History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 81

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 81

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).

He was succeeded by Mr. - Locke, who carried on the same business several years, until the gradually diminished water rendered it unprofitable.

The first saw-mill in town was built by Jeremiah Baldwin, just below the junction of a brooklet from Crotched Mountain, and a small stream which is the outlet of the Gould Pond.

The first saw and grist-mill was erected by Major Peter Peavey, on the brook at the outlet of the Bower's Pond. This mill was relinquished for want of water.

Deacon John Savage had a mill on the Hardy Brook, so called, which afforded power for sawing fall and spring. It was destroyed by fire. James Sawyer has a saw-mill on the same stream, which can only be op- erated a few weeks in the year, and is the only re- maining mill in town carried by water-power.

The inhabitants of the place had long felt the in-

convenience of having neither saw nor grist-mill in town, and after enthusiastically agitating the subject, decided to form a stock company and build a steam- mill.

A company was formed and a committee chosen, consisting of Charles Richardson, John J. Duucklee and Stephen Holt, Jr., to superintend the construc- tion of the mill.

It was located in the village, on Depot Street, a few rods west of the junetion of the four roads.

It was a large, heavy-timbered building, and fur- nished with heavy and expensive machinery. The mill was operated by Stephen Holt, Jr. Silas B. Winn was engineer.

It did considerable sawing and grinding, but the expenses of running it were too large to render it a profitable investment. It was destroyed by fire in June, 1851. A second steam-mill was built by the Hopkins Brothers, on the same site; after running it a few years they sold the engine to Edwin Jaquith, of Peterborough, and the building to S. D. Downes, of Francestown, who refurnished it with new machinery. It was burned to the ground in May, 1883. The site was immediately purchased by George F. Russell, who erected a mill and is now running it.

Wild Animals .- The animals found here by the first settlers were deer, wolves, bears, foxes, wild-cats, porcupines, woodchucks and squirrels. Wild turkeys, partridges, woodcocks, owls, and a variety of other birds were also found.

Domestic Animals .- Oxen were the most useful of all the domestic animals for conveying agricultural products to distant markets; as there was no pasturage, the earliest settlers seldom kept more than one cow.

Horses were trained to carry heavy burdens and bulky loads. They were accustomed to carry two per- sons and a child.

It was not an uncommon method of performing short journeys to "ride and tie," which means that a part would ride to a specified place, and hitch their horse by the side of the road, walk on until the other part came up, and thus alternate.

Hogs were unmerous, and in early spring they were yoked, ringed and allowed to run at large.

CHAPTER II.

GREENFIELD (Continued).

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

First Church. - Previous to 1791 the people as- sembled on the Sabbath for worship at private houses, but after the town was incorporated they felt the need of a meeting-house for secular as well as religions purposes.

December 6, 1791, Deacon Cram, James Ellinwood and Paul Cragin were chosen by the town to appraise

334

HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

a building owned by several proprietors, located on the site of F. C. Fletcher's present house.

They reported that the meeting-house was worth twelve pounds, and the town voted to raise nine pounds to repair said house, the work to be done by the last of the following June.

A church was organized in this house, as will ap- pear from a "copy of the proceedings of the first Church of Christ in Greenfield."

June 25, 1794, this meeting-house was again ap- praised and sold to Mr. Broadstreet, and moved to the lower part of the village, where it is now owned and occupied as a dwelling by Mr. Horace Cudworth.

" Several persons of the Town of Greenfield, who are in full commu- mon with the Church of Christ in towns where they formerly be- longel, Desirous of being embodied into a distinct Church in this place, met together and proceeded as follows :

"11. Chose Dea. Cram Chairman.

" Daly. Voted to request the assistance of an Ecclesiastical Council to In' convened the Seventh day of September, following.

.. 3dly, Chose a committee to send to the churches in Lyndeborough, Wilton and Temple, to desire the assistance of their elders and delegates on this occasion.

". Atbly. Voted that Dea. Cram acquaint the inhabitants of the town with the proceedings of this meeting, and desire their attendance when the Council should meet.

"on the Seventh of Sept., 1791, the Council were convened at the house of Joshua Holt. Rev. Mr. Goodridge and Esq. Fuller, from Lynde- borough ; Rev. Mr. Fish and Maj. Abbott, from Wilton ; Rev. Mr. Miles and Esq. Cragin, from Temple. After inquiring the design of calling the Council, The information is as follows: About twenty persons, now inhabitants of Greenfield, having obtained dismissions and recommen- dations from the several Churches to which they belonged wish to be emulwalied into a Church here, and right persons who are not members in full communion with any church, have expressed their desire of taking the covenant upon them and be embodied with the Church here.

