HISTORY OF PELHAM, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE
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SOURCE: History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire 
Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1885, 878 pgs.

PELHAM, N.H.
CHAPTER I
p. 631

Location--Settlement--Incorporation--Ecclesiastical 

PELHAM is situated on the southern border of the State.  It is 
bounded on the north by Windham and Salem, on the east by
Methuen and Dracut, on the south by Dracut and Tyngsborough, on the
west by Hudson.  It is intersected by Beaver River,--named from the
beaver, which formerly had large settlements on it.  This stream has,
as tributaries, numerous trout brooks.  There are four ponds of
crystal waters and picturesque scenery,--the resort of sportsmen
and picnic-parties.  The soil is well watered and generally fertile.
The surface is diversified. The natural scenery is romantic and
beautiful; much of it truly grand.

SETTLEMENT--The exact date of the settlement is not known. Tradition
gives it as 1721.  Mr. Fox, in the "History of Dunstable," says 1722.
  The earliest settlers were Butler, Hamblet, Richardson, Wyman and
Jacques, who came from Woburn and vicinity; also Gage, who came from
Bradford.
  In 1721 or 1722, JOHN BUTLER and DAVID HAMBLET bought land two 
miles west of the Centre, at what has been known as the John Gage
corner, on the Mammoth road.  They cleared land, sowed grain and
went back to Woburn for the winter, and returned in the spring with
their families.  Mr. Butler's house is said to have been on the site
of the present John Gage house.
  About two years previous, and two miles below, where now stands the
house of Frederic A. Cutter, Esq., the first settlers of Londonderry 
built a block-house to establish a line of communication between their
settlement and Boston; a few rods below the block-house the
Richardsons settled.  Jaques settled a little east of the Centre, on
what has since been known as the David Atwood place.  Exactly where
Gage and Wyman settled is mere conjecture.  In the following years
families came to this region and generally located on the hills.  The
Baldwins and Barkers settled on Baldwin Hill.  There came, probably 
between 1735 and 1740, four families of Gages from Bradford, who
settled on what is now known as Gage Hill.  These were Josiah Gage,
Daniel Gage, and Amos Gage, sons of Daniel and Martha Gage, of
Bradford, and their nephew, James Gage.
  About one mile and a half from the Centre, on the road to Lowell,
tradition points to the spot where the first sermon was preached,--
a high rock on the ledge.  A company going to some place above,
having their minister with them, encamped here over the Sabbath.
   But while there is no evidence of any settlement previous to 1720,
extensive grants of land had been made to gentlemen in Boston and
vicinity,--one to Mr. Kimble, known as the Kimble Farm, which name
is still perpetuated in a brook; another as Mr. Coburn's farm, which
lay near Gumpas Pond; and another, a tract of four hundred acres,
purchased by Governor Endicott, the deed of which was given in 1664.
The present farm of Mr. William W. Butler is a part of the Endicott
farm.  Mr. Butler has, in a fine state of preservation, a plan of the
Endicott farm, surveyed and made by Jonathan Danforth in 1774.
  In the "History of Dunstable," Endicott's grant is described, "as
laying in the westerly part of Pelham, about six miles from Pawtucket
Falls, and one mile west of Beaver Brook, at a great hill called
Masha-Shattuck (Deer Hill), lying between two other great hills and
adjoining southerly on a great pond, called Pimmo-Mitti-quonnit (Long
Pond.)"

INCORPORATION--The incorporation and settlement of the town was
probably very much delayed by the unsettled condition of the line
between the provinces of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  The old
town of Dunstable included a large territory.  The north-west portion 
of the present town of Pelham was within this territory.  In 1732 that
part of Dunstable east of the Merrimack was set off as Nottingham
District. The boundary line between the provinces was established in
1741, leaving a portion that was designated the Dracut District; this,
with a portion of Notthingham, was incorporated in 1746.  Nottingham
was incorporated the same year as Nottingham West, to distinguish it
from another Nottingham in New Hampshire.
  On 16 September 1747, Governor Benning Wentworth signed the
document incorporating the new town of Pelham. [the text of the
original incorporation letter may be found in this original 
document, but only abstracts are shown here].
   A Warrant for the First Town Meeting, to be held at the house of
Captain Henry Baldwin on Monday, 21 July, at "two of the clock", and
was signedf by Zacheus Lovewell, dated July ye 11th, 1746."
  
PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST TOWN-MEETING
  "At a General town-meeting of the freeholders and other Inhabitants
of the town of Pelham Regularly assembled July ye 21, 1746: The town
then Proceeded to chuse town Officers as follows: viz., Captain
Henry Baldwin, Moderator; Eleazar Whiting, Town Clerk, &c; Selectmen,
Joseph Hamblet, Henry Baldwin, William Richardson, Josiah Gage and
Eleazar Whiting; Town Treasurer, Henry Baldwin, jur.; Constable,
Thomas Wyman; Surveyors of Highways, viz., Jacob Butler, JohN Baldwin,
Daniel Gage and Simon Beard; Tythingmen, viz., Henry Richardson and
Amos Gage; Fence-viewers and field-Drivers, viz., William Elliot and
Hugh Richardson; Sealer of Weights and Measures, viz., Henry 
Richardson; Surveyor of timber, &c., viz., Amos Gage; Hogreafs, viz.,
Simon Beard and David Jones."

