USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Andover > History of the town of Andover, New Hampshire, 1751-1906, Part I > Part 15
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This was evidently for the accommodation of "town meeting folks. "'
The tavern at Andover Centre, occupied successively by Bean,
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HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
Walker and by Henry and Simeon S. Moulton, was built by Samuel Butterfield in 1828-'29. Elijah Cilley owned a small house in the village, which he managed for several years as a tavern.
In 1826 Mr. Butterfield bought the place of Cilley's estate, tore down the house and built on the same site the best public house in town. Fortunate in landlords, the tavern soon became the most popular house from Coneord to the Connecticut River.
THE PROCTOR HOUSE.
In 1875 Hon. John Proctor, who had acquired the hotel prop- erty in the village, projected and built a first-class country hotel, complete in design and finish, and a credit and honor to himself and his native town. This was a three-story building, with a frontage of 112 feet. An east and a west wing extended north- erly 119 feet. It contained large parlors, assembly rooms and dining rooms, with 125 guest rooms, all heated with steam. A large stable provided the finest livery accommodations in town. Fortunate from the first in the management, it soon became very popular as a summer hotel. and after two years all the rooms were engaged eight months in advance.
At the beginning, Mr. John S. Thompson, a noted hotel man with wide experience. became the manager and continued in that capacity until his death, in 1879. After that date the hotel was under the management of Mrs. J. S. Thompson and Mr. W. D. Thompson.
The famous "Shaker law suit" was, perhaps, the most notable oeeurrence at this hotel. The time consumed and the high character of the legal talent employed would have been note- worthy in any section of the state.
The case was that of Conant and Davis v. The Enfield Shak- ers. for settlement of an account.
The case was heard by Judge Isaac W. Smith, a. eourt auditor. Austin F. Pike and Isaae N. Blodgett appeared for the plaintiff and J. Y. Mugridge. H. W. Green and Harry Bingham were counsel for the Shakers. The examination of the account and the spirited contentions over some of the items occupied about six weeks, while the lengthy arguments of the counsel and other features consumed about three weeks more, or in all from Decem- ber 23. 1878, to February 28, 1879.
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BUSINESS MATTERS.
During a very severe storm in August, 1878, the lightning struck the west end of the large hotel stable, damaging the building slightly, prostrating one or two men employed about the stable and killing a pig. The hotel people and the guests were somewhat frightened, but no person was injured. Upon the following Sunday the following note was sent to the pastor of the church :
"The Proprietor, guests and all connected with the Proctor House request that Public Thanksgiving be offered to the Almighty God for the preservation of life and property during the storm of Friday morning last."
Accordingly the morning religious service was properly adapted to the peculiar exigencies of the case.
This hotel was the scene of many social gatherings, among them two which were specially noteworthy.
The first was on September 8, 1875, to celebrate the twenty- fifth anniversary of the wedding of the proprietor of the hotel, Col. John S. Thompson, and Charlotte A. S. Woodman.
The second occasion was on September 20, 1880, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the wedding of the owner of the hotel, Hon. John Proctor, and Elizabeth Conant.
On both occasions the capacity of the hotel was taxed to its utmost with the entertainment of guests, many from distant towns and cities, and the anniversaries will be long remembered.
The whole town and hundreds of former guests suffered a great loss by the burning of the hotel on March 23, 1882. There was no insurance and no effort to rebuild was made. For almost 100 years the village was for the first time without a tavern.
DRINKING AND TEMPERANCE.
From the standpoint of the modern "prohibitionist," it is not easy to understand the attitude of the early settlers of this town towards the use of distilled and fermented liquors.
From a careful consideration of all available testimony, it seems probable that at least ninety or ninety-five per cent. of all the male adults in town before 1820 drank more or less alcoholic liquor.
The dedication of a church, the installation of a pastor, the building of a log house, or the raising of the frame of a more
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HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
pretentious structure. all were occasions for generous, some- times almost unlimited, conviviality. Births. marriages and deaths were universally considered proper seasons for indulgence in copious draughts of brandy, rum or strong wines.
When making pastoral visits the minister, on entering the house, and before engaging in the usual social courtesies and the semi-religious ehat of such calls. refreshed himself with a little "toddy." generally mixed by himself, and on leaving his hos- pitable hosts he frequently took another "bracer" to protect himself from the cold or heat of our whimsical climate.
No funeral was conducted and no marriage celebrated at the bride's home until the minister had taken his "toddy," and generally something of the same sort was needed after the cere- mony for comfort and recuperation.
