USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Hanover > A history of the town of Hanover, N.H. > Part 2
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Article 6th. The county society shall have power and it shall be its duty, to correspond with all County and other Societies so far as it may be necessary to promote the objects of the Society. To collect and dis- tribute to the several Town societys in the county all necessary and useful Information.
To recommend from time to time to the several Town Societys the Adoption of such measures in conjunction with other County societies for the Information of the State Society.
Article 7th. This constitution may be altered or amended with the con- sent of two thirds of the Town societies in the County on the Recommenda- tion of the County Society.
CHAPTER II
TOWN OFFICERS
TN the following lists of town officers only those are given whose offices have had a continuous and important part in the organized life of the town. Some, like constables and fence viewers, though their offices have been continuous, are omitted because of their varying or less important part. At different times there have been officers, whose functions seemed of enough impor- tance to justify their election, but who were more or less quickly passed by. Thus, in 1768, a "choirester" was elected, but he had no successor. From 1775 to 1789 inclusive, there was a "key- keeper," who kept the key to the church building at the Center, which was used by the town for public purposes.
Indicative of the encompassing forests was the election of "deeriffs" in 1771 and 1772. From 1772 until 1844, but only occasionally in later years, the election, first, of "hog howards" and then of "hogreeves," in numbers varying from two to ten, indicates the increasing number of swine, which often were allowed to run at large, but were sometimes restricted by special vote of the town. The act forbidding cattle and hogs to run in the streets was accepted by the town only in 1852. Similarly suggestive is the election from 1769 to 1809, with occasional inter- missions, of "pound keepers," usually one for each part of the town. From 1768 to 1815, with some breaks, "tythingmen" were chosen, and their last appearance was in 1827. In 1797 "corders of wood" appear for a single time, but their place was afterward taken by "surveyors of wood and lumber." "Highway surveyors" were first chosen in 1768 and under some title have continued to the present, while "sealers of weights and measures" and "sealers of leather" appeared in 1776. With special regard to the western part of the town "firewards" were chosen in 1793 and annually until 1807, and from 1793 until 1807 there was also a "clerk of the market," who resided on the College Plain.
In general, the offices which called for more than one incumbent were shared by the two parts of the town. In the earliest times the three selectmen were often from the east part of the town, in accordance with the desire of the first President Wheelock
10
11
Town Officers
to keep the College district under his own control and separate from the jurisdiction of the town officers. After his death and after the failure of the movement of towns in the Connecticut valley to form a new state, the western part of the town, giving up its plan of a separate organization under the name of "Dres- den," apparently desired a representation on the board of select- men. An unwillingness of the eastern part to lessen the number of its selectmen and the insistence of the western part on a share in the management of town affairs are indicated by the election in 1784 and 1785 of five selectmen, of whom two were from the College district. Five were similarly chosen in 1787 and again in 1793, after what seems to be a purpose to revert to three out- side the College district. Since the last date it has been the cus- tom without exception to take one selectman from the western part of the town, but of late years, owing to the increasing finan- cial interests of this section, two have been taken from it.
From 1813, when the town was entitled to two representatives in the General Court, to 1878 one was invariably chosen from the eastern part. Since the latter date both representatives have several times resided in the western section.
The first town meeting held in Hanover was in 1767, but the first officers chosen by the inhabitants were elected in March, 1768, the officers before that time being those of the proprietors in Connecticut. The following lists give the selectmen, clerks, treas- urers and representatives of the town :
SELECTMEN
1761 Edmund Freeman, Jr. Ebenezer Jones Joseph Storrs
1762 Edmund Freeman, Jr.
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
Ebenezer Jones
John Bissel
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
1763 Edmund Freeman, Jr. Ebenezer Jones Prince Freeman
1764 Edmund Freeman, Jr.
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
1765 Edmund Freeman, Jr. Prince Freeman Amos Richardson
1766 Edmund Freeman, Jr.
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
1767 Timothy Smith Jonathan Curtiss Benjamin Davis 1768 Timothy Smith
CLERK REPRESENTATIVE
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
12
History of Hanover
SELECTMEN
CLERK REPRESENTATIVE
1769 Deliverance Woodward John Ordway Jonathan Curtiss
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
1770 Deliverance Woodward John Ordway David Woodward
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
1771 Deliverance Woodward
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
1772 Isaac Bridgman John Wright, Jr. John Tenny
1773 John Ordway John Wright, Jr. Jonathan Freeman
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
1774 David Woodward Edward Smith Edmund Freeman
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
1775 John Ordway Edward Smith Ichabod Fowler
Edmund Freeman, Jr.
