History of Carroll County, New Hampshire, Part 10

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Boston : W.A. Fergusson & Co.
Number of Pages: 1124

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Navigation. - During the early history of this vicinity, great difficulty was experienced by the settlers in transporting goods and household necessities from the distant markets of Dover and Portsmouth. The roads consisted only of " bridle-paths," which were only wide enough for a single horse, and all the articles had to be carried upon horseback, or oftener on the backs of the settlers themselves. At last they got tired of these means of transportation, and constructed a road from Dover to Alton bay about the commencement of the present century. From Alton bay the supplies were distributed by means of boats, and almost simultaneously with the construction of this road the old "Gundalow " boat was built by Joseph Smith, of Dover, to carry the goods and passengers across the lake to their point of destination. This was a huge, flat- bottomed, unwieldy craft, propelled by sail if the wind was favorable, and when it was not, by large oars. It ran no regular trips, but visited the Weirs, Meredith village, Centre Harbor, and several other points when necessary. After running a number of years, it was shipwrecked on "Great Boat Ledge " in a heavy gale.

In 1830 a stock company was formed for the purpose of building a steam- boat, and work was soon after commenced upon it at Lake village, and it was completed in 1833 and named the "Belknap." Great difficulty was expe- rienced in getting up through the channel at the Weirs, on account of the low water. Like the old "Gundalow," it ran no regular trips, visiting all points on the lake when necessary. It was about one hundred feet in length, and flat- bottomed. The engine was in no way in proportion to the size of the boat, in headwinds hardly able to hold its own, and making a noise that could be heard for miles. The time employed in making the trip between Alton bay and Centre Harbor, when the wind was favorable, was nearly six hours. Now the time made between these two points is two hours, regardless of wind or weather. Captain W. A. Sanborn, of the Weirs, was her captain, and Perkins Drake, of Lake village, her pilot. In November, 1841, it was wrecked on what is now Steamboat island. Several unsuccessful attempts to get her off the bar

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

were made, the last being on the Fourth of July of the next year, when the efforts of forty men failed to move her, and she was left to her fate, and, after removing her engine, boiler, and ironwork generally, she finally went to pieces. Thus ended in disaster and evil forebodings the career of the pioneer steamboat on the lake. The "ribs" and other portions of the hull are still to be seen, and afford the curiosity seeker an interesting object for investigation.

A few years afterwards a charter for the "Winnipiseogee Steamboat Company" was obtained, which resulted in the construction of the "Lady of the Lake" in 1849. This boat was designed to run between Weirs, Centre Harbor, and other places about the lake. Her first captain was William Walker, of Lake village. Not long after, she fell into the hands of the Boston, Concord, and Montreal railroad, in whose interest she still remains. During her career she has undergone some changes, was burned in 1867, immediately rebuilt. In 1882 nearly a new hull was added, and extensive improvements made both above and below the lower deck. At present she is regarded as being as stanch and fleet as at any time since the original construction. Since the days of Captain Walker she has been commanded by Eleazer Bickford, of Meredith, Stephen Cole, of Lake village, Winborn Sanborn, and J. S. Wadleigh, of Laconia, the latter being her present captain. Her route during the season lies between Weirs, Centre Harbor, and Wolfe- borough, several trips being made daily in connection with the time-table of the Boston and Lowell railroad at Weirs.

Next on the list came the "Long Island," built by Perley R. and George K. Brown, of Long Island, with a carrying capacity of about one hundred passengers. This boat was designed for general commerce about the lake.

About this time Langdon Thyng constructed the " Jenny Lind " (at first a horse-boat) at Lake village, whose carrying capacity was about the same as that of the " Long Island."

