USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Northwood > History of Nottingham, Deerfield, and Northwood, comprised within the original limits of Nottingham, Rockingham County, N.H., with records of the centennial proceedings at Northwood, and genealogical sketches > Part 25
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Nottingham > History of Nottingham, Deerfield, and Northwood, comprised within the original limits of Nottingham, Rockingham County, N.H., with records of the centennial proceedings at Northwood, and genealogical sketches > Part 25
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Deerfield > History of Nottingham, Deerfield, and Northwood, comprised within the original limits of Nottingham, Rockingham County, N.H., with records of the centennial proceedings at Northwood, and genealogical sketches > Part 25
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219 Number of Polls 18 Years old and upwards.
1 No. of Slaves from 16 to 45 Years of Age.
9 No. of Acres of Orchard Land.
373 No. of Acres of Arable or Tillage Land.
1791 No. of Acres of Pasture Land.
939 No. of Acres of Mowing Land.
81 No. of Horses and Mares.
19 No. of Colts three Years old.
11 No. of Colts two Years old.
18 No. of Colts one Year old.
168 No. of Oxen.
367 No. of Cows.
143 No. of Cattle three Years old.
233 No. of Cattle two Years old.
184 No. of Cattle one Year old.
- Yearly Rents of Mills, Wharves and Ferries, Repairs being deducted.
- Sum total of Stock in Trade.
75 Sum total of Money in Hand or at Interest.
12295 Sum total of the Value of all real Estate not included before.
And every Person is required to give in a true and faithful Inven- tory of all the foregoing Articles, belonging to him respectively, on Oath if required thereto by the Person or Persons taking said Inven- tory, who are hereby empowered to administer the same. And on Refusal or Neglect thereof, the Person or Persons taking said Inven- tory, are to set down to him or them so refusing or neglecting, as much as in his, or their Judgment appear equitable.
That the Person or Persons taking said Inventory, shall take an Oath to be administered by any Justice of the Peace in the County where the same is taken, that he, or they have faithfully and impar- tially made said Inventory. A Certificate of which Oath from the Jus- tice who administered it shall be returned with the said Inventory into the Secretary's Office.
Further Voted, That the selectmen of the next oldest Town, to any Town, Parish or Place where no selectmen are chosen, shall take an
319
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
Inventory of such Town, Parish or Place, or appoint some Person or Persons, in the said respective Places to do the same, and return it as aforesaid, for which they shall be paid an adequate Reward on their Accounts being exhibited to, and allowed by the General-Assembly, out of the Treasury of the State.
By Order of the Council and Assembly.
M. WEARE, President.
E. THOMPSON, Secretary. March 31, 1777.
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE Agreeable to the Within Precept,
ROCHINGHAM SS. we have taken an Inventory of the Parish of Deerfield.
This third day of May, 1777, as Witness our Hands.
NATHAN SANBORN, JOSIAH CHASE,
Selectmen of
JOHN McCRILLIS,
Deerfield.
ROCKINGHAM DEERFIELD June ye 3, 1777.
SS.
Than the above Named Nathan Sanborn, Josiah Chase, & John McCrillis personally appeared and made oath that they Had truly and Impartially taken the Within Inventory according to the best of their Judgment before me,
JEREMIAH EASTMAN, Jus. peace.
COMPARISON, - OR DEERFIELD AS IT IS.
