USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton Falls > History of Hampton Falls, N.H., Volume II > Part 14
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FIRE RECORD.
In April, 1833, the house of Nathan Robie on the Robie farm, near the brook, was burned. . The family were making soap which at that time was an annual event in almost every house. While boiling the soap the fire caught upon the roof and the house was entirely consumed. Henry Robie, son of Nathan, said he thought the house had done well to stand seventy years and not burn before. To Esq. Levi Lane, who had done efficient service in ' saving the other buildings: "Squire Lane, I hope your house will get on fire sometime and I will come up and help you."
In 1840, the carpenter shop of Charles C. Gove was destroyed by fire. The fire was caused by a kettle of varnish, which was boiling on a stove, taking fire. The shop was rebuilt. In 1896 while occupied by Aleck Cochran it was burned again and was supposed to have been the work of an incendiary.
In 1845 the barn of Joshua Janvrin was burned. This was upon what is known now as the Baptist parsonage. Cause of the fire unknown.
In 1847, the cotton-batting mill, owned and occupied by Hon. George H. Dodge, was burned, and was soon after rebuilt.
In February, 1855, the Exeter road schoolhouse was burned, with the Washington Hall. Cause unknown.
In June, 1858, what was known as the parsonage house, owned by the heirs of Wells Healey, and situated on the spot now occupied by the home of the late Lewis T. Sanborn, was destroyed by fire, with the church records and other valuable historic papers. At this time the house was occupied by Rev. A. M. Bridge, pastor of the Unitarian Church. This house had been occupied by Rev. Dr. Samuel Langdon and Rev. Jacob Abbot, who was pastor of the town church. Since then it had generally been occupied by ministers who were preaching in the town. Cause of fire supposed to have been defective chimney.
In 1866, the store and barn occupied by Cyrus Brown were burned. For some years before 1853 the post-office had been kept here. Lovell Brown, Jr., had been postmaster. He also did shoe repairing and some work on watches, in the second story of the store. Cause of fire unknown.
154
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
A barn in the field of John Allen Brown was burned about this time, having been struck by lightning. It was a very old build- ing and was said to have been built by Jacob Brown who died in 1762.
In July, 1867, the house of Lowell F. Merrill, near the town house, was burned. Supposed to have caught from a defective chimney.
In 1874, at the lower end of the Brimmer road, below the rail- road, Charles F. Chase, former station agent, had built and was occupying a stand of buildings. He was very unfortunate. In 1874, all his buildings were burned. The fire was supposed to have been set by tramps lodging in the barn. Some time after his house was burned, and later his barn. Both the latter fires were caused by sparks, from passing locomotives, setting the grass on fire which ran up to the buildings.
In 1874, a barn on the north side of Greathill, on what was the homestead of the late Burnham Pervear, was .burned. In 1897, the house and barn were burned. At this time the premises were owned by John Hardy. Cause of these fires un- known.
April 30, 1875, the Rockingham Academy was burned, un- doubtedly the work of an incendiary, as there had previously been considerable controversy as to ownership and to the future disposition of the house.
The freight house of the Boston & Maine Railroad, at the time the Eastern Railroad was burned, set on fire by sparks from a passing locomotive. This building had been used for several years after the opening of the railroad as a passenger station. Entirely destroyed.
In June, 1876, what had been formerly known as Coffin's gristmill, situated upon the opposite bank of the river from the old sawmill, was burned. The sawmill on the Falls side narrowly escaped destruction. The mill, which was burned, had had wood working machinery installed. The fire caught from the engine. It was owned at the time by Arthur T. Wilbur who came from New Bedford, Mass.
In November, 1879, the barn on the Governor Weare place was destroyed by fire. At that time it was owned by the heirs of Zebulon Dow. Undoubtedly this was an incendiary fire.
In 1885, a small building belonging to the mill house, near Dodge's mill, was burned. Cause unknown.
155
FIRE RECORD
On June 17, 1885, the house and barn of the late Thomas Brown, occupied by his grandson, Clarence T. Brown, were burned. Cause, defective chimney. This was the house where Mr. and Mrs. Brown were murdered by Pike in 1868.
On the eve of June 7, 1897, the house of Fred P. Sanborn, with its contents, was destroyed by fire. Supposed to have been the work of an incendiary. This was the homestead of Uncle Billy Brown who died in 1856.
On July 31, 1898, the buildings occupied by David C. Hawes on the old Melcher place were burned, having been struck by light- ning during a heavy shower. Rebuilt soon after.
