USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Canaan > The history of Canaan, New Hampshire > Part 47
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Let nothing deter you from duty at, and before the second Tuesday of March. For the darkest time is just before day.
I am sir, &c., DANIEL BLAISDELL.
To John Currier, Esq.
The next letter is interesting as showing the hostility of the Federal party to all measures for the defense of the nation at a time when England, supposing us to be weak, had become, day by day, more arrogant in her demands.
WASHINGTON CITY, Feb. 27, 1810.
Dear Sir:
I send you Mr. Epps' war speech, which seems to have originated in a fit of madness, that the Senate had seen fit to cut Mr. Mason's American
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navigation act of that part which they intended, instead of the Embargo or non-intercourse. It was sent back from the Senate to our House on Thursday, with only three out of thirteen sections left. The two first to interdict the armed ships of England and France from our harbors. And the other to repeal the non-intercourse act. To be sure, sir, it was a curiosity to see the embargo hands, with distorted features, rise in turn, and declare that it was treason against the party that had brought forward and supported commercial restrictions, to thus dispose of it without a substitute. Some of them said they would much rather the hall would fall in and crush them to death, than abandon the system in that way. And after a Sunday evening caucus at the president's, they (as it would seem) are prepared to plunge the nation into immediate war, for Epps did not deny, but owned it must have that effect. Seventy-four supported the measure and forty-nine opposed it. If so many of their war measures, resolutions and proclamations had not evaporated, all must see that we must have a war with England soon, for France is only mentioned to deceive the people. The president on Saturday, before the caucus, said openly, our affairs with France were in a fair way to be settled. Tell your demos if there is any dependence to be placed upon their leaders they may fix their knapsacks to go to Canada.
From your friend,
DANIEL BLAISDELL. To John Currier, Esq.
At the expiration of his term in 1811, Mr. Blaisdell returned home, firmly believing it to be a Christian virtue to oppose the coming war. Public meetings were called for the purpose of concentrating public opinion. A series of resolutions, longer than one of John Worth's prayers, and more tiresome, setting forth the iniquities of the Democratic leaders and calling upon good men to defeat them, were passed. The excitement ran fearfully high and continued for years. Many worthy neigh- bors became estranged and the lives of many of them were too short to outlive the ill-feeling engendered.
For more than twenty years he went in and out among his neighbors and friends, exercising great influence in their af- fairs, honored and respected by all, even by the Democrats, whom, as a party, he never ceased to denounce as the enemies of his country. The struggles of his early life had given him habits of industry, temperance and economy. He lived first "one hundred and two rods down the road toward Grafton" from the bridge at East Canaan by Mud Pond. He then built a
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modest house on the farm afterward owned by James Doten and since burned, at the top of Doten Hill and readapted himself to the career of a farmer, and about 1818, lived in the Haggett house. His knowledge of law made him a safe counselor. He was sometimes called upon to carry business for his neighbors up to the courts. At one time he was solicited to carry a case to the court at Exeter. He started on horseback, as was the cus- tom then, and on the road was overtaken by Gen. Benjamin Pierce, who was traveling the same way. Personally they were friendly, but very hostile in politics. Blaisdell was a man of even temperament, not easily excited and whom mere words could not offend ; but he never yielded a point once settled in his mind. Pierce, in temperament, was the reverse of Blaisdell, but he was equally tenacious of his opinions. Blaisdell believed only Federalism and Baptism. Pierce believed only Democracy. They traveled together, discoursing pleasantly as they rode until they approached the subject of politics. Pierce quite earnestly de- nounced the Federalists as the enemies of the country and as desiring to destroy the liberties of the people by consolidating all power in the hands of a few families. Blaisdell, very coolly replied by accusing the Democracy of demagogism, of debauch- ing the virtue of the youth of the country and, like Satan, of desiring to lead all things down to himself. This reply in- furiated Pierce. He declared that he "would not ride with such a traitor any further" and, jumping off his horse, dared Blais- dell to take his chance of a "thrashing on the spot." Blaisdell declined to take the chances offered, not only because they were not favorable to him, but because he saw nothing to fight about. He said some soothing words to the governor, who finally re- mounted his horse and the two jogged on to Exeter as though nothing had occurred; but they talked no more politics on that ride.
