USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > Stratford > History of the town of Stratford, New Hampshire, 1773-1925 > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
In the evening occurred a service of remarkable interest in the number of former pastors present. The music was a decided feature, given by a choir under the leadership of the pastor, who was formerly leader of the Brown University Glee Club. Among the former pastors present and called upon to speak were the Rev. J. L. Clark, Waterville, Me .; the Rev. J. S. Brown, Manchester Center, Vt .; the Rev. E. C. Goodwin, Sanbornton; the Rev. E. M. Fuller, Burling- ton. Other speakers were: the Rev. O. C. Sargent, Concord; the Rev. George B. Nye, Bloomfield, Vt .; the Rev. D. J. Smith, Stratford, and clergymen from other towns in this vicinity.
The women of the church, by great effort, made repairs in 1890, and they are back of the movement which gives the town today a Baptist church remodeled throughout, a steel covered interior with handsome decorations. The choir gallery has been rearranged, a new pulpit installed and car- pets laid. A vestry has been built at the rear, connecting with the church, the lawn graded and a concrete driveway and walks put in, until the church, with its new painting without, is one of the best houses of worship in the county. The church members have been aided in this movement by the residents of the town, who, with an eye on the spiritual welfare of the community, have felt it a duty and a privilege to aid the earnest workers in their noble cause.
A reception was given the visiting pastors this evening.
A second time this church and community were to be afflicted by the loss of their house of worship by fire. On Easter Sunday, April 4, 1915, after the beautiful morning service, and while preparations were being made for baptism, fire caught from a defective chimney, and with a strong wind and no available water supply, the house was soon in ruins. Some of the memorial windows were preserved and part of the furniture.
Again church and community rallied, and on January 11, 1916, the present house of worship was dedicated. The sermon was
184
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
preached by Rev. D. S. Jenks, secretary of the convention· Revs. Joseph S. Brown, E. M. Fuller, and E. C. Goodwin, former pastors, took part in the service, and letters were read from Revs. J. L. Clark and Stacey R. Warburton, also former pastors. Rev. G. F. Rouillard, the pastor during this period of change, admin- istered baptism to nine candidates in the evening service. Money gifts were received from individuals; a fine new organ was pre- sented by Mr. and Mrs. G. R. Magoon; the memorial windows destroyed by the fire were replaced, and others added by the Woman's Society, by Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Watts in memory of their little daughter, by Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Hutchins in memory of their daughter and of Mrs. Hutchins' parents. The church had applied the insurance on the former church building to the new edifice and to the repairs on the parsonage (which had been enlarged and remodelled in 1912), and a debt remained of $4,500 which the Woman's Society assumed. At the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the church, in 1923, on August 19th of Old Home Week, this mortgage was burned. The building commit- tee consisted of the trustees of the church property, N. W. Bald- win, F. A. Hinman, J. C. Pattee, and J. C. Hutchins.
