History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 129

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 129
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 129

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).

His children were James, Nathaniel, John, Sarah (Mrs. Forrest), Dorothy (Mrs. Foss), Abram, Thomas, Comfort (Mrs. Abbott).

James Simons, born in 1763, the oldest of eight children, was tall, strong, six feet high, as were the most of the family. When fourteen he enlisted in the Revolutionary army, served a short time and was discharged. In 1782 he married Lydia Morrison, of Northfield, and instead of becoming a hunter, like his father, settled down into a hard-working farmer. In 1790 he removed to Andover, whence, after a few years, he transferred his home to the head of Web- ster Pond, where he worked hard, lived plain, carrying his corn to mill on his shoulders, get- ting in his hay on poles, and in time prospered. Moved thence to an intervale farm of one hundred and fifty acres, in 1800, and was honored with town offices, more or less, for nearly twenty years thereafter. For fifty years he and his wife were mem- bers of Elder Crockett's Baptist Church, both walk- ing six miles to church, fording the river, and Mrs. Simons, on one occasion, carrying her babe in her arms ; had a family of eight children, of whom John Simonds was one, the father of the Hon. John Wes- ley Simonds, of Franklin, lately deceased, president of the State University at Vermillion, Dakota, and formerly superintendent of schools for the State of New Hampshire for several years.

He died August 15, 1842, she surviving him thir- teen years longer, till August 30, 1855.

Sarah Simons, born August 13, 1770, married John Forrest, of Northfield, and became the mother of a large family of children. She lived and died in her native town.

Abram Simons was born in Northfield in 1774; lived and died there, 1836, aged sixty-one. This was the first death in his father's family of eight children. He lived upon the place his father bought when he left Canterbury. At the present day there is no Simons of that family in Northfield. Mar- ried Nancy Forrest, who died in 1815. He left one son, Joseph Simons, who died in Northfield in 1868, leaving one son, Joseph M. Simonds, now in Boston. Second wife, Mrs. Lucy Rundlett, who died in 1845.

He was quiet, sensible, industrious, temperate, honest and provident, so that at his death he left his son and widow one of the best properties in town at the time. Was selectman eight and town clerk fif- teen years. Tradition says that Abram Simons was one of the most learned men in town.

Thomas Simons was born in 1783; lived in North- field ; died in 1872, and was buried in the Brick Church graveyard. His first wife was a Miss Han- cock, of Northfield. Was married twice. Had one daughter, Eliza. He was kind-hearted, jolly, famous in early years as a wrestler and runner, and at one time was captain of a military company.

Old Uncle Thomas Simons, as he was familiarly called in later days, was a famous story-teller; but, when old and forgetful, not wholly reliable. One of his favorite stories was about a notable snow-storm, which came the last of April, so that the 1st of May found an inch of snow on theground, with an inch of hail on the top of that. As he grew older, the inch changed to a foot of snow and hail; and, at last, he would occasionally blunder into saying there was a rod's depth of snow, with a rod of hail on top of it. He was a great student of the almanac, and would predict a storm whenever he found the moon was "apodging,"-that is, in apogee. Was also astentorian sneezer, and his sternutations could be easily heard a mile or more, as the story is told.

Comfort Simons was born in 1786; married Eben Abbot; became a widow and died in Northfield in 1860, at the home of her danghter, Mrs. Joseph M. Simons.

Daniel Hill and his four sons and two daughters lived in Salisbury, Mass., where they worked at shoe- making and shod the soldiers of the Revolution to such good purpose that they gained a comfortable support and a goodly pile of Continental money, or script, which, however,-like the money in the Arabian tale that changed to leaves when wanted for use,-by depreciation, turned to almost worthless paper, so that at one time their bill for a cow was no less than fifteen hundred dollars.

Two of the boys afterward became coopers, and started north to mend their fortunes. Reaching

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NORTHFIELD.

Concord, Captain Blanchard (probably Captain Ed- ward) told them of a delectable hill a few miles far- ther on, with scenery unequaled, and where land could be bought for a song, as there were no meeting- houses in town to give it value.

