Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885, Part 42

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885 > Part 42

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

350

TOWN OF NELSON.

is known as Judge Hardy. Frank B. was born in Munsonville, and now resides on road 3. He served in Co. G, 6th N. H. Vols., during the late war, has been selectman about ten years, constable eighteen years, and repre- sentative in 1872-'73. He married Christina E. Jenkins, of Stoddard, who has borne him two children, one now living. William P., son of George G. Hardy, was left an orphan at the age of nine years, and has lived with his- uncle and guardian, Noah W., since. He is a member of the Sophomore class of Amherst, and is preparing for the ministry. Of George W.'s chil- dren, Webster is a successful physician at Winchester, Edward is a member of the Sophomore class of Amherst, Rosa M. (Mrs. Thaddeus W. Barker) resides on road 13, and Carrie L. resides at home with her parents.

Danforth Taylor, born in Dunstable, Mass., in 1791, moved with his father, Danforth, to Stoddard, about 1795, and finally settled in Nelson. He reared a family of children, of whom Frederick and Henry D. now reside in town. The former came here when seventeen years of age, with his father, and set- tled on road 15. He was engaged in the manufacture of chairs on the place now occupied by the mill owned by his brother, Henry D., on road 15. He then built the saw-mill now owned by Frank B. Hardy, on road 4, and also built Mr. Beverstock's mill. Henry D., also a native of Stoddard, came here when only nine years of age, and has always lived on the old homestead. He has been selectman five years.

Samuel W. Loveland, a pensioner of the war of 1812, was born in Stod- dard, N. H., about 1796. He enlisted in the 12th U. S. Infantry, served five years, and was in the battles of Chippewa and Bridgewater, being wounded at Bridgewater. Since he passed his eightieth birthday he has served as town clerk of Nelson for four years. His eye-sight is remarkably good, he being able to read any print without the aid of glasses.

John Burnap, a descendant of Robert, the first of that name who came over from England, was born in Reading, Mass., June 25, 1744. He married Mary Hayward, December 24, 1767, and had born to him six children, as follows : John, Jr., Mary, Eli, Pious U., Molly and Amos. He moved to Nelson about a hundred years ago, and settled half a mile north of the center of the town, where he died. Pious Upton, son of John, was born in Reading Mass., February 5, 1775, and married Sally, daughter of Josiah Whitney, June 15, 1802. He was a farmer, held several of the offices of the town and was engaged in manufacturing. He reared a family of twelve children, as follows : John, Upton, Josiah, Eli, Polly, Nancy, Mary, Lura, James, George, Laura and Loren. Five of these are now living. Josiah lives in North Adams, Mass .; Nancy B. married Asa Taft, is a widow and lives in Keene; Lura, who married Maynard Wilson, is also a widow and lives in Keene ; and George resides there. Mr. P. U. Burnap died in Nelson, August 11, 1827, and his widow died February 26, 1846.

Josiah Whitney came from Massachusetts to Nelson, about 1770, and set- tled in the northeast part of the town, where he took up land and cleared a

35 ₺

TOWN OF NELSON.

farm. He had a family of twelve children, ten of whom grew to be men and women. Josiah, Jr., was born in Nelson, February 24, 1782, and married Sarah Emes, daughter of Robert, and settled in Nelson. on the old place, and took care of his father. He represented the town in the legislature two years was selectman, and held other town offices. He reared a family of four chil- dren : George married Nancy Nims, and, in the latter part of his life, he lived at Keene, where he died, June 24, 1868. Joseph married Mary A. Newcomb, settled in Nelson, and after some years, moved to Keene. Mary Ann married David W. Buckminster, of Roxbury. Charles H. lives in Keene.

Stephen Whitney, son of Josiah, Sr., was born in Nelson, but went to Deer- field, Mass., and settled there, where he carried on the mercantile business. His son, James S., was the father of the present Secretary of the Navy, Wil- liam C. He was a general of militia, also collector at p.rt of Boston, and was a prominent man.