The church has served the community for fourscore years, and the future is bright. Her members have been few, but among them have stood some choice spirits whose devotion to her interests has ever been strong, whom opposition and indifference could never cause to waver in their allegiance. She has been favored in being set in the midst of a generous and warm-hearted people, who have been loyal in their support, and in the coöpera- tion of Christians of other creeds who have not been enrolled in her membership. She has also been favored in the character and ability of the men who have ministered to her :
Daniel Rowley, 1843-44 George W. Butler, 1845-51 Charles W. Bailey (one year) Amos Boardman, 1856-58 E. P. Borden (supply), 1860 Charles W. Walker, 1861-63 George A. Glines, 1866-68 S. D. Ashley, 1867 Abraham Bedell, 1868-70 John L. Sanborn, 1870-78 S. A. Read, 1878-80 William Beavens, 1880-81
William McGregor, 1881-82 S. H. Cornwall, 1883-85
C. H. Sisson, 1885-86
E. C. Goodwin, 1886-89
E. M. Fuller, 1890-91
J. S. Brown, 1892-190I J. L. Clark, 1901-04
S. R. Warburton, 1904-06
H. B. Woods, 1906-II . G. F. Rouillard, 1911-18
E. M. Fuller (2nd pastorate) 1918-
185
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
Among these men the church ordained to the full ministry the following, who served here for their first pastorates:
Samuel D. Ashley, November, 1867 Samuel A. Read, September, 1878 Stephen H. Cornwall, June, 1883
EPISCOPAL MISSION
In the spring of 1902, at the solicitation of some of the citizens of North Stratford, the Episcopal Church established a mission here, the Rev. Marcus H. Carrol of Lancaster holding occasional services. There were some twenty members belonging to the society. After Mr. Carrol's removal from Lancaster, Rev. Arthur M. Dunstan, then rector at Groveton, had charge of the mission. As the establishment of new industries at North Stratford gave promise of increased population, the Episcopal Church again took up work here, and Rev. H. L. Allder of Groveton began holding services in the spring of 1921. These services were held at first in the dining room of the Pythian Block on Sunday afternoons. As the society increased in members, a lot was purchased on School street; and in 1922 the cornerstone of a chapel was laid, Rev. Arthur M. Dunstan, then secretary of the Diocese of New Hampshire, giving the address and perform- ing the ceremony. A Gothic chapel has been erected, but only the basement finished, where services are being held. A new bell was added to the equipment in 1924. The membership of the mission (known as the Mission of the Ascension) is 107 baptized adherents, with 57 communicants.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
We are indebted for the following sketch of material gathered by Mr. Prescott and additional material furnished by Rev. Father Routhier, resident priest of Sacred Heart Church.
Thomas Connary, who came to Stratford in 1846, was the first resident Roman Catholic, and to his ardent zeal and fervent piety the present prosperous church owes much for its maintenance through its pioneer days. "Of Mr. Connary it may be said with the utmost truthfulness that he has ever borne an irreproachable Christian character as citizen, neighbor, friend; and in business he has maintained the highest type, and no one has been more trusted and honored by his townspeople. Indeed the entire family are numbered among our best citizens."
I86
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
Through Mr. Connary's efforts a Roman Catholic priest from Montpelier, Vt., came to care for the spiritual needs of the men of that faith who were employed in building the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad, in construction here during the late '40's and early '50's; and Mass was first celebrated in a little building a few rods east of the station. Father Dowlett, Riley, and Brady were early visitors to the townships in this vicinity, and Father Noiseux, in 1857, assumed the care of the various missions here and in surroundings towns. In 1865 Father Noiseux had charge of the missions in the Connecticut valley from Colebrook in the north to the Ashuelot River, in the extreme south of the state.
Mr. Connary bought the land on which the present church stands in 1866; but, as a church had been built in Bloomfield, building here was deferred until 1887, when a church was erected at a cost of $3,000. In 1891 the church property was valued at $6,000. This was during the pastorate of Father Marshall, and after the purchase of additional land and the erection of a rectory. At this time also two missions of this church were established - in Colebrook and West Stewartstown, where land was bought and churches erected.
Since 1891 extensive repairs have been made upon the Sacred Heart Church building, and the present value of the church property would be far in excess of the figures above given.
"There are several of the old residents who remember the visits of Rev. Fathers Noiseux of Littleton, and Defresne of Coaticook, Que., celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and other offices which were then offered up at 'the Old Schoolhouse on Main Street,' or at the 'Old Toll-house near the bridge.'
"For a number of years Rev. Father Matthew Creamer came regularly from Lancaster to visit the Catholic population in this vicinity. In 1887, upon request of the parishioners, it was decided to build a church on Main Street. A suitable lot of land was bought on which the present Sacred Heart Church was built, which stands as a true monument of Father Creamer's zeal.