" The persons who stand thus propounded are John Reynolds, William Burnham, Jonathan Ballad and their wives, also, Hannah, wife of Stephen Burnham, and Lucy, wife of Peter Percy.

" The Council, being satisfied with the information, agreed that Mr. Miles should preach in the forenoon and Mr. Fisk in the afternoon, and that the Church In emilanlied.

"The names of the persons embodied are as follows: Dea. Benjm. 'ram, Itobert Day, John Reynolds, Philip Fletcher, William Burnham, Nathan Cram, George Ferson, Joshmia Holt, Joseph Batchelder, John Dane, Jonathan Ballad all their wives. Widow Mary Fletcher, Mary, wife of The Carlton, Dinab, wife of Wm. Blunt, Hannah, wife of Stephen Burnham, Lucy, wife of Peter Pevey, James Ramsey, Dea. Cram, Joshua Holt, Joseph Batchelder, Hubert Day and James Ramsey were chosen a committee, in presence of the Council, to act hereafter in behalf of the Church An Ecclesiastical Council convened at Greenfield on the 7th of September, 1791. Agreeable to the letters missive from a number of per- Rons in said Greenfield, who were members in full communion with the Church of Christ, expressing a desire that they might be embodied into distinct Church, and the Churches convened in Council approving of their proposal, a number of person- appeared before the Council and in a slomi manner . stored into a Covenant with God and with each other min- Itore mentioned, and they were accordingly acknowledged to In a regular Church of Christ.

"In testimony whereat we, the Pastor- and delegates of the Churches of Lyndeborough, Wilton and Temple, have bereunto set our hands.

" SEWALL GOODRICH. " ANBEI. FISK. "NOAH MILES. " ANDREW FULLER. "ABIEL ABBOTT. " FRANCIS C'HAGIN. "

June 25, 1791, the town chose the following com- mittee to look out a site to build a meeting house upon : Daniel Campbell, of Amherst ; Timothy Far- rar, New Ipswich, and John Duncan, of Antrim.

This committee report,-

"That they have viewed the several places of the town, and the dif- ferent spots shown us by individuals, and recommend to the inhabitants to build said meeting house on a small hill in Coster's cleared land, so called, and we have accordingly set up a stake and spotted a stump for the front of the house, and, although we do not altogether approve of the ground in its present state, we yet think that by the labor of the inhabi- tants, it may be made eligible, and, all things considered, recommend it as the best place.

" Voted, to accept the above report . "JOSEPH HERRICK, Town Clerk."

" At a Town-Meeting on the 31st day of Angust, 1795 :

" Voted, to raise the meeting-house with ladders.

" Voted, to have one hundred men to raise the meeting-house.

" Voted, to have nine from Peterborough, nine from Temple, nine from Wilton, nine from Lyndeborough, nine from Francestown, nine from Hancock and six from the Society.

" Voted, to send a Committeyman to each town to invite the men to help raise the meeting-house.

" Toted, to choose a committee to form a plan for the Public Expense of raising the meeting-house.

" The Commity Report One Hogshead of West India Rum and half a Quintal of Codfish, half a hundred of Shugar, the Raisers to have a baiting at Nine O'Clock in the morning and a dinner at one of the Clock. " Yoted, to accept the report of the commity.

" Toted, to invite the Rev. Mr. Goodrich to attend the raising, also to invite Doctor Jolin Peabody.

" Toted, that Messrs. Isaac Foster and Joseph Batchelder be a commit- tee to keep order on the ground a raising day.

" Dec. 1, 1795. l'oted, to finish the meeting-house in three years from next April.

" JOSEPH HERRICK, Town Clerk."

Ministry .- The Rev. Timothy Clark was the first settled minister, according to the church records. He was ordained January 1, 1800, and after a pastorate of several years, on the first Sabbath in June, 1810, after much solemn deliberation and inquiry to know his duty, requested a regular dismission from his pastoral office. His reasons for so doing were,-1st, inadequacy of temporal support ; 2d, a persuasion in his own mind that the church and people were not so well united in his religious sentiments and public administrations as to render it duty for him to con- tinue among them.

