USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Acworth > History of Acworth, with the proceedings of the centennial anniversary, genealogical records, and register of farms > Part 10
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There are many in this assembly celebrating with filial love and veneration the deeds of their fathers and their mothers, and they will tell you with what fidelity their fathers and their mothers wrought.
Look around you ! compared with the great eyeles of years it is but a little time since the place where you now stand, nay, all the surrounding territory was one wide wildwood of maple and oak and hemlock, the home of the bear and the eagle. The axe has laid the forest trees low and they have been shaped into cottages and farm houses, granaries and barns ; the wild beast has fled and the eagle is scarcely known to you except as the em- blem of your country.
Where aforetime stood the wigwam of the children of the forest you now behold the district school-house and the church, emblems, in this favored land, of mental culture and moral and religious training, so that this rural town has put on the garments of the ages. Too much of this be- neficent result Dr. Brooks contributed an ample share, and, for his labors, we, as citizens, to-day wreathe his memory with the chaplet of our grateful remembrance.
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As a friend and neighbor Dr. Brooks was faithful and true ; warm and genial in his sympathies ; hearty and sincere in his manifestations of regard. There are many here now, there are many absent who remember with keen gratitude his kindness to them, who remember with what good nature and good heart he bestowed upon them the tokens of his generous inclinations, and I am sure that from the realms of the happy his beautiful spirit looks with placid eye upon the thousand evidenees of his love.
Of other and gentler feelings which eluster around the hearts of those who were of his fireside I may not speak ; they belong to the seclusion of his own bereaved family, where I know they are treasured in the storehouse of their most abiding affection.
With the hope that it will not be thought improperly obtrusive I beg the privilege of saying he was my friend, and that personally I feel a pride in the consciousness that he was so. While I grieve that any one must speak his eulogy, it is a melancholy pleasure that I am permitted at this time to bear testimony to his many virtues, and to join with you in paying a grateful tribute " to the Memory of the late Dr. Brooks."
The following sentiment was responded to by George B. Brooks, Esq., of East Saginaw, Michigan :
The Native Lawyers of Acworth-Ever true to their early impressions. One of them is done brown (Brown). Others run as swiftly as the brooks (Brooks). Many seek the cool retreat of the bowers (Bowers) : while all, ere they reach their graves (Graves), will pause and pay a tribute to the memory of the late Levi Turner, Esq., and the Hon. Milon C. McClure."
Fellow-Citizens and Friends :- Although the number of native lawyers is small, it is not an occasion for even a brief history of individuals, and I ean only hope to show the direction in which lie the rights, duties and tendencies of the legal profession. The true type of our citizenship and civilization is found in the lives of our best men and women. If we have paupers and convicts, they are unfortunates, and detraet nothing from the higher order of manhood that does exist. The ministry of the church has its hypocrites, the noble profession of medicine has its quacks, and the law has its pettifoggers ; yet these are no honest part or index of the learned professions, but parasites. The English novelists, of the past few years, have given much false coloring to the American Bar. Their representations,-forceful, eloquent and truth- ful, as the part in romanees which they are made to take, requires,-are no more the type of character in the history of American jurisprudence, than the Salem witchcraft is of the freedom of the religious sentiments of New England iu the year 1868. But they left impressions that stay late in the minds of many, who accept them without a doubt or an inquiry, as a truth- ful likeness of the whole class of lawyers everywhere. I remember a good old lady, who would as willingly have gone down to her grave with a lie upon her lips as to have represented any human being falsely or unjustly,
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and she said to me in a voice of tenderness and sadness, " do you really be- lieve a lawyer can be a good man ?"
But the testimonies concerning the dignity of the profession have prevailed, and it is well that the old discredits and disgraces, which it has received through ignorance,-but ignorance in many disguises, coming sometimes through the zeal and jealousy of divines, sometimes through the severity of political hatred and sometimes through the learned and the philosopher,- have been removed.
