Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 77

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 77

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).

By an act passed January 15, 1787, Thomas Clark, Jonathan Herbert and Asa Boynton, with their estates, were severed from Piermont and annexed to Wentworth ; but on July 1, 1819, the same territory was reannexed to Pier- mont.

The surface of the town is moderately uneven, while its location in the valley of the Connecticut assures it of picturesqueness and fertility. There are extensive tracts of interval and some fine plains, suited to the raising of wheat, corn, and, indeed, all kinds of grains and grasses. Back from the Connecticut the surface is composed of swells well watered with brooks and springs, and excellently adapted for mowing and grazing. Tarleton, Little and Eastman's ponds, three handsome bodies of water, lie in the eastern part, the first mentioned partly in Warren. From these ponds issue Eastman's brook, which falls into the Connecticut and affords some good mill-sites. Piermont mountain, from which a fine view of the surrounding country is af- forded, lies in the southeastern part of the town and has an elevation of 2,- 167 feet above tide-level. Valuable medicinal springs are found. Iron Ore hill, in the northeastern part, contains a large supply of specular and magnetic iron ore of superior quality, while a vein of stone runs through the town, which is peculiarly adapted to the manufacture of whetstones. It speaks well for the fertility of the township that 16,315 acres of its area of 23,000 acres is improved land. .

In 1880 Piermont had a population of 752 souls. In 1885 the town had twelve school districts and fourteen common schools. Its fourteen school- houses were valued, including furniture, etc., at $2,022.00. There were 170 children attending school, twelve of whom were pursuing the higher grades, taught during the year by two male and twenty-two female teachers, at an average monthly salary of $22.00 for males, and $16.00 for females. The entire amount raised for school purposes during the year was $1, 140.38, while the expenditures were $1, 167.28, with Rev. George A. Foss, superin- tendent.

PIERMONT is a post village located in the southwestern part of the town.

The Piermont Mutual Fire Insurance Co. was organized Feburary 25, 1871, with A. P. Gould, president, L. E. Risley, secretary, and George Dodge, treasurer. The present officers are H. H. Palmer, president, L. E. Risley, secretary, and B. C. Metcalf, treasurer.

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TOWN OF PIERMONT.

Lewis E. Risley's marble and granite works, on road 13 corner of 14, were established by Risley & McCallim, in 1862, and Mr. Risley has been sole owner since 1864. He deals in foreign and domestic marble and manufac tures about $2,000.00 worth of new work per year.

J. H. Howe & Son's grist-mill, at Piermont village, was built by L. G. Cut- ting in 1840, and was purchased by Mr. Howe in 1876. The mill has four runs of stones and does custom grinding. They have also a saw-mill, built by Mr. Cutting in 1864, which turns out about 400,000 feet of coarse lumber, 200,000 shingles and 15,000 chair-stretchers per year.

E. R. Celley's chair-stock and ladder factory, on road 16, was established by him in 1884. He manufactures about $4,000.00 worth of ladders and $1,000.00 worth of chair-stock per annum.

R. M. Rodimon's butter tub factory, on road 16, was established by him in 1881. He manufactures for the surrounding towns.

W. H. Gannett's scythe-stone factory, was established by him in 1874, where he manufactures a large amount of stones for sharpening all kinds of edge-tools, from stone quarried in Piermont.

George H. Reneau's saw-mill and chair stock factory, on road 19, was built by Aaron Barton, Jr., in 1871, and came into Mr. Reneau's hands in 1882. He manufactures about 500,000 feet of coarse lumber, 200,000 shingles, and ten car-loads of chair stock per annum.

Stephen C. Leazer's granite works, on road 2, were established by him in 1867, and near them is his quarry.' He employs about five hands.

Louis H. Isham's granite shop, on road 2, was established by him in 1883. He employs four men and turns out about $2,500.00 worth of finished work per year.

X. P. Wright's cider-mill, on road 29, was built in 1880. He manufactures. about 375 barrels of cider per year.

Henry T. Armington's saw-mill, on road 29, was built by him in 1881, upon the site of one destroyed by fire in 1880. Itis operated by steam power, gives employment to thirty-five hands, and turns out about 10,000 feet of lum- ber per day. Mr. Armington resides in Warren.

Charles Dodge's scythe and whetstone factory, on road 15, was established by Corydon Dodge, in 1852, and came into the present owner's hands in 1878. He has quarries both in Piermont and Lisbon, and turns out about 2,000 gross of stones per year.

