Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885, Part 7

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 7

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The New Hampshire Recorder and Weekly Advertiser was the first paper published in the county. It was established at Keene, by James D. Griffith, in 1787, and was continued until March 3, 1791. A file of this sheet, from September, 1788, to March, 1791, is now in the possession of the public library at Keene, a donation from the late Hon. John Prentiss. This volume shows the paper not to have been materially different from its contemporaries of that early period, betrays the same heaviness of style, and the usual neg- lect of local news for the treatment of affairs occurring thousands of miles distant. Who J. D. Griffith, the editor and publisher, was, or what his subse- quent history was, we are unable to state. In 1792, however, he made a new venture, at the same place, establishing

The Cheshire Advertiser, the first number of which appeared January Ist. It was continued only one year.

The Columbian Informer or Cheshire Journal appears next, at Keene. It was established by Henry Blake & Co., the first number appearing April 3, 1793. In 1795 Mr. Blake died, and, in August, his brother and partner, William Ward Blake, not being a practical printer, sold the enterprise to Cornelius Sturtevant, Jr., & Co., who issued during that same month, August, the first number of The Rising Sun.

The New Hampshire Journal and Farmer's Museum was established at Walpole, the first number appearing April 11, 1793. A part of this cumber- some title was soon after dropped, leaving the plain Farmer's Museum, which attained a wide celebrity. It was commenced by Isaiah Thomas and David Carlisle, with Joseph Dennie, editor. This paper made decided progress, and its editor, "Jo" Dennie, gathered about him a coterie of wits and literat that was indeed brilliant. Among these may be mentioned such men as Royal Tyler, of Brattleboro, Vt., who afterwards became chief justice of the state ; Samuel Hunt, afterwards member of Congress ; Samuel West, of Keene, a brilliant advocate, and many others, who formed a literary club called the "Museum." The firm also did a large publishing business, and, it is said, published the first American novel which was honored with republication in England. This was written by Royal Tyler and was entitled, "The Algerine Captive, or the Life and Adventures of Dr. Updike Underhill, Six Years a Prisoner Among the Algerines." It was printed in 1797. About this time, also, the Museum seems to have attained the height of its popularity, and thence gradually declined. When first started it was neutral in politics, but

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in 1800 its political complexion was of the Federal stripe. Its publication was suspended twice for a short time, and was revived for the last time in 1827, with A. Godfrey as editor, and was also edited for a short time by Nahum Stone, and on November 14, 1828, it was removed to Keene, to be published as the CHESHIRE REPUBLICAN. When removed it had become Democratic in politics.

The Rising Sun, as mentioned in connection with the sketch of the Colum- bian Informer, of Keene, was continued by C. Sturtevant & Co. until Au- gust, 1798, when its publication was discontinued.

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE SENTINEL, of Keene, appeared in March, 1799, and is still enjoying a prosperous existence, being, next to the Portsmouth Gazette and Journal, the oldest paper in the state. Established by John Prentiss, it was continued by him, as editor and senior proprietor, for a period of forty- eight years. The first number appeared on the 23d of the month. It was a four-page sheet, about 10x18 inches in size, with four columns to a page, at $1.50 a year. Its motto, "My Country's Good-A Faithful Watch I Stand," at once proclaimed its patriotic spirit. The first heading was "Political Mis- cellany," and under it is found a congressional report, covering the whole page, except about four inches of the last column. Even there an apology is made for not printing the remainder of the report, promising to complete it in the next issue. Following this lengthy article, far into the next page, is a "Sketch of Proceedings-House of Representatives." A vivid contrast to our modern ideas of journalism. In searching the files of this old journal we find that the following changes have been made since this small beginning :-

The size of the paper was not materially increased until the issue of January 6, 1826, when another column was added to each page, and the pages length- ened proportionately. January 1, 1845, the paper was again enlarged, so that it began to be quite respectable in size.

