History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 165

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 165
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 165

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).

"When the bill next came up in the House, I moved to amend by striking out the words West Boscawen, wherever they occurred, and in- serting the word Webster, and stated briefly my reasons for so doiog. . . My recollection is that no one said a word against the change of

. name, and the motion was adopted without dissension or opposition."

The first town meeting was held August 11th, S. B. Little, Esq., being elected moderator, and D. E. Bur- bank town clerk.

It was expected that the new town would return a Democratic majority, but, in its first town-meeting and ever since, Republican principles have prevailed. In 1866, fifteen ballotings for representative resulted in no choice, and the town was unrepresented for that year.

Before the first year of the incorporate existence of Webster had passed, the cloud of Civil War, which had been slowly gathering over the land, burst in all its fury. There was a diversity of feeling among the inhabitants of the town, some believing the war to be unnecessary, a few sympathizing openly with the South, while the larger part were ready, with heart, hand and purse, to sustain the administration in its efforts to put down rebellion.

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

January 15, 1862, it was voted to support the fami- lies of those who had enlisted, and the selectmen were authorized to raise money for that purpose.

August 7th, " Voted, that the town pay one hundred dollars to each recruit who is an inhabitant of this town, who will enlist before the 18th of the present month, for the term of three years, not to exceed the quota required of this town, to be paid when mus- tered into the service." " Voted, that the selectmen be authorized to hire a sum not exceeding three thousand dollars, to meet the expense of paying the above bounty to volunteers."

September 3d, "Voted, that the town pay to volun- teers for nine months in the army of the United States one hundred dollars each, upon their being mustered into the service of the United States, and the selectmen are empowered to hire money suffi- cient to pay the same.

January 7, 1863, " Voted, that the selectmen procure men to fill the town's quota on the best terms they can, and pay from any money belonging to the town not otherwise appropriated."

September 7th, " Resolved, that the town of Web- ster pay to its drafted men, and all those that may be drafted, or their substitutes, the sum of three hun- dred dollars, in accordance with an act of Legislature passed June session, 1863, and approved July 10, 1863."

March 8, 1864, "Voted, that a bounty of three hun- dred dollars be paid to its veteran volunteers, who have or may re-enlist to the credit of the town, and anthorize the selectmen to raise the sum."

August 16, 1877, the ninety-ninth anniversary of the battle of Bennington was celebrated in the Con- gregational meeting-house with appropriate exer- cises, Sherman Little, Esq., was president of the day. A historical oration was delivered by C. C. Coffin, Esq., of Boston. This was followed by ad- dresses by Rev. Edward Buxton, Rev. Arthur Little, of Fond du Lac, Wis., and others, with music by a select quartette and an original song by Major Alfred Little.

November 7th, the State having voted a convention for the revision of the Constitution, Rev. Edward Buxton was chosen delegate from Webster.

Angust 16, 1883, the town of Boscawen celebrated the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of its settle- ment, and proposed to Webster, as having been for- merly a part of its territory, to unite in the celebra- tion and preparations therefor. The town in its official capacity did not respond to the invitation; but the sum of $50.50 was contributed by individuals towards the expenses of the occasion, and Webster ladies, with their usual liberality and housewifely skill, furnished generous baskets of provisions for the tables.

CHAPTER II.

WEBSTER-(Continued).

Military History-Ecclesiastical History-Educational History.

Military History .-- The history of the Revolution has been written over and over again. Some writers have wearied themselves and their readers with their careful detail of the causes that led to the glorious struggle. Others have lavished their powers of de- scription upon the brilliant battle-scenes of the war, while others still have devoted their pens to the character and achievements of their favorite heroes. But a large part of that history can never be written by human pen. The struggles between love and patriotism, the hand-to-hand fights with poverty, the heroism that nerved the hearts of wives and mothers to bid God-speed to their husbands and sons, and then turn back without flinching into their lonely homes to do as best they could the work that belonged to stronger hands-these can be found only in the records kept ahove. Webster has her full share in this unwritten history, though there may be little which can be put upon paper. Her adult citizens in 1776 were not more than thirty in number, but these all signed the Articles of Association, by which they did "solemnly engage and promise that we will, to the utmost in our Power, at the Risque of our Lives and Fortunes, with Arms, oppose the Hostile Pro- ceedings of the British Fleets and Armies against the United Colonies." "This was the people's Declara- tion of Independence, agreed to before the signing of that document by the Continental Congress on July 4th. They put their names boldly to the paper, there- by declaring themselves rebels." Such men were not slow to answer their country's call to active service. They were found at Bunker Hill and on the field of Bennington, undaunted by perils, not shrinking from hardship, always proving themselves sturdy patriots.

