Archive:History of Rindge, New Hampshire
Archives > Archive:Extracts > History of Rindge, New Hampshire
Stearns, Ezra S., History of the Town of Rindge New Hampshire, From the Date of the Rowley Canada or Massachusetts Charter, to the Present Time, 1736-1874, with a Genealogical Register of the Rindge Families (Boston, MA: Press of George H. Ellis, 1875).
From Google Books.
Extracted by Brenda Hartwick.
pages 14-15
The course of the streams is a certain index of the elevation of a place. Miller s and Contoocook Rivers have their rise in this town, and the water-shed, between the Connecticut and Merrimac River valleys, divides the town into two nearly equal portions. Here are several dwelling-houses, the water from one side of the roof of which finds its way into the Connecticut, and from the other side into the Merrimac, River. The northern slope of the township is drained into Long Pond, the head of the Contoocook River, flowing through Jaffrey and Peterborough, thence north and east emptying into Merrimac River a few miles north of Concord. The southern slope is mostly drained into Monomonock Lake, the head of Miller s River, which flows through Winchendon; thence west and south emptying into the Connecticut River near the town of Greenfield, Mass. The western portion of the town belongs to the southern slope, and is drained into Miller s River a few miles below its rise. The drainage of a small area in the southeast part of the town, including the stream from Pecker Pond, empties into the eastern branch of Miller s River in Ashburnham, which joins the northern branch from Monomonock Lake, at the reservoir of B. D. Whitney, Esq., in Winchendon.
page 49
PROVINCE OF
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Pursuant to the power and authority granted and vested in me by the Prop. of Lands purchased of John Tufton Mason, Esq., in the Province of New Hampshire, by vote passed at their meeting held at Portsmouth in said Province, the 16th day of June 1749.
I do, by these Presents, on the Terms, Conditions and Limitations hereafter expressed, Give and Grant all the Right, Possession and Property of the Proprietors afores d unto Solomon Stewart, John Combs, Jonathan Hubbard Junr, William Spaulding, Joseph Blanchard Junr, Collo John Hill, Samuel Cummings, Thomas Prentiss, Joseph French, Jona. Powers, Samuel Greele, Jona. Hubbard, William Downe, Peter Stevens, Sampson French, James Stewart, Robert Fletcher Junr., Eleazer Blanchard, David Cheever, Samuel Reed, Jona. Whitney, John Hubbard, Jacob Gould, Nehemiah Gould, Robert Melvin, Jerahmael Powers, Joseph Jackson, James Coleman, Peter Powers, Daniel Taylor, Samuel Greele Junr., Zacheus Lovewell, Stephen Powers, John Lovewell Junr., Joseph Winn, Nathaniel Page, Timothy Taylor, One Right each.
pages 51 - 52
That the following nine Shares be exempted from making settlement only to Pay their Proportion to all Public Taxes as other Grantees, viz: Benjamin Bellows for four Rights; Samuel Reed one; Jonathan Whitney one; Jonathan Hubbard Junr. one; Samuel Johnson one; Timothy Taylor one. That each of the said Grantees at the Executing this Instrument pay fifteen Pounds Old Tenour to defray the necessary charges risen or arising in Bringing forward the Settlement afores d, to be deposited in the Hands of such person as they shall appoint being a Freeholder and Resident in this Province. That the afores d Grantees or their Assigns assess such further sum of sums of money equally in Proportion to their Rights the share of each Grantee (exclusive of the three publick Lotts) as may be thought necessary for carrying on the settlement afores d or any Publick matter. And on failure of Payment for the space of three months after such assessment is agreed upon and posted up at such place or places as the Grantees afores d shall appoint for notifying Proprs. meetings that so much of such Delinquent Rights Respectively be disposed of as will pay the said Tax and all charges arising thereon. And in case any of the said Grantees shall neglect to perform any of the articles aforementioned he shall forfeit his share of Right in said Township unto those of the said Grantees who shall not then be Delinquent in the Performance of their part, and it shall be lawfull for them by their Agent or Agents to enter into and upon the Right of such Delinquent owner, and him to amove, oust, and Expell for their use, their Heirs and Assigns, Provided they settle such Delinquents Right within one year after the Periods Conditioned in this Grant, and fully comply with the whole duty such Delinquent ought to have done within the space of one year from Time to Time after the Respective Periods thereof. And in case they omit complying as afores d in that Term, that all such Delinquent Rights shall revert and belong to the Grantors their Heirs and assigns forever free from the Incumbrance of settlement or charge, always Provided there be no Indian Warr within the Terms afores d and in case that should happen, The same be allowed for the Respective matters afores d after such Impediments shall be removed.
