History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 169

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 169
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 169

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GENERAL JOSEPH BADGER, for many years judge of Probate of Strafford County, was born in Haver- hill, Mass., January 11, 1722; married Hannah Pear- son and moved to Gilmanton in 1763. He was a prominent citizen; a member of the Provincial Con- gress and the first Constitutional Convention. He was several times a member of the Governor's Coun- cil. He died April 4, 1803.

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BENCH AND BAR.

THOMAS COGSWELL, from 1784 to 1810 chief jus- tice of the Court of Common Pleas, was born in Haverhill, Mass., August 14, 1746; married Ruth, daughter of General Badger; served in the army during the whole Revolutionary War; won the rank of colonel ; settled in Gilmanton on return of peace. He died September 3, 1810.

THOMAS COGSWELL, son of William and Judith (Badger) Cogswell, a nephew of Thomas Cogswell, was born, December 7, 1798, in Atkinson ; lived in Gilmanton. He was a judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Belknap County from 1841 to 1855; was justice of the peace for over forty years and a coun- cilor in 1856 ; married Mary Noyes and died August 8, 1868. His son, Thomas Cogswell, is a prominent lawyer of Gilmanton.

WILLIAM BADGER, a grandson of General Joseph Badger, was born in Gilmanton January 13, 1779 ; married Martha Smith; was representative, Senator, president of the Senate, Governor of New Hampshire two years. From 1816 to 1821 he was associate jus- tice of the Court of Common Pleas.

LYMAN B. WALKER was an attorney 'at Gilford for many years. For five years he was Attorney-Gen- eral of the State. He was a brilliant man, and a man of much influence. He frequently encountered Frank- lin Pierce in the court-room.

STEPHEN C. LYFORD, at Laconia for many years, was a lawyer of large practice ; esteemed to be a good lawyer and stood well in the profession. He went South late in life and died there.

WARREN LOVELL, from Vermont, settled at Went- worth, in 1830. He soon after came to Meredith, where he built up an extensive practive and accumu- lated a large property. He was appointed judge of Probate and moved to Laconia, where he died shortly before 1876.

GEORGE W. STEVENS, a native of Salisbury ; was educated at Meriden Academy ; read law with John P. Hale and settled in Laconia, where he married; represented the town several years; a smart lawyer and a good advocate ; did a large business. He died at Concord.

BENJAMIN MORGAN and E. S. MOULTON were prac- ticing law at Laconia in 1854.

WM. N. BLAIR, a cousin of H. W. Blair, was a na- tive of Campton ; was practicing law in Laconia in 1861; was county solicitor for five years. He re- turned to Campton, where he died.

B. M. COLBY, a native of Colebrook, was in prac- tice at Tilton from 1854 to 1861.

I. F. FOLSOM was in practice at Meredith Bridge in 1854.

O. A. J. VAUGHAN, a native of Hanover ; read law with Judge Jonathan Kittredge, of Canaan; admit- ted to the bar abont 1846; first settled at Gilmanton Iron Works, succeeding G. G. Fogg in practice. He soon settled in Laconia, where he married and died.

JEREMIAH ELKINS was a well-educated lawyer ;

born at Andover, N. H., August 31, 1795 ; graduated at Dartmouth College in 1817; died at Meredith February 24, 1854; settled in Meredith in 1847; was clerk of New Hampshire House of Representatives ; register of Probate of Strafford and solicitor of Bel- knap County; married, first, Sarah G. Emerson ; second, Mary A. Bunker.

GEORGE T. SAWYER, afterwards of Nashua, prac- ticed law a number of years at Laconia.

HORACE L. HAZELTON was practicing law in Gil- ford in 1844. He was a lawyer and advocate of good reputation, and moved to Boston, where he became distinguished.

JOSEPH ELA was a statute lawyer at Meredith; a sharp, shrewd practitioner, who had considerable success.

