USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Richmond > History of the town of Richmond, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, from its first settlement, to 1882 > Part 8
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
came forward to support the government in its oppo- sition to the unwarranted aggressions of Great Britain on the rights of American sailors on the high seas. It has been difficult to obtain a full list of those that were out in this service. No records in the town, county, or state, contain an enrollment of those that went from this town. Through the intercession of Hon. Ossian Ray, representative to congress from this district, we have obtained the names of those in the 30th Regiment in 1812. Others may have been in the service in 1814 of which we have no account.
The country was not united in carrying on this war. The Federal party was particularly bitter in its op- position ; hence the men who engaged in this service were upholding a cause that was unpopular in many localities in New England. The old Bay State was cold and inactive, to say the least, in the prosecution of the war, refusing at first to send her troops beyond her limits, and giving the government a very limited support ; but not so the men who lived within this precinct. These had faith in the government, and their faith was manifested by their works. The town was nearly unanimous in sentiment in the matter of prosecuting the war. On the re-election of President Madison, under whose administration the war was carried on, but twelve votes in this town were given in for electors for the opposition candidate in a total of two hundred and twenty-six votes cast. An incident illustrative of the war sentiment in this and other towns, was exemplified in a fracas which occurred in Winchester between a squad of soldiers from this town on their way to join the army on the northern frontier, and some Winchester Federalists, whose in- sults were repelled by both words and blows. These
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soldiers were arrested for assault and battery for the defence they made, and were fined by the presiding justice ; but the long head of old Bisbee was more than a match for the justice. Bisbee settled the fine and cost imposed by his individual note, which in the end was found to be uncollectable, for the reason that there was no value received in the transaction. This squad of soldiers was unarmed, and consequently had nothing but their bony fists to repel an attack, except that Mordica Cass, who was among the num- ber, had provided himself with a good hickory stick on the way, which he applied to " good advantage," as he was accustomed to relate the story in after years.
CAPTAIN BRYANT'S COMPANY.
Daniel C. Bryant, who is mentioned as a lieutenant in 1812, was promoted to a captaincy in 1814. He, at the head of his company, which was largely re- cruited in Richmond and vicinity, commenced his march towards the Niagara frontier, which was then the scene of strife, on a beautiful Sunday in June, 1814, and arrived in Swansey about noon of the same day, and then paraded on the common, near the meeting-house, and partook of refreshments furnished by the Swansey people. Reliable eye-witnesses, some of whom are now living, say that the company made an imposing appearance, and that Captain Bryant, to say the least, was a splendid-looking officer ; but his good looks did not save him from being accused of cowardice, whether justly or not is now unknown. The report, at any rate, was sufficient to move the poet Silas Ballou to write some verses of scathing character in relation to him.
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
Captain Bryant and Dr. Amos Howe, the surgeon of the regiment, had coats of red in imitation of the uniforms of the British officers.
The following were soldiers in the 31st Regiment, U. S. Infantry, as mustered Aug. 30, 1812, under command of Lieut. Daniel C. Bryant. Uriah Ward was captain at the time, but he resigned his commis- sion Aug. 21, 1813, and Lieut. Bryant was promoted to the captaincy, Dec. 1, 1814 : -
Daniel C. Bryant, Lieut .; Carlton Bryant, Chauncy Bryant, Samuel Bryant, Wm. Buffum, Stephen Buffum, Jedediah Buffum, 3d ; Jared Ballou, Richard Boorn, Thomas Bryant, John Cass, Jr., Moses Garnsey, Amos Howe, Cromwell Kelton, Townsend Parker Daniel Thornton, Lewis Whipple, Henry Whipple, James Whipple.
SOLDIERS IN OTHER COMPANIES.
Townsend Parker was in the battle of "Stone Mills," under Captain Burnap, and did skirmishing duty. He killed one Indian sure, and perhaps an- other.
Noah Bisbee, Jr., Esq., was a lieutenant in Capt. Charles E. Tobey's Company of 2Ist Infantry, to- gether with his brother Seth.
