USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Sanbornton > History of Sanbornton, New Hampshire, Vol. I - Annals > Part 36
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
The grounds of the cemetery have since been considerably enlargel by gift and purchase ; and in the fall of 1876, the Ilon. A. II. Tilton, after the decease of his beloved daughter (who had first Receiving toth, presented suggested to him the idea and her own earnest desire that by Ilon. _ 1. 11. 'l'ilton. it should be built), completed, at an expense of $2,200,
and presented to the association, an elegant receiving tomb. Lastly, the minificence of Mrs. A. II. Tilton has supple- mented the devices and labors of her daughter and husband, by build- ing a solid and ornate concrete sidewalk all the way from her resi- dence to the cemetery entrance.
-
CHAPTER XXXI.
SALMAGUNDI. " And cooks us up on every Monday A horrid dish of sahuaguudi."
KNICKERBOCKER MAGAZINE (?).
"Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost." -JOHN vi. 19.
THE idea, the title, and the poetical heading of this chapter are borrowed from the Rev. Silvans Hayward's admirable " Ilistory of Gilsmn." The word " salmagnudi " seems to have been first applied to literary matters by Irving and Paulding, signifying a miscellany, - a pot-pourri in literature, - " a literary production made up of parts brought together without order or boud of connection." Such, essen- tially, will the present chapter be found; embracing, in obedience to the divine injunction, the " fragments that remain," having failed to arrange themselves under the preceding topics. It will contain allusions, and sometimes rather sudden transitions to items of present interest ; which, however, will serve to add variety to the narrative, and will soon become, together with the older items which suggest them, appropriate matters of history. In a few cases, also, it will supplement previous chapters with material which has come to hand since those chapters were printed, as in the additional " Indian Relics," which we will first mention, as an appendage to Chap. IV.
In the sketches of " Sanborntou Bay," by .. W." (New Hampshire Democrat, Jau. 20, 1860), we read as follows : -
"The whites found a little patch of ground cleared near the bay shore, a little north of where Rev. Mr. Day now resides [east of Mosquito Bridge], on which they raised some garden vegetables, etc. ; and another spot where they camped on the farm now owned by Deacon B. N. Smith, where various shells, stone implements, and the like have been found. On a point of land extending into the bay (now on J. C. Gilman's farm) was a large pine-tree, on which was ent the full-size figure of the Indian chief Sabbada, tomahawk in hand, with his face towards the west, indicating that he and his tribe had gone to Canada. It has since been called . Sabbada's Point.'"
In the valuable collection of Indian relies and curiosities belonging to Mr. Sebastian S. Griffin, of Auburn village, the writer has been
320
HISTORY OF SANBORNTON.
lately shown a stone mortar and pestle, which were found in Sanbora-
ton, near one of the bays, by Mr. Thomas Coleman, about
lundiau relica, the year 181J. The mortar is eight inches in height by
six and one half inches in width or diameter, and the weight of the whole is ten ponds.
Amplifying the item on p. S as to the origin of the name of " Black Brook ": The hunters on that occasion were from among the earliest settlers of Canterbury, being out of ment, and in search of mouse. They camped over night at the mouth of the brook on the bay shore, and the next morning started up a nest of five black fisher-cats, which they killed and skinned, adding somewhat to their peltry it not to their larder.
