History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 113

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 113
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 113

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

"2. Voted that the cost of sd honse be paid in Land or money.

"3. Voted that od house be bid of at vando.

"Voted Nathan Marden, Vando master, sd house bid of to Eos. Mega- fey, at 312 0. T., to raise bord, shingle, clabord & flore."

A complaint being made to Lieutenant Ephraim Lock, grand juror, that the town had neglected to keep a stated school, a meeting of the inhabitants was called May 22, 1780, at which it was "Voted that the second article in the warrant respecting a school shall be left to the discretion of the selectmen (that is) to raise what money they may judge necessary for the support of schools the ensuing year." March, 1781, it was " J'oted to raise one thousand pounds, Lawful money, in the present currency, for the support of a school the year ensuing." March 26, 1781, it was "Voted That the school House which stands near the meeting house in said Epsom be this day sold at publick vendue to the Highest Bidder, & the purchased sum be appropriated to the use of the town."

" To the Selectmeu of the Town of Epsom :

" A number of the Inhabitants of the Western district in Epsom hum- bly shew-

" That wo over have been & still are desirous to promote public schools in said Towu for the lustruction of our children, and of late we have used every exertion in our power to have a suitable school house in the district completed for that design, but every such effort proves abortive, Owing (as we humbly concieve) to some among us, who, from their conduct, seem to demonstrate a total disregard to the best Interests of

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EPSOM.

their families, by depriving their children of the means of Instruction and thereby rendering them, in a great degree, useless members of Su- ciety, and by such conduct of theirs, we being classed with them, are debared of that for our children, which we estcem an inestimable bless- ing.

" This is our greviance, and in this situation we cannot rest easy, to see our numerous offspring, which we are Instrumental of bringing inte existance, trained up like so many heathen or brutes in a civilized world. & for such neglect we cannot answer, neither to God nor our conscience, and for which they will have good reason to curse rather than bless us. We Therefore Seek to the Towa for redress, as we know no other remedy, and pray that a meeting of said Town may be warned as soon as may be, that this our groviance may be considered, and some method adopted & put in Execution that shall remove the Achan out of the camp and give us speedy relief in finishing the School-house already begun, that a school may be had seasonably for the purpose aforesaid.

" Epsom, I5th of July, 1793.

" James Gray, Geo. Vewrin, Benben Yowrin, Thomas Rickford, Simoon Towle, Samt Bickford, Sylvanus Moses, Richard Rand, John Prescott, Jeres Prescott, Jr., Abraham Wallace."

In response to the foregoing petition the selectmen called a meeting at the meeting-house in said town, the 5th day of August, at four o'clock in the afternoon, the second article of the warrant being as follows : "To see what method the Town will take to remove the Achan out of the camp," which article was dismissed at the meeting, and ten pounds voted to be raised from the inhabitants of the western district. to be expended in finishing the school-house in said district. "And should there be a surplusage, the same shall be laid out for school-keeping for the ben- efit of said district the year present."

The division of the town into districts for school purposes was hy common consent or an occasional vote of the town until May 19, 1808, when the se- lectmen were instructed to make such division, " and affix metes and bounds to the same, and make a re- turn thereof to the clerk, to be by him recorded," and was substantially as follows:

District No. 1 contained all that is now comprised within its limits; also that portion of District No. 7 on the turnpike, below Warren Yeaton's, and from Yeaton's to Deerfield line.

District No. 2 contained all on the turnpike from the east side of the New Orchard road to Chichester line, and all north of the turnpike; also from the shoe-factory to " Cyder Brook " (so called), just south of the house of John Spurlin.

District No. 3 was composed of what is now Districts Nos. 3 and 9 (New Rye and the Mountain), and ex- tended to the corner at Short Falls.

District No. 4 contained all on the west side of the Suncook River lying southerly of the turnpike, and from Short Falls bridge to the Mountain District, near the Short Falls post-office.

District No. 5 contained that portion of the " North Road " District northerly from the turnpike, and on the turnpike from the Northwood road to the mile- post near Henry Knowles' house, and also what is now united with Pittsfield in forming No. 6.

District No. 6 was the New Orchard District, very nearly as it now exists.

