'S3- 386

'nd &(wnd'

VIEW OF GREENLAND PARADE,

RAMBLES

ABOUT

GREENLAND IN RHYME

BY
M. O. HALL.

BOSTON:
ALFRED MUDGE & SON, PRINTERS,
No. 24 Franklin Steekt.
1900.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FIRST PART FAGB
Rambles about Geeenland  11

second part
Histoby of Geeenland feom 1653 to 1829  73
third part
Geobge Beackett, Esq., and his descent  151
Beackett Academy  139
Beeet Family  156
Beackett Weeks Inn  153
Bondmen   154
De. Chapman's Descent  162
Cates  163
CONGREGATIONALIST PAEISH ChUECH AND PASTOES .... 214
Doctoes  164
Eccenteic Men  165
Gookin Family  170
Geaveyaed  169
Holmes Family  173
Haines Family  175
Hatch Family  177
Internal Revenue  184
Johnsons  186
List of Taxpayers in 1743  194
Libeary  188
Maloons  195
3

4 TABLE of contents.
Marches 

196

Mills  jgo.
Parsonage  jqq
Polled Farms  206
Pickerings, Edwin and John  204
Packer Family  213
Parrots and Toscans 

 205
Pastors, Methodist Church  201
Peirce Family  207
Rl0T  210
Schools  228
Simpsons  231
The Three Fat. Men  j67
Weeks Families  232

PREFACE.

In compiling or in getting together this history of Greenland,
I have been very much assisted by William P. Frink, who has
furnished me with some desirable photographs, and by Miss
Mariannie Mitchell, who has put in some sketches in ink, by
Mr. W. H. Packer, who furnished me with the photograph of
the Eev. Samuel MacChntock, by John H. Brackett, Esq., who
furnished me with the deed of the ground whereon the church
was built, and by J. S. H. Frink, Esq., for encouragement in
undertaking and prosecuting my work. And there are others
to whom I feel grateful for their assistance. Particularly, Mr.
Hazlett, who furnished me with an account of the Library
Building, and also the map of the town published by Phineas
Merrill in 1806, which shows where the people lived who in
habited the town at that date ; also to Mr. F. C. Hoitt, civil
engineer, who has copied and corrected the maps and the view
of the inside of the church with such skill and nicety of
delineation. Also thanks are due to John Hatch, Esq., who
furnished the second account of the Brackett Academy.
M. O. HALL.
Greenland, N. H., January 1, 1900.

PART I.

EAIBLES ABOUT GEEENLAND IN EHYME.

PROLOGUE

Kind reader, let me say, if ever you should live
To be three-score and ten and four, you may believe
How diff'rent all things seem, so fast the time flies by;
First, boy or girl, then full-grown* youth, then time to die.
For, while our mind has dwelt on scenes of bygone years,
And thought of those who hved where not a ghost appears,
The ghost of one who loved the scenes it mingled in,
In ways that led it heavenward or down to sin.
Now, let us draw some sombre pictures of the past,
Of those whom few remember, but whose names should last.
And let us wander 'round about this little town
And see what we can find of worth, and note it down;
So that, in coming years, when we have gone to dust,
Some record may be left of men and things, we trust,
To those we leave behind. We 've said, whene'er we could,
" De mortuis, nil nisi bonum," — nothing but good.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

I came to town when young, down came I from the hills
That look so blue and beautiful ; a scene that thrills
With strange delight, where op'ning views, so awful, grand,
Show rocks were piled on rocks, before the crumbling sand,
Washed from their sides, had filled the cracks and formed the
plains,
And glacial action smoothed the crust, that still remains.
And here I went to school, where once a school-house stood,
Abreast the road that leads to Dover (when I could),
And there the Simpsons, Chapmans, Marches, Pick'rings went,
To learn or play, to cut up shines, or such intent
As human nature gives to mind and will ; and all
But five are dead, and only two, that I recall,
Have left a single son to carry down their name
To future generations.
But where 's the boy that e'er forgets his first new boots?
As well a tree might grow without its roots ;
So mem'ry brings me to one James P. Packer's shop
Whence once I strutted forth as smart as any fop.
It stood then, on the corner of one Hatch's lands,
And just across the way, a hip roof house (where stands

12 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
To-day one Dr. Junkin's), windows in the roof,
The weather-beaten clapboards bare, of age were proof.
They told of older times, a race about to leave,
Another fam'ly gone, run out, and' few to grieve.
A branch of Pickerings have ended here their fives,
Females they were, but I know not if maids or wives.
One sunny morn, one Sunday, I remember well,
My mother, or my aunt, it matters not to tell,
Took me to church, the parish church ; it had a bell
To ring for fire, to ring for church, the fun'ral knell.
This meeting-house, all bare of paint, with tow 'ring spire
And horse-block stone, where, clad in plain or gay attire,
Ye ancient dames and damsels mounted, sat behind
Their husbands, brothers, or perhaps, a lover kind.
The front was to the South, the steeple-end was West,
The back was North ; the frame of solid oak (the best),
Is still the frame to-day. But now the steeple 'a gone,
Old bell, the stone, Lombardy poplar trees, all are gone ;
And the new bell and tower is on the end that 's East,
And has been there for years, for sixty years, at least.
The poplars stood around the pound, close by the wall,
That left a space of thirty feet, and that was all
The ornament there was to make a little shade
Above the dismal hole for breechy cattle made.
I wish that I could paint the scene, just as it was,
The eastern end, the clapboards rough and bare, because
No words of tongue or pen could any way convey
The uncouth setting of the church and pound, that day.

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THE OLD CHURCH OF 1756.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 13
Incongruous as a pig-sty 'fore a front yard gate,
This unprotected hole had held the place of state.
No one could well imagine, where now this graded bank
•Goes sloping gently down, that such a hole was sank,
•Or, that those poplar trees, with rotten branches, made
Much more unsightly then, the grounds around the P'rade ;
Where, often, as the years came round, the first of May,
The men and youth were trained and drilled one half a day.
'T was thus they mingled matters, church-yard, church, and
pound ;
'The thought was for the useful, that the faith was sound.
Inside the meeting-house, the pews were large and square ;
The seats were very high, and most of them were bare ;
'The stove was in the centre, 'fore the pulpit ; there
•On the north side and high above the parson's head,
Who looked so Out of place, while under it he read,
Or preached, the sounding-board stuck out, excrescence, bare
And out of taste ; but now the things are rare.
The idea was that all might hear and be refreshed,
As from the sacred word the wholesome wheat he threshed.
The gallery was on the common plan ; three sides
It filled ; the singers sat in front. There was besides
A counter singer then, whose voice mounted high,
O'ertopped the rest with ease, and vaulted up the sky.
' There were but few who had the voice to sing that part,
And now it 's never heard ; long since condemned by art.
One parson Pearson, very learned divine, they say,
Was quite peculiar, tott'ring as he went his way

14 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
To church. Arriving there, he soon began to sing,
And loud enough to make the welkin echoes ring ;
And as he left his chaise (the careful sexton, Lang,
Would, with extended arms, back in before) he sang
With good round tones ; the tune the choir rehearsed,
While both kept time and tune (and those around conversed)
Until they reached the pulpit stairs, where he climbed up
And then the sexton left him. Thus, he wound him up
Each Sunday, like an eight-day clock, to go alone.
The sexton felt, no doubt, important labor done.
An honored President of Harvard he had been,
And now, grown old in years, resided with his kin.
But more about the choir ; a man, by name, Sam Huse,
Whose voice was bass enough, that when he let it loose,
It shook the ground and made the shingles on the roof,
The clapboards rattle (you must take my word for proof).
His lungs were like a blacksmith's bellows ; filled up full
The sound came rushing out like a Bashan bull,
And when he felt first-rate, and as the notes ran higher,
He'd draw a lengthened breath, and quite drown out the choir.
His father kept the tavern once, before my time,
When rum was but three cents a glass, but now a dime.
His house stood on the spot where Dr. Eobie's stands.
His race ran out with him, and so did house and lands.
So all things change. And so in music change must be.
Mi, fa, sol, la, it was ; but now it's do, re, mi,
Fa, sol, la, si ; so, change to change the powers draw.
There 's naught escapes the everlasting force of law.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 15
And Parson Abbott preached this day I went to church,
And though he preached the gospel, still, the birch
Was yet considered good, and quite the proper thing
To make the lazy and unwilling birds to sing.
For then, all held, "To spare the rod, you spoil the child."
Best have their bottoms smart, than let the rogues run'wild.
And here he left his mark ; he 's with the flock he fed.
He's gone to his reward, is living, although dead.
He fostered learning ; urged upon the town to build
The old academy. The teacher's chair he filled
With much success. How school-days still to mem'ry clings,
Call up events ; the dawn of love, that always brings
A sad'niug sense of something lost "that might have been
Our happiness," had not something come between.
But wherefrom came the funds this classic hall to build?
He found a man ; secured a sum that nearly killed
The son and heir of this George Brackett, rich in land
And money. For before the door he took his stand
And with a pitchfork in his hands he bade them stay,
"I have some rights. My father 's dying. Keep away,
You hungry leeches ! Find some other stronger prey."
Now this son and heir was wont to stop sometimes
With horse and wagon 'fore our house and free his mind,
And show his wit, " The tees without the trust, the kind,
No honest man would care to trust," he sneering said,
And other things, as one thing to another led.
" One Norton was so slow he thought about his birth,
It troubled him ; he thought the only way on earth

16 RAMBLES "ABOUT GREENLAND.
It could have happened, was the last day of the year,
The last day of the month, and as it might appear,
The last day of the week, when all the signs had met,
And formed an horoscope and thus his way was set. "
And then he 'd jerk the reins and with a grin pass on.
Now, he has passed away,' but more of him anon.
'These men, " These tees, without the trust" were paid
'Two thousand dollars, and incorporation made.
The name 's in honor of George Brackett. By the way,
He lived where his great-great-grandson lives to-day.
A lovely, charming spot, up by the Greenland Bay.
It passed to George the 2d (son of Thomas B.
Just mentioned here). He had his- fault, — to disagree ;
To look for faults in others, and at times be free.
The best was none too good for him, and so he lived,
•Obliging neighbor, but uncertain friend ; he thrived,
And raised a family tree, with branches six or eight ;
Two girls survive, both of acknowledged worth and weight.
Now let us stroll along ; another House of God
Looms up before us there ; it has no lightning rod.
A man named Alfred Metcalf held forth Sundays there.
'T was built from parsonage timber, never painted, bare,
And stood where Sister Ball now lives and at her ease ;
Was moved across the way, two worthy men to please ;
From there went up in clouds of fire and whirling smoke
One Sunday morn before the dawn of day awoke.
Oh, I remember well before this house was burned,
This holy man, with whitened locks that years had turned,

C/0u<rri*si*/C iSsv&sd M%?y/en^

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 17
L
How back and forth upon the dais strode and wrung
His hands, while scalding tears were streaming down and hung)
Upon his withered cheeks ; how earnestly he sought
The unrepentent, wicked sinners, whom he thought
Were bound to hell, to flee the wrath to come ;
And there were those who pondered and who doubted some,
About this hell of fire and brimstone, that, no doubt,
Some still believe in, but their dearest friends keep out.
But let us on. The place where lie the dead we reach.
There let us find what lessons it may teach.
And first it teaches all must die and go to dust,
Like every living thing, whate'er we hope or trust.
Death levels all ; the wise and foolish, rich and poor
Must moulder in the grave ; once there, forevermore ;
Unless cremated, or their earthy dust be leased,
Become a part of some wild bird, or cruel beast.
But there was one McClintock, f ull of fight was he ;
He went to fight the French, a valiant chaplain be ;
And when the war broke out with England, volunteered
To go with Stark, and went to Bunker Hill ; endeared
Himself' to all, and fought with Warren as he fell.
What more of glory could one desire? Can you tell?
A mossy slab of freestone, raised a little, marks the place
Where all that 's mortal honored lies, with grace,
Among the many who, in all their lives, in fact,
Have never done a single noble, gen'rous act.
'T is not the dead themselves, nor yet their ashes here,
But their good deeds, their worthy acts, that we revere.

18 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
That 's all that we shall leave, to carry down our name,
Or from oblivion save. Not monuments are fame.
Go read the epitaph of Byron's dog and learn
'T was Byron's words and Byron's art that made the urn
Immortal. Says Young, ' ' Pigmies will be pigmies still,
Tho' placed on Alps. " Tho' monuments be raised until
There is no longer room nor space on this round earth
To found another graveyard, then the solid worth
Of noble deeds will find some other, surer means
To keep, perpetuate our tender, loving hens,
That draw us towards our dead, and keep their mem'ry green.
So, let us on, to see what is or may be seen.
But 't was to keep in mind the dead we honored most,
That we are here. There were some laid here, not to boast,
Who lived and made their mark, whose names will honored be ;
And one already mentioned, one of high degree.
His name on brass, with granite slab and iron rods,
Surmounts the body's dust ; his soul among the gods.
But here not all the dead are laid, for here and there
In corners overgrown with trees, on knolls, and where
The winding Winnicut has washed the clayey banks,
Are laid the unknown dead, whose lives and names are blanks.
And there 's a place in town, once owned and tilled by Halls,
Where, when they died, the land received their bones. No walls
Enclosed the place — their graves are covered deep with stones.
There let them he, for over them the wild wind moans.
But let us leave this place and speak of what you see.
Once caught my wond'ring eye, and that was Daniel B.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 19
'T was on the P'rade, near by the Parish Church one day,
This time that I remember seeing him. The way
Was broad, and all the voting men in town were out,
And he, on hand to get a drink, and look about.
But how describe him? Weight, five hundred pounds or more,
And shaped like to a toad ; I looked him o'er ;
He filled the wagon seat, he was so monstrous fat,
. And all humped up, a mass of flesh and bones ; he sat,
And had to wear a leather belt full one foot wide,
To keep his bowels up in place so he could ride.
His wagon had no springs, except some strips of oak,
That ran from axle tree to rocker ; never broke,
Because so stiff and strong. They had but little spring ;
Of rude construction, it was not a handsome thing.
To make a meal for supper, as the story went,
A loaf of brown bread and a pot of beans he sent
Into his anxious stomach, where a pan of milk
Soon filled the aching void. Then feeling fine as silk,
And thinking how another good, square meal would taste,
He pulled himself together round about the waist,
And then he slept like any hog till morning came ;
And every day he filled himself about the same.
He lived down Sodom road, which leads from Pick'ring's milt,
Where, on a time, my father drove a mule at will.
Now some mules are not willing. He to this one talked
While waiting there for him to drink. He might have balked
A little in the stream ; 'tis all bridged over now ;
No drinking place is left for horse or cow.

20 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
In those days, drivers, as they walked beside their teams,
Were wont to talk to Buck, or Star, or Duke ; it seems,
To keep their courage up, so help the load along.
It was my father's way, but now, upon the tongue
They ride, and break the oxen's necks. — The time's at fault,
And ev'rything around has turned a somersault,
Since steam and new propelling power has come to stay,
And good old ways and means are knocked right out the way.
Well, now, my father told his mule to start along,
These words he heard repeated. Lest he might be wrong,
To make him certain sure, what truly was designed,
He said 'mong other things, that came into his mind,
' ' You better hurry up, your mother 'a going to bake. "
"You better hurry up, your mother 's going to bake,"
Came on the evening air, repeated, word for word.
It was no echo then, the voice my father heard.
Just then a boy from town came out the Sodom road,
Who thought to have some fun, as on his way he strode.
He made a great mistake, and soon he found it out ;
The young mule driver spoke again, and stirred about,
"I'll follow you, young man, e'en to your mother's bed."
" I '11 follow you, young man e'en to," — and then he fled,
For father started after him, as soon as said.
The fellow had the start, and led for half a mile.
My father in his boots, grown madder all the while.
But soon he came within his reach, slacked up his speed
To take the whipping, and of which he was in need. .
With ev'ry blow, his cowhide raised him from the ground,

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 21
And when he thought he 'd had enough, he turned him round,
And set his face towards Portsmouth. "Now," said he,
' ' depart,
If one hair's breadth you turn to right or left, I '11 start
And follow you, young man, e'en to your mother's bed."
The boy mocked no more, but then, his face was red.
He started then, and father saw him out of sight;
Eetraced his steps, in time, and found his mule all right.
The moral of this story is, 't is not from books,
That wisdom comes, alone ; judge not a man by looks;
A man in cow-hide boots, who drives a homely mule,
May not be much imposed upon, nobody's fool.
Now, while we're down this way, where once one Crummet
wrought,
Who had a weakness, when indulged, on Sundays sought
Discussion, some rehgious light, to vent his thought,
To preacher Metcalf , as he came out the church door,
To argue well some knotty point, with rum, or something more
Filled up. I see him now, his eyes suffused with tears,
As he blocked up the aisles, somewhat restrained by fears,
And holding on the preacher's coat, or by the sleeve,
Or by the button-hole, and thus his mind reheve.
The land 'round here was largely owned by Cates.
This names oft figures in the town of Greenland rates.
But now the name is lost, at least strayed out of town,
Only a widow left, and she can't hand it down.
Now, when this Ocean-road that leads to Eye was named,
Or why this odious name of Sodom here obtained,

22 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
I cannot say, for here the Holmes and Hodgdons dwelt,
And here the Cate and Marden men had dealt
The sturdy blows that felled the trees, cleared up the land.
Here planted, ploughed, and gathered up With thrifty hand.
A lonely cellar on a little knoll now marks
The spot where once a brood of Holmeses hatched like larks,
And when full fledged, flew off to live in other parts.
Some worked their way to fortune, others, who had hearts
For home attractions, built quite near the good old nesti
There hved and loved, and wrought, whilom, and did their best.
And there were Philip, Edward, Andrew, Frank the tall;
And Philip went to Boston; soon there was a call
For Andrew; wealth flowed in apace; and then went Frank
Who flourished like the rest, his own good sense to thank.
Now, we '11 turn back and cross the railroad ; there, upon our left,
Among those shady trees, there stands a house bereft,
For he, who owned this land, these quiet shades, has left
For worlds unknown, through unknown, untried seas. His ship
Was uninsured beyond this world ; he had to let her slip,
His only trust in the good God who placed us here,
Who has the care of us; he had no cause to fear.
This place was lively once. Here Toscan children played,
And all were happy then, in nature's best arrayed.
The name of Parrott 's gone from Greenland, too,
And Parrott's gun is now replaced by something new.
And, now we come to the Greenland of Champernown,
Now owned by heirs of Col. Pierce of Portsmouth town,
Who came up here to live in time. The place was gained

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. , 23
By Thomas Packer first, and in that name remained
For several generations. Then there came a lache —
There came a wasteful son, who spent most all his cash.
A fortune, quite, of £40,000, or more,
And when he failed, one Pierce stepped in the door.
This Packer was, with all his faults, a jolly host.
His jokes and fun drove off and far away the ghost
That might have haunted other souls without his love of fun
Inborn. He thought not of his loss, nor what he 'd done.
This fairy land was seized — came under Mason's claim —
By Mason's agent, as from the crown, to us the same.
The right obtained to all the land between two creeks,
And more. 'T was bounded on the south by Weeks'
And Winnicut, and so around the road or way
From where the tide-miU used to be in our day,
E'en to bounds begun at — one square mile, least.
For Pierce's Point is one good stretch for man or beast.
A goodly land, for only they, who view across the Bay
This spot of green in coming up the river-way
By boat, as its first owner did, can understand
The why and wherefore it was called Green-land.
For know that the Long swamp, formidable to all
Who wished to reach this place by land — worse than a wall
It was — that miles around were taken in the tramp
To 'void this wat'ry waste, so soft and foul and damp.
And so they to the river took, and with their keels
They cut the current, or between the tides, like seals,
They cleared the whirling eddies, steered their unique boats

24 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
From point to point o'er where the eel grass floats,
Until they gained their landing place, — some sheltered nook,
Some quiet cove, or winding creek, or river crook.
For roads were then but cattle paths, the wilds among,
And one of these was known to me, when I was young.
It led across the brook, just where the tide has met
For ages the fresh water, where they used to set
The nets for alewives, sportive fish, that came to spawn.
Eomantic glen, with bold high banks and pasture lawn ;
And there, the big red oak, with circhng seat around,
Was just the place for lovers' vows ; the murm'ring sound
Of water soothes the plaints of love, and singing birds
Give ready voice to hearts and souls too full for words.
As I remember it, no place in all the world
Could vie with it, in rustic beauty as it curled ;
Among the verdant trees, and upward wound its way
Where maples, birches, oaks, obscured the light of day.
Through here, borne in a father's strong and loving arms,
How many times I 've passed by night without alarms,
Through gate and bars, to where the Hall house comes in sight,
Where my first sister's eyes first saw the light.
This house, one side, with eaves near reaching to the ground,
Is now no more, but on its site, one may be found
Of modern style. So while we 're here, we '11 look around ;
'Cross yonder orchard, see, in shade, the lonely tomb
Where lay the bones of Marches, Clement's tomb,
To Clement, last of a long line, and led by fate

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RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 25
To cloud the name somewhat, but such was his estate,
That he, of all this town, his brother's, Consul's, heir,
Was first, and last, e'er known to be a millionaire.
Now, just beyond, on higher ground a mansion stands,
Which, Phoenix-like, arose from ashes at commands,
For fire, flame, and fate with fortune seemed to vie,
For twice the structure flew, 'tween earth and sky.
Alas ! what changes came to pass since our time,
For Charles, who died in far-off Egypt in his prime,
And made himself a fortune, left a worthy name.
And there was Frank, who promised well, of lesser fame ;
Unlucky William, crippled he ; he could not walk,
But then, his mind was clear, his tongue was free to talk.
And then the last survivor, Clement ; all the sons are gone
And still the mansion stands, a subject for our song.
Now let us wander down, and towards the rippling waves,
And by the pile of rocks, and by some nameless graves,
Once marked by some rude stones, now heavy weighted down,
Without the romance, gathered round the grave of Champer-
nown.
And see, where once some early settler pitched his tent,
As coming up the bay he landed ; where he went
To work ; but that was long ago, two hundred years.
The Simpsons, now, have owned this place, as it appears,
Almost a century. Here they grew to man's estate,
Here by G-reat Bay, — the place where many found too late
That sudden squalls were wont to come, with fury sweep
The quiet waters into foam, as from a sleep ;

26 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Hence often comes a sad'niug tale. It was a dream,
A dream fulfilled, for thus it came to pass ; a dream,
So sad in its fulfilment, told at breakfast ; so,
Of course, it must come true, as all the world must know.
The place was here, the ice, the man with horse and sleigh,
The waters, black and gurgling, ready for its prey.
Such was the dream, and thus it came to pass, that day,
A man to make a shorter cut had come to cross the bay,
As he was wont in winter ; but now unsafe, and thus was told.
Still he persisted, "for much rum makes man much bold."
He drOve straight on to where the channel opened wide
Before him, seen by those who tried to warn him, tried •
To save him ; but the tender, treacherous ice gave way,
And down they went together, horse and man and sleigh.
The horse arose, and swam with all his might and main
To save himself, and solid footing to regain ;
But the poor beast, entangled, harnessed, weary, sore,
Had to succumb, and soon he sank to rise no more.
Now, as these men saw what had happ'd, they did not stand
With boards and poles, or anything that came to hand,
To save, if possible, this foolish man ; they sought
To throw a lasso round the horse's neck, and thought
By this means that, if tangled inthe sleigh, he might
Be saved ; as they were ready, horse sank out of sight.
Just in the nick of time, for as they looked around,
And standing there upon the brink, they made no sound,
They saw the scum and bubbles, ice all honeycombed,
That told as plain as words, that they were doomed

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 2?
If one false step was made, and then, without a word,
They moved off slowly, one by one, and thanked the Lord,
For they were saved. But what of her, the lonely wife,
Who sat up, watching, weary, waiting till her life
Seemed not worth having, waiting for the sound of bells,
As wafted on the winter ev'ning air, it tells
Of some one coming home, and brings the news.
But now, a sorry tale it tells ; it can't refuse
To sound, and so impress what came to pass this day, —
Of how her husband, dank in mud and eel grass, lay
Beneath the black and sullen tide of Greenland Bay.
She saw it all, and down upon her knees she fell,
And hid her whitened face. She heard what had befell
Her husband. Then she prayed ; her inmost soul laid bare
To him who heareth us in times of trouble ; such a prayer
As David made upon the death of Absalom.
(The penalty of broken law is sure to come. )
Through Simpson's lane we go to Chapman's place,
It is our course, and here and there we make a trace.
The Hall farm, once embraced most all this part the town.
It came from Sargent Hall, a man of some renown.
He hved in Dover. He and Deacon John I trow.
But which was Joseph's father? That, I 'd like to know.
The Chapman place, when first I came to town, where these
Nice buildings show so well, and ah around to please,
Consisted of a house and barn, decayed and old,
Poverty stricken, quite, before the place was sold

28 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
To Mr. Chapman, whose honest trade was making shoes.
Deserving man ; he had a model wife ; one does
Not often see her hke ; but both have gone their way.
The youngest son succeeds, and has entire sway ;
A noted Methodist divine and a D. D.
Here relaxation finds, and well might he,
For few locahties afford so nice a view
Of land and water, land so green and water blue.
Now, let us leave this part of the old town and fly
Across to Pierce's Point, and up the river hie.
The river Winnicut, and here where it receives
From Cedar Swamp the water, colored brown with leaves.
We cross the crooked creek which comes from Pickering's mill,
And bounds the Pierce farm on the south, and runs there still,
And find, as we go on, and up the rising knoll,
And mark where once the settlers landed, dug a hole,
And, over that, they built a house of logs, to stay
Until they built a saw-mill. Farther on our way,
You '11 find them all along the bank, to where the tide
Is stayed by rocks, and where the country opens wide.
But ere we reach this place, we find the river dammed,
A. grist-mill, and a pond with logs all crammed.
Alas ! Where is the Old Tide Mill? There it stood.
One Eichard Pick'ring there was drowned in boyhood.
He sat next me in school, where oft we spent our time
In catching flies that ventured near and dared to climb
Upon our unwashed hands. I helped to bear my friend
To the one place where all we know of life must end.

MA.. ]

v

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 29
Now, from this tide-mill landing, b'longing to the town,
Where all the boats had equal rights, not from the crown,
But by the right of river way, let us advance,
And, on the left, we find some chestnut trees, by chance,
Which, planted long ago, may still remain, and there,
Near by, a little up the hill, a barn, and where
Is now a ceUar, there once stood a big square house,
The Marston homestead. There where now the cattle browse
In calm complaisance played the little Marston boys
And girls, unmindful what the future brought of joys
Or sorrows, as they married, scattered all around.
This family name is lost, but not the blood ; it 's found
StiU in the names of Brackett, Marden; and the land
Is owned by Hatch; it passed by law suit to his hand,
I mean in no dishonest way, but when men go to law
Or dance, the lawyer and the fiddler have to. draw
Their little stipend. There, three generations, now,
Have passed away since my remembrance, that is how
This changing world moves on. On this same ridge of land,
But little farther south, the Haineses made a stand.
The name of Haines was once a power in the town;
Matthias leased a farm, two years, from Ohampernown,
And near where lives one Mr. Lord, he settled down.
I cannot tell just how the family spread, but know
There 's one that honors well the name I trow,
Whose father strayed up North, then wandered West;
Galena has adopted him,' an honored guest

30 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
And citizen; but here the name is losing ground,
For there was once a Haines Lane and all around
Were Haineses; there was Haines' log, and Haines' dam;
And there were Comfort, Sally, Sherburne, 'Thias, Sam;
There were some other branches of this race of Haines,
And most of them were well made men, and men of brains^
It was in Haines Lane that Lydia Pinkham, sage
(Before her face confronted us on ev 'ry page
And still confronts us now, though dead this twenty year),
Once hved; perhaps she studied therapeutics here.
Now, on this tide-mill road, the road first made in town,
That led up by the river bank, and winding round
(We follow as the settlers led), there comes in sight,
There, on the corner, to the right, the parsonage,
Where Parson Abbott lived, the faithful parish sage;
By vote of town 't was after sold to pay town debts;
It caused some angry words, and also some regrets.
Now, to the right we turn, the oldest house in town,
Or in the State, comes into view, and the renown,
As the most ancient structure, standing in the State,
Is now unquestioned. Still no one can fix the date
In which 't was built. Some say Leonard, some say his son..
Whoe 'er it was who built, the work was faithful done.
With mastic covered now (this house was built of brick),
With frame of solid oak, and walls hear two feet thick,
It stands a noble monument to Leonard Weeks,
Who built so well, withal so wisely, that one seeks
To know more of him, but the meagre'records show

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 31
But little, and that little, little worth to know.
From him the Weekses sprung, they owned much of the town ;
From son to son this ancient house was handed down.
An earthquake came in 'fifty-five and cracked the walls,
For so it 's said, but more the like when lightning falls.
'T was plain to see, before the mastic hid the crack,
And covered up the bricks, alternate white and black.
One Eobert owns it now, and has no children yet
To heir his lands, his ancient house, or make him fret.
Now, leave the Weeks house, keep straight on to Davis Mill,
Or where the mill once was, the dam remains there still.
And there 's the Huggins place, and old Haines' house, of yore.
You go through gate and pasture, quite a mile or more,
And there, upon a httle knoll, a house once stood.
The path, once traveUed oft, leads through a piny wood.
There 's nought there now to show, cellar all filled up ;
I knew the place, a lad, for there I used to sup
Quite often, there many hours spent, and there we stayed
To smoke or study, chat, or plan an escapade,
A way to cut a rival out, secure a maid.
And this we did. But then Success, a sorry jade,
Leads on to catch a glimpse of heaven, and have it fade.
This time the maid was willing, but the young man poor.
And so the fond ones parted, but to meet no more.
So here the god of love but wasted time, and flew
To find some other subjects, or some arrows new.
This house was old, its beams were filled with smoke, were
black.

32 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Tobacco ruled the smells, and ev'ry httle crack
Was filled so full of soot, that not a single fly
Could find a place to hide ; he had to leave or die.
In this same house, some years before, a wife had died,
And left some sons, a daughter young, and one beside,
To mourn her loss. Now of the fun'ral, let me tell ;
In olden times, a pine wood coffin, stained weU,
Was thought, then, good enough ; no flowers then were sent
By friends, no wreaths, no trailing smilax with them went
To hide the fun'ral smeU, to mask the scene of death.
But ev'rything severe, that made one hold the breath.
We enter. On a side-board are decanters placed,
Of brandy, wine, and rum and gin, to suit the taste.
A row of glasses, sugar, cake, and silver spoons
Were also there, and while they sung one of the tunes
We seldom hear to-day, while all good neighbors near
Are gathering, while the mourners sigh, or shed a tear,
We '11 moralize a moment on the old idea
Of drink to soothe the sorrow of a mourning soul.
With spirits raise the spirits, through th' entire whole,
Assuage corroding grief, and drain the flowing bowl —
And now the sad procession moves on to the grave
With solemn step, in hope that all good people have,
Some more, some less, to lay the body, in a lot,
Some lonely corner of the farm, to be forgot.
This being done, the double line their steps retrace.
Then, as the mourners ushered to their proper place,
The bearers follow, and with rev'rence take a sip

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 33
Of wine, a bit of cake ; and some a heavy tip,
And oft the parson, too, in old Colonial times,
Felt quite as much in need of some, at times ;
Wherefore for pleasure or for the dear dead one's sake,
We leave for you to judge, your own opinion make.
Frank Jones, who bought the Town Farm, once the parsonage
called,
Two hundred acres, more or less, from whence was hauled
The wood to feed the parson's fires, annexed this place
Of forty acres, more ©r less, to that. No trace
Of what it was is left, except some stones, for grace.
The same sad words here come to us again, "All gone."
For there were John, and Nat, and Joe, and now not one
To tell where Major Wiggin lived ; all, all are gone.
Now cross the stream, at Davis Mill, where I, one morn,
Was sent with horse and wagon, with a grist of corn ;
There 's naught to see, but much to think of here.
Sheep-washing and baptizing ; water cold and clear
And freezing, filling candidates with dread and fear,
In this inclement, colder season of the year.
Strange things oft come to pass, but now we have in mind
The people who had come for years their corn to grind,
Or to have ground their little grists, time out of mind.
How measure in some way their big and httle griefs,
Their happy moments, crowning joys, and great reliefs?
But that we cannot do ; we hardly know their graves ;
They 're gone to dust in part, or under ocean's waves.
But now we leave the river, here no longer bide.

