History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 44

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

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The Jackson Manufacturing Company had two cot- ton-mills, each one hundred and fifty-five feet long, forty-seven feet wide and four stories high. These mills had eleven thousand five hundred spindles, three hundred and eighty-eight looms and made five million six hundred thousand yards of cotton cloth annually. The head and fall of water was nineteen feet. The number of females employed was four hundred and seventeen, and of males, eighty-three. The first agent was Benjamin F. French. Mr. French was a lawyer by profession, having been in practice in Nashua village ten years, and had repre-

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

sented the town in the Legislature three years. Of course, he was not a practical manufacturer, and the success of his management was due to his general ex- ecutive ability and his correct estimate of the ca- pacity of other men. Under him the fabrics of the Jackson Company gained a high reputation. The practical manager under Mr. French, and who con- tributed largely to the success of the company, was David Gillis, afterwards for many years agent of the Amoskeag Mills, at Manchester. In 1832, Mr. French became agent of the Boott Mills, at Lowell, and was succeeded by Edmund Parker, of Amherst. Judge Parker was a sound lawyer and widely known as Judge of Probate for this county. He was popular in his general management, but had no special quali- fications as a manufacturer.

The Nashua and Lowell Railroad Company was incorporated in 1836, and the work upon it com- meneed in 1837. It was opened for the use of pas- sengers October 8, 1838. Its length is fourteen miles and fourteen hundred and twenty-nine feet, of which five and one-quarter miles are in this State. It was the first railroad-track laid in New Hampshire, and its completion added largely to the business of Nashua. There were three passenger-trains to Boston. For some years it had a single track, and its original cost was about four hundred thousand dollars. The original board of directors were Daniel Abbott and Jesse Bow- ers, Nashua; Charles H. Atherton, Amherst; Henry Uptou and Henry Simmins, Boston. Daniel Abbott was president; Charles J. Fox, treasurer; and Onslow Stearns, superintendent.

The Concord Railroad was completed four years later (September 1, 1842), having a length of thirty- four miles and three thousand and forty-eight feet. Its capital stock was originally eight hundred thousand dollars, but has been increased to one million five hundred thousand dollars. It has always paid ten per cent. per annum. Its first officers were Addison Gilmore, president ; Isaac Spalding, treasurer; and N. G. Upham, superintendent.

The Nashna Bank (the first banking institution organized in the town) went into operation in 1835, with Daniel Abbott president and John M. Hunt cashier. Its directors were Jesse Bowers, Jesse Estey, Zobadiah Shattuck, James Pierce and Isaac Spalding. Its capital was one hundred thousand dollars. John M. Hunt was cashier during its entire existence of about thirty years. It was a profitable institution, and closed its business on the introduction of the present national banking system.

The second newspaper in Nashna, the Nashua Telegraph, was established in 1832 by Alfred Beard. After his death, which soon occurred, it was owned and edited by his twin brother, Albin Beard, till his death, in 1862. It advocated the views of the Whig party, and was, politically, the opponent of the Nashua Guzette, then owned and edited by Charles P. Danforth.

In the summer of 1833, General Jackson, having

been re-elected to the Presidency, visited New Eng- land for the first time. Reaching Boston the middle of June, he accepted the invitation to visit the capital of New Hampshire, the Legislature being at that time in session. He was met by Governor Dinsmoor's staff at the State line, four miles below this village. Having left Lowell at an early hour, he reached Nashua at eight, and breakfasted at the Washington House, then kept by Thomas Chase. He was the first President who visited Nashua.

The rapid growth of the manufacturing industries of the village, the facilities for obtaining goods from Boston by water transportation and the prospective completion of a railway from that city began to attract the attention of enterprising business men in the ad- jacent towns. Isaac Spalding, who had been a suc- cessful trader at Amherst, had already removed here and engaged in general merchandise till he went into the wider field of railroad enterprise, in 1838. In 1833, J. C. Dodge, of the well-known firm of Clark & Dodge, Francestown, removed here, and, forming a partnership with Albert MeKean, then a young man of twenty-three years, commenced a wholesale and retail trade in the large wooden building then ocen- pying the site south of the present Lowell depot. W. D. Beasom and Elbridge G. Reed opened a dry-goods store on Factory Street in 1836. Several men of note in mechanism and in the professions also came here at this time.

