USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > History of Coos County, New Hampshire > Part 83
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Edmund Keysar was a native of Northfield, emigrated to Stewartstown in 1807, and settled on the Kent place on North hill, where he and John Keysar owned a tract of land two miles in length. Here he commenced the difficult labor of the pioneer, and worked for more than ten years, developing his land, and otherwise enhancing the weal of the settlement. In 1814 he was a representative to the General Court. His wife was Betsey Young. Of their fifteen children eleven attained maturity. John, Betsey (Mrs. J. P. Wiswall), and Miles H. are the only survivors of this large family.
In 1818 Mr. Keysar sold his property in Stewartstown and removed to Canterbury, where he bought a farm and resided until 1932, when he came again to Coös county, and settled in Clarksville on lot No. 2, range 1. where his son John now lives. Here he bought 200 acres of land, built a saw-mill which he conducted, and was a useful citizen of Clarksville until his death. He served as selectman for several years.
John Keysar, son of Edmund and Betsey ( Young) Keysar, was born in Stewartstown, July 10, 1816. He received such educational advantages as the common schools of his town offered. When nineteen years old he went to Colebrook and learned the trade of a joiner, and worked at house building for several years. He then bought the home place at Clarksville, and has since been a resident of the town. In 1869 he built a starch mill of one hundred tons capacity, and carried it on until 1882, when S. S.
John Meyran
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TOWN OF CLARKSVILLE.
Merrill ran it for four years: since Mr. Merrill's death, the mill has been conducted by W. E. Drew, of Colebrook. Mr. Keysar has also made clap- boards for eight years, shingles two years, and been engaged in agriculture quite extensively. On retiring from starch manufacturing. he sold his farm of 275 acres to his son, Berkley. In 1883 the telephone line from Colebrook to Clarksville was constructed, and June 10, 1854, the first mes- sage was transmitted and received by Berkley, who was the first operator.
Mr. Keysar married Sarah Clark Wiswall. She was born in Clarks- ville, March 11, 1817. (See biography of B. C. Wiswall. ) Their children were Maria C., married John Gathercole, has three children, James C., Sarah E., and Phebe E. Sarah; Phebe Y., wife of E. S. Parker; her children are John R. and Otis L. Wiswall, died aged twenty-two. Clark, died young. Susan M., married Charles F. Hibbard: she died February 27, 1877, leaving one child, Harry. Berkley, married Eliza L. Moses: their children are Lula E., Clyde W., Lottie M., Jesse L. [Blakeley M. died in infancy. ]
Mr. Keysar is a good and reliable citizen. He has been connected with the town affairs of Clarksville for many years, and as a Democrat rep- resented his party in the state legislature two years: has served as select- man and town clerk, and in his avocations as farmer and manufacturer for many long years has been a worker, a producer, and not a mere con- sumer. Mrs. Keysar is a bright, active woman, a kind mother and pleasant companion. Berkley Keysar is the representative for Clarksville and Pittsburg for 1886-87.
PITTSBURG.
BY DAVID BLANCHARD, EsQ.
CHAPTER LXXVI.
Pittsburg -Boundaries - First Explored -Topography-Lakes-Streams-Ponds-Rocks- Minerals.
- THE town of Pittsburg, formerly known as "Indian Stream Territory," embraces all that portion of the state lying north of the parallel of
- 45' north latitude, excepting a small tract included within the limits of the town of Clarksville, and is bounded on the east by Maine, southerly by the parallel of 45' and the Connecticut river, westerly by the main easterly branch of Hall's stream, and northerly by the Highlands forming the divide between the Connecticut, the Androscoggin, and the St. Law- rence waters, and contains an area of 360 square miles, of which, in 1880, there were 15,000 acres under improvement.
It was first explored by a party of land surveyors, under the direction of the Canadian government, in 1787, by whom a considerable portion of the territory was divided into townships during the following year, and included a part of the present municipal corporations of Hereford, Auk- land and Emberton. Quebec, and the whole of the township of Drayton was located in the westerly part of the territory, and embraced the valley of Indian stream northerly to the south line of Aukland. This territory at that period formed a portion of the hunting-grounds of the St. Francis Indians, a tribe located in the valley of the St. Francis river some twenty miles north of the Highlands. Large parties of these Indians made fre- quent visits hither, attracted by the abundance of fur-bearing animals and moose, and deer which roamed through these vast forests, otherwise undisturbed. The valleys of Indiam stream and Connecticut river seem to have formed the principal camping-grounds of the tribe during their annual visits, relies of which are not infrequently found even now.