And so they came to Bay Hill, whither, in after- time, they brought their parents, brothers and sis- ters. This took place about the close of the Revo- lution.

Of the four brothers, John was a giant, strong as a horse; indeed, it was said that he preferred to carry his corn a mile away to mill, on his back, to taking the trouble to harness his horse. Timothy was an- other strong man. After bargaining for his farm, he walked to Salisbury, got his purchase-money in hard, silver dollars, saw a certain lady and walked back the following day, and all without having stopped to sleep a wink ; and, as if in reward for his endurance, that certain lady (Miss Betsey Lapham), a year or two after, came to live in his Bay Hill dwelling,-a dwell- ing that still stands, alone of the original fonr, and that still remains in the family. After marriage he learned penmanship and book-keeping, and, in pro- cess of time, became a justice of the peace.

Daniel's wife was Abi Amblet. He was a feeble, quiet man, but his wife had a tongue like an electric telegraph, and, on a certain occasion, utterly con- founded judge and lawyers in open court by her volubility.

Of the present, or fourth, generation of Hills, only four or five of the name still reside in town,-Daniel E., the postmaster at Tilton from 1877 to the present time ; Charles E., a printer ; and Smith M. and Willie, who still cultivate the original farms on Bay Hill.

The first settler, Daniel Hill, married an Emery,- hence Daniel Emery, the name of the present post- master, the fourth or fifth in descent from the original Daniel. His father and grandfather were named John ; his mother was Mahala Rollins. His sister, Mary C., married Liba C. Morrison, who owns and cultivates one of the original Hill farms.

Mrs. O. L. Cross' father's name was David Hill; her mother, a Forrest. Has a brother, Solon, for- merly a teacher and efficient superintendent of the Northfield schools for several years; at present a farmer.

Daniel Hill, nephew of the original Daniel, had two sons, William and Daniel A., who displayed con- siderable mechanical skill, constructing, when mere lads, a small steam-engine, which worked admirably in connection with the tea-kettle, with a whistle that could be heard at the Bridge. William promised fair as a portrait-painter ; Daniel Adams invented a popu- lar adhesive fly-paper.

Warren Hill is now the oldest person living in Northfield.

The Rogers family of Northfield claim to be direct descendants of the martyr, John Rogers, burnt at the stake in the reign of Queen Mary.

Deacon Samuel Rogers, born about the year 1745, moved from Bow to Northfield while yet a young man, and died there about 1835, aged ninety. From him have sprung all of the name who ever resided in town. He was a Revolutionary soldier, of marked ability, energetic, and, by good management as a far- mer, was enabled, during the last half of his life, to enjoy a dignified leisure on his farm, situated about a mile from Northfield Centre, between Bean Hill and Mount Tugg. His children were Enoch, Samuel, John, Benjamin, Jesse, Rebecca and Mehitable.

Enoch became a blacksmith ; settled in Northfield and afterwards removed to Columbia; had seven children. C. C. Rogers, Esq., attorney at Tilton, is his grandson.

Samuel (2d), brother of Enoch, was a tailor, noted for wit. One of his children was Deborah, who mar- ried Thomas Haynes and died in Northfield, One of her children married John S. Dearborn, of North- field, and another, Cutting Follansby, a merchant.

John, third son of Samuel (Ist), married Sally Cof- ran ; settled upon one of his father's farms ; lived and died in Northfield ; was a man of ability and filled various town offices ; had four children, of whom Jo- anna married Walter Bailey, and Jeremiah inherited his father's farm and died in Northfield.