The census given above may be contrasted with the figures below, after the lapse of a hundred years. But why speak of Deerfield of to-day ? Once it was something and somewhere. The town once abounded in stores and taverns well patronized. Lawyers and judges were here ; the highways teemed with moving vehicles, carrying delighted travelers for pleasure or business ; horses and oxen wound their weary way over hills and valleys, heavily laden with merchandise in its various forms ; and statesmen looked with partiality to the higli places of the town as suitable locations for the state's capitol. But Deerfield to-day is nothing and nowhere, because, forsooth, the railroad does not pass through it with its rumbling and roar! It takes a lifetime to reach it now, because ten miles from some
3:20
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
railroad station ! Ride in a coach ? You will be shaken into pomace before you get there ! Friends reside there ? Well. it is more than they are worth to go where they dwell ! Our fathers rode on horseback, with our mothers behind them, cach carrying some fat porpoise of a son or daughter in their arms; later, they rode in springless wagons, and in any rude vehicles ; lived, and were happy ; the hills were a joy forever to them. But now men with soft hands and well-trimmed mustache, from factories and shops in cities, groan wofully, and bitterly lament the te siousness of the ride of five or ten miles in a coacli with flexible springs and soft-cushioned seats ; and delicate ladics from city homes sigh at the thought of so wearisome a ride into the country, and almost faint at the sight of some steep declivity ; and they all protest that they would not live in Deerfield if anybody would give them the town. And so Deerfield is nowhere ; they would not take the pains to point it out on the map, for no railroad passes through it; and Deerfield is nothing, because they would not take the gift of it, not even if a dime could be thrown in! Such is the passion for cities and railroads, that country people and rural homes are of no account. Deerfield out of the world ? Why, we have scores of horses that will rush from many a railroad station to the center or cxtremes of the town with half the breath these affected ladies and gentlemen waste in expressing their contempt or horror for the town where farms are owned and dwellings are not mortgaged ; where fields smile with herbage, flower, fruit, and grain ; and where pastures teem with cattle and horses and sheep ; where parents bless God for quiet homes, and children sport, and young men and maidens know as much as their city cousins. Dear old Deerfield ! We have traversed thy hills and valleys, viewed thy fields and pastures, enjoyed thy cordial hospitality in many of thy happy homes ; we have traversed thy length and breadth in daylight and in darkness, and felt no fear. The robber and the assassin
.
321
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
do not deem thy atmosphere healthful, nor thy paths safe ; but we never wearied at seeing and enjoying ; we have visited most of our large cities, passed over our great thor- ouglifares, and have listened to the thunder of the engine, and been borne along with seeming lightning speed, but nowhere have we felt ourselves to be more in the world than in Deer- field. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago are far more out of the world than Deerfield. She is higher than the highest of towns, and sits queen among them, thongh the railroad does not disturb her peace. She has enough wherewith to feed her children, at home and abroad, and is independent of all the world. The last census shows Deer- field to be in the world. She had 1,768 men, women, and children ; 21,846 acres of improved land ; 336 horses ; 1,947 cattle ; 727 sheep ; 223 swine ; her estimated value of live stock was $132,313 ; she raised 2,803 bushels of wheat, 495 bushels of rye, 10,151 bushels of corn, 3,056 bushels of oats and barley ; clipped 3,063 pounds of wool; raised 980 bushels of pease and beans, 25,975 bushels of potatoes ; her orchard products were worth $12,102; she made 125,750 pounds of butter, 5,600 pounds of cheese ; cut 4,345 tons of hay ; made 2,500 pounds of maple sugar and 928 gal- lons of molasses ; the value of her forest products was $14,135 ; the value of her animals slaughtercd or sold was $26,832; and the estimated value of all her farm products, including betterments, was $178,518.
Deerfield held a fair, September 26, 1877, and showed signs of progress. Her one hundred and thirty-six yoke of oxen, her matched horses, and district teams, or " turn- outs," surpassed all ordinary exhibitions. The cows, sheep, swine, poultry, butter, cheese, fruit, corn, wheat, barley, beans, oats, and vegetables; flowers, worsted-work, and em- broidery, - showed that the farms of Deerfield have done wisely in not hastening to the cities because the railroad passed by them " on the other side ; " have done wisely in throwing aside the poisonous tobacco-pipe, and ceased from
21
322
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
the liberal use of the cider-mug, and have not allowed their farms to become barren, nor their dwellings to go to decay. Deerfield in 1878 is fair to look upon. She may have less money in bank and public stocks than ten years ago ; but she has more and better barns and dwelling-houses, better herds of cattle, and smoother fields and richer harvests. The ap- praisers' figures may be smaller in 1878 than ten years ago, because real estate and all property have depreciated nearly one-half within the last decade ; but this does not show a decrease in thrift and happiness.
