USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Lyman > Historical sketches of Lyman, New Hampshire > Part 6
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The above record is found on the town books, but very little can now be learned about this family.
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They lived in Lyman and moved to Michigan, about 1820. Their home was in the south part of the town near the Bath line. One of the sons was for many years State Superintendent of Education in the state of Michigan, and another one was a member of Con- gress from Nebraska. This evidently was a family endowed with superior ability, and it is very much to be regretted that so little can be known about it, but none of the people now living in this vicinity are able to remember it.
JOSEPH LYNDE came from Lisbon about 1810, loca- ting near Young's pond. His children were, namely : one son, William; and two daughters. He died in 1851, at the age of seventy-two years. William mar- ried Mary Cram and remained on the old homestead. One daughter married Robert Violet.
CAPT. WARREN BASS was born in Lester, Mass. He married Naomi Hall, and became a citizen of Ly- man as early as 1812. His children were, namely : Eliza Ann, Marietta, Emeline, Naomi, Warren, Bil- lings Hobart, Fayette, and Publicus Cornelius. Mr. Bass died in Bath.
PRESBYES,-Elijah, Elisha, Samuel and Biathy, four brothers, came from the lower part of New Hamp- shire and settled in Lyman before 1800. Elijah mar- ried Hannah Parker, a daughter of Solomon Parker Jr., and located on the place since occupied by Solo- mon W. Presby. Among his children were, namely :
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Solomon W., Wendell, Elijah, Warren, and four daughters. He died in 1825. Elisha moved to Lis- bon where he owned a tannery and shoe business, by which he became a man of means. Samuel married and located near Cowen's pond. Among his children were, namely : Hollis, Samuel, Hiram, Henry, Leroy, and Eunice. Biathy married and lived in various parts of the town and reared a large family of chil- dren.
SOLOMON W. PRESBY, who was a son of Elijah, married Ruby Dexter and remained on the old home- stead. He was born March 30, 1802, and died March 31, 1886.
PLINY BARTLETT, son of Matthew, was born in Richmond, N. H. He married, first, Stella Thornton, and second, Mrs. Lucinda Titus. He came to Lyman about 1830 and built the house, where he afterwards lived, in 1841. He was a great reader, and a man of superior intellect, represented the town in the state legislature, and took an active interest in public affairs. He died in Lyman November 25, 1883, at the age of eighty-three years. His brother, Pizaro, who always lived with him, died in 1882, at the age of seventy-six years.
LEBINA HASTINGS was born in Chesterfield, N. H., and became a citizen of the town at a very early date. He lived in various parts of the town and died in 1831, at the age of forty-three years. His children were,
LEBBEUS HASTINGS.
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namely : Lebbeus, Larkin, Willard, Bele, Esther Ann, and Everline.
LEBBEUS HASTINGS, son of Lebina, married Mar- riam, daughter of Capt. John Barber, Oct. 21, 1829, and remained on the Barber homestead, caring for the old people through life. Mr. Hastings' children, Thadeus and Laura, were born there. He was a man of energy, and good business ability. For many years he bought sheep and cattle for market, going to Boston each week. He was selectman, town clerk, and held many other positions of responsibility. He was a strong Democrat, and very much given to argument, especially on political topics. He died in town April 4, 1874, at the age of sixty-five years. Mrs. Hastings died in 1888, at the age of seventy-nine years, three months and twenty-six days.
EPHRAIM GILMAN was a son of Jacob Gilman, and was born in town March 7, 1806. He married Lucinda Waters, and lived in different parts of the town Their children were, namely : Loveren, Ezra, Herod, George, and Ann. Loveren, George, and Herod died in the war of the Rebellion. Mr. Gilman died in 1884
EZRA FOSTER, a Revolutionary soldier, settled in Littleton soon after the war, locating near Lyman. He was past ninety years of age when his death oc- curred. His children were, namely : George, Isaac, Henry, John, Joseph, Mary, Lois, Nancy, and Ezra. George worked on the river in early times, running
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logs and timber rafts from Haverhill to Hartford; also worked on a farm for several years for Jabez Walker. He married Phila Hoskins and settled on the Lyman Hoskins farm. He had two sons, Charles and John L. He was born May 13, 1806, and died Jan. 7, 1884.
