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 46
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
Safford, Leavitt. Co. F; age 20; res. Chesterfield, after the war, Keene; enl. March 16, '65, for 1 yr .; must. out July 15, '65.
Vanness, Joseph. Co. K; age 40; enl. Feb. 29, '64; app. corp .; must. out July 15, '65. .
i
519
KEENE IN THE CIVIL WAR.
Wardwell, Olin N. Co. F; age 19; b. Nelson; res. Keene; enl. March 8, '65, for 1 yr .; must. out July 15, '65.
Willard, W. Henry. Co. K; age 18; enl. Feb. 27, '64; captd. Dec. 21, '64, Lacey's Springs, Va .; paroled Feb. 22, '65; died, dis. March 31, '65, Annapolis, Md.
Yardley, Manley R. Co. K; age 21; b. Nelson; cred. Keene; enl. Feb. 23, '64; wd. June 13, '64, White Oak Swamp, Va .; app. bugler, Jan. 1, '65; must. out July 15, '65.
FIRST HEAVY ARTILLERY.
Two companies of heavy artillery were organized in New Hampshire in 1863, and served at Fort Constitution and Kittery Point. In the summer of 1864 a regiment of twelve companies of that arm was authorized to be raised in the state, of which those two companies became a part. That regiment was employed in the defences of Washing- ton, and was mustered out June 15, 1865. Seven men from Keene served in its ranks:
Garfield, William A. Co. B; age 25; enl. Aug. 29, '63; disch. disab. Sept. 29, '64, Concord.
Howard, Austin E. Co. B; age 29; enl. Aug. 13, '63; must. as sergt .; app. 2d lieut. July 25, '65, not must .; must. out Sept. 11, '65.
Howard, Walter. Co. H; age 18; enl. Sept. 5, '64, for 1 yr .; must. out June 15, '65.
Kingsbury, Edward A. Co. H; age 25; res. Surry, after the war, Keene; enl. Sept. 2, '64, for 1 yr .; app. corp .; must. out June 15, '65. See Sixth N. H. V.
Nims, Samuel. Co. H; age 27; b. Sullivan; cred. Newport; res. after the war, Keene; enl. Sept. 4, '64, for 1 yr .; app. hospital steward Nov. 9, '64; must. out June 15, '65.
Parker, Clinton J. Co. H; age 18; b. Nelson; cred. Keene; enl. Aug. 31, '64, for 1 yr .; must. out June 15, '65.
Tuttle, Norman A. Co. B; age 29; enl. Aug. 13, '63; must. as sergt .; app. sergt. major Nov. 14, '64; must. out June 15, '65.
SHARPSHOOTERS.
Three men from Keene enlisted in Col. Berdan's regi- ment of sharpshooters :
Kingman, Albert H. Age 27; enl. Aug. 28, '61; must. out Sept. 9, '64. Kingsbury, Reuel H. Age 29; enl. Aug. 30, '61; disch. disab. Dec. 24, '62, Falmouth, Va.
Nye, Charles H. Age 24; enl. Aug. 28, '61; app. corp .; app. sergt. Jan. 1, '63; disch. Sept. 8, '64, near Petersburg, Va., term exp.
UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS.
Three men from Keene held commissions in the United States colored troops :
Healey, Daniel K. From Fourteenth N. H. V .; Sixth Infantry; app. 2d lieut. Aug. 28, '63, 1st. lieut. Oct. 13, '64; wd. Feb. 11, '65, near Fort Fisher, N. C .; disch. Nov. 17, '65.
.
520
HISTORY OF KEENE.
Hurd, Warren H. From Second N. H. V .; Co. A, Twenty-third Infantry ; must. in as 1st lieut. Dec. 18, '63, capt. Co. H., Aug. 9, '64; must. out Nov. 30, '65.
Smith, Samuel M. From Fourteenth N. H. V .; age 29; app. capt. Co. H, Thirty-second Infantry March 18, '64; must. out Aug. 22, '65. See Third N. H. V.
VETERAN RESERVE CORPS.
