History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 135

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 135
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 135

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).

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RUNNING LINES, 1763.

" We, the subscribers, being chosen by the Proprietors of the Town- ships of New Briton and New Chester, so called, a committe to settle the Boundaries between said Townships, we have as follows (viz.) : we have begun at the Northerly line Steveos' Farm, and have measured acrost the lower end of New Briton by the River on a strait line four miles to n Crotched white Birch tree standing upon the bank of the

River, Marked with T, S, W, T, R, S, I, L, T, and together with the Date of the year, which Tree wee have made and Established as a Bound Between the Two nfforesaid Townehips, Togather with an Elm Standing Down the Bank, about half-way to the water, which is spotted and Marked with B. T .; from thence wee have Run part of the line Between Said Townships one mile to a great Red Oak Tree Standing in the line, Marked with a great MI, Cut out with an axe, and one notch cut in it ; from thence said line is to run the same course as wee have run this, one mile, which ie South, Seventy three Degrees west, according to the Charters, which Bonods is to be a final Settlement of the lower Bound Between said Township and line so far as it ie rno.

" Boscawen, June 10th, 1763.

"RICHARD WASON,

" RICHARD SMITH,

". BENJAMIN TILTON,

"JEREMIAH LANE,

"THOMAS WELLS,

"JOHN TULFORD, " WILLIAM TOLFORD,

In answer to a petition from the selectmen, an act was passed by the Legislature, June 11, 1808, appoint- ing William Webster, Bradstreet Moody and Enoch Colby " to determine the jurisdictional lines between the Towns of New Chester, Alexandria and Danbury and report to the Legislature."

This committee, after considerable annoyance, set- tled the question of the boundary between said towns.

"ALEXANDRIA, Oct. 28, 1808.

"Agreeable to a law of this state, we, the Subscribers, have preambu- lated the line between the Towns of Alexandria and New Chester, be- gioviog at a beach tree marked & stones around it (a little north of a beach tree which is marked W, P, S, W, S, which is the south westerly corner of Alexandria ; then runing north about Fifty degrees East, to a large beach, marked and spoted, on the southerly bank of Smith'e River.

"in the mooth of December following begon at a stake and etoore known by the name of the Hemlock Corner, then South, about 4712 De- grees West, to Smith's River, to a Red oak tree standing on the east bank of said River, marked M, W, S, and S, D.

"W. W. SARGENT, for the Selectmen of New Chester.

" WMt. PATTEE, for the Selectmien of Alexondrio."

"ANDOVER, Oct. 26, 1808.

"Agreeable ton law of this state, we, the subscribers, have preambi- lated the line between the Town of Alexandria and New Chester, begin- ning at a hemlock tree on the west bank of Pengewasset River, said to bee the corner of said Towo, marked with the letters S, G, M, C, W, S, & J, W, then Runing south about seventy three degrees west, to a White Maple tree, said to be the South west corner of New Chester, and then north western of Andover, marked with the letters S, G, C, M and W, S, we have spotted, renewed, numbers and respoted from the hemlock to the maple, aud each Town paye its own expeuces.

" W. W. SANOENT,

" SAMUEL GRAVES,

" CALEA MARSTON,

of New Chester and

Andorer."

" BRIDGEWATER, Oct. 29th, 1808.

"this day we, the subscribers, have preambilated the line between New Chester and Bridgwater, begining at the outlet of New-Found pond, from there southly by the west bank of New found River, eo Called, to the west end of the Bridge across said River, near where Dr. Samul Kelly formerly lived ; theu by the south Branch of sd River to a spruce tree marked, near the place now contemplated on for the westerly end of the new Bridge, now in building across said Itiver ; from there by said Bank to the back side of Coll Lewis' Coal shed ; from there by said bank too feet to the East of the front or southerly part in the grist or corn Mill, to the junction of said Rivor with the Pemegewasset River.

for Select Men

" ROBERT CRAIGE, " EBEN KELLEY,

" MOSES SLEEPEn,

" Joux WADLEIGH,

of Bridgirater. Select Men of New Chester."

Committee

Men, "

Select Men

" Copy Examined.

" Portsmouth, September 8th, 1806.

HILL.

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

" NEW CHESTER, Oct. 20th, 1815.

"We, the subscribers, agreeable to the laws of this State, have pre- ambalated the line between the town of New Chester and Danbury, be- ginning at the old beach Corner at the North west corner of New Ches- ter and the Sonth west corner of Danbury. marked with different letters, then running North, about fifty degrees East, to dead Beech tree, the South East Corner of said Danbury, just by which is a large beach tree marked with the letters W, S, A T, and dated Oct 20th, 1815. We have spotted, renewed bounds and re-spoted, lettered and dated from the one corner to the other, and each town pays its own cost.

