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OLD NEWMARKET
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00056 0869
So Arme Humphrey From A. P. George
march 18 1936
OLD NEWMARKET NEW HAMPSHIRE
Historical Sketches
BY NELLIE PALMER GEORGE
EXETER, N. H. The Dems-Letter Press 1932
Copyright 1932 By Nellie Palmer George
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FOREWORD
Interest in my native town prompts me to pass on the records and incidents of past years which I have collected. The town's normal growth and activities, the good work of churches, schools, orders, and the general interests of citizens in the welfare of the town have here received slight notice. The temptation to give undue prominence to cer- tain picturesque characters and events has prevailed.
Newmarket has always had a full quota of good citizens, ministers, teachers, doctors and lawyers. Our boys and girls have made good in citizenship, professions and business, settling in many States but true in allegiance and affection for old Newmarket.
Having always called Newmarket my home, and hav- ing seen six generations of ancestors and descendants living here, the urge is strong to leave these pages as my contribution for the use of a future historian of Newmarket.
A town without a written history naturally acquires an inferiority complex, like a man without knowledge of his parentage or ancestry.
Two well preserved maps bearing date 1817 and 1832 have given accurate information. Rubbish from the floor of the dim, little attic of the "Wiggin Doe House" yielded torn and faded scraps of paper historically valuable.
" 'Tis man's worst deed to let the things that have been go to waste."
NELLIE PALMER GEORGE.
CONTENTS
Page
LAMPREY RIVER SETTLEMENT 7 OLD ROADS AND LOCATIONS . 13
THE PASTORATE OF REV. JOHN MOODY 18 INSTITUTIONS AND INDUSTRIES 25 SHIPBUILDING. 30
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR 35
LAWS AND A LAW BREAKER . 43 A HORSE STORY 47
WAR OF 1812 . 50
OLD RESIDENTS AND THEIR HOMES
52
A NEW INDUSTRY AND A LAWSUIT 61
EARLY MILL METHODS . 71
A NUMBER OF THINGS .
77
TOWN BUSINESS AND INCIDENTS 80
SUBSEQUENT CHANGES AND EVENTS 84
THE VILLAGE CHURCHES . 93
STAGE COACH DAYS 101
FIRE ENGINES . 103
THE BIG FIRE 105
SCHOOLS
108
PACKETS, GONDOLAS AND A RAILROAD 113
HARD TIMES
. 118
INCIDENTS AND A MAP 122
THE EIGHTEEN SIXTIES
127
.
LAMPREY RIVER SETTLEMENT
It is very useful in making one's way through life to be ready and able to do two things: To look forward and to look backward. This applies to towns as well as to individuals. As this year, 1932, is somewhat discouraging to those who are looking forward for better industrial con- ditions, it may be at least interesting to look backward to the early history of Newmarket.
Those of you who are nearing the age of poll tax exemption have the good fortune to bear the memory of a most extraordinary time. You are still young enough to hope to live to see changes for the better in world conditions, and you are old enough to remember when the world was without what now seem indispensable appliances of life, and without some of its most familiar institutions. In large measure the possibilities of yesterday have become the realities of today. We are an expectant people. Noth- ing in material inventions or in the discoveries of science surprises us.
In these tercentenary years we are not strangers to the character and customs of our forefathers, some of whom were the early settlers at Lamprey River, the Newmarket of today. They had that spirit of determined independ- ence which flowed in the pioneer blood.
In 1639 Edward Hilton had removed from his settle- ment at Dover Point, and in December of that year had
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built his house a short distance to the south of Lamprey River on the banks of the Squamscott "in the New Fields." Exeter, of which Lamprey River and the New Fields were a part, was a frontier town, and the dense, pine woods stretched away almost without a break north and east to Canada. Our early history is a part of the early history of the mother town.
If we would mentally see the first Lamprey River set- tlement, we must erase from our minds the highways, the dwellings of today, and all the landmarks of civilization. Can you close your eyes and see the foot-paths of the pioneers and the Indian trails through the woods where are now the streets and dwellings of men? Can you shut out the noise of industry and traffic and hear only the sounds of nature? The Indians glided in their canoes up and down the Lamprey and Piscassic Rivers. They hunted along the shores of Great Bay and fished in its waters. As they filed through its woods they made no sound to startle bird or beast.
