USA > New Hampshire > History of New Hampshire, from its first discovery to the year 1830; with dissertations upon the rise of opinions and institutions, the growth of agriculture and manufactures, and the influence of leading families and distinguished men, to the year 1874; > Part 24
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CHAPTER LXV.
CORN-MILLS AND SAW-MILLS.
The earliest instrument used for converting corn into meal was a stone mortar. In process of time the mortar was made ridged and the pestle notched at the bottom, so as to grate rather than pound the grain. Still later, the pestle was confined in a vertical condition by a cover, and turned by a horizontal crank. In process of time the mill was enlarged and the sweep was turned by a mule or by oxen. Finally, two stones were in- troduced and wind or water became the motive power. Water- mills existed in Rome under the empire. They were soon made known all over Europe; though hand-mills and cattle-mills were retained in private houses for a long time after the erection of water-mills. Wind-mills were common in Holland and Ger-
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many in the fifteenth century. The want of small streams in the level countries in the north of Europe led to the use of wind-mills. Corn-mills propelled by water became common in England after the first Crusades. The warriors, in their travels through Europe and the East, saw and adopted many useful in- ventions. It has been asserted that wind-mills were first built in America by the Dutch colonists. This may be doubted ; for a wind-mill, the first of the kind in New England, was taken down in 1632, in Watertown and rebuilt in Boston. This very year a pinnace, belonging to Captain Neal of Boston, was sent from the Piscataqua settlements, with sixteen hogsheads of corn to be ground at the wind-mill on Copp's Hill recently erected there ; for there was no nearer mill.
The first saw-mill in New England, propelled by water, was probably built by New Hampshire colonists on Salmon Falls river, at a place called Newichewannoc in 1631. Provision was also made about the same time for a grist-mill by the pro- prietor of New Hampshire. From this time mills were rapidly multiplied in the colony, both for sawing and grinding ; but in the ship-building region of Portsmouth, the saw-mills far out- numbered the flour-mills. Before the Revolution, New Hamp- shire imported grain and flour ; but the war interrupted all trade and more attention was given to the raising of maize and wheat. By this means mills were multiplied. Previous to 1776 Exeter had ten corn-mills within its limits. Clapboards were exported from Plymouth, Mass., as early as 1623, but they were probably sawed and shaved by hand ; for the annals of Plymouth men- tion the erection of the first water-mill in that colony in 1633. Beekman states in his History of Inventions, that the first saw- mill in England was erected in 1663. In early periods the trunks of the trees were split with wedges and then hewn into boards and planks. Later in the history of Europe, saw-pits were used, and boards were cut by two men, one standing above and one below the log, in a saw-pit. Saw-mills driven by wind or water are said to have been built in Germany as early as the fourth century ; but they were so little used that one author places their invention in the seventeenth century. There were saw-mills at Augsburg in 1322. Though they were introduced so late into England, they were for nearly a century often fired by mobs, who feared that sawyers would be thrown out of em- ploy by their frequent use. It seems from this narrative, that Captain Mason surpassed in enterprise the business men of his native land, for he anticipated his countrymen by thirty years, in erecting a saw-mill to convert the forests of New Hamp- shire into ship timber. This he did when "bread was either brought from England in meal, or from Virginia in grain, and
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sent to the wind-mill at Boston, there being none erected here." In 1682, white pine merchantable boards were worth in New Hampshire thirty shillings per thousand feet ; white oak pipe- staves three pounds ; wheat five shillings, Indian corn three shillings per bushel, and silver six shillings per ounce. In 1661, the selectmen of Portsmouth granted Captain Pendleton liberty "to set up his wind-mill upon Fort Point, toward the beach, be- cause the mill is of such use to the people." In 1692, after the Indians destroyed the mills of York, ancient Agamenticus, the inhabitants of that town contracted with a citizen of Ports- mouth to erect a mill for grinding their corn. Special privileges were granted him for this new accommodation of people living in both states. When Lancaster was first settled, in 1764, there was no corn-mill nearer than Charlestown, which was one hun- dred and ten miles distant ; and all the surrounding country was a wilderness.