Early in 1863 an "Invalid Corps" was organized by the war department-the name afterward changed to "Veteran Reserve Corps"-consisting of officers and men who had been discharged on account of wounds or sick- ness and desired to reenter the service. The more able- bodied and effective ones were employed in guard and provost duty; those more enfeebled in hospitals, as cooks, nurses and orderlies. The names of those from Keene are given below, being privates and residents of Keene unless otherwise stated :
Britton, John L. From Second N. H. V .; res. after the war, Keene and Surry ; enl. Dec. 15, '63; disch. disab. May 27, '65, Concord.
Carroll, Thomas. From Sixth N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 16, '63; disch. disab. Oct. 26, '64, Washington, D. C.
Clement, Benjamin F. From Sixth N. H. V .; enl. Sept. 2, '64; disch. disab. Dec. 20, '64.
Crown, Andrew J. From Fifth N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 11, '63; disch. Nov. 13, '65, Concord.
Dunlap, Whitney. From Second N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 22, '63; disch. disab. June 3, '64, Concord.
Heaton, George S. From Second N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 11, '63; disch. disab. Nov. 28, '64, Concord.
Houghton, Abel. From Fifth N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 22, '63; disch. disab. July 24, '65, Washington, D. C.
Jolley, Joseph. From Ninth N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 11, '63; disch. disab. Oct. 21, '64, Concord.
Pressler, Christian. From Second N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 11, '63; app. corp. Dec. 16, '64; app. sergt. May 2, '65; disch. Nov. 13, '65, Con- cord.
Rahn, William. From Sixth N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 23, '63; disch. Nov. 15, '65, Boston.
Smith, James H. From Sixth N. H. V .; enl. Sept. 2, '64; disch. Nov. 14, '65, Washington, D. C.
Starkey, Joseph S. From Sixth N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 11, '63; disch. disab. May 16, '65, Concord.
Sumner, Alonzo D. From Second N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 31, '63; disch. disab. May 16, '65, Concord.
Thompson, Henry A. From Second N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 11, '63; app. corp .; disch. Nov. 13, '65.
White, Shubael. From Second and Sixth N. H. V .; enl. Dec. 29, '63; disch. disab. Oct. 1, '64, Concord.
521
KEENE IN THE CIVIL WAR.
UNITED STATES NAVY.
Eleven men from Keene served in the United States navy, as follows:
Bates, Frederick W. Age 19; enl. Aug. 9, '62, for 1 yr., as landsman; served on U. S. ships Ohio, Princeton, Juniata and Hendrick Hud- son, disch. Sept. 2, '63, term exp.
Bates, Frederick W. Age 20; enl. Sept. 2, '64, for 1 yr., as landsman; served on U. S. ships Vandalia, Beauregard and Somerset; disch., reduction of naval force, June 27, '65.
Cawley, George. Age 21; b. Keene; enl. at Boston, May 11, '61, for 1 yr., as landsman; served on U. S. ships Ohio, Massachusetts and Mississippi, where he last appears on roll Mar. 15, '63.
Darling, J. Homer. App. act. asst. surg. Dec. 4, '63; served on U. S. ships Ohio, Clyde and Pursuit; disch. Dec. 12, '65. See miscel. org.
Drummer, Charles H. Age 23; enl. Aug. 9, '62, for 1 yr., as landsman; served on U. S. ships Ohio and Housatonic; disch. disab. Sept. 21, '63. See First and Fourth N. H. V.
Gilson, Edward. Age 35; b. Keene; enl. at Boston, Jan. 13, '62, as sea- man, for 2 yrs .; served on U. S. ships Ohio and Kearsarge; disch. Jan. 26, '63, from the Kearsarge.
Gregory, Frank. Age 30; b. Keene; enl. at Chicago, Dec. 15, '62, for 1 yr., as hospital steward; served on U. S. ship Curlew; disch. disab. Sept. 1, '63.
Hayes, Joseph R. Age 19; b. Maine; cred. Keene; enl. Aug. 10, '64, for 1 yr., as landsman; served on U. S. ships North Carolina and Fort Jackson; disch. Aug. 18, '64. See Fourteenth N. H. V. and miscel. org.
Hunt, Ferdinand K. Age 21; enl. Aug. 9, '62, for 1 yr., as landsman; served on U. S. ships Ohio and Mohican; disch. May 11, '64, term exp. See First N. H. Cav.
