USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Keene > History of the town of Keene, from 1732, when the township was granted by Massachusetts, to 1874, when it became a city > Part 27
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The new courthouse was built during that season, very nearly on the site of the old one (the old meetinghouse), and was used as a town hall for many years. At the same time the south end of the road from Surry and Wal- pole was changed so as to run near the west side of it, entering Pleasant (West) street where the postoffice build- ing now stands-along "the east side of Capt. Richard- son's garden fence," and forming the present Court street, except at its south end. Previous to that it had come down nearly on the line of the present School street; and, prior to 1773, curved thence to the east, passing below the present Episcopal church, and entering Main street by "Poverty Lane," about where Lamson block now stands.
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On the 7th of November, 1796, in accordance with the request of a previous county convention, the town "voted that the Court house in Keene when finished become the sole property of the County of Cheshire without reserve." Keene had voted to give the land, and prominent citizens had contributed generous sums of money towards the
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HISTORY OF KEENE.
erection of the building. At the December term, "The Court of Common Pleas give liberty to the Town of Keene to use the Court house for Town Meetings when there is no Court sitting there (said Town doing no injury thereto and keep- ing the same clean) upon their giving a deed thereof to the County. Attest
Tho's Sparhawk, Clerk."
During the year 1796, Dea. Abijah Wilder utilized his skill in laying aqueducts by bringing water in logs from a spring1 at the north end of the village to supply his own and other families. Afterwards the same aqueduct was used to supply water to some shops and manufactories; and others were laid in town about the same time and did good service for many years.
On the 10th of June the community was shocked by the sudden death of George Newcomb, eldest son of Judge Newcomb. He was a remarkably bright and promising lad, thirteen years old, and an undergraduate of Dart- mouth college. He was at home on a vacation, went to the river to bathe with the boys of the grammar school, and was drowned.
A remarkably bright son of Capt. Alpheus Nims, George, in his sixth year, died also about the same time. "He was possessed of an extraordinary memory, so that he could retain, almost verbatim, discourses of consider- able length." (Annals, page 80.)
In business, Allen & Dorr (Joseph Dorr, son-in-law of Capt. Josiah Richardson) had succeeded Goodale & Homer in the store on the corner, and they were sharp competi- tors of Moses Johnson (or "Johnson & Mann") their next door neighbors. The advertisements of the rival firms were sharp and spicy, and their customers reaped the benefit of low prices.
Down to this time, 1797, every property holder had been compelled to pay taxes for the support of the church established in the town. But the new state constitution provided that, "no person of any one particular denomina- tion shall ever be compelled to pay towards the support of the teacher or teachers of another persuasion, sect or
1 The Annals say from Beaver brook, but it has since been ascertained that it was from a spring.
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JOHN PRENTISS.
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TOWN AFFAIRS.
denomination." Controversy and litigation at once sprang up from those who dissented, or pretended to dissent, from the doctrines taught in the established church in their town concerning the payment of the minister tax. In Keene, Rev. Aaron Hall was a Congregationalist, and taught the doctrines of Calvin. Dr. Ziba Hall claimed to be a. Universalist. The selectmen collected the usual tax for the support of the minister. Dr. Hall brought suit to recover the tax he had paid. The town appropriated twenty dollars to defend the suit. The controversy was sharp and exciting, but heavily balanced against the doc- tor. Much testimony was taken. The jury gave their verdict for the defendants, in accordance with the religious feeling of the time, and on the ground that the laws did not recognize any such denomination as Universalists. Soon afterwards, the legislature recognized the Universa- lists and other denominations by legal enactment, and compulsory support of churches ceased.
The denominations of money in use had now so far changed from the English to the Federal system, that at the annual town meeting this year, 1797, the sums raised were stated in dollars and cents instead of pounds, shil- lings and pence. The sum of $500 was voted for Mr. Hall's salary, $500 for schools, $500 for repair of high- ways and bridges, and $800 for town charges. But the next year, 1798, the appropriations were $666.67 for schools, $666.67 for highways and bridges, and $433.33 for Mr. Hall's salary; which shows a clinging to the old Eng- lish system, and a serious retrograde movement in grant- ing Mr. Hall's salary. Five years later, however, it was raised to $500, and was kept at that sum for many years.
