History of Lebanon, N.H., 1761-1887, Part 18

Author: Downs, Charles Algernon, 1823-1906
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Concord, Rumford printing co.
Number of Pages: 638


USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Lebanon > History of Lebanon, N.H., 1761-1887 > Part 18


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40


CLARK HOUGH.


185


DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.


Aug 30 1790 Voted to direct the Selectmen to examine into the request of Messrs Robt. Colburn, & Lem. Hough with respect to their Losses in paying the arrears of Taxes for the Town to the State Treas- ury.


No action of the town seems to have been taken in this matter.


Voted for representatives to Congress with the following results. Abiel Foster had 2 votes Saml Livermore 32 John Saml Sherburne 26 Elisha Payne Esq. 20, Jonathan Freeman 11, Aaron Hutchinson 10, Elisha Ticknor 1. Elihu Hyde 1.


Of these candidates Samuel Livermore only was elected.


At a meeting in October they again voted for members of Congress, when Jeremiah Smith had 55 votes, John S. Sherburne 43, Abiel Foster 13. Jeremiah Smith was elected.


The following shows to what extent one branch of manufac- tures was pursued in the town :


This certifies that Daniel Robinson of Lebanon in the County of Grafton and State of New Hampshire has made or caused to be made three hundred thousand of wrought ten penny nails between the eighth day of Feby Anno Domini 1789 and the twentieth day of Jany current.


In witness whereof the selectmen of said Lebanon hereunto set their hands and seals and the nearest justice of the peace countersigns, this 28th day of - 1791


Jesse Cook [SEAL]


Stephen Billings [SEAL]


Attest


Aaron Hutchinson Jus. pacis


Endorsed Rec'd an order on the treasurer for fifteen pounds.


This was in accordance with an act passed 1787 to encourage the manufacture of nails in the state, repealed in'1805.


Records for the year 1791 are not to be found.


The state constitution of 1784 provided for a revision after seven years. A convention was called for the purpose in 1791 to meet at Concord, and Elisha Payne, Esq., was chosen the dele- gate from Lebanon. The convention met September 7, and be- gan its work of revision. Various amendments were proposed, some to be accepted, while others were rejected. September 16 the convention appointed a committee, of which Elisha Payne, Esq., was a member, "to take into consideration the Constitution and the Resolutions passed at this session and the several mo- tions made for alterations that have not been acted upon and


186


HISTORY OF LEBANON.


prepare and report to the Convention at the adjournment altera- tions and amendments to be submitted to the people."


The convention met again February 8, 1792, heard and consid- ered the report of the committee, when it was ordered that the amendments proposed should be printed and sent out to the people for their approval, returns to be made on the last Wednes- day in May.


April 26, 1792, the town chose as a committee to take into con- sideration the revised constitution, Col. Elisha Payne, Aaron Hutchinson, Esq., and Capt. David Hough.


May 7 the town met "at the remains of the old meeting house," to act upon the amendments of the constitution. The above committee probably made some report and recommendations. They then proceeded to vote upon the seventy-two amendments proposed. One of the proposed amendments was promptly re- jected, Article VI, which would allow anyone to be free from the support of the minister of a town upon his filing his dissent with the town clerk within certain specified times. Nos. 37 and 43 were also rejected. The latter required a property qualifi- cation of five hundred pounds.


When the convention re-assembled at Concord in May, it was found that some of the amendments had been accepted and others rejected. Other articles were, therefore, prepared and sent out to the people, to be considered by them on the twenty- seventh day of August, when the town voted unanimously for the acceptance of the constitution. When the returns from the state came in it was found that the amendments were accepted by the people.


A Coppy of Ye Inventory for 1792


Below is the earliest inventory of the town which is to be found among the town papers. Its items furnish interesting informa- tion concerning the condition of the town at that time :


No. of Polls from Eighteen to Seventy years of Age 236


No. of Acres of Orchard Land


4671%


No. of Acres of Arable or Tillage Land


883


No of Acres of Moing land


1148


No of acres of Pasture land


144


No of Horses and Mares


No of oxen 177


No of cows 277


187


DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.