The first cotton factory in New Hampshire was established at New Ipswich, in 1804. In 1823 the state contained twenty- eight cotton and eighteen woolen factories, twenty-two distilleries, twenty oil-mills, one hundred and ninety-three bark-mills, three hundred and four tanneries, twelve paper-mills and fifty-four trip-hammers. The progress of manufactures in New Hamp- shire was very rapid from 1820 to 1830. The amount of capital authorized and incorporated within the five years preceding 1825 was nearly six millions of dollars. Since that time manufactures have become the ruling industry of the state.
IRON WORKS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Iron ore abounds in various localities in New Hampshire ; but the working of it has never proved profitable. Iron ore was early discovered in the vicinity of Portsmouth, and a quantity of it was shipped to England by the agent of Captain Mason, in 1634. Mr. Gibbons then wrote: "There is of three sorts-one sort that the myne doth cast forth as the tree doth gum, which is sent in a rundit. One of the other sorts we take to be very rich, there is a great store of it. For the other I do not know." This is sufficiently indefinite to satisfy a German metaphysician. Early in the eighteenth century, a chronicler speaks of "the noted Iron-works at Lamper Eel River ;"but they were soon dis- continued. The same fate has attended the works set up at Exeter, Winchester, Gilmanton and Franconia. Large sums have been expended, at the last named place, in the erection of fur- naces ; but they have not been actively worked for some time past. "The specular oxyd at Piermont is one of the richest ores in the United States, yielding from sixty to ninety per cent. of metallic iron."
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CHAPTER LXVI.
ADMINISTRATION OF JOHN TAYLOR GILMAN.
The Gilman family have been among the most distinguished in our commonwealth. Exeter was their home. The ancestor of this illustrious race first came to Hingham and became a freeman of Massachusetts. He followed, in his old age, his three sons to Exeter, where he died. The descendants of these men all took an active part in building up the township of Exe- ter and promoting the welfare of the province. Nicholas Gilman held most responsible offices during the Revolutionary war. He was the father of John Taylor Gilman, who was first elected governor of the state in 1794. He held this office eleven years in succession, and, after an interregnum, three years more, making fourteen in all. No other man has held, and probably no other man ever will hold, the same elective office so long, and no man ever has filled it, nor probably ever will fill it, with greater credit to himself and honor to the state. Judge Smith, remarking of the citizens of Exeter, says : "It is no disparage- ment to any other family here to say that, in numbers and every- thing that constitutes respectability, the Gilmans stand at the head."
The administration of Governor Gilman marked a period of progress material, social, moral, literary and religious. Society was assuming a permanent form. Many important political and financial questions had been already settled. The constitution of the United States had gained full sway over all classes of cit- izens. The name anti-federal no longer described appropriately any political party. All were federalists with respect to their support of the central government. But the fundamental prin- ciples which gave birth to these opposing parties still lived. One class advocated the supremacy of the general government ; an- other maintained that the individual states had never surrendered their sovereignty. Hamilton was the great leader of the party which, under the name of Federalists, advocated the centraliza- tion of power. Jefferson was the founder of another party which, under the name of Republicans, vindicated state rights, and ultimately opposed all the leading measures of the other party. While Washington held the helm of state, his prudence, wisdom and reputation served to allay party animosities, though the Father of his country did not escape the venomous attacks
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of partisans. He was assailed by the basest of calumnies dur- ing the Revolutionary war, but his own manuscripts and letters have been sufficient to refute them all, and reveal, in private and public, the integrity of that great man
" Who has left His awful memory A light for after times."
Washington was regarded as a federalist, though he was never under the influence of party spirit, so far as men could judge. Without boasting, he might have made the language of Milton his own :
" All my mind was set Serious to learn and know, and thence to do What might be public good : myself I thought Born to that end, born to promote all truth And righteous things."
