ii 
 
 M 
 
 .tVl/Z/vf 
 
 M[N AND THINGS OF MR. 
 
 SKETCHES FROM THE HlSTORy OF 
 AN OLD NEW HAMPSHIRE TOWN. 
 
 EXETER^: /- ^ 
 
 ONK Ul'NDHKD COI'IKS, 
 
 I'lUNTion Ai iiiK M:ws-i,i;rn;it i'kkss. 
 
A^ t^ 
 
NOTE. 
 
 This fragment is made up ol" a series 
 of hastily written articles which appear- 
 ed in the t-olumns of the Exeter News- 
 Letter, in 1871. A few copies were 
 printed in this form for presentation to 
 the writer's friends. 
 
 The sketches make no pretensions to 
 any merit except truthfulness and accu- 
 racy, and are merely materials towards 
 the complete history of Exeter, which it 
 is hoped may make its appearance be- 
 fore the present generation passes off 
 the stage. 
 
MEN AND THINtiS OF EXETER. 
 
 INTKOUUCTOKV AMJ OUTLINKAH. 
 
 The earliest peniianent settlement of / ~> 
 
 New Hampshire', by Europeans, was 
 made at Little Harbor, now within the 
 limits of Rye, and at Dover Point, in 
 lt)23. How soon afterwards the more ad- 
 venturous of tlie "fishermen and traders" 
 who constituted the early population 
 there, explored the river as far upward 
 as the falls of Squaniscrott. we have no 
 record. There is a distinct tradition, 
 liowever, that there were residents in 
 Exeter before the arrival of Wheelwright 
 and his followers from Massachusetts in 
 1638. Whether they were occupying un- 
 der the deed of the Indian sagamores of 
 16119 to Wheelwright, or whether the alleg- 
 ed deed of that date is spurious, are 
 questions which need not be discussed 
 here. 
 
 Rev. John Wheelwright, a friend and 
 fellow collegian of Oliver Cromwell, who 
 had been vicarof Bilsby in Lincolnshire, 
 
England, brought bis lauiily to this 
 country in 1636, landing in Boston. The 
 next year he was banished from the col- 
 ony of Massac-husetts, on account of al- 
 leged "antinoinian and faniilistic" reli- 
 gious opinions ; and in the spiinj; of 1638 
 established himself, with several persons 
 who were driven from Massachusetts for 
 the same cause, with a number of liis 
 former friends and parishioners f)om 
 England, and with others of whom wh 
 have no definite previous knowledge, at 
 the falls of Squamscott ; to which he 
 gave the name of Exeter. 
 
 Mr. VVheelwrighl at once gatJicred a 
 church here, and became its miulsler. 
 He also drew up a form of civil govern- 
 ment, which was essential for the peace 
 and good oi'der of the infant settlement, 
 as the laws of Massachusetts were not in 
 force here, and New Hampshire had as 
 yet no laws. The instrument drawn by 
 Wheelwright was styled a"combination," 
 and was signed Ijy the heads of families, 
 and inhabitants. It was modified after 
 a time, and re-adopted in its primarj- 
 form in 1640, as appears by the original 
 histrument of that date, in the handwrit- 
 ing of Wheelwright, and signed by him 
 and thirty-four others, now preserved in 
 the Town Clerk's oflice. 
 
 Wheelwright's church, winch was of 
 course a primitive structure and of small 
 dimensions, was situated on the hill 
 North of the house of Richard Bliss, Esq. 
 and near the brick and tile manufactory 
 ofWiggin and Dolloff. It was the fash- 
 ion of that day to make a burial ground 
 of the yard which surrounded the 
 church ; and for many \'ears it has been 
 common to tind the bones of the early 
 
settlers of Exeter in the clay excavateil 
 for the mauufactorj'. Wheelwright's 
 house is located by tradition, a little 
 southwest of the church ; in the tield in 
 rear of the liouse occupied by the Miss 
 Kowlands. The first minister of Exeter 
 remained here but about four years, 
 when, upon the extension of the juris- 
 diction of Massat-liusetts over the settle- 
 ments of New Hampshire, he removed 
 with aome of liis warmest supporters, to 
 Wells in Maine. 
 
 The people of New Hampshire remain- 
 ed under the government of Massachu- 
 setts until m^O. During that period, Ex- 
 eter was a place of little political impor- 
 tance, not being orxte represented in the 
 "great and general court," as were Do- 
 ver, Portsmouth and Hampton nearly 
 every year. Yet the material interests of 
 the people were steadily on the increase 
 here, and there were valuable accessions 
 to the population. When John Cuttwas 
 appointed the tirst governor of the prov- 
 ince, Exeter furnished liiin one of his 
 ablest councillors, in the person of John 
 Ci'ilman. 
 
 Then came the eventful period of tli'e 
 Indian hostilities, in which Exeter, be- 
 ing on the frontier, was for a series of 
 years greatly exposed to the incursions 
 of the savages. Many of her citizens lost 
 their lives, and others were carried into 
 captivity, during this trying period of 
 her iiistory. 
 
 Exeter partook largely of the popular 
 indignation that was aroused in the prov- 
 ince by the tyrannical conduct of Gov. 
 Cran tield ; and, at a later date, was the 
 scene of a rather serious outbreak against 
 the crown officials, for attempting with a 
 
high hand to enforce the laws against 
 persons cliarged with trespassing upon 
 tlie forest pines marked for masts for his 
 majesty's navy. 
 
 The earlier lialf of the elghteentli cen- 
 tury was a severe test of the pluck and 
 endurance of the inhabitants of New 
 Hampshire. We learn that the winters 
 were often of unusual lengtli and severi- 
 ty. The laljors of the husbandmen met 
 with but scanty returns, and the domes- 
 tic animals were terribly reduced in 
 numbers by the extreme cold and the 
 want of food. Exeter must have suffer- 
 ed greatly, in these years ; though, as 
 the business of her people wasnotexclu- 
 sively agricultural, she probably escaped 
 ' with less injury than some of the neigh- 
 boring towns. 
 
 After the extension of the settlements 
 of New Hampshire, which followed the 
 close of the French war, there was a time 
 of greater i)rosperity. Exeter, during 
 the administration of the last royal gov- 
 ernor, was a thriving and important 
 town. Gov. Went worth, who was fond 
 of parade, encouraged the formation of a 
 batallion of cadets here, officered by the 
 leading citizens, and armed and uni- 
 formed in the liandsomest style, accord- 
 ing to the governor's taste. Some of his 
 Excellency's vvarmest and most trusted 
 friends were residents here. 
 
 But when the first mutterings of the 
 storm that led to revolution and inde- 
 pendence were heard, the men of Exeter 
 ranged tin mselves at once on the side of 
 the colonists. And throughout the times 
 that tried men's souls, our town was the 
 headquarters of the State, in botli civil 
 and military matters. 
 
II. 
 
 PRE-llEVOLUTIONARY. 
 
 The tbeliug inspired in the breasts of 
 the people of Exeter, by the oppressive 
 acts of the Britisli parliament which led 
 to the American Revolution, found utter- 
 ance in a series of patriotic resolutions, 
 adopted "almost uiianimoush^"' at a 
 town meeting, in January, 1774. After 
 specifying, in indignant terms, the griev- 
 ances of the colonists, the town concen- 
 trated their views into the resolve, — 
 ■"That we are ready, oo all necessai-y oc- 
 <;asious, to risk our lives and fortunes in 
 defence of our rights and liberties." 
 These were Jbold words, but they were 
 supported by acts of equal boldness, as 
 we shall see. 
 
 The two most obnoxious of the British 
 ■ministers, Lords North ajid Bute, were 
 burnt in effigy, in front of the old jail, 
 which stood where the liouse of N. K. 
 Leavitt, Esq. now is. We can imagine 
 the exultation of the liberty-boys at a 
 demonstration so expressive and deci- 
 sive. In .September, 1774, when the in- 
 habitants of Boston were reduced to sore 
 straits by the opei-ation of the Boston 
 post bill, our town imposed a tax, asses- 
 sed in regulai- form, upon the citizens, 
 and to be enforced by distraint, to raise 
 money to relieve them. 
 
 But in December of the same year, the 
 jnen of Exeter wei'e called upon to put 
 to the proof their principles of resistance 
 to tyranny, and were found equal to the 
 occasion. A plan was devised, among 
 the bolder, leading patriots of the prov- 
 ince, to seize the arms and ammunition 
 at Fort William and Mary, at the en- 
 trance of the harbor of Portsmouth, 
 
which was then slenderly garrisoned, 
 but which was soon to be fully manned. 
 It was arranged that the part j' which was 
 to proceed down the river, under the 
 leadership of John yullivan, John Lang- 
 don and others, to make the seizure, 
 should be supported by a stronger jjody 
 of men from Exeter, who were to make 
 their appearance in Portsmouth in sea- 
 son to secure the withdrawal of the war- 
 like stores, in spite of all opposition. 
 
 Accordingly, a detachment of about 
 twenty-tive armed horsemen, under Na- 
 thaniel Folsom, Nicholas Oilman and Dr. 
 Giddings, left Exeter in the night fixed 
 for the undertaking, and rode into Ports- 
 mouth about daybreak in the morning. 
 They ordered cotfee at the iini of James 
 Stoodley, who looked with no small as- 
 tonishment on their martial array. But 
 they made no allusion to the business 
 which brought them there. 
 
 About eight o'clock in the morning, 
 James Hackett, with fifty or sixty of the 
 bold Exeter boys, on foot, marched into 
 town, and took their station at the hay- 
 market, in Portsmouth, where they wait- 
 ed for orders. This, of course, created 
 great astonishment; but little informa- 
 tion could be elicited by any inquiries. 
 At nine o'clock, Laugdon made liis ap- 
 pearance at Stoodley's, and acquainted 
 the part}' there that the raid was com- 
 pletely successful, and that tSuUivan was 
 then passing up the river in the boats 
 loaded with the munitions which had 
 but lately been tlie dependence of one of 
 his Majesty's forts, but were ere long to 
 be used against liis authority by the op- 
 pressed and iiulignant colonists. Thus, 
 ' in this first overt armed resistance of 
 
his early death was deeply lamented. 
 James Ilackett was also a ship-builder, 
 and as such labored for his country faith- 
 fully and well. He was appointed a 
 lieutenant-colonel of one of the regiments, 
 but his services could not be spared from 
 the coast defences. He did, however, 
 serve in Rhode Island, on one occasion, 
 as an officer in John Langdon's company 
 of light horse. Such were a few of the 
 leading spirits of our town, as the alarm 
 of war was about to be sounded. 
 
 III. 
 
 REVOLUTIOXARY. 
 
 The famous expedition of the British 
 troops from Boston to Lexington and 
 Concord, took place on the nineteenth of 
 April, 1775. Early in the evening of that 
 day, a flying report of the affair reached 
 Exeter, which was soon after confirmed 
 by news received from Haverhill, that 
 the enemj'^ was at Lexington, that the 
 country was in arms, and a severe action 
 had commenced, which was raging when 
 the messenger left to alarm the inland 
 towns. 
 
 Our streets were filled with excited 
 men until a late hour at night. About 
 da3'break an express arrived in town, 
 with further and more authentic intelli- 
 gence. The bells were immediately rung, 
 and the drums beat to arms. It happened 
 that three of the leading patriots of the 
 town, N. Folsom, N. Gilman and E. Poor, 
 were absent, at Dover ; but there were 
 enough others to determine what part 
 Exeter should take in the emergencj-. 
 The unanimous voice was, for every man 
 who could possibly be spared, to march 
 
America to the British authority, the 
 men of Exeter took a leading part. 
 
 The principal citizens of the town were 
 open and decided in their determination 
 to oppose the parliamentary measures. 
 John riiillips, the founder of our Acade- 
 my, a man of learning, wealth and culti- 
 vation, though little fitted by habit or 
 inclination for strife, was lirni and out- 
 spoken for the liberties of America. Na- 
 tlianiel Folsom, who had been distin- 
 guished as an olticer in the French and 
 Indian wars, smd who was a member of 
 the first Continental Congress, was ready 
 to take up arms in hia country's cause, 
 at a moment's notice, and did afterwards 
 render valuable service as a provincial 
 anajor-general, until he was, by reason of 
 the un worthyjealousies of others,al]owed 
 to be droj^ped. 
 
 Nicholas Oilman, the trusted friend of 
 the royal governor, was no less lirmh' 
 devoted to the defence of popular rights, 
 and, with his active and efficient sons, 
 then just come upon the stage, was a most 
 important and indispensable aid to the 
 cause. He was afterwards the successful 
 cnanager of the linances of the infant 
 .State, aud tlie slay and stalfof President 
 Weare; and his sous bectune, in their 
 turn, favorite and important officers of 
 New Hampshire. 
 
 Enoch Poor had been for some years 
 engaged insliipbuilding in the town, and, 
 accustomed to the management of men, 
 was ready to tender his best services in 
 aid of America's ciiuse. His ap2X)intment 
 in the army was peculiarly fortunate for 
 the country- He became a general of 
 light infantrj', was greatlj' esteemed 
 l)y Liifayette and by Washington ; and 
 
 
at once to the help of our sufterin,^ breth- 
 ren. John T. Oilman, then twenty-one 
 years of a,2;e, was peculiarly active in for- 
 warding the preparations of the Exeter 
 volunteers. 
 
 Bullets were cast and cartridges made, 
 ' with all speed, and everj^ one lent a help- 
 ing hand. The women encouraged their 
 brothers and sons to offer their services, 
 and contributed their aid to fit them out 
 for their huri-ied campaign. About nine 
 o'clock in the morning, no less than one 
 hundred and eight of the brave boys of 
 Exeter were paraded at the court-house, 
 (nearly opposite the lower churrh,) armed 
 and equipped, and ready to march. 
 
 "What road shall we take?" 
 
 "By Haverhill." 
 
 "Who shall lead us?"' 
 
 "Capt. Hackett." 
 
 "Are you all ready?" asked Hackett. 
 
 "Yes," was the unanimous response. 
 
 "March !'" was his laconic order. 
 
 One who was of that extemporized band 
 of soldiers, has left an account of their 
 march. He says that the men wore sad 
 countenances while taking leave of their 
 W'ives and friends at home, but there was 
 uo flinching. Once fairly upon the way, 
 however, their spirits rose, and they soon 
 resumed their cheerfulness. They had a 
 drum and fife, but no flag, for the stars 
 and stripes were yet in the future. But 
 they were well armed, especially those 
 who had the bright muskets which Gov. 
 Wentworth had taken pains to provide 
 for bis "cadets," little suspecting that 
 they were so soon to be used in rebellion 
 against his royal master. 
 
