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 38
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C. Dudley and others, for about fifteen years. Mr. Carnes also, from the timber resulting from the demolition of the old meeting-house, a little later built a store building with a basement. This building occupied a part of the same site now covered by Cummings Brothers' wheelwright shop.
Mr. Carnes for several years, later occupied the build- ing as a grocery store. About 1851, not having made a full success of the grocery business, he closed it out and im- mediately established the manufacture of "Paddy" wheel- barrows, as they were usually called, being such as were used by laborers when grading railroads.
The store was changed into a manufactory and the wheelbarrow business was conducted there by Mr. Carnes with good success for some years. He employed several men. Later he changed it into a general wheelwright busi- ness. The building with all machinery, tools and entire contents was totally destroyed by fire in 1859. Mr. Carnes later rebuilt this building and re-established the wheel- wright business.
John N. Marshall, who had kept a small store at Hud- son Center for several years, occupied the Greeley store at the Bridge in 1845, and remained for about two years. He also returned later and again occupied the same place in 1850 and 1851.
Moses Worcester, with his son, Moses A. Worcester, occupied the Greeley store in 1847, and remained there three years. Dana Sargent succeeded Worcester & Son for a time. Thomas H. Ewins came here from Salem, N. H., in 1852, and managed a store there, until November 1855. Hills and Marshall-George W. Hills and David C. Marshall-followed Mr. Ewins in business in the store, but continued as a firm only one year, when Mr. Marshall, being in feeble health, withdrew, and the business was conducted by George W. Hills for more than twelve years, until 1869.
The streets when mentioned hereinafter will be desig- nated by their modern names.
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HISTORY OF HUDSON
Rev. William Page, at that time the Congregational pastor, built a fine residence on the south side of Central street, in 1844. It is the same now owned and occupied by Rufus E. Winn.
William Blodgett also erected his cottage house on the same side of Central street, and near that of Mr. Page, the same year. It is now owned by Caldwell Buttrick.
John Cross built a fine set of farm buildings, about 1849, on the east side of the Derry road, it being the same owned for many years by the late Lucien M. Tolles, and now by James S. Bannister.
Jonathan C. Dudley, when a young man, came from Weare, N. H., to Hudson, as a blacksmith with Mr. Carnes, in whose employ he remained for a time. Later he man- aged that business on his own account, then, for a time, in company with William F. Lewis, and later with Thomas S. Clough.
In 1849, Mr. Dudley bought one acre of land near the present Methodist meeting-house, to which he removed a wheelwright shop formerly owned by David W. Burns, and which stood a short distance south-westerly from the Con- gregational meeting-house.
Mr. Dudley remodeled this building into a cottage house, which was occupied for about two years by Charles W. Clement, who was also a blacksmith. Mr. Dudley later occupied it as a home. It is now owned and occupied by Mrs. Eva M. Emerson, the only daughter, or child, of Mr. Dudley. Mr. Dudley died March 29, 1865, aged 43 years.
In 1850, John Goss of Londonderry, erected a cottage house for his son, Henry S. Goss, on the south side of Cen- tral street, which house is now owned by Rufus E. Winn. For several years Henry S. Goss operated machinery at one of the mills for carding wool.
The Hudson postoffice was removed from Hudson Center to the Greeley store building, September 15, 1853, and Thomas H. Ewins appointed postmaster.
George W. Hills built his residence on the north side
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of Central street in 1855. It is now owned by the heirs of William Hutchinson.
In 1857, James B. Merrill constructed his buildings, a little west from the house of Mr. Hills, which are now owned by his daughter, Annie G. Merrill.
In 1856, Josiah K. Wheeler built a fine residence on the west side of the Litchfield road, now Webster street.
William Warren built a house on the north side of Central street, about 1854. This house is now owned by Mrs. James C. Thorning. Mr. Warren died May 9, 1861, aged 43 years.
Dana Sargent built a fine residence on the north side of Central street as early as 1860. The house was a short distance east of the William Hadley house, and was long known as the Woodbury place.
George W. Marshall, a little later, erected a house and barn north of Central street, a little west of the Sunny- side cemetery.
In 1857, Holt and Jones of Nashua, were engaged in the manufacture of cotton goods at the mill formerly of Isaac Winn. They remained in business there two or three years.
