History of Carroll County, New Hampshire, Part 49

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

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John S. Moulton (son of John Moulton, one of the grantees of the town, born in Hampton, July 3, 1731) was born July 30, 1772, on the place where his father settled, and died of spotted fever, December 1, 1821. His wife, Lucy Hubbard, survived him thirteen years. His son, John H. Moulton, born March 21, 1817, occupies the old homestead, where he has always lived. He has filled responsible positions of trust. A son of his died in the army during the war of 1861; one daughter married George Lee, and another, Hattie, resides with her father.

Moody Bean came from Brentwood prior to the Revolution. He had six sons born in this town, Moody, David and Jonathan (twins), Ben- ning M., Samuel, and Josiah. David and Benning M. were all who settled here. Moody lived many years after clearing up a fine farm from a wilderness state; but his son, B. M., was the representative of the family.

Hon. Benning Moulton Bean, born January 9, 1782, had a love of learning, and early became a successful teacher. For nine years from 1815 he was elected representative, also in 1827. In 1824, 1825, 1826, 1831, 1832, he was state senator; in 1829, a member of the governor's council ; in 1832, president of the state senate. In 1833 he was elected a

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TOWN OF MOULTONBOROUGH.

member of Congress, and in 1835 was reelected. Retiring from public life at the close of his second term, he lived for thirty years on his beautiful farm, one mile from Centre Harbor. By his second wife, Lydia Adams, he had ten children, only one of whom, Mrs Josiah C. Sturtevant, is now living. Mr Bean died February 9, 1866, and his wife October 23 of the same year. He was a Democrat in politics, possessed great executive ability, was wise in council, honest and scrupulously faithful to every trust, receiving and always keeping the full confidence of his townsmen and associates. In local politics he was a power for many years. Hon. John Wentworth said of him: "I doubt if there is another case of a man of such poor early advantages receiving such uniform promotion to such great public satisfaction." While in Congress he was one of the originators and a president of the first "Congressional Temperance Society."

Nathaniel and David Ambrose were among the first settlers, "pitching" at East Moultonborough, and their descendants now reside there, wealthy and reputable citizens.

For many years from its first inhabitancy by the whites, Moultonborough was an excellent farming town. Father and son worked together in the fields, clearing up the land, felling trees, building stone walls, and performing all the other necessary labor to render the farm productive. The mother and daughter worked together in the kitchen, spinning and weaving rooms, and attended to all the other work of the house. The schoolhouses were filled in summer with young children, in winter with young men and maidens. The tables were supplied with the wholesome products of the farm, and nearly all kinds of clothing worn were manufactured at home. Local tanneries tanned the hides, and home shoemakers made them up into shoes and boots. The farmers' flocks furnished material for clothing, which was made into cloth by the crude home machinery. Everybody had a business, and attended to it. It was a happy Arcadian life. But the opening up of the "Great West," the discoveries of the great mining fields, the creation of manufac- turing cities, the construction of the wonderful systems of railroads, and the fascinations and excitement of life in the large cities, have changed this condition of health and content, and to a great extent depopulated the old homesteads and workshops of the young people, who have sought new fields of employment, where there is more pay for labor and more bustle and excitement.

In consequence of this, the old men were left to till the farms, and the aged matrons the sole housewives. These were not able to attend to the labors performed of old, and home manufactures were abandoned. Then swift-coming age and hard labor disabled them from properly conducting their farms, and, like many other towns in this state, farming, from this and other causes, here has fallen to a low estate, the inhabitants reduced

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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

in number, and the population largely made up of old and elderly people. A peculiar illustration of this is the fact that there are at the present writing seventy-one widows and twenty-nine widowers residing in our town. There are also twenty-five pensioners in town.

