History of Carroll County, New Hampshire, Part 74

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

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Original members. - Moses Hanson, Jr, John Rogers, Daniel Goldsmith, Thomas Rogers, James Small, James Young, William Young, Joanna Hanson, Nancy Rogers, Sally Rogers, Eliza Goldsmith, Mary Goldsmith, Betsey Gold- smith, Olive Bennett, Nancy Burleigh.

The infant church has baptisms in September, 1836, as follows : Dorcas Hanson, by Elder Meader, September 10; Mary Goldsmith, by Elder Meader, September 24; Thomas Goldsmith, Anna Dame, Nancy, wife of Ezekiel Key, Catharine Quint, September 31, by Elder Walker.

At a meeting held November 24, this record was made: "Sister Mary Goldsmith having given her name to be a member of another church, this may certify that sister Mary has renewed her covenant in promise with the Breth- ren, and will make exertions to retain her name from said church, and still remain in this Fourth Freewill Baptist Church." A committee was appointed at a conference held December 1, 1836, "to examine into the case of Bro. D. Goldsmith of his manifesting his disunion with the church or members of the same." Brothers J. Rogers, T. Goldsmith, Samuel Dore appointed com- mittee. May 13, D. Goldsmith's name is erased from the church book. (The good man had probably some altercation concerning business with a brother, and did not wish to grieve him by his presence and abstained entirely from church attendance.) November 25, Elders Jesse Meader, John Chick, and John Walker set apart as deacons Moses Hanson and John Roberts.

1839, May 18, Eliza, wife of Thomas Goldsmith, died. William M. Jack-

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son and his wife, from Newmarket, and Horace P. Wood and Belinda Wood, of Saco village, Moses W. Brown and wife, Abigail P., Anna Nute, Melissa J. Goldsmith, Brackett G. Stillings, Rufus F. Stillings, Joseph F. Brown, James Canney, Pamelia Stillings, Hannah Wiggin, Adam F. Brown and wife, Sally, Joanna Moody, joined the church in 1840 and 1841.

It was voted, August 13, 1840, that Elder John Brooks should be pastor. We find Elder John Chick officiating in connection with him. Moses Hanson has been ordained elder, and August 14, 1841, Elder H. Webber officiated. April, 1842, Brother J. Canney was given a letter to unite with the Water Village church, and Stephen P. Smith and wife, Mary, were received by letter. June 21, 1842, Sister Joanna Hanson died. August 19, 1842, voted " to have a set of communion dishes." November 19, 1842, Eli Fall and Eliza Jane Pray were added as members by baptism.

May 18, 1843, Elder John Brooks requested to resign his pastoral care of the church. His request was granted, provided they could obtain Elder John Chick, who, being chosen pastor, accepted on condition that "if he wished to resign in one month he could have the privilege of it." Jacob Hanson, Asahel Rogers, Abigail A. C. Quarles, and Sarah Ann Rogers accepted to church membership.

March 16, 1844, voted to have Elder Chick preach on the first Sabbath of each month for one year. The records continue for years with such state- ments as these : "Met in conference. The brethren and sisters were well engaged serving the Lord. At the close we could say that it was good to meet together." "Met in conference. The brethren and sisters were rather low in their minds. Many doubts and fears arise. The most of them seem to have good resolutions to serve the Lord." "Met in conference. Only one brother and four of the sisters present. All seemed to have a desire to serve the Lord and gain the port of glory."

January 23, 1845, chose J. Rogers, Elder John Chick, and Moses W. Brown a committee to draft a church discipline or covenant. At this meeting a request was made by " Br. Moses Hanson for a letter of commendation for the following reasons : Br. Hanson said he was prest and bound and he wished to be relieved ; said he felt it his duty to break bread to us in the room of sitting with us in communion ; said he had been callª on to baptise 2 members & he was prohibited of the priviledge by some of the church, & said he could not fellow- ship what was practiced by some of the church, (ie) social parties of pleasure & makeing feasts & calling in our Rich Neighbours, &c. A remark was made by one present that in our social visits we closed by prayer. A Reply from Brother Hanson that we could fiddle & dance all the evening & close by prayer. For the above Reasons or charges the church did not vote to give a letter of commendation, but voted to consider on it untill our Monthly meet- ing & then have the case of Brother Hanson taken up." At the meeting

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held March 13, it was voted that Brother Hanson have the liberty to travel and preach wherever the Lord may call him.

