USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Brookline > History of Brookline, formerly Raby, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire : with tables of family records and genealogies > Part 31
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
"Know all men by these presents that we subscribers citizens of Brookline in the County of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, are held and firmly bound to the Selectmen of said Brookline in the sum of Five Thousand Dollars, to be paid to said selectmen, to the payment whereof we respectively bind ourselves and our heirs firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals, and dated the 24th day of August, 1864.
The condition of this obligation is that if we the said Subscribers shall indemnify said selectmen against all cost and damages to which they may be subjected by reason of their paying more than Three Hundred Dollars respectively out of the town's funds for the purchase or hire of substi- tutes to fill the quota of said town of Brookline under the call of the Gen- eral Government issued in the month of July, 1864-Then this obligation shall be void.
Subscribers' Names.
Subscribers' Names
Alpheus Shattuck,
Leroy A. Wallace,
Andrew Rockwood,
Geo. J. Shattuck,
George V. Hodgman,
Abel Foster, S. S. Kendall,
Joseph Sawtelle,
Benj. Shattuck,
Franklin Rockwood,
Joshua J. Hobart,
Brooks Rockwood,
David Hobart,
Frederick Wright,
Nathan Farrar,
Andrew J. Shattuck,
Benjamin Gould,
Eli Brooks,
N. B. Hutchinson, Abel Shattuck,
Nathaniel Hobart,
Ira Daniels,
Saml. D. Gilson, Silas Lawrence.
We subscribe to and are holden and firmly bound by the within bond-
George H. Jefts, Nathaniel Vickery, James M. Stickney, John Sanders,
J. H. Bennett, T. J. Stickney,
W. G. Shattuck, J. B. Swett, G. W. L. Hobart, James H. Hall, Wm. Wright, Luther McDonald,
336
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
John A. Kendall,
Clinton Bohanon,
Joseph Baxter, Eli S. Cleveland,
George Hall, Abel R. Ball,
Frank D. Colburn,
Samuel Talbott,
Albert W. Corey,
A. S. Betterly, Joseph Hall, C. F. Shattuck, Albert Foster,
Job Shattuck,
Lot Colburn,
Asher Bennett,
David P. Stowell,
James Henry Hall,
Jerry Harward, Jr.,
William J. Smith,
George W. Peabody,
John Peabody,
Edward T. Hall,
John Hall,
Henry F. Carlton,
Henry Swett,
Amos Farnsworth,
Newton W. Colburn,
Francis A. Law,
Charles L. Willoby,
William M. Foster,
Erastus D. Towne,
E. F. Lancey,
Elhanen W. Russell,
John Hemphill,
Wm. Gilson,
Amos A. Gould,
W. J. French."
Brookline's Soldiers in the Civil War.
Third Regiment New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry (Three Years).
Burgess, Benjamin D., Co. G; b., Brookline; age 21; res., Brookline; enl. March 27, '62; must. in March 27, '62, as Priv .; wd., Aug. 27, '64, Petersburg, Va .; disch. April 26, '65, Wilmington, N. C. Awarded "Gilmore Medal" by Maj. Gen. Q. A. Gilmore, for gal- lant and meritorious conduct during operations before Charleston, S. C.
Fourth Regiment New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry (Three Years).
Bennett, Thomas D., Co. C .; b. Brookline; age 30; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 24, '61; must. in Sept. 27, '64. P. O. ad. Brookline. Burge, David H., Co. C .; b. Brookline; age 21; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 24, '61; must. in Sept. 18, '61, as Priv .; re-enl. Feb. 28, '64; must. out Aug. 23, '65. P. O. ad. Vineland, N. J.
