History of Lancaster, New Hampshire, Part 50

Author: Somers, A. N. (Amos Newton)
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Concord, N.H., Rumford press
Number of Pages: 753

USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > Lancaster > History of Lancaster, New Hampshire > Part 50

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At a meeting called for the purpose of organizing a young peo- ple's society, Jan. 19, 1896, over thirty united in an organization under the name of "The Lancaster Young People's Union," for their mutual improvement intellectually, morally, socially, and reli- giously. With this broad aim the society has started out to dis- cover to the young people of the church and community their place, their work, and their responsibilities in the life of their town and

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THE CHURCHES.

nation. It is a branch of the National Unitarian Union of Young People's Societies.

In all things this little church has been an influence for good in the community that no words can measure. Intellectually, morally, socially, as well as religiously, it has led and never followed the mind and heart of the people. On all questions of reform, it has taken a rational and progressive stand. To-day it stands in the front rank of progressive thought and conduct. And though never large in numbers, with interrupted services, and never a pros- elyting society, it has yet been an inspiring institution that has led to what is best in the true mission of a church-character-building. The intellectual, moral, social, and theological progress of the com- munity has always been toward, and never away from, the ideals it has steadily held before it as the guide to all that is best and highest in life, now and evermore.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

The Catholic faith gained acceptance with the St. Francis tribe of Indians, inhabiting this and still further Northern sections of the country, prior to the settlement of the first white inhabitants in 1 764. As the Indians retired before the march of civilization represented by early white settlers of the town, the Catholic faith was soon with- out adherents. The great tide of Irish immigration that set in this direction about 1830, reached Lancaster in 1833. That year the Connary family settled in Lancaster, where ever since they have been prominent Catholics, and highly respected citizens. The first mass celebrated in Lancaster was at the dwelling-house of Patrick Connary, May 4, 1850. He lived at that time in the house now occupied by Cyrus G. Burley.

There were present at that service, Patrick Connary and wife, John Connary and wife, Thomas Connary and wife, Patrick Clarey and wife, then all the Catholics in Lancaster, or near it. The second mass was celebrated at the house of Patrick Clarey, where Martin A. Mona- han now lives. The same parties were present that attended the first mass. At this service the sacrament of baptism was adminis- tered for the first time in Lancaster, and to the first Catholic child born in the town, Mary, daughter of Patrick Connary. The first public mass was celebrated in the old town hall in 1855, by the Rev. Fr. Daley. At that time the number of Catholics had increased considerably, and from that time forward Lancaster was a recog- nized mission in connection with Concord. John, Francis, and Daniel Kellum had settled here by that time. Services were con- ducted occasionally by Revs. O'Reiley, Brady, and others.

In 1856, Bishop Bacon gave all the missions in the Connecticut

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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.

river valley from Colebrook, north, to Ashuelot river, south, together with the White Mountain region, to Rev. Isadore H. Noisseaux as his mission field. He was a zealous and faithful priest going about among the scattered ones of his faith, ministering to them the con- solations and comforts of his church. Father Noisseaux at once organized a parish in Lancaster, and purchasing the old " Deacon Farrar " place where the church and parsonage now stand, fitted it up as his place of residence, and added a chapel to it in which ser- vices were held until 1877.

In 1869, Bishop Bacon, of Portland, Me., visited the parish for the first time and administered the sacrament of confirmation. Dur- ing that same year Father Noisseaux purchased land on Spring street for a cemetery, and blessed it. Father Noisseaux remained with the parish that he had organized until 1876, when he was transferred to Brunswick, Me., and was succeeded in Lancaster by the Rev. M. P. Danner. During his second year in Lancaster Father Danner built the present church edifice. J. I. Williams was the architect, and S. B. Congdon the builder. The new building was blessed by Bishop Healey, who preached and administered the sac- rament of confirmation at the time of the dedication. Father Dan- ner was succeeded in 1880, by Rev. Fr. Mckinnon, who, failing in health, was obliged to retire after one year of service in the parish. He died at Portland, Me., in 1881. He was succeeded by the Rev. Fr. H. Lessard, who remained four years. At the beginning of the year 1886, the parish, which had grown too large for the care of . one minister, was divided. Whitefield, Percy, Jackson, and Con- way were taken from it, and North Stratford added to it.

