USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton Falls > History of Hampton Falls, N.H., Volume II > Part 26
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Aaron Prescott, a man who hustled, built a sawmill near his house. He was, at one time, colonel of the Third Regiment, and was selectman in 1849. He would probably have lived longer had he been less energetic.
James and True Prescott were farmers. James went to Ports- mouth in 1814. True was selectman in 1830.
Timothy Drew had lately moved into the town from Hampton.
Simeon and Smith Prescott were farmers. Simeon died in 1845. Smith was selectman in 1845.
Abner and Prescott Sanborn were good farmers. Abner was selectman in 1822; Prescott, in 1846. Their two farms suffered a great deal of inconvenience from drifted snows in winter and muddy roads in spring.
The Blake farm was managed at first by Meshech Akerman and, later, by Enoch Blake. A.road past this farm was opened in 1847.
We have now given some account of the people who lived in nearly every house in the town. If some of the houses seem to the reader to have been omitted, remember that many houses now occupied were not in existence at that time.
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APPLECREST FARM.
In 1913 Mr. Walter B. Farmer of Brookline, Mass., purchased the farm occupied by the late Newell W. Healey with the inten- tion of converting it into an orchard farm on an extensive scale, giving it the name of "Applecrest." This farm was well adapted for the purpose, having a suitable elevation and a good soil for what he proposed to do.
In 1915 the farm of George C. Healey was acquired, containing eighty acres. This, with the former purchase, comprised nearly all the land owned and cultivated by the late Capt. Wells Healey who was the most successful farmer of his time in this vicinity. Captain Healey died in 1857. After his death the farm was divided between his two sons, Wells W. and Newell W. Healey, who conducted their farms more intelligently than the average farmers of the town. On this account there was less to be done by way of preparation than would have been necessary on the average farm.
In 1915 twenty-one acres, a portion of the farm of the late Thomas Brown, was bought, together with a farm of thirty-nine acres owned by his son, Charles T. Brown. A new house has been built on the site of the Brown house burned in 1885. The same year the McAllister place of eleven acres was acquired. In 1917 four and one half acres, owned by Samuel Cockburn, were added. These several purchases gave Applecrest Farm control of the land on both sides of the main road for a mile, going east from the Sanborn corner toward Hampton Falls village.
The house and six acres of land, bought of George C. Healey, has been sold to George W. Crampton, for a summer residence.
The former owners of these farms, like others of their genera- tion, believed it to be their religious duty to build all the stone walls possible and many small lots were enclosed by walls built to get rid of the rocks removed from the fields. One and one fourth miles of these division walls have been removed, which adds much to the beauty of the landscape. The walls along the highway have been relaid in a neat and workmanlike manner. Many forest and old apple trees, with boulders which disfigured
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APPLECREST FARM
the fields, have been removed. To accomplish this eighteen tons of dynamite have been used. These several removals have given the premises a most pleasing appearance which is appreciated by the traveller who passes on the highway. Some of the land was too wet to be used for the purpose intended, without drainage. Sixty acres have been systematically and thoroughly under- drained with tiles, with the addition of three miles of stone drains.
All the houses purchased have been put in first-class condition by way of repairs and modern improvements-steam heat, water supply and electric lights.
In 1913, 1,913 apple trees were set out in the autumn of that year. The trees were selected with care. The holes were dyna- mited to loosen the soil and give the roots a better chance to pene- trate the soil. Great care was given to every detail in setting the trees. The surface between the trees has been kept fine and mellow by repeated harrowing; the harrow was drawn by a large tractor. No manure has been applied but green crops have been covered in to supply humus. Under this treatment the trees have made a most prodigious growth, far exceeding the general expectations.
It was claimed, when the trees were set, that they would fruit in five years; this idea was scouted by many as a thing impossible, yet in 1916 some of the trees had a very full bloom and a few apples were allowed to mature. Since the first setting the num- ber of trees have increased to the number of 15,450 with 3,000 trees to be set in the spring of 1917. Fall setting has been the rule. The season of 1916 closed too soon to finish the setting. The varieties planted are Baldwin, McIntosh Red, Wealthy, Northern Spy, Spitzenburg and Winter Banana.
