History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 104

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1520

USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 104
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 104

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At this place is held the Sunapee Lake Spiritualist Camp-Meeting. The New Hampshire Spiritualist Association held here their eighth annual camp- meeting, commencing July 25th and ending Septem- ber 5th. The meetings had a very large attendance, especially on Sundays, as excursion trains were run

from Concord and from Claremont occasionally. The steamers also made regular trips from Sunapee Har- bor and Lake View Landing to this place on Sundays during camp-meeting. There is a pleasant grove ex- tending from the hotel to the steamboat wharf, a dis- tance of about seven hundred feet, with plank walks and fine drive-ways, which makes the situation very pleasant.

The Masonic fraternity hold their annual festivals at this place, also Posts No. 10 and 58, G. A. R., and two or three other Posts hold their annual reunion here, besides Odd-Fellows' picnics and reunion of bands, etc.

Sunapee Mountain House is situated on the north- ern slope of Sunapee Mountain, about two thousand feet above sea-level and about six hundred and fifty feet above the waters of the Lake Sunapee. The host is Nathan S. Johnson, Esq., whose farm contains about two hundred and fifty acres of excellent land, and is one of the best producing farms in town. The sur -. rounding scenery is grand and the view of the lake the best to be had anywhere, while the near moun- tains west, north and east and the cone of Mt. Wash- ington are in full view. At Newbury Station, very near the steamboat wharf, is the boarding-house of Albert A. Durgin. This cottage is new, with all the modern improvements in style and finish, and accom- modates from six to twelve boarders.

Several of the farmers of this town, especially in the north part, on the eastern shores of the lake, take boarders, more or less, during the summer months. Among these are Jonathan Rowe, J. H. Farmer, S. W. Dana, J. H. Blodgett and others.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

JAMES M. CILLEY.

Among the early settlers in that portion of Hamp- ton, now Seabrook, N. H., in the latter part of the seventeenth century (1694), lived Thomas Cilley, the emigrant, who married Anne, daughter of John and Mary (Bradbury) Stangan. His descendants have been marked for their strong qualities, many having distinguished themselves in various ways. Among these may be mentioned General Joseph Cilley, of Revolutionary fame; Bradbury Cilley, member of United States Congress; and Jonathan Cilley, also a member of Congress, who, in the early battles with the slave oligarchy, in 1838, was killed in the historic duel with Graves. One of the descendants of Thomas, Benoni, was born in Seabrook, and passed his life there. He also had descendants, one of whom, Ben- jamin, was a native of Seabrook, and married Betsey Edmunds, made his home, after marriage, in Weare, and here his son, Benjamin, Jr., was born. Benjamin Cilley, Jr., married Polly Emerson. She was of good

Jich billy

Moody Gillingham

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NEWBURY.

stock, descending from the Emerson family, whose progenitors came from England and settled in Amer- ica at an early date. Some gained distinction in the War of the Revolution, and the Emersons of every generation have been known to the public as individ- uals of activity and usefulness. Benjamin came to Newbury, N. H., and became an agriculturist. He was a sturdy, industrious man, of a healthy physique, and lived to the advanced age of ninety-two, and was a fair type of the good old New England farmer, now almost extinct. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Cilley were Stephen, Ezra, Moses, Benjamin, James M. and Sally. Of this family, only two survive; Ezra and Moses ; they reside in Newbury.

James M. Cilley, fifth son of Benjamin and Polly (Emerson) Cilley, was born in Newbury, N. H., Oc- tober 23, 1808. As his father was a farmer, James was taught all the practical details of farm-life, and ren- dered his father able assistance in his youth, and re- mained on the homestead, with the exception of a short period, which time he was engaged in teaching-

He married, December 16, 1835, Sarah B., daughter of Henry and Charlotte (Batchelder) Richardson, of Corinth, Vt. The Richardson family was among the early settlers of Massachusetts, and has numerous de- scendants in New England. The name of Batchelder is well known in New Hampshire as that of a good and honorable family.

Mr. Cilley always remained on the homestead, and, after the death of his father, he continued to be a farmer. His health was not robust : nevertheless, he was a man of industry and enterprise. The stern vir- tues, the rigid frugality and the unflagging industry always insisted on in the home-life of the plain farm- houses, supplemented by the limited, but intensely practical, learning gained in the district school, have furnished many generations of men of firm, clear and vigorous mind. These men have been a permeating force for good through all classes of our population. Mr. Cilley was a good representative of this class, a man of sound judgment and clear understanding, and he took a prominent part in matters pertaining to his native town. He held a commission of justice of peace for many years, besides serving as selectman and in other minor offices; all of the duties were done with the fidelity and faithfulness which characterized all his acts. He was a zealous and efficient member of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and was its clerk for over forty years. He was a Republican in politics.

