USA > New Hampshire > New Hampshire agriculture : personal and farm sketches > Part 13
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The buildings upon this farm are extensive, well ap- · pointed, and in excellent condition, every way in keeping with the reputation of the place, and admirably adapted for the purposes designed, standing well in from the
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highway and commanding a fine view of the beautiful Connecticut valley. The house includes the original Dow mansion, with additions and improvements, and is still the family home, over which the mother presides, Mr. Keyes being still unmarried.
Mr. Keyes was educated in the Boston public schools, at Adams academy, and Harvard college, graduating from the latter in 1887. He is a Democrat in politics, has served several years as selectman, was a member of the state legislature in 1891 and in 1893, and was the candidate of his party for senator in the Grafton district in 1894, receiving more votes than his Republican oppo- nent, but failing of an election for want of a majority over all. He has also served one term as a trustee of the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts. He is a director of the Connecticut & Passumpsic Rivers railroad, a member of Grafton lodge, F. & A. M., and of Pink Granite grange, North Haver- hill. He is also vice-president of the Nashua River Paper Co., of Pepperell, Mass., of which one of his brothers is president and the other treasurer, and was actively instrumental in the establishment of the North Haverhill creamery, at which the milk from his dairy is marketed.
ZERAH E. TILTON,
BRISTOL.
The town of Bristol is generally known for its activity and enterprise as a manufacturing place, yet there are prosperous and progressive farmers within its borders, prominent among whom is Zerah E. Tilton, proprietor of "New Found Valley Stock Farm," located about half a mile outside the village.
Mr. Tilton is a native of the town of Groton, son of
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Elbridge and Alice (Cummings) Tilton, born May 23, 1858. His parents removed to Laconia when he was seven years of age, where they resided until he was fourteen, then removing to Bristol and locating upon the farm which he now occupies, where he has ever since had his home. His education was obtained in the Laconia graded schools and the Bristol High school, and at the age of twenty-one he engaged with his father in the retail milk business, the partnership continuing until the death of the latter, after which he ran the busi- ness himself until 1895, making seventeen years alto- gether in this line, during which time he kept about thirty cows on an average.
This farm contained originally about one hundred and fifty acres, but Mr. Til- ton has added thereto by purchase from time to time, until it now embraces four hundred and thirty acres, upon which there are two. sets of buildings, while he has also a back pas- ture containing about two hundred acres. The trotting park and fair grounds of the Bristol Fair association are in- cluded within his farm limits. He has about one hundred acres in ZERAH E. TILTON. mowing and tillage, twenty-five acres being under the plow, of which fifteen are generally in corn, and ten in oats and barley, the corn being ensilaged, and used in supplementing the one hun-
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dred tons of hay annually cut, along with the oats and barley, in feeding the forty head of cattle kept on the farm, together with five horses kept for farm work in the summer, and which are employed in extensive lum- bering operations in winter along with several yokes of oxen.
On his home farm Mr. Tilton has a spacious and con- venient barn 110 feet long and 40 feet wide, with cellar under the whole; also two silos of 125 tons' capacity each. He has also a steam mill for doing various kinds of work on the farm, grinding grain, making cider, and preparing stove wood for market. For a few years past he has made a specialty of Holstein cows, of which he has now about twenty, the milk from the same going to the Boston market.
Mr. Tilton was united in marriage with Miss Georgie- anna Weeks of Bristol, May 22, 1887. He is a charter member of New Found Lake grange, was its first over- seer, and served two years as master. Politically, he is a Democrat, and has been the candidate of his party for various offices, but residing in a strong Republican town, has never been elected.
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ERASMUS D. COMINGS,
CROYDON.
Erasmus Darwin Comings was the seventh of the eight children of Fenno and Rebecca (Smart) Comings, born in Berlin, Vt., June 17, 1826. The family were origi- nally from Connecticut and settled in Cornish, N. H. Left an orphan at three and a half years by his father's death, he aided his mother till the age of eighteen, when he taught his first school, and afterwards attended the Newbury, Vt., Seminary, conducting the singing in that institution.