1776 David Woodward Ichabod Fowler
Thomas Durkee
1777 Edmund Freeman David Eaton Nathaniel Wright
Edmund Freeman
1778 David Woodward Jonathan Freeman John Wright
Jonathan Freeman
1779 John Ordway John House Thomas Durkee
Jonathan Freeman
1780 Thomas Durkee Jonathan Freeman Solomon Jacobs
Jonathan Freeman
1781 Jonathan Freeman Solomon Jacobs Samuel Slade
Jonathan Freeman
1782 Solomon Jacobs Samuel Slade Russell Freeman
Jonathan Freeman
1783 Russell Freeman Samuel Slade Samuel Kendrick
Jonathan Freeman
Jonathan Freeman
1784 Stephen Benton Nathaniel Babbitt Aaron Storrs Ebenezer Brewster Solomon Jacobs
Edmund Freeman
13
Town Officers
SELECTMEN
CLERK REPRESENTATIVE
Jonathan Freeman
Jonathan Freeman Aaron Storrs
Russell Freeman
Russell Freeman Jonathan Freeman
1788 Russell Freeman James Wheelock Samuel Slade
1789 The same
Russell Freeman Jonathan Freeman
1790 Joseph Curtiss Dyer Willis Silas Tenny
William Chandler Jonathan Freeman
1791 Eleazar Porter Silas Tenny
William Chandler
Jonathan Freeman
Daniel Kendrick
1792 Silas Tenny
William Chandler
Jonathan Freeman
Ebenezer Brewster Eleazar Porter
William Chandler
Ebenezer Brewster
1793 Silas Tenny
Aaron Kinsman
Otis Freeman Samuel Kendrick Richard Lang
Joel Brown
Ebenezer Brewster
Ebenezer Brewster
Joseph Curtiss
1795 The same
Joel Brown
Russell Freeman
1796 Samuel Slade Joseph Curtiss David Curtiss
1797 The same
Joel Brown
Russell Freeman
1798 The same
Joel Brown
Samuel Slade
1799 Joseph Curtiss
Joel Brown
Samuel Slade
Ebenezer Brewster
Samuel Kendrick
1800 Samuel Slade
Joel Brown B. J. Gilbert
Richard Lang John Durkee
Joel Brown
Russell Freeman
1794 Samuel Slade
1785 Nathaniel Babbitt Samuel Slade John Wright, Jr. Ebenezer Brewster Aaron Storrs 1786 Samuel Slade Otis Freeman Nicholas Gilman 1787 Stephen Benton Silas Tenny Benoni Dewey James Wheelock Simon P. Clapp
14
History of Hanover
SELECTMEN
CLERK
REPRESENTATIVE
Joel Brown
B. J. Gilbert
1802 The same
Dyer Willis
Joseph Curtiss
1803 Samuel Kendrick Augustus Storrs Benoni Dewey
Dyer Willis
Joseph Curtiss
1804 B. J. Gilbert Joel Brown
Joseph Curtiss
Samuel Kendrick Augustus Storrs
1805 James Wheelock Samuel Kendrick Augustus Storrs
Joel Brown
Joseph Curtiss
1806 Augustus Storrs James Wheelock Joseph Curtiss
Joel Brown
Samuel Kendrick
1807 The same
Joel Brown
Samuel Kendrick
1808 Augustus Storrs James Wheelock Lemuel Dow
Joel Brown
Mills Olcott
1809 Augustus Storrs Samuel Alden Lemuel Dow
Jonathan Freeman
Mills Olcott
1810 Lemuel Dow
Jonathan Freeman
Augustus Storrs
Samuel Alden Jonathan Durkee
Jonathan Freeman
Augustus Storrs
1812 The same
Jonathan Freeman
Augustus Storrs
1813 Samuel Kendrick Mills Olcott Royal Wright
Jonathan Freeman
James Poole
1814 Samuel Kendrick Samuel Alden Royal Wright
Jonathan Freeman
James Poole
1815 Samuel Kendrick Henry Hutchinson Augustus Storrs
Jonathan Freeman
Otis Freeman James Poole
1816 Samuel Kendrick Augustus Storrs Elijah Miller
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Augustus Storrs James Poole
1817 Samuel Kendrick Mills Olcott Isaac Fellows
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Augustus Storrs James Poole
1818 Mills Olcott
Isaac Fellows Royal Wright
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Benjamin J. Gilbert Augustus Storrs
1801 Samuel Slade John Durkee William Woodward
1811 Lemuel Dow James Poole Samuel Kendrick
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Town Officers
SELECTMEN
CLERK
REPRESENTATIVE
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Augustus Storrs Mills Olcott
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Mills Olcott Augustus Storrs
1821 Elijah Miller Elias Dewey John Carpenter
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Mills Olcott Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
1822 Elijah Miller James Poole
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd James Poole Elijah Miller
Augustus Chandler
1823 Augustus Chandler Ebenezer Lee Ezekiel Smith
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd James F. Dana Elijah Miller
1824 Augustus Chandler Ebenezer Lee Elisha Hurd
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd John Durkee Mills Olcott
1825 Elijah Miller Justin Hinds
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd James Poole Mills Olcott
Chauncey Bridgman
1826 Chauncey Bridgman Justin Hinds
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Daniel Oliver Elijah Miller
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Daniel Oliver
1828 Timothy Owen, Jr. Ebenezer Symmes Jonathan Freeman
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Mills Olcott Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
1829 Elijah Miller Ebenezer Symmes Alfred Morse
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Timothy Owen, Jr.
