USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Henniker > History of the town of Henniker, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, from the date of the Canada grant by the province of Massachusetts, in 1735, to 1880 with a genealogical register of the families of Henniker > Part 26
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in a small house which once stood under the bank, opposite the entrance to the new cemetery, easterly from the village, where he passed the remainder of his days, and where he died June 14, 1836. His exact age was unknown, but from the most reliable data that could be obtained he was believed to have been a centenarian, and the fact was recorded upon his tombstone. The good old man will still be remembered by many. He was genial and large-hearted, and was ever a welcome guest in whatever house he saw fit to enter. He used to relate a good many little anecdotes of his service life. Being extremely fond of music, and himself an excel- lent singer, he often dropped into a neighbor's house of an evening, saying, " This is a bright, moonlight evening, and I thought I would just drop in and sing a few tunes with you ;" and having had his little sing, he passed on to cheer the home of some other neighbor. He was a great lover of children, who looked upon the major's visits as the bright- est moments of their little lives, as they clambered upon his knees, and listened to his very pleasing stories. The major was very fond of military display. Upon training and mus- ter-days he always appeared with his uniform on, and considered it his duty to be near the soldiers to attend to their every want; and particularly did they think that from the hand of no one else but the major could they receive the refreshments served to them, whether liquor or water. He considered it a great privilege to do the same, and he bandied many a joke, and his countenance lit up with pleasure as he passed down the line, saying to one and another, "Great doin's to-day, sir." The major was a regular attendant at church, as were most of the colored people of the town, sitting in one of the little square pews in the gallery at the end of the singing-seats, in the old meeting-house ; and in other churches in the first pew from the wall, at the entrance of the building. These were called the "negro pews." The high esteem in which the major was held was evinced by the very large concourse of people
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that assembled at his funeral. Rev. Mr. Scales preached a very appropriate discourse upon the occasion. Among the families in which the major was a great favorite was that of Dr. Amos Whitney, who resided in the southerly part of the town, upon the place now owned and occupied by Chas. Stevens and his mother. The doctor died quite young, and his widow married Jasper Temple, a wealthy bachelor resid- ing near by. Rev. Mr. Sawyer went down and married them, and on his way back, meeting the major, expressed a great deal of surprise at his not being present at the wedding. "No," said the major, sorrowfully, "me was not there." "Well," said Mr. Sawyer, " then I will give you one half of all I got for marrying them ;" and he handed the major twenty-five cents, saying as he did so, "I got fifty cents for going down and doing the job."
His son Salmon married Phillis Moore, a colored woman, in 1799, by whom he had two children, Irene and Violet.
Close by Maj. Crocker's, and near the site of the stone house, lived Cæsar Bradish and his family, consisting of his wife, son, and daughter. There also lived in his family a while, a young colored man by the name of Nero Prince. He married Mr. Bradish's daughter, but after living with her a while, he deserted her on account of her intemperate habits, left the town, and went to sea, and final- ly became a servant in the family of the czar of Russia. He was highly valued by his royal master, and after several years of faithful service he came to this country upon a vis- it, and was here and attended church Dec. 27, 1823. He was dressed in fine livery, and had his colored waiter. He created quite a sensation. When he left town he went to Salem, Mass., where he married a colored woman, with whom he returned to Russia, where he passed the remainder of his days.
John Haskell lived with Stephen Burnham, in the south- westerly part of the town. He married a white woman, and when he was asked why he did so, replied,-" Because all the colored women feel themselves too good for me."
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London Mero and his family, consisting of a wife and several children, lived in the south-westerly part of the town, near the Gould Harriman place. The name of one of his sons was Alpheus.
Holden Green was a son of Jack Green, who, with his family, lived in town for several years. Holden was a ser- vant for many years in the family of Lieut. Francis Bow- man.
" Dick Boston " (his real name was never known) lived some time in the family of Jonathan Eastman. He came here from Boston,-hence his name.
Violet, daughter of Maj. Crocker, was for many years a servant in the family of Elisha Barnes. Thomas Wilson, who lived in the south-westerly part of the town, had a ser- vant familiarly known as Violet. Her surname was never known. Maj. David Campbell had a servant in his family only known by the same name, Violet. The name of another colored woman was Phillis Sweeting, who worked in different families.
