USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > History of Coos County, New Hampshire > Part 2
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XCI. STRATFORD. - (Continued. ). .765 Civil List: Clerks, Selectmen, Treasurers, Representatives.
XCII. STRATFORD .- (Continued.) .767 North Stratford; Business Interests, Rail- road, Postoffice-Hinman's Island-Baptist Church - Education - Hotels-Societies - Gramte State Stock-Farm-Mills-Physi- cians --- Lawyers --- Brief Personal Sketches.
ANDROSCOGGIN DIVISION.
XCIII. BERLIN .783 Introdnetory-Topography-Scenery- Mountains, Streams, Etc .- Tinker's Brook, Minerals, Etc .- Act of Incorporation-Call for First Town Meeting-Action of First Town Meeting-Residents' Names and Ages, 1829-Residents, Stock, and Improvements in 1830-Names of Voters by Decades.
XCIV. BERLIN .- (Continued.) .788 Early Settlers -- First House (William Ses- sions) - Second House (The Lowes and
11
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER. PAGE.
Cates) - Simon Evans - Joseph Wheeler - The Thompsons-Samuel Blodgett -- Thomas Wheeler-Daniel Davis-The Bean Family- Joseph Blodgett Hazen and John Chand- ler-Merrill C. Forist-John Y. Dustin- Lorenzo Mason- Past and Present Business Interests-Thomas Green-J. D. Horner & Co .- Daniel Green-Ira and Oliver II. Mason and other Early Traders and Manufactur- ers-Railroad, Station Agents, Etc.
XCV. BERLIN .- (Continued.). 793
Civil List: Town Clerks, Selectmen, Treas- urers, Representatives-Extracts from Town Records-Berlin in the Rebellion-Action of the Town.
XCVI. BERLIN. - (Continued. ). .. 799 Ecclesiastical: Church of Christ - Forma- tion - Original Members -- Confession of Faith -Action of Church Meetings -Pas- tors-Progress of the Church -- Young Peo- ple's Society of Christian Endeavor-The Sunday-School -Organization of Parish - Church Structure-Origin, Etc., Universalist Church-Meetings-Articles of Faith-Par- ish Society Organized-Church Building- Sabbath-School -- Catholic Church-Priests- Church - Parsonage-St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church Parish - Members-Pas- tor-Second Advent Meetings.
XCVII. BERLIN .- (Continued. ) .804 Education-First School-First Teacher- School Districts-Amos Mann Berlin High School.
XCVIII. BERLIN .- (Continued. ). .. 808
Early Roads and Bridges -First Church Or- ganization-Unusual Phenomena-Hotels- Burial Places-Societies-Berlin Mills-For- est Fibre Company-Glen Manufacturing Company -White Mountain Pulp and Paper Company -Physicians - Lawyers-Mercan- tile and Business Houses, 1887-Report of Selectmen, 1887.
XCIX. MILAN. 830
Introductory-Surface-Soil-Grant- Boundaries - Pioneers - Character of Set- tlers-Inventory for 1825-Early Convey- ances.
C. MILAN .- (Continned. ) . 835
Act of Incorporation-First Town Meeting- Extraets from Town Records-Action in the Rebellion-Civil List: Town Clerks, Select- men, Treasurers, Representatives.
CI. MILAN .- (Continued.) .. 838 Mills-Milan Mine-Business Interests.
('IIAPTER. PAGE.
CII. MILAN. - IContinued.). ..... . . 842
Church History Methodism Pastors Pres ent Society -Original Members of Methodist Church Church Building Calvinist Baptist Society Free-Will Baptist Society Civil War.
CIII. MILAN. (Continued. ) ... . .. Physicians, Past and Present A Model Mar- riage Certificate.
CIV. DUMMER. 854
Boundaries - Origin of Name Products- Granted Surveyed-Early and Later Set- tlers Inventory of Polls and Personal Prop- erty, 1849.
CV. DUMMER .- (Continued.). 859
Petition for Incorporation Civil List: Town Clerks, Treasurers, Selectmen. and Ropre- sentatives-Schools.
CVI. SHELBURNE .. .867 Name - Scenery and Attractions - Bound- aries First Grant Names of Grantees-De- scriptions of the Original Grant.
