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 V
The ecumenical council held in Rochester, N.H. 1775, began the healing process in the community in the matter of the Rev. Avery Hall. In 1776 the town approached the Rev. Joseph Haven with an offer to become the next minister of the town and with due consideration both of the congregation and of the Rev. Joseph Haven, he accepted, ultimately becoming the longest serving minister during the town’s first hundred years.
It goes without saying that after the April 19,1775 altercation at Concord Bridge in Lexington, there would have been additional stress placed upon the town. In some cases, resources that might have been used to build the meeting house were diverted to service, for example, in the Northern Army as the Revolution ramped up.
Despite this local stress but with the ministerial challenges substantially concluded, the town could turn its attention to the matter of a new meeting house. In the town meeting of March 29,1779, it was agreed that the town would put up a frame for a meetinghouse in that year.
If not expressly stated in the record, the town meeting notice of May 134,1780 considered splitting the town parishes into the upper parish and main, or First Parish; further, that the First Parish would contain one third of the acres in the town plan. Importantly, if this action was adopted, it would clear all inhabitants living above the demarcation line from paying towards the building of the new meeting house or the support of the Rev. Joseph Haven going forward in time.
The town meeting of May 2, 1780, agreed to the above, and further voted £10,000 be raised to build the new house. Mr. Jabez Dame, Col. John McDuffee and Capt. John Brewster were designated a committee to raise the funds and further, to purchase the land where the meeting house will stand.
At the September 18th town meeting, it was agreed that the town would exchange part of the Ten Rod Road with Mr. James Horn for the land where the new meeting house wa being built.
An initial accounting of the work done in cutting, hewing, hawling and framing the building, and raising and hawling strones to underpin the meeting house were documented.
It was noted that part of the frame of the first meeting house was incorporated into this second house. In September the town voted to sell pew privileges at public vendue in order to supplement the previous allocation of £ 10,000.
As construction of the new meeting house progressed, the town turned its attention towards the auction of pews, intended to supplement income to pay for the new meeting house.
The pew design and auction is an interesting topic in and of itself, and the topic of the next article on Rochester’s Meeting Houses.
Patrick O. Connelly
September 20, 2026