Others are known to have been in the service on the northern frontier, and probable enlisted in 1813 or 1814 in the same company with the Bisbees, viz. : Daniel Man, Stephen Man, Chandler Man, Arnold Man, Mordica Cass, Laban Cass, Jesse Bishop, Nathan Cass, and Aaron Martin. Noah Bisbee, Jr., and Lewis Whipple were killed, and Seth Bisbee was wounded, at the battle of Lundy's Lane, July 24, 1814, when making an attack on a British re- doubt or battery, which charge, made by Col. James
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Miller, has ever been regarded as one of the most heroic incidents of the war of 1812. The laconic
CHARGE ON A BATTERY - LUNDY'S LANE.
reply of the colonel on this occasion, " I will try, sir," when asked if he could take the battery, has become historic words.
In addition to those already named, a number of others were despatched to the defence of Portsmouth, which was menaced by the presence of a British frigate in the adjacent waters. Among these we find the following names : -
Dan. Buffum, Olney Ballou, Benoni Ballou, Samuel Barrus, Moses Tyler, Joseph Jessop, Nathan Perry (died in the service).
Dan. Buffum is now the only survivor of this war living in town. Patriotism runs in the blood of the family. His three sons-David, Amos, and Cyrus -were volunteers in the late war, and died in the ser- vice. Their war record is creditable, and reflects addi- tional honor on the name. Mrs. Sarah Ballou, widow of Benoni Ballou, is the only surviving widow of the soldiers of 1812. She, as well as Mr. Buffum, draws a pension. The following lines, composed by Silas Ballou soon after the close of the war, were exten- sively published at the time throughout the country, and have occasionally appeared in the papers since :
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1
American War with Great Britain.
BY SILAS BALLOU, 1815.
Old England, forty years ago, When we were young and slender, Conspired to give a fatal blow, But God was our defender. Jehovah saw her horrid plan, Great Washington He gave us ; His holiness inspired the man With power and skill to save us.
She sent her fleets and armies o'er To ravage, kill, and plunder ; Our heroes met them on the shore, And beat them back with thunder ; Our independence they confessed, And with their hands they signed it, But on their hearts 't was ne'er impressed, For there I ne'er could find it.
And since that time they have been still Our liberties invading ; We bore and forbore until Forbearance was degrading ;
Regardless of our sailor's rights Impressed our native seamen, Made them against their country fight, And thus enslaved our freemen.
Great Madison besought the foe, He mildly did implore them To let the suffering captives go, But they would not restore them ; Our commerce, too, they did invade, Our ships they searched and seized, Declaring, also, we should trade With none but whom they pleased.
Thus Madison in thunder spoke : " We've power, and we must use it! Our freedom surely lies at stake, And we must rouse or lose it ;
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We'll let old England's children know We are the brave descendants Of those who flogged their fathers so, And gained our independence ! "
Our soldiers and our seamen, too, Were put in warlike motion ; Straight to the fields our soldiers flew, Our scamen to the ocean ; They met their foes on lowering waves, With courage, skill, and splendor ; They sunk them down to watery graves, Or forced them to surrender.
Decatur, Hull, and Bainbridge, dear, Did wonders in our navy, Brave Captain Hull sunk the Guerrire, And Bainbridge sunk the Javi ; Decatur took a ship of fame High on the waving water - The Macedonian was her name - And home in triumph brought her.
Perry, with flags and sails unfurled, Met Barclay on Lake Erie ; At him his matchless thunder hurled Till Barclay grew quite weary ; He gained the victory and renown, He worked him up so neatly, He brought old England's banners down, And swept the lake completely.
Proud Downie fell on Lake Champlain, By fortune quite forsaken ; He was by bold McDonald slain, And all his fleets were taken. Whene'er they met Columbia's sons On lakes, or larger waters, They sunk beneath her thundering guns, Or humbly cried for quarters. .
When Provost thus had lost his fleet, He gave out special orders For his whole army to retreat And leave the Yankee borders.
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
Through dreary wilds, o'er bog and pen, The luckless general blundered ; He fled with fifteen thousand men From Macomb's fifteen hundred.
Let William Hull be counted null, And let him not be named Upon the roll of valiant souls, Of him we are ashamed ; For his campaign was worse than vain, A coward and a traitor ; For paltry gold, his army sold To Brock the speculator.
When Proctor found brave Harrison Had landed on his region, Away the timorous creature ran With all his savage legion ; But overtaken were, and most Of them were killed and taken, But Proctor soon forsook his post, And fled " to save his bacon."