True to his ancestral instincts, the military also had a charm for Mr. Cilley, and he became commander of the organization known as the Newbury Rifle Corps in the old militia days, thus obtaining the title of "Captain."

In the discharge of all the relative duties of life he was governed by a fixed determination to do what his conseience should dictate to be right. He died in Manchester, N. H., August 14, 1882, in the seventy- fourth year of his age. Mrs. Cilley survives him,

keeps her residence on the farm where they lived so pleasantly for so many years, and contributes this tribute to her husband's memory.

MOODY GILLINGHAM.

The first ancestor of the American branch of the Gillingham family was James, who emigrated to Salem, Mass., in the latter part of the seventeenth century, and May 22, 1692, he married Rebecca, daughter of John Bly, of Salem. They had a large family of children,-Rebecca, born February 10, 1693; Hannah, born July 22, 1694; James, born February 2, 1696; Benjamin, born September 7, 1697; Martha, born January 13, 1699; Deborah, born July 28, 1700 ; John, born January 19, 1704; Mary, born August 31, 1705; William, born December 26, 1706; Jonathan, born October 9, 1709; and David, born December 7, 1711.

James, son of James and Rebecca (Bly) Gillingham, came to Newbury, N. H., where he settled, and had several children. His oldest son, James, was twice married,-first, to Polly Little, of Sutton, who had three children, James, Daniel and Ruth; second, Betsey Lane, of Newbury. They had fourteen child- ren, namely,-John, Huldah, Joseph L., Sally, Madi- son, Moody, Sally, Ruth, Soranus, Triphena C., Triphosa J., Alzina E., Oliver P. and Bainbridge.

Moody Gillingham, son of James and Betsey (Lane) Gillingham, was born iu Newbury, January 21, 1811, on the old homestead. Being one of a large family of children, he was early accustomed to labor, and for the first twenty-five years of his life he was engaged in the quiet domestic scenes of agriculture on his father's farm. About this time he married Julia, daughter of Jeremiah and Marion (Peaslee) Twiss, of Newbury. She was born October 4, 1815, and died June 11, 1869. The children of Moody and Julia (Twiss) Gillingham were,-Charles H., born March 7, 1843; Albert L., born September 14, 1846; Free- man H., born July 26, 1850; Clara 1., born March 14, 1853. Charles H., married Elinda, daughter of John and Mary (Marriott) Maud, a native of England. They have had five children,-Maud C., Annie E., Mary A., Moody and Ralph B. Albert L., married, September 29, 1876, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Robertson ; they have one child, Lena M. Freeman H., married, October 29, 1877, Annie, daughter of Cumming and Caroline (Dowlin) Peirce, (the Peirce family is of English descent, and many of its members have attained honorable distinction ; Mr. Peirce, al- though eighty-four years old, is yet an active man). Clara I., married, February 4, 1883, Jesse P., son of Prescott and Helen M. (Hanks) Colby.

After Mr. (tillingham's marriage he left Newbury, and went to Warrensburg, N. Y., where he purchased a farm and remained for two years, devoting himself to its cultivation, when, the death of his father occur- ring, he returned to Newbury, and was a resident of

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

the town until his death, October 16, 1882, in the seventy-second year of his age.

Mr. Gillingham's political views were those of the Republican party, but he was so universally esteemed by his townsmen that, although the town was largely Democratic, he was elected selectman, and held the office for three years. He was strong, mentally and physically, took a deep and intelligent interest in public affairs, and exerted a great influence for good in the community, and his word and counsels were listened to with respect. He was a man of keen and quick intellect, of great ability in argument, in which he was rarely worsted.

He was broad and liberal in all his views, and, al- though not a member of any religious denomination, was favorably inclined toward the Universalist faith. From his ancestors, among whom were many good men and true, there descended to him many of the qualities that go to make up the sum of good citizen- ship and true manhood.

JOSEPH MORSE.

