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 Rev. Jaazaniah Crosby, D. D.
 
 Annals of Charlestown 
 
 in the County of Sullivan, New Hampshire 
 
 =— by 
 
 JAAZANIAH CROSBY 
 
 Published by 
 
 The NEW HAiMPSHIRE HISTORICAL 
 
 SOCIETY 
 
 1834 
 
 > A N
 
 Reprinted by 
 
 The Novelty Press 
 
 Charlkstowx, New Hampshire 
 
 1905
 
 INTRODUCTORY 
 
 THE writer of these Annals, published by "The New 
 ^ Hampshire Historical Society'Mn 1834,the Rev. Jaazaniah 
 Crosby, was born in the town of "Cockermouth",now He- 
 bron,on the 3rd. day of April 1780, in a log cabin, and work- 
 ed hard on his father's farm until he was eighteen years 
 old, when desirous of obtaining an education, he walked 
 eighty miles to Exeter, where he entered Phillips Academy. 
 
 Here he studied two years on a charity foundation, 
 and in 1800 entered Harvard College; graduating in 1804, 
 partially supporting himself meanwhile, by writing in the 
 office of the Clerk of the Courts. 
 
 Immediately after graduation he returned to Exeter, 
 where he acted as assistant teacher for a year, and then 
 commenced the study of theology under Rev. Dr. Appleton, 
 then of Hampton, afterwards President of Bowdoin Col- 
 lege. Here he came under the influence of Rev. Dr. Buck- 
 minster of Portsmouth, by whom he was encouraged to pro- 
 ceed, and assisted in his studies, and was finally licensed 
 to preach in 1808, by the Piscataqua Association, Dr. Buck- 
 minster acting as Scribe and writing his certificate of li- 
 cense. He preached his first sermon at Greenland, and in 
 1809 preached for some months at Lyndeborough, and also 
 at Freeport, Me., thence coming to Charlestown, where he
 
 received a unanimous "call", and was installed in 1810 o- 
 ver the South Parish. 
 
 Of a genial and sympathetic nature, he naturally fell 
 much under the influence of Dr.Buckminster, and followed 
 him in the new movement, which at the beginning of 
 the last century, broke away from the severe Calvinism of 
 the Puritans, and abjured the thunders of Sinai, for the 
 milder teachings of the Mount of Olives. This genial nature 
 and his sympathy with all their feelings and thoughts made 
 him intensely popular with his parishioners, particularly 
 with the younger ones, and he had an innate love of fun 
 and merriment which endeared him to them especially, 
 and he could tell a good story, and enjoy a good joke with 
 any of them. The church v/hich he describes in the Annals 
 was for many years the only one in the village, and was 
 always well filled, the people driving in from North Charles- 
 town, South Charlestown, "Hemlock" and ''the Borough", 
 in big wagon loads every Sunday. One of my earliest recol- 
 lections is of Deacon Sam Putnam's big Bass Viol, which 
 before the purchase of an organ, filled a prominent part in 
 "When rolling years shall cease to move", of grand old 
 "Denmark". 
 
 Dr. Crosby never preached controversial sermons, 
 and he says at the close of his "Annals" speaking of the 
 religious character of Charlestown, "that the people did not 
 care enough about religion to quarrel about it"! This state 
 of peace continued until 1835, when a "Revival" largely 
 instigated by people from other towns, resulted in the e- 
 rection of a Methodist Church, which however only lasted 
 a few years, and the building has been converted into ten- 
 ements. 
 
 This was followed in 1839, by a Congregational So- 
 ciety of the old fashioned Orthodox type, formed by some 
 of the people who clung to the traditions of their fathers, 
 and which is still in existence, as well as an Episcopal, and 
 a Roman Catholic Society, made necessary by the changes 
 in tlio Dopiilation.
 
 Dr. Crosby occasionally exchanged pulpits with the 
 Unitarian ministers of Keene, Walpole and Dublin, but his 
 most frequent exchange was with the good old Orthodox 
 minister of Springfield, Father Smiley, who was wont to 
 say, "Brother Crosby is in a greivous error; but I love Bro- 
 ther Crosby." Father Smiley was a little dried up looking 
 man, and a great contrast to Dr. Crosby's portly figure, and 
 I remember the delight of the young folks, when he popped 
 his head up in the pulpit one morning, and announced as 
 his text, "I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the 
 Valley." 
 
 He had one favorite serm^on, on The Prodigal Son, 
 in which he described the older brother as ' *a good honest 
 fellow out in the field, digging potatoes", and which "Aunt 
 Polly" Bellows said she had heard seventeen times! 
 
 But this is not relevant to Dr. Crosby. — Personally 
 as I have said he was rather portly, of medium height, 
 with a large head, and a very high forehead, and a gener- 
 ally benevolent expression. He had a habit when talking of 
 crossing his hands on his chest, and rotating his thumbs a- 
 bout each other which amused the children, of whom he 
 was very fond; and another one of repeating in his prayers, 
 petitions that the Lord would make his congregation, ' 'a 
 peculiar people, zealous of good works." 
 
 Harvard College conferred on him the degree of Doc- 
 tor of Divinity in 1853, forty nine years after his gradua- 
 tion. On the 15th. of December, 1864, his parsonage was 
 burned over his head, and although he escaped with his life, 
 he died at the home of his son in Cambridge, Mass. , from 
 erysipelas, brought on by the shock, on the 30th. of Decem- 
 ber. 
 
 His rem.ains were brought to Charlestown, on the 
 3rd. of January, 1865, and were interred in the beautiful 
 Cemetery, where they rest among those of the great ma- 
 jority v/ho had listened to his ministrations, and by whom 
 he was respected and beloved. 
 
 The church which he describes in his Annals w^as de-
 
 stroyed by fire in March 1842, and on the walls of its suc- 
 cessor, whose dedicatory sermon he preached, can be seen 
 the following tablet. — 
 
 Rev. Jaazaniaii Crosby, D. D. 
 Born in Hebron, N. H., April 3, 1780 
 
 Graduated Harvard College 1804 
 
 Ordained Pastor of this Church 1810 
 
 Died in its ministry December 30, 1864 
 
 Surviving most of the members of his original 
 parish, yet he renewed the circle of his friendship 
 in his advancing years, and his parishioners, with 
 other friends, have united to erect this Memorial 
 of his worth and of their grateful affection. 
 
 The wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then 
 peaceable. 
 
 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet 
 of him v/ho publisheth Peace. 
 
 During the last ten years of his ministry, he was pro- 
 vided with an assistant or Associate Pastor, the Rev. Ad- 
 ams Ayer, Edward Barker, and Livingston Stone succeed- 
 ing in that capacity. 
 
 Samuel Webber.
 
 South Parish Church, 1905
 
 Annals of Charlestown 
 
 ««dl{«<4c<444HARLEST0WN is situate in a delightful 
 «^ •< and fertile valley, bounded on the east 
 
 •< ffy «< by a range of high hills, and on the west 
 •< %/ ^ •^ by the Connecticut river. Although they 
 e^ ^J J^ have not, like the mountains and rivers 
 «^ •< of other regions, been made the theme 
 
 e,3je^e<«^c4«<«<<4 of the poct's soug, it rcQuires but little 
 aid from the imagination to believe them equally entitled 
 to the same honor. But the portion of the town, peculiarly 
 adapted to awaken the attention of the traveller, is the vil- 
 lage. As he views it in its secluded loveliness, guarded by 
 the barriers of mountain and river, he might pardonably 
 fancy it secure from the vices, which contaminate the 
 world without, and be ready to trace in its beauty, and its 
 seeming peacefulness and innocence, a resemblance to an- 
 cient Eden. But let him rest, when imagination shall have 
 carried him thus far, lest, if his investigation proceed, he 
 find that there are not impassable barriers against the evils 
 and vices, which are the universal portion of mankind. 
 
 The village is situate between tv/o meadows, called 
 the upper and iov/er meadow. The former contains about 
 two hundred acres, and the latter (called also the great 
 meadow,) about five hundred. The soil of these is alluvial 
 and exceedingly fertile in all kinds of produce, necessary 
 to the sustenance of man and beast. There are other mead-
 
 ows of different sizes, which, together with the two alread- 
 y mentioned, contain about twelve hundred acres. The 
 length of the town is about thirteen miles, and its breadth 
 varies from three to four and a half miles- The number of 
 inhabitants is about 1700, and has varied very little during 
 the last twenty years. 
 
