History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 43

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1168

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The next year, 1804, a further impulse was given to the growth of the new village by the completion and opening of the Middlesex Canal, extending from the basin at Charlestown to the head of Pawtucket Falls, at Chelmsford. This opened a direct communication by water with Boston, and heavy freight could reach that market at less cost than Salem and Newburyport. The same year Samuel Foster opened a store on the lot north of the Indian Head tavern, and several buildings were erected near the Nashua bridge. At the Harbor, Isaac Marsh built and occupied as a tavern the house now owned by Mrs. Morrill, just south of the bridge. Soon after, Israel Hunt, Sr., came from Dracut, and built the first house beyond the bridge on the west side.

The promise of growth in Nashua village began to attract the attention of active and enterprising young men. In 1808, Joseph Greeley, and soon after, his two brothers, Ezekiel and Alfred, came from Hudson and engaged in transporting goods by boating from the head of Middlesex Canal to the Nashua River. A few years later they opened a store opposite the Indian Head tavern, in the building now used as a carriage store-house. The Nashua bridge was rebuilt and raised considerably above its former level, reducing the steepness of the road from the river to Abbott Square.

Between 1800 and 1810 the population of Dunstable increased from eight hundred and sixty-two to one thousand and forty-nine, - a gain of one hundred and eighty-seven. This was not a rapid growth for a New Hampshire town at that period, and nine-tenths of this gain was in the new village and on the river road. In population this town was still lagging behind her neighbors, the census of 1810 showing Hudson to have thirteen hundred and seventy-six, and Hollis fifteen hundred and twenty-nine inhabitants. The condition of the people of the town, however, had been greatly improved.

Events between 1810 and 1820 .- In the decade between 1810 and 1820 the growth of Dunstable was disturbed by events some of a national, and others of a local character. The war with Great Britain, of course disturbed the whole nation; the cold seasons of 1815 and 1816 were not harmful beyond New Eng- land, and were most severely felt in Maine and New Hampshire.

The second war with Great Britain began in 1812, and continued three years. It originated in a series of aggressions upon American commerce by British ships of war. Some of our merchant vessels were fired into and many of our seamen were forcibly car- ried into captivity. Dunstable furnished some soldiers for our army on the Canadian frontier, and in the autumn of 1814 sent a dozen men to Portsmouth which was thought to be in peril from an attack by the British fleet. The attack was not made, and the men after sixty days returned home. Six weeks later the war was terminated by the brilliant victory of

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General Jackson at New Orleans, on the 8th of Jan- uary, 1815. Though Dunstable suffered very little from the loss of men, yet the depression of business from the loss of foreign trade was such that the town made little progress during its continuance. The re- turn of peace was hailed with great joy. Mr. Jeffer- son, then living, said, "The first war with England gave us existence; it required the second to give us independence."

The cold period included the two years 1815 and 1816. In 1815 winter lingered in the lap of spring, and the summer was so damp and cold that the corn and fruit crops were very scanty. But 1816 was far more discouraging to the farmer. On the 6th day of June, when the Legislature met at Concord, there was a brisk fall of snow, followed by two frosty mornings. As the record may be of interest to the reader, we give the following schedule of the cold weather for the three summer months of 1816, as re- corded by John Farmer, of Concord,-

" lune 6 .- Snow squalls.

"June 10 .- Frost last night.

" June 11 .- Heavy frost, destroying all corn.

"July 10 .- Frost on low ground.

" August 22 .- Very heavy frost."

Thus passed the summer. Early and severe Septem- ber frosts so far destroyed the corn crop that hardly a bushel of sound kernels could have been found in the State had there not been planted a very few aeres of that very early variety, called "Canada" corn. There would have been a famine in New Hampshire that winter had it not been for the moderate crop of hay and an unusually good crop of rye, the former feeding the live-stock and the latter supplying the people with bread.

The effect of these two cold summers in succession was to lead many a farmer to the conclusion that it was vain to think of raising their bread in New Hamp- shire, and hence they had better remove to the West, where a more generous climate gave assurance of an unfailing plenty. The "Ohio fever" began to show itself in every town in the State. Not less than fifteen hundred families removed westward in the two years following the "cold summer" of 1816. A dozen families left Dunstable for the "Far West," as Ohio was then called. Another cold season would have led to a still greater emigration.