1830 Alfred Morse William Tenney Asahel Smith
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Chauncey Bridgman Ebenezer Symmes
1831 William Tenney Elias Dewey Agrippa Dow 1832 Agrippa Dow Ziba Durkee John Putnam
Henry H. Chandler
Chauncey Bridgman Ebenezer Symmes
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Daniel Oliver Augustus Storrs
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Timothy Owen, Jr. Ira Perley
1819 Isaac Fellows John S. Lang Elias Dewey 1820 John S. Lang Elijah Miller Elias Dewey
1833 Timothy Owen, Jr. Reuben Benton Asahel Smith
1834 The same
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Mills Olcott Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
1827 Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Benjamin Perkins Timothy Owen, Jr.
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History of Hanover
SELECTMEN
CLERK
REPRESENTATIVE
1835 Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Joseph L. Dewey Isaac Fellows 1836 Alfred Morse William Tenney Daniel Bridgman
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Timothy Owen, Jr. Ira Perley
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Elias Dewey John S. Cram
1837 The same
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd The same Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Amos A. Brewster Timothy Owen
1839 The same
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
The same
1840 Timothy Owen Eleazar B. Curtis James Spencer
1841 The same
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Isaac Fellows
Daniel Blaisdell
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Daniel Blaisdell Ashbel Smith
1842 Isaac Ross John Demman Asa Wright
1843 The same
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Daniel Blaisdell Agrippa Dow
1844 Isaac Ross
William Tenney Ashbel Smith
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Agrippa Dow Dixi Crosby
1845 Isaac Ross
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Charles B. Haddock Isaac Ross
Ashbel Smith John Demman
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd
Charles B. Haddock Isaac Ross
1847 Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Jonathan Freeman, 2nd Willis Kinsman Abijah Topliff
