Second Meeting House, Dunstable, Massachusetts (now Nashua, New Hampshire), 1685-1738

On November 27, 1900, Matthew Thornton Chapter dedicated a tablet on a large granite boulder in the South Cemetary, Nashua, New Hampshire, to mark the site of the First Church and the Dunstable Second Meeting House. A log meeting house was built in 1684.

Photo: Judy J. Eriksen, Vice Regent (2003-2006)

Inscription reads:
NEAR THIS SPOT IN 1684
THE SETTLERS OF DUNSTABLE
BUILT THEIR
SECOND MEETING HOUSE
REV. THOMAS WELD, MINISTER
THIS MEMORIAL ERECTED BY
MATTHEW THORNTON CHAPTER, D.A.R.
NASHUA, NH AD 1900

Location: Old South Cemetery, Nashua, New Hampshire. On Daniel Webster Highway (formerly Great Boston Road) across from Poisson Avenue. Currently next to Walgreen's Pharmacy.

Old South Meeting House 1812-1854 & Bird Meeting House 1747-1751 Nashua, New Hampshire

On November 4, 1901, the Matthew Thornton Chapter placed a bronze tablet on a boulder in the Evergreen Cemetery, Nashua, NH, to memorialize the “Old South” Meeting House and the “Bird” Meeting House.

Photo: Judy J. Eriksen, Vice Regent (2003-2006)

Inscription reads:
A FEW FEET SOUTH OF THIS SPOT
STOOD THE
“Old South” Meeting House
Dedicated Nov. 4, 1812

NORTH OF THIS BURYING GROUND
WAS BUILT A.D. 1747
The “Bird” Meeting House

THIS MEMORIAL ERECTED BY
MATTHEW THORNTON CHAPTER, D.A.R
NASHUA, NH A.D. 1901

Location: Evergreen Cemetery Nashua, New Hampshire, intersection of Main Street & East Dunstable Road. (The marker is located near the stone wall down the middle of the cemetery in the 1955 section).

Old Meeting House, Dunstable, New Hampshire, in Meeting House Park, Nashua, New Hampshire
1754-1812
The 5th Meeting House

Matthew Thornton Chapter acquired and gave to Nashua to be known for all time as “Meeting House Park” the site of an early Meetinghouse, of the Church of Dunstable. On November 4, 1901, a stone marker was placed by the Matthew Thornton Chapter to mark the Old Meeting House.

Photo: Fred H. Morse, HODAR

Inscription reads:

ON THIS SPOT STOOD,
FROM 1754 TO 1812
THE MEETING HOUSE IN
DUNSTABLE. N.H.
MARKED BY
MATTHEW THORNTON CHAPTER DAR
NASHUA. NH

Location: South Main Street, Nashua, New Hamphire. Almost immediately on your right from Main Street is a triangle of land called Meeting House Park. (At Rivier College located in front of the Chapel and across the street from Adrienne Hall.)

John Lovewell/Hannah Dustin Landmark, Nashua, New Hampshire

In 1902 an historical marker was placed on the site of John Lovewell’s homestead, where Hannah Duston stayed the night after her escape from the Indians.

Photo: Judy J. Eriksen, Vice Regent (2003-2006)

Inscription reads:

ON THIS POINT OF LAND DWELT
JOHN LOVEWELL
ONE OF THE EARLIEST SETTLERS
OF DUNSTABLE AT WHOSE HOUSE
HANNAH DUSTON
SPENT THE NIGHT AFTER HER
ESCAPE FROM THE INDIANS
AT PENACOOK ISLAND
MARCH 30, 1697
ERECTED BY
MATTHEW THORNTON CHAPTER, D.A.R
1902

Location: John Lovewell’s homestead was originally located on Spaulding Street. The marker is now on a small plot of land at Allds and Fifield Streets in Nashua, New Hamphire. Allds Street is located off of Main Street.

Revolutionary Soldiers of Old Dunstable, New Hampshire, Hunt Memorial Building, Nashua, New Hampshire

A very large bronze tablet was placed in 1905 by the Matthew Thornton Chapter on the walls of the Nashua Public Library, now referred to as the Hunt Memorial Library. The plaque honors the many men from Old Dunstable (now Nashua) who served in the Revolution.

Photo: Judy J. Eriksen, Vice Regent (2003-2006)

Inscription reads:

1775-1783
IN HONOR OF
THE MEN OF OLD DUNSTABLE
THE FOUNDERS OF NASHUA
WHO FOUGHT IN THE WAR OF
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
THAT THEY AND THEIR DESCENDANTS
MIGHT ENJOY
CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

THIS TABLET (DAR INSIGNIA) IS ERECTED
A.D. 1905
BY MATTHEW THORNTON CHAPTER
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
NASHUA, N.H.

Location: 6 Main Street, Nashua, on the corner of Main and Lowell Streets, Library Hill, Nashua, New Hampshire.

Meeting House of the Church of Dunstable, Massachusetts
1738-1747
Third Meeting House

On October 12, 1907, a marker made of granite, 3’ high, 2” thick, and 9” across, was placed to mark one of the early meeting house of the Church of Dunstable, MA (now Nashua NH). This marks the third meeting house of the Church of Dunstable. This marker has been moved from its original placement to accommodate the many expansions of Daniel Webster Highway.

Photo: Judy J. Eriksen, Vice Regent (2003-2006)

Inscription reads:

HERE STOOD IN 1741
ONE OF THE
EARLY MEETING HOUSES
OF THE CHURCH
IN DUNSTABLE

MARKED A.D. 1907 BY
MATTHEW THORNTON CHAPTER D.A.R
NASHUA, N.H.