On October 1, 1828, Mr. Prentiss's son, John W., became associated with him in the enterprise, the firm name becoming J. & J. W. Prentiss. This continued until June 20, 1834, when John Prentiss became sole proprietor again. With the beginning of January, 1838, however, J. W. appears once more as a partner, under the firm name of J. & J. W. Prentiss, this style being retained until January 1, 1847, when the paper was taken by the son. At this time a large printing, publishing and book-selling business was carried on, and to assist in conducting this, the Prentisses took into partnership with them Albert Godfrey, the firm name being changed to J. W. Prentiss & Co., J. W. Prentiss conducting the paper. With the issue of July 6, 1855, the American News was merged into the paper, and the firm name changed to "A Godfrey, and George S. Woodward." March 14, 1856, the name was changed to S. & G. S. Woodward, Samuel Woodward, formerly proprietor of the News, having taken Godfrey's interest. April 1, 1859, Thomas Hale, Albert Godfrey, T: C. Rand, and George S. Woodward appear as proprietors,- Thomas Hale, editor,-under the firm name of Thomas Hale & Co. With

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this issue the paper was enlarged to seven columns per page, and the pages lengthened proportionately, April 1, 1863, it was reduced to its original size of 1859, on account of the high price of paper, though it was enlarged again after the war, July 1, 1865. July 6, 1865, T. C. Rand & Co. appear as pub- lishers (T. C. Rand, George S. Woodward and Olin L. French-T. C. Rand, editor), With the issue of October 1, 1866, George Ticknor appears to have bought Mr. Rand's interest, the firm name being George Ticknor & Co. Mr. Ticknor died December 25, 1866, when the paper was purchased by Olin L. French. January 1, 1868, T. C. Rand again became a partner, and the paper was enlarged by the addition of one column per page, and January 1, 1872, it was enlarged to its present size, though larger type were then used. Sep- tember 1, 1872, the paper was purchased by T. C. Rand and C. J. Wood- ward, and the firm name of the Sentinel Printing Co. adopted. Under this firm title it is still published, William H. Prentiss having been admitted to the firm in March, 1880.

THE SENTINEL was originally Federal in politics, and advocated the doc- trines of Washington, the elder Adams, and John Taylor Gilman, and main- tained its character as a Federal paper until the period of Monroe's adminis- tration, when party names fell into disuse. It supported John Quincy Adams, and was devoted to the interests of the Whig party, and later to the Repub- lican party, to which it faithfully adheres. It is issued on Wednesday, and has a circulation of 3,800 copies.

The Improved New England Almanack and Ephemeris, of Chesterfield, though it may not properly be said to be a newspaper, partook, in many respects, of that character. It was established by Nathan Wild, in 1820, and was continued by him up to nearly the time of his death, in 1838. Its title was changed, a few years after its establishment, to The Farmer's, Mechanic's and Gentleman's Almanack, though it was more familiarly known as "Wild's Almanack." Aside from being a good almanac, it was largely devoted to literary and scientific pursuits, its literary articles being furnished mainly by local talent.

THE CHESHIRE REPUBLICAN .- This paper, which has had such a long and prosperous career in Keene, was moved here from Walpole, as stated in the sketch of the Farmer's Museum. It was brought from Walpole by Nahum Stone, November 14, 1828 A few years after its establishment here its name was changed to the Cheshire Republican and Farmer's Museum, which title was retained until 1843, when it was again changed to the Cheshire Republi- can and Farmer. Mr. Stone died about six years after he came to Keene, and the paper came into the hands of Beneniah Cooke. Harvey A. Bill suc- ceeded Mr. Cook, February 8, 1844, and continued the publisher until 1852, his last issue appearing on the 31st of March. He was succeeded by Hora- tio Kimball, who made his bow to the public on April 7th. With the issue of January 5. 1753, the word Farmer was dropped from the title of the sheet, Mr. Kimble giving his reasons therefor as follows :

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" In changing the head of our paper it will be noticed that we have abridged the title to plain Cheshire Republican. This is a good name and enough of it for our newspaper. The Cheshire Farmer would sound equally as well ; but we preserve Republican and drop Farmer, because the paper is more strictly political than agricultural, though we intend to increase its use- fulness to the tiller of the soil."

In October, 1865, Mr. Kimball sold out to Julius N. Morse and William B. Allen. The latter, however, soon after sold out his interest to Mr. Morse, who continued the publication until April, 1878, when he sold to Joshua D. Colony & Sons, the present proprietors, their first issue being made on the 20th of that month. The REPUBLICAN, despite its name, is Democratic in pol- itics. It is issued each Saturday, and has a circulation of over 2,000 copies.