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TOWN OF PITTSBURG.
The surface presents a bold and rugged appearance, the easterly and northerly portions having many broken and abrupt elevations belonging to lateral spurs of the White Mountain chain, and evidently of volcanic origin; these continue northerly, terminating at Megantic mountain. from whence the land gradually inelines northwardly to the valley of the St. Lawrence. This elevated plateau, forming the divide between the waters flowing northerly into the St. Lawrence and southerly into the Atlantic ocean, was considered by Professor Agassiz to be the oldest land on the continent; which opinion is strengthened by the evidence of Plutonic, vol- canic and non-fossiliferous stratified rocks showing very distinct traces of glacial abrasion, particularly in the vicinity of Connecticut lake and on the heights between Indian and Perry streams; and, further, also, by dikes of quartz abundantly dispersed, and ejected through the superincum- bent slates in the northwestern portion of the territory. A large portion of its soil evidently consists of various kinds of disintegrated rock and other materials transported a considerable distance in a southeasterly direc- tion.
Topographical Features .-- The eastern portion of the town (bordering on the state of Maine for a distance of nineteen miles) is separated from the westerly portion by the water-shed between the Connecticut and the Androscoggin waters. It contains an area of 33,000 acres. Mt. Magallo- way (having an elevation of 2,800 feet, and on which the United Coast Survey has a signal station, erected in 1879,) is situated in the south- westerly portion of this tract; also Mt. Carmel, with an elevation of 3, 750 feet-the line between Maine and New Hampshire passing midway over its summit. The three main branches of Dead Diamond stream (a tribu- tary of the Androscoggin) have their rise in the central portion of this part of the town; Little Magalloway, flowing into the main river of that name four miles below Parmachenee lake, has its source southwesterly of Mt. Carmel, and the most northwesterly head of the Androscoggin river rises in a small pond a little west of the state line, and one-half mile south of the iron monument on which are cast in raised letters the names of Albert Smith and Lieut .- Col. I. B. B. Escourt, British commissioners ap- pointed under the treaty of Washington to mark the boundary between the United States and Lower Canada: also the name of Col. Henry O. Kent, commissioner appointed on the part of New Hampshire to re-adjust and straighten the boundary line between Maine and New Hampshire. This monument also bears the date of the treaty (1542), and was placed here in 1$45, at the extreme northerly point of the state, to mark the boundary between Maine. New Hampshire, and Canada. At this point a person, by walking around it as near as possible, can pass through a portion of each of these political divisions. Westerly of this divide. and within one mile of the northern boundary, begins the chain of lakes in which the Connecticut
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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
river takes it rise. The upper one of the chain, commonly called "Third " lake, and more correctly known by its Canadian designation, " Lake St. Sophia," is small, nearly circular in form, and about one mile in width, with an extreme depth of ninety feet. The Connecticut at its source is a small stream, twenty feet in width, flowing due south a distance of five miles, receiving a considerable tributary on the easterly side, and discharg- ing its waters into the second of the chain, commonly known as "Second " lake, and, more properly, as "Lake Carmel" (from the mountain of that name in full view in a northeasterly direction). This pond is two miles in lenth, of varying width, irregular in shape, and contains an area of about 1,000 acres; its greatest depth is eighty feet. The stream flowing from this lake is eighty feet wide, and for the first mile after leaving the lake has a fall of 300 feet, affording excellent water-power. It pursues a southwesterly direction for four miles, receiving two considerable tribu- taries on the west, and falls into "Lake Connecticut," usually considered the main source of the Connecticut river. This lake, in its greatest ex- tent, is about four miles in length by three in breadth, with a depth of 100 feet, and has an altitude of 1,850 feet. From the foot of this lake to the southeasterly part of the town, where the Connecticut crosses the parallel of forty-five degrees (thirteen miles), it has a fall of 450 feet, (principally above and below Fletcher's mills, for a distance of two miles, and in the first two miles of its course after leaving the lake.) Some very fine interval lands border the banks of this river, commencing two miles below Connecticut lake, and extending for five miles below; and again at the mouth of Indian stream. The most important tributaries received in this distance are Perry's stream, forming its junction with the main river one and one-half miles below the lake, Indian stream, seven miles below, and Hall's stream, forming the western boundary of the town, flowing into the Connecticut fifteen miles below the lake, in the town of Canaan, Vt.
