USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > History of Coos County, New Hampshire > Part 10
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The dress of these early settlers was very simple, and of their own man- ufacture. The women were obliged to work very industriously in order to be able to accomplish the many duties required of theni, and they had neither the means nor opportunity for fine clothes, but they were dressed neatly and generally scrupulously clean. A striped loose gown with blue and white check apron, well-starched and ironed, was considered a dress pretentious enough to appear in any company. Many of these women would frequently work eighteen to twenty hours a day. They would card and spin the wool from their sheep, weave and color it (in some primitive way), then cut and make their plain garments. Before they raised sheep, the men wore garments made of moose-skin, and tow cloth was also used largely for both men and women. No luxuries, no laces, no " lingerie," in which the women of to-day take so much pride. Linen and tow was used instead of cotton, and dressed flax was to some extent an article of export.
Hardwood was cut from large tracts of land, and burned to obtain ashes, which the early settlers leached and boiled into salts, and carried where they could find a market. Those that had a horse would make what was called a "car." by pinning cross-pieces to two light poles of suitable length, putting the horse in as into the thills of a wagon, the back part dragging on the ground, and the load fastened on just behind the horse. Those that had oxen, used a wide spread crotched stick like a cart
EARLY SETTLERS.
tongue, this they called a " go-cart." Those who had no team either drew their load by hand, or carried it on their backs; and the man that could not carry a hundred pounds on his back was not fit for a pioneer. Money was so scarce the most that could be obtained went for taxes, and for want of it, they were taken to jail. Hence poverty was the rule, and riches the exception. In winter the snow was so fearfully deep that the few families with their homes at some distance from each other could not keep the road or marked ways open, and consequently great suffering often ensued.
There were almost no roads for many years. Mills were so distant that grain was sometimes purchased at the mills and ground and brought to their homes; most of the grinding was done with pestles in huge mortars, manufactured from short logs of large hard wood trees, sometimes two or three feet in diameter. Excellent crops of wheat were raised on the new land; usually good corn, and a large amount of potatoes, which, baked in the coal beds of their great kitchen fire-places, made many a good meal.
James W. Weeks thus describes the early homes of Lancaster : "The kitchen was a large room, perhaps 15 by 24 feet: one door opening directly out of doors: an immense fire-place 7 feet wide and 3 feet deep. To this fire-place a hardwood log is brought about 33 feet long, and twenty inches in diameter. The brands of yesterday's back log are drawn for- ward with the long handled fire shovel, and the back log rolled into the fire-place against the brick-work. On this another log is placed, as large as will lie, called a back stick. The fire dogs are now set up, and on these is laid a large stick called a fore stick, then is filled in the brands of yester- day's back log and the old fire, together with small wood You soon have a fire that will throw a glow and a warmth to every part of the room: a crane of sufficient strength to hold a five pail kettle filled with water, is hung to the left jamb; on this is a trammel with hook to take up or let down, and other hooks on which pots and kettles may be hung when used for cooking. A capacious brick oven is built on one side of the fire-place, which is heated once a week, and the family baking done. The long- handled fire-shovel, and a large pair of kitchen tongs complete the fire arrangements of the kitchen.
" There were also a dozen kitchen chairs framed with seats of elm bark or basket stuff: a long pine table that could be moved, capable of seating ten or twelve; a table or board turned down againt the wall, on which to work dough for bread.
"The family. with the exception of the small children (who had bread and milk night and morning), took their meals at the large table in the kitchen. At dinner the larger children came to the table with their par- ents. The buttery and sink-room opened out of the kitchen.
