USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Bristol > History of the town of Bristol, Grafton County, New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 17
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Commencing Jan. 1, 1833, Bristol had each week three mails from the north and three from the south. A four-horse post coach left Concord each day for the north. One day it traveled on the west side of the Pemigewasset through Frank- lin, Hill, Bristol, Bridgewater, West Plymouth, and Rumney, to Haverhill ; the next day, south through Plymouth and New Hampton, and thence to Concord on the east side of the river ; the next day after the first coach left Concord another traveled north on the east side and down the west side of the Pemige- wasset through Bristol back to Concord. In 1835, a four-horse coach passed daily through Bristol from the north and another
History of Warren.
I4I
POST-ROUTES AND MAILS
from the south. The coaches going south stopped at Prescott's tavern for dinner ; those going north arrived before the dinner hour and passed on to Hoyt's tavern on the shore of Newfound lake, where a stop was made for dinner.
All through these days, the arrival of the stage-coach was an event of great importance, and the entire population was always on the qui vive to see it. No matter how fatigued the horses might be, the near approach to a village was the occasion for the driver to put on "airs." Cracking his long whip, the horses were brought into a sharp trot; the driver would sound his horn and drive with graceful curves to the door of the hotel. Here all was bustle and excitement, especially when, as some- times happened, two and even three coaches, with four or six horses, were required to accommodate the travel, and all ar- rived at the same time. As soon as the passengers could alight and partake of a glass of grog or toddy at the bar, they took seats at the tables and helped themselves to food. While the meal was in progress, horses were changed, and in a half hour's time the coach was again whirling over the rough road to its next stopping-place.
In May, 1834, a post-office was established in Alexandria, and a post-route established between Bristol and that place.
With the advent of the railroad to Bristol in 1848, the palmy days of the stage-coach disappeared. Instead of four- horse coaches, loaded with passengers, making their daily ap- pearance in this village, three light stages made connection with the train, and conveyed the mails and chance passengers-one stage to Alexandria ; one to Bridgewater, Hebron, and Groton, and one to New Hampton.
Till May 30, 1881, one daily mail each way continued to be all the postal accommodations given this town, leaving for Bos- ton and other points south in the early morning and reaching Bristol in return the latter part of the afternoon. On that day a noon train commenced to run, reaching Bristol about twelve o'clock, and leaving about one o'clock. This was only a sum- mer arrangement ; but while it continued, Bristol had two mails a day.
The first of October, following, the noon train was discon- tinued, and with it the noon mail. But the people of Bristol did not take kindly to a backward step, and the project of continu- ing the noon mail by stage was agitated with the result that on the twenty-second of January, 1882, a stage commenced to run between Bristol and Franklin which brought a noon mail, the people of Bristol paying the expense, and the stage being run by Otis K. Bucklin. This continued till the noon train was put on again the next summer. An effort was then made to have the post-office department establish a "star route" mail, to be con- tinued such portion of the year as the noon train did not run.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
This was ordered, and commenced to run when the noon train was discontinued in the fall of 1882, George G. Brown, of Bris- tol, and A. K. Moore, of Franklin, being the contractors. The "star route" service continued during the winters till the spring of 1889, after which the noon train was continued through the year. Since then, two daily mails have been received by train from the south the entire year.
POST-OFFICES AND POSTMASTERS.
The first post-office in Bridgewater village, now Bristol, was opened Jan. 1, 1805, and Moses Kelly was the first postmaster. Moses Kelly was a resident in Bridgewater as early as 1800, when he had the "approbation" of the selectmen to sell spiritu- ous liquors. In 1804, he was licensed to sell as a taverner. He was evidently a prominent man in his day. He was a justice of the peace and one of the incorporators of the Mayhew Turn- pike corporation. In April, 1805, he was a resident taxpayer in New Chester. April 1, 1807, a post-office was opened there and Moses Kelly became the first postmaster. According to the records of the post-office department at Washington, he served continuously as postmaster of the Bridgewater office from the date of his first appointment till succeeded, in 1816, by Moses Bradley, Esq., and of the New Chester office from the time of his appointment till succeeded in 1810 by Ebenezer Kimball. 1
The location of this first post-office in Bridgewater cannot now be determined. Mr. Bradley had the office in his residence, on the northern side of Central square, previously owned by Capt. Moses Sleeper and used by him as a tavern. The business of postmaster was not very onerous at this time, as the mails arrived and departed only once a week and the number of letters handled at any one time rarely exceeded a dozen.
