USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Lakeport > Historical sketches of Lakeport, New Hampshire, formerly Lake Village, now the sixth ward of Laconia; the historical collections of Horace G. Whittier > Part 4
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SOME MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES.
Cotton cloth was manufactured in the "old cotton mill" as long ago as when the village was a mere hamlet, and later cotton warps were manufactured here to be shipped elsewhere.
For quite a number of years the Belknap Mills Company did an extensive business in the manufacture of cloth.
A Mr. Frye made batting for a short time in the old cotton mill.
For about ten years, along in the '70s and 'Sos, the Union Lace Company manufactured shoe lacings and dress braids, and when they went out of business most of their machinery was thrown onto the junk pile.
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LAKEPORT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Stephen .C. Lyford, a native of Brookfield, this state, once owned a large tract of land on the east side of the river, and at the same time ran the saw mill east of the Lake Company's gate house, that was burned February 16, 1905. Many of the older residents still persist in calling this "the Lyford saw mill." In April or May, 1856, Henry H. Sleeper and Josiah F. Robie leased the mill for a term of years and commenced making packing cases for the hosiery mills, besides doing a general business sawing lumber. In 1880 Theodore Dodge leased the mill and continued the business, employing from four to eight men, until the mill was purchased by George D). Mer- rill, who operated it until it was burned.
Julius Boulia and Company (Julius Boulia, Charles C. Davis and George E. Hull) commenced the manufacture of sash, blinds, doors and interior finish, in 1892, and some years later Horace Gorrell was taken into the company. Their shop was built for their special use by Charles E. Buzzell, contractor and builder. The plant was de- stroyed by fire May 26, 1903, and for a season they were despond- ent ; but some of the citizens came to their relief and the plant was rebuilt on the old location, but on a more extensive scale and with quite an addition purchased from the Lake Company. The plant is equipped with the latest improved machinery, and they are doing an extensive business.
John and James Rutter, under the firm name of Rutter Brothers, came here in 1897 to manufacture woolen yarns. They occupied a part of the Bayside Mill. After a time, William Clow & Son, the lessees of the mill, required the whole building for their business, and the Rutters removed to Lawrence, Mass.
In 1887 Hezekiah Bickford, a native of Meredith, came here from Cincinnati, Ohio, where he had been in business, and built the shop now occupied by him for the manufacture of heavy iron-working machinery. It is 60 by 36 feet in dimensions, two stories high, with a basement. It originally stood nearly on the site of the old Appleton steam mill, near the junction of the Lake Shore and Bos- ton & Maine railroads. The building was later moved bodily to its present site on Union Avenue near the pumping station, being loaded upon barges and towed up the lake without mishap. After this re- moval Mr. Bickford took William Nelson into partnership. They use electric power from their own dynamo.
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LATER CORPORATIONS AND MANUFACTURES.
Some old records that we have examined show that the Howard Manufacturing Company was engaged for a number of years, in the old cotton mill, in the manufacture of meal bags, wrapping twine and wicking.
Blaisdell & Pratt (Elijah H. Blaisdell and Nelson H. Pratt) com- menced the manufacture of cigars in Brawn's Block in February, 1887. On the burning of the block, November 25, 1889, they car- ried on business in the Morgan Block, and later on Elm street, until 1904, when, Mr. Pratt having died, the business was closed. Their annual product was about 250,000 cigars.
Ephraim W. Emerson and son Arthur began the manufacture of cigars in October, 1900, at the Emerson residence on Valley street. The partnership continued about two years, when the son moved to California and E. W. has continued the business alone. He is at the present time the only manufacturer of cigars in the city. His annual product averages about 30,000 cigars of different grades.
In 1893 Henry H. Buzzell put up a small building on Bell street, in which to carry on the business of brass founding ; but he soon abandoned it.
August 3, 1902, William J. McDuff purchased the Edwin I. Cram block, on Gold street, and fitted it up for a machine shop, where he builds gasoline engines. He also does repair work, using one of his own gasoline engines for motive power.
CARRIAGE MANUFACTURING.
For over half a century the building of carriages and wagons has been an industry in Lakeport, though but few persons have been engaged in it.
Hiram Gilman commenced to manufacture wagons here in 1847, doing the work in two or three different buildings. He was the first man to introduce the trip hammer for pounding his iron into shape. He would manufacture a stock and then start off on the road to dis- pose of them. Once a year he went up into Vermont, where he had a selling agent. After doing a good business quite a number of years he dropped carriage building and worked at his trade as blacksmith.