"Whereas, the undersigned were, on the first day of November, 1821,

appointed by a voto of the towe of Epsom a committee to examine into the propriety of altering the school districte in said town, and report thereon to said town at their annual meeting, in March next ; We, there- fere, report that in our opinion many individuals are not well couvened, and do not have their proportion of the benefit of the school in said town as it is now districted, and that the time may come when an alter- ation will remedy such evil, but at present we consider it inexpedient to make any alteration.

" Epsom, February 19th, 1825.

"JUSIAH SANBORN, " HANOVER DICKEY, " WINTHROP FOWLER, -

Committee."

In January of 1833 the school-house in District No. 3 was burned, and the following season the dis- triet was divided, forming the New Rye and Moun- tain Districts, the former taking No. 9, the "Fowler District " having been taken off of No. 4 a few years before, and numbered eight. In 1851 District No. 10, " Marden's," was taken from No 2, and there are two union districts,-one with Pittsfield, No. 6, and one with Chichester, known as the Union District.

Three new school-houses have been built within the last few years, and the others repaired, so at the present there are nine very good school-houses in the town.

March 15, 1820, it was

" Voted that the money due the Town of Epsom from the Revd Jona- than Curtis, together with all the interest which has accrued on said sunt since said debt was contracted, and all the money which is due the Town aforesaid from the several purchasers of the School lot, so called, together with all the interest on the same not heretofore appropriated, and all other moneys due said Town from the sale of any property belonging to the same, not heretofore appropriated by said Towo to a different use, be forever hereafter appropriated for the use and support of a free English Grammar school in said Epsom.

" Voted that Jonathan Steele, Ilanover Dickey, Richard Tripp, Thomas D. Merrill and John Chesly be a committee to carry the above vute into effect.''

There is no evidence that the above vote was ever car- ried out.

Although the scholars of the town have never been favored with any special advantages for an education, yet, during the summer of 1854, the town hall was fitted for a school-room by certaiu interested citizens purchasing the seats that had been removed from Pittsfield Academy to make room for more modern furniture, and the 3d day of August, of that year, Samuel G. Lane, now a prominent lawyer of Concord, began a school which proved to be both interesting and profitable ; and for the next six years a school was kept there every autumn, taught by the following persons :

James Webster, now one of the leading teachers of Boston, taught two terms, and the following persons taught oue term each : Cyrus O. Brown, George W. Morrill and Thomas M. Chase.

Since then there has occasionally been a school taught by some of our local teachers.

Of the early teachers it is impossible to get any accurate information. Among some old papers we find the following receipt:

"Received two ponad Eight Shillings for Eight weeks' School keeping Over the river, in 1784, by me,

"Epsom, March 8th, 1785."

" JOSEPH GOSS.

456

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

James Gray is said to have been a school-teacher here before the Revolutionary War, and tradition tells of School-masters Sutton and Casey, and the same authors tell that the former became impoverished in his declining years, and was assisted by the town, and the latter, for some unlawful aet, was obliged to leave the town.

At a later period we learn of Thomas D. Merrill, for many years a leading man in town affairs and a successful trader, as a sehool-master; also " Master Batchelder," noted for the severity of his punish- ments ; "School-master Ham," "Gen. Locke," John Chesley, the Diekeys (Hanover, David and Abram), James Hersey, Esq., Andrew M. Heath and many others.

The following list comprises those sons of Epsom who have received a college education or have be- come professional men :

Dr. James Babb studied with Dr. Josiah Crosby and succeeded him in his practice. He lived for a time in the parsonage house on the hill, and then built the house now owned by Hosea L. Hilliard, in "Slab City." He left town about 1840, and moved to Manchester. He married Maria, daughter of Captain Bickford Lang.

David Dickey graduated from Dartmouth College, and studied law.

Hanover Dickey graduated from the medical college at Hanover, and practiced in his native town until 1845, when he went to Lowell, Mass., where he died in 1873, and was brought back here for burial.

Abram Dickey, also a graduate of Dartmouth Medical School, studied dentistry also, and practiced in Lyme several years, and then removed to Wor- cester, Mass. While on a visit to Lyme, in 1882, he rode with Dr. Marshall, of that town, into Vermont, and both of them were found drowned in a pond, their team being also in the water.

John M. Steele graduated from Dartmonth, class of 1844, became a minister and went West. He died in New York in 1857.

