USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Bristol > History of the town of Bristol, Grafton County, New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 50
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When the question of changing the name of New Chester to Hill was being agitated, the following couplet was found one morning posted in town :
Betwixt Hill and Hell there is but one letter
If Hill had been called Hell 'twould have been much better
July 2, 1810, there was recorded in the New Chester records the death of a child. Then followed these lines :
This babes distress our hearts it tore Though weak its bowels, swelled and sore, Seven long hours cramp fits he bore Forty numbered, then all was o'er.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
Bears were very numerous for many years after the settle- ment of the town. One day after Moses Sleeper had moved into his new house, that which now stands in the rear of the brick store in Central square, his wife, Betsey, saw among the recent- ly felled trees near where is now the north corner of White's block, a large black bear. Taking her husband's flint-lock gun, she took deliberate aim, as she stood at a window, and fired, killing bruin at the first fire. At another time Mr. Sleeper had been to assist Lieut. Samuel Worthen kill his hogs, and did not return home till late in the evening, when he found his wife awaiting him with great anxiety, that he might go to the assistance of some travelers whose cries for help she had heard. Mr. Sleeper only laughed and said he would show her later where the travelers were. The next day he went with her to the base of Sugar hill where were found well beaten paths made by the bears in traveling between Newfound and Pemige- wasset rivers.
A bear came into the dooryard of Sherburn Tilton, on the Laura A. Mitchell farm, and carried off a pig.
One day Tom Lock discovered a bear in a tall tree on the steep hillside south of his home, and he determined to have some sport out of the usual order, so he fell the tree down hill, think- ing the fall would kill the bear. Bruin viewed with composure the labor of his enemy when cutting the tree, and clung tena- ciously to his perch as the tree was falling, but just before he would have struck the ground, he leaped with the agility of a cat from the tree and, before the hunter could recover from his surprise and grasp his gun, had disappeared in the woods.
When Elijah Sanborn lived on the Solon Dolloff place, his son, David, was sent by his stepmother after the cows. He went, but saw a bear and returned without the cows. She insisted that he get the cows, which he did with much concern for his personal safety. On returning, he met the bear he had before seen, but it was making rapid strides for the woods with a pig in its mouth which it had taken from a pen near the house.
John Kidder set out the first apple tree in town on what is now the Fred Kidder farm, south of the present farmhouse. One hundred years later, his grandson, Aaron Kidder, gathered apples from it.
Col. Tom Fuller, a Revolutionary soldier, who lived near the highest point of the road over New Chester mountain, was
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INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES
something of a wag. His wife was considered the homeliest woman in town. Far below him on the present road to Hill lived Jonathan Merrill, whose wife was called a close second to Mrs. Fuller in personal beauty, though both were estimable women. One hot day in the midst of haying, Col. Fuller sent a message to Mr. Merrill that he wanted to see him and his wife at his home at once. Supposing some important business must be pending, Mr. and Mrs. Merrill climbed the steep hill and presented themselves at the Fuller home. Placing two chairs side by side Col. Fuller caused Mrs. Merrill to occupy one and Mrs. Fuller the other, and then turning to Mr. Merrill he said, "There, Mr. Merrill, I'll leave it to you to say which is the homeliest woman."
THE OLD CANNON
The old iron cannon that did service so many years on Sugar hill was purchased in Portsmouth by the Whigs during the "Tip and Tyler " campaign of 1840. It was brought to Bristol the following winter on a sled by Col. Asa Darling and placed at the base of Sugar hill. It was reported to have been captured from a British war-ship in the war of 1812. It was of massive proportions, about eight feet long and had a bore of about five inches, and was mounted on a ship carriage. It was first placed at the base of Sugar hill near the stone wall on the south side, but soon after conveyed to the top of the hill. It first spoke in Bristol on the morning of March 4, 1841, the day General Harrison was inaugurated president of the United States. The carriage soon disappeared and the gun was gradu- ally worked down the hill by the boys till it reached its original position at the base. Here it remained for many years and was fired on Independence day and other occasions. It was once spiked on the third of July to prevent its being fired the next day. In the early evening of the third, however, the boys went to work like beavers and bored another hole in its massive breach ; but just as midnight came and their work seemed near completion the drill broke, and their labors came to naught. A fuse was then procured and an attempt was made to fire it from the muzzle, but this failed. Nothing daunted, a machinist was called from his bed, new drills made and despite the fact that the gun was loaded, drilling was recommenced, a new hole was bored, and just as the sun appeared over the horizon, the gun awoke the echoes for many miles around and a shout of triumph went up from the boys.
