Surname: SPAFFORD Source: History of Charlestown, NH by Rev. Henry H. Saunderson 1876 (Fort 4 founded 1740) p.17 No. 4 had been settled about three years when it became apparent war could not much longer be deferred. A meet- ing was notified on the petition of the following prop- rietors: David Farnsworth, Moses Willard, Phineas Stevens Isaac Parker, Obadiah Sartwell, John Avery and Charles Holden to consider the danger of being assaulted by an enemy, in the event war should occur between the king- doms of England and France, and to consider building a fortification at Fort 4 for its defense. This meet- ing was notified by Dr. John Hastings, proprietor's clerk and the meeting was held at the house of John Spafford, Jr. on Nov. 24, 1743. At the meeting it was voted that John Hastings, Lieut. John Spafford and John Avery be a committee and to this committee John Spafford, Jr. and Samuel Farnsworth were subsequently added. It was further voted that Capt. John Spafford, Lieut. Phineas Stevens and John Hastings be assessors be assessors to proportion the sum of f300 on the propriet- ors of the township. It was further voted that Capt. John Spafford, Lieut. Stevens and John Hastings be appointed to a committee to keep the Fort in repair and to see that no person came to dwell in any house within the Fort but such as those the committee shall approve. p.19 The fort was built under the direction of Col. John Stoddard of Northampton, MA. Within the enclosure were buildings called province houses, and were enclosed in the Fort. They had been the houses of Capt. John Spaff- ord, Capt. Phineas Stevens, Lieut. Moses Willard, Ephraim Wetherbe and John Hastings. p.25-26 Up to April 1746, No. 4 had been unmolested; but on the 19th of April it was visited by a party of about forty French and Indians, under the command of Ensign De Never- ville, who took Capt. John Spafford, Lieut. Isaac Parker and Stephen Farnsworth prisoners and burnt the saw-mill and grist-mill which Capt. Spafford had erected and which had been in operation for two years. p.31 August 5, 1746 On the 5th of August, Capt. Stevens, at the head of 60 men marched to the great meadow (now Putney) at which place he remained during the 6th and 7th and guarded the people while they were reaping in the meadow. On the 8th of August they returned to the Fort to find that the cattle, horses and most of the hogs had been killed dur- ing his absence. Sixteen horses belonging to Capt. How's force were destroyed. The mills which Capt. Spafford had begun rebuilding, were also burned and all the houses outsife the Fort, save one, which stood near the stockade had been destroyed. p.53 - 54 June 21, 1750 Muster Roll of the Company in His Majesty's service under the command of Phineas Stevens, Captain included John Spafford and Bradstreet Spafford. p.70 As the inhabitants of Charlestown had litte reason to expect any provisions would be made for their defense by New Hampshire, they once more had to appeal to Massa- chusetts to furnish them with a force for their protect- ion. The petition which set forth their circumstances and their great need of assistance was signed by Micah Fuller, Thomas Adams, Simon Sartwell, Moses Wheeler, Daniel Sartwell, James Whiting, John Hastings, Jr., John Spafford, John Hastings, Seth Putnam, Moses Willard, Isaac Parker, David Farnsworth and Ebenezer Putnam. p.97 In 1762 and 1763 population began to flow into the newly chartered townships with a rapidity which had not before been known. It greatly increased the prosperity of Charlestown; and for a considerable time, Fort 4 became the depot of supply for all the new settlements beyond. Capt. John Spafford's grain mill, which had been rebuilt after it was burned by the French and Indians in 1757 was for several years, used by the inhabitants of the newer townships as far north as Lancaster, NH. Thus, Dr. Timothy Dwight says in his "Travels in New England," of Capt. David Page, the first settler of Lancaster, NH, "For several years after Capt. David Page came to this spot, he carried all his bread corn to Charlestown (NH) which was one hundred and twenty-four miles away (from Lancaster, NH) This was the case also with the first inhabitants of Haverhill, Newbury, Orford, Hanover, Lebanon, Lyme and others too numerous to designate. Most of the articles of merchandise required by the settlers such as molasses, sugars, liquors, salt and hardware were obtained at Fort 4. When boards or sawed timber were required they also were obtained at Spafford's mill. p.98 At a legal meeting of freeholders and proprietors of the town of Charlestown, NH held at the Fort on the 14th day of August, 1753 at nine