History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 85

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

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Hancock, of Boston, who was a large owner in Great Lot No. 2 (the centre of Hancock ) at the time of its incorporation, and was the second incorporated place to take the name of that great man, who, as president of the Continental Congress, was the first to affix his name to our country's Declaration of Independence, Hancock, Mass., being its senior by three years. The town commenced its corporate existence uuder some peculiar hardships, on account of the war and the depreciation of the Continental money. They also labored under disadvantages in having no place set apart for a centre and burying-ground, these, to- gether with a ministerial lot, being generally given to the towns previously incorporated. Deacon James Hosley, of New Ipswich, gave the town a place for a centre and burying-place a few years later, and the town bought a farm for its first minister of the heirs of Governor Hancock.

Hancock is justly regarded as a healthy town, the only "unusual sickness " having been the dysentery scourge of 1800.

Mills and Manufactures. - The streams of Han- cock as now constituted are small and its mills but few. During its early years these streams were more valuable, as the forests were in part remaining, and the swamps and meadows largely undrained. There was also a larger local demand for lumber for build- ing, and more grain (especially rye) to be ground than in later years. The following abandoned mill- sites are to be found in Hancock at the present time:

1st, Solomon Wood's saw-mill ; 2d, Henry Prentiss' clothing-mill ; 3d, Edmund Davis' saw-mill ; 4th, Richard Rand's clothing-mill ; 5th, Jantes M. Johnson's sash and blind shop ; 6th, Volney HI. Johnson's turning- mill. The above were on the Davis Brook. 7th, Samnel Ames, saw and grist-mill, on Ferguson Brook. 8th, Thomas Spaulding's grist-mill ; 9th, Henry Spaulding's grist-mill ; 10th, the Fox Tannery. These were on the Hosley Brook. Ilth, Nicholas Lawrence, saw-mill ; 12th, Jesse Rodgers' saw-mill ; 13th, Kent & Hunt's (afterwards Hall's mills) grist- mill ; 14th, Amos Ball's bobbin-shop ; 15th, Milton Hill's cabinet-shop ; 16th, French & Symond's saw and grist-mill. The five last being on Moose Brook.

We have given the original builders' names to each of these abandoned sites.

The dams of two other mills spanned the river, but the mills themselves were in Greenfield.

There were manufactories of potash at the Centre,

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first by Andrew Seaton and later by David Low. Samuel Bullard also carried on a lively business at the Centre as a hatter. for several years. The mills now located in the corporate limits of Hancock are Edward Danforth's saw-mill, on Ferguson Brook, and John Newell's mill on Hosley Brook, which is a saw and grist-mill, and also contains a full set of machinery for the manufacture of pails, also a fine shingle-mill and iron turning lathe with much other machinery, and is operated by an extra miller. The sash, door and blind-shop of the late James M. Johnson, a little to the east of the mill last named, and on the same stream. The Willey Mills, so called, on Moose Brook, now owned and operated by Rev. J. W. Coolidge; this mill, in addition to the usual advantages of a well-appointed saw and grist-mill, enjoys the advantage of a side-track on the Man- chester and Keene Railroad, which gives it great advantage in the matter of handling grain and other freights, especially since this railroad has become a shipping-point. The steam tannery of A. G. Foster, in the south part of the town, is also a well-appointed establishment.

Having noted the mills and manufactures of what is now Hancock, it seems proper that we should briefly mention a section which, for threescore years, was identified with the interests and included in the limits of Hancock, first as Putnam's Mills and later as Hancock Factory, but now the centre of the thriv- ing town of Bennington.

At the time of the incorporation of Hancock, Joseph Putnam, a native of Wilton, and of the same lineage as General Putnam, was a resident of and a miller in Temple ; but finding his water-power insufficient, he soon after began to look for a better location, and October 14, 1782, purchased a lot of land at the Great Falls of the Contoocook, described in the deed as follows: "A certain lot or tract of land lying in the Royial Society, so called, viz. : in lot Number 31, in the North range, as they are laid out and marked, said lot laid out on the original right of Jotham Odion, Esq., of Portsmouth, deceased." This lot covered and included all the east side of the now used water-power of Bennington village, and was annexed to Hancock on his petition, January 17, 1794. He soon commenced a clearing here and built a house where the present hotel stands, and was here with his family early in 1783, erecting his saw and grist-mill soon after, where the present one stands. November 16, 1789, he added by purchase one hundred and seven acres on the opposite side of the stream, and owned most of what is now Bennington village for years.