Asa Beard was the fifth son of David Beard, who came to this town at an early date. Early town records show that the family took an active part in town affairs, but in educational matters Asa Beard was especially active. He was a teacher of the "Moral school" for many years, and was probably one of its founders. He wrote himself "Instructor A Beard," and was noted as a teacher of penmanship. He was one of the committee who drew up the rules for the proper conduct of schools in town. He also held the offices of selectman and town clerk, and was a captain in the state militia. His twin sons, Alfred and Albin, edited the Telegraph, a paper printed in Nashua, N. H., and the latter continued to do so for many years after the death of Alfred. Asa Beard had five brothers, some of whom spelled the family name Bard, and whose children have followed their example.

Ebenezer Tolman came to Nelson about 1780, and settled in the eastern part of the town, upon the farm where his grandson, Eben Tolman, now lives. He reared a family of seven children, only one of whom, William, who resides in Watertown, N., Y., is living. George, son of Ebenezer, was born at Nelson, in 1786. He was a farmer, married Joanna Whiteman, and reared a family of six children-two sons and four daughters. He died in Nelson, May 10, 1875. Two of his children are now living, as follows : Anna, widow of J. C. Tolman, and Adaline, widow of Josiah H. Carter, both in Keene. Cyrus, son of Ebenezer, born here, married Lucy Abbott, and had born to him five children.

The First Congregational church, located at Nelson village, was organized January 31, 1781, by a council of clergymen and delegates from other churches convened for the purpose, with thirty-four members, among whom were the following: Reuben Wellman, William Beal and wife, Amos Taylor and wife, John French and wife, Peter Wheeler, William Follett and wife, James Bancroft and wife, Nathaniel Breed, William Barker and wife, Thomas Butterfield and wife, and Noah Harvey, their first pastor being Rev. Jacob Foster. There had been a church building erected by the town in 1773, and

352

TOWN OF RICHMOND.

preaching had been maintained therein by the town employing Rev. James Treadway and Rev. Solomon Reed. This building was located on road 21, upon the site of the present cemetery. It was 25x30 feet, eight-foot posts, and had three windows of twelve lights each. This building gave place to a second structure, in 1786, which was used until 1841, when the present edi- fice was built. It is a wood structure capable of seating 300 persons, and is valued, including grounds, etc., at $1,000.00. The society now has seventy- nine members, with Rev. George H. Dunlap, pastor. It also supports a Sab- bath-school with sixty-five members.

A Baptist society formerly existed at Munsonville, but their building is now used for town purposes.

R ICHMOND lies in the southern part of the county, in lat. 42° 45' and long. 4° 47', bounded north by Swanzey and Troy, east by Troy and Fitzwilliam, south by Warwick and Royalston, Mass, and west by Winchester. The town was originally granted by Benning Wentworth, gov- ernor of the province, under George II., to Joseph Blanchard and fifty-nine associates, February 28, 1752, its boundary lines being fixed as follows :-

" Beginning at the southeast corner thereof, at a beach tree that stands in the province line ; thence running in that line north 80° west five miles and a half to Winchester line (so-called), bounded there by a beach tree, and from thence north by the needle in said Winchester line five miles and a half to a stake and stones the corner of Winchester in Ashuelot line-thence south 78° east . two miles to a red oak, the corner of Ashuelot, from thence north 39° east by Ashuelot line seven miles to maple tree marked-from thence south 6° west, six miles and 130 rods, to a beach tree marked-from thence south by the needle five miles to the first bound mentioned."

The conditions of this charter (see page 72 for sample) were not complied with by the grantees, so a renewal of the grant was made by Governor Went- worth on June 11, 1760. By this renewal, the proprietors and the grantees under them were made secure in their titles, as by allowing them one year for performing and fulfilling the conditions, and a renewal of the term, an- nually, until his " Majesty's Plenary Instructions " should be received in rela- tion to the matter, was equivalent to a final confirmation of the grant. Two years later, December 11, 1762, a portion of the new township was annexed to Swanzey, the severed portion being described as follows :-

" Beginning at the Northwest Corner of Lott No. 23 in the seventh Range of Lotts in said Richmond, Then running due east to the easterly line of the same town, then running on the East line of said Richmond to the northeast corner of the said town of Swansey."