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With a decided taste for vocal music, he was under the instruction of the celebrated Lowell Mason, in Boston, for a few months, and soon after commenced his long and useful career as a teacher of singing-schools. For forty winters continuously, nearly every evening of each week he was thus employed in Croydon and adjoining towns ; besides leading choirs in Newport for twenty- five years, helping to start the " Sullivan County Musi- cal Association," and conducting the singing most acceptably at several hundred funerals, down to the present time.
His farming operations commenced in California in 1852-'53, where he harvested one hun- dred acres of barley, and afterwards, being, with his partner, ac- customed to the use of tools, they worked for several weeks on a wharf and bridge at Stockton for eight dol- lars per day each. On returning to New Hampshire, he added an adjoining farm to the old homestead of his father-in-law, Na- ERASMUS D. COMINGS. thaniel Humphrey, thus securing one of the largest sugar orchards in the town of Croydon. It contains some 1,500 trees, in the management of which he keeps abreast of the times in all improvements for sugar- ing, and has found his net profits averaging $250 a year, -some years as high as $500. He uses, and for thirty
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FARM BUILDINGS OF E. D. COMINGS, CROYDON.
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years has held an agency for, the evaporator now manu- factured by the " Vermont Farm Machine Co.," of Bel- lows Falls.
This homestead he still occupies, having replaced the old barn burned a few years ago, with another-one of the best and most convenient in town, at a cost of $1,000. He is also quite extensively engaged in the raising of poultry, chiefly of the Plymouth Rock variety, with com- modious, well-arranged quarters, as appear in the left of the picture.
In town affairs, Captain Comings has held every im- portant office, and has served as moderator twenty-five years (from 1864-'80, consecutively ), longer than any other citizen of Croydon. In the cause of his country he enlisted a company, with Capt. J. W. Putnam, from Newport and vicinity, in September, 1861, himself being lieutenant, and was mustered into the service with the New Hampshire Sixth regiment in December following. Joining General Burnside's expedition, he was stranded at Hatteras Inlet, in the steamship Louisiana, operated in that part of North Carolina ; was promoted to captain of Company H in September, 1862, and was discharged for disability in January, 1863.
Captain Comings married Caroline Susan Humphrey, January 20, 1858. Their only daughter and oldest child, Alice Vienne, born in 1851, excelled in music, was graduated at the Boston Conservatory, and taught very successfully in Illinois and Michigan, till her lamented death, as Mrs. Orrin F. Hill, at the age of thirty-four years. Of their two sons, Arthur Eugene died highly respected in Colon, Mich., aged twenty-six, and Ellsworth Darwin now resides in Croydon.
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SAMUEL TITUS NOYES,
COLEBROOK.
The subject of this sketch was born in Columbia, April 25, 1846, being the youngest of ten children of Asa and Lydia (Eaton) Noyes. His parents, who were very poor, having suffered the loss of crops by frosts for sev- eral years, removed, soon after his birth, to East, Cole- brook, where Mr. Noyes now resides. His early inclinations were literary, and he fondly hoped to acquire a liberal education. After attending the town schools, he pursued his studies at Colebrook Academy and the New- bury (Vt.) Seminary ; but when he realized that he was needed at home to care for his parents, who were becom- ing aged, he relinquished the cherished hope and heartily turned his attention to agriculture.
As a farmer, Mr. Noyes has been characterized by an intelligent purpose to be governed by scientific principles in the various branches of practical agriculture. He early realized the advantage of infusing the blood of the thoroughbred into his stock of horses, cattle, sheep, and swine. In sheep raising his object was the best cross- bred sheep possible. The foundation stock was Leicestershire, purchased in Canada, crossed with South- down. Later the Shropshire was introduced, and at present the Cheviot is used. The result of this breeding is a flock of fifty fine sheep and lambs which have taken first premium whenever shown.
Mr. Noyes was among the first to introduce Durham cattle, having purchased at a very high price some thoroughbreds in Burlington, Vt., and Canada. Several farmers of the vicinity availed themselves of the opportu- nity to secure male calves, and in a few years the herds of East Colebrook were greatly improved. In 1886, when the beef industry became unprofitable, through the
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kindly advice of j. L. Gerrish of Webster, he purchased a Guernsey bull, fully believing that it would be more advantageous to produce butter than beef, and has since made a specialty of dairying. The grade Guernseys have proved very desirable, removing all doubts which may have originally existed. In 1895, Mr. Noyes purchased four thoroughbred cows and heifers, and now has a herd of forty thoroughbreds and grades, headed by " Rosa's Rydale," the fourth bull used, and royally bred. The mature cows produce an average of 300 pounds of butter each per annum, and the herd of twenty-five cows and heifers gives promise of a net an- nual product of 6,000 pounds.
