History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 28

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 28
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 28

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).

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CONCORD.

"Where once their careless childhood strayed A stranger yet lo pain,"

and encouraging in the younger generation a proper and pleasing pride in their Alma Mater, the effect of which is every way beneficial.

The present number of pupils is about 280, the number of masters 20, many of them graduates of the school. Among the masters now resident at St. Paul's, and who have for many years past been iden- tified with its history and prosperity, may be men- tioned the Rev. Robert A. Benton, M.A., of Trinity, Hartford; the Rev. T. G. Valpey, M.A., of Yale; Mr. Charles S. Knox, M.A., of Columbia College, New York; the Rev. Charles A. Morrill, M.A., of Harvard ; the Rev. Thomas J. Drumm, M.A .; Mr. James C. Knox, M.A .; the Rev. John Hargate, M.A. ; Mr. James Milnor Coit, Ph.D .; the Rev. Edward M. Parker, M.A. (Keble College, Oxford) ; Mr. Augustus M. Swift, M.A. The last five of these are graduates of St. Paul's. The terms of admission were originally three hundred dollars per annum ; then four hundred; they are now, and have been for some years, five hun- dred. There are a few scholarships (which the authori- ties are anxious to increase), the holders of which receive all the benefits of the school free of charge. The terms for board and tuition are not considered excessive by the families from whom the scholars are drawn, and, considering the comfortable style of living which is both expected and maintained, it is really moderate. The average cost of a boy's education at Eton may be safely put down as not less than one hundred and seventy-five pounds, or eight hundred and seventy-five dollars. At schools like Marlborough and Wellington (where there is a common hall for meals), the cost more nearly approaches, but still somewhat exceeds, what has been mentioned as the charge at St. Paul's.

It has been said that no school ought to be regarded as a well-established public institution until it has been tried long enough to see whether its own pupils, when they become fathers, retain their attachment and their belief in the methods pursued, so far as to send their own sons to the old place where they themselves were educated. This final test St. Paul's has already met. For some time past there have been on its roll pupils whose fathers were themselves old St. Paul's boys twenty years ago and more, and the number is certain to increase as each year goes by. The long list of its alumni, moreover, includes the names of not a few of the rising young lawyers, physi- cians, clergymen and business men in most of our great cities.

Looking, then, at these various and really remarka- ble results, and calmly weighing the excellencies of the system of St. Paul's, there is every reason to hope and believe that Dr. Shattuck and Dr. Coit have suc- ceeded in founding in the United States a distinctively church school, which gives every promise of enduring, and will prove, in time, worthy to be compared withi

those famous English schools which enter so deeply into the very heart of the national life and character. The foundations have been so well laid that, under the protection of a good Providence, it seems that they cannot easily be overthrown. No doubt in this case, as in all similar undertakings, it may be truly said much must be due to the personal influence and magnetism of the present and first head master, which seems, in its way, to resemble that of the celebrated Dr. Arnold at Rugby. It is plain enough that he must be a man of peculiar gifts and powers, and not only such as impress and charm the young. To bring St. Paul's to its present high efficiency and celebrity, the rector must necessarily have been able to work harmoniously with a large corps of masters, themselves men of culture and acquirement, with the distinguished gentlemen who are the trustees of the school, and with the numerous parents of the pupils, not a few of whom are known among the most influ- ential people of the land. But after making all due allowance for these personal qualifications, which it might indeed be difficult to replace, it is quite certain that if anything like the wise judgment and unselfish labor of the past quarter of a century shall mark the administration of Dr. Coit's successors, St. Paul's, Concord, will more and more take a leading rank among those noted places of education which, after all, are the true glory of our country, because they are the best security that we have for the cultivation of those virtues which lie at the foundation of the safety, honor and welfare of our people.

Concord Water-Works.1-The supply of water for Concord, previous to 1873, was obtained from springs near the base of "Sand Hill." As early as July 2, 1829, William Low, Jacob B. Moore, Stephen Brown, Joseph Low and associates were constituted a corpo- ration, with a capital of two thousand dollars, called the "Concord Aqueduct Association," empowered to take water from the springs before mentioned and deliver it to takers on Main, State and other streets, and charge such price as they deemed expedient. It is not now known that the association ever did any business.

