USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Newport > Tales from the history of Newport > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9
Daniel Dudley, with shops at "Southville" was the first to follow him and soon the move was in full swing. Thus relocated, Newport village stayed put. The village was securely anchored in its present location. Thriving. starts which had been made to the south and to the north at the foot of Baptist hill, aferward North New- port, or, Northville as it became in the early railroad days, dried up, and things began to boom over in the cen- ter of the valley.
William Cheney, whose quick eye was not slow to take advantage of every situation, and who originally had opened his store near the foot of Claremont hill, moved over to a new location. So did James Breck, originally a Croydon merchant. But he came to a halt further south (at the corner of Main and Elm) and a long contest en- sued, with each man doing his best to make his own lo- cation the premier spot for all kinds of activity.
James Breck was no mean antagonist, remember, but David Lewis Yale writing long afterward said concern- ing this contest that James Breck had his way in locat- ing the new meeting house near his store at the south end but "William Cheney was not idle. At about this time he gave land for a Baptist church and led in rush- ing it to completion. The interesting contest between the two factions did not end unil 1826, when James Breck and William Forsaith joined forces in building the Eagle Hotel (Eagle Apartments) north of the river.
27
TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT
This was a surrender. The more vigorous initiative of William Cheney had won. But the few years when the issue was uncertain were stirring times. This short summary explains why our church stands apart from the center of the present town."
Even so late as the middle of the century it was unwise for a south end boy to becaught alone north of the Main Street Bridge, and vice versa, unless he dared risk "a fite." Of course, these boys had long ago for- gotten what it was all about, if they ever knew - but that was no help if one were spotted. That's what my father used to say and he ought to know, having been born, a north-end boy, in 1849.
A curious sequel to this story of development is found in very recent history. The old "South" church was moved down Unity Road to the farm of William Davis (the old Ben Giles place - now Fryer) and used as a barn until the place became part of the Newport Golf Club. It was then torn down to make room for a shop. I strolled in one day. It surely had a noble frame. Some of the beams were painted part way 'round. The frame stood as straight and square as when built half 8 mile away.
So 1806 is a good year to remember in local history. But that wasn't the only turnpike year. On March 12, 1812, the town voted to subscribe $1,500 toward the cost of building another turnpike, from the Croydon road (Airport) westward through North Newport and over Cornish Mountain to the covered bridge in Cornish. Later, maybe the next year, the town cancelled this vote and was promptly sued by the turnpike corporation (which, remember, was a private company). The town was defeated and had to pay up. Maybe it served us right. But then again, maybe this is too late to judge properly. It appears that still another turnpike was built down around the south end of Lake Sunapee. If so, it seems to have been unknown to legend, but probably it really existed. In an earlier chapter you have met Zephaniah Clark. Zephaniah was the first resident of
28
TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT
Newbury and his new Inn stood on this turnpike near Spectacle Pond or Mountainview Lake.
When you find a house standing unnaturally close to the road you may be fairly sure that originally it was a gate house for the collection of tolls. Such a house stands half way across the meadow at the north end of Newport. It was the house of Arthur Wilmarth, and later became that of Mr. Sanborn, both dairymen. We have heard that later on, say on the Fourth of July or other occasion when there was an unusually plentiful supply of "likker," the boys used to let off steam by throwing the toll gate into the nearest river. While unofficial, this probably reflected a general attitude common to most of the people. As usual a general atti- tude prevailed; there developed general dissatisfaction with the condition of the roads, and in 1838, according to Wheeler, the turnpikes were given up and tax- supported free roads laid out in their stead. One more touch and I'm through with turnpikes. The History of Newport (p.85) says that the Cornish Turnpike was laid out "by way of Governor's Pond in the northwest corner of the town." This may be worth mentioning as it is the only reference I've ever run across to this body of water, near the corner of the great Corbin Park. But it can be found on any good local map. Some of it may be in Croydon.
As to other roads of the period, 25 years after the first settlement, the Proprietors built a road to Clare- mont. Then, after 1834, another road, following the river from Kelleyville, was built to Claremont, and this was known as "the new road" - the other was "the old road.". Then, when the state took over the roads, and route 103 was organized, this "old road," improved and relocated in spots, became "the new road"; the "new road" became "the old road." It is all very confusing unless you know how these things happened.