34 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
We see the house where Amos Davis lived and died ;
A tall and stout built man, with stooping shoulders bent ;
He stood six feet and more, with look of mind intent ;
And here, to him, were sons and daughters born.
The view is drear ; two houses stand forlorn,
For all are gone, and Thomas first, who taught the school,
And after went to college, under Abbott's rule.
The race ran out with. George, who died not long ago,
And left a widow, but no heirs of whom I know.
But let us leave and take a look at yonder hill,
And see the cellar wall, where once was laid the sill
Of a good house, and there, near by, a cider mill.
For then the apple-trees grew up themselves, the fruit
Was good or bad, as nature blended blooms to suit
Itself. Few trees were grafted, though the grafting trees
Was no new thing. 'T was some years later, that the breeze
Stirred up the dormant spirit of the farmer's dream,
And cider ran no longer down their throats, a steady stream.
And Simpson generations here were born and bred ;
I well remember them, a rugged race, weU fed ;
And some were old, and some were young, and some were wed.
And one whose name was Comfort, — I remember that,
When but a httle chap, and went to school, that I was sat
Among the girls, which made me hang my head for shame.
She whispered in my ear, " Don't cry," and called me by my
name.
So she was then a comfort truly, as by name.
She wed a Durgin, one a Haines, and one a Pearl.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 35
Four generations each, I trace the seed, a girl
Each time has been the means to propagate the race.
In early times, 'cross Haines' log they reached this place.
Through Haines' lane was much the shortest way.
The road that led above the log is plain to-day.
Up here below the log, close by the river bank,
0 'ergrown with trees and other vegetation rank,
Some nameless graves are plainly seen, well marked with stones,
Where early settlers, Simpsons, pleased to lay their bones.
Now we will make a jump, for the old path that led around,
Under the hill, some like an S, on the high ground,
Beginning, near by Hughes', and curhng round the hill,
It made a turn, at Gookin's path, for there are still
The wheel ruts through the woods ; and thence it ran at will
Unto the road that ran behind Mahoney's place ;
And at the corner there, a little cellar trace ;
And thence it turned due east, and down the old main road,.
Where most the travel was, according to the mode.
Here once one Wedgewood lived, then down below the mill
It crossed the Winnicut, and there 's town-landing still.
And on our way we pass where " for to " Dearborn fed
His pig, and raised his daughter " Bets," and where he led.
A quiet hfe. He had a taste for cider, and
Would make his rounds, and teU his stories on demand.
He wore knee breeches, white with meal ; was wont to say-
That there 'were forty houses once, that smiling lay
In sight around the falls. This saw-mill power was owned

36 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
In shares, and in my time, most all by Weekses owned.
And I remember well, bow, early every Spring
(The brow, well filled with logs), the saw did ring,
And all the Weekses, boys and men, and in their turn,
Were night and day engaged in this concern.
Now on the western bank, a grist mill stood,
Also another large, two-story building, built of wood,
Where all the farmers then, from miles around
Brought in their corn and rye and wheat, to have it ground.
Also the wool to have it spun and wove and pulled.
And there this industry for many years was ruled
By Gen'ral Burleigh, who was genial and polite;
A mihtary man, and so almost by right
He was the chosen man for moderator, oft
Performed his duties weU, and had a thing called "soft."
And here one master Flint, who kept the Centre School,
Was once employed awhile, to run a spinning mule ;
He married one Sophronia Wedgewood, moved away
To Exeter, and what became of him, I cannot say.
And here one Colcord cracked his jokes, a funny man was he,
And never mad ' ' when he got left, " for that is bad, you see ;
This " for to " Dearborn gave him oft the chance to exercise
His wit; he called him a " dam'd Arab," otherwise
When softened down, a " Christian Arab," so made up.
Oh, how the bon mots flew; if all were written up,
'T would fill a book. He used to make his court — to whom,
I dare not teU, for thereby hangs a tale; " to whom "

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 37
Is living still. It was worth while to have the love
Of such a man. He married a young wife for love,
One Mary Ann, the Gen'ral's eldest daughter; then
He moved away. Soon after business failed, and when
The Gen'ral died, aU went to smash. The dam now shows
Where once the miU race was, but where no longer flows
The willing water. Here they washed the sheep, betimes;
Oh, that was fun! but the poor sheep, who oft begrimes
Its wool, when held against the rushing, roaring stream,
No doubt, held different views, and doubts of what might seem
A bit of fun. Before we leave this settlement,
Where so much history has been lost, I must content
Myself and say, that ah this land to Eobert Weeks
Was the town land. There were some squatters such as seeks
To hold by tort, too poor to buy; but when they died
They sure possessed the soil, for there they bide
Unto this day, back into the woods that now belong
To widow Keefe; I do not know of any wrong,
But how the town was dispossessed I 'd like to know.
Here, without doubt, the dead were laid; the first to go
And here neglected lie, because unknown and poor,
But 't will not matter hence, a million years or more.
Now from this ancient landing, down behind the mill,
We take the Bay-side road, and walk along, until

38 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
On the left hand, the Johnson place comes into sight.
The name is lost ; no Johnson now will claim the right
To Bracket Johnson's hill, the land divided, sold ;
Elias Wentworth owns the ancient homestead old.
And Whitehorn (James and Lydia's part) the fee now hold.
Now, on the other side, the Weeks lands spread along
The Winnicut, along the Greenland Bay, a strong
And worthy race. Four homesteads have been planted there,
West of the Winnicut ; and three remain to bear
The name, and first comes Eufus, son of Stephen Weeks,
Who was the son of Ichabod. Unto the creeks
His goodly lands extend, called Becks and sometimes Weeks.
This Ichabod, a doctor, came from Leonard, who
First came from England, early, and seemed "well to do,"
For Mason's agent sued him, put him under bond,
Three hundred pounds, to 'pear at court ; it was beyond
Him, though, so that this case and others were not tried.
And he possessed his lands in fee, did there abide.
No doubt he helped his sons to farms on the west side.
This Eufus, last of all his generation, had
Four brothers, and a sister, but the tale is sad,
All died while in their prime. And this reminds me, now,
Another branch is gone, for all to death must bow.
This branch will only be a passing mem'ry known.
It seems too bad, this farm, so nice a place to own,
Should lose its former, old, hereditary track,
And want an owner by the name of Weeks, alack !

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 39
For under Captain Clement, as the laws direct
I stood, in private rank, my country to protect.
And there was Captain George and Stephen ; Eufus too,
Who rose up from the ranks, through all the grades, and who,
If there had been a call, to risk their lives, and serve
Their country, would "have faced the music," had the nerve,
To boldly volunteer as one MacChntock did
To fight for right, by patriotic honor bid.
Now, sandwiched in between the Weeks farms there was Beck,
Who leaves a great-grandson, to save the name from wreck ;
One Hannah, model maiden she, keeps the old place
In good condition, no lover yet, to suit the case.
Now, where the creek makes up between the Weeks', just where
The road makes a short turn across the railroad there,
There hved a man Maloon, until the smallpox came
And swept the family away ; the field the name
Eetains, and stones still mark the graves where lies their dust
In yonder woods (John Porter's now), in peace, I trust.
And there were others buried there ; a family
To whom Doe HiU belonged, and where to-day you see
A cellar, well defined, unused these ninety years
Or more. This hill was called Doe Hill, as it appears.
'T is near my land, and as I cross it, there,
It seems a sacred spot, though somewhat bleak and bare.
I have my dreams of how they went and came to draw
Their water from the well. I hear their loud haw ! haw !
He ! he ! for who can laugh like to a colored lass,
When full of life and fun? But let us pass.

40 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Now let us follow up the railroad, where one day
John Porter's only brother, George, got in the way
Of a steam engine, swiftly whizzing on, through space,
At sixty miles an hour ; it gave but little grace,
For, when it struck, it freed the horse ; there was a crash,
The man flew fifty feet, the wagon went to smash.
His want of forethought, want of care, lost him his life,
And quickly made a widow of a lovely wife.
Thus in a second's time events succumb to force.
And now, another homestead comes, a third in course.
From it we view the bay, in all its beauty now.
Here, father died and left two daughters, maidens. How
Were they to manage such a place? A nephew came,
Whom they adopted ; Master William Weeks, his name.
This Weeks was father of John Porter, and he taught,
When young, the winter school. From Eye his wife he brought ;
'T was Parson Porter's daughter that he caught,
Or she caught him, I would not say just how it was,
Or if one worthy Parson Clark were not the cause.
These lands around the bay were far the best in town,
And here the prudent Bracketts came and settled down,
And now, where John H. Brackett leads a quiet life,
And with one only son, he mourns a helpful wife,
Once lived Nathaniel Goss, a farmer, " well to do,"
Who sold to John H. 's father, bid the town adieu.
This Capt. Thomas Brackett had a very " level head " ;
He passed a life of ease, and thus his son was bred
To make the best of life ; and let those worry much

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 41
Who will, he has no use or care for any such-
And near this place are very interesting things, —
Two cellars here unfilled, that once belonged to Kings,
For still the name of King sticks to this goodly land
Through many ownerships, for all about is grand ;
The earth, the sky, the water high or low before,
The bold high land, and ridges slanting to the shore ;
The story of these Kings was told to me this way :
A King and Pick'ring came up here around the bay
To find a place to settle, caught here unawares,
They camped and built some fires to frighten off the bears.
Next morning such a view was oped to Pick'ring's gaze,
The shore opposing, looked so near, and Nanney's Island lays
There tempting, he made up his mind to fix upon
That spot, and left to King the place that he was on ;
And there they battled, each with hungry wolves and bears,
And each could signal each and drown his many cares.
Adjoining these we come to George Ed. Beckett's place
That, handed down through generations six, we trace
The Brackett blood, and find a Captain Thomas B.
Comes first, and then a George, and then a Thomas B.
A second time ; then comes a George, and George Ed. B.
A second time. The scene is beautiful, the bay
As blue as blue can be, and on a sunny day
It makes one wish to be a duck or goose and sail
Away, from all that makes life wearisome and frail.
The place is not the place it was when Thomas died —
The farm of all the farms, and so the boast and pride

42 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Of all around. Much of the land 's been sold and gone
To other parties, thus this moving world moves on.
We come to Pick'rings next, two Brackett maidens left,
Without a man, I know not how they were bereft,
{But they were sisters of the Captain Thomas B.
Just mentioned, who left the homestead, as you see,
And took a wife ; and then his "level head " was good,
Three women in one family he understood. )
Adopted as their own, two nephews, Edwin, John,
Two nice young men ; but Edwin married not, but on
His brother, laid the pleasant task, to raise an heir.
So John was married, had two sons, and all bid fair.
But clouds will gather, overcast the brightest sky,
They doomed the mother, then the younger son, to die.
But long ere this, John met an engine in its flight
{The railroad runs across the way), and in its might
It swept him down, and mixed things up, a sight to see.
The cart and oxen, John — one moment, and all three
Were piled up beautif 'ly. Poor John ! his breath knocked out,
Was taken up for dead, but he still lives, and walks about.
But Edwin hved to good old age, and John may live
To see some happy days the future has to give,
If railroads don't go wrong, and run him down again
As once before. He 's lived through years of wearing pain ;
But owes it all to her, his happiness and hfe,
To her, who served and pitied him, his second wife.
Now, up the hill, through pasture path, through woods we go
To Sandy Point, and in full sight o' the Bay, and know, ,

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RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 43
TTrom here, a line was run to Little Eiver, near /
Boar's Head the little. Hampton thus was bounded here,
For we a part of Portsmouth were. The lands along the Bay
Were in the Dover Grant, and things were mixed that way.
'Twas called " Cottrell's Delight." This place, round Little-
field's,
Was owned by men in Exeter ; from them it yields
Itself, someway to Brackett. Thomas B. was drowned.
His widow soon was married, soon a husband found,
And filled the house with children. All grew up smart men,
And women ; all showed traces of the mother's ken.
But such smart, vig'rous women keep the scales in poise,
And kind o' balance things, by keeping up a noise ;
So, what the husband lacks, the lively wife supplies ;
There is no gift in human lore we should despise.
Now turning back, we come again to Phillis' brook,
And hear the murm'ring music of its water ; look !
There was one Warner had a slave whose name was Jack.
He was before my time. He left two daughters, black
And fat, black as the ace of spades. These strapping girls
Lived by a httle brook and near a hill, two pearls,
Somewhat off color. Near the Jacks a schoolhouse stood,
Behind which ran a stream, and there a little wood.
Here, almost sixty years ago, I tried my skill
In teaching. Here I tried my very best to fill
The httle heads with thoughts that might do them some good.
And here I sowed some seeds of learning, as I could.
But nearly ah are gone who came to school to me ;

44 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
" Gone where the woodbine twineth," all but two or three.
But what I have to tell, is, how a slave was hid,
A maid of Martha Washington, a little kid,
And almost white ; she had some help and found a way
To make escape upon a schooner down the bay.
The vessel came with wood ; behind a pile she hid,
Until, just as the vessel sailed, she thought and did
Just what occasion prompted, slipped on board and hid
Again, and there she stayed in fear until they bid
Her come on deck, and have no fear, for she was safe ;
And all were drawn in pity to the little waif
Of fifteen years. The vessel, bound for Portsmouth, kept
Eight on until she reached her port, and then she wept
For joy. Liberty is sweet (bear this in mind)
To all — to bird and beast, as well to all mankind.
A man by name of Staines took her to wife. By her
He had two daughters. 'Liza lived, and many were
The presents made to pave the way to see a slave
Of Washington. Now, when 't was known he wished to save
This chattel, she was warned and fled to this retreat.
The course pursued was very wise ; he was discreet.
His letter showed the noble man he always was.
' ' His wife would like her back, but would not be the cause
Of any strife, take any action, give offence,"
He said, "if public feeling had become intense."
Charles Sumner, senator and statesman (this maintains),
Was written the collector of the port 'bout Mrs. Staines.
And when the story spread, that she was wanted back,

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 45
She sought and found a shelter in the house of Jack.
The Jacks were very jealous of attentions paid
To this lone widow woman, and, when some were made
In common, took the lion's share, scooped in the whole
And treated little Staines as though she had no soul.
The ground where once the cottage stood, there by the brook,
To-day is all smoothed down, and in this garden nook,
Where once sweetwilliams, daffodils, and beds of rue,
Old fashioned flowers, perfumes mixed and drank the dew,
There 's nothing left to tell the tale of daily strife,
Of constant struggle, ending only with the life.
They ah are buried in a lonely, far-off spot,
Away from human kind — a lonely pasture lot.
Now let us leave this lovely, lonely, sacred dell
And seek some other place ; our sober thoughts dispel,
And go up hill where soon a poor old hip-roofed house
Appears, and Mary Cate, . as quiet as a mouse,
A lamb-hke maid, with sparkling eyes, filled out her days
Here with her household gods. We now will go our ways,
And ere we reach the Stratham Lane, toward the Bay,
And down the road, and now some time a public way,
We see one Eobert Morton's place, which in its days
Was part of the Weeks homestead. Washington's it was.
He wished to sell his patrimony out, because
He wished to go to war and fight the Seminoles.
He went to war, and fought, his name upon the rolls.
Time presses us to move along. Now here we find

46 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
The Thomas Brackett, son of George, the elder, mind.
This long, low house, with lands around, was once a part
Of the ancestral acres, dear unto his heart.
One John, the youngest son, inherited the place,
And left a son named Simeon, by whom the race
Is still preserved. Another son, named William B.,
Was married, left his home ; for quite a genius, he.
He bought the Chapman place, down near the Greenland
P'rade,
And also part of the old saw-mill, by some trade.
A spring whose waters flowed to waste, some thousand years,
Was dammed, and filled a pond as clear as crystal tears.
There his descendants saw, and grind, and fish,
Enjoy life, and have there all that heart could wish.
Now, let us down to farmer Allen's go, who went
Insane. He owned and tilled a farm of some extent.
But there, between a son who deeded back his share
Of the old homestead, and because he could not bear
To wait until his father died, or did not care,
And some kind neighbors (how 'twas done, we're not aware),
He lost field after field, until the whole was gone,
And all the County Eecords show of what was done
With Allen's lands is one small deed of widow's thirds
To Brackett Weeks. The tale is told in a few words.
A barn stands o'er his grave, his grave-stone 's in a wall
And no one knows aught of his kith or kin at all.
Thus human hfe has ups and downs, and troubles sore.
Perhaps his ' ' guardeen, " Dr. Weeks, could tell us more,

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 47
Were he alive. Now further south, see school-house hill,
Where showed the Allen cellar, I once helped to fill.
This Bay-side road, which from Maloon's, 'long by Doe Hill,
Led, 'cross the Allen farm by Brackett's wall, is still
Quite plainly seen. This road ran out to Stratham Lane,
Near by the Hatch place ; and from there kept on again.
A row of pippin apple-trees marked well the way,
And bore red, handsome fruit, and in my day,
When Brackett Weeks had built anew, he changed the course,
And had it run between the house and barn, for worse.
He thought 'twere better for to draw the travelers in,
And built a handy shed and stable, drew the tin.
The house still shows the handy way 'twas 'ranged,
Just where the bar-room was, and how 'twas changed.
Now these were good old times, before the railroads came,
For when you took a ride with pretty maid or dame;
You'd find an open house at each two miles or so,
With right, good cheer, but little done for show.
Between the Stratham line and good old Portsmouth town,
How many public houses, think you, could be shown?
There's one, two, three, four, five, that I could count,
Where one could get the best of fare, perhaps a mount.
And now, we first begin with Hatch, one Samuel —
The town just where he came from, that I cannot tell.
The great-great-grandsire of the present youngest Hatch,
Who took him a good helpmeet and a worthy match.
He managed well the farm, and added field on field ;
She managed well the house, and made the tavern yield

48 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
A goodly income. Her daughters married well.
He gave each son a start in life, as deeds will tell.
Now over there on yonder hill, off from the road,
The Gookin people settled down, and there abode
For many years. It is a very ancient name
And can be traced for seven hundred years ; it came
From Ireland, a petty king or Irish chief,
Who spelled his name as Go-kin, and 't is our belief
The name was known quite early there at Strawberry bank,
From whence they came, and all were gentlemen of rank.
And so the sons were proud, e'en after they were poor ;
Supply, I well remember when he kept a store
In the west end of Major Av'ry's house, the last
Of the first Captain Gookin's sons, and so they passed
Away, and soon the name no more '11 be known in town.
Nathaniel's son was drowned, who might have passed it down.
Concerning this Nathaniel, let me say, for luck
He was a sportsman born, and any goose or duck
That 'lights in pond or bay, when he is round, had best
Be on their watchful guard, and never stop to rest
Within some miles of Gookin's gun. But I forget,
There was a Helen, handsome, so I cannot let
Her pass, one noble-looking goddess, not a lass
As seen by my young eyes, and yet so human cast,
A thing to love and cherish, own, to woo and win.
She went to school to Hale, and both l'amour, fell in.
Now, by the new road, through from Brackett Johnson's hill,
Across the road to Winnicut, above the mill

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 49
To where the centre school-house stood out, very plain,
Where Edney, Flint, and Davis, Weeks and Hatch andJLane,
And many more have tried the birch and moral rule,
To train the minds of pupils, boys and girls in school.
Where are they now? The school-house made a blacksmith
shop,
And not a baker's dozen left, a tear to drop
O'er memories of those who 've taught us, gone the way
Of all the earth, and left us ; served us in their day.
Now httle further on, once lived one Joseph Weeks,
A tanner he. He bought his skins, as one who seeks
To make a profit, he removed the hair with lime
And scraping, ground the oak or hemlock bark in time,
' And buried them with it in vats, sunk in the ground.
And here he had a shoe-shop, leather aU around,
Apprentices he had to learn the trade, he taught
Them all he knew ; he lived to good old age and sought
To do his duty. Then the old man childless died ;
The bark mill, shoe-shop, vats were all there, left to bide,
Went to decay. A brother's son's son 's there, to-day.
Now, let us leave the tannery, and through the road
Laid out some hundred years ago, keep on to the abode
Of John K. Hatch. Though dead these many years, he 's still
Eemembered. He never learned a trade, but with a will
He built a little shop, near to his father's place,
And- there he worked and prospered in the race
For wealth and honor, moved down here, increased in grace.
His townsmen honored him with all they had to give.

50 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
The shop is moved, and now the house where he did live
Is hid behind a row of high spruce-trees.
We come to Lawyer Frink's, whose word is as his bond,
Grandson of Sam ; his mother Sally Hatch ; Sims Frink,
His father, bought this place in 'forty-two, I think, —
A fine old house. In old stage times this place was made
First post from Dover ; faced on what was called the P'rade ;
Where, horses changed and all refreshed with something good,
They on to Hampton went. How long this house has stood,
I cannot say, but far beyond the ken of our day.
Its landlords all were men well versed in nature's way,
Knew just the proper time to speak, and what to say.
It was a central point from aU the towns around,
And here good homely cheer, a genial host was found.
It shows no mark of age, but, how with taste and care,
A house may be preserved, if kept in good repair.
Now all along this north incline, from Enoch Clark's,
The Pick'rings held the lands, and set their bounds and marks
E'en to the Pick'ring mill ; I know of five at least
Who held a homestead on this side, and ah deceased.
The heirs of Thomas Pick'ring held, tiU late, one place,
And that is gone ; and soon this active, hardy race
Will be no more, in name, in town. As things look now,
Someone must marry and have children ; that is how
That things are kept on moving. Next, we come to Weeks,
One Joshua (descendant of the Leonard Weeks
Aforesaid) dead. He left two sons ; one took a wife

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 51
And died without a son. The other lost his life
In coming home from far-off California ;
Caught in a dreadful storm (his name was Joshua),
Went down with all on board off Carolina's sands.
The place was sold, long since — house, blacksmith's shop, and
lands.
Once on a time (and right 'long here I'm told), a Cate,
While riding on a tongue, fell off ; at any rate,
A big cartwheel ran over him, and killed him dead ;
Imbibing too much moisture lost to him his head.
He left a son and widow. She assuaged her grief
By marrying a Shaw, and thus she found relief.
A way the best, for strychnine, arsenic, and such
Are not to be commended. Marriage is the better, much.
And now we come to Atwood Adams, where once lived
One Samuel, with hoary hair, also bereaved
Of wife, and son, what more, I cannot say. He had
A niece. Each f eU in love with each, and felt so bad
Because they could not marry, that, between two trees,
Down in#the grove they made a seat, in which, like TT,
They sat and talked, perhaps embraced, I cannot say.
She died and left her love to mourn his life away.
A marble slab marks gentle Phila Adams' grave,
Where grows the bending grass, that gentle zephyrs wave.
When Gen'ral Lafayette his tour made around the States,
His cortege passed through Greenland, as one to me relates.
There was some little trouble raised about some cloth,
And Adams felt aggrieved ; to be revenged, so wroth

52 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Was he, he had it painted on his garden fence,
In plain sight from the road, and there it has been since,
For sixty years.
Now, I 'm reminded of a widow Dearborn, who,
When I first knew her, lived, her husband with her, too.
It was in Haines' lane, in an old house between
The old Haines house and Huggins', there, as might be seen,
It stood. She was religiously inclined and more.
She thought she 'd reached perfection, tempted not to sin.
The good old lady' prayed, exhorted, fitted in
Her testimony as she could, her mind relieved.
And there were others, hke, one hardly could conceive
The force that held them under, loving, fervent souls,
Who thought the faithful pastor had them on his rolls,
So they would say a word for Jesus, which was tough,
When all the rest had thought the preacher said enough ;
When all the rest had quite an equal right to speak,
And when it was the same old story, Sunday week.
This lady had some daughters ; one went West and wed,
And she a daughter had, at least, so it is said. .
The widow had a son, one Benjamin by name,
Who went to sea, and ploughed the briny deep, to 'tame
His roving spirit ; then he landed in New York ;
He strayed back in the country, where he went to work,
And there he fell in love ; his love was well returned.
And so he married there, and while love's fires burned,
He found by accident that he had wed his niece.
Here was a fix ; his marriage void ; how could he keep the p«ace?

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 53
The Legislature only had the power to make
The marriage legal ; so they set about to take
The proper steps, to have a special act to right
The wrong. The act was passed, relieved them from their
plight.
Now, let us back to Major Avery's, where lives
His daughter Martha, widowed many years. It gives
Us real pleasure, as we meet, to see her face,
Which shows no troubled thoughts, as, with uncommon grace,
She tells of times gone by, of the big " elum " tree,
That grew so large, and spread its branches so. You see,
It was a wonder in my time to all around,
The largest in New England ; it covered so much ground.
It was a lovely spot, a charming dell, a brook
Ean down before the house and garden, babbling on
Its way, a paradise for mortals. Garden 's gone,
The people, house, and tree ; the brook alone remains,
And murmurs still ; its ever rippling voice retains.
'T was here the god-like Daniel once had a mind
To settle down. He made a bargain of some kind
With Major Avery, .but the loadstone Boston came
And drew him off to richer fields that brought him fame.
So he was lost to Greenland — no one was to blame.
Now let us on, and at the house where yellow reigns
We'll stop. This place was once a tavern. There were three,
And some one, interested, thought that two would be '
Enough. And so they voted, in town meeting, that
The selectmen should license only two, and that

54 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Is all I know ; except, that Stephen Pick'ring here
Once lived a while, and owned, and kept a store, quite near.
Meanwhile, he had four children born, and built a store
Across the way, — McLauren, Hale, and Theodore,
And Lydia. She married Capt. Briard. Trouble came
To her. She lost her husband ; thought herself to blame,
Because she let him go away to sea, alone
That is, without her ; thought she never could atone
For this neglect of hers, and so became insane.
McLauren went to sea, and " ploughed the raging main,"
Became a captain, then retired, bought in ships ;
But when he came to middle age, ' ' passed in his chips. "
But there is more to tell-. This Stephen P. once moved,
Or built a store, about where Wilbur lives, which proved
A loss ; well stocked with goods, West India rum, and gin,
When it took fire. It soon was laid in ashes in
Mid-day. I saw the lurid flames, two miles from there.
He had a fair insurance placed with proper care.
But some good friend informed about a joiner's shop
Above the store. This kindly act, just put a stop
To all adjustments. Here, one Fast-day he was hung
Before his store in effigy, and there he hung
All day. Across the back, was seen, in letters plain,
' ' Think on thy latter end. " He had a thirst for gain,
Which made him enemies. He represented once
The town, ¦ and went to Concord, there was not the dunce
That some do show themselves. But Thomas Brackett gave

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 55
The hint ; was the " good friend," one might not wish or crave,
Took ev'ry opportunity remarks to make,
For Brackett hated well, as women hate a snake.
So on one bright June morning, Brackett met the stage
For Concord, at the Stratham Lane, and looking sage,
Addressed the driver slowly, as he said, "I see
You 've got Bill Guppy there, inside, well, let him be,
But keep him safe, and when you get to Concord, take
Him safely to State Prison, where he cannot make
More trouble." Pick'ring uttered not a single word.
He could have called him back, "Tom Crop," as I have heard.
But both are dead long since, and now we '11 let them rest.
But then, I could not leave them out. They did their best.
Now, on again to 'Squire William's, thus so called,
For he was then the only lawyer. Tall and bald,
Of brothers five, and there were Thomas, Deacon Sam,
And Stephen, John, who was the oldest ; like a clam,
He was a fixture. William was a Treasurer
Of State for many years, and married well, a Walker.
Now, see this big, square house, and mark the style,
The leading one a century ago, and while
We look, compare it with its neighbor, Frink's ; but two
In town. It is remarkable, but still it 7s true,
That style in building, like the fashion of a gown,
Will be the rage and run the same through all the town.
And now we come to see those graceful, branching elms,
Which have withstood the wintry blasts, that oft o'erwhehn
More sturdy trees ; and here the name of Ayers comes in,

56 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
And shaded here, near where a blacksmith's shop has been,
A cellar showed where gentle maiden, Mary Ayers,
Was born ; the last to own, to leave her cares.
She hved with Mrs. J. K. Hatch, a useful life,
With hers, kept up an interest, but, to be a wife,
Perhaps she had no strong desire. I never heard
She ever had a lover that had ever stirred
The secret depths of her true heart. But she has gone ;
And her reward was here. Eewards begin at dawn
Of life, and we must bear true Witness to our worth ;
For such as she helped make a little heaven on earth.
On this same lovely spot once stood a public inn,
And back of which a deep round pond must once have been ;
There lived one Alfred Metcalf, Methodist divine,
Who preached for eighteen years, in town along that line
On Greenland P'rade. True worthy Dearborn owned the last,
And sold to Alfred Metcalf. Thus the title passed,
Some eighty years ago, and down the sign post came,
Which many years had borne aloft the landlord's name.
He had five daughters; Mary died while fair and young,
Unmarried, so did Sarah Ann; but time has rung,
Its changes on this household. Martha's children hold
This place of memories, as mines, are rich in gold.
In seventeen sixty-one, the route, let me remark,
Lay through this town. The Taverner was Clarke,
From Portsmouth through to Boston, in one day they rode,
With four-horse team, for then the stage-coach was the mode.
And now the name of Clark is gone; the lands have passed;

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 57
And John 0. Lord resides where Enoch's lot was cast.
And, close by here, one John Gee Pickering made and played
The violin. Here in his prime he died, and laid
Aside his bow. For years was master of the post,
When letters had no cov'ring, folded neat; the most
Of them were charged a ninepence, some a half, and some
A shilling. But, in eighteen forty -seven, gum
Was used and stamps. So correspondence took a jump,
And so increased, and Uncle Sam was such a trump,
That now, a one-cent postal card, four thousand miles
Will carry all one need to write, e'en to the isles
Aleutian. He came from Newington and took
A wife from here, whose virtues told would fill a book.
Next, comes the lands of Huse. Three houses now are seen;
And two were built by James P. Packer, as I ween,
Penhallow built the third, in very modern style,
Next to the Edney place, and lived there quite a while.
From there he moved to Portsmouth city, where he died.
A merchant well to do, a man of sense and pride.
The parsonage comes next, a modest building sure.
And here comes in the lines from Goldsmith's school master,
' ' And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew,
That one small head should carry ah he knew."
Long may he live, to grace his pastorate and show
How well a man may live, do good, and lovely grow.
And here, across the way, is Mr. Junkins, where
One George Odell, M. D., sat himself down to care
For and to cure the sick. For many years he rode

58 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
By night and day, around the town, and here abode,
Esteemed by all. But when the advent craze came around,
He joined those believers, died in faith profound.
He left a worthy son his practice (one may see,
Near by his sign, J, W. Odell, M. D.).
And here, just opposite, another church uprose ;
It answered all the purposes one might suppose ;
But still it did not satisfy, could be improved,
And after many years 't was done ; the bell was moved
To grace the corner, and a bran-new organ bought,
And all could worship God, in form and thought ;
And many good and upright men, the flock have led
Through pastures green and summer bowers, and then have fled
To other welcome fields of work, in which to grow,
For in two years most men can tell most all they know.
There 's wisdom in it, but, when one has settled down,
To pull up stakes and leave, seems rather hard, I own.
The Edney mansion was wide spread upon the ground ;
One story, painted red, with windows ah around,
And there, sometime, was dug a deep, old-fashioned well,
Where often came the thirsty girls and boys, pell-mell,
In heated state, from summer's sun, and active play,
And, crowding round the curb, they blocked the way ;
And, as the bucket slowly rose, filled to the brim,
They cooled, by turns, their parched lips, and soon in trim,
Again they hurried back to school. The Edneys came
From England, followed gard'ning here. This Edney name

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 59
Was first and only in the town. They built anew,
And sold tbre place to Moses Mann, and here, the two,
This Mann and wife, lived many years, and died.
In olden time, when town and parish were as one,
Town meetings then were held, and voting then was done,
In the old meeting-house ; but when the town had leased,
Acquired the old academy, the custom ceased.
Town meetings, like to trainings, county musters, had
Their funny side to look upon, when all were clad
In homespun garments, almost all in dirty clothes.
I well remember one ; one, when a strife arose,
A storm of words, one, for the disposition of
The surplus revenue, a question hard to solve.
And so they met and argued, when they came to vote ;
So evenly divided were they, that some smote
Their fists and doubted. Then they tried to poh the house,
But could not do it ; ah were making such a touse,
And running back and forth, and shouting, long and loud.
'T was pandemonium let loose, and so the crowd
Adjourned unto the yard, and out upon the hill,
And even there, ten rods apart, they shouted still.
At length they got them counted — contest ended now —
The surplus question settled, finished up the row.
And so the times move on. Now, in this corner here,
On Packer's land, was built the Pound ; but when 't was clear
It was no use (the law repealed), the rocks were sold,
And this last landmark of the ways and meanes of old
Has passed away ; and hog-reeves are no longer sworn

60 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
To drive the swine, and wigs and breeches are not worn.
So great the change, the newly married need not dread
Election day. A Packer generation, bred
Close by, has filled the 'lotted span, and now are dead.
The L house, where they lived, still stands, and could it
speak,
Eepeat the jokes and Packer wit, that, gushing week
By week as from a spring, or from a phonograph,
'T would sell for double price, and all the world would laugh.
One Chapman owns it now ; has raised a family tree.
It seems in good condition still, and long may be.
The next house on same side, so square and white, with bhnds,
And the third house that James P. Packer built, reminds
Me that the lumber was the best, and built while war
Was going on and gold was high and hoarded, or
Our greenbacks low and plenty ; and, if understood,
The same. So Packer's pattern house, well built, of wood,
Cost him a pile, and so this speculation lost
Him much ; but it was done to suit, and, as to cost,
Who cares if one is suited? He, eccentric, was
Proud of his eighty years and healthy frame, because
He had outlived his kin. Withal, he was a man
To trust ; was honest, truthful, kind, as neighbors ran.
He married well, with sons and daughters to adorn
His table ; then to marry, and have children born.
But there 's a daughter still left, in the prime of life,
Who could make some man happy, were she but his wife.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 61
Now, this man Packer had his way of doing good,
And wished to lead the young in ways well understood,
And so he did not drink, nor smoke, nor chew the weed,
The dirty plant, that from the devil did proceed ;
Narcotic plant, that empts the pockets, scents the clothes,
And much beside, it makes a chimney of the nose.
And so he fought .tobacco, as one fights a bear,
So all that knew this hate, bid boys and men beware.
And now, we pass along to Philbrick's, where once stood
An old, two-story mossy house, and built of wood.
A remnant of "ye olden time," as I remember it.
The old folks died, as old folks must, and Daniel, hit
By one of Cupid's darts, took to himself a wife.
There, boy and man, he spent an uneventful hfe,
Except, as I relate, he tore the old house down,
And built anew. And some time afterward some frown
Of fortune burned his pretty cottage to the ground.
And just one day's neglect, and but one day, he found,
To his regret, his house insurance had run out.
And then he had to build again, and stir about
To find the means. He always held to party hnes.
A daughter keeps the homestead well, and there confines
Her powers. Young men are not so plenty, or are blind
To merit, else this gentle flower, just the kind
Good wives are made of, would not have remained so long
. Ungathered. Yet we cannot teU what might be wrong.
Her offers might not have been equal to her worth.
For good young men are scarce, and there is quite a dearth

62 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Of the right stamp for husbands. Now, but I forgot,
There 's one should be remembered with the burial lot,
For Captain John B. Loud has dug more graves
And led more sad processions through the grass that waves
Above the dead in Greenland's ancient bur'ing yard
Than any man I know ; but now, by age debarred,
He seeks his ease, and well supported by his cane
He wanders round about, for life is on the wane.
Now in a small one-storied house there lived a pair,
Across the way, a man, and black-eyed woman fair,
The name was Critcherson. One daughter married Mann,
And Nathan Durgin took anothei as they ran ;
Then Susan died, and Nathan's in the eighties now,
The only Durgin of his branch left on the bough.
A few steps further on, we cross a little bridge,
And on the left, an onion patch, beyond a ridge. \
This was the garden. Once, near by, a white and square
Two-storied house, with widow Suky Pick'ring's care,
And for her son, stood many years. And there she spent
Her days in meditation, and her mind intent
Upon religious things. Her husband died some years before
I knew them. Her Ephraim also, and he bore
No fruhf He never thought of love, nor did he dare
To look upon forbidden fruit, though sweet and rare.
'T is sad, but so these people went their way so bare,
And but a tombstone left in yonder graveyard, there
To tell of how these people lived, or when, or where,

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 63
And thus the world moves on, and buries up the past.
Begotten, born, and dead, where'er their lot is cast.
And scarcely ever any record left to show
Who was before us, or of what we 'd like to know.
'T is not of people living now, I make my rhymes ;
I only wish to notice those of former times ;
And so we pass by Widow William Packer's hall,
And take the sidewalk by a stretch of nice stone wall
Her husband laid up, with such wond'rous care and strength,
That not a stone has moved along th' entire length.
'T was builded well, now more than fifty years ago,
By one man's skill and strength, a labor good to show.
A little further on, and up the hill, behind
This famous wall, and as we go, I have in mind
A small, one-story and unpainted house, that stood
Near by the well that still remains, the water good ;
There hved a colored couple, by the name of James,
Who were the relicts of a former age, with names,
But minus surnames, so they took their master's own.
Here passed away the last of colored bondsmen known,
And traced from the estate of Matthew Packer. Here
They hved respected, died in good old age, and here
Is all the record, such a couple ever lived. '
Now, just across the way, that arbor- vitae hedge,
Set out by Elder Adams, to adorn the edge,
Long time ago, along the bank, above the wall,
Has lasted well, through drought, inclement seasons, ah
Severe and blighting frost. A man of taste and means,

