VOL. XII.

NO. 5.

ROWELL, PRESCOTT & CO., PROPRIETORS....C. E. POTTER, EDITOR.

BIOGRAPHY OF LIEUT. GOV. JOHN the gate, and held it till he had alarmed the people; two balls were fired through it, but both missed him."

WENTWORTH.

Elder Wentworth died March 15, 1697, "at a very advanced age." He was among the principal men of Dover, being " a very useful and good man."

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JOHN WENTWORTH, was born at Portsmouth, June 16, 1662. Samuel Wentworth, his father, was the son of Elder William Wentworth, who was one of the grantees in the famous " Wheelwright Elder Wentworth had eight sons or more; Deed," which was executed at "Squamscot' and if he had any daughters, their names have now Exeter, May 17, 1629. Elder Went-not been preserved. worth settled at Exeter, was there in 1639, as One of his oldest sons, if not the oldest, his name is to the "combination" entered was Samuel, who resided at Portsmouth, and into at that time, and probably left Exeter with the Rev. John Wheelwright, when the latter was forced by Massachusetts to flee the lands he had honestly purchased of the Indians, that Colony laying claim to the greater part of New Hampshire, to which she had no shadow of title.

Elder Wentworth, upon leaving Exeter, settled probably for a time at Portsmouth, as his son Samuel was born there about 1641. Elder Wentworth finally settled at Dover, where he resided most of the time until his death. He continued to preach until he was about eighty years of age, having been engaged to supply the pulpit at Exeter, as late as 1693.

At the time of the attack upon Dover in 1689, when four out of five of the garrisons upon the Cocheco were taken, and destroyed or pillaged, by the Indians, under the lead of John Hogkins, the grandson of Passaconnaway, Heard's garrison alone was saved, through the coolness of Elder Wentworth. A dog in the garrison, barking at the approach of the Indians, waked Elder Wentworth, who got to the gate just as the Indians were entering, and in the words of Dr. Belknap, "pushed them out and falling on his back, set his feet against

who was one of the "Trustees" or Selectmen in 1684, cited before Governor Cranfield to give an account of their doings, and why the Constables of Portsmouth had not collected the rates illegally raised by the Governor and his Council. He died in March, 1690, in the 50th year of his age."

Samuel had seven children, viz:-Samuel, Parnel, John, Mary, Ebenezer, Dorothy, and Benning. Very little is known of his children except John his third child, and Dorothy his sister, who married Henry Sherburne, of Portsmouth, one of the Council, whose grandfather was here in New Hampshire as early as 1634, when he signed his name as a witness to a receipt of Henry Jocelyn's thus:

Агоний провинтя

His son Samuel Sherburne, father of Henry who married Dorothy Wentworth, took a decided stand against Cranfield and Mason in 1683 and 4, and was one of those who had the ability and independence to defend the action brought against them by Mason in the Court

of Pleas in 1684, to oust them from the possess ion of their lands. In his plea in answer to that action, he signed his name thus

Henry and Dorothy Went-
worth Sherburne had five child-
ren, viz: Samuel, Mary, John,
Ann and Dorothy.
John Sherburne, was bred a
merchant, and was afterwards
Judge of Probate of Rockingham
County. He was father of Judge
John S. Sherburne, of the United
States Court for the District of
New Hampshire, and of the wife
of Governor John Langdon of
Portsmouth.

as their first child, Benning Wentworth, after-
wards Governor of the Province, was born in
1695. Mr. Hunking was a man of wealth and
standing in the community, and the marriage
of his only child with Capt. John Wentworth,
shows the high estimation in which the char-
acter of the young shipmaster was held in
his native town. But this connection with
one of wealthiest families of the town, placed
him in circumstances, which made it unneces-
sary for him to follow the sea, and he settled
in his native town as a merchant. His char-
acter on ship-board followed him to the count-
a handsome
ing-room, and he soon amassed
fortune in mercantile pursuits.

His correct deportment and unostentatious
Ann Sherburne, daughter of liberality, made him popular with the people,
and the influence of such a man, was not lost
Henry and Dorothy Wentworth
Sherburne, married Hon. Wood-sight of by the Government. In 1712 he was
bury Langdon of Portsmouth, appointed to the Council. The following is a
brother of Governor John Lang- copy of the Mandamus appointing him to the

don.

