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 5
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8
The North Church, at the corner of School and North streets, was the ancient meeting house of Meredith, and was originally located a little north of what is known as "The Parade," about four miles north of Lakeport, on the road leading to Meredith Village. This building was taken down and moved to this place in 1865. The prime movers were Darius G. Drake, Andrew Pickering and Augus- tine Piper. Rev. James Pike was the first settled pastor they had after beginning to worship in the North Church. He was succeeded by Rev. Asaph J. Wheeler, who at that time was called "the boy preacher." In 1889 Rev. William J. Tenney became the pastor. Under his pastorate the church enjoyed a very good degree of pros- perity. Elder Tenney illustrated many of his sermons with black- board and crayon and gave many smoke talks. He remained about two years. July 5, 1896 Rev. Charles W. Shattuck began labors with them, remaining until October 16, 1898. After he went away meetings were held only occasionally, the pulpit being supplied by various Advent ministers.
Since the fire on that memorable day, May 26, 1903, they have held no meetings, as their church was burned, and all their interest in a church building appears to have been lost. Occasionally some -what few there are left-hold meetings in the hall over George H. Smith's dry goods store, on Elm street.
METHODIST.
Somewhere along in the Forties-the precise date cannot be ascer- tained-a few people of the Methodist faith formed themselves into · a church organization, prominent among these being Hiram Gilman, Benjamin H. Whittier and Lyman B. Pulciter, and proceeded to erect a chapel, which was situated on Fairmount street nearly to the brow of the hill that goes down to Belvidere street. There it re-
.
48
LAKEPORT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
mained for a few years, the Methodist people holding meetings therein nearly every Sunday. James Jones was the pastor. After a time they ceased to exist as a church organization, and attended meetings elsewhere as the spirit moved them. The church building was purchased by Hiram Gilman, was moved to the corner of Elm and Fairmount streets and fitted up as a tenement house, and was burned in the great fire of 1903.
In the winter of 1870-71 this people again took courage and held meetings at intervals in different places. In 1872 Rev. W. C. Bart- lett supplied the pulpit, and Rev. C. W. Tibbetts in 1873, after which they had no settled preacher, and finally the church became disorganized.
The church was reorganized in 1879, and Rev. Elijah R. Wilkins of Laconia became their spiritual adviser until 1881, when the M. E. Conference appointed Rev. N. C. Alger to the place, he remain- ing here until the spring of 1883. Rev. A. C. Hardy supplied in 1883. Rev. J. H. Trow settled here in 1884, and was followed by Rev. William Woods for the years 1885, '86 and '87.
Rev. Daniel W. Downs was pastor from 1888 to 1890. It was during his pastorate that the church building on Belvidere street was built. Charles E. Buzzell was the contractor and builder. This neat and commodious church was dedicated Tuesday, February 16, 1892, during the incumbency of Rev. Leslie R. Danforth as pastor. He was followed by Rev. W. J. Wilkins, son of "Good Old Elijah," 1893 to 1895. Rev. G. W. Farmer began his labors in April, 1896 and served the church as their leader until April 18, 1897 ; Rev. J. Ray Dinsmore, from April 23, 1899 to April, 1901; Rev. C. H. Corliss, April, 1901 to April 12, 1903.
In a little over a month after Mr. Corliss closed his labors the church was utterly destroyed in the great fire, at a time when its debts had been removed and the society was congratulating itself that it was out of debt and with a nice church in which they might take sweet communion together.
From the close of Mr. Corliss's pastorate they have been supplied by the pastor of the M. E. church at Laconia-at the present writ- ing Rev. G. R. Goodrich. In the fall of 1903 and spring of 1904 a new church was built on the site of the one burned, Orvis T. Muz- zey being the contractor.
1
Elm Street, Lakeport. N. H.
DRUOS
LIGEO.A.COLLINS
CHAPTER X.
RAILROADS.
March 1, 1848 the Boston, Concord & Montreuil Railroad was opened from Concord to Sanbornton Bridge (now Tilton). August Ist of the same year it was formally opened to Meredith Bridge (now Laconia), the great event being duly celebrated by a free ride to Sanbornton Bridge and return. The free ride, however, did not materialize for all who were loaded upon the train. The conductor gave the signal to go ahead, the engineer put on steam, and away went the first few cars. The rear section of the train had been un- coupled, and hundreds (including the writer of these sketches) lost their free ride. October 18 of the same year communication by rail was opened between this place and the outside world. We re- produce the first time table of the B. C. & M. R. R. announcing the opening of the road to Lake Village :
BOSTON, CONCORD AND MONTREAL RAILROAD OPENED TO
LAKE VILLAGE.
