USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Andover > History of the town of Andover, New Hampshire, 1751-1906, Part I > Part 5
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1794-The spring was very early, but on May 17 there came a "freeze that destroyed a large part of the apples that were already as large as small bullets."
1798-A very cold autumn, with a great snow storm.
1799-A drought in August. A great plague of grasshoppers.
44
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
1800-A very dry spring, lasting until July. August also dry. Corn erop very light. Great fire on Ragged Mountain in August.
1801-A very early spring. On April 1 farmers were prepar- ing the fields for sowing grain and the roads were dry. On June 7 a heavy frost killed the corn, but a subsequent planting finally ripened.
1802-A great snow storm in February. The snow was very fine and so densely packed that ox-teams could move anywhere over the surface without breaking through. Heavy rains and a notable freshet in September.
1804-"A remarkable storm of snow, rain and hail, accom- panied with thunder and lightning," occurred early in October. "'A short crop of hay."
1806-A total solar eclipse was observed in Andover on June 16. The total phase occurred about noon. "The air was per- fectly still, the stars shone with great brilliancy and the fowls went to their accustomed roosts."
1809-A very cold winter.
1810-January 18, "warm and thawing." January 19, the "'cold Friday"; "terribly cold and windy."
1815-September 23. A very heavy gale, destructive to trees and crops. Many valuable pine trees were either uprooted or broken down.
1816-Early in June there were very heavy frosts; in some places the ground was frozen. On July 9 a heavy frost killed much of the corn. A light crop of grass. Heavy drought in September. The corn, hay and apple crops almost a complete failure. Frost in every month in the year.
The hay crop was so short that many farmers sold nearly all their stoek. Anthony Emery bought and slaughtered 1,000 sheep and sold the mutton in Massachusetts.
1817-In the spring of this year hay sold for from $20 to $30 per ton, wheat was $2.50, and corn $2 per bushel. Excellent crops this year.
1818-Three feet of snow fell early in April. Quite a notable freshet. A late spring.
1819-Little snow after January. An early spring and much plowing was done before May 1.
1820-April 25. The snow was over two feet deep in the
45
NOTES ON THE WEATHER, ETC.
woods. A severe drought in July, August and September. "About 1820 a great fire swept the summit of Ragged Moun- tain."
1821-September 3 a very heavy northeast rain storm lasted about seven hours. The wind was very high and blew down wooden fences and demolished many light buildings.
On September 9 a severe tornado swept over Wendell (now Sunapee), New London, Sutton, Wilmot, Kearsarge Mountain and the southwest corner of Andover. Much damage to prop- erty was done along its track and great quantities of debris from shattered houses and other buildings were carried over the north- ern shoulder of Kearsarge and scattered over the southwest cor- ner of Andover. A feather bed fell near the house of Gershom Durgin in Andover and a lady's muff, blown from a house in Sutton, was found in a tree on the land of Ephraim Eastman on Beech Hill.
1823-Thirty-one snow storms during the winter of 1822-'23. Sleighing lasted till first of April. Drought in autumn, many streams very low and wells dry.
1824-On February 10 and 11 a great quantity of rain fell, breaking up the ice in the ponds and streams, flooding the low- lands and carrying away many bridges, especially on the Pemi- gewasset and Merrimack rivers.
1826-April 11. Up to this date the coldest day ever known in this state at this season. A notably dry season until August. The grasshoppers swept some fields almost bare of vegetation. A heavy rain, from August 26 to August 28, caused an unprece- dented freshet. A clothing mill near Bonney's Mill at West Andover was carried away at night and Moses Frazier and an- other man started down the valley to alarm the citizens. The water rose to within two feet of the doorstep of Col. T. J. Cilley's house, where Jesse Baker lived in 1900. The bed of the brook east of Colonel Cilley's house was changed to its present location. It was formerly several rods nearer the old Thompson tavern, where John Sanborn lives. The water from the river backed up into the barnyard and surrounded the elm tree in front of the Shirley house. This tree is about one hundred years old.
1827-On May 30 there was snow on Kearsarge that had fallen two days before.
46
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
1828-A very cold autumn. Apples froze on the trees before the ordinary time of harvesting such fruit. Crops generally good; eorn especially good.
1829-Farm produce cheap.
1830-A heavy frost in May, cutting down all farm crops above the surface of the ground.
1831-An unusual crop of corn.
1832-Seventeen weeks of good sleighing.
1833-A frosty summer ; frost in June, July and August. The great meteor shower of November 13 was well seen by many Andover people.