Bridges at first were a trial to the flesh. They were often built in two spans, connecting with a trestle in the middle. These were eternally washing out and required rebuilding. That's why the turnpike people
29
TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT
were so anxious to avoid the valley crossings even at the expense of avoiding Newport village. These bridges were by no means the old "covered" bridges now so care- fully preserved. Our first covered bridge is said to have been built at Kelleyville, 1839. In time there were 10 or 12 covered bridges spanning the Sugar River or its tributaries. Only one of these is now standing - the Corbin Bridge west of the airport. This is in a good state of repair and ought to last for many years. A few years ago, when all teaming was on runners, the sleds, loaded to the right capacity for slipping along the well snowed roads, were up against a tough drag when a covered bridge was encountered. Of course there was no snow inside these structures unless the teamsters, or the town, or somebdy, took pains to cart or shovel it in. In the summer, too, with all horse or ox drawn vehicles, the covered bridges became pretty strong. I recall that the bridge on Elm Street, one of the last to go, could, according to local say-so, be detected via the nose as far away as the foot of Claremont hill. They were not popular with people living nearby.
After this, roads began to appear in all sorts of places until the network was pretty complete. But this brought a new complaint. It was commonly said, especi- ally among those chronically set on finding fault with the human race (of which we still have more than a few) that "everybody was on the road" travelling on foolish errands instead of staying at home minding his business. And this, mind you, 70 or 80 or 90 years before the first automobile commenced its pre-ordained mission of pol- luting the atmosphere. Advent of the first stage line, operating over the new roads between Windsor and New- port on the way to Boston, was an event of uncommon interest. About 1830 rival stage routes began to appear, and the competition became severe. It is related that a't one period rival stages, operating through Newport, not only carried passengers free, but Captain Russ' line also paid the passengers' grog bills at the wayside tav- crns. Them was the happy days ?! From about 1830 to the opening of the railroad era in 1876, passengers from Newport to Boston "staged it" to Bradford, the rail-head
30
TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT
after 1848, then taking to the cars proceeded merrily the rest of the way - provided the passenger didn't get a cinder in his eye, which somewhat damaged the pleasure of the trip.
But stage lines did not solve the problems of freight. After the first of the century, when the land space was pretty well filled and progress and industry began to bear their proper fruit, there came to be a large surplus of farm products. There was no near-by market of non- farming people ready to buy. So the hardy farmers gathered their surplus, combined their transportation resources, and set out for Boston or Salem, where a ready market existed. Gradually, as the road extended toward the ports, side roads contributed their quota of teams until, in the language of an early historian, "The roads were jammed with pod teams, josteling each other" on the road to Boston. In time, six or eight- horse teams were common, and industry was divided into those who produced the goods and those who de- livered to the places where wanted. It is a matter of record that in 1833 "there were six large teams of heavy horses making regular trips between this place and Boston." .
For the every-day purposes of travel there were, in the early days, two methods ; one was to go on horseback, a method to which the paths or roads were well adapted, the other was to go afoot - a method to which the by- ways were even better adapted.
So Newport was turned bottom-side-up by the building of a new road. It was served even worse near- ly a century later when the West Side Road, or the Dart- mouth College road was organized and the Claremont Eagle, stung because Governor Quimby had routed the thoroughfare through Newport rather than Claremont, in mentioning the towns through which it passed left Newport out altogether, or, as Olin H. Chase's Republi- can Champion said, " ... it leaves Goshen, and jumping the hole where Newport used to be . . . " However, we've one more incident to recount before coming to "The Founding of the County of Sullivan."
The old and the new. Four generations of public buildings. In the rear, old Sullivan County Court House; far left, Town Hall and Court House; center, new County Records Building; right, foreground, Newport's Municipal Building.
-
Pollard's Mills, where combination grist and saw mill was oper- ated by water power. The Sugar River that served the mill well for many years finally carried it off in a spring flood.
