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Unity, New Hampshire was founded in 1772 by families from the towns in
southeast New Hampshire and neighboring northeastern Massachusetts. The
motivation of settlers was clearly one thing-title to land of their own. In the 17
years from 1773 and 1790, the town of Unity grew fast---from 106 to
538. A Highlights in History of Unity, N.H. written in 1964 by
the Unity Historical Society chronicles much of this. From Page 3 of the Highlights in History of Unity, NH (published 1964 by
Unity Historical Society),
"In the year 1753 King George the second of England
granted to 69 grantees, 23,040 acres of land six miles square in the Province
of New Hampshire to be called Buckingham. There are no known records of
whether the grantees ever settled in Buckingham, and if so, what the
accomplished.
"In 1764, Governor Benning Wentworth, Esq., the
Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New Hampshire for King
George the third, was petitioned by numerous families from Kingston, Hampstead
and Amesbury for land they could settle on and call their own. These
people lost their lands in these towns by reasons of ancient land
grants. Through Governor Wentworth, King George III granted to these
people 29,000 acres of land-six miles square in the Province of New Hampshire
formerly called Buckingham, but now to be incorporated under the name of
Unity, because to all appearances this land was unifying these people who had
no land of their own elsewhere... "
More recently, a book "Early Families of Unity, NH and Cemetaries of
Unity, NH" by Kathleen C. Beals (September, 1997) has added a compendium of
data on the town and its families. The family history of the
Huntoons is chronicled there.
The Huntoon family figured prominently in the founding of the town and its
population. From Page 4 of the Highlights in History of Unity, NH:
"The very first Town Meetings
for the town of Unity were held in Kingston at the inn of Nathaniel Huntoon.
From the records made, we gather that most of the settlers' time at town
meetings was spent in finding people willing to "brake out roads in
Unity" and to find shortest distances to "Penny cook and
Concord." Very little settling of grants was done in the first ten
years. Lots were drawn and each grantee was given land equivalent in
acreage to what they thought they had legal right to in their previous
residences.
The first Town meeting was held in
Unity at the home of Capt. Nathaniel Huntoon, Dec. 31, 1773. No
business was transacted at this meeting. On March
17, 1774, a meeting was held at the home of Abner Chase; Samuel Huntoon
was
chosen Moderator and Elijah Weed, Town Clerk.... In
1773 the Census of Unity was as follows: 7
Unmarried men 16-60; 18 Married men 16-60; 32 Boys 16 and under; 32 Unmarried
females; 17 Married Females. Total 106.
In the 1776 Association Test (a vote for or against supporting the
Revolution), twenty-eight heads of household voted (24 Signed, 4 Refused).
Six were Huntoons-more than any other surname in the town. From Page 5 of the Highlights in History of Unity, NH (published 1964), the
following:
"In March of the same year [1776] the following
Resolution was sent to the U. S. Congress:
RESOLVED:- That it be recommended to the several
Assemblies, Conventions and Councils or Committees of Safety of the United
Colonies, immediately to cause all Persons to be disarmed within their
respective Colonies, who are notoriously disaffected to the Cause of AMERICA,-
or who has not associated, and refuses to associate to defend by ARMS the
United Colonies against the Hostile attempts of the British Fleet and Armies.
We the subscribers, do hereby solemnly engage and promise
that we will to the utmost of our power at the Risque of our Lives and
Fortune, with ARMS, oppose the Hostile Proceedings of the British Fleets and
Armies, against the United American Colonies....
The name of those persons who Refused to sign the within
Declaration -- Jonathan Glidden, Samuel Judkins, Richard Glidden, James Lad.
Signed by Daniel Weed and Nathaniel
Huntoon,
Selectmen of Unity
In the 1790 census, there were 15 Huntoon-surname heads of household--more
than any other surname. Names are linked to their expected Huntoon
Genealogy family, with guidance from Beals, Early Families of Unity NH and
By 1800, the population of Huntoon families had decreased a bit-to12 heads of
families from 15, and the total enumerated in these families has dropped from 45
males and 48 females in 1790 to 38 males and 36 females. The Huntoon
outmigration began before 1800.
* Joseph Huntoon is not assigned. Joseph (John2Philip1)
Huntoon, who was in Unity NH for the 1790 census is not present, but is located
at Danville VT, with his son Joseph Huntoon, Jr. No other Joseph Huntoons
are known to be in Unity.
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