Benjamin, fourth son of Samuel (Ist), was born in 1780 and died in 1825; was a farmer, and spent his life upon the farm given him by his father, three- fourths of a mile from Northfield Centre; married Luey Hoegg, of Bow, and through life they were prominent members of the Methodist Church. Their children were Fannie, afterwards Mrs. Simeon Kim- ball, of Sanbornton Bridge; Betsy R., who married John T. Gilman, of Columbia, and who, at eighty, still survives her husband ; Lucy H., wife of Gilbert L. Frizzell, who died in Wisconsin ; Rebecca L., who married Thomas J. Emerton, and now survives him in Wisconsin ; Sally K., the wife of Ebenezer Thurs- ton, who died upon the old homestead in Northfield ; Abigail, who died in infancy ; Samuel B., who married Susan K. Forrest, and was for many years a merchant at Sanbornton Bridge,-a man of integrity and ability, and who died in Northfield from the effects of lead- poison ; and Benjamin A., who was born September 10, 1823.

Benjamin, after being admitted to the bar in 1845, practiced law two years in Gilmanton, thirteen at Sanbornton Bridge,-nearly five years of which he was solicitor of Belknap County,-establishing a repu- tation as a skillful attorney, a ready speaker and for sharp wit. Owing to a lung trouble, he went South and settled in Texas in 1860; came North during the war, and in 1863 entered the ministry of the Protest- ant Episcopal Church.

Since then he has been rector of churches in Penn- sylvania, Austin, Chicago, Waco, and is now rector of Grace Church, Georgetown, Texas, near which place he resides, on a valuable stock farm, which he owns

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

and manages. During these years he has held many offices of trust and honor in church and State ; has been married four times, and six children have been born to him, of whom only one, a daughter, sur- vives.

Jesse Rogers, fifth son of Samuel (1st), was a black- smith and lived and died in Northfield.

Reheeca and Mehitable, daughters of Samuel (1st), married and left town.

Of the great number of the Rogers name onee liv- ing in Northfield, it is believed not one now remains there.

The ancestors of Wesley Knowles were among the original settlers of Northfield, coming in 1791 from Chester, N. H., settled on the David Brown place, on Bean Hill, and moved from there to Bay Hill in 1799.

The Ambrose family came from Coucord.

John Cofran was a native of Pembroke, and was settled for a time in Canterbury, near the Shakers, whom his wife had a great desire to join on account of a twin-sister living there, to the great disgust of her husband, who vowed he would wean her from that notion, and accordingly sold out, removed to Notting- ham, whenee, after a year or two, he came to North- field, in 1787, and bought his Bean Hill farm, where he remained till his death. His grandson, Benjamin F., still has the original deed of the place in his pos- session, the consideration in it being given in pounds. His son James, born in 1782, commonly called Col- onel Cofran, married Ruth Hersey, inherited the farm, living there the life of a prosperous farmer and drover till the latter part of his life, when he moved to the Northfield side of Sanbornton Bridge, assisted largely in building the seminary and died in 1861, in his seventy-ninth year ; had a brother, Israel Cofran, who lived in West Northfield. His son, James H., remained on the homestead, married Eliza B. Hall, and died in 1868, aged fifty. His widow now resides near Tilton.

Another son, Benjamin Franklin, lives on the North- field side of the river near Tilton, a well-to-do farmer and respected citizen. He married Priscilla C. Chase, daughter of Benjamin A. Chase, who, with his father, earried on the fulling and earding business just by the corner of the old bridge. Mr. Chase built the honse now occupied by Mrs. Asa P. Cate, and his farm included all of Mount Griswold and the Joseph Hill stand. His father, whose name was Stephen, kept tavern where Benjamin Hill used to live,-in the eor- ner where the Bay Hill road branches from the main road.

Mr. Cofran's house was burued in 1875, but rebuilt the next year.

We have thus brought these brief sketchy memoirs of the earlier families who emigrated to the hills of Northfield down to the close of the century, or to the year 1800. We think we have noted the greater nun- ber of those who came during that time from abroad.