Elder Samuel Knowles and wife are received as members in 1844, and he officiated as pastor nearly up to the time of his death, which occurred Novem- ber 15, 1850. In 1856-58, Elder N. Foss preached here half the time. He was succeeded by Elder John Walker. October 8, 1859, Rev. Horace Webber was chosen pastor. Horace Webber and wife, Relief Webber, Charles H. Webber and wife, Susan A. Webber, Dorcas L. Hanson, and Anna Weston were received by letter in 1859. A new confession of faith and covenant was adopted in January, 1860. In 1861 the Quarterly Meeting was requested to license Bro. Chas. H. Webber to preach the gospel. May 4, 1864, the breth- ren to try and sustain Rev. Mr Wood (Congregationalist) one year, to preach for us one half the time, thinking we could raise for him one hundred dollars and a donation. In 1869 it is recorded that about one hundred and fifty dollars has been raised for Rev. F. P. Smith, Congregationalist, the past year.

March 2, 1870, Simon Beacham, Elisha Hanson, and John H. Beacham were chosen a committee to assist in forming a Freewill Baptist Church at Water Village. March 1, 1871, a subscription was started to engage Rev. D. I. Quint for one year, salary four hundred dollars, and the amount was raised. March 6, 1872, he preached his farewell sermon. Rev. A. D. Fairbanks preached four Sabbaths in 1872. In 1873 and 1874 Rev. J. Fawcett, Methodist, preached, and was paid six hundred dollars a year. Various clergymen have since offici- ated here for brief periods.

Water Village Freewill Baptist Church. - This was organized July 12, 1870, with ten members. The membership is now seventy. It has a good meeting- house and parsonage, erected within a few years. The deacons have been Matthew Jackson, John H. Beacham, Thomas F. Hodgdon. Matthew Jackson was again chosen March 31, 1886. The pastors have been E. G. York, H. P. Mansur, A. D. Fairbanks, D. W. Dealtry, W. H. Ward, S. J. Gould, N. A. Avery, M. P. Tobey, Elisha Hanson, clerk. There was for many years a Freewill Baptist church called " Tuftonborough church " that embraced the territory of the Water Village church and more. Rev. John Walker was pastor, and Richard Beacham a deacon. This died about 1850.

First Methodist Episcopal Church (Moultonville). - A class was formed here in 1864, John G. Wiggin, leader. Soon steps were taken to organize a church, and in the fall of 1865 the meeting-house of the Freewill Baptists at Center Ossipee was purchased by L. D. Moulton, and moved to Moultonville, where the cornerstone was laid November 3, and the church fitted up, and dedicated January 30, 1866, by Rev. E. Adams, D.D. Quite a revival now occurred, and many accessions were made to the list of members. April 11, 1866, there were 30 members and 74 probationers. There were then four classes, the leaders being Benjamin Q. Abbott, John G. Wiggin, L. D. Moulton, and Erastus C.

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Folsom. The first quarterly conference was held at the church, May 14, 1866, when Daniel Merrow, Abner Goldsmith, Moses Merrill, Daniel Tibbetts, George B. Sias, S. P. Wallace, Erastus C. Folsom, and T. K. Shannon were elected stewards ; L. D. Moulton, Daniel Merrow, Daniel Tibbetts, Charles Nason, and John Moulton, trustees. In 1880 there were 64 members of the church, and an attendance at the Sabbath-school (organized in 1866) of seventy. At the present there are thirty members, with forty scholars in the Sunday-school. The pastors have been: 1866-69, George W. Carr; 1869-71, M. Sherman ; 1871-72, supplied ; 1872-74, J. P. Frye ; 1874-75, A. W. Browne; 1875-78, Wm. C. Bartlett ; 1878-79, E. P. F. Dearborn ; since 1879 George H. Hardy, Thomas Cheney, Mr Farnham, and Thomas Bell, a young Englishman of great promise.

CHAPTER LV.

Villages - Ossipee - Centre Ossipee - West Ossipee - Ossipee Valley - Moultonville - Water Village- Leighton's Corners - Family and Personal Sketches.

T HE town has six business centres around which have clustered villages. These are Ossipee, Centre Ossipee, Centreville, Moultonville, West Ossipee, Water Village.

OSSIPEE, formerly Ossipee Corner, is the location of the town-house, court- house, jail, county-house and county farm, and is admirably located on a ridge which gives a high altitude, good drainage, and pure air. It is a very lively place during the semi-annual sessions of court, or in the height of the summer season when the town is filled with visitants from the city. Aside from these seasons it has a quiet, staid, demure aspect quite befitting a " county-seat." In early days it was the one centre of trade and business of the town; manufac- turing was carried on quite extensively; the stage-coaches from Dover and Conway dashed along with clatter and noise. Lawyers have found attractions here from before the organization of Carroll county. The first to locate was Francis Peter Smith, who was resident here for years, and bore a good reputa- tion for erudition and skill. After him came Benjamin Boardman, Francis Cogswell, Josiah Dearborn, Luther D. Sawyer, Colonel Samuel D. Quarles, and Frank Weeks. The last two have offices here and are residents.