During the Civil war this gun was again conveyed to the top of the hill, where it did service as before. Aug. 16, 1877, a reunion of the 12th Regt. N. H. Vols. was held in Bristol. Some young men, thinking the old cannon should speak forth a
30a
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
welcome on this occasion, loaded it with a heavy charge of pow- der, then filled it to the mouth with stones, brakes, and earth. Fearing the contents might make the number of the survivors of the war still less, the muzzle was pried around to face the east. It was then fired, and instead of the contents of the gun becoming a danger to life and limb, the village was bombarded with pieces of the gun itself which were hurled through the air by the force of the explosion. No one was injured though there were several narrow escapes. And thus on this memorable occasion this gun spoke its last welcome and ended its career.
Rev. Walter Sleeper and his wife kept the toll-gate of the Mayhew turnpike on North Main street for some years. One day after a hard snowstorm, a traveler came along and complained bitterly because the road had not been broken out and refused to pay his toll. Mrs. Sleeper, who was alone, declined to unfasten the gate till he had paid, whereupon he took from his pocket a silver dollar and threw it into the snow at her feet. Mrs. Sleeper picked the coin from the snow, went into the house, and returned with the change in small pieces of silver. These she threw at his feet in the snow, and stood by enjoying his hunt for the coins.
In 1797, Seth Spencer lived on the David S. Batchelder farm, in Bridgewater, in a log cabin. The family consisted of Mr. Spencer, his wife and three children, and his mother. One night, during his absence, Mrs. Spencer found the house on fire. She grasped two of the children and hastened to the door. The door was so heavy she was obliged to put the children down to open it, and while doing this, the flames came upon her so fiercely, and she was burned so badly, she only succeeded in escaping from the house with one of the children; the other two and the mother perished. Mrs. Spencer was over a mile from the nearest neighbor, but she started, carrying in her arms the child she had saved, wrapping it in a part of her own scanty clothing. After having traveled half the distance she was met by men hastening to the burning building, who assisted her as best they could.
CHAPTER XLIV
ANNALS OF THE TOWN
AN ACCOUNT OF STORMS, FRESHETS, EPIDEMICS, AND OTHER
EVENTS OF INTEREST NOT RECORDED ELSEWHERE
There is the moral of all human tales ; 'Tis but the same rehearsal of the past. -Byron.
1779. Oct. 9, two feet of snow fell. The winter of 1779-'80 was one of unusual severity. Boston harbor froze over.
1780. On Friday, May 19, occurred the "Dark Day." The shades of night fell at noon, and a deep gloom settled on the people, many fearing that the end of the world was coming. This darkness continued more or less for several days and was undoubtedly caused by forest fires in the northern part of the state and in Canada.
1785. April 20, snow covered all the fences, and the warm days and cold nights caused a crust sufficiently hard and strong to allow traveling in any direction with horses and oxen, in the early part of the day. Planting was as early as usual. In October, there was a great freshet. More rain than usual fell in September ; the ground was well saturated, and the greater part of the immense rainfall that followed ran into the lakes and streams, producing the greatest freshet ever known on the Pemigewasset. During three days preceding Oct. 23, nine inches of rain fell and much damage was done on the low lands, and some cattle were drowned. A record made by the town clerk of New Chester said the water was "about thirty feet above the bed of the river." Simeon Cross, who lived on the intervale in Bridgewater, was obliged to move out of his cabin in the night. He later built on higher ground, but the water never again reached so high a point. Still greater damage was done in the eastern part of the state and in Maine.
1788. Lewis McBrian was fined two shillings for swearing "one profane oath."
1794. The spring of this year was remarkably early. Ap- ple trees were in bloom the middle of April, and the first of May fruit had commenced to form. May 17, there was a very high wind, and the temperature constantly fell till the next day, when water froze to the thickness of more than a quarter of an inch. The fruit crop was ruined.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
I799. The news of the death of George Washington was brought to town by Mr. Craige on his way home to Bridgewater from Boston, about two weeks after the death occurred. He wore crape on his arm. The news made a profound impression on the people.