Randall Daniels, Thomas V. Wright, J. W. Fessenden, D. D. Rockwood, Stephen S. Mixer, Fernando Bailey, Henry B. Fish, B. G. Cochran,
337
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Brown, George P., Co. C .; b. Temple; age 22; cred. Brookline; enl. Aug. 29, '61; must. in Sept. 18, '61, as Priv .; re-enl. and must. in Feb. 28, '64; app. Wagoner; must. out Aug. 23, '65. Dead. Bohonon, Moses, Co. C; b. Danbury; age 44; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 23, '64; cred. Cornish; must. in Aug. 23, '64, as Priv .; disch. disab. June 22, '65, Concord; Died Nov. 7, '84, Pepperell, Mass. Cochran, David H., Co. C; b. Brookline; age 32; res. Brookline; enl. Nov. 25, '63; must. in Nov. 25, '63, as musc; disch. Oct. 10, '65 to date Aug. 23, '65, Raleigh, N. C .; died at Brookline.
Colburn, Irvin, Co. C; b. Brookline; age 37; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 24, '61; must. in Sept. 18, '61, as Corp .; captd. May 16, '64, Drewry's Bluff, Va .; died, dis. Feb. 7, '65, Florence, S. C. as prisoner.
French, Albert M., Co. C; b. Dunstable, Mass., age 27; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 28, '61; must. in Sept. 18, '61 as Priv; disch. Sept. 26, '64; time ex.
French, Jonas C., Co. C; b. Dunstable, Mass .; age 19; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 28, '61; must. in Sept. 18, '61, as Priv .; app. Sergt .; re-en1. Feb. 17, '64; must. in Feb. 28, '64; captd. Aug. 22, '64; d. Dec. 5, '64, Salisbury, N. C.
King, Asa J., Co. C .; b. Chelmsford, Mass .; age 43; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 31, '61; must. in Sept. 18, '61 as Priv .; disch. disab. Jan. 12, '62, Hilton Head, S. C.
Green, Lorenzo, Co. B .; b. Brookline; age 35; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 27, '61; must, in Sept. 18, '61, as Priv .; disch. disab. Oct. 19, '61, Annapolis, Md.
Lancey, George F., Co. C; b. Brookline; age 19; cred. Greenfield; enl. Sept. 3, '61; must. in Sept. 18, '65, as Priv .; d. dis. Sept. 24, '63, Morris Isl., S. C.
Messer, Ward, Co. C; b. Lunenburg, Mass .; age 30; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 27, '61; must. in Sept. 18, '61, as Priv .; app. Corp .; re-enl. and must. in Feb. 28, '64; wd. May 20, '64, Drewry's Bluff, Va .; disch. disab. May 29, '65, Manchester; d. July 24, 'S5, Bow. Ricker, Oliver P., Co. A; b. Bartlett; age 18; res. Brookline; cred. Dover; enl. Aug. 16, '62; must. in Aug. 18, '62, as Priv .; app. Corp. March 1, '65; Sergt. May 1, '65; disch. June 15, '65, Ra- leigh, N. C.
Smith, Perley A., Co. C; b. Brookline; age 18; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 14, '62; must. in Aug. 18, '62, as Priv .; mis. May 16, '64,
338
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Drewry's Bluff, Va .; gd. from mis .; disch. May 30, '65; d. Oct. 26, '81, Brookline.
Spaulding, Stephen A., Co. C; b. Townsend, Mass., age 20; cred. Brook- line; enl. Aug. 18, '62; must. in Aug. 18, '62 as Priv .; disch. disab. Oct. 26, '63, Morris Isl., S. C .; died Nov. 12, '63, Hilton Head, S. C.
Spaulding, Albert, Co. C; b. Townsend, Mass .; age 23; cred. Brookline; enl. Aug. 18, '62; must. in Aug. 18, '62 as Priv .; disch. disab. Oct. 5, '63, Morris Isl., S. C.
Spaulding, Amos F., Co. C; b. Townsend, Mass .; age 19; res. Brookline; enl. Sept. 9, '61; must. in Sept. 18, '61, as Priv .; re-enl. Feb. 25, '64; must. in Feb. 28, '64; must. out Aug. 23, '65.
Stiles, Charles H., Co. C; b. Brookline; age 18; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 24, '61; must. in Sept. 18, '61, as Priv .; disch. disab. May 3, '62, St. Augustine, Fla. P. O. ad. Keene.
