest place of ye tide & measured the ice and found it to be two feet and a halfe thick and people had sleded down on ye River for about two months before this -- the like i never heard of in aney winter before.” (HOA, pp. 205-206)

9 Mar 1740: Jonathan Farren chosen a Surveyor of highway for the ensuing year. Others chosen for the same office were: Joseph Bagly, Ezekel Currier, Jacob Colby, John Challis, Stephen Sargent, Ezekel Colby, James Ordaway, Ephraim Davis, Isaas Don, Enoch Chase, Thomas Bettel, and Jacob Bagley. (ABT, p. 240.)


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late May/early June 1740: A killing frost. When a frost came too late in the year, it often killed the corn (maize) after it first sprouted in the spring, meaning that the farmer had to replant his fields “at great expense in time, seed , and precious specie... Fields situated in lowland areas were hurt by radiation frosts even more than those elsewhere. The great variation in spring & fall frosts inhibited the farmer in properly determining when to plant and resulted in fairly standardized planting dates within a ten-day period in mid-May”. (GSR, p. 15)

Mid-December 1740: “New England: breakup of early winter caused floods on all rivers; the flood was ‘the highest ever known’ on the Merrimack River in New Hampshire and the greatest since 1692 on the lower Connecticut River.” (TWF, p. 20)

26 December 1740: Jonathan Farren purchased 5 & 1/4 acres of land in Almsbury from Thomas Carter for the sum of 31 pounds. The southern boundary of this land adjoined land owned by Jonathan Farren, which must have been the 36 & 1/2 acres Johnathan had earlier bought from Thomas Carter. That deed was either signed or recorded on 27 Sept 1739. (FFN#8, p. 79)

1741: “A new Province Line was established between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and a strip of land fifteen miles in length was taken from Salisbury and Amesbury in Massachusetts and annexed to New Hampshire. In May of 1742, this strip was incorporated as the Town of South Hampton, NH.

Jonathan Farren, a resident of that part of the West Parish of Amesbury which was annexed to New Hampshire, automatically became an inhabitant of South Hampton, NH. (FMF, p. 2)

Feb 18th 1741/42: Petition of Jonathan Farren and Others to be Set Off From

South Hampton to New Town, New Hampshire

“To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esqr Governour and Commander in Chief in and over his Mahestys Province of New Hampshire in New England and to the Honourable his Majestys Council for said Province.

The Petition of Sundry of the Innhabitants of that part of the Town of Amesbury that lyeth to the Northward of the Boundary line between the Province of New Hampshire and Massachusetts Bay by the late Settlement of the Sd Line and the Southward of Shapleys Line so called most humblly shews That your Petitioners understand that about sixty persons in Number who live in that part of Salisbury that lyeth between the two aforesd lines and that part of Amesbury aforesd have petitioned your Excellency and Honours for a Township of seven miles in Length as mentioned in their Petition. That your Petitioners are included within the bounds of said Township. That the meeting house they have Erected for themselves is so situated that it is no ways convenient for your Petitioners. That many of those who signed their Petition now say they were deceived. That it will be a great burden to your Petitioners if they are under an obligation to be holden by what their neighbors have asked for themselves. That your Petitioners desire they may have liberty to be annexed to such Parishes as are most convenient for them till Such Time as they shall be able to make a parrish for themselves.

Wherefore your Petitioners pray your Exellency and Honours to grant your Petitioners liberty to speak for themselves before your Excellency and Honours and your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray & c. Feb 18th 1741-42. (Signed by)


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Jonathan Kimball Orlando Bagley Jonathan Wasson David Bagley Jonathan Farron Andrew Whitt Timothy Farron Timothy Whittier David Gooden Josiah Fowller Samuell Gooden Thomas Fowller Philip Challess David Elott Benjamin Kimball Thomas Carter Caleb Hobs John Carter Roger Estman William Fowller William Sargent Thomas Carter Junr. Nathanel Ash Willm Fowller Junr. George Marsten John Carter Junr Robert Marter Joseph Fowller Abraham Marroll John Carter David Marten Jacob Carter Ivery Fooler (?) Samuell Carter

(Newton Town Records, see FFN #9, p. 42. These are the men called “The Dissenting Brethren” during the dispute over the settlement of the boundary line between Newtown and South Hampton, NH. )

25 May 1742: The Town of South Hampton, NH, was chartered on this date and the first meeting was authorized on 7 June 1742. Prior to this it had been wholly a part of Amesbury and Salisbury, MA, and included nearly two thirds of the area later known as Seabrook, NH, and the easterly portion of the Town of Newton, NH. The southerly portion of the South Hampton was near the Children’s Land. (HRC, p. 703)

29 September 1742: A Petition from the Dissenting Brethren to South Hamptonas entered into South Hampton Town Records:

“We whose Names are under written do petition to ye town of South Hampton that they

would agree to pass a vote that that part of ye town which Lieth upon ye west side of powers River should be set off as soon as they are in order to settle a Minister that is More Convanant for them that is as many as shall be willing to be set off then we will agree to holy support ye Minister here till then If you will finish ye meeting house and settlel a Minister upon your Charge, and like wise to Releas us from doing anything toward the meeting house that has been past.”

(signed) Jonathan Farren Phillip Challish Micaih Hoyt Samuel Goodwin James George William Sargent John Elliot Caleb Hobbs Aaron Currier Daniel Goodwin David Goodwin George Martain


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David Martain Jona Kimball Timothy Farren Benjn Kimball Thomas Greenfield Roger Easman John Sargent David Colby Abraham Merrill Jacob Colby Robert Martain Zaccheus Colby Nathaniael Ash Jona Watson

“At a meeting of ye Inhabitants of ye town of South Hampton September ye 29, 1742

Cornet Abraham Brown was Chosen moderator for ye Same Meeting. At ye same meeting it was taken in to consideration that whereas there are a number of Inhabitants of ye upper or west part of this town that live at a Considerable Distance from Meeting and have thought in time to be better accomodated, then Constantly to Assemble with us and we being Desirous to Exercise all Christian Regard and Kindness to them, Votes first that all those persons that lives above or to ye Westward of Capt. Jonathan Currier’s that have a mind to go off and be a parish shall have their Extraordinary Charge that they are now at among us paid back to them that is to say all of their part of ye Extraordinary Charges that shall arive to them by finishing ye Meeting house setteling a Minister and building for him when they shall be thought capable by Lawfull authority to Maintain ye Gospel of christ among them provided they do not molest or hinder us of ye other part in our speedy Seteling a Gospel Minister among us and that they pay toward his support while they are of us or belong to us hopeing at ye same time that they will of their own free will be assisting to us.

2ly voted that we will make no opposition to them in their indeavour to be a Regular town or parrish whenever they shall be thought Capable by lawfull authority. Voted in the affirmative.”

27 Dec 1743: Petition of the Inhabitants of the Amesbury Peak area to Governor Wentworth asking to be attached to Haverhill, MA, rather than South Hampton, NH, because most of them lived about 14 miles from the South Hampton meeting house and the Haverhill meeting house was closer. It was signed by...William Sawerd, Amos Clark, Samuell Hunt, Nathan Goodwin, Peter Morss, Richard Goodwin, John Webster, Beniman Hadley, Samuel Plummer, Edward

Sayer, Thomas Williams, Nathan Hunt, Joseph Hadley, Obediah Wels.

18 April 1744: New Town Petition “To his Excelency Benning Wentworth Esqr Governour in Chieff in & over his Majesties Province of New Hampre in New England and the the Honble his Majties Council.

The Petition of Sundry Inhabitants that Live in Almsbury District & in South Hampton in the Province aforesaid Humbly Sheweth That Several of your Petitioners have for many Years past been under very Difficult & Melancholy Circumstances because of their Liveing three or four Miles from any Place of Publick Worship which is very hard upon them at any time of the Year and Especially in the Winter Season when it is almost Impossible for them and much more for their families to attend the Publick worship a Considerable Part of their Time.

But in the midst of these discouragements your Petitioners have for some years Past Pleased themselves with the hopes that a Kind Providence would sooner or later Provide for their Better Accommodation. However these agreeable hopes have in some measure been retarded by the Settlement of the Line between the two Provinces and also by the Grant of the Township of


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South Hampton By Virtue of which Grant Several of your Petitioners fall within that Township and are obleedged to Pay their rates there Notwithstanding such your Petitioners humbly Conceive that when the Meeting House was erected there the Managers of that affair had Little or no regard to their accommodation but on the Contrary could not but be Senseble that we could not Possibly attend the Publick worship in South Hampton for a Great Parte of the Year because of the Extraordinary Difficultys in Passing over Powow river which is very often overflowed by reason of Several Dams that are built thereon which Deplorable Circumstances have Put your Petitioners upon Prepareing to Erect a Meeting House in the Most Suitable place they could find for that Purpose, and it is so situated that it will accommodate near sixty families and scarce any of them will be obleedged to Travel above Two Miles. Your Petitioners therefore humbly hope that the Consideration of their great hardships will so far prevail with your Excellencies and your Honour as to grant them a Parish Bounded as followeth: Beginning at a White Ash Tree by Powows river which is said to be a bound of Chapleys Line and so following said line to the West of Powows Pond so called so running South West to Haverhill Line so called and so following Haverhill Line to the Province Line and so following the Province Line Easterly to Powows river and so following the said river to our beginning and your Petitioners are the rather encouraged to expect some favour from your excellency Because your Late Hond father was so remarkably famous for Benevolence and Condescention and we humbly Trust & hope that those Paternal accomplishments will Equally attend your Wise & just administration and we also flatter ourselves with some hopes of success from the Honesty & Justice of our Case & Especially when we beg Leave to affirm that this our humble Petition Proceeds not from a Spirit of Strife & faction or for want of Due affection to any of the Neighbouring Ministers but Purely from a hearty Desire of having a Convenient Place to Worship God in constantly after the manner of our forefathers and according to the usual Custom of the Established Churches in this Country, and therefore your Petitioners Humbly hope that your Excelency and your Honrs will Grant them such relieff in the Premises as shall be most agreeable to Equity & Good Conscience.

And your Petitioners as in Duty Bound shall ever Pray & c. The Petitioners Names that Live in Almsbury District

Joseph Bartlet David X Elliot his mark William Rowell Thomas Carter Cutting Farrier Daniel Sargent Thomas Bedle David Sargent Danl Kelly William x Sergent his mark Henry Bagley David Bayley Andrew Whittier Thomas X Greenfield his mark Timothy Whittier Henry X Flood his mark Samuel Jewel Ezra X Tucker his mark Daniel Gould Saml X Hadley his mark Henery X Flood his mark Peter Colby Gideon Bartlet David Colby David X Morton his mark Samuel X Jewel his mark Abraham Merrill Moses X Colby his mark William Fowler John Challis

Those that live in South Hampton

Jonathan Farren Rogals X Colby his mark David Goodwin Caleb Hobbs


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Robert Martin Timothy Farren Samuel X Goodwin his mark Jonathan Watson Daniel Goodwin Micah Hays (Hoyt?) Jonathan X Kimball his mark John Eliot Roger Eastman Jacob Colby Philip Challis David X Colby his mark Nathaniel Ash Aaron Currier William X Sargent his mark Caleb X Hobbs his mark Nathaniel Asberry James X George his mark George Master Zacheus X Colby his mark Benjamin Kimbal

Copy attest Theodore Atkinson Secy (NTR)

14 May 1744: At a South Hampton town meeting, “...John flanders Jonathan farren and David page was Chosen a Committe to view ye Land to Richard Curriers and Consider where they can gitt ye best way and Discourse with ye owners of ye land and See upon what terms they can have ye way and make Report to ye next town meeting”. (SHR)

15 May 1744: Dusquesnel, the French Governor at Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, “ sent Duvivier with a few small armed vessels, and about 900 men, who seized and took possession of of (English) island (of Canseau), burned the houses, and made prisoners of the garrison and inhabitants. This was done before news of war had arrinved in New England. It was followed by an attempt upon Placentia, in Newfoundland, which miscarried. An attack was also made upon Annapolis, the garrison of which was reinforced by several companies of militia and rangers from Massachusetts, and the enemy were obliged to retire. The Indians of Nova-Scotia assisted the French in this attack; which, with some other insolencies commited by them, occasioned a declaration of war, by the government of Massachusetts, against them, with a premium for scalps and prisoners. (HNH, p. 189)

10 Nov 1744: “Governor Shirley wrote to the British ministry representing the danger of an attack on Nova Scotia from the French in the ensuing spring; and praying for some naval assistance. These letters he sent by Capt. Ryal, an officer of the garrison which had been taken at Canseau, who ‘from his particular knowledge of Louisbourg, and of the great consequence of the acquisition of Cape Breton, and the preservation of Nova Scotia, he hoped he would be of considerable service to the northern colonies.’” His petition was favorably received and orders were dispatched to Commodore Warren, then in the West Indies, to proceed to the northward in the spring “and to employ such a force as might be sufficient to protect the northern Colonies in their trade and fishery, and distress the enemy; and for this purpose to consult with Governor Shirley. These orders giving support to the colonists in New England were unknown to them until the middle of the following April, by which time they’d completely formed their own plans for the expedition against Cape Breton. (HNH, p. 196)

20 Nov 1744: At a South Hampton town meeting, John flanders, Jonathan farren and David Page, “...the Committee that was Chosen at a town meeting May ye 14th, 1744 Appeared and made Report and the inhabitants of ye west part of this town that lives above or to ye westward of Powes River Desired that ye town would act nothing upon ye Committee Report but


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continue it to our next annual meeting for they said they Could get a Cheaper and better way for ye towns use than that which has been proposed therefore voted that nothing should be acted upon ye Committee Report till our next annual meeting voted in ye affirmative. (SHR) 3 Feb 1745: The New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a vote to raise 10 thousand pounds to pay New Hampshire men for joining the expedition against Cape Breton. (HNH, p. 201)

Petition of Ladd & Young, Masonian Papers, Vol. 5, p. 51, filed 1748.