Charles B. Haddock Asa Huntington
1848 Abijah Topliff N. Dudley E. K. Smith
N. Worth
Charles B. Haddock Asa Huntington
1849 A. Smith T. D. Smith N. Dudley
O. S. Ingalls
Jeremiah Chandler Edwin D. Sanborn
1850 D. Eaton
J. Tenney
Jeremiah Chandler
J. G. Currier C. Fitz
Edwin D. Sanborn
1851 D. Eaton
S. W. Cobb C. Fitz
J. Tenney
Daniel F. Richardson William H. Duncan
1852 David Eaton Samuel W. Cobb Elijah T. Miller
J. Tenney
Daniel F. Richardson William H. Duncan
1838 Oramel Pinneo Ebenezer Adams Jeremiah Chandler
Amos A. Brewster Isaac Fellows
1846 Isaac Ross Ashbel Smith William Kinsman
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Town Officers
SELECTMEN
CLERK
REPRESENTATIVE
1853 Elijah T. Miller C. G. Morgan H. Wright Ulysses Dow 1854 David Camp C. G. Morgan
Monroe Pike David Eaton
Asa Brown Newton S. Huntington
John C. Worth
A. Tenney Willis Kinsman
1856 John Tenney Stephen Rand David Walker
C. G. Morgan.
Daniel Bridgman Willis Kinsman
1857 Stephen Rand David Walker John Tenney
O. S. Ingalls
Daniel Bridgman A. B. Closson
1858 Ulysses Dow Ashael Adams David Hurlbutt
O. S. Ingalls
A. B. Closson Abijah Topliff
1859 Ulysses Dow
O. S. Ingalls
Abijah Topliff David Kimball
1860 James S. Adams
O. S. Ingalls
David Kimball
Newton S. Huntington
1861 John L. Bridgman
O. S. Ingalls
Newton S. Huntington Israel O. Dewey
James S. Adams Jacob S. Perley
O. S. Ingalls
John Huntoon William Tenney
1863 John L. Bridgman Charles Benton Jacob S. Perley
O. S. Ingalls
John Huntoon James W. Patterson
1864 Newton S. Huntington James S. Adams H. H. Withington
O. S. Ingalls
Oliver P. Hubbard Ulysses Dow
1865 James S. Adams P. N. Durkee F. L. Owen
O. S. Ingalls
John Sweat
1867 F. L. Owen
O. S. Ingalls
William Hatch Thomas R. Crosby
Darius Hurlbutt John L. Bridgman
1868 O. S. Ingalls John L. Bridgman Darius Hurlbutt
O. S. Ingalls
William Hatch Thomas R. Crosby
David Hurlbutt James S. Adams
John Sweat John L. Bridgman
1862 John L. Bridgman Jacob S. Perley Charles Benton
O. S. Ingalls
Oliver P. Hubbard Asahel Smith
1866 The same
Daniel Blaisdell
John Richards A. Tenney
1855 Newton S. Huntington Asa Brown John Tenney
18
History of Hanover
SELECTMEN
CLERK
REPRESENTATIVE
1869 The same
O. S. Ingalls
Thomas R. Crosby
Jacob S. Perley
Jacob S. Perley
James S. Adams
1871 Ulysses Dow Cyrus P. Smith Monroe Pike
F. L. Owen
James S. Adams
Rufus Camp
1872 Jacob S. Perley Charles Benton E. Hurlbutt
C. B. Dow
Rufus Camp
John L. Bridgman
1873 Charles Benton E. Hurlbutt J. J. Mason
C. B. Dow
John L. Bridgman David Walker
1874 Charles Benton J. J. Mason L. C. McPherson
C. B. Dow
David Walker
E. D. Carpenter
1875 Charles Benton L. C. McPherson C. B. Dow
Frederick Chase
E. D. Carpenter
Darius Hurlbutt
1876 Charles Benton C. B. Dow D. H. Camp
E. H. Smith
Darius Hurlbutt
Adna P. Balch
1877 Charles Benton
E. H. Smith
Adna P. Balch
D. H. Camp Cyrus P. Smith
Elijah B. Hurlbutt
1878 Cyrus P. Smith John L. Bridgman P. W. Durkee
E. H. Smith
Hiram Hitchcock
James W. Patterson
1879 1John L. Bridgman Edward P. Storrs Horace F. Hoyt, Jr.
Israel O. Dewey
James W. Patterson
Elijah B. Hurlbutt
Charles Benton
Cyrus P. Smith
1880 John L. Bridgman Horace F. Hoyt, Jr. Asa W. Fellows
1881 The same
Israel O. Dewey
Charles Dow Elihu T. Quimby
1882 The same
Israel O. Dewey
1883 The same
Israel O. Dewey Benjamin T. Blanpied
1884 John L. Bridgman Asa W. Fellows D. M. Ross
George M. Bridgman Chandler P. Smith
1870 Ulysses Dow Cyrus P. Smith Timothy Tilden
F. L. Owen
Israel O. Dewey
1 In 1879 the biennial sessions of the Legislature began, and two sets of repre- sentatives were chosen, one in the spring, and the second in the fall (the time of state elections being changed), which held office for two years, as did succeed- ing representatives.
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Town Officers
SELECTMEN
1885 The same 1886 John L. Bridgman C. L. Bassett Simon Ward, Jr. 1887 The same
1888 The same 1889 John L. Bridgman Simon Ward, Jr. Charles H. Wood 1890 John L. Bridgman Simon Ward Asa W. Fellows 1891 The same
1892 The same 1893 John L. Bridgman Edward P. Storrs Stephen Eastman 1894 The same 1895 The same
1896 John L. Bridgman Edward P. Storrs Albert Pinneo 1897 The same
1898 Edward P. Storrs Albert Pinneo Chandler P. Smith 1899 Edward P. Storrs Albert Pinneo Don S. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman Simon Ward
Henry J. Weston
From 1899 to 1910 inclusive the same board of selectmen was continued in office without a break. At the end of the latter year Mr. Storrs and Mr. Pinneo retired, the former after eighteen, the latter after fourteen consecu- tive years of service, which the town recognized by a formal vote of thanks. The same clerk and treasurer also continued during those years.