In 1900, a set of buildings owned by La Roy Eaton, just east of the south road schoolhouse were burned. They were unoc- cupied at the time. Incendiary fire.
In 1901, a house, opposite George Goodwin's on the road over Greathill, owned by Edwin Pervear, was burned. This fire was supposed to have been incendiary. The house was unoc- cupied at the time.
The house on the corner of the South and Mill roads, occupied by Sylvanus B. Pervear, was burned. The fire caught from a spark on the roof. This was the homestead of Ezekiel Gove and his father-in-law, Jeremiah Gove, whose wife kept a store here about 1800. This house was soon rebuilt.
On May 4, 1904, a small stand of buildings on the Depot road owned by Aleck Cochran were burned; they were unoccupied at the time. Cause unknown.
On May 5, 1904, a new stand of buildings, owned by Joseph Bentley, on the Tilton farm near Monthill, were entirely con- sumed by fire. Probably an accidental fire. This was the home- stead of Capt. Jonathan Tilton and his son, Caleb, who were prom- inent in town affairs in the latter part of the eighteenth century.
On April 3, 1909, the cottage house and work shop on the estate of the late Charles T. Brown were burned. Cause, burning grass on the lawn and the fire escaped and got beyond control, thus setting the buildings on fire.
On December 25, 1909, a store on the heater owned by Edwin Janvrin and occupied by William . H. McDevitt was burned. It was snowing hard at the time or a serious conflagration might have resulted. Supposed cause carelessness of burglars. This store was sometimes spoken of as the "Red Lion."
156
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
On July 3, 1910, a small barn owned by William Irving, with its contents, were destroyed by lightning.
On August 27, 1910, the buildings on the Pike place, near the town hall, were consumed by fire. This was the residence of the late Nathan and Edward D. Pike, and where Richard and Alfred Marsh, the blacksmiths, lived. Cause of fire unknown.
In March, 1914, the buildings near the Line meeting house, owned and occupied by Clarence Brown, were entirely consumed by fire. Undoubtedly the work of an incendiary.
In August, 1916, the house and barn on the Depot road, oc- cupied by the Hadley family, were burned. The family had a narrow escape with their lives as it occurred in the night. In- cendiary fire.
In July, 1916, a valuable stand of buildings just over the line in Hampton, in the Guinea neighborhood, was entirely destroyed by fire. Cause of fire unknown. The premises were unoccupied at the time and were owned by the family of J. Freeman Williams
DROWNINGS.
In the early part of the last century, David Tilton was drowned, while lying on the marsh near the clam flats, by the tide coming over him. In 1860, his son, David, was drowned near Hunts Island in Seabrook. Both were natives of this town.
On August 20, 1819, Joseph Ward of Hampton was drowned in the Hampton River. He was taking a gondola from Hampton landing to his marsh toward Hampton Falls landing. The empty boat and his hat drifting led to the discovery. It was supposed that he was pulled off the boat by the pole with which he was pushing becoming stuck in the mud.
About 1826, Benjamin Moulton, son of Thomas and Eliza- beth (Brown) Moulton, while bathing in the Hampton River, and getting beyond his depth, was drowned near the saltmarsh where he was at work.
About this time Samuel Drake Lane of Hampton was drowned in a deep hole, not far from Davidson's Point above the turn- pike. An oak tree on the Hampton side of the river is near the place.
In August, 1849, John Cram and Peter Tilton were drowned in Swain's Creek. They came from Deerfield, but were living on a farm at Kensington. They were working on the marsh. The Tilton boy was bathing and got beyond his depth. Cram went to his rescue and both were drowned.
In August, 1855, Jeremiah James and. Jacob Rowe were drowned near the mouth of Falls River by the overturning of the boat. Jonathan Robinson, who was in the boat, escaped and was resuscitated with much difficulty. Rowe's body was found some days after a mile or more distant.
In 1879, Oliver Wright of Seabrook who, with John T. Batch- elder and others were surrounded by the tide in the evening, in attempting to reach the highland, walked into the river and was drowned. A year or two later his brother, John Wright, fell from a gondola by the breaking of an oar. This occurred in the Seabrook River. A brother of these men had been drowned in the Merrimack River a few years before.
158
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
In February, 1908, Orin D. Green, while crossing the river with a load of hay, broke through the ice. He and his two horses were drowned.
In April, 1912, Ellen Cram was drowned in the deep hole below the bridge on the Exeter road.
MAIL SERVICE
Under this order the mail was carried on the regular cars which continued until the regular postal car was put on under order issued February 7, 1909:
FORM NO. 2151A.