This brings us down to the building of the " Red Hill " by the " Red Hill Steamboat Company," at Lee's Mills, in Moultonborough, with Allen Bumpus as her captain. This boat was of uncouth architecture, and built for the trade between the " Mills " and Alton bay. The hull of this boat was modeled something like that of a scow. She was very laborious in her movements. The " Red Hill " was finally sent " up in a balloon " by the bursting of her boiler. Remnants of her hull can still be seen on the shore at Alton bay, just below the bridge that crosses the Merry Meeting river. Charles Brown, of Lake village, next came out with the "Naugatuck " (afterward sold to Sweet & Morrison, of Wolfeborough), which is still in existence, though a little the worse for wear. About this time Abram Guptil, of Wolfeborough, built the " Dolly Dutton." Both the last-named boats had a carrying capacity of about one hundred passengers. We have next to speak of the "Seneca," of about the same size, which finally went ashore on the

ROADS.

" Goose Egg," a dangerous rock on the Moultonborough coast. Uriah Hall was her captain, residing at Melvin village. Hall subsequently constructed the "Ossipee," another specimen of the laboring craft. Ansel Lamprey built the " Gazelle," at Tuftonborough, a little later on, which subsequently came into the possession of Dearborn Haley.

In those days came the introduction of the steam yachts, such as the " Pinafore," "Nellie," "Bristol," etc., the "Nellie " being the first propeller ever introduced to the lake. The " Nellie " was originally a steam launch used at Portsmouth, from whence she was taken to the lake by George Duncan. Soon after she became the property of Dearborn Haley, at Wolfeborough. Later on she was owned by a Mr Waldron, at Farmington, but still remained in the lake, being used by the summer boarders at the Winnipiseogee House at Alton bay, under the management of A. O. Philips & Co. A few years previous to this epoch came the "Union," Captain John Tabor, of Wolfe- borough, a craft with eminent renown, and always a constant attendant at the Alton bay camp-meetings in their early stages. The "Mayflower," built at Wolfeborough, with several owners, put in an appearance about this time as a freight-boat more particularly, did good service, and was quite a favorite with small excursion parties.

At the time of the completion of the Cocheco railroad between Dover and Alton bay, it became advisable to open communication with the various towns which lined the shores of different parts of the lake, and for that purpose a steamer was constructed at Alton bay, called the "Dover." This was about the year 1852. Captain Winborn Sanborn, of Gilford, was her first captain. Augustus Wiggin, of Tuftonborough, at that time acted as captain's clerk, and some time afterward the "clerk " became the captain. Owing to some oversight in the location of the Dover's engine and boiler, she settled at the bow, and large quantities of stone were placed in the stern to counteract that influence and make her assume a natural position in the water. Later on it became necessary to increase her size, and an extension of about twenty feet was made in the centre. Thorough repairs were made otherwise, and her name changed to the "Chocorua," Captain Wiggin still master. The pilot-house is now used as a wellcurb in the yard of Joseph L. Avery in Wolfeborough. The " Chocorua " did good service for several years, but it became necessary to have a new boat, and the "Mount Washington " was constructed about 1872. Cap- tain Wiggin assumed command, and with a popular notion of "what to do and how to do it," has succeeded in making his route one much sought after by tourists and pleasure-seekers. The " Mount," as she is familiarly termed, is a model of neatness and workmanship, and said to be the fastest boat on the lake. Following the advent of the "Mount Washington," the "Chocorua " lay in the dock at Alton bay that season, and underwent the process of decomposition to a certain extent. The apartments composing her upper

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

decks were sold to various parties thereabouts (principally those connected with the camp-meeting association ) and utilized for lodging-rooms, being located mostly about the vacant space near the passenger depot. The pilot-house was secured by " Aunt Mary " Ryan, of the " Alton Bay Cottage," who set it up on the lawn for a sort of a summer-house, or " lovers' retreat."

