USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Wentworth > History of the town of Wentworth, New Hampshire > Part 14
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This mill was located near Gove's Falls, a wild and romantic spot. But Captain Gove and Leicester were more interested in sawing boards than conserving scenery. This mill ran for many years and sawed out, from first to last, a good deal of lumber.
Walter and Rufus Stevens had once a sawmill on the Mountain Brook, at the very foot of Carr's Mountain. Traces of the old dam and mill site can still be seen. The lumber used to build the first railroad bridges in town, and also the first depot, was sawed by the Stevens men at this
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HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
mill, from spruce logs cut on the slopes of Carr's Mountain.
About 1820 Timothy Gile, then living on the Plummer farm and a large landholder, started on a mill project. Gile was ambitious and must have been a glutton for hard work.
He built a stone dam in the Mountain Brook above the great falls. He then piped the water of the brook through a large hollow log into a canal which led over the brow of the hill to a point in the field almost directly east of the Buffalo schoolhouse. He also made a dam in the brook which runs along near and about parallel with the Buffalo Road. He thus turned the waters of that brook into a ditch and united the waters of the two streams at a point where he located his mill. After all this endless toil and trouble, it was not much of a success and was probably not operated enough to amount to anything. Gile's ditches, however, bid fair to last until the day of judgment and for ten days thereafter.
Jeremiah Smart possibly a little later, but not much, did exactly the same thing in effect on the lower reaches of these same brooks near the river.
Smart's Landing and old mill yard were plainly in . evidence within the memory of men now living. The Smart Mill was a much more efficient and suc-
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MILLS AND MILLMEN
cessful enterprise than the Gile Mill ever was. It ran intermittently for many years.
The Pond Brook has no doubt been used for mill purposes more than any other stream in town. As the two Baker Ponds, acting as storage reservoirs, insured a reasonably steady, constant flow of water, while the great drop from the outlet of the ponds to Baker's River furnished an abundant amount of fall, mill sites were once numerous along the course of this stream.
The original development of the fall at the outlet of the pond was made at an early date. In the year 1800 Aaron Jewett, with Jeremiah Jewett, who was probably his son, acquired one hundred acres of unimproved land at the lower end of the pond. The Jewetts were the first to develop and use the power on the site later known for many years as Brown's Mills.
The Jewetts were an active and capable race: they built mills, did more or less business, and were gener- ally prominent in town affairs for fifty years. Aaron Jewett was frequently a selectman. In 1849 the mill property was sold by the Jewetts to Jonathan Jud- kins. The Jewetts then moved to the village and were interested there in some of the property that was destroyed in the great flood of 1856. Previous to this flood, Judkins had sold his mill property to Stephen Aldrich, who in turn sold it later to A. L. and W. G.
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HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
Brown. An account of their activities has already been related.
At the time of the flood in 1856 there was on the Pond Brook a majority of all the mills and shops in the town, and they were all put out of business at this time except the Mellen Mill. The heaviest losers were perhaps David Harris and Alpha Jewett.
The Keasor brothers, Ferdinand and Fayette, had a mill on the Atwell Hill Brook; in fact there were two mills of a sort once on that stream. There was also once a sawmill on Martin's Brook, owned by the Pillsbury family.
John F. A. Peabody arrived during the year 1826 in town and began at once the development of the mill site on the South Branch, later owned for a long time by the Colburns.
In 1827 Peabody had a mill in operation and, in the course of the next five years, became possessed of the largest and perhaps best equipped plant in the town at that time. As fully developed, it consisted of a gristmill with two sets of stones, a complete bolter for sifting and bolting the wheat and rye flour, a carding mill for carding wool and a fulling mill where the homespun cloth could be scoured, fulled, dried and finished with a teazle. At a later period a saw and shingle mill were added to the equipment. Taken as a whole, it constituted a business of importance.
Peabody sold out his mill property to James M.
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MILLS AND MILLMEN
Colburn. The Colburns added a store which was managed by James Melvin Colburn, and also built a blacksmith shop. The Colburn family retained for a long time the business at Colburn's Mills.
The last man to use the power at this place was William D. Stinson. The carding and fulling mill was the first to be closed, and the gristmill gradually passed out of the picture. But Stinson did quite an extensive business in lumber and chair stock for several years and until the destruction of the entire plant, with all adjoining buildings, by fire in 1915, or about that date.
From first to last there were several mills on the South Branch and in Rowentown. Isaac Clifford had the first one on the stream; this mill did not cut a very great figure apparently.