Kellogg, James B. Age 22; en1. Aug. 23, '62, for 1 yr., as landsman; served on U. S. ships Ohio, Princeton and Mohican; disch. May 11, '64, term exp.
Lang, William H. Age 21; enl. Aug. 9, '62, for 1 yr., as landsman; served on U. S. ships Ohio and Housatonic; disch. Sept. 17, '63; died, at Keene, March 25, '64.
Mason, Andrew R. Age 28; enl. Sept. 27, '62, for 1 yr., as landsman; served on U. S. ships Ohio and San Jacinto; disch. Feb. 6, '64, term exp.
Prentiss, George A. Regular officer. B. Keene; res. Keene; app. midship- man March 21, '25; passed midshipman June 4, '31; lieut. Feb. 9, '37; commander Sept. 14, '55; retired Oct. 24, '64; app. commodore; retired Sept. 26, '66; died April 8, '68, in South Carolina.
Sebastian, Samuel. Age 23; b. Keene; enl. at Boston, Aug. 9, '62, for 1 yr., as landsman; served on U. S. ships Ohio and Mohican; disch. May 14, '64, term exp.
MISCELLANEOUS ORGANIZATIONS.
The names of citizens of Keene who served in various New Hampshire organizations not already mentioned, or in those of other states, or the United States, and those
522
HISTORY OF KEENE.
who rose to higher than regimental rank, are as follows, being privates and residents of Keene unless otherwise stated :
Borden, Augustin. Co. F; Fifty-seventh Mass. Inf .; age 18; res. Keene; cred. Windsor, Mass .; enl. March 18, '64, for 3 yrs .; wd .; must. out July 30, '65.
Boyle, George A. Co. C, First R. I. Light Art .; age 29; enl. Aug. 25, '61, for 3 yrs .; must. as artificer; disch. Aug. 27, '64.
Cady, Albemarle. Sixth Inf. U. S. army; b. Keene, 1809; res. New Hampshire; cadet, West Point Military Academy, July 1, 1825; app. 2d lieut. July 1, '29, 1st lieut. Dec. 31, '36, capt. July 7, '38, bvt. major Sept. 8, '47, for gallant and meritorious service in the battle of Molino del Rey; app. major Sixth Inf. Jan. 27, '53, lieut. col. Seventh Inf. June 6, '61, col. Eighth Inf. Oct. 20, '63; retired May 18, '64; bvt. brig. gen. U. S. army March 13, '65, for long and faith- ful service in the army. (Died Mar. 14, '88, New Haven, Ct.)
Campbell, James. Co. H, Eighth Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 19; enl. July 16, '64, for 100 days; must. out Nov. 10, '64.
Carlin, Thomas P. Twelfth Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 22; b. Keene; res. Keene; cred. Brookline, Mass .; enl. Sept. 25, '63; must. out June 29, '65.
Carter, Solon A. U. S. Vols .; b. Leominster, Mass .; res. Keene; age 27; app. capt., assistant adjutant general, July 15, '64; resigned July 3, '65; bvt. major and lt. col. to date March 13, '65, for gallant and meritorious services during the war. See Fourteenth N. H. V.
Clapp, William M. Co. G, Fifth Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 26; res. Marl- borough, Mass., after the war Keene; enl. April 19, '61, for 3 mos .; must. out July 31, '61, term exp.
Cross, Charles R. R. I. Co., First New Eng. Cav .; age 23; enl. Dec. 11, '61, for 3 yrs .; app. corp .; captd. June 18, '63; exch .; reenl. Jan 5, '64; must. out Aug. 3, '65.
Darling, J. Homer. Field and staff; Fifty-first Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 24; res. Rindge, after the war, Keene; app. assistant surg. Nov. 4, '62; must. in for 9 mos .; must. out July 27, '63. See U. S. navy.
Dickinson, Elmer F. Twenty-third Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 21; b. Keene; res. Swanzey; enl. July 28, '62, for 3 yrs; app. corp .; wd. May 16, '64; died, wds. June 18, '64, New York.
Dickinson, James W. Twenty-third Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 16; b. Keene; res. Swanzey; enl. for 3 yrs .; must. in July 30, '62; disch. disab. May 28, '63.
