USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Antrim > History of the town of Antrim, N.H. for a period of one century from 1744 to 1844 > Part 11
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COMPARATIVE POPULATION AT DIFFERENT PERIODS -
1744. One small family.
1767. Two families and about ten or twelve inhabitants.
1775.
Sixty persons, by estimate.
1777.
Twenty families and probably 100 inhabitants.
1785. Forty three families, and about 250 inhabitants.
1790. 528 inhabitants.
1800. 1059
1810. 1277
1820. 1330
1830. 1309
1840. 1225 66
1850. 1143
From the above table it will be seen that from the first settlement of the south part of the town, there was a constant and comparatively rapid increase of population till 1800; and a moderate increase from 1800 to 1820. From 1820 to 1830 the population remained almost stationary, exhibiting however a very small diminution. Since 1830, our step has been more decidedly retrograde, and we now number almost 200 less than thirty years ago. The diminution is attributable to two causes ;- the conversion of several tracts, once inhabited and cultivated as farms, into pasturage; and the emigration of large numbers of the young to cities and manufacturing villages, in quest of more profitable employment than they could find at home. It is believed that our population reached its maximum about 1825.
PRODUCTS OF AGRICULTURE. A sufficient supply of corn and rye is raised to meet the consumption of the inhabitants; in favorable seasons there is a moderate surplus of the former article sold out of town. Many thousand bushels of oats are annually carried to other places. Very little barley is grown ; beans are raised in considerable quantities, and the surplus, after supplying the home demand, is sent to market; peas are not an object of much attention, beyond the production of early ones to be used when green. Wheat was for- merly grown more than at present; but the great uncertainty of the crop has induced most of the farmers to abandon the culture of it.
92
HISTORY OF ANTRIM.
Yet the consumption of wheaten bread has greatly increased, and not much less than 1000 barrels of western flour find a sale here. Of root crops the potatoe is far the most important ; in former years this article was raised in great profusion and of excellent quality, but the ravages of the rot have diminished the cultivation. The carrot begins to be more appreciated, and a few farmers raise a considerable quan- tity as a feed for cattle, horses, and swine. We have few ornamental, but many productive kitchen gardens, in which the common culinary vegetables are raised in great plenty.
FRUIT CULTURE. Most of the early inhabitants planted large orchards, and manufactured and drank large quantities of cider. After the general disuse of cider as a beverage, some of the orchards were unwisely cut down. Soon, however, the value of the fruit as a feed for stock, and of the finer varieties as an article of luxury, began to be better appreciated. Many of the old orchards have been ren- ovated by grafting; young trees are preserved and either grafted or budded ; many trees of the fine varieties have been introduced from distant nurseries, and Antrim now produces fine fruit sufficient to supply the home demand, and to furnish a considerable quantity for exportation. The plum, the cherry, the currant are abundant ; of peach and pear trees we have but few.
STOCK. Few blooded animals are found here ; yet there are many good specimens both of horses and neat cattle. Fat cattle to the amount of some thousands of dollars are annually purchased in town for market. More horses are reared than are required for home use. In the line of sheep husbandry, there has been a decline; fourteen or fifteen years ago there were many flocks of mixed blood, number- ing from 50 to 300 or 400; the number has since diminished more than one half. Pork was formerly raised in large quantities for market, but since the decline of prices, and the prevalence of the potatoe disease, the quantity does not greatly exceed the home de- mand. Poultry-raising is on the increase, and large quantities of the common kinds, and also of eggs find a sale in the large manufac- turing towns of the State.
PRODUCTS OF THE DAIRY. Cheese-making is not attended to on an extensive scale. It is doubted whether the quantity produced ex- ceeds the home consumption. Of butter, much of it is of excellent quality, and hundreds of firkins find a quick demand abroad.
RETAILERS OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC GOODS. The first store was opened by Ebenezer Kimball, about 1789, near the house of the late George Duncan, Esq. He traded there about five years, and was succeeded in business, first by Andrew Seaton, next by Moses McFarland, who after two or three years failed and went to the west. Others, who have successively done business at that stand in former years, are William Whittemore, Miller and Caldwell, and James Campbell. Mark Woodbury opened a store in South Village, 1794 ; his successors in business at that stand have been Thomas McMaster,
93
HISTORY OF ANTRIM.