". Now about the cooking utensils. First was the large dinner pot, in which the suet or berry pudding was boiled, and the bean or pea porridge
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was made; a broad, flat-bottomed kettle, in which to fry doughnuts; a smaller one in which to boil potatoes, etc., and a large dish kettle. Then the gridiron: the heavy-handled frying-pan for frying meat and griddle cakes. The Dutch oven held its own a long time, but was superseded by the tin baker. This oven was a broad, flat iron kettle with long legs, and an iron cover with a rim turned up about one and a half inches; there was a 'loop ' in the middle of the cover, by which to handle it with the tongs. To use this oven, a bed of coals was drawn forward and the oven set over them, the biscuits put in, the cover put on, and a few shovelsfull of coals put on the cover, and the biscuits, when taken out, were sure to be nicely browned. Potatoes were roasted in the ashes, and the Christmas goose was cooked by being suspended by a string that would swing and turn before the fire, and was basted every few minutes, with a long- handled spoon, from the dripping-pan. The first cooking stove came into town about 1825 or 1826. The first stove of any kind that I ever saw was in the old Court House. It was a brick structure, about 5 feet square and 2 and a half feet high, surmounted by an immense potash kettle upside down, with a hole in the bottom, over which the smoke pipe was set.
"Adjoining the kitchen was the sanctum of the mistress of the house, where noisy boys did not enter, except by permission. There was the cradle for baby and the young children, and if the mother had not a little girl of her own, ten or twelve years old, to look after the baby, she bor- rowed one of some friend who had more than she could make useful. In this room the mother taught and cared for the children, and made 'ole claithes amaist as good as new.' Here was a fire-place half as large as that in the kitchen: a bed turned up against the wall in a corner; some strong wooden chairs; a table in the middle of the room: a desk, and a small table or stand under the looking glass at one side of the room, on which was the Bible and a few other books. The clock had its place here, and every hour gave notice of the flight of time. In the more pretentious houses there was another apartment similar to this, with some valuable furniture, with- out a carpet, but, later, one of home manufacture covered the floor. There was generally a small bed-room, with a spare bed, out of the way of the noise of the kitchen, with a fire-place, which was used only on special occasions and in case of sickness. The children occupied the second floor. All the beds, except those of the very poor, were of feathers."
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REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD AND EARLY ROADS.
CHAPTER XI.
REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD AND EARLY ROADS.
War of the Revolution - Frontier and Scouting Parties - Proposed Expedition - Convention of Towns - Orders, Receipts, Etc. - Early Roads - Petitions Concerning Roads and New County - Roads in 1997 and 1803 - Tenth New Hampshire Turnpike-Jefferson Turnpike, Etc.
REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
T YHE Indians had a trail from Canada to the Penobscot river, in Maine. After crossing the Memphremagog, they would take the Clyde river, which would lead them to Island Pond, Vt., then cross to the Nul- hegan river, and down that to the Connecticut, thence down this river to the upper Ammonoosuc, and up this to some point in the present town of Milan, where they crossed to the Androscoggin, thence down the last named river. They were a great source of annoyance to the inhabitants through whose settlements they passed. During the Revolutionary war, the Indians received $11 bounty for each scalp and $55 for each live cap- tive taken by them. The Tories were leagued with the Indians in opposi- tion to the Revolutionists, and as the latter could get no assistance from the government, they were obliged to rely entirely upon their own insuffi- cient resources for self-defense. The inhabitants of both sides of the Connecticut river united for the purpose of self-protection, chose a "com- mittee of safety," and built forts for the protection of the women and children. There were three built-two in Northumberland, one at the mouth of the Ammonoosuc river, one on the Marshall farm, and one in Stratford, in the north part of the town. Whenever the "alarm" was given that the "Indians" or "Tories were coming," the women and chil- dren would flee to the forts. An incident showing somewhat of the trials and hardships to which mothers were subject in those days of unremitting fear and anxiety, is this: The young wife of Caleb Marshall, on whose farm one of the forts was built, after providing for the safety of the most valuable of her household goods by having them buried in the earth, mounted her horse, and, with a child of two years and an infant of three weeks old, went unattended through the wilderness and sparsely settled towns to her parents in Hampstead, a distance of 160 miles, where she arrived in safety.
