History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 47

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 47
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 47

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).

FRUIT-TREES AND SHRUBS .- Of these, the apple stands at the head. Of the varieties there are many. Those which take the lead are the Baldwin, russet, greening, blue pearmain, for winter; the Williams, the Porter and orange sweet, for fall. Crab apples are grown for ornament and use.

In riding through the town, the apple orchards all seem to be past the meridian of life, and no new ones coming on to take their places. It is to be hoped that this industry will not be allowed to die out.

Barberry .- This shrub, that grows wild all along the coast of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, only grows here under cultivation. Half a dozen families have it. It may be grown along the pasture wall, but is hardly worth a place in the garden.

Cherry .- The most common is the red ; the fine va- rieties that grow fifty miles south do not flourish here.

Currant .- The red, black and white all thrive here. The skunk currant grows wild, and is so common as to suggest that this is a good latitude for this species of fruit-bearing shrubs. The red currant is found in almost every garden.

Gooseberry can be made to do well, but is not a general favorite here.

Peach is grown to a limited extent. Plum does well.

Prunes do well in the garden of Mrs. Geo. Hart.

Pear does fairly well, several varieties.

Quince is occasionally grown.

FIELD CROPS .- The most common are barley,

beans, corn, oats, peas, potatoes, rye and wheat. Pumpkins, squashes, turnips are also grown in the field. Small patches of tobacco are grown. Buck- wheat and India wheat seem to be rather neglected. Flax, which was commonly grown fifty years ago, is forgotten, and our young people would not recognize the plant any more than they would be able to use a "tow comh " or a "linen wheel."

GARDEN VEGETABLES .- Beans, a large variety ; the beet, cabbage, carrot, cives (rather rare), cucumber, horse-radish, melon (both musk and water), mustard, onions, parsnip, radish, squash (every variety, winter and summer), tomato and turnip. "A mess of greens" may consist of any of the following vegetables, while young and tender: beets (the root and top), mustard, turnips from the garden, or the wild cowslips from the meadow or dandelions from the field.

SHRUBS AND PLANTS .- Many of our forests, road- sides, gardens and fields are

" Rank with what the dull, incurious weeds account,"

but which, on further acquaintance, prove to possess medical qualities of more or less value. Many of these plants have several English or common names ; hence the only way to identify them with certainty is by their scientific names, which are here arranged in alphabetical order :-

