Rev. Abraham Wood
Chesterfield's Pastor from 1772-1823

The grantees of Chesterfield having been unable to carry out the provisions of the Charter within the specified time (five years), petitioned the Governor and Council for an extension of time, in order that their grants might not be forfeited. In accordance with this petition, the Charter was “lengthened out," June 11, 176o.   The term of one year was granted for the fulfillment of the conditions imposed upon the grantees, which term was to be renewed annually, "till His Majesty's plenary instructions could be received."

In 1752, John Kathan settled near “Bemis's Rock," in the northeastern corner of Fulham (now Dummerston); but no other permanent settlements appear to have been made in that town till about 1761. In 1760, there was no settlement in the Connecticut valley north of Charlestown.

On the 20th day of February, 1761, Moses Smith, who at that time was said to be "of Hinsdale," purchased of Oliver Willard, of Brattleboro, one whole right, or share, in the township of Chesterfield; which right, or share, belonged to the said Willard by virtue of his being one of the grantees. The numbers of the lots were not given in the deed, but it is known that two of them were the lots numbered 14 and 15, in the 16th range; the other was probably lot No. 11, in the 2nd range. Oliver Willard also owned house lot No. 10, in the 12th range.

Having secured some of the best land in the new township, Moses Smith made preparations for establishing a home upon the same, for himself and familv. Accordingly, in the month of November, 1761, as the tradition has alwavs been, he and his son-in-law, William Thomas, came up the Connecticut in canoes or boats, for the purpose of making the first settlement in the town of Chesterfield. The exact date of this event is uncertain, as it has been stated to be both the 15th and the 25th of November. Larkin G. Mead, Esq., who wrote a brief sketch of Chesterfield for the “Historical Collections," in 1827, adopted the latter date. There can be no doubt, however, that it was in the month of November, 1761, that the first settlement was effected by Smith and Thomas. Both men brought their families with them, Smith's, so far as known, consisting, of himself and wife, Elizabeth, and his sons, Aaron, Moses, Amos, Joseph, Benjamin and Reuben. Of these sons, Aaron, the oldest, was about 21 years old; Reuben, the youngest, was about three years old.  Thomas's family consisted, probably, only of himself and wife, Mary, daughter of Moses Smith. Smith chose lot No. 14, in the 16th range, on which to build his log cabin. The spot on which this stood, is about 50 rods north of the residence of his greatgrandson, George Smith, and a few rods east of the highway, which, at this point, runs near the bank of the river. The site of the cabin is still plainly indicated by a depression in the plain.

 Thomas erected his cabin near the river's bank, at a point about one mile and a half below Smith's “pitch." It stood a few rods east of the lower ferry, and a few feet north of the present highway leasing easterly from the same.  It's site is still marked by a depression in the earth, and a mound adjoining the depression on its eastern side. This mound consists, in great part, of ashes and charcoal.

 There is no record of the way in which the winter was passed by the two families, far from any considerable settlement and in the midst of an almost unbroken wilderness; but tradition says that thev subsisted, in great part, upon fish and game. At that time there was an abundance of fish in the river.  Deer, bears, panthers, lynxes and wolves roamed through the forests; and smaller animals, of various kinds, were more or less numerous. 

 When spring came, the work of clearing a patch for cultivation was probably begun, although the work of felling trees may have been prosecuted throughout the winter, when the weather permitted. On the 25th day of April, 1762, Thomas's wife gave birth to the first white child born in the town. This child was called Mary. The name of the first male child born in Chesterfield is not known. Reuben Smith, who, as already stated, was about three years old when he came into the town, used to say that he could remember when he was "the handsomest little boy in the town." The joke is apparent when it is known that, at one time, he was the only one, his next older brother Benjamin being three or four ears older. 