Soon after, Mr. Amariah Pierce supplied water, through an aqueduct made of logs, to the distillery which was located near the iron-store of Walker & Co., and to other customers. Mr. Nathan Call suc- ceeded Mr. Pierce, and being desirous of extending his works, and needing more capital, he obtained a charter, July 7, 1849, incorporating himself, George Hutchins and others under the name of the "Torrent Aqueduct Association," with a capital of twenty thou- sand dollars. Mr. Call was made agent and treasurer of the company, and, being a man of great energy, he made the enterprise successful. After his death the affairs of the association were conducted by his son, Horace, until the stock, owned by his heirs was sold

1 By Juhu Kimball.

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

to James R. Hill, who carried it on for several years, when he sold his interest to Nathaniel White. Henry M. Robinson had commenced to supply water from what is now " White's Park." After his decease, Mr. White purchased the rights of the heirs, and thus be- came the owner of nearly all the water property in the city. Mr. White increased the capacity of the works by adding more springs, but the demand for water being more than he could supply, he sought to increase the amount by pumping from Merrimack River, but, on account of the expense, the plan was unsuccessful.

After the great fire of 1851 there was an increased anxiety among the people in regard to the limited supply of water, so much so that the City Council ap- pointed Joseph B. Walker, John Abbott and Benjamin Grover a committee "to inquire as to the feasibility and cost of abundantly supplying the compact part of the city with water for fire and other purposes."

This committee made a report December 16, 1859, in which they say that they have endeavored to ascer- tain,

" First, The wants of this part of the city in respect to water.

" Second, The best means of securing a full supply of it."

Under the first head they say that " Our population is at present supplied in part from wells, and in part by several aqueduct companies, the two principal of which are the 'Torrent Aqueduct Association' and that of Nathaniel White. In addition to these, are several others of more limited capacities, each sup- plying from one or two to forty families."

Under the second head they say : " Five different sources of supply have been examined and consider- ed, viz. : Merrimack River, Horse-Shoe Pond, Ash Brook, Little Pond and Long Pond, and they give the last the preference."

"Long Pond is distant three and one-half miles fron the State-House, has an area of two hundred and sixty-five acres, and is, in some places, seventy- five feet deep. Several small brooks enter it, but it is fed principally by springs. The land about it is of a granite formation, and rises pretty rapidly to a height of from three to four hundred feet, and is mostly cleared. The pond is surrounded by a water-shed of some three thousand acres in extent. Its bottom is of white sand, overstrewn with granite boulders, and is free from sediment and aquatic weeds. There are no boggy meadows on its shores. Its water is soft, pure, perfectly transparent and abundant in quantity." It is one hundred and twenty feet higher than Main Street in front ofthe State-House.

They estimated the cost of the introduction and distribution at $172,475.35, and say " The most serious objection that presents itself to the immediate accom- plishment of this project is the cost of its execution."

Eleven years passed. The War of the Rebellion had begun and ended. The population and wealth

of the city had increased. The people had become accustomed to a high rate of taxation, and the de- mand for an abundant supply of water was imperative. July 30, 1870, the City Council appointed Lyman D. Stevens, Josiah Minot and fifteen others, known as the Committee of Seventeen, to report to the City Council " the proper course to be taken to secure the early introduction of an adequate supply of pure, fresh water from the Long Pond." This action of the City Council was supplemented by a mass-meeting of citizens at Eagle Hall, October 1, 1870, at which they "Resolved that the safety, health, prosperity and growth of our city absolutely demanded a greater and better supply of water than it now has." The report of the Committee of Seventeen bears date October 29, 1870. They recommended that measures be taken, on behalt of the city, to obtain the necessary legislation at the next session of the Legislature, and that in the mean- time plans and details be prepared ready for the work when the proper time came for commencing it.

Their recommendation was referred to a special committee, consisting of Josiah Minot, Benjamin A. Kimball, John M. Hill and David A. Warde.

August 10, 1871, the special committee reported that they had procured from the Legislature " An Act to anthorize the city of Concord to establish water-works in said city," approved June 30, 1871. The same committee submitted the form of an ordinance, which was adopted by the City Council December 30, 1871, providing that the management and direction of the water-works in the city shall be vested in a Board of Water Commissioners, consisting of six citizens and of the mayor for the time being.