The church, in the month of September, 1810, in regular meeting, voted,-1st, their desire that the pastor should continue in office, and that they were willing to unite with the other inhabitants of the town in raising his salary ; otherwise, 2d, should the town decline, that they were willing to unite with them and the pastor in calling an ecclesiastical council for his regular dismission. The town, in the same month, September, 1810, in legal meeting, voted to comply with the pastor's request, and he was dis- missed May 1, 1811.

A town-meeting was called on the 23d of November, 1811. At said meeting the church and society united in voting to give Rev. John Walker a call to take the pastoral care of said church and society. An accept- anee of said call was manifested by the pastor-eleet on the 29th of December, 1811. He was ordained February 5, 1812, and continued as acting pastor for several years, when, at a church-meeting,-voted, that it is thought expedient that the pastoral con- nection between the Rev. John Walker and this church be dissolved. Voted, that a committee of two

335

GREENFIELD.

be appointed to confer with the seleetmen, to inform them what the church have done relative to the dis- mission of the pastor, and to request a regular town- meeting to inform the town on what terms of dis- mission the pastor has proposed. Agreeable to the result of council, he was dismissed August, 1822.

His ministry was faithful and successful, during which time upwards of eighty were added to the church.

Rev. Francis Danforth graduated at Dartmouth College in 1819; ordained over the church in Green- field the 6th of June, 1823. He served as acting pastor for nearly eight years. Died in Clarence, N. Y., in 1843. An earnest Christian and useful in his day.

CHAPTER III.

GREENFIELD-( Continued).

Home Life-School-Military, Etc.

Home Life .- The following glimpses of pioneer life were obtained from one who, in 1794, made her bridal trip to a Greenfield forest home, where she reared a family, spent a long and useful life, and now, with her husband and all her children, rests in "God's Acre," near the meeting-house where she constantly worshiped. Most of the settlers lived in log cabins a short time, and then built framed dwellings. Their houses and barns were usnally separated by a garden or small field.

In fair weather the cattle were fed in the yard, and the bars were left down that they might go to the nearest brook or spring to drink. Water for house- hold purposes was brought from the nearest springs, frequently many rods away.

The all-important room in the house was the large, long, low kitchen, usually facing the north. It con- tained a wide, deep fire-place, which in winter was piled high with logs that warmed the well-ventilated apartment in the day-time and afforded light sufficient for nearly all domestie purposes in the evening. At the right hand of the fire-place was a capacious brick oven, with an ash-oven under it. A long high-backed settle stood aslant, across one end of the broad, smooth, stone hearth. An open dresser adorned with shining pewter rested against the wall beside a fall- table. Several broad shelves afforded convenient places for baskets of wool and tow, piles of rolls, cards and varions miscellaneous articles.

The studding was adorned with hanks of flax, bunches of wool and skeins of flax and tow yarn. A row of smooth poles, resting on wooden hooks, attached to beams overhead, served as hat-rack and clothes- bars, and in one corner frocks, blankets and hoods were huddled together on wooden pegs. In one end of the room stood a high bed, beneath which was a trundle-bed, a large and a small spinning-wheel, and,

not unfrequently, a loom, swifts and reel and quill- wheel shared places with other domestic implements. A large brass or iron kettle (for washing), a huge din- ner-pot, tea-kettle, long-legged spider and long- handled frying-pan comprised their principal cook- ing utensils. They did all their baking in the oven, except rye short-cakes and Indian trench- cakes, which they baked on boards before the fire. Besides manufacturing nearly all their clothing without the aid of machinery, and pro- viding food for their families, they made soap, beer, candles, wax, starch, glue, dyes, ink, syrups, ointments and pills. They knew the medicinal vir- tues of barks, roots aud herbs, and, by judicionsly pre- pared home remedies, lessened doctor's bills. For breakfast, children, and often the entire family, ate " spoon victuals," consisting of milk, rye or Indian gruel, samp broth or bean porridge. Brown bread, baked beans and baked Indian pudding formed one of their substantial dinners. Another was a " boiled dish," served on a large pewter platter; sections of pork, beef or mutton occupied its centre and were flanked on all sides by piles of vegetables. A smaller platter held a cylindrical boiled Indian pudding, which was served as the first course.

The family stood round the table while the father " asked a blessing," and at the close of the meal stood while he "returned thanks." They were very eco- nomical, and nothing was wasted. The number of years a family had kept house could be ascertained by their pile of almanaes, for books and papers of every description were carefully preserved. Children were received as blessings, and thanks were returned in the " honse of God" for their bestowal.