-------------
ECCLESIASTICAL-- At a town-meeting in October, 1746, the second 
meeting after the incorporation of the town, it was voted to hire
as much preaching for the coming winter as could be procured for
sixty pounds, old tenor; a pound, old tenor, equaled about forty-two
cents.
  In the following years appropriations were made to support preaching
and committees chosen to hire ministers.  At a meeting in May, 1751,
there was "a reconsideration of the vote to call in two or three
candidates, as the town was willing to make choice between the two
last."
  At a town meeting, June 3d, the town voted to call Mr. James Hobbs,
of Hampton, "to be their gospel minister;" also, to give him seven
hundred pounds, old tenor, as a settlement and four hundred pounds
as his yearly salary.
  At this meeting a committee was chosen,--Viz: Henry Richardson, 
Esq., Captain William Richardson, Mr. Joseph Hamblet, Lieutenant
Josiah Gage and David Hutchinson-- "to apply to the neighboring
ministers for advice in the matter of the ordination of Mr. Hobbs."
  At a meeting on the 9th of August, "it was voted to add one hundred
pounds to the settlement of Mr. hobbs and one hundred pounds to his
salary, twenty pounds a year for five years, old tenor."  It was
further voted to give him "twenty-five cords of fire-wood yearly
during his ministry."  "The furnishing of the fire-wood to
commence when he has a family and keeps house."  At a subsequent
meeting in the same month "it was voted to state Mr. Hobb's yearly
salary so long as his ministry continued in town, Indian corn at
twenty-six shillings per bushel, pork at two shillings per pound at
the time of slaughter and beef at sixteen pence per pound at the time
of slaughter, recked in old tenor."
  Mr. Hobbs' acceptance of the call occurred on Nov. 11, 1751 [the
text of his letter can be found in the original document].  
  November 13th, Mr. Hobbs was ordained and a church was organized.
The churches invited were the Church of Christ, in Methuen, in Dracut,
in Nottingham, in Salem, in Kingston, First and Fourth in Hampton.
  The Rev. Thomas Parker of Dracut, was moderator of the council;
The Rev. Ward Cotton, of Hampton, opened with prayer; the Rev. Peter
Coffin, of Kingston, preached from Titus ii.15: "Let no man despise
thee;" the Rev. Nathaniel Merrill, of Nottingham, gathered the church;
Thomas Parker, of Dracut, gave the charge; the Rev. Christopher
Sargent, of Methuen, gave the right hand of fellowship; the Rev.
Abner Bagley, of Salem, made the last paryer.
  The church consisted of ten members,--James Hobbs, Joseph Hamblet,
Henry Baldwin, Daniel Hutchinson, David Jones, Henry Baldwin Jr.,
Thomas Gage, Jonathan Kimball, Samuel Butler, Amos Gage.
  Mr. Hobbs was twenty-six years old. He probably married in
January 1751, as the following appears in the town records, "The Rev.
Mr. James Hobbs and mis Elisabeth Bachelder was Published in pelham
Decmeber ye 28, 1751."
  The following from the records of the church has interest in this
connection:
 "April ye 8th, 1753, Admitted to the full communion in this ch'h
Elisabeth, wife of James Hobbs, Pastor of the chu'h in this Place."
  Mrs. Hobbs was from Hampton. Her maiden-name was Batchelder. There
is a tradition that her father was unwilling that she should visit
Pelham before her marriage, lest she should shrink from making her
home in the wilderness.  The contrast between Hampton and Pelham was
very great.  Mrs. Hobbs endured many privations and hardships. But the
young woman of twenty-two, who left her father's house to make a home
for the husband of her love in this newly-incorporated town, found it
her home for more than sixty years; saw, instead of the wilderness,
cultivated fields and happy homes, good roads constructed, two
meeting-houses successively built and thriving schools established in
the five districts of the town.  Mrs. Hobbs is said to have been a
model of a housekeeper and to have abounded in ministries among the
people.  She was sent for in sickness, at births and deaths and she
dispensed charities from her own door.
  At a town-meeting December 2, 1751, a committee was chosen to buy
a tract of land for Mr. Hobbs, so that the young minister and his
wife were probably at once established in the parsonage as their
home.  In less than a year from his ordination there was an
appropriation of four hundred pounds to pay the balance of his
settlement.  Committees were chosen from time to time to treat with
him about "stating" it in the necessaries of life, as the prices of
these varied.  The years passed.  The people were subduing their 
lands, comforts were increasing in their homes, the institutions of 
the town were assuming form and fixedness.  There were births,
baptisms, and funerals.  The following record is one of interest:
 "March ye 28th, 1753, baptized Phylliys, a negro servant of Edward
Wyman, junr, and on April ye 1st, 1753, baptized John and Edward,
sons of Edward Wyman, jun."
  Thirty-seven had come into the church.
  There had been the vicissitudes and varying experiences of human
life, when, suddenly, the minister, the shepherd of the sheep in the
wilderness, was stricken down; for, at a town-meeting held June 5,
1765, "it was voted to hire one month's preaching;" at another 
meeting, June 21st, "it was voted to bury Mr. Hobbs at the town's
charge," and twenty pounds sterling, money of Great Britain, was
appropriated "for the funeral expenses and other charges."
  William Richardson, Josiah Gage, Robert Evans, Joseph Butler,
Daniel Hutchinson, Amos Gage and Benjamin Barker were chosen a
committee to "see that the Rev. Mr. Hobbs is decently buried." This
committee was also instructed to provide preaching for the remainder
of the year, and "not to bring any minister to preach in this town
without the approbation of the association we belong to."
  Thus the first pastorate of thirteen years and seven months
terminated.  There can be no question but that this pastorate did much
in determining the future character of the town.  It was a period when
foundations were laid, when tendencies received their direction, when
principles were established that were to control the future; and in
this plastic period the gospel ministry formed the high-toned
character for which the town has always been distinguished.
  There is a tradition that Mr. Hobbs was a man of great strength;
that once he overtook a man taking home a load of lumber from the
saw-mill.  One wheel of the loaded cart had accidentally come off.
Mr. Hobbs said to the man, "You take the wheel and put it on while I
lift the end of the axle-tree," and Mr. Hobbs actually lifted so 
much of the load as was necessary to replace the wheel.  The
descendants of Mr. Hobbs have been, and are, among the most
respected, influential and useful families of the town, and the
first minister lives not only in the continuous ministry, but in a
posterity identified with the growth, development, fair fame and
sterling character of the town.  In October, 1766, the town voted to
provide grave-stones for Rev. Mr. Hobbs' grave.
  There was no suspension of the gospel ministry. At a town-meeting
September 3d, "it was voted to make choice of Mr. Amos Moody, from
Newbury, for their minister."  Seventy pounds sterling of the 
currency of Great Britain was voted to Mr. Moody as a settlement, 
and fifty pounds sterling as his yearly salary.
  Mr. Moody was ordainted November 20th.  The churches that assisted
were Methuen, Newton, Nottingham, Kingston and Newbury.
  "At a town-meeting October 28, 1765, moderator, "Captain Richardson.
 "Voted, at said meeting the ordanition to be on November the 20 next
insuing.
 "Voted, to Chuse a comitey to take care of the meeting-house the day
of the ordanition, to sea that the Doors be sheat while Counsel is
redey to raign, namely, Jonathan Stickney, Ebenr Jaques, William 
Elliot, Uriah Abbot, James Gibson."
   About three years from his ordination, Mr. Moody married the widow
of his predecessor.  For several years his pastorate was harmonious
and pleasant.  During the hard times of the Revolutionary War his
salary was in arrears; but this was attended to, and once a
consideration was made to him on account of "the sink in money." After
fifteen years a dissatisfaction with his ministry began to be
expressed.  At a town-meeting in September, 1783, a committee was
chosen "to confer with Mr .Moody on what method is best to be taken
in order to remove the unhappy uneasiness that now subsists between a
number of his parishoners concerning his continuing or not continuing
as the minister, and make report to the town."  At a town-meeting
January 25, 1785, this vote was passed,--"The town to release all
those that think on conscience they can't attend on his ministry from
any tax to him, according to his proposal he made in writing."
  June 23, 1786, it was voted, "to request some of the neighboring
ministers to give their advice with respect to the difficulties now
subsisting in the town between Rev. Mr. Moody and some dissenting
inhabiants of the town."
  At this meeting permission was granted to form a "Pole Parish." This
was a parish of individuals instead of territory.
  October 2, 1786, a committee was chosen "to agree with Mr. Moody
on what terms he will leave of preaching in said town;" at an 
adjourned meeting it was voted "not to accept of the proposition of
Mr. Moody sent in writing."
  March 5, 1787, it was voted that"the selectmen should be impowered
to discharge from paying their tax to the Rev. Mr. Moody all those
who can make it appear that they are of a different persuasion from
the Congregationalists, at or before the first day of May next."
  July 5, 1792, it was voted "to pay the sum due to Mr. Moody from
the town, agreeable to his answer to a committee sent to him from
the old parish to known on what terms he would resign the desk;" it
was also voted "to choose a committee of two persons to call upon 
those persons nominated by a committee of both parishes to apprise the
meeting-houses."
  Mr. Moody was dismissed by an ecclesiastical council October 24, 
1792.  His pastorate was twenty-seven years, wanting twenty-six days.
He received sixty-one to the membership of the church.  He
remained in town, a respected and valuable citizen, and co-operated
with his successor in his work.  He was a delegate to the convention
that adopted the Federal Constitution, and was chosen representative
a number of times.  He died March 22, 1819, aged eighty years.  Mrs.
Moody died February 21st, preceding her husband one month, aged
ninety years.  She had been a member of this church nearly sixty-six
years.
  The town was now without a settled ministry for six years.  There
were two parishes, but, probably, only one church organization.  After
the dismissal of Mr. Moody the parishes united.  There was still a
division in doctrine, and the partisan spirit intensified this.  Calls
were given to several different men, some of whom afterwards became
eminent, of which number was Samuel Worcester, afterwards Dr. 
Worcester, pastor of the Tabernacle Church, Salem, Mass., one of the
secretaries of the American Board of Foreign Missions, whose death
occurred while he was on a visit to the missionary stations of
Elliot and Brainard.  The records of Mr. Worcester's call and the
provision made for his settlement and salary would indicate that the
people were united in him.
  The calls extended to several other gentlemen gave rise to decided
opposition and the expression of a bitter partisan spirit.
  In July, 1793, Mr. Eli Smith recieved a call by a majority of 
seven; but at a meeting a month later the article to make provision
for his support was dismissed.
  But the scene of the greatest excitement was the attempt of the
church to complete a call extended to Mr John Smith by his ordination.
In March, 1796, the town concurred with the church in giving Mr.
Smith a call,--forty-two yeas, twenty-nine nays; also voted to give 
him as a settlement the interest of one thousand dollars annually,
and a salary of ninety pounds annually; but at a meeting the 17th of
May, "Voted not to compromise matters with Mr. Smith."  "Voted that
all who are not agreed to settle Mr. Smith shall be free from paying
taxes to him."  "Voted, that all those who are dissatisfied with Mr.
Smith shall have their just proportion of the meeting-house and the
money the parsonage land was sold for according to the last year's
invoice.  "Voted not to choose a committee to join the church
communittee in appointing a day for the ordination of Mr. John Smith,
and providing for the council."  At a town-meeting in June, "Voted to
enter a protest against the proceedings of the church in ordaining
Mr. John Smith."  "Voted, to choose a committee of seven persons to
lay the proceedings of the town in regard to Mr. John Smith settling
in said town as a minister before the council."  A protest of 
sixty-nine persons was entered on the town records "against Mr. 
Smith's settlement and against ever paying anything for his support."
  The council convened, but did not proceed to the ordination of Mr.
Smith, and the day was called "Flusteration day" by the party
zelous for Mr. Smith.  Mr. Smith afterwards became professor in
Bangor Theological Seminary.  He married Hannah Hardy, of this town,
daughter of Adjutant Daniel Hardy, and he subsequently died.  Later
in life she married General Richardson, of this town, and was
esteemed among this population as a Christian lady of a large public
spirit and generous charities.
  February 15, 1798, a call was given to Mr. John Emerson, with a
settlement of the interest of one thousand dollars, and a salary of
ninety pounds.  But at a meeting, April 23d, "to see, by vote, how
great the union among the people for Mr. John Emerson, with respect
to his settling with them in the work of the Gospel ministry,"
seventy-nine voted for Mr. Emerson and twenty against.
  At a town-meeting, August 11th, a vote was passed to concur with
the church in a call to Mr. John H. Church.  "Voted, To give Mr.
John H. Church as a settlement, within one year from the time of
his ordination, five hundred dollars."  "Voted, To give Mr. John H.
Church, as salary, three hundred and thirty-three dollars, thirty-
three cents and one-third of a cent annually, so long as he shall
supply the desk, with this qualification of the last clause (viz),
that he relinquish no part of his salary, although he should be
sick and unable to supply the desk for six months at any one time;
that should he be unable to supply the desk longer than six months
at any one time, his salary cease till he does supply the desk."
  Mr. Church was ordained October 31, 1798.  Rev. Dr. Backus, of
Somers, Conn., preached the sermon.  The pastorate that had been
vacant six years and seven days was filled.  The unhappy division and
ctonroversy about the ministry ceased.  A long and successful
pastorate was commenced.  An important element in this division was
theological.  But other elements entered into it, and those were kept
active by a partisan spirit, and this was intensified by every
disturbing breeze of personal or social feelings; and the one thing
that saved the town from a permanent division into religious sects,
neither of which would have been able to sustain religious 
institutions, was the large number of level-headed, far-seeing men,
who, comprehending the misfortune of such an issue, steadied and
held things until the time of union came.  There were such men in each
party.  The introduction of Mr. Church to the town was in a way to
pacify and prepossess in his favor.  He was really the candidate of
the part the least in sympathy with his theological sentiments.  Mr.
Church was invited to preach in Pelham at the suggestion of William M.
Richardson, afterward chief justice of new Hampshire.  Mr.
Richardson was his class-mate in college, and knew him to be a fine
scholar and of sterling character.  Mr. Church was born in Rutland,
Mass., March 17, 1772.  He graduated at Harvard in 1797.  He studied
theology with Dr. Backus, of Somers, Conn.  He married Thankful
Weston, of Rutland, May 7, 1799.  She died April 11, 1806, aged
thirty-one years.  In 1807 he married Hannah Farnham, of Newburyport,
Mass, who died July 9, 1837, aged fifty-nine years.
  Dr. Church was one of the ablest clergymen of his time.  He held
important ecclesiastical positions.  He was actively engaged in all
the missionary, philanthropic and educational works of that time. He
was for many years a trustee of Pinkerton Academy, at Derry; of
Dartmouth College from 1820 till his death; of Phillips Academy, at
Andover, from 1826  till his death.  He was an associate of the
professors of Andover Theological Seminar.  He took a prominent part
in all the theological discussions of that period, and was considered
high authority.  He was argumentative rather than persuasive. His
logic was irresistible.  He was hyper-calvinistic in doctrine.  There
grew up under his ministry men and women of strong mind, marked
intelligence and character.  The financial standing of the town at
this time was the best of any in the State.  It had more taxable
property and a higher rate of assessment, according to the number of
its inhabitants, than any other town in the State.  The interest the
town took in Mr. Church is indicated by a vote passed in 1806, the
year that the first Mrs. Church died, "To give Mr. Church two
hundred dollars to assist him in defraying his late extra expenses."
  Mr. Church has such dignity in his bearing as inspired fear.
Children shunned him, were afraid of him; but he was, nevertheless,
interested in the young, and all who yielded to that interest found
him helpful.  He received the degree of A.M. from Dartmouth College
in 1813, and D.D. from Williams College in 1823.  The town system of
settlement and support of the ministry, that existed in New England
in its early history, had come to be supplanted by the voluntary
system.  In the early history of the town there were those who
objected to supporting preaching not in accordance with their 
sectarian preference.  As early as 1763 Ebenezer Richardson petitioned
the selectmen "that he might not be taxed for the support of the
gospel, as he was a Baptist, and in full communion with a Baptist
Church in Boston."  This number had been increasing during all the
years.  The fact that this system was in force in Pelham longer than
in most of the towns in New Hampshire and Massachusetts indicates the
stabiolity of the people.  The contact between Dr. Church and the town
was terminated by mutual consent December 17, 1834, having existed
thirty-six years, one month and fifteen days, and the town never 
failed to pay him his salary.
  In May, 1832, at a meeting legally called for the formation of a
religious society of the Congregational order, such a society was
organized under the name of the First Congregational Society in
Pelham.  Its first legal meeting was held July 4th; but it does not
appear to have raised money till after the termination of the contract
of the town with Mr. Churhc.
  In the year 1835, on account of failing health, Dr. Church resigned
his pastoral charge.  On the 30th of September he was dismissed, and
the same council ordained Mr. John Keep.  The pastorate of Dr. Church
was thirty-seven years, wanting one day.  He continued to reside in
town till his death, June 12, 1840, at the age of sixty-eight. He was
buried, as were his two predecessors, in the old burying-ground at
the Centre.  It is a matter of interest that the first three
pastorates should have reached so near the conclusion of the first
century of the corporate existence of the town, and the first three
ministers, when they rested from their labors, should sleep with their
people.  During the ministry of Dr. Church one hundred and ninety-nine
came into the church.
  Mr. Keep was dismissed October 13, 1841,--a pastorate of six years,
one month and thirteen days.  Forty-three came into the church under
his ministry.
  It is a matter of interest that from the settlement of Mr. Hobbs
to the dismissal of Mr. Keep, a period of ninety years, there had 
always been a gospel minister in town.  Mr. Moody came during the
sickness of Mr. Hobbs, and was in town when Mr. Church came.
  Rev. Cyrus W. Allen was settled February 1, 1843, and dismissed
May 12, 1847.
  June 21, 1848, the Rev. Eden B. Foster was settled, and dismissed
January 13, 1853.  Mr. Foster was a man of rare culture, a most
interesting and fervid preacher.  It was with great reluctance and
sorrow that the church and society relinquished him.  Mr. Foster
received his doctorate from Williams College.  It is a noticeable
coincidence that the two Pelham pastors honored with a doctorate
should have received them from the same college.
  August 30, 1854, Rev. Charles Rockwell was installed as pastor. He
was a man of ability, but not adpted to this people, and, by the
advice of an ecclesiastical council, was dismissed June 20, 1855.
  The brevity of the previous pastorates, and especially the 
unfortunate experience in the last, created some discouargement and
hesitancy about the settlement of another minister.  During the next
six years the church was served by acting pastors.  The Rev. John E.
Farwell supplied from November 1855 to March 1858, and the Rev. 
William F. Herrick from September 1858 to April 1861.  October 30,
1861, the present pastor, Rev. Augustus Berry, was settled.  As an
indication of the spirit of benevolence in the church and congrega-
tion, there has been given to missions and other causes of
Christian benevolence, in the last twenty-three years, twelve 
thousand dollars.
  Thus has the town, from the date of its incorporation, sustained the
gospel ministry.  Only sixteen of the one hundred and thirty-four
years, since the organization of the church, has it been without a
settled pastor, and never without preaching.
  DEACONS--To the year 1882, one hundred and thirty years from the
election of Deacon Amos Gage, eight different men had held the office
of deacon.  There has always been a Deacon Gage, a lineal descendant
of one or the other of two brothers, Amos and Daniel, that were among
the first settlers of the town.  Amos Gage and Daniel Hutchinson 
filled the office till their decease,--Deacon Hutchinson, May 9, 1785,
and Deacon Gage, September 8, 1792.  Then Abel Gage, a son of Deacon
Amos Gage, and Benjamin Barker were elected deacons.  They resigned
in 1835, and Daniel Gage, a grandson of Daniel Gage, the brother of
Amos Gage, and Jeremiah Tyler were elected deacons.  In 1853, Deacon
Gage died and Deacon Tyler resigned, and Daniel T. Gage, a son of the
last Deacon Gage, and Charles Stiles were elected deacons.  Deacon
Stiles died in May, 1882.  He was succeeded by Eliphalet F. Woods,
who died in November of this year, and was succeeded in the office by
Samuel Kelley.
  REFORMED METHODIST AND FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH--Near the
commencement of the present century, the Methodists commenced to labor
among the inhabitants of the northeast section of the town, called
Gage Hill, and the adjacent portion of Salem.  Meetings were held in
school-houses and private dwellings.  Among their preachers was the
Rev. Joseph Snelling, who, with his family, resided in that section of
the town some years.  By the universal estimate, he was an eminently
devote and good man.  In his autobiography he speaks of the difficulty
he encountered in introducing Methodism into Pelham.  His converts
were either united with the Congregationalists or went out of town to
other denominations.  At length he succeeded in forming a small
society of Methodists, and prejudice was so far removed that they
built a meeting-house that the Methodists were to occupy a part of
the time, and he says "I was invited to preach the dedication sermon,
and continued to preach there a part of the time while I lived in 
Pelham."  This house was probably built about 1820.  It was small,
located near the Salem line, and subsequently remodeled for a
dwelling-house, and occupied as a parsonage.  It is now owned by the
Rev. Tobias Foss.  This house was built with the understanding that 
the different religious sects represented by the proprietors should
occupy it their respect shares of the time.
  There was great embarrassment in finishing this house.  At length
Mr. Robert Bradford took the job and received his pay in pews, so
that he came to be the chief proprietor.
  There does not seem to have been any church organization until 1842.
In this year, after a revival under the labors of Rev. L. Harrington,
there was a Reformed Methodist Church, of thirteen members, organized,
-- Robert Bradford, Mehitable Bradford, Abner Kittridge, Mary
Kittridge, Joseph Gage, Nathan Gage, Mehitable Gage, Simon B. Webster,
Relief J. Webster, Olive Gage, Charles Butler, Nathaniel Chase, Sarah
Kittridge.
  The Rev. Isaac Dunham became their pastor.  Under the lead of Mr.
Dunham, in 1844, a larger meeting-house was built.  After a pastorate
of some five years Mr. Dunham was succeeded by Rev. John M. Durgin,
a Free-Will Baptist.  Mr. Durgin was a man of many fine qualities.
There was a rich vein of humor in his make-up.  Many of his bright
sayings are still quoted.  He taught school in connection with his
ministry and is pleasantly remembered by his pupils.  He was
succeeded, in 1858, by Rev. T. P. Moulton.  At this time the church
was admitted to the Boston Quarterly Meeting of Free-Will Baptist
Church of Pelham and Salem.  Mr. Moulton was succeeded, in 1856, by
Rev. Tobias Foss.  He was succeeded, in 1859, by Rev. S.M. Weeks, who
left in the spring of 1861.  For a few years there was no stated
preaching.  In 1867, Mr. Foss returned to town, and by his efforts
preaching was resumed.  In January 1868, Rev. N.C. Lathrop became
pastor, and remained until April 1870.  In 1872, Rev. Jonathan
Woodman became pastor; but the strength of this church and society
had been seriously impaired by the formation of churches at Salem
Depot and the removal of families influential in the support of 
public worship.  Mr. Woodman rendered most valuable service for a few
years; but his age--nearly, eighty--and calls of duty elsewhere
led him to resign the charge.  There was a fitness that a religious
organization that had been productive of so much good should have
terminated its mission with the labors of such a noble Christian man
as Elder Jonathan Woodman.
  EPISCOPAL METHODIST--In 1859-60, there was a deep religious interest
in connection with the labors of Rev. Matthew M. Parkhurst, who was
boarding in the town for the recuperation of his health.  Some of
the convernts, with others who had a preference for the Methodists,
applied to the Conference for a minister, and a church was
constituted.  The preachers who successively served them were Rev.
Albert N. Fisher, Rev. Amos B. Russell, Rev. Charles Newell.  Mr.
Newell left for another field in the latter part of 1863.  The friends
did not deem it expedient to have another appointment.  The
membership of the church was transferred to the church in Methuen,
quite a portion of whom have since connected themselves with the
Congregational Church by letter.

