USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Charlestown > History of Charlestown, New-Hampshire, the old No. 4 > Part 32
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73
Dr. Crosby proved a good citizen and as such was honored by the town. His name appears in the public records, twice, as one of the selectmen ; the first time for the year 1794, the second for 1796. He was town treasurer nine years commencing with the year 1790, and for a considerable time Post-master of the town. He was also appoint- ed by the State Board of Commissioners Assessor for the town of Charlestown, and took the oath of office November 16th, 1798. He was moreover made Collector of Revenue, for the 2d division District of New-Hampshire. He was chosen County Treasurer in 1802, which office he held at the time of his death, which took place August 27th, of that year.
The residence of Dr. Crosby was in the cottage, at the lower end of Main street, just opposite the mansion of the late Governor Hubbard. This was also the home of his son, Samuel Crosby, jr. The family be- came extinct by the death of Mrs. Emily Crosby, January 2d, 1873.
318
CROSBY-CUMMINGS.
Charlestown has been blest with few better men, than the subject of this sketch. His aim was, invariably, both in private and in pub- lic, to act on Christian principles ; and he gave no one reason to com- plain, that those principles were not carried out in his life. Living and acting thus, he was universally respected, and his friends became a multitude, so that when he died he was not only lamented by his immediate townsmen, and neighbors, but by a wide circle of acquaint- ance, extending to all parts of New-England.
Mrs. Ruth Crosby survived her husband nearly twenty-three years, and died Feb. 23d, 1835, aged 71 years.
Ch. of Dr. Samuel and Ruth Terry Crosby. I. Samuel, b. Sept. 12th, 1791; m. June 20th, 1832, Emily, dau. of Capt. James Gil- christ ; b. 1805. Mr. Crosby d. Feb. 20th, 1861, and Mrs. Crosby, Jan. 2d, 1873. Both were persons of most amiable character, and left at their decease many friends who sincerely mourned their loss. II. Louisa, b. Jan. 29th, 1793; d. the 16th of Feb. following. III. Hen- ry, b. Sept. 30th, 1794, was accidentally drowned at Montpelier, Vt., May 20th, 1823. IV. Harriet, b. May 16th, 1799; d. August 29th, 1802 ; she died just as the family were returning from the funeral of her beloved father.
The following pedigree of the above family has been kindly fur- nished by George Olcott, Esq.
" Simon Corsby came from England to Cambridge, Mass., and thence to Billerica, Mass., not far from 1650 and there died. His son Simon Crosby, jr., died in Billerica. Samuel son of Simon Crosby, jr., born about 1700 ; married Dorothy Brown of Billerica; removed to Shrews- bury, Mass., and there died about 1750. Samuel Crosby, jr., son of Samuel Crosby, was born in 1732; married Azubah Howe, daughter of James Howe of Worcester, Mass., and resided in Winchendon Mass. Dr. Samuel Crosby son of Samuel Crosby, jr."
PAUL CUMMINGS, m. 1st, Rebecca Heywood (dau. of Levi and Em- ily W. Heywood), b. Feb. 15th, 1825, and settled in Charlestown, where he continued to reside, except for a short time in Acworth, till Nov., 1875, when he removed to Ascutneyville, Vt. Ch. I. Mary Jane, b. Apr. 22d, 1848 ; m. Edward Cooley (See Cooley) II. Orson Dean, b. June 6th, 1849; m. March 2d, 1873, Lydia Westney and lives in Ascutneyville, Vt. III. George H. b. Dec. 11th, 1851; m. June 9th, 1874, Betsy Huntley and lives in Hartland, Vt. IV. Em- ma Ann, b. June 7th, 1853; m. June 12th, 1874, George Johnson and lives in Claremont. Mrs. Rebecca Cummings d. in 1860, and he m.
319
CUSHING.
2d, Harriet L. Morse (dau. of Loring and Mary (Dwinell) Morse of Acworth.
CHIEF JUSTICE CUSHING.
