USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Chester > History of old Chester [N. H.] from 1719 to 1869 > Part 16
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
February 23, 1732-3, it was exchanged to "Lay some- thing to the west of the aforesaid Highway, near where the old path used to go, and now goes." The lots crossed by this road are 52, 14, 110, 12, 116 and 13.
The next was from Sandown line by Asa Wilson's, four rods wide, July 5, 1731, " Beginning on Kingstown head
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HISTORY OF ROADS.
line whare the Road now goes through Jeffries' additional Lott, through Jacob Gilman's home Lott as the path now goes; next through James Basford's home Lott and a half; next through William wilson's home lot and half; next through Page Bacheldor's home lot ; next through Enoch Colby's home lot."
At the June term of the Court of Sessions, 1736, the grand juror from Londonderry complained that there was no road from Kingstown to Chester. There was an order of notice, and the selectmen of Kingstown appeared at the September term and promised to lay one out as soon as possible.
At the annual meeting, 1732, it was
" Voted, That the Highways Shall be Repaired by a Rate this year.
" Voted, To Rais Sixteen Shilings upon Every Propria- tor's Share to Repare the Highways this year.
" Voted, that Every man Shall have the Liberty to pay their part of this Rate in Labour at four Shilings pr. Day.
". Voted, that the hole shall be Compleated and paid by the last of September next."
September 20, 1732,
" Voted, That their Shall be a hors path or Cart path Cleared from this meeting hous to the Senter in the north parrish, and that the Same be Left with the Sovairs."
This was to near where David Page did live in Ray- mond, and went by the Lanes.
June 20, 1732. The road from the main road below Edwin Haselton's, through additional lot No. 127, " to the mill brook at the tail of Said Sawmill," was laid out.
May 25, 1738. The road from the main road below Samuel Haselton's to Londonderry line, across additional lot No. 2, was laid out.
August 28, 1738. The road to Londonderry from near the meeting-house to the southwest corner of Insine Jacob Sargent's home lot, ten rods wide, thence four rods wide to Londonderry line, was laid out. It was returned straight on the reserve between the 16th and 17th addi- tional lots, but was built further west. 13
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
August 28, 1738. A highway beginning at a red-oak tree near the meeting-house, the southwest corner of Jonathan Blunt's home lot, where he now lives ; then southeast to John Silley's bound (home lot No. 35) ; then southeast to the bound of Samuel Smith's lot, No. 39 (below Jacob Green's), to be ten rods wide ; beginning again at Silley's corner ; thence northeast to Cram's lot (this is across from Robie's hill to the Hills road) ; then a highway from thence northwest on the reserve to Gov. Shute's farm (the North Pond road), and southeast to William Wilson's land.
August 28, 1738. On the reserve from Haselton's on Wal- nut hill, northwest, down the hill by the Jack place to Three Camp meadow. This was on the first traveled road through Hall's Village to the Centre.
June 28, 1742. A road ten rods wide, from the meeting- house northeast to Shackford's Corner, "Not to infringe on the burying-ground."
In Bouton's History of Concord, page eighty-three, it is said : " At a meeting held at Ipswich, 9th of Septem- ber, 1726, Ensign John Chandler, John Ayer and Wil- liam Barker were chosen a committee to go out and clear a sufficient cart way to Penny Cook, the nighest and best way they can from Haverhill." Richard Hazzen also was one who went " to search out a way from the place where Chester meeting-house stands to Penny Cook, and mark the same."
