History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 66

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 66
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 66

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Thus Exeter was the second town in New Hamp- shire to establish that powerful instrument of civiliza- tion, the printing-press, and now for nearly a century has maintained it.

Robert Fowle carried on the business of a printer here until about 1778, when his Tory proclivities be- came so obnoxious that he was obliged to decamp. It was said that he was employed to print some of the paper money then issued by New Hampshire, and soon afterwards there was found to be in circulation a great quantity of bills of the same typography, but with forged signatures. Suspicion at once fastened upon Fowle that he had supplied his loyalist friends with the printed sheets; and instead of awaiting an investigation he hastened to place himself within the British lines at New York.

His brother, Zechariah Fowle, succeeded him in the printing businesss in Exeter, and continued it until his death, which took place towards the close of the war. He was a tolerable workman, and his office must have been quite well furnished for the times, as he was able in 1780 to issue an edition of the laws of the State in a volume of one hundred and eighty

folio pages. In the few specimens of his printing which are now extant his name does not usually appear in the imprint, but only the place and year.

After peace was declared Robert Fowle, who was a pensioner of the British government, on the ground of his loyalty, returned to New Hampshire, and in 1789 married Sarah, the widow of his deceased brother, and continued to live in Exeter for about six years. He then removed to Brentwood, as it is supposed, and died there in 1802.

Henry Ranlet was the next on the list of printers in Exeter. He was in business in 1787, and probably earlier. He was an excellent workman for that day, . and issued a large number of books and pamphlets. He printed many works for publishers residing in Boston and Worcester, Mass., and Portsmouth. He added to his office the types for printing music, and published at least ten or twelve volumes of collec- tions of vocal and instrumental music. Mr. Ranlet continued in business until his death in 1807.

A considerable part of this time there was another printing-office in the town. John Lamson, who was a partner of Mr. Ranlet in 1787, was associated with Thomas Odiorne in the printing business in 1793, and conducted it alone in the following year.

Mr. Odiorne issued several works in very neat style about the same date.

In 1794, William Stearns and Samuel Winslow brought out a few publications here. Mr. Stearns, in 1795 or 1796, was engaged in printing, and also in binding, the first edition of the New Testament ever issued in this State. The honor of first printing the Scriptures in New Hampshire has heretofore been claimed by New Ipswich in 1815, and by Dover in 1803, but Exeter was years in advance of them, as the above date indicates.

Charles Norris was a partner of Mr. Ranlet in 1806-7, and continued in the occupation of a printer until 1832. From 1810 to 1817 he was connected with others, his first partner being John Sawyer. Among the apprentices to whom Mr. Norris taught the typo- graphic art was William Robinson, who afterwards became the founder of our magnificent female semi- nary.

Mr. Norris was a good printer, and did a great deal of book-work for himself and others. In connection with Ephraim C. Beals, he printed for E. Little & Co., of Newburyport, a translation of Tasso's "Jerusalem Delivered" in 1810, which was really beautiful in its typography, and has never been excelled by any work from the Exeter press before or since.

The imprint of Samuel T. Moses is found upon a unmber of publications between the years 1820 and 1824; and from 1824 to 1830 the name of Abel Brown appears on several small works as publisher, though the latter was not a practical printer.

In 1818, John J. Williams first began printing on his own account. He afterwards took his brother, Benjamin J. Williams, who was a book-binder, into

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partnership, and they carried on for many years, under the firm of J. & B. Williams, a large and profit- able printing, stereotyping, and publishing business. Their operations terminated about the year 1840, and during that period they issued a vast number of works of every description. The series of popular novels from their press, in 24 mo, including works of Scott, Marryatt, and Bulwer, neatly bound in mo- rocco, are still often met with and easily recognized.

John C. Gerrish's name first appeared upon a title- page about 1824. He was then, and continued for three or four years, in partnership with Laban A. Ty- ler, who was not, however, a practical printer. Capt. Gerrish had an office in Exeter, and was engaged in printing of various kinds until about 1840, when he retired from the business. He died in 1870, highly respected by all who knew him.

Lewis F. Shepard, who had served his time in the office of Messrs. Williams, had an office here for a year or two, about 1832-33, when, by reason of im- paired health, he quitted the occupation and removed into Maine. He was an excellent workman, and in every relation of life was highly esteemed.

