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 72
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TREMONT SQUARE .- This is a beautiful Square betwixt Bridge, High, Union, and Pine streets, and contains 2 1-2 acres. It was deeded to the city Jan. 25, 1848, by the Amoskeag Man- ufacturing Company. Many of the original forest pines have been left upon it, and other ornamental trees have been planted upon it, which add greatly to its beauty, and make it though wanting any water scenery, one of the prettiest squares in the city. Fronting upon the west side of this square, are the resi- dences of Hon. Moody Currier, and the late Capt. Walter
RESIDENCES OF MOODY CURRIER, ESQ., AND CAPT. WALTER FRENCH.
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COMMONS.
French, forming one of the most beautiful villa scenes in the city, as seen in the accompanying view.
RESERVOIR SQUARE -This is a splendid Common in the north part of the City. In the centre of it is the Company's Reservoir, hence its name. This Square contains about 6 12 acres and is situated between Gore, Harrison, Oak, and Buzzell streets.
The Reservoir in its centre is 150 feet above Canal street, and is capable of containing 11,000,000 gallons, being 484 feet in length, from north to south, 234 feet in breadth from east to west, and 18 feet in depth. Water is forced from the Merrimack by pumps in the centre shops of the "Mechanics Shops." The Res- ervoir is enclosed by a picket fence, outside of which and on the rim of the Reservoir is a fine terrace furnishing a splendid promenade. The Square is set with trees, and when finished according to the liberal plan of its projectors, will be one of the most splendid Squares in this or any other city.
PARK SQUARE .- This Square is situated between Pine, Chest- nut, Park, and Cedar streets. It contains 3 1-2 acres. This Square is very level, and when finished will be a beautiful com- mon. Many of the original trees have been spared from the axe, and add much to its beauty.
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THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
t
CHAPTER XXVI.
ROADS, BRIDGES, AND CANALS.
Road from Chester .- Road over Perham's bridge to Londonderry .- From Falls to Centre .- To Archibald Stark's .- River road .- Road across Alewife Falls-From Merrill's Ferry to Manchester Centre .- From Hall's Ferry east .- From Centre over Oak Hill .- New river road laid out by order of Court .- From Haseltine mills to Manchester Centre,-From Manchester Centre to Londonderry .- To line north of Massabesic .- To Martin's Fer- ry .- Past the Grandison Morse place .- To river near Peter Mitchel's .- Road through Piscataquog .- Mast Road .- From McGregor's Bridge to Deer Neck .- Pawtucket Road .- To Andover Bridge,-To Chester south of the Massabesic .- Town divided into Highway Districts,-Streets .- Elm street. Hanover, &c .- Wards .- Blocks .- Merchant's Exchange, Smyth's, Stark, Cen- tral, Plumer's, Union, Merrimack, Granite, Ayer's, Museum .- Bridges .- Co- has, Amoskeag, Granite, Amoskeag Falls, Piscataquog. Ferries, Hadley's, Goffe's, Martin's, and Merrill's .- Amoskeag Canal .- Report of Directors of the Middlesex Canal .--- Lock on Piscataquog .--- Rail ways.
The first roads in this town were mere bridle-paths. Of these one from the Falls, past what is now known as Manchester Cen- tre, to the Cohas, and so on to Londonderry, and a second, di- verging from the first, south east of Tremont Square, and pas- sing through the Valley Cemetery, to the old red house near the Gas Works, thence to the Cohas at Goffe's Mills, and so on to Litchfield, were for a long time the principal roads in Harry- town. From these, paths diverged in various directions, for the accommodation of individuals. These roads were all built at individual and not public expense. It is possible, that the people of Chester and Londonderry, bore most of the expense of the construction of some of these, but still, no evidence has been found to show that this expense was a public charge.
RESIDENCE OF GEO. M. FLANDERS, ESQ.
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691
HIGHWAYS.
Upon the incorporation of the town, in 1754, the principal roads were laid out and recorded.
The first road laid out by the Selectmen was thus describ- ed and recorded ;
"October, 3, 1751, then laid out a highway, or tow.) Rhoad for the use and benefit of said town Beginen at the town line then Running By marked trees to william perham's land and then throwe said perham's land to the East End of John harvee's house to a Bridge Caled perham's bridge, then Running N. E. by marked tries to Barber liselie's land, then Running northly upon said lisley land to a pine tree marked H, then Eisterly a crose willem Ellete's land By marked trees to a Rhode recorded by Chester or as near to said marked trees as good grouend will allow not (e) said Rhoad is allowed and laid out three Rhoudes wide.
Daniel McNeil, Nathaniel Boyd, William Perham.