In replying, refer to initials } J. I. P.
Post Office Department. OFFICE OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL. RAILWAY ADJUSTMENT DIVISION.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Aug. 28, 1899.
Sir.
You are informed that an order has this day been issued establishing closed pouch mail service on route No. 302004, from Hampton R. R. Sta. (n. o.) to Smithtown, operated by the Exeter Hampton and Amesbury St. Railway Co., taking effect from Sept. 11, 1899.
Compensation to be at the rate of $272.49 per annum, being 3 cents per mile for 9,070.74 miles of service, as follows:
Single Trips per Day.
From-
To-
Length of Trip, Miles.
Week days,
306.
Sundays,
Holidays,
Hampton R. R. Sta.
(n. o.) .
Hampton Falls.
2.44
3
3
Hampton Falls
Hampton R. R. Sta. (n. o.)
2.44
3
3
Hampton Falls
Seabrook.
1.25
3
3
Seabrook
Hampton Falls.
1.25
3
3
Seabrook
Smithtown.
1.72
2
2
Smithtown
Seabrook.
1.72
2
2
The frequency of service as above authorized must not be changed without specific authority from this office.
Very respectfully,
G. F. STONE,
Acting Second Assistant Postmaster General.
MR. WARREN BROWN, P.rest. Exeter Hampton and Amesbury St. Ry. Co., Hampton Falls, N. H.
7.
52.
160
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
ELECTRIC CAR SERVICE. FORM NO. 2150A.
In replying, refer to initials } J. I. P.
Post Office Department. OFFICE OF THE SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL. RAILWAY ADJUSTMENT DIVISION. WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 7, 1900.
Sir:
You are informed that an order has this day been issued re-stating mail service on route No. 302004, from Hampton R. R. Sta. (n. o.) to Smithtown, N. H., operated by the Exeter, Hampton & Amesbury Street Railway Co., taking effect from March 1, 1900. Mails to be carried in postal apartment cars 8 feet . ... inches long, inside measurement. The cars to be fitted up, heated, and lighted as required by the Department.
Compensation to be at the rate of $1,608.20 per annum, being 5 cents per mile for 32,164.00 miles of service, as follows:
From-
To-
Length of Trip, Miles.
Week days,
311.
Sundays,
52.
Holidays,
Boston & Maine R. R.
Sta. at Exeter, N. H.
Exeter, N. H.
.62
3
1
Exeter, N. H.
B. & M. R. R. Sta. at Exe- ter.
.62
3
1
Exeter
Hampton.
6.64
3
1
Hampton
Exeter.
6.64
3
1
Hampton
Boston & Maine R. R.
.03
3
1
Boston & Maine R. R ..
Hampton.
.03
3
1
Boston & Maine R. R.
Hampton Falls.
2.43
3
1
Hampton Falls
Boston & Maine R. R.
2.43
3
1
Hampton Falls
Seabrook.
1.25
3
1
Seabrook .
Hampton Falls.
1.25
3
1
Seabrook .
Smithtown.
1.72
3
1
Smithtown
Seabrook.
1.72
3
1
Smithtown
Amesbury.
4.51
3
1
Amesbury
Smithtown.
4.51
3
1
The frequency of service as above authorized must not be changed without specific authority from this office.
Very respectfully,
G. F. STONE,
Act'g Second Assistant Postmaster General.
MR. WARREN BROWN, Pres.,
Exeter, Hampton, & Amesbury St. Ry. Co., Hampton Falls, N. H.
2
Single Trips per Day.
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
Free rural mail delivery which had become common and in general use in many parts of the country, had been talked of and wanted by many in this town for a number of years but no systematic efforts had been made to bring it about. Early in 1904 efforts were made at Exeter to have our mails delivered from the Exeter post office, which, if it had been done, would have in all probability sooner or later resulted in the discontin- uance of the Hampton Falls post office. To the Exeter scheme the people of this town were opposed, as they were afraid the name of the town would gradually disappear from public mention and notice.
In November, 1904, the matter took definite shape. Mr. Frank S. Green circulated a petition to have the mail distributed by carrier over the town from the Hampton Falls post office. This petition was very generally signed by the people of the town. As a result a little later, Mr. T. Clark Campbell, a government inspector, was sent to look over the ground and make a report. Upon examination he was very favorably im- pressed, saying that the roads and buildings were the best and the door yards were kept the neatest of any route he had ever examined. On his recommendation a route was established, to go into effect February 15, 1905, to take in most of the town with the addition of the Wadleigh neighborhood in Kensington, John Mace's house on the turnpike in Hampton, with a few houses at Fogg's Corner in Seabrook. The distance was called twenty- four miles, which is somewhat in excess of the actual distance; compensation, $720.00 per year, which has since been considerably increased.