January, 1872, the mayor and aldermen appointed John M. Hill, Benjamin A. Kimball, Josiah Minot, David A. Warde, Benjamin S. Warren and Ed- ward L. Knowlton, commissioners. The board was organized by the election of Josiah Minot president, and Edward L. Knowlton clerk. James A. Weston, of Manchester, was appointed chief engineer and Charles C. Lund, of Concord, assistant engi- neer. The organization having been completed, necessary steps were taken, as required by the en- abling act, by virtue of which there was obtained from the owners of the water-power at West Concord the right to draw from the pond one million gallons daily, for which the city paid sixty thousand dollars. Contracts were made with the " American Gas and Water-Pipe Company," of Jersey City, to construct, in all respects, complete for operation, the main line from " Forge Pond" to the northerly end of State Street, and of all the pipes for the distribution of the water therefrom throughout the city, together with the setting of gates, hydrants and other appendages. The amount paid was $143,882.74. The stock of the "Torrent Aqueduct Association " and all the water- rights owned by Nathaniel White were purchased by the city, October 1, 1873, for $20,000; also the sum of $16,311.21 was paid for other water-rights and for

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land damages. The total cost of the works, Decem- ber 31, 1874, was $351,293.45.

Mr. Vincent C. Hastings, who had been employed as an inspector during the construction of the works, was elected superintendent, and is still in office.

Water was admitted into the pipes January 14, 1873, being only eight months from the time the con- tractors commenced work. The commissioners, in their report for 1875, say,-

" We are gratified to etate that the expectations of the Board, as ex- pressed in our last annual report, have been realized. The demand for water supply has gradually increased, which gives assurance that the time is not far distant when the receipts will be sufficient to pay the in- terest on the funded debt ($350,000) and the expense of maintenance."

In their report for 1877 they say,-

"Five years have elapsed siuce water was supplied through these works, and the test of time has been exceedingly favorable to both the kind and character of the work."

Iu their report for 1879 they say,-

" We are gratified to report the continued success of the works ; that our receipts have increased, our expenses for care and maintenance di- minislied, and the number of families supplied is nineteen hundred and fourteen."

After an experience of eight years, it was found that the demand for water had so increased that the fourteen-inch main-pipe was not sufficient to furnish a continuous supply of water to the higher points of the Precinct. The board, after a thorough investiga- tion and careful consideration of the subject, voted to lay a second and larger main-pipe of eighteen inches in diameter from the dam to State Street.

Contracts were immediately made, and the pipe completed, ready for use, during the summer of 1882, at a cost of forty-seven thousand dollars.

Other additions and improvements have been made from time to time, and the water-works are nearly complete, at a cost of about four hundred and twenty- five thousand dollars, supplying two thousand two hundred and fifty families.

Since the settlement of the town no improvement within its limits has been made that has brought to its citizens greater blessings than this. Pure water from Long Pond now flows in abundance to almost every dwelling, not only supplying their necessities, but furnishing the means of beautifying their sur- roundings.

The following mayors have held the office of water commissioner : Abraham G. Jones, John Kimball, George A. Pillsbury, Horace A. Brown, George A. Cummings, Edgar H. Woodman.

The following citizens have been appointed com- missioners by the mayor and aldermen : Josiah Minot, Benjamin A. Kimball, John M. Hill, David A. Warde, Edward L. Knowlton, Benjamin S. Warren, John Abbott, Abel B. Holt, John S. Russ, Samuel S. Kimball, Luther P. Durgin, John Kimball, Willianı M. Chase, James L. Mason, James R. Hill, Joseph H. Abbot and George A. Young.

The following have been the officers of the Board : Josiah Minot (president), two years ; Benjamin A.

Kimball, three years; John Kimball, nine years; Ed- ward L. Knowlton (clerk), three years ; B. A. Kimball, one year; John M. Hill, two years; William M. Chase, eight years; V. C. Hastings (superintendent), thirteen years.

The Walker House, now the residence of Joseph B. Walker.

In the Concord Directory for 1850, Mr. David Wat- son says that this house is the oldest two-storied dwell- ing-house now standing in the Merrimack Valley between Haverhill, Mass., and Canada. It was erected by Rev. Timothy Walker, on the house-Jot drawn to the first minister, in the year 1733-34, the town hav- ing generously voted him " fifty pounds for building a dwelling-house in Pennycook." Its dimensions were twenty by forty feet, two stories in height, with an ell adjoining on the east of one story, both parts being covered by a gambrel roof. The chimneys were very large. One of them, which remained as origin- ally built until 1847, was found, upon its removal, to be about five feet square and constructed of flat ledge stones, laid in clay mortar and plastered on the in- side with a composition of clay and chopped straw. Another, of brick, was still larger.

