USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Canterbury > History of the town of Canterbury, New Hampshire, 1727-1912, v. 1 > Part 38
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Mr. Kezer having died in 1866, the trustees met October 11 that year and organized with the choice of Elder Jeremiah Clough as president and Edward Osgood as secretary. The latter and David M. Clough were appointed a committee to draft a consti- tution and by-laws for the seminary, and the board then adjourned, subject to the call of this committee.
The trustees did not have occasion to meet again until after the death of Nancy Towle, one of the legatees under the will, who died May 31, 1879. At a meeting a month later, they filled a vacancy in the board by the election of the Rev. Alpheus D. Smith. In December they adopted a constitution and by-laws and elected the following officers: president, David M. Clough; vice-presi- dent, Alpheus D. Smith; secretary, Edward Osgood; treasurer, Alpheus D. Smith; executive committee, George W. Peverly, Alpheus D. Smith and Henry L. Clough.
A committee was appointed to confer with School District No. 4 to secure a union with the academy of the school in this district.
In 1880, the trustees were incorporated under the name of Kezer Seminary "to establish, regulate and maintain within the limits of School District No. 4 in Canterbury a school agreeable to the will of the late John Kezer."
They took ample time to dispose of the real estate that they might realize as much as possible from its sale. In October, 1884, the treasurer reported that the value of property in his hands to be accounted for amounted as nearly as he could estimate to $15,885. Preparations were then made to build. A lot was purchased near the Freewill Baptist Church and a building com- mittee chosen in 1885. Owing to the death of two members of the board of trustees within the next few months, it was necessary to fill these vacancies and appoint a new building committee. The latter finally consisted of Alfred H. Brown, Henry L. Clough and Myron C. Foster. Plans were prepared and accepted and a con-
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HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
tract for erecting the academy was awarded. The building was completed and accepted September 6, 1889, and on this date the dedication occurred. The exercises were as follows:
Organ Voluntary, Miss Charla E. Clough. Opening Address, Alfred H. Brown, chairman of the Building Committee. Invo- cation, Rev. Walter J. Malvern. Singing, Baptist Choir. Prayer, Rev. Lewis Malvern. Singing, Baptist Choir. Dedica- tory Address, Rev. De Witt C. Durgin, D. D., President, Hillsdale College, Mich. Historical Sketch, Henry L. Clough.
Speeches were made by Rev. T. L. Willey, Rev. Lewis Malvern, O. A. Clough, editor of "The South," and Lucien B. Clough, former residents, and by Charles A. Hackett of Belmont, Charles H. Ayers, George St. John of the Shaker Family, and Willard E. Conant, the first principal. A letter of congratulation from Elder Henry C. Blinn of the Shakers was received and read.
In the historical sketch, Mr. Clough gave an account of the life of John Kezer. The latter was the son of Edmund Kezer of Northfield, whose residence was so near the town line that he was included in the Hill's Corner School District. John Kezer came to Canterbury in 1816. Previous to this he had married and become an early settler in Stewartstown, where he remained for ten years. His wife, Susannah, was the daughter of Miles Hodg- don, a prominent citizen of Canterbury late in the eighteenth and early in the nineteenth centuries. Mr. Hodgdon's home was in the Baptist School District on the farm now owned by Granville W. Morgan.
John Kezer came to Canterbury to care for his wife's parents who were then advanced in years. Industrious and thrifty, he accumulated considerable property. Public spirited as a citizen, he was a generous contributor to every worthy cause. He was interested in education and during his life he gave freely to pro- mote the instruction of the youth of the town. When solicited for contributions he invariably responded with cheerfulness, sup- plementing his gifts by the remark, "If not enough, come again." In 1822, Mr. Kezer was admitted to the Freewill Baptist Church and to the end of his days he was a cordial coworker with the mem- bers of that society. The project of an academy for Canterbury he long contemplated, and, when his means enabled him to provide for such an institution, he made the bequest in his will, which was drawn some fifteen years before his death. Of the trustees selected
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SCHOOLS.
