USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Richmond > History of the town of Richmond, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, from its first settlement, to 1882 > Part 10
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SEC. 2d. This act shall take effect from and after its passage.
N. B. BARKER, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
RICHARD JENNESS,
President of the Senate.
Approved July 2, 1850. SAM'L DINSMORE, Governor.
SECTIONAL PLAN OF THE TOWN AS BOUNDED 1882.
The plan of the town (see page 24), shows its pres- ent boundaries, and was made on a diminished scale for the purpose of convenience of insertion in this work. Being about six miles square, it was divided into twelve ranges by lines running north and south about 160 rods or a half mile apart, beginning at the east side to reckon from, and into twenty-four lots by lines running east and west about 80 rods, or one-fourth mile apart, beginning at the bay line. The reason why lot No. 24 seems to be in the place of lot No. I is that the first lot on the south side was originally a double lot, but was afterwards divided, and the southerly part was called No. 24. By an old plan accidentally found, made by Esquire Tyler about 1810, which was in an old bundle left by him (and is the only one extant known at this time), we find that in some of the ranges this line of lots is differently numbered, viz. : in the eleventh and twelfth ranges it is named 22, and in ranges nine and ten it is called Lot 21.
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HISTORY OF THE
TOPOGRAPHICAL.
The town is more uneven than would be inferred from the description given in the "Farmer's Gazetteer." Some elevations called mountains would hardly be con- sidered as such in comparison with many of the Granite hills ; none probably exceed 2,000 feet in height. The land is generally rocky; no fields of any considerable extent are free from these obstruc- tions ; ledges crop out here and there, showing the solid base on which the town rests. The drainage of the town is good; no extensive swamps abound, breeding malarial diseases. The largest tract of swamp is south of Cass' pond, mostly west of Fall brook. The radius of this is probably less than half a mile. For the better comprehension by the reader of the general aspect of the town, we propose that he accompany us to a few points of observation, where the town may perhaps be seen to best advantage.
Face of the Country.
From the summit of Crooker hill (so called) near the territorial centre of the town, may be seen more of the town than from any other spot. This, although not so high as other elevations, is clear of obstruc- tions, and here good views may be obtained in all directions. Looking towards the north, the valley of the south branch of the Ashuelot comes into view, extending to Swansey, and then up the valley of the Ashuelot proper to Keene, and beyond to the Surry hills. The view of Keene, considering it is twelve miles away, is particularly fine. Small, indeed, it looks for a city, a mere speck in comparison with the broad plain upon which it stands. This plain,
GRASSY HILL AND BALLOU'S DELL. (FROM CROOKER HILL.)
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
enclosed by continuous ranges of hills and mountains on all sides, except the south, looks like a vast amphi- theatre in the panorama before you. The hills skirt- ing the valley on the west, known as the Franconia mountain, which extends northward to Swansey, is exceedingly precipitous and abrupt on its eastern de- clivity. Perpendicular cliffs of fifty feet and more extend north and south for long distances west of the Joseph Newell place. Large boulders and de- tached portions of ledges are scattered at the foot of these hills. On the east of this valley, the ascent is more gradual. The summit of this range is reached on the top of the Little Monadnock, near the boun- daries of Troy and Fitzwilliam. This is the highest peak in that direction, except the Grand Monadnock, which looms up in matchless grandeur, overtopping all other peaks and elevations in the state south of the White Mountains. Grassy hill, two miles distant to the east, is seen to advantage here. This hill proper extends about two miles north of the old turnpike, while that portion of the same range extending some distance to the southward was named Gaskill hill, from Jonathan and Silas Gaskill, who were the first settlers on that range. These hills have a surface more regular than those in the west, and, to the eye of the husbandman, are less defaced with ob- structions by huge rocks and ledges. More to the southward the eye rests on a vast expanse of more level land extending into the old Bay State. This is largely covered with a forest growth, and holds within its embrace Cass' pond, so called from Daniel Cass, the first settler on its western border. This pond, in its surroundings, retains all its primitive wildness. It is still enclosed by an evergreen forest,
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and the general aspect is probably the same as when
The Indian in his bark canoe, Sped o'er its waters green and blue.
