USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Meredith > Old Meredith and vicinity > Part 3
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UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY IN MEREDITH AND GILFORD
It is believed that this Society was organized about 1820-22, sometimes holding services in the Court House and sometimes in Clough's Hall, located at 541 Main Street, the lower corner of Meredith Court. Clough's store was below the hall.
The first definite record we have of the Society was under date of August 8, 1825, when under the name as above, it was voted by the Congregationalists to give them leave to occupy "the Meeting House in this Village on the last Sabbath in August inst. and first Sabbath in September next."
We are indebted to Mrs. Mary Gale Hibbard for the following facts.
The first to preach Universalism in Meredith and Gilmanton was Brother Sebastian Streeter. He and others preached occasionally, and the Rev. Joseph P. Atkinson, while yet a student, spent three months in the summer of 1828 and again in 1829 in Meredith Bridge. He taught a school also and Miss Martha M. Perley, the daughter of Stephen Perley, one of the leading citizens and one of the first Universalists, attended his school.
Later she married Mr. Atkinson. He had always hoped that he might pass his last days in the old Folsom house on Pleasant street, and bought this house in the sixties, spending his summers here in the first years of his ownership. He always felt a deep interest in the church of which he was the first pastor, even after it took the name of Unitarian.
On the first old-home day in Laconia his children hung the old Folsom tavern sign on a tree in front of the house. One of Mr. Atkinson's sons and four grand- children make their home now in Laconia.
Mr. Frost succeeded Mr. Atkinson, and the Rev. John Prince is known to have preached and lectured here. Later yet new members came to town who were Unitarians, and the society became Unitarian, built a new church and sold the old one to the Methodists. Recently this church has been entirely rebuilt, bearing now no resemblance to the old meeting house, but retaining the sweet- toned bell. In rebuilding the church it was found that there had been columns in front, and the closed front had been built later, for warmth probably. When Father Hosea Ballou came to Meredith Bridge in 1839, when the old meeting house was dedicated, he praised the music, instruments and voices; no organ, of course. For many years Dr. G. V. Pickering played an instrument in the choir, and N. B. Gale sang tenor, having a very pure tenor voice, never making a false note.
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Gen. W. F. Knight, when a boy, tended the fires, the stoves being in the rear and the long pipes going the length of the church.
Few are left now who can remember the meeting house in its old days.
On page 220 of the Illustrated Laconian will be found a picture of the Methodist Episcopal Church as it appeared in 1899. It probably had much the same ap- pearance when it was purchased from the Unitarian Society as per deed of May 17, 1869, by John C. Moulton, Agent.
On page 222 of the Laconian will also be found a picture of the First Unitarian Church which was dedicated November 11, 1868. A historical sketch accom- panies this illustration.
FREEWILL BAPTIST CHURCH OF MEREDITH CENTER, N. H.
We are indebted to Hon. Andrew L. Felker for this historical sketch written by himself and Mr. G. L. P. Corliss.
In the year 1810 fifteen devout and earnest men and women who had become converted under the teachings of Randall, Place, Colby and others, joined them- selves together under covenant to watch over and care for each other in the loving service and fear of God, and with the assistance of Rev. Stephen J. Pitman and Rev. David Knowlton, they organized this church which was called The Second Freewill Baptist Church of Christ of Meredith.
In the year 1813 the church enjoyed a wonderful outpouring of God's spirit in revival meetings under the leadership of Rev. Ebenezer Knowlton, when thirty- nine were baptized and joined the church. Of these some of the more prominent ones were David Fogg, father of Hon. George G. Fogg of Concord, ex-Minister of the U. S. to Switzerland, Jacob Perkins, Peter Robinson, Benjamin Batchelder, Ebenezer and Eleanor Bickford, Jeremiah and Polly Marston. Each of the above has descendants who are members of the church today. The years from 1813 to 1819 were marked by slow growth, the evil effects resulting from the war of 1812 and the failure of the crops in 1816, tended to discourage the members of the church.