HENRY T. SIMPSON, of New Hampton, was an as- sociate justice of the Court of Common Pleas; noted for his corpulence and good sense.

HON. ELLERY A. HIBBARD, born in St. Johnsbury, Vt., July 31, 1826; was educated at Derby Acad- emy ; read law with Nathan B. Felton, of Haverhill, Charles R. Morrison, of Manchester, and Henry F. French, assistant secretary United States Treasury ; was admitted to the bar in 1849 and settled in Ply- month ; he came to Laconia in 1853. He has served one term in United States House of Representatives, and has been a member of the Supreme Court of New Hampshire. He is a strong, level-headed, evenly- balanced and safe lawyer.

COL. THOMAS JEFFERSON WHIPPLE was born January 30, 1816, in Wentworth, N. H .; educated at New Hampton, Bradford, Vt., and at Norwich University ; read law with Josiah Quincy and Sal- mon Wires, of Johnson, Vt .; admitted to the bar in 1840, at Plymouth, and settled in Wentworth. He raised an independent company-the Wentworth Pha- lanx-before 1840, and was aide-de-camp of General Cook when seventeen years of age; commissioned first lieutenant in Ninth New England Regiment ; adjutant of Colonel Pierce's (afterwards Colonel Ransom's Regiment, of Norwich, Vt.) in the spring of 1846, at Fort Adams, R. I. He was in the Mex- ican War, and was taken prisoner at Vera Cruz, and exchanged at Jalapa ; was adjutant-general of Gen- eral Lewis' staff. He returned and settled in Laco- nia.

During the War of the Rebellion he served as lieutenant-colonel of the First New Hampshire Regi- ment, colonel of the Fourth, and was chosen colonel of the Twelfth. Col. Whipple has been assistant clerk and clerk of House; secretary of 1850 Constitu- tional Convention ; member of 1876 Constitutional Convention, and has been attorney for the Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad, since 1870. He has also been attorney for the Lake Company since the death of Senator J. D. Bell. Col. Whipple is an able, eccentric lawyer and a powerful advocate.

JOTHAM PATTEN HUTCHINSON, born February 29,

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HISTORY OF BELKNAP COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

1824, at Sidney, Me .; studied law with Colonel Thomas J. Whipple, of Laconia; was admitted February term, 1853 ; settled in Laconia; in 1862 settled in Nashua. In April, 1872, he was agent of the Lake Company, and in 1873 settled in Lake village. He resigned March, 1883. He married, in June, 1851, Abigail Elizabeth Hadley, of Rumney. One son, Frederick J. Hutchinson, born November 27, 1853 ; graduated from Dartmouth College, 1878, and Boston Law School, 1882; married and settled in the practice of his profession in Boston.

SAMUEL C. CLARK, EsQ., born in Lake village January 9, 1832 ; was educated at Gilford and New Hampton Academy aud fitted for sophomore class in college; read law with Hon. Stephen C. Lyford, of Laconia, and Hon. Asa Fowler, of Concord ; was admitted to the bar in 1854; practiced law in Lake village till 1857, when he was admitted clerk of the courts for Belknap County until 1874, since which date he has followed the profession in Lake village. He was a member of the Legislature in 1867-68 and

again in 1878. For two years he was assistant clerk of the House of Representatives, 1870 and 1872, and for two years he was clerk, 1873 and 1875.

During the war he was deputy-provost marshal, and a director of the Laconia National Bank and the Lake Village Savings-Bank since their organization. He was a promoter and is a director of the Laconia and Lake Village Horse Railroad. He is a Royal Arch Mason and attends the Baptist Church. He mar- ried Clara E., daughter of Captain Josiah Hale, of Dover, and has two children, Samuel C. Clark, Jr., and Clara Belle Clark.

ERASTUS P. JEWELL, forty-eight years of age, is a native of Sandwich ; studied at New Hampton ; read law with Colonel Thos. J. Whipple ; was admitted to the bar in 1859, and has since practiced in Laconia.

