USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Campton > The Centennial celebration of the town of Campton, N.H., September 12th, 1867 > Part 8
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108
Centennial Celebration.
The " love " of money lures, now here, now there, O friend, of such a miser love, beware !
Much might be better said (in better rhymes,) Of habits, manners, customs and the times ; Had not our Orator, in glowing deed, Held up the mirror till we see, not read ; 'Tis well, to me the rhyming range is given, Where minstrel ne'er has sung nor poet striven ; O'er broadest fields the muse has sought the forms Of worth and beauty, that survive the storms Of chance and change ; to paint, as best I may, The characters that live while men decay. But while beneath th' immortal theme I stand, The conscious coloring fades in artless hand ; And thus, I trace upon the canvas nought As it has shone in ev'ry burning thought. But, ere I note the deeper thought that springs, I pass to touch the tops of passing things ; To wile away my half-hour, and with you The charms of life in social joy renew. Since we all left the old brown school-house last, The college, (if not entered) has been past ;
The " learned professions," must have learned to yield For fairer promise in a broader field ! Your sons (all bachelors of noblest art)
Appear to claim their high commencement part ; And if no learned Professors grace the fete, Your men (of faculty) adorn the State. Your teeming fields-ye sturdy yeomanry, From, envy's eye and traffic's train are free ; Here, guided, thought may view the loftier plain, Where Wisdom binds her sheaves of golden grain. Old Galileo said-the earth " does move " ! This truth your steeds with steaming nostrils prove ;
109
Centennial Waif.
O'er yon bald peak the bridled lightning flies- The brazen steed to herald up the skies ! Now genius threads the sea with conscious wire- Equator calls to pole with tongue of fire ; And harnessed Thought transcends all mythic flight, As flaming chariots wheel the star-paved height ! The muse, delighted, pauses here to note The changes that along the seasons float ; Since our young fathers came, through fortune's frown, To build a home, and dedicate a Town- To view the pleasures toil and genius bring, And winnow fact from fancy, on the wing. Now, garner'd wealth foils speculation's flight ; As fiery fountains flood the world with light- Nevada yields her gold, for iron pave To band the prairie to Pacific's wave! Ye who ne'er leave th' expanding intervale, Nor from yon summits view the bellying sail ; Heirs of the sod, ye know not of the charms, That Nature holds in her extended arms ! Ye cannot know how fair, how passing grand, The landscape where your cottage-houses stand ; Ye see the " hay stacks" in the distance rise, Ascend them! and commune with earth and skies. O GENIUS, lead the way-the TRUTH confess- Emancipate, restore, redeem and bless. Hope, undismayed, has waited for thee long ; Religion has not purged the land from wrong- (Though nearer truth a weeping Nation stood While passing through War's great baptismal flood.) And ye who read my verse, bear with me well, If I am wrong, the rising age will tell ; If I am right-O Freeman, soldier brave, Give thanks to God that He has raised the slave. And never, never, never, nevermore,
110
Centennial Celebration.
May Christian bolt the ransomed Freedman's door ; But see in Nature, God's unerring plan- Impartial Freedom is the right of man ! Our fathers, through the forests, heard the roar Of hostile cannon on the eastern shore ; They left their homes to save this glorious land And, gaining freedom, rested by the strand. The grand reveille of the cannonade, From Bunker Hill call'd to this peaceful glade In thunders audible-the low sub-base Of War's great organ, shaking Time and space ! Then turned the fathers backward, to the sea, To strike for Country, God and Liberty ! To fling the gate of glorious canopies ope- That sons of toil might see the light of hope ! Shared is the honor by the gallant son Whose father's father fell in fight begun ! Enough of duty for their strength and day, The forest, crown, and Treason all gave way ; Their lives show much of manly duty done- There's something, still, of victory to be won ! Thy son, NEW HAMPSHIRE, gave the earliest blood That mingled with the wave of War's last flood. At early dawn of most illustrious day, The seal was broke-the stone was rolled away ; And O, may He who burst the bolted tomb, Raise our dear land in freedom's deathless bloom ! " Good will on earth "-let " PEACE " descend again, And North with South unite in sweet refrain ; Redeeming love has crowned heroic fight- A race redeemed-a morn to slavery's night !
Our fathers' faith caught freedom's earliest beam, That through the conflict shed a fitful gleam ; And through Time's vistas led the onward way
111
Centennial Waif.
