USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Peterborough > History of the town of Peterborough, Hillsborough county, New Hampshire > Part 14
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
Gen. Aaron F. Stevens, of Nashua, delivered the oration ; Maj. N. D. Stoodley, of Wakefield, Mass., the poem, and Dr. E. M. Tubbs, of Manchester, the annals.
The following persons responded to toasts on the occasion : Rev. George Dustan, Dr. George B. Twitchell, of Keene, Maj. ' John A. Cummings, of Boston, Lieut. Daniel G. Gould, Col. Henry D. Pierce, of Hillsborough, and Rev. A. M. Pendleton, of East Wilton.
Donation of P. C. Che-
Freight, .
9 50
&c., in Grove, 76 48
CHAPTER XV.
PAUPERISM.
Few Paupers Early. - Increased by the Revolution. - Jean Culberson. - Warning out of Town. - Lydia Peram. - Widow Mary Swan. - Margaret Caldwell and New Boston. - A Cow Lent to Jona. Barnett. - Dr. Young Aided. - William Powers. - Selling Paupers at Auc- tion. - Poor Let Out on Contract. - Purchase of a Town Farm.
PREVIOUS to the Revolution there were very few paupers. If there were any from the earliest settlement to the incorpo- ration of the town, we suppose that they were provided for by the proprietors, though no record of such aid has come down to us. Between the incorporation and Revolution the town authorities were seldom called upon to afford aid to any in- dividual, but at the close of the war there was a great increase of those who came to want, caused by loss of wages in the war and impoverishment from long service, and in many in- stances from their vices and habits contracted in the army. It was a perplexing subject to deal with, as well as a heavy burden on the early settlers.
We find by the town records that in 1763 Jean Culberson was the first person warned out of town, and was probably the first pauper after incorporation. The following was the form generally used for warning persons out of town :-
Province of New Hampshire. S
December ye 23d 1763
To James Templeton Constable of this town of Peterborough in His Majesty's name, we command you forthwith warn Jean Cul-
-
177
PAUPERISM.
berson now in this place forthwith to Depart out of this town, here- of fail not as you will answer the Contrary At yr Perill. Thomas Cunningham Alexr Robbe Hugh Gregg Selectmen &c.
December ye 24th 1763, according to the within request, I have Warned Jean Culberson forthwith to depart out of this town &c.'
James Templeton Constable for the town of Peterborough &c.
This warning was to prevent individuals from gaining a resi- dence ; by which the town would be liable for their support if they should come to want. It was often carried to such an extent as, in many towns, to be practised indiscriminately upon all who came into town, so that often the best people of the settlement were warned out. It continued from 1760 to 1777, in which year occurs the last case on record.
It seems that the above process did not shake off Jean Cul- berson, as it was voted, in 1765, " That Jean Culberson should be maintained from house to house, as last year." After this, we hear nothing more of her. A Lydia Peram next appeared, who required a good deal of legislation in the town. An effort was made to induce Deacon Thomas Davison to sup- port her, he having brought her into town, but I judge unsuc- cessfully, as the town in 1769 and 1772 voted money to her support and doctoring. She was probably sick, as the record speaks of her as being " under doctors," and probably soon after the last date deceased, as we hear nothing more of her. About this time [1773], it was "Voted that the selectmen should take care of. Mrs. Braffy and her children." In 1782, widow Mary Swan turned up, and occasioned a good deal of trouble and expense, but was finally sold, as it is called in the warrant, to some relative, who obligated himself to support her during her natural life, for which the town was to pay thirty pounds.
The next case was that of Margaret Caldwell in 1785. It was voted in 1787 to move Margaret Caldwell, a town charge in Peterborough, to New Boston, " and that Jeremiah Smith should proceed in that way he thinks most regular, of moving said Margaret to New Boston, and likewise to recover the ex- pense the said Margaret has been to the town of Peter- borough." At a meeting Dec. 17, 1787, it was voted "To stop
23
178
HISTORY OF PETERBOROUGH.
process against the selectmen of New Boston respecting Mar- garet Caldwell, upon the condition that the selectmen of New Boston come with the present week and carry off the said Margaret Caldwell, and discharge the town of Peterborough forever hereafter for her maintenance." The selectmen of New Boston probably complied with the terms of this vote, as we hear no more of her.