But in 1817 there came warm winds from the South in March, and the snow disappeared early. The sum- mer months had no frosts, no chilling gales, no drought. Corn and other crops were abundant. The farmers took courage, and at the close of this deeade, in 1820, Dunstable had a hopeful outlook for the future. The gain for the past ten years had been small. In 1810 the population was one thousand and forty-nine; in 1820 it was eleven hundred and forty-two, a gain of ninety-three only. The adjacent towns had done no better.

There were few local events between 1810 and 1820

of marked importance. In 1811 the post-office, estab- lished eight years previous, was removed from Pol- lard's tavern, at the Centre, to the Harbor, and located in the house of Israel Hunt, Sr. General Noah Lovewell continued to be postmaster till his death in 1820, when John M. Hunt succeeded him.

In 1812 the old meeting-house which for sixty years had stood in the triangle opposite Cummings Pollard's tavern had become dilapidated. It had no belfry or bell, no plastering, and the bats at night flitted among the beams and rafters So the town voted to build a new and first-class edifice for public worship. It was located nearly half a mile nearer to Nashua village, and on the lot just below the cemetery. The raising of the frame took place on the Fourth of July. It was a notable occasion, and nearly every man and boy in town, and half of the women and children were present. The women had provided a bountiful col- lation. John Whittle was the master-carpenter, and greatly to his annoyance, Parson Kidder made a prayer of an hour's length.

But at ten o'clock the huge broadsides lay in readi- ness to be raised. The stout yeomanry of Dunstable ranged themselves side by side. The master-builder gave the word, "All ready," and, aided by his en- couraging shouts, the heavy broadside slowly rises till nearly erect; then it moves slowly, and a hush comes over the anxious crowd, till the huge posts settle firmly into their resting-places. The spectators now breathe freely, and the workmen, now confident, are not laggard. Before one o'clock the frame of the main structure is in position. The lunch follows and is found to be ample ; and long before the rays of the setting sun have departed, the roof, with its crowning frame-work of a steeple towering above, is firmly in its place.

This edifice, years after known as the Old South meeting-house, was spacious and well finished, having three doors in front, a tall spire and a clear-toned bell. For twenty years it was well filled on Sundays; but the rapid growth of Nashua village, and the con- centration of the population around the mills and work-shops, led to the building of new churches in what is now the city proper. The old meeting-house ceased to be occupied, and soon after was sold and removed.

In 1820 the orchards of Dunstable yielded three times the crop of apples that are now raised in town. Every well-to-do farmer had a large and thrifty orchard. There was no grafted fruit and no market for the abundant crop other than the cider-mill. What heaps of red and yellow apples were piled up at every farm-house! What crowded bins shone with the golden fruit around every cider-mill! With what avidity the boys on an October afternoon gathered around Deacon Leach's, Isaac Bowers' and Clifton Lund's cider-mills! How the cog-wheels did their crushing work, while the old horse dragged round and round the creaking sweep! How the wooden

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levers compressed the cheese, neatly inclosed in fresh straw, until the gushing juice flowed in streams from its sides ! Then every urchin with oaten straws surrounded the tub, and showed a capacity for suc- tion only surpassed by the modern steam fire-engine !

Corn-huskings, however, were the grandest amuse- ment of the harvest season. Usually, they were on the pleasant evenings of October. Often fifty or sixty attended, representing every neighborhood of the town. These gatherings were largely made up of grown boys and girls, young men and their wives, and enough of the old folks to give dignity to the occasion. The corn was piled up in the centre of the capacions barn- floor, and around the heap were seated the jovial huskers. The barn was spectrally lighted by sus- pended lanterns. Great ardor was exhibited in pur- suit of the red ear. Usually it was found by some swain whose excessive bashfulness caused the ntmost merriment. An hour before midnight the pile was finished, and the golden ears stowed in the garret. Then came the supper. There were great dishes of beans, and Indian puddings, pumpkin pies, pewter platters full of doughnuts, sweet cakes, fruit and cheese, cider, and, thanks to the sensible farmers, generally nothing stronger. After supper came the fun and frolic. Some engaged in dancing, and others in a variety of rustic games. So merrily passed the time that the small hours were more than reached before the party disbanded. Who can blame them ? It was the fitting time to be jubilant, for peace, plenty and health abounded.

CHAPTER XI. NASHUA-(Continued).

GROWTHI OF MANUFACTURES AND TRADE.