MEETING-HOUSES--
  At a town-meeting September 3, 1746, "it was voted to build a
meeting-house in the centre of Land in this town, or the most
convenient place."  October 27th the report of the committee to find 
the centre was accepted, and the previous vote re-enacted with the
specification, "the house to be twenty-eight feet in length and
twenty-four feet in width."  But the location was not satisfactory,
for November 19th it was voted "to choose three good men from out of
town to come and state a place for a meeting-house."  Captain Henry
Baldwin, Ensign William Richardson, Daniel Gage, Amos Richardson
and Hezekiah Hamblet were chosen a committee "to carry on the work in
building the meeting-house," and the sum of twelve pounds, old tenor,
was voted to defray the charge of said house.  This house must have 
been a rude structure.  March 6, 1748, "Voted to buy the Nottingham
West Meeting-House of Mr. Merrill."
  April 10, 1749 a committee was chosen to take down the meeting-house
and bring it to Pelham by a work-rate of twenty shillings per day,
and any who were delinquent in work were, if warned, to pay twenty
shillings, old tenor, for every day of delinquency.
  "L120, old tenor, were voted to defray the charges in this 
business," and the town "Voted, to set the meeting-house 18 rods from
where the meeting-house now stands."
  But notwithstanding these decisive votes, nothing was done; for,
October 2, 1751, it was voted to bring the meeting-house to Pelham
and "set it up."  After passing and rescinding several votes, it was
finally agreed "to set the house on the two acres of land that Mr.
Furgerson had negoiated with the town about."  This was probably near
where the new meeting-house stands.  October 16th it was voted to
"board and shingle the meeting-house with convenient speed," and also
that any one might furnish material "at reasonable rates," -- 
indicating that the house was moved and an earnest effort was being 
made to get it in readiness for worship the coming winter.  There was
a work-rate of fifteen shillings per day, old tenor.
  November 6, 1752, it was voted "to allow pew-grounds in the
meeting-house, on the lower floor, round the walls, to thirteen
highest payers on the list being inhabitants of the town.  They were
to build for the town a handsome or decent pulpit, with a canopy over
it; also a deacon's seat."  The men were to obligate themselves to
sit in these pews with their families till they were filled, and if 
they did not incline to take these pews, then the next highest in
their course to take them.  It was also voted "to grant four pews
more in the two hind seats on the lower floor of said meeting-house,
men and women aside, to four men, the highest according to the above
said votes;" "provided they will make three doors to said 
meeting-house, and to hang them with good iron hinges and latches,
decently, and be durable doors, made of good boards," and a committee
was chosen "to see when the said puplit and deacon's seat and doors
are to be made and completed."
  September 27, 1753, the town voted to raise three hundred pounds,
old tenor, for the committee to use in finishing the meeting-house;
also that they should take the money then in the collector's hands.
They were authorized to buy a box of glass "to glaze the meeting-
house," and to build the body seats; also "to take out the middle
post on the back side of the meeting-house in order to build a
handsome pulpit and provide for handsome pillars for said house."

