USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Manchester > History of Manchester, formerly Derryfield, in New-Hampshire : including that of ancient Amoskeag, or the middle Merrimack Valley, together with the address, poem, and other proceedings of the centennial celebration of the incorporation of Derryfield at Manchester, October 22, 1851 > Part 61
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Capital,
$1,800,000
HANDS EMPLOYED.
Males,
750
Females,
1250
Mr. Lord was succeeded as Superintendent of the Printing Department, by C. H. Dalton, Esq., who commenced his charge of the establishment, January, 1, 1854. Under his care the 41
574
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
department more than sustains its former reputation, and the goods printed at this establishment, in neatness of design, and beauty of colors, are doubtless superior to any produced in this country.
The officers for 1856, are
OLIVER DEAN, President. CHARLES AMORY, Treasurer. J. S. SHANNON, Clerk.
OLIVER DEAN, DAVID SEARS, J. C. HOWE, GEORGE HOWE, NATHAN APPLETON, WM. AMORY, S. R. PAYSON.
Directors.
RESIDENCE OF H. FOSTER, ESQ.
575
EFFECTS OF THE WAR.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Effects of the war upon manufactures .- Stickney's canal .- A Factory. - Embar- rassments .- Town petition for leave to send a representative .- Presidential election. - War of 1812 .- Great excitement at Piscataquog .- Arrest of Wm. P. Riddle, William Hall, Col. John Carter, Sergeant McCoy, and others .- Town permitted to send a Representative .-- Presidential election .- Division of School Districts, Nos. 1 and 3 .- Presidential election .- Population of Manchester .- Arrest and conviction of Daniel D. Farmer .- Death of Gen. Stark .- The controversy regarding the Mammoth Road .- Presidential elec- tion .- Population of Manchester .- Mammoth Road again .- Presidential election .- Build Mammoth Road .- Small Pox .- Old Meeting House altered into a Town House .- Presidential election .- Substitute for part of Mam- moth Road .- Insane Asylum,-Candia Road .- Additional Highway Dist- ricts .- Vote to buy a Town Farm .- Committee and money raied .- Commit- tee to make new school Dietricts .- Sale of lots by the Amoskeag Manufac- turing Company .- Town meeting to make additional municipal Regulations. First boards of Firewards and Police .- Annual town meeting of 1840 .- Attempt to adjourn .- Excitement .- Choose Constables -Choice of Select- men .- Justice Stark's remarks .- Laying out of Elm, Bridge, Lowell, Con- cord, Amherst, Hanover, Manchester. Pin', and Chestnut streets .- Lay- ing out of Harvey or Nutt road .- Population .- Presidential election .- Committee chosen on Town House, and Cemetary Lots .- Meeting as to these lots, at Washington Hall .- Deeds submitted from the Amoskeag Mannufacturing Company .- Deeds accepted .- Vote to hold next meeting in Baptist Church, on Manchester street .- Accept deeds again from Company. New Town House Lot .- Order Cemetary lot to be fitted up .- Vote to build Town House, raise money for the same .- Town Meetng as to Town Farm .- Town House, and Pound .- Calef Road laid out .- Vine street, and various back streets laid out -. Reservoirs .- School houses at Nos. 6 and 9 built .- Annual meeting of 1843 .- Vote to adopt certain chapters of the Revised Statutes .- The Hooksett Road laid out .- Town Meeting June, 1843 .- Vote to prosecute all persons who violate the license law, -to make the house on Town Farm a house of Correction .- Town Hall destroyed by fire .- Town Meeting Aug. 30 .- Vote to build Town Hall .- Vote as to the feasibility of bringing water into the town .- Twon Meeting of September 17, 1844 .- Reservoirs. - Presidential election. - Courts to be held here .- Committee on Common Sewers .- Murder of Jonas L. Parker .- Application for a city char- ter .- Vote to build Sewer from Bridge street to Granite street .- City Charter accepted.