If any have been overlooked, our exeuse must be the diffienlty of acquiring accurate information at this late day, the old people-the connecting links between that period and this-having all passed away, and the shortness of the time allowed us in the preparation of this article. We have done the best our limits and circumstances permitted, and it only remains for us in this connection to record the arrival of two individ- nals under essentially different auspiees. Aaron Col- lins and Ebenezer Blanehard were the first two ehil- dren born in the new settlement. That's all we know of the entrance of Aaron into a participation of North- field's joys and woes ; but of Ebenezer we can say that he was born in 1768, and that the attendant, Mrs. Jo- seph Simons, who iu those years was the doctress, or midwife, for Canterbury and her eolony, made them her last professional visit, her own exit following closely upon Ebenezer's advent, as she died within the year,-a sore loss in those days, wheu the growth of families kept pace with the growth of other pro- duetions of a new land.

What with native and foreign arrivals, the popula- tion increased to such an extent that they came to the conclusion that the colony no longer needed Can- terbury's protecting hand, and that it was old and able enough to set up for itself.

Accordingly, in 1780, twenty years after the first elearing was made, the inhabitants seeured an aet of incorporation, and the offshoot of Canterbury became the independent and stalwart town of Northfield. We have no account of the preliminary measures taken, public meetings, speeches for or against, de- lays, expenses, etc., -- nothing, except that we may judge, from a vote in their first town-meeting, that Nathaniel Whiteher was the agent appointed to at- tend to that business.

Hereafter we must speak of Northfield in her eor- porate eapacity, and we will commence by giving a specimen of her early town-meetings.

" REIGHCORD OF MEETINGS, ETC.

"At a meeting held in Northfield, tuesday ye 21 Nov'r, 1780.

"1. Voted Mr. John Simons Moderator.

"2. Voted to a Low Mr. Nathanil wichers acompt in Gitting ye in Cor- poration.

"3. Voted to Ruis Monny to Buy a parrish Book.

"4. v. to Rais Nineteen hundred Dollars to Defray Parrish Chargis.

# 2n MEETING.

" At a Meeting held in Northfield on Tuesday, ye first of March, 1781, at the hous of Mr. John Simons.

"1. voted Capt. Ednor (Edward probably) Blanchard Moderator.

"2nd. Voted Arche (Archelaus) Miles Clerk.

"3rd. Voted Reuben Witcher, John McDaniel, Thomas Clough, Se- lect Men.

"4, Voted Ebenesor Kimbal Constabel.

"5. Voted Joseph Car, David Blanchard, Charles Glidden, Matthew hains & Peter hunniford, Servayers of hiwais.

"6. Voted Edward Blanchard, David Morrison, hog-Refs.

"7. voted Aaron Stevens Sealer of Measur.

"8. voted the Select Men be a Committy to git the Monny and Beef Cauld for By the Cort.

"9. voted to Raise Six thousand Dollars to Repir high ways in labour at forty dollars per day.

" Said Meeting adjnrned to the firs of Apr. at two of the Clock in the After Noon at the Saim plais."

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NORTHFIELD.

In 1780 the town tax was sixty bushels of corn. But it will be noticed that at the November meeting they voted nineteen hundred dollars to pay parish charges, and the ensuing March voted the enormous sum of six thousand dollars to repair highways, and to pay labor forty dollars a day.

The wonder ceases when we remember that the " money " spoken of was Continental currency, which had then depreciated to perhaps one-fortieth or one- fiftieth of its first value, so that the discrepancy be- tween the first tax and the others will not appear to be so great.

It was also voted, as regards the corn, that those not bringing in their tax, that is, their corn, briskly, must pay "Colector for Colecting."

In 1782, P. Morrison was chosen "Tithing Man," and it was voted to " rais " two days' work on roads.

In 1783, John Simons was appointed "Sairvaior," as he was for four succeeding years; also for 1789 and 1790.

D. Morrison chosen "hog-reef."

Jeremiah Blanchard was born Jauuary 10th. Mr. Diah's name is mentioned.

1784, John Simons' taxes on a valuation of £40 were £1 17s. 6d.

1785, town-meeting at John Simons', who next year was appointed pound-keeper and assessor.

1789, the Forrest name mentioned in records.

1791, "Voted to build a meeting-house, to be framed and raised by September, 1792."