This house was used as the meeting-house till 1785, when the present
town-house was built.  Everything in its finish must have been very
plain.  It had no comforts.  The seats were hard.  There was nothing
to soften the light or mitigate the heat of the summer's sun. Nor was
there anything to relieve the cheerlessness and cold of winter. And
still the whole population came together in winter and summer and
remained through the protracted services.  There can be no question
but this was an influential factor in the formation of the 
institutions of the town.
  The following is copied from the record-books of the builders of the
present town-house.
  "February 10, 1785
  "At a meeting of a Number of the Inhabitants of the Town of Pelham,
they Agreed to Build a Meeting-House in Pelham by Proprietors. Voted
that the following ARticals Should be ofered to the inhabitants of
the Town of Pelham to see who would sign for building sd House, viz.:
  "We, the subscribers, being sensible of the unhappy situation we are
in at Present with Regard to a Comfortable and decent Place for
Publick worship, and the Meeting-house, in our Opinion, is not worth
repairing, we hereby manifest our desire to Build a Meeting-house by
subscription, and wish that every man that is a well-wisher to the
Cause of Relgion and the Credit of the Town should Subscribe what
they will give towards Building a New Meeting-house, and, as soon as
a Sufficient Sum shall be Subscribed, Call a Proprietors' meeting and
Conclude on what Method we will take for BUilding the same."
  At a town-meeting, June 7, 1785, it was voted "to give libery to set
a meeting-house on the common near the old meeting-house, which
meeting-house is not prepairing for building by proprietorship."  
This house was not finished for some years, but was probably soon
used for public worship and town-meetings, as, May 27, 1789, it was
voted to sell the old meeting-house "at public vendue, in such a way
and manner as shall be thought most likely to fetch its full value,
in order to pay the town debts with the same," and a committee was
appointed for this purpose.
  It is a tradition that the year 1785 was remarkable for the depth of
snow, and that the timber for the frame of this meeting-house was
cut in April, and the snow was so hard that the timber was hauled
over stone walls and other kinds of fence.  About this time there was
a meeting-house built by the "Pole Parish," and situated in front of
the David Cutter house.  In the town records this is designated as
the Little Meeting-House, and the proprietors meeting-house as the
Great Meeting-House.  Upon the dismissal of Mr. Moody, and the union
of the two parishes, the town purchased the meeting-houses.
  March 26, 1793, it was "Voted, to sell the Little Meeting-House and
the land where it stands."  James Gibson, Esq., Joshua Atwood,
Josiah Gage, Esq. were chosen a committee to make the sale; but they
did not sell it, as, December 22, 1794, it was voted to sell the 
Little Meeting-House.  This house is said to have bee moved to the
spot where the parsonage now stands, and used for a store, with a
hall over the store.  Deacon Jeremiah Tyler owned it many years. He
traded in the store.  The hall was known as Tyler's Hall, and was 
used for singing-schools and religious meetings.
  January 7, 1793, it was "Voted, That the proprietors of the old
meeting-house should receive their full pay when the pews are sold,"--
viz, the pews in the new meeting-house.  "Voted, To choose a committee
of five persons to make a settlement between the parishes,--Messrs.
Jacob Butler Jr., Nehemiah Butler, Captain Eliphelet Hardy, Lieutenant
Thomas Spofford, Lieutenant John Ferguson."  "Voted, To choose a
committee to see what method is best to be taken toward finishing the
meeting-house, and bring in their report next meeting."  The committee
were "Dr. Aaron Grosvenor, Lieutenant John Ferguson, James Gibson,
Esq." But the finishing of the Great Meeting-House hangs.  There are 
many propositions, but none on which a majority agree.  The subject
was brought before town-meetings in July 1793 and in August 1794, and
in each instance dismissed.  But, December 22, 1794, "Voted, to finish
the inside of the meeting-house in the manner prescribed by the
Committee chosen for that purpose."  "Voted to sell the pews in 
said meeting-house at public vendue."  "Voted, To seel the finishing
of said meeting-house at public sale."  "Voted, That said meeting-
house shall be finished by the 1st day of November next."  There is a
spirit of determination in these votes that assures something will be
done.  But though the purpose is to have no set-back, the plan is to
be changed.  January 19, 1795, these votes were reconsidered.  Then 
it was "Voted, That Captain Jesse Smith be a committee with full power
to receive money and finish the meeting-house by the 1st day of
November next."  Also "Voted, That Lieutenant John Ferguson be an
assistant committee with Captain Jesse Smith for finishing the
meeting-house."
  This action was final; Captain Smith and Lieutenant Ferguson were
the men to execute it, and the job of ten years' lingering and 
uncertainty is completed by them in a single season and at the
specified time.  At this same town-meeting the selectmen ordered the
sale of the pews.
  December 8th, the account of the committee to finish the meeting-
house was received, and they were allowed five shillings per day for
their services.
  March 7, 1796, "Voted, that the money which was left in finishing
the meeting house shall be loaned to keep the meeting-house in 
repair."  "Voted, that Amos Moody, Esq., Captain Asa Richardson, be a
committee to take said money and make the best use of it they can for
the advantage of the town."  But though the house, with its square
pews and high galleries, was considered finished, there were
improvement proposed from time to time.  March 5, 1797, "Voted to
purchase a cushion for the pulpit and a curtain for the pulpit
windows, to build a cupboard in the lower part of the pulpit,  and to
lay some gravel by the underpining of the meeting-house."  March, 
1803, the town voted not to purchase a bell and build a steeple.
July 2, 1804, voted not to build a portico over the front door.
September 1805, the town again voted not to build a portico.  In
October of this year, "Voted, not to build a belfry and steeple to the
east end of their meeting-house." These votes indicate that there
was a minority of public-spirited, progressive men in the town.
  In presenting the growth and development of the town, it is
necessary to thus sketch the history of the meeting-house; for it was
about the meeting-house that the New England town grew, and the
history of a New England town cannot be written without the
recognition of this central fact
  There are in the records a few plain, homely things that are very
suggestive.  They have a sweet touch of nature and charm by their
simple beauty.  In the study of the history of the town, the first
meeting-house, the meeting-house bought of Mr. Merrill, the
house moved from Nottingham West, the old meeting-house, must be
kept continually in view.  Everything associated with that house
reveals some feature in the life and character of the early 
inhabitants.  Little incidents connected with it mirror those plain
and frugal homes.  In some thought for it, some provision for its
care, the subtle, golden chain of faith is traced, that steadied 
their lives heavenward.  In such items as the following there is a
resurrection of the past, and scenes of one hundred and forty years
ago appear vivid and fresh as the life of this day:
 "March ye 1, 1756, voted Jabesh Gage, L10, old tenor, for boarding
workman at the meeting-house." "Voted, Amos Richardson 01-15-0, old
tenor, for sweeping the meeting-house."  "Chose Joseph Butler,
Levi Hildrith, John Butler, James Gilmore and Amos Gage for seating
the meeting-house."  "Voted, to leave it to the committee to
dignify the seats as they see fit."
  For seventy-five years the people worshiped without fires in their
meeting-houses.  The worship of the winter season might have been as
pure as the most perfect crystal, but an absence of warmth is 
suggested.  If there was beauty in it, this must have existed in the
spiritual light reflected from frosty forms.  To modern conception,
there is a touch of the comic in the audience muffled, their heads
drawn with the mufflers.  Pulpit oratory was certainly at a
disadvantage.  Stoves were put into the Great Meeting-House about 
1820.  But this was not done without opposition.  The Great 
Meeting-House was used by the church and the First Congregational
Society until 1842.  During the last ten years the society had made
several propositions to the town for the purpose of securing some
exclusive rights in the house.  One was the outright purchase; another
was to finish the upper part for worship, which should be the
property of the society, and the lower part for a town hall, which
should be the town's.  But the town was unwilling to entertain any
of these propositions.  Accordingly, at a meeting of the First
Congregational Society in the hall of Jeremiah Tyler, February 9, 1842
"to see if the society will procure a suitable piece of land on which
to build a house for public worship, it was voted to procure such a
piece, and at the same meeting General Samuel M. Richardson, proposed,
on certain conditions, to give the society such a piece, which gift,
subject to the conditions, was accepted by the society."
  At a meeting held February 24th, "it was voted that the erection 
of the meeting-house be commenced as soon as practicable in the
ensuing spring, and David Cutter, Moody Hobbs, Joshua Atwood,
David Butler and Amos Batchelder were chosen a building committee."
At a meeting held October 17, "Jeremiah Tyler, Enoch Marsh and 
John M. Tyler were chosen a committee of arrangements for the 
dedication of the new meeting-house."  The dedication was 
ninety-one years from the time that the old meeting-house was first
used for public worship.

THE PARSONAGE--
  At a meeting of the First Congregational Society, September 4, 1861,
it was voted to "accept the Tyler store lot, so called, purchased by
individuals for a parsonage-house of said society."  It was voted to
proceed at once to build, and Colonel Enoch Marsh, Abel Gage, Esq.,
F.A. Cuter, Eliphelet F. Woods were chosen a building committee.
The work was commenced at once, and under the enthusiastic lead of
Colonel Marsh, who devoted his time and energies to the enterprise,
it was substantially completed that autumn and occupied by the
present pastor the next April.  Richard B. Hillman was the builder.

*******
CHAPTER II
Education--Men of Note--Physicians--Music

EDUCATION--The town records show no public action upon the subject of
education till fifteen years after the incorporation.  But from this
time there was a graduate and substantial growth of the educational
sentiment.  The school and school-house gave rise to violent
controversies.  There were seasons of intense excitement.  At times
there was the reckless spirit that would destroy all rather than not
carry its point; then better counsels would prevail, harmony would be
restored, bygones would be forgotten and it would e united in the
good caused.
  March 9, 1761, "Voted, the non-resident money for a school." At the
March meeting of the next year there was no appropriation for schools,
but at a meeting, April--
 "1st, Voted not to build any school-houses.
 "2nd, Voted four month's schooling, to begin in September next
ensuing, and so on till the four months expired.
 "3d, Voted to raise the sum of L25 as school rates, to support the
above said school.

March 7, 1763, "Voted, two hundred pound, old tenor, for a school this
present year.  Said school is to be in four parts of said town, and
each part to have their portion of said money to be divided by the
selectmen."
  March 5, 1764, "Voted two hundred pounds, old tenor, for a school
for this present year, to be provided by the selectmen, as they shall
think proper."
  March 11, 1765, "Voted not to raise any money for a school this
present year." For the next ten years an average of fifteen pounds
was appropriated annually for schools.
  March 4, 1776, "Voted, twenty Pounds Lawful money, for Schooling 
this Present year." "A Committee Chosen to Place the schools and to
Provide Masters and Mistresses--Dr. John Mussey, Ebenezar Parmer, 
Esq., Jesse Wilson, Amos Gage Jr., Phillip Richardson Jr., -- Voted
that Every Quarter of the town should have the use of their own
money, and that Each Quarter should Enjoy the Priviledge of their 
own and not Send from one to another, and that when the School was
Provided they that would not Send SHould Go without the Benefit of
The School."
  During the next fifteen years, which included the hard times of
the Revolutionary War, the fown failed only once to make 
appropriations for the schools. After 1790 the matter of an
appropriation was no longer optional as the towns were required by
legislative enactment to raise a specified sum....
  March 7, 1796, Voted to chuse a Committee-viz., Captain John
Ferguson, Captain Thomas Spofford, Lieutenant Ezra R. Marsh,
James Gibson, Esq., David Gage--to Class the Inhabitants of sd Town
for keeping Schools agreeable to a former vote of sd TOwn, which was
to be five classes.
  March 6, 1797, "Voted to except the report of the committee to class
the town with five classes."
 The number of families in each class was as follows:  Southwest
Class, 34: Northwest Class, 30; Middle Class, 31; Northeast Class, 31;
Southeast Class, 26 [signed by David Gage, Thomas Spofford and
Ezra R. Marsh, Committee].
  The town was fortunate in the outset in an economical 
classification.  There were few classes.  The number of families in
each class was nearly the same.  Hence an equal division of the school
money was the fair thing.  This classification has remained 
substantially the same to the present time, and the money has, with
few exceptions, been equally divided among the five classes.
  The spirit of a people is often shown by a movement that is a
failure.  Minorities of even but one in a cause that looks to
enlargement and progress five a people character.  They are the little
leaven that will some time be the majority.  The article in the 
warrant of 1789, "to see if the town will vote to have a grammar 
school kept in said town," though dismissed, asserted literary
tastes, intellectual life and aspirations among the people.  The town
may not have furnished as many for the profession as some others; but
there are few towns that, according to their population, could show 
as large a number of men and women of good home-bred sense, of 
refined taste, of such general information, of such correct methods in
business, and who expressed themselves with more understanding and
grace.
  About the commencement of the century, Mr. Daniel Hardy, a graduate
of Dartmouth College and an accomplished scholar, taught an academy
for several years at the Centre, in teh building since known as the
Cottage, and occupied by the Misses Hastings for many years.  Mr.
Hardy and his school had a healthy influence upon the intellectual
life of the people.  Here many youhng men and women received
instruction that qualified them to be efficient teachers in the common
schools.
  During the ministry of Dr. Church, there was a literary association
that owned quite an extensive library of solid reading, comprising
history, essay and poetry, but no fiction as such; this was 
extensively and faithfully read.
  During the first sixty years of the century the town lyceum was an
institution, furnishing not only the sociability and wholesome
diversion that a people need, but also intellectual nurture and 
culture in speaking and writing.
  The following is a list, perhaps imperfect, of educated men that the
town has raised:
 GRADUATES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE.  Daniel Hardy, 1789; Aaron Hardy, 
1794; Caleb Butler, 1800; Reuben Dimond Mussey, 1803; Isaac Butler,
entered but died in the course; Stephen L. Bradstreet, 1819;
Barnabas G. Tenney, 1819; Calvin Butler, 1834; Nathaniel Abbot Keyes,
1835; Charles Burnham, 1836; Benjamin Butler, 1842; Joseph H. Tyler,
1851; Eliphelet Butler Gage, 1858 at the Scientific School,
John Edward Marsh, 1858, at the Scientific School, Nathaniel Parker
Gage, 1862.
  GRADUATES OF HARVARD.  William M. Richardson, 1797; Josiah Butler,
1803; John Cutter Gage, 1856; Frederic W. Batchelder, 1860.
  Four of these graduates became clergymen, seven lawyers.
Reuben Dimond Mussey became eminent in medicine, and had a reputation
that was European as well as American.  William M. Richardson 
represented the State in Congress, and also became chief justice of
the Supreme Court of New Hampshire.  Josiah Butler represented
New Hampshire two terms in Congress.  Others became teachers and
business men.
  PROFESSIONAL MEN, NOT GRADUATES.  Elijah Butler, born April 13,
1765; studied medicine and practiced many years in Weare.  Milton
Grosvenor studied medicine.  Nehemiah Butler, a lawyer and judge of
probate for Merrimack County.  John Quincy Adams Griffin, at his
death, in early manhood, had attained distinction at the bar.
Benjamin Russell Cutter, at his death seventeen years the principal
of the Washington Grammar School, Chicago.  William H. Gage studied
medicine, and at this death had been many years assistant physician
at the asylum, Taunton, Mass.
  Of gentlemen of the last generation noted as common-school teachers
were Moody Hobbs and Abel Gage, both self-made men and popular
teachers, with a life-long interest in education.  Mr. Hobbs became
a public man, and was associated with the distinguished men of the
State.  He was greatly interested in agriculture.  He was the
magistrate of the town and the civil engineer of this and neighboring
towns.  Mr. Gage led a quiet life on his farm, enjoyed his library
and took an intelligent and devoted interest in all the
philanthropic and missionary enterprises of the age.
  FEMALE TEACHERS-- Miss Hannah Cutter, educated under Miss Grant at
Ipswich, Mass., was instrumental in founding a female seminary at
Princeville, Ill.  Miss Mary C. Richardson, educated at Bradford
Academy, Massachusetts, holding for many years a responsible position
in that institution; a lady of superior intellectual powers and a
popular teacher.  Miss Mary T. Gage, educated at the Abbot Female
Seminary, Andover, Mass., a teacher for many years.  Her culture was
marked. Her life was an ornament ot the social state.  Miss Helen
Cutter, a popular teacher for many years at Arlington, Mass.  Miss
Emma D. Coburn, for a score of years holding important positions as
teacher in Western cities.
  Of young ladies in the present employed in the common schools of
this and adjoining towns, two may be named for their long and
valuable services,--Miss Susan M. Smith, great-granddaughter of
James Gibson, and Miss M. Amanda Cloyd.