64 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
He placed his house in back, and planted evergreens.
He had a speculative mind, and when he sold
. This place, he bought another ; lived to be quite old.
Now, on our right keep on, and take a look around,
And see an old, one-story house, large on the ground,
Where lived one Walter Weeks, one of the brothers named
Before. You cannot see, but I can see it framed
As clearly in my mind, with barn and cow-yard, shed,
And busy people, caring for affairs. They fed
Their pigs and hens and cows, and went their daily rounds
Of duty ; when they reached the destined end, which bounds
All human lives, they died. The town clerk's record shows
The time the old folks left, and that is all one knows
Of them, that 7s worth recording here, as they are gone ;
Not e'en a cellar left to tell the, tale anon.
And so we come to Haines, abreast the road that leads
To Eye ; and here they built anew to meet their needs,
And here a William and an Ebenezer Haines-
Were born ; and William kept the homestead, which remains
Still in the name ; while Ebenezer learned a trade,
And went his way, and oft with other's music made
On training days, in winter also, when they danced ;
And also in an orchestra, that much enhanced
The int'rest in a course of lectures, to improve
The taste for learning. So successful was this move,
That several seasons, at the old academy,
They had each week a lecture or a matinee.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 65
Now, down the railroad, past one Marden's, onward go,
And in the corner, near the road, look where I knew
A house and barn once stood for Edgerly, but now
There is no sign of them ; all, all are gone, but how
I cannot tell. But one is left and he is dumb,
He works on wheels and wagons often, still is mum.
So now, we take our leave and pass two Marden folds,
And come to quite a ledge, and there a Berry holds.
And now, down near the railroad, on the other side,
Before that it was built, there lived, until he died,
A Berry, George, by name, who undertook to ride
A vicious horse, which threw him off and broke his back.
This ended this George Berry. Now, beyond the track
There hved a brother Jefferson, a careful man.
He owned an ancient house, built on the ancient plan,
Two stories and substantial, so it stands to-day
In good condition. Look beyond on higher ground,
And see a modern built, white house, then look around,
And see the grave-yard yonder, there see the Seavey name,
And learn the tale. They tell of father, sons, and dame.
Beyond this level ground we come to Breakfast Hill.
The story 's old, of Indians ; how they came to kill.
The smold'ring fires, where cruel Indians breakfasted,
Were left, and just in time to make escape. They fled
Through Eye and went to sea. Here were three pines,
'And there were more, before the hghtning its confines
Escaped and rifted down their sides. One hundred years,

66 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Or more, they breasted storms and winds, as it appears,
And raised their lofty tops, and, seen far out to sea,
They made a noble landmark, good and plain to see ;
Eomantic spot, where earth has thrown her hardened crust.
Where big white rocks, adorned with moss and oxide rust,
And finch, invite repose and rest and silence meet
For sleep, but for the hermit thrush, with song so sweet.
The romance now is gone ; those noble forest trees,
AU cut away, and one bare ledge of rock one sees ;
No shade to woo, but uncouth bushes mark the way.
This side the Berry family lived. The old house stood
Where Nathan hves ; 't was very old and built of wood.
Two Berry sons there were and also there were girls.
But Thomas died a " Bach," he had no taste for curls,
And let his brother do the courting for them both ;
And so he did it willingly and nothing loth.
A story 's told of him, for he was quite a wit,
That early in one morning 'fore the stars had flit,
He started off for Portsmouth, with a good large load,
And when he came to Marden's, lady-love's abode,
He saw her father coming out, and stopped to say,
"A fine good morning," and so he passed the time of day.
And when he started up his team, they bothered him,
Which made him lose his temper. Swinging round with vim
His goad, he made his oxen act so much the worse.
In these good times the girls were named in manner terse
And quaint ; Faith, Patience, Prudence, Charity and like,
And Patience Marden had the happy luck to strike
Our hero's fancy. Here is where the joke comes in.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 67
The old man, seeing how things were, put in his fin,
And said, " Have patience, Francis, patience, now, my son."
" I will, if I can get her," said he, starting on ;
He left the old man musing, which of them had won.
Now, turning back, we call again at Jamie Eand's,
Who was the station agent, take up some loose strands
Left out. Now, when this road was young, they gave no^pay,
And Eand had served them gratis. So, one stormy day,
The snow was thick upon the platform in the morn,
And as a train of cars came in it looked forlorn
About the place. The President, on board, looked out,
And saw our Mr. Eand, a man both short and stout.
"Who keeps this station? " said he gruffly. "I," said Eand.
' ' Why don't you clear the snow ? " " I 'd have you understand,
I do aU I'm paid for," Eand rephed, and grinned,
And looked so saucy too, for Eand, who had him pinned,
Could weU afford to grin an answer saucy back.
It was his way, to say hard things he had the knack.
He always smiled whene'er he hit his foes a crack.
He hit the President so hard that when the train
Had left he told his clerk, ' ' That man cannot remain ;
Have him discharged at once. " And then the clerk replied,
"But how can we discharge him? " " You must decide."
' ' He 's not upon the rolls. " "I'm very much annoyed
Attend to this, I wiU not have a man employed
I can't discharge, so put him on the rolls, and make
His pay the same per month as other stations take."
So ends my tale ; but Eand held on for many years.
Still further on, we 'U note a row of trees, and see

68 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Upon our left an iron gate in-wrought A. B.
Here, Albert BlaisdeU built a splendid house, set out
A hedge, laid out a way in style, and all about
Was nicely finished, and the best by far in town,
And there he lived a while, a mason of renown.
By chance or mischance, how it happ'ed I cannot say,
These handsome buildings came to grief, were burned one day.
The trees, the walk, the hedge, the gate and posts remain,
And Albert Blaisdell 's gone, and here will ne'er again
Be seen. And now we 're back upon the road that leads
To Boston, and to Johnson's come ; and if one heeds
This fine long ridge of land, a mile or less in length,
He 'U see how nature here has meted out its strength.
The road has almost made itself ; a nice wheel path
Has marked the way, along by which a Johnson hath
So long ago stuck down his stakes, and builded weh
A habitation, tiUed the soil. But what bef eU
•The race of Johnsons, records do not teU us much.
But one is left of those who settled here ; and such
Has been the history of Ebenezer, John ;
I could not do it justice, so we will pass on,
And come to where one Brasbridge lived, I think 't was John,
'The little house, one story and unpainted, gone.
Just big enough for two whose daily wants were small.
A bed, two chairs and table was about their all.
This man's whole soul, his mind and spirit, aU entire
Was God's. He hved and breathed in him ; no base desire
Controlled his thought, no hypocrite was he, no cant

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 69
Disgraced his modest tongue, nor was he wont to rant.
And this is all there is to tell of one whose birth
Was humble ; but such a soul is heaven on earth.
Now, on our right and down a lane, not long ago,
There lived a Berry. Children, eight or ten or so.
But all are dead and gone, and there the old house stands.
A stranger's hand now guides the plough, now tiUs the lands.
Three hundred acres, more or less, divided care
Among a dozen owners, only one male heir
Preserves the name of this one branch.
Now, here we come to the glebe land, the parsonage,
(Called upper) and the record of would fill a page ;
, 'T was leased sometimes to keep the wood and trees from spoil,
For was it not the town's? And so the sons of toil
Would take their share, and so would carry off the wood.
And thus it came to pass the Upper pars'nage stood
A ready subject for debate, on which to vote.
' ' That no more wood be stolen, " so the town clerk wrote,
Became a standard thing, as ev'ry year came round,
And how Lieutenant David Simpson flowed the ground.
And so we '11 leave it, hist'ry, quarrels, bushes, all,
The winding Winnicut, and ancient pines so tall. So we 'U pass on
To NortonviUe, so caUed, where Nathan carried on
A nursery, and raised a family of boys.
And there was Captain Eobert, who had found the joys
Of married life, and raised a son or two,
Slipped off this mortal coil and bade this world adieu.
And Alfred left and made a home in Nashua ;

70 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Where, honored and respected, some one found a way
To make him Mayor of the city. Now, we go
Along, and down the hill, and on the right, and lo,
We view a cottage nestling there among the trees.
There, Noah Marston fed his flocks, and where one sees,
A short way down the glen, where once a httle miU
Economized the little stream, dammed up until
It formed a pond, thence onward found its way
Into the Winnicut. This mill was burned one day.
And there were sons, Nathaniel and Jonathan,
Who were good, genial fellows both, as neighbors ran.
Now, on the other side, there lived a man named Brown,
Who married Marston's daughter ; moving out of town,
The place was quickly sold ; and now a Seavey folds
His arms and looks about him o'er his own freeholds
A selectman. •a
Now cross the bridge, and up the hiU,
Where Colonel Lov'ring, after him, the son, to tiU
The willing soil assayed. The lonely dweUing stands,
But no one there to take a care but woman's hands.
A maiden sister and a niece is waiting stiU
For some good man that 's nice enough to fill the biU.
Here end my rhymes, I've done my best to those who died,
And if to them injustice 's done, I'U say I 've tried
My best to tell the truth, have mixed with it some fun,
Some little sadness, and I would 't were better done.

PART II.

HISTORY OE THE TOWN OE GREENLAND

FROM 1653 TO 1829,

WITH OTHER SUBJECTS OF INTEREST.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF GREENLAND.

The task of writing a history of a town, of which the records-
are mostly lost and imperfectly kept, is not an easy one, and
no matter what direction one takes, he seems to be cut off
from the pursuit of his object. He is met, first, by the diver
sity of grants that conflict with each other; the burning up of
records, and the blotting out of families. But the desire to
preserve what knowledge we have is my excuse for such an
undertaking. The name of Greenland was not unknown in England. It
must have been familiar to Champernown from his boyhood
days, and it was, undoubtedly, he who bestowed the name on
his farm at the Great Bay. The name appears for the first.
time on the records of Portsmouth under the date of July 10,
1655, and it came to be applied to the western part of that
town; and when that part was made a town, by enactment,
of the General Court, it retained the name bestowed on it by-
Cham perno wn.

73

74 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
GREENLAND.
FROM LANDMARKS OF ANCIENT DOVER.
This name is mentioned as early as July 10, 1655, when three
hundred acres of upland and meadow were granted to Capt.
Champernown, adjoining his new dwelling house at Greenland.
Oct. 21, 1657, Valentine Hill, of Oyster Eiver, sold his farm
called Greenland, "lying in ye bottom of the great bay in river
of Piscataqua," and John Davis, of Oyster Eiver, in his will of
May 25, 1686, gives his son Joseph "one-half of the marsh
which I bought of Mr. Valentine HiU, situate and lying at
Greenland." In the letters of the Marquis de Chastelleux, written from
Portsmouth in 1782, he says, "We passed through Greenland,
a very populous township, composed of well-built houses.
Cattle here are very abundant. The country /presents, in every
respect, the picture of abundance and happiness."
The author of " Daniel Webster and his Cotemporaries " says
<of Greenland, in his preface to "The Andahisias of Spain,"
x ' that it is a viUage, which from its nice houses, well-cultivated
farms and pleasant scenery, reminds me more of Old England
than any other country town I have seen in New England. I
have lived over the six pleasantest months of my life in writ
ing out my book, and on a spot endeared to me above all the
rest of the world by hereditary associations and the poetry of
¦childhood." It seems that 'aU the settlements were made from the Pis-
•cataqua Eiver and the Great Bay and its tributaries.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 75
When the roads, if they could be called so, were, but bridle
paths, and there were hardly any vehicles except ox-carts and
sleds, this was the only way of transporting goods and mer
chandise as wiU be seen by some documents hereafter inserted.
So, after a while, public landing places were established, and
by vote of the town, they are still held. One at the tide-mill
(no longer standing), one at the saw-mill, the head of tide-water,
and another near the Stratham Depot on the Great Bay. All
the roads radiated from the landings and from the bay. The
Sodom Eoad, now caUed Ocean Eoad, led from Champernown
Creek and the miU caUed, Pickering's mill. The road from the
tide-miU leads up across the Parade and divided at the old
parsonage; it ran up the Haines' lane to Major Wiggins' and
Davis MiU (now gone). This place is now owned by Frank
Jones, Esq., and a way turned off at the right to Haines' log by
the Sherburn Haines house. Then the Winnicut leading from
Canney's, afterwards owned largely by Dr. Ichabod Weeks, up
•on the west side of the Winnicut Eiver to Amos Davis, then
turning to the right up through Stratham. Then there was
a road leading from Maloon's over across Doe HiU and across
the AUen farm, coming out by Thomas Downing's to that of
Samuel Hatch, and continuing on until it met the road from
Amos Davis'. This track of the road across, the AUen farm is
stiU to be seen. Brackett Weeks bought or put up the little
house of Thomas Downing's. In other words, he loaned him
money, and when he could not pay he took -the house. It was
a part of the farm when my father, Ealph HaU, bought it
from the heirs of Captain Shaw. Then there was the road

76 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
that led from Master WiUiam Weeks to Stratham Lane, and
also the road from the Bracketts'. The old Brackett house
was burned some years since and a little one built on its site.
And the Bracketts, now Pickerings, came out the same way.
The people of the third or fourth Brackett farm with the
house near to Sandy Point, found their way out by the road
leading out to Kenniston's Tavern, as it has been called in my
remembrance, now unoccupied as a tavern, and the stable is
burned down. The road out across the Allen farm has been
closed up, and there is no record by whose authority.
The road into Clement Weeks' came out nearly opposite
Ehas Wentworth's, and there was a path back of the house
which came out near by Maloon's. This family died of smaU
pox, and another Maloon family, as Mr. Weeks wrote me,
lived a little above where Elias Wentworth lives now, but on
the other side of the road; the cellar is to be seen stiU. This
was the Johnson farm, and David Johnson hved there in my
remembrance, and the Johnson lands extended over to the road
to Exeter. The old house was torn down when Mr. Went
worth, father of Elias, built the present Wentworth house.
Nearly the whole shore, if not quite, of the Great Bay along
the south side, now Greenland, was included in the township
of Dover, beginning forty rods below Sandy Point.
"Bay Hill," mentioned Nov. 28, 1679, when Lieut. Walter
Neale confirmed unto George Huntress the right to a tract of
land in Greenland • upon "ye hill caUed Bay Hill" on the west
side of "John ffilbrook's" land, beginning at a white oak on
the top of said hill. This hill is at the west of J. C. Weeks'

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 77
farm, a quarter of a mile from the Great Bay shore on the road
to Greenland ViUage, and has since been called "f)oe Hill."
Bay Side is a name given to that part of Greenland lying
between Winnicut Eiver and Sandy Point on the Great Bay.
Brandy Eock is one of the bounds between Greenland and
Stratham. It is a few rods above the Stratham Eailroad
Station at the side of the road leading from the station to the
main road to Exeter.
Canney's or Kenney's Island is an island between "Wille's
•creek and Kenes creek." This island is about three fourths of
a mile from Winnicut Eiver and belonged to Mr. J. Clement
Weeks, since deceased.
Eelpot Creek, now called Weeks' Creek, is mentioned in a
•deed to "Henry Nutter. — of a tract of land of 20 acres on the
Westernmost side of Greenland Eiver in ye Great Bay and
bounded upon Eelpot Creek."
' ' Among the Dover grants on the Greenland shore are those
to Thomas Canney, Eichard Carter, John HaU, John Heard,
Eichard Hussey, Henry Langstaffe, John and Thomas Eoberts,
Henry Tibbets, Thomas Willey and Geo. Webb."
The Dover grants on this shore seem to have been purchased
by Portsmouth settlers and the whole shore was relinquished
when Greenland was made a separate parish.
COTTRELL'S DELIGHT.
FROM LANDMARKS OF ANCIENT DOVER.
This place is mentioned, May, 1653, when the inhabitants of
Strawberry Bank petitioned the Grand Court at Boston for a

78

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

grant of the "necke of land beginninge in the Great Bay the
place called Cbtterills Delight so running to the sea." This
petition was ' ' respited because of Mr. Mason's claim to the
lands only so far as related to Mr. Wiggins' Patent."
CottreU's Delight is at the" southwest corner of Great Bay
near the mouth of Exeter Eiver. The origin of the name is
unknown. No Cottrells appear in the early records of New
Hampshire, but there were people of this name in Ehode
Island. 1640.
In the appeal to "Thos Dudley Gov. of Massachusetts,"
signed by the f oUowing : — '

Thomas Larkland
William Jones
John Follett
Robert Nanney*
Thos Durstin
Thos Roberts
Samuel Haines
Bartholemew Smith
John Dame
Baetholemew -\- Smith

William Walden
John -|- Tuttle
Henet Beck
Thomas -\- Layten
Edward Staebuck
William Pomfeett
William Furber
William Storer
John -)- Hall!
Phillip Swadden

Richard Walden
Edward Colcorde
Roberts Huckings
Richard Pinckum
Thomas Thicket

* Robert Nanney, in the above, no doubt gave the name to Nanney's Island in
Greenland Bay.
t John Hall, no doubt, was my ancestor, who lived at Dover Neck, at this
time, and took the oath of fidelity, as Deacon Jno. Hall, in 1667. There were
two John Halls. One was called Sargent John and the other Deacon John, and
I am of the eighth generation from Deacon John.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 79*
1653.
(Portsmouth Town Records, Vol. I., page 12.)
" At a public meeting held the 12th of Sept. 1653, granted unto
Samuel Haines ten ackers of land at the bottom of the great
Bay, over against Capt. Champernowns — so that it be not
upon the Captains land." Taken out of the "ould book."
In 1653 there were but fifty or sixty families in the limits of
what now comprises Portsmouth, Newcastle, Eye, Greenland,.
and Newington. 1655.
July 10. Three hundred acres of upland were granted to
Captain Champernown, adjoining his new dwelling house at
Greenland. Champernown's farm extended from Packer's Brook around
the Point and originaUy included all the Pickering lands
around by the Parade and all the land to the Packer Brook as
we find a record of some of the land which was leased.
1656.
In the division of the Hilton or Swamscot Patent, May 22,.
1656, the territory assigned to Dover included " aU the Marsh
from Hogstye Cove round .about- the bay, up to Cottrell's
Delight, and 400 acres of upland, as granted by the Court,
bounded and laid out and possessed by the inhabitants of
Dover." See N. H. Prov. Pap. I., 222, 223.
Greenland, or at least a part of it, was once a part of Dover
and was taxed as being a part of that town, bounded by lines-

•SO RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
running from CottreU's Delight on Great Bay, between the
towns of Portsmouth and Hampton to Little Eiver.
1666.
(Extract from Portsmouth Records.)
Henry and John Sherborn and Samuel Haynes were author
ized by the town of Portsmouth, April 6, 1666, to meet their
neighbors of Hampton to run the "lyne " between the towns
of Portsmouth and Hampton, provided it be run from CottreU's
Delight, and from thence unto a httle river about a half a mile
ibeyond Little Boar's Head. 1657.
July, 1657. Francis Champernown conveyed to Valentine
Hill his ' ' farm in ye Great Bay called by ye name of Greenland
¦with all the right to 400 acres, granted him by Eobert Salton-
st,aU and others of ye Patentees " and Valentine HiU of Dover
¦to Capt. Thomas Clark and Wm Paddy of Boston, merchants,
his farm called Greenland, ' ' afterward conveyed Col. Wm Par
tridge and by him to Thomas Packer. Partridge & Packer
•conveyed to Matthias Haines 66 Acres," a part of the Cham
pernown new farm, joining the road from Greenland to
Hampton. 1657-8.
(Vol. 9, folio 36, Co. Rockingham, N. H. Register.)
"Whereas the Gn1 Court of ye Masstts in May 1656 granted a
division of ye Patent of Swamscot and ye land signed and
allotted to Nta1 Gardner and Thos Lake and Partners, feU into
ye bounds of ye Town of Strawberry Bank and whereas Capt.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 81
E. Waldron (who has purchased out the interest of Thos Lake)
and ye sd Thos Lake hath sold unto ye town of Strawberry
bank a certain tract of Land as appears by a deed of sale bear
ing date the 23d Mch. 1657-8 in wh deed of sale there is out to
ye farms of Goodman Haines John Hall and Wm Furber wh
we grant and aUow to farms.
' ' Now know aU men yt for and in consideration of 5 £ to be
paid by Sam1 Haines to ye sd E. Waldron and Tho3 Lake have
given, granted, bargained and sold, assigned, sett over and con-
veyd unto ye sd Sam1 Haines the sum of 30 acres of upland
and 20 Acres of fresh marsh being part of the sd 450 acres
reserved to be laid out at the expense of Sam1 Haines
"24 Mch. 1657-8" 1660.
July 5. Six hundred acres of land were divided among
those who were inhabitants of Portsmouth and in free com
munion in the year 1657.
To Samuel Haines was granted 101 acres, possessed 10 already
and 91 added to make up full proportion.
Leonard Weeks to have 44 acres (34 and 10).
Feb. 4. We find "Leonard Weikes " account for town
services aUowed. 1661.
(Agreement between Deacons Haines and Hall.)
" Whereas, there have been some uncomfortable differences
lately between two loving friends, namely John HaU and
Samuel Haines both of Greenland, about certain Meadowes

82 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
lying at Greenland about wh. there was an action commenced
by Jn° HaU ags* ye sd SamueU
"Now know all men by these presents that we the sd parties
taking notice of the uncomfortable consequences thereof and
the grat trouble yt was like to arise in ye prosecution thereof
(though lawful) yet out of ye desire of the obtaining of that
peace and love that formerly we did enjoy each wh the other,
have voluntaringly and mutuaUy agreed the sd differences, in
which agreement wee have engaged ourselves as ffoUoweth,
Viz. that ye sd John Hall shall have three acres of that marsh
wch is called Sam1 Haines and SamueU Haines shall have three
acres of y* marsh in controversy called Jn° Hall's the sd marsh
to be indifferently layed out by or two Loving friends Mr Peter
Coffin of Cocheco, and Jn° Eodman of Hampton wch sd marsh
wee aUow each other by way of mutual Exchanges, moreover
the sd parties doe utterly conclude all differences of any sort or
kind whoever that have arrison between us, from the beggining
of ye world unto this day and Lamenting it do utterly' acquit
each other of the same, for the true well and serious perform
ance of all whsoever we 'doe solemly obligate o1' selves each to
other by the mutual subscribing or hands this 28 of June 1661
Samuell Haines
' ' In presence of our loving friends Jno Hall
Eobt Pike Peter Coffin
Andrew Grele Jno Eodman"

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 83
1662.
In 1662 Leonard Weeks was one of Selectmen of Portsmouth.
1663.
According to the Portsmouth Eamble CXIX., the road
through Great Swamp was opened in 1663 or 1664.
Previous to that year all people coming to Greenland had to
go round by the high ground that comes out by Dr. Chapman's,
or, worse stiU, had to go round through Newington, then caUed
Bloody Point. A contract was made this year for a foot and
horse path. The record is as foUows : —
" On the 8th of Oct 1663, at a meeting of the Selectmen of
Portsmouth at Greenland to lay out the hiwayes a hiwaye laid
out from Winecote river falls east or thereabouts to Samuel
Haines is house and from thence the hieway is to run to Hamton
hiwaye where it now hes by Ffrances Drake field which is now
enclosed these hiwaye is to be tow rod in bredth."
' ' There is also a hiwaye laid out over against Leonard Weeks
house and is to goe through his land soue and by west or thare-
abouts until it comes to the common land." This is the road
which leaves the old road at the burying yard, and keeps on by
John W. Weeks' to the common which lies beyond Eobert B.
Weeks' and is now owned by Widow Keeff e and Widow Beck,
and it is on this land that the first burying place was made —
and back in these woods near the river there were laid more
than one hundred of the early dead.

84

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

PORTSMOUTH, 1664.
(Vol. I., p. 49.)
Feb. 15. "At a meeting of the Selectmen, Layed out to
Sam1 Haines of his divident land 86 acres, beginning at a hem
lock tree between said Haines and Francis Drakes, near Cham-
penouns creeke, and from thence 72 rod west to the cart way
at the fence between Goodman Haines and Walter Neal, and
thence 192 rods due South to a pine, and from thence 72 rod
to a pitch pine tree east, and from thence to the hemlock first
above named. Phillip Lewis
John Sherburne
Walter Abbott, W."

Henry Sherbourne
Jno. Sherburne
Saml Haines
Phillip Lewis

Leo. Weeks
Sam'l Haines, Jr
Francis Jennings
ET ALS

<

1666.
(Portsmouth Records, Vol. I., p. 58.)
chosen (2d time) to meet those from
Hampton to run the Line between the
two towns, 6 Apr. 1866. The Line to
be from "Cottrells delight "in Gt. Bay
unto Little Eiver, about 2 miles from
Hampton Took the oath of fidelity 2nd Oct 1666,
upon the election of Millitary officers
before us

Hen: Sherburn j
Elias Stileman f

Corns (Vol. 2, p. 122.)

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 85
1667.
" PhiUip Lewis, Leo: Weeks, Deacon Jn° Hall, et als, came
into Court and took the oath of ffreeman June 25, 1667 "
1669.
(Portsmouth Records, Vol. I., p. 69.)
"At a Gen1 Town Meeting held in Portsmouth 12 May, 1869.
Whereas there is a tract of land in the towuship of Portsmouth
adjoining to the Gt. Bay on the West side of Winnecut Eiver
it is given and granted unto Mr Jn° Cutt Mr Nath1 Ffryer,
Capt James Pendleton, Mr. Elias Stileman, Mr. Eichd Martyn,
P. Lewis, Sam1 Haines, Leo: Weeks and Jno. Sherburne, two
thirds of all the sd tract of land, excepting 250 acres thereof to
be layed out unto Mr Moody for his satisfaction for former
arearages for the inhabitants subscription, provided the parties
above said maintain and dif end the same in the towns behalf at
their the above said parties own proper cost and charge against
any and all that shall oppose." 1670.
(About the Saw Mill on the Winnicut River.)
' ' This Indenture made ye ninth day of January in ye Year
one Thousand .six hundred and Seventy between Sam1 Haines
Sen1' of Greenland in Portsmth in Piscataqua, on the one part
and Phillip Lewis of the same place and Isaac Cole of Hampton
on the other Party.
' ' Witnesseth ye sd Cole and Lewis in Consideration of One
Hundred and ten Pounds payable by ye sd Haines unto ye

86 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
said Cole (for which a bill is given of ye date of ye present)
Have jointly and severally given, granted, sold, and set Over, .
and do by these Presents, give, grant, sell and set Over unto
ye said Haines, his Heirs Executors, Administrators and
Assigns forever, all their and each of their Interests in and
Eight to one half of a Saw Mill now in Partnership between
Said Lewis and Cole, situate and being in Greenland aforesaid
with all and Singular the Privileges and Appurtenances there
unto belonging, said Doggs, Iron Crows, Sledges, or what other
Instruments of a like nature belonging to ye Mill, as also free
Liberty of Access to and Egress from ye sd Mill, with ye Use
of so much Land about it, as may be convenient and suitable
for the laying of Loggs, Timber or Boards on for ye MiUs
Concerns ; as also to fetch Earth and Stones, or what else may
be convenient and suitable for the present or future Eepairing
and building of the Mill from Time to Time on either side of
the stream where the Mill now Stands, near about ye sd MiU.
' ' Provided always that after four years be expired which Term
begins at ye first of April next, One eight Part of the said MiU
shall return to ye Phillip Lewis, as his proper estate, any thing
in the Premises to ye Contrary notwithstanding. The other
three Eights to the Said Hains as aforesaid. Furthermore ye
said Lewis and Cole do engage to ye sd Haines that they are
before ye selling hereof ye sole Owners and true Proprietors of
all ye bargained Premises, and also do bind themselves, Heirs
Executors, Administrators and Assigns to warrant and defend
the Sale here of against any Person whatsoever, from, by and
under them Laying Claim thereunto Legally especially from all

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 87
former Gifts, Sales, Mortgages, Joyntures, Wills of Dowry or
Intanglements by Virtue of any Copartnership, or any thing of
the like nature, made or done by them or either of them which
might be any impediment to ye sd Haines, his Heirs or Assigns,
from their quiet and free Possessing of ye same forever. In
Witness To all and Singular the Premises, the said Lewis and
Cole have Sett their Hands and Seals this 9* of Jan*-, 1670.
Phillip Lewis [ls]
Isaac Cole [ls]
' ' Signed sealed and delivered
this 11 ye of Janr, 16T0
before us Joshua Moody
John Sherburn Senr.
' ' Phillip Lewis and Isaac Cole came both together before me
acknowledged this Instrument to be their Act and Deed this
11th ye jany 1670 Before me Eichard Cutt."
1674.
(Portsmouth, 5 March, 1674-5, Vol. I., p. 85.)
"It was voted that Sam1 Haines, Jno. Sherburne, and others,
the inhabitants of these parts may have the liberty to make
use of the pound for putting in their horses , on Sabbath the
day, and may cover part thereof for said use provided they no
ways damnifie the same and have the Selectmens aprobation."
1679.
Feb. 5. Ordered to lay out land for Deacon Haines and
Leonard Weeks.

88 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Dec. 18. "90 acres laid out for Deacon Haines on the N. W.
side of Hampton highway to a little brook, and Leo. Weeks
land on north* side of it."
This land must have been the land now belonging to Joseph
Haines, and what was the Walter Weeks place owned by the
late  Pearson. 1681.
(From the Provincial Court Papers, Exeter, N. H.)
"The deposition of Samuel Haines aged 78 or thereabouts,
sworn, saith that about 29 years ago Capt. Champenoon being
at Barbadoes left his farm and concerns at Greenland with Mr
Tho: Withers which Withers desired this deponent to live in
ye farm and look after it, and myself Left Neal took it to
ye thirds. The year following ye Capt. sent to know whether
he had anything left; as Mr Withers told him who consulting
with me about an — returned him answer yt all things was as
when he left it save yt an attachment was layed on ye farm
by Capt. White, and a Judgement of Court, which was respeted
for a year, within the time prefixt ye Capt. came and lived
upon his farm again about 2 or 3 years — about a year or two
after by an agreement between them Capt. Champeroon had
the Stand and Mr Hill at Greenland, upon wh agreement I
know that sd Champeroon did receive of sd Hill — four oxen
and to great yearlings, several parcells of goods, both Linnen
and Woolen, at several times, and provisions, he father sayes
that the sd Hill was then possest of ye sd Land, and by him,

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 89
and in his right it have been possest by him or his by
Mess8 Clark and his order to this, going under Mr Hill 5 years,
and Kennison 8 or 9 yrs, or thereabouts under Mr. Clark. He
farther sayeth yt Mi" HiU possest it as his own right, and sold
several parcells of it, also this deponent took a lease of Mrs.
HiUs thirds and neither one or other were ever molested that
ever this deponent knows of: nor ever questioned but by
Phillip Lewis.
' ' Leonard Weeks, attests To all the above written, so far as
concerned the possession.
"Taken upon oath in Court held at Hampton ye 6th Dec.
1681. Elias Stileman, Recorder."
To show how the river was used as a highway, we quote
from the Provincial Court Papers, at Exeter, N. H., of Dec.
6, 1861.
" Deposition of Leonard Weeks aged 48 years Sworn, Saith
that two years after Deacon Haines left Greenland f arme, when
PhiUip Lewis left it this deponant entered up on it and lived
there about a year at wh time the sd 4 oxen and 2 yales spoken
of in Deacon Haines, his testimony about the. farm I know to
be true and to be on yt acoumpt, also there other parcels of
goods recd by sd Champernoon for sd Hill this dept have often
fetched cannoes laden with Linen and Woolen cloth, and pro
visions, beef, pork, and bedding and many things."
1683.
"Deposition of Samuel Haines Senr aged about 80 years, tes-
tifieth that the Land lying by the highway Southward up from

90 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Winnicut Eiver along to ye place where Leonard Weeks hath
settled, his house and dwelling place hath been possessed by
said Weeks these twenty-three years without any molestation
that said Deponant heard of. Samuel Haines Junr testifieth
to ye same, aged 37 years.
"Mathias Haines testifieth to ye same, aged 33 years.
Sam*- Haines.
Samuel Haines.
Mathias Haines.
"Sworn in Court Sept. 26, 1683." "4 Oct. 1683.
' ' A writ was issued on Complaint of Eob Mason vs. Sam'1,
Haines, Senr of Greenland, Bond 300£ to appear in Court at
G-reat Island.
' ' Complaint, keeping Mason out of Possession of Land felling
his wood &c.
"Attached the goods of Samuel Haines Senr .
"Writ returned 6 Oct. 1683."
A petition from Portsmouth, Dover, and other towns to the
King, this year, was signed by sixty persons, setting forth
their grievances, growing out of Mason's Patent. Among the
names are the foUowing from Greenland : Samuel Haines,
Samuel Haines, Jr., Matthias Haines, Leonard Weeks, William
Fifield, Sr. 1684.
Another writ was issued upon complaint of Mason against
Samuel Haines, Sr., May 16, 1684, returned May 21, 1684, at-

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 91
tached goods. Court to be held at Great Island in June next.
Bond £200. Suits were also brought by Mason at the same
time against nearly aU the old settlers, but he was unsuccessful
in disturbing them in the possession of their lands.
1693.
It is said, also, by a Mr. Thomas Norton, who was born in
Greenland in 1769, that in the history of Greenland, the four
families of Haines, Weeks, HaU, and Keniston polled a major
ity of the votes.
At this time there were about fifty in the town that is now
Greenland. The seating of the people in the church took place this year
in Portsmouth. The church was about where the School-house
is now, on the south side of the South-Mill Bridge. Think of
the long ride ; it was the only church for Portsmouth, Eye,
Greenland, and Newington. The following persons of Green
land were privileged to sit in the front : Leonard Weeks, Joseph
Berry, in the men's seats ; Joseph Berry's wife, Eobert Lang's
wife, John Johnson's wife, in the women's. In the men's gal
lery, fronting the pulpit, were Capt. Thomas Packer, John
Hatch, John Holmes, John Cate, Thomas Beck ; and others less
prominent were there placed, but the names' cannot be distin
guished from others in Portsmouth, of the same surnames.
1696.
It was this year that a party of Indians, after an early
attack on the inhabitants at the Plains, and the slaughter and

92 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
scalping of fourteen persons, hastily retreated and stopped on
the declivity of Breakfast HiU and took breakfast, and ever
since, this hill has gone by that name. They had come from
York to Sandy Beach in canoes, which they secreted in the
bushes on the shore. Early in the morning of June 26, 1696,
they simultaneously made an onset on the five houses.
The Indians, having plundered the houses and set fire to
them, retreated through Great Swamp, and stopped on the de
clivity of a hill, as above mentioned. They were found there,
by the party who followed them, and four prisoners were
liberated. The Indians escaped into a neighboring swamp, and succeeded
. in reaching their canoes, in which they put to sea, and went to
the eastward passing outside the Isles of Shoals.
1705.
The following petition, was presented to ' ' His Excellency
Joseph Dudley Esq. , Goven1" and Comander in chief e in and over
his Majesties province of New Hampshire, and Vice Admiral of
the same —
"The humble Petition of John Johnson Abraham Lewis and
Samuel Weeks on behalfe of themselves and the inhabitants
of Greenland, belonging to the Town of Portsmouth, Humbly
Sheweth ' ' That there are about three hundred & twenty persons : men
women and children in Greenland who are Obliged to come to
the Bank to meeting, and the distance being five or six miles
and the season of the yeare occasioning bad travelling as also

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 93
the danger of the Enemy makes it very difficult and Tedious, to
gett to the said meeting, or to send their children every day to
school being not able to Table them abroad : soe that your poor
petitioners are almost deprived of publickly hearing the word of
God or getting their children Educated with- Eeading and writ
ing And your petitioners have desired at a publick Towne
meeting to have the Liberty of a Minister and schoolmaster
among themselves. They paying their- sallary and to be
Exempted from paying to the minister and Schoolmaster at the
Bank but there is noe care taken about itt by the Town who
continues Silent in the matter.
' ' May it therefore please yr Excellency to consider premise
and to order as you in your prudent Judgment shall see meet —
relating to the same whereby^ yor petitioners may obtain the
priviledge of a Minister and schoolmaster among themselves
as aforesaid. And they as in duty bound shall ever pray &c
John Johnson
Abraham Lewis
Samuel Weeks "
"5th May 1705
' ' This petition is referred to the Selectmen of Portsmouth to
make answer and objections if they have any to myself e in a
months time. J. Dudley "
" Att a Gen11 Town meeting held in Portsm0 ye 4th June 1705
Where as ye Town of Portsm0 pays £100 p Annum for ye sup
port of their minister in sd Town Att the request of the inhab
itants of Greenland part of said Town considering ye distance
of Ground ye number of persons & ye danger of passing to
Public worship,

94 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
" Voted, That ye inhabitants of Greenland be paid out of the Town
stock their proportion of sd £100 During ye Maintenance of an able Min
ister amongst them and no longer & ye sd proportion be yearly propor-
tioned by the Selectmen for time being ye bounds of Greenland to be on ye
south side of Coll Packers farme. Pr Samll Keals, Town Clerk "
' ' True coppy out of ye third Book of Eecords for Portsm0 :
f0Q- 12 p Josh. Pierce, Town cler.n
1706.
"Att a Gen11 Town Meeting in Portsm0 ye 8th April, 1706
" Voted, That ye Inhabitants of Greenland in this Town being freed
from paying yr proportion of Eates for ye Ministrye fixed att vStraberry
Bank in consideration of their maintaining a minister amongst themselves
ye sd Inhabitants of Greenland having procured y* they may have 150 acres
of land out of ye comons lying & being att Greenland : Bounded to ye Sow
west End of ye Great Swamp & y* sd 150 acres to be taken out or deductd
from what may fall to ye share of sd inhabitants of Greenland of sd comons
whenever there shall be a Divison of all ye Towns comons ye sd 150
acres to be laid out by ye Lott layers where it may be most convenient
for ye ministry & school for ye use of that part of ye Town.
Samll Ke,als Town Cler."
' ' True coppy from ye 3d Book of Eecord for Portsm0 foil :
13th Josh: Peirce, Town Cler."
Greenland was set off in a separate parish this year.
The Church congregation was organized in July, 1706, and
consisted of the following members : —
William Philbeick,  Sheebuene,
John Cate, , Mary Philbrook, Elizabeth Berry,

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

95

Ebenezer Johnson,
Joshua Haines,
Samuel Foss,
Richard White,
Joshua Weeks,
Samuel Weeks,
Hannah Lewis,
Ellnor Johnson,

Margaret Johnson,
Judith Cate,
Comfort Weeks,
Mary Whidden,
Ellis Haines,

Hannah Brick,
Susanah Foss,
Mary Foss,
Abigail Burnham,
Dorothy Crockett,

Prudence Philbrook, Sarah Babbe,
Martha Philbrook, Sarah Kenstone,
Elinor Berey, James Sheebuene.

