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 32
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Joseph F. Crosby.
1818 James Bell, lieut. com'd'g.
9THI COMPANY, 5TH REGIMENT.
Captains of Amherst " West " company :
1786 Samuel Shepard.
Amos Elliott.
1793 William Stewart. Ednund Parker.
1797 Ebenezer Wakefield. 1815 Robert Read.
1799 Nathaniel Emerson. 1817 Thomas Wilkins.
1801 Thomas Whiting.
1821 Daniel Hartshorn.
1 02 Theophilus Page.
1824
Charles Richardson.
1806 David McG. Means.
The company was disbanded in January, 1825.
2D COMPANY, 5THI REGIMENT.
Captains of the "North-west Parish company," from 1786 to the incorporation of Mont Vernon, 1803.
1785 William Bradford, jr. 1799 John Batche'der.
1793 Moses Kimball. 1803 Benjamin Parker.
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THE MILITIA.
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13TH COMPANY, 5TH REGIMENT.
The company in the south-west parish included the militia in the south-west parish and those in "Duxbury" and the "Mile Slip." It was organized in the autumn of 1787, and the following officers were commissioned, 11 Sept., of that year :
Joshua Burnham, captain. Jaines Gilmore, 2d lieutenant.
Benjamin Lewis, 1st lieutenant. Joshua Mooar, ensign.
Capt. Burnham continued in command of the company until after the incorporation of Milford, in 1794.
The artillery company in the fifth regiment was organized early in the summer of 1794. The following officers were commissioned 13 June, of that year :
Luther Dana, of Amlierst, captain.
Benjamin Pool, of Hollis, 1st lieutenant.
Augustus Lund, of Dunstable, 2d lieutenant.
Other citizens of Amherst who commanded the company were 1807 John Secombe.
1816 James Shepard.
1810 Peter Patterson.
The cavalry company was organized about 1794, and Joseph Per- kins, jr., of Amherst, was commissioned as captain, 30 Dec., of that year.
Lt. Joseph Prince was probably the first commander of the militia in Amherst. His commission, now in the hands of one of his descendants, is as follows :
Benning Wentworth, Esq., Capt .- Gen.
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
PROVINCE OF and Governor-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of New Hampshire, in New England, &c.
To Joseph Prince, Gentleman, Greeting :
By virtue of the Power and Authority in and by His Majesty's Royal Commission to Me granted, to be Captain-General, &c., over this His Majesty's Province of New Hampshire, aforesaid, I do (by these Presents), reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage, and good Conduct, constitute and appoint You, the said .Joseph Prince, to be Lieutenant of the Seventh Company in the Sixth Regiment of Militia in the Province aforesaid, whereof Joseph Blan- chard, Esq., is Colonel.
You are, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of a lieutenant commanding, ordering, and exercising (the men under
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your command) in arms, (as Infantry) Soldiers, and to keep them in good Order and Discipline; hereby commanding them to obey you as their Lieutenant,-and yourself to observe and follow such Orders and Instructions as you shall from time to time receive from Me, or the Commander-in-Chief for the Time being, or other of your Supe- rior Officers for His Majesty's Service, according to Military Rules and Discipline pursuant to the Trust reposed in you.
L. S.
Given under my Hand and Seal at Arms, at Portsmouth, the 2d Day of December, in the Seventeenth Year of the Reign of Ilis Majesty, King George the Second, Anno Domini, 1743.
By His Excellency's Command,
B. WENTWORTH.
THEODORE ATKINSON, Secretary.
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BRIDGES ACROSS THE SOUHEGAN.
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CHAPTER XXIII.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
BRIDGES ACROSS THE SOUHEGAN .- THE SMALL-POX .- DEALINGS WITH THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS .- VOTES IN RELATION TO CROWS AND FISH .- BURYING-GROUNDS AND TOMBS .- ACCIDENTAL DEATHS .- BELLS AND CLOCKS .- THE POST-OFFICE .- TELE- GRAPH AND TELEPHONE .- NEWSPAPERS .- BANKS .- SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE TURNPIKE .- PIONEER BRICK-MAKERS .- CARD MANUFACTORY .- THE WHIP BUSINESS .- AMHERST SOCIAL LIBRARY .- THE "FRANKLIN SOCIETY."-THE "HANDELLIAN SOCIETY."-FREE MASONRY .- SOUHEGAN GRANGE .- UNITED ORDER OF THE GOLDEN CROSS .- FIRE RECORD .- HUNTERS' EX- PLOITS .- COLLEGE GRADUATES FROM AMHERST .- ATTORNEYS AND PHYSICIANS .- WITCH STORIES .- " CABINET " CLIPPINGS .- LOCAL NAMES.
