USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hillsborough > Annals of the town of Hillsborough, Hillsborough county, N.H. From its first settlement to the year 1841 > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01096 3723
ANNALS
OF THE
TOWN. OF . HILLSBOROUGH,
Dilloborough County, N. m.
From its first Settlement to the Year 1811.
BY CHARLES JAMES SMITH.
Sanduornton, N. W.
PRINTED FOR THE PUBLISHER, BY J. C. WILSON." 1:11.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
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1771726
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Smith, Charles James.
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F 842421 .8 Annals of the town of Hillsborough, Hillsborough County, N. II. From its first settlement to the year 1841. By Charles James Smith. Sandbornton, N. II., Printed for the publisher, by J. C. Wilson, 1841.
2 p. 1., 131-72 p.' 23}em.
SHELF CARD
1. Hillsborough, N. H .- Hist.
309240
Library of Congress
F44.H55S6 7-41870
PTHE substance of the following historical sketch, was deliv- by appointment, before the HILLSBOROUGH LYCEUM, March S41. At the request of many individuals it has been altered for cation to a style more adapted to historical narration, and con- able addition has been made thereto. The Author regrets that ssure of other occupations. prevented his hestowing the time, and ion upon the subject, which might have re
; acceptance, or those interested in the w
· ver, that every thing herein stated, may be as it has been an object of the writer, to g
309240
ANNALS OF HILLSBOROUGHI.
HILLSBOROUGH is situated in the northwest corner of the county of Hillsborough in latitude 43º 9' north. It is bounded on the north by Bradford, on the east by Henniker, on the south by Deering and Antrim and on the west by Windsor and Washington. It is the most northerly town in Hillsborough county, adjoining the counties of Mer- rimack and Sullivan, and is separated from the county of Cheshire only by the small town of Windsor on the west. The centre of the town is about equi-distant from the shire towns of Hillsborough, Mer- rimack, Sullivan, and Cheshire counties. Its shape is nearly that of a diamond, being six miles square, and containing by estimation 27,320 acres. The town is well watered and it is belived, better irrigated than any other in the county of Hillsborough. The south and pricipal branch of Contoocook river, having its origin at the base of the Grand Monadnock mountain in the County of Cheshire, enters the town on the south line, near the corners of Antrim and Deering, where it re- ceives the North Branch of the same. The North Branch of the Contoocook, has its rise from Horse-shoe pond on the west side of Lovell's mountain, in Washington ; thence running southerly into Stoddard, forms Long Pond in that town after which it takes a north- casterly course and pursues its way through the north part of Antrim int, !!! borough, and after running nearly four miles in the south part of the town (in which distance it receives the waters of Hillsbo- rough river,) joins the main stream or south branch of the Contoocook on the south line of the town near the corners of Antrim and Dee .-
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ANNALS OF TIIE TOWN
ing. After their confluence the Contoocook meanders through the south eastern part of the town into Henniker.
The Hillsborough river is composed of several branches, the lar- gest and principal of which rises in the eastern part of Washington, enters Hillsborough on its northern border, after which it courses di- · agonally seven miles through its whole extent and joins the northern branch of the Contoocook on the southern limit of the town. A con- siderable branch from the west unites with the main stream in Symonds's interval. This branch is formed by several lesser branches one of which issues from Black Pond in Windsor and passes through the Upper village on the turnpike. Another has its source from a pond in Stoddard. These unite a little east of the Upper village, and pass into the main branch as before described. Another small tributary originates near Willson's Mineral Spring in the west part of Bradford and discharges itself into the main stream in the north part of the
town. A large number of small brooks and rivulets intersect in the town. The Contoocook and Hillsborough rivers, with their several branches, in their progress through the town, afford many excellent mill seats and water privileges which are improved degree, though by no means to the full extent of the
There are three natural ponds. The largest br
Loon Pond which lies a little northwest of the centre of the town, thus named from its being inhabited by Loons in the warm season. It is one mile in length, and two thirds of a mile wide ; and has two outlets one of which flows into Hillsborough river, the other into Contention pond. It is a very picturesque slicet of water, and is plentifully stocked with a variety of excellent fish. Its waters are transparent and pure ; and during the winter season are frozen-pre- senting a beautiful icy expansion. There are two other ponds of con- siderable magnitude, Contention Pond and Campbell's Pond. Cou- terition Pond is situated a short distance northwest of Loon Pond and is so called from a contention among the early proprietors concerning the boundaries. It has an outlet which falls into Hillsborough river. Camp- bell's pond lies in the southeast part of the town. It derives its name from the late Daniel Campbell, Esq. of Amherst, who first discov-
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OF HILLSBOROUGH.
ered it. These ponds are much frequented by fishing parties, and together make a surface of five hundred acres of water.