From this time, until 1750, the town meetings were but
parish meetings and the records of these meetings are lost.
1707.
Eev. WiUiam Allen was ordained July 15, 1707, as pastor,
and continued over fifty-three years. He died Sept. 8, 1760.
His grave in the Greenland Cemetery was but poorly marked
until, sometime within the 'nineties, some one raised a nice
marble stone to mark his resting place.

1714.
' ' Extract from ye Council book passed by the Gen1 Assembly
ye 28th 0f July 1714
' ' Attest Eicd Waldren Cler Com "
' ' That the Parish of Greenland be bounded upon the > Great
Bay by the farm of ye Widow Jackson, Joshua Haines & Isaac
March and so to Packers bridge, and thence to Joshua M. Gates
and Edward Ayers farm, and from thence, southwesterly to

96 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Hampton bounds and that the present inhabitants with the
lands estates they live upon, and whatsoever shall be upon
them herafter or build & inhabit within the limits aforesaid,
shall pay their parish taxes to Greenland — "
The town of Portsmouth voted that Greenland bounds should
be on the south side of Packer's farm.
1716.
In 1716 Ebenezer Johnson and others petitioned to be joined
to the parish of Greenland, as follows : 17th j-AN. i7i6
To the Honourable George Vaughan Esq. Lt. Governor of his Majesties
Province of New Hampshire an the Honourable his Majesties Counsel —
The Humble petition of the inhabitants That live on the
Pattin adjacent to Greenland who are on this side of the line,
which was formerly run between Portsmouth and Exeter
beginning att Walls Crick and running to Hampton bounds —
Humbly Sheweth That we the subscribers would humbly pray
that we may be joined to Greenland Parrish because we there
commonly attend the worship of God, which is abundantly
more convenient for us than any other place of publick worship
and have diverse of us been help full in building an house to
worship God In ther att sd Parrish.
We likewise the Inhabitantes of Greenland being a poor &
small Parrish Humbly pray your honours to Grant that all the
Inhabitants which are within the afore sd line from WaUs
crick to Hampton bounds may be added to us — We therefore

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 97
humbly crave your Honours Grant of these our request & your
petitioners as In Duty bound shall pray &c.
Ebenezer Johnson
John Cate L Assessors
James Berry
Nathaniel Wright
Eichard White
Fred Allen
Samuell Folsom
Mikel Hicks
Joseph Hill
Walter Philbrick
John Emery
Isaac Foss
Jonathan Weeks
Tho Letherbe.
1719.
The grants made by the town of Dover, on the shore of Great
Bay, to Thomas Canney, Wilham Furber, Eichard Hussey,
Thomas WiUey, George Webb, and perhaps others, were aU
between the mouth of Winnicut Eiver and CottreU's Delight.
These grants are now owned by the Littlefields, Pickerings,
Bracketts, heirs of Master William Weeks, J. Clement Weeks,
Hannah Beck, heirs of Eufus Weeks, and heirs of Stephen
Weeks. That the Greenland hne began forty rods below Sandy Point,
Sept. 1, 1719, is shown by a deed of that date from Simon,

98 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Andrew, and Jonathan Wiggin and John Linkler, guardian of
the children of Bradstreet Wiggin of Swamscott, deceased,
conveying to Joshua Brackett of Greenland, seventy-one acres
in Portsmouth, being a part of a tract of land bought of Eichard
Waldron and Thomas Lake, bounded . . . beginning at a
clump of trees, on a piece of old planting land, nearly forty
rods below Sandy Point, as by deed of 1658.
1720.
In 1720 Greenland had so increased in population and impor
tance that the inhabitants petitioned the Governor and Council
for privfiege to choose a constable, and one of their members
to represent them in the General Assembly. This petition is
as f oUows : —
"Province op New Hamps.
" To y" HonUe John Wentworth Esq. Ltt. Govern7, and Command7" in
Chief for y" time being, & to y* Honu" ye Council of his Majesty8 Province
aforesd.
"The Petition of James Johnson, Sam1 Weeks & Josh Weeks
of Greenland in behalf of sd Parrish — Humbly Sheweth —
"That on ye 15th Instant att a Parrish meeting Law fully
convened We your Petition1^ were elected a comitte to address
your Honrs. & this Honble Board in behalf e of our sd Par
rish for some further liberty8 & Privelede to be granted in &
amongst ourselves for yt yr Petitionrs have now only ye liberty
of Eaising money on ye Inhabitants there for ye support of ye
ministry schoole & poor wth in yr District : & ye Province Tax
being raised by the Select men and assessors of Portsmouth

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 99
who living Eemote cnot posibly be apprized of ye perticular
Capacity of ye Several Inhabitants there — Whereby ye Tax is
many times very unequal — Wherefore your Petitionrs Humy
Pray, yt you in your Great Wisdom wil see cause to order yt
we may be dismissed from ye Bank from having any tax laid
on us there ; and yt we may be freed from ye charge and
Trouble of attending ye Publick Town meetings there & yt a
Comitte be by your Honrs chosen to Proportion Greenland in
ye Province Eates and yt ye same may be raised in Equal Pro
portion by our own assessors & yt Mr Treasurer be Directd to
issue forth his Precept to our Parrish for yt end & yt we may
choose a constable amongst our selves to collect ye assessments
yt are from time to time made & yt we may be allowed ye
PriviUidge of choosing one assembly man in our Parrish to Eep-
resent us in Gen1 Assemty we paying him out of the Parrish
stock which Grantd yr Petitionrs shal as in Duty bound ever
pray &c Jams Johnson
Sam^l Weeks
"18, Mar 1720-1" JoSH- WEEKS
"Present ye Lt. Govr Wentworth, Sam1 Penhallow Esq.
Eichd Wibird CoU° Walton Esq. Thos Wastbrook, Esq George
Jaffrey —
' ' The above petition read and granted and Ordered that a
comittee upon oath take an account of ye Eateable Estate of
ye District of Greenland by which ye Proportion of the Prov.
Tax is to be settled who are to make Eeturn to this board, that
the Treasurer's Warrant be made out accordingly."

100 , RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
1722.
This year a petition was gotten up and presented for a
township : —
" To His Excellency Samul Shute Esq. Capt. Gen11 & Cora'anoY in Chief &
Over His MajtYS Prov. of New Hamyf and to the Honble the Council of
sd Province —
"The Humble Petition of Sam1 Weeks James Johnston &
Mathias Haines of Greenland Parish in the Town of Portsm0 in
the Prov. of New Hampshire af oresd for themselves & in behalf
of sd Parish, Humbly Sheweth.
' ' That yo1' Petitioners are a district of Portsm0 and always
have been accounted Part of sd Portsmouth, and have paid
Eates in sd Town accordingly, and but very lately have been a
Separate Parrish, and the Town of Portsm0 aforesd having ob
tained a grant of yor ExceUency & Hon" for a Township.
"Yor Petitioners Humbly pray that yor ExceUency & Honrs
would be pleased to order that yor Petitioners, as they all along
have paid their part of the charges and help to support the
warrs against the enemy as inhabitants of Portsm0 aforesd
That they may now Eeap the benefit of the aforesaid Grant of
Land in proportion wth their neighbors — the other inhabitants
of sd Portsmouth or that yor Petitioners may have an Equiva
lent of Land adjoyning to the aforesd Grant, Granted unto us.
" And yor Petitioners as in Duty bound will ever Pray :
Saml Weeks
James Johnston
Matthias Haines
"Portsm0 May 10th 1722."

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 101
1725.
There was a petition of the inhabitants of Breakfast Hill : —
" To the Hontu John Wentworth Esq. Lieut Govern* & Commander in
Chief in and over his Majtees Prooince of New Hamshire to y* honUe the
Council and house of representatives Convend in Gen" Assembly.
"The humble Eequest of us the Subscribers inhabitants about
Breakfast hiU and owners of Land near Greenland meeting
house, humbly Desires, That whereas we are soe neare said
meeting house & and have paid our part towards the main-
tanace of ye Ministry there Evr since it hath been built, yt for
the future wee may be by act Government set of towards pay
ment of the ministry to yt place It being most convenient for
us by many miles — and your Petitioners shaU ever pray &c.
his mark
Thomas 0 Berry James Whidden
J0N Mb O mark bleak James Johnson
Isaac ws §mark foos E. Wibird
James pooler desires to pay to John Wheden
Greenland & Sande-bech be a
Parrish of themselves.
"May 27* 1725"
Petition for extension of boundary fines : —
" Province op New Hamp«.
" To the Honble John Wentworth Esq Lieut. Govonr & Comander in Chief
in and over his Majties Province of New Hampshire and to the honbIe
the Council & house of Representatives Convena in Gen11 Assembly for
sd Province.
"The humble petition of Capt SamueU Weeks, Capt. Joshua
Weeks & John Cate.

102 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
"In the Poore parrish of Greenland as they are Impowered
by said parrish to represent the same with the Select men of
Greenland. " humbly sheweth
' ' That whereas by a vote formerly of the Town of Ports
mouth (of which the said Greenland is a part) It was voted
that Greenland bounds should be on the South side of Packers
farm [which I suppose is now D. March's] and Whereas by a
Vote of the Genii Assembly 28th. July 1714."
It is said that Greenland bounds to Packer's Bridge and
thence to Joshua Haines, Mr. Cates, and Edward Ayers's farm.
The same is very ambiguous as to whether these are included or
excluded ; and also Mr. Edward Ayers, at that time, had two
farms southwest of said Packer's or March's farm, and it is
not mentioned which.
"And Whereas Capt Langdon & the comittee that
made the last return : run the line from said Marches farm
to Edward Ayers — Southwesterly farm, Exclusive of said
farm : which line comes to Northward of Berry Brook in
the Ehoad to Sandy Beech which is not above a mile from
Greenland Meeting house, and Excludes fifteen families that
live at Breakfast HiU from ye sd Parrish of Greenland that used
to pay there towards maintanance of the ministry & yes most
convenient for them to come there. The loss of so many families
is very Great & Grievious to your verry poore petitioners :
' ' Therefore your humble Petitioners Humbly prays (That con
sidering your said parrish of Greenland consists chiefly in verry
poore Inhabitants) and contains a verry small Quantity of

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 103
Ground : Great Part of said Parrish being not three Quarters
of a mile Deep & in the Deepest or widest place verry little
above a mile — That they containe a small Compass of Grond
and no possibihty of Increasing themselves — humbly prays
your consideration & order that theire line betwixt them and
Portsmouth may Extend Due South from Marches farm to ye
farm Mr Edward Ayers Bought of the Admr of Eichard Jose
Esq. Deceased and thence South East to New Castle line will
take in the fifteen famnies afore sd and suppose the line for
merly Intended — But if it should seem meet to your honrs to
take these fifteene families from said Parrish it would occasion
theire Breaking up not being able of themselves that remaine to
Support the charges of the ministry with the other contingents
on them.
" AU the Comittees that Ever made any returns relating to
a Divisionale line being all of Portsmouth they made it as
much hi their favor as possible by all Strained construction —
Therefore if your honrs se not meet to Grant us the hne De
sired, That then yr honrs wiU appoint, a Comittee of som other
Towns (wholly indifferent) to make and settle a line as they
shall see convenient, according to Portsmouth Town Voote in
1705 and in Greater Certainty than hath as yet been Don.
" And your Petitioners as in Duty bound shaU ever pray &c.
John Cate
Joshua Weeks
Ebenezer Johnson
Matthias Haines
Samll Weeks
"May 19* 1725"

104 - RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. "May ye 26 1725
"In the House of Eepresentatives
"Eead, and ordered that the Selectmen of Portsmouth be
served with a copy of the petition and they to notifie the Town
of Portsmouth, To Appear the second day of the sitting of the
next GenU Assembly to show cause (if any they can) why the
Prayer of the Petition may not be granted
James Jeppry Clr. Assm.
1 ' In couni Eodn die
' ' Eead and concurred
Eichd Waldron"
The following shows that the Hugginses were related to the
Haineses. The Huggins place used to be up the Haines Lane
on the left, about where George Brackett lives now. They
were hving there, some of them, in 1836, and the house was
standing at that time.
"Nath1 Huggins, Senr., Capt. Sam: Weeks, Ebenr Weeks,
and Mary Hicks aU of Greenland,
"In consideration of 24 £ paid by Wm and Sam1 Haines,
We have set over unto our bretheren Lt. Mathias Haines, Wm
Haines and Sam1 Haines, aU our claim, right title and Interest
&c to our sd Grand father Deacon Samuel Haines' Estate, and
our Father Sam1 Haines and mother Mary Hains Of Portsmouth
Lately deceased —
29 MCH, 1725."

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 105
1732.
" To his Excellency Jonathan Belcher Capt. Gen11 and Commander in
Cheif in and over his Maj'1'" Province of New Hampshire, the honMc the
council & house of Representatives convend in Gen11 Assembly.
' ' The humble Petition of Capt Joshua Weeks Ebenezr John
son & Mathias Haines, Select men for the parrish of Greenland
in sd Province In behalf of the said Parrish, most humbly
Sheweth —
' ' That the Parrish of Greenland for severaU years past since
they have been set of from Portsmouth have not had the
Benefit of having a voat in makeing choice of any person to sit
in the Genn Assembly, and therefore are humbly of opinion
that they are much Grieved in not having any person to repre
sent them in Genii Assembly nor any vote in the choice of any
other :
"Therefore y0r humble Petitioners most humbly prays
For themselves and in Behalfe of said parrish of Greenland
That excellencie and honrs &c wiU as in yr Wisdom you shaU
see meet to make such order act or Law so that your Peti
tioners may have the liberty of other Towns or precincts to
have the choice of some of their Freeholders to, represent them
in the Genu Assembly & -your Petitioners as in Duty bound
shaU ever pray Joshua Weeks
Ebeneser Johnson
" May the 10th 1732 MATTHIAS HAINES "
"In the House op Eepresentatives
" Voted, that the prayer of the Petition be answered and that his
Excelencie be desired to Issue out a precept for an Assembly man to ap
pear at the next sessions in the fall
James Jepfry Clr, Ass™
"May the 12th, 1732."

106

" Eead & Concurred

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. "In council May 13 1732
E Waldron, Sec'y"

"I assent to the foregoing vote May 15, 1732 J. Belcher."
May 1. Eev. Samuel McClintock was born this year in Med-
ford, Mass.
May 10
" Voted that all Negroes, indian and MuUato Slaves be valued at 20
lbs. per head." 1739.
The following is a hst of those in Greenland who, in 1739,
petitioned to be annexed to Massachusetts : —

Sam11. Weeks,
Joshua Weeks,
Benjn. M acres,
Sam11* Chapman,
Pennel Chapman,
Ebenr Johnson,
Matthias Harris
Lewis Harris
James Johnson
Sam11-. Davis
John Weeks Je.
Eben" Johnson Jr.
Samll Weeks Je
Joseph Hill
John Johnson
George Kennison
Joseph Melon
Joseph Weeks
Samll King
Joshua Macres

Robert Beyon Jr
Jona Dockum Jr
Jno Dockum
Rober Bryon
Jno Watson
Tucker Cate
Jno. Rawlins
WM Simpson
Samll. Bryon
Jno Lang
Jedediah Weeks
David Dearborn
Jno. Weeks
Walter Weeks
Matthias Weeks
Benja. Kennison
Jona Weeks
James Cate
Enoch Clark
Beackett Johnson

Saml Hiee
Henry Clark
Elias Philbrook
Joseph Grant
Jona Weeks
Henry Clark Jr
John Johnson
Elish Byron
Nathl Huggin
Danll Aldin Jr
Nathan Jr
Joseph Nelson Jr
Leonard Weeks
and Wm. Wales.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 107
1742.
In 1742 we find Joseph Chapman and Samuel King on the
assessment list, and in 1743,
Benjamin Dockum and Samuel King ; also in
1744 and 1745,
but that is the last of Samuel King, who lived up at the bay
side. He either died or moved from town, but the cellars are
left to teU the tale that some one hved there, and left their
mark on one of the prettiest points on the bay side shore.
In a letter received since the above was written, it says : —
' ' The King farm must have been a large and valuable tract
of land. A part of it now owned by George Ed. Brackett, E.
W. Norton's heirs, Wilham E. Weeks, and John H. Brackett.
Tradition says, that it was a beautiful sight to see Mr. King's
fourteen children all out sliding down hill in the winter time."'
It is probable that the property was sold and divided among
his children at his death. 1749.
Organization of the Congregational Church.
' ' Att a legall Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Parish of
Greenland held at the Meeting-house on March 13, 1748-49,
" Voted, Clement March, Esq. Moderator, Walter Weeks, Clerk
11 Voted, Daniel Lunt, Ebenezer Johnson, Walter Weeks, Selectmen
" Voted, William Rains, jr Nathan Marston, Assessors.
" Voted, Samll. Hains, jr constable

108 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
"Voted, Clement March, Esqr, Enoch Clark, Viewers
"Voted, Joseph Clark, Francis Berry, tything men.
"Voted, Joseph Maloon, W. Jinkins, survs. of highways
" "Voted, Natll Grow, B. Kenniston, hog constable.
"Voted, Will. Berry, Joseph Hains, to take account of the heads and
stock ' ' Voted, Henry Clark, jr, John Watson, fence- viewers
"Voted, Clement March, Esq, Danl Lunt, Tho. Packer, Esq., a Com
mittee to settle the account of the parish With the Selectmen for the years
1744, 1745
" Voted, Ja. Need, John Johnson, to settle the value of the lands in the
parish." Hereafter wiU be found only the votes and doings in town
meetings that have a general interest.
1750.
Enoch Clark, Walter Weeks, and Ebenezer Johnson were
•chosen as the selectmen. 1752.
' ' It was
"Voted, That Clement March be elected Representative to the Gen1 ,
Assembly " 1753.
" It was
"Voted, That the parsonage be let out on good Security to the highest
bidder ; also
" That there shall be a stone bridge built over the Winnicut, by labour
near the two great rocks and the Surveyor shall hire men to draw and splyt
rocks for the bridge " 1755.
Clement March was again elected representative to the
General Assembly.

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RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 109
1756.
It was voted to build a new Meeting House the present
year, and erect it on the same place where the old one now
stands, — sixty feet long and forty-two feet wide.
"Voted, That Clement March John Bracket Dea William Cate Mr.
James Cate Esq. Matthias Haines Mr William Berry Esq. William Weeks.
and Mr. Enoch Clark to be a committee to build a meeting house &
steeple — "
The Ordination of the Eev. Samuel McClintock cost the
town, £68 15s 7d.
"Voted, That the Rev Sam1 MacCintoch be invited to settle with us asr
a colleague of Mr Allen —
" Voted, the reconsideration of the vote passed for setting the meeting
House —
"Voted that the school house be moved near to where the Old Meeting
House now stands —
' ' Voted That the Old meetinge house to stand till the other is fit to*
preach in —
' ' Voted, That the same Committee as was appointed to build the new
meeting house, should be the same Committee for viewing the land by the
pound and return their report to the adjournment of the meeting "
"Met according to ajournment The committee reported
that the meeting house shall be built where the pound and
school House stood "
"Voted, That John Johnson and others may build a mill upon the
Winnicut river against the town landing place so called and join their dam
to the landing place ; they giving security to damnify no person in the
Parish — sixteen persons dissenting — "
This miU was the tide-miU.

110 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Here follows a lot of votes in settlement of Mr. McClintock
In a house on what is known as " the lower parsonage."

1757.
" Voted That the Meeting House great doers shall hang as they are at
present " Voted That the school house shall be fitted up directly"
The town clerk this year was a poor penman, and his records
are hardly decipherable ; and, for some reason, the General
Court passed an act calling a public meeting of town officers,
and one Peter Gilman was appointed to call the meeting and
act as moderator.
It seems also that there was trouble with the committee that
built the meeting house, so it was
" Voted that the trouble between Samul Weeks and John Dame be
reviewed " Voted that Clement March and John Huggins be a commite to settle
^he above lawsuit — And that C lement March &c and Simeon Deerborn be
a committee to Examin the accts of the commite that built the Meeting
house "

1758.
" Voted, To allow the accounts of the committee who built the Meeting
house " Voted, That Mr Josiah Clark be allowed £ 250, old tenor for bis loss-
in building the Steeple — "
Clement March was again elected to represent the parish.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. Ill

1759.

" Voted, That the Selectmen shall fence in the burying place this year
" Voted That the school be kept in the School house where it now stands,
the whole season " 1760.
" Voted That Clement March be a committee to carry on the Lawsuit
between Tho8 Packer and the parish
' ' Voted That four pews be built below stairs and be sold to purchase a
bell " Voted to get a ring for the rev. Samuel McClintock
" Voted That Mrs Allen shall not be put in mourning at the Expense of
the Parish
" Voted That no pay shall be required for breaking the bell
" Voted That Col. Clement March, Capt William Weeks & Lieut Nathan
Johnson be a Committee to Choose and purchase a bell for the Meeting
House such as they think proper " 1761.
" Voted That whoever leaves a stove in the Meeting House shall forfeit
the same to the Saxon "
In the Farmers' Almanac is the stage route to Boston and
the taverns where the stage stops to change horses. The
tavern at Greenland was kept by one Clark, supposed to be
Enoch Clark, father to Enoch Clark of our day.
He was town clerk the present year.
" Voted that Jona Dame & David Simson to be Howards — "
Clement March was elected again as representative.

112 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
To All People to whom this Indenture of Award shall Come
Whereas Thomas Packer of Portsmouth in the Province of New Hampshire
and Clement March of Greenland in said Province, Have mutually .bound and
obliged themselves their Heirs Executors & Administrators each to the other in
the Penal Sum of five Hundred pounds lawfull Money of Great Britain well &
truly to observe abide by perform fulfill & keep the Award Order Judgment and
final Determination of Meshech Weare of Hampton Falls Peter Gilman of Exeter
and Samuel Hale of Portsmouth all in the Province aforesaid or any two of them
agreeing being Arbitrators mutually elected by the said Thos & the said Clement
to award Order Adjudge and finally to determine the Boundary line between the
Lands of the said Parties where they join on the northerly side of the Brook which
runs under the Bridge near the said Packer's House in Greenland and so down into
Caters Creek so called in Greenland aforesaid and fully to fix settle and ascertain
said line And also to award Adjudge Determine & ascertain the Fence upon said
Line that is how far and which Part the said Parties respectively and their respec
tive Heirs & Assigns shall henceforward make and maintain of said Fence with
the Cost and Charge Arising and that shall Arise by this Submission and how the
same shall be paid as by their respective Obligations bearing Date the 12th day of
Octo.ber Anno Domini 1761 with the conditions there under written may more
fully & at large Appear.
Now Know ye that we the said Mesheck Weare Peter Gilman & Samuel Hale
having taken upon us the Charge of said Award and having fully heard both the
said Parties upon the Premises and considered the evidence produced by them We
Do Make & give this as our Award Order final Judgment & Determination Con
cerning the Premises viz :
First We do Award Order Adjudge & Determine the Boundary Line between
the above mentioned Lands of the said Parties to be as follows To begin at the
Northerly end of the Stone Wall where it now stands between the said Lands and
from thence to run as the stone wall now stands being about South twelve degrees
East to the Southerly End of the Wall and from thence on a straight line near the
same Course to a black oak Tree spotted standing on the Edge of a Hill and from
said Tree continuing the same course two chaines & three links of a chain to a
Stone set up and from thence on a straight line to a large scrubby Beach Tree
spotted standing on the edge of the Bank near the above mentioned brook and on
the same Course to the Middle of the Brook the Course being about South fifty
degrees West and then up the Brook keeping the middle of the Brook to the
County Road which leads from Portsmouth to Hampton. And further we do
award Order Adjudge and determine that the part of the Fence between the said

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 113
Lands which the said Thomas Packer his Heirs & Assigns shall hence forward'
make & Maintain shall be as follows to begin at the Northerly end of the stone
wall above mentioned and from thence in the Line as above mentioned until it
comes within one Rod of the Above mentioned black Oak being about sixty one
Rods and also by the Brook as follows to begin where the above mentioned line
from the Stone to the Shrubby Beach Strikes Said Brook and from thence up the
Brook half way to the Country Road above mentioned to be measured as the Brook
Road' and the fence to be made on the Southerly side of the Brook as near the
Edge of the Brook as the Ground will allow of and at each End into the middle of
the Brook. And further we do Award Order Adjudge and Determine that the
part of the Fence between the said Lands which the said Clement March his Heirs
& Assigns shall henceforward make Maintain shall be as follows To begin where
the first part of said Packers Fence ended one Rod from the above mentioned black
oak and from thence in the line as above mentioned to the stone set up and from
thence in the line as above mentioned to the shrubby Beach and so to the Middle
of the Brook being about thirty five rods and also by the brook as follows To begin
by the Country Road aforesaid by the Brook and from thence down the Brook as
the Brook runs half way from said Country Road to the Place where the above
mentioned line from the Stone to the Shrubby Beach strikes the Brook to be
measured as the Brook Runs and the Fence to be made on the Northerly Side of
the Brook as near the Edge of the Brook as the Ground will Allow of & into the
Middle of the Brook at the lower end to meet said Packers Part of the Fence and
further We do Order and Award that the said Clement March shall have liberty to take
the fencing Stuff belong to him to improve for fencing or otherwise as he thinks
proper which according to the above Determination of the Boundary line is now
on said Packers Land provided it be taken off within one year from this Date And
further we do award Order Adjudged & Determine that the Cost of this Arbitration
being eighteen pounds fourteen shillings New Tenor in the whole shall be paid in
the following manner namely the sum of Ten pounds fourteen shillings New Tenor
by the said Thomas Packer and the Remainder being eight pounds New Tenor by
the said Clement March to be paid to us the above named Arbitrators upon the
Delivering of this our Award.
In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our Hands and Seals this Twenty fifth
Day of November in the second year of his Majestys Reign Anno Domino 1761
Signed, MESHECH WEARE [l. s.]
PETER GILMAN [l. s.]
" SAMUEL HALE [l. s.]

114 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
1762.
Among the votes passed, it was
' ' Voted That a number of Persons that will ¦ learn to sing by rule shall
have liberty to build a singing seat of the hindmost womens seat."
1763.
"Province of New Hampr
" To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Cap>tain General Govenor
and Commander in Chief in & over his Majestys Province of New
Hampshire, The Hon''le Jus Majestys Councill and House of Represen
tatives in General Assembly Convened Jan. lTh 1763.
"Humbly Shews- — James Bracket & Simon Dearborn both
of Greenland in said Province yeomen and two of the select
men of said Greenland for the year 1762 the Maj. part for
themselves & in behalf of the Inhabitants of said Greenland
that the selectmen of said Greenland for said year Eaised a Tax
on the said inhabitants and gave a list thereof to Joseph Pick-
erin Constable of said Greenland for said year with a warrant
and the hands of the Majour part of the said Selectmen, in
consequence thereof the said constable hath made distress on
sundry of the Inhabitants of said Greenland who refused to
pay their Eespective Taxes and for which sundry actions are
brot against him to the inferiour court to be held in March
next, and on examining the warrant aforesaid, it appears that
the Selectmen have neglected to seal the same which is thought
necessary by Law, and if so will greatly hurt said Inhabitants,
for although most of them may not dispute, yet there are
many that do & so, pay no Tax this year, Besides bringing a

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 115 '
great charge on the said Inhabitants for the suits all ready com
menced & others that may be, wherefore the Petitioners as
aforesaid Humbly pray the advisement of this Hon hie Court on
the Premises — and that you will be pleased to pass such Order
thereon as to make the said Warrant good and valid The want
of seals notwithstanding or grant such other Eelief thereon as
to you shaU seem meet.
' ' And your petitioners as aforesaid shall as in duty bound
ever pray. James Brackett
Simeon Dearborn

Selectmen of
Greenland "

"Province of New Hamps
"In the house of Eepresentatives Jan 19 1763.
' ' This petition being read
" Voted That they be heard thereon on fryday next & that they Cause
the sundry persons who prosecuted the constable for Illegally Making Dis
traint to be notified thereof that they may be present if they see cause.
A Clarkson Clerk
' ' In Council Eodem Die
"Eead & Concurred T Atkinson Jr Secy."
"Province of New Hamps
"In the House of Eepresentatives Jany21, 1763.
"The party being heard on the within Petition —
' ' Voted & Resolved that the Warrant Ref erred unto in this Petition is
a good & Lawfull Warrant, the want of Seals notwithstanding, and also
resolved that all the warrants given by any selectman or assessors singly or

116 RAMBLES .ABOUT GREENLAND.
conjunctly within this Province for the Collecting of any Rates or Taxes
for the year 1762 shall be Looked upon and accounted legal and Valid the
want of seal or Seals not withstanding
H. Sherborn Speaker"
"In Council Jan 22* 1763
"Eead and concurred with this addition (viz) That if the
Plaintiffs mentioned in the within Petition, shaU withdraw
their suits & not prosecute them, that in that case no com
plaint be Eeceived for cost in such actions from the Constable
or other Defendant in any of the actions aforesaid
T. Atkinson, Jun« Secry."
"Province of New Hamp«
"In the house of Eepresentatives Jany 25*. 1763
' ' Eead and Concurred H Sherborn, Speaker
"consented B. "Wentworth"
1764.
Among the votes for town officers were the following : —
"Voted Mr. Joshua Cate and Mr Robart Bryont and Mr Alruther
Samborn Howards
"Voted Mr. Philips Johnson & Count Jeemes Win deer keeper
"Voted Mr Nathaniel Marden Leather sealer
"Voted That any of the inhabitants of the Parish of Greenland enter
tains any Stragling Persons that dont belong to the Parish shall suffer
Punishment as the law direcks in such cases
' ' Voted To Move the School house from where it now stands up to the
training field
" Voted That the school shall be kept up to the Bay side two months
in the winter and ten months in the school house."

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 117
1765.
Elected Clement March to be Eepresentative.
"Voted That Mr John Pickering to be an atorney"
1766.
" Voted That there shall be built a new school house by the Selectmen at
the Parish cost and sat down By the Burying yeard "
1767.
" That the Selectmen shall sale the old School houses to the Best advan
tage for the Parishes use and the school house shall be moved off the
place where it now stands " 1768.
"Voted, That the Selectmen shall build a good frame pound in Green
land this year in the best and cheapest manner at the Parish Cost."
A special meeting was called this year, to see if they would
lengthen the tongue of the bell.
"Voted To lengthen the tonge of the bell."
1769.
"Voted" among others " the womens hind seat below be for a singing
seat" 1770.
"Voted That the Selectmen shall Bye a Buriing cloth and it shall be
kept in the care of Greenleaf Clark "
1771.
"Voted That the great Bridge over the Winnicut river be raised higher
and well repaired
"Voted that the upper parsonage " (so called) " be leased out to the
person who will give most for it &c &c

118 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND:
"Voted That the town will not chuse any committee to treat with Mi-
George Bracket concerning the maintainance of Sarah Hill nor authorize
any committee to prosecute said Bracket for not supporting her. Upon
application of Nathan Marston to have his Negros Rate abated, that it
shall not be abated
"Voted That the Proprietors of the Mills on Winnicut river be not
rated for the same the present year."
At a town meeting held Nov. 11, 1771, it was voted that
three taverns could not be kept "on the parade, so called."
It seems in the early days the people exercised a care over
the ' ' taverns " and tavern-keepers, for at the same meeting it
was voted that Mr. John Folsom should not keep a tavern, and
then a petition be presented to the court ' ' that he may not be
licensed to keep a tavern, and if he now is licensed, that said
licence be abrogated and rendred null and void." I think this
was the Polsom who built or rebuilt the house J. S. H. Frink
now owns; Mrs. Alfred Metcalf was born there. In these days
taverns were a necessity. There were no railroads, and all
heavy articles were carried ' by water whenever it was possible.
The towns of Exeter, New Market, Durham, Dover, and
Salmon FaUs all had their little packets and gondolas (called
by the people then, " gunderlows ") to transport the heavy
freight, I remember.
There were on the road from Portsmouth to Stratham line
a tavern at the Plains, one at Mr. Ambrose's place, one at Mr.
Frink's, and one belonging to Truworth Dearborn, sold to
Clark, two miles above the Parade, Brackett Weeks', and Mr.
Samuel Hatch's. Brackett Weeks sold his in 1814 and Mr.
Hatch did not cut down his sign Until about 1840.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 119
1772.
" Voted To have but one school.
4 ' Voted That the school be moved this present as it was the last year.'*
1773.
" Voted That the school house be moved as usual for this year."
1774.
'¦'¦Voted To have but one school.
" Voted That the school be moved as usual for this year.
'¦'¦Voted That Clement March be representative to the Gen1 Assembly
Mch 15 1774."
The first vote on the old town-book concerning the Eevolu-
tionary struggle is under date July 12, 1774, when it was voted
that Clement March and William Weeks be appointed delegates
to attend the Provincial Congress to be held at Exeter for the
choice of delegates to the Continental Congress.
Thus was Greenland early awake to the importance of the
then impending struggle.
" Voted that we will pay our proportion of the expense of sending dele
gates to said Continental Congress and take the same out of the town
stock." 1775.
' ' Voted to have but one school the present year
' ' Voted that the school be moved as usual
' ' Voted That the town will not give anything to the poor of Boston."
These votes about moving the schools are not very clear,
sometimes the record is school, and at others school house.
There were some very funny votes passed in regard to schools.