by him, Henry L. Clough was only nineteen years of age at the date of the will and Charles C. Clough only twenty-one. At the time of the dedication but two of the original trustees were living, George W. Peverly, aged eighty-three, and Henry L. Clough:
The first term of the seminary opened September 9, 1889, with an attendance of twenty-seven students. The school year com- prised two terms. Mr. Conant continued as principal until the summer of 1892, a most acceptable instructor. The income of the school not being sufficient, with the tuition of pupils from outside the district, to employ a suitable teacher, the Rev. Herbert W. Small was engaged in the dual capacity of principal of the school and pastor of the Freewill Baptist Church. At the end of two years, F. J. Sherman succeeded him as principal of the school. His services continued until 1895. Miss Nellie A. Dow was assistant from 1894 to 1895. The succession of teachers from this date was as follows:
J. H. Storer, 1896 to 1897; Miss Edna M. Hunt, 1897 to 1899; Mrs. Clara M. Currier, principal, and Miss Sadie Buehler, assis- tant, 1899 to 1900; Mrs. Clara M. Currier, 1900 to 1902; Miss Charlotte Robertson, first term, 1902; Miss Gertrude E. Phil- lips, second term 1902-1903 to 1906; Sherman E. Phillips, 1906 to 1907; Miss Alice M. Brown, 1907-1908 first two terms; Miss Blanche P. Morgan, third term 1907-1908, second term 1908-1909; Miss Elsa P. Kimball, 1909-1910.
Among the trustees of Kezer Seminary none took greater inter- est in its welfare than Mrs. Mary E. Smith. For nearly twenty years she was the efficient secretary of the board and the records are evidence of the character of her work. As the wife of the pastor of the Freewill Baptist Church, she was most helpful to that society. After the death of her husband, Rev. Alpheus D. Smith, and to the close of her own life the church and seminary received her most devoted attention.
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CHAPTER XX.
BLANCHARD SCHOOL DISTRICT, NO. 1. AN OLD PART OF THE TOWN. A MOORE SETTLEMENT. HERE WAS THE FIRST TAVERN IN CANTERBURY. LOCATION OF HOMESTEADS.
The boundary of this district as established in 1814, and not materially changed since that date, is as follows:
"To begin at the southwest corner of Canterbury, then following the town line to the corner of Loudon, then north- eastwardly to the range road at the west end of land owned by William Dwinell, then north on the range road to the south line of David Clough's land, then west to the east end of John Clough's farm, then north to the northeast corner of said farm, then westerly in such a direction as to divide the school house south of Stephen Hall's equally to the northwesterly corner of Col. (David) McCrillis' farm, then south to the southeast corner of Col. Morrill Shepherd's farm, then on the line of No. 2 to the river, then south to the first mentioned bound."
In this district were some early settlements. It was here that Ensign John Moore, one of the proprietors, located with his sons, William, Archelaus, Samuel and Nathaniel. Other pioneers were William Curry, who died here, willing his farm to his widow and his son Thomas; and James Head, who after a few years' residence moved elsewhere. The Moores were large landowners and for half a century this school district was a Moore settlement. It was not until after the second generation of this family had passed off the stage that their farms were divided and new homesteads were made thereon by others. The Revolutionary War had begun before many new names appeared in this locality. Few of the sites found upon the accompanying plan date back a century, except those orig- inating with the Moore family. Some of the locations are today only cellar holes where dwellings once stood. Of these, a part were the residences of people employed by the farmers of this school district. Their stay in town was often temporary. All trace of them is lost.
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BLANCHARD SCHOOL DISTRICT, NO. 1.
The earliest business activities of the town were in this school district. Here was built the first tavern in 1756 or earlier. In August that year, an auction sale of pews in the Meeting House was appointed at the house of Samuel Moore, "innkeeper." This tavern antedated any store of which there is either record or tradition. Here the settlers gathered to learn the news of the outside world from the travelers through Canterbury who tarried for rest and entertainment. Here also they assembled in the long winter evenings to enjoy its "good cheer" and to discuss public affairs and matters of personal interest. For a number of years it was the only place of public resort in town. Before mail routes were established, it served as a post office, the travelers bringing letters and messages to the inhabitants and carrying away with them such communications as the people desired to send to distant relatives and friends. In the absence of a store, the tavern was also a center for trade and dicker of the people among themselves. This building contin- ued as a tavern for about a century, though its importance as a meeting place ceased soon after the Revolutionary War. Except the Soapstone Quarry, which was operated a few years in the middle of the nineteenth century, and one or two sawmills erected for local accommodation, there was no other business than farming carried on in this school district.
There was a "block house," or fort, located here during the Indian troubles. It was one of the early buildings in Canter- bury, and its site is marked upon the plan. The children were sent here to school when there was apprehension of Indian raids. In 1794, when the town authorized the building of six school houses, one of them was located "near William Moore" in this district.
