USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > Shelburne > History of Shelburne, New Hampshire > Part 4
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if within hearing. It seemed impossible that so small a child could have wander- ed farther, and retracing their steps they drew off the pond, and searched the mill and the house which was unoccu- pied. Anxiety was fast deepening to despair when some one suddenly came across her in the pasture north of the house, fast asleep on a log. The sudden reaction of feeling completely unnerved Mr. Smith. and snatching up his recover- ed baby, he cried over her like a child. The possibility that a few steps or a few minutes might have consigned the little one to a fearful and lingering death, is enough to cause a shudder even now. When Abigail Leavitt was lost from Esq. Moses Ingalls' she came out in Bethel or Newry. But a quarter of a mile more to the northward and she would have missed the settlements. and been hopelessly lost in a vast, unbroken wilderness.
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CHAPTER VI.
AMUSEMENTS.
Whatever interests and diverts the mind may be called amusement, even though considerable physical exertion is mingled with it. Before men played croquet or lawn tennis they took pride in trials of strength or courage. Moses Ingalls was offered a lot of land to climb the smooth incline on the north side of Mc. Winthrop. It is said he ran up in his stocking feet as easily as a cat, and thus, by a single exhibition of skill and daring. gained a remembrance and a monument that martyrs and beros might euvy.
A little to the west of the top of Moses' Rock (let no iconoclast dare change its name) may be seen a pine stump. It stands under a projecting ledge, and leans over a sheer descent of at least a hundred feet. By the aid of a tree at the foot of the precipice Thomas Green, Jr., climbed up and cut off the tree that once grew on it. We do not learn how he got down. Getting up seemed to be the main point, and he evidently had faith in the old saying that his weight would bring him down.
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Chopping bees were quite popular while people were clearing their farms; and must have been fun, inasmuch as men often went five or six miles and cou- sidered a good dinner and what rum they could drink as ample pay for a hard day's work. Two sons of Amos Peabody came very near being killed at one of these gatherings. They wanted to go out and see the drive. "Be sure and hallo before you get there," cautioned their mother. "O yes," they promised readily, and boy like, never thought of it again. In their eagerness to reach the meu they got too near, and were caught by the falling trees. Aaron was thrown down by a big spruce, but the limbs kept it from quite touching the groun l. and the boy was got out uninjured, though "a hen could hardly have crawl- ed through where he lay." Enoch fared worse; as a tree came down over him, hishead and shoulders shot through be- tween a limb and the body, but so close was the chance that a stub grazed his head, cutting a gash four or five inches long.
Oscar Phipps, a brother of Pet-r Phipps, was instantly killed while at work for Barker Burbank. Uncle Fletch- er saw Joe Connor come out in great haste, and fearing an accident he caught
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up his camphor bottle, that ever handy remedy of old times, and hurried to the clearing ; but it was too late for earthly remedies. The unfortunate man's skull bad been crushed. Such casualities, however, were not common. With or- dinary care the work was not particular- ly dangerous.
Sportsmen would now be very glad to find a flock of pigeons, especially if there was to be a shooting match with an oyster supper at the end; but seventy five years ago these birds were so thick that every effort was made to get rid of them. They were caught by hundreds in nets or traps. The traps were made of small poles arranged like the front side of a chicken coop, an inch or two apart. and narrow strips of board were nailed round the edges, making a sort of large. shallow box. To catch the birds this frame was propped up on one edge. a rope tied to the prop and carried back behind a screen of boughs where the hunter was hidden. A horizontal bar or pole was put up six or eight feet high tor them to light on, and grain scattered under the trap. One by one they flew down from the perch, always leaving one as a sentinel; the rope was pulled. the trap dropped, and the unlucky birds run their heads up through the slats
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only to have them twisted off. They made capital soups and chicken pies. "O how nice and tender the little things would be!" we exclaimed. - "Tender !" with a contemptuous smile at our ignor- ance, "they were tough as tripe and blue as whetstones !"
One morning, as many as fifty years ago, Amos Peabody called to his family : "Just come and see what a flock of pigeous !" A column of these birds seemed to come from back of Old Crag and stretch across the eastern sky to Moses' Rock. For some time neither end could be seen, nor was there a break in the line. It was a grand exodus. Like the moose and deer they fled be- fore the advance of civilization.
