USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Northfield > History of Northfield, New Hampshire 1780-1905: In Two Parts with Many Biographical Sketches and. > Part 2
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
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xvi
CONTENTS.
throated, white-crowned sparrows junco-towhee or chewink- scarlet tanager-swallows-purple Martin, cliff or eaves, barn, white-bellied, tree and bank swallows cherry bird, or cedar wax- wing-shrikes-northern and migrant shrikes-vireos-red-eyed, warbling, blue-headed and yellow-throated vireos-warblers- parula, yellow-rumped and Tennessee warblers, also Nashville, Wilson, pine, mourning, Maryland, Cape May, magnolia, Cana- dian and Blackburnian warblers-redstart-black poll-oven bird-various other species of pipits mocking-birds cat bird- brown thrasher-wrens, house and winter-creepers-nuthatch- ers-white- and red-breasted chickadees-kinglets-thrush- blue birds.
PART II.
TITLE PAGE.
INTRODUCTION.
GENEALOGIES. (Pages 5 to 333.) Alphabetically arranged.
.
APPENDIX. (Pages 335 to 349.) Charles ITaines Ayers-Do- rinda Brown-Smith W. Cofran-Eugene Batchelder-Capt. Thomas Clough-Edward Caskin-Edmund .Douglass-Alvah Haggett-Mark Keasor-Sylvester Lambert-Joseph Thorp- Charles H. Crockett-Joseph Greenwood-Joseph Ayers- Thomas Blanchard-Cyrus Brown-Chase Coat of Arms-Mar- tin Courtney-Rev. Enoch Corser-John Davis-George H. Davis-Timothy Gleason-Moses Miller-Joseph Muzzey-Joel Phelps-Daniel Hills' will-John Hills-Laroy Mowe-Rand- Joseph Sullivan Tilton-Joe R. Twombly.
ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS (Pages 349 to 350.) FIRST TAX LIST. (Page 351.) OLD HOME DAY, 1905. (Page 351.) CRY OF THE HUMAN (Page 352.) INDEX TO PART I. INDEX TO PART II.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PART I.
Lucy R. H. Cross .
·
Frontispiece
View from Winnepesaukee River, Looking East
· vii
Proprietors' Map .
4
Map of Town
7
View in 1864
10
Rev. John Chamberlain .
23
Northfield Town Hall
26
Rev. Marcellus A. Herrick, D. D. .
38
Mrs. M. A. Herrick
38
Union Church
41
Hall Memorial Library
52
Mary Hall Cummings
52
Pond Schoolhouse .
54
N. H. Conference Seminary and Female College
57
Graded School
61
Tilton Seminary
62
Warren II. Smith .
64
Major Otis C. Wyatt
92
· Jeremiah Cross 97
99
Prof. Lucian Hunt
145
Dr. Enos Hoyt .
150
Dr. Jeremiah Forrest Halls
151
Dr. Nancy Smith Gilman
152
Dr. Adino B. Hall
153
Hall Coat of Arms
153
Dr. Sam G. Dearborn
154
Dr. Obadiah J. Hall
155
Dr. Charles R. Gould
157
Dr. Daniel B. Whittier .
157
Dr. Thomas Benton Dearborn
158
Dearborn Brothers
159
Hon. Asa P. Cate . ·
.
. 160
.
·
·
.
·
·
.
.
·
·
Jeremiah Eastman Smith
xviii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Hon. Lucien B. Clough . 161
Col. William A. Gile
163
Samuel Warren Forrest
164
Rev. Benjamin A. Rogers
166
Mary Margaret Gile
167
Luther H. Morrill .
17
Daniel Emery Hill
177
Charles Elliot Tilton
191
Charles Glines
193
The Island .
197
Souvenir Group
198
Memorial Arch
198
James O. Lyford .
· 204
Residence of F. B. Shedd
214
Chase Coat of Arms
236, 341
Charles G. Chase
237
Richard Firth
240
Obe G. Morrison
242
Mrs. Obe G. Morrison
242
Residence of Obe G. Morrison .
242
E. G. Morrison 243
Mrs. E. G. Morrison
243
Elm Mills
244
Carter's Mills
245
Plant of George H. Tilton & Son Hosiery Co.
