USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Wentworth > History of the town of Wentworth, New Hampshire > Part 17
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300
HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
For the years 1784 to 1787 inclusive, Plymouth, Rumney and Wentworth were classed and the representatives were:
1784 - Joseph Senter of Plymouth 1785 - Abraham Burnham of Rumney 1786 - Absalom Peters of Wentworth 1787 - Francis Worcester of Plymouth
Beginning in 1788 and continuing until 1799, Orford and Wentworth were classed, with the follow- ing results:
1788 - William Simpson of Orford 1789 - No representative 1790 -- Thomas Dame of Orford 1791 - William Simpson of Orford 1792 - Nathaniel White of Wentworth
1793 - William Simpson of Orford 1794 -- Absalom Peters of Wentworth
1795 - Samuel Currier of Wentworth 1796 - Not represented
1797 - John Mann of Orford
1798 - Samuel Morey of Orford 1799 - Joseph Pratt of Orford
In the year of 1800, Rumney and Wentworth were classed permanently until the year 1816; the spirit of fair play appears to have prevailed in the selection of representative, as the honor went to Rumney one year and to Wentworth the next, as long as the arrangement of classing the towns together lasted. There is some evidence that classing Wentworth and
301
WENTWORTH IN THE LEGISLATURE
Orford, however, did not result in entire harmony, and the town was not represented at all at several sessions during that period.
The Wentworth and Rumney representatives were as follows:
1800 - William Preston of Rumney
1801 - William White of Wentworth
1802 - William Preston of Rumney
. 1803 - William White of Wentworth
1804 - Abraham Burnham of Rumney
.1805 - William White of Wentworth
1806 - Abraham Burnham of Rumney
1807 - David Gibson, M.D., of Wentworth
1808 - Aaron Burnham of Rumney
1809 - David Gibson, M.D., of Wentworth
1810 - Samuel Burns of Rumney
1811 - David Gibson, M.D., of Wentworth
1812 - Samuel Burns of Rumney
1813 - William Moore of Wentworth
1814 - Samuel Burnham of Rumney
1815 - Caleb Keith, Esq., of Wentworth
In the year 1816, Wentworth for the first time enjoyed the privilege of electing a representative alone and unclassed with any other town, and Squire Caleb Keith was chosen to represent the town. From 1816, the town has been represented at every session, except in 1835 and 1846, until 1923, when the popula- tion, having fallen to less than 600, the minimum required, is now entitled to send a representative only a proportional part of the time.
302
HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
The list from 1816 to 1929 is given below:
1816- Caleb Keith
1817 -- Caleb Keith
1818 - Thomas Whipple, Jr.
1819 - Thomas Whipple, Jr.
1820- Thomas Whipple, Jr.
1821-Caleb Keith
1822 - Caleb Keith
1823 - Caleb Keith
1824 - Caleb Keith
1825 - Johnathan Eames
1826 - Johnathan Eames
1827 - Johnathan Eames
1828 - Aaron Currier
1829 - Aaron Currier
1830 - John T. Sanborn, M.D.
1831 - Enoch Page, Jr.
1832 -- John T. Sanborn, M.D.
1860 -- Elijah Rollins
1833 -- Enoch Page, Jr. 1861 -- Thomas J. Smith
1834 - Enoch Page, Jr.
1862 - Thomas J. Smith
1835 - Not on list
1836 - William Moore
1837 - William Moore
1865 - Thomas J. Smith
1838 - Luke Aiken
1866 - William H. Moore 1867 -- William H. Moore
1868 - Joseph Savage
1869 - Joseph Savage
1842 - Wolcott Dana
1870 -- Jeremiah Blodgett
1871 - Jeremiah Blodgett
1872 - Jeremiah Blodgett
1873 - Samuel R. Burnham
1874 - Samuel R. Burnham
1846 - None chosen
1847- John Whitcher
1848 --- John Whitcher
1849 -- F. C. Kezer
1850- F. C. Kezer
1851 - J. Everett Sargent
1852 - J. Everett Sargent
1853- J. Everett Sargent
(Mr. Sargent was Speaker of the House, 1853.)
