USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Brookline > History of Brookline, formerly Raby, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire : with tables of family records and genealogies > Part 33
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1899; Ella W. Tucker, Dr. Charles H. Holcombe, O. D. Fessenden. 1900-1911; Ella W. Tucker, Dr. Charles H. Holcombe, O. D. Fessenden.
1912; Dr. Charles H. Holcombe, Ella W. Tucker.
1913; Dr. Charles H. Holcombe, Warren L. Noyes, Fred A. Hall.
1914; Dr. Charles H. Holcombe, Mrs. Ella W. Tucker.
Samaritan Commandery No. 96, United Order of the Golden Cross. 1880.
This Commandery was organized in Brookline February 23, 1880. Its charter members were Dr. Alonzo S. Wallace, Mrs. Mary F. Wallace, Rev. Frank D. Sargent, Edward T. Hall, Emily M. Hall, David H. Kendall, Sophia R. Kendall, Emma S. Sargent, William J. Smith, and Mrs. Mary E. Smith.
First Board of Officers.
Past Noble Commander,
Noble Commander,
Vice-Noble Commander, Prelate, Worthy Herald,
Noble Keeper of Records,
Financial Keeper of Records, Treasurer,
Warder of the Inner Gates,
Sophia R. Kendall.
Warder of the Outer Gates,
Alonzo S. Wallace.
David H. Kendall.
Mary E. Smith.
Rev. F. D. Sargent.
Edward T. Hall.
C. T. Pressey.
Emma S. Sargent.
William J. Smith.
Perley L. Pierce.
From the date of its organization to the present time (1914)the com- mandery has held its meetings in the vestry of the Congregational Church.
During the years of its existence it has enjoyed continuous prosperity, and its rolls have borne the names of many of the town's most influential
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
citizens-its membership at one time reaching ninety-two members. Of those who, since its organization, have been among the number of its members ten have died; as follows: Jefferson Whitcomb, George E. Stiles, Emily M. Hall, Lenora M. Nye, Joseph A. Hall, Julia F. Dunbar, David H. Kendall, Helen I. Hoitt, Georgia A. Shattuck, and Samuel Swett; and many others have removed from town. At the present time (1914) the organization has a membership of twenty-seven of whom sixteen are non- residents.
Names of Members, March 18, 1914.
Edward T. Hall,
Perley L. Pierce,
David S. Fessenden,
Clara A. Fessenden,
Albert T. Pierce,
Hattie F. Pierce,
Dr. Charles H. Holcombe,
Clintina A. Holcombe,
George H. Nye,
Ella H. Nye,
Annie M. Gilson,
Fred E. French,
John D. Hobart,
Edwin A. Shattuck,
Grace E. Pierce,
Herbert J. Hall,
Ada M. Hall,
Frank P. Kennedy,
Clara G. Kennedy,
Albert B. Eaton,
Flora J. Eaton,
John E. Silvernail,
Byron D. Pease,
George Sargent.
James C. Douglass,
1880-Population,-698.
Nov. 25, the dwelling house of Miles Foster in the north part of the town was burned down.
1881. Jan. 31, Charles Burgess was accidently killed while working in the sawmill of James H. Hall in the north part of the town.
Feb. 16, Ebenezer T. Burge was burned to death.
Feb. 16, the dwelling house of Samuel Gilson, Jr. located on the poor- farm road was totally destroyed by fire.
The Yellow Day, Sept. 6, 1881.
Tuesday, Sept. 6, 1881, was known throughout New England as the "Yellow Day." It was an uncomfortable, although not particularly hot, day. At daybreak the atmosphere appeared to be filled with a yellowish light, which, while it had not the appearacne of haze, or fog, had nevertheless, the effect of completely obscuring the sun. Under its influence foliage and vegetation of all descriptions were changed from green to a spectral violet blue. The sky took on a brassy aspect. The wild birds ceased to fly and to sing. Barnyard
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
fowls retired to their roosts, as if the night had come; and do- mestic animals had the appearance of being cowed by the unusual conditions surrounding them. All objects, animate and inaminate, ap- peared strange and unatural. As the day advanced, the darkness increased in density. By one o'clock it had increased to the extent that it became necessary to use artificial lights in the interiors of buildings, the same as in the darkness of night. Hour by hour the gloom deepened and the brassy appearance of the sky increased in density. This state of affairs continued until about three o'clock in the afternoon; after which daylight gradually returned. By 5 o'clock the darkness had almost disappeared; and from that time until nightfall, the remainder of the day was passed under, approximately, the usual atmospheric conditions; the daylight, however, being of apparently diminished intensity.