Achillea millifolium, yarrow ; acorus calamna, sweet flag ; actea alba, white cohosh ; A. rubra, red cohosh ; adiantam pedatuoi, maiden-hair brake ; agrimonia eupatoria, agrimony ; alnus rubra, tag alder; althea rowea, red hollyhock ; amaranthus hypochondriacus, prince's feather ; ambrosia artemisiafolia, Roman worn-weod; angelica atropurpurea, angelica ; anthemis cotula, mayweed ; A. nobilis, low chamomile ; apoc- ynum androsæmifolium, bitter root ; aralia hispida, dwarf elder; A. nudicanlis, American sarsaparilla; A. racemosa, spikenard or Indian root ; arbutus uva ursi, bear berry ; arctium lappa, burdock ; artemisia abrotanum, southernwood ; A. absinthium, wormwood ; A. vulgaris, mugwort ; arum tryphyllum, Indian turnip; asarum Canadense, Ver- mont snake-root ; asclepias incarnata, white Indian hemp ; A. syriaca, milk-weed ; asparagus officinalis, asparagus ; aster puniceus, cocash or frost-weed; haptisia tinctoria, wild indigo ; berberis vulgaris, barberry ; betonia officinalis, wood betony ; betula lenta, spice birch ; calendula officinalis, marigold ; celastrus scandens, bitter-sweet ; chelidonium ma- jus, garden celandine; chelone glabra, balmony ; chenopedinm, pig- weed ; chimaphilla umbellata, prince's pine ; chrysanthemum parthe- nium, fever-few ; chicerium intybus, chicory ; cimicifuga racemosa, black snake-reet ; cirsium arvense, Canada thistle ; clematis erecta, virgin's bower ; cochlearia armoracia, horse-radish ; comptonia aspleni- folia, sweet fern ; conium maculatum, poison hemlock ; convallaria multiflora, Solomon ssal ; coptis trifolin, gold thread; corrallorhiza odontorhiza, crawley or tempeny ; cornis circinata, green osier ; C. sericea, red osier ; crocus sativus, saffron ; cypripedium pubescens, ladies' slipper ; datura stramonium, apple Peru ; daucus carota, wild carrot ; delphinium staphisagria, larkspur ; digitalis purpurea, foxglove ; epigea repens, trail- ing arbutus ; erigeron Canadense, flea-bane ; enpatorium perfoliatum, tho- rough-wort ; E. purpureum, queen ef the meadow ; fragaria vesca, straw- berry ; galium aparine, cleavers ; gaultheria procumbens, checkerberry : gernninm maculatum, cranesbill ; goum rivale, water avens ; gnaphalinm polycephalum, end-weed ; G. nliginosum, mouse ear ; hamamelis Virginica, witch hazel ; hedeoma pulegioides, pennyroyal ; helianthus annuus, sunflower ; H. tuberosus, artichoke ; hepatica Americana, noble liver- wort ; heracium venosum, hawk-weed ; humulus lupulus, hops ; hyssop- us officinalis, hyssop ; impatiens pallida, wild celaudine ; innla helenium, elecampane ; iris versicolor, blue flag ; kalmia latifolia, lamb-kill ; luc- tuca elougata, garden lettuce ; L. sativa, wild lettuce ; laurus sassafras, sassafras (south side of Guiles' Ilill) ; leontodon taraxacum, dandelion ; leonurus cardiaca, mother-wort ; lencanthemum vulgare, ox-eye daisy ; ligusticum levisticum, lovage ; lobelia cardinalis, red cardinal flower ; L. inflata, Indian tobacco ; lycopus Europæns, bitter bugle ; malva ro-

188

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

tundifolia, low mallows ; marrabium vulgare, horehound ; melissa offici- nalis, lemon balm ; mentha piperita, peppermint ; M. viridis, spearmint ; Mitchella repens, squaw-vine ; monarda punctata, horsemint; myrica gale, meadow feru ; nepeta cataria, catnip ; nuphar advena, cow-lily ; nym- phœa odorata, white pond-lily ; œoothera bienais, scabish ; orobanche Virginiana, heech-drops ; osmunda regalis, buckhoru brake ; osmorrhiza longistylis, sweet cicely ; oxalis acetosella, sorrel ; panax quinquefo- linm, ginseng ; papaver somniferum, poppy ; petroseliuum sativum, par- sley ; phytolacca decandria, garget; plautago major, plantain ; polygo- num punctatum, smartweed ; polypodium vulgare, rock polypod ; poly- trichum juniperum, hair-cap moss; potentella Canadensis, five-finger ; prinos verticillatus, black alder ; prouns Virginiana, wild black cherry ; pulmonaria officinalis, maple Inog wort ; pyrola umbellata, pipsissewa ; ranunculus acris, buttercup ; rhus glabrum, snmach ; rhus toxicoden- dron, poison oak ; rosa, rose; rubus strigosus, raspberry ; R. trivialis, dewberry ; R. occidentalis, thimbleberry ; rumex acetosa, sheep sorrel; R. agreaticns, water dock ; R. crispns, yellow dock ; ruta graveolens, garden rue ; salix alba, white willow ; S. nigra, pussy willow ; salvia officinalis, sage ; sambucus Canadensis, sweet elder ; satureja hortensis, summer savory ; scutellaria lateriflora, skull-cap ; sempervivum tecto- rum, house leek ; sinapis, mustard ; solidago, golden rod ; spiraa to- mentosa, hardhack ; symphytum officinalis, comfrey ; tanacetum, tansy ; thymus, thyme ; trifolium, clover, red and white ; trillium, heth-root ; tussilago, coltsfoot ; veratrum, Indian poke ; verbascum, mullein.