There was never much poetry in his life. His habits of thought had always been so earnest, so convincing to his reason, that any position he ever assumed, whether in morals, politics or religion, became to him matters of fact. He never yielded a point to an opponent, because he never allowed himself to be in the wrong. It pleased him to see labor rewarded and mean, tricky people punished. But young folks never loved him, be-
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cause he never seemed to see them. He would speak of "the rising generation," with a look so far away, as if he never ex- pected to give place to them, or as if they were to drop from some distant sphere and slowly approach to greet him as he dis- appeared. We used to look upon him as the embodiment of dignity and wisdom, - a man with whom we could take no liberties. He was a wilful man, who liked to have his way. Like most men in his day, he ignored the presence of children. I do not remember of any boy who felt proud of his caresses or approving words. He never uttered them and he very seldom saw any boys. His own life from boyhood until long after he thought himself a man, was of hard toil, without school or books and all the way up hill. Did he never yearn for a word of encouragement? I often wonder when the manner of these men's lives occurs to me, how they could always pass by the children, - the boys who are coming right along to crowd them out of the way? In his day the old judge was a great power in politics, and he had the faculty of keeping his party in office nearly all his life. He never thrust himself forward for office, nor would he allow more than one of his boys to be in office at the same time. This policy made him strong. He did not use his political influence to keep his family in office. In this re- spect he understood human nature better than some of the leaders in later years. The people respected his advice be- cause they knew him to be unselfish.
It was more than eighty years ago, - just before March elec- tion. There had been a sly caucus at Cobb's tavern in which Wesley Burpee, Daniel Pattee, William Campbell, with a few others figured, and Elijah Blaisdell had been nominated for representative. It was intended for a surprise and only such as were friendly to Elijah were present. Old Bill Wood and Levi Wilson had been there after their daily rum; going home about sunset, the judge hailed them for "the news up to the street." "O, nothin' much," replies Uncle Bill, "only we had a caukis, and sot up 'Lijah for representative." "What !" thundered the old judge, " 'Lige Blaisdell for rep ! impossible ! But who's done it ? He 'aint fit for it, more'n my old hoss, and
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I tell you he shan't have it." And he didn't get it. The judge mounted his old horse and rode up to Wallace's store, where a crowd had begun to gather. He dismounted, and after salut- ing them, inquired if anything of importance had transpired. They confirmed his first intelligence with more particulars. Then he smoothed his brow and replied: "Men, this will never do; because I was fit to hold office, it don't follow that all the Blaisdells are fit for it, and I ought to be pretty well acquaint- ed with them all. And then the way this nomination was made is unfair. A man that plays tricks even in politics, is un- worthy of your votes. We must get together, Saturday night at this store and talk it all over, and depend upon it we'll have a good man nominated." The other Blaisdells stayed at home that year. That Saturday night was memorable in the annals of Canaan Street. There was a large gathering and they drank rum freely; everybody did, except this matter-of-fact old judge. Asahel Jones, who belonged to the other party, appeared among them. He was accused of being a spy and he was ordered to prepare for instant death. They secured him, placed a rope about his neck and shoulders and drew him up to a beam in the store, several times letting him down hard. Asahel was badly hurt and worse frightened, and begged hard for a reprieve. Finally he was permitted to start for home. He went over the hill, 'round the pond, crying "Murder! help!" On the road the cold air began to freeze the rum out of his skin and he was sorely chilled. He grew mad as he thought how he had been assaulted and battered by those fellows on the Street, no better than he. Next morning he presented himself before his friend, Elijah Blaisdell, and complained of his assailants, three of whom were arrested and made to pay $20 for the wicked sport they had enjoyed. After the election of General Jackson in 1828, Elijah became a Democrat. The old judge was much annoyed at his son's apostasy from his own faith, but he pretended to be greatly pleased, "because," said he, "now we shall know where to find him all the time."
