USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > New Boston > History of New Boston, New Hampshire > Part 16
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The first mills erected in New Boston, were on the middle branch of the Piscataquog, a little above the mills now owned by Daniel Gregg. The contract for these mills bears date Nov. 25, 1736, and the contractor was " Joseph Wright, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, in New England, housewright." He was to build for the proprietors, " with all convenient speed, a dam for a saw and grist mill, of the following dimensions, viz., two cells to be laid across the river, in the said New Hampshire, each sixty-five feet long and twelve inches square ; and if any cells are scarfed, cach scarf not to be less than three feet, and eighteen cells up and down the river across the others, each a foot square and twenty-seven feet long, the dam to be raised eleven feet and a half high from the bottom of the cross cells, eighteen rafters each twenty-one feet long and nine inches square at least at the smallest end, which is to be framed into a plate at the head of the rafters, and eighteen rafters more to be framed into the heads of the rafters before mentioned, and four- teen feet in length and nine inches square each, eighteen studds of eleven feet each, eighteen more of eight foot long, eighteen more of five foot in length, each to be seven inches square ; each end of the dam to be of stone four feet thick at the bot- tom and three feet thick at the top, one foot and half above the rolling-dam upon a level to a pitch-pine tree at the east side, and upon the west on a level to the hill ; the wall of the dam to be double-boarded up and down, and sufficiently gravelled for
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such a dam ; and upon the west side of said river to build the saw-mill to carry one saw, and to find two good saws and all other materials suitable for such a mill to be fitted for working, with a roof framed and fitted for boarding ; and to make a flume for a grist-mill on the east side of the river, in the rolling dam, suitable for a grist-mill ; all the timber for the above work to be of good sound white-oak, except the plates for the mill and the roof, the rolling-dam to be planked from the bottom with white-oak plank half-way up the rafters, the remainder may be done with pine, all the plank to be two inches thick ; the whole of the abovesaid work to be done well, substantial, and in work- manlike manner, to the satisfaction of said committee ; and the mill to be made suitable to saw twenty feet in length, and to build the said mill and dam on the middle branch of Piscata- quaog river aforesaid, at the mill-lot laid out by Jeremialı Cum- ings, surveyor, by order of Mr. Gershom Keys, the whole work to be performed according to two draughts interchangeably signed by the said committee and the said Wright, and the above timber and work to be fitted and completed on or before the fifteenth day of July next, according to the rules of art."
The committee for the proprietors agree to pay Wright "the sum of three hundred pounds in bills of credit on the province of the Massachusetts Bay, or Colonys of Connecticutt and Rhode Island, in manner following, viz., one hundred and fifty pounds thereof within fifty days next after the date of these presents, and the remaining sum of one hundred and fifty pounds when the said stuff and work shall be provided and fin- ished in all respects as aforesaid."
Ageeeably to this contract, the first payment was made Dec. 6, 1736, and, for aught that appears, the mills were completed as by contract, and in 1740 the proprietors report to the effect that the work had been executed. How long these mills were operated is not known ; but there is reason to believe that the proprietors conveyed their right in the mills and the mill-lot to Zachariah Emery, agreeably to the following vote, Feb. 19, 1741: "Voted, that the mill and mill-lot, together with the dam, be disposed of by the committee to Mr. Zachariah Emery, on the best terms they can, or to any other person or persons, as they shall have opportunity."
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This Mr. Emery had just completed " a good and sufficient cart bridge twelve feet wide, railed on each side, over the mill branch of the river, with good abuttments on each side," and " cleared a wood on the southwest side, one rod in width, up to the road which Mr. Joseph Wright cleared to the saw-mill, for thirty pounds, in bills of credit." And nothing more is heard of the mills after this transaction of the proprietors. Yet it is well known that these were of great service to the first settlers for some years.
Walker's Mills were built in 1753. In the deed of the " Ma- sonian Heirs," in 1751, " five hundred acres of land were re- served for the grantees, to be by them disposed of for encour- agement for building and supporting mills in said township." And March 31, 1752, at a meeting of proprietors at the "Royal Exchange Tavern, Boston," it was voted that the " committee agree with some suitable person or persons to build a saw and grist mill in said township, and that they be empowered to give a deed of sale for what land they shall think proper for that purpose."
It appears that the committee agreed with Andrew Walker to erect mills ; since Feb. 8, 1753, the proprietors voted, " That Andrew Walker, who has agreed with the committee to build the saw and grist mill in said town, have free liberty to flow the meadow swamp next to the mills above the land he is to have for building the mills, upon a branch of the same stream, for the term of seven years from this time, and after that, to flow it according to the law of the Province of New Hampshire."
