History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 196

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1714

USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 196
USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 196

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836

HISTORY OF STRAFFORD COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Falls, Somersworth. In the spring of 1831, Mr. Black- aller removed to Salmon Falls to take charge of an Episcopal Church (Christ Church) just then estab- lished there. In the Convention journal of 1832, Mr. Blackaller reports that since the month of February, 1832, " he has held occasional services in the increas- ingly populous village of Dover." Friday evening, Feb. 15, 1832, he reports " that our venerable prelate (the late Right Rev. Alexander V. Griswold) preached · in the Congregational place of worship in Dover on the doctrines of the church before a numerous and re- spectable audience, with much apparent interest to all present." He adds that a church of our order is much desired by several respectable families in Dover, and expresses a belief in its ultimate establishment and success. The permanent establishment of this church in Dover is not due entirely or chiefly, however, to the efforts of Mr. Blackwaller, but rather to the now venerable rector of St. John's Church, Charlestown, Mass., the Rev. Thomas R. Lambert, D.D., who in 1839, being chaplain in the navy, began the regular services of the church in what was then Belknap School, a wooden building, then situated on Church Street, since moved to Third Street, and occupied for business purposes. Sept. 2, 1839, gentlemen inter- ested in the formation of a church met in this school- house and entered into an association for this purpose. The signers of the original articles of association were Asa A. Tufts, Richard Steele, Caleb Duxbury, Thomas C. Oakes, William Williamson, Thomas Hough, Stephen Hardy, William Johnson, Daniel Thomas R. Lambert, Charles Husband, Edward Hus- band, Thomas Hampton, James Duxbury, Charles W. Woodman, John Duxbury. The church was called St. Thomas' Church.

Dec. 1, 1839, Rev. William Horton, before rector of Trinity Church, Saco, became rector of St. Thomas' Church, Dover. In 1840 a lot of land was bought on what is now the corner of Central and St. Thomas Street, then a part of the Atkinson estate. A church building was erected and finished January, 1841, at the cost of $5800. The first service was held in the new church Jan. 17, 1841. The church was conse- crated by Bishop Griswold, March 17, 1841. August, 1841, the parish consisted of sixty families and forty communicants. Rev. Mr. Horton resigned his rector- ship Nov. 10, 1847. The Rev. Thomas G. Salter be- came rector Dec. 12, 1847. In 1860 gas was put into the church, and the church bell was hung. July 1, 1861, Mr. Salter resigned his rectorship, and Sept. 1, 1861, Rev. Edward M. Gushee became the rector. During our late civil war Mr. Gushee was chaplain of the Ninth New Hampshire Regiment, and in his absence Rev. Charles Wingate officiated as rector. Mr. Gushec resigned in April, 1864. Dec. 1, 1864, the Rev. John W. Clark became the rector. Mr. Clark resigned Sept. 16, 1866. Feb. 3, 1867, Rev. George G. Field was chosen rector. Mr. Field re-

signed Aug. 16, 1868. Rev. John B. Richmond be- came rector Nov. 8, 1868. During the rectorship of Mr. Richmond the church building was altered inside and out, and its seating capacity increased. Mr. Richmond resigned April 29, 1876, and the present incumbent, the Rev. Ithamar W. Beard, was chosen rector, and entered upon his duties Nov. 5, 1876. At present the number of families in the parish is about 150 ; the number of communicants, 106; the Sunday- school, 150 teachers and pupils. The parish has been subject to the usual changes incident to a manufac- turing town. It ranks perhaps third or fourth in order among the parishes of this church in New Hampshire.

Washington Street Free-Will Baptist Church. -The church was organized in the Central Street vestry, Feb. 4, 1840. The first covenant was signed by thirteen persons, as follows : William Burr, Enoch Mack, Tobias Scruton, Jonathan C. Gilman, Asa H. Littlefield, M. D. L. Stevens, E. B. Chamberlain, Alfred Scruton, Lucy Y. Foss, Eunice Colbath, Elance Fuller, Chloe Holt, Mary Willard.

Of these only three are now living. The first set- tled pastor was Rev. J. B. Davis. He entered upon his pastorate the 1st of November, 1840, and re- mained but one year.

The subsequent pastors have been as follows : Rev. A. K. Moulton, settled in 1841, remained one year; Rev. R. Dunn, settled in 1843, remained one year; Rev. Elias Hutchins, settled in 1845, remained thir- teen years ; Rev. Charles E. Blake, settled in 1866, Hallam, Samuel H. Parker, Sanborn B. Carter, remained but one year; Rev. Willet Vary, settled in

1859, closed his labors in 1866; Rev. I. D. Stewart, settled in 1867, remained until 1874; Rev. G. C. Waterman, began his pastorate in 1874, and closed in 1879. The present pastor, Rev. Frank K. Chase, began in October, 1879.

