USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Mont Vernon > History of the town of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire > Part 5
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
And be it further enacted, that the said proprietors are hereby em- powered to purchase and hold in fee simple, so much land as will be necessary for said turnpike road; and the share or shares of any of said proprietors may be transferred by deed duly executed and acknowl- edged and recorded by the clerk of said proprietors on their records, and the share or shares of any proprietors may be sold by said corpora- tion on nonpayment of assessments duly made agreeable to the by-laws that may be agreed upon by said corporation.
And be it further enacted, that no toll shall be taken by said cor- poration for any mile of said road until eight hundred dollars shall have been expended thereon, or a proportionate sum upon the whole number of miles, reckoning from the Lottery Bridge in Claremont to the place where said road may terminate.
And be it further enacted, that said corporation may be indicted for defect of repairs of said road after the toll gates are erected, and fined in the same way and manner as towns are by law fineable for suffering roads to be out of repair, and said fine may be levied on the profits and tolls arising or accruing to said proprietors.
Provided nevertheless, and be it further enacted, that if the said turnpike road shall in any part be the same with any highway now used, it shall not be lawful for said corporation to erect a gate or turn- pike on or across said part of the road that now is used and occupied as a public highway anything in this act to the contrary notwith- standing.
And be it further enacted, that when said proprietors shall make it appear to the judges of the superior court of judlicature that they have expended said sum of eight hundred dollars on each mile, or a propor- tionable sum as before mentioned the proprietors shall have the liberty to erect the gates as aforesaid.
And be it further enacted, that at the end of every ten years after the setting up any toll gate an account of the expenditures upon said
42
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
road, and the profits arising therefrom shall be laid before the judges of the superior court for the time being, under forfeiture of the priv- ileges of this act in future, and if the neat profits of the said ten years shall exceed twelve per cent. per annum, the said court may reduce the future toll so far as that it may not exceed twelve per cent .: and if the profits shall not amount to six per cent., the said court may raise the toll so that it shall not be less than six, nor exceed twelve per cent.
And be it further enacted, that if in ten years the said road shall not be completed according to the provision in this act, every part and clause thereof shall be null and void: Provided also that the State of New Hampshire may at any time after the expiration of forty years from the passing of this act, repay the proprietors of said road, the amount of the sum expended by them thereon, with twelve per cent. per annum in addition thereto, deducting the toll actually received by the proprietors, in that case the said road shall to all intents and purposes be the property of the State of New Hampshire, anything in this act to the contrary notwithstanding.
State of New Hampshire.
In the House of Representatives, Decr. 20th, 1799.
The foregoing bill having had three several readings passed to be enacted.
Sent up for concurrence, JOHN PRENTICE, Speaker.
In Senate Decr. 23d, 1799, This Bill having been read a third time, was enacted.
AMOS SHEPARD, President.
Approved Decr. 26th, 1799.
J. T. GILMAN, Governor. A true copy,
Attest, PHILIP CARRIGAIN.
In 1812 "The Amherst Turnpike Corporation" was chartered, and as it was a continuation of the Second Turnpike Road, above re- ferred to, it is of interest in connection therewith, and its charter was as follows :
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[L. s.]
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND TWELVE.
AN ACT TO INCORPORATE A COMPANY BY THE NAME OF THE AMHERST TURNPIKE CORPORATION.
Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- tives in General Court convened, that David Dexter. Josiah Stevens and Samuel Fiske and their associates and successors be and they hereby are incorporated and made a body corporate & politic forever, under the name of the Amherst Turnpike corporation and in that name may sue and prosecute, and be sued and prosecuted until final judgment and
43
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
execution; and shall be and hereby are vested with all the privileges and powers which by law are incident to corporations of a similar nature.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, that the said David Dexter and Josiah Stevens or either of them, shall call a meeting of said propri- etors, to be holden at any suitable time and place, by posting notifica- tions, one at least in some public place in each town through which said road is contemplated to pass, at least fourteen days before the time of holding said meeting expressing the time, place and design of said meeting; and the proprietors by a majority present or represented at said meeting, accounting and allowing one vote to each share in all cases, shall choose a clerk who shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of the duties of his Office; and shall agree on a method of calling future meetings; and at the same or at any subsequent meeting, may elect such officers and make and establish such rules and by-laws as to them shall seem necessary and convenient, for the regulation and government of said corporation for carrying into effect the purposes aforesaid, and for collecting the tolls hereinafter established; and the same by-laws may cause to be executed and annex penalties to the breach thereof; provided said rules and by-laws are not repugnant to the laws of this State. And all representations at any meeting shall be proved by writing signed by the person to be represented, which shall be filed by the clerk in a book or books provided and kept for that purpose.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, that the said corporation are hereby empowered, to lay out, make and keep in repair a turnpike road of four rods wide, beginning at the end of the second New Hampshire turnpike on Amherst plain thence running to the line between the State of New Hampshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts in a direction to meet the Turnpike road in Tyngsborough in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, conforming to the survey lately made by Daniel Warner Esquire as near as the nature of the ground will permit.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, that if the said proprietors, and the owners of land over which said road may run, shall not agree on the compensation to be made for such land, and shall not agree in ap- pointing persons to ascertain such compensation, the Justices of the Court of Common pleas in the County where such land lies, if not inter- ested, and if interested the Justices of the Superior Court, upon the appli- cation of the proprietors or owners of the land. reasonable notice having been given to the adverse party, of such application shall appoint a committee who shall ascertain the same in the same way as compensa- tion is made to the owners of land for highways as usually laid out. Provided nevertheless that it shall not be lawful for said proprietors to make such road until the damages done the owner or owners of the land through which the same is laid out, is ascertained and paid, or tender thereof made, or security given for the payment of the same to the said owner thereof to his or their satisfaction.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, that the said corporation may erect and fix such and so many gates or turnpikes upon and across said road as will be necessary and sufficient to collect the tolls and duties herein after granted to said company, from all persons travelling the same with horses, cattle, carts or carriages.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, that it shall and may be lawful for said company, to appoint such and so many toll-gatherers as they shall think proper, to collect of and from all and every person or per- sons using said road, the rates and tolls herein after mentioned, and to stop any person riding, leading or driving any horses, cattle, carts or carriages from passing through said gates or turnpikes, until they shall
44
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
respectively have paid the same; that is to say for every mile of said road, and so in proportion for a greater or less distance, or greater or smaller number of horses, cattle or carriages Viz. for every ten sheep or swine one half cent; for every ten neat cattle, horses or mules one cent; for every horse and his rider or led horse one cent; for every sulk- ey, chair or chaise, with one horse and two wheels two cents; for every coach, chariot, stage, phaeton or chaise with two horses and four wheels, three cents; for either of the carriages last mentioned with four horses, four cents; for every other carriage of pleasure, the like sums according to the number of wheels and horses drawing the same; for each cart, waggon or other carriage of burthen drawn by one beast, one cent; for the like carriages drawn by two beasts. one and a half cents; if by more than two beasts, one cent for each additional yoke of oxen or pair of horses; for each pleasure sleigh drawn by one horse, one cent and a half; if drawn by two horses, two cents; if drawn by more than two horses, one cent for each additional horse; for each sled or sleigh of burthen drawn by one horse. three quarters of a cent; if by two horses or one yoke of oxen, one cent; if by more than two horses or one yoke of oxen, one cent for each additional yoke of oxen or pair of horses; and at all times when the toll gatherer does not attend his duty the gates shall be left open; and if any person shall with his carriage, team, cattle or horses turn off the said road to pass the said turnpike gate on ground adjacent thereto, not being a public highway, with an intent to avoid the payment of the toll due by virtue of this act, such person shall forfeit and pay three times as much as the legal toll would have been; provided that nothing in this act shall extend to entitle said cor- poration to demand or receive toll of any person who is an inhabitant of any town where any gate may be erected, nor any officer or soldier of the militia under arms, going to or from the place of military duty nor to any funeral that may have occasion to pass said gate.
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, that the said corporation are hereby empowered to purchase and hold in fee simple, so much land as will be necessary for said turnpike road, and the share or shares of any proprietor may be transferred by deed, duly executed, acknowledged and recorded by the clerk of said corporation on their records; and said shares may be sold by said corporation on non-payment of assessments duly made, agreeable to the by-laws of said corporation.
