History of Brookline, formerly Raby, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire : with tables of family records and genealogies, Part 2

Author: Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: [S.l.] : The town
Number of Pages: 754

USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Brookline > History of Brookline, formerly Raby, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire : with tables of family records and genealogies > Part 2

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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

PORTRAITS.

Part I.

Page

Copp, Rev. Henry B.,

282

Dodge, Thomas H., -

407

Dodge, Eliza Daniels, -

408

Farley, Hon. Benjamin Mark,

193

Goodwin, Rev. Daniel,

241

Holcomb, Dr. Chas. H.,

Frontispiece -

192

Parker, Miss Frances D.,

- 253

Sargent, Rev. Frank D.,

- 244

Sawin, Rev. Theophilus P.,

- 189

Shattuck, Dr. Jonathan C.,

411

Part II.

Fessenden, David S.,

511

Fessenden, Orville D.,-

512

French, John A., -

533

Hall, Joseph A., -

535

Hall, James H.,

539

Hobart, David, Jr.,

542

Hobart, George W. L.,

542

Hobart Group, -

543

Hobart, Maria Sawtelle,

546

Horton, James A.,

550

Hutchinson, John F., -

494

McDaniels, Mary,

572

Parker, William Harrison

576

Parker, Walter Lang,

578

Parker, James Carlton,

579

Parker, Deverd Corey,

581

Parker, James Clinton,

582

515

French, Charlotte L. (Pierce)

516

Gilson, Deacon Eleazer

521

Hardy, John B., -

416

Parker, Edward E., -

Sawtelle, Miss Ellen C.,

541

Nye, George H.,

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

Page

Parkhurst, Lewis,

584

Rockwood, Cynthia Hobart,

598

Rockwood, William Brooks,

- 599

Russell, Rufus Granville, -

- 603

Russell, Mary A, (French) -

- 608

Sawtelle, Joseph, -

- 610

Shattuck, Nathaniel -

620

Smith, William,

629

Smith, Mrs. Eunice Augusta,

631

Swett, Samuel,

637

Swett, Mrs, Ellen S., - -

638 642

Tucker, Joseph C., -

Tucker, Edward C., -

644

Wallace, William, -

648

Whitcomb, Eddy S.,

652

604 606

Russell, Clarence R., -

Sawtelle, Isaac,

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

CHAPTER I.

Topographical and Otherwise.

Surface and Soil-Forests-Granite Ledges-Clay Banks-Ponds-Rivers and Brooks- Hills-Natural Curiosities, Stone House, Devil's Den-Witch Story-The Bear's Den-Indians-Population of the Town at Different Periods.

Brookline is situated in the southern part of New Hampshire on the Massachusetts state line. It is bounded on the south by Townsend and Pepperell in Massachusetts; on the west by Mason, on the north by Milford, and on the east by Hollis.

The surface of the entire township is hilly; there being but few level tracts, and these of small size. The soil is, for the greater part, a sandy loam, not especially well adapted to agricultural purposes. There is, however, a considerable acreage of good land, strong and productive, and some excellent farms. Fifty years ago there were more. But since then many of the town's sons and daughters, like those of many another New England town, lured by the call of the great world outside, have gone forth to seek their fortunes in its midst. In the meantime, the deserted farms have never ceased to send forth mute but expressive appeals for the return of their absent ones. Within the past few years, in some instances, these appeals have been heeded, and as a result, many of the old farms are being rejuvenated.

In the southern part of the town, on the farm of the late Luther Rockwood, there is an extensive bed of clay, from which bricks of most excellent quality were formerly manufactured; but for the past forty years the plant has been idle.

The town has always been noted for its forests. For many years in its history, its magnificent growth of white and pitch pines, chestnuts, oaks, hemlocks, maple and other varieties of forest trees were a sure and stable source of income and profit to its people. The old growth trees and even the second growth had practically disappeared forty years ago. But in the meantime their places have been taken by a new growth which, in quantity at least, more than compensates for their loss. In the esti-

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

mation of competent and conservative judges, the town's acreage of woodlands at the present time is larger than it was forty years ago.

