HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF DUNBARTON, MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW -HAMPSHIRE, FROM THE GRANT BY MASON'S ASSIGNS, IN 1751, TO THE YEAH I860. BY CALEB STARK. CONCOED: PUBLISHED BY G. PAEKEK LYON. 1850. Entered according to an act of Congress, in the year 1860, BY CALEB STARK, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of New-Hampshire. M'FARLAND * JESKS, PRINTERS. KKKATA. Page 27, for Robert Mack read Robert Stark. Page 7i, l'r individual read undivided. Page 183, for B. W. Wentworth read B. "\\Vntwortli. F TO OUR READERS. A principal object in collecting the materials arranged in this publication was to obtain information relative to our native town, by an inspection of its public records. The interest created by their perusal determined us to em- body their contents, with an intention of publishing the result of our researches, should that design be countenanced by a subscription sufficiently large to justify the experiment. At the adjourned annual meeting of the present year, the question of publication was decided by a vote, granting one copy to each tax-payer in town.* Every inhabitant will, in consequence, be enabled to peruse a summary account of the settlement and progress of their now flourishing location, amidst whose formerly dense forests their adventurous ancestors established their abodes, without the trouble of tracing particulars through the records one hundred and nine years. To the inhabitants of Dunbarton, for whose consideration it is particularly intended, this Production is respectfully in- scribed by their often Obliged friend and Most obedient servant,. THE AUTHOR. * VOTE or THE TOWN. Voted, That the selectmen appropriate a suffi- cient sum of money to procure for each tax-payer in town a copy of the History of Dunbarton, now being written by Caleb Stark. A true copy Attest : CHARLES KIMBALL, Town-Clerk. The foregoing is a copy of a vote passed March 17th, 1860, at a meet- ing of the inhabitants of Dunbarton. 1088423 INDEX TO CONTENTS. Historical sketch, 9 Proprietors' records, 40 99 Charter and proceedings under it, Miscellaneous matters warning out, 138 Dr. Dugall's petition, , ,...139 Tithing-men, 139 Militia trainings, 140 Kaisings and trials of strength and skill, 141 Bounds of the Common, 143 Dr. Jackson's Survey, 143 Lease of town lands, 144 Grave-yard wall, 145 Grave-yard, 147 Physicians, 150 Magistrates, ., 150 Eeligious associations, 150 Eevolutionary soldiers, 151 Ecclesiastical statistics, 152 Post-offices, 154 Traders, 155 New meeting-house, , 156 Protest of Major John Stinson to the meeting of 1801, 161 Accidental deaths, 162 Disappearance of McCarthy, 163 Journal of E. L. Harris, 165 INDIVIDUAL NOTICES. Archibald Stark and sons, ......174 Major .Robert Eogers, ..178 Captain Caleb Page, 181 Captain "William Stinson, 194 Archibald Stinson, 196 John Stinson, Jr., 198 viii INDEX TO CONTENTS. Jeremiah Stinson, 200 William Stinson, 201 James Stinson, 201 Colonel John Stinson, 201 Jonathan Burbank, 201 Stephen Burbank, 202 Samuel Stinson, 202 John Stinson, 202 Rev. Walter Harris, 203 Mills family, 210 William Beard, 212 John Bunten, ". 213 John Fulton, 213 Joseph Putney aud James Rogers, 213 Thomas Caldwell, 249 Israel Clifford, 249 Phinehas Bailey, 249 William Tenney, 250 Nathan Gutterson, 250 James Hogg, 250 Samuel Gutterson, 251 Shubael Tenney, 251 Nathaniel T. Safford, 251 Jonas Hastings, 251 Robert Alexander, 252 Jonathan Waite, 253 Paul Healey, 251 Richard Cilley, 251 William Brown, .". 252 Benjamin Twiss, 253 Benjamin Marshall, 253 John Dodge, 253 James Morse, 253 Benjamin Perley, Jr., 254 Captain Joseph Leach, 254 Eliphalet R. Sargent, 254 Joshua F. Hoyt, 254 Thomas Tewksbury, 255 John Gould, , , ...255 HISTORY OF DUMBARTON. THE incidents attending the settlement and onward pro- gress of an inland agricultural town, cannot be expected to interest others than its residents, or the descendants of its early proprietors, the "forefathers of the hamlet," whose honored graves are located amidst the scenes of their former toil. Their indomitable resolution and life-enduring labors cleared away the wild forests, and destroyed or expelled their wilder occupants, the wily human savage, as also the ferocious animals that prowled at will amid their solitudes. They prepared the pleasant fields and pastures now adorn- ing our hill-sides and valleys, for the peaceable enjoyment of their posterity. The fortunate possessors of this fair domain, whose ac- quisition was attended by neither toil or danger, cannot too highly appreciate the noble sacrifices and cheerfully encountered perils of the stalwart pioneers who transmit- ted to them so goodly an heritage. They were truly, in the words of the Scottish bard, " Types of a race that shall the invader scorn, As rocks resist the billows round their shore ; Types of a race that shall to time unborn, Their country