The history of New Hampshire's services in the Revolution has never been written. Other states have claimed honors that were justly hers, and no field is more deserving the pen of a painstaking and accurate his- torian, or would bring a better reputation: and it is to be hoped that soon
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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
some able writer will treat of this subject fully, and show that the Granite State was not the least one of the original thirteen in devotion, ability and sacrifice.
From the commencement of the Revolution the hardy pioneers of Coos stood as an advance guard and picket company, not only to protect their own settlements, but to warn and defend the lower settlements against attacks from the north.
This document from Hammond's Town Papers shows better than any eulogy of ours the patriotic spirit actuating them.
"Petition for Soldiers .- Whereas we the inhabitants of Lancaster, Northumberland, Guildhall & Stratford are fully sensible of the dangers of being attacked by the Canadians which are the worst of enemys & although some of our neighbors have Quit the ground, yet we the Subscri- bers Do Jointly & severly promis & ingage to Stand our ground providing the Honab'le Coun- sell sees Fitt to grant our request That is this, that you will please us your petitioners so far as to appoint Mr. Jere'h Ames of Northumberland our friend & Neighbour, Commander of our Fort which with a great deal of fatage we have almost accomplished & likewise for him the s'd Ames to have orders to inlist as many men as the Honab'le Cort in their wisdom will see fit, we do ingage to inlist ourselves & obey his orders as long as he is stationed in upper Coös and Com- mander of the Fort. , Thomas Blodgett, James Curtiss, Archippus Blodgett, Emmons Stockwell, "July 6, 1776. Josiah Blodgett, Joseph Barlow, Nathan Caswell, Sam'l Nash, Abijah Larned, Moses Quimby, Ward Bailey, James Blake, David Larned, Sam'l Page, Abner Osgood, Dies Sawyer, Abel Larned, John Frickey, Elizer Rosbrook, Abner Barlow.
During the war, Lancaster reports 457 days' service on "alarms," "scouting, guiding, and forting."
Capt. Jeremiah Eames was on the frontiers here from July 5, 1776, with fifty men and officers for some time; and from October 14, to Decem- ber 1, 1776, with twenty-six Rangers. Again, he had command of ten men, on a like service. from December 2, 1776, to April, 1777. A scouting party of five men was "stationed at or near the Upper Coos" (probably at Northumberland), from July 15, to October 1. 1779, by order of the " Com- mittee of Safety," under command of Lieut. Josiah Chapman.
After the capture of Col. Joseph Whipple, at Jefferson, in August, 1781, the town of Conway raised scouting parties, consisting of Capt. James Osgood and three men, Lieut. Ezekiel Walker and nine men, and Elijah Dinsmore and two men. These were on duty from ten to twenty eight days from August 16, 1781, at Conway and adjacent towns. At the same time " The Committee of Safety" took immediate measures for the defence of the inhabitants of that section, placing a force there, under the direction of Col. Joseph Whipple and Col. David Page, for the protection of the northern frontiers, consisting of forty-nine officers and men. They were in service from August 29, 1781, to November 6, 1781, and commanded by Capt. Jacob Smith and Lieuts. Josiah Sanborn and Peter Gilman. Sergeant James Blake's party of eleven men "for the defense of the Upper Coos." was in service seven months and eighteen days from April
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REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD AND EARLY ROADS.
13, 1782. Serg't Philip Page and five men were drafted for duty at "Androscoggin River," in 1782, and were in service from August 19 to November 25, 1782.
In July, 1779, Joseph Barlow and Hezekiah Fuller were captured by Indians at Stratford, and two families were plundered of everything valu- able.
A party of six Indians. August 3, 1781, took four prisoners at Bethel, Me., killed James Pettingill, at Gilead, and shot Peter Poor, in Shelburne, besides destroying property.
No great military operations were carried on on a large scale here dur- ing the Revolution, and no battle was fought. The nearest approach to strategic operations is probably given in these communications from Gen. Moses Hazen to Col. Bedell, which explain themselves.
" ALBANY 26th April, 1777.
