USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Amherst > Celebration of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of Amherst, New Hampshire June 17, 1910, including the proceedings of the committee, addresses and other exercises of the occasion > Part 3
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building was not completed, however, until 1753. It was 45 x 22 feet and 22 feet posts. It stood at the junction of the roads, a short distance to the east of the Peter Jones residence in "Upper Flanders." It became town property and so continued until 1771, when the town having voted to built a new meeting house upon the training field, it was quit-claimed to the county and became the first county court house. It was afterwards re- moved to the site near the new meeting house and was burged by an incendiary in 1788.
In 1771 the town voted to build a uew place of worship upon the training field. It was carried into effect and an enthusiastic people, made more so by eight barrels of New England rum, pro-
PETER W. JONES
vided for the occasion, raised the massive timbers which con- stitnte the framework of the present Congregational Church, the heavy oaks of which they were framed growing in the im- mediate vicinity. It stood a few rods southeast of its present location, with the steeple at the west end, a porch at the east end, the pulpit upon the north side, singing gallery upon the north side over the main entrance, men's gallery on the west and women's on the east and high above the pulpit was a mas- sive sounding board. Running south from each entrance was a paved walk of some twenty feet and near its termination stood a rock for the purpose of mounting. Nearly everyone came to church at that time upon horseback. It remained town property
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until 1832, when, because of denominational strife for its occu- pancy, it was sold at public auction and purchased by the Con- gregational Society. The town reserved the right to its use for town purposes and also reserved the clock bell and steeple. In 1836 it was removed to its present site, refitted with a new basement for a town hall and vestry. The June session of the Legislature in 1794 met in this meeting house, and Governor Gil- more here took the oath of office for the first time. An ample provision seems to have been made for the members, for no less than twenty-two taverners' licenses were granted by the selectmen that year.
The present Baptist meeting house was built by the Unitari-
PERLEY DODGE, ESQ.
ans and Universalists, raised June 9, 1835, without accident and without rum. In 1844 it passed into the hands of the Baptist denomination.
The churches contained little of the comforts of modern churches. The pews were large box affairs, with high backs. There were no heating arrangements and in winter those at tending church often brought boxes of hot coals with them.
In the town warrant of 1767, a special meeting of the town was called for the purpose to see if the town would vote the whole of the front gallery in the meeting house for the men to sit In and see if the town would appoint a seat for the chorister to sit in order to improve psalmady and religious singing. We do
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not find that they voted this distinction. We do find recorded a request to the town that men might be accorded the privilege of sitting upon the beams of the church and also upon the benches pla ed in the aisles, which indicates that the churches were overcrowded in those days.
In 1768 the New Hampshire Assembly consisted of thirty-one members, representing about thirty towns. Some of the new towns were unrepresented. The province contained abont sixty settled ministers, eight attorneys-at-law, eight justices of the peace, and ten regiments of militia. Down to this period all the judicial courts had been held and the public offices kept at
HARRISON KATON
Portsmouth. The labor and expense of resorting thither bore hard on the people of the central and western towns and had long been a matter of complaint in the western and northern sections of the province. The rapid increase of population in the western and northern sections of the province called loudly for redress of grievance. After many delays and difficulties, the Assembly passed an act dividing the territory into five counties and establishing the necessary courts. Four of the counties, Rockingham, Strafford, Hillsborough and Grafton, were thus named by Governor Wentworth after English noblemen to whom he was attached; Cheshire after the county of that name in England. Then, as now, great importance was attached to the privilege of the shire of the county and in the struggle for that of Hillsborough County Amherst came off the winner -
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THE OLD JAIL,
an event which added more to the importance and popularity of the town than any event that preceded it. The act of the Assembly, having to receive the approval of the king, did not go into effect until 1771. The principal offices of the county were afterwards kept at Amherst and six sessions of the court during the year gave it an importance not before known.
Here was the first public administration of justice in the county. Before this every cause, even from the remotest part of the province, was carried to Portsmouth, where the public offices were filled principally by the friends of the governor cr personally related to him. Frequent complaints were made of partiality in the administration of law. Parties were some- times heard out of court and the practice of "watering the jury" was familiar with all who had business in the law.
In addition to easing the people of their burdens, this divi- sion of the province into counties was productive of other im- portant advantages. Men of energy, talent and means moved into the shire towns and other towns eligibly situated, and thus enterprise, business and wealth became diffused throughout the province instead of concentrating at the capital and becoming attached to the trappings of the royal governor. The power of the governor over the people was also largely impaired. These counties became so many little republics, each with Its capital at its shire, where the people could meet, and when ther were often brought together by their court and other occasions for convocation, giving them ample opportunity to learn each others' views and feelings and to be influenced by each others' principles and wishes.
