History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 22

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 22
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 22

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).

October 6, 1828, Moore & Patch commenced, but published only a few weeks, a paper entitled Time's Mirror. Mr. Moore afterwards published a paper at Meredith Bridge (now known as Laconia). He died in Amherst, his native place, February 13, 1837, aged twenty-eight.

The New Hampshire Workman, devoted to Labor and Political Reform, was commenced at Concord, March, 1870, and continued a short time. No names appeared as publishers.

S. G. Noyes publishes a weekly paper in Fisher- ville, entitled Rays of Light.

The Veterans' Advocate was established January 1, 1884, and is devoted to the interests of the Grand Army of the Republic. H. F. W. Little and Ira C. Evans, editors; Ira C. Evans, publisher.

Amateur's Monthly Magazine, 16 pages. Edited and published by Frank A. Knight; commenced January, 1873, ceased April, 1874.

The Daily Press of Concord,1-The history of the

daily press of Concord must necessarily include the papers which have been published during the sessions of the Legislature, and in political campaigns, cover- ing short periods of time usually. Files of most of these are preserved in the newspaper offices of the city, and an examination of them will well repay any person interested in the progress of typography and journalism.

HILL'S DAILY PATRIOT .- The first prospectus for a daily paper in Concord was issued by William P. & John M. Hill, publishers of Hill's New Hampshire Patriot, May 12, 1841. It provided for the publica- tion of a paper during the session of the Legislature, six days in a week, to contain the proceedings of the Legislature as reported by Governor Hill, assisted by the publishers, and also the proceedings of Congress, then in session, having been called together in con- sequence of the death of President Harrison. Its terms were two cents a copy, delivered by stage- drivers and mail-carriers. The first number was issued June 3d, with a printed page measuring eleven by seven and a half inches, and presented a neat typographical appearance. It was continued uutil the close of the session, July 3d, making a volume of twenty-eight numbers. Vol. 2 was published in 1842, beginning January 1st and ending June 24th, the day of the close of the session, making twenty- one numbers.

The Daily Patriot was first issued June 2, 1841, by Barton & Carroll, and was continned through the ses- sion of the Legislature every morning, except Friday and Sunday. It was a small folio, the pages twelve by eight and one-half inches, with three columns of mat- ter, and the subscription price was twenty-five cents for the session. The volume closed July 3d with the 24th number. The volume for 1842 is missing, but it was of the same size as Vol. 1, and published by Carroll & Baker. There were two sessions of the Legislature that year, the first beginning June 1st and ending June 24th, and the second beginning November 2d and end- ing December 23d. Vol. 4 (probably a mistake) began June 8, 1843, and ended July 1st, with the 21st num- ber-Carroll & Baker, publishers. The volume for 1844, by the same publishers, is numbered Vol. 4, and covers two sessions of the Legislature, the first be- ginning June 6th and ending June 19th, with the 12th number, and the second beginning November 21st and ending December 28th, with Number 33. Vol. 5, by the same publishers, beginning June 5, 1845, and ending July 3d, contains twenty-five numbers.

Vol. 6, beginning June 4, 1846, and ending July 10th, contains thirty-one numbers, and was published by H. H. Carroll. Vol. 7 appeared in an enlarged form, four columus to a page, and the pages sixteen by twelve and one-half inches. It began June 3, 1847, and ended July 5th, with the 27th number- Butterfield & Hill, publishers. In 1848 there were two sessions of the Legislature and two volumes of the paper,- Vol. 8, beginning June 8th and ending June 24th, con-

1 By P. B. Cogswell.

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

taining fifteen numbers, and Vol. 9, beginning No- vember 23d and ending January 5, 1849, containing thirty-two numbers-Butterfield & Hill, publishers.

In 1849 the paper took the name of Legislative Re- porter, and was published by N. B. Baker, as Vol. 1, beginning June 7th and ending July 7th, with the 25th number.

