Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 37

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 37

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with one Zadock Wright, journeyed to Enfield, and called upon James Jewett, a resident of what is now called Shaker Hill, arriving September Ist, 1782, and the first Shaker meet- ing ever held in New Hampshire was at the house of Asa Pattee, near Mr. Jewett's house. In 1793 the frame of a church was raised, on the west shore of Mascoma lake, which house now stands, and is occupied as a place for their public worship.

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whose duty consists in dealing kindly, impartially and parentally with all the members, who have equal claims and equal rights with those in places of care.

Huse & Berry, manufacturers of bedsteads, have their mills and shops. on the Mascoma river, just above the lake of the same name, in the vil- lage of Enfield. This industry gives employment to about twenty men, and turns out from $3,000.00 to $4,000.00 worth of manufactured goods per month. The business was established by Cambridge & Folsom, in a small way, about 100 rods above the present commodious buildings, about 1850. In 1852 the firm of Cambridge & Huse was formed, and contin- ued about twelve years, when Mr. Berry purchased the interest of Mr. Cam- bridge, and the present firm of Huse & Berry was formed. The Shakers erected the buildings now occupied by the firm, about thirty years ago, and rented them to Cambridge & Huse, and next to Huse & Berry, until 1869, when the firm purchased the property.

The Shaker mills are located in the village of Enfield, on the Mascoma river. In 1841 the buildings were constructed by the Church family of Shakers, for the purpose of manufacturing flannels, and the machinery was placed in the buildings by a company who contracted with the Shaker family to make their flannels. These goods were taken to the Shaker village and made up into underware and sold in New York, the first in market of the famous Shaker flannels. This trade was continued until about 1855, when they discontinued making up their goods, and sold the flannels in whole pieces. About this time, also, they commenced the manufacture of the equally famous Shaker hosiery, and D. L. Davis, one of the present proprie- tors of these mills, sold the first case of socks of this kind to C. F. Hovey, of Boston, during that season. The manufacturing of the Shaker goods by the Shakers, under contracts, continued until 1855, when the buildings were rented by other parties up to this date. The present firm, engaged in manu- facturing the same grade of flannels and selling to the same jobbers, consists of J. W. Dodge, David L. Davis and Henry C. Whipple, under the firm name of Dodge, Davis & Co. The manufactory gives employment to thirty-five operatives, and turns out about $85,000.00 worth of goods annually. These mills have been run, with stops for repairs or other purposes not to exceed two months, since 1841. The firm of Dodge, Davis & Co. are also operat- ing mills on the same grade of goods in Bristol, in conjunction with these at Enfield.

The Shaker stocking-yarn and sock manufactory, on George pond brook, or Knox river. was built by a man by the name of Clough, thirty or forty years ago. It was purchased by a Mr. Sulloway, who sold to Herbert Bailey, and he to Millen & Gordon, the present firm, in 1878. They manufacture about fifty dozen pairs of Shaker socks per day. They also make stocking-yarn, and do custom carding, doing a business of $24,000.00 per year, and giving em-

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ployment to from twelve to fifteen hands in the mill, besides having a great amount of finishing done outside.

The Enfield tanneries, located at the village of Enfield, were built by Alpheus Richardson, in the autumn of 1859. The first set of buildings were burned before they were quite finished, June 13, 1850, but were immediately rebuilt by Mr. Richardson, and the business was continued by him until his death, when his heirs sold to the Church family of Shakers, January 18, 1853. They, in turn, on the 21st of the same month, sold to Godfrey & Conant, who rented the property to other parties, who used it for tanning and wool- pulling. On September 8, 1856, Kennedy & McConnell bought the prop- erty. McConnell deeded his interest to Kennedy, November 4, 1863, and Kennedy deeded to Marden & Johnson, November 6, 1863, who deeded to H. W. Frenchi, September 4, 1866. On February 19, 1869, the property was deeded by French to William and Robert Leviston and Jabez T. Young. On June 20, 1872, J. T. Young deeded his interest to the Leviston Bros., the present owners and operators, who have also purchased from S. R. Stocker the premises adjoining, formerly used as woolen mills, and known as the Stocker property, one of which buildings is now used as a machine shop, and the other as a store-house, in connection with the tannery. They manufacture upper-leather, the capacity being 1,000 sides per week, with a full corps of men.

