USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hudson > History of Hudson, N.H., formerly a part of Dunstable, Mass., 1673-1733, Nottingham, Mass., 1733-1741, District of Nottingham, 1741-1746, Nottingham West, N.H., 1746-1830, Hudson, N.H., 1830-1912 > Part 27
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A shilling was 16 2-3 cents; two shillings was 33 1-3 cents; two and threepence, 37 1-2 cents; three and nine- pence, 62 1-2 cents; four and sixpence, 75 cents; five shil- lings, 83 1-3 cents; five and sixpence, 87 1-2 cents; seven and sixpence, $1.25; nine shillings, $1.50; ten and sixpence, $1.75; fifteen shillings, $2.50; sixteen and sixpence, $2.75. These terms, almost universally used for so many years, are now seldom heard.
CHAPTER XXVII
ITEMS OF INTEREST AND LOCAL NAMES
It is impossible to ascertain where or at what time the first mill in Hudson was built. It appears that Joseph Winn had a mill not many years after the incorporation of the town at the place on Musquash brook later occupied for many years by Joseph B. Wilson. Mr. Wilson operated a saw and grain mill here, and the same mill was owned and occupied by Benjamin Merrill, and since him by Ed- ward F. Eayrs.
Another mill at the privilege of the old Isaac Winn mill, near the James Barrett place, existed at an early peri- od. The road from the River road over Bush hill to Pel- ham line, laid out March 27, 1747, is mentioned in the rec- ords as "laid out to the Mill brook near the saw mill." It is not known who built this mill or who owned it at this time, but some of the Pollards operated it later, if not at that time. A saw and grain mill was located there for many years, but the supply of water usually failed in the summer season.
Near the outlet of Otternick pond on Otternick brook, tradition claims an older mill than either of the preceding, a saw mill built about 1710. There is no record to tell who the builder was, or the exact date. The first settlers need- ed sawed lumber, and it must have been almost impractica- ble to have transported it from Dunstable, across the Mer- rimack, without a bridge or even an established ferry. Un- doubtedly it was one or more of these early settlers who constructed this primitive mill.
About 1778, Moses Hadley built a grist mill and prob- ably a saw mill on the south side of the road upon the same stream. This mill stood near the site of the one last described, and twenty or more years later Mr. Hadley
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purchased the Richard Cutter farm, below this place, and built another saw and grist mill. This site was near that of the Melendy box shop of the present day. This mill was operated as late as 1870.
In 1820, and for several years later, a clothing mill, and probably a carding mill, were located on Otternick brook about forty rods above its outlet into the Merrimack. At the laying out of a highway May 15, 1820, we find the following mention in the selectmen's records: "from the River road-by request of Capt. Joseph and Oliver Pollard -to their house near the River. They having paid the damage." These Pollards at that time were probably own- ers of the clothing mill. Later it seems to have been owned by Edward Field for several years. Operations at this mill seem to have ceased about 1830.
A saw mill stood a little north of the Derry road on the Thomas Senter place, and near the small Senter bury- ing ground, for a great many years. It was destroyed by fire after 1860. It is understood that a grist mill was also located at the privilege.
Samuel Marshall owned a saw mill located on the sec- ond brook a little less than one mile below Taylor's Falls bridge and not far removed from the Merrimack River. This mill stood for many years, but was finally suffered to decay and fall to pieces about 1835.
Silas Hills, who lived towards the westerly end of Bar- rett's hill, erected a saw mill on the small brook north of his house between 1840 and 1845. He operated this mill when sufficient water flowed in the brook to give the neces- sary power. After several years of usefulness this mill was allowed to fall to ruin and decay.
Cyrus Warren had a shop on the south side of Otter- nick brook, a little east of the River road, where he manu- factured planes for many years. His brother William erect- ed a shop for the same purpose on the north bank of the brook nearly opposite. Cyrus Warren removed to Nashua in 1857, and William died May 9, 1861, after which time no
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more planes were manufactured in this town. The shops of the Warren brothers were afterwards converted into file factories, where John Turner, Samuel Walton, and others followed that business for a number of years.
At some time a small mill stood at the brook, a little south of the Litchfield line on the east side of the River road. But it disappeared long since.