On page eighty-eight: " According to tradition Ebenezer Eastman's team - six yoke of oxen with a cart - was the first that crossed the wilderness from Haverhill to Penacook. It was driven by Jacob Shute, who, in order to get safely down Sugar Ball felled a pine tree and chained it top fore- most to his cart, to stay the motion of it down the preci- pice." He also relates the following of Ebenezer Eastman, page 552: " Among the many traditionary anecdotes it is related that soon after settling in Penacook, he made a journey to Haverhill on horseback and purchased a barrel of molasses, which he intended by some means to carry home with him. He contrived what was called a car, that
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HISTORY OF ROADS.
was formed of two shafts, one end of which was fastened to the horse, and the other to drag on the ground. Lash- ing the barrel of molasses to the car with ropes he pro- ceeded on his way homeward along the path through the wilderness. He got along very well until he came to Sou- cook river. After crossing, the hill was very steep and in ascending the horse would stop to rest a few moments. Having nearly reached the top of the hill, on starting, the rigging gave way and down went the barrel full speed, and was dashed in pieces against a tree, the molasses over- spreading and sweetening the ground in all directions. The captain, summoning all the patience he had at com- mand, exclaimed, ' Oh dear ! my wife will comb my head,- yes, and harrow it too !' It was truly a hard case."
This was the traveled road to Penacook up to 1738. It left the present main road probably somewhere near the Jacob Chase place, and on to a little east of Pike Chase's in Au- burn, and over the top of the " Green Hill " to the month of the brook. The lot Hazen Davis now lives on, No 78, was the parsonage, and two acres and a half were reserved on the east side for a meeting-house lot, which was sold in 1791 to John Quimby, for £1 10s. Probably, at first, they forded the brook on the sand-bar and went up the west side to " Oswego " and on to " White Hall," in Hooksett, and probably near Lakin's pond and Head's saw-mill. Daniel Davis showed me, some forty-five years ago, places in that region where the road passed. There were wood roads on it then in places. One was at the southwest end of lot No. 123, in the third division, but it would be impossible to locate it precisely at the present day.
The road to the Long Meadows was up somewhere through the " South woods." In laying out Gov. Went- worth's farm of two hundred acres, in 1728, it was to begin " about fifty rods from John Smith's corner where he now dwells [on the additional lot No. 51] and four rods from the S. W. corner of the outside additional lot in that range " [No. 67]. When the second part of the second division was laid out, in 1736, the northeast end line of the
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
89th lot is described as crossing the brook "by the path to Crage's," Andrew Craige bought of Governor Went- worth fifty acres of his farm of two hundred acres, in 1730, and settled near where John Ray now lives. Previous to 1740 James Campbell had built a saw-mill near the school- house No. 4 in Auburn, and he probably came up that way.
In a warning, March, 1739, was an article
" To consider of a Pettition Prefered to the Select men of this town by the Inhabitants of Rumford and Canterbury, in behalf of themselves and their other neighbouring towns, Relating to the Laying out of a Highway."
At the meeting it was
" Voted, that the affair of the Highway to Rumford and Canterbury be Left with the Selectmen to order as they shall think it best & Conveniant."
May 23, 1738, there was a road laid out, leading from the meeting-house in said Chester to Massabesic. It began at the meeting-house and ran northwest, and was to be ten rods wide, about to the brick school-house ; then west northwest, four rods wide, between the second and third ranges of additional lots. It was where the road now runs nearly to Long Meadow brook, then turned to the north, and kept about fifteen rods north of Beaver pond. It was some sixty or seventy rods southwest of where Hazen Davis now lives, and came ont by Haynes's and the Moses Hall place, to the brook leading into the pond, and so crossing the brook, and running by the pond forty rods farther.
In a warrant for a meeting, August, 1739, is an article " To see if the town will Procure and Lay out a Highway as conveniant as Can be had, for the Inhabitants of our town that live about the Long meadows to come down to meeting, and about their other Nessary business." It was voted to change the road to the south side of Mine hill and Beaver pond. This was about the time the Presby- terian meeting-house was built, and several Presbyterians had settled at the Long Meadows. At the same meeting it was
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HISTORY OF ROADS.
" Voted, That Capt. Sam" Ingalls, m' Nathan Webster and m' John Tolford Shall be a Committee to take bonds of the Inhabitants of Rumford for the making and main- taining a good soficiant Roade for Passing massibeecik Pond towards their town, agreeable to their proposals made to us, and to Enter into bonds to them to make and main- tain one on this side, and over the said pond, as good."
