USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Brookline > History of Brookline, formerly Raby, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire : with tables of family records and genealogies > Part 28
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Intermingled with the crowd were peddlers and hucksters of all sorts and descriptions, from the irrepressible small boy who sold sheets of home- made gingerbread and knurly, worm eaten apples of natural fruit, to the grownup vendors of corn extractors, one application of which was guar- anteed to effect a cure by eating out the corn from its surface to its roots without pain or damage to the surrounding flesh, and dealers in that class of "gold" jewelry which was then beginning to be in vogue and which was afterwards known as "Attleboro." At the appointed hour the company fell into line, broke into columns of fours and at the word of command from the captain to the music of the fife and drum, marched away through the dusty streets and emerald lanes. Behind them, armed with hoop- poles and sticks and imitating with military precision every movement of their elders, followed the urchins who but a few years later were carrying real muskets and doing real military service on the battlefields of the Civil War.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
At the noon hour there was generally an intermission of an hour or so, during which the soldiers partook of refreshments. These refreshments were paid for by the town which let out the contract for furnishing them to the lowest bidder. They consisted, generally, of crackers and cheese and codfish and rum, especially rum. The effect of this bill of fare upon those partaking in it was, to say the least, exhilerating, as was manifest in the company's after-dinner evolutions which, if they were lacking in a strict compliance with military rules, were at least characterized by vim, vigor and vigilance, three very essential qualifications for a soldier's life.
Nor were the elements of pugnacity and esprit de corps wanting in the company's members either collectively or individually. As witness the following incident which occurred at one of the May trainings towards the last of the forties and of which the writer then a small boy was a witness.
On the morning of the day in question the members of the company were, as usual, assembled in the "office" of the village tavern, outside of which the usual crowd of sightseers were waiting for the exercises to begin. Suddenly, Capt. Artemas Wright, the then commanding officer, ordered the drummer boy to beat the call to fall in. The drummer obeyed orders and, as the rattling thunder of his drum reverberated through the square, the soldiers began to fall out of the tavern and to fall into line, which was formed opposite to the piazza on the ell part of the house. But such a line! It wavered back and forth in undulations as unsteady and unstable as a loose rope swayed by the wind. After repeated efforts, in obedience to the captain's commands, the men had managed to "right face," "size up," and "front face," and were making vigorous efforts to "right dress" when, most unexpectedly, a soldier whose diminutive height brought him near the foot of the line, stepped forth from the ranks and, throwing his musket down into the sand, walked up to a stranger (who, with a grin on his face, was leaning against a piazza post and watching the show, ) and deliberately struck him in the face. The stranger, although taken by surprise, was not slow in responding to the soldier's attack, and in a moment the twain were clinched and down in the sand, where they rolled over and over, swearing strenuously, and scratching and pummelling each other until they were at last separated by the spectators. The soldier immediately sprung to his feet, picked up his musket and, shaking the sand from his garments, resumed his position in the company ranks. "Wetherbee," said the captain, addressing the offending militia man, "you are fined twenty-five cents"! "Don't give a d-n, sir," came the quick response, "I'll pay it, sir! But I want you to distinctly understand,
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
sir, that there can't no d-n Massachusetts man come over here and grin at this company when it's on parade, sir"!
In 1846-47, Capt. Artemas Wright of Brookline was commissioned as colonel of the fifth regiment; and in the same year Ithimar B. Sawtelle, also of Brookline, was appointed as the regiment's adjutant. In 1850, Henry B. Stiles of Brookline was one of the regiment's majors. During Mr. Wright's colonelcy in 1846 the regiment mustered at Nashua. The muster field was located on the west side of Main street and opposite to the grounds on the east side of the street afterwards occupied by the buildings of the Waltham Watch Factory. The Brookline company was present at this muster and it was the last muster it ever attended. The company, however, kept up its organization in a feeble way until about 1849, when it was quietly disbanded.
During its existence, a period of more than half a century, the com- pany was commanded at various times by the following named citizens:
Capt. Robert Seaver,
during the Revolution.
Capt. George Russell,
during the Revolution.
Capt. Samuel Smith,
from 1817 to 1820.
Capt. Eli Parker,
from 1820 to 1821.
