USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Sanbornton > Addresses and proceedings at the centennial anniversary of the Congregational Church, in Sanbornton, N.H., November 12 and 13, 1871 > Part 6
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alike creditable for respectability and honesty. John Sanborn, of Hampton, grand-son of Esq. William, obtained the original grant of the township of Sanbornton (dated December 31, 1748,) from the proprie- tors of lands purchased of John Tufton Mason. His name stands at the head of the long list of the grantees of the town, in honor of whose family name the town was called.
He was a man of ability and influence, and represented the town of Hampton for many years in the Provincial Government.
One of the first concerns of the early settlers of the town was to pro- vide for and maintain religious public worship, and to establish the Christian Church, on the faith and polity of the Pilgrim fathers. We meet to-day to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the accom- plishment of that noble purpose.
Of the seven original members of the church then established, four bear the Sanborn name, and the records of the church for the past century show that more than one hundred of the same name have been enrolled among its members.
What a power for good has resulted from the planting of this church ! Who can estimate its influence in moulding the character and institutions of this town which for so long a time took high rank among the towns of the State!
I am glad to be with you to-day in this re-union of the sons of old Sanbornton, to commemorate the noble work of the Fathers, who, amid the difficulties and hardships of a new settlement far removed into the interior, sacrificed so much to establish here the principles of the Christian faith, and lay the foundation of the future prosperity and happiness of the town.
In conclusion allow me to congratulate you on the success and felicity of this occasion, and to thank you for the generous hospitality and the friendship and cordiality that have characterized the en- tire celebration."
(5.) "The Hon. Nathan Taylor, foremost among the then citizens of Sanbornton in the war of the Revolution : foremost in peace, and foremost both in the esteem of his fellow townsmen, and in the hearts of his Christian brethren of this church."
The Rev. Frederic T. Perkins being called upon remarked that he would cheerfully respond to the sentiment proposed as best he could ; for that it seemed to him befitting the character of that noble man, who in many respects strongly resembled the " Father of our Coull- try," and also because of a just pride in him as a relative, and as one of the noblest citizens and most perfect Christian gentlemen that ever
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lived in the town. That portrait of the Hon. Nathan Taylor brings up before us a man of fine symmetrical form, of graceful and dignified manners ; and, though of great decision and energy, yet also of great courtesy and refinement ; a beautiful type of the Christian gentle- man who commanded the respect of all. We all felt honored and improved by his presence ; and gladly would we have shown him the respect formerly paid to " Priest Woodman," as, on the Lord's day, he approached the meeting-house, when, all arranged in file, stood with uncovered heads, as he passed in. No other man ever so im- pressed upon this community the beautiful lesson of Christian courtesy as did Mr. Taylor.
Recognized as a man of sound judgment and pure motives, he was respected and trusted by all.
In all local affairs, his words, though few, had great weight ; and his judgment, when given, was, with many, decisive. He was called to fill many positions of responsibility and honor. He was a man of the purest patriotism. Entered the army at the beginning of the Revolutionary war, served his country well, bore his scar of honor through life, and the pension to which entitled he nobly refused till the death of his father, (also an officer in the army,) saying that " one pension in a family was enough."
The speaker thought that by virtue of his connection, through his father, with the Hon. Nathan Taylor, and with old " Master Per- kins," and through his mother, with old Doctor Sanborn, and that grand woman, the Doctor's wife, he had about as much of Sanborn- ton in him as any other living man ! Alluding to the interest felt in the historical address he said : "The Lord makes some very queer things ; and Brother Bodwell here is one of them. He is very dry looking, and yet we sat two whole hours listening to him-and it did not seem long-so intensely interested were we in his discourse! There was not a dry thing in it ! And my good brother here, though so lean, is-as was his discourse-all full of the sweet juices of wit and humor. But as to swallowing all he said about the size of the old meeting-house on the hill, as only 60 by 43 feet ; all that won't go down ! Just as if any body who ever saw that old house were to believe any such thing! That stately old house, not so large as this newer one ! Why, that was the biggest house ever seen ! How high it stood ! How grand it looked to all the people on this side of the circling hills, from the Gilford to the Ragged Mountains."