"W. W. SARGENT,

for the Select Men of New Chester.

for the

" AMOS TAYLOR,

Select Men

Danbury.

"A true copy. Attest,

" DANIEL FAVOUR, Town Clerk.

"Oct. 30th, 1815."

Hill is bounded north by Danbury, Alexandria and Bristol; east by New Hampton and Sanbornton- Pemigewasset River flowing between ; south by Frank- lin and Andover, and west by Andover, Wilmot and Danbury. Area, about fifteen thousand acres. Pop- ulation, six hundred and sixty-seven.

Distance from Concord by rail, twenty-five miles north, reached by a branch of the Northern Railroad running from Franklin to Bristol. Rugged Mountain, situated partly in this town, is justly entitled to its name, as it is one of the most rugged elevations in Central New Hampshire. Many have supposed the town received its name from the very uneven nature of the country, but such is not the case. There are many fine, well cultivated farms in this town upon which have been reared large families of boys and girls, many of whom have gone forth to make their mark in the world.

W. W. Sargent was, during his day, one of the lead- ing men in town, held the offices of representative, selectman and town clerk at one time during the years 1807, '08, '09, '10, besides being justice of the peace and on nearly all the committees appointed to advance the interest of the town. He was chairman of the Board of Selectmen for six years and town clerk for many years.

Carr Huse was another man of rare ability who was thought much of by his townsmen, and was continued in places of trust for a long time. He had a family of thirteen children.

Among the number of Hill's sons who have ranked high in their sphere may be mentioned Gilman Kim- ball, son of Ebenezer and Polly Kimball, born De- cember 8, 1804.

Mr. Kimball, being possessed of ample means, spared no pains in the care and education of his children. Gilman received private instruction and afterward entered Dartmouth College, from which he graduated in 1827. He studied medicine, and to per- fect himself in his profession he traveled extensively, and practiced abroad with some of the most noted physicians and surgeons. He has performed some very wonderful operations in surgery, among which are several successful cases of amputation at the hip-

joint, which for centuries had been supposed to be an operation almost impossible to perform and save the life of the patient. At present he resides at Lowell, Mass., and is a shining light in his profession.

Joseph Huse, grandson of the original settler, Carr Huse, and son of John and Betsy Huse, born May 9, 1806, is another of Hill's sons of whom the townspeople should be proud. Reared a sturdy far- mer, he went forth to battle with the world well pre- pared to win in that conflict which requires, chiefly, pluck and integrity for its weapons. Amid the vicis- situdes of a great city-Boston-he has succeeded in building up a business, fortune and reputation, to which we refer with pride. We are indebted to him for much information in regard to early settle- ments of New Chester.

Charles M. Winchester, publishing agent of the Christian Publishing House, Dayton, Ohio, is a man who has risen to eminence, and in his prosperity he is not ashamed to own that he is a " Hill man."

Gilman Currier, who left his native place to make a business and home for himself, settled in Haverhill, Mass., and engaged in the shoe business with suc- cess ; but death claimed him for its victim in 1847, and his business passed into the hands of his brother, Samuel M. Currier, who has succeeded in establish- ing an enviable reputation by his honest and fair dealing, and at the same time has succeeded in amassing a liberal amount of this world's goods. He is one of those genial, kind-hearted men that it gives us pleasure to meet. This is a peculiar trait of the entire family. These brothers were children of Moses and Nancy Currier.

Augustus B. Johnson, son of Samuel and Mary Johnson, is a man of energy and perseverance (in- herited from his father), and, by exercising these qual- ities, has risen to be one of the leading business men of the West (although he does not make his per- manent home in the West). He is engaged exten- sively in stock-raising in the State of Kansas, and is eastern manager of the Johnson Loan and Trust Com- pany, of Arkansas City.

W. W. Currier, son of Jonathan and Nancy Cur- rier, is a successful business man, engaged in the manufacture of shoe stock in Haverhill, Mass.

There are many others we would be glad to mention if space would allow. We will, however, give only a slight sketch of two of the old residents.

