USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885 > Part 20
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The surface of the town is rough and uneven, the lowest point being where the river enters Surry, 618 feet above tide water, and the highest point in the east end, near the Stoddard line, about 1,480 feet above the ocean. The summit of the hill east of the town line, near the south end of Surry Moun- tain, is nearly the same height, and the top of Mansfield hill and the height in C. B. Haywood's pasture, southeast of the Converse place, do not fall fifty feet below the west line of the town, crossing the line near the foot-bridge below William Kingsbury's, runs along the eastern slope of Surry mountain,
passing a little west of the summit at the south end. This mountain we describe in the sketch of Surry. Near the east line of the town, next to Sullivan, is a remarkable ledge facing the west, called Bearden. From the perpendicular, and in some places overhanging, ledges at the summit, some tremendous force has rent huge masses of rock and thrown them one upon another in every conceivable form of disorder. Under and upon these
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rocks are numberless holes and dens, some of considerable size, now popu- lous with hedge hogs, but formerly furnishing shelter to wolves and bears, especially the latter. The rocks are mostly irregular in shape, as well as in size and position, but in some places are wedged together almost like masonry. One obelisk, some twenty feet long and three and one half feet square, and nearly as regular as if wrought by a stone-cutter, was apparently caught while falling, and remains with one end held fast by overlying rocks, while the other extends some twelve feet horizontally, almost like a beam project- ing from the side of a building. Huge rocks of hundreds or even thousands of tons, are found with the shelving under side hollowed into countless cavi- ties, with the appearance of having been long subjected to the action of fall- ing water. At the foot of Bearden lies a small swamp, the principal source of Beaver brook, which runs thence in a southerly direction through Keene. About forty rods southwest from the Bearden ledges, where precipitous rocks rise on either hand, it falls over beds of green moss, forming a beautiful cas- cade. Along the banks of this brook, and in some' other localities, are gravelly ridges of an artificial appearance, called " kames," and are supposed by geologists to have been dropped by melting ice. The Ashuelot river enters the town from Marlow, in the northeastern part, flows a southwesterly course, then a northwesterly into Surry. It has many tributaries from the north and south, and affords some good mill privileges. Hemenway brook, one of the tributaries, about a mile from the village, affords another hand- -some waterfall.
Scattered over the surface of the town are many remarkable bowlders, relics of the drift period. The largest of these is called Vessel rock, and lies near the center of the town. It is forty-five feet in length, thirty-two in breadth, and twenty five feet in height. Its name is derived from its resem- blance to a vessel. On the hill northwest of the old Ballard place are several of remarkable size, the largest being fifteen feet in length, thirteen and one- half in breadth, and thirteen high. The soil of the town is mostly rocky and heavy, strong to produce grass-like crops, but not well adapted to corn and the higher kinds of cultivation. It abounds in the usual varieties of vegeta- tion found in granite regions and damp soils. It is probable that the fauna and flora are quite rich in the number of species, as the limit of white oak touches the southwestern corner, and the boundary between the Canadian and Alleghanian fauna passes through the town. The territory was originally covered with a heavy growth of hemlock, beech, birch, maple, spruce, ash, poplar, bass-wood or linden, and a sprinkling of red oaks and large white pines. Geologically, Gilsum was formed in what Professor Hitchcock calls the "Atlantic, or Gneissic Period," and suffered no special change till the "Mica Schist Period," when the eastern half was covered with a new formation. The scratches of the "Glacial Period," lie in a southeasterly direction. Like other hilly regions, it is not wanting in variety of minerals. The prevailing rock is a coarse granite, interspersed with smaller specimens of the stones
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common to such a formation. Crystals of tourmaline and quartz are fre- quently met with, and occasionally small specimens of beryl. Garnets are abundant. After a shower, the village street, as well as many other roads, is noticeably red with innumerable garnets of the finest quality, but so minute as to be unavailable for the jeweler. Mica has been extensively quarried a short distance north of the town line in Alstead. Hornblende and actinolite are not rare. On the "minister lot," in the south part of the town, is a large quartz ledge, from which fine specimens of rose quartz have been taken. Other smaller "white ledges" are found in several parts of the town.
In 1880, Gilsum had a population of 664 souls. In 1884 it had seven school districts, and seven school buildings. There were 159 pupils, fifteen of whom were pursuing the higher branches, taught by one male and eight female teachers, at an average monthly salary of $30.00 for the former, and $25.60 for the latter. The entire amount raised for school purposes during the year, was $1, 127.00, while the entire expenditure was $1,124.81, with Samuel W. Dart, superintendent.