The influential men of this school district have been referred to in the general narrative of the town. Some of the descendants of the settlers in this locality migrated to other states and there became useful and leading citizens. One of its native sons, John L. Tallant, however, moved just across the boundary line into Concord, and his achievements were, therefore, familiar to his early associates in Canterbury. From early manhood he was closely identified with the affairs of the capital city. Taking an interest in politics, he several times represented Ward 2 in the legislature. A man of clear judgment and of
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HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
forceful character, he stood high in the counsels of the Democratic party. He was frequently honored by that party in its nominations for office, and he was a staunch supporter of its policies. As a farmer and business man, he was successful, and his activities gave him prominence throughout the state. Mr. Tallant was educated for the ministry.
Two sons of Marstin M. Tallant, Frank E. and George M., early emigrated to Minnesota, where they became prominent business men. They are of the type of New England men whose enterprise and progressiveness have contributed to the building of the west. Like their ancestors of Canterbury they have wrought successfully in new environments.
The accompanying plan on page 405 shows a list of the loca- tions of present and of abandoned homesteads. The succession of residents at each so far as they can be determined follows: 1
No. 1. Soapstone quarry. The Merrimack County Soapstone Company was incorporated in 1851 with a capital of $30,000. Nathan Emery, Joseph Clough, Freeman Webster, Henry Emery and others were incorporators. The quarry was worked for a few years, then abandoned.
No. 2. Buildings probably erected for use of employees of soapstone quarry. Land owned by Enoch Gibson, of whose children the quarry company bought. Now in possession of the heirs of Samuel Emery, brother of Henry Emery.
No. 3. Laura A. Robinson (colored) who was a daughter of Peter Sampson. The railroad crossing near by was called Peter's Crossing. Probably Mr. Sampson resided there prior to his daughter. House fell down after it was abandoned.
No. 4. John B. Glover only known occupant. House gone.
No. 5. Samuel or Stephen Currier. His son, J. Clark Currier. Humphrey Currier, who may have been an ancestor of Samuel Currier, was perhaps the first settler.
No. 6. Benjamin B. Morrill, who married, in 1837, Abiah, daughter of James Tallant, and probably settled here about that time. The next occupant was John Colby, who was followed by his son, John S. Colby. The latter still resides there.
No. 7. Stephen Wiggin. Present occupant, Fred Boynton. No. 8. Benjamin B. Nudd. Joseph Rogers, who married Nudd's daughter.
No. 9. North Concord Station, now called Boyce. Built about the time the railroad was completed. Although in Canter- bury, its first designation was North Concord.
1 Prepared by Howard P. Moore of Albany, N. Y., a descendant of Ensign John Moore.
BLANCHARD SCHOOL DISTRICT, NO. 1.
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CANTERBURY CENTER
24
52
51
23
26 25
50 48147
27
40
21
22
28
39: 38
37
2
19
32
3534
45
30
18
43
17
31
16
4
15
41
42
14
53
5
13%
6
1
8
13
9
12
11
10
CONCORD
BLANCHARD SCHOOL DISTRICT, NUMBER 1.
44
3
33
36
29
49 46
20
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HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
No. 10. Milton G. Boyce, about 1858. Luther Nutting, later.
No. 11. Built by Milton G. Boyce. John Colby, George Tucker. Occupied by tenants since.
No. 12. Samuel H. Runnels, Milton G. Boyce.
No. 13. Joseph Tallant settled here. House gone.
No. 133. Present school house.
No. 14. William Curry one of the early settlers. He died January 30, 1763. In his will he gave Home Lot 100, on which his residence stood to his widow, Ann, and to his son, Thomas Curry, who is given in the U. S. Census of 1790 as a resident of Canterbury. How long it remained in his possession and that of his descendants is not known. According to the County Map of 1858, Jeremiah C. Elliott was then the occupant. After him came Addison Moore, Augustus Gilman, Morrill Shepard, Augustus Gleason, John Tucker, Josiah Harris, John H. Batch- elder, Frank Sargent.
No. 15. Built by Royal Jackman early in the nineteenth cen- tury. Abel B. Boyce. Samuel Kidder Boyce and his sister.
No. 16. The forty-acre lot on which these buildings stand was bought by John Moore, one of the proprietors, in 1740. He sold it to his eldest son, William, who resided here until his death in 1804. The house is the one originally built. While the barn was being raised, news of the Revolution came. The night was spent in "running" bullets, and, in the morning, one of the Moores, probably Capt. Joseph, son of William Moore, went to the war. In 1819, Nathan, Mary and Sally Moore sold to Adoniram Coburn, who sold to Ara Sargent. Capt. Samuel Gilman, who married Parmelia Blanchard, probably resided here prior to its ownership by Sargent, perhaps from 1832, date of his marriage, to 1838, date of his death. He left two sons, Charles Augustus and Samuel, Jr. The widow Gilman married for her second hus- band, Ara Sargent. Mrs. Margaret (Slack) Gilman, widow of Samuel Gilman, Jr., is the present occupant.