Selectmen."
This is the road leading from Londonderry across the Har- vey bridge, past the late Capt. Israel Merrill's farm to the road passing from the Gen. McQueston farm to the farm of Rodnia Nutt. William Perham lived on the Young farm ; John Harvey lived where Jonas Harvey now lives ; Barber Leslie lived on the "Harrison Weston farm," and William Elliot lived on the James McQueston farm.
This road was the continuation of a road down the Cohas from the outlet of the Massabesic ; and thus completed a direct avenue from Chester meeting house, around the ferry at the south end of the Massabesic, the Amoskeag Falls, and other points upon the Merrimack river.
The road laid out by Chester, extended from the Gen. Mc- Queston farm on the " Mammoth Road," to the Rodnia Nutt farm, following the general direction, and very nearly the same track of the road now leading from the " Mammoth Road," past Capt. Amos Weston's house to the Harvey road.
The same day the Selectmen laid ont a second road, thus described :
" Beginen at Chester line, at pine tree marked H, then running by marked trees to a Brige upon the Amoskige Brook where the Rhoad now gows, then by marked trees ase the rhoad now goes to Daniel McNeill's to a pine tree marked 136, or as nier to the marked tree as good ground will allow."
This was the road leading from the Falls to Manchester Centre. The Chester line crossed the road just beyond Halls- ville ; the Amoskeag Brook is the one that crosses the road just this side of Hallsville, and passes through the Cemetery ; Dan- iel McNeil lived not far from the intersection of Chestnut and Orange streets ; and the road laid out passed through Towles- ville, through the house lot of Col. Frank A. Brown, that of Wm. P. Newell, Esq., crossed Tremont Square, through the lot
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THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
of Mr. Charles Cheney, that of Mr. Shaw, and "the Acre" to the " pine tree marked 136."
A third road laid out the same day was described as follows :.
" Beginen at a pine tree marked 136 standing at the east eand of Daniel McNiells houes, from thence by marked trees to the wast eand of John Mc- Niells Barn, from thence to Amoskeag falls as the Rhoad is now troad, from thence as the Rhoad now goes to the wast eand of John Rihedels houes, from thence by marked trees to the eaist eand of Archibald Starkes houes as the Rhoad now goes, from thence by marked trees to a brook nowen by the name of Coborans brook, or as near to saide marked trees as good ground will allow."
This road passed west in the direction of Orange street ; crossed Elm street near the " Sand Banks ;" then took a north- westerly direction to John McNeil's house, who lived near McNeil street, about midway betwixt Elm and Canal streets ; thence it passed up the river to Archibald Stark's, the State Reform School farm, nearly as the road now runs.
The fourth road laid out the same day was described as fol- lows :
" Begining at Litchfield line at a dead large pich pine marked H, thence run- ning northerly as the Road now runes throw Thoms Clarks land to the Bank of the River, and so upon the bank of the Merrimak river till it comes to a bank of a small brook, then upon the bank of sd brook till it coms to a fordway over said rune, thence due north to Little Chohass Brook and down the dug- way and so to a grat white oke tree marked H, thence n : e. to the fut of the rig e. of the intervail, and so upon the fut of the rige to Grate Cohas Brook, then across sd brook near the rige foling till it git passt Goffe barn, then up the rige by marked trees about n : till it comes to the fall of the rige, and then sloping down the rige to the foot and so folloing as near the fut of the rige as the land will admit till it coms to a small brook, then cross the brook by the fut of the ridge to the hollow near Secombs house, and then esterly up sd hill to the top, and then runs north by foat of Rocky hill, and then north to Quimbys house, and then as the road to Skeutus brook, and so keeping the plain to a brook northerly and then norwesterly to a dugway in Abraham Merrill's lot."
This was the river road to Goffe's Falls and Litchfield. Rocky hill is the ledge below the junction of the Calef and river roads ; Skeutus brook is Fort brook ; and "the Dugway in Abraham Merrill's lot" was near the Gas Works, a passage dug through the sand hill from the plain above to the intervale. Abraham Merrill lived near the "Red house" by the Gas Works.
On the 25th of October, the same year, the Selectmen laid out another road, described thus :
" Then begining at Mickell McClintos on the eaist sied of the house where the fence is marked, then runing to a stump marked, then straight to a black chiry tree, then straight as the tree is marked into the Eallwife falls into the rhoad before mineshenod note. This is in exchange for a rhoad formerly laid out through Mickel MacClintos and Nathaneal Boydes lande."
Gillis lived probably near where John Huse now lives, and this road crossed the Alewive Falls, at the Haseltine place,
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HIGHWAYS.
thence to Michael McClintock's, who lived upon what is now known as the Gen. McQueston farm.