This left the township an area of 23,725 acres, bounded according to a survey made in 1805, as follows :-

" Beginning at the South East corner, Running N. 2º W. bounding of Fitz- william 2,056 Rods-on Swansey W. 80° 30' N. 744 Rods to County road

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TOWN OF RICHMOND.

and 380 Rods to a corner-then S. 37° 30' W. 280 Rods to a corner-then W. 16° 30' N. on Swansey 693 Rods to Winchester-then S. 2° E. on Winches- ter 1,880 Rods-then E. 8° 30' S. on Warwick line 710 Rods-then on Royalston E. 80° 30' S. 1,220 Rods to Fitzwilliam line-the distance from county road to Fitzwilliam is 885 Rods-containing 23,725 acres."

In June, 1815, however, this area was again reduced, a portion being taken to form, with portions of Swansey and Fitzwilliam, the. township of Troy. This line, being made very irregular by reason of running around the farm of Oliver Perry, who stoutly refused to have his property included in the new township, was established by act of legislation as follows :

" Beginning at the northwest corner of the present boundaries Fitzwilliam, thence northerly 262 rods ; N. 723°, W. 243 rods; thence N. 12º, E. 66 rods; thence S. 89°, W. 47 rods ; thence S. 84°, E. 52 rods ; thence north 80 rods ; thence N. 23°, E. 92 rods ; thence N. 30°, E. 27 rods ; thence N. 12°, W. 173 rods ; thence east 98 rods ; thence north 2°, west 235 rods ; thence S. 822°, E. 32 rods, to the line between Marlboro and Swanzey."

No change was made in the boundary limits of the town from this time un- till 1850, when, by an act approved July 2d, a part of Richmond's territory was set off to Winchester, described as follows :-

"Beginning at the northwest corner of the town of Richmond, and running southerly on the line dividing Richmond from Winchester 340 rods to the south line of the road leading by Hollis Naramore's house ; thence north 58º east to Swanzey south line, at the north side of the new road leading from Swanzey to Winchester ; thence on Swanzey south line 340 rods to the cor- ner between Swanzey and Richmond."

This was the last amputation the good township has been called upon to undergo.

The surface of the town is broken and uneven, though none of the eleva- tions can properly be designated as mountains, though some attain an eleva- tion of perhaps, 2,000 feet. Charles T. Jackson, in his report of a survey of the state made in 1844, speaks of the territory as follows :-

" The land in this town is hilly, but none of the elevations are of sufficient height to receive the appellation of mountains. The rocks are granite, mica, slate, hornblende rock, and talcose rock or soapstone. The soapstone bed is two miles S. W. by S. from Richmond meeting-house, on the south side of Roaring brook and one mile from the Massachusetts line, and an elevated land [upon the farm recently owned by Lorenzo Harris]. It has a north and south course, and dips W. 45°. The bed is forty-two feet wide, and has been traced for the distance of a mile on the hills to the southward, or to the state line. The talcose rock or soapstone, is not stratified, but crystalline, being made up of interlaced crystals and laminæ of talc, with occasional fibers of hornblende. In opening the quarry, the following accompanying minerals were thrown out, and were derived from the wall rock of the bed, viz .: quartz, feldspar, phosphate of lime, pinite, rutile, iron pyrites, garnets, calcareous spar, and hornblende crystals. Anthrophyllite and iolite of great beauty are found. Iolite is a rare mineral ; and no other locality in this country furnishes so finely colored specimens as this spot."