JOHN L. FOSTER was born Sept. 15, 1837. He fitted for college at Peacham academy, entered Dart- mouth college and graduated in 1864. For a time he was paymaster's clerk in South Carolina. He after- wards studied law with Judges Morrison and Stanley of Manchester, N. H .; and after practicing for one year in Boston, moved to Littleton, N. H., where he prac- ticed his profession for several years. During his stay there, he was chosen police judge, and held various offices of trust and honor. He married Augusta Stevens of Haverhill and moved to Lisbon in 1879, where he enjoyed a lucrative practice until his death, January 17, 1890.
ASA Dow was born in Bath. He married Betsy, daughter of John Moulton, and came to Lyman about 1820, locating near Young's pond, on the farm now occupied by Albert Dow. Among his children were, namely : Asa, Web, Robert, Catharine, Hannah, Mrs. James Whipple, and Mrs. Henry Presbye. He died in Lyman.
THEODORE DYKE was a son of Letty, daughter of Lieut. Col. John Little. He married Betsy Miller and located on the farm now owned by Shepard Parker,
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where he erected the buildings, cleared the land, and became a man of means. His children were, namely : Theodore, Arthur, Chastina, Caroline, Emerenza, Corris Ann, and Jerusia. Mr. Dyke was a strong man physically; honest, industrious, and respected by all who knew him. He died September 5, 1862, at the age of seventy-two years.
THEODORE DYKE Jr., married Corrisa Briggs, and has resided in town.
DAVID LOCKE, son of Simeon Locke and Abigail Blake, was born Oct. 19, 1788, in Epsom, N. H., and was the fifth in descent from John Locke, who was killed by the Indians in Rye, N. H., in 1696. When a boy he lived, for some time, with an uncle at Rye. He married Florinda Locke, Oct. 17, 1810, and soon moved to Lyman, locating upon the farm where Lyman M. now lives. There was a log house on the place when he brought his bride to Lyman, and this they occupied until 1820, when he built the rear of the present house. The front was added in 1848. His children were, namely: Joseph, born Feb. 29, 1812; Jonathan, born May 11, 1814; Mary Ann, born March 29, 1816; Elbridge, born March 24, 1818 ; Florenda, born April 21, 1820; Simeon Lovering, born Sept. 6, 1822; David M., born Sept. 1, 1824; Silas M., born Aug. 16, 1826; Alice, born Nov. 13, 1828; Josiah Hannibal, born June 7, 1831 ; and Abigail, born Sept. 15, 1834. Mr. Locke was an esteemed citizen of the
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town, and died March 19, 1863, at the age of seventy- four years.
SIMEON L. LOCKE, son of David, married Harriet Bailey, and remained on the home farm of his father. His family contained four sons and two daughters. He died December 30, 1879, at the age of fifty-seven years.
SILAS M. LOCKE, son of David, attended the school on Moulton Hill, until nineteen years of age, when he commenced work at the lumber business for Capt. James Sumner of Dalton. On December 8, 1848, he left New Hampshire and sailed from Boston January 27, 1849, for California by way of Cape Horn. After a stormy passage lasting six months, he arrived in San Francisco July 23, 1849. His brother David M., had arrived a few weeks previously by way of Panama, and together they engaged in mining. Mr. Locke subsequently worked at building mills, and finally bought two yoke of oxen and engaged in the trucking business, where he averaged to make fifty dollars a day. In September, 1850, he engaged in the water supply business in San Francisco,-at which work he continued until 1855. This was the only system of water supply at that time, the water being delivered in carts, and proved a very lucrative employment. In 1855 he went into the real estate and building busi- ness, which he continued to the time of his death. He became a member of the Vigilance Committee of 1856,
SILAS M. LOCKE.