Capt. Nathaniel Shattuck, Jr.,
from 1821 to 1827.
Capt. John Smith,
from 1827 to 1831.
Capt. Joseph Hall,
from 1831 to 1832.
Capt. Eli Sawtell, Jr.,
from 1832 to 1833.
Capt. Reuben Baldwin,
from 1833 to 1834.
Capt. Abiel Shattuck,
from 1834 to 1837.
Capt. Nathan Dunphee,
from 1837 to 1838.
Capt. Franklin McDonald,
from 1838 to 1840.
Capt. William R. Green,
from 1840 to 1841.
Capt. Wilkes W. Corey,
from 1841 to 1842.
Capt. Artemas Wright,
from 1842 to 1847.
Capt. Joseph F. Jefts,
from 1847 to 1848.
The Brookline Independent Cadets.
In 1845 several of the town's citizens who were liable to do military duty refused to respond to the summons of their superiors to appear at the annual May training. As a result of their disobedience they were subjected to fines which they refused to pay. Capt. Artemas Wright, who was then in command of the company and who was a strict discipli- narian, immediately commenced legal proceedings against the rebellious
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
members of the company and had them brought before the proper author- ities by whom the recalcitrants were found to be guilty and were sen- tenced to pay not only their fines but also the costs of the trial.' An- gered by their defeat the disobedient militia men resolved to form a new and independent military company which they at once proceeded to do. The new company was organized under the name of The Brookline Inde- pendent Cadets. It was constituted of the seceding members of the old company and of other citizens who, having reached the age at which they were by law exempt from the further performance of military duties, volunteered to serve in its ranks. James N. Tucker was the new com- pany's first and, so far as the writer has been able to ascertain, its only commander during its brief existence. It was the first and only uniformed military company which the town ever possessed. The uniforms of its members were home made. They consisted of frock coats of blue and black inch-square checked cloth with caps of the same material, and white pants. The caps of the privates were ornamented with turkey feathers; while those of the officers sported more ornate adornments in the form of ostrich plumes.
During its existence the company trained annually and attended musters. And once, possibly twice, in its history, it was present at and took part in certain military events, or sham fights, known as "Corn- wallis' Surrender," which occurred at Pepperell, Mass., and in which, besides the cadets, a Pepperell infantry company, a company of artillery from Groton, Mass., and possibly other companies participated. Con- nected with the cadets was a band of music, the first to be organized in town, of which more will be said in a subsequent page of this history. The company disbanded about 1850.
A Year Without a Summer.
1816. This year was known as a year without a summer. Old people then living had known no year like it, nor has it since been duplicated. Heavy frosts and snow storms prevailed throughout the spring. The summer was cold and stormy. The people of this town were at their wit's ends to provide food for their cattle. Hay sold for one dollar per hundred pounds. Corn was two dollars per bushel, and hard to obtain even at that price. To such extremities were the farmers driven that they cut down forest trees in order that the cattle might browse on the branches.
1820. Town's population, 592.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
1821. This year James Parker, Jr., and Isaac Sawtelle were en- gaged in keeping store in their dwelling house on Main street, the house being the same which, with store attached, is at the present time owned and cocupied by Walter E. Corey, the present store building having been built several years subsequent to the above date by James N. Tucker. So far as known, the said store of Parker and Sawtelle was the first store to be opened on Main street in the village. At this date, also, Samuel T. Boynton was keeping store in his house on Meeting-house hill. At a town meeting holden October 30, the town voted-"To accept the road laid out near Sawtell and Parker's house." The road thus accepted is that which leads out of the east side of Main street at a point opposite the ell of the tavern, and runs easterly to the east Milford highway. The number of taxpayers this year was 192, of which number 124 were resi- dents and 68 non-residents.
1822. March 12, the town voted to accept of a road "running from Alexander McIntosh's house to the road that leads from George Betterly's to the meeting-house." At that time Alexander McIntosh was living in the present house of Henry G. Shattuck, and George Betterly was living on the east side of the "Poor farm Road" on the west shore of Muscatani- pus pond.