 The first settlement of Charlestown, originally called 
 Number Four, (usually written No. 4, ) was in 1740, under 
 the authority of Massachusetts. The first account found in 
 the records of the General Court of Massachusetts, relative 
 to the settlement of the banks of the Connecticut, now 
 called Charlestown, is a report of a committee, stating that 
 it was expedient to lay out a range of towns from, or be- 
 tween, the Merrimack and the Connecticut, and on each 
 side of the last mentioned river. This report was made on 
 the 15th of January, 1735, and was voted to be concurred 
 in; but when the committee was appointed, or for what pur- 
 pose, whether for that embraced in the report, or some oth- 
 er, does not appear in the record of the report, nor is any 
 clue to it to be found by a careful examination of a full in- 
 dex, and of portions of the records, as far back as the year 
 1730. On the subsequent day, (Jan. 16, 1735, ) in pursu- 
 ance of the above report, and its acceptance, a committee 
 was appointed to lay out the range of Towns. 
 
 On the 30th of November, 1736, is found in the records 
 a report, purporting to be a further report of this commit- 
 tee, begging leave to amend their first report in conse- 
 quence of having found upon examination, subsequent 
 thereto, of other grants and plans, that the lower town- 
 ships as first reported, interfered with those laid out and 
 designated by the name of the Ashuelot townships, which 
 interference they had corrected in a plan of the townships 
 accompanying the report, and submitted for the accept- 
 ance of the General Court. This report as amended with 
 the accompanying plan, was voted to be accepted. In the 
 records, however, is found no mention of the first report; 
 and neither of the reports, nor the accompanying plans,
 
 Village Plot, 1754
 
 are to be found upon the files of the State Papers. In the 
 amended report, which, as recorded, is very short, and 
 merely referring to the plan, it appears that the townships 
 were numbered successively from 1 to 9 inclusively; and 
 that the committee had given hearing to applications for 
 grants to persons, purposing to become settlers in four 
 townships, and had appointed a time in the month of May 
 next ensuing, for a hearing of applications for grants in 
 the remaining townships. After this, the records are 
 silent with respect to these townships, as far as shown by 
 the index, until the year 1749, June 24, when a vote was 
 passed for the raising of 100 men for the defence of the 
 western frontiers, and in assigning the distribution and 
 location of these, it is specified, that 25 of them should be 
 posted at No. 4, which was the same now called Charles- 
 town. 
 
 In June, 22d, 1750, in the bill voted for the establish- 
 ment of forces and garrisons, fifteen men, including one 
 captain and one sergeant, were voted for the post at No. 4. 
 
 In January, 23d, 1752, in a similar bill, passed for the 
 establishment of forts and garrisons, the captain, one ser- 
 geant and fifteen men were voted for the fort at No. 4, 
 with a provision, that allowance should be made to them 
 for billeting, 4s. 6d. per week for each man. In June 14th, 
 1753, it was voted to withdraw the garrison of ten men 
 from No. 4, and Capt. Phinehas Stevens should be oflfi- 
 cially requested to take charge of the arms and stores that 
 were public property, and keep them safely for the use of 
 the government. On the letter files is found a copy of a 
 letter from the Secretary, Mr. Josiah Willard, to Capt. 
 Stevens, requesting him to take this charge, as the gov- 
 ernment had determined to withdraw the garrison. It 
 would appear that this was afterward rescinded or sus- 
 pended, probably in consequence of some remonstrance 
 from the settlers of the town, since on the 24th of the 
 ensuing January, that is, in 1754, there is a vote to the 
 effect, that no more pay be granted to the garrison of ten
 
 men at No. 4, and ag-ain directing that Capt. Stevens 
 should be directed to take charge of the arms and stores. 
 Hence, it would appear that the garrison had been main- 
 tained several months at the expense of the province of 
 Massachusetts, after the first vote to v.ithdraw it. On 
 what grounds this was done, does not appear from any- 
 thing in the records, in the acts of the Court on file, or in 
 the files of letters. The last vote, however, appears to 
 have been carried into effect, though apparently not wise- 
 ly; since on the 26th of November, of the same year, Gov. 
 Shirley sent a special message to the House, to recommend 
 to the consideration of the House the propriety and impor- 
 tance of affording protection to No. 4, although the same 
 was within the limits of New Hampshire; stating as the 
 occasion of the message, the receipt of a petition presented 
 by Capt. Phinehas Stevens and others, inhabitants of No. 
 4, praying for aid on account of their peculiar exposure to 
 the assaults of the Indians. In this message Governor 
 Shirley dwells on the importance of No. 4, as an advanced 
 frontier post; and urges, as a motive, the conciliating of 
 the favor of his Majesty, which he thought would be 
 especially secured by their granting the aid solicited. 
 From some reason or other, no proceedings were had upon 
 this message, at least none appear on record till Jan. 9Lh, 
 1755, when, on consideration of the above petition, it was 
 voted that Capt. Phinehas Stevens should be authorized 
 by the Captain General to enlist fifteen men, to serve from 
 the 15th of February to the IStli of October, next ensuing, 
 or till his Majesty's pleasure should be knov/n on the sub- 
 ject, provided it were signified before said 15th of October. 
 The force, thus raised, was probably disbanded at the 
 time assigned for the period of enlistment, since on the 
 15th of February, 1756, Gov. Shirley sent another message 
 to the House in consequence of a petition from the inhabi- 
 tants of No. 4, stating their apprehensions of an assault 
 from a combined force of French and Indians, and that 
 they had been disappointed in their expectation of aid and
 
 protection from their own government. The message 
 recommends them to the attention of the General Court, 
 and advises that the aid solicited should be granted. No 
 immediate proceedings are recorded as ensuing on this 
 message, nor is any further mention made till June 10th, 
 of the same year, when it is recorded, that the General 
 Court having received and considered the petition of John 
 Spafford, in behalf of the inhabitants of No. 4, praying for 
 aid and defence against the Indians, grant to him leave to 
 enlist within the province ten men, to be in pay and sub- 
 sistence of the province until their place should be sup- 
 plied by Gov. Shirley, or until the further orders of the 
 Court. 
 
 This force was accordingly raised; as on the 18th of 
 April, 1757, appears a record of a vote to dismiss the garri- 
 son of ton men kept by the province at No. 4, in case Lord 
 Loudoun, then the commander in chief of the King's 
 forces throughout all the provinces, should, as it was ex- 
 pected he would do, station there a detachment of the 
 Royal troops, for the protection of the inhabitants. After 
 this, no further mention is made of No. 4 in the records of 
 Massachusetts, save a very brief record a year or two sub- 
 sequent, to "slight" the petition of the inhabitants of No. 
 4 for aid; no mention being made of the particulars of the 
 petition, or the occasion of its presentation. 
 
 The first settlement of Charlestown was by three fam- 
 ilies from Lunenburg, Massachusetts, by the name of 
 Farnsworth. During twenty years the inhabitants suf- 
 fered, with little intermission, from the ravages of the 
 French and Indians; and, of course, became more familiar 
 with the dangers of war than with the arts of husbandry. 
 What have since been denominated the peaceful labors of 
 the husbandman were then unknown, for the tranquility 
 of the laborer was perpetually disturbed by the apprehen- 
 sion of savage incursions. Instead of enjoying the privi- 
 lege of sitting under his vine and fig tree, with none to 
 make him afraid, he was obliged to go forth to his labors
 
 with the implements of war as well as with those of hus- 
 bandry. Even in the temple of the God of peace the wor- 
 shipper was compelled to appear with the weapons of war. 
 
 In 1743, the inhabitants of No. 4, began to consult their 
 safety by erecting a fort. It was situate a few rods south 
 of the meeting house, in front of the late residence of Dr. 
 David Taylor. It covered about three-quarters of an acre 
 and was protected on the north by picket posts, about one 
 foot in diameter and fourteen feet high. From the house 
 of Simon Sartwell, near the meeting house, was dug a sub- 
 terranean passage, leading to Col. Abel Walker's cellar, 
 and thence to the fort. 
 
 The first depredations by the enemy on the borders of 
 New Hampshire were made early in the spring of 1746. 
 No. 4 was then, and long after, the northern frontier, and 
 of course exposed to peculiar sufferings. On the 19th of 
 April in the above named year a party of Indians appeared 
 at No. 4, burnt the saw and grist mill and captured John 
 Spafford, Isaac Parker and Stephen Farnsworth. The 
 captives were conveyed to Canada, but soon obtained their 
 freedom. 
 