In addition to orcharding, Applecrest Farm has one of the largest poultry plants in New England. Two large houses, one 375 feet in length and another 250 feet, which are supplied with water, steam heat and electric lights and power. These houses have a storage capacity which will hold four or five car loads of grain, with a mill to grind the grain as needed. In addition to these houses are 100 or so colony houses situated on different parts of the farm. At this time, 1917, there are 3,400 laying hens; an in- cubator capacity for 6,000 eggs, and a brooder for 5,000 chicks; 12,000 chicks are expected to be raised this year. Caponizing has been done to a considerable extent, with success. There is a good
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HISTORY OF HAMPTON FALLS
demand for capons at a high price. Eggs are sent to market daily by express, and parcel post.
Most of the land comprising Applecrest Farm was taken up from the wilderness by James Prescott who was the ancestor of all of that name in this part of the state. He lived in a garrison house called Prescott's fort. On the record, James Prescott moved to Kingston in 1725 and helped to organize the church in that town. The Prescotts continued to occupy the farm until a little before the Revolutionary War when the north side of the road was sold to Aaron Wells who came from Ipswich and kept a public house for a time. He died in 1819, leaving his farm to his grandson, Wells Healey. The land on the south side of the road was occupied by the Prescotts until about 1820 when it was sold to Thomas Brown.
LAFAYETTE ROAD.
Soon after 1820 a new road was opened from the high bridge over the Boston and Maine railroad, below Hampton toward Portsmouth. In August, 1824, General Lafayette, at that time on a visit to this country, passed over this road and it was called the Lafayette road, and the name for many years was confined to this piece of road. After the electric railway was opened, the name began to be applied to the road as far as the state line at Salisbury, and later the road through Salisbury has been designated by the same name which would seem to be a proper name for the entire length of road from Portsmouth to Newbury- port. In the early days that portion of the road in Hampton Falls was called the country road, and was the route taken by the Eastern Stage Company for their coaches from Portsmouth to Boston, and a large business passed over this road before the Eastern railroad was opened.
About 1910 the Eastern New Hampshire Boulevard was laid over this road from the Massachusetts state line to Portsmouth. With the coming of the automobile this has come to be a favorite route from New York to the mountains; as a result an immense traffic passes over this road; as many as 1,000 cars have been counted passing a given point in a single day. This has caused a heavy outlay in construction and upkeep. Trucks carrying a number of tons cause great injury when the road is soft. As much as $10,000 has been expended on the mile and a half of road in this town. A part of this money is furnished by the state and the remainder by the town. As but a small proportion of our people ever do any business on this road they feel it is unjust to be heavily taxed to construct and keep in repair a road for out-of- state people and be compelled to do business over a poor road in their own neighborhood, and with a prospect of a heavy outlay annually for repairs. The Government this year (1917) promises to put in a mile of permanent road in this town if we appropriate $1,500 for the purpose. This appropriation was voted.
ESQUIRE PHILBRICK'S THEORY.
John Philbrick of Seabrook, who was born early in the nine- teenth century and lived to be more than ninety years of age, was a man who gave considerable attention to matters which required original research. Among other things that interested him was the origin and formation of the salt marsh, and it may be of interest to the reader to know his ideas. He claimed that, at a remote geological period, what is now known as salt marsh was a fresh bog, elevated above tidewater and abounding in vegetation and that there was no passage to the sea where the Hampton River now empties; that the drainage from the high land found its outlet at the Merrimack River, along the course where the canal was constructed in 1791. This condition, which had existed for ages, was changed by a change of level, probably a subsidence of the land and a passage through the sea wall allowed the salt water to come in and that there was a gradual change which resulted in what we know today as the salt marsh. To support his theory he called attention to the great amount of vegetable matter found in the soil. The stumps of trees which appear to be in their origi- nal location, but could never have grown had the soil been salt. The late Edward Shaw of Hampton once told the writer that there was a tradition in his family, which was among the earliest settlers of Hampton, that all of what is now salt marsh above the turnpike was at that time an alder swamp. This is evidence which would seem to support Esquire Philbrick's conclusions, and that the change from fresh to salt was at a comparatively late period.
Rufus C. Sanborn had a theory that all the flat land between the Exeter road and the Bridehill road in Hampton, some hundreds of acres in area and known as timberswamp, was once covered with water to the depth of a number of feet, and he had traced the out- let through the cove to the Exeter River. This may have been the outlet to a certain extent, but there is evidence to show that there was an outlet on the east toward Hampton, in times when there was a freshet. A water course can be traced easily from the deep gullies by the side of the Old Mill road and the Meadow road on land owned by Warren Brown, coming from this pond.
