History of Carroll County, New Hampshire, Part 9

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

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The axe was the universal and most important companion of a settler in a New England forest. This, as well as all other farming tools composed of iron or steel, was manufactured by the village blacksmith. It was usually quite heavy, and clumsily made. Sometimes it was broad on the edge, being shaped somewhat like the broad-axe. The hoe consisted of a small plate of hammered iron, to which was fastened a socket. Through this the handle was put, and

PRIMITIVE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.

fastened with wedges. The shovel was made of firm wood, and the blade occasionally bordered with iron, or "shod." The "plow irons" consisted of two parts, the colter and the "chip-and-wing," or share. The "wood-work" was made at the farmer's house. In construeting it timber was not sparingly used. The " furrow-board " was taken from a winding tree. The plow, being short and clumsy, would not well turn the sward, but seemed to be designed mainly for rooting. It was, however, an implement not much needed, as most of the cereal and root crops were raised on a " burn." The harrow was made of the forking branches of a tree, into which wooden teeth were driven.

It has been before said that hay was drawn to the stack or hovel upon sleds. This was usually the case. Sometimes a sledge was used. This consisted of two long poles, fastened together with cross-bars. The lighter ends of the poles were attached to a horse, while the others dragged on the ground. The first attempt to manufacture wheels was in this manner: Large trucks were formed of plank. Two of these were placed together in such a position that the grains of wood in one would cross those of the other, and fastened with tree-nails. On the outside of this apology for a wheel was fixed a cleat of very firm wood on which the axle might rest. Block wheels followed these. They were constructed much like those used at the present time, only the felloes were much larger and were not ironed.

The flail with which grain was threshed consisted of two stout cudgels fastened together with a cord or leathern string. The one held in the hand was called " the staff," and was a little longer than the other, which was termed the "swingle." It was quite common for two persons to thresh together, each striking the grain alternately and with equal rapidity. Occasionally the flail string would break, throwing the swingle high in the air, which in its descent was liable to give the laborer a blow on the head. One grindstone and a cross- cut saw generally answered for an entire neighborhood. The principal mechanical tools owned by a farmer were, with the exception of the axe, a gouge and a pod-auger. The gouge was a necessary accompaniment of the auger, as it was difficult to enter wood with the auger until a hole was first made with the gouge. Besides these were the frow, an elongated wedge used in riving timber, and the shave. These last-mentioned tools were used chiefly in manufacturing shingles, which were then rived and shaven, and were much superior to those of the present time obtained by sawing.

In preparing wool, cotton, and tow for spinning, it was necessary that these substances should first be formed into "rolls" with hand cards. These rolls were a little more than a foot in length ; those of wool and cotton being round, and those of tow flattened. Carding parties were quite common, when several neighbors would each take a small bundle of wool, or more frequently cotton, and a pair of cards, and spend the afternoon in forming rolls, taking tea with the family which they visited. It was nearly as much labor to card as to spin

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

a certain quantity of the raw material. Wool, cotton, and tow were spun on a " large wheel." This machine consisted of a narrow bench standing on the legs. the forward end being more elevated than the back. At the forward end were two small posts nearly perpendicular. To these was attached an iron or steel spindle, kept in place with " ears," formed of hemlock twigs or corn husks. At the back part of the bench arose another small post inclining backward. Near the top of this was a short axle on which revolved a broad-rimmed wheel about four feet in diameter. A band of twisted yarn passed from the wheel to a grooved " whirl " on the spindle. In spinning the roll was taken in the left hand and attached to the spindle : at the same moment a brisk motion was given to the wheel with the right hand, the spinner slowly stepping back and drawing out a thread of yarn. Usually a small wooden pin was carried in the right hand with which the wheel was moved. This was called a " wheel-pin." The yarn was wound from the spindle with a reel into skeins. Each skein consisted of seven knots of forty threads, and each thread was required to be six feet long, so that a skein of yarn was one continuous thread 1,680 feet in length. It was a daily stint to spin five skeins of wool yarn, or to card and spin three skeins. A woman performing this amount of labor usually received fifty cents a week and board. The yarn intended for warp was subsequently wound on spools, which were hollow cylinders of wood, with a ridge at each end. This was done in the following manner: The skein of yarn was stretched on a "swift," or revolving reel, and the spool was placed on the spindle of the wheel before described. Then, by a continuous turning of the wheel, the yarn was transferred from the swift to the spool. The spools were then set in a frame called a "spool frame," being kept in their places with small wooden rods, and the threads from the several spools were carried collectively around wooden pins set in another frame called " warping bars." This process was denominated warping, and was the last step preparatory to putting the yarn in the loom for weaving.