The people of the different sections of the state being of dis-
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RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL, DANA, DR. MATTHIAS SPALDING AND REV. JOSIAH G. DAVIS
similar origin and quite different in their habits of thinking and action, this commingling which resulted from division of counties was happy and opportune, as paving the way for more harmonions and united action of the people in the great trials and struggles which awaited them in the Revolution, "the times which tried the souls of the friends of liberty and revealed the hearts of those who were not loyal to the cause of freedom."
Hitherto, Amherst, although possessing some of the most gifted men in the Province had been classed in its representation in its general Assembly. Many of the larger towns were then wholly unrepresented. No uniform system of representation had been adopted. None could be established by law, because it was claimed by the governor as part of the royal prerogative to call represen- tation from new towns.
It is regretted that there remains to us so imperfect a record of the revolutionary history of this locality, but enough is known to forever establish the character of our ancestors for patriotism, courage and self denial. It appears from authentic documents that prior to the first of April, 1777, one hundred and twenty persons from this place were engaged in the war, among whom were two colonels, one major, five captains and nine subaltern officers. This was a larger number than was furnished by any other town in the state. It needs scarcely be added that the inhabitants encountered a full share of the hardships and difficul-
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ties which were endured by the people generally in New Hlamp- shire. The citizens of Amherst were ardent and alive in the popular cause. When the first gun was heard at Lexington, an Amherst company instantly mustered under Josiah Crosby and proceeded to the scene of action, reaching there the following day. Within two years from this time, with a population of but 1,428, Amherst had furnished 120 fighting men. Within the first four years from the opening of the grand drama, more than one in
CHARLES H. CAMPBELL,
seventy of the inhabitants, being twenty-two of its citizens, had either been killed in battle or died in service. And in this way she went on during that seven years' contest. During its con- tinuance the seleetmen paid out from the treasury nearly $18,000 to our own soldiers. The brave Crosby with his company fought and died at Bunker Hill. Nichols commanded a regiment at Ben- nington and there Bradford led his company and rendered signal service upon that memorable field. That Amherst did her duty nobly throughout all this eventful struggle that resulted in American independence is fully attested by the records. Bunker Hill, Charlestown Neck, Bennington, Fort Cedar and other battle grounds were enriched and are still fragrant with the life blood of her noble sons. Three hundred and twenty-one men were upon her enrollment, which was over fifty per cent. of the male inhabi- tants of the town.
So long as adherance was a virtue, no people were truer and .
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firmer than those who preceded us, but when submission was no longer a virtue, and duty called them to throw off the oppressive, galling yoke of tyranny, and to stand up boldly for their rights, none were more firm, patriotic and self denying. All honor to the brave men, and their equally brave and self-denying consorts, who secured the high and distinguished privileges which they have bequeathed to us.
The conditions under which the early inhabitants of Amherst
CHARLES RICHARDSON
lived, one hundred and fifty years ago, at the time of the incor- poration of the town, concern us today as we gather here to com- memorate this anniversary.
The town was fortunate in the selections of its first minister, the Rev. Daniel Wilkins. He was a man of strong character, a patriot and a gentleman. He was a wise counselior and his spirit was a vital force in the community. The people of his parish looked to him not only for spiritual guidance, but for help and assistance in their business dealings. He was the arbiter of the grievances of all the people in his parish.
The early struggles of the people were like those endured by all of the old settlements around us. The hardships of those days can hardly be appreciated now. It required strong arms and stout hearts to extract from the soil the sustenance of life and there were little of the comforts of life as we know them now,
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and yet the days had their compensations. There was more of the spirit of brotherly love than now. There was more real neighborly feeling. They took great interest in each other and when trouble or disease entered a family all would cheerfully help, one family supplying a portion of corn, another fuel, another rum and so many a hard winter season was relieved of its fearsome results in a mutual sharing of the general supplies. They were without their men's club, and their women's club, about the only club they were familiar with was Indian war club.
The first houses of which record is known in Amherst were built of logs. Log houses offered better protection than any other kina.
The first settlers were named Lamson and Walton and they
RICHARD BOYLSTON
came here from the Massachusetts Colony, and built a house near where the house now is of the late Bryant Melendy. It is said. but we doubt if it can be authenticated, that the first frame house built in Amherst, was the Rhoades honse, built, perhaps, upon the same spot as one of the first log honses. It was about 1775 when frame houses first became comnon.
An employment of the early settlers was the "boxing of pine trees" to get turpentine, which they transported to the Merrimack river and carried to Boston, where it was sold and shipped to England. It was a large source of revenue to the early settlers. The cutting of pine trees was forbidden except by order of the .
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governor of the Province, pine trees being reserved for the use of the Royal Navy. This restriction incited much opposition to the Royal government and helped to incite the people toward a feeling of injustice. The "boxing of trees" did not injure to tree and was not objected to.
