USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Meredith > Old Meredith and vicinity > Part 5
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Stephen Gale, who in 1780 moved from Raymond to Gilmanton, settling near the top of Mile Hill, was the next owner. On February 3, 1783, he deeded to Samuel Ladd "the whole of the mill grant laid out by the proprietors of Meredith aforesaid ajoyning to Wenepesoca River & is the same that I purchased of Caleb James." Ebenezer Smith was the Justice, and he and Samuel Jewett the wit- nesses. The price paid was ninety pounds lawful money, which is said to have been equal to $400 in 1783.
On the same day for seven Spanish milled dollars Samuel Jewett sold to Samuel Ladd two acres and fifty square rods of land situate in Gilmanton, the south side of the river, where the present (1925) grist mill and other mills now stand. The deed specifies that "the road laid out through said percil of land is not ment to be hereby sold." The Hon. S. S. Jewett, a descendant of Samuel Jewett, states that the old road ran much nearer the river than the present Union Avenue. He re- members also that the old mill house, said to have been built by Samuel Ladd, was where Huse's shop now stands. It was here the miller lived in later times. Samuel Ladd rebuilt the mills on the Gilmanton side of the river.
A grist mill as well as a saw mill was necessary for the wellbeing of the settlers. Joshua Folsom had built a grist mill at Meredith Center at the outlet of Wicwas Pond and the Proprietors voted to pay him forty pounds lawful money. Three years later (1770), in making a return of the Second and Third Divisions of land, the committee reported as follows: "we have also laid out & spotted about an acre of Land as a Privilege for the Gristmill on the Easterly side of the Stream we have also allowed the flowage of said mill to Remain as the Dam now stands." Later yet (1778) it was voted that this mill privilege should belong also to Joshua Folsom's heirs and assigns if they keep a grist mill there.
At Lakeport, also, no lot had been set aside for a mill on the Meredith side of the river, but Abraham Folsom owned point lot No. 14. In the list of settlers for 1766 he is given as having a house built and his son there. It is said that his mill was already in use as early as 1765. Many people near the shore in Sanbornton found it easier to go by water to the Meredith grist mills than by land to their own. There was a regular route from Sanbornton to Folsom's Mills by way of
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Danforth Rock and across the neck of land to Opechee. The men and boys had to lug the bags of grain, and then put up a flag to call the miller's boat.
BRIDGE
On the Gilmanton side at Lakeport the Proprietors had set aside two lots on the river, Nos. 4 and 6 in the 8th range, for a mill privilege. In 1780 they voted to sell all but five acres of this, and to use the money in building their half of the bridge there, and in clearing the main road from there to the first Parish. In July, 1807, it was voted to sell these five acres. The bridge, known as Folsom's Bridge, was built in 1782. It was built where the present Gold Street Bridge now is, and there was a new layout of the road through Abraham Folsom's land to this point. (August 17, 1781.)
MILLS
There were also mills at the Weirs, before S. C. Lyford in 1829 spoiled the water power there by raising his dam at Lakeport. There was a mill on the Gilford side in 1803 or 1804, and a wing dam extended up into the stream. In 1819 the gear- ing and iron work were removed, and the mill was no longer used, and gradually went to decay. It is not known who first owned this mill. The first mill on the Meredith side at the Weirs was a saw mill built in 1828. This was Odiorne's mill on lot No. 4 in the 1st division in Meredith.
John Jenness had a mill at Meredith Bay, where Meredith Village now stands. Ebenezer Smith had bought James Gibson's right in 1767. This included two small lots one on each side of the brook running from Measly Pond to Meredith Bay. In September, 1795, he sold these to John Jenness, reserving a part. The deed reads thus: "Where Said Jenness now lives & has for sundrie years past lived & improved & built a Corn mill, house, barn, & part of a saw mill thereon excepting out of the same the one half part of the stream whereon said mill Stands, with priviledge of road to hole Logs & boards from Winnipisoco pond thro the mill yard to measle pond in said Lot which I have deeded to William Davise by the desire of said Jenness." .. .
There were other smaller mills, of course, some near Meredith Village, some on Meredith Neck, and two at least up in town, but this is a brief account of the earliest and most important mills.
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OLD GRAVEYARDS
Abbie V. Smart
The final resting place of our pioneer ancestors, who by their courage and forti- tude made possible the advantages and privileges that we now enjoy, should ever be to us a source of deep interest and watchful care.