November 22, 1740. A highway was laid out from the " great bridge by Massabesic Pond," running up the brook to Calfe's fulling-mill. This was sometimes under water. It was changed to higher land January 24, 1743.
March 19, 1740. A highway was laid out below Calfe's fulling-mill, across the river or brook to the reserve.
At a meeting, March, 1741, it was
" Voted, That if any Persons will freely goe to massabee- cek, and build a bridge over the Brook below mr. Calfe's fulling mills, it shall goe for their turn of Work upon the Highways other Where, Day for day."
March 24, 1749. A highway was laid out, " beginning at the westerly side of Calf's bridge, and running across three lots " to near where Robert Patten now lives, to the west end of No. 127, 2d P. 2d D.
January 8, 1762. At the request of Joseph Brown and others, a highway was laid out, " Beginning at the End of the old Recorded Highway above Adam Wilson's" [who lived near G. P. Clarke's, but the road began near Robert Patten's]. It went " about the old Roade, and by Sam11 Nutt's farm, and so on about the old Rode to the bottom of the first of Bushnell's Hills so called ; then Turning a Litle to the north East of said Hills, by marked trees, to the old Roade in Sight of Bushmal's medow, so Called ; and along in and about the old Roade, till it strikes abner Fowler's Land ; and so on, in and about the old Roade, through Esq" Boys'es Land, and along by Sam" Brown's and William Brown's, along the old Roade as Near Joseph Brown's house as a Good Roade can be had ; up along to mcCoy's house, and along by sd macoy's in and about the old Roade till it strikes Chester Line. This road went to Londonderry turnpike, near where it now does,
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
and crossed the Martin's Ferry road at what used to be the" March place," one hundred rods west of Martin's school-house, and kept west of where the turnpike is, and west of a small pond, until near the Amoskeag Company's quarry (once Simeon Carr's), then to Head's tavern, and as the road now is to Allenstown line. The road from where Jonathan Davis formerly lived, up into Hooksett, went to the west of the present road. The pres- ent road was laid out in 1816.
The banks of Peter's brook, on the old road below the turnpike, being steep and badly gullied, an alteration was made further cast, crossing the brook above the turnpike, in 1801, " Beginning on the main Road near Simon Carr's House, running on the east side of the pond the most direct Course the Ground will admit, to Lieut. Joseph Whiteher's House [the Clark tavern], thence Southwesterly to the main road."
March 26, 1740. Beginning at the northeast bound of home lot No. 56 (near where Daniel Wilson lately lived), then northwest on the reserve to the northwest bound of 151 (to the Emerson place) ; then southwest on the reserve to the southeast corner of No. 60 (to the poor farm) ; then northwest " between said No. 60 and the additions to the highway from Dea. Dearborn's to Londonderry ; so running a bridle road of four rods wide at the easterly end of the additional lots Sam" Brown, John Mills and William Karr lives on, to the N. W. bound of No. 29 [this is from the Derry road northwest by Gilman Morris's up into the woods]; then W. N. W. at the sontherly end of the second range of additions ; then N. W. at the S. end of No. 89 2d P. 2ª D. to Campbell's sawmill " [the old McDuffee mill near school-house No. 4 in Auburn]. This is the first road probably traveled to the Long Meadows, and went near John Smith, the first settler there.
Nov. 22, 1740. At the request of Moses Tyler the road from the corner near No. 2 school-house in Auburn to the Congregational church was laid out.
April 20, 1741. At the request of Paul McFerson a four-
,
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HISTORY OF ROADS.
rod highway on the northwest side of Add. No. 9. This is the road from the road down Jack's hill to Three Camp meadow, laid out Aug. 28, 1738, southwest to Derry line. The road from Hall's Village to James Quenton's bound, to meet it, was laid out March 26, 1751.
June 28, 1742. Between home lots 49 and 112 from near Francis Towle's to Jona. Moulton's. (From the Haverhill road across to Hiram Basford's.)
Same day, from the end of the last road southeast on the heads of the home lots, to the Add. No. 132. (From near Hiram Basford's, by the Jacob Hill place, to G. W. Everet's.)
May 18, 1743. From the southeast corner of home lot 39, (near No. 4 school-house in Chester), northeast the length of the lot, then southeast, then northeast the length of additional No. 100 (to near the David Wilson, or Joseph Richardson place), thence northeast across No. 101 to 110 additional, over the Great hill.
Same day, the east side of additional Nos. 93 and 118 (from near the Worthen saw-mill northeast), and then southeast to Joshua Prescott's. A new road was laid out Feb. 13, 1838.
October 26, 1744. Beginning at the southeast corner of additional No. 111 (thie David Wilson, or Joseph Richard- son place), thence northwest on the reserve by Richardson's and Thos. Craige's ( Marston's and Spofford's, by French's,) to No. 118, the last mentioned road.
Same day, the road through Hall's Village.
April 6, 1744. A continuation of the road laid out May 18, 1743, beginning at a red oak near Joshua Prescott's house, thence northeast to Prescott's northeast bound, thence easterly across Jacob Basford's, David McCluer's and Benja. French's land, to near Charles Stevens' saw-mill. This was continued on by the Branch March 10, 1748.
April 17, 1744. Beginning at the southeast corner of additional 91 (Shackford's Corner), by Daniel McFarland's and Israel Dolby's, to the reserve between the old and new one-hundred-acre lots, near Lane's, " thence W.N. W. so far as Ithamar Berry's house." This as far as Lane's was prob-
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
ably on or near the horse or cart path, which in 1732 was voted to be cut out to the North Parish.
March 27, 1745. Between home lots Nos. 57 and 146, from Hall's Village to the Haverhill road, near Daniel Wilson's, formerly John Powel's.
Dec. 7, 1745. From near the old Presbyterian meeting- house, northwest to Derry road (where J. Dearborn Morse lives). For a long time previous to this laying out, William Powel, Alexander Craige and the Rev. John Wilson lived on it, and it was early called the " Road to Haverhill." It was also laid out thence northwest across the Derry road half a mile by where Peter and Asa Dearborn lived.
Dec. 7, 1745. Beginning at the northeast corner of home lot 132 (on Chester Street where Capt. B. Fitts lived), southwest to the bridle road laid out March 26, 1740, above Gilman Morse's, then between additional Nos. 21 and 22, to Londonderry line, from where Stephen Morse lived, by Jo- siah Morse's.
Dec. 5, 1746. A highway laid out the southwest side of Gov. Wentworth's farm of two hundred and fifty acres, by Mckinley's, Lufkin's and Ray's, and southwest by Samuel Aiken's, now Grant's, and also northeast, on the southeast side of the Governor's farm, to the main road near Calef's in Auburn.
Dec. 18, 1746. Between the additional lots 52 and 53, from near Jacob Chase's, northeast to near Southwick's. It was continued on, March 25, 1752.
March 5, 1747. From the end of the road by Samuel Aiken's (Grant's), southwest to the west end of Hugh Mc- Duffee's corn-mill, and turning southerly, by school-house No. 4 in Auburn, through Daniel McDuffee's, John Wither- spoon's (now J. M. Hall's), Wentworth's farm of two hun- dred acres and Cochran's land, to Londonderry line, " to the road from widow Murdock's."
March 10, 1748. On the east side of additional lot 111, from the Joseph Richardson place, northeast over the Great hill to where Josiah Basford lived. A part of this road had been laid out May 18, 1743 ; altered again, March 30, 1774.
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HISTORY OF ROADS.
