USA > New Hampshire > Strafford County > Rochester > History of the town of Rochester, New Hampshire, from 1722 to 1890, Vol. I > Part 50
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Larkin Harrington died at his home in Lexington, Mass., August 7, 1886. He was born at that place April 17, 1826. November 22, 1864, he married Miss Elizabeth L. Chesley of Rochester. Mr. Harrington came to East Rochester in the spring of 1863, and, as already stated, was elected clerk of the company. He took a lively interest in educational, moral, and religious works. He was the postmaster in this village during a part of 1870-71. In
514
ROCHESTER.
1865 he built the house where J. D. Fogg now resides. On ac- count of poor health he resigned the position of clerk and pay- master of the Cocheco Woolen Manufacturing Company in No- vember, 1874, and at the annual meeting on the 19th of that month, Sidney B. Hayes was elected to that position, which he still holds. In 1864 the company built No. 2 Mill, of brick, and put in four more sets of machinery, which were put in operation in January, 1865. Prior to this time many of the tenement houses had been built, but owing to an increase of their work it was thought best to build more, and offer inducements to overseers and help to build houses of their own, as dwelling-houses in the village were very scarce at that time. In 1868 they fitted up the saw-mill and chair-factory which they bought of Stephen Shorey in 1863, and added still another four sets of machinery. This is known as No. 3 Mill, and the work carried on is carding, spinning, and weaving, the finishing being done at No. 2 Mill. At the head of the canal is also situated the box factory and planing-mill, where are made the boxes, or cases, in which the goods are shipped. Since No. 3 Mill was put into operation six more sets of ma- chinery have been placed in Nos. 1 and 2 Mills, making eighteen sets in all. One hundred and six broad looms are employed to do the weaving. On the class of goods now manufactured about nine thousand pounds of the finished product are turned off weekly.
John Hall held the position of agent from the organization of the company until July, 1875, when he resigned, and C. S. White- house was appointed in his place. During the time Mr. White- house was agent many improvements were made about the grounds and buildings. The row of fine maples on Front street was set out under his direction, making the street one of the most beau- tiful in the village. Mr. Hall went abroad, and was gone five years. On his return May 5, 1880, he was again appointed agent, Mr. Whitehouse having resigned some time previous. Mr. Hall held the position this time but two years, resigning July 31, 1882, and Charles E. Manson was appointed in his place, having served two years as superintendent. Thomas H. Gotts was superinten- dent under Mr. Manson until January 1, 1884, at which time Everett M. Sinclair was elected to that position, which he still holds.
In 1884 the company built the new brick counting room which they now occupy, and in 1886 the large brick weaving shed was
1
HPLIOTYPP PRINTING (O
MILLS OF COCHECO WOOLEN MANUF'G CO., EAST ROCHESTER,
BOSTON, MASS.
515
BUSINESS OF ROCHESTER.
erected. The roof is self-supported, so that the weave-room pre- sents an uninterrupted view 168×72 feet.
There are six persons now employed by the company whose names appeared on the first pay-roll, in January, 1863, and are as follows : - Francis Gotts, Richard Bocock, Charles A. Jones, Lavina (Knipe) Smith, Clara Gotts, and Mary J. Rogers. Francis Gotts and Charles A. Jones have never left the employ of the company from that time to this, and the others have only been out for a short time. The first pay-roll contained sixty-seven names and amounted to $1,000 for a month. It now contains two hundred and twenty-five names, and for the same length of time amounts to $6,700.
The first overseers were as follows : - Carding, Thomas Ingham ; spinning, James G. Jones; weaving, Jonathan Overand; dyeing, Charles F. Parker; finishing, John Ashworth ; wool-sorting, Fran- cis Gotts. At the present time they are as follows : - Carding, W. H. Adams and W. H. Loud; spinning, J. R. Agnew and Corydon Sleeper; weaving, S. T. Sinclair and G. E. Manson ; finishing, F. R. Bean; dyeing, J. O'Donnell; dressing, E. H. Davis ; sorting, Francis Gotts; picking, Andrew McElroy ; repairs, Joy W. Barker.