Many of the old graveyards where these brave men and women sleep their long sleep are sadly neglected, while others show the loving care and attention which is rightfully theirs. The Daughters of the American Revolution are diligently searching these old yards in order to find as many Revolutionary soldiers' graves as possible, and are placing markers on these graves as fast as they are located.
The Opechee or Washington Smith Cemetery is located on the Old Province Road, near the head of Lake Opechee; it has a fine granite wall on the front and is kept in good condition. It contains the graves of many men who were prominent in the early history of that part of Meredith which is now Laconia and most of them were Revolutionary soldiers.
Nicholas or "Priest" Folsom is buried here, together with his wife and his father, John Folsom. Their graves are marked only by small field stones with no lettering. Here also are the graves of Ebenezer Smith, Jeremiah Smith, Capt. Joshua Crockett, Abraham Folsom, Lieut. Joseph Roberts and others whose names are familiar in connection with early town and Revolutionary affairs.
In this yard at the back is a slender granite shaft with the four sides perfectly blank. This, I am told, belonged to a family by the name of Tilton, and tradi- tion says that they could not agree on how this monument should be marked, and so it was left unmarked. This graveyard has the oldest marked stones that we have found in this vicinity, but there are, no doubt, many unmarked stones that are older.
1792 Dasc AC 46
OLD GRAVESTONE
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These busy men, with so many arduous tasks before them, did not attempt to mark the earlier stones, and most of these field stones used as headstones at that time were so small that they would hold no more than two initials. One stone was marked in so strange a way that it was photographed, after having the grooves filled with chalk, with the hope that someone who reads this article may be able to tell us who lies here. It is placed near the Dockhams, and it may be a Carr or Crockett.
A stone marked "W. R. 1797" in line with the Roberts family is probably the one that marks the grave of William Roberts.
A short distance farther north we come to one of the earliest crossroads, laid out in 1770. Turning to the right on this road, we reach first the rangeway, where several families built in very early times, thinking that this would be the main road north. Turning toward the south from the present Folsom house and the Roberts house, now known as the Severance house, we come to the place where there was at one time a family burying ground on the Nicholas or "Priest" Folsom farm, now owned by I. D. Head.
This was located near the log house which was torn down and which stood far- ther south than the present house and barn, not far from the brook, then a beaver brook and large enough to run a saw mill. The eastern end of the barn, still standing, was built by "Priest " Folsom himself. The fine old iron work on the barn, as well as the first bricks, were made on the place.
In this old yard were buried Nicholas, son of "Priest " Folsom, with Hannah his wife, their son Joseph G., and his wife Deborah. About 1894 these bodies were taken up and moved to Union Cemetery. When the graves were opened it was found that they had become almost wholly petrified. In the case of Nicholas and his wife Hannah the torso alone was petrified and only the bones of the rest of the bodies were found. Joseph G.'s body was perfect with one exception, there was no nose. It required the strength of six men to raise his body from the grave. The body of Deborah his wife was also intact and her gown of black silk was as perfect as the day she was buried. These bodies were black on the outside, but when a piece became broken off it was found that under the surface they were white and porous, resembling coral. The caskets in which they were buried were all decayed, the handles alone remaining. Perhaps a chemist would know whether the sulphur well in that region was connected with this change.
Neither the Hadley house, farther to the east, nor the Hadley graveyard remain there now, so we return to the Province Road. A little farther north, near the Crockett schoolhouse, a small corner of the field on the Earl Flander's farm is walled in and encloses the graves of Gordon Lawrence, a Revolutionary soldier, and his wife. This is called the Gordon Lawrence yard; he is believed to have built the Flanders place, as he was the owner of this lot in 1775.
The Mead cemetery is directly opposite the Lawrence yard and here William Mead, one of the first settlers and a business associate of Ebenezer Smith, is buried. A very small field stone, with the letters J. M., rather indistinct, marks John Mead's grave. He was a Revolutionary soldier. Capt. Stephen Mead, who was killed in 1804 during the building of the Weirs bridge, also lies in this spot. As the story has been told, Captain Mead was fatally injured when his leg was
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crushed by a log which was being rolled into position by one of the men, who was so intoxicated that he disregarded the warnings of his associates as to Captain Mead's danger.