Wrestling was often carried to such extremes as to become injurious. Two young fellows got into a dispute one summer evening, and one endeavored to put the other out of the shed. They struggled for nearly two hours. and the younger and lighter of the pair, now eighty years old, says he never fairly got over it ; yet he thinks it a terrible thing for a boy to break a finger or black an eye playing base ball. To be the cham- pion wrestler of the town was as much honor as to be the champion walker now. A man who came over from Fryeburg
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once stumped any Shelburne fellow to lay him on his back. He was pretty heavy and self-confident, and for some time no one cared to take hold of him; but the night of Enoch Emery's husk- ing, when the good liquor made theml smart and brave without being top- heavy, a small, lean, wiry fellow stepped up and announced himself ready to up- hold the honor of the town. After a short struggle the Fryeburg man lifted his little opponent, to throw him over his head; but instead, a quick, dexterous and wholly unexpected turn knocked him off his legs, and down he went like a log. After a second trial the stranger acknowledged he had met his match. and the hills echoed the triumphant cheers.
A real old-fashioned dance was the place for plenty of pleasure. One gentle- man now living could wear out a pair of thin boots during the night, and keep school all the next day. At a grand ball given at John Chandler's Mrs. George and Mrs. Thomas Green each wore black silk dresses ; the short, strait skirt, plain waist and sleeves, requiring only >ix yards of material. Others wore calico or stamped cambric. A mulatto by the name of Johnson played the fiddle till three o'clock in the morning.
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In 1828 a memagerie was exhibited at Green's. The cages containing lions, tigers, leopards, monkeys and one with a hyena (or kieny, as Mr. Ordway inform- ed his boy) were arranged round the barn yard, and seats were also put in to accommodate the visitors. The big elephant was in the barn; the double doors being just high enough to let him through without scraping his back. A tent for the circus part was on the inter- vale close by, and an exhibition of wax- works in the house. Mrs. William Newell, Mrs. James Austin and Mrs. Thomas Green attended, each with an infant a few weeks old. Times have changed since then. Now-a-days women ignore their babies as far as possible, seldom taking them to public assemblies, and never to church.
One Fourth of July some fifty years ago a liberty pole was raised on the hill near the meeting house, After singing and prayer a short oration was delivered by Judge Ingalls, and the audience went down to Green's tavern to dinner.
Formerly giris attended husking's andl boys quilting's, and atter the work Was done they had a dance. When farmers could raise a hundred bushels of ears of corn to the acre they didn't mind a little waste, and sometimes the corn was
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thrown round and the fodder trampled on in a way that could not be tolerated now. Quiltings, too, are out of date. No more are made of the pressed woolen quilts with their intricate patterns of roses and sunflowers. Even the more modern patchwork is now seldom used for anything but tacked puffs.
Raising's and haulings brought to- gether all the people in town, and were as handy for the diffusion of news as a local newspaper. When Judge Ingalls' barn was raised the dinner was tastefully arranged on a long table out of doors, and at short distances apart for the whole length were handsome decanters and glasses. When liquor was only ten cents a quart, with no prejudice against its use, a man would have been thought lacking in hospitality had he neglected to provide a plenty. "Didn't people frequently get intoxicated?" we asked. "No; you wouldn't see a man drunk oftener than now. The liquor was better than the pizen stuff you get now, and didn't fly into the head." At Mr. In- galls' raising Erastus Hubbard met with quite a serious accident. He fell head- long from the plate on to a pile of rocks. John Burbank and Dr. Watson, who were also on the plate, jumped down and lifted him up before those near him
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could move, "He's a dead man !" ex- claimed some one. "O no!" he replied almost instantly opening his eyes, "I'm better than any six dead men." Dr. Howe dressed his head, which was badly cut, and he declared himself all right, but it was a fortnight before he was again able to work. The last building moved was the house built by Elbridge Peabody. It was purchased by John Bennett of Gilead, and hauled down the river,
A company of thirty-five or forty under the command of Capt. Daniel Evans used to train. or drill, as it is now called. They had no uniforms, and part of them used sticks instead of guns, but one of the members says they could go through the motions as well as the White Mountain Rifles. Warren Coffin of Gilead, was drummer and Asa Pea- body tifer.