While the Manufacturing interest was thus thriving in this neighborhood and town, there was a corresponding thrift notice- able in most other interests connected therewith, although from the commencement of Manufacturing in 1810, to 1815, and per- haps to 1820, the difficulties with Great Britain had a visible effect upon the progress of the place. The stagnation of busi- ness incident to the war in the section of country bordering up- on the Merrimack, above Amoskeag, had a decided effect upon
576
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
the business of this place, as aside from farming, most of the people were directly or indirectly connected with the naviga- tion of the river, or with the manufacture of lumber. But in a few years after peace was proclaimed, business again revived, and at length, the renewal of the manufacturing interest at Amoskeag in 1825, and its subsequent continuous increase, has produced a thrift in the place, at once surprising and unparal- lelled. After Judge Blodget's decease, his heirs, under the di- rection of his grandson, Thomas Stickney, Esq., attempted to finish the canal, and to carry out his plans of improvement. To further this end the grant of a lottery was obtained from the Legislature, as has been already named. Mr. Stickney proposed to commence manufacturing of some kind, and for this purpose built or completed a short canal, leading from the river below the main falls into the old and disused canal. At the foot of this canal, and directly across the old canal, he fitted up a building, two stories in height and 42 feet in length by 18 feet in width for a mill. But the project failed, and it is not known what sort of manufacture was proposed to be prosecuted in the mill. The building was moved to the east. side of the canal and is still standing. At length, after attempt- ing to save a portion of Judge Blodget's estate, which was left much involved, Mr. Stickney became embarrassed in his pe- cuniary affairs, and returned to Boston, and the estate passed in- to other hands. Mr. Stickney is remembered as a gentleman of courteous manners, of sanguine temperament and of great energy, and it is probable that at some other more appropriate time, he might have secured a fortune out of his grandfather's estate. But the war of 1812 ruined his prospects.
At the annual meeting in Manchester, March 12, 1811, it was
"Voted to petition the Legislature to have leave to send a Representative."
"Voted John Stark, Jr., Isaac Huse and Capt. Dwinell, be said Committee."
The petition was presented, but without success.
At the Presidential election holden Nov. 12, 1812, the vote for Electors in Manchester was thus :
John Langdon, 59
John Goddard, 42
Timothy Walker, 59
Oliver Peabody, 42
Richard Dame, 59
Nathan Taylor, 42
Jedediah K. Smith, 59
Timothy Farrar, 42
577
EXCITEMENT AT PISCATAQUOG.
Benjamin Pierce, 59
Benjamin West, 42
Amasa Allen, 59
Samuel Hale, 42
Nahum Parker, 59
Caleb Eillis, 42
Abel Merrill,
59
Jonathan Franklin, 42
The ticket receiving the least number of votes i: Manchester was successful in the State, and its electoral vote was thrown in opposition to Mr. Madison, who was again successful.
But very few soldiers enlisted into the service during the war of 1812 aside from those who volunteered to furnish the quotas required from the town. Of these there were Nathaniel Merrill, Roger Stevens, James Saunders, Joseph Davis, Archi- bald Gamble, John Babson, and William and David Hardy. Da- vid Hardy, died at Plattsburg, January 21, 1814.
During the war of 1812, party spirit raged with violence, and nowhere in a greater degree than in New Hampshire. The people of this day can have no idea of the acrimony that ex- isted. Many men of both political parties, seem to have been in a perfect phrenzy. This state of things often produced re- sults anything but honorable to the actors or to the state. Col- lisions betwixt the citizens and the soldiers were frequent, and it must be confessed, that while the latter were often outrage- ously ill-treated, they in turn often transgressed the bounds of law and propriety. An affair took place in this neighborhood betwixt certain citizens and soldiers, that produced the greatest excitement, and in which the soldiers were clearly in the wrong. A worthless fellow by the name of Thompson, had been ar- rested on a demand of some forty dollars, and after applying to various individuals in this neighborhood to become bail for him without success, William P. Riddle, Esq., upon the ex- press guarantee of the sheriff, Mr. William Hall, that no harm should come to him by so doing, became his bail. This was in February 1813, and in a few days an execution was issued from the court at Amherst for the demand. Meantime Thomp- son had gone to Concord, and enlisted in the volunteer regi- ment under Col. Aquila Davis, Lieut. Col. John Carter, com- manding. This regiment used the "Carrigan house," near the north end of Main street in Concord, as their barracks. The execution was put into Mr. Hall's hands, and in company with Mr. Riddle, he went to Concord for Thompson. Thomp- had seen enough of soldiers' lite, and was quite willing to come away with the officer. Accordingly in the afternoon, Riddle rode up to the barracks, found Hall and Thompson upon the street, and they got into the sleigh, and came to Bedford. It being
578
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
late, Thompson was put in the hands ot Mr. James Griffin as keeper, the sheriff intending to take him to Amherst the next day. Late that night, Sergeant McCoy with a corporal and three men, came to Amoskeag Village, with orders to appre- hend Thompson, and Messrs. Hall and Riddle. William Hall boarded with his brother, Robert Hall, Esq. The soldiers cal- led at Hall's house, and upon being refused admission, they broke in the door, and entered the house. They then proceed- ed to search the house, and conducted in an outrageous manner, sticking their bayonets into the beds, and cursing, swearing and behaving in so boisterous a manner, as to drive the women from the house for protection. They at length found William Hall, arrested him, and then went to Piscataquog Village, in search of Thompson and Riddle. Mr. Riddle slept at his store and McCoy knocked at the door and requested him to get up. Riddle getting up, asked, "Who's there ;" upon which McCoy replied "a friend" ; but Hall made answer, "soldiers from Con- cord." Upon this they seized Hall and commenced beating him. Riddle then opened the door and they left Hall and went into the store and arrested him. The next morning, Hall and Riddle went to Concord in charge of the corporal and two of the soldiers, McCoy and the other soldier staying behind to find Thompson. At Concord, Riddle and Hall were taken to the guard-house and afterwards to the barracks, where after wait- ing a while, they were discharged,-but refused to leave unless satisfaction was given them. After awhile, Col. Carter finding he had been too hasty, promised to pay them $25 for their time and trouble, and let the matter drop. They acceded to his pro- posal and left.
