USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885 > Part 22
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In 1753 Capt. Ebenezer Alexander and ninety-four others petitioned Gov. Wentworth for a re-grant of the territory cut off from Northfield by the new province line, and the lands adjacent up to the line of township No. I, or Chesterfield. In accordance with this petition, the charter of Hinsdale, em- bracing the lands of both sides of the river, was issued September 3, 1753. Later on in the month, the 26th, an alteration was made in the charter by which the grant was divided into two towns, the line of separation being the west bank of the river. Both towns were called Hinsdale until that to the west of the river was named Vernon, as previously mentioned.
The surface of the town is pleasantly diversified, and the soil is rich and
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fertile. In the northern part of the town lies Wantastiquet mountain, ex- tending from the Connecticut across the entire width of the town. The high- est peak, Mine mountain, is about 900 feet above low water mark. South of the Ashuelot is Stebbins hill, a tract of excellent land and under a high state of cultivation. The intervales here are broad and of a superior quality. The Connecticut, extending along the town's western border, makes a shore of nine and a half miles. The Ashuelot passess through the southern portion of the town, joining the Connecticut a short distance below Cooper's point. The water privileges on this stream are numerous and valuable. There are a number of smaller streams, among which are Kilburn, Liscom and Ash Swamp brooks. Iron ore, beds of silicate of manganese, and other minerals are found in several localities about the mountains.
In 1880 Hinsdale had a population of 1,868 souls. In 1884 it had eight school districts and twelve public schools, seven of which were graded, and one a high school. Its eight school buildings were valued, including sites, furniture, etc., at $15,600.00. There were 392 pupils attending these schools, sixty-three of whom were pursuing the higher branches. The town employed one male and seventeen female teachers, the former at an average monthly salary of $111.11, and the latter at $26.60. The entire revenue of the town for school purposes was $4,423.85, while the entire expense of the schools was $3, 834.08, with H. H. Hamilton and M. C. Dix, superintendents.
HINSDALE (p. o.) is an enterprising, beautiful, and rapidly growing manu- facturing village, situated in the southeastern part of the town, in a deep val- ley, and on the Ashuelot river, about a mile above its confluence with her more majestic sister, "the beautiful Connecticut." Its principal streets are Main, Canal, Brattleboro, High and Pleasant, which contain many elegant residences, while nearly all the others are remarkably neat and tidy. It con- tains five church edifices, - Baptist, Congregationalist, Roman Catholic, Methodist, and Universalist, and all are in fine condition. The Baptist and Catholic churches are especially fine structures. The business portion is lo- cated on Main and Canal streets. There are two quite extensive mills for the manufacture of woolen goods, two large paper-mills, a large machine shop, where are manufactured lawn and field mowing machines, a manufac- tory of chisels, an iron foundry, and several other manufacturing concerns. The special pride of its 1,600 inhabitants are its public High School, its large and commodius brick Town House, and Hotel Ashuelot, the latter built and owned by its present proprietor, Mr. C. D. Whitaker, and managed by his genial son Charlie. The house is heated by steam, lighted with gas, and sup- plied with convenient bath-rooms. The large lodging rooms are conven- iently and finely furnished, and the tables in the spacious, airy dining-room are always bountifully supplied. Surrounding this gem of a village are many beautiful drives, especially so over the roads leading to Spafford lake, Win- chester village, and along the Connecticut river.
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TOWN OF HINSDALE.
NORTH HINSDALE (p. o.) is a small hamlet containing about half a dozen residences, situated midway between Hinsdale and Brattleboro, Vt.
The Hinsdale Savings bank, located a Hinsdale village, was incorporated in June, 1874, with C. J. Amidon. president, Edward Stebbins, vice-presi- dent, George S. Wilder, secretary, and George Wellman, treasurer, which list of officers is still retained. This bank has a solid financial basis, and is do- ing a constantly increasing business.
Haile, Frost & Co's woolen mills, located at the village, were first built and run by Ripley & Harrington, using only one set of machinery. Subse- quently they were run by Mr. Ripley alone, then by Ripley & Todd, and next by Haile & Todd, who sold to the present firm. This firm has made, many improvements and additions, so that the mill is 500 x 40 feet and con- tains twelve complete sets of woolen machinery, operated by water-power, with steam as an auxiliary. They employ 275 hands in the manufacture of suitings, cloakings, beavers and cashmerettes.
The Brightwood Mills, located at the village, in the manufacture of tissue and toilet papers, were built in 1873 by the Fisk & Hopkins Paper Co. At the death of Mr. Hopkins, in 1877, the name of the mills were changed to their present name, with Mr. Fisk sole owner, and Mr. C. B. Hopkins man- ager. The aggregate length of the buildings is over 250 feet, with an average width of thirty-seven feet. Mr. Fisk employs fifteen hands.