There is no very remarkable elevation of land in the town though there are many fine eminences, from whose suminits extensive views of the surrounding country may be had. Stow's mountain, (the only hill in town whose altitude will permit it to assume the name) in the northwest part, is the highest point of land in Hillsborough. This
mountain derives its name from the late Dea. Joel Stow who occupi- ed a farm on its southeastern slope, nearly half a century. The high- est inhabited land is the site of the domicil of Mr. Justus Pike, on the eastern declivity of the above mentioned mountain. The lowest, is believed to be on the south side of the Contoocook, a few rods be- low Hillsborough Bridge. The surface of the town is uneven, being greatly diversified by hills and dales. It has a rugged yet, in gener- al strong and productive soil. It is suitably divided into tillage and pasturage, and is principally of a deep gravelly loam, favorable for grass and all kinds of English grain. Every description of forest tree common in New Hampshire is found here in greater or less abundance. The most prevalent are the hemlock, beech, elm, spruce and ash, and the different varieties of the oak, maple, pine, birch and cherry. 'The lofty and noble white pine formerly abounded in great luxuriance upon the low ground on the banks of the rivers, but has principally been cut away for timber.
Considerable quantities of granite are sprinkled in detached blocks, on the highlands which though not of the most beautiful texture is wrought into hearth and door stones and is used in underpinning buildings, in the erection of bridges, and for various other architectu- ral purposes. The second New Hampshire turnpike road, comple- ted in 1801, leading from Claremont to Amherst, passes through the west part of the town in a northwesterly direction. It has a course of about four miles in the town. There are four villages in Hillsbo- rough which are thus designated. Hillsborough Centre, Hillsborough Billige, the Upper village, and the Lower village. The centre village stands on a hill a little southeast of the exact centre of the Down. It is a small village containing but ten dwelling houses,
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ANNALS OF THE TOWN -
most of which are large and valuable. Here are two Meeting houses. The old Meeting house as it is most commonly styled is the property of the town and is now used almost exclusively as a town house. It is a spacious structure without steeple or bell. The exterior of the ·body of the house is painted white, the roof red. It is visible (from its lofty site) at a great distance, and presents a goodly specimen of the style of church architecture prevalent in New England half a century since. Hallowed associations cluster around this venerable time-worn edifice. We are reminded of the fathers of the hamlet so many of them now slumbering in the dust, who have gone up there through many successive years, to listen to the oracles of the most High, as they have been expounded by those holy men, who from time to time have ministered at its altar,-of those who have so often mingled in the primary political assemblies, convoked, within its walls. What recollections must be awakened, in the minds of those who have been intimately conversant with the history of the town for the last fifty years, as they gaze upon it and call to remembrance so manv of their cotemporaries now at rest in the grave, wl there.
The new Congregational church erected in 1839
$2400, exclusive of the bell, stands close by the old sanctuary.
It
is a neat and elegant house, constructed of wood, painted white, with green Venetian window blinds, and is surmounted by a beautiful tower. In this tower is suspended a powerful, and fine toned bell ; one of the best in the state, which can be heard distinctly in any part of the town. Enoch Train, Esq. of Boston, Mass., who was bred in the town and has ever taken a lively interest in its prosperity, contributed very liberally to the purchase of this bell.
