Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 1

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers
Number of Pages: 1266

USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886 > Part 1

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GENEALOGY COLLECTION

3 1833 01085 9004

Clarence. L. Boyer,

West Concord, V/1.

›

PART FIRST.

GAZETTEER

-OF-

GRAFTON COUNTY, N. H.

1709 == 1886.

COMPILED AND PUBLISHED BY

HAMILTON CHILD,

AUTHOR OF WAYNE, ONTARIO, SENECA, CAYUGA, TOMPKINS, ONONDAGA, MADI- SON, CORTLAND, CHEMUNG, SCHUYLER, STEUBEN, ORLEANS, HERKIMER, CHENANGO, NIAGARA, ONEIDA, MONROE, GENESEE, SARATOGA, MONT- GOMERY AND FULTON, ALBANY AND SCHENECTADY, RENSSELAER, WASHINGTON, WYOMING, LEWIS, COLUMBIA, SULLIVAN, SCHO- HARIE, OTSEGO, ULSTER, CHAUTAUQUA, ST. LAWRENCE, BROOME AND TIOGA, CATARAUGUS, ALLEGANY AND OTHER COUNTY DIRECTORIES IN NEW YORK STATE, AND ERIE AND CRAWFORD COUNTIES, THE BRADFORD OIL DIS- TRICT IN PENNSYLVANIA, BENNINGTON, RUT- LAND, ADDISON, CHITTENDEN, FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE, LAMOILLE AND ORLEANS WINDSOR AND WINDHAM COUNTIES IN VERMONT, BERKSHIRE CO., MASS. CHESHIRE COUNTY, N. H.

PERMANENT OFFICE, - - SYRACUSE, N. Y.

ESTABLISHED 1866.

"He that hath much to do, will do something wrong, and of that wrong must suffer the con- sequence ; and if it were possible that he should always act rightly, yet when such numbers are to judge of his conduct, the bad will censure and obstruct him by malevolence, and the good sometimes by mistake."-SAMUEL JOHNSON.

SYRACUSE, N. Y .: THE SYRACUSE JOURNAL COMPANY, PRINTERS AND BINDERS. June, 1886.

Almanac or Calendar for 20 Years.

1874

1875

1876

1877

1878

1879

1880

188

1882

1883

· C

A G

1884

1885

1886

1887

1888

1 889

1890

1891

1892

1893

8 15 22 29

Sun.

Sat.

Frid'y. Thurs. Wed.

Tues.

Mon.

2 9 16 23 30

Mon.

Sun.

Sat.

Frid'y. Thurs.

Wed.

: Tues.

3 10 17 2431 Tues.

Mon.

Sun.

Sat.

Frid'y.

Thurs.

Wed.

4 II 1825 . .

Wed.

Tues.

Mon.

Sun.

Sat.

Frid'y.

Thurs.

5 12 19 26 . . Thurs.

Wed.

Tues.

Mon.

Sun.

Sat.

Frid'y.

6 13 20 27 .

Frid'y. | Thurs. Wed.

Tues.

Mon.

Sun.

Sat.

7 14 21 28 . .

Sat.

Frid'y. Thurs.

Wed.

Tues.

Mon.

Sun.

Jan. and Oct.

May.

August.

Feb., March, Nov.

June.

Sept. and Dec.

April and July.

EXPLANATION .- Find the Year and observe the Letter above it; then look for the Month, and in a line with it find the Letter of the Year; above the Letter find the Day and the figures on the left, in the same line, are the days of the same name in the month.

Leap Years have two letters; the first is used till the end of February, the second during the remainder of the year.