In 1858, French and Gould were quite largely en- gaged in various manufactures at the Willoughby mills, which was continued by them and other parties for sev- eral years. At one time, extension tables were manufac- tured here in large numbers. Albert Shedd & Co., were engaged in business there in 1867.
About 1857, Nathan Marshall erected a fine set of farm buildings on the west side of the Lowell road. This was later known as the Amos Farnum place, and is now owned by Wilber L. Abare. About the same time Fred- erick Steele built the buildings on the west side of the Lowell road, which are now owned by Frank M. Winn.
The highway now known as Webster street, from Tay- lor's Falls bridge northerly up the river to the Josiah K. Wheeler house, was laid out in 1859, and constructed two
1
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HISTORY OF HUDSON
years later. Kimball Webster removed and rebuilt his house on Webster street in 1860, after the highway had been laid out, but one year in advance of its construction.
This house had formerly stood on the east side of the Derry road, where it was built in 1848 by Alfred Cum- mings. James Ryan built his house on what was formerly a part of the Cross farm in 1867. It was on the west side of the Derry road. This is the same house now owned by Charles A. McAfee, once owned by George E. Small.
Mr. James Carnes built a store building with a small hall on the second floor on the west side of Central street at Postoffice square. This structure was commenced in the early sixties, but was not completed for several years. Mr. Carnes traded here for a few years, and it was occupied at times by Francis A. Marden, Waldo P. Walton, Willard H. Webster, and others.
James Carnes died November 29, 1883, aged 69 years and 6 months. This building was enlarged and improved by Nathan P. Webster in 1890, and is now owned by Ba- ker Brothers, John J. and William W. They have occupied it as a grocery store for twenty-two years, since October 15, 1890.
Charles W. Spalding built his fine residence on the original John Taylor garrison farm, on the west side of Derry road, in 1870.
Nathan Cummings removed here from the north-east part of Hudson about 1872, and erected his house on the north side of Highland street, it being the first dwelling there. It is now the abode of Charles B. Gilbert. In April, 1895, the house was practically destroyed by fire. Mr. Cummings died September 23, 1894, aged 76 years. The house was rebuilt by James M. Cummings, son of Nathan.
Alonzo G. Hutchins, at that time doing business here as a blacksmith, built a cottage house on the west side of Library street in 1872. It is now owned by Walter J. Harwood.
In the same year, Mrs. Martha Pollard put up her cozy house on the north side of Central street. This is now
NATHAN P. WEBSTER
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owned by her niece, Emma M. Taylor. Martha Pollard died September 9, 1911, aged 93 years and 9 months.
Albert O. Titcomb constructed a small house on the south side of Ferry street in 1871 or 1872. This is the same house owned by the estate of the late Nathan Cum- mings, and occupied by his son, James M. Cummings.
A little later, another small house was built by Oscar Austin, a short distance east of the last mentioned one. Later, this was enlarged and improved by Charles H. Bas- sett, and was destroyed by fire in the spring of 1912. It was replaced by a cement structure the same year.
In 1873, George M. Clark built a small house on the east side of Derry road beyond number six school house. This has since been materially enlarged, and is now owned by James A. Phillips, the rural mail carrier of Hudson route number two.
William H. Leslie came to Hudson from East Pem- broke, N. H., in 1872, and erected a dwelling on the east side of Derry road. James G. Walker built his house on the east side of Webster street in 1873. A story was ad- ded to it in 1898.
George O. Sanders began building his fine residence on the west side of Derry road in 1873, and finished it two years later. It is now owned by Harry B. Kenrick.
Charles White erected his dwelling on the high land overlooking the Derry road and the Merrimack valley, in 1874. It is still occupied by Mr. White, an old veteran.
Hiram Cummings moved and rebuilt his large two-tene- ment house on the north side of Central street in 1874. This formerly stood on the Cummings farm at the north- east part of Hudson. Hiram Cummings died January 7, 1910, aged 88 years.
In 1874, the Nashua and Rochester railroad, now a part of the Worcester, Nashua and Portland division of the Boston & Maine system, was opened for traffic through Hudson, with but one station and that at the Center.
William P. Annis built his home on the east side of
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Litchfield road in 1875. This is the same place now owned by Smith L. Jacobs.
William F. Chase built a fine residence on the north side of Central street in 1876. It is now owned by the heirs of William F. Winn. Mr. Chase died March 15, 1899, aged 67 years.
The grange building on the south side of Central street was erected by an association made up from members of Hudson Grange in 1876. It is now owned by the Nashua Protestant Orphanage Association.