Grasses .- Clover, herdsgrass and red-top are most common on uplands, both for hay and for pasture. On the low grounds are foul meadow, blue-joint and other varieties that are apparently native. An excel- lent custom of growing corn in drill for forage is very generally followed. Meadow hay is made up of a variety of wild grasses, brakes and polypods, with occasionally stray stalks from the cultivated fields. Every farmer has his little spot of switch-grass.

Weeds .- These are plants that have strayed away into fields and garden-beds, or road-sides, where they are troublesome or unsightly pests. The pests of old pastures are in part rather shubs than weeds. These are sweet fern, hardhack, mullein and brakes. The pests of the fields are thistles, yellow dock, sorrel, white- weed and burdock. In the garden we find " pusly," (purslain), rag-weed or Roman worm-wood, all the up- land grasses and pests of the fields. May-weed and plantain, catnip and mother-wort keep close to the house and barn. A new weed, the chicory, has with- in a few years become quite common about our houses and along the roads.

DOMESTIC ANIMALS .- None are natives. They are horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, dogs and cats. Of the varieties of fowl, every farmer keeps hens, probably one in fifty keeps turkeys, and one in two hundred keeps ducks and geese.

WILD ANIMALS .- The largest of these that lives here is the fox; then, as to size, come the raccoon, woodchuck, rabbit, the muskrat, skunk, gray squirrel, hedgehog, mink, red and striped squirrel and weasel. It is, perhaps, seventy-five years since wolves in- habited our woods and beavers the brooks, and, more than that, about a hundred since deer and bears felt at home in these forests. Tradition has it that a moose was slain in town.

BIRDS .- Of the birds, the partridge is the great game-bird; the quail is sometimes, though more rarely found. The woodcock is common. Several varieties of the hawk and owl are native, also the

kingbird, bluebird, blue-jay; marten, sparrow, lark, oriole, wren, pewee and robin, the most common of all. Ducks often stop overnight, and wild geese sometimes do on their journey south. The name " Loon Island," in Massasecum Lake, is evidence that the great northern diver once frequented the waters of that lake. It is now occasionally seen there.

FISH are not numerous. The pickerel, perch, chub, horned pout, sucker, pond-shiner, flatside and speckled trout nearly make up the list. Eels are found with the pouts on muddy bottoms, trout in the mountain brooks and "falls" of the rivers. The black bass is a modern imported novelty that promises well.

REPTILES .- The green and striped snakes, the speckled or water-adder, and the water-newt, toads and frogs are most common. None are probably poisonous.

INSECTS .- The house-fly is universal and rather on the increase, so that it is quite common for farmers, as well as town-people, to guard their doors and windows with wire screens. The blue or maggot-fly is always on hand when there is a chance to spoil a piece of fresh meat or fish ; gnats or black flies are most troublesome in the spring; mosquitoes stay near moist grounds, by the borders of ponds, brooks and marshes. There is a good supply of horse-flies in their season; ants are not entirely unknown, but they are not numerous. The borer threatens to kill the apple-trees; a worm ruins the fall sweet apples ; the Colorado beetle, unless prevented, will destroy the potato crop. Arsenic, in the form of paris-green, is very effectual, and is generally applied. Spiders are not numerous or hurtful. A sort of beetle, known locally as the " daw-bug," has, within a year or two, made sad havoc with the hay-fields by eating the grass roots. Caterpillars build their houses in our apple-trees, and of grasshoppers the supply is never short. The hornet builds a large, round nest, sus- pended from the limb of a tree or bush. The yellow- jacket wasp builds a cheaper house than the hornet, but he is always ready to defend it, whether a boy injures it by accident or design. The mud-hornets or " dirt-daubers," build their mud cabin, deposit their eggs and the food for the young when they hatch out.

