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 30
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Ploughs for breaking up the ground among the stumps and roots had to be made very strong and heavy, and,
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except the coulter, were almost wholly of wood-white oak or walnut.
The first plough used in Stoddard was carried there by John Taggart, from Peterboro, on his shoulder, and Mrs. Taggart carried a foot spinning-wheel at the same time. (History of Stoddard.)
As a rule, the pioneers here described, and their wives and the large families of girls and boys reared in those primitive homes, were among the purest and noblest of men and women. Though parents were austere and appar- ently unsympathetic, 1 and friends seemed cool and indif- ferent, "their hearts were warm under a stern exterior;" their Puritan principles were of the highest, and their industry, frugality and integrity made them the best of citizens; and most of those homes were pure fountains whence flowed the streams that formed the mighty rivers of the states and the nation. From such homes came the men, always nobly seconded by the women, who beat back the savages; subdued the forests; carried on the affairs of each little independent government, the town; organized the states; won their separation from Great Britain, and laid the foundations of this grand republic.
1 "Doubtless mothers were as fond of their children as those of the present day, but they seldom or never kissed them." (Prof. Silliman's Autobiography.)
CHAPTER XIII. TOWN AFFAIRS. 1801-1810.
The third New Hampshire turnpike had been chartered by the legislature in December, 1799, to run from Bellows Falls (afterwards extended to Charlestown) through Wal- pole, Keene, Marlboro, Jaffrey and New Ipswich on the route to Boston. The turnpike corporation held its first meeting at the tavern of Major Wm. Todd, in Keene, in February, 1800, and it began to build its road that year. The "pike" came over the hills by what is now known as the "Old Walpole road," and opened Court street nearly on its present line; but did not enter Central square in a straight course, curving to the west, instead, at the lower end, leaving the old courthouse on its east side as already described, in 1795. Samuel West, a young lawyer who had recently come to town, was clerk, and Daniel Newcomb treasurer of the corporation; and much of the stock was owned in Keene.
The mails from Boston now came by this route to Keene, and thence to Chesterfield and Brattleboro, once a week and return; leaving Boston Tuesday at 9 a. m., arriving at Brattleboro, Thursday, at 7 p. m .; leaving Brattleboro Friday at 2 p. m., arriving at Boston, Mon- day, at 3 p. m.
The 4th of July, 1801, was celebrated again this year. The exercises were similar to those of two years previous, and the same military companies did escort duty. Samuel West, Esq., delivered the oration.
Rev. Edward Sprague, at that time the settled minister of Dublin, bought a house on Pleasant street, where the Alfred Colony house now stands, and came to Keene to live, although still the minister of Dublin. He was noted for his eccentricities, and anecdotes of "Parson Sprague" circu- lated far and wide. He was wealthy, rode in a four-horse
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coach, and having money to invest he bought farms in Keene which he rented "at the halves;" but he said after- wards that his half never grew. Disappointed in his hopes of improving his health and fortune he returned to Dublin and died there-killed by being thrown from his carriage at the close of a wedding ceremony-but his widow con- tinued to reside in Keene, and died here in 1818.
In October, 1801, the town "Voted that the Grammar School master shall keep a School in each School district in proportion to the valuation of each School district." Samuel Prescott, a graduate of Harvard college, taught the schools for one year.
The death of Israel Houghton, one of the early settlers, and that of Major Josiah Willard, for many years a prom- inent citizen, occurred this year. Major Willard was sixty- four years old, and was buried with Masonic honors.
In 1802, John Wood came from Concord, Mass., to Keene, and entered into partnership with Daniel Watson. The next year James Mann bought out his partner, Moses Johnson, and the firm of Watson, Mann & Wood was formed, and for years they did a large business in general merchandise and saddlery in the Johnson & Mann store and Watson's shop. It was the custom for all grocers to sell spirituous liquors, and this firm advertised for fifty bushels of black cherries to make cherry rum.
Johnson continued to make pot and pearl ashes; took in Aaron Seamans as a partner in his "ginn distillery;" advertised to pay cash for rye and barley ; claimed to have the best malt-house in the country, and warranted his "ginn" to be equal to any imported. The distillery was near the potash works, back of Castle street, and the ruins of those buildings gave the name to that street.
