USA > New Hampshire > Carroll County > Wolfeborough > History of Wolfeborough (New Hampshire) > Part 16
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The principal road laid out since 1800 are as follows :-
Mill road, 3 rods, 1863. Endicott Street, 25 feet, 1865, and in 1867 widened to 30 feet. Road near I. W. Cotton's, 2 rods , 1866. Road from North Wolfeborough burying-ground to Avery's, 3 rods, 1869. Branch Dimon's Corner road, 4 rods, 1871. Road from Mill Street to old Bassett place, 1876. Glendon Street, 2 I-2 rods, 1877. Road from Stockbridge Corner to Water Village and Tuftonborough, 3 rods, 1841. Neck road, 2 rods, 1836. Road connecting Main and Pine Hill roads, over portions of Mill and Bay Streets, 2 1-2 rods, 1860. Shepherd road widened to two rods in 1836. Road from watering-trough in Wolfeborough Falls widened to three rods in 1836. Road from Libbey's to Stock- bridge Corner straightened and widened to three rods in 1831. Road from John Horne's to John Horne, Jr.'s, 1831. Cross road between South Wolfeborough and Pleasant Valley roads, 3 rods, 1831. Road known as Whitton road, connecting the Farm and Pequaket roads, 2 rods, 1831. Farm road laid out in 1806. Sawyer road, 1825. David Chamberlain road, 1825. Green Street, 37 I-2 feet, 1873. Road from Bay Street to Davis house, 2 rods, 1876. Mirror Lake road, 3 rods, 1873. Lake Street, 2 rods, 1853. Sewall Street, 2 1-2 rods, 1898. Oak Street, 2 rods, 1881. Rail- road Avenue, 30 feet, 1887. Libbey Street, 23-25 feet, 1893. Union Street, 30-37 feet, 1891. Pine Street, 2 1-2 rods, 1888. School Street, 2 rods, 1884. Pleasant Street, 2 I-2 rods, 1881. Factory Street, 3 rods, 1883. Willow Street, 3 rods, 1863. River Street, - rods. Forest Street, Neck road, 2 rods, 1820. Silver Street, 1844. Beatrice Street, 40 feet, 1891. Mill Street, 2 I-2 rods, 1860. Sewall Street extension now building.
CHAPTER XVI.
MIDDLETON-NICHOLAS AUSTIN BECOMES BUMPTIOUS-PETITION FOR NEW TOWN-REMONSTRANCE-SECOND PETITION- SECOND REMONSTRANCE-PARKER'S BILL-ROAD TO MID- DLETON-INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE ON THE MATTER- PETITION FROM CITIZENS OF OSSIPEE-BRISTOL-WOLFE- BOROUGH ADDITION-ACTION OF SELECTMEN ON PETITION -ALTON AND TUFTONBOROUGH ANNEXATIONS.
T HE town of Middleton consisted of two parts, the southern and more important called the "First Division," and the northern, which adjoined Wolfeborough, the "Second Division." Separat- ing these, was a range of high hills, impassable by ordinary means, so that the inhabitants of the latter division were compelled to travel through other towns to reach the more important part of their own. This inconvenience and the intimate neighborhood relations existing between the inhabitants of eastern Wolfe- borough and the "Second Division" of Middleton led to the en- deavor to unite the two sections in one town.
The leader of the movement was Nicholas Austin, whose resi- dence, since known as the Hodge house, was at the terminus of the early road that led to the Governor Wentworth Farm. Austin was a capable man, but had a somewhat unsavory reputation on account of clandestinely procuring workmen to assist in building barracks for General Gage's soldiers in 1775 : for this the patriots constrained him to make the amende honorable. He was very ambitious, and evidently desired to secure the organization of a municipality over which he should have a controlling influence.