245
George Henry Tilton
24G
Hon. Elmer Stephen Tilton
246
Optical Works
247
PART II .: .
Charles Haines Ayers . 14
Samuel Butler Brown
30
Stephen Chase Tavern
.
49
Thomas Stevens Clough
60
William Henry Clough .
61
Residence of the late William H. Clough . 61
Amos Moody Cogswell .
62
Benjamin F. Cofran
64
Hannah Tebbetts Curry
75
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. . xix
John S. Dearborn .
.
.
.
·
· 89
Mrs. John S. Dearborn
89
James Earnshaw
101
Cutting Follansby
110
Jason Foss
119
Frank J. French .
122
Benjamin F: Gale .
124
Alfred A. Gile
130
Mrs. Alfred A. Gile
130
Homestead of the late Alfred A. Gile
132
James Glines
144
Mrs. James Glines
144
James Glines Homestead
· 144
Residence of Gawn E. Gorrell
· 153
Clough Gorrell
154
Mrs. Clough Gorrell
154
Gawn E. Gorrell .
154
Obadiah Hall, Jr. .
158
Parker Hannaford
166
John Ileath .
172
Capt. David Hills . Homestead
175
Susannah Cole IIills
175
Warren Smith Hills Family
179
Frank Hills .
180
Mrs. Joseph Hills' Residence
182
Hon. Hiram Hodgdon
184
Deacon Joseph Hunkins
188 200
Thomas W. Long . .
211
Addie Gorrell Long
211
Morrill Moore
230
Morrison Brothers " ·
232
Asa Osgood and Old Bill
244
Mary French Phelps
249
Abraham Waldron Rand
· 258
Ianthe Blanchard Rice
.
262
Fannie Rice.
· 263
Enoch Rogers, Jr. .
. 268
Robertson Arms and Crest, with Homestead .
· 273
.
·
.
Roy Thurston Kimball .
.
·
.
·
.
XX
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
James P. Robertson ·
.
.274
James L. Robertson and Mrs. Robertson . 2741/2
Hodgdon Family .
276
. Charles H. Robertson
276
Late Residence of Daniel Sanborn
278
Byron Shaw
287
Mrs. Byron Shaw
287
Frank W. Shaw
288
Jeremiah Smith
292
Jeremiah Eastman Smith's Residence
295
Jeremiah Tilton's Residence .
303
Col. Jeremiah C. Tilton .
303
Alfred Edwin Tilton
305
Julia Batchelder Tilton .
306
Joseph Sullivan Tilton .
306
John Clough Tebbetts
308
Alfred Clifton Wyatt
330
Smith W. Cofran .
· 336
Mark G. Keasor
.
·
.
.
· 338
·
·
BIOGRAPHIES.
PART I.
Ballantyne, Adam S.
240
Cate, Asa P., Hon.
160
Chamberlain, John, Rev.
23
Chase, Charles G. .
237
Clough, Lucien B., Hon. 161
Cross, Jeremiah
97
Cross, Oliver L.
162
Dearborn, Sam G., M. D.
154
Dearborn, Thomas Benton, M. D.
158
Eastman, Franklin J. .
232
Firth, Richard
240
Forrest, Samuel Warren
164
Gile, Joseph .
151
Gile, Mary Margaret
167
Gile, William A., Hon. .
163
Gilman, Nancy Smith, M. D. .
151
Glines, Charles C. .
193
Gould, Charles R., M. D.
240
Hall, Adino B., M. D.
153
Hall, Jeremiah Forrest, M. D.
151
IIall, Obadiah J., M. D. .
155
Herrick, Marcellus A., D. D. .
38
Hill, Joseph .
232
Hills, Daniel E.
177
Hoyt, Enos, M. D.
150
Hunt, Lucian, Prof.
145
Morrison, E. G.
243
Morrison, O. G.
242
Rogers, Benjamin A., Rev.
166
Smith, Jeremiah Eastman
99
Smith, Warren H.
64
Tilton, Charles Elliott
191
xxii
MOGRAPHIES
Tilton, Elmer S., Hon. .
246
Tilton, George H. . 246
Tilton, Jeremiah .
238
Whidden, Parsons
153
Whittier, Daniel B., M. D.
157
Woodbury, Mark R.
152
PART II.
Ayers, Charles Haines .
