History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 48

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 48
USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire > Part 48

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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pound to be two rods each way, the walls six feet high and four feet thick at the bottom.

March 13, 1798, the first town-meeting in the new meeting-house was held. Humphrey Jackman, of Bradford, was elected as the representative of Fishers- field and Bradford. March 20th, at an adjourned meeting, " Voted, to fence the burying-yards." " Voted, to have Brown's district fence their own burying- yard." At a called meeting, on April 18th, Ebenezer Eaton was elected to serve as a grand juror, and Humphrey Jackman and Captain Nathaniel Eaton were drawn to serve as petit jurors. “Voted, to Vendue fencing the burying-yards," and that "the boards should be 15 inches wide and 16 feet long, and three boards high, and the posts within 8 feet of each other. Struck off to Nathaniel Presbury, Jr., at 3 shillings 3 pence per rod." A part of the fence around the burying-yard on " Burying Hill," near Bradford Corner, answers the above description, and, being considerably decayed and covered with moss, is the original structure referred to above, and is now (1885) eighty-seven years old.

April 20th the selectman laid out a road "Begin- ning at the main road, about two rods southerly of Mr. Daniel Young's house; thence easterly to the brook that runs out of the pond; thence to the bounds between Mr. Marshall's and Mr. Melvin's, on the west end of their lot; thence easterly on the line between sd. Marshall .and Melvin to Warner line; said road to be three rods wide, and to remain a bridle- road till paid for." This is the road that leads from Nathan R. Marshall's old place, on " Bible Hill," down by Cummings Pierce's to "Pond Brook," and crossing the brook at " Massasecum Rock," leads up a sandy hill to the Henniker road, called in the town records the "Main road." A cart-road across the field of Frederick Cheney, near the junction of these roads, leads to where Mr. Young formerly lived.

At the annual meeting, March 12, 1799, it was " Voted that there shall be a new district for school- ing where Capt. Eaton lives."

At a meeting held July 15th it was "Voted to lay out the remainder of the minister money on Mr. Colton."

Federal money seems to have been more fully adopted in 1800, as at a sale of land for taxes the amounts are carried out in dollars and cents.

VISIT OF GENERAL LAFAYETTE .- The account of this visit is well told in the following letter of the late Captain Miner Hawks, of this town, written for a Manchester paper :

" Editor of the Budget :

"Thinking that some of my comrades would like to learn a little more about that vieit of General Lafayette to Bradford, this State, in the early days of the century, a brief sketch of which has been the rounds of the press, I interviewed Attorney-General Tappan recently upon the subject. He was present at the reception in Bradford and related to me the scene as he recalled it. I give it nearly in his own words, and will only add that lineal descendants of the gallant Corporal Blond now reside in Man- chester : 'I was of just the right age to receive an indelible impression from an excitement ef that nature. You have no idea what a furor

there was. It seems as though the people loved the French general even more than they did our own Washington. Lafayette was driven frum Concord in the most elegant turnout the country could hoast. The driver, a man of splendid physique, was named Norton, and he fully appreciated the honor of his position. It was known abent what time the honored guest would arrive and everybody was in waiting. A line of couriers was placed along the Warder road from the hotel to the top of the hill, to give notice of the approach. Presently word was passed down the line, "He's coming ! He's coming !" and everybody yelled, " He's coming !" and began to rush abunt in the mest frantic manner. The bustle now was to form two lines of citizens along the road. Cur- poral Bloed, commonly called "Old General Blood," by way of compli- ment, a hero of Monmouth and Brandywine, became so elevated and elated at the idea of meeting his old commander after a lapse of forty years, that the combined strength of three men was required to keep lim in place.

"' As Lafayette approached, Blood, with a terrible struggle, broke from his attendants and rushed into the centre hetween the lines in front of the house, dressed in a full suit of the old regimentals, swinging his old cocked hat. Norton pulled up the horses, when Bloed called out at the top of his voice, "General Lafayette" (with a sharp accent on the last syllable) "see my old cocked hat !" at the same time throwing the hat, which struck Lafayette fair in the face and was retained by him till he entered the hall. In the centre of the hall the General was seated on a platform, where the presentations were made. I was among the first, and being a child, he touk me on his knee and held me threngh much of the ceremony. I shall never forget the scene when old General Bloed was presented. Lafayette seized the old veteran with both hands, and the two men broke into a paroxysm of sobe as they were mutually reminded of the old dark days of the Revolution. The utmost silence prevailed in the hall, while many a little incident and reminiceence of the scenes of courage and privatiuns they had shared were called to mind.' "M. H."