BRIDGES ACROSS THE SOUHEGAN.
9 March, 1761, the town voted £50, old tenor, to repair the bridge across the Souhegan, near Capt. Ebenezer Parker's place, in Merrimack.
15 April, 1768, they voted that in future they would maintain one half of each of the three bridges crossing the Souhegan, and divided the town into three districts, each district to take care of the town's proportion of one of the bridges.
At a meeting held 17 June, 1799, Samuel Wilkins, Rob- ert Means, and Jacob Taylor, a committee appointed to view the road from Kendrick's bridge to his house, reported that it would be very expensive to wharf against the river 28
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so as to make it sure and safe passing where the road now runs, and considering that the bridge would have to be re- built soon, they suggested the propriety of examining the ground at a point some twenty or twenty-five rods west of the present bridge, where they thought a dry and safe road might be had at all seasons of the year, with a view of changing the direction of the road to that place, and build- ing the new bridge on that site.
After hearing the report, the town voted to continue the travel on the road, as now built, for the present, and directed the selectmen to examine the ground, and, if they thought it advisable, to lay out a new road on the route indicated by the committee.
16 November, 1801, David Danforth, Lieutenant Timothy Nichols, and Mr. Jesse Stevens, were appointed a committee to inspect the Kendrick bridge, which they were directed to proceed to rebuild as soon as they thought it best to do so. The sum of three hundred dol- lars was appropriated at this meeting to defray the expense of rebuild- ing the bridge.
4 November, 1816, the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars was voted to defray the expense of repairing the Kendrick bridge.
3 September, 1825, the sum of three hundred dollars was appropri- ated toward paying the expense of rebuilding the Kendrick bridge.
23 January, 1823, the selectmen were appointed a committee to super- intend the erection of a new bridge near Maj. Joseph Fletcher's.
At the same meeting the selectmen were appointed agents for the town to defend the suit brought against it by Henry Clark, on account of the failure of the bridge near Mr. John Mack's, and at a meeting held 4 March, 1826, they were directed to prosecute the appeal claimed in said action, at the last term of the Court of Common Pleas, and cause the same to be tried in the Superior Court.
A cause for the failure of the bridge may be inferred from the fol- lowing item, taken from the Cabinet of 23 Dec., 1830. Loads of a similar character were, and had for some time been, quite common :
" Ilenry Clark, of New Boston, drew a load from Boston to Amherst, this week, with five horses, weighing, including carriage, six tons and four hundred pounds."
The average weight of his horses was 1049 pounds.
7 November, 1836, a committee was appointed to inquire into the expediency of building a new bridge across Souhegan river, near Capt.
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BRIDGES ACROSS THE SOUHEGAN.
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Daniel Fletcher's. They were directed to ascertain the probable ex- pense of building a stone bridge; also the expense of a wooden bridge ; the nature of the ground on which the bridge was to be built ; the width of the stream ; and other particulars necessary to give the town a right understanding of the subject, and report at the next meeting. 5 December, 1836, another committee was appointed, who were directed to ascertain, as near as possible, the cost of a stone bridge ; a wooden bridge : or a chain bridge. On the 24th of the same month the committee reported that a good stone bridge could be built for 83500, provided the town would find stone and gravel. A good wooden bridge they estimated might be built for $1500. They had not been able to get much information as to the cost of a chain bridge, but were of opinion that it would be inexpedient to erect one. A bridge like the one then in use could be built for $800. Having made all the inquiries in their power, in regard to the cost of the different kinds of bridges, they referred the matter to the town for their deci- sion which to adopt.
After hearing the report of the committee, the town voted to build a covered bridge, after Towne's patent, the ensuing year, and ap- pointed William Melendy, John Secombe, and Samuel Goss, a com- mittee to let out the procuring of the materia's and superintend the building of said bridge.
The bridge was accordingly built the following year under the su- perintendence of Mr. Ford Pollard. Its cost, as reported by the com- mittee, was $3061.62. It still stands, after forty-four years' service.
13 March. 1839, John Secombe. Samuel Goss, and Israel Fuller, jr. were appointed a committee to examine and report on the coalition of the bridge near the pauper farm ; the location of the same: what kind of a bridge it was expedient to build in that place; and the prob- able cost of the same.