EDMUND L. CUSHING, the present Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Judicature for New Hampshire, is the son of Edmund and Molly (Stearns) Cushing, and was born at Lunenburg, Massachusetts, where his parents continued to reside until their decease. It being early plan- ned that he should receive an education, his youthful studies were direct- ed in such a manner to that end, that he was fitted for, and entered Har- vard University in the fall of 1823; at which institution he also receiv- ed his degree in due course in the fall of 1827. Soon after graduating a tutorship being proffered him, he was induced by the circumstances of his situation at the time to accept it. But the employment was never congenial to him, and the writer has often heard him say, referring to it, " That he wasted some very valuable years in teaching." For a pro- fession he chose the law and was admitted to the bar in 1834, and in the spring of 1840, on the retirement of the late Chief Justice Gilchrist from practice, on account of his appointment as one of the Justices of the Superior Court, he established himself in his profession at Charles- town.
Mr. Cushing was successful in practice and gained such a respecta- ble standing at the bar that in the spring of 1855 he was appointed one of the Justices of the Circuit Court, which office he accepted, but had held it only about four months when the Court was abolished. Subse- quently, however, he was tendered an appointment in the new Court of Common Pleas, which from considerations unnecessary to mention, he felt it his duty to decline, From that time until his appointment to his present position, he continued in the diligent and unremitting practice of his profession, having only taken time enough from it to hold the of- fice of representative in the legislature for the years 1850-1852-1853.
In the summer of 1874, as is well known, when the courts were re- modelled, he received the appointment to the Chief Justiceship of the Superior Court, which he now holds.
The foregoing facts in the life of the subject of this sketch afford abundant evidence that he has been successful in his profession, and if we inquire into the reasons of his success at the bar we shall find it to have resulted from qualities not difficult to comprehend. As an emi- nent member of the profession, in describing him, has said, " He brought to the practice of his profession a well trained, clear and logical mind,
320
CUSHING.
a calm judgment, and a keen power of analysis, which never failed to throw light upon the matter which he had in hand. His location at a distance from any large centre of business, and from the courts was not such as to fill his office and consume his time with the every day routine business of a practitioner, but left him the time, which he did not fail to improve, for mastering the principles of the many cases of importance in which his services were sought. And he has done what would satisfy the ambition of most men-he has contributed largely to elevate and dignify the character of his chosen profession.
Although Chief Justice Cushing doubtless entertains decided opin- ions upon many of the political topics of the day, he has never been a partisan, nor has he mingled actively in party politics. In the long line of our eminent Chief Justices, it is believed that no one has brought to the position a stronger desire to perform the high duties allotted to him with integrity and absolute impartiality. His ultimate success on the bench and in the great field of general jurisprudence can be better de- termined when his labors shall have been completed and given to the public in the printed state reports. That his record will be a creditable one is the belief of his brethren on the bench and at the bar."
Such is the character of our Chief Justice, as described by a distin- guished member of the legal profession who knows him well. But though his attainments in legal knowledge are so respectable the writer feels required to say that they have not been gained by such an exclu- sive devotion to professional studies as to cause him to neglect other appropriate intellectual or æsthetic culture; but that his mind is also well stored on literary subjects, and whatever pertains to the progress of the sciences and the arts. And what is not common, we believe, in one of his profession, he is an accomplished musician, and has for years pre- sided at the organ at the South Parish Church, in Charlestown, where his extemporized voluntaries, perfect in their modulation, rhythm and harmony, have constituted one of the peculiar attractions of the service. In the relations of social life also he is accustomed to bear well his part, though the constant pressure of official duties upon him, does not allow him to mingle very much in general society.
Chief Justice Edmund L. Cushing, b. in Lunenburg, Mass., 1807 ; m., 1st, Apr. 1st, 1835, Laura Elizabeth Lovell (dau. of Vryling and Lau- ra (Hubbard) Lovell,) b., in Charlestown, March 25th, 1810. Ch. I. Catherine Lovell, b. July 27th, 1836 ; m., March 5th, 1864, Francis Mathews Green (son of Mathews and Margaret Augusta (Gilchrist) Green): one child, Catherine Laura, b. Feb. 2nd, 1865. Mrs. Green d.
321
CUSHING-DARRAH.
