History of the town of Claremont, New Hampshire, for a period of one hundred and thirty years from 1764 to 1894, Part 14

Author: Waite, Otis Frederick Reed, 1818-1895
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Manchester, N. H., Printed by the John B. Clarke company
Number of Pages: 776

USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Claremont > History of the town of Claremont, New Hampshire, for a period of one hundred and thirty years from 1764 to 1894 > Part 14

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).

159

HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.

1857; Horace Dean and Charles F. Long, vice- presidents ; Jona- than E. Rowell, director; George W. Blodgett, for many years secretary, and others. At a meeting held at Claremont in April, 1857, the society voted to locate the fairs at Charlestown for the next ten years, if certain conditions, such as providing and fencing the grounds, erecting suitable buildings thereon, etc., were com- plied with. This was done, and the fairs held there were suc- cessful for a few years; but by reason of the war, combined with other causes, the interest in the exhibitions flagged, and the organization was finally abandoned, since which no Sullivan county society has existed.

MARKET DAY AND CATTLE FAIR.

In the "National Eagle" of October 10, 1861, under this cap- tion, appeared the following editorial notice :

We are requested to give public notice to all persons having fine cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, or other stock, and all who desire to purchase, exchange, match, or sell, and to the public generally, that a Market Day and Cattle Show will be held in Claremont village, on Tuesday, the fifteenth inst., in and about the Common in front of the Town House-informally and without expense to the public or to individuals. Neat stock, sheep, swine, etc., will rendezvous at the Common at ten o'clock A. M. Horses, of all classes, will rendezvous at the same place at two o'clock P. M. Committees will be detailed who will make a careful and discriminating examination at the hours mentioned of all stock exhibited, and afterwards publish their report. No premiums are offered and of course none will be awarded - but the report will aim to do justice to noteworthy and de- sirable points and features which may come under the observation of the com- mittees. The Town Hall will be opened during the day for the convenience of exhibitors who may desire to display specimens of butter, cheese, honey, vegetables, grains, &c., &c.

On the 17th of the same month the "Eagle," in noticing the fair, said :

The demonstration of Tuesday was really splendid. Such a show of oxen and other cattle has not been seen in Claremont since one or two of our County Fairs, twelve years ago, when every town contributed, as the record of weights (which the committee will publish next week), will testify. We have only

160

HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.

time and space to-day to instance that ten yoke ran up into the thirty-eight and thirty-nine hundreds, while several went into the forties. D. W. Barney's six-year-olds pulled down 4,180 lbs .; William Jones's, 4,200, and Benajah Ro- gers's, 4,420. The noble procession of bovine aristocracy came into town headed by a fine band from Acworth, and escorted by the marshal, Dr. S. G. Jarvis, and his aids, all admirably mounted. In the afternoon the display and pro- cession of horses was also remarkable. William Breck, Esq., of West Clare- mont, with his beautiful matched blacks, headed a procession of about three quarters of a mile in length, followed by Lewis Perry's dashing black stallions, Rufus Carlton's dainty stepping sorrels, and an endless number of beauties, to which the committee will do full justice in their report.

The show in the town hall was not large. The day is repre- sented to have been all that could be desired, and thousands of spectators witnessed the show.

The committees were : On horses, Otis F. R. Waite, Oscar J. Brown, and John S. Farrington; on cattle, William Clark, Henry C. Cowles, and Stephen F. Rossiter; on swine, Horace Dean, C. Henry Abbott, and Thomas B. Fletcher; on dairy, vegetables, etc., George W. Blodgett and John S. Walker. The next week, October 24, these committees published elaborate, and some of them learned, reports. The committee on cattle made a lengthy report, which in part was,

Daniel W. Barney, one pair oxen, 8 years old, weight 3,868 lbs.

Daniel W. Barney,

3,810 lbs.

Daniel W. Barney,

66 4,180 lbs.

Daniel W. Barney,

3,920 lbs.

Daniel W. Barney,

66 2,310 lbs.

Daniel W. Barney,

2.130 lbs.