The land is generally rocky, though many fine arable farms lie in the val- ley and upon the hill slopes. The drainage is good and no extensive swamps 23*

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TOWN OF RICHMOND.

abound, the largest being that south of Cass pond. Branches of the Ashue- lot and Miller rivers are the principal streams in the town. Tully brook drains the eastern part. It rises near the Little Monadnock, flows south, and finally, after uniting with the west branch of the same, empties into Miller's river, in Athol. Nearly all the western part is drained by the brook at first called Norwood's, from Erastus Norwood, an early settler, afterwards known as Great brook, and now called Roaring brook. A tributary to this is the Tilsey, so-called from James Tilson, who settled near its confluence with Nor- wood's brook. Of the three ponds, Cass, Sandy and Grassy, the first men- tioned is the largest. It lies in the southern-central part of the town. It de- rives its name from the first settler on its western shore, Daniel Cass, and retains all its primitive wildness of surroundings, being still inclosed by an evergreen forest. It is nearly a mile in length, about half that distance in width, and in form something like the letter S. Its one outlet, Fall brook, drops into the Tully. The name this brook bears is exceptionally appropriate, from its lovely sylvan fall, just over the line in Royalston. Royal cascade it was named by Prof. Hitchcock, who, in describing it, says "the stream is not more than ten feet wide at the spot, but descends forty-five feet at a single leap into a large basin, which from its top has been excavated by the erosion of the water. The sides, to the height of fifty or sixty feet, are formed of solid rock, now retreating and now projecting, crowned at the summit with trees. Many of these lean over the gulf, or have fallen across it, so that upon the whole, the scene is one of great wildness and interest." It is a great resort for pic-nic parties.

The whole township is beautifully diversified, in a scenic point of view, and presents many elevations commanding an exquisite prospect. Among these,. Crooker hill, in the central part, ranks first. Although it is not so high as some other points, it affords a clear and unobstructed view in all directions. To the north the view is unusually fine, where the eye may range along the. valley of the south branch of the Ashuelot, through Swanzey, then up the valley of the Ashuelot proper to Keene, and thence beyond to the Surry hills. The little "City of the Plains" is made still more diminutive by a twelve mile perspective, but the broad plain upon which it stands, wrapped in the amphitheatre formed by the contiguous hills and mountains, makes a beauti- ful picture, which is only heightened in effect by the enchantment which dis- tance ever lends to the view.

In 1880 Richmond had a population of 669 souls. In 1884 it had eleven school districts, eleven common schools, and twelve school buildings, the lat- ter being valued, including sites, furniture, etc., at $2,550.00. There were 145 pupils, twenty-nine of whom were pursuing the higher branches, taught by one male and thirteen female teachers, the former at an average monthly salary of $40.00 and the latter at $19.54. The entire amount of revenue for school purposes was $1,108.54, while the entire expenditure was $1,150.54 with Moses Cass, superintendent.

355

TOWN OF RICHMOND.

RICHMOND, locally known as the Four Corners, a post village located about a mile south of the center of the town, has one church (Baptist), an hotel, a general store, and about 100 inhabitants.

NORTH RICHMOND (p. o.) is a hamlet located in the northern part of the town, and is locally known as "Guina." It has two milis and a few scatter- ing dwellings.

THE CENTER is a hamlet at the center of the town, just north of Richmond village. It has one church (Universalist), town-hall, and about fifty inhabit- ants.

The Richmond Lumber Co., whose mills are located on road 28, is com- posed of J. B. Abbott, of Keene, and Leason Martin and O. J. Nutting, of this town. Their mills. operated by a forty horse-power engine, were built in 1882. The firm employs from ten to twenty men, and manufactures 300,000 feet of lumber and stock for 80,000 pails per annum.

Nathaniel Naramore's stave-mill and chair-stock factory, on road 20, was built by Nathan G. Wardworth, about 1840, and came into the present pro- prietor's possession in 1882. He employs four men and manufactures stock for about 100,000 pails, 2,000,000 chair-stretchers, and about 70,000 shingles per annum.

Leason Martin's saw-mill and bucket factory, located on road II, has been used by four generations of the Martin family. The present proprietor gives employment to from twelve to twenty men, and manufactures about 300,000 feet of lumber and 100,000 buckets per annum.

F. L. Parkhurst's pail-handle factory, at North Richmond, came into his possession in 1883. It is operated by both steam and water-power, gives employment to four men and turns out 200,000 pail-handles per month.