At the north end of this village, within the shade of venerable elins, and fronted by a green lawn, stands the stately dwelling of the first minister of the town, now in the possession of his descendants. This village has been the seat of a High school, which has been kept in the autumn for several years past in the vestry, a little east of the Meeting houses. The counnanding elevation on which this village is situated, overkoks a wide expanse of country ; which presents a
. OF HILLSBOROUGHI.
magnificent landscape of variegated scenery, peculiar to this region. The beautiful and romantic village of Hillsborough Bridge is very pleasantly located on both sides of the Contoocook river, which is crossed here by an elegant and substantial arched granite bridge, which gives the village its name. It is three miles southeast of tlic centre village, and near the northern line of Decring. The Con- toocook by two falls of considerable extent, supplies this village with a valuable water power. There are a number of excellent sites for mills and factories, several of which are occupied. The main body of the village is built upon two bluffs, which rise on both sides of the river, to the height of seventy or eighty feet above the bed of the stream. At the lower fall by the bridge, the Contoocook is compres- sed within the distance of a single span, and the cascade of water makes a sublime appearance as seen from below, through the arch of the bridge. The mills, factories, and a number of dwellings are lo- cated in the river valley. This village is the seat of considerable business, mercantile and manufacturing.
There are fifty-six dwelling houses, two churches, three stores, two botels, two cotton factories, two grist mills, two saw mills, two shoe stores, one trip-hammer and axe manufactory, one lawyer, one physician, a post office, &c. Many of the dwellings are handsome, especially those of recent construction and a number of them exhib- it, much neatness, and taste, in their architecture, yet the beauty of the village is considerably diminished by the irregularity in the arrange- ment of its buildings, and the narrowness of its streets. Both Meet- ing houses are on the north side of the river, which is much the most populous part of the village. That connected with the Congrega- tional church, is very handsomely situated, northwest of the compact portion of the village. It was erected in 1836, at an expense of >3300. It is an elegant and commodious structure, of the Tuscan order of architecture with a good bell. The Methodist church is a heat and convenient edifice, and stands at the northern extremity of the village on the centre road Here are two cotton factories and one woollen factory. The cotton factory on the north side of the tiver was built in 1811, and contains 1800 spindles, and 40 locms.
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ANNALS OF THE TOWN -
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The number of operatives employed here is about 60. Marcy's Cotton Factory on the south side of the Contoocook is occupied in the manufacture of cotton yarn, wicking, &c. It contains 512 spin dles and employs about 16 operatives. This establishment was con- structed in 1828. This village is the centre of trade for a consid- erable extent of country around it ; and the great power for machine- ry, furnished by the falls of the Contoocook here, augurs well, for its future growth and prosperity. It is one of the most flourishing villa- · ges in this section of the state and has increased three fold within the last twelve years, for which it is much indebted to the enterprise, and perseverance, of Capt. Caleb Cook, agent of the north cotton fac- tory, and Mr. Joshua Marcy proprietor of the south factory.
The Lower village stands principally on a gentle swell of land, two and a half miles northwest of the Bridge and the same distance southwest of the Centre village. It lies on both sides of the second New Hampshire Turnpike road, and contains an academy building of brick, two taverns, one store, sixteen dwelling houses a lawyer'e office, a post office, &c. The elegant mansion of tl Pierce now the property of Gen. John McNeil, star ern extremity of this village.
To the north of the Lower village, on the turnpike road is a Meet- ing house, with a bell attached to it, built in 1828, for the use of the Baptist society of the town. The Upper village on the turnpike, is one mile and a half northwest of the Lower village, and three miles west of the Centre village. It is a pleasant street embracing twenty two dwellings, one tavern, two stores, a number of mechanics, &c. A branch of the Hillsborough river passes through this village afford- ing it a good water power which is improved by several establishments for the manufacture of carriages, furniture, &c.
There are three lines of stages, which pass through the town. The line from Nashua to Claremont, N. H., Windsor and Burlington, Vt., passes through the town, on the turnpike daily. Also, the line from Nashua through Francestown to Hillsboroughi Upper village passes daily through Hillsborough Bridge, and the Lower village to the Up- per village where it terminates. The line from Concord to Keene,
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OF HILLSBOROUGH.
thence through Brattleborough, Vt. to Troy, N. Y., passes daily through the Bridge village and the Lower village. All these lines transport the U.S. Mail. Hillsborough contains five churches, five hotels, six stores, two cotton factories, one woollen factory, two fulling mills, seven saw mills ' three grist mills, five tanneries, one starch factory, three post offices, seventeen school houses, two lawyers, three physicians, &c. The total annual value of the manufactures of the town, is about $10,000. Amount of capital invested $55,000. The essential interest of the town is agricultural, and a majority of the inhabitants are engaged in the pursuits of husbandry. Nashua, Lowell, and Boston, are the principal marts for the exports of the town. The population in June, 1540, was IS08.