May 4th, 1866. Mr. Green is Lieutenant in command in United States Navy-head quarters Washington, D. C .; II. Edmund Henry, b. July 22nd, 1838; d. March 11th, 1869. He was in the United States service in the war of the Rebellion and received the appointment of Secretary to Admiral Foote, which position he continued to hold till the death of that distinguished commander, after which he was made full paymaster in the Navy, which office he held at the time of his death. He died of yellow fever and was buried at sea. He was a young man very much beloved by those who knew him best, and what he accomplished gave promise of a brilliant career ; but he did not live to reap the reward of his love of country ; but like thousands of others who entered that fatal war, was swept by disease to an early grave. A stone has been erected to his memory in our village cemetery. III. Rebecca Salsbury, b. Sept. 27th, 1843; m. Livingston Stone, Apr. 8th, 1875, (see pages 248- 49, of this work, and Fish Culture, in Historical Miscellany); IV. Mary Stearns, b. Nov. 11th, 1851. Chief Justice Cushing m., 2nd, Nov. 24th, 1858, Martha Robbins Gilchrist, (dau. of Capt. James Gil- christ) b. Oct. 27th. 1818.
GEORGE RUSSELL CUSHING (a different family from the above) b. in Hingham, Mass., March 9th, 1844; m., Dec. 30th, 1869, Helen Keziah Jones, (dau. of John Stillman and Rebecca M. (Loveland) Jones) b. May 15th, 1846. Ch. I. Helen Russell, b. Oct. 16th, 1870; II. George William, b. Apr. 6th, 1873; III. Alice Leona, b. Oct. 12th, 1874. Mr. Cushing settled in C., 1868.
WILLIAM DANA, (son of Thomas and Betsy (Davis) Dana,) b. in Springfield, Vt., Jan. 21st, 1807; m. Dec. 4th, 1832, Lucinda Wes- tern, (dau. of Joseph and - Western), b. Nov. 16th, 1809. Ch. I. Thomas Dana, 2d, b. Dec. 8th, 1833; m. 1st, Helen P. Williams, of Perkinsville, Vt., who d. Dec. 9th, 1859; m. 2nd, Mary C. Baldwin of Cambridge, Mass., and has children ; 1. William F .; 2. Helen M .; 3. Ada M. II. Ellen E. b. Oct. 13th, 1839; m. July 26th, 1859, Horace B. Wing, (son of Joseph and Cassendana (Ballou) Wing), b. in Bos- ton, May 6th, 1831 ; resides in Charlestown.º Mrs. Lucinda Dana, d. in Charlestown, Sept. 18th, 1866; William Dana, Esq., d. Nov. 18th, 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Dana lived first in Springfield, Vt., whence they removed to Windsor, Vt., and resided six years; they then, in the spring of 1860, removed to Charlestown. He was representative in 1866-67-68 ; selectman in 1868. He was a farmer and an excellent citizen.
JOSEPH DARRAH, b. in Tyngsboro, Mass., Aug. 15th, 1779; came to
-
322
DARRAH-DAVIS.
Charlestown in 1802 ; m. Feb. 6th, 1803, Lefe Putnam ; b. in Chelms- ford, Mass., Oct. 26th, 1781. Ch. I. Charles, b. Nov. 12th, 1803; d. in Carthagena, South America, June 4th, 1826. II. Lefe Pierce, b. May 4th, 1805; III. Elizabeth, b. May 12th, 1807; d. at Concord, Mass., Jan., 15th, 1823 ; IV. Amanda, b. Apr. 28th, 1809; m. Henry H. Sylvester ; d. June 4th, 1857 ; V. Joseph, b. Apr. 4th, 1813; d. at Charlestown, Apr. 13th, 1834; VI. Jane Maria, b. July 7th, 1815; VII. Robert Kendall, b. Dec. 7th, 1818 ; m. Sophie Town, of Phila- delphia, Penn ; resides in Boston; VIII. David Putnam, b. March 26th, 1823; m. Sept. 6th, 1866, Nancy Morse, of Charlestown ; d. March 7th, 1875; IX. Henry Hurd, b. Oct. 4th, 1825; m. Eliza Clarke, of Dorchester, Mass .; resides in Boston. In 1820, Joseph Darrah removed to Concord, Mass., in which place David Putnam was born. In 1824, he removed from Concord to Chester, Vt., where Henry Hurd was born. In 1827, he returned to Charlestown, where he remained till his death, March 9th, 1863, at the ripe age of 84. Mrs. Darrah survived her husband seven years, and died at the ad- vanced age of 88 years and 6 months.
In the winter of 1802-3, there was no snow till the first of February. Mr. Darrah was engaged to be married and had arranged with his in- tended bride, that their marriage should take place as soon as there was sufficient snow to make good sleighing from Chelmsford to Charlestown. He waited anxiously from day to day only to have his hope deferred. At length his impatience became such that he declared that he would give a dollar a bushel for snow enough to go after his intended wife. The snow came at last, and the wedding took place, and the wife for whom he had waited so impatiently made him for a long series of years an excellent helper and a happy home. But it always created a smile in the family, and among the neighbors, when Mr. Darrah referred, as he often did, to the winter in which there was no sleighing till February.