The wife of Capt. Josiah Bachelder objected vigorously to the location of the church near the captain's house, on Taunton Hill. "If the meeting house is built here," she said. "we shall be expected to keep a bar for the accommodation of the ministers,. and I won't have a bar in my house."
It was then the custom for everybody to drink, and when New England rum could be bought for fifty cents per gallon it was comparatively easy to get enough for "comfort."
In 1820 the selectmen issued a warning "to all tavern keepers and retailers in this town. . . not to sell or give any . ardent spirits to any person or persons after they had drank suf- ficient for comfort." Even in those days the liquor traffic was not without its humorous phases.
The first residents took great pains to foster the growth of apple trees. At first they were simply seedlings, but they flour- ished in the virgin soil and in due time produced many varieties, most of them better fitted for the eider mill than for the table. Soon cider became a common beverage and enormous quantities were consumed.
It is related that a farmer in the eastern section of the town needed. in the hurry of "spring's work." a man to shovel manure. A neighbor. named Gove. having little work on hand, offered to work one day for his meals and a drink of cider for each load shovelled. Each time the cart was loaded he presented himself at the door of the house and the good housewife handed him a quart pitcher of cider. which he immediately drank. That
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BUSINESS MATTERS.
day he loaded the cart twenty times. At the close of the day's labor the farmer spoke of the good work done and asked Gove if he would like a drink of cider. He said "yes," and he drank another quart as he started for his home.
A farmer on Beech Hill put thirty barrels of cider into his cellar in November. His family consisted of four persons. Be- fore "planting time," in May, he began to buy cider.
Simeon Rollins, of the Flag Hole district, put eighty barrels of cider into his cellar in November and it was reported that he declared that "Granny and I brought it all out of the cellar in a mug during the winter and spring."
The confirmed cider drinker would sometimes drink enough to intoxicate three ordinary men, at least. A small farmer on Beech Hill would drink a quart of cider without moving the pitcher from his lips, and with no outward sign of swallowing; the cider ran down his throat continuously as if it had been a large rubber tube.
This general habit of drinking liquors and cider soon devel- oped a class of people with weak wills and little self-control, and gross excesses were not uncommon in that limited class.
Such courses were matters of serious anxiety in the com- munity; frequent complaints were made to the selectmen of the conduct of certain persons, and combined, as well as individual, efforts were made to reform habits that were fast wrecking homes as well as individuals.
The following two papers are given as samples of the interest in such matters and of the methods employed :
To the overseers of the Poor in the Town of Andover:
Gentlemen: We the undersigned having in view the general good of the Town and each of its inhabitants beg leave to represent to you that Wm. Tossey, in our opinion, is squandering his time and money at the taverns and grog sellers in a very unbecoming manner and pray that you would take some method to stop it.
Benjamin Cilley William Proctor Jr.
Tilton Elkins George W. Thompson Ebenezer Chase Peter Fifield Joseph Whitcher
Samuel Elkins
Philip Mitchel
Daniel Mitchel
Jere. E. Tirrill
Enoch E. Tirrill
Elijah Cilley Stephen Cilley
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HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
It is interesting to note that the names of two tavern keepers, at least, are signed to the above petition.
Articles of Agreement made and concluded this nineteenth day of August A. D. 1844 by and between Josiah Elkins of Andover in the County of Merrimack and State of New Hampshire on the one part and John Forsaith of the said Andover on the other part.
The said Forsaith doth hereby promise and agree with the said El- kins, that he, the said Forsaith, will wholly abandon and renounce and continue to abandon the use of all kinds of ardent and distilled spirits, cider and all other stimulating drink. And in consideration thereof the said Elkins does promise and agree to give said Forsaith the two cows now in said Forsaith's possession on condition that said Forsaith shall fulfil and continue to fulfil his aforesaid promise, and if the said For- saith should return to his former habits of the use of ardent spirits cider or other distilled or ardent spirits then the said Elkins shall have the right to take possession of said Cows and convert them to his own use. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this nineteenth day of august, A. D. 1844.
Signed sealed and delivered
in presence of S. Butterfield Wm. Proctor
(signed) John Forsaith
(signed ) Josiah Elkins
No special temperance work. peculiar to this town, has ever been undertaken. The usual irregular and spasmodic agitation has appeared from time to time. young people's "bands." "leagues," etc., have interested the rising generations, while some of the parents have done the most effective work by prop- erly training their children to cultivate self-respect and the power of self-control. The first formal temperance address in town was delivered at the East Andover meeting-house, Novem- ber 25, 1832. Elders Elijah Watson and Alvah Buzzell were present, but the name of the speaker is not given in Elder Wat- son's journal.