1854 - Alonzo A. Whipple, M.D.
1855 -- Jesse Eaton
1856 - Alonzo A. Whipple, M.D.
1857 - William Gove
1858 - William Gove
1859 - Elijah Rollins
1863 - Thomas J. Smith
1864 - Thomas J. Smith
1839 - Luke Aiken
1840 - John F. A. Peabody
1841 - John F. A. Peabody
1843 - Wolcott Dana
1844 - William D. Mc Questen
1845 - William D. McQues- ten .
1875 - Samuel G. Currier
-
303
WENTWORTH IN THE LEGISLATURE
1876 - Samuel G. Currier 1903 - Hiram Bowen
1877 - George Plummer 1905 - Joshua E. Foster
1878 - George Plummer 1907 - Walter S. Libbey
1879 - Lorenzo W. Currier 1909 - David L. Goodwin
1881 - Alfred Page
1911 - Fred E. Libbey
1883 - John A. Davis
1913 -- Albert L. Davis
1885 - William H. Davis
1887 - Benjamin M. Libbey
1889 - Samuel G. Currier
1916 - Frank C. Bradeen, D.D.
1891 - Thomas Huckins 1893 - Horatio C. Blood
1919 -- John C. Davis
1921 - Walter S. Libbey
1923 - Not represented
1925 - George W. Gove
1927 - Charles H. Brown
1929 - Frank H. Colby
SENATORS
The town has enjoyed the honor of having been represented in our State Senate as follows:
1854- J. Everett Sargent (Judge Sargent was elected President of the Senate at that session.) 1867 - Thomas J. Smith, Esq. 1868 - Thomas J. Smith, Esq.
In addition to members of the legislature, the following United States, state and county officials were residents of Wentworth at the time of their election or appointment:
CONGRESSMAN
Thomas J. Whipple, M.D., 1821-1829
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1895 - Ezra C. Knight
1897 - John B. Foster '
1899 - Harry M. Turner
1901 - Isaac Crosby
1915 - Ben. B. Foster
304
HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H. GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL
Caleb Keith, Esq., 1825-1828
Jeremiah Blodgett, 1875 and 1877
JUDGES
Major Enoch Page, Associate Justice, Court Common Pleas; appointed 1782; served several years.
J. Everett Sargent, Justice Supreme Court, 1859-1873; Chief Justice, 1873-1874
COUNTY TREASURERS
Enoch Page, Jr., 1830-1835, and died in office Franklin Eaton, 1876-78
REGISTER OF DEEDS
Luke Aiken, 1847-1851
COUNTY COMMISSIONER
John Currier
(Am unable to give date, but around 1850.)
LIST OF SELECTMEN, 1779-1928
It has been a very difficult matter to secure the information given in this list.
Without the assistance of Dr. Hoyt's history, it would have been impossible.
The year given is in most cases the year of election, but it is possible there are a few exceptions and the year named may be the year the Board went out of office. The terms of selectmen, running from March to March, begin in one calendar year and end in another.
1
305
LIST OF SELECTMEN, 1779-1928
Also there is no way of knowing how the selectmen ranked except to follow the order as shown in the records; some elected, for instance, as second select- man, may appear in this list in the third place, or otherwise.
It is of record that all the men named have served . on the Board as a Selectman.
A board of three selectmen to serve one year was annually elected until 1921; since then, by state law, one selectman to serve three years is elected at each annual meeting in March.