The amount of trade had increased so largely that in 1840 there were fifty stores and shops for trading purposes in the village. From the "Directory," pub- lished at that time, we collect the names of a majority of the merchants who were then in active business, some of whom are still residents of the city.

" N'est India Goods and Groceries, W. A. & N. Mckean, Reed & Spald- ing, Kendrick & Tuttle, Ilugh Jameson, Flagg & Abbott, Kimball & Weston, Tenney & Hubbard, N. Kendall & Co., G. W. Perham, Welton & Phillips, Robinson & Patch, E. G. Gage. Dry-Goods, Beasom & Reed, Merrill & Kimball, E. P. Ilosmer, W. E. Graves, HI. F. Courser, Phil- brick & Marshall, Gage & Chase, Root & Conant. Drugs and Medicines, E. H. Lerned, Albert Gilchrist. Watches, Clocks and Jewelry, N. W. Goddard, C. T. Ridgway, B. D. Bingham. Stores and Tinware, Reuben Goodrich, James Hartshorn. Tailoring and Men's Clothing, J. B. & H. J. Chapman, C. II. Nutt, J. W. Windus. Book-Stores, C. T. Gill, A. E. Thayer, Jonathan Hosmer. Boots and Shoes, Simonds & Goodwin, W Russell. Hats and C'aps, John Taylor, E. B. Hines. Hard and Glasswares, F. & C. Winch." Furniture, John Coggin.

After the lapse of forty-five years it is not surpris- ing that only three of the above business men are still engaged in the same occupation, namely, Henry J. Chapman, Charles T. Ridgway and John Coggin. Mr. C. H. Nutt is still in active business, but of a different kind.

In 1840 there had also been a large increase in the number of professional men in the village. There were recorded the names of eight physicians,-Eben- ezer Dearborn, Elijah Colburn, Micah Eldridge, Josiah G. Graves, Edward Spalding, Josiah Kittredge, Evan B. Hammond, Stephen Spear.

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NASHUA.

There were also eight lawyers,-Daniel Abbott, Charles F. Gove, Aaron F. Sawyer, Charles G. Ather- ton, George Y. Sawyer, Peter Clark, Jr., Charles J. Fox, Benjamin F. Emerson.

There wereseven clergymen at that time,-Jonathan McGee, Austin Richards, Congregationalists; Dura D. Pratt, Baptist ; Samuel Osgood, Unitarian ; Samuel Kelly, Methodist ; Lewis C. Browne, Universalist ; Thomas M. Preble, Free-Will Baptist.

All of the lawyers and clergymen in the above list, except Rev. L. C. Browne are dead; but of the doctors, three are still active citizens and residents of the city, through retired from practice, namely, Edward Spalding, Evan B. Hammond and Josiah G. Graves.

Several of the attorneys in the above list were men of note and ability. Charles F. Gove was a native of Goffstown. In 1840 he was Attorney-General of the State, and soon after became a judge of the Superior Court. The last position he resigned to become superintendent of the Nashua and Lowell Railroad, which he held till near his death, in 1856. He was a man of marked traits, stern, resolute, exacting, yet discriminating, impartial and honorable. As a judi- cial officer he rendered the State excellent service by his firm execution of the laws.

Charles G. Atherton belonged to a wealthy and ar- istocratie family, and had the advantage of an early and thorough training. He began practice here, and soon after represented the town in the Legislature. He entered Congress in his thirty-fourth year, was six years a member of the House, and died during his second term in the United States Senate, in No- vember, 1853, and in the forty-ninth year of Iris age. His political reputation is clouded by his sub- servieney to the slave power.

Charles James Fox was born in Antrim in 1811, graduated in 1881, commenced practice in Nashua in 1834, entered the Legislature in 1837, and was associated with Judges Joel Parker and S. D. Bell in revising the laws of this State. He had great industry and had prepared notes for the " His- tory of the Old Township of Dunstable," but his failing health and death, in February, 1846, prevented the completion of the work, as he intended. It was published after his deccase, but failed to do justice to his ability.

George Y. Sawyer was born in Wakefield in 1805, commenced the practice of law at Laconia, and re- moved to Nashua in 1834. He soon attained a high professional standing and extensive practice, and as a member of the Legislature had great influence in giving direction to its action. In 1855 he was ap- pointed a judge of the Court of Common Pleas and afterwards of the Supreme Judicial Court. He died in 1882.