1801. During the first week in June there was a very severe frost, and all crops were thought to be ruined ; but the year was a fruitful one.
1802. The summer of this year a great amount of rain fell, and there was a freshet in September.
1804. On the 9th of October occurred a storm which had never been equaled in the memory of the oldest people then living, and its like, at so early a date, has not since been known. Two feet of snow fell, most of which remained on the ground till the next spring. A hard gale prevailed ; fruit was stripped from the trees and lost, and large numbers of cattle and sheep perished. The potato crop was not gathered till the frost left the ground the next spring. Great damage was done to ship- ping along the coast.
1806. June 16, total eclipse of the sun.
1807. In February of this year, there was very high water in the streams caused by heavy rains and melting of the snow. Many bridges were carried away.
1810. The chief event this year was "Cold Friday," which occurred Jan. 19. The early part of the preceding day the weather was mild, but later a cold wind sprang up and the thermometer began to drop. The next morning the wind blew a gale and the thermometer had fallen fifty degrees. At Sanborn- ton the record was made of twenty-five degrees below zero and several lives were lost. The gale did much damage to timber, and the intense cold caused much suffering, but there were no fatali- ties in this town. The great wind increased the severity of the weather, piercing the heaviest clothing, and finding a ready entrance to the rude homes of the people.
1814. Monday, Dec. 6, heavy shock of earthquake, con- tinuing forty-five seconds.
1815. Spotted fever prevailed to considerable extent this year and there were many fatalities. People stricken with this disease were frequently carried off within twenty-four hours. Among the fatal cases were four children of John Favor.
1815. The great gale of Sept. 23, which did great damage in the central portion of the state, appears to have visited New Chester and Bridgewater more lightly, though much damage was done to fruit trees and buildings.
1816. Spotted fever again raged. In January, Ephraim Quimby lost six children in five days. All were buried in two graves.
1816. The first months of this year were remarkable for
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ANNALS OF THE TOWN
the small amount of snow that fell and the warm weather that prevailed, the summer months as the coldest on record in this state. Snow fell and ice formed every month of the year. June II, two inches of snow came. " So great was the damage done and suffering caused that the year was called "Poverty year." Farmers made heroic efforts to save their crops, and whole nights were spent in feeding huge bonfires near the corn to keep the frost from at least a part ; but on the night of Aug. 19, there came a frost that bonfires could not drive away and all the corn in town was killed. There was not enough raised for seed the next year, and provisions of all kinds went to fabulous prices. The next March hay was worth from $25 to $30 per ton ; corn, $2 per bushel, and other articles in proportion. Many had no hay at all the latter part of the winter, and could not obtain any, and many cattle died.
1817. This season the crops were plenteous and farmers prospered. The weather was propitious and no frost came till the 29th of September. Sunday morning, Oct. 5, while the peo- ple were at church, a heavy earthquake shock was felt.
1821. In the spring of this year spotted fever again raged to some extent in Bristol and adjoining towns.
1822. An epidemic of typhoid fever occurred this year. The heirs of Thomas W. Thompson had a dam across the river just below the bridge from Central square. This dam was so high that it caused the overflow of much of the land between the river and the cemetery. A lawsuit ensued, and to comply with the order of the court, the present dam was built a couple of rods farther down the stream. The new dam was completed and the old one removed in August, uncovering a large tract of land ; and the hot August sun caused the air to be filled with miasma. The result was an epidemic of typhoid fever. The fever raged for four months or more, and in all there were forty or fifty cases and several deaths. Among the deaths were Julia Maria Minot, a daughter of Hon. James Minot, and John Hale, a joiner. Miss Minot was a most beautiful and accomplished young lady. She came home from school to assist in caring for others.
