USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Bedford > History of Bedford, New-Hampshire, being statistics, compiled on the occasion of the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the town; May 19th, 1850 > Part 23
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Mr. Orr, immediately after commencement, entered the office of the late Gov. Samuel Dinsmore, as a student at law, and pursued his studies under the direction of Gov. Dinsmore, from one to two years. He then entertained the belief that Maine, at that time a province of Massachusetts, presented higher attractions to the ambition of a young lawyer, than New Hampshire did. He proceeded to Hallowell, in Maine, and there placed himself under the tuition of the Hon, Sam- uel S. Wilde, then an eminent counsellor-at-law, but now a venerable and learned Judge of the Supreme Judicial Court, in Massachusetts. In the Summer or Autumn of 1801, Mr. Orr was admitted to practice law in the Court of Common Pleas,
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and in 1804 or 1805, was admitted to practice in the Supreme Judicial Court. His residence was principally in Brunswick, but during a few years, in Topsham. These towns are only separated by Androscoggin River, but lie in different coun- ties, Cumberland and Lincoln.
Mr. Orr's location presented to him the opportunity of prac- tising his profession in both the counties before mentioned. In each of these counties, at that time, were lawyers holding very eminent standing in their profession. Among them were the late Chief Justice Parker, of Massachusetts, and the late Chief Justice Mellen, of Maine. Such men as Mr. Orr soon proved himself to be, could not long be in practice at the same courts with these gentlemen, without opportunity of hazarding a trial of his inexperienced strength with them or some of them. His clients never repined that their coun- sellor and advocate was of fewer years at the bar, than the counsellors of their adversaries. Within a short period after Mr. Orr's admission to practice in the Supreme Judicial Court, he stood in the first class of lawyers in both counties.
When Maine became one of the United States, in 1820, Mr. Orr's eminent standing had become so generally known, that he was called to go into every county in the state, to advocate one side of the most important cases to be heard in the S. J. Court. From this period, until the time of his death, in 1828, he followed the circuit of the S. J. Court through the State, as regularly as' did the Judges themselves. No man in the State pretended to hold rank above Mr. Orr ; few, if any, thought themselves his equal.
Chancery powers were very late in being introduced into the State Courts, although United States Courts were early clothed with equity powers. When a circuit of the United States Court was first holden in this young State, a bill in equity of great importance was filed in that Court, and Mr. Orr was called to oppose the Hon. Jeremiah Mason, who was brought from his native State, New Hampshire, and who had long stood " Higher than any of the people, from his shoul- ders and upward." His success was complete and triumphant. In this department of law, he was without a rival in the State. On this occasion, he was highly complimented by Mr. Mason, in presence of a number of persons, at his own house, in Portsmouth. Mr. Orr's powers were principally devoted to the profession which he so much adorned. But when he could render good service in promoting the cause of
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science or virtue, he readily yielded himself to the advance- ment of those objects. Therefore, when called to serve, first as an overseer, next as a trustee, and finally as Treasurer of Bowdoin College, he cheerfully devoted himself to the per- formance of very important duties and services connected with the several offices thus devolved upon him during twenty of the last years of his life. His good name and val- uable services are still cherished and kindly remembered by the old and tried friends of that institution.
About the year 1813, conflicts existed relative to lands in Maine, of immense interest and value, between proprietors whose patents overlapped each other, and including many hundred settlers and their farms. Men who had settled and paid for their lands to one set of proprietors, were repeatedly sued by other proprietors, and in many instances driven from their farms and homes, and all that they held dear, without having any means of adequate redress. Tumultuous and riot- ous proceedings ensued. Legislative aid was invoked, and finally, by general consent, Mr. Orr, and Hon. Judge Bailey were selected to adjust the adverse claims, and, by general rules, to settle troubles that nearly produced an intestine insurrection. The whole matters were happily and satisfac- torily closed.
Mr. Orr's political opinions were in harmony with those of Washington, and the men who formed, and administered for the first twelve years, the institutions of the United States. In other words he was a Federalist of the old school. In 1816, he yielded to the importunity of his friends, and suffered himself to be a candidate for Representative to Congress, to which office he was elected, and served through one Congress with ability. But political life interfered with his professional pursuits, and after the brief period of two years, was wholly abandoned.
