USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885 > Part 37
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Ziba Mason settled at an early date upon the farm now occupied by George F. Wise, where he died about 1845. His son Ziba, born on the old place, died here about 1862, aged sixty-three years. The latter's son, Will- iam M., born on the old homestead, is now a merchant of Marlboro and rep- resented the town in 1865-66.
Luther Hemenway was born in Framingham, Mass., in 1787, and came to Marlboro with his parents when but six months old, his mother bearing him with her on horse-back, making their way by the aid of marked trees. He died in Jaffrey in 1872. His son Luther has served the town as selectman six terms and is engaged in a manufacturing business.
Phineas Farrar, son of Josiah and Hannah Farrar, was born in Sudbury, Mass., came to Marlboro in 1768, and died here at the age of ninety-four years. His son William, a native of the t wn, died at the age of eighty one years. Calvin, son of Williarr, resides on : oad 9.
Benjamin Thatcher, one of the early settlers of the town, subsequently re- moved to Swanzey, where he died. Benjamin, Jr., born here, made the town his home until twenty-one years of age, then removed to Keene, and finally to Swanzey, where he passed the remainder of his days His son George, born in Keene, has spent most of his life in Marlboro, and now resides on School street.
Elias Thatcher was born here, and, with the exception of a few years spent in Swanzey, resided here until his death, in February, 1879, at the age of eighty-six years. His son, Elias A., was born here, and remained in the town until about twenty-three years of age, when he removed to Vermont, and from there to Massachusetts, though he has been a resident of the town since 1848.
Clark Mason was born here April 16, 1794, removed to Oswego county, N. Y., in 1817, remained until 1824, then came back to Marlboro, and died here in August, 1861. His grandson, Warren W., son of William C., is su- perintendent of Hale's chair factory, at South Keene.
Elijah Gates was born in Stowe, Mass., in 1765, came to Marlboro in 1800, settled where his son Elijah how resides, and died here in 1824. The latter was born here June 17, 1801, in the house he still occupies.
310
TOWN OF MARLBORO.
Levi Gates came to Marlboro with his father, from Massachusetts, about the year 1805, locating in the southern part of the town. He died about 1860, aged sixty-nine years. His son, Winslow L., is still a resident of the town.
Elijah Boyden, a native of Massachusetts, came to this town in 1806, and died here July 22, 1814, aged fifty-one years. His son Elijah, born here August 15, 1814, began life as a clerk for his brother, with whom he remained seven years. He then went to Boston, and remained about three years, when he returned to Marlboro, and was a merchant here for fifteen years.
Fuller Clark, who has been a resident of the town since January, 1826, was born in Troy, in 1804.
Dr. Samuel A. Richardson was born in Dublin, N. H. He graduated at the Albany Medical college, remained in a hospital one year, and came to Marlboro. July 5, 1855. He remained in practice here until 1862, when he went out with the 13th N. H. Vols., and remained in the service until the close of the war. At the time of the surrender of Lee, at Appomatox, the doctor furnished the lunch partaken of by the vanquished and victorious com- manders. With this refreshment he managed to furnish some liquor, which he said they drank in silence and with bowed heads. Dr. Richardson died June 19, 1884.
Elijah Fitch, a blacksmith by trade, and a native of Marlboro, married Eliza Josly, and died August 4, 1876, aged sixty-four years. His widow sur- vives him, a resident of the village, where their son Murray also resides.
Curtis F. Hunt, born in Hancock, Hillsboro Co., in 1812, came to Marl- boro in 1832, where he has since resided.
Dolphus Bixby, born in Hillsboro, N. H., in 1790, has resided with his son Russell for the past sixteen years. Russell came here in 1870. In the spring of 1881 he made 240 pounds of sugar from seventeen maples.
Jedediah K. Southwick, a native of Danvers, Mass., and a potter by trade, came to Dublin at an early day, and died there in 1843. His son Augustus came to Marlboro in 1854, and now resides on road I, where he and his son J. Kilburn are dairy farmers.
