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CHIEF-JUSTICE WEARE'S DEATH

While the council was passing this act of incorporation, a man who, for more than twenty years, had sat at the board, wielding an influence rarely attained; using it always "without fear and without reproach;" wise in counsels, prompt and patriotic in action; -- the man who, more than any other, gave prestige to this town just coming into being -- Hon. Nathaniel Weare, now eight-seven years of age, lay dying within its borders. The next day was his last.

[See Genealogies -- Weare (1).]

The following year, this vote was passed by the council; [Vol. II: 722.]

"Whereas, on the 12 may, 1718, there was a vote of Council past for making the new Parish of Hampton separate from the old to all intents and purposes; & whereas there seems to be some ambiguity in s^d vote, and the same hath been misconstrued; for the better explanation whereof, & in order to the better understanding of the same, it is hereby.

In Council, Voted, That the intent of s^d vote was & is hereby intended that y^e s^d new Parish of Hampton have the privileges of a town without exception, & that that article in y^e afores^d vote relating to the Prov: tax, is to be understood, each parish to pay their proportion as formerly, w^ch proportion is to be made & assessed & gathered by the selectmen, assess^rs & constable chosen at each parish severally; and the minister taxes also to be made by the selectmen and assess^rs, and collected by the Constable y^t shall be chosen at the parish meetings severally, as above.

March 25, 1719.

Richd Waldron, Cler. Con."

With this explanation, it would seem that, Hampton Falls having now become an independent town, its place in this History should cease here; but that it was not wholly independent in the matter of the ministerial and province taxes, whatever may have been the adjustment in regard to the common land, is evident; for as late as 1726 (April 11), the selectmen of the Falls parish sent a petition to the lieutenant-governor, the council and representatives, setting forth that there had formerly been an Act passed, that the province rates, and the minister's rates for both parishes should be raised together by the whole town, but that the parish which they represented, found many disadvantages in not having power to raise these rates by themselves. They therefore asked to be released from the provision of the act, and to be empowered to raise such taxes independently of the old parish. After the usual preliminaries, of ordering the old parish to be served with a copy of the petition and of the order of the Legislature thereon, a hearing was had, November 23, and the prayer of the petitioners granted, so far as relates to taxes for the support of the ministry, making the two parishes in this respect entirely distinct, while the province taxes were apparently to be proportioned between them as before. [Vol. IX: 338 and IV: 434]

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