GILSUM is a handsome post village, located on the Ashuelot, at the inner angle of the "carpenter's square." It has a beautiful location, surrounded by hills, and lying about 780 feet above sea level. It has one church, (Congregational), three stores, one hotel, two woolen mills, a saw-mill, two blacksmith shops,. and about fifty dwellings.
John S. Collins's wollen-mill, on road 10, was built by Gerould & Wetherby,- in 1845, and came into the present proprietor's hands in 1872. He employs- sixty-five hands, has twenty-four broad looms and 880 spindles, and manu- factures 8,000 yards of cloth per month.
The Gilsum Woolen Co.'s mill was built by Wright, Cornell & Co. ,in 1865,- was taken by Cuthbert, Gould & Co., in 1867, and came into the present company's possession in 1880. They employ about thirty men, have ten broad looms and 780 spindles, and manufacture 4,000 yards of goods per month.
Rice, Rawson & Co.'s tannery was built, one part in 1860, and the other in 1864. The former was built by Mr. Rawson, and the latter by Nelson, Rice, & Rawson, upon the site of one destroyed that year, built in 1849. In 1872 the tannery became as it now stands. They employ from twelve to fifteen hands, and turn out from 10,000 to 12,000 hides per year.
Samuel W. Dart's saw, planing and grist-mill, at Gilsum, was built by Dart, Howard & Hayward, in 1871. In 1872 the firm became Dart & Hammond, and in 1878 Mr. Dart became sole owner. He employs six men and manufactures 300,000 feet of lumber, 100,000 shingles, and a large amount of eave-spouts, lath, turning-stock, and bucket hoops per year .. The grist-mill has one run of stones, and does custom grinding.
George W. Newman's saw-mill, on road 5, was rebuilt by Howard & Guil- low, about 1845, and was purchased by Mr. Newman the following year. He cuts about 300,000 feet of coarse lumber, 50,000 shingles, 500 bunches of lath, and a large amount of turning-stock per year.
Charles Fromasbury M.D.
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The Cheshire Mica Company's mines, located on road 2, were started in 1883, by James Davis, when he sold to other parties. It is as fine as any produced in the country. Employs five hands.
George W. Taylor's mop-holder shop, on road 10, was established by him in 1883. He manufactures about fifty gross of mop-holders patented by his father, Luke Taylor, in 1884.
Adams & Dart's saw-mill, just over the line in Marlow, was built by James Downing, in 1840, and came into the present owner's hand in 1880. They manufacture about 300,000 feet of lumber per year.
Of the first settlement in Gilsum, Silvanus Hayward, in his History of Gil- sum, speaks as follows :-
" The Kilburns have always claimed to have been the first settlers in Gil- sum. So far as I know every Gazetteer or similar work names Josiah Kil- burn as the first settler. A counter tradition has been met in looking up materials for this history. It is believed the following record gives a full and fair statement of the case : Josiah Kilburn was in company with a Mr. Ford in a large tannery and shoe manufactory in Glastonbury, Conn. They were prosperous in business, and had accumulated considerable wealth for those times. Mr. Kilburn having the old English idea that real estate was the only property to give a man a position, was very anxious to buy land. Hear- ing of this township for sale, he sent up men to look over the ground. When they got here, they were taken in hand by agents of Colonel Bellows, who first bewildered them by wandering in the woods, and then kept them travel- ing three days in Surry meadows. Thinking they had gone over a large tract of country, they returned and reported that it was a level town, "without a stone large enough to throw at a bird." Encouraged by this report, Mr. Kilburn joined with Samuel Gilbert and others in the purchase of 18,000 acres, May 1, 1761. In a deed given by him, the same year, he calls himself of Hebron, Conn. In November, 1762, he writes himself John Kilburn of Keene. Before finding this deed, I had met the tradition that he supposed the log cabin that he first built was in Keene. It was within a few rods of the town line, on the spot marked I on the map. This deed fixes the time of his coming from Connecticut, in the fall of 1762. His son Ebenezer came with him. They spent the winter and the following summer in clearing the land, building a barn, and preparing their cabin to receive their families. They then returned to Connecticut, and in the spring of 1764, brought up their families, with a large herd of cattle and sheep and several horses.
