USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Brookline > History of Brookline, formerly Raby, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire : with tables of family records and genealogies > Part 27
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Dated Jan. 28, 1908.
Signed: Mary Corey, Herbert S. Corey, Jessie M. Corey, Walter E. Corey, Henry G. Shattuck, George H. Nye, David S. Fessenden, Orville D. Fessenden, Morton A. Campbell, Charles S. Dunbar.
The Mary Corey Legacy.
In 1912, Mrs. Mary Corey, by her will, admitted to probate June 25, of that year, bequeathed five hundred dollars to the church. The conditions under which the bequest was given are as follows-"The in- come to be used for the support of the Gospel as long as the church exists as a preaching place. Should it cease to exist, then the amount above mentioned is to be equally divided between John H. Kline and Morton Kline."
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
CHAPTER XVI.
Current Events, Incidents and Happenings.
1800-1830.
Local Conditions in 1800-Tax List of 1801-Town Classed by Itself in the Matter of Representation-The Killing of the Last Panther in Town-Census of 1810-War of 1812-Old Militia Days in Raby A May Day Training in the Forties-The Brookline Independent Cadets-1816, A Year Without a Summer-Laying Out of High- way at West End of the Pond-Brookline Social Library-The First Fire Engine-First Hearse-First Hearse House-Post Office and Post Masters-Fire Engine Men in the Year 1829.
In 1800, according to the United States Census of that year, the num- ber of Brookline's inhabitants was 454; an increase of 116 over the num- ber given in the census of 1790. The town was still in the log cabin period of its existence, not more than ten or twelve framed dwelling houses· hav- ing been erected within its limits, one of which was the old meeting-house, built in 1791.
The dwelling houses of the inhabitants were scattered all over the township. The "village" of the present time was not in existence. It was not even thought of. Commencing on the great road at the point where it is crossed by the town's east boundary line, and passing along its course westerly to the summit of meeting-house hill, of all the framed dwelling houses at the present time located upon it only five were then standing, viz: the old Samuel Farley house, located on the east side of the road one mile south of the village; the old "yellow house" so called in the village, the same being known at the present time as the Elmwood; the L part of the village hotel; the Samuel T. Boynton house, located on the summit of meeting-house hill, afterwards known as the Doctor Harris house, and at the present time owned and occupied as her home by widow Newton W. Colburn; the dwelling house on the west side of the road opposite the old meeting-house, now the residence of Lieut. William L. Dodge; and the old meeting-house itself.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Save for these five dwelling houses, and the old Douglass log cabin, located on the west side of the road near where the dwelling house of widow of Charles N. Corey now stands, there were, so far as is known, no other human habitations on the road between the points above indicated; and the road, including the present village Main street, for the entire distance named, was for the greater part of the distance bordered by dense forest growth.
The great majority of the inhabitants were engaged in farming, although the avocations of coal burning, coopering and lumbering were carried on to a considerable extent. Save for the sawmills, of which there were at this time seven in operation, there was not a manufacturing plant of any description located in town. There was but one church, the Con- gregationalist, which occupied, as its place of worship, the old meeting- house on the hill; and three schoolhouses, located in different parts of the township, sufficed to furnish the young and rising generation with mental pabulum sufficient, as it was then believed, to ensure its usefulness as future citizens. The public highways were for the greater part in wretched condition. For the ancient practice of citizens assembling at stated times in each recurring spring upon the highways located in each of their re- spective "Highway Districts," and working out their respective highway taxes upon the same by leaning for the greater part of the day upon their respective spades and hoes and discussing politics or retailing scandal, was still in vogue.
But, nevertheless, the town's outlook for the future was, on the whole, most encouraging; and its people, far from being discouraged, were, each and all, actively engaged in minding their own business, as well as, to some considerable extent, attending to that of their neighbors, and looking hopefully forward to the coming of better times. Nor in the end were their hopes disappointed. But that is another story.
The Tax List for the Year 1801.