Enoch B. Prescott moved here in 1844 from the okl homestead farm on the White Oaks road. He was a blacksmith and worked
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LAKEPORT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
at his trade in a building situated where the Tetley box shop now stands. In 1849 he commenced to manufacture carriages, the work being done in a building he erected on the corner of the lot facing Franklin Square, now owned by John Lee. This building was burned December 24, 1851 .* Mr. Prescott soon afterwards put up the building at the west end of the Gold street bridge, heretofore men- tioned as the hosiery mill of Bert S. Wadleigh. Here the wood work of his wagons was done, principally by Ebenezer P. Osgood and John Randall.
Henry F. Rublee came here in 1852 from Laconia, where he had lived about a year. He at once commenced the manufacture of vehicles at the shop on Mechanic street. His work covered the whole range, from the heavy lumber and farm wagons to the lightest and most stylish pleasure carriages. He died February 2, 1900, and his son, Alson F., succeeds him in general blacksmith work.
KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLES.
The manufacturing of knitting machinery is now a Lakeport industry of no small proportions. The late John Pepper was the pioneer of the business, beginning in 1856. From his small begin- ning has sprung the large and lucrative business of the Crane Man- ufacturing Company, the Pepper Manufacturing Company, and the short-lived business of Burleigh & McDaniels.
Millions of knitting machine needles are made in Lakeport every year. The first man to make a regular business of manufacturing them here was John F. Daniels. This was in 1865. Other parties had made a few some five years earlier, but not as a business. Dan- iels carried on the manufacture in a shop situated where the Halifax Mill now stands, and which was burned August 4, 1869. He made latch needles only, and the first were to fill an order from John Pepper.
The first attempt at making spring needles here was by John S. Crane, in 1859. On the first trial he made two hundred-enough to fill one knitting machine-for the Appleton mill. They were all
*This was the first fire at which the old Niagara I was used. The old hand tub is now in a good state of preservation, having a good home on Gold street, in a house built expressly for her. She is highly prized-we might say almost worshipped-by the Veteran Firemen of Lake- port. She did excellent service at the big fire in 1903.
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LATER CORPORATIONS AND MANUFACTURES.
made by hand and were completed and in the machine the day they were commenced. Afterwards, machinery was procured, and a portion of the needles used in this mill were manufactured in the forging room of the mill by Elbridge E. Webster.
A few years after these trial operations, Charles P. S. Wardwell, an inventive genius, designed automatic machinery for milling, punching and polishing needles and built up a good business, filling orders from the New England states, New York, and Philadelphia. His factory was destroyed by fire in 1867, but in a few months he was again in successful operation in the building upon the Cole Company's premises lately occupied by Augustus R. Burpee as a hosiery mill, and still later by the Belknap Republican as a printing office. In the same shop, under Mr. Wardwell's management, but as a distinct business, was commenced about this time the manufac- ture of latch needles for the Wardwell Needle Company, under the Peaslee patent. Benjamin F. Peaslee had oblained letters patent for an improvement in latch needles, and had sold the patent to C. P. S. Wardwell, Benjamin J. Cole and John Aldrich. The Wardwell Needle Company organized as a corporation at a meeting held at the residence of B. J. Cole, June 13, 1871. Its capital stock was $15,000, in shares of $50 each. Officers chosen : directors, Benj. J. Cole, John B. Hendley, Henry B. Quinby ; secretary, John Ald- rich ; superintendent of manufacture, C. P. S. Wardwell. This dual business was continued until 1878, when Mr. Wardwell removed to Boston, taking the spring needle business with him. He died the following year and his machinery was brought back to Lakeport and the business united with the latch needle business, under the man- agement of John Aldrich of the Wardwell Needle Company. The business soon outgrew its old quarters, and in 1884 the factory on Mechanic street was built. The factory at that time gave employ- ment to from seventy-five to one hundred hands.
In 1885 a part of the business was sold to William Corey of Man- chester, and four years later he purchased the full interest, and has since conducted it under the old name, with Julius E. Wilson as manager. This establishment has paid out to its employees more than half a million dollars in wages, a large proportion of it going to female employees.
CHAPTER IX.
CHURCHES.
[ Laconia News and Critic, January 11 and 18, 1905.]
To write a history of a church or churches is a very serious mat- ter, and somewhat of a task to get all the facts connected therewith, and especially if a portion of the records have been lost and cannot be found. Where was the first religious meeting held in Lakeport? Who preached the first sermon? The memory of them is buried in the silent grave along with the generation that attended the early meetings, for we have found no one who could answer the questions.
BAPTIST.
