History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 192

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 192
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 192

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).

"OAKLAND COTTAGE," with its pleasant outlying fields, was once Copp's Hill, from the owner of years ago. There resided in the family an ancient and pious spinster, quiet and meditative, to whom in the love of nature holding communion with her visible forms, she spake a varied language.

The view of the village from this high point, es- pecially before the obscuring growth of trees and shrubbery on streets and in yards, was like a clear- cut picture. " I sit by my wiudow on beautiful sum- mer mornings," said the ancient dame, " and look down upon the plain and upon the village, and I think of Sodom and Gomorrah !"

Doubtless, she had not the least intention of com- plimenting the villagers. It was only because her thoughts ran Scripturally. There is a fine view from the vicinity of the recent home of Levi Grant, Esq., of the Tamworth and Sandwich Mountains, and one of the best in all the region of Mount Washington. A lovely view is also had of distant mountain scenery, parts of Loudon, Canterbury, the Shaker village, part of Concord, etc., from the dwelling of Mr. Richard D. Varney, immediately in the village. Then, but a little way off, stands and firmly abides the well-known Peaked Hill, and here the view tran- scends the largest anticipations of its visitors. Such is its relative position that it seems to stand alone, detached from the mountain range of which it is really a part, while, as on the apex of a cone, the world falls off on every hand, and rises again to- ward the distant horizon. Here one gets a marvel- ous view of the mountain scenery in New Hamp- shire, and extending into Maine and Vermont, Peaked Hill has been for many years a favorite re- sort for pleasure parties, for students of the academy and visitors who love to climb for the sake of the climbing.

There are other places of interest that are worth the visiting, as Porcupine Ledge, the Gulf, Lougee

Pond, with its fine fishing, and Loon Pond, the largest and most beautiful body of water in this region, where sail-boats may have the most ample swing.

Beside this pond the traveled road leading to Lower Gilmanton, Pittsfield, etc., rises into a long and quite tedious hill, but on reaching the " height of land," while the horse should stand and rest a little, the traveler if possessed of any "sense of the beautiful," will be very willing to have him. A lady artist from Boston said, in her enthusiasm, "I want to get me a tent and a cooking-stove, and just come here and stay."

If one shall continue his tour some two miles be- yond this hill, there will come in sight the beautiful and yet higher grounds and farm of Jeremiah Wil- son, Esq., deceased, at present owned and cultivated by his nephew and heir, George W. Sanborn, Esq. The prospect from this summit is of wide extent, and exceptionally striking in variety. The location of the old Wilson mansion is very commanding, and has about it a yet-lingering savor of aristocracy-an element which, for many years, was attributed to " Gil- manton Corner " pre-eminently ; but whether pervad- ing the atmosphere like a miasm, or like an imponder- able agent in nature, when one would put his finger upon it, it was not there! But this owner and occu- pant of the Wilson property, if not an aristocrat, is a periodical autocrat, whose favor with his fellow-citi- zens is worthy to be put on record.

In years gone by, at the town-meetings, the strife of parties at the very opening was often fierce and long on the simple matter of the moderator. This was from the idea that whatever might be the political stripe of the moderator, so would be the elections of the day. He was a sort of standing prophecy, a fore- casting shadow. This is all changed, and being struck with the facts in a later acquaintance with Gilmanton, that no sooner is a town-meeting assem- bled than George W. Sanborn is called to the chair, a little note was sent to him, saying,-

" Tell me about the late Jeremiah Wilson-the date of birth and death and anything of family history ; also, have you any records from which you could tell me how many times you have been moderator of Gilmao- ton town-meetings ?"

There was returned soon the following racy reply :

" Dear Sir : I herewith send you date of death of Esquire Wilson and matters pertaining to his family, taken partly from Belknap's and Lan- caster's Histories, and partly from my own records. Please use what is pertinent to your object. As to your humble servant, I hardly perceive that there is anything that can adorn your article on Gilmanton or en- hance its value. In answer to your question, I will say, I have had the honor to preside at twenty-one March elections, commencing in March, 1862, and including every one to the present time, excepting 1872, '73, "74; also at six and probably seven November elections (am not positive ahont that of 1868). Besides these, 1 have presided at six special town- meetings, so that in all I am confident my fellow-citizene have elected me moderator thirty-four times. I was born in Sandwich May Il, 1822 (I was entirely innocent of that). I was married to Mary Ann Brown, March 24, 1846-that was premeditated. My decease is not on record yet. In my youth I was tanght at Gilmanton Academy by Sewell Greeley-" associate teacher, "as he was called then. I trained, on several occasions, with Rev. S. S. N. Greeley, as chaplain of the Tenth Regiment,

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at ('general muster.') Been representative two years-1869-70-and worked hard on the farm most of tha time.