The loom to be found in almost every farmhouse consisted of a stout frame of wood about six feet long, five feet broad, and five feet high. At one end was a large cylinder around which the warp was wound. This was called the " yarn beam." At a little distance from this was suspended " the harness," con- nected with cords to pulleys above and treadles below. The harness was made by connecting two slender shafts with numerous threads. By knotting these threads of twine, "eyes" were formed through which the threads of the warp were carried separately. Near the harness and immediately before it hung the lathe. This was a wooden frame, the upper part of which rested on the timbers of the loom in such a manner that it could easily be swung forward and backward. At the lower part were two cross-bars, one of which was movable. Between these cross-bars, which were grooved on the inner edges, was fixed the " slaie," now usually termed the reed. This was a frame three or

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four feet long and four inches broad, in which were set, in an upright position, small slips of reed or minute slats. The threads of the warp were drawn through the interstices between these slats, then carried over a square timber called the "breast beam," and finally connected with a small cylinder called the " cloth beam," situated in the lower part of the loom. Fronting the breast beam was placed a high seat for the weaver. The "treadles" (in weaving plain cloth two were used) were narrow boards, one end of each attached to the framework of the loom, and the other to the harness. The manner of weaving was as follows: A quill, usually the woody stock of some plant, from which the pith had been removed, was wound with woof yarn and fixed on a small rod in a hand shuttle. By the action of the treadle on the harness the alternate threads of the warp were separated. With one hand the operator then threw the shuttle between these threads thus separated, and with the other brought forward the lathe containing the "slaie." This pressed the woof-thread close to the one which preceded it. The lathe was then swung back, the foot pressed on the other treadle, the upper and lower threads of the warp, by the action of the harness, were made to cross each other, and thus confine the woof in its place. The shuttle was then thrown back through the new opening between these threads of the warp, and the lathe again brought forward; and this course being continued, the web of cloth was at length produced. To weave five yards of cloth was the allotment for a day's work. When more complicated webs were woven, four or more treadles were used.

CHAPTER XI.

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Indian Trails - Roads, Turnpikes, and Highways - Early Post Routes -Extracts from Governor and Lady Frances Wentworth's Letters -Return of the Governor's Road to Plymouth - A Coach-and-six -Turnpikes-Canals - Railroads - Lake Navigation.

NDIAN TRAILS. - A trail existed very early (probably before the discovery of America by the whites) from the Ammonoosue valley, through the Notch to North Conway, where it divided, one trail following the Saco to the sea, the other pursuing the general route of the railroad southerly through this county. Another great trail left the Pemigewasset valley at Holderness, skirted the northern edge of Squam lake, and then struck through Sandwich

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

to the Bear Camp valley, which it followed till it joined the previously described one ; thence it went down the Ossipee to its junetion with the Saco. From near Kusump pond a smaller trail left this, wound around the east side of Red Hill, and passed through Moultonborough, Tuftonborough, and Wolfeborough to the south side of Winnipiseogee. Along these routes, in the early French and Indian wars, marched the hostile Canadian Indians on their way to the lower settlements, and along them they brought the scalps and prisoners acquired in their bloody forays. It is probable that other trails led through Sandwich and Pinkham notches, but they were not main thoroughfares of travel, were not so well defined, and traces of their existence were soon lost when they were unused.