At little York, beneath the guns Of Chauncy, Dearborn landed, And quickly made old England's sons Resign what he demanded. From George's fort to Erie's beach Our savage foes were beaten ; Their naked bones were left to bleach Where wolves their flesh had eaten.
How often Brown made Drummond fly From scenes of desolation ; The terror of his noble eye Struck him with consternation. Brave Miller, Ripley, Gaines, and Scott, At Erie and Bridgewater, At Chippewa, in battle hot, Their bravest foes did slaughter.
At Washington their horrid crimes Must tarnish British glory ; Children must blush in future times To read the shameful story.
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They burned the volumes which comprised The best of information ; Their barbarous deeds will be despised By every Christian nation.
At Baltimore, a deadly blow The sons of mischief aimed ; The sons of freedom met the foe, And victory justly claimed. Amidst their ranks our thunders burst, Many were killed and wounded, Their chief commander " bit the dust," And all their schemes confounded.
What wonders did brave Jackson do, When aided by high Heaven ! Their leader and four thousand slew, And lost but only seven ; Some interposing angel's hand Repelled their vile intrusion - The remnant of their broken band Fled off in sad confusion.
They passed through numerous trying scenes, In most of them defeated ; Their grand defeat at New Orleans The bloody scene completed. Soon after this, sweet Peace arrived, Our armies were disbanded ; Our scattered foes, who had survived The war, were home commanded.
What has our infant country gained By fighting that old nation ? Our liberties we have maintained, And raised our reputation. We've gained the freedom of the seas, Our seamen are released, Our mariners trade where they please, Impressments, too, have ceased.
Now, in ourselves we can confide ; Abroad we are respected ; We've checked the rage of British pride, Their haughtiness corrected.
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First to the God of boundless power, Be thanks and adoration ; Next, Madison, the wondrous flower, And jewel of our nation.
Next, Congress does our thanks demand, To them our thanks we tender ; Our heroes, next, by sea and land, To them our thanks we render. Let us be just, in union live, Then who will dare invade us?
If any should, our God will give His angels charge to aid us.
DRAFTED MEN.
The following is a list of those that were drafted near the close of the war, some of whom went into the service, and others obtained substitutes, viz. : -
Jacob Whitcomb, Chandler Man, Thomas Goddard, Salmon Mar- tin, Samuel Barrus, Martin Cass, Nahum Perry, Lewis Aldrich, William Barrus, Ellis Thayer, Ellis Thayer, 2d ; Eli Page, 2d ; Jere- miah Bolles, Millens Barrus, Paul Jillson, Jr., Benjamin Newell.
THE ASHUELOT TURNPIKE AND OTHER ROADS.
The old road running from Winchester to Royals- ton, built by the proprietors of Winchester about 1733, and laid out by the selectmen in 1765, of which mention has already been made, was the great thoroughfare for the public travel from east to west until about 1808; especially that portion of it from the Daniel Cass place westward to Winchester re- mained the chief line of travel for a long time after the travel was somewhat diverted from the easterly portion by the road over Gaskill hill, and the more direct way to Royalston by the Jonathan Thurber place, laid out in 1770. None of these afforded a
8
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direct communication with Fitzwilliam, which was only reached by a circuitous route through the Boyce neighborhood in the south-east part of the town. The inconvenience thus experienced caused the town to take action in the matter in 1797, when they -
Voted, That the selectmen of this town meet the selectmen of Fitzwilliam to see where the most convenient road can be made from the middle of one town to the middle of the other, and to lay out the same and report accordingly.