Dinsmoor, George R. Field and staff; Twentieth Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 24; app. assist. surg. March 31, '65; disch. July 15, '65. See First N. H. Cav.
Farwell, Miles. Field and staff; Sixty-first Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 34; app. Q. M. Sept. 22, '64; transf. to Co. D, as 1st lieut .; to Co. E; must. out June 4, '65.
Fowler, Eugene A. Eighth Mass. Vol. Inf; age 19; enl. July 15, '64; must. out Nov. 10, '64.
Griffin, Simon G. U. S. V .; age 39; res. Concord, after the war, Keene; app. brig. gen. May 12, '64, bvt. maj. gen. April 2, '65, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the assault from Fort Sedgwick, Va .; must. out Aug. 24, '65. See Second and Sixth N. H. V.
Handy, George E. First Inf. U. S. Vols; age 20; app. 2d lieut. Aug. 28, '64; must. out May 10, '66. See Fifth N. H. V.
Hatch, Frank E. Co. A, Fifteenth Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 18; enl. July 30, '61, for 3 yrs .; transf. to I. C. Feb. 15, '64; no further record.
1
523
KEENE IN THE CIVIL WAR.
Hayes, Joseph R. Co. H, Eleventh Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 18; enl. Sept. 1, '61, for 3 yrs .; captd. Feb. '62; paroled; disch. May 22, '62; supposed identical with Joseph B. Hayes, Fourteenth N. H. V. See U. S. navy. Henry, James, Jr. Co. G, First R. I. Vol. Inf .; age 25; enl. April 17, '61, for 3 mos .; app. sergt .; must. out Aug. 2, '61, term exp.
Holmes, George. Co. B, Twenty-eighth Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 21; enl. March 15, '64, for 3 yrs .; reported on roll June 30, '65, as absent sick since April 30, '64; no further record.
Kidder, James F. Co. E, Thirtieth Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 24; enl. Oct. 7, '61, for 3 yrs .; must. in as sergt .; wd. July 13, '63; reenl. Jan. 1, '64, cred. Boston, Mass .; app. Ist sergt. Jan. 1, '64; wd. Oct. 24, '64; app. com. sergt. March 20, '65, 2d lieut. April 2, '65, 1st lieut. Jan. 25, '66; must. out July 5, '66.
Lamson, John L. Co. I, Twenty-fifth Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 43; enl. Oct. 2, '61, for 3 yrs .; died June 1, '62, Newberne, N. C.
O'Brien, James, Jr. Co. H, Twenty-third Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 19; enl. July 18, '62, for 3 yrs .; wd. Dec. 16, '62; disch. disab. April 15, '63. O'Brien, John. Co. I, Twenty-eighth Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 19; enl. Oct. 13, '61, for 3 yrs .; wd. June 16, '62; disch. disab. Jan. 24, '63. See Fourteenth N. H. V.
Parker, William H. Co. I, Sixth U. S. Vol. Inf .; age 20; app. 2d lieut. April 23, '65, bvt. 1st lieut .; disch. Oct. 15, '66. See Second and Fourteenth N. H. V.
Rines, George W. Co. D, Tenth Vt. Vols .; age 24; enl. July 14, '62; must. as sergt .; reduced to the ranks Jan. 17, '63; transf. to I. C. Sept. 1, '62; disch. July 12, '65. See First N. H. V.
Robbins, Isaiah, Jr. Read's Co. Third Mass. Cav .; age 22; enl. Sept. 27, '61, for 3 yrs .; must. as corp .; disch. disab. July 15, '62, New Orleans. See Fifth N. H. V.
Twitchell, George B. U. S. V .; app. major and surgeon Jan. 7, '63; disch. Oct. 15, '63. See Thirteenth N. H. V.
Wheeler, Solon. Co. I, Twenty-fifth Mass. Vol. Inf .; age 18; enl. Oct. 1, '61, for 3 yrs .; reenl. Dec. 17, '63; cred. Berlin, Mass .; must. out July 13, '65.
The military records, so far as can be ascertained, of natives of Keene, or residents of the town in early life, who served in organizations of other states and whose names are not on New Hampshire rolls, are as follows :
Briggs, Joseph W. Born in Keene, in business here when a young man; res. Chicago, Ill.