On the 27th of the following month, they laid out four more roads. The first is thus described :
" Begining at Daniell McNiells at a tree nomber 136, then runing sourldly by marked trees to Abraham Merrils dugway as straight by marked trees as good ground will allow to pich pine marked H."
This was a part of the river road to Goffe's Falls and Litch- field. It followed the road to Manchester Centre to a point a few rods southeast of Tremont Square, where it diverged and passed to the south, crossed Mile Brook east of Maj. Hiram Brown's house, thence it passed through the northwest part of the Valley Cemetery, crossed what is now Elm street a few rods this side of Amoskeag Brook, then down the bluff to Abra- ham Merrill's "dugway."
The second road laid out this day, commenced thus :
" Begining at the rhoad betwixt Thomas Gorge and Abraham Merrill's land, then runing eisterly on said line to Moss Willes land, thence easterly by marked trees as near to said marked trees as gool ground will allow to a brige in John Halls land to the north sied of hies fieldes, from thence to a rod lidinge from John Hall to Roabort Andrsons."
This road is the one that passes the Company's Hospital, and so on east to the " Mammoth Road."
The third road of the same day began at the
"Ferreywaye at a Eallem tree one the wan side and a pich pine one the other side, thence runing by marked trees to Bingmien Hidilis houes as near to said mark trees as good ground will allow, from thence running eisterly by marked trees to a brige in said Hidlies land, from thence by marked trees into a rhoad leiding from Daniel McNiells to John Goffe, then crossing said rhoad by marked trees easterly to a rhoad liding from John Hall to Daniel McNeills."
This road is entirely discontinued. The " Eallem tree" is supposed to be the one now standing north of Amoskeag Mill, No. 5, as Hall's Ferry was at that place. It passed Hadley's house, which stood near the intersection of Granite and Bedford sts. west of the Concord Railroad ; thence it passed northeasteriy to near the Manchester House, thence easterly, and crossed the Mile Brook betwixt Merrimack and Manchester streets, thence ex- tended east, crossing the Goffe's Falls road near Union street, and thence continued on in the same direction to the road lead- ing from the Falls to Manchester Centre, and known as the " Old Falls Road." Those recollecting the locality of the "Parker Murder" need not be told that it was on this road, then passing through a dense pine forest, but now recognized only by a few vestiges of it along the Back street betwixt Manchester and Merrimack streets, and east of Beech street.
The fourth and last road of this date commenced
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694
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
" 40 rhods north to ye of Robort Andrsons houes at a pine tree marked H, then runing northrly by mark trees to the eaiest eand of the oke hill sow calld, then northerly by marked trees to the town line to the wast end of Bushnel's hill, or as near to said marked trees as good ground will allow."
Robert Anderson lived where Charles and McGregor Hall now live, and this road is the one that leaves the Old Falls Road a few rods west of the school-house in District No. 7, and passes the houses of James Hall and Robert Stevens, unit- ing with the "Mammoth Road" just above where Hanover street crosses that road. The Mammoth Road passes over the track of this road to near the house of D. A. Bartlett. The old road then diverged westerly, passed the house now owned by M. D. L. Stevens, then extended north over the Oak Hill to the Johnson house, and so on to the town line, near Bush- nell's Hill, which is now mainly in Hooksett.
The first road laid out by the selectmen on the 27th of Nov., ~ did not satisfy the people living upon the river. They wanted a road near the bank of the river, instead of one farther east on the plains, for the purpose of hauling lumber past the Falls. Accordingly at the annual meeting, it so happened that John Goffe, Archibald Stark, and Alexander McMurphy, Esqrs., were chosen Selectmen of the town, the two former living on the river. As a vote of the town could not be obtained to discon- tinue the road laid out, recourse was had to the Court of Quar- ter Sessions, and a petition presented that Court, by a majority of the Selectmen as follows ;
To the Hon'ble His Majesty'r Court of General Quarter
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
"PROV. OF Sessions of the Peace to be holden at Portsmo., for the Province afores'd upon the First Tuesday of September, next Insuing.
The Fr tition of us, the Selectmen of Derryfield, Humbly sheweth, that we apprehend that it is greatly nessessary to have a County Road Laid out from the head of nameskeg falls un'o Litchfield, as near the river as the ground will admit, not only for the great Benefit of Travelors up and Down said River, but as our River has become a martime Plase for Transporting Timber, Plank and Board, we know severall who have been Injured very much, for the want of Said Road, and therefore we now Earnestly Pray your Honours to take the Premises into your Consideration and grant us such Relief as the Law in such Cases Directs and your Petitioners as in Duty bound, shall for ever pray.