The first horse-power craft ever on the lake was built and owned by Captain David Parsons in 1838, at Long Island. About the year 1875 Dearborn Haley, of Wolfeborongh, built the " Maid of the Isles," a propeller, with an engine of one hundred and twenty horse-power, and capable of carrying five hundred passengers. The " Maid " was of a very fine model, with upper and lower decks, and calculated to be very fast. 'T is said that her owner intended that she should be a sort of "mediator " between the " Lady " and " Mount." She was used only a part of two seasons, and subsequently lay " moored " in the " offing " near Wolfeborough, until she sank. She was afterwards raised and towed to a position on the back side of Long Island. She is said to have cost about twenty thousand dollars. The failure of this eraft was due to her immense draught of water, about seven and a half feet. Her captain was Anson Lamprey, of Long Island. Since that time has come " Mineola," a fine little steam yacht; the "Maud S." of South Wolfeborough ; the "Gracie " of Meredith village : the " Undine " and " Laconia " of Lake village, and several other crafts of this class among the batch of steam yachts.

The " James Bell " was built and owned by Messrs Wentworth & Sweet, of Centre Harbor, in 1859, who sold her to the Boston, Concord, and Montreal railroad, since which she has been used as an excursion boat, with head- quarters at Lake Village. Stephen Wentworth was her first captain. The " Bell " was thoroughly repaired during the summer of 1882.

The " Winnipesaukee," Captain Robert Lamprey, Jr. formerly on the line between Lake village and Long Island, makes her headquarters at Tufton- borough, and is run mostly for freighting purposes. This brings us down to the " Belle of the Wave," built at Long Island by Arthur H. Lamprey (a son of Unele Robert). The "Belle " was a propeller, carried a forty horse- power engine, and was rated for one hundred and twenty-five passengers. Her model was perfect for attaining speed. The "Belle" was burned at Long Island in the fall of 1884, and the next year was replaced with a larger and better boat of similar build, called the "Lamprey," commanded by Captain George Lamprey.

Several steam yachts have been since added to the flotilla on the lake, and many small sailing craft, and a new " Maid of the Isles."

REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD AND WAR OF 1812.

CHAPTER XII.

REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD AND WAR OF 1812.

The Association Test - Patriotic Spirit -Colonel Poor's Regiment - Bounty and Encour- agement - Names of Recruits - Colonel Badger's Return - Colonel Badger's Report to Com- mittee of Safety - Names of Officers and Soldiers -Scouting Parties - Wakefield -- Wolfe- borough - Effingham - Moultonborough - Tamworth - Conway - Sandwich - Tenth and Fourteenth Regiments - War of 1812.

I HE full history of New Hampshire's services in the Revolution has not yet been written. Other states have claimed honors that were justly hers, and no field is more deserving the pen of a painstaking and accurate his- torian, more rich in its offered wealth of material, or would bring a better reputation ; and it is to be hoped that soon some able writer will treat of this subject fully, and show the truth, that no state surpassed or even equaled the patriotism of this state in munificence of gifts, ability, and wealth of service, devotion, and sacrifice, or furnished a larger per cent. From the commence- ment of the Revolution the hardy sons of the pioneer towns of Carroll stood as an advance guard and pickets, not only to protect their own settlements, but to warn and defend the lower country against attacks from the north. They stood in the very highways of Indian travel, along which their war parties roamed in the olden times, and right courageously they did their work. Isaac W. Hammond, the indefatigable state historian, is now engaged in compiling further information concerning the soldiers and their service from the rolls and papers in the national archives.

The Association Test was in reality a declaration of independence by the New Hampshire people, and preceded that of the national Declaration by some months. It was a bold movement in this manner to resist the high authority of King George. If the cause to which these patriotic citizens pledged them- selves had been defeated, they would have been subjected to a cruel death as traitors.

This declaration, by the order of the General Congress, was sent on April 12, 1776, to the inhabitants of New Hampshire : -

We the subscribers do hereby solemnly engage, and promise, that we will, to the utmost of our power, at the risque of our lives and fortunes, with arms, oppose the hostile procecd- ings of the British fleets and armies against the United American Colonies.