In closing this review of Nashua in 1840, we must not omit to call attention to what half of the people now resident here are not aware of,-that fifty years ago the present name of our city had no legal exist-

ence whatever. More than two centuries ago, when that "merry King of England," Charles the Second, ruled over our forefathers, emigrants from Massachu- setts settled on the intervales above and below the mouth of Salmon Brook. A town charter with the name Dunstable was given to these lands. After- wards, in 1746, the colonial government of New Hampshire renewed the charter and indorsed the name Dunstable. When New Hampshire became an independent State the town of Dunstable chose a delegate to the convention to frame the constitution under which we live. But in 1836 this same town, through her representatives in the Legislature, peti- tioned for a change of name. The petition was certainly reasonable, for the village on the Nashua River, which had grown up within a generation, now included five-sixths of the population, and was uni- versally known and recognized as the village of "Nashua," while practically the name of Dunstable was becoming unused and unknown. The petition, therefore, was granted by the passage of the following act :

"STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

" In the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six. " An Act to change the name of the town of Iminstable,

"Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened : That the town of Dunstable, in the County of Hillsborough, shall from and after the last day of December, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, be called and known in law by the name of Nashua.

" Approved Dec. 8, 1836.

" ISAAC HILL, Governor."

Thus on New Year's Day, 1837, this city, then a town, legally received, and for many a century, we trust, will retain its present name, -NASHUA.

CHAPTER XII.

NASHUA-(Continued).

NASHUA FROM ISHO TO 1960.

The Public Schools-A Sharp Disagreement -The New Town of Nash- ville-Nashua Town Hall-New Railroads-Increase of Business- Nashua and Nashville Become a City-New Enterprises-Bobbin and Shuttle-Works-Tron-Works-Irish Emigration-Athenauni.

THE growth of Nashua village between 1840 and 1850, though less rapid than for the ten years previous, was very satisfactory. The educational interests of the town received more attention, better school buildings were provided and the selection of teachers made with more care. In 1840 the superintending school com- mittee were Rev. Samuel Osgood, Dr. Edward Spal- ding and Rev. L. C. Browne. For several years previous and afterwards the two first-named members continued their supervision, and aided largely in establishing a systematic method of school manage- ment. In 1840 the amount expended in the public schools was three thousand four hundred and eleven dollars. There were seventeen schools and twenty-six teachers. The number of children of school age was

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

fourteen hundred and fifty-two, but the average at- tendance was only seven hundred and eighty-eight. The greater per cent. of negligence was among the families who had recently become residents.

In the spring of 1840, David Crosby established a private school under the title of the Nashua Literary Institution. In any other occupation Mr. Crosby would have been moderately successful, but he had rare qualities as an instructor. He loved the duties of the school-room, and for more than forty years devoted himself exclusively to the instruction of the young, and with a fidelity and success rarely equaled.

At the annual town-meeting in March, 1842, held, as heretofore, at the Old South meeting-house. it was the popular expression that a growing village having already more than six thousand inhabitants ought to have within its limits a publie building, suitable for holding its annual and other meetings, and avoiding the inconvenience of a mile's travel outside the vil- lage. It was therefore unanimously voted to build a town-house. A building committee was elected, con- sisting of Leonard W. Noyes, Thomas Chase, Israel Hunt, Jr., Franklin Fletcher and Samuel Shepherd.

It was soon evident that the location of the build- ing would be a source of contention,-the voters on both sides of the Nashua River claiming it without reservation. An adjourned meeting was, therefore, held, at which every voter expressed his preference by a monosyllabic ballot. Those in favor of locating the hall on the north side of the river voted "North," and those in favor of a location on the south side voted "South." The result was: Ballots for the north side, three hundred and ninety-six; ballots for the south side, five hundred and eighty-two. So the popular vote showed a majority of one hundred and eighty-six for locating the town hall on the south side of the river. This settled the location of the Nashua town hall; but it did not settle the dissension it had called forth. The patricians on the north side of the river, in truth everybody on that side of the Nashua, was thoroughly indignant. It was not enough that they had secured the railroad station, they must have the town hall or they would not consent to remain as fellow-townsmen with the victorious and probably rather boastful majority. So they at once announced that at the coming session of the Legislature they should petition to be set apart as a distinct and separate town, under the name of Nashville. As no opposition was made, the Legisla- ture granted the petition by the passage of an act on the 23d of June, 1842, making that part of Nashua north of Nashua River "a separate and corporate town to be known by the name of Nashville."