John F. Spaulding's provender-mill was built by John C. Clough, about 1864. He sold to Smith Marston, and Marston sold to George W. Jonson, who sold to John F. Spaulding, in March, 1884. The mill has two runs of stones for grinding feed and meal. Mr. Spaulding also manufactures brooms and brushes.

The Shaker flour and grist mills, located at Enfield, Wyman Pattee, pro- prietor, were built by the Church family of Shakers, in 1860. They have five runs of stones. with the capacity for grinding 800 bushels of grain per day, and give employment to five men.

Frank B. Morse's saw and shingle-mill, and lath and broom-handle manu- factory, at Enfield Center, were established by Smith Marston, in 1874, and purchased by Mr. Morse February 17, 1884. They have a circular-saw, cut 500,000 feet of lumber and 200,000 to 300,000 shingles per year, while the slabs are manufactured into broom-handles and lath, giving employment to six men.

Edwin F. Foster's saw-mill, on Stony brook, road 39, was rebuilt in 1868. It has a circular-saw, and cuts from 125,000 to 200,000 feet of lumber per year.

Wells and Flander's saw and cider-mill, on Mascoma river, road 5, cuts 1,000,000 feet of lumber, and makes from 500 to 600 barrels of cider per year, employing about seven to eight men.

George F. Andrew's marble-shop, on road 33, was established by him April 1, 1861, where he does all kinds of marble work.

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John G. Flanders established the business of broom-making at Enfield Center, in 1862. He manufactures about 1,200 dozen brooms per year.

The first proprietors' meeting, under the original charter, was held at the house of Amariah Storrs, " inn holder," at Mansfield, Conn., September 5, 1761, when Jedediah Dana was chosen moderator. The meeting was ad- journed to September 9, when Andrew Storrs was chosen proprietors' clerk, Judah Moore, collector, and Constant Southworth, treasurer. At this meet- ing, also, Jedediah Dana, Ebenezer Baldwin, Rev. Richard Saltere, James Hall, Judah Moore, Moses Hibbert and Nathan Denison were appointed a committee to make the first division of lots, and Ebenezer Lathrop was ap- pointed surveyor. The meetings of the proprietors were held here for the first twelve years, or till December, 1773, after which they took place in Enfield or vicinity. The book containing their proceedings from December, 1773, to April, 1781, has been lost.

The settlement of the town was began by Jonathan Paddleford, Nathaniel Bicknell and Elias Bingham ; and Elias, son of the latter, was the first male child born in the town. The settlement progressed but slowly, however, for in 1775, fourteen years after the charter was granted, the population was only fifty, and probably there were not over ten male heads of families. In the following year only thirteen male adults signed the Declaration of Loyalty, none refusing. In 1790, eleven years after the close of the charter difficul- ties, the population had increased to 750, or about 100 families. Most of the early settlers came from Connecticut, Haverhill and Chibano, a point near Salem, Mass., and Hampstead, Plaistow, and South Hampton, N. H.

Jonathan Paddleford was, if not the first, among the very first settlers. He came to Enfield with an adult family of sons and daughter, from Ashford, Windham county, Conn., where, as early as 1765, he had purchased several pieces of land from the original proprietors under the Enfield charter, and removed to Enfield between that year and 1772. He erected the second grist-mill in the town, afterwards known as Follansbee's mills, on Mascoma river, near where the Shaker mills now stand. He died July 13, 1783.

Elisha Bingham was born in Windham county, Conn., and settled in En- field about 1772. Though illiterate, he seems to have been a man of good capacity, his name often occurring as a town officer. He had a large family. His son Elias, born August 29, 1772, as we have stated, was the first male child born in the town, and his daughter Phebe, born January 7, 1778, was probably the first female child. In 1787 Mr. Bingham removed, with his entire family, to Jay, Essex county, N. Y.

Capt. Nathan Bicknel came to the town, with his wife and six children, in the spring of 1777, from Ashford, Conn., and resided east of Crystal lake, where his son Isaac afterwards lived. Bicknell's brook was named after him. He died in Enfield.