Three hundred and thirty-six converts have been baptized by the pastors. The whole number con- nected with the church to date is about seven hun- dred and ten. The church has always been forward in all benevolent work, has been actively engaged in the Sunday-school work, and has enjoyed the pres- ence and connsel of many noble men and women. Upon all great moral questions she has spoken with no uncertain voice.

The services were held at first in the Central Street vestry. When that became crowded they were re- moved to what was then known as the " Belknap school-house," standing in the rear of the First Parish Church. After that the services were held for a time in the old court-honse. The first house of worship owned by the society was the building on Washington Street now known as the Morning Star building.

This was dedicated Sept. 21, 1843. During the pastorate of Rev. I. D. Stewart the society sold out its interest in this building, and erected its brick church on Washington Street. This was dedicated

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Oct. 28, 1869. During the last ten or twelve years the church has been quite unfortunate in losing many prominent menbers by death and removal.

The erection of its house of worship left quite a burden of debt upon the society.

The last of this debt was paid before the close of the last financial year. The society was well united, and the church was making plans for a broader and better work.

On the morning of Tuesday, May 2d, a fire broke out in a small brush-factory near the church. The fire soon spread to the church itself, and in a pain- fully short time the church was a mass of smoulder- ing ruins. In the afternoon a heavy wind blew the northern gable over. The bricks fell upon the au- dience-room floor, crushing it like an egg-shell.

A number of persons were standing in the vestry, and five of them were buried beneath the ruins. Four of these were taken out alive. The fifth, Judge John R. Varney, was not missed until late at night. A midnight search was made, and he was found crushed and dead under the bricks and broken timbers.

At an informal meeting of the society, held on Wednesday evening, in the chapel of the First Parish, it was decided to accept the offer of the Belknap Church, which is at present without a pastor and is not holding regular services. The first service in this church was held Sunday, May 7th. The rebuilding of the church, much improved, is (1882) rapidly pro- gressing.

Belknap Congregational Church .- This church was the result of public worship begun in the town hall by Rev. Benjamin F. Parsons, after his resigna- tion of the First Church, from which he was dismissed Sept. 3, 1856. A Sabbath-school was organized July 6, 1856, with forty-five scholars. A society was organ- ized July 7, 1856, and the church Sept. 3, 1856, with forty-four members. The corner-stone of the house of worship was laid July 4, 1859, and the house was dedicated Dec. 29, 1859. Rev. Mr. Parsons was dis- missed, on his resignation, Oct. 24, 1861. His succes- sors in service have been Charles H. Pratt, James B. Thornton (began December, 1861), E. A. Spence, Eyre Haskell (began in 1862), Charles C. Watson (installed July 11, 1867), J. W. Savage, Frank Haley, Isaiah P. Smith, James De Buchananne (from 1877 to 1882).

The Advent Christian Church was organized May 4, 1881, by a body of Christians who had wor- shiped in houses and halls since 1843, having been literally without a resting-place during that period.

At a meeting of the society and its friends in the spring of 1881, George E. Durgin, John Brooks, and William H. Vicery were appointed to contract for the building of a house of worship.

It was built from the plans and under the direction of George Brown, the architect, at a cost of five thou- sand dollars,-Jacob Emery, contractor and builder. The seats are free and the church is supported by free-will offerings. The building contains au audi-

ence-room thirty-six by forty-eight feet, and a vestry in the basement twenty-four by thirty-six.

The house was dedicated April 16, 1882, by a ser- mon preached by Elder John Couch, of Lawrence, Mass.

There had been no settled minister until Septem- ber, 1882, when Elder William H. Mitchell, of Ken- nebunk, Me., received and accepted a unanimous call to be their pastor.

CHAPTER CXXIII.

DOVER .- ( Continued.)

THE PRESS-SCHOOLS-BANKS.

The Press of Dover .- Dr. Belknap, the distin- guished historian of the State, was the minister of Dover from 1767 to 1786, and was a frequent corre- spondent of the Gazette, especially in the trying times of the Revolution, when his patriotic productions did much to uphold the cause of the colonists against the mother-country. The first volume of his "History of New Hampshire," written at Dover, was issued from the press of Philadelphia in 1784, the printers of that city being at that time the most accomplished workmen in the country. The second volume, issued after the author had left the State, was printed in Boston in 1791.

