USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Chester > History of old Chester [N. H.] from 1719 to 1869 > Part 19
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In 1802 Lt. William Brown and his son John built a new mill down the stream near the steam-mill. It. was afterwards owned by Stephen H. Reid, Alanson Tucker, Esq. (who new geared it in 1836), and John B. Adams.
In 1846 a company was formed, consisting of John B. Adams, John C. Pillsbury, George H. Taylor and Nathan- iel Brown, who built a steam saw-mill, including circular saws for various purposes, at an expense of about five thousand dollars.
In 1855 it was sold to the Land and Water Power Com-
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HISTORY OF MILLS.
pany of Manchester, and since owned by William Vincent and Robert Thompson, and is now, 1868, out of use.
SHACKFORD'S CORN-MILL.
When the first mill was built is uncertain. In 1776 John Shackford conveyed to John Shackford, Jr., mil- ler, one-half of his home farm; so the mill was built previous to that time. John, Jr., died in 1779, and his son Samuel inherited it and held it during his life-time. The gears were rebuilt in 1836 and 1837, and a run of stones added. Samuel's son, Jonathan, sold to James Locke.
THE WORTHEN SAW-MILL.
Josiah Forsaith says that his grandfather, Dea. Matthew Forsaith, purchased the privilege of Dolly Worthen, and built the first mill. She was the widow of David Worthen, who died November 19, 1766, and she married Jacob Chase about 1776. The mill was probably built before 1770. There was a new mill raised in 1785.
In 1790, Matthew Forsaith, Josiah Forsaith, Michael Worthen and Benjamin Currier are taxed one-sixth each, and Gideon Currier one-third. Capt. Shackford subse- quently was an owner, and Cyrus Eaton, George Weeks, Daniel Clay and Alfred Dearborn. Samuel M. Edwards is now, 1868, the principal owner, and has put in a circular saw for sawing boards.
BENJAMIN HILLS' MILL.
Previous to 1741 Benjamin Hills had built a saw-mill on the North brook on his farm. He sold one-eighth part of it in 1748 to Thomas Craig. Whether there were other owners, and how long it stood, is not known.
June 3, 1784, Benjamin Hills, 3d, and others, raised a mill farther up the same stream. In 1791, Stephen Hills, Benjamin Hills, 3d, and Joseph Long were taxed one-third each. In 1792, Eliphalet Hills was taxed for one-sixth.
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
There was a mill kept up until 1816, when Benjamin Hills, Edward S. Hills and Joseph Long were taxed for one-third each.
FRENCH'S CORN-MILL.
October 6, 1785, Benjamin French raised a corn-mill on the same stream still farther up, nearly opposite where his grandson, David French, now lives. Mr. French died Jan. 18, 1797. The mill was taxed to his widow several years, and then to Sherburn Dearborn, who married her, down to 1820. Capt. Benjamin Currier and Gideon Currier once had a corn-mill on the same stream, opposite where Benaiah Spofford now lives.
ISAAC HILLS' WIND-MILL.
May 16, 1789, Isaac Hills, Esq., raised a wind-mill. He fitted it with the usual oblique vanes, and could do some business with it. But he conceived a plan of what he called an " air-mill." He had an octagon tower with large win- dows or doors in the several sides, to open on opposite sides, according to the direction of the wind. The wind was to pass through, and operate on a large float-wheel in the inside. He first made a working model, and told to Mr. David Clark how it operated. Mr. Clark shrewdly enquired whether he put any corn in ; to which he replied in the negative. Mr. Clark said that that would make quite a difference, which he found to be true, as it never proved effective. The building was standing long within my rec- ollection, and its foundation is yet to be seen.
ISAAC HILLS' CORN-MILL.
In 1805, Isaac Hills, Esq., built a corn-mill on the stream below the Blake tan-yard.
EBENEZER BASFORD'S MILLS.
Ebenezer Basford built a corn-mill with light stones to
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HISTORY OF MILLS.
operate by wind or by hand at pleasure. There was after- ward a water-mill back northeast of the house.