Charles Ryan was born in Boston, Mass., and was left an orphan at the age of about three years, or about the time he was brought to this town. He lived here until twenty-one years of age, when he went to Massachusetts and remained about twenty-one years, then came back to Marlboro. He married Arvilla Farrar, and occupies the farm upon which she was born.
Martin Chase was born in Unity, N. H., and came to this town in 1869. He represented the town of Washington in the legislature of 1840, and now holds the office of justice of the peace.
Jedediah Putney, a native of Charlton, Mass., located in Fitzwilliam about eighty years ago, and from there came to Marlboro, where he died in 1866, aged eighty-one years. His son Moses, born in Fitzwilliam, came to Marl- boro in 1864, but returned about seven years ago.
31I
TOWN OF MARLOW.
The Trinitarian Congregational church, located at Marlboro, was organized by a council convened for the purpose, with eight members, in 1778. The first pastor was Rev. Joseph Cummings. The first church building stood near what is now called Meeting-house pond, and was raised November 21, 1770, though it was not completed until 1774. The present brick structure was dedicated October 29, 1834. It will seat 400 persons, and is valued, in - cluding grounds, etc., at $12,000.00. The society now has 228 members, with Rev. John L. Merrill, pastor.
The First Universalist church of Marlboro, located at the village, was organized by Rev. J. V. Wilson, with forty members, in October, 1835, Rev. Edwin Davis being the first resident pastor. Their church builling, a wood structure erected in 1850, will seat 250 persons, cost $2,000.00, and is valued at $5,000.00. The society has fifty members, with Rev. R. T. Polk, pastor. Fourteen pastors have been settled over this parish. The first, Rev. Mr. Davis, served two terms. The present pastor has served the longest term. Two died in the pastorate, Rev. W. A. Barrett and L. L. Record.
The Methodist Episcopal church, located at the village, was organized by its first pastor, Rev. Thomas L. Fowler, with sixty members, in 1859. Their church building will seat 250 persons, cost $1,300.00, and is now valued, including grounds, etc., at $3,000.00. The society now has ninety-eight members, with Rev. C. W. Dockrill, pastor. The church also has a Sabbath- school with 107 member and an average attendance of sixty-four.
M ARLOW lies in the northern part of the county, in lat. 43° 8' and long. 4° 51', bounded north by Acworth and Lempster, in Sullivan county, east by Washington, in Sullivan county, and a part of Stoddard, south by Gilsum and west by Alstead. The story of its grant, etc., is mainly as follows :-
The western boundary of the Province of New Hampshire was for many years undetermined. With a view to establishing a claim to the territory, Gov. Benning Wentworth, in 1761, issued charters granting seventy-eight townships, sixty, west, eighteen, east of the Connecticut river, among the latter of which was Marlow. At the time of the Fort Dummer difficulty, the township had been granted under the name of Addison, the charter date being January 1, 1753. No settlement under this grant was expected by the Governor, it being given simply to hold possession of the territory in case Massachusetts should attempt to obtain jurisdiction over it. During the same year, William Noyes with sixty-five associates, having applied for a township, received, October 7th, a grant of this territory, under the name of Marlow. According to the charter limits there were to be 23,040 acres ; but by the granting of the two townships on the east, at a later date, about 7,000 acres were taken from its are ..
312
. TOWN OF MARLOW.