East of the pond is Devilstair hill, so called in early time from the steps in the rocks by which his majesty is supposed to have ascended and de- scended the hill with more ease. Over this hill ran the first road made through town from Winchester to Royalston, traces of which may still be seen. Fol- lowing the outlet of Cass' pond for a mile or more, just over the line in Royalston, is the Royal cascade, the greatest natural curiosity in this vicinity. This name was given by Professor Hitchcock when he visited the spot some years ago, partly in reference to its "royal " character. In his description of the falls, he says that "the stream is not more than ten feet wide at the spot, but it descends forty-five feet at a single leap into a large basin, which from its top has been ex- cavated by the erosion of the waters. The sides, to the height of fifty or sixty feet, are formed of solid rock, now retreating and now projecting, crowned at the summit with trees. Many of these lean over the gulf, or have fallen across it, so that upon the whole, the scene is one of great wildness and interest." The place has become a popular resort for pic-nic and pleasure parties, and for some years there has been a general gathering here on the fourth of September, when persons from far and near assemble for the renewal of old friendships, and to exchange the kindlier greetings of social life. Still further east is the Tully, a brook that rises near the Little Monad- nock and runs south, and finally, after uniting with the west branch of the same, empties into Miller's
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
river, in Athol. The well-known Ballou neighbor- hood embraces the southern portion of this valley in town, and has a pleasant view to the southward. The hill north of Four corners, the Buffum hill, so called from the first settler on the same, Jede- diah Buffum, is a noticeable prominence in town, from the summit of which fine views may be had of the southern portion of the town. From this, Parker hill, near the Massachusetts line, named from Reuben Parker, who settled near it, is clearly out- lined as one of the higher eminences, as also is Whipple hill, still further west, which merges into Pudding hill, so called in Winchester. The view from the St. Clair place is exceedingly beautiful and extensive, in nearly all directions. Here the Grand Monadnock, the Northern hills, and the Green Moun- tain range, are clearly exhibited to the view of the beholder on any clear day. Peaked and Second mountains, partly in Winchester, are the more noticed, and are of higher elevations ; but neither of these can much, if any, exceed in height the Attle- boro' mountain, which is about two miles west-by- north from the middle of the town. This eminence shuts out from view the north-west part of the town from any point considered, except from Whipple hill, and from there a partial view may be gleaned of land lying between this and the Ashuelot range of moun- tains in Winchester. The drainage of nearly all of the west part of the town is by the brook at first called Norwood's, from Francis Norwood, who settled near the same. Afterwards it was mentioned as the Great brook, and later has been known as Roaring brook. A tributary to this is the Tilsey, which was so named from James Tilson, who settled
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HISTORY OF THE
near the confluence of this with Norwood's brook. The Tilsey rises near Sandy pond, and may have been at some period in the past the outlet of the same. The two principal ponds are worthy of special men- tion. The Cass pond, the largest, is nearly a mile long, and probably less than a half of that in width, and is somewhat in shape of the letter S ; it is situated in lots 6 and 7, in the fifth and sixth ranges. It is fed by springs, and has one outlet by Fall brook into the Tully. The dimensions of Sandy pond are consid- erably less than Cass', probably about one-third the size, situated in lot 14, in the seventh range. This, too, is fed by springs, and has an outlet by North brook, through Swansey. Both of these have a sandy bottom, and the water is clear as crystal. The pickerel, perch, and trout abound, and large numbers of the same are annually taken by the anglers in the vicinity. The echoes of Cass' pond are worthy of note. Its surroundings are such as to produce very perfect echoes, and it might appropri- ately be called Echo lake. .
The old canoe which was formerly on Cass' pond is still remembered as a very convenient and service- able craft, stable and safe. It was nearly twenty feet long by four in width, and was made from two very large pine logs, placed side by side, fitted to each other, and hollowed out. It was made about 1820, and dedicated to the use of the public without restrictions ; but the generosity of the donors was ill requited by some envious or evil-disposed persons, who cut the boat in two to prevent certain other ones from using it. The two parts were afterwards sunk somewhere in the pond to rise no more.
