USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Littleton > History of Littleton, New Hampshire, Vol. II > Part 16
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VOL. II. - 10
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cut from a tool or the machinery with which he was at work. In the course of time this paring process deprived him of all the fingers of one hand except a stub, which he used with strange effect upon his listener in explaining a point in his conversation. Nor did the left hand escape mutilation, for in a few years it bore a strong family resemblance to the right. These periods of abstrac- tion were not confined to the shop, but accompanied him every- where and were productive of many ludicrous scenes and accidents. This propensity may have kept him in a narrow field of endeavor, but it held him true to the goal at which he aimed and he lived to see it attained. He died at the house of his son in New Bedford, Mass., in 1873. Of his four children, but one, Andrew A., was born in this town ; the eldest, Frederick, was born in Danville, Vt., in 1815. He was in business with his father for some years, and then conducted it alone or in company with his brother Charles until his death, September 29, 1864. His taking off was the result of an accident. While loading a piece of heavy chair machinery upon a wagon at the railroad depot, he stepped on to the rear of the load ; the added weight lifted the body of the wagon from the forward axletree, which threw him to the ground, and his life was crushed out by the piece of machinery which fell upon him. He was an intelligent, industrious, high-minded citizen. Charles was eccentric and extreme in his views, resembling his father in these respects but not in his actions. He removed to Massachusetts after the death of his brother Frederick, and this closed the connection of the family with an industry of the town that had prospered for a generation. The only daughter of Enoch Hazeltine married John Smith Roby, a son of Dr. Joseph Roby, of the firm of Roby, Curtis, & Co., and removed to Lancaster, where the remainder of her life was passed. The youngest, Andrew Arthur, became a dentist, and was the first member of the profession to open a permanent office here. He married the only daughter of Asa Weller, and removed to New Bedford, Mass., where he died on the first day of January, 1895. Father and sons were skilful mechanics, and men who did their utmost to promote the welfare of the community.
Amos Rowell, who for many years had a shop and residenee on the east side of Pleasant Street, carried on the business of a cabinet-maker from 1826 to 1867. He was an unobtrusive citizen, but was as tenacious of opinion as was Enoch Hazeltine, in whose political opinions he shared; in fact, he became an abolitionist a few years earlier than that gentleman.
Deacon John Merrill was born in Pembroke, learned the trade of a cabinet-maker, and came to Littleton in 1832. The following
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year he built the building now the Cohashauke Club rooms for a shop, and there did business until 1851, when he sold the shop and the dwelling-house he had built in 1836, now the residence of Henry F. Green, and erected a new shop at the head of Saranac Street, near the brick store and the dwelling now the house of his son Henry Merrill. The deacon had conducted an undertaker's business, and a few years after moving to the new shop abandoned the furniture line to give his attention to the other.
Thomas White was another cabinet-maker of those days. He came here in 1847, and bought the David Page Sanborn place, near the Palmer Brook, now the residence of Henry D. Bishop, and carried on business until his death in 1880.
These men, with the exception of the Hazeltines, generally con- fined their work to orders, though there were dull seasons when their time was employed in making up such articles as were con- sidered standard and in frequent demand. Their furniture was strong and durable, and many pieces may still be found that after the lapse of more than seventy years are as sound as when they came from the maker's shop.
Of the blacksmiths, Josiah Newhall, Anson Wheeler, and Guy Ely may be regarded as having belonged to the pioneer period of our history, and their story has been told at some length in con- nection with the events of their time. Among the early workers in iron not named in the narrative were Laban Tift, who had a shop at West Littleton, near the Rankin mill, and Barnard H. Smith, whose shop was near the Pingree place at the north part of the town. Neither of these made this trade his exclusive busi- ness, but was a farmer as well as blacksmith. When Newhall and Wheeler retired from business, no successor kept the fires burning at their forges, and slight vestiges of their shops now remain. Mr. Ela sold his shop and a former residence on the Mann's Hill road, now Pleasant Street, to Levi F. Ranlet, who located here in 1839, and soon became an active factor in the Methodist Church and the politics of the Free-soil party. He carried on the business until age and its infirmities compelled his retirement.
