History of the town of Richmond, Cheshire County, New Hampshire

In presenting this volume to the public, it is but proper to state that the work has grown to greater dimensions than was at first contemplated ; but the enlargement has resulted not from the diffuseness in detail of a few special subjects, but rather from the brief consideration of many topics claiming attention. More than two years have now been devoted to the work, and still material which would add interest to its pages is by no means exhausted. It has been the design to give more prominence and fullness to the genealogical than to the historical part, as more interest often centres around the lives of individuals and families than can be awakened in the perusal of town annals which present quite frequently a painful sameness. Important events which have transpired have not been overlooked, nor have such matters been ignored, as seemed to change or effect the social, moral, or political condition of the people. Of the early settlers, those families that have shown the most vitality and the longest residence in the town have been given the greater space, and also those connected with the town by birth or residence who have been instrumental in promoting its general prosperity, or have been important factors in the development and growth of the varied interests of our country, have received special consideration, while those whose sojourn was so brief or unimportant as scarcely to leave a trace behind, we have rarely followed in their perigrinations. Aside from the incompleteness and all inaccuracies which may appear in the work, the committee chosen to compile and publish the same believe that more than enough reliable matter has been collected to pay for all the expense incurred. To the citizens of the town, and others interested in the work, who have aided us, we tender our thanks; but especial mention is due the Hon. Isaac W. Hammond, Assistant Secretary of State, at Concord, and the late John J. Allen, Esq., for the kindly aid extended in their several offices; also to Mr. Buffum, Register of Deeds of this County. The services of Fred. M. Ballou, Esq., of Providence, R. I., have been most valuable in collecting material relating to the early settlers from Rhode Island and the adjacent towns, for which we tender our most grateful acknowledgments.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I.
SETTLEMENT AND GRANT OF TOWNSHIP 1

CHAPTER II.
WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 55

CHAPTER III.
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS AND THE VERMONT CONTROVERSY 82

CHAPTER IV.
WAR OF 1812, ROADS, SCHOOLS, ETC. 104

CHAPTER V.
POST-OFFICES AND POST-MASTERS, ETC. 152

CHAPTER VI.
WAR OF THE REBELLION, ECCLESIASTICAL ORGANIZATION, ETC 208

CHAPTER VII.
THE GENEALOGY OF FAMILIES 255

CHAPTER VIII.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 539

CHAPTER IX.
LONGEVITY. FIRST SETTLERS, ETC. 555

APPENDIX.

 

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There is a tradition that one Sylvester Rogers or Rocherson, from Rhode Island, in 1750, made a clearing of about an acre, on which he erected a strongly-built log-house, for the double purpose of a shelter and a defense against the Indians ; that he abandoned the premises after a few months and returned to Rhode Island, in consequence of information received from a friendly Indian of an intended visit of hostile savages lurking somewhere it may be supposed in the vicinity, and that the place where his clearing was made was on the farm afterwards settled by Jonathan Gaskill and now owned by Jess6 Bolles. This story may be substantially true, with the exception of the date of the occurrence, which we are inclined to believe should be some years later — say 1754-1755 — when hostilities were resumed between the French and English colonies, and this from the fact that there was no grant or survey of the township made prior to 1752, and that no rights of preemption were secured to squatters at that time.