1779- John Akin, Joseph Smith, Ephraim Page 1780 - John Akin, Enoch Page, Benjamin Weeks
1781 - John Akin, Enoch Page, Joseph Smith
1782 - Ebenezer Gove, Benjamin Weeks, Reuben Whitcher 1783 - John Akin, Benjamin Weeks, Experience Cross 1784 - John Akin, Samuel Worcester, Hugh McClellan
1785 - Benjamin Weeks, Joseph Smith, Absalom Peters 1786 - John Akin, Joseph Wooster, Benjamin Cooper 1787 -- Absalom Peters, Daniel Clark, Joseph Cooper 1788 -- Absalom Peters, Daniel Clark, Joseph Cooper 1789 - Absalom Peters, Daniel Clark, Joseph Cooper 1790 - John Akin, Ebenezer Gove, Peter Stevens 1791 - Nathaniel White, Daniel Clark, Joseph Kimball 1792 -- Nathaniel White, Daniel Clark, Ebenezer Gove 1793 - Nathaniel White, Daniel Clark, Joseph Cooper 1794 - Absalom Peters, Benjamin Cotton, Aaron Currier 1795 - Benjamin Cotton, Lemuel Kezer, William White 1796 - Joseph Cooper, William White, Benjamin Cotton 1797 -- Benjamin Page, Nicholas Chase, Moses True 1798 - Benjamin Page, Nicholas Chase, Absalom Peters 1799 - Benjamin Page, Winthrop True, Nicholas Chase
306
HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
1800- Joseph Kimball, Ebenezer Gove, William White 1801 - Benjamin Page, William White, James Eaton 1802 - Benjamin Cotton, John Page, William White 1803 - Winthrop True, Benjamin Cotton, Samuel McMurphy 1804 - Benjamin Page, Job Eaton, Aaron Jewett 1805 - David Gibson, Ebenezer Gove, Peter Stevens 1806 - Benjamin Page, Absalom Peters, Ebenezer Gove 1807 - Aaron Currier, Job Eaton, Benjamin Cotton 1808 - David Gibson, Aaron Jewett, Reuben Clifford
1809 - Benjamin Page, Aaron Currier, Johnathan McClellan 1810 - Aaron Currier, Johnathan Mcclellan, David Gibson 18II - David Gibson, Ebenezer Gove, Benjamin Cotton 1812 - Johnathan McClellan, Benjamin Page, Winthrop True 1813 - Aaron Currier, Aaron Jewett, William Moore 1814 -- William Moore, Aaron Jewett, Aaron Currier 1815 - Winthrop Gove, Benjamin Page, John Page 1816 - Thomas Whipple, Jr., Benjamin Page, John Page 1817 - Aaron Jewett, Aaron Currier, Thomas Whipple, Jr. 1818 - Thomas Whipple, Jr., John Page, George Hull 1819 -- Uriah Colburn, Simeon Bayley, Thomas Whipple, Jr. 1820- Simeon Bayley, Caleb Keith, Thomas Whipple, Jr. 1821 - Thomas Whipple, Enoch Page, Jr., Job Eaton 1822 - Jesse Eaton, Enoch Page, Jr., Simon Bayley 1823 - Simon Bayley, Jesse Eaton, Jr., Enoch Page, Jr. 1824 - Enoch Page, Jr., Jesse Eaton, Jr., Winthrop Gove 1825 - Aaron Jewett, Moses Eaton, 2nd, Matthias Haines 1826 - Moses Eaton, 2nd, William H. Moore, Caleb Keith 1827 - Jesse Eaton, Luke Aiken, Zechariah Clifford 1828 - Moses Eaton, 2nd, Luke Aiken, Zechariah Clifford 1829 - Luke Aiken, Winthrop Gove, Zechariah Clifford 1830 -- Luke Aiken, Winthrop Gove, Zechariah Clifford 1831 - Luke Aiken, Winthrop Gove, Zechariah Clifford 1832 - Luke Aiken, John F. A. Peabody, Zechariah Clifford 1833 - Winthrop Gove, Daniel Merrill, Zechariah Clifford 1834 - Luke Aiken, Winthrop Gove, Wolcott Dana 1835 - Wolcott Dana, Winthrop Gove, John Goodspeed