1834-About 12.30 p. m. August 30, Andover and vicinity was considerably shaken by an earthquake. There was one shock followed by a slight tremor. Plates on edge on the antique kitchen "dressers" and shelves were thrown down, loose windows rattled and open doors swung on their hinges.
1835-A sharp drought in June. December 16 a heavy snow storm and severe cold. In December a succession of snow storms covered the ground to a depth of more than three and a half feet. A high wind prevailed for nearly a week. The hill roads were impassable for several days.
1836-"About twenty weeks of good sleighing." A grand display of a red borealis was seen in 1836.
1839-January 27. A severe freshet. The bridges at Dyer's Crossing and below the "Hog-baek" were destroyed and the road at the "Gulf" was completely washed out.
1843-A cold and backward spring. On April 1 the snow was over four feet deep on a level in the woods, and on April 12 it was three feet deep. On April 12 the ice on the ponds was strong enough to bear teams. Heavy frost on May 31 and June 1 killed the early vegetation, but a second planting secured a fair harvest. A heavy snow storm on October 31. This snow remained till the next April.
1852-May 6, a snowfall sufficient for sleighing for one day.
1854-March was a notably cold month. An unusual display of colored aurora borealis on April 23. The color varied from light pink to rose red and at times the streamers reached from the zenith to the northern, western and eastern horizons. The phenomena continued until after midnight.
47
NOTES ON THE WEATHER, ETC.
May 26. A partial eclipse of the sun. A severe drought in August.
August 9. Frost in the low lands. December was a very cold month. On several days the thermometer read 20 degrees below zero.
1855-January 16. What was supposed to be an earthquake occurred at about 7 p. m. Several jars or tremors were felt; no damage.
1857-The warmest December ever known in this town up to this date.
1859-The last week of November was as warm as is usual in June.
1860-In February a tornado swept through the eastern part of the town, doing much damage to wood and timber lots.
1861-On July 20 a very severe wind and rain storm did much damage in the central part of the town. The zone in which the damage to trees, etc., occurred was not more than two miles long and half a mile wide. The wind was from the southwest and uprooted or broke down trees of all sizes on land of Samuel Mor- rill, Dr. H. A. Weymouth, Rev. Reuben Dearborn, Dea. Josiah Bachelder and others, and the air seemed full of leaves, limbs of trees and debris from fences and small outbuildings. At the residence of Doctor Weymouth a board, blown from a shed, was driven with such force against the side of the house that the end projected beyond the interior wall of the room.
1862-March 14-16. The hardest snow storm of the season. Snow four feet deep in roads on Taunton Hill. In one case a person walked along a snow drift on to the roof of the one-story ell of Deacon Bachelder's house.
1866-A very severe drought, continuing from the middle of July to the middle of October.
1867-A very heavy snowstorm on January 17, roads badly blocked by drifts.
1869-A great freshet in October did much damage. The Keniston bridge was seriously damaged by the undermining of the abutments. Nearly thirty rods of the Northern Railroad em- bankment below the Andover Center station were washed away and many of the highways were badly damaged. More than seven feet of snow fell during the winter 1868-'69.
48
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
1870-A very heavy thunder shower on February 19.
1871-'72-This winter was noted for frequent snows and excellent sleighing. Very favorable for lumbering. For some unknown reason the season was unfavorable to bees. More than sixty swarms were lost.
1872-A heavy freshet in June. "Everything afloat in the valley of the Blackwater."
May 8. Heavy banks of snow visible on the slopes of Ragged and Kearsarge mountains.
1873-Recorded low temperatures : January 29, 10° below zero; January 30, 22° below zero; January 31, 18° below zero; Feb- ruary 1, 15° below zero: February 2, 15° below zero; February 3, 17° below zero. On February 18 the ice in Highland Lake was twenty-two inches thick.
1874-January 9, Silas C. Fifield tapped several trees in his maple orchard and made considerable maple syrup. On Feb- ruary 2 the thermometer indicated a temperature of 30° below zero. Sleighbells ringing on May 1. Good hay worth $20 per ton. Only ten inches of snow in December.
1875-February 14, the thermometer registered 36° below zero. The snow was four feet deep in the woods and the ice on the ponds was three feet thick. On June 1 the remains of a snow- drift were lying in the yard of Shepard and Messer's hosiery mill at East Andover.
1876-February 6, the thermometer read 21° below zero; on February 7 it read 41° above zero; a rise of 62° in less than twenty-four hours. A heavy snow storm on March 26, followed by rain, produced a notable freshet. Four feet of snow fell in December.