The Rev. Ebenezer Knowlton was pastor at this time. These were dark days for them, but God's holy spirit still hovered over and around them, and in 1819 the church enjoyed a pentecostal blessing under the leadership of the Rev. Naham Brooks, who during one of his soul stirring sermons stepped upon the front seat and exclaimed "Come! Come! All things are now ready." Twenty-five re- sponded to the call, many of whom were heads of families. The result of the labors of these devoted Christian men and women was that at the close of the year 1819 we find the church had a membership of 115. In 1822 the church sent John Swain as their first delegate to the New Durham Quarterly Meeting, with a report of the church and instructions to join that body, of which it remained a part for twenty years. In 1825 God visited his little flock with another revival, when many were baptized and joined the church.
In 1831 the present church edifice was erected, and according to the records the monthly conference was holden within its walls for the first time, April 30, 1833, the Rev. Benj. Manson being the pastor.
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The following clergymen have served as pastors of the church, to break the bread of Life to God's children here: Rev. Stephen J. Pitman, Rev. Ebenezer Knowlton, Rev. Benjamin Manson, Rev. John Knowles, Rev. Lewis S. Wells, Rev. Francis Reed, Rev. I. M. Bedell, Rev. Asa Randlett, Rev. B. P. Russell, Rev. Oliver Butler, Rev. Hiram Sleeper, Rev. John Chamberlain, Rev. George W. Knapp, Rev. E. P. Moulton, Rev. M. A. Quimby, Rev. James Nason, Rev. John Willis, Rev. F. H. Lyford, Rev. George H. Pinkham, Rev. L. E. Hall, Rev. W. H. Harmon, Rev. David Calley, Rev. W. H. Trafton, Rev. J. Earskine and Rev. Mrs. Etta G. Tracy.
Among those who have acted as supply, but were not regular pastors are: Rev. Naham Brooks, who afterwards founded the F. B. church at Meredith Bridge, now Laconia, also the Reverends Ezekiel True, Gilman Sanborn, A. D. Smith, Lewis Malvern, F. L. Wiley, Dr. Olin Tracy and others.
In 1836 revival meetings were held by Rev. Naham Brooks and a large number converted and many family altars were erected. Great interest was shown by the members, eighty exhortations being given in one meeting.
In later years the church enjoyed revivals under the pastorates of Rev. John Chamberlain, Rev. M. A. Quimby, Rev. E. P. Moulton, and Rev. George H. Pinkham.
In 1882 a revival occurred that may call for more than passing notice. Rev. J. B. Davis, the pastor of the F. B. Church at Meredith Village was invited to take charge of the revival service here. He remained with the people one week when Folger and Jackson came, and much interest was shown. God gave the blessing and more than twenty were converted.
Among those men who have served as deacons are: Thomas Blake, Jacob Perkins, Benjamin M. Batchelder, Ashael Sanborn, Jacob F. Perkins, Warren B. Leavitt, John H. Robinson and Andrew L. Felker.
In 1915 Rev. Etta G. Tracy assisted by Rev. Dr. Olin Tracy, enjoyed several revivals; many were converted. Several times we gathered at baptismal waters. Rev. Eugene Doloff, pastor at Newmarket, N. H., was one of Mrs. Tracy's converts.
The Sunday School in connection with the church was first organized about 1838 and proved a great blessing to the church. In order to make it more effec- tive in its work, it was reorganized in 1874, and adopted a constitution and by- laws to govern its management.
The Ladies Benevolent Circle was organized in 1850 and its first President was Mrs. Stephen J. Pitman.
The Young People's Society of Advocates of Christian Fidelity was organized in 1892 with fourteen active and five associate members.
The church society, finding that more room was needed to meet all the re- quirements of the church, decided to build a vestry and in 1881 it was completed. The land on which it stands was donated by Mr. Lane Plummer. The lumber for the building was given by Dea. Ashael Sanborn, one of Christ's loyal ones.
The church stands today free of debt. It owns a parsonage, and has $1000 invested, which was given by Dea. Ashael Sanborn, the income to be used for the support of preaching.
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In looking over the past history of this church we can see plainly that God has children here, and the successes and failures of our fathers should prove helpful to us and we should take courage and go onward, ever onward, bearing the cross of Christ faithfully unto the end.
For the past few years there have not been services in the church during the winter months.
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLHOUSES OF OLD MEREDITH AND VICINITY
Charles H. Perkins
We find that in 1647 the General Court of Massachusetts passed a law estab- lishing a system of public schools. This law extended to the inhabitants of New Hampshire, which was then united to that colony.