CHARLES F. STONE, forty-two years of age; was born in Cabot, Vt .; He graduated at Middleton College in 1869; and read law with Governor Stuart . and Judge Hibbard ; He was admitted to the bar in 1872, and in practice in Laconia.

HISTORY OF ALTON.

CHAPTER I.

THE town of Alton lies in the eastern part of the county and is bounded as follows: North by Lake Winnipiseogee, east hy Strafford County, south by Barnstead and west by Barnstead, Gilmanton and Gilford.

This town was originally called New Durham Gore. It was first settled about 1770 by Jacob Chamberlain and others. In the petition of 1794, for incorpora- tion, the citizens asked that it might be called Rox- bury, but it was finally named Alton, after a town in Southamptonshire, England. Barndoor Island was annexed to the town in 1799. A portion of the town was annexed to Barnstead in 1840, and a portion to Wolfborough in 1849.

Incorporation of Town .- The following is the petition of the first inhabitants to have New Durham Gore incorporated, 1794:

"To the Honorsble the Senate and Honse of Representatives, for the State of New Hampshire, to be convened at Amherst in said State on the first Wednesday in June next.

" The petition of us, the subscribers, Freeholders and Inhabitants of a place called New Durham Gore, in the County of Strafford and State aforesaid.

" Humbly Sheweth-That your petitioners have a long time labored uoder many inconveniencies, for want of an incorporation, in their not having legal power to lay out and make rosds for the accommodation of the Inhabitants and public, tu build a meeting-house for public worship, settle a minister of the Gospel, raise money for the maintenance of schools, and to traosuct and do many other things relative to town af- fairs, which the Inhabitants of incorporated towns in this State, by law, exercise and do, notwithstanding which difficulties they have always cheerfully contributed their full proportion towards the support of Government, and been firmly attached to the Laws of the State. Your Petitioners therefore pray that the above-mentioned Tract of Land, now called New Durham Gore, and hounded as follows-to wit-Beginning at the south westerly corner of New Durham, and running north by the side line thereof, abont nine miles and three-quarters, to the north- westerly corner of said New Durham, then running North forty-eight alegrees East, by said New Durham line about two miles and three- quarters to the southerly corner of Wolfborough, then running north- west to winnipescoke pond, then running by the shore of said pond, ns that runs a westerly course as far as Gilmantown line, then southerly upon said Gilmantown line as far as the line of the town of Barnstead, then running southeast or as said Karostead line runs to the Bounds first mentioned, -may be erected and incorporated into a township by the name of Roxbry, and that the inhabitants thereof may be erected into a Body politic and corporate, to have continuance and succession forever, and invested with all the powers and enfranchised with all the rights privileges and immunities which other towns in this State hold und en- joy, tu hold to said inhabitants and their successors forever. And that Mr. Eleazer Davis may be authorized to call a meeting of said inhabi- tants to choose all necessary aud customary town officers, giving such

notice and under such regulations as your honors may deem necessary, and that the officers then chosen may be invested with all the powers of such officers in other towns in this State. And that every other meeting which shall be annually held in said Gore for that purpose may be un the second Mondsy of March forever, or otherwise point out any other mode of relief to your petitioners in the premises, as your honors in your wise consideration shall think best, and your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray-

" New Durham Gore, March the 31st, Anno Domini 1794.

