by Dr. Barry Lewis
May 17, 2025, is the 250th anniversary of the first meeting of the Fourth Provincial Congress that convened at Exeter, New Hampshire. This Congress consisted of 133 representatives from 101 of the 155 towns in the colony.
Matthew Thornton was appointed president, Ebenezer Thompson was appointed secretary, and Samuel Cutts was appointed secretary pro tempore during Thompson’s absence.
Following the hostilities at Lexington and Concord on April 19, one of the principle aims of this Congress was to raise and organize an army. A force of 2,000 New Hampshire troops outside Boston needed officers, arms, supplies, and reinforcements. Congress established a post office at Exeter on May 18 to provide for communication and appointed Samuel Penhallow postmaster. Congress also established a Committee of Ways and Means to recommend action for providing troops and supplies. On May 20, Congress appointed members to a Committee of Safety and a Committee of Supplies and passed a series of resolutions, including requisitions for supplies and officers, organizing the militia into companies and regiments, and expressing gratitude for the capture of powder at Fort William and Mary the previous December. On May 22, Congress appointed Samuel Hobart and Enoch Poor muster masters, and divided the 2,000 New Hampshire troops into three regiments. Congress, on May 23, gave general command of the New Hampshire troops to Colonel Nathaniel Folsom and appointed Enoch Poor to command the Second Regiment, summoned John Stark on May 31 to appear before Congress to report on the troops outside Boston and be commissioned, appointed Colonel James Reed on June 1 to command the Third Regiment, and on June 3 appointed John Stark to command the First Regiment and promoted Nathaniel Folsom to brigadier general.
With the absence of Governor Wentworth and the powers of the Provincial Congress undefined, Congress approved on November 14 a Plan of Future Representation, requesting the towns to provide representatives according to their population sizes to the next Congress convening on December 21 and authorizing the creation of a House of Representatives if recommended by that Congress. The Fourth Provincial Congress voted to dissolve itself on November 15.
Sources:
Bouton, Nathaniel. New Hampshire State Papers, vol. 7, Documents and Records Relating to the Province of New Hampshire, from 1764 to 1776 (Nashua, NH: Orren C. Moore, 1873), 468, 470, 473, 479, 480, 483, 493, 496, 503, 657, 659, 660, 664.
Walker, Joseph B. New Hampshire’s Five Provincial Congresses: July 21,1774–January 5, 1776
(Concord, NH: Rumford Printing, 1905), 28–40.
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