The first law relating to schools passed by New Hampshire after it became an independent province, was enacted in 1693 during the bloody struggle with the French and Indians. This law provided for the establishment of a school in every town, subjecting those to a penalty of ten pounds which should fail to comply with its requirements.
"The old laws of New Hampshire," says Dr. Belmont, writing in 1792, "re- quired every town of one hundred inhabitants to keep a grammar school, by which was meant a school in which the learned languages should be taught, and youth might be prepared for admission to a university. The same preceptor was obliged to teach reading, writing and arithmetic, unless the town was of sufficient ability to keep two or more schools, one of which was called a grammar school by way of distinction." These laws were not always carried into effect; yet when we take into consideration all the circumstances of the case, the small number of inhabitants, their poverty, their exposed situation, and their numerous contests with a deadly foe, we are astonished that they should have accomplished so much.
The branches ordinarily taught in the common schools were reading, writing, English grammar, arithmetic, and geography.
Meredith from the first paid attention to the educational interests of the town. It was "voted April 5, 1773, to raise the sum of six Spanish milled dollars to hire schooling but not to build a schoolhouse this present year." In the same year we find Jeremiah Smith credited "by cash payed Jonathan Smith for schooling, 16 pounds." April 3, 1775 it was " voted to raise 6 pounds lawful money, to be applied for schooling, and that the selectmen hire some suitable woman to keep the same if they can conviently hire such a one."
The first schoolhouse in Meredith was located on the south side of the road leading from Folsom's Mills (Lakeport) to the old Province Road leading from Meredith Bridge to Meredith Parade. It was made from logs and located near some oak trees about half way from the junction of the above roads and the top of the hill near the Golf Club house. We have not learned the date of the build-
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ing of this house, but do know that Nicholas Folsom, one of the sons of "Priest" Folsom attended school here. Nicholas Folsom Jr. was born November 25, 1777.
March 10, 1778, the town took action to build three schoolhouses and also "that the selectmen shall make tax on said districts to pay the cost of building, after the houses are completed," and voted for eight months' school. Up to this time and for several years the amount annually voted by the town for school purposes was usually five pounds. Some years later there was no school and the money raised increased the time taught the ensuing year. Four months in each year there was usually a school.
Whether the above building plans were delayed by the Revolutionary War, we do not know, but at a town meeting March 10, 1788, it was voted that each of five districts should build a schoolhouse for itself. The committee reported one to be built near Jonathan Smith's house. This site was near the entrance to the County Farm, and was mentioned by Mrs. Obear.
The second schoolhouse was probably located at what is known as the Crockett schoolhouse. Here for many years and longer than the oldest resident can re- member, a school was kept. The house has been remodeled and kept in good re- pair, but about two years ago it was considered for the best interest of the district to bring the pupils to the city schools.
The third was in what is known as the Wadleigh district, so-called, and was located on the same side of the road and a few rods below the former residence of C. Elwin Swain. It was later moved to the town line between Laconia and Meredith and used as a union schoolhouse. Some years ago the house was moved away from this last location.
The fourth schoolhouse was located near Ensign Pike's house and close to what is now called Pease Corner, about two miles from Meredith Village on the Province Road, a little way before it crosses the road that runs between Meredith Village and Meredith Center. This little "red" schoolhouse has been kept in good repair and used up to within about six years.
The fifth schoolhouse was to be located near the mouth of the road that leads to John Robert's house in the third division. This would be located just out of Meredith Village on the old road to Center Harbor. It may be the house in which Dudley Leavitt of Almanac fame taught, as his first school was said to be located on the old road leading from Meredith Village to Center Harbor. Mr. Leavitt afterwards taught on Meredith Parade. (Wadleigh district.) Dudley Leavitt was widely known as a mathematician and astronomer, his fame extend- ing to foreign countries, students coming from a distance to be under his instruc- tion. To have received instruction from "Master Leavitt" was regarded as highly as a college diploma today.
The first singing school in Meredith was taught by Deacon Josiah Perkins of Meredith in 1795.
In the year 1800 the town voted to raise $300 for schools. In 1802 a petition was presented, signed by eleven persons stating "that a new school district be formed from those adjoining is much desired," as follows: "Beginning in school district number three on Winnipesaukee Pond and to include the land of all eleven named residents and then to Measly Pond, thence on Measly Pond to
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Winnipesaukee Pond." The request for this schoolhouse was granted and the same is still located on the heights just out of Meredith Village on the Daniel Webster highway and about opposite the junction of the Parade Road with this highway. This is at present painted white and in good repair. March 12, 1804, the town "voted to raise $400 for the use of schools the ensuing year."
