History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 64

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

USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire > Part 64

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).

The settlers of Antrim began here among untold privations. It was a day of beginnings. Young people got married without a dollar in the world. Jonathan would buy his land at ten cents an acre on trust, go into the woods and put up a rude log cabin with his own hands, and at once move his young wife there! In some cases the whole family outfit con- Subsequently, in spare time, they made wooden bowls and plates, and enlarged their wardrobe by raising

259

ANTRIM.

sheep and spinning and weaving for themselves. In a way similar to this the majority began life in An- trim. But they were hardy, healthy, honest and persevering, and in the course of years worked them- selves into comfortable homes and good cirenm- stances. Great, however, were the actual suffering and hardship of this people through the War of the Revolution, when the men were in the field, and winters were hard, and snow was deep, and neigh- bors were far apart, and women and small boys faced cold and forest and wild beasts under all possible dis- couragements ! But the lone log cabin hidden in the snow kept safe its brave and much-enduring flock !

The amusements of our fathers were of a kind to correspond with their religious, yet rough and ath- letic, training. They had neither money nor taste for convivial entertainments, and were no creatures of appetite or indulgence; but into physical sports they entered, young and old, with hearty zest. Wrestling-matches, chopping-bees, piling-bees, log- rollings, huskings, raisings, trainings, musters and foot-races made up their entertainments. And some of these were noisy and dangerous pleasures. The entertainments of the ladies were of a correspondingly vigorous nature. We have no record of their meeting to fold their hands or make tatting. But carding- bees, apple-parings, quiltings, spinnings were among their leading pleasures when together. It was com- mon for the good mother to take her baby under one arm and her flax-wheel and flax under the other, and walk a mile to a neighbor's. When there, she and others coming in a similar way would set their wheels buzzing, and then chat together with voices that could be heard above the noise of twenty machines ! And such spinning! It was perfeet and marvelous in amount! And then, at sunset, each would take baby and wheel and yarn, walk home, get supper for a large family, "and wasn't much tired after all !"

I have said that the founders of Antrim were all Scotch. They came from the north of Ireland; but their ancestors eame thither from Argyle and Ayr, in Scotland. There was not a drop of Irish blood in them. In language, habits, tastes, education, reli- gion, history, capacity, bearing, manner of life, and general appearance, they were always distinct from the Irish. They prided themselves on this distinc- tion. To call one of them a "Paddy," was to make yourself sure of being knocked down before the words were fairly out of your mouth !

God. Men they feared not ; God they feared. Though tolerant of others, they were stiff Presbyterians themselves. The Bible was the book for study and conversation in every family. The children were thoroughly taught in it at home. They had a family religion, and there was a bold open-heartedness in them which was an item of their religion. Manage- ment and craft and secret enmity they could not endure. Outspoken, square, fearless and honest, they settled everything immediately, and face to face. They were quiek-tempered and hard-tempered, and they resented an injury with tremendous force; but they had no sullen or secret malice.

Moreover, the Antrim fathers were intensely set in their own way. They wanted light, and informed themselves and thought the thing out and made up their minds, and then it was counted about as easy to move one of the mountains round about them as to move one of those old yeomen out of his opinion. They had a mortal hatred of " giving up!"

They were a jolly, witty race, fond of repartee and good cheer and practical jokes. They gloried in hard hits. There was nothing weak or timid about their fun. Jokes went round their companies as cut- ting as a keen blade, as heavy as a hard blow, and they roared and shouted in merriment together ! These hills of Antrim rang with their langhter in the day when the panther's howl answered back and the Indian's whoop echoed in the forest! It is said the laugh of the fathers of Antrim was glorious to hear! And the aged grandmother, in her chair in the corner, would deal her strokes of wit as keen as ever, and tell a story with side-shaking mimiery and zest !

Antrim was for many years an agricultural town, with much grazing and a fruitful, though rocky soil. But within a recent period the town has become dependent on manufacturing for its growth and wealth. There are six saw-mills in town, as before intimated, two grist-mills, two threshing-mills, three wheelwright-shops, four blacksmith-shops, five crib and bedstead-factories, one silk-mill, besides the several mills connected with the cutlery-works. This last, under the name of the Goodell Company, is by far the largest industry of the town. Here are manufactured many kinds of fine table entlery, which finds a large sale all over the land. They make also untold numbers of apple-parers, slicers, corers, peach- parers, cherry-stoners and seed-sowers, both of hand and horse-power. This establishment furnishes em- ployment, directly and indirectly, for more than two hundred Antrim people, and pays to the people thou- sands of dollars in cash every month. In all these industries, and some smaller ones not mentioned, a majority of the people of the town are now engaged. Farming has greatly improved here in the last ten years, but manufacturing vastly more, and the farmer thrives

These settlers were all, young and old, women and children, people marked with strong individuality. The Scotehman must think and decide for himself. There was a bold, cordial, honest, independent way with them all. They never kept others in the dark as to their political or religious convictions. Yet, with all their self-assertion and personal independ- ence, they were humble and devout worshipers of | all the better because of the mills that flourish near him.