Mr. Putnam carried on an extensive business, both as a miller and a farmer here, for over a score of years, but was unwilling to part with any of the water- power he did not himself use, as it would injure his farm. He sold his property here to John Dustin in 1804, and removed to Alstead, and subsequently

to Marshfield, Vt., with his son Jacob, where he died February 12, 1826. He left a numerous and honored line of descendants. We are indebted to his grand- son, Judge E. D. Putnam, of Montpelier, Vt., for facts as to his residence here.

Of John Dustin, the second owner of these mills, little is known at this writing by the writer.

John D. Butler, a wealthy citizen of Bennington, is his grandson.

Hancock Factory was built in this village, in 1810, by Amos Whittemore, Sr., Benjamin Whittemore and Paul Cragin. They, with help, cut and hewed the timber and had the frame raised in one week. Ben- jamin Whittemore was the first agent. They manu- factured at first cotton yarn and put it out to be woven by hand, but soon put in a few looms. In 1825, Amos Whittemore, Jr., became the agent, and the next year built an addition to the first mill of thirty feet to the west, three stories high, and added some twenty-five or thirty looms, employing about fifty hands.

It is said that for a time after this nearly one-half of the cotton goods made in New Hampshire were manufactured here.

The next agent (who was also one of its owners) was Benjamin A. Peavey, who ran it for a few years, after which it was idle for a time. This is now Kim- ball's cutlery establishment.

Chapin Kidder put in a fulling-mill in the west end of the Putnam Mill, (then Burt's), in 1815, and Merick Wentworth built a mill for carding and cloth-dress- ing, where D H. Goodell & Co.'s works now stand, in 1820. This spot was occupied as a paper-mill and manufactory of writing and blank-books for some years by John W. Flagg, Esq., while it was in Han- cock.

In 1835, Lewis Fletcher built and started a paper- mill where Barker & Co.'s now stands, which was sub- sequently operated by Gilbert Hall and others.

About 1820, Jeptha Wright commenced the manu- facture of rifles and excellent fowling-pieces here. He manufactured the fine rifles carried by the riffe companies of Greenfield, Henniker and Amherst in the palmy days of these fine military organizations. Mr. Wright subsequently removed to Hillsborough and died there.

It will be seen by this sketch that mills were stand- ing on every spot where mills are now operated in Hancock Factory when it parted company with the mother-town.

Highways, Railroads and Telegraph .- The first important thoroughfare in Hancock appears to have been what is now known as the old Stoddard road. This road was an extension of the Windy Row road in Peterborough, north through Hancock and corners of Antrim and Parkersfield to Stoddard, and was a great traveled road to Boston from the towns to the north and northwest of Hancock during the last few years of the past century.

About the commencement of the present century

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the old County road, as it was called, became the lead- ing thoroughfare for the same class of travel as had been earlier accommodated by the road first-mentioned.

Hancock turnpike was chartered from Milford to Marlow early in this century ; but, after several meet- ings of the corporation, it failed to be built, except on paper, the Forest road, so called, later taking its place as a road for teams and a stage and express route through the town. A good business was done for many years on this road from Hancock and the towns above to Nashua, and later to Wilton depot.

The building of the Peterborough Railroad, from Wilton to Greenfield (it never got to Peterborough), and the Monadnock Railroad, from Winchendon, Mass., to Peterborough, subsequently gave depots within some six or seven miles, respectively, of Han- cock Centre before the town had railroad facilities of its own. Prior to 1870 a survey of a route for a rail- road from Manchester to Keene had been made through the north part of Peterborough, and, soon after this, a preliminary survey was made to deter- mine the feasibility of locating this road through the south part of Hancock.

On the 25th of January, 1875, at a legal town- meeting, the citizens of Hancock voted a five per vent. gratuity to the Manchester and Keene Railroad if it would build a road through the town within one- half a mile of its town hall. Subsequent surveys proving this route feasible, the road-bed was located here rather than in Peterborough, as had been earlier proposed.

The first earth was moved on the line of this rail- road on land of Lewis Symonds, in Hancock, in the spring of the following year, and the road was com- pleted for business (from Greenfield to Keene) in 1579. The building of the Manchester and Keene Railroad through Hancock seemed to render it nec- es-ary that both the Monadnock and Contoocook Val- ley roads should connect with it, and the Peterbor- ough and Hillsborough road was soon commenced, crossing the first-named road at Hancock Junction.