Freeman Palmer, a member of the pioneer family of the name, built a small house on the site of the brick residence east of the Congregational meeting-house as early as 1824, and a blacksmith's shop east of his dwelling. Both were torn down by William Hibbard when he built on the lots in 1837. Mr. Palmer was a man of an inventive turn, with some of the eccentricities of that talent. He devised the method of making horse-shoe nails by
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machinery, and built the first machine for that purpose, which was ultimately developed into that now in use. After he sold to Mr. Hibbard he built the house at the corner of Main and Pleasant Streets where the Boylston Block now stands. He moved to Ohio in 1850.
A smith who came here earlier than Mr. Ranlet was William Hibbard, who, born in Bath, had married Miss Learned, grand- daughter of Captain Caswell and sister of Mrs. Hinds. He came to this town in 1830, and bought the lot on the south side of Main Street on what has since been known as Meeting-house Hill. He removed the buildings, built a shop in 1834, and a substantial brick residence in 1837. This was the third of those brick build- ings erected in this decade, the first being the brick store in 1824, then the Cyrus Young residence built by John Farr in 1836, and Mr. Hibbard's residence. These were the only brick buildings in the village until 1852, when Colonel Russell built the blacksmith shop on Brook Street, now the residence of Cornelius Strain. In 1842 he moved to Danville, Vt., and subsequently to Glover. He was an intelligent citizen, who was helpfully interested in pro- moting the public welfare, and possessed the entire confidence of the people.
The next occupant of this shop was Benjamin B. Jones, who married a daughter of John Bowman. He built the house on Saranac Street directly south of the shop. He was at one time in partnership with Levi F. Ranlet. He moved about 1845 to New York State and subsequently to Ohio. For about fifteen years from the time it was left by Mr. Jones it had many tenants, none of whom remained more than two years. When the drift of this business went away from it, it was used several years as a store- house and was finally torn down, and its site has since been used as a garden.
One of the tenants in the old Hibbard shop was Ebenezer Stevens, a blacksmith by trade but who at one time operated the saw-mill near Wing Road long known by his name as Stevens' ' mill. He erected the first blacksmith's shop on Saranac Street in 1849, and in partnership with David Bean was in business here a little more than two years, when Mr. Stevens changed the old potashery into a shop. Mr. Bean continued to work with him until a cinder from the anvil penetrated his thigh, inflicting a wound which caused blood poisoning and resulted in his death in August, 1854. Mr. Stevens went to Maine to reside in 1858.
About the time Mr. Jones left the shop before referred to Lewis L. Merrill built the stone shop and worked there until fail-
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ing health compelled him in 1851 to seek less laborious work, when he exchanged his village property witli Dr. Burns for the farm ad- joining the old meeting-house. Since his time the shop has had many tenants ; among them, Daniel Patterson, Ezra and Charles W. Keniston. Charles H. Applebee, the present owner, has occu pied the premises since 1883.
From the time of the retirement of Levi F. Ranlet the old Ely shop passed through the same changeable conditions as to its possession as have attended all others when expansion brought its varying changes in village growth. The brothers William and Collins M. Buchanan held a lease of the premises for a few years, and George Belknap was the last craftsman to use it for its original purpose. It then passed to Benjamin F. Wells, and is now used by Wells & Bingham, undertakers.
Truman Stevens was born in Barnet, Vt., and learned the trade of saddler and harness-maker at St. Johnsbury with Captain Martin. Before entering into business he was employed by the Fairbanks Company, then just starting their scale business, and travelled for the firm as a salesman two or three years. In June, 1824, he was united in marriage to Malvina A. Carleton, of St. Johnsbury, and the next year came to this town, which was ever after his home.
It is not certain, but it is quite probable, that he was the first of his trade to engage in business in this town. He was of a specu- lative turn of mind and a keen observer of men. He was restless over what he regarded as wasted opportunities to improve individ- ual fortunes and advance the interests of the town by employing the water power then running to waste in manufacturing enter- prises ; but he failed to make an impression on his townsmen in this cause. When, in 1828, Henry A. Bellows and George B. Red- ington located here, he found in them congenial spirits socially, politically, and in the desire to promote business enterprises. In company with Major Little, they were interested in several proj- ects, among them a contract to introduce the Fairbanks scale into England and the building of the Woollen Factory in 1839. In those years Mr. Stevens gave more of his time to these affairs than to his trade as a harness-maker. These Littleton men failed to accomplish their purpose in the several enterprises, not for want of merit or of skilful handling on their part, but owing to that insuperable obstacle of having moved in advance of their time. They paid the penalty, yet lived to see others gather the harvest of wealth for which they had prepared the ground.