I824. A freshet occurred February 12, which is thus described by the New Hampshire Patriot of Feb. 16: "On Thursday last a flood, the most appalling and tremendous ever known in this part of the country, took place. The extreme cold of the preceding week was followed on Tuesday and Wednesday by southerly winds, which increased to a gale, during a greater part of which time the rain descended in
I "The barn on the Fellows place, now Horace N. Emmons's, was raised June 12, 1816. I was there barefooted and there was snow on the ground."-Aaron Kidder.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
torrents. The ice which covered the ground prevented the earth from receiving the water, and the whole rushed into the streams and rivers. In a few hours the thick ice gave way and swept bridges and everything else in its way into a mass of undistinguished ruin." Immense quantities of logs on the banks of the rivers were carried down stream. All the bridges north of the turnpike bridge at Boscawen, except Central bridge at Bristol, and Livermore's bridge at Campton, were carried away, as was also nearly every bridge on Baker's river. Among those lost were the Pemigewasset bridge at Bristol and Union bridge at Hill, The entire damage to the bridges of the state was estimated at over $200,000.
1826. This year was remarkable for its two freshets and drouth. On the 24th of March rain fell in torrents, and raised the water in the rivers to an unusual height. The rivers were at that time locked in ice two feet thick, but this was broken up and the highest water since the freshet of 1785 was the result. The summer of this year was a very dry one, and the crop of grass was very light, but the heavy rains of August made fall feed more plentiful than that of June. In consequence of these extremes there was much sickness this season. From the 10th to the 15th of August, there were frequent and heavy rains and the record of rainfall at Salem, Mass., during this time was eight and seven-tenths inches; for the entire month fourteen inches, but there is no record of the amount that fell in Bristol. On the 28th, the day of the Willey slide at the White moun- tains, occurred the largest rainfall of the month, and the Pemi- gewasset rose to a great height. Immense damage was done to roads, bridges, and other property along the rivers and to grow- ing crops. Two carding-mills and clothing works in Hill, belonging to George W. Sumner and Timothy Favor, were carried off.
1827. A great fall of rain came April 25 and did great damage throughout the state.
1827. The barn on the Moses H. Bradley place was struck by lightning and consumed.
1830. In the middle of July of this year, occurred very heavy rains and there was a great freshet in the Pemigewasset valley. At the Moore house, just above the Pemigewasset bridge, the water was two feet deep in the house and ten feet deep in the highway. The dam at Moore's Mills was carried off at this time and great damage was done to growing crops. This freshet was preceded by a drouth and extensive forest fires.
1832. Sept. 26, heavy frost. Snow covered the tops of all the hills.
1 1833. Voted that cows, "not unruly," may run at large from May 15 to Oct. 15.
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ANNALS OF THE TOWN
1833. On the night of Nov. 13, a grand meteoric display occurred. At times the meteors were so numerous that they resembled a shower of fire. Many exploded and there was a constant noise made by the meteors passing through the air. Great fear seized the people. The display continued till day- light.
1835. The summer of this year was exceedingly dry. This drouth was succeeded by one of the longest and most severe winters on record. Nov. 23, there came a large fall of snow and from this time for twenty weeks there was uninter- rupted sleighing. On the first of April the snow was four feet deep in the woods. Some of the coldest weather on record was experienced this winter. Dec. 16, was the coldest for many years, the thermometer going even lower than on "Cold Fri- day." A strong wind was blowing but not with the severity of that day, consequently there was not so much suffering. An- other feature of this season was a winter water famine. Manu- facturing establishments on the streams had to suspend work; wells and springs were low and farmers and others had to go long ways for water for domestic purposes and to water stock.
1835. In February, small-pox broke out in the family of Daniel McMurphy. Dr. J. S. Eaton, the attending physician, at once inoculated the whole family except one daughter who refused to be thus treated. She alone had the small-pox in a virulent form, and came to death's door, but recovered with a terribly pitted face. The disease appearing in other parts of the town, a pest-house was established, and Dr. Eaton became the "resident" physician. Twenty-six cases were here treated, but none died. When the inmates had sufficiently recovered, smoke, soap, and water were liberally used, new clothes were furnished and the inmates returned home. Soon after, Dr. Eaton called on another patient, and, as was his custom, ran his hand through his hair frequently while talking. In this way he communicated the disease, and there was another run of the small-pox in a more severe form. Another pest-house was established, and again the doctor was shut up with his patients. The doctor gave his hair particular attention before again ming- ling with the people. During the prevalence of this epidemic, the greatest terror prevailed among all classes. Small-pox several times appeared in this community later, but it never again assumed the form of an epidemic or caused such alarm among the people. A building that stood between Clark's corner and the Borough road was used as a pest-house.
