USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Warner > Historical sketches of the town of Warner, New Hampshire > Part 2
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
should fail for members, I will take hold and join the church myself." There were at this time between forty and fifty families in town.
Mr. Kelly was graduated at Harvard College in 1767. He sustained his connexion with the Church and town till March, 1801, when at his own request it was dissolved. After this he resided in town and preached occasionally till his death, which took place suddenly, 18 May, 1813. From the time of Mr. Kelly's dismission, there was no set- tled minister in town till the ordination of the Rev. John Woods, June 22, 1814. Mr. Woods was a native of Fitz- william. He graduated at Williams College in 1809; he sustained a reputable standing as to scholarship while in college, and no less so since entering the ministry. Mr. Woods was settled by a Congregational society. The town voted to concur with the church and society in giving him a call to settle ; but soon after, a town meeting was called, and that vote reconsidered ; and at the same meeting it was voted that the parsonage interest money should not be allowed for his support. The society, though small, gave him a salary of 8400, and twenty cords of wood, per annum, and §500 settlement.
In June, 1823, Mr. Woods was dismissed from his pas- toral charge of the church and society by an ecclesiastical council convened to take into consideration the subject of his support. From this time to the settlement of the pres- ent minister, Rev. Jubilee Wellman, Sept. 26, 1827, the town was again destitute of a settled minister.
Mr. Wellman is a native of Greenfield, Massachusetts: he fitted for College, but on account of a feeble constitu- tion, he did not enter. He attended to his theological studies four years at the seminary at Bangor, Maine, and was honored with the first appointment in the exercises at the close of his studies .*
* The Deacons of the Congregational Church have been as follows:
Parmenas Watson
Elated. 1772 Died or dismissed. 1825
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
Till about the year 1788, the inhabitants were almost en- tirely of the Congregational order. About that time, a Baptist society was formed, who built a meeting-house and partly finished it. They had no regular preaching. After a few years the society dwindled away, and their house went to ruin, and the fragments were sold at auction in 1825. Since the formation of the Baptist society, other denominations, particularly Freewill Baptists, have been somewhat numerous ; but no church of any denomination, except Congregational, has ever been formed, nor any min- ister ordained.
At present, there are in this town Congregationalists, Baptists, Freewill Baptists, Universalists, Osgoodites, and probably many have their religion yet to choose.
The town has never been blessed with a general revival of religion. The greatest revivals ever witnessed in the place were in 1816, 1827, and the present time, July, 1831. In the time of the first revival, about thirty were added to the Congregational Church, and a few united with the Baptist.
There is a Social Library in town incorporated in 1796, containing from 60 to 80 volumes, but has been for several years in a neglected and ruinous condition.
The following persons have graduated from this town ; John Kelly, at Dartmouth in 1804, attorney at law in Northwood and one of the founders of the New Hampshire Historical Society, and its Recording Secretary from 1823 to 1831 ; Rev. Hosea Wheeler, at Dartmouth in 1811; who was a Baptist minister, and died at Eastport, Maine, 27 January, 1823, &. 32; and John Morrill and Asa Putney, at Amherst College ; and Stephen C. Badger, at Dartmouth in 1823, attorney at law at New London. Richard Bean
Nehemiah IIcath .
1772
1816
David Heath ·
. 2. 1809 Dism. to Ilopkinton 1831
Isaac Dalton
1816
Reuben Kimball .
1831
Ezra Barrett
1831
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
received a liberal education, although he did not take his degree owing to a difficulty with the authority of College rather than a deficiency in scholarship. He studied the profession of Law. He survived but a few years after ob- taining his education.
A third Congregational meeting-house was erected in 1791. The old house being much out of repair the town voted to take it down, and sell the nails, glass, &c., to de- fray the expense of building a fence around the burying ground. There was but little done towards finishing the inside of the new meeting-house for several years. It was never finally finished, and is now nearly in ruins. A fourth meeting-house was erected by twenty nine individuals of the Congregational Society in 1819. It is a very comfort- able house and well finished. The whole number of graves or interments in town discoverable at this time (Dec. 1830) amount to seven hundred and sixteen.
This town for the most part may be considered rather a healthy place. It has not been exempt, however, from epi- demic diseases, which have in some instances proved very mortal. In 1776, and '77 the dysentery prevailed to an alarming extent. In the first of those years, it carried off sixteen, and in the second, seventeen of the inhabitants, among whom were several adults and heads of families.