The speaker said he had seen the Trinity and other large churches in New York, (where they have many big things, besides big thieves and
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other political rascals,) and the large churches of Chicago which the flames have made so small ; but never saw any that seemed half so large as the " old meeting-house " on the hill ! Why, so large was it, that to help the sound, so that the minister could be heard by all the people, there was that curious thing up over the minister's head ! The great interest felt by the youngsters in that " sounding board," was in the fact that it looked as though it might come down some day ! and our speculations used to be on the probable results to the minister's head, being wickedly curious to see how it would strike !
Among other notable things about the old meeting-house, reference was made to the great singing of those days. We hear famous sing- ers, choirs and choruses, in our day ; but nothing like the singing up there in that old gallery, under the lead and inspiration of Charles Jesse Stewart. How he loomed up-all full of music from head to foot-fit to be the leader of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthan ; with " Dea. Joe," Robert Hunkins, Mr. Ordway, Mary Edmunds, Betsy Brown, Julia Morrison and others ; how they used to sing! O, for an old " fugue" by such a choir, as in those days made the great house tremble from top to bottom !
After some other playful remarks, the thought was seriously and earnestly presented that the cumulative influences and forces of the past have come down to make the present generation what it is ; that what we have received of good we are bound to transmit; that by what we are and do we help shape the character of coming gener- ations ; that we should improve upon the past and make the future better than the present ; so that the blessing of the God of our fathers and mothers may, with ever increasing richness, rest upon our beloved old church and town.
(6.) " The oldest present member of this church, and the oldest living citizen of the town ;- a wonderful instance of a cheerful, use- ful and vigorous old age-himself the grand-son of the first and longest continued instructor of youth in Sanbornton. May he ever be young."
The venerable Capt. John B. Perkins, in response to the above, came forward to the stand with the sprightliness of youth, amid the applause of the audience and humorously remarked :
" You'd scarce expect one of my age To speak in public on the stage,"
(renewed applause) alluding to the fact that this was the first time he had ever attempted to make a public speech. " Although," said he, " I shall be 88 years of age the 16th of next May, almost old enough to
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be reckoned among the aborigines, from whom they used to tell me I was descended !"
He then spoke of his well-remembered school days under the in- struction of his grand-father. "Master" Abraham Perkins, when the days of his going home from school without a flogging were the exception aud not the rule, and were always attended as he left the school-room, with a peculiarly grateful sensation !
He acknowledged that he was the young man alluded to by Dr. Bodwell in his address, who was selling " the ardent " or rather aid- ing in that work, on the day of his father's ordination ; but pleaded in extenuation the great difference in public sentiment between that age and the present.
" Formerly everybody drank, and the standard of respectability was found not, as now, in total abstinence, but in being able after par- taking of the usual drams, to go through the door of the room (point- ing to the door with his cane) without hitting both sides of the entrance ! "
In conclusion, he again gratefully alluded to the good old age to which a kind Providence had spared him, and to the satisfaction he took in being present on this centennial anniversary of his beloved church, together with the companion of his youth, now nearly as old as himself, and with all three of their children.
This, for popular effect, was decidedly the speech of the occasion, to which his son, the Rev. F. T. Perkins, added: " When the mar- shal of the day intimated to me that he was about to call out my father for a speech, and that perhaps it might be well for me to fol- low him with a few words, I supposed it was on the idea that the old gentleman miglit " get stuck " or " break down," or something of that sort. If he had any such apprehension, I am quite sure he will not have the next time when he may call him out. For plainly the youngish gentleman has outdone us all, and I am very confident that with time and practice he will be able to make his own speeches. This, his opening speech, shows that he may come to something yet."
(7.) "Prominent among the officers of the town and of the church, ever loved and respected in the sacred ministry, and in various private walks of life, appears the name of Lane."