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, that the said corporation shall take no toll for any mile of said road until six hundred dollars shall have been expended thereon, reckoning a proportionate sum upon the whole number of miles from the second New Hampshire turnpike road on Amherst plain, to the line between the State of New Hampshire and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; nor shall any toll be taken for any mile of said road until the Justices of the superior court shall adjudge that said road is sufficiently made to entitle the said corporation to re- ceive toll, at which time said incorporation may erect gates thereon ac- cording to the provisions of this act.
Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, that said corporation may be indicted for want of repairs on said road after the toll gates are erected, and fined in the same way and manner as towns are by law fineable for suffering highways and bridges to be out of repair; and said fines may be levied on the profits and tolls accruing to said corporation -- provided that if said Turnpike road shall in any part be the same with any highway now used, it shall not be lawful for said corporation to erect any gate or turnpike upon or across that part of said road which is now used as a public highway. anything hercin to the contrary notwithstanding.
45
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
Sec. 10. And be it further enacted. that at the end of every six years after the setting up of any Toll-gate upon the road aforesaid an account of the expenditures upon said road and the profits arising therefrom, shall be laid before the Justices of the superior court for the time being under the forfeiture of the privileges of this grant in future; and if the net profits for the said six years shall exceed nine per centum per annum, the said court may reduce the future rates of toll so far as that it may not exceed nine per centum per annum; and if the said profits shall. not amount to six per centum per annum, the said court may raise the future rates of toll, so that it shall not be less than six per centum per annum nor more than nine per cent. per annum.
Sec. 11. And be it further enacted, that if in four years from the passing of this act, the said road and every part thereof shall not be completed, agreeable to the provisions of this act, every part and clause thercof shall be null and void -provided also that the State of New Hampshire may at any time after the passing hereof repay the proprie- tors of the said road the amount of the sums expended by them thereon, with nine per cent. per annum in addition thereto, deducting the toll actually received by said corporation; in that case the road shall, to all intents and purposes, be the property of the State of New Hampshire, provided further that the Legislature of this State shall have a right to adopt such measures in future. as shall by them be considered necessary or expedient, to compel said proprietors to keep said road in good repair.
State of New Hampshire.
In the House of Representatives, June 17, 1812.
The foregoing Bill having had three several readings passed to be enacted.
Sent up for concurrence, CLEMENT STORER, Speaker.
In the Senate, June 18, 1812. This Bill having been read a third time was enacted.
JOSHUA DARLING, President.
By the Governor, the same day, approved.
WILLIAM PLUMER.
Recorded agreeably to the original.
Attest:
SAML. SPARHAWK, Secretary.
The Second Turnpike Road of New Hampshire was built in 1802. It ran from the southern line of Mont Vernon, through the center of the town and its entire length, making its distance in the town about five miles. The first toll-house above Amherst was in the north- westerly part of Mont Vernon, and was kept by James McCauley forty years. The stage ran daily on this road from Amherst to Windsor, Vermont, for more than fifty years. .
The turnpike built by the two corporations ran southerly through Amherst and South Merrimack to Nashua. and so on to Boston,
46
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
though it was not a turnpike for the entire distance. To the north it passed directly to Francestown, and thence down the long hill to Cork Plain to Hillsborough, and through Hillsborough Lower and Upper Villages, Washington, Lempster, Goshen, and Unity, to Clare- mont, and thence to Windsor, Vermont, crossing the Connecticut river by a bridge. In the days before railroads were established, this thoroughfare was, at certain seasons, filled with teams of the farmers, of one, two, four or six horses, carrying their produce to Boston, and returning, to the country stores and homes, groceries, liquors, dry goods, etc., demanded for home use. A most interest- ing description of things in this regard will be found in the admirable historical address given by Col. Bruce at the centennial celebration of the town in 1903. which is printed elsewhere in this volume.