120 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
"Voted to lease to Mr David Simpson for a term of years so much of
the Parsonage land as said Simpson flows."
The name of Packer's Falls was derived not from Sheriff
Packer but from his father, Col. Thomas Packer, of Ports
mouth, "who was at once physician, judge, lieutenant- colonel,
and member of the governor's council. He had a grant of land
in this region from the town of Dover, April 11, 1694.
The first time Packer's Falls appears in the Durham records
is June 13, 1750, when a road to Packer's Falls was proposed.
Sandy Point, of greater note, is on Great Bay, at the lower
side of the mouth of Swamscott Eiver where the name is still
retained. This is in Stratham and beyond the bounds of
ancient Dover, but is mentioned in connection with the early
settlers of Dover.
Near here may be traced the ceUar of the house built by
Capt. Thomas Wiggin, the so-called governor of Pascataqua.
He died here in 1657.
Jan. 9. The Town voted to approve "of the measures
agreed upon by the Continental Congress," and also voted
' ' that John Haven, William Weeks, James Brackett Clement
March and Greenleaf Clark, be a committee to carry such
measures into execution."
April 21 — two days after the battle of Lexington — it was
"Voted to send to the aid and assistance of our Brethren of Massachu
setts Bay in their defence against the ministerial troops.
' ' Voted That twelve men be imediately enlisted and sent for the above
purpose. "Voted That said men be allowed two shillings lawful money per day

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 121
each, and be found necessary provisions, during this continuance in said
service. "Voted That Capt. Nathan Johnson, enlist said men."
May 1, it was
"Voted to procure ten fire-arms and a barrel of powder."
July 17. A committee was appointed to ascertain the num
ber of persons not provided with guns.
"Voted That the Hon Clement March, Wm Weens Esq and Capt
Nathan Johnson or either of them be appointed and authorised to represent
this town in the Provincial Congress to be held at Exeter on the 17th day
of said May."
May 17.
"Voted That John Haines, Robert T. Philbrook, Capt Tho8 Berry and
Lieut David Simpson be a committee to take account of all persons not
provided with guns in said Town and make a return to the Selectmen
" Voted That the town approve of the appointment of Thos Berry to be-
Capt Greenleaf Clark 1st Lieut David Lind 2nd Lieut and Tho8 Johnson.
Ensign." Dec. 18. At this meeting Clement March was elected a.
representative to General Congress to be held at Exeter
twenty-first day of December ; and it was also
"Voted that John Huggins, Dr Ichabod Weeks and Ensign Joshua
Haines be added to the Committee of Safety — also —
' ' Voted That Capt Nathan* Johnson, George Brackett and John Folsorm
be also added to said Com." 1776.
Jan. 12. At a meeting caUed for that purpose, it was

122 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
" Voted That the Selectmen and Com. of Safety together with Mr.
Tho8 Barker be a com. to make a draught to remonstrate against the
assumption of Government in this Colony and report to this meeting
' ' Adjourned for one hour —
" Met according to adjournment
' ' and the com. reported — The report was unanimously accepted and
Wm Weeks Esq was desired to present it to the Genl Council — "
December. Elected Ensign Joshua Haines as representative
and councillor for the county of Eockingham for the first
time.
Dec. 16.
' ' Voted to give a bounty of ten dollars to each of the four men now
"wanted to enlist voluntarily otherwise this vote to be nul and void"
Dec. 17.
"Voted to give five dollars in aclditon to the vote passed on the 16th
¦which is in all fifteen dollars to each man — "
1777.
Jan. 20. (
" Voted to choose a new committee of Safety and that the committee
•consist of seven persons — and that John Folsom, John Haines, Wm
•Simpson, James Brackett Ebenezer Johnson Jr, Robert T. Philbrook and
Ensign Joshua Haines be that Committee "
At such meeting
' ' Voted To remove the school in the same manner that it was in the
year past "
April 2. The Town
"Voted that Mr James Brackett and Lieut David Simpson be a Com
mittee to go to Durham to endeavour to hire soldiers to serve for this town
In the Continental service.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 123
"Voted, to pay the expense that the officers of the militia were at in
treating the soldiers to encourage tb'ein to enlist on Tuesday, April the
3d and Wensday, April the 3d.
"Voted, to pay a bounty of $20 to those who should enlist for three
years, or during the present war with Great Britain "
This Lieut. David Simpson lived on my land, in a house
where Greenleaf Clark used to live, and above Thos. Downing's,
which was the house in which Mr. Hart Uyed and died and
which was burned down in 1899.
April 9.
" Voted that Wm. Weeks Esq. Mr James Brackett and Cap. Thos.
Berry be a committee to hire the complement of men wch is the propor
tion that falls to this town to serve in the continental army on as reasonable
terms as they possibly can.
July 29, it was
" Voted that Ensign Joshua Haines, William Weeks Esq. Messrs
William Simpson, James Brackett and John Folsom be a committee to
regulate the prices of goods in this town."
Monday, Oct. 6.
' ' Voted to give the men who were last draughted Simeon Norton —
who has gone into the service - — forty dollars
" Voted to give those who have hired soldiers to serve in their stead at
greater expense then others — as follows — Samuel Cate and others 48 dol
lars — Abner Haines 50 J dollars, Sargent Joseph Cate 37J dollars John
Crosbie and Jonathan Leavitt 120 dollars, Geo Lang and others 60 Josiah
Weeks and others 48 dollars Job Chapman and others 45 dollars Thomas
Dearborn ten pounds lawful money which he paid
" Voted that every estate in this town shall bear their proportion in
encouraging men to enlist "

124 rambles about greenland.
Dec. 8.
" Elected Ensign Joshua Haines — Representative for the ensuing year.
" Voted to empower our representatives to vote for Congress member
or members. " Voted for Councilors for County."
t o» 1778.
Jan. 27.
" Voted to instruct our representative.
" Voted to assist the families of those gone into the Continental service
" Voted to give to the Rev. Mr McClintock 150 dollars on account of
the depreciation of money "
MAY 4.
" Voted to send Mr Wm Weeks as a deligate to attend the Convention
to be held on the 10th of June "
MAY 10.
" Voted to provide a house and take care of persons who may have the
small-pox " Voted not to enoculate for the small-pox in this town."
Aug. 6.
' ' Voted to hire three horses — one for Nicholas Misener, one for James
Whidden and one for Jacob Haines to ride to Rhode Island who are
enlisted as Nolunteers to go to that place immediately "
ivr 1779-
March.
"Elected among other officers Howards & deerkeeper.
" Voted that every person shall give in his inventory on oath."
July 6.
" Voted to hire three men for Rhode Island campaign."
July 19.
" Voted to adjourn to first Monday in Sept at one o'clk p. m. — Met
according to adjournment.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 125
" Voted not to receive the declaration and plan of Government sent us
by the late convention of this State 27 for and 43 against it."
June 7.
"Voted to take up all rams from the 10th of August to the 1st day of
November on penalty of loosing the said rams if taken up out of the
owners possession forfeited to any person who owns the sheep with whom
he is found amongst, with proper evidence."
The above vote is not strictly grammatical.
1780
March Meeting.
" Voted, No person shall harbor any poor person more than 20 days
without giving notice to Selectmen without being liable to support them
afterward if in need.
" That the vote concerning the confining of Rams last year stand unal
tered."
March 29. 1781,
" Voted that the school be not moved as usual but kept in the centre of
the town.
" Voted that this vote be recalled and the school be kept as last year.
"That Clement Weeks be paid 2000 dollars for keeping school two
months from Nov 1779 to Jan 1780" 1782.
April.
" Voted that the selectmen be empowered to hire six men to act in
defense of the United States.
'.' Voted that no fairs be held in Greenland
"Voted that there be no meeting called to choose a member to meet the
convention at Concord."
" N. B. No person will be allowed a seat in the Council or Assembly
who shall by himself or any person for him before said choice treat with
liquor &o. any elector with an apparent view of gaining their votes, or
afterwards on that account."'
Dec. 9.
" Voted the meeting be adjourned to the house of Capt. John Weeks —
where the votes were brought, in for Councilors."

126

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

fntrnriofg of the Estate of Thomas Packer Esq. deceased, both real and
personal ; taken this day pursuant to a Warrant to us directed from the
HonWe Philip White Esq. Judge of Probate for the County of Rocking
ham ; Greenland July 24th 1781 viz.
PORTSMOUTH
The Mansion house, Buildings, Garden & .... £ 2500
Twenty acres of pasturing adjoining Ed Cates © £ 15 . . 300
A lot of land adjoining to Mclntires on the side and the Lane
leading from Maj Wentworth's farm toward the South Meeting
house on the other side ....... 100
A Water Lot at the Point of Graves ..... 60

£2960
GREENLAND
The farm with the Buildings thereon Contg 250 A. i© 20 .
5000
Fourteen Acres of Land in the Cedar Swamp (a) 12
84
£ 5084
640 Acres' of Land in Barrington .....
192
300 Acres of Land in Rochester
.
90
80 'Acres of Land in Raymond
40
4 D° in Cheshin with a Sawmill
240
80 Acres do in Nottingham
24
1 Right of Land Wakefield No 19 Containg 1st Divison .
90
1 Do " D° 2nd Division No 19 . Acres .
90
1 Lot in Goffs Town No 7 first Range North Side .
30
Reservation between the Town of Weare & New Boston
60
A Right of Land in Ringe ......
90
A Ditto ....
. .
90
A Ditto .
90
A Ditto .
. ,
60
A Ditto .
.
, 90
A Right of Land
90
A Ditto .
.
60
A Ditto .
.
60
A Right .
. ,
300
A Reservation and Chester
.
30
A Reservation Range
t
90
2000 Acres of Land
,
300
2 Lots in the Society
.
1200
RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

127

1 Lot of Land in Middle .
1 Right in Wolf sborough .
A Lot and other Divisions
A right in Francestown .
1000 Acres in Alexandria
A Right in Washington .
A Do in Fishersfield
6000 Acres in Parkersfield
A Right in the Town of Weare
2 Lots in Sanbornton
A Right in Parrystown
A Ditto in New Durham
A Ditto in New Chester
A Ditto in Andover
A Ditto in Moult°nborougl
A Ditto in Marlborough
A Ditto in Effingham
A Ditto in Salsbury
A Ditto in Heniker .
A Ditto in Hopkinton
A Ditto in Bow
A Ditto in Antrim .
A Ditto in Deering
A Ditto in Bohaven
A Ditto in Temple .
A Ditto in New Hampton
A Ditto in Stoddard
A Ditto in Richmond
A Ditto in Fairmount
A Ditto in Old Chester
A Ditto in New London
A Ditto in Derryfield
An undivided right of the Proprietors of Gilmanton

£75- 90'3060
30O 9090
1800 go es
90 90
909090
90
9090 90 9090
90
1190 9090 9090
240 90
90 90
90
100

£ 17560
Joshua Beackett
Jona Blunt
George Wentworth
Then the above persons appeared and made solemn oath
Before Me Samuel Penhallow, Justice Peace

128 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

1783.

At the March meeting for town officers the foUowing singu
lar votes were passed : —
" Voted unimously to continue under ye present government till June
1784 Provided a permanent plan of Government for the state be not
¦established before said time
' ' Voted not to abate Widows Whiddens negros poll tax
" that yB singers set in front Gallery yb present year."
May 14.
' ' Voted not to receive the Constitution as it how stands
" Voted afterward to receive it with this amendment 'Keeping our
ancient priviledg in sending to ye Gen1 Court a member ' passed by 25
votes "
Aug. 26.
" Voted that Dr. Clement Marche to be recommended to the Gen1 Assem
bly as a Justice of the Peace for the Town of Greenland "
1784.
March 29.
" Voted that Wm Weeks represent this town in assembly one year from
the first of June next — afterward it was voted not to send a representative "
1785.
March 28.
" Voted for President and senators agreably to new Constitution also
for Wm Weeks to represent the town."
The ram vote was also passed 1786.
*' Voted not to send a representative "

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

129

1787.
" Voted for President and senators —
President Sullivan 23 John Laugdon 23 Scattering 22
For senators Joshua Wentworth
Woodbury Langdon
Jonothan Moulton
John Sherborn
Peter Green
James Hill

had 25
had 37
had 47
had 45
had 42
had 47 "

This year they elected town officers as usual, but neglected
the schools. So in June a meeting was called by Samuel
PenhaUow and Stephen March, Justices of the Peace, for the
Town to vote for and provide for better schools. So it was
" Voted that the schools shall be moved the present year, that the school
shall be kept at the Center their proportionable part of the time from this
date. ' ' The school shall be moved to the Bayside after the time is expired at
the Centre then the school shall be moved to the road leading to Hampton,
after the time has expired at Bayside
" Voted not to assist Rebecca Rawlings in prosecuting the person
against whom she has sworn a bastard child.
" Voted for President Mch 27 1788 Sullivan 9 John Langdon 57
Clement March to Represent the town —
" Voted to employ Clement Weeks to keep the school in said town
" Voted that all persons who have not or do not pay their taxes within
21 days, or receive some employment or exercise some employment by
which they may discharge them, shall be bound to service by the Select
men until the Taxes are discharged — "

130 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
1791.
" Voted to assess one days work on a poll and other taxes in proportion
for repairing highways and bridges "
1792.
The selectmen were of the opinion that the f ollowihg persons
were suitable 'persons to keep tavern and articles for sale : —
Jabez Sanborn in 1793 ; George Libbey, Nahum Ward, and
Samuel Hatch in 1794 ; Widow Mary Patterson. They may
renew their hcenses. 1793.
" Voted to build a school house at the South part of the town, and also
, to pay to the west their share of the school money
" Voted for Governor and senators & elected Joshua Weeks for
representative " 1794.
" Voted to abate to David Simpson five years flowage of the upper
parsonage " Voted to lay out a road from Greenland to Newington
' ' Elected Town officers and Benj Bayley a suitable person for a
Taverner also Nahum Ward approbated as a retailer of spirituous liquors
and wine.
"Also Capt Sargent Huse and John F. Williams was approbated as
a taverner." 1795.
Opening of the road to Winnicut.
' ' Voted that the Selectmen give Samuel Hatch thre shillings per rod for
building the fence about a rod from the brook to Capt Avery's gate,
he also agrees to give the land one rod & half wide from the main road,

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 131
through his farm to the Stratham line and he likewise agrees to keep the
fence standing both sides the aforesaid road."
1796.
' ' Voted to build a new fence on the front of the Burying Yard of Posts
and Boards also to enlarge it and make a gate for the same
" Voted to give Henry Nutter a lease of the landing place (so Called) for
the term of ninety nine years, unless said Landing Place should be called
for, for some other use " 1797.
' ' To exchange the training fields with Joseph Clark for an equal
quantity of land on the other side of the road the town to be at no expense
for removing the fence." 1798.
' ' Voted — to give Lieut David Simpson two pieces pine timber to go
over the river by his mill —
" Voted to repair the Mill Bridge (so called) where it now stands — "
1799.
' ' Trueworth Dearborn apprbated for keeping a tavern
' ' Capt Saml Huse apprbated for keeping a tavern
" Samuel Hatch apprbated for keeping a tavern "
1800.
"Mr Samuel Hatch, Mr W™ Haines, Mr Amos Davis, Mr
Shadrach Eobinson and Mr Nat1 Goss be a Committee to ex
amine the Mill bridge to see which shall be best, either to repair
it where it now stands or to move it to some other place "
This committee reported in favor of removing the bridge,
viz. : —

132 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
" Begining at the Northerly part of Hercules Johnson's house
and crossing the river to the westerly part of the mill bed to
the main road as ' strait ' a line as can conveniently be "
" Voted that a committee be chosen to form a plan for the said- bridge
" Voted The Selectmen assess a tax and appoint a suitable person to
oversee the building of the bridge and, that every inhabitant shall have the
privelidge of paying said tax by labour on the bridge "
Report of Bridge Committee.
' ' We the subscribers appointed as a Committee to examine
the Old Bridge to see whether it is best to repair it where it
now stands, or -remove it to some other place, find it Best, in
our opinions to remove it to some other place. Begining at the
Northerly part of Hercules Johnson's house and crossing the
river to the westerly part of the Mill bed to the main road as
strait a Line as can conveniently be —
Saml Hatch
Amos Davis
Nat^ doss Jr
Wm Haines

> Com.'

" The return of the above road as layed out by Mr Josiah
Brown Surveyor
' ' Beginning at the County road on the Westerly side of the
river running North 65° East 2 Eods & 18 links ; thence North
72° East 4 Eods ; then North 75£° East 8 rods. by. Mr Nathan
Johnsons land to the river.
"From the river by Lt. Nathi Haines Land North 88° East
15 Eods to Mr Sam Huggins Land ; then by said Huggins Land

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 133
South 87° East 2 Eds & 7 links ; then South 83° East 2 Eods
and 15 links to the County on the Easterly side of the river
"Mr Johnsons land contains 42 Eds & 37 TiT of a rod
" Mr Haines 38 T| of a rod
"Mr Huggins 4 rods — Josiah Brown Surveyor"
Aug. 25.
' ' Voted not to recall any of the votes respecting the mill bridge that now
stand in force —
" Voted not to repair or widen the old bridge (so called)
" Voted to empower the Selectmen and Committee to lower the new
bridge if they judge it for the best intrest of the town "
1801.
' ' Voted, that the Selectmen be empowered to purchase a bell on the
best terms possible
' ' Voted to find out ' who broke the old bell and report at the next
meeting " Voted Mr John Ayers the training field for as much land on the
opposite side as will satisfy the Officers of the town"
1804.
' ' Voted to sell half of each of the front seats below at Vandue
" Voted to supply the desk by hire the present year — "
1805.
' ' Voted to Open the road for Lieut. David Simpson by Bracket Weeks
house to the main road, said Weeks exchanging the land to make the new
road~: for the old road from said Simpsons land to Clarks corner (so
called) the families living on said road to the bay, to have the privilege to
work out two years high way tax on that road —

134 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
" Voted that said Com. be instructed to hire a new candidate to supply
the Desk —
' ' Voted that the Rev Mr Neal be called to settle in this parish
' ' Voted to sell the singing seats — "

1807.
" Voted to recall the vote in leasing to Henry Nutter the town landing
passed 1796 — " 1809.
" Voted that the Congregationalist occupy the Meeting house one half
the term and the Methodist & Baptist the other half.
" Voted Maj Tho8 Marston, Amos Davis, Samuel Hatch Eben Johnson
and John Ayers be Methodist Committee
" Voted Enoch Clark, Nathaniel Goss, Capt James Whidden and
William Pickering Esq. be Congregationlist Com."
1810.
" Voted that the Cong occupy the meeting house the first three months
— the Methodist and Baptist the second three months, the Congregation-
list the third three months and the Methodist and Baptist the last three
months of the ensuing year.
" Voted To build a pound between this time and the first of June 1811
and that the Selectmen appoint the place to set the same."
1811.
" Voted to have a Ministerial Committee.
" Voted that the meeting house be occupied by the different societies
according to valuation —
" Voted Bounty on crows to be 8 cents."

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 135
1812.
Votes on the meeting house same as last year.
" Voted That the soldiers detached from the militia shall have wages at
ten dollars per month
" Voted to move the town chests from Capt Dearbons to Stephen Huse
tavern " 1813.
" Voted Not to raise money for the support of the Gospel, in this town,
the present year.
" Voted That Geo. Bracket Esq have the thanks of the town for his
liberal donation for the support of the Gospel.
" Voted to Give Ephraim Abbot a call to the ministry and to Give him
the same Salary as was given to Mr Neal "
Thirty-six persons dissented to the above votes.

1814.
' ' Voted that the Methodist & baptist scocieties have liberty to cut them
a frame for a meeting house off the upper parsonage "
1815.
" Voted Wm Pickering Esq be representive which votes have been
declared in open town meeting
' ' Voted Not to erect the Methodist Meeting House on the old Meeting
hill so called —
' ' Voted the Methodist Society the privileges in the parsonages to be
taken out of the other parsonage
' ' Voted, to give Capt David Simpson timber for strong pieces to cross
the river by his' mill — "

136 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

1816.

" Voted that Enoch Clarke, Eben Johnson, Amos Davis Col. Geo.
Weeks Samuel Hatch & Mr Joseph Weeks be a Committee to settle by
ref. or otherwise all matters in dispute between the two societies in
this town " 1819.
" Voted that the Methodist society have hemlock logs from the upper
parsonage for lathing their Meeting house —

1820.
' ' Voted that Shadrich Robinson & Isaiah Berry be a Committee in
addition to the selectmen to lay out said road & lot it out "
This road was the road leading to Johnson's Hill.

1821.
' ' Voted to empower the Selectmen to lay out the road over the hill to
the Saw Mill and from the Meeting House agreeably to a plan of the road
laid out last year
" To be finished the first of June or no pay.
"Voted to discontinue the road of John Haines to the main road &
from James Wedgwood to Johnsons brook "

1824.
"Voted to see if the town will vote to Straighten the road from Simp
sons Hill to Col. James Wedgwoods
" Voted to go over the hill &c and Pay One third of the expense if any
¦ they have and make the road beginning at the post of Johnsons Hill thence
to the bridge by the Saw Mill and all the other alterations excepting that
by Samuel Hatchs."

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 131

1826.

"Voted that the Committee for building the Brackett Academy be
authorized to cut the wood and other lumber which ever they deem most
expedient for the interest of the town from the town lot sufficient to pay
for the cost shingles aud Clapboards."
The following was passed in town meeting about the year
1825 : —
"Voted — Whereas for two years last passed The Josiah Webster of
Hampton has been endeavoring to injure the character of the Rev. Ephraim
Abbott Pastor of the Congregational Society in this town & whereas by
secret and underhanded representations, the minds of the Associated Min
isters are unduly biased thereby having a tendency to impair the usefulness
of his honorable and arduous undertakings therefore :
"Resolved by the inhabitants of Greenland in town meeting legally
assembled, that such conduct of the said Minister of Hampton is highly
unbecoming the character of a christian minister iujurous to the inhabi
tants of this town and that the Town Clerk record this resolution and send
a copy to the Association of Ministers — "
1829.
June.
"Voted that the selectmen take proper measures to obtain possession of
the Lower Parsonage and give possession to the purchasers of the same."
1830.
"Voted That the Selectmen pay the Rev. Ephraim Abbott $100 in full
for all claims on the town, each one paying his own costs that has accrued
in a suit of Samuel Hatch Esq. & others vs. Rev. E. Abbott respecting
the Lower Parsonage — "

PAliT III.

FAMILIES AM SUBJECTS OE JJTEKEST.

FAMILIES AND SUBJECTS OF INTEREST.

ESQUIRE GEORGE BRACKETT.

It is related of him, that he was to have a package come
for him and to be left at Brackett Weeks's Inn. So he went
down one dark evening to get it in his "one horse shay."
Thomas Greaves was going the same way. It was so dark that
he carried a lantern. As he heard some one coming along with
a horse, he stepped one side and closed his lantern, so as not
to frighten the horse. As soon as the squire had got by, he
opened his lantern and followed on. It was so sudden that
it frightened the squire, who was a little superstitious, and he
sang out, ' ' Depart Satan, depart ! ! Eetire Satan, retire ! ! I
have no need of thee! !" thinking the devil was after him. But
soon Greaves made himself seen, for " Old Star of the Buttons "
was a slow horse, and relieved the squire of his fright.
He was elected a delegate to the convention which met to
form a constitution for the State of New Hampshire, and was
the wealthiest and one of the most important members of the
Brackett family.
He gave to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge,
five thousand dollars, on the condition that the society should
141

142 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
pay two hundred dollars annually to the pastor of the Congre
gational Church in Greenland.
He gave some two thousand dollars to found the academy
in Greenland. He gave two thousand six hundred dollars to
found the academy at Hampton, and considerable sums for
other charitable purposes.
It is related of him that in doing business with some bank in
Portsmouth, he used to knock on his wagon for the clerks to
come out and wait upon him in his wagon, so one day they
overpaid him but he did not find it out until the bank clerk had
gone in. So after he had counted over his money, he called
again and when the clerk came out he told him he had made a
mistake, but did not say in whose favor. The clerk supposing
that the old man was wrong, and that, if there was a mistake,
it was in favor of the bank, told him they did not correct mis
takes after the money had left the bank. "All right," says
the old man, ' ' the mistake was in my favor, so git up, old
' Star of the Buttons,' " and the old man drove off.
The name of Brackett was, originally, Brocket. The Brack
etts came from Wales. One was from Cambridge College and
received the honor of knighthood.
It is certain, also, that they were among the Crusaders, for
amongst them the stag and the cross were represented.
Joshua Brackett, son of Anthony Brackett and Mary Mitton,
was born in Falmouth, Maine, in 1671. He married Mary
Haines Weeks of Greenland.
In his will, made April 3, 1749, and proved June 23 in the
same year, he gave to his son James land in Greenland.

: -^^^ej

BRACKETT ACADEMY.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 143
It seems by the record that Joshua Brackett gave the deed
of the gore of land at Greenland Parade to his son James the
year before he died, and that Benjamin Dockum and Eichard
Young were not only witnesses to his deed but also to his will.
BRACKETT ACADEMY
was incorporated by act of the Legislature of New Hampshire,
A. D. 1824. Its name was. derived from Geo. Brackett, Esq.,
its principal benefactor, whose family were among the first
settlers of the town, at the Bayside.
Mr. Brackett gave the sum of two thousand dollars for the
purpose of founding a literary institution for the higher educa
tion of the youth of the community in which he and his
ancestors lived. About two thousand dollars additional were
contributed by others, citizens of the town and friends of
popular education.
The first meeting of the Board of Trustees was held Aug. 11,
1826. It consisted of Eev. Ephraim Abbott, Eev. Huntingdon
Porter, Nathan Parker, Stephen Pickering, and J. W. March.
In the meantime, between the date of incorporation and this
meeting, funds had been procured, and quite an edifice had
been erected on land that belonged to Enoch Clark.
The preamble of the constitution drafted by the Eev. Ephraim
Abbot, a learned and progressive Congregationalist minister of
the town, is a model of excellent English, as well as a -concise
and expressive statement of the value and importance of a
good education to every community. It reads as follows : —

144 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
' ' A serious consideration of the great design of the Parent
of the universe in the creation of man, and of the improve
ments in knowledge and virtue of which the human mind is
capable, and a full conviction that youth is the important
period, on which depend consequences of the highest moment,
both to individuals and to the community, have determined me
to appropriate, in the following conveyance, a part of the sub
stance wherewith God has blessed me to the purpose of laying
the foundation of an Academy for the instruction of youth,
not only in English and Latin grammar, arithmetic, and the
sciences, but more especially to teach them the great end and
real business of life."
The Eev. Ephraim Abbott, who was settled at the Church at
Greenland, was the first principal.
It is said of him, that he worked on the building when it
was erected, with foreplane and broadax. He was also the
first president of the Board of Trustees. He resigned in 1829,
both as principal and trustee, and Eev. Huntingdon Porter
was elected the second president of the board, from 1829 to
1840, and Joseph Hale, the second principal of the Academy.
He kept the school but for a short time. I attended the last
quarter. The funds of the institution being exhausted, the
building was leased free of rent- to any competent teacher who
applied to the trustees, with testimonials as to his fitness.
From 1840 to 1876 Ex-Gov. Ichabod Goodwin was the acting
president of the trustees.
The principals who taught there from that time were all good
teachers, and offered to all pupils who attended an opportunity

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 145
to prepare themselves for college or for a scientific pursuit or a
sufficient education for all the wants of life. They were as
follows : —
Thomas Davis was principal for a time.
Then came Albert E. Hatch ; he taught from the time he
left college until he was admitted to the bar. He had previ
ously taught the Centre School two winters and the North
School one winter.
He was succeeded by Moses F. Hoit who studied law, and
who, on giving up his school, married Mary Ann Hatch and
went into practice in Livingston in Alabama.
Then came John C. Ingalls who was principal for a year or
more, and taught with much satisfaction to all but a few.
In the last year of his teaching there was a party who deter
mined to prevent him from keeping school, because his presence
in the town increased the patronage of the Methodist Society.
So they tried to excite an opposition to him and not allow him
the use of the building. He was a good singer and taught a
singing school in the winter season.
So on the day on which his school was to begin, the scholars
found on the sill of the door three men belonging to the other
society, neither of them members of the church, sitting there
to prevent Mr. Ingalls from entering the building. They filled
the whole doorway so that he had to step on the shoulder of
one of them when he opened and entered the door. These
men were Enoch Clark, Ephraim Pickering, and John C.
Weeks. We all passed in after the teacher, and school began.
The next day when we went we found aU the windows gone

146 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
in the lower hall, and therefore went up into the upper hall.
Their next move was to have a warrant served on Mr. Ingalls
for assault and battery and directing him to appear before a
justice of the peace, in the town of Portsmouth, which he did,
as also the witnesses which were many.
Albert E. Hatch appeared for Mr. IngaUs, but who the other
lawyers were I have forgotten. But he was acquitted, and
sometime during the summer the windows were returned,
covered with mud as though they had been hidden in the
marsh. Mr. Ingalls kept the term and then went to Dracut
and opened a school and took Miss Eebecca A. Odell for an
assistant. The next teacher was Mr. 0. B. Cheney, since professor in
some coUege down in Maine. His wife acted as assistant.
He was very popular and successful.
T. W. T. Curtis came next and was there for a year or more,
long enough to take another beautiful maiden from the town,
for a wife, Miss Caroline Hatch, and then went to Hartford.
A .man by the name of Coburn was the last, who was some
what eccentric. He had a nice wife, so it is said, and taught
but a short time.
In 1876, a change in the charter was made by the Legisla
ture, so that the town might appropriate a sum of money to
remodel and refurnish the building, which has been done, and
it now contains one of the most commodious school-rooms in
the State. The town now has a long lease from the trustees
under this act for all purposes, public and literary, and is used
for a High School, Town HaU, and a room for the Selectmen.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 147
Col. C. W. Pickering was the last acting president of the
trustees, and is stiU the representative of the institution.
The High School has been kept by the following persons who
generally have given satisfaction : Miss MerriU, Mr. Murch,
Mr. Eaton, Mr. Shepherd, Miss Cushman, Miss Howe, Miss
Plummer, Miss Spear, Miss Lyons, Miss Hapgood, who is the
teacher at the present time.

Here is another account of the Brackett Academy: —
"In the year 1824, George Brackett gave and granted to
Eev. Ephraim Abbott, Joseph W. Murch, and George Weeks
two notes for $695.12 secured by mortgage of land in Ossipee,
in Strafford County, of two hundred and five acres,' and suffi
cient other money or property to make with the note the sum
of $2,000 for the use and trust hereinafter mentioned. He then
provides that the gentlemen before mentioned, with the Eev.
Huntingdon Porter, of Eye, Jacob Abbott, of Hampton Falls,
Eev. Nathan Parker, of Portsmouth, Stephen Pickering and
John K. Hatch, of Greenland, and several others shall be
trustees of the fund. A major part shaU be laymen and
respectable free holders; also a major part shaU not consist of
the inhabitants of the town where the academy is situated. "
He closed the description of his gift with the foUowing: —
"Though goodness without knowledge is weak and feeble,
yet knowledge without goodness is dangerous, and that both
together form the noblest character and lay the surest founda
tion of usefulness to mankind."

148 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
" Many other persons gave money, and soon sufficient "was
raised to build the academy, and income to pay two teachers.
Mr. Abbott was the principal until 1828, when he resigned.
The same year the funds amounted to $3,799 and debts to
$892.34. Jan. 29, 1829, Mr. Joseph Hale was chosen principal until
August, with a salary of ninety doUars, and tuition money at
four doUars for each scholar.
At a special meeting held in 1876, all the trustees who
remained being present, they voted to accept the act of the
Legislature, and proceeded to fill vacancies in their board by
the election of eight members, who, at the request of the
trustees, had been nominated by the town, viz. : Charles W.
Pickering, George W. Weeks, Edwin A. Peterson, Eufus
W. Weeks, John Hatch, Moses Mann, Nathaniel P. Marston,
W. O. Junkins. Governor Goodwin and Mr. Hatch then
resigned their connection with the corporation as trustees;
and J. S. H. Frink was elected to fill the vacancy. They then
adjourned to the second day of December.
At the adjourned meeting there were present all the mem
bers of the board but George W. Davis and J. S. H. Frink.
Charles Walker Pickering was chosen president and John
Hatch treasurer and secretary.
After a full discussion of the subject, the trustees voted to
offer the building to the town for town and school purposes
for a long lease, upon the condition that the town would
expend a sum of money in repairing the Academy and having
it insured, and keep the building in repair, after it had been

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 149
refitted, with the further condition, that whenever possible- a
school should be kept there, and that the use of the property
by the town should in nowise interfere with the keeping of the
school. At the annual town meeting held March 13, 1877, the sum
of $1,650 was voted to be raised and appropriated to convert
the Brackett Academy into a town hall ; also $250 for building
sheds and necessary town expenses.
The Town Hall was dedicated Thursday evening, Nov. 22,
1877. ORDER OF EXERCISES.

1. Music  Hartow's Band.
2. Prayer.
3. Music.
4. Lnttroductory Address . Charles Walker Pickering,
Chairman of Building Committee.
5. Music.
6. Address  Hon. Albert R. Hatch.
7. Music.

On the following page is an Order of Exercises for an exhi
bition of Brackett Academy in 1827, almost seventy-five years
ago, in which the performers were well known to me : —

150 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

ORDER OF EXERCISES
FOR EXHIBITION, AT BRACKETT ACADEMY, IN GREENLAND,
APRIL 3, 1827.

Music — Tamworth.