The names of the citizens who in the spring of 1801 "worked out" their highway taxes by retiring from labor to repose were as follows:
Jonathan Ames, Jacob Austin,
Benjamin Brooks,
Clarke Brown,
Ebenezer Brown,
Abnah Bills,
Samuel T. Boynton,
John Colburn,
James Campbell,
Benja. Campbell,
Ebenezer Emery,
Joseph Emerson,
John Emerson,
Benjamin Farley,
Samuel Farnsworth,
Philip Farnsworth,
Adjt. William Green,
Colburn Green,
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Calvin Green,
Abel Green,
Lieut. Eleazer Gilson,
Ebenezer Gilson,
Ezekiel Green, Abel Gilson,
Nathan Gilson,
David Gilson,
Abel Hodgman,
Abraham Hodgman,
Abraham Hodgman,
William Hall,
Stephen Hall,
Uriah Hall,
Phinehas Holden, Lieut. Alex. McIntosh,
Alexander McIntosh,
Lieut. Jas McIntosh.,
James McIntosh,
Major McDonald,
George McDonald,
John McDonald, Jr.
Richard Melendy,
Thomas Melendy,
Abijalı Proctor,
Jesse Parker,
Ezekiel Proctor, Abijah Parker,
Joseph Pike,
Capt. Geo. Russell, John Russell,
Stephen Robbins,
Benjamin Shattuck, Jr., Benjamin Shattuck,
Lieut. Isaac Shattuck.
Joshua Smith,
Joshua Smith, Jr.,
Capt. Robert Seaver.
Capt. Simeon Senter,
Lieut. Daniel Spaulding, Lieut. Ephraim Sartel,
Lieut. Eli Sartell,
Swallow Tucker,
Josiah Tucker,
Ezra Talbot,
Lieut. Luther Wright,
David Wright,
Mathew Wallace,
Joseph Wyman, Ebenezer Wheeler,
Benj. Lock,
Moses Shattuck,
Joshua Woodbridge,
Abraham Withington,
Thomas Bennett,
Joshua Seaver,
Gardner Conant,
David Lawrence,
Jonas Lawrence,
Elisha Towns,
Nathaniel Patten,
Wid. Polly Tucker,
Daniel Wright,
Oliver Wetherbee,
Joseph Jepson.
The Town Classed by Itself in the Matter of Representation.
1802. As has been previously stated, up to the year 1802, Brookline, in the matter of its being represented in the state legislature had been, classed with other towns; it being classed with Mason from 1769 to 1794, and with Milford from 1794 to 1802. This state of affairs had long been a source of great dissatisfaction to its inhabitants; and in 1802 they de- termined to make an effort to be classed in the future by themselves. To that end the town petitioned the General Court. In response to this petition the house of representatives, after considering the same, passed the following act:
"State of New Hampshire
In the House of Representatives
June 16, 1802.
Upon reading and Considering the foregoing Petition and the Report of a Committee thereon Voted that the prayer thereof be granted and that
Samuel Russell,
Samuel Russell, Jr.,
Thomas Lancey,
Jonas Leslie,
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
the Inhabitants of the town of Brookline be entitled to send a Representa- tive to the General Court in future
Sent up for concurrence
John Prentice Speaker.
In Senate June 17, 1802. Rec'd and concurred
Nath Parker D. J. Secry.
A True copy of a vote of the General Court on the Petition of the Legal Voters of the town of Brookline
Attest Nath'l Parker D. J. Secy."
Soon after the passage of the foregoing act, and during the same year, James Parker, Sr., was elected to represent the town in the General Court; and thus Mr. Parker was the first one of its citizens to fill that office under the new classification. Mr. Parker also represented the town in the legislature of the years 1803 and 1804 following.
At this time the pond in Hollis known at the present time as Rocky Pond was known as Pout pond; and in this year, 1802, a road across "Pout pond brook" was accepted by the town; as was also a bridge which David Wright built over the "sluice way" to his mill; and for the building of which he was exempted from taxes for the term of two years. Mr. Wright was a son of David and Prudence Wright of Pepperell and a brother of Mrs. Nathan Corey. His mill was located on or near the site now occupied by the sawmill of Deacon Perley I .. Pierce, in South Brook- line.
It would seem that predatory wild animals and birds had not yet ceased to terrify and annoy the townspeople. For this very year the town voted a bounty of two dollars per head for wild cats, and seventeen cents per head for crows.
The Killing of the Last Panther in Town.