"On the 15th of April, 1837, agreeably to a vote of the Pro- prietors, all the gates on the Second New Hampshire Turnpike were thrown open, and the road was made free from that day." The foregoing is found in Secombe's History of Amherst. p. 453. No mention is made of the discontinuance of the road built by the "Am- herst Turnpike Corporation," but as the latter was only an extension of the former, and the proprietors were the same, probably the whole turnpike was discontinued at the same time. Mr. Secombe's History adds that the act of incorporation was repealed by the General Court July 4, 1837, and the care of the road thenceforth devolved upon the towns through which it passed.
On the 3d and 4th of October, 1869, occurred the very heavy rain, above noted, which so washed out the turnpike near the foot of the hill close by what had been the "Town Farm," that it was dis- continued, as not worth repairing for the small amount of travel passing over it.
To accommodate the travel on the turnpike in its palmy days, there were numerous taverns, at intervals of two or three miles, some of which are still standing, though their use as places of refreshment for man and beast has been rendered obsolete. In those days, how- ever, they must have sheltered many a weary teamster, and their open fire-places must have brewed many a mug of flip, and the bars must have dispensed many a glass of rum and "black-strap." Then everybody imbibed, and rum was no small item in the freights of the returning teams.
Among these is a tavern about a mile from the village, which used to be kept by Zephaniah Kittredge. It is now owned by Mr.
47
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
Lueius B. Hutchinson. who bought the place for its lumber. The house is occupied at intervals by more or less transient people, and the buildings are fast going to ruin.
A large house standing, at the junction of the Turnpike and the road to Paper-Mill Village in New Boston, was onee a tavern, which went out of commission when the teaming business lapsed. It was occupied afterwards by the late Stephen G. Dunbar, and later still by the late David McCollom.
Not far east of this is a house in which Nelson E. Shedd kept tavern, but it is now in poor condition. All these landmarks will soon disappear.
The old turnpike is a notably hard road as far as it runs in Mont Vernon. It is rocky and in places sandy, and just at the New Boston line, beyond the McCollom, or as it used to known, the Parker place, is a long and very sandy hill, known as Warner Hill, which was always the bane of the stage-driver and the teamster.
Sept. 30, 1823. "Voted to lay out a road from the meeting- house down the hill to the old road between William Richardson's and Joshua Cleaves's place."
This is the road to the "Maple Tree," probably, striking the road which led easterly to Amherst, and westerly to Lyndeboro'.
A new road from Amherst to Weare was built in 1828. It passes through the entire length of the easterly part of Mont Vernon, and its construction and maintenance have been a heavy burden to this town. The road 'is direet from Amherst village to New Boston village, and follows the stream known as the Quohqninnepassakessa- nanagnog to its source.
March 10, 1840. Hiram Perkins having presented a petition that about 25 rods of the road south of his house (the Woodbury place, later owned and occupied by Hiram Perkins, and at this writing known as "the Hearthstone) be discontinued, and a new road be laid out, it was voted to discontinue said piece of road and lay out one on the north of his house, provided said Perkins will give the land and wall the same-and the selectmen were authorized to lay out the same, which was very soon done.
In 1853 was built the new road from "the Maple tree" to Milford, . a direct line through the woods and passing what is now Hartshorn's Mill. Formerly to get to Milford, Mont Vernon people had to go round by the south school-house, and the Raymond and Hutchinson places. The new road is much shorter and easier. .
48
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
In 1878 the town built from the corner near John A. Carleton's. in the southerly part of the town, a road to connect with the road which formerly ended at Josiah Swinington's. A new road was also built from the East main road to John Elliot's.
In 1890, the road known as the "Boulevard" was built from Main Street to the top of Prospect Hill.
In 1893 two short pieces of road were built. The first one began at the north road to Amherst, near the house of Edward Hildreth, having its terminus on the south road to Amherst, near the house of Jesse S. Trow.
The second one beginning on the Lyndeborough road, near the house of Joseph G. Carleton, formerly the John A. Carleton place, extends to the Purgatory road, near the foot of Harwood's Hill, form- ing with its connections a convenient route from Mont Vernon to West Milford and Wilton.
From the foot of the Harwood hill to the turnpike or Frances- town road, near Coggin's blacksmith shop, is a delightful piece of road through the woods, and it is known as "Lovers' Lane." It was built in 1860.