"I have a favor to beg which is that you will let me have a Particular account of the Dis- tance rout and Difficulties attending the march of a Body of inen from your house or the upper settlements on Cohaas, to St. Francis in Canada, which I am sure you must have a perfect knowl- edge of. I should also be glad of a plan or sketch of that Country in any rough way, even if it was Drawn by an Indian. I leave you to gess the reason of my being so particular on this head, assuring you only that I am anxious to see once more my own country which probably may be the case before the end of this campaign.
'As many letters miscarry you will be particular careful to write by a safe opportunity as soon after the receipt of this as you Possibly can. Direct to Col. Hazen in Camp at Head Quarters. I hope you will not neglect the opportunity put into your hands of serving yourself and Country.
"GEN MOSES HAZEN
" To Colonel Bedle at Cohaas in the State of New Hampshire."
From Gen. Hazen to Col. Bedle, December 12, 1778 :-
" There has not been any expedition ever fixed upon from your Quarter, some preparation was ordered, and magazenes provided in order that we might Take the advantage of our enemy in case an opportunity should offer-the great difficulty which now appears to me, is that we have no money, or at least that which we have will purchase nothing."
CONVENTION OF TOWNS IN CooS.
"NORTHUMBERLAND July 10th 1779
"At a meeting of the Inhabitants of Lancaster Northumberland & Stratford to hear the Report Joseph Peverly Esq'r and also to agree upon Sum Proper Place for the Scouting Perty to Be Statioued, Viz-first-
"Chose maj'r Jonas Wilder moderator-
"2d Choose Cap't Edw'ds Bucknam Clark
"31 Voted that the Place for the Scouting Party to Be stationed, at M'r James Browns In Stratford
"4 Voted that Every man In Each town Viz. Lancaster Northumberland and Stratford to work one Day at the fort In Stratford Immediately-
" 5 Chose Nathan Caswell Captain over these three towns for the Present
"6 Chose Nathan Barlow Lieut
"7 Chose Dennis Standley Ensine
"8 Chose maj'r Jonas Wilder the man to go Down after men to Exeter
"9 Chose Joseph Peverly Esq'r Capt Elw'ds Bucknam and MI'r John IToldbrook a Com-
SS
HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
mittee to Give Directions to maj'r Jonas Wilder and draw a Purticion to the General Court to Send by maj'r Wilder
"10 Voted that m'r John Gamsby m'r James Blake and Mr John Holdbrook a Committee to Plan out the fort at Stratford "-Hammond's Revolutionary Rolls.
CAPT. EAMES' COMPANY'S ORDER FOR PAY.
" NORTHUMBERLAND October 12: 1776- ' Col'e Nicholas Gilman Treasurer for the State of New Hampshire
" Please to Pay to Capt Jeremiah Eames the whole of the wages for the time of Service in his- Company as shall be found Due on the Said Capt Eames's Roll
" John Trickey, Jon'a Willard, Abner Osgood, Samuel Page, John Page, Zebulon Colbey, Zechariah Parker, Abijah Wright, David Brown, Ebenezer his (x) mark Kempfield, Moses Page, Edmund Eastman, David Cunningham, Alexander Craig, Daniel Spalding, Jonathan Craford, David Larned, Abel Larned, Abijah Larned, William Patee, James Whiting, Abel Lovejoy, John Willoughby, Benj. Preson, Benj. Pegley, Jon'a Clark, Jacob Draper, Jonah Chaptman, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Marsh. Edward his (x) mark Taylor, Gardner Duston, Nathan Caswell, Nathan Barlow, Gideon Smith, William Curtiss. Thomas Blogget, Archippus Blogget, Josiah Blogget, John Gibson, John Haselton, Caleb Marshall, Dill Sawyer, William Amy, James Blake, Ward Bailey, Thomas Peverly, Benj'a Sawyer, Abner Barlow.
