History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 50

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390

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HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

Parish to Poll off said lands to belong to the old Parish agreeable to the Purport of a Vote of the Parish of Hampton falls the Second day of Sept 1765. M. Weare, Clr.

Province of New Hampsr

In the House of Representatives July 9th 1766.

Upon a motion of the Petitioners for some alteration in the foregoing vote

Voted, That it be understood that any non Residents who have or shall have Lands in either Parish shall have liberty to Poll off their said Land to that Parish which they shall choose. M. Weare, Clr.

In Council Eodm Die

Read & Concurr'd.

T Atkinson Jr. Secry.

Council of 1737 .- August 10, 1737, the assemblies of the provinces of Massachusetts and New Hampshire met at Hampton Falls, for the purpose of establishing the boundary line between the two provinces. A cavalcade was formed from Boston to Salisbury, and Governor Belcher rode in state, attended by a troop of horse. He was met at Newbury Ferry by another troop which was joined by three more at the supposed boundary line, and conducted to the George tavern in Hampton Falls. Here he held a council and made a speech to the Assembly of New Hampshire. The novelty of a procession of the executive and legislative bodies for such a distance oc- casioned the following pasquinade in an assumed Hibernian style :

"Dear Paddy you ne'er did behold such a sight, As yesterday morning was seen before night; You in all your born days saw, nor I didn't neither, So many fine horses and men ride together. At the head the lower house trotted two in a row,

Then all the higher house pranced after the low :

Then the Governor's coach gallop'd on like the wind, And the last that came foremost were troopers behind, But I fear it means no good to your neck or mine, For they say 'tis to fix a right place for the line."

STREAMS AND MILLS

It would be difficult for many of the residents of New Hampshire to-day to fully realize the situation of some of the early settlers of this state. who were compelled to travel forty miles through the woods to find a grist-mill. Concerning the state of things in 1633, one historian writes, "No mill was erected for grinding corn, for the colonists had none of their own to grind. They depended on supplies from England, except some corn and wheat brought from Virginia, to be ground in the windmill at Boston." The first mention we find in the history of this state of any mill is that of a saw-mill in 1635, at the falls of Newichwannock, the Indiana name for Berwick, Maine.

Looking back an hundred years, we judge that at that time, considering the size of Hampton Falls, she was excelled by no town in our state in the line of mills and manufactures.

Falls River, the principal stream in this town, flows from Muddy Pond,

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in Kensington, towards the sea, and empties into Hampton River, at Falls River's mouth, so called, half a mile below the depot. Here was situated the old ship-yard, reached by a causeway over the marsh from the town-landing at the depot.

After leaving Kensington this stream flows for about a mile just within the town-line, between Hampton Falls and Seabrook, and then makes a short divergence into Seabrook.

Near the point of divergence are situated Weare's Mills, first mentioned in the records of Hampton Falls in 1724.

A stone dam affords a fall of about eight feet, which is now applied to an encased wooden tub-wheel, of the kind which links the iron turbine of to-day with the primitive water-wasters of fifty years ago.

An upright saw above, with a run of granite stones in the basement, con- stitute the mills. This mill was rebuilt in 1857; but concerning its predecessors we learn from tradition the lines repeated at the raising of its frame, accord- ing to the custom of that time. They have been handed down from Chris- topher T. Chase, who was present, to his daughter Sally, who died in 1871, at the age of eighty-five years, to her nephew, John Lewis Chase.

"Here's a fine frame, It's well put together ; Mr. Spofford's a good workman, Hubbard Weare is clever."

Hubbard Weare was a relative of Governor Mesheck Weare and a brother of Uncle John Weare, the ancient miller, who died in 1877, at the age of eighty-seven years. To the credit of that neighborhood, it is said that this mill has never been locked, and no grist has ever been missing. Following this stream in its downward course to the sea for about two miles, during which it crosses the highway just below the mills and again at Bennet's Bridge, we come to three stone dams, built about one hundred years ago by J. Nathaniel Hubbard Dodge, who came to this place from Windham, Mass., about the year 1765, and purchased these mill-privileges from the noted General Moulton, of Hampton. This Nathaniel Hubbard was a descendant of Richard Dodge, who landed in Salem in 1629.

