USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Claremont > History of the town of Claremont, New Hampshire, for a period of one hundred and thirty years from 1764 to 1894 > Part 1
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GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01095 9010
Gc 974.202 C54w
.
OTIS F. R. WAITE.
HISTORY
OF THE
TOWN OF CLAREMONT NEW HAMPSHIRE
FOR A PERIOD OF
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY YEARS FROM 1764 TO 1894
BY OTIS F. R. WAITE
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE TOWN
MANCHESTER, N. H. PRINTED BY THE JOHN B. CLARKE COMPANY 1895
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1895, BY THE TOWN OF CLAREMONT, N. H., In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
1154040
INTRODUCTION.
At the annual town-meeting in 1892, the question of a his- tory of Claremont being under consideration, and having heard the report of the committee previously appointed to investigate and report upon the subject, it was :
"Voted that the committee, viz., John S. Walker, Ira Colby, and George L. Balcom, be authorized to act as a committee to procure the writing and publication of a history of Claremont."
J. S. Cannes-
Agreeably to the authority thus conferred, the committee, on behalf of the town, contracted with Otis F. R. Waite to write and prepare such history, from the grant of the township and its settlement through all its subsequent growth and progress down to the close of 1894.
The work, completed, is now submitted to the approval of the town,
JOHN S. WALKER. IRA COLBY. GEORGE L. BALCOM.
Claremont, N. H., August, 1895.
ERRATA.
On page 138 the following names of graduates of Stevens High School should have been inserted.
1871.
Edward F. Barnes.
1872. Clarissa A. Bardwell. Annie E. Stone.
Imogene E. Barnes.
Cora E. Chellis.
1873.
Elizabeth W. Goddard.
Fannie A. Bailey.
Mary E. Partridge.
H. Maria Chase.
Kate M. Rossiter.
James P. Holt.
Marshall S. Rossiter.
Arthur G. Jones.
Julia E. Roys.
Fannie B. Jones.
Georgianna H. Tutherly. Emma J. Weed.
Ida B. Rossiter.
Mary E. Whitcomb.
Lilla A. Tutherly.
On page 290, insert Andrew J. Pierce, mustered into Co. G, 5th Regt. Oct. 12, 1861; dis - charged for disability, Oct. 28, 1862; pensioner.
Page 43, eleventh line, read Grandy instead of Grundy.
Ella B. Carroll.
Abbie E. Read.
Franklin N. Hunton.
PREFACE.
Sober and exact history is one thing, while imagination and ro- mance is quite another. In writing a history of Claremont from 1764 to 1894 - a period of one hundred and thirty years - which has been too long delayed - the author has relied upon town and other records, written history, and available tradition for his facts. Many who might have furnished valuable information of interest- ing and entertaining incidents of the early days of the settlement of the town and of the struggles, lives, and habits of the inhabit- ants of a century and a quarter ago, have long been numbered with the great majority and their records are to be found upon stones in the cemeteries. Tradition is generally unreliable, from the fact that the children and grandchildren of the early settlers know the stories they relate only from hearsay and, as a consequence, conflict in their statements of the same event. Information from this source has been examined with much care, with a view of arriving as nearly as possible at the exact truth.
It would be worse than idle to suppose that this history is en- tirely free from errors of statement or other mistakes, although they have been guarded against in all practicable ways ; but it is hoped that none will suffer from them.
Believing that the genealogy of families of any real value is impracticable, it has not been attempted ; but biographical sketches of many dead and living citizens are given in the last part of the
vi
PREFACE.
book. Others would have been noticed in a similar way had the necessary data been obtained. In these sketches the author has confined himself to ascertained facts, rather than resort to the use of rhetoric in the treatment of each subject of them.
To the many who have in any way assisted in this work, by fur- nishing data or otherwise, the author hereby tenders his grateful thanks.
O. F. R. W. July, 1895.
1
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Grant of the town - Division into shares - Names of grantees - Names of pro- prietors - Meetings of proprietors - Draught of lots . 9-25
CHAPTER II.