" Yours, most respectfully,

" GEORGE W. SANDORN.""

With thanks for information and assistance promply conveyed, this section must close with refer- ence to one more point of observation, with beautiful outlook in and around the Centre village of Gilman- ton. Summer guests have named it, very prettily, "Sunset Rock." It is but a few rods northwest from the Prospect House, on the summit of a gentle rise of land, but from its relative position affording a broad sweep of horizon, with distant mountains, that is quite unusual and truly beautiful.

The following is a letter written to the New York Observer by "Irenæus."

"AMONG THE MOUNTAINS OF THE GRANITE STATE-GILMANTON: ITS BEAUTIFUL SITUATION, ITS ANCIENT PEOPLE, ITS SONS AND SCHOOLS.

" At Old Orchard Beach I celebrated tha praises of Laka Winnipesau- kea. If that does not apell the word aa you learned it in your geogra- phy days I can spell it twenty-five other ways, as it ia in a work now lyiog gear me, on New Hampshire. All right, so take your choice. It ia by some writers regarded the most beautiful laka in America.

" A few years ago some friends of mine, Mr. and Mrs. Kitchen, of Twanty-third Street, traveling in the summer, became anamored of this Gilmanton village-this elevated, picturesque, cool, healthful and peace- ful region. They raturned and built a beautiful country seat. Remote from cities and unvaxed with caree they find it a pleasant summer homa. What we heard from them drew us to the hills of New Hampshire, and to this particular hill, of which I am writing. In the open air, at noon, in the shade on n hot day, it ia as cool aa a garden of cucumbers. Wa are at Mrs. Draw'e farm-house, on 'Oakland Hill,'-the most command- ing aod beautiful sita in this romantic region. From the summit we have a panorama of extraordinary axtent and variaty, with rare combination of aublimity and beauty. The circle of the horizon, fifty miles away iu every direction, is a rampart of mountains, whosa lofty peaka and grace- ful curves maka a battlemented wall threa hundred miles around, sur- mounted by an azura dome, in the zenith of which, thia moment, blases the noonday aun. Nearest to my right hand is Mount Kearsarge, classic in all time for the atory of naval war; Accutney, full of history and poetry, and the Grand Monadnock and the two domea of the Unconoo- nock-the Indian for ' breaka,'-which they are fabled to resemble ; Mt. Major, Mt. Minor and the great Moose Mountain; and, in the north, tha mighty White Mountains, in grand array, make a faint claim for this region to be called the 'Switzerland of America.' At least thirty different townships ara in aight from our door. The population ia aparsa and doce not increase. Young people are enticed by the commerce and arts and chances of tha age to quit their nativa hilla and seek 'fresh fielda and pastures new' in other regions. Instead of saying,-' Tha fathers, where ara they ?' it ie the children for whom you must inquire, and you gat no anawer. They are gona. But it ie a remarkable placa for longevity. Thoaa who stay, liva. The town has recorda of more than fifty of ita in- habitante who have lived mora than ninety years ; some one hundred, ona hundred and three and ona hundred and four years.

" This same Gilmanton is not the least among the tribes of tha Granita State, for out of it have gona some of the most illustrious sons of New England. Among the original families was that of Adama, and by-and- by one of them begat a son, who begat John, who begat John Quincy, who begat Charles Francis ; and so the family of Adams came out of the triba of Gilmanton. Even en tha house of Webster was, and still ia, here ; and ona of that nama bagat Ebenezar, who begat two sons,-Ezekiel and Daniel, -and Danial grew up in a town uear by and became a mighty man. And tima would fail me to speak of Cogswell, Clifford, Dudley, Clark, Eastman, Greeley, Hackett, Hutchinson, Moody, Nalson, Page, Parsons, Peaslae, Prescott, Sanborn, Shapard and many othera whose names are familiar, and whose ancestors ouca dwelt among these hilla. It is often aaid of n country like Scotland or New Hampshire, that it 'ia a great country to go from ; ' and what better can ba said of a land than this,- ' that it gives birth to good and great man.' It may, indeed, be too emall for tham to grow in, and ao the world is richer and better when thay are driven to go abroad on the faca of the earth to be known and felt among

men. Out of the least of tha tribea may apring tha leader, and thus tha least becomas the greatest.