Of those natives of Moultonborough, who, emigrating young, have attained prominence, we would mention as successful lawyers, Joseph W. Cotton, Nathan Morse, and John Butler, all of Massachusetts, and George B. French, of Nashua ; Oliver Goss, a popular physician of Lake village ; as business men, Jonathan G. Morse (grandson of Dr Caleb Morse), of Roxbury, Mass., Oliver Prime, a land agent of Boston; Oliver Shaw (grandson of our first established minister) does a large banking business in the West; John G. Haley (son of Samuel Haley) went to Boston about fifty years ago, and has built up an extensive business in the manufacture and sale of trunks; Charles Berry was for several years (up to his death) in the canned fruit and grocery trade in Boston, and his brother Arthur is a builder and contractor in Somerville ; John Q. A. Rollins (son of John A. Rollins) has for many years been engaged in extensive mining operations in Colorado ; Harris Wentworth (son of Clark Wentworth) for several summers has been employed as clerk of the steamer "Mt Washington " and in winters in the office of the Boston & Maine railroad in Boston ; Charles Brown is in business in Boston ; his brother, Moses Brown, now and for many years past, policeman in Boston ; John Penniman (son of Adna Penniman, one of our town's first settlers) was for twenty-five years, and until retired for ill-health, an esteemed member of the Boston police ; Willie Dockham has just entered the ministry.

Public gatherings are, and have always been, free from broils. There never was a personal fight at town-meetings, at least not for sixty years. Often no constables were chosen for the day, and for several years no intoxi- eating drinks have been allowed about the town-house. In consequence the duty of the moderator is a very easy task. Sixty years ago liquors were sold in stores and taverns here as in other places, but about 1830 their sale was restricted by law, and it was left to the selectmen to grant license at their option. This resulted in making the temperance question prominent in town-meetings, especially in choosing selectmen, and for several years "rum " and " no rum" were in exciting contest. Sometimes one would prevail and sometimes the other, but most frequently "rum." The excitement brought this question into the election of other officers, and frequently the choice of representative hung upon it. This resulted in there being many places where liquor was sold. Outside parties established liquor-selling here as a profitable point of trade, and the town acquired the unenviable reputation of a noted place for liquor traffic, although the greater part sold went to out- of-town parties. Things continued thus until the law came in force making it optional with the town to license the sale for medical and mechanical purposes.

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TOWN OF MOULTONBOROUGH.

For a number of years the selectmen were instructed to appoint one or more to sell as restricted by the law ; but in 1875 they refused to license any one, and at every annual town-meeting since the voters have refused to grant a license by a nearly unanimous vote. There has been no place in town for several years where liquor is sold, and but little distilled liquor is now used.

CHAPTER XXXII.

Ecclesiastical - First Meeting-house - Congregational Church Covenant Presented - Signers - Petition in Relation to Rev. Samuel Perley - Rev. Jeremiah Shaw -Salary - Ordination - Rev. Joshua Dodge - New Church at the Corner - Methodist Church - Pastors - Freewill Baptist Church - Christian Baptists and Adventists.

E CCLESIASTICAL. - The early inhabitants were zealous in religious mat- ters, and were earnest to maintain the observance of the Sabbath and regular services. A meeting-house was built in 1773 at East Moulton- borough, which was used until it was blown down in the severe gale of 1819. Another was soon erected. At this period the settlement and support of a minister of the gospel was a part of the public business of the town.