Hancock now has two railroads through its terri- tory, with depots at Hancock Centre, on the Man- chester and Keene Railroad, and Cavender's, on the Peterborough and Hillsborough Railroad, while there is also a union depot at the junction. There is also a much-used side-track at Coolidge's mill.

It is worthy of remark here that Bennington, Han- cock's daughter, is the only other town that carries the rails of both these roads.

A post-office, by the name of Elmwood, has recently been established at Hancock Junction, of which Henry F. Robinson is the postmaster

The junction, at the hour of three P.M., would re- mind a stranger of some smart, young Western city, on account of its numerous trains of cars.

Telegraph lines have been extended along both these roads, with operating stations at Hancock Cen- tre and Hancock Junction.

Schools .- The first appropriation for schools in Hancock, of which we have any record, was made on the first Tuesday of December, 1787, when the town voted to raise ten pounds for schools, and a committee was chosen by the town for its proper distribution ; but we have no record of any school-house for four years thereafter.

Soon after the settlement of its first minister, Rev. Recde Paige, the town, under his lead, took a very advanced position for those days in relation to its school advantages, and the Centre District was author- ized to build a two-story school building, the upper story to be used as a High School room.

It was in this upper room that Rev. Brown Emerson, for nearly seventy years the pastor of the South Con- gregational Church of Salem, Mass., and his brother, Rev. Reuben, of Reding, in the same State, obtained most of the higher education which fitted them for college and their future usefulness.

In later years we find as students here Hon. George W. Nesmith, of Antrim, a man who for many years adorned the bench of his native State, and is now, in his green old age, the president of the Orphans' Home in Franklin, and, a little later, Franklin Pierce, of Hillsborough, who subsequently became the Presi- dent of the United States. This building was burned about the close of the first quarter of the present cen- tury. On the 14th of June, 1836, the Hancock Liter- ary and Scientific Institution was incorporated, Dr. Jonas Hutchison and seventeen others, with their associates and successors, being authorized to build a school building and maintain a High School here. This school was mainly under the control of the Milford and the Dublin Baptist Associations, and was for several years in a very flourishing condition.

Among its eminent instructors we will name Pro- fessors Jones, Colcord, Burnell, Ephraim Knight and True.

About the same time Hancock Academy was insti- tuted and a fine brick building erected, and for several years two large High Schools were in successful opera- tion here at the same time. This was under the con- trol of the Congregationalists.

Among its eminent instructors we might name Messrs. Rice, Scott, Gilbert and others. Among the eminent men who were pupils in these schools we will name ex-Governor William B. Washburn, of Massa- chusetts, who held successively the offices of Repre- sentative in Congress, Governor and Senator of that State, and is now the honored president of the Amer- ican Missionary Association, his father having been a native and hisgrandfather an early settler here; Francis Jewett, of Nelson, for several years the popular mayor of Lowell; Professor Ephraim Knight, a native of the town; Rey. Daniel Goodhne, who responded to the sentiment of "The Schools of Hancock" at its late centennial ; Joseph Davis, Esq .; Hon. George Stevens, of Lowell; Judge Aaron W. Sawyer, of Nashua; and we might mention many more.

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The present distribution of the school fund is equal- ized as much as it can well be among its scholars.

The town was constituted a High School District in 1873. One or more terms (usually two) of this school yearly have been enjoyed by all its scholars who choose to attend and ean pass the necessary ex- amination.

About the commencement of the present century an association was formed in Hancock which, for nearly thirty years, sustained a circulating library of some three hundred volumes here.

In 1860 a town library was commenced with some two hundred and fifty volumes, which has now been many times increased. This institution has now a fine library building, a gift to the town by one of its sons, Adolphus Whitcomb, and a moderate trust fund from legacies of Ebenezer Hubbard and Abijah Had- ley, the income of which is used in the purchase of additional volumes.

Lawyers .- Only three persons have been known to the writer as having a law-office in this town, Andrew Wallace, from Milford, who appears to have been an excellent man and a good lawyer, being the first. He was the town's representative in 1822, 1823 and 1824. Mr. Wallace returned to Milford and died there.