The bumble-bees are insects of more importance and value; they use for a hive a deserted rat's nest, and contrive to have on hand about a tablespoonful of honey to console the lad who gets a thick upper lip while storming the fort aud capturing the honey. The common honey-bee deserves mention among domestic animals. Very few investments pay as well as those made in bee-keeping, but that industry has not made much headway in this town, perhaps not one farmer in twenty keeping bees, although a native of this town now in Florida counts his colonies by the hundred and markets his honey by the ton.

189

BRADFORD.

Civil and Political History .---

PETITION FOR AN ACT OF INCORPORATION.

"State of New Hampshire, Hillsborough 88. May ye 30tb, 1787.

" To tho Senate and Ilouse of Representatives of said State to be convened the first Wednesday

of Juue next: Your Honours' petitioners most humbly showeth : Being inhabitants of said State in the township of New Bradford, so-called, labouring noder many and great inconveniences for want of being incorporated into a towa, we, your Honours' humble petitioners, earnestly desire that said township of New Bradford, together with a part of the town of Washington, and a part of Washington Gore, so called, be incorporated into a town by the name of Bradford, with all the privileges and immunities of a town, and he annexed to the County of Hillsborough, containing all the laods within the following bounds : Beginning at a beech-tree oo Hillsborough line; thence rno- ning north eighty-two degrees cast oo Hillsborough line six miles and eighty-four rods to a hemlock-tree ; thence, the same point of compass, to the southwest corner of Warner; thence north seventeen degrees west by said Warner four miles aud two hundred and thirty-one rods to Sutton south line ; tbeace westerly by said Sutton line to Fishersfield east line sixty rods from said Sotton southwest corner, being a white-cak tree marked ; thence by Fishersfield line to a beech-tree marked, being the northeast corner of Washington Gore; thence north seventy-eight de- grees west three miles three hundred and ten rods to a small beech marked on Fishersfield line ; thence sonth two degrees west two miles one hundred and fifty rods to a black ash-tree marked ; thence south twenty- Neveu degrees east two miles and one hundred rods to the beech first men- tioned, And in granting these, our desires, your Honours will much oblige your Honours' humble petitioners, and we, as in duty bound, shall ever pray, &c.

" Ebenezer Eaton, Ebenezer Colby, Daniel Cressey, Joseph Presbury, Stephen Ward, Nathaniel Preshury, Jr., James Presbury, Joho Brown, Abram Smith, Nehr. How, Peter How, Nathaniel Presbury, Enoch Hoyt, William Clements, Daniel Eaton, John Stanley, Isaac Davis, Joshna Andrews, Abner Ward, Moses Bailey.

" May ye 30th, 1787.

"We, the subscribers, being inhabitants of that part of Washington included in the within petition, desire the prayer thereof may be granted.

" Samuel Crane, Martin Brockway, Uzziel Batchelder, Asa Brock- way, Simeon Hildreth."

The act of incorporation was passed by the Legis- lature September 27, 1787. No time was lost before organizing the town government under the act of incorporation, as the warrant calling for a town- meeting was issued in eight days after the act was passed.

FIRST TOWN-MEETING AFTER THE INCORPORA- TION OF THE TOWN .-

THE WARRANT.

"State of New Hampshire, Hillsboro' [Co.].

"Agreeable to an Act of the General Court, at Charleston, Sept. 27th, 1787, for the incorporation of New Bradford by the name of Bradford, 1, the subscriber, do notify and warn all the freeholders and other ia- habitants of Bradford to meet at the house of Nathaniel Presbury, in said towo, on Monday, the 22nd day of this instant October, at ten of the clock ie the forenovu, then and there to act on the following arti- cles, to wit :

" Istly. To choose a town clerk.

"2adly. To choose a constable.

"3rdly. To choose three selectmen and all other necessary and ens- tomary town officers.

"4thly. To see if the town will raise money to repair the highways.

"5thly. To act oo any article that is thought proper when mnet. "WM. PRESBURY,

"Bradford, Oct. 5th, 1787.

" By order of the General Court."

PROCEEDINGS OF THE TOWN-MEETING.

" Bradford, Oct. 22nd, 1787.

" Met according to warning of Wmt. Presbury, appointed by the Gen- eral Court.