Stiles, John A., Co. C; b. Brookline; age 18; res. Brookline; enl. Aug. 14, '62; must. in Aug. 20, '62, as Priv .; wd. Sept. 29, '64, with ball; disch. June 15, '65; Raleigh, N. C. P. O. ad. Townsend, Mass.
Wright, William M., Co. C; b. Pepperell, Mass .; age 21; res. Brookline; en1. Dec. 15, '63; must. in Dec. 15, '63 as Musc .; reported on m. o. roll dated Aug. 23, '65, as absent sick since April 25, '64, N. & V. A. G. O. Prior enl'mts; 14th Mass., Aug. 7, 1861, as musc .; disch. Sept. 25, '62; re-enl. 47th Mass., Nov. 18, 1862 as musc .; disch. Sept. 2, 1863.
Seventh Regiment New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry (Three Years).
Shattuck, Warren, Co. D; b. Groton, Mass .; age 44; res. Brookline; en1. Oct. 18, '61; must. in Nov. 6, '61, as Priv .; disch. disab. Jan. 4, '63, St. Augustine, Fla.
Wright, Ezra S., Co. H; b. Hollis; age 33; res. Brookline; enl. Oct. 26, '61; must. in Nov. 12, '61, as Priv .; must. out Dec. 27, '64; died at Brookline.
Eighth Regiment New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry (Three Years).
Griffin, Cyrus N., Co. A; b. Pelham; age 19; res. Brookline; enl. Sept. 16, '61; must. in Oct. 25, '61 as Priv .; must. out Jan. 18, '65; died Oct. 6, '67.
339
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Stowell, David P., Co. F; b. Massachusetts; age 25; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. Nov. 25, '63; must. in Nov. 25, '63, as Priv. app. 2 Asst. Surg. Nov. 25, '63; disch. June 24, '64; dead.
Ninth Regiment New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry (Three Years).
Bennett, John C., Co. B; b. Brookline; age 25; cred. Nashua; enl. July 31, '62; must. in Aug. 9, '62, as musc .; must. out June 10, '65. P. O. ad. Spokane Falls, Wash.
Bohonon, Charles, Co. A; b. Brookline; age 24; cred. Brookline; enl. Dec. 15, '63; must. in Dec. 15, '63 as Priv .; tr. to Co. A, 6 N. H. V. June 1, '65; disch. to date July 17, '65, Concord. P. O. ad. Townsend, Mass.
Hall, Harvey M., Co. C; b. Brookline; age 27; cred. Hollis; enl. Nov. 4, '63; must. in Nov. 4, '63, as Musc .; died dis. Sept. 1, '64, Wash- ington, D. C.
Hobson, Edgar J., Co. B; drafted; b. Pennsylvania; age 29; res. Brook- line; cred. Brookline; drafted Sept. 1, '63; must. in Sept. 1, '63; Priv .; tr. to Co. B, 6 N. H. V. June 1, '65; disch. Sept. 11, '65, to date July 17, '65, Concord; prior enl. Band, 14 Mass .; enl. July 5, '61; must. in July 5, '61, as musc; disch. Aug. 14, '62. P. O. ad. Concord, N. H.
Thirteenth Regiment New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry (Three Years).
Emery, Lewis L., Co. B; b. Hillsborough; age 27; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. Aug. 28, '62; must. in Sept. 18, '62, as Priv .; disch. disab. Feb. 5, '63; drafted and must, in Sept. 1, '63; as- signed to Co. G, 13 N. H. V .; wd. sev. Sept. 29, '64, Ft. Harrison, Va .; disch. May 30, '65; died in Brookline.
Hill, David A., Co. A; b. Mason; age 29; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. Sept. 1, '62; must. in Sept. 18, '62, as Priv .; must. out June 21, '65. P. O. ad. Mason.
Russell, Charles H, Co. G; b. Brighton, Me .; age 29; res. Mason; cred. Brookline; enl. Aug. 14, '62; must. in Sept. 19, '62, as Priv .; app. Corp. Oct. 1, '64; must. out June 21, '65. P. O. ad. Brookline. Wetherbee, John F., Co. I; b. Wilton; age 37; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. Aug. 22, '62; must. in Sept. 20, '62, as Priv .; disch. disab. Feb. 26, '63, Philadelphia, Pa.