The name of Morse is one not unknown to the public, as many of that family have been prominent men of their day, and stood high in the realms of science and literature. Nearly a century ago a little band of brave-hearted pioneers left their homes in Newbury, Mass., and settled in Fishersfield, N. H., now known as Newbury. This was in February, 1795, and the coldest month usually of our New England winters. Among these first settlers were the Rev. Timothy and Sally ( Farmer) Morse, a worthy conple, who have left numerous descendants. They had eight children, several of them being born in Fishersfield,-Susannah B., Moses, Daniel, Joseph, Timothy, Stephen, Sally (1st) and Sally (2d). Susan- nah married Moses Morse, and had eleven children ; Moses married Betsey Cheney, they had six chil- dren ; Daniel married Hannah Gillingham, and was a prominent man in Newbury, and their children were Almira, Huldah, Sarah J. and Sprague A .; Timothy married Eliza Adams; Stephen married Lydia Gil- lingham, by whom he had six children, three of whom survive, namely, David M., Charles M. and Sarah E .; Sally (1st) died in infancy ; Sally (2d) married Ste- phen Emerson and had several children.

Joseph Morse, the third son of Rev. Timothy and Sally (Farmer) Morse, was born in Fishersfield, Sep- tember 11, 1795, and died November 1, 1871, aged seventy-six years. His childhood and early life were passed in the home of the pioneer, assisting in the sturdy labors of the farm, by which he acquired

a healthy physique and well-developed muscular strength. He cleared the timber-land, and by hard labor brought the rough soil into a good state of culti- vation, and built a log-house near where the home- stead now stands, which he erected many years after.

He married Sarah, daughter of William Sargent, of a reputable New England family. They had six children,-Joseph, Jr., Timothy, Harvey C., Mary J. (died young), Seth A. and Laura L.

Joseph, Jr., married Seba A. Thissell; they had two children-Sarah C. and Mary J. Timothy mar- ried, first, Mary Bly and had two children, one of whom is now living, John W .; second, Hannah Peas- lee; they have one daughter, Etta. Harvey C. mar- ried Helen M., daughter of Stephen Emerson; their children were Sarah L. (deceased), Frank P., Almira J., Elmer E. (deceased), Anna G., Page C. (deceased). Seth A. married Mary A. Hoag; they have had six children-viz., Sarah O., Marshall W., George M.,. Laura V., Lilla B. and Forestall. Laura L. married Ezra Cilley (2d) ; their children were Joseph E. (deceased), Wesley E., Sarah C. B. (deceased) and Almon B.

Mr. Morse was a man who was much esteemed by his townsmen. He was selectman, and represented Newbury in the State Legislature two terms, and was also a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1850, which was held for the purpose of amending the Constitution of the State.

Mr. Morse was a man of decidedly positive charac- ter, and possessed an unusual degree of pluck, per- sistency and push, and usually accomplished what- ever he undertook to do. He was a fine-looking man, of large stature, weighing over two hundred pounds, and of remarkable strength. An old friend of his, Jeremiah Morse, says: "No man could hew as much timber as Joseph Morse." He was born at a period in our country's history when the principal and the best thing to do was to clear the land and bring it in subjection, and he did a great work in this way for the town. He cut a large amount of timber, and the framework of many of the old houses was hewn by him. But clearing and tilling of the land and hew- ing of timber, while it strengthens and develops the physical nature, tends in no way to dwarf the mental powers. On the contrary, to have strength to work with the brain without injury, we must have a strong, healthful body, and many of the successful sons of the old Granite State owe an imperishable debt of grati- tude to their pioneer ancestors for the health and strength they have inherited. In his strong and useful way Mr. Morse contributed much to the town that will last, and his descendants are worthily proud of his accomplishments.

Joseph Mouse

HISTORY OF NEW LONDON.

BY HON. J. EVERETT SARGENT.

CHAPTER I.

ON the 25th of June, 1779, the Great and General Court of the State of New Hampshire passed an act incorporating the town of New London out of a tract of land that had previously been known as " Alexan- dria Addition." The town, as at first incorporated, contained much territory that does not now belong to it ; and, also, it did not contain considerable territory which now constitutes a part of it.