No. 17. In 1823, Adoniram Coburn sold to Abraham Moore a piece of land seven rods square, a quarter acre, for $80, it being the northeast corner of lot 55 on which the Moore, Coburn, Gilman house now stands. Although the house in the corner was under- stood to have been ancient, it was probably put up after 1823. The cellar hole now filled was discernible within recent years. The house was not finished off up stairs. In 1828, Abraham Moore sold to his uncle or possibly his cousin, David Moore. Soon after it was occupied by John Moore, "Uncle John Moore," who had previously lived at No. 34. The house was taken down about fifty-eight years ago by Joseph W. Scales. The land is now part of the Gilman place.
No. 18. Lots 55 and 57 were bought by Col. Archelaus Moore in 1745 and 1748. The house is believed to be the original built by him. He sold to Simon Stevens in 1790. Here until his
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BLANCHARD SCHOOL DISTRICT, NO. 1.
freedom was granted, Sampson Battis, the slave, worked for his master, Archelaus Moore. Stevens sold, in 1793, to Ebene- zer Greenough. The latter and his son, James Greenough, resided there for many years. George Harvey succeeded James Green- ough. Then J. Addison Moore or Moores bought it. He was not connected with the Moores of Canterbury. Afterwards Russell Burdeen carried on the farm. Then Albert Blanchard, Amos and Henry Stone owned it. The next owner was Frank Sargent. Ralph Roundy bought it several years ago, selling in 1910 to the present occupant, Kenneth Pope.
No. 19. Here was a block house with port holes, the windows and doors being constructed for a defence against the Indians. It must have been one of the earliest buildings erected in Can- terbury. In April, 1810, Matthias M. Moore was born in this "block house" dwelling. After the block house was torn down, the present house was built. Abby Merrill, whose father at one time owned the place, married John Snyder, Jr., who died here. It is now owned by his widow.
No. 20. Ezekiel Moore bought this farm without buildings of Obadiah Mooney, school master, and erected the dwelling now standing. In 1818, he sold to Andrew Taylor, who later sold to James Elkins. He and his son, James S. Elkins, were the owners and occupants until the latter moved to the Center. George F. Blanchard is the present owner and occupant.
No. 21. Settled by Samuel Moore, son of Capt. Samuel of the tavern. He was there as early as 1785. The County Map of 1858 shows the occupants to be Enoch and Enoch Gibson, Jr. Moore lived in a log house. The elder Gibson built the frame house. Alvah J. Dearborn is the present owner.
No. 22. This was the site of a house erected by Nahum Blanch- ard or his father for the use of the help employed on their farm or about the tavern. John B. Glover was one of the occupants. It was taken down before 1892.
No. 23. In 1748, Samuel Moore bought Home Lot 61. In 1756, he was described as an innkeeper. He owned in addition, Home Lots 62 and 63. The tavern was probably built between 1748 and 1750. Capt. Samuel Moore became wealthy, dying suddenly at 50 years of age in 1776. His widow, Susannah, married Col. David McCrillis. They carried on the tavern until his death in 1825. He was succeeded by his son-in-law, Jacob Blanchard, and he in turn by his son, Nahum, who kept this as a hotel property until about 1850, making a hundred years of continuous family occupancy as an inn. The place is now the summer residence of Mrs. Ethel Blanchard Stearns of Winchester, Mass. There were fourteen buildings, counting the annexes until 1860, when a number were removed and the remainder modernized.
No. 24. Betsey and Dolly Wheeler are the earliest residents
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HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
known to have occupied this building. They were succeeded by Luther Durgin. According to map bearing date of 1892, Clara P. Gale was the owner. It is let to a tenant at the present time.
No. 25. The house is located back from the road. Joseph G. Clough, Sr., with his son, Joseph G. Clough, lived here George Pickard.
No. 26. Capt. John Clough, his son, Arthur Clough. Owned by Edwin Kimball. Unoccupied.
No. 27. Henry H. Clough, son of Capt. John Clough, Albert Blanchard, Benjamin K. Tilton, William Morrill.
No. 28. Originally owned by Capt. Samuel Moore of the tavern. His son Stephen resided here and raised a large family of chil- dren, one of whom, Martha Cogswell, born in 1818 is now living in Manchester. He died in 1846. The next known occupant was Jacob Blodgett. The County Map of 1858 shows D. C. Tenney as residing here. In 1892, William H. Carter was the oc- cupant. Leonard J. Pickard now resides here.