340
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Sixteenth Regiment New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry (Nine Months ).
Bohonon, Clinton, Co. C; b. Brookline; age 20; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. Sept. 4, '62; must. in Oct. 18, '62, as Corp .; must. out Aug. 20, '63, as Corp .; volunteered for storming party at Port Hudson, La., under G. O. No. 49, Headquarters Dept. of the Gulf, June 15, '63; dead.
Bohonon, John, Co. C; b. Brookline; age 18; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. Sept. 4, '62; must. in Oct. 18, '62, as Priv .; must. out Aug. 20, '63; re-enl. 6 Regt. Mass., July 7, '64 for 100 days; must. in July 17, '64, as Priv .; must. out Oct. 27, '64, tm. ex. P. O. ad. Pepperell, Mass.
Burgess, Asa S., Co. C; b. Brookline; age 19; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. Sept. 4, '62; must. in Oct. 18, '62, as Priv .; must. out Aug. 20, '63; volunteered for storming party at Port Hudson, La., under G. O. No. 49, Headquarters Dept. of the Gulf, June 15, '63.
Boutwell, William C., Co. C; b. Lyndeborough; age 20; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. Sept, 22, '62; must. in Oct. 18, '62, as Priv .; died dis. June 21, '63, New Orleans, La.
Kendall, Daniel, Co. C; b. Mason; age 35; res. Brookline; cred. Brook- line; enl. Sept. 15, '62; must. in Oct. 18, '62, as Priv .; must. out Aug. 20, '63; died in Brookline.
Merrill, James A., Co. C; b. Corinth, Vt .; age 26; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. Sept. 3, '62; must. in Oct. 18, '62, as Priv .; must. out Aug. 20, '63; d. in 1913.
Sawtelle, Augustus I., Co. C; b. Brookline; age 41; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. Sept. 15, '62; must. in Oct. 18, '62, as Sergt .; died dis. July 6, '63, Algiers, La.
Smith, Daniel W .; Co. C; b. Brookline; age 22; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. Nov. 18, '62; must. in Nov. 18, '62, as Priv .; disch. disab. May 5, '63, New Orleans, La .; died at sea May 11, '63.
Massachusetts Regiments Volunteer Infantry.
Burgess, Charles H., Co. K; 56 Regt .; b. Brookline; age 29; must. in Nov. 23, '63, as Priv .; must. out July 22, 1865.
Burgess, James L., Co. B; 56 Regt .; b. Brookline; age 25; res. Harvard, Mass .; cred. Harvard; enl. Nov. 25, 1863; must. in Feb., '64, as Priv .; wd. May 18, '64 at Spotsylvania Court House, Va .; must. out at Washington, D. C., May 18, '65; time ex .; P. O. ad. Nashua.
341
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Burgess, John C., Co. D, 21st Regt .; b. Brookline; age 21; enl. Sept. 2, '62, as Priv. disch. Sept. 2, '63. P. O. ad. Pepperell, Mass.
Dunphee, Eli S., Co. B, 26th Regt .; b. Brookline; age 21; enl. Nov. 6, '62; disch. June 5, '63, as Orderly Sergt. Butlers body gd .; wd. mor. by ball June 5, near Port Hudson, La .; died in Hospital.
Foster, George W., Co. A, 36th Regt .; b. Brookline; age 19; enl. July 23, '62 as Priv. disch. June 24, '65.
French, John A, Co. A, 36th Regt .; b. Dunstable, Mass .; age 21; res. Brookline; cred. Fitchburg; must. in July 26, '62; must. out June 8, '65; tm. ex. absent wd.
French, Orrin A., Co. C, 15th Mass .; b. Nashua; age 18; res. Brookline; cred. Dartmouth, Mass .; enl. March 15, '64; must. in March 15, '64, as Priv .; tr. to Co. E., 20 Mass. Inf. July 27, '64; captd .; died Jan. 1, '65, at Salisbury, N. C.