The Hinsdale Mills, located at Hinsdale village, were criginally built by Robertson & Hunt, in 1848, though they have since been twice destroyed by fire and once by a boiler explosion. Robertson & Hunt operated the mills six or eight years, then they were run by George Robertson about fifteen years, and by him in company with his son for the next ten years, when they came into the hands of the present firm, G. & G. A. Robertson & Co. They em- ploy about twenty operatives and turn out about $100,000.00 worth of tissue and toilet paper per annum.
The Hinsdale Woolen Mills, are located at Hinsdale village. In 1859 a part of the present mills were built by Boyden & Bishop and were occupied by them until May, 1862, when C. J. Amidon became a partner, under the firm name of Boyden, Bishop & Amidon. This firm continued until the death of Mr. Bishop, in March, 1864, when the remaining members of the firm con- tinued the business till the death of Mr. Boyden, in November, 1871. From that time until 1880, Mr. Amidon was the sole proprietor, and then took his son into partnership, the firm being C. J. Amidon & Son. The main building is 110 X 44 feet, with an "L" 30 x 30 feet, three stories in height. The main dye-house is 30 x 80 feet, while there is another dye-house, picking-room, etc. The mill has five sets of woolen machinery and gives employment to seventy operatives in the manufacture of cashmerettes and flannels.
Newhall & Stebbins's machine shop, located at Hinsdale village, manufac- tures the Granite State field and lawn mowers, the Ellis reversible plows, and do an extensive general machine business. In May, 1843, Cyrus Newhall, the
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senior member of the firm and pioneer machinist of the town, commenced the machinist business here, employing, until 1851, from one to four men. He then formed a co-partnership with John B. Merrill, which was continued un- til 1856, when Lorenzo Stebbins, who had been an apprentice under Mr. Newhall, purchased Mr. Merrill's share in the business. In 1861 they made their first Granite State mower, which has since been constanly growing in popularity. They now employ fifteen men.
Holman & Merriman's machine shop is also located at the village. The firm was organized in 1865, and manufactures jack and bench screws, water- wheels, mill machinery, and are also largely engaged in repairing manufac- turer's machinery, giving employment to ten hands.
The Eagle Iron Foundry, Charles D. Merriman, proprietor, located at Hinsdale village, manufactures general machinery and mill castings. and does a general custom business in light and heavy castings, employing six hands.
John W. Battle's carriage shop is at Hinsdale village, where he has been located over forty years. He manufactures light and heavy carriages, wag- ons and sleighs, and does a general repair business. In the second story of the building is the paint shop of Norton E. Pratt, who does the carriage painting.
The Hunter Company, general publishers and dealers in books, periodi- cals, stationery, etc., was incorporated in March, 1883, with D. Leonard, of Brattlboro, president, J. W. Jeffords, vice-president, and Henry E. Hunter, secretary and treasurer.
The Jennings & Griffin Manufacturing Company, located at Hinsdale vil- lage, is engaged in the manufacture of chisels, drawing-knives, and other edge tools, employing twenty men, and turning out about twenty-five dozen pieces per day. The business was established in 1848, by Phiny Merrill, with George S. Wilder, manager, who continued thus until 1858, when Mr. Wilder became his partner. In 1866 the firm became Wilder & Thompson, and in 1868 Wilder became sole owner, and in 1870 R. H. Hopkins became his partner. In 1872 he again became sole owner, and in 1882 the present firm was organized.
M. H. Bardwell's factory for manufacturing moldings, window-frames, dye-tubs, vats, shipping-boxes, brackets, etc., located at the lower end of Main street, gives employment to four hands.
E. & N. Worden commenced the manufacture of factory, laundry, and family soap in 1870, near the depot, on the site of the Fisk soap works. In 1872 they removed to their present location on the Connecticut river, at the foot of " Swift Water," a name familiar to boatmen when the river was navi- gated by flat boats and rafts. This location is about half a mile above the confluence of the Ashuelot with the Connecticut, and once an important station. The "Boatman's Tavern," a public house for many years, is located here, and is now used as a farm house by these brothers.
In the spring of 1673 a settlement was made at Northfield, which was
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attacked by the Indians in September, 1675, and soon after was abandoned to be re-settled in 1685, when a fort and grist-mill were erected. In the meantime, May 19, 1676, occurred the memorable fight below the mouth of Miller's river, when Captain Turner, though at first victorious, was subsequently slain, with thirty-seven of his men, by King Philip and his braves. All through King William's, Queen Anne's and Father Ralle's wars, this section was an unguarded frontier, constantly exposed to the depredations of the Indians. But in 1724 Fort Dummer was built, just south of the present village of Brattleboro, Vt., and about 1731 Rev. Ebenezer Hinsdell was made chaplain of the troops stationed thereat by Massachusetts.
