USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > Stratford > History of the town of Stratford, New Hampshire, 1773-1925 > Part 18
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James Ogle came here in 1868 as a blacksmith, and located near the bridge, on the south side of the railroad. In 1884 he formed a partnership with C. W. Clough, and they built a large two-story building on the same site, which they fitted up with a steam engine and the necessary machinery for a well-equipped wagon, carriage, and blacksmith shop. This furnished employ- ment for from four to six men.
James Twohey built the Twohey Block (three stories and a basement) in 1884. The upper story was used as a hall for societies, the second a skating rink, and the first was occupied as a clothing store by Jacobs & Kugelman in 1885. Mr. Kugel- man withdrew in 1887 and established another store near the bridge.
W. F. Nugent, in 1899, had two stores, on opposite sides of the street, at this end of the bridge across the Connecticut, where he sold groceries, clothing and furnishings. Two years later he closed out his business. In 1909 he went into the store built by Henry Brooks, at the corner of Bridge and River Streets, which had been occupied by Mrs. Alice Merchant as a millinery store, and resumed his trade in clothing and furnishings. This store was burned December 25, 1919. In 1920 Mr. Nugent rebuilt, and carried on the same business until 1924, when he sold out his stock, and rented the building to Loverin Brothers.
J. H. Danforth began the manufacture of last-blocks after the close of the Civil War. This was carried on for many years, Danforth, Pattee & Clark making about 100,000 during the winter of 1886-87.
In 1858 the Willard House was opened. For several years the Hinman House had been the chief hotel in the place, popular for its good table and moderate prices. The small number of rooms, however, were not equal to the requirements of travel, and the Willard House was built to meet that need. The main part of the house was built by Bedel and Holmes. Mr. Bedel said we
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needed more hotel accommodations, and he did the woodwork for $1,800. The owner, Jere Willard, a grandson of Jacob Schoff, and a native of Maidstone, had been to California and met with some success in gold hunting. Having returned to his home, and finding the change that had come to North Stratford, by reason of the coming of the railroad, he employed a portion of his hard- earned means in helping to develop this young and growing vil- lage. The Willard House was opened for the accommodation of the public in November, 1858. This hotel was a popular house, and it was enlarged in later years; and at the time of its destruc- tion by fire, in 1895, it had rooms for fifty guests, and a large pub- lic hall connected with it. Mr. Willard kept the house from November, 1858, to the following May, when E. F. Bailey took it and conducted it for two years and a half. Mr. Willard again became its landlord until 1865, when he sold it to Jennison and Crane, who carried it on until 1868, when Mr. Willard again be- came proprietor for one year. He then leased it to Clark Trask for two years, and then again ran it for one year. He then closed his connection with the house by selling to Heman Folsom in 1871. Mr. Folsom ran the house seven years, and sold to Rowan and Gould, and they to C. E. Moses, in 1879. Mr. Moses was here until 1883, when the house was leased to George Hilliard, Jan- uary 7, 1886. Moses bought Hilliard's lease and closed and re- paired the house, which he reopened March 27, 1886, with J. W. Tibbetts as partner, to whom he leased one-half interest for the term of three years. Mr. Tibbetts sold his lease to W. H. Bishop. William Buck, the last landlord, purchased the house in 1893.
In 1869 Havilah B. Hinman began keeping a livery stable with one horse. In 1886 he purchased the livery attached to the Willard House, comprising from twenty to thirty horses. In 1893 the livery business was in the hands of C. E. Moses & Co., David McConnell, and Matthew Donahue.
The Percy House was built by Van R. Davis in 1869, and opened by him as a public house March 30, 1871, and he con- ducted it for some years. Mr. Davis sold to John Melcher of Groveton. After this the house had various proprietors. Those who were here the longest were Edwin Smith, 1879-82, and Josiah W. Tibbetts, 1883-86. Other proprietors were Henry Smith, Matthew Donahue, and David McConnell, who sold in 1896 to Bernice Silver. Mr. Silver greatly enlarged the house,
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put in steam heat, and refurnished the rooms. This house was burned September 1, 1889, and Hotel Atkinson was built on the site in 1903, with Thomas B. Atkinson as proprietor. Mr. Atkinson sold to Joseph Hanson. The house was run during the succeeding years by various proprietors, and was sold by Dupont and Morin of Berlin to Edward Daley of North Stratford, who took possession March 1, 1917. Hotel Atkinson was burned December 25, 1919. This was not Mr. Daley's first experience in running a public house. The toll house, which was a part of the Baldwin bridge property, had been occupied by him as a dwelling house. After the burning of the Percy House the need of another boarding house became imperative, and Mr. Daley enlarged his house and opened it to the public, as the Daley House, in 1889. It was burned in 1916.