" Voted, Ebenr. Eaton town clerk.

" Voted, Daniel Cresey constable.

" Voted, Eben". Eaton, James Presbury and Simeon Hildreth select- mea.

" Voted, to choose all other town officers by hand a vote.

" Voted, Dea. Presbury, Reuben Whitcomb, Lieot. Enoch Hoyt and Simeoo Hildreth surveyors of highways.

" Voted, Nathaniel Presbury and Isaac Davis tithingmen.

" Voted, Dea. Presbury sealer of weights and measures.

" Voted, Nathaniel Presbury sealer of leather.

" Voted, Daniel Young and Isaac Davis fence viewers.

" Voted, Daniel Cressey surveyor of lumber.

" Voted, Dea. Wn. Presbury, Isaac Davis and Enoch Hoyt a commit- tee to settle with the selectmen.

" Voted, to raise money to repair the highways, twenty ponads.

" l'oted, the selectmen be a committee to lay out roads for the town.

" Voted, that the petition that was carried to the quarter sessions by the selectmen of this town be denied.

" Voted, that Nathaniel Presbury have for services as constuble for the year 1786 one pound.

" Voted, That all the highway rates be worked out by the last day of November next

" Dissolved the meeting."

The foregoing "warrant," or legal publie notice of a town meeting, and the town clerk's report of the proceedings of the meeting held pursuant to the call, being the first work done under the new town charter, is of historic interest. These documents are given as types of their class, samples of hundreds of others similar in form, which make up the bulk of the "records " of this and other New England towns. The New England town is a pure democracy. There every citizen has a right to speak and to be heard on the business affairs of the little commonwealth. The town is the unpretentious foundation on which the more showy political structures of county, State and national governments are all built; the super- structures might be wrecked and destroyed, and the foundation still remain. In copying from these old records, the writer has thought it best to correct all grammatical errors. The custom very generally prevails of copying all the bad spelling in these and other ancient records and documents. This is bad taste. The rule should be, in copying an ancient document, not to attempt to modernize the sense or the spelling in the slightest degree, but to follow the author exactly in his expression of his statements, but spelling his words correctly for the age in which he wrote. Bad spelling was not a peculiarity of any past age. It is probable that the samples of war- rant and record of proceedings given above are sufli- cient for the general reader, and that a copy of a town ordinance under the title of " voted " will be as interesting as the whole proceedings would be. Under the head of "annals " will be given the most important incidents of each year from the incorpora- tion of the town to the year 1800.

Annals .-

CENSUS OF 1786.

"NEW BRADFORD, June ye 7, 1786.

"A return of the number of souls in New Bradford, so-called, State of New Hampshire, County of Hillsboro'. The whole number, one hun- dred and twenty-eight of white (128), 2 negroes.

" JAMES PRAY, ) Selectmen

"ENOCH HOYT, of

" ISAAC DAVIS, | Bradford,'

190

HISTORY OF MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

PETITION FOR AUTHORITY TO RAISE MONEY TO BUILD ROADS, 1788.

"To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened at Concord on the first Wednesday of June, 1788. The petition of the inhabitants of Bradford, in the state of New Hampshire and county of Hillsboro', humhly showeth : that they being but few in number, that their roads are extremely bad, notwithstanding they have done much labor on them ; therefore, the prayer of your petitioners is, that you would grant us liberty to tax all the laud iu Bradford one penny per acre for the space of three years, which money shall be laid out for the purpose of repairing and making roads in Bradford, and we, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.

" EBENE. EATON, ) Selectmen " ENOCH HOYT, S for Bradford.

"Bradford, June 2nd, 1788,"

The above was granted hy an act passed January 20,1789.

The first mention of Federal money in the town records occurs this year in the records of the annual meeting, March 11th. At that meeting a bounty of four dollars was voted for every "wolf's pate caught within this town." At an adjourned meeting in May the width of the public roads was established at two and a half rods. It was also voted "That people who have bars or gates across the roads be allowed to keep them till the last day of October next." It was voted to build a "pound near the corner of James Presbury's land," near the "long cassey," so called, James Presbury having agreed to give the land for said pound.