Francis Grant had a printing-office here as early as 1840. He was a bookseller and binder, and was the publisher of a little work, formerly much used in our common schools, entitled " A Book for New Hamp- shire Children, in Familiar Letters from a Father." This little volume was prepared by Mr. Hosea Hil- dreth, and was very popular, running through five editions, the first of which was printed by S. T. Moses, in 1823, the third by Mr. Norris, in 1829, the fourth hy Capt. Gerrish, in 1833, and the last by Nathaniel S. Adams, in 1829. Mr. Adams is remembered as a man of convivial habits and of much humor.

James Derby was the publisher of one or two works about 1831. He was an ingenious mechanic, and did something in the manufacture of stereotype plates, though he was not himself a printer. He was en- gaged in the publication of "Scott's Family Bible" here, which was to have filled some six or more large volumes ; but after the completion of the New Tes- tament in two volumes, the remainder of the under- taking was abandoned.

There were several other printers, who were appren- tices of Mr. Norris or Messrs. Williams, who issued one or more small works each, bearing the Exeter imprint, but of whose history nothing further is known.

Samuel Bartlett Clarke, who had been engaged in the News-Letter office as one of the proprietors from 1840, died in July, 1857, having sustained a high character as a man of excellent business capacity and integrity.

Oliver Smith, now deceased, was also one of the proprietors of the paper for nearly the same period, and was afterwards employed for several years in the News-Letter office as a journeyman. He was a person of decided character and of sturdy honesty.

The Press. - The first newspaper published in Exeter, and the third in New Hampshire, appeared in' the latter part of the year 1775. It was con- ducted by Robert L. Fowle, and issued at irregu- lar intervals until some time in the year 1777. It was printed with large type and on small paper, often on only a half-sheet. The number of titles which it bore in its brief existence was remarkable, as the fol- lowing list of a part of them will show, viz. : A New Hampshire Gazette, The New Hampshire Gazette, The New Hampshire Gazette or Exeter Morning Chronicle, The New Hampshire ( State) Gazette or Exeter Circu- lating Morning Chronicle, The Journal or the New Hampshire Gazette and Tuesday's Liberty Advertiser. The days of publication were changed nearly as often as the title. The proprietor's name did not appear ; and a single person was undoubtedly printer, pub- lisher, and editor, as the contents of the paper were made up chiefly of advertisements and extracts from other journals, with only occasional original commu- nications.

The second paper was entitled The Exeter Chronicle, and was still shorter-lived than the first, having been commenced in June, 1784, and discontinued in De- cember of the same year. John Melcher and George J. Osborne were the publishers.

Newspapers were published in Exeter during the twelve succeeding years under various titles and dif- ferent proprietors, but probably constituting a single series, and numbered continuously as such. From the impossibility of consulting files of these at the present day, it is not easy to fix the succession of the papers with accuracy, but it is believed that the fol- lowing statement is substantially correct.

About July, 1785, Henry Ranlet commenced the publication of a paper called The American Herald of Liberty, which in 1791 was entitled The New Hamp- shire Gazette ; in 1792-93, The New Hampshire Gazet- teer ; in 1795, The Weekly Visitor or Exeter Gazette, and published by John Lamson, and afterwards by Lamson & Odiorne ; in 1796, The Herald of Liberty or Ereter Gazette, and published by Samuel Winslow and Stearns & Winslow until it ceased, in 1797.

The Freeman's Oracle or New Hampshire Advertiser appears to have been commenced about Aug. 1, 1786, was under the charge of John Lamson in 1789, and probably did not survive that year.

The Political Banquet and Farmer's Feast was estab- lished by Henry Ranlet in 1797, and continued about one year, when it probably merged in The Exeter Fed- eral Miscellany, which was but of short duration, it is presumed.

It is not known that any other journal was set up in Exeter until May 21, 1810, when The Constitution- alist was begun by Ephraim C. Beals. It was given up June 4, 1811, but recommenced June 23, 1812, and finally discontinued June 14, 1814. The Constitution- alist was conducted with more ability than any paper which preceded it, but probably had no recognized

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HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

editorial head. It extended over nearly the whole period of the war of 1812, when the popular feelings were sharply divided and personalities were much in- dulged in.

In the department of local news, however, this jour- nal was little in advance of the earlier ones. One or two paragraphs per week afforded all the information it contained respecting New Hampshire affairs, and unless a fire or some other unusual event occurred in Exeter, no allusion was made to home matters except in the column of deaths and marriages.