260

HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

HON. DAVID HI. GOODELL.1

The Goodells. Goodales and Goodalls, now so numerous in New England, are supposed to have all descended from Robert Goodell. (For what is known of him and his descendants, see the sketch of the family and the line of descent of Levi Goodale, in this history.) Of the line through which the sub- jeet of this sketch came, we have the following in the Granite Monthly :

1. David Goodell, who resided in that part of the town of Amherst now included in Milford.

2. David Goodell, a son of the above, who married Elizabeth Hutchinson, and lived in Amherst.

3. David Goodell, son of David and Elizabeth, who was born in Amherst, September 15, 1774; married Mary Raymond, of Mont Vernon, and settled in Hillsborough ; removed to Antrim in 1844, and died in 1848. His wife died May 17, 1864, aged eighty- five.

4. Deacon Jesse R. Goodell, son of David and Mary, who was born in Hillsborough, February 12, 1807. and removed to Antrim in 1841, where he still resides, and is a farmer. He married, first, Olive At- wood Wright, of Sullivan, who was born February 25, 1807, and died June 13, 1877. He married, second, Mrs. Ruth (Wilkins) Bennett.

5. Hon. David H. Goodell, only child of Jesse R. and Olive A., was born in Hillsborough, May 6, 1834, and removed to Antrim in 1841 with his father and mother, and still resides there.

From the above it would seem that David was a favorite name in this branch of the family, as four out of five in direct succession received it.

In " Sketches of Successful New Hampshire Men " it is recorded of the mother of David II. Goodell that her parents were poor, and found it difficult to pro- vide for the numerous children dependent on them ; that when she was fifteen years old she left home for Boston to seek her own living. On reaching there she had just fifty cents in her pocket. Not finding employment in Boston, she went to Waltham, where the first cotton-factory in the country had just com- menced operations. She obtained employment, and at the end of a year and a half visited her parents with forty dollars in her pocket. When she was married, eight years after this, she had saved from her earnings five hundred dollars.

The parents of David H. desired that he should fare better than they had, and that he should have a good education. Hence, when he had learned what he could at the town school, he went for several terms to Hancock Academy, thence to New Hampton, and graduated at Francestown Academy in 1852. In the

fall of that year he entered Brown University, at Providence, R. I., and took high rank as a scholar. In Latin he was marked within one degree of perfect, and he won a prize in mathematics. But in his second year his health failed, and he was obliged to return home. A year and a half on his father's farm restored him to health, and he taught school two terms at Hubbardston, Mass., one at Leominster, Mass., and one at New London Literary and Scientific Institution.

But his health again failed, and he returned to An- trim with the intention of making farming the busi- ness of his life. In 1857, however, the Antrim Shovel Company was organized, and he became its treasurer and book-keeper, and in 1858 he was ap- pointed general agent of the company. In 1861 the company sold out to Treadwell & Co., and Mr. Good- ell continued to aet for them in the same position. In 1864 the late Oakes Ames bought the business, including the patents of the now famous Antrim shovel, and removed it to North Easton, Mass.

Mr. Goodell now entered into partnership with Mr. George R. Carter, one of the firm of Treadwell & Co., and commenced the manufacture of apple-parers on a small scale. Having invented the "lightning apple-parer," it was put on the market through a New York house, who in two years sold a few hun- dred dozen, and thought they did well. In 1866, Mr. Goodell resolved to sell for himself, and in a tour of three weeks sold two thousand dozen, and thus made his invention known through the country.