The town, 30 March, 1839, voted not to accept the plan for a bridge, reported by the committee, but voted to build a stone bridge, and ap- pointed William Melendy, Samuel Nutt, and Josiah Russell, a building committee, and instructed them to ascertain the probable cost of building the bridge, and report at some future meeting.
13 April, 1839, the town voted to reconsider the vote to build a stone bridge ; voted not to repair the old bridge ; and, lastly, voted to build a stone bridge.
Voted to adjourn for two weeks, then to meet at this place, at which time the committee were directed to report a plan for a stone bridge.
At the adjourned meeting, 27 April, voted to reconsider the vote to build a stone bridge, and appointed Israel Fuller, jr., John Secombe, and Samnel Goss, a committee to contract for the building of a sub-
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stantial wooden bridge, the same to be completed by the 1st of July, next, and the committee were directed to avail themselves of the re- mains of the old bridge, so far as they might be serviceable in the construction of the new one.
Voted, also, that the furnishing of all lumber required for the new bridge be let at anction, to the lowest bidder, and the selectmen were authorized to raise, by loan, a sum not exceeding $800 to defray the expense of building the bridge. The expense of building this bridge was reported, in March, 1840, to have been $620.18.
17 September, 1853, a committee, consisting of the selectmen, Capt. Daniel Hartshorn and Oliver Carter, was appointed to examine into the state of the bridge at the pauper farm, and report at some future meeting the probable expense of rebuilding the same with stone or wood.
At a meeting held 1 October, 1853, the committee was anthorized to build such a bridge as they saw fit, but were directed to get proposals for building a stone bridge.
A wooden bridge was built soon after, at an expense of $1310.83. At the annual meeting, in March of the following year, the selectmen were instructed to cause the sides of the bridge to be covered, which was done at an expense of $409.24.
At the annual meeting, in March, 1861, the selectmen were directed to make all necessary repairs upon the bridge at the pauper farm.
At the annual meeting, held in March, 1864, the selectmen were authorized to build a new bridge over the river, near the pauper farm, should it be for the interest of the town so to do.
The selectmen accordingly employed Mr. Dutton Woods to build the bridge, for doing which he was paid $2000.
This bridge is now standing and bids fair to do duty for many years.
THE SMALL-POX.
At a meeting held 20 March, 1780, the town voted that their selectmen desire the doctors to desist from inoculating with the small-pos, and notify them that they would incur the displeasure of the town if they did not desist.
In answer to a petition of several inhabitants of the town, asking that a pest-house might be established for the proper treatment of this disease, the town voted, at a meeting held 20 Sept., 1792, "not to suf- fer a pest-house, for the accommodation of the small-pox, in the said town of Amherst."
437
THE SMALL-POX.
XXIII.]
Another application for the same purpose was made shortly after, with the same result.
12 November, 1792, Robert Fletcher and others, having been inocu- lated with the small-pox, Daniel Campbell, Esq., Dea. Samuel Wilkins, Samuel Dana, Esq., Nathan Kendall, and Joshua Lovejoy, were ap- pointed a committee to examine into their conduct, and to prevent oth- ers from doing the same if in their power.
19 March, 1793, the committee reported " that they have attended to that service, and, upon the most careful inquiry and best information obtained, are of opinion that said Fletcher and others, who had the small- pox, in this town, the fall past, were highly reprehensible; but when we consider their peculiar suffering, that one sorrowful instance of mor- tality happened among them, and others were severely visited with the disorder, beside the great expense (greater than usual), we think it would be adding affliction to the afflicted if they should be further noticed in the matter; and therefore we recommend the town to pass over the offence without any further marks of resentment than to let others know that a similar error will not be passed with like lenity."
The report was read, but we are not informed that any action was taken upon it. Probably the matter was dropped by general con- sent.
29 January, 1840. At a town meeting held this day, the selectmen were authorized to appoint an agent, or agents, to vaccinate, as soon as may be, all the inhabitants of the town who had not had the kine or small-pox, and to re-vaccinate all those who may wish it, and where it will, in their opinion, give greater security against the small-pox, the agent or agents to take such districts, or portions of the town for their practice as they can agree upon among themselves.
The agents were to keep a list of the persons vaccinated, and the num- ber of visits they made to each person, and report the same in writing to the selectmen, with the names of those, if any, who, at the time of making their report, they have reason to believe have had neither the kine nor small-pox; which report the selectmen were to lay before the town, at the next meeting after it was made.
After the performance of these services, the selectmen were author- ized to pay such agent or agents, for their services, a sum not exceed- ing ten cents for each person vaccinated.