"The following tradition of a still earlier settlement is from George Ham- mond, Esq., of Bennett's Corners, N. Y., who received it from his Aunt Rachel (Bill) Baxter, a niece of Deacon Kilburn's wife, and an 'extremly particular and accurate person.' In that first winter of 1762-63, the Kil- burns not having raised any crops the summer before, came near starvation. Guided only by the marked trees of the beaver hunter, they went through the heavy forest near where Ebenezer Isham settled, to a spot the beavers had cleared in the lowland known as the old Hammond meadow, where they cut some swale grass for their oxen. Hearing afterwards that a settler in the northwest part had raised some rye, Mr. Kilburn started on snow shoes to visit his neighbor and purchase a bag of rye. He followed the Indian trail to near where Calvin May once lived, and then struck for the high land and tried to discern the smoke of the settler's cabin, but could see none, and became nearly discouraged. He finally halloed at the top of his voice, and
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great was his joy to hear an answer, and in a short time, hungry and fatigued he found the cabin, got the bushel of rye, and after rest and food, returned to his home."
"This cabin was that of Jonathan Bliss, on the farm now owned by Den- nis Keefe. From this tradition the claim is made that Jonathan Bliss was the first settler in Gilsum. * The conclusion I have reached, * (of the substantial accuracy of which I have no doubt,) is the following : Mr. Bliss came early enough to get a crop of rye in 1762, while Mr. Kilburn came the fall after. Jonathan Bliss was therefore the first settler by a few months ; but returned to Connecticut, remaining there several years, and per- manently located in Gilsum in 1769."
Settlers must have arrived quite rapidly, for in 1767 the town had a popu- lation of 128 souls, 139 in 1773, and 178 in 1775. Sketchcs of some of the early settlers of the town will be found in the sketches of the several towns which received part of Gilsum's original territory. The date of the first town meeting is not known, as the early records were lost. The first of which there is any knowledge, however, was held at the house of Jonathan Smith, August 26, 1766. Josiah Kilburn built the first framed house, near the pres- ent residence of E. Nelson Gunn. The first death was that of Jemima, wife of Ebenezer Kilburn, June 24, 1765. The first road laid out was on April 16th and 17th, 1764, which is now the principal road running from Keene to Alstead, through what is now Surry. The first wheeled carriage that ever came into the town, was Dr. Adams's of Keene, about 1810, and the first owned here was by Mr. Hammond, two or three years later. The first grist-mill was built by Aaron Chapin previous to 1765, where the mill now stands below Shaw's Corner, in Surry. The first store was kept by John Mark, who also kept the first tavern. In 1792 his charge for lodging was 6d, and for keeping a horse over night, 9d. The first blacksmith in what is now Gilsum was Theodore Preston, who located here in 1776. The first physician was Dr. Abner Bliss. The first postoffice was established at Gil- sum in 1828, with Chilion Mack, postmaster. The first school-houses were built in 1794.
During the war of the Revolution Gilsum had no Tories to report. Col. Ashley's seventh company, numbering fifty-seven men, almost all of whom belonged in Gilsum and Surry, marched to the relief of Ticonderoga, in June, 1777. In another regiment, under Col. Moses Nichols, the ninth company, comprising forty men, was about half from Gilsum and Surry. This com- pany joined the Continental army at Saratoga, and was in the battle of Ben- nington, where three of their number, Michael Metcalf, Joshua Fuller and William Wood were killed.
In the war of 1812, no demand for soldiers was made from Gilsum till Sep- tember, 1814, when Governor Gilman ordered the " whole militia to hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's warning " A detachment from twenty-three regiments was ordered to " march to Portsmouth immedi- ately." Gilsum was called on to furnish seven men. The captain of a Gilsum company was Benjamin Ware. Solomon Mack was sergeant and Obadiah
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Ware, drummer. The captain called his company together and proposed a draft. Fourteen men at once volunteered. The seven who went were Ros- well Barden, Iddo Kilburn, John Raymond David Bill, Jonas Brown, David Dort, and Ira Ellis.