" Here is ona way in which this town made itself a home, out of which arose men of mark. In the year 1792 the town raised a committee of twenty citizens to consider tha questiou of founding an academy for higher education than the common school, and on tha raport of this com- mittee they planted, endowed, and, in two years' time, had in operation an institution which has flourished from that day to this under a long series of successful and eminent teachers, fitting for college and business generationa of young men who have made their mark in the church, the Stata and tha world ; and I will say, a better placa for a boy'a school is not to be found in Naw England, so far as my knowledge extenda.

" By aod by the trustees found, in their original constitution, a clausa requiring them to provide instruction in 'tha doctrinea of religion re- vealed,' and, on tha atrangth of this, they established a theological semi- Gary, huilt a large brick edifica and called abla and learned professors. Thay graduated from tha opening, in 1835, aome teo or twelve classes of young men. One of the graduates in ita first class was the present pastor of tha villaga church, Rev. S. S. N. Greeley, who adds to his pastoral work the care of a farm, and has a seat in tha Legislature of tha State, and is chairman of the House committee on education. But there waa no call for this eaminary to be perpetuated. We bava mere seminaries and colleges than are needed now. It ia mora economical, wiser and better to concentrata the funda, tha learning and energy of tha churches on a few institutions, and make tham first-class with all possible furnishings, than to multiply feebla collegea and seminaries in every Stata or section. This has been carried on to a deplorable excess, and a mortality among them, with a 'survival of the fittest,' tends to the improvement of education in the church and in the country."

Longevity .- The following is a portion of a letter written by a lady resident of Gilmanton in answer to a letter to Rev. Mr. Greeley (in his absence from home) by W. H. Ward, editor of the New York In- dependent, inquiring as to the truth of the report going the rounds of the newspapers, that only one child had been born in Gilmanton Iron-Works dur- ing the last five years :

" GILMANTON CENTRE VILLAGE.

" I have been talking by telephone with Rev. Dr. Blake, of Gilman- tun Iron-Works, and learned that within the last five years only ona child has been born there, and he is now more than four years old. We, in this Academy village, would not ba unduly elated or too boastful over our neighbors, but during that time, in the families resident here, there have been saven or eight births.

"To those of us familiar with the rapid increase of population in the West, thia feature of tha inland towns of New England is straoga and saddening. But 'we must count up our mercies,' and we certainly hava our shara of those in unusual second childhood, according to the common reckoning of that period. Not long ago a bright, oid citizen, one hundred years old, wrote his nama very legibly for his numerous callers. Our neighbor across the street received her friends on her ninetieth birthday, and, till about a year before her death, worked in her gardan almost daily, took a deap interest in the important questiona of the day and read without glasses to tha last. In tha very next house, with tha granddaughter of Mary Butler, lived another, ninety-seven years old. A faw yarda beyond, ona ninety-three, and in tha housa adjoining, bright and activa at eighty-three, ie one highly esteemed, On my right livas a widow eighty-one yeara of age, who doas all the cooking for a bousa full of aummar boarders, besides making butter and taking care of her garden, and reading without glasses more than many people of leis- ure. Just across the academy grean ia a lady verging upon ninety. When not busy about her housa she reada the best books of tha day and entertaina frienda with her just criticisms and commants and her many pleasant recollectiona. She commenced the Bible with Scott's Commen- tary last January, reading tha text, with all the notea and practical ob- servations ; and, if she lives, will finish it by tha close of this year. There ara many others I could add to this list of ' worthies,' sud I have chosen thesa six widows, as they all hava lived, within a faw rode of each other.

" The young people go to the West and to the cities, and the canaus- takar ie lightly taxed-but do not the pura air of theaa braezy hills and ' the touch of tha mountsiu sod ' seem to favor vigor of body and mind?

"S. B. C. G., in Manchester Mirror."

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HISTORY OF BELKNAP COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

The centenarian alluded to in the above commu- nication was Mr. Russell Philips. He was a native of Connecticut ; passed his first seven years of life in New Hampshire, in Loudon ; moved into Gilmanton in 1824. He became a member of the Methodist Church, and was a brother in whom could well be reposed an unshaken confidence. His was an every- day religion.