Nashua Village in 1820-Ferry-Boats-The Water-Power and Canal- Religious Societies-Nashua Manufacturing Company -- Jackson Manu- facturing Company-Building Cotton-Mills-Nashua and Lowell Rail- road-Rapid Growth in Population and Trade-List of Merchants in 1840-List of Professional Men-Legal Change of Name to Nashua.

VERY few of the citizens of Nashua who were ac- tively in business here sixty-five years ago are now living. Thomas Chase, Esq., now in his eighty-eighth year, and with memory unimpaired, is an exception. Mr. Chase came to Nashua from Dunbarton in 1819, and has resided here ever since, and until within ten years has been constantly in business. We are in- debted to him for much reliable information in regard to Nashua village at the period when the water-power began to be used for manufacturing purposes.

In 1820, when the United States census was taken, there were returned from Dunstable one meeting- house, nine school districts and houses, six taverns, five stores, three saw-mills, three grist-mills, one tan- nery and one carding and fulling-mill. At that time Nashua village was small in size and limited in busi- ness. It contained six two-story houses, three of

which were dwelling-houses, and are still standing on the north side of Abbott Square. One was oc- cupied by Colonel Joseph Greeley, and is now the residence of John H. Barr; one was the residence of Daniel Abbott, Esq., and is now owned and oceu- pied by G. W. Perham; the third was owned and oc- cupied by Sally Lund, and is now the residence of B. F. Kendrick. The landlord of the Indian Head tavern was Aaron Mansur, who was soon after suc- ceeded by Moses Tyler. On the east side of Main Street, just north of the present Lowell depot, was a large house built by Robert Fletcher. It had been converted into a tavern, and was kept by Joseph Higgins. Some years later it was moved to the north side of what is now Railroad Square, and will be re- membered by the older residents as the Central House.

Of the five stores in 1820, one was kept by Samuel Foster in the building now occupied by G. H. Brig- ham, on the south side of Abbott Square; one was kept by Moses Foster, just north of the Indian Head tavern ; the third was kept by J. E. & A. Greeley, opposite the above-named tavern ; the fourth was at the Harbor, and kept by Israel & John M. Hunt, where the post-office was then located ; the fifth was that of William F. Boynton, at the "Centre," on the site now occupied by the barn of Mrs. Godfrey. Mr. Boynton kept a large miscellaneous stock, and had a larger business than any other trader until the build- ing of the mills.

The Harbor, by using the water-power of Salmon Brook Falls, had at that time an equal advantage with Nashua village for manufactures. Israel Hunt, Sr., had a saw and grist-mill, Isaac Marsh manufactured scythes, E. F. Ingalls made hoes in the shop after- wards occupied by A. H. Sanders, Jacob Hall was a wheelwright, Stephen Bates a baker, and Enoch Dick- erman carded wool and fulled cloth near the Allds bridge. At the Nashua village, just above the bridge, James Patterson put up a grist-mill on the north, and Willard Marshall a saw-mill on the south side of the river.

The annual town-meetings continued for many years to be held at the Old South meeting-house, a mile and a half below the city hall. The line of stages between Boston and Windsor, Vt., continued to run tri-weekly, passing through Francestown, Hillsbor- ough and Claremont ; but there was no stage-line nor any kind of public conveyance between Dunstable and Concord. Hopkinton was the half-shire town of Hillsborough County, and Lawyer Abbott, Sheriff Bowers and all the Dunstable men who were so un- fortunate as to have " cases " in court rode to Hop- kinton on horseback.

For a time, water for the lower part of the vil- lage was obtained in a wooden pipe from Artillery Pond; but the supply proving irregular and insuthi- cient, the villagers formed a company and procured water by a lead pipe from Danforth's spring, a mile

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

north of the bridge on West Concord road. It gave a fair supply for the small number then living in the village. There was no fire-engine in town, and fires at the village were fought by lines of men and women passing buckets from hand to hand. The village had no band of music, and none was needed during spring and early summer, for the inhabitants of Artillery Pond gave a free, open-air concert every evening. The large area south of the Nashua River, now inelnded in Wards Five, Six and Seven, was still a forest of dwarf pines, with only the houses of John Whittle, Dr. Howe and William Hastings, on Main Street, between Nashua River and the Harbor. In 1821 the citizens joined in setting out shade-trees at the Harbor, on Abbott Square and on both sides of Main Street. The trees transplanted were mostly elms. Among the young men who took part were Thomas Chase, S. B. Tyler, Israel Hunt, Jr., B. F. French and Alfred Greeley. Few of these trees are now standing; but notably surviving is the large elm at the Acton railroad cross- ing, and several sycamores at Abbott Square.