During the latter part of its existence The Constitu- tionalist was published by Joseph G. Folsom, but in the change of proprietors there was no noticeable change of character.

The Watchman was the next journal established in Exeter. It was begun Oct. 2, 1816, by Henry A. Ran- let ; in December of the same year its title was changed to The Exeter Watchman, and Nathaniel Boardman became the publisher; Nov. 9, 1819, it passed into the hands of George Lamson, and the name was altered to Exeter Watchman and Agricultural Reposi- tory ; and Feb. 6, 1821, Samuel T. Moses became the publisher, and gave it the final designation of North- ern Republican. Aug. 6, 1821, the last number of the paper was issued.

George Lamson, who might properly have been mentioned in the notices of Exeter printers, was a : man of much intelligence and enterprise, and is well remembered for many excellent traits of character. He printed quite a number of law-books, and took pains to furnish employment to deserving, needy persons.

Sept. 21, 1824, Francis Grant commenced the pub- lication of The Rockingham Gazette, which was under the editorial charge of Oliver W. B. Peabody. It was continued until October, 1827, when its subscrip- tions were transferred to The Portsmouth Journal. This was the earliest paper here which professed to have an editor. Mr. Peabody was a gentleman of learning and taste, and the selections and original articles-though the latter were not very numerous- which appeared in the Gazette were of a higher literary order than any of the former papers afforded. In the matter of news, of course, journalism of that time was but the mere germ of what it now is.

Joseph Y. James was the proprietor of a small paper called The Hive, begun in September, 1829, and carried on till some time in the year 1830.

On the "2d mo. 12th, 1830," Michael H. Barton issued the first number of a publication of eight duo- decimo pages, entitled Something New, to be devoted, as the prefatory address announced, to the introduc- tion of a perfect alphabet and reformed orthography of the language, probably something like the phono- graphic system of a later date. Mankind were un- doubtedly content to live in ignorance of Mr. Barton's improved method, as we do not learn that the pub- lication reached a second number.

Exeter News-Letter .- The first number of this jour- nal was published in Exeter on Tuesday, May 10, 1831, with John Sherburne Sleeper as editor and publisher. Mr. Sleeper was a native of Tyngsborough, Mass., and had been a shipmaster several years previous to his settlement in Exeter. The paper bore the imprint of Charles Norris as printer, and its typography was excellent for the times. During the two years of Mr. Sleeper's editorship the paper sustained a high char- aeter and gained a wide circulation ; but not having a practical acquaintance with printing. Mr. Sleeper did not find it a pecuniary success, and he sold the paper to Capt. John C. Gerrish, of Exeter, a book and [job printer. Mr. Gerrish was a man of excellent busi- ness qualifications, and at once started it upon a career of financial prosperity. He was fortunate in obtaining the editorial assistance of John Kelly, Esq., a gentleman of literary taste, with a fund of quaint humor and much antiquarian knowledge. He occu- pied the editorial chair for nearly twenty years. In July, 1840, Capt. Gerrish disposed of the News-Letter to Oliver Smith, Samuel Hall, and Samuel Bartlett Clarke, who, under the firm-name of Smith, Hall & Clarke, with Mr. Clarke as business manager, con- tinued the paper in much the same way as planned by Mr. Gerrish, and with substantial success. After some years Mr. Smith retired from the firm, and the publication was continued under the name of Hall & Clarke until the death of Mr. Clarke, in July, 1857, when Mr. Hall became the sole proprietor. Under their ownership the paper was edited by John Kelly, Rev. Levi W. Leonard, Dr. Franklin Lane, Hon. Charles H. Bell, and Rev. George Osgood. In Sep- tember, 1866, Mr. Hall sold the News-Letter establish- ment to Charles Marseilles, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., who came to Exeter to attend Phillips' Exeter Academy. Mr. Marseilles, although a young man, had become interested in literary pursuits, and took this method to gratify his inclination and tastes. For a short time he was assisted in the editorial and business management by Andrew J. Hoyt. Under the management of Mr. Marseilles the News-Letter took a high rank among the news journals of the State. Home news until this time was not thought of sufficient importance to appear in print, but the News-Letter became a pioneer in the feature of pre- senting a well-written weekly record of local happen- ings, not pertaining to Exeter alone, but column after column of letters furnished by special corre- spondents, giving brief accounts of any events of in- terest from every town in Rockingham County. Mr. Marseilles repeatedly improved the appearance of the News Letter by enlarging it, substituting new type and headings, and working off his paper on new and improved presses, and always took pride in pre- senting the readers of the News-Letter a handsome, well-printed sheet. The editorial chair from 1871 to 1875 was filled by the Hon. Charles H. Bell, who was succeeded by E. L. Clark, Esq., a well-known and

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talented journalist of New York State. In June, 1879, Mr. Marseilles, having previously purchased two newspapers in Kingston, N. Y., and removed there, formed a copartnership with William B. Mor- rill, of Exeter, for the publication of the News-Letter, and under the firm-name of Marseilles & Morrill the paper is still published. It is an ably edited sheet, and ranks among the leading journals of the State.