Vol. 10 of The Daily Patriot began June 6, 1850, and ended July 13th, containing thirty-one numbers, and was published by Butterfield & Hill. During this year the Constitutional Convention was held, and the daily is numbered Vol. 12, beginning November 7, 1850, and ending January 4, 1851, with the 36th number. This volume appears in enlarged form, the pages measuring nineteen and one-fourth by thirteen inches, and five columns to a page.

Vol. 13 hegan June 5, 1851, and ended July 5th, with the 24th number, with no change in publishers. Vol. 14 began June 3, 1852, and ended June 19th, with the 13th number. This was a Presidential election year, and the nomination of Franklin Pierce for the Presidency necessitated better facilities than a weekly paper afforded for conducting the campaign at his home, and, therefore, Messrs. Butterfield & Hill de- cided to issue a daily through the campaign for one dollar, and Vol. 15 began July 12th and ended Novem- ber 3d, the day after the election, making ninety-seven numbers. It was the first paper printed six days in a week, in this city, except during legislative sessions. A second session of the Legislature was held the same year, and Vol. 16 began November 18th and ended January 10, 1853, making thirty-seven numbers.

Vol. 17, beginning June 2, 1853, and ending July 2d, with the 24th number, was published by William Butterfield, as were the seven succeeding volumes, -viz., Vol. 18 began June 8, 1854, and ended July 5th, comprising twenty-five numbers, Vol. 19, a cam- paign paper, published six times a week, began November 9, 1854, and ended March 10, 1855, com- prising eighty-six numbers. Vol. 20 began June 7, 1855, and ended July 14th, with the 27th number. Vol. 21, published as a campaign paper, began January 9, 1856, and ended March 8th, comprising forty-three numbers. Vol. 22 began June 5, 1856, and ended July 12th, with the 24th number. Vol. 23 was published as a Presidential campaign paper from September 11, 1856, to November 1st, of the same year, making thirty-three numbers. Vol. 24 began June 4, 1857, and ended June 27th, making only sixteen numbers.

Vol. 25, beginning June 3, 1858, and ending June 26th, comprising seventeen numbers, was published by Butterfield & Merriam, as also was Vol. 27, beginning June 2, 1859, and ending June 28th, with seventeen numbers. We find no file of Vol. 26, and presume there was an error in numbering Vol. 27.

Vol. 28, beginning June 7, 1860, and ending July 5th, comprising twenty numbers, was published by William Butterfield, as also was Vol. 29, beginning

June 6, 1861, and ending July 4th, comprising twenty numbers.

The publication of The Daily Patriot regularly through the year was begun January 3, 1868, hy But- terfield & Hill, the volume being numbered 30, and was continued by them to February 1, 1873, when E. C. Bailey became its proprietor and publisher, and continued its publication to November 1, 1877, when it was stopped. During the legislative session of 1878 the paper was published by F. P. Kellom, with William P. Bailey, editor, beginning June 5th and ending August 19th, making sixty-four numhers.

During the legislative session of 1879 the People and Patriot, Vol. 1, was published by C. C. Pearson, beginning June 5th and ending July 21st comprising forty numbers. December 1, 1879, the publication of the paper, under the same title, six issues a week, was resumed by C. C. Pearson, and continued until Sep- tember 3, 1881, when it was discontinued. The People and Patriot was re-established by the Demo- cratic Press Association, 1885.

DAILY PEOPLE .- Another legislative paper was the Daily People, published hy Charles C Pearson & Co., a folio sheet, with pages twenty-one by four- teen inches. Nine volumes were issued, as follows : Vol. 1, from June 1, 1870, to July 1st, comprising twenty-three numbers. Vol. 2 from June 7, 1871, to July 18th, twenty-seven numbers. Vol. 3, from June 6,1872, to July 9th, seventeen numbers. Vol. 4, from June 5, 1873, to July 3d, seventeen numbers. Vol. 5, from June 3, 1874, to July 10th, twenty-six numbers. Vol. 6, from June 2, 1875, to July 3d, twenty-three numbers. Vol. 7, from June 8, 1876, to July 21st, thirty-two numbers. Vol. 8, from June 7, 1877, to July 21st, thirty-two numbers, and Vol. 9, began June 6, 1878, ending August 20th, with fifty-three numbers.

