USA > New Hampshire > Sketches of the history of New-Hampshire, from its settlement in 1623, to 1833: comprising notices of the memorable events and interesting incidents of a period of two hundred and ten years > Part 21
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For the first time, an attempt was made to introduce into New-Hampshire the principles of the Roman Catholic Church. The Rev. Mr. Barber, who had passed some time at Rome, was ordained at the Catholic Chapel in Boston as a Catholic Missionary to this State ; and has since collected a small society at Claremont-to which has been added another society of this denomination at Dover.
On the completion of two centuries from the first settlement of the State in 1623, a centennial celebration of this event at Portsmouth on the 21st of May, 1823, excited much interest, and awakened many a recollection of "olden time." An ora- tion was delivered on the occasion by Nathaniel A. Haven ; and a Poem by O. W. B. Peabody. There was a numerous collection of eminent citizens, and a handsome display of the portraits of distinguished personages, who had flourished here in former generations.
Having been elected as one of the Senators of this State in Congress, Gov. Bell retired from the Chair in 1823. For some time the custom had obtained of making nominations of can- didates for the Chair, on the part of cach political party, by its members in the Legislature, at some session previous to the election. By the Republican members, the Hon. Samuel Dinsmoor had been thus nominated as the successor of Gov. Bell. In this nomination a portion of that party did not then acquiesce ; and in pursuance of a counter nomination after- wards made at a meeting in Dover, they, in conjunction with the Federalists, effected the election of the Hon. Levi Wood- bury, a native of Francestown, who had been a Judge of the
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Superior Court. Another practice, which within a period not long, has grown into a custom, is that of nominating Counsel- lors, Senators, and County officers, at Conventions of Delegates from the towns in the several Counties and Districts, appointed by their respective political parties. At the June session of the Legislature the New-Hampshire Historical Society was - incorporated, for the purposes of collecting and preserving documents illustrative of the History of the State. It has begun the formation of a Library, and published four Vol- umes of valuable historical papers.
No choice of Governor was effected by the people in 1824. Gov. Woodbury and the Hon. David L. Morril of Goffstown, formerly a Senator in Congress, both of the Republican school of politics, were the two prominent candidates ; but as neither had a majority of all the votes, the latter was elected by the joint ballot of the Senate and House of Representatives, and held the Chair by successive re-elections for three years.
At this period was formed the New-Hampshire Sunday School Union, auxiliary to the American Sunday School Union at Philadelphia. This excellent Institution, whose object is the formation and encouragement of Sunday Schools, has published a variety of cheap, juvenile books, well adapted to interest and benefit the young. The Founder of Sunday Schools was Robert Raikes, of Gloucester in England. Going one day into the suburbs of that city to get a man to work in his garden, and not finding him at home, he waited for his return. Being much annoyed by a group of noisy, profane boys in the street, he asked the gardener's wife why they were not better instructed ? "O Sir," said she, "if you were to see them on Sunday, you would pity them indeed ; we can't read our Bible in peace for their noise." This little incident, which occurred in 1782, gave Mr. Raikes the first hint of the utility of Suuday Schools and led to the formation of a large number of them in England. The plan was introduced at Philadelphia in 1791 by Bishop White, Dr. Rush, Mr. Ralston, Mr. Carey and other eminent philanthropists. Sunday School instruction was little known in New-Hampshire before the year 1815 ;- since that time, the system has been adopted in almost every part of the State, and by almost all the religious denomina- tions. A "New-Hampshire Sabbath School Union" has been formed by the Baptist also ; and the whole number of Sunday School scholars throughout the State now amounts to more than forty thousand.
At the warmly contested Presidential election near the close of the year, there were four candidates for the Presidency ;
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John Q. Adams, Andrew Jackson, William II. Crawford, and Henry Clay, each of whom was respectably supported. Of the Republicans of New-Hampshire, a portion preferred Mr. Crawford ; but another portion amalgamated with the Feder- alists in the support of Mr. Adams. The Electoral votes of the State were given to the latter candidate, who, on failure of a choice by the Electoral Colleges, was chosen by the House of Representatives and inaugurated as President on the fourth of the following March.