*************
SOME MEN OF NOTE
*************
DEACON AMOS GAGE, born in 1717. Probably came to this town in 1739 or
1740, from Bradford, Mass. Prominent in the church, in civil and
military affairs. Died in 1792.
  
DEACON BARNABAS GIBSON, born near the cost of Ireland after his 
parents sailed for this county.  His father's name was James.  Among
the old papers of the family is a receipt for the passage-money of
the family, dated "Portrush, August 26, 1738."

JAMES GIBSON, brother of Barnabas, for a series of years a man of 
great prominence in the affairs of the town.

JESSE GIBSON, a son of James, a life-long resident of the town, often
elected to town offices, for a long series of years justice of the
peace, a man of unquestioned integrity.  He accumulated a large
property. Died in 1876, aged eighty-nine, wanting a few days.

CAPTAIN HENRY BALDWIN, at whose house the first town-meeting was
held, died in 1754.

DR. JOHN MUSSEY, father of Reuben Dimond Mussey, often chosen to
offices of importance in town.

JAMES AND SAMUEL HOBBS, grandsons of the first minister, stirring men
and often called to positions of public responsibility.

GENERAL SAMUEL M. RICHARDSON, a true gentleman, a distinguished
citizen, a member of a family that not only adorned New Hampshire, but
Massachusetts. He left a legacy to the First Congregational Society,
and also to the town for remodeling the old meeting-house into a town
hall.

DAVID CUTTER, for many years postmaster and a justice of the peace.
He was very exact in the transaction of all business, exemplary and
strictly law-abiding, a pillar in the moral and religious institutions
of the town. He died in 1863, aged nearly eighty-two years, and left
two thousand dollars to the First Congregational Society.

GENERAL JOSHUA ATWOOD, a generous and public-spirited citizen, was
widely known in his horticultural and nursery business. He died in 
1870, aged sixty-seven years.

COLONEL ENOCH MARSH, who still survives, near his ninetieth year, in a
"green old age," a gentleman of the truest type. He never sought or 
held office; but to the support of the religious institutions of the
town and causes of Christian philanthropy he had given his time, his
strength and his property.

MISSES ELIZA and CAROLINE HASTINGS came from Boston to Pelham in 1835,
to live on the small property they acquired by years of teaching, an
employment that they engaged in when financial reverses came upon
their father's business. They were ladies of true culture and a noble
Christian spirit.  They rented the building once occupied by Mr. Hardy
for a school, and afterwards it was known as the Cottage.  They
employed their time in the care of the their cultured natures and 
deeds of charity.  THey loved to walk the different streets of the
town and make informal calls in all the homes.  Families in all parts
of the town were wont to have them as their guests. They made for
themselves a large place in the esteem and affection of the people.
They were a great acquisition to society.  Their influence was 
salutary. Miss Eliza died September 10, 1853, aged seventy-one. The
shock was great to Miss Caroline. She endured it with Christian
fortitude, and died April 26, 1872, aged eighty-nine. Their graves
are with the people of their adoption.

PHYSICIANS--The earliest were Dr. Amos Richardson; then Dr. John
Mussey, Dr. Aaron Grosvenor, Dr. William Gage, Dr. Benjamin R.
Skelton, Dr. Benjamin F. Simpson, Dr. Edwin Grosvenor, Dr. Lucius
Grosvenor, Dr. Amos Batchelder.
  Dr. Batchelder commenced practice in town in 1837. He has been a
studious man and kept himself abreast of the times in his profession.
He has also been a careful observor and extensive reader in natural
history and general science, and he has a cabinet of six thousand
speciments of his own collection.

MUSIC--The Pelham people have always been musicial.  The Gages,
Butlers, Cutters, Gibsons, Atwoods and Wilsons were musical families.
Of those who led the singing in the past and sometimes taughter
singing-schools were Deacon Amos Gage, Deacon Abel Gage, General
Samuel R. Richardson, David Cutter, Jonathan B. Greeley, Abel Gage 
Jr., Jesse Wilson, Colonel Enoch Marsh, Frederic A. Spofford and,
later, William Chase.  In the years 1798 and 1805 there were articles
in the warrant for the annual town-meeting to see if the town would
appropriate money for a singing-school.  In neither instance was the
appropriation made; but in 1803 the town "voted to purchase a bass
viol for the use of the singers; also that Deacon Abel Gage, Samuel M.
Richardson and Doc(t) William Gage be a committee to purchase sd 
viol."
  In 1859 an unusually fine-toned pipe-organ was purchased for the
church. Since then Mr. Alonzo D. Greeley, an amateur in music, has
played the organ, led the singing and devoted much time and expense
to the culture of music in the town.  When the organ was procured 
there were but two or three pianos in town; now there are a dozen,
and parlor organs in almost every house.  Two of the school-houses
have musical instruments.

***************
CHAPTER III
Civil Government--Military--Growth, Development and Change--
Personal Reminiscences

CIVIL GOVERNMENT--The town from the first took a thoughtful interest
in the constitutions of both the State and national governments.
  At a town-meeting April 13, 1778, "Mr. James Barnard was then
chosen as a member of that Convention that is to meet at Concord on
June the tenth next, in order to form a Plan of Government for the
People of this State for their future good and happiness."
  "Voted to chuse a Committee of Eleven men to Give Instruction to
said Barnard Concerning the plan of Government, which are as follows:
Messrs. Major. Daniel Coburn, Esq., Gage, Doc John Mussey, Esq.
Gibson, Dea Barnabas Gibson, Dea. Amos Gage, Thomas Spofford,
Nehemiah Butler, Capt. Jesse Wilson, Capt. Asa Richardson, Peirce
Gage."
  The plan that was submitted to the people by the convention of June
1781, was considered in the town-meeting held in December, and "Voted
to chuse a committee to Take into consideration the plan of
Government, and make remarks on it and lay them Before the town."
"Chose the Committee (viz.), Dea. Barnabas Gibson, Aaron Wyman,
Jacob Butler, Jun., David Butler, Abel Gage, Joshua Atwood,
Caleb Butler, Doct John Mussey, Josiah Gage Esq., and Mark Gould."
This plan was discussed on the report of the committee, by articles,
at a town-meeting January 21, 1782, and substantially rejected by
Pelham, as it was by the State.  The convention submitted another
plan in August 1782. At a town meeting December 2d this was referred
to a committee,--Dr. John Mussey, Nathaniel Abbot, James Gibson Esq.,
Josiah Gage, Esq., Jesse Smith, Abiel Barker, Jacob Butler Jr.,
Dea. Barnabas Gibson and David Butler.  The meeting then adjourned
till the 17th. "The town being Mette, according to the above
adjournment, Voted not to accept of the Plan of Government as it now
stands, by 60 Votes.  Voted to accept the Plan of Government with the
Amendments made by the Committee, by 52 Votes; 7 Persons Voted
against it."
  This plan was also rejected by the State.  The convention met in
June, 1783, and submitted another plan to the people.  At a meeting
held August 18, "Voted, to choose a committee of Nine Persons to take
under Consideration the Alteration of the Eight Articles of the
Confideration. Com., Mr. David Butler, Mr. Uriah Abbott, James Gibson,
Esq., Mr. Joshua Atwood, Deakn Barnabas Gibson, Josiah Gage, Esq.,
Mr. John Ferguson, Doctr John Mussey, Mr. Aaron Wyman. Voted for the
aforesd Committee to take under Consideration the Address from
Convention."
 "The Moderator Adjourned sd Meeting Three Weeks."
 "Met According to the Above Adjournment."
 "Voted, to receive a Verbal Report of sd Committee that is to alter
the Eight Artical of Confideration, (viz.) that is the Proportion
among the United States Shall be Laid by the Number of Souls. Voted,
to Recieve a Verbil Report of the afore sd Commitee, that is not to
alter the Executive Department."
 This plan was adopted by the State and ratified by the convention
October 31st.
 These quaint records show how carefully the underlying principles of
both the national confederation and the State Constitution were
examined by the citizens of Pelham.

