Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 26

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers
Number of Pages: 1266

USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886 > Part 26

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).

Sinclair House, Durgin & Fox, proprietors, is a large modern hotel in the center of the village, covering the site of the original establishment, the first of its kind in Bethlehem. It can accommodate 300 guests. The house has all modern conveniences, is lighted with gas, well supplied with water, per- fectly drained, delightfully situated and commands a full view of the surround- ing hills. The hotel has a good livery attached.

Alpine House, C. H. Clark, proprietor, situated at the west end of the vil- lage, has accommodation for fifty guests. This house, from its peculiar loca- tion, commands extensive views, not only of the grand Presidential chain and the northern mountains, but of the beautiful valley of the Ammonoosuc, with Mount Mansfield and the green hills of Vermont beyond. It is fully fur- nished with all the modern improvements, and is in connection with a good farm and an extensive and well appointed livery establishment.

Avenue House, J. C. & F. L. Kelley, proprietors, situated on the Main street, accommodates about 60 guests. The grounds surrounding the house have been enlarged and beautified and supplied with croquet sets, lawns, etc. It has in connection a good livery establishment.

Bellevue House, David S. Phillips, accommodates ninety guests. This house, pleasantly situated on Main street, has since last season been refurn- ished and repainted, and hot and cold water laid on to the upper floors. A fine lawn-tennis ground has also been added. Extensive views are obtained from the upper windows and cupola of the house. Livery stable connected.

Bethlehem House, H. E. Richardson, proprietor, is pleasantly situated on

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Congress street, a few rods from the main street, and accommodates fifty guests. The location of this house, exempting it from the dust of a much traveled thoroughfare, renders it a desirable residence for persons subject to hay-fever and asthmatic complaints.

Centennial House, H. W. Wilder, proprietor, is situated on high ground at the western end of the village, and accommodates sixty guests. The house commands a view of the Presidential range on the east, the Stratford peaks and other mountains to the north, and the Ammonoosuc valley and Green hills to the west. It is a favorite resort with many families who annually fre- quent it. There is a spring of delicious pure water on the premises and a superior livery.

Hillside House, Mrs. E. S. Davis & Son, proprietors, on Mount Agassiz road, accommodates fifty guests. It is situated on high ground facing Mount Washington, and with Mount Agassiz in full view to the south. The rooms are large and airy, the drainage is perfect, and a livery stable is in connec- tion.

Highland House, J. H. Clark, on Main street at the west end, accommodates eighty guests. This house possesses spacious apartments with closets, open fire-places and baths, hot and cold water on every floor, electric bells, and other modern improvements, and has a fine lawn tennis and croquet grounds. Good livery in connection.

Howard House, C. E. Bunker, proprietor, is located on the main street, near the depot, and accommodates sixty guests. This house is conveniently and pleasantly situated, and the piazzas and windows command extensive mountain views in every direction. It has in connection a livery stable.

Maplewood Cottage, Charles B. Goodwin, proprietor, nearly opposite to and northeast of the Maplewood Hotel, accommodates one hundred guests, who are privileged to enjoy the social advantages or the Maplewood Hotel with its delightful surroundings.

Maplewood Hall, Charles B Goodwin, added to the Maplewood estate last year, is on the opposite side of the road and northwest of the Maplewood Hotel. Its capacious and handsome apartments appropriated to the occupa- tion of families boarding at the Maplewood Hotel and cottage.

Mount Agassiz House, Horatio Nye, proprietor, on Mount Agassiz road, accommodates sixty guests. The house is centrally situated, near to the Sinclair House, postoffice and Cruft block.

Mount Washington House, C. L. Bartlett, proprietor, located on Park ave- nue, accommodates, with adjoining cottages, sixty guests, pleasantly situated forty rods from the main street, and ten rods from the new depot, it com- mands mountain views from every window, forty peaks being visible from the piazza alone. It has an excellent livery and a large farm in connection.

The Broadviewe, G. L. Gilmore, pleasantly situated on Main street, accom- modates forty guests. The rooms are large and airy and command exten-

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sive views of the mountains; while the grounds around the house are tastefully laid out.

Prospect House, M. J. Phillips, proprietor, situated in its beautiful grounds one-third of a mile from the depot, accommodates eighty guests. The mountain views obtainable from this house are said by some to be more ex- tensive than those commanded by any other in Bethlehem, it being the only one from which both Mts. Washington and Lafayette, with their neighboring heights, are visible. It has a livery stable in connection.