Occupations and Industries-FARMERS .- Brad- ford is a farming town. Whatever other occupations men may follow here, for profit or for pleasure, a part of their time is taken up on the farm or in the gar- den. From the first settlement of the town the citizens have been industrious, economical and gener- ally thrifty. Some of their fields have been twice cleared,-first of the original growth of forest-trees, and again of rocks that covered the surface of the ground. These rocks are piled up in walls that sur- round or partition off the farms, or lay in great heaps on the hillside fields. These huge stone piles and walls will long remain as monuments of the in- dustry and energy of the builders, and, perhaps, to excite the wonder of some future race of people that may come here, after our own race and nation, with our literature and traditions, shall have passed into oblivion. These farmers are the most independent class of men. The first of our race must have been farmers, and the last will be the same. The farmers may have enough to eat, though there be not enough to "go clear round;" for they sit at the first table at nature's feast, and help themselves to whatever they like best. What they leave is sent to market to spread the second table for the rest of the world.

Many privileges and luxuries of city life the farmer is deprived of; but many of these he can afford to do without. He need not care for paintings of domestic animals or landscapes with sunset views, for the best of such paintings are but copies on canvas, dead and cold. Their animals, their light and shade, do not move; their clouds never change shape or color. But out on every farm one can see the grand originals

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of these fine paintings. There are the horses, cattle and sheep cropping the honeysuckle, drinking at the brook, lying down in the shady woods. No painting of scenery or of landscape can equal these. The best of paintings look very tame compared with nature's grand panorama of dissolving views, which she puts on exhibition in the country every day. The stars of the night slowly fade through the dawn, until they are lost in the glory of the opening day. The many-shaped and many-tinted clouds of sunrise, more brilliant than gold or diamond, give way to the fervor of noon, and high noon hastens down- ward to the clouds that are trimmed with hues of silver and gold and precious stones. These sparkle and dazzle the beholder, take on more sombre shades, fading into the gray twilight, and the stars look out again. These sublime forms and hues no limner can portray.

Besides this, the farmer owns a slice of the great round world, for his farm is the base of a pyramid, tlie apex of which touches the centre of the globe itself. The farmers are no middle men. They are a deputy Providence, standing nearest to the Divinity who makes agriculture possible ; they plant and tend and gather the harvests of bread and fruit and meat, the cotton and wool, that feed and clothe mankind.

Although farming is the only occupation that is absolutely necessary to support life, there are a great many trades necessary to support our present civili- zation. In nearly all of these the demand will regu- late the supply, and we may safely trust the matter to regulate itself. But it is not so in the so-called learned professions, especially those of law and medi- cine.

Doctors and lawyers should be paid a stated salary, and not by fees. This would immediately change the duties of the doctors,-they would become sanitary inspectors and advisers, and in this way they would lessen greatly the amount of sickness and premature death in the community. Comparatively few would be required; the others could find some other employ- ment, and so many would not crowd into the profes- sion. Lawyers would in this way hecome peace- makers, and the number of lawsnits grow beauti- fully less. Will Bradford lead off in this matter, and thus take a long step ahead of the rest of the country towards the millennium ?

LAWYERS IN BRADFORD .- Weare Tappan came to Bradford in 1818, and was in the active practice of his profession until within a few years of his death, which occurred at Bradford in 1868, at the age of seventy-eight. He was a graduate of Dartmouth College in the class of 1811.

Hon. Mason W., son of Weare Tappan, was born at Newport, N. H., October 20, 1817. Fitted for college, but was not a graduate, preferring to enter

upon the study of his profession without a college course, which study he pursued for five years, and was admitted to the bar in 1841. He was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 1853, '54 and '55. He was elected from Second District, and served in the Thirty-fourth, Thirty-fifth and Thirty-sixth Congresses of the United States; colo- nel of the First Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers in the War of the Rebellion, and has been Attorney- General of the State since 1876. He has received the degree of A.M. from Dartmouth College.

Lawrence D. Bailey, born in Sutton, read law with M. W. Tappan, and was his law-partner from 1855 to 1857. He afterwards went to Kansas, where he was for some years one of the judges of the Supreme Court, where he still resides, publishing a newspaper and practicing law.

Moses K. Hazleton, born in Lisbon, commenced the practice of law in 1857, and was a partner of M. W. Tappan until he went to the war with Colonel Tap- pan, in 1861. He was appointed paymaster in the regular army, and died in the service.