The lawyer is the product of civilization. Savage life and the earlier pioneers do not require his services, for in these conditions brute force has the mastery, and " might makes right." "To give counsel, to secure men's persons from death and violence, and to dispose of the property of their goods and lands," are their true labors. The nation, the State and the in- dividuals are their wards. Their life, liberty and estate are in their keeping while reason and right rule. Questions of great weight and great difficulty. Weighty for that the things of such value are at issue, difficult for the able practice and learned opinions, on the one side, and the equally influential and learned authorities on the other side. And then, there are men and women of fine fiber and sentiments, and they must be managed delicately ; and there are men and women of coarse fiber and sentiments, and they must be managed delicately.
But bar the nobler purposes, and the moralities if you will, and bring all to the low level of expediency, and then ask, " What pays best," in the practice of law ? The answer is, strict integrity, unquestioned probity and unsullied honor. " Just law and true policy never go apart." This is no siekly sentiment, for sensational occasions, but the daily experience of pro- fessional life. Through all, in all, and with all, if true to the high calling, the end sought is, that " truth may first appear and then prevail."
. Our rugged and rocky hills, with their pleasant valleys, that the grand old primal ocean left us, when the great law made other beds for the waters, have given us sweet influenees amid scenes of beauty and grandeur. They have made us better, if not always good men, and women,-and better law- yers too ;- and the early and lasting impressions that have come from these hills, we shall never forget and ean never cease to love, scattered though we may be among mountains, among other hills, or in our prairie homes. I speak for a profession that I love and reverence, and how gratefully and tenderly too, if time allowed, would I go to the grave of our honored dead, whose lives were the ripe consummate fruit of duty done to all mankind. Of the living, their works should tell more and better things than any words of mine can speak.
Native lawyers of Acworth, brothers and volunteers in the ranks of hard workers, that are second to none in intellect, in heart, in culture, in acquire- ments, in veracity, in justice, and in humanity, let us remember that " the greatest trust between man and man, is the trust of giving counsel." If
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you are not true men in the profession, you are false men, aud cannot be true anywhere. If worthy the dignity of the profession
- -"it must follow, as the night the day Thon canst not be false to any man !"
The sentiment next in order was responded to by L. V. N. Peck of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., as follows : -
" Our Native Teachers-A close attention to their calling, has won for them a pre- eminence in this profession worthy of commendation."
Mr. President, and Fellow-Citizens :- It is no part of a teacher's duty to make long speeches ; whatever he says is expected to be short, sharp and decisive, and I am sure I cannot please this audience better than by making my remarks short, though they may be neither sharp or decisive.
That which distinguishes New England above other parts of this country and above all other countries, is her system of common schools, a system which enables every child to secure the advantages of an education, and makes our people the most intelligent among the nations of the earth. I tell you, my friends, I am proud every day of my life that I was born and bred in New England, and this feeling of pride and gratitude deepens and strengthens the more' I see of the social life and educational deficiencies of other communities.
Our rocky soil and sterile hills may not compare very favorably with the rich prairies of the West, or the productive savannahs of the South ; but of what avail were those rich soils until New England genius and enterprise brought their hid treasures to the light, and made them minister to the com- fort and sustenance of our people. Go where you will, over the broad West, and in every village you will find men whom the rocky soil of New England nurtured to manhood, whose intellects New England teachers have sharpened, and fitted for their work. Tell over the prominent publie men of our coun- try at any period of our history, and you will find that New England has always contributed her full share and sometimes exceeded it threefold. Well did the sturdy farmer answer the traveler's half contemptuous query, as to what were our productions, " Well our land is rough and our soil poor, so we build school houses and raise men !" To raise men who can wisely and justly control the affairs of the nation, we need, as we have had, good schools and earnest, devoted teachers. This brings me to my text, " The native teachers of Acworth." I do not need to point them out to you by name, they are with you and of you. They are your neighbors and friends. I see before me venerable men, who wielded the birch, when a powerful physique was one of the first requisites demanded by the care- ful committee; for-be it spoken with all fitting reverence-the bois- terous spirits of our fathers and mothers, the outgrowth of an exuberant life and health, of which this generation knows little, sometimes needed the restraining hand of the master.