Hon. Luke Woodbury succeeded him, beginning his practice of the law here, but moved his office to Antrim in 1826. Mr. Woodbury was long a judge of Probate for this county, and at the time of his death a candidate for Governor, with almost a certainty of election. The last lawyer to open an office in Han- cock was Hon. Timothy P. Fuller, who had been a lawyer of note and a judge of the courts of Caledonia County, Vt. Mr. Fuller and his wife both died here in 1854. Several of the natives of Hancock have won distinction at the bar elsewhere, among whom we will note Charles Wheeler, son of Noah and grandson of Jonas Wheeler, of this town (and an uncle of Charles James Fox, named below), who won high honors in the courts of Missouri. Charles James Fox, son of Jedediah and Sarah (Wheeler) Fox, was born in Hancock October 28, 1811, as appears from abundant written testimony (although his birth-place has been claimed elsewhere). Mr. Fox fitted for college at Francestown Academy, under the private tuition of Rev. Archibald Burgess, of Hancock, and was grad- uated from Dartmouth College with high honors in the class of 1831. He studied law with Hon. Isaac O. Barnes, of Francestown, and completed his law course at the New Haven Law School. He then entered the law-office of Judge Daniel Abbot of Nashua, whose partner-at-law he soon became. He soon after became treasurer of the Nashua and Lowell Railroad, and was for eight or nine years county solic- itor of this county. He also held the office of com- missioner in bankruptcy. He was a member of the Legislature from Nashua in 1837, and was appointed one of the committee to revise the Statutes of New

Hampshire, with Judges Bell and Parker, in 1841-42, a rare compliment to one so young, and published his valuable "Town Officer " soon after this date. On account of declining health, he traveled in Egypt and the West Indies in 1844-45, of which he published interesting sketches. He died, after a long sick- ness, at Nashua, February 17, 1846, aged thirty- four years. Industrious to the last, the hours when such exertions were possible were devo- ted to the revision of the "History of Dunsta- ble," which was published soon after his death, and to poetical compositions, chiefly on religious subjects. With all his honors he was a Chris- tian, and few men so young have left so glorious a record. Mr. Fox married Catharine Pinkman Abbot, a daughter of his law-partner, who, as the widow of ex-Governor Samuel Dinsmore, of Keene, now sur- vives him ; also one son, Dr. Charles W. Fox.

The Whiteomb brothers-Charles and Adolphus- sons of John Whitcomb, for so long the postmaster of Hancock, went to California, where Charles soon died. Adolphus won distinction and wealth there. He now resides in Europe. It is to his munificence that Hancock is indebted for its fine library building.

Algernon B. Baldwin has won a high rank in his profession in Chicago, as has Charles A. Wood also, in Salmon City, Idaho. Edward B. Knight (a bro- ther of Professor Ephraim Knight) has become eminent as a lawyer also, in Charlestown, W. V.

Prominent Individuals and Families. - Joux GRIMES was the first person to locate in Hancock with the view of making the place his home. Mr. Grimes was of Scotch-Irish descent, and came to Han- cock by way of Peterborough in 1764, locating at a spot near the south shore of Half-Moon Pond. The spot of the settlement of this pioneer was marked by its citizens with an appropriate monument in 1884. He remained but a few years in Hancock, and re- turned to the "old hive" in Londonderry, where he died. His widow resided in Hancock with her son, William Grimes, within the memory of some now living.

MOSES MORRISON was also of Scotch descent. Sam- uel 1 was driven under the walls of Londonderry in the famous siege of 1688. All his children emigrated to America. John2 was one of the first settlers of Londonderry, N. H., his son, Jonathan3, being the first male child born in that town. Moses3 was the youngest of eight children of this John2, and was born in Londonderry, June 7, 1732. He married Rachel Todd, and located near Half-Moon Pond, in Hancock, prior to the birth of his son Andrew', who was born here January 21, 1770. He was a great story-teller, and has been called the "Gulliver" and " Arabian Knight" of Hancock; but we do not indorse the statement of the historian of a neighbor- ing town, that "it is for this only that his memory has survived him." The early records of Hancock prove him to have been a man of ability and useful-

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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

ness in the town where he spent his latest years and died. AA grandson of his, Samuels Morrison, of Al- strad, has been for many years a man of usefulness and honor there, and has recently celebrated his golden wedding. He, with his brother, Benjamin F., of the same town, have greatly aided in the prepara- tion of facts for the " History of Hancock." These brothers are also the grandsons of Deacon JJames Hosley, of Hancock. The historian of Hancock, Rev. W. W. Hayward, is a lineal descendant of Moses Morrison. Mr. Morrison and his descendants have occupied the soil of Hancock for over one hundred and fifteen years.