Roads, Turnpikes, and Highways. - The Indian trails, kept somewhat worn by hunters and trappers, were better than a traekless wilderness, but they did not meet the demands of the pioneers. In 1722 a road had been eut out to the eastern shore of Winnipiseogee, a block-house ereeted, and a guard stationed there. This is the first road of which we have record. No more roads were undertaken until after the peace of 1760. The settlers who shortly after this came hither came by the Salmon Falls river, from Gilmanton to the north shore of the lake in boats, and hastily prepared, first, marked trails, along which men and horses could pick their way, and later. eut out roads about eight feet wide, corduroying the swamps and marshy places at the crossings of streams. These were not much like our later roads, but the pioneers were able to drive cattle along them, and to travel on foot and horseback with- out serious detriment to their progress. In laying out some towns, the surveyors laid out range-ways, but these followed the arbitrary lines of the lots, and were of little avail for highway purposes. The narrow roads were unsuited to the needs of a rapidly inereasing population, and in all town and proprietors' meetings roads was the most important subject of discussion, and petition after petition was sent to the legislature concerning them. Jnly 27, 1767, the pro- prietors of Fryeburg voted to lay ont two open roads, one on each side of the Saco, and these were soon met by the Conway settlers. A road of quite a good character was very early constructed from Wolfeborough to Conway, and the first mention of Wolfeborough in the state documents in the office of the Secretary of State is in relation to making a road from that place to Stonington. This was in legislative records of action done October 26, 1768, brought about by the report of a committee appointed March 12, 1767, to look out and mark roads from Upper Coos to Pigwacket.

In 1772 Colonel Joseph Whipple moved from Portsmouth to Jefferson, coming to Wolfeborough, Conway, and through the White Mountain Notch, hoisting his cattle over the rocks at the head by ropes and tackle he had brought with him. The next year Nash and Sawyer's Location was granted for building a road through that tract. In a letter written by Colonel Whipple to the chairman of the Committee of Safety, October 13, 1776, he says : -

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The Committee of Safety for this state having by an advertisement bearing date the 25th of July past very seriously and urgently recommended to the inhabitants & proprietors of the several Towns and Tracts of Land therein to repair their Roads and Bridges. so that Warlike & other Stores might be transported for the defence & use of the Inhabitants of the Frontier Towns, particularly the Road leading from Wolfeborough through Conway to the Upper Cohos, & the said recommendation having been totally disregarded, (excepting only by the Masonian Proprs who have repair'd their Road from Wolfeborough towards Conway.) .. . From the Upper Cohos down to Conway the Bridges are lifted out of place by a Remarkable Freshet which happened a year past, which renders passing almost impracticable for horses & totally so for a Carriage of any kind, & also many Trees (Windfalls) lying across the roads.

June 17, 1786, the Assembly enacted that a " post set off every other Monday from Portsmouth, and from thence proceed through Newmarket, Durham, Dover, Rochester, Wakefield. Ossipee Gore, and Tamworth to Moultonborough ; thence through Meredith, Gilmanton, Barnstead, Barrington, and Dover to Portsmouth." The fourth state post route, established December 6, 1791, came from Portsmouth once a fortnight to Dover, Rochester, Wakefield, Ossipee, Tamworth, Sandwich Center, Holderness, Plymouth, Meredith, etc., as before. The only postoffice in the county (Strafford), until after 1800, was at Dover, and the Sun, Dover Gazette and Stratford Advertiser frequently contained advertise- ments of letters for residents of Tamworth, Sandwich, Wakefield, and other of our towns. The post-rider received £12 a year for service on the above route, which he accomplished on horseback, occupying a week in its transit. Samuel Bragg, afterward publisher of the above-mentioned paper, was post-rider for a long time on this route, beginning about 1795. Postage on letters was 4d under forty miles, and 6d for every forty miles.

In 1792 the state laid out a road four rods wide from Conway to Shelburne. President Dwight, of Yale College, came to Conway from Jefferson in 1797 through the Notch, and makes no complaint of bad roads, except that the first two miles of the Notch is so steep as to make horseback riding seriously incon- venient, and says from Bartlett to Conway they " passed through a good road."

Hon. John Wentworth, royal governor, early planned to make manorial possessions in Wolfeborough, and in a letter dated April 5, 1758, now on file in Halifax, he says : " A road may be easily made from Quebec to Winnipiseogee which would immediately communicate with all the populous and most fertile parts of New England at one third of the distance, trouble, time, and expense of any other route." In 1768 he began a large plantation in Wolfeborough, on which he expended large sums, and erected an elegant country house. As much of the materials was brought from Portsmouth, and the ladies of the "royal household " could not be expected to travel otherwise than by carriages, a suitable road of forty-five miles was made and completed by 1770.1 In a letter written from this place by Lady Frances Wentworth, wife of the governor, October 4, 1770, are several allusions to the road as follows : "I

1 The usual way was to ride on horseback, the lady seated on a pillion behind the man.

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

believe we shall soon get to town [Portsmouth]. You may easily think I dread the journey, from the roughness of the carriage, as the roads are so bad, and I as great a coward as ever existed. ... The governor would attempt, and effect if possible, to ride over the tops of the trees on Moose Mountain, while poor I even tremble at passing through a road ent at the foot of it. ... The roads are so precarious in the winter months, that it is impossible. . . I hope the roads will be better next year.'