Joseph W. Tarleton graduated from Dartmonth at about the same time as Mr. Steele, and adopted the same profession, and preached several years at Hook- sett and afterwards in Massachusetts. He died at Waverly, Mass., February 27, 1883, aged sixty-six years.

Daniel P. Cilley became a Free-Will Baptist minis ter, and now lives at Farmington, N. H., suffering from diseases incident to old age.

Jonathan A. Knowles, after farming several years upon the old homestead, felt it his duty to preach the gospel ; so he fitted himself at the Methodist Biblieal School, at Coneord, and was ordained a Free-Will Baptist minister, and preached at Lake village, Man- chester, Danbury and other places in New Hamp- shire.

Silas Green was a prominent minister in the Methodist denomination, and was located at Man-

chester, Rochester, Salmon Falls and Candia, where he died November 10, 1874.

John Malvern came into town from England when a boy. After working at shoemaking a few years he attended school and entered the ministry. He is now settled over the Free Baptist Church of Lynn, Mass.

Orren S. Sanders, at present one of the leading physicians of Boston, Mass., and Henry Sanders, of Chicago, sons of Colonel Job Sanders, will be remem- bered by the older residents of the town. They at- tended school at Pembroke Academy. The former began his praetice in Chichester. The latter was for several years a school-teacher, but afterward studied medicine and went West.

Frank H. Wallace and Andros P. Chesley, both graduates of Dartmouth College, are both in medieal practice, the former in Boston, Mass., and the latter in Concord, N. H.

Edwin B. Harvey, a graduate of Wesleyan College, of Middletown, Conn., is a practicing physician of Westboro', Mass. He has been a member of the Massachusetts Legislature from Westboro'.

Charles W. Tarleton, a graduate from Brown Uni- versity, Providence, R. I., after teaching a few years in Worcester, Mass., was obliged to come home to care for his parents, where he still resides.

Andrew J. Goss, class of 1861, Dartmouth College, became afflicted with asthmatie troubles and went to Florida, and from thence to San Diego, Cal., where he still lives, a great sufferer.

Charles A. Towle graduated from Dartmouth in 1864; studied theology at Andover and Chicago ; preached at Sandwich and South Chicago, Ill .; at present at Monticello, Iowa.

Walter H. Sanborn, class of 1867, Dartmouth, taught school at Milford, N. II., then went to St. Paul, Minn., studied law and entered practice with his uncle, John B. Sanborn.

Almon F. Cate, of the same class, taught school in the West several years, then went to Manchester, N. H., where he now lives. He is now in business as an architect, contractor and builder.

Harry F. Towle and Edward P. Sanborn graduated from Dartmouth in 1876. The latter went to St. Paul and entered the law-firm with his uncle and brother. The former has been a public teacher. He taught at Hollis, N. H., Abington, Mass., and Yonkers, N. Y. At present he is teaching in Brook- lyn, N. Y.

Samuel O. Griffin became a successful physician in Paseoag, R. I., but died suddenly while on a visit to his parental home.

John M. Moses graduated from Dartmouth, and divides his time between teaching and farming. He lives in Northwood, N. H.

John B. Tarleton graduated from Cornell Institute, studied architecture and is in business in Detroit, Mieh.

Thomas L. Steele graduated from Dartmouth in

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1847, studied law, practiced in New York and is now at Montreal, Canada.

Albert L. Marden graduated from the Medical School at Dartmouth and practices his profession in Vermont.

Summer D. Marden graduated from the same school and is in practice in Concord, N. H.

Daniel Lincoln Locke, son of Captain A. C. Locke, took his degrees from a medical school in Vermont and is practicing in his native town.

Willie F. Wallace, son of William Wallace, went West in early life, became a teacher and editor, and afterward returned East and practiced medicine at Epsom, Loudon and Milton.

Henry F. and John B. Sanborn, sons of Deacon Frederick Sanborn, entered college, but did not finish the course. The former returned to the old home- stead, became a successful farmer and prominent in town affairs, having represented the town in the Legislature and a member of the State Senate two years; was superintending school committee a long time, and taught several terms of school. He re- moved to Princeton, Mass., in 1882. John B. studied law, went West, and settled at St. Paul, Minn., where, with his two nephews, he has an extensive and profitable practice.

Charles H. Griffin, son of Nathan Griffin, and Ed- ward H. Sanders, son of Edward T. Sanders, both died while pursuing their studies at Dartmouth Col- lege.