14
Cofran, Benjamin Franklin
64
Cofran, Smith W.
336
Cross, Arthur B. .
70
Cross, Robert Lee .
71
Foss, Jason .
119
Follansby, Cutting
109
Gile, Alfred A.
180
Hannaford, Parker
166
Herrick, Charles .
173
Herrick, Francis, Prof. .
174
Hazelton, William C.
168
Hills, Frank
180
Hodgdon, Hiram, Col. ..
184
Morrill, Albro David, Prof.
235
Rand, Abraham W.
258
Rice, Ianthe Blanchard .
262
Rice Family
263
Robertson Family .
273
Shaw, Frank W. .
288
Smith, Jeremiah
292
Tilton, Alfred Edwin
305
Tilton, Jeremiah C., Col.
303
Tilton, Joseph Sullivan .
347
CHAPTER I. HISTORICAL.
There are many municipalities bearing the name of Northfield, and, though each lays claim to some particular attractiveness of location or embellishment, Northfield, New Hampshire, has many claims to consideration that no other can possess.
Although far inland, beyond the sound of the breakers' roar, it hears on half its border the lap of sweet waters and the bustle of industry from a hundred water wheels. Like Rome, she sits on her "seven hills" and, if from her "throne of beauty" she. may not rule the world, she has pretty effectually ruled herself for a century and a quarter. Bean Hill and Bay Hill greet the morning sun and pass it along to Arch Hill and Windfall for the noonday. Horse Hill, and The Ledges uphold the dignity of its western slope, while last, but not least, lonely, but lovely, Oak Hill looks down on the shining Merrimack, a silver thread in a web of green, and on a varying expanse of intervale smiling with her wealth of noble elms. Worcester and the Connecticut Valley alone are its rivals.
There are indications, not to be ignored, that these peaks were once islands. Then our lovely Winnepesaukee, heedless of the call of the Pemigewasset, flowed straight through our borders. At what date, through barriers burst, she "followed the setting sun Franklinward" to join the sister stream and together lose themselves in our lovely Merrimack, we know not. Only deep ravines, ditches, stranded boulders and our smiling Sondogardy, with Wolf Swamp below, remain as incontestable proof of her ancient track to the Merrimack on Canterbury inter- vale.
1
Other indications, too, point to a time when volcanic force and arctic glacier ground and crushed; when boulders tumbled from mountain sides; when heat and frost, rain and atmosphere disin-
2
2
HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD.
tegrated and pulverized, and level stretches of field and forest became the fixed heritage of the coming tillers of its fruitful acres. These things exist and mutely tell their story by their presence.
Geologists might tell you of mica, schist, quartz and conglom- erates, but the first unlettered native saw in the white, cap rock of Bean Hill the suspicious gleam of gold. Enough, also, that the potter and brickmaker have never lacked the clay suited to their callings or the most primitive farmer lacked the rocks, big or little, for his mountain fence.
Hemlock, chestnut, oak and pine, close by the forest streams, where the hum of the primitve sawmill was heard, mingled with the sound of the woodman's axe, furnished material for the settlers' homes and a score of useful trades. Hence came the fuel to counteract the frost of a thousand biting winters.
The well-digger, too, has rarely ever failed to find the buried spring or stream for use of man and beast, and, though not . naturally a farming town, the years, with their seedtime and harvest, have always brought their bounty to storehouse and barn; and the flocks and herds that graze on her many hills have been a source of wealth.
And what shall we say of our lovely river, whose sparkling waters, seemingly delighted at any hindrance, climb joyfully the ponderous water-wheel and laugh aloud at the discovery of their power. -
The 43d parallel of north latitude approaches it on the South and it lies midway between the sixth and seventh parallels of longitude, east from Washington, and 69 and 70 West from Greenwich. The traveler going due East would find himself half round the world in Bordeaux, Genoa and the Crimea.
BEGINNINGS.
Northfield was set off from Canterbury June 19, 1780, and was incorporated by its present name because it comprised the north part of the town. In fact, the territory had long been called the north fields.
Canterbury was granted to Richard Waldron and others in 1727 and was incorporated in 1741. The Scotch-Irish from Londonderry took possession of its intervale in 1721. It was for a long time the extreme border town.
8
HISTORICAL.