Jesse Jonson was from Hampstead. He made his first purchase in En- field in 1778, and in the next six years became the owner of nearly a quarter

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of the township under its two charters. He passed much of his time in En- field, superintending the clearing of his land and erecting mills, from 1778 to March, 1787, when he removed his family here and resided here until his death, March 11, 1800, in his sixty-eighth year. In Enfield he was made a magis- trate and representative, and discharged the principal town offices. Hon. Jesse Jonson, oldest son of Jesse by his first marriage, was born in Hamp- stead, in 1762. In 1779, in his seventeenth year, he walked to Enfield, through the wilderness, to aid in clearing his father's lands. The year after he became of age he was appoined a justice of the peace, an office he held thirty-two years, till his death ; was proprietor's clerk thirty years, one of the town's earlier land surveyors, its first magistrate and representative, a delegate to the convention that in 1792 formed the present state constitution, judge of probate, judge of the court of common pleas, and, in 1812, nominee of his party for Congress. He died September 23, 1816, in his fifty-fourth year. His son George W. early removed to the vicinity of Buffalo, N. Y., where he acquired wealth and eminence in the legal profession. He used to occupy the "white house," the old homestead, as a summer resort, and here, in 1869, he secured the organization of the Enfield Historical Society. The object of this society, of which he was the first president, is to preserve the facts of Enfield's history and to eventually place them in print. Mr. Jonson left at his death, about 1800, a legacy to the society to aid in this enterprise, which has been augmented by membership fees. He also left a legacy of $500.00 to the town to be used in aid of deserving poor who are not town charges.

Thomas Kidder came to the town, from Alstead, in 1786, with his wife and children, who were all of the Shaker church. He was the father of Jason, born in 1781, long a principal man among the Shakers, and a gentleman of refined manners, good talents and sterling worth.

Joseph Merrill came to the town about 1795, from South Hampton, was a justice of the peace, deputy sheriff, representative, etc. He was a man of enterprise and much influence.

Johnson Gile came to Enfield with his wife and two children in 1779, and settled upon the farm where his great-grandson, L. Hazen Gile, now lives. He was the father of six children-four sons and two daughters. His sons, Thomas, Daniel, Samuel and Ebenezer, all settled near him.

Joshua Stevens came to Enfield from Hamstead, in 1780, and settled upon the farm where his grandson, David M. Stevens, now resides, on road 15. He married three times, first, Hannah Harriman, who bore him twelve children, and died in 1802; second, Sarah Marshall of Hamstead who died in 1821; and third, Sarah French. Eleven of his children lived to old age, viz .: Ruth, Jeremiah, Hannah, Mehetable, Susannah, Jotham, Samuel, Sarah, Mary, Judah and Joshua. Mr. Stevens died in 1827, aged seventy- seven years. His widow survived him till 1844. Samuel, son of Joshua, Sr., succeeded his father on the homestead, where he lived a bachelor till he was seventy-five years old, after which he married twice, He died on the home-

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stead, aged ninety-three years. David M., son of Joseph, Jr., came to live with his r.ncle Samuel, when seventeen years of age, and was bequeathed the homestead, where he now resides.

Theophilus Clough was among the early settlers, locating here over a cen- tury ago, upon a place adjoining and south of the South family of Shakers. His farm of about 500 acres was a wilderness. He cleared this, and, at his death, it was divided between his two sons, Theophilus, Jr., and Henry. He was also the father of several daughters. The sons continued on the home- stead during their lives. Theophilus, Jr., had three sons and seven daughters. The sons were Theophilus, Wingate and John. The third Theophilus now resides on the homestead, aged eighty-four years, and is unmarried. Wingate was a manufacturer and died in Saxonville, Mass., about twenty years ago, He was the father of three sons and two daughters. one of whom, Bartlett W., resides in this town, on road 8. The others who survive reside in Massa- chusetts, John, son of Theophilus, Jr., settled upon a place adjoining the homestead. He was the father of one daughter, Emeline Clough, who now resides with her mother on the homestead. Abigail C., daughter of The- ophilus 3d, born in 1816, married J. G. Perley, who died soon after, when she with her infant son, Joseph F., returned to the old home to live. Joseph F., is now an energetic business man, the general agent of a large manufacturing company.

Rowell Colby, one of the pioneer settlers, came to Enfield, from Salisbury, N. H., in 1779, and settled upon George hill, where his grandson, Lewis T. Colby, now lives. He came to the town in March, with a pair of cattle and a sled, camping one night in the woods, where he was entertained with a free concert by a pack of wolves. The roads were indicated by marked trees. He frequently made journeys back to Salisbury, and, on one occasion, he brought sixty young apple trees on his back, which he planted and lived to eat the fruit they produced. One of these trees is still living, and meas- ures nine feet in circumference. He served in the Revolutionary war, and was at the battle of Bennington. He was the father of eleven children, only one of whom, the youngest daughter, is living, over eighty years of age, in Texas. Mr. Colby is represented in town by several grandchildren, viz .: Alstead Brownell, James Edwards, Mrs. Nancy Flanders, William B. Cochran, Wyman P. Colby, Lydia J. Colby, Lewis T. Colby and Mrs. Mary C. French. He lived on the place where he first settled until his death, aged seventy- three years. He held several of the offices of the town. He commenced with very small means, but added to his possessions until he owned over 1,000 acres of land.

