Rockingham County
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The Town of Hampstead lies in the southwestern part of the county, and is bounded as follows: on the north by Sandown and Danville, on the east by Kingston and Plaistow, on the south by Atkinson, and on the west by Derry. Hampstead contains 8,350 acres, 400 of which is covered with water.
This town lies partly on the ridge of land between the Merrimac and Piscataqua rivers. The soil is generally fertile. Population 796.
Petition for a Parish. — The first measures taken for the formation of Hampstead as a parish was a petition presented to the Governor and Council, January 1, 1743-44, signed by fifty-four inhabitants, as follows:
To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Governor and Commander in Chief In and Over his Majesties Province of New Hampshire in New England, And to the Honourable His Majesties Council and house of Representatives in General Court Assembled, January 1, 1743-4.
The Humble petition of the subscribers Inhabitants in the Province aforesd, Sheweth.
That the greater part of your Petitioners are Inhabitants of the Land in Controversie between Kingstown and Haverhill — That one part of us hold our Land of Haverhill and the other of Kingstown. That However the Right of the soil may be disputed, we are without Dispute of New Hampshire Government. That your Petitioners are at such a Distance from every Parish Meeting house as Renders our attending publick Worship upon the Sabbath in any of our Neighbouring Congregations Exceeding Difficult, and to many of us quite Impracticable. That we are therefore obliged to procure some person to preach to us or else to live without the Benefit of that Ordinance. May it therefore please your Excellency and Honours to take our case under your Wise consideration, and either Vest us with Parish Powers with the following bounds, viz. Beginning at a Crockred red oak tree standing in London Derry line from thence running eastwardly three miles on Bryants line Thence Northwardly to a bridge called Capt Ingalls Bridge thence westerly so as to comprehend the Dwelling house of one Jacob Wells from thence to the Corner Beach tree on Chester line and from thence upon London Derry line to the bounds first mentioned, Or If this may. not at present be granted at least to pass an Act to Impower us for a time to assess and Levie Taxes upon the inhabitants within the bounds above sd for the support of the Gospel and other Incident Charges and your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall every pray.
SUBSCRIBERS
John Hoog, William Moulton, William Stevens, Peter Easman, Michell Johnson, Hugh Tallant, John Atwood, Israel Huse, Nathaniel Harriman, Samuel Worthen, Jr., George Little, Jr., Samuel Watts, Benjamin Philbrick, Jonathan Kimball, Ezekiel Little, Jeremiah Eatton, Samll Stevens, Jr., John Johnson, William Eastman, David Copps, John Muzzy, Joseph Stevens, Jr., Daniel Roberds, Daniel Roberds, Jr., Ebenezer Gill, Nathaniel Heath, Joseph Stevens, Daniel Johnson, Thomas Croford, James Mills, Zecheriah Johnson, William Hancock, James Pleath, Steven Emerson, Benjamin Emerson, Caleb Heath, David Heath, William Heath, Robert Ford, John Kezar, George Kezar, Otho Stevens, James Johnson, Obediah Davis, Josiah Davis, Joseph Little, Moses Tucker, John Bond, Jonathan Bond, Daniel Hebbard, James Graves, James Cook, Jonathan Gile, Samuel Stevens.
In the House of Representatives April 18th 1744. The within Petition Read and Voted that the Petitioners (at their own charge) serve the Selectmen of Kingston with a Coppy of this Petition and the Votes thereon that they may appeare the third day of the sitting of the General Assembly after the first day of May next. James Jeffrey, Clcr. Assm
Vote of Kingston setting off certain persons for a new Parish, etc.
Prov. of New Hamp.
At a Legall meeting of the
Inhabitants & freeholders of Kingstown held the 24th of September, 1746,
1st Levt John Swett was chosen moderator of that meeting. 2d Voted, That we
do hereby as far as in us lieth sett off
Moses Tucker, Israel Huse,
James Huse, James Graves, John Bond, Jacob Wells. Meshach Gurdy, John Straw,
Jr., William Straw, Philip Wells, Jacob Tucker, Joseph Dow, John Straw, Jonathan
Colby, Daniel Hibbard, Daniel Kidd. Jacob Gurdy, David Straw, Reuben Clough,
Israel Huse, Jr., John Pressey, Benjamin Tucker, John Hogg & Orlando Colby
of Kingstown above 'sd with a certain Tract of Land in sd town for a
Distinct Parish or Precinct Bounded as followeth viz: beginning at the Beach
tree which is the Dividing Boundary between London Derry and Chester sd tree
standing on ye west line of sd Kingstown and Running Southerly on sd Kingstown
said Line as heretofore settled between sd London Derry & sd Kingstown to the
Islands Pond (so called) then Running East and B South three miles. Then
Northerly Till a North & B West Course will strike sd Kingstown line where it
crosses the mill Brook (so called) as heretofore settled between sd Kingstown &
sd Chester & from thence viz where sd Line Crosses sd mill Brook to run
Southerly on sd line to the Beach tree first mentioned.