1901
1903
1905
1907
1909
CLERK REPRESENTATIVE
George M. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman
Manassah B. Foss Newton S. Huntington
George M. Bridgman Newton S. Huntington Asa W. Fellows
George M. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman Newton S. Huntington Stephen D. Smith
George M. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman Newton S. Huntington
L. C. McPherson
George M. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman Edward P. Storrs Horace F. Hoyt, Jr.
George M. Bridgman George M. Bridgman Newton S. Huntington William L. Barnes
George M. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman
Newton S. Huntington
John L. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman
Hamilton T. Howe Simon Ward Hamilton T. Howe Albert Pinneo Albert Pinneo Thomas W. D. Worthen I. P. Fitts Frank A. Musgrove I. P. Fitts Frank A. Musgrove
20
History of Hanover
SELECTMEN
1911 Don S. Bridgman Frank I. Spencer Adna D. McPherson 1913 Don S. Bridgman Frank I. Spencer Adna D. McPherson 1914 Don S. Bridgman Frank I. Spencer Edwin P. Merrill 1915 Don S. Bridgman Frank I. Spencer Edwin P. Merrill 1916 Don S. Bridgman Frank I. Spencer Edwin P. Merrill
1917 Don S. Bridgman Frank I. Spencer Edwin P. Merrill 1918 Don S. Bridgman Frank I. Spencer Edwin P. Merrill 1919 Don S. Bridgman Frank I. Spencer Edwin P. Merrill 1920 Don S. Bridgman Frank I. Spencer Andrew B. Elder
1921 Don S. Bridgman Carl C. Ward Andrew B. Elder
1922 Don S. Bridgman Carl C. Ward Andrew B. Elder
1923 Carl C. Ward Andrew B. Elder Charles A. Holden
1924 Carl C. Ward Andrew B. Elder Charles A. Holden
CLERK REPRESENTATIVE
George M. Bridgman Frank A. Musgrove Frank G. Emerson
George M. Bridgman Edwin J. Bartlett Perley R. Bugbee
George M. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman Charles F. Emerson Horace F. Hoyt
George M. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman Charles F. Emerson Horace F. Hoyt
George M. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman Arthur P. Fairfield Albert Pinneo
George M. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman Don S. Bridgman
Ransom S. Cross
George M. Bridgman
George M. Bridgman Charles A. Holden James P. Richardson
George M. Bridgman
.
In looking over these lists one is struck with the consistency with which the town has entrusted the management of its affairs to a small group of men. The same names appear in the lists again and again both in the earlier and the later periods. The number of town clerks has been very small, until it seems as if certain individuals had a prescriptive right to the clerkship. Thus,
21
Town Officers
Jonathan Freeman, 2nd, held it thirty-one years, and the present incumbent, George M. Bridgman, has held it since 1880. In the same way, John L. Bridgman was selectman for twenty years in succession ; his son, Don S. Bridgman, held the office for twenty- five years until his death; and, as stated in the lists, Edward P. Storrs held it for eighteen, and Albert Pinneo for fourteen years in succession. There has been more change among the representa- tives to the General Court, but even here the choice has often fallen repeatedly upon the same man.
TREASURER
1772 John Ordway
1879-85 Newton S. Huntington
1778-79 Jonathan Freeman
1800 Dyer Willis 1
1780-82 John Ordway
1889 Albert Pinneo
1785-86 John Ordway
1886-88 George Hitchcock
1787-89 Russell Freeman
1890-1918 Daniel B. Russell
1790 Benjamin Hatch
1919- Alfred W. Guyer
1791-99 Otis Freeman
The town has also furnished several members of the State Senate :
Jonathan Freeman 1789-1790, 1792, 1793
John Durkee 1816-1818, 1819
Elijah Miller 1829, 1830
James Poole 1828, elected, but died before the Legislature met
Daniel Blaisdell 1863, 1864
Frank A. Musgrove 1915-1916
Arthur P. Fairfield 1925-1926
1 In March, 1800, Dyer Willis was elected treasurer. The warning of August 7, 1800, has an article, "to choose a committee to settle with the late treasurer and transmit the town papers to the treasurer for the present year." The warning of February 19, 1801, has an article, "to hear the report of the committee that we appointed to settle with the late treasurer and to hear the statement of the present treasurer." No record of election or appointment of his successor is found and apparently from then until 1879 the selectmen acted as treasurer.