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REMARKS BY L. V. N. PECK AND DAVID CAMPBELL.
How fondly do our old men dwell upon the hearty good will and cordial hospitality of those times, with the huskings, and apple-bees and spelling- schools, when red cars were prizes better than gold, when apple-parings mysteriously curled into cabalistie symbols of future destiny, and merry games and forfeits made the hours flit by with lightning speed, and brought the pleasant pain of parting all too soon. In all these merry-makings the teacher was an important and honored guest. ' Generally he " boarded round," and his coming was an event to be dreaded by over-anxious housewives, lest their hospitalities might prove inferior to those he had already experienced, but he was sure of a hearty welcome, and the best the house afforded. Alas ! those good old days of rugged simplicity and sterling honesty are gone never to return-the people, customs, institutions, even the very face of the country, all are changed, all except those principles of liberty and justice, which our Pilgrim Fathers stamped upon their offspring, and which can never be ef- faced until our rocky hills are leveled with the sea.
In none of these things has Acworth been behind her sister towns. She can show a long list of heroes of the bloody field, and of the peaceful home ; many a man and woman of to-day holds in grateful remembrance the pre- cepts of the teacher. I believe Aeworth can show a larger list of teachers than any other town of its size. From my own native district, No. 7, con- taining barely 15 families, there were at one time full thirty engaged in teaching. Other districts could perhaps show as good a record. But most of our teachers have not thought the business a good one to grow old in, so after a few terms or years they have changed into those ministers, doctors, lawyers and dentists, so highly eulogized here to-day, or have adopted the quieter but not less useful pursuit of farming.
At this moment I recall but one Acworth man who has made teaching a life business, and he is present." I am sure you will all agree that his past success and his present position as Principal of the best Young Ladies' Seminary in all New England, prove that he has not mistaken his calling. My friends, we are all teachers, by example, if not by precept. Let us re- member, too, that we are all pupils of the same great Teacher, whose lessons, if well learned, will make us useful and honored here and happy hereafter.
The next sentiment was responded to by David Campbell of Nashua :
" The Mechanics of Acworth, Native or Adopted-Rich in power of invention, skillful in workmanship, and industrious in their habits."
In replying to this sentiment allow me to arrange the mechanics into three classes, or generations covering the hundred years we this day celebrate. In giving the names of the first class-our father mechanics, it will aid my memory (for I rank with the middle class) to associate location with names I wish to recall. I shall be pardoned, perhaps, if I begin near home, both personally and geographically. Three-fourths of a mile from where we stand, 14
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resided James Campbell, " the weaver," as recorded in his deeds, when he bought three lots of unbroken forest land. He was apprenticed to the trade of a weaver when fourteen years old in Londonderry. His health failed from the effects of small pox, and he was discharged from the Continental Army before the close of the great contest; and as soon as able he entered upon his part of this then wilderness. His trade was of much service to himself, as well as to his neighbors, for he would weave their "coverlets," and by one day's work in his loom would pay for two days' work in felling the forest trees around his dwelling. Having plenty of land, he was glad to settle other mechanics around him. A little east of his house, was the first hatter in town-James Pearsons, father of Deacon John Pearsons, lately deceased. A little further east was Andrew Woodbury, cut nail-maker, and a small water-power was used for cutting the nails, but foot-power machinery was used in heading them. It is probable that the older houses in town contain nails made by this early mechanic. Farther down on the same brooklet was a blacksmith's shop, and a trip-hammer, built and operated by John Reed, son of Supply Reed, the first carpenter in the east part of the town. On the site of this trip-hammer shop was afterwards the tannery of David and Joseph Blanchard. Passing up this brook north were two saw- mills, one built by Supply Reed, near his residence, and the other by Deacon Jonathan Silsby, and afterwards continued to be operated by his son, Deacon Henry Silsby, till near the time of his death. Still farther north was the residence of Amos Ingalls, Aeworth's first plough-maker, so far as my ree- ollection serves.