On the 9th September, 1821, this town was visited with a most violent and destructive hurricane, by which four lives were lost, a number seriously injured and considera- ble property destroyed.
The terrible effects produced by this whirlwind could be traced with the eye sixteen or eighteen miles, through for- ests years afterwards. Its path was of various widths from ten to thirty or forty rods. No trees of the forest could withstand its violence. Even in some instances the bed stones in walls were removed out of their places. Several buildings were demolished; some whirled into the air, their parts flying in every direction like feathers. Several
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
persons were carried to a considerable distance. Its gen- eral course was from north-west to south-east through the whole extent of the north part of this town. It began in or west of Wendell, west of Sunapee Lake, passed through New London, or part of Sutton, over the south-west spur of Kearsarge Mountain into the Gore, now Warner, prostrat- ing forest trees and buildings, and whatever crops were upon the ground in its way were entirely destroyed. Sam- uel Savory, an aged man, who lived in the Gore, observed the cloud approaching, hastened to secure the windows of his house, but before he could get from the chamber the whirlwind struck the house, there seemed but one crash before it was whirled into atoms, himself carried several rods and fell his head upon a rock, and killed instantly. An infant child of Daniel Savory's was killed at the same house. About two miles farther cast in its course it came unawares upon the houses of Joseph Truc, Esq., and Peter Flanders. Its violence here seemed unabated. Their houses were destroyed in an instant. Anna Richardson, an elderly woman, and an infant of Peter Flanders, were crushed . to death under the ruins. Several others griev- ously wounded, of whom a little child of Mr. True's died a short time afterwards. This whirlwind was seen by seve- ral at a distance. To those who were on elevated ground and near its path, it somewhat resembled an inverted tun- nel at the lower part of it, and the reverse of that at its upper part. It was seen by several on Burnt Hill when it destroyed Mr. True's and Mr. Flanders' buildings, about a mile distant, and as it passed on through Bagley's pond and expended its violence after destroying Morrill's house near Boscawen line, which was in full view. In passing the pond it carried up large quantities of water into the air, which at first altered the complexion of the cloud from a dark appearance to a greenish hue, when at that moment the suns rays darted through from between the clouds upon
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
it, which immediately altered it to a yellowish or brassy appearance .* 1
The first settlers of this town were very much annoyed by the depredations of bears, raccoons, and other mischiev- ous animals in their cornfields. It required great watchful- ness and care in the husbandman when the corn was in the milk, to preserve a moderate share for the harvest. That species of the bear which were numerous here were par- ticularly fond of corn in the milk, sweet fruits, honey, &c. It was that kind demominated by naturalists Ursus Amer- ¿canus, or the American Bear, has a long pointed nose, and is generally smaller than most other kinds. It abounds in uninhabited parts of our country, particularly at the north of us. It is said to live exclusively on vegetable food, ex- treme hunger only being able to induce it to cat the flesh of animals. These bears reside in trees, mounting and descending them with great alertness. They are frequently found burrowed in hollow trees, upon the ground and clefts of rocks. Their flesh, when young, is thought delicious food, and they were so frequently taken 'that it was not un- common to find the tables of hunters well supplied with it. There are several aged men now living in town who have killed and assisted in killing many bears. It may not be uninteresting to relate a rencounter Thomas Annis, Esq., had with a bear. One day Jate in March, the snow being deep, he mounted his snow-shoes and in company with Ab- ner Watkins and their dogs set off towards the Mink Hills for a hunt, armed with an axe and gun. In the neighbor- hood of the hills, the dogs were perceived to be very much excited with something in a ledge of rocks. Annis left his companion, Watkins, and ascended a crag twenty or thirty feet to where the dogs were, having no other weapon with him but his staff which was pointed with iron. After ex- ploring a little, he concluded there was no game there of
* An account of this whirlwind, written by JACOB B. MOORE, Esq. is published In these Coll. vol. i. p. 211.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
more consequence than a hedge-hog or some other small animal, and being fatigued laid down on the snow on his back to rest, reclining his head upon the place he had been examining ; he had but just laid down when he heard a snuffing under his ear; he started up and turning round found an old bear pressing her head up through the old leaves and snow which filled the mouth of her den ; he thrust his spear pointed staff at the bear's brisket, and thus held the bear which was pressing towards him, at his staff's length distance and called to his companion Watkins to come up with the axe and kill the bear, which, after some little time was effected. After the action was over, Annis complained of Watkins' dilatoriness, but Watkins excused himself by saying he could not get his gun off, that he had snapt, snapt, snapt, several times. Where did you take sight ? said Annis, knowing that he was directly between him and the bear; I took sight between your legs, said Watkins.