Game and fish contributed much toward the support of the carly settlers. The Souliegan River, at times it is recorded, was alive with shad, salmon, alewives and lamper eels. As late as 1821, an article was inserted in the town warrant to see if the town would prohibit the boys setting eel pots in the brooks as eels were then becoming scarce as a commercial food. The woods were full of game, wild pigeons were very plenty, wild turkey, deer and all kinds of smaller game abounded. The catching of pigeons for
ALBERT A. ROTCH
the market was a large source of revenue. Many now living can remember the pigeon stands, which resembled a tennis court, over which nets were thrown and the birds caught by the hundreds, till they became almost extinct.
There was no such thing as a cook stove in town. This was so even in the memory of living people. The advent of the first cook stove was a great event and regarded as an invention of enormous value, as indeed it was.
Sheep raising was a source of much revenue and a large number of sheep were kept by ahnost every farmer. Hop fields were in abundance and profitable. There was a carding mill at Wilton where the wool was carded and fitted for the spinning wheels
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found in every household and the winters were spent by many a thrifty housewife in spinning and mending and making articles for the family use.
The shoemaker and the tailor went from house to house doing the work of the family. Who cut and made the clothing of the good people of Amherst before the last century, is and probably will ever remain unknown. Garments in those days were mainly home made and lasted a lifetime. No great attention was paid to dress either by the men or the women. We have records, how- ever, of some exceptions. Soon after the establishment of the Third Parish a lady and gentleman were married, and it is doubt-
SERGT. CHARLES H. PHELPS "A young man but an old soldier."
ful if another suit of clothes of any bridegroom since has cost as much as his.
We are also astonished at the specimens of needlework that are now and then brought forth, almost sacred, from family archives.
At the time of the incorporation of Amherst there was a popu- lation of eight hundred people, living in one hundred dwelling houses, or an average of eight people to a family. They had fewer comforts but more children.
The only instruction enjoyed by the inhabitants of the town previous to its incorporation was from private instructors. Little attention was paid to other than private instruction, till after the close of the war. In 1781, we find recorded a vote of the town appropriating 10,000 pounds for the support of schools, the town .
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being divided into "squadrons." Ten thousand pounds repre- sented $50,000, but in the depreciated money of the Province was only about $300.
How near Amherst came to being an educational centre may be judged from the spirit of a vote in 1791, when a charter was granted for the establishment of the Aurean Academy. The institution soon went into operation. The enterprise was short lived and closed its existence for want of financial support.
COL. C. E. HAPGOOD
Rapid progress in educational matters dated from 1800 and in 1817 there were about 500 attending the public schools in the town, nearly thirty per cent. of its population.
At the opening of the century, Amherst, in whatever light it is regarded, was emphatically the "Hub of Hillsborough County." It was the busy place of all towns in the interior of the state. It was more important than Concord, and of larger mercantile business than of any other town of the state, saving perhaps
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Portsmouth and Exeter. Located at the terminus of the Second New Hampshire Turnpike, it was the most important business point between Windsor, Vermont, and the sea shore, and its traders did a thriving business, not only with the other towns of the county, but with the farmers from the north and from Ver- mont, many of whom exchanged their produce for their groceries and other needed family and farm supplies. It contained five stores, the most prominent of which was the "Old Read Store." Located near where the Soldiers' monument now stands. Two other prominent stores, both afterwards burned, were the "Means Store" and the "Lawrence Store." The only newspaper in the
J. F. WHITING
county, "The Farmers' Cabinet," was also published here, having been established in 1798 as the "Village Messenger" and being one of only three papers published in the state.
In 1820 Amherst village contained a meeting-house, court house, jail, school-house, two taverns, card factory, three law offices, and fifty-eight dwelling houses, and for four score years it maintained its reputation as one of the busiest of towns.
In some respects Amherst has improved, for today it contains one hundred and twenty dwelling houses, hardly one vacant and none in other than a creditable condition.
A look into the Read store would have revealed an odd sight in contrast as stores are conducted today. It was without counters or counting room and yet supplied almost every known want of .
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man, at that time, including rum and molasses in abundance. Every store in Amherst, and in fact in the county, and many private houses, made a business of selling rum. During the ses- sions of the court as many as twenty permits were issued for rum selling to private property owners in Amherst. So common was the drinking habit that records are left of school children saving their pennies and buying a portion of rum to bring to school, at the close of the session with which to celebrate the day, and teacher and all liberally partook. A notable occasion demon- strating the excess of drinking is recorded, when Representative
ISAAC B. DODGE
Smith, returning from the General Assembly, the court, then in session, adjourned and the judge, the justices and all present became gloriously, or ingloriously drunk. It was not till after three decades had passed that the temperance wave resulted in a change of this habit of rum drinking among the people of Amherst and the province in general.