INTRODUCTION. 1169866

In presenting to the public the "Gazetteer and Business Directory" of Graf- ton County, we desire to return our sincere thanks to all who have kindly aided in obtaining the information it contains, and rendered it possible to present it in the brief space of time in which it is essential such works should be completed. Especially are our thanks due to the editors and managers of the county papers for the uniform kindness they have evinced in calling public attention to our efforts, and for essential aid in furnishing material for the work. We have also found valuable aid in the following : "History of Coös Country," by Rev. Grant Powers ; "History of Warren," by William Lit- tle ; "History of Bethlehem," by Simon Bolles ; "History of Charleston," by Rev. Henry H. Saunderson ; "History of Northfield, Mass.," by J. H. Temple and George Sheldon ; "Granite Monthly ;" "Belknap's New Hamp- shire ;" "Gazetteer of New Hampshire," by John Farmer and Jacob B. Moore ; "Gazetteer of New Hampshire," by Alonzo J. Fogg ; "New Hamp- shire Churches," by Robert F. Lawrence ; "State Adjutant General's Re- ports ;" "State Superintendent of Instruction's Report "; "New Hampshire State Atlas," by Comstock & Cline ; "New Hampshire As It Is," by Edwin A. Charleton; "History of New England," by Rev. Henry White ; "Hall's Eastern Vermont," and in the various pamphlets and reports of a number of societies, institutions, corporations and towns. Our thanks are also due to the clergy throughout the county, and to Prof. Charles H. Hitchcock, of Dartmouth college ; Hon. Frederick Chase, of Hanover ; A. S. Batchellor, Esq., and James R. Jackson, of Littleton ; W. F. Flint, B. S., of Winchester, N. H .; Hon. J. E. Sargent, of Concord ; Samuel Emery, of Lisbon ; Mark- infield Addey, of Bethlehem and New York ; William A. Wallace, of Canaan ; Rev. Charles A. Downs, of Lebanon ; Rev. J. Q. Bittenger, George W. Chapman, W. F. Westgate, of Haverhill; Col. Thomas P. Cheney, of Ash- land; Ira. F. Chase, of Bristol ; Harry M. Morse, of Lisbon ; Dr. C. F. Kingsbury, and Rev. E. P. Butler, of Lyme ; and to many others in and out of the county, who have rendered valuable aid.

That errors have occurred in so great a number of names, dates and state- ments, is probable, and that names have been omitted which should have-

INTRODUCTION.

been inserted, is quite certain. We can only say that we have exercised more than ordinary diligence and care in this difficult and complicated feature of book-making. Of such as feel agrieved in consequence of errors or omis- sions, we beg pardon, and ask the indulgence of the reader in noting such as have been observed in the subsequent reading of the proofs, and which are found corrected in the Errata at the close of this volume.

It was designed to give a brief account of all the churches and other soci- eties in the county, but owing in some cases to the negligence of those who were able to give the necessary information, and in others to the inability of any one to do so, we have been obliged to omit special notices of a few.

We would suggest that our patrons observe and become familiar with the explanations at the commencement of the directory, on page 3, part 2d. The names it embraces, and the information connected therewith, were obtained by actual canvass, and are as correct and reliable as the judgment of those from whom they were solicited renders possible. Each agent is furnished with a map of the town he is expected to canvass, and he is required to pass- over every road and call at every dwelling and place of business in the town in order to obtain the facts from the individuals concerned whenever possible.

The margins have been left broad to enable any one to note changes op- posite the names.

The advertisers in "part second," we most cheerfully commend to the pat- ronage of those under whose observation these pages may come.

The map inside the back cover will be found, in connection with the direc- tory, very valuable.

We take this occasion to express the hope that the information found in the book will not prove devoid of interest and value, though we are fully con- scious that the brief description of the county the scope of the work enables us to give, is by no means an exhaustive one, and can only hope that it may prove an aid to future historians, who will be better able to do full justice to the subject.

While thanking our patrons and friends generally, for the cordiality with which our efforts have been seconded, we leave the work to secure that favor which earnest endeavor ever wins from a discriminating public, hoping they will bear in mind, should errors be noted, that "he who expects a perfect work to see, expects what ne'er was, is, nor yet shall be."

HAMILTON CHILD.

GAZETTEER

GRAFTON COUNTY, N. H.

"Thou shalt look

Upon the green and rolling forest tops,

And down upon the secrets of the glens

And streams, that with their bodering thickets strive To hide their windings. Thou shalt gaze at once

Here on white villages and tilth and herds,

And swarming roads, and there on solitudes,

That only hear the torrent and the wind, And eagle's shriek."-BRYANT.