A single remark may be made, in regard to Mr. Orr's domestic life. His wife was a lady of fine manners and well fitted to preside in a family where hospitality and generous friendship were extended to the utmost limit, towards every individual who became a guest in their house.
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REV. ISAAC ORR.
THIS gentleman, distinguished for his literary and scientific attainments, and for his numerous philosophical letters and essays, was half-brother of Hon. Benj. Orr, by a second marriage, and grandson of Rev. John Houston. He became early impressed with the importance of religion, and united with the church, in this town, in his seventeenth year. He had been learning a trade, but soon turned his attentions to study, with the view of preparing for the ministry. His College life gave promises of future usefulness. Rev. R. R. Gurley, of Washington city, one of his classmates, says :- "He was my earliest, most respected, and most faithful collegiate friend. We occupied the same room for a long time, and a gentleman of higher and more original talent, more sterling integrity, more truthfulness and disinterestedness of character, is seldom ever seen. In all branches he was a good, and in mathematical and philosophical learning, a profound scholar. He had in these latter branches no superior and few equals in College." We copy this from a sermon on his death by Rev. A. R. Baker, Medford, Mass., from which we take the following extract :- " His instructor, Prof. Emerson, of Ando- ver Theological Seminary, says,-' I always felt sure that a difficult problem, which had passed unsolved from one to another of his fellow students in the recitation-room, would be stopped by him, for he was always prepared.' "
After leaving College, he became associate instructor in the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb in Hartford, Conn., where he remained till 1824, when he resigned his office, and took charge of a similar institution in Canajaharie, N. Y. There he married Miss Mary Morris, an amiable lady, and soon returned to Bedford, N. H., where he pursued and completed his preparations for the ministry, and was licensed by the Presbytery of Londonderry in 1827. It was during this brief residence in his native town, that the pastor of the church first became aquainted with Mr. Orr, and was deeply impressed with his high intellectual and moral worth. During this period he preached occasionally, but no where for any length of time, except Tyngsborough, Mass., and Amherst, N. H., in the former of which places he also instructed in the Academy ; but his impaired health did not allow him to assume a pastoral charge.
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His wife died soon after the birth of her youngest child, and about this time he accepted the office of City Missionary in Washington, D. C. His second wife was Matilda, daughter of Dr. Samuel Kidder, of Medford, Mass. It was while engaged at Washington, that he became deeply interested in the African race, and was appointed Agent of the American Colonization Society, and afterwards Secretary of the African Education Society, and Editor of its public journal.
Subsequently, he was employed as a reporter of the U. S. Senate for the National Intelligencer, and in this capacity wrote those letters in the New York Commercial Advertiser, under the signature of " Hampden," and those in the Boston Courier, under the signature of "Timoleon," which were widely circulated, and are still resorted to, as political docu- ments of great permanent value. Prostrated by a disease which, it was believed, too severe application to study pro- duced, and which had been undermining his constitution for many years, he returned in the spring of 1842 to New Eng- land ; resided a year in Medford, and then went to Amherst, Mass., where his disease, which was consumption, gathered strength, and terminated his life on the 28th of April, 1844, in the 51st year of his age.
Mr. Orr was a man of extraordinary powers of mind. His mental constitution was wonderfully adapted to the most abstruse subjects in philosophy and mathematics. The com- piler of this brief sketch well remembers his last visit at Bedford.
He was most interesting and affectionate to all his friends, and at the same time, with those who could enter into his thoughts, he poured forth the most profound and lofty specu- lations. During that visit, his favorite topic was the theory of creation. He believed that God had always been actively benevolent, that there had been no period in the infinity of duration, but what there had been some objects on which to spend his beneficence; hence, he carried the existence of matter back to an indefinite period in external ages, and without making it coexistent with God, gave to it a sort of indefinite past duration.
Mr. Orr's correspondence was with some of the most gifted minds in the country, as Prof. Fisher, previous to his lamented death, Dr. Bowditch and others, to whom he com- municated his views respecting the formation of the universe.