Another old landmark has a similar history. ' Coös Cottage, which was burned July 8, 1903, was one of the oldest houses in North Stratford, having been built in the late '50's by James Powers. This house stood just north of the site of the present Roman Catholic Church. When Mr. Powers enlisted, in 1861, his family removed from Stratford, and the house soon came into the possession of Sabin Marshall, and was the home of the Mar- shall family for many years. Edward Finnegan, section foreman on the G. T. R., purchased the house some time after the death of Mr. Marshall, Mrs. Marshall having previously moved to the home of her son, Frank, where she died in 1890. In this house, before a Roman Catholic Church was built, masses were occasion- ally held for the Roman Catholic residents of the community. Mrs. Finnegan utilized the house for boarders; and, after the Nulhegan Mills were shut down, Thomas B. Atkinson bought the house, enlarged it, and opened a boarding house known as the Coös Cottage., There was a tragedy connected with the burning of this house. Harry Evans, a blacksmith doing business in Bloomfield, was so severely burned that he died from his injuries received there.
North Stratford has suffered sadly from her fires. Indeed, there are very few buildings remaining that were standing here fifty years ago. The same can be said of Stratford Hollow; and a former resident of the town would hardly recognize it were he to revisit the old places. There have been swept away by the flames some buildings that were a detriment to the town, and others the
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loss of which cannot be replaced. We insert here two newspaper items which appeared at the time of two of the great fires, in 1894 and 1895:
Nov. 2, 1894, North Stratford experienced a most disas- trous fire. We are indebted in part to the correspondent of one of the county papers for the following report:
"The most disastrous conflagration that has ever visited this village, took place in the short time of two hours between five and seven o'clock, last Friday afternoon. The fire originated in the hay-loft of Matt. Donahue's stable, and in spite of all the efforts of the whole community it spread so rapidly that it consumed the buildings, some sixteen in all, between the Grand Trunk railroad track and the Willard house, where by almost superhuman exertion and brave endurance of our volunteer fire brigade, aided by a hand engine from Island Pond, Vt., the flames were stayed. There was hardly any wind at the time, but what there was drove the fire directly towards the Willard house, taking every- thing in its way. It is difficult to say what would have been the result if the hotel had gone. . .. The first building of importance was the store occupied by Pattee & Clark for general merchandise, and also by the post-office. This was built in the summer of 1852, by C. P. True and daughter. It was originally built for a supply store during the building of the Grand Trunk railroad. The next was the old Hinman house, built by Harvey Hinman, and the first hotel of the village, dating from 1852. Kept by him up to the time of his death, or nearly so, passing into the hands of his son, H. B. Hinman, and within a few years bought, repaired, remodeled and occupied by Matt. Donahue. Next was the grocery long occupied by the Hinman's, father and son. Next came the large block owned by the Knights of Honor. This con- tained the provision market of the Hartwell Bros. and the offices of the Maine Central railway, Western Union Tele- graph and American Express on the first floor, A. D. Nor- cott, furniture rooms, tonsorial and billiard parlors on the second floor, Knights of Pythias' hall on the third and Knights of Honor and G. A. R. post on the fourth. The next was the first store ever built in the place by Hazen Bedel and occupied by him and Alba Holmes for trade. It was owned, at the time of the fire, by George C. Twohey and occupied by a barber on the first floor and by Dr. Brewster as an office and tenement on the second and third floors. The remainder of the buildings were, a blacksmith's shop, bowling alley, barns, sheds, store rooms for lumbering apparatus, etc., and covered, with those already mentioned, all the ground between the railroad and the Willard house, and extended
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to the bank of the river. This was a very thickly settled and busy part of the village, in fact the busiest part, and nothing remained but the cellars half filled with the smoking débris.