There was considerable competition for the position of rural carrier. Four candidates appeared for examination before Mr. Ford who conducted the examination at the Exeter post office. They were Howard T. Moulton, Charles I. Akerman, William Davidson and Arthur W. Chase. The contract was awarded to Charles I. Akerman who scored 99.70 of 100 points, which was perfection. On February 15, 1904, he entered upon his duties and has continued until the present time, 1916.
12
162
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
The metallic boxes, such as would be approved by the Govern- ment, were obtained from Michigan at an expense to the patrons of from $1 to $2 each, according to size.
The route was laid out by Mr. Campbell from the map of the town as shown by the county map, without any consultation with the people of the town or patrons of the office. Some improve- ment could have been made in the layout.
There has been a large increase in the amount of mail since the rural delivery was established. Nearly every family now has one or more daily papers, and the increase in the intelligence of the community is very apparent. In former times we had three mails each way out and in, which was delivered by a carrier from the steam road. After the electric railway, we had a mail car for a number of years, running from Exeter to Amesbury, which gave us six mails each way daily. The car did some express business. The mail car was not found to pay and was discontinued. Since then the mail has been delivered from the passenger cars three times daily out and in, coming from the Hampton office.
In the autumn of 1904, arrangements were made to introduce the Independent Telephone line, known as the Shaw Line, to connect from Exeter to Hampton Falls railroad station, coming down the Exeter road, past Warren Brown's house to the hill. Warren Brown, George C. Healey, Edwin Janvrin and Mrs. Mary D. Aiken acted as promoters, furnishing the money. The line was not completed until the summer of 1905. This line made connection with the New England line possible, at the central office at Exeter, and at Dodge's store in this town.
In March, 1906, the People's Telephone Company was organ- ized and took over the Shaw Line, which had been in operation for a year, for the purpose of connecting the line with other inde- pendent lines and to form a long distance line. The People's Line was a great convenience for local purposes, but not practical for other communications. After a few years, which were run at a loss, it was sold out to the New England Telephone Company. Our central is Hampton. The service is quite satisfactory .. There are about fifty subscribers in Hampton Falls.
TOWN LIBRARY BUILDING.
In the spring of 1901 John T. Brown of Newburyport, Mass., purchased the Christian Baptist meeting house with the intention of fitting it up as a library building and presenting it to the town in memory of his ancestors who were residents of the town.
Upon examination the house was found in good condition, it having been well and substantially built and so well cared for as to show little sign of decay after sixty-five years of service. The roof was slated; a portico placed over the door; the under- pinning reset and pointed; the windows were reglazed with plate glass, and inside blinds were fitted; one door in front instead of two, with colored glass placed each side of the door. The outside of the house was painted white. Over the portico, where there once had been a semicircular window, a marble slab of the same size and shape was inserted, with the inscription, "Hampton Falls Free Library, 1901," in raised letters. The inside of the house was thoroughly renovated. The walls were replastered and frescoed, and presented a beautiful appearance. There are two rooms, one each side of the entrance-one for the use of the librarian, the other for the library committee. The floor was relaid in birch. The room presents a pleasing appearance, and to the wonder of everyone that so handsome and commodious a room could have been made in the building. Commodious cases were provided for the books by the donor of the building. Taken as a whole the house outside and in is a credit to the town, being in good taste in every respect and contains ample room for growth of the library for many years to come. The people of the town should ever feel grateful to the giver. The building was dedicated August 25 and we here present the account of the dedication as published at the time.
The conditions are that the building cannot be removed from its present site, must be kept insured, and in case of destruction by fire must be rebuilt upon the same site unless otherwise ordered by a vote of three fourths of the legal voters of the town.
The books of the town library were removed to the new library building December 12, 1901. At that time there were 1,070 in
,
164
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
number; now, 1916, there are about 2,000 volumes; 103 volumes were purchased by $100 left for the purpose by the late George W. Leavitt.
MR. JOHN T. BROWN'S GIFT TO HAMPTON FALLS.