307
LIST OF SELECTMEN, 1779-1928
1836 - Luke Aiken, John Goodspeed, Winthrop Gove 1837 - Luke Aiken, John Goodspeed, Winthrop Gove 1838 - John Goodspeed, William D. McQuesten, George G. Page
1839- John Goodspeed, William D. McQuesten, George G. Page
1840 - Winthrop Gove, Wolcott Dana, James Smart 1841 - William Moore, Wolcott Dana, James Smart 1842 - William Moore, William Haines, Jr., Elijah Rollins 1843 - William Haines, Jr., Elijah Rollins, Zebina Page 1844 -- Luke Aiken, Fayette C. Kezer, Zebina Page
1845 - Luke Aiken, Fayette C. Kezer, Newell Stanyan
1846 - Ferdinand C. Kezer, Newell Stanyan, John Whitcher 1847 - Ferdinand C. Kezer, Joseph Savage, Enoch Clark 1848 -- Joseph Savage, Enoch Clark, Rufus Stevens 1849 -- John Whitcher, Wolcott Dana, Cyrus Johnson 1850 - Rufus Stevens, Cyrus Johnson, Joseph Colburn 1851 - Joseph Colburn, O. S. Cole, Samuel G. Currier 1852 - John Whitcher, Joshua Foster, Jr., John Pillsbury 1853 - John Whitcher, Joshua Foster, Jr., John Pillsbury 1854- Jesse Eaton, Ferdinand C. Kezer, Luther M. Bradbury 1855- Ferdinand C. Kezer, Samuel G. Currier, Francis Davis 1856 - Ferdinand C. Kezer, William Haines, Jr., Joseph Boyd 1857 - Peter L. Hoyt, Enoch Clark, John F. A. Peabody 1858 - John F. A. Peabody, Enoch Clark, Josiah P. Brown 1859 - Samuel G. Currier, Josiah P. Brown, Ezra W. Cleasby 1860 - John Whitcher, Maynard W. Davis, John Foster 1861 - John Whitcher, Maynard W. Davis, John Foster 1862 - John Whitcher, John Foster, Lorenzo W. Currier 1863 - John Whitcher, John Foster, Lorenzo W. Currier 1864- John Whitcher, Lorenzo W. Currier, Samuel B. Burn- ham
1865 - John Whitcher, Lorenzo W. Currier, Samuel B. Burn- ham 1866 - John Whitcher, Lorenzo W. Currier, Samuel B. Burn- ham
.
308
HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
1867 --- Lorenzo W. Currier, Samuel B. Burnham, James Smart 1868 - Maynard W. Davis, Ebenezer Gove, James Smart 1869 - John Whitcher, Ebenezer Gove, John L. Downing 1870 - Lorenzo W. Currier, John L. Downing, William H. Moore
1871 - Lorenzo W. Currier, William H. Moore, John L. Down- ing
1872 - Lorenzo W. Currier, William H. Moore, John L. Down- ing
1873 -Lorenzo W. Currier, Franklin Eaton, John L. Downing 1874 - Franklin Eaton, John F. Stevens, Noah B. Foster
1875 - Franklin Eaton, Noah B. Foster, George Plummer 1876 - Franklin Eaton, Noah B. Foster, George Plummer
1877 - William H. Moore, Lorenzo W. Currier, Samuel B. Burnham
1878 - Lorenzo W. Currier, Samuel B. Burnham, Elias M. Blodgett
1879 - Lorenzo W. Currier, Samuel B. Burnham, Elias M. Blodgett
1880 -- Amos M. Cogswell, Orlando Boyd, Noah B. Foster 1881 - Amos M. Cogswell, Orlando Boyd, Benjamin M. Libbey 1882 - William H. Moore, John L. Downing, Benjamin M. Libbey
1883 - William H. Moore, John L. Downing, Benjamin M. Libbey
.