" Lem1 B. Mason, Micajah Hanson, James MºDuffee, Ebenezer Went- worth, Jun., Joseph Roberts, Thomas Edgerley, Jonª MeDuffee, Ephraim Chamberlain, Jr., Joho Rawlings, Thomas Dutton, Silas Buzzell, Aaron Allard, David Glidden, Moses Gilman, Samuel mc cluer, Ebenezer Place, Jr., Stephen Fall, Jonathan Molton, Moses Meader, Jr., Nicholas Glid- den, Tbos. Bennett, Samuel Elkins, Eleazer Davis, Benja Beunett, Dan1 McDuffee, Jr., Robert E. Buzzel, William McDuffee, Lemuel Durrell, Ephraim Chamberlain, Jonathan Laighton, Jr., Charles Rogers, Jona- than Coffin, Samuel Rogers, Simon Clamp, Thomas flanders, Thomas Lauchlen, George Walker, Ebenezer Wentworth, Elisha Drew, Israel Stockbridge (name illegible), Jacob Chamberlain, Jr., Richard flanders, John Folsom, Benjamin Shepard, Jonathan Leighton, Thomas Edgerly, Jr., James Roberts, Joseph Chamberlin, Juseph Buzzell, Andrew Edgerly, Anthony Rawlings, Ichabod Rawlings, Jousthan Laighton (3d), Ithamar Buzel [?], James Rogers, paul Leathers, Paul Chamberlin, Eph™ Roberts, Tristram Hurd, Stephen Drew, James Woster, Theoder Richards, Jere- mish Woodmao, Reuben Smith."

The following is the petition of Joseph Pierce, 1794:

"State of New Hampshire } To the Honble the Senate and House of Rep- County of Strafford. resentatives in Gen1 Court to be convened at Amherst in said State. The Petition of Joseph Pierce, of New Dur- ham Gore in said Conuty

" Humbly Shows-That a petition, signed by sundry of the Inhabit- ants of said New Durham Gore, has been presented to the General Conrt, praying that the Tract of Land called New Durham Gore in said County might he incorporated, and have such Privileges as other towns of said State enjoy. That it is not couveuient said Tract should be in- corporated as the form of the same is such that the Inhabitants never can, without much difficulty, meet together for public worship, for the doing the necessary town business, or for any other public or social pur- poses, as said Tract is not six miles wide in the widest part, and that Part is separated and divided for several miles together by a large Arni of Winnepisiokee pond called merry meeting bay, that said tract is nearly sixteen miles in extent from the most southeasterly to the most nortli- westerly part of the same, and the difficulty of passing from one to the other is greatly increused by the intervention of large and almost im- passahle Mountains, low, wet grounds and swamps that the most south- easterly part of said Gore is an acute angle, and your petitioner's farm is so situated as to make said Angle, and is removed further from the Centre of said Gore than any other farm in the same is or can be. That your Petitioner's said farm, which contains about fifteen hundred Acres, is about seven miles from said Centre, and the ruads leading to the same go over very high hills and are in general very rough, and ever will be very uneven. That your Petitioner has left the employments he for- merly pursued, and has for several years last past engaged himself in cultivating waste Lands, making public roads and advancing the general good of said State. That your Petitioner never had any thought that said Tract of Land would be incorporated, more especia'ly as said in.

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HISTORY OF BELKNAP COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

balitants have heretofore, at a public meeting held for that purpose, voted that they would not petition the Legislature for such locorpora- tion. That such incorporation, if had, would evidently lessen the value of your Petitioner's Interest in said Gore, and would place him in a sit- uation much worse than he now is. Therefore your Petitioner asks of your honours that if the Legislature should pass an Act incorporating said New Durham Gore, that the said farm of your Petitioner may not be included in said Incorporation, or that his said farm may be made into a separate corporation, or that your honours would take such other order thereno, as you in your great wisdom shall think fit.

" New Darham Gore, May 27th, 1794.

" JOSEPH PEIRCE. "

The following memorial is relative to incorporating the town, 1794 :

" To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of New Hampshire, to be convened at Amherst in and for said State on the first Wednesday in June next.