The night following was a very dark one. The singular and un- natural phenomena attendant upon the day were a cause of anxiety to timorous folk; and especially so to those who were of superstitious natures; to whom this ominous aspect appeared as signs of the coming of the day of doom. To the scientists these phenomena were, like those attendant upon the famous "Dark Day" of 1780, enigmas for which they then were, and ever since have been, unable to give any satisfactory solution.
1882. Feb. 18; the sawmill of David S. Fessenden in South Brook- line was destroyed by fire.
Nov. 7. The town voted to accept the bequest of five hundred dollars left to it under the will of James N. Tucker; the income to be used for the pepetural care of the South Cemetery.
The Brookline and Hollis Telephone Company.
1884. This company was organized by citizens of Brookline in the summer and fall of 1884. Its object was to construct a telephone line from this town via Hollis to Nashua. It was not an incorporated company. The funds for building the line were raised by subscription. Eight citizens of this town contributed fifty dollars each, and the remainder of the neces- sary amount was raised in Hollis. The following citizens, all of this town, were elected as the company's first board of officers: Rev. Frank D. Sar- gent, president; Walter F. Rockwood, treasurer; George W. Bridges, clerk.
Oct. 21, the company petitioned the town authorities for a license to erect poles and stretch wires from the store of James H. S. Tucker at the west end of Main street to the town line of Hollis, via the highway toPep- perell, Mass. The license was immediatley granted; and the line was com-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
pleted that same year. The first public telephone station was established in the store of J. H. S. Tucker. The first citizens to install telephones in their dwelling houses were the Rev. Frank D. Sargent and Dr. A. S. Wallace.
The following year, 1885, the citizens of Townsend, Mass., became desirous of extending the line into that town. To that end they raised and expended a sum of money sufficient to carry the project into exe- cution. With the completion of the line to Townsend the company's original name was changed to "Brookline, Townsend and Hollis Telephone Co."; the original board of officers, however, were continued in office. A few years later, the line was extended to Fitchburg, Mass.
The company continued to do a profitable business until 1898; when it sold its entire plant to the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company; by which company it is owned and managed at the present time. (1914).
1886. In June of this year, the schoolhouse in District 1, South Brookline, was burned down.
Memorial Day-Observances of-
For many years prior to 1886 the town made annual appropriations of money to be expended in decorating the graves of its deceased veteran soldiers in the War of the Rebellion. But during this period the exercises attendant upon the performance of this duty were informal, and unat- tended with martial pomp or display.
In 1886, however, as the result of a citizen's movement in that di- rection, the town for the first time observed Memorial Day in a formal manner.
The exercises were under the management of Post 30, Grand Army of the Republic, of Hollis; an organization to which many of Brookline's Veterans at that time belonged. The ceremonies were very simple. A procession, consisting of one hundred and fifty citizens on foot, and as many more in carriages was formed on Main street; from whence, headed by the West Townsend, Mass., Cornet Band, it marched to the south cemetery. On arriving at the cemetery, the exercises consisted of singing by a local choir, and brief remarks by the reverends Frank D. Sargent and A. B. Russell, and members of the Post. At the conclusion of the exercises the living comrades decorated the graves of the dead, and the assemblage quietly dispersed.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
The following year, 1887, the exercises attendant upon the day's ob- servance were more formal in their character. The anniversary of the day that year fell on Sunday, and for that reason its obesrvance was placed for Saturday, May 29.
The exercises for the day were in charge of the following officers and committee of arrangements: President of the day, George E. Stiles; Vice- President, James H. S. Tucker; Chief Marshal, George W. Bridges; Aids, Samuel Swett, Alpha A. Hall.
Committee of Arrangements.
Rev. Frank D. Sargent, James H. S. Tucker, George W. Bridges, Samuel Swett, Daniel Kendall, George E. Stiles, Albert W. Corey, Walter F. Rockwood, Edward C. Tucker, Ira Daniels, Frank L. Willoby, Mrs. Frank L. Willoby, H. W. Seaver, Mrs. H. W. Seaver, Imla M. Williams, Mrs. Imla M. Williams, Charles N. Corey, Mrs. Nathaniel Hobart.
The exercises were conducted in accordance with a programme pre- pared for the occasion as follows:
PROGRAM.