"On the 2nd of April of the following year, 1888, Rev. John Houlihan was appointed resident priest of North Stratford by the Right Reverend Bishop Healy of Portland, Maine. On the 2nd of March, 1891, Father Houlihan, owing to ill health, was relieved by the appointment of Rev. George Marshall, renowned as a most ardent worker, who succeeded in paying the greater part
187
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
of the church debt, and constructed the present rectory. For four and one-half years he served the Catholic community and its missions. Father Marshall's successor was Rev. J. Desmond, who came August 12, 1895, and continued the noble work of his predecessor with the full ardor of his priestly soul. He was succeeded, on January 10, 1899, by Rev. H. E. Lennon, who in turn, because of ill health caused by the heavy mission tasks, was relieved by Father J. G. A. Jutras, on the 10th of September, 1904. Father Jutras remained five years, and was followed by Rev. W. J. Cavanagh, October 2, 1909. Father Cavanagh's stay still remains "happy memories" in the hearts of the parish- ioners and of the community as well. He was transferred to Groveton October 10, 1913, and was succeeded by Rev. Walter L. Dee, whose delicate health was unable to stand the tasks, especially those of the missions, which required long drives to reach all of his flock. He was relieved from time to time, while in the hospital, by the Rev. Fathers E. Gauthier and J. W. Sliney. Finally on the 27th of August, 1916, Rev. L. P. Routhier came and took charge of the parish of the Sacred Heart and its missions, administering to the spiritual needs of the Catholic population. He is still (1925) the parish priest, having been in charge the longest term of any in the history of the church here."
THE RELIGIOUS CENTER OF NORTH STRATFORD
THE BRIDGE OVER CONNECTICUT RIVER AT STRATFORD HOLLOW
CHAPTER XV
STRATFORD HOLLOW'S BUSINESS
As has been before stated, the settlement of the town began in the southern part. The intervales there were wider; the stream, Bog Brook, gave promise of water power; and there were the Judson lots upon which settled the men sent out by those pro- prietors: Archippus Blodgett, Joshua Lamkin, John Smith, James Brown, and James Curtis. (See "Proprietors' Records, 1789." Real Estate Transfers.) Not until after the Revolution did the settlement extend up the river, and into the eastern part of the town.
Those first settlers probably early recognized the utility of the stream running through their midst; and Judd's survey in 1788 confirmed what their own observation had begun to teach them, that Stratford's wealth largely consisted in her timberland, and that only one-fourth of the land was available for cultivation. But they had little idea of how many industries would be set in motion by its waters, and by the other streams of the town. In- deed, for many years, one of the greatest privations from which they suffered was the lack of mills-gristmills to grind their corn, and sawmills to manufacture their lumber. Boards were sawed and rafted from Guildhall as late as 1790. Throughout the towns in this northern section "for the first twenty years the people lived without mills. All their supplies not produced from the lands or forest or streams came through the Mountain Notch, or up the Connecticut River."
The very first mill was operated by horse power, but it did little better service than the large mortar-and-pestle attached to a pole. This was the samp mortar, an institution in all the old families. It was an immense hard-wood log, about three feet in length, hollowed out at the end like an ordinary mortar, with a stone pestle hung upon a spring pole, in the corner of the kitchen. Into this mortar the corn was put in small quantities and crushed with this pestle until it was as fine as hominy. The hull was removed with water. Samp was a standard article of food long after mills were established, and the mortar maintained its place in many families. ("Cöos County History," Town of Lancaster.)
189
190
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
MILLS
By reference to the Proprietors' Records we learn that as early as 1775 special inducements were offered to any one who would build a saw- and gristmill within two years: namely, a grant of one hundred acres, and the stream, Bog Brook, for three miles from the Connecticut River. The next year the proprietors decided to build the mill at their own expense, but found it "incon- venient." In 1777 one Eli Perry, of Derby, Conn., proposed to build a mill, but failed to do so. In 1783 the proprietors voted that a tax of $II on each lot be raised for the expense of building a saw- and gristmill, and "if any person fail to pay, eleven acres shall be taken out of his lot."
It is commonly accepted that the first mill in town was built by John Gamsby, on or near the site of the Ockington Mills, about 1778. Mr. Prescott, who had the memories of the elderly people to aid him when he lived among them, some seventy-five years ago, places it then and there; but there are evidences that a mill was built at the junction of the Percy Road and the main Bog Brook Road, near the place known as the "round house" site, water to run the mill being taken from Bog Brook about forty rods above by means of a canal, traces of which are visible now. The sawmill was built at the dam, where the water was taken out for the gristmill.