 It is greatly to be regretted that the history of the town from the date of settlement to the year 1767, is almost a complete blank. The town records begin with this latter date; so that, on account of the loss of the proprietary records, as already stated, we have but little to guide us in our study of this period, save a few traditions and what can be gleaned from a few old deeds. It is certain, however, that a large number of families had become established in the town before 1767. In the spring of 1762, Captain Simon Davis and Abel Emmons settled in the town; and sometime the same year, Peter Wheeler also came to settle. According to the sketch written by Larkin G. Mead, Esq., which has already been referred to, a saw-mill was built that year by John Snow and Moses Smith. The proprietors granted two pieces of land to Snow and Smith, on condition that they should erect a mill, keep it in good repair for the following five years, and saw boards at as reasonable a rate as was done in other places. Mr. Mead's information was probably correct, in the main, as, at the time be wrote (in 1822) there must have been persons living in the town who could remember many of the facts and incidents connected with its early history. There is a tradition that, after the first boards were sawed, they were laid down so as to form a kind of rude floor, upon which the settlers danced, to celebrate the event. This mill was built upon Catsbane brook, and stood near the place where the house of Warren W. Farr now stands, in the west part of the town. Ephraim Baldwin and Jonathan Cobleigh were here in 1763, and Nathan Thomas may have come the same year. In 1764, Daniel Farr and Samuel Farr probably settled in the town, although the former may have come before this date. The same year, Moses Smith, Jr. bought a lot near what is now Factory Village, and probably settled on it soon after. Jonathan Farr, Jr., and Timothy Ladd seem to have come here in 1765; Eleazer Cobleigh and Silas Thompton, in 1766; Nathaniel Bingham and Asa Thompson, in 1767.

 Of course the above named persons constituted but a small part of the whole number that were in the town in the year 1767; for the census taken that year, by order of the provincial government, (it being the first census taken in the Province of New Hampshire) shows that Chesterfield had 365 inhabitants. Among those who had also become residents before the last mentioned date, were Jonas Davis, Ebenezer Davison, Thomas Emmons, Jonathan and Samuel Hildreth, James Robertson and James Wheeler. As has already been stated, the town records begin with the year 1767. There are reasons for believing that town-meetings had been held anterior to that date, the records of which have been lost. But, be that as it may, it is certain that the first town-meeting of which there is any record was held on the second Tuesday in June, 1767. The warrant for this meeting was as follows:

 PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 To Samuel Hildreth, constable in and for the town of Chesterfield: you are, in his majeste's name, hereby commanded to warn all the Inbabitants of Sd town to meet att the house of Jonas Davis In Sd town, on the Second tuesday of June next, att one o'Clock in the afternoon, then and there to act on the following articels:

 1. to Chuse a moderator to govarn Sd meeting.

2. To Se whether the Town will Raise money to Defray town Charges and hire Schooling.

3. to See whether the town will hire preaching.

4. to See whether the town will Except of the Roads as they are now Laid out.

 make Due Return of this warrant att or before Sd Day apinted for Sd meeting. Dated Chesterfield may ye 14th, A. D. 1767.

At the meeting called by the above warrant, Capt. Simon Davis was chosen moderator.  The sum of five pounds, "lawful money," was voted to defray town charges, and the "river road," running from Westmoreland line to Hinsdale line, was accepted. A road beginning at Hinsdale line and running northerly by Jonathan Hildreth’s,and Nathaniel Bingham's, was also accepted. Jonathan Hildreth lived where Watson Wheeler now lives, and Nathaniel Bingham on "Wetherbee Hill."    Several other roads were accepted at the same meeting, viz.: a road from the south-west corner of James Wheeler's land (lot 6, range 12), and running on the west line of the twelfth range, to James Robertson's; one from said Robertson's to the "meeting-house place, an easterly and south- easterly point," and another beginning at the same place (Robertson's) and running to "Mr. Cobleigh's, mill, a westerly point;" one from Hinsdale line, "in the east road a few rods till it comes to the notch of the mountain, to a new fortification, so called, thence running by Timothy Ladd's, a north-westerly point, to Peter Wheeler's, then a northerly point to Mr. Cobleigh's grist-mill;" one from the "east road" to the "middle road," on the line between Jonathan Hildreth's and Samuel Hildreth's, Jonathan Farr's and Thomas Emmons' land.  James Robertson lived on the farm now owned and occupied by his grandson, Timothy N. Robertson.   Cobleigh's grist-mill was on Catsbane brook, near the point where the "Lily-Pond brook" empties into it. Peter Wheeler settled on the farm now owned and occupied by Russell H. Davis, and Timothy Ladd, at the time the above-mentioned roads were accepted, may have lived on lot No. 3, in the eleventh range. Samuel Hildreth probably lived on the farm once owned by Marshall H. Day, but now owned by Hermon C. Harvey. It is not known with certainty where Jonathan Farr and Thomas Emmons lived at the time these roads were accepted. It appears from a brief record of a meeting held July 5, 1768, that the town voted to build a road "from the road that goes to Keene, alone, by the potash, to the road that goes to Winchester."     There is no record of any other meeting held in the year 1768, than the one just referred to, and not even the warrant for that was recorded. The record for 1769 is a complete blank.