"Pattee & Clark had a very large stock of general mer- chandise, and the upper part of the store was used for a tene- ment by C. E. Clark. David Donahue had a cottage, where he lived, in the rear of the hotel. The contents of the post- office was removed to the drug store of J. C. Hutchins, and there was no delay or loss in the delivery of the United States mail.
"While it was a great loss to the place, all felt rejoiced that there was no loss of life, nor serious personal injury.
"Rev. Mr. Brown delivered a very impressive sermon Sunday morning, drawing some valuable lessons from the disaster, and showing the folly of allowing sectional jealousies to over-rule in the matter of preparation for such emer- gencies."
There now stands (1897) upon the site of the burned district, the large and commodious business block owned and occupied by Pattee & Clark; a block owned by H. B. Hinman and occupied on the first floor by H. Kugelman, on the second floor by A. D. Norcott, and the handsome station erected by the Maine Central railroad.
Sunday, November 24, North Stratford was again visited by the fire fiend. As in the former account we will cull largely from the newspaper reports :
"About six o'clock Sunday evening the alarm of fire was given by Mr. Buck of the Willard house where a large hanging lamp had broken from its fastenings and fallen on the office floor. The flames spread so rapidly that it was soon evident nothing could be done with the means at hand to save the hotel and almost nothing of its contents, Mr. and Mrs. Buck losing all their clothing except that they had on, money and checks in the safe, and just escaping with life. Miss Larra- bee, one of the school teachers who boarded there, lost everything, the other boarders and help being in the same plight. Joseph Riley, a stranger who had been terribly in- jured in a railroad accident the Friday previous and oc- cupied a room in the hotel, being in a helpless condition, lost his life, it being impossible to rescue him, although several attempts were made.
"The beautiful new depot of the Maine Central railroad was in imminent danger, but was saved by the ladder and pail brigade. The flames, however, were carried across the street in the opposite direction and very soon the Twohey block and four other buildings were on fire, and the people were power- . less, as the warning of one year ago had not been heeded and there was not even a tub. Had there been a strong wind in
BUSINESS MEN IN NORTH STRATFORD
Charles E. Clark N. W. Baldwin Havilah B. Hinman
Group 3
Abraham Kugelman Fred A. Hinman Ola Danforth
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any direction the destruction would have been much larger and wide-spread. The horses and swine were saved at the Willard house stables, also the carriages and most of the con- tents of the other buildings."
The fire crept from one building to another until ten were totally destroyed, and then the flames died out for want of material to consume. The following list was given by the correspondent of The Gazette: "The Williard house was owned and managed by Wm. M. Buck, valued with furniture and fixtures at $18,000, insured for $13,000. The Gamsby dwelling house, occupied by Wm. Kennedy, valued at $1,200, insured for $600. Kennedy's goods uninsured, nearly all saved. The Twohey block, owned by Mrs. Mary Gerry, valued at $3,500, insured for $2,500. It was occupied by W. H. Lovejoy's meat market and grocery, insured $200. J. C. Hutchins, undertaker, insured for $500. W. Friedman & Sons, clothing and gents furnishings, insured $1,500. Knights of Pythias, insured $600. The next building was oc- cupied as a store and dwelling. The store by Thomas Mills & Co., grocers, and H. Donnelly. Mrs. Mills and Mrs. Lowe the dwelling. The building was valued at $1,500, insured $1,100. The store was insured $200. A dwelling owned by John Freeman and occupied by Peter Blair, insured for $600; and a small dwelling owned by the town of Stratford un- occupied and uninsured." The Willard house and the Gamsby dwelling were old land marks, but the others were of more recent date.
On Oct. 27, 1864, the farm buildings of Charles G. Platt were burned to the ground. It is supposed the fire caught from the arch which had been in use during the day. The buildings consisting of house, sheds and barns, were with al- most all their contents completely destroyed.
The hotel at the Hollow which was erected by Robert Bond about 1829, and which was afterwards kept by Mr. Curtis, Samuel Day and H. W. Bishop, was afterwards burned, to- gether with all the outbuildings and a store, in 1876. Mr. Bishop bought in 1870.