"Captain Eames' Scouts .- Captain Eames's Scouting Party, from December 2, 1776, to April 15th, 1777, Head Quarters Great Coos, received for services £110, 19s. 9d. The pay was as fol- lows: Captain, £6 per month; Sergeant, 43 shillings; Private, 40 shillings per month. The com- pany consisted of Capt., Jeremiah Eames, Serjeant, Abner Osgood, Privates, Thomas Peaverly, Jonathan Willard, John Trickey, Haines French, William Amy, Nathan Caswell, John Gibson, Dill Sawyer, Abner Barlow; all serving the full time excepting the latter, whose service was one month.
"Receipts .- State of New Hampshire, Northumberland, 24 July, 1779. Then we the subscribers received of Joseph Peverly the sum of twelve pounds, which sum is in full for one month's ad- vance pay, and the sum of six pounds each as a bounty.
" (Signed,)
ABRAHAM BUEL, DAV'D (X) CUNNINGHAM'S mark. " PETER KEYES, JARED CHURCH, JN'O his (x) mark MARTIN."
" We the Subscribers have received the sum annexed to each mans name of Joseph Peverly, Esq'r, for our travelling money from each mans place of abode to said Peverly's house-Jonah Chapman 100 miles £10. Abraham Buell 100 miles £10. Dav'd Cunningham 100 miles £10. Peter Keyes 100 miles £10. Jno his (x) mark Martin 80 miles £8. Northumberland, 24 July, 1779. Then rec'd of Joseph Peverly the sum of thirty-three pounds, 6s. L. M'y, which sum is in full for one month's advance Jonah Chapman Lt Stratford Sep 1779 Then rec'd of Joseph Peverly the rations in full allowed for six men from July 24. to Oct'r 23d 1779 JONAH CHAPMAN "
"Northumberland Oct'o 1, 1779. Received of Joseph Peverly fifty-eight dollars & four shil- lings which is in full for the allowance of Rum while scouting-per Jonah Chapman
" Enlistments-James Hardy enlisted in Capt. Jno. House's Co. of Col. Morey's Regt in July 1777 from Lancaster Eleazer Rossbrook, Josiah and Thomas Blodgett Nathan Barlow Joshua Lamshier and Samuel Page enlisted in Capt. Whitcomb's Co in July 1777, from Lancaster, Northumberland & Stratford. Eleazer Rossbrook enlisted in Maj Benj Whitcomb's Independent Company of Rangers Dec 28 1776 from Lancaster. Edward Mardean, James Rosebrook, Haynes French, and Henry Tibbetts at the same time as privates in the same company. They served until Dec. 31, 1779. John Trickey of Northumberland enlisted in Col. Thos. Stickney's Co from Boscawen Aug. 1. 1779 for one year."
ROADS.
Roads occupied much attention of the early settlers. The Indian trails, kept somewhat worn in most of the distance by the hunters and trappers,
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REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD AND EARLY ROADS.
were better than a trackless wilderness; yet it surprises us to see it stated in Power's journal their company marched as many as twenty miles a day, the same distance allowed foot soldiers as a day's march in a civilized country. It is quite probable that Capt. Rogers cut out a road to convey his supplies to construct Fort Wentworth, in 1755. Three ways were in existence early to reach the Upper Coos from below. One, and the princi- pal one, was the Connecticut river, with canoes and " carrys" in summer, and on the ice in winter. Another was on the highlands. west of the Ammonoosuc, passing by Streeter's pond, in Lisbon, and the east part of Littleton. The valley of the Ammonoosuc was the third route. The early roads were cut about eight feet wide, and "corduroyed." They were not much like our later roads, but the pioneers seem to have been able to traverse them on foot, on horseback, or to drive cattle over them without serious detriment to their progress. But these trails were unsuited to the needs of an increasing population. In all town and proprietors' meetings, roads was the most important subject of discussion. Little progress was made for years. Edwards Bucknam, Timothy Nash, David Page, David Page, Jr., of Lancaster, were appointed. March 12, 1767, members of a committee to look out and mark roads to the "Ameroscoggin, " Pickwackett, and the first settlements on the Connecticut.