Very unlike the resolution of these men was that exhib- ited by two young men who began a clearing on Pompion Hill. They built a camp, and made a beginning to clear on the spot where Timothy Davis' house now stands. They passed two nights in their camp. On the morning of the third day as they went to felling trees, an old bear came at them with her mouth wide open, having been alarmed for her cubs which were near by ; this so terrified our adven- turers that they took to their heels, ran to their camp, picked up their provisions, utensils, &c. and were off; no persuasives of the people who were then in town could in- duce them to stay longer; they left the wilderness and the bears, for the land of their nativity, and never returned afterwards.
Wolves were also troublesome to the first settlers, mak- ing great ravages among their sheep. They seem not to be satisfied with a competency for their wants, but destroy numbers of sheep and lambs, when in their way, out of
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
mere wantonness. There is no animal whose carnivorous appetite is stronger than that of the wolf, and he is endow- ed by nature with all the means of satisfying it, being strong, agile, subtle, and enabled not only to explore, but to seize and subdue his prey.
The Catamount and Wildcat were sometimes met with by the first settlers. In 1766, Solomon Annis shot at a catamount on a tree, brought him to the ground, when he seized his axe and dispatched him on the spot. There were some beaver about the streams, also some otter, mink, and musquash. Wild turkeys, partridges, pigeons, and other small game were found pretty plenty in the woods.
We can but faintly conceive the privations and hardships endured by the first settlers, without knowing something of their circumstances in life, and the hard condition to which they were unavoidably subjected for several years, before mills, bridges and roads were constructed for their convenience. To commence poor in the woods, without houses, without clearings or roads, often destitute of almost all the necessaries of life, might seem just occasions to call forth and employ the resolution, ingenuity, and energy of all who ventured into the forests, to make themselves habi- tations and farms. Yet many there were, who, to avail themselves of the privileges held out by the proprietors, came to occupy their forty acre lots for settling ; subjecting themselves to all the inconveniences and privations incident to pioneer adventurers, into new and uninhabited countries. But, however dark and gloomy a true picture of the times might appear in the main, there were some bright spots and vivid colors in it. Instead of a great variety of gew- gaws and luxuries, the people were clad in plain homespun ; and their tables were furnished with plain, simple, but nu- tricious food. One consequence was, that diseases were less frequent and less numerous. The people enjoyed more social and friendly intercourse ; felt more interest in each other's welfare, and more ready to contribute to each oth-
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
er's wants. Before the fire-brands of discord were thrown among the people, they were united like a band of brothers and sisters ; to which time the survivors will now refer as the happiest of their days. There seems to be a charm in encountering difficulties and dangers. We may observe . this propensity from infancy to manhood, and from man- hood to old age. This trait of character is not peculiar to hunters, sailors, or soldiers, but is common to all, and will continue to be so, so long as mankind are entertained with history, travels, and voyages ; and more particularly so, when associated with hazardous enterprizes, bold daring, and feats of bravery. The first settlers considered every additional family that moved into town as a valuable ac- quisition to the place. All were ready to welcome the new comers into the fraternity.
This town has not been settled long enough to furnish instances of remarkable longevity. It is not uncommon, however, to meet with some of the first settlers who have attained to the ages of 70, 80, and some of 90 years. The first white male child born in town was Daniel Kimball, born October, 1762, and is now living in Canaan. The second was a female, Molly Goodwin, who is also living, aged 67 years.
When the war of the revolution commenced, Warner was not behind her neighbors in preparing for the contest. Though the number of inhabitants was small, and the peo- ple poor, they promptly furnished their quota of men for the field ; some of whom were perhaps as effective and brave as any that could be found in the service. Those who took up arms in the cause of their country in 1775, previous to the organization of an army by Congress, were Charles Barnard, James Palmer, John Palmer, Richard Bartlett, Jonathan Roby, Francis Davis, and Wells Davis. They enlisted for eight months ; the three last mentioned, Roby, F. Davis, and W. Davis, were in Bunker's Hill Battle.
