USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Barnstead > History of Barnstead [N.H.] from its first settlement in 1727 to 1872 > Part 8
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James Marton served abd roermond 1 3002 was buried ab · the Center."
HomeMoul of Mr. J. Exdereon
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CROSSING THE SUNCOOK.
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WATER SUPPLY.
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PONDS AND RIVERS.
When the settlers first located their lots, the Indians had left and gone northward, and the names which they had given to ponds, lakes and rivers, were either lost or discarded by the white man, as he seemed to have had an antipathy to everything " Indian." Yet the Suncook was seen in its beauty coursing its way, winding through a then dense forest of timber trees which covered the level surface of the town, as it glided onward towards the ocean. It still bears its original Indian name, Suncook, which in the Indian language is said to mean the same as wild goose in English ; or, in its more extensive meaning, " the place where the wild goose rested."
This river rises in Guilford, taking its waters from Gunstock and Grey-lock mountains in Gilmanton, and conveying it through a valley until it reaches the pond ; thence through a narrow channel into the second Suncook pond ; thence passing along in its enlarged and beautiful form, adorning the vales and feeding the mills of Barn- stead.
The ponds, save the two Suncooks, all took English names, to wit: "Half Moon," "Brindle," "Lougee," " Beauty," " Adams," "Wild Goose," and "Pinkham's," numbering nine in all.
It is is to be regretted that the Suncook is about the only original Indian name which now remains in Barn- stead of all the past; and that we are entirely unable, even at this early day, to recall the past and to give to the coming generations the primeval names of these beau- tiful sheets of water.
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HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
The small streams that enter the Suncook river from various parts of Barnstead, are the Parade brook, Proctor's river, the Mill-stone brook, Walker's brook, Clark's brook, Branch river and Crooked run. Many of these streams take their rise from the ponds. After receiving these fountains, the Suncook passing on, empties its waters into the Merrimac at Pembroke.
All the waters of the town are carried off by the Sun- cook, and as it passes on its way southerly it affords power to drive machinery, by which many citizens find business and employment, on the way as it goes.
The drainage by the Suncook is so complete that it leaves no bogs nor meadows to emit pestilence or to gen- erate contagious diseases.
To this cause in a great degree may be attributed the general good health and long lives incident to the inhab- itants of Barnstead.
LOCALITIES.
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BEAUTY HILL.
This name is given to that high rolling land in the northwestern part of the town. The soil is superior ; formerly it sustained a heavy growth of oak, but under a successful cultivation it now sustains an intelligent, ener- getic class of farmers. The air here is salubrious. This elevation in a clear day affords a view of the silvery lake
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LOCALITIES.
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(Winnipesaugee), northerly five miles distant, as well as a view of the whitened sails upon the ocean wave, away in the distance southeastward. Here the sun rises early and sets late, giving health and long life to its inhabitants. Near by and in sight are the Bluehills and Catamount ; farther off, yet still in view, are the White mountains and old Chocorua.
CHOCORUA ! oh, what clusters of historical incidents seem to rally around that name! Pardon us, for a moment, if we digress from this narrative !
Chocorua (pronounced Chee-cor-ruah), was the last chief commanding the tribes of New Hampshire. He used to wander in these woods. His squaw died, and was buried by the brook-side where he had first found her. His little Indian boy still continued to follow at his heels, in this then wilderness. One day, at the house of one Campbell (a white settler), the boy got poisoned, and came home to the wigwam and died. Chocorua thought he was poisoned purposely.
Soon afterwards Campbell left home, and when at night he returned, his family were all dead in the house. A few days elapsed, and the white settlers followed Cho- corua into that mountain which now bears his name, and which stands about fifteen miles north of the lake, in Burton, now Albany. Campbell discovered him on the pinnacle of the mountain cliff, and commanded him to jump off. " Ah," said the Indian, " the Great Spirit gave CHOCORUA his life, and he will not throw it away at the bidding of the white-man." Campbell shot him, and while dying he pronounced awful curses upon the English.
In describing that scene Mrs. L. Maria Child, in a
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vigorous legend, gives the words of Chocorua's curse thus :
"' A curse on ye white-men ! May the Great Spirit curse ye when he speaks in the clouds and his words are fire ! Chocorua had a son ; and ye killed him when the sky looked bright ! Lightnings blast your crops - winds and fire destroy your dwellings ! The Evil Spirit breathe death on your cattle ! Your graves lie in the pathway of the Indian ! Panthers howl and wolves fatten over your bones ! '
" The prophet sank upon the ground still uttering inaudible curses." They left his bones there.