Mr. Darrah for many years kept a public house, or a tavern, as such places were called in his time ; and became widely and popularly known in that capacity. He first kept the house, since much altered, now occupied by James B. Dinsmoor. After his return from Chester he bought the old Plumb stand near the old jail, in which he contin- ued till the 1st of April, 1841, when he removed to the farm on which the remainder of his life was spent, and which is still (1876) in pos- session of the family.
MOSES AND JEMIMA DAVIS. Ch. I. Josiah, b. May 9th, 1780.
323
DAVIS-DEAN.
THOMAS DAVIS, b. in Ireland, Co. Wicklow; m., Apr. 1st, 1868, Mary Hackett, b. in Co. of Kilkenny, Ireland, Jan. 1836. Ch. I. Thomas, b. Jan. 18th, 1869; II. Patrick, b. Nov. 15th, 1871; III. Elizabeth, b. Dec. 31st, 1873.
AARON DEAN.
AARON DEAN, of Charlestown. N. H., merchant ; youngest son of Jeremiah and Rebekah (Scott) Dean, was born in Dedham, Mass., May, 1765. His mother, who was the second wife of his father, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and came, in childhood, with her father, to Boston, where she lived until her marriage. She passed the last years of her life, after the death of her husband, in the family of her son, at Charles- town, where she died and was buried. The other children of Jeremiah and Rebekah were two sons-Roland and Moses-both of whom died un- married-and six daughters. Rebekah m. Ebenezer Winslow, of Spring- field, Mass .; Deborah m. Josiah Peekham, of Sheldon, Vt .; Lucy, m. John Doolittle, of Westmoreland, N. H .; Polly m. Martin Butterfield, of Westmoreland; Nancy m. Willard Butterfield, of the same town, and Sally m. Clark Conant, of Windsor, Vt. The first wife of Jere- miah was Mary Ames of Dedham, by whom he had two sons-Jeremiah and David; the last died in childhood ; the first married and lived to old age.
Jeremiah Dean, the father of Aaron, b. in Dedham, May 13th, 1713, was the son of Jeremiah and Mary (Fisher) Dean. Jeremiah Dean, the grand-father of Aaron, b. in Dedham, May 24th, 1685, was the son of John and Sarah Dean. John Dean, and his wife Sarah were certainly settled in Dedham as early as Apr. 25th, 1677 ; the birth of a child of theirs being recorded there under that date, which is the first notice of him that has been discovered. There is a tradition among his descendants that he came from England, but there is no other evi- dence of the fact, and if there was any relationship between him and others of the name, settled in Taunton and elsewhere in N. E., it has never been traced.
Mr. Dean served his apprenticeship in the store of Nathaniel Mac- carty, at Petersham, Mass., where, at an early hour on Sunday morning, Feb. 4, 1787, he witnessed the hasty and disorderly flight of Shays and his rebel army ; leaving behind them their stacked arms, and- and what was exceedingly opportune-a warm breakfast to comfort and re- fresh the jaded and half frozen troops of Gen. Lincoln, after their fa- mous night march from Hadley. Soon after that, he came to Charles-
324
DECAMP-DELANO.
town, and, under the patronage of Mr. Maccarty, whose confidence and friendship he enjoyed through life, commenced, on his own account, the business of merchandizing, which he pursued with great industry, good judgment and success for nearly forty years, when he retired from act- ive business, giving up his store and the good will of his trade to his nephew, the late Dean Conant. Soon after coming to Charlestown he married Phyla Walker, daughter of Col. Abel Walker, one of the most prominent and esteemed citizens of the town, by whom lie had four children, viz .- I. Nathaniel, b. Apr. 2nd, 1791, and d. (unmarried) Apr. 21st, 1811; II. Sally Walker, b. July 6th, 1795 ; m. Henry Hub- bard, of Charlestown ; d., Apr. 10th, 1876, in Boston, (see Hon. Henry Hubbard). III. Catherine; b. March 21st, 1802: m Waldo Flint, of Boston ; d. Apr. 12th, 1869, without issue ; IV. Rebekah Scott, b. Dec. 21st, 1812; m. Stephen Salisbury, of Worcester, Mass., and d. July 22nd, 1843, leaving one child, Stephen Salisbury, jr. Mr. Dean died suddenly, of heart disease, July 22nd, 1829. Mrs. Dean survived her husband twenty years, and died Nov. 15th, 1849.
