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 28
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dle of September next, and that the wages shall be fifteen shillings silver old Tenor per day for a man and ten shill- ings for a yoke of oxen and four shillings and sixpence for a cart."
The pound was completed by the committee chosen, and the date of its erection, 1772, was carved upon its eas- terly gate-post.
At the next annual meeting the town elected Timothy Smith keeper of the new pound.
The town continued to use it to impound domestic an- imals at all times when required, for more than one hun- dred years, since which time it has fallen into disuse.
In 1859 the town paid Silas T. Steele $11.58, for a new gate.
In 1887-the pound not having been called into use for several years, and having become slightly out of repair -some of the citizens of Hudson caused an article to be placed in the warrant for the town meeting, in substance: "To see if the town will vote to sell the Pound."
When it came before the town for action in open meet- ing, objections were made to its sale, but rather it was thought that it should be kept by the town as one of its ancient relics. A vote was passed to put it into repair. Mark Bachelder repaired it at an expense of $11.50.
There it stands today (1912), substantially in good re- pair; the old gate strong and ready for duty again at at an instant's notice. The large iron pad-lock, corroded with time, still hangs at the latch, as it has done in the past, to secure the entrance from unlawful tramps and in- truders.
Citizens of Hudson! Behold your ancient pound where your ancestors placed it, and where it has stood for one hundred and forty years. It has withstood all the storms and tempests of the times. It is still strong and may stand for centuries yet to come. Our fathers taught us the noble lesson to do good, honest, thorough work. Then let the structure remain as a monument or relic to
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greet our descendants for all time. Desecrate not a single stone.
In every town are found local names applied to ponds, hills, streams, etc. It can be shown how a few such names in this town originated.
"TARNIC POND"
This name was derived from the Indian name, Wat- tannóck, which applied to a certain extent of territory, greater or less, situated on both sides of the Merrimack, near the mouth of the Nashua river; if, indeed, it did not apply to a small tribe or subdivision of a tribe of Indians that inhabited this place before the advent upon the scene of the first white settler, a statement made by some of the early historians. From the Massachusetts Court records of 1662, in the description of a grant of five hundred acres of land laid out to Joseph Hills of Malden, and surveyed by Jonathan Danforth, we quote the following:
Laid out to Joseph Hills of Malden 500 acres of Land in the Wilder- ness, on the Eastern Side Merrimack River.
One Parcel of the same containing (450) Acres Joineth to said River.
Beginning at Wattannock Right Over Against the Island which Ly- eth at the mouth of Nashua River, Running up Merrimack 450 Poles by the River.
Fox's History of the old township of Dunstable, page 22, says:
"The valleys of Natticook, of Salmon brook and the Nashua, (or Wattannock as it is called in the Court Rec- ords,) especially near their mouths, were favourite resorts and abodes of the Indians." Nason's History of Dunsta- ble, page 61, under the head of "Water Supply," says:
"For about two miles and a quarter along its western, border flows in a quiet current the beautiful Nashua River, once the favourite resort of the aborigines. It was an- ciently called the Watananock."
McClintock's History of New Hampshire, page 131, says:
From Photo by C. E. PAINE
OTTERNICK POND
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"During the year 1702 the colonial court of Massachu- setts built a trading-house for the Indians, and established a fortified garrison at Watanic-the Indian name of Nash- ua-which was afterwards called Queen's garrison, and was situated about sixty rods easterly of Main street in Nashua, and about as far north of Salmon brook."
In the History of Hillsborough County, N. H., page 458, may be found :
"Otternick (pond), more commonly called Tarnic,- lies about one mile east of the Merrimack,-contains 38 acres and empties into the river by Otternick brook about 80 rods below Taylor's Falls bridge. . The name was derived from an Indian name, variously given in the ancient records as Wattananuck, Watannuck, Watananock, Watananuck, Watannack, &c."
New Hampshire As It Is, published in 1856, gives the names of the ponds in Hudson as "Little Massabesick and Otternick." New Hampshire Agriculture, 1874, page 428, also gives the same names to the ponds.