It was about this time that the "last panther in town" was killed. The story of its killing, which for many years subsequently was one of the town's traditions, was substantially as follows:
One Sunday late in the fall of the year, the Rev. Lemuel Wadsworth, perched up in his two-storied pulpit, like an owl in a hollow tree, was en- gaged in administering to his congregation their usual Sunday morning sleeping draught; said draught being in form of a sermon divided into two parts, and subdivided into sixteen heads. He had reached the "fif- teenthly," and been so far successful in his efforts that the majority of his patients were already engaged in nodding vigorous assents to the
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
theological dogmas which constituted the principal ingredients of the said sleeping draughts ;- althouth as to the real nature and efficacy of said ingredients, they knew as little as did the minister himself-which was absolutely nothing. Suddenly the meeting-house was filled with the clamor of baying hounds, coming, apparently, from the direction of Rock Ramond hill. At the familiar sound, the parson pricked up his ears, and his congregation opened their eyes. Moment by moment the baying be- came louder and more vociferous, and the congregation more restless. Then there came to their ears the sound of hurrying feet crunching through the snow-crust in the direction of the house; a moment later the doors swung in on their hinges and upon the threshold appeared the form of a man who, in stentorian tones, shouted: "Ther dogs have got a wild crit- ter treed on Rock Rament"! A moment after this announcement every man and boy in the audience had got outside the meeting-house and, leaving behind them the dogmas which they did not understand, were pressing on in the direction of the dogs, whose voices they could and did understand. On arriving at the hill, the pack was found to be baying at the foot of a tall hemlock tree which stood a short distance from the base of the granite cliff on its western side, and in the branches of which, near its top, the wild beast was indistinctly visible. The crowd at once entered into a discussion as to what species of animal it was. There was a great diversity of opinions; but the majority seemed to be inclined to the belief that it was a panther. In the meantime, a citizen, who, more thoughtful than his fellows, had been home and returned with a rifle, commenced firing at the animal; and, at the third shot, brought it snapping and snarl- ing to the ground, where the dogs immediately set upon and soon worried the life out of it. A post mortem examination showed that the "pan- ther" was a wild-cat and, as one of the participants in the affair after- wards said, "A danged measly one at that."
1806. The names of Ensign and Abraham Bailey appeared on the tax list for the first time. At its March meeting the town voted-"To accept the road from Jesse Perkins to Abijah Proctor's where it is trod." The road thus accepted was really the lane which connected the old Per- kin's homestead place with the north highway to Hollis, which it entered on the north side about one mile north of the village. It was discontinued by vote of the town many years since.
1809. Robert Seaver, Jr., was appointed county coroner, a position which he continued to hold for the following fourteen consecutive years, or until 1823; serving the last two years of this term in conjunction with Colburn Green, who continued to hold the office until the year 1826.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
1810. The United States Census of this year gave the town a popula- tion of 538; an increase over the number of its inhabitants as found by the census of 1800 of eighty-four souls.
Cold Friday, 1810.
Friday, Jan. 19, 1810, was known throughout New England as "The cold Friday." The cold was of the intensest description. It was accom- panied by a fierce gale, the wind, which came out of the northwest, blow- ing throughout the day and the night following with hurricane violence, and causing an immense amount of damage to property, not only in New England, but also throughout the entire country. At the height of the gale, the dwelling house of Washington Wright, located about one mile south of the village Main street on the west side of the highway to Pep- perell, Mass., caught fire and was burned to the ground. An infant child of Mr. Wright perished in the flames.
1811. Benjamin Shattuck, Jr., was this year appointed deputy sheriff for the county. He continued to hold this office for every year following until 1820. when he was succeeded in the position by William S. Crosby, who held the office until the year 1828.
The War of 1812-1815.
Immediately after the close of the Revolution, the British Govern- ment inaugurated and, for many years in succession, carried out a policy of aggression against the United States and its people.
In pursuance of this policy, among others of its unwarranted insults and outrages, it impressed into its naval service citizen sailors of this country, and seized and confiscated its ships.
In the meantime, the United States Government made many and strenuous protests against the commission of these outrages, but without avail. Finally, its stock of patience became exhausted and, on the 18th day of June, 1812, Congress passed a resolution declaring war against Great Britain and its dependencies.
In this war the State of New Hampshire furnished its full quota of soldiers for the regular army. But as the records of the war are on file at Washington and inaccessible to the general public, it has hitherto been impossible to give definite information concerning them. So far as known, however, no citizens of Brookline served as soldiers in the regular army during this war; those who did serve doing so as members of the force of the state's militia which was called out for the defence of Portsmouth.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
At this time the militia company in this town formed a part of the fifth regiment of the State militia. In September, 1814, Portsmouth was threatened with an attack from the British fleet, and on two separate occasions in that month, men for its defense were drafted from the militia. The first draft, which was taken from twenty-three regiments, marched for Portsmouth on the 9th day of September, and was mustered in at Ports- mouth on the 16th day of that month. The soldiers comprising this draft served three months. The second contingent of drafted men was mus- tered in at Portsmouth September 27, and served sixty days.