The Christian Journal was commenced April 2, 1835, and was issued every other week by the executive committee of the Eastern Christian Publishing Asso- ciation, Elijah Shaw being the editor, and J. C. Ger- rish the printer. The first year the "editorial coun- cil" consisted of Moses How, Mark Fernald, and Samuel E. Brown; the next year, of M. Fernald, M. How, Noah Piper, and William H. Gage; the third year of Messrs. Fernald, Piper, Gage, and Jo- siah Prescott; the fourth year of Messrs. Fernald, Piper, How, and Prescott. At the commencement of the fifth year the name was altered to Christian Her- ald and Journal. P. R. Russell was announced as assistant editor, and the editorial council were M. Fernald, Julius C. Blodgett, M. How, and B. F. Car- ter; and on beginning the sixth year the title was abbreviated to Christian Herald, Elijah Shaw, David Millard, and Philemon R. Russell were announced as editors, and A. R. Brown as printer, and the paper was issued weekly. The Herald was subsequently re- moved to Newburyport, Mass., where it still survives.

In January, 1840, appeared the first number of The Granite State. Democrat, of which James Shrigley was publisher, and J. L. Beckett printer, who soon, how- ever, became publisher. The paper, in 1842, was conducted by Ferdinand Ellis, Jr., and afterwards by William Young, and was dated " Exeter and New- market," but was printed at Exeter. In January, 1843, Samuel C. Baldwin became the editor and pub- lisher, but in consequence of ill health relinquished the undertaking, and no number was issued after March 9, 1843. An attempt was subsequently made to revive the paper, but without success.

The year 1841 must have been peculiarly promis- ing to newspaper schemes. A prospectus was issued in February for the publication of a semi-monthly paper to be called The Rose and Thorn, but it is sup- posed that nothing further came of it. In June The Granite Pillar and New Hampshire Temperance Advo- cate was brought out, to be continued monthly, by Abraham R. Brown, under the editorship of Joseph Fullonton, but it was not long-lived.

The next literary venture of 1841 was The Factory Girl and Ladies' Garland, commenced November 1st, and issued semi-montlily, by J. L. Beckett. This paper, or a continuation of it, under the designation of The Factory Girl, was afterwards carried on by C. C. Dearborn, and in the latter part of 1843 was con- . ducted by A. R. Brown, under the name of The Fac- tory Girls' Garland. Apparently the same paper, much enlarged, with the title of Weekly Messenger,

Literary Wreath, and Factory Girls' Garland, was pub- lished in 1845, and some time in 1846, by Mr. Brown, but it was afterwards removed to Lawrence, Mass., by J. L. Beckett.

The Squamscott Fountain was begun in March, 1843, a weekly, devoted to the cause of temperance, and undertaken by Samuel Webster and J. P. Clough. It was afterwards called The Squamscott Fountain and Weekly Advertiser, and Mr. Webster became the sole proprietor, but it did not last long.

A paper called The Factory Girls' Album and Operatives' Advocate was begun Feb. 14, 1846, of which Charles C. Dearborn was the publisher and proprietor, and William P. Moulton the printer. The paper was issued a part of the time weekly, and afterwards semi-monthly, and was enlarged after a few numbers. It was continued somewhat over a year.

The initial number of a projected weekly of a re- ligious and literary character, to be styled The Olive- Leaf, and to be edited by R. O. Williams, was issued Jan. 1, 1853, by Currier & Co., proprietors, but we do not learn that sufficient encouragement was offered to induce them to go on with it.

About 1857 The American Ballot und Rockingham County Intelligencer, a weekly journal, which had been established in Portsmouth in the interest of the American party some three years before, was re- moved to Exeter. Thomas J. Whittem was editor and proprietor, and the paper, though bearing date Exeter and Portsmouth, continued to be printed at Exeter until Sept. 7, 1865, when it was discontinued.