There was another company many years before this, but only the fifer, Enoch Messer is remembered. An inter- esting incident of superstition and a subsequent tragedy is related of him. One day when he was dressing for train- ing his wife went to the bureau drawer for his fine shirt. and there on the bosom was a spot of fresh blood. Shortly after- ward he went out to shave shingles with
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Ben Griffin. A shower came up, accomp panied by a heavy wind that seemed to whirl round and round, taking every- thing in its way. Mr. Griffin saw a big pine tree falling, and sprang to one side, but Mr. Messer stood looking right up at it. It struck him on the head with such force as to drive his feet into the ground and break nearly every bone in his body. His fife, which was found in his pocket, was afterward owned by Enoch Hub- bard.
Youth and health are always beautiful. but some of the Shelburne girls have possessed even more of Nature's gifts. As many are long since dead and those who remain have lost their girlish charms, it will provoke no jealousy if we particularize a few of these old time belles. The Porter girls were all blondes of the purest type, but Sarah (Mrs. John Chandler) was called the prettiest of the seven sisters. The Lary girls had deli- cate wild rose complexions and large, bright blue eyes. The Evans girls were darker. and Roxy in particular had bril- liant dark eyes and rosy cheeks. Capt. Eva is' adopted daughter, Eliza, had a very clear white complexion, flaxen hair. and eyes a shade or two darker. She and Hepsy, the captain's own daughter, always dressed alike, and
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when they married their outfits were just the same.
It would hardly be fair to pass the children without a word as to how they amused themselves when they had no store playthings, no picture books, no boys and girls magazine. and only very rarely a taste of candy or oranges. They had pets ; an owl, a cosset lamb, a flock of tamed pigeons. One little boy had a big dog that was broken to work like a horse. He could haul quite a load of wood in a little cart or draw his master a mile or more at a smart trot. Others had steers to handy and use. and it was a great treat to take the little team and carry mother and sisters out visiting. Elbridge and Roswell Peabody used to take their steers across the Great Island in the winter and bring Mrs. Goodale and her daughter Delphina over on the little sled. In the summer Elbridge had a sort of cart called a bumblebee; the wheels being simply wide trucks sawed from a huge log. When the children were contined within doors they parched corn in the ashes, made wooden oxen. yokes. windmills, sawboys. and in fact an infinite variety of playthings that at- forded as much pleasure as articles cost- ing two or three dollars would now. One little girl had a play-house in a
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hollow pine stump. Her dolls were only bits of linen rolled up. but with their aid she enacted many scenes from an ideal drama, dreamed many dreams that were never told and never realized. and wove many fancies that the future washed out in tears. The day before she first left home to work out she play- ed till the afternoon shadows had drank the sunshine, then carefully arranged the little caricatures of humanity in their mossy beds. put up the bark door and left them, never to return to the free child life again. At present our stock of recreations is small; base ball is played out; the Maple Leaves are fallen ; the Silver Stars have set; lyco- ums fall through for want of support. Only the Sewing Circle at the lower end of the town seems to thrive, and occa- sionally gives necktie festivals or oyster suppers.
78 CHAPTER VII.
THE INDIANS,
Newspapers are so plenty now-a-days that we are familiar with all the details of folly and crime. An account of the killing of one or two men by Indians Would be given but a passing tuongut, but in one's own town such incidents assume an importance not accorded by the world at large.
On the morning of August 3, 1781, just one hundred years ago, a party of six Indians, painted and armed with guns and tomahawks. came out of the Woods at Bethel, then called Sudbury ; there they took four prisoners, Jonathan and Benjamin Clark, Jonathan Segar and Eleazer Twitchell. At Gilead try took James Peitingill, but for some un- known reason he was killed and scalped when a short distance from the house. Two calldren, Nancy and Stephen Mes- ser, were playing in a brook a little far- ther on. and the Indians asked them if any men were in the next house. They never could tell what possessed them 10 answer as they did. "Yes, there are ten men, and they all have gaus." But their unreasoning answer probably saved their father's ite. for he was alone in
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the house, and had often said he never would be taken alive.