pages 52 - 53
Of the grantees, forty-three in number, fifteen were residents, at this time, of Lunenburg, which then included Fitchburg. They were: Solomon Stewart, whose brother William was one of the first settlers of Peterboro; Major Jonathan Hubbard, a Deacon and Town Treasurer, who died April 7, 1761, and was buried in Townsend, soon after his removal from Lunenburg; His son, Jonathan Hubbard, Jr., removed (1757) to Charlestown, N. H.; Col. John Hill, whose children settled in Peterboro; Thomas Prentice, a Justice of the Peace, and prominent in public affairs; Capt. Jacob Gould, who was master-carpenter at the building of the first meeting-house in this town, and whose son, Jacob, Jr., settled in Rindge; Nehemiah Gould, Jonathan Whitney, Samuel Cummings, Samuel Greele, James Coleman, William Downe, who was proprietors clerk until 1758, a Justice of the Peach, and a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas; Nathaniel Page, who settled soon after in Rindge; Samuel Johnson, a man of wealth and enterprise, whose descendants for many years lived on Johnson Hill in this town; and Samuel Reed, who had a potash west of the residence of Addison Todd, and at the time of his death, July 7, 1771, owned one thousand acres of land in Rindge; but he never resided here. The residents of no other town were as numerous. John Hubbard, a son of Major Jonathan Hubbard, was of Townsend. His son, Rev. John Hubbard, was preceptor of the Academy at New Ipswich, Judge of Probate for Cheshire County, and subsequently professor at Dartmouth College. Of the same town was John Stevens, who was Treasurer for the proprietors for several years. Captain peter Powers was of Hollis; also his son, Rev. Peter Powers, who received the first call from the church at New Ipswich. He was afterwards settled at Haverhill, N. H. Zaccheus and John Lovewell, a brother and son of the famous Indian fighter, were of Dunstable, as well as Robert Fletcher, Jr., a surveyor. Gen. Joseph Blanchard, a son of Col. Blanchard, was of Merrimac, N. H. He was for several years clerk to the proprietors of Dublin. He subsequently removed to Dunstable. Stanton Prentice was a physician of Lancaster, -- a brother of Thomas Prentice, Esq., of Lunenburg. caramel Powers and William Spaulding were of Groton, and Major Joseph Jackson was of Boston. He was one of the very few whose residence is made known by the records. The few remaining names were probably from the vicinity of Dunstable.
pages 54, 56-57
The lots were promptly laid out by Lieut. Benjamin Bellows. By this survey the town was divided into ten ranges by east and west lines. Each range was divided into twenty-two lots by north and south lines. it was the intention of the surveyor to have the lots one hundred and sixty rods from north to south, and one hundred rods from east to west. This could have been done with an allowance for error of about one and three-fourths acres to each lot. The plan was generally carried out; yet a few lots exceed one hundred acres, and others are as much too small. The drawing occurred during the summer of 1750. From the charter it will be perceived that eighteen rights, or shares, which was about one-fourth of the township, were reserved by the Masonian proprietors for their own benefit. For the convenience of the reader their names, in the following schedule of lots drawn, are indicated by an asterisk. The others were grantees, and their names are contained in the charter.