The depredations of the Indians made a fort necessary and every man provided himself with 'suitable means of defense. Not only did the garrison and the few scattered settlers have to contend with wild beasts and the cruel Indian, but there was bitter jealousy between them and the Rumford colony just below.
Canterbury was a New Hampshire settlement, incorporated by the New Hampshire government, while Rumford (Concord) was settled by Massachusetts people, and was incorporated by the "Great and General Court," which gave them little help and no protection.
They were angry because Canterbury was supplied with pro- visions and a competent force of troops for protection, and the feeling did not entirely die out until the brave soldiers of the two settlements had fought side by side in the many, fast-follow- ing wars.
Capt. Jeremiah Clough, who was later well known in Revolu- tionary history, was furnished with scouts, who made their headquarters at the fort, of which he was the commander, and who, with him, roamed the wooded acres bordering the two rivers and the north fields long before a settler dared choose a home away from the shelter of the fort. Many of his muster-rolls are still in existence. In the spring of 1743 he had 20 men for 39 days and on March 8 the House voted to pay him £16 12s. 10d. The next November he had six men, and in April and May seven men. On June 2, 1744, the House voted to pay him £18 for "ye defense of the government." In anticipation of the Indian War in 1746, the garrison was strengthened and he had 11 scouts.
Captain Clough went along the Winnepesaukee River as far as the "Great Pond," with a force of 19 men. The garrison furnished bread but their meat was supplied by the game in the forests through which they passed. Tradition says that there were often encounters with Indians and many proofs of their fierce hatred. It was through and through the forests bordering both rivers, on whose banks straggling bands of the St. Francis Indians built their wigwams and on whose waters they paddled their canoes, that the scouts passed, and from their ranks, tra- dition says, came the first settlers of the north fields at the close of the Indian War.
4
HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD.
They were set off from Canterbury in response to a petition from the inhabitants to the Legislature, in the following terms:
"State of N H, Rockingham 88
"Canterbury Mar. 30 1780
"The humble petition of ye Subscribers Inhabitants of ye North part of sd Canterbury to ye Honorable ye President and members of Council and house of Representatives of said State. we your Humble Petitioners Living at a great Distance from ye Center of the Towne Some of us nine or ten Miles and Conse- quently at a very great disadvantage in joining with them all Publick Town affairs, being encouraged Partly by our Living in that Part of ye Town that was Laid out for what was called ye upper Parish and Partly by ye Kind Reception our Request met with which we made to ye Town for a dismission but more particularly by our Confidence in your Honors desire to Pro- mote ye Happiness of every Part of ye State Humbly Pray that Honors would take our Case into your Serious Consideration and grant that we together with all those Live in sd Upper Part may be Erected and Incorporated into a body Politick and Corporate to have Continuance in ye Name of Northfield with all such Powers and Authorities Privileges Immunities and Franchises which other Parishes or Towns in this state in General hold Enjoy which your Petitions as in duty bound Shall forever pray
"PETITIONES.
"William Keniston, John Cross, James Blanchard, Jona Wad- leigh, William Williams, Abner Miles, Jeremiah McDaniel, Ben- jamin Blanchard, Thos. Clough, Jun., Joseph Carr, Richard Blanchard, Simeon Sanborn, Thos. Gilman, Charles Glidden, John Dearborn, Joseph Levitt, William Forrest, Shubal Dear- born, Shubal Dearborn, Jun., Jacob Merrill, Aaron Stevens, Jun., Sam'l Miles, John Forrest, Nath'l Whitcher, Thos. Clough, Jacob Heath, George Hancock, John Simons, Joseph Hancock, Benjm'n Collins, Abram Dearborn, Will'm Hancock, Nath'l Perkins, James Sid Perkins, Archelus Miles, Edward Blanchard, Aaron Stevens, Reuben Whitcher, Will'm Sanborn, John McDaniel, Eben Kimball, Gideon Switt and Mathew Haines."
This petition was granted and the northwest part of Can- terbury was set off and incorporated by the name of Northfield,
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Peter 34
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Mason
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William
John 35
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Lathers
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John 89
Samue
John
Burn am
Williams
Gray
48
37
John
Samuel
Woodman Smith
John 34
38
Knight
Samuel Doe
40
John 47 Glines
Joseph Hicks
Georg' Jef
46
Robert 11
James'
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45 Joseph 42 Dearborn
43
49
36
Tristram coffin
8
5
HISTORICAL.
and, in accordance with a vote of the town of Canterbury, passed March 18, 1779, which vote also provided that Capt. Josiah Miles, David Foster, Capt. Edward Blanchard and Ensign Archelus Miles be a committee to run a line of division.