 The Exeter company marched tlirough 
 Haverhill to tlie ferry, but found that 
 
10 
 
 town in great distress. A destructive fire 
 had raged tliere only forty-eight hours 
 before, consuming the linost part of the 
 village; this, in addition to the intelli- 
 gence of the coniinenceinent of hostilities, 
 was particularly depressing to the inhab- 
 itants. .\t nightfall, they reached IJragg's 
 tavern in Andover, and i)as«ed the night 
 in that town. Kesuniing their inarch at 
 an early liour the next morning, they 
 reached Menotomy at noon, and halted 
 upon the common at Cambridge, about 
 two o'clock. Here they were taken 
 charge of by some officers; their alarm 
 post was assigned tliem, and two or three 
 rooms in one of the college buildings 
 were given them tor quarters. There 
 they passed the first night of their mili- 
 tary service, vvitiiottt even knapsacks for 
 pillows, and the college floors, as one of 
 their number quaintly remarked, "as 
 hard as any other floors!" 
 
 'I'he next morning, the (;om|)any made 
 choice of oflicers. James Hackett was 
 elected captain, John W. (iilman and 
 Nathl Oookin. liiMitenants, and John T. 
 Gilinan, Gideon La^nsoii and Noah Em- 
 ery, serge-.mls. The company soon after 
 went through their exercises on the com- 
 mon, and evidently attracted no little 
 attention. 
 
 The next ilay, a report came that the 
 British were lamling at Chelsea, ('apt, 
 Hackett had the honor of being the tirst 
 to receive marching orders : the company 
 from Londond(*rrv followed. They 
 marched as far as Medford, where they 
 were met by the information that tlie 
 llritish hail re-embarked. At Medford, 
 they found N. l'"olsom and K. Poor, who 
 were g<}ing to the headquarters of the 
 
 
11 
 
 army. Gen. Heath reviewed tlie New 
 Hampshire troops, and on Sunday Dr. 
 MacC'Iintock of (Greenland, and Dr. Bel- 
 knap of Dover, preached to them. 
 
 Tlie Kxetereonipany remained atCam- 
 Ijridfie not far from a fortni^lit, and were 
 liighly complimented hy Gen. Heath. 
 Then, the emergenfy havintr passed, and 
 arraiifiements beinj^in projjress for form- 
 ing a permanent military establishment, 
 they were permitted to return home. 
 
 Exeter had also it.s Committee of Cor- 
 respondenee, charsred with looking after 
 the interests of the patriotic cause. An 
 example of the work which fell to their 
 share, may be found in a dingy letter, 
 which is still presei-^'ed, dated at Ports- 
 mouth. April 21, 1775, and signed by H. 
 Wenlworth, chairman,l)y which the com- 
 mittee of Exeter are informed of "the 
 attack upon the people of fp.swieh," and 
 of the expectation of th(! arrival of two 
 ships of war in Portsmouth, and contain- 
 ing a request for "four or tive barrels of 
 powder." On the back of the letter is a 
 receipt by the messenger, for four barrels 
 of powder, which were delivered hy N. 
 Oilman and Dr. Giddings; together with 
 a memorandum of sixty-eight barrels 
 more, in the possession of the friends of 
 liberty in Exeter and the neighboring 
 towns. This powder was undoubtedly a 
 part of that which was seized at Fort 
 William and Mary, in December, 1774. 
 
 IV. 
 
 THK PKKSS. 
 
 The tirst printing ofUce in Exeter was 
 opened bj'- Robert Luist Fovvle, a nephew 
 and former partner of Daniel Fowle, who 
 
12 
 
 introduced the "art of arts" into New 
 Hampshire, at Portsmouth, in 1756. In 
 the differences of opinion whicli arose re- 
 specting the riglits of the Colonies, imme- 
 diately pi'ior to the Revolution, the uncle 
 and nephew, it is said, were found upon 
 opposite sides, and tlie result was a disso- 
 lution of business connections, in 177-1. 
 Robert, who favored the ministerial par- 
 ty, procured the piinting materials which 
 hail belonged to Fu)ber of Portsmouth, 
 and removed with them to Exeter, where 
 he established hiniself in business tli& 
 same year. Thus Exeter was the second 
 town in New Hampshire to establish that 
 powerful instrument of civilization, the 
 printing press; and now for near a( entu- 
 ry has maintained it. 
 
 liobert Fowie carried on tlie busines<i 
 of a printer here until about 1778, when 
 his tory proclivities became so obnoxious 
 that he was obliged to decamp. It is said 
 that he was employed to print some of 
 the paper money then issued by New 
 Hampshire, and soon afterwards there 
 was found to be iu circulation a gieat 
 quantity of bills of the same typography. 
 . but with forged signatures. Suspicion 
 at once fastened upon Fowle, that he had 
 supplied his loyalist Iriends with the 
 printed sheets ; and instead of awaiting 
 an investigation, he hastened to place 
 himself witliin the British linos at New 
 York. 
 
 His brother Zeiihai-iali Fowle succeeded 
 him iu tlie printing business in Exeter, 
 and continued it until his death, wliich 
 took place toward the close of the war. 
 He was a tolerable worivman, and his of- 
 lice must have been quite well furnislied 
 for the times, as he was able in 1780 tt> 
 
13 
 
 issue an edition of the laws of the State, 
 in a volume of 180 folio pages. In the 
 few specimens of his printing which are 
 now extant, his name does not usually 
 appear in the imprint, but only the place 
 and year. 
 
 After peace was declared, Robert Fowle, 
 who was a pensioner of the British gov- 
 ernment, on the ground of his loyalty, 
 returned to New Hampshire, and in 1789 
 married Sarah, the widow- of his deceased 
 brother, and continued to live in Exeter 
 for about six \'ears. He then removed to 
 Brentwo(xl, as it is supposed, and died 
 there in 1S02. 
 
 Henry Ranlct was the next on the list 
 of printers in Exeter. He was in busi- 
 ness in 1787, and probably earlier. He 
 was an excellent workman for that day, 
 and issued a large number of books and 
 pamphlets. He printed many works for 
 publishers residing in Boston and Wor- 
 cester, Mass., and Portsmoutii. Headd- 
 •ed to his otiice the t3-pes for printing mu- 
 sic, and published at least ten or twelve 
 volumes of collections of vocal and instru- 
 mental music. Mr. Ranlet continued in 
 business until his death in 1807. 
 
 A considerable part of this time, there 
 was another printing office in the town. 
 John L amson, who was a partner of Mr. 
 Ranlet in 1787, was associated with Thom- 
 as Odiorne in tlie iirinting business in 
 1793, and conducted it alone in the fol- 
 lowing year. 
 
 Mr. Odiorne issued several works, in 
 very neat style, about the same date. 
 
 In 17<J4, William Stearns and Samuel 
 Winslow brought out a few publications 
 here. Mr. Stearns, in 1795 or 1796. was 
 engaged in prititing. and also in binding, 
 
14. 
 
 the first edition of the New Testameiit 
 ever issued in this State. The honor of 
 first printing the Scriptures in New 
 Hampshire has heretofore been claimed 
 by New Ipswich in 1815, and by Dover in 
 1803, but Exeter was years in advance of 
 them, as the above date indicates. 
 
 Charles Norris was a partner of Mr. 
 Ranlet in 180G-7, and continvied in the 
 occupation of a printer until 18.'>2. Fronv 
 1810 to 1817 he was C()nne(;ted with others, 
 his first partner being John Sawyei". 
 Among the apprentices to whom Mr. 
 Norris taught the typographic art, was 
 William Itobinson, Avho afterwards be- 
 came the founder (jf our magnilicent Fe- 
 male Seminary. 
 
 Mr. Norris was a good printer, and did 
 a great deal of book work for himself and 
 others. In connection with Ephraim C. 
 Beals, he printed for E. Little & Co. of 
 , New bui-y port, a translation of Tasso's 
 Jerusalem Delivered, in ISIO, whicdi was 
 really beautiful in its typographj'', and 
 has never been excelled by any work 
 from the Exeter press, before or since. 
 
 The imprint of Samuel T. Moses is 
 found ui)on anumber of publications be-, 
 tween tiie j'ears 1820 and 1824; and from 
 1824 to 18;i0 the name of Abel lirown ap- 
 l)oars on several small works, as puijlish- 
 er; though tlio latter was not a practical 
 printer. 
 
 In 1818, .John J. Williams lirst began 
 l)rinting on his own account. lie after- 
 wards took his brother Benjamin .1, Wil- 
 liams, wiio was a book-binder, intopart- 
 nersliip, and they carried on for many 
 years, under the thin of J. tt B. Williams, 
 a largo and profitable ])rinting, storeo- 
 tj'ping and publishing business. Their 
 
15 
 
 operations terminated about the year 1840; 
 and during tliat period tliey issued a vast 
 number of works of every description. 
 Tlio series of popular novels from tlieir 
 press, in 24nio, including works of 8cott, 
 Marryatt and Bulwer, neatly bound In 
 morocco, are still often met with and 
 f'asily recognized. 
 
 John C. Gerrish's name first appeared 
 upon a title-page, about 1824. He was 
 tlien, and continued for thi-ee or four 
 years, in partnership witii Lal:)an A. Ty- 
 ler, wlio was not, however, a practi(!al 
 printei'. Capt. Gerrish had an office in 
 Exeter, and was engaged in printing of 
 various kinds, until about 1840, when he 
 retired from the business. He died within 
 the past year, highly respected by all who 
 knew him. 
 
 Lewis F. Shepard, who had served his 
 time in the oflice of Messrs. Williams, 
 had an office here for a year or two, about 
 1832-8, when, by reason of impaired 
 liealth, he quitted the occupation and re- 
 moved into Maine. He was an excellent 
 workman, and in every relation of life 
 was highly'- esteemed. 
 
 Fi-^jUeis Grant had a printing office here 
 as early as 1840. He was a bookseller and 
 binder, and was the publisher of a little 
 "vvork, formerly much used in our com- 
 mon schools, entitled, "A Book for New 
 Ilampshiro Children, in Familiar Let- 
 ters from a Father." This little volume 
 was prepared by Mr. Hosea Hildreth, 
 and was very popular, running through 
 tive editions, the tirst of which was 
 printed by S. T. Moses in 1823, tJie third 
 by Mr. Norrisin 1829, the fourth by Capt. 
 Gerrish in 1833, and the last by Natharnel 
 S. Adamsin 1829. Mr. Adams is remem- 
 
16 
 
 bered as a man of convivial habits and of 
 much humor. 
 
 James Derby was the publisher of one 
 or two works, about 1831. He was an 
 ingenious meclvanic, and did something^ 
 in the manufacture of stereotype plates,, 
 though he was not himself a printer. He 
 was engaged in llie publication of "Scott's 
 Family Bible"' here, which was to have 
 tilled some six or more large volumes r 
 but after the completion of the New Tes- 
 tament in two volumes, the remainder of 
 the undertaking was aijandoneil. 
 
 There were several other printers, wlio 
 were apprentices of Mr. Norris or Messrs. 
 Willianis, who issuetl one or nK)re small 
 works eath, bearing the Exeter imprint, 
 but of whose history n<Hhing further is 
 known. 
 
 Samuel Bartlett Clarke, who had been 
 engaged in the News-Letter oHice, as 
 one of the proprietors, from 1840, died in 
 July, 1857, having sustained a high char- 
 acter as a man of excellent business ca- 
 pacity and integrity. 
 
 Oliver Smith, who dind recently, was 
 also one of the proprietors of the paper 
 for nearly the same pei'iod, and was after- 
 wards employed for several 3' cars in the 
 News-Letter ollice asa journeyman. He 
 was a person ol decided <'haractcr and of 
 sturdy honesty. 
 
 In the foregoing list are emljraced the 
 names of most, if not all, of the principal 
 persons who have been connected with 
 the press in Exeter, except tho.se who are 
 now living. Of these latter it is proper 
 to make but brief mention. 
 
 Samuel Hall, who has been connected 
 with the News-Letter as proprietor or 
 printer for more than thirty years, is still 
 
17 
 
 to be found in the office, composing stick 
 in hand, as active and attentive to busi- 
 ness as ever. 
 
 Thomas D. Treadwell, who was for 
 many years employed by Messrs. Wil- 
 liams, and afterwards in the News-Let- 
 ter office, has for some time past been 
 engaged in farming, just outside the vil- 
 lage of Exeter, which he finds preferable 
 to the confined life of a printer. 
 
 Joseph L. Beckett, a native of Exeter, 
 and long a member of the typographical 
 corps here, has met with deserved pro- 
 motion, and has for some years past held 
 a responsible position in the office of the 
 Boston Post, which seems to have been 
 largely indebted for its success to New 
 Hampshire talent. 
 
 Thomas J. Whittem, who was the pro- 
 prietor of a printing office here for nearly 
 ten years, has since i-eturned to Ports- 
 mouth, where he had previously resided, 
 and where for a time he was engaged in 
 the publication of the Portsmouth Jour- 
 nal. 
 
 V. 
 
 NKWSPAPERIAL. 
 
 The first newspaper published in Exe- 
 ter, and the third in New Hampshire, 
 appeared in the latter part of the year 
 1775. It was conducted by Robert L, 
 Fowle, and issued at irregular intervals 
 until some time in the year 1777. It was 
 printed with large type and on small pa- 
 per,— often on only a half sheet. The 
 number of titles which it bore, in its 
 brief existence, was remarkable, as the 
 following list of a part of them will show, 
 viz, A New Hampshire Gazette ; The 
 
18 
 
 N. H. Gazette; The N. If. Gazette, or 
 Exeter Morning Chronicle ; Tlie N. H. 
 [State] Gazette, or Exeter Circulating 
 Morning Chronicle ; Tlie Journal, or the 
 N. H. Gazette and Tuesday's Liberty- 
 Advertiser. The days of publication 
 were changed nearly as often as the title. 
 The proprietor's name did not appear; 
 and a single person was undoubtedly 
 printer, publisher and editor, as the con- 
 tents of the paper were made up chiefly 
 of advertisements and extracts from other 
 journals, with only occa.sional original 
 communications. 
 
 The second paper was entitled The Ex- 
 eter Chronicle, and was still shorter-lived 
 than the fust, having been commenced 
 in June, 1784, and discontinued in De- 
 cember of the same year. John Meh-lier 
 and George J. Osborne were the publish- 
 ers. 
 
 Newspapers were published in Exeter 
 during the twelve succeeding j-ears, un- 
 der various titles, and different proprie- 
 tors, but probably constituting a single 
 series, and numbered continuously as 
 such. From the impossiliility of con- 
 sulting tiles of these, at the piesent day, 
 it is not easy to fix the succession of the 
 papers, with accuracy ; but it is believed 
 that the following statement is substan- 
 tially correct. 
 
 About July, 1785, Henry Haiilct com- 
 menced the i>ublication of a jjaper called 
 The American Herald of Liberty, whitth 
 in 17!)1 was entitled The New IIam])sliirR 
 Gazette; in 1792-.J, The New Hampshire 
 Gazetteer; in 17!>o, The Weekly Visitor 
 or Exeter CJazette, and publislietl by John 
 Lamson, antl afterwards by Lamson & 
 UdTornG ; and in 17W, The Herald of Lib- 
 
19 
 
 erty or Exeter Gazette, and published by 
 Samuel Winslow and Stearns & Wins- 
 low, until it ceased in 1797. 
 