Here follows the petition for the new town :-
"To the Honorable the Council and House of Representatives sitting at Exeter-
200
20I
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
The Petition of the Subscribers Inhabitants of the Towns of Wolfborough and Middleton Humbly Shews-
That, your petitioners from Wolf borough are put to great In- conveniencies in transacting Town Business by reason of a very large pond which lays between them and the place of holding their Meetings-
That, your petitioners from Middleton (Inhabitants of the Sec- ond Division) are subjected to as great Inconveniences by reason of the great Distance they live from the place of holding their Meetings and the Badness of the Roads which for a great part of the Year are almost impassable-
That, the Eastermost part of said Wolf borough and the Sec- ond Division of said Middleton are well calculated for a Town- ship-Your petitioners therefore pray that the said two Tracts of Land may be annexed and erected into a Distinct and seperate Town by such Metes & Bounds as your Honors shall order-and as in Duty bound your petitioners will pray &c
Nicholas austin Peter Stellings John Palmer
Benjamin Clay moses Perkins
Wolf borough
Josiah Robinson wellaim Wile Robert Calder
Stephen Lyford Ezekiel Sanborn William Cotton
Jonathan Clay Josiah Wiggin
Bartholomew Richards Samuel Tibbetts
Joseph Leavitt
Jedidiah Drew Joseph Wille
James Sheafe
David Durgin Isaac Drew
John Costelloe"
Daniel Croxford John Fornel
Ebzer Bennett
Simon Dearborn
The same month the following remonstrating petition was pre- sented to the legislature :-
"The petition of the Inhabitants of the south west part of the Town of Wolf borough-
Humbly Sheweth-
That your petitioners were unexpectedly Notified of a petition
Jonathan Lang
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
being preferred to this Honorable Court in the Course of their Last Session at Concord, by a small number of the Inhabitants of said Wolfboro' living on the Northeasterly side of said Town (in Conjunction with the Inhabitants of the second Division of Middletown containing about thirty Families) for the purpose of Dividing said Towns, in Order to Erect a New Township-the prayer whereof your petitioners humbly conceive (as well as the Inhabitants of the first division of said Middletown) to be ex- ceeding unreasonable for the Reasons following-(viz) First, Be- cause the whole Number of Families now living in said Wolf- boro', does not Exceed Forty five, & those in Middletown about twice that Number, so that to divide two such small Number of Inhabitants to make three Towns would be very injurious & ex- pensive to said Inhabitants as well as, the Community at large, as they cannot be Benefited at present by being annexed to any other Town-
That the whole Town of Wolfborough together, are poorly able to support proper Town Government & Order, & by Reason of their low Circumstances & the difficulty of the late Times have never been able to settle a Minister of the Gospel, or even to hire Necessary schooling for their Children, and now to cut off a quar- ter or one-third of said Inhabitants would entirely disenable & even Obliterate all prospect of enjoying such a Blessing for a long time to Come, as there are not any near settlements in the Towns adjoining to be united to us, and but little prospects of there being any at present as the Lands are held by the Pro- prietors in large Bodies & not to be obtain'd without a large price being given therefor-
Secondly-That though the Inhabitants may not exceed the Number above mentioned, who have petitioned for the separation, Yet that part of the Land they would be glad to have set off is above one half in Value as to the quality, of the whole Town, the Middle part being exceeding poor and very little thereof suit- able for settlements-
203
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
Thirdly-That your petitioners mostly live on one direct Road thro' the southwest part of said Town adjoining to Winnepiseokee Lake & the land on said Road for one Miles Distance from said Lake being wholly taken up (which contains in a manner all the land upon that Quarter suitable for settlements) they cannot be Benefited by any more or at least but very few settlers there, and few Inhabitants living in the Towns adjoining under the Distance of Eight or Ten Miles & those very Scattering that the prospects of any Benefit from a Connection with them at Present is entirely Chimerical-
Lastly-That however practicable such a Division may be in some future Day when those Towns become Inhabited, that a Division would be exceeding injurious for the Reasons already Suggested which contain plain matters of fact, and indeed would totally compleat for a long space of Time the Ruin of two Towns to build up one, & which if effected would not accommodate so many persons as it would injure, & only serve to gratify the Am- bition of two or three Designing persons who would be glad perhaps (in this Case) to advance themselves tho' at the same time their Neighbors should be injured, which would verily be the case, if their Prayer should be granted-As to their great Ob- jection they make of having so far to travel to the Annual Meeting of said Town they have never once ask'd or desired, to have the Meeting held over upon that quarter, which if they had, would have been readily granted, tho' then but very few of them would be Benifited thereby, as they live so Scattering-
Therefore your Petitioners humbly conceive, that the prayer of their Petition appears at present to be so unreasonable that your Honours will not so greatly injure the Majority of two Towns of your peaceable Subjects only to gratify the Ambition of a few Individuals by granting the prayer thereof but will of course dis- miss the same, & in so doing, as in Duty Bound your Petitioners will ever pray &c &c.