The first settlement in Hillsborough was commenced in 1741. In that year, a company of men having associated for the purpose, made their way from the vicinity of Boston, through the dense and pathless for- est, which then covered nearly the entire surface of the present coun - ty of Hillsborough, and laid an encampment within the limits of this town. The province of Massachusetts exercised jurisdiction over this section of New Hampshire until the year 1741, when the present boundary line between the two provinces was settled by a royal de- cision. This town had been previously granted by the government of Massachusetts, to Col. John Hill, and - Keyes, both of Boston, who had employed a surveyor, to parcel it into lots. It may be proper, before we proceed farther, to glance for a moment, at the state of this section of New Hampshire at that period. One hundred years ago, the country for many miles around, was a dreary wilderness ; the untutored savage roamed in undisturbed security, through the thick forests, or glided in his light canoe over the lonely silent waters. Every variety of forest tree indigenous to New England covered the soil. The forests were alive with every species of wild game. The waters abounded with salmon trout and pickerel, and other specimens of the finny tribes, delightful to the palate. The whole northern and western part of the present county of Hillsborough, was then an un- broken solitude, untrodden by civilized man-wild and uncultivated as when it came from its creator's hand. Slight openings in the for-
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ANNALS OF THE TOWN
est had been effected at New Boston, and at Peterborough. The settlements in these towns were nearly coeval with that of Hillsbo- rough. " A line drawn from Rochester and Barrington to Boscawen and Concord, thence through Hopkinton, Hillsborougli, and Peterbo- rough," to Keene, Swanzey, Winchester, and Hinsdale, then con- stituted the frontier line. The whole region north of it, with the ex- ception of small openings at Westmoreland, and Charlestown, "occu- pied by a few families, was a gloomy forest, a fit lurking place for savages." In 1744, a war broke out between England, and France, known as the Cape Breton war, so called from the reduction of Lou- isburg, on that island, in 1745, by the famous expedition from the New England colonies. The Indians from the northwestern fron- tiers who were in the interest of the French, embraced this opportu- nity to spread devastation, and death among the people who dwelt upon the borders, regarding their encroachments, and increase, with distrust and alarm. The residents of the frontier plantations were accustomed in those days of peril, to fortify one private house in each settlement, by inclosing it with a palisade, made by insel ed stakes of timber in the ground, to which all the inhal for safety. The savage foe lurked in ambush in the de
the forest, sallying forth to desolate their fields, destroy their cattle, burn their dwellings, and butcher, or lead captive the inhabitants. " The husbandman cleared and tilled his land under the protection of a guard, uncertain whether the seed he committed to the ground, might be watered by his blood, or that of an enemy." The follow- ing extract from a ballad written in commemoration of those days of Indian incursion, will convey some idea of the dangers, which beset the early borderers in 1746, which was two years after the commence- ment of hostilities, and the year in which the first settlers of Hillsbo- rough deserted their clearings.
" England and France a cruel war Had with each other waged ; Wo to the colonies ! for there Its bloodiest contests raged.
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OF HILLSBOROUGH.
The fierce Canadians (Frenchmen they ) Had set the Indians on ; 'Twas sad to see for many a day, The mischief that was done.
Houses were burnt, and cattle slain, And smiling fields laid waste : To seek the lurking foe was vain, His steps might not be traced ; 1 For the dark trackless woods conceal'd Him, issuing whence he seized The unwary laborer in his field, A captive, if he pleased ;
Or else more merciful, despatched Him at a single blow, Then his defenceless home attacked, And laid his loved ones low ;
Or led into captivity The children and the wife, 1 In hardship, pain, and misery, To drag a weary life.
Such scenes as these, we understand Were acted o'er and o'er, Beginning first at Westmoreland, Not far from Number Four.
In both those towns, in Keene likewise. Were killed and taken some ; And then eight persons by surprise, They took in Hopkinton.
Oh! faces gathered paleness then, Hearts trembled with dismay ;- Of foes without, the fears within, Disturbed them night and day."