The skimmed milk is fed to calves and Chester-White pigs, the latter being fat- tened in the fall and the available portions used for sausage, of which he makes some SAMUEL T. NOYES. eight hundred pounds annually, selling above the market price. The but- ter and cheese made from this herd are of a superior quality. The butter shown at the dairy exhibit in con- nection with the winter meeting of the State Dairyman's association at Lancaster in December, 1895, scored ninety-seven and three-fourths points, and won the first premium.
A few colts are raised on the farm, about twelve horses, old and young, being kept for use and for sale.
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" Hill Top Farm " has, in the past fifteen years, been improved until at present it produces annually from 80 to 100 tons of hay, 1,500 bushels of potatoes, 800 bushels of grain, 75 to 100 tons of ensilage, 300 gallons of maple syrup, and a good amount of fruit, while its pasturage is unexcelled.
Mr. Noyes, to be appreciated, must be known in home and social life. Much of his success is due to his excel- lent wife, formerly Miss Anna Donnelly, who is a model homemaker. Mr. and Mrs. Noyes are genial as host and hostess, always pleased to entertain not only their intimate friends, but also a large circle of acquaintances. They have but one child, Alice, the wife of Rev. I. C. Brown, of the M. E. church, a younger daughter, Hattie Ellen, having died from the dread scourge diphtheria, at the age of eleven years. They delight especially in the visits of their three grandchildren, Lena Mae, Gladys Alice, and S. Noyes, in whom many hopes are centered. They are members of the M. E. church at East Cole- brook, and are leaders in all its lines of work. Current events are discussed in their home with marked interest, and attention is given to an excellent library, comprising works of fiction, romance, biography, history, science, agriculture, and religion.
As a young man Mr. Noyes allied himself with the Republican party, and received some honors at its hands. In 1884, he was attracted to the Prohibition party by its sublime purpose and virtue, according to his conception. and he has since been an active Prohibitionist. He is content in his avocation, and asks for no higher calling- no greater opportunities in life. He honors his work, and is in return ennobled by it. His own words, used in an address of welcome to the State Board of Agriculture at a Farmers' Institute in Grange hall, East Colebrook. in October, 1896, give an insight of his conception of
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the privileges and duties of farm life : " Grand, indeed, is it to be allied to this calling. It is an honor to any man to be a farmer. Equally sad is it for a man hav- ing received such an honor to fail to honor it."
BELDEN MORGAN,
NEW LONDON.
A representative New England farmer of the staid, independent type, more prevalent a generation since than now, is Belden Morgan of New London, whose home- stead, originally settled by his great-grandfather, John Morgan, who came from England to Manchester, Mass., and subsequently located here, has been owned by suc- cessive generations in direct descent, from its settlement to the present day.
This farm was one of the first settled in this fine old agricultural town, and is located on the highest point of land within its limits, in the southwestern portion, about two miles from New London village, eight miles west from Kearsarge mountain, and two miles east of Sunapee lake. Here Belden, son of William and Mary (Stevens) Morgan, was born October 8, 1824, and here he has spent his life, with the exception of a few years in Lowell, Mass., and in Manchester.
In April, 1855, Mr. Morgan was united in marriage with Miss Susan A. Merrill of Lovell, Maine, by whom he has three children, a daughter and two sons-Flora B., Fred S., and John K. Morgan, all living at home, and the sons actively and earnestly devoted to the same call- ing which their ancestors have successfully pursued.
The home farm embraces about 200 acres of land, and aside from this they have some 300 acres of pasture and woodland. The soil is strong and productive, well
BELDEN MORGAN.
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adapted for nearly all kinds of crops grown in this region, and especially for wheat, of which, until quite recently, fine crops were always raised, the flour for family use being made therefrom, as was the custom in earlier days so generally in the hill towns of the state ; but of late wheat has not been raised to any great extent, from the fact that there are now no good flour mills in the vicinity.