The old meeting-house was built, owned and con- trolled by the town. After the passage of the act allow- ing each denomination in town the use of the house its proportionate share of the time, one Sabbath in each month was allotted for the use of a few individuals of another denomination. Thus the First Evangelical Church was without a place of worship one-twelfth of the time. After having repeatedly and unsuccess- fully endeavored to make some arrangement with the town that would enable them to have the continued use and control of the place of worship, a council of ministers was called, who decided that it was for the interest of religion that the church should have the entire control of their place of worship, and advised the church to build and own a meeting-house. Act- ing upon this advice, the church voted to build, and in 1838 the majority of the church, with the assistance of other church-going people, erected a neat and com- modious edifice, which was dedicated February 13, 1839, and the next day (February 14th), at the old meeting-house, the church voted to remove its meet- ings for public worship, and for the transaction of all church business, to the new meeting-house which they had erected and dedicated, after the expiration of the engagement with Mr. Field, which would ter-

336

HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

minate in April. Then the church commenced wor- ship in the new house, and, after employing different ministers for a brief period, employed, successively, Revs. David P. Smith, Jonathan McGee and Daniel Goodhue, under whose ministrations the church was united and prosperous and remarkably harmonious. In Isot the diminished numbers of church-goers in both houses rendered it expedient that the churches should unite and occupy one place of worship. After much preliminary arrangement, both churches disbanded and united under the name of the Union Congrega- tional, and occupied the old meeting-house, the upper part having been fitted up for a place of worship and the town having relinquished its control over it. Sub- sequently, the new church edifice was sold and fitted up for private dwellings. It was sold for about three- fourths of its cost, and the amount divided among the original stockholders.

A Congregational Church was organized at the old meeting-house November 19, 1839. " Voted to give the Rev. Bancroft Fowler a call to become the Pastor of this Church, and that the Ecclesiastical Council now convened be requested to install him over this Church on the morrow." Mr. Fowler was accordingly installed on the 20th, agreeably to the above request. The pastoral relation subsisting between Mr. Fowler and this church was dissolved, at his request, April 22, 1845, after which Rev. Noah Emerson, followed by Rev -. Le Bosquet, Marshall and Case, supplied the pul- pit until the two churches disbanded and united in 1867.

Rev. George W. Ruland, the present pastor of the church, is a native of New York. He served in the Army of the Potomac in 1861-62, then resmed teaching in Suffolk County, N. Y., until September, 1864, when he come to New Hampshire, and graduated in 1867 from the Concord Institute, now known as Boston School of Theology. In connection with his pastoral work, Mr. Ruland is well-known as an active, outspoken minister for total abstinence and prohibition. He in- forests himself in the work of the schools and has served on the Board of Education in Littleton, Pem- broke and Greenland. His first year's labor here has been successful and attended with marked revival in- terest and accessions to the church. He was installed May 26, 1885.

Cemeteries. The oldest cemetery in town is situ- ated on the cast side of the road leading from Frances- town to Lyndeborough Mountain, and north of the road running over Lyndeborough Mountain, it being land given about 1755 by Simeon Fletcher, whose solitary habitation at that time was a few rods north of it, and where now his dust reposes with many of kis descendants and others of the neighborhood.

On the farm originally owned by Major Amos Whitte- more is a family burying-lot, although names on the headstones show that others have been permitted to Te buried there, among whom were Rev. Charles Whit- ing and wife.

The cemetery connected with the meeting-house was laid out in 1797 by the following committee : John Reynolds, Amos Whittemore, Elijah Broad- street and Joshna Holt, the land being owned by the town.

More of the early settlers repose there than in all the other cemeteries. Most of the available room has been occupied, and many entire families have been buried there. A town receiving-tomb is accessible from the road. About the centre of the yard are the private tombs of Rev. John Duncklee and Dr. Samuel Fitch.

Rev. Peter Holt and Rev. David P. Smith rest near together in the most elevated portion of the lot. There are several fine monuments and many marble head- stones of modern style interspersed with ancient slate- stone slabs, and numerous hillocks indicate unmarked graves.

GEEENVALE CEMETERY. - " March 12, 1878, a committee was chosen by the town, consisting of George S. Peavey, David Starrett and David Ramsey, to act in conjunction with the Selectmen to investigate the mal - ter of enlarging the old cemetery north of the church, and report at a future meeting.

