History of Carroll County, New Hampshire, Part 70

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

USA > New Hampshire > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, New Hampshire > Part 70

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Originally the whole of the valley and plain land of the town was thickly covered with a growth of giant white-pine, some of them towering nearly two hundred feet into the air.

Ossipee is bounded north by Tamworth, northeast by Freedom and Effing- ham, southeast by Wakefield, west by Wolfeborough, Tuftonborough, and Moultonborough. It was originally known as New Garden, and later, as Ossi- pee Gore. After Ossipee was incorporated, February 22, 1785, the portion of

TOWN OF OSSIPEE.

the Gore not included in the town of Ossipee retained the name of Ossipee Gore until it was annexed to Effingham in 1820.

The petition for incorporation, dated October 20, 1784, was signed by Jacob Brown, Josiah Poland, Winthrop Smith, Andrew Folsom, John Sanderson, John Cooley, Joseph Ames, Noah Dow, Ebenezer Hall, Nathaniel Brown, Joseph Pitman, Jabez Garland, Samuel Lear, Jacob Williams, John Scagel, Richard Beacham, and Cornelius Dinsmoor. By an act approved January 13, 1837, the farm of Wentworth Lord and some other territory was taken from Ossipee and annexed to Tamworth, and June 22, 1859, a part of the same land was reannexed to Ossipee. The present area is about 55,000 acres.

Forts. - Between 1650 and 1660 English workmen sent to assist the Ossipee Indians against the warlike Mohawks constructed a timber fort fourteen feet in height on the south side of Lovewell's river near the lake. This was quite a work of engineering. It was used by the Indians until their arms were turned against the whites. In 1676 it was destroyed by English troops commanded by Captain Hawthorne. The site was occupied several times later by Massachusetts and New Hampshire troops. Substan- tially the same spot was taken by Captain Lovewell for his palisade in 1725. This enclosed about one aere of ground and fronted the lake. It was in the northwest part of the interval, about seventy-five rods from the lake and a few rods from the river. In 1851 the preliminary survey of the railroad ran across its site. The soil on the eastern side of the fort to the lake and for a distance north and west of the lake denotes that there was a large Indian settlement of ancient date.

The Indian Mound, or burial-place of the Pequawkets, is located on the beautiful interval south of Lovewell's river and west of Ossipee lake. This is one of those monumental edifices which, scattered over the country, have been objects of scientific curiosity from the first settlement. Daniel Smith and his descendants became the civilized possessors of the land on which stood this legacy of a past race, and from conscientious desire not to disturb the last resting-place of the dead, they forbade attempts at exploration except in one instance, and that in the interest of science. This mnound is an Indian cemetery, but its use as a receptacle for the bodies of those who died ceased before the terrible battle called Lovewell's defeat. It is most probable that the decimation of the tribe by the pestilence of 1616 and following years broke up the practice of interment here. The mound was originally twenty-five feet high, seventy-five feet in length, and fifty in width. The length and width are now about the same, but the height is not over eight feet. John Moulton, of Moultonville, a careful and intelligent observer, wrote this description for the Granite State News over twenty years ago : -

" The first time we saw this mound was in the year 1813, when it was about twenty-three feet high. Since 1819 we have lived within thirty minutes' walk

582

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

of this mound and are very well versed with its history. Daniel Smith, Esq., soon after the Revolution, moved from Brentwood, commenced farming on the lot on which it stood. A few years later Dr McNorton, of Sandwich, and Dr Boyden, of Tamworth, eame to Mr Smith to know if they might open the mound and get a few skeletons if they could find any that were not too much decayed to be of any service. Mr Smith would not consent that anything should be taken away; but they might make an excavation sufficiently large to ascertain the internal structure. It has been thought by many that their tomahawks, hatchets, and pipes were buried with them, but nothing was found to lead to such a belief.1 Mr Smith told me that he helped make the excavation, and saw how they buried their dead. It was different from our mode of burial. The bodies were placed in a sitting position round a common centre, and it appeared from the skeletons not entirely decomposed that they were packed hard against each other, reclining towards the centre, and facing outward, and that when one circle was completed, another was made outside of it, till the base was large enough to commence another tier above the first tier. We have no means of knowing how far back this mound was first used for their burying- ground. It must have been a number of thousands of years, or the tribe much larger than it was when Captain Lovewell burnt their village. It was judged by the physicians that not less than eight or ten thousand were buried in this mound. Evidently when one was added to the number the earth was removed, and the body packed hard against the last one buried, and hard against the back of it, the same as farmers pack their beef and pork, leaving no waste spaces. There was but very little earth inside the mound, perhaps just enough to fill the crevices made in packing. The outer covering of this mound was made of coarse, gravelly sand brought from the plains on the west side of Lovewell's river, some hundred rods distant from the mound. This outside covering appeared to have been about two feet thick when made; and, to prevent the sides from washing away, they brought cobble-stones from the river and rubbled the sides of the mound in the same way that streets are paved in cities. What appeared most singular was that all the stones were perfectly smooth. Every rough side, corner, and all sharp angles were rubbed off, and every part of the stone was perfectly smooth and highly polished. Did the Indians do this the same as we polish our monuments and grave- stones? We find, however, on a subsequent examination, that these stones were taken from a small island of stones in Lovewell's river, a few rods below the bridge over the river, and some seventy rods below the railroad bridge, and upon further examination we find that these stones possess the same constituents as those on the side of Ossipee mountains, -about forty per cent. quartz, thirty per cent. feldspar, and thirty per cent. mica, -and this gives us ample proof of their identity and place of location.