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It must have taken ages for the water to have worn out such large and deep gullies. How the water could have forced a pas- sage through the high land above the sawmill, where the river now has its course, is a question not easily answered. Now all the drainage from the source of the Taylor River in Kensington and timber swamp finds its way to the sea by way of Taylor and Hampton rivers, together with the salt marsh drainage, and con- stitutes a continuous stream where the Taylor River ends and the Hampton River begins, we have never heard stated. The Taylor River takes its name from Anthony Taylor who was an early settler in Hampton.
Probably the first tile draining ever done in the town was by John B. Brown, father of the writer, who in 1852 drained the house cellar with horseshoe tiles obtained in Albany, N. Y. These were open at the bottom and were laid upon bricks. A few years later Judge Henry F. French of Exeter visited England and familiarized himself with the subject of drainage. Upon his return he published a book, "French on Farm Drainage," and proceeded to tile drain his farm at Exeter. Through his influence Jos. D. Wadleigh began the manufacture of tiles at Exeter and did, for a number of years, quite an extensive business. By being able to furnish them at a reasonable price a good demand was created. The farmers in Hampton Falls soon availed themselves of the opportunity and a great deal of land was much improved by tile draining. Probably more tiles have been laid in this town than in any other of its size in the state. It was a fortunate cir- cumstance that, when our farmers were ready to begin operations, a number of men who had been engaged in laying tiles in the old country and understood the business came here and settled, which was of great assistance to our people. Among those who may be mentioned are Hans Hamilton, Dennis Riordan, James Truesdale, Hugh McAllister and John Howard.
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TOWN OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES SINCE 1900.
Warren Brown has acted as moderator, with the exception of one year, since 1896.
Frank H. Lord has acted continuously as town clerk since 1896. Charles N. Dodge was town treasurer until 1907. Arthur W. Brown was treasurer ten years, until 1917, when William H. McDevitt was elected.
REPRESENTATIVES.
Charles P. Akerman,
1901-02
James H. Brown,
1903-04
David F. Batchelder,
1905-06
Benjamin W. Elkins,
1907-08
Fred P. Sanborn,
1909-10
Bertram S. Janvrin,
1911-12
Joseph H. Weare,
1913-14
John F. Gynan,
1915-16
William H. Walton,
1917-18
SELECTMEN.
1900 George F. Merrill, James H. Brown, William H. Thompson.
1901 James H. Brown, William H. Thompson, Albert W. Elkins.
1902 James H. Brown, Albert W. Elkins, Arthur W. Brown.
1903
Arthur W. Brown, Albert W. Elkins, Jos. B. Cram.
1904 Arthur W. Brown, Jos. B. Cram, Arthur W. Chase.
1905 Arthur W. Brown, Jos. B. Cram, Arthur W. Chase.
1906 Jos. B. Cram, Arthur W. Chase, Levi N. Sanborn.
1907 Levi N. Sanborn, Bertram T. Janvrin, J. Elmer Sanborn.
1908 Levi N. Sanborn, John Elmer Sanborn, Charles P. Aker- man.
1909 John Elmer Sanborn, Harry P. Brown, Elroy G. Shaw.
1910
1911
1912
Elroy G. Shaw, William H. Thompson, J. Herbert Page. William H. Thompson, J. Herbert Page, B. T. Janvrin. William H. Thompson, George C. Healey, George J. Curtis.
George C. Healey, George J. Curtis, Charles F. Coombs.
1913
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TOWN OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES SINCE 1900
1914 James H. Brown, William E. Janvrin, Charles F. Coombs.
1915 James H. Brown, William E. Janvrin, Charles F. Coombs.
1916 James H. Brown, William E. Janvrin, Charles F. Coombs.
1917 Lawrence E. Wadleigh, Millard L. Dalton, Edwin L. Janvrin.
PHYSICIANS NATIVE OF THIS TOWN.
William T. Merrill, Charles H. Sanborn, Charles E. Akerman, Arthur M. Dodge.
LAWYERS.
Jacob A. Cram, Oliver A. and William H. Dodge.
REV. SERENO T. ABBOTT.
Rev. Sereno T. Abbott was born in Andover, Mass. He fitted for college at Phillips Academy in his native town; graduated from Amherst College in 1833, and from Andover Theological Seminary in 1836. Previous to this the parish Church at Hamp- ton Falls had become hopelessly divided. The majority had be- come converted to the more liberal belief and later became Uni- tarian. The minority held to the old belief, had withdrawn and built a meeting house at the line and organized a church under the name of the First Evangelical Congregational Church of Hampton Falls and Seabrook. . The word evangelical was used for two reasons: the majority had previously organized under the name of the First Congregational Church; the other reason was to show that they adhered to the old doctrine known as New England Congregationalism.
