History of Coos County, New Hampshire, Part 78

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Syracuse [N.Y.] : W. A. Fergusson
Number of Pages: 1194

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Historic Half bushel .- E. T. Tirrill has a half-bushel measure which was brought into this country over eighty years ago, and the property of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather. It is considerably over 100 years old, and yet in good condition. It is said that years ago it was the only half bushel owned between the Benjamin Young hill and the present residence of Henry Wiggin, and when an accurate measurement was de- sired, it was necessary to have this, and people often travelled a distance of several miles to borrow it.

The first river road ran up the river from the bridge to the mills, then down the river four miles and a quarter to the Colebrook line. It was surveyed by Jeremiah Eames, December 20, 1813, located by Edmund Kezar and Howard Blodgett, selectmen, and recorded January 24. 1814.

Ear Marks of Stock .- Cattle and sheep ran at large in early days so that the owners were obliged to adopt certain marks to identify them. The following are taken from the town records: Heath Flanders's mark, "one hole in left ear "; Joseph (. Flanders. "one hole in right ear "; Stephen Lane. "crop off left ear and slit in right ear "; Jeremiah Eames, " left ear cropped square ": Joseph Dyer, "both ears cropt square ": Will- iam Tirrill, "a swallow tail in left ear"; Jonathan Young, " crop right ear square half crop off left ear ": Edmund Keysar, "right ear cropt square "; Isaiah Fellers. "left ear cropt both slit."

Hotels or Tavern .- Jeremiah Eames opened the first house for public entertainment in 1502 at West Stewartstown. Henry . D. McKnight kept one in 1833, Henry Fling in 1847, Albert Weeks in 1869, Blodgett & Hart in 1573. and William W. Lindsey, who kept it until 1886. This has been much improved, is now owned by Daniel Heath. and is the only inn in town. Joseph P. Wiswall opened one on South hill in 1844, Daniel C. Bumford in 1548, and a few others have been kept for short periods.

Colebrook, Stewartstown &' Connecticut Lake Telephone Co., organized June 13, 1553, with capital stock of 85,000, (divided into 100 shares of $50

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each, registered at Concord in October, 1883, ) has an office at West Stewarts- town.

Colebrook, Stewartstown, Clarksville &. Pittsburg Telephone Co. . organ- ized January 5. 1584, with capital of $2.500, (30 shares, 850 each, registered at Concord, January 23, 1884. ) has an office at the " Hollow."

We never had a Town House, but the town holds its meetings in the hall over the store at the "Hollow." Elections have been held there many years, the town paying a small sum. $10. I think, for its use.

North Star Grange. P. of H., chartered 1575, had a brief existence, when their hall and records were burned, and organization abandoned.

The Sons of Temperance organized a few years ago, and still hold meet- ings at West Stewartstown.

Diamond pouds derive their names from Isaac Diamond, who, while hunting in 1775, shot and wounded a large bull moose in the woods between these ponds. The moose sprang towards him and tore his cloth- ing nearly off; he, however, dodged behind a tree, around which the moose chased him, until he jumped behind another large tree unseen by the moose, which still circled around the first. Diamond now reloaded his gun and killed the infuriated animal.

Nathan's pond received its name from Nathan Caswell, an old hunter and trapper, who camped on its shores. Cutting his foot one day so badly with an axe that he could not walk. he was forced to remain quiet until his provision was exhausted, and he was nearly starved. One day he heard his dog bark loudly but a short distance off. Taking his gun. he crawled in the direction of the sound until he saw a large bear in a tree. He was fortunate enough to shoot it, and the meat kept him alive until he could venture further toward the settlements. After skinning the bear. he rolled himself in the hide for a night's sleep. In the morning the skin was frozen stiff, and he had much difficulty in extricating himself. He finally crawled eight miles to a settler's honse on his hands and knees. narrowly escaping death by freezing.

Metallak, the Penobscot chief, so famous in this locality, was a county charge in Stewartstown after he became blind in his old age, and was abandoned by his tribe. He died at the house of Leonard H. Fellows in 1841. and was buried in a corner of North Hill cemetery. (See Colebrook.)

James Miner Hilliard was one of the representative men of Northern Coös. He was a robust and athletic man, a well-to-do farmer of native common-sense, shrewdness and accuracy of judgment. An original thinker, he kept himself well-read in the current events of the day. and in solid and historical matters. He was of active temperament and had much to do with the progress of events in his section. His son, Henry S., of Lancaster, served bravely in the Rebellion, and attained the rank of captain. Another son, George, is a prominent business man of Colebrook.