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and assisted at the execution of several criminals. He was a member of the Volunteer Fire Department, and acted under every Chief Engineer up to the incumbent of 1902, and also a member of the Society of Califor- nia Pioneers. He was married July 22, 1857, to Sabrina, daughter of Barron Moulton, who died in San Francisco, May 4, 1896, leaving a daughter, Fanny P., who married Mr. D. L. Farnsworth in 1864. Mr. Farnsworth died Aug. 28, 1900, leaving a widow, son, and daughter, who still reside in San Francisco. Mr. Locke returned to Lyman several times, visiting the scenes and friends of his early life, and showed much loyalty to his native town. He was a self-made man in the highest sense, and from his labors of over half a century, wealth came to him beyond the dreams of his youth. He died in San Francisco, after a brief illness, Jan. 25, 1903. David M. Locke, owns a dairy farm of about fifteen hundred acres in Scott's Valley, supporting about two hundred cows. Josiah H. Locke, the seventh son, also owns a large dairy farm at Half Moon Bay, with about one hundred and sixty cows. Their sister Alice, who was the wife of Judge Rix, is a widow and resides at Alameda, and has four daughters and one son. Floren da (Mrs. Walker), and Abigail (Mrs. Butler), both reside in Windsor, Vt.
SAMUEL TITUS moved to Bath from Rhode Island about 1765, and settled on the Harris farm. About
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1782 he moved to Landaff, where he held many offices of trust. He came to Lyman in 1805, where he reared a family of eight children, namely : Eleazer, Samuel, John, Luther, Calvin, Mary, and two others. He died in 1818, at the age of eighty-five years.
CALVIN TITUS, son of Samuel, was born May 22, 1777, and died January 15, 1819. He lived for many years on the farm once owned by Dr. Samuel Hoskins on the road under the mountain. He had born to him six sons and two daughters, namely: Calvin Jr., Rufus, Lucy, Moses, Phineas, Reuben, Ira, and Betsy. Moses died in 1899, at the age of ninety-one years.
CAPT. CALVIN TITUS JR. was born in Lyman, in 1802, and died March 22, 1888. He married Sarah Porter, first, and had born to him six sons and two daughters, namely: Henry, Solon, Frank, Ira, Osman, Joseph, Emily, and Annette. He married, second, Rebecca Miner. The children of this marriage were Ellen and Sadie. Mr. Titus took an active part in town affairs and served as selectman, constable, and collector of taxes.
OSMAN P. TITUS, son of Calvin Jr., married, first, Annette Knapp, and married, second, Angeline Knapp. He has always resided in town.
HENRY C. TITUS, brother of the above, was born in 1829. He married Ruth Bailey, and died in Lisbon February 12, 1901.
IRA E. TITUS, brother of the above, married Hattie E. Barbour, and was an active business man of the
DAVID LOCKE.
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town at one time, but, at present, resides near Boston.
SOLON R. TITUS, brother of the above, married Frances Dow. He died in town in 1899, at the age of sixty-eight years.
JOHN SMITH TITUS, son of Samuel, lived for many years in the south eastern part of the town near Lis- bon village. He reared a family of six sons, namely : Asher, Jason, Jeremy, John, Merrill, and Calvin.
CHARLES PARKER was born on Sugar Hill May 21, 1826. He married Amelia E. Bennett, and became a citizen of Lyman in 1848, where he was a member of the firm of Parker & Young. He was a representative in the legislature from Lyman in 1862-3. In 1864 he moved to Lisbon, where he died August 25, 1895.
SAMUEL P. FORD was born in East Haverhill, N. H., in 1833. He first came to Lyman as a school teacher, and afterwards married Jane Kelsea, and be- came a citizen of the town in 1856, locating on Clough Hill on the old Hall farm. He held various town offices, took an active interest in educational matters, and was one of the leading men of affairs during the civil war period. He moved to Lisbon in 1865.