In this connection, we may notice the fox-hunting exploits of Messrs. James L. and Charles II. Mason, who, among the numerous hunters who have lived around the Salmon Brook Mountains, seem to have been the most successful, at least in recent years. Their situa- tion is favorable : on the upper farm of Lot No. 37, Second Division, with an extensive background of woods circling the mountains. For about twenty years, James L. Mason, and latterly his brother, have
Hunting ex- taken, on an average, from tive to fifteen foxes per annum,
pluits. and one year the number went up to twenty-four! They have kept a succession of hounds in service, beginning to run, sometimes, at five months, and lasting, in a few cases, to the age of twelve years. Most of these foxes have been shot ou being chased round by the dogs, after a light fall of snow, at the distance, usually, of ten or twelve rods ; in one case, of seventeen rods. Sometimes, however, they are ." run down" by the hounds ; and a stray fox is occasionally " popped off" from the sung 'hunting-lodge, or small house, which the Messrs. Mason have built on the erest of the hill north of their dwelling, well furnished with small port-holes for their guns and ritles. From this house, seven crows feeding upon a carcass were once killed at a single shot ! The Mason brothers have gener- ally sold their fox-skins at $1.50 to $2 apiece. Before changing the subject, let us allude to the trapping operations of David T. W. Clark (our distinguished fisherman of p. 281) on the shores and marshes of Little Bay. Ile writes. Nov. 14, 1881 : " I have caught this fall eighty- six muskrats and six minks, so far."
Among the curiosities in Vol. I. of the Town Records is the list of " Ear-Marks on Cattle and Sheep," assigned to more than two hundred different settlers and citizens of the town at vari-
" Bar marks "
utt the lowa outs times. They commence as early as 1773, when. many records. of the cattle pasturing in counnon, such marks were a neces- sity. They continue as late as 1524 (one entry even, " Samuel S.
-
321
SALMIGUNDI.
Ilersey, swallow's tail and halfpenny," in 1843), probably from the force of custom, long after the pastures of each farm were sepa- rately enclosed. This catalogue of " car-marks " cousists really of an ingenious mathematical permutation of " crops," "slits," "holes," " notches," " halfpeunies," etc. ; e. g. : -
"Jonathan Chapman, 1785; three holes, right ear. Daniel Tilton, 1785; three holes, left ear. Simeon Moulton, 1804; hall' crop, left ear. Moses Gil- man, 1805; sloping crop, left car. Jona. Taylor, 3d, 1806; two halfpennies. Jona. Eaton, 1808; three slits. James Cate, 1803; square notch. Jacob Rundlet, 1811; a diamond. Benjamin Mason, 1818; cooper's notch. Abra- ham Sanborn, 1821; two slits running diagonally. Mark Weeks, 1824; a double you." And so on to the end of the list.
It was claimed that, no two recorded " car-marks " being alike, the real owner of stray cattle or sheep might in every case identity his own property, despite the pretensions of other parties.
Not much appears upon the town records pertaining to the town lines, except their perambulatious, once in seven years, after Sept. 23, 1800, when these, for the first time, are noticed as follows : -
"Ebenezer Smith and Nathaniel Plumer, selectmen of Meredith, and Joslina Lane, surveyor, met at corner of Meredith and Saubornton, by the Great Bay ; new marked and sported said corner bounds; proceeded on, and spotted the line between said towns to southwest corner of Meredith and northwest corner of Sanbornton to a beech-tree, and new spotted and marked the Perambulation same." With New Hampton, Oct. 8 (1800). William B. Kelley of town lines. and Ebenezer Sanborn, selectmen of New Hampton, and same surveyor, "met at northerly corner of Sanbornton, at beech-tree, as above; procceded on line of New Hampton to a becch-tree on Pemigewasset River, new spotting the corners and line between them."
In March, 1802, a vote is recorded of refusal to "straighten the line between Meredith and this town."
In 1807, Nov. 3, at second perambulation between Sanbornton and New Ilamptou, a " beech-tree " is mentioned on Salmon Brook Moun- tain, " with a pile of stones around it " ; and the beech-tree ou the bank of the river is newly spotted, and marked " with date of year and sundry letters." Joshma Lane, surveyor.
Second perambulation with Meredith was deferred till the next year, as report is dated Nov. 23, 1808. "Commencing on the mountain and proceeding to the Bay, easterly corner newly spotted. Nathan Taylor, David Johnston, and Stephen Gale, Jr., for the select- men of Sanborntou ; Joshna Lane, surveyor."