Continuing along the Old Province Road we come to the Blaisdell or Town Cemetery, opposite the Stone Pound. This yard is on land which was deeded to the town July 2, 1772 by John Leavitt, who gave one acre of land for a church and cemetery, the deed not having been recorded until 1924. This yard is sadly neg- lected and the graves are hard to locate. Nathaniel Wadleigh's, Richard Boyn- ton's and Reuben Morgan's graves were found and no doubt Samuel Torrey's grave is here also. Others will probably be found when the yard is put in proper condition.
Going farther north we find the Robinson yard on the east side of the Province Road, just before we turn onto the road now called the "Roller Coaster Road." It is a short distance from the road and in a cluster of tall trees. Nathaniel Robinson, one of the first settlers here and a soldier of the French and Indian War, and his son Joseph Robinson, a Revolutionary soldier, are both buried here.
Still farther up on the right-hand side is the Wadleigh yard and here lies the Revolutionary soldier, John Wadleigh. June pinks, lemon lilies and lilies of the valley growing in profusion in this well kept yard, make it a very attractive spot. On the other side of the road in plain sight is the old John Wadleigh homestead.
A short distance farther north a road branches off at the left. This road was laid out in 1779, leading to Meredith Center, to Joshua Folsom's gristmill and to Samuel Sibley's, and was about four miles long. By turning aside on this road and climbing a steep little hill back of the old Currier and French place, a grave- yard is found where Isaac Currier and his wife are buried. There are old un- marked stones here, and probably Thomas Currier, the Revolutionary soldier, lies here.
Turning back to the Province Road, one soon comes to the stage road to Mere- dith Village on the right, while the Province Road turns to the left near the water- ing trough. The Meredith Road was laid out in 1773. A few rods up this road on a high bank on the left is the Tuttle Cemetery.
After the William Ray property was transferred to the Tuttle family the old house was torn down and the cellar made into a family graveyard, the walls of the old cellar forming the walls of the yard. This yard lies between the stage road just mentioned and the Old Province Road as first laid out, outlines of which can be easily traced.
There is no Revolutionary soldier buried here, but a soldier of the war of 1812, Stoten Tuttle.
Turning back to the Province Road and climbing the steep hill toward Ashland we find on the left the Cate Cemetery. Here lies John Cate, a Revolutionary soldier who died in 1853, aged 93. Although this yard is grown up to bushes and many stones have fallen, the red roses and field lilies brighten it up and help to cover this neglect. This part of the Province Road was sometimes called in later days the Pease Road. Dr. Carr lived on this road, and Mr. Maloon in the Meredith News states that it used to be said "that the wind blew so hard up where the doctor lived, that he wore boots with lead on the bottom and carried stones in
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his pockets to keep him from being blown away." In the family graveyards on the hill no other very old stones with names could be found.
At the foot of the hill, just beyond the road running between Meredith Village and Meredith Center, we find the Pike yard where most beautiful shade trees shelter the graves of the Revolutionary soldier, William Pike, and Phoebe, his wife. Phoebe Pike was a pensioner in 1840.
The Sinclair Cemetery, just this side of Oak Hill Meeting House and on the right hand side of the road, is a large cemetery and with the exception of the Sin- clair lot, which is separated from the main yard by a granite wall, is a thick grove of trees. Thomas Sinclair, a Revolutionary soldier, with his wife, Mary Mead, are buried in the Sinclair lot. They were the grandparents of Rev. John L. Sinclair who was at one time pastor of the Oak Hill or Pottle Meeting House. He was much interested in missions and at one time established a mission school in Balasore, India. His son, Joseph, died when a young man and was buried in the Sinclair lot, where a large monument was erected to his memory. His body was later removed to Concord where his parents resided. The monument was moved at the same time, but the granite base was left in the Sinclair yard where it is a source of wonderment to visitors.
The last graveyard, going in this direction before crossing the line into New Hampton, is the Boynton yard, which is situated directly on the line between the two towns, Meredith and New Hampton, the town line running straight through the center of the yard, and the stone which marks the division is situated outside the iron fence, which separates the yard from the road, and is marked "M-N 1862."
David Boynton, a Revolutionary soldier who died in 1807, is buried here. The graves of two soldiers of the Mexican War, Capt. Colburn Boynton and John Boynton, are in this yard. A very small smooth field stone here is marked "Samuel Boynton's Tomb."
