USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Amherst > History of the town of Amherst, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire (first known as Narraganset township number three, and subsequently as Souhegan West) > Part 12
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12 February, 1831. An eclipse of the sun, the largest that has been witnessed in this place since the total eclipse of 16 June, 1806, took place to-day between the hours of 10 : 30 A. M. and 2 : 15 P. M. At five minutes past 1 o'clock 11.29 digits of the sun's service were eclipsed. The weather was fair, allowing a good view of the eclipse. At the time of the greatest obscuration the planet Venus was visible, and an unusual chill pervaded the atmosphere. Owing to the great distance of the moon from the earth at the time, the eclipse was no where total.
The following instance of "extraordinary despatch" in the transmission of the President's message is found in the Cabinet of 17 December, 1831 :
" The President's message was conveyed from the steamboat wharf in Providence to Boston, a distance of forty-two iniles, in one hour and fifty-two minutes. This rapidity of conveyance is without a parallel in this country, and we are not aware of its being equalled elsewhere."
June, 1832. The Asiatic cholera made its appearance in Quebec, whence it spread over the country, proving fatal in numberless cases, and causing great alarm. It has never prevailed to any great extent in New Hampshire.
21 October, 1833. The Hillsborough County Mutual Fire Insurance Company was organized at Amherst.
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Charles H. Atherton was chosen president ; Robert Read, David MeG. Means, Isaac Spalding, of Nashua, and Abial Lovejoy, of Milford, directors ; and Jolin Prentiss, seere- tary.
THE METEORIC DISPLAY
On the morning of 13 November, 1833, was the grandest ever witnessed in this country. Thousands of meteors were flying in all directions, and the show continued until they were obscured by the light of the sun. The New Hampshire Patriot, of the following week, said :
"At half past five in the morning the heavens presented one of the most extraordinary, sublime, and beautiful prospects ever beheld by man. Imagination can picture nothing to exceed it. The meteors were seen flying in every possible direction, through a clear, unclouded sky, leaving long luminous trains behind. In any direction the scene could be compared to nothing more aptly than a distant shower of fire, whose particles were falling sparsely to the earth. Frequently one larger and more luminous than the others would shoot across the heavens, producing a flash like vivid lightning. Toward the approach of daylight the sky began to be obscured with clouds, and the meteors appeared less frequently, but they were seen as long as the stars were visible."
Some of the cases brought before the Court of Common Pleas at its session in February, 1834, originated in very trivial matters. One arose from a matter of six and a quarter cents, which, by eight or ten years litigation, amounted to six or seven hundred dollars.
4 July, 1834, the Lafayette Riflemen paraded and received the New Boston Artillery, their guests for the day. The day was ushered in by the ringing of the bell and the discharge of twenty-four guns. At 12 o'clock a procession was formed which marched to the meeting- house, where an oration was pronounced by Perley Dodge, Esq. At the conclusion of the services in the meeting- house the company repaired to a booth on the common where a dinner had been provided by Mr. Hardy, to which
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ample justice was done. The two companies then paraded on the common and went through a variety of evolutions, evineing a high state of discipline, and at an early hour retired. The celebration passed off with a degree of good order and sobriety creditable to all concerned.
The " Amherst Lyceum," recently organized, was opened by a lecture from Dr. Amory Gale, 29 December, 1834.
7 January, 1835, a great fall of rain at night raised the small streams to a great height, and did considerable damage to bridges, mills, etc. The old county bridge was carried away. A portion of the dam at Milford village was swept away. The Kendrick bridge was made impassable, and the Fletcher bridge was for some time in great peril, but happily escaped injury.
The frame of a new meeting-house for the Unitarian and Universalist societies in Amherst was erected 17 June, 1835, under the direction of John Crombie, jr., of New Boston. Mr. Boylston said, in the Cabinet, that
"The raising went on with great facility, every thing being done decently and in order, without accident, and-without rum !"
The house, now the Baptist meeting-house, was dedicated 24 November, 1835, when a discourse, appropriate to the occasion, was preached by Rev. Lyman Maynard.
The New cemetery at Nashua was consecrated as a burial- płace 30 June, 1835. An exceedingly appropriate and able address was delivered, on this occasion, by Hon. Charles H. Atherton.
ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE.