On January 1, 1887, the Rindge Relief Fund was established. This was the generous gift of Frederick H. Rindge, son of S. B. Rindge, who, on the date above mentioned, placed in the hands of trustees elected by the operatives, the sum of $5,000, with a promise to add $1,000 annually, so long as the conditions mentioned in a circular, were adhered to. The conditions were that all opera- tives in the employ of the company at that time, and who from that time should live virtuous, temperate, and industrious lives, and from any cause should be unable to earn the necessities of life, should receive benefits from the fund. The trustees elected at that time were F. W. Corson, S. T. Sinclair, and Thomas Ingham.
In the summer of 1887 the company fitted up the old counting room for a reading room and library, and gave the free use of same, furnishing fuel for heating, so long as it should be used for the purpose above mentioned. The counting room was built in 1866, shortly after No. 2 Mill was completed, and when the new brick office was built in 1884 the old one was hauled to Main street, opposite the Glendon House, and contains as fine a reading room
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ROCHESTER.
and library as is often found in larger places. It is supported by the public.
The company have eight single and thirteen double tenements, and two blocks containing eight and four tenements each.
The Glendon House was opened at East Rochester in July, 1878, by John W. Tibbetts, the present proprietor. Ten years later he enlarged, putting in steam and other modern improvements.
A postoffice was established at East Rochester, June 2, 1863, and Stephen F. Shorey appointed postmaster. His successors in office have been as follows : - Moses S. Hurd, appointed April 13, 1865; S. S. Hart, July 8, 1867; Larkin Harrington, December 22, 1870; James Walker, May 16, 1871; A. H. Deland, September 1, 1885 ; Alphonso D. Gerrish, July 2, 1886; and Willis W. Sinclair, March 19, 1888. The revenue of this office for the first year was $34.99. In one quarter of 1889, there were sold $229 worth of stamps; 107 money orders were sent, amounting to $955; and 97 postal notes were issued.
GENERAL SUMMARY.
Besides the many large manufactories, five hotels, four railroads, four banks, and three postoffices, accounts of which have already been given, the following summary, though far from exact, will serve to give a general impression of the business of Rochester in 1890. Including the three villages, there are six dry goods stores; seven for millinery and fancy goods; five for merchant tailoring, clothing, and gentlemen's furnishings; five boot and shoe stores; seventeen groceries; six meat markets; one fish market; three bakeries; three restaurants; three fruit and con- fectionery stores; one candy manufactory; two carpet stores; two hardware stores; two tin shops; several variety stores; five drug stores; three jewelers; three dealers in coal, wood, hay, etc .; two ice dealers; three laundries; two photographers; two harness shops; one marble and monument shop; three express compa- nies ; and seven livery stables. These various establishments rep- resent an annual business of not less than a million dollars. Add to these the farming, banking, railroad, and various manu- ufacturing interests, and the annual business of the whole town cannot fall short of three or four millions.
CHAPTER XVI.
POLITICAL.
" The freeman casting with unpurchased hand The vote that shakes the pillars of the land."
" The crowning fact, The kingliest act Of Freedom, is the freeman's vote."
WE are told that our fathers came to found "a church without a bishop, a state without a king," but evidently neither church nor state can exist without some supreme authority from which there is no appeal. Under God, whom they regarded as king of kings both in church and in state, our fathers considered the people themselves as supreme. They acknowledged no man or body of men as their rulers. They permitted no authority to come between themselves and God. The church was their model for the state. As to them the highest and only human authority in the Church was the local congregation of believers, so the highest and only authority in the State was the Town Meeting. Not Presidents, Governors, Judges, Legislatures, nor Congress, but the People in their local meetings possess the supreme power in our land. The town meeting is the only pure Democracy. It is the fountain head of all law and authority in the Nation. So while good citizens look with abhorrence on all attempts to subvert justice in courts of law, or to change state or national legislation by bribery or other corrupt methods, they are more indignant to see the votes of the people in town meeting tam- pered with by purchase, fraud, or intimidation. This is high treason against the sovereignty of the people. As loyal subjects bare the head in presence of their king, so all loyal citizens of our free Republic should reverently recognize the majesty of the people assembled to exercise their kingly rights in the town meeting.