ROBERT DUNCAN was of Scotch descent. George 1 was a native of Scotland, who emigrated to Ireland. George? was born, lived and died in Ireland. George 3, with all his children, came to America. George4, his oldest son by his second wife, Margaret Cross, was grown to manhood when he arrived in Londonderry. Ile married Letitia Bell and left seven children. Robert3, his second son, married Sarah, daughter of Colonel Andrew Todd, of Londonderry, and was an early settler in Hancock. Hon. John Duncan, of Antrim, who was the representative for years of Han- cock and Antrim, was his brother. Mr. Duncan was undoubtedly the most influential man in the town at the time of its incorporation. He drew up, headed and circulated the petition for the act of incorpora- tion, and was chairman of the first Board of Select- men chosen at an annual town-meeting, and chosen at the same time its town clerk, which office he after- wards held for a time. Mr. Duncan was also chosen one of the first deacons of the church in Hancock, and held the office at the time of his death. He was also much employed in the settlement of estates of deceased early settlers. He died in the midst of his usefulness, JJanuary 25, 1793, at the age of forty-nine years. Samuel married Sarah Miller, of Peterbor- ough, and settled on the homestead, but died in the prime of life, April 20, 1807, aged thirty-nine. liram3, who was only two years old at the time of his father's death, was the only child of Samuel and Sarah (Miller) Duncan who arrived at man's estate. lle settled in Jaffrey in trade, and was a man of great business capacity, but died young, leaving one daughter, Sarah . Miller Duncan, now the wife of Hon. Peter Upton, of the Governor's Council, who is a lead- ing business man of that town, and, with their son, Hiram Duncan Upton, has charge of the banking interests of that place, Hiram D. being also president of the Northwestern Trust Company of Dakota. Mrs. Sarah M." (Duncan) Upton is the last survivor of Deacon Robert Duncan who ever bore the family name. Deacon Josiah", of Antrim, son of Deacon Robert, of Hancock, was a thoroughly good man and an older of the Presbyterian Church there, who is said to have been "a living example of Romans xiii. 11." He left no sons. Deacon Robert" also went to AAntrim, and married his cousin, Mrs. Naomi (Duncan)

Newton, daughter of Hon. John5, and was. said to have been one of the most efficient elders this ancient church ever had. They had no children.

JAMES5 DUNCAN was a brother of Robert, named above, and seven years his junior. He came to Han- cock from Society Land a little later than his brother Robert and settled on Norway Hill. James was chosen a deacon of the church at the same time as his brother, and continued in the office until his death. He was also much in town affairs. He married Jane Christie, who was said to have been one of the smartest girls of her day. It is related of her that on one occasion she won a wager of forty dollars by reaping more grain in a day than the smartest male reaper of Londonderry. They had eight children.

I. Sarah 6, who became the wife of Samuel Fox, and died in early married life, leaving two children.

II. Letitia6 became the wife of Martin Fuller and had four children : (1) Thomas James Duncan, who was a lawyer of note and Representative in Congress from the East District of Maine for eight years, and was second auditor of the treasury under Buchanan. (2) Lydia J., who became the wife of Rev. L. H. Stone, of Cabot, Vt. (3) Mary, who was the wife of Stearns Foster, of Keene. (4) Hiram, who is a promi- nent citizen of Hancock.

III. George6, who settled in Antrim, where he was a prominent citizen.

IV. Susan6, who became the wife of John Brooks, of Hancock. No children.

V. James6 died in early manhood.

VI. Christy6 settled on the homestead, and was a prominent citizen of the town and a noted land sur- veyor for many years. He married Lois Dow, and they had seven children: (1) Lydia A.7, who was for years a teacher, and became the wife of Rev. Mr. Stone, of Cabot, Vt. (2) Sarah7 is the wife of Rev. Daniel Rice, formerly the principal of the academy here, now located in Minnesota. (3) James7 studied medicine, but died young. (4) Stephen D. T, a teacher at Wil- mington, Del. (5) John settled in Hancock, and mar- ried Mrs. Almira P. Wilkins, and has two sons,- George C., a dentist and druggist at East Jaffrey, and Christy H .* , an esteemed citizen of Hancock. (6) Nathaniel, who resides in North Chelmsford, Mass. (7) Elizabeth G. 7, a teacher at the time of her death.

VII. and VIII. Rebecca6 and Isaac6 (twins). Re- becca 6 became the wife of Hon. T. P. Fuller, of Hard- wick, Vt., who late in life located here. Isaac 6 located in Stoddard and died there leaving honored de- scendants.

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History of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Part 85

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