1884 - William H. Moore, Elias M. Blodgett, Horatio C. Blood 1885 -- William H. Moore, John B. Foster, Horatio C. Blood
1886- Lorenzo W. Currier, John B. Foster, Jonathan S. Ford 1887 - Lorenzo W. Currier, John E. Downing, Johnathan S. Ford
1888 - Lorenzo W. Currier, John B. Foster, Johnathan S. Ford 1889 - Horatio C. Blood, J. E. Downing, Charles Turner
1890 - Charles Turner, John B. Foster, Cyrus Downing
1891 - John B. Foster, Cyrus Downing, John B. Marston 1892 - John B. Foster, Cyrus Downing, John D. Marston
1893 - Horatio C. Blood, Fred E. Libbey, Joshua E. Foster
309
LIST OF SELECTMEN, 1779-1928
1894 - John B. Foster, J. E. Foster, Fred E. Libbey 1895 - John B. Foster, J. E. Foster, George W. Boyd 1896 - John B. Foster, J. E. Foster, George W. Boyd 1897 - Horatio C. Blood, George W. Boyd, John W. Lyon 1898 - John W. Lyon, George W. Boyd, Horatio C. Blood 1899 - John W. Lyon, Horatio C. Blood, George W. Boyd 1900 - John W. Lyon, George W. Boyd, William E. Libbey 1901 - John B. Foster, William E. Libbey, John D. Marston 1902 - John B. Foster, William E. Libbey, John D. Marston 1903 - John B. Foster, Joshua E. Foster, Frank L. Whitcher 1904 - Joshua E. Foster, Frank L. Whitcher, Horatio C. Blood
1905 - Joshua E. Foster, Horatio C. Blood, David L. Goodwin 1906 - Joshua E. Foster, Elias M. Blodgett, George W. Boyd 1907 - John B. Foster, Elias M. Blodgett, Walter S. Libbey 1908 - Harry A. Whitcher, Walter S. Libbey, Charles T. Gove 1909 - Harry A. Whitcher, Walter S. Libbey, Charles T. Gove 1910 - Charles T. Gove, Ben B. Foster, Walter W. Whitcher 1911 - Charles T. Gove, Ben B. Foster, Walter W. Whitcher 1912 - Walter W. Whitcher, Charles T. Gove, Ben B. Foster 1913 -- Elias M. Blodgett, F. A. Downing, Ben B. Foster 1914 - Ben B. Foster, Elias M. Blodgett, Frank A. Downing 1915 - Ben B. Foster, Fred E. Libbey, Frank A. Downing 1916 -- Ben B. Foster, Fred E. Libbey, Frank A. Downing 1917 - Ben B. Foster, Fred E. Libbey, David L. Goodwin 1918 -- Ben B. Foster, Fred E. Libbey, Ralph A. Gove 1919 -- Ben B. Foster, Fred E. Libbey, Ralph A. Gove 1920 -- Ben B. Foster, Ralph A. Gove, Charles H. Brown 1921 - Ben B. Foster, Charles T. Gove, Fred E. Libbey 1922 - Fred E. Libbey, Charles T. Gove, Charles H. Brown 1923 -- Charles T. Gove, Fred E. Libbey, Charles H. Brown 1924 -- Fred E. Libbey, Charles H. Brown, C. Earl Gove . 1925 - Charles H. Brown, C. Earl Gove, Eugene C. Downing 1926 - C. Earl Gove, Eugene C. Downing, Charles H. Brown 1927 -- Eugene C. Downing, Charles H. Brown, C. Earl Gove 1928 - Charles H. Brown, C. Earl Gove, Clarence H. Pease
310
HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
TOWN CLERKS
The first officer to be chosen at a town meeting after a choice for moderator has been made, is a town clerk. Thus John Aikin was no doubt the first man ever elected in Wentworth to hold a town office ..
The dates given are the years of election; the in- cumbent then chosen holding office until another clerk was elected on the date as shown ..
There are no town clerk's records in existence now previous to March, Ilgo, an irreparable loss to the town.
1779 - John Aiken (Served until 1787.)
1824 - Encch Page, Jr.
1332 - Luke Aiken
1787 - Absalom Perers
1835- William Mccre
1841 - Luke Aiken
17gc - John Aiken
1845 - Luke Aiken
17gr - Nathaniel White
1846 - William Mccre
1794- William White
1854- James S. Smith
1795-Encch Page
13cc - William White
1856 - Samuel G .. Currier
13c4 - Benjamin Page
186c - Joshua S .. Blaisdell 1861 - William H. Mocrs
IScs - Asher Smith
13c6 - Benjamin Page 1867 - Mark L. Aiken
r&c8-John Clifford 1370 - William H. Davis *
13Ic - Caleb Keith
Igc4 - Albert L. Davis
18rz - John Clifford (Served until rga3.)
