Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 6.djvu/128

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��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

��deputy collector for the port of Ports- mouth under appointment from Ran- dolph, and for "attempting to execute an office not derived from the consti- tuted authorities of the Province," he was indicted on the 24th of March, 1680, found guilty and fined ;£io. March 10, 1682, Barefoote, as deputy collector, seized another vessel and was again fined ^20, for acting without authority from ihe government of the Province. Being deputed by Ran- dolph, he claimed an appeal to the King, but did not prosecute it. In 1683 Gov. Edward Canfield dismiss- ed Capt. Edward Stileman, as com- mander of the fort, for allowing a vessel, which had been seized, to pass out of the harbor, and appointed Barefoote to the command.

Walter Barefoote was deputy gover- nor and president of the council in 1685, and succeeded Gov. Canfield, when the latter left the Province. He administered the government a short time in 16S5-6, being superseded by Joseph Dudley, who was appointed September 27, 1685, president of New England ; but did not officiate until May 25, 1686.

In 1692 Phesant Estwick was the deputy collector of the port of " Ports- mouth in New England." It appears that under Gov. Edmund Andros, from 1678 to 16S9, Portsmouth was a port of entry, the only remaining ports of entry of record in New England, being Boston, Salem, Bristol, Newport, New London, Saybrook, New Haven, Milford, Fairfield, and Stamford.

About the year 1 700, Samuel Pen- hallow was appointed collector. He was an eminent citizen, one of the governor's council, chief justice of the superior court of judicature in 171 7, recorder of deeds, treasurer of the Province, and held other responsible positions. He married a daughter of President John Cutt, and inherited in his wife's right a large estate. He died December 2, 1726, aged 62.

Hon. Theodore Atkinson, senior, who died September 22, 1779, aged

��82, was for many years the secretary of the Province, and held other offices of reputation, such as president of council, and chief justice of the supe- rior court of judicature. He was the son of Hon. Theodore Atkinson, of Newcastle, and the father of Hon. Theodore Atkinson, junior, and pre- ceded and succeeded him in the office of secretary of the Province. He had also been collector of customs, naval officer of the port, and sheriff of the Province ; but Jonathan Belcher, of Boston, when appointed in 1730, governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, removed Mr. Atkinson from the office of collector, and ap- pointed Richard Wibird in his stead. He also displaced him as naval officer, and Capt. Ellis Huske succeeded to the office. Mr. Atkinson was however continued as sheriff; but Eleazer Russell, the father of Eleazer hereto- fore and hereafter named, was asso- ciated with him as joint occupant of the office. Mr. Atkinson married the daughter of Lieut. -Gov. John Went- worth, against whom Gov. Belcher was greatly prejudiced because he had written complimentary letters both to himself and Mr. Shute, his competitor, when the appointment of governor was pending. Hence the removal of Wentworth's son-in-law from the offices named.

Lieut.-Gov. John Temple, who re- sided in Boston, was commissioned June 15, 1 76 1, and subscribed the oath of office January 19, 1762, as surveyor general of His Majesty's cus- toms in the northern part of America. He appointed Theodore Atkinson, jr., deputy collector of the customs at Piscataqua. James Nevin, a native of Scotland, a post captain in the British navy, and also one of His Majesty's council, was collector of the customs for the port of Portsmquth. He died February 6, 1769, aged 60, and was succeeded by John Hughes of Philadelphia, who removed to Portsmouth, but subsequently returned to Philadelphia when Robert Hallo- well succeeded him, remaining in

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