IS F- g it 1 2 -.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
R. Bartlett, Esq., and C. Barnard, were in a skirmish with the British near New-Brunswick, New-Jersey.
In 1776, the following persons enlisted into the continen- tal service, viz. Hubbard Carter enlisted during the war ; and Aquila Davis, Amos Floyd, and Philip Rowell, enlisted for three years. In the same year Isaac Walker, Pasky Pressy, Daniel Young, and John Palmer, were in the mili- tia service. During the campaign of Burgoyne, in 1777, several men from this town were in the service at Benning- ton, Ticonderoga, Saratoga, &c.
After the expiration of the term of the first three years' men, William Lowell, Isaac Lowell, Stephen Colby, and Ichabod Twilight, a mulatto, were enlisted for three years. Considerable bounties were engaged to the Lowells and Colby, by the town, for their encouragement to enlist, and were afterwards paid, though they were so fortunate as not to be retained in the service the term for which they en- listed, or exposed to the dangers of a battle with the enemy.
During the last war with Great-Britain, early in 1813, there were upwards of thirty men from this town enrolled in a volunteer regiment, commanded by Gen. Aquila Davis, commissioned as a Colonel. Col. Davis's regiment was marched to Burlington carly in the year 1813, and put un- der the command of Gen. Wade Hampton. They were twice slightly engaged with the enemy, at Chateaugeay, and at the Stone Mills, at La Cole; neither of which were cel- ebrated for any thing gained or lost. Col. Davis con- manded a detachment of about 200 men on an island near the mouth of Otter Creek, in Lake Champlain, where he repelled an attack of the British naval squadron on that lake, May 1, 1814. The main design of the British was probably to bring on an action with Commodore MI'Do- nough's squadron, some distance up that Creek. No sol- dier has ever been wounded or lost in battle from this town.
Warner is divided into twenty-one school districts for primary schools, for the most part comfortably provided
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
with school houses ; in which are taught reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, geography generally, and in some, rhetoric, history, philosophy, chemistry, &c.
The town is well watered by Warner river and its tribu- taries. This is a small river of from twelve to twenty yards in width, which rises in New-London and Fishersfield, enters at the northwest corner of the town, and runs diagonally through the town to the south-east corner, and falls into the Contoocook river in Hopkinton, about a mile beyond the limits of the town. This stream divides the town pretty nearly into two equal parts, and affords several valuable mill privileges. There are six grist mills in town, two with three, and the remainder with two runs of stones each. Also, one paper-mill, two clothing mills, and twelve saw. mills. There are four ponds, Thom Pond, Pleasant, Bear, and Bagley's, which afford a variety of small fish. In cer- tain seasons of the year the salmon trout is caught in Bear Pond, of a good size and very fine flavor. Pleasant Pond contains perhaps 15 or 20 acres. It has apparently no nat- ural channel for an inlet or outlet to it; but is probably supplied through subterranean passages, which raise the water at times, without any apparent cause, sufficiently high to overflow its banks.
Mountains. Warner has a full share of mountains and high bluffs within its limits. Kearsarge mountain, on the north, rears his majestic head from the bosom of a dense forest of evergreens. This mountain, which is estimated at 2461 feet in height, is not excelled in beauty of form, from a southern or eastern view, by any in this part of the country. It is frequently visited by the lovers of nature's rude and majestic scenery. It is easy of access by the new road from Warner to Sutton, and round the north part of the mountain in Wilmot and Andover, where people can ride comfortably to within a mile of the top of the highest peak. From this bluff, the spectator may, by a glance of the eye, bring to view nearly all of Merrimack county, and
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
parts of Hillsborough, Rockingham, Strafford, Grafton, Sullivan, and Cheshire counties. The Mink Hills are a range of low mountains, extending from the river to the south part of the town, a little west of a centre line. The farms in the neighborhood of these mountains are valuable for grazing, and afford good orcharding.
The principal timber trees of our forests are pine, several species, oak, white and red, maple, birch, beech, chestnut, ash, hemlock, spruce, bass, &c. Pine and oak were found in the greatest abundance and of the best quality. So in- sensible were the first settlers to the value of timber, that thousands and thousands of dollars worth of the finest tim- ber trees were destroyed by fires, and others wantonly cut down, and left to perish upon the ground. Many samples of this waste may be seen at the present day. Great quan- tities of excellent clear boards have been sawed at the sev- cral mills in town. The white oak also has been found in considerable quantities, and of an excellent quality. Our navy yard has been furnished with several very fine keel sticks for seventy four gun ships, from this and the adjoin- ing town of Hopkinton. Timber, however, is now becom- ing scarce.