1315 - Benjamin Page 1923 - David N. Eaton
1816 - Thomas Whipple, Jr .. 1924 - Albert L. Davis
18r7 - Simon Bailey
Igas - Clarence H. Pease |
* Mr. Davis served continuously until rge3 and died in office: an excel-
lent official. He was succeeded by his cousin, Albert L. Davis. ยก Mr. Pease is the present incumbent.
1738 - John Aiken
1789 - Nathaniel White
1844-William Mccre
1855 - Milo E. Haines
311
TOWN TREASURERS TOWN TREASURERS
In the matter of electing town treasurers, the practice of the different towns of New Hampshire has not by any means been uniform. A few towns from the date of their organization have annually elected a treasurer; such was not the custom in Wentworth, and the town did its business for more than thirty years without any treasurer. There was no particular reason why a treasurer was needed anyway; there was as a rule no money in the treasury and the annual tax warrants were committed to a constable for collection. The selectmen gave those who had claims against the town, orders on this con- stable for the amount of the several bills; if the con- stable had any money, he paid the bills; if not, a note was given for the amount due.
At the annual settlement the selectmen usually closed their account as follows: "And what remains in our hands is by way of notes," and made a list of the notes due to or from the town; there was not much actual cash in circulation.
In the year 1815 the town elected Aaron Currier, treasurer; he served fifteen years and charged $2.co a year for services; other treasurers have been as follows, in part:
IS31 - Timothy Gile served two years a: $3.00 a year. 1833-1860 - Samuel Currier served much of the time and
312
HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
charged $2.50 a year salary, as a rule; one year he only charged $1.50; possibly money was scarce at that time.
About 1850 it became the practice for the first selectman to act also as the treasurer for the town. This practice was apparently followed as a rule until 1878. It was then, by act of the legislature, made un- lawful for a selectman to also hold the office of town treasurer.
In 1879 John A. Davis was elected treasurer and served continuously as such until 1911, a period of thirty-two years. In the discharge of his duties, he was at all times careful, efficient and honest, as the above record plainly shows.
Treasurers since 1911, with the date of their first election, have been as follows:
1912 - David N. Eaton 1914 - Allan F. Downing (Mr. Downing died in office, in 1918.)
1919 - David N. Eaton
1923 - Fred W. Blodgett
1925 -- Ardella F. Blodgett (Mrs. Blodgett is the present incumbent.)
The above article on town treasurers is known to be . incomplete. Samuel G. Currier served as treasurer at. the time of the Civil War, but as there are no town records in existence covering that period, it is now impossible to give dates of his service. Mention of others is doubtless omitted. The most that can be
.
313
TOWN TREASURERS
claimed is that the list, as a whole, conveys an idea of the way in which the town's money has been usually handled and the names of those who have most often been elected as town treasurer. The reader should bear in mind that from about 1850 to 1878 the first selectman was also treasurer for the town, as a general thing.
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CHAPTER VIII
TALES OF WOE, INCLUDING FLOODS AND WASHOUTS - FLOOD OF 1856 - SPOTTED FEVER, 1815 - COLD SEASON, 1816 - ARSON TROUBLES, 1861 -- HOMICIDES
FLOODS AND WASHOUTS
Owing to the situation of the town in a deep and narrow valley, the history of the community is in part only to record one flood or freshet after another.
The steep mountain slopes on all sides of the town cause the water to run off rapidly after each rainfall.
The result has been that Baker's River, as well as many smaller streams, rise at times to almost un- believable height. The slopes of Moosilauke, Carr's Mountain, Smart's Mountain and Mt. Cube, all contribute to swell the volume of water that, rushing down the valley, has more than once been the cause of great material damage.
The first mills in town all sooner or later were washed away, wholly or in part.
The first bridge across Baker's River was carried away by high water in 1785.