But although the town was not incorporated until 1779, it had been inhabited several years previous to that, aud in giving a historical sketch of the town it will be not only interesting, but proper and necessary, to go back as far as we can trace any step of the white man; and it would be in- teresting also, had we the means of doing so, to go even back of that, and to describe what savage tribes, what sons of the forest, what race of the red men for- merly frequented these hills and mountains, and tracked their devious ways through the dense forests that then covered these hills and valleys ; who hunted their game in these regions while the woods were yet unbroken ; and sailed upon our glassy lakes and ponds in their bark canoes, when as yet their waters had never mirrored forth the forms or the features of any of the race of pale-faces, the descendants of the English. But all the facts in relation to these times have perished from human memory, and all the tra- ditions in regard to former races of men who may have once, in the ages of the past, inhabited these re- gions, are forgotten and have passed away forever ; and we can only draw upon our imaginations to pic- ture the races of men, the modes of living, the habits, pursuits and characteristics of the people who may, at some distant day in the far past, have lived and labored, loved and hated, enjoyed and suffered, in these places which we now occupy.

Indian settlements in this town were far back be- fore any white man had knowledge of these localities. The Indian wars were over and the few scattering remnants of the race that remained had retired from the unequal contest, had ceased their depredations and left the State (except perhaps in the extreme northerly portion) before this town was settled, and we look almost in vain for any trace of them in this

region. The only name I found anywhere in the neighborhood that indicates that the Indians ever dwelt here is the name of "Sunapee" Lake. That name is unmistakably Indian. It means in plain English "Goose," and Sunapee Pond meant simply Goose Pond. The theory is that at some time in the past this lake was found to be a favorite resting-place for the Canadian wild geese, as they migrated from the regions of Hudson Bay southward at the approach of winter, flying, as they always do, at a great height, and, like a well-trained military company, following their leader in such a way as to describe the sides of a triangle with the angle in front, or, as our farmers would familiarly express it, in the shape of a harrow.

The size of the lake would cause it to be seen from a great distance on either side, and thus it would be sure to be sought as a place of rest and refreshment for a time by the wild geese, as they went southward in the autumn and northward in the spring, and we infer that the Indians were familiar with this fact, and hence the name "Sunapee,"-Goose Pond.

Doubtless the Indians were also familiar with the Little Sunapee Pond, in the northwesterly part of the town, and Messer's and Clark's or Harvey's Ponds, in the southerly part, and crossed the height of land and descended to Pleasant Pond, in the northeasterly part of the town. But, however that may be, one fact remains, which is that New London is the high- est land, or furnishes the dividing line between the Connecticut and the Merrimack Rivers, and it is said there are buildings in town from the roofs of which the water descends from one side to the Merrimack and from the other side to the Connecticut River.

I find this account of traces of the Indians in Sut- ton, near Kezar's Pond, in the northerly part of the town and not far from the line of New London. Sutton was then known as Perrystown and was settled first in 1767, some eight years before this town was settled, and it was stated of the early settlers there, that though no Indian was seen by them, yet it seemed as though he had just put out his fire and gone away as the white man came. His track was still plain and visible. On the west bank of Kezar's Pond were several acres of land which appeared to have been cleared by them of their original forests. Here were found several Indian hearths built with

421

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

stone, with much skill and ingenuity. Here was found an Indian burying-place. Gun-barrels and arrows have also been found here, and near the pond were found stone mortar-pestles and tomahawks.

It is certain that these regions were once, and that not long before the advent of the pale-faces, inhabited by the red man ; he hunted his game over these hills and encamped and lived on the banks of our Great Lake-Sunapee-and of our smaller ponds, nestling as they do in beauty among our hills. Large numbers of Indian utensils and arms have been found by Mr. James M. Pike and Mr. Amos Currier in the west part of the town near Sunapee Lake, leading us to believe that the Indians had a settlement on the border of the lake in that neighborhood, and that they had a track or path from such settlement down by Harvey's Pond to North Suttou, to Kezar's Pond. They also visited Little Sunapee Pond and had a settlement in the summer season on its easterly shore, and had a track or path from thence easterly over the height of land to the upper end of Pleasant Pond, where they also had another settlement, and where they had cleared up the forests on the intervale; and this clearing was the first place occupied by the white man in that part of the town. They were in the habit of hunting in summer all over our hills, and their arrow-heads of stone have been found by General McCutchins, by Mr. Nathan Pingree, Mr. Ransom Sargent and others, and a few years since Mr. Asa Ray plowed up an Indian gouge in the path leading from Little Sunapee to Pleasant Pond, which is now in possession of Mr. S. D. Messer.

