Jonathan Chesley was a patriot and civic leader who is buried nearby on land he once farmed. In 1764 he contracted to build Barnstead's portion of the Province Road. On December 14-15, 1774 he took part in raids on the British Fort William and Mary in New Castle, capturing needed munitions for the Patriot militia at the Battle of Bunker Hill. During the Revolution he served as an army quartermaster, providing critical logistical support to feed, clothe, and equip the Continental Army. After the war, Chesley served as selectman, state representative, and delegate to the 1784 state convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution.