USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Salem > History of Salem, N.H. > Part 29
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He walked all the way or nearly all the way to Salem, and on a Sunday he arrived, barefooted, hatless, and with but very scant clothing, at his father's door with his trusty gun upon his shoulder. It was no wonder that his playmate whom he left at home when he went to war, a lad by the name of Amos Wheeler, whom his parents raised, seeing him at the door, fled in fright, crying "Israel's ghost!" But grandfather reassured him by saying, "Amos, ghosts do not carry guns." So Amos came out from his hiding and then such handshaking and embracing by those two fast friends was never seen before. It seems that great-grandfather and mother had gone to church and left Amos at home to guard the house. After Amos had explained the absence of grandfather's parents and had heard some of his adventures related, they saw my great-grandfather and mother coming up the road, both on one horse, she on a pillion as they rode in olden times. And what did Amos do but run to meet
VIEW ON LITTLEFIELD FARM. (M 469)
LEVI WOODBURY.
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HISTORICAL TALES.
them, crying at the top of his voice, "Israel has come, Israel has come," greatly to the chagrin and consternation of the old peo- ple, who upon that very Sunday had listened to prayers by their good pastor for their dear boy whom they expected was surely dead. So Amos got a sharp cut from the riding whip, with the remark that it was a sad time for jokes (Amos had the repu- tation of being something of a joker). So Amos ran, brought grandfather's gun and said, "See his gun, do you believe me now?" And then grandfather came out, and his mother fell into his arms and his father embraced him and all were happy in the reunion.
And there was great rejoicing in the whole town.
The other story I promised is about wolves attacking one of our old citizens of Salem, and one I believe grandfather told me a score of times. I do not remember the man's name, but I do remember the location of his house, and it was near where now lives one of Salem's respected citizens, the Rev. Abram Wheeler (now Wallace W. Cole).
At the time this occurred Spiggot Falls (now Methuen, Mass.,) was the nearest trading post or frontier store, and peo- ple living in that locality had to go there for their groceries, and this man, who was chased by wolves, had been to Spiggot Falls to do some trading. He went on horseback and carried saddle- bags to bring home his purchases, among which was codfish. He was jogging along home when he heard that awful blood- curdling howl he too well knew, the howling of wolves. It was getting quite late and he was still a mile or more from home, wife and little ones. He put spurs to his horse and with voice and whip put poor Dobbin to a breakneck pace, a race for life, home and dear ones. But the ugly wolves gained and gained on him, and came so near that the leaders of the pack began to snap at the horse's heels, when a happy thought struck him, and he pulled out of the saddle-bags a codfish and threw it among the hungry beasts, and while they were devouring the fish he made quite a gain on them. So when they came after him again he gave them another fish. He was now nearing home, but his good and brave wife had heard the howling of the wolves and the fast running of a horse, and well knew it was
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her husband, followed by those savage beasts. So she fastened her children in the house, ran to the barn, opened the big door and held it so her husband could ride in, which he did, with the whole pack but a few feet behind. But she shut the door and they were safe. But through that long night they had to stay in the barn and their children were fastened in the house.
Now, my dears, if I have not wearied you by these long drawn out stories, I am happy. And I trust they may interest you so far as to cause you to give a little thought to what the old set- tlers, our forefathers and mothers, had to endure to make a town. And our good town, by its thrift and prosperity, shows that we are true sons, daughters and descendants of those hardy, honest and God-fearing pioneers. Let us all try to do our best to improve and beautify our town, so that those who follow us will honor us as we today gladly do honor to our worthy an- cestors.
FIRST BALDWIN APPLE TREE.
The Baldwin apple has gained such a high place in the esti- mation of the country that the origin and history of this fine species of fruit are worthy of our knowledge.
About 1790 Col. Loammi Baldwin of Woburn, Mass., while sur- veying a route for the Middlesex canal, came upon a native apple tree on the Butters farm in Wilmington, Mass., the fruit of which he believed in. After grafting it into his orchard he was free to give the fruit and scions to many of his acquaintances. Bald- win's name for his favorite apple was "Pecker," after the marks on the bark of the tree made by the woodpecker. The apple be- came so generally appreciated in Baldwin's day that at a business meeting of the agricultural society, when he was present, a vote was taken that with his consent the apple should be renamed the "Baldwin."