 In the beginning of May the enemy returned to No. 4, 
 and on the second day, while a few people were near a 
 barn about sixty rods from the fort, eight Indians, who 
 had concealed themselves in the barn, fired upon the party 
 and killed Seth Putnam, one of the foldiers belonging to 
 the fort. Major Josiah Willard, the commander of the 
 garrison, with two soldiers, ran near to them undiscovered 
 and fired upon them, which caused them to retreat in great 
 haste. The Indians reported to the prisoners in Canada, 
 that at this time two of their number were mortally 
 wounded and died soon after. 
 
 Another contest took place on the 24th of May. Capt. 
 Paine from Massachusetts, having arrived with a troop of 
 horse, about twenty of his men went 50 or 60 rods from 
 the fort to view the place where Putnam was killed, and 
 before they discovered the enemy, they were attacked by
 
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 a large body of Indians, who immediately endeavored to 
 cut off their communication with the fort. Captain Stev- 
 ens, the commander of the garrison, came out with a body 
 of men for their relief and a severe action ensued, which 
 continued a considerable time. At last the enemy fled; 
 and, as was supposed, with considerable loss. Stevens lost 
 Aaron Lyon, Peter Perrin, Samuel Farnsworth, Joseph 
 Allen and Joseph Marcy. Obadiah Sartwell was captured 
 and four of his men were wounded. The Indians in their 
 haste left some of their guns and blankets. 
 
 In the same year, on the 19 th of June, a large body of 
 the enemy again appeared at No. 4. Capt. Stevens and 
 Capt. Brown, marching with about 50 men from the fort 
 into a meadow, discovered the enemiy in ambush, before 
 they had time to fire. Stevens began the attack, and a 
 severe action was fought. The enemy were repulsed. 
 Stevens lost none on the spot, but Jedidiah Winchell was 
 mortally wounded and died soon after. David Parker, 
 Jonathan Stanhope and Noah Heaton were wounded, but 
 recovered. "Several blankets, hatchets, spears, guns, 
 etc., were left on the ground, which were sold for forty 
 pounds old tenor. ' ' 
 
 A party of the enemy again appeared at No. 4 on the 3d 
 day of August. Suspicions of their appearance were ex- 
 cited by the barking of dogs. Scouts were sent out from 
 the fort, and had proceeded but a few rods, before they 
 were attacked and Ebenezer Phillips was killed. The resi- 
 due effected their escape to the fort. The enemy sur- 
 rounded the garrison and endeavored for three days to 
 take it, but finding their efforts ineffectual they withdrew, 
 after having burnt several buildings and killed all the cat- 
 tle, horses, etc. , within their reach. 
 
 In the summer of 1746 Capt. Ephraim Brown, from 
 Sudbury, arrived with a troop of horse to relieve Capt. 
 Josiah Brown. The Sudbury troop tarried about a month, 
 at the end of which they were relieved by a company, 
 commanded by Capt. Winchester, who defended the place
 
 till autumn, wlien the inhabitants, fatigued with watching 
 and weary of the dangers of the forest, deserted the place 
 entirely for about t\vo or three months. During this re- 
 cess the Indians and French were so ice-bound in Canada 
 that the frontiers suffered only in apprehension. In 
 March, 1747, Capt. Phinehas Stevens, who commanded a 
 ranging company of about 30 men, marched to No. 4 and 
 took possession of the fort. He found it uninjured by the 
 enemy and an old spaniel and a cat, which had been 
 domesticated before the evacuation, had guarded it safely 
 through the winter, and gave the troops a hearty welcome 
 to their tenement. 
 
 Finding the post entire. Captain Stevens determined to 
 keep possession of it. He had not been there many days 
 when he was attacked by a very large party of French and 
 Indians, commanded by M. Debeline. On the 7th of April, 
 1747, "our days being very much disturbed, gave us reason 
 to think that the enemy were about, which occasioned us 
 not to open the gate at the usual time. But one of our 
 men being very desirous to know the certainty ventured 
 out privately to set on the dogs about 9 o'clock in the 
 evening, and went about twenty rods from the fort, firing 
 off his gun and urging on the dogs. Whereupon the enemy, 
 being within a few rods, immediately arose from behind a 
 log and fired; but, through the goodness of God, the man 
 got into the fort with only a slight wound. The enemy, 
 being then discovered, arose from all their ambushments 
 and attacked us on all sides. The wind being very high 
 and everything exceedingly dry they set fire to all the old 
 fence. They also set fire to a log house about forty rods 
 distant from the fort, to the windward, so that in a few 
 minutes we were entirely surrounded by fire, all which 
 was performed with the most hideous shouting from all 
 quarters, which they continued in the most terrible man- 
 ner till the next day at 10 o'clock at night, without inter- 
 mission, in which time we had no opportunity either to eat 
 or sleep. But notwithsuindino: all their shouting and
 
 Evangelical Congregational Church 
 1905
 
 threatenings our men seemed to be not in the least daunt- 
 ed, but fought with great resohition, which undoubtedly 
 gave the enemy reason to think we had determined to 
 stand it out to the last degree, and, although they had pro- 
 vided themselves with a sort of fortification, which they 
 had determined to push before them, and so bring fuel to 
 the side of the fort in order to burn it down ; yet, instead 
 of performing what they threatened, and seemed to be 
 immediately going to undertake, they called to us and de- 
 sired a cessation of arms until sunrise the next morning, 
 which was granted; at which time they said they would 
 come to a parley. Accordingly the French General, 
 Debeline, came with about 50 or 60 of his men with a flag 
 of truce, and stuck it down within about 20 rods of the 
 fort, in plain sight of the same, and said if we would send 
 three mon to him he would send as many to us, to which 
 Vv^e complied. The General sent a French lieutenant, with 
 a French soldier, and made the following proposal, viz.: 
 If we would immediately resign the fort we should have 
 our lives, and have liberty to put on all the clothes we had 
 and also take a sufficient quantity of provisions to carry us 
 to Montreal, and bind up our provisions and blankets, lay 
 down our arms and march out of the fort; and that we 
 should be assured of using our clothes and provisions for 
 our own comfort. Upon our men's returning he desired 
 that the captain would meet him half way and give an an- 
 swer to the above proposal. He did not wait to have me 
 give him an answer, but went on in the following manner, 
 viz. : That what he had promised he was ready to per- 
 form, but upon our refusal he would immediately set the 
 fort on fire, or run over the top; for he had 700 men with 
 him; and if we made any further resistance and should 
 happen to kill one Indian, we might all expect to be put to 
 the sword. The fort, said he, I have resolved to have or 
 die. Now do what you please, for I am as easy to have 
 you fight as to give it up. I told the General that in case 
 of extremity his proposal would do; but inasmuch as I was
 
 sent here to defend this fort it would not be consistent 
 with my orders to give it up, unless I was better satisfied 
 that he was able to perform what he threatened. I fur- 
 ther told him that it was but poor encouragement to resign 
 into the hands of an enemy if, upon one of their number 
 being killed, they would put all to the sword, when it was 
 very probable that we had killed some of them already. 
 Well, said he, go into the fort and see whether your men 
 dare fight any more and give me an answer quickly, for 
 my men want to be fighting. Whereupon I went into the 
 fort and called the men together and inform.ed them what 
 the General said, and then put it to vote v/hether they 
 would fight or resign, and they voted to a man to stand it 
 out, and also declared that they would fight as long as they 
 had life rather than go v/ith them. Upon this I returned 
 the answer that we determined to fight it out, upon vv'hich 
 they gave a shout and so continued firing and shouting till 
 day light next morning, it being now about noon; but they 
 never had the courage to bring their fortification nor run 
 over the fort; but in lieu thereof they spent the night in 
 shooting their fiery arrows, which were easily put out. 
 The next morning at day light they called to us and said 
 'Good morning' and desired a cessation of arms for two 
 hours, at which time they said they would come to a par- 
 ley and perhaps make peace with you, and their desire was 
 granted; and they accordingly came with a flag of truce, 
 as before; but the proposal, which they were now about to 
 make, was so far different from the former that the Gen- 
 eral did not care to make it himself, but sent two Indians, 
 who came within about eight rods of the fort and stuck 
 down their flag and desired that I would send out two men 
 to them, which I accordingly did. Upon the men's coming 
 to them they made the following proposals: That in case 
 we would sell them provisions they would engage to go 
 and leave us and not fight any more; and then desired the 
 men to go into the fort and desire the captain to send an 
 answer. Wliereupon I sent out the following answer,
 