Response by Dea. Redford W. Lane, of Nashua, who spoke of the commingled feelings of pleasure and sadness he experienced on being present on that occasion. It gave him pleasure to look upon
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the hills and the valleys that in former days were so familiar, and which remained unchanged, as also many of the dwellings, appearing very much as in the days of his boyhood; but there was a feeling of sadness in the thought of the great changes that had taken place in the occupants of those dwellings. There was pleasure, too, in meeting and exchanging cordial greetings with so many of his former friends and acquaintances, but a shade of sadness in the thought that, in all probability, it would be his last and only opportunity of so doing with most of them. As they had been invited by the marshal to talk over the remembrances of the past, he related some of his recol- lections of the old meeting house upon the hill, with its broad aisle from the entrance in front to the elevated pulpit in the rear, with gallery in front for the singers and extending around upon either side, with the square pews upon the wall where unruly boys would some- times so forget the proprieties of the time and place as to occasion an admonition by a loud rap from some sober minded person present, calling their attention to the fact as well as that of the congregation, and designating them by the pointing of his finger. In those days " we had no bell to admonish us of the time for commencing services, and making our way to church on Sabbath morning from the neigh- borhood where I resided, when we came in sight of the residence of the Hon. Nathan Taylor, (already alluded to, whose portrait hangs before you,) and saw his horse harnessed to the chaise and standing at the door ready to take the family to meeting, we were all right, for he was not only constant in attendence but prompt as to time."
" The good people of Sanbornton then attended the sanctuary through the cold winter season without any of the conveniences and comforts of the present day, with no relief from the stinging cold as they sat there through the long service except the small foot stoves brought by some of the ladies with a few coals from the hearth, to keep their feet warm ; and yet there were as few then who would allow themselves to be detained from attending public worship on account of inclement weather as there are no'w, when we have our meeting houses warmed and made comfortable."
(NOTE .- Had there been time the speaker would have alluded to the Lanes of Sanbornton. Four brothers, Samuel, John, David, and Joshua,-sons of John Lane, of Kensington,-settled in Sanbornton prior to 1800. Of these, Samuel was the 3d Deacon of the church and a man of rare benevolence and excellence of character. John S. Lane, the sixth child of Dea. Samuel, was also a deacon of the
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church [see Appendix, notes B. and H.]. The widow of a fifth broth- er, Joseph, with her nine children, moved to town in 1813. Of these children were the Rev. Joseph Lane,-first a missionary among the Indians, then a pastor in Franklin three years, and lastly Seere- tary of the New Hampshire Bible Society ten years, till his death in 1850,-Richard Lane, an earnest Christian who was deacon of this chureli for 14 years,-and the speaker, of whom, as we go to press, we are pained thus early to make the following announcement from the Boston Journal of March 18th : " Mr. R. W. Lane, one of the first citizens of Nashua, N. H., and for 22 years Clerk of the Jack- son Manufacturing Company, died on the 16th inst., after a brief illness of pneumonia, aged 63 years. Mr. Lane was a deacon in the Pearl street Congregational Church, and a kindly gentleman of man- ifold virtues, whose sudden death has cast a gloom over the commu- nity.")
At this stage of the meeting the orator of the day improved his opportunity to reply to the Rev. Mr. Perkins, and said : " It is evident from his remarks that my brother Perkins thinks he is better look- ing than I am. I admit it, and I can tell you the reason ; his ances- tors were born in Sanbornton, mine were not. There can be little doubt that if my grandfathers and grandmothers had been born among these hills, as his were, I should have been nearly as hand- some as my brother, and as portly as our friend Dea. Bodwell Sanborn.
I can assure you that I was a very goodlooking individual in my earlier days. When I was a boy, in the Academy we had an "ex- hibition " at the close of the term, and as the part of a young lady was assigned to me, I had to appear in female costume, and the Hon. Nathan Taylor, to whom my brother has alluded, mistook me for the prettiest girl in town. I grew very homely after that.
I want to say another word, in pursuance of the second sentiment and the remarks of Bro. Ballentine,-about good " Elder Crockett," whom I so well remember. His benevolent countenance and large head sat on ample shoulders. He wore top boots and breeches, and sat well in the saddle, riding a horse which appeared as if it had been made to order for his particular use, and carrying always a stout cane with a crook. In this way he and my father rode many miles together over these pleasant hills, and very beautiful was their mutual love and friendship, which lasted till death separated them. They met often in social circles, and would be seated side by side at the tea table, when Elder Crockett would become so absorbed, as on
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one occasion, in conversation with my father, that he would press closer and closer to him, and at last quite unconsciously appropriate his cup of tea !
