USA > New Hampshire > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, New Hampshire > Part 51
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421
TOWN OF MOULTONBOROUGH.
Mason ; James E. French, representative. 1879, clerk, James C. Pitman; selectmen, Edwin F. Brown, John V. IFill, William II. Mason; James E. French, representative. 1880, clerk, James C. Pitman; seleetmen, Edwin F. Brown, William H. Mason, Jolm Hodsdon; Charles H. Blake, representative. 1881, clerk, John II. Moulton ; selectmen, Edwin F. Brown, William H. Mason, George K. Brown. 1882, clerk, John H. Moulton; selectmen, Edwin F. Brown, William H. Mason, George K. Brown; David Ambrose, representative. 1883, clerk, Hamlin Huntress; selectmen, Edwin F. Brown, JJohn H. Kelsea, James C. Pitman. 1884, clerk, Hamlin Huntress; selectmen, Edwin F. Brown, John H. Kelsen, James C. Pitman; Leander Bryant, representative. 1885, elerk, Hamlin Huntress; seleetmen, Edwin F. Brown, John II. Kelsea, Samuel G. Wentworth. 1886, clerk, Hamlin Huntress; seleetmen, Edwin F. Brown, JJohn H. Kelsea, John C. Davis; John H. Moulton, representative. 1887, clerk, Hamlin Huntress; selectmen, Edwin F. Brown, John C. Davis, Samuel W. Casey. 1888, elerk, Ham- lin Huntress; seleetmen, Edwin F. Brown, Samuel W. Casey, George II. Bragg; Edwin F. Brown, representa- tive. ISS9, clerk, Hamlin Huntress; selectmen, James C. Pitman, George H. Bragg, Stephanus C. Kelly.
·
TUFTONBOROUGH.
BY SEWALL W. ABBOTT, EsQ.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Introduction - Boundaries - Description - Scenery - Township Granted - Names on first Inventory - Petition of Woodbury Langdon - Other Petitions - Reception of Petitions, etc. - Act of Incorporation- Record of First Town-meeting - First Roads - First Settlers - Town-house - Public Library.
T no one attempting to write a history of the early settlement of towns in New Hampshire, the difficulties to be overcome seem almost insur- mountable. To so great an extent has superstition and popular belief been interwoven with the actual facts, that it seems altogether impossible to separate the true from the false, and determine what is history and what is fanciful tradition. Our forefathers, those grand pioneers who opened up a new land and made it a comfortable dwelling-place for us, had too many hardships, too great dangers to meet and to conquer, to admit of their preserving very full records for the guidance of those who in aftertimes should desire to reduce their varied experiences from unwritten to written history. The wilderness was at the same time their refuge and their adversary, for while it offered them a retreat from real or fancied oppression, yet it must be attacked with a courage almost sublime to be made to smile in sunny fields and meadows, its hilltops crowned with happy homes, its valleys and streams to resound with the music of countless industries.
Tuftonborough is one of the southernmost towns of Carroll county, and may be said to lie with its feet bathed by the waters of Winnipiseogee, its head resting on the Ossipee mountains; bounded northwest by Moulton- borough, northeast by Ossipee, southeast by Wolfeborough, and south and southwest by Winnipiseogee lake and Moultonborough. Its surface presents a pleasing diversion of low hills, deep valleys, and mountains, offering to the settler many beautiful meadow lands and ridges, which place it among
423
TOWN OF TUFTONBOROUGH.
the first of its sister towns in its adaptation to farming purposes. No large streams have their source or flow through its confines. Its water- shed tends towards the lake, and numerous brooks and small streams fur- nish the channels by means of which it is drained.
Melvin stream, arising in the north or northeast part of the town, flowing southwesterly and into the lake at Melvin village, is the largest and the only one that can boast of power enough to be used for indus- trial purposes. It has several mills along its course, chiefly at Melvin village and Horner's, formerly called the Graves' mill, and is the only one celebrated in song and story. From its source to the lake it goes singing down rocky deelines, winding through fertile meadows and tangled forests, even when caught and chained for a moment to the water-wheel, never losing its bright good nature, but laughing as passing on it leaps into the lake.
Close beside in shade and gleam Laughs and ripples Melvin stream; Melvin water, mountain-born, All fair flowers its banks adorn; All the woodlands' voices meet, Mingling with its murmurs sweet.
Over lowlands forest-grown, Over waters island-strewn, Over silver-sanded beach, Leaf-locked bay and misty reach, Melvin stream and burial heap Watch and ward the mountains keep.
