USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Richmond > History of the town of Richmond, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, from its first settlement, to 1882 > Part 14
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
cultivating the soil that would not yield the cost in growing poppies. After this he seemed to have lost his voice, and became a travelling merchant, stocked with a basket of bottles, selling essence.
In all the country here about, No equal had this Nahum Grout, To rake the ways, the hogs to ring, Or to the pound the " critters " bring. He taught the ones that showed a spite, That now and then a Fed. was right.
Whate'er he lost in time or purse In poppy fields, is naught to us. To him it seemed a useless toil
To grub a living from the soil ; So in the end, perhaps from choice, About the time he lost his voice, He took a more congenial trade,
In selling essence, by him made.
HOW SOLOMON ATHERTON STOCKED CROOK- ER'S FARM.
Solomon Atherton, the first settler on the Reuben Rich place, became in his later years partially insane ; his was comparatively a mild type, -he was harmless, but some of his doings, to say the least, were exceed- ingly ludicrous. He was possessed of the idea that he was very wealthy, that he owned a considerable portion of the property in town ; he was accustomed to ride around on horseback calling from house to house, for the purpose of giving the necessary oversight to his very extensive domain, or else of purchasing such farms as might be in his way not already bought. With him the process of conveyance and payment was simple, any piece of paper with writing on it served for either purpose ; a full supply of this scrip he generally carried with him in these journeyings,
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HISTORY OF THE
so as not to run into debt. His peculiarities in this were well known to the citizens of the town; his peculiar idiosyncrasies and notions of buying and selling were indulged generally for the purpose of satisfying him for the time being, that he might go on his way rejoicing. It so happened that on one of his migrations, he bought Capt. Crooker's farm, and
paid for the same with the customary scrip and passed on to Esquire Weeks', and of him bought a flock of geese in like manner. With a promptness which in other circumstances would be highly commendable, he hastened with his geese to the recently purchased farm, and put them into the garden then in full bloom and foliage. Crooker, learning that Weeks' geese were in his garden, repaired at once to the scene of the mischief and there found Atherton complacently viewing the geese as they eagerly regaled themselves on such vegetables as was most grateful to their taste. In a commanding way, with staff in hand, Crooker approached Solomon in this way : " Sar, what do you mean, sar, by turning these geese into my garden,
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
sar?" Solomon, apparently undisturbed by the vig- orous onset, replied, " Why, sir, have n't I the right to stock my farm with geese? They will be good for Christmas ; besides, I need the feathers." "Feath- ers," replied Crooker, "feathers you shall have, sar, and tar, to boot, if you don't drive these pesky geese from my premises instantly !" Without more ado the geese were got from the garden and Solomon started with them down the street, saying as he left, that " Old Crooker was n't half a man, or he would let me do as I like with my own, but now I must turn 'em on my other place." And so off he went; but in the meantime Weeks had not been an indifferent specta- tor of the proceedings, and had enjoyed hugely the discomfiture of Crooker in seeing his " sass," gob- bled up.
The rights of men are sometimes dim, Sometimes appear more clear ; The rights of one may there begin, Where the others don't appear.
WENT TO LAW.
About 1844 commenced a legal contest, known as the Bowen and Jillson lawsuit, the parties to which were, in the first place, Orrin Rawson, administrator of the estate of Jonathan Rawson, plaintiff, against Wheaton C. Jillson, defendant, in an action charg- ing the defendant with forging the name of Jonathan Rawson to a certain receipt held by the defendant, Jillson. On trial of the issue in this case, the plain- tiff failed to make out his case, and consequently the defendant was discharged. The next movement was an action brought by Jillson, against Uberto Bowen, son-in-law of the said Jonathan Rawson, who was
1
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HISTORY OF THE
charged by the plaintiff with uttering certain words of a defamatory character, which implied that the plaintiff Jillson forged the signature to the aforesaid receipt. On trial of this case the jury failed to agree. Eminent counsel was employed on both sides, Hon. Franklin Pierce conducted the case for Rawson and Bowen, and ex-Gov. Hubbard managed the case for Jillson. By advice of counsel on both sides, the case was dropped without a second trial. The cost on both sides was considerable, Mr. Bowen expended $1800, and what were the costs to the other parties may never be known. The sequence of the affair was unfortunate, as such suits often are, in disturbing the peace and harmony of neighborhoods when peo- ple become excited partisans, for and against each of the parties to the contest.