DAILY DEMOCRAT AND FREEMAN .- During the legislative session of 1847 a daily was published by Wetmore & Hood, called the Daily Democrat and Freeman. It was a small sheet, eleven by fifteen and one-half inches, four columns to a page. The first number was dated June 3, 1847, and the last number July 5th, and twenty-six numbers were issned.

DAILY INDEPENDENT DEMOCRAT .~ Dailies were issued from the Independent Democrat office dur- ing the sessions of the Legislature, as follows ; Vol. 3 began June 7, 1855, and closed July 14th, with prob- ably twenty-seven numbers. We do not know that a file of it is in existence, but the files of the weekly edition contain the proceedings of the Legislature quite fully, which were taken from the daily. Vol. 4 began June 4, 1857, and ended June 27th, comprising seventeen numbers. It was published by Fogg & Hadley. Vol. 5 began June 3, 1858, and ended June 26th, comprising seventeen numbers. Vol. 6 began June 2, 1859, and ended June 29th, comprising seven- teen numbers. Vol. 7 began June 7, 1860, and ended July 5th, comprising twenty numbers. The size of the pages was twelve and three-fourths by

P.B. Capsule.

CONCORD.

nineteen and one-half inches. Vol. 8 began June 6th, 1861, and ended July 5th, comprising twenty numbers.

DAILY STATESMAN .- Vol. 1 of the Daily States- man was begun by MeFarland & Jenks, June 2, 1852, and ended June 19th, comprising only fifteen num- bers, the session being a short one. Vol. 2 began Jnne 8, 1854, and ended July 15th, comprising twenty- six numbers. Vol. 3 began June 7, 1855, and ended July 14th, comprising twenty-seven numbers. Vol. 4 began June 5, 1856, and ended July 12th, comprising twenty- four numbers. Vol. 5 began Jnne 4, 1857, and ended June 26th, comprising sixteen numbers. Vol. 6 began June 3, 1858, and ended June 26th, comprising seventeen numbers. Vol. 7 began June 2, 1859, and ended June 28th, comprising seventeen numbers. Vol. 8 began June 6, 1860, and ended July 5th, comprising twenty numbers. Vol. 9 began June 6, 1861, and ended July 5th, comprising twenty numbers.

LEGISLATIVE REPORTER .- In 1862 a joint arrange- ment was made by William Butterfield, of the Patriot, MeFarland & Jenks, of the Statesman, and Fogg & Hadley, of the Independent Democrat, for the publica- tion of one daily during the session of the Legis- lature, under the title of Legislative Reporter. Vol. 1 began June 5, 1862, and ended July 10th, comprising twenty-five numbers. Vol. 2 began June 4, 1863, and ended July 1st, comprising twenty-four numbers. Vol. 3 began June 3, 1864, and ended July 16th. Vol. + began June 8, 1865, and ended July 3d, comprising seventeen numbers. Vol. 5 began June 7, 1866, and ended July 9th, comprising twenty-one numbers. This was the last volume issned, the Daily Monitor and Daily Patriot being published regularly, rendering it unnecessary for the weekly papers to continue the publication of a daily solely for the purpose of giv- ing the legislative proceedings.

There may have been other legislative dailies pub- lished, but no files of them are in existence to our knowledge. In 1846 the Granite Freeman and New Hampshire Courier announced that dailies would be issued by their publishers for the session, but whether the promise was fulfilled is more than we know.

