Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 84

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 84

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).

The settlement of the town was begun by Benjamin Hoit, in 1770, and his son, Benjamin, Jr., was the first child born in the township. Three years later the town had a population of seventy-four souls, its inventory for that year being as follows :-

"Apriel 22 ye 1773

"A true inventory of the poles and estates in Thornton there are Eightteene poles three horses one two year old Colt Six oxen fifteene Cows two two year olds thirty five acres of land.

"Taken by me- "John Brown."

In 1783 the population had increased to 280 souls. Two years previous, in 1781, the General Court was petitioned to grant the township incorporation privileges, the following being a copy of said petition :-

"The Petition of the Subscribers Inhabitants of the Town of Thornton in the County of Grafton in said State Humbly Sheweth-That the Inhabitants of said Thornton labour under many disadvantages for want of an Incorpo- ration, not being able to Assess, levy and Collect Taxes, nor intitieled to any Priviledges and Advantages enjoyed by Bodies Politic and Corporate within this State-Your Petitioner therefore Humbly pray that Your Hon's would be pleased to take their Cause under consideration and grant the said Town of Thornton full incorporation Investing the Inhabitants thereof with all the Powers Privileges and Immunities which any incorporated towns within this State holds and enjoys, or otherwise grant such Relief as Your Hon's in your Great Wisdom shall think best-Your Honors will be pleased to Observe that the State Tax already aportioned to the Town of Thornton by the State for the present Year cannot be Collected until the inhabitants thereof are enabled by Authority to do the same and therefore cannot be paid into the Treasury by the Time Mentioned in the Treasurers Warrent. Your Peti- tioners therefore pray that your Hon's would allow such further Reasonable Time for Assessing levying, Collecting & paying said Tax into the Public Treasury as the Circumstances of the Case shall require and Your Petitioners as in Deuty bound shall ever Pray &c-

"Thornton 3 Ist May 1781-

Abel Willey Ezekiel Elliot

William Varnum

John Brown Moody Cook John Fletcher

Edmund Elliot

Richard Patee Alexander Lang

Sam C. fuller James Rankens William Webster

In answer to this petition the town was incorporated November 24, 1781, and from this time its population gradually increased, so that in 1800 it had 535 inhabitants.

About the year 1836 a band of counterfeiters were at work in this part of the country, having stations located in houses at intervals all along from Canada, their mark on each being one red window-sash in front. Two of these stations were located in Thornton. One of these was the house now

629

TOWN OF THORNTON.

occupied by A. H. Kendall. Some time since, while tearing out a chimney, he found dies for making Mexican silver dollars, of the date of 1832, and some specimens of three-dollar scrip, though no dies for making the latter were discovered.

Winthrop Bagley, of Taunton, was born in 1762, served in the Revolution, and at the close of the war, came to this town and settled upon the place now occupied by George H. Blasdell, on road 22. He run a tavern for several years, and the sign used is still in the family.

Jacob Lelingham, a Revolutionary soldier, came to this town about 1783, settling upon the place where Samuel Connors now lives, on road 15. He lived here about five years, and then moved to road 8, where he lived until his death. He laid out the road on the river, and helped build the same. He married Hannah Torry, and reared a family of nine children. namely, William, Jacob, Henry, Daniel, Walter, Pinkham, Samuel, Catharine, and Hannah. Jacob, Jr., married Mary K. Edgerly, and located in Woodstock, on road 6. He afterwards moved to Thornton, on road 11. He reared five children, one son and four daughters.

Elijah Durgin, of Hopkinton, N. H., came to Thornton in March, 1792, and settled where Benjamin Smith now lives, on road 32. At that time this place was at the end of the road.

Ebenezer Foss, of Concord, N. H., came to this town about 1797, and settled where Merrill Greeley now lives, on road 31. At that time there was no grist-mill nearer than Canterbury, and all grain to be ground had to be carried to that town. Carter, the seventh of Ebenezer's thirteen children, was born here, and is at present the oldest man born in town. He married Mary Whitney, in 1822. She is still living.