Mixed farming has always been pursued on this place. About fifty acres of land are in mowing and tillage, pro- ducing annually, upon an average, fifty tons of hay, 500 bushels of corn on the ear, 100 bushels of barley, 100 bushels of potatoes, and a variety of other crops, with a fair supply of fruit. The stock kept consists of cattle, horses, sheep, and swine, the cattle including about ten milch cows, the cream from whose product, raised in a cooler, is sold at the creamery in Sutton, five miles dis- tant.
The farm buildings are convenient and substantial, including a good two-story house and a barn 40× 90 feet, a new barn also being planned. The putting in of a silo is also contemplated.
Mr. Morgan is a fair specimen of that class of farmers who, in New Hampshire as well as elsewhere, prosper by attending strictly to the business in which they are engaged. He has never held or sought public office of any kind ; belongs to no church, and no secret organiza- tion of any description, maintains a clear conscience and votes the Democratic ticket. He is a good farmer, a good neighbor, and a good citizen; is content with his lot, honors his calling, and with his worthy family about him, enjoys the fruit of his labor.
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HON. GEORGE A. WASON,
NEW BOSTON.
One of the most familiar names in agricultural and Grange circles in New Hampshire is that of George Austin Wason, who, although residing for a considerable portion of the time for the last few years in a pleasant home on Main street, in the thriving city of Nashua, retains his legal abode in his native town of New Bos- ton, as well as the proprietorship and management of the old homestead upon which he was born and reared.
The youngest of nine children of Robert and Nancy (Bachelder) Wason, he was born September 17, 1831. He was educated in the district school and a select school in New Boston, and at the Francestown academy. Following the pursuit of agriculture, he came, upon his father's decease, into the possession of the homestead. which the latter had received from an uncle, whom he came to New Boston to care for in early life, near the close of the last century.
This farm embraces 475 acres, of which about 75 acres are mowing and tillage, and the balance pasturage and woodland, except that a pond of about twenty-five acres in extent is included within its limits. For about twenty- five years Mr. Wason was actively engaged in raising thorough-bred Devon stock, attaining much success in that direction. While thus engaged he took a lively interest in all organizations and agencies calculated to promote the general prosperity of the agriculture of the state. He was for three years president of the Hills- borough County Agricultural society, and following its dissolution, was for an equal length of time at the head of the Piscataquog Valley Fair association.
Mr. Wason entered early and heartily into the Grange movement in this state, having been a charter member
HON. GEORGE A. WASON.
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and the first Master of Joe English Grange of New Bos- ton, and serving two terms since, as Master of the same organization. He was elected Overseer of the State Grange in 1877, and Master in 1879, serving in the latter capacity four years and devoting much time and labor to the work. In 1883 he was appointed a member of the board of trustees of the New Hampshire College of Agri- culture and the Mechanic Arts, and has been reappointed continuously to the present time, being one of the most devoted and interested members of the board, and through long sevice thoroughly familiar with the work of the insti- tution. He also served for two terms, previous to 1895, as a member of the State Board of Agriculture for Hills- borough county.
In public and political life Mr. Wason has been active and prominent for many years, and has been particularly influential in the Republican party in the county of Hillsborough, having been a member of the board of county commissioners for six years from 1877, and actively engaged in the management of county affairs. In 1883 he was elected to the state senate in the old Six- teenth district, serving one term. In 1890, and again in 1892, he was chosen a member of the house of repre- sentatives from New Boston, and was closely identified with all measures enacted in the interest of agriculture. In 1894 he was again elected to the senate, from the new Eighth district.
Mr. Wason was the leading spirit in the movement for the construction of the New Boston railroad, by which the advantages of railway communication were secured for his native town, and has been a director and presi- dent of the road from the start, and has been interested in all measures and movements calculated to promote the interests of the town. At his farm, where he now keeps from twenty-five to thirty-five head of cattle, three 17
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horses, and about forty sheep, he is principally engaged at present in making cream for Whipple's famous New Boston creamery.
In September, 1863, Mr. Wason was united in mar- riage with Clara Louise, daughter of Sidney and Louisa (Trull) Hills of New Boston, by whom he has three sons, the oldest, Edward H., being a well-known law- yer of Nashua ; George B. of the firm of Wason & Co., 61 Chatham street, Boston ; and Robert S., a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, now with Wason & Co.