1877-About four inches of snow fell in December : on twenty- six days in December the ground was bare. From 1857 to 1877 the average fall of snow in December in Andover was twenty inches. On July 25 the temperature reached 95°.
1878-May 13, a heavy frost ; June 7, a sharp frost in the low lands; July 3, the thermometer registered 102° in the shade; July 4, the hottest day known for many years, 108° in the shade. In December a heavy snowstorm, followed by a rain, caused a freshet in the Blackwater; several roads were impassable for a few days
49
NOTES ON THE WEATHER, ETC.
1879-November 2, first snow storm of the season.
1880-May 14, Kearsarge white with fresh fallen snow. May 15, a frost. Apple trees in bloom, corn up, but no damage done. A heavy crop of apples throughout the town. First snow of the season November 20.
1881-The so-called "yellow day" occurred on September 6. It was quite dark in Andover, but in Massachusetts in many places it was necessary to light lamps to see to work in houses. The darkest period occurred about 3 p. m. The darkness was evidently caused by smoke and haze.
ICE IN HIGHLAND LAKE.
For nineteen years Mr. W. A. Bachelder noted the following dates of the "breaking up" of the ice in Highland Lake :
1851
April 9
1861
April 25
1852
May 5
1862
May 2
1853
April 23
1863
April 30
1854
May
2
1864
April 28
1855
May 2
1865
April 13
1856
April 21
1866
April 18
1857
April 24
1867
April 24
1858
April 12
1868
April 24
1859
April 29
1869
April 28
1860
April 15
From the above dates it appears that for the above-mentioned years the average or mean date for the breaking of the ice was April 24.
4
DIVISION OF THE TOWN.
The proposition to take the eastern part of the town of Andover to form a portion of the projected town of Franklin was at first opposed by the citizens of Andover. After much dis- cussion, assent was finally given on the condition that the divid- ing line should extend, parallel to the longer sides of the lots, from the northern line of Salisbury to the southern line of New Chester, now Hill.
Mr. J. C. Thompson was appointed agent to represent the town in all matters pertaining to the division, and active negotiations soon resulted in the following legislation :
Extract from an act incorporating the town of Franklin, ap- proved December 24, 1828. John Bell, governor.
Section one of said act describes the boundaries of said town. After defining the line between Salisbury and Franklin as it approaches the line between Salisbury and Andover, the section reads :
thence North 14 Deg. East on the Westerly line of said lot (lot No. 61 in the third range of lots in Salisbury) 474 rods to a stone marked C. B. at the South side of the road, thence North about 73 Deg. East following the course of the Range way to the Southwest corner of lot No. 52 in the 4th range of lots in said Salisbury, thence North fol- lowing the westerly line of said lot to a Stake and Stones on the line between Salisbury and Andover, thence South about 73 Deg. West fol- lowing said line 55 rods to a stake and stones at the Southwest corner of lot No. 19 in the first range of lots in Andover, thence North about 17 Deg. West to the Northwest corner of said lot No. 19, and at the Southwest corner of lot No. 20 in the second range of lots in Andover, thence following the westerly line of lot No. 20, aforesaid 320 rods to a Birch tree spotted, thence North 73 Degrees East nineteen rods; thence North four rods across the road to the Southwest corner of lot No. 61 in the third range of lots in said Andover, thence North about 17 De- grees West on the Westerly line of said lot until you strike the fourth range way in Andover aforesaid, thence across said range way to the Southwest corner of lot No. 62 in the fourth range of lots in said Ando- ver thence Northerly on the West line of said lot to the line of New Chester thence Easterly on the South line of said New Chester to Pemi- gewasset River.
51
DIVISION OF THE TOWN.
An act to loeate and establish the town line between the towns of Andover and Franklin :
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court Convened.
SECTION 1. That the line between the towns of Franklin and Andover in the County of Merrimack shall be located and established as follows:
Commencing at the Northeast corner of Salisbury at a stone Monu- ment marked C. B. thence due North on the West line of lot No. 19 in the first range of lots as originally laid out in the town of Andover, to a stake and stones near a large stone in the brook marked 20, at the Northwest corner of said lot No. 19, and the Southwest corner of the lot No. 20, in the second range of lots, as originally laid out in the town of Andover; thence North five degrees West, following the West line of said lot No. 20, to a stone in the wall marked 20, on the South side of the Ela Hill Road, so called; thence across said road two rods and eleven links to a stone monument, marked A. F .; thence South seventy- four degrees West thirty four rods to a stone in the wall marked A. F .; thence North thirteen degrees West, on the West line of lot No. 61, in the third range of lots as originally laid out in the town of Andover, to a ledge marked A. F. near the Northwest corner of said lot, No. 61, thence Northerly across the rangeway to the Southwest corner of lot No. 62 in the fourth range of lots as originally laid out in the town of Andover, thence North thirty three degrees West, following the West line of said lot to Hill line.