A lot of land was given Walker around the place where he was to erect the mills, beside the five hundred acres reserved for that purpose by the " Masonian Heirs." Walker built his mills where now a saw-mill stands, owned by Bently and Dodge, on the Middle Branch, having given a bond of five hundred pounds for the faithful performance of his obligations, which were, to keep in good running order a saw and grain mill, and to use both for the convenience of the inhabitants of the township for moderate compensation. But Walker proved an uncomfortable man, and did not trouble himself to accommodate the settlers of New Boston for small compensation, when he could use his mills for other people with greater profit. Hence, serious complaints
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were preferred against him, and the proprietors, November 28, 1758, instructed Thomas Cochran and John McAllister "To in- form Andrew Walker (the Mill-Man) that great complaints are made from the inhabitants of his ill behavior and bad treatment to them, which will induce a prosecution of his obligation of five hundred pounds for his good performance towards the set- tlers, to be put in suit against him by the Committee, unless he conforms to the terms of his articles on which the Mill was founded, and the Mill lott was given him."
But Walker was not the man to mend his ways at once, and additional charges were preferred against him, so that the pro- prietors, August 31, 1759, discuss the question of " suing Andrew Walker (the Mill Man), unless he give further satis- faction, complaints having been made that his Mills are out of order, and that he exacts on the inhabitants for sawing boards, and very disobliging." Walker seems to have had things much in his own way, and the enterprising conquerors of the forests soon erected other mills, and ceased to pay tribute to Walker the " Mill Man."
These early mills were of great advantage to the settlers, and no town in New Hampshire has better water-privileges for the kind of mills here needed, and no town has had a greater number of them. Other towns were for many years debtors to them. Francestown, Lyndeborough, Antrim, and towns even more remote, in their early settlements depended upon these mills to grind their grain and saw their boards.
Deacon Thomas Cochran, soon after the erection of Walker's Mills, built a corn-mill on a small stream near his residence, which greatly accommodated the inhabitants at the centre and in the east part of the town. This mill lasted many years.
Capt. Ira Gage's Mill. * This was a saw and corn mill. It was built by Benjamin Dodge, and has been owned by George Melvin, Dr. Grovenoer, of Pelham, Dole Butler, Josiah Gage, and then by his son, Capt. Ira Gage, who sold one-half his right to David Butterfield, who has put in machinery for making boxes of various kinds, giving employment to several persons ; also a planing-machine, and a lathe for turning metals.
* We are indebted to N. C. Crombie, Esq., for most of the facts interwoven in the following brief sketches. - EDITOR.
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King's Mill. This was a saw and flouring mill, built by Dea- con Jesse Christy, subsequently owned by Col. John and Wil- liam Crombie. It was consumed by fire about 1808, and rebuilt by the Crombies. Subsequently it was owned by Henry Clark, then by Peter and Benjamin Hopkins, afterwards by Jesse Pat- terson, then by Jerry and Luke Smith, and now it is owned by Jonathan King, by whom it has been rebuilt and greatly im- proved. As a flouring-mill, it has no superior in this region. Mr. King has introduced some additional machinery for making pails, mackerel-kits, etc.
John MeLaughlen's grain-mill was built near where the late Moses Peabody lived. It was for many years of vast benefit to the central part of the town, and ceased to be used about 1810. Deacon Robert White tended it for many years.
Campbell's Mill. This was built by Robert Campbell ; being framed by Samuel Christy, the father of the present Mr. Jesse Christy. Thomas Campbell subsequently owned it, and now it belongs to his son, Daniel Campbell, Esq. It has always been used as a saw-mill, and a great amount of timber has here been sawed.
Samuel Marden's Mill was near where the late Mr. Jonathan Marden lived, by whom it was subsequently owned. It has now gone to decay.
Morgan's Mill was at first a saw and grain mill ; now it is used only for lumber. It was built by Josiah Morgan and David Starrett, then it was owned by Zechariah Morgan, and rebuilt by Levi Starrett, and now it is owned by Zechariah Morgan.
Hadley's Mill, saw and grain, was built by Leslie Gregg ; subsequently, it came into the possession of Lieut. William Dodge ; afterwards, it was owned by Samuel Dodge, then suc- cessively by William Dodge, George Hardy, John Giddings, and Mr. Hadley.