The first settlements made in the vicinity of what is now the township of Hinsdale, however, were as follows: In the autumn of 1736, or '37, Daniel Shattuck put up a good sized and heavily timbered log house on the brook that ran through his lot in " Merry's meadow," and which now bears his name. This house he afterwards made into a fort, by building another simi- Jar structure on the opposite side of the brook, and connecting the two by a plank palisade, and surrounding the whole with a line of strong pickets. This fort was on the farm now known as the John Stearns place. The brook has since changed its course, and now runs some distance to the south of the site of the fort. In the spring of 1827 Robert Cooper built a house near the site of the old Hinsdale meeting-house. In 1741 John Evens built south of the Ashuelot, on what is now known as the Elihu Stebbins home- stead. Cooper and Evans were driven off in 1745, but returned after the close of the Cape Breton war. Evans's house was fortified in 1754, and served as a temporary refuge for the Stebbins and Stratton families then liv- ing on the opposite side of the river. In 1738 Josiah Sartwell, then living in Northfield, obtained a grant of 100 acres from the general court, which was laid out on the west bank of the Connecticut. On this, in 1740, he built what was known as Sartwell's Fort. In 1742 Orlando Bridgman built a block-house on his farm, which was about half a mile south of Sart- well's.
The coming of these families induced Rev. Mr. Hinsdell, then at Fort Dummer, to erect a block-house upon land he owned on Ash-swamp brook, and to build a grist-mill on the next brook, about fifty rods below. This mill- site was convenient to the settlers just now located, and would accommodate the garrison stationed at Fort Dummer. The fort buildings were put up, probably, in the summer of 1742, and stood on the bluff back of the meadow, about sixty rods east of the river. The cellar-hole of the fort is still to be seen about twenty rods southwest of the house of Lemuel Liscom. These several block-houses, which were strictly private enterprises, and were used as dwellings, proved of great service in the subsequent wars.
In 1753, as previously stated, the charter of Hinsdale was granted. On the 25th of September, the first town meeting was held, the records of which the following is a copy :-
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"At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of the township of Hinsdale, in the Province of New Hampshire, on the 25th of September, Ano Domini, 1753, Capt. Orlando Bridgman was appointed by the Charter of said Town, mod- erator of said meeting :
"Voted, That Messrs. Daniel Shattuck, John Evens, and Lieut. Benoni Wright, be Selectmen :
"Voted, That Lieut. Jonathan Belding, Ebenezer Hinsdell, Esq., Messrs. Daniel Shattuck, John Evens, and Lieut. Benoni Wright be Assessors for said town.
"Voted, That Ebenezer Hinsdell, Esq., be Clerk for said Town :
"Voted, That Capt. Orlando Bridgman be Treasurer for said Town :
"Voted, That Sergt. Caleb How be Constable and Collector for said town :
"Voted, That Joseph Stebbins, Jr., and Sergt. Thomas B. Taylor, be Sur- veyors of Highways :
"Voted, That Capt. Orlando Bridgman and Peter Evens be Fence Viewers :
"Voted, That Peter Evens be Tythingman for said Town :
"Voted, That Aaron Cooper be field-driver :
"Voted, That Daniel Shattuck, Jr., be Hog Reeve :
"Voted, That the sum of £13, 6s., 8d., Silver at 6-8 per ounce, be Levied on the Ratable polls and estates of the Inhabitants and Proprietors of said Town, in order to defray the charge for Preaching for the Future, and the Assessors are hereby directed to assess the same.
"Voted, That Ebenezer Hinsdell and Josiah Willard, Esqs., Capt. Orlando Bridgman. Sergt. Caleb How, and Joseph Stebbens, Jr., be, and hereby are, appointed a committee to Lott out the Public Lotts required to be laid out in Said Town by Charter :
"Voted, That the Necessary Charge of Surveying Said Lands be defrayed by said Town, and the Assessors are hereby directed to Assess the same with the before mentioned £13, 6s., 8d."