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" Miner " Hilliard was an ardent lover of hunting, and many are the anec- dotes in circulation concerning him. He would have his " hunts" or "tramps" in the forests. These often lasted for weeks and sometimes for months. He was generally accompanied only by his dog, and lived on the game he killed. Once, when he had been out about ten days, he was attacked by measles, and was very ill, and confined to his camp for several days. At another time he broke through the ice in very cold weather and was thoroughly wet, his clothes freezing to him. He kindled a fire in a dry " stub " with some powder which he had fortunately preserved in a corked phial and thus preserved his life. Hon. James W. Weeks says: "Hilliard was with me several days in 1844 as guide on the survey of the Pittsburg lands. He told me he had killed seventeen moose during the previous winter. He was a man of mind. and, I believe, of strict veracity In the spring of 12> or 1529, while bringing in the acquisitions of his winter's hunt, and, as usual, alone, he saw where some large animal had gone in and out of a hollow log, so he crawled in to see what it meant, and found nine young wolves. He put them in his pack and carried them home, but only two or three of them were alive when he arrived there. I saw two of them when they were three or four months old. They were as playful as puppies. but soon became wolfish. I asked Hilliard what he would have done if the old mother wolf had come along and . tickled him up' while he was in the log after her whelps? 'I'd have kicked her to hell!' was his answer."

The Great Hail Storm .- North and South hills were visited, July 29, 1>>3. by a most disastrous hail storm, which did great damage to all crops, roads, and bridges. All bridges on Cedar brook were carried away. " South Hill" road was so badly washed as to call for a special town meet- ing to decide whether to repair or discontinue it. as gullies of twelve feet in depth had been washed out in many places. Hail fell in such numbers as to form drifts four feet deep; some of the stones measuring an inch and a quarter in diameter. Crops of all kinds were destroyed. Maple trees, two feet through, standing in sugar orchards, were killed. All small trees on "South Hill" were destroyed, and as about one-half of the grass was uncut. the farmers were left destitute of hay as well as grain. Potatoes were about half grown, and grew no larger. Poultry was killed, and many cattle and other animals badly bruised, and the glass was broken ont of all exposed windows. Fortunately the storm mainly spent its force on about two miles square, and but little wind accompanied it. Marks left by the hail stones still show plainly where they struck on buildings, and, had there been wind, no living being would have been left outside of the buildings, even if the buildings had resisted the mighty force of the fear- ful avalanche of ice and water. [The writer was living in the damaged territory, and lost all his crops, and had not a whole light of glass left in the east side of his house or shop. His dam, wheel, bridge, etc., were

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swept away by the deluge which followed. He saw drifts of ice which the water had cut through for four feet in depth. | In front of Amos W. Drew's house, where the hail came off from the eaves, it formed a drift five feet deep, some of the ice remaining there for a week.

Another severe storm visited the same locality in 1887.

Bridges Across Connecticut River. - The first one was built forty-two rods below the mills at West Stewartstown. This went out in the freshet of 1847, was rebuilt about 1850 by "Stewartstown Bridge Co .. " and sold in 1857 to George VanDyke, who was repaid by subscription, the bridge made a free one, and accepted by the towns of Stewartstown and Canaan, Vt. A free bridge was built across the Connecticut in 1852, at the mouth of Hall's stream. The funds were raised by subscription.

CHAPTER LXXI.

Description, Lots, and Settlement-West Stewartstown-Settled and Unsettled Territory- Ponds and Streams-Soil and Minerals-Game-Horses, Cattle and Sheep-Grasses-Grass Seed- Journeys to Portland-Roads and Sleighs-Clothing-Potatoes-Wheat, Oats, and other Products.

D DESCRIPTION, Lots, and Settlements .- Stewartstown is bounded north by Clarksville, east by Dixville, south by Colebrook, and west by Vermont. Its surface is uneven and broken, yet the soil is deep and fertile, producing good crops. Its population in 1800 was 99; 1510, 186: 1820, 363: in 1880, 959, and an assessed valuation of $346,069.