At Rowentown was a sawmill operated by Joseph Boyd, later by B. W. Brown and then by Asa A. Brown. The Browns were in business in Rowentown for a long time.
The property passed finally to Pattee and Clark, and is now owned by the Parker and Young Co. Much pulpwood has been cut in recent years on the Parker and Young land, while but little of the lumber has been sawed.
In 1870 Joseph Brown had a mill on the Rowen- . town Brook, so called.
John Whitcher was lumbering in the south part of
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HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
the town more or less during the most of his life. He had a sawmill on the South Branch near the Dorches- ter line. His son, Ovando, was associated closely with his father in the lumber business, and appears to have managed it as a rule after Mr. Whitcher moved to the village. The Whitcher Mill was in operation as early as 1845; perhaps before then.
Another mill was built later on the South Branch by David Hardy. It was near the house now occupied by Walter Foster's family. This mill was owned after 1876 by Edward S. Chandler and later by William R. Park, Jr.
Benjamin Martin built a mill near what is known as the Martin place. He ground grain and sawed lumber here at this mill, the location of which is . plainly to be seen at the present time, the re- mains of the dam and foundations being yet upon the spot.
After the burning of the old sawmill at the village, the firm of Knight and Crosby, bobbin manufac- turers, rented a piece of land in the railroad yard; it was across the tracks and a little to the south of the station.
They built here a two-story bobbin mill, using steam power. This mill did a very good amount of business for about fifteen years, and furnished steady work for some ten or more men. Many carloads of .
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MILLS AND MILLMEN
bobbins have gone from Wentworth to the textile centers of New England.
About the year 1870, Seth Savage built, on the location where the flood of 1856 had wrought havoc, a substantial gristmill, which did business until recently, so to speak. There was a shingle mill in connection with the gristmill. This was later sold to Elias M. Blodgett, who sold to Charles Merrill, passing later to his son, Joseph, and it was finally destroyed with all its contents by fire.
The falls at the village are now owned by the Boston and Maine Railroad. The cribwork dam has been replaced by a smaller one of cement. The fall is used to operate hydraulic rams which furnish water for the locomotives at the railroad station.
John Sanders, who was one of the last of his race to live in town, had at different times in his career, some ambitious mill project or other in his mind. At one time he started a mill on Ellsworth Hill; it was rather low-posted, so John decided to get crooked trees for beams to give him more head room. He was quite lame, but traveled for weeks in the woods hunting up trees with a rainbow curve. He did not succeed in finding enough crooked trees for his purpose, so the mill was never fully completed.
At another time John built a foundation for a new barn on Sanders Hill. The foundation was heavy and
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HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
solid enough for a brick block, a model of its kind, but the foundation was far as he ever got with the project. John was a mild-mannered, soft-spoken man who used no loud or strong language, but used to say "I vanny" when he wanted to be emphatic.
Although John's mills and barns never got built, it is not unlikely his day dreams came as near to being realities as do most of ours, the only difference being that while John was dreaming of construction, the rest of us dream of Utopia or something equally far off and unattainable. John may have the laugh on the rest of us after all, "I vanny," for some of his work is still in evidence and bids fair to endure for years to come.
SOME OF THE TAVERNS AND TAVERN KEEPERS OF WENTWORTH
William Heath opened the first public house in Wentworth about the year 1783. This house stood on the Charles Cove place and about on the site of the present cider mill. It was a log structure and rather rudely built. It is not known how long Heath con- ducted it as a tavern, but doubtless for some three or four years.
The first town license for the sale of liquor was issued to Nathaniel White, March 1I, 1793, for the
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term of two months. Mr. White continued his tavern until 1795. In 1795 Lemuel Kezer opened a tavern upon what has since been known as the Charles Merrill place. This place was known for many years as the old Kezer stand. At that time it stood upon the main road going north towards Warren and Haverhill. It was for at least twenty-five years a popular public house. About the same time, viz., 1795, Major William White also opened a tavern. This was the house where Harry Turner now lives and, like Kezer's place just mentioned, was then located on the main road through the town. Major White kept tavern in this place until his death in 1805. In the year 1800 a public house was opened by Thomas Savage on what in later years has been known as the Joshua Foster place. Business was continued here by Nicholas Chase, who succeeded Savage. Chase remained until about 1808.
In 1804 Dr. Benjamin Knowlton commenced the tavern in the village. This building was the beginning of the main village tavern, in later years conducted for a long time by Eleazer Smith. Knowlton did business here until 1813. The successors of Knowlton at this stand are as follows:
Joseph Bean .