The military spirit seems to have been active in Webster even after the emergencies of war had passed by. Two companies of the volunteer militia of Boscawen, the Light Infantry and the Rifle Com- pany, were formed almost entirely of men residing in the westerly part of the town. Both these com- panies were well organized, well officered and well drilled.

The breaking ont of the Rebellion, in 1861, roused the citizens of the newly-formed town to a higher appreciation than ever of the "Union one and indi- visihle." The following is the list of soldiers from Webster as given in Mr. Coffin's history and drawn from the papers in the town-clerk's office and from the reports of the adjutant-general, neither of them giving in full the company and regiment :

Calvin M. Burbank, enlisted in Company B, Second Regiment.

Lientenant David E. Burbank, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regi- ment.

Ezekiel W. Burbank, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regiment. Carter F. Blanchard, enlisted in Company E, Tenth Regiment.

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WEBSTER.

George Call, enlisted in Fourteenth Regiment.

Hamilton P. Corser, enlisted in Fourteenth Regiment.

David S. Curser, enlisted in Fourteenth Regiment. George C. Chase, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regiment. Calvin P. Conch.

John B. Chase, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regiment. George W. Fisk.

George S. Fellows, enlisted in Eighth Regiment.

Daniel F. Flanders, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regiment. James L. Gerrish, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regiment. Charles N. Heath, enlisted in Company B, Second Regiment. Edward F. Jaffers, enlisted in Company H, Fourteenth Regiment. Hiram A. Jack, enlisted in Company H, Sixteenth Regiment. Willard W. Jones, ealisted in Company H, Sixteenth Regiment. Jesse M. Jackman, enlisted in Company H, Sixteenth Regiment. Daniel P. Kilburn, enlisted in Company C, Sharpshooters. Andrew J. Kelley, enlisted in Company C, Sharpshooters. Lucien M. Kilburn, enlisted in Company C, Sixteenth Regiment. W. H. Libbe, enlisted in Company H, Fourteenth Regiment. Frank Libbe, eulisted in Heavy Artillery.

George W. Ladd, enlisted in Company H, Fourteenth Regiment. Joseph M. Ladd. Warren F. Lock.

Charles Little, Surgeon, Navy.

Captain David A. Macurdy, enlisted in Company H, Fourteenth Regi- ment.

Matthew Macurdy, enlisted in Company H, Fourteenth Regiment.

Tristram S. Page, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regiment. Gardiner Roby.

George S. Roby, enlisted in Fourteenth Regiment.

Henry A. Sanders.

Sumner J. Sweatt.

Blaisdell Sweatt, enlisted in Company H, Fourth Regiment.

Lieutenant Frederic P. Stone, enlisted in Cavalry.

Jefferson Searles, enlisted in Seventh Regiment.

Joseph O. Sanborn, enlisted in Fourth Regiment.

Joseph E. Sanders, enlisted in Company E, Sharpshooters.

Lientenant Walter H Sargent, ealisted in Company H, Fourteenth Regiment.

Isaac P. Sargent, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regiment.

John Sargent, enlisted in Heavy Artillery.

Warren A. Story, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regiment. Ifiram Thompson, enlisted in Fourteenth Regiment.

Lnther C. Titcomb, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regiment. Joseph Thurber, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regiment. John Whittier.

David J. Whittier, enlisted in Company E, Sixteenth Regiment.

These did their duty nobly. Some fell on the field of battle, others were slain by the malarious atmos- phere of the South, and some of those who came home bore honorable scars.