F ROM the foot-hills and mountains of Northern New Hampshire, wind- ing amid a panorama of surpassing loveliness and fertility, across Massachusetts and Connecticut, to mingle its waters with the saline floods of Long Island Sound, rolls "America's Nile "-the grand old Con- necticut. For nearly sixty miles along its eastern shore extends the territory of Grafton county, with Coös upon the north and Sullivan upon the south. It is a region of mountain and valley, of lake and stream, of sublime soli- tudes and Athenian culture, of woodland, farm and field. Its attractiveness is world renowned, and from the four winds gather thousands, season by sea- son, to pay a just homage to its sublime beauty, its gentle loveliness, and its salubrious climate. Extending far into its northern liinits lies the famous White Mountain region, while in its southern and central parts, and all along the Connecticut, are a thousand scenes of storied or of unsung loveliness. Such is the background of the picture our work would paint-the scene of the historic incidents it would relate. That the stranger may more readily grasp its history, let us glance briefly at the history of its parent-the Granite State.

In 1623 the English colonists, Capt. John Mason and Sir Ferdinando

GRAFTON COUNTY.

Gorges, jointly held a grant of land extending from the Merrimac to the Ken- nebec rivers, and, during the following year, the first settlements were com- menced thereon, at Portsmouth and Dover. November 7, 1629, the grant was divided, and a separate grant made to Mason of that region west of the Piscatauqua river, under the name of New Hampshire, while Gorges held the portion east thereof, which was given the name of Maine. In 1641 Massa- chusetts extended her jurisdiction over New Hampshire, and maintained her authority here untll 1679. when, the case being brought before the highest court of appeal in England on Colonial matters, it was decided that the claim of Massachusetts was illegal, and New Hampshire was thereupon constituted a separate Province. In 1686, the charter of Massachusetts having been annulled, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Narragansett were united in one Royal Province under President Dudley, and afterwards under Governor Andros. In 1689, upon news of the English Revolution, the gov- ernment of Andros was overthrown, and Massachusetts resumed under the old charter. Some of the colony petitioning Massachusetts to be received under control and protection till orders should come from England, Massa- chusetts assented, and exercised a merely nominal authority over it. In 1692 the Province of New Hampshire was re-established by the English Govern- ment, and ever after remained separate from its neighbor, finally becoming one of the original thirteen States of the Union.

The Province was originally divided into five counties, of which Grafton, known as "The Fifth," was established by an act of the Colonial legislature passed March 19, 1771, in which it was made to contain "all the lands in the Province not comprehended in the other counties," viz .: Hillsborough, Rockingham, Cheshire and Strafford, its name being given in honor of Au- gustus Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Grafton. This act erected into a county an immense tract of land, extending south from what is now the Canada line for a distance of nearly 150 miles. But this large territory it was not destined to retain. The curtailment began as early as November 27, 1800, when the township of Burton, whose name was subsequently changed to Albany, was set off from Grafton and annexed to Strafford county. Three years later, December 24, 1803, the whole of the northern half of Grafton county was set off to form the new county of Coos, and finally, June 18, 1805, the area was still further reduced by the annexation of the whole of a tract known as "Nash and Sawyer's Location" to Coos county. After all these reductions, by an act of the legislature passed January 2, 1829, the boundaries of the county were fixed as follows, from which there has been made no material change :-

"Beginning on the westerly bank of Connecticut river at the southwesterly corner of Dalton ; thence on the westerly and southerly line of Dalton to Whitefield; thence on the westerly and southerly line of Whitefield to Bret- ton Woods [Carroll]; thence on the westerly and southerly lines of Bretton Woods and of Nash and Sawyer's Location to the southeasterly corner thereof ; thence southerly on a straight line across the unlocated lands to the line of

BOUNDARIES.

the county of Strafford at the northwesterly corner of Burton [Albany] ; thence southerly and westerly by the line of the county of Strafford to the southwest corner of Holderness, at the Pemigewassett or Merrimack river ; thence down said river to the north line of Franklin; thence westerly on the northerly lines of Franklin, Andover, Wilmot, Springfield, Grantham and Plainfield to the southwest corner of Lebanon, on the west bank of Connec- ticut river ; and thence northerly on said bank to the bound first mentioned."