The Rev. M. J. B. Creamer succeeded Father Lessard in 1885. He was transferred to Manchester in the winter of 1898. In 1887 he built a church at North Stratford, and relinquished that mission which had then become a separate parish. In 1889 he built a church at Twin Mountain, and in 1890 he renovated the church and house at Lancaster, and placed a bell in the tower. In 1891 he purchased a church property in Groveton, N. H., where is still a mission. He has done much during the last two years in decorating the church in Lancaster. He is a hard worker, and it his privilege to min- ister to the largest congregation of worshipers in the town of Lan- caster. In 1895 he purchased lands on North Main street, and laid out a new cemetery for his church. Rev. Fr. D. Alex. Sullivan succeeded Father Creamer in 1898.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH.

There was once a small society of Baptists in Lancaster, and although they have ceased to exist, a brief notice seems proper in the history of the town.

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THE CHURCHES.

The first preacher of this denomination was the Rev. Henry I. Campbell, who came here during the winter of 1859-'60. He divided his ministrations between Lancaster and West Milan for several months, and then removed to Jefferson. While a resident of that place he still retained his connection with the society here until 1861, when a church organization was effected, and he became its first settled pastor.

The old academy building (now the public library building) was purchased by the society July 6, 1860, and removed to its present location and repaired for their use. Prior to the occupancy of this church building the society held its services in the court-house.

In 1862 an ecclesiastical society was formed under the name of the "First Baptist Society of Lancaster." The Rev. Mr. Campbell remained its pastor until about 1863, when he was succeeded by the Rev. George A. Glines, a licensed preacher. Mr. Glines was shortly after his location in Lancaster regularly ordained, and re- mained pastor for nearly four years. For a year following the de- parture of Mr. Glines, the society had no regular preacher. During this time the Rev. David Gage of Manchester, N. H., the agent of the New Hampshire State Convention, occasionally occupied the pulpit with great acceptance. In December, 1867, the society again settled a minister, the Rev. Andrew W. Ashley. He re- mained only a few months. It was not until the spring of 1871 that they again had a settled pastor, when the Rev. Kilburn Holt began his ministry over the society. He remained until 1875, when he resigned and left Lancaster. Since that time the society has had no preaching, and has passed out of existence. Its members have mostly found their place in the other churches.

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The Protestant Episcopal denomination began holding occasional services in Lancaster about forty years ago. The first service held, of which we have any certain knowledge, was on the evening of Aug. 6, 1856, by Bishop Chase. At that time the wife of the late William Heywood was confirmed. In 1863, Bishop Chase returned and held services again, at which time he confirmed seven persons. From the first service alluded to, up to 1875, services were con- ducted by ministers visiting here during the summer season and at the mountain resorts near by.

During the year 1875 the Rev. James B. Goodrich divided his time between Littleton and Lancaster, serving the two missions. The present church building was erected during that, and the succeeding year, at a cost of $9,000, including the lot. Through all his life, as through the first years of its existence, the Hon. William Heywood was very much devoted to the church, and was of great service to

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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.

it in many ways. He served as warden from its organization to the time of his death.

Its regular ministers have been : Rev. James B. Goodrich, from 1875 to 1884; Rev. E. P. Little, from 1884 to 1886; Rev. C. J. Hendley, from 1887 to 1889; Rev. William Lloyd Himes, state missionary, from 1889 to 1892; Rev. Joseph Eames, from 1892 to the present time. The title of the church is "St. Paul's Episcopal church."

In addition to its church building the society owns a good rec- tory, on the rear of the large lot upon which the church stands. Its present organization is,-Wardens, Henry O. Kent, Ezra Mitch- ell; secretary, Irving W. Drew; treasurer, Frank D. Hutchins.

OTHER SECTS THAT HAVE, AT TIMES, PREACHED IN LANCASTER.

The mild and gentle Quakers have held services in some portions of the town, but never to develop an organization. The Free Bap- tists for a while held meetings in the schoolhouse of district No. 8, but never gained enough adherents to form a church society. The Christians have been heard on various occasions, but they, too, failed to develop any organization. Restorationist doctrines were once preached by certain Universalist ministers, but without finding much acceptance, if indeed they made any converts, to their faith. The Millerites or Second Adventists created quite a sensation here when that system was holding the attention of many throughout New England. They held meetings that were largely attended, but as their prophesies were not fulfilled the few converts they made fell into apostasy very soon after their conversion.

CHAPTER XI.