Joseph Dorr, in the old wooden store on the corner, advertised, along with his goods, tickets for sale in the "South Hadley Canal Lottery,"-the drawing to take place in the "Old State House, Boston." Dorr and Adin Holbrook had an oil-mill just below the saw mill on the "Holbrook farm," on the old Surry road, the foundations of which can still be seen, and advertised at one time for 10,000 bushels of flax seed.
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The first evening school in Keene was taught in the autumn of this year, 1802, in the hall of "Wells's Inn," previously Bullard's Coffee House.
Dr. Daniel Adams resigned the office of postmaster and John G. Bond was appointed. He removed the office to his store on the east side of the Square.
The Branch Road and Bridge Corporation, sometimes called the Fitzwilliam turnpike, from Keene through Troy to Fitzwilliam, organized and began to build its road in 1803, opening a new line to Boston. Three years were required for its completion. With the aid of $400, voted by the town for that purpose, it built the first permanent bridge across the branch at the lower end of Main street; and it opened the direct road to Swanzey Factory and thence up the valley to Troy. In 1805 this line was ex- tended north by the construction of the "Cheshire Turn- pike" from Keene (by the old road, east side of the river) through Surry, passing the Holbrook tavern, and over the hills to Drewsville and Charlestown. These two corpora- tions made connection at Keene, crossing the third New Hampshire turnpike and creating a lively competition for the travel to and from Boston.
In December, 1803, Mr. Dearborn Emerson put a line of stages on the third turnpike route, from Boston through Concord, Groton, New Ipswich, Jaffrey, Marlboro and Keene to Walpole, running twice a week and connecting at Walpole with mail stages beyond. He also did an ex- press business. Previous to this the fare to Boston had been, first $6.00, then $5.00, and now it was reduced to $4.50.
The roads at that time, made in the rich, new soil, were very soft and almost impassable when much rain had fallen. A plank walk had been laid the whole length of Pleasant street, from the meetinghouse to Luther Smith's mills, paid for by individuals.1 It was so great an im- provement over the road and so attractive to horsemen that the town clerk, Noah Cooke, published a notice for- bidding people to ride or lead horses thereon.
In August, two little sisters, Mary and Roxana,
1 Handsome pine planks were used, which cost $4.00 per M.
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daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Phineas Wright, mistaking floating moss for solid earth, were drowned in the Ashue- lot river, and the whole town mourned their loss.
The winter of 1803-4 was not an open one. On the 3d of March the snow was reported to be "above four feet deep where it is not drifted."
At the annual meeting this year, the time for which had been changed by the legislature from the first to the second Tuesday in March, the town voted to raise the sum of sixty dollars for the purpose of instructing persons to sing.
The Cheshire bank had been chartered in December, 1803, and in May following the corporation organized by the choice of Daniel Newcomb, Noah Cooke, John G. Bond, Joseph Dorr, Foster Alexander, Jonathan Robinson and James Mann directors; with Daniel Newcomb president and Elijah Dunbar cashier. They immediately put up a brick building, two stories high, "on the spot now covered, or partly covered, by the Northeast corner of the Rail- road Passenger Station." (Annals, page 91.) The upper story was a hall, sometimes used for schools. Two years later Mr. Dunbar resigned and Albe Cady was chosen cashier and held that position for about seven years.
The Fourth of July was celebrated in 1804. Two com- panies of militia, Captains Chase and Metcalf, escorted a procession to the meetinghouse, where prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Hall, the Declaration of Independence read by Noah Cooke, Esq., and an oration delivered by young Phineas Cooke, the schoolmaster.
Joseph Dorr had taken command of the cavalry com- pany belonging to the regiment, enlisted from Keene and other towns, reorganized it, named it the Ashuelot Cav- alry, and had brought it up to a state of discipline and efficiency which placed it at the head of the cavalry in the state. On his return from commencement at Dartmouth college, in September, Gov. John Taylor Gilman spent the night in Keene. The next day he was escorted on his way as far as Marlboro by Capt. Dorr with the Keene contin- gent of his company in full uniform.
In business, the firm of Watson, Mann & Wood had now been succeeded by that of Mann & Wood; John G.
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AARON SEAMANS'S RESIDENCE, NOW 72 SCHOOL STREET. BUILT 1804.