No of Horses and Cattle three years old


115


No of Horses and Cattle two years old


182


Yearly rent of mills wharves and Ferries repairs being de- ducted £69-8


Sum total of the Value of all Real Estate improved owned by the inhabitants £5520-


Sum total of the Value of all Real Estate not owned by the Inhabitants 234


Sum total of the Value of Stock in Trade


Sum total of Money in hand or on Interest


No of Horsis & Cattle one year old


299


Jesse Cook 7 Selectmen


James Crocker


Stephen Billings


August 27, 1792, the town voted for six presidential electors, with the following result :


John Pickering Esq.


56 John White Esq 56


Elisha Payne Esq. 51 Benj. Bellows Esq 56.


Joseph Badger Esq. 55 Jonathan Freeman Esq 1


Barret Esq 55


The above record indicates the singular fact that the town clerk did not know the Christian name of one of the candidates. In these days if the votes were cast as recorded above, it might. defeat a president. It should be Charles Barret.


At this same meeting the town voted for representatives to Congress, with the following result :


Payne Wingate Esq. 55 Jeremiah Smith Esq 59


John Sherburne Esq 48 Elisha Payne Esq 49


Beza Woodward Esq 2 Jonathan Freeman Esq 7


Abial Foster Esq


10 Timothy Walker Esq 2


John S. Sherburne, Payne Wingate and Abiel Foster were elected.


Now and then during these years there appears a vote direct- ing Rev. Mr. Potter where to preach on the Sabbath. Upon the question whether he should preach a part of the time at the old meeting-house, the vote was affirmative 32, negative 55. The town meetings this year were held generally at "Robt Colburn's New Barn," which was on the ground where H. W. Carter now lives.


For some reason they voted again for presidential electors, November 12, 1792, and Josiah Bartlett, John Pickering, Thomas:


£450


188


HISTORY OF LEBANON.


Coggswell, Timothy Farrar, Benj. Bellows, and Jonathan Free- man each had 52 votes. They also voted again for represen- tative to Congress, when Payne Wingate had 53 votes.


March 12, 1793, at the annual meeting the vote was as follows: For governor, Josiah Bartlett, 59; senator for the 12th district, Samuel Emerson, 59; Col. Elisha Payne, 7. Col. Elisha Payne was chosen representative to the Legislature. Jonathan Free- man had 85 votes for councillor.


This was the first time the town voted for governor of the state, the title having been changed under the revised consti- tution from president to governor. It was also the first time the town voted for a councillor. This was the first town meet- ing in the new meeting-house.


To show the ancient manner of calling a town meeting, the general form is here given for the annual meeting March 11, 1794 :


State of New Hampshire To Ephraim Wood Constable in Grafton ss and for the town of Lebanon Greeting.


You are hereby directed and required to warn all the Legal Voters in the town of Lebanon to meet in town meeting at the New Meeting house in said Lebanon on Tuesday the 11th Day of March Next at nine o'clock A. M. on s'd Day to act on the following articles :


Given under our hand and seal in said Lebanon this 20th Day of Febry A D. 1794


Nath1 Porter Asher Allen


Selectmen Dan1 Phelps


hereof fail not and make Return of your Doings to the town clerk of . said Lebanon by the 11th Day of March Next at Nine o clock in the morning on s'd Day.


In Parsuance of the above Warrant I have Posted up a true coppy of the above Warning on the 24th of Feby 1794


Attest Ephraim Wood Constable


At this meeting votes for governor were: John S. Gilman, 99; Elisha Payne, 16; Benj. Bellows, 2; Jonathan Freeman, 1; Nicolas Gilman, 1; Elihu Hyde, Esq., 1.


This is the largest vote cast to this date.


Votes for councillor : Jonathan Freeman, 53; Beza Wood- ward, 8; Elisha Payne, Esq., 11; Robert Colburn, 1.


For senator for 12th district: Jonathan Freeman, 5; Elisha Payne, Esq., 76; Moses Dow, 6.


REV. STORY HEBARD.


189


DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.


Maj. David Hough was chosen representative.


For the first time the selectmen presented a detailed account of their doings and the affairs of the town.


August 25, 1794, the town was called together to vote again for representatives to Congress, there being no choice at the previous election.


December 8, 1794, the town again met to choose a represen- tative, their ballots being limited to Payne Wingate and Abiel Foster. Abiel Foster had 32 votes, but Payne Wingate was elected.