The following is a complete list of the postmasters of Bridge- water and Bristol and the time they have served :
1805-1816. Moses Kelly served from Jan. 1, 1805, till May 4, 1816.
1816-1823. Moses H. Bradley, Esq., succeeded Moses Kelly, and served till June 12, 1823.
1823-1830. Ichabod C. Bartlett succeeded Mr. Bradley June 12, 1823, and served seven years. He had the office in his store in Central square.
1830-1841. Solomon Cavis succeeded Mr. Bartlett Feb. II, 1830, and removed the office to his store where is now White's block. He served eleven years, removing the office about 1833 to what is now the Cavis block.
1 The New Hampshire Register of these years gives the name of the postmaster at Bridgewater as Moses Kelly, Jr., but this name does not appear in any of the Bridgewater records now in existence.
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POST-ROUTES AND MAILS
1841-1844. William L. Chase was the next postmaster, being appointed Aug. 12, 1841. He was in trade in the store that stood where White's block now stands, and here he had the post-office till he resigned to leave town in March, 1844.
1844-1861. Col. Oscar F. Fowler succeeded William L. Chase, Mar. 13, 1844, and removed the office to his harness shop on the corner next to the bridge, and here he held the office over seventeen years, the longest of any incumbent. When he was postmaster, it was not customary to open the office on Sunday noon as now; but it was Col. Fowler's custom, on Saturday night, to take such letters as belonged to persons whom he ex- pected to see on the morrow, and place them in his hat; and, after the morning service at the Methodist church, he would take his stand outside the door and distribute this mail to the people as they came out. This was continued in spite of criticisms by some that it was not a proper thing to do on the sabbath.
1861-1868. Samuel K. Mason was postmaster from June 28, 1861, till May 27, 1868. He removed the office to what is now known as the Abel block, to the rooms now used as a millinery store, on the first floor.
1868-1875. John P. Taylor succeeded to the office May 27, 1868, and continued it in the Abel block.
1875-1882. Albert Blake, Jr., succeeded John P. Taylor, Jan. 25, 1875, and removed the office to its present location in the brick block on the south bank of the river. He served till May 24, 1882.
1882-1885. John H. Brown assumed the duties of post- master May 24, 1882, and continued in the office till relieved by his successor.
1885-1890. Herbert H. Follansbee succeeded Mr. Brown Sept. 8, 1885. At the commencement of the year 1887, the office was made a "presidential office," third class, salary $1,000, and Mr. Follansbee was nominated by the President and con- firmed by the senate as postmaster Jan. 27, 1887, for another term of four years. He served, however, but little more than four years in all, being succeeded by Capt. William A. Beck- ford Feb. 20, 1890.
1890-1894. Capt. William A. Beckford served till his suc- cessor took possession of the office May 1, 1894.
1894-1898. Charles H. Proctor succeeded Capt. Beckford, and served till July 1, 1898.
1898. Fred H. Ackerman assumed the duties of postmaster July 1, 1898. He was reappointed July 1, 1902, and is therefore the present incumbent.
A post-office was established at Profile Falls June 29, 1892, and discontinued May 31, 1900, Byron B. Tobie being post- master.
CHAPTER XIII
RAILROADS
Singing through the forests, Rattling over ridges ; Shooting under arches, Rumbling over bridges ; Whizzing through the mountains, Buzzing o'er the vale-
Bless me! this is pleasant, Riding on the rail.
-Saxe.
When the railroad was being constructed from Lowell to Boston, a gentleman delivered in Bristol a lecture on railroads. This lecture was given in the hall in the Fisk block, and the limited space of the hall was packed with interested hearers. This speaker prophesied that the time would come when one could take a train at Bristol in the morning, go to Boston and get his dinner, and return to Bristol in the afternoon. This statement was received with shouts of derisive laughter.
When the Northern road was being constructed from Con- cord to Franklin, two routes were proposed from Franklin to Lebanon. One was the route selected, and the other was what is now the Bristol branch to Smith's river, and thence up that stream to Danbury.