"The procession will form in the Square at the store of J. H. S. Tucker, at 9.30 A. M. and in the following order proceed to the West Cemetery, then countermarching to the South Cemetery, then returning to the Square aboved mentioned.
Chief Marshal 2nd. REGIMENT BAND, W. A. Cummings, Leader; John H. Worcester Post and Brookline Veterans; Aid President of Day, Speakers and Disabled Soldiers in carriages; Marshal Schools of Brookline Citizens.
12 o'clock, Collation for Band, Soldiers and invited guests, at the Hall of J. H. S. Tucker.
2 o'clock, at Tucker's Hall, Music; Prayer; Address; Music; Address; Music; Address; Music.
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The Hall has been engaged for a Camp Fire and Reunion at 7 1-2 o'clock in the evening, and all Brookline Soldiers are requested to remain and form a permanent organization.
All are invited to contribute flowers and food for this first grand Me- morial Day Brookline has witnessed, and those who accept the invitation, are requested to bring in their contributions by 9 A. M., Saturday."
For may years subsequent to these first two observances, Memorial Day, or "Decoration Day," as it was then called, continued to be formally observed here; and year by year the town voted appropriations for that purpose. But as the years passed, and the veterans became few in numbers and enfeebled by age, the more pretentious formalities incident to the day were gradually dispensed with.
For the last few years, Memorial Day exercises have been conducted by the children of the public schools; who assemble under the charge of their teachers in some public hall, from whence, after carrying out a pro- gramme consisting of patriotic songs and recitations, they march in procession , headed by the surviving veterans and the citizens, to the "cemetery-on-the-plain"; bearing in their arms an abundance of fragrant flowers and wreaths of evergreen; with which upon arrival at the cemetery they deck the graves of the veterans; after which ceremony, the exercises are closed with prayer by the attendant clergyman.
1888. At the annual March town meeting, the citizens voted to dis- continue the following named highways: "The highway from Abraham Betterly's to the Senter Place; the highway from the Pope Place," (old Ezekiel Proctor house) "to the Jesse Perkin's Place," and "the highway from the Eddie Whitcomb Place," (old William Gilson place), "to the Boston Place."
March 13, the store of James H. S. Tucker at the west end of the village Main street was entered by burglars and the safe blown open and robbed of its valuable contents.
Brookline was represented in the Constitutional Convention this year holden at Concord, by David S. Fessenden.
1889. September 17, the sawmill of Charles J. Stickney in South Brookline was destroyed by fire.
BROOKLINE
RAILROAD DEPOT AT VILLAGE
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
CHAPTER XX.
Railroads in Brookline and a Narrative of the Events Which Led Up to Their Construction.
Failure of the Citizen's First Attempt to Obtain a Railroad in 1844-The East Wilton and Groton Railroad Company, 1846-The Brookline Railroad, 1871-The Manchester and Fitchburg Railroad, 1877- The Brookline Railroad Company, 1891-Celebration of the Open- ing of the Brookline Railroad Company to Public Travel in 1892- The Brookline and Milford Railroad Company, 1893
The Nashua and Lowell railroad was incorporated by act of legis- lature on the 23rd day of June, 1835. It was the first railroad to enter New Hampshire. It was opened for business in 1838, and went into full operation in 1840. Up to this time the Middlesex Canal, in Massachusetts, and the canal system in connection with the Merrimack river in New Hampshire, had served as modes of conveyance of freight, and to some extent of passengers, between Boston and the towns on the Merrimack, and the adjacent country. There was naturally much opposition to the building of the road, especially among the stock-holders in the canal companies.
The establishment and successful operation of this railroad naturally excited not only curiosity, but finally created a feeling of intense interest among the inhabitants of the neighboring towns. A railroad fever struck the surrounding country. Brookline was one of the first of the towns in this vicinity to feel its effects; and, soon after the road's completion, the desirability of a railroad from some point in Massachusetts into its own borders, and perhaps beyond, began to be vigorously discussed. Among the projects for the new railroad which were favorably considered, was one which contemplated the continuation of the Boston and Lowell railroad from its terminus in Lowell, Mass., via Brookline to East Wilton; and a somewhat active effort was made to put this project into execution. But meanwhile another project, carried on by those who were interested in building the present Wilton railroad, was under way; and after some con- siderable sparring between the rival factions, those opposed to the Brookline
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route carried the day, and the Nashua and Wilton railroad was incor- porated Dec. 28, 1844.
The East Wilton and Groton Railroad Company.