Drover Minor had a family consisting of a wife and sev- eral children, one of whom was Miriam.
Lancaster Hodges, born in Danvers, Mass., came to town when a lad, and resided in Capt. Timothy Gibson's family. He went with him to Brownfield, Me., where he died in 1878, aged 107 years.
These constitute largely the colored people that have. lived in town at different times. But few colored persons have lived in town any length of time since the death of Maj. Crocker, and none have resided here since 1849, to make a permanent abode. These colored people were, as a class, peaceable and quiet, and most of them industrious .. They mingled freely with the people of the town, by whom they were ever treated kindly and pleasantly. They suf- fered but little for the necessaries of life, for many families were ever providing them and their families with food and clothing, and saw that they did not suffer or want.
CHAPTER XIX.
CELEBRATION, JULY 4, 1811-PEACE, 1815-JULY 4, 1816- FOREFATHER'S DAY, DEC. 22, 1820-JANUARY 8, 1829- LIBERTY POLE-JULY 4, 1840-JULY 4, 1820-PREMIUMS- RELICS-GREAT FIRE, 1829-REWARD-PROFANE SWEAR- ING-TOWN STANDARD OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES- SOME BILLS PAID-POTATOES-POTASH-BRIDGE-BUILD- ERS-DEAF AND DUMB EXHIBITION-ESTRAYS -POVER- TY YEAR-GRASSHOPPER YEAR-FIRST WAGON-FIRST CHAISE-A GREAT EXHIBITION-SEASON OF 1820-RE- CEIPTS-FIRST STAGE-GREAT TEAMS-ANECDOTES- COLD FRIDAY, 1810-FEARLESS HORSEBACK RIDING.
HE most spirited and extensive celebration of our nation's birthday, in this town, took place upon July 4th, 18II. The people, without distinction of sect or par- ty, with a generosity that even then had become pro- verbial in the towns round about, and which, at this later period, has in no wise diminished, " killed the fatted calf," and invited the people of the neighboring towns to join with them in celebrating the day, and to partake of their hospi- tality. The day was ushered in by the firing of salutes by the Warner Artillery and the artillery attached to the 26th Regiment. The people began early to pour into Henniker from all the neighboring towns, on foot, on horseback, and in large and small wagons. All assembled upon the com- mon near the Congregational church. Samuel Wilson was the marshal of the day, assisted by several aids, one of whom was Silas Harthorn. About ten o'clock a procession was formed, and escorted by the cavalry belonging to the Twen-
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ty-sixth Regiment, commanded by Capt. Samuel Barnes, of Hillsborough, the artillery belonging to the Twenty- sixth Regiment, commanded by Capt. Chafes, the Warner Artillery, commanded by Capt. Ames, the Hillsborough Grenadiers, commanded by Capt. Solomon McNeil, and the two militia companies belonging to this town, and marched over to the common near the old meeting-house, where all were provided with punch and lemonade, as best suited their taste; thence back to the Congregational church, in which as many as possible crowded, where a very appropri- ate and patriotic prayer was offered by Rev. Moses Sawyer, and an able oration pronounced by Hon. Matthew Harvey, of Hopkinton. After the exercises at the church were con- cluded, the procession was re-formed, and marched across the river to the common, where a table had been spread ninety rods in length, forming three sides of a square, in the rear of the old meeting-house, and covered with an immense amount of meats, white and brown bread, pies, cakes, and great quantities of cheese. In the centre of the table stood " the fatted calf," roasted whole by the family of Samuel Wadsworth. The calf was arranged upon the table in the act of running, his tail turned up, and his mouth containing a pickle. It is estimated that there were at least three thousand people present. All were well furnished with refreshments, and none were known to go away hungry.