ALONZO J. CHASE came from Bradford, Vt., to Ly- man about 1855. He married Emmeline, daughter of Col. John Little, and lived in Tinkerville. He was a genuine Yankee peddler, a vocation which he followed during his business life. He was born May 21, 1828, and died in Monroe, November 4, 1894.
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WILLIAM D. STEVENS, son of Wilbur Stevens, was born in Smithfield, R. I., in 1817. He came to Ly- man in 1839, and married Lydia Ann, daughter of William Barbour. They lived on the old homestead with William Martin Jr., receiving the farm for the care of Mr. and Mrs. Martin, which contract was faith- fully performed. His son Wilbur, still resides on the old place.
BENJAMIN BEDELL, son of Amos Bedell of Bath, was born in 1824. He married Sarah A. Spaulding and lived in town several years.
WILLIAM SWAN married Ruth Garland, and became a citizen of this town about 1850. His home was on the farm known as the "North Star." He died in 1900, at the age of eighty years.
ISAAC P. WHEELOCK, son of Aaron, was born in Littleton. He married Ethalinda Bailey, and came to Lyman in 1860. He died in 1880 at the age of fifty- two years.
JOHN MARTIN was one of the characters of the town, a shoemaker by trade, and lived on Parker Hill and in Tinkerville. His conception of things was very peculiar, and he derived great pleasure from his imag- ination. He had a catechism peculiar to himself, which he was in the habit of teaching to the boys when they were waiting for work in his shop. In part it was as follows; Who was the first man? Adam Gibson. Who built the Ark? Noah Moulton. Who
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was the meekest man? Moses Bailey. Who was the . most patient man? Job Moulton. Who was the
strongest man? Lazarus Sampson. Who killed Goliah? David Eastman. Who was the wisest man? Solomon Presby. Who was cast into the lion's den? Daniel Moulton. At that time, all of these men were well known residents of Lyman. The subject of this sketch was a son of Stephen and Sallie Martin, and was born in Topsham, Vermont, in 1817. He came to Lyman in 1840, and married Juliann Smith. Mr. Martin died April 13, 1880, at the age of sixty-two years and nine months.
WILLIAM WILLIAMS was born in England. He came to Bath, where he married Ruth Bedel, and moved to Lyman about 1803. He was an educated man and a bookkeeper by profession. Among his children were, namely: Lorenzo, William, Azariah and Jacob.
JACOB WILLIAMS, son of William, married Mary Scales, and was a citizen of Lyman nearly all his life. His home was in the south part of the town near the great rock. He reared a large family of children, and died in 1877, at the age of seventy-eight years.
JAMES STICKNEY lived in Lyman in early times, and died while living on the place afterwards occupied by his son Taplin. Among his children were, namely: Daniel and Taplin. Daniel married Polly Moulton, and died November 23, 1871, at the age of eighty
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years. Taplin married Sarah Clough, a daughter of Zacheus Clough, and died in 1878, at the age of seventy-two years.
ETHAN FRANKLIN STICKNEY, son of Daniel, was born in Lyman, February 8, 1825. He married Laura, daughter of Lebbeus Hastings, in 1848. Among their family of seven children were: Seth Paddleford, Walter Harriman, and Mrs. Charles E. Elms. Mrs. Stickney died September 20, 1882, at the age of fifty-two years. Mr. Stickney married, second, Mrs. Ethalinda Wheelock, and died in Woodsville, N. H., November 16, 1900.
DAVID STICKNEY was in Lyman about 1800, and lived on the old town farm. His children were, name- ly : John, Parker, James, David, and Dan. His wife was Sarah, a daughter of Solomon Parker. His son, John, married Hannah Presby, and died in town.
RAWSON MCALPEN was born in Bath. He married Mary Webster and came to Lyman about 1840. His children were, namely: Eber, Chester, Jack, David, and several others. He died in 1871, at the age of eighty-two years.
ETHAN FRANKLIN STICKNEY.
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CHAPTER VI.
MISCELLANEOUS.