1813-1816
Simond Bailey .
1816-1822
William Merrill
1822-1824 .
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HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
John Page.
1824-1826
Daniel Smith.
1826-1829
Lull & Atherton 1829-1831
Jedediah C. Woodbury
1831-1834
Benjamin Little. 1834-1836
John Jewell. 1836-1837
William White.
1837-1840
Jedediah C. Woodbury
1840-1843
Jonathan L. Prescott
1843-1846
John Quimby
1846-1848
Asa Dolloff .
1848-1851
Augus F. Taylor
1851-1852
Asa P. Tenney
1852-1853
Francis F. Davison
1853-1856
Eleazer Smith
1856-1888
It might be proper at this time to describe briefly. the appearance of what was for a period of about seventy-five years the principal tavern in the town and a well-known resort for all travelers. It stood on the Main Street opposite the Common and was located on the Webster Memorial Library lot. The first building was erected, as has been stated by Dr. Benjamin Knowlton, in 1804. This building was of moderate size and only one story in height. At later periods additions were made, so that finally it was two stories in height with a portico in front supported by stone posts. The building was amply large enough to care for the business of the town. A sizable livery stable was also maintained in connection with the hotel. A hall in the south end of the building was
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TAVERNS AND TAVERN KEEPERS
used for many years for public purposes, and all town meetings for a long time were held in this hall. This building stood practically unchanged to outward appearances until destroyed by fire in the year 1890.
After the death of the venerable landlord, Eleazer Smith, the property was bought by Mrs. Charles Hall, who did not use it for hotel purposes. Mrs. Hall owned the building until it was burned in 1890, as has been narrated.
After the old village hotel was burned the town was without a public house until the Perrin Chase prop- erty was used to accommodate the traveling public, the barn across the way being used as a livery stable. Several parties in succession kept this hotel, a Mr. Sawyer, as well as Mr. French, also a Mr. Bruce being among the landlords in this house, as was also Alvah Whitcher, who ran for a time both the hotel and livery. This house was eventually sold to John A. Davis, who bought it for a residence. Mr. Davis owned and occupied the place until the great fire of 1921, when it, with most of the nearby buildings, was burned.
The village being again without a hotel, Isaac N. Burnham with his wife, who was Carrie Ellsworth, bought the Alanson Haines place and fitted it up as a public house, and for many years kept summer board- ers there, doing quite a business in that line as well
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HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
as with the traveling public. The Burnhams met with good success in the hotel, and ran it until failing health compelled Mrs. Burnham to relinquish the business. They were succeeded by Robert A. Mclaughlin and he, in turn, by Mrs. Lettie Colburn.
In 1927 the property was bought by B. D. Kasack and G. T. Spolders, who have made many improve- ments to the interior of the house and its furnishings. It is now known as the Wentworth Hotel and enjoys a good reputation.
Mention should also be made of Mrs. Frank Briggs, who deserves to be spoken of in this connection; Mrs. Briggs has kept, for a long time, a boarding house and furnished meals in the so-called Parney Haines house near the bridge. She has also taken care of the traveling public and furnished them rooms so far as the capacity of the house admitted.
Other public houses have from time to time been kept in town, such as the Chapman Hotel on Rumney Plains, the Benjamin Woodbury Hotel on the Buffalo Road and the Dana Place at Baker Pond, for example. As the foregoing article does not purport to be ex- haustive or precise, perhaps further mention might prove more tiresome than necessary, but it is hoped the article will suffice to convey to the reader an idea of the location and personnel of the taverns of our town from the beginning to the present time.
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CHAPTER V
OF SOCIETIES - WEBSTER MEMORIAL LIBRARY - REGARDING CEMETERIES - OLD HOME DAY IN TOWN
SOME SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS OF INTEREST
In this incomplete article upon some of the different societies that have from time to time had a part in the life of the townspeople, mention will not be made of the churches, as they are spoken of elsewhere, but only of such fraternal and social orders and clubs as have had no direct connection with either church or military affairs.
The earliest society of which any record has been found was incorporated by act of the legislature of December 26, 1799.
By the terms of this act, Jonathan Eames, Esq., Benjamin Page, with others then living in Warren and Wentworth, were incorporated under the title of "The Warren and Wentworth Social Library." Be- yond the fact that this society was formed as stated, not much can be said about it. Its name would indi- cate it was for social as well as for literary purposes.