1 A. A. Moulton informs us that a tomahawk was taken out, and seen by him when a boy.

583

TOWN OF OSSIPEE.

" Lovewell's river takes its rise in the gorges of these mountains, and every heavy rainstorm undermined more or less of these cobble-stones; then the action of the water kept thein moving one over another till they were carried down to the base of the mountain with their sharp corners and rough places worn quite smooth ; from the base of the mountain to the intervale there is quite a fall almost the whole distance, and when the river has full banks the water runs with great force, moving these stones little by little till they have found a final resting-place."

Where some of the Early Settlers lived.1- The Masonian Proprietors early had a road completed from the settled districts below to the Saco valley at Conway. This was the great thoroughfare of the early day. Various roads deflected from this; some of them, widened and improved, are the roads of to-day ; others are abandoned, and where were once the homes of thrifty settlers, now is naught but a tangled growth of stunted forest or wild pasture land. Josiah Poland had the 100-acre lot across the road from the court-house. It fronted 160 rods on the Conway road. A narrow lane-like road was early laid westerly past the meeting-house, and on this, about where the watering- trough of the "Pine River House " now stands, was the residence of Mr Poland. Eliphalet Sias lived where the railroad station of Ossipee now stands. William Lear owned the lot now called the " mill " lot. His house was built a little north of Dr Harmon's residence. John Goldsmith's lot was south of the Poland home lot. The "Carroll House," the court-house, and numerous other buildings are on this land. His house was where Curtis Neal now lives. William Williams lived on the lot between the one now occupied by George B. Sias and the railroad. An old willow-tree still standing near the road was brought from Portsmouth by Mr Williams as a cane, and stuck into the ground, where it took root and grew. His companion, Mr Goldsmith, also brought a willow cane which he set out at the forks of the Wolfeborough and Water Village roads. This was for many years a large tree, growing to be over two feet in diameter. Jacob Brown had the lot at the Corner on the east side of Conway road. He had a small, one-story house, where he sold goods, living in the same building. This was where the tavern was built by his son John, who inherited the property, and stood where the old tavern, built in 1819, is now going to decay. Jonathan Dodge was a farmer and a merchant. He built and lived in the one-story house now standing near Poland's bridge on the proprietors' road from Ossipee Corner to Wakefield. He has no descend- ants in town. One of his daughters married Isaac Thurston. Moses Brown located on the same road on Brown's ridge. He kept an inn for a long time. John Young lived further on in what is now Wolfeborough. Samuel Smith lived near Brown on the opposite side of the road. John Burleigh lived a mile

1 We are indebted to Asa Beacham, Esq., for most of the information in this valuable article.

584

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

northwest of Brown's, where Albert B. Deering now resides. Samuel Roles lived west of the Corner on the place so long occupied by Deacon Moses Brown. Samuel Quarles had a lot on the other side of the road from Roles. He had his house and store at first on the west part of the lot, but afterwards built a house nearer the Corner, which was burned later. Moses Roberts lived on the lot east of Roles. Jedediah and Benjamin Abbott lived where Mrs. Emily L. Goldsmith does now. Richard Abbott made his home on a lot about one mile from Garland's Mills toward Ossipee Corner. Benjamin Preble on road from Ossipee Corner to Dimon's Corner. John Sceggell, Jr, lived next north of Preble. Ichabod Hodgdon and Ebenezer Hodsdon each had about 200 aeres of land, and lived half a mile southeast of the Centre, then Buswell's Mills, on Conway road. Joshua Hodsdon lived three quarters of a mile southeast on same road. Joseph Buswell owned the early mills (grist and saw) at the Centre, and gave his name to the settlement. Nathaniel Ambrose lived above and adjoining Ebenezer Hodsdon. Ebenezer Ambrose, his grand- son, resides here. Daniel Smith was a valuable citizen. He lived on the interval about two miles above the Centre. His son John was for many years an active man in town. Winthrop Smart lived below Mr Smith. Andrew Folsom resided below Mr Smart and above the Centre. Winthrop Thing owned mills at the Centre. Shaber Nickerson lived up in the Bear Camp valley, and owned the mill privilege where was later Elliott's mills ; John and Timothy White in the upper part of the town.