In August, 1798, Peleg Sprague, Esq., of Keene, was elected to congress, to fill a vacancy caused by the resigna- tion of Hon. Jeremiah Smith. Mr. Sprague took his seat on the 4th of March following.
"The first dancing school in Keene was taught during this winter (1798-9) by Master Burbank of Brookfield, in the hall of the public house then kept by Dr. Thomas Edwards, where the Cheshire House now stands."
(Annals, page 108.) In the early part of 1799, John Prentiss, then 21 years
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HISTORY OF KEENE.
old, came to Keene and began the publication of the New Hampshire Sentinel, at the "Old Printing Office," which had been the office of the Rising Sun and previous weekly papers-already described as the first office of the Recorder. "A bill of sale and transfer is drafted by N. Cooke, of the printing apparatus and effects-formerly owned by C. Sturtevant Jr. & Co .- from Abijah Wilder to John -Pren- tiss. For these writings Abijah Wilder is debited in the books of account of N. Cooke as follows, viz: 'March 27, 1799. Abijah Wilder, Dr .- To drawing writings between him and Prentiss, 15 cents.'"-an illustration of the modesty of professional charges in those days.
The first number of the Sentinel was issued on Satur- day, the 23d of March. Its motto was: "My Country's Good-a faithful Watch I stand."
The name was well chosen, for Keene was still one of the frontier points of civilization. Mr. Prentiss began with seventy subscribers at $1.50 a year-taken in wood, but- ter, cheese, grain, and almost any article used in a family -and he also kept a few standard books, blank books and a small stock of stationery for sale. In October, the office was removed to a new building just south of Dr. Ed- wards's tavern.
The previous winter had been one of remarkable severity. A paragraph in the Sentinel, dated March 30, says: "The oldest man scarcely recollects such a winter as the past. Since the middle of November the ground has been covered with snow. The mail sleigh from Boston to Walpole has passed through this town eighteen weeks in
succession. * * * * We have had four months and ten days dead winter." The severity was equally great in Europe. The Sentinel of May 11, said : "The snow now, in many parts of this town, is two to three feet deep." "Some- how or other our earth appears to have gotten an unlucky jog to the Northward. The spring is extremely backward."
The 4th of July was celebrated this year with much patriotic spirit. At sunrise the bell were rung, and in default of cannon, volleys of musketry were fired. Two companies of militia under Captains Alpheus Nims and Isaac Griswold, paraded on the common, and at 11 o'clock
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TOWN AFFAIRS.
"escorted a large and respectable procession through the streets to the meeting-house," where religious services were held, with patriotic music, and an oration was delivered by Noah Cooke, Esq. At 3 o'clock, there was a dinner at which thirteen regular toasts were drunk; and in addi- tion, one volunteer toast to "Peleg Sprague, Esq., our worthy Representative in Congress."
"July 20 .- Died, Mrs. Abigail Nims, of this town, con- sort of Mr. David Nims, aged 80. Her descendants were 81-children 10, grand-children 50, great-grand-children 21. Mrs. Nims accompanied the first settlers in this town."
(Annals, page 85.)
In August, 1799, Keene was one of the recruiting stations in New Hampshire for raising volunteers for the threatened war with France. Capt. J. Dunham, of the regular army, opened an office here, heading his advertise- ment with :
"ATTENTION !!! TO ARMS COLUMBIA!"
But the troops were not called out.
Washington died on the 14th of December. When the news reached Keene, in the evening, some days later, Abijah Wilder, Jr., then a boy of fifteen, went into the belfry of the meetinghouse and tolled the bell all night. The next day at noon the United States flag was hoisted, draped in mourning, and the bell was again tolled until 2 o'clock.