Order of
drawing.Lot. Range. Lot. Range. Lot. Range. 38 James Stewart 8 1 8 2 6 6 39 Robert Fletcher, Jr. 8 8 9 8 6 8 40 Eleazer Blanchard 7 4 7 5 1 5 41 David Cheever 7 8 7 9 8 9 42 *John Moffat 6 4 7 2 4 5 43 Samuel Reed 6 7 7 7 8 7 44 Jonathan Whitney 6 9 5 9 8 5 45 *Theodore Atkinson 5 2 5 5 8 5 46 John Hubbard 17 9 13 9 3 9 47 Jacob Gould 18 9 18 8 18 7 48 *March and *Solly 6 2 2 9 10 2 49 *Thomas Packer 6 1 5 1 7 1 50 Nehemiah Gould 4 1 3 4 17 2 51 Robert Melvin 3 4 10 8 22 7 52 Jarahmael Powers 8 10 3 5 5 10 53 Joseph Jackson 10 10 6 10 10 7 54 Samuel Johnson, Jr. 10 4 9 4 9 2 55 James Coleman 15 10 15 7 15 1 56 Peter Powers 15 9 18 10 16 5 57 Benjamin Bellows 16 9 16 8 12 3 58 Daniel Taylor 17 10 17 4 17 3 59 Ministry 18 10 11 3 11 2 60 Samuel Greele, Jr. 4 4 5 4 3 2 61 Zaccheus Lovewell 3 6 4 6 5 6 62 Stephen Powers 1 1 12 2 11 2 63 John Lovewell, Jr. 1 2 13 1 13 2 64 *Thomas Wallingford 1 3 2 3 14 2 65 *Joseph Blanchard 1 9 1 20 8 6 66 * Jotham Odiorne 3 7 4 7 5 7 67 *John H. Wentworth 3 8 4 8 5 7 68 Joseph Winn 20 10 20 9 7 6 69 Nathaniel Page 21 10 22 10 11 8 70 Timothy Taylor 19 10 19 9 16 2 71 School 16 3 2 5 11 1 72 Benjamin Bellows 15 3 4 9 14 1 73 Mill Lots 12 8 2 8 2 7
The owners of sixty-seven shares drew three lots each; four rights, or twelve lots, were reserved for the ministry, schools, and mills; and two rights, or six lots, designated as public lots, were owned in common by the grantees. The whole number of lots was two hundred and twenty, which would leave one lot undrawn. This was lot nineteen in the seventh range. The public lots were sold at vendue, September, 1754, the three former to Jonathan Hubbard, Esq., for ninety-five pounds, and the remaining three to Jonathan Whitney for one hundred and five pounds, old tenor. From the schedule it would appear that Nehemiah Gould and Robert Melvin both drew the third lot in the fourth range, and to the ministry and Stephen Powers is assigned the eleventh lot in the second range; the third lot in the third range, and fourth lot in the third range, are not found in the list. The error probably is a clerical one. The last two lots should be placed in the room of the duplicate numbers.
page 59
Also voted that the charge of any law sute (sic) that shall be commenced by any of the Grantees ag nst the claimers of the Lands called Rowley Canada Township shall be borne by the Propriety in proportion to Interest whether the action be Tresspass or Ejectment.
Also voted that Capt. Peter Powers, Robert Fletcher, Junr. and Jacob Gould be a Committee and desired to go to said No. One & examine what Lotts are trespassed upon and by whom and procure proof thereof and that they make Return of such their Enquiry forthwith unto Joseph Blanchard Esqr. in order fro Prosecution and yt. they take such assistance with them as they shall need and in case Jacob Gould cannot attend the service that Jonathan Whitney supply his place and if said Whitney cannot go that then Soloman Stewart attend that service.
pages 88-89
In January, 1769, occurred the first instance of warning out, -- a custom more honored in the breach than in the observance, and long since abandoned. It was the practice in all the towns to warn out new arrivals soon after their removal. Although they were commanded in positive terms to depart hence, it was not expected that they would go, and in a majority of cases it was ardently hoped that they would not. This proceeding was had, under the provisions of the statutes, as a safeguard against such persons obtaining a legal settlement in the towns to which they had removed, and in case any of the inhabitants, upon whom a warrant to depart had been legally served, became needy, the town from whence they removed was chargeable for their support. For many years, nearly all who removed hither, without regard to their social or financial standing, were warned out; and very many of those who became prosperous in business, honored as townsmen, and whose descendants have been useful and esteemed citizens, were requested to leave the limits of the town before they had become comfortably settled in their new homes. Not a few of those who were the first to respond to the call of their country during the Revolution were thus inhospitably welcomed to the town; but they doubtless received the summons in the spirit in which it was issued, and justly regarded it as a legal formality in which there was no sincerity. A few extracts selected at random from the records will illustrate more fully the nature of these proceedings. In the preservation of the names of the families, the date of removal to this town, and the place of their former residence, these records incidentally afford much valuable information concerning the emigration to the town.