“To the Honl Theodore Atkinson Esqr & others Purchasers & Proprietors of Mason’s Right so called -- We ye Subscribers some of ye Officers & Soldiers in ye late Expediton against Cape Briton understanding that you are about to grant Lands to ye Subjects of this Province upon certain Terms unknown to us & having had encouragement that we might obtain a Township upon Application We therefore pray in ye Name on on ye behalf of ye Said Officers & Soldiers as well as on our own that there may be a Township or tract of Land granted to ye Sd officers & Soldiers upon such Terms & in Such Manner as you grant to others of our Fellow Subjects or upon such Terms as to you may Seem best for your & our Interest. John Lad Jonathan Young (List of petitioners with Captain Ladd, 1748, Masonian Papers, Vol. 5, p. 52.) “ a list of there names”

Nathanial Ash John Ellit Samuel franch junr Thomas Estoman Samuel Goodwin Left Jonathan farrin Ser Jonathan Greeley Samuel franch junr Jonathan Greeley Samuel Goodwin Joseph Greely Ser Jonathan Greeley Ambrous Hines Jonathan Greeley Charles Hontoun Joseph Greely John Hubbourd Ambrous Hines Josier Huck Charles Hontoun Samuel Juel John Hubbourd Jonathan Kimbel Josier Huck Capt John Lad Samuel Juel John Lad junr Jonathan Kimbel Trueworthy Lad Capt John Lad Samuel Lock John Lad junr Thomas Lock Trueworthy Lad thomas newman Samuel Lock William Page Thomas Lock Paul Prassay thomas newman Moses Atkions William Page olander Bayley Paul Prassay Henery Bayley Eilias Rano Joseph Bean Benjamin Sanbourn thomas Bettel Left Samuel Sanbourn


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Ser Ralph Blaisdel Samuel Scribner Ralph Blaisdill Corpor Left Joseph Sleeper John Calfe Henery Sleeper Phillip Challis Hezikiah Sleeper Benjamin Chout John Young junr Ser Jonathan Chout Left Joseph Sleeper Caleb Clough Samuel tomson Epham Collins Benjamin Tucker Joseph Collens Abraham Wadson John Curriery Jonathan Wadson Jonathan Curriery Ebenezer webster Ser Moses Davis William Whacher androw Whecher Aaron Young Jonathan Young

The Importance of the Capture of Fort Louisburg

In the foreword to The Young Titan, his “historical novel” about the capture of Fort Louisburg, F. Van Wyck Mason wrote: “It has been a great privilege to attempt to describe that epic occasion on which the British Colonies in America acted in unison for the first time. The first seige of Louisburg brought about a dawning consciousness of nationalism in the minds of the Colonists. There, they learned that through united action they could accomplish a great deal. Before the walls of Louisburg the young Titan, who would in time grow to become the United States of America, was conceived.

If ever contemporary Americans have occasion to admire their lusty forebears they should be especially proud of the hardihood, patience and ingenuity their ancestors displayed before the seemingly impregnable walls of that great Citadel which had been planned by Louis XIV’s greatest military engineer.

One should recall that the white population of the British Colonies north of the Hudson River numbered less than 700,00. That, separated by miles of wilderness and lacking any but the most rudimentary of communications, they collected and armed, after a fashion, an army of over 4,000 men. They also scratched together a navy of their own, small but so effective that it successfully blockaded Louisburg and soon swept Frence commerce and privateers from the coasts of North America.” (TYT, p. 5)

17 Feb 1745: By this date, two hundred and 50 New Hampshire men had enlisted for service in the expedition against Nova Scotia. “The person appointed to command the expedition was William Pepperrell, Esq. of Kittery, Colonel of a regiment of militia; a merchant of unblemished reputation and engaging manners, extensively known both in Massaschsetts and New Hampshire, and very popular. These qualities were absolutely necessary in the Commander of an army of volunteers, his own countrymen, who were to quit their domestic connexions and employments, and engage in a hazardous enterprise (of assaulting Fort Louisburg on Cape Breton) which none of them, from the highest to the lowest, knew how to conduct. Professional skill and experience were entirely out of the question; had these qualities been necessary, the expedition must have been laid aside; for there was no person in New England, in these respects qualified for the command. Fidelity, resolution and popularity must supply the place of military talents; and Pepperrell was possessed of these. It was necessary that the men should know and love their General, or they would not enlist under him.” (HNH, p. 203)

24 March 1745: The fleet of ships carrying New England men to Nova Scotia,


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“...consisting of about ninety transports, escorted by the provincial cruisers, sailed from Natasket Roads, followed by prayers and benedictions, and also by toasts drunk with cheers, in bumpers of rum punch”. (HCC, p. 308)

Seth Pomeroy, a gunsmith at Northhampton who was a major in Willard’s Massachusetts regiment, was one of the landsmen “crowded in the small and malodorous fishing vessels that were made to serve as transports, was now in the grip of the most unheroic of maladies. ‘A terrible northeast storm’ had fallen upon them, and, he says, ‘ we lay rolling in the seas, with our sails furled among prodigious waves.’ ‘Sick, day and night,’ writes the miserable gunsmith, ‘so bad that I have not words to set it forth’. The gale increased and the fleet was scattered, there being, as a Massachusetts private soldier writes in his diary, ‘a very fierse Storm of Snow, som Rain and very Dangerous weather to be so nigh ye Shore as we was; but we escaped the Rocks, and that was all’, relates Francis Parkman in his history of the expedition. (HCC, p. 310)

31 March 1745: The 500 men from New Hampshire, about one eighth of the entire colonial force, arrived at Conseau two days early for their rendevous with Pepperrell and his other troops from Boston. “The forces which New Hampshire furnished for this expedition were 350 men, including the crew of an armed sloop which convoyed the transports (fishing boats carrying troops) and served as a cruiser. They were formed into a regiment, consisting of eight companies, and were under the command of Col. Samuel Moore. The sloop was commanded by Capt. John Fernald; her crew consisted of thirty men. The regiment, sloop and transports were, by Governor Wentworth’s instructions, to General Pepperrell, put under his command. Besides these, a body of 150 men was enlisted in New Hampshire and aggregated to the regiment in the pay of Massachusetts.” (HNH, p. 212)

23 April 1745: By this date, the troops from Massachusetts and New Hampshire had been “...detained at Canseau three weeks, waiting for the ice which environed the island of Cape Breton to be dissolved. They were all this time within view of St. Peters, but were not discovered. Their provisions became short, but they were supplied by prizes taken by the cruisers. Among others, the New Hampshire sloop took a ship from Martinico, and retook one of the transports which she had taken the day before. At length, to their great joy (on April 29th), commodore Warren, in the Superbe, of sixty guns, arrived at Canseau, and having held a consultation with General Pepperrell, proceeded to cruise before (Fort) Louisbourg. The General having sent the New Hampshire sloop, to cover a detachment which destroyed the village of St. Peters, and scattered the inhabitants, sailed with the whole fleet but ...” (HNH, p. 215)

29 April 1745: the fleet of ships “instead of making Chappeau-rouge point in the evening, the wind falling short, they made it at the dawn of the next morning; and their appearance in the bay gave the first notice to the French of a design formed against them.” (HNH, p 215)

We’ll leave this story as the anxious French at Fort Louisbourg peer over the ramparts at the New England fleet gathered in the bay, and return to New Town, New Hampshire, where the dispute over town boundaries continues though many of the disputants are on the expedition to reduce the French fortress.

27 May 1745: Report of a Committee, Province of New Hampshire:

“We the Subscribers being appointed by his Excellency the Governor and the Honorable His Majesty’s Councill a Committee to go and View the Land And Settlements mentioned in a Petition of Joseph Bartlett and other Inhabitants of Almsbury District praying to be Incorporated into a Parish & c.: and to take with us the Petition and Vote of the Town of South Hampton and to Notify the Select men of South Hampton & c.


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Agreeable whereto we met at the House of Capt. Joseph Bartlett in said District on the 15th Instant (Having Seven days Before Notified the Select Men of South Hampton and the Select men of Kingston of the time Place & Purpose of Our Meeting) where being attended by the Select men of South Hampton and Major Stevens being present to say for Kingston; we proceeded to Enquire Into the Circumstances of the Petitioners and other Inhabitants thereabout and Having heard and Considered the things offered and then Viewed the Situation and Circumstances of the Places & c. We beg leave Humbly to Report that it appears to us that the Circumstances of the Petitioners are Such that they Cannot without Great Difficulty attend the Publick Worship and other Publick affairs at South Hampton or be joyned to any Neighboring Place for their accommodation So that it appears to us Reason that they Should be incorporated into a Parish by meets and bounds ...(the bounds are given)...Allowing to Capt Jonathan Currier Richard Currier and Larrance Straw liberty if they see Cause and their Estates to Poll to South Hampton and as there are some of the Inhabitants of South Hampton who own Some land that falls within the bounds aforementioned that those lands while they belong to the Inhabitants of South Hampton pay taxes to South Hampton.

All of which is Humbly Submitted By Joshua Wingate Ebenr Stevens Meshech Weare

early September 1745: Frost cut short the growing season of corn, resulting in an immature crop. (GSP, p. 15)

20 Nov 1745: Moses Farren, Jonathan’s 2nd son, is listed as being a member of Capt. John Light’s Company in Col. Moore’s Regiment at Fort Louisbourg, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. (FMF, p. 12)

“Almsbury Deastrick, January 10 ye 1745-46 To the honre’d Geanral Cort in Porchmoth

humbly Sueath we hous nams are under written Lyuing in the west Eand of Almsbury Deastrick Lately heard that we are Sourounded with a Pertition for a Parish without our knolidge or Leave, it Being a Deficalt and Chargabel time on account of the wars and sum of the Pertitioners Being But lo in Estate which we humbly Conseave will not be abel to Seuport the Charge which will neasccary arise. Nither can we think it will be for the Glory of God to force any man to do that he is not abel nor willing to do, we humbly Pray you the honred Cort that you will Consider us and not force us against our wills and ability. (signed)

John Marten Robert Stuart Thomas Davis Jeremiah Carleton Samuel Davis Moses Carlton George Hadley Sargent Heath Francis Chase Parrot Hadley Amas Davis Samuel Hadley Junior Moses Sanders Filip Sargant Jacob Davis


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15 Jan 1746: The Petition of Samuel French and others against a new Parish:

“To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esqr Captain General and Governour in Cheif in and over his Majsties Province of New Hampshire in New England and to the honble his Majties Council Jan ye 15 1745-6.

We the Select men of South Hampton have taken opportunity At this time to Express our loyalty to the Kings Majesty and our Duty to your Excellency and Honours. We humbly confide in your tender Regard for us and whereas we have settled a church of our lord Jesus a Mong us that you will protect us so that we May be able to Support it.

Whereas there has been appointed by the Excellency the Governour and the Honable his Majesties Council a Committee to go and view the lands and Settlement Mentioned in ye Petition of Joseph Bartlett and other Inhabitants of Amesbury District and to take with them ye petition and ye vote of ye Town of South Hampton (and we the Select men of South Hampton being Served with a Copy of ye Committee’s Report we Humbly begs leave to oppose the vote and ye Report of ye Committee for ye Reasons here after Mentiond first as to the vote our Dissenting bretheren presented a petition to ye Town at a legal Meeting Held at South Hampton September ye 29 1742 which is as followeth:

“We whose Names are under written do petition to ye town of South Hampton that they would agree to pass a vote that that part of ye town which Lieth upon ye west side of powers River should be set off as soon as they are in order to settle a Minister that is More Convanant for them that is as many as shall be willing to be set off then we will agree to holy support ye Minister here till then If you will finish ye meeting house and settlel a Minister upon your Charge, and like wise to Releas us from doing anything toward the meeting house that has been past.” (signed)

Jonathan Farren Phillip Challish Micaih HoytSamuel Goodwin James George William Sargent John Elliot Caleb Hobbs Aaron Currier Daniel Goodwin David Goodwin George Martain David Martain Jona Kimball Timothy Farren Benjn Kimball Thomas Greenfield Roger Easman John Sargent David Colby Abraham Merrill Jacob Colby Robert Martain Zaccheus Colby Nathaniael Ash Jona Watson

A true Copy of their petition Attest Reuben Dimond town Clerk

1ly we told our Dissenting brethren that we could not set them off for we had no power to Encorporate our selves into a town so we had no power to make any secession but we told our Dissenting brethren that it was a time of Grate charge with us and if they would Joyne with us in


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our Extraordinary charges that when they should be thought capable by lawfull authority to maintain ye Gospel of christ among them then we would pay back all their part of ye Extraordinary charges that should arive to them in finishing ye Meeting house setteling a Minister and building for him. We Did not make our Dissenting brethren this offer because they Could Make any Majority upon us but we Did it for peace we considering how good it is for brethren to Sweel to geather in love and unity and that peace is the beauty of a society and it was so nessary and so valuable that we ar Ready to sacrifice anything to procure it Saving only a good conscience and so we proceeded to a Vote which is as followeth:

“At a meeting of ye Inhabitants of ye town of South Hampton September ye 29, 1742 Cornet Abraham Brown was Chosen moderator for ye Same Meeting. At ye same meeting it was taken in to consideration that whereas there are a number of Inhabitants of ye upper or west part of this town that live at a Considerable Distance from Meeting and have thought in time to be better accomodated, then Constantly to Assemble with us and we being Desirous to Exercise all Christian Regard and Kindness to them, Votes first that all those persons that lives above or to ye Westward of Capt. Jonathan Currier’s that have a mind to go off and be a parish shall have their Extraordinary Charge that they are now at among us paid back to them that is to say all of their part of ye Extraordinary Charges that shall arive to them by finishing ye Meeting house setteling a Minister and bulding for him when they shall be thought capable by Lawfull authority to Maintain ye Gospel of christ among them provided they do not molest or hinder us of ye other part in our speedy Seteling a Gospel Minister among us and that they pay toward his support while they are of us or belong to us hopeing at ye same time that they will of their own free will be assisting to us.

2ly voted that we will make no opposition to them in their indeavour to be a Regular town or parrish whenever they shall be thought Capable by lawfull authority. Voted in the affirmative.”

A true copy. Attest Rueben Dimond town clerk.

3ly We sent a Committee to the Association meeting of ye Rev. Ministers at ye Rev. Mr.