The American Citizen and Militia Advocate was established at Alstead vil- lage, by E. M. Brown and John Garfield, the first number appearing January 22, 1845. It seems that Mr. Brown had made some misrepresentations, or at least was unable to procure the number of subscribers he had promised Mr. Gar- field, so the latter published the paper in his own name, though Brown acted as editor. At the end of the first year Mr. Garfield sold out to Mr. Brown and S. H. Colburn, who continued the publication another year, when it died. The Citizen was devoted, as its name implies, to patriotism, and supported the protective military organization of that day. Mr. Brown was a graduate of the military school which formerly flourished at Norwich, Vt. The paper was a twenty-eight column sheet, 24x36 inches in size.

The World's Index, a five column four page sheet " devoted to the best in- terests of the great brotherhood," was started at Alstead village, by A. K. Severance, in January, 1847. It was pronounced in its opposition to sla- very, though extremely liberal in tone. It was continued about three years. Mr. Severance also published, in 1846, a pamphlet entitled the Mysteries of Matrimony, which was supplementary to another, entitled the Mysteries of Paper Mill Village, issued by Walter Tufts, Jr., in 1845.

The American News, a Free-soil and temperance paper, was established at Keene by Beneniah Cooke, in 1850. Mr. Cooke died in 1853, and the pa- per was sold at auction, being purchased by Samuel Woodward. In 1855 the News was merged with the Sentinel, as both papers were supporting the infancy of the Republican party.

The Northern Advocate was first published at Claremont, N. H., in June, 1749, by Joseph Weber and J. P. Strong. After a few numbers had been printed there it was removed to Winchester, and was published there about two years, when it was moved back to Claremont, and Mr. Weber continued its publication until 1882, when he sold the establisment to R. E. Muzzey who has continued the publication of the paper to the present time, calling it the CLAREMONT ADVOCATE.

The Star Spangled Banner, a monthly literary paper, was established at Hinsdale, in January, 1863, by Hunter & Co., and regularly appeared until April, 1883, a period of over twenty years. For years it was very popular,

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was sold largely by newsdealers, and reached a circulation of 60,000 copies, more papers at one time being mailed from the Hinsdale office than from all other newspaper offices in the entire state. The business of the concern ex- ceeded $100,000.00 yearly, employed a dozen clerks, and run the salary of the postmaster from $400.00 in 1863, up to $1,800.00 in 1873. Large num- bers of books were published also, and the daily mail often reached 500 let- ters. A large amount of energy and cash was expended in the conduct of the paper.

The Winchester Gazette, another paper, was published in Winchester for a couple of years about this time, of which we have not been able to obtain definite information.

The Nelson Clarion was published in Nelson, by C. H. Whitney and Mrs. N. R. Mellville. Two numbers only were issued, the first appearing in March, 1870, and the second in May, 1871. The object of this venture was to raise church funds, and the matter of the sheet was largely historical sketches of the town. Five hundred copies of the first, and 800 of the sec- ond number were issued, meeting a ready sale.

THE HOME COMPANION, of Troy, was established in 1872, the first number appearing in April of that year. Until January, 1876, it was continued as a quarterly, but since that time it has been issued monthly. It was founded by H. C. Newton, its present editor, publisher and proprietor. It is not designed as a local paper particularly, but contains short sketches, poetry, wit and humor, general news items, farm and household department, etc. Its circulation is quite large. The terms are forty cents per year.

THE NEW ENGLAND OBSERVER .- This paper, which is one of the successful enterprises of Keene, was begun by Thomas Hale, who established it under the name of the Republican Observer, at White River Junction, Vt., January I, 1878. In June, 1880, he came to Keene, a stock company was formed, under the title of the Republican Printing Company, and the paper was given its present name. Mr. Hale was editor of the paper here until May, 1881, when he was succeeded by Henry L. Inman, who is still in charge. The OBSERVER is an eight-column sheet, issued on Thursdays, is Independent Republican in politics, and has a circulation of 2,800 copies.