CVII. SHELBURNE. (Continned.). . .. .. 871 Early Settlers: Hope Austin - Daniel In- galls-Stephen Messer-Thomas Green Sam- nel Wheeler -Jonathan Evans - Benjamin Clemens Bazeleel Gates-Simeon Evans Jonathan Peabody-Jonathan Lary-Peter Poor-Nathaniel Porter. Etc.
CVIII. SHELBURNE. (Continued. ) .... 876 Industries " Peggy" Davis's Mittens Transportation - Mills - First Merchant Early Business Interests Roads-Taverns- Bridges.
CIX. SHELBURNE .- (('ontinned. ) . . . . . 850 Religion-Church of Christ- Original Mem- bers - Free Church - Free-Will Baptist Church Reform Club - Umion Meeting- House- Schools- Teachers- White Mount- ain Stock-Farm Judge Burbank -- Lead Mine-Hotels Soldiers- Town Clerks and Selectmen from 1839.
CX. GORHAM
Seenery and Attractions- Boundaries Shel- burne Addition Survey- First Settler First Permanent Settler -Other Settlers.
CXI. GORHAM. (Continued.) .894
Early Difficulties in Way of Settlement The "Addition" in 1821 and later - First School Anecdote The Great Freshet - In- crease in Population-Commencement of Prosperity Andrew G. and Jonathan Lary -First Mills Village Site in 1835 Trade. Tratlic and Hotels.
12
CONTENTS -- INDEX TO TOWNS.
CHAPTER. PAGE.
CXIL. GORHAM. - (Continued.) .900 Act of Incorporation of Gorham- First Town Meeting-Town Officers -- Tax-payers in 1836 -School Districts Formed-Extracts from Records and Civil List.
('XIII. GORHAM .- (Continued.) 906 Ecclesiastical History - Free-Will Baptist Society - Congregational Church, Society, Pastors-Methodist Episcopal Church-Uni- versalist Society-Catholic Church-Schools.
CXIV. GORHAM. - (Continued. ). .911
Railroads-Grand Trunk Railway, Shops, and Employes - Gorham Village - Hazen Evans-Valentine L. Stiles-Progress of Gor- hanı-Fires-Buildings-Lawyers and Phy- sicians-Business Interests, Manufacturers, Bank, Merchants and Tradesmen.
CXV. GORHAM. (Continued.) .921 Hotels - Societies - Postmasters- Mascot Mine- Thirty Years Changes.
CXVI. RANDOLPH. .. 935
First Grant - Location - Scenery - Hotels-
Lots, Ranges, Improvements-Early Settlers.
CHAPTER.
PAGE.
CXVII. RANDOLPH. (Continued.) .941 Act of Incorporation-First Town Meeting Called - Representatives-Town Clerks Se- lectmen-Town Treasurers.
CXVIII. RANDOLPH .- (Continued.). .943 Schools- Church History - Organization of "Union Congregational Society"-War Record-Pond of Safety - Prominent Citi- zens.
CXIX. ERROL .. 948 Grantees - Lumbering -- Soil-Boundaries- Umbagog Lake - Androscoggin River Im- provement Company Errol Dam Company -- Old Families - Petitions of Proprietors, Action of Town, Etc.
CXX. ERROL .- (Continued.) . . 951 Application for Call of a Town Meeting- Call, Notification and Action of First Town Meeting-Act of Incorporation - Warrant for, and First Town Meeting after Incorporation -List of Voters, 1837-Civil List.
INDEX TO TOWNS.
PAGE.
PAGE.
BERLIN. .
783
MILAN
830
CARROLL
427 CLARKSVILLE
689
NORTHUMBERLAND.
539
COLEBROOK
583
PITTSBURG
696
COLUMBIA
721
RANDOLPH ..
935
SHELBURNE .
867
DUMMER 854
STEWARTSTOWN
651
ERROL 948
STRATFORD 744
GORIIAM
888
SUCCESS 955
JEFFERSON
399
WENTWORTH'S LOCATION 956
KILKENNY
426
WHITEFIELD
147
LANCASTER
261
MILLSFIELD
955
DALTON 506 DIXVILLE 649
STARK. 562
BIOGRAPHIES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE.