The Webster enrollment is given as follows :

Citizens liable to do military duty April 3, 1865. 63

Total quota under all calls . 36

Soldiers iu service 46

Surplus 10

Ecclesiastical History .- The "old meeting-house" stands on Long Street, not far from the Blackwater, keeping guard over the "old graveyard," where two whole generations lie buried. The house was built in 1791, but the burial-ground was not laid out until 1813. This was the first meeting-house built in Web- ster, and was occupied as a place of worship by the Congregational denomination until the erection of the meeting-house on Corser Hill, in 1823. In 1804 the " Westerly Religious Society " was formed, com- posed of seventy members, including the citizens west of Beaver Dam, together with some from Water Street, in Boscawen. The society was incorporated in

1810. The "Second Congregational Church in Bos- cawen" was organized September 26, 1804, and at the same time Rev. Ebenezer Price was installed as its pastor. He continued in the sacred office until 1837, when he was dismissed by mutual consent, and Rev. Edward Buxton was installed as pastor December 13, 1837. With the exception of a few months in 1875- 76, when the church was served by Rev. William Schofield, he was in active service until 1882, when Rev. Charles E. Gordon began his labors as stated supply. In October, 1883, he was installed as pastor, "Father Buxton " being at the same time dismissed. For a period of seventy-nine years this church had had but two pastors, a record which is seldom sur- passed.

Deacons have been elected as follows : Benjamin Sweatt, Eliphalet Kilburn, 1805; Enoch Little, 1811; James Kilburn, 1825; George T. Pillsbury, 1831; Jeremiah Gerrish, 1836; Enoch Little, Eldad Austin, 1843 ; Henry Gerrish, Henry Pearson, 1874. Since the formation of the church, four hundred and thirty- four members have been added to its fellowship,- one hundred and seventy-five males and two hundred and fifty-nine females; sixty-five of these were received by letter; four hundred and ninety-nine children and one hundred and six adults have been baptized. The name of the church was changed, December 20, 1868, from "The Second Congregational Church in Boscawen" to "The First Congregational Church in Webster."

The forty-fifth anniversary of Father Buxton's settlement over the church was celebrated December 13, 1882. Invitations were sent, as far as possible, to all who had ever been members of the church. The day proved unpropitious, one of the heaviest snow- storms of the year filling the sky ; but the meeting- house was filled with a happy throng of friends, old and new. There were beautiful decorations of ever- green, while on the pulpit and platform bouquets and flowering plants were tastefully arranged. The ven- erable pastor gave a retrospective address, recalling briefly and vividly the circumstances of his installa- tion and the men who took part in it, all of whom had now finished their earthly labors. C. C. Coffin, Esq., of Boston, a former member of the church, then gave a historical address, throwing the strong light of his graphic style over the manners and customs of the olden time. Rev. J. H. Hoffman, of Henniker, N. H., spoke in behalf of the pastors of neighboring churches. A purse of three hundred dollars was presented to Father Buxton by Deacon H. H. Ger- rish, in behalf of his friends. After a generous sup- per, served in the gallery, which has been fitted up as a "sociable-room," the evening was spent in listening to letters from absent friends and in social converse, interspersed with music. Poems written by Mrs. James B. Goodhue and by Mr. Luther B. Little were read. Another, written by Miss Getchell, of New- buryport, was received too late for reading, and was

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

inserted in the pamphlet containing the published account of the day. The occasion was declared by all who participated to be a rare success.

In 1820 the " Christian Union Society" was formed, the reasons for which are thus stated in the preamble to the constitution,-

" Whereas, Religion and morality, grounded on Evangelical principles, lays the firmest foundation for happiness here and hereafter, and in order to inculcate and support this grand principle, it becomes necessary that men associate together and form themselves into societies for the mutual support and happiness of each other ; and euch is the lot of human na- ture in this imperfect state that it becomes necessary for every society to form and adopt certain rules of government for the mutual happiness of the whole; Therefore, with thees views and impressions, we, the sub- scribers, agree to form ourselves into a society under the above pre- amble,"

The society was composed of fifty members.