THE NEWSPAPERS OF LANCASTER.

THE WHITE MOUNTAIN AGIS-THE COOS COUNTY DEMOCRAT-THE COOS REPUBLICAN-THE INDEPENDENT GAZETTE-THE COOS HERALD-NORTH- ERN NEWS-JOURNAL OF FAMILIAR SCIENCE.

THE NEWSPAPER PRESS OF LANCASTER.

The first printing establishment in this section of the state was at Lancaster in 1838. An association consisting of Richard P. Kent, Gen. John Wilson, Royal Joyslin, and Apollos Perkins, was formed to publish a newspaper, and run a job-printing office. This asso- ciation purchased the press and material, being indemnified, as they supposed, by a sub-subscription. A newspaper, a copy of the first

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THE NEWSPAPERS OF LANCASTER.

issue of which is before me as I write, was started with Apollos Perkins as editor, and J. F. C. Hayes, foreman. This paper was called The White Mountain Ægis. It was only published in Lancaster one year when it was removed to Haverhill, Grafton county, under the control of Mr. Hayes, and named the Whig and Ægis. The paper while published in Lancaster was Whig in poli- tics, and was ably edited. It devoted much space to agriculture, as also to literary matters. Upon the whole, it was a better edited paper than any of the country newspapers of to-day. It abounded with poetry, mostly selected from the great poets of all periods, and with interesting stories. Numerous woodcuts, displaying the varied wares of the merchants of the village, adorned its pages. There one sees cuts of Isaac B. Gorham's hats, Kent & Porter's cook- ing stoves, Chadbourne's plows, stage coaches, and Edmund C. Wilder's array of furniture.

Within less than a year after the paper was started it had a rival in the Coos County Democrat. The editor of the latter paper said sharp things against the Ægis. Among the defects he held up to public gaze was the fact that it was printed on a second- hand press, and from old type. To this the editor of the Ægis made reply, to the effect that his press was indeed a second-hand one, it having been used to print a religious paper on, and later for printing Bibles. But its sacred associations did not save it from a loss of patronage in a community much stronger Democratic than Whig in politics. Mr. Perkins for a long time after leaving Lancas- ter resided at Lowell, Mass. Mr. Hayes was many years in the West, connected with newspaper work, and for some time a land broker at Des Moines, Iowa. He recently removed from Cleveland, O., to Groveton, N. H., where in the evening of life (1897) he rests from the cares and anxieties of business. Nat. Hibbard was a printer on the Ægis, and George Wilson and William George were ap- prentices while the paper was published in Lancaster. The office of the paper was in the second story of what was once the Masonic hall on Main street, but now a part of Syndicate block, owned by Drew, Jordan and King, and occupied by I. W. Quimby and others as stores and offices.

The paper was not a success. Four years after it was launched forth as an exponent of Whig politics it failed, and the effects of the office were sold by the original owners. The press was bought by Lyman J. McIndoe, then running a job office at Newbury, Vt., sub- sequently merged into the Aurora of the Valley establishment. The type went mostly to G. S. Towle, then editing a paper at Haver- hill, The True Democrat and Granite Whig, afterward moved to Lebanon, N. H., where it was known as The Granite State Whig, and the predecessor of the Granite State Free Press of that place.

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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.

THE COOS COUNTY DEMOCRAT.

In 1838, shortly after the White Mountain Ægis started as the organ of the Whig party, an association of prominent business men, leading Democrats started the Coös County Democrat as the organ of their party. That association was composed of Hon. John W. Weeks, M. C .; Hon. Jared W. Williams, later governor and United States senator ; Hon. John S. Wells, later United States senator; and Hon. John H. White, sheriff of the county, and others of considera- ble note. The paper was edited by Hon. James M. Rix, with James R. Whittemore as publisher. During the first year Mr. Rix per- formed the editorial duties and worked at the case; but the next year he gave up " the stick" and devoted his whole time to the editorial work of the paper, and retained that relation to the paper until the time of his death in 1856. Mr. Amos F. Abbott was fore- man in the office.

The paper was first issued from the second story of the build- ing owned by John S. Wells, now the L of the Kent Building, on Main street. In 1851 it was removed to the store building of the late J. A. Smith on Main street. After the death of Mr. Rix, March 25, 1856, the office was removed to the post-office building on the south side of the river. Jared I. Williams was then its edi- tor for some years, with Joseph W. Merriam of Stratford, later an editor of the Patriot, and afterward an attorney in Chicago, Ill., as assistant editor.