This town has lived through the different experiments which the state Legislature has been pleased to make with almost every form of license, temperance and prohibitory law, and now the loeal conditions, with a less number of liquor-selling taverns, are about what they were in the middle of the last century.
Some men do not drink alcoholie liquor because they have no desire for it. Others generally refrain. deeming the habit un-
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BUSINESS MATTERS.
safe and unwise. Others drink occasionally, seldom to excess, while others give free rein to their appetites and become intoxi- cated whenever the opportunity occurs. Happily, the second class seems to be inereasing, though the rate is far too slow. This serious problem, however, is still unsolved, and the solution in this town is not yet in sight.
ANDOVER SOLDIERS.
THE LOUISBURG CAMPAIGN.
In the successful expedition against Louisburg, in 1745, New Hampshire furnished about 500 soldiers, or about one eighth of the entire force. Col. Samuel Moore, one of the Masonian pro- prietors, commanded one regiment, containing 360 New Hamp- shire men; the remaining 140 were attached to Massachusetts regiments. Unfortunately most of the muster rolls of the regi- ments have been lost. From one of Colonel Moore's muster rolls it has been found that the following proprietors, to whom the territory forming New Breton was granted, served in the expe- dition against the "Dunkirk of America :"
In Captain Williams' company: Edmund Brown, ensign; Robert Calf. sergeant : Nason Cass, John Marston, Benjamin Shaw, David Lowell, Daniel Cram, John Sanborn, John Ellis, privates.
In Captain Prescott's company: Ezekiel Worthen, ensign; Joseph Weare. ensign : David Page, Benjamin Tilton, Joseph Prescott. John Chapman. Nathan Dow, John Prescott, Samuel Blake, William Swain. privates.
John Tufton Mason, who sold his elaim to the New Hampshire lands to the "Masonian Proprietors," was at one time a captain in Moore's regiment at Louisburg, and later a grantee of land in New Breton, owning half of lot thirty-six in the second range, and half of lot thirty-six in the fourth range.
Dr. Anthony Emery was a surgeon in the Louisburg expe- dition. and later owned the lots numbered sixty-nine in the first range and those numbered sixty-nine in the third range.
Samuel Scribner. who settled in Salisbury and afterwards moved to Andover, and William Morey, an early settler in New Breton, were privates in Captain Light's company in Moore's regiment.
Joseph Philbrick was in Captain Light's company, later set- tled on Taunton Hill.
Thomas. father of Jonathan Cilley, was also a soldier in the Louisburg campaign.
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MILITARY AFFAIRS.
Joseph Prescott, Samuel Blake and Nathan Rowe, Louisburg soldiers, moved to New Breton and lived here. No record of Joseph Prescott's family has been found.
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS.
The following original proprietors of New Breton served in some of the expeditions to Crown Point, Fort Edward, etc .: At Fort Edward and at No. 4, in Charlestown, N. H .: Benja- min Shaw, Nathaniel Bachelder, Thomas Cilley, Samuel Blake.
Other soldiers who served at various times and either went from New Breton or afterwards settled or owned land there, were :
Anthony Emery, a surgeon and also a lieutenant, in Col. Jos. Blanchard's regiment, in 1755, for Crown Point.
At Crown Point in 1756: Elias Raino, Abba Brown, Samuel Scribner.
At Crown Point in 1757: Lient. Abba Brown, Paul S. Mars- ton, Samuel Scribner, William Blake, Edward Ladd.
Served in 1758: Lieut. Abba Brown, Edward Ladd, William Blake, and, possibly, Joseph Chandler.
Served in the expedition to Canada in 1759: Thomas Cilley, Benjamin Randall, William Blake, Samuel Sleeper.
Some of the above men served in Rogers' Rangers, but the dates and length of service are not now known.
The French and Indian War ended in 1760.
ANDOVER AND THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
When an open rupture of the hitherto peaceful relations be- tween the American colonies and the British government became imminent, steps were taken immediately to establish intimate and cordial relations among all the scattered settlements in New Eng- land. To this end "committees of safety" were named in all the towns. In 1775 a Committee of Safety was appointed in New Breton to take charge of all the interests of the colonies in the town, and to supervise generally the local relations with the great revolutionary movement. This committee consisted of :
Samuel Blake, Paul Smith Marston, Thomas Blake, Joseph Severance and Moses Clough.