CONCORD DAILY MONITOR .- Early in the spring of 1864 several gentlemen of this city, who felt the need of a permanent daily paper at the capital of the State, took steps looking to the securing of that object. Estimates of expense for an evening paper were obtained, and a guaranty fund of three thousand dollars was subscribed by some forty or more gentle- men interested in the movement, chiefly through the solicitation of the late Governor Joseph A. Gilmore. A contract was made with P. B. Cogswell and George H. Sturtevant, book and job printers, under the firm- name of Cogswell & Sturtevant, to print and publish an evening daily, for a fixed compensation, for a specified number of copies, they to have no editorial responsibility. On May 23, 1864, the Concord Daily Monitor made its appearance from the office of Cogs- well & Sturtevant, and bearing their names as pub-

lishers. The services of the late William S. Robinson, then clerk of the Massachusetts House of Repre- sentatives, were secured for a few weeks as editor, and J. M. W. Yerrinton as legislative reporter. The paper published full telegraphic reports, and made a special point of giving news from the New Hamp- shire soldiers in the field, which helped to increase its circulation.

It is perhaps needless to say that all the verbal conditions of the contract for publishing the paper were broken almost from the start, and the promised written contraet was never furnished. The local editorial work fell at once upon the senior publisher, and at the end of six or seven weeks Mr. Robinson returned to his home, and J. Henry Gilmore, the private secretary of his father, Governor Gilmore, assumed the editorial work in part, and continued his connection with the paper about one year. Of the subscribed guaranty, only about one-half was ever collected, and not a dollar of it was ever received by the publishers. Near the end of August, 1865, the paper and its accounts were turned over to Cogswell & Sturtevant, in part payment of their elaim for printing, and they assumed its editorial and business management, which they continued nntil January 2, 1867. During the falls of 1865 and 1866, George A. Marden, now of the Lowell Courier, and Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, was employed in editorial work on the Monitor, and Wil- liam B. Smart, now of the Boston Post, for a short time in the fall of 1864 had charge of the local work. On January 2, 1867, the Monitor and Independent Democrat offices were merged under the name of "The Independent Press Association " for the term of five years. The association was composed of George G. Fogg, Amos Hadley, P. B. Cogswell and George H. Sturtevant, and they continned the publi- cation of the Monitor and the Independent Democrat, the Weekly Monitor, which had been published for fifteen months, being united with the latter paper- Mr. Hadley retired from the paper after a few months, and part of his interest was taken by S. C. Eastman. On January 1, 1868, the Monitor was enlarged, to accommodate the increasing advertising patronage. In 1870, Mr. Sturtevant sold part of his interest to John W. Odlin, and the association con- tinued without further change until October 1, 1871, when the Republican Press Association was formed.

PARSONS BRAINARD COGSWELL was born in Hen- niker, N. H., Jannary 22, 1828. His parents were David and Hannah (Haskell) Cogswell, who removed from Gloucester, Mass., to Henniker early in 1815, and he was the eighth in a family of twelve children. He was also of the eighth generation of descendants of John Cogswell, ancestor of the Cogswell family, who settled in Old Ipswich, Mass., in that portion now known as Essex, in 1635. His early life was spent in farming principally, occasionally helping in his father's blacksmith-shop. His education was ob-