When the people of Bristol found that the Northern road was not coming to Bristol, the question of building a branch road from Franklin to Bristol was agitated, and public meetings were held to further the scheme. A charter was granted July 8, 1846, for the Franklin and Bristol railroad. The incorpora- tors were Nathaniel S. Berry, Levi Bartlett, Brackett L. Green- ough, Oscar F. Fowler, Frederick Bartlett, Samuel C. Brown, Joseph Cass, George W. Sumner, Folsom Morrill, James Craw- ford, Nicholas M. Taylor, John Ayer, Warren White, and David McClure. The charter authorized the construction of the road from any point in Franklin on the Northern road to Bristol vil- lage through Hill.
Public meetings were held from time to time to discuss the situation. The majority favored the construction of the road up the valley of Smith's river to Clark's corner, and from there to Bristol village. Surveys were made over this route; but the expectation that the Boston, Concord and Montreal railroad, which was then being constructed, would not go north of La-
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RAILROADS
conia, and that the Franklin and Bristol road would be extend- ed to Plymouth, led to the selection of the present route north of Smith's river.
After the charter was obtained, a temporary organization was effected ; subscription books were opened, and by hard work $100,000 was subscribed. There was needed $50,000 more to construct the line, and no one knew where to look to secure it. Finally, Cyrus Taylor, O. F. Fowler, and Henry Kidder went to Boston to see what could be done there. They had an inter- view with Charles Theodore Russell, who finally agreed to raise the needed sum if he could be made president of the road at a salary of $1,500. This was agreed to, and he succeeded in rais- ing the necessary amount.
The first meeting of the first board of directors was held at the Phoenix hotel in Concord, May 20, 1847, when Mr. Rus- sell was elected president, with the promised salary. Col. O. F. Fowler was elected clerk at a salary of $Ico, and Thomas H. Russell, of Boston, was made treasurer. The president continued to draw his salary of $1,500 till September following, when it was reduced to $800. The only director residing in Bristol was Levi Bartlett.
Surveys were made in June, 1847, and contractors com- menced work on the grading and stone work the next month. Robert Smith, Hosea Ballou, William W. Pattee, and Dudley Merrill Cass built the last two sections of the road, ending at the Bristol station. Their contract required the completion of the work by Dec. 1, 1847. Joseph H. Brown, S. A. Howard, and David Powell were other contractors from Bristol or vicinity.
The road was completed the last of June, 1848, and the first regular train left Bristol for Concord on the morning of July I. The day was one of great rejoicing in Bristol, and the people gave a banquet to the railroad officials at the Bristol hotel, the tables being spread in the open air between the hotel and Pleas- ant street.
On the 4th of July, the officials of the road gave the people of Bristol a free ride. A long train of cars conveyed several hundred of the people to Concord, where they visited the state prison and other places of interest, and returned in the after- noon.
On the 6th of July, Mr. Russell resigned as president of the road. In his letter of resignation he said : "When I accepted, a little more than a year ago, the presidency of this corporation, I did so for the purpose of constructing this road, and with the distinct understanding on my part that I should resign this trust as soon as your railroad should be completed. That point has now arrived. In a little less than a year since the actual commencement of the grading, you have been able to pass over the road in a regular train of cars. I believe that the road
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
has been cheaply, expeditiously, and thoroughly constructed." Hon. Geo. A. Nesmith, of Franklin, was elected Mr. Rus- sell's successor.
Before the completion of the road, the subject of uniting with the Northern road was agitated. January 1, 1849, an act passed the legislature authorizing the Northern railroad cor- poration to absorb the Franklin and Bristol railroad. On the thirty-first of the same month, the stockholders voted in favor of the sale, and the Franklin and Bristol road became a part of the Northern road. Payment was made by giving shares of the Northern road for an equal number of shares of the Franklin and Bristol.
In May, 1884, the Boston and Lowell railroad corporation leased the Northern road for ninety-nine years, and in 1887 the Boston and Lowell was leased to the Boston and Maine. Since the last named date, therefore, the Bristol branch has been operated by the Boston and Maine.
In the spring of 1881, the subject of bringing the road into the village was agitated. Public meetings were held, and a sur- vey was made.' The effort did not, however, succeed, but it resulted in the addition of a noon train for the summer season, which train commenced to run May 30, 1881. Until this date, Bristol had but one train a day, and that a mixed train, leaving Bristol in the early forenoon and returning late in the afternoon. The noon train arrived about noon, and left about one o'clock. During the summer of 1884, the trains left Bristol at 8:30 a. m. and 3 p. m. for Concord and Boston, reaching Bristol on return at 12:15 and 7 p. m. In the fall of 1889, the noon train was made permanent and has continued till now. A separate freight train was established in June, 1893.