THE LOCKE MILLS.
The first Locke mill was on Exeter river, up near where Charles Moore, Sen., formerly lived, not far from the road from Wilbur's. It was probably built as early as 1780. It was owned by Capt William Locke, Robert Wilson, Esq., Lt. William Moore, John Basford, and I think that Domin- icus Prescott once owned a share. It was burned, by Mr. Basford's leaving fire, March 27, 1796.
In 1810 John Locke and Benjamin True, Jr., built a saw- mill further down the river, some eighty rods above True's house. About 1820 Mr. Locke built a corn-mill on the op- posite side of the stream. In 1847 it was rebuilt by John and True T. Locke, and a shingle-mill added. It was after- wards sold to John Wason, and was burnt in 1857.
THE KNOWLES MILL.
In 1802 Nathan Knowles built three-eighths, Joseph Brown a quarter, Nathan Knowles, Sen., Dominicus Pres- cott, one-eighth each. New gears were built in 1838, and it was burnt in 1847.
Charles Stevens built a new one in 1859.
TOWLE AND SANBORN'S MILL.
James Towle and Rufus Sanborn built a belted saw-mill on the North brook in 1848.
MCMURPHY'S OR WEBSTER'S MILL.
It seems by the following document, that there was an idea that there was iron ore somewhere in the vicinity, and that iron works might be erected on the Cohas.
There was an act passed in 1719, the preamble of which sets forth that there is very good iron mine or ore in New
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
Hampshire ; that the working of it was likely to prove of great advantage, and that sundry gentlemen have already advanced stock for setting up several furnaces, &c., and the act forbids carrying any ore out of the province under a penalty of ten pounds per ton. The British Parliament would encourage the manufacture of iron in the Colonies to be sent to Great Britain to be manufactured.
By a statute of 23 of Geo. II., it is provided that after 1750 no subsidy, or custom, should be paid on any bar-iron imported from the Colonies into the port of London. The act also prohibits the erection of any mill for rolling or slitting iron, or any plating forge to work with a tilt-ham- mer, or any furnace for making steel, under the penalty of two hundred pounds ; that every such mill or furnace should be deemed a nuisance, and the Governor and Lieut .- Governor were required to cause them to be abated.
So, though they might have made iron there, it would have been unlawful to have slit it into shoe shapes or nail rods, or converted it into steel ; and the Governor would have been bound to have abated it as a nuisance.
May 16, 1739, there was a vote passed making a grant to John McMurphy, of land and a mill privilege, at " Mas- sabesie river," below the great pond, and a committee consisting of Mr. John Calfe Insin Jacob Sargent and Sam- uel Emerson, were appointed to finish this matter. The following is the report and agreement of this committee :
" The said Committee for and in behalf of the said Pro- prietors, and as far as in them Lies, Persuant to a Vote of the said Proprietors Pased at the said meeting in may afforsaid, do by these Presents give, grant, Enfooff and Con- firm unto the Said John macmurphy, his heirs and assigns, for ever, free Liberty to Erect, Set up, and maintain a Grist mill at massabesick River, at any place he shall find most convenient below the Greate Pond, Provided, and on this Condition that the Said macmurphy, his Heirs or assigns, Shall Erect the said mill at the Place afforsaid, and fitt and compleat the Same so far as to grind Corn for the use of those that Shall bring it to the said mill to be ground, for the Custemary Toll, within two years from the deate hereof,- and the Said macmurphy Performe as is Expresed
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HISTORY OF MILLS.