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

tained in the common school and an occasional term of a few weeks in the academy, until nearly nineteen years old, when he attended Clinton Grove School eight months, under the instruction of Moses A. Cartland, a noted teacher and cousin of John G. Whittier. In the fall of 1847 an opportunity occurred for him to gratify a long-felt desire to learn the printer's trade, and November 29th he entered the Independent Democrat office, then owned by Hon. George G. Fogg (afterwards minister to Switzerland and United States Senator) and Joseph E. Hood (after- wards on the editorial staff of the Springfield Repub- lican for many years). In the spring of 1849 he was employed in the New Hampshire Patriot office, and continued there for three years, with the exception of six weeks in the Gloucester Telegraph office at the close of 1849. In 1852 he entered the employ of Tripp & Osgood as a book compositor, and so con- tinued for two years. Later, in March, 1854, in com- pany with A. G. Jones, he purchased the printing- office of Tripp & Osgood, and the partnership con- tinued for some four and one-half years, when he conducted the business alone for several years. May 23, 1864, in company with George H. Sturtevant, he started the Concord Daily Monitor, which was the first permanent daily paper published in Concord, and has been connected with it ever since, as local, associate and managing editor, holding the latter position at the present time. The weekly issue is the Independent Statesman, and the papers are owned and published by the Republican Press Association, he being the second largest owner in the stock of the same. He was elected a member of the superintend- ing school committee of Union School District, which embraces the compact part of the city of Concord, known as the State-House Precinct, in March, 1858, and when the Board of Education of the district was created, in August, 1859, he was cho- sen for a two-years' term, and has been successively re-elected since for nine terms of three years each. For eighteen years he served as financial agent of the board, and is president of it at the present time, it being his fourth year of service in that capacity. He was elected a Representative to the Legislature from Ward Four in 1872 and 1873, and State printer in 1881 and 1883, and served as one of the State audi- tors of printers' accounts and trustee of State Library for several years. He has been a member of the New Hampshire Historical Society for many years, four of which he was its secretary ; is a member of the New Hampshire Antiquarian Society ; was president of the New Hampshire Press Association in 1872, '73, '74, '75, and recording secretary of the same since

1876; and is a charter member of the Appalachian Mountain Club, Boston. He spent nearly a year in the Old World in 1878-79, and his letters to his papers were published in an octavo volume of four hundred and fifty-five pages, under the title of "Glints from Over the Water."

THE REPUBLICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION which was formed Oct. 1, 1871, bought the papers and business of the Independent Press Association and of the Repub- lican Statesman proprietors, and consolidated the two offices. The publication of the Concord Daily Monitor has ever since been continued by the Repub- lican Press Association, and its circulation has yearly increased, and bids fair to continue to do so in the future.

At the time of the consolidation of the papers, George G. Fogg was chosen political editor, Rossiter Johnson managing editor and P. B. Cogswell local editor, with Edward A. Jenks business manager. Early in 1872, Mr. Fogg retired from editorial labor and from the association, and in October 1st of the same year Mr. Johnson also retired. No one was selected to fill his place for a few months, Asa Fowler, then president of the association, perform- ing considerable editorial work. In January, 1873, William E. Stevens became managing editor, and so continued until the middle of August, 1882, when he retired to accept the United States consulship at Smyrna. Allan M. Jenks was local editor during the absence of Mr. Cogswell in 1878-79, a period of more than a year. At the present time the editors are P. B. Cogswell, who has been connected with the paper from the first number, and Edward N. Pearson. The Monitor was enlarged for the second time March 28, 1882, and a third time March 15, 1884, when it commenced a morning edition, also, which was con- tinued till November 15, the same year.

Of the struggles of the paper during its early years it is not necessary to speak in detail. Com- menced, as it was, when war prices ruled in every- thing,-white paper costing from twenty-seven to thirty cents a pound, and composition by the piece reaching a higher price than ever before or since,- nothing but hard work and a great deal of it carried it through successfully, and made it the first perma- nent daily paper in Concord.

CONCORD DAILY BLADE was started by the Blade Publishing Company September 1, 1880, and discon- tinued December 7, 1880. Subsequently, the Weekly Blade was published by E. P. Gerould, for some time, when it was suspended, and afterwards resuscitated as the Concord Tribune, since which it has been pub- lished in Canaan and Concord.

CONCORD.

CHAPTER IV. CONCORD-(Continued).

BANKS, ETC.