Though until recently but little noticed by tourists, it offers to the seeker after the beautiful in nature some of the rarest gems of natural scenery. From its every hilltop a new, strange, and beautiful view is obtained. As one rides through the town in any direction the scenery changes with the regularity of the panorama. To appreciate it fully one should climb the long hill between Water village and Tuftonborough Corner in the waning afternoon of a clear October day, when the hills are clothed in garb of richer hue than the purple and scarlet of kings, and the sun is sending down long beams of light that push their way through fleecy clouds and rest upon the earth below, covering the distant peaks with crowns of glory. To the north the southern slope of the Ossipee rises to Black Peak's forest-crowned brow; to the west a nameless group of hills and mountains rising tier on tier from the lake, and chief among them Gardner and Sanbornton. To the southwest and south, the Belknaps and Altons; while far away, enveloped in a warm autumn haze, rises the peak of Kearsarge, and the broad, bright shaft of light resting on its top might be a counterpart of the wonderful ladder which Jacob in his vision saw extending from earth to heaven. And at your very feet lies Winnipiseogee, oft sung in song, in legend, and in story, flashing back, even to the clouds, from its silvery surface, the falling sunbeams.
424
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
Along the sky in wavy lines, O'er isle and reach and bay, Green-belted with eternal pines, The mountains stretch away. Below, the maple mosses sleep Where shore with water blends,
While midway on the tranquil deep The evening light descends.
So seemed it when yon hill's red crown Of old the Indian trod, Aud through the sunset air looked down Upon the " Smile of God." To him of light and shade the laws No forest skeptic taught;
Their living and eternal Cause His truer instinct sought.
No master-hand of man can reproduce this picture, no skilful word-painting do it justice. Only God, who made the lake and sky, hill, mountain, and valley, can blot it out with the darkness of night and with the rising sun place another, no less sublime, for the upbuilding, the uplifting of the souls of men. Whether our forefathers dwelt much on the peculiar beauty of their surroundings is largely a matter of conjecture, and yet we have evidence that their rugged characters had in them a great regard for all things in nature. She was their close companion, with whom they must hold constant communion as they toiled.
Only the Indian, the hunter, the wandering prospector, or perhaps a surveyor and his party, had trod these trackless forests until after the Revolu- tionary war. Then, as the echoes of that great conflict died away and peace once more held the country under her mild sway, settlers began to build their homes and establish their firesides in Tuftonborough, the fires of which are in many instances kept brightly burning by their descendants of to-day. The township was granted to John Tufton Mason by the Masonian Propri- etors, but the exact time the grant was made cannot be accurately determined. Some time afterward Woodbury Langdon, well known in our provincial history, became a large owner by purchase. In 1788 the first inventory was taken, as far as any record can be found, in which thirteen names alone are enrolled : Phineas Graves, Benjamin Bean, Edward Moody, Obadiah Brown, William C. Warren, Hanson Libbey, Jonathan Brown, James White- house, William Melling, Elisha Abott, Samuel Abott, Benjamin Young, and Grafton Nutter.
It appears from the records that the state had assessed the town for two soldiers to help fill the quota of the continental army when there was not an inhabitant in the town, and placed other "grievous and burdensome " taxes upon it. In consequence of which Woodbury Langdon, Esq., in 1789, pre- sented to the legislature the following petition : -
425
TOWN OF TUFTONBOROUGH.
Portsmouth, N. H., December ye 29th, 1789.
The petition of Woodbury Langdon shews that your petitioner is proprietor of the greatest part of the town of Tuftonborough; that said town has been taxed for a great number of years very unreasonably considering its situation and not having any inhabitants untill very lately, and now only five; that notwithstanding this grievance, which has prevented the settlement of the town, your petitioner and the other proprietors have paid all the taxes on said town up to the year 1782, altho' many others in like situation have paid nothing; that since then the Taxes have accumulated to the enormous sum of four hundred pounds in cash and other articles, which is now unpaid; that in it is included a tax assessed in the year 1782 for two soldiers when there was not a single inhabitant in the town, which soldiers were not finally wanted and no uninhabited town, as your petitioner can find, has paid for such non compliance, all which matters being duly considered by your Honors, he trusts you will abate the tax for the soldiers and whatever part of the other taxes you may think reasonable, and the remainder shall be paid.
Woodbery Langdon.