SECTION 2. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act, are hereby repealed, and this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
Approved July 13 1864
Signed J. A. GILMORE, Governor
List of taxpayers living in that portion of Andover set off to form a part of Franklin in 1828:
Ash, Ira
Colby, Ebenezer
Ash, William
Colby, Ezekiel
Bachelder, Jacob
Colby, Hiram
Bowers, Gardner
Colby, John
Brown, John H.
Darling, Asa
Brown, Richard Call, Hazen
Davis, Michael
Emery, Jonathan P.
Call, Thomas W.
Evans, Josiah
Calley, John, Jr.
Freneh, Samuel
Cate, Simeon
Gove, Moses B.
52
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
Heath, Isaac
Roberts, Morrill, Jr.
Holt, Enoch
Sanborn, Jeremiah
Holt, Solomon Judkins, Samuel Morse, James
Sawyer, John
Sawyer, John, Jr.
Scribner, Parker
Moulton, Benning
Shaw, David
Newton, James
Simonds, David M.
Pevear, John
Simonds, James
Pevear, Moses
Simonds, James, Jr.
Pevear, Nathaniel
Simonds, John
Philbrick, Jedediah
Swasey, Joseph
Pike, Samuel
Tilton, John R.
Prescott, Samuel
Tilton, Samuel
Roberts, Morrill
Tyler, Benjamin M.
DIVIDING THE TOWN INTO SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
The division of the town into school districts was probably considered at an early period of its corporate existence, but the exact date of the first movement to define the boundaries of the districts is not definitely known. The following paper, purport- ing to be the record of the first division of the town, has been offered as a true report of the work of the selectmen, but the general form of the report and the wording of the first sentence tend to throw some doubt on the genuineness of the document.
No trace of this report is found in the town records, which at about that period, however, are notably incomplete and some- times wanting.
DIVISION OF THE TOWN INTO SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
We, the subscribers, agree to divide off the inhabitants of Andover into districts, for the use, benefit and order of schooling, so that they may know where to build the school houses and proportion of school money and govern themselves accordingly. Each district to extend to the bounds or limits here after mentioned.
1ly. From Ebenezer Tilton's to Lieut. Abba Brown's, also to John Rowell's, including the said Tilton, Brown, Rowell and Josiah Pettingil and those on the road between them.
2ly. From Lieut. Ezekiel Fellows' to Josiah Brown's, and to Stephen Green's, including the said Fellows, Brown and Green and all on the road between them.
3ly. From Lieut. John Rowe's to Joshua Page's, and to James Ful- ler's, including the said Rowe, Page and Fuller and Capt. Emery and Jona. Stevens and all on the road between them.
4ly. Ebenezer Scribner's to Joseph Fellows', Jr. and to Ens. Moses Clough's, including the said Scribner, Fellows and Clough, and all on the road between them.
5ly. From Joseph Philbrick's to Jona. Robbard's to Capt. Bachelder's and to Mr. Colbey's, including the said Philbrick, Robbards, Bachelder and Colbey, and all on the road between them.
Gly. David Fuller, Saml. Blake, Jr. and David Sanborn and all on the road between them.
7ly. Benjamin Cilley, Jr., Daniel Cilley, and Jona. Barber and all on the roads between them including Phillip Cilley and Benjamin the 3rd. Sly. The inhabitants of Beech Hill, so called, to be one district.
54
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
9ly. All the inhabitants at the lower end of said town below the Lower Pond, so called, to be in one district.
10ly. From Benjamin Hoit's to John D. Swett's and all on the road between them.
Each district shall have the privileges of the schools within their limits in proportion to the money they pay in town taxes, yet in all schools supported by a town tax every person in said town hath a right to go or send to school in any part of the town as he shall see fit.
Dated at Andover, July 7th., 1792.
Jonathan Weare Jabez Morrill Selectmen of Andover
Joseph Brown Jr. |
At the town meeting on March 20, 1797 :
Voted the selectmen be a Committee to set the Town of into School Districts.
Voted that each District build their own school house.
The following items from the record of the town meeting on March 18, 1799, indicate that school districts existed prior to that date :
Voted that a School District be set off from the lower side of Wm Dyer's land to the lower side of Newel Healey's land.
Voted not to alow of sending out of one School District into another. Voted to have a School District by Phillip Cilley's.