ABBOTT, CARL.
239
ALDRICH, HON. EDGAR.
254
ALGER, L. W
683
ARMINGTON, W. N.
237
BALDWIN FAMILY
776
BALDWIN, W. L.
.engraving
778
BARKER, ALBERT
248
BARNARD, LEVI,
BEDEL, COL. HAZEN . engraving.
637
BENTON, HON. JACOB.
217
BERLIN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
.engraving.
802
BERLIN HIGH SCHOOL
.engraving.
806
BROWNS' LUMBER COMPANY.
492
BROWN, A. L.
. engraving
493
BROWN, W. G.
.engraving
494
BROWNS' LUMBER MILLS
.engraving
496
BURNS, HON. WILLIAM.
engraving
218
BURT, CHAS. W
247
CARPENTER, PHILIP
237
CHAMBERLIN, R. N.
.engraving
237
COOPER, S. W.
247
COÖS COUNTY MAP
Facing 16
COSSITT, GEO. A.
439
DALEY, D. J.
240
DREW, HON. A. W
.engraving.
678
DREW, EDWIN W.
682
DREW, HON. I. W
engraving.
231
DUDLEY, J. H
.engraving
252
EATON, GEO. R
.engraving
388
EVANS. A. R
233
EVERETT. R. C
209
FARRAR. WM
245
FLETCHER, HI. A
215
FLETCHER, JUDGE EVERETT ..
247
FLINT, L. T
mjgraving.
413
FURBISH, HI. H. .
ingraviny.
525 826
FURBISII. H. IL .. RESIDENCE OF.
Toraving.
743
GOVE, DR. GEO. S.
503 501
GOSS, HI. I.
. 239
BUGBEE, DR. FRANK
397
BURBANK, JUDGE R. I.
884
BURKE, EDMUND
213
217
CRAWFORDS, THE
231
FOREST FIBRE MILLS
211
1
14
BIOGRAPHIES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE.
GRAY, HOSEA
engraving
385
GREEN FAMILY
817
GREEN, DANIEL
.engraving
819
GREEN. S. D
821
HANNAFORD, S. G
engraving
686
HARTSHORN, G. W
257
HASTINGS, M. A
230
HAZEN, L. T.
engraving
498
HEYWOOD, HON. WILLIAM
engraving
214
HEYWOOD, HENRY
229
HINDS, ABRAHAM
210
HITCHCOCK. J. R
engraving
927
HUTCHINS, F. D
237
HUTCHINSON, HON. L. H
853
HUTCHINSON, T. H
.engraving
931
JACOBS. F. C ....
.engraving.
687
JORDAN, HON. C. B.
. engraving
233
KENT, R. P.
.engraving
366
KENT, HON. H. O.
. engraving
372
KEYSAR, JOHN.
engraving
694
KING, CHARLES W.
498
KING, THOMAS STARR
.engraving
227
LARY, A. G ..
.engraving 926
LOMBARD, DR. LYMAN
engraving
635
LOWE, PROF. T. S. C.
425
LUND, H. W.
257
MARSHALL, A. J.
.engraving
394
MCGREGORY, JOEL
.engraving .
502
MERRILL, HON. S. R ..
.engraving .
640
MERRILL, S. S.
engraving
646
MORRISON, REV. J. B.
317
NOYES, CAPT. WARREN
engraving
929
PAINE. HON. S. E.
815
PARSONS FAMILY
627
PARSONS, HEZEKIAH
.engraving
629
PARSONS, HEZEKIAH
. engraving
633
PARSONS, JAMES I.
. engraving .
251
PEARSON. S. A
210
PERKINS, HON. N. R.
engraving
421
PEVERLY, THOMAS, JR.
210
PHIPPS, JAMES M.
851
PHIPPS, P. A. G. W
687
RAMSAY, IRA A.
249
RAY, HON. OSSIAN
engraving
222
RAY, O. P.
250
REMICK, S. K
648
REMICK, D. C.
256
REMICK, J. W.
248
ROSEBROOK FAMILY
443
ROSEBROOK, PHINEAS
. engraving
444
SCRIBNER, E. W
engraving
827-828
SHEAFE, JOHN L.
246
SHURTLEFF, W. H
250
SMITH, FRANK.