March 10, 1748. Beginning at the southwest corner of additional lot No. 101, and thence east by south on Sandown line, the length of the lot, then northeast across eight lots, passing where John Moore lived. The first part was moved one lot northeast between Nos. 101 and 102, July 2, 1753. It is the road from near the Joseph Richardson place, by James Towle's.
March 10, 1748. A continuation of the road laid out April 6, 1744, from Jabez French's northeast corner, near Charles Stevens' mill " through the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th lots, 2ª P. 2ª D., crossing the N. E. Branch below the saw-mill upon the 46th Old Hundred acre lot, then across No. 45, 44, 43, 27, 26, 25, 24, to Exeter head line, to the road there laid out." (To the road from Freetown mill to Exeter.) This was a new route to Exeter.
March 10, 1748. From Joshua Prescott's, northeast to the road below James Marden's, formerly Geo. Marden's.
Sept. 2, 1748. " Beginning at the bridge at the Pound where the highway is laid out [June 1730], across James Boid's lot originally, [near Edwin Haselton's] ; thence southerly to the S. W. corner of Home Lot No. 72" [near John Haselton's].
Sept. 2, 1748. From the county road by Crawford's cider-mill, southeast by the bounds of the home lots, till we come to John Aiken's grist-mill pond, crossing the brook above said mill, and running about thirty rods across John Boid's home lot to the reserve, then running north- east on the southeast side of home lot No. 45, and across Wadel's and Hill's, to the road to Sandown.
Dec. 9, 1748. A road from the old saw-mill down by Haselton's grist-mill, to Sandown line, then south on the line to Thomas Wells' home lot.
The Londonderry people would early have some kind of a road to Amoskeag. The tradition is, that they built a large fire near the falls, and took the direction for a road from the east village. The first road laid out from Lon- donderry was returned in 1729, but it was probably not made. The Chester people got on to the Londonderry road through the south woods.
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
March 10, 1748. The first road Chester laid out to Derryfield began at the corner between Nos. 83 and 84, 2d P., 2d D. (southwest of the corner near school-house No. 2 in Auburn), thence southwest the length of the lot, and through Nos. 85 and 95, so on, over " Rattlesnake hill," to the bound of 133 and 134, 4th D. ; thence on London- derry line " to Amoskeag path, then as the path now goes to Michael McClento's house," near the Dea. Sawyer place, and so on to William MeClento's house (the Huse place), crossing the 9th lot, the 14th and 15th by Robert Andrew- son's house (the Daniel Hall place ), to the beaver dam, near where the stream crosses the road southeast of Hallsville, then west-northwest to Londonderry line. This road was intended to go south of the summit of Rattlesnake hill, but probably was never cut out or traveled until it struck the Derry road ; but a path was cut out and traveled near where the present road is, to the fang of the pond, and the road laid out by Derryfield, June 6, 1769, was intended to meet it. The present road was laid out 1792. From MeClento's to the beaver dam it was near the present road. The first Amoskeag path probably crossed the stream below the Haselton mill at the " old fordway." The MeClentos built bridges across the Cohasses on this route, and asked pay of the town in 1746, but did not get it.
Sept. 16, 1748. Beginning at the southeast bound of the 14th lot, 4th D., thence east-southeast on the reserve to the middle of the 12th lot, near Gamble's, to the corner of John Hogg's land, and across the 13th lot, crossing the Great brook north of the old fordway to the northeast cor- ner of Nat. Boid's fence, now J. Goff Webster's, and across the first lot to the highway laid out. It probably crossed the brook below the Haselton mill and came into the Derry road near the Dea. Sawyer place, but was never built, for Derryfield, Oct 25, 1751, laid out a road " beginning at Mikell McClento's, on the caist sied of his house where the fence is marked, &c. as the tree is marked into Eallwife falls. This is in exchange for a rhoad formerly laid out through Mikel McClento's and Nathaniel Boyde's land."
.
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HISTORY OF ROADS.
