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From: SLWillig <>
Subject: History of Charlestown
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 11:10:40 -0700


Here is the second part of the piece on the history of Charlestown. Again,
the source is, *History of Sullivan County, New Hampshire*, Edited by D.
Hamilton Hurd. J. Lewis & Co., Philadelphia, 1886. pp. 23-26

Enjoy!

Susan
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History of Charlestown, cont'd.

The town remained unmolested until April 19, 1746, when it was visited by a
party of about forty French and Indians, under the command of Ensign De
NEVERVILLE, who took Captain John SPAFFORD, Lieutenant Isaac PARKER and
Stephen FARNSWORTH prisoners, and burnt the saw-mill and grist-mill which
the proprietors had encouraged Captain SPAFFORD to erect, and which had
been in operation only about two years. The following extract from a letter
from Upper Ashuelot (now Keene), dated April 23, 1746, relates to this
affair: "We hear from No. 4, a new township to the westward, that three
men, with a team of four oxen, having been at a saw-mill to fetch boards,
were surprised by a party of Indians, and the men being missing are
supposed to be either killed or made prisoners; the oxen being found dead
with their tongues cut out." They had been to the mill and were returning
with their load, when an ambuscade was formed for them, into which they
fell and were taken captive. They were conducted to Canada, and, after a
considerable time, were permitted to return to Boston under a flag of truce.

The savages (says Rev. H.H. SANDERSON in his "History of Charlestown"),
having thus prosperously commenced their incursions, continued, during the
remainder of the spring and summer, to make frequent inroads upon the
frontiers; and calamities flowed many of the settlements thick and fast.
The Indians were constantly on the alert to do all the mischief in their
power, and no sooner had they done all the evil they could in one
settlement, than they were off, in some unexpected direction, to fall upon
another. On the 2d of May, in less than two weeks from the time of the
first inroad into No. 4, having attacked, in the meanwhile, the fort of
Upper Ashuelot and visited the neighborhood of Northfield and prowled
around New Hopkinton, they again appeared in the place, and Seth PUTNAM,
the first victim of Indian vengeance, was killed.

The following are the circumstances under which this happened: As the
women, towards evening, were gong out to do their accustomed milking, they
were attended by Major Josiah WILLARD, the son of the commander of Fort
Dummer, and several soldiers as a guard. On approaching the booth or barn,
where the cows were stalled, they were immediately fired upon by a party of
eight Indians, who were lying in concealment, and awaiting their arrival.
One shot took fatal effect on Mr. PUTNAM, but none of the others were
injured. But as they saw Mr. PUTNAM fall, and, according to their custom,
sprang forward for the purpose of scalping him, the major and his men fired
upon them in turn, mortally wounding two of their number; when, dragging
their dying companions after them, they made a precipitate retreat.

This event overspread the settlement with gloom, and excited in the minds
of the inhabitants, as it well might do, the most anxious forebodings in
relation to what was to come, and led them to realize what was the fact,
that there was to be, thenceforth, no safety, not even in the presence of
an armed guard.

For three weeks from this event the utmost excitement prevailed; for, as
the garrison was small and unequal to the repelling of any considerable
force, the inhabitants stood waiting in constant expectation of another of
their incursions. But though the Indians were still active, and made their
presence felt, during this time, at Contoocook, Lower and Upper Ashuelot,
Bernardston, Coleraine and Fort Massachusetts, they did not appear again at
No. 4.

For a long series of years this settlement was the scene of Indian and
French depredations, which greatly retarded the settlement of the place.

INCORPORATION OF TOWN. - A petition for the incorporation of the town,
signed by Phineas STEVENS, was presented to the Governor and Council,
although at what date is not stated in the petition. But in answer to this
petition the town was chartered by the government of New Hampshire July 2,
1753.

They named Charlestown in honor of Commodore Sir Charles KNOWLES, of the
English navy. The name was probably suggested by Captain Phineas STEVENS,
in consequence of his having been presented with an elegant sword by the
English officer, as a tribute to his bravery in defending the fort at No.
4, April 4, 1757.

THE FIRST TOWN-MEETING was held at the "fort", with Captain Phineas STEVENS
as moderator, August 14, 1753, when the following officers were elected:

"Voted. First: that John HASTINS be the town clerk.

"2nd. Voted, that there be three selectmen chosen for the present year.

"3d. Voted, that Captain Phineas STEVENS, John HASTINGS And Captain John
SPAFFORD be selectmen for the present year.

"4th. Voted, that Captain Phineas STEVENS be the town treasurer for the
present year.

"5th. Voted, that Deacon Thomas ADAMS be constable for the present year.

"6th. Voted, that Ebenezer PUTNAM be tithing man for the present year.

"7th. Voted, that there be a sufficient pound built and set up in this town.

"8th. Voted, that John HASTINGS, jr., and Moses WHEELER be surveyors for
the highway for the present year.

"9th. Voted, that Nathaniel PARKER and William HEYWOOD be fence viewers for
the present year.

"10th. Voted, that James FARNSWORTH and Benjamin ALLEN be the field drivers
for the present year.

"11th. Voted, that Lieutenant Isaac PARKER be the pound keeper.

"12th. Voted, that Nathaniel PARKER and Sylvanus HASTINGS be hog-reeves for
the present year.

"13th. Voted, that the hogs in town shall have liberty to run on the
common, for the space of three weeks, provided that they be yoked and ringed.

"14th. Voted, that this meeting be adjourned to 2 of the clock, afternoon."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SL Willig

List Admin. for Sullivan Co., NH, Addison Co., VT, IRL-Palatine,
Empey-l, Garfield-l






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