This places the county's 1,463 square miles of territory between 43° 27' and 44° 22' north latitude and between 71° 20' and 72° 20' longitude west from Greenwich, bounded north by Coös county, east by Coos, Carroll and Belknap counties, south by Merrimack and Sullivan counties, and west by the west bank of the Connecticut river, its greatest length being fifty-eight miles and its greatest breadth thirty miles. It is divided into thirty-nine towns, twenty-nine of which were granted under King George III .- eleven in the second year of his unfortunate reign, in 1761-and ten under the State government, viz .: Alexandria, Ashland, Bath, Benton, Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Bristol, Campton, Canaan, Dorchester, Easton, Ellsworth, En- field, Franconia, Grafton, Groton, Hanover, Haverhill, Hebron, Holderness, Landaff, Lebanon, Lincoln, Lisbon, Littleton, Livermore, Lyman, Lyme, Monroe, Orange, Orford, Piermont, Plymouth, Rumney, Thornton, Warren, Waterville, Wentworth and Woodstock.

The surface of Grafton's territory, though greatly diversified and present- ing all shades of scenery from soft luxuriousness to Alpine grandeur, still affords large areas of arable, productive land. In the northern section are mountains belonging to the White Mountain range, Franconia mountains and Carrigain mountain; a little to the southwest, in Benton, is Moosilauke, tower- ing to an altitude of 4,811 feet, affording one of the finest prospects in the county, while at the east and southeast is a part of the Whiteface, in Water- ville, and the Campton mountains, in Campton and vicinity. The southern section, though rough and broken, partakes more of a hilly than a moun- tainous character. There are also several picturesque lakes scattered over the surface of the territory, while it is abundantly watered by several river systems. In the western section it is watered by the Connecticut and its tributaries, the largest of which are the Lower and Wild Ammonoosuc rivers, in the northern part, and Mascoma in the southern section. The Pemige- wassett and its branches water the central portion. The principal bodies of water are part of Squam lake, in the southeastern section, Newfound lake in the southern, and Mascoma in the southwestern portion. To be more definite in the description of these lakes and streams,-

The Lower Ammonoosuc has its source on the western side of the White Mountains ; thence passing west through the southern portion of Carroll and northern part of Bethlehem to Littleton ; thence in a southerly direction, through the easterly part of Littleton, the westerly part of Lisbon, diagonally through Bath, and joining the Connecticut near the westerly corner of Haverhill. A considerable stream coming from Lincoln and Franconia passes in a north-

GRAFTON COUNTY.

westerly direction and joins the Ammonoosuc in Lisbon. Two miles from its mouth it receives the Wild Ammonoosuc, coming from the northerly part of Benton through Landaff. The Lower Ammonoosuc is noted for its romantic falls in the vicinity of the White Mountains. It is said to be the wildest and most rapid stream in New Hampshire, having a fall of 5,000 feet in its mean- dering course of about fifty miles. It drains a surface of over 220,000 acres, or 344 square mile of territory.

Baker's river is formed by two branches uniting in Wentworth. The north branch has its source near Moosilauke mountain, in Benton, whence it flows, in a southerly course, through Warren, to Wentworth, receiving in its passage a considerable stream issuing from Baker's Upper pond, in the east- ern part of Orford. The south branch rises in Orange, thence flowing north through the easterly part of Dorchester, and uniting with the north branch at the easterly part of Wentworth ; thence it pursues a southeast and easterly course, through the southerly part of Rumney and northerly part of Plymouth, where it forms a junction with the Pemigewasset, just above Plymouth village. It drains a part or the whole of twelve towns, comprising an area of about 150,000 acres, and has an improved horse water-power of about 1, 250.

The Mascomy, or Mascoma, river has its rise in Dorchester, and thence flowing southerly through Canaan, it falls into the Mascoma lake, in Enfield ; thence it runs a westerly course through Lebanon, dropping into the Con- necticut opposite Hartford, Vt. The water-power is valuable on the stream before it reaches the lake, which has been dammed so as to make it a fine reservoir for the manufactories along the river from its outlet. In its course of about twenty-five miles, the river has a fall of over 600 feet and waters a territory of over 100,000 acres.