 The Freeman's Oracle, or New Hamp- 
 shire Advertiser, appears to have been 
 commenced about August 1, 1786, was 
 under the charge of John Lamson in 
 1789, and probably did n'ot survive that 
 "yeaT. 
 
 Tlie Political Banquet and Farmer's 
 Feast, was established by Henry Ranlet 
 in 1797, and continued about one year, 
 when it probably merged in The Exeter 
 Federal jSIiscellany, which was but of 
 short duration, it is presumed. 
 
 It is not known that any other journal 
 was set up in Exeter, until May 21, 1810, 
 when the Constitutionalist was begun, 
 by Hphraini C. Beals. It was given up 
 June 4, 1811, but recommenced June 23, 
 1812, and finally discontinued June 14, 
 1814. Th-.' Constitutionalist was conduct- 
 ed with more ability than any paper 
 which preceded it, but probably had no 
 recognized editorial head. It extended 
 over nearh' the whole period of the war 
 of 1812, when the popular feelings were 
 sharply divided, and personalities were 
 much indulged in. 
 
 In the department of local news, how- 
 ever, this journal was little in advance 
 of the earlier ones. One or two para- 
 graphs per week afforded all the infor- 
 mation it contained respecting New 
 Hampshire atfairs ; and unless a fire or 
 some other unusual event occurred in 
 Exeter, no allusion was made to home 
 matters except in the column of deaths 
 and marriages. 
 
 During the latter part of its existence, 
 The Constitutionalist was published by 
 
20 
 
 Joseph G. Folsom ; but in the change 
 of proprietors there was no noticeable 
 change of character. 
 
 The Watchman was the next journal 
 establisheil in Exeter. It was begun Oc- 
 tober 2, 181G, by Henry A. Ranlet ; in De- 
 cember of the same year its title was 
 changed to The Exeter Watchman, and 
 Nathaniel Boardman became the pub- 
 lisher; November 9, 1819, it passed into 
 the hands of George Lamson, and the 
 name was altered to Exeter Watchman 
 and Agricultural Repository; and Feb- 
 ruary 6, 1821, Samuel T. Moses became 
 the publisher, and gave it the final desig- 
 nation of Northern Republican. August 
 6, 1821, the last number of the paper was 
 issued. 
 
 George Lamson, who might properly 
 have been mentioned in the notices of 
 ■Exeter printers, was a man of much in- 
 telligence and enterprise, and is well re- 
 membered for many exi-ellent traits of 
 character. He printed quite a number 
 of law books, and took pains to furnisli 
 employment to deserving, needy persons. 
 
 September 21, 1824, Francis (4rant com- 
 menced the publication of the Rocking- 
 ham Gazette, which was under the edi- 
 torial charge of Oliver W. 15. Peabody. 
 It was continued until October, 1827, 
 when its subscriptions were transfer reil 
 to The Portsmouth Journal. This was 
 the earliest paper here which professed 
 to have an editor. Mr. Peabody was a 
 gentleman of learning and taste, and the 
 selections and original articles — though 
 the latter were not very numerous — 
 which appeared in the Gazette, were of a 
 higher literary order than any of the 
 former papers allordcd. In themattei- of 
 
21 
 
 news, of course, journalism of that time 
 was but the mere germ of what it now is. 
 
 Joseph Y. James was the proprietor of 
 a small paper called The Hive, begun in 
 September, 1829, and carried on till 
 sometime in the year 1830. 
 
 On the " 2d mo. 12th, 1830," Michael H. 
 Barton issued the first number of a pub- 
 lication of eight duodecimo pages, enti- 
 tled Something New, to be devoted, as 
 the prefatory address announced, to the 
 introduction of a perfect alphabet and 
 reformed orthography of the langauge ; 
 probably something like the phono- 
 graphic system, of a later date. Man- 
 kind were undoubtedlj^ content to live 
 in ignorance of Mr. Barton's improved 
 method, as we do not learn that the pub- 
 lication reached a second number. 
 
 May 10, 1831, John S. Sleeper estab- 
 lished the Exeter News-Letter, for 
 which, during his editorship of two 
 years, he gained a wide circulation and 
 a high character, though as he had not a 
 practical acquaintance with printing, he 
 did not find it a pecuniary success. He 
 disposed of the paper to John C. Gerrish, 
 who was fortunate in obtaining the edi- 
 torial assistance of John Kelly, a gentle- 
 man of literary taste, with a fund of 
 quiet humor, and much antiquarian 
 knowledge. He occupied the editorial 
 chair nearly twenty years, the paper |||^ 
 having in the meantime been transferred 
 to Messrs. Smith, Hall A Clarke as pro- 
 prietors. Subsequently, Levi W. Leon- 
 ard was the editor, for several years ; and 
 the paper has undergone other changes 
 in the editorial and publishing depart- 
 ments, since. It has been repeatedly en- 
 larged, since its first appearance, and now 
 
22 
 
 contains nearly double the amount of 
 matter it then did. 
 
 The Christian Journal was commenced 
 April 2, 1835, and was issued every other 
 week, by the Executive Committee of the 
 Eastern Christian Publishing Associa- 
 tion, Elijah Shaw being the editor, and 
 J. C. Gerrish the printer. The first year 
 the "Editorial council" consisted of 
 Moses How, Mark Fernald and Samuel 
 E. Brown ; the next year, of M. Fernald, 
 M. How, Noah Piper and William II. 
 Ciage; the third j^ear of Messrs. Fernald, 
 Pipor, Gage and Josiah Prescott; the 
 fourth year of Messrs. Fernald, Piper, 
 How and Prescott. At the commence- 
 ment of the Qftlj year the name was al- 
 tered to Christian Herald and Journal. 
 P. R. Russell was announced as assistant 
 editor, and the editorial council were M. 
 Fernald, Julius C. Blodgett, M. How and 
 B. F. Carter; and on beginning the sixth 
 year the title was abbreviated to Chris- 
 tian Herald, Elijah Shaw, David Millard 
 and Philemon R. Russell were an- 
 nounced as editors^ and A. R. Brown as 
 l)rintcr, and the paper was issued weekly. 
 The Herald was subsequently removed 
 to Newburyport, Massachusetts, where 
 it still survives. 
 
 In January, 1840, appeared the first 
 number of the (jranite State Democrat, 
 of wliich James Siirigle3'' was publislier, 
 and J. L. Beckett printer, who soon, 
 however, became pul)lisher. The paper 
 in 1842 was conducted b}^ Ferdinand El- 
 lis, Jr., and afterwards by William 
 Young, and was dated "lOxeter and Xew- 
 iiiarket," but was printed at Exeter. In 
 January, 184:5, Samuel C. Baldwin be- 
 came the editor and publisher, but in 
 
23 
 
 consequence of ill health, relinquished 
 the undertaking, and no number was is- 
 sued after March 9, 1843. An attempt 
 was subsequently made to revive the pa- 
 per, but without success. 
 
 The year 1841 must have been peculiar- 
 ly promising to newspaper schemes. A 
 prospectus was issued in February for 
 the publication of a semi-monthly paper, 
 to be called The Rose and Thorn ; but it 
 is supposed that nothing farther came of 
 it. In June, The Granite Pillar and New 
 Hampshire Temperance Advocate was 
 brought out, to be continued monthly, 
 by Abraham R. Brown, under the editor- 
 ship of Joseph Fullonton ; but it was not 
 long-lived. 
 
 The next literary venture of 1841 was 
 The Factory Girl and Xiadies' Garland, 
 •commenced November 1, and issued 
 semi-monthly, by J. L. Beckett. This 
 paper, or a continuation of it, under the 
 designation of The Factory Girl, was af- 
 terwards carried on by C. C. Dearborn, 
 and in the latter part of 1843 was conduct- 
 ed by A. R. Brown under the name of The 
 Factory Girls' Garland. Apparently the 
 same paper much eidarged, with the title of 
 Weekly Messenger, Literary Wreath and 
 Factory Girls' Garland was published in 
 1845 and some time in 1846 by Mr. Brown ; 
 but it was afterwards removed to Law- 
 rence, Massachusetts, by J. L. Beckett. 
 The Squamscot Fountain was begun 
 in March, 1843 ; a weekly, devoted to the 
 cause of temperance, and undertaken by 
 Samuel Webster and J. P. Clough. It 
 was afterwards called the Squamscot 
 Fountain and Weekly Advertiser, and 
 Mr. Webster became the sole proprietor ; 
 but it did not last long. 
 
24 
 
 A paper, called The Factory Girls' Al- 
 bum, and Operatives' Advocate, was be- 
 gun Februarj' 14, 1846, of which Charles 
 C. Dearborn was the publisher and pro- 
 prietor, and William P. Moulton the 
 printer. The paper was issued a part of 
 the time weekly, and afterwards semi- 
 monthly, and was enlarged after a few 
 numbers. It was continued somewhat 
 over a year. 
 
 The initial number of a projected week- 
 ly, of a religious and literary character, 
 to be styled The Olive Leaf, and to be 
 edited by R. O. Williams, was issued 
 January 1, 1853, by Currier & Co., pro- 
 prietors ; but we do not learn that suffi- 
 cient encouragement was offered to in- 
 duce them to go on with it. 
 
 About 1857 The American Ballot and 
 Rockingham County Intelligencer, a 
 weekly journal which had been estab- 
 lished in Portsmouth in the interest of the 
 American party, some three years before, 
 was removed to Exeter. Thomas J. 
 Whittem was editor and proprietor ; and 
 the paper, though bearing date Exeter 
 and Portsmouth, continued to be printed 
 at Exeter until Septeml^er 7, 1865, when 
 it was discontinued. 
 
 VI. 
 
 ANTINOMIAN. 
 
 Though the word antinomian, which 
 was applied as a term of reproach to 
 Wheelwright and others of the early set- 
 tlers of Exeter, by derivation signifies 
 against law, yet we do not learn that in 
 their generation, or afterwards, the town 
 was remarkable for lawlessness or dis- 
 order. It was not until near half a cen- 
 
25. 
 
 tury had passed, that the slightest out- 
 break took place, and then it was in re- 
 sistance to tyranny. 
 
 In 1682 Edward Cranfield came to New 
 Hampshire as Governor. He soon ex- 
 hibited himself in his true colors as a 
 grasping, unprincipled despot. The peo- 
 ple of the Province feared and hated 
 him, and when his arbitrary conduct 
 became intolerable, some of them were 
 so enraged that they actually entered 
 into a combination for the avowed pur- 
 pose of overturning the government. 
 
 On the twenty-first of January, 1683, 
 the little village of Exeter witnessed a 
 striking spectacle. A dozen horsemen, 
 armed with swords, pistols and guns, 
 with a trumpeter, and headed by Ed- 
 ward Gove, a member of the provincial 
 Assembly from Hampton, with a di-awn 
 sword, rode through the snowy street of 
 Exeter, towards Hampton. A son of 
 Gove, and the brothers Wadleigh, Jo- 
 seph, John and Robert, Thomas Rawlins, 
 Mark Baker and John Sleeper were un- 
 doubtedly of the party, and probably 
 Nathaniel Ladd, Edward Smith, William 
 Healy and John Young, also. All of 
 them were well known in Exeter, and 
 the greater part of them were residents ; 
 and they made no se(!ret of their purpose 
 to rise in arms against the tyrannical 
 government of Cranfield. 
 
 But it was 3'et too early for a success- 
 ful resistance to the arbitrary measures 
 of a royal government ; and when next 
 the goo^ people of Exeter saw their in- 
 surgent townsmen, it was after they had 
 been tried and convicted as accomplices 
 in the crime of high treason, and had 
 been, by direction ot the crown, respited 
 
26 
 
 and pardoned. Though this lesson failed 
 to teach Crantield moderation, it showed 
 the people of Exeter that they must 
 adopt a less hazardous mode of resist- 
 ance to the unwarranted acts of the au- 
 thorities. In the course of the year, the 
 Governor, being disappointed in his de- 
 signs of making great gains from his 
 office, resorted to the illegal expedient of 
 taxing the people without the consent of 
 the Assembly. To John Folsom, con- 
 stable, was committed the tax against 
 the inhabitants of Exeter for collection ; 
 but he reported to the Governor that the 
 people refused to pay, on account of the 
 illegality of the assessment. 
 
 Thereupon the warrant was delivered 
 to the provost marshal of the province, 
 who was ordered to collect the taxes or 
 imprison the delinquents. But he found 
 the duty no sinecure. He first went to 
 the house of Edward Gilman, where he 
 was met by the wife of Councillor John 
 Gilman, who informed him that "she 
 had provided a kettle of scalding water 
 for him, if he came to her house to de- 
 mand any rates." He received, at the 
 same time, a like hospitable assurance 
 from the wileof Moses Gilman, and other 
 women took pains to let him know that 
 they were preparing red hot spits, so as 
 to give him a warm reception. Some 
 half a score of the sturdy yeomanry of 
 Hampton, on horseback and armed with 
 clubs, then made their appearance on 
 the scene, in order to ensure that the 
 marshal and his deputy should Receive 
 all due attention. And to cap tlie cli- 
 max, the Kev. John Cotton, at that time 
 probably officiating as the clergyman of 
 Exeter, joined the company, " with a 
 
27 
 
 club in his hand ;" the emergency seem- 
 ing to justify a resort to carnal weapons. 
 
 The assembled party then began good 
 humoredly but systematically to hustle 
 the marshal and his deputy up and down 
 the house, and laughingly inquired of 
 them "what they did wear at their 
 sides," alluding to their swords, which 
 were indeed rather ridiculous append- 
 ages, on such an occasion. 
 
 The unfortunate officers soon betook 
 themselves to the widow Sewell's hos- 
 telry, ostensibly for refreshment ; but 
 their tormentors followed them there, 
 and pushed them about, called them 
 rogues, took the bridles off their horses 
 and then turned them loose, and in short 
 made the place in a thousand ways too 
 hot to hold them. 
 
 The marshal at length found that he 
 had brought his wares to a poor market, 
 and in despair abandoned the attempt to 
 collect illegal taxes in Exeter; which it 
 is believed was never resumed. 
 
 A half century again elapsed, before 
 Exeter witnessed another outbreak of 
 popular feeling. The sovereigns of Eng- 
 land depended much upon their Ameri- 
 can colonies for ship timber for the royal 
 navy, and very stringent laws were en- 
 acted against the felling of any pine trees 
 suitable for masts, which stood upon 
 common lands. The Surveyor general 
 of the woods kept a sharp eye u^jon all 
 such timber, and marked it with the 
 bi'oad arrow which denoted that it per- 
 tained to the crown. It may naturally 
 be supposed, however, that the lumber- 
 men of the frontiers would pay but 
 scanty heed to the regulations which for- 
 bade them to touch the finest growth of 
 
28'. 
 
 the forests. When the surveyor's baek 
 was turned, it is probable that the wood- 
 man's axe spared few of the monarch 
 pines, whether they bore the king's mark 
 or not. The surveyors could not help 
 suspecting, if they did not know, that the 
 laws were disregarded, and jealousy and 
 bitter feeling necessarily sprung up on 
 this account between the king's officers 
 and the inland inhabitants of the prov- 
 ince. 
 