Some of you remember the singing to which our brother Perkins has referred, in that old meeting-house on the hill. My impressions quite agree with his. There was the choir of men and women that nearly filled the front of the long gallery opposite the pulpit, with the accompaniment of stringed instruments and sometimes of flute, clarionet, and bassoon besides.
How well I remember the portly form of Dea. Joseph Sanborn, with bass voice like the stop of an organ, and Richard Hazleton, with tenor of surpassing purity and sweetness, and Betsy Brown, whose rich soprano suited well the beauty of her countenance, and many others of varied excellence, all under the grand leadership of Charles Jesse Stuart, the lawyer, who stood so erect and proudly at their head, the green plaid cloak, which was the fashion of the day, hanging carelessly from his ample shoulders. Don't you remember old " Denmark " on Thanksgiving day ?
" Before Jehovah's awful throne."
I was a child then, and I have not often heard singing since which has moved me as that did. As I look back it seems to have made quite as large a part of the pleasures of my Thanksgiving day as plumb pudding and mince pie.
I think I may say that the singers in this congregation in those days were rather remarkable, both for time and tune. Yet they sometimes made mistakes. You remember "Uncle William," the father of Deacon Joseph Sanborn, who used to sit in the square cor- ner pew, next to that of Lieut. Perkins. A man of stalwart pro- portions and great muscular power, who came to meeting in breeches, his ample calves covered with those thick woolen stockings, colored to deep blue in the " dye pot," always standing in the chimney cor- ner of the huge fire place, in every farm house in that day, his broad shoulders covered by a drab great coat of stout English cloth, which no rain could penetrate. That coat is still extant. Our friend Deacon Bodwell Sanborn, the grandson, finds it an excellent pro- tection when he has to go in a heavy rain storm to fetch the cows.
Uncle William had been a grand singer in his day, but had retired from the singers' gallery to the family pew. On a certain pleasant Sunday, as the large choir were laboring under stress of evident dif- ficulty through one of Watts' unequalled hymns, the old man was ob- served to be uneasy in his seat, and gazing with a troubled counte-
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nance at the singers, till at last, unable to bear it any longer, he rose to his full height, and said in clear tones and with unmistakable em- phasis, " You hain't got the right pitch, and you make an awful noise ! "
I must not sit down without saying another word about this town of Sanbornton, so surpassingly beautiful, and so dear to all her sons and daughters wheresoever in the wide world they go. I remember when its boundaries were, to a large extent, the waters of the Winne- pisiogee and the Pemigewasset, and how I used to stand on " Meet- ing-house Hill " on a bright autumn morning and gaze on the beauti- ful wreath of fog that lay along the great valleys and indicated the course of the rivers and the boundaries of my native town. I do not accept the changes which have been made, and, above all, the neighborhood where are dwelling to-day the descendants of those noble men who gave its name to the town, is Sanbornton still, and must always be Sanbornton. To call it by another name is, to me, as if you should erase from the stone which stands above the grave of the first minister of the town the revered name of Woodman, and engrave Smith or Johnson instead. But I have no right to be talking here after your very kind and patient attention to my long address in the other house, and so I sit down."
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(8.) "The Deacon who always used to occupy the " Deacon's seat " in the old hill meetinghouse, Dea. Benjamin Philbrick. We welcome among us to-day another Philbrick, a son of this parish who has gone up higher, to the sacred desk."
(It was expected that the Rev. Nathan P. Philbrick, of Northfield, would have responded to this sentiment, but he had been called away on account of illness. Dea. Philbrick was one of seven brothers who settled in the southeast part of the town.)
(9.) "The Prescotts of old Sanbornton, who used to travel six miles on horseback by families every Sabbath, from the most remote and rugged corner of the town, to attend this sanctuary of our God."
(Dea. Joseph Prescott, of Hill, grandson of Maj. Joseph, who first settled in the New State (northwest corner of town), was pre- pared to respond, but had been obliged to leave on account of the lateness of the hour.)