The town is founded upon a rock; and that rock is granite. It un- derlies the entire surface of the township. Except near the river bottoms, it is impossible to excavate the soil to any considerable depth without striking it solid, firm and sure. On hilltops and hillsides, in forests and fields, its ledges are to be continually found, cropping out above the surface. Some of the ledges have been opened up and operated for many years past. But until within comparatively few years their products have, for the greater part, been confined to home consumption. But in 1892, by the opening of the Brookline and Pepperell railroad to public use, they were brought near to the open markets; and as a result, since then many new quarries have been opened; some of which, at the present time, are being worked with profit. The granite is generally of excellent quality and is easily quarried.

Ponds.

MUSCATANIPUS POND, which still retains its Indian name, meaning, according to the Massachusetts Historical Society's Records, Great Bear Pond, is located about one-half mile north of the village Main street in a basin formed by the hills of the same name on its west side and by Rock Ramond hill on its east side. Many years ago the towns- people, as a matter of convenience in pronouncing its name, cut out the first two syllables of the same and always referred to it as "Tanipus" pond. In the state, county and other maps which have been published from time to time during the last seventy-five years, its name has ap- peared with many variations in the manner of spelling; among which Potanipo, Potanipa and Potanipus have been more frequently used. But Muscatanipus is its original and correct name. This pond is about one mile in length by one-half mile in width, and contains about two hundred and fifty acres. It is fed by two streams, which flow into it from the northwest and north, respectively. Its waters abound in the different species of fish indigenous to the waters of the state generally .* From the earliest times this pond has been a favorite resort for pleasure seeking parties from the surrounding country. At the present time (1914) its

* Within the sixty years last passed, two attempts to stock this pond with species of fishes natur- ally foreign to its waters have been made. Of these two attempts, the first was made about the year 1864 by the late Joseph C. Tucker; who at the time placed in its waters two pikes, a male and a female. The second attempt was made in 1905 by Edward E. Parker in company with Emri W. Clark, of Nashua, by whom forty thousand Michigan lake trout fry were planted in this pond. Both of these attempts were failures.

MUSCATANIPUS POND

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

waters furnish the Fresh Pond Ice Company of Somerville, Mass., with its annual supply of ice.

LAKIN'S POND is located about four miles north of the village Main street, on the east side of the highway to Milford. It is a natural pond, contains about fifty acres, has no inlet, and discharges its overflow into Scabbard-Mill brook. At the present time it is known to some peo- ple as Melendy's pond. But in the early maps of the state and county the name of Lakin was invariably applied to it: and by that name it has been known to the inhabitants of this town from time immemorial. The origin of its name is unknown. Neither tradition nor written record mention any family of the name of Lakin as ever having lived in the vicinity.

POUT POND is located about one mile south of the village on the east side of the highway to Pepperell, Mass. Although dignified by the name of pond, it is really little better than a pond-hole. It contains about two acres, is fed by springs and rain water, and drains, when it does drain, into the Nissitisset river. Its waters, in which there are no fish of any description, invariably "dry up" in the summer time. And the only matter of interest connected with it that justifies its mention here, is to be found in the fact that for many generations past its icy surface in the winter time has furnished a safe and excellent skating field for the children of the families living in its vicinity.

GOOSE POND is located about three miles north of the village on the west side of the road leading out of the highway to Greenville on its north side, at a point near the old district number 6 schoolhouse, and passing in a northerly direction to the old Nathaniel Hutchingson place. It is a very small pond, having an area of probably less than one- eighth of an acre. But it is rarely ever entirely devoid of water, even in the dryest summers. Few of the town's people even know of its exist- ence; and none know the origin of its name. Possibly it originated in the fact that on some occasion in the long ago, a wandering wild goose, or even a flock of geese, made an over-night stop in its waters. But if it ever harbored a flock, however small, of geese at one time, its waters must have slopped over.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

River and Brooks.

THE NISSITISSET RIVER rises in the hills of Mason; its prin- cipal source being Pratt pond. It retains its original Indian name, of which the meaning is unknown. From "Pratt's" for the first five miles the stream flows in a south-easterly direction, passing in its course through the southwest corner of Milford and the northwest part of Brookline. About midway of its course through Brookline its waters unite with those of Campbell's brook to form Muscatanipus pond. Leaving Muscatanipus by an outlet in its south shore, the stream continues on in a southeasterly course and bisecting the southerly part of this town, passes through the southwest corner of Hollis and the northwest part of Pepperell, Mass., where it flows into the Nashua river from the west at a point located a short distance below the bridge over the latter stream known as "Jew- etts." Its length from its source to its junction with the Nashua is not far from eighteen miles, of which seven miles are in Brookline's territory.