 In 1734 David Dunbar was Lieutenant 
 Governor and Surveyor General of New 
 Hampshire. He was arbitrary, having 
 been a soldier, needy and jealous. He 
 became convinced that the lumbermen 
 of Exeter were cutting about the mill at 
 Copyhold, now in Brentwood, trees 
 which belonged by law to his royal mas- 
 ter, and determined that he would put a 
 stop to it. 
 
 . Accordingly he paid a visit to the mill 
 in person, but while he was looking 
 about for evidence of the violation of the 
 law, he was greatly terrified by shouts 
 and shrieks from the surrounding woods, 
 and the discharge of fire arms nearer thaii 
 was agreeable. Dunbar therefore deter- 
 mined that discretion was the better part 
 of valor, and beat a retreat. IJut a few 
 days after, he despatched ten men in a 
 barge up the river from Portsmouth, 
 with directions to seize and bring off the 
 suspected timber. The men arrived at 
 the village in the evening, and put up for 
 the night at the public house kept by 
 Capt. Samuel Gilman, the same house 
 now standing on Water street next to the 
 Town Hall. After a part of them were 
 in bed and while the others were carous- 
 ing, there, at ten o'clock at night, they 
 
29 
 
 were suddenlj^ set upon by a party of 
 men in disguise, who threw some of them 
 out of the windows, and drove the others 
 out at the doors. The party assailed 
 made for the river, in all haste, but in 
 the meantime the bottom of their barge 
 had been bored through, the sails cut to 
 pieces or carried away, and the mast 
 hacked down. They undertook to make 
 their escape in her, but were obliged to 
 return to the shore, and hide until the 
 next day, when they found means to 
 return ignominiously to Portsmouth ; 
 but a part of them having lost their 
 clothes, were in a particularly woful 
 plight. 
 
 The party who were engaged in this 
 act of defiance of the Surveyor General's 
 authority, were from the outskirts of Ex- 
 eter, then a very large township, but in- 
 cluded men of respectability and stand- 
 ing. . Thomas and Nathaniel Webster, 
 Jonathan, Samuel and Philip Conner, 
 Trueworthy Dudley and Ezekiel Gilman 
 are said to have been among the assail- 
 ants. They assembled at the public 
 house kept by Zebulon Giddings, now 
 known as the Rowland house, and there 
 painted their faces and altered their dress 
 so as to defy recognition, before setting 
 off on their expedition. 
 
 Dunbar believed that a part of them 
 were Natick Indians ; so it is probable 
 that they adopted a disguise calculated to 
 give that idea. 
 
 We do not learn that any further at- 
 tempt was made to enforce the mast-tree 
 laws ; nor that any punishment was in- 
 flicted upon the parties concerned in this 
 breach of the peace ; but Dunbar was so 
 mortified and enraged that he caused the 
 
30 
 
 Courts to be taken away from Exeter, and 
 bore a bitter grudge against the inhabi- 
 tants so long as he remained in the prov- 
 ince. 
 
 The next scene of lawlessness wit- 
 nessed in Exeter, was at the remove of 
 still another half century, in 1786. The 
 peculiarity of this occasion, — which has 
 made not a little figure in history, — was 
 that the persons who were guilty of the 
 disorderly conduct, belonged, without 
 an exception, to other places, and simply 
 made their appearance in Exeter to in- 
 dulge in their illegal proceedings. The 
 people of the town were not only uncon- 
 nected with the outbreak, but were, to a 
 man, ready to condemn and crush it. 
 
 For some years after the close of the 
 revolutionary war, the people were hard- 
 ly reconciled to the situation. The times 
 were hard, money was scarce, and the 
 acquisition of independence ha^ not 
 freed them, as many had fancied it would 
 do, from the restraints of law. Com- 
 plaints were rife among the people be- 
 cause the legislature of the State would 
 not authorize the issue of paper money, 
 which many believed was the panacea 
 for their fiscal troubles. At length the 
 discontent became so intensified that it 
 took an organized form among the peo- 
 ple of several interior towns in Rocking- 
 ham county, and on the morning of Sep- 
 tember 20th, 17S6, the rumor reached Ex- 
 eter, that a body of men were about to 
 enter the town to obtain in one way or 
 another, " a redress of grievances." 
 
 During the forenoon, a great number 
 of persons attracted by the report, came 
 into town from the neighboring places, 
 not for the purpose of joining in any il- 
 
legal demonstration, but to witness what 
 was about to talte place. The legislature 
 was in session in the meeting-house, 
 which stood nearly on the site of the 
 Iiresent lower church, while the Supreme 
 Court was sitting in the Gourt house, 
 whicli was on the opposite side of the 
 street, occupying about the center of 
 what is now the entrance to Court street. 
 
 Between two and three o'clocli in the 
 afternoon, the expected assemblage made 
 its appearance, coming down Front 
 street. It had been formed into tlie sem- 
 blance of a military array, at Kingston, 
 and consisted of about two hundred per- 
 sons, or a little more, about one-half of 
 them on foot and provided with fire- 
 arms or swords, and the residue follow- 
 ing in the rear on horseback, and carry- 
 ing clubs and whips. 
 
 They halted near the residence of the 
 late Nathaniel Gilman on Front street, 
 and asked civilly for water. They then 
 marched down the street, and passing 
 over the great bridge, turned and came 
 back as far as the Court house, which 
 they surrounded, under the mistaken 
 belief that the legislature was in session 
 there. Judge Samuel Livermore, who 
 was upon the bench, sternly ordered 
 that the business should proceed with- 
 out pause, and forbade any one to look 
 from the windows. 
 
 The mob, in a few minutes became 
 aware of their mistake, and attempted 
 to surround the meeting-house. The 
 spectators who were packed somewhat 
 densely in and about the yard of the 
 church, yielded only inch by inch, and 
 it was an hour or more before the riot- 
 ous assemblage reached the building. 
 
32 
 
 They then phiced guards at the doors 
 and windows, and announced, in sub- 
 stance, that they meant to keep the-m Ji- 
 bers of the general court in durance, un- 
 til they passed a law for the emission of 
 paper money, whicli should be a legal 
 tender for debts and taxes. One member 
 only is reported to have escaped from 
 the building, and he got out of a window. 
 
 John Sullivan, the president of the 
 State, was present in the meeting-house, 
 — a man of resolution and a soldier. He 
 made his appearance before the excited 
 crowd, and said to them that they " need 
 not expect to frighten him, for he had 
 smelt powder before." In allusion to 
 the demand which some of them had 
 made for justice, he said, " you ask for 
 justice, and justice you shall have."' 
 
 It was noticeable that lie did not ad- 
 vise the crowd to disperse, however; he 
 undoubtedly felt that it was better to 
 crush the insurrection in the bud. It 
 presently grew toward evening, and the 
 good citizens of Exeter began to think it 
 was time that a little pressure should be 
 applied to the insurgents. xVgreeably to 
 a suggestion of Col. Nathaniel Gilman, a 
 drum was beaten, a little way oil", as if a 
 body of soldiers were approaching, while 
 he himself with his stentorian voice 
 cried out something about " Itackett's 
 artillery." The mob waited for nothing 
 further, but incontinently took to their 
 heels, and did not pause till they had 
 reached the outskirt of the village. They 
 passed the night near where the passen- 
 ger depot of the railroad formerly stood. 
 
 No sooner was the village relieved from 
 their presence, than elfectual stops were 
 taken to suppress the rising. The legis- 
 
33 
 
 lature having given the proper authori- 
 ty,. the president at once sent orders into 
 th.. neighboring towns to assemble the 
 militia. A volunteer company of the 
 principal citizens of Exeter was imme- 
 diately enrolled under the command of 
 Nicholas Oilman, who had served in the 
 revolntionary army, and was afterwards 
 a Senator of the United States. By the 
 next morning the village of Exeter was 
 a scene of no small excitement and mili- 
 tary display. A large body of troops, 
 horse and foot, were assembled, and 
 under the direction of the president and 
 the immediate command of Gen. Joseph 
 Cilley, they marched with military mu- 
 sic to meet the force of the insurgents, 
 the armed portion of whom were drawn 
 up on the ridge beyond little river, on 
 the Kingston road. 
 
 The government column, with the Ex- 
 eter volunteer company holding the 
 post of honor in the front, moved to 
 within the distance of some forty rods 
 from the opposing party, when Gen. Gil- 
 ley at the head of a small number of 
 horsemen, dashed forward and across 
 the stream, and by a coup de main seized 
 and made prisoners of the leaders of the 
 insurgents. The remainder broke and 
 fled, but were pursued, and quite a num - 
 ber of them cajatured. 
 
 Joseph French of Hampstead, James 
 Cochran of Pembroke, and John Mc- 
 Kean of Londonderry, were the princi- 
 pal persons engaged in the riotous de- 
 monstration. Some of the prisoners 
 were indicted, others were brought to a 
 court martial, and still others were dealt 
 with by ecclesiastical authority, but 
 while all were pretty thoroughly fright- 
 
34 
 
 cned, and very penitent, none of them 
 were severely punished. 
 
 The spirit of organized resistance to 
 law and order, received on this occasion 
 a timely and ellectual check, and the 
 state authorities and people of Exeter are 
 entitled to no little credit for iheir judi- 
 cious and spirited conduct. 
 
 VII. 
 
 INCIDENTS. 
 
 In the afternoon of March 20th, 1754, a 
 troop of about thirtj"- men, on horseback, 
 and carrying axes, made their appear- 
 ance in Exeter. They came from Can- 
 terbury, Contoocook and the vicinity, 
 and their purpose was probably pretty 
 well understood in Exeter and through- 
 out tlie province. 
 
 Two trading Indians of the St. Francis 
 tribe in Canada, Sabatis and Plausawa 
 by name, had rendered themselves very 
 obnoxious to the people of Canterbury 
 and Contoocook, the preceding summer. 
 Sabatis had been formerly concerned in 
 spiriting away two blacks owned by in- 
 habitants of Canterbury, and both In- 
 dians not only proclaimed the opinion 
 that there was no harm in stealing ne- 
 groes, but threatened and even offered vi- 
 olence to the wife of a white settler. They 
 indulged in boasts of former deeds of 
 bloodshed and robberj', and in threats of 
 committing others, until the people were 
 so alarmed and incensed that they stern- 
 ly warned them to dei')art. The Indians 
 would have done well to heed the admo- 
 nition, but in complete infatuation they 
 still lingered in the neighborhood, and 
 abated not a jot of their blustering. 
 
35 
 
 Peter Bowen and one Morrill, with 
 whom they were staying, at length un- 
 doubtedly concerted a plan to take their 
 lives. Bowen, who was a rough and vio- 
 lent man, procured a gallon of rum from 
 Rumford, and treated the Indians to it 
 freely, until they became intoxicated. 
 Meantime his confederates took the op- 
 portunity to draw the charges from the 
 Indians' guns, and then enticed them 
 into the woods, where Bowen slew them 
 almost without resistance. 
 
 Yet so great was the dread and hatred 
 of the Indians which prevailed through- 
 out the province, and so favorably was 
 the story related for the murderers, that 
 when Bowen and Morrill were indicted 
 for murder and imprisoned in Ports- 
 mouth jail to await their trial, the public 
 sentiment was aroused most strongly in 
 their behalf. Their trial was fixed for 
 JNIarch 21st, 1754 ; and the cavalcade which 
 appeared in Exeter on the preceding day, 
 as already mentioned, was composed of 
 persons who were determined to rescue 
 the accused persons, from imprisonment. 
 
 A few of the people of Exeter are said 
 to have joined the lawless band, but their 
 names have not survived to our time. 
 The party, thus reinforced, rode through 
 mud and snow, that night, to Ports- 
 mouth, beat down the doors of the jail, 
 knocked off the irons from Morrill and 
 Bowen, and set them free. Rewards 
 were offered by the Governor for the re- 
 arrest of the prisoners, but they were 
 never retaken, though they were at their 
 homes again as usual, soon after. Their 
 course was justified by the popular voice, 
 and it was not thought expedient to mo- 
 lest them, or their rescuers. In no very 
 
36 
 
 long time the incidents would have been 
 generally forgotten, but for a song which 
 some village poetaster composed on the 
 occasion, and which preserved the mem- 
 ory of the transaction, being afterwards 
 commonly sung at the huskings, in Ex- 
 eter. 
 
 Sixteen years afterwards, an occur- 
 rence of a very different character 
 aroused the attention of the town. News 
 was brought that George Whitefield, a 
 preacher of world-wide celebrity, was to 
 address the people of Exeter. It may 
 easily be supposed, that none would 
 willingly lose the opportunity of hearing 
 his eloquent voice. So although the time 
 appointed was the forenoon of Saturday, 
 (September liOth, 1770,) almost the entire 
 population thronged to the church where 
 he was to officiate, — which stood nearly 
 on the si30t where Mrs. Cobbs' house 
 now is. 
 
 The building was not capable of con- 
 taining the crowd, and Mr. Whitefield 
 determined to address them in the open 
 air, a course he was often compelled to 
 adopt. It is said that he at first essayed 
 to speak from the meeting-house steps, 
 but the sun shining in his lace, he 
 crossed to the other side of the street, 
 where some boards laid across two bar- 
 rels or hogsheads, furnished him a stand, 
 from which he preached to his out door 
 congregation a discourse nearly two hours 
 in length, from 2 Corinthians xiii, 5. 
 
 This was the last sermon which that 
 eloquent and devoted minister delivered. 
 He went in the afternoon to Newbury- 
 port, Mass., where, the very next morn- 
 ing, he breathed his last. So that Exe- 
 ter witnessed the closing effort in the ca- 
 
43 
 
 steps towards a reconciliation with the 
 authorities of Ma'<sachusetts, which re- 
 sulted in the reversal of the sentence of 
 banishment against him. 
 
 When it became evident that Mr. 
 Wheelwright was not to return, the peo- 
 ple of Exeter made an attempt to call the 
 aged Stephen Bachiler, who had been 
 dismissed from Hampton for irregular 
 conduct, to become their minister. But 
 as there was a division on the subject 
 among the people, and as Mr. Bachiler 
 was not thought to be a peace-maker, the 
 general court of Massachusetts inter- 
 fered, and prohibited any action in the 
 premises, "until this court or the court 
 of Ipswich upon further satisfaction of 
 their (the people's) reconciliation or fit- 
 ness, shall give allowance thereunto." 
 Divers petitions from Hampton and Ex- 
 eter followed ; and the court ordered two 
 or three magistrates to go to Hampton 
 with full power to hear and determine 
 all differences there. The result was that 
 the intention of settling Mr. Bachiler was 
 abandoned. 
 
