USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hillsborough > The history of Hillsborough, New Hampshire, 1735-1921, Volume 1 > Part 1
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46
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Gc 974.202 H554b v.1 1128588
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01096 3707
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyofhillsbo1173brow
1884.
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HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. N. H.
HILLSBOROUGH BRIDCE.
-
THE HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH NEW HAMPSHIRE 1735-1921
BY GEORGE WALDO BROWNE,
AUTHOR OF "HISTORY OF THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER," "THE RIVER OF BROKEN WATERS: THE MERRIMACK," "AMOS- KEAG MANUFACTURING COMPANY," "WOODRANGER TALES," "RUEL DURKEE," "LEGENDS OF YES- TERDAY," "FAR EAST AND NEW AMERICA," ETc., ETC., ETC.
PUBLISHED BY THE TOWN
SAMUEL W. HOLMAN,
WILLIAM H. STORY,
FRANK E. MERRILL, FRED BROCKWAY,
GEORGE W. HASLET, Committee on Publication.
VOLUME ONE HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION.
Manchester, N. H. John B. Clarke Company, Printers. 1921.
. . ...
Copyrighted 1921. By G. Waldo Browne.
1128588
DEDICATION
TO THE MEMORY OF THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH WHO WERE THE MAKERS OF ITS HISTORY ; TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN GOODELL, M. D., AND HON. CHARLES J. SMITH,
ITS EARLIER HISTORIANS ; TO THOSE LIVING WHO HAVE MADE THIS PUBLICATION POSSIBLE, THIS WORK IS DEDICATED BY ITS AUTHOR.
Town of Hillsborough.
1 mile
GTON.
WASHING
31
BRADFORD
-
MURDO
HILL
STOW MOUNTAIN
CONTENTE
WINDSOR
HENNIKER.
HILLSBORO CENTER
CAMPBELL
POND.
HILLSBORO UPPER-VILLAGE"
HILL
MUD POND.
KILLSBORO LOVER VILLAGE
Po
HILLSBORO
I PO
B. + M. R.
CONTOOCOOK RIVER
ANTRIM
DEERING
B. E. Annis - Del.
From a Drawing by B. E. Annis. Outline Map of the Town.
5
1 mile.
PEAK
Po
FOREWORD
At last, after thirty-eight years of anticipation, the written History of Hillsborough has come to be a reality. Without apol- ogy for its delay, which in many respects was unavoidable; with- out excuse for its many errors, which inevitably apply to a work of this kind; but in the same good faith with which it was under- taken, and with sincere appreciation for the co-operation given him by the publication committee and citizens, the author now offers his work to the public, the best he could do under the circumstances. The data has been secured from varied sources, and much of it at the cost of time that has seemed wasted. The historical narrative is, the undersigned believes, to be as free from mistakes as any work of its kind. The errors are mainly those that relate to names, and these are largely due to the care- lessness with which they have been recorded. For instance, among the Revolutionary patriots appears the name of "Judge" Hall, anon "Jude" Hall, credited to Amherst, to Kingston, and then to Hillsborough, making it difficult to determine who he really was and where he lived. Since writing this history I have learned that he was born in Exeter, was a slave a part of his life; that he lived a short time in Hillsborough; served three enlistments in the Revolution, and was considered a brave and patriotic soldier. He was known in this state until his death as "Old Rock."
.
This statement applies in many cases to the records of those who served in the wars. Mr. Smith, in his "Annals," written only a little over half a century following the Revolution, says he does not doubt that over thirty served to the credit of the town. The undersigned, at this late date, has been able to trace over ninety, and believes there were still others. The records of the recent wars are more complete, but even these that are offi- cial lack an occasional name.
The first action taken by the town relative to writing and pub- lishing its history was taken at the annual meeting March 13, 1883, when the following committee was chosen to act in the
7
8
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH
matter : John C. Campbell, John B. Smith, Jubal H. Eaton, Edgar Hazen and Charles W. Conn. This board selected the following persons to prepare and publish a History of Hills- borough : Brooks K. Webber, James F. Grimes, Cornelius Cool- edge, John Goodell, and Frank H. Pierce, which action was ratified by the town.
Dr. John Goodell was authorized "to gather data and prepare a town history in proper shape for the printer." No doubt work was begun soon after this and continued through the succeed- ing years as rapidly as it was possible for a busy man-espe- cially a country doctor-to find the time. But twenty years passed without bringing any apparent results. Some of the com- mittee had died, while Mr. Webber declined to serve longer, so at the town meeting March 10, 1903, Hon. John B. Smith, George Haslet and Samuel W. Holman, Esq., were appointed to fill the vacancies. Even then no progress seems to have been made, and at succeeding elections the town voted to dismiss the articles in the warrant without action.