COURTS.
A most interesting chapter in the history of Amherst, has been its connection with the courts of the county. Up to the year 1844 it was the only shire town and six sessions of the court were held here annually. The first court was held in a private house, said to be the same house as that now occupied by W. W. Sloan as a
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dwelling honse; this was in 1771. The judge sitting at this court was Matthew Thornton, chief justice. The names of attorneys appearing upon that first docket were Ebenezer Champney, New Ipswich; Joshna Atherton, Amherst; N. P. Sargent, Haverhill: Joli Prentice, Londonderry; Samuel Livermore and John Sulli- van, Durham; Mr. Lowell, of Boston; and Wiseman Claggett, of Litchfield. Mr. Atherton and Mr. Champney were the only attorneys then living in the county.
That same year, the town having completed a new house of worship, voted to give to the county the old meeting house, which was located near the Jones residence, for use as a court house. One provision, however, was incorporated in this deed of gift,
WILLIAM FEW
which did not fully meet the desires of the justices of the county, - it was that the county should erect a jail within one hundred and fifty feet of the court house, or old meeting house. The county so far accepted the gift as to ocenpy the house for court purposes, but did not immediately comply with conditions in erecting a jail.
In 1785 the court of general sessions finding the old building inconvenient, and the business of the town having centered around the new house of worship on the training field, proposed to build a new court house and suggested to the town that more would be expected from it than from other towns in the county. This the town declined to furnish and twice voted not to assist in larger
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share than was required of it by law. In 1787 the old building given by the town was taken down and removed to the common and put up again a few rods westerly of the new meeting house, where it was burned almost before it was completed.
The town then realizing the necessity of doing something imme- diately for the courts called a special town meeting and voted eight pounds towards building the court house, and chose John Patterson, Capt. Josiah Crosby, Samuel Dana, Daniel Campbell and James Ray to plan and place the same. This building was located directly in front of the spot where the Russell house How stands. It was used as a court house until the completion of the present town house, when it was sold to the Congregational
·
JAMES B. DAVID
Society for a vestry and removed to its present site. In this old court house some of the first men of the state and the nation commenced their career of renown and usefulness. It is worthy of record as a relic of former generations redolent with the memory of the wisdom of such men as Timothy Farrah, William H. Richardson, Samuel Bell, Samuel Dana, Joshma Atherton, and the eloquence and learning of Ezekiel and Daniel Webster, Jere- miah Woodbury, James Wilson, David Everett, Clifton Claggett, C. H. Atherton, Luther Lawrence, Franklin Pierce, Charles G. Atherton and their contemporaries, of the Hillsboro County bar.
It was in this second court house building that Daniel Webster made his maiden speech before Judge Farrah. He had finished
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his studies in the law office of Christopher Gore of Boston, and had been admitted to the Suffolk County bar. Judge Farrah, after listening to the young man, remarked: "that young men's state- ment is a most unanswerable argument," and at once granted the mnotion.
A noted trial in this court house was that of one Daniel Farmer of Goffstown and his subsequent execution by hanging attracted, perhaps, the largest concourse of people to Amherst that ever gathered here, estimated as high as ten thousand. The gallows was erected upon the spot now occupied by the house of the late B. B. David. The execution took place at two o'clock in the after- uoon, of January 3, 1822. It was intensely cold that day. Farmer
WILLIAM G. DAVID, M. D.
made a confession upon the gallows and attributed his crime to the use of liquor and admonished his hearers to refrain from its use. It was doubtless the most forceful temperance lecture ever delivered in the county and its effects upon the then common drinking habit was said to have been very great.
In 1785 Amherst voted its unwillingness to divide the courts with the town of Concord which had petitioned to be annexed to the County of Hillsborough. Hopkinton afterwards received a portion of the courts held in Amherst and became a shire town and so continued until the formation of Merrimack County in 1823.
Amherst had three court houses; the last and present court house building was built about the year 1824, and it has had also
الـ
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an equal number of jails. The last jail was not used after the construction of the new jail at Manchester, which was for a long time known as "The Palace for Criminals."
The gathering of the judicial heads of the county in Amherst at the various sessions of the courts were events more or less sur- rounded with interest. As we remember them they were full of color and form a picturesque chapter in the town's history. As a boy I remember with what expectancy we looked forward to the May session, when the town would be full of strangers. When we boys would gather about the court house and watch with frightened interest the unloading of the criminals brought here for trial from Manchester. How we would line up at the court house
WILLIAM D. STEARNS
and ask for the privilege of driving a stranger's horse to the stable, being fully compensated in the privilege of the ride and perhaps getting an additional dime for our own use. I wonder how many within the hearing of my voice remember the song the church bell used to sing, that summoned the court into session each morning, when the bell ringer went into the church belfry and taking the tongue of the bell made it say:
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