His wife was Mary Merrill. They had seven chil- dren,-Clarissa, Hiram, Calvert, Mary, Josephine, Phylena and Dr. Butler, of Suncook. On the 11th of June, eleven years ago, the oldest daughter became totally blind. There is, however, in this sad ca- lamity, " light within," and she lives in waiting " for the dawning of the morning, when the shadows pass away."

Mr. Philips died September 15, 1874, aged one hundred years and six months.

It was intended to present in this article brief no- tices, or at least the names, of a multitude of distin- guished men who were natives, or pursued their early education in Gilmanton, but space forbids.

By the census of 1880 the population of Gilman- ton is fourteen hundred and eighty-five. By the records of its history, among the earliest settlers were a family of Weeds. The last to leave will be weeds, unless our young men come out of cities on to these farms, that have all the elements of beauty and fruit- fulness.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

THOMAS DURRELL.

There is always something encouraging and inspir- ing in the record of a brave and honest struggle with the difficulties of life and the untoward circumstances of one's lot, when that struggle results in success,-a success gained by honest and persistent endeavor. We have an example of this in the life of Thomas Durrell, who was born in Gilford, N. H., January 29, 1798. He was born and educated among a peculiar, tried and worthy people, among plain, frugal, solid, toiling pioneers,-a race quite different from those com- prising the society of the present time. The principal capital of those days consisted in the virtues and per- sonal energies of the people. In his boyhood our country knew very little of newspapers, libraries, academies and colleges ; it knew chiefly country school- houses, and working, thinking men and women.

His grandfather was Eliphalet Durrell, an English emigrant who settled in Northwood, N. H., and was one of the pioneer farmers of the eighteenth century. The name, although domiciled in England for cen- turies, betrays its Norman French extraction.

Joseph, son of Eliphalet, married Olive Garmou, a descendant of Joseph Garmon, one of the early set-

tlers of Northwood, and removed to Gilford, with his young wife, to make a home. Gilford was at that time very sparsely settled, the country a wilderness of rocks and woods, and every new-comer had to clear his land, fell the trees and, with courageous heart and hands, convert the forest into cultivated fields.

The young conple remained in Gilford for a few years, working with patient and unremitting industry, and then removed to Gilmanton, where Mr. Durrell purchased a lot of land. Three children were boru to Joseph and Olive (Garmon) Durrell,-Nicholas, Thomas and Polly, who married Jerry Hutchinson. Joseph Durrell died in 1819, at the age of forty-six, and his land was inherited by his two sons. Nicholas was a man of energy, a colonel in the militia. His barn was struck by lightning in 1831, with a loss of about one thousand dollars, and he soon after sold his interest in Gilmanton to his brother, and emigrated to Thornton, N. H., and died there.

Thomas Durrell married, April 19, 1819, Sarah, daughter of Levi and Esther (Melcher) Hutchinson. (Levi Hutchinson was a soldier in the War of the Revolution, and one of the detachment sent the night before the battle of Bunker Hill to throw up entrench- ments there). Thomas and Sarah (Hutchinson) Dur- rell had eight children,-Joseph B., Ann M. (Mrs. John Wallace, of Sanbornton), Martha C. (died aged four- teen years), Sarah A. (Mrs. George Folsom), Thomas F. (died in California), Eliza J. (Mrs. Hiram Richard- son, of Concord), Lewis E. and Charles W.

Mr. Durrell remained in Gilmanton, and for many years was one of the hardest-working men of this sec- tion. He continued making additions to his farm until he owned about two thousand five hundred acres in one body, and gave his name to Durrell's Mountain. An old citizen informs us that Mr. Durrell told him that he had made about forty miles of stone wall, and to the observer of the work to-day it would seem as if this was rather under than over-estimated. The same qualities which made him successful as a farmer recommended him to offices of trust. He devoted much time and attention to the public interests of the town, attended every town-meeting from the time he was a voter until the year of his death, and for many years was a man of much influence. He was often called to office in the town, served as selectman, rep- resentative, etc., and was honored by an election as county treasurer. In all his official duties the same safe conservatism, active energy and unflinching in- tegrity which prevailed in his private life were exhib- ited. He was interested in the military organizations of the State, and in 1825 was appointed adjutant of the Tenth Regiment. Politically, Mr. Durrell was of the Jeffersonian school, and remained true to those old Jeffersonian and Jacksonian ideas, having always voted thestraight Democratic ticket with one exception.