Present Business Interests. - Dana J. and Eugene F. Brown, Alonzo Stillings, C. S. Demeritt, and Charles H. Carter are in trade as merchants ; Ausbry C. Moulton deals in coffins and caskets ; Inglis L. Pineo is blacksmith,

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Edgar Weeks pension attorney, Doctors Harmon and Atwood care for the sick, while near the railroad station is Asa Beacham's steam sawmill, William E. Kincaid's marble-works, and W. C. Sinclair's steam gristmill. Miss S. R. Webber manufactures sale clothing, and gives employment to many.

The " Carroll House " originally was a one-story dwelling. About 1838 Asa Beacham came into possession, and enlarged it and raised the old part another story. He rented it to Curtis Pitman, who opened it as a hotel, calling it the " Carroll House " in honor of the new county. In 1845 Mr Asa Beacham became landlord and was there until 1854. John Brown, Jr, conducted it for a time, and leased it to H. H. Ballard, who was landlord for about two years. Josiah Durgin was here for a time, and so was Joseph Q. Roles. The latter sold the place to John Clark, who soon left town. Mrs Clark ran the hotel until her death. Charles Rendall continued the business. In 1872 Elisha P. Allen became proprietor. He was a man of extensive and popular acquaint- ance, having been connected with various stage lines, and deputy sheriff. He soon enlarged the house by the addition of a two-story building which he brought from near the railroad station, and now has accommodations for seventy-five guests, with a good livery attached. The "Pine River House " was opened as a house of entertainment about 1830 by Brackett Wiggin, who kept it until his death about 1868. After a few years Joseph Q. Roles became proprietor, and called it the " Pine River House." Nathan Weeks and others kept it a short time. John E. Beacham kept it from 1886 to June, 1889, when Elisha P. Allen purchased it.

Ossipee Local Union, No. 9, a branch of the State Temperance Union, was organized at Ossipee village in October, 1882, with eighteen members, "to promote the cause of temperance generally, and especially to provide for the education of children in temperance." The first officers were : Dr M. A. Harmon, president (from organization) ; W. C. Sinclair, vice-president; Mrs Arvilla Pitman, secretary. The meetings are held twice a month, and consist of literary exercises and instruction of classes of children. The textbooks used are Julia Colman's " Catechism of Temperance," " Hygiene and Alcohol," and Dr Richardson's " Lessons on Temperance." A paper, The Magnet, is prepared and read monthly. Meetings were held at first in the " meeting- house," then in the schoolhouse, and, at present, in Carter's hall, which the Union has fitted up for this purpose. It has forty members under twenty-five years of age, who have taken and kept a pledge to abstain from drinking alcoholic liquors, including cider.

The Women's Christian Temperance Union has two organizations in town, one at Ossipee village, the other at Ossipee Centre. These were organized in December, 1887, by Mrs Wallace, of Sandwich. These unions have taken a pledge of social purity similar to that of the White Cross, and labor for the advancement of the community in higher morality as well as temperance.

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Ossipee Reading Club and Village Library was organized in 1882, through the efforts of the Ladies' Congregational Circle. The original idea was to meet from house to house and read ; this was done for some time, then it was deemed best to form a society, fixing the membership at one dollar annual dues. This was done, and forty dollars raised the first season, and the nucleus of the library formed. The first officers were : Dr M. A. Harmon, president ; W. C. Sinclair, secretary ; Mary J. Stillings, treasurer. Dr Harmon has been president of the club from formation, excepting during 1888, when Edgar Weeks held the office. Achsah Sinclair was the first librarian. Mrs Harmon, the second librarian, held the position four years, the library being at the doctor's office. James O. Gerry became librarian at the annual meeting in December, 1888, and removed the library to his office in the court-house - a very convenient location. Members of the club, of whom there are now thirty-six, have the use of a book free for two weeks. Persons not belonging to the club are charged five cents a volume for a time not exceeding one week. The club and library are in a prosperous condition, a well-selected library of nearly 300 volumes has been purchased, and a long and useful existence can be safely prophesied for it.

The Pine River Bank, incorporated in 1856, with Luther D. Sawyer as president, had an existence of about seven years, until the national bank system came into force. The directors voted not to reorganize under the new rule.