The three physicians then resident in town, were appointed agents, agreeably to the above vote, and their bills for services amounted to $91.09.
Since that time several cases of the small-pox have occurred in town, but its appearance now excites little alarm. The practice of vaccination with the kine-pox, warmly advocated by Dr. Spalding, on
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HISTORY OF AMHERST.
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his settlement here, has robbed this terrible disease of its terrors, and the fears entertained of it in the olden time seem to us alnost ridicu- lous.
DEALINGS WITH DOMESTIC ANIMALS. VOTES IN RELATION TO CROWS AND FISH.
Unruly cattle were a plague to the elders, and we find them building a pound and adopting by-laws at an early date, to keep the vagrant cows, sheep, and swine, in order.
At the annual meeting, March, 1792, an effort was made to keep them off the common. A by-law was adopted, by which the luck- less citizen, whose cows trespassed thereon at any time between the first day of May and the first day of November, in any year, be- came liable to a fine of two shillings a head for every day or part of a day they were found within its precincts. If his sheep transgressed the by-law, one shilling a head per day or part of a day, for the time they trespassed, paid the penalty.
Probably the snow-drifts, that usually abounded between the first of November and the first of May, were deemed to be a sufficient pro- tection that part of the year. As to the swine, they were ordered to be kept in strict confinement at all seasons of the year. If they pre- sumed to show themselves upon the common at any time, their owner was to be called upon to pay two shillings per head for every day or part of a day they transgressed.
6 July, 1778, John Stewart, Benjamin Davis, and William Odall, were appointed a committee to see to the building of a pound ; said pound to be forty feet square, and to be built on the north-west cor- ner of the common, north-west of the meeting-house, which would fix the locality nearly in front of the house now occupied by Mrs. Conant. At a later date the selectmen were instructed to cause one thirty-two feet square to be built of stones.
As the crows troubled them, the fathers, 15 March, 1782, voted to pay twenty-five cents per head for every one killed within the limits of the town, provided the person claiming the bounty produced two substantial witnesses to testify that they were so killed.
13 March, 1809, as provision had been made for repairing the fence around the burying-ground, they ordered the sexton to impound "any creature " that might be found doing damage within that inclosure after the repairs were completed.
In March, 1819, they thought the finny inhabitants of Babboosuck needed looking after, and voted their approval of a law being passed
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DEALINGS WITH DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
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prohibiting the taking of fish from that pond, through the ice, or with lances, spears, seines, or nets, at any time.
11 March, 1828, they voted that no hogs, sheep, neat cattle, or horses, should be allowed to go at large in the public highways, and ap- pointed a committee to prepare by-laws to secure the enforcement of their vote; but at a meeting held 16 June following, they refused to adopt any by-laws for that purpose, and discharged the committee ap- pointed to draft them, from any further service in that direction.
After all the votes and by-laws passed, the poor man's cow was tol- erably secure in the "long pasture." Occasionally she was pelted with brick-bats, stones, or apples, by Young America, or worried by dogs and war-like ganders, but these proceedings were promptly rc- buked by those in authority, and the spirit that "tarred and feath- ered " old skipper Ireson, would have been raised among the fairer half of creation, had she been committed to the pound.
Fifty years ago the pound was located in the corner of the field east of the Manchester road, near the Chickering bridge. About 1830 the title of the town to the land on which it stood was called in question, and at the annual meeting that year, the selectmen were directed to investigate the subject and make report at the next meeting.
At the adjourned meeting, held 25 March, they made a verbal report, and were directed to repair the old pound on the old spot. The ques- tion of ownership was not settled, and at a meeting held 22 Nov., 1831, the selectmen were directed to make still further investigations, and lay the result of their labors before the town at some future time.
11 March, 1832, the selectmen were directed to continue their re- searches, and if they found the land was owned by other parties, they were authorized to agree with them for its use.
13 March, 1839, the town voted that no neat cattle or swine should be allowed to go at large in town this year, and the surveyors of high- ways were elected field-drivers in their respective districts, and the selectmen were directed to administer the oath as field-drivers to each one when he took his oath as surveyor.
At the annual meeting, in March, 1854, the town adopted the law prohibiting horses, &c., from running at large, and voted the penalty for its violation should be, for every horse, $3, horned cattle, $2, sheep and swine, $1 each, to be collected of their owners.
At the annual meeting, in March, 1881, the town voted to dispose of the " pound," and the selectmen were authorized to do it in any way they might think best.
