USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Marlborough > History of the town of Marlborough, Cheshire County, New Hampshire > Part 22
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For many of these, he furnished improved patterns, which were adopted and are still used in the service. During the last three years, he has furnished large quantities of goods for foreign countries, amounting to about eighty thousand dollars annually.
Since 1869, Mr. Wilkinson has been engaged in the manufacture of horse blankets, first at Marlborough, then at Winchendon, Mass .; and, as his business increased, he removed the work to Holyoke, Mass., where he now has one of the largest mills of the kind in the country, the annual production of which amounts to about two hundred thou- sand dollars.
In these different manufacturing enterprises, employment is furnished to more than three hundred persons.
In the midst of these various business interests, he has not, however, forgotten his native town, but has again in- vested in its manufacturing interests. Nor is he unmindful of the church where he first professed his faith in Christ, and to which he still belongs, as shown by his various gifts as its needs have seemed to require.
Mr. Wilkinson married first Almira, daughter of Capt. Asa Frost of Marlborough. She died in 1874. He has since married Emily J., daughter of James Brown of Brim- field, Mass.
Hon. RUFUS S. FROST, son of Joseph and Lucy (Wheeler)
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Frost, was born in Marlborough, July 18, 1826. His father died when he was about four years of age. His widowed mother moved to Boston with her children, less than three years afterwards. He received his education mostly at the public schools in Boston, and at the academy in Newton.
At twelve years of age, he went into the dry goods store of Messrs. J. H. & J. Osgood, where he remained until he was twenty-one, when he became a partner of J. H. Os- good, which mutually pleasant relationship was continued for five years. Similar business connections were subse- quently formed with two other firms for shorter periods. After these, he became the head of his own business-house in 1866, taking younger partners as the exigencies of the case demanded; and with these he is still associated.
In his mercantile as well as in his manufacturing inter- ests, both of which have been large, Mr. Frost has always regarded himself as particularly favored in the honorable business-standing and high-toned moral character of the men with whom he has been and is still connected.
During the lapse of thirty years since he began his active business-life, there have been the usual ebbs and floods of reverses and successes, through which he has successfully passed ; not only without failure or compromise, but with- out a spot or blemish upon his reputation as a thoroughly honest, upright, fair, and gentlemanly business-man.
At the age of twenty-one, he married Miss Ellen Maria Hubbard of Chelsea. She died Feb. 28, 1878; and he married June 18, 1879, Mrs. Catharine Emily Willard of Tioga, Penn.
Mr. Frost left Boston when he was fourteen years old to reside in Chelsea, then a rapidly growing village of seven- teen hundred inhabitants. He grew up with it, and took a lively interest in its development. After it became a city, he was twice elected its mayor-1867 and 1868-with great unanimity, and was strongly urged to continue longer in that office. In 1871 and 1872, he served as State Sena- tor. In 1873 and 1874, he was a member of the Governor's Council. In these various civic relations, Mr. Frost acquit-
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ted himself with great credit, and to the entire satisfaction of his constituency.
Mr. Frost indulged the Christian's hope, and united with the Salem Church, Boston, when fourteen years old. Sept. 20, 1841, the First Congregational of Chelsea was organ- ized, of which he was one of the original forty-one members. He at once identified himself with the choir, with the Sab- bath school, and with all the various activities and benevo- lences of the church. For a long time he led the choir and played the organ. He superintended the Sabbath school for years, until his health compelled his resignation. He was always ready to take part in the social meetings, and discharge any and all his church and parochial obligations.
Naturally of a cheerful and hopeful temperament, which Christian assurance necessarily intensifies and adorns, Mr. Frost has always been and is a good neighbor, a warm and welcome friend, a genial companion, and a safe pattern and counsellor to every young man.
The citizens of his native town do not need to be told of his lively interest in all their public affairs. He early secured the old family homestead for his summer residence. He has aided the churches by contributions, and by sending at his own expense ministers for holding especial religious services. He gave a beautiful organ to the Congregational Church, where he worships when in town. The gift of a town library is a monument both to his generosity and to his good judgment as to the best methods of interesting and educating, and so elevating, such a community.