Eliphalet Ladd, who came to Dover from Massa- chusetts about the year 1790, was the pioneer in news- paper printing in Strafford County. His paper, which was entitled The Political and Sentimental Repository or Strafford Register, was started July 15, 1790. The title after a few months was abbreviated to The Political Repository and Strafford Recorder, and as such pub- lished until Jan. 19, 1792, when the printing-office was destroyed by fire. Mr. Ladd either saved enough of his material or immediately procured a new outfit, and started another paper, which he called The Phoenix, so named, doubtless, from the fact that it sprung from the ashes of its predecessor. This he continued to publish until Aug. 29, 1795, when he sold the estab- lishment to his brother-in-law, Samuel Bragg, Jr., who had served his apprenticeship in the office.

Mr. Bragg changed the name of the paper to The Sun, Dover Gazette, and Strafford Advertiser, and con- tinued its publication from Sept. 5, 1795, to December, 1811. Its publication was interrupted for a short time in December, 1810, when the office was again burned, and with it not only the printing material but a large stock of books,-the printer keeping a book-store in connection with his office,-and a large portion of an edition of Belknap's "History of New Hampshire," which he was then printing.

Another edition of this history was printed in 1812, by John Mann and James K. Remich, and in 1830 the last edition, with the notes of Dr. Farmer, was

838

HISTORY OF STRAFFORD COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

published by Ela & Wadleigh, from the press of the ! warming up in bot party times, but generally med- Dorer Enquirer. Samuel Bragg, Jr., died in Decem- ' dling little with political matters further than to pub- ber, 1811. His father, Samuel Bragg, Sr., took the establishment and published the paper a few months, when he sold it to John Mann, who had served his time in the office. Samuel Bragg, Sr., was not a printer. He came from Massachusetts to Dover about 1790, and was a lumber dealer for a time. Subsequently he took up the business of carrying the mail on the up-country route, which he traveled on horseback. Starting from Portsmouth and taking Dover in his way, he traveled up one side of Winni- pesaukee Pond and down the other, distributing the letters and newspapers, generally occupying a week in his journey. ilish occasional extracts from the Boston Centinel and other leading party organs of that day, and giving room quite impartially when occasion required to the communications of writers on both sides of the politi- cal wedge. The editors at that time were more ad- dieted to the use of paste-pot and seissors than the quill, and considered their duty discharged when they had furnished their readers with the latest foreign news (three months old), the proceedings of Congress (three weeks old), and the few items of domestic and local intelligence which they could conveniently gather up. A "stickful" of " matter" for a "leader" was a rare achievement, and this was very apt to re- late to what was of little or no consequence to any- body.

The only post-office in the county at the beginning of the century was in Dover, and the Sun of that day has the postmaster's advertisements of letters remain- ing in the office for people in Gilmanton, Sandwich, Tamworth, and other towns in the vicinity of the White Mountains.

Mr. Bragg afterwards removed to Barnstead, where he died. Mr. Ladd, the first printer, who married a daughter of the senior Mr. Bragg, died in Dover about 1805. Mr. Mann further abbreviated the title of the 1812, by calling it the Dorer Sun, by which name it was issued until Aug. 18, 1818. It was then changed to the Stratford Register, and continued until Dec. 17, 1822, when it underwent another change and was known as the New Hampshire Republican.

For thirty-five years the Dover Sun shone for all paper when he commenced its publication, July 4, ' in the old county of Strafford, no other paper being published within its borders except for a short time at Gilmanton, to be hereafter mentioned.

Mr. Mann continued to print the paper, but it was edited by Col. Charles W. Cutter, of Portsmouth, who had removed to Dover and opened a law-office, but devoted his time principally to the advocaey of the election of Hon. Levi Woodbury to the office of Gov- ernor,-Mr. Woodbury being the candidate of the eastern section of the State against Samuel Dinsmoor, who was supported in the western and northern counties.

This was near the close of Mr. Monroe's "era of good feeling" among politieians, when party lines were pretty much obliterated. Judge Woodbury was elected, receiving a vigorous support from Col. Cutter in the Republican. The colonel was an active politician, and one of the most vigorous newspaper writers of the time.

Mr. Woodbury in his administration of the office of Governor had the bad luck to disappoint the most of those who had voted for him, and failed of a re- election the next year. Col. Cutter had previously relinquished the editorial charge of the Republican, Oct. 14, 1823, and returned to Portsmouth. Mr. Mann continued its publication until Oct. 30, 1829, when it was discontinued, having existed under various names and different publishers for the period of about thirty- nine years.