William T. Merrill built his home on the north side of Central street in 1876. Mr. Merrill died May 10, 1885, aged 59 years. Aaron Cutler built a house on the east side of Library street in 1875. A little later he put up another small one, a little farther south.
The Greeley store buildings before mentioned-at the time owned by Elisha Z. Martin-were totally destroyed by an incendiary fire, together with their contents, the post- office included, on the night of October 21, 1876. Nathan P. Webster was then proprietor and was also postmaster. Mr. Webster kept a general assortment of groceries, in- cluding flour, grain and other goods generally sold in a retail country store. Mr. Martin, in 1877, rebuilt, and these are the same buildings now occupied as a store by Daniels and Gilbert.
Frank A. Cummings erected his house at the corner of Library and Highland streets in 1877.
The First Methodist Episcopal, or "Brick Church," near the Bridge, was erected in 1880.
The iron bridge over the Merrimack, erected to supply the place of the wooden bridge built in 1827, was con- structed in 1881.
In 1882, Miss Mary A. Winn built a fine house on the north side of Central street, near the site where the Meth- odist meeting-house was destroyed by fire, August 3, 1879. Mary A. Winn died June 3, 1884, aged 43 years. Since the decease of Miss Winn, the house has been owned by her sister, Josephine A. Winn.
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In 1882, Willis P. Cummings, for Cummings Brothers, Willis P. and Charles E. Cummings, bought the wheel- wright shop, tools and lot from James Carnes. Since that purchase the Cummings Brothers have made several addi- tions to the real estate, and enlargements to the buildings and have supplied them with modern machinery. They employ constantly several men.
Charles M. Woodward built a house at the corner of Highland and Pleasant streets as early as 1882. It is now owned by a non-resident.
James A. Sanders commenced the building of his row of cottages on the south side of Ferry street in 1885, and added to them from year to year. In 1889 he had built three. In 1890 he had five completed. In 1892 he had eight.
Edgar Smith remodeled the George B. Griffin house, formerly the "Red House," on the east side of Derry road, about 1886. It is now owned by Clarence E. Walch. The next house south now owned by Aldon E. Cummings, was rebuilt by his father, John Cummings, about 1850.
Mrs. Wilhelmina L. Carnes, widow of James Carnes, removed a small building which stood near the Carnes homestead, to the west side of Campbell avenue. This was about 1884. She had the building reconstructed into a house, which she occupied for a time, but later sold it and removed to Derry. In 1911, this house was pur- chased by Professor Charles L. Norton, and by him was thoroughly remodeled and improved, and supplied with all needed modern improvements. It is now occupied by Joseph A. Torrey.
Willis P. Cummings erected his fine house on the south side of Central street in 1887.
George G. Andrews erected a fine residence on the north side of Ferry street, at the corner of Baker street, in 1887. Mr. Andrews succeeded Nathan P. Webster in the Greeley-Martin store, and also as postmaster, in 1892. He remained in business there until his sudden and tragic death, September 6, 1903.
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HISTORY OF HUDSON
As early as 1888, Drusette S. Annis, wife of William P. Annis, commenced the building of a home on the north side of Ferry street. This place is now owned by Sumner N. Perkins.
James M. Butler, in 1888, built a good house on the south side of Highland street. It is now owned by his son, Albert S. Butler.
John H. Baker was the first to build on Baker street. He located his home on the west side of the street, in 1888.
James E. Merrill erected his home on the south side of Central street, in 1888.
Frederick Steele built a fine house on the south side of Ferry street as early as 1888. It is now owned by Clara M. Albee.
Rev. Silas G. Kellogg, the Methodist pastor here at that time, constructed a residence on the west side of the Derry road in 1889. Mr. Kellogg died December 21, 1891, aged 68 years, 8 months and 27 days. The place is now occupied by Charles H. Harvey.
Ezra A. Martin built a very fine residence on the west side of Baker street in 1889. These buildings were a total loss by fire in September, 1890. William W. Baker built a residence on the site of the destroyed buildings during the winter of 1899-1900.
George A. Merrill began the building of his fine home on the east side of Maple avenue, in 1889.
Mrs. Hannah J. Clyde erected a fine two-tenement house, suitable for a home for herself and daughter, in 1890. This is on the south side of Central street.
