USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton Falls > History of Hampton Falls, N.H., Volume II > Part 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
Apr .: The weather was very disagreeable in the early part of the month. The roads were in a condition to render doing busi- ness to great disadvantage. It is estimated that there have been more muddy roads the past winter than during a number of previous years combined. People are busy removing brown tail moth nests. The last of the month the grass was very green and fine for the time of year. The grass has come through the winter in good condition.
May: Not much rain during the first half of the month. The brown tail moths threaten a great deal of damage. An expert who made an examination found four nests of the gypsy moths in the town. 13th: Ground soft and wet. Grass very forward. Frost did some damage on the 20th. 24th: Apple trees in full bloom. A small amount of precipitation during the month but
200
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
enough to keep vegetation in good condition. We have had little warm weather as yet. Some thunder showers last of the month, which did no damage.
June: Four and one-half inches of rain fell during the first week, which was much needed. The brown tails are doing a great deal of damage in some places. Good growing weather but plowed lands and crops are too wet to be worked. There was a great deal of rain during the remainder of the month; eleven inches fell in eighteen days. The ground is full of water and grass has made a great growth.
July: First week good hay weather. Second week cool and wet, wind from the east but not much precipitation. The fields are very soft and wet, making it difficult to use labor saving machinery. 15th: Not much haying done. Hoed crops are small and need attention. Seed potatoes have rotted and the stand is very uneven. The grass is green, with the wind east. Hay making is attended with much difficulty. 21st: Thunder showers. Green head flies very numerous and more troublesome than for years. 29th: Cloudy, very poor hay weather. A great deal of haying yet to be done. The 'ong continued wet weather has caused al vegetation to be very vigorous.
Aug .: The month began with unsettled weather conditions, with frequent sea-turns. Much hay injured. Ground still soft and wet. 19th: Hot fair weather with a west wind for the first time this summer. The best hay weather of the season. 26th: Intensely hot; business was suspended in some places. Many prostrations reported. The crop of brown tails more numerous than expected.
Sept .: Fair and cool first of month. Ground getting dry; rain much needed; second crop not as good as usual from this cause. Too dry to plow and reseed grass lands. A white frost on the 5th which did little damage. Roads dusty. 23d: Intensely hot; light rains, with misty and foggy mornings in succession. Many are complaining of want of water, as little rain has fallen for a number of weeks.
Oct .: About one half of an average crop of apples of the best quality is being picked. George C. Healey has sold his farm to New York parties. Heavy rain on the 10th, followed by two white frosts, when water was frozen. 11th: Arthur W. Brown and Frances M. Wadleigh were married. The month cool, fair
201
EXTRACTS FROM WARREN BROWN'S JOURNAL
and pleasant. Moth inspectors found two hundred gypsy moth nests in this town. Less fall feed than for many years. Apples generally sold when picked; firsts and seconds packed together at $1.75 per barrel; barrels cost from thirty-five to forty cents each. Many people experienced much inconvenience all the season from want of help which is scarce.
Nov .: Came in pleasant. State election on the 6th. The lightest vote in my remembrance: sixty-one votes cast for governor; Benjamin W. Elkins elected representative. 15th: Cold; the ground slightly frozen; one and one-half inches of rain fell. Rest of the month cool; a little rain and some snow which soon disappeared. There was less precipitation than usual dur- ing the month, but much dark and cloudy weather during the entire month. Mrs. Josiah Batchelder, a daughter of the late Joshua Janvrin, died. During her married life she lived in Exeter. A child of William H. Thompson died. These, with Mrs. Albert S. Smith, were the only deaths in town this year.
Dec .: First week cold and disagreeable. Some snow. Zero on the mornings of the 7th, 8th and 9th, with cold wind from the west. Remainder of the month changeable, with much cold, unpleasant weather. Many dark cloudy days. A little snow last of the month made good sleighing. Roads icy. Some ice of good quality cut last of the month. Complaint of scarcity of water; many put to serious inconvenience on that account. From the opening of the season until its close the weather has been unusually pleasant. Less precipitation than usual and little uncomfortable, hot weather. Corn crop above the average. Potatoes nearly a failure, but sell at a low price because of heavy yields in other sections.
The Governor Weare house has been repaired, improved in appearance and thoroughly renovated this year and, if no acci- dent befalls it, seems good for another hundred years. It was built in 1737 by Dea. Samuel Shaw whose daughter married Meshech Weare.
Arthur W. Brown has built a stone cottage opposite his father's residence, taking the stones from the roadside and division walls.