Burt, William H. Admitted to practice as a lawyer in Keene, 1855; res. St. Paul, Minn .; enl. Aug. 7, '62, in Seventh Minn. Vol. Inf .; app. capt. Aug. 21, '62; app. major Nov. 3, '63; served in the South- west, in the Sixteenth corps; must. out Aug. 16, '65.
Dean, Bradley. Born in Keene, 1840; res. Boston; enl. May, '62, in Thirty-third Mass. Vol. Inf .; app. 1st lieut. July 1, '62; transf. to Forty-first Mass. Inf. Nov. 27, '62; sent to New Orleans; - regt. changed to Third Mass. Cavalry June 17, '63 ;- app. capt. Co. L Sept. 1, '63; wd. sev., Port Hudson; joined Sheridan's army in Shen- andoah valley in 1864; wd. sev., Cedar Creek; must. out Dec. 27, '64, Boston, Mass.
The military records, so far as can be ascertained, of those who are at present or have for many years been
524
HISTORY OF KEENE.
citizens of Keene, who served in organizations of other states, or of the United States, and whose names do not appear on the New Hampshire rolls, are as follows:
Adams, William H .; Sixteenth Vt. Inf .- Aiken, Enoch; First Vt. Cav. -Baker, Edward; Eleventh Vt. Inf .- Banyea, Lewis; Fifth Vt. Inf .- Bissell, Emerson E .; Fifty-third Mass. Inf .- Bouvier, Peter; Fifth Vt. Inf. -Bryant, Calvin R .; Twenty-seventh Mass. Inf .- Casey, John; Seventh Vt. Inf .- Chandler, William B .; Third Vt. Inf .- Chandler, Wilbur F .; Fifteenth Vt. Inf .- Clark, M. V. B .; Sixteenth Vt. Inf .; enl. Aug. 12, '62; app. sergt .; prom. to 1st sergt. March 1, '63; must. out Sept. 10, '63 .- Collins, William L .; Sixteenth N. Y. H. Art .- Crocker, George H .; Twenty-ninth U. S. H. Art .- Darling, La Forrest C .; Twelfth Vt. Inf .- Derby, Webster D .; Second Vt. Inf .- Dickinson, Daniel; Fifteenth Mass. Inf .- Dow, George C .; Fifth Vt. Inf. - Edson, Albert A .; Second Mass. H. Art .- Foskett, Liberty W .; Thirty-sixth Mass. Inf .; enl. Aug. 2, '62; age 22; prom. to corp .; sergt., 1st sergt. and 2d lieut., but not must. as latter; must. out as 1st sergt. June 8, '65 .- Gates, Horace G .; Fifteenth Vt. Inf .- Goodwin, Charles L .; Fifteenth Mass. Inf .- Gould, George W .; Ninth Vt. Inf .- Graves, Willard R .; Fourteenth Vt. Inf .- Griffith, Henry L .; First R. I. Battery .- Griswold, Francis D .; First Mass. H. Art .- Harvey, James G .; Seventh R. I. Inf .- Hersey, Charles H .; U. S. navy .- Irish, Horace N .; First Vt. Cav .- Johnson, Charles L .; Ninth Vt. Inf .- King, David C .; Fifteenth Vt. Inf .- King, John; Ninth Vt. Inf .- King, Wallace A .; Seventh R. I. Inf .- Kingsbury, George S .; Sixteenth Vt. Inf. -Kirk, Reuben S .; Tenth Vt. Inf .- Knapp, Clark A .; Second Mass. H. Art .- Leahey, Thomas F .; unassigned Vt .- Lesure, John G .; Eighth Vt. Inf .- Merrill, Solomon F .; Fourth Vt. Inf .; musician .- Metcalf, Albert W .; Twelfth Vt. Inf .- Morse, Levi M. (or W.); U. S. navy .- Morrill, Josiah M .; Fifteenth Mass. Inf .- Murdick, Oliver P .; Seventh Vt. Inf .- Olcott, Brainerd T .; Eighth Vt. Inf .- Parker, Addison L .; Thirty-second Mass. Inf .- Pierce, Nelson J .; Thirty-sixth Mass. Inf .- Stiles, Ambrose A .; Fourth Vt. Inf .- Stiles, Lester K .; First Vt. Cav .- St. John, David; Second Vt. Light Battery .- Shedd, Charles W .; Fourteenth Vt. Inf., for 9 mos .; prom. to 1st sergt .; disch. exp. term; reenl. 1st Vt. Cav., to end of war .- Stowell, Martin A .; Third Vt. Inf .- Thomas, William B .; Second Vt. Inf .- Wheeler, Wesley H .; U. S. navy .- Whipple, Alfred P .; Second Mass. Inf .- Wood, George C .; First Mass. Battery .- Wood, John E .; First Mass. H. Art.
