Capt Henry Dow

• General Notes
  • Nature qualified Henry richly for headship of the family, the responsibilities of which were shared before his father's death. He was in many ways a remarkable man and had the makings of a national figure, had his lot fallen in times of greater political freedom or in an environment where the government was shared by a people instead of under the iron fist of some thoroughly venal, conscienceless, grafting, British political appointee, and an almost equally dictatorial local minister, church and town being one. As it were, he was for his whole mature life the most powerful, the most prominent figure in Hampton, with a career not wholly local, but often touching the whole province, especially during the brief period when New Hampshire was distinct from Massachusetts. Without education, he became on the whole a scholarly man. Without training, he was a diplomat and courtier, although never giving up the independence of his own sould, his sense of right, and the rights of his fellow citizens. He was a gentleman in all senses of the word, and was so classed in the system of caste where the gentry and yeomen were as far apart as in England.
    His duties under the will of his father were fully, liberally carried out. Two months after his father's death he married Hannah Page, daughter of Robert and Lucy, American-born in 1641, whose father was first deacon of Hampton church. There seems no likelihood that this family was related to the Page of Hingham. Hannah died on August 6, 1704. Her husband, then town clerk, wrote "one just in her generation."
    After her death Capt Henry, then 70, selected within three months a second wife, a friend of 47 years standing. She was Mary Hussey, daughter of Capt Christopher, widow of Thomas Page, Henry's brother-in-law. Of her when she died at the age of 95 on January 21, 1732 or 1733, the Boston newspaper said, "a gracious gentlewoman." She was indeed a lady of great charm. Capt Christopher Hussey married Theodate Bachiler and thus she was of a truth the grandaughter of Hampton's first citizen. Her second husband was Judge and Councillor Henry Green, who died on August 5, 1700, Esqr, aged above 80 years, ro several years a member of the Counsil until by age he layd down that place but a justice till he died. Of Christopher Hussey it may be said that John Greenleif Whittier was fond of recalling descent from him.
    For a brief time his wife accompanied her 3rd husband to public functions, in which he had to take always a prominent part. The whole life of Henry Dow was political and social; he was trusted all his life with public and private interests; yet he was never accused of lack of piety or neglect of duty. He understood the art of avoiding making enemies.
    Almost from the first he was as financially prosperous as one's ambition could require. After first marriage, the cost of living was met with much versatility of labor. He continued to operate the family farm, and until his stepmother remarried maintained the homestead for the entire family. He acquired an interest in a home-made vessel and in a boat-building business. He kept a general store, albeit a clerk was always necessary for over-busy man. An account book of this store is extant, giving purchases of stock, which he always made in person, and the credit granted very generally to all Hampton. Almost all farm products were listed at fixed prices and passed as currency. It was Henry Dow's business to take these products, and transport them to Boston or other wide markets, taking pay in merchandise or credit. This naturally could be best done on vessels of his own. As timber was a vital constituent of the trade, he became part-owner of a saw mill, making frequent entries in his diary of the number of feet sawn and the kinds of timber. He did some land-surveying, although his brother Joseph was the expert at that. In 1686 he was admitted and swarn as an attorney and paid his fee. Thereafter he invariably acted for the town in all litigation. His military connection from 1689 brought probably no revenue; his town offices a trifle. When he had completed ten years as town clerk, he was voted 40s as compensation for the whole time. His service as selectman was six years in all from 1661 to 1698.
    His court service was long and varied. He began as an assistant clerk. During the administrations of Andros and Dudley he was one of the justices of the court for New Hampshire; in 1695 justice of the inferior court of Common Pleas, re-appointed two years later. He was senior justice from 1699 until his death in 1707, and from 1702 a mandamus councillor. In addition to all this, he remained town cler until two years before his death.
    His military career began as a private under Capt Joseph Gardiner for the Narragansett campaign on February 29, 1675. He does not appear to have fought. He received 1 pound, 16s for service, probably in transportation of troops. He was not in the Swamp fight. He was ensign of Hampton militia from 1689, captain in 1692, commissioned by Sir William Phipps, on whose staff he was; he was chosen for a naval attack on Quebec. Fighting Indians was a constant affair for years and most troublesome. He was in command of the system of block houses around the town.
    