The original survey's divided the town into lots thus: Beginning at the southwest corner, thirteen lots, varying in size, were laid off on the river towards the north. and called "settlers' lots." One more " settlers' lot." No. 14, lies east of 7 and S. The rest of the town was laid off into thir- teen ranges, averaging 100 rods in width, running nearly east and west. These ranges are crossed by " check-lines " running north and south" at a distance of half a mile apart, thus giving 100 acres to each lot. The ranges are numbered from the south. and the lots from the east. Ranges 1 and 2 contain nineteen lots each: ranges 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, each twenty lots: range s. twenty-one lots: ranges 9, 10, 11. 12, 13, each twenty-two lots. A range of hills about two miles from the river divides the town into "Stewartstown " and " West Stewartstown."

West Stewartstown village, on the Connecticut, is situated on "set- tlers' lot " No. 13. first taken up by Jeremiah Eames, Jr., for the mill- privilege. The river valley was the first settled portion, and few. if any,

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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY,

were dwelling east of the hills before 1806. The advantages which caused the early settlement of this place, and the building up a business center here carly, still exist, and the prominent business interests of the town gravitated here, where a fine village has been brought into existence. The beautiful buildings of the Coos county-farm are located near. In the sun- mer of iss7 a disastrous fire destroyed most of the manufacturing estab- lishments, causing much loss. This, however, was more than compen- sated for by the construction in the same year of the Upper Coos railroad, which was opened for traffic December 26. 1857.

Connected as West Stewartstown is with the wealthy town of Canaan, Vt., by a free bridge, and forming a prominent station on the railroad, and possessing many other advantages, it has an assured future of develop- ment and growth. The manufactories will be rebuilt on a larger scale, and new ones will be established. Its mechanics and manufacturers are energetic and intelligent ; its merchants shrewd and reliable, carrying good stocks; its hotel, recently enlarged and refitted, is a first-class place of en- tertainment. A Congregational church, with a good membership and a comfortable meeting-house, attends to spiritual needs.

Settled and Unsettled Territory. - With the laying out of the road or highway in 1810, the territory of " North " and " South Hills " was opened for settlement, and soon occupied. Other roads, branching from this main one, led to the occupation of the " Hollow. " or Bishop's Brook valley, and territory east. Nearly all lots west of Nos. 2. in ranges 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and lots No. 4. in ranges 6, 7. 5. 9, 10,11, 12. 13, are now occupied. Those east of this are still covered with the original forest growth. except the spruce which has been mostly cut by lumbermen. Many "hard- wood " lots remain. however. as yet untouched by the chopper's axe.

Ponds and Streams .- There are four ponds in Stewartstown. Great Diamond and Little Diamond. the largest two, discharge their waters east- erly into Dixville. They are becoming quite well known as pleasant camp- ing places, and on account of many attractions are frequently visited in summer. " Back." or "Dearth " pond lies in the west part, and is tribu- tary to the Connecticut river. "Ladd pond " discharges its clear waters into Cedar brook, a branch of Bishop's brook, and forms the valley divid- ing " North" and "South " hills. Bishop's brook flows southwesterly. then northwesterly. to the Connecticut, and forms the valley north of " North hill." and a part of what is called the "Hollow." The " Mohawk" and " Deadwater " streams have their source on the same 100 acre lot dot 7, range $). The " Mohawk " flows southerly through Colebrook to the Connecticut: the " Deadwater " northerly through Clarksville to the same stream. All other streams are too small to afford power for manufacturing. Mills are now in operation on Cedar, Mohawk, and Bishop's brooks, but as the "Deadwater," although affording plenty

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of falls, is still surrounded by an almost unbroken forest, no mills have been constructed on its banks. The Connecticut river on the western border is the only stream flowing into the town. Pure springs of clear, cold water are found on nearly every lot. The ponds and streams were formerly alive with trout. These are fast disappearing with the influx of civilization. Ladd and Little Diamond ponds contain a peculiar variety. Their flesh is red like the salmon, and they are spotted like the brook trout. Those formerly caught in Great Diamond were of a lighter color, with few red spots.

Soil and Minerals .- The character of the surface differs with the unevenness and elevation. It is broken by hills and valleys, and but little swampy or sterile land can be found. The " river" or "hollow " farms are sandy. and free from stone. The upland is more of a gravelly or stony nature, but the soil everywhere is rich in the elements chemically desig- nated "plant-food." Thus the town is one of the most productive, and best farming and grazing sections of the state.