OLD CELLARS-COLD SEASON OF 1816-INCIDENT IN THE EARLY HIS- TORY OF LYMAN - CIDER MILL - DRINKING HABITS - PHYSICIANS - CHURCHES AND MINISTERS-DOMESTIC AND SOCIAL LIFE-MORMONS- STORES-MILLS-STARCH BUSINESS-BLACKSMITHS-TANNERY -TOWN HOUSE-LIBRARIES-SCHOOLS - POTASH -SUGAR MAKING - RUNNING THE CONNECTICUT RIVER - TEAMING - WITCHCRAFT - MILITARY MATTERS.
OLD CELLARS.
There are to be found here and there throughout the township of Lyman, the remains of former habita- tions, which mark places once the home of some settler or early resident of the town. Some of the occupants are known, but in most cases all trace is lost of the families who dwelt amidst those now neglected ruins. A few of them are located as follows: one in the pasture of the farm formerly owned by William Miner, below the residence of Mr. Olin, and in the rear of where the old school house stood; another in the west pasture of the Kent farm. There are also two near the woods in front of the Kent place; one of which is just above the home of D. C. Parker, another op- posite the last on the Hoskins farm. There is also a cellar in the southern part of the town near the "rock-
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ing stone" (which of itself is also a curiosity), while still another is opposite the Moulton Hill cemetery ; one south of the residence of Willard Chase ; one near the home of James House ; and several on Gardner's mountain. These are only a few of the many which can yet be found.
COLD SEASON OF 1816.
The summer of 1816 was memorable on account of the intense cold which prevailed thoughout the entire summer ;- the season for growing crops being "cut short at both ends." In some parts of New Hamp- shire snow fell to the depth of several inches in June, and in September corn froze to the center of the cob, and apples were frozen upon the trees. There was a frost in every month of the year, which caused the people of Lyman to suffer much for food during the following winter, and they were compelled to subsist mainly upon peas and beans. The above was personally re- lated by Moses Walker who came to town in the early spring of that year.
INCIDENT IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF LYMAN.
The following experience of some of the earliest settlers of Lyman was related by J. D. Hoskins, hav- ing been told him by his grandfather, Eli Hoskins. In 1765 the Knapps and Hodges came from Taunton, Mass., to Lyman, and attempted to settle and build a mill on what was then called Burnham's river, after-
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wards the sight of the old Dodge mill. William Hoskins, a brother of Eli who was a mill-wright and twenty-six years old at that time, came with them to to assist in the work, but they were driven away by the Indians and obliged to leave their homes.
William Hoskins went to New York, where he re- mained. The Knapps and Hodges, it seems, went to Massachusetts, and after the close of the Revolution, returned to Lyman. This attempt at settlement in 1765 is the earliest of which we have any record, and no doubt they were the first people who located in town.
CIDER MILL.
The first cider-mill in town was built by Deacon David Gordon in the corner of his field below the house, near the Hoskins farm. This mill was a rude affair, unprotected by shelter of any kind. It consist- ed simply of a press, and plank trough or tank. In this trough were two wooden rollers, standing upright in a plank frame. One roller was short, the other eight or ten feet high. Short wooden pins were in- serted in the long one, so that when it revolved, they would catch in corresponding holes in the short one and turn that also. At the top of the long roller, a long pole was attached, curving toward the ground ; to the end of which a horse was hitched. The apples were held in a hopper, and directed between the rollers; as the horse went round, the rollers turned
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and the apples were crushed and dropped into the tank. A boy would sit on a board, laying across the trough, and scrape the pulp out of the holes in the roller, as it turned around, lest the holes fill and thus prevent the roller from turning. The pomace was then "laid up" in a cheese with straw, and the cider pressed out. Other mills were subsequently built on Parker Hill, Moulton Hill, and one on the Lyman Hoskins place.
DRINKING HABITS.