His publications were numerous, and were given to the
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public principally through journals and newspapers of the day. In the Washington Mirror of 1835-6, he published twelve arti- cles on various mathematical and philosophical subjects, signed " O;" also, in the same periodical, " Strictures on Dr. New- man's Theory of Gravitation." In the Boston Courier, and U. S. Telegraph of 1836, he published a number of philo- sophical questions and essays ; ten essays on infinites and other mathematical and philosophical subjects, signed " O," in the Boston Courier in 1839; and several articles in Prof. Silliman's Journal of Science and Art.
Mr. Orr, amid these profound speculations, was not defi- cient in poetry, as his Ennui, published in New Haven, in 1818, his Christmas Eve, in Hartford, 1820, Farewell to Georgetown, in the American Spectator, 1830, and the Stu- dent's Family, in the U. S. Telegraph, 1833, abundantly testify.
With other subjects, he was also conversant. He left a MSS. Commentary on the Prophecy of Daniel, another on the book of Revelation, also, a Political manual, incomplete.
The enquiry may be made, Was Mr. Orr's knowledge entirely theoretical, or did he reduce it to practice ? In reply, it may be said, that the application of the air-tight principle to the common stove originated with him, and to him we are indebted in part for all the subsequent improvements in warming our houses and economy in the consumption of fuel.
But more than all, Mr. Orr was a religious man. His life was pure, and his aims were elevated. His departure from life was most triumphant. "He had lain in great weakness and distress many days," to quote the sermon already alluded to, "and when he was dying said, 'Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Glory, glory to his sovereign grace, in that I will rejoice-O, I will rejoice-it is my only hope -it is the hope of the world. God is merciful ; he is good. O, salva- tion is all of grace, free grace. All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come, but I hope, if it be God's will, I may go to-day - on God's holy Sabbath. I know not how I could employ myself among fallen spirits, for I could not help singing Glory to God. I want to be with Christ. I want to see his glory. Glory, glory to God in the highest.' "
Some of his last words were addressed to his wife, who
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gave expression to the sentiment in some verses, of which the following is the first.
"O keep me not, dearest, keep me not here, Visions of glory are circling me near, Angels are watching and waiting for me, My spirit is struggling, and longs to be free.
My home, O, 'tis pleasant - I soon shall be there,
All pure and all holy - untortured by sorrow, by sin, or by care."
The impression has formerly been, that men of philo- sophical and mathematical genius are not generally Christians. But is this true ? Newton was a Christian. Locke was a Christian ; and so was our own Bowditch. His dying scene was beautiful. "On the morning of his death," says his pastor, " when his sight was very dim, and his voice almost gone, he called his children around his bedside, and arranging them in the order of age, pointed to and addressed each by name, and said, 'You see I can distinguish you all, and I now give you my parting blessing. The time is come. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word.' These were his last words. After this, he was heard to whisper, in a scarcely audible tone, the words ' pretty, pleasant, beautiful.' But it cannot be known whether he was thinking of his own situation as pleasant, in being thus surrounded at such a time by those he loved, or whether he had caught a joyful glimpse of the spiritual world."
WILLIAM PARKER, ESQ.
THIS gentleman, a native of Litchfield, [See Genealogy,] moved to this town in 1785. He had been in the Revolution- ary service, and was stationed one winter in Charlestown, on Winter-Hill. He built a small house, which stood near the school-house No. 5; worked first at shoe-making, and there his oldest son and second child was born. While engaged there, he used to walk out about twilight at evening, and seat himself on the side-hill, near the present mansion-house, and there he would contemplate the future prospect. It was then all woods, there being only one house at the Mills, and one where Dea. McQuesten lives, and another, east of James Harvel's, on the interval. While sitting there, he had a view
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of the travel from Concord to Boston, and also down the Mast-road, turning off each way to Concord and Boston. Some little lumber lay on the Landing, on a little spot cleared off to roll in masts. Here it occurred to him that some day, ere long, it would become a place of business. The land was owned by old Mr. Samuel Moor. He thought, if he was able, he would purchase an acre, so as to command the four corners where he built his tavern-house, where his stable stood, where his store stood, and where his house now stands. Accordingly, he applied to Moor, to know what he would take for an acre of land, and let him select it any where he chose. Mr. Moor would sell on this condition, one acre for $100 and a pair of calf-skin boots. Parker wanted the land, but he was poor, and did not know how to raise the money. He went to one Amos Martin, and offered him one half in common, if he would take hold and help him buy the acre. Martin at first agreed to do so, but on reflection, thought the land too high, and backed out. Not so with Parker. He persevered, closed the bargain, took his deed, and paid promptly, according to his agreement. He moved the little house he had built near the school-house, to the spot where the tavern now stands, added a little to it, and resumed the business of shoe-making, which he now united with a little store of spirits and tobacco.