CHESIRE, SS.
To Mr. Jonathan Parker Junr, Constable for the Town of Rindge in said County, Greeting:
Whereas Sundry Persons of late Came into this Town which may Becom (sic) Inhabitants if not warned out and are likely to Becom (sic) a Town Charge in any time of sickness or adversity, viz: Silas Whitney and wife Jean and six children, all minors, viz: Love, Oliver, Bartholomew, Jean, Phebe, and Samuel, who came from Winchendon, n the province of the Massachusetts Bay, into this town in the month of February A.D. 1773. And Joseph Willson and wife Hannah and one Child Being a miner, viz: Temperance Robinson, who came from Petersham in said Province into this Town in the month of February 1773, and Isaac Russell who Came from Littleton in said Province into this town in the month of November A.D. 1773. You are therefore Required in his majesty s name to Notify and Warn all and each of said persons to Depart out of this Town as they will answer there Contempt under ye Penalty of ye Law.
Hereof fail not and make Return of this warrant with your doings thereon as soon as may be.
Dated at Rindge aforesaid this sixteenth day of December in the fourteenth year of his majesty's Reign A.D. 1773.
| JONATHAN SHERWIN, | ||
| Selectmen | DANIEL RAND, | of |
| EDWARD JEWETT, | Rindge. |
CHESHIRE, SS. Rindge January ye 1st 1774.
In Obedience to the within warrant I have warned all and each of the within mentioned persons forthwith to Depart out of this Town as the Law directs,
- JONA. PARKER JUNR.,
- Constable for said Rindge.
Pages 94-96
Edward Jewett, whose name frequently occurs upon the records, and who resided for many years upon the farm now of Ivers H. Brooks, came from Concord. John and Abraham Wetherbee, brothers of Benjamin, settled in the southeast part of the town, the former on the farm recently of J. S. Wetherbee, his grandson, and the latter where A. J. Converse now resides. Jonathan and his brother Obadiah Sawtell were from Groton, and settled in the east part of the town. From the same town was Salmon Stone, who located upon the Lord farm near the centre of the town. Asa Sherwin and John Sherwin were from Boxford; The former lived upon the farm formerly of the late Charles Cutler, and the latter, at a later period, occupied the house previously owned by Philip Thomas. to gain a better idea of the town as it was at the close of these seven years of constant emigration, the reader should locate Benjamin Bancroft, from Groton, near the residence of Col. G. W. Stearns; Henry Godding upon the Dea. Cummings farm; Ebenezer Muzzey near the residence of Ezra Page; Solomon Cutler upon the Dr. Thomas Jewett place -- the last three from Lexington; --Richard Kimball, from Boxford, upon the Gates farm, enjoying the Adams clearing; Levi Mansfield upon the Amos Keyes farm; John Hannaford between the residence of Lyman Bennett and Monomonock Lake; James Wood, from Boxford, near the residence of B. F. Danforth; John Earl, or Eills, as he spelled the name, upon the Josiah Stratton farm; Ebenezer Davis near the farm of Lyman Stratton; James Crumbie, from Andover, at West Rindge; Samuel Walker, from Weston, upon the farm now of William S. Brooks, which he purchased of William Spaulding, after he had sold his former residence to Philip Thomas; Barnabas Cary, from Attleborough, in the east part of the town; Daniel Gragg near Long Pond; Asa Brocklebank, from Rowley, in the east part of the town, and subsequently on the farm previously occupied by Henry Godding; Paul Fitch, from Ashby, was proprietor of the mill at Converseville; and Ebenezer Lock, from Ervingshire, near Orange, Mass., was the village blacksmith. There were also Moses Whitney, Ezekiel Learned, Obadiah Marsh, and Jeremiah Russell from New Salem; Nehemiah Porter from Weymouth; Thomas Hutchinson from Ashby; Ebenezer Shaw from Abington; John Gray from Wilton, N. H.; Solomon Whitney, Richard, and William Davis from Lincoln; Joseph Wilson from Petersham; and Silas Whitney from Winchendon. Other families removed to this town during this period, and not a few of the sons of the earlier settlers were now married, and occupied houses, which they had erected upon their clearings. With this numerous accession to the population of the town came three physicians, Drs. Morse, Townsend, and Palmer, who will be noticed in another chapter. Many facts contained in this chapter will be repeated elsewhere; but it has been deemed proper to present this view of the population as it existed at the commencement of the Revolution, since many of these names will frequently appear in the record of that period.