After his death the mill erected by Moses Hadley was operated for many years by the Willoughbys, Ethan and Mark. Sometime previous to 1858 the mill was acquired by Daniel L. French and his son, Edward Payson French. They installed a large amount of machinery and engaged in the manufacture of extension tables and other furniture, an industry they followed with success for several years. This business was done under the firm name of French & Gould. Later Albert Shedd & Co., with Warren Spalding and Jacob F. Spalding, conducted a similar business here. They were succeeded by George S. Wood, who operated both the mills and also the table shop, for several years. The mills were burned in 1874 and rebuilt; they were again destroyed by fire about 1888.
In December, 1892, George O. Sanders commenced the building of a box shop on the site of the present factory of Charles F. Melendy. He operated his mill for a few years, when it was burned and he rebuilt, to sell it to Mr. Melendy, who has made extensive additions to the shop and improvements, doing an increased business in the manu- facture of boxes.
In 1820. the town contained four saw mills, four grain mills, two clothing mills and one carding mill.
THE PINE TREE LAW
It will be remembered by the careful reader of the Charter of Nottingham West that all white pine trees grow- ing within the territory and fit "for the royal navy" were reserved to the King for that use. Similar reservations were made in all the grants of townships throughout the province made by the royal governors.
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As early as 1722 the New Hampshire General Court passed an act making it a penal offense for any person to cut white pine trees of twelve inches in diameter and over, a law that remained in force until the Revolution. In fact, this law had considerable to do with augmenting the trou- bles that led to the rebellion of the colonists. The fine for cutting trees twelve inches in diameter was £5; twelve to eighteen inches, £10; from eighteen to twenty-four inches, £20; exceeding twenty-four inches, £50. Besides all lum- ber from trees unlawfully cut was forfeited to the King.
It is evident that this law must have been very unpop- ular with the farmers whose lands were covered with white pine forests, whose products were not only useful but need- ful in the construction of farm buildings and meeting- houses, and more essential to the inhabitants than to the King's royal navy.
Persons styled "Surveyors of the King's Woods" were appointed by the King to see that this law was not broken, and at the time of the organization of Hillsborough Coun- ty, Gov. John Wentworth held that office, coupled with the power to enforce its unpopular aims. It was a part of the duties of the deputies chosen to help carry out the law to mark, at the expense of the owner of the land, all the pines deemed suitable for the royal use, with a "broad ar- row." This must be done before the settler could begin his clearing. Then, if one of the King's officers found one of these trees marked or unmarked, he would seize the log and sell it for the benefit of the royal treasury. The fol- lowing incident, narrated in the History of Hollis, by Sam- uel T. Worcester, is typical of the spirit of the times:
PINE TREE RIOT IN WEARE
"In the spring of 1772 an incident occurred in the town of Weare, in the northerly part of Hillsborough County, that well illustrates the bitter, settled hostility of public sentiment to this odious law.
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"A citizen of that town by the name of Mudgett, with others, had been charged by a deputy surveyor with un- lawfully cutting the king's trees, the lumber made from which was then at one of the saw mills in Weare. A com- plaint was made against the offender and a warrant issued for his arrest, and put into the hands of Sheriff Whiting for execution.
"The sheriff, taking with him an assistant, repaired to Weare and arrested the accused. The arrest being late in the afternoon, the prisoner suggested that if the officer would wait until the next morning he would furnish the necessary bail for his appearance at the next court.
"The sheriff acquiesced in the suggestion, and he, with his assistants, went to a tavern near by to pass the night.
"The coming of the sheriff, with the nature of his mis- sion, to Weare, was very soon made known to the towns- men of the accused, who, to the number of twenty or more, met together, and during the night made their plans for bail of a different sort from that understood by the sheriff the evening before. Very early in the morning, while the sheriff was yet in bed, he was roused from his slumbers by his prisoner, who told him his bail was waiting at the door. "Whiting complained at being so early disturbed in his slumbers. The proposed bail, however, without waiting to listen to any complaints of this kind, promply entered the sleeping room, each furnished with a tough, flexible switch, an instrument better adapted for making his mark upon the back of the sheriff than for writing the name of his bail at the foot of a bail bond. Without allowing their victim time to dress himself, one of the company, as is said, held him by the hands, and another by his feet, while the rest in turn proceeded to make their mark upon the naked back of the sheriff, more to their own satisfaction than for his comfort or delight.