 In 1646 another attempt was made to 
 procure a minister in Exeter ; and some 
 of the inhabitants went so far as to bind 
 themselves to pay what Mr. Wheelwright 
 should ask for his house and land, for 
 the use of Mr. Nathaniel Norcrosse, who 
 was a young minister, and an "universi- 
 ty scholar," in Massachusetts. It is not 
 known that Mr. Norcrosse received a 
 call ; if he did, it was not accepted. There 
 were still divisions and dissensions 
 among the people, in regard to their spir- 
 itual affairs, and at least one petition was 
 forwarded on that account to the general 
 court of Massachusetts, the great resort 
 
44 
 
 for the remedy of all grievances ; and on 
 the 27th of October, 1G47, that body pass- 
 ed an order that Mr. Ezekiel Rogers, 
 Mr. Nathaniel Rogers and Mr. Norton 
 be requested and authorized "to exam- 
 ine the grounds of the complaint, and if 
 it may be, to compose things amongst 
 them (the people of Exeter), — -which if 
 they cannot do, then to certify to this 
 court what they find, and also think best 
 to bo done, which may conduce to peace 
 and the continuance of the ordinances 
 amongst them." 
 
 Possibly tlie labors of these gentlemen 
 maj' have had a pacificating effect upon 
 the discordant elements, for on the IGth 
 i>f November, 1G48, it was voted by the 
 inhabitants of Exeter that Mr. Thomson 
 of Braintree, be invited to become their 
 minister, "and in case he can be attained 
 to come, that he shall be allowed by the 
 town £30 a year, and the profits that 
 shall come to the town by the saw-mill, 
 and the use of the house and land whicli 
 was purchased of Mr. Wheelwright, so 
 long as ho continues with us as a minis- 
 ter ; and Christopher Lawson, Edward 
 Ciilman, and John Legat are appointed 
 to act in the imvilutiou to him if he may 
 be attained, or if not then to have power 
 to act in the invitation of some other, 
 with the counsel and advice of the elders 
 of Boston, Charlestownand Roxbury." 
 
 It would appear that Mr. Thomson de- 
 clined the invitation. 
 
 At a town meeting held the 22d of 
 April, 1649, it was voted to invite Mr. 
 Emerson of Rowley, to come to Exeter 
 as the minister ; but he did not see fit to 
 accept the call. 
 
 But the wishes of the people were at 
 
reer of one of the luosit distingui.slied di- 
 vines of the world, whose name will be 
 held in honor and reverence, so long as 
 zeal, piety, and self-denial shall be known 
 and apprwiated. 
 
 VITT. 
 
 IXCTDKNTS. 
 
 It was nearly six years after the death 
 of the earnest and eloquent Whitefield. 
 In that period an immense change had 
 taken place in the opinions, feelings 
 and situation of the American colo 
 nists. From remonstrances and peti- 
 tions against the exactions of the mother 
 country, thej^ had proceeded to open and 
 armed resistance, and at length to the 
 decisive step of declaring themselves in- 
 dependent of the British crown. In 
 June, 1770, the Legislatvire of New 
 Hampshire instructed her delegates in 
 Congress to join with those of the other 
 colonies, in such a measure, and on 
 Thursday, the eighteenth day of July 
 following, the Declaration of the thirteen 
 United Colonies of North America, au- 
 thenticated by the bold signature of John 
 Hancock, reached Exeter by express, 
 having been fourteen days on the road 
 from Philadelphia. 
 
 The committee of safety, sometimes 
 called tlie little congress, was in session 
 at the time, and we can readily believe 
 that the startling but joyful intelligence 
 that the Rubicon was passed, flew rapid- 
 ly from lip to lip through the village. It 
 was determined that the immortal 
 words should be read in public ; and the 
 impatient citizens thronged in a dense 
 mass about the front yard of the lower 
 
38 ^ 
 
 church, or "colonj' house" as it was 
 termed when used lor civic purposes, to 
 witness the fornialitj'. The venerable 
 president of the council, ^^eshech Weare, 
 with the niemliers of the Committee and 
 other principal citizens, of the town and 
 county, made their appearance before 
 the assembled people, with John Tajdor , 
 (Jihnan, wlio was selected for the honor 
 of first pronouncing on New Hampshire 
 soil, the words of the charter of Ameri- 
 can libertj'. As he read the impressive, 
 solemn and eloquent periods of the De- 
 claration, the great concourse before him 
 listened in silence but w'ith deep emo- 
 tion, and he himself was so overcome 
 with the tumult of his feelings on the 
 Joyful and momentous occasion, that he 
 was for a time incapable of proceeding. 
 The emotions of the hearers were too 
 deep for applause ; but the words found 
 a response in their inmost hearts, and 
 tlionceforward there was no hesitation 
 nor faltering. Nothing short of absolute 
 independence was admissible as the re- 
 sult of the contest, from that time forth. 
 Thirteen years later, Exeter saw anoth- 
 er sight, not soon to be forgotten bj' its 
 citizens. The war was happilj' conclud- 
 ed, independence won, and the insuffi- 
 ciency of the old confederation becoming 
 apparent, a new form of government had 
 been established. Washington, the sa- 
 vior of his country, had been elected its 
 first chief nuigistrate, and after the new 
 administration was fairly launched, had 
 sot forth on a tour through the northern 
 states. It was known that he was to 
 leave Portsmouth on the fourth day of 
 November, 1789, for Exeter ; and the 
 good people made their preparations to 
 
39 
 
 meet him with a cavalcade of citizens to 
 escort him into town. But they mistook 
 the hour of his departure from Ports- 
 mouth, or forgot his rigid habits of punc- 
 tuality; for before the volunteers were 
 in the saddle, Washington made his ap- 
 pearance. He arrived here before ten 
 o'clock in the forenoon, accompanied by 
 his secretaries, Col. Lear and Maj. Jack- 
 son, and a single servant. Washington 
 rode in an open carriage, and is said to 
 have worn a drab surtout and military 
 hat. The street was lined with specta- 
 tors as he drove up to the door of the res- 
 idence of Col. Samuel Folsom, who, as 
 was not unusual among the leading men 
 of that day, kept a public house. It 
 was the same dwelling now occupied by 
 by George W. Dearborn at the easterly 
 corner of Court square and Water street. 
 It is unnecesaary to say that the whole 
 population gathered eagerly to catch a 
 glimpse of the distinguished visitor. 
 Col. Nicholas Gilman, who had been an 
 officer of the staff under the commander- 
 in-chief at Yorktown, and other officers 
 of the revolution and principal citizens, 
 paid their respects to Washington, and 
 did the honors of the town. They invited 
 liim to remain and partake of a public 
 dinner, which his arrangements com- 
 pelled him reluctantly, as his diary in- 
 forms us, to decline. He however ac- 
 cepted a breakfast or collation, at the 
 pxiblic house, on which occasion a young 
 lady related to Col. Folsom, waited on 
 him at table. His quick eye discovered 
 that she was not a servant, and tradition 
 informs us that he called her to him, ad- 
 dressed her a few pleasant words, and 
 kissed her. 
 
40 
 
 The hour or two of his stay in Exeter 
 Avere soon over, and he again resumed his 
 journey by Kingston towards Haverhill, 
 Mass. Ho was accompanied a part of the 
 distance by some of the gentlemen of the 
 town. When he reached the top of frreat 
 Hill, he called on his driver to stop, and 
 rasting his eyes back over the wide and 
 charming landscape, he remarked in ad- 
 miring tones upon its beauty ; and with 
 this pleasant word at parting, he bade 
 our town adieu. 
 
 Nine years later, a ludicrous occur- 
 rence took i)lace in Exeter, in connection 
 with an expected visit trom Washing- 
 ton's successor in the office of president. 
 In the summer of 1798, while the Court 
 was in session, and the public houses 
 tilled to overflowing, two young njen 
 from Boston drove into town at a late 
 hour, and attemjited to obtain lodgings 
 for the night. There was no room at any 
 public house, and the jirivate houses 
 were all closed an<l dark. The young 
 men east about for an expedient to rouse 
 the people. It took but a moment to 
 concoct a story. They informed the sit- 
 ters-up at the public houses that Presi- 
 dent Adams was coming on from Haver- 
 hill to Exeter that night, and would 
 shortly arrive. They had ridden on in 
 advance to give the information. The 
 news spread like wild-lire. I^ights wei'e 
 soon visible in every house, and there 
 was mounting in hot haste to form a cav- 
 alcade for the President's reception. 
 Meantime the two young men who had 
 caused all this commotion found a pri- 
 vate house whose occupants being 
 aroused, were willing to give them lodg- 
 ings, and were soon snug in bed ; while 
 
45 
 
 length gratified ; for at a town meeting on 
 the 30th of May, 1650, it was unanimous- 
 ly agreed between Rev. Samuel Dudley 
 and the town of Exeter "that Mr. Dudley 
 is forthwith, as soon as comfortable sub- 
 sistence can be made by the town for him 
 and his family in the house which was 
 purchased of Mr Wheelwright, that 
 then the said Mr. Dudley is to come and 
 inhabit Exeter and to be a minister of 
 God's word unto us until such time as 
 Ood shall be pleased to make wa^- for the 
 gathering of a cinirch, and then to be or- 
 dained our pastor or teacher according to 
 the ordinance of God." The town agreed 
 to tit up the Wheelwright house, and to 
 fence in a yard and garden, and to allow 
 £iO a year towards the maintenance of 
 Mr. Dudley and his family, with the use 
 and sole improvement of the house^and 
 lands and meadow boughtof Mr. Wheel- 
 wright, during the time he, Mr. Dudley, 
 should continue to be their minister. 
 The town also agreed that "what cost 
 Mr. Dudley should bestow about the said 
 house and lands in the time of his im- 
 provement, the town is to allow unto 
 him or his so much as the said house 
 and lands are bettered by it, at the time 
 of the said Mr. Dudley's leaving it, either 
 b\' death or some more than onlinary 
 ■call of God otherways." And it was far- 
 ther stipulated "that the old cow-house 
 which was Mr. W^heelwright's, shall by 
 the town be fitted up tit for the setting of 
 cattle in, and that the aforesaid pay of 
 £40 a year is to be made in good pay 
 ■every half year in corn and English com- 
 modities at a price current, as they go 
 generallj' in the country at the time or 
 tinjes of payment" 
 
4« 
 
 The agreement with Mr. Dudley took 
 effect immediately, and he undoubtedly 
 entered upon the discharge of his minis- 
 terial functions at once. Indeed there is 
 reason to believe that he had been serv- 
 ing the town in the same capacity before 
 that time. We learn, moreover, from the 
 agreement, that the church that had been 
 gathered and maintained during Mr. 
 Wheelwright's stay in Exeter, had failed 
 to preserve its organization for the seven 
 years when it was without a pastor. 
 
 At a town meeting on the2r)th of June, 
 ItioO, it was voted to pay Francis Swaine 
 20s "for his pains and time in going into 
 the bay to collect Mr. Dudley his pay." 
 This refers, no doubt, to the "English 
 commodities" which the town were to 
 furnish Mr. Dudley in part payment of 
 his salary. There was little money in 
 the frontier settlement, and some mer- 
 chant in the bay (Massachusetts) was 
 contracted with, to supply the imported 
 goods for Mr. Dudley, and to receive in 
 exchange from his Exeter parishioner."* 
 lumber and such other articles as they 
 could furnish. 
 
 At the same town meeting it was re- 
 solved "that a meeting-house shall b© 
 built, of twenty foot square, as soon as 
 workmen can conveniently be procured 
 to do it ; and the place ai)i)ointed for it is 
 at the corner of William Taylor's lot next 
 the street, and William Taylor is to have 
 of the town 2()s for five rods square of his 
 land in that place." 
 
 The people of Exeter having engaged 
 the services of Mr. Dudley, took prompt 
 and efficient measures to secure the pay- 
 ment of his stipulated salary. The town 
 records inform us that at a meeting on 
 
47 
 
 the r)th of December, 1650, it was "agreed 
 upon that the townsmen (who performed 
 substantially the duties of selectmen) 
 shall have power to make a rate upon all 
 such of the inhabitants of the town as do 
 not voluntarily bring in according to 
 their abilities, for the satisfj'ing of the 
 town's engagement unto Mr. Dudley for 
 his maintenance." It had previously 
 been determined that every inhabitant 
 of the town should pay, "for every 
 thousand of pipe-staves they made, 
 two shillings, which should be for the 
 maintenance of the ministry ; and for 
 every thousand of hogshead staves one 
 and sixpence ; and for every thousand of 
 bolts tliat is sold before they be made in- 
 to staves, four shillings; and also what 
 is due from the saw-mills shall be for 
 the maintenance of the ministry." And 
 in order to establish the priority of this 
 claim above all others, it was provided 
 that "any man that shall deliver any 
 staves or bolts before they have satisfied 
 t'..e town order, shall pay ten shillings 
 for every thousand staves, and twenty 
 shillings for every thousand bolts." 
 
 It was also voted at said lueeting on 
 the 5th ot December, 1650, that if Francis 
 Swaine and Henry Roby or either of 
 them shall make a bargain with any able 
 inerchant of the bay, to pay or cause to 
 be paid unto Mr. Dudley the sum of £40 
 in good English commodities in May 
 next, for his whole year's maintenance, 
 and to accept of hogshead staves or pipe 
 staves for the said £40 worth of goods, 
 then the town do agree to stand to their 
 bargain which they shall make, and to 
 bring in their proportional parts of hogs- 
 head staves or pipe staves unto the said 
 
48 
 
 Henry Robj' or Francis Swaine to satisfy 
 their agreement." 
 
 While the inhabitants were thxis solici- 
 tous to secure their minister from want, 
 they were no less ready to protect him 
 from defamation. They authorized the 
 three townsmen, Ilenrj'^ Roby, Thomas 
 King and John Legat, "to vindicate the 
 credit and reputation of Mr. Dudley 
 against the reproachful speeches and cal- 
 umniations of John Garland, by proceed- 
 ing against him in law, according to the 
 demerits of his oflence." It is not known 
 that any suit was ever brought against 
 the slanderer ; he probably found means 
 by apology, or otherwise, to avoid such 
 a result. 
 