E. B. S. Sanborn was law-partner of M. W. Tappan from 1863 to 1868. He removed to Franklin, N. H., where he is still in the active practice of his profes- sion. He has been frequently in the Legislature from that town, and is at present one of the railroad commissioners of the State.

Robert M. Wallace was born in Henniker, N. H .; read law with M. W. Tappan, and was his law-part- ner from 1868 to 1871. He is now a rising young lawyer in Milford, N. H. ; has been in the Legisla- ture and is at present county solicitor for the county of Hillsborough.

Bartlett G. Cilley, of Andover, N. H., was in com- pany with Colonel Tappan in the practice of the law in 1861 and 1862, and until his death, which occurred at Bradford.

Hon. Bainbridge Wadleigh, son of Evans Wad- leigh, of this town, read law with Colonel Tappan. He commenced the practice of his profession at Mil- ford, N. H., where he still resides, was frequently a member of the Legislature from that town, and after- wards United States Senator.

PHYSICIANS .- The first physician in town was Dr. Lyman, a skillful and noted surgeon. He came from Warner and returned there.

Dr. Jason H. Ames was Dr. Lyman's successor. He came to the Corner, settled there and has lived there ever since. (See genealogical notes, )

Dr. David Mitchell, of Peterborough, settled at the " Middle of the town," built a house and lived there, and practiced about ten years and died there. He married - Hoyt, and had three children; one was drowned in the well at Hoyt's.

Dr. Frederick Mitchell came to town soon after the

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death of his brother David; family came with him. He did not remain very long.

Dr. Harvey Studley came soon after Mitchell left, and lived and died in the first house west of the "Uncle Bill Sawyer" place. He was in practice, probably, ten years. He died October 15, 1830, aged forty-one years.

Dr. Colby, of Henniker, came to the same part of town and lived a year or two in the Eben Cressy house.

Dr. Weston was the next. He lived there in the Cressy house about ten years. His family came and went away with him. He was succeeded by Dr. George H. Hubbard, of Sutton. He married Sally, daughter of Samuel Jones, of Bradford. They had one son, George, a druggist in Manchester, N. H., where he died.

Dr. Hubbard was a graduate of the Vermont Medi- cal College. He was a skillful surgeon and a success- ful and popular physician. He removed to Manches- ter, and for some time edited the New Hampshire Journal of Medicine. He went into the army as surgeon of a New Hampshire regiment, and was soon promoted to the position of a brigade surgeon. After the war he had charge of a hospital on the Hudson, above Troy, N. Y., where he died from the result of an injury sustained while alighting from a street-car.

Dr. Daniel F. Hale died at Bradford December 7, 1848, aged twenty-nine years.

Dr. Morgan lived a year or two in the Mrs. West house. Dr. Stickney also practiced a short time in this town.

Dr. Fisk lived at the "Mills" fifteen or twenty years and practiced his profession. He sold out to' Dr. Clark, who sold out to Dr. Raines, who still re- sides at the Mill village.

Dr. Carleton, from Webster, practiced a while here before going to Salem, Mass.

Dr. Fitz lived at the Corner, and owned a share in the hotel with Reynolds Rogers.

Dr. Martin was in practice for a few years.

Dr. Ebenezer Harrimau Davis, son of Samuel Davis, of this town, read medicine with Dr. G. H. Hubbard, graduated at the Vermont Medical College, and settled in Manchester, N. H., where he became one of the most successful and popular physicians of that city. He was twice married; died in Manchester; had one son, who lives in Florida.

Dr. John Milton Hawks removed from this town and began practice in Manchester.

Dr. Samuel Woodbury Jones, son of Samuel Jones, fitted for medical college under the instruction of Dr. G. H. Hubbard, graduated at the Vermont Medical College, and entered the practice of his profession at Manchester, N. H., as a partner of Dr. E. H. Davis, and continued with him several years. He then be- came one of the proprietors of the National Hotel at Washington, D. C., where he made a fortune and retired to private life in Boston. His wife was

Harriet Wadleigh, of Bradford. They had one son, on account of whose health they removed to Orange County, Fla., where Dr. Jones was drowned.

Dr. Diamond Davis, uncle of Dr. E. H., above mentioned, son of Daniel and Mary (Brown) Davis, lived and died in Sutton.

Dr. Seth Straw Jones, brother of Samuel Woodbury, graduated at the same college.

Dr. Farley studied with Dr. Lyman at the Corner. Dr. C. A. Carleton practiced at the Corner.

Dr. Reuben Hatch lived at the Mills in the Buswell house. He came from Hillsborough in May, 1837; and removed to Newport in October, 1838.