Ever since that day, the want of vegetation in and about that mountain, all its dearths, and all the diseases upon the cattle and upon the inhabitants of that region, have been attributed to that curse of Chocorua.
The faithfulness of Keoka, Chocorua's squaw, has been briefly celebrated in a verse, which we copy, inscribing it to the young mothers of Barnstead :
" With truth and trust and patient pride, At morn, at noon, or eventide, She calmed the cloudy hour; Her heart was full of love and song, She cheered Chocorua's life along; She brought him many a flower.
"Such was the life Chocorua sought; Such were the charms Keoka brought, Unselfish, unpretending ; Kings of the earth, I'd envy not; Give me to know Chocorua's lot, Such faith, such favor blending ! "
[ Caverly's Poems, vol. 2, p. 10.]
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LOCALITIES.
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SNACKERTY.
The extreme northeast part of Barnstead at an early day took this name. It is a sort of an arctic, snowy region, which borders on the north of the Blue hills in Strafford, and is near the line of that town. The lands are of a sulphureous quality. Formerly (and perhaps now), snow shoes were quite common there. Whenever any of its inhabitants came to the centre of the town or to the Parade, it was called : " Coming out."
The first settlers in this locality, as it is said, were from Schenectady, New York; if this be true, Snackerty may have been adopted as a corruption from that name.
PARADE.
This is a fine field or plat of ground in the southwest part, made common to the public through the munificence of Eli Bunker, one of the inhabitants of Barnstead, whose genealogy is given elsewhere. A parade ground or train- ing field was one of the purposes for which this level lot of land was dedicated to the public, and " The Parade " has ever since been used as a name, indicating the end to which the gift was chiefly appropriated, and is sufficiently descriptive of that section of the town.
CENTRE.
This is a village, on the Suncook, containing several stores, a church, a town-house, a postoffice and tavern. It is near the middle of the town, and is central as to business.
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CLARK TOWN.
This is in the southeast part of Barnstead, and takes its name from the great number of Clarks, intelligent and industrious, that inhabited that locality.
TUTTLEBORO'.
Between the Centre and Beauty Hill were several fam- ilies of Tuttles, all or nearly all descending from one John Tuttle, an original settler. Hence it derived its name. Many of the Tuttles took wives from a Jacobs family, who were also quite numerous. '
PEACHAM.
This locality is in the north, but whether it took its name from that of individuals residing there, or from some other source, must at this time be left untold.
LOCKE'S CORNER.
The northeast part takes this name. It had been first settled by one John Locke, and has ever since been peo- pled for the most part by his descendants.
NORTH BARNSTEAD.
Here are a few stores, a church, a post office, and many dwelling houses. One of the main roads leading from Dover to Gilmanton passes through it, and more and more it becomes a thriving village.
SOUTH BARNSTEAD.
This is a place of considerable trade, and is favorably known for its thrifty farmers and fat cattle.
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ITS SECOND MEETING-HOUSE.
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ROADS AND RECORDS.
" In 1786 a Petition to lay out a road from the Province road to Bunker's Mill, was signed by
" Richard Cinclair, Winthrop Colebath, Samuel Jacobs, John Bickford, Aaron Chesley, Jacob Daniels, Samuel Avery, James Brown, Benjamin Nutter, Eliphalet Tib- betts, Samuel Drew, Jr., Dodovah Bunker, Joseph Bunker, John Nutter, Jr."
"The town voted to lay out a Rhode through John Bunker's land, where it formerly was to go, to Jo. Bunker's mill."
1786. "At a public vendue holden at the inn of Charles Hodgdon, 17th of May, for the sail of one cow taken by destraint from John Bunker, for his delinquency, in paying his part affixed, in money or labor, on the high- ways, and the articles of sail is such, that said cow be sold to the highest bidder for cash."
"Joseph Tasker had her struck off to him for 1£ 13s Od."
ERECTION OF A MEETING-HOUSE,
AND OTHER MATTERS.
" 1788, May 25th. The town voted to build a meet- ing-house.
