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��BARNSTEAD REUNION.
��would entitle the bidder to a fresh drink." I need not tell you the bidding was ear- nest, the pews sold rapidly, and the nec- essary funds supplied. Mr. E. S. Nutter tells me, at a later day he sold this same old church, by auction, for $92, in gold, and distributed the money to the old pew owners, who bid previously, undoubted- ly for the brandy.
The next meeting-house was at the north part of the town, but of this and other churches erected since, I have not time to speak.
The early ministers were Rev. John Adams, Elder Knowlton, and Rev. Enos George. Mr. Adams was a proprietor member. He came to Barnstead in 1760, and. as I have said, erected the first log meeting house. He was the pioneer in all public affairs, and as early as 1758, while in Newington, was one of eight clergymen selected by the Congregation- al Convention, to apply to Governor Wentworth for a charter for a college within the Province of New Hampshire, which was granted in 1769. He was the leading spirit in the settlement of Barn- stead, and was an uncle to John Adams the President, who, in writing of him in 1821, said, " That in conversation he was vain, loquacious, though somewhat learned and entertaining; his sermons were delivered in a beautiful and musical voice, quoting scripture, and preaching without notes." He died in 1783, being the oldest minister in New England.
Elder David Knowlton was the first settled minister, and was of the Free Will denomination, but died two years afterwards, aged 29.
In 1803, Rev. Enos George was em- ployed as a teacher by the town. He was settled over the first church in 1804, and was to preach in both meeting- houses — at the Parade and " Winkley's Corner." Mr. George, in his ministry, wns very successful. His social and gen- eral abilities were marked. From the year 1804 to 1824, through the winter months, he taught school at the Parade. From 1816 to 1856 he was Town Clerk, and no man ever performed his duties better. His legal knowledge, his fine penmanship, and his faithfulness as a public officer, are written upon every
��page of the record A good speak- er, earnest in his work, prompt in action, he served his people well. He died in 1859, aged 78, lamented by all who knew him.
Rev. Nathaniel "Wilson, a Free Will Baptist minister, was ordained in 1805, and lived in the first framed dwelling house ever erected in Barnstead. He preaehed thirty-five years, and died in 1843.
Elder Tingley, a Free Will Baptist, was settled over the North Church in 1777. This was before any church was erected. Since then Elders Buzzell, Boody, Coodey, and others, have been settled, but I have not time to speak of them, neither is it to our purpose.
The first settled school teacher was Cornelius Kirby, employed by the town in 1784. • There being no school house, the school was kept in the private house of Wm. Newells, in the south part of the town, on the old Province road.
In 1782, at a Town Meetings it was voted to divide the town into five school dis- tricts, to have an agent in each, and to build school houses within two years. The first was at the Nutter district, the second at the Parade, one at the south- east section, and one at the north. Small appropriations were made from year to year, as the limited means of the people would allow. In 1800 the five districts had eight school houses, and a man was employed in each of them to teach in the winter months ; in 1817 they had eleven houses, and have since steadily increased.
In 1769 John Bunker came to Barn- stead and erected the first grist mill on the Suncook river. He was proprietor and miller. He afterwards built the first saw mill. This mill superceded the axe, and the hewed timber gave way to the more desirable sawed lumber. After this began the erection of framed build- ings.
In 1776, publi« r«ads began to be laid out by the town, and the first was built to run from the old Province road to Mr. Bunker's mills. In 1787, the road from North Barnstead to Dover was built, and extended from Dover to Gilmanton.
Passing through Barnstead, or any other country town to-day, one cannot
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