Nov. 3, 1814. New Hampton ; similar to 1807.
Nov. 9, 1814. Selectmen of Sanbornton and two selectinen of Meredith, - Ebenezer Pitman, Jr., and Nathaniel Plumer, - with 21
322
HISTORY OF SANBORNTON.
Hazen Lawrence, surveyor, made a brief return of perumbulation between Sanbornton and Meredith.
Nov. 8, 1821. Meredith report.
Nov 21, 1821. New Hampton report, "marks and bounds re- newed" ; one selectman of each town, and Joshua Lane, surveyor.
Nov. 10, 1828. New Hampton " renewed marks and bounds, so far as they could be nscertained ; corner bounds to our satisfaction"; Que selectman cach town ; Joshua Lane, surveyor.
A new clement is introduced into the notices of perambulation for 1835 ; and that between Franklin aud Sanborntou is particularly explicit.
1849. All three perambulations deseribed ; two stone monuments erected on the New Hampton line, instead of trees ; one of them on the bank of the Pemigewasset, vice the original beech-tree.
1863. Perambulations of the three towns effected by William S. Woodman, agent of the town of Sanbornton.
Ang. 7, 1869. Boundary line established between Tilton and San- boruton, upon the third range line, so deviating at its easterly extrem- ity as to throw the Bay Bridge into Tilton.
Sept. 3, 1870. M. T. Rummels was chosen agent of the town to perambulate the several town lines with the selectmen of adjoining towns, and reported accordingly. Considerable difficulty was experi- enced in finding some of the bound-stones on the New Ilampton line. (See p. 13.)
The selling of the lands of non-resident lot-holders for taxes was first ordered by an Act of the General Court in 1777. June 29, 1778, .. An advertisement of ye delinquent lands was sent to the New Hump- . shire Gazette at Portsmouth, and printed three weeks sue- "The selling of cessively." The sale was thus ordered at the house of lands for taxes. Daniel Sanborn for Aug. 13, 1778, and conducted by Wm. Thompson, constable .; " so much of the lots that are now delinquent in paying y" aforesaid tax, as will pay the same, with inci- dental charges, as followeth," etc. Mr. Thompson made seventeen sales that day from delinquent to responsible parties (see under the several lots, Appendix A), " and gave deeds thereof."
April 26, 1779. After due notice, as before, to * non-resident pro- prietors and owners of land," Cole Weeks, constable, made four sales. April 19, 1780. Daniel Sanborn, constable, made five sales.
July 19, 1781. Stephen Gale, constable, made seven sales. The last year's constable appears to have served at each of the above sales.
The compass and chain used by Sergt. John Sanborn, as lot-layer in Sanbornton, is now in the possession of his great-grandson, Dr. J. Il. Sauborn, of Franklin ; the compass inseribed, " Made by Thomas
323
SALMAGUNDI.
Greenongh, Boston, New England." Also a book on surveying used
Surveying by the same Sergt. John, entitled " Geodesia ; or, The relles of seret. Art of surveying and measuring Land made Easy. Sixth Julin sauborn. edition. Published by John Lowe, and printed in Pater Noster Row, London, in the year 1753." Upon the fly-leaf is written in a plain, round hand : " John Sanborn, his book, Sept. 16, Anno Domini 1757. Boston. Price, old tenour, £3." Both the above were exhibited at the centennial of the Congregational church, Nov. 13, 1871.
The following specimens of receipts, dating back nearly a century, may well pass for curiosities with business men of the present : -
[corr.]
"SANDBORNTON, Novcinber 21, 1785.
"This Day Received of Nathan Taylor, three Shillings Lawful money, in full of all accompts, Dues, Notes of haud, and whatsoever, from the Begiu- ning of the world to this Day :
" I say, Received By me,
"JOHN JOHNSON."
Old forms of receipts.
[cory.]
" Ato. 1792. " This day received of Sachell Clark one shilling L. M., in full of all demands from the beginning of the world, to this day : I say, received by me,
"JAMES GIBSON."