At the annual meeting, March 10, 1789, the votes for President of the State (John Pinkney) numbered twenty-five. Nehemiah How was elected "clerk of the market," which seems to have been a new town office. The appropriation of roads was thirty-five pounds.

The wages allowed for working out taxes on the roads was three shillings per day until the last day of September, then two shillings per day.

" Voted to divide the districts for schooling the same as for highways work." The annual appro- priation was nine pounds. It was " Voted to build the pound thirty feet square." The contract for building was given to Nathaniel Presbury, at two pounds twelve shillings. Mr. Presbury also elected pound-keeper.

In 1790 it was “ Voted to raise eight pounds for schooling." "Voted that the selectmen provide rum for raising a bridge, and that the men give their time at the raising." " Voted to raise money for preach- ing." " Voted to raise two shillings on a single poll and estates accordingly." " Voted that the people in this town shall have liberty to hear such preaching as suits them best, and pay when they have their proportion of the money raised." " Voted, Stephen Hoyt, Simeon Hildreth, Ebenezer Eaton, committee to hire preaching the present year."

In 1791 it was ". Voted, that the money to hire preaching the present year be in grain, at four shillings per bushel." "Voted, that the selectmen should see that the town is centered, and provide a place for holding public meetings the present year." Mr.

Josiah Carpenter's name as a minister appears for the first time in the town records. He began this year to hold public meetings at the house of Daniel Cressey. At a town-meeting held July 1st, it was " Voted to hire Mr. Carpenter longer on probation."

Town appropriations for the year 1792 were: For schools, twelve pounds; for repairs of roads, forty pounds; for town charges, four pounds; to build school-houses in the several districts, thirty pounds. " Voted, that each district should be centered."

In 1793 there was appropriated for repairs of highways, fifty pounds; schooling, fifteen pounds ; for finishing the school-houses, fifteen pounds; for preaching, ten pounds, to be laid out in hiring a young candidate on probation.

At a special meeting called at the school-house near the pound, January 1, 1795, it was " Voted, to make up the soldiers eight dollars a month, when called into service, until their return." " Voted, to give each soldier one dollar bounty when they list."

At a special meeting, held October 5th, " Voted, the spot for the meeting-house be on the hill, a little east of the school-house, in the Center District." It was also voted to build a meeting-house, and that "Eben". Eaton should draft a subscription-paper, and get as many signers as possible." This meeting adjourned to November 2d, when it was " Voted, to build the meeting-house 42 feet wide, 50 feet in length, with two porches," and that "the timber fit for framing should be collected the following winter." The selectmen were instructed to hire Mr. Wood to preach. At a special meeting, December 1st, it was " Voted, to give Mr. Benjamin Wood a call to settle as a minister in this town, and to pay for his first year's salary 40 pounds, and to increase the sum an- nually 3 pounds until it reaches 70 pounds." The committee for the meeting-house consisted of Isaac Davis, John Brown and Simeon Hildreth.

March 8, 1796, the collection of taxes was bid off by Enoch Hoyt, at four pence half-penny per pound. Twenty pounds were appropriated for the purpose of raising the mecting-house. The voters of Fishersfield united with those of Bradford in the latter town to choose a representative for the two towns. Ebenezer Eaton, Esq., was unanimously chosen.

August 20th it was " Voted, to have a county road laid out through Bradford to Henniker, from Fishers- field."

August 29tb, “ Voted, to give drink and victuals to the raisers and spectators at the raising of the meet- ing-house on the town's cost."

At the annual meeting, March 14, 1797, " Voted, not to clear the Baptist Society from the minister tax." " Voted, to raise 40 pounds for schooling." " Voted, not to raise money for preaching." " Voted, that the selectmen lay out a road petitioned for hy Josiah Melvin and others." July 3d a committee of three was appointed to build a pound with stone walls, near the meeting-house, in a convenient place, the

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 47

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