USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Bedford > History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737 : being statistics compiled on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, May 15, 1900 > Part 64
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122
April, 1826-Mr. John W. Moore fell from a building on which he was at work, at his brother's, Capt. Robert Moore, and died in a few hours. This providence was the more remarkable, as it was just one month from the death of his wife.
In the winter of 1829 Jonathan Campbell was found in a pasture not far from the Chubbuck place frozen so badly that he died in a few days.
1830-Alexander McCoy was killed at Piscataquog village by a boy in a passion.1
October 14, 1834-Elbridge J. Campbell, then two years and eleven months old, accompanied the hired girl when she went after the cow, which had been turned to pasture on Morrill hill. This hill is now a part of the farm owned by Solomon Manning.
Not finding the cow readily, the girl left the boy under a chest- nut tree, telling him to stay until her return. Some time after, when she came for the boy, he was nowhere to be seen. Having become restless at being left alone so long, he had wandered, no one knew whither. His parents had gone to Chester for a visit, and we can imagine the feelings of the girl, when diligent search from 3 o'clock p. m. until late in the evening failed to discover the missing child. The next day 100 people joined in the search, it having been agreed that a gun should be fired when the boy was found. All day long they searched, and not till 6 o'clock p. m. was the welcome sound of the signal gun heard. Hastily the people followed its sound. It led them to a swamp at the eastern base of Morrill hill. Here, cling- ing to a log, the child was found by Seth P. Campbell.
1 The boy was a stepson of McCoy, and became angered at the treatment of his mother by McCoy, and, seizing the tongs, he struck him on the head, killing him instantly. The boy was arrested, taken to Amherst jail, indicted, and tried, but the jury acquitted him.
-
640
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
It seems the boy had heard voices calling him before this, but was too much frightened to reply until he heard the familiar voice of some one he knew. The log lay in a wet place, and the boy, after falling off during the night, had crawled upon it once more. He was thinly clad, and all felt that his exposure to the cold October night, his hunger and fright, all combined to make a very narrow escape.
June 15, 1837-A great hail-storm, about 3 o'clock p. m., passed over the place, doing great damage to window glass, crops, etc. The funeral procession of General Riddle's wife was passing from Piscat- aquog village to the Center burying-ground, and the horses became almost unmanageable. The hailstones were very large, and some of them were seen on the ground next day. The stones pierced the tops of the covered carriages, and made such marks on the build- ings that they were noticeable until recently.
In 1837, Bradford Chandler, a son of Capt. William Chandler, was killed in a factory at Nashua, N. H. He was eighteen years old, and was buried in Bedford cemetery.
September, 1839-Two sons of Dwelly Mitchell, aged fourteen and sixteen, with another boy, went out in a skiff, one Sabbath morning, on the Merrimack; the boat was upset, and the two broth- ers were drowned. The bodies were found a few days after near the place.
In March, 1845, a dreadful murder was committed at Manchester, in the evening, on the body of Jonas L. Parker, which awakened the deepest interest in this town, because Parker had lived here some years and was well known among us. His murderer was never found.
In 1845 Phineas Campbell, son of Thomas Campbell, was killed by a falling tree.
In 1846 David Campbell killed a black snake eight feet long. It was of the variety known as a racer, having a white ring around its neck. Mr. Campbell was haying near Cow hill (now a part of the farm owned by John Roby) when, hearing his dog making sounds of distress, he started to investigate. He soon found the snake chas- ing the dog and, hastily raising his gun, fired. His snakeship at once fell out of the race.
James Gardner caught a pickerel in Sebbins' pond that weighed seven pounds. Amos Harris caught a pickerel in the same pond which weighed six pounds.
1847-Emerson Campbell, son of Robert Campbell, a boy about ten years of age, was drowned in Sewell Stratton's pond.
July 17, 1847-Sherborn Dearborn's house and other buildings were burned.
Woodbury Roby was drowned in Pulpit brook.
October, 1849-A young man by the name of Jewett was killed by falling from a chestnut tree. The tree was in Amherst ; the funeral was attended at his father's in this town.
641
FATAL CASUALTIES, ETC.
November 5, 1849-David Houston went to Manchester one Monday morning, was seen during the day, and started, as was sup- posed, to come home towards evening, and it was presumed he had fallen into the Merrimack or Piscataquog, river. His body was found near Hudson, June 22, 1850.