FALL AND WINTER ARRANGEMENT.
On and after Monday, October 2nd, 1848, the passenger cars will run in connection with the Lowell, Nashua and Concord Railroads as follows, viz :
Leave Boston for Sanbornton, Meredith and Lake Village at 7 A. M. and 12 M.
Leave Lake Village for Boston at 8 1-2 A. M. and 2 1-2 P. M.
Leave Concord for Meredith and Lake Village at 10 1-4 A. M. and 3 1-2 P. M. or on the arrival of the cars from Boston.
Fare from Lake Village to Boston, $2.30
Fare from Lake Village to Lowell, 1.80
Fare from Lake Village to Nashua, 1.50
Fare from Lake Village to Manchester, 1.15
Fare from Lake Village to Concord, .80
8
50
LAKEPORT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Stages will leave Meredith every day on the arrival of the first train of passenger cars from Boston at 11 1-2 A. M., for the Plymouth, Haverhill, Franconia and Littleton routes, connecting with stages running into all the principal towns in northern New Hampshire, Vermont and Canadas. Also stages will leave at the same time over the Centre Harbor and Conway route, connecting with daily lines running into all the towns in north-eastern New Hampshire and the northern section of Maine. Stages will leave Gilmanton Corner at 6 1-2 A. M. and arriving at Union Bridge in time for the first down train at 8 3-4 A. M., and will leave the same place for Gilmanton on the arrival of the first train from Boston at 11 A. M.
Merchandise cars will run daily, in connection with the above named road, as follows, viz : Leave Boston for Meredith and Lake Village at 1 1-2 P. M. Leave Lake Village for Boston at 12 M.
JAMES N. ELKINS, Agent B. C. & M. R. R.
Before the opening of the railroad to this place, Benjamin J. Cole did the freighting for the village, with teams of from two to six horses each. From 1842 to 1846 several of these teams were kept busy upon the road between this place and Concord. From 1846 to 1848 his freight line was from Franklin ; and after March, 1848, from Tilton. On the completion of the railroad to Lakeport there was no further use for these teams and they were withdrawn alto- gether.
Years ago, when the road was the old Boston, Concord & Mont- real, all the repairs, both iron and wood, were made in the shops located here. But when the Concord Road obtained control the larger part of the work was carried to Concord. Although a part of the work was left here for a time, it was only a fraction of what the shops in Railroad Square were capable of turning out, and the re- moval was a serious blow to the industries of this village.
The first passenger depot here was in a dwelling house situated a little to the east of the site of the J. S. Crane hose house, on Elm street. A man named Burleigh Moulton occupied the building- only one front room being used for railroad purposes. This house was subsequently moved to the corner of Gold and Park streets, be- ing the dwelling now known as the Joseph 'Tilton house.
51
RAILROADS.
During these fifty-seven years there have been only four railroad station agents, viz : Miles Taylor in 1848, William M. Leonard in 1880, William S. Taylor in 1881, and Libbeus E. Hayward, the pres- ent incumbent, in 1889.
The new passenger depot, built in 1839-1900, was opened to the public Wednesday, February 7, 1900, at 3 o'clock p. m. The first inward train was from Laconia, en route for Alton Bay, and drew into the depot at 3.21 p. m. Dr. Ossian W. Goss purchased the first ticket-for Meredith. The second was bought by Allie V. Locke-for Laconia. John H. Canavan was the first passenger con- ductor to register in the new depot.
THE LAKE SHORE RAILROAD
Was built in 1889-1390, and was formally opened to the public for travel June 17 of the latter year. It was made the occasion for quite a demonstration here. From two thousand to three thousand people assembled in Railroad Square and listened to speaking by several notable men, including Hon. David A. Taggart, then " Act- ing Governor" of the state.
THE ELECTRIC ROAD
Is a development of the Laconia and Lake Village Horse Railroad, which was chartered in 1881, the grantees being Albert G. Folsom, Jotham P. Hutchinson, James H. Tilton and Richard Gove, with a capital stock of $15,000. Bela S. Kenniston was the first superin- tendent. The first car drawn by horses was run August 18, 1882. The terminals then were near the Willard Hotel in Laconia and the steamboat wharves in Lakeport.