When the Londonderry Turnpike was projected, Mr. Baldwin was engaged to make the survey. He made his headquarters for some time at the house of Richard Pattee, which stood very near the old willow tree now just north of the No. 9 schoolhouse (M 390). One day he asked why they did not raise some apples, adding jokingly that their fruit was only an apology for the real
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article. When he returned from a trip home he brought some scions and put them into a tree about six rods north of the house, remarking that they were the first scions of the Baldwin apple set in New Hampshire. The tree grew to a diameter of nearly three feet, and bore fine Baldwins until 1888, when it was blown down by a gale. Sections of the trunk have been preserved, one having been requested for the State Agricultural College at Durham.
The site of the tree is now a part of the farm of J. W. Kelley, who owns the Pattee place.
ODD ITEMS.
The first cast-iron plow in Salem or Windham was introduced by Isaac Emerson. He also had the first glass lantern in Wind- ham, and the first horse rake in Salem. The rake he bought of John Patten of Derry.
Both the great-great-grandfather and great-grandfather of S. M. Pattee were in the Revolution. The gun carried by the former is now in possession of George Gordon, while the powder horn of the latter Mr. Pattee has. The former also served under Washington in the campaign in which Braddock was defeated. His wife picked fifty pounds of ribwort tea, which she carried to Boston on horseback in the fall of 1776.
One reason for the frequent shifting of the early roads was their undeveloped condition. There was little or no grading done in many places, such work as was put into highways being for the most part near swamps or bridges. Fences were rare; as late as 1756 (and probably for some years after) there was not a rod of stone wall between the old meetinghouse and North Salem.
The wooden fence around the common was built in June, 1859. A part of it may be seen in the picture of the Old Tavern.
In the decade preceding the Civil War, many social gatherings were held in different parts of the town, some of them being of a very interesting character. For instance, a "kissing party" was held in Salem Hall, February 19, 1856. It was so well liked by all who attended that another was at once planned! In the same year Gilman E. Sleeper and Kimball Poor, of Atkinson, started a waltzing school. In 1853 John Blaisdell of Methuen had a sing-
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ing school in the town hall. Five years later George Hodgdon also conducted one. In fact, these schools for reading, dancing, singing, etc., were very common during these years.
The quilting party was a great favorite. We happen to have an account of one held in 1861 at Andrew J. Silver's, where his son, Clinton, now lives. It may interest some of our readers to know who attended :
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Webster
66 James Ayer Wm. G. Crowell
Mrs. Thos. D. Lancaster
Rawson Coburn
Gilman E. Sleeper
Prescott B. Emerson Miss Sarah A. Woodbury
" Susan Wheeler
" Ellen Ayer Simon Kelly
Henry Philbrook
don Laroy Rogers
Miss Elizabeth Ayer and others
At some of the socials refreshments were served, each person sometimes bringing some delicacy from home. On one occasion at the town hall, in 1860, porridge and hulled corn were passed and eagerly disposed of.
The first piano brought into Salem was that of Mrs. J. L. Clen- denin. The second was that of Mrs. Jonathan Merrill, brought in September 7, 1856.
There was a band here about 1867, known as the Salem Cornet Band. Kelly Webster was leader in 1872, when they played at several political demonstrations. In 1873 they had a teacher from Manchester, Mr. Walter Dignam.
Before this, in the spring of '54, about twenty-five young men organized the Calathumpian Band. Their uniform was a white shirt or frock, with red stripes, a conical hat about fifteen inches high of white cardboard, with red stripes and ribbons flying from the peak. The instrumentation included the following: a tin horn three feet long, cymbals, triangles, pieces of steel drill, post horn, tin pans, snare drum and bass drum. The band serenaded newly married couples and "played" at huskings.
J. H. Lancaster
Joseph Buxton
George N. Austin
66 Ed. S. Wood- bury George C. Gor-
RESIDENCE OF GEORGE W. JONES. (M 398)
GEORGE WOODBURY.
-
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HISTORICAL TALES.
There were two election day customs. One was to provide a turkey dinner. In North Salem the favorite place was at Benaiah Gordon's, near the brick schoolhouse. The other diver- sion was a shooting match. This was sometimes merely target work. The range was laid across the river from near the school- house (library) to the Emerson field, a distance estimated then at sixty-five rods. But frequently it took the form of a "bird shoot." Sides were chosen and the party sought the woods. A partridge counted five, a bluejay one, etc. The losing side had to furnish a treat, with the aid of which the evening was made a time of jollification. A number of the party, under the guid- ance of punch provided, usually found delight in loading their guns half full of powder and firing into the air to celebrate. It has been said that the rest of the party thoroughly enjoyed the result of this exhibition.