in the third article ; and on failure of performing the Said mill as afforsaid, then the Priveledge to be forfited, and to Return to the Said Proprietors, and their Successors for- ever : and it is further agreed between the said Parties, and the Said Committee do hereby on the behalf of the said Proprietors Expresly limit and Provide, that the Said John macmurphy, his heirs or assigns, shall not build, Ereet, and Place the Said grist mill on the Stream or River afforsaid so as to hinder, or be any Prejudice to the placing, Building and Erecting Iron works, a Sawmill, or mills, in Case the Stream will be sufficient for that Purpose, and the Same can be done without any Prejudice to the Said Grist mill ; and if the Said Proprietors Shall at any time Hereafter see meeat, or think Proper that the Said Iron works, Saw mill, or mills, or any of them, Should be built and Placed on the Said River at the place afforsd, or near theirunto, and Should Resolve to have the same done, but that neither the said works, Sawmill, or mills, nor any other building, shall hereafter be Erected on the Said Stream so as to be any Prejudice, Inturruption or Incon- veniance to the Going, maintaining and Support of the Said Grist mill : and further, in Case the Said Proprietors shall at any time hereafter Resolve to Build Iron Works in Case a s'ficiancy of oare or Iron mine can be found conveniantly, a Sawmill, or mills, or any of them, the Said maemurphy and his heirs Shall have the Liberty, and the Same is here- „by granted to him and them, to Ereet, build, and maintain the Said Iron Works, Sawmills, or mills, So Long as he and they Shall see Cause ; and Whenever he or they shall see Cause to Resign the said Priveledge, the Same shall Re- turne to the Said Proprietors, and their Successors, and the building and Labour of the said maemurphy or his heirs, that he or they shall have done before such Resignation shall Happen, Shall be Valned by the Selectmen of the town of Chester afforsd for the time then being, and What- soever Sum the Said Selectmen shall Value the said build- ings and Labour at, the Said Proprietors shall Pay or Cause to be Paid, to the said macmurphy, his heirs or assigns, on demand, after such Valuation Shall be made.
"Secondly, the Said committee, Pursuant to the said Vote, do hereby Give and Grant to the Said macmurphy, his heirs and assigns, fifty acres of Land at the falls of the said River, to be Laid out on both sides the said River, Equally to the out Lett of the said Pond, as near and as conveniant for the accomodation of the said Grist mill, and other mills,
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
or mill, or Iron works, as aforesaid, as the Said Land can be laid ; the same being Given and Granted by the said Proprietors to the said macmurphy and his heirs, for his Incouragement towards Building the Said Grist mill ; and in Consideration of the Grate Expence and Charge which he must necesserely be at to accomplish the same within the time Limeted herein, and the Said committee are to Proceed and Lay out the said fifty acres of Land in manner aforsd, as soon as the Same can be Conveniently done, and to make a Returne theirof by meets and Bounds, and Record the Same on the Said Proprietors' Book of Records, or Cause the same to be done as Soone as Laid out. More- over the Said Comittee Shall Lay ont to the Said macmur- phy and his heirs, at his or their Request, a Small Quantity of Land at the Discretion of the Said Comittee, as shall be Efectuall to Prevent any Person or Persons from Iregularly and Clandestinely or unfairly drawing out the Water from the Said Pond, to the Deturment of the said mill or mills, or Works, as aforesaid ; and further, that the said mac- murphy, his heirs or assigns, shall have at all times here- after free and full liberty to flow and Raise the Watter in the Said Pond, as he or they shall have need or occasion for the Carrying on the work and buiseness of the Said Grist mill, or Saw mill, or mills, or Iron Works, as afore- said.
"Thirdly, that the Said macmurphy, in building the Said mill, or mills, or any of the Works theirunto belonging, Shall not Stop or Impede the course of the Fish up the said River, but shall and will leave, and Contrive, and make sufficient passage for that Purpose. Moreover, it is further agreed by and Between the Said Parties that the Said macmurphy, his heirs and assigns, shall and will at all times after the said Giist mill is fitted and Compleated for Grinding, as aforesaid, Grind for the Proprietors and Inhabitants of Chester aforesaid, and their Successors, be- fore and in Prefference of their Grists, to the Grists of any other Person or Persons Whatever, for three days in a week forever (Viz.), Every tuesday, Wednesday & thursday, for- ever, and the Comittee appoynted and chosen by the Pro- prietors of Chester aforesaid, to Lay out the aforesaid Fifty acres of Land at the falls of the aforesd River, on both sides, to the out Lett of the aforsaid pond, and the Small Quantity of Land to Prevent the Iregular and Clandestine or Unfaire drawing out the Water from the afforsaid Pond, to the damiage of the afforsaid mill, or mills, or Iron
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HISTORY OF MILLS.
