USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Rindge > History of the town of Rindge, New Hampshire, from the date of the Rowley Canada or Massachusetts charter, to the present time, 1736-1874, with a genealogical register of the Rindge families > Part 20
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The NINTH DISTRICT was neither large nor populous. At the date of its organization there were only seven families within its limits. It comprised lots twelve to seventeen on the Jaffrey line, and lots twelve to the middle of fifteen in the eighth and ninth ranges. Its southern
285
SCHOOLS.
boundary included the farms of Deacon Blake and Dr. Stephen Jewett, now of Samuel Martin and Dr. C. E. Ware. The school-house was near the outlet of Pool Pond, a short distance on the old road to Jaffrey Centre. In 1848, this district was united with the fourth district, and they have been known since then as Number Three. The present school-house was built soon after the union of the two districts.
The TENTH DISTRICT comprised lots fourteen to eighteen on the Massachusetts line, fourteen to seventeen in the second range, and fourteen and fifteen in the third. The school-house was nearly opposite the residence of James Wood, now of B. F. Danforth. It received, in 1848, substantial additions from the centre and southwest districts, including the farms of Thomas and C. G. Buswell, W. C. Brigham, the Moors, Stratton, and Lovejoy farms, and the farms of Charles H. Danforth and James Damon. The present school-house was built in 1850.
The ELEVENTH DISTRICT was in the southeast part of the town, and associated with families in New Ipswich. For several years before its organization, Lieut. Isaac Wood, who lived where his grandsons John and Jonas Wood now reside, James Reed, Ebenezer Muzzy, Aaron Brooks, and Stephen Brooks, were permitted to expend their school-tax in their own neighborhood. At this time they organized a district, and, in connection with families in New Ipswich, their successors have maintained a school until the present time. The school-house, an example of exact justice, is divided equally by the town line ; but the pupils from Rindge or New Ipswich occupy either portion, and allow no geographical prejudices to interrupt their progress.
37
286
HISTORY OF RINDGE.
The organization of the Tarbell and the Corner Districts will be hereafter noticed. They were subsequently formed from other districts. The entire town was included in the limits of the eleven districts already described, and with these boundaries the schools were successfully conducted for nearly twenty years. The districts were not organized in the order here given. These are the numbers by which they were known. They were numbered on the basis of the amount of school-tax paid by each at the time of their organization. These numbers, at a glance, will indicate the comparative wealth of each district at that time. Not until a recent date was any portion of the school money distrib- uted among the districts on the basis of the number of scholars. Each district then received the amount of school- tax paid by that district. This method was accepted, perhaps in the belief that it was just and honorable. But partially ignoring the fact that the public schools were established for the equal benefit of all, it extended public privileges to the rich, which, in a measure, were denied to the poor. The childless tax-payer was required, as now, to pay his proportion to educate the children of others, and there can be no good reason why his tax should be employed for the exclusive benefit of a section.
The following table represents the amount of school money assigned to, and the comparative wealth of, each district, for a term of years. The right hand column shows the amount of money appropriated for schools for each year. The comparative wealth of the same areas at the present time suggests many lessons. The growth of several districts has been almost equalled by the depreciation of others. The districts near the borders of the town have sustained considerable loss, while the reverse is generally true of the others.
287
SCHOOLS.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Total.
1805
90.42
57.46
51.01
47.94
40.15
29.52
28.02
23.84
21.99
18.01
9.45
418.31
1806
86.09
56.51
50.22
42.93
39.20
22.41
29.43
16.19
29.40
23.77
7.99
404.14
1SOS
91.29
58.42
48.48
47.07
37.40
31.04
32.83
24.98
24.08
20.12
9.91
425.62
1810
94.04
50.87
44.67
42.03
38.50
27.78
27.33
23.39
24.83
16.88
9.68
400.00
1812
91.72
51.04
47.51
40.44
38.99
27.16
29.46
25.38
25.22
17.40
9.47
403.79
1814
105.40
58.20
47.08
39.33
41.48
27.89
26.83
26.66
29.28
17.51
10.26
429.92
1816
104.04
56.25
50.35
37.39
43.81
32.00
28.30
28.13
30.59
15.27
11.08
437.17
1818
119.85
51.90
51.44
43.76
43.30
31.88
26.14
27.83
30.29
13.04
8.94
449.33
1820 |
131.12
71.18
63.01
54.63
52.59
38.57
35.40
34.11
30.06
19.86
13.14
543.67
The TWELFTH DISTRICT was not organized until 1821, when portions of the fourth and eighth districts were set off for this purpose. The citizens of the new district were ' Eliphaz Allen, Nathan Underwood, Peter Howe, Samuel Tarbell, Thomas Tarbell, Isaac Learned, John Richards, Jr., Josiah Peirce, Nahum Peirce, and Nathan Derby, Jr. The school-house near Monomonock Lake, in the old third district, was burned in the winter of 1824-5. This event immediately led to some changes in the district boundaries in that vicinity.