Coffins in Kingston lower parrish to ask advice how we should proceed in a Regular way to settle a Gospel Minister amongst us and there appeared some of our Dissenting brethren and opposed ye Vote and said that we did it only for a Sham for we knew they and their neighbors could make a parish whereas we Drew ye vote according to their petition and they never ask us to set them off to Joyn with their neighbors for there is not such a word in their petition as they neighbors:

4ly We call’d a town meeting which is as followeth: “At a meeting of ye Inhabitants of ye town of south Hampton November ye 26, 1742: John Flanders was chosen Moderator for ye same meeting. At ye same meeting it was taken into Consideration that whereas we ye Inhabitants of this town being in present want of a pious Larned orthodox Minister of a good Conversation to Dispense ye word and Administer ye ordinances of our lord Jesus among us and it being our Duty to look up to Heaven for Divine assistance to guide us in all our affairs, therefore voted that thursday ye 2 day of December next is appointed to be a day of fasting and prayer in order for ye calling and settling a Gospel MInister among us and ye vote past in ye affirmative.”

A true copy. Attest Rueben Dimond town Clerk


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“At a meeting of ye Inhabitants of ye town of South Hampton Feb. ye 15 1742-3 Josheph French was chosen Moderator, at ye same meeting it was put to vote whether the town would Chuse the Rev Mr. Odlin and the Reb. Mr. Gookins and their Messengers to be assistant in council with the other ministers for gathering a church and carring on ye ordination among us and ye vote past in the affirmative.

A true copy Attest Rueben Dimond town Clerk

5ly the Rev. Ministers which we called to our assistance came up ye Day appointed and our Dissenting brethren appeared and opposed the Rev. Ministers which we had called to our assistance and they beat off ye fore noon Exercise yet notwithstanding all their opposition and allegations the Rev ministers did see their way clear to proceed in ye afternoon to ye work of ye day whereunto they were called.

6ly At a meeting of ye Inhabitants of ye town of South Hampton December ye 27, 1742, John Flanders was chosen Moderator for ye same meeting, at ye same meeting it was voted that we give ye Rev. Mr. William Parsons a call to settel in ye work of the gospel ministry among us. Voted in ye affirmative at ye same meeting.

James George Jona Watson Jona Ferran Saml Goodwin Aaron Currier Rogles Colby David Goodwin Roger Easman David Colby Jacob Colby Daniel Goodwin Robert Martain Zacheus Colby Micah Hoyt Philip Challis enters their contrary Dissents against ye vote for calling and seteling ye Rev. Mr. William

Parsons or any other man in ye work of ye ministry under their present curcomstances. A true copy of ye votes and all ye Dissenters that lives above or to ye westward of Powers

River. Attest Rueben Dimond town Clerk

the meeting was adjourned from ye 27 Day of December 1742 to ye 3 Day of Jany 1742-3 the meeting was Readjourned from ye 3 Day of Jan 1742-3 to ye 17 day of ye presen Jany at 12 of ye clock.

At ye Readjournment of ye same meeting it was voted that the 23 Day of Feb. next is appinted to be a day of ordination among us. Voted in ye affirmative.

At ye same meeting John Ordway, Thomas Merrill, Joseph French and Abraham Brown was chaosen a Committee to send letters to ye Rev. ministers and messengers to be assistant in gathering a church and in ordaining ye Rev. Mr. William Parsons in ye work of ye ministry among us. Voted in ye affirmative.

7ly We Call the Rev. council to set ye day before ye ordination and we notified our Dissenting brethren that they might come and shew Reasons if any they had why ye minister should not be ordained, but before ye time appointed Came we heard that our Dissenting brethren had made Report that they would take of our Council for some were a kind to ye man that was to


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be ordained and others had given Judgment before, so we hearing of their Strategem and not being Ignorant of their Devices we considered it was easier to prevent a Disease than to cure it or to Keep an adversary out while he was out than to git him out when he is in, so we being forewarned we thought it best to be fore armed, so we call’d the town togeather again to chuse other ministers, but our Dissenting brethren was very Refractory and said “What must you appint a place for us to set our Meeting house? “no thats what we wont Do.”

8ly Ye Rev Council came to our assistance ye day appointed and ye Revd Mr. Caleb Chusing was Moderator, and our Dissenting brethren appeared in Council and objected against some of the Council and ye Moderator. Ask them who they were and they said Mr. Joseph Parsens , Mr. Saml Parsons and Mr. Fogg, the Moderator ask them what they had against them men they said they were akend to ye man that was to be ordained as to his life and Conversation or his Doctrine and they Eledge nothing but they said ye province line would be Removed and then they should lose the money they Expended with us and they had not a Convenant way, the Moderator told them that could be no bar against Seteling a minister if ye minister if ye province line should be moved we must petition to the Massachusetts Court for a parish and as to highways ye law provides how they should get them so not withstanding all their opposition and Allegations ye Revd Council see their way Clear to proceed to the ordaining of ye Rev. Mr. Parson in ye work of ye Ministry among us.

9ly we voted that we would pay back to them again all their part of the Extraordinary Charge that should arise to them by finishing ye meeting house Setteling a minister and building for him but then there was a Condition anexed to that vote, it was provided they did not molest or hinder us of ye other part in our Speedy setteling a gospel minister among us. Now some of our Dissenting brethren say they have not hinder us in setteling a Minister but how came it to pass that they did not hinder us, it was because they could not hinder us, they molested us and they opposed us from place to place and from time to time, they Entered their Contrary Dissents once and again against our regular proceedings in an orderly way to settel a minister among us and they did not enter contrary dissents only against the Rev. Mr Parsons but against all the Candidates for ye Ministry so that if they could have Got their wills, we had never had a Gospel Minister Settel’d with us to ye end of the world.

10ly all these Molestations Enterruptions and oppositions we have met with from our Dissenting brethren since we offered them that vote yet now they would skreen themselves under that vote when they never Full-Fill’d ye Conditions of ye vote in any one Article. For if they had Concured with us we had no need to have called so many town meetings nor been put to such an Extraordinary Charge in Sending from town to town and from one parish to another about ye Country to call in that Grand Council for two or three ye neighbouring ministers would have done our bissness in ye morning before ye ordination.

1lly After we offered our Dissenting brethren that vote we made them another offer that whereas they had not then Rais’d their meeting house that if they would set it one mile above ye upper end of our town and then our meeting houses would stand four miles and a half apart and then we would be willing that they should have a midle line and that would be but two miles and one quarter each way and we thought that could not be hard for any to go to meeting.

At the same meeting Capt. Jonathan Currier and Joseph French jun. was chosen a Committee to call in ye assistance of ye neighbouring Ministers to Celebrate a day of Fasting and prayer among us. Voted and past in the affirmative.

Nathaniel Ash Samll Goodwin Jonathan Ferran John Eliot


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James George David Goodwin Daniel Goodwin Phillip Challis Jacob Colby David Colby

enters their contrary Dissents against ye vote for ye last which was for calling and Setteling a gospel Minister among us.

A true copy of ye votes and all ye Dissenters that lives above or to ye westward of Powers River. Attest Rueben Dimond town Clerk

12ly the Gentlmen Committee that was appointed by his Excellency Governour and the Honable his Majesties Council to view the land and settelments mentioned in ye petition of Joseph Bartlett and others came by your houses to our Meeting house about a mile below Powers River and they never viewed ye situation of ye east end of ye town to see the Difficult sircomstances that them people labors under in going to ye Publick worship and so never considered whether we were capable to make a parrish or not but say it appears Reasonable to them if ye petitioners should be Incorporated into a parrish by meets and bounds and according to their boundarys they comes within a mile of our meeting house and so they have taken of all ye inhabitants that lives west of our meeting house save four houses and so it appears to us that it will brake up an old parrish for a new one.

13ly the petitioners petitioned for a parrish beginning at a white Ash tree by Poers River and from thence to follow Shapleys line so called till it comes to the head or Westerly part of Powers pond so called and then to Run South West to Haverhill line so called and from thence to follow Haverhill line to the province line, then to follow ye province line easterly to Powers River and so following sd River to ye first mentioned bound and ye Gentmen Committee say they being attend by ye Selectmen of South hampton and Major Stevens being present to say for Kingston, In fact it appears to us that Major Stevens said well to save Kingston for he or they have cut down their petition from ye head or westerly part of powers pond so called to ye South east corner of ye long Cove so called and not allowing ye petitioners to Enclude any land or Settelments within ye line of their petition that Kingston claims but they have un Reasonably Entruded upon south hampton a little poor parish at ye best are much Inferiour to Kingston upper parish as to men and Estates.

14ly the Gentmen Committee say that it appears to them that ye Curcomstances of ye petitioners are such that they cannot without great Difficulty attend ye publick worship at south Hampton, we answer we had liberty to build a Cassway on a mans land and accordingly we built a Cassway and built a bridge and there are severl Famlies that lives to ye west of Powers River that have all ways attended ye publick worship with us ever sence we have been Incorporated into a town and there are some that come several times to our meeting yt lives above ye west end and ye other Inhabitants might come as well as their neighbors and we should have had a commodious highway before this time if they had not opposed us and put it by but now we have laid out a new highway from ye highway yt leads from ye meeting house to a highway or publick Rhoad that leads from Kingston through ye west part of South Hampton to Amsbury.

15ly the gentmen Committee says it appears to them that ye petitioners can’t be Joyned to any neighbouring place for their accommodation but it appears to us that they can or else where is that Inhabitants that belongs to Kingston that they have given liberty to pole to this new parrish if they Desire it, if ye petitioners had set their meeting house higher up then there might have been some taken of ye upper end of South hampton and some of Kingston and have made a good


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parrish and not have broken up South hampton. 16ly if our Dissenting brethren can git to Powers River for a Dividin line to make them a

parish it will sartainly break up ours and we shall take it hard that an old parrish should be broke up for a new one for they will come within a mile of our meeting house and take off all ye houses most of our meeting house but four and then our brethren at ye east end of ye town say ye meeting stands at one end of ye people and there going off at ye west end of ye town dont bring ye meeting house any nearer to them but makes them a great Deal more Charge to pay and they as fur from meeting as ever and they say if those men which were petitioners for ye town May go off also and so they will be annexed to Kingston parrish and then there are some of our brethren that lives on ye northerly part of the Town yt say if they goes off at both ends of ye town then they will be annexed to Kingston lower parrish for it is Impossible that the middle part should support the Charges and then there are a few families that lives next to ye Province line that can in no wise Support the charges nor Do ye Duty of a town and we humbly Conceive that this Honable court wont set them off to Joyn with Salisbury because this is a separate Government and so them men are fitt for no body and so they are in that affair of all men ye most miserable.

17ly if twenty men in this town should Divide this town they will Encourage thirty in another town and them thirty will say if twenty can Divide a town surely thirty can and so they will go on from bad to worse till they Grows Incorrigible, if these Examples should be tolerated in these our Dissenting brethren they will Corrupt other and if it should be followed by many it would prove ye Dissolution and Confusion of towns parrishes and Chruches for as soon as ye minor part sees they cant make a majority upon ye Major part they say we will have a meeting house and a minister of our own and so instead of having a Great many meeting houses and ministers in a littel time there won’t be any for they can’t possable be supported.

18ly if this Honable court Should see fit in your Great wisdom set off these petitioners according to ye bounderyes of ye Committee Report Then we Humbly pray that we might be annexed to ye town that we lays ajacent to for we cant in no wise support ye charges nor Do the Duty of a town.

19ly We do Declare this Day to this Honable court that we have not willfully Endeavoured to take any Indirect way contrary to the law of our province to Defraud any brother (we wish our Dissenting brethen all well) we wish brotherly love might be with us and Continue, we wish that Grace Marcy and peace might be multiplied among us that the God of love and peace might Dwell with us, we wish all things might be done with Charity, we wish we might have a Quiet and peaceful Settlement in a Way of Righteousness that we might all be built to eternal life through Faith in Jesus Christ our lord.

20ly by what has been all Ready offered we Doubts not but your Excellency and Honours in your great wisdom and Goodness will see Just Cause to Reverse ye vote and petition of our Dissenting brethren and accordingly Grant our Request.

(signed) Reuben Dimond et Sam French, Selectmen for South Hampton South Hampton, Jan ye 14, 1745-6

15 Jan 1746: Petition of Mr Thomas Fowler against a new parish:

“To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esqr Captain General and Governour in Chief

over his Majesties province of New hampshire in New england, and to the Honourable his Majesties Council Jany 15-1745-46.

The petition of sunddry persons whose name are under Ritten humbly sheweth whereas


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we your humble petitioners are being as we apprehend Encluded within ye line of a petition of sundry petitioners belonging to South hampton and there about which are about to be Incorporated into a parrish and we your humble petitioners humbly offer that we can in no wise joyn with them in any of their proceeding in that nature, for there are ye best part of twenty of these petitioners that some are moved out and others that are not able to Support ye Charges nor Do ye Duty of a parrish and there are eaight families that are Encluded within ye line of their petition that are Quakers and ye most of them ye best livers in ye line of their petition and they are Exempted by law from Ministry charges and ye Meeting house Don’t stand in ye Right place it ought to be moved furder up toward Kingston and threre it would accomodate more people. (signed) Jany ye 10 1745-46 Thomas Fowller Joseph Fowller

late May/early June 1746: A killing frost. (GSR, p. 15) 7 July 1746: In an Amesbury Town Meeting, it was voted to “ allowe and pay unto

Jonathan Farren and Thomas Bettel four pounds ten shillings old tenner for ye support of Hannah Bettel from ye 10th of June last until our annual meeting in March:. (ABT, p. 263)


17 Dec 1746: Hannah, Jonathan’s 13th child and fourth daughter, was born. (FMF). By this record, we can calculate that Jonathan had returned home from the military expedition to Cape Breton by about April of 1746.