o'clock in the morning it was voted that John Hastings be the Town Clerk. It was voted that Capt. Phineas Stevens, John Hastings and Capt. John Spafford be Selectmen for this year. (1753) p.102 List of Settlers of Charlestown before 1760 in- cluded Capt. John Spafford and Bradstreet Spafford. p.209 At a legal meeting of the proprietors held Oct. 12, 1743 at the house of John Spafford, Jr., at Fort 4, a vote to provide a preacher was passed and Messrs. John Spafford, Phineas Stevens, Isaac Parker, Obadiah Sartwell and Moses Willard were appointed a committee. After the commencement of the war, however, we find no further record of the appointment of the committee for hiring a learned and Orthodox preacher until April 4, 1750 when Capt. Phineas Stevens and Lieut Moses Willard were appointed for that purpose. The next year, Nov.28, 1751, Lieut Obadiah Dickinson and Capt. John Spafford were appointed to provide a preacher for the inhabitants for the summer next coming. p.211 On June 6, 1753 Capt. Phineas Stevens was chosen and appointed to provide a preacher, "orthodox and learned." And on August 14, 1753, the proprietors voted that Lieut Isaac Parker, Capt. John Spafford and Seth Walker be a committee empowered to provide a convenient place to meet for the public worship of God. p.211 The first minister installed in the church of Charles- town, NH was Rev. John Dennis of Ipswich, MA. who gradu- ated from Harvard College in 1730. In September of 1737 he was appointed Chaplain of the Army; in which capacity he served until March 1749. He also acted as surgeon and physician. Nothing else concerning him from the time he left the army until his call to Charlestown. At a legal meeting May 13, 1754 at one o'clock in the afternoon, it was voted that "they will apply to Mr. John Dennis to settle in the work of the gospel ministry in this town" It was also voted that the town would build for Mr. Dennis a log house of hewn timber, 36 feet in length, and nine- teen feet in width and sixteen feet stud; to be jutted at the chamber in the common manner and to set up a stack of brick chimneys and a good convenient cellar; and to lay the floors and find boards for the upper floors and set up partitions and doors to the lower rooms and to board and shingle the roof. It was voted the town would clear up a three acre lot, (No. 14) in the great meadow, fit for mowing and the town would plough, and sow with wheat four acres of a five acre lot (No.59) lying in the great meadow. It was voted that the town would pay Mr. Dennis the sum of fifty pounds, annually of lawful money to be paid equal to silver at six shillings and eight pence per ounce. Also to provide firewood brought to his house and cut-cord, wood length. It was voted that John Hastings, Phineas Stevens, Esq. Mr. Andrew Gardner, Lieut. Isaac Parker and Ensign David Farnsworth be the committee to carry these proposals of the town to Mr. Dennis and receive his answer as afore- said. On may 22, 1754 it was voted that the town would raise the sum of eight pounds, lawful money of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, to defray the charge of transport- ing Mr. Dennis' family to Charlestown if he shall accept the proposals. Mr. Dennis' acceptance letter: July 15, 1754 to Charlestown, NH "Honored and beloved: The very hearty and unamimous invitation which you have given me to settle in the work of the gospel ministry among you, I esteem as a call in Providence for my compliance. I would, therefore, in the fear of God, in- timate my acceptance of this, your invitation, earnestly requesting your prayers for me, that I may be found faithful unto death, and in the end, receive a crown of life. I also accept of your offers of encouragement, and in many respect esteem them generous and handsome; only in the article of salary, considering my family is large, and will require an annual demand not less than almost any of yours, and yours are ordinarily supported with that sum: and as you are a growing people, and will have the assistance of the non-residents; and the sum of 3 pounds, six shillings and eight pence, when divided among many, will be of no great additional burthen, I hope you will be willing to divide the honor of giving, with the annual comfort of receiving that sum, in way of augmentation between us, which is all at present. Yours to serve in the faith and felloship of the Gospel, John Dennis" July 15, 1754: it was voted the town would allow the sum Mr. John Dennis requested and the vote be carried to Mr. Dennis from the town which he accepted July 15, 1754. Note: Rev. Dennis resigned in 1756 to become the pastor of the South Precinct of Harwich, MA