OFFICERS OF TOWN FAIR, SEPTEMBER 26, 1877.
President, J. H. Veasey ; vice-president, David Gerrish ; treasurer, George H. Stevens ; secretary, H. O. Walker ; executive committee, Walter Scott, John S. French, David B. Ladd ; superintendent of grounds, J. H. Morrison ; of the upper hall, C. D. Chase ; and of the lower hall, Stephen Prescott, jr. ; marshal, Jonathan D. Cate.
INVENTORY OF THE POLLS AND RATABLE PROPERTY OF THE INHABITANTS OF DEERFIELD FOR THE YEAR 1878.
Polls.
Horses.
Cows, Oxen, and
other neat Stock.
Stock in Banks.
Stock in Trade.
Money on hand or
at interest.
Public Funds. Stock invested in
Mills of all kinds.
Value of Taxable
Value of Taxable
Property of Non- Residents.
Total Value of Tax- able Property.
North Side South Side
233 211
201 154
815
646
333
5,800
4,600
950
. . .
$1,250
188,832
$9,090 $253,156 203,512 14,680
444
355
1,461
816
$7,170 $7,600 $3,610 $3,200 $2,450 $432,898 $23,770 $456,668
Property.
Sheep.
483 $1,370 $3,000 $2,660 $3,200 $1,200 $244,066
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HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
Names of those whose state, county, town, and school tax exceeds $50 for the year 1878 : -
Jonathan D. Cate
.
· $53.04
Samuel D. Danforth
. 60.74
Jeremiah Fogg
· 51.71
Charles W. Prescott
· 53.04
E. A. J. Sawyer
· 59.14
North Side.
Mrs. Ira St. Clair
. 64.12
William Thompson .
· 51.29
Joseph H. Veasey
· 88.34
Joseph T. Veasey
54.63
John M. Ballou
. $70.85
Benjamin S. Brown
71.34
Matilda Jenness
. 60.16
South Side.
Amos L. Jenness
68.71
J. B. Sanborn .
65.00
Richard J. Sanborn .
98.15
A list of the sums of money raised in each school-dis- trict, together with the interest on the Jenness fund and the literary fund, for the support of schools for 1878 : -
District No. 1 .
$108.63
2
163.59
3 .
196.45
4
208.66
.6
5
42.97
66 66 6
175.46
66
7 .
203.87
8
.
168.51
85.19
" 11
154.77
" 12
106.12
"
13
87.47
" 14 .
31.88
" 15
42.11
" 16 .
20.57
Total amount used for school purposes . . $1,899.90
66 9
10
103.75
324
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
CHAPTER VII.
Attorneys. - Physicians. - Spotted Fever. - The Poor. - First Stove for Congre- gational Meeting-house. - Price of Labor.
ATTORNEYS.
D AVID FRENCH, a native of Epping, commenced practice of law in Deerfield, 1796, having read law with Jonathan Rawson ; he removed to Chester in 1798; became solicitor in 1808, attorney-general in 1812, and died October 16, 1840.
Edmund Toppan, a native of Hampton, graduated at Harvard, 1796, commenced practice in 1799, and in a few years removed to Hampton.
Phinelias Howe, native of Hopkinton, graduated at Dart- mouth, 1798, commenced practice in Deerfield in 1805; after a short period removed to Weare, and thence to Maine.
Moody Kent, native of Newbury, Mass., graduated at Harvard in 1801 ; began practice in 1804, at Deerfield, and afterward removed to Concord, and thence to Pembroke.
Josiah Butler, native of Pelham, graduated at Harvard, commenced practice at Pelham, appointed judge of court of common pleas in 1824, and retained the office until 1833 ; prior to this he had been sheriff, clerk of court of common pleas, and a member of Congress from 1817 to 1823.