In 1903 a piece of road was built from the place owned by Charles Blood, just off the road to New Boston, at the north-east part of the town, across to the road from the east part of the town to Joe English Hill, near the farm now owned by J. F. Best.
NOTABLE FACTS AND EVENTS
In the winter and spring of 1812 a new and most virulent epi- demic, known as the spotted fever, appeared. Very few physicians could treat it skilfully. Its attack was as sudden and violent as the cholera or plague. Its progress was rapid, and it terminated fatally in most cases. This scourge brought death into many families in Mont Vernon. The services of Dr. Matthias Spalding, of Amherst, who was credited with more than average success in coping with this fearful disease, were in requisition day and night for several months.
One of the most severe tempests ever experienced here occurred on the 22d of September, 1815. It began at 11:30 A. M., and con- tinued with great violence for two hours. Trees were uprooted, fences blown down, buildings unroofed, and their fragments scattered in all directions. No lives were lost here.
49
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
The year 1816 was remarkable for its unusual severity of weather. Snow fell every month, causing light crops.
July 15, 1818. This day was of unusual darkness in New England, probably caused by the uncommon smoke produced by the burning of woodlands on the mountains, and of brush fires in all directions.
1826 is remembered as the grasshopper year. So plenty were these insects that they devoured every green thing. In some places they were caught in nets and fed to the hogs. The last week in Au- gust a great rain storm occurred which largely destroyed them. More water fell than had fallen in the same length of time for many years. It was during this storm that the White Mountain slide took place, by which the Willey family were destroyed. It was a year of disease and death. Whooping cough, measles, and an epidemic form of dysentery of a malignant type prevailed through this county, and swept away old and young.
November 13, 1833, there occurred the grandest meteoric display ever witnessed in America, at half-past five in the morning. Thou- sands of meteors might be seen flying in every direction through a clear, unclouded sky. As daylight approached they appeared less frequent, but they were seen as long as the stars were visible.
Three severe thunder storms occurred June 30, 1841. The second of these was accompanied by furious wind and hail, which did an immense amount of damage. Some hailstones were as large as good sized hen's eggs. Nearly ten thousand lights of glass were broken in this town alone. A terribly cold storm of wind and snow occurred June 11, 1842, and at its close, snow to the depth of four inches covered the ground, and the next day a very high wind pre- vailed, which would have done credit to November.
The latter part of the winter of 1842-43 was remarkably long and severe. Sleighs were used until late in April, and on the 17th of . that month snow was three feet deep on a level. There was very little fruit that season.
In April, 1860, the tannery, owned by Starrett and Kittredge, was entirely destroyed by fire.
In August, 1864, the spacious fancy box shop of H. HI. Bragg was destroyed by fire and not rebuilt.
October 3, 1869. There had been no rain of any consequence for nearly three months. Seven or eight inches of water fell October 3d and 4th, doing a great amount of damage, entirely destroying the mill
50
HISTORY OF MONT VERNON.
of Arthur A. Trow and Daniel W. Trow in the southerly part of the town, also rendering the old turnpike road and several hillside roads impassable. Neighboring towns suffered more than Mont Vernon. The damage done in this town was between two and three thousand dollars.
In July, 1879, the steam mill of Trask W. Averill, on the old tannery site, was burned.
Sept. 5. 1881, occurred what has generally been known as the "Yellow Day." It grew very dark after the morning had passed, and the atmosphere had a brazen appearance. The Rev. C. C. Car- penter was then pastor of the church, and on that day attended a meeting of the Hollis Association of Ministers at New Ipswich. In writing about it to the Farmer's Cabinet, he says : "The wonder of the day was the brazen sky above, the tinted world beneath, and the mid- day darkness, which compelled the lighting of lamps. The Association actually dined with two full-burning "student" lamps on the table, at half-past one o'clock p. m .. and it was not a light dinner even then." Whether the darkness was due to prevalent fires in the woods, or some other cause, is not known. The darkness was reported over a considerable area. On the ponds and streams of New Hampshire and Massachusetts was found a yellow deposit, which some took for sulphur. and others said it was a substance like pollen, and came from certain trees, but it does not appear what trees would be in blossom and in a stage to supply pollen so late in the season.
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.