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Lot # 16
Paul Chapman of Greenland was
the original proprietor of this lot. He was one of the early clerks of
the proprietors and was constable in 1733. He had a brother Penuel Chapman
who was also clerk for the proprietors. As to whether either Chapman actually
lived on home lot 16 is difficult to determine, but it was sold by Penuel
Chapman to John McClary in 1756. John McClary owned this, and the adjoining
lot west, for many years, with both lots being passed to his son Michael
McClary. In 1813, Michael sold the lot to his son John who died in a tragic
accident in 1821, and the lot stayed in the McClary estate, passing to
Jonathan Steele who had married Elizabeth Harvey McClary, daughter of
Michael McClary.
Jonathan Steele had several
sons who stayed in Epsom, with the estate apparently being split between
Charles Augustus Steele and his brother Michael McClary Steele. Michael
inherited the homestead, while the home lots 16 and 17 were in the hands
of Charles. Charles Augustus McClary married Hannah Plummer (Cilley) Swain,
widow of Elbridge Lyman Swain, who had two children from her first marriage;
Joseph Lyman Swain and Sarah Mehitable (Swain) Bunker. From her marriage
to Charles A. Steele, were two additional children, Charles McClary (born
Michael McClary Steele, but still referred to as ‘Mike’) and
Andrew McClary Steele. Son Andrew removed to Massachusetts and the majority
of the property was owned by Charles M. Steele, who with wife Helen E.P.
Yeaton, had one surviving child, James M. Steele. Jim Steele inherited
the estate and began to sell some of the assets.
It does not appear that there
were any early settlement or buildings on the lot.
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY DEEDS HOME LOT #16
48-459 February 17, 1756
Penuel Chapman of North Hampton, husbandman, to John McClary of Epsom,
husbandman,
One parcel of land in Epsom containing 50 acres as it was laid out being
lot #16 of lots laid out for ye settlers and bounded by the records of
Epsom may appear. - Penuel Chapman
202-56 May 28, 1813
Michael McClary of Epsom, Esq., to John McClary of Epsom Esq.,
A lot of land in Epsom, the same being one of the home lots in said town,
to take its beginning on the southerly side of the main road leading through
said town, at the corner of said lot adjoining to land belonging to the
heirs of Jonathan Locke, deceased, then to run southeasterly as said main
road runs 50 rods and the full width of said home lot, then southwesterly
as said home lots runs, a parallel line with the one bewixt said land
and the land belonging to the heirs of the said Jonathan Locke to the
southwesterly end of said lot; to contain 50 acres. – Michael McClary
MERRIMACK COUNTY DEEDS HOME
LOT #16
180-317 December 13, 1865
Samuel P. Cilley of Epsom to Hannah P. Swain of Epsom
One undivided half of a tract of land in Epsom, bounded as follows: beginning
on the southerly side of the road leading to Deerfield by Jonathan S.
Chesley’s at the northwest corner of land of Charles A. Steele, and
from thence running westerly by the southerly side of said road 28 rods
and 4 minutes to land formerly owned by Joseph W. Rand, thence by said
Rand land southwesterly, and then northwesterly to land of John Chesley,
thence south westerly by said Chesley’s land about 89 rods to a stake
and stones, thence north easterly 55 rods to land of said Steele and thence
north easterly by said Steele’s land 163 rods to the place of beginning,
containing 44 acres more or less..(plus one other tract). – S. P.
and Hannah W. Cilley
213-368 January 3, 1872
Samuel P. Cilley of Epsom to Hannah P. Steele of Epsom,
All the real estate of which I am the owner consisting of tillage, pasturing
and wood on the southerly side of the main road leading from Epsom to
Deerfield, containing 40 acres more or less, being the land conveyed to
me by deed of Nathan Griffin dated Nov. 11, 1865, excepting about 9 acres
this day deeded to Daniel T. Cilley. – Samuel P. Cilley
371-426 June 29, 1906
Hannah P. Steele of Epsom, inconsideration of the love and affection I
have to my son Charles M. Steele of Epsom, a parcel of land in Epsom bounded
northerly by highway from Deerfield to Epsom Depot by the McClary cemetery;
easterly by land of Charles M. Steele-Anddrew M. Steele and Charles J.
Brown; southerly by land of J. A. Chesley and heirs of John Chesley and
westerly by land of heirs of John Chesley and Helen E.P. Steele containing
40 acres being the same property that Samuel P. Cilley conveyed to me
by deed dated January 3, 1872. – Hannah P. Steele
800-31 September 15, 1956 (2nd
piece below)
Charles McClary Steele of Epsom to Roland R. LaFleur,
A tract of land bounded as
follows: Beginning at the northeast corner of the Steele field, thence
in an easterly direction along the Epsom Center Highway to the so called
Mountain Road to the Mountain Brook; thence in a westerly direction along
said brook to the range line; thence in a northerly direction along said
Steele land (formerly owned by Hannah P. Steele) to point of beginning
at the Epsom Center Road. Said tract of land containing 50 acres more
or less, the same being a portion of the land formerly owned by Charles
A. Steele.
ALSO a certain tract of field land bounded as follows: beginning at the
northeast corner of the land formerly owned by C.J. Brown, now owned by
Charles M. Steele, thence in and easterly direction along the Epsom Center
Highway to the wood lot; thence in a southerly direction along a stone
wall to a cross wall, thence in a westerly direction along a stone wall;
thence in a northerly direction along the stone wall by land of Charles
M. Steele to a point of beginning on the Highway. Said field containing
10 acres, the same being deeded to Charles M. Steele and recorded Merrimack
County Records, Vol. 371 Page 426, deeded by Hannah P. Steele June 29,
1906. – Charles M. Steele
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