Hon. Joshua Darling presided upon the occasion, and there assembled at his house a large number of the more distinguished guests of the day, to partake of his hospital- ity. Mrs. Hannah Ramsdell, mother of Rebecca, who had had much experience in hotels in Boston as a cook, had the oversight of the cooking, and the arranging of the tables at the judge's house. After this repast was partaken of, the company were called to order, and eighteen different senti- ments were offered, which were responded to by the John- sons and Pierces of Hillsborough, the Chases, Harrises, and Harveys of Hopkinton and Warner, Hon. Robert Wallace,
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Hon. Joshua Darling, and Rev. Moses Sawyer of this town, and others. Among the sentiments were,-"The Day we celebrate," "The immortal Washington, and the Heroes of the Revolution," " The President of the United States," " The Governor of New Hampshire," " The Militia," "The Congress," " Our Colleges, Academies, and Schools," " The Fair Daughters of Columbia." At the reading of each sentiment there was firing by the artillery, posted in the field in front of the judge's house, and by muskets. Upon the common, after the tables had been cleared, there were spirited addresses by several persons belonging to this and other towns, and the drinking of punch and lemonade. The exercises lasted until quite late in the afternoon, when, the tables having been nearly cleared and the punch and lemon- ade drank up, the military and the people quietly dispersed. Henniker people were highly satisfied with their endeavors to make the occasion a pleasant one to their invited friends and guests ; the people from the neighboring towns returned home extolling the generosity and great hospitality of the people of this town, who had borne the whole expense of feeding this large gathering. The day was one of intense heat, and for long years afterward, any unusually warm day was pronounced to be " as hot as Independence day." The season was a very dry one, and water in the wells at the village was quite low. A great deal of the water used that day was drawn in barrels upon drags by oxen, from the well at the house of Nathaniel Noyes, Esq., two miles below the village. The provisions with which to feed this multi- tude were mostly stored the night before in Mr. Edward Whitman's store, while the barrels of West India rum, and the boxes of lemons for the punch and lemonade, were stored in the school-house on the common near Mr. Cres- sey's, in which building the drinks were mixed.
The day passed off very quietly, and although rum and punch were more plenty than water, it is said that not a single person was seen intoxicated during the day. Upon this, as
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upon all other public occasions, Major Crocker was on hand, and in his glory. He was dressed in his uniform, and as he passed back and forth among the people, with a very po- lite air he would exclaim, " Goin' to be great doin's to-day, sir !" The music of the day was a very prominent feature of the celebration. John Connor furnished the music out- of-doors and in the church, and never did he do better. At the church several patriotic pieces were sung. The band that led the procession was a novel one: the instruments consisted of violins, bass viols, double-base viol, and clari- nets,-played respectively by John and George Connor, Elias Gould, Micah Howe, Dyer Abbott, Imri Woods, and David Wooster. Josiah Edwards, of Weare, was also pres- ent with his bassoon. This was the first stringed band of such numbers ever heard in the streets of the village.
CELEBRATION OF PEACE, 1815.
The battle of New Orleans, won so brilliantly by Gen. Jackson on the 8th day of January, 1815, by the land forces, was the decisive stroke of the war. Very soon after, a vessel arrived in Boston from England, bringing the joyful news that a treaty of peace had been concluded, awaiting only its ratification by this government. February 18th, President Madison announced in a message that peace had been established between this country and England. The news was everywhere hailed with delight. Although there had been serious divisions between the people in regard to the prosecution of the war, now that peace had been de- clared, all parties joined in mutual congratulations. The news spread rapidly, and many people were summoned from their midnight slumbers to hear the glad announce- ment. Meetings were held all over the country, and the President recommended and appointed a day of national thanksgiving. A messenger, riding post-haste from Con- cord, passed through this town early on the morning of
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Feb. 24, halting only long enough to proclaim the glad tidings, and then left to gladden the hearts of the people in the neighboring towns. The news was carried to all parts of the town, and the people assembled in the village in large numbers. A meeting was summoned to convene at the Congregational church ; a section of the Warner Artil- lery was posted on the knoll in front of Judge Darling's store, which stood where Mrs. Nehemiah Colby now resides, ' while a company of boys, with a small " swivel," paraded the streets, firing at will.
A very large concourse assembled at the church, where Rev. Mr. Sawyer read the 118th Psalm, and short congratu- latory speeches were made by several of the prominent citizens of the town. John Connor, with his choir and his musicians, was present, and discoursed most excellent mu- sic. The chief piece sung upon the occasion was the " Ode to Science."