Carr Huse was born in Newbury, Mass., in 1740, and moved his family to New Chester in 1770. Pre- vious to this time he would go up to New Chester in the spring and spend his summers, and return in the fall to his native place. He was the first settler, with one exception, and in his new home experienced many hardships and privations, and his nearest neigh- bor north was two and a half miles, and south, Franklin Lower village, where he was obliged to go to get his grain ground, and this he had to do in winter with a hand-sled and snow-shoes. The

551

HILL.

nearest meeting-house (and that made of logs) was twenty-two miles, at Plymouth, where he went on horseback, having only a bridle-road with trees spotted to direct him. He took a deep interest in the prosperity and welfare of the town. He ocenpied al- most every position in town requiring ability, respon- sibility and faithfulness in the discharge of his vari- ons duties. He was town clerk thirty-three years in succession, one of the selectmen many years, and filled many other offices, and among them, representative to the State Legislature for many years, which met dur- ing that time at Portsmouth and Exeter. He held a justice's commission for forty years, and, as there was no lawyer in town, he made a specialty of writing deeds, etc., which the law required. As there was no minister in town, he solemnized marriages and performed not a few, but at a low price compared with the present time. In the organization of the Con- gregational Church he was the only male member, with one exception, and he was chosen deacon, and remained such for forty years. He had two wives. For the first he married Sarah Wells, in 1761, who was the mother of seven children ; and for the other, Joanna Buswell, in 1775, who was the mother of six children. He died in 1833, aged ninety-two years and nine months, having twelve children and forty-four grandchildren.

Geo. W. Sumner was born at Deering, N. H., Feb- ruary 9, 1792; assisted his father in clearing and cultivating a large farm. At the age of nineteen (the time of his mother's death) he left home, studied grammar and geography six weeks with Rev. E. P. Bradford, served two years' apprenticeship in the clothier business at Weare and Hillsborough, and in March, 1816, moved to Hill and built a dam and shop. and commenced carding wool July 6, 1816. He carded eight thousand pounds that season.

He continued in the business of carding wool and dressing cloth during the summer months for about forty years. During this time he often taught school winters, and held every important office in and for the town of Hill, and for many years he was a justice of the peace; was an excellent writer of prose and verse, and a member of the Congregational Church.

December 19, 1822, he married Hannah Abrams, of Sanbornton, who died August 30, 1847. In Septem- ber, 1848, he married A. S. Pratt ; he died July 20, 1876. His children by first wife, were Mary H., Mar- tha, Ellen S., Catharine M., Jane W., George A. and Sarah G. All but the two last mentioned died before reaching twenty-five years of age. George A. Sumner is still living at Hill; born June 27, 1839; married Angie Montague, of Springfield, Mass., April 28, 1868. Their children are, Anna G., born April 3, 1869, and George Willis, born January 5, 1875.

Sarah G. Sumner, born June 7, 1844; married Ed- mund S. Vail, of Blooming Grove, N. Y., October 25, 1879. Now living in Detroit, Kan. Their chil- dren are Alice M., Raymond S. and Florence H.

Manufactories .- The proprietors of New Chester seemed alive to the importance of having grist and saw-mill accommodations.

When the township was laid out, two lots were set off to be used "for the encouragement of building Mills." The proprietors also voted mill privileges, and appointed men to see that mills were erected.

"PROPRIETORS' MEETINGS.

"May the 6th, 1766 .- Voted Major Emerson, Major Tolford & Cap John Underhill a committee to Treat with any person or persons to Build a Saw-mill and Grist-mill npon New Found River. The above Commit- tee is impowered to give away the said privilege to any person that will undertake to Build said Mills, and no More till they have given their Re- ceipt to the Proprietors.

"Feb. 17th, 1767 .- At a Proprietors' Meeting of New Chester, Voted two Dollars upon each Right for Building Mills in said Township.

" May 19, 1767 .- Meeting opened according to adjournment. Whereas the purchasers of Land Contained in John Tafton Mason's Patent, Prov- inee of New Hampshire, by their agents, Joseph Blanchard, Esq., Im- powered the Grantees of the new Township of New Chester, in said Patent, to Dispose of two Certain Lots of Land to Build Mills for the Benefit of sd Township; whereas, John Tolford, Esq., has this day agreed to Build two Saw-mills & two grist-mills in said New Chester (viz), one grist-mill and one Saw-mill on the river known by the name of Newfound River, and have the one fit for grinding and the other fit for sawing by the first Day of November next; and one grist-mill and one Saw-mill on the River known by the name of Smith's River, within six years frun this Date, and to keep sil the said Mills in good order forever thereafter, and to grind and saw for the inhabitants of said Town, as stipulated in a Bond Signed, and hy said Tolford Delivered to Samnel Emerson & Ma- thew Thornton, Esquarres, & Mathew Forsaith, yoeman, Agents for and in Behalf of the grantees of said New Chestor. Therefore, l'oted, that the Lots of Land adjoyning to Newfound Pond River, including the stream and falls, and the Lot, Stream and falls on Smith's River, both in Said New Chester, Laid out by the Committee of the grantees aforesaid for the use aforesaid, be, and Hereby is given & grauted to the Said John Tulford, his heirs & assignes forever, and two Dollars to be paid from each Grantes of said Township, one-half to be paid by the first Day of May next, the Remainder when the first two mills is finished, he per- forming as mentioned in Said Bond.