The THIRTEENTH, or CORNER, DISTRICT was then or- ganized, and was formed from the first or centre, and the third districts. It extended west on the turnpike, to include the farm of Stephen Emory, recently deceased; and east to include the farm of Thaddeus Richards, now of Stephen Hale; and in the third district it included Con- verseville and the farm of Capt. Wellington, now of his son Gilman P. Wellington; while the Jones farm and the farms on Hubbard Hill were added to the centre district. The new school-house in the third district was built at the foot of the hill, west of the dwelling-house of Abraham J. Converse, which in 1849 was burned, when the present house was built in a more central location. The school- house in the Corner District was built at the foot of the hill, about forty rods east of Mr. Cutter's wheelwright shop. The present house, still farther east, was built in 1858, and is excelled by none in town.
288
HISTORY OF RINDGE.
In 1848, the town was new districted, and the former boundaries considerably disturbed, and some of the inhabit- ants also. The numbers of the districts were also changed. The first became the fifth; the second the tenth; the third the eighth; the fourth and ninth were united and styled the third; the fifth became the second; the sixth the seventh ; the seventh the first; the eighth the twelfth; the tenth the ninth; the twelfth the fourth; the thirteenth the sixth ; while the eleventh retained its former number. This explanation is not very euphonic, but it briefly expresses a fact which should not be omitted in an account of the school districts. In 1869, District Number One became extinct. The extreme northeast portion and a part of Sharon formed a union district. During the same year District Number Twelve, which was lessened in area in 1848, was annexed to Numbers Three and Four. This leaves a present number of nine districts, besides portions of the former districts Number One and Number Eleven, which are joined with sections of other towns.
Within twenty-five years, eight new school-houses have been built, which will compare favorably with those in a majority of rural towns. Of the remaining houses, the poorest is in the centre district, whose inhabitants are abundantly able to have a more convenient and comfortable house. It could not be fully described without the use of many depreciating adjectives. It is hoped that the apparent veneration of the district for this ancient structure will soon yield to the increasing demands for a more suitable building. The annual appropriation for the support of schools has been constantly increasing for many years. About fourteen hundred dollars is now raised by a tax .upon the inhabitants, and, in addition, an average of about one hundred and twenty-five dollars is received from the
289
SCHOOLS.
two sources of literary fund, which is considerably in excess of the average of other towns in the State.
Space will not admit of a continuation of the list of teachers. Only those who taught early in the period are here noticed. When nineteen years of age, and while a student at college, Edward Payson taught the centre school, and a few years later his brother Phillips was employed several terms.
Gates Rand, Liberty Rand, Simon Davis, Abel Shedd, Josiah Shedd, Eliphalet Sawtell, Thomas Ingalls, Greene Towne, Warham Rand, Jonathan Sawtell, Amos Keyes, Rev. Joseph Brown, Hubbard Moors, Warham R. Platts, Samuel Steele, are still remembered as teachers of that period. Some of them were teachers many years. Jonathan Sawtell was fond of stating that he had stood in the desk five and twenty terms. Perhaps Simon Davis and Amos Keyes were as constantly employed, and later, Jason B. Perry taught many terms, and was associated with some of these in their later labors in the school-room. The summer schools were very frequently committed to the care of Polly Bowers, who died unmarried at an advanced age; Catherine Johnson, afterwards the wife of John Demary, Jr .; Mary Colburn, afterwards Mrs. Talmon Jennings; Polly Kimball, later Mrs. Joshua Converse; Hannah Adams; Hepsibah Cutler, later Mrs. John Townsend; Polly Davis; Naomi Adams, wife of Isaac Spofford; Maria Hunt, afterwards the wife of Rev. Joseph Brown; Matilda Rand, later the wife of Timothy Bancroft; Sophia Sawyer, the missionary ; Fanny Demary, daughter of Ezekiel Demary; Abigail Stearns, later Mrs. Chauncey Perry ; and very many others, which space will not admit.