.engraving. 392
852
PICKARD, I. F
256
ROGERS, D. A
424
LADD, HON. W. S.
282
LANCASTER VILLAGE IN 1826, MAP OF
15
BIOGRAPHIES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE.
SOULE, CAPT. GILBERT
.engraving
559
SPAULDING, J. H
.engraving.
387
STEPHENSON, TURNER
. 212
STUART. C. J
211
THOMPSON, ALEX
.engraving.
396
TRUE, DR. N. T.
934
TWITCHEL, ADAMS
.engraving 848
TWITCHELL, GEN. A. S
229
TWITCHELL. V. V.
933
VAN DYKE, GEORGE
.engraving
390
WEEKS FAMILY
378
WEEKS, HON. J. W
.engraving
382
WELLS, JOHN S.
212
WHEELER, DEXTER
.engraving
822
WHEELER. R. H
.engraving
824
WHIDDEN, HON. B. F
220
WIGHT, I. C
.engraving.
863
WILLIAMS, GOV. J. W
212
WILLIAMS, GEO. C.
221
WILLIAMS, J. I.
221
WISWALL, B. C.
.engraving
692
YOUNG, GEN. IRA
245
Map of GOOS COUNTY
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HISTORY
OF
COOS COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
"THE COUNTY OF COOSS."
Organization - Towns Included -Extent - Boundaries - Population, Agricultural and Man- ufacturing Statistics, etc., 1880-Locations, Grants, and Purchases - Altitudes.
T HE act establishing "The County of Cooss" was approved December 24, 1803, and took effect March 5, 1805. It contained the towns of Dalton, Whitefield, Bretton Woods, Bartlett, Adams, Chatham, Shel- burne, Shelburne Addition, Durand, Kilkenny, Jefferson, Lancaster, Mills- field, Northumberland, Stratford, Wales' Gore, Cockburne, Colebrook, Stewartstown, Piercy, Paulsburg, Mainesborough, Dummer, Errol, Cam- bridge and Success, with a population of about 3,000 in 1803.
The General Court had a defective knowledge of the line they under- took to make the southern boundary, for, in describing it, it is made to go to the northwest corner of Tamworth, and from thence on the line of the county of Strafford to the Maine line. To reach the northwest corner of Tamworth, it had to follow the west line of Albany south the whole width of the town, and then, to reach the north line of Strafford county, which it was to follow, it had to go back north on the same west line of Albany without including any land.
June 18, 1805, Nash and Sawyer's Location was annexed to Coos county, and January 5, 1853, Bartlett, Jackson (Adams), and Hart's Location were annexed to Carroll county. Not long after the formation of Coos county, Chatham was annexed to Strafford county, and upon the erection of Carroll county, Chatham was included in that county.
2
18
HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
Coös was taken from Grafton, one of the five original counties of the State-Rockingham, Strafford, Hillsborough, Cheshire, Grafton-and com- prises all New Hampshire north of the present counties of Grafton and Carroll. Its western boundary is the western bank of the Connecticut river, and it extends from latitude 48° 58' to the extreme north part of the State, being seventy-six miles in length, with a mean width of about twenty miles. It contains about one million acres of land. The distance by traveled highway from the north line of Grafton county at Littleton to the Canada line at West Stewartstown is about sixty-two miles. On the Maine line, it is seventy-three miles from Carroll county to the iron post on the highlands, in the wilderness on the northern boundary.
It is bounded north and northwest by Canada. east by Maine, south by Carroll and Grafton counties, and west by Vermont.