MEREDITH CENTER ROAD
Going toward Meredith Center on the Meredith Center road, so-called, we find on the left the Pitman place. The first house was on the other side of the road, where the cellar can still be seen. The family graveyard is behind the present house and enclosed by a neat iron fence. Here we find the grave of Ebenezer Pitman, a soldier of the Revolution, who died in 1820, Ag. 81, together with that of his wife. Susan Mackrice, a sister of Mrs. Pitman, is also buried here. We are told that she was a nurse and that when she died, October 1, 1792, she was buried in the Washington Smith yard, being the first person to be laid there and that later her body was moved to its present resting place.
Before reaching the Pitman house we had passed a road that leads to the sum- mer camps near the old Ranlet place and also to the old Abraham Swain place now owned by Miss Daisy Gardner. Here is buried Abraham Swain, a soldier of the Revolution. Farther north along the shore is another old house where at one time other Swains lived. A very old graveyard has several graves in it, but so far no one has been found who knows the names of those lying there. It is possible that one of the graves may be that of Hezekiah Swain, also a Revolutionary soldier.
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ABRAHAM SWAIN HOUSE
WEIRS TO MEREDITH
Starting at the Weirs and going toward Meredith, at the top of the hill, enclosed by a stone wall, we find a small yard known as the Page yard. This contains the grave of Capt. William Gordon, a soldier of the Revolution. Soldiers of the War of 1812 and of the Civil War are buried here also.
Continuing on the State Road one sees on the left, very near the cross-road called now the "Roller Coaster Road," an old graveyard. Here lies Simeon Cate, also Major Abram Tilton, who owned at one time land on each side of the cross- road. There are old stones also with no names.
After passing the town line, one soon reaches the top of the hill. On the left- hand side of the very top of this hill and where a small tea room is now located, stood the family graveyard of Washington Wiggin, but it is said that these bodies were all taken to Meredith and there is now no evidence of a graveyard ever having been there. From the main road there used to be an old road running toward the west, and on this road stood the Joseph Neal place. There are left now in the old graveyard there two children of William Ray, whose house was on the Province Road, and a few old graves found lately, one of which is un- doubtedly that of Lt. William Ray. The Neals have been removed to Meredith. On the way to Meredith we pass the old Smith house, and a little farther on the John Neal place.
At the joining of the roads, not far from the little schoolhouse, let us turn back on the road leading to the Parade, until we come to the Wiggin place. Opposite this going toward the east is a lane. This leads by a pleasant path to the sunny spot where the old Foss house once stood. Roses and apple trees, as well as the cellar, show where the house stood. In a carefully enclosed yard lies Benjamin Foss, the Revolutionary soldier, also his mother.
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Turning again toward Meredith Village we see an old road on the left. If the leaves are not too thick one can catch a glimpse of the reservoir and of a large brick house. It is safer to try the road farther on, where it returns to the main road after bowing around. It is down in this valley that the Revolutionary soldier, Simeon Wadleigh, settled, and here he is buried near the house where Mr. Hartshorn now lives. A fund has been left to care for the yard.
Going down Ladd Hill into Meredith, we turn to the right after crossing the railroad and find the Swasey Cemetery, where Eliphalet Ladd, for whom Ladd Hill was named, is buried. E. S. Lincoln, a descendant, informs us that Eliphalet Ladd moved from Windham to Meredith and that he was in Colonel Scammel's regiment at the battle of Bunker Hill.
Leaving Meredith, we go up the long Center Harbor Hill. About a mile up, just below the house of B. C. Roberts, is a lane that used to be a road. There is no house there now, but there is a neighborhood cemetery with many graves marked only by field stones, as well as some with later stones. We are told that "Red Oak" Joseph Neal is buried here. Abiel Bartlett, a Revolutionary soldier, is also here. Among the other marked old stones are those for James Towle, Ephraim Cram, David Robinson; there are many old unmarked stones. Turning back and going up the old Center Harbor Road we find a small, overgrown yard with stone posts on the right, where Levi Towle is said to be buried.
Passing the Prospect House and going up the rough unused road we come to a lane leading to the right. At the end is the old Stephen Fogg place. The house is still standing (1924), but its ridgepole sags, and it is fast falling into ruin. There is said to be a ghost story belonging to this house. From it there is a wide view over the lake and toward Meredith Neck, and in its pastures in olden times many sheep grazed.