In 1767 the town had a population of 158 souls, and in 1773 it had in- creased to 220. The early settlers were subjected to many hardships, and lived almost constantly in dread of the Indians. Not a few Indian attacks occurred, also, of which the following, as more particularly related to Hins- dale, are quoted : On June 24, 1746, a party of twenty Indians came to Bridgman's Fort and attacked a number of men who were at work in a mea- dow. William Robbins and James Barker were killed ; Daniel How and John Beeman taken prisoners ; M. Gilson and Patrick Ray wounded, but re- covered. How killed one of the Indians before he was taken. In 1747 they burned Bridgman's Fort, killed several persons and took others from that place. In October, Jonathan Sawtell was taken prisoner. July 3, 1747, they waylaid the mill in Hinsdale. Colonel Willard having come to the mill with a guard of twenty men, for the purpose of grinding corn, and having placed his guards, they were soon fired upon. The Colonel gave such loud and repeated orders to attack the enemy, that they fled with the greatest pre- cipitation, leaving behind them their packs and provisions. On June 16, 1748, in crossing from Colonel Hinsdale's to Fort Dummer, Nathan French, Joseph Richardson, and John Frost were killed ; seven others were captured, one of whom, William Bickford, died of his wounds. In 1755 they attacked a party who were at work in the woods, killed John Hardiclay and John Alex-
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ander, and took Jonathan Colbby; the others escaped to the fort, and July 27 they ambushed Caleb How, Hilkiah Grout and Benjamin Gaffield as they were returning from their labor in the field.
Upon a slab over the grave of Col. Hinsdale is engraved the following in- scription :-
"Underneath Deposited is the Body of Col. Ebenezer Hinsdale who for his superior natural endowments, Extensive learning and usefulness not only in private life but in various important public offices he sustained, was far known and admired. After a long illness he died, Jan. 6th, 1763 in the 57th year of his age. Here also lies buried the body of Mrs. Mary Beal, the mother of Col. Ebenezer Hinsdale, who was born on her return from captivity in Can - ada and with whom she lived a widow at the time of his death, which is thought to have been brough on her the morning after, when she died Anno Etatis 83. Here husbands were Lieut. Nehemiah Hinsdale and Mr. George Beal. By the first she had two sons, Colonel Ebenezer and John. After this whose only child Miss Abagail Hinsdale, died at Hinsdale Aug. ye 10th, 1739, Anno Etatis -, was buried at Deerfield. His still surviving partner, Mrs. Abi- gail Hinsdale, daughter of the Rev. John Williams, of Deerfield, a worthy relect of Col Ebenezer Hinsdale now mourning the absence of those dear de- ceased relatives, has caused their names and virtues to be thus recorded to- gether.
"June 2nd, 1864."
Josiah Butler, an early settler, located on road 6, where Seymour E. But- ler now resides. He early cleared his farm and opened his house as a tavern, being on what was at that time the direct road from Massachusetts to Chesterfield and places north. Frequently, it is said. his house was filled with guests and his yard filled with the conveyances of pioneers who were on their way to their pioneer homes. Here he continued to reside until his death, at an advanced age. He was the father of two sons and six daughters. His wife survived him and married Major Hubbard, of Chesterfield. Thomas, his eldest son, married a daughter of Philip Barrett, of Hinsdale, and settled near his father as a farmer, but subsequently removed to the Plain, where he died. He was the father of six sons and six daughters, eight of whom are now living, viz. ; Wilson, a farmer residing on the Plain ; George, a farmer living in town ; Seymour E., residing on the Butler homestead ; Caroline (Mrs. Bradley Streeter), residing in Bernardston, Mass. ; Amelia ( Mrs. Mans- field), residing in Dummerston, Vt .; Bethona (Widow Hastings), residing in the northern part of the town; Olive (Mrs. Crowninshield), residing in Chesterfield ; and Mary (Mrs. Chapman), in the northern part of the town. Jonathan, the youngest son of Josiah, married Gracie, daughter of Major Hub- bard, of Chesterfield. He first settled in Hinsdale, where he lived a long term of years, as a farmer, but finally removed to Chesterfield, where he lived the remainder of his long life, dying at the great age of ninety-seven years. He was the father of eight children-seven sons and one daughter. Those living are Erastus, a farmer residing on River street ; Roswell, a farmer of Chester- field; Otis, residing on the Major Hubbard farm, in Chesterfield ; and Maria (Mrs. Samuel Thomas), near the North Hinsdale postoffice.
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TOWN OF HINSDALE.