William Jones,

4,200 lbs.

William Jones,

66 3,568 lbs.

Fred. A. Henry,

66 3,930 lbs.

Enoch Johnson,

4,090 lbs.

Enoch Johnson,

1,110 lbs.

Horace Dean,

3,890 lbs.

John G. Putnam,

3,800 lbs.

Joseph Cram, Unity

2,390 1bs.

Horace Dean, yearling bull

920 lbs.

3,360 lbs.

Enoch Johnson,

Many other specimens were commended.

161

HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.

By notice published in the town papers, citizens were invited to meet at the town hall on October 24, 1861, to consider the subject of forming a Town Agricultural Club, which meeting was adjourned to November 1, at Tremont hall, at which there was a good attendance, and it was voted to organize a town club, and that the officers consist of a president, a vice-president for each school district, a secretary, treasurer, and board of five man- agers. Daniel W. Barney, Thomas Kirk, and Fred. A. Henry were appointed a committee to report the names for a board of officers, who reported : For president, John S. Walker; vice-pres- idents, district 1, Thomas Kirk; 2, Jacob W. Sanborn; 3, Hosea P. Shedd; 4, Danford Rice; 5, William Ellis; 6, Ira Colby; 7, Austin T. Cowles; 8, Frederick Jones; 9, Jonathan Densmore ; 10, William F. Bartlett; 11, William E. Tutherly; 12, Ruel R. Bowman; 13, George Bond; 14, Andrew J. Pike; 15, David F. Tutherly; 16, Horace Dean; 17, George G. Ide; 18, Fred. A. Henry; 19, Solon C. Grannis; secretary, Charles N. Goss; treas- urer, Enoch Johnson; managers, Daniel W. Barney, Charles F. Long, Franklin Norton, George W. Blodgett, and Fred. P. Smith, which report was adopted.

Messrs. Otis F. R. Waite, Oscar J. Brown, and Thomas Kirk were appointed a committee to select a suitable lot for a fair ground and report at an adjourned meeting. It was voted that the name of the club should be the Claremont Agricultural and Mechanical Association. Otis F. R. Waite, John S. Walker, and George W. Blodgett were appointed a committee to draft and report a constitution and by-laws for the government of the as- sociation.

The committee appointed to select a suitable lot for a fair ground, by its chairman, reported in favor of taking a lease of what was known as the Tenney lot, for five years. The report was adopted, and the committee instructed to complete a contract in behalf of the association. This is the same lot that was after- ward bought by the Sullivan County Park Association, and is now laid out into house lots, several of them built on, and known as Fair View.

162

HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.

At an adjourned meeting, on the 4th of the same November, Mr. Waite, chairman of the committee on constitution and by- laws, submitted a report which was adopted. The following is the constitution, and the by-laws were in conformity with it:

SECTION 1. This society shall be styled the Claremont Agricultural and Me- chanical Association. Its object shall be the encouragement and improvement of agriculture and the mechanic arts.

SECT. 2. The officers of this association shall be a president, a vice-president in each school district, a secretary, a treasurer, and a board of five managers, all of whom shall be chosen annually in November, and shall hold their offices until others are chosen in their stead. The president, secretary, and treasurer shall be ex-officio members of the board of managers.

SECT. 3. The annual meeting of the association shall be holden on the first Tuesday of November of each year, at 7 o'clock P. M., for the choice of officers and the transaction of other business; the place of meeting to be desig- nated by the board of managers, notice of which shall be signed by the secre- tary, and published at least two weeks previous to the time of such meeting, in such newspapers in Claremont as will insert it without charge. Other meet- ings of the association may be held at such times and places and for such pur- poses connected with the objects of the association as the board of managers may determine.

'SECT. 4. At the annual meeting the president shall submit in writing a full report of the transactions of the association during the preceding year, with such remarks and suggestions as he may think proper; and the treasurer shall submit, also in writing, a full account of his receipts and disbursements for the year, both of which reports shall be placed upon the files of the association.