At the same meeting-March 12-it was voted-"That the selectmen be a committee to superintend the building of a road around the ledge near or west of the pond, and that they should provide so much powder and rum as may be necessary while making sd road." The selectmen that year were George Daniels, James Parker, Jr., and Thomas Bennett. Tradition says that the road was built the following summer, and that during its construction there was lack of neither powder nor rum. The ledge referred to in the foregoing vote was that located on the west side of the Mason highway at a point nearly opposite to the present dwelling house of Fred Farnsworth at the head of the pond. Prior to the building of this new road, the traveled path ran in a westerly direction from the ledge to the dwelling house then of Alexander McIntosh, but at the pres- ent time of Henry G. Shattuck. The "new road" being that part of the present highway leading from the said Farnsworth house to that of said Henry G. Shattuck.
1823. Brookline Social Library.
The first public library to be established in this town was organized in 1823 under the name of The Social Library of Brookline. It was a
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
voluntary association, comprising within its membership many of the town's leading citizens. Soon after its organization, the association was incorporated by the legislature. Its first board of directors were Ensign Bailey, George Daniels and Eli Sawtelle. The Association had an active existence of twenty-five or thirty years. During that period it accumu- lated a library of nearly, or quite, one hundred volumes. Since the latter part of the fifties the Association has been practically defunct; and dur- ing that period the remnant of the library has been stored in the dwelling house of the late Wilkes W. Corey. Several years since, Mrs. W. W. Corey placed this remnant, consisting of some forty odd volumes, in the custody of E. E. Parker, with the understanding that they should eventu- ally become a part of the present town library. In 1914 Mr. Parker car- ried out Mrs. Corey's wishes, and the books now constitute a part of the latter library.
The Town's First Fire Engine.
1826. This year the town purchased its first fire engine. It was, of course,a hand machine, its supply of water being furnished by buckets made of leather. Soon after its purchase a company of firemen was organized and, soon after its organization, incorporated by the legislature. This engine was in active service from 1826 to 1852; after which latter date the disastrous steam sawmill fire having caused the town to pur- chase a more modern machine, it gradually passed into disuse. At the present time it is stored in a building in South Brookline.
First Hearse.
As early as the year 1819 the town voted to purchase a hearse. But the vote was subsequently rescinded and no further action relative to the matter was taken until this year. When, by vote of the citizens, the town purchased its first hearse of Capt. Nathaniel Shattuck, by whom it was built. It was in use for many subsequent years. At the present time (1914) its ruins are lying in the old cattle pound on meeting-house hill; where for the past twenty years or more it has gradually been going to decay.
First Hearse House.
1827. At the March town meeting of this year it was voted to build a hearse house and the sum of thirty dollars was appropriated for that purpose. Nathaniel Shattuck, Mathew Wallace, Jr., and Horace
FIRST FIRE ENGINE-1826
SECOND FIRE ENGINE-1852
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Warner were elected as a committee to locate and build the same. The committee attended to its duties and the same year the house was erected. The house is standing at the present time (1913), although many years have passed since it was used for its original purpose. It is located on the town common on the east side of the highway to Mason and just west of the old town pound. For twenty years or more last past it has been used as the "town lockup."
As bearing on the question of the town's authority over the cemeteries, it may be noted here that it this year granted "Leave to any person to build tombs in the west cemetery."
Post Office and Postmasters.
From the date of Brookline's incorporation under the name of Raby in 1769 until the year 1828 its mail was received at the post office in Amherst, where it was held until called for by the owners, or from whence, at infrequent and irregular intervals, it was brought into this town by its citizens on their return from business or pleasure trips to Amherst, and by them distributed to its respective owners, or else left for distribution at dwelling houses designated for that purpose, and located in different parts of the township. The house of Capt. Eli Sawtell in the northeast part of the town, the inn of Alexander McIntosh in the west part, and the inn of Capt. Samuel Douglass in the central part of the town, were all used as places for such distribution.
In 1828 the Government designated Brookline as a post town and, January 2 of that year, appointed Dr. David Harris as its first post- master. The first post office was located in the dwelling house at the present time owned and occupied by Walter E. Corey in connection with his store on the east side of Main street in which Dr. Harris was then residing. In 1832 Dr. Harris built the dwelling house on the west side of Main street which was afterwards owned and occupied until his death by the late Wilkes W. Corey, and the same year moved into the house and established the post office therein.