Clarence T. Brown, a grandson, conveyed the homestead of the late Thomas Brown to Grant B. Sanborn. The buildings were burned in 1885.
In 1905, two ladies named Keep and Lane bought the Pike
202
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
place near the Exeter line. After making some improvements and finding the venture unprofitable, two or three years later sold it to Joseph Fortier of Exeter who sold it later to W. H. Temple. . H. Lanty built a small house on the north side of Greathill, on the site of a house that was burned, which was owned by John Hardy.
Edwin Janvrin moved the house built by A. Wright from its location on the Greathill road to the .Gove Corner where it will be occupied by S. B. Pervear.
On Feb. 15th, 1903, L. M. Jackson and son had purchased and took possession of the business of Charles N. Dodge. In Decem- ber, 1904, Mr. Dodge bought the business from Mr. Jackson and continued to do business until the fall of 1914, when he sold to George F. Merrill.
1907.
Jan .: Month came in with a thaw and heavy rain which put an end to sleighing and ice cutting. It had been very slippery and dangerous. Moderate, until the 10th, when snow enough came to make good going. Cold wave the 15th to 17th; 12° here; 60° at Colebrook. Rain the 19th, followed by intense cold; 18° here, 44° at Dover. Many apple trees and young orchards killed in Strafford County by the intense cold. No wind at the time or the most disastrous results would have resulted. This was the coldest weather ever known here. 25th: A foot of snow fell which lay level. Cold and fair.
Feb. 1st: A foot of snow fell which was badly drifted, causing much inconvenience to steam and electric cars and requiring the roads to be broken. Thus far the weather has been very. severe since the year came in. There have been no days when it thawed and very few when it was clear. Very cold all the month, zero on nearly every morning. The snow so dry as to make runners go hard. It was the coldest February on record. The car barn near the power house burned.
Mar. 1st: Warmer for a day or two, then colder with the snow blowing. The week following warmer, with water running caused by the melting snow. 12th: Annual town meeting; John Elmer Sanborn, Levi N. Sanborn and Charles J. Merrill, selectmen; Mr. Merrill afterward resigned and Bertram T. Janvrin was appointed; Arthur W. Brown, town treasurer. Voted not to apply for state aid on the highway this year, our past experience
203
EXTRACTS FROM WARREN BROWN'S JOURNAL
not having been satisfactory. 18th: Snow going rapidly from the effect of the sun. 28th: A number of inches of snow came. 31st: Snow nearly all gone and the water resulting has gone mostly into the ground. People are busy removing brown tail nests.
Apr. 1st: About three inches of snow came during the day which soon disappeared. Roads beginning to dry. Nearly a foot of snow fell during the following week, weather cold and dis- agreeable, unfit for out-door work. Great number of robins and other birds stalled here by the severe weather, on their way north; they moved on when the weather became pleasant, the like of which was never seen here before. Cold remainder of the month. Snow visible on the north side of the woods until the 28th. Less farm work done in April than usual. Mrs. Phoebe Merrill, widow of George S. Merrill, died suddenly. Moses H. Rolf of Newburyport died. He was a grain dealer and was well known in this town. 21st: Milk standing in cans was frozen. Mary A. P. Sanborn, a native of this town, died at Hampton and was buried here. She was a daughter of Nathan Brown. Rain much needed, not much having fallen for a num- ber of months. The month ended cold.
May 4th: Rain fell. Cold northwest wind. Less farm work than usual done at this date. Trees are very backward. A great deal of cloudy weather. Snow was seen to fall on the 11th. A very heavy fall of snow in New York and Ohio. Henry H. Knight died after a long illness. 12th: Fair, with cold wind. Ground frozen this morning. Continued cold with east wind. Grass looking uncommonly well and quite forward. 19th: Still cold, no warm days yet. Rain much needed. Help scarce and hard to get. High wages demanded. Mrs. Cyrus Brown died. She was a native of Providence, R. I. Apple trees in full bloom on the 28th. The month ended cool with little rain.
June 8th: Farm work backward; no warm weather to speak of yet. Snow seems to fall in some parts of the state during the month. Planting being done middle of the month. Seed planted early failed to germinate from the effect of drought and cold. The prospect for the hay crop considered poor, until the 20th. It was not comfortable to sit in the house evenings with- out a fire. 16th: The wind is west for the first time for weeks. The prevailing winds have been from the east for a long time. First hot weather for the season the 18th which continued for a
204
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
number of days. 29th: Heavy rain which continued with unsettled conditions. Cloudy with southwest winds.