Joseph Garland, one of the first settlers, very early built mills and located on Beech river near Tuftonborough line. A primitive up-and-down sawmill and a small gristmill occupied the site where Samnel J. Thompson now has a saw- mill and gristmill, giving the name of Garland's Mills to the place. Beniah Dore lived near Beech river. Tristram Fall lived over the hill on the road from Ossipee Corner to Garland's Mills, about one mile east of the mills. Caleb Gilman lived on the road from Dimon's Corner to Water Village, where Thomas Nute now lives. He moved to Jackson, afterward to Brookfield, his native town, where he died. Levi Wiggin lived on the lot where his grand- son, Levi W. Brown, now lives, on the road from Dimon's Corner to Tufton- borough. Joseph Pitman lived where Leander Pitman now resides, at the turn of the road cast of the county farm. His son Nathaniel succeeded him in the occupancy of the place. Joseph Nay lived on the road between the county farm and Water Village. The place is now owned by George P. Wiggin. William Goldsmith lived beyond the Nay place, on land now occupied by his grandsons, sons of William, Jr. The next lot toward Water Village was owned and occupied by Samuel Wiggin. The next place was that of John Colman Young. Thomas Wiggin, a brother of Samuel, made his home on the next lot toward Water Village. Richard Beacham bought this about 1810. Benjamin Gilman's land joined that of Richard Beacham and Caleb Gilman. James Nute and Charles Wiggin now own it.

585

TOWN OF OSSIPEE.

John Chick succeeded Elder Wentworth Lord, the pioneer settler, in the ownership and occupancy of the lot north of the county farm. Wentworth Lord, Jr, lived on fifty acres of the same lot, where Carey Wilkins (the only negro in town) is now owner and resident. William Brown lived on the hill back of the Nay place. John and Paul Canney lived on the lot west of the Lord lot. Aldo M. Rumery owns John's place, and James Bickford Paul's. These lots are now pasture land; the road to them long since taken up. Joshua Grant lived where is now the " Reed pasture." Thomas Perkins lived on the place now owned by Mrs James Nute. This joins that of Thomas Nute, and is on the Wolfeborough line. One half of this lot was occupied by Jeremiah Martin, who succeeded John Wadleigh, the first settler.

John Wadleigh was from London. His sister married Richard Beacham, and when they were about to emigrate to this new settlement, Mr Wadleigh went to aid them in their journey hither. During his absence, and possibly on the first night, Mrs Wadleigh was killed (as was supposed) by lightning, and it was nearly a week before this was known. A dog tied to the side of the bed had starved to death. His possessions were soon sold to Mr Martin. Richard Beacham made his settlement on a settler's lot of 100 acres, one-half mile from Water Village, on the road to Dimon's Corner ; Benjamin Sceggel lived on the Conway road between Wolfeborough and Dimon's Corner; Samuel Chick now lives on the same lot; Sceggel's house was, however, nearer Ossipee Corner. Moses Sceggel, the first white male child born in the town, was the son of John Sceggel and a brother of John Sceggel, Jr. John Pitman married Sabra Robinson, of Lamprey River, and settled on a part of the Eliphalet Sias lot. He died of the smallpox. Mrs Pitman lived ninety-six years. She passed her last years with her daughter, who married Colonel Henry A. P. Brown Hyde, and lived near the old Daniel Pike house on the road from Ossipee Village to the "Pocket." Her memory of early days was vivid, and she would have been of invaluable help to the historian. Elisha P. Allen is her grandson.