The years which follow, to the close of the century, were years of quiet, so far as the affairs of the town were concerned. They regularly elected their town officers, voted for representatives to Congress, for governor and other state officers. They were busy laying out new roads, improving the old, now and then symptoms of a contest appearing. These years will, therefore, be passed over without particular mention. Some things which are new in town affairs, or which may have special interest, will be noted.


March 10, 1795, Pelatiah Buck was appointed fish inspector. March, 1796, Jude Bailey was appointed inspector of the fishery, and again in March, 1797.


When the country was new and the Connecticut poured its floods into Long Island Sound unrestrained by dams, its waters were the resort of a multitude of salmon and shad. They came up as far as Lebanon, the salmon turning up White River and the shad up the Mascoma to deposit their spawn. Great num- bers of these fish were taken by the early settlers for their own use and for sale to the people not so happily situated. It is with these matters that the inspector of fish was concerned.


The old people used to say that they had seen the clear waters of White River blue and almost solid with the shoals of salmon struggling up its current.


Two weeks in June, 1795, must have been full of interest to the people here, for at that time the Legislature was in session at Hanover. Most of the people saw their law-makers at work for the first and only time. Whether it increased their respect for, and confidence in, that august body tradition does not say. The place of meeting was very convenient for Colonel Payne,


190


HISTORY OF LEBANON.


the representative of the town. John G. Gilman was governor, Russell Freeman of Hanover speaker of the house, and Ebenezer Smith, president of the senate.


The name of Stephen Kendrick, for many years town clerk and prominent in all affairs, makes its first appearance in the records March, 1796, when he was chosen sealer of weights and measures.


November, 1796, voted to procure two palls, one large and one small one, and to be kept at Mr. Simeon Peck's.


In March, 1797, the town, by vote, established prices for work on highways as follows :


Laboar from the first of May to the first of August 3/6 per day; from the first of August to the first of October 3/ per day, and 2/6 per day the rest of the season.


Oxen carts and plows to be one half the price of Man's labor at each of the afore said times.


During this year the cemetery in the center village was pur- chased of John and Benjamin Kimball for $66.66, and also the cemetery near Ebenezer Cole's.


The year 1798 might appropriately be termed the bridge year, for it was a year in which large sums were spent in building and repairing bridges. Among the charges for this work are the following, which read strangely to this generation: For rum at the lower bridge, $.57; for rum for two bridges, $18.76; for rum at the bridge, $3.75. Here are similar charges for 1799: For liquor for venduing bridge by Col. Payne's, $1.36; for rum to work on the road, $.75; for rum used at the bridge, $6.00; for . rum and wine for Barbrick family, $2.00; for rum for his fam- ily, $.50.


THE TOWN IN 1800.


Before entering upon the events of another century, let us try to realize the condition of the town at this period. It is about thirty-six years since the first settlements were actually begun. What progress has been made? How much has been done to- wards subduing the wilderness? Who are living here now ? Who of those who began with the early days of the town have passed away? What improvements have been made in roads, in the comforts and conveniences of life? What are the people doing-what are they talking about ?


191


DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.


The town is settled and quiet in its state relations, which in the years past occupied so much of time, thought and expense. The town is not connected with Vermont nor planning any union with that state. It is not in a "state of nature"; that is, inde- pendent and sovereign, but is connected "with respect to its internal police" with New Hampshire and contented. Its large arrearages of taxes have happily been paid, though Messrs. Hough and Colburn are still a little sore on that point. We learn who were living here at that time from the following list of tax-payers :


Asahel Abbott


John Andrews


Beriah Abbott


Cyprian Andrews


Josiah Adams


Daniel Alden


Andrew Aldrich


Zenas Alden


Andrew Aldrich, Jr.


Zalmon Aspenwall


Clark Aldrich


Cady Allen


Elisha Aldrich


William Avery


Richard Aldrich


Solomon Abba


Abijah Allen


Richard Andrews


Asher Allen


Daniel Abbott


Diarca Allen


Joseph Abbott


Joseph Amsden


John Abbott


Judah Bailey


Edward Bosworth


Andrew Baker


Pelatiah Buck


Gideon Baker


Richard Buswell


Gideon Baker, Jr.