The surface of the town is very broken, with hill and valley, field and for- est, continually encroaching upon each other, making the landscape a varied and pleasing one. The soil is such as would naturally be found among the hills of New Hampshire, in some portions being very productive, while in others fruits are yielded only by the most careful husbandry. While its farm- ers are thrifty and enterprising and obtain fair returns for their labor, yet lo- cation and condition prevent their bringing the town up to the average plane of farming communities. The general elevation of the territory is about 1,500 feet above sea level. The highest point, 2,100 feet, being found on Huntley mountain, and the lowest, 975 feet, is in the southeast corner. The prevailing rock in its geological structure is gneissoid and mica-schist, with hornblende-schist out-cropping in some localities. In the northern portion, the formation is well-defined and presents a very beautiful appearance, especially where the light and dark markings alternate. Very marked indications of glacial action also are apparent in this section. Trout pond, a body of water a few acres in area, is interesting from the fact that it is surrounded by hills. of drift, while a large moraine, extending north and south, is apparently cut off by it. Ledges of primative rock out-crop with great frequency, with here and there a specimen wherein is blended white quartz, giving an appear- ance similar to gold-bearing rocks, though none of the precious metal has ever been found within the limits of the town. No minerals are found in paying qualities. In a hill south from Eli Washburn's, plumbago is found quite free and of excellent quality, garnets and crystals of tourmaline are found im- bedded in rocks in many localities. Clay is found underlaying the surface in many farms, and being of a fine grade it was extensively utilized by the early settlers.
The town is naturally well watered. Ashuelot river flows through nearly its entire eastern length, entering from Washington, at an elevation of about 1,300 feet, and passing into Gilsum 975 above sea level. The fall is sudden in many places, giving ample and superior water-privileges, many of which have at some time been improved. Grassy Brook occupies a very similar rela- tion to the western portion of the town, though its fall is much more gradual. The early settlements being made in its neighborhood, its waters were made to serve the inhabitants, but later years find it entirely deserted. Among the ponds, Stone, Sand, Gustin and Big ponds are the larger. The latter is an enlargement of Ashuelot river, due in a great measure to the labors of colonies of beavers that years since constructed their habitations here, re- mains of their dams being plainly discernable at the present time. The water from all these ponds reaches the Connecticut through the channel of the Ashuelot. Mineral springs are numerous, possessing health-giving qualities equal, perhaps, to any, but unknown to the world, they are of little worth. The original growth of forest trees was principally evergreen, though the hard woods were liberally intermixed.
In 1880 Marlow had a population of 701 souls. In 1884 the town had
313
TOWN OF MARLOW.
eight school districts and eight common schools, employing one male and ten female teachers, the former receiving an average monthly salary of $36.66 and the latter $20.86, there being 140 school children in the town. The established value of school-houses, furniture, etc., was $3,000.00 ; the amount raised for school purposes was $1,077.98, while the total expenditure was $1,083.33, with Jonas W. Fletcher, school committee.
MARLOW is a beautiful post village located in the southeastern part of the town, at the junction of roads 24, 27 and 26. Upon the principal business street, extending east and west, are two general merchant stores, a drug store, millinery store, hotel and tin shop. Upon another street, branching from this, in the western part of the village, are three church buildings, a general store and about twenty dwellings. Only one of these churches, the Methodist, is now regularly used for religious purposes. The Universalist build- ing is used for a public hall, and in the Christian building is located the town- hall. North of the village is a fine artificial pond, made by damming the Ashuelot for mill purposes. The principal business enterprise is the tannery of Hon. James Burnap. This gentleman has done more to further the growth and enterprise of the village than any other one man. The manufacturing interests will be described further on in the general history of such enterprises.
It is reasonable to suppose that very few of the grantees of the town ever intended to endure the hardships incident to the settlement of a new town- ship, for only three, William Noyes, Samuel Gustin and Nehemiah Royce, ever became actual residents. Some of the proprietors sold their rights to the Tubbses, Millers, Huntleys, Lewises, Gees and Macks, while others, re- taining theirs, realized little, if anything from them. The first to begin their preparations for a home in Marlow, were Samuel and John Gustin, brothers, who built their log hut on the farm now owned by Willard Lane, in 1764-65, the spot being but a short distance from the pond which bears their name. Previous to the spring of 1767, they were followed by fifteen families, a por- tion of whom located as follows : Joseph Tubbs, on Isaiah Davis's farm ; Abisha Tubbs, where Charles Elliott lives ; Nehemiah Royce at Lauren Tin- ker's ; Nathan Huntley, on Marlow Hill, a few rods east from M. G. Priest's ; Eber Lewis, in Rufus Winham's pasture, west from the Hill; Nicodemus Miller, where Eli Washburn resides ; Samuel Canfield, on the road leading from G. H. Priest's to Acworth ; Jonathan Royce, on the Meisser farm ; and Solomon Gee, on the Dr. Baker farm. It is said that the spot where the latter built his log-house was selected by Mrs. Gee, because it marked the place where she first beheld the sun-light in Marlow, they having reached town the previous day after night-fall, their shelter this night being their overturned cart. An old cellar-hole still marks the location of this cabin.