"Also voted that the above-named Samnel Emerson, Mathew Thornton- Esquires, & Mathew Forsaith, he, and thereby sre authorised & Em- powered to give Security, & Deliver in the Capacity aforessid, a good war- rantes Deed of the above premises to the above Said John Tolford."

This mill was probably built in 1767, as per arrange- ment.

"CHESTER, March 27th, 1769.

"At a meeting of the Proprietors of New Chester by adjournment, l'oted that Major John Tolford Shall be obliged to Tend his grist-mill in New Chester for the Proprietors every first Monday in each Month for the year, and no more other days in said year."

It cannot be said that the town of Hill has ever been noted as a manufacturing town, except its repu- tation as having the largest establishment for the manufacture of glass-cutters in the world, and a fine latch-needle manufactory. The first manufacturing of importance was that of wool-rolls for spinning. and also cloth dressing, started in July, 1816, by Geo. W. Sumner, and continued for nearly forty years, Geo. A. Sumner afterwards occupied the same mill as grist-mill and carriage-shop for several years.

About the year 1825 a Mr. Moseley engaged quite extensively in the tannery business near the Sumner mill. Thomas Heath afterwards ran the business until about the year 1855. During this time B. C. Batchelder manufactured carriages in a building on the opposite side of the stream, and his brother, Asa- hel Batchelder, made axe-handles and spoke-shaves

552

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

in the Sumner mill. Mr. Batchelder was the first person to make the improved turned handles which have been so popular.

James Glines carried on the hatters' business, and John W. Sargent manufactured shoes for several years previous to 1845. Afterwards the shoe busi- ness was carried on by John Tucker aud Elcaner Everett, until large manufacturers obtained control of the shoe business and made their production on a small scale unprofitable. These establishments were all on a small scale compared with works of the same class in later times.

David Shaw, S. H. Long and Albert Blake com- menced the manufacture of friction matches about the year 1855, and did quite an extensive business for several years. August 23, 1862, M. F. Little pur- chiased the match-factory, stock and tools, and con- tinued the business with good success until the tax on matches made it an undesirable business, when it was abandoned and the mill sold to be used as a saw- mill.

In the year 1874, A. A. Williams and F. W. Eaton formed a copartnership for the manufacture of cabinet organs, and employed several men in the Sumner mill. They made some very fine instruments ; but, owing to the sharp competition in the business caused by other large manufacturers making very cheap and some nearly worthless instruments, which they put upon the market at a very low price, this company were unable to sell their instruments at a remunerative price, and after running the business three years, closed it out. We should not do justice to the business of the town if we failed to mention our sturdy blacksmith, Harrison Morrill, who, for more than a quarter of a century, did service at the anvil in our village, aud was ever ready, with a smile and good word for all, to do the bidding of his patrons, until, from the infirmities of age, he felt compelled to give up the business to younger hands in 1882.

In the spring of 1872 several parties interested them- selves in the matter of inducing some manufacturers to locate in town. A town-meeting was called, and the town voted to exempt from taxation, for a term of years, any manufacturing business of iron, wood, steel or the fabrics that might be located in town. This action was taken to encourage F. R. Woodward, who was then doing business in Manchester, to move his business, the manufacturing of latch- needles, to Hill, which he did in July of that year, leasing the mill and power on Mill Brook of Mr. George W. Dearborn, for a term of years. Mr. Woodward was at this time experimenting with the idea of making a glass-cutting tool that would com- bine the qualities of cheapness, simplicity and dura- bility, and having attained quite satisfactory results, the following winter he disposed of the needle busi- ness to a firm consisting of his brother, S. Wood- ward, G. H. Adams, H. Adams and P. C. Shaw, and engaged in the manufacture of his improved glass-

cutting tools. The business increased so rapidly that in 1876 he erected a shop near the railroad, in the rear of his residence, and put in a steam-engine for power. This shop was destroyed by fire in August, 1879. In six weeks another building was erected and ready to be occupied ; this building, with steam for motive power, was used until 1882, when both the building and power were found too small, and Mr. Woodward purchased the farm and water-power of G. A. Sumner, and the water-power owned by Mrs. C. W. Huse, on Mill Brook, and proceeded to erect a dam and buildings. The building near the railroad which was three stories high, was then moved and joined to the one already built, making a fine build- ing, sixty-six feet in length, exclusive of saw-mill and store-house, which are in a separate building. This is the largest manufactory of Rotary Steel Glass- Cutters in the world, employing about thirty opera- tives.