When these business schemes had borne him down financially,
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Mr. Stevens returned to his bench, industriously pursued his vocation and amassed a modest competence. He was averse to discussing the enterprises with which he had been prominently connected and never again acted the part of a promoter. It can be said of Mr. Stevens and his associates that in building up the several manufacturing concerns with which they were connected they hazarded their fortunes and assumed obligations that in the event of failure were likely to become a lasting financial burden.
Mr. Stevens was a man of medium height and frame, with strong yet fine features and ruddy face. In manner he was quiet, reserved, and dignified ; a gentleman of what is commonly termed the " old school." He had read much, and his knowledge was of a quality worth possessing. Mrs. Stevens was a handsome and accomplished woman, and her house was at one time the centre of the social and intellectual life of the village.
The noted abolitionist, Natt Allen, entered the shop of Mr. Stevens as an apprentice, and after mastering the trade did business here on his own account until 1844, when he went to Lowell, Mass.1
John G. B. Stevens located in town and opened a harness shop in 1841. He was a brother of the wife of Silas Parker and a man of character. Before coming here he had been a deacon of the Congregational Church, and was quite active in that religious organization during his brief residence here. He died in 1843.
A marked increase in this particular branch of business began about 1850, and continued for a quarter of a century, since which time it has maintained its manufacturing and commerical impor- tance. The rough farms of the early settlers and their immediate successors could not be tilled with horses, and until about 1850 every farm in town was cultivated by the use of oxen. So too the team work in lumbering was largely done with oxen. With farms cleared of stumps and stones, horses were substituted for this service and the change wrought a corresponding increase in the harness business. The enlarged field and opportunity came to the attention of Asa Coburn, then of Penacook, and in 1855 he rented the tenement built against the east side of the Yellow Store, and from the beginning did a considerable business. He subse- quently moved into Paddleford's building, but during the last years of his business career was located in Union Block. Mr. Coburn's sons George C. and Charles R. were in business with him at different times, the last named becoming his successor.
1 Something concerning Mr. Allen will be found in the chapter entitled " Anti- Slavery " in Vol. I. of this work.
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Asa Coburn soon became a public character in that modest way which some men have of attracting attention without seemingly desiring to win popularity or to hold public office. He never im- pressed those who knew him as a man of strong will or positive opinions ; in general conversation he was apt to assent to the views of those with whom he conversed, especially when they were stated with an air of conviction. Yet no one could have held more firmly to political opinions, or rather to party associations, than this man who was more than disposed to agree with you in all things else. For nearly fifty years he was an omnivorous reader of the organ of his party published in Boston, and to him, at least, everything printed in its columns was law and gospel, and in time he came to be an indiscriminate reflector of its state- ments of opinions, facts, and fancies. This mental trait attracted to his shop many who desired to keep in touch with the drift of political events without personal investigation, and it soon became the headquarters of many of his political associates. This coterie in 1889 presented his claims for nomination as a candidate for Representative, and, failing that, he was placed upon his party ticket as a candidate for delegate to the Constitutional Convention and elected.
The kindliness and amiability that were his most characteristic traits led him to tender his services to the afflicted, and for many years, until the undertaker made such offices a part of his busi- ness, Mr. Coburn was relied upon to attend to those last sad duties which humanity imposes of preparing the dead for interment. This was a call he never declined by night or day. He was one of those useful, unobtrusive citizens whose self-sacrifice on all occa- sions came to be expected and was accepted as a matter of course without comment, as it was tendered without expectation of reward.
When James H. Smalley left the service of the White Moun- tains Railroad, where he had served as fireman, he returned to the trade of harness-maker which he had learned at Wells River, Vt. He carried on the business of an upholsterer at the same time. At the death of Truman Stevens being in his employ he purchased his stock in trade and has since been in the business on his own account.