Hon. Peter Livius, afterward Chief Justice of Canada, had set up a country establishment in Tuftonborough, nine miles from the governor's house in Wolfeborough as early as 1765. There might or might not have been a road to his place ; transportation was easier on the lake.

Through the influence of Governor Wentworth the Assembly passed a bill continuing the road from the governor's house to Plymouth. This was laid out in 1771, the committee for that purpose making return under date of September 20, 1771. They say : -

Which road is marked for three rods wide, beginning at the Governor's House in Wolfe- borough aforesaid, running from thence north. 27> east. 1 mile and { to Mr. Rindges, - from thence west, 45º north, 3 mile on Wolfeborough road, - from thence west, 4º north, 7 miles to Miles road, so called, -from thenee west. 45" north, | mile to Squire Livins', - from thence north, 40° west, 5 miles on Miles road to Melvin river, -from thence north, 32º west, 3 miles & § on said rode to Colonel Moulton's, - from thence north, 34- west, 1 mile to Ebenezar Blaks, - from thence west, 20° south, 6 miles & & to Senters, - from thenee west, 40º north, 8 miles & & to Shepherds, -from thence north, 20° west, 1 mile & $ to Squire Livermore's. - from thence north, 25° west, 2 miles & # to Pemagawasset river at the entrance of Mill Brook. The whole of which being computed to be 36 mile & 3.

This road was continued to Dartmouth College in Hanover, and we are informed that " the same year that the highway was laid out, the governor and his lady passed over the route in their coach. The style of this equipage attracted much attention, and the coach was a source of much wonder, as it was the first four-wheeled carriage ever seen in that section of the state." This carriage was a " coach-and-six," with mounted guards in livery (their usual method of journeying), and the trip was to attend the first commence- ment of Dartmouth College, as the same authority quoted above informs us. The towns provided themselves with local roads soon after their settlement, but the streams were troublesome. The fierce mountain torrents swelled them enormously in volume, sometimes causing them to rise twenty and twenty-five feet in a single night. The bridges would be swept away like so many straws. Gradually, however, these were made capable of resistance, and more scientific in their construction. An act was passed by the legislature of 1786 " for altering, repairing, and making fit for the passing of carts and waggons the road from Conway to the Upper Cooss." The road to Thornton through Sand- wich Notch, called the old county road, was opened in 1796. Later, in 1804,

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the " Great Ossipee Turnpike " was chartered to run from Thornton through Sandwich, Tamworth, Effingham, and Ossipee to the state line.

The most important legislation concerning early roads was the incorporation of the Tenth New Hampshire Turnpike from the west line of Bartlett through the White Mountain Notch. This was done December 28, 1803. The distance was twenty miles, and the expense of building it $40,000. Until the advent of railroads, this was the great outlet of the Upper Coos country, and the thor- oughfare over which its merchandise came from Portland and Portsmouth. Daily, in winter, lines of teams, from half a mile to a mile in length, with tough Canadian horses harnessed to "pungs " or red sleighs, would pass down on their way to market with pot or pearl ash, butter, cheese, pork, lard, peltry, etc., and return with well-assorted loads of merchandise (New England rum filling a liberal space), while the drivers filled the rude taverns of the Craw- fords, Rosebrooks, and others with a wild hilarity. The Sandwich Notch road was also an outlet of the Pemigewasset and Coos countries, and much travel came through it toward and from the coast towns.

By 1820 the roads were generally in good condition, the plow and scraper doing admirable service, and considered as valuable adjuncts as the road machines are in 1889. Plank roads were established in some places, and did good duty, but their day did not last. Stage wagons began to appear.