Only the ell was entirely finished at first, and con- tained but three rooms on the first floor. The front part remained in an unfinished state until 1757, when, with the assistance of Lieutenant Webster, of Bradford, Mass., a joiner of higher repute in those days, it was also completed. Then arose, as appears from a letter dated September 9, 1757, addressed by Rev. Mr. Walker to his son Timothy, then teaching school at Bradford, a grave question as to the propriety "of painting ye outside." The decision arrived at is not now known, but either at that time or a few years sub- sequent, it was painted a light yellow, which continued to be its uniform color for at least seventy years. The interior was finished in a style similar to that found in the better class of dwelling-houses of that period. Most of the partitions were of wooden panel-work ; the front hall was dadoed with paneling, and the front stairs were in three short flights, conducting to broad landings, being guarded by a moulded rail supported upon curiously-wrought balusters.

The rooms were painted in various colors, the north parlor and south parlor chamber being green, the south parlor blue, the north parlor chamber and the old people's bed-room white and the kitchen red. Thus constructed and finished, it remained without outside alteration, with the exception of an enlarge- ment of the ell, until 1848, when it was modified in some particulars, both outside and within, and thor- oughly repaired by its present proprietor. A few other alterations have been made at subsequent dates. With the exceptions above mentioned, it remains as originally built.

The timbers of this ancient house, now one hun- dred and fifty-one years old, are mainly of white oak and pitch pine. The posts, sills and first-story floor-

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HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

timbers were dressed by the broad-axe. The oak floor- joists of the second story afford evidence of the exist- ence of good saw-mills in Pennycook at this early day. The outside was covered with wide, feather-edged white pine boards, such as onr forests no longer sup- ply. The clapboards, riven from the logs and shaved, were laid about four inches to the weather and with scarfed joints at the ends. Both boards and clap- boards were held in place by wrought-iron nails, made, doubtless, by a local blacksmith of approved skill. The cracks between the boards of the roof were battened by strips of birch bark before it was shingled. These are still in position, and in as good condition, appar- ently, as when first torn from their parent trees.

than the other. The fire-places, with one of which every important room was furnished, were of exceedingly generous proportions, and must have aided largely in the important work of reducing the forest area of the township. The old granite hearth-stone of the kitchen, still in constant nse, is nine feet and nine inches long by two feet and six inches wide.

In 1746 this house was " appointed " a garrison-house, and fortified " at the town's cost" by the erection about it of a wall oftimbers lying in contact, one upon another, and held in position by tenoned ends let into perpen- dicularly grooved posts set in the ground. Smaller temporary dwellings were at the same time built with- in this inclosure. Eight families besides Mr. Walker's

"FOUR LARGEST ELMS TRANSPLANTED BY REV. T. WALKER, MAY 2ND, 1764."

RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH B. WALKER,

CONCORD, N. H.

The panel-work of the numerons partitions, doors and window-shutters of the interior was all made by hand, and represented the faithful labor of many men for many days. The door fastenings and hinges were all imported from the fatherland, where the dutiful colonists of George II. were expected to procure them. If strength were the only standard of excellence re- quired, these were surely first-class.

Stone quarrying was little understood in the Merri- mack Valley a century and a half ago, and the stones of the cellars of this house of the first minister were broken fragments of the upper sheets of the Rattle- snake ledges. They bear no marks of drill. The chimney bricks, so far as used, were thinner than the bricks of the present period, and thicker on one edge

were assigned to this garrison, viz .: that of Cap- tain John Chandler, of Abraham Bradley, of Sam- uel Bradley, of John Webster, of Nathaniel Rolfe, of Joseph Pudney, of Isaac Walker, Jr., and of Oba- diah Foster. These ocenpied it more or less of the time until the close of the second French War. When, in 1782, the Legislature met in Concord for the first time and held its sessions in the hall over the store belong- ing to Judge Walker, which was near by, the President of the State, with his Council, occupied the north par- lor of this house, while the south parlor served as a general committee room, and the room above it as the office of the Treasurer of State.