Adown the ages, to this glorious day ! Their light shone in the future ; bright, intense, Unseen till angel voices called them hence. As we survey the records, clear and bright, Their pillar glows in lines of living light ! Hard by yon ridge where stood my father's cot, (The winding lane and gateway mark the spot) Behold, prepared, a more enduring home, From which their weary feet may never roam. Abode most fair ! no frosts-no wintry air- Nor Time-nor change-can mar the mansion fair ; No toils unfinished-no descending sun ; No hastening night, to close the task undone ; No blighted hopes-no friendships broken there ; No slanderer's tongue, to taint the peaceful air ; No thirst for gain-no strife for power, or place ; No furrow'd lines upon the anxious face ; No sin-no sorrow-no farewells-no tears ; No young hopes mingled with consuming fears ; No expectations false-no friends untrue ; No scenes of separation chill the view ; But one great gathering scene of friends, again- Unmarked by centuries of toil and pain ; As, one by one, in closing ranks they come, We note our " day's march nearer, nearer Home " ! And who will say, unseen, they may not view This joy centennial, which I share with you ? Else, why so full, so perfect, so complete The common joy, if but the children meet? A little season since, just by the spot On which this happy home-throng sees them not, I shared, with them, the almost rapturous joy, To happy hearers sang-a happy boy ! The simple strains then tuned, in artless glee, My little singer now returns to me.
112
Centennial Celebration.
Does fancy err ? still, on its pinion free, Old friend, I'll think thy parents list to thee ! And, be it so, tell ye th' ungarnished truth ; The simple story of their age and youth ; And monumental bust ye need not raise, Nor lettered pomp, to consecrate their praise. Descended in a more than royal line, Ye sons of toil, your hopes, your joys are mine ; Let others boast heraldic fame, and birth ; Sons of the great who rule th' affairs of earth ; But ye may boast, and none dispute your claim, An ancestry whose worth is not in name ; Whose modest merit gives example bright, Whose history glows in acts of living right. " Their names and years " it matters not to tell, On deeds, not names, the muse delights to dwell ; Their record read o'er all the furrow'd ground, " Who seeks their epitaph, should gaze around " ! Such were the men, intelligent and true, Who felled the forests, cleared the fields we view ; Such the firm yeomanry-a State's best wealth, Whose hope was happiness, whose fortune health .. My parent-pilot, (to this sheltering shore,) O'er pearly wave still passes on before ! Of fate, or fortune, now no more the sport- Through quiet haven passed to tranquil port. Affection claims-I yield the homage due- These furrowed fields an imaged form renew ; Devotion filial all these scenes constrain- That close, and ope the century's gate again !
And one, I notice-one, my noble friend, Who, ah ! too early reach'd the journey's end ; One, who has given the Granite Hills a tongue- And gone-to hear his own sweet music sung ;
113
Centennial Waif.
One, whom in my poor verse I need not name, Since hill and vale are vocal with his fame ; With whom (an honor of which justly proud), I scaled yon mountain-peak, above the cloud- Drank rarest bliss from the supernal height, O'er which his genius took its lofty flight ! From the charm'd haunts explored with joy elate, He turned, reluctant, for the Golden Gate, Which soon was reached-and soon (life's journey o'er) He found repose on a still fairer shore. Just when his towering genius saved a State- (Fame wove the civic wreath for him to wait) When East and West clasped hands in joy to fling The victor's crown on their young idol, King- Then, Wave to Mountain roll'd a tidal sigh- And earth unbarred the portal of the sky ; In sunset glory-radiant in its flight, A STAR was lost in Morn's celestial light .*
Life has been busy-more a page of prose, And earnest effort, than poetic woes- By kindliest invitation, I have wrought My little verse, with little merit fraught : My half-hour, fleeting, hastens to its close- I've jotted as I could-not as I chose ; From further rambling you will soon be safe- For now the current bears away my waif ! Arise, O man ! to nobler, higher aims ; A loftier life still higher effort claims ; To loftiest theme, then, bend the stubborn will,
*NOTE. The late, Reverend T. Starr King, and William H. Richardson, Esq., ascended Mount Washington, with the writer, on horseback, in the autumn of 1859. That was the fiftieth, and, it is believed, the last ascent of the mountain by the illustrious Divine; of whose closing career Lieutenant General Winfield Scott stated, that California would have sided with Trea- son (in 1860) if the young and gifted King had not devoted his genius, and given the power of his lofty eloquence, traversing the State, in the cause of his country and of freedom. The United States Senatorship was spoken of as his reward.
114
Centennial Celebration.
And gain, each night, a day's march up the hill.
Now springs to view the quaint old meeting-house, Where first I listened to Devotion's vows ; More sacred still appears the ancient form, Which sheltered youth from sin's descending storm. More than a century's third has passed away- But that " first lesson" passed not with the day ! O, what a " WORD "-a helm of saving power, For fainting pilgrims in the mortal hour. Teach me, O precious WORD-I still would learn The good to gain-the evil to discern ;
Save from intruding love of fruitless fame ; The cymbal-tinklings of a hollow name ; Save from Ambition false-that phantom thing With tongue of siren, and with scorpion sting ; O man ! the song she sings o'er flowing bowl, Will drown the senses, desolate the soul.