The politics of the paper, so far as it had any, es- pecially in its earlier days, were mildly Federal,

Nearly all the original matter which the papers contained was furnished by the leading politicians of the time, who under the signatures of " Cincinnatus," and "Cato" and "Brutus" and other ancient worthies were accustomed to give to the readers of newspapers that information on political affairs which their suc- cessors now impart from the stump.

In 1825, when the supporters of Gen. Jackson be- gan to gather up their strength for a successful battle for the Presidency, James Dickman came to Dover from Maine, and commenced the publication of the Dover Gazette and Strafford Adrertiser as an organ of the Democratic party. The first number was issued Dec. 14, 1825. He continued till June 5, 1827, when he sold out to John T. Gibbs and Joseph Turner, both of Portsmouth, who had been journeymen in the office. Gibbs and Turner continued the publication until July 13, 1830, when Mr. Turner retired, and Mr. Gibbs remained sole proprietor until August, 1858, wben he sold the establishment to Dr. Joseph 11. Smith and Joshua L. Foster, Mr. Foster retired in 1861, and the paper was then published by Edwin A. Hills for the proprietor until January, 1868, when Everett O. Foss assumed the publication, continuing until August, 1868. Mr. IFills again became the pub- lisher, with A. L. Mellons as editor. In October, 1871, the printing-office of the Gazette was removed to Lowell, Mass., where the paper was printed in connection with the Middlesex Democrat, but it was published and circulated in Dover and its vicinity.

In 1828 the Republican supporters of Mr. Adams, feeling the need of another paper, induced Mr. Samuel C. Stevens, a bookseller in Dover, to com- menee the publication of the Strafford Enquirer, which he did Feb. 26, 1828. Richard Kimball, Esq., was the first editor of the paper.

July 29, 1828, the establishment passed into the hands of George W. Ela, and the name of the paper

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DOVER.

was changed to The Dover Enquirer. After the defeat

The Daily Bee was commenced March, 1870, and of Mr. Adams in November of that year, The Signs of , continued until August following by A. B. Berry. the Times, a Republican paper, which had been pub- The New Hampshire Chronicle, commenced June 5, 1830, by Charles C. P. Moody, was continued until March 17, 1832, when it was discontinued and its subscription lists transferred to the New Hampshire Observer at Concord. The Chronicle was neutral in politics, devoting its columns chictly to religious mat- ters, temperance, etc. lished about two years in Portsmouth, by Hampton Cutts and George K. Sparhawk, was united to the En- quirer, and it was continued as The Times and Enquirer until Jan. 1, 1830, when George Wadleigh became joint proprietor and editor with Mr. Ela. The title of the Times was dropped, and the paper was published under the firm of Ela & Wadleigh until May, 17, 1831, when Mr. Ela disposed of his interest to Mr. Wadleigh, re- ; by Joseph Turner, then recently of the Gazette, was moved to Concord, and became one of the proprietors of the New Hampshire Statesman.

The New Hampshire Palladium, a Democratic paper, published from Sept. 7, 1830, to Aug. 28, 1832, and discontinued.

The Unitarian Monitor, devoted to the interests of

The publication of the Enquirer was continued by Mr. Wadleigh until Jan. 1, 1868, when he sold the the religious denomination of that name, commenced establishment to John R. Varney and Joseph T. S. by John Mann, April 29, 1831, was published in quarto Libbey, who published it under the firm-name of size once in two weeks until April 29, 1834, when its Libbey & Co. Mr. Varney met with an accidental title was altered to The Monitor, and the paper was removed to Concord, where it was published by other parties until June, 1836. death May 2, 1882, but the paper is continued with the same title and under the same names as publishers. It early took rank as the leading Republican paper The Local Record, commenced January, 1870, was published monthly until May, 1872, and since that time occasionally by Everett O. Foss. in Southeastern New Hampshire, which position it | has always sustained. It is a thirty-six-column paper, well printed and patronized.

The Dorer Daily Republican was started as a Re- publiean campaign paper, Aug. 2, 1880, and published under the management of a committee until Nov. 8, 1880, when it was taken by Libbey & Co., who have continued the publication of it up to the present time. It has twenty-eight columns, is printed on good paper and clear type, and receives its share of the public patronage.

The New Hampshire Globe, a Democratic paper, by Edwin R. Locke & Co., commenced May 18, 1833, and discontinued Sept. 18, 1834. Mr. J. F. C. Ilayes, one of the firm, was afterwards connected with papers at Lancaster, Haverhill, Lawrence, and other places.