Moses Foss came to Thornton, from Canterbury, N. H., among the early settlers, and located where Willard Foss now lives, on road 31. He was the first settler in Waterville, and remained there till 1848, when he moved back to Thornton.

A. H. Kendall came here about twenty-five years ago, and was in the bobbin business for several years. He is a tanner and currier by trade, and has held nearly all of the town offices.

Isaac Mitchell, a native of Hartford, Conn., married a Miss Anable, of that place, and reared twelve children, all of whom came to Campton, and settled in the eastern part of the town. His son Elijah, who served in the war of 1812, married Eliza, an adopted daughter of Timothy and Susanna Webster, and reared ten children, six of whom are living. Elijah, Jr., lives with his mother, who is now eighty-one years of age, and his brother, Harlan P., at Campton Village.

630

TOWN OF WARREN.

W ARREN lies in the central part of the county, in lat. 43° 36' and long. 71º 55', bounded north by Benton and Woodstock, east by Woodstock and Ellsworth, south by Wentworth, and west by Pier- mont. Its charter was granted July 14, 1763, to John Page and others, in seventy-two equal shares, and received its name, probably, in honor of Ad- miral Warren, of the British navy. On July 5, 1770, an extension of the time for the fulfillment of the conditions of the charter was granted, and an additional grant of 3,877 acres was made to the proprietors. This addi- tional grant was of territory lying north of the town as originally granted, and was to make good an alleged deficiency in the contents of the first grant. The boundaries of the town were settled by a committee which was appointed by the legislature, October 27, 1780, and reported September 4, 1784, as fol- lows :----

"Beginning at a bass tree being the northwest corner bound of Rumney, thence north 24° east, five and three quarters miles to a maple tree ; thence north about 74° west, eight miles to a beech tree, being the southeast corner of Haverhill ; thence south 53° west, five and a half miles to a beech tree, the northeast corner of Orford ; and thence on a straight line to the bound began at."

The boundaries of Warren are the gifts of nature. Its eastern line runs over the crests of three lofty mountains. Mt. Cushman on the north rises like a dark wave of the ocean 3,306 feet high. Mt. Kineo, a hundred feet higher, sweeps away its wavy crested summits to the southeast, and Mt. Carr, blue, forest-clad, and the last of the trio, is 3,500 feet in height. The south line bends down the slopes of Red Oak hill, crosses the pebble-bottomed As- quamchumauke, and creeps up to the elevation of 2,059 feet over Mt. Senti- nel. The western line is over a spur of the latter mountain, crosses Tarleton lake and Mt. Mist-so-called from the vapor that sails up to its summit from the blue waves-and finds its northern termination on Webster Slide moun- tain. The latter is 2, 170 feet above sea level, and its precipitous face slopes down 840 feet to the deep shadows of Wachipauka or Meader pond. The northern line rests upon the flanks of Owl's Head mountain, 3,206 feet high, Mt. Black, 3,550 feet, Moosilauke about 5,000 feet, and Mt. Waternomee, a woody elevation of about 3,000 feet. The exact center of Warren is the sum- mit of Knight hill. Standing on its summit one is surrounded on all sides by lofty crests, and the forest hamlet appears like a huge bowl, with another bowl transparent, formed of blue sky inverted and placed over it, and resting upon the rim of mountains. The principal stream of the town is the Asquam- chumauke, now called Baker river. It rises in a little meadow pond on the north side of Moosilauke mountain. At first a wild torrent, then a bright, pebbly-bottomed stream, and lastly a deep, blue river. It empties into the Pemigewasset. Its Warren tributaries from the west are Merrill, Berry and Black brooks, on the east, East Branch, Bitchelder and Patch brooks. Through the north part of the town, running into the Connecticut, is Olive- rian brook. These are the principal streams, but small, yet never-failing rivu-