Beginning with the summer arrangement of 1902, an extra train left Bristol Monday mornings at 6:25 o'clock, and a late train reached Bristol at 8:13 o'clock Saturday evenings, for the accommodation of those wishing to spend the sabbath in this section, and reach Boston on return in season for business on Monday morning.
In 1867, a railroad was projected from Portland, Me., in an air line to Rutland, Vt., and the west. The New Hampshire portion was to be called the "New Hampshire Central." This road was to run through Alton, Meredith, New Hampton, and Bristol, to Danbury. The projectors of the road presented their plans at a meeting of the business men of the town in Bristol, and a committee of the leading citizens of the town, consisting of Hon. L. W. Fling, Hon. S. K. Mason, George T. Crawford,
I The next morning after the survey had been completed, there ap- peared, where the road was expected to cross South Main street, a sign which read, "Look out for the engine when the bell rings."
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RAILROADS
Esq., Col. O. F. Fowler, and Albert Blake, went to Portland and met the projectors of the road there, and much public enthusiasm prevailed.
At the annual town meeting Mar. 10, 1868, it was voted to raise $300 for a preliminary survey from Alton to Danbury. Aug. 5, following, a special town meeting was held, at which the selectmen were authorized to issue the bonds of the town to the amount of five per cent. of the valuation, to the projected Central railroad, in exchange for an equal amount of the stock of the road at par, whenever the road was constructed and put in operation through Bristol village. On this motion the vote stood one hundred and twenty-nine in favor, and forty-two against. At the same time, an article to see if the town would give the right of way as an inducement to bring the track of the Northern road into the village, was passed without action.
Mr. Poor, the chief projector of the road from Portland to Rutland, died before the road materialized, and parties inter- ested in a road from Portland to the west, through the White Mountains, pushed that road to completion, and the project for a road from Portland through Bristol collapsed.
CHAPTER XIV
TAVERNS
Where village statesmen talked with looks profound, And news much older than their ale went round. -Goldsmith.
One hundred years ago, there was necessarily much more business on the highways than now, and many more public houses. Not only all the merchandise for the country stores, and the products of the mills, passed over the highways, but many farmers made at least one trip during the year to Boston, to dispose of the surplus products of the farm. All on the roads were obliged to stop where night overtook them, and this made a large number of taverns necessary. Then, too, the right to "tavernize" carried with it the right to keep spirituous liquors for sale at retail, and very many who had one or two spare rooms, opened their houses as taverns, and thus added to the meager income of the farm.
Jonathan Ingalls, who resided just east of Danforth's brook, on the south side of the highway, probably opened the first tavern within the limits of Bristol. It was at his house that many of the early town meetings were held, and that of Mar. 21, 1775, was called at the house of "Jonathan Ingalls, innholder," thus showing that he had a tavern at that early date.
Lieut. Benjamin Emmons opened a tavern as soon as his first frame house was completed, previous to 1790, the same as now stands on the John M. R. Emmons farm. Sherburn Sanborn kept tavern for a time where the present Sanborn residence stands on New Chester mountain; and Cutting Favor kept tavern for twenty years at his home. The entertainment was of the rudest kind. Cutting Favor charged twelve cents for bean porridge and a chance to sleep on the floor.
Col. Peter Sleeper opened the first tavern in Bristol village. After living for a few years in a log cabin, he built a large square two-story house just below where Mrs. S. S. Southard now re- sides, opposite the junction of High and Cross streets. Here he kept tavern for many years, and did a large business. Rev. Silas Ketchum, when a resident of Bristol, found his old tavern sign, and presented it to the New Hampshire Antiquarian society, and it is now in the rooms of the society at Hopkinton. It is four feet, nine inches high, and three feet wide, and was evidently fastened in some way to the building. A picture of this sign is given on the following page.
TAVERNS
149
Capt. Moses Sleeper kept tavern for twenty-two years in what is now the Green residence, on the north side of Central square, commencing about 1794. The capacity of the house was at one time twice what it is now, a large two-story ell standing on the Kendall lot, on the west, which was torn down and re- moved about 1850. About 1794, what is now known as the Fisk house, at the northeast corner of Central square, was erected by Ebenezer Kelly, and opened as a tavern. These three taverns were in full operation at the same time, and did a good business when there were not a dozen other houses in the village. The Fisk house was used for many years as a tavern. Peter Hazelton was landlord there in 1817, and Seth Daniels in 1820.