In 1792, we find a vote "That the town pay the necessary expenses that arose upon the sickness, death, and funeral of Johnson, that lay sick and died at Richard Finch's in April, 1791." And in 1793, Richard Finch was allowed twenty shillings, in addition, for his trouble with Johnson in his last sickness. About this time, a vote was passed to lend a cow to Jonathan Barnett, till the town think proper to call for it. In 1796, the money for the poor was raised in the federal currency, and seventy dollars was raised for this year. The sum raised in the several succeeding years was constantly in- creasing till 1802, when it reached $170. We have already spoken of the kind and delicate manner in which Dr. Young was aided when dying with a cancer of the face, and have stated that in 1805 two cows were also voted for his use.
William Powers, who first introduced cloth-dressing and wool-carding into town, became poor, gave up his place to the town, and was many years, from 1801 to 1817, supported by the same. The town carried on his farm for a time, and the work was let out at public vendue, when, among many other things, the getting of ten cords of wood was taken by William Wilson, at ninety-three cents a cord.
The sums raised for the support of the poor varied from one to two hundred dollars up to the year 1815, when four hundred dollars was raised, and ever after the sums raised were rarely below this amount.
About this time, a new plan of selling the paupers at public auction for a year was instituted; and in 1816 we find that William Powers was bid off at one dollar and fifty-eight cents per week, and Benjamin Alld at ninety-six cents per week, and again in 1817 William Powers was struck off at one dollar and sixty-nine cents per week, which is the last we hear of him on the town records.
179
PAUPERISM.
At these auctions, the peculiar qualities of each individual were described by the auctioneer, pretty much as he would speak of the qualities of any other live-stock offered for sale. We have a distinct recollection of the vendue of one of the pau- pers, who was subject to epilepsy, but well most of the time. Auctioneer, " Here is Mr. -; he is a strong, hearty, sound man, who can eat anything, and a good deal of it; how much do you bid?"
This mode was continued till 1831, when the town author- ized the selectmen to contract with some individual for the support of the poor for three years, or a shorter time, as best to be obtained. Mr. Thomas: Upton was the first contractor, and took them all to his farm, and continued to support them till 1836 or'7.
Before this experiment in supporting the poor was tried - when their year's residence was determined at a public vendue, - they were often treated very harshly, if not cruelly, for they fell into hands unable from disposition or circumstances to take proper care of them, but were induced to bid them off for the small sums of ready money paid for their support. The custom of selling the poor annually, both men and women, at public auction, like cattle or slaves, at length became abhorrent to the public sentiment, and a better and more humane method was sought. It was a practice that had obtained in all the neighboring towns as well as this; and in some of them this base thing was done in a still baser way. * Liquors, as at all other auctions, were furnished at the public expense in some places when the auction came off, but never, as we think, here, and under its influence, the poor creatures were bid off by those who had neither ability nor convenience to accommo- date them, and at prices, too, not at all remunerative. The consequence was that the poor creature was made to suffer, . and to wear out the weary year as he could, -a burden, a nuisance, and a great loss, too, to his supporter. It was bad enough to be poor, but to be punished for it, by being treated worse than we treat our dumb animals, was cruel and unjust
* History of Dublin, pp. 26, 27.
180
HISTORY OF PETERBOROUGH.
in the extreme. The poor who asked for aid were those, gen- erally, past labor. They were old, broken-down in constitution by disease or their own vices, and were the most unfit inmates for any family ; and we do not wonder that many who under- took to support them were disappointed, and could hardly ex- tend to them any kind treatment, they were so repulsive and disagreeable in their habits and conduct. It is a class always difficult to please, and one that, with its poverty, seems to possess so large a share of the vices and corruptions of our nature as to be incapable of appreciating good and kind usage.
In 1836, a committee consisting of John H. Steele, Henry T. Cogswell, and Thomas Upton were chosen to inquire into the success of those towns which had begun to support their poor upon a town farm, and to report. The committee, satis- fied with the experiment as witnessed in other towns, reported that it is expedient to purchase a farm. John H. Steele, Isaac Edes, and William Scott were chosen a committee to buy. Various farms in town were examined, viz. : Thomas Upton's, Jonathan Holmes' (the Deacon Holmes place), Adam Penni- man's, Watson Washburn's, and John S. White's. The com- mittee reported, 1837, in favor of Jonathan Holmes' farm, which was bought, and the town voted to adopt the system of keeping their poor on the farm purchased for this purpose.
The town " Voted, that the agents authorized to receive the surplus revenue appropriate so much of the money as to take up the note given to Jonathan Holmes."