(10.) " The ladies of our united towns. Formerly accustomed to play skillfully upon the hand loom and spinning wheel, as their chief instruments of music ; now, though in great measure having exchanged these for the piano-forte and the sewing machine, yet we know they
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will not forget their relations to us of the sterner sex as our wives and daughters, our sisters and mothers."
Response by Mr. Richard Ward, of Boston. " Looking back as far as I can, I see upon the uncarpeted, unpainted floors piles of wool, or flax, or tow. I see the big high spinning wheel and the low linen wheel : the quilling wheel and swifts; the loom, with big beam, little beam, harness, and reed. I see the warp wound tightly round the beam and stretching forward through the harness and reed ; the quill box full of wound quills, and the shuttle beside the box. And there, on a thick, hard plank seat or bench. I see a Sanbornton woman with her two feet upon the treadles. Half the warp goes up and half down, and at each change in the warp the shuttle flies through and through with the filling. Noble, loving mothers of noble, loving daughters !
Use is the end of all God's works and words, and these women were truly useful.
By short stages or removes they had found their way through the Wilderness from Hampton Beach to Kelley's Ledge. Their wan- derings and hardships had worn off the old English polish, but not a jot of the pure, warm love in their hearts had been lost. They could take good care of 8, 10, or 12 children and one at the breast, do all their housework, spin or weave a maid's stent, and have strength to brag of it at night.
What is a modern factory with 500 spindles compared to 50 of these women ?
The men resolved and voted that "ye meetinghouse shall be raised and boarded before " such a day. But it wasn't.
The women resolved, and then carded, spun, dyed, wove, cut, and made their husbands' and sons' clothes, and voted them into the clothes, and they were there on or before the day named in their resolve. Where did these good women get their marvelous strength ? From the Lord of Hosts. He gives. it to all those who will look to Him and desire it to use, to do good work. * * * Their daughters are now scattered from Sanbornton Bay to the Gulf of Mexico, from Hunkin's Pond to the mouth of the Oregon, and from Salmon Brook Mountains to the gold hills of California, blessing hundreds of useful and delightful homes, and there are a "few more left." A few are here to-day, and others as good,-God bless them all-to cheer our eyes, grasp our hands, strengthen our hearts, and warm our stomachs. Women just like those who fought their way up here among thiese woods, mountains, rocks, and snowdrifts are
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not needed now. To-day a piano, or a centre table covered with books and papers, pictures, pen, ink, and paper, are better than a loom or a spinning wheel. If the women of to-day are more like angels, then the world has advanced ; for the Lord gives all a life in this world that they may fit themselves here to become angels in His heaven."
(11.) "The physicians of Sanbornton, among whom especially the names of a March, a Sanborn, a Gerrish, a Hill, a Carr, and an Abbott, can never be forgotten."
The lateness of the hour and the disappearance of the resident physicians prevented a response.
(12.) "The teachers of Sanbornton and the Preceptors of the Woodman Sanbornton Academy," would have called forth from Dr. Bodwell, formerly a " Preceptor," a tribute to his first instructor, "who tanght him his letters," Miss Esther Sanborn, she being present on the occasion.
Also from Rev. Mr. Perkins, a tribute to the memory of his first instructor, " Master Colby," (Benjamin Colby, Jun.,) some of whose children were present. But none of those pleasant reminiscences could be indulged, for the sun of that joyous day had set, the evening twilight was approaching, and with pensive yet happy hearts, the meeting was " adjourned for 100 years," all knowing full well that they must lie down in their graves, long before the next Centennial should occur.
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APPENDIX.
Note "A."
A committee to superintend the decorations of the meeting-house had previously been chosen at a meeting of " those interested in the Centennial," consisting of Mr. H. P. Wilson, Miss Ruth C. Bodwell, and Mrs. Mary P. Carr. It was after- wards noticed that this committee were, very happily, the present residents and occupants at the several homesteads of the three first pastors, the two last on the committee being daughters of the second and third pastors. Great credit is due to the committee for their well-timed and persevering efforts, and to the ladies who assisted them in the work of decoration.