The members of this committee were locally known as "Safety Men."
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HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
From the time of their appointment until the town was ineor- porated as Andover, in 1779, the committee had entire charge of recruiting soldiers in this town for the American army.
At first the Provincial authorities furnished each town with powder, lead, flints, ete., according to the number of citizens liable to be called upon for military duty.
In comparison with the outfit of the modern soldier, it may be interesting to consider the equipment deemed necessary at the period of the War of the Revolution. On September 19. 1776. the Legislature of New Hampshire passed an aet forming and regulating the militia of the state. Article VI of that aet reads .as follows :
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid That each and every officer & private soldier of said Militia not under the control of Parents, Masters or guardians, and being of sufficient ability therefor in the judgment of the selectmen of the Town wherein he has his usual place of abode, shall equip himself and be constantly provided with a Good Fire Arm, good Ramrod, a Worm, Priming Wire & Brush and a Bayonet fitted to his Gun, a Scabbard & Belt therefor and a cutting Sword or a Tomahawk or Hatchett, a Pouch containing a cartridge Box that will hold fifteen Rounds of Cartridges at least, a hundred Buck Shot, a Jack Knife and Tow for wadding, Six Flints, one pound of Powder, forty Leaden Balls fitted to his Gun a Knapsack & Blanket a Canteen or Wooden Bottle sufficient to hold one Quart.
The following paper was endorsed "Requisition from the committee of New Brittain for powder firearms and lead."
To the honorable general Court of New Hampshire,-
Please to deliver to the bearer of this the Powder and lead and flints that is allowed for the town of New Brittain and in so doing you will oblige your Humble Servants,
Paul S. Marston) Nathan Rowe Assessors
Peter Weare
New Britton
July 8, 1776.
December 23, 1776 .- "Voted to take the money that was raised for the County Rate in the year 1774 to pay for part of the powder and lead that is now in town."
March 14, 1777 .- "The town voted to pay to those men who went to the Concord fight ten dollars each."
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MILITARY AFFAIRS.
This must refer to the men who started for Cambridge imme- diately upon the arrival of the news of the conflict at Concord and Lexington, but who were not in that fight.
April 5, 1777 .- "The town voted to raise 45 pounds lawful money to use in procuring men for the Continental army."
Nathan Rowe and Moses Clough were chosen a committee to hire the men.
January 22, 1778, New Breton appropriated the sum of $200, to defray the expense of "sending men into the Revolutionary service."
March 30, 1778 .- "Received of the selectmen of New briton for the year 1777 three Pounds, one Shilling, seven pence, three farthings, for going to Main to hire two men for the Conti- nental Army. Moses Clough."
"Paid to the two men that Moses Clough hired to List into the Continental Army, 72 Pounds."
"Paid John Raino for listing into the Continental Army, 15 pounds."
July 13, 1779, just after incorporation as the town of Ando- ver. the town voted to pay $500 to each of two more men who would serve during the war.
The town had incurred various debts on account of the war, and on August 31, 1780, it voted "to raise so much money as the town has been out to the war or what the whole accounts amount to of all that has been done."
Several individuals had incurred considerable expense in sup- porting the war, and it was thought equitable that all the tax- payers should join in paying these expenses.
In 1781 the town paid Joseph Tucker one shilling and ten pence for "going in the army." This was evidently a small balance due him on some account.
In 1782 the town paid Ezekiel Fellows, "for serving in the army." 18 shillings. This was evidently a small balanee.
In 1782 paid Joseph Chandler, for hiring soldiers, 6 shillings, 3 pence.
In 1782 paid Josiah Haines, for going in the army, £5, 10 shillings.
In 1782 paid Joshua Danford. for going in the army, £6.
June 10, 1782 .- "Voted to give Joshua Danford. now in the
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HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
army, the value of a yoke of six foot oxen for his service when he is lawfully discharged from the army."
January 20, 1783 .- "Voted to give John Rowe three eows a year during the time he shall serve for this town in the army."
February 17, 1783 .- "Voted to give Joshua Danford two hun- dred dollars for his service in the army."
"Voted not to give John Ash anything."
In 1783 the town paid John Raino, for going to Cambridge and "for going in the service," £4 15s. 0d.
The news of the opening fight at Concord and Lexington reached New Breton on April 21, 1775, and Joseph Fellows, Ezekiel Lunt, Joseph Tucker, William Blake, Josiah Scribner, and John Raino started promptly, armed and equipped with their own weapons and stores, to aid the cause of the colonies. The opening fight of the Revolution had already taken place, but they were in season, however, to prepare for the memorable struggle at Bunker Hill on June 17, in which they bore with honor the test of that notable conflict with trained English veterans.