A meeting was held at the court house in September, 1836, for the purpose of expressing an opinion respecting the establishment of an asylum for the insane in this State. Resolutions were passed in favor of the project, and the meeting was addressed by Hon. Charles H. Atherton and John L. Clarke, of Nashua. David Underhill, Dr. Amory
10
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Gale, and James Means, were appointed a committee to pre- pare a memorial to the legislature on the subject, and obtain signatures for the same.
On this subject the town voted, at a meeting held 7 November, 1836, to request the legislature to grant an appropriation for the construction of an asylum for the insane ; yeas 88, nays 2.
The season of 1836 was an unpropitious one for the farmers. The spring was backward, and a heavy frost came early in September, by which much of the corn was injured. The weevil destroyed much of the wheat. Other kinds of English grain were tolerably good, and the hay crop was a little better than it was the year before. Of potatoes there was scarcely a middling crop. Beef and wool were plenty, and brought good prices.
From 1836 to 1844 was the era of road building in Amherst. The growing town of Manchester demanded better facilities for reaching the shire town than were then possessed, and the road leading in that direction was straightened and put in good repair at a heavy expense. Local roads, demanded for the accommodation of the inhabitants in the eastern part of the town, were also built.
SURPLUS REVENUE.
18 February, 1837. The town voted that they would receive their portion of the surplus revenue of the United States, deposited or to be deposited with the State, on the terms and conditions prescribed in the law of this State, approved 13 January, 1837. David Stewart was appointed agent to receive said money and execute the certificate of deposit therefor required by said law.
The town also voted that the board of selectmen for the time being be authorized to loan said money, taking a note or notes, or other security therefor, payable on demand, with interest at six per cent.
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The amount of surplus revenue received by the town, with the interest on the same to 12 November, 1837, amounted, at that time, to $4,228.78, which amount and $124.71-making in the whole $4,347.79-was borrowed by the selectmen to pay the expense of rebuilding the Fletcher bridge, land damages, and building roads in the east part of the town ; and $4,295.07 of it was expended for those purposes, leaving a balance in their hands in March, 1838, of $52.42.
At a meeting held 30 March, 1839, the town voted that the principal and interest of the surplus revenue money should be used for the payment of money hired by the town, and authorized the selectmen to cancel the notes given for the same.
1837.
Many of the farmers in Amherst were engaged in the cultivation of hops, but the business was in a few years abandoned. Col. Stephen Peabody, of Milford, was the champion hop raiser of the county, his crop this year being 11,560 pounds from 5,000 hills, an unusual yield, the result of good cultivation of a fertile soil.
A financial crisis prevailed in the country during the summer and autumn of this year. There was no small silver change in circulation, and its want was severely felt. Fractional bills were issued by some of the banks to supply the want, but the practice was soon discontinued.
At a meeting held 13 March, 1838, the town voted unanimously that it was not expedient that the legislature should pass a law authorizing town-clerks to record deeds ; nays 201.
A great amount of damage was done by a storm of wind and rain, which occurred 26 January, 1839. The Pauper farm bridge was entirely carried away, and great losses in mills, bridges, etc., were reported on the Merrimack and Connecticut rivers and their tributaries.
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4 July, 1839. The day was celebrated by the Democratic Republicans of Amherst and the neighboring towns. A procession was formed, which marched, under escort of the Lafayette Riflemen, to the Universalist church, where an oration was pronounced by Hon. Charles G. Atherton, of Nashua, after which the company partook of a sumptuous dinner. Gov. Isaac Hill, Hon. Charles F. Gove, and other invited guests were present, and made specches, and all passed off pleasantly.
The rifle company, which appeared in its new uniform for the first time, marched to Milford at an early hour, to be present at the ceremony of presenting a stand of colors to the Milford Light Infantry.
3 September, 1839-evening. A brilliant display of the northern lights was noticed. A writer speaking of it, says- " Probably a more brilliant phenomenon has not been observed since the meteoric shower, 13 November, 1833."
1839 was the era of the great Rohan potatoes. Special pains were taken in their cultivation, and specimens of remarkable size were produced ; but it was soon found that with equally good care in cultivation other varieties were quite as productive, and of far better quality.
An enthusiastic meeting of the Whigs of Hillsborough County was held in Amherst 15 April, 1840. A log cabin from Nashua, with the usual appendages, made its appear- ance, Joseph Lakeman, a Revolutionary soldier, residing in Amherst, occupying it, and the " latch string was out." 1,000 or 1,500 people were present. David Steele, Esq., of Goffstown, presided, and addresses were made by the President, Daniel Clarke, of Manchester, Francis Hilliard, of Boston, and others. Delegates were chosen to attend the Young Men's Whig National Convention, to be held at Baltimore the following month.