The census of 1880 gives the total population of the county as 18.580. By the same census we learn that in that year Lancaster has a population of 2,721: Whitefield, 1,828: Colebrook. 1,580; Gorham, 1,383 ; Berlin, 1,144 ; Northumberland, 1,062 ; and Stratford, 1,016. Jefferson only wants 49 to make a round 1,000, while Stewartstown only 42. The other towns exceeding 500 are: Milan, 892 ; Columbia, 762: Stark, 690 ; Carroll, 632 ; Pittsburg, 551; Dalton, 570. The remaining towns and grants give the following : Dummer. 464 ; Clarksville, 328 ; Shelburne, 252 ; Randolph, 203 ; Errol, 161; Nash and Sawyer's Location, 101; Millsfield, 62 ; Wentworth's Location, 55 ; Cambridge, 36 : Martin's Location, 33 ; Dixville, 32; Craw- ford's Grant, 28: Thompson and Meserve's Purchase, 20 : Second College Grant. 18; Green's Grant, 8 ; Dix's Grant, 4 ; and Sargent's Purchase, 2. There are in this county 1,939 farms, having a total of 139.089 acres of improved land ; aggregate value of said farms, including buildings, fences, etc., $4,350,042 ; implements and the machinery thereon, $192,544 ; stock, $774,838 : estimated value of annual farm products, $943.427. The vege- table productions : potatoes, 623,483 bushels ; barley, 1,823 ; buckwheat, 43,431; Indian corn, 10, 129; oats, 228,698; rye, 923: wheat, 31, 464; tobacco, 1,000 pounds; hay, 49,734 tons; orchard products. annual value, $3,979. The number of horses raised in the county, 3,941; mules and asses, 4: working oxen, 1,615; milch cows, 6,474; other cattle, 10,723; sheep, 16,832; swine, 2,784; wool, 71,504 pounds; butter, 632,822; cheese, 36,795. The assessed valuation of real estate and personal property is 85,911,552. There are 194 manufacturing establishments, using $2,107,250 capital, paying $336,010 annually to 1,262 operatives, and turning out products valued at $2,490,356. The next census will show a change.
Locations, Grants and Purchases .- In addition to the towns which are organized in this county there are the following unorganized grants, pur- chases, locations. etc., which contain between three and four hundred inhabi- tants, and lie mostly among wild mountains, and whose chief value is in the
19
ORGANIZATION - ALTITUDES.
timber they produce and the incentive they present of romantic scenery to the summer traveler: Bean's Purchase, Carlisle, Cambridge, Hubbard, Webster, Chandler's Purchase, Crawford's Grant, Crawford's Purchase, Cutt's Grant, Dix's Grant, Ervin's Grant, Gilmanton and Atkinson Acad- emy Grant, Green's Grant, Lowe and Burbank's Grant, Martin's Location, Nash and Sawyer's Location, Odell, Pinkham's Grant, Sargent's Purchase, Second College Grant, Thompson and Meserve's Purchase, Wentworth's Location. Millsfield and Cambridge, after being organized as towns for some years, gave up their organization.
Altitudes .- Mt. Washington, 6,293 ft .: Mt. Adams, 5,794 ft .; Mt. Jef- ferson, 5,714 ft .; Mt. Clay, 5,553 ft .; Mt. Monroe, 5,384 ft .; Mt. Little Monroe, 5.204 ft .: Mt. Madison, 5,365 ft .; Mt. Franklin, 4,904 ft .; Mt. Pleasant, 4,764 ft .; Mt. Clinton, 4.320 ft .; Mt. Jackson, 4,100 ft .: Mt. Webster, 4,000 ft .; Mt. Crawford, 3,134 ft .: Giant's Stairs, 3,500 ft .; Boott Spur, 5,524 ft .; Boott Deception, 2,44s ft. : Carter Dome, South Peak, 4,830 ft .: Carter Dome, North Peak, 4,702 ft .; Mt. Moriah, 4,653 ft .: Mt. Wildcat, 4,350 ft .; Mt. Kearsarge, 3,251 ft .; Mt. Moat, North Peak, 3,200 ft .: Mt. Moat, South Peak, 2,700 ft .; Mt. Starr King, 3,800 ft .; Mt. Pilot, 3,640 ft .; Boy mountain, 2,278 ft .: Mt. Prospect, 2,090 ft .; Mt. Percy, North Peak, 3,336 ft .; Mt. Percy, South Peak, 3, 149 ft. ; Cape Horn, 2,735 ft .; Twin Mountain station, 1, 446 ft. ; White Mountain House, 1,556 ft .: Fabyan's, 1,571 ft .: White Mountain notch, 1,914 ft .: base of Mt. Washington, 2,668 ft .; Cherry mountain, 3,500 ft .; Randolph mountain, 3,043 