USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > New London > A history of the town of New London, Merrimack county, New Hampshire, 1779-1899 > Part 5
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"Samuel Gunnison ) Selectmen of
" Timothy Morse Fishersfield.
" Levi Harvey Selectmen of
" Benjamin Woodbury § New London."
" November 18th, 1800: This day finished perambulating " the line between the town of New London and Kearsarge
" Gore, begun at the southerly corner of New London at
" Sutton corner and renewed the marks and monuments to the " corner of Danbury and New Chester.
" Levi Harvey Selectmen of
" Benjamin Woodbury S New London.
" Thomas Cross ¿ Selectman of
Kearsarge Gore."
"November 19th, 1800: This day finished perambulating " the line between the town of New London and Danbury, " begun at the southerly corner of New London at the corner " of Danbury and New Chester and renewed the marks and " monuments to Grafton line.
" Levi Harvey 2 Selectmen of
" Benjamin Woodbury S New London.
Selectman
" Samuel Pillsbury of Danbury."
The first taverners' licenses were granted in 1800, and another special license fixes the date of the annual parade of the militia, the common north of the meeting-house serving for a training-ground. The John Russell and Nicholas Holt men- tioned in the taverners' licenses lived in the northeast district, now a part of Wilmot.
" November 19th, 1800: This is to certify that we the sub- " scribers do approbate John Russell to keep a tavern in his " house in New London where he now lives.
" Levi Harvey Selectmen for
" Benjamin Woodbury § New London."
The second is the same, except that Nicholas Holt is the licensee. Following is the special license :
41
THE MILL CONTROVERSY.
"New London, Sept. 2nd, 1800: This may certify that we " the subscribers do approbate Jeremiah Burpee to sell spiritu- "ous liquors in the way of a taverner on the highways or " commons near the meeting-house in New London on the " twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth, & twenty-sixth days of this " instant September or in the house where Samuel Messer " junior now lives.
" Levi Harvey
" Benjamin Woodbury Selectmen."
" Josiah Brown
One other event demands consideration in this period of the town's existence, though its final termination was not reached until 1812,-the famous controversy concerning the Harvey mill privilege and flowage rights, to which more or less reference has been made in preceding pages. Soon after 1780 Levi Harvey built a saw- and grist-mill on a non-resident's lot at the mouth of Harvey (Clark) pond, under an agreement with cer- tain individuals that they would purchase the land necessary for the mill privilege, and would also defend him in any suits which might arise because of damage on account of flowage from the millponds. Harvey appears to have been quite popular at this time, and to have exercised considerable influ- ence in town affairs. The mills at the "Hominy Pot" were the natural business centre, and the majority of the early town meetings were held at Harvey's house. He served as select- man and town clerk for more than a decade, besides holding various minor positions of trust and responsibility.
In 1783 the persons who had bound themselves to Harvey were released, and the town assumed the obligation, giving to the selectmen of that year the power to secure Harvey with a bond similar to the previous individual one. As Harvey him- self was one of the selectmen, the bond was executed by the other two, Capt. Samuel Brocklebank and Dea. Ebenezer Hunting. Thus satisfactorily adjusted the matter rested for some years. Then came the time of tribulation. Not only was there a dispute as to the actual ownership of the land where the mills stood, but considerable damage had resulted from flowage, and the parties aggrieved threatened to bring suit against Harvey, who fell back on his bond with the town. Now that the time had come to fulfil its obligations, the town
42
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
refused to act, and the burden fell upon Brocklebank and Hunt- ing, who essayed in vain to place the responsibility where it properly belonged.
Matters remained in this unsatisfactory state until 1802, when the town appointed Lieut. Benjamin Woodbury, Josiah Brown, and Joseph Colby a committee to confer with Harvey and those injured because of his mills, and find out on what terms they would come to a settlement. No suitable compro- mise could be effected, and the town accordingly voted to let the law take its course. Then the claimant of the land and the parties whose lands had suffered from flowage brought suits against Harvey and recovered damages. He in turn sued the bond signers, Brocklebank and Hunting, the town persist- ing in ignoring its obvious duty in the premises. A judgment covering the full amount which Harvey had been obliged to pay was rendered in his favor, but as Brocklebank appears to have become impecunious in the mean time, Hunting was held for the payment of the whole sum.