At this time, some twenty or thirty of the leading citizens of Bedford had arrived at Concord and excitement ran high. How- ever, the matter had been adjusted and they returned home. Soon after, Robert Hall obtained a complaint against McCoy, and his men for breaking into his house. 'They were arrested upon the complaint, bound over, and for want of bail were committed to the jail at Hopkinton. A complaint was then made out by the District Attorney, against Messrs. Hall and Riddle, for "man stealing," returnable before Judge Walker, at Concord. Upon the return day, the respondents appeared, but Judge Walker refused to sit in the case, and they were dis- charged. Upon this, a complaint was made out against Col. Carter, for false imprisonment of Messrs. Hall and Riddle. His examination came off at Piscataquog, before John Stark, Jr., and Jonathan Gove, Esqrs., who ordered him to appear
579
EXCITEMENT AT PISCATAQUOG.
at the Court of Common Pleas, next to be holden at Hopkin- ton. Col. Carter gave the required bail, and here the matter ended ; for the Col. was soon after ordered to the frontier, and the case was continued from Term to Term, until after peace was declared, when he paid Messrs. Hall and Riddle their costs, and the case was stricken from the docket. The other parties did not come off so well. Thompson who was the cause of all this trouble, escaped from his keeper Griffin, who had secret- ed him in his barn, intending to elude the officers of the army, and his bail ; but after their return from Concord, Messrs. Hall and Riddle got track of him, and took him in Londonderry. He was carried to the jail in Amherst, where he lay until he was let out upon taking the poor debtors' oath. McCoy and his party were kept in jail through the summer, and thus they were left behind by the troops upon their march to the frontier. At the Court in the fall, they were tried, and fined, and it is be- lieved, that after remaining in jail a short time, they were dis- charged by the Court.
It may well be supposed that this affair caused the greatest ex- citement in the neighborhood, and in fact, all the interior of the State. The examinations at Piscataquog and Concord were at- tended by large numbers of the friends of the parties, all under more or less of excitement. General Riddle informs me that his bill for the entertainment of his friends at Gale's tavern, for a day and a night, was one hundred dollars. Quite an item for those days of cheap fare and low charges. It was a ques- tion of military and civil predominance, and each party seems to have carried things to the greatest length, and officials put themselves greatly upon their dignity. At the court in Piscata- quog, held by Messrs. Stark and Gove, Col. Carter, the respon- dent, appeared in full uniform, with his side arms. This was considered as improper by the Court, and they ordered the Con- stable, Mr. Joseph Patten, to see that Col. Carter laid aside his sword. Patten was a very stern man, with a loud, harsh voice, and his manner is now well recollected, when without ceremo- ny, he executed the order of Court, by saying in his determin- ed manner, "Col. Carter, take off your side arms !" The Colonel complied, and the Court proceeded with the examination.
At an adjourned Meeting held in Manchester March 19, 1816, it was
"Voted to make up ten dollars per month to the draughted soldiers in 1814."
In 1815, the Legislature granted to this town the privilege
580
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
of choosing a representative, and at the annual meeting, March 12, 1816, Isaac Huse, Esq., was chosen to represent the town in the Legislature, the first representative from the town apart from some district.