32
TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT
CHAPTER VII
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Newport folk seem to have actually gotten down to the business of founding a new settlement just 10 years before the American Revolution came upon them in 1776. A Committee of Safety had already been ap- pointed consisting of Benjamin Giles, Aaron Buell, Jesse Lane, Josiah Stevens, Jesse Wilcox and Robert Lane. A report dated August 16, 1776 gives this interesting in- formation: "The number of able-bodied effective men in the township of Newport is 36 the number of muskets fit for service is 14, the muskets that are not fit, five, which will be made fit forthwith. Seventeen muskets wanted."
It appears, therefore, than in 10 years the town's male population had increased from eight to 30. Per- centage-wise, this indicates a healthy growth. In March, 1776 the Continental Congress had sent out a request that all citizens be required to sign the "Asso- ciation Test," which was worded as follows-
"We, the subscribers, do hereby solemnly engage, and promise that we will to the utmost of our po- wer, at the risque of our lives and fortunes, with arms, oppose the Hostile Proceedings of the British Fleets and Armies against the United Colonies."
Headed by the redoubtable Benjamin Giles, the oldest and richest settler, this paper was signed by 34 set- tlers, four more than were named as the total popula- tion, and the then Selectmen, Josiah Stevens, Samuel Hurd and Aaron Buell, certified to the colony's Commit- tee of Safety that these were ALL "that is requested" to sign the pledge. They implied, without exactly saying so, that there were no Tories in our midst. This claim was amply justified during the course of the Revolution- ary struggle by the fact that 26 men from Newport are credited with some measure of field service, although necessarily not many of them became "Continentals" and their service consisted of short periods of enlistment
33
TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT
-all they could do and still give due care to their young farms and families.
In 1777 a company of 20 men left town to march over the hills to help overwhelm Generai Burgoyne's detach- ment at Bennington or Ticonderoga. They appear to have arrived too late for the battle. It was this sort of thing which caused Gen. Burgoyne to report "the Grants hang like a thunder cloud on my Left." And to this small band belongs the credit of being the first such expedition to leave the valley of the Sugar River in defense of the country. Following them, it is a striking fact that throughout our history as a nation, whenever the drums have beat and the bugles cried in alarm, Newport has responded with an organized body of men, armed, equipped and officered. It is a proud record and we must give the initial credit to Captain Parmelee and his val- ient 20.
One of the interesting incidents of Revolutionary days was the fact that Benjamin Bragg (not to be confused with Benjamin Giles) one of the original party of set- tlers, who owned the farm at the foot of Claremont Hill (this belonged for a later 100 years to the Fairbanks family), was named on a committee to deal with Tories. Of course, there was a considerable clamor to have all loyalists expelled and to cause their property to be seized for the benefit of patriot citizens. Governor Went- worth himself was forced to flee to Halifax. One won- ders whatever became of his lands in Newport. However, it somewhere has been reported that Mr. Bragg ad- ministered his office with so much moderation that the Tories-doubtless estimable though mistaken people, were saved much unnecessary suffering.
We may take Captain Gordon Buell, father of Sarah Buell Hale, as an example of what followed. Captain Buell finished the war as an officer of General Horatio Gates' army, in which capacity he served at Saratoga and Stillwater. He came back broken in health and set- tled in Newport. His farm was over on East Mountain on the old Bradford Road. That is where Sarah Josepha, the third of four children, was born. Her brother, Horatio,
34
TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT
was one of the earliest graduates of Dartmouth Col- lege, possibly the first from Newport. Gordon, he spelled it "Gurden," according to Revolutionary records, gave up farming his 400 acres after some years, came into the village and built the Rising Sun Tavern, which still stands on South Main Street, the third house North of the church. We are using him as an example of the very large number of Revolutionary veterans who settled here in the years following the war.
It will be noticed that the Governor's charter for New- port is countersigned by "Benjamin Giles, Proprietor's Clerk." Just how Giles arrived in the settlement of Newport is not now clear. He came from Groton, Con- necticut, and was not only older than the other settlers, but appears to have been a man of considerable means. At all events he was the most able among the settlers, and soon was, as we have already seen by the names subscribed to the Association Test, the acknowledged leader. Joseph Parmelee's account of the History of Newport contained in the History of Cheshire and Sul- livan Counties gives the only extended account of his life:
"Benjamin Giles was a man of good natural abil- ity, well educated (had) a fair estate with much experience in Human Affairs. He was, for the time and place in which he acted, a strong man, and his influence in all matters social, political and religious -was controlling and recognized in all the affairs of the community. No name appears upon the town records oftener than that of Benjamin Giles.