No mineral deposits of any great extent have been found. Small quan- tities of lead. iron. and lime have been deposited by the water from springs; and a large amount of "bog lime" has accumulated in Ladd pond, which may be found of value. Traces of the precious metals occur in many places. "Quartz rock " abounds on " North hill." and it is believed by many that gold in paying quantity exists there, but none appears on the surface. Quartz appears also near John K. Owens's house, showing traces of both gold and silver. Nearly all the springs north of Cedar brook are heavily charged with lime.

Game .- Moose, bears, wolves, and " bob-cats " were very numerous at the beginning of this century; but they have been driven north and east into the wilderness, or destroyed by hunters, only an occasional one being encountered. Later, deer were very plenty, and still range in the east part of the town. Pigeons, now rarely seen, were a sore plague to the early residents; the large flocks making sad havoc with the grain. An old settler describes one of these flocks as covering the entire sky for half an hour in its passage south. He further says that he once sowed two acres to wheat, and the pigeons "ate up every kernel while he was gone to din- ner." Partridges or grouse are still plenty, as are also hares and rabbits. Red and striped squirrels are so numerous as to call ont the young men nearly every season to " shooting matches" for their destruction. Beaver dams are on nearly every brook, but the beaver are gone. Mink, sable, foxes are still to be found: none, except the latter, however, are numer- ous. Grey squirrels and raccoons. although occasionally seen, were never plenty. "Ladd pond." which takes its name from Daniel Ladd, who first settled near it, was in early times a favorite haunt for the " Loup-Sevier" or " bob-cat," and Ladd and his son David made a business of extermi-

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nating them, both to rid themselves of their depredations, and for the bounties paid for the scalps. This animal is very wary, and the success of the Ladds in capturing them was quite a mystery. In later years David G. Ladd gave the writer a description of the manner of capture. There was a thick undergrowth around the pond, and by weaving small sticks into this. an impassable hedge was formed for several rods, then a small opening was left, and the hedge continued. Large steel traps were set in these openings and bait placed on both sides a rod or so from it; thus the "cats " coming from either way would devour the bait, then, scenting the other, would attempt to get it, and, passing through the opening in the hedge, would fall into the traps. This animal, unlike most felines, is partially subdued by the embrace of a strong trap, and, with care, may be safely managed. An amusing anecdote is related of David G. Ladd. At one time, he, having a "Lucivee" in a trap, was exhibiting it to some of the neighbors, and thought to show his courage by throwing the cat over his head and so gave it a swing. When directly over his head, the cat gave one of its unearthly yells, whereupon David let go of the chain, and ran one way, and the cat another. It was hard to tell which was most frightened.

Agriculture .- The raising of cattle, sheep, and horses has been the principal branch of agriculture, yet grain, potatoes, etc., are by no means neglected, and may be said to be the "money crop "; but, without assist- ance from commercial fertilizers to supplement that supplied by the farms, they could not be raised at a profit. The inventory of 1886 shows 1,105 neat cattle over eighteen months old, valued at $26,000; 316 horses over eighteen months old, valued at $17,630; 1,795 sheep over six months old, valued at $5,101. In 1880 the number of sheep was 2,126, the decrease, owing to low prices of wool, will doubtless soon be made up with present improvement in values. It must be remembered that the above list does not contain any yearlings of horses and cattle, which would nearly double the list if an invoice had been taken of them. Most of the farm work is done with horses now, where oxen were formerly used. The hay grown is nearly all timothy. Clover is usually sown at seeding, but lasts but one or two years. Red top and other grasses are not sown to any extent, and it is doubtful if they ever grew here. There are, however, several varie- ties of native grasses found along the banks of streams in the forests, and in the settled portion where cultivation has not exterminated them. The "blue joint " is the most valuable of these. No native grasses are found on the highlands, and here timothy was found best adapted to the soil by the early settlers, and they acquired quite a reputation for the quality of the seed, which formed an important item of their products. The land appears to be just suited to this crop, as we find it flourishes wherever the seed is scattered, even in the forest. Nature furnishes nearly all the drain-

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age we require, yet under-drains are found valuable in a few small swamps.