Though Gov. Woodbury had lost his election to the Chair the preceding year, he was returned from Portsmouth to the House of Representatives in 1825, and chosen Speaker. In the course of the session, he was elected one of the Senators for this State in Congress, and resigned the Speaker's Chair- which was filled for the remainder of the session by the Hon. Henry Hubbard of Charlestown. Gen. La Fayette, the ardent friend of America in the Revolutionary struggle, revisited this country after an absence of more than forty years. He was every where received as the NATION'S GUEST, and greeted with expressions of enthusiastic attachment. Crowds of citizens flocked to see and welcome him. By invitation of the govern- ment, he came into this State in June, 1825, and was received by Gov. Morril, by the Legislature, and by the citizens at large, with every demonstration of gratitude and affection. At a public dinner at Concord, provided in honor of his visit, the tables were occupied by more than 700 persons, including the Executive, the members of the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives, the judges and other public officers, and more than 200 hundred of the aged survivors of the revolutionary army, Jed by Gen. Pierce.
The fourth of July, 1826, completed half a century since the Declaration of American Independence, and was rendered memorable by the death, on that day, of two of the illustri- ous signers of that instrument, John Adams and Thomas Jef- erson, former Presidents of the United States. Though rivals in politics, they had cherished after their retirement to private life a mutual esteem ; and were not divided in death. Their former concurrence, the one as the writer, the other as the elo- quent advocate of that Declaration ; their subsequent rivalry as leaders of great political parties ; their elevation to the first office in the country ; the coincidence of their deaths ; the day of its occurrence ; and the completion of half' a century from the birth of our freedom ;- all formed an assemblage of cir- cumstances, which excited throughout the country an indiscri- bable sensation.
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Numerous projects were on foot at this time for the extension of inland navigation in various parts of New-England. A Company was formed at Hartford, called the Connecticut River Company, for the purpose of rendering the river of that name navigable, by means of dams and canals round the successive falls, as far as to Lyman, N. H. Many individuals were im- pressed with the belief of the practicability of a canal communi- cation from Dover, through Winnepisiogee Lake to the Pemigewassett, and thence to Connecticut river and Lake Memphremagog ; thus connecting the Capitals of New-Hamp- shire and Massachusetts with Canada. Col. Dewit Clinton of the U. S. corps of Engineers, and Col. Carrigain, the Commissioner of the government of New-Hampshire, had examined in the preceding year the upper portion of Connec- ticut river, from its parent lake to MacIndoes' falls in Lyman, a distance of 92 miles ; and found the descent of the river, within these limits, to be 1170 feet. The Legislatures of Vermont and New-Hampshire granted to the Connecticut river Company the powers necessary to effect within the ju- risdictions of these States, their public spirited designs ; but nothing effectual was done, and probably all these splendid enterprises will long remain unaccomplished.
An Academical Institution having for some years existed at New-Hampton, it was now enlarged under the provisions of a new Charter, granted by the Legislature, and a Theological Department was annexed to it, chiefly by the agency of gen- tlemen of the Baptist denomination. It is placed under the immediate superintendence of two Professors ; one of Theol- ogy and the Languages ; the other of Mathematics, Natural Philosophy and English Literature. Surrounded by romantic scenery, and possessed of respectable accommodations, it is now the resort of a large number of students, including many destined to the christian ministry, and ranks among the flour- ishing Institutions of the State.
