Danville Town History

CHAPTER XXII

Geography — Topography — Petition for Parish — Documentary History — Ecclesiastical History — Military Record — Public Library

Danville lies near the centre of the county, and is bounded as follows : On the north by Fremont, on the east by Kingston, on the south by Kingston and Hampstead, and on the west by Sandown.

This town originally formed a part of Kingston (see Chapter XXXVII.) It was incorporated as a separate parish February 20, 1760. The following is a copy of the petition for a new parish, which was presented to the governor and council January 2, 1760:

"To His Excellency Benning Wentworth, Esq., Captain General, Governor & Commander-in-Chief in & over His Majestys Province of New Hampshire. The Honourable His Majestys Council And House of Representatives in General Assembly Convened, the Second Day of January, 1760.

"The Petition of Sundry of the Inhabitants of that Part of Kingston in Said Province adjoining on the Parish of Sandown, Humbly shews,

"That whereas Providence hath placed us at a great Distance from any place of stated public Worship in Town & so render our Attendance thereon very difficult & our Families often impracticable: We have built a meeting House among us to accommodate ourselves & Families, That we & they might more conveniently attend the public Worship of God & with more ease & comfort enjoy the Word & ordinances necessary for Salvation, And being disirous at our own cost & charge to maintain the Worship of God among us, We petitioned The Town to Set us off to be a Parish Separate from them, But they (as we apprehend) not regarding our difficult Circumstances have unreasonably denied our Request: Wherefore We humbly pray that we may be sett off & incorporated into< a Parish distinct from them in the following manner, vizt, bounding Westerly on Sandown East Line, thence to extend Easterly, carrying the whole Breadth of the Town till it comes half way between our new meeting house & the old meeting house in Town. And that we may be discharged from paying to the ministry & the School in the other part of the Town & enjoy the powers & priviledges of other Parishes.

"And your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever Pray, &c.

"Samuell Webster, John March, Obediah Elkins, Jonathan French. Israel Dimond. William Clifford, Daniel Brown, Henry Morrill, Anans Camell, Jonathan Sanborn, Benjamin Webster, Thomas Welch, Joshua Webster, Samuel March, Jeremiah Ouimby, Joseph Sweat, John March, Jr., Ezra Tucker, John Paige, Samuel Quimbe, Elias Rano, Nathan Jones, Ezra Jones, Jonathan Blake, Malachi Daves, Stephen Barnard, John Quimby, Thomas Eliot Colby, Elisha Clough, Benjamin Selly, Joseph Brown, William Brusel ? Dyer Hook, Humphrey Hook, Joseph Worth, Elisha Bachelder, Jacob Hook, Edward Eastman, Jr., Reuben Bachelder, Samuel Sargent, David Tilton, Aron Ouimby, Jeremiah Flanders, Ephraim Paige, Moses Ouimby, Henray Hunt, John Collins, David Quimby, Benjamin Darling, Joseph Clifford, Joshua Webster, Jr., Benjamin Webster, Jr., Paul Pressey, William Selley, John Sanborn, Jr., Thomas Wadley, William Morey, Thomas Eastman.

"In Council, Jan. 16th, 1760.

"The within Petition read & ordered to be sent down to the Honble Assembly.

"Theodore Atkinson, Secy.

"In Council, Jany. 17th, 1760. "Read & Concurrd.

"Theodr Atkinson, Secry. "Province of ) In the house of Representatives Feby 19th, 1760. New Hampshire ) This petition having been read, The parties on Each side appear'd by themselves & attorneys & after being fully heard thereon, Voted, that the prayer thereof be granted So far as to be agreeable to the minutes on the Back of the plan & that the petitioners have liberty to bring a Bill accordingly.

"A. Clarkson, Clerke.

"In Council, Feby 20th, 1760.

"Read & Concurred.

"Theodore Atkinson, Secry."