In 1770, the record begins anew, and from that time to the present is unbroken. On the 16th day of January, 1770, Josiah Willard, the leading grantee, who was a justice of the peace, was pe- titioned by some of the inhabitants of the town, to issue a warrant for a meeting to be held in the following March, according to la-.v. Mr. Willard was also requested to be present at the meeting. The petitioners stated that they had lost their 'charter privileges" of holding town-meetings; but in what way, was not mentioned. The petition was signed by the following persons: Elkanah Day, Nathaniel Bingham, Nathaniel Sanger, Lawrence Walton, Ephraim Baldwin, Simon Davis, Jonathan Hildreth, Thomas Emmons, Peter Wheeler, Samuel Farr, Thomas Winslow, Eleazer Cobleigh, David Stoddard. The act in accordance with which the petition was made,was "an act passed in the sixth year of King George the Third, empowering a justice of the peace to notify town meetings, when their annual meetings have not been regularly held."  Mr. Willard appointed the first Wednesday in March (the 7th day) for the meeting, which was to be held at the house of Dr. Elkanah Day. At the meeting which was held agreeably to Mr. Willard's notification, Dr. Day was chosen moderator, and Ephraim Baldwin t6wn-clerk. Mr. Baldwin held the office of town-clerk for fifteen successive years.   Jonathan Hildreth, Silas Thompson, Elkanah Day, Thomas Emmons and Nathaniel Bingham were elected selectmen and assessors. Mr. Willard was present and administered the oath of office. At the same meeting, Nathaniel Sanger, Edward Hildreth and Abel Emmons were chosen tithing-men.   It was the duty of the last named officers to preserve order during public worship, and to look after Sabbath-breakers.  On the 3d of April following, another meeting was held at the house of Dr. Day.  The second article of the warrant was as follows: "To see if the inhabitants of said town will raise money to cover the meeting-house frame that is now raised in said town." No action concerning this article was recorded. The fifth article was, "To see if the town will let the swine run at large the present year." It was voted in the affirmative.   It was also voted that a warrant posted at Eieazer, Cobleigh's mill, should be a sufficient warning for any town-meeting held during the year. At another meeting held the 24th of the same month, it was voted to raise one hundred pounds, to cover the meeting-house frame; and Martin Warner, Elkanah Day and Silas Thompson were chosen a committee to oversee the covering of the same. October 2?, the same year, another town-meeting was held, at which it was voted to accept several new roads, viz. - a road from the meeting-house to the river, passing through Jonas Davies land to the road that led from said Davis's to the river; one from the meetinghouse to Winchester, running easterly into the "old road that leads to Winchester;" one from the meeting-house to Keene, as it was then "trod;" also one from the bridge between Capt. Davis's and Joseph Higgins’, through Capt. Davis's land, a southerly point, by Simon Davis's, Jr., Jonathan Farr’s &c., to Hinsdaleline(?), by marked trees." Capt. Simon Davis and Joseph Higgins lived near the "river road," but the exact location of their houses is not known.   Four other roads were accepted at the same meeting. It was also voted to take five pounds and ten shillings of the money raised to be laid out on the meeting-house, for the purpose of paying the province tax.

 At the annual town-meeting held March 6, 1771, Moses Smith, David Stoddard and Timothy Ladd were chosen selectmen and assessors.   Two more roads were also accepted, one of them running from Widow Cobleigh's mill westerly, and "north of Mr. Snow's saw-mill, and south of Warren Snow's house, to the river road.' "Widow Cobleigh" was undoubtedly the widow of Eleazer Cobleigh. 