The Pemigewasset has its source in the White and Franconia mountains, and passes through, or borders the towns of Lincoln, Woodstock, Thornton, Campton, Plymouth, Holderness, Ashland Bridgewater and Bristol, this county, in its course to Franklin, where it unites with the Winnipiseogee river to form the Merrimack. Its most important tributaries are Baker's, Mad, New- found, Squam, and Smith's rivers. It drains the whole or part of thirty-three towns, covering on area of over 632,000 acres, or nearly 1,000 square miles.

Squam lake, the largest body of water, borders on the counties of Grafton, Belknap and Carroll ; and on the towns of Holderness, Sandwich, Moulton- borough and Center Harbor. It is about six miles long, and, in its widest part, three miles in width. It is a splendid sheet of water, studded with a succession of romantic islands. Its outlet is Squam river, which falls into the Pemigewasset, in Ashland.

Newfound lake is pleasantly located in the towns of Bridgewater, Bristol and Hebron. It is about seven miles long and three wide, and empties into the Pemigewasset, at Bristol, by Newfound river.

Mascomy, or Mascoma, lake is a handsome sheet of water lying in En- field. It is about four miles in length and a mile in width. The other streams,

GEOLOGICAL.

lakes and ponds of the county will be noticed in connection with the sketches of the towns wherein they are located.

GEOLOGICAL .*

Topography .- The foundation for correct knowledge of the geology of any · district is to be gained by a study of its elevations and depressions, or its to- pography. Two well-defined depressions call for notice-first, the valley of the Connecticut, and second, the valley of the Pemigewasset. The first consti- tutes the western boundary of the county. Connecticut river enters Little- ton at an altitude of 750 feet above the level of the sea. It falls 290 feet before reaching the mouth of the Passumpsic river, a distance of nine miles. From here to the southwest corner of Lebanon the fall is 140 feet, reaching to 320 feet above the sea. Excluding the falls at the upper part of the course, the descent is at the rate of two feet and a trifle more, per mile. The lowest part of the Pemigewasset river, in Ashland, is about 456 feet above the sea. It rises to nearly 2,000 feet at the Profile House, in the Franconia Notch, with very high mountains upon either side. The descent thence hortherly is to the Connecticut valley.

The Ammonosuc river has cut down as deep as the Connecticut, and hence there is a triangular territory between these two streams, rising to over 2,000 feet for the culminating ridge. As this is noted for its deposits of copper and gold, it has received the name of "Ammonoosuc mining district." East of the Pemigewasset the White Mountains show themselves, the higher peaks being as follows :-

Feet above sea level.

Mt. Lafayette

5,259.

Tripyramid. 4,200 to 4,000."

Twin mountain.

5,000.

Mt. Osceola,

4,400.

Mt. Lincoln

5,100.

Sandwich Dome 4,000.

Mt. Huntington 3,800. Mt. Guyot.

4:900.

Mt. Bond. 4,800.

Mt. Hitchcock 3,600.

Mt. Carrigan. 4,678.

Mt. Garfield 4,500.

Mt. Hancock

4,420.

Mt. Liberty. 4,500.

Mt. Willey

4,330.

Mt. Flume

4,500.

The following are the heights along the watershed of the Connecticut and Merrimack basins, beginning at the south line of the county and proceeding northerly :

Feet above sea level.

Prescott Hill, Grafton 1,700 Ford Hill, Grafton. 1,800 Summit N. R. R., Orange .... 990

Ridge east of Dorchester,

Canaan . 2,137

Valley, lowest point, Dor-

Hoyt Hill, Orange 1,700

chester 1,250

Road from Orange to Gro-

Smarts Mountain, Dorchester, 3,200 ton, Orange. . 1,600

Gap, Orford 1,438

* Prepared by Prof. Charles H. Hitchcock, of Dartmouth College.

Mt. Field 4,070.

GRAFTON COUNTY.

Feet above sea level.

