Marisa Gray
was a 14 yr old girl, from Chichester, killed in an auto accident Nov
3rd. Her mother was the driver of the vehicle she was in. Marisa’s
mother is still hospitalized and will need financial help when she
recovers. An account was set up at Citizens Bank in Marisa’s memory.
Donations can be made to the Marisa Gray Memorial Fund at any Citizens
Bank in the state. No donation is too small.
The Capital Region Food Program will be sponsoring the Holiday Food
Basket Project 2008. The applications are at the Town Office
and must be completed by today, November 26th. The pickup date will
be Monday, December 22, 2008, from 9 to 11am at the Town Office.
The cemetery trustees would like everyone to know that the
drive-through gate at Leavitt Cemetery will close Dec. 1st for the
winter. The walk-through gates will remain open. Winter bouquets
may be placed on cemetery lots in both Leavitt and Pineground
cemeteries.
The Town Pantry would like to thank the following for their generous
donations in October: Senator Jack Barnes, Ladies Benevolent
Society, Shaw’s Supermarket on Loudon Road, The Timms and the
Chichester Library.
The Chichester Old Home Day Committee will be putting up a Town
Christmas Tree by the old flagpole at Carpenter Park, in the field
below the parking lot. If you have a spare set of outdoor lights
that you would like to donate, contact Jaan Luikmil at 798-4987.
Remember that the Chichester Youth Association will be hosting
Charitable Gaming Nights at the Belmont Lodge on November 29th &
30th. If you cannot make either of those nights, they will be
hosting on December 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 10th, 12th, 13th, & 14th as
well. Funds raised will support the many programs presented by the C
YA for the young people of our community. Please give them your
support if you are able.
Chichester Grange will meet on Wednesday, December 3, at 7 p.m.
upstairs in the Grange Hall. Members will be planning programs for
the 2009 year. Shirley Waters is in charge of refreshments.
Set aside the date of Saturday, December 6, at 5 p.m. for the
Christmas Tree Lighting. Come to Carpenter Park, have some hot
chocolate, and participate in a historic occasion, Chichester’s
first Town Christmas Tree Lighting.
The Chichester Town Library has the following book you might enjoy:
Real Life, Preparing for the Seven Most Challenging Days of Your
Life by Dr. Phil McGraw. Dr. Phil helps you to prepare to confront
what he believes are the seven most common critical days that you or
a loved one are likely to face. This book helps make it possible for
you to be there for yourself or to be the calm in the middle of the
storm for someone you love when any of these difficult days arrive.
Chichester
– A 20/20 Vision
The Chichester Master Plan Steering Committee is diligently working to
form YOUR vision for the future of OUR town. Over the course of the next
few months, this committee will be working with the community along with
the collaborative efforts of the UNH Cooperative Extension and Central
NH Regional Planning Commission.
Currently the committee is working hard to prepare a survey to receive
your input. This survey will be available to you in early December and
may be completed on-line or on paper. For your participation in
completing a survey, there will be a raffle for many prizes from area
businesses, including Tractor Supply, Chichester Massage, Healthy
Buffalo, Dunkin Donuts and many others.
Over the next few months we will also be scheduling informational
seminars to include agricultural land preservation, historical resource
preservation and housing alternatives as well as community event days to
garner your input on how Chichester should be in 2020 and beyond.
The next meeting of the committee will be on December 1st at the Town
Hall at 6:30pm. Come join Ansel, Barbara, Joann, Harold, Kristin,
Lucille, Paul, Steven, Tom, Valerie, Walter, and Zach to see what is
being worked and enjoy some refreshments.
Look for us soon on the web:
www.chichesternh.org
Chichester
Secret Santa
2008
The Chichester Police Department and the Chichester Police Association
are once again sponsoring the Chichester Secret Santa. The program is
funded totally by the generosity of all who want to spread a little joy
to those less fortunate. If you know anyone in the Town of Chichester
who needs extra assistance from Santa with warm clothing, hats, mittens,
boots, and of course some other extra goodies for children, please call
the Chichester Police Department at 798-4911. Applications will be
accepted from November 28, 2008 through December 19, 2008.