" Voted, Capt. Drew, Col. Cinclair, Lew Mason, Ensign
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Evans, Nicholas Dudley, Thomas Edgerly, John Tasker, Esquire, be a committee to agree on a place to build said meeting-house, and make a report to said town."
" Voted, To give 3f bounty on a hade of a gray wolf, and £1 10s on a hade for a whelp, caught within the bounds of the town."
In the year 1784 there was, as appears, a large sale of lots of land at public vendue, by reason of the non-pay- ment of State, County, and war taxes.
In the year 1787 a petition for a road through North Barnstead to Dover was signed by Samuel B. Mason, Ebenezer Nutter, Israel Avery, William Green, Moses Avery, Benjamin Avery, and Samuel Avery. The road was commenced near half-moon pond.
The meeting house last named having been erected as contemplated, it remained as finished up to the year 1830, when it was repaired and a stove placed in it. In build- ing the stone' chimney, Joseph Bunker fell from the roof of the house and was killed.
In 1858, the church being again out of repair, the pew holders relinquished their rights, and by subscription pro- ceeded to make permanent improvements.
The old pews were changed to slips and were modern- ized ; the porches were taken off; the main entrance was opened at the end of the house ; its windows were enlarged and improved ; and the general appearance of the structure underwent an entire change.
In 1866 the house was again repaired, and improved by the erection of a tower on its westerly end, and by placing in it a neat, fine-toned bell, of 1200 pounds.
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This enterprise involved the expenditure of a consid- erable sum of money, even more, as it turned out, than could easily be raised in this small village. But, as fortune had it, Mrs. Temperance Jewett, then in her ninety-sixth year, was receiving a visit from her nephew, Hon. George Peabody, the London banker. He happening to see their financial difficulty, called upon the master workman of the house, and ascertaining that the sum of $450 would be the amount required, paid it over at once as a donation from his old aunt ; so that the widow's mite was made to complete the meeting-house.
Mr. PEABODY since then has gone to his last account.
The church edifice remains as it was when finished ; and the venerable lady, at the age of more than one hundred years, " still lives " to hear, at least a few times more upon earth the sweet tones of that church-going bell, - coming as if to cite her upward and onward to that celestial abode, where dwells the immortal spirit of her faithful friend and patron.
SCHOOLS.
1792, March 15. At a town meeting then held, -
" Voted, To have Agents in each school district, to build a school-house in each district.
" Chose Samuel Nelson, Dependence Colbath, Chas. Hodgdon."
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HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
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The disadvantages under which our first settlers labored in establishing their common schools were great. They had migrated from the old towns on the seacoast, where most of them had been taught reading and writing and the rudiments of arithmetic. But now they were located in the wilderness; their school-houses, if they had any, must necessarily be rude and far apart, exposing their children to the ravages of wild beasts that often lurked around their lonely cabins. To support a teacher for any considerable time could not, to them, be otherwise than extremely burdensome. Under such circumstances the faithful dog or the " old Queen's arms" were often depended on, in difficult emergencies. Thus were they situated at the beginning ; and up to the year 1784 each family acted as its own teacher. Previously, the town, by reason of adversity, had not voted to raise any money for the support of common schools. The Revolution had now but just terminated, - there was but little money, - " continental scrip " had become worthless, silver and gold had in a great degree fallen into the hands of the miser, - these and other attendant difficulties, delayed the progress of education in Barnstead.
The first settled teacher employed by the town was had in 1784. His name was Cornelius Kirby. He was of Scotch descent ; had been educated in Scotland. At first he settled in Portsmouth, and tlience came here, and became our first school master.
His school was in a private house, there being then no school-house in Barnstead.
This school was kept at Wm. Newall's. It was in the south part of the town. Newall at one time was an inn keeper. He afterwards lived in the west part, on the
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Province road, not far from the former residence of Dr. Adams and more recently Nathaniel Adams.
" MASTER KIRBY " had taught school in Portsmouth. He was middle aged, thick set, rather short; his hat, three cornered, buttoned. His shoes were of heavy leather, high cut, and a large sized button of steel on the instep. His coat was rather of the long-jacket style with massive pockets outside, and a standing collar. His breeches buckled snug at the knee, were of corduroy, his stockings long and inclined to the snuff color. His vest was of vast proportions, buttoned snug at the neck, and made of black and white wool. Snugly ensconced was his " bulls eye " under its right hand fold. His three cornered hat much of the time covered the glistening baldness of his pate, while his frosted locks gathered- and tied in the rear, hung in a graceful queue, ornament- ing the collar of his coat, upon his spacious round shoulders. His pleasant and graceful bearing bespoke the truthfulness of his early training, and his dialect indicated a nationality of which he was always proud.