Among the earliest water-works in town of which we have definite knowledge, we find those named in a deed of March 22, 1794, recorded in the first volume of the town books : Cole Weeks grant- Early water- ing " to Nathaniel Piper for . £1 for 100 years, a water- works. course over his land through logs, from a certain well dug by said Piper, and running 31} rods in a southeasterly course, where the logs or pipes are now laid."
The fence viewers were not often called upon to settle differences between landholders in early times, if the town records are any erite- rion ; only two unimportant cases being entered down to 1800; for which " 13 shillings" ($2.17) and " 250 cents " are the two recorded fees.
The seal of the town was adopted April 22, 1800 ; viz., the letter Town seal. "S," with which " wooden measures are to be branded,
and those of metal to be stamped or made with a prick punch."
Strays were sometimes advertised ou the town records, of which the following, in Vol. II. (Town Records), is a unique specimen : -
Strays.
"July 16, 1811. Broke into my enclosure, the ilfteenth instant, a small, chestnut-colored mare, black mane and tale, a star in forehead, and a small
324
HISTORY OF SANBORNTON.
white stripe In her face and a deut In her hyp, with one white foot. The owner is requested to pay charges, and take her away.
" SAMUEL DUDLEY."
" Rece'd July 22, 1811, aud recorded.
". The above stray mare erled In three public meetings, Aug. 9, 1811.
"Per JOSHUA LOVEJOY, Tolon Clerk."
The slow but gradual change in the public sentiment of the towns-
Faulw rulon people, during seventy years, upon the subject of revising atul the Stutu the State constitution, may be seen from the following cutislilution. summary of the votes taken at different times : -
March 10, 1807. Against a revision of the constitution, 205 ; for a revision, 1 !
March 9, 1814. Against, 246 ; in favor, 9.
March 11, 1821 (second day of town meeting). Polled the house on the question of a revision. Against, 273 ; in favor, 7.
March, 1833. Against, 189 ; iu favor, 91.
March, 1838. Against, 242 ; in favor, 14.
Nov. 4, 1844. Two questions coming before the town for special action : Voted, first, In favor of the abolition of capital punishment, 121 ; against the same, 306. Second, In favor of altering the con- stitution, 93 ; against the same, 346.
March, 1850. The vote upon a similar question, respecting the coustitution, stood : In favor of revision, or rather in favor of a con- vention to propose a revision, 398; against the same, 114; which question having been carried in the same way throughout the State,
Delegates lo another meeting was called, July 11, to choose delegates to constitutional the forthcoming constitutional convention, Oct. 2, 1850. convention. The town made choice of David Shaw, James P. Tilton, and Simon R. Morrison, as representing three extremities of its ter- ritory.
Yet, at the following March meeting, 1851, the proposed amend- ments to the constitution were emphatically rejected by votes on fifteen distinct questions: the highest in popular favor standing at 137 yeas to 411 nays : the lowest at 17 yeas to 486 nays. This pro- duced a quietus on the subject, from which it took more than twenty years to rally ; the votes being, March 10, 1858 : In favor of altering the constitution, 11 ; against, 183.
November, 1864. On the question : " Is it expedient that a con- vention be called to revise the constitution?" yeas, 237 ; nays, 317. November. 1865. In favor of revising. 105 ; against, 186.
March, 1870. For a convention to revise (Saubornton after the division of the town), 38 ; against, 43.
Finally, in 1876, the town of Sanbornton, for the first time, gave a
-
325
SALMAGUNDI.
decided vote in favor of revision, - affirmative, 218; negative, Gt ; and at a subsequent meeting, in November, Person C. Shaw was chosen delegate to attend the constitutional convention in December, whose work at revision, as is well known, has since been ratified by the people.