The Statistical Gazetteer of New Hampshire, published in 1874 by A. J. Fogg, page 203, gives the name "Otter- nic," the terminal letter being dropped. The United States Topographical Survey, made in 1904, Manchester quadran- gle, gives the names of the ponds as "Otternic" and "Rob- inson's."
The brook flowing from Watannock pond, as it was formerly named, to the river, afforded the inhabitants of the town a most bountiful supply of the small fish called alewives, whose flesh, although containing a large quantity of small bones, was very delicious and of fine flavor.
This was the most noted brook along the river for the ascent of this migratory fish in May of each year. Myriads of them could be seen in it on their way from the river to the pond-about one mile-to deposit their spawn.
The town appointed wardens "to take care that the fish are not obstructed in their passage up Wattannock Brook."
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This action was taken for many years, and laws were passed by the General Court to prevent their obstruction.
ROBINSON'S POND
The original name of this sheet of water was "Little Massabesic," an Indian appellation said to mean the place of much water.
Near the end of the eighteenth century Simeon Rob- inson settled on the north side of this pond, where some of his descendants still reside.
During the last half century the name of the pond has undergone a gradual change until it has come to be almost universally known as Robinson's Pond.
BARRETT'S HILL
The old Londonderry line passed over Barrett's hill in a north-westerly and south-easterly direction, but so as to leave the majority of the inhabitants there north of the line. When that portion of Londonderry was annexed to Nottingham West in 1778, most of the farms on Barrett's hill were owned and occupied by Barretts, and they and their descendants continued to reside there for many years later. Hence the name.
BUSH HILL
The name of Bush hill, which is situated in the south- east part of Hudson, and boasts several good farms, may be found in the early records of the town. Considerable research has been made by the writer to ascertain the ori- gin of the name, but without any success. Probably it will never become known.
HILLS Row
This name was applied to a section of the Derry road extending from the Alden Hills house about two miles east-
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erly towards Londonderry. Nathaniel Hills once owned a tract of land there containing nine hundred acres, which was divided into farms of about one hundred acres each. Most of these farms were conveyed to his brothers and sons, who became residents upon them. As the result the name of Hills was to be found at nearly every house within the section mentioned for more than a hundred years.
Two male residents, only, by the name of Hills, reside there at present.
"THE FARMS"
This name was given to that section extending from Taylor's Falls bridge up the Merrimack to Litchfield line, and included all the farms embraced in the original grant of four hundred and fifty acres of land to Joseph Hills in 1662.
"TAYLOR'S FALLS BRIDGE"
This locality was named from Taylor's Falls, a slight fall in the Merrimack some eighty rods below the bridge. It is supposed that the falls were named for John Taylor, who was one of the first settlers on Hills farms, or possibly for William Taylor, who was one of the early settlers near the falls.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SCHOOL HOUSES
School house Number One was called "Musquash," being situated near the brook bearing that name, the In- dian name of which was Nacook, and not far from Mus- quash pond.
Number Two was known as "The Red School House," having, in the early part of the nineteenth century, taken its name from its color.
Number Three-"Bush Hill"-was located on the hill of that name.
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Number Four, formerly known as the "Old South," derived its name from the South meeting-house or the South common.
Number Five, "Corliss Hill," was situated near the summit of a hill by that name, at the east part of the town. Near the base of this hill and on the east side, James Cor- liss settled about 1787, and the Corliss family continued to occupy the place until recent years. Hence the name.
Number Six, "The Farms," from Hills' farms.
Number Seven, "Frog Corner." The origin of this name, by which the district has been known from time out of memory, is not now ascertainable.
Number Eight, "Barrett's Hill."
Number Nine, "Kidder District," was situated near the farm once owned by Benjamin Kidder.
Number Ten, "Hills Row."
"THURSTON'S JUMP"
This is a precipitous, rocky bluff situated one mile dis- tant from Hudson Center in a south-easterly direction, and a short distance north of the Haverhill and Nashua electric line. It is considered one of Nature's curiosities, and has been visited by many people. This bluff is of a considera- ble magnitude.
It was related to the writer many years ago by an aged person, that this name was derived from the fact that a cer- tain Mr. Thurston, after duly indulging in the "ardent," lost his balance upon the brow of the cliff, fell over the precipice and rolled to its base. He received some bruises, but was not seriously injured. A little later a deer, with a dog close upon its trail, coming to the cliff, went to the bottom many feet below, with a single bound. The dog soon followed. The result was that neither dog nor deer retained a whole limb.