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

This was signed by eight thousand one hundred and ninety-nine persons in the state ; seven hundred and seventy-three refused to sign. Not all who did not sign were Tories or unfavorable to the cause of the Americans ; some were Quakers and their religious principles prevented ; others were not courageous enough. The residents of the towns then organized in Carroll county territory, though few in numbers, responded nobly to the call for support to the cause of liberty. Those who did not sign the Associated Test in Sandwich were of . Quaker proclivities in most instances.

In the call for troops which hostilities brought, they gave of their best and their bravest, and from Bunker Hill to Saratoga and Yorktown their blood was shed in every important action, and earnest, long, and continued service was given in those humbler but exhausting marches and forays which are not sus- tained by the excitement of battle, and require nerve, fortitude, and patriotism of the purest character. In this chapter we have endeavored to gather the names of the gallant men who gave and periled life for the freedom we enjoy to-day, and to lay a humble laurel wreath upon their brows.

May 24, 1775, the " Fourth Provincial Congress" of New Hampshire appointed Enoch Poor, of Exeter, colonel of a regiment of troops to be raised as the Second New Hampshire Regiment, and that day issued orders for the enlisting of ten companies of sixty-two men each. In Captain Benjamin Tit- comb's company on June 13, we find from Wolfeborough Jeremiah Gould, Ichabod 'Tibbetts, James Lucas, and Moses Tibbets.

In August, 1775, General Washington planned an attempt to capture Quebec. The troops were placed under the command of Benedict Arnold, then colonel. The gallant heroes waded through swollen streams of ice-cold water, pathless forests and almost impenetrable swamps. Their clothes became so dilapidated as to furnish but slight protection against the rigor of a Canadian winter, and many were barefoot for days before they reached Quebec on the eighth of November. Elkanalı Danforth, of Tamworth, was one of this noble band in Captain Henry Dearborn's company.

The bounty and encouragement offered by the state of New Hampshire to each non-commissioned officer and private soldier was one blanket or eighteen shillings annually ; twenty shillings per month, to be paid semi-annually. The additional encouragement offered by Congress was twenty dollars bounty ; one hundred acres of land; a suit of clothes annually, to cousist of two linen hunt- ing shirts, two pairs of overalls, a leathern or woolen waistcoat with sleeves, one pair of breeches, a hat or leathern cap, two shirts, two pairs of stockings, and two pairs of shoes, all equal to the value of twenty dollars.

Among General John Sullivan's troops stationed at Winter Hill near Boston, (1775-76) the twenty-fifth company was from Wakefield, officered by Captain David Copp, Lieutenant Andrew Gilman, Second Lieutenant Samuel Walling- ford, and was composed of sixty-three men.

REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD AND WAR OF 1812.

Captain James Osgood, of Conway, recruited a company at Charlestown for Colonel Timothy Bedel's regiment, and was captured at the disastrous defeat at the Cedars. The enlisting was done January, February, and March, 1776.

From Colonel Joseph Badger's return of officers in his regiment, made March 5, 1776, we extract: "Second Company in Wolfeborough not yet Returned. Sixth Company in moultonborough Officers, Nathaniel Ambrose Captain, John Adams First Lieutenant, William Plaisted Second Lieutenant, Joseph Richardson, Ensign. Eighth Company in Sandwich, Officers, Daniel Beede, jr, Captain, Joshua Prescott, First Lieutenant, Josiah Bean, Second Lieutenant, Jacob Weed, Ensign. Tenth Company, Wakefield, vacant. Eleventh Company, Leavittstown, vacant. Thirteenth Company, Tamworth, Officers, Stephen Mason, Captain, Jonathan Choat, First Lieutenant, John Fowler, Second Lieutenant, Jonathan Burgees, Ensign."

Joseph Senter, of Moultonborough, was made lieutenant-colonel of the regiment raised in June, 1776, to reinforce the army in Canada, commanded by Colonel Isaac Wyman, of Keene, and rendezvoused June 22 at Haverhill.