Daniel Rugg, one of the early settlers of Hinsdale, came from Framing- ham, Mass., and located as a farmer in the northeastern part of the town, where Daniel Freeman now lives. Here he commenced his pioneer life, on a small clearing, and lived in a log cabin until he built the house now occupied by Mr. Freeman. He reared a family of nine children, none of whom are now living, and attained the age of over eighty years. Elijah, his oldest son, a farmer, located in Windham, Vt. Nathan, the second son, remained on the homestead with his father, married Sally Gray and reared eleven children, six of whom are living, four in this vicinity, viz. : Mrs. Sarah A. Marsh, a widow, in the village; Hannah H. (Mrs. Erastus Butler), on River street ; Fanny (Mrs. Elihu Blanchard). on Main street ; and Levi G., a farmer near the town line in Winchester. Nathan Rugg attained the age of eighty-three years and died on the homestead. The other children of Daniel were Betsey, who married Harry Ide, and settled in town ; Sally, who married Ivah Newton, a cooper, and also settled here ; Daniel, who located in Salem, Mass., where he was a tallow chandler ; John, who located in Ports- mouth, N. H., also a tallow chandler ; and Nellie, who married Pliny Smith, a farmer, and settled in Hinsdale. This family was noted for its longevity, one of its members, Sally, having attained the age of nearly 100 years.
Aaron Blanchard, born in 1760, came to Hinsdale at a very early date and settled as a farmer on road 15. He was twice married, reared a large family, and died on the farm upon which he first settled, in 1842. None of his children now reside in the town. but he is represented here by five grand- children, viz. : Edward C. Blanchard, Mrs. Mary Howe, James A. Blanchard, Mrs. Sarah Howe, and Mrs. Marie Freeman.
John Streeter was born in Attleboro, R. I., August 16, 1751 (o. s.). He married Jane Smith, of Smithfield, R. I., and moved to Hinsdale at an early date, locating in the southern part of the town, where he lived several years, then located in the northern part, where his grandson, Quinton D., now resides. He lived there the remainder of his long life. dying in Jan- uary, 1845, at the age of ninety-four years. He was twice married, his first wife, however, being the mother of his six children, who were as follows : Ly- man, who died at Council Bluffs, Iowa, aged 100 years; Isaiah, who died in Hinsdale, aged about forty-five years, and two of whose children are now liv- ing in the town-Levi, a farmer, and Sibyl, widow of Charles Hubbard ; Elijah, who died on the homestead, and who has three children now living- Franklin, Angeline (Mrs. Joseph Randall), and Quinton D .; Charles, who died near the homestead on a farm given him by his father, aged seventy-seven years ; Caleb, who also died near the homestead on a farm given him by his father, aged eighty-one years, and who has three children now living in the town-Eliza (widow of Joel Derby), on the homestead, Rev. Henderson B., a retired Baptist clergyman, and Sylvia (Mrs. Thomas F. Dix) ; and Lydia, the only daughter, who married Ebenezer Stone and died at the age of sixty- five years. Two of the latter's children are living-Hon. Ashley Stone, of this town, and John Riley Stone, of Brattleboro, Vt.
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Elijah Cooper, who came to Hinsdale at an early day, married Sarah Sanger, April 4, 1777, and reared four children, as follows : Lucy, born November 5, 1777 ; Elijah, born November 26, 1782 ; Mary, born April 9, 1785 ; Arad, born April 10, 1787 ; and Pearly, the date of whose birth we are unable to give. ' Mr. Cooper settled as a farmer upon the place Daniel Smith now occu- pies, where he reared his family, and finally died at the residence of his son Arad. Of the children, Lucy died unmarried ; Mary married a Mr. Stearns, and went west ; Elijah married and also moved west ; Pearly died unmar- ried ; and Arad married Hannah Fisher and spent his life in the town. He located first in the village, where he worked as a shoemaker, but soon en- gaged in farming on the homestead, where he remained about twenty years. He then sold the farm and purchased the place known as Cooper's Point, the former resider.ce of Lieutenant Cooper, a cousin of his father, where he re- sided over twenty years, and finally bought the place where his daughter, Mrs. Sarah A. Elmore, now resides, on Pleasant street, and known as the Congrega- tional parsonage. Here he died, May 6, 1856, aged sixty-nine years. The only living representatives of this family now residing in the town are Mrs. Sarah A. Elmore, Charles E. Cooper and Arad Cooper, with their families. Elijah was twice married. By his second wife he had eight children, none of whom are known to be living.
David Crowninshield, one of the pioneer settlers of Hinsdale, came from Rhode Island at a very early date and settled on road 7, where his grandson Samuel T. Crowninshield, now lives. His farm at first contained only enough cleared land to place his house and barns upon, and here he lived and labored until his death, at the age of forty-eight years. He was the father of four children, viz .: Artemas, Philo, Leonard and Lydia. Artemas and Leonard settled on the homestead. Philo married and removed to Guilford, Vt., and Lydia (Mrs. Butler) now resides in Chesterfield. The only descendants now in the town are Samuel T., and his family, previously mentioned.
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