A GREAT FRACAS.
During the winter of 1844, a temperance lecturer by name of Hale, from Chesterfield, held a series of meetings at the Brick church, for the promotion of the cause of temperance. His tactics were decidedly aggressive, he denounced in unmeasured terms all supporters of the liquor interest. His denunciations were such as to give great offence to some that heard him, and by reason of what they regarded as highly insulting in his language and demeanor, resolved to pelt him with rotten eggs. A favorable opportunity presented itself in returning from the lecture one evening in company with the Rev. J. L. Sanborn ; when near the hay scales, a shower of eggs supposed to be stale, fell on the victim of their spite. The affray caused great discussion and bitterness by par-
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
tisans on each side. The parties supposed to have been engaged in the assault were tried in the crim- inal court at Keene, and some were fined; the costs and fines amounted to a considerable sum, which some of the sufferers (whether rightfully or wrong- fully, we may not know), were hardly able to pay.
THE WAKEFIELD TAVERN MADE A TEMPERANCE HOUSE.
The winter of 1848-9 will long be remembered for the advent of Col. H. W. W. Miller, a lecturer on temperance and anti-slavery, from Vermont. He was brother of the celebrated Col. Miller, who went to Greece about 1825, to aid the Greeks in their contest with the Turks for independence. His lec- tures, delivered at the Brick church, drew large num- bers, who either from motives of interest or curios- ity were induced to attend. Such was his power of expression, and such his ability to mingle fiction with facts, that his discourses possessed a pleasing charm for the multitude. He had great gifts in certain directions ; as a public speaker on miscellaneous subjects, he had few equals ; his vocabulary of vitu- peration was abundant, and his sarcasm unexcep- tionally cutting, yet with words of sweet persuasion he drew men to embrace his views and schemes, however visionary they might be. By his entreaties a number of the good citizens of the town were in- duced to buy the old Wakefield tavern, and convert the same into a temperance house, with Miller as proprietor. The time of the purchase was unfavor- able to the investors, as the Fitchburg and Cheshire railroads were then about being opened, and the lines
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of travel materially changed. Miller kept the house about two years, and during the time no complaint appears to have been made that ample provision was not made for his guests. The house evidently was conducted on temperance principles during his man- agement, and was a credit to the town, Miller figured largely in certain temperance conventions held about this time, one at Fitzwilliam had a repre- sentation from Richmond with Miller at the head of the delegation, which carried a banner on which was inscribed a three-legged stool, with one leg broken. The device was explained by Miller to the conven- tion, as the representation of the foundation of the rum cause in Cheshire county, and the legs that sup- ported the same were Keene, Fitzwilliam, and Rich- mond, the latter of which was the broken leg.
SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS.
Barnum's " Greatest Show on Earth"
Has never visited the town, it is true, but other show- men of some renown at the time, occasionally pitched their tents here. The first of these of which we have any account, however, was tentless, the exhibition having been held in widow Howe's barn, the old barn that stood east of the house towards Pickering's. This was a menagerie on a small scale, consisting of an elephant, a bear, some monkies, and perhaps some other animals.
The next show of the kind was on a more exten- sive scale, about 1830, and drew a large crowd. The tent for the exhibition was west of the old corner store at the Four corners; this was a respectable
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
show as to variety and numbers, and the best prob- ably of any the town has witnessed.