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"MOOSE SWAMP"
This swamp is located at the north-east corner of Hills' meadow near the Bush hill road. It derived its name from the fact that the last moose known to have been in this town was killed by Asa Davis, Esq., at this place, about the beginning of the nineteenth century.
"CHASE HILL"
Quite a lengthy and steep rise in the Bush hill road, a little north of Moose swamp, has long been known by this name. An old cellar a short distance north of the high- way at this place, indicates the site of a former dwelling. This was the home of Daniel Chase for many years subse- quent to 1792.
TOWN COMMONS
The South Common, as it was formerly called, origi- nally contained four or five acres when acquired by the town from Benjamin Whittemore in 1748. A piece of this land was taken for a cemetery, roads were laid out upon it, and probably it was otherwise infringed upon until its size was reduced to less than one and one-half acres. In 1798 a piece of it was given to the proprietors of the South meeting-house, then building, "to set said meeting house on, so long as a meeting house shall be continued there."
Soon after the South meeting-house had been sold by the proprietors and removed from the common, Zaccheus Colburn, a grandson of Captain Thomas Colburn, one of the early settlers of the town, sold the common at auction, for the sum of sixty-seven dollars, Joseph Blodgett being the purchaser. The conveyance was a deed of quit claim, dated March 11, 1845, and recorded in Vol. 285, Page 408, and signed by Zaccheus Colburn, Mary Hills, Lydia Har- ris, Sarah Colburn, Paul Colburn, Isaac Colburn and Susan E. Proctor, with their wives and husbands.
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Beginning at a small elm tree at the intersection of the roads near Eben Hadley's; thence northerly across the road leading to Winn's Mill to Nathan Blodgett's land; thence westerly by said Blodgett's land and land of Mrs. Doil to the south east corner of the grave yard; thence wes- terly by the grave yard wall to the south west corner of the yard; thence northerly by the grave yard wall to Mrs. Doil's land; thence westerly to the county road ; thence southerly by the road to land of Joseph and Jos- eph Blodgett Jr .; thence easterly by said Blodgett's land to the place of beginning.
Apparently there was some error or misunderstanding in regard to the ownership of this common. A nephew of Zaccheus Colburn, Captain Isaac, who died March 5, 1890, aged 91 years and three months, several years previous to his decease, in a conversation with the writer concerning the ancient meeting-houses of the town, stated: That two meeting-houses were built upon the lands of his grand- father, Captain Thomas Colburn. That these lots were to revert whenever they should cease to be used for the pur- pose for which they were given.
This was true of the lot near Musquash brook where the first meeting-house was built in 1734, but does not seem to have been the case with the South common. The town records plainly show that this common was formerly owned by Benjamin Whittemore, and seems to have been acquired by the town from him in 1748. No conveyance is to be found, yet it may have been recorded in Masachu- setts. There is no evidence whatever that at any time it belonged to Thomas Colburn. Hence the supposed error.
The Common at the Center, or North Common, as well as the old burying ground adjoining the same, are both located upon land that was included in the farm of Deacon Henry Hale, though no conveyance of either by him to the town can be found. The common and burying ground together form a triangle, surrounded by roads and lying directly across the highway from the site of the North meeting-house, erected about 1771.
They are bordered by the Windham road on the north, by the Pelham road on the south-west, and by a short piece
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of road, passing between these two, on the east. The common contains some two acres.
It is not known whether the common or the burying ground was the first to be occupied, but it seems probable that, at the time the North meeting-house was built, or soon after, Deacon Hale gave this land-surrounded by roads and thus cut off from the rest of his farm-for a com- mon and public burying ground both. The burying ground contains one-half an acre, and was located at the south-east corner.
However the titles to this land may have been ac- quired from Deacon Hale, the ownership of the same by the town is not known to have ever been questioned by anyone.
The old militia trainings were held upon this common. At one time a set of hay scales was located upon the south side, opposite the Tenney tavern, which occupied the site where Henry C. Brown's house now stands.