Dec. 10, 1751. " At the Ellwife falls, then a cros the Wastwater to the sawmill, then beginning at the fore- minshined Ellwife falls, running by marked trees throw John Houge's land where they formerly past, abont 40 Roudes to the north of a bridge which is in said houge's land; then across mathrow Ramsey [lot No. 12] by marked trees on the north side of a whit Pine swamp to the Conor tree Betwixt William gamble's and the said Ramesy lot, which is a whit Eash ; then from thence By marked trees acrose the 18 lote and the 17 lote; then acrose Broukoup land in waltor mack farland's land ; then by marked trees into a rhoad In John Hall's land to the south of said Hall's houes, to marked trees, as good ground will allow."
Potter's History of Manchester, pp. 692 and 698, has Alewife Falls at the Haselton mill; and Samuel Gamble (who is probably better posted than any other person) says that MeClento lived on No. 133, where the brick house now is ; that Alewife Falls is just below the Webster mill ; that there was then a saw-mill there ; that the waste water was the natural stream; that now the road crosses above, instead of below the mill, but is essentially the same now traveled to the Mammoth road. The road from MeClento's to the falls is superseded by one laid out Jan. 2, 1769: " Beginning at a white pine near Michael McClento's house, upon the Grate Road Leading from Londonderry to Name- Skeeg falls ; and from thence northward to Samuel Boid's House, Standing upon the Road Leading to Capt. mcMur- phy's mill in the most Convenient Land."
Sept. 16, 1748. Beginning near William McClento's ; then by William Ellett's ; then to the southeast corner of the 8th lot; so on west-northwest to the southwest corner of the 7th lot.
James A. Weston, Esq., says this was never built, but the last part of the following was a substitute. There was a road laid out by Derryfield, Oct. 4, 1751, beginning at the town line, through William Perham's land to the east end of Jolin Harvey's house, across Perham bridge,
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
across Barber Leslie's and William Ellett's land, to the road recorded by Chester.
March 1, 1755. Beginning on the line between John Hall and Robert Andrewson (Nos. 14 and 15, 4th D.), running easterly the nearest and best way to the reserve ; thence to the northwest corner of the 16th lot; thence to the north- east corner ; thence north the best way to the " sow west" corner of the 33d lot ; " then running about more East to ye Brook, about ten rods below ye forard way ;" thence easterly to lot No. 32. This was probably intended as a road from Candia to the falls.
Aug. 6, 1761. A road was laid out from Alexander Mc- Clento's, near the Huse or MeQuenton place, northeast to Johnson's beach.
June 6, 1769. Beginning at Londonderry line, near Gillis' brook, easterly on the line about half a mile thence, the " Nearest and Best way to the South Eand of the Long fang, So caled, as far as our Town Gows."
March 14, 1749. A road from the northeast corner of 103, 2d P., 2d D., in the neck of the pond near where Joseph Brown now lives, to Miller's, now Sam' Anderson's, by where Thomas Coffin now lives, to the road to the Congre- gational Church in Auburn, which was laid out Nov. 22, 1740.
Sept. 22, 1749. The first road into Candia began at the southwest bounds of O. H. No. 128, owned by John Lane, running north 29, east 120 rods, then across lots 129, 130, 131 and 132 (would pass somewhere near Chatangue mill) to common land, then northerly on common land to the northeast corner of No. 32, 2d P., 2d D., then across 31 and 30, and across 128, 127, 83 and 84, 3d D., to the re- serve ; then west northwest to 66 and 91, " called the Sen- ter." It went near Wason's, Patten's, Willis Patten's, and Capt. Smith's, and by Candia Corner to the meeting-house.
May 5, 1750. From the road laid out near Marden's, March 10, 1748, east-southeast down across No. 122, N. D. to the reserve ; then north 29º cast, to Jethro Batchelder's (the Todd road).
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HISTORY OF ROADS.
Aug. 17, 1750. From Aiken's grist-mill down to the north side of the brook, at the tail of the sawmill. Dis -. continued.
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