 Apparently nothing was done under 
 the vote to build a meeting-liouse, 
 passed June 20th, 1050, for a couple of 
 years after. To be sure at a town meet- 
 ing held September 1st, 1052, it was or- 
 dered that the house should "begin to be 
 built upon the next second day (Mon- 
 day), and a rate to be made how much 
 work every man shall do towards it, and 
 so to be called forth to work upon it by 
 Thomas King and John Legat as need 
 shall require, that the work be not neg- 
 lected till it be tinished, and that every 
 man that neglects to come to work upon 
 a day's warning he shall pay five shil- 
 lings a day to be forthwith levied by the 
 constable." Yet at a subseq\ient meet- 
 ing , July 8th, 1052, "it was ordered that 
 a meeting house shall forthwith be built, 
 and that every man both servants as 
 well as others, shall come forth to work 
 upon it, as they are called out by the sur- 
 veyor of the work, upon the penalty of 
 five shillings for every day's neglect ; 
 
41 
 
 ♦he ctims of their practical joke, after 
 having waited and ridden for hours in 
 vain, were lain at last to betake them- 
 selves to rest, with the consciousness of 
 liaving been egregiously hoaxed. It is 
 doubtful whether it was any satisfaction 
 for them to feel that though they were 
 too late to escort Washington, they could 
 not be said to be behind time with re- 
 gard to Adams ! 
 
 XL 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL. . 
 
 The little colony which accompanied 
 or followed John Wheelwright to the 
 falls of Squamscott in 1638, was essen- 
 tially a religious one. It was composed 
 in great part of those who had been mem- 
 bers of his flock in England, and of those 
 who had suffered for adhering to his the- 
 ological opinions in Massachusetts. It 
 is not strange, therefore, that a church 
 was gathered, within a few months after 
 their arrival here. From the records of 
 the church at Boston we learn that on 
 the 30th of December, 1638, "dismission 
 was granted to our brethren, Mr. John 
 Wheelwright, Richard Morris, Richard 
 Bulgar, Philemon Pormont, Christopher 
 Marshall, Isaac Grosse, George Wayte, 
 Thomas Wardhall, and William Ward- 
 hall, unto the church at the falls of Pas- 
 cataquack, if they be rightly gathered 
 and ordered." It is probable that thej' 
 all became members of the first church 
 of Exeter, and that an equal or larger 
 number of Wheelwright's former Eng- 
 lish parishioners were also connected 
 with it. Of the thirty-four persons who 
 signed the "combination" with Wheel- 
 
42 
 
 Wright, in 1639, we know from the pre- 
 amble of the instrument itself that a part 
 were brethren of the church, and the 
 others inhabitants, simply. It has been 
 stated, upon what authority we know 
 not, that the church was formed of eight 
 members, comprising Wheelwright and 
 those who as his adherents had been dis- 
 missed from the church in Boston ; but 
 this is apparently erroneous. As no re- 
 cords are in existence to afford the infor- 
 mation, the number of those who com- 
 posed the original church can probably 
 never be ascertained ; but there is reason 
 to V)c]icve that among them were at least 
 one-half of the signers of the combina- 
 tion. It is evident from the terms of the 
 mode of government adopted by the set- 
 tlors, and from their laws and ordinances, 
 that the religious element was the con- 
 trolling one in their little communitj'. 
 
 Mr. Wheelwright remained in Exeter, 
 as is supposed, until 1043, when all the 
 settlements in New Hampshire liaving 
 passed under the authority of Miussachu- 
 sctts, from which colony he had been 
 banished, he removed with a few connec- 
 tions and intimate friends to Wells in 
 Maine. It is probable that he did tliis 
 fi om an apprehension that ho might bo 
 subjected to further annoyance, if ho 
 continued within the jurisdiction of Mas- 
 sachusetts, witiiout having made his 
 peace with the authorities of that colony. 
 There is some reason to believe that Mr. 
 Wheelwright's removal was not expected 
 to bo permanent. There are votes upon 
 the town records which indicate that the 
 inhabitants understood that he might re- 
 turn to Exeter. And before he had been 
 very long at Wells, too, he took the first 
 
49 
 
 and teams are to be brought forth to the 
 work by the owners as they are called 
 for by the said surveyors upon the pen- 
 alty of ten shillings a day for their neg- 
 lect, and the surveyors or overseers ap- 
 pointed for the said work are Mr. Ed- 
 ward Gilman, Thomas King and Edward 
 Hilton, Jr., and they are to see the work 
 finished and not to have it neglected." 
 
 Undoubtedly the people were moved 
 to commence and carry through the en- 
 terprise soon after ; for a vote of the town 
 in November, 1652, alludes to the "fin 
 ishing" of the building, and the return 
 of a board of commissioners to lay out 
 the west part of Hampton, in August, 
 1653, mentions the "Exeter meeting- 
 bouse," which would imply that it was 
 then completed. 
 
 Where Mr. Dudley's congregation 
 worshipped in the meantime, whether 
 in the primitive structure that is under- 
 stood to have been erected in Mr. Wheel- 
 wright's ministry or elsewhere, we have 
 no means of knowledge. Nor is it cer- 
 tainly known where this church was lo- 
 cated ; but there is reason to believe that 
 it was not far from the site which tradi- 
 tion assigns to the earlier building. It 
 continued to be used as the place of pub- 
 lic worship for more than forty years. 
 
 In 1664, a lean-to with a chimney was 
 added to the meeting-house, to serve as 
 a watch-house. Some time after this, 
 probably, Edward Smith, Biley Dudley, 
 Edward Gilman and perhaps others built 
 a gallery in the house, which was con- 
 firmed to them by a vote of the town in 
 1(>78, and at the same time said Smith, 
 Oilman, Jonathan Thing, Peter Folsoni, 
 Nathaniel Lad and Moses Levit were al- 
 
50 
 
 lowed to build a gallery for their wives, 
 at the end of the luens gallery, leaviiif^ 
 room for htill another, if desired, whic-b 
 Mrs. Sarah Wadley, Sarah Young, Alice 
 (jiilniaii, Abigail Wadley, Ephraim Mar- 
 elen's wife, Grace fJilnian ami Mary Law- 
 rence had leave to erect and set up, at 
 the north (snd of the house. 
 
 It would appear that within a few years 
 after Mr. Dudley's scttlonient, the town 
 had lost .ionie inhabitants, ju-rhaps pei'- 
 sons of means, so tiiat they were unable 
 to continue his salary, and as he "wns 
 not willing tourge that from them whidj 
 they could not comfortably discharge," 
 it was agreed between them on the 13th 
 of June, 1655, that "the contract made at 
 the time of his settlement should he an- 
 nulled ; that he should lay down hi» 
 minister-character and that his future 
 exercises on the Sabbath day should be 
 done as a private person, he intending? 
 and promising to be heljiful, what so 
 may with convenience, either in his own 
 house or some other wliicli shall be ap- 
 pointed for tlie Sabbath exercises."' 
 
 Tlie next year the town of Portsmouth, 
 understanding probably that Mr. Dud- 
 ley was relieved of his Exeter charge, 
 l)ased a vole to iJivite him to i-emove 
 thither and become their minister, and 
 the selectmen of that town were author- 
 ized to communicate the vote and make 
 a contract with him. He received the 
 proposition favorably', and agreed to visit 
 Portsmouth the next spring. 
 
 Tlie danger of losing their minister 
 seems to have aroused the inhabitants of 
 Exeter to new efforts ; for, at "a full 
 town meeting" on the 8th of June, 1657, 
 "it was ordered and agrceil that so lent? 
 
51 
 
 as Mr. Samuel Dudley shall continue to be 
 a minister in the town of Exeter, which 
 shall be till there shall be some just 
 cause for him to remove, whereof he is 
 not to be judge himself, but other indif- 
 ferent, understanding men,— the fewness 
 of the people, or greater maintenance to 
 be a cause, are excepted— the town of 
 Exeter is to pay the said Samuel the sum 
 of £50 yearly in merchantable pine 
 boards and merchantable pipe staves, 
 both to be delivered at the water-side, at 
 the town of Exeter, at the current price 
 as thej' shall go at when they are deliv- 
 ered." The residue, in case fullcompen- 
 tion was not thus made, was to be laken 
 in corn, and the payments were to be in 
 equal instalments on the 29th of Septem- 
 ber and the 24th of June, in each year. 
 The Wheelwright property was also fully 
 confirmed to Mr. Dudley, and it was 
 provided that the selectmen of the town 
 .should yearly "gather up" the said sum 
 of £50, and in case they should fail to do 
 so, thej^ should be ansiverable to the 
 town for their deiault, and make up out 
 of their own {Jockets whatever they failed 
 to collect ! It is somewhat doubtful if 
 the selectmen of our day would be will- 
 ing to accept such a liability ; and per- 
 haps it was only the fear of being de- 
 prived of their minister which reconciled 
 them to the condition, two centuries ago. 
 
 This action on the part of the town had 
 the desired effect of inducing Mr. Dud- 
 ley to abandon all thoughts of removing 
 to Portsmouth, and to retain him topur- 
 sue his useful labors in Exeter. 
 
 Mr. Dudley being an excellent man of 
 business and holding the pen of a ready 
 writer, was frequently employed by his 
 
52 
 
 parishioners in secular affairs. At a 
 meeting of the town on the 4th of March, 
 1658, a grant of certain land was made to 
 him, in consideration of his drawing off 
 from the town book all the former grants 
 and necessary orders in relation thereto ; 
 which it was stipulated were to be " fair- 
 ly written." It was also provided, sin- 
 gularly enough, that if he should find 
 recorded any grant or order to hinder 
 this grant of land to himself, the latter 
 should be void, which is evidence of the 
 entire confidence reposed by the people 
 in his integrity. 
 
 In 1660 something was needed to be 
 done to the house of worship either by 
 way of addition or repairs, as the select- 
 men were authorized, in case they should 
 be "forced to lay out of their own estates 
 towards the fitting up of the meeting 
 house," to make a rate to reimburse 
 themselves. This was a great advance 
 on the earlier rule, which apparently re- 
 quired the selectmen to make good any 
 deficiency in the minister's salary ; and 
 subsequent votes of the town, as will be 
 seen, still further relieved them from re- 
 sponsibility in parochial affairs. 
 
 At a town meeting, on the loth of 
 March, 16GS, it was ordered that Lieuten- 
 ant Hall be empowered to "arrest and 
 sue any that belong to the town that re- 
 fuse to pay to the rate of the ministry." 
 And in 1671 it was agreed that the select- 
 men should be exonerated from tlieduty 
 of collecting the minister-rate, and that 
 thenceforth Mr. Dudley was to " gather 
 up his rate, himself," in consideration 
 whereof he was to receive £60 instead of 
 £50, J early. The selectmen were to as- 
 sess the tax, and in case an3' inhabitant 
 
53 
 
 should refuse to pay, they were to em- 
 power Mr. Dudley to "get it by the cou- 
 stable." 
 
 Either this method of obtaining his 
 salary w^as impracticable or unsatisfac- 
 tory to Mr. Dudley, or the infirmities of 
 age soon compelled him to withdraw 
 from his charge ; for it was but five years 
 later that the place of worship in Exeter 
 appears to have been strangely neglect- 
 ed, if we may give full credit to the alle- 
 gations of the record of a court held at 
 Hampton in Maj^, 1676, which was as fol- 
 lows : " The town of Exeter being pre- 
 sented for letting their meeting house 
 lie open and common for cattle to go 
 into, this Court doth order that the se- 
 lectmen of Exeter do take effectual care 
 that the said house be cleaned, t'nd be 
 made clean enough for christians to meet 
 in, and the doors hung and kept shut ; 
 and this to be done and signified to Mr. 
 Dalton, under the band of the constable 
 by the next Sabbath day, corns se'ennightj 
 or else to forfeit £5 ; that for the time to 
 come they should keep the said house 
 commodiously tight and suitable for 
 such a place, upon the like penalty." 
 
 Mr. Dudley died in 1883 at the age of 
 seventy-seven years, the last thirty-five 
 of which he passed in Exeter ; and was 
 buried, it is believed, in the old grave- 
 yard near the present gas-works. He 
 was connected l>j blood and marriage 
 with r.orne of the principal men of Mas- 
 sachusetts, and the people of Exeter 
 were fortunate, in every respect, in hav- 
 ing him to settis among them. He was 
 able to allay oil J2r:,loQS fselings on the 
 part of McssachassttP. towards Exeter, 
 by his acquaintance with the dignitaries 
 
/ 
 
 54 
 
 of that colony, and he was unqnestion- 
 ably a diligent and faithful spiritual 
 teacher and guide. 
 
 For some years alter Mr, Dudley's de- 
 cease, there was no settled or regular 
 minister in Exeter ; but it is probable 
 that religious worship was conducted by 
 such clergymen as might be temporarily 
 engaged. In 1683 Kev. John Cotton, be- 
 fore and afterwards of Hampton, is men- 
 tioned in a contemporary account as of 
 Exeter, so it is probable that he minis- 
 tered here for a time. Elder William 
 Wcntworth certainly oflTiciated here be- 
 fore October, 1690, as the town then voted 
 to treat with him " for his cmitiiiuance 
 with them in the ministry." Mr. Went- 
 wortli remained in the office of minister 
 in Exeter until some time in 1(393, when 
 the growing infirmities of years must 
 have disqualified him for the work. 
 
 The course adopted by the town in se- 
 lecting his successor, strikingly illus- 
 trates the simple foshions of the time, 
 and the general concern felt throughout 
 the community in relation to the spirit- 
 ual concerns of even a remote and feeble 
 settlement. On the 23d of June, 1693, 
 Capt. John Oilman and Bilej"^ Dudley 
 were chosen "in behalf of the town to go 
 to the neighboring ministers and take 
 their advice for a meet person to supply 
 the office of the ministry in the town of 
 Exeter.'" The search seems to have been 
 successful, for only three months after- 
 ward a committee was raised to treat 
 with Rev. John Clark, and on the 10th 
 of October, in the same year, Capt. John 
 Oilman, Capt. Peter Coffin and Cajjt. 
 Robert Wadleigh were empowered to 
 agree with Mr. Clark to become the min- 
 
56 
 
 i«ter of Exeter, and to fix his salary for 
 the first half year, the town engaging to 
 pay the same. 
 
 But Mr. Clark was not to be secured at 
 once. It is not known why he did not re- 
 move sooner to Exeter, but it may be con- 
 jectured that he required, not unreason- 
 ably, that the inhabitants should fii"st 
 prove their disposition and ability to sus- 
 tain a religious society, by erecting a 
 suitable house of worship. However 
 that might have been, in January, 1695, 
 at two meetings of the town, the subject 
 of building a new meeting-house was dis- 
 cussed, and at length determined ; and 
 ** the major part of the town saw cause to 
 «rect and set the house on the hill be- 
 tween the great Ibrt and Nat Folsom's 
 barn." But the location of a public 
 building is never an easy matter for a 
 town to agree upon, and a controversy 
 afterwards arose in regard to it, which 
 was only settled at last by a committee 
 chosen for the purpose. Capt. Coffin was 
 employed to keep the account of the 
 work done by the inhabitants upon the 
 house ; and the rate allowed was three 
 shillings a day for men, and for lads 
 what the committee should order. 
 
 The location decided upon was just in 
 front of the site of the present lower 
 (First Congregational) church, and there 
 the meeting-house, evidently of no mean 
 proportions, was placed, being complet- 
 ed about the beginning of the year 1697. 
 It had doors at the east and west ends, 
 the pulpit on the north side, and stairs 
 leading to a women's gallery on the south 
 side. Pews were built round the sides, 
 and the middle space was probably occu- 
 pied with benches. 
 