631

TOWN OF WARREN.

lets gush from the mountain springs situated in every ravine, while there is scarcely a meadow which does not contain a fountain whose waters, cool and chrystalline, bubble up from the white sands. More than a hundred of these musical streamlets make Warren one of the best watered towns in New Hamp- shire, while five sparkling ponds lie sleeping high up among Warren's moun- tains. Over on the east side of Mt. Carr two bright gems gleam in the green- wood, which from their locality are called the Glen ponds. Near Mt. Mist is Kelley pond, furnishing a stream for an old mill, and under the face of pre- cipitous Webster Slide mountain is the before-mentioned Wachipauka or Meader pond. West of Mt. Mist, and kissing its sloping base, a crystal sheen in an emerald setting, is Tarleton lake. The town is also rich in minerals. On Sentinel mountain is a large and productive vein of ore. Gold, silver, iron, copper, lead, zinc, plumbago, molybdenum, calc-spar, epidote, beryl, garnets, quartz chrystals, tourmalines and many others are found. Gold is now being mined, it is said, in paying quantities. Near the summit are large quantities of limestone. Gneiss and mica slate abound, and the under- lying granite which crops out on Webster Slide mountain, and Mt. Carr afford excellent building material.

In 1880 Warren had a population of 786 souls. In 1885 the town had ten school districts, ten common schools and one graded school. Its ten'school- houses were valued at $1,300.00. There were 201 children attending school, twenty-one of whom were pursuing the higher grades, taught during the year by one male and eleven female teachers, at an average monthly salary of $35.00 for the former, and $17.72 for the latter. The entire amount raised for school purposes during the year was $1,386.28, while the expenditures were $1,219.18, with Stephen S. Bean superintendent.

WARREN. a post village and station on the B. C. & M. R. R., located in the southern part of the town, has one church (Methodist Episcopal), three stores, one hotel, a grist-mill, saw-mill, two wheelwright shops, three under- taker shops, two blacksmith shops, and about 400 inhabitants. The railroad forms the boundary between what is known as the Upper and the Lower village.

WARREN SUMMIT (p. o.) is a hamlet located in the northern part of the town.

BREEZY POINT (p. o.) is located at the base of Mt. Moosilauke, for the con- venience of guests at the hotel and the neighboring farmers.

Damon Y. Eastman's carriage and undertaking shop, at Warren village, was established by him in 1855. He manufactures about ten carriages, wag- ons and sleighs per year, also doing a general repair and undertaking busi- ness.

Joel Ingali's cider, shingle and planing-mill, at Warren village, was pur- chased by him in 1879. He manufactures about 200,000 shingles and 500 barrels of cider per year.

Levi F. Jewell's saw, bobbin, cider and planing mill, on road 12, was built

632

TOWN OF WARREN.

by him about 1851. He manufactures about 100,000 feet of lumber, eight car-loads of bobbins, and 600 barrels of cider per year.

James Jewell's saw-mill, on road 11, was built by Solomon Gleason, and came into Mr. Jewell's possession in 1881. He manufactures about 300,000 feet of lumber and 200,000 shingles per year.

E. Flint & Son's steam saw-mill, off road 9, was built by them in 1884. It is operated by a sixty horse-power engine and cuts about 3,000,000 feet of lumber per year.

Green, Twitchell & Smith's steam saw-mill, in the eastern part of the town, was built by them in 1884 It is operated by a forty horse-power en- gine and cuts about 2,000,000 feet of lumber per year.

C. B. Woodward's steam saw-mill, on road 7, was built by him in 1884. It is operated by a thirty-five horse-power engine and cuts about 500,000 feet of lumber.

H. N. Merrill's carriage and undertaking shop, at Warren village, was es- tablished by him about 1870. He manufactures carriages, wagons and sleighs, and does a general repair and undertaking business.

Bartlett & Hibbard's grist and saw-mill, at Warren, came into their pos- session in 1882. The grist-mill has three runs of stones. They grind about 30,000 bushels of grain per year, do a general custom business and manufac- ture hard-wood lumber.