WILLIAM H. GREENWOOD, youngest son of Asa and Lucy Mason (Evans) Greenwood, was born in Dublin, March 27, 1832. He removed to Marlborough with his parents, work- ing on the various public works in which his father was engaged till 1850, when he entered Norwich University, Norwich, Vt., graduating in 1852. The same fall he went west to Illinois, and began as civil engineer on the line of the Central Military Tract (tract of land) Railroad (after- wards the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad,) on
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the 23d of November, 1852. He remained with said com- pany until the road was completed, and ran on the train for sometime. He then went to work for the American Cen- tral Railroad as assistant engineer, and was with that interest until the beginning of the war. He was married, May 19, 1857, to Evaline D. Knight of Dummerston, Vt.
He enlisted in the Fifty-first Regiment of Illinois infan- try in 1861, and was commissioned first lieutenant of Company H. He remained with the regiment but a short time, though he retained his commission, being detailed as a topographical engineer at department head-quarters.
At various times, as topographical engineer, he reported to Gens. Grant, Rosecrans, Thomas, McPherson, Stanley, and other general officers. He was aide-de-camp to Gen. D. S. Stanley for some time, and was appointed assistant inspec- tor-general of the Fourth Army Corps, a part of the army of the Cumberland, in July, 1864, which position he held to the close of the war. He was mustered out in Texas, and was retained by Gen. Sheridan to rebuild the railroad, de- stroyed by the rebel Gen. McGruder, from Port Lavaca to Victoria in Texas. In April, 1866, he returned to Ver- mont, remaining there only a month, when he again went West, and was employed on the engineer corps of the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division, afterwards known as the Kansas Pacific. He was appointed chief engineer of this road in 1867, which position he held up to 1870.
In the winter of 1867-68, he took charge of a survey for this company through to San Francisco on the thirty-second and thirty-fifth parallels, and advised the adopting of the Cimaron, thirty-fifth parallel, and Tahatchpe Pass route. While chief engineer of this road, he constructed one hun- dred and fifty miles of railroad in one hundred working days, and the last day they laid ten and one quarter miles of track in less than ten hours, which was the largest amount ever laid up to that time, and has never been exceeded up to the date of 1876.
During his surveys across the Plains, he had several en- counters with the Indians during their raids in 1867, 1868,
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and 1869, and endured hardships from cold and hunger which few men have ever experienced. While with this road, he was also consulting engineer of the Denver Pacific Railroad.
In 1870, he made the first general report made in this country in favor of a narrow gauge (three feet) railroad, and was appointed general manager of construction of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad of Colorado. On the com- pletion of the first division of said road, he was appointed general superintendent of the same, and remained with the road until the track was laid to Canon City, one hundred and sixty-five miles. In 1872, in company with Gen. W. S. Rosecrans, Gen. W. J. Palmer, and others, he went to Mexico to construct a national railroad in that country. While on the Mexican national road, he visited England and the Continent, to inform himself as to the best base of supplies for that interest. Failing to get the proper con- cessions from the Mexican government, he returned to the United States, and established himself as a civil engineer in New York.
In May, 1878, he took charge of the construction of the Pueblo and Arkansas Valley Railroad for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fé Railroad Company, through the Grand Canon and up the valley of the Arkansas River. In March, 1879, he took charge of the Marion and McPher- son Railroad, which was the last public work with which he was connected, up to the writing of this history.
Deacon ABEL BAKER was a son of Bezeleel and Abigail (Wood) Baker of Marlborough, and was born April 8, 1797. Like most lads in this town at that early day, he was brought up on a farm, and inured to almost all kinds of manual labor. He possessed a good constitution, was ath- letic and energetic, and seldom failed to accomplish the object of his desire. His educational advantages were mainly limited to the district school, which at that period was much less efficient than now. These advantages, how- ever, were well improved; and he became one of the best
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and most advanced scholars in his district. Having mas- tered the branches taught in the district school, he was sent to an academy in New Salem, Mass., where he studied one term, and then commenced teaching. For several years, he taught school in the winter, and assisted his father on the farm in the summer. As a teacher, he was very success- ful, and his services were sought by the best and most desirable school districts.
He married April 18, 1821, and located upon a farm in the adjoining town of Troy, and devoted his attention to agriculture. His admirable qualities of head and heart were soon recognized by his fellow-citizens, and he became one of the leading men of the town. His sound judgment, practical wisdom, and general intelligence fitted him for any position in the community; and he was consequently elected at different times to almost all the civil offices in the town. He served the town some fifteen years as select- man,-the most of the time as chairman of the board,- and represented it in the Legislature of the State in the years 1840-42.
In all the public positions he was called to fill, he was faithful and honest, and none of his constituents ever had reason to feel that they had misplaced their confidence.