The Concord Bank-The Mechanice' National Bank-National State Capital Bank-First National Bank-The New Hampshire Savings- Bank-The Merrimack County Savings-Bank-Loan and Trust Say- ings-Bank - Penacook Savings-Bank-Count Rumford-Countess of Rumford-The Rolfe and Rumford Asylum-The New Hampshire Bible Society-Physicians -City Hospital-Fire Department-Water Worke-Penacook-Concord Horse Railroad-Centenariane - Slavery in Concord- Manufacturing Interests-Miscellaneons.

THE first banking institution in this town was the Concord Bank, which was incorporated June 18, 1806. "Timothy Walker, Caleb Stark, John Bradley, John Mills, Robert Harris, Ebenezer Peasley, Richard Ayer, William Whittle, William A. Kent, Joshna Darling, Thomas W. Thompson, Aquila Davis, John Chandler, Baruch Chase, Joseph Towne and Joseph Clough and their associates" were incorporated "by the name of the President, Directors and Company of the Concord Bank."

In proceeding to organize for the transaction of business under their charter, special difficulties were encountered, growing chiefly, it is said, ont of qnes- tions of location and management. Already there was a "north end" and a "south end" interest. In the former was Hon. Timothy Walker, and in the latter Colonel William A. Kent, with whom, respectively, others took sides, according to their own ideas of interest. The result, however, was, two banks went into operation under the same charter, one called the Upper Bank and the other the Lower Bank, each claiming exclusively to be the Concord Bank. O1 the Upper Bank, Timothy Walker was first president and Samuel Sparhawk, from Portsmouth, cashier. Of the Lower Bank, Joseph Towne, of Hopkinton, was president, and William A. Kent cashier. For several years a disagreeable competition existed between them. On the part of the Upper Bank a run was made upon the Lower, for the payment in specie of their bills. By the Lower Bank, or by persons inter- ested therein, suits were commenced against the other for issuing bills contrary to law; and hence a litiga- tion as to which was the lawful Concord Bank was continued for a considerable time. In 1808 one Nehemiah Jones commenced a suit against Timothy Walker, containing more than a hundred connts, which embraced all the questions at issnc. In these suits the late Jeremiah Mason was employed as Jones' counsel. Tradition says that, after a while, Mason, perceiving the difficulties of the subject, and disposed to adjust the matter between the parties, signified to his client "that as he had got into gentle- men's company he must expect to pay a gentleman's price." Soon after, the rival banks came to an agreement, at least so far as to cease from vexing one another; both obtained credit with the public, and continued to do business under one charter till the

expiration of twenty years; then the Upper Bank obtained a new charter and took the name of Merri- mack County Bank.

The Lower Bank obtained a modification and exten- sion of its charter in 1826, and continued to do busi- ness till 1840, when it failed.

The Mechanics' Bank was incorporated July 5, 1834, and charter extended June 22, 1853. Incor- porators : Peter Renton, Abner B. Kelley, Horatio Hill, Joseph M. Harper, Nathaniel G. Upham, Abel Baker, Benjamin Evans, William Low, Joseph Low, Cyrns Barton, Ralph Metcalf, Nathaniel Curtis, James Minot, Arnold Carroll, Moody Kent, Ezra Carter, William Richardson, Isaac F. Williams.

Original officers: Nathaniel G. Upham, president ; George Minot, cashier. Original directors: N. G. Upham, Peter Renton, Horatio Hill, J. M. Harper, N. Curtis, A. B. Kelley. Original capital, $100,000.

Closed its affairs, 1865. Last officers: Josiah Mi- not, president; Charles Minot, cashier.

Minot & Co., bankers (Josiah and Charles Minot) commenced business January, 1866.

Reorganized as Mechanics' National Bank January 3, 1880. Capital, $100,000. Officers: Josiah Minot, president ; B. A. Kimball, vice-president; James Minot, cashier. Directors: Josiah Minot, Benjamin A. Kimball, Joseph B. Walker, Edward H. Rollins, Chas. H. Amsden, John M. Hill, Sargent C. Whitaker.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 22

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