USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Lyman > Historical sketches of Lyman, New Hampshire > Part 8
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140
MISCELLANEOUS SKETCHES.
was hung on the same pole to sugar off in. After sugaring off, there would be several quarts of sedi- ment in the bottom of the kettle, consisting of ashes, twigs, and leaves; but the sugar seemed just as sweet. The first sap-pan for boiling sap was brought to Ly- man in 1850, by Luther B. Hoskins; previous to this, all the maple sugar made in town was boiled in iron kettles.
RUNNING THE CONNECTICUT RIVER.
In early times the timber and lumber of the upper Connecticut was taken down the river in rafts. They started from "the Landing" in Haverhill and run down to Hartford, Conn. The saw-mills in Lyman and the towns north of Haverhill would saw out their lumber in the spring, and during the summer it was hauled down to the landing with horse and ox teams. It was bound into a great raft, with the shingles, clapboards, and lighter articles, piled on top. These rafts were worked down through by the river men. They were a rough hard lot of fellows used to exposure and danger. Usually, they would remain during the sum- mer, in the vicinity of Hartford, working upon the farms, and returning in the fall, walking the entire distance. Several men from Lyman were engaged in this work, among the number being George Foster, John Sanborn, Samuel Moulton, and Noah Moulton, and at various times other men from Lyman worked on the river.
141
MISCELLANEOUS SKETCHES.
TEAMING.
In early times the roads were poor and difficult to draw loads over, but as the years rolled on they were improved, so that teams went back and forth from this section to Portland, Lowell, Boston, and wherever they could find a market for the products of the soil and the forests, bringing back on the return trip such articles as were needed, also goods for the merchants. The farmers of Lyman did their teaming mostly in the winter season, going to Portland and Boston. There were numerous pungs, one and two horse sleighs on the road, so that frequently these trains were a half mile or more in length. Frozen hogs, butter, cheese, poultry, furs, sheep-pelts, and all articles of coun- try produce, were carried in this way to market. Tav- erns were numerous along the way, and on the road to Portland, through the "White Mountain Notch," were the famous taverns of Rosebrooks and Crawford. These taverns would be filled in the night with trav- elers and teams. Many of the teamsters carried with them their own food of cold meat, pies, cake and cheese, and only took lodgings and drink at the tavern. Many also carried their oats for the horses. They made the country lively along the route, and the trips with now and then an accident, or a few days of thaw, were full of jollity and incident.
142
MISCELLANEOUS SKETCHES.
J
WITCHCRAFT.
The echoes of the Salem witchcraft reached Lyman about one hundred years ago, at which time there were several believers in the occult science in town. William Martin was a firm believer in witches, also the family of Solomon Parker Jr., who lived at that time on the farm since occupied by George Foster. They claimed to hear strange noises up in the rear of their house towards the old ledge, which they attributed to witches, and they also thought the witches came and rode their horses nights, and committed various other depredations. A daughter of David Stickney was supposed to be bewitched, and it was rumored that she would walk around the sides of the room without touching the floor with her feet, and perform other singular antics, understood only by witches. William Eastman was a believer, and thought Mrs. Adam Gib- son was a witch who caused him a great deal of trouble. He was drawing hay one day when the linchpin to his wagon would keep coming out until he was unable to keep it in place. Going to the house he saw his pig dancing around on his hind legs and squealing in a peculiar manner. He knew at once that the witches were bothering him, and remarked that he would scald that pig, but when he went to the pump to get some water to heat, for some reason un- known, he was unable to draw any. Then he de- cided that old Mrs. Gibson was the cause of his
DEACON DAVID GORDON.
143
MISCELLANEOUS SKETCHES.
trouble, and immediately went to her house. He was informed that she was sick in bed, but he walked into her room and said, "D-n you, I expected to find you in bed," and talked to her in a manner unbecom- ing a man even to a witch. He afterwards tried the "witch test" on her, of sticking a knife in her track, as it was then thought that by sticking a knife in the track of a witch, they would be unable to move, but Mrs. Gibson merely turned and looked at him and walked on.
MILITARY MATTERS.
Under the militia law of New Hampshire, passed June 26, 1786, all the able bodied male persons, from fifteen years old to forty constituted the training band, among those exempted were members of congress, students of colleges and academies, ministers, elders and deacons of churches, Quakers, selectmen, phy- sicians and millers. Each town that could furnish thirty-two privates, and the proper number of officers was entitled to form one company. All male persons from forty to sixty years of age, capable of bearing arms, constituted the alarm list. The commanding officer of each alarm company called his company to- gether once in six months and examined their arms and accouterments, and if any were not in the re- quired condition, the owner was punished. Every officer and soldier in the alarm list and training band was obliged to provide himself, and keep in readiness,
144
MISCELLANEOUS SKETCHES.
a good musket, and a bayonet fitted thereto, with a good scabbard and belt, a worm, priming-wire and brush, a cartridge-box that would hold at least twenty- four rounds, six flints, and a pound of powder, forty leaden balls fitted to his gun, a knap-sack, a blanket, and a canteen that would hold one quart. Those persons who were unable to provide themselves with the required equipment were furnished at the ex- pense of the town, and if any person, so furnished, was known to wilfully embezzle or destroy the same, he was punished by being publicly whipped, not ex- ceeding twenty stripes.