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Bond, the postmaster, continued the business of Allen & Bond on the east side of the Square; Joseph Dorr on the corner had sold out to Dr. James H. Bradford, who removed from the opposite side of Main street and added drugs and medicines. Dr. Bradford had married Sarah, youngest daughter of Alexander Ralston. Aaron Seamans, partner of Moses Johnson in the distillery, joined Ebenezer Daniels in tanning, currying and morocco-dressing, with a tannery in rear of the present Eagle Hotel. They did an extensive business, and Daniels had a large shoe manufactory under the Masonic hall. Seamans built the large square house on School street (No. 72), now the residence of Herbert C. Aldrich (1900), and lived there. Hale & Kise, Moses H. Hale and Zebadiah Kise, came from Chelmsford, Mass., bought Luther Smith's mills on Ashuelot river and added machinery for picking and carding wool. Capt. William Wyman, a "mariner," son of Col. Isaac Wyman, returned to Keene about this time, 1804, built the brick store now the south end of the Eagle Hotel, and Wyman & Chap- man (Daniel) opened it with a general assortment of goods. For many years at this time Daniel Webster, a relative of the great Daniel, was a brazier and bell-founder in Keene, made sleigh-bells and metallic utensils and sup- plied town authorities with sealed weights and measures. He was sealer of weights and measures for this town at the time of his death, in 1812.
The sum raised by the town for schools, and also that for the repairs of highways and bridges, had stood for several years at $666.66. In 1805 it was increased to $700 for schools and $1,000 for highways and bridges.
The corn crop had been short the preceding year and in 1805 corn sold in Keene at "ten shillings per bushel." A drought followed during this season, no rain falling from the 1st of June till past the 20th of July; and in August there was great damage from forest fires.
At the regimental muster here in September the Keene Light Infantry appeared, reorganized, with full ranks, new and handsome uniforms and an elegant standard, commanded by Capt. Samuel Dinsmoor, and began its long and brilliant career as one of the finest companies of
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militia in the state. The emulation and rivalry between it and the Westmoreland Light Infantry, of the same regi- ment, which afterwards ran very near the verge of colli- sion and kept both up to the highest point of effectiveness, began at this time. There were also two companies of cavalry in the regiment, the Ashuelot Cavalry being com- manded by Capt. James H. Bradford, already mentioned. There were also the Walpole Artillery and the militia com- panies of the line. The muster closed with a sham fight, in which one detachment of the troops represented Indians.
There was extreme cold weather in January, 1806, the mercury sinking on the 16th to 34° and on the 18th to 38° below zero. On the 16th of June there was a total eclipse of the sun, "the most striking and impressive phenomenon which the present generation has witnessed." Candles had to be lighted, fowls went to roost and "the day was converted into night and darkness." It was remembered and talked about for half a century as the "dark day."
The Sentinel removed to the second floor of the store Moses Johnson had built, a few rods south of its former location, "opposite the Bank"- where Gurnsey's building now stands. In the northwest lower room Mr. Prentiss had his bookstore, and a circulating library which he had. started the year previous; "terms: six cents for a 12 mo. vol. for one week and two cents a day after one week."
During this season, 1806, Luther Smith built the main, or north part of the present Eagle Hotel, two stories high. There was a space, used for a driveway to the stables, between that building and Capt. Wyman's store, which was filled many years later, and the store then became a part of the hotel. Horace Wells, who had succeeded his father, Thomas Wells, in the Bullard Coffee House, and had removed from that house to the Ralston tavern, now left the latter and took the new hotel, and was succeeded in the Ralston by Gilbert Mellen. Two years later, how- ever, he sold to Benoni Shirtliff and returned to the Ral- ston. Mr. Shirtliff came from Marlboro, and kept the new hotel for many years. On the west side of that street Dr. Charles Blake and Elisha Hunt opened an apothecary
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shop with a large stock of patent medicines, paints, liquors, etc .; Willard & Ames (continuing the former firm of Major Josiah Willard and Silas Ames) carried on the saddlers' and carriage-trimming business near them; and Samuel Euers came to town that spring and set up the business of coach and chaise making. James Wells had a hat store next north of the bank, and Joseph Brown ad- vertised: "The Old Store Replenished-Fresh Supply of Goods"-at old West Keene. Several of the merchants advertised lottery tickets for sale, among them, "Harvard College Lottery Tickets ;- Highest Prize $15,000."
Thomas Baker, Esq., who for more than forty years had been a prominent man in town, died in 1806, aged seventy-six years.