Works, is mr. John Calfe, Ensign Jacob Sargent & Samuel Emerson, of Chester afforsaid, allways Reserving a Lib- erty and Priveledge to the Proprietors and. Inhabitents of the town of Chester afforsaid, to pass and Repass with- out Interruption too and from the afforsaid massabeecek River to Catch and take at the falls of said River, below the afforsaid Pond, for nesecery famely Support, Such Fish as may be obtained."
The small quantity of land to prevent the unfair drawing of water was laid out at the beach and valley, near where the Island Pond House now stands, to prevent making another outlet through the Long Pond.
In 1750 John McMurphy sold the mills and land to Alexander McMurphy. The mill stood on the southeast side of the stream, several rods above the present road and above the present mill-pond, and had a low head of water without flowing Massabesic; and at a meeting of the pro- prietors, October 18, 1763, it was
" Voted, not to support the flowing more than was natural.
" Voted, that the privilege of grinding for the proprietors of Chester three days in a week at maemurphy's mill at Massabeeceek shall cease, and it shall become a common priviledge for grinding as other mills are, upon condition that the said macmurphy and his heirs shall forever keep, maintain and support a Grist mill there, upon his and their own charge."
When a saw-mill was first built, or the Haselton mill below, is not known, and the traditions are vague and con- tradictory. If Potter be right, in his History of Manches- ter, that Alewife Falls, mentioned in the return of a road laid out December 10, 1751, page 680, were at the Hasel- ton mill, then that mill was built before that, and probably McMurphy had none. But if Samnel Gamble be right, that Alewife Falls were just below MeMurphy's, and that the waste water mentioned in the return was the natural stream, and that there was a canal to carry the water to the saw-mill, then McMurphy had dug a canal and built a saw-mill before that date, and the Haselton mill is probably of a later date. (See History of Roads.)
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
November 18, 1778, Alexander McMurphy sold for £1800, additional lot No. 66, No. 23, 2d P., 2d D., and the McMurphy grant, to John Sheldon, together with the saw-mill and grist-mill. So there was a saw-mill there then.
March 11, 1782, Sheldon conveyed to John Webster, for five hundred and seventy pounds in silver, at six shillings and eight pence per ounce, the McMurphy grant, including the house and mills. Webster dug a new and better canal.
His son, Israel Webster, next owned the mills. About 1810 he sold to James Patterson a privilege above the Me- Murphy mill, who built a saw-mill, and flowed Massabesic, and flooded Blanchard's mills, so that it entirely stopped them. The water for a long time was above the base of the great stone by the road, at the head of the pond. Blanchard commenced an action, but the legal remedy was slow, and four young men (Esquire Blanchard's neigh- bors), having previously reconnoitered the premises, went one night and cut away the dam, which was a very haz- ardous performance.
Patterson once owned the saw-mill below, but not the grist-mill, and he failed, and the premises went back under a mortgage. Mr. Webster's sons sold, and the mills are now occupied by Gilman Clough. Nothing definite has been learned about the Haselton mill.
THE DEARBORN SAW-MILL, FORMERLY CALLED THE "NEW MILL."
In 1751, Thomas Dearborn sold to six other persons, among whom were Theophilus Sargent, Winthrop Sargent, Sylvanus Smith, Ebenezer Dearborn and Thomas Wells, Jr., three-quarters of an acre and a half of land for a mill privilege at the south corner of lot No. 57, second part of the second division. The corner of the lot stood just below the north abutment of the bridge. They proceeded to erect a saw-mill. Thomas Dearborn built one quarter, the others an eighth each. We can hardly appreciate the
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HISTORY OF MILLS.
energy and enterprise of these men. There was no road nearer than the main road at Emerson's Corner, two miles distant, -Joseph Basford had a settlement where Wells C. Underhill now lives. The lumber, if drawn in the sum- mer, must be done over a rocky path through the woods, on one pair of wheels. None of them lived less than five miles from the mill and must have gone that distance to do all of the work. They built a small house for their accom- modation just north of where the Borough road now goes. In 1772, William White, administrator of Sylvanus Smith's estate, sold James Graham "one-eighth of Dearborn's saw-mill." The owners have been continually changing, but the " turns " have been kept along uninterruptedly, it is believed, ever since.