Wolf borough June 1785-
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
Benjamen Blake
John Fullerton
John Lary
Jeremiah Gould
Ebenezer Meder
Joseph Lary
John Horne
Jonathan Harsey
Thomas piper
Benj : Evens
John Lucas
John Piper
Lemuel Clifford
Henry Rust Jun
Ithiel Clifford
Henry Rust Richard Rust
Andrew Wiggin
Matthew S. Parker Jacob Smith
James Wiggin
Ebenezer Horne
James Fullerton
Benjamin Wiggin
Andrew Lucas
Enoch Thomas
Stephen Horne
James Lucas Jr
Samuel Tibbets
Isaiah Horne
James Connor
Jonathan Chase
Ebenezer Horne Jr
In the House of Representatives, June 10, 1785, a committee, consisting of Ebenezer Smith, of Meredith, Daniel Beede, of Sand- wich, and Moses Baker, of Campton, was appointed to investigate and report at the next session. They reported as follows :-
"State of New Hampshire
To the Honorable the House of Representatives
We the Subscribers Pursuant to our appointment having Repaired to Wolf borough & midleton & haveing fully Vewed Said towns find the Situation of Wolfsborough to be such as will not admit of a division without great inconveniances & hurt to said town. We have also Viewed the town of midleton & find the Situation thereof Such that there is no Passing from one end thereof unto the other with out goingout of the Limits thereof to get round a mountain Which makes it exceeding dificult for the Inhabatance to meet together on any ocasion And the Inhabatance of Wolfsborough have fixed upon a Place to Sit their meeting house & hold their Public town Meetings
as near the center of said Wolfsborough with two miles of the North- east end of Midleton if annexed thereto which Place is on the West- erly Side of Lot No. 4, and about thirty rods Northerly of Smiths Pond Which the Inhabatance of Wolf borough with the Agents of the Petisioners of the Northeasterly end of midleton have agreed to have established by the act of Incorporation if it Should be the Courts Pleasure to Pass an act to Incorporate any Part of midleton with Wolfsborough We therefore recommend it Conveniant for four ranges of Lots or more which contain about one mile each of the Northeast
205
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
end of midletown to be annexed to Wolfsborough if Prayed for by Such Part of Midletown-
Wolf borough october 7th 1785
Ebenezer Smith
Daniel Beede Committee."
Moses Baker
Subsequently Austin presented a second petition :-
"State of
New Hampshire
To the honorable Senate and house of Repre- sentatives in General Court convened at Con -. cord third Wednesday of October 1785-
Humbly shew the Inhabitants of the Second Division of Middle- town in the County of Strafford and State aforesaid, that they are situated at great distance from the place of holding the public Meetings in said Town, prevented from going to the other part of the Town where most of the Inhabitants live, without travelling into another Town first, through Roads almost impassable for great part of the Year. Your Petitioners being so circumstanced have been and must be deprived of the benifit of all Town Privi- ledges in Middleton while they belong thereto-that as your Pe- titioners can more conveniently attend the public meetings in Wolfborough should the Meeting House there be built at the place agreed on-they pray that they may be annexed from Middleton, and annexed to Wolfborough or otherwise relieved from their present grievance-And your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray &c.
Nicholas Austin for Petitioners"
This petition was followed February, 1786, by a remonstrance addressed to the General Court :-
Humbly Shew, the Inhabitants of the Town of Wolf borough in the County of Strafford & State aforesaid, That they were very
206
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
unexpectedly surprized by receiving a few Days since, a Copy of a Petition signed by Nicholas Austin in behalf of the Settlers of the Second Division of Middletown with the order of Court there- on, praying that the said second Division of Middletown might be annexed to Wolf borough
Your Petitioners are exceeding sorry that thro' the restless Machinations of designing Persons they should be drawn into the disagreeable necessity of taking up your Honours time upon a Subject they thought already fix'd and Determined-Your Honors will perceive by the Report of your Committee ye last Sessions at Concord, That, the Town of Wolf boro' was well situ- ated & could not be divided without great injury, and we dare say had this plan been within the limits of their Business, they would have reported, that, such an addition as prayed for by Friend Austin would be as injurious to more than three fourths of the Inhabitants as a Division of the Town-Yet notwithstanding the inconvenience of a Connection at all, the Agents in behalf of Wolfborough consented that two Miles of Middletown next to Wolf boro' should be annexed thereto as it was so disavantageous for them to tend public Business in their own Town, conceiving that the lower part of said second Division, would in that Case poll off to Wakefield, as Many of the Settlers living on said Tract are intermixt as it were with those of that Town, & as was pro- posed by sundry of them-Such a connection as that was con- sented to by the Agents of both parties in the presence of the Committee as they reported, and as your Petitioners thought would have been a Conclusion of the matter so far as it concerned them, & in consequence thereof they agreed upon a place for building a meeting House, not thinking that after said Austin (as Agent) had Consented thereto in presence of the Committee, would have been so dishonourable as to have attempted any thing further, & Mr Cabbott being then present was so far satisfied with the agreement made by the Agents as to propose the place for setting a Meeting House himself & accordingly gave his word
207
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
in writing for a lot of Land for the purpose, which was agreed by all parties should be established by an Act of Court as re- ported by Ye Committee-