A town meeting was held on the 27th of January, 1800, "to carry into effect the measures recommended by Congress, and by the Proclamation of the President of the United States for the observance of the 22d day of Febru- ary next-publicly to testify their Grief for the death of General George Washington."
"Voted and chose Daniel Newcomb Esq." David Forbes Esquire, Doctor Ziba Hall, Lock.t Willard Esq." Cap.t Abel Blake, M." Ebenezer Robbins, and Noah Cooke Esq." a Committee to make arrangements." "Voted and chose Doctor Daniel Adams and Major John Pray Blake Mar- shalls for that day."
The order of exercises announced by the committee requested the inhabitants to assemble "at the house of Major Todd [who still kept the Ralston tavern], at ten o'clock in the forenoon, in habiliments of mourning, the
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HISTORY OF KEENE.
males with crape or black ribbon on the left arm below the elbow, the females with a black sash."
The programme was carried out as planned. The in- terior of the meetinghouse was draped with mourning, a flag in mourning was displayed at half staff, and the bell was muffled, and tolled during the march of the procession, and after the exercises until sunset. The procession, in which the town and other officials, the Masons and the citizens generally, joined, was escorted by the Keene Light Infantry in uniform, Capt. Alpheus Nims; the company of militia, Capt. Isaac Griswold; each with arms reversed; and the company of cavalry, Lieut. Clark; with muffled drums, from Major Todd's tavern to the meetinghouse, where appropriate religious services were held. An oration was pronounced by Samuel West, Esq., and "The choir of singers did ample justice to the solemn and affecting airs." "The ceremonies of the day were conducted with the greatest decency and propriety."
One article in the warrant for the annual town meet- ing in 1800 was: "To take the Sense of the qualified Voters on the Subject of using Instruments of Music in aid of vocal Music in the Meeting house on Sabbath days." It was dismissed.
In August, the town voted to raise $1,333.33 to build and repair schoolhouses.
Several prominent citizens died during the year-Hon. Peleg Sprague, in April, aged 43; Gideon Ellis, one of the early settlers, in August, aged 86; and Capt. Jeremiah Stiles, in December, aged 56.
At the close of the 18th century, Keene was a well settled township of 1,645 inhabitants, chiefly thrifty farmers and their large families, and "Keene Street" was an attractive village of about one hundred houses, shops, etc., including a fine new meetinghouse, of which the citi- zens had a right to be proud. President Dwight, of Yale college, an experienced traveller, described Keene as one of the pleasantest inland towns he had seen. Central Square had been laid out partly in its present form, though not extending so far north, with the meetinghouse near the north side, fronting south, the horsesheds behind it, and the "common" extending down to the present railroad tracks.
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60 .
VILLAGE OF KEENE. 1800.
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TOWN AFFAIRS.
The accompanying map of the village as it was at that time, with the page of explanations, is copied from the Annals of Keene, pages 88 and 89.
"The plan of the Village, on the opposite page, has been prepared with much labor and care. It was pro- tracted by George W. Sturtevant, Esq. from surveys made by him and others; and the position of the buildings and the owners' names have been ascertained, by frequent con- sultations with many persons whose recollections go back to that period.
"The figures on the plan refer to the table below.
"REFERENCES.
"1 .- Judge Newcomb.
42 .- Draper's Bake House.
43 .- James Morse.
3 .- Dorman house.
44 .- Noah Cooke.
45 .- Saw Mill.
5 .- Old Cemetery.
46 .- Grist Mill.
6 .- School House.
47 .- Nathan Blake.
7 .- Blake's Tavern.
8 .- Dr Adams .- Post Office.
9 .- Lockhart Willard.
50 .- Dr Charles Blake.
10 .- School House.
11 .- Washburn house.
12 .- David Simmons.
53 .- Josiah Richardson.
54 .- Abijah Wilder.
14 .- Eli Metcalf.
15 .- Thomas Shapley.