"Having in this way, as they said, squared and crossed out their pine tree accounts with the principal, they after- wards settled substantially in like manner with his assist- ants.
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"Having in this manner satisfied their accounts with these officers their horses were led to the door of the tav- ern, ready saddled and bridled, with their manes, tails and ears closely cropped, and their owners invited to mount and leave. Being slow to do so, they were assisted upon their horses by some of the company, and in that plight rode away from Weare, followed by the shouts and jeers of the rioters.
"The sheriff was not of a temper to overlook or for- give such gross abuse and insults. He at once appealed to the colonels of the two nearest regiments of militia, and with their aid called out a posse comitatus who, armed with muskets, marched to Weare to arrest the offenders. The rioters for the time disappeared, but afterwards surrend- ered themselves, or were arrested, and eight of them were indicted for assault and riot, at the September term of the Superior Court, 1772.
"At that term they were arraigned and all pleaded that they "would not further contend with our Lord the King but would submit to his Grace." Upon this plea the court fined them the very moderate sum of twenty shillings each with cost.
"This slight punishment for such an outrage upon the high sheriff, when executing the legal process of the court, indicated that the sympathies of the bench were quite as much with the prisoners at the bar and common sentiment, as with the sheriff and the Pine Tree law. This law, as it was enforced, was more oppressive and offensive to the people of those times than the stamp act and the tea tax, and there is little doubt that the attempted execution of it contributed quite as much as either or both of those laws to the remarkable unanimity of the New Hampshire yeo- manry in the hostility to the British government in the War of the Revolution that soon followed." The incident just related may be justly claimed as among the very first overt acts of the people against the King.
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"THE DARK DAY," MAY 19, 1780
The circumstances and appearances which marked this memorable day, as nearly as can be gathered from what was long ago related by aged people who witnessed the phenomenon, were as follows:
The morning exhibited nothing remarkable except a smoky atmosphere, and a pale glimmering of the eastern sky. ' About eight or nine o'clock a thick haze obscured the sun. The heavens assumed a brassy appearance, some- thing like the moon under a total eclipse. About ten or eleven o'clock a gloomy and melancholy darkness involved all terrestrial objects. The domestic fowls and the birds and beasts repaired to the retreats of night; consternation and terror seized the minds of mortals, who imagined the final end of all things was near. About noon the darkness was so great that it was necessary to light candles in the houses.
This singular darkness and coppery hue of the sky lasted through the remainder of the day, and the following night was one of intense darkness. On the succeeding day the sun rose bright and clear.
The Connecticut state legislature was in session at the time, and a motion was made to adjourn. A Mr. Daven- port, a member, arose and said:
"Mr. Speaker, this is either the day of judgment, or it is not. If it is not, then there is no need of adjourning. If it is, I desire to be found doing my duty. I, therefore, move that candles be brought in and that we proceed to business."
The motion prevailed.
September 6, 1881, was a day of darkness. The weath- er was warm and the sky began to look yellow in the fore- noon. Everything had a yellowish appearance, and at times a greenish cast. It became quite dark. At times the clouded atmosphere presented a beautiful appearance. The darkest part of the day was about two o'clock in the
From Photo by C. E. PAINE
OLD TOWN POUND, ERECTED IN 1772
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ITEMS OF INTEREST AND LOCAL NAMES
afternoon, but the darkness was different from that of night, it being extremely gloomy. Lights did very little good. It became normal about four o'clock in the after- noon.
COLD SUMMER
The spring and summer of 1816 were very cold and backward in New England. There were heavy frosts gen- erally in this section during every month of the summer season. In the latter part of the season but little rain fell and crops suffered on that account, as well as from frost. Most of the farmers in Hudson raised but little corn, and what they did succeed in growing was more or less frost- bitten, of small size and poor quality.
It was said that there was not a bushel of sound corn, raised in town that year. A few, among whom was Willard Cummings, who planted ten acres of corn, were fortunate in raising a large quantity, and while it was not perfect, owing to the scarcity it sold at a high price, and was in great demand.