March 12, 1777, at the annual town-meeting, a Congregational church covenant was presented, and was signed by Jonathan Penniman, David Bean, John Sanderson, Katherine Meloon, Ebenezer Meloon, Nathan Lee, Nehemiah Lee, James Brown, Enoch Blake, Sarah Lee, Rebeckah Richardson, John Rogers, Mary Adams, Nathan Hoyt, James Sanborn, Ellinor Sanborn, Steven Adams, Jeremiah Shaw, Ebenezer Lee, Abial Lee, Daniel Rogers, John Rogers, Benjamin Morse, William Rogers, Israel Gilman, Moses Jenness, Caleb Morse, Hannah Lee, Jane Burnham, Mary Rogers, Mary Shannon, Rebecca Rogers, Mary Lee, Martha M. Rogers, Lydia Penniman, Abigail Mulleson, Mary Leavitt, Lucy Moulton, Betsy Gilman, Polly Rogers, Patty Morse, Nehemiah Lee, Jr, Billy Leach, Lydia Leach, Hitte Brown, Joseph Clement, Ruth Clement, Hannah Adams, Dolly Sturtevant, Sarah Bean, Polly Hubbard, Widow Brown, Richard Clement, Mary Clement, Moses Morse, Ephraim Doten, Susannah Doten, Eunice Shaw, Hannah Morse, Edna Morse, Widow Frost, Edmund Frost, Judith Hubbard, Susannah Freeman, Dolly Brown, Ephraim Bradbury, Widow Blake, Joseph Richardson, Sarah Moulton, Samuel Moulton, Susan Moulton, Sarah Sanborn, Abigail Randal, Joseph Moulton, Betsy Cram, Hannah Horn, Widow Haines, Hannah Rogers, Betsey Rogers,

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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

Adna Penniman, Nancy Morse, Anna Meloon, Mehitable Brown, Sally Leach, Anna Horn, Oliver Lee, Eunice Lee, Comfort Sanborn, Rachel Shaw, Deborah Lee, Lucy Rogers, Mary Ann Rogers, Mary Shaw Mullin, Sarah Paine, Nathan S. Moulton, Sally Moulton, Livonia Payne, Almira White, Mary J. Smith, Mary Payne, Polly Rogers, Jacob Moulton, Jeremiah Shaw, Sophia Rogers, Mary Shaw, Sally Mullen. Mr Meloon, Mr Penniman, and Nathan Lee were early deacons of this church.

From " Hammond's Town Papers " we extract the following, which throws some light on the early history of the church : -

State of New Hampshire, Strafford ss.

To the Honble Council and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened : --

The Petition of Bradbury Richardson, Nathaniel Ambrose, Abraham Burnam, Jonathan Moulton, and John Adams, a Committee for and in Behalf of the Town of Moultonborough in said State; Humbly shew, that there are great Uneasiness and disaffection subsisting in said Town, which has been occasioned by the Revd Samuel Perley's removing himself and Family into Town with the Pretence of being the settled Minister of the Gospel here, and by his con- tinuing as such in preaching and other Administrations; and by his unjustly claiming and demanding publick Priviledges granted to the first settled Minister of the Town, which he the said Perley claims by Virtue of a pretended Settlement here, by certain Persons acting under the Denomination of an Ecclesiastical Couneil in October last - which Council this Town avers convened and aeted in that Matter without either the Order, Voice or Concurrence of the Town, and against the general Sense of the Town, as much the greater part of the People were against his being settled here :- The Conduct of said Council has by this Town at a legal Meeting been wholly disavowed and greatly disapproved of, as their Records make appear, all which said Perley has been duly advised of, and treated with to relinquish his aforesaid Settlement on equitable Terms; & has been legally requested by the Town with the Church to join the Town in calling a Council to judge of his aforesaid Settlement, all which he refused to comply with, but still persists in preaching and in his unjust Demands for the same - Wherefore your Petitioners in their aforesaid Capacity pray your Honbl Court to view the particular Situation of this Town in the Difficulties they are under with Respect to sd Perley and the Inconvenience that will ever attend the Town in obtaining a regular settled Minister so long as there is a Person laying Claim to that Office and the P'reviledges belonging to the same; and that your Honble Court wou'd so far interfere in the Matter as to order & appoint an Ecclesiastieal Council to take Cognizance of the Transactions that have happen'd here with Respect to said Perley, & to judge and determin whither said Perley has ever been fairly and legally settled as a Minister of the Gospel for the Town of Moultonborough, and your Petitioners shall ever pray -

Moultonboro, 10th March 1779

Jona Moulton, Bradbury Richardson, Nathaniel Ambros, Abraham Burnam, John Adams.