At a town meeting held December 2, 1799, it was voted to. divide the town into school districts. Jonathan Cilley, John Tirrell and Willard Emery were elected a committee and on December 12, 1799, they made the following report, which was adopted at a town meeting on December 16, 1799 :
We the subscribers being appointed as a committee to Divide the Town of Andover into School Districts likewise we have met and agreed as follows, viz. beginning at the lower end of said Town to Nathan Colbys running to the New Chester line on the River Road thence up to Stephen Blasdwell and to James Simones taking all within for the First District.
2ly. From Joseph Seaveys to Lieut. William Blakes and to Saml. Cilleys, then to Thomas Stevenses and to John Rowells, taking all within for the Second District.
31y From Lieut. Abba Browns to Eben. Tiltons, taking in Ens. Corlis, John Baley and Lieut. Ezek1 Fellows for the third District.
4ly. From Joshua Pages to Capt. Scribners, extending to James Ful- lers, and Capt. Emerys for the fourth District, and those on Rackcoon
1
55
SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
Hill from Wd. Swetts to Abraham Hoits are to join any District that they may see fit or so have their school money laid out among them- selves.
5ly From Simeon Coners to Jona Tuckers and to Benjamin Robertses and to Capt. Bachelders taking all within for the 5th District.
Gly. On Beech Hill, so called Extending from David Scribners to George Seaveys Ephraim Eastmans and Timothy Swetts taking all within for the Sixth District.
7ly from Saml Kimbals to the uper end of the sd Town Including Benj. Cilley 3rd and those on the Mountain for the Seventh and last District.
At an adjourned town meeting held on April 7, 1807, it was voted "that the selectmen be a committee to define the bounds of the school districts."
On March 7, 1808, the committee made the following report :
We the subscribers have defined the bounds of sd Districts agreeable to vote of sd Town beginning at the South west corner of said Town. If any of the Districts mentioned should include Land or Lands of any of the Inhabitants not living in said District, the said Inhabitant shall pay the taxes assessed on said land in the District where he or she re- sides. When any Person or Persons living out of town shall have land or lands in more than one District it shall be taxed in one of them only or either of them at the Discretion of the Selectmen.
DISTRICT No. 1
Begining at the S. West corner of sd town thence on the west line of the town to the Turnpike to Bonney's Mill, thence down on Black water River on the south shore to the North east corner of Elisha Bachelder's, thence south on his east line, keeping the same point till it strikes Salisbury line from thence to the first mentioned bound.
DISTRICT No. 2
Begining at the north east corner of Elisha Bachelder's land North to Black water River thence easterly on the south Bank of said River to Salisbury line, thence westerly on said line to the S. East bound of the 1st District, thence on the east line of said District to the first mentioned bound.
DISTRICT No. 3
Begining at the N. W. corner of said town south on the west line of sd Town to the turnpike, down said turnpike to Bonney's Mill, thence down Black water River on the North side of the River to the great Brook, thence up said Brook to the south line of Timothy Sweat's Land, thence west on the line to Samuel Kimball's Land, thence on his east line North to the east line of the Lot No. 2, thence to the town line, thence on the North line of sd town west to the first mentioned bound.
56
HISTORY OF ANDOVER.
DISTRICT No. 4
Begining at the east shore of B. water River, caring the width of the first range, easterly untill it strikes the road that goes from the Long Bridge to Mr. Coners taking all south of the sd Road untill it strikes S. Connors west line of said Connors Land that he now lives on.
DISTRICT No. 5
Begining on the west line of S. Connors Land, thence on Salisbury Line easterly to the east Line of the Robie lot so called, thence north- erly on sd line untill it strikes the road that goes from Lt. Clough's to Dr. Bailey's, thence on the easterly line of Lt. Clough's Land untill it strikes Loon Pond, thence on the S erly shore of sd Pond to the north line of Mr. John Cilleys and G. Durgins Land, thence across the Par- sonage Land so called to the west line of sd Lot, thence south to the road, thence westerly on sd Road to the west line of Gershom Durgins Land, thence Southerly on his west line and Capt. I. Scribners to the State Road, thence easterly on sd Road (to) the west line of S. Connors Land, thence Southerly on said line to the first mentioned bound.
DISTRICT No. 6
Begining at the east line of the Robie Lot on Salisbury line, thence easterly on sd line to the east side of the School Lot so called, thence northerly on the east side of the sd Lot to the range, thence westerly on said range line to the road that leads from the Meeting house to Salisbury by Lt. Abba Browns, thence west on sd Range . Dr. Baileys Land to the east line of the Robie Lot, thence southerly on sd line to the first mentioned bound.
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