Another feature in the history of the business life of North Strat- ford was the "Granite State Stock Farm." Following is the item prepared for the history in 1898:
In 1884 Dr. D. O. Rowell, at that time proprietor of the Brunswick Springs House, Brunswick, Vermont, pur- chased the farm at North Stratford known as the Nathan Baldwin farm, first settled and owned by Joseph Holbrook and his son, Wales. This farm contained 350 acres, about 100 of which are rich intervale. Dr. Rowell has made a specialty of standard bred horses, and Jersey and Polled
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Angus cattle, of late years devoting the greater part of his attention to horses. And the Granite State Stock Farm has a wide reputation throughout the northern states. Among the noted sires owned by the doctor may be named, "Pelo- tone, No. 4,204," and "King Arthur," by "Constellation," out of the noted "Glenharm," with a record of 2.2334. At the head of his stud stands (1898) "Hebron," with a record of 2.2712 ; standard bred, and registered, by "Princeps," dam, "Florence," by "Volunteer 2nd," dam, "Nell," by "Hamble- tonian 10."
During the latter part of Dr. Rowell's residence here he disposed of his stock, and devoted much of his time to rebuilding the clien- tele of the Brunswick Springs, the erection of a cottage for the accommodation of guests, clearing away the vestiges of the fire which had destroyed the former hotel; and a popular resort was again opened to the public. After his death, in 1910, the prop- erty was sold to John C. Hutchins, and the family removed to Colebrook. The farm was sold to James Stone in 1909, and is now in the possession of the Stave & Heading Mill Company. Its beautiful acres are covered by the mills and long sheds of that company.
The North Stratford Creamery Company was doing a flourish- ing business here some thirty years ago, and furnishing a market for the farmers in a large section of the country. Milk was brought from Charleston, Vt., Stewartstown, Colebrook, and other towns in the more immediate vicinity, and hundreds of farmers were benefited. by this industry. In 1895 the Hobson Creamery Company, of Island Pond, Vt., built a separator at Stratford Center, having a capacity of 2,300 pounds per hour. Henry W. Curtis was placed in charge. The same firm erected a similar separator in North Stratford in 1897, placing it in charge of C. I. Paschal. The North Stratford Creamery Company was organized April 15, 1899, and the charter was granted May 3, of the same year, to the following incorporators: N. W. Baldwin, H. B. Hinman, John C. Hutchins, G. R. Magoon, and John C. Pattee. It was capitalized at $2,000, eighty shares of stock, with par value of $25, being issued. N. W. Baldwin was ap- pointed manager. The business was sold to the Portland Cream- ery Company; and to the Turner Center Dairy Company, the present management, May 1, 1919. The business at first con- sisted almost wholly of butter making; the establishment han-
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dling, in its palmiest days, 700 to 800 gallons of cream daily, with a daily output of a ton of butter. Two hundred and fifty farmers were patrons of this industry, and the large checks received eased the burdens of many a hard-working dairyman. For fourteen years, from 1906 to 1920, Herbert F. Watts was manager of this important plant. The weekly output at the present time is 20,- 000 pounds of milk and cream (most of which is shipped to Port- land), and 200 gallons of ice-cream.
We insert at this stage in the "History" a humorous sketch of the business life of North Stratford, written by Rev. J. S. Brown, which appeared in the Berlin Independent for December 8, 1897, and which presents a vivid picture of the life here at that time. It will prove of interest to those who were a part of that life. Following this is Mr. Prescott's summary of the Village of Strat- ford Hollow :
Not very many of our people visited the "Hub" during "Merchant's week." Why should they? Come with me in imagination and view the advantages North Stratford offers to the citizens and also the strangers within her gates. Every week is "Merchant's week" with our men of business, and during the coming holidays, a wider variety of goods at lower prices than ever is offered. Entering the village from the north, the first place of business to the left is the grocery of Thomas Mills, who for the past twelve years has supplied his customers with groceries of unimpeachable quality and weight. Next stands the K. of P. block, the upper floor of which is devoted to secret order purposes. The second is fitted up as a public hall, and the first divided into store rooms, one of which is occupied as undertaking rooms and furniture depot by J. C. Hutchins, the second by the town library, and the third by the millinery establishment of Lillian Flint & Co., a new firm but recently established who offer to the ladies of the community all the novelties of the season, in the special line in which they deal. Continuing towards the center of the town we cross the track of the Maine Central railroad and to the right see the new and hand- some station of that road, where the urbane agent, L. A. Payne, and his efficient staff will handle your freight, send your purchases by express (Am.) or wire your Christmas greetings to absent friends; to the left are the substantial and convenient offices of the Grand Trunk, and the genial agent, John Hughes, is ever ready to give you all information as to train service or express business over the lines of the Canadian Express Company. He, too, should the other office be too busy, can handle your message, and send it