    September 29, 1691, he wrote to Major Robert Pike:
    
    Sir: We have received intelligence from Sandybeach (now Rye) that since 12 o'clock this day the enemy have killed or carried away 16 persons of whom old goodman Brackett's and goodman Rand's families have the greatest blow. The messengers that brought this news, on returning home about the time the moon did rise this night, at a place called Raggyneck, about half a mile this side of Sandybeach garrison, they do affirm to me they saw, as they adjudged, about 40 enemies coming toward Hampton with five or six canoes on their heads, which caused them to come back to Hampton again, and brought us word of it; lest they should come along with their canoes in the night and do damage to houses near the sea. We are in a sad condition, the enemy is so violent. The Lord give us all wisdom to teach us what we ought to do.
    So with respects presented to you, I remain your loving friend and servant,
                                                                 Henry Dow
    
    A diary which he kept for many years has become famous, although the little leather-covered book which he kept in his pocket contains much of petty personal items of no public interest. It was kept in a cipher invented by himself, a sort of short hand, the key to which has been worked out only recently, and there are many arbitrary signs, not letters, not yet understood. Some entries contain much secret political history of the time. Two pages are torn out, probably by himself, for their date is at the time of Mr. Weare's mission to England. The administration of Gov Cranfield had become too wicked for endurance. There had been trouble from the first and the Governor's deputy had been escorted out of town with a rope around his neck. The prominence and probity of Mr. Weare made him the best envoy to the King and he carried a long list of complaints charging specific dishonesties, cruelties and malfeasances. Henry Dow did his full share in drawing up these complaints. Discovery by a spy of Cranfield might have laid him liable to any degree of punishment on a charge of treason, and the high judges were appointees of Cranfield.
    Sometimes the entries are the simplest: "1687: --millions of streaked worms this year." There are details about his farm work, an account of a huge tree struck by lightening, launching of a vessel in which he was part owner, the number of cedar logs sawn at his mill during some month, items of labor on public works, details of tax rates which he had to make up and afterwards collect, the day's doings at the Assembly, consultations with high officials, hasty political or business trips to Haverhill, Ipswich, Newbury or Boston. During the Indian fights he kept track of those who were faithful and those who skimped garrison-watching duty, those who were derelict in other ways. He records drilling his company and teaching them tactics. He is at the head of his company in the field. It is a marvel how the restless man found time to eat or sleep. He was Vice-Marshal of Norfolk County, deputy to the General Assembly, Clerk of the House, Speaker pro tem, and more besides. From his diary or public records fifty errands are mentioned, --on committee to sue Nath Boulter for trespass on the rights of the Commons, committee to keep dry cattle off the Commons, attorney for the town in the Huggins land suit and then on committee to secure to Huggins his rights won at law from Boulter, who had foolishly bought land from Mason, the claimant whose title, if good at all, covered the whole province of New Hampshire. In 1685 he made a census of the town, --707 humans including 5 slaves, 202 living on the south, or Seabrook side. In 1682 he was the scapegoat to resist a tax illegally levied by the Colonial Council. A warrant was issued given to the notorious Constable Barefoote to arrest Capt Henry Dow and keep him in jail until the tax was paid. What actually happend is not recorded, but a receipt for the tax is dated four months later. At this time the Government was rebuked from England. He was chairman of committees in 1689 and 1690 to consult with simlar committees of other towns to fix upon common plans of government during the uncertainty whether the region should become a separate province of New Hampshire or remain part of Massachusetts. Capt Henry favored re-union with Massachusetts. It was voted to uphold the common law of England and the King's statutes until final decision was made in favor of the colonial statutes of one or the other.
    The will of William Moulton of Hampton, dated March 8, 1663, says:
    I do make, Costitute and appoint my loving father in law Robert Page, yeoman and my loving Brother in law henery Dow to bee my lawful Exequetors, etc" It was he who had charge of paying the minister's salary, and he noted very carefully when that reverend gentleman overdrew by three months. It was his duty to tabulate the increased cost of living due to the depreciation of the currency. The minister asked for a raise and submitted a long list of simple necessities once costing 3d but risen to as many shillings. The minister got the raise. Capt Henry was to assist in the ordination of a new minister in Exeter. On the side were missions to conduct the litigation over the Salisbury border, to define the boundaries of Hampton, to re-survey the Exeter-Hampton line, to fight against the encrouchments of the newly organized town of Kingston, to litigate against the claims of Newcastle for a strip of Hampton land, attempting to levy taxes twice over, to serve on a committee to investigate the feasibility of a straighter, better road to Portsmouth.
    Forty days before his death he sat in Council for the last time. He died at home May 6, 1707, three score, ten and 3, in times when men wore out but never had a chance to rust out. The stone over his grave in Hampton churchyard is gone long since, but the spot is known, quite close to the longest lived stone in Hampton, lasting until the present century (20th), inscribed to Susanna, wife of Robert Smith, Slaine by ye thunder, June 12, 1680.