In 1859 the near-by neighbors planted the common with trees, and otherwise improved it. Many of these trees did not thrive, but several are still alive and flour- ishing.
STOCKS
For the punishment of minor offences stocks were for- merly in vogue in this town, and perhaps the whipping post, too, although no record of the latter is found.
The stocks were made of timbers with holes in them for the feet-and frequently for the hands as well-one- half of each hole being in each of two timbers, one of which was above and rested upon the other. The offender was made to sit at a convenient distance in front of the ma- chine, and the upper timber was raised until the feet could pass between them. Then the ankles were placed in the parts of holes in the lower timber and the other was low- ered and locked in its place. The process was repeated
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with the hands in another set of timbers higher up, and thus the culprits were confined securely until such time as they were released by the officer in authority.
On September 21, 1747, at a town meeting held at the house of Benjamin Whittemore, it was voted "to erect a pair of stocks."
"Voted three pounds Old tenor money to erect the same.
"John Marshall was chosen to build said stocks."
It is not known where these stocks were located, but it seems most probable that they were placed upon the common soon after its acquisition from Mr. Whittemore.
"POTASH CORNER"
This corner is situated on the Derry road at the "four corners" near the small Senter burying ground in the north-easterly part of the town. It is not known how the name was derived.
"LAWRENCE CORNER"
Lawrence Corner is situated in the east part of Hud- son, near Beaver brook, and took its name from a Law- rence family that resided in that vicinity for many years.
LIBRARY PARK
For several years previous to 1911 the small triangular tract of land, containing about an acre and a fourth, or fifty-four thousand, seven hundred and eighty-seven feet, situated some sixty rods to the north-east of Taylor's Falls bridge and on the south-east side of Derry road, had been under discussion by the citizens of Hudson, residents of that section, as a public park for the town's use.
On the high ground and not far from the north angle of this tract, a very ancient cellar, of some historical value, was situated.
From Photo by C. E. PAINE
LIBRARY PARK, 1910
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It was undoubtedly the site of Nathaniel Davis' home. Nathaniel Davis came into this town-probably from Ha- verhill, Mass .- as early as 1755, and settled near the ferry -now Taylor's Falls bridge-where he remained for sev- eral years. At one time he seems to have owned the ferry. He became an influential citizen, had a large family of chil- dren, and later removed to what became the John M. Thompson farm, one and a half miles to the north, and died there September 18, 1783, aged 58 years.
About 1891 George O. Sanders came into possession of this triangular piece of land, for which he paid a large price-said to have been about thirteen hundred dollars.
Later he plotted it into nine or ten small building lots and offered them for sale, but did not succeed in selling any of them.
Several years later the title of this land was acquired by parties living in Nashua, by whom it was divided into eleven house lots and offered for sale at public auction, of which two lots, only, were actually sold.
In the early spring of 1911 a party that had acquired the title to one of the lots sold, began preparations for for erecting a small house thereon.
It was then apprehended by the inhabitants that, should a majority of these lots be built upon with buildings necessarily small and, most likely, of an inferior quality, it would prove to be of no real benefit to the town, and might possibly prove to be detrimental.
The matter of acquiring this tract for a public park had long been in agitation, but no real aggressive move- ment towards its attainment had ever been inaugurated.
At the annual town meeting in March, 1911, the war- rant contained an article as follows :
To see if the town will vote to purchase or acquire the triangular tract of land situated near Hudson Bridge, bounded by Ferry Street, San- ders Street and the Derry Road, and owned by Charles S. Clement and others, for town purposes; raise and appropriate money therefor or take any other action relating thereto that may be deemed expedient.
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This article was by vote indefinitely postponed. Later a subscription paper was circulated which was signed quite liberally, and a considerable sum of money subscribed.
In the meantime the small house, which had been be- gun on one of the lots, had progressed quite rapidly.
A special town meeting was called, to meet on the 15th day of May, 1911:
"To see if the town will authorize the selectmen to ac- quire the land by the Right of eminent domain for a public park."
At that meeting the following resolution was offered by Dr. Alfred K. Hills, who had always been keenly inter- ested in the acquisition of this land for a park.