The only action taken by Brookline relative to this war, so far as its records show, is indicated by the following extracts from the same; than which said records contain not another allusion to the war.
At a meeting of the town's inhabitants in July, 1812, it was voted- "To make the detached soldiers up to $12 per month from the time they were called on until they were discharged!" Prior to the foregoing vote, however, at a meeting holden March 9, 1809, the citizens, evidently an- ticipating trouble to come, had voted-"To pay the soldiers seven dollars that stand as minute men."
But while the town's book of records furnishes no information rela- tive to its action in this war, other than which has already been given in the above two extracts, fortunately for this history, the writer has come into possession of an ancient and well preserved "Town order book," from the entries in which he has been able to establish the fact that eight, at least, of Brookline's citizens served as soldiers in the war. The names of the eight are given in the following copies of
Entries in the Said Order Book.
"1815
Robert Seaver, Jr., . .$10.00
It being in full for his services at Portsmouth which the town voted to make up to the soldiers in addition to Government pay.
Benjamin Smith, $10.00
John Hutchinson $10.00
Jonas Smith, $10.00
John Sawtell, $10.00
1816, Feb. 5th,
Henry Hutchinson's order. It being in full for his services at Portsmouth $7.00
Moses Shattuck, $7.00
Solomon Sanders, $7.00"
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Old Militia Days in Raby and Brookline.
At the time of the outbreak of the Revolution, and for many years prior thereto, the colonies had an organized militia, established under the laws of the mother country. Under this system every New England town of a sufficient number of inhabitants maintained a company of militia men. In the early days these companies were called "Training bands." Raby had its training band which it kept up during the continuance of the Rev- olution, and of which Robert Seaver, during that period, when not absent on war service, was captain.
After the country had established its independence, the State of New Hampshire proceeded to the organization of a militia system of its own; which was of course based upon the laws of the United States for organ- izing the militia in the country at large.
In 1817, this system, after undergoing many changes and modifica- tions at the hands of successive legislatures had reached a condition which, though far from being perfect, was so satisfactory that, except for occa- sional changes in regimental and other minor formations, it remained sub- stantially the same until the advent of the war of the rebellion.
Under this system, the State's militia in 1819 was constituted of thirty-eight regiments divided into three divisions of six brigades each. Brookline's company at that time was in the fifth regiment, in which regiment also were the companies in the towns of Amherst, Merrimack, Litchfield, Mount Vernon, Milford, Dunstable, Hollis and Nottingham West (Hudson). In the regimental organization of the fifth, Brookline's company was known as the eleventh. Locally, throughout its existence of more than fifty years, it was known as "the Slam Bang's."
In its ranks during the years of its existence, every able-bodied male resident in town, of the age of eighteen and under the age of forty-five years, at some period in his life marched as a private; and from it origi- nated a crop of captains, lieutenants, ensigns, sergeants, corporals, and other military titles, which, appearing as they do upon the town's records during this period, as prefixes to the names of so many of its citizens, have a tendency to create in the minds of its readers today the impression that the number of the town's citizens who at that time were possessed of military titles, preponderated to the extent that the number of those who served as private soldiers was an exception to the rule.
By the state laws at that time, an infantry company with full ranks consisted of sixty-four men, rank and file. Its officers were a captain,
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
one lieutenant, one ensign, four sergeants and four corporals, the corporals to be included in the rank and file.
The writer has lying before him at the time of this writing the Journal -commencing in June, 1817-of the Brookline Militia company. From its pages it appears that at the company's annual May training in June, 1817, it mustered sixty-nine men in its rank and file; and as a matter of interest today, because the company was supposed to contain within its ranks all the able-bodied men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five in town at that date, and also because many of those whose names appear upon its rolls were then, and for many years afterwards, prominent men in town affairs, and are represented in town at the present time by their de- scendants, I give herewith the roll's list of names, as follows:
"Officers of the eleventh Company year one thousand eight hundred and seventeen.
Captain, Samuel Smith; Lieutenant, Eli Parker; Ensign, Joseph Boynton; sergeants, James Parker, 1st, Nathaniel Shattuck, Jr., 2nd., John Smith, 3rd, Jonathan Foster, 4th.
Rank and File.
Sargents:
James Parker, Jr. Nathaniel Shattuck, Jr. John Smith,
Johnathan Foster, Abel Gran, Jr., Samuel Gilson.