Apart from the popular tradition we must depend upon the Proprietors' Records, and these are rather indefinite as to the time and place of that first mill. The real estate transfers are the most complete of any data that we possess, and to them we would refer the curious reader. (See Chapter V.)
Gamsby's Mill did not prove satisfactory, and on July 9, 1787, Jabez Baldwin and Andrew Beers were chosen to view the mill and make report. The report evidently did not prove favorable, and the proprietors decided to offer David Judson, of Stratford, Conn., 400 acres of land if he would build within twelve months. These Judson mills were built, and the location and boundaries are exactly defined (Chapter V, records of 1789). As Elijah and Josiah Blodgett were both millers, it is reasonable to expect that they were connected with these mills. Elijah soon removed to Guildhall, and carried on his trade there.
The records of June 16-17, 1788, are very interesting and important from a historical point of view. We can imagine that
19I
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
there was heated discussion and decided difference of opinion in these meetings. One item reads: "Voted that the Proprietors do Hereby engage to Defend James Brown and James Curtis and the heirs of the late John Holbrook against any suit of law which may be commenced by John Gamsby & his heirs for a certain Bond of Writing respecting building a gristmill." They were evidently not able to bring the point to an issue in a two days' session, but adjourned to meet again, and on August 18th "they voted not to accept of the Grist Mill as built by John Gamsby as he has not built the same on land appropriated for that purpose, neither has he built the same mill sufficient to merit any of the inducements heretofore voted by the proprietors."
The repudiated acres were transferred from Gamsby to Judson apparently, as we know exactly where they were located, and as mention is made in the real estate transfers made to John Gamsby to the town plot and the sawmill lot, the evidence is strong that the Gamsby Mill was situated near the Ockington site.
With the building of these two mills began the business life of Stratford. Barlow built on Little Bog Brook before 1800; Daniels in the southern part of the town, and Barnes in the east- ern, were pioneers in the lumber business. Stratford's popula- tion, and the amount of business carried, depended largely upon the number and activity of her mills. There are several sites that have been almost constantly occupied since John Gamsby built that much discussed and unsatisfactory mill. Perhaps the next in chronological order might be Barlow's, on Little Bog Brook, as he hoped to finish it in order to obtain the grant offered by the proprietors. We have seen, however, that Judson completed his mill at an earlier date, and secured the coveted acres. Barlow's Mill was on the Percy Road, which was ex- pected to become an important highway en route to Portland. We have no means of knowing how many years this mill was in operation.
Judson's Mill, as we have seen, was built near the site of the Ockington Mills. It evidently was not running when Mr. Ock- ington came, in 1832. Mr. Ockington ran both a gristmill and a sawmill for many years. They were rebuilt by his son Brooks in 1859, when the roots of an old dam were found. This mill was purchased by Henry Sanders, and sold by him to George P. Ock- ington. George and John McNally bought of him; then the mill
192
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
passed into the possession of Frank N. Piper, N. D. Piper, and Alvin G. French; the latter afterward selling to W. H. Kimball. Recent freshets have laid bare the foundations of an old mill that must have been built in the earliest days of Stratford's settle- ment, whether Judson's or Gamsby's we cannot tell.
Joseph Daniels had the first carding mill, which was soon sold to Robert Bond, who also had a sawmill. Mr. Bond must have had possession over twenty years. This mill was burned. The tax up to 1850 was $400, while that year it was but $100. This may help to fix the date of the fire. Mr. Bond died in 1850. For a few years after his son-in-law, James Powers, ran a sawmill, then moved to North Stratford. The Bond Mills were near where the Fisk Mill stood later.
George and Edward Byron built mills on the brook near the Northumberland line. These were brought by Joseph and John Harding in 1849, and subsequently by Smith Folsom, who was running a sawmill there in 1861. Charles Lucas and Harvey Bishop were later owners. This property was burned, and was not rebuilt.