In 1859 the Democrat was moved to North Stratford, under the editorial control of Charles D. Johnson, then recently admitted to the bar of Coos county. Mr. Johnson died the following year, and after his death the paper ceased to represent its party as the party organ. The material of the plant was purchased by various persons, members of the opposing organization, and the Democrat was a nondescript. The internal dissension among its owners was dis- played by the placing of a cut of a bull, bottom side up, under the title of "A Man Overboard." This, by its nominal editor one week, followed in the next issue by a denunciation of the manager by the owners. After nearly a year of this sort of " management," the material was again sold. It was bought by A. J. Walker of Lunen- burg, Vt., who undertook to run a job office on "Baptist Hill," in that town. Mr. Walker failed in his enterprise and sold the estab- lishment Oct. 6, 1866, to Col. Henry O. Kent, who removed it to Lancaster, and set it up in the same room where it had been used nearly thirty years before to print the Democrat on. Only a por- tion of the material being of service in his office for the publication of the Coos Republican, Mr. Kent sold the press to C. O. Barney of Canaan, N. H., for the establishment of the Canaan Reporter.

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THE NEWSPAPERS OF LANCASTER.

For a period of twenty years the Democrat slumbered like Rip Van Winkle, while some of the most remarkable events in the nation's history were taking place. A veritable new world had come to be during those twenty years. Lancaster had caught the spirit of many new enterprises, and was pushing forward along new lines of business, intellectual, and social life, when one October day in 1884, one F. A. Kehew launched a new edition of the old Coos Democrat upon the world. He appropriated the title and serial number of the paper as last published. He ran it until 1887, when he sold it to W. C. Colby, who conducted it until 1890, when he sold out to John D. Bridge of Littleton, N. H., who still owns it. Mr. Bridge has run the paper as a straight Democratic paper with good suc- cess.

We cannot pass the long and honorable list of employés of the old Democrat office while it was published in Lancaster without saying something of them. They are of deserving mention in any permanent record of the town and its enterprises. I borrow from the address of Col. H. O. Kent before the New Hampshire Printers' and Publishers' Association at Concord, N. H., Jan. 17, 1872. He says of them :

" Hon. James M. Rix, subsequently president of the state senate, was a ner- vous, vigorous writer, and acute politician well known to the public of the state. His death occurred in March, 1856, from consumption, aggravated beyond doubt by the cares of editorial and political life.

" James R. Whittemore, his original associate in the publication of the Demo- crat, became later a Thompsonian physician in Cincinnati, Ohio.

"Edward E. Cross of Lancaster served his time in the Democrat office as an apprentice, and then assumed management of the office as foreman. From Lan- caster he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and entered the Dollar Weekly Times office. He soon became a traveling correspondent for that paper, and for several years his letters written from all parts of the land, over the nom de plume of ' Edward Everett," were among the most agreeable matter in its columns. Of an adven- turous spirit, Cross readily entered into a plan for establishing mining operations in Arizona, and with a company started, by way of the Texas route, for the El Dorado. With their outfit he took a printing press and material and on their arrival at Tubac commenced the publication of the Arizonian, the first newspaper published in the territory. While in Arizona, Cross had a difficulty with Sylves- ter Mowry, Lt. U. S. A., since a delegate in congress, now dead, and a duel fought with Burnside rifles, which encounter at that time attracted general atten- tion, was the result. Mining operations being suspended by Indian depredations, Cross went over into Mexico to enter the military service of the Mexican Liberals, but learning of the rebellion at home, hastened north. In the summer of 1861, he was commissioned by Governor Berry colonel of the Fifth New Hampshire Infantry, which regiment bore the well-earned sobriquet of the"' Fighting Fifth.' The military record of the Fifth and its commander is a part of the history of the state. Decimated by battle the regiment was always recruited rapidly ; fore- most in desperate work its losses were fearful. Colonel Cross asserted on a pub- lic occasion in Concord, in January, 1863, that at Fredericksburg his dead lay nearer the rebel rifle-pits than those of any other regiment of the Army of the Potomac. Cross was shot through the thigh at Fair Oaks, shot again and again

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HISTORY OF LANCASTER.

at Fredericksburg, and while leading the First Division of the Second Army Corps at Gettysburg was fatally shot through the abdomen. His remains were interred at Lancaster, amid a great concourse of people, by the Masonic fraternity, of which he was a member." *