New London was first settled in 1775, some four years before it was incorporated. James Lamb and Nathaniel Merrill were the first settlers, and they were soon followed, in the same season, by Eliphalet Lyon and Ebenezer Hunting. The next year, 1776, the first child was born within the limits of the town, a son of James Lamb, and they called his name John. James Lamb is said to have made the first settlement on the farm known as the Ezekiel Knowlton farm. It is also related that Moses Trussell came up fron Hopkinton in 1774, and camped in the wilderness and felled several acres of trees on the Morgan farm, so-called, adjoining the Knowlton farm; that he burned off the land and planted it with corn; that in the autumn he returned again to harvest his crop, but finding that he had been anticipated by the hedge-hogs and other wild animals, he returned to Hopkinton, and the next spring, instead of coming to New London, he went to Bunker Hill, where he lost an arm and did not get back to New London until 1804, just thirty years after his first visit. Soon after 1775 came also Mr. Samuel Messer, Benjamin Eastman, Nathaniel Everett, Nathaniel Goodwin, Ephraim Guile and John Austin, with Jedediah Jewett and Thomas Whittier and others, and in March, 1779, these citizens petitioned "the Honor-

able General Court of the State of New Hampshire, then sitting at Exeter," that they might be incorpo- rated into a town.

The following is a copy of the petition :

" To the Houoll Conficil and house of Representatives Couvened at Exa- ter the Secout Wednesday of march Next

" The humble Portion of a number of inhabitetanta of a Tract of land in the State of Newhampshire Known by the name of Alaxandria addi- tion or newloudon Sitivat Betwaen old Alaxauder and fishers field and Parrytowu : humbly Sheweth that your Portiabergera Labour under a Grat Disadvantage Being Joyined to Old Alaxander on the accont of Tax Sation the Distance being Seven or Eight miles threw the Woods whare there is no Road, nor Cannot be aney Easley had the Ground Being 60 Ruff and mountanies, and your Portisheruera being Wholy Deprived of anney Privilege of assessing ower Selves as Selectmen Can be Expected in the Sitevatiou we are in at Present among us Tharefore your Portish- eruers Prayer ia that we may be incorporated into a Town and have the Same Privileges that other Towns in this State have your Portisherners ar willing Cheerefully to Pay ower Equill'Porportion of Taxes with aney other Town in this State Provided wa ara in Capasety to assess ower Selvea aud like wise your Portisheruers at Present Laboure uuder Grat Disadvantages Concuroing Clearing and Repairing high ways among us, as your Portisherner in Duty Bound Doth Ever Pray-

"January ye 22 : 1779-

" Samuel Measer Ephraim Gila

Nathan Goodwin Jedidiah Jewett

Noah Kidder Israel Huntting

James Ladı

Jacob Hadley

Ebor Huutting

Nathaniel Stevins.

Benja Eastman

The act of incorporation was as follows :

" In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy- nine.

"STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

" An act to incorporate a place called Addition of Alexandria, in tha county of Hillsborough.

" Whereas, a petition has been prefered to the General Court in behalf of the inhabitants of a tract of land called Addition of Alexandria, in the county of Hillsborough, setting forth that they labor under great in- conveniences for want of incorporation, and praying that they may be incorporated, of which public notice has been given and no objection has been given.

" Be it therefore enacted by the Council and House of Representatives in general court assembled, and by authority of the same, that there be and hereby is a township erected and incorporated by the name of New Londou within the following bounda, viz. : Beginning at the south- westerly corner of Alexandria, aforesaid, on the patent line, and running on said patent line to Fishersfield Corner in Great Sunapee Pood ; from thence east on the northerly side line of Fishersfield four hundred and seventy-two rods, to Perryatown Corner; then north, eighty-five de- greea east, about four miles to a beech tree marked on Perrystowo line ; from thence nortb, thirty-uine degrees east, about sixteen hundred and seventy-two rods to a beech tree marked in Alexandria Corner ; from theuce north, twelve degrees west, to the patent line aforementioned on the westerly side of Alexandria.

" And the inhabitants of said township are hereby erected into a body politic and corporate, to have continuance and succession forever, and invested with all power, and enfranchised with all the rights, privileges and immunities, which auy town in the state holds and enjoys, to hold to the said inhabitants and their successors forever.

" Mr. Samuel Messer is hereby authorized to call a meeting of said in- habitauta, to choose all necessary und customary town officers, giving fourteen days' notice of the time aud place and desigu of auch meeting and the officers then choseo shall hereby be invested with all the power of such officers in any other town in the state, and every other meeting which shall be annually held in said town for that purpose shall be oo the second Tuesday of March forever.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 104

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1520

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia [Pa.] J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1520