The Wonderful Potter
Exhibited his powers as a ventriloquist and prestidigi- tator, at Power's tavern, about 1830. He was as- sisted in his performance by his son Richard; some of his feats consisted of swallowing a sword, of eat- ing flax and drawing from his mouth the same made into ribbon, while the tow was blown out in a fiery stream, of boiling eggs in a hat, and many other wonderful feats.
Blind Dexter
Occasionally put in an appearance with his museum of automaton figures. His little exhibition was pleas- ing, consisting of kings, queens, soldiers, and other notable persons, politely presenting themselves and retiring, always keeping time with the accompanying organ.
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HISTORY OF THE
CHAPTER VI. WAR OF THE REBELLION ; ECCLESIASTICAL ORGANIZATIONS, ETC.
Public Sentiment Regarding the War - Action Taken by the Town - Soldiers in Various Regiments - List of Those that Died in the Service or were Killed in Bat- tle - Enrollment of Militia - War Rallies - Religious Organizations -The First Baptist Church - The Friends' Society- The Present Baptist Church - The Uni- tarian Society - The Universalist Society - The Methodist Church - Attempt to Form an Orthodox Church - A Retrospective View-The Population and Valua- tion - The Electoral Votes - Political Parties - Town Officers - Financial Con- dition of Town.
In the late war of the Rebellion, as in the two preceding wars in which the town had taken an active part, the records bear ample evidence of pat- riotic devotion to the country's welfare. The sons of those that fought at Bunker Hill, and at Lundy's Lane, aroused by the impending danger to the na- tion, hastened to protect and defend that union which was cemented by the blood of the fathers. During the fratricidal contest of fire and blood which began in 1861, the town responded to all calls of the gov- ernment for material support. The proportion of volunteers in the service to the men enrolled and lia- ble to military duty would bear favorable comparison with any town in the state. Nearly all that could leave home, buckled on their armor and repaired to the Union camp, and while in the service, no blot rests upon the names of any for cowardice or deser- tion. The record of the town is untarnished, and it
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
may well be said that patriotism has not ceased to be an active virtue with this people, as attested by the action taken by the town, and the heroism displayed by her soldiers in this the greatest of all wars, the war of the Rebellion.
In recording the part taken by the town, it is need- less to enlarge on the general or personal sacrifices made, a simple statement of facts is sufficient to show the desperate and sanguinary nature of the conflict. The incidents of this are happily not involved in the
obscurity of former wars, as the living actors in the tragic scenes are still with us, and the records are more full and complete of the part they took. The people of the town shared in the general indignation and alarm which thrilled the North when the news of the bombardment of Fort Sumter first flashed over the wires; true to the instinct of the fathers, they were quick to discern the danger that threatened the life of the nation. They instinctively rallied around and resolutely stood by the old flag in the time of the nation's greatest need ; but not in the spirit of rejoic- ing was the unwelcome news received, but rather of grief, mingled with high resolve and determination to rescue the country from impending disunion. Some,
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undoubtedly, were inclined to question the means that had been used for pacification, and believed that a broad and comprehensive statesmanship should have saved the country from the horrors of a civil war, 'by yielding more to the demands of the slave power, but of these the number was not large. Ex- pressions or acts which could any way be construed as disloyal, were exceptional, whilst it must be ad- mitted that the bonds of support and attachment to the government were tested by a strain in this fratri- cidal war, unknown before. The first action taken by the town in relation to the war, was May 18, 1861, on an article in the warrant, "to see what action the town will take in regard to aid to volunteers and their families who enlist." Voted to "pass over the article."
ACTION TAKEN BY THE TOWN.
March 12, 1862, the town Voted, that the selectmen be a com- mittee to pay out money to volunteer soldiers who may be mustered into the service of the United States, or the State of New Hamp- shire, under Act of 1861, Chap. 2480.
Voted, to borrow money not to exceed $1,000, for the aforesaid 1 purpose.
Aug. 23, 1862, Voted, to pay a bounty of $200 to three years' and nine months' men the same.