Deacon Hunting, although a man of considerable property, was indignant at the treatment he had received, and refused to pay. Then Harvey resorted to severer measures, and had the deacon arrested for non-payment of the debt. Still the town remained inert, and the deacon lay in jail for more than a year. Becoming convinced at last that it was useless to hold out against Harvey's determination, Deacon Hunting paid the bill and received his release. But he was not one to submit tamely to what he considered an imposition, and he therefore sued the town. The supreme court at length rendered a decision in Hunting's favor, and he recovered from the town the full amount of his claim. To pay this and the costs of the various suits, the town was compelled to raise, by assessment of its polls and real estate, a sum not far from fifteen hundred dollars,-a modest fortune in those days. A special meeting was held in 1812 to see if the town would make good to Dea- con Hunting the damage he had sustained because of his imprisonment and give him a sum equivalent to the interest which he had paid on the Harvey execution. The town refus- ing to do anything in the way of recompense, the matter was dropped then and there, after having been a public grievance in one way or another for more than twenty years.
43
ELDER SEAMANS'S DIARY.
Through the courtesy of Daniel Shepard Seamans, son of Manning and grandson of Elder Job Seamans, and now in his 79th year, access has been had to a treasured heirloom, the diary kept by Elder Seamans during the greater part of his ministerial life-a most valuable source of information concern- ing customs and happenings in the years before the remem- brance of the grandsires of to-day. The diary is in six volumes, -sheets of paper folded into pages about four by eight inches, neatly stitched together, the handwriting remarkably clear and beautiful-covering, with a few exceptions, the years from 1774 to 1820. There are two events chronicled in 1800 which call for at least a passing notice,-an account of the first celebra- tion of Washington's birthday, and mention of a forest fire which gives an idea how much the farmers of those days suf- fered from that destructive element.
Under date of Wednesday, August 20, he writes,-" I had " a lecture appointed at Brother James Hutchins's in Sutton, " but, as the most dreadful drought lays upon us that was ever " known in this part of the country, I was obliged to stay at " home and watch and fight fire. Saturday, Augt 23 : Instead " of attending my studies, as usual, I had to fight fire all day. " Lord's day, Augt 24 : The fires had gotten to such a height " that there was no other way to save my buildings and neigh- " bours' but by plowing : so my neighbours came and yoked "up a breaking-up team, and plowed around the fire. I " attended meeting and preached from Isaiah xxvi: 9, last " clause, ' for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhab- " itants will learn righteousness.'" Thus fitly did the elder " improve " the opportunity. The account of Washington's birthday is verbatim.
" Saturday, Feb" 22 : General Washington's birthday. The " day recommended to the people by President Adams ' pub- "licly to testify their grief for the death of General George " Washington,' who died II Decem", 1799. A large number " of people attended. Our military paraded : Cavalry in front, " with drums muffled and fifes playing a mournful tune. I " followed the military company. Then the Masonic brethren- " then a large number of citizens. I. Men, then the company " of little boys. Then we marched slowly to the meeting- " house, where the company, with inverted arms, opened to
44
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
" the right and left, faced inward; then we all went into the " meeting-house. Then Captain Gay, with musick, attended " the females to the meeting-house. Then I delivered a dis- " course from II Chron., xxxv : last clause in the 24th and all " the 25th verse .- 'And he died, and was buried in one of the " sepulchres of his fathers.' I laid down the following propo- " sition, viz. : That it is suitable and proper greatly to lament " the deaths of great and good men. In the improvement, I " gave a sketch of the life and character of our beloved Wash- " ington, then endeavored to improve the national bereavement " as well as I could. Then I. addressed the Masonic breth- "ren. 2. The military. 3. The citizens in general. Every- " thing wa's performed with decency and solemnity, and I " believe everything to satisfaction, if my performances were " so."
CHAPTER III.
NEW LONDON AT THE CLOSE OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENT- URY-THE 1800 INVOICE AND TAX LIST-RESIDENTS NOT OWNERS OF REAL ESTATE-NON-RESIDENT TAX- PAYERS-HIGHWAYS-A STROLL OVER THE TOWN IN MAY, 1800, CALLING ON THE INHABITANTS AND NOTING THE HOMES OF THE RESIDENT PROPRIETORS-NAMES OF TOWN OFFICIALS FROM 1779 TO 1800.
No detailed mention of the invoice and taxes of the inhab- itants of New London appears on the town book until the year 1800, when a copy of the same was returned to the town clerk. A great deal of interest attaches to this first authentic record of the citizens of that period and their modicum of worldly wealth. In the twenty-one years of its corporate existence- the measure of its minority, as it were-a goodly degree of prosperity had been attained. The early settlers were men of pluck and strength, who had come to the unbroken wilderness and hewn out their own fortunes-fruitful farms and a modest competence, wrought from the soil by honest toil and rigid economy. In 1779 hardly more than a dozen log cabins, with perhaps fifty inhabitants, were included in the township: the census taken in 1800 gives a total of 617 inhabitants, and neat
45
STOCK AND TILLAGE.
frame houses had largely replaced the primitive structures that sheltered the pioneer settlers.