Of the early settlement of Piermont, the Rev. Grant Powers, in his His- torical Sketches of the Coös Country, speaks as follows :-

"For seven years subsequent to the settlement of Coös, there was no in- habitant in the town of Piermont. But in the spring of 1768, Ebenezer White, Levi Root, and Daniel Tyler, came into town, and settled on the meadows. In the autumn of that year, David Tyler, wife, and son Jonathan came on fro . Lebanon, in Connecticut. Tyler relates that wild game was exceedingly abundant in Piermont in the winter of 1769. Moose yarded upon the meadows that winter. Bears, wolves, and deer were ever present, and

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TOWN OF PIERMONT.

some of them quite officious. Several years after David and Jonathan Tyler came into the town, a bear came into their barn-yard at different times 'while men slept,' and destroyed their sheep. This was sport for Bruin, but death to the Tylers. At length, Jonathan Tyler was aroused to a just sense of the injury and indignity inflicted upon them, and he resolved on revenge. He procured three guns, and charged them heavily with powder and ball, and re- tained them as 'minute men,' for any emergency. A few nights after this array of defence, Tyler heard the cry of distress in his yard. He sprang from his bed, threw on some light article of dress, seized his guns, and sallied forth, breathing slaughter and death. As soon as he came near the yard, he saw his bearship devouring his prey beneath his feet. Without preamble or apology, the three guns were "let off" in rapid succession, and every ball took effect. One penetrated the heart, and the assassin fell dead upon his prey, a hugh enemy to the fleecy fold. At this time, Tyler says, they went to Gen. Morey's mill at Orford, for grinding, which mill stood near where Capt. Da- ton's mill now stands. He had been to Charlestown for seed corn ; and to Northfield, Mass., in a canoe, for bread-stuffs. But this must have been when the crops were cut off at Coös.

"At one period of this settlement, the greater portion of the inhabitants bore some one of the following catalogue of names : Root, Crook, Cox, Stone, Daley, Bailey. They employed Dr. Samuel Hale, of Orford, for their physi- cian. He was a high free-liver, and a facetious character, and used to amuse himself by speaking of his patrons in Piermont in the following couplet :-

"The Roots, and Crooks, and Elijah Daley, Coxes and Stones, and Solomon Bailey."

But the merry doctor had to bear the expense of his own amusement ; for when these families came to learn the use he made of their names, they took it in high dudgeon, and would never afterward employ him as their physician.

"Jonathan Tyler served his country in the time of the Revolutionary war, and when our troops retreated from Ticonderoga, at the approach of Bur- goyne's army, he was taken captive, but did not remain long in captivity. The manner of his escape was on this wise : - He was held as a prisoner of war for a time on the west side of Lake George, now called Lake Horican. For a time, he and two or three others of his fellow-prisoners were kept in 'durance vile,' and were watched with the utmost vigilance ; but as they manifested no uneasiness themselves in their novel circumstances, their masters began to re- lax their vigilance, and they were permitted to go among the British troops, and to labor with them. At length, the British determined on building a block-house on the east side of the lake, and Jonathan Tyler, Daniel Bean, and another by the name of Cowdry, volunteered to go and help build it. Af- ter laboring a day or two, their axes needed grinding, and they were permit- ted to go to a spring of water just over a rise of ground, to bring water for grinding, and for other uses of the company. A bark had been laid down into the fountain, which conducted the water off, and rendered it very con- venient in taking water at the lower end of the spout. Tyler hung his pail on the end of the spout, and while it was filling, he, Bean, and Cowdry, con- cluded to take French leave, and did so ; and Tyler says, 'He don't know but his pail hangs there yet.' But the poor fellows had like to have perished with hunger. They left without a particle of food, and without arms and am- munition, and the first four days after their elopement, while they were hid in the woods west of the Hudson River, they had nothing to satisfy the cravings of hunger but leaves, buds and twigs of trees, and the roots which they dug

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TOWN OF PIERMONT.

out of the ground. And between the Hudson and the Connecticut, they sus- tained a like fast; but when they came to settlements in the Connecticut Valley, they were the happiest of mortals, and concluded they had done their part towards the achievement of our independence. David Tyler and wife, the parents of Jonathan Tyler, both lived to a great age. They attained to nearly ninety-five years."

The first official notice we have of the population of the town is the re- turns of the selectmen in 1775, which gives 168 inhabitants, of whom fifteen were in the army. The first general official census, taken in 1790, gives the town a population of 426 souls.

Burgess Metcalf located at Piermont, at an early day. He reared a large family of children, and lived here till his death, in 1816. His son John W. was born here in 1803, and resided here until his death, in 1858. He was a farmer, held several town offices, was selectman, &c. He had born to him five children, four of whom are now living. One son, Burgess C., resides here, is treasurer of the town, justice of the peace, &c. He is also engaged in farm- ing and breeding Jersey cattle.