His books were his Bible, arithmetic and spelling book. These, as property, were held dear to him, and on the fly-leaf of each was legibly written in coarse hand the following old couplet :
" Cornelius Kirby is my name; Scotland is my nation; Barnstead my place of toil and fame, And Christ is my salvation."
There are people still living who remember "Master Kirby," and who learned of him the rudiments of their early English. He for several years resided in Barnstead as a teacher, and then returned to Scotland. For one
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HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
term at least he had kept in the Hodgdon District. Though sometimes petulent, "Master Kirby" left behind him, for uprightness of character and faithfulness in his moral and religious life, a name unblemished. By him the boys of Barnstead had been trained to remove their hats, and the girls to drop a graceful courtesy on meeting their superiors at the school, or on the highway. Indeed, may we ask, would it not be well to have, at least, a smat- tering of this sort of training for our girls and boys of the present day ?
" Master Kirby," while here, resided most of the time on the Province road, near the place of Major John Nut- ter. The Major was an early settler, and one of Kirby's intimate friends. Kirby at one time contemplated the building of a barn, and was contracting with Mr. Nutter to build it for him. The Major asked him for the dimen- sions of it. Kirby said he wanted the posts sixty feet high, and the tie-up in the roof, so that there would be " no digging away of the manure." Nutter says to him, " How will the cattle get up there ?" "Oh ! jabbers," says he, running his fingers through his hair, " that will be their lookout."
The first record of money raised in town for school purposes, is found in the year 1785, when £30 were voted to that end. In 1792 the town voted an agent in each of five districts to build as many school-houses, within two years.
Next, after the commencement of a school in the Nutter District, one was started at the Parade; then one in the southeast section, and then one in the north. For several years thereafterwards, small appropriations were
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made, not every year, but as the ability of the inhabitants would seem to warrant, to each of the then five districts.
In 1800, or about that time, Barnstead had built five school houses. After this, a man was employed as a teacher in each of them, some two or three months in the year, mostly in the winter season, and a female teacher nearly as long in summer. And so it was, up to the year 1817, when the school houses had increased to the num- ber of eleven. In these houses were taught at this time, English grammar, geography, arithmetic and sometimes Latin and Greek.
The schools of that day, although supported with the utmost economy, were highly proficient, and it may well be doubted, if in that regard they would suffer in compar- ison with the schools of the present day.
If we may judge from appearances, the country school boy of 1830 who attended school but four or five months in the year, obtained a better and more available fund of information than the scholar of 1870 who attends school the year round.
The text books then used needed, as it would seem to us, little or no change. Murray's Grammar, English Reader, Adams's Arithmetic, the Columbian Orator, and Webster's Spelling Book were in use, most of them at least, for more than a quarter of a century. They are now among the things that were. Yet to us it is quite doubtful if the books now used instead of them are any better. Too often it is that boys and girls of the present day graduate from school having but little knowledge of the world, or of human nature, without any suitable train- ing for the daily duties, economies and courtesies neces- sary for marriage relations ; and oftentimes almost entirely
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deficient in practical good manners, such as all ought to have in order to insure faithfulness, industry, economy and a general good will to the generations as they shall come and go.
It has been intimated that a graduate of a high school at the present day has less of practical knowledge, and far less of practical good manners than the boy with a short jacket of 1817, who had worked his way to manhood through the dearth stricken, dreary winters of that time. Be that as it may, let us say to the inhabitants of Barn- stead : Be economical, but build your school houses nice, convenient and warm. Plant thrifty shade trees all around them, permanently boxing and protecting them ; make them indeed welcome dwelling places for your de- scendants. Go further: always raising as much money as you can possibly afford, for the support of your schools. Go still further : be always in the habit, from time to time, as your means will allow, of storing your dwelling houses with useful books, each farmer taking pride in his own library at home. Do this faithfully and ardently- and what shall be the result? In less than ten years your best boys shall begin to stay at home. No more, no longer will they wander abroad for an education or to seek a livelihood elsewhere. Stay at home they will- not because of any necessity, but because in that home there is a fountain of intelligence, as well as endearments of early scenes and parental love. Thus your farming community will be made up of the best blood of your town. Your spacious farms, from year to year, will greatly improve, affording ample encouragement to the husbandman, whereby all the expenses of a thrifty gen- eration, as well as what is now called the burden of tax-
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SCHOOLS. 135
ation, will be easily and cheerfully paid. Let it be borne in mind, that every intelligent lad or lass, who can be in- duced to remain at home, and who earns more than his or her living, is a source of wealth to Barnstead.