If we are to take the statement of the petitioner that at the date of his petition there were only five inhabitants, the population must have increased very rapidly, for in the year following there were said to be one hundred and nine. Perhaps this may account in part for the rejection of the petition ; at any rate it was rejected, and five years later another appeal was made to the legislature relating to so much of the taxes in arrears as pertained to the two soldiers, which petition met with a like fate.
In 1795 several of the leading and most influential inhabitants thought it would be for their advantage to have the town incorporated and, acting with the promptness and energy characteristic of them, forwarded to the legislature then in session at Hanover this petition : -
June 6th Ano Domi 1795.
To the Honble .. . Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Newhampshire in General Court convened at Hanover in sd State Humbly Shewes We your Petitioners Living on a tract of Land known by the name of tuftonborough in the county of strafford and state aforesaid. That we Labor under many Difficultyes on many Accounts Firstly not having no settled minister with us Nor schools which are two grate defects for the Good Of society, also on account of Rodes & many Other things which might be mentioned, but being fully sensible That your Honors will know what new settlers in a New place Labor under not being incorporated into a Town politic therefore we your petitioners pray that your IIonors would take our Case in to your Consideration and incorporate us into a town- ship By the name of Tuftonborough with the Usual Privileges that Townships are favored with fully Relying on your honors wisdom in the premises So in Duty bound will Ever pray
John Hall, Tristram Copp, jr, Benjamin Bean, Phineas Graves, Samuel Abbott. Moses
Copp. William Warren, Samuel Piper, Enoch Thomas, William Mallard, Ichobod Libby, Moses Brown, Edward Moody, John Brown, Gardner Brown, James Connor, Benjamin Young, James Finch, Andrew Wiggin, Nathan Hansen, Josiah Moody, Grafton Nutter, Timothy W. Young, James Whitehouse, Tristram Copp.
426
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
RECEPTION OF PETITION, ETC.
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
In the House of Representatives June 9th 1795.
Upon reading and considering the within petition and the report of committee thereon voted that a day of hereing be had thereon before the General Court on the second Wensday of the next session and that in the mean time the petitioners caus that substance of this pertition and order of court thereon be published three weeks successively in the New Hampshire Gazzett and posted up in the like tirm of time in some publeck place in the town of Tuftonborough commencing six weeks prior to the setting of said court that any person or persons may then appear and shew cause if any they have why the prayers thereof may not be granted.
Sent up for Concuranee.
In Senate, June 9th 1795, Read & Concurred.
A True Copy.
John Printice, Speaker. Nath Parker, D'y S'y
Entest
Nath1 Parker, D'y S'y
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five. . An act to incorporate a certain tract of land in the county of Strafford into a town and to invest the inhabitants thereof with such priveleges and imunities as other towns in this state hold and injoy.
Whereas a pertetion signed by a number of the inhabetantes of a certain tract of land in the county of Strafford setting forth they labour under many inconveniencies in their present situation. Being unincorporated and praying that they might be incorporated and made a body politie with all the corporate powers and priveleges by law vested in other townes.
Therefore be it inaeted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened that all the lands and the inhabitants contained within the following limits viz. begining at the south west corner bound of Wolfborough line to the north west corner of sd Wolfborough thence north seventeen degrees west to north east cor of Moultonborough thence southwesterly on Moultonborough line to Winepeesoeke pond thence running by sd Winipeesocke pond south esterly to the bounds first mentioned be and the same are hereby incorporated in to a town by the name of TUFTONBOROUGH. And the inhabetance who reside and shall hereafter reside within the before mentioned boundaries are made and constituted a body politie and corprate and invested with powers priveleges and immunities which towns within this state by law are intitled to injoy to remain and have continanee and successors forever. And be it further enacted that Nathan Hoit Esqr be and he is hereby otherised and impowered to call a meeting of the inhabetantes for the purpose of choosing necessary town officers who shall preside therein untill a moderator shall be choosen to govern sd meet- ing which shall be warned by posting up notice therfor at the house of Woodbury Langdon Esq' and Mr Phineas Graves in sd Tuftonborough fourteen days prior to the day of holding the same and the annual meeting for the choice of town officers shall be holden on second Monday of March for ever annuly. In the House of Representatives Deemr 14 1795 the fore going bill having had three several readings passed to be enacted sent up for concorance.
Pain Wingate, Speaker.
In Senate Decem 15 1795 this bill haven been read a third time voted that the same be enacted.
Approved Decem™ 17 1795
Ebenezer Smith, President of the Senate.
Attest
John T. Gilman, Governor
Joseph Persons, Secy
427
TOWN OF TUFTONBOROUGH.