16 .- Widow Goodnow.
17 .- Thomas Wells.
18 .- Old Printing Office.
19 .- Samuel Dinsmoor.
20 .- Abel Blake.
21 .- Alexander Ralston.
22 .- Low shops.
62 .- Meeting House.
23 .- Ralston's tavern.
63 .- Allen & Bond's store.
64 .- David Forbes's office.
65 .- Blacksmith's shop.
66 .- Dwelling house and shop.
67 .- Dr M'Carty.
68 .- Dr M'Carty's small house.
69 .- Spinney house and shop.
70 .- Samuel Daniels.
71 .- Alpheus Nims.
72 .- Eliphalet Briggs.
73 .- Jeremiah Stiles.
74 .- Joseph Stiles.
75 .- Grout house.
76 .- Jail.
77 .- Abel Wilder.
78 .- School House.
79 .- Nathaniel Briggs.
39 .- Joseph Dorr's store.
40 .- Lamson's Tannery.
41 .- Dwelling house in rear of John- son's store.
55 .- Moses Johnson's pot and pearl- ash works.
56 .- Israel Houghton.
57 .- Nehemiah Towns.
58 .- Elias Rugg.
59 .- Samuel Bassett.
60 .- Asahel Blake.
61 .- Court House.
24 .- Bemis, watch maker.
25 .- Ralston's distillery.
26 .- Dunbar house.
27 .- Masonic Hall.
28 .- Peter Wilder's house and shop. 29 .- Luther Smith's shop.
30 .- Dr Ziba Hall.
31 .- Moses Johnson's house.
32 .- Coopers' shops.
33 .- Dinsmoor's office. - Store. - Printing Office.
34 .- Dr Edwards's tavern.
35 .- Peleg Sprague's house and office 36 .- Daniel Watson. 37 .- Watson's shop.
38 .- Johnson's store.
80 .- Horse sheds.
81 .- Cemetery.
82 .- Warner's Fulling Mill."
49 .- John Warner.
51 .- William Lamson.
52 .- Rev. Aaron Hall.
13 .- ThomasField's house and shop.
48 .- James Wyman.
2 .- Maj. Willard.
4 .- Thomas Baker.
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HISTORY OF KEENE.
For further explanation : Allen & Bond (Amasa Allen, from the firm of Allen & Dorr, and John G. Bond) had opened the first store on the east side of the Square. David Forbes had a law office next door north, and north of him, where city hall now stands, was a blacksmith's shop, owned by Joseph Dorr and carried on by Towns & Wright, who made axes and other tools for the merchants to sell.
Dr. Thomas Edwards kept the former Chandler House, where the Cheshire House now stands. It was at his tavern, in April, 1799, that the first veterinarian of which we have any record, one Cyrus Palmer, a black man, advertised that he would attend sick and disabled horses for a few weeks. South of that were the Sentinel office, law offices, stores and shops. Dr. Ziba Hall, who had kept tavern in 1779, on the east side of Main street, had removed to Lebanon in 1780, and had been succeeded in the tavern by Aaron and Luther Eames, apparently had returned and was again keeping the tavern at this time. Then came Federal Row, where Luther Smith made clocks and Peter Wilder made rakes, scythe-snaths, chairs and wheels. Smith afterwards built the main, or north, part of the present Eagle Hotel, where his shop stood. Many of the tall, old fashioned clocks still in use-some of them kept as heirlooms-were made by Luther Smith. The old two-story wooden Masonic Hall, with Major Wm. Todd's store on the ground floor, stood next south of where the "Adams Kingsbury" brick house now stands. Thomas Wells was keeping tavern in the old Bullard Coffee House (Dunbar house) and Alexander Ralston had a dis- tillery down the Packersfield road. Below, Thomas Fields had a blacksmith's shop, and the "Washburne House" appears to have been in the old fort.