The pioneers who settled here found peaceful Indians of the Squamscott tribe. Their wigwams skirted the east bank of the Lamprey below the First Falls, a most desir- able situation with high sheltered land for the wigwams and a sloping shore for launching canoes. In the Spring, large shoals of alewives came up the river with the tide, and "porgies," rich in oil, could be taken in quantities with rude dip-nets. The clam and oyster beds and the good fishing of the Bay could be quickly and easily reached.
"The Indian hunter here his shelter found, Here cut his bow and shaped his arrow true, Here built his wigwam and his birch canoe, Speared the quick salmon leaping up the fall And killed the deer without the rifle ball."
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Above the falls on the west bank of the river in one of nature's clear spaces were the Indian Graves. The fans of our baseball team seem to simulate the war-whoops of the tribe whose burial place is near by. These locations are quite definitely fixed by boundaries given in early deeds of land.
It is recorded that in 1672 these Indians left the Lamprey and migrated to the Hudson River. Then the Tarranteens, Pequakets, and other tribes joined King Philip's forces, and warfare began in 1675. Many were killed in ambush and midnight attacks. Here and there, long distances apart, were garrisons. Edward Hilton's stood near his home in the field near the grave-yard where now Hiltons of nine generations are buried. The Hall Garrison was a brick house on a hill in the southern part of Newfields. At the junction of the Newmarket and Stratham highways on what is now known as Fowler's Hill, Captain William Hilton built a garrison in 1680. It was a log house surrounded by a palisade. In this enclosure was a barn with a sentry box at the top. In the attack of July 10, 1690, the sentry had fallen asleep while the men haying in the field were suddenly surrounded by Indians. At this time nine men were killed. They were buried in one grave on the southwest slope of the hill. One mile nearer the settlement of Lamprey River on a hill to the east Jeremiah Folsom built a brick garrison in 1719. This was demolished in 1874. The Constantine B. Mathes house stands on the site of the old garrison, and is somewhat like it in proportions.
On the 26th day of April, 1704, a party of Indians who had previously raided Oyster River settlement, destroyed
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the home of Edward Taylor at Lamprey River, killing him and his oldest daughter and taking his wife, Rebecca, with a son and daughter, captives to Canada. Later, the mother and daughter were returned to Lamprey River. The daughter became the wife of Aaron Rollins. Their home was opposite the northwest corner of Riverside Cemetery where the house formerly owned by Joseph D. Stott stands. On the night of the 29th of August, 1723, eighteen Indians attacked this home. Aaron and his twelve-year-old daugh- ter were killed. Mrs. Rollins, the son and one daughter were taken captive. No Indian raids occurred at Lamprey River after 1723, but the settlement from time to time was called to furnish men for scouting and the fear of Indians was always present.
In 1729 Colonel Joseph Smith built a three-story brick house. It stood where now the Catholic Church is. It was intended to be used as a garrison. There is no record of its use as such. The bricks were made near the train- ing stable formerly owned by John E. Kent. While this house was building there were rumors of raiding Indians, and to hasten the work the women of the neighborhood put on stout leather aprons and carried the bricks from the yard to the building. Many years later this house was owned by Mead and Cheswell. Afterward it was known as Lovering's Tavern, and later still as the Dr. George W. Kittredge place.
In the vicinity of Newmarket were salt marshes of much value to the pioneers. Cattle could live on the salt hay. The scanty clearings were needed for planting. You can not raise a crop of hay in the woods, hence the value of these marsh lands.
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These pioneers in coming to New England were urged by the love of land as well as by the love of liberty. They left a land of political strife, the authority of the established church, and the strictly limited ownership of land that they might enjoy their own brand of religious liberty and possess land in abundance.
At the first business meeting of the Exeter Combina- tion in December, 1639, security was given Edward Hilton, in his claim of marsh, upland and meadow, and a just division was made of the remaining marsh land among the thirty-seven heads of families in the town of Exeter. It is evident that these pioneers possessed the speculative spirit, and with no stock or bond market their only outlet was the land. Edward Hilton's estate was one mile square. John Gilman owned two thousand and sixty acres. Nine Lamprey River men not only had large tracts of land here and in Newfields but were among the original proprietors of Pawtuckaway, the township of Nottingham.