Entertainment
By
P.Sleeper.
18 02
PETER SLEEPER'S TAVERN SIGN.
A prominent early tavern within the limits of New Chester was Pingree's inn on the Walter Webster farm in Bridgewater.
Taverns were the news centers of the town. Here the post-rider always stopped, with occasional letters and news- papers, and later the stage-coach left passengers, the mails, and the latest news. Here congregated travelers and teamsters and the residents of the town, when the general news of the day, as well as local happenings, was freely discussed, and the quality of the landlord's grog was tested. One old gentleman said, in speaking of the days of which we write: "When I was a young man, we used to have gay times at Moses Sleeper's. He kept good brandy as well as other liquors, and men were always found
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
there drinking and wrestling, telling stories, and discussing the news."
About 1800, Peter Sanborn was keeping a tavern in what is now known as the old Whittemore farmhouse at the turn of the road on the Point in Bridgewater. Hearing of the projected Mayhew turnpike, Mr. Sanborn saw that its construction would leave him on a side road, and he therefore erected a tavern at what is still known as the Hoyt stand, on the projected route of the turnpike. A. P. Hoyt was landlord here for many years, and Hoyt's tavern became a popular resort and was known throughout the state. The name still clings to the place, though it has been many years since the business of the turnpike and the tavern departed. The place is now a summer resort. The buildings show the marks of age; but the stately elms, planted in the early days of the tavern, are now at their maturity and have caused the place to be rechristened as Elm Lawn. From beneath their shade is seen one of the finest lake and moun- tain views in the state.
What might be called the successor of the three taverns named in Bridgewater village was the inn on the east side of South Main street. Just when this inn was erected is not known; but Isaac Dodge was landlord there as early as 1814, for there, on Dec. 3, of that year, as an advertisement reads in the New Hampshire Patriot, the proprietors of the Mayhew turnpike were called to meet at their annual meeting. It was a building of about 30 x 50 feet, two stories high, with base- ment on the north side, and had perhaps twenty rooms. The main building occupied the site of Frank W. Bingham's harness shop. On the south side and west end was a piazza. At the southwest corner stood the sign post, from the arm of which swung the tavern sign. On this sign was painted a crude picture of Washington, from which fact the inn was sometimes called the Washington inn. Extending from the southeast corner was a long two-story building, with an open carriage shed on the ground and a hall in the second story. This hall was reached by stairs from the east end of the piazza: Here the young gath- ered for dances and singing-schools, and here were held justice trials, political meetings, and other gatherings.
Next to the hall on the south was the road to the woolen- mill, now the pulp-mill of the Mason-Perkins Paper company, near the railroad station. On the south side of this road, at its junction with the turnpike, was the long tavern stable, with en- trance from this road. A carriage shed extended the entire length of the stable on the west side. This shed, and the yard between it and the highway, were frequently closely packed at night with freight wagons or sleds, pods and pungs, and vehicles of all description. Isaac Dodge was landlord here in 1820 and perhaps later ; but in 1823, Plummer Dodge had succeeded him.
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TAVERNS
Then came Fry Holt. Mr. Holt was an old stage-driver, and came near being old in years, when, July 11, 1822, he married Han- nah, the young sister of Landlord Dodge. He was landlord as late as 1827. A son, born to them here, was taught by his father to use big oaths for the amusement of the crowd. Oliver Blake was one of the early landlords here. Daniel S. Smith was landlord for a couple of years previous to 1834, when he sold to Jeremiah Prescott for $2,200. It then became known as the Prescott hotel. Mr. Prescott rebuilt the hall, and enlarged and refurnished the main building, at an expense of $1,500. Busi- ness was brisk in those days. There was not only the daily stages in both directions, but also long lines of teams of all kinds. There were frequently seventy-five guests at this hotel over night, and sometimes as many as one hundred.' It is true that each guest did not have a room to himself, but he was con- tent to share his bed with a fellow-traveler. Each room had two or more beds, if large enough to contain them; while some travelers slept on the floor, even the floor of the bar-room being utilized for this purpose, and some slept on the hay in the stable. Instead of the gas jet or electricity, there was the tallow dip or whale oil lamp, or even the saucer of grease with the rag in it that kept up a constant sputtering in its efforts to burn. Mr. Prescott continued as landlord here till Dec. 3, 1849, when the tavern and hall were destroyed by fire. They were not rebuilt.
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