Jesse Merrill, native of Atkinson, graduated at Dart- mouth, 1806, commenced practice in 1810, at Deerfield, and subsequently removed to Vermont.
Nathaniel P. Hoar, native of Lincoln, Mass., graduated at Harvard in 1810, rcad law with his brother at Concord, Mass., commenced practice at Portsmouth, removed to Deerfield, and died at Lincoln, 1820, aged thirty-six.
David Steelc, jr., native of Peterborough, graduated at
ha ft, blas
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HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
Dartmouth in 1815, read law with James Wilson, com- menced practice in Deerfield in 1818, and removed to Goffstown, where he became representative and senator.
Frederick H. Davis, native of Boston, commenced prac- tice of law in 1815, at Salem, N. H., then removed to Deer- field.
Josiah Houghton read law in law school, Connecticut, and with Boswell Stevens ; began practice in 1819, and died 183 -.
Ira St. Clair was born in New Hampton, August 9, 1796 ; read law with Stephen Moody of Gilmanton and S. C. Ly- ford of Gilford ; commenced practice at New Hampton in 1824; removed to Deerfield in 1825; married, December 20, 1827, Annah S. Jenness, born May 6, 1805, died Au- gust 25, 1845 ; again, December 16, 1846, Eliza E., born December 6, 1819, daughter of Hon. James B. Creighton . of Newmarket ; was many years judge of probate, and died April 5, 1875. Judge St. Clair was a man of upright character and sound judgment, a safe counselor and firm friend. His removal by death was felt to be a great loss to the community.
Nathaniel Dearborn, native of Chester, read law with George Sullivan, began practice in 1806, at Pembroke, re- moved to Deerfield in 182-, and to Northwood in 1831, and died 1860, aged seventy-nine.
Horatio Gates Cilley, native of Deerfield, graduated at Dartmouth, 1826, read law with George Sullivan, and began practice in Deerfield in 1830.
In addition to the above, Francis D. Randall of Deerfield was register of deeds from 1834 to 1840.
Richard Jenness was judge of court of common pleas from 1809 to 1813.
Dudley Freese was judge of court of common pleas from 1832 to 1842.
Benjamin Jenness was sheriff from 1830 to 1835; he was son of Judge Richard Jenness.
326
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
Peter Chadwick was clerk of the court of common pleas from 1817 to 1834, and clerk of the superior court from 1829 to 1837.
Peter Sanborn was for several years state treasurer.
PHYSICIANS.
The first physician in Dcerfield, worthy of note, was Ed- mund Chadwick. (See Chadwick family.)
Thomas Brown practiced first in Epping, then at the Parade ; subsequently he removed to Concord, thence to Cambridge, and thence to Manchester, where lie died of cholera.
Stephen Brown succeeded Thomas Brown in 1831, hav- ing practiced a short time in Raymond. In connection with his professional business, Dr. Brown kept a tavern for thirty years ; and, though he accumulated wealth, his heart was enlarged and showed his love for the Congregational Church by his constant support, and lastly by his gift of a valuable, rich-toned bell to the meeting-house, and by be- queathing $1,000 to the Congregational society for the support of the gospel.
John Hidden, a native of Tamworth, practiced here for a short time.
Dr. Young was here a few years.
G. H. Towle, a native of Deerfield, is at present the only physician in the town, and has an extensive practice.
SPOTTED FEVER.
January 23, 1815, action was had by the town, at a meet- ing called for that purpose, respecting the spotted fever, which prevailed in this town to an alarming extent. Num- bers had already died, and painful apprehensions prevailed in all households. At this meeting it was voted that Sam- uel Folsom, Ebenezer Tilton, H. G. Cilley, William Smith, David Batchelder, Simon Veasey, and Benjamin Sanborn be
.