All his opinions were formed with candor and maintained with firmness. No other public man of that age was supposed to be free from party prejudices. The governor and a large majority of the legislature of New Hampshire were federalists. They supported the administration of Washington. While he was in power, the topic which excited the most violent controversy was Jay's treaty. The Revolutionary war had left many important questions between the two countries unsettled. Boundaries were to be established, claims to be adjusted, commerce to be regu- lated and the rights of citizenship to be determined. A treaty was negotiated by Mr. Jay, containing twenty-eight distinct pro- visions, some of them of vital importance to both the "high contracting parties." The treaty was in many respects objec- tionable, and in others defective, yet it was the best that could then be secured. England was still haughty and imperious, and not very kindly disposed to her rebellious children. This treaty was condemned in advance by the republicans, who were gen- erally favorable to the French and hostile to the English even when they brought gifts. When the articles became known the whole treaty was denounced, seriatim, by a considerable party in every town and state in the Union. This hostility was shown in many cases by acts of violence and lawless mobs. This great national matter, which the senate alone had a right to decide, was debated in the primary meetings of the people. Portsmouth held a town meeting and voted an address against the treaty. Private citizens of the highest respectability, feeling aggrieved by this rash act, prepared a counter address approving of the treaty. The opponents of this measure were determined to pre- vent the transmission of the address to the president. They marched through the streets armed with clubs, insulted the sign- ers of the address, broke their windows, defaced their fences and broke down their shade trees ; and with outrageous impu-
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dence threatened greater violence unless the offensive document were surrendered to them. After a "day's uproar " the riot was quelled, the leaders were arrested and peace was restored. Judging from the numerous mobs in different and distant por- tions of the Union where hostility was shown to this treaty by such illegal means, we infer that the citizens of that age were more excitable and pugnacious than their descendants now are. The treaty, despite the opposition, was legally ratified, and not only did the men of that period acquiesce in it but every gene- ration since has pronounced the verdict just. We wonder now that anybody should have thought otherwise. Washington fa- vored its ratification and his "good sense " probably turned the scale in its favor. One of the senators from New Hampshire, Mr. Langdon, voted against it. The legislature of the state in 1795 unanimously approved of the treaty in the strongest terms. They expressed "undiminished confidence in the virtue and ability of the minister who negotiated the treaty, the senate who advised its ratification, and in the President, the distinguished friend and father of his country, who complied with this advice." The history of this heated controversy shows how easy it is for excited partisans to mistake their true interests.
The material and social progress of the people of New Hamp- shire has already been noticed under the head of internal im- provements and general education. During the long and pros- perous administration of Governor Gilman, roads, turnpikes, mills and factories were built, and schools, academies and liter- ary, scientific and religious societies were multiplied. In 1798, a medical school was established at Dartmouth College by Dr. Nathan Smith of Cornish. For some time he was the only pro- fessor in that department of education. He made the school a success ; and from it have gone forth more than a thousand thoroughly educated and skillful practitioners of the healing art. Many of them have held the front rank in their vocation, both as professors and physicians. When we remember that Dr. Smith was a self-made man, without the advantages of literary or scientific culture, we are astonished at the results of his ex- ecutive energy, perseverance and high scholarship. He was in his own sphere a man of genius. He planned for coming ages. He was far in advance of the men of his time. He foresaw the wants of the future and provided for them. His name and fame are among the richest legacies which the sons of New Hamp- shire have inherited. His works are more eloquent in his praise than the "pens of ready writers." In 1810 the state became the patron of the medical school and built for it a convenient and spacious college building. Here the students both of the medical and academical departments have since received their instruction in chemistry.