Another old "red" schoolhouse is located in the Clough district, so-called, "in Chemung," a name given a section of territory located between Meredith Center and Sanbornton Square. This house is in the town of Meredith and about half way between the two places named. There has been no school kept in this house for the past few years, the desks having been taken out to help fit up school rooms in Meredith, but the house itself is in very good repair.
We give here in full the letter printed in the Sandwich News and written, under date of April 11, 1923, by Aaron Clough, said to be the oldest man in Meredith.
Editor News:
I was over to Chemung and I looked into the schoolhouse that now stands there. The seats and desk were gone, the slate blackboards and stove were taken out and the floor was covered with papers and rubbish.
Well, let it pass.
The little school district which contained 23 families, now has but one family, and four or five old men, I believe, most of whom live alone.
Eighty years ago the seats were filled with noisy, happy children and the stern teacher strode before the great fireplace "keeping order" and his dignity, and went up the aisle to help the boys in their sums.
Sunday afternoons we had meetings in the schoolhouse, the brethren and sometimes the minister came up from the Center and sang "From Whence Does This Union Arise."
The Stantons came up, Deacon Perkins and his family came, and his sisters Sally, Betsy and Ruth, walked up through the pastures and gave their exhorta- tions. The Lawrences came and sometimes Robert Downing from near Sanborn- ton. Abram True and his gifted wife came over from the Eastman neighborhood; the Sanborns and Leavitts came, my family came, although father and mother were strong Adventists and did not fit in very closely with their former freewill brethren.
Many of the neighbors, if not "engaged in religion" or even "professors," always came and filled the house.
Every Sunday old Uncle Asa Rundlett would walk four miles to the Center to meeting. People "felt an interest in religion" in those days; it strengthened the strong and the weak, comforted the mourners, gave hope to the toiler, the tried and the sick, steadied the wavering and restrained the bad, it was an anchor to the soul, its cable went upward.
Monday morning brought the 30 or 40 noisy children again to school.
They took their seats and all who could read, read from the New Testament. Then some of the boys renewed their attack on "vulgar fractions " and the "rule of three"; other boys snapped apple seeds at the girls and looked too innocent when their " natural enemy " turned round. Some of the girls chewed over again
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the hateful columns of "words of one syllable containing silent letters " hoping to "spell 'em all down" in the coming spelling school.
Of all that happy company one only remains to drop a tear on thoughts of the old schoolhouse, whose sad but fragrant memory still lingers in his sunset sky. AARON CLOUGH.
It is said that at one time a school was maintained on Bear Island.
The following article was written by the late Horace G. Whittier about the first schoolhouse in Lake Village "possibly known as Batchelder's Mills at that date" which was a union schoolhouse for Gilford and Meredith.
With the true New England spirit, the education of their children became a matter of prime importance as soon as a sufficient number of families had settled to warrant the employment of a teacher. At first, there being but a small num- ber of scholars in the village, the sessions were held in rooms in private houses. But in time the number of scholars had increased until more commodious quar- ters were an absolute necessity, and it was decided to build a schoolhouse. The exact date of this building cannot be given. Many years ago we interviewed some of our older residents as to the date, but they were unable to enlighten us. It must have been in the early '30s, as when the writer attended school in this house, in the early '40s, it carried many of the earmarks of an ancient building, not the least of these being the disfigurement of desks and seats made by the jackknives of the scholars. The central feature of this schoolroom was a broad aisle extending through the center from the door in front to the teacher's desk at the rear, this open aisle being used for recitation purposes. The seats, on each side, faced the center, and were on an incline from the aisle to the sides of the house, with side aisles between the sections of the seats. This first schoolhouse stood where the Lougee residence is now located, 38 Gold Street. It now does duty as a dwelling house, having been remodeled and moved across Gold Street, to a point nearly opposite its original site, and now 37 and 39 Gold Street.
In addition to its primary purpose, the old schoolroom was used for many semi- public functions, and in it were held prayer meetings, school meetings, caucuses, temperance meetings, etc.
