Home Lot # 1

The original proprietor of Home Lot #1 was, according to town records, James Seavey of Rye. He did not retain the lot as when the surveyor’s laid out the lot, their records indicate it was laid out to Walter Weeks. Indeed, he was also shown on the list for the drawing of the 30 acre out lots, his being lot No. 6 in the second range. There are no deeds showing Walter Weeks disposing of the home lot. Walter Weeks also owned the 30 acre out lot, which was sold for unpaid taxes of land of nonresident proprietors. There is no record of the home lot being sold, though it is known is became part of the Andrew McClary homestead, they being settled on home lot No. 2.The lots passed from Andrew to his son Andrew, and later to his son, James H. McClary. It was near this location, as told by John Dolbeer in his history of Epsom, found in Hurd’s “History of Merrimack and Belknap Counties, that when the battle at Lexington was announced “by a swift rider, blowing a horn, who passed through Nottingham and reached Epsom, it found Captain Andrew McClary plowing in the ‘old muster-field.’ Like Cincinnatus of old, he left the plow in the furrow, and hastened to obey the summons. With little preparation, he seized his saddle-bags, leaped into the saddle, swearing as he left that he would kill one of the devils before he came home!”

James H. McClary of Epsom sold to Joseph Lawrence of Epsom, “a parcel of land lying in Epsom being two of the home lots, numbered two and three (original #’s 1 & 2) lying between the road leading to Northwood and land owned by Henry Chapley (Shapley) and the same land that the said McClary formerly lived on and occupied by said Lawrence, the same to contain one hundred acres by grant. Signed J.H. and Elizabeth McClary” From this it would appear Joseph Lawrence was already living on the premises. The property remained in the family until 1933.

The thirty acre out lot drawn by Walter Weeks was #6 in the second range. By deed, Benjamin Goodwin as the collector of taxes for 1779, sells at auction land of non-residents for which taxes were not paid. Jude Allen buys, according to the deed, land that was the original right of Walter Weeks, and identifies it as lot 30 in the second range of 26 acres. There was no such numbered lot in the second range, though it is known that Jude Allen lived in the area covering lots four and five.

ROCKINGHAM DEEDS, HOME LOT

179-51 August 14, 1807
James H. McClary, Esq., to Joseph Lawrence, husbandman,
A parcel of land in Epsom, being 2 of the home lots numbered 2 and 3 (original 1 & 2) lying between the road leading to Northwood and land owned by Henry Chapley (Shapley) and the same land that the said McClary formerly lived on and occupied by said Lawrence, to contain 100 acres by grant. – J.H. McClary and Elizabeth McClary relinquishes dower.

ROCKINGHAM DEEDS, OUT LOT

113-344 December 16, 1779
Benjamin Goodwin of Epsom, collector of taxes for the year 1779, collecting taxes of non-resident proprietors to Jude Allen, of Epsom, cordwainer
A parcel of land in Epsom, part of the original right of Walter Weeks, being lot #30 in the 2nd range, 26 acres. – Benj. Goodwin [note this deed probably in error, as there is no lot 30 in the second range. The original right of Walter Weeks was a 30 acre lot, #6 in the second range, 30 acre out lot.