The training band was called together four times each year. Lyman had one company in the training band. Among the men who held the rank of Captain during the last of the training, were; Capt. Solomon Miner, Capt. Adna Thornton, Capt. John Moulton, Capt. Moses Bailey and Capt. Calvin Titus.
SOLDIERS WHO SERVED IN THE REVOLUTION.
The following are the names of soldiers who served in the Revolution, and subsequently lived for a time, at least, in Lyman. Some of them enlisted from other towns, and no doubt some, who enlisted from Lyman, died in other places, but these men are nearly all buried in town.
Robart Barkley
Hamelton Marden John Millen
Eli Hoskins
Capt. John Barber
Noah Moulton
145
MISCELLANEOUS SKETCHES.
Joshua Thornton
Jonathan Moulton
Solomon Parker Jr.
William Clough
Asa Parker
William Martin
Samuel Parker
Solomon Parker Sen.
Annis Merrill
Capt. Ebenezer Sanborn
Col. Azariah Web
Oliver Hand
William Miner Abial Knapp
SOLDIERS FROM LYMAN WHO SERVED IN THE WAR OF 1812.
Col. John Little
Joseph Little
William Martin Jr.
Daniel Stickney
John Dodge
Theodore Dyke
Labina Hastings
The only person who served in the Mexican war, from Lyman, was Joe Little.
WAR OF THE REBELLION.
The following are the names of soldiers who served in the war of the Rebellion, and were natives of Ly- man. Most of them enlisted from the town. Henry Martin, died in hospital Edwin Powers Harvey Martin, killed in action Charles Garland John Powers, died in Concord Caleb Parker Jesse W. Richardson
Isaac Dodge
Amos Parker, died in hospital Joseph Foster, died in hospital
Shepard C. Parker Charles Parker Elijah Smith Richard Dodge Philander Huntley
Larkin Clough
146
MISCELLANEOUS SKETCHES.
Charles Hall, killed in action Frank Santy, died in prison Herod Gilman, killed in action George Gilman, killed in action Ira Powers, died in Lyman Dan Dow, killed in action Charles Cram, died in hospital Capt. Ludo Little, died in N. Y.
Grey Santy Joseph Santy Eli Santy Harvey Dow James Garland William F. Cowen
Orrin B. Cowen Milo G. Little
Ezra B. Cowen, served in Vt. troops. Benera Sherman Solon Stickney
John Millen, died in Bath Martin Parker
George Bailey Benjamin Bailey
Ansel Moulton
Moses W. Moulton Frank Moulton
Frank Eastman
Ransome Gordon
Lewellyn Parker
Loveren Gilman
Albert Millen
John Bergen
Nathan Whitcomb
Frank Dexter
Hiram Ingerson
Isaac Smith
John Lane
In 1862 twenty-two men were drafted under one call from Lyman. Eleven were accepted, and each paid $300, which under the law at that time, gave them exemption.
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147
INDEX.
INDEX.
HISTORICAL.
PAGES
Charter,
18
Grant to John Hurd,
·
26
Extension of Charter,
30
Town Invoice 1777,
33
Petition for Abatement of Taxes,
34
Relative to Soldiers Furnished for the War,
36
First Town Meeting January 5, 1786,
44, 45
Library Charter,
48
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Ash Family,
89
Bass Family,
103
Bartlett Family,
104
Bedell Family,
112
Barber Family,
65,66
Burt Family,
66, 67
Bailey Family,
80
Barkley Family,
82
Clough Family,
60 to 62
Cowen Family,
62 to 64
Calhoun Family,
64
Corey Family,
86
Cass Family,
91
Chase Family,
111
Dow Family,
106
Drake Family,
79
Dyke Family,
106
Dodge Family,
67,68
Eastman Family,
74 to 76, 90
Esterbrook Family,
102
148
INDEX.
PAGES
Foster Family,
105, 106
Ford Family,
111
Gordon Family,
70,89
Gould Family,
91
Gibson Family,
92,93
Garland Family
102
Gilman Family,
10
Hoskins Family,
94 to 98
Hurd Family,
99
Hastings Family,
104
Hodge Family,
66
Kent Family,
99
Knapp Family,
70 to 73
Little Family,
80 to 82 -
Lynde Family,
103
Locke Family,
107 to 109
Moore Family,
88
Mason Family,
93
Matin Family,
64, 65, 112 114
McAlpin Family,
Moulton Family,
55 to 59
Miner Family,
73, 74
McMillen Family,
76 to 77
Merrill Family
77
Parker Family,
51 to 54, 111
Porter Family,
78
Patridge Family,
99
Presby Family,.
103
Stevens Family,
68, 69, 112
Sanborn Family,
78
Sherman Family,
89
Smith Family,
100, 101
Swan Family,
112
Stickney Family,
113, 114 87,88
Titus Family.
109 to 111
Underwood, Family,
82
Walker Family,
85
Wheelock Family,
112
Way Family,
83
·
·
Thornton Family,
149
INDEX.
PAGES
Williams Family,
113
Wright Family,
79
Young Family,
93
MISCELLANEOUS.
Cold Season of 1816,
116
First Attempt at Settlement,
116
Physicians,
119
Churches,
·
120
Mormons,
129
Stores,
130
Mills,
133
Witchcraft,
142
Military Matters,
143
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4
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