Ranlet's Hotel, D. W. Ranlet, proprietor, corner of Main street and Park avenue, and near to the depot, accommodates seventy five guests. An ele- gant café, situated on the grounds, supplies ice-cream, sherbet, and other delicacies of a quality equal to any found in the leading establishments in the large cities. A croquet lawn adjoins the hotel, and fine views are obtained of the White Mountain range and the northern peaks.

Turner House and Cottage, J. N. Turner, proprietor, Main street, on Turner's farm. accommodate seventy-five guests. These houses are delight- fully situated amid handsome shade trees, and possess a stream of water noted for its coldness and delicious purity. It has in connection a good livery.

The Uplands, W. C. Noyes, on Main street, at the west end, accommo- dates forty guests. This first-class new house, situated on high ground about 100 rods from the railroad depot and separated from the main thoroughfare by terraced lawns, is superior in every respect and is thoroughly warmed for the comfort of guests who remain late in the season.

William G. Mowry's " Waumbek" steam saw-mill on Ammonoosuc river, near the corner of roads 9 and 19, was erected by the Waumbek Lumber Co., in 1868-69, who operated it until July, 1877, when they suspended opera- tions. It then stood idle till 1880, when it passed into the control of Mr. Mowry, who has operated it since. The mill gives employment to thirty-five men, who annually convert about 3,500,000 logs into various kinds of lumber. James E. Viall is superintendent.

M. C. Noyes's saw-mill, on road 11, which was purchased by him in 1860, gives employment to seven men, and cuts annually about 300,000 feet of coarse lumber, 150,000 feet of clapboards and 200,000 shingles.

John Pierce, Jr's saw-mill, on road 20, was built by him and his brother, E. O. Pierce, about 1847. He employs thirty-five men, cutting about 200,000 feet of lumber per year.

Cortes Bolles's cider-mill, on r 6, built in 1884, manufactures about 350 barrels of cider per year.

F. A. Haskell's carriage shop was built by him in 1879. Aside from a general jobbing business he makes about twenty new vehicles per year.

H. C. Libbey's saw-mill was built by him in 1877. It gives employment to about forty men and cuts 300,000 feet of coarse lumber, 100,000 feet of clapboards, 300,000 lath and a large number of shingles per year.

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TOWN OF BETHLEHEM.

Charles A. Sinclair's grist-mill, on road II, operated by Allen Peabody, was built about 1844. It has three runs of stones and does custom work.

The first settlers in the town, according to the best authorities, were Ben- jamin Brown and Jonas Warren, who came on from Massachusetts in 1787 or 1788. For a time there were only three families in the town, those of the two gentlemen mentioned and one other, whose name or origin cannot now be ascertained. Mr. Warren, who had a family of four children-Otis, Betsey, Jonas and Anna-located upon the farm now owned and occupied by Charles Blandin. Mr. Brown, who had a family of eleven children-Abigail, Fran- ces, Marcus, Benjamin, Ida, Cynthia, Anna, Susannah, Triphena, Oliver and Mahala-located upon what is now known as the James Dean place. In the spring of 1790 James Turner began his settlement in Lloyd Hills, there being at that time only two families in the town; afterwards, during the same year, others came in, among whom were Nathaniel Snow and Nathan Wheeler. In March, 1794, Lot Woodbury settled in the town. from Royls- ton, Mass., bringing his family and effects on an ox-sled. The venerable "Sir" Isaac Newton Gay, who is still a resident of the town and whose cele- brated "museum" is so much frequented by the habitues of the Maplewood, came here an infant in 1797. Of a balm of Gilead tree near the residence of A. S. Phillips, Mr. Gay says, "On my seventh birthday, June 6, 1803, I set it out with my own hands; there were two of them, but one died." Nathaniel Snow, father of the Nathaniel Snow who died in this town, "origin- ally surveyed Bethlehem, and the compass used by him is now in the posses- sion of Reuben Baker."

Mr. Gay also makes from memory, in substance, the following statement of the settlement of the town. He was born in Ipswich, Mass .. July 16, 1796, and was brought here February 19th of the following year. He says the first eight families in town were :-

First, Nathaniel Snow, a land surveyor, who had six children-Nathaniel, Jr., Asa, Jerusha (Mrs. Dea. Thomas Hale), Mrs. Moses Eastman, Mahala (Mrs. Major Amos Wheeler), and one other. One lived where the rose bushes now are on top of Phillip's hill. Nathaniel lived in the two-story house opposite the Robbins place. Asa lived on the, Lindsey Whitcomb place. Deacon Hale lived on the South road. Moses Eastman lived at the Amy place, and Major Wheeler on the opposite side of the road, and across the brook.

Second, Simeon Burt, had six children-Levi, Simeon, Jr., John, Lydia (Mrs. Dea. Willis Wilder), Mrs. William Sawyer, and Mrs. Oliver Sawyer.