Colonel Badger reports July 15, 1776, to the Committee of Safety " that the officers have returned the names of the men as sent for excepting two wanting from Leavittstown and two from Middletown and as there is no militia officers chosen there the selectmen and Committee of Safety say that their men are so many gone in the warr that they cant Raise any more as to Leavittstown, if there should be Danger of Indians I think they are Exposed as they are the outside and the selectmen Dont Incline to spare any out of their town, and so I shall Come four short of the Number sent for which I hope you' please to abate as Leavittstown, Tamworth and Sandwich are frontier towns." July 23, 1776, he reports "Eight wanting of the Number Required which are from Leavittstown two from Tamworth two. The Reasons are as follows (viz.) Leavittstown having no officers nor selectmen nor Committee of safety I applyed to thos Parsons Esq who said they were so Exposed being the frontier town that he thought it would not be safe to spare any men out of that town, and Did not think he could possibly Raise any. The Capt. of Tamworth writes to me that the state of their town, is that they have fourteen men now in the service and but twelve men at home fit for Duty but with Great Diffi- culty he had obtained one man who appeared on muster Day but on hearing his Complaint and the Captains Letter by advice of Dead Knowles the muster master I released him."

Joseph Leavitt, of Wakefield, Joseph Leavitt and John Fullerton, of Wolfe- borough, are mentioned as privates in Captain John Moody's Company, mus- tered and paid at Exeter, December 23, 1776.

Twenty officers recommend " Lieut. Colonel Senter as Proper person for a field officer in one of the batallions to be raised in the state and humbly pray that he may be advanced to be a Colonel."

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

Benjamin Dodge, of Wakefield, acknowledges at Dover, January 27, 1777, to have received " Twenty pounds as a Gratuity or Bounty from the State of New Hampshire for having enlisted as a soldier in Capt. Benjamin Titcomb's com- pany in Col. Poor's regiment."

In Colonel Joseph Badger's return, made June 19, 1777, "of the Names of the Men Enlisted from the tenth Regiment of Militie in the State of hampshire Commanded by Joseph Badger Esq' for Compleeting the three Regiments alotted to this State as their proportion of the Continental Armey as follows (vis)," we find Pearson Huntriss, of Conway, hired by Gilmantown, enlisted for three years in Captain Drew's Co .; John Garlin, Moultonborough, three years, Captain Livermore's Co .; Moses Kelsey and Mark Blackey (Will- iam Blake?), Moultonborough, three years, Captain McClary's Co .; Joshua Thornton, James Mason, Ebenezer Clark, Moultonborough, three years, Captain Gray's Co .; John Sanderson, Jr. Stephen Atkinson, Moultonborough, three years, captain unknown : Abiel Stevens, Phineas Stevens, Obadiah Dudey, Jacob Eastman, William Row, all of Tamworth, three years, Captain Liver- more's Co .; William Hilton, Elisha Winslow, Sandwich, three years, Captain Weare's Co .; Moses Paige, Sandwich, three years, Captain Livermore's Co .; Nathaniel Knowles, Sandwich, three years, Captain Stone's Co .; Nathaniel Brown, Moultonborough, three years, hired by Sandwich, Captain Livermore's Co. ; James Flagg, Moultonborough, three years, hired by Sandwich, Captain Gray's Co. (died September 24, 1777, from wounds received at Saratoga, Sep- tember 19); Thomas Sprous, Wolfeborough, three years, Captain Beal's Co .; Enoch Thomas, John Piper, Wolfeborough, three years, Captain Gray's Co .; Joshua Edgerley, George Fall, Wakefield, three years, Captain Clark's Co .; Ben- jamin Dodge, Wakefield, three years, Captain Heard's Co .; Thomas Rawlings, Bradstreet Taylor, Wakefield, three years, Captain Robinson's Co .; John Gil- man, Jonathan Quimbey, Paul Sanborn, William Willey, Wakefield, three years, not assigned ; Levi Lamper, Samuel Dearborn, Leavittstown, three years, Cap- tain Weare's Co. "Sandwich have Rais'd 6 wants 0. Moultonborough have Rais'd 8 wants 0. Tamworth have raised 5 want 0. Wakefield have Returned 9 wants 0. Leavitts Town have Returned 2 wants 0. Wolfeborough have Returned 3 wants 4."