In February, 1867, the factory was burned, and as there was no insurance, it was a total loss ; but in six weeks a new shop was in operation, and five thousand dozen apple-parers were manufactured and sold that year. In 1869 the patents of the Cahoon seed-sowers were purchased, and these machines were added to the business. In 1870 a new trouble came upon the firm. The business of D. H. Goodell & Co, was con- ducted upon the cash principle ; but the firm had unwisely indorsed notes for Treadwell & Co. (one of the partners being, as already stated, a member of both firms) to the amount of fifty thousand dollars, and the failure of Treadwell & Co. necessarily led to the bankruptcy of D. H. Goodell & Co. When the Antrim property was sold at auction Mr. Goodell bought it, and since then has been enlarging his bus- iness every year.

In 1872, Mr. Goodell joined in organizing the Woods Cutlery Company, at Bennington, and carried that on in addition to his own private business at Antrim, and in 1875 both concerns were merged in the Goodell Company, of which Mr. Goodell is the general manager, and of which he owns nearly the whole of the stock. The company manufacture all kinds of table cutlery, from scale tang to silver-plated, hot-water proof ; and also numerous kinds of apple-parers, peach-parers, potato-parers, cherry-stoners, seed-sowers, both hand and horse-power, and Robinson's hammock chairs.

1 By Rev. W. Hurlin.

D. He Gerodet

But Ju Bus a clogged to ncht school usp. ine & Gromit er.

cht the bump.

- marke Ter mul

D. 11 No còn & b, wasron

for the TU . v. rici that o

Handle cutlery

K Fair-

D.H. Goodell

Jacob Tuttle

261

ANTRIM.

The number of hands employed is about one hundred and seventy-five, and the pay-roll amounts to about fourteen hundred dollars per week. The business is conducted at Antrim, and there are factories both at Antrim and Bennington, which are connected by a private telephone.

In addition to his manufacturing business, Mr. Goodell is a practical farmer, and he has for many years managed the large farm which formerly be longed to his father, but which is now owned by him. He aided in organizing, and was for several years the president of, the Oak Park Association for the encour- agement of agriculture and mechanical arts ; has been for a number of years one of the trustees of the New England Agricultural Society, and since 1879 has been an active member of the New Hampshire Board of Agriculture.

Mr. Goodell has also been active and honored in public life. He has served as school committee, town clerk and moderator. In 1876, after a long con- test, he established his claim to have been elected as representative to the Legislature by the Republican party, and was twice re-elected, in 1877 and 1878, and he commanded the confidence of his colleagues to such an extent that no measure which he advocated was defeated, and not one that he opposed was successful. The bill for the erection of a new State Prison was carried largely through his judicious and earnest support. In 1882 he was elected a member of the Governor's Council, and served his term of two years, from 1883 to 1885. At the Republican Con- vention of 1884 he received one hundred and forty- six votes as the candidate for Governor, and was in reality the only candidate before the Convention be- sides the Hon. Moody Currier, whose nomination was made unanimous, and who was elected. Mr. Goodell is also an earnest temperance worker, and has been vice-president and is now president of the New Hamp- shire State Temperance Union. He is also trustee of Colby Academy, at New London.

On September 1, 1857, Mr. Goodell married Hannah Jane Plumer, a daughter of Jesse T. Plumer, of Goff's- town. Their children are, first, Dura Dana, born Sep- tember 6, 1858; and, second, Richard Carter, born August 10, 1868. The whole family are members of the Baptist Church in Antrim, Mr. Jesse R. Goodell having for many years been one of the deacons.

From the foregoing it will be seen that Hon. David H. Goodell, though still in the prime of life, has won a position of considerable importance. His large manufacturing business is acknowledged to be the life of Antrim, and to exert a large influence in Benning- ton ; his farm is noted as a model of progress, his business credit is high, his general reputation good and his private character unsullied; and it is no wonder that he occupies a place among the eighty-eight per- sons who are noticed in a work, published in 1882, entitled, "Sketches of Successful New Hampshire Men."

HON. JACOB TUTTLE.

The earliest record at hand of this branch of the Tuttle family is that of Samuel1, who was born in 1709. In 1729 he married Martha, daughter of Rev. Benja- min Shattuck, the first minister of Littleton, Mass. She was born in 1712. From this union there were nine children. Of these, the one in the line of de- scent was Sampson2, who was born Angust 29, 1738. He married Submit Warren, who was born November 23, 1742. Sampson 2 died June 7, 1815, and his wife July 21, 1797. They had fourteen children.