The only other contemporary harness-maker is Lewis Strong, who has been located here since 1896. He occupies the shop in Paddleford, or Odd Fellows', Block, formerly tenanted by Asa Coburn.
A craft akin to art is that of producing portraits which had its origin in the discovery of Daguerre, who was the pioneer in the
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art of photography. The first practitioners of the art in the town were itinerants who in their travels would stop here for a few weeks or as long as the patronage was satisfactory. Their studio was built somewhat like a car, and was set on wheels and drawn by horses from place to place as the exigencies of the business required. The first to visit this town came about 1847 or 1848, and found a temporary site in the street opposite the Bellows store. Nearly every season thereafter until an artist became a fixture, the itinerant's car was to be found opposite one of the hotels. Mr. Sheppard, of Newbury, Vt., an accomplished ambro- typist, was the most frequent of these visitors in the fifties.
Among the first, and probably the first, of these craftsmen to open a permanent studio here was O. C. Bolton, who in 1859 had rooms fitted up for his business in the attic of the Gile build- ing. Among his pupils were Edward Kilburn here, and John Smillie at Barnet, Vt., who in turn became his successors at this studio. Mr. Bolton continued here a few years, then sold to Mr. Kilburn, who conducted the business until 1868, when he engaged in the stereoscopic-view manufacture in the building known as the Dow store which had been erected for that purpose, and Mr. Smillie purchased the business that had been conducted at the Gile studio, and for about fifteen years continued it, - a longer time than any other person has found it profitable to remain in this line.
In 1871 William W. Weller, who had acquired the art, had rooms in Tilton's Block. He did not remain more than two years, and after one or two changes the rooms were taken by George H. Aldrich. Mr. Aldrich did a successful business and added to it the line of stereoscopic views previously published by F. G. Weller. From this time these rooms were usually oc- cupied by a photographer. In 1882-1883 John Ready, an artist in colors as well as with the camera, had these rooms. Later he went to northern New York, where he has made a name for himself as an artist in his business.
Among the pupils who acquired the rudiments of the art with Mr. Aldrich was E. F. Hall, who in July, 1883, opened a studio in rooms over L. D. Sanborn's furniture store. He remained here until 1889, when he purchased a studio in Buffalo, N. Y., where he has an extensive business and a reputation as a photographic artist among the best in the land.
When Mr. Hall retired, his studio was purchased by Charles F. Bingham, who was not familiar with the business. Jesse B. Kitchen, an excellent workman, became his operator. In 1891 Mr.
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Bingham sold to Marshall D. Cobleigh, who retained the services of Mr. Kitchen. Prior to the death of George H. Aldrich Mr. Cobleigh had purchased the portrait part of his business. While in this studio Mr. Cobleigh pursued the study of the law, and has since his admission to the bar been in successful practice of the profession at Lebanon. He sold the business here to James H. Blake, a young man well calculated to make it a success.
The bakers, though an ancient craft, were a long time in gaining a foothold in the town. Long before an effort was made to localize the trade such products as were required and could not be baked in the different forms of domestic ovens were supplied by E. K. Smith, of Hanover. Old residents will remem- ber his method of distributing crackers, which were about the only product of the baker's art that found a sale in this market. A long wagon with high slatted sides was filled with a dozen huge baskets, some six or seven feet in height, braided square, and each calculated to hold about eight barrels of crackers. From these the merchant's supply was taken. Crackers were not the only freight this wagon carried. Packed away in a box and partly under the seat were brown paper packages of stick candy, sugar hearts, kisses, lemon drops, peppermints ; sometimes one or two other varieties were carried, but those named constituted the stock in trade. For years there was little variety in form or quality ; there was a time, however, when the round sticks with spiral bands of bright colors were replaced with a flat broad stick with the colors running lengthwise. At every store the purveyor found a purchaser for these goods. This method of distribution was continued some years after the cars ran to the town, but was abandoned in the early sixties.