TOWN AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
The year 1865 opened with the Confederate army still holding its lines before Petersburg with unyielding tenacity, with a call from President Lincoln for 300,000 more men for one, two and three years, and with brisk recruiting throughout the North. Frequent public meetings were held in Keene to encourage enlistments and to provide
1
525
KEENE IN THE CIVIL WAR.
money for hiring recruits and for aiding the families of volunteers. The paper currency of the government was so depreciated that gold sold at a premium of more than two hundred per cent, and prices of commodities were enormously high; but that depreciation compelled large issues of paper money, made it plentiful among the people, and provided an excellent opportunity for paying off indebtedness; and business of nearly all kinds was exceed- ingly profitable-in that currency. Heavy income and other special taxes were levied for carrying on the war, and bonds were issued which the people promptly took (the earlier ones at a discount from their face value), to aid the government. Nearly a million dollars' worth of those bonds were taken by the three banks in Keene- each of which adopted the United States regulation and became a national bank-and by individuals through those banks. The Cheshire bank was made a United States depositary and received and transmitted internal revenue to the amount of nearly $700,000 during this year and the ones following it under the operation of that law.
At the annual meeting the town raised and appropri- ated ten thousand dollars towards paying town debts and interest, and three thousand dollars to aid the families of volunteers. The Union candidate for member of congress received 614 votes in Keene to 240 for his opponent.
Petersburg and Richmond were taken on Sunday morning, April 2. The news reached Keene at noon on Monday, "and during the afternoon and evening our streets resounded with joyful noises. One hundred guns were fired in honor of the event, flags were displayed, drums beat, bonfires were kindled, and the din of jubila- tion was kept up till midnight." (Sentinel.) There was great rejoicing throughout the North. In the larger cities business was suspended, and there was scarcely a village of five hundred inhabitants in the loyal states that did not have its demonstrations of rejoicing. And these were supplemented by generous contributions to the sanitary and Christian commissions for the sick and wounded soldiers and suffering refugees.
526
HISTORY OF KEENE.
Lee surrendered on the 9th of April. Upon the receipt of the news in Keene preparations were made for a grand jubilation, and on Friday evening the program was carried out as planned. "The village of Keene was probably never so generally and brilliantly illuminated as it was on Friday evening last, in honor of the recent splendid Union victories achieved in Virginia. The Court House, Hotels, Town Hall, and nearly all the stores, shops and dwelling houses were literally in a blaze. The streets were thronged with people from this and neighboring towns, and the fire companies from Keene, Troy, Ashuelot and Bellows Falls, bearing torches, marched through the principal streets, accompanied by the Ashburnham Band and other music. The fireworks prepared and managed by a gentleman from Boston, added much to the excitement and pleasure of the evening. The whole affair was eminently successful." (Sentinel, April 20.)
But at the very hour when that jubilation was in progress President Lincoln was assassinated. Rejoicing was at once turned into mourning. The next Wednesday, the 19th, was named by the national authorities as the day, and 12 o'clock, noon, the hour for the funeral obse- quies of the beloved president to be held throughout the country. In Keene they were appropriately observed. Services were held in all the churches, which were draped in mourning as well as many of the residences, places of business were closed, minute guns were fired and bells tolled. At Rev. Dr. Barstow's church five persons were present who had attended the funeral services in honor of George Washington in the same church, in December, 1799. They were Hon. John Prentiss, Noah R. Cooke, Esq., and Mrs. Elijah Parker, daughter of Rev. Aaron Hall, of Keene; and Abijah Ellis and Mrs. Lucy Nims, widow of the late Matthew Nims, of Roxbury.