Under bright skies and with very interesting exercises Hamp- ton Falls' new library building, the munificent gift to the town of its previous benefactor, Mr. John T. Brown of Newburyport, was impressively dedicated last Friday afternoon. The dedi- catory exercises, over which Rev. Charles L. White gracefully presided, were held in the beautiful building, beginning at 1 p. m. The platform was decorated with plants and flowers, and the large company included many distinguished visitors.
After the singing of "Home, Sweet Home, " Rev. Joseph Kim- ball, pastor of the Line Church, made the invocation, and selec- tions from the Scriptures were read by Rev. Hartwell J. Bartlett, pastor of the Baptist Church. The attendance of Rev. David Frazer of Rowley, Mass., who had been assigned the latter part, was impossible.
Then came the presentation by the donor of the deed of the building to the town and of its keys to the library trustees, with response by James H. Brown, chairman of the selectmen, and by Rev. Charles L. White, chairman of the trustees. The donor said in part:
"During the past few years I have passed this structure many times and I noted that the doors were closed, that the period of usefulness was apparently at an end. There came to me the thought of making the old chapel a benefit to the community once more. The idea of a library took a firm hold in my mind. A sale was quickly effected. Then I had plans drawn by an architect and the result of all-you see around you now. I trust that the building will serve an admirable purpose. You who succeed to the ownership will, I am sure, carry out faithfully the trust that you have accepted. See that its influence shall be widespread into your daily lives, into your homes. I myself am nearing the end of the day and, in committing to you the character of this building, I beg you to receive it with its sacred obligations."
The chairman of selectmen expressed his pleasure and in behalf of the entire town rendered sincere thanks for the munificent gift. In his response Mr. White said:
"The library is a sacred element bestowed today upon the community and the family. It is a by-product of Christianity. It means much to us, and we shall hope and trust and try that it be of lasting service to our people. We shall often stand in need of your advice and judgment, Mr. Brown, on many matters. We pray, sir, that your interest shall ever be in no wise diminished with the flight of time. I gaze around the beautiful interior and I am com- pelled to admire the exquisite taste which the donor has shown in his improve- ments on the old chapel. The library's beauty cannot fail to exert an influence with all who look at it. Then there will be within these walls holy associations, because of the building's past history. Sir, the expense which you have in- curred with so much generosity, we feel deeply, deeply grateful for! And as I hold these keys in my hand today I feel the potent influence of such a library in our town as this will be-this beneficence of our friend, John Thomas Brown."
165
TOWN LIBRARY BUILDING
Rev. William A. Cram of Hampton Falls was then introduced, and made a capital address. He was very happy in his apprecia- tion of the gift and in his apostrophe to the donor's portrait, which hung above the platform. "Behold the kindly face," he said, "it is looking down upon us, lovingly and with a voice of beneficence. To our children later, that picture will mean even more, I have no doubt."
After a selection of music, the chairman read the following poem, composed for the occasion by Mrs. Harriet Prescott Spofford of Newburyport:
What, friends, in happy company, Within these walls about you brought With wealth of lofty learning fraught, Shall answer here your eager quest In genial mood and golden thought!
Here are the dead alive again, And still their fancies thrill and burn, The while the yellowing pages turn, Death holds not Shakespeare in the dust Nor all of Homer in an urn.
But search the leaf, and secret things Of life and death are here set free, Each book a messenger shall be From the great deeps, as in the shell One hears the murmur of the sea.
Here, as you read, there comes once more The Greek cry at the Euxine's gleam, And young the ancient heroes seem; Here Plato takes your hands in his Down the dusk groves of Academe.
Here shall Catullus laugh, and here Cæsar his battles fight again, And Plutarch's starry-pointed pen With fortunate familiar phrase Bring down the demigods to men.
Here shall we meet sad Dante's shade Moving with slow majestic tread; And, with green laurels for his head, Shall see flower-laden throngs, too late, Crown hapless Tasso lying dead.
Here the bold Northman tells anew His saga that once fired men's souls, Here like a flute Dan Chaucer trolls, And here the great Elizabeth Leads in her crew of mighty souls.
Here History's tablets open lie Here Nature spells her wonders o'er, Surrendering sweet and hidden lore, Here with her magic Romance gives Another sky, another shore.
166
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
Here Music whispers to herself, Drooping a hushed and folded wing, The songs that all the minstrels sing, With honeyed breath and interval
Till sweetness makes the silence ring.
Here troop the dreams, the darling dreams, That men have dreamed since time begun, That, fine as heaven-swung cobwebs spun, Wave their fair films across the light, And build their rainbows in the sun.
And here as long as pulses stir At noble deeds and kindly looks, While bends the blue, while run the brooks,
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