On the southern border of Cass' pond is a place of
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
historic interest, known as the Baptizing place. This was where the members of the first Baptist church generally were baptized, and was a famous place for bathing in the early time. The bottom here is particularly clear and hard, and the slope quite gentle. It was not uncommon for fifty or more to assemble here on a Sunday morning in summer, and have a " gay old time."
GEOLOGICAL AND MINERALOGICAL.
A brief extract from the report of a survey of the state, made by Charles T. Jackson, in 1844, contains some information worthy of special mention. He says that : -
The land in this town is hilly, but none of the elevations are of sufficient height to receive the appellation of mountains. The rocks are granite, mica, slate, hornblende rock, and talcose rock or soapstone. The soapstone bed is two miles S. W. by S. from Richmond meeting-house, on the south side of Roaring brook and one mile from the Massachusetts state line, and on elevated land. It has a north and south course, and dips W. 45°. The bed is 42 feet wide, and has been traced for the distance of a mile on the hills to the southward, or to the state line.
The talcose rock or soapstone, is not stratified, but crystalline, being made up of interlaced crystals and laminæ of talc, with occasional fibres of hornblende. In opening the quarry, the fol- lowing accompanying minerals were thrown out, and were derived from the wall rock of the bed, quartz, felspar, phosphate of lime, pinite rutile, iron pyrites, garnets, calcareous spar, and hornblende crystals. Anthrophyllite and iolite of great beauty are found. Iolite is a rare mineral, and no other locality in this country fur- nishes so finely colored specimens as this spot.
The soap-stone bed is on the farm recently owned by Lorenzo Harris.
Prof. Hitchcock, in his recent survey of the state, divides the rocks into two groups, or classes, by a line extending from the north-east corner of the town,
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HISTORY OF THE
south-westerly, near the Four corners, to the south side of Peaked mountain on the Winchester line. Those on the east and south of the line he calls the Montalban series, and those on the west the Bethle- hem gneiss. Divested of the scientific terms, both kinds are a species of gneiss, a rock which resembles the granite, only that in the one is an admixture of some few substances not found in the other, and is of a coarser quality, but substantially of the same compo- sition. The gneiss, however, is stratified, while the granite is not. That the rocks, and consequently the soil, is different in these sections is quite probable, as is shown by the fact that the chestnut and white oak found growing in the native forest in the west part is rarely, if ever, found east of a line extending north and south through Cass' pond. No essential differ- ence in the fertility of the soil is observable in the two sections, some parts of each being more productive than other parts. Probably the silica in the soil is too abundant, generally, for the highest success in farming. Select portions of land in different parts of the town will bear favorable comparison with much of the land under cultivation in New England. For grazing, the land east of Tully is good, the best, per- haps, of any in town. In all, the rocks are too abundant for easy culture. The land, however neglected, is not destined to go to waste, containing as it does the elements that largely enter the compo- sition of valuable forest trees, of which the white pine is preeminent, both for the value of the timber and the rapidity of its growth. The seeds of these trees readily germinate, and grow on almost any land, exhausted though it be of its fertility by con- tinuous cropping, and in thirty years the trees may be
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
sizeable for lumber. This feature of recuperation and growth constitute the redeeming qualities of the land, which otherwise might become either a barren waste or be covered with kinds of wood of no great value. But as now it is worth as much per acre as sprout land averages in the state, at five dollars per acre for ground well seeded, an investment in the same would seem quite safe and profitable, and this is about the valuation affixed by the assessors. Farm- ing, which is and ever must be the leading interest of the town, needs encouragement. The abandonment of many farms may be attributable not so much to the unproductiveness of the soil as to the methods adopted in carrying them on. Some improvements have been made in agriculture worthy of adoption, which would tend yearly in the summing up of accounts to leave the balance on the right side of the ledger. These in course of time, it is hoped, will find their way to farms which may be made to pay under a new and more improved system of agriculture, but which under the old would be destined to return to the wilderness again. The land, moreover, has other redeeming qualities worthy of special mention. The substratum of the soil is largely hard-pan, and in some parts is quite impervious to water. Hence, the land is susceptible of sustaining a prolonged drought without serious detriment to the growing crops, whilst more porous soils would become dried and crisp under the burning summer sun. The humidity of the soil is such in many parts as to cause an immense growth of such plants as thrive only in a moist soil. This is noticeable particularly in the high- blueberry bush, which seems to luxuriate in per- fection. Pastures covered with these are counted
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among the more profitable portions of real estate, and have a fixed value correspondingly high with other lands.