Location: The marker presently rests at the south end of Daniel Webster Highway in front of Webster Square shopping area in Nashua, New Hampshire. The highway was formerly known as The Boulevard and Robinson Road, (Matthew Thornton Scrapbook May 9, 1923), Daniel Webster Highway and Dunstable Road, (Matthew Thornton Scrapbook April 17, 1924, and Lowell Road and Groton Road, (Matthew Thornton Scrapbook, Matthew Thornton Historian's Report April 28, 1908).

Revolutionary Heroes Old Dunstable
Old South Cemetery, Nashua, New Hampshire

In 1910 a stone marker with a bronze tablet was erected by the Matthew Thornton Chapter in one of the oldest cemeteries in Nashua, New Hampshire, to the memory of known and unknown Revolutionary Soldiers buried there.

Photo: Judy J. Eriksen, Vice Regent (2003-2006)

Inscription reads:

IN MEMORY OF THE
REVOLUTIONARY HEROES
OF
OLD DUNSTABLE, NOW NASHUA

ERECTED BY
MATTHEW THORNTON CHAPTER
D.A.R
NASHUA, NH
1910

At the South Cemetery you will find the marker pictured below on many soldiers' graves. It reads “Revolutionary Soldier/1775-1783/(DAR Insignia)/Erected by/ Matthew Thornton Chapter D.A.R."

Photo: Judy J. Eriksen, Vice Regent (2003-2006)

Location: Old South Cemetery. Across the Daniel Webster Highway from Poisson Avenue in Nashua, New Hampshire. (Next to Walgreen's Phamacy)

Hassel Family Massacre, Nashua, New Hampshire

In May 1916 a bronze tablet at a cost of $25.00, was placed by the Matthew Thornton Chapter near the home of one of the Pioneer families, Hassell by name, who were killed by the Indians. In a newspaper article dated April 19, 1928, the Chairman of historical sites of the Matthew Thornton Chapter reported that the committee had voted to replace the Hassell marker at Hassell Brook, which was “destroyed during the war.” The marker appeared on a bridge that went over the brook, hence Hassell Brook. A picture of the marker was found in the Matthew Thornton scrapbook. Below are the inscription and the picture.

Image from Matthew Thornton Chapter scrapbook

Image from Matthew Thornton Chapter scrapbook

In 1954 the area of the Hassell Massacre was developed and houses were built across the street form the site. A future Matthew Thornton Chapter member moved into the neighborhood her house on Almont Street being directly across the street from the site. She realized the importance of the site and asked the developer what had happened to the marker that appeared on the bridge. The answer she received was not what she wanted to hear so she began her quest to have the site rededicated. Her persistence paid off and in 1960 the NH Extension Group remarked the site. The mayor of Nashua Mario J. Vagge (1958-1965) attended the rededication and gave a heartwarming speech. In 1977 that women became a member of the Matthew Thornton Chapter not knowing that her fellow chapter daughters had marked this historical site in the past.

Photo: Judy J. Eriksen, Vice Regent (2003-2006)

Inscription reads:

THE HASSELL MASSACRE

THIS STONE MARKS THE SPOT WHERE
JOSEPH HASSELL, HIS WIFE ANNA, HIS SON
BENJAMIN AND MARY MARKS WERE SLAIN AND
SCALPED BY HOSTILE INDIANS, SEPT. 2, 1691
THEY WERE ALL BURIED HERE WHERE THE
HASSELL HOUSE STOOD.

THIS MARKER PLACED HERE BY
N.H. EXTENSION GROUP 1960

Location: Across the street from 88 Almont Street Nashua, New Hampshire is a paved walkway to the marker. No sign marking the area. (Main Street. to Lake Street. to Almont Street.)

Honorary State Regents - Tree Planting
Meeting House Park, Nashua,NH

In 1932 the Matthew Thornton Chapter placed a marker and planted a tree in honor of two Honorary State Regents, Mrs. Herbert L. Flather 1930-1931, and Mrs. John R. Spring 1931-1932. An Honorary State Regent is a woman who was a State Regent of the NHSODAR and who at the end of her term is given the title in recognition of her accomplishments that she made during her term. The park commission planted the maple tree for a cost of $3.00.

Photo:Fred H. Morse, HODAR

Inscription reads:

THIS TREE DEDICATED
TO
HONORARY STATE REGENTS
PLACED (DAR INSIGNIA) BY THE
MATTHEW THORNTON CHAPTER
D.A.R.

Photos:Fred H. Morse, HODAR

Inscription reads:

THIS TREE DEDICATED
TO
HONORARY STATE REGENTS
PLACED (DAR INSIGNIA) BY THE
MATTHEW THORNTON CHAPTER
D.A.R.

The tree is over 70 years old and should be replaced, because it has been ravaged by age and disease.

Location: South Main Street, Nashua, New Hampshire. Almost immediately (.1 of a mile) on your right from Main Street is a triangle of land called Meeting House Park. (Located in front of the Chapel at Rivier College and across the street from Adrienne Hall.)

George Washington Memorial
Meeting House Park, Nashua, New Hampshire

In 1932 the Matthew Thornton Chapter placed a marker and planted a maple and elm tree to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of George Washington’s birth. The cost of the two trees was $17.10.

Photo:Fred H. Morse, HODAR

Inscription reads:

MEETING HOUSE PARK
THESE TREES PLANTED
IN MEMORY OF
GEORGE WASHINGTON
1732 (INSIGNIA) 1932
PLACED BY THE
MATTHEW THORNTON CHAPTER
D.A.R

Photo:Fred H. Morse, HODAR

Location: South Main Street, Nashua, New Hampshire. Almost immediately on your right from Main Street is a triangle of land called Meeting House Park. (Located in front of the Chapel at Rivier College and across the street from Adrienne Hall.)

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