He had nine sons, some of whom were among the first settlers of Ohio in 1788; was a member of the first Constitutional Convention of New Hamp- shire, and died in 1830, at the age of ninety-two. Some little improvement of these privileges had already been made, but Mr. Dodge was a natural mechanic and a inan of great energy, and with his coming great improvements were made and a thriving business established in several different lines of manu- facture. The dams were built of natural faced stones of large size, some of them being brought from Kensington. The upper one was built to make a reservoir, but a bark mill was at one time in operation there. On one side of the middle dam was built the old saw-mill, which was torn down in 1876. On the other side a mill for wool carding, and the fulling. dyeing, and dress- ing of home-woven cloth. Perhaps for the benefit of the young people of to-day it should be stated that the wool was first brought to be carded into rolls, then taken home to be spun and woven, and the cloth brought back to be fulled, dyed, and dressed ready for the tailor, who journeyed from house to

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house to make it into garments to be worn for many years. The name of one Fogg has been handed down as the journey-man tailor in the vicinity of these mills, and the expression "A Fogg's run" came to be proverbial, as implying haste rather than thoroughness of execution. At the lower dam was the grist-mill, which Squire John Philbrock said was an old building so long ago as he could remember. "Old Dodge," as he came to be called, had a genius for stone-work; was the first man in this vicinity who split stones . with wedges, and in the cellar-wall of the grist-mill may be seen a specimen of his work, which can hardly be excelled at the present day. The grist-mill con- tained one run of large granite stones, which were driven by a breast-wheel in Hubbard's time. It is said that this mill, like the mill of the gods, ground very slow, but neither the old gentleman's boys nor the water which passed his mill were allowed to run idle so long as there was any work to be done. This mill passed from Nathaniel Hubbard to Polly, the widow of his son John, and thence to her grandson, John W., until, about 1870, it came into the possession of George D., a great-grandson of Hubbard. In 1872 the venerable ruin of one low story was replaced by a substantial building of two stories, and the tub-wheel resigned its place in favor of a thirty-inch iron tur- bine. This change doubled the working capacity of the mill .- from three or four bushels per hour to six or eight bushels,-but unfortunately the granite stones were retained in deference to the prejudices of customers, though a twenty-inch run of buhrs were also used to some extent. In 1881 this property was purchased by the widow of the previous owner. the old granites were taken out and replaced by a thirty-inch run of buhr-stones.

But the place of largest investment and largest returns was on the opposite side of the dam, at the clothing-mill. This property Hubbard gave to his son Dudley, who was a clothier by trade as well as a farmer, and conducted this branch of business with success. He died in 1834, at the age of sixty-one, leaving this mill property to his son, George Hubbard. Besides the carding, fulling, dyeing, and dressing departments, there was also a run of granite stones in the basement, with the privilege of grinding all the rye. Nathaniel Hubbard was not only a skilful mechanic and good farmer. but a competent surveyor and successful trader. The stone dams remain as monuments of his energy and industry, and anecdotes concerning him are still in circulation. He cut the race-way of the clothing-mill through a solid ledge for several rods. all done with a pick. His grandson. George Hubbard, inherited much of his energy and business ability: for when the custom clothing business was sup- planted by the establishment of woolen-factories, he changed his mill to the manufacture of cotton batting and wadding, and in this direction laid the foundation of the largest fortune ever accumulated by a resident of Hampton Falls. But this success came only after the conquering of numerous difficulties. In August. 1847. his batting and wadding-mill, run by steam and water. was destroyed by fire. In the spring of 1848 it was running again on batting alone, propelled by a breast-wheel. The joint use of the water with the saw- mill was a bone of contention until the matter was settled by a board of referees giving the first right to the water to the saw-mill from March Ist to May 15th, and to the batting-mill for the balance of the year. The old flutter- wheel of the saw-mill took a deluge of water until it was replaced by an iron wheel of more economical habits. The grist-mill below was also a source of annoyance to the batting-mill, in claiming the right to let water through