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Manufactories of cotton and wool were erected about the be- ginning of the nineteenth century in the state. In Mr. Jay's treaty, in 1795, the exports of cotton were so small from this country as to escape the notice of the busy diplomatists. The first factory for the manufacture of cotton was built at New Ipswich, in 1804. Others soon followed till at the present day a large portion of the wealth of the state is invested in such mills. During the same year the northern portion of the state was erected into a separate county by the name of Coös. It contained at that time only eight incorporated towns. The num- ber has since increased to twenty-five, besides some seventeen mi- nor settlements, denominated Locations, Purchases and Grants. Lancaster, the shire town, was settled as early as 1763. Its growth was retarded by the Revolutionary war. In 1775, the entire population of the county was only two hundred and twenty-seven persons, of which Lancaster, the most populous of the six settlements, contained sixty-one. In 1803, the new county had about three thousand souls. It contains now more than thirteen thousand. The same legislature authorized the build- ing of a turnpike through the Notch of the White Mountains, twenty miles in extent, at an expense of forty thousand dollars. This road, winding down to the west line of Bartlett through this gigantic cleft in the mountains, presents to the traveler some of the most sublime and some of the most beautiful scenery which the sun, in his entire circuit, reveals to the curious eye.
During Washington's second term of service as president, the French Revolution was in progress. This, like a political earth- quake, shocked all the nations of christendom. Our own coun- try was deeply agitated by it. France had been our ally in war ; many felt deep gratitude to her for that timely service. A large party in the country felt that the French people in their struggle against regal and sacerdotal oppression could do nothing wrong ; and that the English, our obstinate foes while we were achiev- ing our liberty, could do nothing right. Relying on this partiality of a large party in the country, the French minister, M. Genet, who arrived in 1793, put on airs, became insolent and began to fit out privateers in the ports of the United States, to cruise against nations hostile to France, and to set in motion an ex- pedition against the Spanish settlements in Florida. Washing- ton had previously issued a proclamation of neutrality. It was not heeded by the officious minister and his recall was demanded. The French Republic found Washington in earnest, and they sent a more acceptable envoy. But their aggressions upon our commerce and their insolent treatment of our government united all parties in the condemnation of these national outrages. The government prepared for open war; some collisions actually
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occurred upon the sea. In 1796, Mr. Pinckney had been sent as minister to France. After two months' residence in Paris, he was peremptorily ordered to leave the city. The French government continued to commit depredations upon our commerce and re- fused to liquidate our just claims upon its treasury. One more effort was made by the United States to settle the controversy by negotiation. Three envoys were sent with full powers to adjust all questions in dispute. When they arrived, the French Directory, like a company of banditti, demanded of them a sum of money as a preliminary step to a treaty. This of course was indignantly refused and the embassy failed in its mission. There was but one voice among all parties at home respecting this in- sult ; that was: "Millions for defence but not one cent for trib- ute." After further consideration, the French Directory pro- posed peace and ministers were promptly sent in answer to their call. On their arrival they found Bonaparte at the head of the government, as First Consul. With this responsible head, in September, 1800, they concluded a treaty which satisfied both countries and for a time restored the former good will between them. New Hampshire, with great unanimity, supported Presi- dent Adams in his foreign policy. The legislature prepared an address to him, expressing the fullest approval of his purpose to humble France and the most decided denunciation of French aggressions. This measure received the unanimous vote of the senate and had only four opposing votes in the house.
During the last four years of Washington's administration, many important difficulties were adjusted. The controversy with England was put to rest by Mr. Jay's treaty, though the party spirit which it evoked lived on. In 1795, after three campaigns, two of which were unsuccessful, against the western Indians, a treaty was concluded which for a season quieted these fierce savages. During the same year, a treaty with Spain was made, which established the boundaries between the Spanish posses- sions on this continent and the United States. Peace was also made with the Algerines, a nest of pirates who had for years laid the whole Christian world under tribute. The United States, then destitute of a navy, had been compelled to pay large sums to these outlaws for the redemption of captives ; and even under the new treaty an annual tribute was promised to the Dey, a sort of modern Minotaur, who demanded blood or money. The quarrel with France remained to be settled when Washing- ton delivered his "farewell address" in 1797. Under his suc- cessor party lines were more closely drawn and federalists and republicans began that struggle for supremacy in the national councils which, under different party names, has been perpetu- ated to this hour.