The latch-needle works owned and operated by G. H. Adams & Co. occupies the same building leased by Mr. Woodward for this business, and now owned by the firm. They employ about fifteen operatives, and manufacture a large quantity of latch-needles for knitting-machines, of superior quality, which are sent to all parts of the United States.

Churches, Ministers, etc .- CHURCHES .- From the first settlement of the town there seems to have been a desire, on the part of the settlers and also the pro- prietors, to establish a place of worship, as we find by the votes taken at different times in regard to hiring a minister and building a house of worship.

At a meeting of the proprietors of New Chester, held at the house of Samuel Emerson, Esq., in Ches- ter, on Tuesday, the 2d day of April, 1771, it was,-

"Voted, half a Dollar on each grantee's Right to hire preaching in New Chester the preseot year.

"Voted, John Tolford, Samuel Emerson, Jethro Saohora, Esq., & Capt. John Underhill aod Henry Hall he a Committe to hire Such Min ister of the gospel as they shall think Fit to preach to the inhabitants of New Chester, and some of said Committe ie to Acompany aoy such preacher to New Chester without any pay for their Time."

At a town-meeting, on Tuesday, the 10th day of March, 1807, it was,-

" Voted, to Raise a tax of twenty cts. upon a pole and other Estate in equal proportion to all those who give their free Consent wheo the In- ventory is taken for a minister of the Congregational or Presbyterian order."

At a town-meeting, held on April 1, 1773, it was,-

"Voted, that one Dollar be paid upon each payable Right for the present year to hire preaching in said New Chester.

"Voted, that there shall be a Meeting house built in said New Chester Equal to thirty Five feet square, one story high, the present year."

At a meeting of the proprietors of New Chester, at the house of Samuel Emerson, Esq., on Tuesday, the 27th day of April, 1773, it was, ---

"Voted, that Carr Huse, Nason Cass, Robert Forseth, Joshua Talford & Peter Sleeper shall he a Committe to Build a Meeting-House io New Chester, agreable to a vote pased at the Last Meeting.

553

HILL.

"Voted, that those that Laboor at Building the aforesaid meeting House in sd New Chester shall have allowed to theor two Shillings and sixpence pr day for their Labour."

At a meeting of the proprietors of New Chester, held at Chester, at the house of Samuel Emerson, Esq., on Wednesday, the 20th day of January, 1774,-

"Whereus, at their last Meeting their was a Voto passed that there should be two Dollars raised on each payable Right to build one Meeting- House in said town, it is now Voted that sd money shall be Equally Di- vided and applied toward Building two Meeting-Houses, one in the lower part of the town and the other in the upper part of the Town, and Build the same on the parsonage lots.

"Voted, Jolın Talford, Esq., Robert Forsith, C'arr Huse, Nason Cass, Cutting Favour, those be a Committe to see that the aforesaid Teo acres of Land shall be Cleared upon the aforesaid parsonage lots in the lower parrish in New Chester agreeable to the above votes, & see that it be Done as soon as ('onveniantly may he ; also Voted that the same persons he a Committe to see that the Meeting-House he Built in said parrishes as soon as Conveniantly may be.

"Voted, that John Mitchel, Thomas Crawford, Jr., Andrew Craige, Benjamin Emmons & Ebenezer Ingals shall be a Committo to see that the aforesaid T'en acres of Land shall he ('leared upon the parsonage Lot in the uper parish in New Chester agreeable to the above vote, and See that it be done as soon as Conveniautly may be ; also voted the aforesaid persons bo a Committe to see that the Meeting-House be built in said parrish as soon as Conveniantly may be.

"Voted, that two Dollars shall be raised on each payable Right in New Chester toward Clearing the land on the parsonage Lots in New Chester, and Building the Meeting-Houses agreeablo to the aforesaid Votes."

At a town-meeting, second Tuesday of March, 1824, it was,-

"Voted, To give the Directors of the West Meeting-llouso in said Town one Hundred & fifty dollars, to be paid yearly, in case they secure the use of the house to the town for public Meetings of business so long as the continuance of said House."

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 135

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