At a special meeting of the governor and council at Portsmouth, March 13, 1772, a petition was presented by the proprietors of Lancaster, North- umberland, and Shelburne, setting forth the utility of a road from Conway to the Connecticut river, and praying His Excellency would be pleased to order the surveyor-general of lands to mark out a proper road. and issue such other orders as would "effectuate " the same.
Nothing tended so much to cause a demand for a new county, as the badness of the roads between Upper Coos and Haverhill.
About 1775 the proprietors of Apthorp offered two tracts of land of 160 acres, to any one who would cut away the trees and bushes on the most direct route between Haverhill and Lancaster line, a distance then considered as fifty miles, and make a road passable for a one-horse wagon containing two persons. This offer was accepted by Moses Blake, who duly executed his contract, and was deeded the two nearest lots to the mouth of John's river.
These petitions from Hammond's Town Papers tell their own story :-
" To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives for the State of Newhampshire (humbly Sheweth) The Inhabitants of A Place Called Uper Coos That they began Setelment at that Place more than twentithree Years ago and ever since have Continued their Setelment through many Difficulties Especially on account of the Badness of the Roads through Littleton and Dal- ton which have never been properly Cleared nor bridged by which means wagons or Sleighs pass with the greatest Danger and never more than half a Load which Subjects the Inhabitants of Said Coos to very Large Expence in transporting necessary foreign articles and others in Removing with their famileys and Efects from Connecticut Massachusetts and the Easterly part of New Hamp-
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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
shire to the Same Difficulties which very much Impedes & hinders the Setelment of the Towns on Connecticut River &c Lying above S'd Littleton & Dalton Your Petitioners beg Leave to farther Sugjest that the Townships of Littleton and Dalton being owned by only a few Gentlemen and the Towns not Vested with Power nor the Inhabitants of ability to Lay out Clear bridge and make Passable Said Road through which Your Petitioners must Pass on any Business belonging to the Probate, or County Matters, Wherefore your Petitioners Pray Your Honors to take their Case into Your wise Consideration and order that the Road be made Passable and keept in good Repair through Said towns of Littilton & Dalton to the acceptance a Commitee to be appointed for that Purpose or by Some other way as your Honors Shall See fit and Your Petitioners Will Ever Pray " May 10th 1788
Inhabitants of Lancaster
"Jonas Wilder, Aamasa Grout, Jonas Baker, Joseph Brackett, Edw'ds Bucknam, Phinehas Hodgin, Francis Willson, John Weeks, Abijah Darby, Walter Philbrook, Samuel Johnson, Hope- still Jenison, David Page, Emons Stockwell, Ephraim Griggs, Will'm Johnson, Jonathan Hartwell. " Northumberland -Jer'h Eames Ju'r, Tho's Eames, Joseph Peverly, Abner osgood, J. Whip ple, Daniel Spaulding, Abel Bennett, thomas Burnside, James Burnside.
" Stratford. - Hez'i Fuller, David Jnoson, Heth Baldwin, Elijah Hinman, Joshua Lamken, Archippus Blodget, Jabez Baldwin, Elijah Blodget, Oliver Lamkin, James Curtiss, Josiah Blod- get, James Brown, Nucomb Blodget, Benj'n Strong, William Curtiss
" Piercy .-- John Cole, Caleb Smith.
" Relative to the Formation of Coos County, 1790. To the Honourable senate and house of Representatives of the State of Newhampshire, to be convened at Concord on the first wednesday in Jan'y next,
" The petition of the select Men of the towns of Lancaster Northumberland and Stratford, for and in behalf of the respective towns, Humbly Sheweth; That our located situation in the north- ern part of the state is such, that it will be perticularly beneficial for us, to have Conway and ad- jacent towns annexed to us, in the formation of the northerly County in s'd State, not only on ac- count of the occupancy and improvement of our most advantageous road to seaport, but in order to promote emigrants, and agriculture in this fertile & healthy territory; the promotion of which, we humbly conceive will be of publick utility, and the state to which we owe our allegiance, will receive emolument in proportion to the opulency of this part of the state-And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray-Lancaster Dec'r 29 1790
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