The design of this chapter is to present the sovereign edicts of the town of Rochester in the election of principal officers, and in
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ROCHESTER.
votes upon subjects of special importance to Town, State, or Nation.
The political bias of the town from time to time is perhaps best shown by a statement of the votes at each presidential election. In 1788 New Hampshire was entitled to five electors. The people were not yet divided into parties. There were no nominating cau- cuses, and consequently little or no concert of action. The vote of the State was so scattered that there was no choice, and the electors were chosen by the Legislature. Rochester cast thirty votes, all of which were for John Sullivan, General Bellows, Gen- eral Stark, General Reed, and General Cilley. Sullivan and Bel- lows were among those elected by the Legislature, and all the electors voted for Washington and Adams. The small vote of Rochester was not wholly owing to unanimity of feeling for Wash- ington, but to the fact that there were no working political organ- izations. In voting for governor this same year the town had cast 378 votes. It was not until the sixth Presidential election that the vote for electors nearly equalled the Governor vote in this town. There was no political excitement before the elections, and but little allusion to the subject in the newspapers. In 1792 New Hampshire had six electors. The Rochester vote was : - Judge Thompson, 52; John McDuffee, 53; President Bartlett, 53; General Bellows, 52; John T. Gilman, 45; Col. T. Badger, 28; and General Cilley, 23. There was no choice and a second trial took place November 12, when Rochester cast 22 votes each, for President Bartlett, John T. Gilman, Benjamin Bellows, Jonathan Freeman, John Pickering, and Ebenezer Thompson. Again there was no choice, and the Legislature appointed the six just named, all of whom voted for Washington and Adams. In 1796 the "Republican" and "Federal" parties had become somewhat organized although party lines were not strictly observed. The Rochester vote stood as follows :- Ebenezer Thompson, Esq., 63; General Bellows, 26; Governor Gilman, 26; Oliver Peabody, 14; Timothy Farrar, Esq., 21; Joseph Badger, Jun., 16; Christopher Tappan, Esq., 9; Bezaliel Woodward, Esq., 8; and John Godard, Esq., 1. The last five of these were elected and voted for John Adams and Oliver Ellsworth. For the Presidential election of 1800 no vote of this town is on record. In 1804 the electors chosen for New Hampshire voted for Thomas Jefferson and George Clinton, the Republican candidates, and the vote of Rochester was,
519
POLITICAL.
Republican, 104; Federal, 24. In 1808 the state vote was given to the Federal candidate, Charles E. Pinckney, but Rochester voted 189 Republican, and 61 Federal. In 1812 New Hampshire chose eight electors who voted for De Witt Clinton, the Federal candidate. Rochester cast 218 Republican, and 77 Federal votes. In 1816 the vote of the State was given to the Republican candi- date, James Monroe. Rochester voted 205 Republican, and 56 Federal. The time of the ninth Presidential election, in 1820, has been called the "era of good feeling," the whole electoral vote being cast for James Monroe, except that of Governor Plumer of New Hampshire, who voted for John Quincy Adams. He explained his course by saying it was not from any dislike to Monroe, but because he wished to prevent any other man than Washington having the compliment of a unanimous vote. In Rochester five candidates on the Republican ticket received 69 votes each ; William Plumer had 48; David Barker had 65; while on the Federal ticket, Moses Hale had 20, William Hale 19, and the rest one vote each. In 1824 John Quincy Adams received the vote of New Hampshire, and the 73 votes of Rochester were all cast for the Adams ticket. In 1828 the question was Adams or Jackson, and there was more violent partisanship than ever before. In Rochester the Adams party opened the " glorious Fourth " with a salute of thirteen guns. Then a procession under William G. Webster as marshal, escorted by the Artillery Com- pany under Capt. William Hurd, marched to the old meeting- house on the common, which had been profusely decorated for the occasion. Hon. Nathaniel Upham was president of the day. The exercises were opened with prayer by the Rev. Isaac Willey, and were interspersed with select pieces of music. The "Decla- ration" was read by John P. Hale. Hon. David Barker, Jr., delivered an oration, afterwards published, in which he reviewed the issues of the day, and the past and present condition of polit- ical parties. The celebration closed with a sumptuous dinner at Lowell Kenney's hall, followed by toasts and speeches from almost everybody in Rochester, Barrington, and Farmington. The Adams party carried the State, and though Rochester had voted for the Jackson party by twenty majority in March, the Presidential vote was 227 for Adams and 225 for Jackson. In 1832 the parties had become definitely organized as Whigs and Democrats. The
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ROCHESTER.