Warner may be considered strictly a farming town. Beef, pork, butter, cheese, mutton, poultry and some wool, are the principal articles raised for the market. Corn, rye, wheat, oats, peas, beans, potatoes, turnips, and most garden vegetables are raised for home consumption. There is gen- erally a very considerable deficiency in bread stuffs. Hay of a good quality is cut upon the upland farms, consisting of clover, herdsgrass, redtop, &c. and in the intervals and meadows, foulmeadow, bluejoint and several other kinds of grasses. Apples are raised in great abundance, but little attention has as yet been paid by farmers to the improve- ment of their quality by grafts. Pears, peaches, cherries, and most kinds of stone fruits may be easily raised here to great perfection. Melons, squashes and pompions flourish
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
well. Flax was raised formerly for home use, but latterly cotton cloths supersede linens, and the raising of it is al- most entirely neglected.
On the general scale, we may consider genius, not alto- gether as an exotic, but a native plant, common to all the human family, not confined to any locality, nor such a fac- ulty as will vegetate and grow luxuriantly without care and cultivation. And the stinted growth of it here, is not so much attributable to any natural deficiency, as to a culpable neglect of literary and scientific pursuits.
The physicians who have been in practice any considera- ble time in town are the following, viz. Doctor John Hall was the first, and is now living in Maine, "John Currier, - Cogswell, *Thomas Webster, *William Dinsmoor, *Henry Lyman, ¡Silas Walker, the writer of these sketch- es, *Caleb Buswell, and Leonard Eaton. They are inserted in the order in which they came into town and commenced business. There are two attorneys in town, the only two who have ever resided long in the place ; HENRY B. CHASE and HARRISON G. HARRIS, Esquires. There are three stores and two taverns in town.
A town Lyceum was formed in June, 1830, which will it is hoped exert an influence in favour of mental improve- ment, the greal object for which it is formed.
* Deceased. + Removed.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF WARNER.
The following Table, which was taken from the records of RICH- ARD BARTLETT, Esq., will show the important information of the opening of Spring on the hills in Warner; the pine lands are ready for the plough usually at least a week or ten days carlier ; this in- dicates the near close of foddering time of young cattle and sheep.
In 1801 Ploughed March 28.
Sowed wheat April 5.
1802
do.
April 14.
do.
19.
1803
do.
do.
11.
do.
18.
1805
do.
do.
1.
do.
6.
1806
do.
do.
21.
do.
26.
1807
do.
do.
25.
do.
May 4.
1808
do.
do.
11.
do.
April 15.
1809
do.
do.
18.
do.
22
1810
do.
do.
20.
(lo.
24.
1811
do.
do.
4.
(lo.
8.
1812
dlo.
clo.
21.
do.
29.
1813
do.
do.
19.
do.
23.
1814
do.
do.
12.
do.
16.
1815
do.
do.
19.
do.
29.
1816
do.
do. 20.
‹lo.
26
1817
do.
do. 15.
do.
23.
1818
do.
May 2.
do.
May 9.
very good crop.
1819
do.
April 23.
do.
April 27.
1820
do.
do. 22.
do.
27.
1821
do.
do. 17.
clo.
24.
1822
do.
do. 9.
do.
18.
1823
do.
do.
17.
do.
23.
1821
‹lo.
do.
10.
do.
18.
1825
do.
11.
do.
16.
1826
do.
do.
16.
do.
24.
1827
do.
do.
16.
do.
21.
1828
do.
March 31.
do.
12.
1829
do.
April 17.
do.
27.
1830
do.
do.
9.
do.
15.
1831
do.
do.
2.
do.
26.
BILL OF MORTALITY IN WARNER, KEPT BY MRS. BENJAMIN EVANS.
Under 10
years age.
Between
10 and 20.
Between
20 and 30.
Between
30 and 40.
Between
40 and 50.
Between
50 and 60.
Between
00 and 70.
70 and 80.
Between
80 and 90.
Between
90 and 100.
Total.
In 1820
4
4
5
4
1
2
1
1
0
1827
9
2
1
3
0
0
2
0
1
0
17
1820
11
2
5
4
3
3
3
5
4
1830
12
3
3
4
3
1
1
2
=
0
--
To July 10, 1831
0
1
1
2
0
C
1.
2
1
3
1825
.
Between
F dalila 84291 5
6505 1
I
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