Isaac Demerritt lived on the "Pocket" on a farm where he has now descendants living; Joseph and John Glidden on Pocket road from Ossipee Corner. William Keys lived where William Wentworth now lives. Keys sold to a blacksmith named Stokes, and moved to Beech pond in Wolfe- borough. David Crockett lived near Effingham, on the road from the Pocket across Pine river. Jonathan Crockett lived at the end of the Pocket road, near Wakefield ; Samuel Tucker on Pocket road; Thomas Young on the road from the Pocket to Effingham. John Welch was his neighbor. Ebenezer and Timothy Horsam lived back of the Pocket hill. Ephraim Leighton lived near Leighton's Corners, his land coming to the corner. Aaron Hanson lived on road from Pocket to Newfield. Simon and Seth Fogg lived between Leighton's Corners and North Wakefield, Seth, one mile below the Corners

586

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

(he was assessed on one mill in 1804), and Simon nearly a mile nearer Wake- field ; his son Simon now occupies the place. Zebulon Glidden lived where John F. Hurn now resides. Joseph, James (had a mill in 1804), and Edward Dearborn lived southeast of Simon Fogg's on the North Wakefield road. James Roberts between Fogg's and Leighton's.

EARLY MILLS. - There were, according to Asa Beacham, at one time five mills in active operation on Pine river. One at the outlet of Pine river pond, built by James Dearborn and first assessed in 1804. This had various changes of ownership, and was burned about 1870. General Henry Hyde, a prominent citizen, built what was later called the "Jeff. Wentworth " saw and grist mill in 1809, two miles below the Dearborn mill. The general cleared a large . piece of land near this, and in 1818, while it was new land, used it as a muster, drill, and parade ground for his militia. The black dust arising from the ground was a great annoyance to the men, and, to punish the general, they made an assault along the line of his well-kept beehives, destroying them and eating the honey. Trees a foot through are now growing on this field. Gen- eral Hyde sold this mill to George W. Copp about 1820, and built another about two miles from Ossipee Corner on the main road to the Pocket. This was operated many years, when it was burned. In 1810 Isaac Demeritt had a mill on what is now called the "Crockett" milldam. The "Hodsdon mill" was built about 1818 by Joseph Chamberlain, the first merchant at Leighton's Corners. Joseph and John Mathes afterward owned the mills at the mouth of Pine river. Josiah Poland early built a gristmill on the branch bearing his name ; this was on the Conway road toward Wakefield and near Ossipee Corner. This was assessed to Samuel Wiggin in 1821, and to Samuel Quarles in 1827, who owned it when it was carried off by the " big freshet " of 1840, or earlier. Richard and Isaac Stillings owned a sawmill near this in 1821. David Pike, an early blacksmith, had a trip-hammer run by water-power. His shop and dam were located on Poland branch, a mile below the gristmill. Ezekiel Wentworth had the mill near the mouth of Poland branch in 1811; John Chick and Thomas Rogers in 1821. All these have served their day ; the saw- mills have "eut up " many thousands of the noble pines that grew so thickly in the section, and nothing but ruins and a new growth of vegetation mark their sites.

Joseph Buswell early utilized the water privilege at the Centre, and erected grist and saw mills. These were profitable, and a brisk village sprang up around them. In 1817 these had passed into the possession of Joseph Wiggin, and in 1821 into that of Nathaniel Libbey. Shaber Nickerson built about 1790 the mills on the Bear Camp, later known as the Elliott mills. Jeremiah Wiggin had a small sawmill in 1811 in the northwest part of the town among the mountains ; Pinner's mills were on Lovell's river, and Aaron Hanson had one in the same year at the outlet of Dan Hole pond. Jonathan

587

TOWN OF OSSIPEE.

Watson built a gristmill in 1811 on Beech river near Water Village. In 1827 this was purchased by Richard Beacham from Samuel Wiggin, the owner at that time ; Stephen Jackson's sawmill now occupies the site. Joseph Bickford was owner of a grist and saw mill near North Wakefield in 1812. Tristram Fall in 1809 became the owner of the Garland's mills on Beech river; in 1814 Charles W. Babb became part owner. Dudley Hardy, of Wolfeborough, had a fulling-mill at Water Village in 1814, which became the property of George W. Lord in 1821. Elder Mayhew Clark, son of Jacob Clark, who had a mill on Dan Hole stream at what is now Moultonville in 1814, and Ezekiel Dore owned the property in 1821. This became the property of John Moulton in 1827. Mark Moulton had a sawmill in 1823 at the outlet of Dan Hole pond.