At the upper part of its course in Mason, this stream is known as the Starch Factory brook. In Milford it is known as the Spaulding brook; the name being derived from Abel Spaulding, a settler in the Mile Slip as early as 1782, who built his log-cabin upon its banks in that part of the Slip which in 1769 was incorporated as a part of Brookline, but which in 1794 was taken away from the latter town and incorporated as a part of Milford. In Brookline it is also known as the Spaulding brook up to the last mile of its course before entering Muscatanipus pond, during which it is known as the North Stream.

The Nissitisset, largely increased in size, makes its exit from Mus- catanipus pond by an outlet in its south shore; and descending in a series of rapids, in the first quarter of a mile of its course experiences a fall of some thirty feet. For more than a century the power generated by these falls was in almost constant use for the purpose of operating small manufacturing plants located on the river's banks. But at the present time all of these plants have ceased to exist, and the river's waters are running to waste.

HUTCHINGSON, or, as it was formerly known, MOSIER BROOK is a small stream located in the northwest part of the town, and having its source on the farm of the late John Q. A. Hutchingson. Its course from its source is southwesterly. It is tributary to Spaulding's brook, which it enters a mile, more or less, north of the site of the sawmill of the late Alpheus Shattuck.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

SCABBARD-MILL BROOK rises in the north-east part of the town and flowing in a southwesterly direction, empties into the North Stream about one mile above Muscatanipus pond. In the early days of the town this stream was known as Bennett's brook, and later as Saw- telle's brook; these names being derived from Thomas Bennett and Eli Sawtelle, respectively; both of whom were early settlers on its banks. It derives its present name from a scabbard-mill which was erected upon its banks in the early thirties by Lawrence Bailey; and which was sub- sequently owned and operated for many years by the late Alpheus Shattuck.

NEEDHAM'S BROOK is a small stream which has its source near the old Nathaniel W. Colburn place in the northeast part of the town. Its general course is southwesterly. It is tributary to Scabbard-Mill brook, into which it flows about one mile north of the latter brook's junc- tion with the North Stream. It received its present name from Jeremiah Needham, who for many years owned and occupied the dwelling house at the present time standing upon the old Captain Eli Sawtelle place on the west side of the highway to Milford, some three miles north of the village. This brook was formerly known as the Sawtelle brook, and also as the Stickney brook; the latter name being derived from Ebenezer Burge, better known by his sobriquet of "Dr. Stickney," who for many years lived, and finally died, in a little cottage near its source.

CAMPBELL'S BROOK rises in the southeast part of Mason, from whence it enters Brookline from the west. Its general course is south- easterly, its length about three miles. It empties into Muscatanipus pond on its west shore, where it is known as the West Stream. This stream received its name originally from James Campbell, an early settler in the Mile Slip; who, immediately before the opening of the Revolution, built the first sawmill to be erected upon its banks. In the years that have passed since then, it has been known at different times as Foster's brook, from Abel Foster, who for many years owned and operated a sawmill standing on its banks on the site of the Campbell mill; and the Hall brook, from J. Alonzo Hall, who owned and operated said mill after the Civil War. The upper part of the stream in Mason is known as the Bennett brook, from a Mr. Bennett of Groton, Mass., who formerly owned and operated a sawmill located upon its banks in that locality.

About one mile below its source, this stream receives from the west a small tributary brook, which is also known as Campbell's brook; its name undoubtedly originating from the same source as did that of the

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

larger stream. Like the larger brook, it too has its source in Mason. Its general course is easterly, and its length about one mile.

ROBBINS' BROOK, sometimes called Wetherbee's brook from Daniel S. Wetherbee, who for a number of years resided near it, has its source in the easterly part of Mason, and flowing in a southwesterly direction through this town, becomes tributary to Campbell's brook, about one-half mile above its entrance into Muscatanipus pond.

In the early days of the town this stream was known as Cram's brook. There is a tradition to the effect that about the time of the town's incorporation one Cram, given name unknown, built a sawmill upon its banks below the bridge by which, at the present time, it is crossed in the highway at the foot of the Ezra Farnsworth hill.