1837. Early frosts did great damage to the corn crops.
1839. The latter part of January of this year there was a very heavy rain and an ice freshet was the result. The river continued at a very high mark for nearly a week.
1840. The first brass band in Bristol was organized in
.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
1840. Frank Atkinson, of Boscawen, was instructor. Norman Greenough played a trombone; Samuel Felt, the ophicleide ; Oliver B. Fogg, trumpet ; Gustavus W. Ingalls and James Pres- cott, C bugles ; Kiah Wells, E flat bugle; Philip Mitchell and Andrew J. Crockett, clarinets ; William C. Lovejoy, flute, and James T. Sanborn, C flat cornet. There have been a large number of band organizations in town which have had an exist- ence of only a few years each. In 1867, there were two first- class cornet bands in town. One was led and instructed by George H. Ingalls, and the other by Edwin S. Foster. Isaac B. Gordon was at the head of the band organizations for several years as instructor and leader.
1841. In September of this year occurred a most disastrous northeast storm. Rain and snow fell alternately, and great damage was done to fruit and other trees. On the coast great damage and loss of life occurred. During this gale fifty-seven fishermen, of Truro, Mass., were lost by shipwreck.
1842. "The season had been unusually forward till June II, when it snowed at Bristol and in all northern New Hamp- shire at noon. The night following was one of gloom, like winter in the midst of summer ; and in the morning following horses' hoofs in the highway broke the frozen ground, and fields and forest were as black as Erebus. Apples as large as bullets were frozen as hard. Strange to say the year was wonderfully productive."- Dr. J. S. Eaton in Enterprise Nov. 27, 1880.'
1843. June 17 of this year there were snow squalls during the day. There were very heavy rains this season, and the lake rose to a great height. The water covered the road just north of the bridge over the river at the outlet of the lake and a flat stone was set in the ground to mark the high water point.
1849. This year, a Mr. Simonds, of Alexandria, met at the depot in Bristol a Mr. Ballou, who was sick with typhoid fever, and conveyed him to his home. At that time there was not a case of typhoid fever in this section. Soon after, Mr. Simonds was taken sick with this disease, and it spread till one physician, Dr. I. S. Chase, had fifty-two cases in Alexandria and Bristol. In all there were nearly one hundred cases and several deaths.
1849. This year there was a severe drouth in the summer and fall and great forest fires in the fall.
1849. In December of this year and January of 1850, small-pox again prevailed in Bristol and Alexandria. There
I Dr. J. S. Eaton was a man of superior information and judgment, and consequently when he advised his neighbors to pour cold water on the blackened vegetation Sunday morning as a sure means of saving it, men, women, and children went to work carrying water to save even a part of the crops. Fortunately water was scarce and the work was hard, for all vegetation treated in this way was killed.
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ANNALS OF THE TOWN
were eight or nine deaths from this cause and great excitement prevailed.
1852. Snow came late the preceding winter and remained late on the ground the following spring. A great snow storm commenced April 15, and continued for twenty-four hours. On the 17th, a heavy rain commenced which continued for three days. The Pemigewasset rose to a great height and nearly all the mills on the stream were compelled to suspend work on account of high water. No frost till Oct. 29 ..
1857. The winter of 1856-'57 was one of the most severe on record. Thirty-two snow storms. Snow was more than six feet deep on the level. January was the coldest month on record. The thermometer was nearly all the time below zero, and several times went to twenty degrees below. The 24th was called the coldest day in New Hampshire since the state was settled. At Franconia the thermometer registered forty-nine degrees below zero and at many other places forty. At Bristol, where the cold is never as great as immediately north, it was thirty degrees below.
1857. For a number of years about this time, Joseph Kid- der did all of the job teaming in this village with one horse, besides carrying on his farm, that now owned by his son, U. H. Kidder, and occupied by David M. Chase, on North Main street.
1861. In the early morning of July 4, occurred the greatest conflagration that ever visited this town. The entire west side of Central square was destroyed, entailing an estimated loss of $30,000. The fire originated in the basement of a store that stood near the south half of Rollins's block ; but how was never known. It was thought at the time that it was caused by boys celebrating the Fourth, but this was easily disproved.
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