Down to this time, the lower part of Main street had been the "court end" of the town. Dr. Daniel Adams had built the house now 324 Main street, had been appointed postmaster in 1799, and kept the office there. Thomas Baker, Esq., was living in the house that he had built- still standing-on the sand knoll on the "Boston Road;" Judge Newcomb had built and was living in a fine colonial
RESIDENCE OF DR. DANIEL ADAMS. BUILT ABOUT 1795.
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TOWN AFFAIRS.
house on the site of the first meetinghouse; and William Ward Blake had married Roxana, daughter of Col. Isaac Wyman, and kept the old Wyman tavern.
Capt. Abel Blake was living on the Blake homestead, where the first Nathan began and where he was captured by the Indians. Samuel Dinsmoor had not yet taken up his residence on the place south of the Blakes, as the map repre- sents. That was owned at that time by Major William Todd. (Samuel Dinsmoor, Jr., bought that place in 1849.)
The saddler's shop of the Willards, Josiah, senior and junior, was in Federal Row, also called the Haymarket- a stirring part of the town for business. Joseph Dorr had succeeded Allen & Dorr, on the corner of Pleasant street, and Major Josiah Richardson still kept his famous inn where the Y. M. C. A. building now stands, his barns and outbuildings extending north and west, and his large garden on the east coming out to the site of the present postoffice building.
On the same street was the residence and bakery of John Draper, whose wife was one of the heroines of the siege of Boston, succeeding Ichabod Fisher in the little old yellow house already mentioned. In the parsonage, nearly opposite, the "Social Library" was kept-almost exactly on the site of the present public library-and Rev. Aaron Hall was its librarian. It held its annual meetings in the courthouse, and was incorporated in 1801, with all the leading men in town as members. Noah Cooke, Esq., was clerk of the corporation.
At the water privilege on the river there was a saw- mill, and also a gristmill with two runs of stones, one for wheat, with bolters for making flour. They had been owned and run by Nathan and Abel Blake, but were sold, in 1799, to Luther Smith, the clock maker. Dea. Abijah Wilder, the cabinet maker, lived on the old Walpole road, and was at this time making "screw cheese presses." He was something of an inventor, and had recently obtained a patent for bending sleigh runners by steaming the wood, considered a wonderful invention at that time. Capt. Alpheus Nims owned the mills on Beaver brook and lived on what had been his father's farm, on Prison street, since
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HISTORY OF KEENE.
known as the Page farm. The old house, built by David Nims, stood until a few years ago, where Charles Wright, 2d, now lives. It was removed to Page street-now No. 39-the large old chimney in the middle giving place to smaller ones. Dr. Maccarty, on Prison street, kept an apothecary's shop, and was the first in town to advertise and sell patent medicines.
One of the finest residences in town stood at the north- east corner of the common, where Clarke's block now stands-a two-story house, facing south, with a flower and vegetable garden in front. It was owned at that time by Major Josiah Richardson, and occupied by Abel Wilder. Wilder afterwards owned it and sold to Albe Cady, in 1808. After that, it was known as the Cady house and stood until 1880, when it was burned with other build- ings on that corner.
The two stores at old West Keene were doing a thriv- ing business, and David Kingsbury had drugs and medi- cines in a part of the one kept by Abijah Foster. Jesse Clark was still keeping his tavern and running his saw and grist mills, and advertising all kinds of grain for sale. Ebenezer Robbins had a sawmill on White brook-suc- _ ceeding Adin Holbrook-on the road that ran (and still runs) south from beyond that west village to and over West mountain. The power was an undershot wheel, propelled simply by the force of the current, with consid- erable fall. For nearly forty years, Amos Partridge, and his successor, Lieut. Reuben Partridge, had had a sawmill on the old Surry road, on the stream from Goose pond; and Elisha Briggs was making cider mills and other ma- chinery at his mills on the North branch, since known as the "peg factory."
The clothier's mills at West Swanzey still did a large part of the clothier business for Keene; but Silas Dickinson had followed the Balches in the fulling mills near the West- moreland road, and he was succeeded by his son William.