Mr Perley left soon after, and September 27, 1779, the town voted to unite with the church in the settlement of Rev. Jeremiah Shaw, and voted him a salary of fifty pounds, "and to increase it five pounds for every five families with which the town shall be increased above its present number until it shall get to sixty-five pounds, which is then to remain as fixed salary until one hundred families shall inhabit here." If the salary was any part paid in produce it was to be in corn at four shillings per bushel, or other products

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in the same proportion. After one hundred families were settled his salary was to be raised to seventy-five pounds. In addition to the salary they further voted to haul him thirty cords of good firewood annually, and make him a present of thirty pounds in currency. He was allowed to be absent two Sabbaths for the purpose of visiting his friends. These conditions were accepted by Mr Shaw in a letter to the town, dated Hampton, October 9, 1779. November 15 the church voted to unite with the town in settling Mr Shaw, and he was ordained November 17, 1779. The services were: Prayer by Rev. Mr Porter, Conway ; sermon by Rev. Mr Thayer, Hampton, from Ezekiel 33: 7-9; ordaining prayer by Rev. Mr Haven, Rochester; charge to pastor by Rev. Mr Wood, Sanbornton; right hand of fellowship by Rev. Mr Fessenden, Fryeburg, Maine; closing prayer by Rev. Mr Smith, Gihnanton. Mr Shaw preached here until about 1825, when the infirmities of age compelled him to retire from the ministry. Tradition has it that he solemnized four hundred marriages. He was an able man, and was loved and respected by all. He remained in Moultonborough until his death in 1834. Shortly after his settlement the town and church separated, the town agreeing to pay Mr Shaw $1,000. After this all church expenses were sus- tained by voluntary contributions. Rev. Joshua Dodge succeeded Mr Shaw ; was settled February 15, 1828. He was a graduate of Dartmouth; studied theology with Rev. Drs Manasseh Cutler, Abiel Abbott, and Samuel Worcester. Mr Dodge presided with great ability over the Congregational church, which at that time numbered many members and attendants. After arduous labor for several years his health failed. He died March 25, 1861. His wife, Martha (Hubbard) Dodge, died in 1886.

About 1840 the meetings were held at Moultonborough Corner in the town- house. A new meeting-house was soon after erected at the Corner, and services held alternately here and at East Moultonborough. This separation disturbed the harmony of the church, and the old church was disbanded and a new church formed at the Corner, over which Rev. Jonathan B. Cook, born in Wakefield, April 21, 1825, was ordained December 18, 1850; dismissed in 1854. In January, 1855, Rev. W. P. Apthorp was settled here in the min- istry, remaining until 1859. In 1856 there were seventy-three members.

The pulpit was supplied by transient ministers and Andover theological students for a time, when finally, from various causes, the principal one being removals by death and to other towns with but few accessions, the Congrega- tional church became extinct, and the meeting-house at East Moultonborough was sold to the Adventists and removed to Melvin village. The one at the Corner was sold to the Methodist society of this place, and has since been occupied by that church.

The Methodist Church was organized about 1840 by Rev. J. S. Loveland, and has had these pastors : 1843, H. Hartwell. 1844, H. Hill, Jr. 1845,

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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

supplied. 1846, John Smith, 2d. 1847-48, Jonathan G. Johnson. 1849-50, D. W. Barber. 1851-52, J. W. Spencer. 1853, supplied. 1854-55, J. W. Gurnsey. 1856-57, J. B. Holman. 1858, L. Draper. 1859-60, H. Chandler. 1861-62, A. C. Hardy. 1863, C. R. Homan. 1864, J. Currier. 1865, A. J. Church. 1866, A. P. Hateh. 1867, H. A. Mattison. 1868, H. S. Ward. 1869, J. E. Robbins. 1870, N. P. Philbrook. 1871, L. L. Eastman. 1872, H. Chandler. 1873-74, A. Adams. 1875-76, supplied. 1877-79, S. J. Robinson. 1880, J. H. Knott. 1881, G. H. Hardy. 1882-84, C. Byrne. 1885-86, G. N. Bryant. 1887-88, W. J. Wilkins.