ft .: Pliny mountain, 2,900 ft .; Mt. Royce, 2,600 ft .; Pond of Safety, 1,973 ft .; Lake of the Clouds (Blue Pond), 5.009 ft .; Jefferson mills, 1,150 ft .; Whitefield, 931 ft .; Jewell hill, 1,467 ft .; Connecticut river at Dalton (high water), 832 ft .; Dalton station, 866 ft .; South Lancaster, 867 ft .; Lancaster, 870 ft .; Groveton depot, 901 ft .; Stark, 972 ft .; Milan summit, 1,087 ft .: Berlin falls, 1,035 ft .; Gorham 812 ft .: Shelburne, 723 ft. : Mt. Ingalls, 2,520 ft .: Mt. Forest, 1,950 ft .; North Stratford, 915 ft .; Stratford Hollow, 877 ft .; Sugarloaf, est., 3,470 ft .; Mt. Lyon, 2,735 ft .: Dixville Notch, 1,858 ft .: Table rock, 2,454 ft .: Colebrook, 1,030 ft .: West Stew- artstown, 1,055 ft .; Mt. Carmel, 3,711 ft ; Crescent mountain. 2.700 ft .; Connecticut lake, 1,618 ft. : Mt. Dustan, 2,575 ft .: Half Moon mountain, 2,526 ft .: South hill, 2,000 ft .: South peak, Kilkenny, 3,827 ft .: Green's ledge, 2,708 ft.
20
HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
CHAPTER II.
GEOLOGY.
Rock Formations-The Age of Ice-Glacial Drift-Upper Till-Lower Till-Champlain Drift-Recent or Terrace Period-Modified Drift of Connecticut River, Connecticut Lake, to West Stewartstown-Upper Connecticut Valley -- Kames-Deltas.
R OCK FORMATIONS .- The groups of rocks of Coos County, com- mencing with the lowest, are the Acidic and Basic of the unstratified, and the Azoic. Eozoic, and Paleozoic of the stratified rocks. The oldest, or bed rock, a very coarse granite or gneiss, conceded now to be of eruptive or volcanic origin, which varies its name with a different arrangement of the same constituents. Ledges of these rocks present large quadrangular patches of light-colored feldspar, varying from a fraction of an inch to three inches in length. Quartz and feldspar. with black and white mica. and some- times hornblende, are the constituent elements of these primitive or acidic rocks, which are known as sienite, granite, and porphyry. These funda- mental unstratified rocks form the vast volume of the White Mountains, and are the oldest rocks in the State. Nowhere in New England is there a better opportunity to read extensively in the "Book of Nature " than on the granite pages of our wild mountains and precipitous gorges. A mere mention of the rock formation is sufficient for our purpose here, but those who desire to pursue the subject from a love of science, will find that Prof. Hitchcock and his co-laborers have thoroughly and exhaustively treated it in that great work, "Geology of New Hampshire."
The Age of Ice .- It is of great importance that the Glacial and Modi- fied Drift periods be treated in detail, for, during the Age of Ice, the removal of the great ice-sheet which extended above the top of Mt. Wash- ington, and the subsequent period, the surface, soil, and water-courses of the county were formed, and the conditions for civilized occupancy were prepared. It is well that all should become conversant with the causes which have brought about these conditions, and we make no apology for the space we have devoted to this purpose. The indications of a glacial period are probably as well shown in New Hampshire as anywhere in the world. Underlying the modified drift are often found masses of rocks and earth mingled confusedly together. having neither stratification or any appearance of being deposited in water. These are the glacial drift or till. This drift frequently covers the slopes or lies on the summits of the highest hills and mountains. It contains bowlders of all sizes, up to thirty feet in diameter, which have nearly all been carried southward from their native ledges, and can be traced, in some instances, for a hundred miles, south- ward or southeastward. Wherever till occurs, the ledges have mostly been worn to a rounded form, and, if the rock be hard, it is covered with
21
GEOLOGY.