State went for Jackson, and the Rochester vote was 239 Demo- crat; 165 Whig. In 1836 there was very little interest, less than half the voters taking part. Both State and town went Democratic, the Rochester vote standing 175 for Van Buren, and 22 for Har- rison. In 1840 came the exciting campaign of "log cabin and hard cider " memories, resulting in the usual Democratic victory in the State, but carrying the town 263 for Harrison against 229 for Van Buren. From this time the slavery question began to be a prominent political issue. In 1844 the State went for Polk, and the Rochester vote was Polk, 217; Clay, 215; and Birney, 39. In 1848 the state vote was for Lewis Cass. Rochester voted Democrat, 195; Whig, 147; Free Soil, 37; and Independent Dem- ocrat, 9. In 1852 Franklin Pierce received the vote of the State, and Rochester cast 269 votes for Pierce, 206 for Scott, and 64
for Hale. In 1856 the Democrats failed to carry the State for the first time in twenty-five years, and from that time to the present New Hampshire has voted for a Republican President. The Rochester vote was 392 for Fremont, 309 for Buchanan, and 4 for Fillmore. Since then the Presidential votes in Rochester have been as follows: - In 1860, Lincoln, 376; Douglas, 268; Breck- inridge, 22; Bell, 2. In 1864, Lincoln, 404; Mcclellan, 343. In 1868, Grant, 479; Seymour, 318. In 1872, Grant, 456; Greeley, 340; Black, 20; O'Connor, 1. In 1876, Hayes, 669; Tilden, 556. In 1880, Garfield, 806; Hancock, 583; Weaver, 34; Prohibition, 3. In 1884, Blaine, 864; Cleveland, 615; St. John, 30; Butler, 18. In 1888, Harrison, 748; Cleveland, 783; Fisk, 29; Belva Lockwood, 2.
The following item from the "Rochester Courier" of October 5, 1888, is worthy of preservation in the political history of the town : -
" Names of persons now residents of Rochester who voted for William H. Harrison for President in 1840 : - Elijah Brock, Eli Beede, Joseph Blaisdell, Charles Bragdon, Joshua N. Cate, Jacob Clark, Sylvester Clark, Horatio G. Corson, James H. Corson, Zimri Corson, Michael E. Corson, John Crockett, Amasa Dame, John Estes, Hanson Evans, Solomon Evans, Thomas Fall, John Folsom, Edmund Frye, Charles H. Furbush, John S. Gilman, Wentworth Good- win, Ephraim Hammett, Joseph M. Hanson, Samuel S. Hart, Charles T. Hart- ford, David Hayes, William Hodsdon, George W. Hodsdon, Charles Hurd, Jonas Hurd, Locke Howard, Lewis F. Horne, Joshua R. Howard, George Jenness, Stephen Jenness, William A. Kimball, George Leighton, I. W. Lougee, A. W. Mason, John McDuffee, Daniel Meader, Asa Meader, Tobias Meader, Bidfield Meserve, Larkin B. Moulton, James T. Nutter, John L. Nutter, Alphonso J. Nutter, Willard Nutter, Locke Otis, James Page, Francis Plummer [died before the election in 1888], H. N. Plummer, John Price, James Quimby,
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POLITICAL.
