On April 24, 1818, New Market’s three town selectmen (of which Paul Chapman was one) made the request to the Rockingham County Judge of Probate that Paul Chapman and Jeremy Mead be
assigned to manage the finances of Moses Gill, a local yeoman (carpenter/laborer). The application stated that said Gill “by intemperance and idle habits is in danger of wasting…his estate as to expose himself and family to need assistance from the town for his and their support…”
The Court also mandated that Moses Gill be served the petition at least ten days before, giving him the opportunity to “shew cause if any he has why the petition may not be granted.”
Moses Gill apparently did not object, responding in writing that same day: “…to have the privilege of nominating Deacon Paul Chapman and Jeremy Mead Esq. as guardians for me…”
On May 18th the guardianship was approved by the Probate Court of Rockingham County. The county had pre-printed forms, with spaces to fill in the names and details which indicate that court-granted guardianships in the early 1800’s was not uncommon. Two additional guardians were named—Samuel Pickering (another selectman) and Jonathan Smith of Exeter, Trader. Judge of Probate Daniel Gookin set a bond of $3000. The guardianship would continue until such time that said Moses “shall arrive at steady and prudent habits.”
Chapman and Mead were charged with accounting for all of Gill’s finances, including sale of real estate. Their accounting would be examined by the court before being handed back to Gill when proved he was steady and prudent.
Shortly thereafter, a man by the name of John Gill paid $200 to the account of Moses Gill.
On August 10, 1820 Moses Gill wrote his will, naming Paul Chapman executor, and leaving his estate to Sarah Sanborn of New Market. At her demise, the estate would go to his (and Sarah’s) daughter Matilda Gill.
According to a list describing Moses Gill’s work for various townsmen dating back to 1812-13, he had worked quite often for Jeremy (Jeremiah) Mead —his new guardian. Others included William Stilson, Walter Smith, Reuben French, Joseph and Nathaniel Young, and Capt. Sias. Some of Gill’s tasks included:
Helping build plow
Hewing and framing
Choping cord wood
Making Aqueduct
Diging Garden
Getting Salt hay
Making Cyder
Dig potatoes and geather Corn
Beating out ship-timber
Jeremy Mead submitted multiple handwritten pages with hundreds of entries listing items consumed/purchased by Moses Gill during the time of the guardianship. Bushels of corn or potatoes, various meats (haddock, beef, pork), butter, cheese were listed. “Cyder” and rum were frequent listings. A “great coat” was a major purchase ($6). Expenses associated with the guardianship were also charged to Moses Gill’s account.
From mid-1821 until the end of the accounting, another entry began to appear quite often alongside the rum and “cyder” – camphor. While there is no indication as to what prompted its use, camphor had been used as a fumigant in Europe during the Black Death, as well as during outbreaks of smallpox and cholera. It was also used as a topical analgesic, and was considered to be anticeptic, antispasmodic, antipruritc, antiinflammatory, antiinfective, rubefacient, contraceptive, mild expectorant, nasal decongestant, cough suppressant.[1]
The Colonial Society of Massachusetts includes camphor in its “Glossary of Drugs Prescribed or Dispensed in Colonial New England”: camphor, gum or elixir: Extract of Cinnamonum camphora. Narcotic [although Opium is an antidote]; Antispasmodic; externally, antirheumatic. (Now used as antipruritic, and in paregoric.) Camphor taken by mouth may produce severe toxicity.
Portsmouth historian Charles Brewster described the 1798 yellow fever epidemic that city, writing “Few were seen in the street where the fever raged…If persons were met, they would have handkerchiefs to their faces, wet with vinegar or camphor…”[2]
In December 1822, Moses Gill died. (Cause of his death has not been discovered.) At the time of his death, he had 7 ½ acres of land in Boscawen, valued at $300. Jeremy Mead’s final accounting included such administrative charges as: “To my services as Guardian 4 ½ years — $45.” Paul Chapman also received payment for services rendered.
In November 1825, Matilda Gill was acknowledged as heir of his estate. The $200 (plus interest) from John Gill was awarded to her. Being underage, she too had a guardian – Benjamin Leveren (Lovering)[3].
This civic guardianship process dealing with Moses Gill and his daughter reflected the philosophy of New England Protestantism during the Second Great Awakening. This revivalist movement
swept through New England’s Congregational churches from 1810 to 1825—complete with revival meetings and passionate preaching. From this religious movement came the idea of institutional social reform—especially regarding temperance, emancipation of women, and abolition of slavery.
[1] www.ijcasereportsandimages.com
[2] https://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20200323/surviving-portsmouths-past-pandemics
[3] This was not Mr. Lovering’s first guardianship duty. In 1818, he became guardian for Widow Nancy Chapman’s four young children (see Site No. 43)