Now if in Case any more than the two Miles should be annexed to Wolfborough, it would be the means of sowing such seeds of Discord & Dissention in the Town as the age of man would never see ended-Therefore your Petitioners humbly beg that the prayer of said Petition may not be granted-But that if the pro- posed Connection will not satisfy their restles Agent, they may be continued together until the said Division becomes sufficiently Inhabited for a Town or Parish by themselves which will no doubt be very soon when perhaps some plan may be tho't of for the first Division of said Middletown, which if at present separated will approach near to annihilation, or at least to be in a similar Situation of that of Ishmael of old, having every mans hand against them, as to any connection-such being the circumstances we humble pray that their said petition may be demiss'd, & that we may be left to enjoy the fruits of our Labour under our Vines & fig Trees unless the Agreement already made will satisfy our rest- less adversary, whose Conduct has already too clearly appeared to be absorpt in selfish principles-But if in your Wisdom you should think proper to grant the prayer of their petition, we humbly pray that, the place already agreed on for Building the meeting House may first be established by an Act of Court, other- wise the Dissention will rise to a great height, which we earnestly wish may be avoided by the Assistance of your Honourable Body -And your Petitioners as in Duty bound will ever pray &c-
Wolf borough January 26th 1786
Henry Rust
Thomas Piper
James Connor
Benjamin Blake
John Lary
Jacob Smith
David Piper thomas Piper Jr
Joseph Lary
Lemuel Clifford
David Blake
John Shores
Andrew Lucas
Jonathan Harsey
Matthew S. Parker
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
Enoch thomas
William Fullerton Ebenezer Horne
John fullerton John Lucas
Ebenezer Meder
Samuel Tebbetts
Henry Rust Jr
John Horne
James fullerton Jeremiah Gould
Ebenezer Horne Jr
Ithal Clefard Levi Tibbets
Benjamin Wiggin
andrew Wiggin
Ebenezer Tibbets
Jonathan Chase"
Paul Wiggin
John Piper
James Wiggin James Lucas Jr
This remonstrance probably ended the controversy. It is not known that further attempt was made to annex the "Second Division" of Middleton to Wolfeborough, but eight years after, in 1794, this territory was incorporated as a separate town named Brookfield.
Here follows a copy of Parker's bill for his services and the en- tertainment of the legislative committee :-
"The Town Wolfborough to Matthew S. Parker Dr
To Writing 2 Petitions respecting the not Dividing the Town @ 6s. £0-12-0 To 2 Days attending the General Court @ 6s. 0-12-0 To 2 Days waiting on the Committee in Wolfboro' & to Middletown @ 4s. 0-8-0
To Committee's Expenses at my House. 0-12-0
Lawfull Money £2-4-0
Writing Warrants &c 0-4-0
£2-8-0 Wolfboro' March 27: 1786
Errors Excepted
Matthew S. Parker"
Notwithstanding the road to Merry Meeting Bay had been
209
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
opened, it was such a hilly, circuitous way to reach Rochester and the towns south of it that the inhabitants of Wolfeborough and the region north and west became very desirous for a more direct route to the lower towns. Accordingly, in 1785, they petitioned the court to lay out a road through parts of New Durham and Middleton. This petition was granted so far as to appoint a com- mittee to examine the proposed route. This proved to be much more feasible for a road than was anticipated ; for, although the region was somewhat mountainous, the valleys afforded passes quite convenient for a highway. A road was laid out. Here is a copy of a letter from the selectmen of Wolfeborough to those of Middleton and New Durham in relation to the matter :-
"Wolfboro', August 8th 1786
Gentlemen
In pursuance to a Petition being preferred to the Quarter Ses- sions of this County last year by the Inhabitants of this Town, for a Road to be laid out from Wolfboro' thro' part of the Second Division of New Durham & the first Division of Middletown, a committee was appointed for that purpose, who have laid out said Road & made return thereof accordingly as a County Road, which report has been accepted by the Court as such & the ex- pense of doing the same so far allow'd by the County-It now remains that the Towns thro' which said Road is laid out im- mediately make the same a good Waggon Road thro' their re- spective Districts-The Difficulty we have so long laboured under for want of a Road for transportation, has, upon our finding that there can be a Road made where this is laid out so easily & with so little expense for that purpose & which will be of such great Benefit not only to ourselves but many other Towns above us, Resolutely determined us to have the same Compleated as soon as may be-This is therefore to Desire that you will prepare the Necessary Steps for compleating the same thro' your Town in such a way & manner as you shall think most Expedient, & any
210
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
unnecessary Delay & Neglect of the same will be attended with great injury to this & the Neighboring Towns, & will most loudly be complained of to those who will oblige the same to be done, however we please ourselves with the Idea of your readily per- forming the same as it greatly enhances the Value of that part of your Town, & will be of such an extensive Benefit to the public
Your Answer to the above will be kindly accepted by Gentle- men
Your most Humble Servants
Matthew S. Parker James Lucas Jr Selectmen" Ebenezer Meder
Here follows a reply to the foregoing from the selectmen of New Durham :-
"New Durham September 14th 1786 Gentlemen
We Received your Letter some days since and observe the con- tents respecting the new Road and would inform you that we have a Surveyor (Mr. Andrew Bickford) appointed upon that part of the Road which goes through the second Division of New Dur- ham likewise the Town has Voted a Sum of Money to be laid out on said Road more than the Labour of those people living on or near it and we expect the Surveyor will go to work Immediate- ly on the same.