In earlier times the habits and usages of the people were different in many respects from what they are at present. The use of liquors, as a beverage, was uni- versal, and it was not considered injurious to health, nor a disgrace to use it freely. It was sold openly at all the stores, and Mrs. Abigail Stevens related, that when a girl, there was such carousals and fights in Lemuel Parker's store evenings, that she was afraid to remain in their house which stood near by. It was also related by an eye witness, that there were fre- quently fights at the lower store, at which time there would be a heap of struggling humanity in the road in front of the store several feet high, punching and pounding one another until exhausted. All the leading men in town drank and kept it in their houses, and even the clergymen would take a drink.
It was impossible to have a raising without rum, and at every birth the neighbors expected to be called
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in and treated. Always at funerals, after the cere- mony at the grave, the conductor would pompously request all friends and relatives to return to the house. He would seat them with great solemnity, and then mix and pass around liquor himself. Both men and women, also the minister, would imbibe freely.
A number of persons in Lyman were licensed to sell spirituous and intoxicating liquors. As it is hardly possible, that these could have been supported, to any considerable extent, by travellers, it is but reasonable to conclude that they were licensed largely to supply the local demands for ardent spirits, which soon after the Revolutionary war came into quite general use, and was regarded as one of the necessities of the household, and, in fact, indispensable in carrying on the more laborious parts of husbandry or mechanical business. New England rum was the liquor mostly used. The general use of this became very common, and is traceable, largely, no doubt, to habits acquired by those out in the service, where the rations of soldiers consisted in part of New England rum.
PHYSICIANS.
The first physicians who practiced medicine in the town of Lyman were Dr. Isaac Moore and Dr. Edward Dean; the former having settled in Bath in 1790, the latter locating in the same town in 1806.
The first physician who located in town was Dr. Wright, who was a brother of Mrs. Francis Burt.
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The date of his coming is not known, but he was here as late as 1816, and lived in an old house on Parker Hill, which stood on the spot occupied by the double house near the store. He moved to Bradford, Vt., where he died. After the family left Lyman, the walls on the inside of the old house, where they lived, were found to be covered with drawings and pictures made by a son, Neziah, who was a lad at that time. This son, afterwards became quite celebrated as an engraver, and as a member of the firm of "Rawdon, Wright and Hatch," he engraved the first "Green- backs issued by the United States.
Doctor Jones, and Doctor Barney, each located in town and remained only for a short time. A sketch of the life of Doctor Samuel Hoskins, who became a citizen of Lyman in 1817, is given in another part of these sketches.
CHURCHES AND MINISTERS.
Until about 1820, all religious meetings were held in private houses, and frequently in the summer sea- son in barns. About this time the citizens of all denominations united and built a church where the present one now stands. It was always known as the "yellow meeting-house" from the out-side color. It was built as a union house, but from the fact that the Methodist contingent largely predominated, trouble soon arose. At one of the business meetings Deacon Underwood, a prominent Methodist, made the state-
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ment that the other denominations could use the church only when they did not want it. To this, several of the owners demured, and the Congregation- alists and Universalists led by Luther Hoskins, Daniel Moulton, and Cyrus Clough, united with others and built a church where the Ira Titus house now stands on Parker Hill, which was union in character and known as the White Church. This church with its tall spire was a very handsome building. The interior was high and vaulted, with a gallery containing pews, running around the whole church except the end oc- cupied by the pulpit, and on the whole, presenting a very elegant appearance. Originally as the church was built, there was no spire, but when Mr. Whitney came to town to do business, he induced the people to erect a spire, as his store was situated opposite. He secured the contract to construct and erect it. In those days, at all raisings, it was customary to pass around the cup that does more than cheer. Quite a large crowd collected to raise the spire, and they all soon became very joyful. At last one, Alvah Cob- leigh, a young man who had recently been a sailor, conceived the idea of climbing to the top of the spire after it was in position. He did so, and after seating himself on the ball at the top, he drew forth his bottle and drank, then flinging it to the ground, he slid down in safety, amidst great applause. This caused a feel- ing of emulation among some of the older men who
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