On the twenty-eighth of August occurred a most destruc- tive flood, produced by a sudden and violent rain, which raised the branches of the Connecticut and Merrimac rivers to an unprecedented height. Little brooks became raging torrents ; bridges, mills, dams, and buildings were swept away ; and such chasms cut in the roads, as to render it easier in many instances to construct new ones than repair the old. At Bath, the Ammonoosuc suddenly became turbid and thick with earth, then spread itself over its lower banks and meadows, and soon exhibited one wide, roaring, sweeping roll of billows, bearing along the wreck of bridges, buildings, fences, crops,
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and animals caught by the waves in their pastures. The beds of many mountain streams were excavated to a surprising depth and width ; in some places the fury of the flood cut out for the waters new and permanent channels. Torrents of water rushed through the Notch of the White Mountains, breaking up the very foundations of the turnpike road for a great dis- tance, and leaving a shapeless mass of loosened crags, rocks piled on rocks, and yawning chasms. From the sides of the mountains, slides or avalanches descended to the lower grounds, bearing down thousands of tons of gravel, rocks and broken trees ; and laying bare the solid mountain rock over an extent of hundreds of acres. Late in the preceding day, a party of gentlemen, among whom were Col. Bartlett and Mr. Moore of Concord, left Crawford's, an house more than four miles from the Notch, on an excursion to the summit of Mount Washing- ton. They arrived in the evening at a Camp which had been constructed at the foot of the steep ascent of the mountain, where they passed the night. The next morning being cloudy and rainy, they concluded to remain at the camp that day ; but the increasing rain having in the afternoon extinguished their fire, they reluctantly decided to return. With the utmost dif- ficulty, and not without danger, did they effect their retreat, by felling trees over the impetuous torrents, and arrived at Crawford's in the evening. Had they remained on the moun- tain another night, they must have perished ; as the Camp was afterwards found to have been swept away, and avalanches to have passed on either side at the distance of only a few rods. The most affecting story, connected with this flood, remains to be told. Two miles from the Notch, on the road to Bart- lett, at "The Notch House," lived the respectable and prosperous family of Samuel Willey, consisting of himself, wife, five children and two hired men. An avalanche in its descent fromn the mountain, came near the house, where it divided itself into two portions, one of which crushed the barn and an adjoining shed. Alarmed at the thundering noise, and apprehensive of the immediate destruction of their habitation, the family fled for safety ; but unhappily in the darkness of the night they fell into the track of the other portion of the avalanche, and were all buried under masses of earth and rocks. Some of the bodies were afterwards discovered, by the scent of dogs, at the distance of fifty rods from the house, mangled and disfigured. The house itself remained uninjured ; but a beautiful little meadow in front of it, was buried under immense quantities of sand, gravel, rocks and trees, precipitated from the mountain. Had the unfortunate inmates remained within, they had been
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in safety amid surrounding devastation-but an inscrutable Providence otherwise directed. "It is not in man that walk- eth to direct his steps."
At the Election of State officers in March, 1827, the Hon. Benjamin Pierce of Hillsborough, who had been an officer in the Revolutionary war, and afterwards for many years a Rep- resentative and Counsellor, was chosen Governor with litttle opposition. A law, drawn up with great ability, and embody- ing a great variety of wise and excellent provisions, most of which yet remain in force, was enacted at the June session of the Legislature, for the regulation of primary schools. This law has contributed mnuch to bring our schools to their present state of improvement and efficiency. The State contains more than 1700 school districts, and 1600 school houses, which are the resort of about sixty thousands of children and youth ; and with the addition of those who attend private, select, and aca- demical schools, it has been thought that two sevenths of the whole population are for some portion of the year in school. Many of the best elementary and higher Class books now used in American schools, are the productions of citizens of New- Hampshire.
A salutary excitement of the public mind at this period on the subject of TEMPERANCE, was followed by the formation of State, County, and Town Temperance Societies, in rapid suc- cession. No sooner did men begin seriously to reflect, than multitudes were convinced that the former custom of tolera- ting a free use of ardent spirits is a bad one; that all the innumerable cases of intemperance originate from the use of a little in the outset; that the article is never necessary in health ; that the common use of it is a prolific source of sick- ness, poverty, crime, domestic wretchedness, mental debase- ment, and premature death ; and that christians and patriots ought to exhibit a reformed example. Not only men and women, but great numbers of youths and even children, old enough to understand the matter, engaged ardently in the great reform. To the "American Society for the promotion of Temperance," is due the honor of engaging in the work, if not first, yet efficiently. An Address on Temperance delivered by Jonathan Kittredge at Lyme, in the early stage of the ref- ormation, passed through many editions, each. containing some thousands of copies, and exerted an important influence on a great portion of the community.