The town continued to choose a prudential committee of one for each district until 1809, when Edward Jewett, Esq.,
290
HISTORY OF RINDGE.
introduced the following motion, which was adopted : "That the inhabitants of each school district in the town mect in their respective districts, on the last Tuesday of March, at three o'clock, P.M., and choose a moderator and clerk for their district. Also to choose an agent for their own district to provide teachers for their respective districts. That each moderator and clerk certify in writing to the selectmen the person chosen. That the sclectmen certify to said agent the proportion of school money for his partic- ular district. That said agents seasonably provide such teachers for their respective districts as are qualified, as the law directs." The remainder of this vote provided that the selectmen should pay the teachers out of the school money, on orders given by the prudential committees. This plan was followed five years, when the former method was resumed. No reason for its abandonment is apparent, unless it was presumed that a choice by the districts would not be sustained by the existing laws of the State. With the exception of two other years, the town annually chose the prudential committees, until a plan very similar to the one introduced twenty years earlier by Mr. Jewett became the law of the State, and since 1830, under the provisions of this statute, the districts have continued to elect their pru- dential committees, who are qualified to draw the school money from the town treasury for their respective districts, instead of paying the teachers by an order, as was the practice under the plan of Mr. Jewett.
The question of supervision of the schools, for the first time, was favorably entertained by the town in March, 1810. The following report of a committee, consisting of Gates Rand, David Barker, and Jonathan Ingalls, chosen to make some recommendation on that subject, was then presented : " In our opinion, it will be expedient to choose a committee
291
SCHOOLS.
of three persons to examine the schools, and that no agent for any district shall set up any Master, who has never taught school before, until he has been examined by said committee, and received their approbation. And that the agent for said district shall notify said committee of the time when it will be most agreeable to his district to have the school examined, and that each district shall choose one or more persons to meet with said committee." This report was made the same day the committee was chosen, which gave them little time for its preparation. Yet it is pre- sumed that its brevity is more particularly the result of good judgment on the part of its authors, who expressed their opinions in very proper terms, and, with a rare display of good sense, withheld all needless comment. The report was adopted, and a committee chosen. Rev. Seth Payson, Col. Josiah Wilder, and Thomas Ingalls, constituted the first superintending school committee in this town; and during the years immediately following, Simon Davis, William Sherwin, Samuel L. Wilder, Gates Rand, and Amos Keyes, were also chosen. The committee was vari- ously selected from the eight persons just named, until the year 1820, when the town, for the succeeding seven years, either neglected to choose any one, or else chose one from each district to superintend his respective school. In 1827, a more select number was chosen, and either by an election, or appointment by the selectmen, a committee, generally of three, has been annually chosen, until the present system of electing one each year, to serve three years, was adopted a few years since. At this date, Rev. Mr. Burnham was chosen, who continued faithfully to serve the town in this capacity, almost without interruption, for more than thirty years. He at once evinced a lively interest in the schools of this town, and the cause of popular education is much
292
HISTORY OF RINDGE.
indebted to his wise counsels and faithful labors in its behalf. The first written report of the school committee was for the year 1828, and was drafted by Mr. Burnham. Since then an annual report has been made without inter- ruption, which, for the past twenty-five years, has been printed at the expense of the town.
In addition to the public schools, sustained by the town, a private school, supported by tuition, has been enjoyed for about three months in the year, during a considerable portion of the time, for the past sixty years. These terms generally have been well attended, and the exhibition given by the students at the close of the term has been a prom- inent feature of these enterprises. In these exhibitions, George P. Barker began to exercise his wonderful power over an audience, and in these juvenile efforts, while declaiming the words of another, a prophecy of his rare oratorical powers was proclaimed by the tears he called from the eyes of many unused to weep.
In those palmy days of the town, when almost every conceivable topic was a fit subject for legislation, when the meeting-house, the length of intermission between the serv- ices on the Sabbath, the salary of the minister, the exclusion of dogs from the doors of the sanctuary, were fruitful themes for public discussion and decision, the students were obliged to secure the consent of the town before they were permitted to hold their exhibitions in the meeting-house. Nearly seventy years ago, when such a request was made, the town, with an air of great prudence, voted that "the young people have liberty to hold a public exhibition in the meeting-house, provided the pieces to be exhibited be first presented for the inspection of Rev. Mr. Payson and the selectmen." Thus, with the approval of the minister and the town officials, the students were instructed to speak
293
SCHOOLS.
the speech trippingly on the tongue, or to announce to their friends that they came not here to talk. For the hundredth time, the old Peruvian was discovered among the palm- trees, and Cæsar was buried with little praise. With great boldness, they condemned and noted Lucius Pella, or sounded a prophetic warning in the ears of Lochiel, with an assurance that it must be so, for Plato reasoned well. Again was Cromwell charged to throw away ambition, while the younger orators continued to harrow the sympa- thies of their hearers with their appeals for pity for the sorrows of the poor old man, whose name and residence have never been disclosed.