Edward J. Burnham entered Bates College, of Maine, but circumstances prevented his graduating. He learned the printer's trade and now has an im- portant position on the editorial staff of the Man- chester Union.

Military History .- The patriotism of the citizens of the town has never been called in question.

The events that made the War of the Revolution necessary had aroused the people, and when the bat- tle at Lexington was announced " by a swift rider, blowing a horn, who passed through Nottingham and reached Epsom, it found Captain Andrew McClary plowing in the 'old minster-field.' Like Cincinnatus of old, he left the plow in the furrow, and hastened to obey the summons. With little preparation, he seized his saddle-bags, leaped into the saddle, swearing as he left that he would kill one of the devils before he came home ! "

"Jocky Fogg," who was his servant in the army, used to speak of his horse as "a large, powerful iron- gray, four-year-old stallion, so exceedingly vicious that no one could mount or govern him except the captain. He could spring upon his back, and, by the power of his arm, govern him with the greatest ease."

He was accompanied by his nephew, the young and chivalrous Michael McClary, who served with credit four years ; Amos Morrill, the first selectman of the town, lieutenant, then captain, then major, serving in the army four years, with honor to himself and

town ; also James Gray and Andrew McGaffey, who became officers of distinction, and many more of the sturdy yeomanry of the town.

It is impossible to give a correct list of the men that went from this town into the Revolutionary Army, as the town records give no account of them, and the rolls do not in every case give the residence ; while if we depend upon the memory of our oldest inhabitants, we find them unreliable, because some who were in the army went from other places and moved here after the war closed.

The following is as nearly correct as we have been able to obtain :

Major Andrew McClary, killed at battle of Bunker Hill.

William McCrillis, killed at battle of Bunker Hill.

John Wallace, killed at battle of Bonker Hill.

Lieutenant Andrew McGaffey, wounded at battle of Bunker Hill.

Weymooth Wallace, wounded at battle of Bunker Hill.

Adjutant John McClary, died of a wound at Albany.

Ozem Lock, killed at Bennington,

Francis Locke, died at Chimney Point.

Peter Pomp (an African), died at Valley Forge.

Simon Sanborn, died at Chimney Point.

Noah St. Clair, wounded at St. John's.

Captain Amos Morrill. Captain James Gray.

Captain Michael McClary. Ensign Jonathan ('hase.

Benjamin Berry, enlisted in Captain Drew's company.

Theophilus Cass, enlisted in Captain Morrill's company.

Richard Drowt, enlisted in Captain Morrill's company.

John Dwyer, enlisted in Captain Morrill's company.

Solomon Chapman, onlisted in Captain Merrill's company.

Moses Lock, enlisted in Captain Morrill's company.

Samuel Lock, enlisted in Captain Morrill's company.

Benjamin Pettingill, enlisted in Captain Morrill's company.

Abraham Pettingill, enlisted in ('aptain Morrill'e company.

Neal McGaffey, enlisted in Captain Mo('lary's company.

John Mason.

Jethro Pettengill, enlisted in Captain Frye's company.

John Bickford. Samuel Goss.

Samuel Bickford. Eliphalet Sanborn.

James Blake, Samuel Lexr.

John Jenness.

The following is a copy of votes passed by the town relative to the men in the Revolutionary War. March 21, 1781, it was

" Voted, a Gift or Consideration to each of those sokliers who are en- gaged during the war in the Continental service for the town of Epsom. five ITeifera on the following conditions, according to their continuance in the service of the States, viz. : for three years' service from this date, five of three-year-old heifers ; for two years' service, five of two-year- old Heifers, and for one year'e errvice, five yearlings. But should any or either of these soldiers die or he killed in the service within the term of three years, the heirs of such, upon producing a certificate of the death or deaths of euch to the selectmen of Epsom for the time being, shall receive fem said town the aforesaid consideration, computed ac- cording to the time of service."

A meeting was called by the selectmen, to be held at the meeting-house the 30th of July, 1781,

" To see what steps the Town will take to procure the remainder of the Town's proportion of Beef for the Continental Army this present year. Whereas, the present selectmun find from experience that the sum already raised in Continental currency for that purpose is altogether insufficient to answer the end ;

"Therefore, it is expected that every voter will come properly pre- pareil and be ready to give instructions to the eelectmen how to proceed in procuring the rosidne of ed beef. Experience has taught that silver money is the principle object of those persons that have beef-cattle to dispose of."