As his business increased, he took an apprentice ; laid up money ; was soon able to purchase, in his way, about 6 or 8000 of boards, at $4 per 1000; rafted and sent them to Newburyport ; sold for $8; made a handsome profit; laid out the money in the purchase of more boards, which he sent off with equal success. And here was the starting point in his lumber trade, that brought him so much property. In this way he added to his acres, and added to his trade, and a very few years found him in possession of a store of goods.
He soon became popular, as an honest trader, and this multiplied his customers. All this time his tavern was open to travellers, and being in a central place, he had as much company as he could accommodate ; and money was coming in from all quarters.
He always paid punctually ; and in this way he raised his credit in Boston, so that he could get trusted for any quan- tity of goods. "I have known," says his son-in-law, "his creditors, when settling up his bill where he purchased his West India goods, to hand him at the close $50," - no doubt in order to retain his custom.
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In 1796 or 1797 he built his large tavern-house, and added to his store, -his business all the time increasing. He established his brother-in-law, Wm. Parker, in trade in West Goffstown - he was known as "Farmer Bill." That being a good place to get lumber in exchange for goods, they soon became wealthy.
HON. MATTHEW PATTEN.
WE are already so well acquainted with this early settler, by the frequent allusions to him, and frequent extracts from his Journal, that no more than a brief notice here is neces- sary ; indeed, for the first fifty years, his history is a part of the history of the town.
He was born in Ireland, May 19, 1719; emigrated to this country in 1728; came to Souhegan East in 1738; was second Judge of Probate in this county, and first after the Revolution ; he was appointed to that office in 1776; he represented the towns of Bedford and Merrimac in 1776 and 1777 ; was Counsellor in 1778. He was appointed Justice of Peace about 1751, and continued in that office until his death, which occurred Aug. 27, 1795. He died in a field in the south part of the town. The men were mowing, and he went to carry them their dinner. He went and sat down under a tree, where he was found dead in a short time.
DAVID PATTEN, ESQ.
SON of Hon. Matthew Patten, was, for many years, a useful and esteemed citizen. The following tribute to his worth is extracted from the town records.
" David Patten, Esq., son of Hon. Matthew Patten, was born in this town, Feb. 18, 1761. He was very useful for many years as a land-surveyor, and was always ready to give accurate information respecting boundary lines; and such was the confidence reposed in him, that his opinion settled the question. He was also in some part of his life a respect-
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JOHN RAND, ESQ.
able schoolmaster, both in and out of town, and always, took an interest in common schools. The last year of his life, he was afflicted with paralysis. He lived universally esteemed, and died, Aug. 26, 1836, leaving a good name, as a worthy man and useful citizen. DANIEL GORDON, Town Clerk. " March 11th, 1844."
Mr. Patten was never married. He lived on the home- stead with his maiden sisters, one of whom still survives.
JOHN RAND, ESQ.
THIS gentleman, for many years an inhabitant of this town, was the first minister of Lyndeborough. He came to this town immediately from Derryfield in 1778. His ministry in Lyndeborough was short, [See Genealogy.] What year he was settled there, we are not certain. He must have been there as early as 1756, as appears by the following letter of dismission, found among his papers.
"To the Church of Christ at Lyndeborough, under the pastoral charge of the Rev. Mr. John Rand, the Church in Middleton send, Greeting :
"Rev. and Beloved : - Pursuant to the Request of our Brother and Sister, Mr. Nathaniel Putnam and Mrs. Abigail Putnam, we hereby certify that they, our said Brother and Sister, have been Regularly admitted to the holy communion with us. And that, whilst with us, have led a conversation becoming their Profession. And being, by the disposal of God's Providence, who sets bounds to all men's habitations, Removed from us into your neighborhood, we do hereby Recommend them to your holy Fellowship and communion. Praying that grace, mercy and peace may be multiply'd unto you and them, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
"SAMUEL NICHOLS, Mod."
