CHARTER-JOHN GOFFE CALLS FIRST MEETING--TOWN OFFICERS--FIRST TAXPAYERS--MEETING CALLED AT THE HOUSE OF JAMES KARR--PROVINCE TAX PAID--CONSTABLES ARE DELINQUENT--REQUESTED TO PAY MONEY--FIRST TOWN MEETING HELD IN MEETING-HOUSE AUGUST, 1769--PRESBYTERIANS DISSATISFIED--DISCHARGED FROM PAYING THEIR RATES--PEOPLE WARNED OUT OF TOWN--LACK OF HARMONY AMONG THE PEOPLE

The proprietors had managed the affairs of the town, and in some respects had paid little attention to the wishes of the people. In the year 1761, the citizens, wishing to manage their own affairs, decided to apply for a charter. Perhaps they were actuated by some of their neighboring townspeople, or possibly moved wholly by their own impulses in the matter.

Bedford was incorporated May 19, 1750, and Amherst, January 18, 1760, and Goffstown, not wishing to be behind her Narragansett sister towns, petitions for an "act of incorporation," addressed "To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Governor and commander in chief in and over his majestys Province of New Hamp^r and the Hon^r his Majestys Council."

Very unfortunately the names of the signers of the petition for incorporation never were recorded, or if so were lost, but it is safe to presume that the petition included the taxpayers in town that year.

   A true Record test Alex^r Walker Town Clark

John Goffe was empowered to call the first meeting, and he promptly attended to that duty. He issued his warrant on the 17th of June, three days after the date of the charter warning all the inhabitants to meet at ten of the clock in the forenoon on the 6th day of July.

A copy of the original warrant is here inserted:

ince of Newhampshire and by the Charter Called Goffes Town and Giving & Granting all the Previledges and authoritys of aney towns within the Sd Province to Sd Inhabitants and hath appointed me the Subscriber to Call the first meeting in order to Chuse all town officers for the Present year and till the first Monday of March next
   These are therefore to warn all the Inhabitants of Said Tract of Land Qualified by law ten of the Clock in the forenoon on monday the Sixth Day of July nixt to Chuse Select men and other Town officers as the law Directs and to Do Act aney other thing or things necessary for good of Said Town Especialy to here there Charter Read and to Chouse a town Clerk keep the Proper Records of said town Given under my hand this ninteeth Day

At the time named in the warrant John Goffe was present and it was "voted that Alex^dr Walker be town Clark for said Goffes Town for the present year, and till the first monday of March nixt."

   Voted that there be five selectmen and that the selectmen be chosen by written vote.
   Voted that Thomas Hall, Sam^el Richards sam^el Martin Asa Pate and Alexander Walker be selectmen.
   Voted that there be two constables in Sd Town one on each side of the River
   Voted that Thomas Karr and Moses Gile be Constables
   Voted that Jonathan Martin and Job Dow be Tithing men
   Voted that Ephraim Martin Thomas Miller Moses Wells Benjⁿ Stevens and James Karr be Survayors of highways
   Voted that the Select men be fence Viewers & Prisers
   Voted that Benjⁿ Stevens be sealers of Lether
   Voted that Decon Tho^s Karr be Clark of the market
Voted that Tho^s Hall be Survayor of all sort of lumber
   Voted that Lennard Herriman Timothy Ferren Job Kidder Joseph Ordway be hog Reef (hog reeves)
   Voted that Thomas Miller and Ebenezer Wells be Deer Keepers
   Voted that Town meetings be warned by setting up Notifycations and that Notifycations be set up at Tho^s Halls Decon Thomas Karrs and Joseph Ordways on the North side of the River and at John Smiths and Sam^el Richards on the South Side of the River
   Voted that there be Two Pounds in said Goffes town one at James Karrs and the other Enoch Pages in S^d Goffes Town

Such is the record of the first town meeting. A town meeting of supreme importance and one which succeeding generations in a greater or less degree followed for one hundred and fifty years.