John Wentworth, the third son of Samuel Wentworth, and grandson of Elder William Wentworth, at an early age entered upon a sea-faring life, as a sailor before the mast. By his enterprise and correct moral deportment, he soon passed from the forecastle through the various subordinate grades, to the command of a ship.

In this position, though a young man, he set an example worthy of all imitation by shipmasters, that of abstaining in word or deed, from any immoral act, whether in the presence of his crew, or in the company of others. This example was most salutary, and Capt. Wentworth, during the time of his sealife, never had the least attempt at insubordination on the part of his men.

His ship had the neatness of a parlor; order and regularity was found not only in every part of the vessel; but was part and parcel of the government on board.

office:

ANNE R.

Trusty and well beloved-Wee greete you well-Wee being well satisfied of the loyaltie, and integrity and ability of our trusty and well beloved John Wentworth, Esq. have thought fitt hereby to signifie our will and pleasure to you that you forthwith upon receipt hereof you swear and admitt him the said John Wentworth to be one of our council of that our Province of New-Hampshire in the room and place of Winthropp Hilton, Esq. deceased. And for soe doing this shall be you warrant. And soe we bidd you farewell. Given at our Court at Saint James's the fourteenth day of February 1711-12, in the tenth year of our regne.

ties

By her Maj Command,
DARTMOUTH.

He brought to the Council Board a permanent popularity, unbending integrity, and great aptitude for business.

Such a man was greatly needed in the Council at this time. The Province was just Public worship was maintained on board, emerging from a severe and onerous Indian and the reading of the scriptures and prayer war, and the well known financial abilities of was practiced every morning and evening, as Wentworth, were needed to raise the depresssurely as morning and evening came. No ed affairs of the colony. Then his amiable duty was required on the Sabbath, save that deportment and conciliatory advice, were alone that was necessary for the proper prose-soon requisite in the Council, to harmonize cution of the voyage, and the day was passed the conflicting elements of the Board. Great in reading and meditation, commencing and dissension existed in Portsmouth on account closing as on other days, with prayer. It is of the location of a Church. Some of the needless to say that such a man succeeded as Council, and other officers of the government, a shipmaster. His men of course were those were parties to the dissension, and carried only who were equal, at all times, to the their warm party feelings with them in the whole duty of a sailor. Such men and such transaction of their public duties. Thus in a commander, always commanded the best of the Council, and in the Assembly, certain voyages and highest pay. members arrayed themselves in favor or against Thus successful on ship-board, Capt. Went- this or that measure, as it originated with, or worth soon became part owner, and at length would subserve the interests of this or that commanded his own ship. Soon after becom-party to the church dissension of Portsmouth. ing of age, he married Sarah Hunking, the În this way, there came to be great excitedaughter of the Honorable Mark Hunking, a ment throughout the Province. Councillor of the Province. The date of their marriage must have been as early as 1693 or 4

Capt. Wentworth, throughout the whole of this dissension, had a single eye to the good

In the midst of this excitement George the I. succeeded to the throne of England, and with He forthwith called a new Assembly, which a new King, new officers came into power.-proved more plaint, his proposition was acColonel Eleseus Burges, was appointed Gov-ceeded to, and an act passed for issuing fifernor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, teen thousand pounds in bills on loan. and George Vaughan, Esq., son of Major William Vaughan, was appointed Lieut. Governor of New Hampshire. He was then in London, but forthwith leaving, he arrived at Portsmouth and published his commission, October 17, 1715. Colonel Burges not yet having come to the country, and Governor Dudley, knowing he had been superseded, and being unwilling to trouble himself so much about the affairs of New Hampshire, as to visit the Province, Lieut. Governor Vaughan had things his own way, so far as the Council and Assembly would let him, with which he was soon at loggerheads on various questions.

entire confidence of the people, and the busi-tive Indian taken by any other person. Early ness tact, to administer the government under

the most adverse circumstances.

The Indians again commenced their depredations in 1720, and some of the inhabitants upon the frontiers were forced into the settlements.

