USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Bristol > History of the town of Bristol, Grafton County, New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 39
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59
This lake evidently had no fixed name when first known to the whites. It was called Baker's pond, Newfound pond, and New Chester pond. In 1751, Jonathan Farwell and John Ken- dall assisted in running the curved line marking the westerly
359
LAKE AND RIVERS
bound of the lands of the Masonian proprietors. In their report they speak of coming to the west shore of Newfound or Baker's pond. As late as 1791, Jeremy Belknap, in his "History of New Hampshire " calls the lake "New Chester pond." The first reference to the lake in the records of the New Chester proprietors was in May, 1766, when it was called New Found pond. It was thus known to the first settlers, and this name has continued till now, except that it is now never spoken of as a pond, but as Newfound lake.
The origin of the name "Newfound " is uncertain. Some of the old people, seventy-five years ago, used to tell of a party traveling through this section, coming unexpectedly to this sheet of water and calling it "Newfound." Rev. Ebenezer Fisk, born in 1802, said that when a boy he heard from the old people of that day that these discoverers were hunters from the lower part of this state or Massachusetts, who had been hunting on Moosilauke, and were returning home on the east side of the Pemigewasset river. When opposite the mouth of Newfound river, they were impressed by the gorgeousness of the falls, for the river was at flood tide, and resolved to explore the stream. They crossed the Pemigewasset and soon came to the lake, which they called "Newfound pond." Any explanation is better than none, and any name is better than none, so we assume the above to be authentic, and here record our gratitude that the lake was given a name, though a poor one.
The water of this lake is exceptionally pure. It is fed not only by the waters of the Cockermouth river on the north and Fowler's river on the west, and by numerous brooks, but by many springs in the lake.
This lake has always been noted for the vast numbers of lake trout of great size. In the fall of the year thousands of these fish congregate on the spawning beds near the shore, and are then comparatively tame and easily speared. The early settlers caught these fish to some extent through the ice, and in the fall speared large numbers on the spawning beds and salted them for winter use. Spearing was continued every year till the discovery was made that these fine fish could be taken by trolling. The description of the vast numbers on the spawning beds, as published in the local paper, caught the eye of Maj. E. E. Bedee, an experienced fisherman, and he tried trolling in the spring of 1886. He was eminently successful, and there was in consequence great excitement among fishermen. This was the commencement of trolling fishing here, and Newfound lake has since become one of the best fishing resorts in the state or in New England. As many as 400 pounds have been taken from the lake in one day. It is seldom that a trout is taken by troll- ing that weighs less than five pounds, while the larger number weigh from eight to fifteen pounds. In May. 1895, Frank G.
...
360
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
W. Cross, a boy of sixteen, caught one by trolling that weighed twenty pounds, and in February, 1901, Albert F. Cate caught one through the ice that tipped the scales at exactly twenty- five pounds. The interests of fishermen has entirely stopped the practice of spearing.
About thirty years ago, a quantity of the fry of the land- locked salmon was placed in the Cockermouth river by the fish and game commissioners, and additions have been made several times since, one in 1880. These fish, thus planted, have largely multiplied, till now nearly as many landlocked salmon are taken in the spring as of the lake trout, though they do not average as large. Some have been caught that weighed thirteen pounds. In 1890, 15,000 landlocked salmon fry were placed in Fowler's river, and in 1898 the commissioners placed in the lake 40,000 fry of Lake Superior white fish.
The ease with which the trout could be dipped from the spawning beds and stripped of the spawn caused the state, in 1889, to erect a fish hatching house here. It was located on the west bank of Newfound river, a few rods below the stone dam at the outlet of the lake. This house was 20 x 34 feet and had a capacity for 750,000 eggs, and was first filled in November, 1889. In 1895, the legislature appropriated $2,000 for a larger house, and one was constructed, in 1897, on the Tilton brook, within the limits of Bridgewater. It was stocked, the first year, with 1,000,000 eggs of the lake trout, and 65,000 eggs of the landlocked salmon, all taken from this lake, and 125,000 eggs of the brook trout. J. Rendall Sleeper has had charge of both of these houses. The eggs are hatched during the winter, and in the early spring are placed in the waters of the lake, or in other bodies of water in this state.