Stephen Bliss


Nathaniel Bidwell


Stephen Billings


Alfred Bingham Azariah Bliss Asel Bliss


Samuel Barker John Buswell Jacob W. Brewster George Booth Pelatiah Bugbee Wm Burbech Stephen Barker


Daniel Bliss


Ebenezer Bliss


Isaiah Bliss Widow Anna Blodgett


Justis Bruce


Abijah Chandler Waters Clark


Samuel Crocker Joshua Cushing


192


HISTORY OF LEBANON.


Aaron Cleaveland John Colburn Robert Colburn Stephen Colburn


Giles Cook Jesse Cook, Jr. William Corning James Crocker


Asa Colburn Roswell Clark


Jonathan Conant Seth Convers


Colton Center Jonathan Colby Daniel Castet


Joseph Castet


William Dana


Samuel Dustin


William Dana, Jr.


Timothy Dudley


Daniel Demon


Joseph Dodge


William Downer


Rufus Durkee


Timothy Darling


Silas Downer Andred Downer


Jacob Ela Joseph Ela


Zuar Eldridge


Oliver Ellis


Aaron Estabrooks


Hobart Estabrooks


Rhodolphus Estabrooks Benjamin Ela


Theodore Ela


Samuel Estabrooks, Jr.


Joseph Evans


James Ela


Oliver Edwards


Phineas Elkins


Joseph Ellis


Moses Farnam Humphrey Farrar


Otis Freeman Nathaniel Freeman


Benj. Fuller


Benj. Fuller, Jr.


James Fuller


John Fox


Nathan Flanders


Abraham Forster


Caleb Fellows


Joseph Flint


Jedediah Freeman


Oliver Griswold


Barnabas Fay Asa Fitch


Asa Fitch, Jr.


Edmund Freeman


Edmund Freeman, Jr.


Roger Freeman


Enoch Freeman


Elijah Gould


-


Joseph Downer Martin Dewey


Zacheus Downer James Duncan, Jr. Nathan Durkee


ABRAM PUSHEE.


DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.


193


Samuel Gage Joseph Goodridge John Gray David Gray Joseph Griswold


Joseph Garland Ezekiel Gove Joseph Giles Comfort Goff


Dan Hall


Orla Hall


Nathaniel Hall


John Hewet


Jonathan Hamilton


James Hartshorn


Aaron Hebbard


Asaph Hyde


James Hebbard


Elihu Hyde


Moses Hebbard, Jr.


David Hinkley


Silas Hyde


Daniel Hough David Hough


Guy Hough


Widow Hannah Huntington


Lemuel Hough


Thomas Hough


James Hebbard, Jr.


James Huckins


James How


Joseph Hill


Daniel Hinkley


Silas Hebbard


John Jeffers Nathan Jewett


Thomas Kirshaw Stephen Kendrick John Kimball Benjamin Kimball


Wm Loomer Denison Lathrop Elijah Lathrop Samuel Lathrop


Nathaniel Mason


Uriel Huntington


William Huntington William Huntington, Jr.


Ziba Huntington


Joseph Huntington


Aaron Hutchinson


Elihu Hyde, Jr.


John Houston


Witherel Hough


Elias Huntington


Miller Huntington


James Jones Joel Joslyn


John Kile Ephraim Kile Aaron Kinsman


Sloman Lathrop Richard Lyman James Little Ebenezer Lewis


John Martin, Jr.


13


194


HISTORY OF LEBANON.


Joshua Markham Bela Markham


Elam Markham


John Martin Jonathan Martin Joseph Martin


Joseph Martin, Jr. Elias Marsh


Reuben Mason


Jesse Morse


Jeremiah Marston


Parly Mason


Wm. H. Packard David Packard


Ichabod Packard


Nathaniel Packard


Nathaniel Packard, Jr. Phineas Parkhurst


Elisha Payne, Jr. John Payne William Payne Simeon Peck Eliel Peck


Walter Peck Ebba Peck


Jahleeb Peck


Turner Peterson


Daniel Phelps


John Porter


Nathaniel Porter


George W. Post


Noah Powers Howard Phelps Elisha Payne


Arnold Porter


Luther Pyke


Absalom Packard


Jonathan Quimby


Cephas Robinson Elijah Reid


Enoch Redington James Ralston Daniel Richards


Ebenezer Simon


Arad Simons Abner Smith


Alpheus Smith Asa Smith Daniel Smith


Elijah Sprague Elkanah Sprague Widow Deborah Sprague


William Rowland Micajah Rowell Noah Read


Amos Robinson Thomas Ray


Constant Storrs


Constant Storrs, Jr.