His children married and settled in town, and the third generation numbered sixty-nine persons. Of his eleven sons and daughters, Elijah, the lawyer, had twelve children; James,
33
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HISTORY OF CANAAN.
the sheriff, six; Daniel, the musician, seventeen; William, the painter, seven; Joshua, the sheriff, six; Parrott, the farmer, twelve; Jacob, the doctor, none; Jonathan, the trader, three; Sally, wife of Joseph Dustin, five; Rhoda, third wife of Eben Clark, deacon, who used to manufacture woolen cloth at the village, one; Timothy, the broker, seven. These families for years all resided in one neighborhood, and it was a common remark that the old folks could visit all their numerous off- spring in one day. The name was once nearly as common as blackberries (Barney at East Canaan), but it has disappeared entirely from among us now, and is found only on old tombs and graveyards.
Blaisdell, Daniel, b. Amesbury, Mass., January 25, 1762; d. January 10, 1833; m. by Thomas Baldwin January 29, 1782, Sally Springer, dau. of Joshua, the ferryman, of Haverhill, Mass., b. October 15, 1761; d. June 10, 1838. Eleven ch.
1. Elijah, b. Canaan, October 28, 1782; d. October 10, 1850; m. November 14, 1802, at Pittsfield, Mary Fogg, dau. Dea. John, b. Hampton, September 6, 1781; d. Twelve ch. He m. 2d, Mrs. Mary Kingsbury of Plainfield.
1. John, b. Pittsfield, May 13, 1803; d. Vineland, N. J., over 90 years old.
2. Daniel, 3d, b. Pittsfield, August 25, 1806; d. 1875; m. Charlotte Osgood of Haverhill. Grad. Dartmouth Col- lege, 1827. Lawyer in Hanover from 1834-'75. Treas- urer of Dartmouth College. Ch .: Alfred, now liv- ing in Brooklyn, N. Y., and Charlotte, who m. Professor Ruggles of Dartmouth College.
3. Hannah, b. Grafton, December 13, 1808; d. June 27, 1811; buried near Ebenezer Hoyt Place in Grafton.
4. Elijah, b. Danbury, March 11, 1811.
5. Hannah, b. Canaan, August 5, 1813.
6. Elizabeth, b. Canaan, May 15, 1815; m. a Morey and in 1892 lived in San Francisco.
7. Mary Ann, b. Canaan, August 9, 1817; d. September 14, 1817.
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OLD FAMILIES.
8. Mary Ann, b. February 24, 1819; d. Beloit, 1905; m. Joseph Tyler of Boston. Ch .: Joseph, sugar manufac- turer in Philippines, and Columbus, m. and d. at Seattle.
9. Rhoda, b. March 27, 1821; single; was teacher in Beloit, Wis.
10. Sarah, b. January 26, 1823 ; single; died 1906. Teacher in Beloit, Wis.
11. James Joshua, b. February 8, 1827 ; d. October 10, 1896; m. Susan Allen of Lebanon. Lived in Beloit, Wis. Two ch .: James and Philip.
2. James, b. September 20, 1784; m. February 17, 1805; Abigail Tyler, dau. Job. Six ch .: Abigail, Sarah, George, James, Sargent,
3. Daniel, Jr., b. December 28, 1786; d. September 17, 1871; m. October 24, 1805, Sally Clark, dau. Josiah and Pernal, b. July 1, 1789 ; d. March 7, 1866. Seventeen ch.