STORES AND TRADERS. - Samuel Quarles and Jonathan Dodge were among the first at the Corner or near locality. Samuel Poland and Samuel Wiggin were in company here later. Mr Quarles moved west of the Corner and was in successful trade for years, until the devolving cares of responsible and high official stations occupied his time exclusively. No man ever lived in Carroll county of greater ability, or who did more good in public station. John Brown was merchandising for many years in a one-story house which was also his " tavern," on the site of the hotel he built in 1819 at the Corner. In this he continued in trade until 1826, or at least was assessed on "stock in trade " during those years.

Clark and Wingate, of Wakefield, put a stock of goods in a small store at the Corner, which was first assessed as "stock in trade " in 1822. Isaac Thurston was their clerk. He was from Wolfeborough, and one of the first initiates of the masonic lodge at that place. Clark failed in a few years. John Wingate went into trade at the Centre and Thurston succeeded to the business at the Corner, and by 1832 was in a much larger and more commodious building on the site of the old store. Here he traded for about thirty years. The building was afterwards changed to a dwelling. Mr Thurs- ton died in 1880, aged eighty-one.

John Brown, Jr, built the store now occupied by C. S. Demeritt in 1844 or 1845, and was in trade here until 1861, when he went into the army. A cooperative, or "union," store was then organized, and Daniel Wentworth was the manager for three years, when he purchased the stock of the company and conducted business about two years. He was succeeded by George A. Beacham, who remained one year, when M. V. Ricker occupied the stand for two years, then Rufus F. Stillings traded here for three years ; his successor was Charles F. Fall, who was the trader for the next four years, and his wife continued the business one year. In 1885 George L. Young commenced merchandising in this building as George L. Young & Co .; in a short time he became sole proprietor and was in trade until August, 1889. He was appointed postmaster in 1885; elected town clerk first in 1887, and was and is a popular and efficient official.

588

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

Charles H. Carter, who was commissioned postmaster in 1889, removed the office to the store near the court-house, and carries a stock of groceries.

C. S. Demeritt leased the store occupied by George L. Young in Septem- ber, 1889, and has a large, fine, and new stock of general merchandise.

In 1820 Peter Huckins built the store opposite the Carroll House at the Corner, and was in trade there for eight or nine years. Badger and Jacobs succeeded him, trading two years. Later Wentworth L. Young occupied it for some time, after it had been vacant for some years. Jacob F. Brown bought Young's stock about 1855, and was in trade until he was succeeded in 1880 by his son, Dana J., who in 1883 admitted his brother, Eugene F., to a partnership. They now carry on merchandising under the firm name of D. J. & E. F. Brown.

Brackett Wiggin built the store near the court-house in 1830, and was there in trade until his death in or about 1860. I. Dewitt Carter and Martin V. Ricker traded here from about 1870 for two or three years. It then lay idle for quite a time until Miller Chadwick opened it as a store, which he conducted for some years. It is now occupied by Charles H. Carter, who is postmaster.

Joseph V. Quarles traded in the store in the mill building at the Centre from 1823 to 1828. Joseph P. Wiggin traded there later, and it has been occupied by various merchants since for longer or shorter periods.

Alvin Senter opened a store at Water Village about 1835; after some years he was succeeded by Joseph Moody, who sold in four or five years to Richard Beacham. Ten years thereafter Mr Beacham was succeeded by his son Richard, he, after three years, by Charles S. Beacham, who was followed by John H. Beacham, and he by Clarence Hayes. The store was burned in 1880 and has not been rebuilt. Daniel Hanson conducted a tannery from 1812 to 1829. Moses Brown carried on the same business at Water Village from 1813 to 1836.

Curtis Pitman built a store at West Ossipee about the time of the Rebellion, and here he and Joseph Varney were in trade for some years. Addison Hyde was a merchant here for a time. Hobbs and Lord opened a store at West Ossipee about twenty years ago, and were in business for from six to ten years. A. B. Lamper does an extensive business for the place there now.

John W. Sanborn, who was in trade in 1832 at Centre Ossipee, died in that year, and was succeeded by Joseph P. Wiggin, who formed a partnership with Otis L. Wiswell a year or so later. Wiggin sold his interest to Edward Grant, and in 1836 Wiswell went out of business. Dr Nathaniel Grant, who had opened a store at Wakefield Corner, came here at the solicitation of his brother in the fall of 1836, succeeded him in business the next year (1837), and conducted it for fifty years, until 1887.

589

TOWN OF OSSIPEE.

Aaron Roberts, one of the largest traders of Carroll county territory, conducted an immense mercantile establishment at Dimon's Corners for forty years, from 1825 or 1826.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Carroll County, New Hampshire, Part 70

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