In celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, and in collaboration with the Office of Mayor Chuck Grassie, Rochester Colonial Moments, a historical series highlighting notable moments from Rochester’s past, is brought to you by Patrick O. Connelly, Rochester, New Hampshire, historian.

Monday, June 22, 2026
“As a legal entity, the Town of Rochester held its first town meeting on April 26, 1737, moderated by Timothy Roberts, with then-potential ministerial candidate Amos Main serving as the town’s first clerk. Both proprietors and settlers came from established, mostly local, towns in the colony, and a structure of town management quickly fell into place. At this same meeting, a committee consisting of Stephen Berry, Timothy Roberts, and John Bickford was formed to agree with Mr. Main on terms to supply the desk in the town. The success of that discussion brought Rochester its first frontier minister, who served with distinction until his death in 1760. He is remembered by his family, with the statue holding a place of honor in Rochester’s town square.”

Patrick O. Connelly is a historian, researcher, and author whose work focuses extensively on the colonial history and development of Rochester, New Hampshire. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in History and French, Connelly has spent decades researching Rochester’s earliest records, maps, land divisions, and settlement history.

Connelly is the author of two comprehensive works on Rochester’s colonial history: Rochester, New Hampshire: Territory to Township, 1620–1799 and In Their Own Words: Transcription and Research of the Original Records of Colonial Rochester, New Hampshire, 1722–1799. Both books are available through his website at RNHCC.com.