Joseph Patch, a hunter, built his camp by Hurricane brook, in 1767, and John Mills, James Aiken, Joshua Copp and Ephraim True, with their families, moved into town in 1768. These men, for the first few years, got their sup- plies from Haverhill and Plymouth, bringing them twenty miles home through the woods on their backs. Wild beasts annoyed them very much, and on winter nights wolves frequently put their noses against the window-pane of John Mills's cabin and looked in on the family seated by the open fire- place. Moose were plenty, and Joseph Patch often had twenty-five barrels. of moose-meat in the cellar at once. The first settlers took an active part in the Revolution, three of them, Capt. John Mills, Jr., Capt. William Tarle- ton and Capt. James Aiken, commanding companies, and in all about eighteen men, in a population of less than one hundred, served in the army. Joshua Copp, Jr., was the first child born in town, John Marston was the first man married, and John Mills the first who died, he being killed by the fall of a tree in 1779. The first road was cleared in 1767. The first religious meeting was held by the Congregationalists about 1775. The first saw-mill was built by Stevens Merrill, in 1776. The first general training was held in 1780. The first public school was established in 1783. Methodism was first established in 1779. The first turnpike was built in 1808. The first perma- nent stage-line was established in 1814. The spotted fever prevailed exten- sively in 1815. The first meeting-house was built in 1818. The railroad was built through the town in 1851. Warren common was cleared in 1859. The Prospect House was built and a road cut on Mount Moosilauke in 1860.

633

TOWN OF WARREN.

Amos Burton was the first postmaster. Samuel Fellows, who came to War- ren in 1789, kept the first store. The centennial celebration was held here July 14, 1863.

The first town meeting was held at the inn of Samuel Clement, July 28, 1779, when Joshua Copp was chosen moderator and Obadiah Clement clerk. The meeting was then adjourned to August 12, when Obadiah Clement, Joshua Copp and Israel Stevens were chosen selectmen ; Simeon Smith, con- stable ; and William Butler, Reuben Clement and Thomas Clark, surveyors of highways. There were then about twenty-five legal voters in the town, with about 125 inhabitants, for in 1780 we find the names of the voters as follows : Isaiah Batchelder, William Butler, Daniel Clark, Thomas Clark, Jonathan Clement, Obadiah Clement, Reuben Clement. Joshua Copp, Gard- ner Dustin, Joseph Kimball, Ephraim Lund, Joseph Lund, John Marston, Jonathan Merrill, Joshua Merrill, Stevens Merrill, John Morrill, Nathaniel Niles, Joseph Patch, Simeon Smith, Ephraim True, Moses True, Chase Whitcher, John Whitcher and Reuben Whitcher. The first representative from the town was Obadiah Clement, in 1784.

In the late great war the following persons from Warren served in regi- ments which went out from this state: Capt. Dudley C. Bixby, Anson Chandler, Commodore Clifford, Rev. Addison W. Eastman, Martin V. Lib- bey, Joseph Noyes, Delano Prescott, Charles Merrill, Albe W. Merrill, George Miller, Hazen Libbey, Newell S. Martin, Andrew Jackson, Merrill S. Lund,* Harvey Eames,* Thomas Miles, Charles N. Harris, George E. Swain, Daniel French,* Charles F. Bracey, John T. Bailey and Thomas J. Clifford.

Joseph French came to Warren, from Epping, N. H., some time after the Revolutionary war, in which he served. He located at Swain hill, where he cleared a farm, and reared a family of twelve children, one of whom, John, is now living. He died in 1843, aged eighty-four years. His son David C. was born here, was a physician, and practiced in town, between fifty and sixty years. He died May 8, 1875, aged eighty four years. He was a farmer, was justice of the peace many years, was postmaster, etc. Of his seven children, David A. is the only one now living. The latter has been clerk, selectman. represented the town in 1877-78, is chairman of supervisors, is school com- mitteeman, and is also well known as a teacher of vocal and instrumental music.