The Presidential election occurred on the 4th day of Novem- ber 1816. The vote in Manchester was thus :
Thomas Manning, 61
John T. Gilman, 17
Benjamın Butler, 61 Nathaniel A. Haven, 17
William Badger, 61
Samuel Hale, 17
Amos Cogswell, 61
Robert Means, 17
Richard H. Ayer, 61
Thomas Bellows, 17
Jacob Tuttle, 61
George B. Upham,
17
Thomas C. Drew, 61
Benjamin J. Gilbert, 17
Dan Young,
61
William Webster, 17
The electoral vote of the state was thrown for James Mon- roe, the successful candidate.
In 1817, attempts were made to divide several of the school districts. They succeeded in dividing Nos. 1 and 3. voting that No. 1 be divided according "as said district do agree, and that all those living below Joseph Moor's be a school district." A school house was located and built the same year in district No. 3, "at the intersection of the roads on the Plain west of Jonas Harvey's Mills."
The Presidential Election came off Nov. 6, 1820, and the balloting in Manchester was thus :
William Plumer, 25
Timothy Walker, 1
David Barker, 26 William A. Kent, 1
William Fisk, 25 George Hough, 1
Samuel Dinsmore, 25
John West, 1
John Pendexter, 25
Benjamin Gale, L
Nathaniel Shannon, 26
Levi Hutchins.
1
Ezra Bartlett, 25 William Stickney,
1
James Smith of
Isaac Hill,
1
Grantham, 26
Thomas Chandler, 1
Richard H. Ayer, 1
The electoral vote of the State was cast for James Monroe, who was elected.
The population of the town in 1820 was 761, an increase in ten years of but 46 inhabitants.
On the 5th of April, 1821, this town was thrown into great excitement, by the news that one of its citizens, Daniel D. Farmer, had committed the crime of murder in the adjoining town of Goffstown. It was charged that he had killed Mrs.
581
MAJ. GENERAL STARK.
Anna Ayer, of that town, at about 9 o'clock on the previous evening, by striking her upon the head. He was arrested and upon examination was committed to jail. At the Court in Oc- tober at Amherst, he had his trial, at which the charge against him was proved, and he was convicted and sentenced to suffer the extreme penalty of the law, which sentence was carried in- to effect on the 23d of January, following. It seems that this Mrs. Ayer was a worthless woman, who had falsely sworn that she was enciente by Farmer. He called upon her to expostu- late with her upon the falsity of the charge, and getting excited by her continued reiteration of the falsehood, in the heat of passion, he struck the unlucky blow that resulted in her death. After the injury inflicted upon her, no attempt was made to save her life. A physician was not called until the next day ; and the doors and windows were left open, and the wind of a raw cold day was suffered to pass through the room, while the woman lay uncovered upon a bed and the wound completely exposed. In fact, an open window was within a foot or two of of her head. People from the neighborhood and the adjoining towns visited the house in crowds during the day, and were ad- mitted to the room without hindrance ; and on the day of ex- amination, some two or three days after the affray, the head of the woman was exposed to all who wished to see the wound, and the doors and the windows of the room were left open at will. Yet with all this neglect and exposure, the woman lived some nine days, and there is hardly a doubt in the minds of many intelligent people conversant with the facts of the case, that had the woman had proper medical attendance, she might have re- covered from the wound. It is needless to remark, that under such circumstances at the present day, the extreme penalty of the law would hardly be meted out to a person.
In May of this year, died at his residence in Manchester,
MAJOR GENERAL JOHN STARK.
The stirring events in the life of this gallant veteran, have been so fully narrated in the progress of this work, that little is left to be said of him in this place. Gen. Stark was the third* son of Archibald Stark, Esq., one of the early settlers of Der- ryfield. His father was a man of education, and imparted to his children such instruction, and such principles, at the fire- side, as few others upon the frontier, were able to confer upon their children. During Stark's boyhood, the remnants of the
*On page 181 on the authority of other writers, it is stated that he was the SECOND son ; but subsequent investigation shows that his brothers William and Samuel were both older than he.