It was apparent from year to year that large numbers of the trout went down Newfound river, and were thus lost to the lake. Accordingly, in 1895, Francis W. Calley raised $400, chiefly among the citizens of Bristol, and constructed a screen at the outlet of the lake which has since effectively prevented this waste.
This lake also contains cusk, which are seldom taken except through the ice, pickerel, perch, chub, pout, eels, and other fish of less value. Smelt were planted here some twenty years ago by the fish and game commissioners as a food for the trout and salmon, and there are now vast numbers in the lake.
This lake usually freezes over, in the main part, from the first to the eighth of January, and generally opens from the 15th to 25th of April. In 1882, the lake closed on the night of Dec. 20, and in 1886 not till Jan. 10. In 1902, the ice went out April IO; in 1889, not till May 12.
The first steamboat for passengers was put on the lake in June, 1865, by Capt. George W. Dow. This was appropriately
North from Crescent Beach Sugar Loaf and Nuttings Bea.ch
Belle Island from Cliff
Crescent Bay
SCENES AT NEWFOUND LAKE
The Narrows
361
LAKE AND RIVERS
called the "Pioneer," but its service was brief, being destroyed by fire a few months later. In June, 1883, the steamer "Lady Helen " was placed on its waters. This was twenty-eight feet long and eight foot beam, cost $2,300, and had a capacity for fifty passengers. July 20, following, this boat, like the first, came to an untimely end by fire.
In the summer of 1878, Edward M. Drake placed on the lake the steamer "Cardigan." This boat was 56 feet in length and 21 foot beam. It was used till the summer of 1883. There are now plying its waters, for the accommodation of the public, the "Stella Marion," a steamboat 50 feet long and 10 foot beam, built, owned, and operated by Ambrose S. Adams, and two small boats, Pioneer and Salmo, owned and operated by Samuel Hen- tall, while numerous first-class yachts owned by private parties are also found upon its waters.
Newfound lake is not surpassed by any body of water in the state for the beauty of its setting, its sandy beaches, wooded shores, and fine fishing, and thousands resort to its shores every season for rest and recreation, fishing and hunting. Numerous cottages and boarding-houses dot its shores. In 1895, Dr. E. S. Wilson, of New York, opened Camp Pasquaney, a summer school for boys, on the east shore of the lake in He- bron. In 1900, Mrs. Catherine F. Holt opened a school for young ladies in the same vicinity. Both of these schools have proved successful, and another school for boys is projected.
NEWFOUND RIVER
Before man utilized the water of Newfound river for manu- facturing purposes, there were three channels to the stream from where Charles W. Holmes's machine shop now is to the Pemige- wasset river, making two islands. The south branch was very much as it would be now unobstructed by dams. The north branch flowed where the planing mill of B. L. & A. Wells now is, and from there passed the site of the pulp-mill of the Train- Smith company to the Pemigewasset. The middle channel commenced at Holmes's shop, and its water furnished the power for the first building on Water street, first used as a plant for grinding black lead, now for a blacksmith shop. It also fur- nished power for the bedstead shop on the east side of Water street, and below here it fell into a deep gorge that has since been filled with the accumulation of years.
About 1865, a canal was cut from the pulp-mill privilege spoken of above to the south channel to convey the waste water to what is now the pulp-mill of the Mason-Perkins Paper com- pany, near the railroad station. In 1888, this canal was enlarged, and farther up the stream a dam was constructed across the south channel and a canal was cut from this dam to the
362
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
north channel for the purpose of carrying all the water in the stream to the pulp-mill of Train-Smith company.
From the outlet of the lake to its junction with the Pemige- wasset, a distance of two and one-half miles, the water of the stream has a fall of two hundred and thirty-eight feet. While the water flowed from the lake unobstructed by any dam at the outlet it was no more reliable as a water power than other streams of the state, as the surplus water readily passed off, and in seasons of drought there was but little water in the stream. This was the condition of affairs up to 1848, when a party of capitalists, of Lowell, Mass., who had secured a charter under the name of the Winnepesaukee Lake Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing company, for the purpose of controlling the waters of the lakes that were tributary to the Merrimack river, commenced improvements at the outlet of the lake. This com- pany, commonly known as the Lowell company, purchased the rights of flowage along the river and around the shores of New- found lake, and erected the large stone dam at the outlet. Its total investments here amounted to $110,000.