In many instances the committee of supervision has been appointed by the selectmen instead of being elected by the town. For several years the record of appointment has not been discovered. The following list presents the date of the first election, and, as far as has been ascertained, gives the number of years each individual named has served upon the school committee: Rev. Seth Payson, 1810, (2) ; Josiah Wilder, 1810, (3) ; Thomas Ingalls, 1810, (7) ; Simon Davis, 1811, (7); William Sherwin, 1811, (5); Samuel L. Wilder, 1811, (5); Gates Rand, 1812, (4); Amos Keyes, 1813, (5); Rev. A. W. Burnham, 1827, and almost continu- ously until 1857; Benjamin Ward, Esq., 1827, (1); Jason B. Perry, 1827, (6 or more) ; Dr. A. D. Shurtleff, 1829, (2); S. B. Sherwin, 1829, (9); Dr. Nathaniel Kingsbury, 1833, (2); Dr. E. D. Abell, 1843, (5 or more) ; Dr. Josiah Abbott, 1845, (10 or more); W. C. Brigham, 1847, (6 or more) ; David Stowe, 1854, (6 or more) ; Rev. A. M. Osgood, 1853, (1); Rev. Silas Cummings, 1857, (1); Rev. C. H. Chase, 1858, (1); George W. Todd, Jr., 1858, (1) ; James B. Perry, 1862, (1); Amos J. Blake, 1862, (2); Ezra S. Stearns, 1863, (2); George A. Whitney, 1864, (1). For several years,
38
294
HISTORY OF RINDGE.
from 1865, only one person was chosen. Ezra S. Stearns, 1865, (1); Rev. Henry Chandler, 1866, (2); George A. Whitney, 1868, (2); W. C. Brigham, 1870, (1) ; Rev. A. L. Kendall, 1871, (1); A. S. Coffin, 1872, (1). Since 1872, a board of education has been elected for the term of three years, and has included A. S. Coffin, (2), Rev. William H. Stuart, (1), Anson A. Platts, (1), Joseph F. Wetherbee, (1).
CHAPTER XIV.
MILLS AND MANUFACTURES.
Inconveniences Experienced by the Early Settlers. - The First Saw- Mill. - Grist-Mill. - Hopkinson's Mill. - Robbins' Mill. - Tarbell Mill. - Platts' Mill. - Asa Cole. - Tanneries. - Shoes. - Clothes- Pins. - Nest Boxes. - Pails. - Clothiers. - Bobbins and Spools. - Miscellaneous.
TO CONQUER a wilderness, and surround themselves with the necessities of life, was the mission of the early settlers ; and this required the exercise of labor and endurance. For several years the grain was carried to the older towns to be ground, and the lumber used in the first dwellings was transported over the rudest highways from the mills in other places. In midwinter the journey was not infre- quently made upon snow-shoes, and a bushel of corn or of rye was borne upon the shoulders of the sturdy father, that his family might be supplied with their homely fare. The boards that were used for the doors and interior of the first log-houses were brought from the mill in Townsend, and later from New Ipswich. These inconveniences, and the numerous water-courses in the settlement, were constantly inviting them to construct mills of their own; and, when once the measure was proposed, few enterprises were conducted with as much success and as little delay.
296
HISTORY OF RINDGE.
The proposition to build a saw-mill in this town was first made at a meeting of the proprietors, held at Groton, in February, 1759, when a committee was chosen "to look out a convenient place for a saw-mill." In September of the same year, Lieut. Samuel Reed, of Lunenburg, Joseph Platts, and Jonathan Parker, of Monadnock Number One, were instructed to "employ a proper experienced mill- wright to go to said Number One and look out ye best mill place." At the same time it was agreed to sell so much of the three mill lots as might be needed to encourage some person to build a saw-mill on the selected site. The proprietors did not desire to own, or wholly to control, the mill, but proposed to make this gratuity as an encourage- ment to any one who would build, and agree to saw lumber for the settlers at reasonable prices. The records express a determination that there should be no delay, and, unlike the approach to many other enterprises, there were no postpone- ments or motions of reconsideration. In this particular their votes are in marked contrast with those concerning the meeting-house, since no fear of Indian hostilities is mentioned in this connection.