Remembering the cruel. treacherous nature of the savage, it seems wouder- ful that they did not kill the children outright. instead of ordering them to keep on down to Mr. Pettingill's. To
avoid passing a house they thought SO
well guarded the Indians crossed the Androscoggin and went up to Hope Austin's, on the north side. Here they killed an ox and picked up everything of value. No harm was done the family. though they were much frightened, and Mrs. Austin said : "My Judy and my Jeems hung right to my chair all the time old Tumpty Magan was there." Mr. Austin was up to Capt. Ridge's. He saw Peter Poor shot down, and frantic with tear fled down the mill brook and across the river to Deacon Ingalls'. where he found his wife and children. Elijah, the Deacon's son. had been taken prisoner. but was released, some say on account of his mother's griet, but it is more likely their own superstition led . them to respect the unfortunate boy. Mr. Ridge is supposed to have been a Tory. and certainly he did seem to have a good understanding with his unex- pected guests. If he had untied the prisoners' hands. as Clark begged him to
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do. the Indians might have all been cap- tured while down in the cellar; but he not only permitted them to take what they wanted, but even brought forward things himself.
In the meantime, Mr. Messer search- ing for his children, found Mrs. Pettin- gill walking the floor and wringing her hinds. while all around her were broken dishes and furniture, She told him her husband was a prisoner. not knowing his more terrible fate. The little settle- ment collected together. and fearing the savage enemies might return, they went upou Hark Hill and spent the night Betsy Messer fourteen years old. carried her brother Samuel os her back. Nancy, her sister. was too young to realize the situation, and her only memory of the terrible night was the irratating toiture of the black flies and mosquitoes. The next day the settlers toook their cattle and what few household articles they could carry and went to Fryeburg and stayed till spring.
This was the last murderous raid the Indians made in these parts, but for some years parties of them appeared, occasionally drinking, fighting. and scaring women and children. Five or six came to Mi. Messer's one day. ground up their knives, dug up a patch
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of English turnips and raved round as though possessed of the evil one. An- other lot went to Deacon Green's and wanted to borrow a tin dish. Anxious to gain their good will Mrs. Green gave them a new pint dipper. They then went up to Chandler's, got a supply of rum, stopped by the roadside and dance ed, while one of the number kept time on the basin. It must be the band was cheated of its share of the stimulant, for though one after another of the dancers dropped down in a drunken sleep the music grew more rapid and vigorous. After the melody was all battered out of the new tin dipper the "honest injun" carried it back. and as he handed it to Mrs. Green with a polite bow he over- balanced and pitched headlong into the fire-place.
Moll Locket and her daughter. Moll Sysup. used to pass through bere occa- sionally. and later Billy Williams and his wife, Sally Mitchell. made and sold bas- kets. They had two little boys, one of which was named for Tom Hegan. more commonly called by old people Tumpty Magan. Very rarely now we see au Indian pedler with his packs of fancy baskets and bead-embroidered cushions, but he bears little resemblance to his wild and savage ancesters.
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SHELBURNE'S SOLDIERS.
Several of the first settlers were Rev- olutionary soldiers. Evans, Clemens, Wnealer, Lary, and perhaps others of which we did not hear. Tom Maiston and Hosea Young went out in the 1812 war, and never returned. Samuel Wil- son, Reuben Hobart and Peter Wheeler came sately back. Mr. Wheeler was with Perry, and used to tell how the bullets fedt on deck, seemingly as thick as ball-stones. At the close of the war some children were startled by a "road full of soldiers." One of them stopped and asked: "Are you Amos Peabody's children?" "Yes," was the answer. "Well, you can tell your father that you saw Peter Wheeler going home from War."
During the war of the Rebellion Shel- burne freely contributed to the human sacrifice required. A volume of remin- iscences might be written on this sub- ject though we could never fitty trans- erive the bitter pariings, the exhausting marches, the horror and excitement of battle, the paintul wounds, the recol.ec- tion of which terrible homesick longings stirs the barator. and sends a spmpa- thetic thrill through the heart of the
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listener. One of the first to respond to his country's call was Albion Abbott, adopted son of Daniel Evans. He was in the 5th New Hampshire, under Col. Cross, and supposed to have been killed at Fredricksburg. A comrade stood by bis side when the orders came to charge, and shortly after recognized his gun and knipsach, which were covered with blood. Nothing more was ever heard. Whether he was instantly killed and buried with others in one common grave, or was wounded and languished lor weeks or months in hospital, will never be kuown,
Henery Gates enlisted in the 4th Maine Battery. He was in eleven en- gagements, and though never wounded was often nearly exnau ted with fatigue. - One of the sauest incidents of his three years' campaign was the execution of a deserter. The solemn and impres- sive ceremonies, and the tragic death of the poor fellow, made a deep impression ou Mr. Gates' mind. tra Gates went from Boston in the Massachusetts 13th. Solomon Wilson was killed at the battle of Fredricksburg.