And thus out of many hardships, after nearly fifteen years, the town obtained the first blessing of freedom in America, a local self-government and a representative voice in the government of state and nation.
In accordance with the "act of incorporation," the first town-meeting was called to meet at the house of William Copp, on Monday, March 14, 1796.
Record of First Town Meeting. - Agreeable to the foregoing notifycation the town of Tuftonborough meet on March 14, 1796.
1st. Voted, Col. Nathan Iloit Moderator.
2d. Voted, Timothy W. Young Town Clerk.
3d. Voted, 32 Votes for John T. Gilman Governor.
4th.
Voted, 35 Votes for Nathan Hoit Esqr Senitor Dect. N 6.
5th. Voted, 30 Votes for David Copp Esqr Councilor County Straffd.
6th.
Voted, 33 Votes for Thomas Footman County treasurer.
7th.
Voted, 32 Votes for John P. Gilman Recorder Deeds.
Sth. Voted, Benja Bean, Nathan Hanson, Benja Wiggin, Selectmen.
9th. Voted, two assessors Josiah Swett hyram Copp Jur assors.
10th. Voted, Elyhu Abbot, William Warren Viewer Selectmens act.
11th. Voted, Josiah Swett Counstable and Collector has two dollars for serving.
12th. Voted, James Wiggin, Andrew Wiggin, Wm. Copp. Benja Bean surveyor of the highway also
13th. Voted, the selectmen to Lay out and proportion the District for each surveyor on the Rode and the Inhabts.
14th. Voted, to Raise seven pounds for the use of the town.
15th. Voted, one Day and half on a pole taxe and Estate Equiveln.
16thı. Voted, Leut Enoch Thomas, Sam1 Piper, James Wiggin, hog reefs.
17th. Voted. Ichabod Lebbey, Leut Nutter, Edward Moody, Saml Abbot, Fence viewers.
ISth. Voted, Enoch Thomas, James Wiggin, Surveyer of Lumber.
19th. Voted, the selectmen to Destrict the town for School money so as to suit the Inhab- itantes for the best advantage.
20th. Voted, five Dollars Mr. Phineas Graves for his Expenses for Incorprating the town of Tuftonborough two dollars and a quarter Paid for getting the papers Included in the five Dollars.
Tuftonborough, March 14th 1796
A True Record Attest
Timothy W. Young
On the same day and presumably among the first acts of these first "town fathers," Mr. James Wiggin and Josiah Swett were licensed to be " taverners " for the term of one year. During the year 1796 the first road laid out by the town as a town was made, and ran from Wolfeborough to Tuftonborough, beginning at the line between William C. Warren and John Fullerton. In this year also Tuftonborough and Moultonborough were classed for state elections. In 1797 we find the matter of taxes, on account of the two Rev- olutionary soldiers before referred to in the petition of Woodbury Langdon, again brought to the notice of the legislature by the petition of Joseph Richardson.
428
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
Joseph Richardsons petition addressed to the Legislature 1797 Humbly sheweth
The Inhabitants of Tuftonborough ; that the said Township of Tuftonborough was called upon for deficiency of Soldiers when there was no Inhabitants in said Town and the proprie- tors Neglected paying the same since that time some Inhabitants have settled in said Town, bought their land at a Dear Rate & are now called upon for said deficiency which ought to have been paid by said propriety. Wherefore they pray that they may be Impowered to tax all the lands in said town as unimproved land in a sum sufficient to Discharge the sum due the State for said Deficiency and your petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray
Joseph Richardson in behalf of said Town
Portsmouth Decr 5 1797
Upon considering this petition the House of Representatives in 1797 granted Joseph Richardson leave to bring in a bill such as the exigencies of the case required, in which permission the senate concurred on the fol- lowing day. This action brought the matter to the notice of Nathaniel A. Haven, James Sheafe, A. R. Cutler, James Haven, John Haven, Nathaniel A. Haven, attorney for Mrs Moffat, guardian to R. C. Moffatt, and their opposition to the bill appears in the following protest : --
The petition of the Subscribers proprietors of a considerable part of the unimproved Lands in Tuftonborough, humbly Shews that at a meeting of the proprietors of Tufton- borough held on the 18th day of September 1794 a tax of sixpence per Acre was voted to be raised on all the lands in Tuftonborough for the express purpose of paying off all Arearages of taxes due the State, and for certain other proprietary purposes -that the aforesaid tax was amply sufficient to meet every Demand on the proprietors.