The first sect to organize a church in Lakeport was the Baptist. This church became a distinct and independent one on May 4th, 1811-nearly one hundred years ago-since which time it has been recognized by the Baptist denomination as a regular organized gospel church. A church organization having been effected, it is probable that services were held at intervals on the Lord's day, sometimes at private houses and at others at the schoolhouse, from 1806 to the time of the organization of the church in 1811.
The church, in the spring of 1806, formed themselves into a branch of the Gilmanton church, and Elder Walter Powers served them as their preacher from this time until 1808. Prior to this, Uriah Mor- rison, a licentiate from Maine, had settled here and united with the church, occasionally preaching for them. In the spring of 1808 an ecclesiastical council was called and he was ordained as an evangel- ist. He remained with them until the close of his ministry, about the spring of 1814. It was during his ministry that the church was organized with eighteen members-five males and thirteen females -and Andrew Gilman was chosen as the first deacon.
Rev. William Taylor was their spiritual adviser in 1820. Just how long he continued with this people is not known, as the records covering this period cannot be found.
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Lakeport, N. H. free Will Baptist Church
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CHURCHES.
In the spring of 1830 Jairus E. Strong, then preaching in Maine as a licentiate, came to this people and was called by them to the ministry. Accordingly he was ordained as a Christian minister on April 27, 1831, and remained with them until 1834. It was during his pastorate that the first church was built, in 1832 and '33. It occupied the same site as the present church, on Union Avenue. The manner in which the land was obtained and the funds raised appears in the following, from the proprietors' records, March 19, 1832 :
"At a meeting of the inhabitants of Gilford and Upper Gilmanton [now Belmont ] convened at Batchelder's store in his counting room for the purpose of making arrangements respecting the erection of a meeting house in Gilford near Batchelder's factory-
"First chose Capt. Hugh Blaisdell for moderator. Second chose Thomas Wilder for clerk. Third voted to accept the following arti- cles, viz :
"Article 1. A lot of land shall be obtained for the house to be erected upon suitable for the same ; which land shall be deeded to the Baptist society in Gilford.
"Article 2. The house to be built on said land shall be of wood, forty feet by fifty feet on the ground, one story in height, which story shall be eighteen feet.
"Article 3. The estimated cost of said house and land shall be divided into shares of twenty-five dollars each ; the shareholders shall be the proprietors of the house, and each share shall be enti- tled to one vote only.
"Article 4. When shares of the amount of five hundred dollars shall be sold and the land deeded as above, the holders of shares shall choose a committee of three, who shall then and there be au- thorized to collect the amount of shares then and afterwards sold and proceed to the erection of the house in any way most cheap and convenient, not inconsistent with these articles.
"Article 5. The said committee shall not exceed in their ex- penditures the amount of shares actually sold unless directed so to do by the vote of the proprietors at a meeting legally holden, and no
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LAKEPORT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
meeting of the proprietors shall be legal without five days' public notice in writing, signed by the Clerk of the Baptist society of Gil- ford and Upper Gilmanton.
"Article 6. When the house shall be built or finished, or before if so directed by the vote of the legal proprietors at a legal meeting, the committee, after appraising the pews, shall sell them at auction, and give deeds of the same on behalf of the proprietors, which deed shall embrace the following seventh article verbatim, and be in no respect inconsistent therewith, which article shall never be altered.
Article 7. The use and occupancy of this house shall forever be under the control of a committee of three, chosen by the Baptist Society of Gilford and Upper Gilmanton, at their annual meeting, two of whom shall be members of good standing in the Baptist church in Gilford, and whose duty it shall be to proceed to the em- ployment of a minister, and to attend to all the affairs relating to the interests of the society.
"Fourth, chose Eliphalet Blaisdell, William T. Sargent and Enoch Boyd for a building committee. Fifth, voted that the said commit- tee be authorized to lay out the money to their best abilities. Sixth, voted that the committee call a meeting when they shall think prop- er.
Thomas Wilder, Clerk."
Daniel E. Jewett, a native of Gilford, was ordained to the work of an evangelist on December 25, 1834, and officiated as elder of this church for about two years.
From about the first of the year 1835 to the winter of 1836 the pulpit was supplied by students from the New Hampton Institution.
Hiram D. Hodge preached regularly at this church from Febru- ary, 1836, until June 7 of the same year, when he was ordained. After this, he remained about six months.
Aurora M. Swain, a New Hampton student, supplied the pulpit half of the time for nearly a year, commencing February 15, 1837. He was ordained July 11, 1838, and remained as pastor for five years, when he resigned.