"The petition of the Subscribers, freeholders and Inhabitants of a certain tract or parcel of land called New Durham Gore, Humbly Sheweth That whereas we understand sundry Inhabitants of said Gore are about petitioning the General Court of said State for an incorpora- tion, which, if granted without the liberty herein after exprest, will greatly distress the undersigned petitioners as well as the Inhabitants of the other remote and attenuated parts of said Gore, by reason of its being so extensive in length and running into sharp peaks and narrow corners, which lap over, cover and lye behind almost impassable Moun- tains-and your petitioners living in the southerly peak of said tract, and so far distant from the intended center as to render it utterly incon- venient for them to be connected or embodied with the aforesaid appli- cants and would greatly lessen their property. But they are of opinion that a town or parish might be formed and erected ont of the middle of said tract of land by cutting off the several corners of it agreeably to a plau thereof herewith exhibited.

" Your petitioners therefore pray, that in case said incorporation should take place, your honors would reserve liberty for your petitioners and such others as now do or may hereafter live in the aforesaid extreme parts or corners of said tract of land, at any time when either of them inxy think it convenient to be set of with their estate and be annexed to any other towns adjoining, as they may see fit, and which shall be will- ing to receive them in such way and manner, and under such regulations as your honors shall think fit-otherwise we shall forever be debarred from town privileges, merely because it has been oor misfortune to settle in this tract of land, which was left out in the running the other towns adjacent, for the owners of Masons right, and which we never expected would be incorporated in its present form, but would be annexed to other towns, which might have been obtained without difficulty or objection had it been seasonably requested, but we are sorry to say that we have every reason to believe our Brethren are too much biased to consult the Benefit of their Neighbours as well as themselves ; but we are convinced that a bare suggestion of our situation to your honors, to whom we look up for protection as to por Fathers, will be sufficient.

"New Dorham Gore, May the 27th, A. D. 1794.

" Timothy Davis, Nicholas Glidden, Gideon Davis, Zebulon Glidden, Zebulon Davis, Thomas Norton, John Penny, Moses Meder."

The following is a copy of the petition for an act of incorporation, 1796 :

' To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court, convened at Exeter in & for the State of New Hampshire, ou the first wednesday of June, Anno Domini 1796-Humbly Shew

" The subscribers, your petitioners, inhabitants of a place called and known by the name of New Durham Gore, in the County of Strafford in said State. That your petitioners are, by means of their present situation, subjected to many disagreeable inconveniences, being nnin- corporated, and, of course, deprived of those privileges and immunities enjoyed by the neighboring towns. That the land on which your peti- tioners are settled, and that which remaios as yet in a state of nature, is good and capable of rapid improvement, was settlement forther en- couraged by an incorporation.

"That we are already more numerous than many places, within our knowledge, which have been admitted to the enjoyment of town privi- leges, and that a speedy augmentation of numbers can only be retarded by the want of an incorporation. That we are deprived of the specdiest and most eligible method of raising money for the support of the Gospel

ministry, schools and for the laying out, making and repairing high- ways. That your petitioners conceive an iocorporation would remedy many evils besides those above enumerated ; he a means of disseminating knowledge and contentment among the inbabitants, conduce to a speedy settlement of unimproved laods, and finally add a respectable town to the State of New Hampshire.

" Your petitionere therefore pray your honors that they may be ranked among the happy citizens of this State by being admitted to an incorpo- ration, and as in duty hound will ever pray.

"June 6th, 1796.

" JACOB CHAMBERLIN, " JAMES McDUFFEE,

" DANIEL MeDUFFEE,

mmm Selectmen.

"Jonathan Leighton, Jr., Jonathan Leighton (34), James Rogers, Ebenezer Wentworth, Benj. Bennet, Thomas Edgerley, Junr., George Walker, Paul Chamberlin, David McDnffee, Jacob Chamberlin, Jr., Leun B. Mason, John Rawlings, Jobn Plnmer, Thomas Jewett, Silas Roberts, Thomas Lanchlen, Oliver Peavey, Ebenezer Wentworth, Jr., Joseph Roberts, Esqr., Thomas Edgerley, Samuel Rogers, Wm MeDuffee, An- thony Rawling, Charles Rogers, Joseph Chamberlin, Hezekiah Davis, Jonathan Leighton, David llayes, Aaron Allard, David Wentworth, Thos. Bennett, Andrew Elgerley, James Roberts, Epbm Chamberlin, Junr., Jona MeDuffee, Ichabod Rawlings."