This is a true copy, taken out of Kingstown Book of Records.
Attest Jed. Philbrick, Town Clerk.
PETITION OF RICHARD HAZZEN, ETC., ABOUT SUPPORT OF REV. JAMES CUSHING
To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Governour & Commander in Cheif in and over his Majestys Province of New Hampshire in New England & to the Honble his Majesties Councill & House of Representatives in Generall Court assembled at Portsmouth ior sd Province, May 1748. Humbly Shews.
Richard Hazzen for himself and in behalfe of the Inhabitants of that Part of Haverhill district commonly called Timberlane,
That the inhabitants of said Timberlane have for the greatest part of fifteen years past at a verry great cost and charge hired a minister to preach amongst them and at the same time been Excused from paying any thing towards the support of the Revd Mr James Cushing.
That the Revd Mr Cushing Hearers (Exclusive of said Timberlane) live about two thirds of them on the North Side of the Boundary Line and in this Province and the other third on ye other side on which side lyes also the greatest part of his Personage or Glebe Lands.
That at a meeting of the District in November last Pursuant to the selectmens warrant it was agreed & Voted that the inhabitants living on this side of ye line (meaning those who lived out of Timberlane limits) should pay the Revd Mr Cushing Two Hundred pounds for his support this year, Old Tenor on consideration of the Depreciating of the money &c which would have been a small matter more than what they paid last year.
That some time afterwards at a Legall meeting of the afore sd Districts, The inhabitants of Timberlane were by vote set off from Mr Cushings Parish and near the same lines which a committee Sent By your Excellency & the Honble Council thought proper to be done as appears by their Report.
That notwithstanding the meaning & intent of the afore sd Vote respecting Mr Cushings Support by which the inhabitants of Timberlane ought to have they were set off from Mr Cushings Parish as much as the District had a power to do. The assessors have rated us to Mr Cushing and thereby made their own Taxes much less than last year, & taken away our money from us which we should have had to pay our own minister.
That we have been thereby necessitated to make a Rate amongst Our selves to pay our minister but as we had no legall power to do it some refuse to pay, so that we are now in a verry deplorable Condition unless your Excellency & Honours will Interpose on our behalfe.
We therefore Humbly & Earnestly request your Excellency & Honours to compassionate our circumstances & give Such Orders that we may be excused from paying to ye Revd Mr James Cushing & at the same time that he may not be cheated and defrauded of his honest due, & that we may be Impowered to raise a Tax amongst our Selves to pay our own minister or that you will afford us Such other Relief as to your Excellency & Honours shall think best for us.
And for your Excellency & Honours your Humble petitioners as in duty
bound shall ever pray &c Richard Hazzen. for himself & in behalfe of ye
Inhabitants of Timberlane.
May 12th 1748.
PETITION OF EDWARD FLINT AND OTHERS TO BE ANNEXED TO HAMPSTEAD
To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Governour & Commander in Chief in & over his Majesties Province of New Hampshire in New England & to the Honble the Councill of said Province,
Humbly Shews,
The petition of Edward Flynt, Samuel Stevens & others the Subscribers that your petitioners Liveing in that part of Haverhill District commonly called Timberlane have always together with the other Inhabitants chearfully paid their Taxes & when a petition was preferrd by the said Inhabitants to your Excellency & Honours to be incorporated into a Township, your petitioners signed ye said petition & hoped that when the Township was incorporated that not only your petitioners Houses but their estates also would have been taken within ye charter being much more for the Interests of your petitioners than to be put any where Else.
But so it
is may it please your Excellency & Honours that by the Charter of Hampstead
lately Granted, your petitioners Estates are so Divided that near one half lye
within the Town of Hampstead & the other half is left out notwithstanding these
lands have for many years past been fenct in and improved & being so Divided &
Split by the said Lines it is to the very great damage of your petitioners.