SECT. 5. Any person may become a member of this association by paying to the treasurer twenty-five cents and signing the constitution and by-laws.

The Tenney lot, containing about ninety acres, was leased for five years. The same fall a half mile track was laid out, plowed, scraped, made level, and as perfect as possible, the most of the work being done by farmers and others interested, without charge. The lot was used for a cow pasture, and in this way paid the rent agreed upon.

The following winter fortnightly meetings were held for the discussion of subjects connected with the objects of the associa- tion. The first meeting was held at Tremont hall, December 4, 1861, the subject for discussion being "The management of farm

163

HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.

stock in winter." The meeting was quite largely attended. The president, John S. Walker, opened the discussion, and was fol- lowed by Fred. A. Henry, Daniel S. Bowker, Charles N. Goss, Samuel G. Jarvis, Benj. P. Walker, Henry Fitch, and others. At the next meeting the consideration of the same subject was continued. The same gentlemen, and Thomas Kirk, Leonard P. Fisher, Fred. P. Smith, Daniel W. Barney, Horace Dean, George G. Ide, Ovid Chase, and others, told their own experience and observation in the matter of feeding and care of stock while at the barn. The speeches were quite fully reported for the "Eagle," and created considerable interest in the meetings and the subjects discussed. Subsequent meetings were held at Fraternity hall. Several members prepared essays upon the subjects to be con- sidered, and read them in the course of the debate.

On the twenty-second of January, 1862, by invitation, Otis F. R. Waite occupied about forty minutes, with an address carefully pre- pared, upon the subject of " The breeds and breeding of neat stock," at the conclusion of which Dr. Samuel G. Jarvis moved the thanks of the association to Major Waite for his address, with a. request that he continue his remarks on a future occasion. The motion was adopted, and it was also voted that the address be published in the "Eagle," and that two hundred copies be printed in pamphlet form for the use of the association. The meetings increased in interest and attendance throughout the winter, and were continued monthly through the summer.

In May, 1862, the association organized under the provisions of the New Hampshire statutes, became a corporation, and so continued during its existence. On the thirtieth of September the association held a fair and field day on their grounds. Everybody was invited to make exhibits, and participate in the festivities, free of charge. Forage for stock from out of town was furnished by the association free. The novelty of holding fairs upon the principle of asking no fees and paying no premiums seemed to meet with universal favor. The day was fine, the display of neat stock, among which was eighty yokes of heavy oxen, farm pro-

164

HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.

duce, domestic and other manufactures, fruits, and fancy articles was large and excellent, and the gathering of people from this and the surrounding towns in New Hampshire and Vermont was such as had seldom been seen in Claremont, and all seemed more than satisfied.

At the annual meeting, November 4, the president, John S. Walker, as required by the constitution, made a written report, reviewing the doings of the association during the past year, to- gether with some valuable suggestions as to the future manage- ment of its affairs. On motion of Dr. Jarvis it was voted to re- sume the series of fall and winter meetings, and that they should be opened by the members giving a personal account of their farm operations and results during the past season.

The meetings for discussion were kept up during the ensuing three cold seasons, but the war, then in progress, absorbed the attention of almost everybody and detracted from the interest in the objects of this association. At the annual meeting in Novem- ber, 1864, it was voted that meetings be held through the ensuing fall and winter so often as they could be made profitable. The fairs were held annually the last of September or fore part of October, and were entirely successful until 1869, soon after which the fair ground was purchased by John Tyler. A company with a capital stock of ten thousand dollars, under the name of the Sullivan County Park Association, was organized early in 1872, bought the ground, fenced it, erected buildings, etc., and fitted it up for a trotting park. The Connecticut River Valley Agri- cultural Society held its fairs there for a few years with a mod- erate degree of success, but it degenerated into a horse-racing rather than an agricultural society, and finally went the way of many other similar organizations.

NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

In conformity with a request contained in a circular signed by thirty-two influential citizens of the state, among whom were Isaac Hubbard, Samuel Tutherly, Jonathan E. Rowell, and John

165

HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.