leave unconquered, as of yore." This location is noticed in Haywood's New-England Gazetteer as follows : / " DUNBARTON, MERRiMACK Co. This town lies nine miles south-west from Concord, and seven miles south-east from 2 10 HISTORY OF DUNBARTON. Hopkinton. Population in 1830, 1067. The situation of the town is somewhat elevated, though there are but few hills, nor any mountains. The air is clear, the water is good, and the health of its inhabitants seldom interrupt- ed sickness. The soil is suited for by good ; peculiarly corn, wheat, and orcharding. Almost every lot in town is capable of making a good farm. The farmers here have good buildings, and are excellent husbandmen. The ad- vantages in point of water privileges are not great. The inhabitants are principally descendants of the Scotch-Irish, so called, from the north of Ireland. Their descendants still retain many traits of character peculiar to that people. "Dumbarton was granted, in 1751, to Archibald Stark. Its present name (formerly Starkstown) is derived from Dunbarton, in Scotland, whence Stark emigrated. The first settlement was made about 1749. "William Stinson, born in Ireland, came to Londonderry with his father. He was much respected, and was a useful man. James Rogers was from Ireland, and father to Major Robert Rogers. He was shot in the woods, being mistaken for a bear." We will add to the above, that the scenery of this place is diversified with many considerable elevations, fertile valleys, and meadows, watered by numerous small streams. A portion of its territory affords excellent pastures. The extensive landscape prospects from the high lands in dif- ferent parts of the town are very interesting, particularly those presented *to view from the hill upon which the meeting-house and central village are located. From that height the White Mountains, one hundred miles distant, are at times distinctly visible. Mill sites are furnished by several ponds, and small streams issuing from or flowing into them. The principal ponds are Gorham's, Kimball's, and Long Pond. These, with a smaller one called Purgatory Pond, are situated in the southern and south-eastern quarters of the town. Stark's mill pond lies about mid way of its western border line, from which it is distant the length of two lots. This HISTORY OF DUNBARTOX. 11 township is considered one of the most healthy in the county. Many of its inhabitants have lived to advanced ages. The widow of Capt. Joseph Leach was the oldest person who ever died in this place. She attained the age of one hundred and two years. She died June 20, 1849. The inhabitants of Dunbarton are principally farmers, good livers, and generally in comfortable, independent circumstances. Population in 1850, 915. Valuation in 1854, $387,984. In another portion of this volume may be found Dr. Jackson's report of a vein of arsenic, discov- ered in the eastern section of this town, on the estate of Stephen Wheeler. The first settlement is supposed to have been made by James Rogers and Joseph Putney. The precise time is not known, although probably several years prior to 1746. They established their families on the border of a large " meadow called the Great Meadow," erected log-houses, and planted apple trees, which had so far advanced to- wards maturity as to produce fruit, when a body of Indi- ans appeared in the vicinity of Rumford (Concord). Two friends from that place traced their way in the " night, by spotted trees, through the forest, to the Great Meadow," to notify them of the impending danger. Upon the receipt of this intelligence they at once abandoned their homes, and, by a speedy retreat to Rumford during the same night, insured their personal safety. Returning in the course of the next day, to drive their cattle to the Rumford garrison, they found them all slaughtered, and lying scattered around in every direction. Their houses had been plundered and burned, and their apple trees, with one exception,* cut down. In 1749, Messrs. Putney and Rogers made a permanent settlement, having resided at Rumford during the three previous years. The year 1746 was memorable in conse- quence of the massacre on the Ilopkinton road, which occurred on the morning of August 11, 1746, near the * The stump of this tree is still visible on the land of Mr. James Bailey (lot No. 8, sixth range). The tree produced good fruit. 12 HISTORY OF DUNBARTON. place where the Bradley monument now commemorates the tragic event. Putney and Rogers had procured no title to the land, but their possession was confirmed by the proprietors, who in 1751 obtained a grant of the township.* The extensive range of meadow lands, already cleared by the industry of the beaver, and the abundant natural crops of tall blue joint grass, there produced, influenced these pioneers in selecting their location, to which James Rogers gave the name of Mountalona, from a place where he had once dwelt in Ireland.