56 
 
 At a town meeting, on the Sd of Feb- 
 ruary, 1697, it was voted " that the new 
 meetiug-house should be seated by the 
 committee now chosen, viz., Capt. Moore, 
 Mr. Smart, Biiey Dudley, Capt. Hall, 
 Lieut. L.eavitt and Mr. Moses Leav- 
 itt ; and the committee have full pow- 
 er to seat ths people in their places 
 and power to grant places for pews 
 to whom they see meet; and those 
 men that have places for pews shall sit 
 in them with their families, and not be 
 seated no where else." On the same day 
 the committee assigned places for pews, 
 as follows : to Kinsley Hall, hif. wife and 
 five children, at the West door ; to Moses 
 Leavitt and family at the left hand of 
 Hall ; to Edward Hilton for wife and son 
 Winthrop, his wife and two daughters, 
 Mary and Sobriety, on the North side of 
 the mGeling-bouse, joining to the pulpit 
 and Moses Leavitt's pew; to Richard 
 Hilton for himself, wife, children, mo- 
 ther and sister Rebecca, on the North 
 side of the meeting-house joining to the 
 parsonage pew ; to Mr. Wilson, his wife 
 and son Thomas, and two daughters, 
 Martha and Mary, and Elizabeth Oilman 
 joining unto Richard Hilton's, on the 
 East side cf the meeting house ; to Nich- 
 olas Oilman and wife, and John and Else 
 and Catherine, at the East door; to Rob- 
 ert Wadleigh and v.-ife and son Jona- 
 than, a place at the South side joining to 
 the women's stairs; and to Elizabeth 
 Coffin, widow of Robert Coffin, and chil- 
 dren, Simon Wiggin and family, next to 
 Jeremiah Oilman's. 
 
 It Is probable that Mr. Clark preached 
 for a time in Exeter before his ordina- 
 tion, which was fixed to be on the 2lst of 
 
57 
 
 September, 1698. The 7th of September 
 was ordered to be observed as a day of 
 humiliation. On the Sunday preceding 
 the ordination a confession of faith and 
 covenant, which had been previously 
 agreed upon, were signed by the follow- 
 ing named persons, who were the first 
 members of the first church in Exeter, 
 the organization of which has ever since 
 been maintained : 
 
 Jolm Clark, pastor, 
 John Gilman, 
 Peter Coffin, 
 WilUani Moore, 
 Thomas Wlggiu, 
 Kinsley Hall, 
 Theophilus Dudley, 
 S.amuel Leavitt, 
 BUey Dudley, 
 Moses Leavitt, 
 John Folsom, 
 Henry AVadleigh, 
 Jonathan Robinson, 
 
 Tliomas Dudley, 
 John Serivener, 
 Xiclicilas ( Jilniau, 
 Riclianl (ilidilen, 
 Eli/.alictli (lilman, 
 Eli/.alictU Clark. 
 Judith Wilson, 
 Margarc/t Heal. 
 Sarali Dudley, 
 DelKirali Siukler, y 
 Deborah Coffin. 
 Sarah Lowell, 
 Mehitabel Smith. 
 
 The church having been organized, on 
 the day appointed the ordination exer- 
 cises were performed by Rev, Mr. Hale, 
 who preached the sermon, Rev. Mr. 
 Pike, who made the prayer before impo- 
 sition of hands. Rev. Mr. Woodbrid^e, 
 who gave the charge, and Rev. Mr. Cot- 
 ton, who gave the right hand of fellow- 
 ship. 
 
 Mr. Clark received at first sixty pounds 
 a year for his salary, with the use of the 
 parsonage lot and a certain meadow ; to 
 which ten pounds more were afterwards 
 added, to cover the expense of firewood 
 and fencing of the lands. It was also 
 agreed that the town should furnish him 
 a parsonage house, but he subsequently 
 consented to dispense with that stipula- 
 tion, on condition that the town should 
 pay him one hundred pounds, instead 
 thereof. 
 
 Mr. Clark remained in charge of the 
 church in Exeter until his death, in 1705, 
 
58 
 
 at the age of tliirty-five years. He was 
 highly esteemed In- his people; they paid 
 to his widow tlie lull amount of his sal- 
 ary, and erected a tomb over his remains, 
 at the expense ot the town ; and twenty 
 years later, made repairs upon the same. 
 The grave of Mr. Clark is in the yard of 
 the lower church, and upon his tomb- 
 stone were inscribed these lines : 
 
 "A proplii-f lies uiuicr tlic stoni'. 
 His words sli;ill live lliii" hf be frolic, 
 Whrii iniaclicrs ilic wliat iiilo the pulpit gave 
 (Jt liviiifj, arc still preached IVoiu their grave. 
 The faitli and life which your dead pastor tauglit 
 >»ow in one grave with liim, sirs, bury not." 
 
 A few days after the decease of Mr. 
 Clark the town voted to ob.sfcrve the last 
 Wednesday of August as a day of humil- 
 iation, and appointed a committee " to 
 take care of the ministers" who should 
 preach in Exeter before that day, and 
 lake advice of them or any other persons 
 they might think proper, respecting a 
 suitable minister to be settled here. 
 Early in September acoinmittee, consist, 
 •ing of Tiieut. Nicholas (iilman and Jona- 
 than Thing, was appointed to give some 
 minister a call, and engage him for the 
 term of three months ; and were instruct- 
 ed to invite Mr. Adams, Mr. White or 
 Mr. Curin(?), for that duty. 
 
 It is probable that a temporary engage- 
 ment was not found satisfactory ; for two 
 months afterward, a vote was passed to 
 call a minister in order to a full settle- 
 ment, should the town and said minister 
 agree. In the April following (ITOti) the 
 town voted to give Rev. .John Odlin a 
 (!all to carry on the work of the ministry 
 and appointed a committee of ten per- 
 sons, a major part of whom were em- 
 powt red to make a full agreement in be- 
 half of the town with him "for his salarv 
 
59 
 
 and other things laeedful." Under this 
 authority they contracted to pay him £70 
 a year, together with the strangers' con- 
 tribution money, and allow him the use 
 of the parsonage and two hundred acres 
 of land, and to give him an outtit of £100 
 in money towards his settlement. 
 
 Mr. Odlin was ordained on tlie 12th ol 
 November, 1706. He was a young man, 
 having graduated at Harvard College 
 only four j^ears before. He married Mrs. 
 Clark, the widow of his predecessor, and 
 his pastorate only ended with his life. 
 
 Ere many years had passed, the want 
 of a new place of worship began to be 
 felt. The town had increased in popula- 
 tion, and the Indian wars had for the 
 time ceased to alarm and keep down the 
 frontier settlements. When men ven- 
 tured to go to church without arms in 
 their hands, the tide of immigration be- 
 gan to resume its natural How. On the 
 16th of December, 1728, it was determin- 
 ed that a new meeting house should be 
 built, and placed on some part of the 
 land purchased of Capt. Peter Coffin, on 
 which the meeting house then stood. 
 
 But so important an undertaking re- 
 quired time, and it was not until the 
 spring of 1731 that the new building was 
 finished. It was placed close by the old 
 meeting-house, which was not removed 
 until after its completion. In March and 
 April, 1731, the pews were sold as follows : 
 
 No. 14 to Maj. Nicholas ( liliiian, Esq., lor £21 
 
 ■24 Capt. Tlii-()|iliiliis Smith, Hi 
 
 1.5 Lieut. BaitlKiloriHW Thing. 21 
 
 20 Dr. Thoiiias Dean. 1.5 
 
 ao Capt. Klijihalct < 'otHu, 18 10s 
 
 W " PvU'V (iihnaii, 13 10 
 
 yi Dca. Thdiiias Wilson. l:i 
 
 13 .loiiatlKin (iilnian, 2:5 
 
 10 Natlumicl Wfli^tci-, II 
 
 21 Frauds Bowilen, 12 
 12 Samuel Couner, • 20 
 
60 
 
 »i 
 
 Edward Ladd. 
 
 IT 
 
 22 
 
 Capt. Jonathan Wadleigh, 
 
 15 
 
 25 
 
 James Leavitt, 
 
 16 
 
 23 
 
 Lieut. Jolin K()l)ins()u, 
 
 20 
 
 5 
 
 Bcniaiiiin Tiling', 
 
 12 10 
 
 4 
 
 Natiiaiiicl l!ai-11etf. 
 
 16 10 
 
 !) 
 
 Saniiicl ( iilinau. 
 
 13 
 
 18 
 
 DaiiirlCiiliiKiIi, 
 
 13 r> 
 
 6 
 
 Dca. .lolin Lord, 
 
 12 15 
 
 16 
 
 Natlianirl Gilmau, 
 
 17 
 
 8 
 
 Mrs. HaniialiHall, 
 
 13 5 
 
 3 
 
 K/.ckiil (iiliiian. 
 
 20 
 
 29 
 
 Caleb Ciliiian, 
 
 17 
 
 27 
 
 Tlioiiias Weljsier. 
 
 17 
 
 31 
 
 <'al)t. .Iiilni (iihiian. Jr. 
 
 21 
 
 28 
 
 Jereiniali Connor. 
 
 20 10 
 
 7 
 
 Col. John (lilniau. 
 
 16 5 
 
 •J 
 
 Jonathan ( 'onnor. 
 
 21 15 
 
 1 
 
 .Mr. John Odlin, 
 
 15 
 
 17 
 
 Col. John Giliuau, 
 
 12 13 
 
 And in the "lower gallery" the fol- 
 lowing sale.s were made : 
 
 No. 9 to Col. JolinGiluian, £10 
 
 1 Nieholas (Jordon, 12 5s- 
 5 Bartholomew Thing, 10 5 
 i; Jeremiah ( 'onnor, 10 5 
 
 7 Kieharil Smith, 13 
 
 8 Daniel Thin};, U 
 4 Philip Connor, 11 
 
 10 Joseph ThinK, 10 
 
 3 Nathaniel Web.ster,^ 12 
 
 2 William Doren, 12 
 
 This, which was the fourth house of 
 worship erected in Exeter, was a large 
 structure, with two galleries, and a broad 
 aisle running up to the pulpit, on each 
 side of which were benches for those who 
 did not own pews, and who agreeabl.y to 
 the fashion of the time had seats assign- 
 ed them according to age. A high steeple 
 was added to the edifice soon afterwards^ 
 at the charge of some public spirited cit- 
 izens, who presented it to the town, and 
 a bell was purchased and hung, to make 
 all complete. The steeple stood till 1775, 
 when it was blown down in a heavy gale, 
 and rebuilt at the expense of the town ; 
 the building lasted till 1798, when it was 
 replaced by the present edifice, which is 
 still standing on the same spot. 
 
 In November, 1731, the town voted to 
 take down the old meeting-house at 
 once, and with the materials to build a 
 
61 
 
 court house; -which was located on the 
 opposite side of the street, just below 
 where the Squainscoit House now is. 
 
 Mr. Odliii ministered to the people of 
 his charge to their acceptance for more 
 than tiiirty 3'e. rs, and until the time of 
 the *' great awakening" under the influ- 
 ence of Whitefield. Mr. Odlin set his 
 face conscientiously against the " new 
 lights," and though a majority of his pa- 
 rishioners agreed with him, a considera- 
 ble minority were of a different opinion, 
 and zealously supported the views of 
 Whitefield, In 1743 the major part of 
 the people joined in a request to Rev. 
 Woodbridge Odlin, son of Rev. John Od- 
 lin, to settle over tliem as the colleague 
 of his father. As it was known that the 
 sentiments of both were in harmony, 
 the partisans of the Whitefield doctrines 
 voted against the younger Mr. Odlin, 
 and being outnumbered, withdrew, to 
 the number of fort3''-one persons, and on 
 the 7th of June, 1744, were organized in- 
 to the Second Church. 
 
 Mr. W. Odlin was ordained on the 28th 
 of September, 1743, his father preaching 
 the sermon on the occasion. He is rep- 
 resented as having been a man of genu- 
 ine piety, and of modest and unaffected- 
 ly simple manners. He succeeded in 
 keeping his church and people well unit- 
 ed, though in the time of the troubles be- 
 tween the colonies and Great Britain, 
 he took an early and decided stand in 
 favor of the former. He died in 1776, 
 and his parish voted a gift of 25£ to his 
 widow. 
 
 In Julj', 1770, a call was given to Rev. 
 Isaac Mansfield, who was then serving 
 as a chaplain in the Continental army, 
 
64 
 
 His successor was Rev. William D. 
 Hitchcock, who was installed October o,_ 
 1833. His ministry commenced with 
 most auspicious pr. spects, which were 
 terminated in a single year by his la- 
 mented death, November 23, 1851. 
 
 It was not until Juno 19, 1856, that 
 Rev. Nathaniel Lasell, the next succeed- 
 ing minister, was installed. After a 
 service of three jears he asked for his 
 dismission, which was granted June 12, 
 1859. Ho was subsequently employed 
 in the profession of teaching. 
 
 Rev. 1-lias Nason, a native of New- 
 buryport, and a graduate of Brown [Jni- 
 versity was installed November 22, 1860, 
 and was dismissed at his own desire, 
 May 30, 1865. He has since lived in Bil- 
 lerica, Mass., and is well known for bis 
 antiquarian tastes and writings. 
 
 Rev. John O. Barrows, who was in- 
 stalled December 5, 1866, received his 
 dismission October 6, 1869, which he had 
 requested that he might enter upon for- 
 eign-mis:jion service in Asia. 
 
 Rev. Swift Byington, the present min- 
 ister of this society, was installed June 2, 
 1871. He is the sixteenth in order, of 
 those who have been settled as spiritual 
 guides, over the First Church in Eieter. 
 
 XII. 
 
 THE NEW PARISH. 
 