Richard Togers, Samuel R., Roberts Ichabod Rowe, David J. Sanborn, Joseph B. Sayward, Hiram W. Scruton, Nathaniel Shorey, John O. Sleeper, John L. Swayne. Israel Tuttle, Eben Varney, Moses Wallingford, Hiram Wallace, John Whipple, Warren Wadleigh.
" Mr. George B. Roberts, who furnishes the above list of names of 1840 vet- erans, although himself active and interested in the campaign at that time, lacked one month of being old enough to vote. Mr. Daniel Legro, also active in that campaign, lacked sixteen days of being a voter, but both may well be recorded with the veterans. Judge Edgerly and E. J. Mathes voted for Van Buren in 1840, but both will vote for General Harrison in 1888. There may be others of the same kind. We doubt if any town in the State can furnish more names of 1840 voters than the above."
The Congressional elections occasioned little interest and no excitement in the early history of the town. For ten years after the adoption of the Federal Constitution, the highest vote for Members of Congress was 83, and the average vote was much less. As early as 1786, the Governor vote was 378; yet as late as 1800, at an election to fill a vacancy, the highest candidate for Member of Congress received only 13 votes. It was not till about 1812 that candidates for Congress began to receive the full vote of their respective parties. Owing to the lack of organization there was frequently no election of the full number of Representatives. Resignations were not unusual also, so that the people were often called together for special elections to fill vacancies.
The general trend of political feeling in Rochester is seen in the Presidential votes already given. It was only as the anti-slavery conflict began to take form, gradually rousing the stolid and the indifferent to earnestness and activity, that political interest largely centered on the Congressional elections. In 1843 John P. Hale, a son of Rochester, was one of the Representatives elected to Con- gress by the Democrats. But when that party gave their support to the annexation of Texas and the extension of slavery, he refused to vote with them. Consequently at the next election in 1845, they threw him overboard and nominated John Woodbury in his place. Hale became the candidate of the Liberty party, but after three trials the State was unable to elect any of the candidates, and the seat remained vacant through the next Congress. In 1843, when Mr. Hale was the regular Democratic candidate, he received 141 votes in Rochester, being eighteen less than the others on the same ticket. At the regular election in March, 1845, the highest Whig candidate received 175 votes, the highest Democratic candidate 211, and Hale 177, mostly Democratic votes, which were divided be-
35
.
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ROCHESTER.
tween Hale and Woodbury. Owing to the split in the Democratic party there was no election for this district. Three special elec- tions were held with the same result, the Rochester vote being as follows : - Sept. 13, 1845, Ichabod Goodwin, Whig, had 98 votes, John Woodbury, Democrat, 114, and John P. Hale, Independent Democrat, 74; Nov. 29, 1845, Goodwin 147, Woodbury 114, Hale 86; March 10, 1846, Goodwin 190, Woodbury 183, Hale 81.
Under the aggressions of the slave power the growing anti-slav- ery sentiment was gradually crystallizing into the Republican party. In 1848 a public indignation meeting was held in Rochester, at which resolutions were passed denouncing the annexation of Texas and the Mexican war as unnecessary and unjust, and declaring that Congress ought to grant no further supplies except for the safe with- drawal of our troops. These resolutions were published and sent to the New Hampshire members of Congress.
Until 1847 all the members of Congress to which the State was entitled were voted for on one general ticket. Since then each Rep- resentative District elects its own member. In 1788 New Hamp- shire was entitled to three members of Congress; in 1792 the num- ber was increased to four; in 1802, to five; in 1812, to six; in 1833 it was reduced to five; in 1843, to four; in 1853, to three; and in 1883, to two. Since the voting has been by Districts, the political complexion of Rochester's Congressional vote is shown in the fol- lowing table : --
523
POLITICAL.
Year.
Democratic.
Whig.
Free Soil.
Republican.
Greenback.
Labor Reform.
Prohibition.
Independent.
Scattering.
1847
218
21₴
86
1849
219
232
1851.