582
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
Pennacook Indians were still in the Merrimack Valley, and made Amoskeag their annual rendezvous during the fishing season, and in fact in the earlier Indian wars, some of them were employed as soldiers by our government, and were enrolled with other soldiers. In this manner, young Stark, a hunter from position and necessity, became well acquainted with the habits of the Indians. This knowledge gave him a superiority over most of his brother soldiers in the war with the Indians and French that followed. However, this knowledge would have been to no great purpose, had it not been united in him with other qualities peculiarly befitting a soldier of those times. He was remarkable for the vigor and activity of the physical man. and hence for his capability in sustaining fatigue. Ad- ding to these, quick perception, indomitable energy, and re- markable decision of character, he was the soldier for the times in which he lived, and in fact, such qualities are the elements of success at any and all times. His success as an officer in the noted Rangers of the Seven Years War, gave him a popularity among the people at large. and the soldiers in particular, that placed him in the front rank as a successful soldier, upon the breaking out of the Revolution. It was this popularity among the sol iers that gained his services to the country, for if his appointment or promotion had been left to the politicians of the day, it is doubtful from the way in which he was treated by them, whether he could have succeeded to any command. Once at the head of a regiment, and in service, the battle field told the story of his bravery. His brilliant achievements at Bunker Hill, Trenton, Princeton and Bennington, have been related. It now remains alone to speak of his subsequent ser- vices in the Revolution, and of the close of his eventful life.
Early in 1778 he repaired to Albany and assumed the com- mand of the Northern Department, and remained there until or- dered to join Gen. Gates at Providence.
He passed the winter in New Hampshire, in urging forward recruits and supplies, but in the spring joined Gen. Gates at Providence.
In November, by Gen. Washington's orders, he joined him in New Jersey, and after a short time was sent by Washington to New England to make requisition for men and provisions.
In 1780 he was with Washington at Morristown and took part in the battle of Springfield.
Soon after, he was ordered to New England, collected a body of militia, and marched them to West Point.
Gen. Stark was one of the Court Martial who decided the
583
MAJ. GENERAL STARK.
fate of "Major Andre," and reluctantly, though in obedience to his duty. and for his country 's advantage, favored the sen- tence of death upon that brave, but unfortunate officer.
In 1781 he again took charge of the Northern Department. The country was overrun with robbers and tories, and he had but a weak and inefficient force, but his strict discipline and stern justice dealt out to spies and tories, soon brought things into better order.
The capture of Lord Cornwallis brought the war to a close, but Gen. Stark was ordered to New Hampshire for men and supplies.
The most of 1782 he was afflicted with a rheumatic com- plaint, brought on by long exposure, and was not able to join his command.
In 1783, however, he joined Washington, and soon after aided, by his counsels, in allaying those feelings of disquiet ex- cited by the treacherous Newberg Letters, among the officers and soldiers of the army. Upon News of peace, Stark bore the happy intelligence to New Hampshire, and forthwith retired to his farm at Derryfield, to enjoy that repose he so much needed.
But his active mind could not be at rest, and he engaged in all of those plans for the advantage of the town and State which were so necessary to be matured, and carried out by clear heads and strong nerves.
The unjust claim of the Masonian Proprietors to the lands betwixt a straight and a curve line, between the north east and north west corner bounds of the Masonian Grant, was first suc- cessfully opposed by him, and to his exertions, it was mainly owing, that the Legislature took the matter in hand, and es- tablished the claim of the State to the lands in question ; thus quieting hundreds of small farmers in the possession of their lands, and in the end adding largely to the funds of the State.
He was ever found upon the side of his country, and when, in 1786, discontent had ripened into open rebellion, and the Legislature had been surrounded by armed malcontents, the veteran Stark stood ready for the occasion, and would have volunteered his services, had not the insurrection been repress- ed by the judicious councils and determined action of the gal- lant Sullivan, who was, at that time, most opportunely, at the head of our State government.
He refused all civil office that would take him from his home, but in his native town, he was ready to serve his towns- men in any capacity, where he could be of advantage, and that did not trespass too much upon his valuable time.
584
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
Thus living, not for himself alone, but for his country, the veteran Stark passed into the wane of life, ever taking, as long as life lasted, a lively interest in every incident in our country's history. At length, suffering from the effects of a paralytic shock, at the extreme age of 93 years, 8 months and 22 days, the old hero departed this life on Wednesday, the 8th day of May, 1822.
The Friday following his death, his remains were interred with military honors, in a cemetry he had enclosed upon his own farm, a large concourse of people being in attendance, to witness the imposing ceremony, and to pay their last respects over the body of the man who had contributed so largely in filling "the measure of his country's glory."
The cemetery is situated upon a commanding bluff upon the east bank of the Merrimack, and over his remains his family have placed a plain shaft of granite, indicative alike of his sim- plicity and hardihood, upon which is inscribed "Maj. General Stark."
This simple stone points to his ashes alone, but his deeds are traced in deep-lined characters upon the pages of our country's history, while his memory is engraved upon the hearts of his countrymen.
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