The first known meeting of the proprietors was convened at the house of Benjamin Hyde, in Lyme, Conn., November 24, 1764, when Jonathan Peck was chosen moderator, and William Noyes, clerk. On December 4, 1764, the second meeting was held, when the following votes were carried :-
314
TOWN OF MARLOW.
" Voted, That ye first division of the land in the township of Marlow shall be as follows, viz : That 100 acres of ye best of sd land shall be laid to each of sd proprietors of sd township, in some convenient place, and a certain num- ber of acres shall be added to each right when laid out, if need be, to make each man's right equal in value to 100 acres of ye best or most valuable land, to be at ye discretion of ye committee that shall be chosen for that purpose.
" Voted, That as many of the proprietors of sd town of Marlow as shall enter upon and settle in sd Township between this Time and next fall, may make their pitch for their first division on ye roo acres, and it shall be laid out to them by ye committee that shall be chosen for sd proprietors, and they shall not be disturbed in ye possession of ye same in our after lay outs."
From these notes, we see that no regularity was observed in lotting, and to this fact is tracable the difficulty in locating metes and bounds in later times. Another meeting was held in Lyme, at the house of Marshfield Par- sons, in March, 1765, when John Mather, Martin Lord and Samuel Gustin were chosen proprietors' committee, being the last meeting held in Connecti- cut.
The first recorded transaction occurring in town bears date April 27, 1765, when a town plot of seventy acres was layed by the above committee. This lot was located on the old road leading from I. Davis's to the Jones place. The first meeting called in the township was under the hands of Samuel Gustin and Martin Lord, and convened at the house of the former, October 8, 1765, when Gustin, Lord and Joseph Tubbs were chosen proprietors' com- mittee. It was voted at this meeting "to continue the offer made to settlers the previous spring," also "to allow each proprietor the privilege of laying out, at his own cost, fifty acres where they will, that is not yet laid out." That settlers were expected from Connecticut, seems evident from the fact that notices of meetings and votes were to be posted in Lyme and Saybrook, as well as in Marlow. A town organization was effected in March, 1766, when Joseph Tubbs was chosen moderator ; Samuel Gustin, clerk ; and Joseph Tubbs, Samuel Gustin and Martin Lord, selectmen. While the town offices were filled each year, it seems that almost all their duties were performed rather, by officers of the proprietors, money needed for various purposes be- ing assessed upon the rights instead of upon the settlers for several years.
On June 15, 1768, a meeting convened at Joseph Tubbs's, when it was voted to lay out a " rode" from the west side of the town toward New Con- cord and Limbrick (Stoddard), and one toward Keene. The records show that the former was soon after laid, following very nearly the course of the one now leading from Eli Washburn's to P. T. Fox's farm house, the principal deviation being from I. Davis's, where the old road passed nearly to the Jones place, thence easterly, entering the village near H. Simonds, thence east of F. Phelps's, south of the academy, across the river at the mill-dam, and thence to the present way. The second road led to Acworth and followed identi- cally the present road from Baker Corner. The third led to Lempster, and kept the course of the one leading from the Mack mill place, over the hill, past No. 7 school-house and Dudley Huntley's.
315
TOWN OF MARLOW.
