Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/245

 MASTER PARKINSON. 217

men from Londonderry and joined the American forces at Medford." He enlisted as a private in that company ; James Nesmith and James Jr., grand- father and uncle of Judge George W. Nesmith, were among his fellows. This company was embodied in the First Regiment of New Hampshire. John Stark was elected Colonel, and Judge Nesmith is authority for the statement that at Stark's request Parkinson was chosen Quartermaster. The two men, of the same race and setdement, companions in youth, and agreeing in senti- ment, were strong friends through life. While both lived it was their rule to visit, each the other, annually. Stark was the first to build a home for himself, and when Parkinson bu'It his he copied Stark's throughout.

The Provincial Congress at Exeter, commissioned Stark June 3, 1775. The original manuscript of Parkinson's commission shows plainly that the same date was iirst written, but expunged and "July 6" substituted. On the back is recorded : " Mr. John Caldwell, is to have the pay for doing the duty of quartermaster until this day, July 6, 1775." Kidder's " History of the First Regiment " names both Caldwell and Parkinson as quarteraiasters, June 17th; Frothingham's " Siege of Boston" names Caldwell only. All the facts indicate that Parkinson was elected to the office when the regiment was organized, but for some unknown reason Caldwell acted as his substitute until July 6th. Tradition has given Parkinson credit for being at the batUe of Bunker Hill, but record evidence is conflicting.

The First Regiment of New Hampshire became the Fifth in the Continental Service. In that, he received a new commission as lieutenant and quarter- master from the Continental Congress, signed by John Hancock, January i, 1776.

During the siege of Boston, Siark's regiment was stationed on Winter Hill. In March, 1776, he was ordered to march with that and the Twenty -fifth, via Norwich, Ct., to New York. In May following, he was ordered to proceed, via Albany to Canada to reinforce our army. At the mauth of the Sorrelle he met it on the retreat. It is recorded that, in evacuating Saint John's, " Col. Stark with his staff was in the last boat that left the shore. They were in sight when the advance guard of the enemy arrived amid the smoking ruins." Stark was subsequently stationed successively at Crown Point, Ticonderoga, Chimney Point and Mount Independence, — the last so-:''amed because his regiment was there when the news of the Declaration of Independence was received.

Shordy before the battle of Trenton, December 26, Stark joined Washington at Newton, N. J. He had to march more than two hundred miles, and it is recorded that his regiment was so " ill-supphed, ill-clothed, and so poorly shod that the march could be traced by their tracks in blood." This regiment, in the battle of Trenton, led the van of Sullivan's division. It also fought bravely in the battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777.

In March, 1777, Stark indignantly resigned. Probably from sympathy with him, Parkinson's resignation soon followed. He records that "it was accepted about the first of June, 1777."

In the spring of 1777, he contracted with parties to clear land for him in Francestown. He married Jenett McCurdy of Londonderry, September 17, 1777, and located in Francestown. The records of that town show that in 1779 he was chairman of its committee of safety, and that he was town- clerk for three years, ending March, 1781. One who recently examined the records states that he kej^t them " in a plain and very beautiful hand-writing."

He removed to Pembroke in 1781. His home was there about three years. " He maintained a superior school at Concord from about 1 784 to 1 794." The remainder of his life was spent in Canterbury. He owned a farm on which

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