A curious entry is found in the selectmen's book of a century ago: "Feb. 22, 1804, ordered Moses Whitaker to pay Hezikiah Jones four dollars it being for Rideing three Days after the thief that Stole Joseph Thom's horse."
Mary Campbell was the keeper of the tollgate at what is now Canobie Lake Station. Her house stood close beside the turn- pike on the east side. The cellar may still be plainly seen in the bushes in the fork between the Millville and North Salem roads. She was a very tall, angular woman, with muscles like a man, developed by the active life she led. She kept a gun in her house, with which she was said to be very proficient. In the wide forests that then surrounded her habitation many a par- tridge fell beneath her unerring aim. But she was not depend- ent entirely upon her own efforts for her supply of game. The large cat that shared her board was so well trained that he con- tributed largely to the fare. His favorite prey were rabbits, which he killed and dragged home, often from considerable dis- tances. He would then sit by and watch his mistress skin and prepare to cook the animal. It is needless to say that he was given a generous helping at mealtime.
Doubtless there are many other good stories known to our readers. These were selected as giving a view of a few of the "characters" of the town, and some of the diversions of people in general.
CHAPTER XII.
Key to Historical Map.
It must be borne in mind that the object of this chapter, in- cluding the map, is twofold-first, to present the history of the places in Salem in so far as it has been obtained; and, second, to record in a permanent way the plan of the town as its exists today. Both these aims are intended to interest the readers of the present and future alike. The origin, development, changes in ownership, and connections with or relations to historic events, of the homesteads or buildings of Salem, will be interesting now and hereafter. And the same may as truly be said of the geographical information furnished by the map itself.
The descriptions here presented are taken from a multiplicity of sources, among which may be mentioned documents of a legal nature such as deeds, wills, surveys, etc., private papers as let- ters, diaries, accounts, memoranda and genealogical data, and finally verbal statements of persons who have been acquainted with the places of the town. Necessarily then, some of the statements here found are inaccurate because of faulty sources, while most of the descriptions are more or less incomplete sim- ply because men do not write the data concerning property, and when they die much of it is lost. Where conflicting sources are found the author has obtained all the related evidence possible, and then drawn what seems the most likely conclusion. Where the facts are wanting and mere suppositions are presented, a question mark ( ?) follows the doubtful feature.
The system of numbers for the sites is entirely arbitrary, but may be roughly summarized as follows :
1 to 100, vicinity of the Center.
100 to 250, vicinity of the Depot.
250 to 300, southwest corner of the town.
300 to 425, southeast corner of the town.
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KEY TO HISTORICAL MAP.
425 to 500, a strip east and west across the town.
500 to 600, vicinity of North village.
600 to 653, along northeast boundary.
On the large map the numbers at the Center and Depot vil- lages are partly omitted to avoid crowding. Enlarged maps of these two localities are provided, with numbers inserted. Wher- ever the designation M 26 (or any other number) is found it is to be interpreted as indicating the map location of the feature mentioned.
The character of the figure type before each description indi- cates the nature of the site; if the number is set in bold face type a place of historic interest is indicated. Whenever the building has disappeared the word site will appear directly af- ter the number in the key, and on the map is indicated by an open square. An illustration for any number is indicated thus : (Cut, p. -. ) Where a name follows directly after the number, it indicates the present occupant of the place.
The dates given are not intended to be considered exactly correct. The main purpose of giving them is to distinguish be- tween old historic places and those of more recent origin. For instance, when the description says "built about 1880," it may be as far as five or ten years from exact, or it may be correct -but it serves to tell the reader that the place is not of early origin. In all cases the author has given the date as nearly cor- rect as he could obtain it.
1. Clinton L. Silver. Built probably soon after 1750, by Major Henry Little, who was Sealer of Leather in 1774. Abner Little then lived here. Next James Jones, whose daughter John Clendenin married. Their son, John Leverett Clendenin, lived here. Mr. Mansfield occupied prior to about 1858, then he sold to Osgood, he to Andrew J. Silver in 1859. House is built by compass facing south; possibly road at one time ran south of the house. Rare tree east of house-buttonwood, very old. Cut, p. 121.
2. Herbert Haigh. Owned by Emma Kelley ; was a shed or shop to M 3, moved by Alfred Page and made into a dwelling about 1875.
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SALEM CENTER
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TOWER AT MEADOWBROOK. (M 381)
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RESIDENCE OF DR. V. N. SIKORSKY. (M 11)
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KEY TO HISTORICAL MAP.