The report of the selectmen, if made, was not ac- cepted ; and other selectmen were instructed to view new routes, but nothing definite was accomplished towards building the road on the part of the town. But about 1806, some public-spirited individuals in Fitzwilliam, Richmond, and Winchester, began to agitate the feasibility and practicability of a turnpike through these towns. Consequently, at the June ses- sion of the General Court, 1807, an act was passed, entitled "An act to incorporate a Company by the name of the Ashuelot Turnpike Corporation." Moses Tyler, Esq., and Esek Buffum and their associates and successors were made the corporators by said act, and were vested with all the privileges and powers which by law are incident to corporations of a similar nature, and were empowered with authority to build a turnpike from Winchester, through Rich- mond, to Fitzwilliam village, of the width of four rods, and to cost not less than $600 per mile, and to be completed within six years. The work seems to have been pushed with considerable force, and fully completed within one-half the time fixed by the charter. The stock was largely disposed of to the road contractors in payment for their work, and was
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
considered an investment which would pay a dividend of from six to nine per cent. Like many another stock enterprise in building highways and railroads, the stock-owners were destined to disappointment, as the sequel proved. The location of the old turnpike is 'still generally well known, but for the benefit of those that may come after, it may be briefly described as the main travelled road westward from the Four corners to the mills now owned by N. Naromore & Sons, and thence to Winchester, by Dan. Buffum's ; and from the Four corners easterly to the Henry Rice place, thence nearly in a straight course to the Fitzwilliam line, by the Silas Jillson place, the part between the said mills and the Rice place remaining still the main travelled way. The road appears to have been built and opened to travel in 1809. Three toll-gates were placed on the road from Fitzwilliam village to Winchester centre, one in each town. The one in Richmond was for a considerable portion of the time at Wyman Thayer's, the place now occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Bryant. The tolls authorized to be collected by the toll-gatherers were, for every mile of the road travelled over, - 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 sulkey, chair, or chaise, with one horse and two wheels, two cents ; for every coach, chariot, stage, or phaeton, or chaise with two horses and four wheels, three cents; and the like sums according to the number of wheels and horses drawing the same. It was further provided in the act, "that if any person shall, with his car- riage, team, cattle, or horses, turn off said road to pass said turnpike road on ground adjacent thereto
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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 nothing in this act shall extend to entitle said corporation to de- mand or receive toll of any person who is an inhabi- tant of any town where a 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." And also provided, " and at all times when the toll- gatherer does not attend his duty the gates shall be left open." Contrary to the expectations of the pro- jectors of the enterprise, the revenue derived from tolls, instead of being enough for a dividend of from six to nine per cent, was hardly sufficient to pay the toll-gatherers and keep the road in repair. Prob- ably no dividend ever was declared. After a trial of about twenty years, the corporation relinquished all their right in the same to the town for the sum of one hundred dollars. This road, like many of the old turnpikes, was projected nearly on a straight line, regardless of the hills, and hence its heavy gradients were insuperable objections to teamsters with heavy freights. The hill east of Jillson's was particularly long and steep, and teams with heavy loads had quite frequently to be doubled in going up the same, and also the same with some others. The road must have been a great public benefit at the time, and a great improvement over any road leading from Fitzwilliam to Winchester before this was built. The saddest part of the story is that a burden which properly should have been borne by the public was laid on a few individuals ill prepared to bear the expense.
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
THE NEW ROAD BUILT.
Soon after the turnpike was given up to the town- say about 1829-a movement was set on foot for a new road from Winchendon, then called " Morse's Village," to Winchester, for the purpose of securing the travel from Brattleboro' and southern Vermont to Boston by a more direct route. Consequently, sur- veys were made through Royalston and by the Roaring brook (so called) to Winchester, and also by way of Fitzwilliam village and Richmond Four cor- ners. Persons living near the line of either of the proposed routes, believing their interests would be materially affected by the location of the new road, became jealous, and in some cases, perhaps, un- reasoning partisans of the schemes they favored. After much contention and bitterness between the contending factions, the more northern route through Fitzwilliam village and the Four corners was laid out by the road commissioners about 1830, and the road was built and open for travel in 1833. This road is still the main thoroughfare through town from east to west, and has remained substantially unaltered to the present time.
The friends of the enterprise in this case were not disappointed in the results attained. The route be- came popular with the travelling public, and the travel from Brattleboro' to Boston largely passed over this road. Stages passed over the same both ways daily, and teams with six and eight horses might be seen almost every day moving like a grand cavalcade along its way. This activity along the line continued until the opening of the Fitchburg and Cheshire railroads, about 1850, when the "glory
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of Israel" seemed in a great measure to have de- parted.