TOWN CLERKS
1746-47, Eleazar Whiting; 1748-49, Henry Baldwin, Jr.; 1750-52, 
Amos Gage; 1753, David Jones; 1754-57, Amos Gage; 1758, Levi 
Hildreth; 1759-72, Amos Gage; 1773-74, Josiah Gage Jr., 1775-82
Daniel Barker; 1783-90, John Ferguson; 1791-96, Benjamin Barker Jr;
1797-99, Aaron Hardy; 1799-1802, Benjamin Barker, 1803-4 Peter
Paterson; 1805-19, William Hardy (2d); 1820-23, William Atwood;
1824-26, William Hardy; 1827-31, James Hobbs; 1832, Reuben B.
Gibson; 1833-37, Jeremiah Tyler; 1838-39, Charles Spofford; 1840-41,
Moody Hobbs; 1843, Charles Spofford; 1844-45 Frederick A. Spofford;
1845, David Spofford; 1846-65 John Woodbury; 1865, Amos Batchelder;
1866-67, Joshua Atwood Jr.; 1868-77 Amos Batchelder; 1878-82,
Charles W. Hobbs; 1883-85, Daniel P. Atwood.

DELEGATES TO THE SEVERAL CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS--
1778, James Barnard; 1781, Jacob Butler Jr.; 1791 James Gibson;
1851, Joshua Atwood; 1876, F.M. Woodbury.

DELEGATE TO THE CONVENTION FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE FEDERAL
CONSTITUTION-- 1788, Rev. Amos Moody

REPRESENTATIVES--
1775, Aaron Wyman; 1776-78 James Gibson; 1779-81 David Butler;
1782, James Gibson; 1783-85, Jacob Butler Jr; 1786, James Gibson;
1787-88, Jacob Butler; 1789, voted not to send; 1790, James Gibson;
1791, voted not to send; 1792, James Gibson; 1793-96, Rev. Amos Moody;
1797, Nehemiah Butler; 1798, Rev. Amos Moody; 1799-1802, Jame Gibson;
1803-6, Rev. Amos Moody; 1807, James Gibson; 1808-9 Josiah Butler;
1810-11, James Gibson; 1812-20 Maj. Samuel M. Richardson; 1821,
Maj. William Hardy; 1822, Nehemiah Butler; 1823-25 Capt. James Hobbs;
1826-27, Samuel M. Richardson; 1828, James Hobbs; 1829, Nehemiah
Butler; 1830-31, Samuel M. Richardson; 1832-34, Jesse Gibson, Esq.;
1835, Samuel M. Richardson; 1836, David Hamblet; 1837, James Hobbs,
Esq.; 1838-41, Jesse Gibson; 1842-45, Joshua Atwood; 1846-47, Gilbert
Coburn; 1848-49, Joshua Atwood; 1850, Jesse Gibson; 1851, Darius
Stickney; 1852 Joshua Atwood; 1853-54, John Richardson; 1855-56,
Joshua Atwood; 1857-58, John Woodbury; 1859-60 Amos Batchelder;
1861-62, Daniel Marshall; 1863-64, Warren Sherburne; 1865, Kimball
Gibson; 1866, George H. Currier; 1867-68, Eliphelet F. Wood; 1869-70,
William G. Butler; 1871-72, Nathan Gage; 1873-74, George F. Currier;
1875-76, John Woodbury; 1877-78, Nathan Gage; 1879, Daniel N. Atwood;
1881, Luther C. Richardson; 1883, George S. Butler; 1885, Richard B.
Hillman.

MILITARY RECORD--The citizens of Pelham have always been patriotic.
They have enlisted in all the wars of our country and shed their
blood on nearly every battle-field.  Amos Gage, an early settlers of
the town, one of the original members of the church and the first
deacon, was a captain in the French and Indian War, and lost a son,
aged twenty years, in that war.
  In the old records of the town the following is found:
  "In the year 1755 Begune the Bloody war Btween England and france,
and the whole County of Canada was surrendered to his Majesty,
George, in the year 1760.
  "the account of the number of men that was lost beloning to
Pelham that died a Broad:
  "Jonathan Wright, Edward Wyman, Ezra Littlehail, Simon Beard,
Lieut. Thomas Gage, Joseph Gage, Simon Wyman, Daniel Gage, John 
Weber."

******
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
***********
  In the American Revolution, no one of the colonies exhibited a more
resolute and determined spirit of resistance to the oppression of
Great Britain than New Hampshire, and in no town of the State was this
spirit more pronounced that in Pelham.
 At a town-meeting April 1, 1777, "Voted, twenty pounds lawful
money per man that shall Inlist for three years into the Continental
army."
  April 7th, "Voted, to anex Ten Pounds Lawful money to the above
Twenty pounds, to Each Soldier who shall Inlist into the Continental
army for the Term of three years."
  June 4th, "Voted, that Each man who has served as a Soldier in
Defence of the United States of america, shall be allowed sixteen
shillings and Eight Pence per month."  "Those Persons who were in
the service two months at Winterhill, Being Present, agreed to take
but twelve Shillings per month."
  At a town-meeting February 2, 1778, "Voted, that Lt. John Bradford,
Mr. Aaron Wyman, Capt. Asa Richardson be a Committee to Provide for
the Soldiers' Families." At this meeting the vote was re-considered,
"allowing each soldier sixteen shillings and eight pence per month
for what he hath done in the service more than his proportion," and a
committee chosen to bring in under oath "how much shall be allowed to
those who have served as soldiers in the several Campaigns that have
been in the Present War."  This committee brought in at a subsequent
meeting that the year's men should be allowed nine pounds and
sixteen pence per man.
  At this meeting "Voted, to chuse a Committee to Instruct the
Representative Concerning the Confederation Lately Published by the
Continental Congress," which would indicate that the men of Pelham
had a nice perception of equity and justice and saw distinctly a
wrong that had convulsed the nation and drenched it in blood.
  "At a meeting of the Freeholders and other inhabitants of the town
of Pelham, on Monday, the Ninth day of February, 1778, the Following
Instructions were reported by us, the Subscribers, a Committee
appointed for that purpose, which were accepted by said town:
  "To James Gibson, Esq., Representative of the Town of Pelham (to
the Provincial Congress at Exeter):
 "Gentleman:--You being chosen by the Voice of the town of Pelham to
Represent them in the Great and General Court, and as it must be
agreeable to you to know the minds of your Constituents in all
important matters, we think fit to give you the following instructions
with regard to the articles of confederation; you are directed to move
for, and Exert yourself to get, an alteration of a part of the fifth
Paragraph in the ninth article, where they mention proportion in the
Number of land forces by the white Inhabitants in Each State, which we
conceive to be unequal; our reason is because of the vast Dispropor-
tionate Number of Black Inhabitants in this and some of the Southern
States; in them the husbandry Labor is chiefly done by black men, when
we in this State have but few Labourers of that Colour, and whether
these Blacks be continued slaves or not, many of them make good
Soldiers in the field of Battle; therefore, making the Proportion of
soldiers by the white Inhabitants only, Leaves their fields full of
Labourers, when ours are empty.  You are also Directed to move for
and urge the calling a full and free representation of all the
People in this State to meet in Convention, at such time and place as
shall be appointed by the general assembly, for the sole purpose of
fraiming and laying a permanent plan or sistem for the future
government of this State.  These matters, with all others that may
come before the General Court, we leve to your firmness and prudence,
and trust your Exertions in the common cause will be such as Shall
Recommend you to all Lovers of freedom and Liberty (and what is more)
gain you the approbation of God and your own conscience."
 [signed]
 "Maj. Daniel Coburn, Josiah Gage, Esq., Dea. Barnabas Gibson,
Capt. Asa Richardson, Dr. John Mussey, Lt. Robert Nevins Jr.,
Lt. Joshua Swan, Jacob Butler Junior."
  The records of the town during the years of the Revolutionary War
indicate a whole-hearted loyalty to the cause and faithfulness to
the soldiers.  Some of these simple records are a beautiful
revelation of the character of the men and spirit of those times.
  March 2, 1778, "Voted, to pay Samuel Davis four Dollars in the Lieu
of a Counterfeit Bill which he received of the town for his services
in the war."
 "Voted, to Pay Asa Knowlton Fifty Dollars for his service three
years in the war."
  At a town-meeting April 13, 1778, "Voted, to hire one man to go
into the Continental service for nine months, to make up the town's
proportion of the three years' men.  Voted, that Engs. Nathan Butler
should hire the man and the town to pay the man that sd Butler should
hire."
  At a town meeting February 13, 1781, "Voted, to chuse a committee
of three men to hire soldiers for three years to go to war, (vis):
Asa Richardson, Amos Gage, Lt. Nevins."
  At a meeting March 13th of this year, the committee to average the
expense of the war made their report, which was accepted,--
  "Voted, that corn should Be the spesha to settle this Everage upon,
or money to the value.
 "Voted, to alow those men that went to Winter-hill for Eight months,
two Bushels of corn Per month, or the value in money.
 "Voted, to alow the year's men five Bushels of corn Per month, or the
value in money.
 "Voted, to alow those that went to Portsmouth one month, one Bushel
of corn Per month, or the value in money.
 "Voted, to alow the five months' men that went to Ticonderoga, two
Bushels of corn Per month, or the value in money.
 "Voted, to alow three months' men that went to York, one Bushel of
corn, or the value in money.
 "Voted, to alow the two months' men that went to York, one Bushel of
corn, or the value in money.
 "Voted, to alow the two months' men that went to Bennington, four
Bushels of corn Per month, or the value in money.
 "Voted, to alow the year's men Raised in 1779, three Bushesl of corn,
or the Value in money.
 "Voted, to alow the six months' men that went to Rhode Island, Two
Bushels of corn Per month, or the value in money.
 "Voted, to alow the two months' men that went to Portsmouth, one
Bushel of corn per month, or the value of money.
 "Voted, to alow the six months' men that went to York, four Bushels
of corn Per month, or the value in money.
 "Voted, to alow the three months' men Raised in the year 1780, four
BUshels of corn Per month, or the value in money.
 "Voted, to alow those Persons that went Volunteers, that have Done
more than their Proportion in the time of war, have liberty to Depose
of it as they Pleas.
 "Voted, to alow Lt. Hanly for six months' time that he had Done in
the war.
 "Voted, to allow Lt. Hardy two Bushels of corn Per month, or the
value in money."
  
At a town-meeting July 9th of the same year, "Voted, that those
Persons that has Paid their Beefrate shall take it Back again out of
the Constables' Hands."
  At a town-meeting on February 4, 1782, "Voted, that the corn that
was voted to settle the sd average should be set a half a Dollar Per
Bushel.

The town sent eighty-six true men to the war; the following are their
names:--
Joshua Atwood, Uriah Abbot, Abijah Austin, Isaac Barker, Benjamin
Barker, Deacon Daniel Barker, Joseph Bailey, Simon Beard, Daniel
Butler, Nathan Butler, Jacob Butler, Lieutenant JohN Bradford,
Merrill Coburn, Asa Coburn, Benjamin Coburn, Edward Coburn,
Seth Cutter, Samuel Davis, James Farmer, James Ferguson, John 
Ferguson, Michael Fitzgerald, John Foster, David, Abner and Daniel
Gage, of the same family; Captain Jonathan Gage, Asa, Abel and Amos
Gage, of the same family; Daniel Gage, Richard Gage, Deacon Amos Gage,
Josiah Gage, Benjamin Gage, Deacon Barnabas Gibson, James Gibson,
Phinehas Goodhue, William Gordon, Alexander Graham, Josiah Gutterson,
Jonathan Griffin, Phineas Hamblet, Reuben Hamblet, Nathaniel 
Haseltine, Major Thomas Hardy, Simon Hardy, Noah Hardy, Jedediah
Hardy, William hardy, Cyrus Hardy, James Hardy, James Hobbs, Enoch
Howard, Samuel Howard, John Hoyt, William Johnson, Phinehas
Kimball, Ziba Kimball, Benjamin Kimball, John Kimball, Thomas 
Knowlton, Asa Knowlton, Amos Kemp, Jacob Marsh, Noah Marsh, 
John Marsh, Dudley Marsh, Zebulon May, John Mills, Jonathan Morgan,
Lieutenant Robert Nevens [Nevins], Ebenezer Palmer, Daniel Richardson,
Ezekiel Richardson, Thomas Richardson, Thomas Spofford, Edward Tenny,
Jonathan Tenny, Thomas Thistle, Nathan Whitim, Captain Jesse Wilson,
John Williams, Joseph Wright, John Wyman.