Plumbago (black-lead) is found on the Randall farm, in the north-east part of the town. Specimens sufficiently pure for stove-polish have been taken from the mine. A more thorough examination would probably reveal larger quantities of a purer quality that would pay for the working.
MILITARY MATTERS.
Trainings, Musters, Etc. Yankee Doodle came to town Riding on a pony, Stuck a feather in his cap, And called it Macaroni.
Soon after the war of the Revolution, in 1783, the first constitution of the state was formed, in which was affirmed in the bill of rights that " a well-regu- lated militia is the proper, natural, and sure defence of a state "; and the people, believing in the maxim of Washington, that " in time of peace prepare for war"-a lesson that had been learned by experience . in their late conflict-incorporated the first militia act into the body of the laws enacted at this time. The provisions of this were such that every male inhabitant between the ages of eighteen and forty-five should be enrolled, and, with few exceptions, should perform military duty, which consisted of an annual training on the third Tuesday of May, and one other training and a muster in the autumn of each year. Com- panies thus formed of all liable to do military duty presented usually a unique and ofttimes an amusing spectacle to the beholder. All except the officers
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THE OLD MILITIA.
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
were ununiformed, each being attired in such cos- tume as his convenience or fancy might suggest, without any special regard to uniformity in equip- ment; hence, it may be easily imagined what a grotesque appearance such a motly crowd would present on training days. The officers usually stood on their dignity, and with fuss and feathers, after the music of a fife and drum, manœuvred them as best they could for two or three hours according to the military tactics of the times. The militia of the town was divided into two companies previous to the organization of the Grenadiers, the county road being the dividing line between them. These were called the " old Militia," but more often by the boys denominated the " old Floodwood," by reason of the mixed-up and irregular movements exhibited in their evolutions. These trainings, before the opening of the turnpike, were usually at the middle of the town, near the Baptist meeting-house, but at later times were more common at the Four corners. Some of the captains of these old companies are remembered, such as Ebenezer and Robert Swan, Jacob Parker, Jacob Sweet, Paul and Silas Jillson, Enoch Sprague, Jesse Bolles, Samuel D. Allen, and others.
These annual parades continued until about 1848. Since then a simple enrollment of all liable to military duty answers the requirements of the law.
In addition to the old militia companies, in almost every town there was one or more volunteer com- panies that prided themselves on their gay uniforms, neat equipage, and thoroughness in evolution and military drill. In this town was an organization of this kind formed about 1816, called the "Rich- mond Grenadiers." This company, under the com-
10
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mand of Capt. Stephen Wheeler, jr., about 1835, attained a degree of excellence in the celerity and precision of movement rarely equalled by any com- pany in the regiment. The company was uniformed with leather caps and black plumes, blue coats, white pants, with broad bands of red velvet around the lower part. The company on parade made an im- posing show, and were evidently justly entitled to the high encomiums they uniformly received for their efficiency in drill and evolution. The following are known to have been captains of this company, viz. : Stephen Buffum, Luke Harris, Henry Starkey, Asahel Kilton, William Woodward, Amos Bennett, Ballou Swan, Stephen Wheeler, Elijah Crooker, Henry Rice, Alvan Barrus, Otis Martin, D. B. Al- drich, Edson Starkey, and A. J. Bullock.
The Grenadiers were disbanded about 1848, and soon after a new independent company was formed called the Richmond Guards. The uniforms were bought of the Royalston Guards, a company dis- banded about that time. The following were the officers of the new company, viz. : Edson Starkey, Captain ; Jesse Bolles, Ist Lieut. ; Cyrel Amadon, 2d Lieut., and Nathan G. Woodbury, Ensign. This company was commissioned April 30, 1850. It mustered at a brigade muster in Keene, 1850, and received much praise from the field officers of the day, and also favorable notices from the press re- ports of the muster.