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 M 
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 viz. : As to selling them provision for money, it was con- 
 trary to the law of the nation, but if they would send in a 
 prisoner for every five bushels of corn I would supply 
 them; and upon the Indians returning the answer to the 
 General four or five guns were immediately fired against 
 the fort and then they withdrew, as we supposed, for we 
 heard no more of them, it being now the 10th of April, 2 
 o'clock in the afternoon. In all this time we had scarcely 
 opportunity to eat or sleep. The cessation of arms gave 
 us no great matter of rest, for we supposed they did it to 
 get an advantage against us. I believe men were never 
 known to hold out with better resolution, for they did not 
 seem to desire to sit or lie still one minute; for those who 
 were not employed in firing at the enemy were employed 
 in digging trenches under the bottom of the fort. We dug 
 no less than eleven of them so deep that a man could go 
 and stand upright in the outside and not endanger him- 
 self; so that when these trenches were finished we could 
 wet all the outside of the fort, which we did, and kept it 
 wet all night. We drew some hundreds of barrels of water, 
 and to undergo all this hard service there were but 30 men, 
 and though there were some thousands of guns shot at us 
 we had but two men slightly wounded, John Brown and 
 Joseph Ely." 
 
 An express was immediately despatched to Boston and 
 the intelligence was there received with great joy. Com. 
 Sir Charles Knov/les was so highly pleased with the con- 
 duct of Captain Stevens that he presented him with a val- 
 uable and elegant sword, as a reward for his bravery. 
 From this circumstance the town, when incorporated, re- 
 ceived the name of Charlestown. 
 
 On the 24th of August, 1747, as twelve men were pass- 
 ing down the river on their return from the fort to Massa- 
 chusetts, they were surprised and attacked by the Indians, 
 and Nathan Gould and Tliomas Goodall were killed and 
 scalped. Oliver Avery was wounded and John Henderson 
 taken. The residue escaped.
 
 On the 15th of March, 1748, while about eight men were 
 a few rods from the fort, they were attacked by about 
 twenty Indians, who endeavored to cut off their retreat to 
 the fort. A skirmish ensued, in which Charles Stevens 
 was killed, a man by the name of Androus or Anderson, 
 wounded and Eleazar Priest taken captive. 
 
 "In the month of May a scout of eighteen men under 
 Capt. Eleazar Melvin, marched from Charlestown to re- 
 connoitre the woods toward Lake Champlain, and arriving 
 opposite to Crown Point they discovered and fired upon 
 two canoes of Indians. This drew out a party from the 
 fort, who endeavored to intercept the scout on its return 
 to Connecticut river, and by a rapid march the enemy 
 gained the front, and Melvin soon crossed their trail, and 
 concluding that they would take a route toward Charles- 
 town, he resolved to strike the Connecticut at Fort Dum- 
 mer and thereby avoid the enemy. On reaching West 
 river he halted on the 25th and very imprudently permit- 
 ted his men to divert themselves in shooting salmon, then 
 passing up the shoals of the river. The enemy, unknown 
 to Melvin, were then in close pursuit on his trail, and, 
 hearing the report of the gims, pressed on to the spot and 
 gave the incautious scout a sudden fire, which threw it 
 into confusion and scattered the men in various directions. 
 A small party, however, rallying, returned and engaged 
 the enemy, but v/ere soon overpowered and compelled to 
 retreat. Melvin, with eleven, reached the fort, having 
 lost the residue, all valuable men." 
 
 In May, 1749, intelligence was received of the cessation 
 of hostilities between Great Britain and France. But the 
 end of incursions by the enemy was not yet, for in the fol- 
 lowing June, after the evacuation of the fort by the prin- 
 cipal part of the troops, Obadiah Sartwell was killed, while 
 ploughing among his corn, and the rider, Enos Stevens, 
 son of the defender of the fort, was captured and carried 
 to Canada, but he was soon released and returned. These 
 were the last depredations on the frontiers during the
 
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 Cape Breton war, and a final treaty of peace with the In- 
 dians was concluded on the following September. 
 
 Relieved in a measure from their fears of savage inva- 
 sion the inhabitants, for a season, went forth to their 
 labors with more encouraging prospects. Although their 
 knowledge of the character of their former enemies did 
 not permit them to consider the period completed, when 
 they might safely beat their swords into plough shares and 
 their spears into pruning hooks, yet were their hopes daily 
 increasing that tomorrow would be as this day, except 
 more abundant in its tokens of peace and prosperity. 
 While the continuation of peace was apparently abating 
 the resentment of the Indians, it proportionally relaxed the 
 vigilance of the men's suspicions and enabled them to 
 engage with increasing fearlessness in the duties of their 
 vocation. After the autumn of 1752 the inhabitants of 
 No. 4 made less use of the fort and ventured more boldly 
 into their fields. All indications of hostility at length dis- 
 appeared. The Indians seemed disposed to trafRck, the 
 people were quiet from fear of evil, the wilderness and 
 solitary places began to be glad and the desert to blossom. 
 But soon were these appearances exchanged for melan- 
 choly presages of a repetition of the horrors of Indian hos- 
 tilities. The commencement of the year 1754 exhibited 
 indications of a renewal of war between England and 
 France, and as the line between Canada and the English 
 colonies was a subject of contention, it may be easily sup- 
 posed that the frontiers would be exposed to peculiar dan- 
 ger. "No sooner had the alarm of hostilities, which com- 
 menced between the English and French in the western 
 part of Virginia, spread through the continent than the 
 Indians renewed their attacks on the frontiers of New 
 Hampshire." August 29, 1754, the house of Mr. James 
 Johnson was visited in the evening by a party of neigh- 
 bors, who passed the time with melons and the then usual 
 accompaniments till about midnight. The family then 
 "retired with feelings well tuned for sleep," from which
 
 they were awaked between daybreak and sunrise by a Mr. 
 Laboree, who came for the purpose of working for Mr. 
 Johnson. When Mr. Johnson opened the door the house 
 was immediately filled by a crowd of Indians, who cap- 
 tured the whole household, consisting of Mr. Johnson and 
 wife, Sylvanus, Susan and Polly Johnson, their children, 
 Miriam Willard, sister to Mrs. Johnson, and Peter Laboree 
 and Ebenezer Farnsworth. A Mr. Osmer, who lodged in 
 the chamber, escaped detection by concealing himself be- 
 hind a box. The next day after this capture Mrs. John- 
 son was delivered of a daughter, which, from the circum- 
 stances of its birth, was named Captive. The Indians 
 tarried one day for the accommodation of Mrs. Johnson 
 and on the next resumed their march, carrying her awhile 
 on a litter made for the purpose, and afterward placing 
 her on horseback. Instead of meeting the fate, which she 
 apprehended from her inability to march with convenient 
 speed, Mrs. Johnson was treated with unexpected human- 
 ity and great care was shewn in protecting and nursing 
 her infant. Scoggin, the horse, was killed during their 
 march to supply the want of provisions. Soon after their 
 arrival at Montreal a parole of two months was granted to 
 Mr. Johnson, that he might return and obtain the means 
 of redemption. By applying to the Assembly of New 
 Hampshire he obtained, after some time, one hundred and 
 fifty pounds sterling. But the season was so far 
 
 advanced and the winter so severe that he did not reach 
 Canada till spring. He was then accused of breaking his 
 parole, a great part of his money was taken from him by 
 violence, he was shut up with his family in prison, where 
 they took the small-pox. After eighteen months Mrs. 
 Johnson, her sister and two of her daughters were sent in 
 a cartel ship to England, and thence they returned to Bos- 
 ton. Mr. Johnson was detained in prison three years and 
 then, with his son, returned and met his wife in Boston, 
 where he had the singular ill fortune to be suspected of 
 designs, unfriendly to his country, and was again impris-
 
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 oned, but no evidence appearing against him he was liber- 
 ated. His eldest daughter was retained in a nunnery at 
 Canada. Previously to the liberation of Mr. Johnson's 
 family Mr. Laboree made his escape from Montreal, and, 
 after a long and tedious journey, during three days of 
 which he travelled through a swamp to avoid discovery by 
 the enemy, arrived at New York nearly at the same time 
 with the others. Mr. Farnsworth returned before. 
 