First settlement of the town - Burying yard and common - Taxes - Small-pox - Paper currency . 26-46
CHAPTER III.
New Hampshire grants - Vermont controversy - Letter from George Wash- ington - Petition of sundry inhabitants of Claremont . 27-58
CHAPTER IV.
Federal and state constitutions - Federal constitution - State constitution 59-66
CHAPTER V.
County of Sullivan
67-69
CHAPTER VI.
Boundaries - Natural characteristics - Localities - Village in 1822 .
70-77
CHAPTER VII.
Ecclesiastical - Congregational church - Settlement of Rev. George Wheaton - Will of Joel Richards 81-92
CHAPTER VIII.
Episcopal church - Division of the parish - Trinity church
.
·
93-110
viii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IX.
Baptist church - Methodist Episcopal church - Alterations and improvements of the church building - Junction camp-meeting grounds - Universalist church - St. Mary's church 111-129
CHAPTER X.
Schools and academies - Stevens high school - Mary J. Alden prizes - Rev. Virgil H. Barber's academy - Claremont academy . 133-143
CHAPTER XI.
Literary societies - Libraries - New Hampshire Historical Society - Newspa- pers - United Fraternity of Young Men - Fiske free library - Claremont Book Club -Private libraries - the Claremont Spectator - Independent Advocate - The Impartialist - The National Eagle - The Northern Ad- vocate - The Compendium 144-155
CHAPTER XII.
Farming interests - Family manufactures - Sullivan County Agricultural So- ciety - Market day and cattle fair- New Hampshire State Agricultural Society - Claremont - Farms . 156-182
CHAPTER XIII.
Town hill -Part of the town first settled
.
.
183-187
CHAPTER XIV.
Water power - Manufacturing and industrial interests - Monadnock mills - Sullivan Machinery Company - Sugar River Paper Mill Company - The Claremont Manufacturing Company - Slipper shop-Sugar River Mills Company - The Home mill - The Emerson-Heyward privilege - The Sulli- van Manufacturing Company - The old knife-factory privilege - The Lower Falls Company - The Lafayette privilege - The old Meacham factory - Freeman & O'Neil Manufacturing Company - The Maynard & Washburn shoe factory - The Eastman tannery - Carpet factory - The S. T. Coy Pa- per Company - Benjamin Tyler's smelting and iron works - The Gilmore edge tool works - Flax mill - The Grannis lumber mill - Shoe manufactur- ing - Claremont creamery . 191-212
ix
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XV.
Revolutionary War - Stamp act-Sons of Liberty - Duty act - Arrests on charge of Toryism - False alarm - Arrest of William McCoy - Another alarm - Claremont men engaged -Capt. Oliver Ashley's company 215-241
CHAPTER XVI.
The war of 1812 and Texan wars - Volunteers from Claremont - Capt. Joseph Kimball's company - Capt. Reuben Marsh's company . . 242-246
CHAPTER XVII.
War of the Rebellion - Assault on Fort Sumter - Meetings of citizens - Vol- unteers - Home guard - Meeting of condolence - County war meeting - The draft - Claremont's quota of soldiers - Ladies' Soldiers' Aid societies - Auxiliary sanitary commission -Thanksgiving to soldiers' families
247-269
CHAPTER XVIII.
Soldiers' monument - Financial statement . 270-279 .
CHAPTER XIX.
Memorial tablets - Citizen soldiers who have been killed or died in the war of 1861-1865 . 280-302
CHAPTER XX.
National, state, county, and town officers - Representatives in congress - Presi- dential electors - United States marshal - Members of the governor's council - Railroad commissioners - Insurance commissioner -- State sena- tors - Speakers of the house - Clerk of the house - Engrossing clerk - Judges of the supreme court - Judges of probate - Register of probate - - County treasurers - Sheriff's - County solicitors - Road commissioners - County commissioners -Town officers from 1768 to 1894 - Moderators -Town clerks - Selectmen - Representatives 303-313
CHAPTER XXI.
Marriages - Births - Deaths, prior to 1797 314-324
CHAPTER XXII.