Among the early proprietors of the four-horse coaches from Lowell to Conway were John L. and James Hanson, and, later, John Brewster and others. In 1856 Elisha P. Allen purchased the route from Dover to Conway from Cyrus K. Drake, of Effingham, and in 1868 sold it to L. D. Sinclair, who conducted it until the opening of the Portsmouth, Great Falls, and Conway railroad. In 1860 Mr Allen established a line from Wolfeborough to North Conway, the first line from the south to go beyond Conway. Charles Gilman, later, became proprietor. In early days a stage line ran from Concord to Conway, where various lines made a common stopping-place. In time the southern terminus of this route was changed, as the railroad from Concord was completed northward. It reached Meredith about 1845, and has continued there in winter, and in summer at Centre Harbor, ever since. The eastern terminus was changed to West Ossipee on the opening of the Portsmouth, Great Falls, and Conway railroad.

Canals. - In 1797, when the 5,000-acre farm of Governor John Wentworth in Wolfeborough was advertised to be sold at auction, it was said to be " bounded by Smith's Pond - said pond discharges itself in the great Wini- pischy Lake; from thence there will be a canal communication with Boston in a few years." This expectation was never to be realized, but this record is of value as showing how early canals were thought of and deemed of value. A charter was obtained in 1811 to cut a canal and lock all the falls between Winnipiseogee lake and the Cocheco branch of the Pascataqua in Dover

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.

(twenty-seven miles). The fall of 452 feet required 53 loeks, and the expense was estimated at $300,000. The charter was renewed later (about 1820),1 and the possibilities of the Winnipiseogee gravely discussed in this manner : -

The opening of this canal will extend to more than 1,400 miles, bordering on the lake and rivers, the full benefits of a boat navigation to Portsmouth. The communication might extend beyond the lake nearly to the Pemigewasset river. Great advantages would result. The immense quantities of fine timber on the borders of the lake and its numerous islands would then offer facilities in the building of vessels of war unequalled in the United States. In connection with the safe and commodious harbor at Portsmouth, the opening of this canal would seem to be an object meriting the attention of the National Government.

Before definite action was taken on this, railroads and their possibilities began to be discussed, and in time revolutionized all preconceived ideas of transportation.

Railroads on Carroll Territory. - The following charters have been granted.

1847, July 2: Conway and Meredith Railroad Company. From west village in Conway to some convenient point on Boston, Concord, and Montreal railroad in Meredith.

1868, July 3. New Hampshire Central railroad. From line of Maine in valley of Great Ossipee river, in Freedom or Effingham, to the Northern railroad in Danbury.

1871, July 15. Wolfeborough and Alton railroad. From some point in Alton to connect with Portsmouth, Great Falls, and Conway railroad, in Ossipee or Wakefield.

1872, July 4. Iron Mountain railroad. From Bartlett, through Bartlett and Conway to any convenient point to connect with other railroads.

1874, July 9. Swift River railroad. From some point in Conway to connect with Portsmouth, Great Falls, and Conway railroad, to height of land in Waterville, Allen's or Elkins's grants.

1876, July 2. Sawyer River railroad. From some point in Hart's Location, westerly, up valley of Sawyer river, to some point at height of land dividing waters which flow into Sawyer river from those which flow into Pemigewasset river.

The Portsmouth, Great Falls, and Conway railroad, chartered June 30, 1865, is the successor of the Great Falls and Conway railroad, chartered June 10, 1844. It runs from Conway Junction, at North Berwick, Maine, to North Conway, seventy-two and one-fifth miles; three miles of the south end being in Maine. It was completed to North Conway June 24, 1875. In 1871 it was leased to the Eastern railroad, and, with that, passed into the control of the Boston and Maine railroad, which now operates it.

Wolfeborough railroad, from Wolfeborough Junction, Wakefield, to

1 Litlle Pigwackel canai was Incorporated June 24, 1819.

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Wolfeborough, twelve miles, was incorporated July 1, 1868, and completed August 19, 1872. It was leased January 6, 1872, to the Eastern for sixty-eight years, and is now a part of the Boston and Maine system.

Portland and Ogdensburgh railroad. - A charter was granted July 6, 1867 (succeeding others granted earlier and lapsed), for a railroad from the west line of Maine through Conway, Bartlett, White Mountain Notch, Carroll, Bethlehem, and Littleton, with the proviso if a route from Littleton to St Johnsbury, Vt, was found impracticable, the company could build the road from Carroll to Whitefield, Dalton, and Vermont line. This road runs about thirty-five miles in Carroll, through the picturesque Saco valley and the wildly romantic scenery of the White Mountain Notch. It was completed to Fabyan's August 7, 1875.

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History of Carroll County, New Hampshire, Part 9

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