And also to appropriate of their money the necessary ex- penses in relation to the poor farm, for stock, tools, and necessary expenses of the present year.
The poor have ever since been supported on the farm, it prov- ing a very successful and economical measure for the town. The new poor laws, however, have so changed the terms of settlement, and thereby so reduced the number of paupers to be supported, that many towns have already abandoned or are abandoning the system, finding it too expensive to keep up such establishments for only two or three inmates. The great majority of the poor are now supported at the county poor farms.
CHAPTER XVI.
HIGHWAYS.
Legislation on Roads in Town Meeting. - Roads Poor before Incor- poration. - A Road Cut and Cleared by Proprietors from Meeting. House to New Ipswich in 1738. - Object of Incorporation to Improve the Roads. - The Roads in Town.
ON the subject of roads there was no doubt in all the New England towns a vast amount of legislation. The records are full of the petitions and votes to lay out and build new roads, the raising of money for the same, the various manœu- vres for delay, for reconsideration, etc., and no little litigation has been incurred, occasionally, by individuals not satisfied with the awards of town authorities.
Before the incorporation of the town in 1760, we know very little about the roads, but suppose that they were little else than mere bridle-paths, the way only cleared of trees, with little or no attempt to smooth or work them. They were merely passable for horses, and perhaps an ox-cart could with much " geeing and hawing" get over them, laden with the families of the early settlers, and such necessary implements of household furniture as were indispensable.
The following vote was passed at an adjourned meeting of. the proprietors held at Alexander Cochran's, at the "Three Horse Shoes," Boston, Dec. 4, 1738, viz .: "Voted, that the former committee (viz., John Hill, Jeremiah Gridley, John Fowle, Jr., Jonathan Prescott, and Peter Prescott, or any three of them) be, and hereby are, empowered to agree with some suitable person, to cut and clear a good way or road from New
182
HISTORY OF PETERBOROUGH.
Ipswich to the meeting-house lot in said township, as soon as may be."
All the roads, such as they were, previous to the act of In- corporation, were either made by the proprietors, or by in- dividual enterprise, for the petition for the act says "that we cannot hold any proprietors' meetings at all, to pass any vote or votes that will be sufficient to oblige any person to do any part towards supporting the Gospel, building a meeting-house and bridges, clearing and repairing roads, and all which would not only be beneficial to us settlers to have it in our power to do, but a great benefit to people travelling to Connecticut River and those towns settling beyond us." An addendum to the petition reads as follows : "Your Petitioners beg leave to add, as a matter of considerable importance, that the only road from Portsmouth through this province to ' number four' is through said township of Peterborough, and which makes it more necessary to repair said road within said township, and to make many bridges, which they cannot do, unless incorpo- rated and enabled to raise taxes," etc.
We have, as briefly as we could and make them intelligible, traced out on the town records the transcript of all the roads of the town from the time of its incorporation, only omitting the many short pieces of road built especially for the accom- modation of individuals. The roads will be described nearly in the order of dates.
Road from the middle of the town to Hugh Wilson, Esq.'s, Nov. ye IIth, 1760, beginning about twenty rods north of William Robbe's, from the middle or great road. This is the old road leading from the Gordon corner, by the Dunbar place and past the house of Gen. David Steele, over the brook (Bogle) to widow James Parker's, and thence to the mills (Russell's) near which Hugh Wilson lived.
A road from the intersection of this road near David Blanch- ard's to where Robert Morison now lives, the Maj. Samuel Gregg place. Width of road, two and one-half rods.
A road leading from ye meeting-house to the great bridge, to a road near great bridge, leading to south part of the town. This is the old road, long since discontinued, that went to
183
HIGHWAYS.
meeting-house east of the Follansbee house on side of hill, Nov. ye 11th, 1760.
Road from the street to the mountain. It passes about east of the house of James Robbe (supposed to be where Charles F. Bruce now lives) then east to the foot of the moun- tain, and then by marked trees to town line,- supposed to be the road over the mountain to Temple, Nov. ye 18th, 1760.
A road from the grist-mill (site of the first Peterborough cotton factory) to John Smith's and Turner's, Nov. ye 18th, 1760.
Begins at grist-mill, thence over the bridge by Samuel Mitch- ell's door, a little to the westward of south to the top of the hill (by A. Frost's house), thence along the road, now cleared and improved, by the south end of John Smith's house, thence to where it branches, the one part leading along by house of Moses Morison and east side of John Morison's house to the westerly end of Halbert Morison's house, the other branch leading along the road, now cleared and improved, to Thomas Davison's and Turner's, and thence to town line west of Turn- er's barn.