where he continued until 1760. He died Sept. 2, 1773 in his 64th year, but at what location it has not been ascertained. John Dennis and his wife, Ruth had the following children: 1. John Dennis 2. William Dennis 3. Nathan Dennis 4. Moses Dennis 5. Martha Dennis who married Abraham Spafford 6. Elizabeth Dennis who married Benjamin Griffin 7. Lucy Dennis who married William Roberts. There was no minister at Charlestown until the advent of Rev. Olcott in 1761. He conducted the very first marriage which ever took place in Claremont, NH (guides were despatched to conduct him to places where his services were required and accompany him back again to Charles- town, inasmuch as the roads were only bridle paths and there was danger he might get lost in the forest. This first marriage at Claremont was that of Moses Spafford. p.278 Benjamin Allen is first recorded in Charlestown, NH in the roll of Capt. Phineas Stevens' Company, enlisting from March 10, to Oct 20, 1748; also in 1749 and 1750 He was a proprietor of the township under the NH charter and attended the first Town Meeting held Aug. 14, 1753 and elected one of the town officers. Benjamin Allen m. Nov. 6, 1751, Peggy Spafford, dau of Capt. John and Hannah Spafford b. June 30, 1735. p.341 Young Asa Spafford died of small pox at Quebec, Canada. He was one of the captives taken prisoners on April 20 1757 together with David Farnsworth, Deacon Thomas Adams Sampson Colfax and George Robbins. Of these only David Farnsworth and George Robbins returned home. Sampson Colfax, amd Deacon Adams died on their way homeward via way of Great Britain. p.380 John Grout, Jr. b. at Lunenburg, MA Jan 13, 1731 m. Oct 22, 1750, Phebe Spafford dau of Capt. John and Hannah (Tyler) Spafford, b. at Rowley, MA July 23, 1733. p.502 Lieut. Isaac Parker, Capt. John Spafford and Stephen Farnsworth were the first captives taken by the Indians from Fort 4, on April 19, 1746. p.552 Capt. John Spafford erected the first saw mill and corn mill at No. 4 by a contract of the committee appointed by the Proprietors. They were in operation in 1744 but were burned on the 19th of April 1746 by a party of Indians who took Capt. Sapfford, Lieut Isaac Parker and Stephen Farnsworth prisoners and carried to Canada. The mills were rebuilt by Capt. Spafford but were burned a second time in 1757 by a party of about 70 French and Indians when Samson Colefax, Deacon Thomas Adams and David Farnsworth were taken prisoners. The mills were again rebuilt and remained until Hall's Mills were erected in their place. Capt. Spafford was widely known and his mills were ex- tensively patronized by the early settlers of No. 4 and those on the upper Connecticut and Amonoosuc. The in- habitants of Haverhill, Newbury and Lancaster came to Charlestown to have their grain ground and other number- ous towns. A visit by General Bailey is preserved in the lines: "General Bailey, of Newbury town, To old No. 4, to mill came down Good Captain Spafford, God rest his soul, Ground his grist, but would take no toll." Capt. David Page of Lancaster, frequently made journeys to Charlestown for the same reason. The town honored him by electing him a Selectman on two occasions. The children of Capt. John Spafford and his wife, Hannah (Tyler) Spafford were: 1. Eunice Spafford b. Sept. 15, 1729 at Boxford, MA 2. Bradstreet Spafford b. Sept 2, 1731 at Rowley, MA who married Mary (maiden name unknown) 3. Phebe Spafford b. 1733 at Rowley, MA 4. Peggy Spafford b. 1735 at Rowley, MA m. Benjamin Allen on Nov 6, 1751 5. Asa Spafford b. 1737 was taken prisoner by the French and Indians on April 20, 1757 - he died of small pox in Canada. 6. Mary Spafford b. 1739 at Rowley, MA 7. Abigail Spafford b. 1741. 8. Relief Spafford b. 1744 d. 1758 9. Harriet Spafford b. 1747 at Leominster, MA at the time the Fort was deserted. 10. Job Tyler Spafford b. 1749 d. 1750 ll. Tyler Spafford b. 1754. p.553 Bradstreet Spafford was a member of Capt. Phineas Stevens' Company in 1750 and also a First Lieut in Capt. Abel Walker's Company, No. 1, in Colonel Bellow's Regiment in 1777. He removed to Piermont, NH and in 1783 he and his two sons, Nathan Spafford and Asa Spafford began the settlement at Fairfax, VT. He is buried at Fairfax, VT but his grave has no headstone. His children were: 1. Prudence Spafford b. 1753 2. John Spafford b. 1755. 3. Eunice Spafford b. 1757. 4. Asa Spafford b. 1759. 5. Nathan Spafford b. 1761 6. Phineas Spafford b. 1763 d. 1765 7. Mary Spafford b. 1765. 8. Damaris Spafford b. 1767. 9. Eunice Spafford 2nd b. 1769, died 1770 10. Sheloma Spafford b. 1772 ll. Bradstreet Spafford, Jr. b. 1773. Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~