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"THE CHESTNUT COUNTRY"

This year, the town of Chester was incorporated. With few exceptions, the grantees were non-residents, more than half of them being of Hampton and Hampton Falls. As early as October, 1719, "The Society for Settling the Chestnut Country," composed mostly of Hampton men, began to keep records, called later, "The Town Book" and "The Duplicate Book," the latter of which was in custody of Capt. Joshua Wingate, at Hampton, at whose house many of the proprietors meetings were held. Capt. Henry Sherburne and Dr. Edmund Toppan were, a few years later, chosen a committee, to compare the two books, and see that they exactly agreed. In 1720, a grant of the township was obtained, and in 1722, Chester was given full town privileges, the grantees gradually selling their rights to settlers. Back to previous section -- Forward to next section -- Return to Table of Contents