long scratches or stric, in the direction of the course taken by the bowl- ders. Geology now refers these to a moving ice-sheet, which overspread this continent from the north, and had formed of sufficient thickness to cover even Mt. Washington. This ice-sheet was so much thicker at the north than in this latitude that its great weight pressed the ice steadily out- ward to the south-southeast. The termination of this ice-sheet in the Atlantic, southeast of New England, was probably like the great ice-wall of the Antarctic continent, along which Sir J. C. Ross sailed 450 miles, finding only one point low enough to allow the smooth white plain of the upper surface to be seen. This extended, dazzling white, as far as the eye could see. There was a long, continuous period of glacial action, with times of retreat and advance, but never a complete departure and return of a continental ice-sheet. The motion of this ice being caused by its own weight, must have been very slow indeed. Over the highlands between the St. Lawrence river and Hudson bay the ice-sheet was three or four miles in thickness, over Greenland very much thicker, and over the White mountains it reached nearly or quite to the line of perpetual snow. The till, or coarse glacial drift, was made by the long-continued wearing and grinding of the ice-sheet. As this slowly advanced, fragments were torn from the ledges, hell in the bottom of the ice, and worn by friction upon the surface over which it moved. This material, crushed below the ice into minute fragments or fine powder, is called the Lower Till. While this was being made below the ice, large quantities of coarse and fine matter were swept away from hill-slopes and mountain-sides, and carried forward in the ice. As this melted much of this matter fell loosely on the surface. forming an unstratified deposit of gravel, earth and bowlders. This deposit is called the Upper Till. This usually is found above the Lower Till, the line of separation being at a distance of from two to twenty feet. The departure of the ice-sheet was attended by a rapid deposition of the abun- dant materials therein contained. The retreat of the ice-sheet was toward the northwest and north, and it is probable that its final melting took place mostly upon the surface, so that. at the last. great amounts of its deposits were exposed to the washing of its many streams. The finer particles were generally carried away, and the strong current of the glacial rivers trans- ported coarse gravel and bowlders of considerable size. When these streams entered the valley from which the ice had retreated, or their currents were slackened by less rapid descent, where the channel wasstill walled by ice, a deposition took place, in succession of coarse gravel, fine gravel, sand and fine silt or clay. These deposits filled the valleys, and increased in depth in the same way that additions are now made to the bottom-land or inter- vals of our large rivers by the floods of spring. They are called the Modi- fied Drift, and geology gives this name to the period from the departure of the ice sheet to the present. This modified drift occurs in almost every
22
HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
valley of New Hampshire, and comprises the intervals, which are annually overflowed, and the successive terraces which rise in steps upon the sides of the valley, the highest often forming extensive plains. Dr. Dana has given the name of Champlain Period to the time of the deposition of the modified drift during the melting of the ice-sheet. During the Champlain period. the ice became molded upon the surface, by the process of destruc- tion, into great basins and valleys; and, at the last, the passages through which the melting waters passed off, came gradually to coincide with the depressions of the present surface. These lowest and warmest portions of the land were first freed from the ice; and, as the melted area slowly extended into the continental glacier, its vast floods found their outlet at the head of the advancing valley. (In the Connecticut valley this took place by a single channel bordered by ice-walls.) In these channels were depos- ited materials gathered by the streams from the melting glacier. By the low water of winter, layers of sand were formed, and by the strong cur- rents of summer, layers of gravel, often very coarse. These layers are irregularly bedded. here sand and there gravel accumulating, and inter- stratified without much order with each other. These, the oldest of our deposits of modified drift, are long ridges or intermixed short ridges and mounds, composed of very coarse water-worn gravel, or of alternate gravel and sand irregularly bedded, a section of which shows an arched or anti- clinal stratification. Wherever the ordinary fine alluvium occurs, it over- lies, or partly covers, these deposits. To these ridges geologists give the name of Kames. The extensive level plains and high terraces bordering the New Hampshire rivers were also deposited in the Champlain period, as the open valleys become gradually filled with great depths of gravel, sand, and clay (alluvium), which were brought down by the glacier rivers from the melting ice-sheet, or washed from the till after the ice had retreated, and which were deposited in the same way, as by high floods at the present time. During the recent or terrace period, the rivers have cut deep and wide channels in this alluvium. The terraces mark heights, at which, in this work of erosion, they have left portions of their successive flood- plains. The Connecticut river, along the greater part of its course in this state, has excavated its ancient high flood-plain of the Champlain period to a depth of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet for a width varying from one-eighth mile to one mile.
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