THE MILFORD or OLD HOUSE BROOK rises at the west end of Bear hill, about two miles north of the village Main street, and, flowing in a westerly direction, crosses the highway to Milford a few rods north of the point where said highway intersects the highway to Greenville. It is tributary to Scabbard-Mill brook. It is a very small stream, but it seldom dries up.

TALBOT BROOK, so named from Ezra Talbot, an early settler in town near its source, rises in the valley between the Muscatanipus hills. Its general course is easterly. It is about one mile in length. It flows into the Nissitisset river from the west a short distance below the river's outlet from Muscatanipus pond.

THE VILLAGE BROOK has its head waters in the northeasterly part of the town. It is formed by the junction-about one-half mile north of Main street-of two small streams known respectively as the west and east branches. Its general course is southwesterly. Its length is about one and one-fourth miles. It empties into the Nissitisset river about one fourth of a mile southwest of the village Main street. In the early days this stream was known as Douglass brook; the name being derived from Capt. Samuel Douglass, whose log-cabin as early, at least, as 1786, stood on, or near, the site of the dwelling house at the present time occupied by the widow of Charles N. Corey, on the west side of Main street opposite E. E. Tarbell's store.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

STONE HOUSE BROOK has its source in the woodlands about one mile east of the village Main street. It takes its name from a natural curiosity near its head waters, which has long been locally known as "The Stone House." The stream is small in size, flows in a westerly direction and discharges into the Village brook in the meadows west of Main street. Its length is about one and one-fourth miles.

WALLACE BROOK was named from Capt. Matthew Wallace, an early settler in the Mile Slip. It rises in the northern part of Townsend, Mass., enters this town near its southwest corner, and flowing in an easterly direction through the south part of the town, empties into the Nissitisset at South Brookline. Its length in Brookline is about two and one-half miles. Next to the Nissitisset, it is perhaps the largest stream in town. It never runs dry; and in years past has furnished power for several sawmills and other small manufacturing plants.

STICKNEY BROOK rises in the north part of Townsend, Mass., and flowing in a northerly direction, enters this town at South Brookline, where it empties into the Wallace brook a few rods below the sawmill of Deacon Perley Pierce. Its length is not far from one and one-fourth miles. In early years, before Brookline was incorporated, this stream was known as Wolf brook. In 1740 Jasher Wyman built upon its banks the first sawmill to be erected within Brookline's present territory.

ROCKY POND BROOK rises in Rocky Pond in Hollis. Its general course is southerly, and its length is about two miles. For the first mile after leaving the pond the stream flows through Hollis territory; it then crosses the line between Hollis and Brookline and finishes its course in the territory of the latter town, of which it crosses the southeast corner, and where it flows into the Nissitisset river about two miles below its out- let from Muscatanipus pond.

This brook at different times within the past ninety years has been known as the Hobart brook and the Hardy brook; the former name being derived from David Hobart, Sr., who settled on its banks in Brook- line about 1818, coming here from Pepperell, Mass., and the latter from Ephraim L. Hardy, a settler in this town from Hollis in about 1840.

On the majority of both the state and county maps which have been published within the last seventy-five years this brook has been represented as lying wholly within the town of Hollis. But such repre- sentations are erroneous; the lower part of its course being in Brookline, as stated above.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

Hills.

Of the hills in Brookline the most prominent are the two known respectively as Little and Big Muscatanipus, and Rock Ramond and Bear Hills.

LITTLE MUSCATANIPUS HILL is located immediately west of the village Main street, its eastern side forming the west wall of the val- ley in which the village is situated. Its height above the sea level, as given by the United States Coast Survey, is six hundred feet. It extends in a southerly direction from the southwest shore of Muscatanipus pond to South Brookline, a distance of about one and one-fourth miles. The hill has been many times denuded of its forest growth. At the present time (1914) it is covered with a thrifty growth of young trees. With the exception of a tract of cleared land on its northern slope and some cleared lands around its base, no portion of its surface has ever been under cul- tivation.