The Adjutant-General's report, under date of April 30, 1865, credits Gil- sum with a surplus of ten men over her quota under calls for the late war. The number enrolled as liable to military duty was seventy-nine, and it was estimated that Gilsum had forty men then in service, in army and navy. A large number more of Gilsum men served in the war from other towns, and from other states. The whole number of three-months men furnished was four, and for three years, sixty-seven. Eleven men were drafted, of whom three went into the service. Eleven citizens not drafted furnished substitutes, the town paying them $300.00 each,-the price of substitutes being from $500.00 to $1, 100.00 each. Two other citizens paid bounties, one $55.00, and the other $110.00. In 1864 most of the citizens liable to draft paid $20,00 each, as a fund towards furnishing substitutes. Those who procured substitutes were obliged to pay from $100.00 to $200.00 each, in addition to the bounties from all other sources.
Aaron Hammond built here about 1785. He drew the boards for his house from Swanzey, and split and shaved his own shingles and clap boards, some of which were found sound and bright seventy years after. This house was removed some years ago, to be the sugar house, owned by Mr. T. T. Clark. Mr. Hammond served the town as moderator, and was selectman four years. He was the ancestor of all the Gilsum Hammonds. This has always been one of the leading families of the place, and though mostly scat- tered at present, those who have gone to other places have maintained the reputation of the family elsewhere. Aaron Hammond, Jr., lived here with his father till his death, at the early age of thirty-four. His widow was well known as a tailoress for many years, and was highly esteemed. Rachel Ham- mond, daughter of Aaron, was the only child in Gilsum who was born blind. Her mother took unwearied pains to instruct her, so that she learned to knit and sew. Hearing others read, she would repeat the words after them, and called it reading. In this way she read the Bible through in course more than once. But for her blindness she would have been a woman of more than common activity and influence. John, son of Aaron, was born in Swanzey, June 26, 1773, built his house in Gilsum, in 1796, and married Deb- orah White, May 9, 1797. He reared a family of four children, as follows : John, Deborah, Phila, and Mary. He served the town four years as mod- erator, was selectman fourteen years, and represented Gilsum and Surry three years in the legislature. He was also justice of the peace and coroner for the county. He was a noted school-master for many years, taught singing, and was leader in the choir, and played the bass viol. He died March 20, 1830. His son, John, Jr., was born April 4, 1799, married Fannie W. Day, Feb- ruary 24, 1824, and has had born to him four children, as follows : John E.
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W., Fannie M., Aaron D., and Leroy E. He has served the town as select- man, was twice elected to the legislature, and has also been a justice of the peace. He now resides with his son, Aaron D. The latter was born Feb- ruary 13, 1831, has been moderator sixteen years, selectman nine years, rep- resented the town two years in the legislature, and is a justice of the peace. He is now engaged in the mercantile business in this town. He married Mary A Chandler, March 10, 1864.
James M. Mark, born December 23, 1787, built here about 1815, and re- mained until his death. Luther W., his son, was born March 27, 1809, and succeeded his father on this place. He served the town as selectman, mar- ried his cousin, Mary Hamilton, and had born to him two children, Luther W. F., and Hans. He died November 3, 1863. The former was born Sep- tember 15, 1834, and married Emily Z. Boynton, December 20, 1865. He bought the place where he now resides, in 1864, and has since kept a general country store. Previous to this he was a photographer. He is a justice of the peace, and also clerk of the town.
Dudley Smith was born at Dracut, Mass., February 10, 1772. He was twice married, first, to Hannah Graham, who bore him four children, as fol- lows : Dudley, Daniel, Dinsmore, and Hannah G. He married, for his- second wife, Betsey Rollins, August 13, 1822, and had born to him four more children, as follows: Daniel, Joseph E., Eliza A., and Elbridge. He was a cabinet maker by trade, and when he first came to the town he cleared land by day, and worked at his trade till eleven at night, and from four in the morn- ing till daylight. In 1849 he moved to his house in the village, where he died at the age of eighty-three years. He was selectman four years. His son, Daniel, born April 14, 1825, married Martha A. Loveland, December 10, 1844, who- has borne him three children, Daniel E., John A., and Frederick S.
John Guillow was born in Gill, Mass., December 21, 1784, and came here in 1806. He studied medicine with Dr. Palmer, and was called " Doctor" Guillow, but never practiced much. He married Betsey Stevens, March 29, 1808, and had born to him thirteen children. His son, John C., was born April 7, 1813, and married Finis P. Hemenway, June 21, 1837, who bore him thirteen children. He is engaged in lumbering and farming, and has served the town as selectman several years. His son, Lucius R., was born February 24, 1842, and married Elizabeth Spooner, in 1862. He is a carpenter and general mechanic, has held the office of selectman, and is at present, town representative. He resides on road 4.