Mt. Cuba. Orford 2,927

Watershed, S. E. of Indian

Pond, Orford. 1,100

Piermont Mtn., Piermont. . . 2,500

Road over Ore hill, Warren . . 1,542

Webster Slide Mtn., Warren. 2,210

Oliverian Notch, B. C. & M. R. R., Warren. 1,063

Mt. Moosilauke, Benton 4,81 1

Notch, 1,655

Mt. Kinsman, Lincoln 4,200

Profile Mountain, Franconia 3,850 Franconia Notch, Franconia 2,014 Mt. Lafayette, Franconia ... 5,259 Mt. Garfield, Franconia. 4,500

Gap, 3,000

Twin Mountain 4,920 New Zealand Notch, Liver- more 2, 123

Mt. Field, Livermore.

4,070

White Mountain Notch, near Crawford House. 1,914

The foundation of this water-shed is supposed to represent the oldest rock of the State, but it does not always appear at the surface. East of the Fran- conic Notch the mountains are mostly eruptive granites. Many of them are conical like the corresponding heaps of igneous debris collected around the vents of volcanoes at the present day.

Classification-The following table shows what groups of rocks exist in the county, arranged by age :-

STRATIFIED.

Paleozoic.

Niagara group, upper silurian. Coös group, mica schist and quartzites. Clay slate, cambrian. Kearsarge group and fibrolite mica schist. Auriferous clonglomerate, 1 Lyman group, Huronian. Lisbon group,

Eozoic.

Hornblende schist,

Montalban, upper Laurentian.

Lake group, middle Laurentian. Bethlehem group,

Azoic.

Porphyritic gneiss, lower Laurentian.

UNSTRATIFIED.

Basic.

Diabase. Diorite.

Gabbro.

Porphyry.

Acidic

Granite.

Syenite.

The Lowest Group .- The oldest rock seen anywhere in the county of State is a very coarse gneiss or granite. The minerals being alike in both these crystalline aggregates, it is necessary to determine whether they are arranged in parallel lines or are promiscously mixed together, if we would say gneiss or granite. Well-defined ledges of this age are easily recognized because of the

GEOLOGICAL.

large quadrangular blotches of light-colored feldspar which thickly pepper the mass and render the surface as conspicuous as the figures of a patch-work bed-quilt. These crystals vary from half of one to three inches in length. Quartz and feldspar are the essential constituents of the rock, while a third mineral is commonly white mica and rarely hornblende or chlorite. Black mica is the most common. Examination with a compound microscope some- times reveals the presence of apatite in fine needles, and long slender hairs of rutile in the quartz. 'T'he crystals of feldspar are often twined, that is, they have been cut in two along their greater length and one of the halves has been turned half way around. Inasmuch as the crystal is not rectangular, the halves do not match each other, and consquently reflect light differently on each side of the dividing plane.

The rock is ofter said to be porphyritic, because of a general resemblance to porphhyry. A porphyry usually consists of crystals, commonly feldspar, scattered through a fine grained material of the same composition ; but our gneiss is composed throughout of crystalline particles. It would, hence, be nearer proper to speak of it as an imitation, false or pseudo-porphyry. A Ger- man name for a part of it is augen or eye-gneiss, because a superadded group- ing of mica scales causes the white crystals to appear like eyes staring at va- cancy. If we carefully explore a section of this fundamental rock, we shall be perplexed to separate the granite from the gneiss, the two seeming to be in- terlocked and commingled inextricably. Perhaps the granite may represent the earlier condition, and the gneiss has been developed from it by pressure. Beds of a dark schist, sometimes carrying fibrolite, may be intermingled with the gneiss. Three areas of this ancient rock appear in the county. One is found in Grafton, Orange, Alexandria and Groton, the northern prolongation of the largest area of this rock yet mapped in New England. It is sixty-one miles long, reaching nearly to Massachusetts. The second extends from Ellsworth to Franconia, and is the foundation of the Moosilauke and Franconia moun- tains. The third is only ten miles in dia neter at Wing Road railroad junc- tion. As a rule, there is no inversion of the supposed strata. Sections in Groton, Ellsworth, Franconia and Bethlehem, represent the group as under- lying all the adjacent rocks.

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Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 1

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers Number of Pages: 1266

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers
Number of Pages: 1266