Mechanics of all kinds had shops in the village and at West Keene, and their business was brisk, for manufactur- ing by machinery had scarcely yet begun, and all tools and implements had to be made by hand.
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TOWN AFFAIRS.
In addition to the licensed taverns already mentioned, Lieut. Stephen Chase was keeping one on the Surry road, where his descendants still live; Major Joseph Willson had one west of the bridge, at South Keene; Jehosaphat Grout kept one on Prison street; Abijah Foster and Joseph Brown held licenses as taverners at West Keene, with Royal Blake and Timothy Colony near them; Major Josiah Wil- lard and Lieut. Benjamin Hall did the same here in the village; and there were others in town. Nearly every mer- chant and trader, and several others, were licensed retail- ers of intoxicating drinks; and it was still the custom to allow horses, cattle. and hogs to run at large in the streets, and the public pound and the yokes of the hog- reeves were in frequent requisition.
Jotham Johnson, the mail carrier, had put a four-horse stage on the route from Boston to Keene for one summer, but the roads were bad, it failed to pay expenses, and he took it off.
The amount of taxes raised by the town was: School-house tax $1,296 94
All others. 1,664 73
Total $2,961 67
The ten highest taxpayers, in their order, were Moses Johnson, Daniel Newcomb, Thomas Baker, James Wright, Ephraim Wright, Abel Blake, Joseph Dorr, Thomas Edwards, Noah Cooke and Samuel Heaton.
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CHAPTER XII. PIONEER LIFE.
1736-1816.
The early settlers of this part of the country were a hardy, vigorous race, inured to hardship and accustomed to danger, generally the young, energetic and enterprising . members of the older communities. "God sifted a whole nation that he might send choice grain" into these wil- dernesses.
Piety, integrity and respect for law and the authority of church and state were striking features of the early New England character. Those pioneers had small store of "book learning," for that was scarcely to be had, but they were liberally educated in the arts and methods of pioneer life. The hard life which they were compelled to lead quickened every fibre, and made them sharp in intel- lect and feature.
They were attracted to the settlement of these town- ships by the fertility of the soil-made evident by its fine growth of timber-the low price of the lands, each origi- nal proprietor getting a fraction over 400 acres for about twenty-five dollars, and the ultimate life of comfort and comparative wealth in prospect for those who owned and cultivated those lands. There was also an element of free- dom from the restraints of society which is always fasci- nating to a large class of men-and even to some women -and an attractiveness in the beauty and grandeur of the landscape. The life which they must lead here was but a repetition of that which they had learned from their ances- tors of the settlements nearer the coast, who had fought and driven back the Indians, cleared the land of its heavy growth of timber and brought it to a state of remunera- tive cultivation. They were in perfect training for the work, like the athlete for the race.
Their first efforts were directed to clearing away the
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PIONEER LIFE.
timber and putting in crops of rye and corn. For this purpose, they would advance into the forest, singly or in pairs if they were to be isolated, or in small parties if they were to be neighbors, on foot, blazing the trees to mark the route, each carrying his axe, gun, knife, tinder box, camp kettle, bucket or wooden bottle, provisions and other necessaries of life in the wilderness, among which were a present supply of rum and tobacco. For plate, bowl and platter, the pioneer would split small logs and hollow out the parts; and from a small slab he would soon carve out a shapely spoon.1 This beginning was usually made in the spring, at the time when, by felling a hemlock or two enough bark could be quickly peeled for an excellent shelter when placed on poles upheld by crotched stakes. As soon as the foliage was out in full, he would cut down the trees on his first clearing, around the spot selected for his log- cabin. In a few weeks the leaves and twigs would be dry and he would set his "chopping" on fire. Millions of feet of the finest pine and other timber were destroyed in this way each year, to clear the land. Before setting the fire the careful woodsman would dig a shallow trench around his chopping, by removing the brush and leaves, to pre- vent his fire from overrunning the surrounding forest.
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