They voted, in the next year, to lay claim to "their privilege in the West meeting-house" and also their equal share of the parsonage money. They believed this to be legal from the fact that the town had erected the frame of the house and had sold the pews for raising money to finish it. Some of the members of the society were pew-owners and the rest held that, on the ground of citizenship, they had a right to a share in the house. Various negotiations passed between the two societies, but without reaching any settlement, until at last the Christian Union Society " Resolved to occupy the house." "This was done June 15th and 16th, in connection with a session of the Christian General Conference. The Christian Union Society took possession of the meeting-house at an early hour on Sunday morning, and Elder Peter Young was occupying the pulpit when Rev. Mr. Price entered the house at the usual hour for public service. The assessors of the Westerly Religious Society made a formal demand for the house. There was some confusion, but no breach of the peace. The time had gone by for a compromise between the two societies, and the Westerly Religious Society resolved to erect a meeting-house for themselves, thus leaving the Union Society in undisturbed and peaceable pos- session of the old house."

"In 1844 the Christian Union Society voted to re- model the meeting-house-flooring over the galleries, removing the east and west porches and making a convenient chapel of the upper story, the lower floor being reserved for a town-house. All the slips-fifty- two in number-with the exception of two, were sold."

The society was vigorous and flourishing for several years; but emigration thinned its membership and since 1869 no regular service has been held.

The Christian Baptist Church was formed in 1808, consisting of five male and seven female members. It was organized June 16th under the following com- pact :

" This church have agreed to lay aside all the party names by which professore are called, with all such things as are called creede, covenante, platforms and articles of faith, with all the commandments of men ; and to consider Christ their only Master and the New Testament their only rule, and to be known by the name given at Antioch-which is Chris- tian."

At the close of the year 1808 the church numbered twenty-five members. It is now virtually extinct.

The Methodist Church of Webster was formed iu 1839, having its place of worship at Sweatt's Mills. At that time the Methodist Biblical Institute was at Concord and the church was supplied by its students. At a subsequent period, the institute was removed from Concord, and, as a result, preaching has not been regularly sustained.

Sabbath-schools have been maintained in Webster more than sixty years. At first they were holden in the different districts, in the school-houses or at private residences. In 1824 the number of scholars was ninety-seven ; these recited twenty-nine thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven verses of Scripture during the six months ending October 24th. Mr. Coffin tells of " one scholar of retentive memory, who tired out the patience of his teacher, reciting chapter after chapter, and was told that he might finish the recita -. tion on the next Sunday."

In 1831 the schools were organized into one, and the sessions held on Sabbath noon at the meeting- house. Sabbath-schools are at present maintained by both Methodist and Congregational Churches, includ- ing all ages.

Educational History .- No picture of New Eng- land life is considered complete without its church and school-house. These are not always found in close proximity, it is true ; nevertheless, religion and education lay very near the hearts of the early set- tlers. To be sure, they sometimes lost sight of the distinction between religion and theology, and were more zealous for orthodoxy than for holy living; and we, in the late afternoon of the nineteenth century, smile at their narrow views of education. But the church of to-day owes them sincere gratitude for their stanch adherence to the principles of the Bible ; and many a man among the mature scholars of the present age looks back with a wholesome respect to the humble school-house and the stern school-master with whom his childhood had an acquaintance, feel- ingly remembered, even now. The sum total of in- formation which those ancient schools afforded was very small, and their appliances for education and mental culture were exceedingly few ; but they kept alive and stimulated a love of learning, and, by their very deficiencies, prepared the way for better things.

In 1787, if we could have looked into the southwest corner room of the house in Webster now occupied by Mrs. S. B. Little, we should have found forty or fifty large boys and girls assembled for school. The seats are benches of plank without backs. The only window is a half-sash of six lights. The teacher is Enoch Little, a young man of shrewd common sense and ready mother-wit, both of which stand him in good stead in the possible emergencies which may arise out of his uncouth surroundings. He is, per- haps, as fond of argument and as decided in his opin- ions as when, sixty years later, he used to settle, with

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calm authority and to his own entire satisfaction, the interpretation of prophecy. He has a turbulent set to deal with, but he is master of the situation and impresses npon his pupils, from his own personality, lessons far more valuable than the reading, writing and arithmetic which they receive.

Another man, famous among the schools of the olden time, was Moses Thurston, then and through his long life known as " Master Thurston."

" He was a severe disciplinarian. One of his instruments for maio- taining discipline was a leather ferule, composed of two pieces of ham- mered sole-leather, with sheet lead stitched between them. Ou one side he punched four holes, on the other, five. He usually asked a culprit which he would have-four holes or five. If the trembling urchin said four, Master Thurston usually gave this reply : 'For fear of making a mistake, I will give you both.' Each stroke left an array of blisters the size of the holes, on the aching palm. He taught several years in West Salisbury. It was a turbulent school, and it used to be jocosely said that the surrounding farms never would have been cleared of alders if Master Thurston had not been employed as teacher."