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speeding as the wind over the wire that binds continents and nations together. Keeping on across the Common, passing the bronze fountain, gift to the town from the W. C. T. U. and L. I. S., on the right is the Hinman block, occupied by the clothing house of H. Kugelman, who has been so long in the trade that he knows just what article you require before you ask for it, and gives a fit that is hard to beat. While having purchased your new suit, feeling the need of a clean shave, you have but to pass up stairs to reach the tonsorial parlors of A. D. Norcott, who will cut your hair, shave your chin, give you a champou equal to that obtained in any city shop. Directly across the way is the large place of business conducted by Messrs. Pattee & Clark. This is in truth a general store. Dry goods and groceries, boots and shoes, hats and caps, flour and meal, fish, fresh fowl, nails and gimlets, pocket knives, almost anything you can desire, and if not in stock, no one will more readily send for the needed article. Here, too, justice may be dispensed, both members of the firm being Justices of the Peace, while the senior mem- ber is also a Notary Public. The post-office is in this build- ing and our postmaster for twenty-eight years has repre- sented Uncle Sam's delivery, daily handles seven in-coming and the like number of out-going mails. Here, too, is one of the chief news centers, and at almost any hour of the day you may hear profound disquisitions as to the latest astronomical discovery, philosophical calculations, affairs of State or In- ternational complication. In the upper flat of this building our well-liked young physician has his residence and office. His deeds speak for themselves.
Continuing in a southerly direction we approach the ware rooms of J. C. Hutchins. Here one hardly knows where to begin, having begun, it will be still harder to leave off. Drugs, patent medicines, surgical devices for the relief of physical ills; books and papers to meet the demands of his customers, gold and silver, jewels, watches, plate, china goods of all kinds and description. Furniture, any of our young people thinking of going house-keeping, Hutchins says, "come buy." Here we find the Central Telephone sta- tion and the constant ringing of the bell sets a nervous per- son "on edge." In the annex of the building is the shop of our resident Knight of St. Crispin Jos. Gossen, whose motto is, "There's nothing like leather." Across the way stands the village hotel. Mine host, Silver, will look after you and do all in his power to make you comfortable. Recent changes have enabled him to place eight additional rooms at the disposal of his customers.
Turning towards the fine iron bridge crossing the Connecti- cut river we pass the carriage and repair shops of C. W.
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Clough the hum of whose whirring machinery is oft heard in the stilly night, and the village blacksmith's shop, where the skillful son of Vulcan, Eugene Bergeron presides and deftly shoes your horses "while you wait."
Directly opposite is the general store of W. R. Danforth, where a far better assortment of goods than is usually found in a village store may be obtained at reasonable prices. The center of the Main street is occupied by the grocery depart- ment, the right hand by staple and fancy dry goods, the left, by boots, shoes and general outfitting stock, while far to the rear stretch the ware houses with their supplies of flour, grain and feed. Still nearer the river is the establishment of A. N. Taylor, who deals in all kinds of tin and iron ware, furnaces and stoves, while plumbing and tinsmithing are specialties with this enterprising firm.
Close to the bridge is found on one side the variety store of L. Cleveland containing fruits, nuts, confectionery, canned goods and toys; while directly opposite is the harness es- tablishment of F. A. Roby, who in his new and commodious quarters is better fitted than ever to attend to his customers. Returning to the principal street, you will find either the proprietor of the Percy house or F. L. Rowell willing to pro- vide you with a good team, with or without a driver, thus enabling us to examine the resources of this Northern village at greater ease and comfort. But before going further let us step into the millinery and dress making establishment of Miss M. Donnolly. Miss Donnolly has been in business here so long that her customers know they will not be dis- appointed, in material, style or price, they have that con- fidence that is begotten of experience. But perhaps before you purchase you wish to sell, have you cattle or sheep, pigs or horses, or potatoes to dispose of. H. B. Hinman, Jere Willard or either of the Baldwins will without doubt be the men for you and will deal honestly with you. Having sold your stock or produce 'tis only a step to G. R. Magoon's, for the piano or organ you wish to give your daughter; or drop him a card, and he will call and see you, and you will buy.
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