1. A Poem ... ... By T. Davis.
2. Dialogue  Ch. March, A. Shaw.
3. Extract from Cato  CI. March.
,T. J. Berry, T. Davis,
4. Justice Meanwell  J J. N. Prink, W. Norris,
l G. Mathes, G. Weeks. '
1 5. Extract on Eloquence . . . . J. M. Berry.
6. Juba & Syphax  G. Mathes, W. Norris.
7. Progress of Science . . . . . T. J. Berry.
8. Dialogues  L. Hall, W. Walker, S. Flint.
9. Alexander and a Robber . . . . C. Dearborn, CI. March.
10. Extract on the Judgment . . . . J. N. Frink.
11. Christiern & Gustavus . . . . T. J. Berry, G. Mathes.
12. Latin Dialogue  A. Shaw, CI. March.
13. Extract from the British Spy . . G. Weeks.
' W. Chapman, T. Davis,
, , T . D. Foss, T. Gridley, Jr.,
14. Fortune's Frolick  J, ' ¦" '
CI. March, G. Mathes,
. C. C. Brackett, B. Weare.
15. The Grave  C. Adams, J. N. Frink.
16. Master & Slave  G. W. Lane, D. Foss.
17. Extract — Reflections over a Grave . A. Shaw.
18. Wolsey & Cromwell  C. Adams, S. Flint.
19. Extract from Cato  Ch. March.
'T. Davis, S. Decatur, D. Foss,
J. N. Frink, W. Norris,
A. Shaw, W. Walker,
. G. Weeks, G. Pendexter.
21. Extract from Cowper . . . . G. Mathes. /
22. Daranzel & Casmer  T. Davis, G. Weeks.
23. Valedictory Address  G. Adams.
Music. Prayer.
^°- Next Term will commence April 25th, and continue 17 weeks.
C. Turell, Printer.

20. William Tell

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 151

DESCENT OF JOHN H. BRACKETT.

The name of Brackett was originaUy Brocket. They came
from Wales. One was of Cambridge College, and received the
honor of knighthood. Certain it is, also, that they were
among the crusaders, and amongst them, the stag and the
cross were represented.
Joshua Brackett, son of Anthony Brackett and Mary Mitton,
was born in Falmouth, Me., in 1671. He married Mary Haines
Weeks, of Greenland. In his wiU, made April 3, 1749, and
proved June 23, 1749, he gave to his son James land in Green
land. It seems by this record that Joshua Brackett gave the deed
of the gore of land at Greenland Parade, on which the meeting
house is, to his son James the year before he died, and that
Benjamin Dockum and Eichard Young were not only witnesses
to the deed but to the wiU.
James, son of Joshua and Mary Mitton Brackett, born 1708,
and died November, 1803, married, first, Martha Cate, 1739,
settled in Greenland, and had thirteen children.
Anthony1 Brackett was sent to Portsmouth in 1631, steward for Capt. John
Mason, m. in Portsmouth, 1691.
Michael Milton2, m. Elizabeth Cleaves.
Thomas2 Brackett, m. Mary Mitton, b. 1676.
Joshua3 Brackett, b. 1671, m. Mary Haines Weeks, b. 1676. [Joshua's
son John inherited the farm of Ceo. B. Brackett.]

152 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
James4 Brackett, b. 1714, m. Martha Cate, b. 1718. [Inherited the farm
of John B. Pickering.]
Joshua5 Brackett, b. 1755, m. Alice Pickering, b. 1757.
Thomas6 Brackett, b. 1791, m. Sarah White Veasey, b. 1811.
Children of Thomas Brackett and Sarah White Veasey :
Alice P., b. 1836, m. George F. Walker.
Grace C, b. 1837, m. John H. Scott.
John N., b. 1838, m. Mary E. A. Lewis. Child : Thomas James,
b. 1890.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 153

BRACKETT WEEKS INN.

The Brackett Weeks Inn, as it is named, on Phineas Merrill's
map of the town, published in 1806, was the Allen farm.
When farmer AUen became insane, and there was much dis
pute about it, and the selectmen decided he was sane once,
Dr. Ichabod Weeks was appointed his guardian, and his son
Brackett Weeks came into possession of all but the Widow
AUen's thirds, which Brackett Weeks bought of her. It was
a large place and extended from Andrew Cate's to the John
son land on the road. There is no record of the transfer of
the land, and no one knows how Allen was dispossessed of his
property. One Captain Shaw bought it of Weeks and paid
nine thousand doUars for it, which was a pretty fair price for
the place. When Shaw died the place was sold, and my father
and Samuel Hatch, Jr., bought it and divided it between them.
Weeks kept it as a tavern and had the road changed so as to
come out between the house and barn, by vote of the town.
Here one David Durgin hved fourteen years. He came from
Lee or back from the country, and had the following children :
two girls who married and went away ; Sylvester Lyman,
Ezra, Nathan, John, and Martha. Sylvester married Comfort
Simpson and had two sons. Frank married and had four
daughters, aU married well.

154 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

BONDMEN.

Slavery, as it existed in New England, was of a mild char
acter, and the bondmen were treated kindly and considerately.
Sara Patterson, born of slave parents in Newington, came to
Greenland about 1802, and remained a faithful and trusty
servant in the family of Matthew B. Packer thirty-five years.
She then married an Anthony and bought a small house with
two acres of land and raised vegetables for market. Her hus
band died at sea. She married, a second time, Eichard James,
who was a cook on one of Portsmouth's merchant vessels. He
probably died at sea.
As there were no colored people in this vicinity, she was fond
of going to Exeter Sundays on horseback,' with high boots on
as was the fashion of the time.
In the war of 1812, it is said that there was a hogshead of
rum kept in an out-building, which was often visited by the
young bloods of Portsmouth.
During the last of her days, as her mind and body became
enfeebled, she had an idea that she was troubled by evil spirits
or witches, and two of the neighbor's boys would visit her in
the evening and fire a gun up the chimney, to frighten them
away. She also covered up her bed with leaves of the Bible
and pinned one on every pane of glass in her windows. She
had a dislike to people of her own color. She was finally taken
to the town farm and died, about ninety years old.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 155
The other colored people who descended from the bondmen
were the Jacks. Jack was a servant of the Warners of Ports
mouth. I find in the latter part of the Greenland records the
following record : —
The names and ages of children born to Jack, a bond servant
belonging to Jonathan Warner, Esq., of Portsmouth, who
married a free negro of Greenland, by the name of Phillis.
Nancy was born on the 28th of January, 1767, on Wednes
day. PhiUis was born on the 12th of June, 1771, on Sunday.
Thomas was born on the 1st of June, 1775, on Thursday.
A servant of George Washington also lived with them who
escaped from Portsmouth, for fear of being returned to slavery.
She had one daughter living with her when I was a boy. The
daughter died when about twenty years old or so, and was
somewhat artistic in her tastes. The mother also died a year
or two afterward.
They aU were buried way off in a pasture west of the house,
where no one would think of looking for a graveyard. There
is also a record in 1771 where some one wished to get rid of
paying negro rates. The application was made by Nathan
Marston, and it was Voted, "That it shaU not be abated."

156 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

THE BERRY FAMILY.

Near the town of Bury in Lancaster County, England, which
is north of Manchester and not many miles inland from Liver
pool, was once the castle of Sir Thomas Bury, Kt. He espoused
the cause of Eichard III. The king was killed in the battle of
Bosworth in 1485, and his property with that of his followers
was confiscated, Bury's among the number. Euins of the
castle still remained within the present century. A James
Berry living in Boston, Mass., in 1858, then about forty years
of age, said that he came from Lancashire County, England,
and remembered chmbing the remains of the old tower of Sir
Thomas Bury, when a httle boy, and that the river IrweU bent
around it. He also said that Thomas, John, and William were
frequent and familiar names in the family. After the Scotch
Eebellion the Burys assumed to spell their name Berry.
WiUiam Berry was one of the fifty odd men sent over by
Capt. John Mason to settle his grant of land. These men were
landed on the west side of the mouth of the Piscataqua Eiver
in 1631. There are reasons for supposing that WiUiam was a
young man, though whether he was married in England or
after his arrival in this country is not known.
William Berry is said to have been the first settler in the
present town of Eye as early as 1632. He lived at Sandy
Beach. In 1640 he joined with others in the conveyance -of a

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 157
glebe at Portsmouth. He was one of the grantees of Newbury,
Mass., and had probably moved there previous to 1643. June
6, 1648, he gave to Anthony Ellis his bourn at Strawberry Bank.
At a town meeting in Portsmouth in 1653, a committee con
sisting of William Berry, Anthony Brackett, Thomas Peavey,
and James Johnson was appointed to lay out the lands unto the
people at Sandy Beach. William Berry probably died about the
year 1654, for his widow, Jane Berry, was appointed adminis
tratrix of her husband's goods on June 28, 1654. She subse
quently married Nathaniel Drake.
The children of WiUiam and Jane Berry are supposed to
have been Elizabeth, John, Joseph, James, William, and
perhaps others. Elizabeth was married to John Locke about
1652. The latter was kiUed by the Indians.
John Berry lived in Hampton in 1658. His wife's name was
Susanna, and his first child was John, born Jan. 14, 1658 or
1659. In 1660, at the division of land in Portsmouth, John and
Joseph Berry were among those who received grants. In the
tax rates of 1688, John, Joseph, WiUiam, and James are taxed
as of Greenland. Stephen, Joseph, John, and Thomas Berry
were soldiers on duty at Fort William and Mary, in New Castle,
in 1708. June 13, 1717, John Berry and Joshua Foss divided
land which was given to their grandfather, William Berry,
seventy years previous.
It is generaUy conceded that William Berry of Strawberry
Bank and Sandy Beach was common ancestor of the numerous
families of the name in New Hampshire and of many families
in Maine.

158 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Between WiUiam, of 1631, and Thomas Berry, born 1688,
from whom the record is definite, there were one or two gen
erations which are not known with certainty, but for want of
any more definite facts, and with great reasonableness, the
following names and dates are given to fill the gap. Possibly
some one may yet appear to supply the links with undeniable
certainty. BERRY DESCENT.
William Berry, immigrant of 1631, at Sandy Beach, 1632.
John Berry (eldest son), born presumably, 1635 or 1636.
John Berry, first child, born at Hampton, 1658 or 1659.
Thomas Berry, born (same year as John Berry was taxed in
Greenland), 1688.
William Berry, born Feb. 29, 1720.
Thomas Berry, born June 7, 1755.
Thomas Berry, born Sept. 26, 1779.
Thomas Jefferson Berry, born May 26, 1806.
John William Berry, born Dec. 7, 1833.
Herbert Alfred Berry, born Jan. 9, 1861.
Thomas Berry, b. 1688, m. Mehitable, b. 1697.
Children of Thomas and Mehitable, —
William, b. 1720, d. 1775, m. Elizabeth Hobbs.
Thomas, b. 1731, d. 1799, m. Abigail Lane.
Children of William and Elizabeth, —
Mehitable, b. 1746, m. John Fabyan.
Elizabeth, b. 1749, m. Richard Jenness, grandfather of Hon. Richard
Jenness.
Thomas, b. 1775, m. Mehitable Berry.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 1591
Children of Thomas and Mehitable, —
William, b. 1777, d. 1779.
Thomas, b. 1779, d. 1854, m. Sarah Lang.
Nabby, b. 1801, d. 1886,, m. William Brackett.
Children of Thomas and Sarah Lang, —
George, b. 1800, in. Eliza Towle.
William, b. 1802, d. .unmarried.
Thomas Jefferson, b. 1806, m. twice. (See Thomas Jefferson.)
Sarah, b. 1808,-rn. Simon Towle.
Daniel, b. 1810, m. Margaret Robertson.
Mehitable, b. 1812, m. Abednego Robinson, d. 1884.
John, b. 1814, d. unmarried.
Mary Ann, b. 1818, m. Dr. George Brewster.
Elizabeth Lang, b. 1822, m. L. H. D. Shepherd, d. 1894.
Alfred, ") r d. 1854, unmarried.
Adaline, } tWmS' b" 1824' { d. 1824.
Thomas Jefferson Berry, b. May 26, 1806, d. Jan. 23, 1880; m. (1)
April 16, 1828, Lettis Stilson Seavey, of Rye, N. H., b. Oct. 12, 1809,
d. April 12, 1844; m. (2) May 31, 1846, Sarah Drake Seavey, of Green
land, N. H., b. Feb. 23, 1823, d. Jan. 8, 1890.
Children by first wife, —
Sarah Amanda, b. June 22, 1829, d. April 12, 1882.
John William, b. Dec. 7, 1833, m. Valeria Hill Brown, of Little River,
Sept. 12, 1860.
Mary Caroline, b. Nov. 5, 1835, m. John William Rand, of Portsmouth,
N. H., May 22, 1860.
Children by second wife, —
Emma Lettis, b. Jan. 15, 1855.
Susan Seavey, b. Nov. 18, 1859, m. Elmer Dummer Moulton, of York,
Me., March 30, 1886.
Child of Elmer D. and Susan S. Moulton, —
Gladys Ellsworth, b. Sept. 27, 1889.
The homestead now occupied by the daughters of Thomas
J. and Sarah D. Berry was built by their great-great-great
grandfather Thomas (born 1688) about the year 1736. To

160 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
say the house was built one hundred and sixty-four years
ago makes it seem old, but to say it was built forty years
before the Declaration of Independence was signed, makes one
almost smell the odor of the primeval forest and see the
feathered headgear of the copper-face. Part of the material
of which the house is built, as glass, wrought nails, etc., was
brought from England ; some panes of glass can -yet be seen.
The timbers are of oak.
Visitors to the home may see the handsome desk, bill-book,
and musket of Capt. WiUiam Berry, who died 125 years ago
while in service at Fort Constitution. Some papers in the
desk are especiaUy worthy of mention, — a commission to
Thomas Berry, Jr. , as LieuH of the ' ' 2nd Company in the 1st
Regiment of Light Horse," signed by John Sullivan, of Dur
ham, N. H , then President of the State of New Hampshire,
July 5, 1786; and commissions to Thomas J. Berry as Captain
of the 4th Company of Infantry in the 35th Eegiment of
Militia, and of the 7th Company of Infantry in the 1st Eeg.
of Militia, in the years 1832 & 33 respectively. There are also
more than twenty deeds dated in the seventeen hundreds.
Thomas Berry, b. 1688, had two sons, William and Thomas. William
remained in the old home, and Thomas built him a house a little south of
the late Nathan Berry's, near a spring.
Thomas Berry, b. 1731, d. 1799, son of Thomas (1688), m. Abigail
Lane, of Hampton, and had ten children, the fourth of which, Isaiah, b.
1761, d. 1845, m. Bathsheba Shaw, of Hampton, b. 1760, d. 1845, and
had nine children, the fourth of which, Levi, b. 1792, d. 1867, m. Patience
Marden, and had four children, —
Abigail, m. James B. Rand.
Nathan, m. Sally Chapman, of Greenland.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 16 1
f ] Abigail Brown, of Little River.
1
Oliver, m. { 2 Elizabeth Hatch, of Greenland.
[_ 3 Ann J. Cole, of Maine.
Francis, m. Martha Adeline Brown, of Rye, N. H.
Joshua, b. 1786.
Susanna, b. 1788, d. 1789.
Isaiah, b. 1790, and lived away.
Levi, already mentioned above.
Mary, b. 1794, d. 1818.
William, b. 1796, m. Olive Locke, and lived in Newington,
Thomas, b. 1800, d. 1870.
Abigail, b. 1802, m. Robert Henderson.
Elizabeth, b. 1804, m. Charles Lane, of Stratham.

162 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

DR. CHAPMAN'S DESCENT.

The Chapmans originally lived on the road to Boston, and I
find a Paul Chapman and a Job Chapman ; Mr. Nathaniel Chap
man built the house that Mr. Charles Brackett lives in to-day.
Edward1 came to Boston in 1639 and left a will, proved April 30, 1678,
and had Samuel^, who had Samuel3, who had Joseph*, who had Samuel5,
who had Nathaniel6, who was b. 1798, d. 1868. He m. Martha Meserve,
and had as follows :
Sarah J.1 , who m. Nathan Berry and had one child, George W.
Joseph W.1, m. Mary E. Moulton and had six children.
Nathaniel1, b. 1824, m. (1) Kate Huntress ; m. (2) Charlotte Jane
Shackford, and had five children.
Martha Jane1, b. 1825, m. Eli Waterhouse and had four children.
Lucy R.1, b. 1826, d. unmarried.
John A. M.1, b. 1829, m. Emma J. G. Knox, and had four children:
John Alfred, b. August, 1884, d. April, 1855 ; Emma Gertrude, b. Sep
tember, 1856, d. March, 1863 ; Mattie E., b. March 28, 1866 ; Alfred
K., b. June 5, 1868.
George W.1, b. June, 1832, d. August, 1846.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 163"

CATES.

The Cates were at one time very respectable and wealthy,
and fiUed some of the most important positions in the town.
Deacon John Cate was a large land owner, and paid quite a
large tax. They are aU gone from the town. The last of the
name is a painter in Fitchburg, Mass.
They lived mostly in the easterly part of the town, some in
Stratham ; there was Andrew Cate, and Mr. Simeon Brackett
has a field caUed the Cate field.

164 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

DOCTORS.

In ye olden time the doctors and ministers were the most
important members of society, being nearly aU of the men that
were educated, and as women did not go to school at all, these
men were treated with the greatest deference and respect.
Both men and children made them most respectful obeisance
when they met on the highway. The first doctors were Dr.
Clement March, Dr. Joseph Greely, and a Dr. Brackett. Then
came Dr. Ichabod Weeks, followed by Dr. Andrew P. Wiggin of
Stratham, who had an office at the Parade, in what is now Mr.
Andros's house. Then Dr. George Odell and Dr. Brown ; then
Dr. Clough and Dr. Joseph Odell. In the meantime Dr. Jun-
kins came, and when he left for Portsmouth a Dr. Pike came
to take his place. So the town has been favored with the
fraternity, with more or less of success individuaUy. There
was also a Dr. Charles Weeks, grandson of the Dr. Ichabod,
who was not a success here, but he married and went to one of
the West Indies islands and did better. But the family is
bound to furnish doctors, for there is a nephew of his who is
bound to wield the scalpel and furnish physic. He is located
in Manchester.
I find that in 1796 there was a Dr. Williams in town. How
much he practised or how long he remained I cannot say.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 165

ECCENTRIC MEN.

The Grist MU1 was attended to by old "For to" Dearborn
(pronounced Futter Dearborn), who was quite a character, but
his wife was from a respectable family. The old man loved
cider, and not making it himself, went around from house to
house, to supply his appetite. He did not get drunk, but
would absorb a good quantity before he got home. He was
quaint and candid and wore knee breeches in the old style.
He kept a gun, sometimes loaded, and sometimes not.
Once on a time, as story tellers say, there was a husking party
up on the Winnicut Eoad which led by bis house, and Stephen
M. Weeks, afterward called Leftenant Weeks, a son of Dr.
Ichabod, was in for a good time with others, and considered the
miller a good subject for a joke. So they leaned some sticks
of wood against his door. He, hearing a little noise, went
unsuspectingly and opened the door, when in came the wood and
tipped the old man over, which made him roaring mad. The
rogues jumped over the fence to see the fun, but were none too
soon, for Dearborn was out with his gun, and had forgotten in
his haste to take out the ramrod. The old man blazed away
and the ramrod went through the fence just above Weeks's
head, and knocked the old man down. This cured Weeks from
playing any more jokes on Futter Dearborn.
There was another man that it would not do to joke ; it

166 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
was Colonel Wedgewood. He had a habit of throwing his
broad-ax at people. He was a carpenter, and when he was
enraged would sniff, and sniff,, and when he had sniffed the
third time, he would let his broad-ax fly. WeU, this same
Leftenant Weeks, who never hurt himself with hard work, was
playing work one day. He was at work on the mill for his
father Dr. Ichabod, and Colonel Wedgewood was the boss.
Stephen was daUying and Wedgewood saw what he was at, so
the colonel sniffed and told Weeks to go to work, but Stephen
did not mind, so the colonel sniffed a second time, and the
heutenant did not wait fgr him to sniff again, after he had
told him he would throw his broad-ax at him, thinking pru
dence was more commendable than valor. So no murder or
accident happened, and Wedgewood had no chance to sniff a
third time. It was reported that he was driven out of Hamp
ton for this peculiarity. I remember his daughter Sophronia
who went to school with me, and was as pretty as her father
was ugly.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 167

THE THREE FAT MEN.

Daniel Brackett, whom I have described in my rhymes, lived
on the Haven "farm ; he weighed, I find by Harvard's Gazetteer,
five hundred and sixty pounds. It is presumed that he was
related to the other Bracketts. He undertook to make a show
of himself at one time, but it was not a success. He left
Greenland and went into the country somewhere.
There was another Brackett named Thomas, whose general
appearance was much like Daniel's. I never heard he was a
great eater, although he was a good feeder. Ex- Gov. Levi
Woodbury and he were great friends. The governor used to
drive out of Portsmouth two or three times a year with his
family and spend the afternoon. This Thomas Brackett, nick
named ' ' Tom Crop, " filled the whole seat of an ordinary wagon
and must have weighed four hundred pounds. The origin of
the nickname was, as the story goes, that Martin Maloon's
pigs got into his enclosure some way, and Thomas was much
disturbed by them; perhaps they were a nuisance, and so he
cut off their ears. But whether the story is true or not, the
name stuck to him as long as he lived. He was a good kind
neighbor if treated weU, and a son of old Squire Brackett.
And there was another curiosity of a man, by the name of
James Winkley; he came from Eochester or thereabouts. He
was a worker in steel, ingenious, and had a remarkable memory.

168 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
It is said he repeated, word for word, forty chapters of the
Psalms of David, on a bet of four gaUons of brandy. One
day he met Parson Clark who was always polite enough to
bow to anyone, and asked him if he could tell him where, in
the Bible, he could find the following sentence: " And the Lord
shaved with a razor that was hired, " and the parson owned
up that he could not, and went along. It can be found in one
of the prophets, and will interest some of my Bible readers to
find where it is.
Some one met him one morning and asked where Stephen
Pickering lived? His reply was, "I can tell you where his
house is, but they put a wooden jacket on him the other day,
and carried him up to the burying yard, and I suppose he 's
gone to a place they call hell." He often said he came into the
world naked, and he would go out of it naked, and so he did;
for he was found, after one of his drunks, naked in a pasture
in Northampton, two miles from any habitation.

Jl\^ ci/p -of nXd (3i«v6v|/cncl CMtcl stawn X)o*i«(ifi,c*.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 169

THE OLD GRAVEYARD.

The old graveyard never has or could be alienated except by
a direct vote of the Town. I have a map or survey made by
Benjamin Akerman, surveyor, which lays it out, and ,,there
should be a way to it. It is in connection with the lands of
the heirs of Nathaniel Haines, and is very nicely drawn. It
was made in 1833.
Andrew Mack Haines, of Galena, 111., who wrote me about
the matter in 1893, says : "The first graveyard was near the
bank of the Winnicut, and but a few rods from the bridge on
the Exeter road. In 1850 the spot was grown up with quite
good-sized timber. I went to where the old fence was and
where the old grave was pointed out to me, but could not find
any graves or stones. But the old folks told me that the first
settlers of Greenland were buried there."
I visited this place some years since and found a good many
graves and gravestones tumbled down, of course, but plain to
be seen. Something should be done to recover and protect this
venerable spot from the forest. Of course, the owners of the
adjoining lands could have no objection, as they would not dare
to meddle or cultivate the land consecrated to the dead.

170 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

THE GOOKIN FAMILY.

The Gookin family have disappeared from Greenland, Mr.
Nathaniel Gookin being the last. I remember Supply Gookin,
who kept a store in the end of Major Avery's house, also a
Helen, who lived with an aunt and married Precept Hale. I
remember also Mrs. Gookin, who was the wife of Capt. John
Gookin, a brother to Supply. Captain John had five children,
George, Henry, Emily, John, and Nathaniel who lately died.
Mrs. Gookin was a Stoodley, a very interesting woman, and
had very remarkable power in conversation. She was the
granddaughter of Parson McClintock, and was brought up in
his family and inherited some of his genius. She had a peculiar
way of twisting her face when she said a smart thing, that
added much emphasis to it. I have often heard her say, ' ' I
never had a headache and I never eat any gravy." She was
in conversation with a young girl whose name was Martha, and
in speaking of some of her trials she finished up by saying, ' ' I
can forgive and forget, but, by the Lord, Martha, I can't help
remembering. "
The Gookins came from Portsmouth. A Captain John bought
the farm from a PenhaUow, and had a large family. The farm
when he bought it consisted of about one hundred and eighty
acres, and entrance to it was down through what was caUed
the sheep pasture from the Winnicut Eoad, which left the

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 171
main road about half way between Dennis Mahoney's and
Captain Mahoney's, and saved them from climbing the steep
hill. When John F. Eobinson owned it there were one hundred
and fifty acres. When the Gookins owned the house it was
raised from a hipped roof to two stories, and an addition was
put to the west end. Samuel Hatch's tavern was a nice
before-breakfast walk from there, and the Gookins had an
open account, and patronized the place well, but it took
thirty acres of that end of the farm to settle the account.
It was owned after the Gookins by John F. Eobinson, Daniel
Broadhead, and Nathaniel Wiggin, who sold it by piecemeals, —
a part to Eufus Weeks, a part to a Mr. Walker, a part to
Captain Mahoney, a part to Enoch Clark, and the balance,
including the house and barn, to Dr. George Odell.
Here I spent my boyhood days. When father went there it
was much run down, — all the way by the road nothing but
Johns wort grew, — but when he left, thirteen years after, it
was one of the most desirable farms in the town. Now, when
I go there or near there, I am reminded of the lines of Samuel
Woodworth, which are sung to the tune of Moore's ' ' Believe
me if aU those Endearing Young Charms," or, in later years,
known as " Fair Harvard " : —
" How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood,
When fond recollection presents them to view ;
The orchard, the meadow, the deep tangled wildwood,
And every loved spot which my infancy knew,"

172 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
for here I spent my boyhood days, for here I found my baby
sister asleep under the cherry tree, half way down the hill,
when she got lost, and here I lost two sisters by death. A
brass knocker on the door once belonged to Aaron Burr, and
there are many other things to make the place of absorbing
interest to me, and so we leave it.
On Capt. John Gookin's headstone are these lines : —
"Man's home is in the grave ; ,
Here dwells the multitude ; we gaze around,
We read their monuments, and
While we sigh we sink."
On his wife's stone : —
"BORN, 1788, DIED, 1862.
" All that live must die,
Passing through nature to eternity."

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 173

THE HOLMES FAMILY.

Edward Holmes3 built the house where his daughters now
reside. Jeremiah Holmes1 , b. in Portsmouth in 1745.
Joseph Holmes^, b. 1781, and m. Mary Hooper, and was in
the War of 1812, stationed at Fort Constitution. He died in
1852. His children were : Edward, Enoch, Harriet, Phihp
Babb, Martha Ann, Andrew P., Elinor, EUen Brewster,
Francis M., and Susan.
Edward Holmes5 , m. Isette Adams. He was a carpenter by
trade and the town clerk for many years. His children were :
John Edward, b. 1836 ; Mary Isette, b. 1838 ; Lydia EUen, b.
1842 ; Joseph Augustus, b. 1843 ; Harriet, b. 1845 ; Frank, b.
1847 ; Enoch, b. 1849, and Martha Annie, b. 1851. Of these,
only Isette, Lydia, and Martha are living in their father's
house. John Edward married a Wentworth and left one son,
Edward. Phillip Babb m. Sarah White Hart, and had children, aU of
whom are dead except Ernest, b. in 1858, who m. Annie
Hatch, daughter of Samuel A. Hatch.
(Prom the back part of the Town Record.)
"Eockingham, S. S. Mr. Philip Babb of Epsom and Miss
SaUy Hohnes of Portsmouth were lawfully pubd at Greenland
on Sunday July 20, 1794. Thomas Philbrick T. C.
" The above persons were married Sept. 5th 1794 by me
Joseph Langdon"

174 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Edward Holmes, who was town clerk for many years, had a
record of the deaths in Greenland, from 1793 to 1881. The
greatest number of deaths during that time in one year was
twenty-two in the year 1876. The smallest number was in
the year 1824, when there but two.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. l7i

THE HAINES FAMILY.

(From A. M. Haines's account.)
' ' Samuel Haines, deacon of the First Congregational Church
of Portsmouth, N. H, was born about the year 1611, and
came over to New England in the ship ' Angel Gabriel, '
240 tons, which sailed from Bristol, England, June 4th , 1635,
and was wrecked at Pemaquid," now Bristol, Maine, in the
"great hurricane " of 15th of August, in the same year.
He was at Ipswich in 1635-6 ; returned to England about
1640 where he remained about a year and a half ; was at Dover
in 1640-9 and finally settled at Portsmouth, in the parish of
Greenland, in the year 1650, where he continued to reside on
his farm, on the Great Bay, on the east side of the Winnicut
river, until his decease, which was subsequent to the 21st of
May, 1684, or about 1686-7.
He was one of the Selectmen of Portsmouth from 1653 to
1663, one of nine founders, and ordained a deacon of the
First Congregational Church at its organization, 1671. He
held many other offices of trust in the gift of his f eUow towns
men, the duties of which were discharged with fidelity.
The old homestead was enjoyed for three generations by
the eldest son as desired by Deacon Samuel, as foUows : —
"Samuel Jr (2d gen.) who 1688-9 when it passed to his son
Matthias (3d gen.), who occupied it until his decease, 9 April
1745, when it passed by will to his son Samuel (4th gen.) b. 20

176 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
April, 1716, who sold it the 19 Feb'y 1766 to Enoch Clark,
inn-holder for 500£, from whom it descended to Enoch H.
Clark." One of the daughters of Matthias married Nathaniel Hug
gins, another Samuel Weeks and another married Michael
Hicks. Elias Philbrick, of Greenland, made deposition that the said
Samuel Haines built a garrison where he lived, and remembers
the names and color of the oxen (belonging to said Samuel)
which were employed in hauling the timber for that purpose.
This house stood to the west of the present house now
owned and occupied by a Mr. Lord.
The Haines descendants have mostly emigrated from town.
Matthias was very ingenious. Sherburn Haines, who was
a carpenter, went to Somersworth, and Sally married Major
Wiggin, a widower. Sherburn had quite a family. I remem
ber John, Daniel, and a younger one. John played on a clari
net ; I saw him in a procession in Harrison's campaign. He
became a prominent man, and was postmaster at Great FaUs
and was quite influential.
There was a Comfort who married John Simpson and hved
on the place which once belonged to a Widow Jackson, once a
part of the HaU farm.
Joseph Haines, son of WiUiam, who was the son of Wil
liam, now hves on the land that was granted to Dea. Samuel
Haines, at the same time the land was granted to John HaU.
It was near to the common land which composed the upper
parsonage.

HON. ALBERT R. HATCH.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 177

HATCH FAMILY AND TAVERNS.

Taverns were patronized, in these times, not only by the
travelling public but by the young and frolicsome from Ports
mouth and the surrounding towns. The parties were made
up as usual of kindred spirits, who were fond of a good time;
and a dance and a supper gave the opportunity for the young
and wealthy to expend some of their surplus funds, and also
some of their superfluous energy.
The windows in some of the houses, which were kept as
taverns, bear witness to this day of the propensity to immor
talize their names by inscribing them on the glass with their
diamonds; Daniel Webster or someone left his mark on the
window of the Shaw Tavern.
It was related to me by Samuel Hatch, Jr., how effectively
and promptly they attended to business in those days, and how
they served their patrons. He said a party of some fifteen or
twenty came to their house, kept by his father, for dinner.
Mr. Hatch was away and the larder was empty. There was
nothing cooked or uncooked of a substantial nature; But his
mother was equal to the occasion and told them that they
could have dinner in a couple of hours. She directed her son
to drive up the sheep and kill her a lamb.
The sheep were half a mile away in the pasture, but away
he went, as on the wings of the wind; drove up the sheep,

178 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
killed and dressed the lamb, parts of which were cooked, bread
baked, vegetables served to the hungry crowd, aU in the time
stated. It was almost a miracle that was performed. But
she was a Pickering.
Mr. John K. Hatch was a man of ability and genius. He
acquired some knowledge of the furniture' trade, of a Mr.
Clark, who had a shop near his father's, and put himself up a
httle shop, near his father's, — and after awhile, he bought or
his father did for him, for the deeds were in his name, the
place now owned and occupied by John Hatch, Esq., and went
into the cabinet-making business, and also opened a country
store. He was elected Selectman, Eepresentative, and Senator
in a time when the people selected their best men for office.
He married and raised a family of children, of whom Albert E.
was the only boy. His father and mother wished him to be a
doctor, so when he was in coUege, he went to the dissecting
room and looked up the matter, but concluded he would not
be one. He thought the science of medicine was too uncertain,
and turned his attention to the law. In arguing the case
with his father, he called attention to the success of Esquire
WiUiam Pickering, who was then State Treasurer, and said, "I
would rather be a lawyer and to be such a man as he is than
to be the best doctor in the country," and so it was settled.
The Hatch descent is as foUows : John Hatch came to
Portsmouth previous to January, 1684, from the Island of
Jersey, on the coast of Normandy. The name was originaUy
speUed "Hache." He is styled in various records "mariner,"
and in 1684 appears to have been the first officer of the ship

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 179
"Shuttross," whereof Mathew Estes was master. His name
also appears as first officer of the gun " Ketch America." At
his death an inventory of his personal estate shows that he
was possessed of a watch, two rings, a quadrant, scale, a two-
foot rule, a Bible, a pair of compasses, a silver-headed cane,
and thirty-four ounces of plate. He purchased of Samuel Cutt
the house and land adjoining the house commonly called the
Great House, and bounded on the south side by the highway
that goeth from the Great House towards Mr. Thomas
Packer's. If, as Brewster says in his Eambles, the Great
House was on Water Street at the southeast corner of Court
Street, this property was probably on Jefferson Street. He
also bought a wharf from Samuel Ehynes.
He signed the New Hampshire petition Feb. 20, 1689,
requesting the Governor and Council of their Majesty's Colony
of Massachusetts Bay in New England to continue their Gov-
ernment over the inhabitants, and he was one of the associates
who on the 14th of October, 1697, signed the address to King
WiUiam, declaring him to be the lawful king of the realm, and
engaged to support his present Government against King
James' adherents, and to support the Protestant succession.
, He was a member of the General Assembly held at New
Castle, Sept. 16, 1696. He left one son, Samuel, and two
daughters : Ann, who married Samuel Small, and Sarah, who
married Josiah Downing of Kittery.
Samuel Hatch was the only son of John Hatch. In deeds of
property conveyed to him he is styled "captain." On the 19th
of January, 1712, he conveyed forty-six acres of land in Ports-

180 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
mouth, being the common right of his father, John Hatch.
He owned a wharf and warehouse adjoining the wharf of Eobert
Walker. He owned a pew in the South Meeting-House. His
wife's name was Ehzabeth, who, after his death, was married
to Thomas Greenough of New Castle. He died Aug. 22, 1716,
but left two chUdren, — a son Thomas, and a daughter Sarah
who was born March 26, 1717.
Thomas Hatch was probably a minor at the decease of his
father in 1716. He was by trade a hatter and felt maker. He
was a parishioner at Queen's Chapel. Thomas Hatch had two
wives, — first, Mary, by whom he had two daughters, Deborah,
and Sarah, who married John Gregory, — and his second wife
Alice Knight of Newington, the sister of John Knight, by
whom he had eight children, — Mary, born May 17, 1754, who
died unmarried ; Thomas, born Oct. 7, 1757, who settled in
Bethlehem, N. H., in 1790 ; Samuel, born AprU 3, 1759 ; PoUy,
born Aug. 25, 1761 ; Ehzabeth, born Feb. 15, 1764, who married
a Henderson ; John, born  who migrated to Ohio in 1815 ;
William, born July, 1766, who died in 1854 ; and Alice, born
¦  who married a currier of Portsmouth. Samuel Hatch
married Mary Pickering, daughter of Joshua Pickering, Nov.
16, 1783. Samuel Hatch in his youth lived with his uncle John
Knight at Bloody Point, Newington, who at his death in 1770
conveyed to his nephews John Knight and Samuel Hatch, his
estate there entailed male. In 1784 Samuel Hatch suffered a
common recovery for the purpose of barring the entail, and
Conveyed his rights in the property to the widow of John
Knight. With the money derived from this sale he purchased

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 181
the property in Greenland on the main road leading to Exeter,
more recently owned by Nathan E. Foss. Here he lived until
his death on the 7th of June, 1843, keeping a tavern there for
most of the time. He was elected to the New Hampshire
Senate in 1841 and 1842, and represented the town in the Gen
eral Court in 1830.
John Knight Hatch, born Dec. 18, 1784, married Ann Simms
Johnson, Nov. 17, 1816. They had children, — Albert Euyterr
born Oct. 10, 1817 ; Mary Ann, born June 14, 1819, who mar
ried Moses F. Hoit, and died Nov. 18, 1848 ; Caroline Hannah,
born March 13, 1823, who married T. W. T. Curtis, and died
Sept. 3, 1859 ; Sarah Augusta, born March 23; 1833, and who
died Aug. 20, 1852 ; and Ann Simms, born Dec. 17, 1838, who
died Oct. 25, 1854. For many years he took an active and
prominent part in the affairs of the town, and represented it
in the Legislature in 1830-32. He was a member of the State
Senate in 1840 and 1845.
Albert E. Hatch, whose photograph is herein inserted, was
educated at Brackett Academy, and the academy at Hampton,
and at Bowdoin College, Me., where he graduated in 1837. He
studied law with Hon. Ichabod Bartlett in Portsmouth, and
was admitted to the bar in September, 1841. He married
Margaret Eooksby Harris, daughter of Thomas Aston Harris.
He was a member of the Legislature in 1847, 1848, and in
1873-76, and was speaker of the house in 1874. He was clerk
of the United States Circuit Court in 1848 to 1873. He died
March, 1882. He had children: first, John Hatch of Green
land; second, Francis March Hatch of Honolulu, Hawaiian

182 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Islands, who is there engaged in the practice of law. He took
a prominent part in the recent revolution, and represented the
Islands at Washington previous to , their annexation to this
country. He married Alecia Hawes of San Francisco, and .has
two children, Harriet and Alexander Gilchrist. Third, Annie
MiUer, who married James K. CogsweU of the United States
Navy, who was second in command of the Oregon on her trip
from San Francisco, and in the Battle of Santiago. Their
children are Bianca, Francis, and James Kelsey. Fourth, Mary
Aston, who is unmarried.
John Hatch, son of Albert R., m. 1873, Alice Caroline, daughter of
Eev, Geo. Benton.
Children : —
Margaret Harris, b. 1875.
John Knight, b. 1877.
Caroline Benton, b. 1878.
Mary Aston, b. 1880.
Albert Ruyter, b. 1882.
Samuel Frink, b. 1884.
Alice Spencer, b. 1886.
HATCH FAMILY CONTINUED.
Samuel Hatch and Mary Pickering had four children: —
John K., already noticed.
Mary, b. 1786, m. John George, of Concord, and had one son, the
celebrated railroad lawyer of Concord.
Samuel, b. 1789, who m. Nancy Wiggin and had five children.
Sarah P.„ m. Sims Frink of Newington, whose father was interested
in the Piscataqua Bridge, and who succeeded Deacon Bailey in
his Tavern at Greenland.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 183
Children of Samuel Hatch, Jr., and Nancy Wiggin: —
Elizabeth, who m. Oliver Berry.
Charles W., who m. Mary C. Hall.
Samuel Augustus, who m. an Adams.
Sarah Ann, who m. Chas. Seavey.
Harriet, who m. a Clough.
Samuel Hatch, Jr., built a house for his son Charles W., on
the other side of the road, before he (Charles) was married, now
belonging to the Walker Estate, and after his father died he
sold out and bought the farm of his father-in-law, Ealph Hall,
and died there. He was a man of considerable ability. He
was elected several years as selectman, two years as represen
tative, and afterward as senator.
Samuel Augustus remained in the old house his father
bought of Joseph Clark, and was married and had children.
The house was burned down, and all the buildings, a few years
since. His oldest daughter married John Pottle ; another
daughter married Ernest Holmes, and a son, George, went
to the Klondike and died. John married and moved to Elliot.
DESCENT OP JOHN SAMUEL HATCH PRINK.
Children of Sarah P. Hatch and Sims Frink : —
Samuel, who died in infancy.
John Samuel Hatch, b.
Mary Abby, who died unmarried.
Sarah Olivia, who m. Joseph Simpson.
John S. H. Frink m. Lucretia M. Pickering, daughter of the late
William Pickering, Esq., and has one son, William P. Frink.