Eventually the last of the original committee had passed away, and those selected to carry out the work were Samuel W. Hol- man, Esq., George W. Haslet, William H. Story, Frank E. Mer- rill and Fred Brockway. This committee employed the un- dersigned to prepare the history and work was begun at once. Had not the great World War made prices pertaining to the publication almost prohibitive the History would have been completed at least three years ago.
During this delay the author knows that considerable impa- tience (not altogether without reason he will confess) and fault- finding has been manifested, but only God and the author knows the vexatious procrastinations and difficulties that accompany the preparation of a town history. A certain good man, in a spirit of despair over some disappointment that ill became his cloth, ex- claimed: "Would that mine enemy might write a book!" More pertinent might have been his remark, providing his reason was sufficient to make it as impressive as possible, had he said: "Would that mine enemy might write a Town History!"
The super-critical may think too much space has been devoted to the military history of the town, to the loss of the triumphs
9
FOREWORD.
of peace. But it must be remembered that the records of war are written in letters of crimson that burn bright on the pages of time; the annals of peace touched with the arts of love live in the cloister of the heart rather than on the pen. Again, when you come to think of it, the warrior is the peacemaker ; the states- man, patriot so called, the one who foments the strife, but seldom participates in it. Scanning the personnel of the "Spirit of '76," we find a Henry, Hancock, Adams, Otis, Franklin, Jefferson, Paine, Carroll, and others, "Tongues of the Revolution," who urged on the coming conflict, but not one of whom met the foe on the battlefield. This was left to her Washington, Greene, Gates, Arnold, Stark, Marion, Allen, and others, "Silent Tongues," to win the golden prize on the fields of Mars and camps of Valley Forge. What is true of this war is confirmed by all others. In the final reckoning it is the man with the sword who lays on the altar of sacrifice the laurel of Peace. So the history of Hillsborough has been embellished by the deeds of her martyred Baldwin, heroic Andrews, gallant Pierce, fiery McNiel, and many others. The winning of their victory was for you and for me.
Sources from which this History of Hillsborough has been drawn are too numerous to be even mentioned here. Unfortu- nately the original documents and records of the grant and set- tlement of Old Number Seven cannot be found today, though they were known to be in existence as late as 1815, in the pos- session of Sarson Belcher, a son-in-law of Colonel John Hill and the executor of his will. These papers also contained records of the towns of Weare, Peterborough, New Boston and Rindge. The early records of these towns were recorded at Cambridge, Mass.
Fortunately the Town Books, which contain the records since the incorporation, are as complete as can be found among the archives of almost any town. Hillsborough has been favored with having clerks in both town and church affairs, who have recorded the doings of her citizens with care. These records are in a fairly good state of preservation, particularly those re- lating to public proceedings. It is only the proprietors' records that are missing.
IO
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH
Scarcely less than to the Town Records is the historian of the town indebted to the editors and compilers of the Provincial, State, and Town Papers.
"The Military History of New Hampshire," by Hon. Chandler E. Potter, is valuable for its accounts of the military actions of the citizens of the town.
The Press of Hillsborough, in its regularly issued newspapers for more than half a century is a source of information covering considerable of the proceedings of the town day by day. It is to be regretted that the Town Library, or even the newspaper of- fice, has not a complete file. The undersigned was fortunate in finding here and there some of the missing volumes.
"The Annals of Hillsborough," a published address by Charles J. Smith, delivered at the hundredth anniversary of the first set- tlement of the town, contains much information that would have been impossible to obtain elsewhere at this date. Though a young man of twenty-one at that time, he showed a work of wide re- search that would have done credit to an older person. Lyman W. Densmore's account of the "Old" Meeting House at the Centre is another valuable monogram covering that particular subject. The author is also indebted to an excellent article by Rev. Harry Brickett, M. A., in the "History of Hillsborough County." Besides these, many miscellaneous pamphlets and sketches have been consulted, not the least among these being an article written by Colonel Frank H. Pierce, a nephew of ex- President Franklin Pierce.
Among the individuals who have so kindly rendered such assistance as they could, to all of whom the author expresses his sincere thanks, he feels under the most obligation to the papers left by the late Dr. John Goodell, who should have been the his- torian of the town. At least two of his articles have been em- bodied in this work, with credit given to him. Last, but not least, I desire to return my thanks to the Committee on Publi- cation.
A companion volume is to follow this, devoted to Biographical Sketches and Genealogies of about five hundred families.