Far from being discouraged by the failure of their attempt, in 1844, to obtain a railroad charter, the citizens of Brookline continued to agi- tate and discuss the question of building the contemplated road. In this agitation and discussion they were aided by certain of the citizens of East Wilton, and also by citizens of Groton and Pepperell, in Massachusetts. In 1846, they again petitioned the legislature for a railroad charter; and finally, on the 10th day of July of that year succeeded in obtaining the passage of an act whereby the road was incorporated under the name of the East Wilton and Groton Railroad Company. The original grantees under this act were Samuel W. Blake and Asa F. Lawrence of Groton, Mass., Benjamin Gould and Alpheus Shattuck of Brookline, and William H. Burns of East Wilton. By the terms of the charter the road was to begin in East Wilton; thence to Milford, thence to Brookline, thence through the southwest corner of Hollis to the state line; there to intersect and unite with the East Wilton and Groton railroad as it had been chartered by the Massachusetts legislature in March, 1845. By its act of incorpor- ation, the capital stock of the company was to consist of 2000 shares. The par value of the shares, however, was not stated. But as the president and board of directors were restricted from laying an assessment on over one hundred dollars for each share, it is presumable that the par value was at least $100 per share. By section 15 of the act it was provided that -"If the Wilton railroad should proceed according to their charter granted in December, 1844, then this act is to become null and void." It is a matter of record that the Wilton railroad did so proceed. In 1848 the charter of the East Wilton and Groton railroad was amended; and there the legis- lative record relative to the road ends.
It is probable that by the completion of the Wilton railroad, the charter of the East Wilton and Groton railroad became "null and void." Tradition says that the only action taken by the grantees under this charter was to cause a survey of the route of the road from Brookline to Pepperell to be made. That such a survey was made is an unquestioned fact.
Among the petitioners for the charter from Brookline were Alpheus Shattuck, Benjamin Gould, James Clinton Parker, Andrew Rockwood and many others. In the work before the legislature, preliminary to obtaining the charter, the petitioners were opposed by the Lowell and Nashua rail-
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2
RAILROAD BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER BELOW THE POND
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BROOKLINE
road; which employed as its counsel James U. Parker of Merrimack, and Franklin Pierce; afterwards President. The petitioners were represented before the legislature by Asa F. Lawrenc an able and efficient lawyer of Groton, Mass.
The Brookline Railroad.
For a period of twenty-three years dating from the time of the loss of its charter by the East Wilton and Groton railroad, no active efforts for procuring a charter for a railroad into Brookline were made. But during all that period the matter was constantly under consideration on the part of the citizens; the majority of whom were not only hopeful, but confident that the road would come some time, even if they did not live to see it. In 1871 their hopes were realized; for on the 13th day of July of that year, in response to a petition to that end, the legislature passed an act for the incorporation of a railroad into Brookline, under the name of the Brook- line Railroad. The charter issued under the provisions of the act was the second, in order of number, to be issued for a railroad in Brookline. The names of the grantees under the act were as follows: Joseph A. Hall, James W. Fessenden, Joseph Sawtelle, James W. Cook, Wilkes W. Corey, Alpheus Shattuck, Joseph C. Tucker, William J. Smith, James Clinton Parker, Rufus G. Russell, David G. Russell, David S. Fessenden, and Nathaniel Hobart of Brookline; John N. Worcester, Timothy E. Flagg, Charles A. Reed, William A. Trow, Henry N. Smith, Samuel A. Worcester, George L. Pierce, Ambrose H. Woods, Calvin M. Smith, and Abel Colburn of Hollis.
By the terms of this charter the grantees were empowered to locate the road from any point between the States of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and between the towns of Hollis and Pepperell to any point at or near the village in the town of Brookline, and to connect with the Middlesex Central railroad, or the Brookline and Tyngsboro railroad in Massachusetts; the capital stock to be not more than $150,000; and the corporation was to organize and lay out $15,000 in construction before Jan. 1, 1876, or the charter was to be void. This the grantees failed to do and the charter was allowed to expire.
The Manchester and Fitchburg Railroad.