At its session in June the legislature passed "An Act to establish the City of Keene,"-subject to the vote of the town. It was published in full in the local papers and thoroughly discussed. At a legal meeting on the 19th of August the town voted not to adopt the act, 411 to 241.
ยท
AMBROTYPES.
HARDWARE & PAINTS WATCHES & JEWELRY.
PRINTINS OFFICE C. FARRARLEJ. B. KNOWLTON, GEO. H. RICHARDS.
-
RICHARDS, COLONY AND SHELLY & SAWYER BUILDINGS. DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1865.
1
527
KEENE IN THE CIVIL WAR.
On the night of the 19th of October, 1865, the entire group of buildings on the east side of the Square, between the Cheshire House and the town hall, was destroyed by fire. It consisted of Richards's block (formerly Lamson's) on the corner of Roxbury street; the handsome iron front building of the Messrs. Colony, of the Cheshire Mills of Harrisville; and the Shelly and Sawyer block. The small wooden building owned by Thomas M. Edwards and occu- pied by the post office was demolished to save the town hall. It was believed that all except Richards's block, where the fire originated, might have been saved but for the failure of the supply of water. Many of the occupants lost heavily. The total loss was nearly $70,000, about one-half of which was covered by insurance. The post office was removed to the northwest corner room in Elliot's block, on West street, now the Chinese laundry.
In November there was an escape of a convict from the jail in Keene so remarkable as to be worthy of record.
Mark Shinborn (Maximillian Schoenbein), an educated German, came to this country about 1860. He was then
twenty-two years old, of agreeable manners, neatly dressed, a gambler, living in first-class hotels; and he became the ostensible owner of a fine farm and mansion near Saratoga, N. Y. He worked for a short term in the shops of the Lilly Safe Co. to learn the combination of locks. In Nov- ember, 1864, he robbed the savings bank at Walpole, N. H., of about $40,000-entering the house of B. F. Aldrich, the treasurer, and taking the keys from his pocket. He was arrested at Saratoga in May, 1865, and brought to Keene for trial, where he attracted much attention, par- ticularly from young women. He was convicted and sen- tenced to the state prison for ten years. On the day of his sentence, when his supper was taken to him, he presented a revolver (given him by an accomplice after the conviction) and walked out of the jail, kept his pursuers at bay, passed through Beaver street and over Beech hill through the woods. He was rearrested at Malone, N. Y., and brought to Keene in February, 1866, and taken to the prison at Concord; but by the aid of friends outside he escaped in December of that year. In his robbery at Walpole he was
528
HISTORY OF KEENE.
assisted by George Miles White, who kept a store at West- moreland Depot-had kept a public house at Alstead- and was superintendent of a Sunday school at Westmore- land; and it was said that they were aided and abetted by Rev. Charles Greenwood, for three years a minister at Westmoreland, who was afterwards believed to be guilty of both arson and theft in Keene. White was tried with Shinborn, but the evidence was not sufficient to convict him. After his escape from the prison at Concord, Shin- born learned through his "pals" (who had already made one attempt to secure the booty, on the 5th of December) that a large sum of money was deposited in the Ashuelot bank at Keene. He came to Keene and spent several weeks, in all, boarding at the Cheshire House. In some way he secured impressions in wax of the keys of the bank -it is believed by entering the house of the cashier, as at Walpole, and taking the keys from his pocket-returned to New York and made his keys and came back for his booty. These operations required three several trips be- tween New York and Keene to allay suspicion and prepare all his keys. The story of this burglary, as told by his accomplice, is that upon gaining entrance to the bank safe the first time he found only one thousand dollars in money ; that being a "high-toned " robber he disdained to steal so paltry a sum, preferring to wait for the larger sum ex- pected, and went away without creating suspicion; that upon a second entry he found so large a sum, in currency, that he did not dare burden himself with so bulky a pack- age, and that, without taking any of it, he returned to New York to make arrangements for its removal, but other operations intervened, he had to evade the officers of the law, and he never got the money.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.