An amusing incident occurred in the laying out of this road which was the subject of much laughter at the time. The committee from this town, who were looking out the road in the south part of Fitzwilliam, had occasion to stop at a farm-house over night. Hon. Joseph Weeks and Timothy Pickering, Esq., were to occupy the same bed for the night. Weeks first retired, leaving Pickering to finish his story. The time having arrived for Pickering to retire, he
AN AMUSING INCIDENT.
was provided with a light; and with directions where to go, he proceeded to the room, there to find, appar- ently, an old lady occupying the bed. A glance satisfied the esquire that he was in the wrong pew, and he returned back and informed the good folks that there must have been a mistake as to the room, as he had found an "old lady in the bed who ap- peared to have a high fever." Subsequent research disclosed the fact that the old lady was no other than Judge Weeks with a night-cap on which he had
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
taken from the bed-post, and being of a ruddy com- plexion, appeared to be in a fever. The incident was too good to keep, and was the subject of merri- ment for some time after.
The main road running through town north and south is worthy of special mention. This was laid out in 1770, and was designed to take the place of some pieces laid out in 1765-'66. This was the first road laid out by courses and distances. It be- gan at the bay line south of Jonathan Thurber's, and ran northerly four miles and fifty rods until it in- tersected a road previously made from John Martin's to Swansey, by the Cook and Newell places. About 1784, this road appears to have been re-laid out as a country road, and has remained unaltered since that time. Over this road was conveyed the first mail the town had, which was carried from Worcester to Keene in 1812, and continued until 1830 by private conveyance. Afterwards, for some years, stages and expresses run daily between the aforesaid places, until superseded by the railroads, when the daily mail from Worcester to Keene was discontinued and a tri- weekly one was afterwards put on, and finally a daily since 1876.
In addition to the road already named as laid out in 1784, the court's committee or county committee have at various times laid out certain other roads in town, viz. : in 1784, they laid out the road between Richmond and Fitzwilliam, the same that runs by James Harkness'. In September, 1802, they laid the road from North Richmond to Swansey, by Nahum Cass'. The new road from Winchester to Fitzwilliam, which consisted of a divergence from the old turnpike, was laid out May 1, 1831, by the county committee,
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consisting of Elijah Belding, Nathan Wild, and N. G. Babbitt. The road by Alvin Scott's mill was laid out in 1835. The short piece of road from near Lewis Freeman's, south to new road, was laid out 1849. The new road through the Pond woods, known as the Harkness road, was laid out, on petition of H. W. W. Miller and one hundred and thirteen others, in 1849. The town, 1850, petitioned the court to discontinue the last-named road, but their petition was not granted, and they had the cost to pay. The road from below Sprague's mills to Augustus Arnold's was laid out in 1853. The petition of certain others was defeated, viz. : David Martin, for a road from Activity to Troy, 1851 ; Lilburn Allen, for a road in the Boyce neighborhood, 1850.
THE UNITED STATES MAIL, STAGE, AND EXPRESS LINES.
The first mail conveyance the town had was on a route established in 1812 from Worcester to Keene, and the carrier was Jonathan Pierce, of Royalston, who at first made weekly and afterwards semi- weekly trips over the road in an old "one-horse shay," not the one the deacon had, it is true, but it was of the same pattern, and equally as venerable. Mr. Pierce was in this service nearly twenty years, and was as regular as the sun in his rounds, and is still remembered as a large man of fine physique, quite companionable, and of a social turn well calculated to win friends, a host of which he had on the line of his route. He was succeeded by a line of stage- coaches put on by Russell Wheeler and Jonas For- ristall, of Royalston, about 1830. This enterprise, after a trial of a few years with indifferent success,
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was given up, and Benoni Ballou, of Richmond, continued the carrying of the mail from Royalston to Keene on the same line, with a horse and wagon, for some years. He carried some passengers and " did errands," since called express business.
About 1835 another line of stages, carrying the mail from Worcester to Keene, was run under the management of that king of staging, Genery Twitch- ell, and was continued until about the time of the
STAGE COACH.
building of the Fitchburg railroad, when the daily mail route over this line ceased, and the mail was carried tri-weekly only until 1876. The driver on this line for several years is still remembered, - was usually called Mac. Another post route and stage line from Brattleboro' to Boston was opened about 1830. This was run daily, the morning stage from Brattleboro' arriving about eight in the morning, and the evening stage from Boston about 6, P. M., afford- ing ample travelling and postal facilities, equal in fact to that of any other country town ; but all this was changed when the Fitchburg railroad and its ex- tensions were completed, except that the mail and express-wagon continued to run from Winchester to Fitzwilliam three times a week in connection with the Cheshire trains until about 1876.
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