Warren's Mill was built by Robert and Josiah Warren. The frame was raised March 27, 1805, the day on which Zebiah Warren (daughter of Robert), now the wife of Mr. Jesse Christy, was born. This mill was subsequently owned by John B. Warren, then by Samuel M. Christy and Dunlap, now by S. M. Christy.
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Marden's Mill, saw and shingle, was built by Solomon Mar- den, and is now owned by his son, Samuel.
McLaughlen's Saw-mill was built by David McLaughlen, and was subsequently owned by Francis Marden, and then by Na- than Merrill.
Marden's Saw-mill, near Solomon Marden's, on the Piscata- quog River, was built by Nathan and Francis Marden, after- wards owned by Porter Kimball, and was burned, and never rebuilt.
Thomas Parker's Saw-mill was built between Benjamin Colby and Alfred E. Cochran's. It was operated for a number of years, and suffered to go to decay.
William Christy's Saw-mill was built by him, between the last mill and Moses Wood's shop, on Meadow Brook. It was at length, about 1810, taken down and carried to Mount Ver- non.
Hopkins's Mill was built by Major James McMillen ; after- wards owned by John Crombie and David Dodge; then by N. C. Crombie ; then by James Wilder, by whom it was rebuilt ; then by Jerry Smith ; then by James and John Christy ; then by David A. McCollom, and now by Benjamin Hopkins. Clap- boards and shingles are sawed here.
Wallace's Grain-mill was built by Dr. Luke Lincoln and William B. Dodge, afterwards owned by Abner Dodge, then by Deacon Isaac Peabody, then by William B. Dodge, and now by Robert Wallace, by whom it has been rebuilt, and in whose hands it has waxed old. A first-rate flouring-mill here is greatly needed, and must, in time, be had.
Smith's Saw and Shingle mill was built by Moses and Frances Peabody, in 1810, and is now owned by Sandy Smith.
White's Grain-mill was built by James Adams, afterwards owned by John White. It was built early in the history of the town, a little south of Mr. Benjamin Dodge's house, in the north part of the town, on the Middle Branch of the Piscata- quog.
Deacon Thomas Smith's Saw-mill was built near White's Mill, on the same stream, by his father, and for many years did efficient service, though it, together with the grain-mill near by, is among the things that are past.
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Elias Dickey's Saw-mill was built by James Willson and oth- ers, and rebuilt by Mr. Dickey. This, too, has passed away, the timber in its vicinity having disappeared, as in the case of others.
John Cochran's Saw-mill was built at the foot of Cochran's Hill, on the southi, on a small stream, and has disappeared.
William Andrew's Saw-mill was built by " Honest " Peter Cochran, and came into the possession of his son, Deacon Abraham Cochran. After his death, it was owned by Greear and Dodge, and is now owned by Mr. Andrews.
Perry Richards' Saw-mill was built many years ago, and owned for a while by Mr. Parker, but is now owned by Mr. Richards, and is in active operation.
Capt. John Willson's Saw-mill was built by him, southeast of Dickey's Mill, on a small stream running into the Piscata- quog, and continued not many years.
Gregg's Mill (saw, shingle, and lath) has always been owned by the Greggs. Joseph Gregg rebuilt it, and it is now owned by his son Daniel. This is on the Middle Branch.
Piam Orne's Mill was in the southeast part of the town, and was used only for sawing lumber, and was owned by no one besides him after it came into his possession.
Woodbury's Saw-mill was built in the north part of the town, near John H. Gregg's Mill, by Leslie Gregg, about 1795, for Joshua Woodbury and others. It was rebuilt by Benjamin Woodbury and others, and has now disappeared.
John H. Gregg's Mill was built by Andrew Walker. James Carns subsequently owned a part or all of the mill ; then it came into the hands of James Walker, son of Andrew, and James Buxton and David Tewksbury. In 1821, Simeon and Benjamin bought it, and, after several transitions, it became the property of N. N. Philbrick, in 1850, who sold to John H. Gregg, in 1855, the present owner.
David Willson built a saw-mill on Bogg Brook, in the cast part of the town.
Capt. Ezra Dodge had a saw-mill in the north part of the town, near where Mr. Luffkin now lives, which was in time removed to Weare.
Luther Colburn's saw and shingle mill was built by Ephraim,
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his father, on Middle Branch, in the west part of the town, and is in active operation. Luther Colburn is the present owner.
Frederick Bell built a saw and shingle mill, in the east part of the town, and which is now owned by John M. Holt.
James Barnard built a saw-mill, in the east part of town, which was afterwards owned by John Hazelton.
Mr. Odell's saw, shingle and lath mill, was built by Nathan Merrill, afterwards owned by Benjamin Hopkins, who sold to Mr. Odell.