Dr. Harris was succeeded as postmaster by William S. Crosby, who was appointed June 4, 1832. Mr. Crosby held the position from 1832 to 1834. During this period, tradition says, the post office was located in the ell part of the village hotel.
In 1834 Mr. Crosby was succeeded as postmaster by Dr. Harris who received this, his second appointment as such, September 11 of that year. Soon after his appointment, Dr. Harris sold his house in the village to
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Wilkes W. Corey and purchased the Samuel T. Boynton house on meeting- house hill, in which he immediately installed himself and family, and the post office as well.
The office remained in the Boynton house until about 1840-42, after which year its location for many years alternated between the two stores on the village Main street, the same being governed by the politics of the quondam postmaster.
In 1861 at the date of the appointment of Henry B. Stiles as post- master the post office was located in the Tucker and Stiles Store on the west end of Main street, in the village, where it remained until the death of Mr. Stiles in 1892. In the latter year George E. Stiles, a son of Henry B. Stiles, was appointed postmaster and, soon after his appointment, he installed the office in the location which it occupies at the present time; (1913) in the little building on the east side of Main street, a few rods west of the E. E. Tarbell store; which had previously been in use for storing the town's fire engine.
In 1795 the Amherst Journal and New Hampshire Advertizer, estab- lished at Amherst by Nathaniel Coverly January 16 of that year, and the first newspaper to be printed in Hillsborough County, was the only news- paper to be taken in this town. It had an existence of only one year, and was followed by the Farmer's Cabinet, which was established at Amherst by Joseph Cushing in 1802.
From 1802 to 1845 the Farmer's Cabinet was the only newspaper having any considerable circulation in Brookline.
During this period envelopes and postage stamps were unknown; stamps not coming into use until 1847. The rates of postage were written on the outside of each letter, paper and package sent through the mail, and were governed by the weight of each package and the distance of the place to which it was to be carried. These rates were changed from time to time by the government. Following are the postal rates as they were established in 1843:
"Single letters, thirty miles and under, 6 cents; exceeding thirty and less than 80 miles, 10 cents; exceeding 80 and less than 150 miles, 1212 cents; exceeding 150 and not over 400 miles, 25 cents. For double, treble and quadruple letters the postage increased accordingly. All packages weighing one ounce and a quarter were considered equal to five single letters, each; and thus onward in the same ratio. Newspapers were transported throughout the state in which they were printed for one cent each; exceeding 100 miles and without the limits of the state, one and one-half cents each. All moneys sent by mail at risk of owner."
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
For the first five years after the establishment here of the post office, Brookline's mail continued to be received through the Amherst post office. But subsequently Nashua was substituted for Amherst as a dis- tributing office. During this period the mails were brought into town by mounted postmen.
About 1838, possibly a little earlier, a stage route from Nashua via Hollis, Brookline and Mason to New Ipswich was established. At Nashua the line connected with the Nashua and Lowell Railroad, which was opened to public travel in the month of October, 1838, and made three round trips per week, leaving Nashua on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 o'clock A. M., and returning on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The stagecoach horses both on the outward and inward trips were changed in Brookline, the shifting being done at the barn in the village connected with "the old yellow house," then the property and residence of James Parker, Jr. The line was equipped with Concord coaches during the last part of its existence. From its beginning to its ending it carried the United States mails to and from the towns located on its route. It was discontinued in 1848 when by reason of the comple- tion of the Worcester and Nashua railroad it ceased to be profitable.
The Worcester and Nashua railroad was opened to public travel Dec. 18, 1848. Soon after the opening of the road the government es- tablished a mail route between Pepperell, Mass., and Brookline. The establishment of this new route was the cause of the opening of a new stage line for the transportation of the mail between these towns; an arrangement which was in the highest degree satisfactory to Brookline people because of the fact that they thus enjoyed the privilege of receiving their mail daily, instead of tri-weekly, as, up to this time, they had been accustomed to receive it. And also because it brought them into closer contact with the outside business world.
The mail continued to be carried over this route until about 1869, when the route was discontinued and a new one established between Townsend, Mass., and Brookline. Over this latter route during its exist- ence the town received and sent out two mails daily. This route was abolished by the opening of the Brookline and Pepperell railroad in 1892; since when the mails arrive and depart twice daily.
Postmasters and Their Terms of Office.