3. Emma Kelley. Many years ago the old Gage house stood here, burned over 80 yrs. ago. Gage was father of Mrs. Sam'l Kelly. Present house built for store by J. L. Clendenin. Alfred Page, father of Mrs. Kelley, bought of Moody Foster in 1855, and converted into a dwelling; he lived upstairs, kept store down.
4. Frank Emerson. Formerly stood on Aquilla Dow place, M 459; he had carpenter shop in one end, Mrs. Dow had weave room in other. When Gilman Corning's father bought Dow place Gilman moved it to present site. Was first used for a store, then made into dwelling. Lorenzo Chase lived here 1860. Mr. Emerson bought about five years ago.
5. Very old house. In Revolution times Joseph Hull and wife lived here; both died here later. Then an old man named Gage made coffins. In 1820 Caleb Morse, son of old Dr. Morse, lived here, and kept school, may have been here for some time before. Isaiah Kelly went to school here to Morse. He was also sexton and grave digger, took care of old meetinghouse, managed funerals. Last occupied by Elbridge Mitchell, whose widow now owns.
6. James Ewins. Probably built about time of Revolution. Joseph Wardwell kept store and tavern; he was town clerk in 1793 and representative in 1796. An old weather- beaten sign hung out at the corner of the building, pro- claiming the tavern. Was bought by John Ewins when he came to Salem in 1805; he was a Harvard graduate; owned large area of land on west side of village; kept store here for fifty-three years. With exception of five years from 1878-83 when Nathan G. Abbott had the store, it has been in Ewins' family continuously. James, father of present owner, was proprietor before the busi- ness was sold to Abbott. Mr. Ewins lives in the flat on the second floor. Cut p. 112.
7. Willis G. Richardson. Built by Lorenzo Chase for wheel- wright shop, on former Ewins land; later made into dwelling. There was a long shed here with a store up-
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HISTORY OF SALEM.
stairs, later used for a shoe shop; it stood in rear of the house. Moved to M 67.
8. The first Methodist meetinghouse. It formerly stood on Bluff St., M 494, where it was built in 1809; moved to present location 1836. Then used as shoe shop by Thos. Ewins and J. R. Wheeler. Geo. N. Austin kept grocery store here in 1859, and had postoffice also. Now idle.
9. Horace Silver. Built 60 yrs. ago by Simon Harris, son of Dr. Harris; Washington Woodbury was the contrac- tor. Has been sold several times. Edmund Cook, the musician, lived here 1855.
10. E. O. Douglas; Henry O. Annis. Old house; "Priest Balch" lived here, and owned the west part, Eben Noyes owned the east half. They had bought of James Ewins, who built it about 1820 ( ?) for a two-tenement house. Mrs. Balch left her part to Wm. B. Ayer, who sold to Francis B. Kelley. Noyes' sons sold to Warren Hasel- tine, whose estate was sold at auction after his death. Kelley then bought this half of the house for $450.
11. Dr. V. N. Sikorsky. Formerly an old meetinghouse at Windham, over 100 yrs. old. It was brought here by Jonathan Pettingill, who afterwards lived in it. It has the original frame; is not boarded, but clapboards are fastened directly to the studding. Pettingill made cof- fins, which sold at $3 each. Cut p. 365.
12. Site of blacksmith shop of Earl C. Gordon. It was moved to very near M 67 and afterwards burned.
13. Mrs. L. D. Merrow. Built by Earl C. Gordon, 1856. An old house with low back roof stood on same cellar, was home of Joshua Gordon; it was one of the oldest houses in town.
14. Mrs. John Lancaster. Mr. Lancaster built the house in 1853.
15. George N. Rolf. He built about 1870 ( ?).
16. Ed. Smith Woodbury. Built by Nathan Russ, 1867, out of material from the old barracks torn down at Concord after the disbanding of the militia. It has been occupied by N. R. Bodwell, Mark Blood, Chas. Kimball, John
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KEY TO HISTORICAL MAP.
French, Mrs. Hitchings, Frank Woodbury, and the pres- ent owner.
17. Thomas D. Lancaster. He built, 1900.
18. John Morrison. Was formerly a shop, part of old build- ing now standing, M 67; was moved about twenty years ago and made into dwelling.
19 Charles E. Maxwell. He built, 1866.
20. Lascelles C. Wallace. Owned by Wm. M. Smith. It is the Amos Emerson place, formerly the old Nelson Dus- ton place.
21. Morton E. Smith. Built by Moody Foster, after the old house here burned ( ?). This was the old Thomas Nev- ins place. He was a brother to David's father David, thus great uncle to Henry C. He was a hot headed old fellow, and burned his barn when he saw the sheriff coming to attach his property. He subsequently died on the poor farm. The plain to the westward is the "Little Land,"' where muster was held, 1842. Last three occu- pants before present owner were Walter B. Kelley, Albert Robinson, then Josiah Clough. Cut, p. 89.