THE COLD RIVER JOURNAL, of Alstead, "an independent newspaper, devoted to the best interests of Cold River Valley and vicinity," was established by C. S. Egerton, in March, 1883, and on April 3, 1885, passed into the hands. of its present proprietor, W. H. Allen. The JOURNAL is a four-page, eight- column sheet, devoted to local and general news. It has a good local circu- lation, and is also largely patronized by non-resident natives of the town and vicinity.

The Progress, of Hinsdale, a monthly paper devoted to local matters, was established in April, 1884, by E. S. Henry, and appeared each month for one year, its circulation for that time averaging 250 copies per month. In April, 1885, Mr. Henry was succeeded in business by W. S.

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Streeter, who did not wish to continue its publication, but rather to devote his time solely to job printing. The paper received the support of a large number of its townspeople, and was considered a success.

THE STUDENT'S QUARTERLY, at Walpole, was established by John A. Weber, the first number appearing January 1, 1884.

ABORIGINAL OCCUPANCY.

In 1636, about sixteen years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, a set- tlement was begun at Springfield, Mass. In 1654, a town was commenced at. Northampton, and by the year 1670 Deerfield was established. At about that time the Indians who inhabited the valley of the Connecticut, within the territory that belonged to Massachusetts, or was claimed by the latter, lived in separate villages, at points most favorable for obtaining subsistence. They had previously sold to the whites the best part of their lands, only reserving certain portions for planting purposes, and the right of hunting, fishing and fowling, and setting their wigwams on the lands that were common to all. There were several tribes of the river Indians : the Agawams, who occupied the region above and below Springfield ; the Nonotucks, who had villages and forts on both sides of the river ; the Pacomptocks, who lived in the valley of the Deerfield river ; and the Squakheogs, who claimed the country to the north, both below and above the line which now separates Massachusetts from New Hampshire and Vermont, and were thus the original occupants of the section of country now included within the limits of Cheshire county. Indian depre- dations, during the several colonial wars, proved very disastrous to the settle- ment of the county. But the fortifications that were built, and the few encounters which took place within the limits of the county, are described in the sketches of the towns wherein they occurred.

WHEN FIRST SETTLED BY THE WHITES.

The first settlement in the county was made within the limits of the pres- ent town of Hinsdale in 1736-37, as detailed in the sketch of that town. In each of the other towns also, we have spoken in detail of the early settle- ments thereof. so notice here thereof would be but a repetition. For the population of the county at different periods, see the census table on another page.

LAND TITLE CONTROVERSY.

The settlement of the western and southern boundary line of New Hamp- shire, and of the location of the western boundary of the Masonian grant, was long a subject of dispute among the proprietors and settlers, and thus gave rise to much trouble and litigation relative to land titles. The settlement of the Mason line was long a bone of contention, and was not finally adjusted

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until after the Revolution, when a curved line, intended to be sixty miles from the sea shore was decided upon. This line may be traced in the county as the west line of Fitzwilliam, Marlboro and Stoddard. In the mean time, a number of towns in the county had been granted by the Masonian pro- prietors.

For a period of sixteen years there was a controversy between the authori- ties of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, relative to the boundary line between the provinces, and a contest kept up in regard to the control of the territory in the vicinity of Hinsdale and Fort Dummer. Finally, on the 5th of March, 1740, George II, decreed that the line between New Hampshire and Massachusetts should be surveyed in accordance with certain special in- instructions, and in 1741 the line was run by Richard Hazen, and found to leave about sixteen miles of Massachusetts' disputed territory in New Hamp- shire, upon which that province had already made several grants. In his in- structions relative thereto, the King recommended the assembly of New Hampshire to care for and protect the settlers about Fort Dummer, which was on the west side of the river. From this royal recommend, Gov. Ben- ning Wentworth naturally supposed that the King recognized the jurisdic- diction of New Hampshire as extending to the same point west as Massa- chusetts ; namely, a point twenty miles east of the Hudson river. Accord- ingly, on the application of William Williams and sixty-one others, January 3, 1749, he chartered a township six miles square, in what is now the south- western corner of Vermont, but as he supposed in the southwestern corner of New Hampshire,

As early as 1763, he had granted other townships lying west of the Con- necticut, to the number of about 138. The population therein had grown to quite respectable proportions, and the section had come to be known as the New Hampshire grants. In 1763, however, Lieut-Governor Tryon, of New York, laid claim to the territory, by virtue of a grant made by Charles II, to the Duke of York, in 1664, which included " all the land from the west side of Connecticut river to the east side of Delaware Bay." Finally, on applica- tion of the government of New York, it was decided by George III., in coun- cil of July 10, 1764, that "the western bank of the Connecticut river should thereafter be regarded as the boundary line between the province of New York and the province of New Hampshire." With the war between the settlers of the grants and government of New York, which lasted for full a quar- ter of a century, we have nothing to do. It belongs to the history of Ver- mont.