Augt 20th, 1752.
JOHN GOFFE. ARCHIBALD STARK. Selectmen."
The prayer of the petitioners was granted and the Court is- sued the following order :
"Ordered by the Court, that Capt. Thomas Coburne, Robert Boyes, Esqrs. and Thomas Parker of Litchfield all in the Province of New Hampshire be and hereby are appointed a committee to Lay out the Way, above Requested & Represented to be Nessesary so as may be most Convenient for Travellors and to Enter that Due Satisfaction be given by the town thro which the said Way will Run to the Party through whose Lands the Same Shall be Laid and set forth the Same by Due Bounds breadth and other Descriptions as Will be suf-
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695
HIGHWAYS.
ficient to Assertain the Same and Likewise the Particular Sum of money they Shall award or adjudge the owner of any Land wh. shall be so Laid out as Satisfaction for such Land and make Return of your doings as soon as may be.
The committee attended to their duty, and laid out the road asked for, making the following report ;
"PROv'e CF ¿ We the Subscribers a Comitte appointed by their Hon- NEW HAMPSHIRE. Sours His Majestys Justices of the General Sessions of the Peace Holden at Portsmouth on the first Tuesday of September 1752, appoin- ted & Directed us the Subscribers to Lay out Certain Highway or Country Road in Derryfield In Said Province as minuted In the Petition of the Select- men of Said Town to Said Court and have Proceeded upon the business and have Laid out a highway or County Road in Derryfield from a Plase Called Whiting Brook at the head Namaskeag Falls Leading Southerly to Litchfield Line as Near Merrymack River as will be Accomadable which Highway is Bounded,-Discribed by the Return of Joseph Blanchard Junr Surveyor and Chairmen.
We the Comm tte are of oppinion that no Damages ought to be allowed to any Person whose Land the Road goes through in this town but think that they are Preveledged thereby.
THOMAS COBURN. ROBERT BOYES. THOMAS PARKER.
The action of the Selectmen and the Committee, gave great dissatisfaction to the majority of the people of the town, and at a special meeting, held Feb. 2, 1753, they voted not to pay any of the cost of the Court's Committee, amounting to £44,-and at the annual meeting held on the fifth of March following, Goffe and Stark were left from the board of Selectmen. The, new board of Selectmen petitioned the Legislature for redress as follows :
"To His Excell'y Benning Wentworth, Esq'r., Gov'r., and Comander in Chief In & Over his Majesty's Provce of Newhampshire And to the Honour- able his Majestys Coun'i & House of Repres'ves In General Court Assembled March the 17th 1753. The Humble Petition of Subser's Selectmen of Derry- field, of the Province aforesaid.
Thit whereas upon a petition of the Selectmen of Derryfield to His Majestys Court of Quar'r Sessions Dated Augt 10th 1752 the Said Sessions were pleased to appoint Cap't Thom's, Colbourn Robert Boyes Esqrs & Thom's Parker of Litchfield to be a Comittee to lay out the Road petitioned for by Said Select- men pursuant to which the Said Comittee have laid out said Road In a place where(In Case it Should Stand)it will tend much to the damage of the town In General and of particular Inhab'ts Considering the natural badness of the ground wch will require great Labour and Cost to make it a tollerable Road and Con- sidering also that it Cuts in pieces Some of the most Valuable Land and Impv'ts the purchase of wch will be chargable to the Town if Justice is done to the owners of Said Lind all wch will appr more Evid't to the Court by a Plan of Said Road & Land that will be produced along with this Petition.
May it please therfore please your Excell'y & Honours to give order that the Said Road be altered according as is laid down In said Plan wch will tend much more to the general good of the Town & your Pet'rs as In duty Bound Shall Ever pray, &c.
WILLIAM PARHAM. JOHN RIDDELL,
Select
ALEX. MACMURPHY.
men."
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THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
Upon this petition the Legislature appointed a Committee, consisting of Zebulon Gidding, of the House, and Richard Jen- ness of the Council, "to take a view of the two ways referred to in the petition." The Committee attended to their duty and Mr. Jenness' report is as follows ;
"Since I was By this Honreble house Desiered to lay befor this Genneral Cort in Riten my Report of the two highways at nameskeag in Deryfeld mr. Gidens and I went thar as the Gennerl Cort ordred to make Report which of the 2 highways set forth in a plan of the Said 2 highways or Both may serve the Town and Public Best.
and I am fully Satesffied the old highway as thay Call it may Be the Best highway it is higher and Dry Land for the most part the New highway By the River wants three or four Bridges and as for the Distances that is But a Little Dirfence the old highway must be Cept a oppen highway to Dery and haverl.
and I am of the opinon that it will be a Hardship with a witness to forse them pore men Setelers to Lay open a highway at present thro thar Corn felds and mowing Ground or above a mile of fence.