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the saw-mill gates for its use. George H. Dodge died in February, 1862, aged fifty-four years and eight months. Previous to his death the War of the Rebellion had checked his manufacturing business; and having become extensively engaged in railroad affairs, his mill had laid idle for a year or more. His death found his eldest son, George Dudley, in the State of Georgia, forced into the military service of the Confederacy. After a year of perilous effort he escaped from Savannah to Charleston, was advertised as a deserter and followed by a detective, but after a delay of eleven weeks and six fruit- less attempts, he finally escaped in a small sloop and reached home in January, 1863, via Nassau and New York. He found the batting-mill in bad condition, it having been run by contract for years, with little or no repairs, and then laid idle for the boys to pelt with stones. He spent a year in making thorough repairs at war prices, and started up in the spring of 1864, employing eight hands, and turning out 500 pounds of goods per day, which found a ready sale in New York. The highest price received was sixty-five cents per pound, making a business of $325 per day. The same quality of goods were worth only about five cents per pound before the war, put up then with less care. Raw cotton, which before the war was worth about twelve cents per pound, sold in the fall of 1864 at $2.00 per pound in currency, equal to about seventy- five cents in gold. Cotton cloth, made partly from poor waste and old ropes. sold for seventy-five cents per yard. With the capture of Richmond cotton quickly declined from $2.00 to fifty cents per pound, and soon settled to twenty-five cents. This business hurricane caught the young proprietor of the batting-mill with all sail set, affecting him as it did thousands of other business men. He continued to conduct the business on a smaller scale and with varying fortune until 1877, when, finding that the manufacture of batting by large concerns and corporations using their own waste had made the situa- tion difficult for the smaller mills, he retired from the business to the advantage of his health; and the batting-mill laid idle.

Taylor's River .- While Falls River derives its name from the natural rapids in its course, improved by stone dams, Taylor's River is named from an early resident of this town. It rises in Kensington, in two branches, one branch fed by a spring on the land of Stephen Green, and the other by three springs located on the different lots of True M. Prescott, Newell W. Healey, and Smith and Bishop. Entering Hampton Falls through land purchased by Stephen Brown from the Lamprey heirs, near the green-house establishment of James Warren Prescott, it crosses the highway near the homestead of Edwin Prescott, soon crosses the road leading to Robert S. Prescott's, then crosses twice within a quarter-mile the road leading by the residence of Dr. Curtis, and next comes to public view on the Exeter road near the North schoolhouse, crossing which it flows in Hampton, then furnishing the water- power for Coffin's mills before descending to the level of the salt marshes. On the side of the road where it first crosses, near Edwin Prescott's, may be seen the remains of a dam where a saw-mill was erected by Aaron Prescott, father of Edwin, about 1842.

Grape-Vine Run .- As Hampton Falls is indebted to Kensington for the service of its two other streams, so this one find its source over or near the border line of that town. Crossing the highway near the residence of Nathan H. Robie, at the distance of about half a mile beyond, it crosses the Exeter road : thence flowing about the same distance in an easterly direction it comes to another highway, where a dam of stone and earth obstructs its further

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progress, and forms a reservoir in the land of John T. Batchelder. This reservoir is almost entirely dry in the summer time, but in the wet season affords a considerable supply of water, which is controlled by a gate for the use of a saw-mill about a quarter of a mile below. This mill was erected in 1832, by Moses Batchelder, father of John T., principally for his own use. At an eighth of a mile below, where the stream enters the marsh land, Mr. Batchelder erected in 1880 a grist-mill containing two run of granite stones formerly used in the old tide-mill at Hampton. This stream runs at about equal distance between Falls River and Taylor's River, and is the smallest of the three. Thus we find that, in connection with the three mill streams in Hampton Falls, there were formerly in operation at the same time four saw-mills, two or three grist-mills, with a shingle mill in connection with one of them, and a woolen or cotton-mill.

CHURCHES

The First Congregational Church ( Unitarian) of Hampton Falls was organized in 1711. The first minister was Rev. Theophilus Colton, who was settled in 1712, and died in 1726. The records of the time say that "he was decently buried at the charge of the parish." He was followed by Rev. Joseph Whipple, who was ordained January 15, 1727, and died in 1757.

After him Rev. Joseph Bayley, from 1757 to 1762; Rev. Paine Wingate, ordained, 1763; resigned 1776. About this time a church building was erected near the center of the town, where now the Unitarian Church stands.

In 1781, Rev. Dr. Langdon was ordained pastor over this society. He was president of Harvard University a part of the time of the Revolution. Quite a number of valuable books belonging to Dr. Langdon's library are still kept in the library at the Unitarian Church. He died in 1797. Frank B. San- born in 1904 issued a pamphlet entitled "President Langdon, a Biographical Tribute."