These streams have their sources in the high lands forming the north- ern boundary of the town, have a general uniform parallel southwesterly course, and are each about twenty miles in length, and of sufficient size to float the large spruce which grows in abundance along their banks. Quite extensive tracts of good interval lands are found along their banks, up to a point from four to six miles from their source; more particularly in the valleys of Indian and Hall's streams.
Rogers's pond, in the center of the town near the main highway, is about one mile in length by three- fourths in width; Round pond, one mile north of Lake Connecticut, a gem nestling among the green-clad hills in their summer verdure; and numerous smaller ponds dotting the landscape here and there, unite in giving a pleasing diversity to the woodland scenery.
Rocks. --- But little granite is found near the surface. Small detached
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TOWN OF PITTSBURG.
bowlders are found in the lower valley of Hall's stream, and a very little farther east. Conglomerate rocks, in the alluvial formation in the valley of the Connectient, and in the vicinity of Indian stream, are frequent. Probably the most widely dispersed rocks are a sandstone in a fragmentary state, lying near the surface, and a species of argillaceous slate, in the same condition. It is mainly to the abundance of these that the rough appearance of the surface of the country is owing, and in many localities they materially enhance the labor in the successful cultivation of the soil. Near the center of the town is a belt of rock extending from the Connecti- cut river in a northeasterly direction about five miles, varying in width from one to three miles, having a crystalline structure like granite, but of a darker color, very readily disintegrating wherever exposed to atmospheric influences, called by Prof. Huntington a kind of green schist, containing a considerable percentage of potash. It is one of the best fertilizing rocks found in New England. In the valley of Perry stream, and extending from the Connecticut northerly a distance of six miles, the main out cropping rock is a light sandstone grit, showing a very clearly defined stratification, hav- ing in many places nearly a vertical position, and bearing abundant evi- dence of recent displacement, which changed the direction of the water- courses in its vicinity, and turning the main stream, flowed over its bed in a new direction, forming a junction with the Connecticut five miles above its former outlet. In the northeasterly portion of the town a species of hornblende is found in considerable abundance in massive form, and in detached bowlders, and forms no inconsiderable portion of the rugged hillside which so prominently mark the sources of the streams flowing northerly, easterly, and southerly. The high ridge of land forming the elevation or divide between Indian and Hall's streams is a slate forma- tion, through which large and frequent dikes of quartz have been ejected. The most southerly point of its surface-indications is one mile north of the Connecticut river. It crops out quite often towards the boundary north- wardly (a distance of eighteen miles), varying in width from two to four miles, and covers an area of probably not less than 35,000 acres. It is easily quarried into slabs of any required size and thickness, and has been pronounced by experts good roofing slate. This proving true, it only awaits suitable facilities for transportation to become of immense value. It is in this formation that gold has been found on the head waters of Indian stream, at several points over an area of 4,000 acres, and more frequently in Annance gulch, a vein leading into the middle branch on the east side thereof, three miles south of the Highlands, where evidence of quite extensive mining operations (probably by parties from Canada ). such as deep excavations in the banks and former beds of the stream, marks of quite extensive camping grounds, and sluice-boxes in the last stages of dacay, are found. This formation forms the bed-rock of the
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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
celebrated gold mines of the Hon. John H. Pope on the head-waters of Little Ditton river in the township of Ditton, Quebec, six miles north of the boundary at the head of the middle or main branch of Indian stream. These have been worked for twenty years, with large profit on the capital invested. Traces of lead and copper are found in the northeastern portion of the town in the vicinity of Lake Carmel, and iron in small quantities is met with in the central and southwestern sections.
CHAPTER LXXVII.
Exploration in 1789-Resources-First Settlers-Permanent Settlers-Ebenezer Fletcher -- Growth of the Settlement.