At the conclusion of the exercises at the house, Judge Darling mounted a hogshead in front of the church, and read the sentiments appropriate to the occasion. Each sentiment was responded to by the artillery. The Judge's sentiment was, " Now we may again sit under our own vine and fig-tree, with none to molest us or make us afraid." In the evening there was a general illumination of the houses, not only in the village, but the larger and more prominent houses on the hills and in the valleys of the good old town. The Congregational church was illuminated very extensively. Candles fastened upon boards were placed at every pane of glass in its windows, and lanterns were suspended from the belfry. The house of Capt. John C. Proctor, on Federal hill, was beautifully illuminated, presenting a fine sight to the dwellers in the village below. A spirit of emulation pervaded all hearts, and all were most profuse in their joyful exclamations. It was a joyous occasion !- for the declara- tion of peace meant that the soldier had exchanged the toils of the camp for the blessings of home. It meant that agri-
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culture, which had been partially neglected during the war, was again to be pursued and to flourish ; that commerce was to assume her wonted activity ; and that the nation was to take another step forward, occupying her place among the first nations of the earth. And by none was this hailed with greater delight than by our liberty-loving citizens, who had been among the first to respond to the call for men at the commencement of the war, and one of the most joyful of communities to welcome home its sons when the war was over.
CELEBRATION, JULY 4, 1816.
The celebration of July 4, of this year, was after the man- ner of the one celebrated in town five years before. It was observed with great spirit, though not so extensively as in 18II. A table was spread upon the common, and the peo- ple of other towns were invited. The "fatted calf" was roasted whole, by the family of William Bowman. A pro- cession was formed on the common, near the old meeting- house, which marched to the Congregational church, where an oration was delivered, after which the procession returned to the south side of the river, and partook of the eatables, which were spread in great profusion upon the tables. The usual sentiments were given and responded to by speech and by firing from the artillery.
This day witnessed the raising of the first "liberty-pole " in this town. This was raised a little north of the east end of the meeting-house. A rope was rigged in it, and after it was raised to its position and secured, Capt. James Yaulding, who had been an old sea-captain, and who at this time was the owner of the Lower mills, " shinned " the pole to its top and back again, much to the delight of the younger portion of the assembled multitude, as nothing like it had ever been seen here before.
The usual amount of rum punch and lemonade was dis- posed of, and all dispersed to their homes at night, feeling
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that their duty had been done in celebrating the day in a becoming manner. This celebration was not as joy- ous as was that of five years preceding. That terrible scourge, the spotted fever, had just passed through the town, and many a family, hitherto healthy and happy, was now sitting in mourning for the loved ones who had gone out from their homes and darkened them forever. The year was also an extremely cold one. Crops of all kinds were very limited, and fears for the future were entertained to a large extent ; and so this celebration, although spirited, does not seem to have been a very satisfactory one, and all became most fully convinced that a "poverty year" was no year in which to indulge in celebrations of any kind. Several years passed before there was another celebration in this town upon the 4th of July.
FOREFATHERS' DAY.
The two hundredth anniversary of the landing of the Pil- grims at Plymouth was duly observed in this town Dec. 22, 1820. A very large concourse of people assembled at the Congregational church, where a very appropriate discourse was delivered by Rev. Moses Sawyer, pastor of the church. The theme of his discourse was the contrast between the time of the first landing of the Pilgrim fathers two hun. dred years previous, and the time of this celebration, depict- ing the sufferings and the hardships of those stern but faith- ful people, and all encountered in consequence of their great desire to worship God freely and without molestation :
" Who dared the pathless ocean, And the untrodden West, To find for Faith a refuge, And for their children, rest."
He then showed the goodness of God in showering his blessings upon their posterity, in causing the wilderness "to bud and blossom as the rose," and in filling the whole land
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with peace and plenty ; and he impressed upon his hearers the duty of remembering the Pilgrim fathers and their stern virtues.
CELEBRATION JANUARY 8, 1829.