CHAPTER III
THE VILLAGE AT THE COLLEGE
Plan, Stores and Trades, Houses, Village Improvements
I
"THE village adjacent to the College stands mainly upon the Governor's five hundred-acre lot.1 West of a line drawn from northeast to southwest and passing near the southeast corner of the Green lay 300 acres owned by the College. East of that line lay some 600 acres owned by Dr. Wheelock. He had also 250 acres adjoining on the north, and in this direction the village pushed out, mainly after Wheelock's death, over part of a lot which, extending to the river, was drawn as the second hundred-acre lot and given to Wheelock by Colonel House in 1770. This was the original lot of Peter Aspenwall, and east of it lay the one hundred- acre lot of William Johnson, of which Dr. Wheelock acquired in 1771 the southerly half and John Payne in 1773 bought of Hezekiah Johnson of "Norige," Vt., the northerly half, extending about a rod over "Girl Brook."
The plan of the village was laid out in the main as we now see it in 1771, probably by Jonathan Freeman. The central feature was a square comprising seven and a half acres, "opened for a Green" by authority of the Trustees of the College, but without any special dedication to the public. There were no roads then laid out on the Plain, the surrounding lots were made to abut directly upon the "College Green," as the square was uniformly called in ancient conveyances and records, and the houses were often built out to the line, of which an example remained until 1909 in the house of Mrs. Susan A. Brown, that was removed to make way for the Parkhurst Administration Building.
In 1775 a highway was laid out by the town along the course of Main Street from the southwest corner of the Green to "Mink Brook Meadow," and at an early date, which prolonged search has failed to identify, a county road, leading up from Plainfield and Lebanon, was made to run over the same course and thence
1 Chase, History of Dartmouth College, I, p. 160, and Plan, p. 180.
22
PLATE I
THE GREEN, EAST SIDE: ABOUT 1800
THE GREEN, NORTH SIDE: ABOUT 1870
THE GREEN, WEST SIDE: ABOUT 1870
23
The Village at the College
diagonally across the Green from southwest to northeast, and on toward Lyme. The surface of the Green was very rough and uneven and sloped rapidly downward to the swamp at the south- east, the stumps of the lofty pines that originally covered it remaining many long years in position, and being destitute of a fence it served as a grazing place for the village cows.
In 1784 a plan of the College Trustees to enlarge it by recovering some of the land which had been given to Professor Ripley came to nothing, as also did a determination to fence it, which failed no doubt from lack of funds. In 1807 the Trustees seriously contemplated putting it to other uses, and raised a com- mittee to "enquire into the propriety and expediency of taking up at the present time any part of the College Green for the accom- modation of the College." But either the committee reported adversely or the Board thought better of it, for in the next year it was voted "that the executive authority procure it to be plowed, levelled, seeded and handsomely fenced, with walks and trees, if it could be done without expense to the College." This vote, too, was futile, for it was no small undertaking and the means were lacking. Finally, in 1836, mainly through the efforts of President Lord and Daniel Blaisdell, after much tribulation and heartburning, a combination was formed and the plan carried out. The College contributed $100, the balance of the expense was made up by a subscription among the citizens, and under the direction of Mr. Blaisdell and Moses Rand as a committee the work was done in the fall of that year. With much labor the ground was cleared and leveled and a fence was erected, which with some renewals lasted until 1893, and of which a remnant survives in granite posts, if not in rails, in the "senior fence" on the west side of the Green. Some of the original posts were set in December through nineteen inches of frost.
This fence necessitated a change in the route of the old county road, which was thrown around the sides of the Green instead of across it, and on that account, as well as by reason of the curtail- ment of the privileges of the cows, there was among the villagers a most bitter and persistent opposition to the improvement, which was cherished in one form or another for nearly half a century. While yet the square was unfenced and the road ran across it, the town, in 1824, in adopting under the law certain police regulations concerning behavior in the streets and public places, made an exception in favor of this spot, allowing the "playing at ball or any game in which ball is used on the public common
24
History of Hanover
in front of Dartmouth College, set apart by the Trustees thereof among other purposes for a playground for their students."
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