From Gentlemen your very Humble Servants
Peter Drowne Selectmen of Ebenezer Durgin S New Durhanı.
P. S. We would further inform you that we have understood the Sum Voted will not be sufficient to do the necessary Labour wanted on said Road for which reason we have called a Town Meeting to get an additional Sum Voted. Yours as above. To the Gentlemen Select Men of Wolfborough"
2II
HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
Probably in the autumn of 1786 or during the year of 1787 a wagon road was opened through the town of New Durham, but it is evident that none was completed through Middleton as late as the spring of 1788. This is shown by the following letter from the selectmen of Wolfeborough :-
Wolfeboro', April 3rd, 1788.
Gentlemen
Agreeable to the Desire of the Town of Wolfborough we have to request that you would endeavor to have the suitable provision made before your Annual Town Meeting is dissolved for the Com- pleating of the Road laid out thro' your Town from Wolfeborough by the County-We have waited patiently, as the Times are Difficult, expecting you would accomplish the same, for the sake of advancing the Interests of your own Town Notwithstanding we, as well as sundry of the Towns above labour under so great Difficulty in Travelling & Transporting to Markett-Now as every indulgence has been given which can Reasonably be ex- pected we are now Determined to make use of every Measure the Law will allow of to get the Road accomplished-And if we should be drove to take that Method you must remember that the ex- tensive usefulness of that Road when finished will be of great weight towards helping to compleat the same-However we would wish that thro' kindness to your Neighbors & the view of advancing the Interests of your own Town, you will speedily adopt such Steps for compleating said Road, as will prevent the Necessity of our taking any Coercive Measures about the Matter which will be much more agreeable to the Town in general but more especially to
Gentlemen
Your most Obedient Humble Servants
Matthew S. Parker
James Lucas
Select
Ebenezer Meder Men
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
After this sharp admonition from the selectmen of Wolfe- borough it is probable that the construction of the road was not very long delayed.
The opening of the road to Middleton was not only advan- tageous to the towns through which it passed but also to Wolfe- borough and the region lying northwest of it. It was the shortest route from Wolfeborough to Rochester, the distance between the two towns over the Chestnut Hills, situated in the eastern part of Farmington, being about twenty-one miles. Afterwards, when a more level road had been constructed to Farmington village, that route was preferred, as, although a longer way, it was more easily traveled.
Middleton Corner, largely on account of the through travel, became a thriving hamlet, having several stores and two fair- sized taverns. It was ten miles distant from Wolfeborough Bridge, and the first horse-baiting station on the downward route. This road was for many years the principal thoroughfare from the Boroughs and other towns in the northern part of Strafford Coun- ty. As early as 1830 a four-horse stage passed over it daily on its route from Dover to Sandwich. In winter there was much travel and transportation from even the Coos region to the market-towns on the Piscataqua and its branches, Dover having become a rival of the seaport Portsmouth in the sale of heavy merchandise.
June, 1795, sundry persons, inhabitants of Wolfeborough, petitioned to be annexed to Ossipee. Here is the petition :-
" Humbly shews-
We your Petitioners Inhabitants of the Town of Wolfborough living on the Northeasterly part of said town and on the land known by the Addition which Addition was takeing from a Gore of land now called ossipee-labour under many difficulties espechely those of your petitioners who live on the Northeasterly Side of White face mountain (so called) are upwards of Seven miles from the Meeting House in Said Wolfborough and are
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