184 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

INTERNAL REVENUE.

In the year 1836 Congress voted to give to each State its
share of surplus then on hand in the treasury.
Mowry, in his History of the United States, says : —
' ' The heated discussion in regard to the United States Bank
called attention to' the fact that there was a constantly increas
ing surplus in the United States Treasury, and each year the
revenue was in excess of the expenses of the government.
" What should be done with the surplus?
"Congress, as well as the President, was opposed to appro
priating it for internal improvements ; no one desired to change
the compromise tariff of 1833, so as to reduce the revenue.
"So they voted to distribute the surplus among the States.
Accordingly, twenty-eight miUions of dollars were thus divided
before increasing expenditures, and the decreased revenue
brought the surplus to an end."
The New JEampshire Legislature passed an act which was
approved by the Governor Jan. 13, 1837, accepting the sum, as
a State, to be divided and sent to its several towns.
In some towns it was divided one way, and in some others
in another.
In Greenland, the men without property wished it divided
per poll, but the others wished it to be spent in building a

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 185
house and barn on the town's land for the poor. So they
called a meeting in the academy to settle the matter.
The meeting was exciting and uproarious. Everyone wished
to have his say and his way. They tried to come to a vote,
but the Moderator could not keep the voters apart. So they
adjourned to the academy yard and arranged themselves on
each side of the path, so they could be counted. They screeched
and haUoed so loud that they could be heard a mile away, and
could hardly be kept apart. FinaUy they were counted, and a
smaU majority was found against distributing the money, but
the discussion continued until the people were too far apart to
talk.

186 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

THE JOHNSONS.

The Johnson family has also gone into the past. There were
many strong and influential men among them. There' was a
Lieutenant Johnson that had a good deal to do in town affairs,
and there was an Ebenezer Johnson who was elected for two
years as Eepresentative.
Some were on the west of the Winnicut and others on the
road to Boston.
In 1806, according to Merrill's map of the town, N. Johnson
lived where Elias Wentworth does, at least that estate belonged
to him, and WiUiam Johnson on the estate owned now by
James Whitehorn, who married a Johnson. The Johnsons
owned all the land (before the road was built from the river to
Brackett Johnson's hiU) between the Bay Side Eoad and the
old road which ran behind Capt. Mahoney's buildings and just
in front of Dennis Mahoney's house down below the saw miU.
On the same map there were four Johnson families just
above Joseph Haines', two on each side of the road.
And now the name of Johnson is gone from the town.
ELINOR JOHNSON.
A hundred years or more ago, there lived in Greenland a
woman who was famous the countryside over, not only for
her wonderful daring and fine horsemanship, but also for her

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. , 187
long flowing locks of brown. How many times " Ellie" John
son came dashing down the road mounted on a fiery steed, her
remarkable hair, unconfined save by a golden clasp, mantling
the flanks of the speeding horse. The villagers would stare
in amazement as she passed, and the oft repeated rhyme is still
remembered, commencing : ' ' Hey, Ellie Johnson, with your
long hair ! "
On one memorable occasion ' ( Ellie " was returning from
town in the noted "one horse shay." As she climbed the
March hill the unsteadiness of the vehicle caused her to glance
behind and see a vicious looking character clinging to the
cross-bar ; suspecting some evil design, she laid the lash on the
horse's back and plunged into Packer's brook, where she pro
ceeded to lash the victim, while he cried for mercy, and at last
dropped in the brook exhausted. Then at her word of com
mand her spirited horse dashed up the bank and continued
homeward. More can be told of this fearless woman whose
bravery was noted at home and abroad. When the British
were reported to have landed at Eye, Ellie Johnson, undaunted,
armed herself with a rifle and proceeded to meet them. Hap
pily the ' ' Eedcoats " escaped so formidable an enemy.
The story of the robber who secreted himself in her house is
no less interesting, telling of how this man, cowed by her com
manding presence, rushed from the house and disappeared in
the darkness.
Though Ellie Johnson has long since passed away, and that
spirit of bravery may have died, she has left to her descendants
as a heritage a wealth of magnificent hair.

188 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

LIBRARY.

The initial steps towards the establishment of a public library
were taken at the annual town meeting in 1893, when a vote
was passed binding the town to an annual appropriation of not
less than twenty-five doUars for that purpose, in accordance
with the provisions of the hbrary law. No active steps were
taken to carry the vote into effect until the latter part of the year
1896, at which time arrangements were in progress for opening
the hbrary, and to that end one hundred doUars' worth of books
were sent to the town from the State. Before the preparations
for opening the library were completed, the trustees were in
formed that during the previous year Mrs. Caroline A. Weeks,
of Greenland had placed funds in the hands of Charles A.
Hazlett, of Portsmouth, having in view the-erection of a library
building, at some future date, for her native town. As a
result the preparations for opening the library were suspended
temporarily. In March, 1897, the town appropriation was
increased to one hundred dollars. In the - spring of the same
year active steps were taken towards the erection of a library
building. A suitable lot was secured and the building was
erected during the year.
The structure is forty feet front by thirty feet deep, of the
colonial style of architecture, with pilasters of the Corinthian
order ; it is constructed of pressed brick, with marble trim
mings, granite underpinning, slated roof, copper finials, and
windows of plate glass. Over the entrance door appears the

¦?3r

WEEKS LIBRARY.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 189
inscription, "Weeks Library," in marble; and above this a
marble book with "A. D. 1897" upon its open pages. The
vestibule has a floor of . composite marble tiles, and at the left
of the entrance a bronze tablet of the Corinthian order bears,
in raised lettering, the foUowing : "This building erected as a
memorial to George Weeks, Mary T. Weeks, and J. Clement
Weeks, by Caroline Avery Weeks, MDCCCXCVIL"
The waUs are adorned with life-size oil portraits of those
whose memory this institution is designed to perpetuate.
There are two steel book-stacks with a capacity of twelve
hundred and fifty volumes each. The building was constructed
and furnished in accordance _ with plans approved by Mr.
Hazlett, and the building, including the furnishings, was
presented to the town by Mrs. Weeks, on condition that the
building and land be used for public library purposes only.
At the town meeting in March, 1898, it was unanimously
voted ' ' that the town gratefully accepts the very handsome
gift of the Weeks hbrary building, and hereby expresses the
thanks of the inhabitants of the town to Mrs. Caroline A.
Weeks for the same, and their appreciation of her munificence,
and the great interest shown by the trustee of the Weeks
memorial fund for his suggestions and supervision of the
building ; that the town annually raise the sum of one hundred
and fifty doUars, in addition to that required by law, for the
maintenance and support of the hbrary and the purchase of
books." The building was dedicated May 19, 1898, with
appropriate ceremonies. The library now contains two thou
sand volumes and enters upon a career of usefulness with
bright prospects that promise much for the future. .

190 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

PARSONAGE.

THE LOWER PARSONAGE,
Which was the home of the early Congregational ministers,
consisted of two or three acres, on which the house was located,
and about thirty or forty acres up Haines Lane, and running
round Joseph Weeks' place where John W. Weeks hves now,
which was a part of the Brick house place before the road was
cut through to the main road, and including the land on which
Bennett's house stands and the land on the other side now
belonging to Widow Keeffe and Widow Beck, and was common
or glebe land. The road from the cemetery was cut through
the land of Weeks and across the old road and through the
common to the river, and was afterward extended to Brackett
Johnson's hiU. THE UPPER PARSONAGE,
So caUed, was not sold but was built upon and carried on as a
Town Farm and used as a place for the poor after the surplus
revenue was voted to be used for that purpose. It was let
and leased, and the wood was cut and carried off, and was a
good subject for discussion in town meeting. A few years
since it was sold to Hon. Frank Jones.
The foUowing lease was given of it in 1753 : —

X "A

M^jom/m

OLD PARSONAGE

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 191

COPY OF LEASE TO NATHAN JOHNSON, ABNER HAINES,
WILLIAM JOHNSON, AND JOHN HUGGINS BY THE
SELECTMEN OF THE TOWN OF THE
UPPER PARSONAGE.
Cftia Indenture Made the tenth day of April one thousand Seven Hundred
and Fifty three Between Clement March Esq. John Brack,ett Gent, and
William Berry Yeoman all of Greenland in the Province of New Hamp
shire Of the one Part and Nathan Johnson, Abner Haines & William
Johnson for & John Huggins all of said Greenland Husbandman Of the
Other part Witneseth, that the said Clement March John Bracket and
William Berry for and in consideration of the rents and Covenants herein
after reserved and expressed pursuant to a vote of the said Parish of
Greenland — Have granted demised let & to farm Let and by these presents
Do Grant and demise Let & to farm Let unto them the Said Nathan John
son, Abner Haines William Johnson & John Huggins a certain tract of
land in Greenland containing one hundred and seventy acres more or less,
Bounded as follows viz, Begining at the North East Corner two rods
from Sam1 Woods Dwilling house thence running North West to Winnecut
or the Mill Pond so called then runs along by said river to Henry Clark's
fence then, the land of Nathan Marston to the Country Road & by said
Road till it comes to the Corner where it Began, a Tract of Land Commonly
Called the Upper Parsonage — or Glebe Land in Said Greenland. TO
HAVE AND TO HOLD the said Demised Premises with all the Privileges
& appurtenances thereto belonging to them the said Nathan Johnson Abner
Haines, William Johnson & John Huggins their Exec'™ Admin'" & Assigns
for and during the term of three Years commencing on the day of the date
hereof & from thence to be fully complete & ended they the said Nathan
Johnson Abner Haines William Johnson & John Huggins their Executors
Administrators & Assigns YIELDING & PAYING for the same at or before
the first Day of February Yearley During said term the full and just sum
of Eighty five Pounds old Tenor to the Said Clement March John Bracket
William Berry or the Survivors or Survivor of them or to his Executors or

192 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
Administrators for the use of the Parish aforesaid and also cutting into
cord wood length & haling to the door of the Rev Mr William Allen. where
he now does or shall live jn Greenland aforesaid During said time as much
good cord wood as he shall have occasion for the use of his own family to
be so cutt and haled Seasonably for his use & farther shall at their own
charge and expense keep and maintain a good and sufficient fence round
that Tract of Land in said Greenland called & known by the name of the
Lower Parsonage or Glebe Land During said term & leave the same in
good repair at the end thereof And in case of the decease of the said
Mr Allen before the expiration of said time the said Lessees or their
ExectrB Adminrs or assigns Shall Pay as aforesaid for the use of Said Parish
as much in bills of Credit as the value of said cordwood would amount to
for the time that shall remain of Said Term, after such decease.
And the said Clement March John Bracket & William Berry for them
selves & their respective Executors & Administrators & assigns Do
hereby Covenant Grant Bargain Sell & gree to with the said Lessees their
Executors Administrators & Assigns that they and any of them Shall and
may Quietly & Peaceably have hold and enjoy the said premises during
the said term without any Let hindrance or molestation & Defended against
all claims & Demands whatsoever Paying & Performing as aforesaid t
And the said Lessees for themselves and their Executors Administrators
and Assigns do hereby Covenant & agree with the said Clement March
John Bracket and William Berry the Survivors or the Survivor as aforesaid
that they the said Lessees their Executors Administrators & Assigns Shall
and will, well and truly pay the said rent yearley as aforesaid & hale
¦¦& Cut the said wood as aforesaid & Keep and maintain the said fence &
Leave the same as aforesaid And shall also pasture Six Sheep and their
lambs for the Said William Allen yearly During said term and if the rent
Shall at any time During Said Term be at arrearage & unpaid more than ten
days after the said first day of February Yearley it shall & may be Lawful
to & for the said Clement March John Brackett William Berry or the
Survivors or Survivor of them as Aforesaid to Re-enter into the Premises
& the Said Lessees their Executors Administrators or assigns to oust
amouve & Eject & the Said Lease & this Demises utterly thence forward

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 193
to cease & Determine and in Case of failure & Deficiency of the said
Lessee or their Executors Administrators or Assigns of the Articles Matters
& things aforesaid by them to be done the said Lessors the Survivors or
Survivor as aforesaid to Renter oust amove & Eject them as aforesaid &
the Remaineder of Said term thenceforward to Determine & Cease as afore
said And also the said Lessors their Ex — & Admrs & Assigns shall not
cut any green wood or Timber nor suffer the same to be done upon said
premises During said Term Excepting for said firewood and maintaining
said fence as aforesaid or fencing the said demized premises nor any old
wood or underwood except what Shall be Taken for the use of Elinor Brick
& James Wood who shall hereby have Liberty to enter on said Premises
& take the same And Also that they the said Lessees their Executors
Administrators or Assigns Shall not Plough up any part of said Premises
Excepting that part thereof that now Lies on Indian Hill (so called) to
level the same which they are to do the Present Year. In witness Whereof
the said Parties have hereunto set their hands Interchangeably and seals
the Day and Year above written
CLEMENT MARCH [l. s.J
JOHN BRACKETT [l. s.]
Wm BERRY - [l. s.J
Signed Sealed and Delivered in presence. of us
Mattheas Haines
Simon Pottle

194:

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

LIST OF TAX PAYERS PAYING OVER' TWENTY
SHILLINGS IN 1743.

£

s

d

Thos. Ayeres

6

18

6

John Allen .

1

0

6

John Allen, Jr. .

1

2

0

Joshua Brackett

5

19

0

Jno. Brackett

4

13

0

Daniel Brackett .

2

5

0

Daniel Berry

2

6

0

Thos. Berry

3

19

9

Henry Clark

2

6

0

Enoch Clark

1

12

0

Henry Clark, Jr.

1

0

.6

Dea. John Cate .

2

12

6

Wm. Cate .

1

12

0

Eleazer Cate

1

3

6

James Cate

2

18

0

Joshua Dearborn

4

8

6

Ed. Dearborn

2

19

6

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 195

THE MALOONS.

The last of the Maloons died on the Town Farm, and were
taken from a house that belonged to Major Avery, in Stratham,
long since gone to firewood or dust. It stood, when I was a
boy, on the road that leads to Stratham from Amos Davis'.
At one time they lived in a house just above Elias Wentworth's,
on J. • Clement Weeks' land. The family originated on the
land called the "Maloon Field" next to John Porter Weeks'
land. Mr. J. Clement Weeks wrote me that "one of them went
away and brought home the small pox. " They all took it, and
aU died except Mark, and were buried, up in John Porter's pas
ture across the railroad, and their graves can be seen to this
day. Mr. Weeks also wrote that Mr. Maloon and his wife
were nice people. He was the butcher for this part of the
town. If any one wished a kind thing done, he was ready to
do it. I well remember how he used to pat my head and say,
' ' The little man grows every day. " Peace to his ashes, he
lived to a good old age, and died as aforesaid.
There was a time when the Maloons paid as high a tax as
any of the Weekses, and the Maloon field is the best land on the
Weeks farm — now belonging to Mrs. Ehnor Wentworth.

196 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

THE MARCH FARM.

The March farm, which came mostly, if not all, from John
Hall, consists, or did consist, of about two hundred and seventy-
five acres, has been in the family for seven generations, and
was owned the last time by Hon. Clement March.
Its extent on the road is marked by the handsomest stone
waU to be found in the State, unless we except that built by
William P. Packer in the same town. It was built of clouded
granite, and came from Eaymond, the foundation being sunk
eighteen inches below the surface.
In front of the house for two or three hundred feet, the waU
is of dimension stone, and every block beaded.
On the same spot where the present house stands a house
was burned in 1812. Another was soon put up of three stories,
which was consumed by fire in 1826. The family moving,
meanwhile, into a farm house at the end of a lane about half a
mile below and over towards Newington. My father, Ralph
Hall, was employed as foreman on the farm, and my mother-
did much of the house work for one year, and while the house
was being rebuilt.
In the year 1869 large additions were made, including a barn,
corn-house, carriage house, and grapery, aU of which are going
to decay.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 197
Opposite the house in a northwesterly direction is the tomb
erected by Clement March in 1759, and repaired by Charles and
Clement in 1859.
We make the following extracts from Brewster (Ramble
119) : —
" This farm was first owned and occupied by John Hall.
The date of his grant was about 1656 or 1657, as land was
laid out to John HaU and others at that date (see 1856).
' ' By his wiU dated in 1677 in the reign of his Majesty Charles
of that name the Second, by the Grace of God of France Great
Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc., etc.,
we learn was regarded as a Township of Dover.
' ' His son Joseph HaU, succeeded him as proprietor. He had
three daughters. One of them became the mother of Dr.
Clement Hall Jackson ; and another married Joshua Pierce and
was the grandmother of the late distinguished John Pierce of
Portsmouth ; and another was married to Israel March, who
came from Massachusetts sometime between 1690 and 1700,
and by wiU of his father-in-law he came into possession of the
farm. Clement, the son of Israel, born in 1707, added largely
to his patrimonial estate, and by purchase from one of the
original assignees of Mason's patent became one of the largest
landed proprietors in the State.
' ' He commanded the Horse Guards under Gov. Benning
Wentworth, by whom he was appointed Aid, and also Judge of
the Court. He possessed great influence in his vicinity, and
represented the town of Greenland for twenty years or more.
' ' When he lay down the functions of Representative, he is
reported as saying, ' Fellow Citizens, I have served you to the
best of my ability for many years ; I propose to do so no
longer ; you will now bring in your votes for my son-in-law,
the major. ' The major was elected accordingly.

198 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
"His son Clement succeeded to the estate in Greenland and
Portsmouth. He graduated at Harvard University, and studied
medicine with Dr. A. R. Cutter of Portsmouth. He married
Miss Lucy Dudley Wainwright, by whom he had six sons : —
Thomas, who died at 71 ; Charles, who died at 94 ; Clement,
who died at 47 ; Joseph Wainwright, who remained on the
homestead and died in Greenland in 1843, aged 58 ; Francis,
who died at 51, and John Howard in Paris in 1863, aged 72.
John Howard was for over forty years the American Consul at
Madeira. ' ' Joseph W. married and had five children : Charles, who
died in Egypt ; Clement, who died in Virginia ; Frank, who
Went to New York ; WiUiam, who was crippled by a fever,
and Susan, who married and went to Boston.
' ' Clement, who received most of his brother's property,
became involved and went to Virginia, where he died.
"A large part of the place was sDld to pay debts, and the
balance was saved to cover a legacy made by Charles to a rela
tive in New York."
Charles, an elder brother of Wainwright, was a great friend
of Daniel Webster.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 199

MILLS.
One of the most important things in a new country are
mills — saw mills for building and grist mills for grinding corn.
The first mfll in town was a saw mill, and whether there
was a grist miU on the other side of the stream, as there was
when I was a boy, I do not know ; but the mill was old and
must have been there for years in 1822. Then there was the
tide miU, and Davis' MiU, and Pickering's Mill, on the Champer
nown Creek, and also one on a stream that leads into the
Winnicut across Boston road, and another at Winnicut. All
of these miUs were doing a good business when I was a boy.
In Burleigh's time, in 1830 to 1840, there was also a carding,
weaving, and fuUing mill on the west side of the stream which
did a good business, and I have worn clothes made from cloth
manufactured there.
This mill privilege was granted from the king, with as much
land as by deed was conveyed to Haines by Philip Lewis and
Isaac Cole in 1670. See deed in 1670.
There was also a mill on the Winnicut, above Haines' log.
Whether this mill was the one belonging to or run by David
Simpson I do not know. But the town voted to give to David
Simpson two logs of pine timber to go over the river by his
miU. The tide miU was erected by John Johnson and others in

200 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
the year 1756 or thereabout, for leave was granted to him to
do so and join his dam to the town landing.
In 1864 the miUs on the Winnicut River were purchased and
a stock company formed under the name of The Union MiUs.
There were fifty shares at one hundred dollars a share. For
the first three years it paid a good dividend, when they had a
good treasurer. The shares were finally sold to one man for
about twenty-five per cent of par value. The mill lately
burned down, and Simeon Brackett has the miU privilege under
a long lease. The first mention made of this miU is in 1670,
when Lewis and Cole sold it to Samuel Haines.

METHODIST CHURCH.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 201

METHODIST CHURCH AND PASTORS.

The Methodist denomination was introduced in Greenland
August, 1808, by the preaching of Rev. George Pickering. He
organized a church of forty members, consisting of the follow
ing persons : —
Samuel Hatch, Sr., and his wife Polly Hatch ; Samuel
Hatch, Jr. ; WiUiam Simpson and his wife Abigail ; Abigail
Packer ; Thomas Chapman and his wife SaUy ; Joseph Clark
and his wife Comfort ; Isaiah Berry and his wife Elizabeth ;
Mary Marston ; Olive Snell and Elisabeth Gookin.
In 1815 the church was built. Previous to this worship
was held in private houses until the parish voted them
the use of the church a part of the time. But when they
settled Rev. Mr. Abbott, the Congregationists wanted the
church aU the time, and then the Methodists had to build a.
meeting house.
In 1836 the meeting house was moved across the street and
fitted up ; then it was burned. In 1837 the present meeting
house was built. It was remodelled in 1872, and in 1891 it was
remodelled again, and the bell was removed to the corner and
the frame strengthened.
The pastors of the church were as f oUows : —

202

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

George Pickering

1809

N. L. Chase

1856-57

John Broadhead

1810

J. W. Gurnsey

1858-59

Orlando Hines

1811

Charles Young

1860

Lewis Bates

1812

Eleazer Smith
1861-62
Jona. Cheney
1813
George S. Barnes
1863-64
William Hinman
1814
Nelson Green
1865-66
Martin Ruter
1815
A. C. Mans on
1867-68
Caleb Dustin
1816
George N. Bryant
1869-70
Alfred Metcalf
1817-
-35
Fred D. Chandler
1871-72
Russel Spalding
1835
Hugh Montgomery
1873-74
J. H. Pattisson
1836
N, M. D. Granger
1875-76
Samuel Prescott
1837
George W. Ruland
1877-79
E. D. Trickey
1838
W. E. Bennett
1880-81
A. H. Worthing
1840
W. H. Jones
1882-84
John Smith
1841
O. S. Baketel
1884-87
Matthew Newhall
1842-
-43
D. W. Downs
1887-88
Richard Newhall
1844
S. P. Heath
188.8-89
James Adams
1845-
-46
Mellen Howard
1889-91
Franklin Furbur
1847-
-48
John W. Adams
1891-94
Benjamin R. Hoyt
1849-
•50
John D. Folsom
1894-96
Silas Green
1851-
-52
Francis O. Tyler
1896-99
James Thurston
1853-
-54
Alvah E. Draper
1899
Lorenzo Draper
1855
Parsonage built in 1840.
In 1815 the following preamble and subscription paper was
lodged and entered in the town records : —
We, the subscribers in Greenland — It being our pleasure to
erect a Methodist and Baptist meeting house, in said town, for
the purpose of pubhc worship, have well and truly paid the
sum that is annexed to our respective names. Said meeting
house is to be under control of a majority of the donors ; if
sold, each one of the subscribers to receive in proportion to
RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

203

what they have paid, and in case of death it shall go to his or
her heirs of said or subscribers belonging to the Methodist and
Baptist societies, and in case that any subscriber should here
after subscribe and pay the sum annexed to his or her name to
the clerk of said societies, shall receive of the above subscriber
due from the time when signed, and the clerk to lay out said
money as the majority of the subscribers think proper.

Joseph Weeks

$40 92

John Ayers

$ 6 50

Thomas Berry, Jr.

36 37

Nathaniel Haines

13 50

George Lang

10 00

Joshua Weeks, Jr.

9 75

William Weeks

27 25

Daniel Johnson

6 50

Jothan Johnson

10 75

Greenleaf Clark

1 25

Benjamin H. Weeks

24 87

Walter Weeks, Jr.

21 75

Amos Davis

55 25 •

Elizabeth Clark

4 00

Joseph Clark

24 12

William Simpson

5 80

Samuel Hatch

56 12 >

Abigail Packer

3 00

Thomas Marston

25 00

Lydia Leathers

1 00

William Haines

20 50

Shedrach Robinson

59 35

John Haines

16 12

Rev. Alfred Metcalf

50 00

John S. Haines

10 75

Benjamin Norton

1 50

Dorothy Johnson

13 00

Jonathan Dockum

75

Noah Haines

15 00

John K. Hatch

75

Simeon Norton

6 87

Brad J. Robinson

75

Noah Marston

75

John Simpson

50

David Johnson

75

Josiah Weeks

50

Daniel Norton

7 60

Thomas Berry,
Jr.,
Society'
s Clerk.
A true entry.
Per Thomas Philbrook, Town Clerk.
204 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

PICKERING GENEALOGY, EDWIN AND JOHN.

Thomas Pickering5, son of Nicholas4, of Thomas3, of Thomas2,
of John1, of Newington, N. H., born October, 1778 ; died
Sept. 8, 1825 ; married Martha P. Brackett .of Greenland,
Aug. 13, 1807. She died Aug. 1, aged 71 years.
Children :
1. Edwin A., Oct. 21, 1808 ; died unmarried.
2. James A., Sept. 13, 1810.
3. Joshua B., Oct. 26, 1811.
4. Frank T., Jan. 3, 1816.
5. Martha B., May 27, 1817.
6. John B., March 7, 1821.
John B. Pickering6, son of Thomas5, Nicholas4, Thomas3,
Thomas2, John1, married Jane Hodgdon.
Children :
Charles Edwin.
John Brackett ; died unmarried.
John B.6 married a second wife by the name of Ida WiUiams,
from Nova Scotia.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 205

THE PARROT ESTATE.

This estate was purchased from Thomas Pickering and the
Cates, by John Parrot, who married, and had a son, John F.,
who was United States senator, and others. I find the owner,
in Phineas MerriU's map, pubhshed in 1806, was put down as
Widow Toscan, whose husband was French Vice Consul, and
was a Parrott, and grandmother to the present Toscan ladies.
John F. was the father of Wilham F., John, and some sisters.
Capt. WiUiam F. improved this place very much while he
was the owner, and added many acres to the place.
The Toscan ladies of Portsmouth stiU own this place and
keep it as a summer residence.

206 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

POLLED FARMS.

In 1857 or 1858, when the Hon. C. W. Hatch was Represen
tative, the subject of. polled farms on the west part of the
town was brought up in the Legislature, and after much tribu
lation and trial, those farms which had been polled off from
Stratham and on to Greenland were made a part of the town
of Greenland, and the town hnes were run and records and
bounds were fixed, as may be seen on map of 1806. In my
boyhood days the line ran across the lowland in front of George
Odell's, and over what was the cider house when the farm
belonged to Captain Shaw, and so up to Sandy Point. The
farms polled were the Gookin or Robinson, or Odell's, as it is
now, Samuel Hatch's, and the Shaw place, now belonging to
me, and there were others. But the subject was settled
through him, and these farms became a part of Greenland.
See the difference between the two maps, 1806 and 1900.

«^

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

207

PEIRCE FARM AND FAMILY.

Joshua Peirce was the first of the Peirce family who arrived
at Portsmouth. Mr. Joshua Peirce married and had a son
Joshua who married Ehzabeth, daughter of Joseph HaU of
Piscataqua, N. H. And this Elizabeth, widow of Joseph Hall,
married Col. Thos. Packer, supposed to be the father of Sheriff
Packer. She died in Greenland in 1717, aged 62, and was
buried there.
The extensive and highly cultivated farm of Colonel Peirce,
Brewster says, adjoins the March farm, and is made up in part
of the paternal property, descended from his ancestor Hall.
The original HaU house was on the premises of Colonel Peirce,
near the spot where the sharp-roofed cottage now stands on the
Newington road. In this old HaU house I hved when I came

208 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
to town, a child. I have made a little sketch of the -house as
it looked at that time, which the reader wiU find on a proper
page in my Rhymes.
The Champernown part of the farm has lately been sold to
one Daniels. It extended originally from Packer's Creek all
the way around the point by the bay and around the road by
the Parade. The part between the Champernown Creek and
the road was sold in lots, and we have the record of the sale of
the Haines farm or Enoch Clark's place, which was at one time
leased to Samuel Haines, and afterward bought by him.
'There was also sold a portion, described in a private letter to
Mr. Joseph Peirce, and bought back by Thos. Packer. Of the
•other portions I can find no particular account of the sale.
That letter is as follows : —
From Horatio Perkins' Diary op Kennebunkport.
" Part of the Peirce Farm was once owned by Thomas Perkins. He
bought an estate in Greenland N. H. of 50 acres of Marsh & Meadow
land for £ 100 of Col. Wm. Partridge of Portsmouth in 1705 in that part
of the town known as ' Capt. Champernown's old farms ' on the east side
of the creek, that runs out of Winnecut river near Greenland Bay. He
lived here until 1721 (17 years) when he sold out for £450 to Thomas
Packer Esq. of Greenland, and removed to Kennebunkport. It goes on
to say that the farm is now (1842) in the possession of Mr. Peirce
formerly of Portsmouth, N. H. The old house stood near the brook on the
road." And this was the place bought by John Parrot and taxed to
Enoch Parrot in 1823 at $18.06. The same year Buonapart
Toscan was taxed $17.80.
The Packer house, in the time of Col. Joshua W. Peirce, was

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 209
out by the road after you go over Packer's brook. I remember
the barn on the hill. The cellar was not fiUed up enough to con
ceal the location of the house, and can be seen to this day. A
part of this house was put on to the back side of the house
that was burned down March 23, 1874, and was drawn there by
a single yoke of oxen.
The Champernown house was built down the point opposite
the right angle bend in the river, where it turns to go up
toward Stratham.
The great barn for pressing hay was built in 1864.
The late Mark W. Pierce, who had the control of the farm
for a good many years, was the first to import Durham blooded
stock into this country. He had a cow and a bull that were
very fine animals. He raised a large number of animals from
them. One of them, called Columbus, was the largest animal
of the kind ever raised in this country, and was sent over to
England and exhibited there on account of its size and perfec
tion. He gave great attention to stock raising, and had many
fine animals.

210 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

THE GREENLAND RIOT.