The Weckly Visitor, a small sheet, was issued Jan. 16, 1844, by Marquis D. L. Stevens, and continued a few weeks.

The Disciple, a monthly publication by Rev. E. Mack, was issued for several months in Dover prior to 1850, and its publication afterwards transferred to New York.

The Dorer Telegraph, a small sheet of a miscella- neous character, by T. W. Caldwell and others, was published from Sept. 25, 1846, until April, 1848, when it was issued daily for a few weeks and discontinued.

The Weekly Sketcher, a literary and miscellaneous publication, by John B. Wood, Jr., was issued in Dover for a short time in 1848, when it was removed to Great Falls.

The Advertiser, a small daily sheet, was published for a few weeks in the summer of 1848 by Edward N. Fuller.

The Dover Sentinel, a Democratic paper, by John T. Gibbs & Co., G. H. & S. E. Twombly, and others, was published from May 4, 1860, to January, 1861, and discontinued.

The State Press, a Democratic paper, issued weekly, was commenced May, 1874. Nov. 1, 1878, a com- pany was formed for its publication. Its present managers are Dr. Pan! A. Stackpole, Dr. Andrew J. Young (treasurer), and James W. Henderson (secre- tary ).

Foster's Democrat, a weekly newspaper, was estab- lished in the city of Dover, N. H., in January, 1872, by George J. Foster & Co., and has been issued on Friday of each week ever since. On the 18th of June, 1873, the same firm issued the first number of Foster's Daily Democrat. On these journals J. L. Fos- ter is employed as the editor, and his two sons, George J. and Charles G., are the business managers. The daily venture was made as an experiment, the success of which was at that time generally considered to be very doubtful. But the proprietors decided to push it at all hazards. They thought they knew their business, and the result has proved that they were not mistaken. Several previous attempts had been made by other parties to establish and sustain a daily newspaper in Dover, but they had always failed for lack of experience and business capacity of the pro- jectors. But the senior Foster in this case had seen a good many years of editorial experience, while the juniors were practical printers and trained in the business management of a daily newspaper. In these weekly and daily enterprises the proprietors started out full of pluck and energy, determined. as they said, to make things lively, and treat everybody and all subjects fairly, squarely, and honestly, giving all sides in all cases a chance to be heard, and granting all shades of honest opinion a medium of expression before the public.

Although these journals are Democratic in politics, yet they are boldly independent, running with no ma-

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HISTORY OF STRAFFORD COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE. .

chine as such, the organs of no ring, wearing nobody's collar, and will submit to no dietation in regard to their conduct or management from any source what- ever. They have a large and increasing circulation, their advertising support is liberal and generous, and alike profitable to publishers and patrons. The senior Foster, assisted by such local and other reporters as may be necessary, devotes his whole time and atten- tion to the editorial conduct of the papers, while the two sons have entire charge of the printing and busi- ness departments, employing the competent subordi- nates necessary to meet all requirements.

Connected with these newspapers is a large and well-appointed job printing-office, with good work- men constantly employed. The whole establishment is provided with the best modern machinery, driven by steam-power, and its several departments are con- tinuously engaged in thrifty and profitable business. The newspapers are well conducted and enterprising, and have an extensive reading and large influence in the community. Starting with very meagre means, the concern has grown to yield a handsome income, and is a very valuable property as well as an impor- tant journalistic enterprise of the city and State.

The Free-Will Baptist Printing Establishment. -This large and prosperous religious publishing house, the property of the Free-Will Baptist denomi- nation, has been situated in Dover since 1833. The original "Book Concern" of the denomination was established in Limerick, Me., as early as 1831, with Rev. David Marks as agent. Two years later the " Book Concern" was removed to Dover, which place still remains the headquarters of the publishing in- terests of the Free-Will Baptist denomination. In 1835, Mr. Marks resigned his agency, and the denomi- nation, through its General Conference, appointed a board of trustees, eleven in number, to conduct the business of its "Concern" or printing establishment. Of this board, William Burr was made the financial agent, in which capacity, among others, he served the establishment until his death in 1866. The establish- ment obtained an act of incorporation from the New Hampshire Legislature in 1846. Mr. Burr was suc- ceeded in the agency by Rev. Silas Curtis, whose en- gagement was merely temporary. He was followed in 1867 by Mr. L. W. Burlingame. Rev. I. D. Stewart, the present agent, came to the position in 1873. The · management of the establishment as now constituted consists of a board of corporators, thirteen in number, of which Rev. Dexter Waterman is president.

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History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 196

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis Number of Pages: 1714

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis
Number of Pages: 1714