That Woodbury Langdon Esqr was chosen Collector of said tax - that your Memori- alists as early as the Month of November 1794, paid the aforesaid tax on all their lands in said town and presumed that their Collector had appropriated the proceeds of said tax or such part thereof as was sufficient to the payment of the Demand which the Government had on said Propriety.
That your Memorialists to their astonishment now find that their Collector has made no such Appropriation, but on the contrary a petition we understand is now before the Honorable Court requesting permission to assess this Arrearages of taxes due the State from said town. - Your petitioners therefore prays that so much further time may be granted as shall enable them to compell their aforesaid Collector to appropriate the pro- ceeds of said tax agreable to the original Intention of the Proprietors or to refund the Money your Petitioners have already paid -
Portsmouth December 14th 1797.
We are unable to find anything further in the town records or elsewhere regarding this, at that time, somewhat remarkable case. Nearly a century has elapsed, and it is not for us to judge, on such unsatisfactory evidence, the motive or the reason why Woodbury Langdon failed to discharge his duty and pay the town's indebtedness, as the proprietors intended he should do. One thing, however, is certain; the debt was paid without further trouble, and the inhabitants and proprietors of the town relieved from further annoyance regarding a matter which had vexed them for nearly eight years. We know that Woodbury Langdon was ever a zealous laborer
429
TOWN OF TUFTONBOROUGH.
for the advancement of New Hampshire, an earnest patriot, enjoying to the fullest extent the confidence of the early settlers, holding many places of trust and receiving the highest favors that could be bestowed on any pioneer of their new land.
In 1802 we find the citizens voting money for school purposes in excess of the amount required by law, showing their appreciation of the advantages to be derived from our common schools, and although the amount raised at this time was small, yet it served as a foundation on which has arisen her excellent school system of to-day.
Among the first events of interest we find recorded the following : Her first settlers were Benjamin Beane, Phineas Graves, and Joseph Peavey, who pushed their way into the then unbroken wilderness in 1780; some of their direct descendants are yet to be found among her citizens. The first church established was Congregational, over which Rev. Joseph Kellum was installed first pastor. The first male child born in town was Abram Graves, son of Phineas Graves.
In 1810 the town voted to build a town-house, all their previous meetings having been held in some dwelling-house conveniently situated, but no house was built for several years subsequent to the passing of the vote. In 1817 and 1818 the subject was discussed, acted upon, and the acts reconsidered at several special town-meetings ; but the records fail to show the exact time when the present town-house was erected; it was evidently about 1819 or 1820. It stands on a hill near the centre of the town and commands an extended view on all sides.
From 1820 to 1832 the records are not particularly interesting or instruc- tive, and from all that can be gathered during those years we learn nothing except that the town continued to grow in numbers and extend its area for cultivation, gradually developing into the beautiful rural borough which now exists, and in which all her sons and daughters, whether at home or scattered throughout the world, take a just pride.
In 1839, being justly mindful of the great value of a public library, affording to the people, rich and poor alike, equal opportunity of enriching their minds by means of the best literature then extant, they chose, at the annual town-meeting, a committee of fifteen and instructed them to purchase a library for the town, which they divided into three wards. Among the promoters of this object are the following honored names: John Peavey, Isaac Copp, Aaron B. Smith, Joseph Palmer, and Jonathan Bean, executive committee of ward one; Abel Haley, Jonathan M. Varney, Thomas French, Elias Chapman, and John Neal, executive committee of ward two; Andrew Wiggin, William P. Edgerly, Samuel Coverly, George Fox, and Dudley Lib- bey, executive committee of ward three. All of these, with the single excep- tion of John Peavey, sleep each in his "windowless palace of rest" in the
430
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
shadows of the hills and mountains over which they saw the rising and setting of the sun during many years of privation, toil, and hardship, hardly realized by their children and children's children of to-day.
This committee drew up regulations for the government of the library, which were accepted by the town at the March meeting in 1840, and it may be of interest to note in this connection the preamble to the by-laws of this library : -
The Advantage naturally resulting from a proper cultivation of the human faculties is a matter apparent, and has thus long been a subject the learned and judicious of every age to need any further commendation; yet however when it is viewed in its proper colours whou can fail to pronounce it a thing not only productive of temporary benefit, but really necessary towards the perfection of our last happiness; under this impression we the inhabi- tants of tuftonborough, being desirous for the promotion of piety, virtue, and beneficial information, having formed an association for the purpose of a library, do agree upon the following articles as a form of government.
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