1. Elijah, b. March 30, 1806; was a doctor.
2. Clark, b. January 8, 1809; m., had three ch .: one named Clark.
3. Daniel, b. June 4, 1811.
4. Josiah, b. June 4, 1811; d. June 22, 1811.
5. Sally, b. June 5, 1813; d. single.
6. Jonathan Homer, b. February 13, 1816 ; d. San José, Cal. ; single.
7. Suel Swett, b. August 28, 1818; single, lived Fairlee, Vt.
8. Mary, single.
9. Justin.
10. Justus, d. San José; m. 1st, Clara Tyler ; one dau .; m. 2d, a Bruce.
11. Judge.
12. Abigail.
13. Harriet N., d. February 4, 1832, aged 3.
14. Malvina.
15. Harriet N., d. June 6, 1856; aged 9.
16. Nancy, and one d. unnamed.
4. William, b. March 11, 1789; m. Hannah Follensbee of Grafton and had seven ch .; Alvah, who m. Margaret Dun- bar at Nashua; m. 2d and had three ch. William A., son
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HISTORY OF CANAAN.
of William, Horace, Harrison, Alzoa, and two nameless. At the funeral of one of them Elder Wheat preached the sermon, and stated his belief that "this infant was unregenerate, and is now writhin' in burnin' flames of hell." William was angry. Left the Baptist Church and joined the Congregationalists, and ever afterwards re- fused to listen to Elder Wheat's preaching. He was a painter.
5. Joshua, b. April 20, 1791; m. December 19, 1813, his cousin Polly, daughter of Parrot, b. May 22, 1791; d. at Pots- dam, N. Y., November 22, 1865. M. 2d, his cousin, Mrs. Mehitable Springer Frost, and d. Thetford, Vt., Septem- ber 29, 1872. Was deputy sheriff from 1818 to 1833. Lived in Haverhill, N. H., Fort Covington, N. Y., 1842. Potsdam, N. Y., 1844-66 as a merchant. Ch .: four sons and two dau. His second wife was a daughter of Joshua Springer of Canaan, b. in 1792 in old district No. 8. She was married three times, living all the time in Thetford, Vt., first to Judge Buckingham, second to Deacon Frost, she survived them all and lived nearly helpless for some years, but retained all her faculties. She d. in Thetford, Vt., October 12, 1883.
6. Parrot, b. August 4, 1793; m. June 1, 1814, Rhoda French Currier of Enfield. They had 12 children, two Marys, Theophilus, two Rhodas, Timothy, Emily, James, two nameless and Guilford.
7. Jacob, b. October 20, 1795; m. March 7, 1825, Eliza Harris of Canaan, dau. of Hubbard; b. July 17, 1800. No chil- dren. Both died at Keysport, N. Y. Being a seventh son he was advised that it was necessary that he should become a doctor.
8. Jonathan, b. February 19, 1798; m. 1st, Persis Ames; 2d, Hannah, dau. of Dr. Ezra Bartlett of Haverhill. Three children.
9. Sally, b. June 17, 1799; m. November 27, 1818, Joseph Dustin of Canaan; d. March 25, 1885. Five children. 10. Rhoda, b. September 1, 1801; d. January 10, 1891. Was a teacher about town until 1832 when she married Dea.
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OLD FAMILIES.
Ebenezer Clark April 19, 1832. One daughter. They separated and afterwards were divorced, because of dif- ferences of opinion respecting spiritualism.
11. Timothy Keazer, b. May 9, 1804; d. September 24, 1853; m. 1st, September 23, 1824, Phœbe Cobb; d. March 23, 1832; aged 36; m. 2d, Harriet Merrill of Haverhill, b. November, 1813; d. December 20, 1848. Had one child buried in the grave with his first wife, and three sons and two dau. by his second wife. He was a strong Abolitionist and member of the Congregational Church. He was a storekeeper in Haverhill after the second mar- riage where he failed in the panic of 1837. He afterwards lived in Boston, was agent of the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company until his death. Ch .: Sarah, m. a lumberman; Harriet, b. Haverhill, November 11, 1834, m. April 30, 1856, Charles H. Cram of Chicago; b. Han- over, March 22, 1832. Nine ch .: Clara, b. January 19, 1857; d. March 18, 1900. Nathan Dow, b. August 2, 1859 ; m. Mary Queen, manager for Silver, Burdett & Co. in New York. Charles H., b. November 12, 1863; m. Ysabel Del Valle, a merchant and ranchman. Harriet Blaisdell, b. August 26, 1864; m. 1st, Dr. T. W. Miller ; m. 2d, Dr. W. W. Quinlan; lives Chicago. Bessie, b. April 28, 1868; m. W. C. Reynolds, in the paint busi- ness. Timothy, b. April 26, 1870; m. Georgie Shores, railroad supplies in Chicago. Rupert, b. February 10, 1872; m. Cora Neidig, merchant and ranchman. Walter, b. January 10, 1874; m. Nina Del Valle, merchant and ranchman in California. Mildred, b. August 11, 1876; m. J. V. Paulson; d. March 5, 1900; lives with mother in Haverhill. Timothy, son of Timothy, was in the Re- bellion, contracted consumption and d. single. Edward and Frank.