By means of this dam the surplus waters of spring and fall were held in reserve to be drawn on in times of drought to sup- ply the mills at Lawrence, Lowell, and Manchester. This was a vast improvement on the natural order of things; and as long as the usual flow was allowed to continue and the surplus was drawn when most needed at Bristol, as well as at the manufac- turing towns on the Merrimack, there was no friction between the mill owners along this stream and the Lowell company. In process of time, however, the Lowell company was less mindful of the rights of the mill owners on Newfound river, and at times did not allow the natural flow of the water. This state of affairs grew worse with each succeeding year, and naturally a water war was the result. Finally, about 1869, the mill owners com- bined, under the leadership of George T. Crawford, and, as often as less than the natural amount was allowed to run, so often a party of men would proceed to the gate house and forcibly raise the gates. Criminal proceedings were threatened against the mill owners, and most of them in turn brought suits against the Lowell company for damages. A suit brought by Holden & Co., Sept. 19, 1870, was tried in 1871, and the jury awarded $2,500 damages. The Lowell company never after changed the gates, and there was an uninterrupted flow of water; and all the other suits were dropped.
In addition to this judgment of the court, the introduction of steam as supplementary to water in the manufacturing towns caused the investments of the company at Bristol to diminish in value, and in July, 1884, the company sold to the Bristol Water Power company, all its real estate and rights here for the small sum of $15,000. The latter company was composed of the mem-
P
FALLS ON NEWFOUND RIVER, BRISTOL VILLAGE
363
LAKE AND RIVERS
bers of the firm of the Mason-Perkins Paper company, and Judge Josiah Minot, of Concord, who owned the grist-mill property now owned by Clarence N. Merrill, on Central street; and the flow of water has continued to be managed for the best interests of the business along the stream, making this stream one of the most reliable water powers in the state.
THE PEMIGEWASSET RIVER
The Pemigewasset river forms the easterly boundary of Bristol, separating this town from New Hampton. Pemigewas- set is an Indian name and means literally "The Crooked-Moun- tain-Pine-Place." from Pennaquis (crooked) Wadchu (a moun- tain) Covash (pine) and auke (a place). By contraction it became Penna-chu-ash-auke, and by corruption, Pemigewasset.I The nature of its watershed makes this stream subject to rapid rises and great freshets.2 During a great rain storm the direction of the wind often determines the effect on this river. A wind from the south drives the clouds against the south sides of the Franconia mountains, and they empty their contents over the country drained by the Pemigewasset, and a rapid rise is the consequence. On the other hand, an east wind causes a like rise in the waters of the Saco, by causing the clouds to strike the east side of the White mountains, and thus pour their contents on the country drained by that river.
When saw-mills were first operated at Moore's mills, in 1829, the lumber manufactured there was drawn through Bristol village to the foot of Bristol falls on the New Hampton side of the river, there made into rafts, and taken down river to market. Each raft consisted of two shooks, and each shook contained six cribs, and each crib from 1,000 to 1,500 feet of lumber. Some- times the rafts were composed of spars or masts. The rafts were nine feet wide only, so as to pass through the canals. At Hooksett the rafts were locked through the Garvin Falls canal, then run to Amoskeag, and locked by those falls, thence to Lowell, and from there through the Middlesex canal to Charles- town.
After a while, it was found that rafts could be run over Bristol falls, and thereafter lumber was made into rafts at the mills. The business of rafting was dangerous in the extreme, especially over Bristol falls, but a plenty of hardy, daring men were found who enjoyed the excitement, and did not shrink from its dangers.
In the early forties commenced the annual drive of logs from the upper waters of the Pemigewasset down the river to the saw-mills at Lowell, Mass. Large numbers of men were kept
I Chandler Potter, in History of Manchester.
2 Many of these freshets are noted in the "Annals of the Town."
364
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
at work in the woods through the winter felling the timber, and when the spring floods came the logs were run down the stream. These drives sometimes contained twelve million feet or more. A large force of men were also required as rivermen, and their work on the river, with its dangers and excitements, was among the diversions and annual attractions of the year for the people living near the river. The names of Nathaniel Norcross, Fish & Norcross, the Merrimack Lumber company, and Brooks & Tyler, were associated with the business for many years, while Davis & Sargent were the last to engage in this industry. The business ceased only with the stripping of the country of valuable timber at the head waters of the stream. The last drive was in 1897, when Brooks & Tyler sent about 3,000,000 feet to their mills at Lowell. A thrilling incident happened this year. Two men were going down the stream in a boat, and when shooting the rapids at Worthen's rock, the boat struck a rock and was shivered to pieces. One man succeeded in reaching the shore ; the other reached a rock in mid-stream. All efforts to rescue him by means of ropes were futile. Finally another boat with five men in it came down the stream, and with much difficulty succeeded in rescuing the man.