I will now pass over west to Derry Hill. There lived Capt. Joseph Gregg the carpenter, and near him John Wilson the maker of the "spinning-jacks and spinning-jennies" of those times, which served our manufacturing mothers (I will not say mechanics) a good purpose for spinning cotton, linen and wool, and as one of the speakers here to-day has said, served the daughters as pianos and melodeons. Near this was the first cooper I remember, Aaron Kemp. Jonathan H. Reed was afterwards cooper in the north part of the town.
Passing in our circuit from " Derry Hill," we came to " Parks Hollow " on Cold River. Here were the first saw-mill, fulling-mill, and grist-mill, and a little east of these was the blacksmith's shop of Maj. Joel Angiers. Following up the river you find the first " local " shoemaker, Joseph Gleason, and beyond him the saw-mill of Capt. Robert Clark. Here I first saw " water-power " applied to the "breaking " and " swingling " of flax. Every farmer's barn before this was vocal with the sound of hand-power flax machines, in winter. This " water-power machine was the work of Barnabas Mayo if I recollect aright.
I will finish this circuit by following Cold River up stream to "Keyes Hollow," on the east side of the town where was another saw-mill and after- wards a fulling-mill, owned by John Thornton. That water-power is now
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REMARKS BY DAVID CAMPBELL.
used to drive machinery for making various kinds of wood work, owned by J. M. Reed.
Return now to the middle of the town. Here was the first blacksmith's shop in town, or the first I ever saw. Capt. Gawin Gilmore was a model mechanic, and his sons after him. Dawson Russell was the first saddler I remember. William Heywood, carpenter, Asa Newton, shoemaker, and Josiah Boutelle, painter.
Approximating to the second generation were James Wallace, shoemaker Adam Wallace and Capt. Edward Woodbury, blacksmiths, David Montgom- ery, saddler, David Campbell, shoemaker, John Davidson and Frederic Parks, machinists, William Hayward, tinner, John Moore, cabinet maker, also, William and Daniel Warner, carpenters, but residing west of the center. Many others now omitted complete the list of the mechanics of Acworth of the first and second generations. Many of these were adopted, but where Acworth has adopted one mechanie, she has sent two and perhaps three to help build up the great West! I have seen them in all the western eities I have passed through, and in Central Minnesota I have seen three of Ac- worth's mechanics in one rural township.
Leaving the names of the present generation of mechanics to be recorded by the historian who may follow me, I will speak of their power of invention, skill and industry. I will give as a general rule what I think a fair test of judgment on this point. It is this. Have the mechanics of Acworth invented all the improvements which their local wants require, and the advancing civ- ilization of the age demands of them ? Let us see. There is no heavy water power in this town, such as would develop inventive genius in the di- rection of larger kinds of machinery. Nor are your hay-meadows so broad as to call the attention of your mechanics to the invention of horse-power mowing-machines, or your prairies so broad as to require a steam-plough. Your sons who have gone West have attended to these matters. What are your wants? You have "side hills." I remember how difficult it was to plow these ridges on the upper side of the field. One year ago, the New Hampshire State Fair was held in Nashua where I now reside, and under a large tent, but not so large as this, my first attraction was an exhibition of mechanical skill in the construction of ploughs. A young man was revers- ing a plow with great rapidity, showing how easily it could be done, in less time than a pair of swift horses could be turned around. I inquired of him who invented and patented that valuable improvement, and was more than pleased to find that he was an Acworth boy-son of my old friend Ezra Lufkin ! The same skill here displayed would have invented the steam- plow, or mowing-machine, had this son of Acworth been a resident of the Prairie States of the West. Such inventions are a necessity there because they must raise two or three bushels of grain to your one, being so much further from market, hence their plowing, planting and reaping-machines. Had Acworth been a cotton plantation, instead of a flax-raising town, so that
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our mothers were under the necessity of using and spinning raw cotton as is done in many parts of Connecticut, for instance, some son of Acworth would no doubt have invented the cotton-gin instead of a Connecticut Yankee. I re- member that when a child, I thought it quite a task to help half a dozen sisters pick the seed out of the small quantity of cotton then used by my manufac- turing mother. If the busy mothers had used cotton instead of flax, the fingers of their numerous children would not have furnished cotton-gins enough.