The Whigs of Amherst and vicinity, to the number of about one hundred and fifty, partook of a supper at Nutt's tavern, on the evening of 2 December, 1840, in honor of
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their victory in the recent presidential election. Hon. Charles H. Atherton presided, and, after the supper was disposed of, addressed the meeting. Edmund Parker and Hubbard Newton, Esqs., also made short addresses.
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CHAPTER IX.
1840-1882. PROCEEDINGS OF THE TOWN, AND CURRENT EVENTS.
SHOWERS AND STORMS .- WINTER OF 1842-43. - RAILROAD MATTERS. - AMHERST STEAM MILL .- FAIR OF THE HILLS- BOROUGH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, 1851 .- BOUNDARIES OF THE FIRE PRECINCT. - TEMPERANCE MOVEMENTS. - COLD WINTER .- MEETING OF THE FRIENDS OF FREMONT AND DAY- TON .- CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION .- THE COLD MORNING OF 7 FEBRUARY, 1861 .- PRESENTATION OF A UNION FLAG .- THE LOYAL TOWN CLOCK .- "SOLID" MEN AND WOMEN OF AMHERST, 1864 .- THE AMHERST HOTEL .- THE GREAT RAIN STORM, OCTOBER, 1869 .- FIRST OBSERVANCE OF DECORATION DAY .- ALTERATION AND REPAIRS OF THE COURT-HOUSE .- CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION, 4 JULY, 1876 .- THE LIBRARY BELONGING TO THE AMHERST LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ACCEPTED BY THE TOWN .- THE "DARK DAY" OF SEPTEMBER, 1881 .- CHECK-LIST, MARCH, 1882.
Three severe thunder showers occurred 30 June, 1841. The second of these was accompanied by hail, which did an immense amount of damage. It was estimated that 20,000 lights of glass were broken in Amherst alone. Some of the hail stones were as large as good sized hen's eggs.
From the second to the sixth days of October, this year, a cold storm prevailed, during which some six inches of snow fell, which soon melted.
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The winter following was the mildest known for many years. Only about forty-two inches of snow fell during the whole season, and there was but little sleighing. About the middle of February there was a thunder shower, by which the roads were badly washed in some places.
December, 1841. A singular disease prevailed among the horses at this time. It was at first indicated by loss of appetite, followed by stiffness in the joints, running at the eyes and nose, fever, and swelling of the limbs and body. It was very contagious, and in many cases terminated fatally.
A terribly cold storm of wind and snow occurred 11 June, 1842, and at its close the ground was covered with snow to the depth of three or four inches. A high wind prevailed the next day, which would have done credit to November. In some places the corn was large enough to hoe, and apples had formed as large as peas ; but they sus- tained no serious damage.
Prices of farm products October, 1842 :
Hay, $7 to $8 per ton ; Butter, 16 to 18 cents per pound ; Potatoes, 20 cents per bushel ; Winter apples, $1 per barrel ; Other articles in proportion.
Gov. Hubbard was terribly behind-hand about Thanks- giving this year, the 22d day of December being appointed for that time-honored festival.
The winter of 1842-43 was a long and severe one. Sleighs were used until past the middle of April, and on the seventeenth of that month the snow was three fect deep on a level. It began to melt soon after, and, there being no frost in the ground, it disappeared rapidly, and farmers were sowing spring grain by the tenth of May. But very little fruit was raised that season.
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The Fifth regiment mustered in this town 27 September, 1844, and fully sustained its good character as one of the best regiments in the State. It was reviewed by Maj. Gen. John McNiel and staff.
16 December, 1844. Jonathan Herrick, Jonathan Herrick, jr., Henry Sanderson, William Leavitt, James Alexander, and Daniel Secombe, with the farms on which they lived, were severed from the cast district in Mont Vernon and annexed to school district, No. 8, in Amherst, for school purposes.
RAILROAD MATTERS.
Mr. Boylston began to agitate the matter of building a railroad to Amherst village at an early date. In the Cabinet of 9 September, 1836, he said :
" The Nashua and Lowell R. R. stock has all been taken up, princi- pally in the country, and the work is to be commenced without delay.