Licensed liquor sellers and tavern keepers . . . 325-331
X
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Lawyers and physicians - Brief records .
332-335 .
CHAPTER XXIV.
Fires - Casualties - Freshets - Lightning - Tornadoes - Earthquake - Mur- ders
. 336-344
CHAPTER XXV.
Postal service - Banks - Railroads - List of postmasters in Claremont - Sum- nerville- West Claremont -Claremont Junction - The Claremont bank - The People's National bank-Sullivan Savings Institution -- Sullivan County railroad - Concord and Claremont railroad - Windsor and Forest Line rail- road - Claremont and White River Junction railroad - Black River railroad 345-351
CHAPTER XXVI.
Town hall - Cottage hospital - Highways and bridges - Ashley ferry - Lot- tery bridge - Turnpike . . 352-360
CHAPTER XXVII.
Death of Presidents William H. Harrison, Abraham Lincoln, and Ulysses S. Grant
361-365
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Secret societies - Masonic organizations - Hiram Lodge, No. 9 -Union Mark Lodge, No. 1 - Webb Royal Arch Chapter - Columbian Council, No. 2 - Sullivan Commandery-Odd Fellows- Sullivan Lodge, No. 12- Knights of Pythias - Grand Army - Major Jarvis Post, No. 12 - Patrons of Husbandry 366-369 .
CHAPTER XXIX.
Marks of cattle, sheep, and swine - Musical reminiscences - Western New Hampshire Musical association - Coaching party - Speculation times - West Claremont Cadets - Visit of General Lafayette - Unusual seasons - The cold season - Army worm - Flood - Carnival of coasting - Large elm tree - First muster . 361-384
CHAPTER XXX.
Biographical sketches
· 387-500
INDEX OF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Abel, Dr. Truman
387 | Chase, Dudley T. 406
Ainsworths
387
Chapin, Bela
407
Alden family
388 Chellis, Burt
409
Ezra B. .
390 Clark, William 409
Levi
388
Colby, Ira . 410
Levi, 2d .
389
Cole, Samuel
411
Louisa M.
388
Cooke, Capt. John
411
Lucinda C.
390
Cossit, Ambrose 413
Thomas W.
389
Ambrose, Jr. . 413
Allen, Dr. Arthur N. .
390
Cummings, Dr. Alvah R. .
414
William H. H. .
390
Dexter, Col. David
414
Ashley, Samuel
392
Dickinson, Aurelius
415
Austin, William P.
393
Dole, Edmund
416
Baker, Dr. Cyrus E. . Edward D.
394
Dustin, Mighill .
418
Balcom, George L.
395
Moody
417
Barnes, Bill
398
Dowlin, Dr. Winefred M. 418
418
Bingham, Charles M. James H. .
400
Eastman, Charles H. Timothy
418
Bond, Daniel
401
Ellis, Barnabas .
419
Daniel, Jr.
401
Caleb
420
George
402
William
420
Job .
402
Emerson, John T.
422
Bowker. Daniel S.
402
Farley, Harriet N.
423
Breck, William .
402
Farwell, George N. .
424
Brown, Oscar J.
377
George N., 2d
426
Bunnell, Abel
404
John L.
425
Charlton, Edwin A.
405
Nicholas
423
Chase, Arthur
406
Fay, Harry C. .
426
Rev. Dr. Carlton
405
Fisher, Leonard P.
426
Daniel
406
Fiske, Samuel
427
394
Lemuel 415
Balloch, George W. .
399
Thomas and Timothy 417
401
2
INDEX OF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Fiske, Samuel P.
427
Ladd, Dr. William M.
446
Freeman, Philander C.
428 Leland, Charles
446
Fuller, Samuel W.
428
Leland, Thomas
447
Gardiner, Col. Alexander
429
Lewis, George G.
447
Gates, James M.
429
Livingston, Jonas
449
Gilmore, Hiram
429
Locke, Francis .
449
Leonard
429
Long, Charles H.
449
Glidden, Charles E. .
431
Lovell, Michael
450
Gen. Erastus
430
Lovering, Leonard A.
451
Goddard, Edward L. .