1747: “King George’s War involved the colonies in a very expensive conflict with the French and Indians in Canada, which resulted after a protracted seige in the capture of Louisbourg (on Cape Breton, Nova Scotia).” This year the Amesbury order-book noted that Stephen Barnard was paid 1 pound, 4 shillings and 6 pence for his service at ‘Cape Brittain’; that Jacob Bagley was paid 2 pounds and 6 shillings ‘for being in captivity’ and that Jacob Bagley was paid 1 pound, 15 shillings, and 9 pence ‘being rated for a vessel that was taken’.” (HEC, p. 1510)

9 Feb 1746/47: Samuel Webster of Kingston deeded land in Kingstown, NH, to Jonathan Farren of South Hampton, NH. (Rockingham County Deed Book, volume 34, page 209)

8 March 1746/47: In the records of the Second Parish of Amesbury is an entry pertaining to a daughter of Jonathan Farren’s, Hannah, which is the first record found by researcher James E. Shaw, Gentmn, in the town or church records of Jonathan’s military rank. He was referred to as Lieutenant Jonathan Farren. (FFN # 7, p. 10)

13 Nov 1747: Deed recorded of sale of land by Benjamin Webster of Kingstown, NH, of land in Kingstown, to Jonathan Farren of South Hampton, NH. (Rockingham County Deed Book, Volume 34, page 209)

16 Nov 1747: Deed recorded of sale of land by Thomas Dent of Kingstown, NH, of land in Kingstown, to Jonathan Farren of South Hampton, NH. (Rockingham County Deed Book, Volume 64, page 429)

Winter of 1747 - 1748: “New England: The Winter of the Deep Snow; “we had about 30 snows and less thawing weather than usual, so that the snow lay upon the ground till it came to be 4 or 5 feet deep”, said a 1st Church of Cambridge, Mass., record; snow cover was 2 to 3 feet deep as late as April 15, 1748. (TWF, pp. 20-21)


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(soon after) 14 June 1748: Letter from South Hampton to the Governor:

“To His Excelency Benning Wentworth Esqr Capt. General and Governor in Chief in and over his Majesties province of New Hampshire in New England & c.

Whereas the Secry by your Excelency command Did Reccommend a letter to us ye Select men of South Hampton Dated June ye 14th Signifying that ye Inhabitants of Almsbury District have set forth their unhappy Situation and they are Desirous yt ye town would Set off a sufficient Number of Inhabitants to their assistance or else they would be annext to South Hampton & c. that is what ye town cant in no wise agree to yt ye District should be annext to ye town for ye Reasons Fowlering.

1st we apprehend that them men wont be Contented without a Nother Minister and two Ministers is what be cant possable Support among such a Small number of people and upon such a Narrow Strip of Land and we have for several years past been involved in a soar and a grievous war which has Created a great charge and what will the the Result thereof we know not and it has pleased Almighty God in his all wise providence to visit many families among us with a soar and Long sickness which has caused great Expence for Physicians Nursing and other Nesicaries.

2ly there wear thirty men or there about among us who at ye first erected our meeting house and laid out betwen three and four hundred pounds in that way and them men gave it up to ye town for ye towns use to make peace, so our contending brethren at ye west end of ye town paid Nothing toward that charge and we have built a parsonage house and barn and fenced our parsonage and there were Cartain men among us that Dug a well for our Minister and Stoned it and there wear other generous men built a pound and gave that to ye town for ye towns use, so our Contending brethren paid Nothing toward Either of them and we have laid out a great Deal of money in purchasing high ways in ye town and we have got a high way that Leads Directly from our meeting house up among ye Inhabitants at ye west end of ye town and we have built a spacious bridge over ye River and made it a fine way and it is traveled by many of his Majesties good Subjects and our Contending brethren have no Need to complain for want of a way for they may come to meeting with the neighbors if they would and this may Inform your Excellency that these Extraordinary Charges we have been Exposed to.

3ly if ye District should be annext to South Hampton we humbly Conceive that they will make a Majority and then they will oblige us to help them and pay our proportion with them in finishing their Meeting house which is only a frame with a few boards on it.

And build them a parsonage house and barn and Dig a well and buy them a parsonage and fence it which will in this Day Cost of our money near four thousand pounds old tennur as it has been Computed.

Now for these men of the District to Desire to be annext to South Hampton and make us bear such an extraordinary charge with them when they never paid ye thousandth part of a penny toward our Extraordinary Charges it appear to us to be an actually cheat and a piece of oppression and it is very unadequate and if your Excelency should be pleased to grant them men their Desire in this thing it would make a prodigious Quarrel and prove the Dissolution and Confution of our town and our Latter end will be worse than our beginning for ye annexing of them men to South Hampton cant be for the good of ye town, it Directly and sure tends in ye Natural Course of things to our utter Ruin and Destruction, the Subversion of our just Rights and it lays Such a heavey yoke upon our necks that we nor our Children Cant bear.

4ly our Contending brethren the Chief men that oppose us signed our petition with us and we never Intended to make but one parrish and since they Retrograded and gone back from what they sign’d with us and if they had set their meeting house one mile or there about higher up


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in ye District they might have men enoufe to Joyn with them to make a good parrrish and not have broke up South Hampton, but our contending brethren with some others of ye District have set up a frame of a meeting house just over ye Line at ye west end of our town where it would suit them and they think we are barbarous to Desire them to assemble with us and yet they would take of a Number from us against their wills who sets Down easy with us and Count that no barbarity at all and if our Contending brethren think it hard to joyn with us against their wills then Consequently they may think it hard for our brethren who set down easy at ye first and went on chearfully with us in all our Extraordinary charges to be forced to Joyne with them against their wills and so we will force no man to go off from us but give every man his liberty to go or stay and since your Excellency has desired that we would set off a sufficient number to their assistance we Know no Number more sufficient to go off than they that are willing. (signed by the) Select men of South Hampton Richard Collins jun. Richard Currier Benjamin Brown

7 July 1748: “At a lagual Meeting of ye Inhabitants of ye Inhabitants of ye town of South Hampton July ye 7th 1748 John Paige Esqr was chosen Moderator.

At ye same Meeting it was Consider’d that whereas there are a Number of persons that Lives at ye west end of this town that thinks they can better accomodate themselves by joyning with their Neighbours for a Meeting house than Constantly to Assemble with us and we being willing to shew them all Christian Regard and Kindness voted that all those persons that lives at ye west end of this town that have a Mind to go off shall have ye Liberty to pole off themselves and their Estates which they now have and joyne with their Neighbours in ye District for a parrish in all affairs provided they pole off or File a list of their Names with his Excellency the Governor within thirty Days form ye Day of ye Date hereof.

Voted in the affirmative. A true copy. Attest Rueben Dimond town clerk.”

18 July 1748: Letter to the Governor from the Dissenting brethren as entered into South

Hampton town records: To his Excelency Bening Wentworth Governor & c. South hampton July the 18th 1748 Province of New Hampshire Excelent Sir.

After Returning you hearty thanks for your care and kindness toward us we once more make bold to trouble you with a few lines & c.

And first of all we woold mention to your Excelency the Late proceeding of South hamton in a meeting on the 7th instant at which meeting they past a voat as folloeth (without the least regard or reference to your Excelencys Direction in your Late Letter) with a plausible pretence of christianity gieves Liberty to all person that live att the west end of the town to pole off within thirty days with their Estates that they now have in which they have no regard to any Lands or Estate own’d by any persons that are not inhabitants in the town notwithstanding there is Considerable of Lands ownd by persons that are not inhabitants who have been with us in all our trouble and charg and we doubt not but that they woold be yet with us if they had the Liberty.


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but however South Hamton might flater themselves that few or none woold pole off on such a footing as they put it yet by the good provedence of God wee whose names are under written by your Excelencys leave are resolved to pole off in order to be incorporated in to a Parrish with those of the destrict within the Limets or boundaries of the Comtees Reporte unless your Excellency Should provide better for us. (Signed)

Jonathan Farren Robert Martin Micah Hoyt James George Thos Tuxbery David Colby Thos Carter Zacheus Colby Benja Carter Jonathan Kimball Orlando Carter Aaron Currier John Carter Thos Jewel Saml Carter Phillip Challis Jacob Colby Daniel Goodwin Rogles Colby Thos Greenfield Nathanl Colby Nathanel Ash Jonathan Watson Abraham Merrill Roger Easman David Goodwin Saml Goodwin Zebulon Farren John Eliot

These Certify that the List of the mens names above mentioned were entred with his Excellency the Governour and lodged in the Secys office the 2d day of August 1748. Attestr Theodore Atkinson Secy On the Charter is to be Enter’d the Vote of South Hampton July 7th 1748: Polled off July 18 1748 28 persons Polled off Aug 1 1748 2 more ____ 30

20 July 1748: Petition from South Hampton to the Governor:

“To His Excellency Benning Wenworth Esqr Capt. General and Governor in Chief in and over his Majesties Province of New Hampshire in New England and to the Honourable his Majesties Council in General Court Assembled.

the petition of the Inhabitants of South Hampton humbly Sheweth that whereas it was voted at a Meeting held at South Hampton July ye 7th 1748 that all ye Inhabitants that lives at ye west end of this Town that have a mind to go off shall have ye liberty to poll off themselves and their Estats and Joyne with their Neighbors in ye District for a parrish in all affairs and there was no provision made in that vote for them that polld off to make and keep their proportion of ye highways in good Repair --

Wherefore we your humble petitioners humbly Addresses this Honourable Court and pray that when ever this Honourable court shall poll them men off to Joyne ye District that they may


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be ordered to make and Repair their proportion of ye highways in ye town as they have Done in time past and that ye new parrish may at their Election Day for chusing parrish officers Elect one Surveyor or more to order that affair and keep ye ways in good Repair from time to time as occasion may Require.

So shall we in Duty bound ever pray & c. (signed by the) Selectmen for South Hampton

Richard Collins Benjamin Brown Jun. Richard Currier

Dated July ye 20th 1748 (also signed by)

Israel Dimond Rueben Dimond Samuel Currier Henry Currier Joseph Chandler Elijah Rowell Thomas Merrill Nathaniel Merril John Flanders Joseph French Saml Barnard Eliphelet Merrill Samuel French Er Colby Jacob Fowler

29 July 1748: Petition to the Governor From Men Who Oppose the New Parish

“To His Excelency Benning Wentworth Esquire Capt. General and Governor in Chief in

and over his Majesties province of New Hampshire in New England and to ye honrable his Majesties Council in General Court Assembled.

The petition of sundry whose Names are hereafter Subscribe humbly sheweth that we your petitioners understand that there are Certain men of Almsbury District and some of South Hampton that have in time past prefered a petition to this Honourable Court praying to be Incorporated into a parish by meets and bounds begining at a white ash tree standing by Powers River and so to fowller Shaples Line to ye west end of powers pond so called and then to Run South west to haverhill Line and then to foller haverhill line till it meets ye province line Easterly to Powers River and then to fowller Powers River up to ye beginning and we your petitioners apprehend that we are Included within ye lines and baoundarys of their petition and we humbly offer this this Honable Court that we cant in no wise Joyne with them for a parrish, for these Reasons. First their proceedings as to a Parrish have been very privet as to our Knowledge ever since ye year 1742 and they having given out word as we hear yt we wear not worth asking to Joyne with them but if they could git their petition granted then they would order us as they see fit but God in his all wise Providence has furnished us with a place for his Publick worship more convenant that it can be for us to be compeled to joyne with them we your petitioners have been at charge to promote yr Gospel of christ peaceably and it will be very prejudicial for us to stand in such a Relation with them. Dated July 29, 1748.

(signed) James Davis Jonathan Carlton Robert Stuart Thomas Johnson


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Joseph Rogers Jonathan X Ordway his mark Samuel Stuart Joseph Ordway Moses Davis William Collins Philip Davis Francis Chase Thomas X Davis his mark Peter Colby Jacob Davis Jacob Challis

1 Aug 1748: Jona. Watson and Roger Easman pole off from South Hampton: Province of

New Hampshire

South Hamton August 1, 1748 To his Excelency Bening Wintworth Governor & c. Excelente Sir

we having takn into Consideration the ill sircumstances that we mus be under in Case we should not take the Liberty to pole off when we may, we Resolve with yr Excelencies leve agreeable to the Liberty Granted us by the voate of South hamton July 7th 1748 to pole off and desire therefore that our names may be rec’d by your Excelency and youl yett further oblig your humble Servts, Jonathan Watson Roger Esman

8 Nov 1748: Moses Ferrin, Jonathan’s 2nd son, listed as a member of a Company in His Majesty’s Service under the Command of Capt. John Smith in the Quality of Centinel (private soldier). Entered service May 23 and served until Oct 26 - length of service 22 weeks, 3 days. (FMF, p. 12)

27 Oct 1748: Moses Ferren, Jonathan’s 2nd son, entered service as a member of Company in His Majesty’s Service under the command of Capt. John Smith, quality Centinel. (FMF, p. 13)

May - June 1749: A severe drought in Eastern New England. “A fast was held throughout province of June 15th to pray for rain; ‘fields as dry and almost white as in winter time; rains came after July 1st and revived the crops.” (TWF, p. 21)

22 March 1749: Rough Draft of an order in council for Polling off 30 South Hampton men to N. Town as Voted in Council 22nd March 1749 Province of New Hampshire George the

Second by the Grace of God of Great Brittain France & Ireland King Defender of the Faith & c.

To all People to whom the Presents Shall come Greeting. Whereas the Town of Hampton within our Province of New Hampshire aforesaid for

Diverse good & Laudable motives and Considerations thereunto moving Did Voluntarily at a Town meeting held in Said Town by Inhabitants thereof on the 7th Day of July Anno Domini 1748 Pass a Vote in the following words viz: That all those Persons that Live at the West End of this Town that have a mind to goe off Shall have the Liberty to Poll off themselves & their Estates which they now have and joyn with their Neighbours in the District for a Parish in all affairs Provided they Poll off or file a List of their names with his Excelency the Governour within thirty Days from the Date hereof. And for as much as Jonathan Farren , Michael Hoit, Thos Tuxbury, Thomas Carter, Benjn Carter, Orlando Carter, Benjn Kimball, John Carter, Saml


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Carter, Jacob Coleby, Ruggles Colby, Nathl Coleby, Jona Watson, Roger Eastman, Saml Goodwin, Robert Martin, James George, David Coleby, Zacheus Coleby, Jonathan Kimball, Aron Currier, Thos Jewell, Phillip Challis, Daniel Goodwin, Theo Greenfield, Nathaniel Ash, Abraham Merrill, David Goodwin, Zebulon Farren, & John Eliot, all Inhabitants in the West End of Said Town of South Hampton, Did file a List of their names with B. Wentworth Esq. our Governor of our said Province & the same was filed in the Secy’s office of our aforesd Province on the Second Day of August 1748 within the thirty days in the above recited Vote of the aforesaid Town of South Hampton meantined, and agreeable to the Intent & tenor thereof.