Rev. B. Condon was ordained and remained about two years, when he resigned. He was followed by Rev. William N. Slason in 1848, Rev. Amasa Brown in 1849, and Rev. J. Brooks Damon in 1851. Shortly after, Rev. King S. Hall was ordained and remained with
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CHURCHES.
them until 1859. He was followed by Rev. Jesse M. Coburn, who filled the pulpit from February 6, 1859 to November 27 of the same year. From this time they had no settled pastor until April 8, 1860, when Rev. Lyman Chase became their minister until called to an- other field of labor, June 7, 1864. Succeeding him, Rev. John M. Chick was over the church until October 29, 1867. Upon his res- ignation Rev. King S. Hall began his second pastorate, and contin- ned with the church until failing health compelled him to resign, in 1880.
It was during the last pastorate of Mr. Hall that the old meeting house was torn down and the new one erected. Work was com- menced in 1868, but the work was not finished until 1871. During this time meetings were held in a hall. Noah W. Brown was the contractor, and the framing and raising of the building was done by Samuel M. Tuck. The dedicatory exercises were held Wednesday, August 23, 1871, the pastor, Rev. K. S. Hall, preaching the dedica- tory sermon. The hymns sung on this occasion were composed by Mrs. Ann E. Hall, wife of the pastor.
Mr. Hall died April 9, 1888. Before his letter of resignation was read (in 1880) the church committee had engaged the services of Rev. Robert S. Mitchell, who succeeded Mr. Hall and was ordained July 4, 1880. He resigned in 1883, and was followed in succession by Rev. A. R. Wilson, about one year ; Rev. W. N. Murdock, who supplied the pulpit for a little over a year ; Rev. L. L. Fitts, a little over two years, commencing October 5, 1885 ; Rev. Edwin P. Hoyt, from July 1, 1888 until October 1, 1890; Rev. Daniel C. Easton, October 1, 1890 to July 1, 1896 ; John P. Carter, a licentiate, sup- plied from October, 1896 to August, 1897 ; Rev. George F. Bab- bitt, who supplied a part of the month of September, 1897, and be- came settled pastor October i of the same year, finishing his labors July 13, 1902 ; Rev. O. S. Wallace, from January 4, 1903 until the fall of 1904, when he resigned to accept the call from a church in Cambridge, Mass. ; Rev. Lewis J. Bamberg, from November 1, 1904 to the present writing.
In the season of 1904 extensive repairs on the interior of the house were made at an expense of a little rising two thousand dol- lars. This includes the expense of partitioning about fifteen feet off from the audience room, making a large vestibule, over which is
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LAKEPORT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
a gallery. The old seats were removed and upholstered chairs sub- stituted in their place-a vast improvement indeed.
FREEWILL BAPTIST.
The doctrine of the Freewill Baptists was first preached at New- castle, N. H., about 1777, by Benjamin Randall. The first church was organized at New Durham, June 30, 1780. The Freewill Bap- tist church of Lakeport was organized at the house of Isaac Cole, July 13, 1838, with nine members, all of whom are now deceased. From the organization of the church until May 16, 1840, the meet- ings were held in private houses and in the school house. At this time a room was fitted up in what was called the lower mill, and meetings were held there until a chapel was built on Union Avenue. This chapel building is now occupied as a dwelling, No. 874 Union Avenue. It was used for church purposes until 1852, in which year a church was built on Park street. This meeting house was used continuously by the church until December 15, 1890, when it was totally destroyed by fire.
Immediately after the devouring elements had done their work, and almost as soon as the embers ceased to burn, active steps were taken toward the erection of a new edifice. A meeting of the pro- prietors was held and a committee chosen to proceed with the work. So rapidly did they push their work that it was just one year to a day from the time the bell of the old church pealed forth its last knell, until that on the new house of worship was rung to summons the people to the house of God, there to offer up prayers of praise and thanksgiving. The dedicatory exercises were as follows :
The congregation rising and singing "Praise God from whom all blessings flow"-the pastor, Rev. William H. Getchell, acting as master of ceremonies.
Invocation, by Rev. J. Morrison of the Unitarian church of La- conia.
Reading of the Scriptures, by Rev. F. L. Wiley of Laconia.
Reading Hymn 74, by Rev. I. R. Danforth, pastor of the Meth- odist church at Lakeport, and sung by a choir consisting of the following persons : Mrs. Walter D. Heath and Miss Mabel Hill, so- prano ; Mrs. Daniel Elkins, Mrs. Abbie Folsom and Miss Bertha
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CHURCHES.
Gray, alto ; Benjamin F. Hill and Daniel E. Webster, tenor ; Norris I. Taylor and Benjamin Smith, bass ; Miss E. E. Pike, organist.
Scripture reading, by Rev. E. W. Ricker, II. Chronicles, v.