The two towns now went quietly forward with their distinct organizations. No disturbance ever after occurred between them during the eleven years of separation which followed. When the temporary excitement had passed, doubtless a majority of the intelligent cilizens realized that the two towns, so |

closely identified in all their interests, should never have been separated.

The building committee of Nashua completed the town-house, the location of which had been the cause of so much contention, in the spring of 1843, at a cost of twenty-two thousand six hundred dollars. It is the edifice now so well known as the city hall. It stands to-day just as it was finished forty-two years ago. That it has stood the test of constant use for so long a time without the reconstruction of a single partition or staircase is a compliment to the committee. The building is sixty-six by ninety feet. The basement is for the use of the police department. The first-story contains, in front, the offices of the city clerk and city marshal. Next are the rooms of the mayor and alder- men and the common council. In the rear is the County Court-room. The second story is the public hall, seventy feet long, sixty-three feet wide and twenty- four feet high. It will seat twelve hundred people. The attic is used by the assessors and for storage. The height of the building to the top of the cupola is one hundred feet.

The Nashua Oasis, a weekly literary and miscel- laneous newspaper, was issued by Murray & Sawtelle in January, 1843, by Murray & Kimball to 1849, by Dodge & Noyes till 1855, and by S. H. Noyes till 1858. It was conducted with considerable ability and literary taste, and during its eighteen years' pub- lication secured a fair circulation.

In 1844 the Nashua Manufacturing Company built Mill No. 4. It was one hundred and ninety-eight feet long, fifty feet wide and five stories high. After the completion of this mill this corporation em- ployed one thousand hands-eight hundred and fifty females and one hundred and fifty males. It used ten thousand bales of cotton and manufactured thir- teen million yards of eloth annually. The company had built forty tenements for the overseers and board- ing-houses.

The Worcester and Nashua Railroad Company was incorporated in 1845. The road was opened December 8, 1848, having a length of forty-five miles, and a cap- ital of one million five hundred thousand dollars. The Wilton Railroad was commenced in 1847 and completed to Wilton in 1851, having a length of sixteen miles.

Between 1840 and 1850 a large number of dwelling- houses and stores were built in the village, but very few of them were of an expensive class. The school buildings and the railroad stations were mostly wooden, and none of the large brick blocks now erected on Main Street had been built. In 1850, of the nine churches, all of them Protestant, only two were built of brick-the First Baptist and the Pearl Street Congregational Churches. At that time the Catholies, now the most numerous religious sect in the city, were practically unknown. In 1840 there were not a dozen in Nashua. In 1850 there were less than one hundred.

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NASHUA.

In 1845 the population of the town of Nashua was 4429; the population of Nashville was 2432,-total, 6861. By the census of 1850 their united population was 8942,-a gain of 2888 since 1840.

Nashua in 1850 to 1860 .- The growth of Nashua between 1850 and 1860 was not so great as during the previous decade. In common with the other man- ufacturing towns of New England, the revulsion in business in 1857 and the two succeeding years par- alyzed to some extent all the manufacturing interests of the country during that period.

During these ten years, however, some progressive steps were taken by the Nashua people, and which have had a permanent effect upon its welfare. One of the most important of these was the reunion of the two towns of Nashua and Nashville, which had been separated by a legislative act in 1842. Though not realized at the time, it soon became evident that the separation would result disadvantageously. The ed- ucational system could not be as comprehensive and efficient. The Fire Department was weakened; the Police Department was more expensive and less ser- viceable, and the minor details of town affairs were less satisfactory to the public. The proposed sup- plying of the village with water and gas would also be more difficult under a twofold management.

Added to this, Manchester, in 1846, and Concord, in 1849, had adopted city charters, and with manifest advantage to their local interests. Nashua and Nash- ville had now an aggregate population equal to that of either of these cities at the time of their incor- poration. In view of these circumstances, the more enterprising citizens of both towns applied to the Legislature of 1853 for a city charter. This was granted on the 27th of June, with the proviso that it must first be accepted by a majority of the legal voters of each town at a meeting called for that purpose. In September the acceptance of the char- ter was submitted to the popular vote, and with the following results :

Yes. No. Maj.