This vote of the town-meeting, it seems, was not carried into execution ; but in 1793 the town set to work in earnest. They voted again to build a meet- ing-house, and voted a committee of three men, namely Colonel Greeley, Squire Harper and Captain Me- Crillis, to pitch upon a place for the meeting-house, and a committee of five to see about size, etc., of house.

Old Meeting-House .- We come now to chronicle an important event in Northfield's history,-one of her two great public days,-the raising of what at present is called the "Old Meeting-House," only to be paralleled eighty-six years after, in 1880, by the centennial observance of her incorporation. It is singular that she should have remained without a house for public worship so long. Sanbornton Square, though settled considerably later, nevertheless, for nineteen years or thereabouts, had possessed a meet- ing-house. Gilmanton, Canterbury, Boscawen and Salisbury were likewise thus favored, and there was no place for public worship anywhere nearer than those towns.

Since the incorporation Northfield had been stead- ily and rapidly gaining in population. Roads had been laid out to the Bridge, to Canterbury and to Bay, Bean and Oak Hills from the Centre, with increasing settlements on all; and as families in those days were proverbially large, it is not improbable that a greater crowd of old and young, especially of the latter, on

any given occasion, could be called together in that day from the three hills mentioned and the central valley than it would be possible to assemble from the same places now.

What kept the energetic Northfielders so far be- hindhand in getting for themselves a capacious house for public business and public worship we are not prepared to say, but Rev. Mr. Curtice says that there was but little of the Puritan element in town at first, as compared with its neighbors; then it is possible there was some rivalry as to location. Besides, there seems to have been an increased influx of new set- tlers during these years, and time was needed to assim- ilate them with the old, and the attention of many was directed to the opening of new farms, and with the older settlers, to the exchanging of their log huts for framed dwellings, and it is possible that these set- tlers were a trifle poorer, as a whole, than those of the neighboring towns. No doubt the matter was dis- cussed every year since the incorporation, but with- out action. But during the winter of 1792-93 the subject seems to have been taken upin earnest. Their increased population forced them to action. No pri- vate house was equal to the demands of the public business. At private parties, at husking frolics, hunting-parties, house-raisings, logging bees, at all gatherings, very likely it was the chief topic ; so that when they met at their next annual March meeting in 1793 all the elements were favorable for action. They voted to build said house, and, to prevent any occasion for disagreement, they chose their committee of loca- tion from out of town. That committee reported March 28, 1793, at an adjourned inceting held for that especial purpose presumedly, as follows :

"We, the Subscribers, being appointed by the Parish of Northfield as a Committee to agree upon a certain spot of ground for them to build a Meeting-House, we have carefully examined the situation of Sd Parish and find the most convenient Spot to he Esq". Charles Glidden's land near bis gate, a little north of Capt. Stephen Haines' dwelling-House, on said ground; we have Set two Stakes for the front of Said house, or as near as ie most convenient.

"SAMUEL GREELEY.

"DAVIO MOCRILLIO. " WILLIAM HARPER."

December, 1793, " Voted that the meeting-house should be completed by the 1st of October, 1794."

By this time considerable enthusiasm appears to have been aroused on the subject, and it is allowable to suppose that measures were soon taken to carry the vote of the town into effect. Much of the lumber for the frame, which was of the best quality, was contributed by individuals. The spot chosen, with the land adjoining, wasin after-years famous for the stories told of its huge growth of pines. One that grew on the opposite side of the road afterwards, when felled, was left in its pros- trate position along the road to serve for a fence, which it did completely, as the trunk was so thick that steps had to be cut in the side to allow one to climb over. It remained a source of wonder till within a few years. Another stood close to the meeting-house whose stump, when afterwards cut, was so large that a yoke

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

of six-feet oxen was driven upon it and turned around without stepping off; so says a trustworthy citizen of the town, he having seen it done. At the time of the raising all the space on the north of the road, from the meeting-house up the hill east to Squire Glidden's, was covered with primeval forest, and it is but fair to presume that the meeting-house lot was so covered when the selection was made.