Previously to the year 1834, the phraseology in warrants for town meetings for the choice of jurors was, " To appoint," ete. ; and in the records, snch and sich men ** were appointed " as grand or
Juror town
Dvelings. petit jurors. During that year a change appears, and ever
afterwards the readings are. " To be present while one or more men are drawn " as jurors ; and . The following person or per- sons were drawn to serve as jurors," etc.
In 1838, the juror town meetings (" to be present while men are drawn ") began to be held at Josephi HI. Lane's inn, instead of the town house, as before.
The fire regulations for the town of Sanbornton, made and adopted by the tire wards, April 13, 1829, were well drawn up, and are useful for all time in the history of the town. After providing Fire regulations. for a simple organization of the fire wards, soon after their election in each March, sundry salutary directions are given for preventing fires, among which : -
" That all ashes when taken up shall be kept In vessels of Iron or tin, or in some place made of materials not combustible ; and when carried out, if put into wooden vessels, shall be placed at least fifteen feet from all buildings or combustible matter; also, that shavings and other light material shall be seasonably removed to a proper place, and shall not be burned out of doors within fifteen rods of any building ; that no person shall carry a lighted cigar or pipe into any stable, barn, or shed, by day or night; nor carry fire, men- closed in non-combustible vessels, within forty feet of any building, Imuber, ete., the burning of which would endanger the property of any individual; ilnally, that engine companies shall be made up of able-bodied men residing within one and one fourth miles of their engine houses, where the engines shall be kept in complete order, so as to be worked at any moment, and be ready to repair immediately to the place of any fire on notice of its breaking ont."
March, 1868. The town having voted to adopt the State law pro- visions in reference to a police for villages and cities, J. F. Eastman, A. Elliot, and R. G. L. Bartlett were elected police officers, and their regulations, seven in number, were afterwards entered Village poller ; upon the town books.
buuta.
1874. A list of boats was entered for the first time upon the Sanbornton town records, - eight in number, - mostly upon the Bay, a small fee being paid by their owners.
'The following extract from the Weekly Visitor of Oct. 23, 1824, may serve as a text for other matters : -
326
, HISTORY- OF SANBORNTON.
" There are In Sanbornton at this thue about five hundred dwelling houses Extract from und about 3,500 Inhabitants. There are four religious soclelles, the Weekly two incorporated musical societies, three libraries, containing
about seven hundred vohnes, and one fund association. The surplus produce of the town is estimated to exceed $25,000 annually."
As to the population of the town, the earliest census table is fomml Earliest con- in a certain document obtained by Hon. A. H. Cragin, at aus table. Washington, and presented to the New Hampshire llis- torical Society, June, 1876, of which this is a copy : -
" SANBORNTON, March 10, 1774.
"By your Excelleney's order, we have taken an account of the Inhabitants of this town as here under.
CHASE TAYLOR, JAMES CATES, Selection.
BENJAMIN HOIT,
" The number of the inhabitants in Sanbornton, -
Ummarried men, from sixteen to sixty 28
Married men, from sixteen to sixty
Boy's, sixteen years and under
104
Men, sixty years and upwards
3
192
Females unmarried
100
Females married .
57
Widows
2
150
Male slaves .
1
F'emtale slaves
0
1
Total 352 "
We are otherwise informed that this table is a part of the nupub- lished result of Gov. Wentworth's attempt to obtain a census of the colony in 1772, which only partially succeeded. It has also been found in a manuscript volume of papers relating to New Hampshire
in possession of the late Peter Force, and there bears
Population at later periods. date, ". December, 1773." Who or whose the solitary slave of Sanbornton may have been, it has baffled all our inquiries to ascertain. The population of the town, as given in each official census since, has heen : -
"In 1775, 459; in 1790, 1,587; in 1800, 2,695; in 1810, 2,884; in 1820, 3,329; in 1830, 2,866 (without Franklin); in 1840, 2,745; in 1850, 2,695; in 1860, 2,743; in 1870, 1,236 (without Tilton) ; in 1880, 1,192. Population of Tiltou in 1870, 1,147; in 1880, 1,282."