431
Marden, Albert L.
451
Maynard, Frank P. .
452
Nathaniel
432 McClure, Milon C. .
451
Grannis, Solon C.
433 Metcalf, Gov. Ralph .
452
Timothy
432
Moody, William H. H.
453
Timothy, Jr.
432
Noyes, Chase
454
Graves, Dr. Leland J.
433
Parker, Hosea W.
455
Handerson, Gideon
434
Patten, Henry .
457
Phinehas
434
Ralston, Alexander
457
Rufus
435
Rand, Samuel S.
458
Hart, Ichabod
435
Richards, Dr. Josiah
458
Hitchcock, Ichabod
436
Rossiter, Sherman
459
Holt, Hermon
436
Pomeroy M.
460
Dr. James P.
436
Stephen F. .
461
Holton, Asa
437
Timothy B. William
460
Sabine, Dr. Silas H. .
461
Sankee, Simeon
462
Ide, Simeon
Smith, Rev. Henry S. Dr. Nathan
463
Dr. Leonard, 2d
442
Snow, Alpheus F.
464
Russell
441
Stevens, Alvah .
466
Col. Russell
441
Godfrey
465
Dr. Samuel G.
442
Col. Josiah
464
Jewett, Frederick
443
Dea. Josiah
465
John W.
444
Paran
466
Marcus L.
443
Stone, Dea. Matthias .
468
Johnson, Daniel W.
444
Stowell, George H. Swett, Josiah
470
Parmer
445
Rev. Josiah
471
Kimball, John .
445
Josiah, Jr.
470
Kingsbury, Sanford
446
Dr. John L.
470
461
Howe, Rev. James B.
437
Hubbard, Isaac .
438
Rev. Dr. Isaac G.
438
439
Jarvis, Dr. Leonard .
441
John
443
Linus .
468
469
Miles
444
462
Goss, Joel .
432
3
INDEX OF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Sumner, Col. Benjamin
471
Upham, James P. 485
Dr. William
·
471
Samuel R.
485
Tappan, John W.
471
Vaughan, Edwin
299
Taylor, Capt. Joseph
472
Waite, Col. Joseph 486 Otis F. R. 490
Tenney, Amos J. .
473
Walker, Horace Eaton John S. 490
493
Ticknor, George
Thomas, John
475
Warner, Thomas
494
Tolles, Dr. Clarence W.
476 Way, Dr. Osmon B. . 495
Dr. Nathaniel
475
Weber, Joseph . 495
Tutherly, Herbert E.
477
Whitcomb, Dea. Jonathan 496
William E.
476
Whipple, John M. 495
Tyler, Austin ·
Col. Benjamin
477
John
John, 2d
479
Nahum 498
Upham, George B.
480
Woolson, Charles J. 499
Jabez .
483
Constance Fenimore . 500
Dr. J. Baxter
484
Thomas
498
Edward J. George A.
473
474
474 Warland, John H. 493
479
Wilkinson, Dr. Frederick C. 496
Williamson, Alonzo B. 499
479
Wilson, Josiah . 497
-
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Maps-
Town of Claremont
9
Claremont Post-office
71
Claremont Village .
167
Views of -
Village, from Flat rock . 29
John Tyler house, W. Claremont 41
Hira R. Beckwith's residence 71
The Bill Barnes homestead
73
East side of Tremont square . 73
Upper iron bridge . 75
George H. Stowell's residence Dr. Osmon B. Way's residence
Congregational church .
Union church, West Claremont Interior of Union church 99
Trinity church .
105
Baptist church 110
Methodist church 114
Universalist church
125
From High street, in 1846 127
St. Mary's church 129
Stevens High School
135
Sugar river at high water 141
Fiske Free Library 147
Cupola farm, Pomeroy M. Rossiter 171 Broad street 174
Soldiers' Monument 175 Highland View, W. H. H. Moody 177 The Capt. John Cooke farmhouse 180 Shoe shop dam 191
Monadnock mills 195 .