What hinders it being continued to Amherst ? Nothing, but the want of somebody to set about it in good earnest. There is plenty of capital yet left, and the people are all earnest to have it done, and it must be done."
An act incorporating the East Wilton Railroad com- pany was approved by the Governor 28 December, 1844. By the provisions of this act the company was authorized to construct a road from the Concord Railroad, at any point between the Souhegan river, in Merrimack, and the depot in Nashua, to Amherst village, thence through Milford to East Wilton, or from any point on the Nashua & Lowell Railroad to East Wilton.
By an act approved 8 July, 1846, Charles H. Atherton, John Nesmith, Perley Dodge, Israel Fuller, jr., Stephen Peabody, Barnabas B. David, Samuel B. Melendy, Aaron Lawrence, and their associates, were incorporated as the Souhegan Railroad company, and invested with the powers usually held by such corporations.
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By this charter the Concord Railroad corporation was authorized, with the consent of the Souhegan Railroad company, to construct a road from some point on the Concord Railroad, at Souhegan village, in Merrimack, to Amherst village, the expense of such construction to be added to the capital stock of said Concord Railroad corpo- . ration ; and the clause in the charter of the Wilton Railroad company authorizing the construction of a road by that corporation from Merrimack to Amherst was repealed.
The Souhegan Railroad company, having been organized, consented that the road should be constructed by the Concord Railroad company, agreeably to the provisions of the charter, and application having been made to the directors of that company for the purpose, a meeting of the stockholders was called, which was held 2 September, 1846, at which the matter of building the road was indefi- nitely postponed.
The subject was again brought before the stockholders at an adjourned meeting held at Nashua 1 October, 1846, at which the proposition to build the road was rejected on a stock vote, the yeas being 6,257, nays 6,322 Efforts were then made to raise money to enable the Souhegan company to build the road, and 26 Jan., 1847, Aaron Lawrence, Esq., treasurer of the corporation, reported that 2,527 shares of the stock had been taken at $50 a share. A sufficient amount of stock not being subscribed to build the road, no movement was made toward its construction.
In the meantime the East Wilton Railroad company was not idle. The law of the State making railroad corpora- tions public in certain cases was adopted by that corpora- tion, and the Railroad Commissioners were called upon to locate their road.
The report of the commissioners was made 26 November, 1845, in which they stated that, after examining the plans of the different routes proposed and hearing the statements of the parties interested, they were of opinion that the
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public good would be promoted by laying out a road from East Wilton, through Milford village, to Amherst plain, thence through the south-west part of Merrimack to the depot of the Nashua and Lowell Railroad company, at Nashville, the whole distance being about seventeen and one half miles, and they were of the opinion that the public good would be best promoted by laying it out in sections and at different times.
The first section of the road, from the depot in Nashville, was laid out, and the damages appraised by the Commis- sioners, 8 December, 1846.
At the annual town meeting in March, 1847, the repre- sentative of Amherst was requested to oppose the granting by the Legislature of any right or privilege to the East Wilton Railroad to construct or build any branch or spur to this town.
The Railroad Commissioners, at a meeting held 13 July, 1847, laid out another section of the East Wilton Railroad, extending from the section previously laid out to Merri- mack.
ACTION OF THE TOWN RELATIVE TO THE EAST WILTON RAILROAD.
At a meeting held 2 June, 1848, voted unanimously-
" That the town of Amherst does not consent to sell the right of way, nor that the Wilton Railroad corporation shall construct their road over any part of the pauper farm."
Resolved unanimously-
" That the town of Amherst does not consent that the Wilton Rail- road corporation shall lay their road over or across any public highway in the town, between South Merrimack and Danforth's corner, and that the selectmen be instructed to use all lawful means to prevent the same."
Charles H. Atherton, Nathan Dane, Barnabas B. David, Israel Fuller, jr., Richard Boylston, David Stewart, and
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Charles B. Tuttle, were appointed a committee to receive any communications which may be made in relation to the Wilton Railroad, and, if in their opinion any of such communications are of sufficient importance, they were instructed to lay them before the town. The clerk was directed to make a record of the doings of this meeting, so far as they related to the Wilton Railroad corporation, and transmit the same to Daniel Abbot, Esq., president of that corporation.