Several years previous to 1810 nothing was done with the mill on account of a difficulty about flowing; but in consequence of a vast amount of timber being blown down by the wind, " Cold Friday," Jan. 19, 1810, new gears were put in by Abner Blasdel, millwright, on the Hawkins model. The frame was rebuilt in 1821, and an entire new mill, with stone foundation, built in 1843, and a shingle- mill added in 1860.
One-half of Lieut. Ebenezer Dearborn's share has re- mained in the family of his son Stephen until the present time. The other half remained with Ebenezer and Jon- athan while they lived. Among the owners have been James Wason, Jr., Stephen Lufkin, Joseph Carr, Joseph . Hill, B. P. Chase, Jonathan Emery, W. H. Underhill, Joseph Chase, Jr., Jacob Chase, Noah Weeks and others.
HALL'S MILL, NOW HARWOOD'S.
In 1771 Caleb Hall bought of John S. Dearborn a part of lot No. 57, second part of second division, and erected a grist-mill. He went to the Catamount mountain in Allens- town, for the stones, and worse-gritted stones could hardly be found. The runner, with the date on it, is the door-step at the shoe-shop, at Clarke's building in Auburn village.
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
It was a great undertaking to go up through Chester woods and get them. They put up at what was then called the " Red House," and afterwards Simeon Carr's. John Aiken Jr., was the mill-wright. The mill was rebuilt about 1803, and about that time conveyed to his son, Moses Hall ; and afterwards re-conveyed to Caleb Hall; and in the settle- ment of his estate, given to Elijah Hall.
In 1823 or '24, Capt. David Hall, Elijah Hall and Isaac Hall built a saw-mill ; John Locke was mill-wright. The grist-mill was rebuilt about the same time. The mills passed into the hands of Rodney Allen, who rebuilt; then to Noah Clark ; and were burnt about 1845.
In 1853, Rament Preston purchased and built a grist-mill, and he and his brothers, Nehemiah and Paschal, built a saw-mill. The part belonging to Rament Preston was after- wards purchased by Nathan K. Harwood.
In 1797, Samuel Haynes, a young man from Greenland, purchased of Caleb Hall a privilege a few rods below the grist-mill, and erected a fulling-mill and carried on cloth- dressing. In 1802 or '3, he sold to Moses Hall, who did something at cutting nails there. Mr. Haynes then pur- chased the place now owned by Alfred Sanborn, and built the house and a fulling-mill, and carried on the business until 1807, when he sold to Charles S. Bagley ; and in 1809 Bagley sold to Moses Chase. Mr. Chase in 1810 put in a carding machine, the third probably in the State. He sold the clothing department to Samuel D. Wason in 1812, and he, in 1814, sold to William Coult. Moses Chase sold the carding department to B. P. Chase, and in 1816 he sold it to William Coult, who put in another card- ing machine, and in 1820 it was burned. It was rebuilt, and new machinery was put in, and sold to Jonas B. Bow- man, who removed the machinery and took down the building. In 1865 Joseph Dunlap of Goffstown, a large lumber and wood dealer, built a new saw-mill, with a cir- cular saw, on the privilege.
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HISTORY OF MILLS.
CALFE AND BLANCHARD'S MILLS.
At an adjourned meeting of the proprietors, Dec. 11, 1735,
" Voted, The land which the Lotlayers Laid out at the Request of John Calfe for an amendment to two home Lotts and a half held by him, which Transcript was Read at the Last Proprietors' meeting, and Put to Vote for Con- firmation and Past in the Negative, was Reconsidered and Read at this meeting, and Put to Vote and Past in the Effermetive.