pages 121-123
TO The Selectmen of Rindge:
In order to carry the under written resolve of the Honorable Continental Congress into execution, you are requested to desire all males above twenty one years of age (Lunaticks, Idiots and Negroes excepted) to sign the Declaration on this paper; and when so done to make return hereof together with the name or names of all who shall refuse to sign the same to the General Assembly or Committee of safety of this Colony.
- In Congress, march 14, 1776.
Resolved That it be recommended to the several Assemblies, Conventions and Councils or Cimmittees of Safety of the United Colonies immediately to cause all persons to be disarmed within their respective Colonies who are notoriously disaffected to the cause of America, or who have not associated or refuse to associate, to defend by arms the United Colonies against the hostile attempts of the British Fleets and Armies.
- Extract from the minutes.
- CHARLES THOMPSON, Sec ry.
- Extract from the minutes.
In consequence of the above Resolution of the hon. Continental Congress, and to show our determination in joining our American Brethren in defending the lives, liberties and property of the inhabitants of the United Colonies, we the subscribers do hereby solemnly engage and promise that we will to the utmost of our power at the risqué of our lives and fortunes, with Arms oppose the Hostile proceedings of the British Fleets and Armies against the United American Colonies: --
| Abraham Wetherbee | John Page |
| Jeremiah Towne | John Townsend |
| William Carlton | Ebenezer Locke |
| Nehemiah Towne | Jeremiah Chapman |
| Benjamin Bancroft | Nathaniel Russell |
| Enoch Hale | John Simonds |
| Seth Dean | Amasa Turner |
| Edward Jewett | Nathan Hubbard |
| Jonathan Sherwin | Abel Stone |
| Wm Russell | John Whitaker |
| Jacob Hobbs | James Wood |
| John dean | Ebenezer Chaplin |
| Salmon Stone | James Cutter |
| John Handsome | John Emery |
| James Crumbie | Solomon Rand |
| Samuel Tarbell | Joseph Stanley |
| Nathaniel Page | Jonathan Sawtell |
| Solomon Cutler | John Sherwin |
| John Demary | Paul Fitch |
| John Hannaford | James Philbrick |
| John Wetherbee | Samuel Sherwin |
| Ebenezer Davis | Richard Kimball |
| Daniel Rand | Benj. Peirce |
| Jeremiah Russell | Samuel Whiting |
| Joshua Webster | Oliver Stevens |
| Benjamin Carlton | Isaac Wood |
| Samuel Stanley | Joseph Platts |
| Henry Godding | Zebulon Convers |
| Joel Russell, Junr. | Simon Davis |
| Daniel Davis | Jonathan Putnam |
| Jonathan Ingalls | Benjamin Lovering |
| Caleb Winn | Ebenezer Shaw |
| Samuel Walker | Abel Platts |
| Ezekiel Learned | Benjamin Gould |
| Daniel Russell | Elisha Perkins |
| Jeremiah Norcross | Page Norcross |
| David Hale | Aaron Esty |
| Richard Tompson | Richard Kimball, Jr. |
| Amos Davis | Stephen Jewett |
| George Lake | Israel Adams, Jr. |
| James Carlton | Nathaniel Thomas |
| Jeduthan Stanley | Jonathan Ball |
| Nathaniel Ingalls | Nehemiah Bowers |
| Samuel Russell | Francis Towne |
| William Davis | Moses Hale |
| James Streeter | Richard Davis |
| Samuel Paige, Jr. | Deliverance Wilson |
| Jacob Gould | Elijah Rice |
| Caleb Huston | John Gray |
| David Robbins | Oliver Gould |
| John Thomson | Ichabod Thomson |
| Eleazer Coffeen | Jepthah Richardson |
| Benjamin Newman | Barnabas Cary |
| Nehemiah Porter | John Lovejoy, Jr. |
| Reuben Page | John Buswell |
| John Lovejoy | Abel Platts, Jr. |
| Solomon Whitney | Timothy Wood |
| William Robbins | Simon Davis, Jr. |
| Samuel Page | Abel Perkins |
| John Eills | Ezekiel Rand |
| Eliakim Darling | Jonathan Towne |
| Jehosaphat Grout | Israel Adams |
| Othniel Thomas | Jabez Norcross |
| Daniel Lake | Joel Russell |
| Jonathan Towne, Jr. | Jonathan Parker, Jr. |
| John Fitch | Thomas Hutchinson |
| Randall Davis | Daniel Grag |
| Joshua Tyler | Samuel Parker |
| Benjamin Moore | Ezekiel Jewett |
| Daniel Adams | Henry Smith |
| David Adams | Levi Mansfield |
| Samuel Adams | Asa Tyler |
| Jonathan Parker | Samuel Adams |
| Simeon Ingalls | Abijah Haskell |
COLONY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
Rindge, June 1, 1776.
In obedience to the within request, we have desired all mails (sic) in this town to sign the written Declaration (except those are excepted) and they have all signed.
EDWARD JEWETT, Selectmen JONATHAN SHERWIN, of ABEL STONE, Rindge.