 The members of the original parish 
 who seceded from it in 1743, and united 
 to form a new society, proceeded in tho 
 same or the following year, to build a 
 house of worship. It was situated on the 
 lot where Mrs. W. V. Cohbs' house now 
 stands, and was a building of two stories 
 
<i5 
 
 and respe(5tabie capjxfity. Itstood parallel 
 with the street, and on the Western end 
 was a goodly stcej)lo, surmounted with a 
 vane. The pulpit was on the side oppo- 
 site the front door, and a gallery ran 
 round the other three sides. It was this 
 nieoting-houso in which Whitefield es- 
 sayed to preach on the day before his 
 death, wheji it was found all too small to 
 contain his thronging auditors, and lie 
 was compelled to address thorn in the 
 open air, on the opposite side of the way. 
 The fiecedors naturally wished to be 
 exonerated from jiaying taxes for the 
 support of the old parish, when they 
 ceased to worship there ; but the law of 
 that day was against them, and though 
 the town was repeatedly urged to relievo 
 them from the burden, the majority 
 would never consent to do so. A petition 
 to the General Assembl3' of the province 
 for setting olf a new parish, was op- 
 posed by the town, and failed. But the 
 society struggled on, nnd in 1746 made an 
 unsuccessful attempt to procure Rev. 
 Samuel Buel to become their minister ; 
 and in 1747 invited Mr. John Phillips, 
 one of their own number, and afterwards 
 the founder of the Phillips Academy, to 
 act as their pastor, but he declined on the 
 ground of his inability to perform all the 
 duties of the clerical ofTice. Thereupon 
 they extended a call to Rev. Daniel Rog- 
 ers, who accepted it, and was settled ov- 
 er them, August 31, 1747. He was a son 
 of Rev. John Rogers of Ipswich, Mass., 
 and a graduate of Harvard College, where 
 ho had also passed some years as a tutor. 
 It has been supposed that his family was 
 directly descended from John Rogers, the 
 Smithfield martyr, but later researches 
 
66 
 
 show that this is problematical, at least. 
 A second application made to the Gen- 
 eral Assembly, in 1755, for the incorpor- 
 ation of a new parish was successful ; 
 and the folio wing named persons were the 
 same year assessed as members thereof: 
 
 Jonathan Ambrose, 
 J()se])li AkiTS, 
 jDslah Harker, 
 Jiilni i;(i«ilcu, 
 Kihv.-inl ('(ilcord, 
 ■\\aillv ( ram, 
 TlKJinas Ocan, 
 John l>caii, 
 Samuel Dolloi; 
 Abner Uollof, 
 Joseph DoUof, 
 Nathaniel Folsom. 
 Jei-emiah Kulsoni, 
 I'cter (iihuaji, 
 S.-iiiuiel (ohnan, 
 Daniel (lilmaii, 
 Jiilui (liliiian, Jr., 
 Mary (.iliuan, 
 Nehemiali (lilnian, 
 Josiali Gilnian, 
 Samuel (iilinaii, Jr., 
 Trueworthy Gilmaii, 
 Summersliu Oilman, 
 Daniel (iilman, 3(i, 
 Mcholas (iilman, 
 .loim Jlains, 
 AVilliani Harris, 
 Dmlley James, 
 Jonathan Jiuikins, 
 John Loi'iJ, 
 John Loo^e, Jr., 
 
 Tlie same year a mutual council was 
 agreed upon by both churches, for the 
 purpose of attempting a reconciliation of 
 the differences which existed between 
 them ; but without avail. Each societj' 
 chose to pursue its own course. 
 
 Rev. Mr. Rogers remained the minis- 
 ter of the new parish until his death, 
 December 19, 17S5. For thirty-seven 
 years he labored with piety and zeal for 
 the good of his people, and in his decease 
 it was said "they sustained tlie loss of a 
 faithful minister, and his children that 
 of a kind and tender fatlier.'J His pa- 
 rishioners, in token of their respect for 
 his memory, voted to bear the expense 
 of his funeral. 
 
 Nathaniel Ladd, 
 Joslali l^add, i 
 Klias Ladd. 
 Thomas hord, 
 Kohert Lij<ht, 
 John Leavilt, 
 .lonathan Lord, 
 Kdmunil Looge, 
 Joseph Mudtrett, 
 Thomas Nealey, 
 John Phillips, 
 Thomas Piiier, 
 Stephen T'almer, 
 John );(.liinson, 
 Peter Holiinson, 
 lienjainin Kopers. 
 The(jphilns Smith, 
 Uiehard Smith, 
 Nieliolas Smith, 
 Kicharii Smith, Jr., 
 .(cisepli Swazey, 
 Samnel Smith, 
 Joseph Stacy, 
 Joseph Smith, 
 IJi-njamin Thing, 
 Da\ivl Tiling, 
 Stephen Thing, 
 .lames Thnrstin, 
 Abner Thurstin, 
 Jonathan Young. 
 
67 
 
 After the death of Mr. Rogers, the new- 
 parish was without a settled minister for 
 nearly seven years. In 1787 and the two 
 subsequent years, this parish united with 
 the other in defraying the expenses of 
 supporting the ministry. It may inter- 
 est some readers to know who bore 
 the charges of religious worship in Exe- 
 ter, almost a hvindred years ago, and we 
 therefore transcribe from an ofRcial pa- 
 per the following list of those "who con- 
 tributed for the support of a minister for 
 the year 1788 ;" nineteen of the persons 
 therein mentioned belonging to the new, 
 •md the remainder to the old parish, 
 
 Jeremiah Leavitt, 
 Tosepli Swazey, 
 
 John Phillips, 
 Nathaniel Folsoni, 
 Samuel Kolsoni, 
 -ttiUeon Lamsiyu, 
 KatlKiiiicl Gil'mau, 
 Ju^(•pll Tiltcin, 
 Eliplialet Hale, 
 Eljluaim Robinson, 
 Tiueworthy Oilman, 
 Beniamin Boardman, 
 Oliver I'ealiodv, 
 SaiinKl Ilcibart, 
 Diulley (Hllin, 
 Beujainiu Smith, 
 Jo^iali Unliiiison, 
 James Leavitt, 
 William Hale, 
 Aliraham Sanborn, 
 Josiah Barker, 
 Joseph Cram, 
 James Hackett, 
 Samuel Oilman, 
 Thomas Dean, 
 John Dean, 
 Ward C. Dean, 
 Isaac Williams, 
 Nal haniel Oordoii, 
 James Oilman, 
 James Thurston, 
 
 It was greatly hoped at that time, when 
 both societies were without ministers, 
 that a permanent re-union could be ef- 
 fected between them ; but though a 
 more cordial understanding was estab- 
 lished than had before existed, they still 
 retained their distinct organizations. 
 
 In 1790, the second parish voted to invite 
 Rev. Samuel Austin of New Haven, who 
 
 James Burley 
 Benjamin Cornier, 
 Isaac Currier. 
 Jacob Pearson, 
 Simeon Ladd, 
 Samuel Chamberlain, 
 Juhn TlHiiii]ison, 
 Mc.ses Jcwrtt, 
 Edmund Pearson, 
 Eliphalet Oilman, 
 Samuel Dutch, 
 Josiah Folsom, 
 Xathaniel Oiddings, — 
 Daniel Jones, 
 Josiah Oilman, Jr., 
 David Boardman, 
 George Odiorne, 
 Francis Mason, 
 Joseph Lamson, 
 James Folsom, 
 Nathaniel Parker, 
 Daniel Tilton, 
 Benjamin C. Oilman, 
 J. Oilman, Jr., 
 "Wood bridge Odlin, 
 Samuel Brooks. 
 
had repeatedly olficiatod in their pulpit, 
 to settle with them, but he did notaccept. 
 Not long after, however, they were so 
 fortunate as to secure for their minister 
 Rov. Joseph BroAvn, who was installed 
 over them November 20, 1792. lie was 
 a native of Chester, in England, and ed- 
 ucated at Lady Huntington's Seminary. 
 He remained in Exeter but five years, 
 being dismissed at his own request, in 
 1707, but his ministrations appear to have 
 been quite successful. The parish voted 
 liim a present of gfiO, at his departure. 
 
 The new society, being now without a 
 pastor, gradually declined in numliersand 
 interest, ahd several of the more influen- 
 tial members of the church sought the 
 communion of their brethren of the 
 other parish. The society organization, 
 Jjowever, was kept up, and religious ser- 
 vices were held with more or less fre- 
 quency. At length, about 1813, several 
 of the former members having returned, 
 a now impulse appeared to be given to 
 the society, and stated worship vvas re- 
 sumed with regularity. Rev. Hosea Hil- 
 dreth, a residentof the town and a teach- 
 er in tlie Academy, was omploj'ed to sup- 
 ply the pulpit, which he did till Rev. 
 Isaac Hurd began his ministrations. 
 
 Mr. Ilurd was installed as the pastor, 
 September 11, 1817. He was born in 
 Charlestown, Mass., received his theo- 
 logical education in Edinburgh, and first 
 preached in London. Upon his return 
 to this country he was settled for a time 
 in Lynn, Mass. When he came to Exeter 
 he found but a small and feeble church, 
 but under his faithful and judicious care 
 it speedily increased in strength and 
 numbers. In 1823, the society had bo- 
 
(59 
 
 come of suflBcient size and ability to 
 build a new meeting-house which is still 
 standing in the south-eastern end of the 
 Academy enclosure, and substantially 
 unchanged, except that its length was in- 
 creased by the addition of about fifteen 
 feet, in the year 1863. 
 
 After a harmonious and successful min- 
 istry of nearly thirty years, Mr. Hurd 
 proposed to the society to settle a col- 
 league with him, generously relinquish- 
 ing all claim for pecuniary compensation 
 thereafter. The society, gratefully ac- 
 knowledging his faithful and efficient la- 
 bors, and assuring him of their unwav- 
 ering afl'ection, assented to the proposal, 
 and in pursuance thereof Rev. Samuel D. 
 Dexter was ordained as colleague pastor, 
 December 2, 1847. He was a native of 
 Boston, Mass., and a graduate of Harvard 
 College, and his personal and religious 
 character were such as to give him a 
 strong hold upon the people, but his la- 
 bors were cut short by his death, April 
 20, 1850, at the early age of twenty-four 
 years. And six years later, October 4, 
 1856, Rev. Isaac Hurd, D. D., at a good 
 old age, beloved, respected and honored 
 for his amiable character, his christian 
 virtues and his faithful labors, passed 
 from earth. 
 
 Rev. Asa D. Mann was installed as 
 colleague in the place of Mr. Dexter, No- 
 vember 19, 1851. Mr. Mann was born in 
 Randolph, Mass., was a graduate of Am- 
 herst College, and had been settled in 
 Hardwick, Mass., before he came to Ex- 
 eter. After a little less than six years' 
 service here, he was dismissed from his 
 charge, July 8, 1857. 
 
 He was succeeded by Rev. Orpheus T. 
 
70 
 
 Lanphear, who was installed February 
 2, 1858, and dismissed in February, 1864. 
 Rev. John W. Chickering, Jr., was his 
 successor, his installation taking place 
 September 5, 1865, and his dismission 
 July 18, 1870. Rev. Messrs. Mann and 
 Lanphear are still engaged in the work of 
 the ministry, and Rev. Mr. Chic-kcring 
 is a professor in the Columbia Institution 
 for the Deaf and Dumb at Washington. 
 
 The eighth an d present pastor of tlie ne w 
 society is Rev. George E. Street, who 
 was installed March 30, 1871. 
 
 XIII 
 
 THE BAPTIST SOCIETY. 
 
 A Baptist church was organized in 
 Exeter October 17, 1800, consisting often 
 members ; and a society was formed the 
 next spring, by voluntary subscriiDtion. 
 Meetings for religious worship were 
 thenceforward held regularly on the 
 Lord's day, though the limited number 
 and means of the society enabled them at 
 first to have preaching but a part of the 
 time. Rev. Messrs. William Hooper, 
 John Peak, Samuel Shepard and other 
 well known ministers of their denomina- 
 tion lent them occasional aid at this ear- 
 ly period. They first used to meet at the 
 house of Harvey Colcord ; afterwards at 
 the Centre school house. In 1805 they 
 built and dedicated their first meeting 
 house, which was situated on Spring 
 street. 
 
 In 1806 Mr. Barnabas Bates preached 
 for them during several months ; and in 
 the spring of 1809 Rev. Ebenezer L. 
 Boyd became their preacher and labored 
 
71 
 
 with them for two years with encourag- 
 ing results. In 1814 and the two succeed- 
 ing years, Rev. Charles O. Kimball and 
 Rev. James McGregors supplied their 
 pulpit a part of the time. 
 
 In the year 1817 a Sabbath school was 
 first commenced in connection with the 
 Society, which has ever since been con- 
 tinued. The first teacher was the now 
 venerable Dea. John F. Moses, who for 
 half a century, with little interruption, 
 held the position of superintendent. 
 
 Their first settled minister was Rev. 
 Ferdinand Ellis, who took the position 
 in June, 1818, and occupied it until Sep- 
 tember, 1828. In the autumn of the lat- 
 ter year Rev. John Newton Brown was 
 settled over the church, and so continued 
 until February, 1833. Rev. John Cannan 
 succeeded him, being ordained May 29, 
 
 1833, and remained until February 16, 
 
 1834. Rev. J. N. Brown was again invit- 
 ed to the pastorate in 1834, which he fill- 
 ed until he was dismissed in April, 1838. 
 More than two years then elapsed before 
 another minister was settled, during 
 about one-half of which period the pulpit 
 was regularly supplied by Rev. J. G. 
 Naylor. 
 
 In November, 1840, the church gave an 
 invitation to Rev. Noah Hooper, Jr., to 
 become their minister, which he accepted, 
 and continued with them from Decem- 
 ber 1 of that year until July 20, 1845. It 
 was nearly three years after this, before 
 a successor was settled, Mr. T. H. Archi- 
 bald, licentiate, preaching about one year 
 of the time. In the spring of 1848, Rev. 
 Elijah J. Harris was settled as the pastor, 
 and was dismissed from his charge April 
 7, 1850. Rev. James French accepted the 
 
call of the church in January, 1851, and 
 was settled over them until January 1, 
 1853. After his dismission. Rev. Mr. 
 Russell supplied the desk for a time. 
 Rev. Franklin Merriam was the next 
 settled minister, who was installed in 
 September, 1854, and dismissed in No- 
 vember, 1856. lie was succeeded by Rev. 
 James J. Peck, whoso pastorate com- 
 menced in February, 1857, and continued 
 until April, 1861. 
 
 On the first of July, 1861, Rev. Noah 
 Hooper was solicited to assume the pas- 
 toral charge for the second time, and ac- 
 cepted the call. He continued his min- 
 istrations until the autumn of 1871, when 
 he was dismissed at his repeated request. 
 Rev. Joseph N.Chase was next invited to 
 become the pastor, and was received into 
 that connection January 16, 1872, and still 
 continues in it. The meeting house on 
 Water street, in which the society now 
 worship, was built in the years 1833 and 
 1834. 
 
 In December, 1854, some twenty-two 
 members withdrew from the Water street 
 church and formed themselves into a 
 new society. They first held their meet- 
 ings in a hall on Water street, until they 
 built a meeting house, on Elm street, 
 which was dedicated October 1, 1856. 
 Up to about this time. Rev. J. B. Lane 
 supplied them with preaching. Shortly 
 after they removed to the new house, 
 Rev. T. H. Archibald was settled over 
 them as their minister. His pastorate 
 continued not far from two years. For 
 some time after his dismission, the pul- 
 pit was supplied by students from the 
 Newton Theological Institution, and af- 
 terwards by Rev. Mr. May hew. About 
 
73 
 
 1862, Rev. Charles Newhall was installed 
 as the pastor, and continued in the office 
 some eight years. In 1871 the two socie- 
 ties resolved to re-unite, the Elm street 
 organization was given up, and its mem- 
 bers merged again into the Water street 
 society. 
 
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