A road from the south line of town (Spalding's Corner) to grist-mill, Dec. ye 17th, 1760.
Beginning at the south line of the town, on the east end of William McNee's lot, thence north along the east end of John Taggart's (the Shedd place), and across the land whereon Will- iam Richey now lives ; then across land belonging to John and Moses Morison, and land belonging to Lieut. Thomas Morison, near to the place "where clay hath been dugg." Then it branches, the one part leading to his house (Thomas Morison's) and from thence to his saw-mill, "all on the place where it is now cleared and improved" ; the other leading about north, and crossing land of Morison to old road and to a small brook (Cold Brook), and thence to a larger brook (Wallace Brook) on north line of said Morison's land, and thence to John White's house, thence till it comes to a small brook near Marshall Nay's, a little below the old ford, thence north to the old road formerly improved, thence along the old road over the
184
HISTORY OF PETERBOROUGH.
great bridge, and thence to the grist-mill. Said road to be two and one-half rods wide.
A south road along the Main Street to the meeting-house. The Street Road, so called, Dec. ye 17th, 1760.
Beginning at a bridge over the brook on the south line of this town (Town Line Brook), on land belonging to Jane McKay, and from thence on land of the same to Margaret Stewart's lot, and land of William Smith, John Scott, Robert Wilson, William Mitchell, and William Scott, on the old road as now cleared and improved. Said road to be as wide as originally allowed in the laying out of the same.
A road from meeting-house to Hugh Gregg's (Deacon Chris- topher Thayer's), and from thence over the river to John Ferguson's (supposed to be west of Col. Norton Hunt's house), Dec. ye 17th, 1760.
A continuation of Main Street or Street Road. Begin- ning at the meeting-house, thence about north-east by land of William Robbe and west end of Samuel Stinson's land op- posite his house, thence north on the east end of said Robbe's land, along the old road, as it is now cleared and improved, until it comes a little to the south of Hugh Gregg's house, and from thence keeping a straight line to a great rock that is in the line of John Ferguson's land, then leaving it to the discre- tion of the surveyors to lead down as near the Island Brook as the land will admit, to the bridge-place, or ford, by a great rock that stands in the river, and across the river by that rock, then turning up the river on the north side, and keeping as near the river as good land will admit of for making a road, until it comes into the Main Street again (the old road crossed the river about thirty-five rods above Col. Hunt's). Said road is to be five rods wide (the road which this superseded, from Samuel Stinson's, or the John Little place, was discontinued Aug. 27, 1798, and the land sold to Samuel Smith).
A road from School-house No. 2 (South Factory) to Alex- ander Robbe's or Samuel Adams'. Beginning at the crotch of the road that leads to John Smith's, and follows the old road, now occupied, to Alexander Robbe's. To be two
185
HIGHWAYS.
and one-half rods wide, Oct. ye Ist, 1761. Transcript of said road recorded Sept. ye -, 1772.
A road from Samuel Mitchell's to Samuel Moore's. From near G. P. Felt's manufactories to Orrin Smith's in Windy Row, Oct. ye Ist, 1761. Beginning at the east end of Samuel Mitchell's house, from thence to a stake and stones, it being Mr. Gridley's south-east corner of his farm, from thence to Samuel Moore's, as the road is now occupied, it being discre- tionally left with the first surveyor to alter the same at any particular "pleace," for the benefit of the road, not exceeding two rods. Said road to be two rods wide.
A road from Alexander Robbe's to Dublin line, Sept. ye 26, 1763. This road is laid out in a westerly direction from Alexander Robbe's house, by marked trees, to Dublin line. To be two and one-half rods wide.
A road from Samuel Todd's to Peterborough north line, June ye 14th, 1764. To accommodate the settlers in "New Limbrick." Beginning where the old road now leaves Samuel Todd's east line of his lot, and thence leads northerly to the town line, part on the aforesaid Samuel Todd's east line, and part on the lots east thereof, and from thence to the aforesaid Peterborough north line, to a, rock-maple tree marked with the letter H. To be two and one-half rods wide.
A road from Capt. Thomas Morison's to " Middleton" line, laid out from Capt. Thomas Morison's over the new bridge westward, as the road has been improved, by John Smith's house, through his land to Thomas Davison's, and from thence between said Davison's and Thomas Turner's land, as said road has been improved, and so to the town line beyond said Turn- er's barn, Aug. ye 13th, 1768. The width of above road fixed at two rods by selectmen, Oct. 22d, 1785.