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HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
The Wentworth Mechanic Association and the Wentworth Instrumental Music Band were also duly incorporated, and are mentioned in our narrative. It is a matter of regret that more cannot now be re- lated of their activities.
In the year of 1857 there was chartered in the town a lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, as follows:
On the 8th day of August, 1857, the M. W. Grand Master of New Hampshire, reposing in the Masonic integrity and ability of the petitioners, John Currier, S. W. Squires, Saul S. Stevens, David C. French, Wil- liam Pomeroy, Stephen Aldrich and Jonathan E. Sar- gent, residing in and near the town of Wentworth, granted the dispensation, empowering and authoriz- ing the above as charter members to form Moosehil- lock Lodge No. 63 of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, to be located at Wentworth. The following were appointed as the first officers: Jonathan E. Sar- gent, Worshipful Master; David C. French, Senior Warden; Saul S. Stevens, Junior Warden.
The first meeting was held in the office of Jonathan E. Sargent, on August 26, 1857, at 3 P.M., at which time by-laws were adopted, Stephen A. Aldrich was chosen secretary, John Currier, treasurer, S. W. Squires, S. D., William Pomeroy, J. D.
At this time, Uriah Colburn of Wentworth and Jabez Youngman of Dorchester were admitted as
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SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS
members of the lodge, free of charge. At the next meeting, on September 2, nine petitions for member- ship were presented, and at the next regular meeting the petitioners were all voted on and elected.
The lodge met for many years in a hall located in the second story of the wing of the store building of John A. Davis. This wing extended towards the so- called Perrin Chase house some fifty feet. The hall was not large, but cosy and comfortable. Many now living received in this hall their first instructions relating to the history, work and aspirations of the craft.
The lodge was in existence in Wentworth for fifty years. The last meeting there was held on May 2, 1907. The lodge then became inactive and at the Grand Lodge meeting held May 17, 1911, the charter was revoked.
On May 21, 1913, on the petition of twenty-one Masons, the Grand Lodge voted to restore the lodge at Warren, and on November 20, 1913, the grand officers, with suitable ceremonies, restored the old charter to Moosehillock Lodge No. 63, now located at Warren, N. H., since which date the history of the lodge would properly appertain to that town. It suffices to say, the lodge is still in existence and, we will hope, prospering.
The following served as masters of Moosehillock
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HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
Lodge during the years the lodge was located in Went- worth, with the dates of their service:
Jonathan E. Sargent 1857-1860
Thomas J. Smith
1861-1865
Mark L. Aiken
1866-1868
Lorenzo W. Currier
1869
Mark L. Aiken
1870-1873
George P. Lund.
1874
David A. French
1875-1878
William H. Davis
1879-1882
Willard C. Eaton
1883-1888
Fred C. Gleason
1889-1890
William H. Davis.
1891
Albert M. Barber
1892-1893
Henry W. Berry
1894-1895
Frank D. Morey
1896
William H. Davis
1897-1898
John C. Davis.
1899-1900
Harry A. Whitcher
190I
W. W. Johnson
1902-1903
John B. Foster.
1904
Archie A. Head
1905
Fred C. Gleason served as the first master after the restoration of the charter in 1913 at Warren.
During the year of 1875 and the next year, there was much interest felt among many of the townspeo- ple in regard to the promotion of the cause of tem- perance; the movement was by no means new. Thirty years before this, active agitation looking towards "Temperance Reform," as it was called, was in prog- ress and supported by many of the citizens.
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SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS
The interest aroused by the efforts made in 1876 resulted in the formation of a Reform Club, and also a lodge of the Independent Order of Good Templars. The Reform Club had their meetings at first in Stan- yan's Hall. The attendance was good as a rule and much interest was manifested. Jonathan Stanyan, the owner and architect of the hall, was prominent at many of these meetings, and frequently led in the musical part of the entertainment. Among those who often spoke at the meetings can be mentioned Calvin T. Shute, Deacon Dean, Elias M. Blodgett, Frank Aiken and also, at times, Hiram Bishop. Uncle Jerry Blodgett was often present and at times would address the meeting. After meeting three or four years at Stanyan's Hall, the Reform Club moved to the Church Hall. By this time the club had become more of a debating society than anything else, and many discussions were held; some of them were formal and some were not, but all of them served to furnish entertainment and possibly, at times, instruction. The Reform Club lasted, as outlined, until about 1883.