Ezra Barnes was operating a mill at East Stratford between 1820 and 1825, and Nicholas Stone had another on Stone Brook. It is difficult to fix upon the dates of these mills, as no tax was set upon them until 1849, though Ockington's and Bond's are taxed from the first. When Elisha Baldwin built his mill on Bissel Brook, we find this item in 1842: "Sawed logs in mill yard over $50 worth of pine, 40 thousand hemlock." Whether the others were exempt, or did a non-taxable amount of business, we do not know.
In 1849 the following mills are operating in Stratford, and this is the first year they are all taxed: Bond $400, Harding $100, Barnes $250, Stone $500, Baldwin $800. The Baldwin Mill con- sisted first of a sawmill, built primarily for the preparation of the lumber used in building the Baldwin homestead. Later the gristmill was added, then the carpenter shop. Elisha Alger Baldwin built for himself the house opposite, and did general repair work in the mill until he, with his brother, W. L. Baldwin, built the Nulhegan Mills. Elisha Baldwin was miller until the property was sold to J. B. Alger.
More mills sprang up during the '50's. Madison Johnson had one on Bissel Brook, one mile from the main road. This was
STRATFORD HOLLOW BUSINESS MEN
W. H. Kimball
Reuben Marden
W. R. Brown Fremont Wright
Noah B. Waters
I94
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
burned, and rebuilt by him, the tax in 1854 being $600. After- wards it was sold to Smart, then to Guy W. Johnson. Mr. Johnson sold to Maguire, and he to E. B. Merriam. The great- est activity of this mill was in the '70's.
Reuben Hartshorn had a mill on Kimball Brook, in the back lots of the Forristall farm in 1854, taxed for $300; and Nehemiah Barnet, on Meriden Hill, tax, $300. This was run the next year by Augustus Osgood, and had evidently been enlarged, for $600 is the tax set upon it for that year. William Snow pays a tax of $100 for a mill at the Hollow.
The eastern part of the town, during the fifty years from 1850, was actively engaged in lumbering. Ezra Barnes, as we have seen, had a mill on Bog Brook in the first quarter of the century. This was bought by his son-in-law, Ezra F. Merrill, in the late '50's, repaired, and new machinery put in, and an extensive busi- ness was set in motion. Additional lands were purchased, and in 1880 he put in steam power and greatly increased the mill's capacity. Merrill sold to the Turner Falls Lumber Company, of Turner Falls, Mass., in 1887. They rebuilt on a yet larger scale. This company sold to W. H. Kimball in 1891, with the exception of 800 acres sold to Eaton & Sawyer, and 1,300 acres to Fred N. Day. Mr. Kimball put in additional steam power, in- creasing the capacity to three millions a year. He sold to W. R. Danforth in 1896. The mill was taken down in 1902.
We have spoken of the mill operated by John and Nicholas Stone on Stone Brook; but in 1855 they built a mill run by water power, with a rotary saw, about half a mile below the big dam, which was operated by them until 1864, when they sold to Wil- liam McIntire, who ran it three years and sold it to Harvey W. Bishop, who sold it to B. S. and C. W. English in 1871. They put in steam power and ran it until about 1875, when it was burned and not rebuilt.
On the "Priest lot" Hiram Lucas built an "up-and-down" mill on the East Branch, about 1845, which was run but very little, and soon went the way of abandoned enterprises. The mill was owned subsequently by William Richey, Fred Fisk, J. V. Wright and William Fisk, S. A. & A. C. French, who opened a clothespin factory, and by David Stone. This mill had a rotary saw, and shingle, clapboard, and lath machines, run by water power. In 1884 Albert Jackson built a shingle mill, "steam
195
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
power," near the above site, and manufactured shingles a few years, and moved out.
In the '80's and '90's the mills in town and the Nulhegan Mills were running to their fullest capacity. Besides those al- ready named, Rollin Baldwin ran one on Kimball Brook, which was burned in 1888.