G. WALDO BROWNE.
CONTENTS
Page.
Chapter.
Foreword
7
I.
Present 17
II.
In the Days of the Colonists 28
Founders of Number Seven 39
III. IV Pioneering in Old Number Seven 55
V. The Interval of Indian Wars 71
VI. The Second Settlement.
81
VII.
The War for Independence.
94
VIII.
Reconstruction Period
152
IX.
The Story of Campbell's Gore 180
188
XI.
"The Old Meeting House"
207
XII.
An Old-Time Town Meeting 223
Military History, 1781 to 1860. 242
XIV.
Hillsborough in the Civil War 267
XVI.
Highways, Byways and Bridges 295 Stage Coach Days 313
XVII.
The Farms and Farmers of Yesterday 321
XVIII.
The Baptist Church. 333
XIX. The Congregational Church at Bridge Village 347
XX. The Methodist Church. 356
XXI. The Catholic Church and Other Denomina- tions
363
XXII.
Story of the Schools
365
XXIII.
Industrial Pursuits
376
XXIV.
Miscellaneous Enterprises
385
XXV.
Professional, Fraternal and Social History .. Political History
407
XXVI.
448 1
XXVII.
The Hamlets of Hillsborough
461
XXVIII.
Byways of History 477
XXIX.
The Recent Wars 494
XXX.
Official Roster 500
Personal Index 519
General Index 555
II
.
X.
The Town Church.
XIII.
XV.
A General Survey of the Town, Past and
ILLUSTRATIONS
Hillsborough Bridge Village. Frontispiece
Map of Hillsborough .. . Page 5
Steel Bridge, Henniker Road.
. Opp Page 33
North Branch Contoocook River
66
48
Loon Pond
66 64
Contention Pond
66
66
64
The Merrill Homestead.
80
Plan of Hillsborough, 1765.
66
88
The Old Bridge and Mills.
66
96
Old School House, River Street
II2
Taggart Block, 1866
66
II2
West Main Street
66
128
Central Square
66
128
Bible Hill Burial Ground.
66
144
The Jones Bridges
66 160
Kitchen in Old Gilbert House.
66
66
176
John Gilbert Homestead.
66
176
Old Town House and Congregational Church, Centre
Interior, Old Town House.
66
208
High School Building
66 66 224
66
240
McNiel Leading His Men at Chippewa
66
66 256
Baker's Block
66 66 256
Muster Day as an Oldtime Artist Saw It.
66 264
The Brockway Homestead
66
66 288
The New Stone Bridge.
66
304
The Vendue, Manahan, Auctioneer
66
320
Old Baptist Church.
3,36
Chapel, Lower Village.
66
336
Smith Memorial Church.
66
347
Governor Smith Residence
66
66
352
66
33
Gleason's Falls Bridge.
66
66
193
Twin Bridges
249
Fire Station
Maplewood Farm, Homestead of Walter E. Gay.
272
13
14
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH
St. Mary's Church Opp. Page 360
Methodist Episcopal Church.
360
Old Academy, Hillsborough Bridge, About 1880
66 368
Hillsborough Woolen Mills
66
376
Contoocook Mills
376
Valley Hotel, 1921
66 401
American House
417
Rumrill Block
66
66
417
First National Bank Building
432
Odd Fellows' Block, Central Square.
432
Merrill's Orchestra
440
Front Room in President Pierce House. 66
448
The Old Oven, Pierce Barbecue.
66
454
Congregational Church, Centre Village.
66
461
Barnes House, Centre. 66 66 461
President Pierce Mansion
465
Captain Carr Homestead, Lower Village
66 480
The Old Pound.
66
480
Memorial Tablet to Soldiers of the World War
497
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH
NEW HAMPSHIRE
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH
NEW HAMPSHIRE
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CHAPTER I.
A GENERAL SURVEY OF THE TOWN, PAST AND PRESENT.
Grant of the Township-The Aborigines-Boundary of the Town- Area-Rivers-Loon Pond-Legend of the Lily-Indian Name- Contention Pond-A Disappearing River-Campbell or Gould Pond-Landscape-Stowe Mountain-The Centre Village-View from the Hills-Lowest Point in Town-Soil-Crops-Flora- Fauna-Birds-Origin of the Town Name-Honor to Its Founder, John Hill-Various ways of Spelling the Name.