I will now endeavor to illustrate this last point of my text. The industry manifested and the improvement made by your mechanics. On such an oc- casion. as this I may be pardoned, if some of my own personal experience should mingle with my illustrations. At the time I first aspired to the honor of being a mechanic of Acworth, the custom of using pegs in the bottoms of boots and shoes instead of thread was introduced, but how to make the pegs ! They were then made with a knife, and were bungling things pointed only one way. An ingenious son of Amos Bailey, who lived in the north part of the town, soon came to our relief by constructing a plane to point them both ways, and he would bring them in small cards four inches square. Soon he so improved the machinery as to split the pegs for us, and furnish them by the quart, and soon by the bushel. See what your sons have done in this branch of business. Truman Silsby next took up the work which Harley Bailey had begun, and sold pegs by the hundred bushels. Then Samuel McClure applied horse-power to his machinery, and now a son of Acworth by the use of water and steam-power, and improved machinery produces shoe-pegs by the tens of thousand bushels.
Indulge me with another practical illustration of mechanical improvement since the early settlement of Acworth. The first settlers were under the necessity of being their own manufacturers and mechanics. To subdue the wilderness and cultivate the soil were matters of the first necessity. I have alluded to the primitive custom of our fathers in having shoes and garments made in their own families, and of employing "itinerant " shoemakers. The shoemakers who went around from' house to house, were very unpopu- lar with such as were shop-keepers, and the term " cat-whippers " was applied to that class. The custom was soon abandoned. But the tanners were still longer subjected to the inconvenience of tanning the hides, as brought to them by the farmers, on shares; and the farmers brought their own leather to the shoemakers, which was cut to great disadvantage, and sub- jected the shoemakers to great inconvenience in keeping each man's leather separate. At length one of your shoemakers determined to break up this custom by purchasing stock in large quantities, and working it up to his own mind, refusing all " measures " unless to be made from his own stock. His plan at first was treated with derision. "No one would buy sale shoes !" The reputation of "salework," was universally bad. Many a sad story was told of the sufferings of the continental soldiers, without shoes, and when supplied with new ones they proved worthless. But none of these
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REMARKS BY JONATHAN ROBINSON.
things moved our young mechanic ; he declared his purpose was fixed, and he would make his " salework " much better, than he could do when cutting from every man's leather hap-hazard, amid the interruptions and annoyances incidental to that system. And more than this, he would warrant his work much better, and would sell it twenty-five per cent. below the ordinary price, on the old system, and leave the question of patronage with his old custom- ers, to buy or let it alone,-for he could sell an honest article abroad, as soon as its merits were tested. This suited the tanners, of whom Lemuel Lincoln was the father. It relieved them of dressing every man's leather on the shares, and enabled them to tan, dress and sell it in lots. I need not say the plan was successful ; you have the results before you. It cost a few struggles, and there were some vicissitudes attending the business for a time ; but all obstacles have been overcome, and now sterling young men have the business in hand, and annually distribute thousands of dollars among the families who aid them in their work. With real pleasure have I witnessed the skill and industry and improvement this class of young mechanics of Acworth have made, since my residence in town thirty-five years ago.
Nor is this all I have witnessed I have been to South Acworth, formerly known as " Parks Hollow." See what your mechanics have done there ? They have no broad valleys in that section of the town, nor are their hills of so gentle a slope as near the center, but the farmers there put the side-hill plow to a practical test, and to good advantage. And now let me say before closing, that during all my residence in town, from boyhood up, I never saw the farms so well cultivated as now, the houses so well kept in repair, as I see this day. What if you have no water power or railroad center on these beautiful hills ? You are more than compensated by the healthy moral tone you can maintain in community, by the absence of demoralizing influences so prevalent in our large manufacturing villages and busy railroad centers.
Let me conclude by giving emphasis to the sentiment of my text. May the Mechanics of Acworth lire another hundred years ! and when the next Centennial year comes around, may they exhibit as much improvement on the present, as we now witness on the commencement of the past century!
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