The names of III tax-payers are found on the invoice list, and 103 of the number paid a poll tax of $1.33. Israel Hunt- ing, father of Dea. Ebenezer Hunting, and John Adams, Sr., were exempt ; James Macfarland paid a tax on his interest in the store kept by Capt. John Woodman ; Greene French had land and buildings, but remained a resident of Sutton ; James Colby (brother of Joseph) had returned to Hopkinton, his native place, but was taxed for unimproved land and buildings valued at $100; John Emery was taxed for a cow and two head of young stock, but appears to have been only a tran- sient ; Stephen Clay and Jabez Morrill were among the north- ern settlers, in what was later Wilmot, and were young men who had acquired farms during their minority. Of the III tax-payers all but 27 were real-estate owners, and a majority of the latter were young men who resided with their parents.
The amount of stock inventoried in 1800 is an important item of the invoice. Thirty-one men had each a single horse ; Lieut. Benjamin Woodbury, Dea. Ebenezer Hunting, Capt. Thomas Currier, Samuel Messer, Esq., Lieut. Thomas Burpee, Lieut. Ebenezer Shepard, and Capt. John Woodman had each a pair, or 45 in all. Of the 50 yoke of oxen Lieut. Benjamin Woodbury had three; Capt. Eliphalet Gay and Levi Harvey, Esq., had two yoke each ; Capt. John Morgan and Henry Morgan (probably the captain's grandson) owned a yoke in common, and there were 42 single yoke. There were 191 cows, the largest number owned by any one man being six, the property of Capt. Samuel Brocklebank. Of four-year-old neat cattle there were 103, of three-year-olds I22, of two-year-olds 99. Young Jonathan Woodbury had a stallion, and there were 10 four-year-old colts, 18 three-year- olds, and 19 two-year-olds, with three exceptions the property of as many different owners.
In the twenty-five years since the coming of the pioneer set- tlers 63 acres of tillage had been brought in,-Lieut. Benjamin Woodbury, Eliphalet Woodward, Dea. Ebenezer Hunting, Lieut. Thomas Burpee, Lieut. Levi Everett, Jonathan Everett, and Lieut. Ebenezer Shepard having two acres each. Lieu- tenant Woodbury, Jonathan Everett, Lieutenant Shepard, and
46
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
John Slack harvested each eight tons of hay, out of a total of 235 tons. In addition to the tillage there were 473 acres of pasturage, while the unimproved land and buildings (not including the non-resident land) were valued at $8,018. The amount of the invoice was $485.83, representing, on the pre- sumptive basis of I per cent., a total valuation, exclusive of the non-resident land, of $48,583. The rate of taxation is not given, but would appear to have been about $1.27 per hun- dred, or a total tax of $618.69, apportioned as follows : High- way tax, $335.13 ; school tax, $84.05; town tax, $145.35 ; state tax, $54.16. Lieut. Benjamin Woodbury was the largest tax-payer, $14.54 ; Lieut. Ebenezer Shepard the next largest, $10.69. Jonathan Greeley and John Slack each had unim- proved land and buildings to the value of $300.
The list of non-resident tax-payers includes Hannah, widow of Matthew Harvey of Sutton, Capt. Jonas Minot, Col. Matthew Thornton, Daniel Rindge, Joshua Talford, George Jaffrey, William Cross, Jonathan Herrick, William Talford, John Wentworth, Mark H. Wentworth, Richard Wibird, Soley & March, Tombleson & Mason, Jotham Odiorne, Pearce & Moore, John Pearce, Meservey and others, John Rindge, John Moffatt, Theodore Atkinson, Thomas Walling- ford, Col. Jonathan Bagley, and David Fellows. They paid, on 11,780 acres, including the hundred-acre lots, Nos. 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, taken from Kearsarge Gore, a total tax of $54.39 ; the rate being 1-2 per cent. of the appraised value, the total valuation of the non-resident land may be set at $10,878. Capt. Jonas Minot paid the largest tax, $20.05 on 4,315 acres ; Col. Matthew Thornton the next largest, $4.69 on 1,000 acres. The total valuation of the town was $59,461.