Sept. 21, 1863, Voted, to pay state aid to the families of nine months' men, who have died in the service, the same as to all others.
Dec. 9, 1863, Voted, to pay volunteers to fill the town's quota, (which was eleven men,) $200 each ; also the same for substitutes, and also advance the United States bounty and take assignments of the same.
Voted, not to pay the United States bounty to volunteers.
July 6, 1864, Voted, to pay $300 to volunteers, or drafted men, or their substitutes, to fill the next call of the President, not to exceed ten in number, before the call is made by the President.
Voted, to pay $300 to veterans who re-enlist and are counted on our quota.
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
Voted, not to pay Andrew S. Ballou the bounty of $300 for re- enlisting.
July 23, 1864, Voted, that the sum of money for each enrolled man to pay to be clear three years from this or any other draft, shall be $40.
Voted, that each and every enrolled man, to be clear from this or any other draft for the term of three years, must pay the above $40, on or before the first of August, 1864.
Aug. 15, 1864, Voted, to pay $100 for one year's volunteers, or their substitutes, $200 to two years' men, and $300 to three years' volunteers, or their substitutes.
Voted, to pay $200 to each drafted man or his substitute.
Aug. 24, 1864, Voted, to instruct the selectmen to advance the state bounty to any one that will volunteer or furnish a substitute.
Aug. 29, 1864, Voted, to pay to volunteers of this town who have been residents herein three months previous, in addition to what has already been voted, $200 for each year, which will make $500 for one year's service, $600 for two years' service, $700 for three years' service for volunteers who may enlist, sufficient to fill the last call of the President for 500,000 men.
Jan. 2, 1865, Voted, to pay a bounty of $300 to those who have or may furnish a substitute, or $500 for volunteers for one year, $600 for two years', $700 for three years' men, to fill the present call of the President for 300,000 men.
Voted, to pay $400 bounty to all drafted men to fill the present call of the President for 300,000.
Voted, to pay the state bounty to all that furnish a substitute, or to volunteers to fill the quota on the present call of the President for 300,000 men.
SOLDIERS.
Company. Regiment.
Arlon S. Atherton, 2d Lieut.
I
3d
Andrew S. Arnold .
I 16th
Moses Allen, killed Sept. 19, 1864 . F 14th
Frederick R. Bowen
A 2d
Edwin N. Bowen, Ist Lieut. I
3d
Henry R. Bowen .
I 16th
Alfred R. Bowen A
2d
William Brown
Charles Ball .
F 14th
Abner S. Barden
F 14th
Otis A. Barrus, killed at Winchester, Va., Sept. 16,
1864 F 14th
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HISTORY OF THE
Company. Regiment.
Alden F. Ballou, died Sept. 2, 1863 I 16th
E. Napoleon Buffum, died of disease, in Md., Oct. 8,
1862 . F 6th
James H. Buffum H
Ist
Albert Bolles, 2d N. H. Cavalry
B 18th
Henry E. Ballou, Mass.
Benjamin F. Barrus, died of wounds, July 15, 1862 I
3d
Henry R. Bolles, accidentally shot, April 23, 1862 I
3d
Albert E. Barrus .. G
18th
Ira Marshall Barrus, Mass.
I
2d
John W. Barrus, Mass. I
2d
John Bolles, Mass. Regt., died in Libby prison
Artemas B. Colburn, died Sept. 19, 1864 . F 14th
Roland M. Combs
C 14th
Reuben H. Combs C
14th
Jarvis Cass, died at New Orleans, June 20, 1863 I
16th
Anson L. Cass . F
5th
Henry O. Curtis, H. A. H
Ist
Harvey G. Cheney, Mass. D
2d
John Dingman .