April, 1850-Otis Hardy, of Piscataquog village, in a fit of deli- rium tremens, committed suicide by cutting his throat. He left a wife and children.
July, 1850-Bradford Leach, aged twenty-five, was drowned in the Piscataquog river, near the village.
January 31, 1851-Capt. John Patten, who lived on the River road, in the house long occupied by William Minot, was killed by the fall of a tree. It may be stated that three men have been killed in this town by falling trees. Mr. Cochran, many years ago in the north part of the town; Mr. Phineas Campbell and Capt. John Pat- ten, above referred to.
In 1852, Ephraim Parker, a brother of James Amherst Parker, who was living at the time in the family of William French, on the William Riddle, Jr., farm, took an overdose of laudanum, from which he died. It was a case of suicide, and although every effort was made to revive him by walking him up and down the hill in front of the house for a long time, he could not be roused from his stupor, and died. He was nineteen years of age.
November 15, 1853-Charles Boynton was found dead in the road about forty rods north of the house formerly owned and occu- pied by Joseph C. Moore, now occupied by Farnham Jenkins. The circumstances of his death appear to be these: The night before he left William Moore's about 8 o'clock, and on arriving at the Joseph Seymour house, now the Jenkins house, his horse stopped suddenly, precipitating him out of the wagon on to the ground. The horse started up, brought the forward wheel of the wagon upon Mr. Boyn- ton's neck, which, remaining there for some time, strangled him. He was buried in the graveyard, near the meeting-house on the west side of the meeting-house near the hill where it descends toward the northwest-the paupers' field.
May 4, 1854-Stephen Damon, father of Dea. Stephen Churchill Damon, was killed in his sawmill on Riddle brook. He was sup- posed to have been hit by the up-and-down saw frame.
A few years after the death of Stephen Damon, a young man, William Gillispy by name, lost his arm by the circular saw, while working in the lower mill. These accidents, with a few cuts, bruises, and finger losses, are all the noticeable casualties in Damon's, now Holbrook's, mills since 1849.
June 9, 1856 -- B. Orlando Hall, son of Benjamin Hall, was riding a log in the mill pond in Damon's mill, when the log turned, and he was drowned. He was eighteen years and ten months old.
July 7, 1856-Albyron Pierce Rundlett was drowned in the Mer- rimack river, at the age of eight years. He was enticed from school
42
642
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
to go in swimming by two larger boys, Silas Darrah and Clarence Darrah. He was unable to swim, and getting into deep water could not save himself. He was drowned just below the mouth of Bow- man's brook. His father, who was working about a mile from the place, was summoned, and his knowledge of the currents enabled him to locate the body without delay. He dove, and brought the body to the shore on the first trial. All efforts at resuscitation were una- vailing, the body having been in the water about one half hour.
June, 1862-John F. Moore, son of John Moore, born in Merri- mack, N. H., and Calvin Dodge, son of Benjamin Dodge, both fifteen years of age, were drowned near Goffe's Falls, in the Merrimack river.
August 16, 1864-Charles Leach Parker, son of Col. Daniel Parker and Mary Way Parker, aged three years and eight months, met his death by accident. A pair of steers ran away with a cart in which he was, tipping it over and killing him.
1864-A stranger, supposed to be a foreigner, and apparently about sixty-five years of age, met his death by falling through the railroad bridge near Mr. Isaac Darrah's mill. His occupation and residence are unknown. He was walking from Worcester, and had taken the wrong road.
July 16, 1864-Edward Payson French, son of Hugh Riddle French, was drowned in Sawyer's deep hole in Riddle's brook, near Miriam Gilmore's house, the old Orr place. He was thirteen years of age.
April 23, 1869-Jed Frye Patterson, aged two years, an infant, was accidentally scalded to death. He sat down in a pail of boiling water.
October 22, 1869-Sherborn Dearborn, aged sixty, was killed by the kick of his horse. He was on his way home from Manchester and stopped at Mrs. Lochran's house on the plains. The house stood a few rods east of the top of the hill on the road from Man- chester. It was afterwards burned. His body was found with his back broken. Word was brought to Mr. F. F. French, who sent Damon Jenkins and John D. Rowe to carry him home. He lived a few days after that. He was a man of great natural ability, but with some irregularities of conduct.