Joseph Cogswell came to Enfield from Ipswich, Mass., with his wife and two children, and settled in the eastern part of the town about 1790. He built a log house in the woods, where he lived till about 1801, when he built a more commodious dwelling. He married Hannah Burnham and was the father of seven children. His five daughters moved to Moria, N. Y. His

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two sons, Joseph and James, remained on the homestead. Joseph died in J866, leaving two daughters and a son. His widow still survives him. James died in 1878, aged seventy-eight years, and left three children, namely, John R., of Marshall, Ia., Emily A. (Mrs. Eben R. Dustin), who resides on the Smith homestead, and Frank S., who lives in Concord, N. H. The widow of James Cogswell is living, and resides with her daughter, Mrs. Dustin.

Joseph Johnson, an early settler in Enfield, located in the western part of the town and owned the farm there, built the fine house where Mr. Miner Purmort now lives. Late in his life he lived in Enfield Center, and finally died at the residence of his son, David F. Johnson. The place is now the home of his grandson, Hon. J. W. Johnson, proprietor of the Quincy House, Boston.

At the age of fifteen years Mr. Johnson enlisted into the army and was a soldier during the Revolutionary war, and afterwards a pensioner. He died November 7, 1848, aged eighty-eight years. His wife, Polly, died June 5, 1849, aged eighty-one years. Their children were Sally, Moses, John, Mary, Betsey, Martha C., Jesse, James R. and David F. None are now living. Sally married Oliver Hardy, of Bradford, Vt .; Mary married Johnson Hardy, of Lebanon ; Betsey married Ziba Hamilton, of Lebanon; Martha C. married Mr. Brock, of Newbury, Vt .; John was a tanner and for many years engaged in tanning at East Enfield village ; Jesse died while quite young ; James B. was a merchant and carried on business in Springfield and Enfield up to the time of his death ; and David F. was engaged in building for several years, and at the commencement of the building up of "Center Village," in Enfield, he engaged in the manufacture and sale of furniture and sleighs, and also began the sale of general merchandise, which he continued till 1857, when he re- moved to Tilton, N. H., where he was station and express agent for several years. Afterwards he engaged in the insurance business, which he continued till his death.

The grandchildren of Joseph and Polly Johnson, now living, are Har- riet, daughter of Sally, who resides in Hopkinton, N. H .; James W. and Mrs. S. M. French, children of Moses; Calista, daughter of John and wife of T. H. Fifield, resides in Valparaiso, Ind .; the children of David F., viz. : Lovin E., wife of J. F. Bryant, a merchant of Enfield Center ; Mary I., wife of Rev. R. W. Humphries, resides in Philadelphia, Pa. ; and Paul B., who resides in Massachusetts ; and the children of Betsey, George, Horace and Charles Hamilton, all residing in Massachusetts.

Moses, oldest son of Joseph and Polly Johnson, was born in Enfield, Jan- uary 18, 1789. He commenced life as a laborer, without any means. In 1812 he married Lovinia Hardy, of Lebanon, and commenced business with his brother John, in a tannery at the little hamlet of East Enfield, where he remained a few years, and then removed to a farm, the estate of Esq. Fogg, which estate he settled during the ensuing two years, when he finally settled

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on a farm in Enfield Center, where he continued the remainder of his life. His extensive farm of over 200 acres was nearly all wood-land, which he immediately commenced to improve, giving employment to many of his neighbors in his operations of clearing and lumbering. When he first settled on this place he had only two neighbors in what soon became a thrifty vil- lage ; but to induce others to join him to build up the place, he liberally gave to any who had the energy and enterprise to undertake it, several weeks' board, and both he and his most amiable wife always welcomed traveler's to their home. In addition to his farming business, which became large in a few years, he became one of foremost dealers in live-stock, cattle and sheep being his leading trade. These were purchased of the farmers by traveling over large portions of New Hampshire and Vermont and collecting several hundred into an immense herd or " drove," which were driven on foot to Brighton market, Boston, employing about half a dozen drivers and requiring several days to complete the journey, always herding the cattle one night en- route in his pastures and providing food and lodging for the drivers at his house.