M. B. Woodbury, M. B. Woodbury and Co., and L. and J. B. Wood- bury.
From about 1790 James Wallace kept a small store a few years on the Stacy place. Jacob Tuttle commenced trade 1796; after many years removed his business to Branch Village; his successors in trade at that stand have been Hiram Griffin, Griffin and Bell, Fairfield and Shed, and Almus Fairfield. Henry Campbell sold goods at the Newman place, from 1793 to 1801. Robert Butler built a small store, not now standing, near the town-house and sold a few goods, but failed in business about 1800. John Hopkins opened a small store, about 1822, on the place now occupied by James Eaton, and transacted business for two or three years. R. and H. Reed com- menced trade at Antrim Centre 1827, continued business there seven years. Others, who have succeeded at that stand, not now occupied as a store, are Martin L. Chandler, Chandler and Vose, Charles Gates, and John M. Whiton, Jun. Charles Mckean commenced trade in South Village, 1845, and has continued business to the present time, either in company with James W. Bradford or alone.
Since the writing of the above article it has been ascertained that a man of the name of Wallace built a small store opposite the seat of N. W. C. Jameson, about 1795, but in two or three years relinquished business at that stand, and returned to his native place, Milford. Thomas Jameson began the business of a retailer in a store on the old turnpike, more than thirty years ago, but continued in that place for only a brief period.
ARTICLES NOW MANUFACTURED IN ANTRIM -
Of metals. Hoes, hay-cutters, edge tools of some kinds in small quantities.
Of wood. All the common kinds of lumber, doors, window-sash, window-blinds, looking-glass frames, sleighs and wagons, chairs, bed- steads, tables, bureaus, and other kinds of cabinet wares, window- shades, powder-kegs, pails, tubs, firkins, shoe-pegs in quantity, bobbins, wash-boards, clothes-pins, and brush-woods.
Of cotton. Yarn, twine, batting.
Of silk. Raw imported silk is subjected to a variety of prepara- tory processes and then put up in packages for sale.
ANNEXATION OF A SMALL PORTION OF ANTRIM TO HANCOCK. On the petition of John Flint, whose small homestead adjoined Hancock line, and who had no access to Antrim save by a circuitous route through Hancock, his place was annexed, by act of the Legislature, to the latter town, 1847. This of course breaks the continuity of the south line of Antrim and makes a small indentation into the territory of the town.
HIGH RANGE. A range of lots on the northern declivity of the Tuttle mountains, the old Stoddard road intersecting them, acquired in early times, from its elevated position, and still retains the name of High Range.
9
94
HISTORY OF ANTRIM.
TOWN OFFICERS.
The year on the left hand of the name denotes the time of election ; the figures on the right hand the period of continuance in office by elections in immediate succession.
SELECTMEN.
1777 Thomas Stuart
2
1811 James Nesmith 1
James Aiken
1
- Stephen Woodbury
2
- Richard McAlister
1
Charles Adams
2
1778 Daniel Miltimore
1
1812 Robert Gregg
1
Daniel Nichols
1 1813 James Wallace
1
1779 John Duncan
1
- Jacob Whittemore
3
Samuel Moore .
1
- Thomas McCoy
4
- Adam Nichols .
1 1816 David McAulay
2
Benj. Gregg
1 1817 George Duncan
1
Thomas Stuart
1 Amos Parmenter
4
1781 Samuel Moore
2
1818 Robert Gregg Jacob Tuttle. 1819 John Wallace
3
1782 Thomas Stuart
2 John McNeil
1
1783 Samuel Dinsmoor Adam Nichols
1821 Tristram Sawyer 1
1
1784 Samuel Moore
1 1822 Jona. Nesmith .
1
- - Samuel Patten
1
Samuel Fletcher John Worthley
12
1785 Isaac Cochran
3
1823 Samuel Tuttle
5
- Jona. Nesmith .
Daniel Nichols
2 1828 Thomas McCoy
3
1787 Thomas Stuart
4 Isaac Baldwin .
3
1788 Samuel Dinsmoor
2 1831 Thomas McMaster Jacob Tuttle
1
1789 James Hopkins
1 1832 George Duncan
1
1790 Daniel Miltimore - Jona. Nesmith .
1
1834 Jacob Whittemore
2
1791 William Brown Daniel Nichols
1
- Jonathan Carr -
4
1792 Arthur Nesmith 1793 John McIlvaine 1794 Daniel Nichols
9
1839 Samuel Fletcher
1
1 William Carr
3
1796 Thomas Stuart
1
- John Barker
2
1797 James Hopkins
1 1841 John G. Flint .
2
1798 Daniel Nichols James Wallace
2 David McKean
2
1800 William Starret Jacob Tuttle
1 1844 Jonathan Carr
1
1801 Nathan W. Cleaves
1
Manly McClure
1
Samuel Vose
1
1845 Thomas McCoy
4
Robert Gregg
6 Josiah W. Christie
1
1802 John Alexander
2 David McKean
1
James Dunlap .