In 1861, Mrs. Durrell died, and the following year Mr. Durrell married Mrs. Francis A. Burns, and im- mediately purchased the James Bell estate, in Laco-

Thomas, Duvelly

Thomas Cogame

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nia, where he made his residence, attending to his numerous financial interests until his death, May 9, 1883, at the advanced age of eighty-five years. He was the owner of the Cerro Gordo Hotel, and after the destruction of that hotel by fire he erected several stores on this property. He was one of the incorpo- rators of the Laconia National Bank, of which he was made a director, and was actively connected with various business enterprises. He was for many years a member of the Congregational Church at Gilmanton Iron-Works and the North Church, of Laconia.

Mr. Durrell was a fine-looking man, of pleasant manners, social, kind-hearted, careful and conserva- tive in business matters. He was a man of good per- sonal habits, of strong constitution, with good health, and retained the use of his faculties in an unusual manner. He adopted and maintained through life good rules of thought and good principles of conduct,- the soundest and best of rules, as his long life and his success fully testify. Thorough, positive and ener- getic, he accomplished much and was a valued and worthy citizen.

THOMAS COGSWELL, JR.

Thomas, youngest son of Hon. Thomas and Polly Noyes Cogswell, was born in Gilmanton February 8, 1841; was educated at Gilmanton Academy and Dartmouth College, from which institution he grad- uated in the class of 1863. In 1862, Mr. Cogswell enlisted in Company A, Fifteenth New Hampshire Volunteers, and was at once appointed first lieuten- ant, soon afterwards being promoted to captain. He was stationed in the Department of the Gulf, under General Banks, and was with his regiment at the siege and surrender of Port Hudson. Upon the ex- piration of his term of service, in 1863, Mr. Cogswell

pursued the study of law with Messrs. Stevens & Vaughan, at Laconia, and at Harvard Law School, and was admitted as an attorney-at-law in the Su- preme Court of New Hampshire in September, 1866. He commenced the practice of law at Gilmanton Iron-Works in December, 1866, where he has since remained.

The town of Gilmanton has generally been largely Republican in its politics ; yet Mr. Cogswell, al- though a Democrat, has been elected to nearly every office in the gift of his townsmen. In 1868 was su- perintending school committee; in 1871 and '72, representative in the State Legislature, and the last year candidate of his party for Speaker; in 1880, 1881 and 1882 was one of the selectmen, and for two years was chairman of the board; in 1878 was chosen State Senator from District No. 6. Mr. Cogs- well was appointed colonel ou Governor Weston's staff in 1871. In addition to a busy professional life, Mr. Cogswell has carried on extensive farming operations, and has made great improvements on the large farm formerly occupied hy his ancestors.

In the cause of education Mr. Cogswell has always been active, and for many years has been one of the board of trustees of Gilmanton Academy, and at the present time is president and treasurer of the same. Mr. Cogswell is noted for his liberality and public spirit, and large numbers of poor people have cause to remember him as a good friend in their time of need.

Mr. Cogswell is a member of Winnipesaukee Lodge of F. and A. Masons; also of Post 37, Grand Army of the Republic, at Laconia, and Crystal Lake Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, Gilmanton Iron- Works. In 1873, Mr. Cogswell married Florence, daughter of R. D. Mooers, of Manchester, and has three children,-one daughter and two sons.

HISTORY OF LACONIA.

CHAPTER I.

Geographical-Early History-Endicut Rock-Original Owners of Land- Former Proprietors .of Laconia Village-Meredith Bridge in 1813- Laconia in 1842-The First Tavern-First Saw-Mill.

THE town of Laconia lies near the centre of the county, and is bounded as follows: North by Mere- dith ; East, Gilford and Long Bay; South, Belmont and Lake Winnesquam ; West, by Lake Winnesquam.

In the year 1622 "the council established at Ply- mouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling and governing of New England, in America," granted to Captain John Mason "all the lands be- tween the rivers Merrimack and Sagadahoc, extend- ing back to the great lakes and rivers of Canada, and this was called Laconia." This was the famous Ma- sonian grant which so much and so long affected the geography and history of the province of New Hamp- shire.

In laying out a new township from Meredith aud Gilford the town fathers very properly and appropri- ately sought to commemmorate the historical fact above mentioned and chose the present name of Laconia. For this reason much of the early his- tory of Laconia will be found in the histories of Gilmanton and Meredith. The population of Laconia, according to the census of 1880, was about three thousand eight hundred, but it is proba- ble that the increase since that time will carry the number of inhabitants to four thousand and over.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 192

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