Dr. Davis lived first where Wm. A. Carr now lives. Dr. Doton was the first to occupy the house where Dr. Raynes now lives; was there six years, and then removed to Manchester.

Dr. Fisk succeeded Doton; the next was Dr. Nathaniel T. Clark, then J. H. Martin, then Dr. John B. Raynes, who came here in November, 1882.

STORES .- At "the Centre."- Eben Cressy, Albert Cressy, Walter Stone, Joshua Jewett, Robert Hale, B. F. Hill, Dana Brown and William C. Hoyt kept store, successively, at the Centre village, that of Mr. Hale being the last.

At the Mill Village .- The veteran merchants of the town are Daniel Carr and Jno. W. Morse; the latter has been in business here about fifty years. Ira Cochrane had a store and residence, fronting the bridge, half a century ago. - Blanchard, formerly of the firm of Baxter & Blanchard, was in business under the firm- name of Morse & Blanchard. Mr. Buswell dealt in clothing, and Lund in saddles and harness.

Among others in business here were Samuel Jones, Weare Tappan, John Cochrane, Enoch Dar- ling, Isaac Darling, Seth Straw, - Rogers, Perley How, Rufus Eaton, John D. Wadleigh, William Robbins, John B. Bailey, Josiah Morse and Wm. A. Carr (now in trade).

At the Corner .- Among the early store-keepers at the Corner were Joel Gay, from Francestown ; he kept his store in the old school-house. Jeremiah Page, of Dunbarton, kept store in the building now occupied by the Marshalls as a tin-shop. A Mr. Stickney traded there; also Albert Cressy and Hiram Davis. Just across the street, on the corner of the Warner and Sutton roads, was the well-known firm of Farley & Chase, which succeeded a Mr. Dodge. Page & Kim- ball's stove-shop was the next building, since occu- pied by - Bates for the same purpose. Baxter & Blanchard were in the store on the corner, as were also Martin & Ames, Lyman Brockway, Ira French, Samuel Wells and Amaziah Carter, and the last to do business there were Watkins & Sawyer. There came to be a demand for a store near the depot, and J. P. Marshall built one, which was first occupied by Saw- yer & Martin, who were succeeded by Dan. R. Mar- shall, who kept a cash store and had charge of the Bradford Library, which is still kept in the rear of

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the store. Marshall sold to A. B. Jenny, who still continues in the trade there. Just across the railroad track is the store of the Colby Brothers.

Among others in business here were Samuel Jones, - Moore, John Kimball, Bard P. Page, Dr. Farley, Albert M. Chase, Hiram Blanchard, Moses E. Baxter, Robert Wallace, Henry Ames, Horace K. Martin, Freeman Brockway, George Oscar Sawyer, G. B. R. Watkins, Hiram Davis, Nat Davis and Wadleigh.

Some of the above-named men were in trade as partners, at least a portion of the time,-Page & Kimhall, Farley & Chase, Baxter & Blanchard, Ames & Martin.

HOTELS .- John Raymond, for whom the Corner was named, was probably the first landlord in that quarter of the town. Then followed, somewhat in the order named, a Mr. Roby, Daniel Cressy, - Nichols, William Carter, Lyman Brockway, Pearce Sweatt, - Nevins, Dudley Kendrick, Dudley Davis, Langdon Littlehale, - West, Reynolds Rogers, Dr. Fitch, - Chadwick and the present proprietor, Charles Gillis.

At "The Mills" Samuel Jones built and kept a ho- tel. The brick hotel was built by him about 1815. Levi Morrill has twice been its proprietor and popu- lar host. A Mr. Stevens once kept there, and half a century ago Amaziah Hall held sway for a while; also, Jeremiah Silver, Seth Straw, - Watson, Way & Tewksbury, - Barber, John L. Nevins, Lyman Brockway and M. C. Bartlett, present incumbent.

The Presbury House-a fine hotel-stood nearly op- posite the new town hall. It was built for, and occu- pied first by, Dudley Davis, of Warner. It was destroyed by fire, and with it the records of the Ma- sonic lodge, containing the autograph of Lafayette, written when he visited the lodge in 1824. The fol- lowing persons also kept the house: Silas Wilkins, George Hook, - Thatcher and Langdon Little- hale.

General Stephen Hoyt built a hotel at the Centre, which was some years afterwards moved to the Mills and used for other purposes. The hotel was also kept by William Hoyt.

Edward Cressy, father of William, once kept a tav- ern on the Warner road, ou the edge of the Cressy plain, in the two-story house since known as the Stan- ley House.