A brief account of the manner in which the interior of the meeting-house was adorned may be of interest in future years. Directly in the rear of the pulpit- center of the end wall-was a large heavily-wrought cross of evergreen, with white flowers. Above this, the name of "WOODMAN; " on its right, " BOD- WELL," on its left, "BOUTWELL," and underneath, "RUNNELS ; " the whole en- circled over the top by the words, "OUR PASTORS." A little below the cross, and extending along the wall on either side, was the following, in one line :
" 1771. ONE GENERATION PASSETH AWAY AND ANOTHER GENERATION COMETH. 1871."
preceded by the portrait of Hon. Nathan Taylor encompassed with evergreen, and followed by that of his great grand-daughter, when a child ; the present Mrs. John H. Morse, of Methuen, Mass. At the right of the pulpit, on the side wall, was a portrait of Rev. A. Bodwell, opposite which, on the left, was the motto, "CHRIST IS ALL." Two large photographs of the second and third pastors, Messrs. Bodwell and Boutwell, were suspended from the desk, in front. The windows and doors were arched with thick evergreen festoons ; while in the rear of the house, over the doors and singers' seats, the two flags, English and Ameri- can, were gracefully suspended, meeting in the center ; the former opposite "1771," showing that our fathers were then under the English government, and the latter opposite " 1871." The word "PRAISE," beautifully wrought, appeared behind the choir, and at their right, an evergreen monogram, "I. H. S.," (Jesus Homi- num Salvator). All the lettering was wrought with thick evergreen, except the names of the three first pastors, for which cedar sprigs were used, giving them a dimmer aspect, suggestive of the past.
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Note "B."
The Church Sabbath school was first organized the first Sunday of May, 1819, though Mr. Bodwell had previously sustained a "Catechetical Society." We learn, from certificates and prizes for reciting verses now found with a few of our aged church members, that the Hon. Nathan Taylor was that year " President of the Sunday School Association," and John Lane, 3d, (afterwards Deacon John S. Lane) "Conductor." About the same time and afterwards branch schools were carried on by Deacon Joseph and Simeon Sanboru, on the Sanborn Road; by Ebenezer Sanborn and Deacon Benjamin Philbrick, near Union Bridge; and by Benjamin Robinson, Mrs. Jacob March, and Mrs. Jacob Hersey, on Calef Hill.
Deacon J. S. Lane continued superintendent of the main school "most of the time," till 1847, though Dr. Thomas P. Hill, Woodman Emery, and different Preceptors in the Academy, are remembered to have served during brief periods each. No authentic records, till 1847, when Dr. James B. Abbott was first chosen superintendent of the Sunday school, and re-elected by the church for six teen consecutive years. David C. Clough, the present esteemed superintendent, has served since 1863.
Note "C."
Jonathan M. Taylor, Esq., had previously been elected Marshal of the day, to condnet the general exercises and preside in the Town ITall; which he did in an appropriate and acceptable manner.
Note "D."
The singing for both days was furnished by the choir of the church, under the direction of Mr. John S. Sanborn, who had at that time served in the capacity of chorister, with singular fidelity, for more than thirty years-nearly one-third of the century.
The choristers who preceded Mr. Sanborn, so far as remembered, were Jonathan Perkins, Benjamin Sanborn, Col. Jeremiah Tilton, Ebenezer Sanborn, Charles J. Stewart, Esq., Richard Hazelton, Simeon Sanborn, Dr. Thomas P. Hill, and Abraham B. Sanborn, whose average terms of service could not have exceeded seven or eight years each.
Note "E."
A committee of four gentlemen and four ladies, representing four parts of the parish, was also chosen at the preliminary meeting, to provide an entertainment in the Town Hall, and to decorate the same in a suitable manner. This commit- ce consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Sanborn, for the Sanborn Road in Tilton ; Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Lane, for the Square; Mr. and Mrs. Otis S. Sanborn, for the Hunkins District; and Mr. Albert M. Osgood and Miss Louise Emery, for the Calef Hill. These all bore the names of such as were prominent in the early history of the church and society, Mr. N. Sanborn being a great-grandson of Mr. Ebenezer Sanborn, one of the grantees of the town, and still occupying, in part,
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the soil granted ; Mr. O. S. Sanborn being a great-grandson of Esquire Daniel Sanborn, the first justice of the peace and prominent town officer ; and Mr. Joshua Lane being a grandson of "Master " Joshua Lane, who was town clerk during the first twenty-one years of the present century. That successful and most praiseworthy part of the celebration which pertained to the Town Hall, on Mon- day, is largely due to the unwearied exertions and good taste of this committee.