At that time there was no bridge across the Merri- mack between Pawtucket Falls, at Lowell, and Amos- keag Falls, at Derryfield. The ferry between Dun- stable and Hudson, known as Ilamblett's ferry, was just above the present Rochester railroad bridge. The road leading to the ferry from Main Street is the present Hollis Street. As the merchants in summer obtained their goods by the canal-boats, a store-house was built at the ferry for their safe keeping. In the spring, when the ice was breaking, it was dangerous, and for a few days impossible, to cross over the river to Hudson at Hamblett's ferry, and in 1824 the ferry- man, Noah Lund, was drowned while crossing with a small drove of cattle.

For a century and a half there had been only one religious denomination in Dunstable,-the Congrega- tionalists. There had been considerable disagreement in the church for many years, the " Blanchard party " adhering rigidly to the doctrines of Calvinism, and the " Lovewell party " adopting the views of White- field, or Arminianism. Much of the time the town had been without a settled minister. Meanwhile, the people for the past fifty years had listened to the preaching of the venerable Joseph Kidder. Soon after his death, in 1822, the first Baptist Society was organized. For ten years it was few in numbers and without a church edifice.

In 1824 the Unitarian Society was formed and had regular religious services. The church they now oc- cupy was built in 1827, Rev. Nathaniel Gage being ordained as the first pastor,

Introduction of Manufactures .- While they ex- isted as colonies, the people of this country were not permitted by the British government to introduce manufactures. After independence was gained the want of capital prevented their rapid introduction. Machinery for spinning cotton was first used in Rhode Island in 1790, but the state of the country was not

favorable to its growth. Yet, in 1803 a cotton-factory was built at New Ipswich, and a few years later at Peterborough, Hillsborough, Pembroke and Jaffrey. These investments were only moderately successful. During the War of 1812, however, the need of home manufacturing was practically realized, and more care- ful and judicious efforts after its close led to the build- ing of mills with improved machinery at Waltham and Lowell.

The success of the investment at Lowell attracted the attention of the more enterprising of the business men of Nashua village, and led them to inquire if the water-power of the Nashua River could not be utilized to advantage. The fall of water at Mine Falls was so great as to establish the certainty of a large manufac- turing capacity. The idea at first suggested was to build the mills at Mine Falls, three miles west of the village. But that locality was removed from the line of travel and business, and the adjacent grounds were less favorable for the site of a village. This led to the plan of bringing the water, by digging a canal from the falls, directly to the village. A survey was made and its practicability ascertained.

Meanwhile, the few individuals who had investi- gated the plan formed an association, and in 1822 and 1823 purchased the greater portion of the lands lying on the river above Main Street as far as the falls. In June, 1823, a charter was granted to Daniel Abbott, Joseph Greeley, Moses Tyler and others by the name of the Nashua Manufacturing Company, with the right to increase their capital to one million dollars. The capital stock was at first fixed by them at three hundred thousand dollars, and was divided into three hundred shares of one thousand dollars each. Of these, Daniel Abbott subscribed for thirty shares; B. F. French, thirty shares; J. E. and A. Greeley, thirty shares; Foster & Kendrick, thirty shares ; Moses Tyler, thirty shares; Augustus Peabody, of Salem, seventy-five shares ; John Kendrick, of Bos- ton, fifteen shares; Daniel Webster, also of Boston, sixty shares.

The stock, however, was not all taken till the next year, 1824, when capitalists in Boston and Salem took the remainder. Mr. Webster visited Nashua village, rode to Mine Falls, expressed great confidence in the enterprise, but the sixty shares for which he sub- scribed were taken by a wealthy citizen of Boston, whose family still retains the stock. The dam at Mine Falls was built, and the excavation of the canal pushed forward to completion. It is about three miles in length, forty feet wide and ten feet deep, and affords a fall of thirty-six feet. In December, 1824, the ma- chine-shop was completed and went into operation. Ira Gay, Esq., was appointed superintendent of the machine-shop, and Colonel William Boardman wheel- wright and engineer. The first factory (Mill No. 1,) of the Nashua corporation was built in 1825 and went into partial operation in the spring of 1826.