Prayer, by Rev. J. B. Davis of the Freewill Baptist church at Bel- mont.
Reading Hymn 769, by Rev. George Munsey of Gilmanton Iron Works, and singing by the choir.
Sermon, Rev. Carter E. Cate of Portland, Me. Theme, "The Greatness of the Lord." Text, Luke 1 : 32-"Ye shall be great."
Dedicatory prayer, by Rev. Lewis Malvern of Laconia, at the close of which the congregation united in repeating the Lord's Prayer.
Reading of the clerk's report ; also of the treasurer of the com- mittee, A. M. Cogswell.
Presentation of keys by the chairman of the building committee, Henry B. Quinby, to the executive committee, declaring the society to be free from debt.
Singing of Hymn 750.
Remarks by former pastors, Rev. M. C. Henderson and Rev. E. W. Ricker ; also by Rev. J. B. Morrison, Rev. Lewis Malvern, and others.
Benediction, by Rev. Woodman Bradbury of the Baptist church at Laconia.
At the dedication there were present three of the former pastors of this church-Rev. M. C. Henderson, Rev. E. W. Kicker and Rev. Carter E. Cate.
In the evening a sacred concert was given and the church was densely packed with a most appreciative audience.
This church has had nineteen settled pastors. Rev. Nahum Brooks supplied from 1838 to 1840; John Pettengale, 1840 to 1841 ; Wil- liam Johnson, 1841 to 1843; Uriah Chase, 1843 to 1844 ; William A. Waldron, 1844 to 1846; Smith Fairfield, 1846 to 1847 ; Kins- man R. Davis, 1847 to 1848 ; John L. Sinclair, 1848 to 1850; Ez- ekiel True, 1851 to 1854 ; Joseph A. Knowles, 1854 to 1861 ; Sam- uel D. Church, 1861 to 1863; Hosea Quimby, 1863 10 1866 ; Cyrus B. Dockham, 1866 to 1868 : Moses C. Henderson, 1868 to 1871 ; Henry S. Kimball, 1872 to 1875 : John W. Scribner, 1875 to 1879; Carter S. Cate, 1879 to 1882; Ephraim W. Ricker, 1882 to 1884; Ethan W. Porter, 1884 to 1887 ; William H.
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LAKEPORT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Getchell, who commenced his pastorate in 1887 and is still in charge.
The clerks of this society have been as follows ; Daniel Davis, from the organization, in 1838, to 1844; Benjamin J. Cole, from 1844 10 1856 ; John Q. A. Colby, 1856 to 1857 : Joseph L. Odell, from 1858 till the time of his death, May 13, 1897 : Charles H. Perkins, from 1897 to the present time.
From the organization of the church, in 1838, up to the present time (June 1, 1905 ) there have been entered upon the church roll of membership 639 names.
Since Mr. Getchell's pastorate began, October 1, 1887, he has received to church membership 192 persons, has attended 576 fu- nerals, and solemnized 242 marriages.
ADVENTIST.
Although the doctrine of adventism has been preached more or less for many years, it is only at a comparatively recent date that its followers became sufficiently numerous to unite into church socie- ties and become a distinct sect. Like all other places where the doctrine had been preached, converts began to appear in Lake Vil- lage. After a time they became sufficiently numerous to warrant their holding meetings. As there are no records and nearly all the older members have gone to their reward, much of interest relating to the early history of the church has been irredeemably lost.
In 1851 arrangements were made for the building of a chapel, which was erected in 1852 upon the spot now occupied by William G. Cram's grain store on Gold street. Samuel K. Baldwin of Laco- nia and Franklin Davis of Lakeport were the principal owners. Elder John Knowles was the first minister of this church. He was not a regular settled minister, but supplied a large portion of the time. In 1860 Rev. I. D. Shipman was settled over the church as its regular pastor. He remained with the church until 1863, when Rev. Horace Bundy became their pastor.
Mr. Bundy was a powerful and convincing preacher. Soon after he was settled over the church his congregation began to grow rap- idly in numbers. In fact, in a year's time his congregation was so large that the chapel would not hold all who desired to hear him expound the word of God according to the Advent faith. Some-
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CHURCHES.
thing must be done to accommodate them. Accordingly the chapel was enlarged in 1864, nearly doubling the seating capacity.
Elder Bundy remained with the church a few years. After he closed his labors and moved away, many of those who had been constant attendants at the meetings lost their interest, and after a while the church dwindled down to such an extent that it ceased to exist as an organization. The old chapel was destroyed by fire, supposed to be incendiary, Sunday, March 27, 1898.
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