David Harris, appointed Jan. 2, 1828; William S. Crosby, appointed June 4, 1832; David Harris, appointed Sept. 11, 1834; James N. Tucker,
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
appointed July 30, 1842; Ithimar B. Sawtell, appointed Dec. 4, 1844; Reuben Baldwin, appointed April 6, 1846; James N. Tucker, appointed July 25, 1849; Joseph C. Tucker, appointed April 26, 1850; Sumner S. Kendall, appointed April 14, 1853; Henry B. Stiles, appointed June 5, 1861; George E. Stiles, appointed Dec. , 1892; Geo. W. Bridges, ap- pointed March 28, 1895; Fred A. Hall, appointed April 18, 1913.
At the present time (1914) the post office is located in the store of A. A. Hall on Main street.
1829. The town was for the first time divided into fire wards. The engine company consisted of eighteen men as appears from the following copy of an entry on one of the town's old order books:
"Engine Men
April 18th; This certifies that Rufus Center, Alonzo Bailey, Alpheus Shattuck, Lawrence Bailey, Europe Shattuck, William Whitcomb, Asia Shattuck, James Parker, Moody Lancy, Samuel Gilson, Asher McIntosh, John Conic, Benjamin C. Jaques, James Wallis, Louisiana Lancy, Joseph Smith, Silas D. Tanner, and America Shattuck are legally appointed to be engine men in Brookline
Attest, Eldad Sawtell, Clerk."
The original certificate, of which the foregoing is a copy, was prob- ably returned to the state authorities at Concord. It was made in ac- cordance with a state.law passed in 1815, and which was still in force, a clause from one of the provisions of which was as follows: "18 men in all towns where there are fire engines exempt or excused from military duty, except in annual June trainings."
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
CHAPTER XVII.
Current Events, Incidents and Happenings.
1830-1860.
Population in 1830-Laying Out of Three New Highways-Star Shower of 1833-The Town's Bass Viol-Stoves Installed for the First Time in the Old Meeting-house-Disappearance of the Meeting- house Sounding Board-Building of the Stone Bridge near Abel Foster's Sawmill-Vaccination of the Town's Inhabitants-Build- ing of the Congregational Meeting-house-Population in 1840- Town Poor Farm-Proposed Change in Name of Town-The Ladies' Benevolent Society-Inventory of 1848-Population in 1850-Delegate to Constitutional Convention in 1852-The Steam Sawmill Fire-New Fire Engine-The Old Militia Band-Brook- line Brass Band and Its Musical Festival in 1866-Brookline Cornet Band-The Prohibitory Liquor Law-Date of the Building and Dedication of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
1830. Population, 627.
1831. April 1, the town voted-"To lay out a road from Calvin Clemans (Clement?) to Philip Farnsworth's." At the date of this vote Clement was living in the house on the east side of the highway to Mason, about two miles north of the village, which afterwards became the prop- erty and for many years the home of the late Jonas French, Sr .; and the road referred to in the vote was the highway which at the present time leads out of the highway to Mason, on its east side, a few rods west of the site of the old Clement house, and passes in a northeasterly direction, crossing the Robbins' brook-to the old Sampson Farnsworth place.
May 26 the selectmen laid out a road from Thomas Tarbell's to John Hutchingson's house. At that date Tarbell was living in a house which stood just west of the site at a later period of the schoolhouse in District No. 6; and the road in question was identical with the road at the present time leading from the old site of the schoolhouse to the old Nathaniel Hutchingson farm.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
In September of that year the town voted-"To pay forty dollars for stone to be furnished on the ground for the purpose of building a wall around the pond cemetery." The wall was subsequently built by Samuel Gilson, Jr.
1832. November 22 the town voted to accept-"A road Beginning near the bridge near Baldwin's mills thence easterly across Jonas Smith's land to land of Eli Parker thence easterly across sd Parker's land to the road to Christopher Farley's near the bridge across the river." At the date of the foregoing vote Reuben Baldwin was operating the sawmill in South Brookline which at the present time is owned by Charles J. Stickney ; and the said road was identical with the road at the present time leading out of the south side of the highway to Townsend at a point just south of the bridge over the Wallace brook, and running southerly to Bohonon's bridge, so called.
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