Third, Jonas Warren, had two children-Mrs. Benjamin Brown, and Mrs. Lot Woodbury, Sr. Mr. Warren lived and began the settlement on the William Kelso place, and was the first man burried in Bethlehem cemetery.

Fourth, James Crane, lived in a small frame house near the house of Reu- ben Baker, built a saw-mill there, had two children-Polly, and a boy, who died young. Crane soon moved away.

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TOWN OF BETHLEHEM.

Fifth, Benjamin Brown, began where his son Marcus has lived many years , and had ten children-Marcus, Benjamin, Jr., Oliver, Abigail, Fanny, Try- phena, Juda, Mahala, Ada and Anna.

Sixth, John Giles, began on what is called the Bray place.

Seventh. Isaac Batchellor, began on what has since been called the Batch- ellor place, near the Kelso place, and had six children-Isaac, Jr., Silas, Nehemiah, Stillman, Mary (married John Burt), and Betsey.

Eighth, Peter Shattuck, began at the top of the hill near where the Asa Phillips house now stands, and had four children-Stephen, Peter, Jr., Abigail and Ruth. None but Stephen lived in Bethlehem. Mr. Gay and his mother (Martha Breed), came with this family, Mrs. Peter Shattuck's maiden name being Rebecca Breed.

. By the petition for an act of incorporation, in 1798, it will be seen that the town then had "forty settlers;" while the census reports of 1800 give the entire population as 17 1 souls. The privations, sufferings and hardships of the early inhabitants were numerous ; and, had they not been hardy, perse- vering .men, they could not have borne up against them. Starvation at one time almost stared them in the face ; but they were saved from this lingering death by nurishment procured from green chocolate roots and other plants.

The first town meeting was held at the house of Amos Wheeler, March 4, 1800, when the following list of officers were elected : Moses Eastman, mod- erator and town clerk ; Moses Eastman, Nathaniel Snow, and Amos Wheeler, selectmen ; Edward Oaks, constable and collector ; Simeon Burt, John Gile and Edward Oakes, highway surveyors; Lot Woodbury, fence-viewer ; Amos Wheeler, sealer of weights and measures ; James Noyes, tithingman ; and John Russell and Edward Oakes, hog-reeves. Otis, son of Joseph War- ren, was the first child born in the town. Mrs. Lydia Whipple died March 17, 1795, the first death in the township. Reuben Baker was the first mail- carrier. Moses Eastman was the first shoemaker. The first blacksmith was Abel Hale, whose shop occupied the present site of the Sinclair House. The first physician was Dr. Petter Shattuck, though the first to practice his pro- fession here was a Dr. Rawson. The first grist-mill was located at "McGreg- ory Hollow." Stephen Houghton being the proprietor.

Lot Woodbury came to Bethlehem, from Royalston, Mass.,in 1795, travel- ing by marked trees, and bringing with him his family, household effects,. and two yoke of steers. He located upon a portion of the farm where his grandson, H. W. Wilder, now lives, cleared a farm and reared four children. He kept a hotel for about fifty years, opposite the place where Horace W. Wilder now lives. The latter has the old hotel sign now in his possession. Mr. Woodbury took an active part in town affairs, represented the town, served as selectman, and as justice of the peace. His daughter Eliza became the wife of Joseph Wilder, and the mother of H. W. Wilder, of this town.

Willis Wilder came to Bethlehem, from Templetor., Mass., in 1796, and settled where the Maplewood Hotel now stands, where he cleared a farm. He

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reared a family of eight children, nearly all of whom located in this town, and all are now dead. He took an active part in town affairs, and held most of the town offices. His son Joseph was born in town in 1800, and always resided here. He died while on a journey south, in New Orleans, of yellow fever. Two of his children now reside in town. His son Horace W. is pro- prietor of the Centennial House, served as town representative in 1865-66, and was town clerk twenty-four years.

Joel Winch was born in Framingham, Mass., and when a young man spent several years in Boston, where he married Sarah Sessions. They came to Bethlehem about 1808 or 'og, bought the farm on which the widow and chil- dren of his grandson, Richard H. Wilder, now live, and spent their lives in town. He was an honest, hard working farmer, a leader in the early Free Will Baptist church, reared to lives of honor and usefulness seven sons and one daughter, and died at the age of ninety-six years. His eldest son, Joel, now resides in Columbus, Wis .; Minot F., George F. and John C. are suc- cessful business men in New York ; Dr. Albert was a physician in White- field, where he died ; Franklin and Sewell F. were respected citizens of Beth- lehem, and died here,

Joseph Barrett came to Bethlehem, from Winchendon, Mass., about 1798, and located on road 18, where he cleared a farm. He had born to him five children, who lived to maturity, of whom, Joseph K. resides in this town, James J. resided in Littleton until his death, in 1885, and Mrs. Sally Bowles also lives in Littleton. Mr. Barrett died in 1858.