458

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

At a meeting the following vote was passed :

" This Town's proportion of beef, not yet furnished for the use of the Continental Army for the year current shall be bought on the following conditions, viz. :

" That the present selectmen for the Town be & are hereby Impow- ered to buy the same, and engage therefore Silver money, Indian corn, rye, wheat or Continental currency at the common exchange ; and also it is hereby voted That the price by them given for ed Beef shall be agreeable to the minds of the Town Universal."

At a meeting of the inhabitants of Epsom, duly warned and held November 3, 1794,-

" J'oted, That the Town of Epsom make up to those soldiers belong- ing to said Town who are required to goe ioto the Service of the United States, agreeably to a late requisition of Congress, the eum of eight dol- lars pr. month, with what is or shall be given by the United States for their actual services.

" That for further encouragement to said soldiers to Inlist, Voted to give to each seldier tbat shall inlist the sum of two dollars, to be paid at the expiration of eight months from this date, unless they should be called to march sooner ; then to be paid the time of marching."

May, 1776, it was

" Voted, That all the men in this Town that went Down to Cambridge when the Battle was at Concord shall be paid a balf a dollar pr. Day while gone."

The following are the men from this town who served in the War of 1812:

Captain Jonathan Godfrey, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Lieutenant Eleck Brown, enlisted September 26, 1814, for sixty days. Ensign Daniel Goss, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Paul P. Downer, sergeant, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. John Sherburn, sergeant, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. James Sanborn, sergeant, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. John Fales, drummer, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Ezra Allen, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, fer sixty days. Benjamin Brown, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Greenleaf Brackett, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Sammel P. Cilley, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Jonathan Bartlett, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. David Chapman, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Samnel Cass, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Samnel Goss, Jr., private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Isaac S. Greene, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. John S. Haynes, private, enlisted Septebiber 29, 1814, for sixty days. Daniel Locke, Jr., private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Daniel Locke, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Ebenezer Barton, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Moses Hanson, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Robert Coleman, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. . Amos Langley, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. John Rand, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Webster Salter, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. John Sanders (3d), private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days Job Sanders, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Reuben Sanborn, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Levi Brown, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Perkins Philbrick, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Thomas Grant, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty daye. Simon Philbrick, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Samnel D. Page, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Samuel Hazeltine, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Charles Barton, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days. Samuel Yeaton, private, enlisted September 29, 1814, for sixty days.

In Captain Samuel Collins' Company.

Beckford Lang, first lientenant, enlisted September 12, 1814, for three months.

James Haynes, musician, enlisted September 12, 1814, for three months. Samuel Chapman, private, enlisted September 12, 1814, for three months.

Benjamin Clarke, private.

Samoel Davis. Alexander Lear. David Tandy.

John Ham, waiter. Joho Lang, waiter.

In Captain Bradbury Bartlett's Company.

John Griffin and Jonathan Goss.

The following is a list of the men from Epsom who served in the War of the Rebellion :

FIRST REGIMENT. NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEERS. Joseph R. Cilley, Company II.

SECOND REGIMENT NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLI'NTEERS.

William II. Wecke, Company C; discharged and re-enlisted in Eigh- teenth Regiment.

William Wallace, Company B; discharged Angust 5, 1862.

N. Dana Wallace, Company B ; captured at Gettysburg.

THIRD REGIMENT NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEERS. Andrew J. Pettengill, Company E.

Andrew M. Weeks, Company E; died of wounds Angust 2, 1864.

FOURTH REGIMENT NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEERS. John T. Buzzell, Company E.

George S. Bixby, Company II.

John II, Goodlme, Company II ; missing at Deep Rnn, Va., Angnet 16, 1864.

George H. Iloyt, Company II ; missing at Deep Run, Va., August 16, 1864.

Albert Hoyt, Company II.

Joseph E. Ilam, Company E.

FIFTHI REGIMENT NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEERS. James Dowst, Company I ; killed at Antietam, September 17, 1862.

SIXTH REGIMENT NEW HAMPSHIRE VOLUNTEERS. ('harles J. Brown, Company I.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 113

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