Many prominent persons have, from time to time. enjoyed the hospitalities of this old mansion. In early

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CONCORD.

days General John Stark and Major Robert Rogers were frequent visitors to its inmates. So was Benja- min Thompson, afterwards known as Count Rumford, who married Rev. Mr. Walker's oldest daughter, Sarah ; as was also, at a later date, Professor S. B. F. Morse, of electric telegraph fame, who married his great- granddaughter, Lucretia Pickering Morse. Passing clergymen and men in official life often stopped there; while to the humblest of its neighbors' occupants, its doors were always open and a welcome awaited their approach.

This plain house, now rendered venerable by past and passing years, which presents a type of many of the better class of dwellings of the middle colonial period, was occupied by the Rev. Mr. Walker until his death, in 1782,-a period of forty-eight years. It was the home of his son, Judge Timothy Walker, during most of his life, and of his widow, who sur- vived him until 1828. During the next twenty years its tenants were parties not of the Walker family, but since 1849 it has been in the occupancy of Joseph B. Walker, a great-grandson of its builder, and its pres- ent proprietor. For reasons obvious to the reader further mention is forborne of the condition of its in- terior, of its library, paintings and various historic me- morials. The round flat-stone, abont eight feet in diameter, just seen within the yard, is the old " horse- block" of the First Congregational Society, which was used by the early fathers and mothers of Concord in alighting from and mounting their horses at the meeting-house, when the roads of the township were indifferent and carriages were rarely used. Tradition says that it was procured from subscriptions made by the good women of the parish of a pound of butter each. It was presented to its present owner by the society.

The elms in front of the house were transplanted from the intervale by Rev. Mr. Walker, May 2, 1764, as appears by his diary of that year. The largest repre- sented in the cut herewith appended, measures sixteen feet and eight inches in circumference at three feet from the ground. It was sixteen feet in 1856, and has increased eight inches during this intervening period of twenty-nine years. It is still in good health, although, during the period just named, the circum- ference of its top, unlike that of its trunk, has some- what diminished.

It is an interesting fact that the life of a single, un- pretending, wooden dwelling should span so important a part of our colonial and all of our Revolutionary and modern history.

Odd-Fellowship-Grand Lodge I. O. O. F .- The following is a list of Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of Odd-Fellows:

David Philbrick, 1 Granite Lodge, No. 1, Nashua, session of 1844-45. Samuel II. Parker, 1 Wecohamet, No. 3, Dover, session of 1845-46.

Nathaniel B. Baker, White Mountain, No. 5, Concord, session of 1846-47.

George W. Towle, Piscataqua, No. 6, Portsmouth, session of 1847-48. John C. Lyford, Mechanics' No. 13, Manchester, session of 1848-49. Timothy G. Senter, 1 Piscataqua, No. 6, Portsmouth, session of 1849-50. Joho T. Stevens, 1 Watatic, No. 14, New Ipswich, session of 1850-61. Joha Peabody, 1 Monadnock, No. 11, Mason village, session of 1851-52. Stephen Brown, 1 White Mountain, No. 5, Concord, session of 1852-53. Hon. Charles A. Tufts, Wecohamet, No. 3, Dover, session of 1853-54. George Canning Williams, 1 Cooa, No.35, Lancaster, session of 1854-55. Moses M. Burbank, Merrimack, No. 28, Franklin, session of 1855-56. Joseph Kidder, Hillsborough, No. 2, Manchester, session of 1856-57. William R. Tapley, Wecohamet, No. 3, Dover, session of 1857-58. Stilman S. Davis, Granite, No. I. Nashua, session of 1858-59. Joseph B. Smart, White Mountain, No. 5, Concord, session of 1859-60. George W. Weeks, Mechanics', No. 13, Manchester, session of 1860-61. Edwin C. Stone, Merrimack, No. 28, Franklin, session of 1861-62.

Benjamin M. Parker, 2 Piscataqua, No. 6, Portsmonth session of 1862-63.

William P. Buell, 1 Granite, No. 1, Nashua, session of 1863-64.

John S. McFarland, White Mountain, No. 5, Concord, session of 1864-65.

Ira Doe, Motolinia, No. 18, Rochester, session of 1865-66.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 28

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