It was difficult for farmers to procure seed corn for planting the following spring. There were fair crops of rye, wheat, potatoes and barley, but the hay crop was light.
The spring of 1817 was normal, and average crops were raised that year.
COLD FRIDAY
"The Cold Friday" of 1810 occurred on the 19th of January. In many places the cold was so severe that per- sons exposed to the elements were frozen to death, though no fatality of this kind was reported in Hudson. A strong wind prevailed, doing much damage, blowing down build- ings and trees. One who remembered it, said, "It was difficult to stand on one's feet, the wind was so strong." Thousands of tall trees were blown down, so that great de- struction was done to the forests. The cold was not so in-
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tense as we have had it at other times, as indicated by the thermometer, the temperature being from fifteen to twenty degrees below zero. The mercury is said to have fallen fifty-five degrees in twenty-four hours, from Thursday to Friday noon.
THE GREAT SEPTEMBER GALE
On the 22d of September, 1815, one of the most vio- lent tempests ever experienced in New England, as far as is known, swept over Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire and vicinity. It raged about four hours, doing an immense amount of damage. Many houses and barns were unroofed or blown down, while fruit and other trees suffered greatly. Millions of feet of timber were destroyed in the forests. Hudson suffered greatly from this storm, and it became the most prominent subject of conversation for some time. Along the seacoast the tempest raged still more furiously, and the loss to shipping was great. Many lives were lost at sea.
SOLAR ECLIPSE OF 1806
The only total eclipse of the sun during the 19th cen- tury visible in New England, occurred on the 16th of June, 1806, between the hours of 10 A. M., and 1 P. M. The whole duration of the eclipse was three hours and nine min- utes, and the time of the total obscuration was two minutes and twenty-seven seconds.
The day was clear, with scarcely enough wind to move the leaves upon the trees. At the time of the total eclipse it was said the planets Mars, Venus and Mercury were vis- ible, and the larger stars in Orion and Ursa Major. It was so dark during the eclipse that the bees returned unladen with sweets to their hives; the fowls went to their roosts; and the cattle in the pastures ceased grazing. The dark- ness was so great that objects could be seen only a short distance, and a considerable amount of dew fell on the grass.
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February 12, 1831, an eclipse of the sun, the largest that had been witnessed since the total one in 1806, took place between 10.30 A. M., and 2.15 P. M. At five minutes past one o'clock 11.29 digits of the sun's surface were cov- ered. The weather was fair, allowing a favorable view of the phenomenon. At the time of the greatest obscuration the planet Venus was visible.
Owing to the great distance of the moon from the earth at the time of the eclipse, it was not total, but the sun was so nearly covered that it appeared in the form of a beautiful narrow ring of burnished gold. Many people in Hudson supplied themselves with pieces of smoked glass and were delighted at the wonderful and beautiful display.
OLD STYLE AND NEW STYLE
Julius Cæsar, forty-six years B. C., established the mean length of the year at 365 1-4 days, and decreed that every fourth year should have 366 days, and the other three years 365 each. This was known as the Julian Calendar. But this was not correct in its results. The Julian year ex- ceeded the true solar time by eleven minutes and fourteen seconds, causing the vernal equinox, in the course of cen- turies, to fall back several days.
To correct this error and restore the equinox to its proper place, Pope Gregory XIII, in 1582, directed the days to be suppressed in the calendar. This was accepted by the Catholics. The Protestant countries of Europe and America, however, were unwilling to adopt the new calen- dar because of its Popish origin, and they continued to re- tain the Julian system, or Old Style, as it was called.
At length, in 1751, the British Parliament adjusted the calendar by providing that eleven days should be taken out of September, 1752, making the third day of that month the fourteenth, and that the year 1752 should commence with the first day of January. It was also arranged that every fourth year a day should be added to February, except such
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as were divisible by one hundred and not multiples of four hundred. This became known "New Style."
ORGANIZATION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
Previous to 1771 there had been no division of New Hampshire into counties. Until that time the sessions of the General Court had been usually held at Portsmouth for the entire province. This was inconvenient to the inhabi- tants to the west of the Merrimack. Complaints were made by these people of that fact, and as early as 1754, a large portion of the settlers of the towns between the Mer- rimack and Connecticut rivers united in a petition to the General Court setting forth their grievance, and praying for a division of the province into counties.
