Rochester Colonial Moments, a historical series highlighting notable moments from Rochester’s past, in collaboration with the Office of Mayor Chuck Grassie, is brought to you by Patrick O. Connelly, Rochester, New Hampshire, historian.

In this edition:

Rochester N.H. First Meeting House Part IV

The decision made in the town meeting of October 17,1774 set the town on a course of division into three separate parishes, later towns. The dimensions of the proposed meeting house were initially ambiguous (to later researchers) in that it was to be built to the same dimensions as the Dover congregation enjoyed under the ministry of the Rev. Jeremiah Belknap.

This, the second meeting house was planned with much more detail as recorded in town records across the years of preparation. As key responsibility for the building of the meeting house vested in the town, very little mention is made in the available period records of the Rev. Amos Main or the Rev. Joseph Haven. Other features of the October 17 meeting of importance include:

  1. Meeting house to be built by a tax, the selectmen to raise £150 lawful money in support. Polls and estates will be assessed for payment of same and every man will have the liberty of paying their proportion in labor at 3s. per day. Those that do not chose to labor have the opportunity to pay in other species as necessary to build the meeting house, taken at market price.
  2. The location of the second meeting house was to be recommended by a committee consisting of Squire Chatburn of Berwick, Dr. Thompson of Durham and Capt. Rogers of Berwick; to accommodate the first parish.
  3. Once the new meeting house is underway, the old meeting house was to be taken down and as much of it used as would be profitable to the building of the new meeting house.
  4. Building oversight was directed to a committee formed of: Capt. William Allin, Mr. Jabez Dam, Capt. Jonathan Ham, Lt. John McDuffee, and Mr. Abner Dam. These men were granted 3s per day and charged to procure master workmen to accomplish the build.
  5. General project oversight was directed to Squire John Plummer and Mr. Daniel Wingate, to assure the situation of the town was in order for building the new meeting house.
  1. A number of petitioners from the Congregational Society of the town recommended building another meeting house. The December 5, 1774, meeting of the Congregational Society, chaired by Squire John Plummer quashed the petition. The building of a new meeting house moved forward.
  2. The town accounts for 1774 noted a payment of 19s 7d to Stephen Wentworth expense reimbursement for a committee that appointed the place where the meeting house should stand.

In this same period, the town experienced a major disruption in congregation harmony as the Rev. Avery Hall controversy began and would plague the town for some years to come. More on this in a later article.