RICHARD JENNES."
Mr. Gidding's report is not to be found ; it is probable, how- ever, that he differed from Mr. Jenness, and reported in favor of the road laid out by the Court's Committee. Be this as it may, the subject being brought before the house, January 11, 1754, by Daniel Warren, Esq., the petition was dismissed, and the town had to pay costs and build the road. It is probable that it was a hardship to the people of the town, but there can be no doubt that the public good required the road. This road continued in use till 1840, when the part from Bridge street to the Hezekiah Young farm, now the Company's Hospital, was discontinued.
December 10, of the same year, the selectmen laid out anoth- er road, commencing
"At the Eliwife falls then a cros the Wastwater to the saw mill then begin- niug at the for minshined Ellwife falls, runing by marked trees throw John Houges land wher they formlay past a bout 40 Roudes to ye north of a bridge which is in said houges land, then a cros mathow Ramesy by marked trees on the north side of a whit Pine swamp to the Cornore tree Betwixt William gambles land and the said Ramesy lot which is a whit Eash then from thence By marked trees a crose the 18 lote and the 17 lote then a crose Broukoup land in waltore mac farlands land then by marked trees into a rhoad In John Halls land to the south of said Hall houes to marked trees as good ground will allow."
This road led from the Haseltine mill north westerly to where David Dickey 3d now lives; thence through the farms now owned by Samuel Gamble and Isaac C. Flanders, Esqrs., and so on to John Hall's house, near the meeting house. The most of this road was long since discontinued. A part of it from Dickey's to the Hazeltine mill is now used.
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HIGHWAYS.
July 6 1753, William Perham and John Riddell, as select- men, laid out a road,
"Bezinning at London Derry line at a pine tree marked H, one on the north sid of the Rhoud, thence running by marked trees to to thomas gillies house from thence to william mc Clintons house, by marked trees ase the rhoud his formerly trod from thence to John Hall land By marked trees in the ninth lot of land in the forth divishon in Chister then a crose John Hall land a poun the Eiest of the marked trees by the Eiest Eand of said Halls house then a cruoes Robert Andorsons land ase the highway hies been trod to London Derry line to a pine tree marked H, one the south side of the highway marked by the selectmen of Derryfield."
This road is the one now mainly in use to Derry, extending from Manchester Centre, past the McQueston farm, diverging to the east, at the McQueston house, across the Cohas, and so on past John Haseltine's house, the School House in District No. 9, and the houses of J. A. Webster, John Huse, and Wal- ter H. Noyes, to the town line.
The same day they laid out another road,
"begining at William Ellets Houes frome thence Runing a croues soume peart of said Ellets Land to Willtam m Clintos Land then a crose William mc Clintos Land as the rhoud hies bien trod to a rhoud Laied out and Lieding from London Derry by John Halls houes to amose Skiege fall :. "
This is the road leading from the Harrison Weston farm, easterly past James McQueston's to the Mammoth road.
March 1, 1755, William McClintock and John Hall as se- lectmen laid out a road,
"Beging at ye Road leading past Robert Anderson's & John Halls' said Road to Begin upon John Halls & Robert Andersons line so roning Esterly ye near- est & best way to the highway land to Rouning along said road to ye nore west corner of the sixtenth lot then East to the nore East corner of said lot from thence north the best way to the sow west corner of the thirty third lot then runing about nore East to ye Brook about ten rods below ye forard way then runing Easterly to the lot number thirty two."
This was the road leading from the falls road near Charles and McGregor Hall, to the town line north of the Massabe- sic. It is now known as the Old Road to Candia.
January 16, 1756, Daniel McNeil and John Harvey laid out a road "leading towards Suncook."
"Begining at a white oake tree at Colburns Brook so called and then extend- ing northerly by marked trees to the north line of sd Derryfield as near said marked trees as good Ground will allow."
Colburn's Brook is the one near the house of the late Amos Kimball, and this road is the one passing up the river to Mar- tin's Ferry.
All the roads laid out up to this date were three rods wide
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THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
September ye 1st 1758, a road was laid out,
"Beginning at the high way betwixt ye secound and third lot in the first Reange & runing southerlay between ye two lots to a Booge & so by marked trees a lounge the wast siead of ye Booge to a small Broock & southerlay by marked trees to Sezer Griefens land at ye norwast courner & so to hies house and so by marked trees to the lien Bet wixt London Derry & Derryfield."
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