This company disbanded soon after the law was repealed, which gave to the members of independent companies three dollars per year for their military services. Some of the captains of the Grenadier company were promoted to positions of regimental
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
field and staff officers. Such were Col. Stephen Buffum, Col. Ballou Swan, Col. Amos Bennett, and Col. Henry Starkey.
Musters.
Two regimental musters have been held in town of the several companies of militia and volunteers in the towns of Winchester, Hinsdale, Chesterfield, Swan- sey, and Richmond, constituting the sixth New Hampshire regiment. The first of these musters was in 1824, and the field selected was in George Buffum's pasture, near the Razee woods. Stephen Buffum was colonel at this time. It is remembered as a rainy day, wholly unfit for a military parade.
The second was in 1838. Cheney, of Chesterfield, was colonel, and the ground chosen for the muster was on the plain on the south side of the road west of Stephen Buffum's. The day was fair, and every- thing went merry as a marriage bell, except that the liberty pole was cut down the night before by some- one, supposed to be Ira Wetherby, of Chesterfield.
Cornwallis Celebration.
The anniversary of the surrender of Cornwallis was celebrated in Richmond on the nineteenth day of October, 1835, and was participated in by the old Militia company and Grenadiers of this town, and also by a party of Indians, under their sachem and chief, Ballou Swan, who was accompanied by his chief squaw, Luther Cass, and about forty others of the same tribe. These Richmond forces were re- enforced by companies from Troy and Swansey.
Two forts into which the British forces were driven
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were successively taken and burned after a most gallant defence. The first was near the north-east corner of the widow Howe's pasture; the other was in the pasture south-east of Benoni Ballou's. This was an interesting and in some of its phases an amusing exhibition, the like of which was never be- fore or since seen in town. The rendezvous of the Indians was at the old brick school-house, and Horatio A. Nelson was medicine-man, or prophet, and distinguishable from the others by his gay plumes and trappings.
Esquire Rufus Whipple was quite often chief of a tribe of Indians rendezvoused near the muster-field, and made occasional sallies and predatory excursions during the day.
PAUPERS.
The town was exceptionally free from pauperism during its early history. No mention is made of paupers or appropriations for the support of the poor prior to 1788, when the town voted "to send a man into the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to ascertain what method to take with Thomas Wooley in regard to his maintenance." The first pauper then was not a poor man who had come to town to gain a living solely by his labor, but was one who was among the first settlers, and was one of the larger land-owners of the town. What mishap befel the man, or what reverses he experienced, we may not know of a certainty. It was not because of the fall of stocks and bonds, or the work of bulls and bears, but by reason, we are told, of the profligacy or im- providence of his sons ; and his downfall finally was caused, as tradition says, by signing notes to bolster
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the shiftless fellows up. However this may have been, the burden was soon removed. He died in I792.
The great precautions used to prevent vagabonds from other places gaining a settlement, by warning suspected persons who might come in to leave the town in fourteen days, did not, of course, prevent pauperism, but may have lessened the number who might have become dependants on public charity. The town was vigilant in other respects in diminish- ing the number of its burdens. The practice was quite common formerly in this border town of running paupers over the line into Massachusetts, provided they had settlements in that state. This was a hazardous undertaking, as it was a criminal offence under the laws of Massachusetts. The carrier was liable to a fine or imprisonment if caught; but this did not deter some from running the risk of capture, and at times whole loads of Massachusetts paupers were summarily landed in the dooryard of some Royalston selectman who might live nearest the line. Provided with fleet horses, the drivers were usually beyond the reach of capture before the astounded selectman fully comprehended the situation. Other methods of relief have occasionally been resorted to, which may at first sight appear as a violation of good comity between the town and other communities. Within this class of expedients may be included the practice of marrying paupers, prospective or real, of the gentler sex, who apparently should have had hus- bands before, to some "dead beat" of another town. Another way of ridding the town of incumbrances rarely resorted to was to ship them west to some place they might desire to go. The cost of maintain-
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