To the General Assembly
or the Hon. Committee of Safety
for the Colony of New Hampshire.
The paper is one of uncommon interest. besides preserving the names of many residents of the town, it makes known that there were no disloyal or timid men who failed to respond to the test of their patriotism. The proud fact is here recorded they have all signed, and no comment can render more intelligible this expression of the sentiment of the town on the vital issues of the time .
page 237
At this time the crown of the hill where the meeting-house stands was carted into a basin between the eminence and the residence of George A. Whitney, Esq., and the bank wall east of the edifice was built.
page 245-247
The only persons living who became members at the time the society was constituted are Joseph Page, Luke Rugg, and Lovell Whitney, of Rindge, Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, of Boston, and Col. Ezekiel Jewett, of Lockport, New York. The town being no longer a parish, still nominally owned the meeting-house which was occupied by the society recently formed. The Methodists, at a town meeting held in 1826, made a request that the meeting-house be at their disposal a part of the time in proportion to their interest, as citizens in the same. Their request was answered by a report of committee, to whom their petition had been referred, that it was the intention of the town when the meeting-house was built, and the expectation of the individuals who purchased the pews therein, that it should be used by that denomination of Christians only which then composed almost exclusively the inhabitants of the town. It was also answered, and more convincingly, that the town head been at small expense in building the house, since the moneys received from the sale of the pews had been nearly or quite sufficient to meet the expense. And in remuneration for its agency in building, the town had enjoyed the privilege of holding town-meetings and transacting other public business in the house, and in this manner had been satisfactorily compensated for all it had done: and, finally, that it would be an act of injustice to the owners of the pews to bar them the free use, or grant others the use, of the same. In connection with this position some important concessions were made. In the further language of the report a desire was expressed that a liberal and conciliatory course should be pursued by the town. It was then agreed that persons belonging to other denominations should be excused from the expense of keeping the house in repair, and all other expense, except sweeping the meeting-house immediately after town-meetings. This arrangement appears to have been accepted as final. If the town had been more equally divided, the question might have been the occasion of considerable strife. The freedom which was secured from future expense of repairing the house may have been the main result which the Methodist society had in view, since at this time they had a meeting-house of their own. The animus of their request is not otherwise easily explained. the prevailing denomination, having thus retained possession of the meeting-house, were not generous in requiring their guests, on town-meeting days, to sweep out their proportion of the dust. It was a sad breach of the laws of hospitality. the issue, however, was between the town and the petitioners, and not between the two religious societies; and while it was the town that determined the result, the Congregational society was a controlling element in this action, and must be held responsible for the vote of the town. The subject was never revived, and several years later when, with certain reservations, the meeting-house was more formally ceded to the Congregational society, it was done with little, if any, earnest opposition. During eighteen years after the town ceased to constitute an active parish, the entire meeting-house was under its control. It gave permission to introduce a stove; it voted repairs; it ordered the ringing of the bell, but justly excused all persons belonging to other denominations from paying their proportion of the taxes assessed for these purposes. This condition of affairs could not long continue. One corporation was ordering and conducting the prudential affairs, while persons mainly belonging to another were taxed to pay the cost.