22. William Wallace Smith. Built by Moody Foster about 1850. Wm. Rowell lived here ( ?) ; died 1853.
23. Nathan G. Abbott. Built 1861 by George Roberts. Land in the rear known as Clendenin's Plains; muster here, 1849.
24. No. 1 schoolhouse. Built by contractor Lewis Killam, 1895. Total cost, $4,194.70. Land bought of J. H. and W. E. Lancaster. Cut, p. 212.
25. Charles H. Allen. Built by Mansfield in 1858. He lived here after he sold the Clendenin place, M 1. Later Ab- raham H. Merrill lived here. The gun house of the Salem Guards Artillery Company stood near the road between this place and M 26. It was moved to near M 455, where it is now used as a shed.
26. Lizzie Bailey. Built by Simon Kelley.
27. M. E. parsonage, Rev. H. E. Allen. Built, 1825, by Peter Massey, after his old house here was burned. Gil- man Corning lived here. Carlton Ewins bought, after-
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HISTORY OF SALEM.
wards sold to M. E. Society. James Ayer lived here from 1853 to 1880, it being a two-tenement house at that time.
28. Site of Old Tavern, one of the first in town. Phineas Gordon is the first proprietor of whom we have definite knowledge; he was first postmaster, 1804; died here 1812. Stage from Boston to Concord brought the mail. John Clendenin owned the property after Gordon. Joseph Gorrill kept the tavern in 1820 and later. Rawson Co- burn was proprietor about the middle of the century. Dances were frequent in the hall at this time. A great celebration was held here March 22, 1855, in honor of the Know Nothing victory. Daniel Moody took possession April 4, 1855; followed by Warren Brickett, 1857; Ezra Robinson, 1867. The last proprietor was Albert L. Armor. He gave up business a short time before the fire. William H. Bryant owned ( ?) the property, which was idle, when on September 3, 1876, an attempt to burn it was frustrated. The next night, however, the building was fired and entirely consumed. (One source says that a Johnson of Boston owned it.) The location and ap- pearance are very well shown by the cut, p. 332.
29. Site of Frog Tavern. It was a building of various util- ity, built by Moody Foster about 1850, back from the street for a barn, then moved out and made into tavern. Fred Bailey had tavern here. A. H. Davis and E. S. Woodbury had shoeshop here about 1860. Was used for schoolhouse in '68 or '70; Grace Vincent and Belle Moul- ton were two of the teachers. It was burned the spring after the old tavern was, June 3, 1877. B. R. Wheeler had a shoeshop there at the time.
30. W. H. Rollins. Original house built by Moody Foster about 60 yrs. ago. Hon. John Woodbury, once candi- date for congress, lived here; also Ed. S. Woodbury; Rawson Coburn lived here, 1857, after he sold Tavern. This house burned June 3, '77, at the time of "Frog Tav- ern" fire. Then the present house was built later in the
.00
L. WALLACE HALL.
JOHN WOODBURY RESIDENCE. (M 32)
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KEY TO HISTORICAL MAP.
same year, and has been known as the William H. Bryant place; he kept a hotel here up to a few years ago.
31. Newell H. Tilton. Formerly a stable at M 30; Moody Foster moved it to present location and converted into dwelling. E. S. Woodbury lived here about 1857.
32. Mrs. John Woodbury. Old historic house, origin not known, but built before 1800. Hon. Silas Betton, repre- sentative, state senator, member of 8th and 9th congresses, 1803-07, high sheriff of Rockingham County, etc., lived here, and very likely built. He sold to David W. Dickey, tax collector, 1832, prominent in town affairs. Dr. John- son H. Merrill lived here; also T. D. Lancaster, '61-'66. The house was at first one story, afterwards raised. Cut, p. 369.
33. Mrs. Lucretia D. Holt. Built by Ezekiel D. Sargent about 1860. Chas. Sleeper next owned, then Horace Silver.
34. Public Library. Original schoolhouse site. School lot extended to graveyard. Original house built 1801, stood till 1861, when it was sold to David Sloan for $26. He moved to M 72 and it is now part of that house. It was "little red schoolhouse," and stood partly where library is, but nearer road and slightly nearer townhouse. The present building was raised September 18, 1861. Used as schoolhouse until new one, M. 24, was built. Cut, p. 228.
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