From the Portsmouth Journal of 1865.
The little town of Greenland was the scene of a disgraceful
riot on Tuesday, the day of election of State and town officers,
and as many versions of the circumstances are abroad we
wiU give a plain statement of the facts as we have learned
them from conversation with individuals present.
To begin at the beginning. It is well known that the
MiUionnaire, ever since he deserted his old friends and joined the
faction of the late ex-President, has used every means in his
power to turn the vote of this loyal town to his own party
purposes. In furtherance of this plan great exertions were
made by said MiUionnaire at. the spring election of 1864, himself
being the candidate for Representative ; but the Copperheads,
as is well known, were foiled at every point, and the little town
still remained upright in its loyalty.
The MiUionnaire now gave out that the town should be turned •¦
at whatever cost, and that to ensure his purpose he would
bring in men enough to effect it. Accordingly, in September
last, just in time or season for a six months' residence, he
imported a colony of shoemakers and blacksmiths, bought
shops and houses, bought farms and other houses, and went
deeply into the profitable job of making shoes and shoeing
horses ; for our MiUionnaire, though profuse in his expenditures,
has a keen eye for the investment of the large fortune lately
fallen into his possession.
The new comers immediately notified the Town Clerk of

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 211
their arrival, claiming' the right' of citizenship. But as the
time of election drew near, the Selectmen were advised by
learned counsel that, as these men came into town for the
express purpose of effecting the election, many of them having
families elsewhere, and their names retained on check lists in
other towns, they ought not to be allowed to vote.
Acting on this advice, in accordance with their own views,
the Selectmen, on the morning of election, refused to put their
names on the check list, and great confusion and shouting
immediately took place. All sorts of threats and exclamations
were uttered.
Quiet being restored, the warrant was read, and votes caUed
for Moderator. A few votes were thrown when the employees
of the MiUionnaire crowded around the stand, so as to prevent
access to the ballot box.
The row now became general, and some fighting took place,
but without much damage on either side.
The scene is thus described by the party organ : —
"When the polls were opened, one of the disfranchised men offered his
vote for Moderator, to the Chairman of the Selectmen, who held the ballot
box. The vote was refused, which was the signal for a summary closing
out of the Town House, the hasty skedaddle of the valiant Selectmen, and
the indefinite postponement of the election in that town. In the fury of
the moment the various articles of furniture and several specimens of loyal
paraphernalia were pretty effectually demolished. Some bellicose police
men of Portsmouth, who had been called to protect the Selectmen in the
consummation of their outrage upon the Democracy of Greenland, suddenly
found their own courage sadly at fault, and beat an incontinent retreat."
The stage is elevated from the floor of the haU about three or
four feet, and it is understood that no person should be there
but the officers of the town ; but these noisy Copperheads, two

212 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
of which signed the famous letter of 1864, had taken the
position beside the table on the stage, and at a signal given by
these intruders a rush was made for the stage. The tables and
benches were overturned and smashed, the stove was broken
to pieces, panels were knocked out of the doors, the ballot box
seized by one of the Millionnaire's principal workmen, the town
records were seized and carried off by a Newburyport architect,
another of his employees, and very soon everything was at a
standstill. The Selectmen soon retired and consequently quiet
was soon restored. In the afternoon, however, the Copper
heads, under the auspices of a prominent contractor, were
addressed by the MiUionnaire, and they kept up their orgies till
past midnight.
It may not be amiss to add, as closely connected with the
proceedings, that the MiUionnaire was arrested on Monday
preceding the election for non-payment of his taxes, but was
rescued by a prominent counsellor of Portsmouth, who had
him in charge. This being a little serious, the counsellor
found it necessary to give a written obligation to surrender the
prisoner or pay the tax on Wednesday, and the latter alterna
tive, we understand, was effected. Although this matter is
disgraceful to those who were engaged in it, it only results in
Greenland being left without a Representative.
The men who were engaged in this transaction are now aU
dead, and probably before they died repented of their doings,
for they were carried away by party spirit.
In 1867, two years after the Democrats came into power, they
then voted to expunge the record that the Town Clerk had
made of the breaking up of the town meeting in 1865. Here is
a photograph of the leaf as it is now, in the town records.

V < v v

^fc^y^j

» , /^?^ Jy^'ft*.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 213

PACKER FAMILY — GENEALOGY.

Col. Thos. Packer, father of Sheriff Packer, married Eliza
beth, widow of Joseph HaU, August, 1687. She died Aug.
14, 1717.
Hon. Thos. Packer, who was High Sheriff from 1741 to 1771,
married first Rebecca Wentworth, daughter of Lieut. -Governor
John Wentworth, and died in 1768. His second wife was
Ann Packer nee Odiorne.
Matthew B. Packer married Abigail Pickering, born Oct. 4,
1777, and died Sept. 3, 1857; aged 80 years. His wife had the
following children : —
James P., Ephraim, William C, Theodore, and Lydia.
Lydia died unmarried in 1852.
James P. married Elinor Haines, and had
Olive R., Mary E., James W., Charles C, Abby E.,
Ephraim H., Clinton, and Mary C, and died aged 89
years and 3 months.
William C, born 1812 ; died 1871 ; married Jane A. Kennard,
and died 1871. The children were Wm. Henry and Frances,
but Frances died.

214 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

THE CONGREGATIONAL PARISH, CHURCH, AND
PASTORS.

The first settled minister was the Rev. William Allen, who
was born in Boston, Mass., March, 1676, graduated at Harvard
CoUege, 1703, and ordained pastor July 15, 1707. He was the
fifth Congregationalist pastor in the State. He was the pastor
until Nov. 3, 1756, when at his request a colleague pastor was
settled. He died in 1760, and at a parish meeting it was voted,
' ' That the town will give a decent burial to their Rev. pastor
deceased, and that the Selectmen be a committee for this pur
pose, and that a mourning ring be presented to Rev. Samuel
MacChntock." The Rev. Samuel MacChntock was born May 1, 1732. He
graduated at Princeton in 1751. He settled in the ministry at
Greenland in 175 6, where he had supplied the desk for the aged
Mr. AUen. He was of warm temperament, and encouraged
enlistments in the army destined for the overthrow of the
French power in America. That his practice might tally with
his preaching, he volunteered as chaplain for Col. Goffee's regi
ment. He continued with his regiment until after the faU of
Montreal and its return to Crown Point, which place he left
Sept. 22 and returned home, accompanied by Moses Ham,
Samuel Sleeper, and Henry Hill as a guard. In the War of

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF 1900.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 215
the Revolution he warmly espoused the patriot cause, went
into active service, officiated as chaplain, "in turn with other
clergymen in the province," for the New Hampshire troops in
the vicinity of Boston in 1775, and was the regularly appointed
chaplain of Stark's regiment of 1775, and CiUey's of 1776, the
former ever speaking of him with pleasure as " my chaplain."
Dr. MacChntock died April 27, 1804, in the seventy-sixth year
of his age.
Brewster in his Ramble CXI. says of Dr. MacChntock : —
" William McClintock, the father of Dr. Samuel, was a respectable
farmer born in Scotland. From thence he removed to Londonderry in
Ireland, and after the religious war of James, and after the King relieved
the place he went where he found friends, for the eastern coast of Ireland
and the west of Scotland have in all ages been inhabited by men of the
same stock. But the war was transferred to Ireland, and James sat down
before Londonderry, determined to press it by a slow siege. This was one
of the most important and most obstinately contested sieges during the
whole war. It continued from the month of December, 1688, until
August, 1689. The garrison suffered all the miseries attendant on a pro
tracted siege, which they bore with unflinching fortitude.
"King William at length relieved the place. Mr. McClintock with"
some others emigrated to America when the war was over. Their fortunes
had probably been dissipated, and they hoped to find that religious peace
and those worldly comforts which they sought for in vain in their own
country across the ocean.
" Mr. McClintock settled on Mystic river, but his companions travelled
on to Londonderry in this State, which they named after their parent town.
Mr. McClintock continued quiety to till his farm without entering into any
of the politics of the clay, busy with Scotch thrift in increasing his property,
and died at the advanced age of ninety. He was married four times, had
nineteen children, — and left by his last wife one daughter and two sons.

216 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
"Dr. Samuel McClintock was born in 1732. He was educated at
Princeton College, under the care of President Burr, the father of the dis
tinguished Aaron Burr.
"We may suppose that he finished his course with honor, for his ser
mons bear the marks of great mental discipline, and we have been told
that throughout his life he was distinguished as one of the finest Latin
scholars in New England.
" After having finished his studies, stopping on a journey to Portsmouth,
he was invited to preach before the Congregational Society of Greenland,
who were in want of an assistant for their pastor, Mr. Allen, then very
infirm with age; and so -favorable was the impression he made, that he
was immediately invited to share his labors. He soon after accepted and
entered upon his duties. It is reported that the charms of a certain Mary
Montgomery, of Scotch extraction, and who resided in Portsmouth, had a
great influence in inducing Mr. McClintock to accept a charge which offered
so little in a wordly point of view. This lady Dr. McClintock married,
and if she induced him to accept the offer of the Greenland Society he
never repented it. His salary was but $300 a year, with the parsonage, a
small and not over fertile farm. This seems little enough, when we recol
lect that the Doctor had fifteen children to support, and the tax upon his
hospitality was somewhat heavy, as there were no hotels in those days, and
the pastor was expected to entertain all the travelling clergymen of his
own denomination, and other men of any note.
" His children have amusingly related that whether the cow gave more
milk or less, the quantity was always the same, — it was, to be sure, a
trifle bluer. Dr. McClintock had many calls to richer churches, but he
preferred his own people, to whom he was endeared by a long ministry of
forty-eight years of uninterrupted usefulness. During the Revolution he
strongly espoused the side of the people, as his temper was ardent, and
he very easily broke the bond of allegiance to a government to which his
religious principles were opposed, and from which his ancestors had suffered
so much.
" His character gave weight to his opinions, and we must give him credit
for courage, since he was so ready to stand forth boldly in a doubtful

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 217
cause, when in case of defeat his ruin was certain. He was Chaplain at
the battle of Bunker Hill, and is represented in Trumbull's picture of that
battle ; and he has left a sermon on the_ adoption of the Constitution,,
exhibiting the enlarged views of a patriot and the temper of a Christian.
' ' But Dr. McClintock suffered severely in the cause which he espoused
with such boldness. Three of his sons perished in the war. One of them,
Nathaniel, received a collegiate education at Harvard, but the war break
ing out he joined General Washington, and was raised to the rank of
Major of Brigade. He was in the New Hampshire line at the battles
before the capture of Burgoyne on the 19th of September and the 7th of
October. After the capture, his regiment was ordered South, and he was-
with Washington at the memorable capture of the Hessians at Trenton.
He was then (although he had not reached twenty-one years of age) , raised
to the rank of Major of the line, over all the older Captains. And as he-
was therefore regarded with jealousy by those lower than himself in rank,.
he resigned his commission and returned home. He was induced to take the
command of a company of marines which went out in a ship-of-war, the
' Raleigh,' and soon after perished in an engagement. Another son of Dr.
McClintock was an officer at the battle of Trenton and there slain ; and a
third was lost at sea, serving as a midshipman, and afterwards as lieutenant
in a ship-of-war. Dr. McClintock bore all these trials with Christian
fortitude. " He was loved and esteemed by his parish, and in the latter part of his
life received the Diploma of Doctor of Divinity from Princeton College
where he was educated.
"He enjoyed uninterrupted good health, and- was only ill a few days
before his death, which took place at the age of seventy-two. In his
writing desk were found the following instructions to his son John : —
" ' I feel myself sinking in the vale of years, near the house appointed,
and have had for some time a premonition that the time of my departure is
near. It may be imagined. However, considering that I have exceeded
the stated period of human life, it must be expected that I am drawing
near the great period. My only hope of being happy beyond the grave is
founded on the mercy of God and the merits of a Divine Redeemer. May

218 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
you, long after I shall be here no more, enjoy happiness in the endear
ments of an agreeable companion and pleasant children. You know that
I have appointed you executor of my will, and that therein I have expressed
my desire that the solemnity of my funeral should be conducted in the
manner that is customary at the funerals of my parishioners, without any
parade or sermon which has commonly been the custom at the funerals of
those who have sustained any public character in life. If you should think
it proper, about which I am perfectly indifferent, to erect a head-stone at
my grave, which in that case I wish may be quite a plain one, I would have
you inscribe in it the following epitaph, without an addition or alteration,
except filling up the blanks for the months and years of my decease and
standing in the ministry : —
'"To the memory of Samuel McClintock, D. D. who died  in the
- — year of his age, and  of his ministry.
" ' His body rests here in the certain hope of a resurrection to life and immor
tality, when Christ shall appear the second time to destroy the last enemy, Death,
and to consummate the great design of his mediatorial kingdom.'
"The annual fast, which was the 19th of April, 1804, was the last of
his preaching ; and what was remarkable, on his return to his family he
observed that he had done his preaching. He continued until the morning
of the 27th of April, when he exchanged this world for another, and is,
we trust, reaping the reward of a faithful servant in the kingdom of God.
"His grave-stone, inscribed as above with the blanks filled (died 27th
April, 1804, aged 72 — 48th of his ministry) , may be seen in the Green
land Cemetery.
" Dr. McClintock had two wives, his first wife, Mary Montgomery, died
Aug. 4, 1785, aged 48. The following motto is on her grave-stone:
" 'Earth's highest station ends in " Here he lies,"
' And dust to dust concludes her noblest song.'
" For his last wife he was married to a widow, Mrs. Darling. The match
was not very congenial. She was not so strictly the darling of his heart
as his first love. She survived him. On the grave-stone the name is
D ailing. " Dr. McClintock's religious views were strictly calvinistieal in the early

REV, EPHRAIM ABBOTT.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 219
part of his ministry. Some regarded them harsh and untempered by the
law of love."
His son, Capt. John MacChntock, lived in what is now
the Brown House next to the Unitarian Stone Church in
Portsmouth. Miss Mary, eldest daughter of Dr. MacChntock, married a
Stoodley, and died 1786, aged twenty-five years. She had two
daughters ; one married a son of "Jew. Bartlet " of Newbury
port, and the other married Capt. John Gookin.
On Miss Mary's grave-stone are the following lines : —
" Passenger remember thou must soon be reduced to my humble state."
Rev. James Armstrong Neal was ordained May 22, 1805, and
died July 18, 1808.
Rev. Ephraim Abbott was ordained Oct. 27, 1813, and con
tinued until the pastor was dismissed, Oct. 28, 1828, on account
of ill health. He was the leading spirit in founding the Brack
ett Academy, and was the first preceptor and the first president
of the Board of Trustees.
Rev. Samuel Wallace Clark was installed Aug. 5, 1829, and
died Aug. 17, 1847, aged fifty-two years.
Rev. Edwin Holt was instaUed March 8, 1848, and dismissed
at his own request Jan. 7, 1851, on account of faihng health.
Rev. Edward Robie, D. D., was ordained Feb. 25, 1852, and
is the pastor at the present time.
His fortieth anniversary was made a gala day, and was
celebrated as an uncommon occasion, for few ministers can
look back on a service of forty years, now almost fifty years,

220 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
continuous in one church, when so many things might happen
to disturb its relations. The fact is a remarkable one, and no
wonder he is loved for his goodness and admired for his
scholarship. On Saturday, April 20, 1889, the church was struck by
lightning while the children were rehearsing for a public
performance, and frightened them very much.
The last parsonage was bought in 1852 of James P. Packer,
and makes a delightful home for the pastor.
The Congregational Society was organized in 1829.
Mr. Robie was ordained in 1852, and with much satisfaction
to his church and society. But in 1863, in rebellious times,
when some persons not only sympathized with the South, but
expressed themselves in favor of the rebellion, Mr. Robie saw
fit to express his sentiments in a sermon, which enraged some
of his congregation. Hence they caUed a meeting and passed
the f oUowing resolutions : —
" Resolved, That we are entirely opposed to negro equahty in
any shape whatever, and that we wiU not countenance it in
any way.
' ' Resolved, That our minister be requested to let the negro
and politics alone in the pulpit.
' ' Resolved, That the clerk be directed to furnish our minister
with a copy of the foregoing preamble and resolution."
The clerk also writes : ' ' After much high wrought and
exciting ebullitions and discussion of the above items the
meeting adjourned." Present fifteen voters.
They also nailed up the doors of their pews in the church,
and one person never went to church from that day.

DR. EDWARD ROBIE.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 221
DEED OF THE GORE OF LAND ON WHICH THE CHURCH
NOW STANDS.
To all persons to whom those presents shall come, Greeting :
Know ye That Joshua Brackett of Greenland, in the province of New
Hampshire in New england, yeoman for and in consideration of Seventy
pounds old tenor money to me in hand before the Enpaling hereof well and
truly paid by my son James Brackett of Greenland aforesaid husbandman
the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge and my self there with fully
Satisfied and Contented and thereof : and of Every part and parcel thereof
do Exonerate acquit and Discharge unto the said James Brackett his Heairs
Executors and administrators forever by these presents Have Given
Granted Bargained Sould Alionated Conveyed and Confirmed and by these
presents Do freely fully and absolutly Give Grant Bargain Sell Alionate
Convey and Confirm unto the Said James Brackett his heirs and assigns
forever a Certain Tract or Gord of Land Situated Lying and Being in the
Parish of Greenland near Portsmouth and province of Newhampshire in
New england Bounded as followeth : Said gore of land containing about
one half an acre more or less, and Lying Between the Road going to Exeter
and the Road going to Hampton from Portsmouth afore said or however
otherwise Bounded or Reported to be Bounded To have and to hold said
Bargained and Granted premises with all the appurtenances and privileges
to the same belonging or in any wais appertaining to him the said James
Bracket his heirs assigns to his and their only proper use Benefit and
behoof forever. And I said Joshua Bracket for myself my heirs Execu
tors Administrators do Covenant and Grant to and with the said James
Bracket his heirs and assigns that before the ensealing hereof I
owner of the above bargained premises and am lawfully
seized' possessed of the same in mine proper right as a Good perfect
absolute estate of inheritance in full Single and hand in my self Good
Right full power and lawful authority to make sale of the same in manner
as aforesaid and that the said James Bracket his heirs and assigns may
and shall at all times forever hereafter by force and nature of these

222 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
presents lawfully presumably and quietly have hold use occupy possess and
enjoy the above described premises with the appertenances free and clear
and freely and clearly acquited and exonerated and Discharged of and
from all and all manner of former and other incumbrances in the law of
what name or nature So ever that might in any degree obstruct or make
void this deed. Furthermore I the said Joshua Bracket for myself my
heirs executors and administrators do Covenant and engage the above
devised premises to him the said James Bracket, his heirs and assigns the
lawful claims and demands of any person or persons whatsoever forever
hereafter I warrent Sound and defend by
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this third of
December Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and forty eight and
in the twenty second year of this Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the
Second, by the Grace of God King over Great Britain and Ireland.
Signed Sealed and delivered in presence of
his
Benj : O Dockum.
Mark
Richard Young. JOSHUA BRACKET [seal]
Province op New Hampshire, May ye 20, 1749.
Then the within named Joshua Bracket personaly appeared & acknowl
edged his hand and seal and the foregoing instrument to be his Vountary
act and deed before me. BRAD WIGGIN
Justice of Peace.
The present church was built in 1756, remodelled in f834, and
renovated in 1881.
It is the second edifice occupied by the society. The first
church was built on the corner of the cemetery, where the
Holmes and Foss lots are now. It is told that the Indians came
up the creek and shot two men as they came out of the church.
It is told that one of the choir was rambling round in the steeple

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 223
of the old church, and was so unfortunate as to break through
the plastering. So some wag of the church tried to immorta
lize her name by writing upon the side of the stairway the
f oUowing : — " Sarah Fox desires prayers
Hoisted on the Steeple stairs,
She broke no bones
She bruised no meat
Thanks be to God
She 's living yet."
From here the records are lost.

224

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

REPRESENTATIVES TO THE GENERAL COURT.

Previous to this record, the records are lost.
1774 Clement March to the Provincial Congress held at Exeter.
1775 " " " " " " " " "
1776 Ensign Joshua Haines to the convention held at Concord.
1777 " " " " " " " " "
1778 No record.
1779 Wm. Weeks, Esq., to the convention held at Exeter.

11 It It IL

tt tt it

Not represented.
Stephen March.
Yoted not to send.
Wm. Weeks, Esq. ¦
Voted not ta send.
ti tt tt tt
Clement March.
tt tt
Joshua Weeks.
Enoch Clark.

This was during the trouble about the
Constitution of the State.

ti tt
Capt. James Whidden.
ii it u
Ebenezer Johnson, Esq.
u n n
-07 Shadrach Robinson.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 225
1808-08 James Whidden.
1810-12 Ebenezer Johnson.
1813 Samuel Hatch.
1814 Capt. James Whidden.
1815 William Pickering, Esq.
1816 Shadrach Robinson.
1817-18 Isaiah Berry.
1819 Ebenezer Johnson.
1820 No record.
1821-22 John Avery.
1824-26 Joseph Weeks.
1827-28 Stephen Pickering.
1829-30 Rev. Alfred Metcalf.
1831-33 John K. Hatch.
1834-36 Theodore A. Burleigh.
1837-39 J. W. March.
1840-41 Thos. J. Berry.
1842-43 John Foss.
1844T45 Thomas Brackett.
1846-47 James P. Packer.
1848-49 Ralph Hall.
1850-51 John G. Pickering.
1852 Theodore A. Burleigh.
1853 Edward Holmes.
1854-55 James Hill.
1856-57 Charles W. Hatch.
1858-59 Geo. W. Davis.
1860 Rev. J. Adams.
1861 Rufus W. Weeks.
1862 George Weeks.
1863 Wm. L. Brackett.
1864 J. Clement Weeks.
1865 No Representative on account of riot.
1866-67 E. P. Packer.

226 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
1868 Albert Blaisdell.
1869-70 Chas. W. Pickering.
1871-72 Edwin A. Pickering.
1873 J. P. Tilton.
1874 Voted not to send.
1875-76 Nathan Berry.
1877-78 Edwin A. Peterson.
1879-82 John Hatch, Esq.
1883-85 John H. Brackett.
1886-87 Daniel W. Shea.
1888-89 Wm. H. Packer.
1890-91 Wm. P. Frink.
1892-93 John E. Seavey.
1894-95 Alexander Junkins.
1896-97 Edwin C. Foss.
1S98-99 John P. Weeks.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 227

THE REBELLION.

The Rebelhon, so caUed, on account of its influence on the
history of the country, was an important item in the history
of the whole country, but of httle interest to a little town hke
Greenland, which had no officers in the army and whose share
in the draft was very small. But Greenland did her part with
out much disturbance and fiUed her quota, and looked after
her substitutes with proper dihgence for the five years while
the war continued.
The number of soldiers the town furnished during the Rebel
hon was thirty-eight ; the town paid out $24,184, and the
f oUowing persons were enlisted for the Army : —
[Those marked with a * died in the service.]
*Jeremiah Mahoney. James Welch.
Peter Barry. Ephraim Pickering.
James Berry. Thomas H. Brown.
Pierpont Hammond. * Jacob Davis.
John Harrington. Charles T. Farrell.
Isaiah. Bagley. Edward Burleighi
*John W. Pickering. Wm. H. Mix.
John P. Weeks. Solomon Grey.
John A. Tucker. Albert Durgin.
Rufus Simpson. Arthur P. Ball.
Augustus L. Clark. J. O. Keeffee.
Ebenezer W. Smith. John Goby.
?Joseph Sanborn. Robert C. Pierce.
Joseph A. Young. Ephriam Packer.
* John Freeland. *Peter Bowman.
Lincoln Roak. Charles Burleigh.
George Ham. John Sherburn.
Horatio Littlefield.

228 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND

SCHOOLS.

There must have been in ye olden times some very poor
teachers, and consequently, some very poor teaching — for in
1808 the Legislature passed an act making it necessary for one
to be eligible to be a common school teacher to be posted in the
grammar of the English language, so that Enoch Moody
Clark, who had been a teacher here in Greenland, was obliged
to go to Portsmouth and open a private school. The records
of the town show a decided lack in the capabihties of some of
the town clerks — although there are some fine samples of
penmanship by Clement Weeks, Stephen March, and some out
sider, who was evidently hired to write up the record of the
town's meetings.
Clement Weeks, the schoolmaster, was an uncle to Master
WiUiam Weeks, and great-uncle to John Porter Weeks.
Master William was considered a fine teacher in his time,
wrote a beautiful hand, and commanded the respect of aU his
pupils. Master Lane has also left a fine reputation as a teacher,
and was very much respected. He hved in Newington and
married a Pickering. I think he kept the North School when
I first came into the town, and the school-house stood opposite
the Newington road on the March estate.
At that time it was common to see young men and girls of

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 229
eighteen or twenty at the common school. Then teachers had
to set all the copies, and as there were no steel pens, or gold or
fountain pen's, they had to make all the pens from quills, which
was no small task. I once had a school of ninety-six scholars
daily, so one can see what time I could have for reading,
arithmetic, geography, and spelling, and the other things
which are to be taught in schools of to-day.
In 1847 the town was redistricted. The South and Bayside
districts put up wooden buildings.
But in the North District, 1851, Joshua W. Pierce, Esq.,
wished to put up a brick building, and offered to do it if the dis
trict would give him the money which was to be raised for the
erection of a wooden building. This was voted to him. Then he
put up the present brick school-house, which has been an honor
to himself and to the town. To compare the schools now with
the. schools which were reduced to primary schools, by the
having a high school in a little town as Greenland is, makes a
poor showing. The fact is, that there are not enough scholars
living in the town with the natural talents to enable them to
go through the curriculum of a high school.
And what is the use of a boy or girl studying Latin or
geometry that has not enough genius to wash dishes properly,
or keep the weeds out of a garden bed? It is a misdirected use
of money, it is a false step in education to bother a pupil's
mind with things for which he has no capacity, and which will
be of no earthly use. Towns have no right in justice to divert
the public money to such a purpose. The object of schools
should be to give the pupils the education which is commensu-

230 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
rate with their abilities. Teachers cannot make brains, they
can only improve the brains with which children are born.
The common school has been the basis of the prosperity of New
England. Higher education will take care of itself, and pupils
with ability wiU always find a way to obtain an education. It
was a long time before girls were allowed to go to school, and
a longer time before female teachers were employed. I should
mention the only female common school teacher of any particu
lar note ; she was Miss Lucinda Holmes. She was a large and
fine looking woman, and the only woman who was able to keep
a winter school with success. She married one Thomas Mars
ton, and had but one child. This Marston family has gone out
of town.
When I went to the Centre School, and was about ten years
old, I remember very weU the girls, young ladies they would
be called now, that attended Miss Lucinda Holmes' school.
They were Mary Ann Hatch, who married Moses Hoit ; Caroline
Avery, who married Geoge Weeks; Lydia Packer; Martha A.
Pickering ; Elizabeth Hatch, who married Oliver Berry ;
Sophronia Wedgwood, who married a Flint ; Comfort Simpson,
who married S. L. Durgin ; and Sophia A. Metcalf, who married
Aug. Adams ; Caroline Hatch, who married Curtis, and
Rebecca A. Odell, who married M. 0. Hall. They all, or nearly
all, went to the Academy afterward to Thomas Davis, Albert
R. Hatch, and others.
To my eyes they were as pretty, healthy, and hearty as any
girls need to be, but all are dead but one, Miss Martha A.
Pickering.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 231

THE SIMPSONS.

There was a large family of the Simpsons. The eldest son
Charles went to Portsmouth and died, leaving a son Charles,
who was married and keeps a clothing store in Portsmouth.
Nathaniel Simpson, son of John Simpson and Comfort
Haines, married Ann R., daughter of Judge Pickering of New
ington, and had children as f oUows : —
J. Cliff ord, who was superintendent of schools of Portsmouth,
and Ruth, who married a Mr. Nolte of Milwaukee, Wis.
Joseph Simpson, youngest son of John and Comfort, married
iSarah OUvier Frink, and had children as follows : —
Mamie, John Sims, and J. Ormond.
There was a William Simpson, on the west side of. the
Winnicut, who had a large family, but aU the males have died,
and the house and buhdings are gone.

232 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.

THE ORIGIN OF THE WEEKS FAMILY AND
THE WEEKS HOUSE.

Brewster in his Rambles speaks of the Weeks House. "The
oldest house now standing, built when Greenland formed part
of Portsmouth, a quaint brick house on the Weeks farm. This
is no blunder, although it may seem hke one, for at the time
that house was built Greenland was a part of Portsmouth.
We can find no written record of the year of its being built,
but a family tradition dates its erection in 1638, by the father
of Leonard Weeks. Leonard was born not far from that time,
and had four, sons ; John, born 1668 ; Samuel, born 1670 ;,
Joseph, born 1671 ; John, born 1674 ; and two daughters, Mary
and Margaret. From Samuel the present owner of the farm
descended. The house was built on the main road, at that.
time ; but the new road, built nearly a century ago, leaves it
a little ways off from the main road at the present time.
"The speckled appearance of the house is made by having
black, hard-burned bricks for headers all over the front. The
bricks were burnt in front of the house. The walls of the-
house are eighteen inches thick. It is of two stories ; the
lower story is eight and one half feet in height, the second
eight feet. The windows were originally of smaU diamond
glass set in lead. Some of them have been in the house within

OLD BRICK HOUSE.
OLDEST IN THE STATE,

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 233
the last fifty years. [This was written in 1869.] The timbers
used throughout the house and for the roof are all of hard
wood. The beams in the ceUar are squared 12 x 14 inches. The-
sleepers are of red oak, about ten inches in diameter, with the
bark on. There are planks on the inside of the walls, and the
plastering is on rift wood nailed to the plank. There are
marks of the house being injured by an earthquake, probably
in 1755. If tradition is correct, this is the oldest house in New
England, being (at this date, 1898,) two hundred and fifty-eight.
years old."
Brewster further says that ' ' The house was evidently built.
as a sort of garrison, with a view of safety from being burnt.
by the Indians." ORIGIN OF THE WEEKS FAMILY.
Of the origin of the Weeks family. Andrew Mack Haines, of
Galena, IU., who has given much time and attention to the his
tory of this town, and particularly to the Haines family, differs
materially from Brewster in his Ramble No. 147, and I think
he is correct.
I copy from Haines, with these exceptions. In a letter to
me, he says : "I am fully satisfied that the celebrated Weeks
Old Brick House, at Greenland, was built by Samuel Weeks,.
who married his cousin Elinor (Haines), granddaughter of
Deacon Samuel Haines, about the beginning of the eighteenth
century, in about A. D. 1700-05 ; and not by Leonard, the
father of the said Samuel Weeks. The descendants of Samuel

234 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
and Ehnor (Haines) Weeks have continued to dweU in this old
house for nearly two hundred years." The late Robert B.
Weeks died last year, 1898, and the place goes, at his wife's
decease, to his nephew, John W. Weeks, or his son, who is the
last of the name of this branch of the family, for Robert left
no children.

WEEKS FAMILY.

One branch of the Weeks family has run out. This family
settled on the west side of the Winnicut River.
1. It came from the same Leonard, who was born in WeUs,
Somersetshire, England, and came to Portsmouth in 1656 and
married, in 1659, Mary, daughter of Deacon Samuel Haines.
2. Joshua, his son, went to Bayside and married Comfort
Hubbard, of Boston.
3. Major William, son of the Joshua aforesaid, married
Elinor March, daughter of Colonel Clement March.
4. Deacon John Weeks, son of William and Elinor, married
Mary Coffin. The children who grew up were Mary, Georgef
and Joshua Clement, a favorite name in the family.
George married Caroline Avery, and had one child, who died
young. She was the last of the family, and the farm has
passed out of the name.
The present house was built by one Murray, who sold to

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 235
Weeks. The Becks' father, grandfather, and great-grandfather
lived at the Weeks', and were almost a fixture of the farm.
Deacon John4 was kiUed by a man who lived with him,
supposed to be insane at the time, by discharging a gun so that
the charge went through the door.
There were other branches of the Weeks family, three of
which have run out of the name. , They were Joseph, Joshua,
and Walter.
Joseph lived where John W. lives now, was a tanner and
shoemaker ; Joshua lived where Frank Wentworth lives now,
and was a blacksmith ; Walter lived on the Boston road, in a
one-storied house, opposite where Bodge lives, and was a cooper.

WEEKS FAMILY— ORIGINAL OWNER OF JOHN
PORTER'S FARM.
This Weeks family are all gone.

Major WiUiam Weeks3, Joshua3, Leonard1, born 1723 ; died
1798 ; married Elinor March.
ChUdren :
1. Joshua4, born 1748 ; married Martha Rust, widow of Dr. Rust,
and had
George Washington5, who had the farm last owned by
Robert Norton.
Mary Ann,, married Thos. Pickering.
Martha, married Samuel Pickering, and had one daughter.

236 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
2. Clement4, studied law and kept school in Greenland.
3. Elinor4, died, unmarried, at Greenland.
4. William4, married Nabby Rogers.
5. Dea. John4, born 1757; died 1821; shot by an insane man.
(See the preceding Weeks family.)
6. Col. George4, died unmarried.
7. Comfort4, married Benj. Chadborne.
8. Jacob4, died unmarried.
9. Martha4, married Daniel Rollins.
10. Mary4, married Col. Eben Thompson.
11. Nancy Ann, lived at Greenland and died unmarried.
12. Hannah, married Josiah Brackett.
When Joshua died there were left : Clement, who was a law
student teacher and scholar, Ehnor, and Nancy Ann, so William,
a son of Capt. William, came to hve with them. (See
William of John Porter's family.)

WEEKS FAMILY — STEPHEN M. AND RUFUS W.

Dr. Ichabod*, Walter3, Samuel2, Leonard1, born 173 ; died
1807 ; married Comfort Johnson.
Children :
1. Sarah Cotton.
2. Comfort J.
3. Brackett, who once owned my farm.
4. Elisabeth.
5. Susan.
6. Stephen March.

RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND. 237
7. Thomas March.
8. Stephen M.s, married Mary S. Gookin.
Children :
1. Dr. Chas. March6, married a daughter of Rev. Hunt
ington Porter.
2. Caroline, died unmarried.
3. Stephen M.6, died in Greenland )
„ T,.,.... f on the same day.
4. Capt. Nathaniel, died in Portsmouth)
5. Ichabod, died out West.
6. Rufus Wm.
Stephen M.6, who died March, 16, 1900 ; married Ellen Hen
derson. Chhdren :
Stephen Henderson, born 1853.
Edward Robie, born 1855.
• Ellen Adelaide, born 1858.
Rufus Wilham6, born 1819 ; married Ellen Janette, daughter
of Wm. B. Belknap ; had children as follows : —
Belknap, born 1863 ; married Bessie.
Goldwin I., born 1866 ; died
Arthur Hale, born 1868.
Rufus William, born 1871 ; a doctor.

WEEKS FAMILY— JOHN PORTER.

Captain WiUiam Weeks4, father of John Porter, WiUiam3,
Joshua2, Leonard1, b. 1758, and m. Nabby Rogers and went to
Hopkinton and had Deacon WiUiam5, born 1781, m. Louisa,

238 RAMBLES ABOUT GREENLAND.
dau. of Rev. Huntmgdon Porter, of Rye. He came from his
father's to his aunt's and taught school, so he went by the
name of Master William Weeks as long as he lived. He was
eminently a good man, and had the f oUowing children : —
Ann Louisa, b. 1836. Deceased.
Ellen Maria, b. 1838.
Sarah Porter, b. 1839. Deceased.
George William, b. 1841. Died by accident; m. Sarah Robinson.
John Porter6, b. 1844, m. first, Ellen, dau. of Hon. C. W. Hatch ; second,
Laura A., dau. of Nathan R. Foss, and had children as follows : Mabel
Porter, b. 1878 ; Carrie Foss, 1881 ; Alice Huntingdon.
George William6, m. Sarah Robinson, dau. of Abednego Robinson, and
had one son.
George William7, who inherits his father's part of the farm.

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