The foregoing petition was before the House of. Representatives June 13th, and a vote passed grant- ing the petition ; the Senate concurred, and an act of incorporation received the approval of the Governor June 16, 1796.

The following is the petition of Jacob Chamberlin relative to the election of representatives in 1778 :

" To the Honorable the House of Representatives for the State of New Hampshire.

" Gentlemen :

"I, who am an Inhabitant of the Gore, have, by accident, heard your Ilonours had sent a precept to Wolfborough, the gore and New Durham, requiring these three towos to meet and make choice of some man to Represent them att the next general Court, aod as the Inhabitants of the gore had no Kind of notice or warning that there was to be such a choice, I applied to one of the select men of said New Durham to koow the Rea- son why we were not notified, and he told me it was no matter whether we knew it or oot, as there would be no choice, though I thought it Very unreasonable that a New Durham selectman should Determine whether we in the gore should be represented or oot I cannot think why we were not notified, unless it was for this Reason-that as they know Wolf- borough never attends the meetings they might chuse whome they pleased, and it seems they think they have no one in their town fit they must pitch upon a man ucar forty miles Distant, who, we think, very little acquainted with the Circumstances of the gore, what ever he may be with Wolfborough, and we Desire to submit it to your hooours whether such a person, chosen in such an illegal manner-and, as I have been informed, only by 5 or 6 men-is a suitable person to Represent three towns. If we have no man among us fit for a Representative we had much rather confide in the wisdom and justice of your honors to Represent us than that any person, chosen in an illegal manner, shonld presume to Do it. We, upou the whole, think we are slighted and very ill treated in this mater, and hope that your honours, in your great goodness, will see we have Justice Done us. I am, in behalf of the gore, your most humble Servant,

"Gore, December the 11th 1778."

" JACDE CHAMBERLIN,

The following is the petition of the inhabitants concerning the same matter :

"STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

" To the Honble the House of Representatives of the State of New Hamp- shire.

" The Humble Petition of us, the Subscribers, Inhabitants of the Gore, in the County of Strafford, in Said State, Sheweth

" That we have been informed their Honours, the Late General Court, bad Sent a precept to the Select Men of New Durham, Directing them to Notify the Inhabitants of Wolfborough and the Gore to Meet at Said New Durham, for the Choice of a Representative to attend this present

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ALTON.

General Court ; and that, notwithstanding the Same Direction, we never had any kind of Notice or warning of such Meeting, but the Inhabitants of said New Durham met and Chose a Representative, which appears tu us to be illegal, and Pray the Said Choice may be set aside, that we may have the priviledge of Voting at any future Meeting for the Choice of Representatives, which we think we have a just Right to Claim ; And that the Inhabitants of Wolfborough have never attended Such Meet- ings, on account of the Great Distance they are from New Durham Meet- ing-House.

" That they have intimated to us their Great Desire to be present at Such Meetings, if the Place appointed was such as would Be Convenient for the three towns, and That Lieut. Charles Rogers, at Merrymeeting Bay, would be the most suitable, at which Place they would punctually attend. And your Petitioners, as in Duty Bound, will Ever Pray, &c.

"JOSEPH ROBERTS "CHARLES ROGERS, - Selectmen.

" TIMOTHY DAVIS,

" George Hora, Jacob Chamberlin, Eleazer Davis, Olivab Reave, Eph- raim Chamberlin, John Barker, Benjm Bennett, Ephraim Roberts."

Colonel Thomas Tash was the man elected. The matter was before the House of Representatives March 10, 1779, and a hearing ordered for the 24th ; but in the journal of the House for that day no men- tion is made of the matter, and probably it was dropped.

The following is the petition relative to roads through the Gore :

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 169

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