"On the nineteenth of May, 1644, it was agreed that the town's people procure a bridge over Lamprey River." Before action could be taken on this agreement the settle- ment at Dover had laid claim to the Durham side shore of the river and to meadow lands claimed by Exeter. In 1647, both towns were fined by the provincial court "for failure to keep up a bridge over Lamprey River." Dover was fined five pounds, Exeter thirty shillings. The lesser fine would seem to indicate that Exeter had made a gesture towards doing her share. These difficulties were settled for a time. In 1712 Dover voted to give 25 pounds for building a boom over Lamprey River. In 1721 "the stand- ing bridge over Lamprey River was washed away by a freshette for want of a firm foundation." In 1722 the
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town of Dover sent to Governor Shute a petition to have the bridging of Lamprey River made a Province charge. This endeavor failed. A boom or floating bridge assisted the people to cross the river, and for two years the town licensed Philip Crummet to run a ferry below the First Falls at the rate of two pence for every person, and six pence for a man and a horse. This condition continued until July 12, 1723, when "a committee did view and find out which in their best judgment is the best place to put a bridge over Lamprey River." At a public meeting they reported: "We, according to our understanding, think the most proper place for a bridge over Lamprey River is at Picked Rock above the dam on said River." In 1771 the selectmen of Durham and Newmarket agreed "to widen and straighten the bridge and extend the pier of rocks on either side so far above and below Picked Rock as will most conveniently agree with the piers already built." Today the iron bridge crosses the river where it did in 1644, but at a different level. The hill on either side of the bridge then, and for many years afterward, was steep and long. When the iron bridge replaced the narrow bridge of wood, the road was made wider and the hills laid low. The Picked Rock was made a part of the south abutment and its position exactly indicated and recorded.
When I was a child, tall, dark pines stood near the northwest corner of the bridge, and close by, a huge boulder bore a dark and ugly stain. I venture to say that every child in town knew the legend-how the Indians on the way to Canada with their captives were here annoyed by the crying of a little child; so they hurled it to its death against this rock. There was the stain of its blood! And with children "seeing is believing."
OLD ROADS AND LOCATIONS
In 1657 there were "conveiente cart ways going from the upper to the lower falls of the Lamprey." Two years later mention is made of "a way going to Wadleys upon a pine plain to an Indian field;" also "an Indian path, Lamprey River being the old path;" later, "a pretty good cart way to Lamprey River" is mentioned. An early town warrant calls for a road to be laid out "where the sled path goes through in Winter"-somewhat difficult now to locate.
In 1745 the Provincial Government of New Hampshire voted "that five hundred pairs of snow shoes and an equal number of mocasons be furnished to the inhabitants of Exeter and Newmarket at the expense of the Province, these to be kept at a convenient place in each town for the use of the inhabitants." Long periods of deep snow when communication between settlements was made only on foot required this planning and forethought.
One of the early cart ways went from Lee Hill through Lee Hook to Piscassic River. The crossing was near the entrance to Hersey Lane. No bridge was built, but the rocks in the bed of the river made a good ford. From there the road followed Hersey Lane 'till it joined Exeter Road near the Lieutenant John Burley place, thence to Hilton's Ferry.
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In 1752 the road from Lamprey River Village to the grant at Wadleys was duly laid out. I copy a part of the petition because it so plainly shows how a pathway from one neighbor's house to another in time develops into a town highway. This petition prayed "that a road be laid out from the waterside at Lamprey River to the line at Wadleys Grant . . . as the way now goes up the path on the southerly side of Joseph Smith's house to Deacon Joseph Judkins' house, and on the north of William Tay- lor's house to Piscassic Bridge, and then between Samuel Brackett's house and barn to between Mrs. Dooley's barn and Joseph Smart's house, and so on as the way goes up the path on the north of John Palmer's, following the path to the said Wadley's line."
Ash Swamp Road was a lane or path from earliest times. In 1767 it was duly laid out "as the path now goes through what a way has been used time out of mind."
The old road from Exeter to Durham joined the main road in Newmarket as it does now, at Depot Square, con- tinuing northeasterly to the town landing and following the bank of salt river through what is now the Newmarket Manufacturing Company's yard and turning northwesterly to Lamprey River bridge by the company's present exit.'