The descent upon Hopkinton mentioned in the aboverestract or- cured on the morning of the twenty-second of April, 17.162-1 party of Indians arrived with muskets, tomahawks, knives, &c., entered a fortified house while the inmates were buried in slumber, the door
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having been left open by one who had gone out carly to hunt, and captured eight persons. Intelligence of this disaster soon reached the few families planted in Hillsborough, filling them with consterna- tion and alarm. They had no stronghold within the settlement to which they could retreat for safety. Indians were seen prowling about the falls of the Contoocook river, near where the great bridge now stands, at the Bridge village. This fact very naturally induced the supposition that a party of the enemy were concealed in the vi- cinity awaiting a favorable moment to attack them.
Hastily consulting together, they determined to abandon their set- tlement, and remove to a place of greater security. After burying their licavier articles of furniture and implements of husbandry, they com- menced their flight, taking with them their lighter utensils, and driv- ing their cattle before them. Philip Riley accompanied them. Ho was the first settler and then the only inhabitant of Antrim. Two years before he had began a clearing on the lot now forming the home- stead of Hon. Jacob . Whittemore.
The first settlement of Hillsborough, had been commenced under the auspices of the proprietors, Messrs. Hill and Keyes, who had erected a Meeting house of frame work, and a building, in a parsonage near it. This church stood on the west side of the road leading from the Centre village to that at the Bridge, and it is believ- ed upon the spot now occupied by the barn of Mr. Seth Clark. The parsonage stood on the site of Mr. Clark's dwelling house. An ex- cellent church bell designed for this forest girt sanctuary was purcha- sed by Col. Hill, but was never brought here as the settlement was soon after abandoned, and the Meeting house burned. The chime of this same bell has long echoed among other hills than these, and sum- moned another people than this, to worship the God of their fathers. It is now upon one of the churches in Groton, Mass. A plat was al- loted for a burial ground contiguous to this Meeting house, and sev- eral persons who died during the first settlement were interred in it. Noves Pof their last resting place now remains to remind us that once ny were.
The names of the first party that settled here were James McCol-
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OF HILLSBOROUGH.
ley, Samuel Gibson, Robert McClure, Jaines Lyon, and others. whose names have not descended to us. They were immediately from the vicinity of Boston. McColley, and McClure however, and perhaps others of the party,, were natives of Ireland. The wife of James McColley, was the only woman in the settlement for the first year ; nor during this time was her vision greeted, by the sight of a single female. McColley erected the first habitation which was rude- ly constructed of logs, and stood on the ground now occupied by the residence of Mr. Cyrus Sargent, at the Bridge, and by the side of a huge rock which was blasted in 1824. 'The first child born in town, was the late Lieut. John McColley, who first saw the light in this log hut, January 18th, 1742. The second person born here was Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Gibson, who was born May 19th, of the same year, in a log house, near the site of the dwelling of Mr Benjamin Spaulding. These children went to Litchfield with their parents at the breaking up of the first settlement, where they resided until 1563. After the commencement of the second settlement of Hillsborough, Col. Hill who frequently travelled through Litchfield, on his way from Boston to Hillsborough, became acquainted with these young people, and proposed to them that they should marry each other, and as an inducement offered them one hundred acres of land in Hillsborough, if they would accede to his proposition. They complied, were married, and removed to Hillsborough, when they re- ceived the hundred acre tract, and lived in the enjoyment of domestic felicity for more than sixty years.
At an early age Lieut. McColley entered the service of the King. while New-Hampshire was a colony against the French and Indians. and was present at some of their most desperate engagements. Ile was afterwards in the war of the revolution among the New-Hamp- shire militia that was called out to meet Burgoyne's army. By bis correct habits, his benevolence, and integrity of character, be seout - ed through a long life the esteem of his fellow citizens. He hed Dec. 22, 1834, at the advanced age of ninety-www .-. the dissolution of the first settlement, the number of familiar, was not less than eight or ten. They had located themselves at six different
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ANNALS OF THE TOWN
places in the town ; the most northerly on the farm now constituting the homestead of Mr. Benjamin Kimball ; the most westerly on Bi- ble hill. None of the first settlers ever returned to Hillsborough to reside permanently. Robert McClure came here about the year 1775, and laid claim to his land. He remained however but a short time. Several of the children of the first colonists afterwards estab- lished themselves in the town, and their descendants are amon~ * present inhabitants.
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