The first attempt to establish the baker's business here was made by Amos Lovejoy in 1868. He built a shop for that pur- pose at the northwest corner of Main and Auburn Streets, now the residence of Ora A. Mooney, and filled it with approved ovens and machinery. He ran it with indifferent results for a little more than a year, when he sold to his brother Warren, who increased the output and did a business that should have shown an ample financial income on the investment, but the funds passed through too many hands before they reached the proprietor, and he became discouraged and sold to James A. Callahan, who coura- geously continued the business for two years, then abandoned it as a failure.
In 1880 William A. Matthewson, a man of much experience in the business, rented the building on Main Street formerly occu-
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pied by the Saranac Glove Company, and put it in excellent shape for a bakery. This enterprise was fairly successful. Its proprie- tor was not only a fine workman but a man of more than ordi- nary business ability. But he had an opportunity to take the large and well-established business of his father at Cambridge, Mass., and this led to closing out the business here. He was followed at the same sliop in 1884 by John Smillie, who operated the plant less than a year. It was once afterward run for a few months, when it was dismantled.
In 1894 Charles Connor opened a bakery at No. 2 Opera Block, and conducted it until he sold to Charles S. Morgan, who in turn sold his interest to Jackman & Clough (H. Ashley Jackman and Frank L. Clough). In 1897 Mr. Jackman disposed of his inter- est to Charles C. Clough, and the business was continued by Cloughi Brothers until it was purchased by Charles H. Morrill in 1899, who continued it until 1903, when he removed to Berlin, where he is now in the same business.
When Harrington & Co. built their block on the site of the old Gile building, they put in a bakery which they conduct in connec- tion with their grocery business.
Within the year Edward H. Bilodeau has removed his plant from Whitefield to this town and is now established in the build- ing formerly known as the Cottage Hotel. He is a master of his craft and gives every part of the business his personal attention.
The marble business, especially that branch of it connected with monuments, has not been successful here until within a recent period. As long ago as 1867 Robert Jenkins, of Haverhill, located a branch here, but the venture was not profitable and the plant was taken to Haverhill. Another endeavor to establish the business was made by Nathaniel W. Cheney about 1874 and with a measure of success, but it did not become a fixture in our list of business enterprises. In 1880 Zelotes Stevens came from Concord and set up an establishment which has prospered from the first. In 1885 Hiram O. Stevens purchased an interest in the business, and in a short time thereafter his son Herbert D. took over the interest of Zelotes Stevens, and the firm of H. O. Stevens & Son has continued with increasing prosperity, and this line seems at last to be firmly established in town.
The tanning of hides was one of the primal industries of every New England village. This industry was founded in this town before the beginning of the last century by Peter Bonney, who was a prominent citizen for many years, a leader in business and public affairs. In 1835 he sold to Otis Batchelder, who con-
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ducted a successful business at this stand for more than thirty years. Then came in succession Calvin J. Wallace, Silas and Ira Parker, before the property passed to Royal D. Rounsevel, who, though not a craftsman, carried on the business for some years, when, like most old-time industries, it was driven to the wall by the compelling power of combinations.
It is a remarkable fact that each of these tanners was in his day among the most prominent of our citizens. No roof in town sheltered for so many years an equal number of men who may be regarded as among the influential citizens of Littleton. Peter Bonney received all the offices the town could give ; Otis Batchel- der belonged to the minority party when the Whigs were in power, and when that party was overthrown by the Democrats he was found in the ranks of the defeated battalion, so none of the political honors fell to his lot. Nevertheless he had a considerable influ- ence, and was long a trial justice at a time when the position was deemed one of honor. Calvin J. Wallace held many town offices and was highly respected in the church, in business circles, and in political affairs. The Parkers were both elected to repre- sent the town in the General Court and were for years among the most respected of our citizens. Mr. Rounsevel has been active in business and politics, and was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1889. Nor is this all. Away back in the days of Mr. Bonney he had as an apprentice a young man by the name of Nathaniel S. Berry, who after having acquired the trade removed from town and subsequently was honored by his fellow-citizens with many offices, - a Representative, several times a Senator, Judge of Probate for this County, and Governor of the State in the time of the War. It is seldom that so restricted a craft has pro- duced in one town so many men who were important factors in the affairs of the community.
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