Then, don't allow your best men, who have large fam- ilies, to leave town, for the want of ample facilities to school their children. Have a care for all this. Adhere to it generously, energetically, and religiously, and in the future years you shall see its effects in the countenances of the coming generations. You shall see it in your old age, and look back upon what you have done with a sweet composure of spirit. You shall feel the effect of a work thus well done, in every finger of the hand, in every toe of the foot, and in every vein through which the blood of your noble manhood shall course. You shall hear of it from abroad.
Your neighboring towns, less wise, and less energetic, shall send here for their teachers. Your counties shall come here to obtain their judges and other noble and in- portant officers. Your gallant state shall, to a great extent, depend on Barnstead for its governors. Nay, do just this, and almost every other good thing shall follow it. Other towns shall profit by your example ; your sons, as they " rise up shall call you blessed," and when you. are far away, they will award to you a noble history-a history second to none, save that which records the valor, the faithfulness, and the endurance of your noble ances- tors.
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HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
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MARRIAGES.
1777. Samuel Nelson was married to Abigail Ting- ley, January 3, by Rev. William Parsons.
1777. Jonathan Jacobs was married in April to Han- nah Black, by Rev. Peletiah Tingley.
1777. Samuel Williams was married to Sobriety Bunk- er, by Rev. William Parsons.
1777. Bradbury Cinclair was married to Sarah Bunk- er, by Rev. William Parsons.
1777. Henry Tibbets was married to widow Sarah Cinclair, by Rev. William Parsons.
1776. John Drew was married to Lois Tasker, by John Tasker, Esq.
1778. Benjamin Nutter was married to Mercy Task- er, by Joseph Adams of Newington.
1779. Benjamin Hawkins was married to Susan Bunker, by Rev. William Parsons.
1779. Moses Avery was married to Elizabeth Col- bath, by Rev. Joseph Buckminster.
1781. Benjamin Nutter was married to Mary Walker by Rev. Joseph Adams.
1784. Jethro Nutter was married to Polly Elliott.
1784. John McDuffee was married to Lois Tasker.
1807. Abraham Bunker was married to Polly Cit clair, by Rev. Enos George.
1807. Nathan Collins was married to Ruth Chesley, by Rev. Enos George.
1808. Eliphalet Nutter was married to Lovey Lock. by Rev. Enos George.
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ITS FIRST MILL.
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1805. Rev. Enos George was married to Sophia Chesley of Dover, by Rev. Joseph Langdon.
1805. Daniel Bunker was married to Lovey by Rev. Enos George.
1809. Joseph Pickering was married to Polly Lyford, by Rev. Enos George.
BIRTHS.
"1771. In New Market, Jonathan Kenniston. 1772. In Portsmouth, George Seward."
BUNKER'S MILL.
John Bunker, from Dover, settled here about the year 1769. His was the first grist mill. It was situated on the north side of " The Branch,"-this at that time being the name of the Suncook river-and near a ledge. A plank walk was constructed, extending from the top of the ledge to the door of the mill. The building was large and stood endwise to the stream. All the corn and grain centred here for many miles around ; and this mill afforded much profit to its owner, as well as to our thrifty yeomanry, in the production of the best of meal and flour.
Bunker was, himself, the miller, and his meal-covered coat, his boots, and the red knit cap which he wore, has been held in remembrance these many years.
In the next place, he erected a saw mill, the first in Barnstead. This took the place of the axe, and was of great utility in shaping the lumber, as it came from the
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HISTORY OF BARNSTEAD.
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forest, making it into timber, boards, &c., which were extensively used at home, as well as in foreign markets. At his decease, these mills, with occasional improvements, descended to his son Eli, and then to Timothy, and then to Abraham. The eternal years have wrought changes- the Bunkers "are not." Their mills are grinding still.
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