Letter -
Needed: Coats For Kids,
Food For Pantry
Each year we collect coats for kids and adults and each year we are
amazed at the generous response we get. Last year we received over 800
items that went to help keep someone warmer. I know this year we will do
even better with your help. All items are dispersed locally. Please go
through your closet, you know there are things you will never wear
again, or items your children have outgrown. Believe me, these items
will be greatly appreciated. They’ll help keep some child warm and
you’ll get a nice warm feeling too. The Food Pantries are really low
this year. We will also accept your thoughtful donation of food items
this year. Please drop your donation at either of our Mattressmaker
stores, Main Street in Concord or Rte. 28, Chichester.
Sincerely,
The Shibles Family
Chichester
Historical Society
Pleasant Street
Part IV
Submitted By
Walter Sanborn
One of the early settlers coming here from England was John Mason, who
was given a large grant of land in this country from the King of England
in 1629. Mason gave his grant of land a name, New Hampshire. In 1679,
New Hampshire became a Royal Province under English control and governed
by John Wentworth in Massachusetts as governor.
In 1776 New Hampshire, along with several other states fought the
British for our independence from English rule. New Hampshire adopted a
temporary constitution as a state declaring its independence. In 1784
New Hampshire adopted a permanent constitution.
In 1788 NH was the 9th of 13 states to ratify the US Constitution
forming the United States of America.
In the beginning, New Hampshire only had five counties and Chichester
was then in Rockingham County. That is why all the town meetings in the
late 1700s and early 1800s are posted State of New Hampshire, Rockingham
ss. Also, the General Court was held in Exeter, NH.
After the December 26 town meeting in 1781, the article to decide on
dividing the town was passed, a committee as mentioned in the last
article was chosen to present the petition to the General Court for
adoption.
On March 22, 1782, the General Court after deliberating sent down the
following paper and the new town was on its way:
State of New Hampshire, 1782, The House of Representatives March 22nd
1782 -
Upon hearing and considering the foregoing petition
Voted that the prayer thereof be granted with the following alterations
and amendments viz instead of Six ranges in the third Division above
Suncook River to allow only five ranges in said third Division, and that
no polling shall be allowed and that the tract of land which they
Petitioned to have set off by the name of Pittsfield be set off as a
Separate Town and called by that name and to have all Town privileges
district from Chichester except in the Choice of Representatives, and
that the Petitioners have leave to bring in a Bill accordingly
Sent up for concurrence
John Langdon Speaker
In Council the same day and concurred
J Pearson D. Secr
The previous report is a statement sent to town on the action taken by
the General Court in setting off the Town of Pittsfield from Chichester.
The original act of the General Court can be found in the Laws of New
Hampshire in volume four Revolutionary Period 1776-1784 Original Acts
Vol. 8 Page 130 and Vol. 4 Page 401. I have been to the NH State Library
and obtained a copy this law as passed by the General Court March 27,
1782 which I feel is too long to print with this article.
You will note that the law as passed gave the 6th range in third
division to Chichester rather than to Pittsfield as the petitioners
requested. This 6th range was the dividing line which contained Pleasant
Street leaving it in the town of Chichester.
The General Court during this period was held in Exeter in Rockingham
County. Because Exeter was so far from Chichester it is doubtful if many
townspeople attended the hearing or discussion opposing this bill but
some influence must have made the General Court to give the 6th range
to Chichester rather than Pittsfield. Perhaps it was the second petition
by the residents of the first and tenths divisions which was the
remainder of the southern part of the town, who was against the dividing
of the town who also presented their petition to the General Court.
Even after the town was divided and became law by the General Court
giving the 6th range in the 3rd division to Chichester for several years
some of the Pittsfield people tried to keep this range as an article
from the history of Pittsfield will attest to.
At the annual meeting in the spring of 1784 tithing men were added to
the roster of officers of the town and John Cram was elected to the post
of pound keeper. As the pound which had been built in keeping with the
vote of the previous year was just a few steps from his dooryard on the
opposite side of the path leading to the mill, he was a natural choice.
This meeting is of importance also because a move was made to settle
some unfinished business with the people of Chichester. “Capt.” Job
Haskel, John Cram, Jonathan Pirkens be a Committee to Joyn with the
Committee of Chichester to See about Dividing the Publick Lands in Said
Chichester and Pittsfield.” This dispute went on for some time, as did
the argument concerning the recommendation of the General Assembly that
the Sixth range in the Third Division go to Chichester. The last effort
to keep this range occurred in 1860, when the clash was long and bitter.
Since that date the matter has not been taken up. The area in question
comprises the lush farms of the Pleasant Street section of Chichester.