Among the men enlisted from Colonel Bartlett's regiment of militia of 1777 for the Seventh Regiment of Militia in the Continental Army New Hampshire Battalion was Alexander Magoon, Moultonborough, three years.

Nathan Hoit, Moultonborough, was ensign in Captain Livermore's company, Colonel Seammell's regiment, raised in 1776.

On a muster roll of Captain James Gray's company, Colonel Scammell's regiment (Adna Penniman, second lieutenant ), the names of these Carroll county men appear. "Mustered from April 1st to JJuly 2d. They each received £20 state bounty. Moultonborough, James Mason, Ebenezer Clark,

REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD AND WAR OF 1812.

Joshua Thornton, Fifer. Wolfeborough, Enoch Thomas, John Piper, David Piper. Sandwich, James Flagg."

Bradbury Richardson, of Moultonborough, was second major in Colonel Stickney's regiment, Stark's brigade, July, 1777. Among the other officers were Lieutenant John Adams, Moultonborough; Lieutenant Josiah Bean, Sandwich ; Carr Leavitt, ensign, Effingham.

Lieutenant-colonel Joseph Senter, of Moultonborough, was in command of a regiment raised for the relief of Rhode Island, and was in service there from June 25, 1777, until January 8, 1778.

Captain Nathaniel Ambrose's company, in Colonel Welch's regiment of volunteers, marched from Moultonborough and towns adjacent, September 30, 1777, and joined the Continental Army under General Gates at Saratoga; and after the surrender of General Burgoyne, marched with the guard as far as Northampton, in the state of Massachusetts Bay, where they were discharged. The names of the men, who were not all from the towns now comprising Carroll county, we give here: Nathaniel Ambrose, captain ; John Kimbal, lieutenant; Ebenezer Blake, William Pike, sergeants; John Larey, Adam Brown, corporals ; Philip Connor, John Mead, James McCrellis, David Watson, Pearson Smith, Moses Senter, Richard Boynton, William Gilman, Benjamin Sanborn, Jonathan Edgerly, Moody Bean, Ebenezer Meloon, John Glines, Moses Chandler, Elias Smith, Jonathan Paige, Richard Sinkler, Josiah Sanborn, Jonathan Morrison, Joseph Badger, Jr, Noah Dow, Benjamin Dow, John Moody, Thomas Taylor, Jacob Smith, privates.

In a return of New Hampshire men in Colonel Jackson's Massachusetts regiment, enlisted in 1777 and 1778, are the names of John Twiman, Geremiah Whiton, and William Straw, of Conway; three years' men.

Colonel Badger mustered into service in 1779, Daniel Bridges, July 15, for the war, Wolfeborough ; Joseph Ames, July 14, one year, Tamworth ; Jonathan Morgin, July 14, one year, Wakefield ; Nathan Lee, July 14, one year, Moul- tonborough ; Edward Wells, William Ferguson, July 14, one year, Sandwich. He also mustered, for Colonel Hercules Mooney's regiment in Rhode Island, Rufus Adams, Moultonborough ; Reuben Libbey, Wolfeborough ; Josiah Parsons, Sandwich, and James Clark, of Wakefield.

In Captain Benjamin Whitcomb's Rangers, in 1779, Joseph Chandler, John Row, Moultonborough ; Nathaniel Knowles, Sandwich.

James Mason was colonel of the Third New Hampshire regiment in 1779. He was from Moultonborough.

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History of Carroll County, New Hampshire, Part 10

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Boston : W.A. Fergusson & Co. Number of Pages: 1124

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Boston : W.A. Fergusson & Co.
Number of Pages: 1124