It was during the summer of 1807 that outrages were committed upon American seamen by British naval officers, particularly by those of a squadron lying off Hampton Roads, which created great excitement throughout the country, and led to war between the two nations five years later. The people were so roused as to demand im- mediate war unless prompt satisfaction were given. All parties rallied to the support of the administration. Con- gress was convened and the president issued his proclama- tion calling for 100,000 militia to be raised immediately and held in readiness. Capt. Dinsmoor called the Keene Light Infantry together and they voted unanimously to volunteer in a body. The Ashuelot Cavalry, now under Capt. Wm: M. Bond, did the same; and fifty men of Capt. Chapman's company of infantry also volunteered. Almost the entire militia of New Hampshire offered their services. The British government disavowed the more aggravating acts of its officers and the excitement abated; but it was not extinguished until war had settled the controversy.
During a shower in July a whirlwind passed through the northern part of the village, in a northeasterly direc- tion, laid in ruins a house and barn and unroofed a large shed on the farm of Aaron Seamans, where H. H. Barker now lives, on Castle street; prostrated fences and uprooted trees; but its path was short and narrow and no other serious damage was done.
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This year, a line of mail stages began making regular trips through from Boston to Keene in one day-leaving Boston at 4 a. m. and arriving at Keene at 8 p. m. - and running through to Hanover and return three times a week.
"At the term of the Superior Court, held in Keene in October [1807], came on the trial of a prosecution insti- tuted by the inhabitants of Walpole against certain citizens of Keene 'for taking and carrying away, in the night time, a piece of ordnance of the value of two hundred dollars, the property of said town of Walpole.'
"For the better understanding of this matter it is neces- sary to go back to a remote period of our history. In the early settlement of the country, on Connecticut River, four forts were erected on its banks, and each was supplied, by His Majesty the King of England, with a large iron can- non. These forts were numbered-that at Chesterfield being No. 1, that at Westmoreland No. 2, that at Walpole No. 3, and that at Charlestown No. 4. These cannons remained in those several towns, after the achievement of our independence, were prized as trophies of victory, and made to speak, in triumphant tones, on every fourth of July, and other days of public rejoicings. Their reports sounded to the inhabitants of the adjoining towns, as exulting claims to superiority, they having no such tro- phies to speak for them. That at Walpole was left un- guarded, in the Main-street. In the spring of this year, a citizen of Keene, then a youth, but since distinguished in the service of his country, having received an elegant sword for his gallant defense, in the war of 1812, of Fort Covington, near Baltimore, arranged a party who repaired to Walpole, in the night, took possession of the cannon and brought it in triumph to Keene.
"The whole population of Walpole were indignant at being deprived, in this way, of their valued trophy, and determined to appeal to the laws to recover it. Several attempts to arrest the offenders proved abortive, but this only added to their zeal. A respectable citizen of Walpole was sent to aid the sheriff. Knowing that he, whom they most wished to secure, concealed himself, whenever apprized that the officer was visible, they lay in ambush for him in the swamps South and West of his father's residence. It happened that Dr. Adams was at this time gunning, as was his frequent habit, in the same grounds. He saw them, and knowing that they saw him, he walked hurriedly away. They followed, he hastened his walk, they theirs, until the walk became a run, and the run a race. His
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knowledge of the minute topography of the place enabled him to take such direction as might best suit his purpose. Methinks I see him now, lightly springing from hassock to hassock, from turf to log, now and then looking back, with face sedate and eagle eye, to see how his pursuers sped. By turning and winding, he led them into a bog, and gained distance while they were struggling to gain firm foothold. They outran him, however, and arrested him at his door; but were soon convinced they had not caught the right man, and returned, not the less irritated, to Walpole.
"Several of the delinquents were at length arrested and brought to trial. The court (Chief Justice Smith, afterwards Governor, presiding) decided that the said cannon was not the property of the said town of Walpole, and the defend- ants were discharged. It was immediately drawn near the court house, loaded and fired. 'May it please your honors,' said counsellor Vose, 'the case is already reported.'"