At a meeting held the i6th of the next April, it was voted to raise 50 pounds to hire preaching, and 15 pounds for schooling.   It was also voted "to let the swine run at large, being yoked and ringed according to law."  Another meeting was held May 29th, the same year.  Jonathan Hildreth, Nathaniel Bingham and John Snow were chosen a committee "to provide a minister."  A committee of the following persons was also formed, to divide the town into school wards, viz. Nathan Thomas, John Grandy, Elisha Rockwood, Silas Thompson, Jacob Hinds, Thomas Emmons and Aaron Smith.

The establishment of a church and the procuring of a suitable minister to take charge of the same, seems to have occupied the attention of the town to a considerable extent during the year 1771; for, Aug. 5, of that year, another meeting was held, at which it was voted to hire Mr. Eliot upon further trial. From this it is inferred that Mr. Eliot had already been preaching in the town. It was voted at the same meeting not to establish the school wards as laid out by the committee chosen for that purpose. This was the first town-meeting ever held in the meetinghouse. On the 2d of September following, a meeting was held to elect grand-jurors and draw petit-jurors.  This was the first juror-meeting held in the town, of which there is any record. The Province was divided in 1771 into five counties, namely, Rockingham, Strafford, Hillsborough, Cheshire and Grafton. The first grand-jurors chosen bv this town, at the above-mentioned meeting, were Elisha Rockwood and Silas Thompson for the Superior Court, and Martin Warner for the Inferior Court.  Aaron Smith and Nathaniel Bingham were the first petit-jurors for the former court, and John Davison for the latter. On the 24th of the same month (Sept., 1771) the sixth town-meeting of the year took place in the meeting-house, in which building the town-meetings were ever afterwards held, till it was burned down.  At this meeting it was voted to give Mr. John Elliot "a call" to settle in the ministry of the town, and to give him 100 pounds "Settlement money," and 4o pounds a year, for the first two years, and five pounds additional each year thereafter, till his salary should become equal to 65 pounds a year. A committee was also chosen to “treat with Mr. Eliot."  It was voted to remit Naptali Streeter’s ministrate, because he was a member of the Anabaptist church, as was proved by a certificate from a church in Roylston, Mass., duly recorded in records of Chesterfield.

  During the year 1772, no fewer than eight town meetings were held.   The first took place January 2^nd, when it was voted to give Col. Josiah Willard of Winchester one pew ground in the meeting house, the same to be the second one west of the pulpit.  One pew ground was also reserved for the ministry.  Certain other provisions were made for the disposal of pews, and it was voted not to raise money to be laid out on the building.

The second was on the 12^th of February.   It was voted not to raise money to hire preaching, nor to finish the outside of the meeting house;  but it was voted to raise the sum of ten pounds for the support of the poor.  

The third meeting was the annual one and was held March 4^th.  The selectmen chosen were the same as in the previous year.   The three new roads laid out by the selectmen, were accepted;  and the committee was chosen to settle with all those persons who had held the office of selectmen, from the time of incorporation to the year of 1772.

 The fourth meeting took place April 2^nd, at which was voted to raise 150 pounds to repair the highways, each man to be allowed 3 shillings 4 pence per day, till the 1^st of October, and after that date, two shillings per day were allowed;   for a plow cart, one shilling per day each, the sum of 12 pounds were appropriated for the schools period.    It seems that Mr. Elliot, for some cause not now known, was not engaged as pastor of the town church;  for the fifth meeting, held June 8^th it was voted to take 75 pounds of money appropriated for the highways, and use it finishing the outside of the meeting house, and to raise 15 pounds “to hire preaching upon probation.”

At the sixth meeting August 17^th, it was voted to hire Mr. Abraham Wood, upon “farther trial.”  From this it is to be inferred that Mr.

Wood had already been preaching "upon probation," according to the vote passed at the preceding meeting. It was furthermore voted, at the same meeting, that the Baptists should pay their proportion of the minister-rates.