The selectmen at once realized the dignity of their office and on the 10th of August laid out a number of highways upon each side of the river, and relaid some previously laid out by the proprietors' committee. And to get the new machinery in working order, a town meeting was called to meet at the barn of James Karr on the 30th of September. At this meeting:

   Voted that Decon Thomas Karr be moderator
   Voted that there be five Hundred Pounds be Rais^d to Defray town Charges for this Present year
   Voted that the ways be mad (made) by a Rate
Voted that William M^cDoell be Constable in the Roome of Moses Gile

A tax was also assessed upon the poll and estate of inhabitants of said town, and warrants committed to Tho^s Karr and Moses Gile, constables of said Goffestown, empowering them in his majesty's name to collect the said tax before the twenty-fifth day of December of that year.

A list of taxpayers for the year 1761 in Goffstown:

In the above list James Barr, Benjamin Stevens, Daniel Marr and Joseph Kennedy pay for two polls; John Goffe and Samuel Blodgett are not taxed for a poll tax, but upon real estate, and Joseph Kennedy pays the highest tax in town.

It is presumed that all paid their taxes, as we find no record that any persons were "distressed or distrained," or for want of goods or "Chattle" they were obliged to "sese" the body or "bodys" or any person or persons and commit them to the "Common goal."

On February 25, 1762, a warrant was directed to Thomas Karr requiring him in his majesty's name to

   A true Record test Alex^r Walker Town Clark

This was the call for the first annual meeting in town. At this meeting:

   Votted that Alexander Walker be moderator of s^d meeting
   Votted that Alexander Walker be town Clark for the present year
   Votted that Alexander Walker Will^m M^cDoel Benjamin Stevens be selectmen
   Votted that Moses Wells be Constable on the north side of the River
   Votted that Timothy Ferren be Constable on the south sid of the River
   Votted that Aaron Wells be tything man on north side of river and John Smith on the south side of the River
   Votted that Thomas Karr Sam^el Richards James Karr Thos. Miller and Joseph Ordway be survayors of highways
   Votted that the selectmen be fence viewers
   Votted that Benjamin Richards sealer of Lether
   Votted that Decon Thomas Karr be Clark of the market
   Votted that Ebeneazer Johnston be survayor of Lumber
   Votted that John Ordway and George Adeson be Hog Reefs
   Votted that Joseph Ordeway and Antipas Dodge be Deer keepers
   Votted that James Karr and Tho^s Miller take the Invoice
   Votted that Alexander Gilcrest James Karr and John Smith be to exeming the accounts of the selectmen

At this stage of the meeting they adjourned to the Last "munday of s^d march," when they again met at the same place and

   Votted to reconsider the votes that the fence should be four feet high
   Votted that the fence should be three feet high

On the 29th day of September a meeting was called at James Karr's barn, and a hundred pounds was voted to defray town charges.

   Voted that the highways be made and repaired by pole and estate.
   Voted that there be one thousand pounds raised for a highway rate, and that there be three pounds allowed per day for highway work.

And Thomas Hall enters his protest against said meeting to Alexander Walker town clerk.

Evidently they had use for their pounds as the following will show. The first mentioned must be very peculiarly marked animal according to the description:

The annual meeting in the spring of 1763 was held on the 7th day of March at the barn of James Karr. Alexander Walker was re-elected town clerk, Thomas Hall, James Karr and Alexander Gilcrest, selectmen. The selectmen were also authorized to act as fence viewers and take the invoice.

Voted that highways be made and repaired by a rate.

They then adjourned to the 28th day of March at the same place. At the adjourned meeting Jonathan Martin, Thomas Kennedy and John Orr were elected a committee to count with the selectmen. This committee that counted with the selectmen were virtually town auditors.

Voted to raise eighty pounds old tenor to defray the necessary town charge.

The committee above named attended to their duties and after examination of the selectmen's accounts added the following certificate:

Evidently with certain of the taxpayers there were grievances and dissatisfaction over the limited amount of preaching and excessive taxes, and a town meeting was called on the 1st of December for the purpose of giving those aggrieved a chance to air their trouble. This meeting was called at the "Hows" of James Karr.

Heretofore the inhabitants had been notified to meet at the barn of James Karr. Whether the captain had built a residence which would accommodate the voters, or the selectmen intended to be more respectful to the same by requesting them to meet at the house rather than the barn is a matter of uncertainty. The articles in the warrant read as follows:

   to see If the said Inhabitents Will Hire aney more Preching this year
   To Hear the Greavince of aney persons that may Think they are Over Ratted Either to the Town or province or to the Highways and We Will Rectify aney Mistakes that may be that way on said Day

They evidently calmed the ruffled feelings of those aggrieved on account of lack of preaching by voting that "there be one Days preaching more this Year." And as no mention is made of rates or mistakes, that matter was probably allowed to drop.