" Charles Francis Brown, better known as ' Artemas Ward,' entered the Demo- crat office from Norway, Me., as an apprentice, and served his time until the incident occurred resulting in his exchange to a wider sphere, and to that career which is now known on both hemispheres. Brown was a ' wayward brother' in the minor duties, a pronounced lover of the good things of this life, attainable to an apprentice in a country printing office, and the constant author of scrapes and practical jokes. The old red sign-post of the ' Temperance House' (kept by George Howe, a simple-minded old man), striped with chalk in ludicrous imita- tion of a barber's pole, the disconsolate cow of his employer, Mr. Rix, who for lack of intuitive perception to comprehend her amateur ' milk-maid,' and conse- quent failure to ' give down,' had her hip broken by a blow from the milking stool, and finally the pied cases in the office, the result of a squabble during office hours with a chance caller, are flowers culled from the chaplet of Artemas's embryo greatness. He was ' the plague of his life' to Rix; the malady culminat- ing in a grand tableau in the old office, a stand overturned, the contents of its cases pied upon the floor, Artemas in deadly grapple with his opponent, writhing and reeling among the debris, and the nervous editor bounding in at the door to vent his anger and discharge the future humorist. It was at the Democrat office that Brown began his career of letters. From there he entered the office of the Cleveland Plaindealer, and that career, now so well known, closed with his lamented death at Southampton, England, March 7, 1867.

"Charles W. Smith entered the Democrat office in 1846, and served his apprenticeship, becoming foreman of the office. He was absent a year, being engaged upon the Dover Gazette, managed at that time by Major Gibbs. Returning to Lancaster, he again became foreman, under different managements, until the paper left Lancaster for North Stratford. In 1857 he was foreman of the Times at McGregor, Iowa. He subsequently entered the office of the Coos Republican, which position he held until 1870, when he was elected register of deeds for Coös county.

" Richard E. Cross, a brother of Col. E. E. Cross, was another apprentice in the Democrat office. After serving his time he left Lancaster and entered the regular army. He was a private in the engineer battalion, which formed an important part of the small force displayed at Washington to the first inaugura- tion of President Lincoln in 1861. This duty performed, the command was sent to Fort Pickens. In the summer of the same year Cross came north and was commissioned lieutenant in his brother's (Col. E. E. Cross) regiment. He rose through several grades to that of colonel, his muster under the latter grade being prevented only by the inadequate number of enlisted men. Colonel Cross, several years later, removed to Glencoe, Canada, where he married a daughter of the Hon. A. P. McDonald, a member of the provincial parliament, a gentleman heavily engaged in the construction of railways. Colonel Cross was, for a time, in business in that line with him, being engaged upon the Intercolonial Railway line below Quebec."t

* A monument was later erected to his memory by his fellow townsmen and citizens of the state .- ED.

+ He later became a so-called "magnetic healer," and practised that supposed art for a time. He also made and sold medicines, and engaged in a variety of pursuits. He was United States guard of the treasury at Washington, D. C., where he died in the line of duty in September, 1894. He was interred in the old cemetery at Lancaster beside his brother with Masonic and Grand Army honors .- ED.

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THE NEWSPAPERS OF LANCASTER.

" Dexter Chase, who afterward married a sister of the Cross brothers, was also, at one time, an apprentice in the Democrat office in the days of Rix, and later was employed by Rix in his book-store. Mr. Chase was for a time employed as collector for the Independent Democrat. (He later entered into other business, the manufacture of the first spring beds in this country, in Boston, Mass. At a still later date he returned to Lancaster and engaged in the insurance business, being advanced by the companies for which he labored to the position of inspector in New Hampshire, in which occupation he continued until his death early in 1896. He, too, was interred in the old cemetery at Lancaster beside Edward E. and Richard E. Cross. )

" Albert Bradley Davis, a native of Lancaster, and afterward an actor of con- siderable ability and reputation, for a long time manager of McVicker's theatre in Chicago, Ill., served his time as an apprentice in the Democrat office.

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History of Lancaster, New Hampshire, Part 50

Author: Somers, A. N. (Amos Newton) Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Concord, N.H., Rumford press Number of Pages: 753

Author: Somers, A. N. (Amos Newton)
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Concord, N.H., Rumford press
Number of Pages: 753