The Clarks.
Richard Clark came from Newmarket in 1773, bringing with him three sons, Richard, Eliphalet and Josiah. The old man settled on the farm afterwards owned by John Currier, then sold out to Nat Tucker and pitched upon the hundred acres embraced
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HISTORY OF CANAAN.
in the Hayward farm, then known as the first hundred of Israel Kellogg, which extended from the outlet of Hart Pond to the road running from Wells' and south of the old road from the Corner. He lived and died there and lies buried in the Wells cemetery. His sons, Richard and Eliphalet, built houses upon the farms lately owned by Jacob Randlett and Levi Hamlett. Richard died there; but Eliphalet went to Boston. The two Richards were strongly religious, never failing to give earnest testimony of their faith upon all occasions. Josiah at the age of thirteen, went to work on the Gore with his Uncle Caleb. He was set to cutting alder bushes, where black flies and mos- quitoes were numerous. He endured their stings until he be- came disgusted with settler life and then resolved that he would run away back to Newmarket. But he did not, because Capt. Robert Barber, an old neighbor from Newmarket, arrived with his family, including his daughter Pernal, in whom Josiah was much interested. Then came the call for three regiments to fight for independence. Old Richard had become an invalid and could not go, but Josiah, young and strong, nerved up with the patriotism of a boy of sixteen, shouldered his gun and marched until he was discharged, and like a great number of his comrades, with his pockets filled with worthless continental script, was obliged to beg food to bring himself to his father's door. Arrived at home he rested a few days, when a message was sent over the country calling for recruits to join the army under Gates near Saratoga, to arrest the progress of Burgoyne towards Boston. He started back with Enoch Richardson on foot. They fought with Stark at Bennington and were present at the battle of Saratoga and saw the surrender of Burgoyne. Then he came home and went to work. Once more he seized his gun in 1780, when the cry for help came from burning Rut- land, and marched with Thomas Baldwin, Daniel Blaisdell, Thomas Miner, Samuel Meacham and others, twenty-two of them under the command of Capt. Joshua Wells, whom none of them liked, and arrived at Rutland in time to see the village in ashes and the Indians retreating, taking along one prisoner, a citizen, to Canada. This company traveled ninety miles and were out nine days. . In 1782 Josiah married Pernal Barber and settled
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OLD FAMILIES.