Mr. Abbott preached for the first time as a candidate, February 1, 1837, and continued to preach until June 1 when hereceived and accepted a call to become pastor of the church. Rev. Jonathan French, Mr. Abbott's father-in-law, was moderator of the council. The ordination sermon was preached by Rev. Samuel Worcester of Salem, Mass. Those who organized this church seem to have been more rigid in their belief than the neighboring Congregational churches. Their controversy with the liberal element of the old church naturally tended in that direction. Mr. Abbott adhered to the old doctrine and was an acceptable preacher.
He married Sarah, daughter of Rev. Jonathan French, who was pastor of the North Hampton church for more than fifty years. This proved a happy marriage in every respect. His relation with Mr. French was of advantage in his ministerial work.
Mr. Abbott was clerk of the society; his record is a model of excellence and contains much which is of historic interest at the present time. They have been published more than once and are admired by all who take an interest in local history. Mr. Abbott seems to have had a great interest in our local history and in all things which were beneficial to the community. He copied our
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parish church records and was the means of saving what was supposed to have been hopelessly lost, after the destruction of the original record by fire in 1858. Soon after his settlement, the Washingtonian total abstinence temperance movement swept over the country. He affiliated with this and took a decided stand and did all in his power to advance the temperance cause.
It was a custom at that time for the Sabbath school children in this and neighboring towns to unite in holding a picnic on the 4th of July. These assemblies were often addressed by some noted temperance advocate. In 1844 a banner was offered as a prize by the ladies of Portsmouth to the town having the largest represen- tation. This banner was won by Hampton Falls. Mr. Abbott was very active in getting up this celebration which was held at Hampton Beach.
In 1848 Mr. Abbott, with the aid of some of his parishioners, built a house a few rods west of the meeting house, on what had been known as Threshers Lane in Hampton Falls. This house was dedicated with appropriate ceremony November 20, 1848. He continued to live here until his death in 1855. He labored ceaselessly for the upbuilding of his society. What funds the society possesses were obtained through his efforts. He was interested in the schools and often served as superintending school committee.
A community is fortunate in having a minister who interests himself in the local affairs and who favors every good work. which will be of benefit; and the good effects will be apparent for long years after. This town has been fortunate in having had a num- ber of ministers who did this. Mr. Abbott was one of this class. This town cannot be too grateful for the service he has rendered us in saving our parish church record. Mr. Abbott had a daugh- ter, born in Hampton Falls, who is the wife of Rev. Francis E. Clarke, the originator of the Christian Endeavor. It is to be regretted that his last years were embittered by a serious contro- versy with some members of his church, causing him a great deal of unhappiness, and resulting in a great injury to the church and to the community as well. Some of the older citizens speak kindly of the pastoral visits of Mr. and Mrs. Abbott, which were not confined to his parishioners but extended to others who were in affliction.
CHARLES TREADWELL.
On January 1, 1723, Charles Treadwell, a native of Ipswich, Mass., but more recently residing in Wells, Me., married Sarah Swett, widow of Joseph Swett, and continued to live in Hampton Falls for a number of years. In 1727 he was rated for 2 horses, 2 polls, 23 acres of land, 2 oxen, 5 cows, 1 horse, 2 hogs. Mrs. Treadwell's will was proved in 1745. She disposed of consider- able property. Her husband appears to have been living in 1747, as he was rated for a small amount that year. At that time he was an old man, having been born in 1660.
He had a brother, John Treadwell, who lived in Hampton; he was a cordwainer and appears to have disposed of real estate at various times.
Charles Treadwell was a schoolmaster. He signed the petition to be annexed to Massachusetts in 1739. Sarah Treadwell con- veyed real estate to her sons, Benjamin and David Swett, at vari- ous times. The last conveyance was in 1743, which was the last date when she was known to be living.
It is recorded that these conveyances were with the consent of her husband, Charles Treadwell. The will of Sarah Treadwell of Hampton Falls, dated December 12, 1743, mentions "my late husband Joseph Swett," late of Hampton Falls, deceased, "my present husband Charles Treadwell"; sons, Benjamin and Jonathan Swett; daughter, Lydia Lee, and daughter, Hannah Swett; son, David Swett, executor. This will was probated October 30, 1745.