If so, the most of that summer must have been spent in preparing the ground. This was probably done at certain intervals by bees,-i. e., a gathering of the peo- ple to work in company according to the custom of the times; on one day a tree-felling and tree-chopping bee, on another a burning bee, on another a stump pulling bee, with the united force of all the oxen in town perhaps, and finally a levelling and smoothing bee. And then the spot was ready.

William Durgin, the third of that name, sometimes styled Lieutenant Durgin, and more familiarly "Mas- ter Bill Durgin," was chosen to superintend the work. He lived at Tin Corner, Sanbornton ; was then in his best years-aged forty-four-and had acquired con- siderable reputation as a head carpenter, having al- ready framed the meeting-house in Sanbornton, one in Portsmouth, and other buildings, and now undertook what was to be his master-work, we think ; surpass- ing all buildings in the neighboring towns, so far as we know, proving that, though late to begin, the Northfielders when they did build were not to be out- done. At any rate, Master Durgin accepted the in- vitation, and soon commenced operations. Every- thing was to be as near perfection as the skill then available could make it.

Nail-makers from abroad brought a forge and manufactured the nails-all first-class-on the spot. None but first-class pine was used for the boards. The shingles and clapboards were split and shaved by hand, and in the latter the holes for the nails were made by gimlets, as a safeguard against splitting.

Busily the carpenters plied their tools through the long, hot days; busily the nailers wrought; busily the shingle and clapboard-makers rived and shaved, till, just as summer was drawing to a close, Master Durgin made proclamation that everything was pre- pared for the raising, and the time set was the second week in September. The day of the week we are un- able to name. The news spread in all directions, and on the appointed morning there was a general turn- out from all quarters of the town of every age, and of both sexes. Some came with ox-teams loaded to their utmost capacity ; some women on horseback with babes in their arms, and iron kettles tied behind to assist in the cooking. Provisions in great profusion were con- veyed to the ground, the Hill women, of Bay Hill, contributing a cart-load of wheaten bread, which a Mr. Hill, ox-goad in hand, hauled with oxen to the place of assemblage, and, having backed the cart to the edge of the wood, where the pound is now seen, stood there the live-long day, valiantly guarding with

his trusty ox-goad the wheaten treasures entrusted to his care against marauding boys that swarmed on every side. Benjamin Blanchard, the original first settler, was still living, and, you may be sure, was there, and how it must have made his brave, old eyes sparkle-he was then seventy-five-to behold on this day the magnificent results of his log-but raising thirty-four years before! "He builded better than he knew," or expected ; and if a man on that ground had a right to be proud that day, it was Benjamin Blanchard. And the progenitors of most, and proba- bly all, of the long-standing family names in town at the present day, and of some now extinct or removed, all were there. Nor must the historian forget to men- tion that the barrel of rum was there-genuine, true New England ; Jersey lightning was as yet unknown -setup in great state in the basement of the old Gline's building opposite, so we are told. And not only from Northfield did visitors and assistance come, but great numbers from Sanbornton, Gilmanton, Can- terbury, Boscawen, Salisbury,-in some cases whole families, and remained on the ground till the third day. Elder John Crocket, for forty years pastor of the First Baptist Church at Sanbornton-his pastorate having commenced only the year before, in 1793-had responded to an invitation to be present and intro- duce the ceremonies with prayer. He took his station on the sill at the southeast corner of the building, with Master-Builder Durgin on his right, and the master of ceremonies, with a glass and bottle in his hand, on the left. Order is proclaimed. The prayer is made. Then the master of ceremonies, turning and pouring out a glassful of New England, presented it with due respect to the minister, who, taking it slowly, poured a portion of the contents on the ground, as a libation or drink offering ; then with somewhat less deliberation poured the remainder in another direc- tion. The glass was then refilled and passed to the master-builder, who drained the contents, and was followed by the master of ceremonies. Then the crowd was treated, aud it was remarked that this part of the ceremony was conducted with much greater rapidity than the preliminary exercises had been.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 129

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