Its remains are now (1882) to be seen near the south-west corner of the new cemetery, by the side of the road leading to Mr. Druker's dwelling-house.
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Eighty-five years ago, sheep and lambs were hired for a term of years ; records of some transactions of this kind have been preserved, which we give.
7 January, 1797, one sheep and two ewe lambs were let for three years. The same munber of sheep and lambs, of as good quality as those taken, were to be returned to the owner at the end of that time, and one pound of good merchantable wool was to be paid annu- ally, in the month of June, for rent.
In another instance two ewes and one ewe lamb were hired for four years, at the end of which time three ewes and three ewe lambs of as good quality as those hired were to be returned.
BURYING-GROUNDS AND TOMBS.
A committee was appointed by the proprictors of the township, at a meeting held 1 May, 1735, to lay out, among other things, a suitable spot for a public burying-place. The acceptance of the report of this committee, made shortly after, is the last recorded action of the proprietors in regard to a burying-place.
The town, at a meeting held 8 March, 1762, voted to raise £250, old tenor, to defray the expenses of inclosing their burying-ground and purchasing a burying-cloth ; and they voted that the said burying- cloth be kept at Mr. Solomon Hutchinson's.
Solomon Hutchinson and Samuel Stewart were appointed a com- mittee to purchase the cloth and see to fencing the yard.
Mr. Hutchinson is said to have lived on the spot where Mrs. Daniel Hartshorn now lives. His honse was burned not long after.
15 June, 1768. The town voted to exchange a piece of land belong- ing to the burying-ground lot, for another piece belonging to Mr. Jonathan Smith, which lay adjoining said lot.
Most likely the piece received from Mr. Smith lay on the east side of the old burying-ground, as now fenced in, while the piece he re- ceived in exchange lay on the north end of the lot, which would give him a better opportunity to pass to his mill, and the town received a piece better adapted for burial purposes.
At a meeting held 5 August, 1773, the town appointed Nahum Baldwin and John Stewart, a committee to fence in the burying- ground, and directed that a faced stone wall be built in front, facing the road, and that posts and rails be used for fencing the other sides of the yard.
·
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BURYING-GROUNDS AND TOMBS.
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At a meeting held 11 March, 1806, the town voted to build a hearse house, and appointed the selectmen a committee to see to its erection. They also voted to raise fifty dollars to pay the expense of building the house.
13 February, 1809. The town voted to repair the fence around the burying-ground, and authorized the selectmen to get it done.
At the annual meeting in March, 1821, the selectmen were appoint- ed a committee to consider the expediency of purchasing land for a new burying-ground, determine the most suitable place therefor, ascer- tain at what price the land may be bought, and report the same at the next meeting.
March, 1823. Clifton Claggett, Robert Read, and Edmund Parker, were appointed a committee to ascertain some suitable piece of land for a burying-ground, that may be purchased, and for what price, and report at some future meeting.
March, 1824. Robert Means and Ephraim Blanchard were added to the committee chosen last year, and the committee were directed to make further arrangements in regard to a piece of land for a burying-ground.
21 June, 1824. The committee reported that Samuel Dana, Esq., of Groton, Mass., would sell to the town such a quantity of land as they wanted for a burying-ground, from the land he owned in Amherst, lying on the north or south side of the road leading from the vestry to the farm owned by Rev. Jeremiah Barnard.
At the same meeting Edmund Parker, Eber Lawrence, Clifton Claggett, William Fisk, and Nathan Kendall, were appointed a com- mittee to purchase from said Dana a piece of land from the east end of his lot, which lies south of said road, in front of the vestry, not ex- ceeding five acres, for the above purpose, the price not to exceed twenty dollars per acre, and that they procure a title of the same from said Dana, and lay the same out in the most suitable manner.
This effort seems to have been a failure, as the town voted, 13 March, 1827, to refer the subject of the purchase of land for a burying-ground to the selectmen.
22 May, 1827. The town voted to purchase a lot of land on the west end of the lot owned by Samuel Dana, Esq., on the north side of the road passing by the vestry, for a grave-yard for the use of the town, being the same that Edmund Parker purchased of said Dana, and that the selectmen be a committee to make the purchase and erect a suitable fence around the same.
11 March, 1828. Solomon Barron, Isaac Colby, Levi Dodge, Otis Fletcher, Robert Fletcher, Joseph Harvel, John Haseltine, Charles Melendy, Luther Melendy, Nathaniel Melendy, Perley Raymond, and
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