We find an old receipt of December 9, of this year, signed by George Jeffrey, Treasurer, stating that he received of James Karr one hundred fifty pounds seven shillings and one penny province tax of Goffstown for the year 1761. This province tax corresponded with what is now known as the "state tax."

The meeting for the year 1764 was warned to meet at the house of Capt. James Karr on the 5th of March.

We notice that Goffstown was spelled this year Goffstown, and it is the first time the officials have so spelled the name, but Alexander Walker, town clerk, continued to write Goffestown until 1787 when his successor was chosen.

The first matter of importance transacted at this meeting was the acceptance of the charter, and the vote reads as follows: "Voted that the Charter be Accepted and pay the Twelve Dollars."

The highway work this year should be done by a rate. No money should be raised for schooling this year, and none had ever previously been raised. We have little idea of the struggle those early settlers had for an existence. Very little money was in circulation and the facilities for accumulation very limited, and many were severely taxed to provide for their families and pay their rates.

On account of some misfortune Daniel Marr requests an abatement of his tax, but the voters in open meeting decide that he should not be exempted.

They discounted a highway laid the previous year by the selectmen across "Mistake" (Mystic) old field which is described in the description of highways.

The bridge near Dea. Thomas Karr's was built this year, 1764, an account of which is found under "bridges."

The year 1765 the annual meeting was holden at the house of Timothy Ferrin which was located some where near the present Shirley station. This was somewhat of an innovation as in preceding years they had met at Capt. James Karr's.

The town officers were elected and the ordinary business transacted, and then the meeting was adjourned to meet at Dea. Thomas Karr's on the 25th of March. The custom had been in vogue since incorporation to adjourn the annual meeting to the last of the month, and also to hold special meetings whenever occasion required. And upon some years special meetings were called about as often as a modern school board would meet.

In the building of the bridge the previous year some had performed in labor more than their rate or tax, and others were delinquents. And a special meeting was called for the consideration of the subject, and it was "voted to give credit on their present tax upon the highway to those who had overworked last year," and the delinquents were required to make up their deficiency.

After they had attended to the equalization of the expense of constructing the bridge they thought perchance there was a grand opportunity to proceed further with delinquents, although there was no article in the warrant to that effect.

Robert Kennedy was elected and duly empowered to take note of the delinquent persons "that hath the towns money in there hands" and proceed to the collection of the same. He finds that Jonathan Martin was indebted to the town, 37 pounds; Job Kidder, 52 pounds; William McDoel, 10 pounds; Alexander Gilcrest, 24 pounds; James Barr, 25 pounds, all of whom had served as previous town officials. It is presumed that Mr. Kennedey attended to his duties, and the former constables paid over the money as no further mention is made of the matter.

At the annual meeting in 1766 Timothy Ferrin was freed of his rate for the year 1765. There is a tradition that very early his buildings were destroyed by fire and perhaps this may be the reason of this exemption.

   Votted that John McConnal Receive an order from the Select men to Receive the Remainder of his money for the Rum for Raising the bridge on piscatequog River.

This year as in preceding years no money was raised for schooling, and three pounds was raised for town charges. Asa Patee asks pay for five gallons of run that he furnished when the bridge was raised at the village, which was refused him.

A committee was appointed to count with the selectmen, constables and committee for the last year and empowered to call said men to an account to "final judgment." And succeeding this vote a committee was appointed to count with the surveyors and to call them to an account, and prosecute the "final Judgment."

There had evidently been a very loose system of management with town officials from the highest to the lowest, and the voters expressed their determination to have them brought to an account and public money used for the purpose for which it was intended.

The town evidently had been delinquent in regard to the payment of the last charter fees, and probably Colonel Goffe suggests a payment as among their votes we find that it was voted that the town raise so much money as Colonel Goffe demands for getting the last charter. They also begin to look at the condition of their highways in winter by imposing a fine of six shillings lawful money upon every person who sled was less than four feet in width.