August 5, 1870-Louisa Robie, aged twenty-seven, wife of Alfred Robie (before her marriage she was a Plummer of Chestnut Hill), drowned herself in Piscataquog river.
1872 .-- Four children of Walter Gage died from an epidemic of scarlet fever. Their names were Esther, who died April 1; Ida, April 2; Lizzie, April 2, and Frank April 9.
March 27, 1873-Daniel Campbell, son of Page Campbell, aged twenty-one, was killed on the railroad. He was a brakeman on a road out of Worcester, and the accident took place near there.
June 18, 1876-Johanna, wife of John Regan, thirty-nine years of age, was killed on the New Hampshire Central railroad near
643
FATAL CASUALTIES, ETC.
Goffstown. She was walking on the track and did not notice the approach of the train.
1878-Four children of Edward Payson French and two of Frank Harvill died within a few days of one another from an epi- demic of diphtheria : April 5, Josie P. French, aged five ; April 7, Hattie B., aged seven; April 8, Mary J., aged eleven ; May 3, Frank R., aged fourteen; May 17, Neddie S. Harvill, aged two; May 24, Charles S. Harvill, aged five.
March 18, 1881-Alonzo Huntoon, an express messenger who ran through to Boston on the 11 o'clock train south, fell from his car a short distance below Goffe's Falls. It is probable that he was thrown out, while sitting in a chair, as the train rounded a curve, as a broken chair was found near him. He was not missed until the train reached Nashua. A message was forwarded to Manchester and an employee dispatched on the down freight in search of him. He was found about one half mile below Goffe's Falls in an uncon- scious condition, lying between two tracks. He was conveyed to his home, 357 Central street, Manchester, where he was found to be suffering from concussion of the brain. He died at thirteen minutes past six that evening. He had worked for the express company about ten years, three of which he had run on this particular train. Mr. Huntoon was born in Westford, Mass., and was thirty-one years of age.
September 8, 1882-George F. Gage, aged thirty-eight, a brother of Charles Gage, was accidentally killed while going to Goffstown fair with a load of stock in a cart. He was sitting on the spire, and, as the team was going up Vose hill, he fell off and the cart ran over him and injured him so that he died in a few days.
May 1, 1883-Reuben Bugbee, aged seventy-three, committed suicide by hanging himself in his barn. The barn stood where Her- bert Fosher's barn now stands. It was burned and the new one stands where the old one did. The cause of his death was insanity. When found his toes just touched the floor. He left a widow but no children.
1883-Willie J. Folsom, of Salisbury, N. H., aged nineteen, was drowned. He was in the employ of Thomas J. Wiggin on the River road, and went in swimming in the river. His body was found at the foot of Griffin's falls, near the mouth of Crosby's brook.
Heavy frost did serious damage to fruit trees and farm crops May 30 and 31, 1884. Snow fell in the north part of the state and the ground in this vicinity froze to the depth of a quarter of an inch. Among the losses cited in the daily papers of those dates were: Stevens Brothers of Bedford lost one and one half acres of sweet corn, one and one half acres of tomato plants, two acres of beans, three acres of early potatoes, and one acre of spinach. Their loss was estimated at several hundred dollars. Stevens & Emerson of Bedford lost one acre of peas in bloom. Other small gardeners lost heavily of fruits, the grape suffering the most.
644
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
June 3, 1886-Clark N. Mudge, son of George Mudge, was fish- ing from a boat on Baboosic pond. He got out of the boat and on to a large rock, whence he slipped into the water and was drowned. He was twenty-three years old, and was living at the time on the Enoch Gage place in West Bedford.
June 13, 1887-Willard Clinton Parker fell from a tree, while hiving a swarm of bees, striking upon his shoulders and back and causing a fracture of the spine. Paralysis ensued and he lay help- less for nearly six weeks, when death came to his relief.
April 17, 1888-William F. Gage, son of W. U. Gage, committed suicide. He was thirty-one years of age. His body was found in the Shepherd brook beside the County road. He drove over near the brook, tied his horse and jumped into the water. Despondency avas the probable cause.
November 8, 1889-Two children, Lillian Ricard, aged five, and Carl E. Holt, aged four, were burned to death in a fire which destroyed the barn and part of the house, formerly owned by Samuel H. Dunbar, and which stood on the west side of the River road near the Manchester line. The children were playing with matches and the buildings took fire in consequence. When found their bodies were almost entirely consumed.