Jesse Phillips came to Bethlehem from the southern part of the State, and located in the western part of the town, on the farm where Artemas S. Phil- lips now lives. He reared a family of nine children, two of whom are living, Reuben and Jeremiah, who reside in Littleton. Mr. Phillips died in Rich- mond, while on a visit to that place, about 1828, but was buried in town. His son Moses was born here, and lived in this town until his death, in 1874. He was a farmer, and reared nine children, five of whom are living, viz: Mrs. Amanda Taylor and Mrs. Martha B. Jesseman, of Bethlehem, Frank B. and Dennis, of Littleton, and Willie B. of Lisbon. George W., a resident of Bethlehem, died in June, 1885.

James Turner came to Bethlehem, from Bernardston, Mass., about 1790, there being at that time only two families in town, and commenced a clearing on the farm where James N. Turner now lives. He worked here three sum- mers, returning to Massachusetts during the winters. ' He married Mrs. Par- ker, and had born to him three children. His son Timothy P. was born in 1795, and resided on the home farm until his death. Samuel, father of James Turner, also came to this town, and resided with his son until his death. James Turner died in 1835. Timothy P. served as town clerk many years, was captain of militia, justice of the peace, and also represented the town in the legislature. He reared a family of six children, only one of whom, James N., resides here. The latter lives on the homestead.

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Noah Swett came to Bethlehem, from Gilmanton, N. H., when there were only nine families in the town, and settled near where the Maplewood Hotel now is. He was a shoemaker and farmer, and reared a family of eight chil- dren, four of whom are now living. His death occurred in 1869, aged seventy-six years, and his wife, Sarah, died within twenty-four hours after, both being buried in the same casket. His son Elisha has held every office in town, except that of town representative.

Samuel Morrison came to Bethlehem, from Gilmanton, about 1800, settled on Gilmanton Hill and cleared the farm where his son William M. now lives. He was a farmer, and died in this town about 1867. Of his six children, John C. and Gillman K. reside in Littleton, Mrs. David Oaks lives in Lis- bon. and William M. resides on the homestead.

Samuel F. Gilman came to Bethlehem, from Gilmanton, about 1823, and located upon the farm where his son Albert now lives. He reared a family of nine children, two of whom are living, Mrs. George C. Cheeney and Albert. Mr. Gilman died about 1857. David, brother of Samuel, came about the same time, lived for a while with his brother, and afterwards bought him out. He died in Laconia, N. H. The Gilman family, consisting of three brothers, originally came from England, settled in Gilmanton, and from thein that town derived its name.

Lindsey Whitcomb came to Bethlehem, from Easton, about 1831, and located on the farm where his son now lives, on road 23. He was a farmer and a lumberman, and died in 1883. Two of his sons, C. L. and H. E., reside in town.

Noah Burnham came to Bethlehem, from Gilmanton, about 1806, and located about half a mile from where his son now lives. In 1820 he removed to the farm, where his son Benjamin now resides, and lived there until his death, in 1855. He reared a family of nine children, only one of whom is now living, Benjamin, who resides on the homestead.

Samuel Burnham came to Bethlehem, from Gilmanton, and located in the western part of the town, on what is known as Gilmanton hill. He died about 1844. Two of his children are living, Mrs. Joanna Phillips and Mrs. Elizabeth Richardson, of this town.

Dudley F. Ladd came to this town, from Gilmanton, N. H., about 1840, and located on road 15, on Gilmanton hill. He afterwards removed to Gil- manton, where he died. His children are Lorenzo S., Plummer B., Mrs. Daniel Crane, Josiah M. and Mrs. Morrison.

John Wesley, a native of Kent, England located in Bethlehem about 1843. He was a farmer, and died in 1869. Of his children, Mrs. C. C. Shattuck and John L. reside here, and Mrs. G. B. Merrell and Mrs. Frank Blake live in Warren.

Philip Hoit, son of Samuel, a Revolutionary soldier, moved to Piermont, from Littleton, at an early day, and resided there for many years. His son, Wells P., now lives in this town, and has resided in the same neighborhood for forty-two years.