Sugar River paper mill 197
Sullivan Machinery Co.'s works 201
Sullivan mills, Geo. L. Balcom 203 Maynard & Washburn shoe fac-
tory
205
Stone watering trough 223
George N. Farwell's residence 227 Hosea W. Parker's residence 273
Union block 329
Heywood's and Rand's blocks 331
95 Hunton's block 331
Hotel Claremont block 333
Tremont House, in 1870 337
Claremont National bank 347
Sullivan Railroad high bridge 351
Town House, in 1850 353
Cottage Hospital . 355
Lower village and bridge 356
Upper dam, and Green Moun- tains 359
Coaching party 375
Central street .
379
Frank P. Maynard's residence 427
-
77
78 81
6
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Portrait of William H. H. Allen 391
Portrait of Rev. Robt. F. Lawrence 91
George L. Balcom . 395
Francis Locke . · 449
Geo. W. Balloch 399
Charles M. Bingham 401
William Breck 403
Oscar J. Brown
375
Hosea W. Parker 455
Bela Chapin .
407
Dr. Josiah Richards 459
Pomeroy M. Rossiter 172
George H. Stowell . 469
Ira Colby
411
Ambrose Cossit
413
Paran Stevens
135
John T. Emerson
423
Dr. Clarence W. Tolles Dr. Nathaniel Tolles
475
George N. Farwell .
425
Edward J. Tenney . 473
John L. Farwell
347
John Tyler, 1st ·
479
Samuel P. Fiske
149
John Tyler, 2d 197
Philander C. Freeman
429
George B. Upham 481
Erastus Glidden
431
Dr. J. Baxter Upham 173
Isaac Hubbard
178
James P. Upham .
196
Rev. Isaac G. Hubbard
97
Edwin Vaughan 297
Rev. James B. Howe
437
Otis F. R. Waite, Fr'ntisp'ce
Simeon Ide
199
John S. Walker 491
Dr. Leonard Jarvis
441
Dr. Osmon B. Way . 494
Dr. Samuel G. Jarvis
443
Joseph Weber . 155
Daniel W. Johnson
195
Charles H. Long . 279 Frank P. Maynard . 205 William H. H. Moody 176
Bishop Carlton Chase
109
William Clark
409
Rev. Henry S. Smith 105
477
Harry C. Fay .
153
EARLY HISTORY.
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
CHAPTER I.
GRANT OF THE TOWN. - DIVISION INTO SHARES.
By the proprietors' book of records it appears that on October 26, A. D. 1764, a township six miles square, containing twenty-four thousand acres, and named Claremont, was granted to Josiah Wil- lard, Samuel Ashley, and sixty-eight others. The name of the town was derived from the county seat of Lord Clive, a celebrated English general, who was styled the founder of the British Empire in India. The following is a verbatim copy of the charter :
PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
George the Third, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c.
To all persons to whom these Presents shall come greeting, know ye that we of our Especial Grace certain knowledge and mere Motion for the Due En- couragement of Settling a New Plantation within our s'd Province, by and with the Advice of our Trusty and well Beloved Benning Wentworth, Esqr., our Governor and Commander-in-chief of s'd Province of New Hampshire, in New England, and of our Council of the s'd Province, have, upon the Conditions and Reservations hereinafter made, given and Granted, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and Successors, Do give and grant in Equal Shares unto our loving subjects, Inhabitants of s'd Province of New Hampshire and our other Govern- ment, and to their Heirs and Assigns forever whose names are entered in this Grant, to be divided to and amongst them into 75 Equal Shares, all the Tract or Parcel of Land Situate, Lying and Being within our,s'd Province of New Hamp- shire, containing by admeasurement, 24,000 acres, which Tract is to Contain
2
10
HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
about Six Miles square and no More, out of which an allowance is to Be made for highways and unimproved Lands, by Rocks, Ponds, Mountains and Rivers, 1040 acres, free, according to a Plan and Survey thereof made by our said Gov- ernor's order and returned into ye Secretary's office, and hereunto Annexed, Butted and Bounded as Follows (viz.) : Beginning at a marked Tree Standing on the Easterly Bank of Connecticut River, which is in the Northwesterly corner bounds of Charlestown ; from thence running South 78° Easterly about 6 miles, and one-half mile to the Southwesterly angle of Newport; from thence Turning off and running North 8° Easterly about 5 miles, and seven-eighths of a mile by Newport, aforesaid, to the Southwesterly angle of Cornish; thence turning off again and running North 77º