The first settlements within the bounds of this town were made in about the year 1735, by Jonathan Sanborn, Jacob Hook, and others. Among the prominent old families whose ancestors can be traced back more than one hundred years as residents are mentioned those of Page, Fowle, Blake, Sanborn, Spofford. Elkins, French, Dimond, Colby, Teksbury, Quimby, Collins, Bradley, Eaton, Eastman, and Currier.

Methodist Episcopal Church. — It is impossible to ascertain the date of organization of this church, as there are no early records in existence. It was, however, doubtless organized prior to* or about the year 1800, as Mr. John Collins, who had been a member fifty-four years, said he has known of its existence seventy-five years. The society formerly worshiped in the old meeting-house, now the town house. It subsequently occupied the Free-Will Baptist and Union churches one-fourth of the time.

The Free-Will Baptist Church was organized June 17, 1820. Until 1841 the service of preaching was rendered chiefly by itinerant ministers. From that year the pastors have been Revs. Joseph Fullonton, W. P. Merrill, J. Kimball, J. Blore, P. S. Burbank, M. W. Burlingame, M. Cole, P. S. Burbank a second time, and J. A. Lowell. In the year 1832 the church and society erected their house of worship in the southern part of the town. Previous to that year the church had worshiped chiefly in private houses. Rev. A. C. Keith is the present minister and the Free Baptist is the only church in Danville that has a settled minister.

The Universalist Church. — The Universalist Church in this town was organized in May, 1850. The first society of the kind here was organized May 2, 1832, the town at that time being known as "Hawke." This first society, having neglected to hold a meeting in 1849, ceased to exist, and the present one began the year following. Preaching was had regularly except during one year (1858), when Rev. J. H. Shepherd supplied the pulpit every eighth Sunday.

Congregational Church. — It is not known when a church originated here, but it is supposed to have been previous to the settlement of a pastor.

The first pastor was Rev. John Page, who was ordained December 21, 1763, and remained until his death, January 29, 1783.

Military Record. — The following is a list of those who enlisted from this town during the late Rebellion, furnished by Adjutant-General Ayling:

Josiah T. Blaisdell, Company B, 3d Regiment; enlisted August 22, 1861; discharged August 23, 1864. Samuel C. Blaisdell, Company B, 3d Regiment; enlisted August 22, 1861; discharged August 23, 1864. Harris C. Hall, Company B, 3d Regiment; enlisted August 22, 1861; re-enlisted February 22, 1864; died June 18, 1864. Ephraim C. Currier, 1st lieutenant Company K, 4th Regiment; enlisted September 20, 1861; promoted to captain January 17, 1862; died August 12, 1862. Charles R. Wright, Company H, 4th Regiment; enlisted December 26, 1863; discharged June 13, 1865. John H. Sargent, Company K, 5th Regiment; enlisted October 12, 1861. John P. Spofford, Company K, 5th Regiment; enlisted October 12, 1861; died of disease July 20, 1862. James Holding, 5th Regiment; enlisted August 19, 1864; supposed to have deserted en route to regiment. Sewell Eastman, Company B, 5th Regiment; enlisted August 11, 1863; discharged June 28, 1865. Charles Bruce, Company F, 5th Regiment; enlisted August 9, 1864; deserted October 12, 1864. John Roarke, 5th Regiment; enlisted August 18, 1864; supposed to have deserted en route to regiment. David B. Currier, 1st lieutenant Company B, 7th Regiment; enlisted November 1, 1861; resigned April 28, 1862. Theodore Burke, Company I, 7th Regiment; enlisted December 29, 1863; discharged July 18, 1865. Thomas Bluer, Company I, 7th Regiment; enlisted December 29, 1863; absent, sick, July 20, 1865; no discharge furnished. David Nichols, Company B, 7th Regiment; enlisted November 1, 1861; re-enlisted February 28, 1864; deserted May 20, 1864; gained from desertion June 5, 1864; absent, sick, July 20, 1865; no discharge furnished. Calvin B. Griffin, Company H, 8th Regiment; enlisted December 20, 1861; discharged April 10, 1862. Charles N. Godfrey, Company G, nth Regiment; enlisted December 19, 1863; died July 19, 1864. Michael Maloney, Company K, nth Regiment; enlisted December 22, 1863; transferred to 6th Regiment June 1, 1865; discharged July 17, 1865. Charles Williams, Company C, nth Regiment; enlisted August 21, 1862; discharged June 6, 1865. Alonzo Ferrin, Company E, nth Regiment; enlisted August 29, 1862; discharged March 16, 1863. Peter Stacy, Company G, nth Regiment; enlisted December 23, 1863; died May 1, 1864. Bernard Brady, Company K, 12th Regiment; enlisted December 17, 1863; transferred to U. S. N. April 29, 1864. William Murphy, Company K, 12th Regiment; enlisted December 17, 1863. George W. March, Company D, 14th Regiment; enlisted September 23, 1862; discharged December 3, 1864. Albe O. Buzzell, Company K, 15th Regiment; enlisted October 16, 1862; discharged August 13, 1863. Hiram French, Company K, 15th Regiment; enlisted October 16, 1862; discharged August 13, 1863. Charles W. Griffin, corporal Company K, 15th Regiment; enlisted October 16, 1862; discharged August 13, 1863. Lendon C. Buzzell, Company K, 15th Regiment; enlisted October 16, 1862; discharged August 13, 1863. Moses Griffin, Company K, 15th Regiment; enlisted October 16, 1862; discharged August 13, 1863. Obadiah Q. Johnson, Company K, 15th Regiment; enlisted October 16, 1862; discharged August 13, 1863. James M. Ladd, Company K, 15th Regiment; enlisted October 16, 1862; discharged January 20, 1863. Josiah T. Ladd, Company K, 15th Regiment; enlisted October 21, 1862. John Matthew, Company K, 15th Regiment; enlisted October 31, 1862. Lewis G. Tucker, Company K, 15th Regiment; enlisted October 29, 1862; discharged August 13, 1863. Lendon C. Buzzell, Company C, 18th Regiment; enlisted September 13, 1864; discharged June 10, 1865. Franklin P. Woods, Company D, 18th Regiment; enlisted /September 13, 1864; promoted to corporal; discharged June 10, 1865. Thomas Cobridge, Company L, 1st Cavalry; enlisted August 11, 1863; discharged July 15, 1865. Andrew B. Clifford, Company I, 1st Cavalry; enlisted March 28, 1865; discharged July 15, 1865. Joseph Avery, Company I, 1st Cavalry; enlisted March 28, 1865; discharged July 15, 1865. William Wills, enlisted August 16, 1864; organization and other facts unknown. Patrick Kelley, marine; enlisted August 6, 1864; no record at this office. Daniel Lang, marine; enlisted August 13, 1864; no record at this office. Thomas Kelley, marine; enlisted August 5, 1864; no record at this office. William McCrillis; enlisted August 17, 1864; organization and other facts unknown. Hugh McClark; enlisted August 13, 1864; organization and other facts unknown. Hans P. S. Peterson, enlisted August 27, 1864; organization and other facts unknown. James Holden, enlisted August 19, 1864; organization and other facts unknown. Fred. M. Danielson, enlisted August 30, 1864; organization and other facts unknown.

The Danville Public Library was started with 130 books on its shelves in 1892 in a room in the town hall, and in 1906 had increased to 1,152 volumes, and to 1,800 in 19 1 3. P. F. Collins is the librarian. To accommodate North Danville, cards are left and books are sent to the postoffice in that village.

The societies are: Danville Grange, P. of H.; Woman's Relief Corps; Rockingham Lodge, A. O. U. W.

Contributed 2023 Oct 06 by Norma Hass, extracted from History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and Representative Citizens by Charles A. Hazlett, published in 1915, pages 272-276.