Then take th' Evangel for thy guard, and guide, And thou, on steady wing, shalt upward glide Through all the hovering clouds of boding ill, And gain, at last, the summit of life's hill.
115
Names of the Early Settlers of Campton.
NAMES OF THE EARLY SETTLERS.
Names of the early settlers of the town of Campton, the date of their coming to town,-the number of their families,-and the region from whence they came :
1762. Isaac Fox, Connecticut.
1762. Winthrop Fox, a nephew.
1763. Isaac Fox, Jr., and his mother and his family.
1763. Enoch Taylor, and family.
1764. Joseph Spencer, son of Gen. Jabez Spencer.
1768. Abel Willey, seven children, the fifth family in town.
1769. Benaijah Fox, the son of Isaac, Jr., was the first male
child born in town. A daughter of Hobart Spen- cer, was born the same year.
1769. Hobart Spencer, six children.
1769. Darius Willey, seven children.
1769. Moses Little, six children, Massachusetts.
1769.
Samuel Fuller, six children.
1769.
Daniel Wyatt, nine children, Massachusetts.
David Perkins, eight children, Massachusetts.
1769. 1769. 1769. 1770. 1770.
Asa Spencer, seven children, Connecticut.
Jesse Willey, eight children, Connecticut.
1770.
Ebenezer Taylor, three children, Connecticut.
1770. Joseph Palmer, three children, Massachusetts.
1770. Samuel Cook, nine children, Massachusetts.
1770. 1770. 1771.
Samuel Holmes, Connecticut.
1771.
Jonathan Cone, five children.
1772.
Israel Brainard, five children, Connecticut. Chiliab Brainard, five children, Connecticut.
1773. 1774.
John Southmayd, nine children, Connecticut. Selden Church, seven children, Connecticut.
1774.
Thomas Bartlett, fourteen children, Massachusetts.
1775. John Holmes, seven children, Connecticut. Carr Chase, eight children, Massachusetts. Elias Cheney.
1776. 1777. 1777.
William Baker, sixteen children.
1777.
Dudley Palmer, eight children, Massachusetts.
1778.
Moses Baker, three children.
Joseph Palmer, six children, Massachusetts. Moody Cook, twelve children, Massachusetts.
1778. 1778. 1778. Ebenezer Cheney, five children.
1778. James Merrill, four children, Massachusetts. .
1778. Chauncey Holmes, five children, Connecticut.
- - Homans, five children.
-
Nathaniel Tupper, five children, Massachusetts. James Harvel.
1772.
Joseph Pulsifer, eleven children, Massachusetts.
Gershom Burbank, six children, Massachusetts.
116
Early Settlers, date of their coming, etc.
1779.
Joseph Homans, a son of -- Homans, two children. Benjamin Baker, three children.
1780. 1780. 1781.
Jonathan Burbank, son of Gershom, six children.
Israel Blake, three children.
William Page, six children.
Edmond Marsh, eleven children.
John Marsh, thirteen children.
James Bump, seven children.
1782. 1782. 1782. 1783. 1783. Jabez Church, nine children.
Ezra Tupper, four children.
1784. 1785. 1785. 1785. 1785. 1786.
David Bartlett, six children.
Ichabod Johnson, seven children, Allenstown.
John Clark, four children, Candia.
John Homans, son of - - Homans, fourteen children.
Samuel Cook, Jr., ten children, Massachusetts.
Cutting Cook, son of Samuel, twelve children.
1787. 1789. Enoch Merrill, nine children, Plymouth.
1789. Edward Taylor, Oliver Taylor, sons of Eben, ten chil- dren.
178 -. Josiah Blaisdell, son of Nathaniel, eight children. David French, Massachusetts.
1790. Ebenezer Bartlett, son of Thomas.
1790.
David Wooster, eight children, Connecticut.
1790.
Isaac Mitchell, eight children.
1790. Ephraim Cook, son of Samuel, thirteen children.
1790. Samuel Noyes, two children, Massachusetts.
1790.
Daniel Blaisdell, son of Nathaniel, eight children, Ches- ter.
1790.
Stephen Goodhue, seven children.
1790.
Ebenezer Little, son of Moses, eight children.
1790.
Ebenezer Bartlett, Jr., ten children, Massachusetts.
1791.
James Burbeck, fourteen children, Massachusetts. Rowland Percival, nine children, Connecticut.
Rowland Percival, Jr., nine or ten children, Connecti- cut.
1792.
1792. Joshua Rogers, four children, Connecticut.
1792.
Joseph Pulsifer, Jr., son of Joseph, seven children.
1792.