on the Gore near the Lary farm, and had for neighbors Tris- tram Sanborn and Daniel Lary. Here he settled down to a tranquil domestic life. Five children were born to him: Judith, who died in 1797, and was the first person buried in the Wells cemetery. Captain Wells gave an acre of land for that purpose and buried his own dead there; Betsey, who married John Worth; Robert B., who lived on the farm since occupied by David Kimball; Sally, who married Daniel Blaisdell, Jr., and Josiah. But the earth and trees on the Gore were too stingy for his necessities. After thirteen years' patient labor, he came back to Canaan and lived with his wife's father until he built him a house. He bargained for land with Mr. Barber and built the house where A. W. Hutchinson now lives. While here he with his wife, united with the Baptist Church, and was ap- pointed a deacon. Nathaniel Barber, brother to his wife, lived on the intervale at East Canaan. The brothers often worked together. Several seasons Nat lost his crops from frosts, and he became discouraged. One day, while working together, Nat bantered Josiah to trade farms. They made the exchange and Deacon Josiah's home was on the intervale until his death, June 7, 1851, at the great age of ninety-three years. Pernal, his wife, through all that long sixty-nine years, survived him four years and was then placed to rest beside him at the great age of nine- ty-one years. Deacon Josiah's son Josiah, was born in 1795. He was a hard-working man all his long life of more than ninety years. His opportunities for education were few and at long dis- tances, both in time and on the road. But few of the young men of his day were more favored than he. He went a few months or weeks in the winter to some pedagogue, who could scarcely read without spelling, and whose chiefest virtue as a teacher was the habitual use of the "ruler," thumb screw, or some other in- strument of torture. Very few of the old people taught in the schools of Canaan ever laid claim to more knowledge than suffi- cient for their daily labors. As a boy and scholar, he lived in the "Centre Deestrick"- (so spelt in the handwriting of "Oliver Smith, T. C."). This district embraced all the territory within a radius of about two miles from the meeting house. The schoolhouse stood near Dudley Gilman's tavern. Most of the
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HISTORY OF CANAAN.
children got a whipping every day, either at home or at school, sometimes at both, and these whippings were oftener bestowed in school for not comprehending the large words in the lessons, than for any offensive conduct. Those old masters were muscu -. lar and knew more about "larrupin' " the boys and girls than they did of the contents of books.
Mr. Clark obtained his title from being appointed colonel of the Thirty-Seventh Regiment, New Hampshire Militia, which for many years mustered in Arvin's field on the side of the Pin- nacle, or on the ridge back of Nat Currier's store. Those were joyous gatherings, at which every one treated himself to rum and sheets of gingerbread; and headaches were not the conse- quence of this sort of indulgence. In 1830 there was much rivalry inside the parties. The men who managed the politics would not work together. As in many of the years since, there were men who knew that their talents and abilities were deserv- ing of recognition and because of being passed by from year to year, like balky horses, they hung back and refused to pull. In this year Colonel Clark's name was brought up and he was sent to Concord as a representative and also in the year following. But he was too industrious in his habits to sit idly by listening to motions and debates in that hall, when he might be engaged in some useful labor. He sought a shop where he might have the use of tools, and then got permission to absent himself from time to time during those tiresome talks. He did not neglect his duties, but when he came home he brought a wagonload of ox-bows as the fruit of his industry, and he thought and so did his neighbors that his ox-bows were more useful than his laws. For many years he lived a quiet life on the intervale farm. In 1814, at the age of 19, he married Betsey, daughter of Levi Bailey. They had five children, Sally, Dorothy, Jesse, Judith and Joseph. She, dying afterward, in 1827, he married Sally, daughter of Nathaniel Gilman, and two sons, Gilman and Hor- ace, were born to them. And yet again, upon the death of Mrs. Sally, he married Mrs. Sally Hazeltine, who died some years ago.
Caleb Clark came to Canaan with his brother Richard, in 1773. He settled first on the Gore, where he owned five hun- dred acres of land having purchased the same of Theophilus
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OLD FAMILIES.
Dame on the west side of Clark Pond; he also owned land in the part of Dorchester, known as Martha's Vineyard, and ad- joining his Gore land. He also owned land "on the hill north- erly of Eames Mill," where he died in October, 1793. His two sons, David and Prescott Clark, resided in the same neighbor- hood. Prescott lived on the road near Charles Lashua. These two brothers married sisters. Prescott's wife was Mary Bas- ford, and David's, Sarah Basford. Prescott had eight children, and with his wife and family moved to Canada in the spring of 1806. The two brothers resided in Dunham, P. Q., where they died of spotted fever in 1810. On their gravestones is the following: "Prescott Clark, died January 11, 1810, aged 42; David Clark, died January 19, 1810, aged 44."
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