"The irritation of the people of Walpole, at the loss of their valued trophy, or more, perhaps, at the manner in which they had been deprived of it, continued unabated; and they determined to take redress into their own hands. They had been informed that the cannon was concealed in a granary, in a back store, on the South side of West- street, near Main-street. On the evening of the fourth of July [1809], a plot was arranged to regain possession of it. A confederate (a stage-driver) was sent immediately to Keene, in a huge stage wagon, to gain information and take measures to facilitate the execution of the project. He ascertained that it was concealed in the place mentioned; bargained for some grain; and at his suggestion was allowed to take the key that he might get the grain very early in the morning, without disturbing the clerks. Re- turning immediately, he met on their way, a cavalcade of about thirty, mostly young men, commanded by a military officer of high rank, and made his report. They left their horses in the cross road, then fringed with bushes, leading from Court-street to Washington-street; and in a few minutes entered the granary. The first motion of the can- non, the night being still, made a terrific noise. The town bell was rung and an alarm of fire was raised. The men in the granary labored for a time without success, and almost without hope. Outside, men were seen skulking behind buildings, and flitting from corner to corner. At length, by a desperate effort, it was lifted into the wagon, and the team hurried towards Walpole. At break of day, we [they] were welcomed home by the ringing of the bell, and by the applause of a crowd awaiting in anxiety the return of their fellow-townsmen.
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"In the mean time, a large number of the citizens of Keene mounted their horses and pursued the returning party; but fortunately they took the wrong road, and thus a desperate conflict was avoided. A report was current, at the time, that they took the wrong road by design; but this was pronounced a base and baseless slander.
"But the history of the King's cannon is not yet com- plete. It was soon afterwards furtively taken, by a body of men from Westminster, Vermont, to be used in cele- brating the declaration of independence; and was retaken, on a sudden onset, by a large body of men from Walpole, the Selectmen at their head, while actually in use for that purpose. It was afterwards taken by men from Alstead; and report says that it was, after that, appropriated by an iron founder, and transmuted into implements of hus- bandry."
(Annals, pages 93-96.)
The Jefferson administration appointed Samuel Dins- moor postmaster at Keene in 1808, removing John G. Bond, who was a Federalist.
In 1807 and 1808, Samuel Dinsmoor, Josiah Willard, Lockhart Willard, Joel Kingsbury (a civil engineer), and Capt. Aaron Hall were selectmen, and through their influ- ence, chiefly, and under their direction, in 1808 the course of the third New Hampshire turnpike, where it came into the village from the north, was changed and laid out with the straight course and ample width of our present Court street. The courthouse, which stood on the northwest corner of the common, was removed to the present site of Bullard & Shedd's and B. W. Hodgkins' drug stores (1900), and the new road came into the Square, as at present, directly over its former site. A change was also made below, by the turnpike company, from the old "Boston Road" (Baker street), by opening Marlboro street from Main street as it is now, to straighten the route and shorten the distance.
Ralston & Bond (Alexander Ralston, Jr., -succeeded by his brother James B., -and Wm. M. Bond, who had mar- ried their sister, Nancy Ralston) had .followed the elder Ralston in "the Red Store" north of the Ralston tavern. This year, 1808, they built the brick store which now forms the north part of the City Hotel, and continued in business there.
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In 1806, Hatch & Hall (Daniel D. Hatch and Aaron Hall, Jr.,) had succeeded James H. Bradford in the store on the corner of Main and Pleasant streets. Hatch now retired and Hall continued the business.
The registry of deeds was kept at Walpole, and James Campbell of that town, register, advertised that he would receive deeds for record at William Pierce's tavern in Keene, during the term of court. Mr. Pierce was keeping the house formerly kept by Dr. Thomas Edwards, succeed- ing Elihu Holbrook.
Dea. James Lanman was keeping tavern at Mt. Pleas- ant; 1 Daniel Day, a veteran of the Continental army, had succeeded his father, Ebenezer Day, as innkeeper on the Cheshire turnpike, near the Surry line; 2 and the principal public house at West Keene having been sold to Major Ingersoll, Col. Abraham Wheeler opened what is still known as the Sawyer tavern, east of the mills.
Dr. John Burnell was a physician here at that time, with "rooms at Shirtliff's Coffee House," and Drs. Water- house, Smith and Fanchon were all residing in town.
In November, 1808, the town voted to raise $300 to fence burying grounds; and during the following season Thomas Thompson and Calvin Chapman were paid $103.83 for fencing the one near Judge Newcomb's. This appears to have been the last work done to preserve that yard, although efforts for that purpose were made many years later.
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