Jesse Storrs


Nathaniel Storrs


Phineas Strong Clap Sumner Jeriah Swetland Roswell Swetland Orsemus Strong


195


DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.


Elijah Sprague, Jr. William Spring


Daniel Strong - Sexton


Benjamin Taylor


Osgood True


Elish Ticknor


Jesse Tibbets


John Ticknor


James Ticknor


Paul K. Ticknor


Joseph Tilden, 3d


Charles Tilden


James Trussel


Joseph Tilden, Jr.


Joel Tilden


Nathan Upton


David Underhill


John Walton


John Wood


Thomas Waterman


Joseph Wood


Hezekiah Waters


Luther Wood


Luther Waters


Roger Wood


Joseph Weed


Abel Wright


Thomas Wells


Francis West


Eliphalet Wells


Abel Wright, Jr.


Andrew Wheabley


Jocob M. White


David Whitmore


Isaac Warren


Daniel Willes


Ebenezer Whitmore


Roger Willes


Jonathan Ware


Ephraim Wood


Samuel Young .


The names of forty-one of those who signed the "Association Test," in 1776, appear in this list. Of the eighty-seven names appended to that test, more than one half have either died or left the town.


THE PROPERTY IN TOWN, 1800.


There were about 300 polls, indicating a population of over twelve hundred; twenty acres of orchards. In 1792 none are returned.


Tillage, about 442, which is less than in 1792.


Mowing, about 1,164, a gain of nearly 300 acres.


196


HISTORY OF LEBANON.


Pasture, 1,674 acres, a gain of about 500 acres.


Horses, 211.


Oxen, 248.


Cows, 405.


Cattle, four years old, 152; three years old, 223; two years old, 362.


Value of buildings and improvements, $13,370.


Stock in trade, $950.


Money at interest, $1,143.


In estimating quantities of land, the law of that period estab- lished the following rules : "Accounting so much orchard as will in a common season produce ten barrels of cyder or peavey, one acre; so much pasture land as will summer a cow, four acres; what mowing land will commonly produce one town of good English hay yearly or meadow hay in proportion, one acre; and what arable and tillage land will commonly produce twenty-five bushels of corn, one acre; in which is to be considered all land planted with indian corn, potatoes and beans and sown with grain, flax or peas." Laws for Inventory, 1797.


In inspecting the foregoing returns of the land, the reader will please keep these rules in mind.


In the number of polls the following are not included :


"Those from eighteen to twenty-one enrolled in the militia; instructors and students of colleges ; ordained ministers and pre- ceptors of academies, paupers and idiots."


The inventory shows that the town has made rapid progress in population and improvements. The following are the town officers for the year 1800 :


Moderator, Col. David Hough.


Town Clerk, John Colburn.


Selectmen, Thomas Waterman, Gideon Baker Jr., Jonathan Hamilton.


Tything men, Abel Wright, Barnabas Fay, Nathan Jewett, and Ephraim Wood


Highway Surveyors, Joseph Downer, Hubbard Estabrook, James Crocker, Paul N. Ticknor, Maj Constant Storrs, Nathan Durkee, An- drew Baker, Nathan Jewett Pelatiah Buck, Clap Sumner, Enoch Free- man


Fence viewers, Joseph Martin, Jr., John Payne, Zuar Eldridge, Will- . iam David, Jr.


SIMEON S. POST.


197


DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.


Hog-rieves Theodore Ela, Daniel Bliss, William Loomer Zalmon Aspenwall, Clark A. Aldrich, Nathaniel Freeman


Surveyor of lumber, Thomas Hough.


Representative, Col. Elisha Payne.


Constable and collector, Edmund Freeman


No sealer of leather, or of weights and measures chosen


Votes for Governor, Hon. John Taylor Gilman 156 Timothy Walker Esq. 3


Councillor David Hough


Russell Freeman


54


Senator for 12th District David Hough


106


Constant Storrs


Voted to raise two hundred dollars for the use of the town the year ensuing


Voted to raise five hundred dollars for the use of the highways the ensuing year.


Roads and Bridges.