August 28, 1892-David Page Campbell, aged fifty-five, went out of the little house on the top of the hill near the William McAllister's place, and hung himself to the limb of a tree near the wall. His body was found by Emerson Campbell. The reason for his rash act is not known.
October 27, 1895-John P. Adams, son of Charles Adams, aged sixteen years, was coming down the hill near the Vose place when he stumbled and fell on the gun which he was carrying. The charge entered his head, and he was killed instantly.
October 16, 1896-Mary A. Calef, wife of Arthur Calef, was found dead in a field with her head in a spring. It was supposed that she had a fit and fell into the spring. Her face only was in the water. Her husband afterwards lost his mind, and was taken to the Concord asylum.
December 2, 1899-Charles W. Campbell, son of Silas Campbell, was killed in Worcester, Mass., while working on the railroad.
George Washington Campbell, son of George Campbell, was killed in the Manchester railroad yard. He worked on the railroad.
July 18, 1901-Jerome Sturtevant committed suicide by hanging himself with a trace chain to a tree in the orchard back of his barn on the River road. Temporary insanity was the cause.
May 1, 1902-John R. Rouse was accidentally killed. He was coming home from Manchester and stopped at Davis' store to buy some bananas for his children. While he was in the store his horse started and he ran after him. His foot slipped off the step and he fell under the moving wheels which passed over him, crushing his head so that he died instantly.
November 22, 1902-Captain Edwin Whitford was killed by the
645
LONGEVITY.
kick of a horse. The accident took place in the early morning at. the barn of his brother-in-law, W. M. Patten.
June 16, 1903-Robert P. Yuill, the hired man of Mrs. Forrest F. Shaw, committed suicide by shooting. The rash act was performed in the morning, on the lawn in front of the house.
October 21, 1903-Waldo T. Worcester of Concord was drowned at Goffe's falls. He was shooting the rapids with a companion in'a canoe, which overturned, precipitating them both into the river. The companion escaped, but Mr. Worcester was drowned. His body was not recovered.
The following copy of an old subscription paper preserved in town may be of interest :
Bedford 11th January 1814
We whose names are underwritten takeing into consideration the distressed scituation of the Inhabitants of Portsmouth who have been deprived of much of their property by the late destructive fire, do hereby engage to pay or deliver to the person who shall present this paper to us such sum of money or other specific arti- cles as are affixed to our names respectively for the relief of the sufferers
Josiah Walker,
$1.
D. McGregore,
2 bu of corn,
Samuel Chandler,
2. S. French,
2 bu. of corn,
Richard Dole,
2. josiah Gordon,
2 bu. of corn,
Z. Chandler,
2. John Houston,
1 bu. of corn,
Thomas Chandler,
3. Nancy Houston,
6 yds. shirting 1 sheet,
Thomas Runlet,
1. John Orr,
$10.
Joseph Patten,
1. David Stevens,
3.
Solomon Gage,
1.
Moody M. Stevens, 2.
James Darrah junior,
2.
David Stevens jr., 1.
Robert K. Darrah,
Daniel Harris,
.25 Enoch Dole, 1.
Samuel Smith
1. Robert Moor,
.50
Margaret Dickey,
.25
Sam Barron,
.50
Thomas Harris,
.50 Jesse Parker
1 bu. of corn,
Thomas Harris, Junior,
.50
True Moor,
1/2 bu. of corn,
Willard Harris,
.50
William Moor, Jr.,
5.
Moses Davis,
.37
Thomas Kearney,
1.
Deacon Ephraim Abbott,
.25
Hugh Riddel,
2.
Jonathan Rand,
.50 Samuell McAffee,
1.50
Amos Martin,
1. Abel Beard,
Wid Hannah Patten,
1. Samuell Bangs,
1 bu. of corn,
John Patten
1. John Moor,
1 bu. of corn,
Rebecca Wallace,
.50 Andrew Walker,
1 bu. of corn,
Isaac Riddel,
6.
Jacob Vose
1 bu. of corn, 2. 1 bu. of corn,
Isaac Atwood
.75
Roger Vose,
David S. Gillis,
25 Deacon Holbrook,
2 bu. of corn,
Frederick A. Mitchell,
1.