We therefore earnestly request your Excellency & Honours to annex our whole
lands to Hampstead according to our first petition.
And for your Excellency & Honours your Humble petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.
Edwd Flint. Saml Stevens. Nehemiah Stevens. David Stevens. Sema Stevens. Wm Stevens. Joseph Stevens.
Hampstead, February 14th, 1749.
The first settlement by white men in Hampstead was made prior to the year
1728 by a Mr. Ford, who is supposed to have been the pioneer. In 1728 a Mr.
Emerson settled in the south part of the town. Prior to the division line
between the States of Massachusetts and New Hampshire this territory was
embraced in Amesbury and Haverhill, Mass. It was granted January 19, 1749, and
named after the pleasant Village of Hampstead, in England, a short distance
north of London. It included within its grant a portion of Kingston, which
created a long dispute between the two towns, which was finally settled by
Hampstead paying one thousand pounds, old tenor.
The town is well supplied with railway facilities, the Boston & Maine road passing the western part.
The resources of the town are principally from the productions of the soil and mechanical labor.
The Congregational Church was organized
June 3, 1752, with sixty-eight members. The first pastor was Rev. Henry True,
who served (till the day of his death) thirty years. The church was then without
a pastor ten years. The second pastor was Rev. John Kelly, who served forty-four
years, from 1792 to 1836; third pastor, Rev. J. M. C. Barkley, served twenty
years to 1856; fourth pastor. Rev. Theodore C. Pratt, served ten years; fifth
pastor, Rev. Ebenezer W. Bullard, served five years. The following succeeded Mr.
Bullard: Albert Watson, 1876- 1893; Rufus P. Gardner, 1893-1901; Walter H.
Woodsum, 1902-1906; Lynn V. Farnsworth, 1907-1912; Halah H. Loud, 1913-1914.
The church first worshiped in an edifice built by the town over one hundred
years ago. In 1837 the society built a new church and dissolved partnership with
the State. The old church was then remodeled and made available for town
purposes. The church built in 1837 was found to be in an unsafe condition after
being used a little over twenty years. In the year i860 it was taken down, and
the following year the present commodious edifice was built upon the same site.
Military Record, 1861-65. — The following is a list of soldiers, residents of the town, who served during the late Rebellion:
Charles E. Frost, Henry A. Noyes, John H. Pingree, Charles M. Newbegin, Daniel L. Sawyer, George W. Keeser, Charles W. Clowe, Simeon S. Clayton, William H. Clayton, William R. Cowel, George Clayton, Simeon D. Hinds, David B. Hinds, Samuel Morse, Thomas W. Morse, E. Jones Collins, Marquis J. Brewster, Leander Harris, James T. Hall, Horace Barney, Nathaniel H. Bushbey, John Wast, George W. Conner, George R. Dow, Thomas O'Connell, John L. Woodsum, Josiah C. Eastman, M. D.. Elbridge G. Wood, Leonard Hutchings, Joseph J. Calef, Benjamin G. Currier, Warren A. Kimball, William H. Johnson, Lucian M. Nichols, Avender Carson, William H. Minot, Adin T. Little, Aaron H. Davis, John C. Kimball, Caleb J. Hoyt. Thomas D. Barter, Charles H. Shannon, James Johnson. George Allen, Allen B. Martin, Horace R. Sawyer, Charles H. Grover, Frank S. Eastman, George W. Bickford, Nathaniel Corson, Samuel Johnson, Frank H. Little. George H. McDuffee, Henry C. Little, Albert C. Brickett, Linus H. Little, Henry B. Thome, Thomas M. Arnold, William Barrett, O. D. Nichols, Hazen L. Hoyt. William H. Davis, Nathaniel Frost, David L. N. Hoyt. William L. S. Tabor, Albert H. Ayer, Charles E. Atwood, Lewis Legacy, Daniel J. Wilson, Charles W. Williams, John F. Johnson, Charles Stevens. Fred P. Shannon.
The town also hired thirty-eight substitutes.
Hampstead Public Library was established in 1888. It is a public library although it did not receive state aid. It has a separate building, a permanent fund and 4,000 volumes on its shelves. M. Lillian Hoyt is librarian.
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 434-439.
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This page was last updated 12/26/2023