Now know ye that for and in Consideration of the above mentioned vote & at the request of the Several Parties therein Concerned We have tho’t fit by further the advice of our Trusty & well beloved Benning Wentworth Esqr our Governour & of our Council of our sd Province of N. Hampshire to order & ordain that the aforesaid Jonathan Farren, Michael Hoit & c. with theirs & each of their Estates they now have in said town of South Hampton be & hereby are order’d Declared & ordained to be Polled & set off from acting or Voting with the Town of South Hampton aforesd in any of their Town affairs excepting what does or may relate to the repairing or mending the high ways within the Limits of the said Town of South Hampton aforesd with respect to which affairs they are to act & be governed as tho no Vote or order had Past thereon and are hereby together with the Estates they have in South Hampton as also all Persons that shall succeed them in any or either of them in the improving of said estates Declared to be Polled off & annexed to Newtown within our Province aforesd there to Vote & act with sd Newton in all their Town affairs as fullly to all Intents & Purposes as any other the Inhabitants of said Town can or may do excepting what does or may relate to the mending or repairing the Highways within the Limits of Newton which they and Each of them are hereby Exempt from they having the Liberty of Voteing with and are Subject to the Legal Directions of the Town of South hampton aforesd of all which all Persons concerned are to take Due notice hereof & govern themselves accordingly.

In Testimony whereof we have Caused the Seal of our Said Province to he hereunto affixed. Witness B. Wentworth Esqr our Governour & Comander in Chieff of our Prov. of N. Hamp. aforesd this 22d Day of March in the Year of our Lord Christ 1749 & in the 23rd year of our reign.

By his Excellencys comd with advice of Council.

18 June 1749: Moses Ferren, Jonathan’s 2nd son, finished a term of service of 33 weeks and four days in a Company in His Majesty’s Service under the command of Capt. John Smith. He was a “Centinel”, a private soldier. This information is from a Muster Roll dated Boston, 22 June 1749. (FMF, p. 13)

29 June 1749: Famous Hot Sunday; Benjamin Franklin’s themometer reached 100 degrees Farenheit; a “hot burning season” in Massachusetts. (TWF, p. 21)

13 Dec 1749: The Governor responds to yet another attempt by South Hampton to redraw the town line, and charges them 5 pounds New Tenor for his response:

“Abner Morrill in behalf of South Hampton says the sd town is content that New toun should commence Lower Down than their charter now is by a Line from a School house that stands on a highway that leads from South Hampton to Kingston from sd School house to run South to the curve line & from the school House Northly till it meets a high way Leading to Powow river and then on the East side of ye road or highway to sd Powow river then on to


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Shapleys line on ye same Course. (signed)

Thomas Merrill Henery Currier John Ordway Samuel Currier John Flanders Nathanel Merrill Saml Barnard Prince Flanders Semeon Morel Joshua Clough Abner Morrill

Sir:

You are only to Indorse on the charter of New Town as a record from your office. The Vote at South Hampton to poll off Such of their Inhabitants as are returned 18th July 1748 being 28 & Aug 1st 1748, 2 --- 30 in all.

This is an act of South Hampton to Enable Newtown to bear the Charges of their town the better and The Act of Government to Incorporate sd Town has nothing to do with it, only to preserve the record to prevent disorders hereafter.

You will take my fee 5 pounds New Tenor. I am Sr.

Your hum Servt B Wentworth

6 Feb 1750: Selectmen of S. Hampton about New Town’s Petition & Charter:

To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Capt. General and Governour in chief in and over his Majesties province of New Hampshire in New England and to the Honourable his Majesties Council.

The Petition of Sundery of the Inhabitants of South Hampton Humbly Sheweth that whereas it was voted at a meeting held at South Hampton July the 7 1748 that all those persons that lives at ye west end of this Town that have a mind to Go off and joyn with their Neighbors in the District for a parrish should have liberty and there being no provision made in that vote for them polers to make and maintain their proportion of their highways. Therefore your petitioners aply them selves to your Excellency and Honours and pray that if your Excellency and Honours should see it Reasonable to set them polers to New town that they should make and maintain their proportion of ye high ways in this town and your petitioners pray that New town at their Election Day for chusing town officers may chuse a Surveyor or Surveyors to see that their high ways be kept in good Repair from time to time as occasion may Require and In as much as them polers had Liberty to file a list of their names within thirty Days and they never served our Select men with a copy and we Dont know that they have filde a list to this Day, therefore we pray that they may pay to us two assessments,

So shall we as in Duty bound ever pray. (signed by the) Selectmen for South Hampton Reuben Dimond Joseph Frinch Feb. 6, 1749-50

5 Mar 1750: At a South Hampton town meeting, “...Daniel french Ephriaim Carter


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Ensign Samuel French Benjamin Brown Jonathan Ferren Michal Hoyt was Chosen fence viewers for ye year ensuing”. (SHR)

1751: “The great event of the year was the change of the calender by Parliment. The first day of January was made the beginning of the year in all future time. In the old style reckoning, January was the 11th month and February the twelth.” (HOA, p. 217)

20 Sept 1751: Deed recorded of sale of land in South Hampton by John Peaslee of Newton, NH, to Jonathan Farren of South Hampton, NH. (Rockingham County Deed Book, Volume 91, page 50)

23 Sept 1751: Jonathan Farren signed as a witness to a deed of 5 & 1/2 acres of land sold by John Peaslee to James George. The western boundary of this land adjoined land owned by Jonathan Farren. (FFN#9, p. 78)

1752: Timothy Farren, oldest child of Jonathan Farren, settled in Goffstown, NH, about this time somewhere in the vicinity of the Shirley Station; an early town plan shows he owned lot#16 in the second range. All the births of his children are entered in the Goffstown Town Records. (FMF, p. 11)

15 March 1752: Moses Farren, Jona’s 2nd son, was admitted to membership in the First Congregational Church at Biddeford, Maine. (FMF, p 13)

early September 1752: Frost cut short the growing season of corn, resulting in an immature crop. (GSR, p. 15)

19 Oct 1752: In an Amesbury Town Meeting, it was voted to allow Captain Jonathan Farren two shillings per week for keeping Hannah Bettel four months past. (ABT, p. 288)

Winter of 1752 - 1753: the first of a series of four mild winters with light snow and little cold; considered remarkable at the time. (TWF, p. 21)

9 March 1754: Jonathan Farron was a Centinel (Private soldier) on the Saint George’s military expedition under Captain Jabez Bradbury. His service time of 29 weeks and two days ended 11 Sept 1754. (MSF, p. 151) Yr Humble & Obt FFN Edtr has as yet been unable to locate a history of this expediton but has found that there was a small wooden fort at the River St. George, the most easterly English outpost in 1724. (HCC, p. 173)

1755: The first dictionary of the English language was published in London by Samuel Johnson; “it took him eight and a half years to compile. His aim was to produce a dictionary ‘by which the pronounciation of our language may be fixed, and its attainment facilitated: by which its purity may be preserved, its use ascertained, and its duration lengthened’.” (HOB, p. 236)

1755: “The French and Indians were very troublesome, and the colonies were obliged to keep an army in the field for many years. Amesbury furnished about forty soldiers for Kennebec, Minis and Crown Point. “ (HEC, p. 1511)

3 Mar 1755: “At a South Hampton town meeting, “...Capt Jonathan Farren was Chosen Tiding (tithing) man for the year Ensuing”. (SHR)

11 March 1755: Warrant for the 1st New Town, NH, town meeting:

“Province of New Hampshire: To Sargent Heath, Constable for Newtown, these are to require you to warn the Inhabitants of Newtown Qualified for voting to meet at the House of Sergent Heath innholder in said town on Wednesday the twenty-sixth of March instant at one of the clock in the afternoon, then and there when met as, first, to choose town officers as the charter directs, 2d to see who the town will employ to build an pound and stocks, and 3dly to see how much money the town will raise for a school, 4thly to see how much the town will allow for the selectmen & constables for service done the town for the year past.


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Dated at Newton March ye 11, A.D. 1755. (signed) Joseph Peaslee Robert Stuart Francis Chase (HRC)

26 March 1755: First Town Meeting of Newtown, New Hampshire: “...David Bayley was chosen moderator, William Rowell, town clerk, and Joseph Peaslee, William Rowell and Aaron Currin (Currier), selectmen. After choosing the minor officers the meeting was adjourned till Monday, 31st of March, ‘to be held at the meeting house’. (HRC)

31 March 1755: At a Newton town meeting, “it was voted to build a pound and to raise fifty pounds for schooling. A vote to see if the town would pay the constable sixpence a pound for collecting rates was defeated. Then the closing record of the meeting is, ‘at the same meeting, voted not to act any further on the foregoing warrant, and the meeting was dismist’.” (HRC)

21 April 1755: At a Newtown town meeting: “the principal object was to see whether the town will raise any sum of money and how much in order to clapboard said meeting-house, and lay the floor and build the doors and to provide window-frames and sashes and glass for the said house, etc, and also to choose a commitee to select a suitable piece of ground for a ‘burying place’. 400 pounds Old Tenor was voted to be raised to repair the meeting house, Committees were appointeed to “provide stuff” for the meeting house and “look out for a burying-place”, said committees to report at an adjourned meeting to be held May 19th. Also, at the above meeting, ‘it was put to vote to see whether the town would agree with the poolers from South Hampton, both to do duties and receive privleges in full with the inhabitants of Newton, and voted in the affirmative.” (HRC)

26 Mar 1755: In a New Town town meeting, “Capt Jonathan Farrin, Moses Charlton and Andrew Whittier was chosen a Committee to make up with the Selectmen for the year past. ...at the same meeting Cap Jonathan Farrin Nathen Peaslee was chosen assessors for the Present year” (NTR, p. 204)

21 April 1755: In a New Town town meeting, “Capt Jonathan Farrin Moses Carlton and Andrew Whittier was chosen a Committee to Provide Stuff for the meeting house and Look out a bureing Place and Make Return at the adjournment of the meeting.” (NTR, p. 207)

10 June 1755: The first Baptist Church in New Hampshire was established at Newtown and

Thomas Walter Powers was ordained as Minister:

“To all Saints of every denomination even the whole Family of the faithful & unto all in Civil Authority whom it may Concern wishing all Increase of Grace, and all Temporal good --

Know Ye that we the Subscribers elders of Several Churches of Christ in this Land of the Baptis denomination &c. upon the request and desire of Thomas Walter powers of New town in the Province of New Hampshire and a number of Saints with him in that place, & the neighb’ring towns have by our elders, & Messengers Examined their articles of Faith, & Church Constitution, as well as the Gifts, & Qualifications of the said Powers and finding their faith & principles sound & Aurthodox, & the said Powers endowed with gifts and Qualifications required for a Gospel minister we have after Seeking to Almighty God by prayer & as we apprehend obtained


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divine Light in the Case sit apart & ordained the said powers unto the Pastoral office in that place, & do recieve that people with their Pastor into our communion, & Fellowship, & have injoined to watch over them as members of the mystical body of Christ with our selves, & do declare them an Organnick Church in this Community believing that in whatsover measure the said Power hath been entangled with any error or with any erroneous Persons in any eveil Conduct that the Lord hast Graciously delivered them from the same, & we hereby do recommend him to God, & the Power of his grace as a fellow Labourer in the Kingdom, & patience of Jesus Christ praying that he & we may be more & more delivered from all evil, and enabled to walk in the truth of the Gospel &c.

Given under our hands this 10th day of June AD 1755 -- Stephn Babcock pastor of the Chh of Christ in Stonington & Westerly in Union

Thos Wells Pastor of the Church of Christ, in the Town of Westerly in Kings County & Colony of R Island James Rogers pastor of the Church of Christ in South Kingston in the County, and Colony abovesd Peter werden pastor of a Church of Christ in Warwick in the County of Kent & Colony aforesaid, Benjn peirce Pastor of a Church of Christ in Warwick in the County aforesaid --- A True Copy attt H Wentworth Clr Copy Examined per Geo : Jaffrey Clr (ETR)

“Without doubt, from careful research, and authentic data, the First Baptist church of Newton, NH, is the oldest organization of the denomination in the state, the correct date being 1754. An old record tells us that ‘In 1755, or before, a house of worship was built in the south part of the town’. Very soon after the church was organized much persecution was suffered because its members could not subscribe to the doctrines of the ‘Standing Order’, and in consequence refused to pay the parish rates. Property was attached. Lawsuits ensued which were finally settled after three or more years fully sustaining the Baptists’ position. The town reimbursed individuals paying them the cost of their rates, and were obliged to pay the cost of their own lawsuit. Rev. Walter Powers was settled as first pastor in 1755; he had a long ministry and was followed by Rev. Mr Wheelock. Then years of which there is no record, a period probably of spiritual inactivity.

The Congregationalists raised a meeting house on the spot where the Town Hall now stands (in Newton), but were never able to complete it, and finally gave it up, and the town purchased it for their use and the use of the different religious societies in the town. Rev. Jonathan Eames was settled here (as Congregational Minister) in 1759 and was dismissed in 1791. No Congregational Church has existed here for a long period “, wrote Charles A. Hazlett in 1915. (HRC)

16 June 1755: At a Newtown, NH, town meeting:

“At this meeting another committee was appointed to ‘examine and receive the accounts of the former committee’, they to report at an adjourned meeting on June 23rd. One bill brought in by this committee, to ‘pay for shingling and laying the sleepers 150 pounds, old tenor’, was negatived, but a bill to provide window-frames and sashes and ‘a joyner to assist in putting them up’ , was passed in the affirmative. It was also voted to allow 60 pounds old tenor for preaching, and to be taken out of the money appropriated for repairing the meeting house. Voted to hire Mr.