Abi A. Sanders built his home on the west side of Ba- ker street in 1890. It is now owned by Edwin H. San- born. Nelson H. Pease also built his dwelling on the south side of Highland street in 1890.
Alvirne, the beautiful summer home of Dr. Alfred K. Hills and his wife, Ida Virginia (Creutzborg) Hills, was built in 1890. It is situated on the south-east side of the Derry road, on the former homestead of the late father of
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Dr. Hills, Alden Hills, which contained 181 acres. This was a part of the Nathaniel Hills' Tyng land elsewhere mentioned in this history.
In 1891, George O. Sanders built a block of five tene- ments at the corner of Library and Highland streets. This building is now owned by John D. Sullivan of Nashua.
James Ryan erected a home on the east side of Pleas- ant street in 1891. This place is now owned by Elmer D. Clement and occupied by Charles A. Shepard.
In 1891, George E. Small built his residence on the east side of Webster street. Mr. Small died October 29, 1900, aged 63 years and nine months. This place is now owned by Sanford S. Springer.
John M. Thompson erected a fine house on the north side of Highland street in 1891. Mr. Thompson died Jan- uary 27, 1893, aged 61 years and 11 months. The place is now owned by Herbert L. Boynton.
James E. Parker, in 1892, built his fine home on the west side of Derry road.
In 1892, Gerry Walker built a house on the west side of Baker street. It is now owned by Miss Mary E. Gilson and Mrs. Lucy C. Nichols, sisters.
In 1893, Walter E. Harris built a good home at the south-west corner of Campbell avenue. The place is now owned by Professor Charles L. Norton, who has very much improved and enlarged it. It is one of the most modern, most convenient, and finest residences in Hudson.
Arthur L. Joy also erected his home on the west side of Maple avenue, in 1894. A few years later he built a small store nearby.
During the same year, 1894, George P. Woodward erected a very fine and expensive house on the west side of Litchfield road, or Webster street. A few years later Mr. Woodward removed to Lowell. The place is now owned and occupied by Abraham Ferryall.
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HISTORY OF HUDSON
HUDSON WATER WORKS
In 1891, George O. Sanders was the owner of the finest and best furnished residence in Hudson. He was a manufacturer and the owner of a large wood-working plant, situated on the west side of the Merrimack near the mouth of the Nashua river. He obtained his supply of water for domestic purposes at his home from a deep, open well, raised by means of a wind-mill.
In the spring of the same year he bought land of Na- than Cummings on Highland street, upon which he erected a stand pipe and began to install water works in a small way, chiefly to supply his own buildings and premises. But at the earnest request of a few of his neighbors that appreciated the great convenience of having a plentiful supply of good running water for domestic use, he was induced to enlarge his plant sufficiently to furnish them.
After an unsuccessful attempt to obtain a sufficient quantity of water from a large well excavated a little north of the stand pipe, he purchased several acres of swamp land, situated six or seven hundred feet north-easterly from his stand pipe, which included a small, muddy pond of about two acres in area, and which had been known by the name of Spruce Swamp, or Little Tarnic pond.
He laid a small pipe from the stand pipe to the pond, and by means of an engine and pump commenced to force water from the pond into the stand pipe. He laid pipes from the stand pipe through Highland street and Derry road to his own residence, and by Derry road and Ferry street as far west as near Taylor's Falls bridge, and com- menced to distribute water to supply his own necessities and also those of a few customers-probably not exceeding twenty in all.
He also extended a small pipe through the river to his manufacturing plant in Nashua. This first distribution was in the fall of 1891. This pond water was much colored and contained a large quantity of sediment and swamp mud.
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Yet the pond from its natural situation must necessarily be protected from any considerable quantity of surface drainage.
The Hudson Water Works Company was incorporated March 9, 1893. A little later it was organized with George O. Sanders, president, and Linda P. Sanders, treasurer.
The water from the swamp pond proved to be of poor quality, and unsatisfactory for domestic uses, both to Mr. Sanders and all his water-takers, and its use was discontin- ued in less than two years after its distribution was com- menced.
The old Hadley-Willoughby, or Wood Mill, which was situated on the bank of Otternick brook, a little south-east and near where Charles F. Melendy's box manufactory now stands-was totally destroyed by fire about this time, and George O. Sanders purchased its site, containing sev- eral acres of land, together with all its water rights and other privileges thereunto belonging.