David Daniels,
Eri Daniels,
Davis Bills,
Jonas Smith,
Randal Daniels,
Robert Seaver, Jr.,
Luther Rockwood,
Asher Bennett,
Benjamin Brooks, Jr.,
William Bacon,
Asa Betterly,
William S. Crosby,
John Cleveland,
James Campbell,
Simeon Clement, Samuel Dix,
Calvin Clemens,
John Colburn, Jr., Sampson Farnsworth, John Hutchinson,
Samuel Farnsworth, Joseph Hall,
Lemuel Hall,
Samuel Hodgman,
David Hobart,
James Hutchinson, Uriah Hall,
William Hall, Jr.,
Caleb G. Jewett, Eleazer Kemp, Joseph Law,
Joseph C. Jackson, Timothy Kemp, Ebenezer Lund,
David G. Kemp, Horace Knap, James Lancey,
Samuel Lawrence,
Sampson McIntosh,
Sidney Osgood,
John Sanders,
Thomas Tarbell,
Stephen Perkins,
Samuel Perkins,
Stephen Perkins, Jr.,
John Shattuck,
Philip Farnsworth, Jr.,
Jesse Fletcher,
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Moses Shattuck, Luther Shattuck, Wm. Sanders,
Benjn Smith,
Solomon Sanders,
George H. Verder,
Timothy Wright,
Isaac Woodard,
Benj'n Wetherbee,
Prescott Wright,
David Withe,
William Wright,
Asher Shattuck."
In addition to the commissioned and non-commissioned officers and the rank and file, each company was entitled to two musicians, a fifer and a drummer.
Judging from the aforesaid Journal, life in the militia in those days was no sinecure. Twice a year, in the spring, and again in the fall, the company was compelled to turn out at home for training and inspection. In the months of September or October of each year it attended, at Am- herst meeting-house generally, but occasionally at Milford, Hollis or Dun- stable,-the regimental inspection and drill; and, at longer intervals, the brigade musters at "Cork Plains," in Windsor. Besides these gatherings, it was called out by its officers several additional times in each year for home drill.
In view of all these meetings, musterings, marchings and drillings, it is no wonder that the pages of the "Journal" abound in copies of written excuses from members of the "rank and file" for not appearing, "armed and equipped as the law directs," at certain company meetings. These excuses were generally of a trivial nature. But, in the majority of cases, they seem to have been acceptable to the commanding officer of the company, or to the surgeon's mate of the regiment; and there are recorded instances where a stone bruise on the applicant's heel, or a sore finger were con- sidered as excuses of importance sufficient to gain for their fortunate pos- sessors exemption from military duty for periods varying anywhere from two months to two years in length.
In the early days, the members of the company were usually warned to appear for training, or inspection, as the case might be, on the town common. But at a later period, during the last of the forties, it became customary for them to rendezvous at the village tavern, then kept by Capt. John Smith, and known as the Nissitisset hotel.
As a matter of curiosity, the results of the last recorded inspection of this company, which occurred in May, 1847, is given below:
1 Captain,
1 Lieutenant,
1 Ensign,
1 Clerk and Orderly,
52 Privates.
36 cartridges,
36 priming wires and brushes,
36 cartridge boxes and belts,
72 spare flints,
36 knapsacks and canteens,
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
17 Absent,
35 Present,
39 present including officers,
36 muskets,
36 bayonets,
36 iron and steel ramrods,
1 drum,
1 fife,
1 Infantry Regulations,
1 Militia Law,
1 Roll Book,
1 Order book."
A May Training Day in the Forties.
On the morning of the day the townspeople were astir at a very early hour. By sunrise, in every household, breakfast had been eaten, the chores done, and the inmates, dressed in their best attires, were ready for the day's festivities. The soldiers were already in evidence on the village streets, the first arrivals coming in on foot, singly or in groups of two or three each. A little later, they were followed by their comrades- in-arms, who came in all sorts and descriptions of vehicles, each of which was filled to overflowing with men, women and children who, quickly disembarking, joined the throng of those who had already arrived. Each moment brought fresh arrivals. Until, long before the hour set for the commencement of the exercises, it would seem as if the town's entire population had been assembled in the village, Gradually the tavern and its immediate vicinity became the centre of attraction for the crowd, which was constantly being increased in size by the arrival from the neighboring towns of strangers, who were attracted either by a desire to witness the thrilling and wonderful military evolutions of the company, or to sample the tavern keepers liquid refreshments; perhaps both.
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