The eastern settlements were in a continual alarm, and a conference was holden with the Indians on Arrowsic Island, but in consequence of the adverse counsels of the French, without any beneficial results. Sebastien Ralle, the French Priest at Norridgewock, was considered the instigator of all these mischiefs on the part of the Indians, and an expedition under the command of Colonel Thomas Westbrook, was undertaken to seize the obnoxious Priest. The attempt was unsuccessful. Father Ralle escaped, but they found in his house the "strong box" in which were his letters from the Governor of Canada, showing conclusively, that Ralle was the agent through which the French operated upon the eastern Indians.

Ralle and his Indian friends became exasperated at this attempt upon his person, and they were much more open and active in their warfare upon the defenceless inhabitants.

Upon this, war was declared in a formal manner against the Indians by the Governments of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, which declaration was publicly proclaimed at Portsmouth, on the 25th of July, 1723.

Lieutenant Governor Wentworth made every possible arrangement for the defence of the frontiers. The garrisons were well supplied, and the Governor visited them in person, and exhorted the soldiers to do their whole duty, and made every proper arrangement for their comfort. Scouts were kept out upon the frontiers, and by their activity, checked the invasions of the enemy in many instances.

In the midst of these difficulties, Governor Shute left his government for England, and thus the entire command in New Hampshire, devolved upon Lieut. Governor Wentworth.

But he was equal to his duties, and it was perhaps fortunate for the Colony, that he was left in full command. He devoted his whole energies to the duties of his office, and they were required, for the Indians had never been more daring or successful.

in 1724, the Indians made a number of successful incursions into various parts of the Colony. Several persons were killed or "captivated" at "Oyster River" (now Durham) Kingston, and Dover.

At length it was determined to take Ralle if possible, and to destroy his establishment at Norridgewock, this place being the rendezvous and starting point, of all the expeditions against the Colonies. This town is situated on the Kennebec at the head of Indian navigation, as here the Indians left the river in their journies to the river St. Francis or to Quebec. Norridgewock is a corruption of the Indian word Nanrantsouack, which means literally, the place where one leaves the water and takes to the land, or "the carrying place" as now used north and west. Narragansett is a corruption of the same word.

At this place, Ralle had established a Church, and conforming to the Indian mode of life, he had gained unbounded influence over the

savages.

The expedition was fitted out by Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and under the command of Captains Moulton and Harmon, was completely successful. In the words of Dr. Belknap "they completely invested and surprised that village; killing the obnoxious Jesuit with about eighty of his Indians; recovered three captives; destroyed the chapel, and brought away the plate and furniture of the altar, and the devotional flag, as trophies of their victory." This successful attack struck terror into the savages, and they deserted their village, upon our frontiers. Several scouts sent out by Lieut. Governor Wentworth, to scout upon the head waters of the Androscoggin and the Merrimack, returned, finding their villages forsaken, and no recent traces of the Indians.

However, on the 19th of December, a scout under the direction of Captain John Lovewell of Dunstable, found trace of the Indians, at the northward of Winnepisseogee Lake, and succeeeded in killing a man and "captivating" a boy.

Two months after, Captain Lovewell, at the head of another scout,succeeded in killing ten Indians, in what is now the town of Wakefield. Elated with this success, Lovewell The General Court had frequent sessions, marched for the headquarters of the Pequawkand so impressed were they with the impor- et tribe on the head waters of the Saco, tant services of Lieut. Governor Wentworth, but he and his brave comrades fell into an that they unanimously passed a vote of thanks ambush of the Indians near a pond, in what for his unremitting attention to the public ser- is now the town of Fryeburg, Me., under the vice, and made him generous grants of money. command of the noted Paugus (The Oak) and Lieut. Governor Wentworth recommended Wahawah (The Broad Shouldered.) After that additional scouts be employed, and that one of the most obstinate Indian fights on greater inducements should be offered for sol-record, the savages, hough superior in numdiers to take the field against the common bers, were forced to retire. During all these enemy. Accordingly, the pay of officers and scenes, the exertions of Lieut. Governor Wentsoldiers was established at a higher grade, and worth were unremitting and most successa bounty of fifty pounds was offered for each ful, and the New Hampshire forces behaved Indian scalp or Indian captive, taken by the with credit to their Commander-in-chief, but soldiers under the pay of the Province, and a single expedition being unsuccessful, and that one hundred pounds for every scalp or cap-being undertaken upon the water.