**********
CIVIL WAR
**********
The same spirit of patriotism and alacrity in meeting the calls of
country was exhibited in the War of the Rebellion [Civil War]. 
Partisan spirit was intense.  The differences of opinion about the
causes of the war were pronounced; but when the flag was fired upon at
Sumter, these were all sunk in one united devotion to the integrity of
our government, and the dominant sentiment was most forcibly voiced in
a toast of a distinguished citizen on the 4th of July, 1861: "Union
first, compromise afterwards."
  The following is the list of the soldiers from Pelham:
  Benjamin F. Bean, Joseph W. Bright, Willis G. Burnham, Edwin S.
Burnham, Frank E. Butler, Charles W. Butler, William W. Butler,
James Carey, Kimball J. Chaplin, Benjamin Chase, Isaac H. Daniels,
Edward Dow, Alonzo Ellenwood, Frank M. Ellenwood, Josiah E. Everett,
Daniel B. Fox, George H. Gage, William H. Gage, Ezekiel C. Gage,
Warren W. Herbert, Horace W. Humphrey, Charles W. Hobbs, George C.
Jackman, George B. Johnson, M. Charles Kent, Joseph F. Lamson, 
David Lee, Sidney J. Lyon, David A. McCoy, James E. McCoy, Orton 
Moore, Charles L. Moreland, George Marsh, Edward Moran, Michael
Murray, Alexander Peaslee, Charles W. Philbrick, Russell O. Richarson,
Silas Richardson, Charles W. Sleeper, Alfred E. Smith, Neil 
Southerland, Orlando W. Spalding, Thomas S. Spear, William B. Thom,
Videl L. Thom, Isaiah Titcomb, William H. Titcomb, Frank E. Titcomb,
Charles P. Titcomb, Michael Tulley, Andrew C. Upham, Lyman O. Webster,
Mark H. Webster, Charles Wheeler, George W. Wilkins, Gilman H. 
Woodbury, John M. Woods.

GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE--For several years after the
incorporation of the town there were deer wardens, surveyors of brick
and leather, cullars of staves and fish wardens.  Tythingmen were
chosen until the year 1838.
  In 1764, "Voted to Reserve all the timber and wood now Growing and
standing in the highways in this town for the use and benefit of the
Reparing the highways in said town."
  In 1792 it was voted to work out part of the highway money in the
winter.
  In 1796 it was voted that sheep shall not go at large from May until
October.
  In 1798 the town voted to clear the brooks so that the fish might
have a "clear passage."  The same year there was an article in the
warrant to see if the town will vote to raise money to purchase
ammunition, and also provide a place to keep a stock. This was
defeated; but in 1809 it was voted to leave it with the selectmen
to provide a magazine.
  In 1800 the town voted "to pay the expenses of the soldiers on
muster-day."
  The intensity of the ecclesiastical feeling is indicated by 
another vote of this same year, which was "not to pay Joshua Atwood
the expense of the dinner for the council about Mr. Smith."
  In 1807 the town voted not to buy a hearse; but in 1815 voted
one hundred and fifty dollars for a hearse.  For some years after,
the body of this was put on runners for winter use, and a new hearse
was built by Mr. Asa Davis Butler.  In 1865 a new hears was purchased
for six hundred dollars; Major John Woodbury and Mr. Alfred S. Smith
were the agents that made the purchase.  In 1882 a winter hearse was
purchased at an expense of two hundred dollars.
  In the earlier days the farmers went with their oxen teams to
Haverhill, Old Salem and Boston to market.  Until within the last
twenty-five years the ox performed all the labor of the farm. A yoke
of oxen and a horse hauled the wood to market.  Now, labor of all
kinds is performed by horses.  Twenty-five years ago there were but
two or three covered carriages in town. Now, every farmer has one.
In the same period there has been either a rebuilding or remodeling
of nearly every dwelling-house and barn in town, and machinery has
come to facilitate all the labor of the farm.  In the earlier days
of the town the water of nearly every brook in town was utilized for
a saw-mill. Now, very often, steam mills are set up in the wood lot,
and the lumber of a number of acres sawed in a few weeks.  The first
century of the town's history was distinguished by the construction
of roads.  In 1825-26 two routes of public travel from Lowell, north
and northeast, were improved-- the present Mammoth and Central 
roads,--the one constituting a public thoroughfare to Concord, the 
other to Dover and Portsmouth.  Lines of stages went over each of 
these roads.  At a later date the stage over the Central road was
called the "Chicken Line," from the amount of poultry expressed over
it.  On the Mammoth were some famous hostelries, notably the one at
North Pelham, kept, for a time, by the late Jesse Gibson, Esq.  It
was a satisfaction for Mr. and Mrs. Gibson, in their old age, to tell
how President Jackson, Levi Woodbury, Isaac Hill and Daniel Webster
has received the hospitalities of their house.
  The Centre had two public inns and was the resort of the neighboring
towns for the recreation of election-days.  The speed of horses would
be tried on the plain, and the strength of parties tested in
wrestling matches.  It also furnished favorable grounds for the 
autumn musters.
  On the place formerly owned by Samuel Hobbs and later by his son,
Moody Hobbs, there is a stone known as the "lifting stone." The early
proprietor of the place is said to hvae tested the strength of his
help by this.
  That the Indians once had their home here is evident from Indian
names.  Golden Brook, is so called from an Indian who lived by it.
The site of his wigwam is still to be seen, a little to the southeast
of the Moody Hobbs place.
  Mr. William W. Butler has an interesting collection of Indian
relics that he has gathered from his farm.  Dr. Batchelder has a 
large number and variety in his cabinet.  Gumpas Pond and Hill, as
well as Jeremie's Hill, perpetually remind of the original inhabitants
of this town.
  The first settlers not only endured the privations and hardships
incident to the making their in the wilderness but perils from wild
beasts.  The wife of Lieutenant Tho. Gage, who was lost in the French
and Indian War, had been to visit a neighbor on the other side of
Beaver Brook from the Centre. On returning to her home, on Baldwin
Hill--there was no habitation on the way--she was suddenly startled
by hearing footsteps behind her, which she discovered to be a bear,
and with difficulty kept him at bay until she reached her home.
Mrs. Gage was a woman of great energy.  She went to Boston on 
horseback, and carried thread and yarn of her own manufacture, and
bought nails to build a house, which is said to be the house on the
place owned at present by Mr. Underwood.
  Jonathan, her son, a captain in the Revolutionary War, was the 
first male child born after the incorporation of the town.  Mrs. 
Gage's life had severe experiences.  Besides the loss of her
husband in the French and Indian War, her son, John Gage, a young man
with a family, perished in the snow, January 26, 1765, aged twenty-
seven.  He had been, with his grist on his back down in Dracut, (to
what, in these later years, has been known as Lawson's) to mill. He
had returned nearly to his home, when he was found the next morning.
  In the door-yard of the place where the late Major Daniel Atwood
lived, a bear was shot by Simon Beard, the knob of his fire-shovel
serving instead of a bullet.
  There is a story of an attack upon the cattle of Butler and
Hamblet by wolves.  The cattle of both families ranged the woods west
of their settlement, in the direction of Gumpas Pond.  One Sabbath a
loud bellowing was heard; a young man from each of the families
seized his gun and started in the direction of the pond.  Upon
entering the forest they met the cattle coming in great haste, the
cows ahead in single file, then the young cattle in the same order,
some with their heads scratched and bloody.  Following these was
a cow, also scratched and bloody, with a young calf before her;
behind her four oxen abreast, with bloody heads, and in the rear of
the oxen three angry, growling wolves.  The young men discharged
their guns and the wolves fled.

The old town records are exceedingly interesting and suggestive.
Such are the following:

"May the 27, 1760
"This Day Hugh Tallent Left the mark of all his creaters, which is
a hole throu the Right Ear."

"April ye 5, 1777
"This Day the Revd Mr. Amos Moody Left the Mark of all his Creatures,
which is a Swallow's tale on the End of Both Ears."

So too is the following which is very frequent in the records of the
first fifty years:
 "John Webber and his wife and family, Late of methuen, was warned
out of Sd town by Benjamin Barker, one of the constables for the
present year."

So too the following, several of which appear in the records of each
year, from 1790, for twenty-five years:
 "Pelham, Sept. the 8th, 1800.
 "To all whom it may concern, the Subscribers recommend Moses Whiting,
of Pelham, Living a few rods east of the meeting-house in Sd town,
on the road leading from Nottingham West to Haverhill, as being
well Qualified for retailing foreign distilled spirits and wines.
Approved by us..
 "William Wyman, Benja. Hamblet, Selectmen of Pelham; Benja. Barker,
Town Clerk."

March, 1752, the town "Voted to William Elliott four shillings a
Dinner for Mr. Hobbs, upon the Sabbath."  At the same meeting, "Voted
to Henry Baldwin, Esq. thirteen pounds, old tenor, for finding Licker
for the ordation" (ordination).
 1790, "Voted, to rectify the pound, but not to appoint a person to
take care of it."
 1791, the pound was moved into Mr. Ferguson's field, the back side
of the meeting-house.

QUAINT PERSONS--The town probably has had the usual proportion of
such.  Tradition brings several anecdotes of Preceptor Hardy.  He was
very scholarly but possessed of little practical knowledge. He could
not harness or care for his horse.  He had but small estimate of the
value of money. His father, Adjutant Hardy, had a nice pair of velvet
breeches.  On going for them, they could not be found.  The great
query with the family was, What had become of them? when Daniel
remarked that a man had come along begging for a pair, and he had
given him those.
  There is an authentic story of a good man who lived on Baldwin's
Hill, who was so scrupulous in the observance of Fast Day that he gave
his cattle nothing to eat till night, and, on calling into a
neighbor's on his return from the religious services of the day,
remarked, "that nothing had passed his lips that day but tobacco,
and nothing would till sundown."

THE FAITHLESS LOVER--In the long ago a school mistress on Baldwin's
Hill used to knit going to and returning from her dinner, nearly a
mile distant, for a young man in college, who failed to make real the
expectations he had aroused.
  
The provincial records of New Hampshire contain a few interesting
census items of Pelham.
 "1773. Unmarried men from 16 to 60 ................49
        Married men from 16 to 60.................. 95
        Boys, 16 years and under.................. 198
        Men, 60 years and upwards.................. 21
        Females, unmarried........................ 193
        Females, married.......................... 114
        Widows..................................... 12
        Men slaves.................................  1
        Female slaves..............................  1
                 TOTAL.............................684
   "Josiah Gage, Moses Eaton, Selectmen."