T HE first exploration by New Hampshire people was made in 1789 by two adventurous rangers-David Gibbs and Nathaniel Wales, the former from Haverhill, the latter from Concord, N. H., -who, push- ing their way through the thick forests on the banks of the Connecticut far beyond the scattered settlements then gradually extending up the river in the "Upper Cohos," finally reached the broad intervals at the mouth of Indian stream late in the month of September. Here they re- mained nearly a month engaged in trapping the fur-bearing animals. exploring the adjacent country, and tracing the Connecticut river to the lake which bears the same Indian name. Returning home in the late Indian-summer days, they gave glowing accounts of the country they had discovered; representing it, as it then appeared in its primeval solitude, as a country of vast extent, far richer in its flora and fauna than any hitherto known portion of New England; with broad meadows bordering the banks of the streams through their whole extent; with huge white pines growing plentifully along its principal water courses, and towering far above the surrounding forests; and with its gently-sloping hillsides covered with a heavy primitive growth of rock maple: its rich autumnal colors blend- ing with the deeper hues of the evergreens, then unmarked by the woodman's axe. giving a pleasing diversity to the landscape, when illuminated by the slanting rays of the Indian-summer sunlight.
The streams and ponds are abundantly stocked with trout, "lunge," and various other kinds of edible fish, while through its forests moose, deer, and caribou roamed in such numbers as had never been found in any of the more southerly portions of the state. Beaver were plenty, and the results of their labors, in the small meadows and embankments scattered
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TOWN OF PITTSBURG.
along streams, still remain, bearing ample evidence of their intelligence and indefatigable industry. Otter, mink, muskrat, and sable were found in great numbers, and to the discoverers this region seemed the very para- dise of hunters. They are said to have represented the soil as being of . remarkable fertility, and such were the flattering reports they gave that in June following (1790), three others joined them in an expedition to this section, with a view of forming a settlement. Purchasing such supplies as were needed for the proposed trip from the frontier settlers, they pushed boldly into the wilderness and reached the Indian stream meadows. Here they proceeded to make "pitches," or preempt their claims, by cutting a few trees, erecting rude cabins or camps on the cleared plots, and making such improvements as should show their intention to permanently occupy these lands.
These beginnings or " pitches " were located as follows: David Gibbs, on the farm now known as the Baldwin place, and occupied by the Bald- win Brothers; Nathaniel Wales, on that now known as the Nathaniel Perkins farm: Nathan Smith, on the Tabor farm; Royal Gage, on the Con- necticut river, five miles below the lake, at the mouth of the brook which still bears his name. The other member of the party, James Smith, located near the mouth of Deadwater stream in the present territory of Clarks- ville.
But few Indians were met with, and these were appearing friendly, so little apprehension was felt from that source. After remaining here some three months or more exploring the country nearly to the Highlands, sup- plementing their scant stock of provisions from the forests and streams, and becoming somewhat weary of their solitary life, these hardy pioneers returned to their respective homes, where they gave very flattering reports of the country, particularly of the remarkable fertility of the soil as indi- cated by the luxuriance of the wild grasses which grew in great abundance on the open meadows. These several beginnings have since broadened into large interval farms with elegant and commodious farm buildings, showing the wisdom of this early selection.
This country was only visited by occasional hunting parties after this until 1796, when certain individuals, notably Thomas Eames, John Bradley, Jonathan Eastman and Nathan Hoit, obtained the famous deed from King Philip and claimed possession of this territory. This deed was acknowl- edged June 30, 1796, "received for record " November 22, 1796, and re- corded in liber 23, fol. 206 of the records of Grafton county. They imme- diately organized under the proprietary act, and opened their lands to settlement, offering to immigrants lots of 100 acres each to a limited num- ber, allowing them to select the locality, on condition of performing " set- tler's duty "; which consisted in clearing five acres of land, erecting a log- cabin or some structure which might answer for a domicile, and perform-
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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
ing a certain amount of labor annually, during a stated number of years, in cutting and clearing roads.
It was supposed by most of the early settlers, under the grants from the proprietors claiming to hold their lands by virtue of the title derived from this Indian chief, that they were secure in the tenure of their hold- ings as against any claim by the state of New Hampshire. In fact it was held by many well-informed in colonial matters and usages that the territory lying north of the 45th parallel and south of the Highlands, formed a sort of "terra incognita" wholly outside of the jurisdiction of the government of New Hampshire, or that of Lower Canada; and, at this distant day, it is difficult to perceive, in view of the fact that it has long been the settled policy and practice of the United States government to acquire the lands of the Indians by treaty or purchase. how the state of New Hamp- shire ever acquired any title to this territory otherwise than by usurpation. There appears very little, if any, evidence that it was included within the limits of the royal patent issued by Charles II., in 1679, constituting the province of New Hampshire. Neither does it appear that during the long period of forty-nine years when New Hampshire formed a part of the province of Massachusetts, that the northern boundaries of the colony were understood to extend north of the Ammonoosuc.