The writer's most vivid recollection of him is as he sat in church in a pew at the north end of the gallery, on the east side of the meeting-house on Corser Hill. He always sat in the same seat, in the same position, looking down from his serene height upon the minis- ter, attentive, but otherwise apparently unmoved by pathos or eloquence. He was a regular attendant un- til advancing years rendered him too infirm. He died in 1861, aged eighty-eight years.

The first " school-dame" whose name appears on the records of Webster was Phebe Knight, who kept school on Little Hill in 1791, and afterwards on White Plain. We find no further record of her as a teacher ; but she was a poetess as well, and perhaps some of her instructions to her pupils were softened and blended into rhymes. The following fragment might well cheat a boy into learning a good lesson without knowing it :

"A FRAGMENT.

" The Pen.

"'' How great is my use !' cries the quill of a goose ; ' Who duly my merits appraise ? My praises resound the world all around- I make even fools to be wise.'

" The Needle.

". Hold ! hold ! prating goose, for I'm of most use, Although I am shorter and slimmer ;

By my little head many thousands are fed, Whilst your scribble won't purchase a dinner.'

" The Wheel.

"" And what were your head were it not for my thread ?- So, then, independent Miss Steel,

Just acknowledge thy due to the wheel.'

" The Loom.

" ' Aud what were your worth were it not for my cloth ?' The loom, looking largely, replied.

Both needle and thread might beg for their bread If I did not keep them employed.'

" The Are.

" Mr. Axe raised his head and to them he said, - 'Come, yield the precedence to me,

For to me, you must know, your being you owe,

For I hewed you out of the tree.'

"To this dispute among the tools We see how much we look like fools, When pride hegius to swell and rise, And makes us great in our own eyes Shall human tools contend with God, And boast as if they were no wood ? We are His clay, formed by His hand For His own use, at His command. Let not curst pride our hearts deceive, For what have we we've not received ? "

Miss Knight was afterwards married to Mr. Nicho- las Moody, and lived to a good old age. The mantle of the teacher and poetess has fallen upon her grand- daughter, Miss Ellen K. Abbot, who was for a long time a very successful teacher among the schools of Webster, and for some years a member of the super- intending committee, and whose pen runs naturally to rhymes.

Mary and Phebe Thurston, sisters of Moses, were also among the schoolma'ams of early days. The former taught on Little Hill in 1792 and 1793. She was married afterwards to Mr. Ephraim Noyes, but kept school in her own house, the same now occupied by her daughter, Miss Edna Noyes. Miss Noyes remembers that on one occasion her mother saw fit to correct a girl in school, but administered chastise- ment lightly. The mother of the child was weaving in the "shed-room," and apprehensive that Mrs. Noyes was not severe enough, she appeared upon the scene and proceeded to carry out Solomon's precept, "Withold not thou correction-spare not for his cry- ing." The teacher's authority was vindicated, nor was it disputed again by that child. Truly, parental good sense was not unknown in those days.

Phebe Thurston continued teaching until the de- mand for "higher education " left her modest attain- ments in the back-ground. She was a woman of natural dignity of manner and of firm will. On being asked what wages she used to receive in school, she answered, "Seventy-five cents a week and boarded round." She died in 1867, at the ripe age of eighty- nine years.

The list of studies in those days was very brief, for books were few. The Bible and Catechism were dili- gently studied, and the girls carried their sewing and knitting to school, in which important branches of domestic economy the teacher, if a woman, was ex- pected to be proficient. The grand problem of edu- cation is not yet fully solved even by the school sys- tem of our own country, of which we are justly so proud. Between the limited curriculum and bare practicality of the schools at the opening of this cen- tury and the extended courses of study and infinite amount of general information about everything which scholars of the present are expected to absorb there is a golden mean, which, perhaps, will be found to be nearer a true solution of the problem than either extreme.

In 1809 a new school law was passed. The dis- tricts were re-established and a superintending con- mittee appointed, consisting of Rev. Ebenezer Price,

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 165

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