October 12, the seventh meeting was held, at which it was voted to give Abraham Wood an invitation to settle in the work of the ministry, and to give him, if he accepted the invitation, the sum of 100 pounds "for a settlement," and a yearly salary as follows: from the time of his acceptance of the "call," 40 pounds a year, for two years; and after the expiration of two years, five pounds additional each year, till his salary should amount to 65 pounds per year. These terms were accepted by Mr. Wood, in a letter which will be given in its proper place. (See chapter on "Churches, &c.")

A pastor for the town-church having been procured, the eighth and last town-meeting of the year was held on the 7th day of December, to make preparations for his ordination. At this meeting the following votes were passed:

 1. That Thursday, the 31st day of the same month, should be the day on which the ordination was to take place.

2. That Elisha Rockwood should have eight pounds "for providing and entertaining with victuals, drink, lodgings and horse-keeping, the whole of the council of ministers, delegates and other gentlemen of distinction."

3. That the sum of nine pounds should be raised to defray any expenses arising from the ordination.

4. That the Town concur with the vote of the Church, to send invitations to other churches to assist in the ordination.

5. That the window-caps of the meeting-house should be "of straight, solid wood, with cornice on the front."

6. That two or three Sabbaths a year should be granted to Mr. Wood, to enable him to visit his friends, so long as he should be the pastor of the church.

Such were, in substance, the votes passed at this meeting. There is no further record concerning Mr. Wood's ordination known to be in existence.

At the annual town-meeting for the year 1773, which took place on the 3d of March, Zerubbabal Snow, Ephraim Baldwin and Martin Warner were elected selectmen. It was voted to buy a cloth for covering coffins at funerals, “in order for a decent burial in said town." Lawrence Walton was chosen sexton, "to inspect the meetinghouse" and have charge of the graveyard near the same.   It was also voted to raise 15 pounds for the support of the schools, and 50 pounds for building certain pews in the meetinghouse.

 At another meeting held the 21st of the following April, it was voted to raise 150 pounds to be laid out on the highways; to allow two porches to be added to the meeting-house; to sell the "pew-grounds" to the highest bidders, at "public vendue," the persons bidding to be residents of the town, and only one pew-ground to be sold to one person; also, that the money so obtained should be ex- pended on the meeting-house. At the same meeting another coimmittee was chosen to divide the town into school wards.   At another meeting held June 28, the same year, it was voted to purchase a set of weights and measures for the use of the town. The last meeting of the yearr was held Dec. 14, at which two new roads were accepted.

At the annual town meeting for the year 1774, held March 2, the same selectmen were elected as at the annual meeting in '73. Nathanial Thomas and Josiah Hastings were also chosen deer-reeves.  It was voted to allow Phineas Brown 91 pounds and 4 shillings, in full, for work on the meetinghouse, including all the materials furnished by him.   The 26th of the next April, at a special meeting, the town voted to have six school wards, each ward to have the proportion of the school money that it was assessed for.

A new epoch in the historv of the town was now soon to come, and the period which embraces the eight years beginning with the year 1775, is one of great interest and importance. Previous to this last mentioned date, there is no evidence that the town took any part in the affairs of the Province at large, except to pay its proportion of the Province tax; but the great struggle which was now impending between England and her American colonies, aroused the town from its passive condition to one of action and excitement. In 1773, most of the colonies appointed "committees of correspondence." The object of these committees was to promote unity of sentiment and action respecting the oppressive measures undertaken by the mother-country. Such a committee was        appointed by the New Hampshire Assembly in May, 1774; whereupon that body was adjourned by Gov. John Wentworth, the nephew and successor of Benning Wentworth. The members of the Assembly were soon afterwards summoned to meet, by the committee. The Governor, attended by the Sheriff of Rockingham county, went among them and ordered them to disperse.       They adjourned to another building, and wrote letters to all the towns in the Province, requesting them to send deputies to Exeter, for the purpose of choosing delegates to attend a "general congress," to be held at Philadelphia, in September. Accordingly, eighty-five deputies were chosen, who assembled at Exeter, and, July 21, delegated Nathaniel Folsom and John Sullivan to attend the proposed congress at Philadelphia. Chesterfield seems not to have complied with the request to send a deputy to Exeter.