page 259
Several years later a stranger came, and preached with much earnestness and simplicity. In an unusual degree he won the attention of all his hearers. He had then but just begun his useful mission. Uneducated, he called upon one of his congregation to read the hymn, but in his discourse he asked no assistance. In later years, Father Taylor has often preached to larger congregations, and has won the esteem and gratitude of a multitude of men. For many years, the place of meeting on the Sabbath was in some dwelling or school-house, and generally in the northwest part of the town. In 1824 their first meeting-house was erected. The site was purchased of Moses Garfield, and was situated in the northwest corner of the town, nearly opposite the school-house, and in lot twenty or twenty-one in the tenth range. The conveyance was made in Zimri Whitney, Elijah P. Smith, Charles Mavery, Isaac Colburn, and Nathan Upton, trustees, and was dated March 16, 1824.
page 261
The house was built during the summer and autumn of 1835; the frame was raised on the ninth of September. the exact date of the dedication has not been ascertained, but David Poland, Joseph Robbins, and Edward Loud, were paid November 6, 1835, for their services in appraising slips in the Methodist house in Rindge ; from which it may be inferred the house at this date was substantially finished. The expense of the building when fully completed was $1907.53. The carpenters were Abel Marshall and Porter Hartwell, of Winchendon, and the stone work was done by John E. Lake and William Cutler, of this town. The house has been well preserved by paint and general repairs, the most thorough renovation occurring in 1867, under the direction of a committee, consisting of Oliver Hale, Z. F. Whitney, John Smith, Ezra Page, and H. G. Rice. The parsonage was purchased in 1840, and, as far as known, it has been occupied by the pastor in charge, without interruption, to the present time. The house was repaired in 1858, at an expense of about $325.
page 262
At the time the society was formed and the new meeting-house was built, the church belonged to the Peterborough and Rindge circuit, and the records, for this period, are preserved by the officers of the Methodist Church in Peterborough. At a meeting held in this circuit, December 20, 1834, John P. Symonds, John Whitney, Richard Kimball, Ebenezer Kimball, and Jonas Munroe, were chosen trustees, and John P. Symonds, Joel Raymond, and Jonas Munroe, a committee, to build a meeting-house in Rindge. for several years Richard Kimball was voted a license to preach. The renewal of the license appears upon the records under several dates.
pages 281-282
The First District comprised the central village, and extended from the Common a mile or more, in all directions. On the Jaffrey road was included, as at present, the farms now owned by Deacon Norcross and C. E. Stickney; on the north it included the Mulliken place, near the residence of M. W. Hale, and the bounds in this direction remain unchanged to the present time; towards the east were included all the residences at the Corner, the farms of David and John Barker, now owned by Deacon Bancroft and Stephen hale, and extended on the old turnpike to near the present Corner school-house; on the south it included the farms now of Martin L. Goddard, of Henry E. Burritt, and of Thomas and Charles G. Buswell; and on the west the Moors farm, the Stratton farm, and considerable territory at present in the district. The present school-house was built, at this time, on land borrowed of the town for that purpose for the term of nine hundred and ninety-nine years, and bids fair to survive the lease. The first school-house in this district was also on the Common, and was situated west of the meeting-house, not far from the residence of A. S. Coffin, Esq. When the present house was built it was sold, and still forms a part of the dwelling-house of Lovell Whitney.