By 1843-'44 the village had grown to such proportions that one house could not accommodate all the scholars. Up to this time the district had been a union one (Gilford and Meredith). But in 1843 the district was divided on the town and river line, and while the new schoolhouse for the west side was being built on School Street, a school was held in the west end of Fred Adams' store, 156 Elm Street. The building was afterwards moved down into the mill yard, so-called, was last used by Horace Wood and Co. as a room for boarding stockings, and, with many other buildings, was burned in the great fire. Only one or two terms of school were held in this building.
Returning to the Gilford side of Meredith Bridge Village, we find the first schoolhouse was located on land now occupied by Mrs. Lawrence Baldi's resi- dence, 366 South Main Street. We have not been able to learn the date at which this schoolhouse was built, but it was very early in the history of the Village. There are several of our older residents now living who attended this old "yellow"
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schoolhouse which was located close to the road. After the building of the Bow- man Street schoolhouse, it was sold to John Edwards as per deed (from Avery and others) February 1, 1856. In giving the description of the property conveyed, this clause is included, "meaning to convey the schoolhouse lot of four rods square and the schoolhouse on same, with land binding on said Mallard four rods wide to the Bowman land." The building was later moved back and entered into the construction of the buildings of Mrs. Baldi.
The Bowman Street schoolhouse located at the time in "district number four" was dedicated July 14, 1854. As first built, it was of one story (brick) and had two schoolrooms.
On the Meredith side of the river, a schoolhouse was located near where John A. Harper, Esq. (a member of Congress), lived, now 68 Pleasant Street. After Esquire Harper's death this place was owned by Jonathan Ladd, and we learn from an old letter written in the 1840's that his son-in-law, Dr. Knowles, was using the old schoolhouse as an office.
The next schoolhouse was located on land now owned by Mrs. Calvin J. Sanborn, 161 Pleasant St. The exact date of building is not known, but in an old deed dated January 26, 1816, conveying land from Stephen Perley to Jona- than Folsom is mentioned a "large stone as one of the bounds formerly standing in the wall and now near where the new schoolhouse in district number one in said Meredith stands." About the time School Street (Harvard) was laid out, the old schoolhouse was moved across, about May 1841. At that time or later it was made a two-room building by an addition. This was used up to the time the present brick schoolhouse was built (1870) and later sold to ex-Mayor Samuel B. Smith, who divided it into two parts for tenement houses, moving it back onto what is now Dartmouth Street. The present remodeled double tenements known as numbers 20-22 and 24-26 are largely made from the old schoolhouse.
Some years ago Mrs. Lydia Ann (Swasey) Obear wrote for the Laconia Demo- crat a series of articles, and among other things described this schoolhouse and its immediate surroundings. Mrs. Obear was born in Meredith Bridge in 1820 and attended this school. Her articles give the best description we have been able to find. She knew so intimately the conditions she so aptly and beautifully de- scribed, that we herewith present at some length her description of the schools etc., for the years 1828-30 and the decade from 1830 to 1840.
It is 1828 still; one o'clock in the afternoon. The school children are on their way to the one schoolhouse which accommodates all of the scholars from the bridge across the river to the "Poor farm " above the village, two or three miles.
We will follow a group of them up by John Horne's house, at the corner of Snapper Street, coming first to Mr. Wingate's blacksmith shop, then his house. The tall, keen, alert man coming from the house into the road is Mr. Wood, the schoolmaster. He is from Barnstead, and for five successive winters sways the ferule and the birch in the schoolhouse to which the children are going. We will visit his school by and by, when we have looked at the residences on each side of the street, as we follow the schoolmaster's elastic step up the Old Road.
On this side of the street next to Mr. Wingate's is the Widow Jonathan Ladd's
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house. Front of it, outside the yard, are several Lombardy poplars, and the road being on a level with the gate is elevated enough to merit the name given "Harper's Hill." [This house was built by Esquire Harper, and has recently been purchased by the city.]
There are no other dwellings on this side of the street, before you come to the schoolhouse, but the Ladd orchard extends till it reaches Jonathan Folsom's field which stretches down to the Bay.
We will cross over and go down the street, before going into the school, to Mr. Folsom's house, which is the first building below the schoolhouse on the east side of the Old Road. His orchards and fields extend across to the New Road. Next to Mr. Folsom's is John Avery's; then two more dwellings, one quite back from the street, and we come to the house of Stephen Gale, one of the prominent storekeepers.
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