O. B. Howe's saw-mill and pail stock factory, on road 42, was built by Dennis Harkness about 1856, and was purchased by Mr. Howe in 1879. The mill is operated by both steam and water-power, gives employment to about ten men and saws and uses in its various manufactures about 300,000 feet of lumber year.

Amos Lawrence's saw-mill, on road 18, was purchased by him in 1874. He manufactures coarse lumber and chair-stock.

William C. Putney's saw-mill and pail-stock factory, located on road 18, came into his possession in 1878. He manufactures lumber and pail-stock.

Frank Amidon's saw-mill, on road 37, was built by him in 1883. He manufactures about 300,000 feet of coarse lumber per annum.

Andrew Amidon's saw-mill, on road 31, was built by him in 1883. He manufactures about 150,000 feet of lumber and stock for 25,000 pails per annum.

D. W. Williams's saw-mill, on road 7, was built by him in 1871. He manufactures about 75,000 feet of lumber and stock for 15,000 pails per annum.

F. O. Bowen's saw-mill, on road 43, was built by Jacob Whitcomb, about

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TOWN OF RICHMOND.

1848, and was purchased by Mr. Bowen in 1857. He manufactures coarse lumber, 100,000 bucket hoops, and stock for 20,000 pails per year.

George H. Taylor's saw-mill and pail-stock factory, on road 4, was built by George Taylor, about 1859, and came into the present proprietor's hands in 1869. He cuts from 50,000 to 120,000 feet of lumber and stock for 40,000 to 50,000 pails per annum.

The exact date the first settlement and by whom made cannot be accurately stated. There is a tradition that one Sylvester Rogers or Rocherson, from Rhode Island, in 1750, made a clearing of about an acre, on which he erected . a strongly built log-house, for the double purpose of a shelter and a defense against Indians ; that he abandoned the premises after a few months and returned to Rhode Island, on account of fear of the Indians. The site of this house and clearing is supposed to be on the farm afterwards settled by Jonathan Gaskill and now owned by Jesse Balles. This story may be sub- stantially true, except that the settlement must have been made, if at all, about four or five years later. In all probability, however, the settlement of the town was begun in 1762, and the first settlements were made in the southern and western part of the town, by John and Daniel Cass, Azariah Cumstock, John Dandley, Francis Norwood, Jacob Bump, Silas Gaskill, Thomas Josslyn, John Martin, John Scott, Constant and David Barney, Thomas Wooley, Reuben Parker, Oliver Capron, Edward Ainsworth, Jonathan Gaskill, Jona- than Sweet, Jonathan Thurber, Ephraim Hix, Henry Ingalls, Stephen Kemp- ton, Jedediah and Jonathan Buffum, and many others, who were here pre- vious to 1765. These came mostly from Smithfield and Cumberland, R. I., and from Rehoboth and Attleboro, Mass. The town settled rapidly, . however, for in 1767 it had 338 inhabitant :, and in 1773 the population had increased to 745.

The first town meeting was held at the inn of John Cass, March 27, 1765, with that gentleman acting as moderator. The following choice of town officers was made: Daniel Cass, town clerk ; John Cass, Daniel Cass and John Martin, selectmen and assessors; Timothy Thompson, constable ; John Cass, treasurer ; John Dandley, tithingman ; and Jonathan Gaskill, Joseph Cass, surveyors of highways. The voters at this meeting were as follows : John Atherton, Solomon Atherton, Moses Allen, Ezra Allen, Edward Ains- worth, Abraham Barrus, Jacob Bump, Constant Barney, David Barney, Joseph Barney, Jedediah Buffum, Jonathan Buffum, Daniel Cass, Dea. ohn Cass, Joseph Cass, Thomas Crane, Azariah Cumstock, Azariah Cumstock, Jr., Moses Cumstock, Aaron Comstock, Abner Comstock, John Dandley, Jona- than Gaskill, Silas Gaskill, Sylvanus Harris, Uriah Harris, Anthony Harris, Ephraim Hix, Peter Holbrook, Henry Ingalls, Edmund Ingalls, William Jossłyn, Thomas Josslyn, James Kingsley, Stephen Kempton, John Martin, Gideon Man, Oliver Mason, Elijah Meader, Reuben Parker, Israel Phillips, David Russell, Abraham Randall, Joseph Bazee, John Robinson, Timothy Robinson, Daniel Read, David Read, John Scott, Jonathan Sweet, John

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TOWN OF RICHMOND.