"His influence was not confined to his own town but extended to other towns, and was felt in the councils of the state.
"At an adjourned meeting, holden on the 29th day of October (1767) at the house of Zephaniah Clark, aforesaid, by the Proprietors-Voted that Benjamin Giles, now resident in Newport, have 100 acres of land-so laid out as to secure to said Giles -that part of the East Branch of Great Sugar River, so called, near where said Giles is about to
35
1853786
TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT
set up a Corn Mill and saw mill, so that Giles may build a Dam across said River, with all the privileges of said river, so far as is necessary for the benefit of said mills, with land adjoining said river, so far as is necessary for the benefit of s'd mills-and also to be so laid out as to take in a part of the White Pine Timber, and also to Procure a Pair of Mill Stones for said Giles at said Mills. And that said Giles have a tax or rate to the value of Four days Labor on each Proprietor's Right or Share, the aforesaid Grants given for said Giles encourage- ment towards the building of the aforesaid Mills in Newport."
This was the beginning of our present village or sub- urb of Guild. A stone pier may still be seen from the lit- tle bridge spanning the River just above the present Dorr Woolen Mill. This was part of the original founda- tion of the first Grist and Saw Mill, which was completed in 1768. When it is considered that up to this time in order to have a bag of corn converted into meal it was necessary to travel the long road to Charlestown and back, and with no saw mill it was impossible to get boards other than hand-hewn to build a simple door, we can understand why the settlers gave themselves up to a restrained rejoicing when Mr. Giles' enterprise finally blossomed into reality.
36
TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT CHAPTER VIII
THE TIME NEWPORT SECEDED
There is, however, considerable mystery as to just how Giles became "Proprietor's Clerk." He seems not to have been related to Deacon Wilcox or other settlers, ex- cept that two daughters, Mary and Hannah, married Christopher and Isaac Newton, who afterward became important men here. Christopher and Isaac were cou- sins, came here very early, but whether their coming was an effect or a cause of Benjamin's presence here, we do not know. The first we hear of him was in relation to the charter, or a copy thereof, where, at the end, it says: "A true copy, Benj'n Giles, Proprietor's Clerk."
There is one other glimpse of this matter in an old story that the first article of merchandise brought into town was a barrel of rum, for which the settlers had contributed various sums, in unequal portions. The nar- rative goes on to say that the rum could not be divided previous to the arrival of Mary, wife of Christopher Newton, because she alone had mathematical skill to figure out how much belonged to each. It is hoped she was not long delayed since the settlers' appetite for rum could not long be held in check by such a flimsy excuse. This also gives a severe jolt to the widely be- lieved story that women in those days rarely had learn- ing. It seems to be one of those things-sometimes so and sometimes not so.
It seems on the whole that the presence here of Ben- jamin Giles with his well lined pockets must be credited to the care and protection of an all-wise providence, since he seems just naturally to have appeared, and it is evi- dent that the Newport settlers would have been hard put to it for survival had he not been here.
Parmlee points out, in his interesting narrative which represents Newport in the History of Cheshire and Sullivan Counties (1886) that our settlers labored to found a community with very little regard to the wants of future historians, and for this reason ac- counts of the earliest times are few and meager. Joseph
37
TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT
Parmelee himself, who was born here in 1818, gives us perhaps the only account of this man Giles. He says :
"The name and character of Benjamin Giles de- serves more than a passing notice .. . It is a matter for regret that the data extant from which to con- struct a sketch of his life is so meager and desul- tory. It is thus with many interesting lives, whose only written history is found upon the stone that marks the place of their long-buried remains.