He did a large amount of business in the settlement of estates. His ability and familiarity with the law fitted him for the transaction of this kind of business, and for many years his services in this line were in constant demand.
The crowning excellence of Deacon Baker's life, however, is to be found in his devotion to the service of his divine Master and in his noble Christian character. He experi- enced religion in early life, and united with the Congrega- tional Church, of which he was over afterwards a worthy, active, and honored member. Through the trying period in the early history of the little church in Troy, he was one of the few who remained steadfast in the Congregational faith ; and through his and his co-laborers' efforts, under the divine blessing, the church lived and prospered. Soon after
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he became a member of the church, he was chosen a deacon, and held and honored this office' during the remainder of his life. As an officer in the church, he was vigilant and faithful, watching over its members and laboring to promote their spiritual welfare. He was honored by all classes, and looked up to as a faithful friend, a wise counsellor, and an exemplary Christian. After a long and useful life, he died, Sept. 26, 1878, calmly, and in the full assurance of a glo- rious immortality.
CHAPTER XIV.
MISCELLANEOUS.
MONADNOCK MOUNTAIN. - POST-OFFICES. - LIBRARIES. - ODD FELLOWS. - CEMETERIES. - MORTUARY RECORD. - PERSONS OVER EIGHTY, JANUARY 1, 1880. - TOWN OFFICERS. - GOVERNOR VOTE. - MIRRIAM NEWTON'S DIARY. - PAUPERISM. - ABATEMENT OF TAXES. - WILD ANIMALS. - ALEXANDER FISH'S EAR. - ANECDOTES.
MONADNOCK MOUNTAIN.
ALTHOUGH the line of the town of Marlborough is at the foot of the grand Monadnock on the west side, yet, it being so situated that no other town can have access to it without passing through Marlborough, unless the ascent be made on some other side, it would seem that the History of Marlbor- ough should give, at least, a description of that part of the mountain which has been looking down upon the town since its settlement. Formerly, a large portion of it was covered with a thick kind of under-brush, and some quite large timber which extended far up the sides, giving the mountain a very different appearance from what it now presents. But in the year 1800, after a very severe drouth, the mountain was on fire for several weeks, and the west side was nearly all burned over. The fire was followed by a strong wind ; and the timber was hurled in all direc- tions, and for years afterwards the large timber lay just as it fell. The saplings were, however, soon rotten, and the bald rocks were visible all over the mountain.
The best way of ascent was thought to be on the westerly
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side, until 1850 or 1855, when the Mountain House was built ; and the United States Coast Surveyors constructed a new road to the top from the south side.
After the settlement of the towns in the vicinity of the mountain, during the time that the wolves were on the lookout for mutton, and were very destructive among the sheep, it was thought it afforded a secure shelter for them ; and at three different times the inhabitants in the vicinity on all sides, by a general agreement, surrounded it and com- menced a general hunt, which continued from the foot to the top. But these hunts were not very successful. Sometimes a stray bear or wolf was killed, but there were so many hiding-places it was difficult to dislodge them.
Some time after the American War, a few chivalrous young men of Marlborough, on some important occasion, undertook to make a bonfire on the top of the mountain, which they intended should be seen for twenty miles. A barrel of tar was carried up in buckets, and every effort was made to illuminate the darkness; but their efforts were not crowned with success.
The pathway from the foot of the mountain to the top on the west side was formerly marked by stones, some of which still remain.
A little to the south of this path, about half-way up the mountain, is what was called the Rock House. It is a smooth split in a large rock some thirty feet long and eight feet high, with an opening at the north some three feet wide, running to a point at the other end with a flat stone over it, so that several persons can be sheltered by it. Formerly, every person visiting the mountain felt he must not fail of seeing the famous Rock House.
The inhabitants living in the vicinity of the mountain are attracted there to secure the large quantities of blue- berries which are found, between the ledges in August and September. And, in a fruitful year, the writer has seen them so thick and large that a good picker would secure a ten-quart pail full in two or three hours.
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MONADNOCK MOUNTAIN.
GRAND MONADNOCK.
BY J. D. CREHORE.
O THOU who rear'st thy wild, romantic head, Piercing sublime the blue, ethereal sky,- A huge, erratic pile, with igneous bed,- Be thou my theme while I extol thee high !
Abrupt amid her thousand granite hills, New Hampshire proudly claims thee for her own ; But thy bold, awful peak with wonder fills The eyes of other sons than hers alone.
No State can own thee by exclusive right ; For when the rising sun tips thee with gold, Or, setting, robes thee with effulgent light, Thy splendor dazzles far through space unknown.