Abner Chandler came to Piermont, from Cornwall, Ct., about 1784, first locating on road 13, and afterwards removing to a place on road 20, where he died. His son Uri, who was a small boy when his father moved here, lo- cated on road 20, in 1800, and resided there until his death, in 1834. Uri, Jr., the only one of the four children now living, was born here in IS06, and has always resided here. Of his seven children, Gilman, Frank, Hiram, and one daughter reside in Piermont.

Dea. Andrew Crook was formerly one of the prominent men of this town. He was, for many years, a deacon of the Congregational church. None of his descendants of the same name, are now living here.

Edward, Joseph, Parker, Caleb and John Stevens, brothers, resided in this town, at an early day. Their two sisters, Polly and Hannah, also lived here for a time. The former married Reuben Crook, and moved to Corinth, Vt., and Hannah married Samuel Comer, and moved to Buffalo, N. Y. John, who was born here, lived on the farm now owned by George H. Stevens, on road 2. He reared a family of four children, one now living, Alden, who re- sides in Bradford, Vt. His son George W. was born in town, in 1804, and lived here until his death, in 1877. He had born to him six children, five of whom are living. Of these, George H. and Octavia A. reside in town, on the old homestead ; Charles E. and Velina J. Holt, live in Lowell, Mass .; and Leverett E. resides in Springfield.

Michael Barstow, who served in the Revolutionary war, and was at the bat- tle of Bunker Hill, came to this town at an early day. He died here when he was about ninety years of age. His son William came to Piermont with his father, but removed to Haverhill, where he clerked for General Montgomery. He afterwards engaged in trade for himself, which business he followed for over forty years. He married Abigail Townsend, of Chester, and reared nine

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TOWN OF PIERMONT.

children, four of whom are living, only one residing in this town. He died in 1844, aged sixty-three years.

Ephriam Cross moved to Haverhill, from Salisbury, Mass., about 1775, and came to Piermont in 1790, locating in the eastern part of the town. He died in 1844. Charlotte, one of his eleven children, married William Gannet. She now resides with her son.

Nathaniel Underhill came here from Auburn, N. Y., about 1800, and cleared a farm near the center of the town. He reared a family of ten children, and died here about 1848. His son Stephen was born in 1806, and lived here till his death in 1871. He was a farmer, married Sarah A. Stevens, and had born to him four children, three of them living and residing in this town.

Freeman G. Bowen, a soldier of the war of 1812, was born in Boscawen, N. H., in 1786, and came to Piermont about 1800. His father lived for a time ir Landaff, and served in the Revolutionary war. Freeman G. located on the farm where his son now lives, on road I. He was a farmer, married Hannah P. Perkins, of Haverhill, and reared eight children, four of them now living, and only one residing in Grafton county. He took an active part in town affairs, was selectman, and represented the town in the legislature.

Aaron Hibbard came to Bath from Connecticut soon after the Revolution, in which war he served as a musician. He died in Bath. His son George was born there in 1794, came to Piermont in 1818, and bought the farm which is now owned by his son, and was formerly owned by Major Stone, grandfather of ex-president Arthur. Mr. Hibbard married Myra Runnells, of Piermont, and had born to him six children. He was known as Major Hibbard, and died here in 1863. His son Benjamin resides in this town.

Thadeus Rogers came here from Lemington, Vt., about 1818, and located upon a place on road 19, where he remained until his death. His son Elisha was born in Lemington in 1807, and was eleven years of age when he came here with his father. He lived here all his life and died in 1882. He repre- sented the town three times. His son Albert lives here on road 12.

Robert Evans came to Piermont, from Vershire, Vt., about 1820, and located upon the place now owned by L. F. Risley, near the Connecticut river. He married Mary C. Tucker, of Vershire, and reared a large family of chil- dren, seven of whom are living. Of these Mrs. L E. Risley and Joseph O. Evans live in this town.

Aaron Barton was born in Croydon, N. H., in 1808, and came to Piermont in 1841. He has resided on the place he now occupies for the past thirty- five years. He has been engaged in lumbering and farming, has held the office of selectman, four years, has been town treasurer, and represented the town in 1858. He has two sons, namely, Albert and Aaron, Jr., both living in town.

Cyrus R. Hodsdon came to Piermont, from Kennebunk, Me., about 1844, and located at Piermont village. He had born to him six children. In 1882 he died on the farm where his son Aaron G. now resides, on road 10.

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TOWN OF PIERMONT.