"He died in 1787 at the age of 70 years. He must, therefore, have been born in 1717, and at the time of his arrival in Newport, was 50 years of age. He was an Irishman by birth, and in the course of his wanderings by sea and land had come to Groton, Conn., where he was settled and from whence he came to Newport. His family consisted of daugh- ters-two by a first marriage, and one by a second wife, lately deceased. Of the first, Mary married Christopher Newton and Hannah was the wife of Isaac Newton. These Newtons were cousins and came to Newport in 1779, with their families, where they lived and died. The daughter of the second marriage, Ruth, came to Newport with her father. She was possessed, in her own right, of consider- able property, inherited from her mother.
"A third wife, married after coming here, was Aba- gail Hubbard, of Charlestown, who survived him. There were no children by this marriage.
"Benjamin Giles was a man of good natural ability, well educated, a fair estate, with much experience in human affairs. He was, for the time and place in which he acted, a strong man, and his influence in all matters-social, political and religious-was controlling and recognized in all the affairs of the community. His influence was not confined to his own town, but was felt in the councils of the state. "The difference between the colonies and the mother country, already foreshadowed revolution, and wisdom and intelligence were needed in all councils. He was a lover of liberty, and an enthusi-
38 TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT
astic friend of the Patriot cause, a true Irishman with pronounced American proclivities.
"After the downfall and flight of the Royal Gover- nor, John Wentworth, New Hampshire was without an organized state government. By a concerted movement on the part of the towns, a convention was called to meet at Exeter, 1775, '76, for the pur- pose of organizing a provisional government, for the time, or during the war. To this convention Benjamin Giles was sent as representative of six classed towns, Newport, Unity, Acworth, Lempster, Croydon and Saville (Sunapee).
"He was chosen by the House of Representatives- one of a committee of 12 to constitute an upper house, or Senate. Mesech Weare, the first gov- ernor of the state, was the presiding officer of this body, an assembly to which only the ablest men of the colony were called.
"In the year 1778, the controversy between New Hampshire and Vermont in regard to the boundary line assumed formidable proportions. Conventions were held at Cornish, Walpole and Windsor, Vt., to consider the matter. To these conventions he was sent as a delegate.
"He favored the claims of Vermont, as instructed by the town, at a meeting held March 29, 1781, when it was voted 'That the town of Newport join in Union with Vermont. That Benjamin Giles Esq. be a delegate to represent the town of Newport in the General Assembly of the State of Vermont, to be held at Windsor in April next ensuing. That Aaron Buell, Jesse Wilcox and Josiah Stevens be a committee to give instructions to the representative above named for his direction in the General As- sembly of Vermont.'
"At another town meeting called in the same year, the town voted for state officers of Vermont and the meeting was called in the name of the State of Vermont.
"The excitement in regard to this matter became
39
TALES FROM THE HISTORY OF NEWPORT
so great that troops were called out and arrests made. Benjamin Giles and Nathaniel S. Prentice were arrested by the New Hampshire authorities, and Enoch Hale, the Sheriff of Cheshire County, was arrested by the authorities of Vermont. Giles is said to have been rescued from the custody of Col. Hale, in Charlestown, by the 'people in a most extraordinary manner.'
"This difficulty was afterward amicably settled and the town of Newport returned to its allegiance to New Hampshire. The annual town meeting of March, 1782 was called in the name of the State of New Hampshire; otherwise the good people of New- port at this time, might have rejoiced as citizens of the Green Mountain State.
"To close the eventful history of this most promi- nent citizen of Newport during the Revolutionary period, we may take the reader, in imagination, to the first burial place of the town where nearly all 'the rude forefathers sleep' and read the stone that identifies his grave his short and simple annals-
"Erected in memory of ye Honourable Benjamin Giles Esq. who, after serving his Generation, faithfully in publick life, then departed this, in hopes of a better, December 9th, 1787. "Altho I sleep in dust a while, "Beneath this barren clod,
"Ere long, I hope to rise and smile "And see my savior, God."
There is a good deal more to this story of the "se- cession" of 16 New Hampshire towns, but we have not time to go into the matter. The history of Plainfield, however, gives light on the case by explaining that, it being war time, Vermont surveyors were mostly out of work and Vermont decreed that all New Hampshire lands would have to be re-surveyed at the owner's ex- pense, whereupon the New Hampshire men hastily with- drew to their own side of the river and again became
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.