The greatest increase of population since the settlement of the town in any ten years was from 1790 to 1800. During that time the busi- ness operations of the town increased in a corresponding ratio.
327
SALMAGUNDI.
As to " musical and other societies " not previously mentioned, we learn from Master Laue's diary that a musical society had been formed as early as 1799 ; probably about that time, and largely through his owu influence on coming to town as an instructor, among other things, in voeal music.
A string band, organized and conducted by Richard Hazelton, Sen., was for many years the pride of the town. The single bass-viol with which Mr. Hazelton used to march, strapped from his shoulder, " in perfect time and tune," is now ( 1882) in the possession of Mr. Jolm T. Durgin, of Tilton. It is a venerable instrument, not less than a century old, with very large keys ( reminding us of certain Musical organi- wears " !) ; has been badly broken up and glued together zatiuus. in its day, but is still wonderfully rich and deep in toue. Other members of this land were Jolin Lane and Abraham L. Morri- son (violins), Simon Rowe (bassoon), Capt. William Robinson (tinte), and several others. Those just named are well remembered to have played with great eclat at a Masonie celebration in 1825 or 1826, which marched, as usual, on similar gala days in old Sanbornton, from the Masonic ITall up both the hills to the meeting-house, for au oration and other public exercises.
The " Sanbornton Brass Band " was organized about the year 1842 : Amos M. Baker, first leader and drill-master ; Thomas W. Taylor, second and last leader, - both now living near each other at the Square, which was the headquarters of their band during its continu- ance of twelve years or more. It consisted of twelve or fourteen pieces, and furnished excellent music, its services being in demand in several of the neighboring towns, and as far distant as Wolfeborough.
Another brass band is said to have been formed at Sanbornton Bay about the same time with the last, definite knowledge of which has not seasonably come to hand.
A cornet band at Sanbornton Bridge flourished about the year 1856, having been instructed by Alonzo Bond of Boston. As the musicians of Northfield contributed largely to its roster, it was called the " Sken- duggardy Cornet Band," after the name (according to Prof. Lucian IInut) of one of the principal brooks of that town.
The " Ilill and Sanbornton Cornet Band," composed in part of San- bornton men. in the northwest part of the town (including George II. Adams, leader, and Messrs. Lane and Shaw), discoursed fine music at the town centennial celebration in 1876.
The "Sanbornton Cornet Band," with headquarters at the Bay, con- sisted of fourteen or eighteen pieces, and flourished for a few years : George A. Leavitt and Horace I .. Odell, directors ; J. Dana Clark, leader. The town liberally voted to purchase a uniform for this band :
328
HISTORY OF SANBORNTON.
but the legality of the transaction being questioned, the uniforin was never obtained.
The " Tilton Cornet Band," the latest organized and only one now existing, was started in June, 1880, consisting of twenty pieces, and representing four parts. Frederick Clement has been the director (or band-room instructor) ; Austin C. Abbott ( till he left town) and now Olin A. Dinsmore leaders (on public occasions). This band has been finely uniformed from Simmons's " Oak Hall" in Boston. Informa- tiou of both the two last musical organizations has been furnished by Charles S. Boardman of Sanbornton Square, a drummer in both.
A lodge of Freemasons was organized in this town, Oct. 25, 1804, styled the " Central Lodge, No. 20," of Sanbornton Square. (See p. 227 [24].) This institution carried ou its beneficent work very successfully for nearly one third of a century, winning universal credit and respect from the community, and including among its members many of the foremost citizens of the town. It was at last Secret benevo- merged in the " Meridian Lodge" of Franklin.
leut societies.
A flourishing lodge of Freemasons, styled "Dorie Lodge, No. 68," has more recently been established at Sanbornton Bridge (now Tilton), its charter being granted July 2, 1866. Its present member- ship (1882) is between sixty and seventy.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.