The old "Tom Cheney tavern-stand," now occu- pied by - Ward, is on the west side of the Henni- ker road, at the south end of "the pond," or Massa- secum Lake. This and the Cressy House, being on main roads to Boston, probably entertained real live Vermont and Boston teamsters; but it is many a year since those teamsters, shod with no-heeled slip- pers, told stories and toasted their shins before the bar-room fires.

The Bradford Springs Hotel, built by General Wil- son, is mainly for summer guests. It is pleasantly

located and surrounded by some of our finest land- scape views and forest roads.

MILLS. - General Stephen Hoyt built and oper- ated a saw and grist-mill west of the centre of the town. The ruins of this mill may still be seen a few rods from the road. Isaac Davis had a mill on his brook, near the pond. The saw-mill now owned by Lucius Wood was built by Eb. Spaulding. The grist-mill has been owned by Maxfield, the - An- drews Brothers and now by - Butman. The full- ing and carding-mill, built and first owned by San- ders, then by Adams & Wadleigh, was burned a few years ago and never rebuilt.

Jacob and Edwin M. Bailey have a large shop for manufacturing doors and blinds, next-door to the grist-mill. Frank Brown has a small mill and chair- factory on the road from the Mills to the Fair- Ground.

Before the common use of steam as a motive-power it was necessary to locate mills on a stream of falling water. It is now known to be about as economical to run machinery by steam-power, and that fact will change the location of mills, shops and, consequently, villages. New industries and new villages may yet arise, that will repeople our deserted farms and fill again the old district school-houses.

Societies. - The Free-Masons and Odd-Fellows each have their lodges at the Mill village.

CHURCHES AND MINISTERS .- In the early history of the town Congregationalism was in the ascen- dency, and dissenters were obliged to pay a minister tax, although they might not like the preaching. It was considerable of a step toward liberalism when the town voted that the Baptists might have their share of the public money, and that "people may have such preaching as suits them best." Rev. Mr. Carpenter was, perhaps, the first minister settled in town. Rev. Lemuel Bliss was one of the early min- isters in town. He had no children, and his wife taught the district school. He lived several years at the middle of the town, and died there. Then Hosea Wheeler was taken "on probation." Rev. Robert Paige was settled there several years; he died, and was buried near the town-house. Rev. Mr. Kent also preached there. Rev. Orlando Thatcher lived and died there. He had one son. The next minister was the Rev. Mr. Rogers. While he was there, the non-resistant doctrine was preached in town in con- nection with anti-slavery. This took away from the church the families of John Brown, Albert Chase, James Farrington and others, and considerably weak- ened the church. Religious services were held in the town-house until, about forty-eight years ago, the "new" church or meeting-house was built near the old town-house.

The Baptist meeting-house is located between the two villages, the Mills and the Corner. This church organization was "tried as by fire" in 1843, during the Miller excitement. The Second Advent lecturers

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were allowed the use of the church in which to hold their meetings; the inside walls of the church were hung with great charts, some covered with figures, by which it was ciphered out, in various ways, that the dreams of Daniel, the prophet, and the visions of John, the evangelist, all pointed to 1843 as the time for the end of the wicked world. Other charts were embellished with paintings of monstrous and fright- ful dragons with numerous heads and horns. With these appliances, aided by fluent and sensational lec- tures, it is no wonder that Elder Weston raised a storm of excitement; no wonder that emotional women "lost their strength" and fell on the floor; and in the emotional brains of many women and men reason reeled and trembled on her throne. The spell was broken by the charts being stolen and destroyed, and the town breathed freely again.

The Baptists (Free-Will) have a church in the Howlet neighborhood, known as the " Bush Meeting- House," perhaps from the fact that it is in the "bush," or woods. Elder Holmes preached there about the year 1841. Elder Jonathan Rowe and Elder Isaac Peaslee, of Sutton, have preached there. There is no preaching there now, and the unused door-steps and untrodden, grassy door-yard have a neglected look that is depressing to the feelings of the passer-by.

The "Pond Meeting-House" is a peculiar institu- tion. It is sometimes called a union church. It was erected two or three years after the building of the Bush meeting-house, by voluntary subscriptions, principally by Moses Colby, of men of various modes of faith, with the understanding that the house is not to be locked, and that anybody can preach there who wants to. Any man or woman, desiring to be heard on temperance, woman's rights or points of doctrine, bas only to "give out word" that there will be such a meeting at such a time, and an audience will be there at the appointed time. The sparring between Elder Holmes and Moses Colby was worth going a long way to hear.

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History of Merrimack and Belknap counties, New Hampshire, Part 48

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