The lodge of Good Templars outlived the Reform Club. The order met at first in the Church Hall; later they removed to Stanyan's Hall, holding their meet- ings in the dining room connected with the hall. Among those who were prominent and active in the
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HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
order can be mentioned Amos M. Cogswell, Mrs. Charlotte White, Mrs. Emeline Aiken, Edward G. Tenney and, from Ellsworth Hill, Arthur and Walter Kimball. The lodge met until about 1890 and then gave up their charter.
The order of Patrons of Husbandry, commonly known as the Grange, has for a long period of years been strong and influential in our state. After some preliminary work had been done, T. H. White of Harrisville, N. H., District Deputy, on February 10, 1893, organized at the Church Hall, Wentworth Grange No. 199, with the following as charter mem- bers:
Walter E. Piper
Wealthy W. Blodgett
Alice M. Piper
Fred W. Blodgett
Elias M. Blodgett
Herbert L. Blodgett
Hiram D. Morey
Betsey H. Chase
James B. Brown
John A. Whitcher
Eva M. Brown
Joseph Merrill
Fred H. Downing
Abbie Parker
Josie M. Davis
Marion R. Eaton
John W. Lyon
Charles Merrill
Thomas Huckins
William H. Rollins
Mertie Huckins
Lutie Rollins
Lena B. Huckins
Annie A. Libbey
Flora F. Corliss Cyrus Downing
Mary E. Whitcher Susan Downing
Fred E. Libbey Frank D. Morey
John A. Davis
Harry M. Turner
Emeline C. Aiken
Alfred N. Heaton
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SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS
The following is a list of those who have served as masters of the Grange, in the order of their election and also the years of their service:
Walter E. Piper 1893-1894
John B. Foster
1895
Cyrus Downing
1896-1897
Charles Merrill . 1898
C. Henry Merrill
1899
J. Everett Foster
1900-1901
John B. Foster
1902-1903
Eugene C. Downing
1904-1905 1 906
Joseph H. Merrill.
J. Elmond Downing.
1907-1908
Charles H. Brown .
1909-1910
Cyrus Downing 19II
Neal D. Johnson
1912-1913
Jesse H. Gordon
1914-1915
Charles D. Robinson 1916
Ralph A. Gove
1917-1918
Frank A. Downing
1919-1921
Elmer F. Brown . 1922-1923
Harry L. Goodwin .
1924-1925
Raymond E. Downing
1926
Glenn F. Pease.
1927-1929
The Grange has from the time of its organization had a membership large in proportion to the size of the town. It has been the leading social and fraternal society and has in the history of the town and the lives of the people for many years played an honor- able, useful and important part.
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HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
The order had its meetings at the Church Hall until about 1905. The new town hall had now been built and the second story was made into a Grange hall, with anteroom, dining room and kitchen, complete. Here the Grange has held its meetings regularly up to the present time, and seems to be still going strong.
The Wentworth Women's Club is the latest addi- tion to our list of societies. This club was organized in 1913 and federated in 1915. The club has a present membership of about twenty and meets on the second and fourth Wednesday each month, October to May.
The officers for the current year (1928) are: Presi- dent, Mrs. Louise Janes; secretary, Mrs. Ethel Down- ing.
WEBSTER MEMORIAL LIBRARY
Edward Kendall Webster was born in Rumney, N. H., April 10, 1811. He married Betsey, daughter of Deacon Johnson of Ellsworth Hill. The Johnsons were an able and substantial race of men and women, prominent in town affairs for a period of fifty years or more.
Kendall Webster, as he was usually called in town, lived for many years in the house on the Plains stand- ing at the fork of the road leading from the state road by the school house to Atwell Hill. Here he died in
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WEBSTER MEMORIAL LIBRARY
1879, and his wife in 1880, the place being still the property of the family.
Of the four children of Edward K. and Betsey J. Webster, it will be only necessary to speak here of two of their sons, Henry A., born February 3, 1839, at Plymouth, N. H., and George K., born July 16, 1849, at Wentworth.
Henry became in later years a citizen of New York, and George a resident of Massachusetts. Both were much more than ordinarily successful in large enter- prises in their adopted states.
They did not, however, lose their interest in their old home town. With its welfare constantly in mind, they finally decided to donate to the town a public library, suitably endowed, the same to be in memory of their parents and to be known as the Webster Memorial Library. It is greatly to the credit of these generous and persevering men that their plan was successfully carried out. The library building is lo- cated on the main street and fronts the village Com- mon.
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