Freewill Baptist Church. - As early as 1810 Elder John Colby held meetings, and had stated appointments here in the spring of 1811. During the summer he baptized seventeen. August 31 he preached at Widow Thompson's, and held services occasionally until October. He preached in town June 18, 1812; attended a meeting at Moultonborough Falls June 23; July 10, 1813, preached here, and also September 13, 1817. At the present time there is a Freewill Baptist meeting-house at the mouth of the Neck road which is occupied a part of the time, and the schoolhouses in different parts of the town are frequently used for Sabbath preaching by the Christian Baptists and the Adventists. The Rev. Mr Goodwin, a Christian Baptist, preceded by Rev. Mr Hodgdon, preached several years at what is called the " Middle schoolhouse " on the "Neck." There was an organized church of that order of Christians in that part of the town.

CHAPTER

XXXIII.

Physicians - Business Men - Other Sketches - Action of Town in the Rebellion - Civil List.

HYSICIANS. - Dr Caleb Morse was one of the earliest physicians. He studied medicine with Dr Benton, of Baldwin, Maine. He commenced practice here about 1780, and continued until 1842. He married Anna Ambrose September 20, 1783. They had twelve children. He was grand- father of Dr Jonathan Morse (dec.), who was an active physician in Roxbury, Mass., and also the father of Nathan Morse, a popular lawyer now practising in Boston. Dr Morse was deacon of the Congregational church, and had its general direction for many years. He took an active part in the business affairs of the town; represented it in the legislature in 1805. He died of pneumonia, May 2, 1843.

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TOWN OF MOULTONBOROUGH.

Dr Axa Crosby, the celebrated sire of the Crosby family of physicians, practised here a short time very early. He married Miss Hoit of this town.

Dr Ichabod Shaw, son of Rev. Jeremiah Shaw, was born in Moulton- borough, March 3, 1782. He studied with Dr Caleb Morse, and practised here until his last sickness. He was a well-read, highly educated, and successful physician. He died January 16, 1836.

Dr Thomas Shannon, son of Nathaniel Shannon, one of the original settlers and a leading and influential citizen, was a native of this town, born December 25, 1783. He married Margaret Vaughn Moses, July 8, 1808. They had eight children. He studied medicine, practised some years in Pittsfield, but returned here, and was in active business until his death, July 5, 1864. Dr Shannon was one of the most able practi- tioners of his time, and had the confidence of the people. He was never a fossil in his profession, but sought after and obtained every improve- ment, and whatever was new and important relating to it. He was a man of strict integrity and honor, and embraced every opportunity to aid young physicians. He was representative many years, and several years a trustee of New Hampshire Insane Asylum. His son Nathaniel became a physician, and practised in Loudon and Portland, Maine.

Dr John M. Emerson, born here July 13, 1835, was educated at Gil- manton and Phillips academies ; studied medicine with Dr W. H. H. Mason, graduated at Harvard Medical School in 1857. He practised a short time at Conway, then returned to Moultonborough, where he remained until 1873, when he moved to Gloucester, Mass.

Dr George Peavey, son of Alva Peavey, graduated at Harvard Medical School ; practised medicine at Centre Harbor a few years, when he was obliged to relinquish business on account of illness. He died in Moulton- borough. He was a young man of fine ability and great promise.

Dr Frank L. Judkins, son of Daniel Judkins, born in Freedom in 1850, studied with Dr A. D. Merrow; graduated at Brunswick, Maine, in 1879. He commenced practice in this town; remained about six years, then removed to Lynn, Mass.