In 1889 Dr. Joseph C. Moore had the controlling interest, retain- ing the same until 1896, when Albert G. Folsom and associates re- sumed control and held it until the summer of 1898. At that time Harry L. Pierce and Charles F. Foster, of Leominster, Mass., and George H. Cook, of Athol, Mass., purchased the controlling interest and at once took steps for installing electricity as the motive power.
The first electric car run over the road from Laconia to Lakeport was a trial trip on Saturday evening, September 2, 189º. 'The next day-Sunday-the regular trips commenced ; and if our memory serves us right, Frank Chase was the first conductor and collected
5 2
LAKEPORT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
the first fare from Ross Sanborn, and Harry L. Pierce had the band- ling of the motor.
August 1, 1898 the Boulevard road was commenced, between Lakeport and Weirs. Upon its completion, the following spring, the company extended their tracks to Weirs. At present there is not patronage enough to warrant a winter service to Weirs; but in the summer thousands enjoy a ride which cannot be excelled for scenic beauty by any four miles in the whole of this wide world.
The track was originally narrow gauge, but was changed to stand- ard gauge in 1902.
CHAPTER XI.
SCHOOLS.
With the true New England spirit, the education of their children became a matter of prime importance as soon as a sufficient number of families had settled to warrant the employment of a teacher. At first, there being but a small number of scholars in the village, the sessions were held in rooms of private houses. But in time the num- ber of scholars had increased until more commodious quarters were an absolute necessity, and it was decided to build a school house. The exact date of this building cannot be given. Many years ago we interviewed some of our older residents as to the date, but they were unable to enlighten us. It must have been in the early '30s, as when the writer attended school in this house, in the early '40S, it carried many of the earmarks of an ancient buikling, not the least of these being the disfigurement of desks and seats made by the jackknives of the scholars. The central feature of this school room was a broad aisle extending through the center from the door in front to the teacher's desk at the rear, this open aisle being used for recitation purposes. The seats, on each side, faced the center, and were on an incline from the aisle to the sides of the house, with side aisles between the sections of seats. This first school house stood where the Lougee residence is now located. It now does duty as a dwelling house, having been remodeled and moved across Gold street to a point nearly opposite its original site. In addition to its primary purpose, the old schoolroom was used for many semi-public functions, and in it were held prayer meetings, school meetings, caucuses, temperance meetings, &c.
By 1843-'44 the village had grown to such proportions that one house could not accommodate all the scholars. Up to this time the district had been a union one (Gilford and Meredith). But in 1343 the district was divided on the town and river line, and while the new school house for the west side was being built on School street, a school was held in the west end of the Fred Adams store, on Elm street. The building was afterwards moved down into the mill yard, so called, was last used by Horace Wood & Co. as a room for board-
54
LAKEPORT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
ing stockings, and, with many other buildings, was burned in the great fire. Only one or two terms of school were held in this bui'd- ing, and the wiiter only remembers the name of one teacher-Gil- bert Wood, whose spare moments were spent in taking daguerreo- types. One of these, of the writer and two brothers, was taken sixty years ago.
The School street house, built in 1844, was used for school pur- poses until February 2, 1903, when the school moved into the new house, just completed, on Washington street. It had, thereafter, a life of but three months as the hose house for Hose Company No. 6, when it went up in the great fire of May 26. There were saddened hearts when this building-the alma mater of many hundreds of Lake Villagers-ceased to exist. The writer of these sketches, at that time a small lad, attended at the opening of the first school in this building ; and at the closing of the last session, then a man ad- vanced in years, he was there as a workman to assist in removing the old desks and seats. On aniving there, in company with John Mooney Sanborn, for the purpose of doing this work, they found that the teacher, Miss Alice M. Stratton, had received no notice to va- cate. She called the school to order as usual, and was proceeding to hear the pupils in their lessons, when the Superintendent of Schools arrived and notified her of the intended change. Mr. San- born, proverbially bashful, refused to enter ; but the writer, having been at the borning, thought proper that he should also be in at the death. He entered the room, removed his hat just as he had sixty years before, and witnessed the adieu of the scholars to the old building that was never more to be used for school purposes. The first teacher in this house was John Fogg, in the winter of 1844-'45. The last was Miss Alice M. Stratton, now the wife of Dr. Alpha Harriman of Laconia.
'The Pear street school house was built in the summer and fall of 1846, and was vacated February 27, 1903. It is now used by the city as a stable and store house.
The Mechanic street house was built in 1886-'87, by Charles E. Buzzell, contractor. It is a model house, with good sanitary arrange- ments. It is arranged to accommodate four grades, and is well provided with recitation and cloak rooms.