Abel Merrill came to Warren, from Kingston, N. H., in 1789, cleared a farm in the central part of the town where he located, and reared a family of thirteen children. He took an active part in town affairs, holding many offices of trust, was justice of the peace many years, was selectman, and repre- sented the town in the legislature. His son Samuel L. was born here April 10, 1796, and alway lived here. He also took an active part in town affairs, gave the land for the common, also a lot for the meeting-house. He was se- lectman many years, overseer of the poor, county treasurer, and held nearly every office in town. He died here about 1871. His son Ira, who was born

* Died in the army, and brought to Warren for burial.

634

TOWN OF WARREN.

here in 1820, has held many offices of trust, has been selectman five years in succession, represented his town twice, is overseer of the poor and town treas- urer. In his younger days he taught school nineteen terms. He has been engaged in the flour, grain and lumber business fifteen years, and in the mer- cantile business six years.

Nathaniel Merrill, one of the early settlers of this town, came here from the central part of the state. He was a school teacher, reared three children, one of whom, Moses, is living and resides in Wilmington, Ill. Nathaniel, Jr., was born in Warren, about 1794, and resided here till his death in 1854. He reared a family of seven children, four of whom, Nathaniel, George B., Asa B., and Mrs. Laura Wicks reside in this town.

Amos Little came here, from Plaistow, N. H., about 1795, located on Beach hill, near Warren village. He reared thirteen children, two of whom are liv- ing and reside in this town, namely. Mrs. Judith Merrill and Jonathan Little. The latter was born here in 1804, has always lived here, and kept a hotel at Warren Summit for about ten years. He has been engaged in farming, has taken an active interest in town affairs, has been selectman several times, represented the town in 1846-47, and has been justice of the peace many years.

James Dow came to Warren, from Plaistow, N. H, in 1797, and located on the farm where William Swain now lives. He died in 1856, aged eighty - one years. His son Jonathan M., the only one of the eight now living, was born February 2, 1809, is a farmer, and resides here, on road 2.

Enoch R. Weeks came to Warren, from Piermont, was a farmer and a blacksmith, kept a hotel, and took an active part in town affairs. He died here in 1867. His son Ira M. was born in Warren, in 1817, and resided here until his death in 1884. He was engaged in mercantile business, lumbering and farming. He was selectman, held the office of town clerk, and repre- sented the town two years in the legislature. His son Abel M. is now a mer- chant in Piermont.

Luke Libbey came to Warren, from Landaff, about 1800, cleared a farm, and settled about three miles north of the village. He reared a family of eight children, and died in Piermont. His son Nathaniel, the only one living, was born in Landaff, in 1795, came to Warren with his father and has since resided here. He is now in his ninetieth year, and lives with his son Ezra. The latter has been selectman eleven years, is now chairman of the board, and represented his town in 1879-80.

Thomas Boynton, originally from Rowley Mass., came to Warren, from Plymouth, at an early day, and located on what is called Beach Hill. He drove a team of powder at Bunker Hill. His son Stephen removed to Orford, where he lived for many years, but died at his son's, Daniel T., in Warren. Two of his children, Mrs. John Whitcher and Joseph P. reside in town.

Joseph B. Farriman was born in Plymouth in 1797, and came to Warren in 1827. He was a farmer, and had born to him three daughters, one of whom is the wife of J. S. Jewett, of this town.

635

TOWN OF WATERVILLE.

Ward C. Batchelder came to Warren, from Orford, about 1830, and located on the farm now owned by his son Reuben, on road 12. He was killed by a limb of a tree, while chopping in the woods, about 1840. He reared a fam- ily of eight children, six of whom are living. Of these, Mrs. Elsie French, and Reuben who occupies the homestead, live in town.