 The age of Sylvanus Johnson, at the time of his capture, 
 was six years. During his absence he had entirely for- 
 gotten the English language, but became perfect in the 
 Indian. He had learned a little of the French language, 
 having resided with the French about one year. He lived 
 with the Indians three years and his habits and feelings 
 were formed accordingly. He had accompanied them in 
 their hunting excursions and become accustomed to their 
 hardships. So strongly were the habits of his Indian mas- 
 ters fixed upon his youth that seventy-four years, passed 
 in the peaceful occupation of husbandry, were not suffi- 
 cient to eradicate them. He retained to the hour of his 
 death many, if not most of the feelings and customs in- 
 grafted on his mind by his long residence with the aborig- 
 ines. He has often expressed his regret at having been 
 ransomed, and has always maintained that the Indians 
 v/ere a far more moral race than the whites. He died at 
 Walpole in 1832, at the age of 84 years, leaving the repu- 
 tation of an honest and upright man. 
 
 On the 21st of September, 1754, the commissioners of 
 Indian affairs at Albany were informed by Charles Cook, 
 of French and Indian extraction, that, on his way from 
 Cahgnawaga thither, he had met a party of twenty-one 
 Indians, who had been fighting at Charlestown, alluding 
 doubtless, to the capture of Johnson's family. He said he 
 asked them why they had been fighting, since it was peace? 
 They answered, that was nothing; for the English at the 
 fort No. 4 had some time past poisoned two Indians; when 
 at the same time they were sitting and discoursing together
 
 and seemed to be good friends by giving them a dram at 
 night, and in the morning they were both dead. Also, 
 that the English, some time after, killed three Indians 
 below Charlestown; and because the people of New Eng- 
 land killed these five, they had taken five in their room, 
 and that they were now paid. 
 
 On the 8th of September, 1755, the inhabitants repre- 
 sented to the government of Massachusetts their distresses, 
 occasioned by their Indian enemies in killing their cattle, 
 compelling them to neglect their fields for the defence of 
 their persons, and thus inducing the danger of a loss of 
 their crops. The petition for assistance was signed by 
 Micah Fuller, Thomas Adams, Simon Sartwell, Moses 
 Wheeler, Daniel Sartv/ell, James Whiting, John Hastings, 
 Jr., John Spafford, John Hastings, Seth Putnam, Moses 
 Willard, Isaac Parker, David Farnsworth and Ebenezer 
 Putnam. 
 
 On the 18th of June, 1756, while Lieut. Moses Willard 
 was endeavoring to extinguish the fire, which had been 
 kindled in his fence, he was attacked by the Indians and 
 killed behind the barn of the late Capt. John Willard, and 
 near the academy. At the same time his son Moses was 
 wounded in the hip by a spear, which is said to have re- 
 mained in the wound till after his retreat into the fort. It 
 is further said that a Mr. Preserved Clap carried the same 
 spear into the revolutionary war. Mr. Willard died Aug. 
 17, 1832, aged 84 years. 
 
 Early in the spring of 1757 a regiment, under Lieut. 
 Col. Goffe, was ordered by Gen. Webb to repair to No. 4, 
 but previously to their arrival the place v/as visited by a 
 party of French and Indians, in number about 70. About 
 a mile from the village, and near Spafford's mills, where 
 Mr- Hall's now stand, they captured, on the 20th of April, 
 Deacon Thomas Adams, while on his way to the opposite 
 hill for the purpose of making sugar. They tied him to a 
 tree, and on their way to the village took Mr. David 
 Farnsworth. They burned the mills, being a saw and a
 
 grist mill, and captured Sampson Colefax, the miller. 
 They then went to Claremont, as far as Sugar river, and 
 there took Thomas Robbins and Asa Spafford, while on a 
 hunting excursion, both belonging to Charlestown. They 
 then returned to Charlestown and fired upon 15 or 20 men 
 behind Capt. Willard's barn. Farnsworth found means to 
 effect his escape from Canada and returned home. The 
 others were exchanged on the November following their 
 capture and on their return toward home, by way of Great 
 Britain, all died of the small-pox at Quebec. 
 
 In August, 1758, a party of Indians appeared at Charles- 
 town, killed Asahel Stebbins, made prisoner of his wife 
 and Isaac Parker and killed many cattle feeding in the 
 adjacent woods. Mention is somewhere made of the cap- 
 ture of a Mrs. Robbins and David Hill at the same period. 
 
 The last captives made by the Indians at Charlestown 
 were Mr. Joseph Willard, his wife and five children. They 
 were taken on the 7th of June, 1760, in the lower meadow, 
 about two miles from the village. On their way to Canada 
 the infant was lost in a manner known to the Indians only 
 and another of the children died at Crown Point, while the 
 family were on their return to Charlestown. 
 
 It is the testimony of Mrs. Johnson, yea, the universal 
 testimony of the captives, that no instances occurred of 
 v/anton cruelty by the Indians, but that on the contrary, 
 they manifested a disposition to alleviate their sufferings. 
 When feeble they assisted them in travelling, and in cases 
 of distress from want of provisions they shared with them 
 an equal proportion. 
 
 We here leave the political history of the place for trans- 
 actions more particularly local. At a great and General 
 Court, held in Boston, the 24th day of November, 1736, 
 Thomas Wells, Esq., of Deerfield, was empowered to as- 
 semble the Grantees of No. 4, to choose a moderator, a 
 proprietor's clerk and a committee to allot and divide their 
 lands. 
 
 The township was granted to sixty proprietors on condi-
 
 tion that each should build a dwelling house, of at least 
 eighteen feet square, and seven feet between joints, on 
 their respective house lots, and fence in and break up, or 
 clear and stock with grass five acres of land within three 
 years next after their admittance, and cause their respec- 
 tive lots to be inhabited; and that the grantees do, within 
 the space of three years after their admittance, build and 
 finish a convenient meeting house for the public worship 
 of God and settle a learned and orthodox minister. 
 
 The first meeting of the proprietors was on the fifth day 
 of April, 1737, when a committee was appointed to lay out 
 63 lots, sixty for the proprietors, two for the ministry, one 
 of which was to be for the first settled minister, and one 
 for schools. 
 
 The first corn mill and saw mill, erected at No. 4, were 
 completed in August, 1744; and their completion, as it is 
 said, was then deemed an event of suflficient novelty and 
 importance to be celebrated by music and dancing. 
 
 In 1751, ninety pounds, old tenor, was voted at a town 
 meeting for the encouragement of a blacksmith to settle 
 in No. 4. 
 
 On the 2d of July, 1753, the proprietors obtained a char- 
 ter from Benning Wentworth, Governor of the province of 
 New Hampshire, granting them a tract of land containing 
 six square miles, with all the privileges and appurtenances, 
 upon condition "that every grantee, his heirs and assigns, 
 shall plant and cultivate five acres of land within the term 
 of five years for ever}'^ fifty acres of land contained in his, 
 or their share, and continue to improve and settle the same 
 by additional cultivation, on penalty of the forfeiture of 
 his grant or share in said township, and its reverting to 
 his Majesty, his heirs and successors, to be by him or them 
 regranted to such of his Majesty's subjects as shall effect- 
 ually settle and cultivate the same." A resei'vation here 
 follows of all white, and other pine trees, fit for masting 
 the Royal navy, v/ith the requisition from every proprietor 
 of an annual rent of one ear of Indian corn during the ten
 
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 succeeding years, and afterward one shilling proclamation 
 money, for every hundred acres. 
 
 The first meeting for the choice of town officers and for 
 the transaction of other business was holden on the second 
 Tuesday in August, 1753. The time was appointed by the 
 government, who appointed also Phinehas Stevens, Esq. , 
 as moderator. The first town clerk was John Hastings, 
 and the first selectmen were Phinehas Stevens, John 
 Hastings and John Spafford. In the warrant calling the 
 meeting is the article, "to see whether the town will 
 adopt measures to provide some convenient place for pub- 
 lic worship for the ensuing winter. ' ' At the meeting no 
 attention appears to have been paid to this article, but at 
 a town meeting in April, 1754, the inhabitants voted to 
 repair the great chamber for a place of worship and £2 
 13s. 4d. were voted for the repairs. 
 