REMINISCENCES
John Kidder, Maj. Theophilus Sanborn, and "Col." Tom Fuller, three Revolutionary soldiers, were the first white men to go over Bristol falls in a boat. They were crossing from the west to the east side of the river, above the falls. The water was high, they lost control of the boat, and went over the falls, landing safely at Gen. Sanborn's .- Aaron Kidder.
I commenced to run on the river in 1838, when I was eight- een years old. I liked it. The last time I run was in 1853, the season after I came to Bristol village. I was at work in the paper field, when Dea. Morrison of Franklin called and wanted me to run a raft of lumber loaded with shingles. I told him there was a drive of logs in the river at Bristol that would inter- fere. He replied that the river was cleared at the bridge that morning, so I went. I had my brother, Robert, with me, Calvin Swett, Robert Moore, and others. We came along all right till in sight of Central bridge, when we saw a jam of logs extend- ing almost across the river. There was a narrow channel on the east side and we pulled for that, but were unable to get through. One corner of the raft struck the jam and stove the raft to pieces. Robert went under water, but I happened to be near enough to pull him out, though he came near drowning. The raft was a total loss and I never saw the owner after .- David Mason.
On the afternoon of May 10, 1845, Elkanalı Ward, William Sanborn, and I started a raft, consisting of two shooks of hewn
365
LAKE AND RIVERS
factory beams forty feet long, from near the mouth of Squam river. Sanborn and I were in front, Ward, the pilot, in the rear. The river was high and we came near being swept from the raft at Squam falls, but passed safely over, and again in passing over the dam at Moore's mills we had a narrow escape. The raft went with such rapidity that when it dipped the water on the lower side of the dam, nearly the whole of it was submerged, but by retreating to the upper end we managed to keep our position on the raft. The river was very high, and we shot along with great rapidity, but a shower overtook us and the rain fell in such torrents that the river at once commenced to rise rapidly, thus increasing the perils of the trip. We passed Fellows's falls successfully, but narrowly escaped being washed from the raft, and as we neared Ayer's island a new danger presented itself. In the middle of the stream, between the island and the Bristol shore, there was a large, high rock, since removed by those interested in running logs down the stream, and on the rock was a large jam of logs, making the current more swift and dangerous on either side. We took the channel past the island where the rock and jam were, and the raft struck the jam with such force that one side, where Ward and I stood, was driven onto the jam, while the side where Sanborn stood was sunk deep into the water. Sanborn was washed off into the stream, and carried under the lower part of the jam. Ward and I sprang upon the jam and we saw Sanborn come to the surface and battle with the current, for he was a good swimmer, but we could not reach him, and he disappeared from view down the river. Darkness soon came on, but by no possibility could we reach the shore, for a raging torrent was on either side ; the rain continued to fall and the river to rise, and we expected momen- tarily, during the night, that the jam would be swept from the rock and we would find a watery grave like our companion. People on the road heard our cries and gathered on the shore, but were powerless to help us, and we could not make each other understood owing to the noise of the river. In the inorn- ing Nicholas Dolloff took a boat and went down the east side of the stream, and after several unsuccessful attempts, succeeded in reaching the jam and rescuing us. A long and unsuccessful search was made for the remains of Sanborn ; cannon were fired at different points along the river, but all to no purpose. Some fifteen days later they were accidentally discovered at Parker's ledge in Hill by Capt. Moses Sanborn .- O. S. Hall.
I remember the first raft that left Moore's mills. On it were Daniel S. Mason, Nicholas Dolloff, Otis Sanborn, and one or two others. The raft struck Worthen's rock and Daniel S. Mason was thrown into the river, but the boat attached to the raft was taken by two or three of the men, who followed down the stream and picked him up .- David Mason.