In 1798 the Rev. Jacob Abbot was settled over the society, a man very tolerant and free-thinking for the times. He was pastor twenty-eight years. Without preaching the Unitarianism of- to-day, his large charity and spirit of free inquiry opened the way for that agitation in the minds of the people which soon results in the disorganization of the established churches. About the beginning of the nineteenth century there was a Baptist agitation in the town. Some members left this church and formed themselves into a Baptist society. Later a Calvinist society was established. Still later there was quite an exodus from the original church of prominent members; these united with a number from Seabrook, establishing a society at what was called the Line.

Mr. Abbot's salary was $300, sixteen cords of pine wood and eight of hard a year.

After Mr. Abbot various ministers were engaged without being regularly settled. Among them were Rev. Messrs. Ward, Whitman, and Dow. Grad- ually there was a call for more liberal preaching.

Rev. Linus Shaw was settled over the society a few years. "The people were much united in him." Mr. Shaw was followed by Rev. Jacob Caldwell. a preacher whose practical, earnest life encouraged the people to think for- ward, without fear of results. trusting that truth was always safe. Amidst the agitation attendant upon Theodore Parker's first preaching in Boston, Mr.

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Caldwell, in straightforward recognition of the spirit of Christian tolerance, said he would welcome Mr. Parker to his pulpit. So, step by step, the society was led and grew into the liberal faith. After Mr. Caldwell, who had charge of this society and one at Kensington, came the Rev. Summer Lincoln. Rev. A. M. Bridge was the next pastor for about fifteen years, a minister of fine culture and earnest work. After Mr. Bridge, Rev. Everett Finley had charge of the society a year or two. He belonged to the new class called Radicals. Then Rev. J. C. Learned and Rev. B. F. McDaniel, settled over the Exeter Unitarian Society, have supplied the pulpit.

See history of Seabrook for other accounts of churches of Hampton Falls.

The Christian Church was organized as a Baptist Church in 1805, and recognized as the First Christian Baptist Church in 1833.

Pastors, Samuel E. Brown, Daniel P. Pike, Warren Lincoln, Thomas. F. Barry, George M. Payne, Jeremiah W. Marsh, Appleton W. Reed, Charles P. Smith, John McGlauflin, Joseph H. Graves. A. H. Martin supplied in 1886 and since Mr. Graves there has been no settled pastor.

The Baptist Church .- Probably the first Baptist in Hampton Falls was Betsey Fifield Dodge, who was converted under the preaching of Rev. Elias Hull. In 1816 Rev. William Hooper, pastor at Exeter, preached in Mr. Dodge's house what is said to have been the first discourse ever delivered by a Baptist in Hampton Falls.

From this time Mr. Dodge's house became a place of resort for Baptist ministers, and so continued during his lifetime and that of his son, George H. Dodge. It also became the place for Baptist preaching until the erection of the academy building, in 1834. Here services were held by distinguished Baptists. It is said that Elder Peak, a noted Baptist evangelist, preached about one hundred times in this house.

In the fall of 1828 the following persons were dismissed from the Baptist Church in Exeter to constitute what was then called the Baptist Church in Seabrook and Hampton Falls: Dudley Dodge, Betsey Dodge, Mary M. Dodge, Miriam Dodge, Nancy D. Dodge (all three daughters of Dudley and Betsey), Richard Dodge, Clarissa Dodge, Mary Dodge (wife and sister of Richard, who was a nephew of Dudley).

These persons, all relatives of Dudley and Betsey Dodge, together with Hannah Dow, Ruth and Lydia Brown and Anna Knowles, of Seabrook, con- stituted themselves into a Baptist Church at the house of Richard Dodge, on the evening of October 28, 1828, and at that time invited Rev. T. P. Ropes to become their pastor. On the morning of December 2d, at the house of Richard Dodge, they received Mrs. Sally Chase and Mrs. Elizabeth Green, and in the afternoon of the same day the church was recognized, and Mr. Ropes installed as their pastor by a council of ministers and delegates from neighboring Baptist Churches. These services were held in the old meeting house in Seabrook, built in 1763, and first occupied by the Presbyterians until 1799, then by the Congregationalists, and by the Baptists in 1828. From the fall of 1828 to the fall of 1834 they continued to worship in Seabrook, then in the New Academy.