Amherst Hayward was born in Surry November 18, 1788, and was brought up by Col. Jonathan Smith, who married his father's sister. He married Betsey Cole, February 24, 1811, and for his second wife, Polly Cole, June 29, 1821, and had born to him sixteen children. After living in Rocking- ham, Vt., for a time he returned to this town in 1815: He served the town as selectman, was deacon in the Congregational church for twenty years, and led the choir for fifty years. He died January 16, 1867. Nahum O., son of
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Amherst, was born September 8, 1817, married Hannah Glover, February 21, 1841, lived in Boston several years, and returned to Gilsum in 1846. He has had born to him four children. He is well known through the county as an auctioneer and dealer in lumber and cattle. He is frequently employed in the settlement of estates and similar business, and is a director of the Five Cents Savings Bank of Keene. He owns a large amount of real estate. and has built several houses. He has served the town as selectman several years and as justice of the peace. Silvanus, son of Amherst, was born December 3, 1828, and received his early education at home, living with his uncle Elisha S. Fish, from the age of eight to seventeen. The only school he at- tended before entering college was about two months in 1836 and 1837, in the chamber of A. W. Kingsbury's house. The teacher was Aaron Day, Jr. He attended two terms of teachers' institutes, at Keene, in 1847 and 1848. Having studied Latin and Greek under the private instruction of Rev. James Tisdale, he entered Dartmouth college in August, 1849, graduating July, 1853. He has officiated as clergyman in various places since 1861, during which time he supplied the pulpit in his native town for four years. He mar- ried Harriet E. Eaton, a descendant of Francis Eaton, who came over on the "Mayflower," November 23, 1853. He is author of the admirable "History of Gilsum," from which much of this history is drawn.
William Banks was born in the part of Marlboro now Roxbury, May 13, 1802, and came to Gilsum in 1820. He is a shoemaker by trade. He has served the town as selectman and lives with his son, Elmer D., on road 2. The latter is at present one of the selectmen of the town.
Thomas Howard moved to Marlow, from Lyme, Ct., about 1780 and set- tled in the northwestern part of the town. He married Hannah Beckwith and reared a family of eight children. He died in 1842, aged eighty-five years. His son Thomas was born in Marlow in 1784, and lived there till 1837, when he moved to Gilsum, and died here in 1852. He was a farmer and a carpenter, married Parmelia Buss, of Marlboro, and reared a family of nine children, four of whom are now living. Of these, two daughters live in Hamilton, Ont., one son, James M., lives in Orange, Mass., and Francis A., resides in Gilsum. The latter has been engaged in the mercantile business for the last eight years, has been postmaster seventeen years, justice of the peace for the last twenty-three years, and is now one of the selectmen of the town.
Charles Franklin Kingsbury was born in Gilsum June 11, 1824, being the third child of William and Temperance (Leonard) Kingsbury. Until the age of twenty he lived and worked on the farm, having no opportunity for an ed- ucation except the public schools of not more than ten or twelve weeks each winter. He was anxious for an education, and that he might have the means to attend an academy, spring and fall, he worked on the farm two or three months in summer, and taught school in the winter. In 1848 he entered Norwich University, Vt., where he remained three years, and then com-
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menced the study of medicine with Dr. James G. Murphy, of Brattleboro, Vt. While prosecuting his studies he was engaged much in teaching in the towns of Marlboro, Alstead and Walpole. He attended medical lectures at Woodstock, Vt., and at Dartmouth Medical college, receiving his degree of M. D. in the latter institution, November, 1855. He practiced one year in Gilsum, four years in Stoddard, and in March, 1860, established himself in Lyme, Grafton county, where he has since remained. His success in the treatment of disease has brought an extensive practice, which the possession of an iron constitution has enabled him to endure. From 1872 to 1879 he was a member of the State Board of Agriculture. In 1882 he was elected county commissioner for a term of two years. He married, in 1857, Sarah A. Pierce, of Cavendish, Vt., has one child, Ella S., wife of J. W. Bean, M. D., who is associated with him in business.
George W. Newman was born in Keene, November 18, 1818. He has, by industry and good management, acquired a large property, and has proba- bly built more houses in Gilsum than any other man. He is now engaged in the manufacture of lumber, in building and in farming. He has served the town as selectman, justice of the peace, etc.
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