Dr William H. H. Mason, son of Lemuel B. Mason, was born in Gilford, December 14, 1817. He read medicine with Dr Andrew McFarland, and was graduated at Dartmouth Medical College in 1842. He opened an office in Moultonborough October 17, 1842, where he has remained nearly forty- seven years, most of the time engaged in active practice of medicine and surgery. He was president of New Hampshire Medical Society in 1870, and delivered an address before the graduating class at Dartmouth Medical College November 12, 1856, which was published by recommendation of the class. He has been twice married : November 14, 1844, to Mehitable S.,

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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

daughter of Simon Moulton. She died July 25, 1853. In 1853, December 23, he married Sarah J., daughter of John G. Brown. They have had three children ; one died in infancy ; one, Dr George L. Mason, died May 13, 1888, aged thirty-four years; one son, Charles H. Mason, born November 30, 1860, resides with his father and superintends his business affairs.

Dr Mason has been largely engaged in agriculture, and was appointed a member of the first board of agriculture organized under the act of the legislature in 1870. He has been reappointed every term since, excepting one, up to the last, when he declined a reappointment. He was appointed on tax commission in 1877, and in 1883 a trustee of New Hampshire Asylum for the Insane, which office he holds at the present time. In 1875 he was commissioned trustee of the agricultural college at Hanover, and delivered a few lectures before the class on veterinary science. In 1887 he was appointed a member of cattle commission with Dr Irving A. Watson, secretary of the state board of health, and N. J. Bachelder, secretary of the state board of agriculture. Dr Mason served several years as superin- tending school committee and was chosen town clerk in 1847. He repre- sented the town in 1859, 1860, and 1869, and was chosen in 1862, but declined. In 1877 he was appointed pension surgeon, which office he now holds. He was chosen moderator of the annual town-meeting in 1857, and served in that capacity twenty-four consecutive years. He was elected senator of district No. 6 in 1864 and 1865, and received a unanimous vote as delegate to the constitutional convention of 1876.

He has now (1889) retired from practice in consequence of ill-health, though he is frequently called and attends to cases of consultation. There are but few, if any, physicians in the state who have practised in one place so long as he. He took particular interest in surgery, and did the most of it in his own and surrounding towns. He united with the Congre- gational church in 1837. He early took an active part in the temperance reform, and after a few years of experience seldom used liquor in his practice, believing it, as a rule, unnecessary. Ile took a great interest in hygiene, and prepared a paper on that subject which he used while on the board of agriculture in meetings throughout the state. He has labored, in his own town particularly, to convince the people of the necessity of taking care around their dwellings. He believes that wells as used are impure ; that sink-spouts and drains are positively dangerous. It is a noted fact that the town has not one case of fever or dysentery where there were formerly twenty.

Dr George L. Mason, son of Dr W. H. H. Mason, died at his residence in Moultonborough May 13, 1888. He was well known throughout Belknap and Carroll counties as a physician of great skill and ability. He was born in Moultonborough, October 26, 1854. He studied medicine with his father,

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TOWN OF MOULTONBOROUGH.

completing his education as a physician at Dartmouth Medical College and Bellevue Hospital of New York city. He commenced practice in Moulton- borough in 1876 and at once attained success. He moved to Laconia in 1878, remaining there about five years, where he had a large and constantly increas- ing business. His health becoming impaired, he gave up business for a short time in 1884 and moved to Centre Harbor. He recommenced practice in 1885 and continued it up to his death. He married in 1878 Emma, daughter of S. B. Evans, who survives him. He was town clerk of Moulton- borough in 1877 and 1878, and represented Centre Harbor in the Legislature in 1885. He was a member of Odd Fellows, Knights of Honor, and Pilgrim Fathers societies. In private life he was loved for his many generous traits of character. A genial and kindhearted friend, he was also a young man of brilliant qualities and ability and would have won high rank.

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History of Carroll County, New Hampshire, Part 49

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