I
16th
Rufus Freeman I
16th
John H. Hitchcock, 2d Lieut. I
3d
Lorenzo Harris, jr. F
14th
Caleb Harris, Mass., died Oct. 1864. H
36th
Almon L. Jillson, died at Battle of Laurel Hill, Va. . G
14th
Anson R. Jillson, Mass., died at Battle of Laurel Hill, Va. A
2d
Silas F. Jillson, Mass., died
A 25th
Nathan M. Jillson, Mass. B 27th
Herman L. Lincoln
F
6th
Stephen W. Martin, Mass., died . I
25th
George Martin F
14th
John A. Morse
I
16th
Ansel Macomber F 6th
John E. Norwood F
14th
Benj. Newell, jr., died Oct. 14, 1864 . F
14th
Daniel H. Pelkey I
3d
Dexter Palmer, died at Concord, N. H., Aug. 1863 . . I 16th
Nahum Putney, died at Algiers, La., June 12, 1863 . . I 16th
John A. Paine, mustered Oct. 23, 1862, mustered out, Aug. 20, 1863 I 16th
Warren S. Pickering . A 18th
-
George A. Barrus, died June 16, 1863 B 27th
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
Company. Regiment.
Volney Piper, Sergt. Major
. E
4th
Denzil Rice, Sergt.
. E 3d
Amasa W. Perry, 11th U. S. Infantry
John Starkey, jr., Ist Sergt., died Aug. 29, 1862
. F 6th
Walter A. Scott, killed at Winchester, Va., Sept. 29, 1864 F
14th
Henry E. Tolman I
16th
Jonas I. Thompson, Corp'l.
C
4th
Samuel Thompson, 2d Lieut.
F
6th
L. Warren Wright, Adjt.
14th
Stephen W. Williams
I
16th
William Whipple
I
16th
Vibbert Whipple . A
F
2d
Julius M. Whipple
A
2d
S. Wright Wood . E
6th
DIED IN THE SERVICE.
The following Richmond boys in the 14th New Hampshire regiment were killed or mortally wounded in the battle of Opequan, or Winchester, Va., Septem- ber 19, 1864, and memorial notices were published in the history of the 14th Regiment, from which the following are extracts : -
Lieutenant A. B. Colburn.
Artemas B. Colburn was born in Fitzwilliam, August 1, 1838. His parents were John Colburn and Lydia Beard, who were married in 1825, and he was the youngest of six children. The mother still survives, aged more than eighty. Artemas received a good common-school and business education. He was occupied on a farm and in a store, until he entered the army. In August, 1862, he enlisted from the town of Richmond, his father's residence, in Company F, and entered the service as a sergeant.
August 21, he married Lydia Mann, of Richmond, they having been playmates from childhood. Their married life, though brief, was a happy one. In May, 1864, while the regiment was in Louisi- ana, Sergeant Colburn was promoted to be second lieutenant of Company B, a well-deserved advancement. He was in many respects a model soldier, and everywhere was perfectly reliable.
ยท
2d
Alfred P. Whipple, Mass.
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HISTORY OF THE
He was mortally wounded during the first part of the battle, and survived until the next morning. His last words were, " Give my love to my wife, and tell her I died in a good cause." He was buried on the field.
Facts of interest connected with Lieutenant Col- burn's service appear in other portions of this volume. He died childless. His widow re-married in 1870, her present husband being C. C. Holton, of Hins- dale. The honorable service and heroic death of Artemas B. Colburn pronounce his most eloquent eulogy. ;
Corporal M. Allen.
Moses Allen was born in Richmond in 1842, and was the son of Quaker parents. He received a good common-school education, and was a farmer and mechanic. He enlisted in Company F in August, 1862, entering the service as a private. He was one of the first privates in the company promoted to be a non-commissioned officer. He was one of those soldiers who were valuable to the Government, because never absent from the post of duty, always filling his place with intelligence and fidelity. He lies buried in the National cemetery.