There was a law that poor people could be warned out of town and thus prevented from gaining a settlement and becoming a town charge. The law was often executed upon new settlers who were poor and destitute, and the selectmen issued a warrant to Daniel Marr, constable, requiring him to warn forthwith Patrick Roach and his wife that they depart out of town, and Daniel Marr attends to his duty, and makes a return of his warrant duly signed.

It was voted that there be a bridge built over the north branch of the Piscataquog River on Major White's farm; this bridge was on the site of the present bridge on the road leading from Parker's Depot to New Boston.

At the annual meeting holden in March, 1772, they voted a clerk to keep the accounts of the selectmen, and had an article in the warrant to choose a fit person to sweep the meeting-house and shut the doors thereof, which seems to imply one of two things: either there was no lock on the door, or people exercised no more care then than at the present time in closing doors. The arduous duty devolved upon Thomas Saltmarsh, whom they called "sexton." Samuel Blodgett was chosen clerk to the selectmen somewhat to his discomfort as the future will disclose.

This year a question was raised by a portion of the voters as to the legality of the annual meeting, on account of some informality in the election of the selectmen, and Alexander Gilcrest, Thomas Shirley and twenty-one others protest against any action taken at that meeting. The same persons had previously petitioned his Excellency to take the case into consideration. And finally the council declared the meeting illegal and ordered a new election.²

We have noticed in the past few years that several of the constables had failed to clear up their rates, and articles were inserted in the warrant to see if the town would vote to distress and distrain. The constable had a hard time and it is not to be wondered at that he could not return his list completed to the selectmen at the end of the year. There was no stable and convenient currency and he had to take his pay in almost everything upon which a value could be fixed. This year again it was voted that all delinquent constables be brought to an account.

A scale of prices was fixed this year for labor upon the highway, hoping to do away with the multiplicity of various charges heretofore existing--three shillings per day for man and ox or shootes; three shillings per day for oxen and chain; one shilling per day for cart or plow.

We have noticed in the past, especially during the ministry of Mr. Currier, that relations between townspeople at times were considerably strained, and no doubt harsh words passed to a greater or less extent, but the ruffled tempers of some had become soothed, as they petition the selectmen to insert the following article in the warrant: "To See if the Town will conclude on aney measure whereby the Town may Come to a better understanding or make an agreement whereby they may be more Happely united together."

But the pacifists were disappointed; the warlike elements were not yet ready for a cessation of hostilities, and the article was speedily dismissed. The citizens of that day had a very summary way of approving and disapproving in accordance with their convictions, and with an opinion once fixed they seemed to be as unchangeable as the laws of the Medes and Persians. The records of the year 1774 seem to be replete with business both civil and religious.

At the annual meeting Capt. James Karr brings a demand against the town for boarding Mr. Joseph Currier; and for victuals, drink and lodging people at the time of the ordination. Captain Karr appears to be rather dilatory in presenting his bill, but the town allows him two pounds and eight shillings lawful money for boarding Mr. Currier and keeping his "hors" seven weeks. And they also voted to disallow another bill of Captain Karr's of eighteen pounds and ten shillings old tenor for "Liquer" at the "Vanduing" the pews. This bill perchance explains why it took two days to sell the pews, but they evidently believed that it was not best to be entirely unmindful of spiritual things while engaged in temporal affairs.

After the dismissal of Mr. Currier another special meeting was called on the 2nd day of November which further adjourned until the 7th, at which time it was voted to harmonize all differences between the Congregationalists and Presbyterians and all contests of a disputable kind or nature should be dropped, law-suits declared off, and a tax should be assessed to pay a balance which Samuel Blodgett and others advanced to Mr. Currier, and all expense incurred by the Presbyterians in contesting their case, and in fact all subject matter growing out of the preceding contest of every class and kind whereby an expense had been incurred was included.

After this matter had been disposed of Samuel Blodgett exonerates himself of certain charges which had been brought against him, perhaps the charges had not in a strict sense been preferred, but so strongly insinuated that he deemed it his duty to lay the matter before the inhabitants. And his explanation is here inserted:

   Goffes Town September 7th 1774

The next chapter will contain a narrative of events pertaining to the Revolution.

¹Town Records, also S. P., Vol. XXV, p. 30. Return
²T. P., Vol. XII, p. 32. Return