The meeting house in Hampton Falls was opened for service in September. 1836; dimensions, forty and a half by fifty-five feet ; cost, $2,117.58. In the summer of 1859 it was repaired and improved at an expense of $2,000. The roof was then slated, the tower replaced by a spire, the high singing gallery

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over the entrance taken down, the pulpit lowered, the walls frescoed, floor carpeted, and pews upholstered. Rev. Mr. Ropes, a connection of Dudley Dodge, continued as pastor from September, 1828, to April, 1830. At that early date Mr. Ropes was a strong temperance advocate, while some of the ministers were still addicted to the use of intoxicating drink. In 1836 this church was reported as "strictly a temperance church." After the departure of Mr. Ropes, the church candidated for about two years; then Rev. Oliver Barron was pastor for about a year, then Calvin Munroe and Rev. James W. Poland supplied for about two years.

Then Rev. Samuel Cook was pastor from 1835 to 1838. He was followed by Rev. Otis Wing for two years and by J. C. Foster for one year. In 1842 and 1843 Rev. O. O. Stearns had charge : then Rev. Zebulon Jones commenced the longest pastorate, remaining until 1851. Followed by Rev. James E. Wood, Rev. Samuel E. Brown, Rev. E. B. Law, Rev. Alfred Colburn, four years ; Rev. W. H. Walker, three years; Rev. J. M. Driver, in 1867 and 1868.

The church remained closed for over two years and was then supplied by students. In 1872 Rev. H. H. Beaman served till 1876, followed by Rev. T. J. Burgess, and Rev. C. R. Bailey until 1889, by Rev. W. W. Wakeman, 1890 to 1897, by Rev. Mr. Small, Rev. C. A. Parker and Rev. G. S. Campbell, the present pastor.

EDUCATION.

Rockingham Academy .- In connection with the annual meeting of the Portsmouth Baptist Association at Chester, in October, 1833, we find the first recorded suggestion of this institution, designed "to promote both science and religion." In the following December a committee appointed by this Associ- ation met at Hampton Falls in consultation with a local committee consisting of William Brown and George H. Dodge, and decided to locate the academy at Hampton Falls, "provided the friends of education in that place will erect a suitable edifice."

Through the agency of a committee consisting of George H. Dodge, Richard Dodge, T. S. Sanborn, and Nathan Brown, "an elegant and com- modious building" was promptly erected at a cost of $1,900; location, on the common in front of the Baptist meetinghouse ; dimensions, thirty-two by fifty feet ; two stories, hip-roof, with bell-tower and steeple rising from the centre. On the 10th of September. 1834, this institution was formally opened with appropriate services, including an address by Rev. Baron Storr. The first term of the school commenced at that date, under the tuition of Rev. Oliver Ayer as principal, assisted by Miss Caroline Garland, who shortly afterward became Mrs. Ayer. Salary of principal, $500, and of assistant, $5 per week. The school was under the control of a board of nineteen trustees, appointed annually by the Association, the proprietors of the building having the right to nominate seven of the number. The first annual report of the secretary, Rev. J. Newton Brown, is a model in matter and style, and portrays a very flourish- ing condition of affairs. A philosophical apparatus had been secured, a library established, and a reading-room fitted up and supplied with current literature. The board of instruction had been increased to four; the attendance at the summer term had been ninety: the number of different scholars during the year. one hundred and fifty-one; the income from tuition had been sufficient to meet all current expenses, and ninety-five students had entered for the

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ensuing fall term. By the second annual report, dated October 6, 1836, we learn that the fall term, under the instructions of Messrs. Ayer and Ladd, and Misses Garland, Merriam, and Dodge, had continued eleven and one-half weeks, and was attended by 102 scholars. The winter term of seventeen weeks, under Mr. Ayer, Mr. Cate, and Miss E. Dodge, had sixty-six pupils, and the summer term, under Messrs. Ayer and Marshman Williams, and Misses Mer- riam and M. P. Dodge, had ninety-six pupils. Number of different scholars for the year, 188. A charter of incorporation was obtained this year, by the terms of which the building reverted to the proprietors whenever the school should remain closed for six months. Mr. Ayer resigned his position at the close of his second year. These were the prosperous days of Rockingham Academy. To the want of a permanent fund, and the consequent inability to secure or retain teachers of commanding ability, may be ascribed the fitful course of the institution thereafter, and its final dissolution at the age of vigorous manhood.

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History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 50

Author: Hazlett, Charles A Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold Number of Pages: 1390

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390