S. Walker, of Claremont, a meeting was held at Manchester, December 12, 1849. John S. Walker called the gentlemen to order, and stated that the object which had called so many to- gether was the formation of an association for the advancement of agriculture and the mechanic arts. A temporary chairman was chosen, who, on motion, appointed E. D. Sauborn, of Hanover, . George W. Nesmith, of Franklin, Josiah Stevens, of Concord, Chandler E. Potter, of Manchester, and John S. Walker, of Clare- mont a committee to prepare and report a constitution and by- laws for the government of this society. The constitution which was adopted provided for a president, a vice-president, an exec- utive committee of five, a secretary, and treasurer. George W. Nesmith, of Franklin, was elected president; Ezra J. Glidden, of Unity, vice-president for Sullivan county, and John S. Walker, of Claremont, secretary.

At the session of the legislature in June, 1850, George W. Nesmith and seventeen others-among them John S. Walker, of Claremont-and their associates and successors, were granted a charter under the name of the New Hampshire State Agricul- tural Society. An appropriation asked for passed the house, but was defeated in the senate by a tie vote.

The first cattle show and fair by this society was held at Concord on the second and third days of October, 1850. The show of horses, cattle, articles of domestic manufacture, fruits, vegetables, and fancy needle work was very large. In the evening of the first day of the fair a meeting of members and others was held at which addresses were made by ex-governor John H. Steele, Levi Woodbury, ex-governor Anthony Colby, Thomas M. Edwards, Franklin Pierce, afterwards president of the United States, Noah Martin, afterwards governor of New Hampshire, Nathaniel S. Berry, afterwards governor, and others.

Among the Claremont people awarded premiums were John S. Walker, best. Durham bull, $15; Hubbard & Glidden, best Ayr- shire bull, $8; Isaac Hubbard, best Durham cow, $12; Sunapee Mills, three cases of cotton goods, diploma. Since 1850 this so-

166

HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.

ciety has been kept up and fairs held annually - except a few years during and succeeding the war - at Manchester, Laconia, Keene, Dover, and other places; but Claremont being consider- able distance from the places where the fairs have been held, her people in later years have not participated in them to the extent that they otherwise might have done.

In 1870 the legislature passed an act creating a State Board of Agriculture, to consist of one member for each county. This board was empowered to solicit returns and reports from the differ- ent agricultural societies, and secure complete returns from all sec- tions of the state ; hold meetings in the different counties; collect and distribute grains and other seeds, and make full report of their doings annually, before the first day of May, to the Governor, with such recommendations and suggestions as in their judgment the interests of agriculture shall require. These reports were to be printed, distributed, and disposed of the same as other public docu- ments. This board has a secretary with an office in the state house, Concord. He issued a circular calling upon the selectmen of the several towns for answers to twelve interrogatories. In case of the neglect of the selectmen to reply, individuals were requested to do so. For Claremont for 1873, Otis F. R. Waite was called upon for a report. The significance of the interrogatories will be inferred from the following replies :

CLAREMONT.

Being in Connecticut river valley this is one of the best farming towns in New Hampshire, and her farmers are generally intelligent, industrious, and independent. Her large village and extensive manufactories furnish a home market for more of every kind of farm produce than is raised. The following answers to the twelve questions in the circular of the secretary of the board of agricul- ture of the 20th of March, 1873, convey but a faint idea of the beauty and fertility of many of her farms, or the general comfort everywhere to be seen within the limits of the town.

1. The most, say from one half to three fourths, of the farmers in town, are saving something annually after supporting their fami-

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HISTORY OF CLAREMONT.

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History of the town of Claremont, New Hampshire, for a period of one hundred and thirty years from 1764 to 1894, Part 14

Author: Waite, Otis Frederick Reed, 1818-1895 Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Manchester, N. H., Printed by the John B. Clarke company Number of Pages: 776

Author: Waite, Otis Frederick Reed, 1818-1895
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Manchester, N. H., Printed by the John B. Clarke company
Number of Pages: 776