In the old days New London was as liberal in the matter of highways as she is to-day. When clearings had been made and neighborhoods established, the trails by spotted trees, bridle-paths, and cart roads were replaced promptly by high- ways three rods wide, laid out in most cases along range and lot lines, one half on each side of the line, but sometimes the whole width of a road was taken from one of two adjoining lots. For instance, March 11, 1783, the return of a road from the present Gay corner to Crockett's corner provides that the width of said road shall be one half on the southeasterly and
47
A STROLL OVER TOWN.
one half on the northwesterly side of the range line; but in 1779 a highway from Fishersfield (Newbury) line had been laid out with its whole width on the lots of the range lying southeast of the line. This method of establishing public routes of communication between different points in the town continued until 1794, when it was discovered not only that these roads with their sharp angles were too devious and entailed too much travel, but that on the lots lying between their beginning and ending they did not pass sufficiently near the building-spots selected by the owners of these lots for their permanent dwellings. For example, the first highway near Burpee hill, which ran across two ranges nearly parallel with the lot lines, was built along its southerly and westerly slopes, leaving Calvin Burpee (at Fred Farwell's), Lieut. Thomas Burpee (at Ai Worthen's), Daniel March (at Newton L. Sar- gent's), Nathaniel S. Messer (at Benton M. Stanley's), and the Wendall settlers beyond to reach it as best they might. But in 1794 the course of the highway over Minot's (Colby) hill was changed to accommodate the residents there, in 1797 new and more direct roads were built in the West Part, in 1798 the Burpee Hill and Messer Hill people secured better facilities, and from then till 1800 numerous improvements-at least the majority of the citizens so considered them-were made.
In 1800 the traveller on horseback-for the day of chaises had not come then-might enter New London from Sutton by highway at six points, from Fishersfield at two, from Protect- worth (Springfield) at three, from Danbury at one, from Kearsarge Gore at two. In the northeast district (now Wil- mot) three highways had been established, one of which was the " turnpike." There were not many settlers in that part of the town, for in 1800 the only residents taxed there were Robert Fowler, Joseph Webster, John Russell, Jethro Barber, William Clay, Nicholas Holt, Stephen Clay, James Philbrick, Jabez Morrill, Wells Currier, Benjamin Philbrick, Samuel Prescott. All these had houses except Currier, who is taxed for two oxen, one cow, one two-year-old heifer, and one colt. The total highway tax of these northern settlers was $15.05; their school tax, $5.11; town tax, $8.70; state tax, $3.28. Leaving them for the consideration of the historian of Wilmot,
48
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
which town came into corporate existence in 1807 as the com- posite child of New London and Kearsarge Gore, the tourist interested in New London would pass from the turnpike to Capt. Eliphalet Gay's saw-mill at the outlet of Lake Pleasant by a travelled path which in 1805 became a highway. This mill, built about 1790, was used principally by the Pleasant Street and Low Plain settlers, the latter having a road to it from John Stinson's (Warren Bickford's "Emory Burpee place ") which was adopted by the town in 1800.
Passing up this highway past Stinson's to Gay corner, the traveller, after a short rest at Captain (afterwards Major and General) Gay's house, enlivened by a spicy conversation with the eccentric but whole-souled and fearless owner, would turn to the left, call on Penuel Everett (at R. E. Farwell's), notice Lieut. Levi Everett's original location (at John Colby's), have his horse shod and cured of all ailments by Dr. David Smith (at Austin Morgan's " old place "), learn from Dea. Ebenezer Hunting (at a house near the orchard on land now owned by J. E. Shepard) the latest news regarding church and town affairs, or chat for a moment with the deacon's aged father, Israel, and then might go over the Sutton line, by practically the same two routes now open,-to Frank S. Shepard's and the Horace Morey house, the latter course being a new one then just recognized as a highway. But for his present purpose, of learning all he can of New London as it was in 1800, this traveller must retrace his steps a short distance from Deacon Hunting's, turn to the left, and passing over the road built in 1794 call on Lieut. Ebenezer Shepard (at James E. Shepard's), who earned his title in the Revolution, listen to his reminis- cences of the minute-men of Massachusetts, then climbing the hill to the southwest visit the comfortable home of the lieuten- ant's son, Jesse (at Frank W. Todd's), and continue his south- westerly course until at the Sutton line he comes to the road leading to Dea. Matthew Harvey's in that town. Here he will turn to the right, linger a while at the spot where Ensign Nathaniel Everett lived, and wonder at the mysterious provi- dence of this talented man's death in 1791, then pursue his now northerly course to the residence of Lieut. Benjamin Woodbury (at O. D. Crockett's), where he will receive a hearty welcome from a man in the prime of life, who not only
49
A STROLL OVER TOWN.
is an authority on military subjects, but also as a justice of the peace decides disputed questions of law for his fellow-citizens and as an innkeeper dispenses refreshments to the weary sojourner.