2 October, 1848. A communication from the directors of the Wilton Railroad corporation having been laid before the town, it was
" Voted, that the town of Amherst is willing to grant to the Wilton Railroad company, for building a railroad from Danforth's corner-so called-to Amherst plain, or the margin of it, the right of way through the town farm, on the most direct and suitable ground for said road, the said Wilton Railroad company fencing the way through said farm, in a good and sufficient manner, and keeping the said fence in good repair, and making and keeping in repair all such cattle paths and passage ways as the convenience of the farming inay require ; and upon the further condition that the said railroad from Danforth's corner to Amherst plain, or the margin of it, shall be built and in running order for cars and engines by the tenth day of Nov- ember in the year eighteen hundred and forty-nine, or the grant that may be made of the right of way shall be void and of no effect."
Barnabas B. David, Nathan Dane, David Stewart, Charles B. Tuttle, and Richard Boylston, were appointed a commit- tee to carry the preceding vote into effect, which they were authorized to do, and also, after the road was surveyed and staked through the farm, to agree with the company upon the damages to be paid the town, or in case they were unable to agree, the amount might be settled by reference or otherwise.
The cars commenced their regular trips between Dan- forth's corner and Nashua, 23 October, 1848.
The road from Merrimack to Danforth's corner was laid out by the commissioners 16 July, 1849.
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requested to appear and assist the board in making the appraisal of damages to the town of Amherst, in conse- quence of the road passing through the Pauper farm.
A communication was handed the board at the adjourned meeting, from Foster Wyatt and Daniel Fletcher, select- men of Amherst, in which they stated that one of the board of selectmen had left the State, and that they had called a meeting of the town, to be held on the 28th of the current month, to fill the vacancy in the board occasioned by his absence, and they requested that the consideration of the matter of damages might be postponed until after the election of another member of the board.
The selectmen not appearing at the adjourned meeting, the commissioners proceeded to appraise the damage to the town, which they fixed at $500, and on the 21st that amount was tendered, by the chairman of the commis- sioners, to Daniel Fletcher, one of the selectmen, and town treasurer, " who refused to take it."
At a subsequent meeting of the commissioners the road was laid out from Milford village to East Wilton, to which place it was built and opened 1 December, 1851.
By special orders from the superintendent's office, 31 May, 1866, the station at Danforth's corner is hereafter to be known as Amherst station.
17 February, 1845. Mr. Hardy, having relinquished the sale of intoxicating liquors at his bar and opened his hotel as a temperance house, a number of his friends called upon him that evening and partook of a supper. After the supper was disposed of Rev. Mr. Davis made a brief address to the company. Rev. Messrs. Haynes and Dodge spoke briefly. Songs by the Hutchinson family were inter- spersed, and all present enjoyed the occasion greatly.
Mr. Daniel F. Stevens also relinquished the sale of ardent spirits at his store about the same time.
At a meeting held 21 January, 1846, the town
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"Voted not to instruct the selectmen to license taverners to sell spirituous liquors."
Amherst and some of the neighboring towns were visited by a severe storm of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, 14 August, 1846, by which much damage was done. Hop poles were blown down and buildings unroofed. At Nashua the storm was still more severe and destructive, being accompanied by hail. Houses were unroofed ; trees uprooted, and much glass broken. The storm appears not to have extended over a large arca, as there was none in Hollis.
The State tax in 1846 was $341.40; the county tax, $524.65.
A considerable shock of an earthquake was felt at five o'clock on the morning of 25 August, 1846. Its course seemed to be from north-west to south-east, and it was noticed in many places in New Hampshire and Massachu- setts.
The subject of building a steam grist-mill in the town was agitated as early as 1832, and a meeting was called at Nutt's Hotel, 7 April of that year, for conference in regard to it. Nothing further was done until 1846. In the month of July of that year Samuel B. Melendy, Cyrus Eastman, and Francis Peabody, and their associates, were incorpo- rated as the "Amherst Steam Mill Company," with authority to use a capital not exceeding $50,000.
The company was organized promptly, and measures were at once taken for the erection of the necessary build- ings and machinery for carrying on the business of the corporation. A saw-mill went into operation on the 23d of February, 1847, and a grist-mill on the 1st of May follow- ing. Shortly after, a clapboard and shingle mill were completed.
The buildings consisted of a main building, or machine shop, 100 x 40 feet, of three stories, designed for manu- facturing purposes ; an engine house, 36 x 32 feet ; and a
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