The earliest road to Oyster River turned from Picked Rock Bridge to the right towards the Bay, following the line of the present Lubberland Road. This road led to Furber's Ferry. A branch road connected with the Long Marsh Road, which road turned towards Oyster River, joined by the Packers Falls Road about where the junction with the main road is today. The cross road from Lubber- land towards the Long Marsh Road probably was what
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nowadays is spoken of as Simon's Lane. This Simon's Lane well illustrates how names persist and sometimes become obscure. Many years ago this road was laid out three rods wide. It had stone walls on either side. Its well-built, stone culverts are still in place, although large trees stand where the wheel tracks were. The stone walls are but a remnant overgrown with the mold of nearly two centuries. This path is hardly distinguishable, although it was once a much travelled road. On an old map, this highway is marked "Simon's Lane." In looking over ancient deeds of land it was found that this road led to the house of Simon S. Laine. A later deed mentioned Simon S. Laine's road. For more than a hundred years it has been called Simon's Lane. In this case exchange was robbery. For Laine, the man, was changed to Lane, a road or path; but the middle letter, S., gave Simon full possession.
A road from Lamprey River Bridge to the grist mill at Piscassic cut through the Smith and Chapman farms to a saw and grist mill where the pumping station now is. In old records this is called Piscassic Road. At one point a clear, copious spring of water flowed; and the people in this part of the town early walled it in and placed a pump over it. When the needs of the people called for a way from Piscassic Road to the main thoroughfare they called this new highway Spring Pump Road. We call it Spring Street.
We should be reminded that when landmarks are removed and new features are established we soon forget old locations. The younger generation see only present aspects. Thus a town loses its topographical history. In early times a green hill rising gradually from the riverside
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extended to the west as far as what is now Spring Street, south to Central Street, north to Lamprey River Bridge. The highest elevation was later called High Street. Over this hill a foot path led to the home of Wiggin Doe on the east side of the hill. On the west side were the homes of Daniel Cram, J. S. Pindar, Captain Doe, Benjamin Savage and Daniel Chapman. Walter Bryant's home was on the southeast end of the hill. The Bryant graveyard was west of his home near the top of the hill. All of this land later made way for Elm, High and Central Streets, and now the new mill extends over all this ground. The hill has lost the elevation of former years along with its beauty and verdure. The view of the river and the pine woods beyond, the rocky bed of the troubled waters below the first falls, is not in evidence today. Old maps and deeds give us the "lay of the land" before 1823.
The names of those who took up grants of land or early settled here have persisted because then, more than at present, locations were associated with possession. Lands remained in the family, for people did not move from place to place as they do nowadays. We speak of Wadley's and Packer's Falls. Before 1666 Robert Wadley was given a grant of land at the upper falls of the Lamprey, since known by his name. Thomas Packer, the father of Sheriff Packer, who hung Ruth Blay, settled near the sec- ond falls. They still bear his name. Ffollet's and Solon's Brooks, Moody's and Shackford's Points are familiar names. In Harry Watson's pasture above Shackford's Point, near the mouth of the river, is the old Shackford graveyard. Inscriptions on the stones are still legible.
Ffollet's Brook is now the town's main water supply.
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Francis Ffollet was an early land owner here. One win- ter some of the people were afflicted with small pox. The town rented a small, isolated house on his farm for these sick folks. The receipt given to the town acknowledging payment for rent reads: "For payment in full for all dam- age for the Past House on my farm by said house being improved by the small pox .- FRANCIS FFOLLET."
THE PASTORATE OF REV. JOHN MOODY
During the long years from 1639 to 1727 the folks at Lamprey River settlement became dissatisfied to travel so far to the meeting house at Exeter. They did not want to pay their church tax and have their minister so far away from their homes. Often they were compelled to call upon the pastor at Oyster River for services due from their own minister. So, in 1727 thirty good men peti- tioned to be set off as a separate parish to be called New- Market. Their request was granted. At that time there were seventy-eight ratable polls in Newfields and Lamprey River settlements. These two villages combined formed the parish of New-Market. Immediately it was voted to build a meeting house at the center of the parish. This house was built where the burial ground is, perhaps a little over one hundred rods south of the present Rockingham railroad station. There is no record of the expense of building this first meeting house or of the plan of its con- struction. Seventy years later a new house of worship was required. It was built one hundred rods north of its former location at the junction of the Exeter and Ash Swamp roads, and this, the records say, was the center of the town.