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Solomon Paige to preach seven Sabbaths.” (HRC) 4 Aug 1755: “In a New Town town meeting, “Capt Jonathan Farrin, Moses Charlton and

Andrew Whittier was chosen a Committee to hire a Joyner to Clabbord the meeting house and Lay the floor and Build the doors and to hire a Glaaser to Glaase the meeting house.” (NTR)

18 November 1755: Another earthquake is felt in the Amesbury area, as described in the following entry from Richard Kelley’s diary:

“1755, November ye 18, it being Tuesday about 4 o’clock in the morning, was an exceeding shock of ye earthquake, which shook me neare as much as that in ye yere, 1727, October 29, but ye noise was not so loud; it continued a great while, I think the longest that I ever heard in all my life and just as ye day brake there was another but nothing so hard as ye former and I have herd it every day since to ye 22nd day of sd month.” (HEC, p. 1511)

31 Mar 1756: Captain Jonathan Farren was chosen as a New Town Selectman “for the present year” in a town meeting. (NTR, p. 217)

“Selectman: one of a board of officials elected in towns of all New England states except Rhode Island to serve as the chief administrative authority of the town.” (WCD, p.782)

22 April 1756: Jonathan Farren signed the minutes of town meeting as a Selectman for New Town. (NTR, p. 219)

31 May 1756: Jonathan Farren signed the minutes of a town meeting as a New Town Selectman. (NTR, p. 219)

4 June 1756: At a New Town town meeting “it was put to vote to See if the town would alow to Captin Jonathan farrin thirteen Pounds Six shillings and Eight pence (old tener) for Shingels for and work done on the meeting House and the vote Past in the negative.

“...at the Same meeting it was Put to vote to See if the Town would allow to Captin Jonathan farrin thirteen Pounds Six shillings and Eight pence (old tener) for stuf found for and work done on the meeting house and voted in the affirmative”.

“...at the same meeting it was voted to allow Thomas Bedel two Pounds (old tener) for what he had done to the meeting house...and the vote Past in the negetive”. (NTR, p. 221)

26 June 1756: Jonathan Ferrin signed the minutes of the town meeting as a New Town Selectman. (NTR, p. 223)

8 July 1756: At a New Town town meeting, “...it was voted that the Persons here after named viz Gideon Bartlet Esquire Captin William Rowell Captin Jonathan Farren Ens. David Bagley Jonathan Kimbal Henry Bagley Andrew Whittier David Elliot Nathaniel Ash Daniel Goodwin Aaron Currier Joseph Bartlet and Garshem Bartlet Should have all the Privleges and Conveniances for the Pews in the meeting House in Newtown Below Excepting one for the minister in a conveint Place and they to Glaase the meeting House for said Privileges and to have it Glaaased By ye first of September next voted in the affirmative”. (NTR, p. 223)

17 Sept 1756: Jonathan Farren signed the minutes of the Newtown meeting as a Selectman. (NTR, p. 225) 30 Sept 1756: Captain Jonathan Farren was chosen Moderator of the Newtown town meeting. (NTR, p. 225)

“moderator: the nonpartisan presiding officer of a town meeting.” (WCD, p. 544) 19 Nov 1756: Jonathan Farren signed the minutes of the Newtown town meeting as a

Selectman. (NTR, p. 226) 1756: “The colonial forces were operating at several points along the Candadian frontier,

hoping to reduce some strongholds and finally secure a lasting peace. Capt. Worthen (of Amesbury) and his company were at Lake George, and serveral of his men died there. A strong force was sent to the Bay of Fundy, under Col. Monson, which soon reduced the two principal


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forts there, and Arcadia fell into the hands of the English. The results of this victory was such as the world seldom witnessed. The peaceable inhabitants were assembled in various places, under false pretenses, to the number of twelve thousand, and some seven thousand of them were hurried on board of the ships and brought to the colonies, where, by order of the authorities, they were scattered among the towns for support. Several of them were quartered in Amesbury, where for years they were cared for by the town under the name of ‘French Neutrals’. Very few of them ever reached home - Joseph Busway and his daughter dying here in 1764. (HEC, p. 1511)

7 Jan 1756: Deed recorded of sale of land in South Hampton by Jonathan Currier with wife Sarah, both of South Hampton, NH, to Jonathan Farren of South Hampton. (Rockingham County Deed Book, Volume 91, page 56)

early September 1757: Frost cut short the growing season of corn, resulting in an immature crop. (GSR, p. 15)

1 May 1758: At a Newtown town meeting, it was “...voted that Captin Jonathan Farrin should go with the Selectmen to Mr. Eames and discourse with him in order for a Settlement and make Report at the adjournment of this meeting voted in the affirmative” (NTR, p. 241) Minister Jonathan Eames was from Haverhill.

16 Oct 1758: Captain Jonathan Farren was chosen Moderator for the Newtown town meeting. (NTR, p. 247)

30 Oct 1758: Captain Jonathan Farren was chosen Moderator for a Newtown town meeting, “...at the same meeting it was voted that Captain William Rowell and Aaron Currier and Cutting favour and Captain Jonathan farrin Should Go to Mr Eames at Mr Garshom Bartlets House and Inform him what the town had done and bring word back again to the meeting voted in the affirmative” (the town had voted to not give land for parsonage, but to pay Mr Eames 1,000 pounds (old tenor) for his work in the ministry)

“...at the same meeting the fore named persons brought word from Mr Eames at sd meeting that he could not comply with what the Town had done at sd meeting and should not accept it as Sufficeant for his Settlement unless the Town would make an addition of six hundred Pound old tener to ye fore mentioned one thousand Pound”

“...at the Same meeting it was Put to vote to See if the Town would make an addition of Six hundred Pound old tener to be Paid to Mr Jonathan Eames for and upon his Settlement with us in the work of the ministry & voted in the affirmative” (NTR, p. 248)

19 Dec 1758: At a Newtown town meeting, it was “...voted that this meeting Should be adjourned for the Space of ten minutes to be held at Thomas Bedels dwelling House voted in ye affirmative and the Meeting was adjourned... the Inhabitance of Newtown being met at Thomas Bedels dwelling house...” (NTR, p. 252)

Thomas Beadle’s house is still standing today in 1998: as you turn south off the highway in Newton to go to the Newton Old Town Cemetery, the present day town hall will be at your left and you’ll see three houses on your right. Thomas Beadle lived in the center house. (GGG)

1759: “The French and Indian War still continues, and preparation are making at Lake George to prosecute it with vigor this season. Batteaux were being built at the lakes and some sixtenn men (from Amesbury) went there to work. Several men in Captain Sikes’ and Bayley’s companies were from Amesbury.

The roads (in Amesbury) were this year repaired by a rate of 40 pounds and the wages were, for each man and yoke of oxen, 2 shillings per day; for each man, yoke of oxen and cart or plow, 4 shillings.” (HEC, p. 1512)

28 Mar 1759: At a Newtown town meeting, “...John Elliot and Zebulon Farren was


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chosen field drivers... at the same meeting Gideon Bartlet Esqr Captain William Rowell & Captain Jonathan Farrin was Chosen a Committee for to Look out and agree for a Conivenant Piece of Land for a Bureing Place for both Ends of ye Town and make Report to the next meeting voted in the affirmative.: (NTR, p. 258)

25 March 1761: At a Newtown town meeting, “...Captain Jonathan Farrin William Rowell and Joseph Peaslee was Chosen & appointed a Committee for to treat with South Hampton Committee for to Settel a Line Between sd South Hampton and Newtown & the matter wholy Left with the Said Committee for to Establish and Confirm a Line Between the Two Towns afore said if the South Hampton committee & Newton Committee Should and do agree there upon voted in the affirmative,” (NTR, p. 279)

6 April 1761: At a Newtown town meeting, Cap Jonathan Farrin was Chosen assessor for the present year. (NTR, p. 280)

30 April 1761: Captain Jonathan Farrin was chosen Moderator of the meeting for a Newtown town meeting. (NTR, p. 282)

4 Mar 1762: Jonathan Farren sold Charles Sargent, for 120 pounds, the approximately 15 acres of land in the Children’s Division in Amesbury, MA, which had been deeded to Jonathan by Thomas & Elizabeth (Gould) Beadle on 25 May 1726. (Essex Co. Deed Book 119, p. 186. See FFN#9, p. 26)

31 March 1762: At a Newtown town meeting, Captain Jonathan Farrin and Joseph Peaslee were chosen fence viewers. “...at the Same meeting voted to See if the Town would alow Cap Jonathan Farrins account as their Laid Before them as to the charge he had Been at in Repairing the meeting House doors this year which sum was one pound fifteen Shillings Silver (old tener) or hamshire bills of Cridet Equivalent there to voted in the affirmative. “ (NTR, p. 287)

7 April 1762: At a Newtown town meeting, it was voted “...to alow Cap Jonathan Farrin & David Bagly & John Elliot 5 shillings per man for their Serving as Committee men in setteling a Line with south Hampton the last year voted in the affirmative”. (NTR, p. 289)

14 April 1762: At a Newton town meeting, it was “...voted to alow Thomas Bedel three Pounds (old tener) for his Sweeping the meeting House twelve months and taking Care of the Doors of the meeting House to Lock and unlock them as ocasion Called for voted in the affirmative.” (NTR, p. 290)

17 May 1762: Deed recorded of purchase of land by Jonathan Farren 5 acres of land in Newton from James George; the southwesterly boundary of this land adjoined land already owned by Jonathan Farren. (FFN#8, p. 78 - Rockingham County Deed Book, Vol. 91, page 54) Jonathan Farren also bought land from John Bond in this year. (FFN # 7, p. 12)

1762: Severe drought in New England during the late spring and summer. There was very little rain from April 20th to August 30th. “Everything appears to have been burned “ in the fields and public fasts were held. Harvests were very poor and hay was scarce, it sold for four times the ususal price. Cattle were slaughtered for lack of fodder and fires in fields burned some dwellings. (TWF, p. 21)

24 Aug 1762: Jonathan farren, Aaron Currier and Gideon Bartlett signed as witnesses to the will of Henery Pillsbury, resident of Newtown, NH. In this will, he said: “I give & bequeath unto my brother Thomas Colby all my Real of Personal estate or moveables, Bills, Bonds, Notes of hand Books or book debts”. Henery was formerly resident of Newbury, Essex Co., MA. (FFN#9, p. 12)

31 Dec 1762: Deed recorded of purchase of land in Goffstown from John Bond of Hampstead by Jonathan Farren of Newton. (Rockingham County Deed Book, Volume 91, page


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53) 1763: Jonathan Farren signed the inventory of the estate of Jonathan Currier of Newton.

(FMF, p. viii) 30 March 1763: “...Cap Jonathan farrin and Stephen Bartlet was Chosen tyething men...”

at a Newtown town meeting. (NTR, p. 295) 14 May 1763: Deed recorded of purchase of land in Newton by Jonathan Farren of

Newton, NH, from David Goodwin of Newton, NH. (Rockingham County Deed Book, Volume 76, page 458)

late May/early June 1763: A killing frost. (GSR, p. 15) 13 April 1763: At a Newtown town meeting, “...at the Same meeting voted to See if the

town would acept of a way through Thomas Bedels Land to Joseph Bartlets Land to the Southwest of his orchard and so through Bedels Land next to Bartlets to the highway between Favour and Bedel upon Condition of fencing sd way with wall through Bedels and also Giveing up to Bedel the highway between Favour and Bedel and the vote Past in the negative” (NTR, p. 297)

6 Dec 1763: “...Cap Jonathan Farren was Chosen Modrator for Said town meeting” at Newtown. (NTR, p. 1763)

28 Mar 1764: At a Newtown town meeting, “...& Gideon Bartlet Esq Captain William Rowell Cap Jonathan Farrin was Chosen Selectmen” (NTR, p. 306)

At same meeting, several Baptists presented the following petition to be exempted from paying tax for support of the Congregational Church:

“To the inhabitants of Newton met at the annual Meeting we whose names are hereunto annexed do Request that you would Exempt us from being taxed for the Support of the Congregational minister in this town for as much as we have attended the worship of God and the preaching of the Gospel in Baptist Society and Paid our part for the Support of the Gospel there for a number of years Even from before the time that any Congregational Minister was Settled in this town and are Still bound in concience to do the same.”

(signed) ffrancis Chase, Timothy Whittier, Benjamin Carter, Robert Stuart, Josiah fowler, Josiah fowler juner, Andrew Whittier, John Carter, thomas Carter

at the annual Town meeting of the Town of Newton Held at the meeting House march ye 28 1764 this petition was Laid Before the Town and Considered of and voted to see if the Town would Grant the petitioners their Request and the vote past in the negative and the petition not granted.

9 April 1764: “At a Newtown town meeting, “...voted to alow Thomas Bedel Six Pound (old tener) for him to take Good Care of the meeting House & Sweep it well and take Good Care of the Doors & Lock and unlock them as need Requires this year voted in the affirmative. (NTR, 308)

11 April 1764: Jonathan Farrin signed minutes of town meeting as a Selectman for Newtown (NTR, p. 311)

7 May 1764: Deed recorded of purchase of land in KIngston,. NH. from Daniel Bartlett of Newburyport, MA, by Jonathan Farren of Newton, NH. (Rockingham County Deed Book)

late May/early June 1764: A killing frost. (GSR, p. 15) early September 1764: Frost cut short the growing season of corn, resulting in an

immature crop. (GSP, p. 15) 1765: “Estate of Gershom Bartlett, Newton, signed “Jonathan Farren”. (FMF, p. viii) 9 March 1765: Jonathan Farren signed minutes of town meeting as a Selectman for

Newton (NTR, p. 317)


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21 March 1765: Administration of the estate of Jonathan Currier of South Hampton, NH: Jonathan farren, Benjamin Brown and Timothy George, a Committee, signed their appraisal of the Residue of the estate. Jonathan farren, James Graves, Benjamin Brown, John Elliot and Timothy George signed their appraisal of the lands which were the widow’s dower of Judith Currier. The probate records of Jonathan Currier are of particular interest as they give the social status of each person involved in the administration of the estate. When Phillip Currier of South Hampton, yeoman, with Jonathan Currier and John Elliot (both also yeomen who lived in Newton) signed the bond for the administration of the estate of Jonathan Currier, gentleman, their signatures were witnessed by Thomas Colby and William Parker, jr. neither of whose status was specified. When a warrant was issued on 2 Nov 1764, it authorized Jonathan Farren and James Graves, both gentlemen, as well as Benjamin Brown, John Elliot, and Timothy George, the three of whom were yeoman, to divide the real estate. (PRP, p. 357-359 - reprinted FFN #9, p. 76) “In Setting off land for the Widow Judith Currier it mentions ‘then westerly about 45 rods to a stake and stones by Capt. Jonathan Farren’s land’. Signed: Jonathan Farren.” (FMF, p. viii)

27 March 1765: At a Newtown town meeting, “...& Timothy Whittier, Lieut. Moses Carlton & Captain Jonathan ferren was Chosen Constable” (ABT, p. 318)

27 May 1765: Deed recorded of purchase of land in Goffstown, NH, from William Parker of Newburyport, MA, by Jonathan Farren of Newtown, NH. (Rockingham County Deed Book, Volume 84, page 303)

28 May 1765: There is an old original receipt, now in the possession of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, which reads: “Southhamton, May ye 28, 1765. Then received of Phillip Currier for four days sarvies as a comitey man in priseing the estates of Captin Jonathan Currier late of Southhamton decest eight pounds old tener of pay received by me. 8-0-0. (signed) Jonathan Faren”. (FMF, p. viii)

10 April 1765: At a Newtown town meeting, “...voted to See if the Town would accept Captain Jonathan farren for to Serve Constable for the whole town this year viz in the Room of Timothy Whittier & Thomas Tuxbury voted in the affirmative.” (NTR, p. 320)

17 April 1765: At a Newtown town meeting, “...voted to See if the Town would Give Captain Jonathan farren seven Dollars or Hampshire Bills Equivalent there to if he would Collect the Rates Committed to Lieut Garshom Bartlet Decesed to Collect voted in the affirmative

...at the same meeting Captain Jonathan farren was Chosen Constable for to Collect the Remaining Part of the Rates which ware Committed to Said Garshom Bartlet who decesed before he had Collected them.