CHAPTER XXXI
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
Now go and write thy little rhyme, As of thine own creating ; Thou seest the day is past its prime ; I can no longer waste my time ; The mills are tired of waiting.
-Longfellow.
The site of Train-Smith company's pulp-mill enjoys the distinction of being the first mill privilege utilized for manufac- turing purposes in the old town of New Chester.
At a meeting of the proprietors of New Chester, May 19, 1767, it was voted to give Maj. John Tolford Lot No. 61 on Newfound river, and Lot No. 71 on Smith's river, on condition that he should have a grist-mill and saw-mill in operation on Newfound river by the Ist day of November, 1767, and a grist- mill and saw-mill on Smith's river within six years from that date. (See page 38.)
Lot No. 61 extended from near the center of Central square on the north to Prospect street on the south, and from the Pemigewasset river on the east to the Alexandria line on the west, and contained about 108 acres, including all the mill privileges on the falls in Bristol village. If John Tolford did not have a grist-mill and saw-mill in operation on the first day of November, 1767, as stipulated, he must have erected the mills very soon after. In 1769, John Kidder came to New Chester for the purpose of tending this first grist-mill, and Mar. 27, of the same year, the proprietors voted "that Maj. John Tolford should be obliged to tend his grist-mill in New Chester for the proprietors every first Monday in each month for the year and on no other days." At this time, there were only about eight families in the entire territory of New Chester and, therefore, no occasion for the mill to be in operation more than the time specified. The dam to turn the water to this mill was across the north channel of the stream near the upper bridge on Water street. The grist-mill was near the dam and contained two run of stone. The saw-mill was next to the grist-mill on the east.
Maj. John Tolford never resided in town, but he hired the mill carried on, and continued to own Lot No. 61 till Sept. 14, 1780, when he sold the whole of the lot to John Tolford, 3rd, of
367
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
Alexandria, later of Danbury, who, in turn, sold to Sherburn Tilton soon after. Sherburn Tilton settled on the east side of South Main street, a few rods south of the bridge, about 1779, and there built a log house. Family traditions say that he built the first grist-mill in town, and that it was located on the south side of the river. This is unquestionably an error. There were no mills on the south side of the river for some years after this property passed into other hands. He owned, without doubt, the first grist-mill in town, and the fact that he lived on the south side of the river, and that the grist-mill was later on that side may be responsible for this tradition.
May 23, 1794, Sherburn Tilton sold Lot No. 61 to Moses Lewis, and Apr. 25, 1797, Mr. Lewis sold to Peter Ingalls two acres of land on the south side of the river, commencing at a certain " brook " (that which used to flow between the late resi- dence of George C. Currier and that of the late David Mason, and entered the river just below the saw-mill) and extended up the river across the highway, including the post-office site. This lot was re-deeded to Mr. Lewis in 1802, and in neither of the deeds conveying this land is there any mention of mills or other buildings thereon.
Oct. 6, 1797, Moses Lewis mortgaged to Jonathan Harris, of Boston, for $2,355. the whole of Lot 61, with the exception of the two acres mentioned above, and eight acres near the Alexan- dria line, sold to Peter Sleeper. In this deed the mills on the north side, on the pulp-mill site, are spoken of as a grist-mill and a saw-mill, and they were, without doubt, then used as such.
Mar. 21, 1806, Moses Lewis sold to Samuel Torrey, of Boston, the two acres spoken of on the south side of the river. This property is now described as "two acres beginning at the emptying of a small brook a few rods below the mills," extend- ing up the river on which are a " grist-mill, saw-mill, blacksmith shop, and other buildings." Apr. 17, 1808, William Webster, a deputy sheriff, said, in making a return to the court of an attachment placed on the real estate of Moses Lewis: "I have attached the farm on which the defendant now lives, including buildings and his tannery." Mr. Lewis then lived where is now the Emerson block, at the corner of Central square and Spring street. By this evidence it seems that Moses Lewis erected the mills on the south side of the river between 1802 (when he re-purchased of Peter Ingalls) and 1806 (when he sold to Torrey); and that, at some date between 1797 (when he mortgaged Lot No. 61 to Jonathan Harris) and the date of the attachment (1808), he established the tannery at the pulp- mill privilege. The grist-mill on the south side of the river was first taxed in New Chester in 1807. Samuel Albee carried on the tanning business at the tannery as early as 1810, but he
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.