Gardner, Charles H., Co. C; 16 Mass .; b. ; age 32;
res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; must. in July 2, '61, as Priv .; must. out July 11, '63; wd. near Fair Oaks, Va., and lost a leg.
Gilson, Charles, Co. B, 26th Mass .; b. Brookline; age 17; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. ; must. in March 13, '63, as Priv .; must. out.
Gillis, James, Co. A, 36th Mass .; age 44; res. Brookline; enl. July 23, 62; must. in July 23, '62; must. out July 22, '65.
Gould, Peter W., Co. C, 16th Regt .; age 27; b. Brookline; res. Brookline; must. in July 2, '61; must. out Sept. 18, '63, as Sergt. disability.
Hardy, Warren C., Co. C, 25th Regt .; age 22; b. Brookline; res. Brook- line; cred. Worcester; must. in Oct. 15, '61, as Priv .; must. out to re-enlist Dec. 17, '63, as corp .; died of dis. at Newburn, S. C.
Jefts, Albert N., Co. C, 15th Regt .; age 21; b. Brookline; res. Brookline; cred. Clinton, Mass .; must. in July 12, '61, as Priv .; must. out Nov. 12, '62, to enlist in U. S. A.
Jefts, Ed. Farwell, Co. B, 46th Mass .; b. Brookline; age 44; res. Brook- line; cred. ; enl. July 19, '61; must. out July 26, '62.
Jefts, George H, Co. F, 77 Pa .; b. Brookline; age 23; res. Brookline; enl. Nov. 18, '64, as Priv .; disch. Aug. 28, '65, at Waldon, N. C .; res. Fitchburg, Mass.
Mann, Oliver J., Co. E. B. S. 2 L. C .; ; age 20; res Brookline; enl. Nov. 7, '62; Tr. to Co. C, Mass. 31 Cav.
342
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Shattuck, Joseph C., Co. C, 15th Mass .; b. Brookline; age 17; res. Brookline; cred. Dartmouth, Mass .; must. in March 14, '63, as Priv .; tr. July 27, 1864, to 20th Inf.
Nelson, Eugene L., Co. F. 3 H. A .; b. Brookline; age 21; res. Brookline; cred. Boston, Mass .; must, in Sept. 16, '63, as Priv .; must. out Sept. 18, '65, tm. ex.
Woodward, Andrew L, Co. E, 33rd Regt .; b. Brookline; age ; res. Brookline; cred. Townsend, Mass .; enl. July 22, 1862, as Priv .; must. in July 26, '62; d. of dis. Nov. 8, 1864; buried at Chattanooga. Laws, Francis A., Co. D, 53rd Regt .; b. Brookline; age ; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. ; must. in Oct. 17, 1862; as Priv .; dis. Jan. 15, 1863. Surgeon's certificate.
Laws, Lewis O., Co. D, 53rd Mass. Regt .; b. Brookline; age 21; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; must. in Oct. 17, 1862; died at Marine Hospital, New Orleans, Aug. 5, 1863.
Wetherbee, Charles W., Co. E, 33rd Regt .; b. Brookline; age 22; res. Brookline; cred. Brookline; enl. July 26, '62; must. in July 26, '62, as Priv .; d. of dis. at. Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 28, '62.
Wright, William H., Co. E, 33rd Regt .; b. Brookline; age 21; res. Brook- line; cred. Townsend, Mass .; must. in Aug. 5, '62, as Priv. dis. July 3, '65, order of War Dept.
Wright, Lewis T., Co. E, 33rd Regt .; b. Brookline; age 24; res. Brookline; cred. Townsend, Mass .; must. in Aug. 5, '62, as Priv .; died Oct. 14, '64, Charleston, S. C.
First Regiment New Hampshire Heavy Artillery.
Pierce, Geo. W., Co. F; b. Brookline; age 19; cred. Nashua; enl. Sept. '64, for one year; must. in Sept. 6, '64, as Corp .; must. out June 15, '65.