.
55
SCHOOLS.
The Washington street house was built in 1902 by Guay & Wal- lace, contractors. It is an imposing structure and an ornament to the city. Like the Mechanic street house, it has rooms for four grades, with recitation and closet rooms.
Quite a large number of our children attend the high school on Academy street at Laconia, the city furnishing conveyance for the scholars from Lakeport, and from the Weirs also.
At the last school census taken by H. E. Rowen, 144 boys and 167 girls-a total of 311-were found to be attending school in Ward Six. This does not include the forty or thereabouts that at- tend the high school at Laconia.
CHAPTER XII.
THE POST OFFICE.
[Laconia News and Critic, December 28, 1994.]
The first Post Office was opened here in 1844. It was located at the west end of the Gold street bridge, in a small building that was later moved down to the lower mill, so called, and was used by Wil- liam Clow & Son as a dry room for their hosiery mill. This building was burned at the time of the big fire in 1903. We may note inci- dentally that the postage on a letter at this time was ten cents. Before the establishment of an office at this place the mail matter for Lake Village was received at and sent from Meredith Bridge, now Laconia.
The first Postmaster was Brackett Palmer, who moved here from Meredith Bridge, where he had been publishing a small paper, which for want of support was discontinued. He was the father of John B. Palmer, who edited the Democratic Standard newspaper at Con- cord in the time of the civil war. Mr. Palmer was succeeded by William Odell, who moved the office to his shoe shop, located where Flanders & Kelley are now in trade on Franklin Square. Odell was one of Palmer's bondsmen, and the latter having failed in some re- quirement of the Post Office Department, Odell had to pay quite a sum on the bond and took over the business in the interest of the bondsmen. Mr. Palmer was much disliked by the citizens, and the boys used to play many tricks upon him. At one time one of these boys locked him into his office and threw the key into the river. Of course no one ever knew who perpetrated the deed.
At the expiration of the term of office, John Blaisdell, Jr., was appointed, and had the office in his store on Franklin Square, now occupied by Claude Dame, tin and coppersmith. The "New Hamp- shire Registers" show that he was filling the office in 1846-7-8-9.
In 1850 Horace Bugbee was appointed, and the office was re- moved to his store at the corner of Fore and Gold streets. He served from 1850 to 1854.
In 1855 John Blaisdell, Jr. was again appointed. He moved the
57
THE POST OFFICE.
office into the store now owned by Ara L. Sargent, on Fore street. Mr. Blaisdell filled the position until the appointment of George W. Weeks by President Lincoln, in August, 1861.
Mr. Weeks was succeeded by Elijah H. Blaisdell, who was ap- pointed in 1871 and held the commission sixteen years-the longest term any one has served since the establishment of the office in 1844.
Mr. Blaisdell succumbed to a political overturn, and on April 1, 1887, True E. Prescott took charge and filled the position until nearly the expiration of his four years' term.
Wallace E. Woodworth donned the title in July, 1891, and served until the appointment of Waldo H. Jones.
Mr. Jones relieved Postmaster Woodworth February 1, 1896, and served exactly four years, until February 1, 1900. There never was but one complaint to be made of Waldo-he would persist in get- ting into his office at 4 o'clock a. m. and go to stamping the letters, thereby disturbing the slumbers of some of his neighbors.
Charles E. Buzzell, the present incumbent, was nominated by the President January 10, 1900, was confirmed by the Senate January 17, and entered upon his duties February 1, when he flung "Old Glory" to the breeze over his office.
An important epoch in the history of this office was the inaugu- ration of the Rural Free Delivery system. The two rural mail carriers started from the Post Office, at the corner of Union Avenue and Clinton street, on their first trip, at 9.25 a. m., February 15, 1902, their departure being witnessed by a large concourse of citi- zens. Orrin H. Lewis was the carrier for route No. 1, through Gilford, and Thomas H. Lachance for route No. 2, toward Mere- dith, returning by way of Weirs and over what is called the White Oaks road. Lachance resigned, to take effect July 1, 1903, and Joe Bert Sanborn was his successor.
Route No. 3 is what is termed by the Government a Marine Route, and was instituted June 2, 1902. Dr. George H. Saltmarsh received the appointment as carrier, with Archie 1. Lewis as sub- carrier. The doctor resigned May 15, 1903, and Lewis took over the route as carrier, with Arthur Lewis as assistant. During the month of June, 1902, one trip a day, Sundays excepted, was made ;
,
9
58
LAKEPORT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
in July and August, two trips a day, Sundays excepted ; and during September and October they were required to make only one trip a day. Besides carrying the mail, quite a business was done carrying passengers and freight, with an extensive express business.