W. A. Scott.
Walter A. Scott was born in Richmond in 1842, and was the son of John Scott. He received a good common-school education, and was a mechanic, his home being with his parents until his enlist- ment in Company F in August, 1862. His brother-in-law, Captain David Buffum, entered the service at the same time, commanding a company in the 16th Regiment. Walter was one of the best pen- men in the 14th. He was instantly killed, dying while charging upon the enemy. He was unmarried. His body lies with those of his comrades in the National cemetery.
O. A. Barrus.
Otis A. Barrus was born in Richmond in 1843. His parents were Alvan and Emily Barrus, who resided in Richmond. He resided with his parents until he entered the service, Aug. I, 1864, and was assigned to Company H. He was not married. Possessed of good
A.S.Atherton.
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
qualities, and having received a good education, being a fine mathematician, he was a young man of promise. The circum- stances of his death were peculiarly sad. He was a recruit, and was with his regiment less than two days when he was killed. He stood well to his duty, and died as bravely as his veteran com- rades. He was buried in the National cemetery.
Others who Died in the Service.
Stephen W. Martin was born in Richmond, 1836. His parents were Danvers and Olive Martin. He married Jennie E. Ballou, daughter of Ozial Bal- lou. He enlisted in Company I of the 25th Mas- sachusetts regiment, and died at New Berne, N. C., May 19, 1862. The following extract from a poem of thirteen stanzas, of which this is the last, composed by his sister Emily in memory of the sad event, is worthy of perusal : -
In summer time white roses bloom, Where we laid down our cherished dead, The autumn winds sigh mournfully, And shake the brown leaves o'er his bed. 'Tis nothing unto other eyes ; To me, no spot on earth 's so fair.
If Heaven's gates I reach at last, My brother's grave shall guide me there.
Arlon S. Atherton, son of Alvan Atherton, was Ist Lieutenant of Company I, 3d New Hampshire regi- ment, and was engaged in the battle at Drury's Bluff, Va., May 16, 1864, in which he was shot through the lungs and left on the field and reported killed, but was taken prisoner of war, and soon after paroled and exchanged, and rejoined his regiment. He is now a successful merchant in Wakefield, Mass., and has represented his district in the Gen- eral Court.
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HISTORY OF THE
Alden F. Ballou, son of Henry Ballou, enlisted in Company I, 16th New Hampshire. He died of disease, in Chicago, Ill., while on his way home, Sept. 2, 1863. He was married to Mary B. Fisher, of Fitzwilliam, August 5, 1862. He left no children.
Esek Napoleon Buffum enlisted in Company F, 6th New Hampshire. He was the son of Esek Buf- fum, and not married. Was taken prisoner at the second battle of Bull Run, and paroled. He died of disease contracted in the service, October 8, 1862.
George A. Barrus, son of Jeremiah Barrus, was a member of Company B, 18th New Hampshire regi- ment, and died in New York on account of wounds received at James Island, S. C., June 16, 1863. He was unmarried.
Benjamin F. Barrus, son of Jeremiah Barrus, en- listed in Company I, 3d New Hampshire regiment. He was wounded at Secessionville, S. C., June 16, 1862, and died of the wounds then received, July 15, 1862. He left no family.
Henry R. Bolles, son of Jesse Bolles, a member of Company I, 3d New Hampshire regiment, was killed by the accidental discharge of a musket in the hands of Private A. A. Lewis, April 23, 1862. He was not married.
John Bolles, son of Jesse Bolles, was in a Massa- chusetts regiment. He was taken prisoner, and died in Libby prison.
Jarvis Cass, son of Daniel Cass, enlisted in Com- pany I, 16th New Hampshire regiment, and died of disease, at New Orleans, June 20, 1863. He was living with his second wife at the time of his enlist- ment, and left three young children.
Anson R. Jillson, son of Wheaton C. Jillson, was
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
in Company A, 2d New Hampshire regiment, en- gaged with his regiment in the first battle of Bull Run, and'on July 28, 1861, was discharged for dis- ability. He re-enlisted, and was killed at the battle of Laurel Hill. Had no family.
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