July: Warm until the 5th and very good hay weather. Not much haying being done as the grass is very green and growing fast, giving promise of a fair crop. Much work is being done by those who have hoed crops. 5th: Heavy rain followed by continuous thunder which lasted all night. The house of Mrs. M. Abbie Sanborn was struck by lighting; little damage was done. Some locust trees near the house of Jos. B. Cram were also struck; Jos. Webster's barn at East Kingston was struck by lightning and burned. The next two weeks was fairly good hay weather. Grass continues to grow. Timothy not in bloom the 20th. 18th: One of the hottest days known, many prostrated by the heat. 26th: A heavy thunder shower which damaged a great deal of hay. Fresh west wind with some good hay weather last of the month. A blight has fallen upon some of the pine trees, causing the needles to turn brown and die, which many fear is a serious matter.
Aug. 11th: Very warm and dry. Gardens, lawns and hoed crops suffering from heat and drought. 19th: Fair and cool with west wind; light rains which laid the dust and revived vegetation, but did not wet down to any extent. Some localities complain of lack of water for domestic use.
Sept. 2d: Began to rain and continued for three days; more rain fell than for some months previous, followed by fair and warm weather. All kinds of vegetation making a vigorous growth. 15th: A frost but it did no serious damage. 29th: A northeast rain storm of considerable severity. More than six inches of rain has fallen this month, which is above the September average. But little rain has fallen during the past eighteen months and the water is very low in the ground. September, for the most part, pleasant and favorable for business. George C. Healey is putting on an addition to his house. Samuel Lewis Pervear, a native of the town, and a Union veteran, died at Lynn, Mass., and was brought here for burial.
Oct. 3d: Fair and pleasant. Fields look uncommonly green for the time of year. A good crop of potatoes. 13th: A hard and sudden rain storm was accompanied by a blizzard which uprooted apple trees and did much other damage. A great many apples were blown off; this was followed by some very pleasant
205
EXTRACTS FROM WARREN BROWN'S JOURNAL
days. 20th: Cold, with light flurries of snow for a day or two. Apple picking nearly completed. In some sections of the state many apples have gone to waste for want of help to gather them. 28th: Cold rain storm. F. P. Chesterman and Miss Mary N. Healey were married this month. William H. Brown is building a house on the Uncle Billy Brown lot, in place of the one destroyed by fire in 1897, owned and occupied at that time by Fred P. Sanborn.
Nov .: The weather this month was colder than usual. 3d: Heavy rain; more than twelve inches of rain has fallen since Sept. 1st. Mrs. Mary A. James, daughter of the late Joseph Brown, died suddenly at Hampton. Her only child, Albert James, died within a month. Charles Johnson, an aged and much respected citizen, died this month. He came here from Haverhill, Mass., some years ago.
Dec. 1st: Snow falling all day. Cold, chilly weather. Some snow on the ground. 10th: Snow went away. Pleasant, some plowing done. 14th: Severe snowstorm which made good sleighing which lasted for a week. The weather was pleasant. 29th: The snow has gone and the roads are muddy. 30th : Heavy rain which settled the going and made better travelling. December was warmer than normal and on the whole a pleasant month. An open season for killing deer of two weeks commenced Dec. 1st. Many deer were killed. The operation of the deer law is not very satisfactory to the general public. The season of 1907 opened late. Many things did not get a start early enough to mature. Grapes failed to ripen. There were no peaches, but few pears. A small crop of berries. In most cases a light crop of corn. An average crop of hay. Less than one half a crop of apples. The season might be called a cold one all through. Farm help has been scarce and almost impossible to obtain. Late in the season a financial panic did much to injure the sale of farm products, while most things the farmer has to buy did not decrease much in price. Grain high; Indian meal sold for $32 per ton, and mill feeds in about the same pro- portion. The contractors pay more for milk than ever before, thirty-three cents per can at the door. The price of milk is so high in the market that the sale to consumers has much decreased. The earning capacity of the laboring people does not afford money enough under the advanced price to admit of buying as much as usual.
206
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
1908.