...at the Same meeting voted to Give Thomas Bedel Six Pound old tener for taking Care and Sweeping the meeting House this year voted in the affirmative” (NTR, p. 320)

23 Nov 1765: Jonathan Farren acted as Constable in calling the town meeting. (NTR, p. 321)

8 Mar 1766: Jonathan Farren acted as Constable in calling the town meeting. (NTR, p. 323)

8 April 1766: At a Newtown town meeting, “...it was put to vote to See if the town would allow Capt Jonathan ferren Six pences upon the pound for what Rates he Collected for Said town & the vote was past in the affirmative.

...at the same meeting it was put to vote to See if the town would allow thomas Bedel Six Shillings Lawful money for his trouble in Sweeping the meeting house this present year and the vote pass’d in the affirmative.” (NTR, p. 326)

1767: Alice (Tucker) Farren, wife of Zebulon Farren & Jonathan Farren’s daughter in law, died this year in Sandown, NH, where she and Zeb had lived since sometime before 1761.


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Soon after her death, Zeb moved to East Haven, CT, & remarried & had another 9 children. (FMF, p. 15) He apparently abandoned his children in New Hampshire, no doubt to the care of his relatives. In his will, Jonathan left Zebulon a token ten shillings. a bequest not at all in proportion to the share of Jonathan’s other children, and willed Zebulon’s sons the Zeb’s rightful share of his estate, as if Zeb had already died. Note that Zeb’s sons were the only grandchildren Jonathan mentioned in his will. (FMF, p. 15)

“The French prisoners (who had been held in Amesbury) were this year allowed to return to their homes in Arcadia, the town giving them fifteen dollars to help them on their way. They were prisoners here for eleven years, receiving help, to some extent, annually, during that time, and when setting out on their long journey home, the town paid Stephen Bartlett, Jr., 3 pounds to ‘transport them’ to some point not stated on the record.” (HEC, p. 1512)

1 March 1767: At a Newtown town meeting, “...it was put to vote to See if the town would Give Thomas Bedle 50 pounds old tener for half an Acre of Land Before the meeting house in said town for a Burying place for the towns use & fence it in with wall & the vote passed in the affirmative. (This is where Jonathan Farren was buried and it is known as the Newton Old Town Cemetery today.)

...att the Same Meeting it was put to vote to See if the town would free Capt ferren from paying Rates for his head this present year & the vote passed in the Negative.” (NTR, p. 332)

16 Nov 1767: The town of Newtown “...Paid to Capt. Jonathan Farren one pound four shillings lawful money for his boarding schoolmaster Hobs two months. Paid to Capt. Jonathan Farren four shillings and eleven pence lawful money it being for orders which was drawd on Timothy Favour late constable by late selectmen which were not answered.” (NSB)

22 Feb 1768: Jonathan Farren signed his will, which noted that he was “...being at this present time through God’s goodness of Perfect understanding though under Bodily indisposition & being sensible that I am a frail mortal Creature & Lyable to Death Every Moment”. Signing as witnesses to the will were David Goodwin, Gideon Bartlett and Eliphalet Bartlett. (Court files, #3764. Recorded New Hampshire Province Probate Records, Vol. 20, page 243. See FFN#9, pp. 9 & 72)

30 March 1768: At a Newtown town meeting, “...James Peaslee & Richard Bartlet & Cap Jonathan Farrieon & Ins Micah Hoyt was Chosen fence viewers” (NTR, p. 341) This probably meant Ensign Micah Hoyt.

late May/early June 1768: A killing frost. (GSR, p. 15)

1 Aug 1768: WARRANT FOR A TOWN MEETING, Province of New Hampshire:To John Peaslee Jur Constable for New town -- Greeting --You are hereby Required to warn the Inhabitants of said town Qualified for voting to meet at ye Congregational meeting House in sd Town on monday ye 15 : of august at 3 of ye Clock in the afternoon then when met 1ly to Chuse a moderator : 2ly to see if the Town will (Exclusive of frinds & ye Church People) Pay the Cost which hath arose by Reason of the Babtis People being Rated to ye Congregational minister : 3ly to See if the town will Joyn with ye People which Live on ye East of the town Belonging to South Hampton and with the people on ye north west of the town Belong to kingstown : 4ly to See if the Town will agree to Devide the town : 5ly to See if the Town will approve of what the Select men have Done in Stakeing out to Charls Chase two Rods of the way by ye sd Jewell Land for a way across sd Chases Land : fail not make due Return to us of this woran: with your doings at for before the Date above mentioned. Dated at Newton agust ye first 1768 Joseph Peaslee


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Francis Chase Select men for Newton

15 Aug 1768: At a Newtown town meeting, “...it was put to vote for selectmen to put with Mr Eames rate two Dollars to Thomas Beedels for his sweeping ye meeting house in ye years 1767 & 1768 and ye vote passed in ye afirmative”. (NTR, p. 347)


1768: The Newtown Selectmen’s Book records: “Invoice: Cap. Jonathan Farron list. Town Rate for paying of cost which had arose in ye town by reason of Baptis being rated to ye Congregational Minister. Cap. Jonathan Farrion on list. Town Rate for scouting and other charges. Cap. Jonathan Farrion on list.” (FMF, p. 5)

27 Jan 1769: Micah Hoyt of Newtown, NH, died. His daughter, Mary Hoyt, was married to Jonathan’s oldest son, Timothy. Micah Hoyt & Jonathan Farren were the maternal & paternal, respectively, grandfathers of Timothy & Mary’s 11 children. (FFN#9, p. 10)

29 March 1769 : A “highly irregular” Newtown town meeting was held.

30 March 1769: Committee appointed to petition the Legislature to have the Newtown

town meeting held 29 March 1969 declared null & void: “We the Subscribers inhabitants of Newtown in the Province of Newhampshire Being

Dissatisfied with the Proceedings of the Select men and Some Other of the inhabitants of sd town at our Annual Meeting held March 29th 1769 -- Do Hereby Constitute & appoint Leut Moses Carleton & Gideon Bartlet as a Committee to make Aplication on our behalf to the General Court of sd Province that we may have a redress of our Grevencies by Being Restored to former Prevelidges --- Newtown March 30th 1769

(signed) David Elliot Roger Esman Benja Hoyt Stephen Esman Stephen Bartlet Jonathan Watson Samuel Hoit Timothy Elliot Nicholas Colby Thomas Colby Jacob rowell Thomas Colby Juner John Currier David Goodwin Thomas Gould Samuel Goodwin Joseph Elliot Gideon Bartlet Thomas Elliot Ellifelet Bartlett Nathaniel Colby micah Hoyt Jonathan ferrin Thomas Greenfield aquiler ferrin Joseph Bartlett Daniel Colby Timothy Favour David Currier Phinehas ash Aaron Currier Nathanel ash moses Currier Isaac Elliot mathias Bartlet zebidiah Hoyt


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Richard Bartlett William Rowell junur David Bagley John favour Abraham Colby Daniel morss Ruban Hoyt Noah Seargent Zacches Colby Samuel Seargent Ephriam Colby Phillip Seargent Timothy Gorge Barzella Colby Jonathan Kimball David Sargent Cutting favour

3 April 1769: Petition of Moses Carleton and Gideon Bartlett, addressed to the General

Assembly:

“The Petition of us the Subscribers for our Selves, and in behalf of the Major part of the Inhabitants of the Town of Newtown in the sd Province.

Most Humbly Sheweth That at the Annual Meeting of the Inhabitants of said Town on the 29th of March last for the Choice of Town officers, Matters were transacted by a Minor obstinate Party in such an Illegal Unjustifiable manner as was never heard of before in any Town in this Province, nor (perhaps) in any other on this Continent, to Convince your Excy and Honors of the truth of which your Petitioners beg leave to relate (very briefly) the proceedings at the said Meeting -- Vizt The Meeting was opened by the Constable Mr John Peasley Junr who nominated Mr Nathan Hoag for the Moderator who was Negatived, then the said Constable named Mr Joseph Peasly to be Moderator which also passed in the Negative It was then motioned and Seconded by numbers that the Constable should Nominate Mr Aaron Currier or Lieut Carleton, but he refused to do it and Nominated Mr Moses Peasley, who was also Negatived, a number then again Insisted upon the said Carleton or Currier’s being put up for Moderator but the Constable a Second time refused to Nominate either of them -- That after some time the said Constable again Nominated the said Joseph Peasley who is his Father and declared him to be chosen Moderator without putting the Negative Vote -- which proceeding caused such a Tumult and Confusion that the vote was not recorded, Then it was Insisted upon that the officers should be Chosen by written votes -- that the Select Men then declared they did not care who was Chosen for Moderator provided they would Chuse the Select Men as follows vizt One Quaker One Baptist and One Congregationalist -- but if they did not Choose ‘em in that manner they would purge the House -- after which Esqr Bartlett Nominated Lieut Carleton for Moderator and desired that those who were for him would draw to the fore door wch as they were doing the Constable again suddenly nominated the said Joseph Peasly and declared him chosen Moderator and he took his Seat accordingly altho’ besides those within there was near 30 at the Door who held up their hands in the Negative and would have made a Majority had they been Counted but this was not permitted --- Then the Select Men read the names of those who they said were qualified Voters -- and said they would not allow of any others to vote -- the People not contented with this rule put their votes into the Hatt, but those that were suspected not to vote as the Select Men would have ‘em, had their votes thrown out of the hatt Thus the Meeting was purged of the Major part of Qualified Voters in the Town while persons of little of no Substance but in the same side with the Select Men were by them declared Qualified Voters -- whereupon the Major part of the Town greatly displeased at these violent Arbitrary proceedings left the Meeting, which was carried on but by few of the Inhabitants consisting Chiefly of Quakers & Schemers who if suffered to go on in such Tyrannical measures will


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entirely Subvert and Destroy the Peace and Quiet of the sd Town Your Petitioners therefore most humbly request that your Excellency and Honours would

be pleased to make a Strict Enquiry into the proceedings at sd Town Meeting, and if (as we doubt not but they will) they shall appear Illegal and Unjust, that you will as such set aside all the Votes and proceedings of the said Meeting, and Impower the Town to convene together for the Choice of Town Officers for the Present Year and yt you would be pleased to appoint some Indifferent Person for a Moderator -- And your Petitioners as in Duty Bound shall Ever Pray & c.

Portsmouth April 3rd 1769 -- Moses Carleton Gideon Bartlett”

15 April 1769: Depositions relative to to Illegal Proceedings in Town Meeting:

“The Depossien of Enoch Chase & Ebenezer Sargent both of Amesbury of Lawfull age Testify & say that they Being at ye Town meeting in Newtown in New hampshire on ye Last wednesday of march Last Being ye 29 Day of sd month & when we first wint into ye meeting house where ye people ware gathered together & they preposed two men for a moderator & agreed to Devide ye house & one part to moove out at ye fore Door & ye other to go out at ye west Door and a great part of ye people who Belong to mr ames went out at ye fore Door and as soon as they ware out and a going out ye other party Staying in ye meeting House some Body ye sd Sargent says it was John peaslee son to Joseph peaslee put by Joseph peaslee for a moderator while ye other party was out and going out of ye meeting house and ye party was within Chose sd peaslee moderator as they Declared Contrary to ye Minds of ye other party and sd peaslee took ye place of moderator and ordered ye people to Bring in there voats for a Town Clark those who ware Qualifyed to vote for they had got a List of who ware Qualifyed and as ye people were Bringing in their votes mattheas Bartlet offered his vote and ye modrator Drew Back his hat and Refused his vote and Several others who offered their votes and was Denied by ye modrator and ye sd Sargent farth Sayeth that ye modrator turned up his hat wherein ye votes ware without asking whether they ware all in and some of them Sayd that they had not put in their vote and perticuler Joseph Bartlet Esqr and they further say that ye modrator took out sevarall votes out of ye hat Layd them on ye table and after he had Counted them he said that Francis Chase was Chosen Town Clark and as he Lifted up his arm we saw severall votes which was unter his arm not Counted and further sayeth not” Dated april 15 : 1769 (signed) Enoch Chase Ebenezer Sargent

20 April 1769: Deposition of Benjamin Morse, relative to the Town Meeting:

“The Deposition of benjamin morss of amesbury of Lawfull age testifieth & saith that he was at ye Anuel town meeting of the town of newtown in ye province of Newhampshire march ye 29th 1769 for the Choice of town officers & on oppening ye meeting there was two Strong partues one partue was mr Ames hearers the other partue ye Quakers & Churchmen & mr hoveys herers & the Constable John peaslee who was on ye Quakers partue nominate Nathan hoag for a