Sprague, Timothy Thompson, Jeremiah Thayer, Alles Thayer, Nehemiah Thayer, Nathaniel Taft, Silas Taft, Jonathan Thurber, Thomas Wooley, John Wooley.

The first recorded mention made of schools or school buildings occurs in 1771, when the town "raised £14 for schooling, and voted to hold the schools in six several places." In 1784 the town was divided into school districts, which division was revised in 1789, and made into twenty districts. The first postoffice was established in 1812, with Job Bisbee, postmaster, at which time Jonathan Pierce, of Royalston, began carrying the mail from Worcester to Keene. The office was in the corner store now kept by Mr. Norwood, then owned by Job Bisbee & Co. The postoffice at North Rich- mond was established September 15, 1853, with Harvey Martin, postmaster. Dr. Aaron Aldrich was the first physician, though he remained but a short time. Dr. Ebenezer Swan came here about 1776, and continued in practice until his death, in 1820. The first hotel was kept by John Cass, in what is now a por- tion of the house last occupied by Jeremiah Amidon, on the old John Cass farm, owned by Perley Amadon. Here the first town meeting was held in 1765. The first store was kept by Daniel Cass, Sr. Jazaniah Barrett was his successor in 1793, who, in 1803, sold out to Peregrine Wheeler. The old house was demolished about 1828, to give place to the house now occupied by Jonas Wheeler. The first saw and grist-mill was built by David Cass about 1765.

The first recorded act of the town towards sustaining the Revolutionary cause, was on April 6, 1775, when it was voted "to raise £3, 8s, which the congress has sent for to this town." This was thirteen days before the battle of Lexington, and the meeting was held at the house of Dea. John Cass. As a final result of this meeting, nearly the whole company of volunteers was raised, and, under command of Capt. Oliver Capron, joined Col. Eph- raim Doolittle's regiment, which was commissioned at Cambridge on the 12th day of June, 1775. This fragment of a company consisted of twenty-five men. In August, 1776, a company largely recruited in Winchester was in the service of protecting our northern frontier, in which were seventeen Richmond men. In Capt. Davis Howlett's company of Col. Ashley's regi- ment, which marched from Keene, May 4, 1777, was ten more of Richmond's men. In June, 1777, nearly a whole company was enlisted in Richmond for the purpose of assisting Tinconderoga. Soon after their return quite a num- ber of this company enlisted for service at Bennington and Stillwater. As appears on the rolls at Concord, Richmond was represented in the Conti- nental army as follows :-

1777, Continental men, 15, paid. £465

1778, Continental men, 12, paid. 555 12S

1779, Continental men, 5, paid. 180

1781, Frontier's men, 15, paid 162 IOS

In the war of 1812, Richmond again came to the front with a generous

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TOWN OF RICHMOND.

contribution of sturdy men. The only one of these now living is Dan Buf- fum. During the late war the town furnished sixty-six men.

Nathan Harkness came to Richmond, from Rhode Island, about 1746, and located near the farm now owned by Dennis Harkness, on road 45. He was twice married, and reared a family of eleven children, none now living. His son Elijah, born here in 1777, was a school teacher in early life, married Martha Bassett, and died in 1835. Only three of his ten children are now living, Mrs. Malahath Ballou, who lives in Philadelphia, Mrs. Lucy Payne, of Worcester, Mass., and Dennis, who occupies the farm, on road 45. Elijah was a cousin of the mother of James A. Garfield, and she was born on the old Harkness place. In company with her son, two years before he was elected to the presidency, she paid a visit to the old homestead. Silas Ballou, the poet, is buried on this farm.

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Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885, Part 42

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office
Number of Pages: 1034