Finally, after repeated demands of this kind, the Court assented on March 19, 1771, and passed an act dividing the province into five counties, which were designated by the English names of Rockingham, Strafford, Hillsborough, Grafton and Cheshire. These names were bestowed by Governor Wentworth in honor of friends of his in England prominent in the government.
The County of Hillsborough was organized the same year, with the county seat fixed at Amherst. Two of the first Judges of the Court of Sessions were Matthew Thorn- ton, of Merrimack, and Samuel Hobart, of Hollis. Benja- min Whiting, also of Hollis, was the first High Sheriff. Judge Hobart was made first County Treasurer and Regis- ter of Deeds, his office being at Hollis.
VISIT OF GENERAL LAFAYETTE TO CONCORD
The capital of New Hampshire was visited by General Lafayette June 22, 1825, when thousands of the citizens of the state embraced the opportunity of greeting the friend and companion of Washington, as well as a champion of the American colonies in the days of their struggle for in- dependence. Hudson was well represented upon that oc-
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casion, among those taking the journey being many of the surviving veteran soldiers of the Revolution.
More than two hundred of the companion-in-arms of the great French patriot were present. Edmund Parker of Amherst, was chief marshal of the day, Receiving the General at Pembroke, the civic escort proceeded towards Concord, and at the line; between the towns was met by a military escort called out for the occasion. This was under the command of Gen. Bradbury Bartlett, a grandson of Colonel Joseph Cilley of Revolutionary fame.
The procession then marched up Main street to the North End, then returned to the State house, where the military company formed on either side of the walk from the street to the capitol steps. The marshals, committee of arrangements and guests passed between the lines to Representative Hall, where the governor, council, senate and house of representatives were assembled. On entering the hall the presence of General Lafayette was announced to the convention, which rose to receive him. He was then introduced to Governor Morrill, who addressed him briefly in an appropriate speech, to which he replied. He was afterwards introduced to the members of the council and president of the senate by the governor. The president of the senate introduced him to each of the senators and to the speaker of the house, who performed a similar duty to each of the representatives.
He then descended to the area below the hall and met the Revolutionary soldiers, where he was welcomed in their behalf by Gen. Benjamin Pierce. A dinner was served in the state house park, with about eight hundred of the citizens who assembled to honor the illustrious guest, who was seated at the right of the chief marshal of the day.
POUNDS
Every town was required by law, under severe penalty, to maintain a good and sufficient pound, in which any per-
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son could impound any swine, neat cattle, horses, sheep or other creatures doing damage in his inclosure, or any such creature going at large in any highway or common in vio- lation of any law or by-law of such town.
A pound keeper was chosen annually, as one of the necessary town officers.
The first mention found upon the town records of this town in relation to a pound, was that at the annual meet- ing March 7, 1737, "Voted that Joseph Hamblet, Jr., and Samuel Butler should have their pay for building a pound that the town now uses."
This pound was probably in that part of Nottingham that later fell into Pelham.
October 8, 1744. "Voted to build two pounds, one near Samuel Greeley's house and one near the house of Henry Baldwin." Henry Baldwin's house was near Beaver brook and the house of Samuel Greeley was about two miles south of Taylor's Falls bridge.
March 9, 1747. "Voted to build a Pound near Mr. Abraham Page's Dwelling house, and chose Lieut. Joseph Winn and George Burns to effect the same."
Mr. Abraham Page's house at that time was on the east side of the Lowell road, about twenty rods southerly from the first turnout on the street railway.
These pounds may not have been all built, but such as were made were probably of wood. This last one was ac- cepted by the town May 18, 1748.
March 5, 1759. "The town voted to erect a Pound to be set upon the town's land near the meeting-house." This was probably on the common near the Blodgett cemetery.
March 9, 1772. "The town voted to build a Pound and set it on ye high land between Nehemiah Hadley's and Timothy Smith's, and chose Lt. Reuben Spalding, Asa Davis and William Burns a committee to effect the same, and also voted to build it with stone, and to be 33 feet within the walls, the height to be six feet of stone and one foot of wood, and that it shall be accomplished by the mid-
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