Bailey's Saw-mill was built by Bailey and Sargent, in the north part of the town, and subsequently owned by Joseph Cochran, Esq., and yet later by John Brown.
A wire-mill was erected by Holmes, Kendal, and Crombie, near what is now King's Mill. This was operated for a while, but did not prove renumerative and was given up. Axes and hoes were also here manufactured.
This establishment, after a few years, was converted into a carding and clothing mill, by John Gage. Mr. Gage was suc- ceeded by Dea. Marshall Adams, who continued the business until within a few years with good success.
Another carding-mill was connected with Frances Peabody's Mill, and a large business was done there.
The first carding-mill in town was connected with Leslie Gregg's Saw-mill, and was successfully operated for many years.
Another carding and clothing mill was built, near John McLaughlen's Mills, and operated many years by John Kelso ; subsequently he prosecuted the business in the shop occupied by Mr. Flanders.
A mirror-frame factory was successfully operated by Sandy Smith, through Wisewell and Fuller, for a few years, succeeded by a peg factory, operated by S. Smith.
Morgan and Andrew's Bedstead Factory was operated for a while in the western part of the town, and was destroyed by fire ; it was rebuilt by Levi Starrett, and is now used for man- ufacturing bobbins.
Andrew's Chair and Knob Factory was built by Dea. Issachar Andrews, for a clapboard mill, and is now owned by his son John W. Andrews, and is doing a good business under his man- agement ; connected with his establishment is a threshing-mill.
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An axe factory has been successfully operated by G. D. Neville ; his axes find a ready sale. A threshing-mill by the same is successfully operated.
A door factory was built in 1852, by Neil and Rodney McLain, giving employment to several men, and the business is highly remunerative.
Connected with this is a piano-forte frame factory, operated until recently by Farley and Pearsons, now by Farley. This gives constant employment to several men. The wood-work is all executed here, and the cases sent to Boston ready for the metallic parts.
A planing machine is here also owned and operated by N. C. Crombie, Esq.
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CASUALTIES, SUICIDES, ETC.
James Smith, son of Thomas, the first settler in town, was found frozen to death on the road between his father's, in the northeast part of the town, and Parker's.
James Cochran, son of the first Dea. Thomas C., residing on Cochran Hill, was thrown from a vicious horse, near the dwelling of the present Dea. S. L. Cristy, and died from the injury in 1772, aged 40.
William Henry was killed by the falling of the limb of a tree, December 20, 1813, on the farm owned by Daniel Dodge ; he was passed middle life, and left a large family.
A son of William Douglass was killed by being crushed between the hub of a cart-wheel and a gate-post, when in the employ of Samuel Wilson.
Capt. Matthew Fairfield was killed by the falling of a tree, February 11, 1813 ; then living where E. Parker resides.
A son of Rev. Solomon Moor, Witter Davidson, born May 6, 1773, when a lad, was killed by the falling of a trec.
Samuel Cooledge, son of John Crombie, Esq., was killed by the falling of a cart upon him, June 11, 1814, aged 4.
A young man by the name of Dole, was killed by lightning in the west part of the town, about 1822.
Samuel M. Livingston was killed by falling from the tan- nery of Samuel Trull, Esq., October 30, 1829, aged 49.
Nathan Merrill was found dead in the road. Tradition says that in the early settlement of the town an erratic, visionary sort of a man was found dead in so small a pool of water that foul play or suicide was suspected. A jury was called, on which was a broad-spoken son of Erin, who acted as chairman, and when inquired of by the justice for the result of their investiga- tion, replied, " Yer Honor : we brought in a verdict of felo-
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nious wilfull murther ! But jest to soften it down a little, we ca'd it accidental."
Tradition says, that in the spring of the year, in the early settlement of the town, the body of a man was found near the Great Meadow, in the west part of the town; who he was or how he came by his death is not affirmed ; his body was found near the camp where some cattle had been fed during the winter, which had been driven up from Londonderry, as was the custom for many years. The grass in the Meadows of New Boston was abundant and nutritious, and, as it could not be carried to Londonderry, farmers there sent their cattle to the Meadows with one or more to care for them during the winter.
Capt. John McLaughlen, who resided on Bradford's Hill, and carried on an extensive business in tanning, near the house of Sidney Hills, and packed much beef for the market, and built mills and kept a store, experiencing some reverses in fortune, was found drowned in a well in the east corner of his field. The late Luther Richards was on the jury of inquest, who, in speaking of the result of the investigation, said " As we could not say, as no one saw him, that he came by his death inten- tionally, we thought it would be most in harmony with the feelings of the community to say, accidental, and that was our verdict."