At this period, the old political parties were to some extent blended together. A few of the Federalists, enlisting them- selves with the friends of General Jackson, had gone over to
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the Republicans ; while a larger portion of the latter amalga- mated with the former in the support of Mr. Adams. The party friendly to the Adams administration prevailed, by a small majority, to elect in 1828 the Hon John Bell of Chester, in opposition to Governor Pierce. At the quadrennial election of President near the close of the year, the parties put forth the most strenuous exertions. New-Hampshire again gave her electoral votes to Mr. Adams: but his competitor, General Jackson, was chosen by a decisive majority-an event, regar- ded by his supporters as a signal trimph, and followed, as a consequence naturally to be expected, by somewhat numerous removals of former office-holders. This success animated his friends to make such efforts at the next election of State offi- cers, 1829,as accomplished a change in the State administration, displacing Gov. Bell and replacing Gov. Pierce ; who in his message to the Legislature, announced his intention of decli- ning another re-election.
The College edifice at Hanover needing repairs, and the exigences of the Institution demanding enlarged accommoda- tions, President Lord obtained from its friends, in this and tho adjoining States, subscriptions to the amount of $30,000 : an aid which enabled the Trustees not only to repair the old edifice, but to add two new ones, named Wentworth and Thornton Halls. Taken as a whole, they give the spectator an impression of neatness and convenienee, creditable to the Institution. Some of the first men in the Executive and Legislative Departments of our government have here recei- ved their classical education.
By a majority of 4000 votes over Col. Upham, the election of 1830 elevated to the Chair the Hon. Matthew Harvey of Hopkinton, who administered the Executive Department of the government somewhat less that a year. To fill the vacan- cy in the Senate of the United States, soon to be made by the expiration of Mr. Woodbury's term of office, the Legislature elected the Hon. Isaac Hill of Concord. He had been previ- ously nominated by President Jackson to the office of Second Comptroller of the Treasury ; but the nomination having been rejected by the Senate by a small majority, this election was intended both as an approval of his political course, and as an expression of political and personal attachment towards the President, on the part of the majority of the Legislature .- After the expiration of his term in the Senate, Mr. Woodbury was appointed Secretary of the Navy. Gov. Harvey having received the appointment of Judge of the United States' Court for the district of New-Hampshire, resigned the Chair
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in February ; the President of the Senate, Joseph M. Harper, officiating of course as Chief Magistrate during the remainder of the political year.
The census of the United States taken at this period, fur- nished the gratifying return of a population of almost thirteen millions-of whom more than 269,000 were contained in this State. Had the actual increase, within the State, for the last half century all remained at home, New-Hampshire would now exhibit a population literally overflowing : but great num- bers of families and young men have emigrated to Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Canada, New-York, Ohio, Illinois, and other places still more remote in "the far West." Where- ver they have gone, industry and enterprise have been promi- nent traits in their character-hence the well known saying, "Give a New-Hampshire boy a bridle, and he will soon find a horse."
General Samuel Dinsmoor of Keene was chosen Governor in 1831, by a majority of five thousand over his competitor, the Hon. Ichabod Bartlett of Portsmouth, the candidate of the party opposed to the administration of Jackson. Though a slight anticipation of dates, yet, as preferable to a wearisome repetition, the fact may be here noticed that he was re-elected the two succeeding years: the last of them with scarce the shadow of opposition.
By far the most extensive religious attention known in the State occurred in 1831. Unusual numbers resorted to the places of public instruction ; meetings of three or four days continuance were holden in most of the towns, in which chris- tian ministers of different denominations united in the religious services with great harmony ; and the salutary truths of the Bible were deeply impressed on a multitude of minds. The accessions to the churches were numerous : the moral aspects of society were in many places essentially improved ; and a new impulse was given to the cause of christian benevolence.
For some years, a few Societies of Unitarians had existed in the State. The ministers and some of the members of these Societies, formed in 1832, " The New-Hampshire Unita- rian Association," to meet annually in Concord for the pro- motion of their distinctive religious views. At least twelve Societies of this denomination, furnished with ministers now exist within the limits of the State.