On the twenty-fourth of the following month, Abel Platts, of Number One, Lieut. Samuel Reed, and Capt. Jacob Gould, of Lunenburg, were chosen to build the mill, with authority "to contract with an experienced workman, and to conduct the whole affair at ye expense of the Pro- prietors, and that the undertaker give bond for ye true performance of ye work." At this meeting it was decided to build the mill upon the twelfth lot in the third range. In 1760, the records indicate that the mill lots had been sold, but no mention is made of the purchasers, or to whom a part or the whole of the proceeds was paid for building the mill. It is reasonably certain that it was completed
297
MILLS AND MANUFACTURES.
during the year. The mill was built by Abijah Smith, of Leominster, afterwards a resident of New Ipswich. He also resided for a few years in Winchendon, but was never a resident of this town. Henry Coffeen was also employed as a carpenter or mill-wright, and twenty-five years later he owned a mill in Acworth, in which he lost his life. Very soon, if not immediately, after its completion, the mill passed into the possession of Josiah Ingalls, who gave bonds to the proprietors of the township that he would saw all the logs delivered at the mill by the residents of the township at a stated price. This bond was given in consideration of the money granted by the proprietors to aid in defraying the expense of the building. In this mill was sawed the material for the meeting-house, which was built soon after, and the name of the owner frequently occurs in connection with the expense of boards and other material for this purpose. Mr. Ingalls was succeeded by James Philbrick.
The site of this mill is clearly traceable near the outlet of Grassy Pond. It was not an enduring structure, and was early referred to as the old mill, for better ones were soon after built. The site, once a place of great importance in the town, was soon abandoned. It is now many yards from any traveled highway, and the fact that there was ever a mill in that locality is fast fading from the memory of men. As will be noticed elsewhere, the course of this stream has been diverted from its original channel.
As soon as the erection of a saw-mill was made certain, the proprietors, with renewed confidence, proceeded to consider and act upon the usual preliminary measures about building a grist-mill. After the choice of several committees, they had proceeded so far as to determine, in 1760, that it should be built near the saw-mill. While these meas- ures were being discussed, the undertaking was suddenly
298
HISTORY OF RINDGE.
suspended by the enterprise of Jonathan Hopkinson, who had built such a mill without assistance, while the propri- etors had been clearing the decks for action. In 1762, he solicits their "assistance in repairing his grist-mill." The warrant containing this request is preserved, but no record of this meeting can be found, and the result is unknown.
Mr. Hopkinson soon after removed to Jaffrey. The location of his mill is not certainly known, but it was probably on the site of the present mill of O. D. Converse & Son, for a saw-mill and grist-mill under the same roof upon this site were sold in 1775 by James Streeter to Jacob Fitch. The same year Mr. Fitch sold the mills to his brother, Paul Fitch, who sold the property soon after to William Farwell. During the ownership of Mr. Farwell, the town, in 1779, built an expensive bridge across the stream below the mill.
The mill was afterwards owned by Capt. Benjamin Lap- ham and by his brother, Lieut. King Lapham, who conveyed the premises, in 1784, to the Kimballs, in whose possession they remained until 1845, when they were purchased by Joshua Converse, Esq., and have since continued in the possession of members of this family. The present owners are O. D. Converse & Son.
For more than one hundred years, a saw-mill and a grist- mill have been continued on this site. At present there is no other grist-mill in town.
Previous to 1769, David and William Robbins, who resided in the southwest part of the town, built a mill just over the line in Winchendon, which is early referred to upon the records. The owners supposed the mill was within the limits of the town, and were thus taxed for several years. A better knowledge of the location of the State line revealed the fact that the mill was in Royalston
299
MILLS AND MANUFACTURES.
Leg, as it was styled, -a tract of land which, in 1780, was joined to Winchendon.
Previous to the Revolution, Lieut. Samuel Tarbell built a mill in the west part of the town, on the stream leading from Pearly Pond.
In 1780, the town voted not "to Build a bridge over the stream that [flows] from Lieut. Tarballs mill across the Road that leads to Fitzwilliam." This refusal on the part of the town to build a bridge arose from the presumption that if there was no dam across the stream there would be no necessity for a bridge; and the next year the town noticed this encroachment upon their highways in these hot words: "That the Selectmen and Surveyors Proceed with Tarball according to law." Having summoned to their aid the strong arm of the law, and committed the management of the affair to fifteen men, it is highly probable that the public interests suffered no detriment.
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