He always accompanied his herds on horseback. This business he con- tinued until the exposure on the road undermined his hardy constitution, and he was, much against his will, obliged to give it up. In these journeys on horseback, with saddlebags and spurs, armed with a heavy black whip and a pair of pistols, which he considered as a necessary safeguard, especially in passing throughthe " five mile woods " of Boscawen Plain, when returning to his home from market, as these "woods " were infested by robbers. On one occasion when he was carrying a large amount of money, by fortunately overhearing the bandit just in time, he put spurs to his horse and escaped.

In all his dealings with his fellowmen, Mr. Johnson was called "the hon- est man," and at all times, in all places, under all circumstances, his motto which he successfully inculcated and instilled into the hearts of his children, was the trite one, " Honesty is the best policy." He gained a fair fortune, but by reverses it was all swept away. He died at the homestead-"the little red house on the hill"-June 9, 1857. His wife, who was inost truly his help-meet, survived him until July 25, 1879, living to the great age of ninety-one years and six months. She was a very remarkable woman of her day, possessing great strength of mind, tempered with gentle and tender solici- tude and warm affection for her family and friends, which extended in good works to the sick and afflicted. Those suffering found her first at their bed- side. Suffice it to say "her husband praised her, and her children rise up and call her blessed." Their surviving children are Susan Matilda and Hon. James Willis Johnson.

Susan Matilda Johnson, born at East Enfield, September 20, 1816, mar- ried Amos French, of Lebanon, August 9, 1837, who was then a farmer. Later they removed to Enfield Center, where Mr. French engaged in mer- cantile pursuits the next two years, held the office of justice of the peace and

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selectman, was a prominent Republican, an uncompromising anti-slavery man, and a radical advocate of temperance.

After leaving his store he again engaged in farming the next fifteen years, at the Currier Stand, and finally removed to a farm in Hartford; Vt., where he died November 5, 1871, aged fifty-eight years. Mrs. French then returned to the " red house on the hill," where she kindly took upon herself the duti- ful care of her worthy and aged mother, which she faithfully and gladly per- formed until her mother's decease.

Mr. and Mrs. French had born to them four sons, viz .: John J., who, at the age of fifteen entered the book-store of his uncle, James French, of Boston, next went into mercantile business with others in Galesburgh, Ill., and for fourteen years was station agent on the Suncook railroad, at Pittsfield, N. H., which position he recently resigned on account of ill health.

William W., at the age of twenty years, enlisted in the Union army, served about fifteen months, when he was wounded, at the battle of Fredericksburg. He has since been a great sufferer by blood poison from a bullet which he carried imbedded in his thigh more than seven years. He now receives a pension for entire disability. He resides at Enfield Center. George B. French, who at about twenty-three years of age engaged as baggage-master at the depot at Concord, N. H., for six years, and has been messenger of the United States Express Company the last nine years, resides in Concord. Charles F. French was employed by L. Pease & Co., hardware dealers in Hartford, Vt., two years, then was the proprietor of a hotel in Lebanon two years, where he died March 31, 1881, aged nearly twenty-seven years.

Hon. James Willis Johnson, the only son of Moses and Lavinia (Hardy) Johnson, was born in Enfield, February 24, 1826. He received a limited education, and his occupation until the year 1851, when he was twenty-six years of age, was that of a clerk in a country store. He early evinced a de- cided inclination for trade, and in 1852 commenced buying potatoes and pro- duce for the Boston market, a car-load of "long red" potatoes being his first venture. He soon increased his business by buying cattle in Canada and northern New York, which he took in droves to New Hampshire and sold to the farmers. He was also an extensive dealer in wool, which business he increased from year to year.

At the commencement of the late civil war, Mr. Johnson, with comprehen- sive sagacity, foresaw that our great armies must be clothed as well as fed, and that wool would be in demand. Consequently, he boldly entered the trade on a large scale, extending his field of operations over New Hampshire, Vermont and Canada. From that time, 1861 or 1862, up to 1876, he was one of the largest, boldest and most successful dealers in wool and produce in the New England States. In one day his neighbor, James F. Bryant, dis- bursed in currency for him between $60,000.00 and $70,000.00 for wool re- ceived. Early in his transactions in barley, of which he became one of the largest shippers from northern New York and Canada, he called on a noted

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Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 37

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