Stephen Brown
327
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
a committee "to report the most eligable method to be adopted respecting the alarming sickness now prevailing in the Town." Agreeably to their recommendation, --
Voted, also, that a committee, to consist of one person in each School District, be chosen as a Local committee, to supply such Per- sons as may be attacked with the Spotted fever with such medicines and necessaries as may be prescribed by attending Physician. Voted, further, that a Sum, not exceeding $300, be raised for the benefit of the sufferers, and said local Committee employ as many Physicians as they may think proper, and pay them by the day.
The early symptoms of this disease were frightful, and no doubt fear greatly aggravated them. There was great ignorance of the cause and cure. Physicians were, in those days, but imperfectly educated in the healing art. The people had but little confidence in their skill, though the sick suffered themselves to be subjected to tortures that sometimes resulted in death, and oftener in protracted det- riment to health, - tortures too harrowing to the sensibili- ties to allow a description of them here.
THE POOR.
Deerfield, like other towns, had sold to the lowest bidder, annually, the providing for the sustenance of paupers, until 1818, when the town raised a committee, consisting of Wil- liam T. Smith, Ebenezer Tilton, Peter Sanborn, B. W. San- born, Andrew Page, Samuel Collins, Samuel Dearborn. H. G. Cilley, Theoph. Stevens, and Jonathan Dowst, to suggest the most desirable mode of maintaining the poor. This committee advised the discontinuance of the practice of " selling the poor," and to hire a farm and place the poor upon that, and to support them there, except such children as might be bound to service.
This report was adopted, and certain men were chosen as " overseers of the poor."
Most of the towns throughout the Commonwealth, dur-
328
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
ing the first quarter of the present century, adopted the humane practice of supporting their paupers on farms, which they bought or rented. This method has generally been economical, as well as humane.
At present, public sentiment is in favor of supporting the poor on county farms, under the direction of commis- sioners, while some towns are calling in question both the wisdom and humanity of the present method.
FIRST STOVE FOR THE MEETING-HOUSE.
Until 1818, the Congregational meeting-house had not known the luxury of being warmed within. This year, however, at a legal meeting, it was voted, that " William T. Smith have the privilege of purchasing a stove by sub- scription, and of placing it in the Congregational Meeting House."
At this distance, it seems almost incredible that the peo- ple of Deerfield could have been willing to ride from one to five miles of a sabbath morning, over precipitous hills and deep snows, with the wind from the north, and the thermometer below zero, and engage in religious services from ten o'clock A. M. to twelve, and from one o'clock P. M. to three, in a meeting-house unwarmed. Yet they felt it no hardship ; and, after many years of endurance, with much excited discussion, the majority permitted the minority to warm the church during worship.
This custom, however, was general. They were hardy, and, with clothing inferior to ours of to-day, could endure cold and hardships that to us would be unendurable. In the introduction of a stove to the meeting-house, the people of Deerfield were in advance of many others.
PRICE OF LABOR.
May 19, 1772. Voted a man is to have for a Day's work two Shil- lings L. M. - the same for oxen - the Same for a Plough - Eighteen pence a Day for Cart wheels.
329
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
It is to be believed, that, though the record does not say it, this was the price of a day's labor only for that year. However that may be, we learn what was the value of la- bor during that period of our history between 1770 and 1800, or even later. We have been often told, that few men could command more than fifty cents, or a half of a bushel of corn, for a day's work, and reccive dinner and supper. Laborers and their families could indulge in few luxuries, and industry and economy alone secured a com- petence.
For many years common laborers have been able to com- mand from one to two dollars per day. At present, 1878, wages are not as high, yet ranging from seventy-five cents to one dollar, board included.
CONTRAST.