The courts of Massachusetts January 16, 1735-36, granted to Col. John Hill, Boston, Mass., a man of considerable wealth and influence, who was interested in the settlements of other town- ships in New Hampshire, a tract of country "about six miles square," in the heart of a primeval wilderness then unsurveyed and unexplored by a white man. At least this seems to have been the intent of the instrument issued to him, but a body of men styled "Plymouth Gentlemen" apparently had already acquired about one-eighth of this territory, which he promptly obtained by the payment of certain sums of money by himself and a Boston trader named Gershom Keyes. Before giving a history of these transactions and the following events, it seems pertinent to. describe briefly in the past and present tense the country about to be opened by the incoming settlers.
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I7
18
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
Over this scene, the Thessally of New England, had roamed from time immemorial the aboriginal inhabitants, fishing in its streams, hunting on its hillsides and in its valleys, when not at war with some rival tribe. These Indians belonged to a con- federacy known as the "Penacooks." Tradition gives no account of this immediate vicinity having been a battleground between the early races, but beyond doubt the warcry rang over its solitude with frequency and the signal fires of the warlike people lighted time and again the hilltops.
Mr. Charles J. Smith,* in his centennial discourse of the town, 1841, in commenting upon this natural situation, says very truly : "The country for many miles around was a dreary wilderness, where the untutored savage roamed in undisturbed security through the thick forests, or glided in his light canoe over the lonely, silent waters. . . The forests were alive with every species of wild game; the waters abounded with salmon, trout, pickerel, and other specimens of the finny tribes delightful to the palate. The whole northern and western parts of the county of Hills- borough was then an uncovered solitude, untrodden by civilized man-wild and uncultivated as when it came from the Creator's hand." Let this be as it may, at the appearance of the vanguard of settlement under the guidance of Colonel Hill and Gershom Keyes, saying nothing of the warlike deeds that followed, com- parative peace reigned over this region.
Considering the territory as it represents the town to-day, it is in latitude 43°5' north, and in longitude 5°5' east of Washington. Beginning at the northeast corner next to Henniker the line runs 5°30' from due west, while the opposite line has the same deflection, so that with the lines on the north and the south running at about the same angle gives the town the shape of a diamond upon the map in the extreme northwest corner of the county. It is bounded on the east by Henniker ; on the south by Deering and Antrim; on the west by Windsor and Washington; on the north by Washington and Bradford. In area it comprises 27,320 acres of which 15,945 acres, more than half, was improved
*Mr. Smith was at that time a law student in the office of Hon. Franklin Pierce, and his work enlarged and amplified from his address, was the first and most successful effort towards giving a historical sketch of the town. For further particulars of this author see Vol. II., Genealogical sketches of the families .- Author.
19
CONTOOCOOK RIVER.
land, according to the surveys of 1870. With no great elevation, the landscape is diversified by hills and valleys, so much so that it has been thought by many that its name came from this fact, though it was really given in honor of its founder and early benefactor.
Hillsborough is well favored with running waters. The largest and most important of its rivers is the Contoocook, which crosses its territory in a northeasterly direction near the corner of the towns of Deering and Antrim, where the confluence of the streams known as the South and North Branch unite to form this river. The larger of these tributaries, the South Branch, has its source in the swamps of the highlands of Rindge. This stream is increased by numerous smaller water-ways flowing from the eastern slopes of the Monadnock Mountain, with the drainage of the towns along its course. The North Branch rises in Horse Shoe or Half Moon Pond on the west slope of Lovell's Mountain, in Washington, and after deploying in Stoddard so as to form Long Pond, it winds through the town of Antrim, christening a village with its name, flows into this town above Lower Village, and after receiving the offering of Hillsborough River just below the last-named hamlet, it joins South Branch, as has already been mentioned, to help build the dusky hunter's Contoocook, "Great Place for Crows."
The tributary of North Branch designated as Hillsborough River, in early times called North Branch, enters the town on the northwest to find a somewhat tortuous course for about seven miles before joining the larger stream. It receives several small streams as tributaries, the largest of which is Shedd Brook, which receives the drainage of the eastern slopes of Washington and Windsor. This stream and its tributary from Black Pond in Windsor affords the water power at Upper Village. Three or four small streams unite among the hills of the eastern section to enter Gould Pond, the outlet of which finds its way into the Contoocook in the vicinity of the Henniker line.