Jan .: The weather, until the 5th, very pleasant. The ground bare. The roads smooth. The weather moderate during nearly all the month with considerable rain and muddy roads. Cold wave the 30th. Samuel P. Sargent, who lived just over the line in Hampton near the sawmill, died, aged over eighty years. He was a native of Salem, N. H. In early life he was engaged in the whale fishery. He was a veteran of the Civil War, having served four years in the Sixth New Hampshire Regiment. People are busy removing brown tail moth nests which are to be removed before Jan. 20th by order of the state entomologist, as additional expense will be made. Forest F. Brown has completed a cottage house for the use of his hired man. Not much ice cut. Not much salt hay has been removed from the marshes. 30th: Three degrees below zero, coldest weather of the month.
Feb. 1st: A severe southeast snowstorm which turned to rain. This was accompanied by a high tide which did a great deal of damage. Twelve inches of snow came on the 5th, which made good going. The week ending the 9th cold, 7º below. The first week in February is usually the coldest of the winter, and this year has been no exception. Ice cut twelve inches in thickness. There were a number of mornings when the glass was at zero. The ground on y slightly frozen middle of the month. The grip has been very prevalent this winter. William Brown, a native of Scotland, died. He had been a resident since 1870. Mrs. James H. Sanborn died. Stanton L. Brown's brooder house burned; a serious conflagration narrowly · averted. Oren D. Green, with his two horses, drowned while removing hay over the river, from the inside of the canal. Snow enough last of the month to make good going.
Mar. 1st: Changeable, with a little rain and some snow. There has not been more than twelve inches of snow at any one time this winter. 8th: A great deal of business has been done on a small depth of snow. The snow all gone on the 8th. Roads muddy. 10th: Annual town meeting; Levi N. Sanborn, John Elmer Sanborn and Charles P. Akerman, selectmen; Frank H. Lord, town clerk; Arthur W. Brown, treasurer. A balloon, which started from Pittsfield, Mass., was caught in a walnut tree on land of William H. Brown. It had a narrow escape from being carried out to sea, with its two occupants, as the wind was very
207
EXTRACTS FROM WARREN BROWN'S JOURNAL
CLOSE TO WATER.
Baloonist Stevens Landed at Hampton Falls Yesterday.
Escape From Being Carried Out to the Ocean a Thrilling One.
Acronaut Leo Stevens had a thrill- ing escapo from being carried out to sea at Hampton Falls, N. H., yester- "We left Pittsfield at 1.07 o'clock, reaching Shelburne Falls' at 12.10, and crossed the Connecticut river, 40 miles from: Pittsfield at 12.15. Passing over South Royalston at 12.42, we crossed the Merrimac river at Nashua, N. H .. day. One minute's delay in landing and he and William F. Whitehouse, who accompanied, him on the "trip from Pittsfield, would have - been swept out into the Atlantic ocean. It ; at 1.20. The balloon soared over Haver- was the fastest flight ever made from hill at 1.45 and we reached Hampton Falls at 2.o'clock. Pittsfield, Hampton Falls being reach- cd in three hours.
The balloon landed on the top of a 90-foot walnut tree, and by means of a tackle and with the assistance of a score of farmers, the two- aeronauts and the balloon were lowered safely to. the ground. The tree was in a small forest about a mile from the shore. Had the balloon gone over the forest, Mr. Stevens told a reporter it would have been doubtful. if a descent could have been effected before reaching the. water.
"It was the narrowest escape I have encountered in my many ascents," de- clared Mr. Stevens. "If we had been swetp out to sea at the rate we were going-something like 45 mlles an
hour-well, I rather think it would from 1000 to_3000 feet. While nego-
have been our last trip here. "
. "When we left Haverhill I thought we had, the cup as good as won. We were headed toward Boston, and, ev- erything was going, nicely, when we. were caught in a wind blowing . out to sea. I am satisfied that March winds cannot be depended upon. .
and can. pick your currents. . The winds in that: month blow mostly from inland."
"We figured we were travelling 30 miles an. hour. It turned out that we went at an average speed of 46 miles an hour; and at times when we struck strong gales we went along at from 55. to. 70 miles.
"By air line it is only a distance of 135 miles, but we estimate that we traveled 175 'miles, because we ' were carried out of our course many times. "Only once or twice during the en- tire trip did we need our" overcoats. The coldest current of air encoun- tered was at South Royalston.
"At times we reached a height of 3000 feet. Within . 2000 feet of the earth it was very misty, but. we could identify .. . the. cities and . towns we passed over. After leaving Haverhill we kept the balloon at a height of tiating a landing at Hampton Falls we kept as close at 1000 feet to the earth.