DAVID DECAMP, a Hessian, after the battle of Trenton, remained in New Jersey, where he married-came, on the close of the war, to Charles- town. Both he and his wife came on foot, bringing in their packs their entire stock of worldly goods. Among other things was a small apple tree, now known as the Wine apple, from which have sprung all the trees in Charlestown bearing that species of fruit. Their children were I. Mary, who m. Nathaniel Baker, March, 1798; II. Deborah, who m., Feb. 28th, 1805, William R. Griffith, of Weathersfield, Vt .; III. John. who m. Esther Rumrill, March 13th, 1809. Ch. 1 and 2. Abraham and Isaac, twins, b. Nov. 18th, 1809; removed to North Springfield, Vt .; 3. Daniel, b. Sept. 28th, 1816; m. Lucretia Mans- field : 4, Martha, m. Daniel Adams, and removed to Michigan; IV. David, who m., Aug. 3d, 1823, Matilda Hinkley.
ABISHA DELANO, b. in Nantucket, July 24th, 1763 ; m. Eliza Ham- att, b. in Nantucket, Mass., Apr. 1st, 1779. He d. in Charlestown, Dec. 26th, 1830. She d. in C., Feb. 4th, 1858. Ch. I. Sarah F., b. Jan. 24th, 1796 ; m. S. G. Williams; II. William H., b. Aug. 24th, 1798 ; living in Charlestown ; unmarried (Jan. 7th, 1876). The greater part of his life has been spent in this place, where he has many friends. Though advanced in years he still retains much of the vivacity of youth, and appears to be equally welcomed in the society both of the young and the old; III. Charles A., b. about 1801 ; m. Mary Cathcart Ham- att and settled in Charlestown; d. in 1853, in California; IV. Eliza
325
DEMARY-DICKINSON.
A., b. 1804; d. Dec. 22nd, 1828; V. Hepsibeth B., b. about 1805 ; m. William H. Swan and settled in Worcester, Mass. He d. in Constan- tine, Mich. She is now with her daughter, Eliza, in Geneva, Switzer- land, who m. William Heath, of New York ; VI. Henry, b. about 1808 .; m. Maria Carter. The above were all born in New Bedford, Mass .; VII. Mary S., b. in Charlestown, 1814; m. William O. Fisk, and is now living in Pekin, Ill; VIII. Laura M., b. Apr. 27th, 1817 ; m. Robert Brett Schenk, and d. Aug. 29th, 1854; IX. Martha, b. about 1819 ;. m. James H. Watts; d. in Rochester, N. Y. Abisha De- lano removed from New Bedford, Mass., to North Charlestown in 1810. While in New Bedford he was a sea captain. In Charlestown his occu- pation was that of a farmer.
SULLIVAN JACKSON DEMARY (son of Silas and Sally (Rand) Dema- ry), b. Aug. 20th, 1816; m., Apr. 26th, 1838, Jane Brown (dau. of Abel and Priscilla (Hodgkins) Brown), b. March 16th, 1820; Ch. I. Charles Sullivan, b, Apr. 5th, 1839 ; m., Jan. 1st, 1872, Ellen Douglas, b. Feb. 3d, 1841. One child, Sullivan Jackson ; lives in West Point, Nebraska; II. George Jackson. b. Feb. 9th, 1841; m., May 10th, 1866, Emma Messenger ; resides in Springfield, Vt .; III. John Nichols, b. Dec. 2ud, 1842; m., June 1st, 1871, Abbie Whitcomb; resides in Springfield, Vt .; IV. Sarah Jane, b. Aug. 14th, 1845; V. Lucia El- len, b. Apr. 5th, 1849; m., Aug. 24th, 1869, William H. Vickery ; re- sides in Pembroke, Province of Ontario, Canada; VI. Hattie Eliza, b. March 7th, 1853. Mr. Demary came to reside in Charlestown, May 6th, 1872.