2 1846 Thomas Dunlap
4
1804 James Nesmith
4 Manly McClure
1
- Thomas Jameson
2
1847 Reed P. Whittemore
5
1805 John Worthley
1 1849 Rodney Sawyer
2
1807 Jona. Nesmith . James Wallace
3 1851 Samuel Dinsmoor
1
1808 Robert Gregg .
1852 Thomas Dunlap 1
Samuel Vose
3
- Clark Hopkins
1809 Thomas McCoy
2
- John Dodge
1
.
1
1
Daniel McFarland John Duncan
2
1 1820 Robert Gregg
2
Richard McAlister
1
5
3 1827 Jacob Tuttle
1
5
David McClure
1
8 1834 Thomas McCoy
5
2 1836 Thomas Dunlap
3
2 1840 Henry C. Smith
1
2 1842 Samuel Fletcher
2
1 1843 William Carr
2
1 1850 Ira Cochran
2
.
1810 Robert Gregg
1 1814 Robert Gregg
3
1780 Daniel Nichols
1
95
HISTORY OF ANTRIM.
The persons who have held the office of Selectman for the longest periods of time, are Thomas Stuart, 10 years ; Arthur Nesmith, 9 years ; Jona. Nesmith, 13 years ; Robert Gregg, 15 years ; Samuel Fletcher, 15 ycars ; Thomas Mc- Coy, 18 years. Thomas Dunlap is now in office in his eighth year of service as Selectman.
TOWN CLERKS.
1777 Maurice Lynch
1 1822 Amos Parmenter
4
1778 John Duncan
1 1826 Samuel Fletcher
1
1779 Samuel Moore
1 1827 Jacob Tuttle
3
1780 Daniel Miltimore
2 1830 Samuel Fletcher
1
1782 Samuel Moors
3 1831 George Duncan
8
1785 Daniel Miltimore 1788 Tobias Butler .
3 1839 Hiram Griffin
5
1789 Daniel Miltimore
2 1845 Hiram Griffin .
2
1791 James Nesmith
27 1847 Charles McKean
.
5
1818 Amos Parmenter
3
1852 Almus Fairfield
1821 Robert Gregg
1
REPRESENTATIVES.
For a considerable number of the years between the incorporation of the town and 1797, the district, of which Antrim constituted a part, was represented in the Legislature by John Duncan, Esq.
1797 Jona. Nesmith
4 [ 1833 Luke Woodbury
1
1801 Jacob Tuttle
10 1834 Samuel Fletcher
1
1811 James Wallace
1 1835 Luke Woodbury
1
1812 Mark Woodbury
1 1836 Thomas McMaster, jun. 2
1S13 Jacob Tuttle
5 1838 Jacob Whittemore
3
1818 Jacob Whittemore 1820 Jacob Tuttle
2 1841 Joseph Davis
2
1821 Mark Woodbury
1 1844 Joseph Davis
1
1822 Amos Parmenter
4 1845 Hiram Griffin .
2
1826 George Duncan
1
1847 William Carr .
2
1827 Samuel Fletcher 4 1849 Thomas Dunlap
1831 Thomas McMaster, jr. .
2 1851 Charles McKean
.
2
MODERATORS OF THE ANNUAL MARCH MEETINGS.
From 1777 to 1821, inclusive, the Moderators of the annual March meetings were John Duncan, Maurice Lynch, Thomas Stuart, Daniel Nichols, Isaac Cochran, Jona. Nesmith, Samuel Dinsmoor, Daniel Miltimore, James Nesmith, Isaac Baldwin, Jacob Tuttle, and Mark Woodbury ; the latter for several years. Since 1821 they have been as follows : James Nesmith, 1822; Jacob Tuttle, 1823 and 1825 ; William Gregg, 1824 and 1826 ; Amos Parmenter, 1827 ; Geo. Duncan, 1828 and 1830 ; Sutheric Weston, jun., 1829 ; Jacob Whittemore, 1831, 1839, 1844, 1846, 1847, 1850 ; Luke Woodbury, from 1832 seven years in im- mediate succession, and also in 1840, 1841, 1842, 1845, 1848, 1849; William Carr, 1843 ; Bartlett Wallace, 1851, 1852.
In addition to various town offices, Jacob Whittemore has sustained the office of Sheriff of the county of Hillsboro', and afterwards that of Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for the same county, which last he resigned, 1852.
-
1 1843 Samuel Fletcher
1
1 1844 Joseph Davis
1
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