The proprietors claiming under this Indian deed held out flattering in- ducements to settle on their lands, and settlements of a permanent character were soon commenced. Hither came Ebenezer Fletcher, from Charlestown, N. H., in 1811, who soon after built a frame dwelling-house and a saw and grist-mill, on the falls on the Connecticut which still bear his name. The frames of the barn and mill were massive structures, and are still stand- ing in a very tolerable state of preservation, as monuments of his indefati- gable industry. He was reputed to be a man of considerable wealth for that period, kind and liberal to his poorer neighbors, rendering them ma- terial assistance in the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life. The original Fletcher farm, containing 500 acres, has been much sub- divided, and now forms a small village. In the same year came Samuel Osborne and Daniel Haines: also John Comstock, who settled on Indian stream, on what is now known as the Tabor farm. John Haines came, in 1×13. from Lisbon, but the increase and prosperity of the settlement was seriously retarded by the war with Great Britain; many left fearing hos- tile Indian incursions from Canada, as straggling parties often evinced a very unfriendly disposition; but they were held in check by a military gar- rison near at hand on the frontier. Under its protection a few remained, and some additions to the settlement were made, as will hereafter be seen.
Nathan Judd came, in 1813, from Piermont, and Nathaniel Perkins, in 1814. from New Hampton. The latter locating on the westerly bank of Indian stream on the farm bearing his name, and originally containing
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TOWN OF PITTSBURG.
700 acres. Clark J. Haines and William Hyland came in 1>15; the former from Lisbon, the latter from Bradford, Vt. Abner Hyland came from the same place in 1816: Emer Applebee, from Franconia, in 1819; also Gen. Moody Bedel and Samuel Danforth, from Haverhill: Rufus Brockway (for a long period a private mail-carrier, during which there was no postoffice nearer than Stewartstown): David Eaton, from Plymouth: James T. Boynton and Zebulon Flanders, from Warner: and Enoch Carr, from Lisbon.
The year 1520 added seventeen families to the new settlement; these locating mainly in the central and northeasterly portions. along the Con- necticut valley and north side of Connecticut lake. Their names and places of residence, so far as can be ascertained, were as follows: Paul Tabor, Jere- miah Tabor, and Elisha P. Tabor, from Bradford. Vt., located on Indian stream: Simeon Wright, from the same town, settled on the Connecticut, one and one-half miles above Indian stream; Moses Thurston, from Cor- inth. Vt., bought out the claim of Royal Gage near the mouth of the brook which still bears his name: Southwood Sibley settled on a lot easterly and adjoining: Richard I. Blanchard, from Haverhill, and Josiah Rogers, from Windsor, Vt., located in the center of the town, near the southerly side of Rogers's pond; Jeremy George, from Newbury, Vt., located on the north side of this pond; Abiel Holt, (who surveyed and lotted 2,000 acres of land in the same year, in the northeasterly portion of the settlement, princi- pally along the north shore of Connecticut lake. ) Joshua Parker, Noah Fletcher, Archelaus Cummings, Seth Blood, and Burleigh Blood, all from Temple, located in the "lake settlement," the last named locating on, and clearing, the farm at the head of the lake, then, as now, the extreme northeasterly farm in the state; David Mitchell (formerly a merchant in Bath, and said to have been the first and only Freemason in the colony at that period); John Langdon Haynes, from Lisbon. Sylvester Hutchins, Reuben Sawyer, and Jonathan Hartwell came in 1821. In 1822 only five permanent additional settlements were made, viz .: by John Parker, Jona- than French, John Parsons. Elisha Abbott, and Peter Barns, from Cor- inth, Vt., who built a saw and grist-mill at the foot of the lake. Sampson Rowell, from Piermont, Eben and Silas Gettchell, from Haverhill, came in 1823. In 1824 three additional families moved in: those of C'ol. Samuel Huggins, formerly sheriff of Sullivan county. Britton Cook, and Ephraim C. Aldrich, from Bradford, Vt.
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