 On the 13th of May, 1754, a vote was obtained for the 
 settlement of Mr. John Dennis, in the work of the minis- 
 try, and for his encouragement to settle the town voted to 
 pay him annually fifty pounds lawful money, to be equal 
 to silver at six shillings and eight pence per ounce; and 
 also to provide for him a sufficiency of fire wood, brought 
 to his house, and cut cord wood length. At the request of 
 Mr. Dennis they afterward, previously to his ordination, 
 made an addition of three pounds, six shillings and eight 
 pence. On the 4th of December a small church was 
 formed, and on the same day Mr. Dennis was ordained. 
 So great were the apprehensions of the people of hostile 
 invasion by the Indians that the ordination was at North- 
 field, at the distance of forty miles. In about six months 
 difficulties arose in consequence of the imprudent, if no 
 v/orse, conduct of Mr. Dennis; but the people, under the 
 influence of that charity, which is ready to provide a suita- 
 ble covering for faults, "consented to a reconciliation and 
 agreed to estabiisli the Rev. John Dennis in the ministry, 
 and to fulfil their contract, provided he does agreeably to 
 v^hat he has professed and declared in writing to the com-
 
 munity; that he has entirely dropped, and will drop, his 
 addresses and suit to Eunice Farnsworth; and shall not 
 for the future give the town occasion to fault him for fal- 
 lacy and prevarication." But it is the misfortune of most 
 disorders of his character to gather strength from the 
 means adopted for their remedy. In the present instance 
 the difficulties were healed so slightly that they soon made 
 their appearance in an aggravated form. On the 31st of 
 March, 1758, a council was convened at Deerfield, when 
 the pastoral connexion between Mr. Dennis and his flock 
 was dissolved. The pastors convened for this pur}:)Ose 
 were those of Keene and Swanzey, Sunderland, Hatfield, 
 Deerfield and Northfleld. Mr. Dennis had previously to 
 his settlement at Charlestown served as chaplain to several 
 garrisons at the eastward- He was thus occupied ten or 
 eleven years. He was a native of Ipswich, Massachusetts, 
 and died 2 September, 1773, having nearly completed his 
 G5th year. 
 
 The vote for building the first meeting house in Charles- 
 town was passed August 11th, 1780. The town then voted 
 to build a log house for public worship, of the following 
 dimensions, viz: 34 feet long, twenty wide and eight be- 
 tween joints; and to place it on meeting house hill. They 
 voted also twenty pounds lawful money to be levied on tlie 
 inhabitants for building the house, provided so much 
 should be needed. A committee was appointed to see to 
 and forv/ard the building, with directions that it shoLdd be 
 completed by the last day of the next September. On the 
 17th of the following October the town voted to raise the 
 farther sum of ten pounds lawful money, for th3 purpose 
 of ''finishing the house so far, as to build seats, glaze the 
 house, finish the pulpit so far ai needful, make windov/ 
 shutters and calk the said house." 
 
 On the 14th of the following November the town vote I 
 to invite Mr. Bulkley Olcoti to settle with them a:^ their 
 mini.iter; to give him the whole of tlie right of land, com- 
 monly called the minister's riglit, and to give him also the
 
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 sum of one hundred pounds, lawful money, of the province 
 of Massachusetts Bay. In February, 1761, they voted to 
 give Mr. Olcott forty-five pounds sterling, or silver, or gold 
 equivalent thereto, the first year; and to make an annual 
 addition of thirty shillings, till his salary should amount to 
 60 pounds sterling, or silver or gold equivalent, to pay half 
 the salary at the end of six months after his ordination 
 and the other half at the close of the year, to proceed in 
 this way during his ministry among them. 
 
 To these last mentioned proposals Mr. Olcott acceded 
 and was ordained May 28, 1761. He is represented as 
 respectable in talents, acceptable as a preacher and pecu- 
 liarly affable and useful in his visits from house to house. 
 "During the whole of his ministry his solicitude for the 
 happiness of his parishioners was conspicuous in the bene- 
 fits which he conferred, and in the attachment with which 
 they were requited. As a divine, he was pathetic, devout 
 and instructive, and may with propriety be said to have 
 
 'Allur'd to brighter worlds, and lead the way.' " 
 
 He continued in the ministry at Charlestown till June 
 26th, 1793, when he was removed by death. 
 
 It appears that another church was organized under the 
 ministry of Mr. Olcott, consisting of the pastor, Isaac 
 Parker, Seth Walker, Seth Putnam, Stephen Farnsworth, 
 EbenGzer Putnam, Thomas Putnam, Joel Matthews, Wil- 
 liam Heywood and John Spafford. 
 
 On the 29th of May, 1796, the church met for the first 
 time after the death of their pastor, and chose Deacon 
 Thomas Putnam as the standing moderator of the church, 
 and Dr. Samuel Crosby as clerk. 
 
 Daring the period of 17 years after the death of Mr. 
 Olcott the parish was destitute of regular ministrations. 
 For a considerable portion of that period they were vari- 
 ously supplied, but principally by the Rev. Dan Foster, 
 v/ho, after a temporary settlement in Connecticut, and 
 afterward in Vermont, fixed his residence in Cliarle^town,
 
 where he died in March, 1809. 
 
 The present incumbent was ordained on the 17th of Oc- 
 tober, 1810. In the north parish no minister has ever been 
 settled, nor a church organized. 
 
 When the restoration of peace had quieted the fears of 
 the people they began their preparations, in 1763, for the 
 erection of a building fifty-two feet long, forty-tv/o wide, 
 and twenty-five between posts. For this purpose they 
 raised the sum of sixty pounds. Of the progress of the 
 Vv'ork for more than two years and an half from its com- 
 mencement, we have merely the information, that a prep- 
 aration of materials, and the selection of a site for the 
 building, were the only results of their exertions. In 
 August, 1765, some unexpected occurrences— probably de- 
 ficiences in means— so weakened the hands of the builders 
 that the work ceased till October, 1767. At this period 
 they resumed the work and again obtained a vote to raise 
 the sum of sixty pounds. In December of the same year 
 a committee was appointed to superintend the erection and 
 covering of the frame. By gradual progression it became 
 a place of worship in 1768. Thirty and five years was this 
 temple in building; for accessions and renovations con- 
 tinued till 1793, v/hen it received its last repairs and last 
 additions. 
 
 The first vote found in the town records, respecting 
 schools, was passed in August, 1763, when it was voted 
 that there shall be a school kept in tovv'n for the future, 
 and that it shall be kept in different parts of the town in 
 proportion to what each part shall pay toward said school. 
 
 In 1763 the small-pox made its appearance in the main 
 fort, of which six or soven died; brought in by some of 
 the British soldiers. 
 
 In May, 1768, Capt. Simon [?] Stevens was chosen a 
 representative to represent the town in the General Assem- 
 bly, at Portsmouth; the fi.rst representative of Charles- 
 town. 
 
 In May, 1770. a vote was passed by tiie town that the
 
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 burying yard should be cleared, and fenced with a good 
 and sufficient board fence, and that a burying cloth should 
 be purchased for the use of the town. 
 
 In March, 1770, the town voted to raise, and assess on 
 the inhabitants, twenty-seven pounds for the benefit of 
 schools. At the same time it was voted that the town 
 should be divided into three districts, and that each dis- 
 trict should draw out an equal proportion, according to 
 their other assessment, to be converted to the use afore- 
 said; that they should otherwise forfeit their proportion, 
 or such part thereof, as shall not be appropriated to the 
 use aforesaid, to the use of such district, as shall convert 
 the same to the use aforesaid. 
 
 On the 19th of March, 1771, the province of New Hamp- 
 shire was divided into five counties, when Charlestown 
 became a half shire. The Superior Court, however, did 
 not hold their sessions here till a considerable time after. 
 
 In August, 1771, John Hastings, Jr., was chosen grand 
 juror, to serve at his Majesty's Superior Court, to be hold- 
 en at Keene on the third Tuesday of the following Septem- 
 ber; and at an adjourned meeting a few days after, "a 
 box being prepared according to law," Lieut. Samuel 
 Hunt was drawn to serve as petit juror at the same court. 
 Capt. Sylvanus Hastings was the first grand juror for the 
 Court of General Sessions, and Seth Walker, Jr., the first 
 petit juror. 
 
 On the 24th of October, 1774, Lieut. Samuel Hunt and 
 Elijah Grout were chosen as a committee to join with oth- 
 er committees from the several towns in the county, who 
 were to assemble at the house of Capt. John Bellows in 
 Walpole. It is recorded that the committee from Charles- 
 town were furnished with instructions; but of their nature 
 or the object of the meeting at Walpole, no information is 
 given. 
 
 On the 19th of January, 1775, Mr. Elijah Grout was 
 chosen to represent Charlestown, at Exeter, on the 25th 
 of the month, to choose delegates to send to the general
 
 Congress, to be holden at Philadelphia the next May. 
 