Nashua .

468

334 134

Nashville

249

115

134

Total

717

449

268

So the city charter, having been sanctioned by both towns, Nashua and Nashville were again united, and will, it is fervently hoped, be known for many a cen- tury in the future as the

City of Nashua .- The election of city officers took place immediately after the acceptance of the charter by the two towns. By the original charter, a majority was required to elect the mayor. The first trial re- sulted in no choice, there being three candidates,- Josephus Baldwin (Whig), Bernard B. Whittemore (Democrat) and Winslow Ames (Free-Soil). On the second trial Mr. Baldwin was elected.

Josephus Baldwin, the first mayor of the city, was born in the south part of Nashua in 1803. His father

lived on the Highland Farm, and possessed unusual mechanical and inventive ability. The son gave his attention to the improvement of cotton machinery. His first experiment was at New Ipswich in making shuttles and spools to supply the few cotton-mills then running in New Hampshire. After the building of the mills at Nashua he returned and began the making of bobbins and shuttles at the Highland Farm. In 1836 his works, including a large stock just finished for the market, were burned. Without means, he began work in a room of the machine-shop of the Nashua Manufacturing Company. Here his works were burned out a second time. But in 1843 the demand for that kind of furnishings which Mr. Baldwin, of all others, was best able to supply, became so great that, starting his business on Water Street, he soon built up an extensive manu factory, employing one hundred and ninety hands. For fifteen years Mr. Baldwin was the largest manufacturer of bobbins and shuttles in this country. Like many enterprising and ingenious men, he gave no attention to financial details, and allowed the free use of his name to friends, so that he became embarrassed in 1858, and the business, built up by him, passed into the hands of Dr. F. B. Ayer and Isaac Eaton, by whom it has been continued until recently. Mr. Baldwin died in 1872.

In 1851 the Harbor Cotton Manufacturing Com- pany (Vale Mills) was organized with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, employing seventy hands and producing one million yards of sheetings and drillings annually.

The Nashua Edge-Tool Company was organized in 1852, locating their works at the mouth of Salmon Brook, on the Nashua and Lowell Railroad, one mile from the city. John H. Gage was president, G. W. Underhill superintendent, and C. B. Hill treasurer. They made axes of every pattern, hatchets, chisels, adzes and most kinds of edge-tools. The company employed fifty men and had a capital of sixty thou- sand dollars.

The Nashua Lock Company went into operation the same year. It was chiefly owned by L. W. Noyes and J. D. Otterson, and made locks, door-knobs and door-bells of every pattern, and employed sixty men. At first it was located on Water Street, but was soon removed to its present location, on the corner of Spring and East Hollis Streets.

The Nashua card and glazed paper business origin- ated with C. T. Gill and O. D. Murray, in 1849, who put up a small building on Water Street. J. H. and C. P. Gage became partners. Mr. Gill died soon after. The business grew and was removed to East Hollis Street. The original firm was Gage, Murray & Co., who, with a dozen hands and limited capital, began an enterprise which has since grown to be a large and snecessful business.

The Nashua Foundry Company, one of the earliest of our industries, was at this time doing a good busi-

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

ness on Temple Street, with Seth Williams as leading proprietor, at the same location now occupied by Charles Williams & Son. At a later date J. D. Otter- son established a foundry on Foundry Street, which he operated till his death, in 1880. It is now the property of the Co-operative Company.

The Nashua Gas-Light Company was incorporated in 1853, with a capital of seventy-five thousand dol- lars. Its works were located in the northeastern part of the city, near the Junction depot. Its first presi- dent was T. W. Gillis.

The Pennichuck Water-Works were also incorpo- rated in 1853, with L. W. Noyes president, and E. P. Emerson treasurer. The water supply was obtained from the Pennichuck Brook, three miles north of the city, by forcing the water into a large reservoir on Winter Hill.

The increased number of manufactories in the city required increased banking facilities, and in 1851 the Indian Head Bank was incorporated, with Joseph Greeley president, and Albert MeKean cashier, with a capital of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. In 1855 the Pennichnek Bank was incorporated with one hundred thousand dollars capital, and A. W. Sawyer president, and Harrison Hobson cashier.

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History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 44

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