In the mean time the trade from the up-country

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and from the adjacent towns began to centre in the village; in the fall of 1824 and the spring of 1825 fifty new dwelling-houses and tenements were erected. A new bridge over the Nashua River, on Main Street. was built on account of the raising of the water by the new dam. The canal, with the needed dam and locks of solid granite, twenty-four feet high, were built in 1825, so that freight could reach the village and the mills by water transportation.

In May, 1825, the lower water privilege, now occu- pied by the Jackson Cotton Manufacturing Company, was bought by Charles C. Haven and others, under the name of the Indian Head Company, for the pur- pose of erecting woolen-factories. Mills were built in 1826 and were operated under the agency of Mr. Haven. But the company became embarrassed and the works stopped, and in 1828 the entire property was sold to a new company, which was incorporated under the name of the Jackson Manufacturing Com- pany. The establishment was converted into a cot- ton manufactory, with four hundred and eighty thou- sand dollars capital stock.

In 1827 the Nashua Company built Mill No. 2, and put it in full operation in 1828. Both of the mills of this company were one hundred and fifty-five feet long and forty-five feet wide-the first five, and the second six stories high. They ran eighteen thousand five hundred spindles and five hundred and forty looms.

The first newspaper printed in this town was the Nashua Constellation, which was issued by Andrew E. Thayer in February, 1827. Mr. Thayer was a man of literary taste and discipline, and had previously been a teacher and bookseller in the village. He soon after sold the paper to Israel Hunt, Jr., who changed its name to the Nashua Gazette. It was at that time the first and only Democratie paper in the county.

Up to the year 1825 the business, as well as the growth, of Nashua village had been entirely on the north side of the river. But the building of the first cotton-mill and the erection of boarding-houses on the south side of the river had necessarily led to the laying out and the occupancy of several new streets on the same side. Noticeably among them were Fac- tory, Water, Walnut and Chestnut Streets. With the exception of Factory, however, they were as yet little else than open lanes. On Factory Street several " ten-footers" were built in 1827, to catch the retail trade of the mill operators. It soon became a street of considerable importance.

In 1826 the Taylor's Falls bridge across the Mer- rimack to Hudson was built and opened for travel. Up to this time the people crossed by a ferry, there being no bridge between Lowell and Amoskeag. It was thirty-three rods in length, and cost twelve thou- sand dollars. It occupied the site of the present iron bridge, and it proved to be a great benefit to the pub- lic. The post-office was this year removed from the

Harbor to the village, and for some years was kept at the corner of Main and Factory Streets. In 1830 the population of Dunstable had increased from eleven hundred and forty-two to two thousand four hundred and seventeen, having more than doubled its population during the decade. Nearly two-thirds of the people resided in the village. Dun- stable now took its position as the most populous town in Hillsborough County.

We have given in brief an outline of the condition of Dunstable from 1820 to 1830. Hitherto farming had been the leading interest and almost sole occupa- tion of the inhabitants of the town. But this decade witnessed the introduction of the manufacturing en- terprises which have since made it a thrifty city of fifteen thousand people.

Events from 1830 to 1840 .- Between 1830 and 1840 the growth of Nashua village was far more rapid than at any previous period of her history. It was a decade of marked progress in all the elements of prosperity. The increase in population was an in- dex of her growth in mannfactures and trade. In 1830 her population was 2417. In 1836 it was 5065. In 1838 it was 5691. By the United States census of 1840 it was 6054,-an increase of 150 per cent. in ten years. Of those employed in the cotton-mills, only a small per cent. were males, and the census divided the sexes thus: Males, 2322; females, 3732.

The Nashua corporation, in 1836, built a third mill of a size corresponding with the two already in oper- ation. The company had now an aggregate of thirty- two thousand spindles and seven hundred and ten looms, and made nine million three hundred thousand yards of cotton cloth annually. The number of female operatives was seven hundred and eighty-four, all of American birth, and one hundred and forty- nine males, seven of whom were foreigners. The first agent of the company was Asher Benjamin, who was succeeded by Ira Gay. Mr. Gay resigned and became superintendent of the machine and repair- shop at the head of Water Street. In 1835, Thomas W. Gillis became agent of the Nashua Company, and held the position for eighteen years. He had risen from a pieker-boy through the several grades of pro- motion, and had the advantage of a large practical experience. A decided improvement in the pros- perity of the company followed.

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History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 43

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1168