Tell me if, oft in meditation lost, Thou ponderest not on ages rolled away; For thou art old and gray and tempest-tossed, And round thy furrowed cheek the lightnings play.
Geology, in its research profound, Has traced thy being back through endless time, To when the ocean wave, with murmuring sound, Roared round thy cliffs its melancholy chime.
Yes, from the deep, dark caverns of the sea, Volcanic fire hath borne thee high in air, To overlook the stream, the vale, the lea, And evermore to stand majestic there.
I fancy thou art Nature's monument, Erected to record her mighty deeds,- How from the deep she reared the continent, And scattered o'er its face a million seeds ;
How thus she formed a dwelling-place for man, Long years before he drew the vital air ; And decked it, long ere human life began, With wavy trees and fruit and blossoms fair.
Thou bearest record, too, of wind and tide, When yet the foamy wave was lashing thee ; For, far above the shrubs upon thy side, The Iceberg's giant footprints still we see.
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HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
But in fond remembrance thou canst turn Back to the later scenes of other days,- When the wigwam, thinly thatched with fern,' Cheered the poor Indian seated by its blaze ;
When all around thee, Mountain, far and wide, Lay one vast wilderness of leafy shade ; And here the chieftain with his dusky bride Dwelt along the hillside and the floral glade.
But when the "Mayflower " met thy distant view, Alas ! it brought destruction to his home, And the red-man before the pale-face flew, No more his native hills to roam.
The forest vanished at the Pilgrim's stroke, And the wild waste was fruitful by his toil; Where the rude hut sent up its cheering smoke, The corn is waving o'er the loamy soil.
Then watched our fathers, struggling hard and long To plant on fair Columbia's wildwood shore A colony, which, dead, yet lives in song, Redecked with laurels stained with heroes' gore;
And heard the cannon's thundering peal afar, Charge after charge on Bunker's awful height, When our sires, oppressed, sought redress in war, And many gallant sons fell in the fatal fight.
How changed! The infant colony has grown To be a nation of extensive sway ; No monarch ever pressed her lofty throne, And Freedom has her quiet, unmolested way.
O proud Monadnock ! thy far-searching eye Looks down upon a thousand happy homes,- Homes of the joyful sons of Liberty, Where despots are unknown, and gladness roams.
But Freedom's fane thou art; and on thy top The eagle oft, with weary spreading wings, From the high, ethereal realms will drop, And pause awhile midst her wanderings.
Upon thy summit, too, thy sons and daughters Oft seek the cheering prospect far and wide Of forest and grove and silver waters That slow and silent join the distant tide.
POST-OFFICES. 271
But thou hast cheer for me when far away ; For, when in dreams I walk my native hills, Thy image, basking in the sunlight gay, My weary, troubled soul with rapture fills.
From the loved spot where passed my youthful days, Thy awful grandness bounds the distant view ; And oft in wonder I have pansed to gaze At thy wild beauty of cerulean hue.
POST-OFFICES.
The first post-office was established in this town Feb. 27, 1823. Previous to this date, the inhabitants received their mail from Keene. Letters coming to that office for those in adjoining towns were advertised in the New Hampshire Sentinel. Those having letters to mail generally left them with Dr. David Carter who handed them to the post-rider who in turn delivered them at the post-office at the end of his route. William Ward was the first postmaster. The post-office was in the building since occupied by David Wilkinson as a harness-shop.
The following is a list of the different postmasters at this office, with the date of their appointment: -
William Ward,
February 27, 1823.
Jonah Davis, .
July 4, 1825.
Elijah Boyden,
July 29, 1833.
Abner Boyden,
January 3, 1835.
Gilman Converse, January 27, 1837.
Silas Collester,
August 19, 1841.
Elijah Boyden,
May 16, 1845.
Gideon D. Richardson,
December 10, 1852.
George W. Garfield, August 8, 1857.
Elisha O. Woodward,
May 26, 1860.
William M. Nason,
June 23, 1874.
At the time of the reappointment of Elijah Boyden in 1845, the post-office was established in the Stone Store, where it has ever since remained.
A post-office was established at Marlborough Depot,
·
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HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
March 24, 1852, since that time the following gentlemen have held the office of postmaster : -
Names.
Date of Appointment.
Nelson Converse,
March 24, 1852.
George W. Garfield,
November 24, 1852.
Cyrus S. Moors,
August 3, 1857.
Cleon M. Lane,
January 23, 1871.