"As soon as she landed in the wal- nut tree, I pulled the. whip cord.and the balloon landed like a dead wolf ; in the peak of the tree. 90 feet from .the ground. A score of farmers rushed "_ "I have not given up trying for the to our assistance and were a great cup, however, and you might add ihelp in aiding us to alight. We started that I am going to win it before I get out the trip with 300 pounds of: bal- through. . My next trial will probably last and' landed with only three be in May, when you get 'better winds pounds."
208
HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
strong from the west. Charles Boyd of Seabrook was killed by a train just a little north of Hampton Falls railroad station. He was either walking or lying upon the track. The remainder of the month was warm for time of year. Roads muddy. The ground not much frozen. People are busy getting off moth nests. Frogs heard first time. 20th: A great many birds have come. 31st: Cold, roads frozen and very rough.
Apr .: First week pleasant, followed by cold disagreeable weather. 12th: Roads drying. A serious conflagration at Chelsea, Mass .; a large area burned over. Cold west winds, ground frozen mornings. 17th: Water faucets frozen in the buildings. Frost not all out. Roads being repaired. Cold for time of year. The buildings of George A. Evans in Kensington were burned. This was the homestead of the late Gilman and John P. Lamprey. Joshua A. Lane of Hampton died. He had been engaged in trade for more than fifty years and had a great deal of patronage from this town. Considerable rain last of the month. Grass looking unusually well.
May: Cold for time of year. Considerable rain fell first part of the month which inundated the low lands and did much to delay spring work, as most lands are too wet to be worked. 17th: Peach trees in bloom. Cold. Grass growing fast. 24th: Apple trees in full bloom. 31st: Heavy rain. Several inches of water fell.
June 2d: Frost, followed by warmer weather. The top of the ground getting dry and the woods dusty. 11th: Roscoe F. Swain of South Hampton and Mildred L. Brown married. The apple blooms seem to have blighted to quite an extent. Quite a percentage of the brown tails seem to have died from a fungus disease. Getting dry. Grass light on dry fields. Gypsy moths are found in many places in the towns. 28th: Cool and cloudy. Eclipse of the sun. Up to date we have had less warm weather than usual.
July 2d: Heavy thunder shower. The Baptist meeting house was struck by lightning and seriously damaged; also the hill schoolhouse, which was badly damaged; although the school was in session no one was injured. The house of John Mace at the turnpike, and the barn, were burned, being struck by lightning. This house was the old Toll house. A barn was burned in Hamp- ton, and much damage done in other places. After this it was
209 /
EXTRACTS FROM WARREN BROWN'S JOURNAL
hot and dry with good hay weather. Corn beginning to roll. Crops need rain. 12th: 102° in the shade. Fair remainder of the month. 25th: A rain which did much to revive vegetation. 31st: Hot, 102° in the shade. Hay nearly all cut; the best hay season for years.
Aug .: Considerable rain fell during the first week, which bene- fited all kinds of vegetation. Much damage from lightning and floods reported from various places. Roads are badly washed. Early potatoes are nearly a failure. 16th: The average yearly amount of rain has fallen to this date. Second crop of grass looking well. Rev. William A. Cram, a native of the town, died. He was a retired Unitarian minister. Mrs. Batchelder, widow of John Batchelder, died, aged eighty-five. She was a daughter of Dea. Stephen Green. The country never looked more beautiful than at the present time. Fair and cool remainder of the month, favorable for all kinds of out-door work. Light frosts on morn- ings of 28th and 29th, which did little damage.
Sept. 2d: Charles N. Dodge and Annie F. Healey were mar- ried. 7th: Some rain. The atmosphere is laden with smoke from forest fires, which continued for a number of weeks and was very disagreeable. Second crop grass being cut and yields more than was expected, being very thick at the bottom. Frost morn- ing of 16th. Remainder of month warm and summerlike with a smoky atmosphere. Charles P. Akerman died. He had been railroad station agent for thirty-two years. He was an Odd Fellow of high degree, was representative in 1901, and selectman at the time of his death. 26th: Exciting representative caucus; Fred P. Sanborn nominated, receiving fifty-five votes to forty-two for George F. Merrill .
Oct .: Weather conditions were very near to those of summer. Nothing of the kind ever known before. Smoky atmosphere during entire month, with little rain. Apples were about one- third of an average crop, but yielded better than was expected. They were fair and well colored. Sold at the time of picking at $1.75 per barrel, firsts and seconds. 23d: 80° in the shade. New Boar's Head House at Hampton Beach burned. 28th: A serious conflagration at Salisbury Beach; about eighty buildings burned. Two inches of rain last of month. Mrs. Ezra C. Fogg died.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.