" "The bountiful collation " was justly commended in the " Concord Statesman " of November 16th, which declares that "turkeys, chickens, meats, bread, pies, and cake were provided in such profusion that it would require no miracle to take up any number of baskets of fragments after that multitude had fed."
To convey some idea of the decorations which made the old Town Hall appear so much like fairy-land, let the following notes suffice. Two large evergreen trees on either side the desk; ten small trees on the sides of the house ; and fifteen ditto completely disguising the old gallery. Heavy evergreen festoons all around the room ; the same double in front of the gallery, with eight wreaths hung from the festoons-one in each window. . Six lines of similar festoons culminating in the center of the ceiling and extending to the four corners and two sides. Mottoes (in evergreen) : right of desk, "SHOULD OLD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT ?" On the left, place occupied by the singers, "PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESS- INGS FLOW." Front of the gallery, "OUR FATHERS, WHERE ARE THEY ?" Arch over the table, "WELCOME."
The following full-sized portraits were also hung in the Town Hall : in center, back of the desk, Hon. Nathan Taylor, Capt. Asa Currier, Ebenezer Sanborn, and Jeremiah Sanborn ; on south side of desk, Dr. John Carr and Thomas Tay- lor. On the north side, Dr. James B. Abbott and Noah Eastman, Esq., besides two smaller portraits in front of the desk, of Jonathan Sanborn and Jonathan H. Taylor. To these many others might have been added, had the numerous speci- mens of the skill of Sanbornton's distinguished artist, Mr. Walter Ingalls, scat- tered among the families of town, been called into requisition.
Note " F."
Responses to these sentiments are variously reported, and this may add to the variety of the compilation.
Copies or abstracts of the speeches were solicited from all the speakers.
The replies of some were very meagre, of others considerably modified or am- plified. Some were given in the first person, others in the third person.
The form of address used by the speakers is omitted.
Quotation marks are employed when the language is believed to be identical or nearly so with what was uttered ; and the whole may be regarded as a fair ex- pression, for substance, of what was actually said, as reported by the speakers themselves.
Note "G."
This and the five following sentiments allude to certain family names, especially to such as were most numerous both in the church and in the town, and repre- sented different sections of the town some of whose descendants also, from abroad, bearing the same names, were expected at the Centennial Anniversary.
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Many other names might have been complimented in a similar way, had time permitted. The names of Calef, Cate, Clark, Colby, Durgin, Dearborn, East- man, Emery, Gale, IJunkins, Hersey, Jaques, Moulton, Morrison, March, Thomp- son, Weeks, and others, have occupied honorable places as members of the church and society. Of Josiah Emery, Esq., it may be added that he was a prominent member of the church after 1775, having married Rebecca, the sister of Rev. Mr. Woodman. The names of the seven original members of the church were James Cate, Deacon Benjamin Darling, Daniel Sanborn, Esq., Josiah Sanborn, Aaron Sanborn, Abijah Sanborn, and Deacon Nathaniel Tilton, the third, fifth, and sixth being brothers.
Note "H."
A LIST OF THE DEACONS.
Appointed.
Retired.
BENJAMIN DARLING,
- Jan. 2, 1772,
NATHANIEL TILTON,
Jan. 2, 1772,
May 8, 1811 Ang. 1811
BENJAMIN PHILBRICK,
1811,
April 3, 1837
SIMEON MOULTON,
- April 30, 1812,
May 21, 1821
JOSEPH SANBORN, -
Jan. 10, 1817,
April 3, 1837
MOSES EMERY, -
ยท July 5, 1821,
April 3, 1837
JOHN S. LANE,
May 13, 1837,
May 13, 1848
RICHARD LANE,
- May 13, 1837,
May 25, 1851
JAMES B. ABBOTT, M. D., -
July 8, 1848,
July 6, 1870
ABRAHAM B. SANBORN,
- June 1, 1851,
JOSEPH EMERY,
Sept. 3, 1870
SAMUEL LANE, -
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