238
293
1853
262
276
1855
240
377
1857
76
339
3
1859
317
341
1861
322
346
1863
376
333
1865
308
330
53
1867
348
475
1869
311
440
1871
466
366
39
2
1873
393
464
43
1875
492
604
44
1
1877
581
590
6
2
1878 November.
313
587
263
1880
585
805
29
5
1882
473
719
28
41
1884
618
857
18
34
1886
787
582
32
1888.
796
739
23
1
Until 1793 the chief magistrate of New Hampshire was styled " President." The first state election occurred March 29, 1784, and the record of the Rochester vote is in the following words : -
" It was unanimously voted that the Hon. Meshack Weare, Esq. is chosen President of the State to the number of 209 votes."
Weare is said to have been unanimously elected by the State. No distinct separation into organized parties occurred till 1794, when the votes were classed as Federal and Republican, the Republicans being known as Democrats a few years later, and the Federals
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ROCHESTER.
becoming Whigs. The Rochester vote for Governor in subsequent years, with the party names of the several candidates so far as they can easily be given, is as follows : -
( George Atkinson, 86.
1785. Col. John Langdon, 66. Gen. John Sullivan, 27. 2
Gen. John Sullivan, 376. Elected.
1786.
George Atkinson, Esq., 2.
1787.
John Sullivan, 249. Judge Livermore, 23. John Sullivan, 211. Josiah Bartlett, 1. John Sullivan, 131.
1789. Jolm Pickering, 131. Josiah Bartlett, 1.
No election by popular vote. Langdon was chosen by the Senate.
No election by the people. Sullivan was chosen by the Senate.
John Langdon was elected by two votes. No election by the people. Sullivan
was chosen by the Senate.
1790. ( John Pickering, 189. Col. Joshua Wentworth, 67.
No election by the people. Bartlett was chosen by the Senate.
S John Langdon, 221. Elected.
1810. Jeremiah Smith, 82.
1811. John Langdon, 260. Elected.
Jeremiah Smith, 71.
William Plumer, Rep., 222.
1794.
John T. Gilman, Fed., 197. Elected. Ebenezer Thompson, Rep., 99.
No election by the people. Plumer was chosen by the Legislature.
1795. John T. Gilman, 295. Elected.
1796. John T. Gilman, 324. Elected. 1813. John T. Gilman, 82. Elected.
1797. John T. Gilman, 267. Elected.
1798.
John T. Gilman, 302. Elected. Oliver Peabody, Rep., 27.
1799. John T. Gilman, 318. Elected.
1800. 5 John T. Gilman, 165. Elected.
Timothy Walker, Rep., 185.
1801.
John T. Gilman, 62. Elected. Timothy Walker, 278. John T. Gilman, 86. Elected. John Langdon, Rep., 189.
1802.
John T. Gilman, 51. Elected.
1803. John Langdon, 186.
1804.
John T. Gilman, 51. John Langdon, 200. 1818.
1805. John Langdon, 256. Elected. John T. Gilman, 35.
1806. John Langdon, 213. Elected. 1819. Samuel Hale, 13. Scattering, 1.
1807. John Langdon, 198. Elected.
Elected. 1820. Samuel Bell, 321. Elected.
1808. John Langdon, 148. Scattering, 3.
Samuel Bell, 298. Elected.
1809.
Jeremiah Smith, Fed., 78. Elected.
1821. Nathaniel Upham, 15. Jeremiah Mason, 1.
John Langdon, 225.
1822. Samuel Bell, 295. Elected.
1791. Josiah Bartlett, 183. Elected.
1792. Josiah Bartlett, 177. Elected.
1793. Josiah Bartlett, 261. Elected. John Langdon, 1.
1812. John T. Gilman, 76.
William Plumer, 261.
1814. John T. Gilman, 99. Elected. William Plumer, 234. John T. Gilman, 91. Elected. 1815. William Plumer, 229. John Goddard, 1. 1816. William Plumer, 279. Elected. James Sheafe, Fed., 74. Scattering, 2. William Plumer, 255. Elected. James Sheafe, 51. Jeremiah Mason, 8. Scattering, 1. 1817.
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