This lumber activity gave employment to many men. The largest school in town for some years was located in East Strat- ford; another large school was on Meriden Hill, which is, at this time, almost a deserted neighborhood.
EARLY MERCHANTS
Alexander Brown, son of James, says, "Within my memory the Hollow was a camping place for Indians." There was a trading post near the old Grandison Platt homestead, kept by a Mr. Green, where the Indians came to trade their furs for rum and other things. In 1800, the records show, John Green was chosen sealer of weights and measures.
Tradition says that John Kelley did some trading at the Beach place, but for years a journey to Lancaster was necessary to pro- cure needed articles. After the road through the Notch was opened the farmers brought back from Portland a year's supply of what their own lands could not produce; and the thrifty farmer had a supply sufficiently large to provide his hired help for their needs. Pedlars on foot and with carts went through the town. For many years the housewife depended for her choicest linen, silks, broadcloths, silver, glassware, and other household articles upon the traveling pedlar.
Nahum D. Day and Marcus D. Webb opened a store at the Hollow in 1832, and in 1833 Webb is taxed for $1,000 in trade. The tax lists do not show for how long that business continued; but in 1836 we find that Nahum D. Day is taxed for one acre (Morgan Noble lot), and this item appears: "Carriage of pleas- ure." As no other taxpayer has this written in, we must con- clude that this carriage must have been a notable vehicle.
STRATFORD HOLLOW IN 1847
We have in our possession a school girl's essay, written for the school paper, December 29, 1847, entitled, "A Short Description of Stratford Hollow and Its Inhabitants." We quote from it, as her exact enumeration gives us some interesting information :
196
HISTORY OF STRATFORD
"Stratford Hollow is situated in a most pleasant part of the town. It is composed of eleven Dwelling houses, two Blacksmiths' shops, two good Saw-mills, one Clothing and Carding establishment, such as it is, one Gristmil!, two Shoemakers, one Tanner, one Cabinetmaker, and one schoolhouse." This essay is signed "by an unknown author." As the young lady in question is rather severe in her criticisms of the inhabitants of the village, only three or four of them meeting her approval, and as warning is given to young men that "now is the time to correct their many errors," she perhaps preferred to remain incognito; but it will probably do no harm to disclose the authorship of this severe critic of Stratford Hollow's morality, for the writer was Harriet Bond, the eighteen-year-old daughter of Robert Bond. We wish she had been more explicit as to the identity of those various business men. It does place the time when Joseph Johnson was operating the tannery. Samuel Blake was still alive, and would be the cabinetmaker. By reference to the town records we find that Benjamin Ockington ran both a sawmill and a gristmill at that time. Robert Bond had a sawmill and a carding and cloth- dressing mill, of which his daughter speaks so deprecatingly. Robert Bond's property is inventoried as "two and one-half acres on the Wm. Thompson lot" (No. 3 in original survey), which will help those familiar with the layout of the land in locating his stand. He built on the site of the old Daniels Mill, which had been burned. The tavern which Mr. Bond built is not mentioned, neither is William Curtis' house (Dennison Inn). which was in existence at that time. We are able to identify one of the shoemakers, Abram Gaskill, for his shoe shop is taxed. Other taxpayers for that year were: Iraenus Waters, Guy C. Burnside, George W. Byron, Jabez Baldwin (son of Nathan), Mark Potter, Philander Blodgett (on David Polly farm), Samuel W. Johnson, William Snow, Henry O. White, Widow Curtis (occupant of Widow Daniels' house, lot No. 3), Alpha H. Waters, Jonas Merriam, David Merriam, Donald Brown, Salmon and Lyman Hoskins (on the gristmill lot), the Gaskills (Elbridge, Franklin, Hubbard, and Elias). The Gaskills were on the Wentworth lot. Here were the mill, shop, and other build- ings formerly owned by Edward Byron and Samuel Blake. These were purchased by Joseph Harding, who came here in 1847. No mention is made here of a store, but one was operated by Jabez Baldwin about that time.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.