pages 293-294
In many instances the committee of supervision has been appointed by the selectmen instead of being elected by the town. For several years the record of appointment has not been discovered. The following list presents the date of the first election, and, as far as has been ascertained, gives the number of years each individual named has served upon the school committee: Rev. Seth Payson, 1810, (2); Josiah Wilder, 1810, (3); Thomas Ingalls, 1810, (7); Simon Davis, 1811, (7); William Sherwin, 1811, (5); Samuel L. Wilder, 1811, (5); Gates Rand, 1812, (4); Amos Keyes, 1813, (5); Rev. a. W. Burnham, 1827, and almost continuously until 1857; Benjamin Ward, Esq., 1827, (1); Jason B. Perry, 1827, (6 or more); Dr. A. d. Shurtleff, 1829, (2); S. B. Sherwin, 1829, (9); Dr. Nathaniel Kingsbury, 1833, (2); Dr. E. D. Abell, 1843, (5 or more); Dr. Josiah Abbott, 1845, (10 or more); w. C. Brigham, 1847, (6 or more); David Stowe, 1854, (6 or more); Rev. A. m. Osgood, 1853, (1); Rev. Silas Cummings, 1857, (1); Rev. C. H. Chase, 1858, (1); George W. Todd, Jr., 1858, (1); James B. Perry, 1862, (1); Amos J. Blake, 1862, (2); Ezra S. Stearns, 1863, (2); George A. Whitney, 1864, (1). for several years, from 1865, only one person was chosen. Ezra S. Stearns, 1865, (1); Rev. Henry Chandler, 1866, (2); George A. Whitney, 1868, (2); W. C. Brigham, 1870, (1); Rev. A. L. Kendall, 1871, (1); A. S. Coffin, 1872, (1). Since 1872, a board of education has been elected for the tem of three years, and has included A. S. Coffin, (2), Rev. William H. Stuart, (1), Anson A. Platts, (1), Joseph F. Wetherbee, (1).
page 306
About ten years since, Charles A. and George A. Whitney bought the mill formerly owned by George E. Smith, at West Rindge, and commenced the manufacture of pails. Their mill has been burned, but was promptly rebuilt, upon an enlarged and commodious plan. A saw-mill has been added, and steam is employed to drive their machinery whenever the stream fails to afford sufficient power.
page 309
At present, in addition to a large amount of coarse lumber annually cut out at the several manufactories, the chief products of the mills are nest-boxes, by Joel Wellington, and R. Rams dell & Co.; the square box, by M. E. Converse; bobbins and spools, by A. S. Coffin; pails, by the Whitney Brothers; saw-horses, by A. S. Sawtell; a variety of woodenware, by E. S. Kimball, Elijah Bemis, and Warren Sawtell; and toys, ingeniously fashioned, by Otis P. Butler.
pages 312-313
When the intelligence of the surrender of Fort Sumter electrified the entire people of the North, the inhabitants of the town of Rindge were prompt to respond; not in defiance, not with expressions of hatred, but with unequivocal evidence of an unalterable determination that such treason should be met with force and arms. On the evening of Monday, April 14, a spontaneous meeting of the citizens filled the Town Hall to overflowing, at an early hour. Stephen B. Sherwin, Esp., presided. Earnest speeches were made by the Chairman, Ebenezer Blake, Samuel Henry Stearns, George A. Whitney, Benjamin Hale, and others, each expressing the universal sentiment of the assembled citizens, that any attempt to sever the union of the States was treason, and that the attack which had been made upon one of the forts of the general Government was treason that should be met at the bayonet s point. It was the voice of all the speakers, that the people of this town would not fail to perform their duty in the hour of danger. To this sentiment there was a most hearty approval manifested by all present.
pages 316-318
These volunteers joined the regiment at Keene, November 28, 1861. By anticipating others events, considerable repetition will be avoided by giving some account of their service in this connection.