Deacon Craig,
1 bu. of corn,
Stephen French,
3. Benj. Sprague,
1 bu. of corn,
Allen Tirrel
.50 David Sprague,
1/2 bu. of rie,
William Barns,
.25 John Armstrong,
1/2 bu. corn,
Robt Houston
1.
James McCleary,
1/2 bu. of corn,
David Patten,
1.
Benj. Sprague, Ezra Baldwin,
1.50
Isaac Atwood Junr,
1.50 Benjamin Nichols,
1.50
Levi Cochrane
.50 Matthew Briant,
1.50
William Riddel,
3. Ebenezer French
1.50
Recd from the Inhabitants of the town of Bedford by the hands of Mr Isaac Atwood and Patrick McLaughlin 114 Dollars in cash 37 bushels corn two small pcs cotton cloth 2 prs. stockings 1 small jacket for the relief of the sufferers by the late fire in this town.
Portsmouth, Jan. 26, 1814.
John Haven, for the Committee of donations.
LONGEVITY.
Mrs. Margaret Aiken lived to be ninety-seven. professor of religion more than seventy years. children baptized in the old meeting-house.
She had been a She had twelve
James Darrah,
2. Benj. Gage,
1. 1 bu. of corn,
Margaret Orr
2. David Atwood,
1 bu. of corn,
Patrick McLaughlin
1.
1. Robert Wallace, 2.
Theodore A. Goffe,
3. William Moor, 5.
646
HISTORY OF BEDFORD.
Mrs. Sarah Colburn lived to be ninety-six. She had heard Whitefield preach in Dracut.
Deacon Benjamin Smith, one of the first elders, came with his wife, then a girl, from the north of Ireland (1738) he being nine- teen and she twenty-one. They were married in Londonderry soon after their arrival, after which they came to this town and lived together in the married state seventy-two years.
Mrs. Rundlett died in 1845 at the age of ninety-five.
1837. There were seven persons died whose united ages would be five hundred and fifty years, viz., Deacon John Craig, seventy- four ; Mrs. Sarah Moor, eighty-one; Mrs. Joseph Tinker, seventy- six ; Mrs. Hannah Merrill, eighty-one; Mrs. Ann M. Riddle, sev- enty-two; Mr. John Wallace, ninety; Deacon Stephen Thurston, seventy-six.
1839. There were seven persons died whose united ages would be five hundred and eighty-eight years, viz., Mr. Joseph Patten, eighty; Mr. John Moor, ninety-three ; Mr. Benjamin Sprague, eighty-seven ; Mrs. Hannah Patten, seventy-seven; Mr. David Stevens, eighty-six ; Mr. David Riddle, eighty-four; Mrs. Benjamin Sprague, eighty-one.
The following inhabitants of Bedford have lived to be over eighty years of age :
Almira L. Johnson,
80
Samuel Muzzey, 94
Sarah Walker,
90
Betsy Stenchfield,
87
Rebecca Plummer,
86
Ephraim Parker, 90
Dolly Campbell,
83
Eliza B. G. Woodbury,
88
Samuel Gardner,
89
K. Heselton,
80
Nathaniel B. Hull,
80
Paul T. Abbott,
83
Thomas Hackett,
80
Mary B. Cotton,
83
Holmes Carr,
80
Betsey Kittredge,
80
Lydia French,
82
Blanchard Nichols,
84
Sally Butterfield,
87
David B. Durgin,
81
Sophia M. Moore,
82
B. Esienzimmer,
81
Nancy Ferguson,
91
Hannah Carr,
86
Sarah Whittaker,
87
Benjamin Nichols,
83
Jane Gordon,
89
Nancy Goffe McGaw,
83
John Dunlap,
84
Isaac Cutler,
82
Achsah Roby,
81
Thomas G. Holbrook,
87
Elizabeth Cutler,
82
Submit W. Holbrook,
88
Frederick W. Scheer,
91
Dwelly W. Mitchell,
90
Hannah Atwood,
88
Henry J. Plummer,
90
Joseph H. Tinker,
87
Clarissa E. Barr,
85
Elvira Walker,
85
Abram Ceroy,
99
Abigail Twombly,
84
Betsey Bean,
84
Adam N. Patten,
81
Lucinda E. Clement,
87
Lydia Parkhurst,
81
David Sprague,
81
Elijah H. Burns,
83
Annie C. French,
84
Rufus Merrill,
85
Sarah Butler,
88
647
LONGEVITY.