BIG MUSCATANIPUS HILL is situated west of Little Musca- tanipus, from which it is separated by a narrow valley. Its height above the sea level is seven hundred feet. It is located wholly in that part of the twonship formerly known as the Mile Slip; the east boundary line of which (the same being identical with the west boundary line of Old Dunstable) ran north and south through the valley between it and Little Muscatanipus Hill. Like its sister hill, Little Muscatanipus, this hill has long been denuded of its original forest growth. At the present time its summit, southeasterly, easterly and northwesterly slopes are bare, and, to a considerable extent under cultivation; constituting the farm of Clarence R. Russell, Esq. (From the latter fact, this elevation is, at the present time, occasionally mentioned as Russell's hill.) On its southerly slope lies the farm late of Eli Cleveland, deceased; at the present time it is owned and occupied by George L. Dodge. Save for these two farms this hill is covered with young forest growth.

The views to be obtained from the summits of each of these hills, although that from Little Muscatanipus at the present time (1914) is somewhat obstructed by trees, are among the finest in southern New Hampshire.

ROCK RAMOND HILL is located on the east shore of Musca- tanipus pond. It derives its name from Daniel Ramond of Concord,

MUSCATANIPUS HILLS

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

Mass., who as early as 1730 owned a large tract of land in which it was included, in the west part of old Dunstable, and which he sold to Jona- than Melvin in 1738. In the early deeds of lands in this vicinity this hill is invariably mentioned as Rock Ramond; a name which in modern years has been corrupted into "Rock Rament."

BEAR HILL lies to the north of and about one mile distant from the village Main street. It is of inconsiderable height, but whatever dig- nity it loses from that fact is amply compensated for by its length; which, from its easterly to its westerly terminus, is about two miles. From the earliest times it has been, and now is, covered with forest growth; that at the present time, of course, being young. In late years, the correct way of spelling this hill's name has been, to some extent, a matter of discussion among the town's people; the question being as to whether it should be spelled B-e-a-r or B-a-r-e. In early deeds of lands in its vicinity both forms of spelling the name are used. But as the name dates back to the days of the early settlers, when the virgin forests which then covered its sides were the haunts of the wild beasts common to the country, the theory that it derived its name from bear, the beast, rather than from bare, indicating a state of nakedness, would seem to be more probable than otherwise.

COREY'S HILL is the name applied to the southeasterly part of the hill immediately east of the village Main street. The name is derived from Capt. Nathan Corey, who came from Groton, Mass., to Brookline about 1800; his being the first of the families of the same name now living here to settle here.

HOBART'S HILL is the name applied to the northeasterly part of the hill immediately east of the village Main street; its name being derived from George W. L. Hobart, a descendant of David Hobart, Sr., who settled in Brookline in 1818, coming here from Pepperell, Mass.

COLBURN HILL is located in the northeast part of the town. The east Milford highway crosses its summit about one and one-half miles north of the village. This hill was named after Lot Colburn, a descendant of one of the families of that name, which in the early part of the last century settled in this town, coming here from Hollis.

HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE

Natural Curiosities.

There are few New England towns which do not have within their limits more or less objects of natural formation which, either in con- struction, location, general appearance, or all of these conditions, are so far removed from the ordinary as to cause them to be regarded as natural curiosities. Brookline has at least two such-the "Stone House" and the "Devil's Den."

THE STONE HOUSE is located about one mile east of the village Main street on the side of a ravine in which the brook named from the house has its source. The ravine on its east side is hemmed in by a nat- ural wall of granite which, rising somewhat abruptly from its base to an average height of twenty or thirty feet, extends north and south for a distance of one-fourth of a mile, more or less. A large portion of the wall's surface is covered with ragged pieces of broken granite, some of which are of large size, and it is scarred with seams and crevices, which traverse and indent it in all directions. At a point about midway of the wall's length, a huge mass of rock projects itself upward from the surrounding surface. This mass is in form of an irregularly shaped solid square, and is faced on its south and west sides by flat and nearly per- pendicular surfaces. At some remote period in its history some immense natural power has removed from the base of this mass, at its southwest corner, a large square block of its original material. The vacant space caused by the removal of the block, together with a large crevice, known as "The Chamber," in the face of the rock above it, have been known from the days of the early settlers as the "Stone House."

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History of Brookline, formerly Raby, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire : with tables of family records and genealogies, Part 2

Author: Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923 Publication date: 1914 Publisher: [S.l.] : The town Number of Pages: 754

Author: Parker, Edward E. (Edward Everett), 1842-1923
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: [S.l.] : The town
Number of Pages: 754