Charles Treadwell occupied the premises owned by Edwin Janvrin, and the Baptist parsonage which was the twenty-three acres which he was rated for in 1727. Edwin Janvrin was a lineal descendant of Capt. Benjamin Swett who was the original pro- prietor of the premises.
At a meeting of the selectmen of Hampton Falls, April 15, 1771, John Treadwell was sold at auction, as a town pauper, to the lowest bidder for three pounds seven shillings, to be supported and cared for as in years past. Pain Rowe was the purchaser. Whether he was a son or brother of Charles Treadwell we have no
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means of knowing. We have never seen the name of John Tread- well on any list of tax payers.
Dr. Abraham Green married Sarah Treadwell in 1737, and settled in Stratham. John and Sarah may have been children of Charles Treadwell by a former marriage.
Some of the above statements were given me by Mr. W. A. Robbins of New York City, who is working up the Treadwell genealogy.
AN ANCIENT SADDLE.
Mrs. G. A. Moore of Kittery gave to the Essex Institute at Salem a saddle used by Mrs. John Brown on her wedding journey from Danville to Seabrook on October 5, 1769. The saddle is in splendid condition, the seat pads being adorned with designs made with needle and thread.
Mrs. Brown, whose maiden name was Sarah Lowell, was born in Danville, and the marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. Samuel Perley, a native of (Linebrook) Ipswich who served as a pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Seabrook for many years. She was a descendant of the Lowells of Newbury, and of George Cheever, one of the first settlers of Portland.
The donor of the saddle is a great-granddaughter of Mrs. Brown.
This was the wife of John Brown of Seabrook who died, about 1840, at the age of ninety-five years. She was the mother of Newell Brown of Seabrook and Lowell (Lawyer) Brown of Hamp- ton Falls. A daughter married Benjamin Brown of Hampton Falls and was the mother of Lowell Brown, Jr., and Cyrus Brown. John Brown and Sarah Lowell were married October 5, 1769.
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JOSEPH MAYO.
CONCORD, N. H., Jan. 26, 1906 .- Joseph Mayo, warden of the state prison from 1865 to 1870, died at his home in East Ware on Thursday, aged eighty-four years. He leaves one son, Herbert Mayo of Jamaica Plain, Mass .; one daughter, Mrs. Maria A. Tilden, eight grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
During his administration as warden occurred the execution of Josiah L. Pike, murderer, on November 9, 1869, and the sensa- tional escape from prison of Maximilian Shinburn on December 3, 1866.
The Hon. Henry Robinson, former postmaster of Concord, has thus described the hanging of Pike:
"Pike's last days were redolent of roses, and he was ushered out of life with a surge of sentimental gush that scandalized the state and aroused the stinging sarcasm of Mark Twain on our effemi- nacy. Women were allowed to make a fool of Pike. They prayed and sung with him; and patted his cheeks and entwined his hair with their soft fingers, and fed him on confections, jellies and other dainties too delicate for home consumption, until Pike, although he was the fiendish butcher of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Brown of Hampton Falls, a defenceless old man and woman, imagined himself a saintly hero, whose death at the end of the hangman's rope was to be little less than a martyrdom. He seemed to be the especial pride and delight of some ministers' wives and daughters, and yet, nevertheless, one fine day he had to turn his back on their profusion of pinks and lilies and hya- cinths, had to leave his cell with its wealth of bric-a-brac and orna- mentation, the copious contributions of mistaken devotion, had to say good-by to his charming and tearful visitors, and face alone the dreadful fact of death, forced to jump this bar and shoal of time into eternity, as a penalty, with his hands stained with the life blood of innocent fellow-creatures."-Boston Herald.
REV. LYSANDER DICKERMAN.
Rev. Lysander Dickerman, who died suddenly in a car on the elevated road in Boston Saturday evening, June 8, 1901, was born June 8, 1825, in that part of the town of Bridgewater, Mass., which is now the city of Brockton. He received his education in the schools of his native town and Phillips Andover Academy, where he fitted for college. He graduated from Brown Univer- sity in the class of 1851. He was an assistant teacher for a short time at Pierce Academy, Middleboro, Mass.
He came to Hampton Falls in February, 1852, and took charge of the Rockingham Academy as principal, where he remained for six terms. During his short stay in Middleboro he became so popular with the students that eighteen of them came with him to Hampton Falls and added not a little to the high char- acter of the school.
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