The Pine River Lumber Company, an incorporation having offices at Ossipee, mills at the foot of Pine River pond, and 3,500 acres of valuable pine land in Ossipee and Wakefield, did a prosperous business from 1860, when the mills were built, to 1875, when they were burned. This company was incorporated in 1857; Luther D. Sawyer, John Mathes, Asa Beacham, Dr Nathaniel Grant, Isaac and Josiah Thurston were among the incorporators. L. D. Sawyer was president ; Asa Beacham, agent.

Other old incorporations were Ossipee Bridge Company, incorporated 1808, charter revoked 1840; Great Ossipee Manufacturing Company, incorporated 1825; Pine River, Ossipee, and Wakefield Lumber Company, incorporated 1831 and 1832; Ossipee Hosiery and Woolen Manufacturing Company, incor- porated 1866 ; Dan Hole Manufacturing Company, incorporated 1866.

CENTRE OSSIPEE. - Quite a business was done for years in the Joseph Hodsdon tannery (established in 1839), which gave life to the community and furnished employment for from fifteen to twenty-five men during the year, and was an active factor in the prosperity of the whole town, producing 20,000 sides of leather in 1871. This is now silent; its chimneys smoke no more, and Mr Hodsdon, who is a native of Berwick, Maine, is passing the years of advanced life in his pleasant home, free from the cares of business. Arthur L. Hodsdon is his son. The present industries are a sash and blind

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manufactory, with water and steam power, employing ten to twelve men. This is carried on by C. H. Smart, who is carrying on an increasing business. James M. Canney, another of Ossipee's representatives and a prominent prohibitionist, manufactures excelsior in the mill where he formerly made straw board. Davis & Hodsdon, lumbermen, have headquarters here under the management of the popular and energetic Arthur L. Hodsdon. Charles Keys has a small general store, and I. H. Gilman makes sale clothing and also "keeps store." Dr. W. H. Grant is the physician. Ossipee Valley masonic lodge has its lodge-room here, a fine church spire points heavenward, graceful trees throw depths of shadow along the beautiful street, and a little inn is ready to receive guests. Mrs M. E. Merrow is postmistress.

CENTREVILLE is the railroad village of Centre Ossipee. It is only half a mile away and does much business, as it is the shipping point for Freedom, Effingham Falls, Moultonville, etc. The oldest mercantile house is that of O. L. & C. A. White, which carries on a general store including hardware, groceries, etc. The members of this firm were born in Ossipee, and had built up a fine business previous to the failure in health of Orlando L., the senior member, who died in November, 1888. Charles A., his brother, carries on the business with the firm-name unchanged. David W. Davis, a native of Effing- ham Falls, and George L. Cate (station agent), a native of Wolfeborough, have been in trade for a year, carrying, besides their stock of general mer- chandise, clothing and fancy-goods. They are energetic business men and deserve success. Mr Cate succeeded O. L. White as postmaster. The Grand Army has a hall here, and there is one hotel, " The Central House."

WEST OSSIPEE is quite an important railroad station, furnishing the best shipping point for Tamworth and that portion of Sandwich lying in the Bear Camp valley. The merchants are A. B. Lamper and Wentworth H. Hobbs. The scenery here is of the grandest. Here was the oldtime hostelry, the " Bear Camp River House," made celebrated by being the favorite resort in this section of the Quaker poet, Whittier. The hotel was owned and kept at various times by Thing, " Joe Varney," Ames, and Henry J. Banks. The last proprietor was James H. Plummer, from Gilford. He purchased the house in May, 1873, and conducted it until it was burned in October, 1881. George Wilder is station agent. Ossipee Valley (Bear Camp station) is a hamlet with a store (kept by Frank K. Hobbs), mill, postoffice, etc., between West Ossipee and Centre Ossipee.

The rich soil around Dan Hole ponds attracted settlers early, and it is tire- some even to look at the course of the roads they laid out over the steep hills, which might have been so easily avoided by making slight detours. This section was formed into the " Dan Hole school district " later. Only two families now live where was once a prosperous community. Tobias Fernald, and, after him, his son Nathaniel, occupied the place where Tyler Neal now

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lives. Their land lay along the south side of the lower pond and stretched to the upper pond, including some of this in its area. Besides Nathaniel, the children of Tobias were Joanna, Dolly, Charles, John Y. (lived north of Dore's Corners), Mark (settled in Wakefield), Joseph (lived at Centreville), Abigail (married a Pindar, and now lives at Salmon Falls, aged eighty-three), and Samuel P. (became a minister of Freewill Baptist church). All attained great ages, Joanna dying at ninety-three. Nathaniel had children : Almon, Samuel H. (deceased), Sarah (deceased), Anstriss (married John W. Folsom), Susan (married a Cate), Tobias M., and Orra E. (married John H. Weeks, of Wakefield). Of these Almon has been for many years a prominent citizen of Kansas City, Mo., and Tobias M. resides on the Elder John Chick farm near the Chick meeting-house.