Jacob3, the subject of this sketch, was born in Little. ton, Mass., February 6, 1767. His childhood was passed with his parents, and early in his career there were developed traits of character that gave unusual promise for the future. He was a rugged, healthy boy, and was foremost in athletic sports in his school- boy days. His educational advantages were limited. He attended the district school and came to his ma- jority in full vigor and ready for life's work. June 18, 1795, he married Betsey, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Trowbridge) Cummings, of Westford, Mass .. and, taking his wife on horseback, started across the country for Antrim, N. H. He had saved a small sum of money, and with it he bought a farm in the northern border of the town. The old homestead is now occupied by James A., a grandson. Mr. Tuttle opened a store for general trade and soon had a large mercantile business, and also carried on farming on an extensive scale. In 1818 he moved his store to the Branch Village and resided there for many years, accumulating a large property. He soon became a leader in civil affairs and filled nearly all the town offices, and for sixteen years represented the town in the General Court. He was elected State Senator from District No. 8 in March, 1833. He was elected a member of Governor William Badger's Council in March, 1834, and served two years. He was a mem- ber of the Electoral College in 1816. New Hampshire had eight members at that time, who were elected by the Republican party and cast their votes for James Monroe for President of the United States. The whole vote of the State was 28,555,-Republican vote, 15,- 188; Federal vote, 13,367. He was also a "side judge" of the Court of Common Pleas, from which cirenm- stance he wore the title of "Judge Tuttle." Judge Tuttle attended the Presbyterian Church and was a liberal contributor for the support of public worship. Ile was a kind friend and a devoted husband and father. He died August 20, 1848. at the age of eighty- one years. His wife, who was greatly beloved for her many virtues, died January 28, 1852. Judge Tuttle had fourteen children: Betsey 4, born June 13 1796, died September 13, 1800; Jacob, born February +, 1798, died September 3, 1800; Nancy, born January 17, 1800, died September 25, 1800; Betsey, born July 13, 1801, died February 15, 1814; Naney, born April 9, 1803, died May 6, 1805; Submit R., born April 21, 1805, married James Steel, died Angust 3, 1833; Lu-

262

HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

cetta, born March 23, 1807, married John Sargent, died August 1, 1855; Louisa, born June 3, 1809, mar- ried Andrew C. Cochran, died January 11, 1849; Lydia S., born June 1, 1811. married Hiram Griffin, died April, 1885; James M., born July 6, 1813, married Hannah Shedd, died December 5, 1861; Susan, born July 17, 1815, married Henry D. Pierce, died October 20, 1874; Harriet, born August 3, 1817, married David W. Grimes, died September 2, 1848; Isaac C., born September 11, 1820, married Louisa J. Love and lives in Illinois; Mary E., the youngest daughter, who places the engraving of her father in this work, was born May 15, 1823. She was married to John S. Shed, of New Bedford. Mass., May 20, 1846, and lives in Antrim. There were two children from this union,- Mary J., born April 20, 1854, and Eliza A., born July 5, 1857. Mary died August 17, 1856. Eliza A. was married, January 1, 1879, to Ruthven Childs, of Hills- borough, N. H., and has one chikl, Carrie May, born December 20, 1879.

MORRIS CHRISTIE, M.D.

Peter and William Christie signed the "Memorial to Governor Shute " (1718), but neither of them came in the Londonderry company that settled that town in the following year. But Jesse Christie, probably the son of Peter, settled in Londonderry (now East Derry) about 1725. His wife's name was Mary, and they had a daughter Mary, born in Londonderry, June 1, 1728. Their son George (Captain George Christie, of New Boston) was born October 3, 1731. From this Jesse and Mary probably sprang all the Christies of Hills- borough County. They were parents (there is hardly room to doubt) of Deacon Jesse Christie, who settled in New Boston, and was a man of high standing in that town. He was chosen deacon in the Presby- terian Church there under the first pastor; was a man of strict business uprightness, and was pecu- liarly social and friendly; was a farmer and mill- owner, having built the mills where afterwards the New Boston Paper-Mill stood. Deacon Jesse Christie married Mary Gregg, daughter of Samnel and Mary (Moor) Gregg and granddaughter of Captain James and Janet (Cargil) Gregg, which Captain James was one of the original sixteen who began in Londonderry in 1719, and was of mature years at that date.

Deacon Jesse and Mary (Gregg) Christie had twelve children,-Jeane, Peter, Samuel, John, Mary, Eliza- beth, James, Mary Ann, Jesse, Robert, Anna and William. Several of these sons settled in New Bruns- wick about 1790, and their descendants have come to honor there. The mother of these twelve children was a noble woman, large in stature and large in heart, -one of the most useful and energetic and capable women in that early settlement. The writer well re- member- hearing old people who knew her speak of | Vt., July 22, 1863. her as "a devoted Christian, of great kindness and full of good works."