On July 14, 1877, the third charter for a railroad into Brookline was granted by the legislature, under the name of the Manchester and Fitch- burg railroad. The names of the grantees under this charter residing in
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Brookline were as follows. Joseph A. Hall, Joseph Sawtelle. Associated with them were sixteen others, residents of Manchester, Bedford, Amherst, New Ipswich and Fitchburg, Mass. By the charter's provisions they had power to locate and construct the road from some point in Manchester through Bedford, Merrimack, Amherst and Milford, to some point on the line between New Hampshire and Massachusetts in Brookline, Mason, New Ipswich or Rindge, with a right to enter upon and use the Concord railroad, the Manchester and North Weare railroad, the Concord and Ports- mouth railroad, the Nashua and Wilton, and the Peterboro and Shirley railroad; paying such tolls as fixed upon by agreement or by the legislature. The capital stock was fixed at not more than 10,000 shares of $100 each, the road to be constructed within five years from the passage of the bill, or the same would be void. Meetings were held at various places and con- siderable enthusiasm aroused; but enthusiasm was about all that was aroused. Capital was not forthcoming, and the time limited in the charter was about to expire, when in 1881 events transpired that instilled new life into the enterprise, and on Aug. 17, 1881, the legislature passed an act to revive and continue the charter to July 1, 1890. In this revival of the charter it was provided that the route of said road should be within 100 rods of the townhouse at Amherst plain. When by means of this revival of the charter the nearly defunct road had been galvanized into a seeming appearance of new life, the hopes of the citizens of Brookline were raised to the highest point. Never since the inception of a railroad into the town in 1844 had all appearances, signs, omens, reports and manifestations been so favorable for a railroad as now; and it was currently reported that if the road should be built from Manchester to the State line, certain capitalists in Fitchburg would build the remaining portion of the road to Fitchburg. In fact, these capitalists, it was understood, guaranteed it. Meanwhile certain of the manufacturing corporations in Manchester were apparently interested in the matter. They were at that time, and had previously been, having trouble with the railroads leading south out of the city of Manchester in regard to the cost of freightage, and they appeared very desirous of obtaining means of egress that would render them inde- pendent of the Concord railroad.
Eminent counsel were employed, frequent meetings were held at Man- chester and Fitchburg, and at intermediate points along the route; where affairs relating to the projected road were discussed, and viewed in all lights. The several towns along the route either voted the 5 per cent on their several valuations which the law allowed, or expressed their will- ingness to do so. Two or more different surveys were made; one sub-
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stantially over the route as set forth in the charter, and one down the west bank of the Merrimack river, passing through the easterly portion of Hollis. This latter survey was made I think before the alteration of the charter in 1881, which required the road to run within 100 rods of the Amherst townhouse. In fact the elements of capital and labor seemed to be working harmoniously in conjunction with the wishes of the people, and "all went merry as a marriage bell," when, "hush, hark, a sound broke in like a rising knell." In fact something dropped. An investi- gation showed that the Concord railroad had dropped on the price of freightage, and with that drop the project of the Manchester and Fitch- burg railroad dropped also, and passed away like "the baseless fabric of a dream." A few years later, as the time approached for the expiration of the term of the charter, viz., July, 1890, some talk was made as to hav- ing the term extended; but upon search being made it was found that that valuable instrument, the charter, had dropped also-completely out of sight. And from that day to this no citizen of Brookline has ever seen it. It is supposed to be resting, with other equally valuable papers, in the archives of the first railroad to enter New Hampshire. How it got there the Lord only knows. We can only say of it, in the language of tombstone epitaphs, "Requiescat in pace."
The Brookline Railroad Company.
The fourth and last charter for a railroad in this town was granted by the New Hampshire legislature, March 31, 1891, under the name of the Brookline Railroad Company-the road that is in sucessful operation today (1914). The grantees under this charter were William G. Shattuck, Thomas S. Hittinger, George W. Bridges, Walter F. Rockwood, James H. S. Tucker, Gilman P. Huff, David Hobart, Ira Daniels, James H. Hall, Willie A. Hobart, Samuel Swett, Albert W. Corey, Charles E. Shattuck, and Charles A. Stickney, all residents of Brookline except Thomas S. Hittinger, who, at that time, was a resident of Townsend Harbor, Mass.
This charter authorized the construction of a railroad not exceeding 6 rods in width from some point on lake Potanapo to some point on the State line of Massachusetts, in Brookline or Hollis, over such a line as would be passed over in the construction of a railroad in the most feasible route to a point at or near the station on the Worcester, Nashua and Port- land railroad in Pepperell, Mass., with a right to connect with the Wor- cester, Nashua and Portland railroad, and to lease to any railroad corpo- ration in manner and form consistent with the laws of this State. The
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capital stock was limited to 1000 shares of $100 each and the act was to be void unless the road was completed within ten years from the passage of the bill.
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