"To the Honorable Committee of Safety for the Province of New
Hampshire:
 "Gentlemen--In Compliance to a Resolve of Congress at Exeter, we
have taken an exact account of Every Soul belonging to the Town of
Pelham,--viz--
  "Males under 16 is ..............................206
   From 16 to 50 is................................112
   Males above 50 is............................... 40
   Males in the army is ........................... 29
   Females is..................................... 362
                 TOTAL............................ 749
"N.B.--The Quantity of Powder taken, by estimation as near as
possible, is 28 lbs.
   Guns fit for use...............110 
   Guns wanting is................ 40
"The above account taken by us this 12th day of Septr, 1775
  "James Gibson, Amos Gage, P. Richardson Jr., Selectmen of Pelham"

"Pelham Septr ye 12th, 1775
 "This day Personally and Severally Appeared before me, the 
Subscriber, the above named Selectmen and made oath to the contents
of the above Number of Souls taken by them to be a true account.
 "Daniel Barker, Town Clerk."

"Pelham, May 27th, 1786
 "The following is a True List of the Number of Inhabitants of the
Town of Pelham:
  Number of mals..............................205
  Number of femals............................206
  Number of children..........................464
     TOTAL....................................875
 "Daniel Richardson, James Ferguson, Selectmen for Pelham.

In 1769 the highway list [on a paper owned by Mr. Warren Shelburne]
mentions James Sherburne, surveyor of highways for the Town of
Pelham and describes his work.  It was signed by Samuel Butler and
Barnabas Gibson, Selectmen. Subscribers to this paper include
James Sherburne, Thomas Jewell, Benoni Jewell, Mark Gould,
Lot Spaulding, Joseph Wright, Joshua Hamblet, Capt. William 
Richardson, Asa M. Richardson, Ebenezar Parmer, William Wyman,
Simeon Beard and Eleazar Whiting.

Mr. William W. Butler had in his possession a deed of his farm,
given in 1732, and the property has since been in possession of the
Butler family.  The mills at North Pelham, owned by the estate of
Asa Davis Butler, have been the property of that family since 1737.
They have an old deed of that date, given by John and Samuel to
Joseph Butler, so that it has really been the property of the Butler
family from an earlier date.
  The farm in the west part of the town owned by Mr. Warren
Sherburne has been, with the exception of a single year, in the
Sherburne name since 1751, and Mr. Sherburne has a deed of that date.
  The farm of Jesse Wilson has been the property of the Wilson
family from about the time of the incorporation of the town, and
Captain Wilson has in his possession a deed thus ancient.
  There are number of ancient houses in town. The one on the Hadley
farm has a tablet in it, placed there by Mrs. Belinda Butler Hadley,
certifying that the house was erected in 1776, and was the home of
Daniel Butler and Molly Tenney, his wife, and that thirteen children
were born to them there.
  The house where Dr. Reuben Dimond Mussey was born (June 23, 1780)
is still standing on the place owned by Mr. Daniel Pearsons.  Dr.
Mussey was wont to yearly visit it.
  Just below where Dr. Mussey lived, on the place now owed by Mr.
Underwood, there was an extensive tannery, where a dozen hands were
employed.  Captain Jonathan Gage carried on the business.
  Cooperage was quite an industry of the town. There was also the
manufacture of pearlash.
  Hats were manufactured in town. Deacon Charles Stiles had a shop
at his place on the Mammoth road and worked at the business till
1870.  Jesse Gibson, Esq. carried on the harness business at North
Pelham.
  At two different times there has been a cotton-factory at Butler's
Mills, which has had the misfortune to be burnt.  The last one was
burnt in 1871.
  A short distance below Butler's Mills there was a carding-mill,
which, in later years, was altered into a woolen factory.  A few years
since this was burnt and has not since been rebuilt.
  Running across the easterly part of the town is a ledge of granite.
The working of this ledge has been an important industry.  The stone
to build the dam at Lawrence was hauled from Gage Hill, in the 
northeast part of the town, and that to build the reservoir at Lowell,
in the south part of the town.  Just on the border of the town, near
Mr. Abraham Tallent's there was a brick-yard.
  The cobbler with his kit of tools and the tailoress with her
goose, going from house to house and tarrying while they prepared
shoes and garments for the family, were institutions of the past.

*************
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
*************

REV. AUGUSTUS BERRY
Rev. Augustus Berry was born in Concord [NH] on what is known as
Dimond Hill, October 7, 1824.  His parents were Washington Berry
and Maria Dale Berry.  His father was a native of Middleton, Mass.,
which was the home of his ancestors.  His mother, of Salem, Mass.,
which was the home of her ancestors.  His father returned to his
native place in 1828, and moved to Henniker, a farm in the southwest
part of the town, known as the Judge Wallace place, in 1833. This was
the home of his parents for more than thirty years.  The associations
of his boyhood, youth and early manhood are at Henniker.  In boyhood
he had a passionate love of books, and read much though laboring
hard on the farm.  Once having severely wounded one of his limbs,
the thought quickly flahsed through his mind, as an ample compensation
for all confinement and suffering, "now I shall have time to read."
  He was very desirous to get an education. He walked, several terms,
three miles to the village to attend the academy. If he went to
college he must depend mainly upon himself for the means. He resolved
to try. At an early age he commenced to teach in the district school.
He taught a number of months at Amherst and made there many valuable
friendships. His studies, prepatory for college, were pursued mainly
at Francestown Academy. He graduated at Amherst College in the class
of 1851, with a high rank in scholarship. During his college course
he taught four successful fall terms in the old academy in Henniker.
On graduating he accepted the charge of the academy at Limerick, Me.,
and the school soon had an unprecedented patronage.  At the end of
the second year he left in the face of an urgent invitation to remain.
In the spring of 1854 he accepted the charge of the academy at
Lyndon, Vt., and remained till the summer of 1855, when he became
principal of Appleton Academy, at Mont Vernon, where he remained five
years, and left to enter the ministry.  He was a popular and
successful teacher.  More than a thousand different pupils have
been under his instruction, a large number of whom have filled and
are filling important positions in society.  A brief quotation from
a private letter of a pupil who has attained a high position in the
Judiciary of the State of New York, will indicate something of the
character of his teaching. He says, "I have learned to value the
effort you always seemed to make to distinguish between individual
minds and to seek to meet their special aptitudes.  To my mind this is
the secret of all valuable instruction in school or elsewhere. I
can say with confidence that under your instruction more than anywhere
else I received that training and discipline in habits of thought
which have been useful to me in all my pursuits."
  In 1857 he received a license to preach, and frequently supplied
the pulpit in Mont Vernon and neighboring towns.  In the autumn of
1860 he went to Andover and remained during the seminary year, and
attended the lectures in the middle and senior classes.  In October
1861, he was settled over the church in Pelham, where he is still
pastor. As a writer he is distinguished for perspicuity and purity
of style. His productions are charactertized by a fullness of thought.
A ministerial brother, pastor of an important city church, and whose
reputation as scholar, critic and preacher is acknowledged, gives t
the following estimate of him: "He is held in pectuliar esteem by
those who have become familiar with his mental qualities and habits.
There is unfailing freshness in his thinking, because he holds his
mind unvaryingly open to the acquisition of new truth.  With a sound
scholarship and broad reading he holds the field of knowledge a
broad one and still open for conquest.  He evinces a remarkable 
spirit of candor in dealing with the living issues of the day, and 
with a commendable modesty in the estimate put upon his own
attainments, shows a power of penetration and sound judgment not
often surpassed.  The fairness and kindness of his consideration for
others is rewarded by a universal regard on the part of his brethren
in the ministry."
  He was married to Miss Dora Richardson Snow, of Peterborough,
November 24, 1853. She died March 15, 1873.  January 30, 1877, he
married Miss Mary Currier Richardson, of Pelham.
  Apart from the specific duties of his pastorate, he has maintained
a living interest in the cause of education, and kept himself
familiar with the new methods of instruction and the educational
thought of the present time.  The subject of agriculture, both
practical and scientific, engaged his attention, and he makes the
social problems of the age his study.
  Of a retiring disposition, he has never sought place or position.
With a passionate love of nature, and courting the retirement that
a country life furnished for study, he has had no other ambition
than to faithfully serve in the gospel ministry an intelligent,
agricultural population, who have ever been very charitable towards
him and considerate of him.


JOHN WOODBURY
The Woodbury family is of English descent, members of which emigrated
to America as early as the year 1626, and many of them have since
been prominent in law, politics, &c.  John Woodbury, of Somersetshire,
England, who was among the first settlers of Salem, Mass., has
numerous descendants in New England.  He was a man of considerable
ability; was admitted freeman in 1630 and was a representative to the
general court in 1635 and 1838.  A namesake, John Woodbury, of Salem,
had a son, Isaiah Woodbury, who married Lois, daughter of Captain
Israel Woodbury, another branch of the Woodbury family of Salem.
  John Woodbury, son of Isaiah and Lois (Woodbury) Woodbury, was
born in Cornish, N.H. March 25, 1819.  His father dying when he was
but eight months old, under the pressure of limited circumstances,
John was obliged, while but a mere lad, to labor; and, at the age
of six years, his mother removing to Salem, N.H., he went to live 
with an uncle in Haverhill, Mass., with whom he remained five years,
working on the farm; from there he removed to Salem, and was with
another uncle for four years.  During this time his advantages for
education were limited to the district schools of the towns where he
resided.  When he was fifteen he went to Methuen, Mass., to learn
the shoemaker's trade, which he mastered thoroughly in all its
details.  Here he remained for about two years, then came to Pelham,
where he worked at his trade one year, and continued at shoemaking
and farming for a year or more in Salem and Pelham.
  At this time, having saved some money and feeling the need of
education, he attended the New Hampton Academy for the summer term.
In the fall of 1838 he was employed in the famous Saxonville Mills,
where he continued three years.  Returning to Pelham he established
himself as a butcher in the east part of the town, and after being
there a year and ahalf, he came to Pelham Centre and carried on
butchering for four years.  In 1847 he commenced trade as a merchant
in Pelham and continued merchandising for over thirty years, when
he retired from business life and devoted himself to agricultural
pursuits, more from a desire to be active and to be engaged in work
than from an expectation of gain.
  Mr. Woodbury married, December 26, 1843, Betsy A., a daughter of
Captain Samuel Hobbs, a life-long resident of Pelham. They have had
four children,--John Otis (who died December 11, 1871), Alice A.,
Mrs. Ezekiel C. Gage (she has one child, Frank P.), Frank M. (the
present postmaster, and who succeeded his father in business),
Eliza H., Mrs. William H. Peabody (she has two children, Harry O.
and Frederick H.).
  Mr. Woodbury has been largely identified with the affairs of the
town of his adoption; has frequently been called upon to discharge
important local trusts, which have been uniformly done to the
satisfaction of his constituents.  He was town clerk twenty years
consecutively; treasurer for fourteen years; selectman for six years;
was moderator, eleven, and postmaster for many years.  In his
political belief he is a Democrat, and as such represented Pelham in
1857, 1858, 1875 and 1876.  He is a prominent Freemason and a member
of Pilgrim Commandery of Lowell, Mass.  He has taken much interest
in the military organizations of the State and he has held important
official positions--Adjutant and major in the Eighth Regiment
Militia and was member of the General Joshua Atwood's staff and
Inspector in the Third Brigate, New Hampshire Militia.
  Mr. Woodbury is liberal in religion, not a member of any church,
and believes as long as a man acts according to his convictions
and does his duty faithfully in the station to which he is called
or circumstances have placed him, that the particular denomination
is of little worth, but that we shall be judged by deeds and not
creed.  He occupies a high position in the esteem of the worthy
citizens of Pelham. He is modest and unpretentious, social, genial,
hospitable, upright and honorable, and possessed of great sympathy
and kindess of heart.  A good citizen and an honest man, he has
always acted up to the Scriptural command, "owe no man anything,"
and by his own unaided exertions, perseverance and ability, has
acquired a comfortable existence.

(end)