After dinner the traveller deliberates which of the three routes open to him will be the best; one leads to Minot's square (Hominy Pot), another over Minot's (Colby) hill, the third to Gay corner .. His host advises that the afternoon trip be toward Gay corner, then up Minot's hill by the " back road," returning over the height of land to the inn for supper and a night's rest. As is usual in such cases, the landlord's thrifty advice is taken : and the afternoon's visiting includes a call on John Slack (at Austin Morgan's) ; a glance at William Gay's (at Charles W. Gay's) clearing ; a somewhat depressing conversation with Benjamin Straw (at Ransom F. Sargent's), who has just lost his mother (April, 1800) ; a long talk with Eliphalet Woodward (at Henry Quimby's), who has moved recently from Sutton ; and a chat with Dea. Zebedee Hayes and his young sons, James and John (at D. S. Seamans's). Near by Deacon Hayes's the visitor is uncertain which is the right road. The highway seems to divide, one part leading directly west toward a large house (Hotel Sargent), the other to the southwest. Curiosity regarding the large house, how- ever, removes indecision, and the right-hand and more direct way is chosen. After proceeding a short distance a gateway previously unnoticed is reached. The apparent highway is not open to the public ! The left-hand road ought to have been taken. The traveller, nothing daunted, however, goes ahead, and at the large house finds Ezekiel Sargent, who explains the apparent division of the highway by telling how the town laid out a road across his lot, cutting it in two; how year after year he fought this new road with varying success,- at one time securing a vote of his fellow-citizens in favor of a route proposed by himself, on the edge of Esquire Brown's land southeast of his own, at another subject to defeat and hav- ing the road across his land open ; finally, however, by per- sistent struggling carrying his point. From " Uncle Ezekiel's " the visitor goes southeast, calls on Josiah Brown, Esq. (at the site of the burned academy), who tells him of the time when he first came to town-how he worked on the meeting-house
5
50
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.
.
beyond the valley by day, and slept in its gallery by night. The next house is the new one of Lieut. Joseph Colby (the Colby homestead). Here, the conversation is of the value of New London real estate, of the stock in trade in the lieuten- ant's house which has just been appraised at $100, and of Capt. Jonas Minot and his landed interest in the towns of Alexandria and New London. But this long day of late spring is drawing to a close ; the sun has almost reached the horizon, and haste is made to give Ebenezer Shepard, Jr. (at James P. Dixon's " old orchard"), and Benjamin Adams (near John W. Morse's) a passing greeting, and Jonathan Greeley (at J. D. and F. O. Prescott's) a short call, and then Woodbury's tavern, its windows illumined with ruddy fire- light, indicative of the good cheer and comfortable lodging within, is at hand.
The next morning, refreshed by a good night's rest, he makes his way to the west, passing Joseph Trussell's farm of 91 acres, recently purchased by him of Nathaniel Fales, notices on his left the clearing made by Eliphalet Lyon and his son John, now owned by Trussell, crosses Lyon brook, passes the Nathaniel Merrill clearing (near A. W. Brown's), and comes to the grist-mill at Minot's square, where he meets Levi Harvey, Esq., talks with him and Levi, Jr., now 26 years old, sees the 'squire's house just above the grist-mill, and hears the strokes of the saw in the saw-mill below. By turning to the left after crossing the bridge " at the tail of the grist-mill," he might have passed through the yard of the saw- mill and on to Sutton, but going to the right, past the house of Joseph Harvey (at Mrs. Fletcher's), he climbs the easterly slope of King's hill, and comes to the house of Robert Knowl- ton (in the H. R. Gates pasture east of the " gulf"). Beyond this he comes again to the Sutton line, but does not cross it, veering instead to the northwest, and so makes the acquaint- ance of Capt. Samuel Brocklebank (at E. A. Todd's). Hence he moves on to Capt. John Morgan's (between E. A. Todd's and Belden Morgan's, to the south of the present highway). He sees a road leading to the homes of the Sutton settlers on the westerly side of King's hill, formerly subject to gates and bars but now free from such incumbrances. After an enter- taining chat with this bluff old sea-captain, he advances to the
5I
A STROLL OVER TOWN.
residence of John Morgan, Jr. (a few rods east of Belden Morgan's). Warned by his experience of the preceding day, when he talked so much that not half the intended route was covered, he does not stop to-day for much " visiting," though he would have enjoyed accepting young John's heartily proffered hospitality, but presses on to Ezekiel Knowlton's (at Nathaniel Knowlton's). Here, in a field southwest of the house, he is shown the graves of some of James Lamb's fam- ily, predecessors of the Knowltons.
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