Darius Willey, Jr., son of Darius, ten children.
James Little, son of Moses, nine children.
1793. 1793. 1793. 1793.
Joel Holmes, son of John, five or six children. Jesse Hall.
1793.
Christopher Noyes, nine children, Massachusetts. Stephen Giddings, eight children, Massachusetts. Moses Pulsifer, son of Joseph, eight children. Stephen Giddings, nine children, Massachusetts. Samuel Chandler, three children, Hampstead.
1794. Samuel Merrill, thirteen children, Plymouth.
1794. Enoch Merrill, six children.
1802. Elijah Hatch, seven children.
1803. Thomas Cook, son of Samuel, eleven children.
Nathaniel Blaisdell, three children, Chester. Samuel Johnson.
117
Roll of Honor.
1804. Isaac Willey, son of Darius, eight children.
1805. John Pulsifer, son of Joseph, eleven children.
1805. Peter Blair, ten children, Holderness.
1807. William Giddings, eight children, Massachusetts.
1809. Robert Smith, ten children.
1820. Daniel Wyatt, son of Daniel, six children.
CAMPTON'S ROLL OF HONOR.
-
John Chandler, wounded.
Second Regiment. William Alexander. Fourth Regiment.
Walter S. Johnson, died of disease. Sixth Regiment.
Hiram O. Berry. Charles E. Berry, died of disease.
Heber L. Chase, wounded.
Wm. W. Farmer, died of wounds. Benjamin A. Ham.
Frank E. Hodgman, died of disease. Richard Pattee, wounded.
George L. Rogers. Reuben P. Smith.
Jason Webster, died of disease.
Benjamin F. Berry.
Luther Farmer, died of disease.
Oliver W. Lovett.
Daniel M. Sanborn.
Eighth Regiment. Daniel Piper, wounded.
John S. Avery. Leonard P. Benton.
Ninth Regiment.
Luther S. Mitchell, taken prisoner. Twelfth Regiment.
Martin V. B. Avery, wounded.
Edwin Avery, starved, taken priso- ner, wounded.
Ezra B. Burbank, taken prisoner, wounded. Rufus F. Bickford. Orlando Durgin, died of disease. C. C. Durgin, died of disease. George W. Gordon, wounded.
D. F. A. Goss, taken prisoner, wounded.
N. Lyman Merrill.
Albert Merrill, taken prisoner.
John N. Marsh, died of disease. Edwin Pronk.
William H. Rogers, killed.
William H. Stickney, wounded. Orrin Wallace, killed.
Thirteenth Regiment.
Manson L. Brown. Jason Elliot. Simon T. Elliot, killed.
Nathan Pierce. Alfred Webster. Wooster E. Woodbury, wounded.
Fourteenth Regiment.
Abner H. Lougee. John D. Morse. Freeman Moulton.
Freeman L. Moulton. James O. Ward, wounded.
118
Roll of Honor.
Fifteenth Regiment.
Henry D. Wyatt.
Fred A. Mitchell.
Samuel S. Mitchell. Joseph C. Blair, Jr. Benjamin F. Adams, killed.
Henry Cook, died on way home of disease.
George A. Page, died on way home of disease. Cyrus Burbeck, died on way home of disease.
Edwin A. Hart, died after reaching home of disease.
Joseph Brown, Jr., died after reach- ing home of disease. William F. Mitchell.
James F. Merrill. Geo. W. Plummer, wounded, died of wounds.
David Webster.
Charles H. Willey.
Eighteenth Regiment.
William E. Brown.
William A. Chandler.
Samuel H. Dow.
Benjamin Evans, Jr.
Ozias J. Holmes.
John M. Purkis.
John H. Plummer. John P. Patterson, died of disease. Horace W. Smith. George P. Tarlsen. William G. Thompson.
Sharpshooters.
Alfred E. Foss.
Cavalry.
Benjamin M. Johnson, taken prisoner and never heard from. Enlisted in other States.
John M. Flint, surgeon. John C. Chase.
George Cook, died of disease.
Alfred Merrill.
Geo. H. Keniston.
Steven Brown, died of disease. Danford M. Rowe.
George Smith.
Harris B. Mitchell.
Clark Smith.
Hermon C. Stickney.
Simeon D. Smith.
Total enlistments in Regiments in the State, seventy-five. Total enlist- ments in Regiments in other States, twelve. Making total enlistments from Campton, eighty-seven. Six of whom were taken prisoners; four killed; fourteen wounded; four died of wounds; eighteen died of disease.
Number of substitutes furnished by citizens of Campton, thirty-seven. Number of men called for during the war, ninety-nine. Enlisted in town seventy-five. Recruits furnished, thirty-seven. Total, one hundred and twelve. Surplus, thirteen.
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