The Contoocook River, which receives the drainage of an extent of territory comprising more than 734 square miles of country, becomes an important waterway among the rivers of the state. Carrying an unfailing supply of water and following
20
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
a tortuous and rapid course which gives it an amount of power capable of running a great number of water wheels or affording privileges for creating a vast voltage of electrical force, it has been the incentive in building up enterprises of various kinds along its banks. A good example of what has been done is to be seen at Bridge Village with its wooden mill, hosiery, underwear, lumber mills and other manufactures. After leaving this village it wanders in a northeasterly direction into the town of Henniker, and from thence through the northwest corner of Hopkinton, by its water power there laying the foundation for the industries of the village that gets its name from this stream. It finally joins the Merrimack, as one of its important tributaries, at the inter- vales of Penacook, where it became known to the Indians as "the crooked place." Another designation bestowed upon it by the red men was that of "the long river," while the early settlers frequently spoke of it as "the great river." In some of the earlier records it is referred to as "the Connecticut River." The Con- toocook and its tributaries flow from the water sheds of thirty- two different towns situated in five counties and has an available horse power of over twelve thousand, a little more than one-half of which is utilized. From its starting point in the little pond on Rindge highlands to the meadows of the Brave Lands where it joins its fortunes with the Merrimack River, the Contoocook has a descent of over eight hundred feet.
The largest and most picturesque body of still water in town is the Indian's Che-sehunk-auke, meaning "great place for loons," which was immediately Englished by the white settlers as "Loon Pond," as they found a large number of that fowl in this vicinity. It lies a little northwest of the centre of the town, is two miles in length and three-fourths of a mile in breadth, at its widest place. In these days of enlarged ideas it is not surprising that it is occasionally mentioned in the local vocabulary as a "lake." Its waters are deep, clear and cool in the hottest summer day. In its primeval days it was well stocked with fish, pickerel, perch, pouts, etc. ; to-day there are bass, pickerel, perch and pouts.
In the summer season considerable of its surface is jeweled with that sweet and beautiful flower, the water lily. The Indians had a legend that a beautiful maid, Winnewawa, sought escape
2I
LOON POND.
from love's cruel disappointment by plunging beneath its placid bosom, and lo! wherever a ripple stirred the water a white lily, typical of her life and beauty, blossomed and has blossomed ever since, so that whoever looked in this mirror of waters saw her sweet vision reflected as a reminder of her.
Let the legend be true or merely a fancy, Loon Pond was a frequent meeting-place of the Indians in their journeys hither and yon, for it must be known that the wildwood was as familiar to them as the country is to-day to their civilized successors. Over its burnished surface have flitted the light skiffs of the dusky fisherman, or flown with a wilder speed flotillas of canoes manned by warring factions fighting for life and liberty as dear to them as to us. Under the sheen of the lover's moon, wafted with the silence of shadows over its silvery pathway, has come and vanished the white canoe of the Indian maid, while disappeared long since from the overhanging curtain of its shores the dark- hued lover, wooing his forest mate.
In place of these now comes the summer vacationist seeking rest and quiet from the city's busy round of duty. As well as being a beautiful resort for the pleasure-seeker, the water of Loon Pond is now conveyed by artificial conduits to Bridge Village, and there becomes the natural beverage used in the homes, while it is utilized as a means of protection in case of fire.
Loon Pond formerly had two outlets, one a tributary to Beard Brook, now known as Hillsborough River, and the other a smaller stream, running into Contention Pond, but which became dry some time ago, while the former outlet owing to the drain made upon this pond of its flood by man to meet his need, has so far lost its volume that during most of the year its bed is quite dry, and the time does not seem far distant when this silvery thread connecting the two bodies of water shall have completely faded
from the landscape. Loon Pond has no considerable inlet, but is fed by springs. Contention Pond, so named from a protracted and bitter contention over certain boundary lines relating to it, lies less than a mile northwest from Loon Pond, and though more niggardly considered than the other has considerable natural attraction, being once a favorite resort of the beaver, and was known to the Indians as "great place for beavers."
22
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
Campbell Pond, so called for its discover, Daniel Campbell, Esq., of Amherst, who made the survey of the township at the time of its incorporation, is the third and last sheet of water in the town that deserves mention. This is near the Henniker line, and seen from Monroe Hill is a beautiful gem in one of the fairest landscape views. in town. It is better known to-day as Gould Pond.
If the surface of the town is very uneven, like most of New Hampshire towns, there is not an elevation that really deserves the name of mountain. The highest point of land is in the north- west section, dignified by the name of Stowe's Mountain. This elevation perpetuates the memory of Dea. Joel Stowe, who lived on the southeast slope for many years. The highest dwelling on this sunny height, also the highest in town, was the home of Justus Pike, but sometime since fallen to ruin. From his thres- hold a fine view of the surrounding country was unfolded to the gaze. Here, to-day, he who cares to wend his way thither, looks down with pleasure and admiration, if he is on good terms with God and mankind, upon one of the grandest panoramas of diversified landscapes to be seen in southern New Hampshire where no outlook offers a disappointment. This eminence of land rises 1,200 above sea level.
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