Deerfield of to-day little resembles the Deerfield of 1778. The soil has seemingly changed. The forests of oak, pine, hemlock, and spruce have disappeared. The little patchies of cleared land, the fields, limited in extent, full of rocks and stumps, have given place to broad expanses, where the mowing-machine and the horse-rake make haying a pleasure. The light horse-carts or the stronger ox-racks strangely contrast with the old method of drawing in hay on sleds ; barns are large and comfortable, houses are spa- cious, convenient, and adorned with blinds and paint with- out, and paper and art within, while the graceful elin or the shady maple, with shrubs and flowers, make the surround- ings grateful to the eye. The farmers of a hundred years ago would present but few attractions to the present gener- ation in respect to education, manners, diet, and apparel. Many could neither read nor write ; but few were qualified to do the business of the town, simple as was their method of accounts. Grace of manners was seldom witnessed ; their bare feet and tow trowsers or leather breeches leaving the parts below the knee uncovered; their short hair and
--
330
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
apologies for hats gave the men, in the midst of summer labor, a grotesque appearance ; while the striped tow frocks, cow-hide shoes, and leather buskins in winter, but added to the wildness of the picture. Their Sunday suit was a woolen coat with long swallow-tails and short waist, short breeches, long stockings, bare feet in summer, cow-hide shoes and leathern buskins in winter, and three-cornered hat for Sunday in all seasons.
The apparel of the women corresponded with that of the men. Their tow gowns, tiers, and thick woolen stockings werc of their own manufacturing. Their Sunday hoods, spacious yet warm, homespun wrappers, and stout shoes caused them to present as grotesque an appearance as the men.
The arrangements at church poorly corresponded to pres- ent notions. A row of square pews were at first con- structed around the walls of the meeting-house, for the lead- ing families, - the " quality," as they called them, - while low benches were provided for the rest of the people, on the floor, and often the people were compelled to be seated ac- cording to their position in society ; wealth and superior intelligence had the most desirable seats, while a pew was erected in front of the pulpit, which was very high, and gray-haired deacons or elders occupied that pew, one of whom dictated tlie psalm to the congregation, line by line. The sexton usually met the minister on his way to the meet- ing-house or at the door, and ushered him to the foot of the stairs that led to the pulpit, and the people respectfully rose up all over the house, and remained standing until he had reached the height.
The services consisted of the short prayer, singing, long prayer, ranging from sixty to eighty minutes, with a second hymn, followed by a written sermon of more than an hour's length, followed by a short prayer and benediction. Then, as the minister descended from the pulpit and walked through the midst of the congregation to the door, he grace-
331
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
fully bowed to the people, the congregation standing and bowing in return ; then the " quality " passed out, followed by those whose seats were in the center of the house.
After an intermission of an hour, the services were re- sumed, and continued until three or four o'clock, when the people wended their way home slowly ; a few in some rude vehicles, some on horse-back, and more on foot.
In process of time, pews were erccted on the whole floor of the house, with scats hung with hinges, to turn up, that the worshipers might stand, lean, or bow more comforta- bly during prayer ; and when the " amen " was heard, down came the seats with a stunning noise, through the energy of boys who were glad of an opportunity to break up the monotony of the service; and none in the congregation seemed better satisfied with the results than those who could give the sharpest ring in this operation.
The tithing-man kept a keen eyc on wrong-doers in those days. The church was no place for the young to cast be- witching glances. Laws regulated all social intercourse be- twcen the sexes, and the advances toward matrimony. The magistrate took cognizance of many things not now brought within the bounds of municipal control, such as modes of dress, cut of hair, manner of speech, style of carriage, hours of rising and retiring, of laughter and gaycty. Yet, in what was Nottingham before the setting off of Deerfield and Northwood, the puritan peculiarities were less observed than in many other communitics. They came to dress as suited their taste, and adopted such modes of living as seemed best; yet some of these distinctive features of early puritanism long existed, and their influence has not yet ceased to be felt.
Modes of living, as to eating and drinking, have greatly changed. The rye and Indian bread, baked beans and In- dian pudding, are no strangers on our tables, but the malt beer and the flip have disappeared ; the quart mug that con- tained the beer, the red-hot poker heated to a blaze and
332
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
thrust into it, and the half-pint of rum that was mixed with it, are among the things of the past. And so, too, the sore shins, the fruit of the use of it, have disappeared ; and so has cider, which took the place of it, nearly disappeared from respectable families, and even more the distilled spir- its that were so common a half-century ago.
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