United States Navy.
Wallace, Bryant, W .; b. Brookline; age 21; res. Brookline; cred. Brook- line; enl. Aug. 12, '62, for one year as a landsman; served on U. S. S. Ohio, North Carolina, Daylight and Morse; disch. Aug. 14, '63, from the Morse, tm. ex. P. O. ad. Nashua.
Parker, Edward E .; b. Brookline; age 21; res. Brookline; cred. Brook- line; enl. Aug. 20, '63, for one year as landsman; served on U. S. S. Ohio and Perry; app. yeoman; disch. Oct. 10, '64, from receiving ship Princeton at Philadelphia, Pa., tim. ex.
343
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
Currier, Charles; b. Wilton,; age 23; res. Brookline; enl. May 17, '64, as ordinary seaman, for one year; served on U. S. S. Ohio and Mas- sachusetts; disch. Aug. 17, '65; tm. ex .; died at Brookline.
Little, George S .; b. Salisbury; age 19; res. Brookline; enl. Oct., '63; as coal heaver; served on U. S. S. Nipsic; disch. Dec. 20, '64, from U. S. S. Savannah, New York City; tim. ex.
344
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
CHAPTER XIX.
Current Events, Incidents and Happenings, Continued. 1860-1890.
Local Conditions in 1860-The Young Men's Library Association-Town's Centennial Celebration-Accident on Meeting-house Hill, Sept. 9, 1869-The Democratic Cannon-The Cook, Putnam & Com- pany Furniture Manufactory-Hobart, Kendall & Company- Town's Action Relative to School District No. 8 in Milford- Rentnig of Old Meeting-house to Cook, Putnam & Co .- De- struction of Pulpit and Pews in Old Meeting-house-Three Days Town Meeting in 1874-Death by Accident of George W. Peabody -Straightening of Main Street in 1878-Delegates to Constitu- tional Convention in 1876-Vote on the Proposed Amendments to the Constitution in 1877-Brookline Public Library-Order of the Golden Cross-Accidental Death of Frank Hobart-Burning of the Fernando Bailey Dwelling House-Death of Daniel S. Wether- bee-Burning of J. A. Hall Cooper Shop-Burning of the Miles Foster House-Burning of Samuel Gilson's House-The Yellow Day-Burning of David S. Fessenden's Sawmill-Brookline and Hollis Telephone Company-Burning of Schoolhouse in District One-Memorial Day, Observances of-Discontinuance of Certain Highways-J. H. S. Tucker Store Burglarized-Delegate to Con- stitutional Convention in 1888-Burning of the Charles A. Stickney Sawmill.
From the year 1860 up to and including the year 1865, the only im- portant or interesting events occurring in town were such as were con- nected with the citizens' action relative to the Civil War, which have already been narrated in a prior chapter. The same statement is applic- able to the period intervening between the years 1865 and 1869, during which period the townspeople were endeavoring to work out satisfactory solutions of the problems of debt and a general disarrangement in affairs which had been left them as legacies by the War.
345
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
The Young Men's Library Association.
1861. This association was organized Feb. 12, 1861. It was a citi- zen's organization and formed, as its name indicates, for the purpose of founding a library. It was a stock company, but was unincorporated. Residents of either sex in town were eligible to membership in the company.
The association maintained its organization for a period of about nine years. During the entire term of its existence its headquarters were in the hall over the store of Kendall and Wright at the south end of the village Main street, where, also, its library was located.
In 1863 the association's library consisted of two hundred and nine volumes of well selected books. This collection was gradually increased in number, by the addition of new instalments of books purchased by the association and books donated to it by its friends until, in 1869, its library numbered between three hundred and four hundred volumes.
From 1869 to 1877 the association appears to have passed through a period of inactivity, its last meeting of record occurring Jan. 17, 1869.
In 1877, the association transferred its library to the town. The condition upon which the transfer was made was that the books should be used for the purpose of founding a public library. The town agreed to the condition, accepted the books, and used them as the nucleus of the Brookline Public Library, which was organized that year. With the transfer of its library to the town the association ceased to exist.