The Exeter Gazette was established in September, 1876, by James D. P. Wingate and Aubrey W. Dun- ton, it being then a seven-column folio sheet, but in 1878 it was enlarged to a six-column quarto, nearly double its former size. In July, 1879, the interest of Mr. Dunton in said establishment was purchased by John H. Shaw, and since then it has been owned and published by Messrs. Wingate and Shaw. The pub- lishers' aim has been to make the Gazette a thorough local newspaper for Rockingham County, and they have also devoted much space to historical articles relating to Exeter and other towns. In circulation it stands foremost among the county papers.

The Protest was first published June 9, 1880, as a Greenback newspaper, for local and State circulation. The object of publication is the dissemination of cor- rect views on finance and government reform. The editor believes the United States bonds should be paid as soon as due ; the general government alone should issue legal-tender money, be the same gold, silver, paper, or other metal or material. There has been no change in sentiments, and none in proprietorship or editorship. The Protest was enlarged from a folio, twenty by twenty-six, in April, 1881, to a quarto, twenty-two by thirty-two. Circulation about one thousand copies, and steadily increasing. A. J. Hoyt, editor and publisher. It is an excellent local sheet, and justly deserves its present popularity.

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HISTORY OF ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

EXETER .- ( Continued.)

MISCELLANEOUS.

Phillips' Exeter Academy-Robinson Female Seminary-The Union Five Cent Savings-Bank-The Squamscott Savings-Bank-Exeter Manufacturing Company-Exeter Machine-Works-Military Record -Representatives, etc.

Phillips' Exeter Academy .- This celebrated edu- cational institution was founded by Dr. John Phil- lips, by charter dated April 3, 1781, and is the oldest institution of learning established by State authority in New Hampshire, Dartmouth College having been chartered by royal grant in 1769. Dr. Phillips was born in Andover, Mass., Dec. 27, 1719. His father, who was a clergyman of that town, fitted him to enter Harvard College, where he was gradu- ated in good standing at the early age of fifteen years. After leaving college he taught school for a few years, and was engaged at the same time in studying theol- ogy. But though he was a man of strong religious feelings, and deeply interested in the work of the Christian ministry, he was too distrustful of his own powers, especially after he had heard the preaching | trustees of that institution, and made liberal gifts to of Whitefield, to undertake the pastoral office. He declined an invitation to become the minister of the The foundation and endowment of Phillips' Exeter Academy were regarded by Dr. Phillips as his own peculiar task, in which he required no coadjutor and sought no pecuniary aid. The charter of the academy was a liberal one, as all the property given to it, whether real or personal, is forever exempted from any tax. The entire management of the institution and its funds is vested in a board of trustees, not more than seven nor less than four in number, with power to fill their own vacancies in continuous succession forever. A majority of them must be laymen, re- spectable freeholders, and non-residents of Exeter ; and to guard still further against undue local influ- ence, they are empowered to remove the institution, if circumstances should render such a change desira- ble, " and to establish it in such other place within this State as they shall judge to be best calculated for carrying into effectual execution the intention of the founder." It is declared that the academy is established " for the purpose of promoting piety First Church in Exeter, N. H., but established him -. self in trade in that town, where he slowly acquired what was deemed in those days a large fortune. He was happily married, but had no children, and as his tastes and habits were simple and inexpensive, and he was not covetous of money either for its own sake or for the distinctions which it could purchase, it seemed to him the most natural and easy thing in the world to give away during his lifetime a large portion of his wealth for charitable and religious purposes, and to bequeath the remainder of it to fur- ther the same objects after his death. It was finely said of him that, "without natural issue, he made posterity his heir." Munificence in the endowment of public institutions, in relieving the wants of the poor, and in promoting the cause of education and religion has now become so frequent and fixed a trait of character here in New England with those who have amassed riches by their own exertions that we are in some danger of forgetting the man who and virtue, and for the education of youth in the first set the example of such noble prodigality. In English, Latin, and Greek languages, in writing, arithmetic, music, the art of speaking, practical geometry, logic, and geography, and such other of the liberal arts and sciences or languages as oppor- tunity may hereafter permit, or as the trustees shall direct." the obscurity of a country village, a locality where narrow views with penurious and selfish habits are too apt to strike deep root, the founder of Phillips' Exeter Academy became the George Peabody of the last century.

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History of Rockingham and Strafford counties, New Hampshire : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 66

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