When Vermont had declared herself an independent state, however, and was holding her first legislative assembly, at Windsor, in 1778, sixteen towns from the east side of the river sent a committee thereto to ask that they might be included in the new state. They claimed that New Hampshire was originally a grant to Mason, and extended no further west than "Curve Line ;" that all the towns west of the line had been granted by authority of

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the royal governors, and, therefore, since the royal authority had been over- thrown, they "were not connected with any state," and were "at perfect liberty to determine for themselves what jurisdiction they should be under." This request was granted by Vermont ; but at the next session of the legisla- ture, they refused their petition for a separate county organization. On this the members withdrew, and called a convention which met at Cornish, De- cember 9, 1778. This convention determined to make proposals to New Hampshire, whereby the towns east of the Green Mountains should join that state. At its next session, in February, 1779, the Vermont assembly dis- solved all connection with towns east of the river. But this failed to settle matters, as New Hampshire was now in hopes to extend her territory farther west. The inhabitants in the southeast part of Vermont held a convention in October, 1780, in which it was proposed to "unite in one political body all the inhabitants from Mason's grant, on the east side of the Connecticut river, to the heights of land on the west side." This state was to be called New Connecticut. In the following November a convention of towns in Cheshire county was held at Walpole, and appointed a committee to confer with others and " consider what is proper to be done." This committee re- commended that a convention should be held at Charlestown the next January. Forty-three towns were represented in the Charlestown convention. They appointed a committee to confer with the Vermont assembly in reference to terms of union, and adjourned to meet at Cornish, in February, when the assembly would be in session at Windsor, Vt., only a few miles distant. Representatives from thirty-five towns on the east side of the river took their seats as members of this convention. The towns south of Claremont and east of the river were organized into Washington county. At the Vermont assembly of October 11, 1781, at Charlestown, the lieut-governor and one of the councilors were chosen from the east side of the river. Vermont had thus taken possession of nearly a third of New Hampshire. This state of affairs was rapidly drifting into a civil war, when the influence of General Washington was brought to bear, and he quietly settled the matter at once. Vermont concluded it was wise to dissolve this union, which it accordingly did at its session of the legislature at Bennington, February 23, 1782. This ended the conflict, and the disaffected towns quietly returned to their state allegiance. The boundary lines have not since been tampered with.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Want of space forbids our giving an extended sketch of the war for Inde- pendence-neither is it required, for all readers are conversant with that epoch in our country's history. The people of New Hampshire had always been loyal to the mother country ; but, when their liberties were at stake, they were quite as zealous to defend their rights as those of their sister states, and furnished their full quota of men for the great struggle. So far as we have been able we have mentioned the part each town took, in their respec- tive sketches. Of the war of 1812, too, we may say the same. 5*

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WAR OF THE UNION.

It seems but a recent dream, the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency in 1860, the occupation of Fort Sumpter by Major Anderson, and the final attack upon it ; then, like the shock of an earthquake, the following years of blood and carnage. But it was a fearful dream, and eyes are- still red with weeping over it in not a few of the homes of our land. Side by side with her sister states, New Hampshire endured the weary marches and bore the brunt of battles, and side by side their sons sleep the long sleep- some beneath the sun-kissed. plains of the willful South, some rocked in the bosom of the broad Atlantic, "held in the hollow of His hand," while others. have been borne to rest among their kindred by sympathizing friends, who, year by year, to muffled drum beat, wend their way to their consecrated tombs to deck their graves with beautiful spring flowers-a national tribute to the memory of the gallant dead. The table on the opposite page gives a fair syn- opsis of the history of each one of the New Hampshire regiments.

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Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N.H., 1736-1885, Part 7

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