Samuel Christie, third child of Deacon Jesse, was

born in New Boston, February 20, 1764. He came to Antrim in the spring of 1788 and bought a large tract of land next east of the cemetery at the " Old Center," now known as " Meeting-House Hill." Here he made his "clearing," and in the fall of that year he put up a small, low house, answering well for the times, and for temporary use. Near the close of the same year (1788) he received a companion into his new and hum- ble home in the person of Zibiah Warren, daughter of Josiah and Jane (Livingston) Warren, of New Boston. Traditions say that she was "very young and very fair." After a few years Mr. Christie built the large, old-fashioned tavern, with large square rooms, enormous fire-places and long dancing hall. Here he " kept tavern " the rest of his days. There was then considerable travel through the town, it be- ing before the day of railroads. There was large busi- ness on training-days and town-meeting days; and on Sabbath-days the hearers of Rev. Dr. Whiton came over from the church near by to warm up with the subject.

Samuel Christie died October 25, 1818, leaving eight children, among them Hon. Daniel M. Christie, LL.D., of Dover; Josiah W. Christie, Esq., of An- trim ; and Mary Christie, for fifty-five years a mis- sionary in Ceylon, as wife of Rev. Levi Spalding.

Dr. Morris Christie, the subject of this sketch, was the son of Josiah W. and Mary (Bell) Christie, and was born in Antrim August 29, 1832. His father was farmer and carpenter, a great worker; and the son had his full share, enjoying, however, from time to time, the limited advantages of the district school. Afterwards he attended the academies at Francestown, Washington and Hopkinton, each for a time. Hay- ing had, from childhood, a desire to be a physician, in the summer of 1856 he took up the study of medi- cine with the late Dr. Thomas Sanborn, of Newport, N. H. In the autumn of the same year he attended a course of medical lectures at Dartmouth College. Through the summer of 1857 he again studied with Dr. Sanborn. In the fall of 1857 he went to New York and attended lectures in the University of New York till the time of his graduation, March, 1859. At once he entered Charity Hospital as assistant phy- sician, remaining there a year. May 1, 1860, he be- gan practice in his native town, which he has con- tinued with gratifying success till the present time. His practice reaches into all the adjoining towns, and he has fairly won a leading place in his profession. He is one having honor "in his own country," a lib- eral giver, a worker in every good cause, of strong, earnest convictions, a man characterized by large- heartedness, outspokenness and Christian principle.

Dr. Christie married Susan S. Hill, daughter of George W. and Sabrina (Woodbury ) Hill, of Johnson,

They have one son, George W., born August 5, 1868.

gd scht a lunge traer

The " Old Conter"

(' Torche mód

for the times and

of the can e veal + wah Warren, dầu hier 5 Warren o .es + WAR TWEE YOUDE Mr. Christie burle path large Aqua

me Sor danvios haft

cor Ve desde ar byto warn up with the

on Orel Ocular 25, 19Is, leaving eight dior H. Daniel M. Christie. , UNG W. Christie, Esp., of An- ola den Tamistic, for ligy-five years a male mir 1 vi Spalding.

Vas

Sono Antiqu August 2. 1 2. His ather Walk ** ** . DOC . 200 Worker and then

ue Talaj vorsatz. of the district schert

bombay the study of medi - IC In que era of the Sag . Year he alt med Mit a Portugal College. Sh ards he punt to You ** el diversity of Now man, March, 19. Bombas assisto phy 156 Why 1. 1560, hele- which he Ví đốn- vol The present tore.

in his prob mah. d'untry" a -

Ba principe

tor : August 5,

Morris Christie.

limball 7,

263

ANTRIM

1AV. I. December's INE III TO

NU wher, soon after, ke i eldes daughter of Der Jani 00 , 5% . is eller of the town.

Li . subsequently established hine waren in Mon Chester, N. H. a small village of De Pono rewasdet Riyet, about renty-five miles de Com lately sendo fu

rt. Here ne spoon t . busin

finn. frary educated me children in the he ther le fn period, and perate a leading i am in all that regi i in building uo town mstitut ons nl stain- all public and moral enterprise.

Or Amialls car's condation was of a high arder no department of study being want it that way calc. - lat to aid Him in wbatevo bustons of pour ssion he might cause to adopt.

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.

History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 64

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