In October, 1780, Abial Foster of Canterbury made the fol- lowing return to the General Assembly :
"Agreeable to the order of the Hon. ye General Assembly I notified a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Northfield on the 17th day of July last past when they met and chose Town Officers as the Law directs.
" ABIAL FOSTER.
"Portsmouth, Oct. 30, 1780."
The boundary line between Northfield and Canterbury lies south of Bean Hill and is nine miles and 126 rods in length.
The Merrimack and Winnepesaukee Rivers constituted its en- tire western and northern boundaries. There was a dispute about Gilmanton line and a vexatious lawsuit about the north end of it is recalled, as the court records are still preserved. While they do not give us the result of the litigation, they afford us some idea of the game and wild beasts then to be found in the forests, and the town in its early meetings offered annually bounties on wolves, bears and wild cats. Mr. James Gibson, Josiah Miles and John Simonds were professional hunters and the latter paid for his farm at the Center, Mr. Hunt says, with the proceeds of a single season's hunting and trapping.
The former testified, in the suit spoken of, regarding the pres- ence of moose in the vicinity of Coos and the Great Brook, and surrounding meadows. Being asked as to other game, he testified to the presence of beaver, sable, mink, muskrat and black cat. Bears, too, were so common that Mother Blanchard was on the constant watch, as her children played in the woods near her door. They were sometimes seen on Bean Hill and the encounter of John Cilley with an over-familiar one is told elsewhere.
The variety of hill and plain, meadow and woodland, seemed wonderfully attractive and settlers came from far and near- from Concord and Bow; from Hampton, Lee and Newbury, Mass .; from old Salisbury and Haverhill by families and neigh- borhoods. Bean and Bay Hills seemed most attractive, while ·
the easy navigation of the Merrimack, with its many locks,
6
HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD.
,
brought busy families to that location, where the first busines € houses of the town were established, as told elsewhere.
In 1828, when the new town of Franklin was organized, a part of this territory was ceded to it. For some reason, not recorded, the union was not agreeable and the same territory was returned by an act of the Legislature of 1830, in the following", terms :
"Chapter 35, Page 319, A. D. 1830.
"An Act to sever the Town of Franklin and annex a part of the same to Northfield.
"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened, that that part of the town of Franklin in the County of Merrimack which formerly belonged to and constituted a part of the town of Northfield in the County of Merrimack be, and the same hereby is severed from the town of Franklin and annexed to, and made a part of the town of North- field and all matters and things appertaining to that section of sd town of Franklin hereby annexed to sd town of Northfield, be and remain in the same state and condition as if the same had never been severed from sd town of Northfield.
"SAMUEL C. WEBSTER,
Speaker.
"JOSEPH HARPER, President of the Senate.
" Approved, July 3, 1830,
MATHEW HARVEY, "Governor of New Hampshire."
This act contains certain provisions concerning taxes, use of money and officers serving out their terms, paupers, town debt, etc.
In 1858, Charles Garland, Stephen Gerrish, Edward Leighton, Jonathan Elkins, Milton Gerrish, J. P. Sanborn and 46 others petitioned to the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court convened, at their June session of that year, to be annexed to Franklin, using these words :
"The subscribers inhabitants and legal voters in the town of Northfield would respectfully represent that their convenience · and interest would be much promoted by having that part of the town of Northfield which formerly belonged to the town
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7
HISTORICAL.
of Franklin together with such other additional territory as the Legislature in their wisdom direct be severed from said town of Northfield and annexed to said Town of Franklin and con- stitute a part thereof, and as in duty bound we will ever pray."
The petition was dated April 2, 1858. Its prayer was granted and the act of annexation passed. The latter bore the signatures of N. B. Bryant, speaker of the House, Austin F. Pike, president of the Senate, and William Haile, governor. It was approved June 27, 1861.