Between the years 1727 and 1737 New-Market was a
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parish separate from Exeter for church purposes only ; but by act of the General Assembly in September, 1737, the parish of New-Market was granted full township rights.
The larger part of the records, from 1728 to 1777, relate to the pastorate of Rev. John Moody, the first minis- ter of New-Market. He was a man of education and refine- ment, an eloquent preacher, a valued associate of the ministerial body, a confidential and life-long friend of Rev. Eleazer Wheelock, who founded the Moore Indian Charity School at Lebanon, Connecticut.
When the Rev. Eleazer Wheelock revealed his plan to send Samson Orcutt to England in the interest of this school, the plan was heartily endorsed by Rev. John Moody.
Samson Orcutt was a brilliant young Indian pupil in the charity school. His unusual oratory suggested to Wheelock the plan to send a teacher with the Indian youth to England, there to represent the usefulness of the school and its financial needs. This plan was well carried out and met with great financial success. Lord Dartmouth was its strong promoter and its largest financial contributor. Sampson Orcutt was received in England as a representa- tive of a gifted race.
Upon the return to America these missionaries of edu- cation created an interest which was given hearty support of the ministerial body in New England. Conventions were held to plan for a new location and an extension of the work of the Moore Indian Charity School.
In September, 1762, Wheelock was the guest in New- market of Rev. John Moody, while a convention of ministers held counsel at Portsmouth, expressely to consider plans for this school. Rev. John Moody was chairman of this
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convention and was instrumental in the removal of the Moore Indian Charity School from Connecticut to Hanover, New Hampshire, where it received from Governor John Wentworth its charter as Dartmouth College, on Decem- ber 13, 1769.
The college received from the Province of New Hamp- shire forty-four thousand acres of land and large gifts from England. This college, founded as a school for In- dian youths, with its huts of green logs for its first college halls, as an Indian school was not a success. It was des- tined for a wider field of usefulness.
From this lane of digression we return to the old town records which prove that John Moody, our first minister, was not only noted for his sound doctrinal sermons and his ministerial hospitality but, most of all, for his appre- ciation of the value of his contract with the town of New- market which was signed March 25, 1729: "The town agrees to pay Mr. Moody one hundred pounds a year for the first three years with a yearly increase of five pounds each year for eight years and to still increase his salary if his family stand in need of it and to pay him quarterly. Secondly, the town agrees to bring to his house what fire- wood he shall stand in need of for his family. Thirdly, to give him one hundred and thirty acres of land for his own. Fourth, to give him one hundred pounds in money towards building his house. Fifth, we also promise to make his yearly salary good as money now passes in the Colony."
This was a most generous settlement. It proved satis- factory to both parties for a few years. Mr. Moody prospered; but his services to the town depreciated in value in proportion to his demands for more salary and firewood.
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In 1741 money had dropped to one-fourth its value when this contract was signed. Harmony fled from the parish, and the last thirty years of Rev. John Moody's minis- try were years of controversy, petitions, resolutions and demands, until July, 1777, when a council of ministers was called, both parties to the contract agreeing to accept as final the decision of the council.
In this settlement Mr. Moody was allowed one hundred and seventy-four pounds on condition that he surrender his contract with the town, and the council allowed the town a surplusage of firewood, which was furnished to Mr. Moody at his demands, of nine cords per year for fifteen years. In this way the trouble was settled. At this time he was a feeble old man in the forty-eighth year of his ministry in Newmarket. A moody shepherd without a flock ! One year later he died. His inventory was appraised at seven thousand and fifteen pounds and eleven shillings. At the time of his coming to Newmarket there were sixteen ministers settled in the Province of New Hampshire.
On the Exeter road a short distance from the Rev. John Moody's house was the home of Lieutenant John Bur- ley. He was a prosperous man. In 1731 he built a large and handsome house. The rooms were finely wainscotted. Fifty imported Dutch tile adorned the fireplace of the best room. The wall paper was brought from over seas. Under the capacious cellar were two wine cellars. These were entered by a trap door and stairs leading down sixteen feet below. Here were stored the rum and wine bought of Shadrach Walton, wine merchant of Great Island. Lieu- tenant Burley, very soon after the death of his second wife, married Mehitable Sheafe, daughter of Samson and Sarah
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