James Knapp came to Haverhill at an early day, settling in the southern part of the town. He was a blacksmith by trade, and died there in 1866. One son lives in California, one daughter, Mrs. Susan A. Woodbury, lives in Haverhill, and another son, Arthur, resides in the town. The latter is largely engaged in the wood and lumber business, and in farming.

Benjamin F. Warren, son of Benjamin L. Warren, was born in Weathers- field, Vt., in 1829. When quiet young he moved with his parents to Haver- hill, N. H., where he devoted his time to farming. July 5, 1851, Mr. Warren married Mary L. Stearns, of Haverhill. In 1867 they moved to Warren, purchasing the farm formerly occupied by Josiah Foote. where they still reside. Their only child, Sarah E., was born October 2, 1858, and died May 4, 1878.

Daniel Clark moved to Piermont, from the southern part of the state, some ·time previous to 1785, and located on the farm now occupied by Caleb I. Heath. He died about 1834. Of his large family of children, Enoch lived on the homestead, and died in Wentworth, Daniel died in that neighborhood, Smith died in New York, and John moved to Warren, where he died about 1866. The latter reared five children, three of whom are living. Of these, Joseph resides in Wentworth, and John L. and Stevens K. live in this town.

Jeremiah S. Jewett was born in Laconia, N. H., November 25, 1822, and was educated at the common school and academy of that place. In 1848 he entered the employ of the Boston & Concord railroad, and helped to make the first survey from Concord to Wells River, Vt. In 1863 he located in War- ren and engaged in mercantile pursuits, which business he still continues. He has been a justice of the peace about sixteen years, and was ordained as a Methodist minister in 1878, and has also been a Sabbath-school superintend- ent thirteen years.

The Methodist church of Warren village, was organized by its first pastor, Rev. Elijah R. Sabin, with thirty members, in 1799. The church building, a wooden structure built in 1818, was remodeled in 1859 so that it will now comfortably accomodate 400 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $4,000.00. The society now has eighty-two members, with Rev. Noble Fisk, pastor.

ton.

W ATERVILLE is a wild mountain township in the eastern part of the county, lying in lat. 43° 48' and long, 71º 50', bounded north by Livermore, east and south by the county line, and west by Thorn- The town was granted to Josiah Gillis, Moses Foss, Jr., and others,

636

TOWN OF WENTWORTH.

June 29, 1819, and was known as " Gillis and Foss grant." It was incorpo- rated July 1, 1829.

Wild, rough and mountainous, its surface mostly covered with a dense for- est of pine, hemlock, maple and birch, Waterville presents some of the best scenery in the county, in many parts becoming grandly sublime, Tripyramid® mountain, in the eastern part, attaining an altitude of 4,200 feet. Swift and Mad rivers are the principal streams, though there are numerous brooks abounding with trout, and two ponds. The town has no postoffice and only seven or eight resident families, though hundreds of tourists flock here each season. The hunting and fishing are said to be unexcelled.

In 1880 Waterville had a population of fifty-four souls. In 1885 the town had two school districts and two common schools. It has one school-house, valued at $200.00. There were seven children attending school, taught dur- ing the year by two female teachers, at an average monthly salary of $16.00. The entire amount raised for school purposes during the year was $106.00, while the expenditures were $103.00, with Samuel Dolloff, superintendent.

The Elliott House, formerly the Greeley House, Silas B. Elliott, proprietor, cares well for these tourists who come here to enjoy nature in one of her wild- est phases. The hotel is located at the extreme head of Mad river valley, and twelve miles from Campton, the nearest railroad station, to which a stage runs daily during the summer season. This hotel was established as early as 1831, by Nathaniel Greeley, when guests were obliged to walk a long distance to reach the house. Mr. Greeley and his sons continued the business until 1884, when it was taken by the present firm. Views of some of the finest scenery in the mountains may be obtained from the surrounding peaks. There are also ten trout brooks within a day's fishing.

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Gazetteer of Grafton county, N. H. 1709-1886, Part 84

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