Westerly about 6 miles, by Cornish, aforesaid, to Connecticut River, aforcesaid ; thence Down the said River, as that runs, to the Bound Begun at, together with the Islands lying in the Said River opposite to the Premises, and that the same be and hereby is Incorporated into the Town- ship by ye name of CLAREMONT, and the Inhabitants that Do or shall henceforth Inhabit the said Township are hereby Declared to be Enfranchised with and Entitled To, all and Every, the Privileges and Immunities that other Towns within our Province by Law Exercise and Enjoy, and Further, that the s'd Town, as soon as there shall Be fifty Families Resident and settled thercon, shall have the Liberty of holding two Fairs, one of which shall be on the and the
other in the - -, annually, which Fairs are not to be continued longer than the -. Following the said, and that, as soon as the said Town shall con- sist of Fifty Families, a market May be opened and kept one or more Days in Each Week, as may be thought most advantageous to the Inhabitants ; also, that the First meeting for the choice of Town Officers, agreeable to the Law of our said Province, shall be held on ye Second Tuesday of March Next, which s'd Meeting shall be Notified by Samuel Ashley, who is hereby appointed the Moderator of s'd first Meeting, which he is to Notify and Govern agreeably to Law and Customs of our s'd Province, and that the annual Meeting forever here- after for the Choice of such officers for the said Town shall be on the Second Tuesday of March, annually, To HAVE AND TO HOLD the s'd Tract of land as above Expressed, together with all the Privileges and Appurtenances to them, and their Representative Heirs and Assigns forever, upon the following conditions (viz.) :
1stly. That every grantee, his heirs or assigns, shall plant and cultivate Five acres of Land within the Term of Five years for every fifty acres contained in his or their share or proportion of Land in said Township, and Continue to Improve and Settle the Same By additional Cultivations, Penalty of the For- feiture of his grant or Share of Land in said Township, and of its Reverting to us, our heirs and Successors, to be by us or them Regranted to such of our Subjects as shall Effectually Settle and Cultivate the same.
2dly. That all white and other pine Trees within ye s'd Township fit for Masting our Royal Navy be Carefully Preserved for that use, and none to be
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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.
Cut or Felled without our Special License for so doing first had and obtained, upon the Penalty of the Forfeiture of the Rights of such grantee, his heirs and assigns, to us, our heirs and successors, as well as being subject to the Penalty of any act or acts of Parliament that now and hereafter shall be Enacted.
3dly. That before any Division of s'd Land be made to and among the Grantees, a Tract of Land, as near the Centre of ye s'd Township as the Land will admit of, shall be Reserved and marked out for Town Lots, one of which shall (be) allotted to each Grantee of the Contents of one acre.
4thly. Yielding and paying, therefor, to us, our heirs and successors for the Space of Ten Years, to be Computed from the Date hereof, the rent of one ear of Indian Corn only, on the Twenty-fifth day of December, annually, if Law- fully Demanded, the First payment to be made on ye 25th Day of December, 1764.
5thly. Every Proprietor, Settler or Inhabitant Shall Yield and pay unto us, our heirs and successors, yearly and every year forever, from and after the ex- piration of Ten Years from the above s'd 25th Day of December, namely, on the 25th Day of December, which will be in the Year of our Lord 1774, one Shilling Proclamation Money for every hundred acres he so owns, settles or Possesses, and so in proportion for a greater or lesser Tract of ye s'd Land, which money shall be Paid by the Representative Persons above s'd, their heirs or assigns, in our Council Chamber at Portsmouth, or to such officer or officers as shall be appointed to Receive the same, and this is to be in Lieu of all other rents and services whatsoever.
IN TESTIMONY whereof, we have caused the Scal of our s'd Province to be hereunto affixed.
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