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The eighteenth century closed when partisan warfare was at its height, and the press, on both sides, teemed with bitter sar- casm and malignant abuse. This important date in our history suggests some reflections upon the condition of New Hampshire as it then was. It would be difficult to find a colony or state within the period of authentic history that suffered more or achieved more in the same number of years, than New Hamp- shire prior to the peace with Great Britain in 1783. Her en- tire record for one hundred and sixty years is stained with sweat and blood. Her citizens labored and suffered during all that period with unparalleled patience. From four inconsiderable plantations in 1641, she had grown in 1800 to be a populous state of two hundred and fourteen thousand inhabitants distribu- ted over nearly two hundred flourishing towns. But from the hour when the forests of Dover and Portsmouth first rang with the blows of the woodman's axe, in 1623, till the close of the Revol- utionary war, there was no rest from toil, scarcely any from war, to all its citizens. For nearly all that long and dreary march of armies and pressure of labor, the title to the very soil they had won from the wilderness was in dispute. The Indians were con- stantly upon their track, and no hiding-place was so secret or remote as to render its occupant safe from the tomahawk and scalping-knife. Foreign wars consumed their property and ex- hausted their men. The government under which they lived and to which they owed allegiance was changed almost as often as the wages of Jacob by his crafty father-in-law. The king ruled them only for his own advantage. Even Massachusetts, with whom for many years she enjoyed a peaceful alliance, finally became ambitious of enlarging her possessions, and un- generously obtained and appropriated nearly one half of New Hampshire. The people of the state found no security at home or abroad, but in their own brave hearts and strong arms. They made themselves homes and achieved a fame in arms and in arts, which "none of their adversaries could gainsay nor resist."
CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
Let us now, with the light of memory and tradition lingering on the track, point backward the glass of history and descry the farmer in his field, the mechanic in his shop, and the minister at his altar, as they severally lived and labored seventy years ago,-
"As when, by night, the glass Of Galileo, less assur'd, observes Imagin'd lands and regions in the moon."
We can scarcely conceive of a more independent, self-reliant,
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hearty, healthy and hopeful denizen of earth than the farmer of that age. He lived upon the produce of his own soil ; was warmed by fuel from his own woods, and clothed from the flax of his own field or the fleeces of his own flock. No flour, hams, lard nor oil was then imported. Broadcloths and cotton fabrics were scarcely known. The oxen and swine which yielded the "fresh meat " in winter and the "salt meat " in summer were fed and fattened by himself. Trade was carried on chiefly by barter. Little money was needed. The surplus produce of the farm, or the slaughtered swine not needed by the family, were carried to market in the farmer's " double sleigh " and exchanged for salt, iron, molasses and other stores not produced at home. So the year went round, marked by thrift, contentment and prosperity.
"Happy the man whose wish and care A few paternal acres bound; Content to breathe his native air, In his own ground."
The mechanic was the peer and helper of the farmer. Every tiller of the soil needed a house and barn, tools and furniture, clothes and shoes. The skill and craft which produced these necessaries were often brought to the employer. The mechan- ics were itinerant, working where they were needed, and receiv- ing for their labor the products of the farm or loom, or stores from the larder or cellar. Carpenters, blacksmiths, masons, tailors and shoemakers, who plied the most useful and neces- sary of all handicrafts, were found in every town of any consid- erable population.
The church and school-house were among the earliest public structures reared. The creed of the Puritans discarded all or- naments within and without the sacred edifice. The people of New Hampshire, though not Puritans in name, adopted their religious customs. The church of the new town was generally built upon an eminence. It has been said that such sites were selected that the worshipers might more easily discern the ap- proach of the Indians who often lay in wait for them during divine service. The "meeting-house " was high, long and broad, with heavy porticos at each end containing stairs by which the galleries were reached. The pews were square with seats on all sides. "The broad aisle " was the post of honor. The pulpit was reached by a long flight of steps, and a dome-shaped sound- ing board was suspended over it. Here the " minister," who was settled by the major vote of the town, indoctrinated his people. From his lips they literally received the law. His ser- mon was the only fountain of theology from which his hearers could drink. Libraries, if they existed at all, were few, and the books selected, being chiefly sermons and expositions of portions
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