JOHN C. MILLS.
DUNBARTON.
Notwithstanding its rugged surface and somewhat isolated location, the town of Dunbarton has long enjoyed a high reputation for agricultural prosperity. Among the worthiest and best known farmers in this old town is John C. Mills, who was born and has always resided on the homestead which was first settled by his great-grand- father, Thomas Mills, one of the four original settlers of the town, and now known as " Hillside Farm."
Mr. Mills was born on March 8, 1825, being a son of John and Nancy (Bailey) Mills. He was educated in the common school, and has devoted his entire life to agriculture, with lumbering as a prominent incident. He has been a great reader of agricultural books and papers, has made a study of soils and fertilizers, and is unques- tionably one of the best posted men in the town on all matters pertaining to his occupation. His annual hay crop averages about eighty tons. He has an excellent dairy of about fifteen cows, including some superior Jer- seys, and makes choice butter for private customers. He does not believe in ensilage for the dairy, but raises a
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considerable amount of evergreen sweet corn for supple- mentary fodder, which he feeds dry. His entire stock, including cows, numbers about thirty head of cattle, and three horses. He raises a large amount of fruit and veg- etables, but makes potatoes a specialty, raising six hun- dred or eight hundred bushels per annum. He markets his produce mainly in Manchester.
Mr. Mills was a charter member and the first steward of Stark grange, Dunbarton, and has been one of the most faithful and devoted Patrons in the state. He has held nearly all the various offices in the subordinate grange, in- cluding that of master, and is now chaplain. He was an active mem- ber of Merrimack Coun- ty Council, having been gatekeeper, chaplain, and overseer of that or- ganization. He has also been prominent in the Merrimack County Po- mona grange since its organization, and was JOHN C. MILLS. for five years its chap- lain. He was an active promoter and manager of the old Piscataquog Agricul- tural society, which for five years held its annual fair in Goffstown, and contributed largely to its success. He was also actively connected with the New Hampshire Agri- cultural society, was one of its directors for several years. and was a prominent exhibitor, especially in the fruit and vegetable departments, at its annual fairs in Manchester.
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In politics, Mr. Mills has been a Republican for the last thirty years. He has been town clerk, supervisor, four years selectman, and has held other responsible offices at the hands of his townsmen, frequently having been selected as the agent of the town in the conduct of suits at law. He was actively instrumental in the work of securing daily mail facilities for the town. In religion, he is a Congregationalist.
Mr. Mills was united in marriage April 15, 1847, with Miss Fanny Kezer of Hopkinton, by whom he has had three children-John B. Mills, now a journalist in Grand Rapids, Mich., Sarah A., who died in 1873, and George F., who resides with him at the home in Dunbarton.
CHARLES H. WATERHOUSE,
CORNISH.
No one instrumentality has done more to advance the interests of New England agriculture, or improve the condition of the New England housewife than the intro- duction of the creamery process of butter manufacture. The pioneer in this work in the state of New Hampshire was Charles H. Waterhouse of Barrington, now of Cor- nish, and to him, more than to any other man, is the state indebted for the reputation for excellence which its butter product has secured and maintains in the market of the country.
Mr. Waterhouse is a native of the town of Barrington, born September 17, 1835, and had his home there until eighteen years of age, securing such education as he was able to gain in the old " Hale school-house " in that town. Starting out in life for himself, at the age men- tioned, with a capital consisting of a fairly good suit of clothes, a pair of blue drilling overalls, a two dollar bill
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of the old Strafford bank. of Dover, and a good stock of energy and ambition, he made his way to Massachusetts. He secured a position at Tewksbury as assistant super- intendent of the state almshouse, and was engaged three years in that capacity, acting the last year, also, as superintendent of the farm connected with that institution. Leaving Tewksbury, he was for one year superintendent of the city almshouse in Charlestown, Mass., and then removed to Dover, where he was engaged in business as a butcher for another period of three years; but, the Rebellion being in progress, he responded to the call of his country, and, August 11, 1862, enlisted in Company H, Eleventh New Hampshire regiment, for three years. During his army service he was engaged a large portion of the time in the commissary department, his experi- ence fitting him admirably for the work. For seventeen months he had charge of the provisioning of twelve thou- sand men.
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