This was the first political celebration that the town had witnessed. Party feeling ran nigh. Gen. Jackson had just been elected president, and was to be inaugurated upon the 4th of March following. The good people of this town, who were his partisans, determined to celebrate the 8th of Janu- ary, which had become historic on account of the brilliant battle of New Orleans the 8th of January, 1815, of which battle Gen. Jackson was the hero. The people of the neigh- boring towns were invited, and came in large numbers. The artillery belonging to the 26th Regiment came from Peter- borough and vicinity the night before, and camped near Phinehas Campbell's. The artillery was commanded by the heroic Gen. Miller, who, when asked if he could capture an English battery that was making terrible havoc among the Federal troops at the battle of Lundy's Lane, replied mod- estly, "I'll try, sir." He did try, and but a few minutes passed before the battery was in his hands. The gallant old hero commanded his company in this town upon that day, with all the vigor of fourteen years before. The War- ner Artillery, commanded by Capt. Henry B. Chase, came over the night before, and encamped in the field near Judge Darling's. There had been no snow yet for sleighing. The morning of the 8th opened cold and with a fall of snow, not- withstanding which the artillery posted upon each side of the river ushered in the day with noisy demonstrations. A procession was formed near the Congregational church, and marched to the old town-house.
Hon. Joshua Darling was president of the day. The Rev. Jacob Scales opened the meeting with prayer. The oration was delivered by Franklin Pierce, afterwards president of the United States. He was then twenty-five years of age,
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and had been admitted to the bar. This was the first politi- cal oration he had delivered, he having become the fall previous a strong partisan of Gen. Jackson. At the close of the oration, the audience marched to the hotel close by, kept by Perley Howe, who furnished a substantial dinner for all who wished. At its close a large number of patriotic senti- ments were read. The artillery were posted upon a little knoll north-east from Mr. Cressey's. Mr. Howe was sta- tioned in one of the windows of the hotel, with a small flag in his hand, and when a sentiment was read, he signalled to . the artillery, which responded by firing.
The artillery and most of the people from the neighboring towns returned to their homes that night, but the people of Henniker, with most of their distinguished guests of the day, indulged in a ball that evening at the hotel, where the night was nearly passed away before the celebration was at an end.
LIBERTY-POLE.
During the celebration Jan. 8, 1829, the halyards upon the liberty-pole, from which the flag was floating, became foul, and refused, as a consequence, to render. It became necessary that some one should ascend the pole, as the trou- ble was in the truck at its top. Jacob Gordon, then a spry, quick-witted young man, volunteered his services, which were accepted. Pulling off his boots, he ascended part way up the pole, stopped, pulled off his stockings, and was soon at the top with one of his arms over the wooden fish that surmounted the pole, lowered a line, drew up a shingle, and, taking his jack-knife from his pocket, fitted it as he wished, and then making it fast, came down all right, save with hav- ing his feet badly chilled. It was a daring deed, the wind blowing fiercely, and the pole surging badly, showing great coolness and courage upon Mr. Gordon's part.
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CELEBRATION, JULY 4. 1840.
The people of this town, having the spirit of patriotism still burning in their bosoms, celebrated the 4th of July this year in a highly appropriate and patriotic manner. The cel- ebration consisted in part of an oration, and an Indian fight and capture. The militia of the town, at that time, consist- ed of the Rifles, the Grenadiers, which company had just been formed, and two companies of raw militia. All were out in full force upon this occasion. Quite a company of men and boys, dressed in the costume of Indians, encoun- tered the militia. They scouted the woods and the hills, with a lurking eye upon the white man. The troops were then thrown out in various directions, with a view to sur- round, if possible, the Indians in the woods, within one or two miles of the village. While this was going on, a very large number of people assembled in the old town-house at two o'clock in the afternoon, and listened to an oration by James M. Campbell, Esq. This was his first public oration, and was delivered in an energetic, prompt, and pleasing manner, giving entire satisfaction to his attentive audience. During its delivery several of the Indians crept into the meeting-house, keeping an eye out for the soldiers, and, stopping a few minutes, were away again for the woods east and west of the village. Col. Imri Woods presided upon the occasion, with his usual courtesy and dignity. The sham fight was kept up till quite late in the afternoon, when, after much manœuvring on the part of both the soldiers and the Indians, the latter were surrounded, captured, and taken into the village, amid the cheers of a large number of people who had watched the fight with a great deal of pleasure. The day was pleasant, and although this year was noted for its extensive political campaign, the people were united in this celebration, which passed off to the complete satisfac- tion of all. No Indians have been seen in this town since that day.
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