By charter provisions, each settler was " to plant and cultivate five acres of land within five years for every fifty acres contained in their share, and continue to improve and settle ye same under penalty of forfeiture." The time had now come when the failure of settlers to comply with this provision meant a loss of their possessions as well as labor. Accordingly a summons from the governor reached them in the autumn of 1771, asking the proprie- tors to appear at Portsmouth to show cause why their charter should not be forfeited. A petition was drawn, signed by six original, and twenty-nine pro- prietors by purchase, and sent to the governor, Samuel Gustin acting as their agent. In this petition the principal reason given for non-compliance was as follows :-
" The proprietors of a larger tract of land in said province of New Hamp- shire, called Mason's Pattent, caused their line of their pattent to be run and ascertained, whereby it appeared that more than a mile in breadth through said township was included in the pattent aforesaid, whereby the proprietors of said township were thrown into uttermost consternation : many of the settlements which were then begun falling within the aforesaid pattent, many of the settlers were off, and others who were going on discouraged. * * * We humbly pray the grant and charter of sd township may be confirmed to us * * and extended."
Three years additional time was given them in answer to this prayer, but nothing was done about establishing the boundary. The first act after the confirmation of charter rights, seems to have been to render valid all votes and transactions of previous meetings. Benjamin Bellows, of Walpole, a justice of the peace, under authority from the king, was petitioned to call a meeting of the proprietors, September 15; 1772.
In June, 1773, action was taken in reference to the town lot, when it was voted to divide it among the proprietors ; but on computation it was found too small to give an acre to each, so they voted " to convey the use of said lot to be improved for the benefit of the school or other necessary service of said town as they shall think proper." The settlement of the boundary line between Marlow and Stoddard had become a necessity. The inhab- itants on the "Strip," as the disputed territory was called, were sadly situated, being taxed alternately by the towns, some years by both, and each town endeavoring to exercise its authority. naturally created bitter feuds and much litigation. Marlow claimed title to the land by priority of charter date ; Stoddard, because it was bounded on the west by the " curve line," which line was the western boundary of New Hampshire, as conveyed to Mason by Royal charter. Petitions stating grievances were sent to the pro- vincial congress, and June 12, 1776, it was voted that " all settlers within the original east line of Marlow pay taxes to Marlow, until the title to the land in dispute is determined by law." This failed to solve the difficulty or to put an end to the trouble, for during the following year a petition of similar im- port was forwarded to Portsmouth. Congress re-affirmed its previous act, amending it by adding : " that the inhabitants do military duty in Stoddard."
316
TOWN OF MARLOW.
A final settlement was not obtained until 1797, when, on June 21st, an act of the legislature gave Stoddard possession of the territory to the line of Mason's Patent. To this Marlow remonstrated, but to no avail. The final settlement with Washington occurred in 1839.
While these troubles were occuring, others of national importance arose which partially engrossed the attention of the people. So far were they from the Connecticut as to fear nothing from Indians, yet they knew the meaning of war, and the first appeal found them in readiness to do and die for the cause of freedom. A reply to an inquiry relative to their circumstances bears date July 31, 1775, when they say :-
* We being willing to submit ourselves to the Defensive Service, Both with our Parsons and Entrust, and to be in such a surcumstance that we may be Sarvicable, we have taken an account of what men there is in our Town that are Capable of Exercising themselves in the Defensive Sar- vice. * *
* There is Forty Seven men Fit to Bear armes. * * Nine of said men are in the sarvice Volunteers."