ELIJAH DERBY m, Abigail Grow, Jan. 29th, 1799. He was drown- ed in Sept. 1815. There was a person in the water in danger of drown- ing and Mr. Derby went to help him out and got drowned himself. Ch. I. Emily, m. Dea. Greeley, of Claremont ; II. Caroline, m. Caleb Hill, July 30th, 1825 ; III. Erastus, b. Sept. 26th, 1803; m. Nancy Park- er, b. in Lunenburg, March 7th, 1801. Ch. 1. Elizabeth, b. April 16th, 1831; m. - Doolittle; 2. Charles, b. Feb. 12th, 1833; m. Hannah O'Bryan; has five children ; resides in Keene, N. H .; IV. Horace, d. in Boston ; V. Rosalinda, m. Samuel Haskel ; VI. John, m. Elizabeth Daggett and settled in Lowell, Mass .; VII. Clarissa, m. Alonzo Perkins, Nov. 29th, 1838, and settled in Arlington, Vt.
ELIHU DICIENSON (son of Josiah and Sibil (Partridge) Dickinson, of Hadley, Mass.) ; removed to Charlestown, N. H .; m. Belinda Graves, (dau. of Phineas and Elizabeth (Parker) Graves), b. June 6th, 1763. Ch. I. John, b. Dec. 17th, 1781; II. Daniel, b. May 3d, 1784; III. Sid-
326
DICKINSON.
ney, daughter, b. Jan. 29th, 1786 ; IV. Abigail, b. Apr. 3d, 1788 ; V. Sally, b. Aug. 13th, 1789; d. Feb. 1790; VI. William G., b. Aug. 4th, 1791; VII. Lucy, b. Oct. 27th, 1792.
GEORGE M. DICKINSON, b. in Westminster, Vt., Aug. 10th, 1812; m. June 5th, 1848, Susan D. Willard, (dau. of Joseph and Susan D. (Clapp) Willard), b. Oct. 3d, 1826, in Westminster, Vt. One child, Susie D. b. Jan. 20th, 1854; m. Oct. 12th, 1871, John C. Work, (see Work).
Mr. Dickinson was the largest stage proprietor in this part of the country during the eight or ten years that preceded the opening of the railroads in this section. He was chief manager and principal proprietor of the following lines, viz. the line from Walpole to Wind- sor on both sides of the river ; the line from Charlestown to Woodstock through Springfield, Vt .; the line from Charlestown to Chester, Vt., and Landgrove ; and the Forest line as it was called from Charlestown to Hancock, N. H.
Before 1820, but little staging was done in this part of the country. There was a line to Hanover, but all its business was done by a two horse coach. There was a one horse line also from Walpole to Rut- land. But between 1820 and 1840, the business immensely increased and still more from 1840 to the time of the opening of the railroads. Under Mr. Dickinson's management everything was greatly improved. Splendid teams took the place of old, jaded and wind-broken horses, and elegant and showy coaches were substituted for the weather-worn and unseemly looking vehicles that had been seen previously. Says an eminent physician of Hartford, Ct., who in his youth used frequent- ly to pass through Charlestown, "It was a splendid sight to see the stages as they used to come in and pass out from your principal Hotel. I have seen a dozen coaches at a time painted up in the finest style standing before the door waiting their turn to take in passengers and baggage, and when they started out or came in, wasn't it a sight ? Talk about railroads! I have seen hundreds of them, but what is there in the arrival of a train that can compare with the coming of the old stage coach ?"
Commencement time at Hanover used to make lively work both for the stage company and for the hotels, and the villagers were often greatly excited over the expectation of seeing some great man, who they knew had gone to commencement, on his return. One time Gen- eral Cass happened to be the hero of the occasion and every body had turned out for the purpose of getting a look at him. The General got his dinner and they had the satisfaction of seeing him, for the purpose
327
DODGE-DOLON.
of getting a good seat, hurry out and get into the stage. The other passengers also soon took their seats in the different coaches that were waiting for them and were just ready to start, when the clerk of the hotel rushed to the door, at the same time crying out in a very loud voice " Mr. Dickinson will you please stop the coaches a moment, there is one man aboard who has not paid for his dinner !" On this, Gen- eral Cass stuck his head out of the door and said in reply " I am sor- ry to acknowledge that what you say is true, and I am that man and I hope you will receive as a truthful apology that my thoughts were so occupied on other subjects, that the settling of my bill entirely slipped my mind." He thereupon paid for his dinner, when the announcement " all ready" was given and the Jehus cracked their whips and in their usual dashing style started away.
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.