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Caleb Baker, a native of Rhode Island, was a surveyor. He located in Franconia at an early day, and in 1815 came to this town, locating in the southern part. He was selectman in Franconia, did some legal business, and also kept the only store at that time in town, drawing his goods with an ox-team from Concord. He reared eleven children, three of whom are now living. Reuben, the only one residing in this town, was born in Franconia in 1797, was eighteen years of age when he came to Bethlehem, and has re- sided here since.

Cyrus E. Bunker was born in Barnstead, N. H., in 1823, came to Bethlehem in 1853, and was one of the first to engage in the boarding-house business. He built the Mt. Agassiz House, now owned by H. Nye, and in 1878 built and still conducts the Howard House, erected on the site of a house named after ex-Governor Howard, of Rhode Island, which was destroyed by fire in 1874.

Allen Thompson was born in Woodstock, Vt., in January, 1814. He studied surveying, and, in 1835, came to Bethlehem to reside, though at first he came here to hunt, and has killed one hundred deer in this section in the course of a single year. He surveyed much of the town, in the employ of individual owners, but for the past forty years has also acted as guide to sportsmen in the White mountains and among the lakes of Maine and Canada. He married, first, Lucinda Barrett, of Bethlehem, who bore him eight children, of whom Mary P., Luella A., Ellen E. and Frances, are liv- ing, and second, Harriet (Chase) Phillips.

Daniel Wilcomb was born in Atkinson, Mass., July 28, 1783. He married twice, first, Betsey Page, January 23, 1812, who died October 25, 1815 ; and second, Hannah Eaton, February 21, 1816. Six children were born to him, three by each wife, only two of whom are living-Daniel P. Wilcomb, in St. Johnsbury, Vt., and Moses K., in this town. Daniel Wilcomb moved to this town in 1812, locating on the farm now owned and occupied by Moses K. He represented the town in the legislature in 1840-41. He died September 7, 1862.

Nathaniel Noyes was an early settler of Landaff. Only two of his large family of children, Rufus and John, located in that town. Rufus died there and John moved to Bethlehem, and resided with his son, M. C., where he died. Nathaniel's grandfather, with two brothers, came from England at a very early date, and subsequently settled in Newburyport, N. H.

James M. Kidder, born in Weathersfield, Vt., came to Bethlehem in 1845, where he purchased and cleared wild land. In 1867 he engaged in the man- ufacture of lumber, in company with W. A. McGregory, and also the manu- facture of potato starch, at Dalton and East Concord, Vt. They also built up most of the present Congress street, Bethlehem. Mr. Kidder has held various town offices, including selectman in 1871-72, and representative in 1872-73. He married Lucy L. Houghton, of Bradford, Vt., and has three children-William H., of Lowell, Mass., Cynthia A. and Josie F.

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The Congregational church .- The first edifice devoted to religious pur- poses erected in Bethlehem seems to have been built by the Congregational- ists and Methodists about the year 1825. It was erected a little east of the ground on which the Centennial House now stands, and then known as the common. The inhabitants, previous to this, had worshipped in barns, in the school-house, private dwellings-any place, in fact that could be made use of conveniently. Shortly after 1830 the Methodists erected a church of their own, where their present edifice now stands. This was disheartening to the Congregationalists, who had suffered many vicissitudes since the establish- ment of their society, October 15, 1802, and the result was that in course of time their church building became so dilapidated that in 1853 they decided upon resigning it, and made arrangements with the Methodists to occupy their church, after needed alterations, upon alternate Sundays, which agree- ment was in force until 1865. Eventually, in 1876, the Congregationalists decided to erect a new church. The severe vicissitudes to which this de- nomination had been subjected, the lack of a church of their own, and the con- tinual falling off of members by death and otherwise, had reduced their numbers to such an extent, that in January, 1876, there were but eight mem- bers left of the congregation. Two of them were over seventy years of age, another was unable to attend, and consequently there were but five members able to assist in the duties of the church.

In that year, however, these eight and four more, making twelve, all told, came together and resolved to build a church and perfect an organization. Isaac F. Cruft, of Boston, owned some land near the "Street," and he offered to make the society a present of the land and $150.00 in money if the mem- bers would build the church. He also promised to open a road to the church. The promises he carried out to the letter. Another gentleman, a former res- ident of the town, Mr. J. Pierce, of Littleton, gave $1.000.00, others signed in smaller amounts, and the balance was assured by the Home Missionary Society. George T. Cruft, nephew of Isaac S. Cruft, aided in many ways in laying the foundation and raising money. Messrs. Mead, Mason & Co., of Concord, took the contract for the foundation and building at a cost of $3,- 000.00, and the building was opened for public worship in the summer of 1877.

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Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 26

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers Number of Pages: 1266

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., Syracuse Journal Company, Printers
Number of Pages: 1266