Amos Gould was born in Boxford, Mass., removed from there to Canaan, N. H., and came to Piermont, about 1838. He was a shoemaker, and died in 1852 or 1853, aged ninety three years. His son Dea. Aaron was born in Canaan, in 1808, and came to Piermont about 1830. He was president of the Bradford, Vt., Savings Bank and Trust Company, represented the town in the legislature four years, was colonel of the state militia, was selectman, etc. He was also deacon of the Congregational church, and it is said built the fires in the church for forty years. At his death, in 1882, he left the church society $1,000. Two of his children are living, Mrs. Luella Malder, of Mass- achusetts, and Mrs. Harriet Ford, of this town.

Colonel William Simpson came to Orford from Portsmouth, N. H., at an early day, and was one of the early settlers of the town. He died in Ports- mouth, while there on business, in 1825. His son Joseph was born in town where he resided until his death in 1834. He had born to him six children, three of whom are now living. His son Samuel F. served through the Mexi- can war, and served in the war of the Rebellion, where he was killed near the Wilderness battle field.

Captain Benjamin Aiken, one of the early residents of Wentworth, lived near the village, was twice married, and reared a family of ten children, three of whom are now living. He was captain of the militia, and died in Eden, Vt. His son John J. was born in Wentworth, and died in Albany, Vt. Luke Aiken, brother of Capt. Benjamin, was register of deeds at Haverhill for some time.

William Gannett came to Haverhill, from Springfield, Vt., in 1824, was a farmer and also a real estate broker. He died in Haverhill, in 1866. Of his four children, William H. and J. M. live in Piermont, John P. in Grand Junction, Col., and C. T. in Haverhill.

Aaron Jewett moved to Wentworth, from Ipswich, Mass., about 1766, and resided there till his death, aged eighty-three years. His son Pearson was born in Wentworth, and lived there till his death in 1851, aged forty-six years. He had one son, Samuel C., who resides in this town, on road 2.

George Libbey moved to Warren, from Landaff, about 1800, and located in the eastern part of the town. He was a farmer and a blacksmith, and reared a family of five children. Of the four now living, Walter lives in War- ren, and John A. resides in Piermont.

James Muchmore, a soldier in the Revolutionary war, moved to Orford, from Northfield, N. H., at an early day, locating in the eastern part of the town. James Jr., came with his father, and resided there till his death. He also had a son James, who was born in Orford, and resided there most of his life. He died in 1877. Two of his sons, Henry S. and Alonzo D., are living. The former served two years and nine months in the late war, and resides in Piermont. Alonzo D, who also served in the Rebellion, is now a physician in Campton.

Alden Ford was born in Orford in 1803, and lived there till 1868, when he

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TOWN OF PLYMOUTH.

moved here. He was a farmer and a prominent man in Orford, held the office of selectman, etc. Of his four sons, Absolom died in the late war, Alden lives in Boston, Mass., and Abram D. and Edward reside in this town.

Major Uriah Stone came from Hampstead, N. H., about 1763, and located first on the Connecticut river meadow near the Bedel bridge in Haverhill. His log house was carried off by the next spring freshet, and he built him an- other log cabin in Piermont. He served in the old French war in his youth, and married Hepzibah Hadley. Major Stone cleared and cultivated a large farm, erected a tannery, and established a ferry across the Connecticut. At his death in 1807 he left twelve children, all married and with children of their own. His son George Washington Stone was the father of Malvina Stone. The latter was the wife of Rev. William Arthur, D.D., and mother of ex President Chester A. Arthur.

The Methodist Episcopal church, located at Piermont village, was organ- ized at an early date, by its first pastor, Rev. Silas Quimby. Their church building, erected in 1854-55, will seat 150 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $2,850.00. The society now has sixty-three members, with Rev. Charles E. Eaton, pastor.

P LYMOUTH, one of the shire towns of the county, lies in the south- eastern part in lat. 43°, 44' and long. 71°, 45', bounded north by Campton, east by Holderness and Ashland, southeast by Bridgewater, southwest by Hebron, and west by Groton and Rumney. It was originally granted by Governor Benning, Wentworth July 15, 1763, to the following grantees : -

Stephen Ames,* Theodore Atkinson,¿ Theodore Atkinson, Jr., Joseph Blanchard,* Elnathan Blood,* Elnathan Blood, Jr.,* John Brown, ** Josiah Brown, ** James Cowan, Ebenezer Cummings,* Jotham Cummings, *+ Samuel Cummings, Esq , * Samuel Cummings, William Cummings,* Thomas Davis, David Emerson, Jr.,* Nathaniel Garfield, Samuel Goodhue,* Samuel Hale, Ebenezer Hartshorne,* John Harvell,