An inspection of the records shows that the town was well supplied with roads in all directions, and that they were dili- gently improving them. About this time there were movements throughout the state to improve the means of communication with the different portions of the state. The people were pros- pering and had a surplus from their farms seeking a distant market. Bridges over the Connecticut were planned and char- tered. Turnpikes had already been built in some portions of the state and others were projected, and among them the fourth New Hampshire turnpike, having its northern termination at West Lebanon, to connect by Lyman's bridge with a turnpike through the valley of the White River. The Connecticut River was at this time the channel of transportation. Farm products were carried in boats down the river to "Old Har'ford," which returned laden with salt, sugar, molasses and other supplies.


The boats floated with the current downward, assisted by poles, and sails when the wind served. Their return was more difficult, as they had the current against them, and were obliged to gain every foot by the exertion of strength. This transpor- tation gave employment to a large number of men. What is . called the "Point" on the opposite bank of the Connecticut was a harbor for these boats. Sometimes a hundred would be tied to the banks at the same time.


To improve the navigation of the river, locks were built and canals cut. Among them those at Olcott's Falls were chartered a little before this time. They had already been built at Bel- lows Falls and a charter had been sought for locks at Water Quechee, in Hartland. Much of the pine lumber found in this and the surrounding towns was floated down the river in rafts to older towns in Massachusetts, but chiefly to Hartford, Conn. From there it could be readily sent to New York by water.


In this region there were no public conveyances. If any one


199


ROADS AND BRIDGES.


wished to take a journey he must go on foot or on horseback, or in his own carriage. A large part of the journeying was on horseback. Mail facilities were few and far between. During the Revolutionary War a post rider started from Portsmouth once a fortnight, rode to Haverhill, from thence down the river to Charlestown and back again to Portsmouth. In 1791 there were four post routes over which the post-rider went once a fortnight. Postoffices were established in ten of the principal towns and postmasters were allowed two pence on every letter which passed through their hands. By 1800 there had been some improvement in this system, but chances to send letters were still few and far between, except by private conveyance.


At this period the business of the town was mainly farming. Cattle and horses were raised for market, pork to a limited ex- tent. Flax was cultivated, dressed and spun and woven into garments. Oil was pressed from the seed. People made their own cloth, which was dressed by David Hinkley, clothier, whose mills were on True brook. The trees which they were obliged to cut down to prepare their land for cultivation, such as were not fit for lumber of the first quality, they burned, and from the ashes made pot-ash in large quantities. There were several tan- neries in different parts of the town. Lumber was manufac- tured largely at Payne's mills, at other points on the Mascoma. Almost every brook had its temporary sawmill.


Of stores there were many. The Lymans on the Point did the heaviest business, taking in exchange for sugar, molasses, salt, nails, etc., beef, pork, etc. James Duncan had a store near the new meeting-house. He was also licensed to retail "speritous liquors" and wines. Turner Peterson on the river road had a store and he is licensed to sell "foreign distilled liquors." Joel Tilden, merchant, on the river road, was approbated to sell liquor. Uriel Huntington had a store west of where E. Cole now lives, and was licensed to sell "foreign Distilled Speritus liquors." . Winneck & Ralston had a store at Payne's Mills (East Lebanon).


Taverns were plenty. Samuel Gage on the south side of the Mascoma, Sumner Clap on the county road from Concord to Hanover, Beriah Abbott at the head of School Street, Capt. Joseph Wood on the river road, Theodore Ela on the river road,


200


HISTORY OF LEBANON.


Enos Kellogg in the east part of the town, Ephraim Wood in the south part of the town, Rodolphus Estabrooks on the river road, all licensed to sell liquor. In the year of 1800 there were at least fifteen places where liquor was sold according to law, which is significant enough of the customs of the times.


What were the people thinking and talking about in those days? They had their own immediate concerns, improvements in their farms, new comers to be discussed and estimated, mar- riages, engagements, births, deaths, now and then a choice bit of scandal; politics there were, Federalists and Republicans, and party spirit ran high in those days; theology, the doctrines were warmly discussed from morning to night, and late in the night, discussed with loud voices, sometimes with quickened temper. Upon these great themes the people thought more and thought deeper than nowadays. One sad event was prominent in their thoughts and conversation. A stranger had come among them, sickened and died; none knew his name or whence he came. The record concerning him is brief, but pitiful; it runs thus in the accounts of the selectmen :




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.