A road from the great bridge (north factory) to the north- west corner of Henry Ferguson's land, to the road that is al- ready laid out from Charles Stuart's to the mills, July ye 4th, 1768
A road from Matthew Templeton's (Caleb Wilder's) running easterly, as the road is now cleared, to the east line, or common
24
186
HISTORY OF PETERBOROUGH.
land, towards Lyndeboro. Said road to be two rods wide, Jan. ye 6th, 1773.
A road from Peterborough to Temple, beginning on land" between John Blair's and James Cuningham's, and running east, as the road is now laid out and cleared, thence by the north side of the pond until it strikes lot No. 13, and thence be- tween lots No. 13 and 14, to the lot now improved by Moses Cuningham. Width, two rods, Dec. 29, 1773.
A road from Charles Stuart's (or Faxon place) to Peter- borough north line. Beginning at Charles Stuart's house, running north by marked trees, as near to the ridge hill as the land will admit of, and by land of Robert Swan and others, and thence to the Peterborough north line. Width, two and one-half rods, June ye 16th, 1780.
A road from John Mitchell's causeway to Thomas Morison's bridge, over "pine hill." Beginning at the west end of the great bridge west of Capt. Thomas Morison's house, and thence northerly, upon the line between said Morison's and John Smith's land, to the foot of the pine hill, so called, and from thence east of north through Capt. Thomas Morison's land to John White, Jr.'s, land, and to said White's house, and from thence northerly through said White's and John Mitchell's land, to the east end of the causeway upon the road leading from Alexander Robbe's house to John Mitchell's house. Width, two and one-half rods, Sept. 10, 1781.
A road from north bridge (north factory) to Thomas Steele's farm. It begins at the north end of said bridge, and runs easterly to William Swan's, and thence by land of Sam- uel Jackson and said Swan till it strikes Thomas Steele's south line, to the westerly side of a beach stump. Width, two rods, Aug. 10, 1786.
A road from William Miller's to the town line, Greenfield. It begins on a line between William Miller's and James Mil- ler's, and runs one hundred rods on said line, thence through William Miller's land to his east line, thence through widow Miller's land, the same point of compass, to a bridge now built, then runs north of east on David Hovey's land, thence east-
187
HIGHWAYS.
ward south of said Hovey's house, then east and through Rich- ard Hovey's land to lot No. 15, and then between lots No. 15 and 16 to the town line. Width, two rods, June 14, 1787.
A road from Thomas Morison's to Joseph Miller's in Sharon, or Sharon line. Beginning at the south-west corner of Jona- than Smith's pine field on the old road 'to Peterborough line by the Richey place, through land of James Richey and Daniel Gray to Samuel Morison's house, and thence on same course across said Morison's land and a corner of John Smith's (Stuart place), to John Gray's north line, and thence on said line to middle of said Gray's lot, thence southerly to Sharon line. Width, two and one-half rods, Oct. 28, 1793.
A road from William Moore's (Deacon N. H. Moore) to Jaf- frey line. Beginning to the west of said Moore's barn, and running west on a line betwixt said Moore's and Robert Smith's land till it strikes Thomas Turner's land, and thence on said land to Jaffrey line. Width, three rods, Oct. 28, 1793.
A road from William Smith's to Samuel Morison's. Begin- ning at the said Smith's gate, past the south side of his house and barn, down through his field to his pasture, and near an old brick-yard into the old road. Width, two rods, Dec. 25, 1794. Discontinued in 1814.
A road from Oliver Carter's to old meeting-house. April 7, 1801, one hundred dollars awarded as damages to Oliver Car- ter or William Scott for the above road, and one hundred dol- lars to be awarded to the same next year, to be in full for land and fencing.
A road from Jonathan Faxon's to James Smith's, Windy Row, beginning at the east corner of Jonathan Faxon's field west of road that leads to Hancock, and running, on the road now occupied, south of Alexander Scott's house, to the west road that leads to Hancock. Width, two and one-half rods, Dec. 13, 1810. The road yet open, but not kept in repair.
A road from Capt. William Wilson's place due west to in- tersect the Dublin road near Warren Nichols'. This road was laid out by a court's committee in 1809, to be completed in eighteen months from Dec. 1, 1809. Extending from War-
188
HISTORY OF PETERBOROUGH.
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.