Darius Green was detailed for hospital daty at Ship Istand. where Butler's division was stationed. This Island is nine miles long by one half mile wide,
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and was a fashionable resort in hot weather, being only about thirty miles from New Orleans. Mr. Green says one half was covered with snow- white sand, and the other with hard pine, cedar and aligators. As he was there six months, and saw an alligator sixteen feet long, we allow that he knows.
Sanford Hubbard. Albert Green and Harlan Ingalls enlisted toghther in the Navy, and returned in safety at the close of the war.
One day in November, 1865. while waiting in the Eastern depot at Portland, we noticed two cars full of soldiers who had just come down from Augusta on their way to Washington. A guard stood before the door, more as a form apparently than a precaution. for on recognizing our companion. Ambrose Jackman threw of blue overcoat, and slipped through the window like an eel. he was in the best of spirits, and stayed till just before the train started, when with the cool andacity that characterizes him, he walked up to the guard and re- quested admitance. He soon found a way to get back, however, bringing his rations with him. and in spite of the mild suggestion of the conductor ". if you are a soldier your place is back with the rest of them, " he remained till we left at
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Dover. Mr. Jackman's native wit and sinewdness, coupled with a demure un- consciousness of evil. carried him through many a serape that would have tried the uerve of older mes. But this reckless audacity charged to heroism when he. nursed the small pox patients in the hospital, nursed the sick and cared for the dead when they were so loathsome with the disease that the flesh sloughed from their bones.
Woodbury Jackman. Delevan Hub- bard. John Newell, William Ingalls and Rufus Hodgdon enisted in the 17th New Hampshire, but were transferred to the 2d. Mr. Jackman was slightly wounded in the Gettysburg battle, and came home in the fall. Mr. Hubbard lost two fingers from his right hand while in camp at Concord. and was soon after discharged. Mr. Newell was taken sick soon atter reaching Washington, went to the hospital at Philadelphia. and stayed all summer. Mr. Ingalls and Mr. Hodgdon both died and their re- mains were brought home for burial.
Leland Philbrook died of spotted fever. He was brought home ard funeral services he'd at Mr. Harvey Philbrooks.'
Josiah Black and his sons did not en- list from Shelburne, but the family l'e- moved here soon after, and are well
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known. Mr. Black served in the Ma'ne 1st and 10th. He was stationed one winter at Harper's Ferry. David was in the 5th Maine Battery. and saw many hird battles. Lawson was wounded in the leg an I taken prisoner at Chancellor- vilie. A letter was subsequently receiv- ed from a chaplain informing his friends that he suffered amputation of his leg. and died only eight days after. Fred went to New Orleans when scarcely well of the meisles. They camped on the ground the night of their arrival, and though his comrades generously cover- ed him with their own blankets, he took cold and was oblige I to go to the hospi- tal. He begred to be sent back. away from the enervating climate to his own northern home. where his mother and sisters could nurse him back to health : but in the hurry and excitement his re- quest was unheeded. He then sent for his friend. Liout Fisher, to come and see him. This also was denied. The trans. port vessel was ready to sail and no passes could be given. The poor home- sick boy's last look rested on the pallid faces of his suffering companions, and the compassionate though unfamiliar nurses ; but he sleeps as sweetly in his unknown grave beneath the blue Lonisi- ana skies as though watched over by
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loving friends.
Isaiah Spiller enlisted as a private, but afterward served as blacksmith in the 5th Maine Battery. The first winter he was in camp at Angusta with no shel- ter but a tent. They went to the front in April, and Mr. Spiller was in the seven days' march under McDowell. Though never actually engaged in battle, he was near during the engagements of Anteitam, Gettysburg, Fredricksburg, Winchester. The Wilderness, and Bull Run. He was frequently out with for- aging parties when cattle, orchards, and all kinds of property were wontonly destroyed. A man would be given five minutes' warning, and his beautiful house burneu down. leaving him with bis fan- ily without shelter. One time they came to a nice looking residence. appar- ently deserted except by a young girl, who sat on the door-step, holding a pretty grey horse by a long line while he fed round the door-yard. On pretense of attending to the horses, Mr. Spiller went round the corner of the house and laid low while the captain talked to the girl. Presently the grey pony fed along just out of sight. and quick as thought the saddle and bridle were shifted from one of the other horses, Mr. Spiller sprang on his back. cut the rope and
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