Another act of the Legislature of 1861 disannexed a part of the homestead farms of Samuel Heath and Edward Leighton from the town of Northfield and annexed the same to Franklin. It bears the signatures of Edward H. Rollins, speaker, Herman Foster, president of the Senate, and Nathaniel Berry, governor. It was approved June 27, 1861.
For the various boundaries, see map.
Northfield was surveyed and the lots granted long before 1780. There were two divisions of 100-acre lots and much of the wooded section was laid out into smaller ones, said to contain 40 acres, though, by actual measure, each size contained an excess of that quantity. They are, with hardly an exception, regularly laid out. (See Proprietors' map.)
Canterbury had, at the start, set aside 1,000 acres for the sup- port of the gospel. These were early sold, so that, while this land was all within the limits of Northfield, none of the benefits came to the new town. There were, however, two school lots, one of 100 acres and another of 40 acres, and a parsonage lot of 100 acres.
The 1,000 acres began, according to the early records, "at the river called Merrimack at the N. W. corner of the hundred acre lot No 9 and extending up said river as the common land lies till the whole tract be completed." Only four of these lay on the Merrimack and five on the Winnepesaukee. No. 9 included the swamp at the mouth of the Kendegeda Brook and No. 10 the field north of Oscar P. Sanborn's. There were unassigned tracts called "Proprietors' Commons," or "Whome Lots," which the town sold to pay the surveyor's bill or to exchange for private land needed for highways. The parsonage lot was sold and the money is, after all these years, available for the purpose origin- ally designed. The school lots were sold and the avails used for
8
HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD.
the first schoolhouses. Northfield contains 17,000 acres or 27 square miles and was in Rockingham County until 1823.
EARLY TOWN MEETINGS.
The first meetings of the new town were held in private houses and barns, as the weather allowed. James Simonds, at whose house the first one was held on Tuesday, November 21, 1780, was the first moderator, and Archelus Miles was the first clerk. Of these early gatherings, Mr. Hunt has given so full an account in his Centennial address, given in full in its appropriate place, I will not speak of it further.
It is not my purpose to give a full list of the recording clerks of the town. I wish to bear witness to the ease with which the records of the early days can be studied. In 1784 the first tax list was made and all accounts were set down in good form in pounds, shillings and pence. The elegant penmanship of Master Bowles is followed by that of Daniel Hills, and that veteran school teacher, Master Josiah Ambrose. Later we see the elegant hand of that fine teacher of the art, Charles M. Glines, and then follow Bracket Ames, Henry T. and Charles F. Hills, Dr. Gould, Charles W .. Tilton, Piper Dennis and E. R. Glines-a long list, ending with L. H. Morrill, Elmer Gale and Harry Muzzey, making the records as legible as the printed page.
ROADS.
The early highways invariably followed the ranges. As no vehicles were used, a hill or two, or a dozen, were no obstacle. Rocks there were in abundance, as everywhere else, and a brook of quite pretentious size, with a log felled across it for pedes- trians, was quite in order. The first changes made in the line of improvement was when some enterprising settler would ex- change a more agreeable route for the range bordering on his farm.
Sometimes the highways were made more passable by citizens, who would remove the trees for the fuel they afforded. Soon came the call for wider roads to avoid the drifting of the winter snow. This was sometimes provided for by a piece of the com- mon lands being given in return.
It was not until the rush and hustle of busy life seized upon our ancestors that the shortest, quickest and easiest routes to
9
HISTORICAL.
church, to store and to mill began to be agitated. The daily stage coach then began to wander anywhere between the third and fifth ranges and the town fathers were kept busy in ex- changing public ways for easier routes. Ofttimes it was for the advantage of a settler to have the stage pass his door and his land was freely given. When the saddle gave way to the vehicle streams must be bridged and stones removed. Then came the law making towns responsible for dangerous highways, and vexatious suits added grave responsibilities. Every year brought added demands, until we have the present almost perfect system, with its road machinery and roller for the snow. The 31/2-rod road from Kendegeda Brook to Sanbornton Bridge, across the plains, was opened in 1857.
The petition for Bay Street from the "Ben Hill house to an elm tree on land of E. S. Wadleigh," was dated September 3, 1849. There was much opposition to this route and both sides secured eminent counsel. Hon. Franklin Pierce appeared for the defendants and Judge Asa Fowler for the petitioners, and legal proceedings were held.
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