The town furnished several men for the Continental army. An " Alarum Band" was organized to be ready to march at a moment's notice. The names of those engaged in different capacities, at various times, are as fol- lows : Captain, Samuel Canfield ; lieutenants, William Reed and Ruel Royce ; sergeants, James Munsil and Zopher Mack ; corporals, Andrew Boynton, Aseph Mather, Rufus Huntley and Richard Otis; privates, Isaiah Huntley, Silas Mack, Jonathan Fletcher, Elisha Huntley, Bethuel Miller, Andrew Huntley, Richard Peck, Nathan Huntley, John Lewis, Aaron Huntley, Simeon Church, William Cheney, Eber Lewis, Riplah Bingham, Abner Bing- ham, Tyler Spafford, Charles Geer, Walter Geer and Ira Beckwith. The company was called to answer to the " Lexington Alarum," and afterwards, being attached to Colonel Bellows's regiment, they marched to Vermont sev- eral times when British advances made it necessary, while several of the men were at the battle of Bennington
The declaration of independence created a third trouble for the towns in this vicinity. By it, the colonies were absolved from allegiance to British authority, and inasmuch as these towns existed by virtue of Royal charter, they were left in a "state of nature," when obligations to the Crown ceased. The people of the towns bordering on the Connecticut had long been dissatis- fied with the treatment received at the hands of the provincial congress, rela- tive to their representation. The complaint made was that towns in the eastern part of the state, having no greater population than they, were allowed a representative, while here, several towns were classed together to send one representative. Marlow took action in remonstrating January 1I, 1776, by appointing Ruel Royce and Samuel Gustin a committee to act with committees from neighboring towns in relation to the matter. December II, 1776, a petition, signed by the committees from Marlow, Alstead and Surry, was sent to congress, and March 10, 1778, the difficulty culminated by these towns requesting their representative, Absalom Kingsbury, to withdraw. The
317
TOWN OF MARLOW.
prospective formation of a new state, made up of the New Hampshire Grants, no doubt had much to do with their action. When the invitation was ex- tended for towns, within twenty miles of the river, to send delegates to a convention to be convened at Cornish, this town was represented by Samuel Canfield. Contention and turmoil only resulted from these councils. Gen- eral Washington was finally appealed to, and through his influence the leaders of the revolt were induced to yield. The towns east of the river returned their allegiance to New Hampshire, and the whole difficulty soon became a matter of history.
Nearly every town has had its peace disturbed in the attempt to build a meeting-house, and Marlboro proved no exception. Contrary to general custom, the town was loth to vote aid to forward this object, a feeling oc- casioned, no doubt, by the great diversity of religious opinion. In 1792 a vote was obtained to build, but virtually amounted to nothing, for money to erect the house was to be raised by selling pews, though a sufficient sum was thus obtained to begin the house. The town was asked several times to aid in completing it, but none was voted. About 1800 the proprietors, as the pew owners were called, contributed enough to complete the structure, which stood in the center of the "common," a few feet northwest from M. G. Priest's house. The town had not, however, been without a church previous to this. October 30, 1777, a Baptist society was organized, twenty-two per- sons joining in the covenant. This number was increased by additions until it reached 292, in the year 1800, and included residents from all the adjoin- ing towns. It was, in fact, the parent church, from which sprung, December 28, 1787, the church at Stoddard ; November 13, 1790, the one at Alstead ; and December 1, 1793, the third, at Unity. The first pastor to have charge over the church in this town was Rev. Caleb Blood, who remained from the time of its organization until the latter part of 1780. In 1778 the town voted that "he be their minister," and also "that meetings be held at Nathan Hunt- ley's, Ruel Royce's, and Solomon Gee's, two months each, and so success- ively the year." For about one year there seems to have been no regular preaching, though it appears that Rev. Mr. Fisher, of Lempster, was in- vited by vote of the town, to visit them, it is likely that he did so, and preached occasionally. In the autumn of 1781, Rev. Eleazer Beckwith was settled, and under his pastorate the church seems to have prospered. A church edi- fice was built, its location being a short distance east from the Dr. Baker place, on the north side of the road. This house was of two stories, thirty by forty feet. It was completely finished on the exterior, the pulpit, pulpit- stairs and sounding-board were in place upon the inside, but the work was never completed, though everything was in readiness. The house was occu- pied several years as a church, then as a school-house, but, going to ruin, it was finally sold to Dr. Baker and Samuel Richardson, each of whom, from its timbers, constructed a barn, one of which is now standing on the Dr. Baker farm, the other on that owned by M. G. Booth. Elder Beckwith was dis-
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