Nearer the main road than the house is the graveyard. There are Casses there as well as Foggs. One of the old graves may be that of Abel Cass. Stephen Fogg, another Revolutionary soldier, lies there with Sally, his wife. There is no house now on the road to which we return, the new Center Harbor Road is used instead, but on the hill stood the old Cass house, and a little farther on the tavern of Capt. Mark Robinson in coaching days. His name was Marquis De Lafayette Robinson, and his barn opposite the house was full of oxen when all goods had to be carried over this road from Portsmouth to Moultonborough. From the Parade to this tavern was a day's journey for an ox team.
A little farther along this road, before their house was moved to Meredith Village, lived the family of Stephen Tilton. It was on this spot that Mrs. J. W. Busiel of Laconia was born. Yet farther on the old Farrar farm was situated. It is one of the many farms that have been taken over by Mr. Dane. On this farm was a family graveyard in which seventeen members of the Farrar family were buried. In all probability these graves were marked only by field stones and in the process of time, the farm going into other hands, the stones were cleared away and the land plowed so that no trace of the graves was left. When the present owner was informed of these facts, he volunteered to fence in this yard, if its exact location could be ascertained.
Turning and going back toward Meredith, the site of the schoolhouse, in which
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Eliphalet Ladd's daughter, Alice, is known to have taught before 1809, may be seen, the building itself having been moved farther down the road.
Retracing our steps to the new Center Harbor Road, we find on the south side up a side road, the Leavitt Cemetery, near where the present Dudley Leavitt lives. Here, in this neat and well kept yard lies the famous almanac-maker and teacher, Dudley Leavitt, with Judith, his wife, by his side. There were Bartletts also living in this neighborhood, two of the family being buried in this yard.
MEREDITH NECK AND BEAR ISLAND
To reach Meredith Neck in the early days, one turned at right angles toward the west from the Center Harbor Road and went over a hill. The new road fol- lows quite closely the shore of Meredith Bay.
Just beyond the junction of these two roads is a modern cemetery high up on the left. There are, however, some unmarked field stones here. Here are buried Batchelders, Meads, and Smiths, and Abram, son of Robert Bryant, who will be mentioned later.
The Gilman yard is on the left after passing the two Gilman houses, so-called still, although there are no Gilmans living in them now. The oldest grave found here was that of James Gilman who died in 1838. After turning a rather abrupt corner, we come to the Mead graveyard. Here William Mead and his wife, Eunice, are buried, together with their son, Joseph R., and grandson of the same name. William was one of the three sons of William Mead of Mead Hill above the Crockett schoolhouse in Laconia.
A little farther along and near the shore where Mr. Stearns afterward built a summer home, was an old graveyard that was torn up when the house was built, and whatever bones were found were put together in a box and reburied elsewhere, with no stone to mark the spot. Later the bones of one man, after a somewhat famous law suit, were sent to a western city. The Eatons lived near and were buried in a part of the yard, and here also the town poor were buried, as the Town or Poor Farm was located near the shore.
About a mile farther on is Meeting House Hill, and a short distance beyond the Meeting House is an old burying ground, well kept and enclosed by a stone wall. Near the front is a space marked out by low corner posts of marble. In this space were unknown graves, placed in no regular order, and with no stones. There were also many field stones with no names on them. Ensign Robert Bryant and his wife are buried in the north corner next the Clarks. Mrs. C. P. Cushing, a great-granddaughter, can identify their graves, and Mrs. Harriet Dolloff can re- member when her grandmother was laid beside her grandfather, Ensign Bryant.
Starting at Mr. E. C. Mansfield's cottage at White Mountain Park and following the western shore in a northerly direction for about forty rods, we find an old graveyard in a pine grove and situated about one hundred feet from the shore of the lake. This yard is enclosed by a neat stone wall and has several pines growing in the enclosure.
Here the early settlers of Bear island were buried. Nine graves are easily located, but all are marked by small field stones with no lettering, so that there is no way of knowing who these people were.
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WEST OF WINNISQUAM
The Perkins graveyard is about two miles beyond Meredith Center, and is low and shaded by pine trees. Here Benjamin Perkins, who was in the battle of Bennington, is buried. Mrs. Andrew L. Felker, now of Laconia, is one of his descendants. Farther on lies John Robinson in the Robinson yard. The story is told that after the war John Robinson and Ben Perkins met one day, and Ben said to John, "This looks just like Chemung down in the 'Jarseys.'" Ben agreed, and Chemung it has been ever since, although no one knows why they said "the Jarseys," Chemung being in New York.
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