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moderator for sd meeting he was nagatived by a majority of voters then Joseph peslee was nagatived as a moderator and several others of that partue wear nagatived as moderators & wear all nagatived by a majority of voters then I heard Some of mr ames parture desire ye Constable John peslee to put Som of their partue namly Leut moses Carlton for a moderator and others of that partue he Refuse or neglects to do it & further ye Deponant says he heard Som of mr ames partue Desiere the house might vote for a moderator Soon after I herd Esqr bartlett Desire ye people who ware for having Leut moses Carlton to be moderator to go out ye fore Door of ye meeting house & on that I See ye people Rushing out of ye Door hastily & before they wear all out I turned my hed tords ye Quakers & ye other partue & See their hands up which I thought was for a moderator on that I heard a great Storr abrod & See ye peopl of mr ames partue returning in to ye meeting house apace & holding up their hands as I Soposed against ye other parture vote for a moderator & I heard ye Quakers partue Declare Joseph peaslee moderator on that I Se Joseph peslee take ye Seat as a moderator & further I heard Sum of ye Quakers partue ask mr John Peaslee who was a Quaker why he Did not vote amongst them he Replyed Like an onest man tho he was a Quaker & of their partue he Replyed to them he thought ye meeting was not Reguler he would not vote till they ware more Reaguler the Deponant further says he dont Remember he Ever Saw so Ereguler meeting & further says not”

(signed) Benjamin Morss (Sworn to before Isaac Merrill of Amesbury, April 20, 1769)

21 April 1769: In the New Hampshire House of Representatives, the proceedings of the

Annual Town Meeting of Newtown, NH, held 29 March 1769 were declared illegal and void and Meshech Weare was authorized to call a meeting and act as moderator of the same until the business was finished. An entry in Vol. III of the Newtown Selectmen’s Book for 6 Feb 1770 “Ordered to Capt. Jonathan Farren the sum of 18 shillings for his time and expense in going to the general court to have the annual town meeting in ye year 1769 set aside”.

late May/early June 1769: A killing frost. (GSR, p. 15) 31 August 1769: In the widow’‘s accounting of the estate of Gershom Bartlett of

Newtown is noted: “Paid to Thomas Beedle, jr. 0-12-0. Paid to Capt. Jonathan Farren 2-15-1.” (FMF, p. viii)

14 Sept 1769: At a Newtown town meeting, “...voted to See if the town would Raise the money for Cap Jonathan farrin for the Baptis Rates which are not yet Paid to him & the vote Past in the negative.

...at the Same meeting voted to See if they would Exclusive of frinds Church Men and Baptis Raise the money for Cap farrin as afore mentioned and the vote Past in the negetive. (NTR, p. 353)

(Members of the Quaker relligion were called “friends” & they and members of the Baptist church were apparently not taxed for the support of the Congregational Church.)

16 Oct 1769: “At a Newtown town meeting, “...voted to See if the Town would Exclusive of the frinds ( the Friends, as Quakers were called) agree to pay Cap Jonathan Farren interest for four months for ye money due to him for the Baptis Rates which he hath not Collected & voted in the affirmative.” (NTR, p. 358)

Proceedings at the same Town meeting:

“A meeting of the Inhabitants of the town of Newtown Held at the Congregational meeting House in sd Town on monday ye 16th Day of october 1769 at the Same meeting voted


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that Captain William Rowell and Aaron Currier be a Committee to prefer a petition to the Great and General Court of sd province in the name & Behalf of the Town Humbly to Request the said Court to Resolve and finely Settle the affaire Respecting those persons in this town who Call themselves by the name of Baptis that it may be known: whether all those persons or any of them are by Law Exempted from paying toward the Support of the Congregational minister in this Town voted in the affirmative.

at the Same meeting voted that ye said William Rowell & Aaron Currier be a Committee to prefer a petition to ye said General court in the name & Behalf of the Town for those persons who Live to the East of this Town (Belonging to South Hampton) who have a desire to Come to us that they may be annexed on to Newton and the said Rowell and Currier are here by Impowered and Authorized to do the Same accordingly voted in the affirmative.

A true Coppey taken out of Newtown town Book of Records as attest -- William Rowell Town Clerk”

Petition of William Rowell & Aaron Currier, addressed to the General Assembly

“The humble Petition of William Rowell and Aaron Currier both of Newton in said Province for said Town Shews --

That a number of the Inhabitants of said Town have seperated from the Congregation of public Worship in said Town as settled by Law of the Province and have gathered a seperate Assembly with the assistance of some Persons from other places and built a Meeting-house calling themselves Baptists and refuse to pay the Taxes made for the support of the Minister of said town pleading the exemption by the Province Law -- On which many Lawsuits have been prosecuted which have had various issues and have been very expensive -- that the other Inhabitants of said Town have offered to set them off or to consent to it that they might be a seperate Parish of District and have no connection with the other part of said Town which they refuse and they joining with the Quakers make a Majority so controul the public Affairs of the Town that they are often put to difficulty to get a Vote for raising the Charges of their Minister’s Support

Wherefore your Petitioners humbly pray that the said Baptists may be set off entirely from said town and have nothing to do with them or that they may by a Law for that purpose be rated according to their abilities to all charges as well to the support of the Minister as any other and the part they pay to the latter be given to them to support their own mode of Worship or grant such other relief to your Petitioners and their Constituents as in your great Wisdom and goodness you shall judge proper and they shall ever pray & c.” (signed) William Rowell Aaron Currier

6 Jan - 7 Jan 1770: “Heavy rainstorm fell on deep snow cover and caused widespread floods; many bridges and mill dams were carried away. “ (TWF, p. 23)

Feb 1770: The Newtown Selectmen’s Book notes: “Ordered to Capt. Jonathan Farren the sum of eighteen shillings for his time and expense in going to the general court to have the annual town meeting in ye year 1769 set aside”. (FMF, p. 5)

16 April 1770: At a Newtown town meeting, “...voted that the Committee Viz Captain William Rowell & Gideon Bartlet Jun Should pay the whole of the Congregationals part of the


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money Recovered from the Selectmen for ye year 1768 unto Captain Jonathan farren voted in the affirmative. (NTR, p. 363)

5 May 1770: Captain Jonathan Farren died. He left his widow, Sarah Wells, and __ living children.


About 1770: The Town of South Hampton Continues to Complain.... (Petition of Phillips White, Abel Brown and Moses French, addressed to the General Assembly)

“The Petition of us the Subscribers being a Committee chosen for the Town of

South-Hampton most humbly sheweth That the said Town of South Hampton suffer great Inconveniencies for want of a Line

settled and established between the said Town of Hampton and the Town of Newton there being more than twenty persons In said South Hampton which claim to belong to Newtown part of whom might be as well accomodated by being joined to South Hampton and a number more of south Hampton that might be as well accomodated by being joined to Newtown. Your Petitioners therefore pray a Line may be settled between the said Towns in such a manner as not to enlarge the one at the expense of the other but to make both equal to what they now are and that a Committee may be appointed to enquire into the circumstances of the case and report such a Line as may effect the purposes aforesaid. And your petitioners as they are in duty bound will every pray &c” (signed) Phillips White Abel Brown Moses French

(In the House of Representatives, Jan. 3, 1771, the parties were heard on the foregoing and a committe, consisting of “Daniel Peirce Esq. Capt. John Giddinge & Doctor Ebenezer Thompson” was appointed “to settle the line between the said Towns in such place as shall appear to them proper.” Their report follows....)

“Province of New Hampshire, April 24th, 1771.

Pursuant to the within appointment the subscribers have viewed the Towns of South Hampton and Newtown and heard what each party thought fitt to offer on the subject matter of their dispute and after mature deliberation and consideration do agree to report that a line fixed in the manner hereafter described will be Equitable, and more satisfactory to both towns than any other that can at present be established, and therefore beg leave to recommend to confirmation of the same which is as follows Viz. Beginning at the Province line at a place called and known by the name of Pond Brook thence westerly on the North side of the Highway that leads to Philip Curriers dwelling House until it comes to said Philip Curriers land thence Northerly on the line between said Philip currier and Challis Curriers land to the HIghway that leads towards said Challis Currier’s House. Thence Northerly on the westerly side of said Highway until it comes to land belonging to Lieut. Thomas Tewksbury thence Southerly and westerly by said Tewksbury land and land of the said Challis Currier and land of the Widow Judith Currier until it comes to the Highway near Charles Collins house that leads to Bugsmore Hill (so called) until it comes


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oppisite to the Northeasterly corner of Jonathan Kimballs Land thence across said road westerly between said Kimballs Land and land of the aforesd Lieut. Thomas Tewksbury and between said Kimballs land and land belonging to the heirs of Timothy Bagley Deceased until it comes to the road that leads to Aspen Hill (so called) thence Northerly on the Easterly side of said road until it comes opposite to the Northeasterly corner of Aaron Curriers Land thence across said road and running Northwesterly by sd Aaron Curriers Land until it comes to the Kingston line.

The charge of the Committee to be paid equally by the two Towns. Committee: D. Peirce John Giddinge Ebenezer Thompson” (The foregoing report was adopted, and the line established by the legislature)

(ETR, p. 68. See FFN #9, p. 65 for a drawing of this boundary line juxtposed with a modern United States Geological Service map of the boundary, which notes that the boundary is still an “indefinite boundary”. See the foldout map section of FFN#9 for an 1806 tax map that describes this boundary and includes measurements by rods.)


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Bibliography ALR: A Little Revenge: Benjamin Franklin & His Son, William S. Randall, Little Brown & Co., Boston, 1984. ANT: Antiquarian (see pp. 79-81 of FFN#8) ATR: Amesbury, Massachusetts, Town Records. BM: Boston Marriages, 1700 - 1751 FFN: The Ferrin Family Newsletter, OCLC # 28695851, published by Jerry D. Ferrin. Email: [email protected] FMF: Captain Jonathan Farren of Amesbury, Mass., & Some of His Descendants, Frank M. Ferrin & Mary A. Brennan, 1941. GGG: Information provided by George G. Gleason, Gentlemn, of Hampton, NH, to Jerry D. Ferrin. Email: George G. Gleason of Research Plus [email protected] GSP: Growing Season Parameter Reconstructions for New England Using Killing Frost Records, 1697-1947, William R. Baron & David C. Smith, Maine Agricultural & Forest Expermint Station, Bulletin 846 - ISSN 1070-1494, November 1996, University of Maine, Orono, Maine. HCC: A Half-Century of Conflict, Francis Parkman, originally published 1892, reprint edition by Collier Books, New York, 1962. HEC: History of Essex County, Massachusetts, compiled by D. Hamilton Hurd, Vol II. “Amesbury” by Joseph Merrill, Chapter CXXV. “Merrimac” by William T. Davis, Chapter CXXVI . Published in Philadelphia, J..W. Lewis & Co., 1888. HOA: History of Amesbury & Merrimac, Massachusetts, Joseph Merrill, originally published 1880. Reprint edition published 1978 by Heritage Books, Inc. HNH: The History of New Hampshire, Vol. I & II, Jeremy Belknap, A. M., printed for the author by Thomas & Andrews, Boston, 1791. HRC: History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire, & Representative Citizens, Charles A. Hazlett, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, IL, 1915. NTR: New Town, Rockingham County, New Hampshire Town Records. JLJ: The Journal of Captain John Lovewell, printed in The Expeditions of Capt. John Lovewell and His Encounters with the Indians Including a Particular Account of the Pequaket Battle With a History of That Tribe; and a Reprint of Rev. Thomas Symmes Sermon by Frederic Kidder, Bartlett and Halliday, Boston, 1865. LB: Lost Babes: Fornication Abstracts From Court Records, Essex County, Massachusetts, 1692 to 1745, Melinde Lutz Sanborn, Derry, New Hampshire, 1992. - Available from the New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1996 Winter catalog, item B2 - 66825. MAW: Montcalm and Wolfe: The Decline and Fall of the French Empire in North America, Francis Parkman, originally published 1884, reprint volume by Collier Books, New York, 1962. MRG: “The Merrimac River Gundalow and Gundalowmen”, by Wallace B. Ordway, The American Neptune, October 1950. The typescript copy of this article seen by the FFN is in the Merrimac, MA, Public Library. MSF: Massachusetts Soldiers in the French and Indian Wars, 1744 -1755, ed. by R.E. Mackay, New England HIstoric & Genealogical Society, Boston, 1978. NEM: New England Marriages Prior to 1700, C.A. Torrey, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 1985. (John Fearn/Fern reference on page 261) NTR: New Town, Rockingham County, New Hampshire Town Records. NSB: New Town Selectmen’s Book, Volume III.


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OFS: Old Families of Salisbury And Amesbury , (see pp. 79-81, FFN#8) PIW: Penhallow’s Indian Wars, Samuel Penhallow, Boston, 1726. A facsimile reprint of the first edition published in 1924 and reprinted in 1972, Books for Liabraries Press, Freeport, NY. PRP: Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire, Vol. 7, 1760 - 1763, State Paper Series, Vol. 37, Ed. Otis G. Hammond, pub. by the State of New Hampshire, 1929. Provided to the FFN by George G. Gleason, Ye Amesbury Antiquarian. (pages 357-9 concerning the estate of Jonathan Currier of South Hampton, NH, are reprinted on page 76 of FFN# 9.) STR: South Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire Town Records. SYM: Symon, Indian. A Letter Written at Amesbury, Mass, 9: 5 mo: 1677 By Lieut. Philip Challis, With Some Curious Annotations Concerning Philip Challis, Goodwife Quinby and Symon, Indian, Hamline E. Robinson, privately printed, Maryville, Missouri, 1903. TWF: The Weather Factor: An Amazing Collection of Little-Known Facts About How the Weather Has Influenced the American Scene From Colonial to Modern Times, David M. Ludlum, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1984. TYT: The Young Titan, F. Van Wyck Mason, Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, NY, 1959. WCD: Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam Company, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1971. WRB: Letter from William R. Baron, Associate Professor of History & Quaternary Studies, Department of History, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Az, to Jerry D. Ferrin, dated 28 January 1997.

a brief history of newton, new hampshire

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