1867. This year a lodge of the order of Good Templars was estab- lished in town. It had an existence of several years in duration, during which it was a very flourishing institution, having, at the height of its prosperity, a membership of over one hundred souls.
Brookline's Centennial Celebration, Sept. 8, 1869.
By the year 1868 the work of readjustment of the town's affairs, while it was by no manner of means to be regarded as even near comple- tion, had, nevertheless, progressed so satisfactorily that the citizens had regained confidence in themselves and in their resources, and were ready to engage in the work of preparing for the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, which was due to occur on the 30th day of March the following year, 1869.
The first action of the town relative to the celebration was taken at a town meeting holden Nov. 3, 1868, when Alonzo Bailey, James H. Hall, Henry K. Kemp, Henry B. Stiles, Wilkes W. Corey, and Joseph A. Hall
346
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
were elected as a committee-"To consider the advisability of the town's celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of its incorporation."
At a subsequent meeting in the same year, this committee reported in favor of a celebration, but on account of the inclemency of the weather usual in the season in which the event properly fell, suggested the ad- visability of deferring it to some date in the fall of the year. After some discussion, the report was accepted; and, under the designation of "Com- mittee of Arrangements," the same committee was re-elected with full power to make all necessary preparations for the celebration, and to select the day for the same, which it subsequently set for the 8th day of Sep- tember, 1869.
No appropriation for defraying the expenses was made by the town. Nor, after that recorded in the last of the two foregoing mentioned town meetings, was any further action relative to the same taken by the town as such; except that at a meeting of the citizens Nov. 9, 1869, a com- mittee consisting of James Clinton Parker, Wilkes W. Corey, William G. Shattuck, Henry K. Kemp, and Joseph A. Hall was appointed "To publish the Centennial Proceedings." For some unknown reason this committee failed to act; and thus no official report of the celebration was ever published.
The funds necessary for paying the expenses of the celebration were raised by subscriptions from the citizens. Over one thousand dollars were raised and expended by the committee of arrangements; and, as the re- sult of its efforts, the advent of the day found the old town fully and amply prepared not only to welcome its absent sons and daughters, but also to welcome and suitably entertain the strangers who gathered within its gates.
Hundreds of its living absent sons and daughters and of the de- scendants of its early settlers took the opportunity to return and revisit the scenes amidst which they or their parents had passed the happy days of childhood; and, by their presence, assist in doing appropriate honors to a town whose simple history and homely traditions have always endeared it to the hearts of its children.
The morning of the day of the celebration broke with signs of rain. But by seven o'clock the skies had partially cleared off, and through the rifts in the clouds the sunlight shone on the gray inists climbing the sides of Little Muscatanipus hill; a condition of affairs which from time imme- morial has been regarded by the townspeople as an almost unfailing sign of fair weather. Nor did the sign fail in this instance.
347
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
At nine o'clock a procession was formed in the square in front of the store, then of J. A. Hall and Brother, at the west end of the village Main street, as follows:
Chief Marshal and Aids,
Brookline Brass Band,
Committee of Arrangements,
The President of the Day, Orator, Poet, and Chaplain,
Vice-presidents,
The Rev. Clergy, Invited Guests, Representatives of the Press and Others,
The Choir,
Citizens of Brookline,
Citizens at Large.
From the square the procession, headed by the band and escorted by the town's soldiers in the War of the Rebellion, marched to the summit of the hill back of the Congregational Church where, in the natural amphi- theatre formed by a hollow or depression in the surrounding land, and known locally as the "Devil's punch bowl," the literary exercises of the day were observed. Three sides of the amphi-theatre had been fitted up with seats for the accommodation of the audience; which, when the exer- cises opened, was estimated to consist of more than three thousand people. The other side was occupied by a large and commodious platform profusely decorated with flags and flowers, upon which were seated the aged people of the town, the Brookline Brass Band, a large choir organized from the native talent and under the leadership of Charles N. Merrill of Nashua, the invited guests and the following named officers of the day :
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.