Raino was the only one of the group injured, and he was only slightly wounded.
New Breton, or Andover, furnished its full quota of soldiers for the War for Independence. Most of them were residents, but a few were from other localities, but credited to this town.
Most of the records of the Revolutionary War which pertain to New Hampshire soldiers are very incomplete, and most of the records of Andover men are obtained from the pay rolls of the various companies and regiments which have been pre- served.
The following list contains such names of Andover soldiers as have been gathered from town. state and national records :
Joseph Fellows, Ezekiel Lunt. Joseph Tueker, William Blake, Josiah Scribner, John Raino went to Cambridge on receipt of news of the Lexington and Concord fight, and all are supposed to have been in the battle of Bunker Hill.
John Moody Gilman, in Capt. Jeremiah Clough's company, July 13, 1775.
In Captain Shepherd's company in Continental Army, paid by Timothy Walker, paymaster, July 2, 1776: Josiah Scribner, Daniel Giles. Nathan Rowe.
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MILITARY AFFAIRS.
Simeon Rollins, sergeant in Col. Pierce Long's regiment, August 7 to December 7, 1776.
In Colonel Stickney's regiment in 1777; enlisted for three years or during the war: Joshua Danforth, John Raino, David Cliford, Charles Bowles, Zaccheus Hunt.
Paul S. Marston, John Rowe and Ebenezer Tilton enlisted in Capt. Ebenezer Webster's company for the relief of Ticonder- oga; marched July 5, 1777 ; after going seventy miles heard the fort was evacuated and returned.
In Capt. Ebenezer Webster's company and Colonel Stick- ney's regiment at Bennington and Stillwater in 1777: William Emery, lieutenant; Paul S. Marston, third corporal; Joseph Fellows, Ebenezer Tilton, Thomas Sleeper, Jedediah Sleeper, Nathaniel Burwash, Philip Mitchell, Josiah Haines, William Morey, Moses Welch, privates.
In Massachusetts regiments in 1778: Benjamin Fellows, John Rowe.
Josiah Haines enlisted in Colonel Mooney's regiment, for de- fence of Rhode Island, in 1779. Was paid by Andover £45, lawful money, for bounty and travel. Also enlisted in Conti- mental Army from Colonel Stickney's regiment in 1779.
Nathaniel Burwash, recruit for Continental Army from June 30, 1780.
Philip Flanders in Captain Sartwell's company. First regi- ment; enlisted for the war, February 14, 1781.
Joshua Danford in Captain Monroe's company. First regi- ment; enlisted for the war, February 14, 1781.
Edward Danford, recruit for Continental Army, July 24, 1781, for six months.
John Chandler, recruit for Continental Army, July 24, 1781, for six months.
Joseph Tucker, recruit for Continental Army, July 24, 1781, for six months.
Josiah Haines enlisted in Capt. Ebenezer Webster's Rangers, July 23, 1782; discharged November 7, 1782.
Nathaniel Call, John Raino, John Ash, Zaccheus Hunt of San- down, Charles Bowles of Warren, "enlisted for three years or during the war, May 8, 1782. William Blake, Joseph Chandler, selectmen of Andover."
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HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
Before 1780, Andover "advanced for bounties to Continental soldiers Nineteen pounds Six shillings & seven pence equal to good money."
In 1777 the number of men in Andover, then New Breton, between sixteen and fifty years of age was forty-one.
John Ash was claimed by the town of Salisbury as a resident and a soldier from that town. The following affidavit is found in N. H. State Papers, Vol. III, p. 563, and appears conclusive :
The deposition of John Ash of Andover in the County of Hillsbor- ough and State of New Hampshire Who Testifieth and saith That he moved into the Town of Andover in the year 1774 on or about the Last of September with his family and that his Son John Ash Lived in Said Town the whole of the time for More than twelve months And then that he workd in Salisbury with Samuel Scribner to the Best of his Remembrance between foure and five months and then Returned home to him in Andover & then to the best of his Remembrance he let out his Son John Ash aforesaid in the month of April 1776 to John Col- lings Gale in Salisbury between foure and five months and then Re- turned home to him And Inlisted into the Service for about three months to go to Cohoss and then Returned home to him again and then that the Said Gale hired his Son aforesaid for a Short Time about two or three months and then Returned to him again; and that his Said Son made his house his home.
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