The first settlers depended on raising grass seed (timothy) for money. They carried this to Portland, Dover, and Concord, through Dixville notch. with their own teams, occupying sometimes two weeks in the journey; the old double sleighs formed quite a procession, as nearly all went together for company and aid in helping each other up the steep hills. It is now generally agreed that those first settlers built the roads over the worst hills they could find. One reason assigned for this is that in early times the valleys were so wet that it was almost impossible to drive across them. One old teamster said he had rather haul a load up "South hill." than across the valley between that and "North hill." Several of these old sleighs are still to be found in this section. They were shod with cast iron one and one-half inches wide, by an inch or more thick, put on in sections of about two feet; later, these were plated with steel, which was an improvement, as the iron ones would freeze down every time the teams stopped to rest, and then it was quite an exciting thing to start again. This was before the Grand Trunk road was built, and the farmer was expected to bring back most of the family supplies for the next year. The clothing was all home-made, the girls doing the spinning, and the wife the weav- ing. The tailor and shoemaker either went from house to house and "cut and made" for the whole family, or else all went to the shop, were measured and their garments cut, and taken home to be made by the ladies of the household. In many cases shoes were only worn for " meetin'" and " company, "-" old rags,"etc., taking their place for "every day wear."

Prior to 1850 potatoes were only raised for family use. There were but few varieties, prominent among which were the staple " Pink eye " (even now considered the best table potato for general use). The Peach-blow, Cow-horn or Lady-finger, and those co-partners. the Round-white and Irish-apple. comprise most of them. With the erection of starch-mills we find an enormous increase in acreage, and the advent of the "Jenny Lind," or "California," an extra large yielder, used for manufacturing starch, and nearly worthless for other uses. To these have followed nearly every known variety. Wheat, oats, barley, rye. and India-wheat have been raised here ever since the town was settled, and many varieties of each have been tested. The " Bald " wheat is now the general favorite, and of this the " White Russian " and " Lost Nation " take the lead. Oats, as now raised, are a mixture of every kind and variety. Buckwheat was once raised to some extent, but the India-wheat has proved most profitable, and little of the white-blossomed variety can now be found. Corn has been raised quite extensively in the past, but latterly the farmers buy western corn; yet a few raise sufficient for family use, and consider it su- perior to the western for that purpose. Peas, beans, pumpkins and squashes

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find a place on nearly every farm, and are of endless variety. Nearly every farmer has a small patch on which are grown vegetables for family nse, and a few grow beets and turnips for stock feeding. Rye was formerly raised for bread, but little, if any, can now be found. Flax was grown, and the fiber converted into clothing by every family, but none has been raised or spun here for sometime, although the industry partially revived during the Rebellion.

CHAPTER LXXII.

Settlers prior to 1800-Non Resident Land-Settlers early in this Century-Settlers in 1856- Extracts from Records giving Action of Town on Roads, Soldiers, Etc .- Civil List: Representa- tives, Selectmen, Town Clerks-Votes for Governor.

S ETTI.ERS prior to 1800 .*- Henry Sullingham, on settlers' lot No. 1, married Amy -- , had five children: Katharine, born February 9, 1803; Jacob, October 1, 1804; Elizabeth, November 23, 1806, Susanna, June, 1808; Polly, March 30, 1810. David Locke, on settlers' lot No. 2, married, November, 1809; Rachael Brainard. Elisha Dyer, on settlers' lot No. 37, came from Brunswick, Vt., with wife and three children, Marshall, Betsey, Orville, and there were born here Jerub, March 27, 1806; Joseph, February 9, 1809. He married, second, November, 1810. Lney Curtis; her children were George Nelson, born November 29, 1811; Fannie, July 21, 1813; Mary Ann, May 26, 1815; William C., April 27, 1818; John, August 28, 1824. Theophihis Durrell, on settlers' lot No. 4; Clement Miner, on settlers' Lot No. 5; Daniel Hurlbert, on settlers' lot No. 6; Daniel Bramard, on settlers' lot No. 7, father of Barzilla, Rachael (Locke), Daniel, Jr .; Abner Woodsum, on settlers' lot No. 8; Richard Smart, on settlers' lot No. 9; Barzilla Brainard, on settlers' lot No. 10, married, January 22, 1811, Sally Dunning, of Canaan, Vt .; Abner Powan, on settlers' lot No. 11; John French, on settlers' lot No. 12; Jeremiah Eames, Jr., on settlers' lot No. 13, moved from Northumberland in 1797 with wife, Anna, and three children, Jeremiah, Auna, William; in this town were born, Lois, 1799; Persis, 1801; Cyrus, 1804: Hiram, 1806; Emily, 1808; Susan, 1809; Adeline, 1812. John Walls, on settlers' lot No. 14.

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History of Coos County, New Hampshire, Part 78

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Syracuse [N.Y.] : W. A. Fergusson Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Syracuse [N.Y.] : W. A. Fergusson
Number of Pages: 1194