 In August, 1775, Samuel Hunt, Wm. Heywood, Abel 
 Walker, Samuel Stevens, Esq., and Elijah Grant were 
 appointed a committee of safety for the town of Charles- 
 town. 
 
 In June, 1770, Samuel Wetherbe, Jotham White and 
 Eb3nezer Earns worth were appointed a committee for 
 preparing a place to receive persons infected with the 
 small-pox, or v/ho should accidentally take it. 
 
 On the 6th of February, 1778, it was voted that the rep- 
 resentative of this town be instructed to assent to all the 
 articles of confederation, as proposed by Congress, except 
 the 8th article, relative to which he is instructed to use his 
 endeavor to procure such alleviation, as that the charges 
 and expenses may be defrayed in the United States, and 
 be proportioned on all estates, real or personal, as has been 
 usually practised in this State; and that this town instruct 
 their representative at the next session to use his endeavor 
 to appoint and call a full and free representation of all the 
 people in this State, to meet in Convention at such time 
 and place, as they may appoint, for the sole purpose of 
 framing and laying a permanent plan, or system, for the 
 future government of this State. 
 
 In May, 1778, Col. Samuel Hunt was chosen to represent 
 Charlestown, at a convention to be holden at Concord on 
 the 10th of the following June. At the same time it was 
 voted, that 200 pounds be raised to defray the expenses of 
 those families, whose heads were engaged in the conti- 
 nental army. 
 
 On the 8th of December, 1778, Capt. Samuel Wetherbe 
 was chosen to represent Charlestown at a convention to be 
 holden at Cornish, on the 2d Wednesday of the m.onth. 
 The object of this convention was the adjustment of diffi- 
 culties, which had arisen between Vermont and the towns 
 admitted into their confederation on the eastern side of 
 Connecticut river. In Jane, 1778, sixteen towns in New 
 Hampshire, representing "that they were not connected
 
 with any State, with respect to their internal police," re- 
 quested to be received in union with the State of Vermont. 
 After much deliberation and hesitancy the Assembly of 
 Vermont granted their petition; and further resolved, that 
 any other towns on the east side of the Connecticut river, 
 might be admitted into the union by a vote of a majority 
 of the inhabitants, or by sending a representative- In the 
 Assembly of Vermont, convened at Windsor, a question 
 arose, "whether the towns on the east side of Connecticut 
 river, which had been admitted into union with Vermont, 
 should be formed into a county by themselves;" and the 
 vote passed in the negative. The members from these 
 towns then withdrew from the Assembly, and were fol- 
 lowed by fifteen of the representatives from some of the 
 towns in Vermont, adjoining the river, with the deputy 
 governor and two assistants. The members, who had 
 withdrawn themselves from the Assembly, formed into a 
 convention, and gave an invitation to the towns on both 
 sides of Connecticut river, to unite, and to meet with them 
 in convention at Cornish, N. H. , Dec. 9, 1778. The people 
 on both sides of Connecticut river wished to form a gov- 
 ernment, the centre and seat of which should be upon the 
 river. 
 
 On the 9th of March, 1779, Josiah Hunt was drawn as 
 juryman to serve at the Court to be holden at Charlestown 
 the next April. At the same time, Capt. Samuel Wetherbe 
 was chosen to serve as grand juror at the Court of General 
 Sessions of the peace, first to be holden at Charlestown on 
 the first Thursday following the second Tuesday in April 
 next. At the same time, Messrs. Elijah Grout and Simeon 
 Olcott, were appointed a committee to give instructions to 
 their representative respecting the grants on the west side 
 of Connecticut river. 
 
 On the 16th of August, 1779, Elijah Grant, Samuel 
 V/etherbe, Peter Laboree, Constant Hart and Bradstreet 
 Spaiford were appointed a committee to hire and pay five 
 men, called for out of the town, to enter the service, and
 
 pay them their respective bounties. 
 
 Sept. 13, 1779, Col. Samuel Hunt was chosen to repre- 
 sent Charlestown, agreeably to the request of the select- 
 men of Portsmouth, at a convention to be holden at Con- 
 cord the 22d of the month. 
 
 On the 7th of December, 1779, the town voted to pay 
 Constant Hart the sum of sixty pounds for going to New- 
 bury, in Coos, to engage, and pay the bounties of several 
 continental soldiers, who enlisted during the war for said 
 Charlestown; also, to pay said Hart eighteen pounds for 
 keeping a continental woman, while sick, and for trans- 
 porting said woman to Walpole. 
 
 On the 13th of November, 1780, Col. Samuel Hunt and 
 Dr. William Page v/ere chosen to join a convention of com- 
 mittees from the several towns in this county, to be holden 
 at Walpole on the 15th of the month. 
 
 On the 8th of December, 1780, Col. Samuel Hunt, Dr. 
 William Page and Capt. Samuel Wetherbe were appointed 
 to represent Charlestov/n, in a convention there to be 
 holden on the third Tuesday of the next January. 
 
 The convention was holden at Charlestown on the day 
 appointed, and was attended by delegates from 43 towns. 
 A majority voted in favor of uniting with the State of 
 Vermont. 
 
 On the IGth of the follov/ing April, the town voted, 
 "that, wliereas this tov/n has, since the commencement of 
 the present year, been at sundry times called upon for 
 beef, money, etc., by the State of New Hampshire, they 
 v/ill not pay to the said State any of the articles above 
 mentioned." 
 
 On the 3d of the following May, upwards of forty of the 
 inhabitants of Charlestown took the freeman's oath, re- 
 quired by the State of Vermont. 
 
 On the 8th of August, 17S2, the inhabitants of Charles- 
 town agreed to comply with the demand, made by an act 
 of the General Assembly for 1781, and which, on the IGth 
 of April, 1781, they had peremptorily refuse;! to ansv/er.
 
 * 'The continental Congress having proposed and recom- 
 mended such an alteration in the 8th article of the confed- 
 eration, as to make the population of the several States, 
 instead of the value of the granted land therein, the rule 
 for the apportionment of national taxes," the town voted, 
 on the 2d of September, 1783, that they would not make 
 the proposed alteration in the 8th article of the confedera- 
 tion. On the same day they voted, that the Chief Magis- 
 trate of this State have the title of President. 
 
 On the 29th of January, 1788, the town chose Benjamin 
 West, Esq. , to represent Charlestown, in a convention to 
 be holden at Exeter, on the second Tuesday of the following 
 February, for the investigation of matters, relative to the 
 Federal Constitution. 
 
 Since the above mentioned period, Charlestown has 
 "kept the even tenor of its way, " and furnished no inci- 
 dents worthy of particular mention. With respect to that 
 quiet and peaceable life, which passes without observation, 
 the inhabitants of the place have been rather a peculiar 
 people; an honorable, though unhonored distinction. 
 Charlestown is not distinguished as a place of business, 
 having very few of the privileges, necessary to the manu- 
 facturer; and is regarded as less favorable for the acquisi- 
 tion of property, than pleasant for expending it. The 
 salubrity of the place may be inferred from the fact, that 
 during the twenty-four last years, the annual number of 
 deaths in the south parish, containing between ten and 
 eleven hundred inhabitants, has been fourteen only; and 
 from the further circumstance, that an uncommon number 
 of the deceased arrived at a good old ago. Of those who 
 died in this period, the ages of sixty-four, (the youngest 
 of them being seventy) , make an average of seventy-nine 
 years for each. Of the sixty-four, two died at the age of 
 90 years, one 93, and one 97. The oldest person, now liv- 
 ing in Charlestown, is a Mr. Carpenter, aged 95. The 
 oldest native of Charlestown, now living in the place, is 
 the widow of the Hon. John Hubbard, and daugliter of
 
 Capt. Stevens, the bravo defender of the fort. She was 
 born in the fort in 1750. 
 
 Of the public characters furnislied by Charlestov/n, we 
 can make but a cursory mention. The Hon. John Hub- 
 bard was many years county treasurer; was appointed 
 judge of probate for tlie county of Cheshire, IG July, 1789, 
 and continued in ofTico until the close of 1797. He died in 
 1806, at the age of 54 years. 
 
 Hon. Samuel Stevens, son of Capt. Phinehas Stevens, 
 was often the representative from Charlestown; was six 
 years one of the counsellors of the State, and many years 
 register of probate, in which office he continued till his 
 death, at the age of 88 years. He died 17 November, 1823. 
 "By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted." 
 