Resolved, That the Board of Selectmen of the town of Hudson are hereby authorized to acquire by condemnation or other proceedings, and grade the triangular piece of land, bounded by Derry Road, Sanders and Ferry Streets, for the purpose of a public park, to be known as Library Park, provided there shall be no expense to the town whatever.
The same Board of Selectmen are also authorized to appoint a com- mission to lay out said park and a superintendent to care for the same, also without expense to the town.
This resolution was passed by a unanimous vote. Dr. Hills proposed to bear all the expense for the purchase of the land and the grading of the park, with such assistance as the venerable Mrs. Mary Creutzborg might wish to give.
This land was then procured of the several owners at the expense to Dr. Hills and Mrs. Creutzborg of sixteen hundred and ninety dollars.
To satisfy the owner of the house which had been erected, and to compensate him for the small lot upon which it stood, another much larger and more desirable site was procured upon which a cellar was constructed, to which the building was removed. In doing this an expense of seven hundred and seventy dollars was incurred which was paid from the fund raised by individual subscriptions already mentioned.
A little later the tract was surveyed by an engineer, and properly laid out for a park, soon after which the grading
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was commenced. When brought to a proper grade it was heavily surfaced with soil and seeded with lawn grass. Also the roads upon the east and south sides were lowered to harmonize with the grade of the park.
An ornamental and enduring little structure, largely of concrete, and well adapted as a pleasant resting place for those awaiting the electric cars, is placed at the south- east corner of the park. A rough granite boulder is locat- ed near the south-west angle, and facing the south-west, on whose front is securely bolted a heavy circular bronze tab- let bearing this inscription :
LIBRARY PARK The gift of Mary Field Creutzborg. 1911
This was all completed in 1911 by Dr. Hills and Mrs. Creutzborg. In the spring of 1912 the park was planted with ornamental shade trees and shrubbery, and otherwise beautified.
This is one of Hudson's most valuable assets, and it is greatly appreciated by her citizens, who feel very grateful to the donors for their considerate generosity.
WARNING PEOPLE OUT OF TOWN
In May, 1719, it was enacted by the General Court of New Hampshire, "That if any person came to sojourn in any town in the province and be there received and enter- tained by the space of three months, and not having been warned by the constable to leave the place, and the names of such persons, with the time of their abode there, and when such warning was given, returned to the quarter ses- sions; such person shall be reputed an inhabitant of such town, and the town is liable to maintain such person. It is also enacted, that any person so warned out, and neglect- ing for fourteen days to remove, may by a warrant from a Justice of the Peace be sent from constable to constable unto the town where he properly belongs, or had his last residence, at his own charge, if able to pay the same, other- wise at the charge of the town sending him."
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In early times the selectmen were very alert in pre- venting new-comers from becoming town charges. In case they had been legally warned and notified to leave within a certain time, if later they became so impoverished as to need aid, the town was not liable for their support, but as- sistance must be sought at the place from whence they came. It is not implied that the constable had power to eject from town the persons notified, but in case of need the town could not be compelled to assist them. Some- times persons of considerable means received a warning.
May 15, 1749, William Hills and his family were warned to leave the town by Thomas Kinney, constable, by order of the selectmen.
June 17, 1751, Lydia Mansur, with her child, living at the house of Thomas Brown, was warned to leave town by order of the selectmen.
October 17, 1751, Mary Cloyd and her child, residing at the house of John Tarbox, were warned out of town by order of the selectmen.
April 2, 1755, Mary Lowell was warned to leave town. (Widow woman late of Londonderry).
October 26, 1758, Nathaniel Jewell, wife and family, late of Dunstable, warned to leave town by order of the selectmen.
June 4, 1759, order from selectmen to warn Mark Per- kins and family and mother, Mary Perkins, to leave town.
August 17, 1759. Like order to Daniel J. Shepard and his wife.
June 10, 1761. Martha Chase of Newbury, Mass., warned to leave town.
June 18, 1761. Jeremiah White, wife and family of Ipswich, warned to leave town.
July 30, 1762. Elizabeth McMaster, wife of Samuel McMaster of Pelham, ordered to leave town with her family.
June 30, 1763. Zebediah Richardson, late of Pelham, warned to leave town by order of selectmen. Also same date, Mary Lowell, widow woman, warned to leave town.
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