Thomas W. Moore,
85
Thomas Barr,
90
Sarah Woods,
98
John Barr,
85
Jane P. Gage,
83
Ephraim Snow,
81
Benjamin Dowse,
99 Joseph Moore,
81
Hannah D. Currier,
93
Nancy Walker,
88
Maria Worthley,
81
Reuben Bowers,
95
Lucy B. Sheppard,
83
Cyrus Fosdick,
84
Willard Parker,
83
David Cheney,
92
Lydia Head,
87
Mary Way,
80
Nathan Butler,
86
John Sheppard,
86
Rebecca Roby,
80
Submit W. Darrah,
86
Martha Barron,
81
Isaac Gage,
86
Sybil Moore,
84
Abigail Hodgman,
90
Olive Dunlap,
84
Nancy F. French,
82
Moody M. Stevens,
89
David Atwood,
90
John Way,
83
Isaac Darrah,
80
Nancy Houston,
98
Robert Dunlap,
86
Leonard C. French,
83
Allen Peabody,
83
Samuel Chandler,
95
Theodore A. Goffe,
91
Jennie Wetherspoon,
83
Mrs. Thomas Chandler,
80
Mahala Cheney,
82
Jotham Gillis,
97
Thomas Chandler,
93
David Swett,
87
Mary Eveleth,
90
Mrs. I. P. Hodgman,
81
Dolly Riddle,
80
Oliver L. Kendall,
88
Mrs. B. Nichols,
90
Joshua Vose,
84
Caroline C. Ormsby,
87
Eliza Goffe Parker,
91
Edward Barr,
87
Lavina Adams,
96
Hannah Flint,
85
Lucy W. Hadley,
81
Almira Leavitt,
82
Elizabeth Cady,
82
Charles Tarbell,
83
Caroline E. Parker,
80
Thomas F. Kendall,
81
Fannie D. Moore,
95
Mary Taffe,
82
Benjamin Hutchinson,
81
Joshua Vose,
81
Mary P. Jones,
84
Deacon John French,
80
Emily Kidder,
82
George Hodgman,
96
Senter Farley,
84
Mary Tinker,
83
John W. Brown,
87
Gottlieb Hoffman,
85
Mary Ann Roby,
80
Harriet Wilson,
94
Abijah Hodgman,
88
Mary C. Goffe,
89
William McAfee,
86
Asenath Bugbee,
86
Living January 1, 1901 :
Sarah Ann Stevens,
85
Benjamin Hall,
82
Isaac P. Hodgman,
86
Stillman Parkhurst,
86
James French,
83
Robert Fulton, 90
90
Hannah P. Morrison,
81
Charles H. Kendall,
84
Betsey Bursiel,
87
Mrs. Louisa Parkhurst,
88
Anna Parker,
81
Mrs. Thomas Fuller,
90
Bradford Beal,
84
Moses Gage,
86
Dolly Patten,
Statistics of Taxation.
Facts relative to the taxation that has been borne by taxable per- sons of the town of Bedford for the past one hundred and more years are here presented. The date for the beginning, 1799, was taken, because it was the first in which the invoice was made in the denomination of dollars and cents. The terms previously used had been pounds, shillings, and pence.
Such items have been taken from the invoices as were deemed of the greatest interest for reference and comparison, and they have been reduced, when necessary and possible, to a basis which means the same for the entire period. The items selected are : the rate upon each $100 worth of property: the total tax assessed for all purposes; the total amount specially voted for the care of high- ways ; the same for " town charges "; the amount raised for the sup- port of schools, and the total invoice valuation of the town.
It has been impossible to give the last two items for the entire period. Up to 1875 it was not the practice to make a total sum- mary of the valuation of the property of the individual taxpayers. It was decided, in the preparation of the table, therefore, to give the total for the earlier part of the period, for only the decennial years, since the work of addition for each year would require so much time. The total for such other years in that time as are given were found in some papers at the state offices, or elsewhere, when search was being made for other matter.
For a portion of the time the column of school tax is incomplete. The cause of this is similar to that related as to invoice valuation, no record of the selectmen's warrant, committing the taxes to the collector and containing such items, being found for those years in the town books.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.