In the early part of 1893, Mr. Sanders erected a box shop on the site now occupied by that of Mr. Melendy. This manufactory was later destroyed by fire and recon- structed, and has since been greatly enlarged and improved.
In April, 1893, Mr. Sanders conveyed a part of the land he had recently bought, to the Hudson Water Works Company, for location of a large well, from which to draw a supply of water, for a pumping station, and for other needed uses.
This well, situated on the north side of the brook and west of the highway-which has since, to a large extent, supplied the stand pipe with water-was excavated, pipes were laid through Central street and connected with the former system of pipes near Hudson bridge, a pump was installed at the well, and the water began to be forced from the new well into the stand pipe by a circuitous route.
The pipe through Sanders, now Library street, through which the water now passes, and which materially shortens the distance, was not located until several years later.
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HISTORY OF HUDSON
This water from the well, which became available to Hud- son water-takers in 1893, was far superior in quality to that formerly drawn from the small mud pond.
The Hudson Water Works Company bonded its plant for $20,000 at five per cent interest. These bonds were held in Nashua for several years.
Sometime previous to June, 1901, the water works were reported to have been sold to parties in Boston, but those parties, after managing the business for a few months, failed to make a full success, and George O. Sanders again became the principal owner of the stock of the company.
Previous to July 1, 1903, all, or nearly all, the stock of the Hudson Water Works Company was sold and trans- ferred to parties in Portland, Maine. The bonds of the company were also transferred from Nashua to Maine, and were increased in amount to $25,000, the full amount al- lowed by the charter.
The Hudson Water Company was incorporated in 1905, act approved February 14, 1905.
With the exception of the names of the incorporators, a slight change of the name of the company, and a change in section eight, the charter of 1905 is substantially identi- cal with that of 1893. In the former charter of 1893, sec- tion eight permitted the company, under certain specified conditions, to borrow money and issue bonds therefor, not to exceed the amount of $25,000. Section eight of the charter of 1905, contained a similar provision, providing for the issue of bonds, but without limit as to the amount to be issued.
The growth of Hudson village since the water began to be distributed among its inhabitants in 1891-about twenty-one years-has not been phenomenal, but it has had a constant, healthy increase from year to year.
It has now one hundred and ninety-two houses, or ten- ements, five hundred and seventy inhabitants, three stores, two wheelwright shops, two blacksmith shops, a very exten- sive box manufactory, employing constantly about one
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ALVIRNE, SUMMER HOME OF ALFRED K. HILLS, M. D.
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hundred men, two meeting-houses, two parsonages, and a modern, well-equipped, four-room school house. It also boasts one of the most substantial, convenient and beauti- ful modern public library buildings to be found in this state, which contains more than 5,000 books. It has three lines of electric railway service passing through the village, giving its inhabitants direct and constant communication- half-hourly in summer and hourly in winter-with the cities of Nashua, Manchester, Lawrence, Haverhill and Lowell, and many other points of less importance.
The natural scenery along the beautiful Merrimack, where it forms the boundary for nearly seven miles between the city of Nashua and the town of Hudson, presents a very rare charm, and it is believed that few points in New England can equal it.
This unpretending little village, nestled upon the bank of the Merrimack, made up principally of happy, humble homes of honest industry, is at present increasing in growth and population much more rapidly than at any former time in its history.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
PHYSICIANS
It has been impossible to obtain sufficient data to give as full and accurate an account of all the physicians who have plied their profession in this town, while being resi- dents of the same, as is desirable, yet the following exhibit is believed to contain the names of nearly all those who have practiced the healing art while living here as citizens.
Previous to 1850, several of the Nashua physicians had considerable practice in this town, and such practice of the Nashua doctors seems to have steadily increased, until at the present time they attend patients in Hudson in a large majority of cases, notwithstanding that our town physicians have been equally as skillful and trustworthy.
DR. EZEKIEL CHASE
Dr. Ezekiel Chase, son of Thomas and Sarah (Stevens) Chase, was born in Newbury, Mass., November 30, 1707. He was married in Newbury, May 20, 1729-then of Gro- ton, Mass .- by the Rev. John Tufts, to Priscilla Merrill, daughter of Deacon Abel Merrill of Newbury. Priscilla Merrill was a sister of the Rev. Nathaniel Merrill, the first minister ordained in this town. Dr. Ezekiel Chase was the fourth in descent from Aquilla Chase, who was born in England in 1618, and came to this country, probably before he had attained his majority, and settled in Newbury.
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