There is no date to this, but on the back is endorsed : - " Rec'd Sept. 7, 1756."
Some trouble seems to have arisen before Mr. Rand had been long at Lyndeborough. We have a letter dated 1761, from Hon. Benj. Lynde of Salem, one of the proprietors of
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the township, and from whom it was named, (it having been previously called New Canada.) The letter is written to Mr. Rand, and thus closes : -
" Let me therefore beg of you to come into some measure for an accommodation ; and if the council, which they are to have shortly, doth not please you, join with them in a mutual council, or in some five discreet persons, who shall settle and adjust all matters between you, that so peace may be again restored to your unhappy, divided place.
" Hoping that God, who is the God of peace, will incline your and your people's hearts to such measures as may put an end to these unhappy quarrels, I remain
" Your friend and humble servant,
" BENJ. LYNDE."
After Mr. Rand removed to this vicinity, he seldom preached. He engaged in civil affairs, being Justice of the Peace, Town Clerk, &c. He was evidently a man of con- siderable reading and general information, but seemed to be unsuccessful in worldly accumulation, verifying the Scrip- tural adage, "Nor riches to men of understanding."
He was for a time much embarrassed in his worldly circumstances. Among his papers is a document, guaran- teeing to him entire exemption from any molestation on account of debts; and the first signature is of that distin- guished man, afterwards first President of the American Congress. This singular paper thus closes : -
" And that it shall and may be lawful for the said John Rand to plead and give in evidence this our present writing and safe conduct, in full Bar and Discharge of the Debt or Debts of such Person or Persons, by whom he, the said Rand shall be thus arrested, sued or molested, as aforesaid.
"In witness whereof we, the said creditors of the said John Rand, have hereunto set our hands and seals this twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy. JOHN HANCOCK."
But how happened it, the enquiry may be, that a man up here in the woods, as it then was, should be associated thus with an individual of such celebrity ? The enquiry is easily answered. Mr. Rand was Librarian at Harvard College from 1753 to 1755, the very years that John Hancock and John
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ISAAC RIDDLE, ESQ.
Adams were undergraduates at Cambridge. Thus they were placed in interesting relations to each other, and no doubt cherished a mutual regard. Rand, by some means, became Hancock's debtor. How strange the vicissitudes of this world !
At one end of the old burying-yard in this town, without a stone to mark the exact spot, there repose the remains of a man who was conversant, in their youth, with Hancock and Adams, afterwards the master spirits of the American Revo- lution ; and it is to the praise of Hancock, that, after the lapse of thirty years, he came to the relief of Rand in adversity, and threw the protection of his name around the early friend of his college career.
John Rand, a grandson of his, has been for some years an artist of note in London.
ISAAC RIDDLE, ESQ.
THIS gentleman, for many years an active public-spirited citizen of this town, was extensively engaged in the lumber trade, and one of the first proprietors of navigation on Mer- rimac river. He superintended the building of the locks and canals belonging to the "Union Lock and Canal Company." In connexion with Maj. Caleb Stark, he built and owned the first canal-boat that ever floated on the waters of the Merri- mac. It was named the Experiment, was built at Bedford Centre, and drawn three miles, on wheels, to the Basswood Landing, so called by forty yoke of oxen, at which place it was launched in presence of the town's people, who met on the occasion to witness the novelty of the day. It was loaded and went to Boston, and the following notice is taken from the Boston Centinel of 1812: -
" Arrived from Bedford, N. H., Canal-Boat Experiment, Isaac Riddle, Captain, via. Merrimac River and Middlesex Canal."
Upon her arrival at Boston, she was received by many cheers and the firing of canon. From this, commenced a large and extensive inland navigation on the Merrimac, until 1845, when interrupted by rail-roads.
He built factories at Souhegan, afterwards called Riddle's
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Village, where, in company with his sons, Wm. P., James and Isaac, under the name of I. Riddle & Sons, he carried on an extensive manufacture of Cotton, Nails and Wool, until the establishment was destroyed by fire, in 1829.
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