The route, as laid out by the Post Office Department, was as fol- lows : Lakeport to Weirs, Pitchwood Island, Tuttle's Landing, Mans- field's Landing, Lovejoy's Landing, Bryant's Landing, Pine Island, Bear Island, Three-Mile Island, Long Island, Sandy Island, Cow Island, Birch Island, Quimby's Island, Jolly Island, Goodrich's Land- ing, Timber Island, Eagle Island, Weirs, returning to Lakeport. Since the establishment of this route the business has more than quadrupled under the efficient management of Postmaster Buzzell.
During Elijah H. Blaisdell's term of service, on the evening of March 9, 1881, the Post Office, in the Weeks Block, Railroad Sq., was burned out. The contents were saved, and the fixtures and outfit removed to the Clark block, on Elm street, where the office remained over twenty years-until October 1, 1891, when it was moved to the Odd Fellows Block, its present location.
CHAPTER XIII.
OLD NIAGARA ENGINE, NO. 1.
[Staf Correspondent of Manchester Union.]
LAKEPORT, December 6, 1884 .- The citizen of this section of the city of Laconia whose memory reaches back a half a century recalls a picturesque little hamlet of some twenty-five or thirty houses scattered at wide intervals along half a dozen nameless streets. He also remembers that the village, though small enough then, was big with promise of the future. If it has lost its grasp on magnificent opportunities, still it has figured pretty well in the growth and prosperity of good old Belknap County. Sadly few today are they who are left to tell the story of the early days of the village, and tradition even is dim and vague.
The settlement had got a pretty fair start along in the early 'For- ties, and somewhere about '46 or '47 there happened to be a small fire over on "the other side," not far from miller Leavitt's house. This chance fire, though hardly worth noticing, did something more than end in smoke. Along in the spring of '48 some neighbors dropped into Bugbee's store to play checkers (and to get beaten if they played with the old man). The subject of fires came up, and the upshot was that the citizens met and decided to buy a first-rate fire engine.
A committee was selected, and Benjamin J. Cole and James Bell were chosen to go to Boston and get an engine built. These gen- tlemen accordingly visited Boston and engaged the famous Hunne- man to build a machine and to do his level best. Early in the summer of '49 the little hand engine, which was destined to become famous through all the country around, was completed and received at Lake Village with rejoicing and justifiable pride. It is probable that the name, "Niagara," was suggested by Mr. Cole, as he had taken an active part in the whole matter of securing the apparatus. As was said at the outset, there were only about thirty houses in the village, and $300, the cost of the engine, was considerable money to raise. However, it was promptly secured and the bill paid.
60
LAKEPORT, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
: The first fire that broke out after the department had fairly gotten into shape was at Prescott's wheelright shop, a wooden building that stood where the residence of John Lee now is. Local tradition is somewhat blurred as to this fire ; all that is remembered is that the building was burned. No fires of any importance occurred for a number of years. One or two started, but they were promptly put out by the aid of the engine.
The records of the company are lost up to about the year 1860, and it is not possible to discover who the officers were before that time. That John Blaisdell was the first foreman there is but little doubt.
The house built to keep the engine in stood on the hill where the building occupied by the Belknap Republican and George H. Smith now is. It was a small wooden structure, just large enough to hold company meetings in if they crowded the engine a little.
The company-which, by the way, was composed of the best men in the village-did not have to wait long for opportunities to show that Niagara was built for business and a good deal of it. At tour- naments and fairs the little giant threw its shining spray high above the mark of competitors. At fires which a little later on threatened neighboring villages it did its faithful work with unrivaled bravery. At Tilton it did good service when the Northfield Seminary burned. Who of the older citizens has forgotten that terrible night in Janu- ary when the repair shops were destroyed by fire? The thermome- ter dropped to thirty degrees below zero. The air was as awfully still as it was cold ; even smoke from chimnies seemed stiffened into columns that rose to the stars, while solid masses of flame were lifted perpendicularly above the burning buildings. The freezing pumps of the little Niagara were kept partially thawed, as they were worked by men whose fingers and ears froze as they stood at the brakes. The engine came out of that eventful night with more glory than paint. The Niagara was repainted by Charles H. Locke, the prince of ornamental painters of his time.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.