In 1814 and 1815, the Aiken Mills at the village
315
FLOODS AND WASHOUTS
suffered greatly and were then entirely rebuilt, largely by Ezekiel Aiken. It was at about this time that the village bridge below the falls was either carried away or abandoned, and the bridge rebuilt above the falls and on its present location.
One year, around 1825, there is a rather unusual item entered in the town account.
The village hotel-keeper was allowed a substantial sum "for spirits furnished the men at work filling the great gulph, occasioned by the freshet."
This would look as though the men had to work in emergency at this time and were furnished stimulant for the occasion.
The most disastrous of all the many freshets was the memorable one of 1856, separately described. The greatest property loss ever suffered by the town was on this occasion; the part of the village lying along the Pond Brook was nearly ruined at this time.
It is, however, only fair to say that the freshet of 1856 was by no means the highest water ever known on Baker's River.
The water rose higher in 1869 and in 1927 than in 1856, and has, no doubt, at other times. The giving way of the dam at Baker's Ponds was the cause of the destruction in the valley of the Pond Brook in 1856. Baker's River above the falls was not as high on this occasion as it has been before and since.
316
HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
The great freshet, as it was known to the last generation, occurred in October, 1869.
It was not local, being state-wide and general over a large territory. As a result of four days and nights heavy rain, all streams reached probably the highest point ever recorded up to that time.
The bridge to Sanders Hill floated off and lodged in the sharp bend of the river near Mr. Rolfe's field; small bridges everywhere went out. The South Branch made nearly a clean sweep in that portion of the town. It was at this time that the river first broke through the railroad cut south of the depot. This began the process of destruction at this point, which has been kept up since. The effect has been to turn many acres of the best intervale into a desert of sand and gravel.
The washouts at this point have probably cost the railroad, from first to last, as much as it cost to grade the original line through the town.
Another well remembered and, for the railroad, at least, serious freshet was in December, 1878. A warm south wind with heavy rain melted the snow, which was about a foot deep, in one night. As the ground was frozen, it absorbed but little of the resulting water. The river rose rapidly and to a great height, nearly as high as in 1869. There was another bad washout around the depot, carrying away some of the
317
FLOODS AND WASHOUTS
track. A heavy freight train ran into this washout. The two engines, "Franconia" and "Moosilauke," were wrecked, as were several box cars, with their contents.
It took all winter to get the railroad in good repair again after this freshet, as there were bad washouts at several points on the line between Warren and West Rumney.
George W. Sherwell, a Wentworth boy, now dead, was fireman on the engine "Franconia" at the time of the wreck mentioned above. He wrote a full and interesting account of his experiences during the night of the accident, which were printed in Caswell's History of the B. C. & M. R. R.
During the winter, contractors in the railroad's employ built a new solid roadbed in place of the old trestle through the cut. They also built a dam or dyke at the upper end of the cut. This work stood for fifty years, when dyke, track and fill were hopelessly ruined in the flood of 1927.
The great flood of November 4, 1927, will be long remembered throughout Vermont and in northern New Hampshire. All previous records for high water were broken at this time, with results that will be set down in partial detail in this account.
The first three days of November were unusually warm, with showers of rain. But there was nothing to
318
HISTORY OF WENTWORTH, N. H.
indicate that the floodgates of Heaven were about to be opened in the North Country.
The rains of October and the showers of November had served, however, to saturate the soil and swell the streams.
The day of Thursday, November 3, was dark and lowering. Showers were frequent during the day, which was unseasonably warm.
As darkness fell on Thursday evening the rain increased, and by 9 o'clock was falling in torrents in all parts of the town. About seven inches of rain fell during the night, which was intensely dark; during the early part of the night, the residents of our town had no inkling of what was in store for them as well as many others. Northern Vermont was already in- undated and the storm was passing off over northern New Hampshire.
The townspeople retired as usual; no one was abroad, and Baker's River at the village was over the road at the depot before anyone realized what was taking place. The water rose very rapidly and all the houses near the depot were in more or less danger; in some cases the occupants were removed with much difficulty and in such haste that they were only partly dressed.
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