" William Haley, Ithemer Berry, Enoch Colby, Silvanus Smith, moses Tiler, decents against the foregoing Vote."
This tract, containing eighty acres, lay from just above the bridge crossing the mill-pond, above Auburn village, up to the bend in the brook near Campbell's bridge.
At the same meeting it was " Voted that mr. John Calfe have Liberty to build a fulling mill at massabeecek brook between the two Ponds, agreeable to his own Proposals."
The fulling-mill was accordingly soon built, and stood nearly opposite Nathan Griffin's barn.
At a meeting of the proprietors, June 20, 1759,
" Voted and Granted to Robert Calfe, Liberty to Erect and build a Saw mill upon the Supposed Priveledge Granted to his father, John Calfe, To Set up a fulling mill Be- tween the two ponds at massabecek, and forEver to Injoy the Same with the Lands Left on Each Side of Said River for that use ; he, the Said Calfe, Procuring and allowing Soficient Highways Towards Penicook, as may be needfull Through his Lands ; and he Paying to the Proprietors forty Pounds old tenor for the Same upon their Demand Within one year from this time, and Support all Damages by flowing."
The saw-mill was probably soon built. There was cer- tainly a fulling-mill and saw-mill there in 1771. The dam flowed all of the meadow around the "Little Massabesic," and up towards Clarke's mill, on the Oswego brook.
Thomas Anderson, having purchased lot No. 107, and the meadows in it, which were flowed, in May, 1772, com- menced an action against Robert Calfe, and in May, 1773,
16
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HISTORY OF CHESTER.
there was a verdict for the defendant. The plaintiff ap- pealed to the Superior Court, and September, 1773, the verdict for defendant, for costs, was £7 15s. 3d.
Dec. 11, 1764, Jesse McFarland sold to Thomas Shir- ley fifteen acres at the north end of No. 123, the west side of the brook, and reserved the privilege of building half a mill. The mill probably was not built.
Oct. 15, 1770, Robert Kennedy sold to Samuel Shirley (son of Thomas) fifteen acres, the west side of the brook, and fifteen acres on the east side, with the buildings. Sam- uel Shirley soon built a corn-mill on the east side. He also bought a part, or all, of lot No. 115, in which " Little Massabesic " and the meadows around it lie, and took a more summary process than Mr. Anderson had done to abate Calfe's flowage. He procured a party of men, who were probably well stimulated, and proceeded to cut away Calfe's dam. Mr. Calfe prosecuted them for a riot, and Shirley became frightened, and to get out of it sold to Col. John Webster. Col. Webster sold to Joseph Blanchard, who had married Mr. Calfe's only daughter ; and Blanch- ard deeded one-half to Calfe in 1777. The Calfe dam was not rebuilt ; the fulling-mill was removed to the Shirley privilege and the business was carried on there by Calfe and Blanchard. Mr. Blanchard built a small house and removed there. Mr. Calfe died in 1788, and Mr. Blanchard carried on the clothing business until 1796, when the shop was burned. Esq. Blanchard said that there was no fulling- mill between there and Canada; and that they had cloth brought two hundred miles to be dressed. A saw-mill was probably built on the west side of the stream, soon after Blanchard purchased it.
In 1794, William J. and John Folsom came to Chester and set up the manufacture of cut nails, which was carried on by them until 1806, and by Joseph Blanchard, Esq., until 1816. The nails were cut by water and headed by hand. Esq. Blanchard, from August, 1815, to October, 1816, cut and carried to the state prison, to be headed by the convicts, to the amount of $2,240.28. John Melvin
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HISTORY OF MILLS.
had a blacksmith shop with tilt-hammer and started mak- ing seythes; but his foreman proving unskillful he soon abandoned it. Mr. Folsom and Mr. Melvin, having taken a large contract on the Londonderry turnpike and the bridge across the pond, left the mills in the fall of 1805.
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