Jacob Hildreth, David Hobart, ** Gershom Hobart, ** James Hobart, ** John Hobart, * Jonathan Hobart,* Peter Hobart, *

Jonathan Johnson, * Abner Keyes,* Jonas Keyes, Oliver Lawrence,* Phineas Lund,

Thomas McCluer, William McCluer, Onisephorus Marsh, Moses Merrill, Thomas Merrill, James Nabor, William Nevins,* William Nutting, Matthew Patten,¿

Benjamin Parker,* Oliver Parker, Zachariah Parker,*+ Richard Pierce,* John Phelps* Amos Phillips, Francis Powers,*

Nahum Powers, ** Stephen Powers,* William Read,* Col. Joseph Smith,}

William Temple, Esq.,} Samuel Thompson, James Underwood,±

Joseph Warner, Meshech Weare,* Abel Webster,*+

Benning Wentworth,¿

John Willoby,*

John Willoby, Jr.,*t

David Wright,

*Residents of Hollis. +Became actual settlers.

#Members of the Governor's Council.

37*

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TOWN OF PLYMOUTH.

Many changes have been made in the town's original area, however. As early as 1780 troubles had arisen in this and other towns relative to charter bounds, and on the 27th of October, of that year, the legislature appointed a committee to settle the question. This committee returned in their report the bounds of Plymouth as follows :

"Beginning at a pine tree on the western bank of the Pemigewasset river, opposite Holderness Corner, where the line of Campton crosses the river, thence on Campton line south 86° west about five miles, to a hemlock tree, the northeast corner of Cockermouth ; thence south 30° west five miles, one half mile and forty rods, to a beech tree; thence south 37° west, five miles and two hundred and eighty-five rods, to a Beech tree on Grafton line ; thence south 65° east two hundred and sixty rods to a beech tree standing on the curve line ; thence following the curve line about twelve miles and a half mile to a white oake tree standing on the bank of Pemigewasset river, and thence by said river to the bound began at."

But these bounds took from the northern part of the town a tract of land which the inhabitants of the town considered belonged to them, and hence, petitioned the legislature to have it restored, which was done, by an act passed June 21, 1793. This act also annexed to Plymouth some lots of land be- longing to Nathaniel Peabody, known as "the Everett farm and the Withey lot." By an act passed June 15, 1792, the southwest portion of the town was set off to form, with a portion of Cockermouth (now Groton), the new town of Hebron. But finally, June 26, 1845, some lots were severed from the northeast corner of Hebron, and annexed to Plymouth, while its area was still further enlarged by the annexation of a portion of Campton, June 27, 1860, so that it now has an area of 16.256 acres, 10, 103 acres of which is improved land.

The surface of Plymouth is charmingly diversified, though it is not so rough as to seriously retard cultivation of the soil, the fertility of its large areas of interval land being proverbial. But not alone for its fertility is the little town. noted. Attractively situated in the beautiful valley of the mountain-born Pemigewasset, and crossed by the historic valley of Baker's river, surrounded by majestic hills and mountains, midway between the lovely lakes Winnipe- saukee, Asquam and others on the south, and the grand and picturesque Franconia and White mountains on the north, the whole region is a grand resort for thousands of summer tourists; in fact, one of the chief summer resorts on the west side of the mountains. The charm of its intervales, ac- cording to many good authorities, rivals that of the celebrated ones of Con- way, while from many neighboring mountain peaks most of the lake sys- tems of the state can be seen, and much of the mountain chains. Its climate is pleasant and invigorating, while the map will show the extent and variety of the drives from the vicinity of Plymouth village, revealing rare views of the Franconia and Waterville mountains, and the emerald meadows of the two rivers. The venerable Episcopal church of Holderness, one and a half mile distant, should be visited ; and the Livermore falls, two miles up on the road

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TOWN OF PLYMOUTH.

to the Profile House, will repay the ride, especially by the beautiful views from the road in ascending ; the chief mountain excursion is that to the top of Mount Prospect, nearly five miles distant, and reached by an easy carriage road over the upland pastures. The view from the crest is famous for its variety and beauty, and includes a vast area of Central New Hampshire, Mount Washington, the Sierra of the Franconia range, the deep trench of the Pemigewasset valley, and hundreds of greater and lesser peaks filling all the north and northeast, with the delightful and variegated scenery of the lake country on the other side. A visit to the top of this mountain is justly con- sidered de rigeur, for all sojourners at Plymouth. Aside from the Pemige- wasset, which washes its eastern border, and Baker's river, which flows through its northern part, the town is well watered by numerous smaller streams.

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Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 77

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