Andrew L. Felch,
August 7, 1871.
Cyrus S. Moors, .
May 28, 1872.
LIBRARIES.
Sept. 22, 1795, a number of the citizens of Marlborough met for the purpose of forming themselves into a society to be known as the Marlborough Social Library. At this meeting, Rev. Halloway Fish, Dr. David Carter, Jedediah Tayntor, Phinehas Farrar, Esq., and Lieut. Calvin Stone were chosen a committee to draw up a constitution. It was also voted that two dollars be the price of each share in the library.
At a subsequent meeting, the committee presented a constitution, which was accepted and adopted. The follow- ing persons became members of the society, only one of whom survives, Rev. Luther Wiswall, of Windham, Me .: -
Jedediah Tayntor.
Daniel Priest.
David Carter.
Simeon Newton.
Joseph Frost.
Jeremiah Bemis.
Hugh Mason.
George Farrar.
Jonathan Frost.
William Banks.
John Parkhurst.
Kimber Harvey.
Isaac Gould.
Abijah Tucker.
Jonadab Baker.
Phinehas Farrar, Jr.
Reuben Ward. Isaac Cummings.
Amos Cummings.
Simon Piper.
Benjamin Longley.
Eliphalet Stone. Elijah Frost. Calvin Stone.
John Harvey. Persis Sweetser.
Daniel Gould, Jr.
Daniel Cutting.
Hezekiah Hodgkins.
Phinehas Farrar.
Jacob Woodward. Shubael Stone. Samuel Collins.
Charles Holman.
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LIBRARIES.
Isaac Robbins.
Lovell Porter.
Benjamin Whitney.
Thomas Adams.
Levi Gates.
Charles Holman, Jr.
William Tenney.
Enoch White.
John Wiswall.
Levi Gates, Jr.
John Lane.
John Joslin.
Anna Temple.
Luther Hemenway.
William Lincoln.
Amos Cummings, Jr.
Elijah Boyden.
Calvin Hastings.
Nathan Wild.
Caleb Perry.
Thomas Temple.
Luke Blodgett.
Luther Newton.
Jonathan Bemis.
Thaddeus Parmenter.
Abner Smith.
John Fitch.
Abel Baker.
Elijah Gates.
Oliver Wright.
John Wiswall, Jr.
Asa Hastings.
Robert Emerson.
John Buss.
Phillips Sweetser, 3d.
William Ward.
Robert Worsley.
Calvin Newton.
Richard Tozer.
Thomas Tolman.
Amasa Converse.
Luther Bemis.
Nathan D. Barker.
Etheel Parmenter.
Ephraim K. Frost.
Luther Wiswall.
Jonas Woodward.
Joseph Woodward.
James Batcheller.
Samuel Jones.
Among the first books purchased were Belknap's History of New Hampshire, Morse's Geography, Cook's Voyages, Gordon's History of the Revolution, Doddridge's Rise and Progress, Blair's Serions, Life of Franklin, etc.
The library was kept for many years at the house of William Tenney, where S. O. Pope now lives. This place was chosen, no doubt, on account of its being near the meeting-house, as most of the books were exchanged on Sunday, although it was accessible at all times.
Whenever it became necessary to purchase books, a tax of from fifty cents to one dollar was assessed upon each share.
The library was removed in 1843 to the house of Charles Holman, where Charles H. Thurston now resides. The interest in the library now began to decline, and in a few years was given up altogether, and the books divided among
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the share-holders, some of which have been deposited in the Frost Free Library for safe keeping.
FROST FREE LIBRARY.
In the summer of 1865, Hon. Rufus S. Frost of Chelsea, Mass., made known to the citizens of Marlborough that he wished to present his native town with a free library, and would do so, whenever the town would provide a suitable place in which to keep it.
A meeting of the citizens was held in September, but no definite action was taken in relation to the subject, further than to choose a committee to correspond with Mr. Frost. This committee attended to the duties assigned them, and the following correspondence took place : -
MARLBORO', N.H., Sept. 15, 1865.
RUFUS S. FROST, Esq. :
Dear Sir,- A meeting of the citizens of Marlboro' was holden Wednes- day evening to take into consideration the subject of providing a suitable place for the library which, it is understood, you are intending to present to the town. It was not the object of this meeting to take any definite action ou the subject, any further than to ascertain more fully the minds of the people here. There was quite a full attendance; and it was the unanimous opinion of those present that the town will, when the matter is formally laid before them, vote to erect a building either independ- ently or in connection with a town hall.
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