 Col. Samuel Hunt, an active military officer in the 
 French and revolutionary wars, was settled in Charles- 
 town in 1759, and was appointed the first sheriff of the 
 county, under the new constitution, in 1784, and filled the 
 office till his death in 1799. 
 
 Hon. Simeon Olcott, a native of Bolton, Connecticut, 
 was graduated at Yale College in 1761; commenced the 
 practice of law in Charlestown; was appointed chief jus- 
 tice of the court of common pleas, in 1784; associate jus- 
 tice of the superior court in 1790; chief justice in 1795, and 
 senator in Cong^-ess in 1801. In his intercourse with 
 society he was distinguished by that charity, which think- 
 eth no evil, and does good, as it has opportunity; and in 
 the character of judge, he manifested less regard for the 
 letter of the lavv' than for the spirit of equity. He died in 
 1315, aged 79. 
 
 Hon. Benjamin West, v/as graduated at Harvard Col- 
 lege in 17G3; settled in Charlestown in the practice of law; 
 was a member of the convention for accepting the Consti- 
 tution of the United States; was elected member of con- 
 gress, but declined the office; v/as an elector of President 
 and Vice President of the United States; and a member of 
 the Hartford Conventian. "At the b.^.r he was among the
 
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 first of his profession. His application, learning and integ- 
 rity gave him great and merited influence." He died in 
 1817, aged 71. 
 
 Among the distinguished features of the village, are its 
 neatness, its long and pleasant street, shaded by a row of 
 elms on one side and a row of maples on the other; and its 
 regularly located, well proportioned, though not splendid, 
 buildings. But the building, worthy of special observa- 
 tion, is the church, erected in 1820, at the expense of seven 
 thousand and five hundred dollars. Its materials are brick, 
 and its dimensions, 70 feet in length, 60 in breadth and 32 
 between joints. It contains an elegant and excellent 
 organ, purchased in 1829, at the expense of about 1200 
 dollars. It occupies a conspicuous place precisely in the 
 centre of the village. "Of the order of architecture, to 
 which it belongs, we cannot speak with any confidence, as 
 its founders, with a fearlessness and independence, pecu- 
 liar to New England, paid no deference to the ideas of 
 elegance, entertained either by their contemporaries or 
 predecessors, but fashioned it according to their own taste; 
 and satisfied with the result of their labors, they did not 
 trouble themselves with the invention of a name, justly 
 thinking, that, to the uninitiated, it was a matter of no 
 consequence; and that to all, acquainted with the myster- 
 ies of architecture, the work would speak for itself." 
 
 A few rods north of the meeting house, on the opposite 
 side of the street, is the bank, a neat, well proportioned 
 building of brick, erected in 1824. The capital is a hun- 
 dred thousand dollars. 
 
 Opposite to the bank, on a lane, leading eastward from 
 the main street, stands the deserted court house; deserted, 
 it having been considered expedient, in 1827, that "the 
 place of judgment" should thenceforward be at Newport. 
 On the opposite side of the main street, and not far distant 
 from the court house, stands its natural accompaniment, 
 the jnil, rapidly hastening to dissolution. It is to receive 
 no repairs, since a receptacle of a similar character is
 
 probably to be erected in a more suitable meridian. 
 
 About a mile and a half from the village, there is in 
 erection across the Connecticut, a bridge between Charles- 
 town and Springfield, Vt., of "an elegant structure, sup- 
 ported by two piers of granite, with abutments of the 
 same material. The piers are about forty-two feet high, 
 the floor of the bridge being about thirty-two feet from 
 low water mark. The piers are sixty-two feet long at the 
 bottom, and sixteen wide. On the up-stream side of each 
 pier, and united with it, is an inclined plane of granite, 
 and capped with oak timber, bolted to the stone work, to 
 receive and break the ice, and other obstructions, which 
 may float against them. The base of the inclined plane is 
 about 25 feet. The piers are secured by iron bolts and 
 bars, running from the down corners angularly to the 
 centre. The superstructure is 506 feet long and 25 wide, 
 and is built upon the plan of Ithiel Downes' patent. It is 
 supported upon the piers at distances of 168 feet from the 
 centre of each pier. The support of the superstructure is 
 by two continued trellises 15 feet high, one on each side, 
 and extending through the whole length of the bridge. 
 These trellises are composed entirely of sawed plank three 
 inches thick, and twelve inches wide, placed diagonally in 
 the form of lattice work, having two string pieces on each 
 side at top and bottom, the whole being secured together 
 at each intersection by four two-inch treenails, and with- 
 out the aid of iron work of any description, and without 
 mortice or tenon, or any cutting of the plank other than 
 by the auger. The trellises are closely boarded on the out- 
 side, and the whole is covered with a handsome shingled 
 roof, resting on the top string pieces. The bridge is to be 
 lighted in the day by six dead lights in the sides, and six 
 glazed sky-lights in the roof; and in the night by largo 
 lamps, suspended from the centre of the beam over head." 
 
 The contractors for erecting the bridge, are Mr. Isaac 
 Damons and Mr. Lyman Kingsley of Northampton, Mass. ; 
 to the former of v/hom we are indebted for the above de-
 
 scription of the bridge. The stone work is under the 
 superintendence of Mr. Isaac Silsby of Charlestown. It is 
 estimated that the expense of the bridge will be twelve 
 thousand dollars. 
 
 About a mile from the village, and on the spot where 
 Spafford's mills were burned in 1746, and again in 1757, 
 and where recently stood the mills, erected in 1804 by 
 Oliver Hall, Esq., there is now in erection by his son, Mr. 
 Horace Hall, a grist mill of a superior structure, and of 
 durable materials. The edifice is a square, the breadth of 
 its sides 40 feet, and its height on the west end is 80 feet. 
 The materials of the front and corners are granite and the 
 residue of stone from the neighboring hills. The whole 
 edifice is founded on a rock, and during the preparations 
 for the foundation, were discovered among the rubbish, 
 fragments of the mills burnt by the Indians. The diame- 
 ter of the waterwheel is 28 feet; and its weight about six 
 tons. The extent of the fall is between 40 and 50 feet, 
 and the borders on the stream beneath are beautifully 
 variegated by trees and shrubs; the whole in the direction 
 of the stream exhibiting a peculiariy romantic appearance. 
 In the village of Charlestown are two libraries, one con- 
 sisting of about 400 volumes and the other of 480. 
 
 Of the religious character of Chariestown, it is reported 
 to have been said by way of reproach, that they cared too 
 little for religion even to quarrel about it. That they care 
 too little; that they manifest far less, than the desirable 
 interest in the subject, it would be presumptuous to deny; 
 but that they are, in such deficiencies, a peculiar people, it 
 would be equally presumptuous to suppose. We cannot 
 but hope, that no inconsiderable portion in their apparent 
 failure in the comparison, sometimes made, arises from 
 their impression, that religion was designed for salutary 
 effect rather than for display; that it is its chief purpose 
 to make and preserve the heart right with God, and not to 
 secure the observation of man; that its best display is the 
 work of righteousness. We have adverted to the general
 
 disposition of the people to lead quiet and peaceable lives; 
 but whether they do it in godliness and honesty, must be 
 determined before a tribunal, at which neither they, nor 
 their accusers, are to preside. 
 Charlestown, October, 1833.
 
 EXPLANATORY 
 
 The cut of the South Parish Church completed in 1798 
 shows the Walker house, Church, Darrah Tavern, Sylves- 
 ter's Store, and glimpses of the Eagle Hotel and Jail. This 
 cut, also the one showing the Church and Darrah Tavern 
 which were burned in 1842 were made from old drawings. 
 
 The cuts of village homes and streets were used through 
 the courtesy of the Advocate Press of Claremont, N. H. 
 The house owned by Miss Clapp is the old Gov. Hubbard 
 mansion; that owned by A. T. Morse, as a summer home, 
 is the old Benj. West place, later owned by Geo. Olcott; 
 that of Mrs. W. H. Labaree is on the site of the old Fort. 
 The Memorial Boulder and Tablet marking this spot was 
 placed in August, 1904 on the 150th. anniversary of the cap- 
 ture of the Johnson family. 
 
 The historic Eagle Hotel was burned in December, 1904. 
 
 The original Johnson house forms a part of that now oc- 
 cupied by John Fish. 
 
 The Evans House, which for a time was the home of Miss 
 Pratt's School for Girls, was burned in 1891.
 
 \
 
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