" April 26, said committee recommended the purchase of a tract of land situated about one mile east of the village, and south side of the forest road, at a cost of three hundred dollars.

"Sept. 28. Toted, that eight acres be enclosed within a suitable fence, and laid out in lots in a good, substantial manner, at an expense not ex- ceeding three hundred dollars, and that hereafter it shall be called Green - vale Cemetery."

The first turf was broken to receive the remains of Captain Benjamin Hardy, an aged native of the town and a man ofsterling worth.

The first monument was placed in the family lot of Deacon Levi S. Holt, where two members of his family now repose.

A tall granite monument marks the resting-place of Deacon Peter Peavey, an esteemed native and life-long resident of the town, and in close proximity is the unique and elegant monument ereeted to the memory of Rev. Samuel H. Partridge, late pastor of the Union Congregational Church.

Schools .- As early as 1792 a "vote was taken to choose a committee of eleven to divide the town into school districts. At this time the town was divided into seven school districts, and thirty pounds raised for the support of a school."

Before the erection of school honses, barns and private dwellings were used as places of instruction. In the early part of the century we find the following names recorded as superintending school committee : Rev. John Walker, Captain John Burnham, Farnum Holt, William Whittemore, Peter Peavey and Amos Whittemore, Esq.

In most of the districts there are two terms of school each year. A fall term of select school is often sup- ported in the village, which is attended by pupils from all parts of the town.

Many scholars supplement the district-school in- struction by attending High Schools and academies, where they are fitted for teachers and successfully follow that occupation.

337

GREENFIELD.

March 14, 1885, an appropriation of three thou- sand dollars was made in District No. 3, the centre of the town, for the erection of a suitable school building, with a hall on the second floor for literary purposes,

Military .-

"1795. An article to see what method the town will come into to raise their proportion of men called for out of Captain Whittemore's Company, agreeable to General orders, which proportion is sixteen.

" 1798. An Article To see what method the town will take to raise the men that are called for in town.

"July 7, 1812. Voted, to give some encouragement to the Soldiers raised in this town for six months."

A draft of the following men was made destined to Portsmouth: Peter Peavey, Jacob Peavey, John W. Bean, John Savage, Nathaniel Reynolds and David Emerson. From the following order for mus- kets, given to Stephen Holt in 1838, it is evident that a company existed known as the Light Infantry :

" That the twelfth Company of Infantry, belonging to said town of Greenfield, and the twenty-sixth Regiment of New Hampshire Militia, having the number enrolled and completely uniformed as the law pre- scribes, doth apply to said State for their quota of muskets for said Com- pany."

Another well-officered company was organized abont 1830, known as the Rifle Company, which did military duty until 1851, when, by legislative enact- ment, this company disbanded. Prior to August, 1862, forty-two three-years' men volunteered from the town, and were sworn into the United States service.

ROLL OF SOLDIERS. SECOND REGIMENT.

Edmund Dascomb, second lieutenant, wounded July 13, 1863 ; died of wounds July 13, 1863; grave 11, section A, Gettysburg Cemetery, New Hampshire lot.

THIRD REGIMENT.

Harrison Marshall, discharged for disability May 9, 1863.

FOURTH REGIMENT.

Harry Elwood, wounded July 24, 1864 ; died of disease, date unknown. Antoine Goddard, discharged for disability January 26, 1863; died in Rockport, Va.

Charles HI. Wilson, promoted corporal ; wounded May 20, 1864; mus- tered ont September 27, 1864.

William P. Winn, discharged at Beaufort, S. C., April, 1864.

George D. Stiles, re-enlisted February 20, 1864.

George F. Launcey, died of disease August 24, 1863.

Dearborn S. Moody, re-enlisted February 17, 186-1.

SIXTH REGIMENT.

Albert L. Murphy, wounded June 3, 1864 ; promoted corporal ; dis- charged for disability September 29, 1864 ; died in hospital.

THIRTEENTH REGIMENT.

Lewis P. Wilson, promoted to captain January 12, 1865.

Perkins W. Hopkins, mustered out June 2, 1865.

Antoine Goddard, wounded severely September 29, 1861.

Ahira Z. Jones, died August 21, 1863.

John J. Draper, wonuded slightly June 15, 1804.

Ervin L. Lee, killed at Gaines' Farm, Va., June 1, 1864.

George D. Chapman, died August 24, 1863.

Joseph Ash, discharged for disability February 28, 1863.

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 81

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