No. 29. A small house without much land. In 1858, Joseph G. Glover was the occupant and in 1892 D. Glover. This was part of lot 106, the homestead of Ensign John Moore, being the southwest corner.
No. 30. Lot 67 bought in 1764 by William Moore, who owned lot 55 on the west. He sold, in 1771, to Benjamin West, price £30 for the forty acres. It is probable that no house was then on the property. In 1817, Samuel Moore sold to Royal Jackman "where I now live" (probably the house No. 31 commonly called the French place), excepting " 4 acre on which the school house stands." The date of the erection of this school house is unknown. At the town meeting in 1794, it was voted to divide the town into school districts, one to "stand a small distance to the north from the old Meeting House and another to stand near Lieut. William Moore's." There is a tradition that, before the school house was built, the front room of No. 31 was used for a school. At one time this school was very large, the several Moore families sending over forty children. The largest attendance is given as 108 scholars. The old school building was taken down but the remains of some of the timbers may still be seen on the site.
No. 31. See notes on No. 30. The house was owned at one time by Joseph W. Scales. Albert Blanchard bought it later and continued to live there until his death in 1910.
No. 32. Lot 106 bought in 1733 by Ensign John Moore, head of the family and father of William, Archelaus, Samuel and Nathaniel. He lived here all his life (first having built a cave in the bank of the brook) selling in 1784 "where I now live" to his grandson Ezekiel, son of Nathaniel who probably lived with his father, Ensign John, until he removed to Loudon.
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BLANCHARD SCHOOL DISTRICT, NO. 1.
After the death of Ensign John, the place had various members of the family as owners or occupants. John Moore who after- ward lived at No. 15 was one, for his daughter, Judith G., was born in this house in 1806. After that, William Whitcher who married Ruth, sister of Judith, was the last occupant. The house disappeared about 1830. Mrs. Mary J. (Blanchard) Wheeler, age ninety-one, is the only one living who remembers it.
No. 33. Lots 104 and 105 were owned by James Head, who sold them to Samuel Moore, "with all edifices," who sold them to his brother, Archelaus, in 1764. Archelaus sold these lots to his son, John, who disposed of them in 1778 to Jonas Sherburne. The only known house on the property was a small dwelling at the junction of the road leading to the Tallant places. John T. G. Emery lived here awhile about 1850. The County Map of 1858 shows Stephen C. Hanson. Later one-armed James Moore and his sister, Hannah, lived here. Buildings gone many years, but the site is plainly discernible.
No. 34. The houses upon the now neglected range road were called "Bennettville." Levi Bennett lived to the east on the now closed E. & W. road over the hill. His house has been gone for about forty years. For a time a small house stood to the west of No. 34.
No. 35. Harrison Bennett resided here until he went to Mont Vernon before 1840. This dwelling has also gone.
No. 36. David Bennett, brother of Levi, lived in a two-roomed house right in the rangeway. Various members of the Bennett family followed him. The County Map of 1858 shows Mrs. E. Dickerman (a Bennett) as the occupant. The buildings are all gone.
No. 37. Joseph Bennett, the father of Joseph, Levi, David and Amos, resided here. The buildings have disappeared.
No. 38. A new house built after the fire which destroyed No. 39. Nothing is known of this site except that the present occupant is Joseph W. Scales, son of Joseph W. Scales referred to in No. 17.
No. 39. This place was owned by John T. G. Emery before the buildings were destroyed by fire.
No. 40. Lot owned in 1764 by Nathaniel Moore, but probably no house was built until many years after. Josiah Moore owned it in 1825 and it is probable that the present cellar hole in the pasture is the site of his house. About that time James Moore owned part of the lot. In 1844, his sister Hannah had an interest in it. They lived here, the last occupants, until she went west. The house did not stand much later.
No. 41. The County Map of 1858 shows James Tallant as the owner. His father, James Tallant, settled here towards the close of the Revolutionary War. In 1892 John Colburn occupied the premises.
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HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
No. 42. Hugh Tallant, brother of James, was the earliest known occupant. The County Map of 1858 shows John Carter residing here and in 1892 Francis A. Fisk. Henry Cushing.
No. 43. Samuel Tallant located here about 1814. In 1892, Thomas S. Tucker resided here.
No. 44. The 1858 map locates James Tallant at this site. The house does not appear on the 1892 map.
No. 45. David Tallant from 1835 to 1843. The 1858 map shows Daniel Sanborn as the occupant, and the 1892 map gives the owner as George A. Morrill.
No. 46. The 1858 map gives the resident as A. Hamblett. James H. Bennett occupied the house in 1892.
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