In a little book in which the first Jacob Hooper kept a record of deaths in town from 1808 to 1828, the following is found : " The 29th of November, about seven and a half in the even- ing, we Sensibly felt the shock of an Earthquake, 1814."
The wife of Capt. Gray hung herself, on the night of the in- stallation of Rev. Solomon Moor, in the house now owned by Daniel Dodge. Gray had been a sea-captain, and foul play was suspected, as the knot in the rope around her neck was a genuine sailor knot. When asked why he did not cut her down when he first found her, replied, that " he put his hand to her mouth and her breath was cold ; so he knew she was dead."
In 1854, a young man sought to win the hand of a young lady, and being unsuccessful resolved to take her life, which he effected and then took his own with the same instrument, ex- pressing a desire before he died to be buried in the same grave with her who had just fallen by his hand.
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The following inscription on her tombstone, not only serves to preserve the historic fact, but to show to what wondrous heights of sublimity the muse will rise when so tragical an event transpires.
" Sevilla, daughter of George and Sarah Jones, murdered by Henry N. Sargeant, January 13, 1854, æt. 17 years and 9 months.
Thus fell this lovely blooming daughter By the revengeful hand - a malicious Henry When on her way to school he met her And with a six self-cocked pistol shot her."
Charles Small was murdered, September 7, 1840, by one Thomas, of Amherst, near the McCollom tavern, on the road to Amherst.
Mr. Benjamin F. Blaisdell, of Goffstown, came to New Boston, and bought the farm, now owned by Mr. Shedd, and entered into mercantile connections. His family consisted of his wife, who was Clarissa J. Kimball of Goffstown, their four children, and his widowed mother. In the winter of 1849, Letitia Blais- dell, an adopted daughter of the late father of Mr. Blaisdell, who had been working at Manchester after his removal to New Boston, came to visit in his family. At her own request, the night after her arrival, she slept with her adopted mother. The next morning the old lady was taken sick in a strange way, soon became insensible and died the next morning, aged about 80. After the death of Mr. Blaisdell's mother, Letitia went to Wentworth, and spent about four weeks, and returned Fcb. 16, 1849. The next day after her return a son, a child about two years and a half old, was taken sick, and after twelve hours of suffering died, the physicians affirming that in some way the child must have been poisoned, yet no suspicions rested on any person.
Soon after the burial of the child, Mr. Blaisdell and his wife were taken sick, while at tea with every symptom of poison, but by timely aid were relieved. Suspicions now began to rest on Letitia, and she soon confessed her guilt : that she had ad- ministered morphine both to the aged mother, and the little child ; and the same in the tea which Mr. and Mrs. Blaisdell drank ; and that she had provided herself with strychnine if the morphine failed ; that she held a forged note against Mr.
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Blaisdell, and intended to destroy the whole family. This was undertaken from no ill-will towards any member of the family, but evidently with the impression that if they were all out of the way she could take possession of the property. To this horrid crime she affirmed she had been impelled by the counsel and assistance of another person. She was arrested, tried, and con- demned to be hung, but this sentence was commuted to impris- onment for life; yet in 1861, she was pardoned out by Gov. Goodwin, and she subsequently married a man, who had served a period in the same prison, but with no prospects of rest in this world.
In the early history of the town, like all new settlements, fires were not unfrequent, but during the present century the de- struction of property by fire has been very small.
A store and dwelling-house, owned by Thomas Stark, son-in- law of Dr. Jonathan Gove, were consumed on the ground where now stands the large house, on Cochran Hill, erected by the late John D. Cochran. This was not far from 1800.
The barn of Dea. Adams was struck by lightning, and burned, in 1824.
The buildings of the late Dea. Solomon Dodge were burned October 30, 1829; and those of his brother Davis, within the same year, November 12.
The barn of Dea. S. L. Cristy was struck by lightning, and burned, October 18, 1852, his dwelling being saved by a sudden providential change in the direction of the wind.
The barn of the late Dea. Bennett was burned in the early part of the of the present century. It occurred in the night, and but few persons could be gathered to render assistance. The Rev. Mr. Bradford, then preaching as a candidate, and boarding in the family of Ninian Clark, Esq., first gave the alarm, and was first at the scene of destruction. To save the house, some smaller buildings and fences had to be removed, and Mr. Bradford rendered such essential service that he was often afterwards compared to Samson walking off with the gates of Gaza.
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