General Jackson, having been re-elected to the Presidency, by a great majority of the electoral votes, including those of this State, visited for the first time the northern States, in the summer of 1833. Some gentlemen, deputed by the govern-
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ment of New-Hampshire, waited on him at Boston and invited him to visit Concord. He was met at the State line by the the Governor's aids, and at Bow by a Committee of the Leg- islature, and escorted to the Capitol. The Governor, Council, and both branches of the Legislature having convened in the Representatives' Chamber, the President was introduced, and welcomed by Gov. Dinsmoor in an affectionate address, in the name of the government and people. Some thousands of citizens from the various sections of the State resorted to Concord on this intersting occason.
For a few of the last years, small steam boats had occasion- ally, but not without difficulty, ascended the Connecticut river to some distance within the limits of New-Hampshire. Not till this period was steam navigation introduced into any of our interior lakes. Winnepiseogee is one of the finest lakes in New-England, encircled with lofty mountains, indent- ed with numerous promontories, and dotted with Islands, some of them highly cultivated. On the fourth of July the steamer Belknap, so named after the principal historian of the State, made an excursion from Alton Bay to Wolfeborough Village, and back to Alton ; and on the next day, to Centre Harbor. The novelty of a steamboat on these transparent waters-the numerous company on board, with a fine band of music-the surrounding scenery-the throngs of spectators- the anniversary of our national independence-and the an- ticipation of future benefits to the vicinage-all conspired to impart to the occasion a deep and pleasing interest.
Near the close of the year, in November, occurred a phe- nomenon never before witnessed in this quarter. Soon after 12 o'clock in the morning of the 13th, the meteors called fall- ing stars were observed to be unusually frequent. After 4 o'- clock the heavens presented one of the most sublime and extraordinary prospects that can be conceived ; imagination can hardly picture anything to surpass it. Small bodies of surprising brilliancy, apparently as numberless as the stars in the firmament, were seen flying in all directions through a clear, unclouded sky, leaving long, luminous trains behind. Often, one larger and more brilliant than the rest, would shoot across the heavens, producing a light similar to a flash of lightning. In whatever direction the eye was turned, the scene could not be compared more aptly to any thing than a shower of fire falling to the earth. Thousands of individu- als, scattered over the vast portion of North America stretch- ing from Nova Scotia to Mexico, witnessed the sublime spec- tacle. As the light of day advanced, the meteors began to
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disappear; but some were seen as long as the stars were visible.
In many parts of New-Hampshire the state of society will bear comparison with that of the most favored portions of our land. Though there is within the State, as is remarked by Belknap, "a sort of wise men who pretend to reject " the christian religion, without being able " to substitute a better in its place ;"-yet the great body of the people venerate the christian scriptures as a Divine Revelation, and a large num- ber are found among the supporters of religious institutions, and the regular attendants on Divine worship. Between thir- ty and forty thousands are communicants in christian churches of different denominations. In point of public education, the State ranks above most countries of the globe, and above all her sister States, with the exception of Massachusetts and Connecticut. A venerable and excellent clergyman now living, who has done more to promote the interests of educa- tion than any other single citizen, has personally prepared for admission into the Colleges more that an hundred young men, among whom he now sees Governors, Counsellors, Judges and Legislators. Female education has attracted much atten- tion, and within a few years several Seminaries have been established exclusively for young ladies, under the superin- tendence of Instructresses well accomplished for this depart- ment. The sons of New-Hampshire possess their full share of influence in our public councils; their voice commands respect in the "listening Senate," and in the Cabinet Council of the Nation.
A large number of distinguished citizens deceased during the period of twenty eight years included in this chapter .- The plan of this work will allow little more than a list of their names, while a detailed account of their characters must be left to Biography, as its proper province. Abiel Foster of Canterbury, who died in 1806, was for some years the Minister of that town, and after the resignation of his pastoral charge was elected to a seat in Congress, which he held by re-elections the greater part of a period of twenty one years. The esteem and confidence of his cotemporaries he possessed in an unconimon degree. In the same year the Rev. Dr. Haven, Pastor of the south church in Portsmouth, closed a life of almost fourscore years and a Ministry of more than half a century. The Rev. Dr. Buckminster, Pastor of the northi church in the same town, whose death happened a few years afterwards, held a high rank as an accomplished scholar, an impressive preacher, and a devoted Minister of
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