Moultonville. - The fine water-power on Dan Hole stream at Moultonville was early utilized. Elder Mayhew Clark was manufacturing here in 1814; the property was assessed to Ezekiel Dore in 1821, and in 1826 or 1827 was pur- chased by John Moulton, who gave his name to the place, and developed an extensive manufacturing establishment of furniture, mostly bedsteads, which became an important article of export and gave employment to many. A local writer thus describes it in 1868 :-

" Moultonville is one of the live villages of New Hampshire. It derives its name from its early founder, Mr John Moulton, who may be found any day at his shop, skilfully using his instrument in drafting some new machine, or handling the various tools with which his shop abounds, and which a long and useful life has accumulated. He is not only a master mechanic, but in former days mastered grammar, mathematics. surveying, and music. You will find a bench across one end ; on the opposite side a forge, bellows, and anvil ; while the ceiling on all sides is completely covered with every conceivable article belonging to iron or wood work, each having its particular nail, hook, or drawer, and when we inquired of our honored friend if he had kept the run of the various nuts, bolts, bars, and tools, the answer was that he could go to his shop any time in the dark and place his hand on anything he wanted.

" There is an air of stir and thrift about the village which attracts the attention of all who pass through or stop there. Those living in other parts of the town do not fail to see that to accumulate money is not the whole object of the enterprising manufacturers of Moultonville; that while the business department is successfully carried on, the comfort and morals of the people are equally cared for. During the past two years a neat church, with a parsonage, has been erected, and publie worship maintained as regularly as in any town in New England."

Lorenzo D. Moulton succeeded to the business, and was followed by Moulton & Nason about 1865. In 1885 the bedstead factory, saw and woolen mills were sold to F. A. Garnsey, of Sanford, Maine. He soon formed,

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in connection with a Mr Frost, of Springvale, Maine, the Ossipee Woolen Mills Company. They did a good business, employing about fifty operatives until 1889, when the mill was burned.

George B. White is the grocer ; Mrs Pierce Hawkey, dry-goods merchant ; Daniel Abbott, blacksmith. The village in its days of prosperity has a neat- ness and thrift decidedly pleasant to look upon, and many neat cottages indicate happy homes.

Dore's Corner, adjacent to Moultonville, has become quite a business point through the energy of one man, Samuel Wallace, who employs from fifteen to twenty hands in the manufacture of sale clothing. He has a general store connected with his manufactory.

John Moulton, born in Newfield, Maine, in 1796, was well educated, and in youth a principal of a high school. He married Susan Davis, also of Newfield, and located in 1824 at the place where his energy built up the village bearing his name. He was possessed of great strength of character and uprightness, and was a leading and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, which he was largely instrumental in forming and sustaining. He lived to a very advanced age. He had four children : Lydia A., Lorenzo D., John B., and Emily W.

Lorenzo D. Moulton (born in 1827, died in 1873) was brought up to thoroughly understand his father's business, for which he was well qualified, and became his successor. He enlarged the business ; his buildings were burned time after time, and his losses were very heavy, but each time the burned buildings were replaced with larger and more expensive ones, and, while his father had employed forty men, he gave employment to one hundred in the factory and in getting out timber. He was owner of one half of the Dan Hole woolen factory, two sawmills, had a large store, built more than one half the buildings of Moultonville, and kept business moving everywhere in his sphere. He was an upright, honest, enterprising citizen, a deeply religious man, who was a benefactor to the poor, and much interested in religion and its attendant institutions. He built the Methodist church and parsonage and gave them to the society, of which he was a member, with an accompanying gift of $1,000. He married Abbie C. Merrow. Their only son, La Fayette, born in 1859, succeeded to his father's business, which he conducted some years. He married Mattie A. Manson, and has one child, Lorenzo Dow.

Water Village, three miles from Ossipee westerly, was quite a centre in early times, and now has a saw and grist mill, a church, a tanner, and other tradesmen. "Ossipee Mountain Grange " has been established a short time, and bids fair to live long and accomplish much good. Chocorua Lodge, No. 9, A. O. U. W., a thriving society, is located here. Mrs Caroline Whitehouse is postmistress.

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History of Carroll County, New Hampshire, Part 74

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