USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Concord > The history of Concord : from its first grant in 1725, to the organization of the city government in 1853, with a history of the ancient Penacooks ; the whole interspersed with numerous interesting incidents and anecdotes, down to the present period, 1885 > Part 33
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EXTINGUISHMENT OF FIRES.
A committee, consisting of Thomas W. Thompson, Charles Walker and Samuel Green, Esqrs., was appointed, March 9th, to report at the next meeting a "by-law for the extinguishment of fires ;" and one hundred dollars were voted to purchase "fire-hooks, and make the necessary repairs to the engine." This appears to have been the first step which the town took towards organizing an effective fire department. The committee, composed of able lawyers, drafted a by-law, which was approved and adopted by the town. It provided, (1,) for the appointment of a suitable number of fire-wards, who should have, for a distinguishing badge of their office, a staff, five feet long, painted red, and headed with a bright spire, six inches long- to be purchased at the expense of the town. (2.) They should have authority to require and demand assistance of any inhabitants of the town to extinguish fires ; direct their labors, suppress disorders, &c. (3.) To search and inspect houses, and places where danger
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
was apprehended of fires; and to order the removal of com- bustibles, &c .*
THE WAR OF 1812.
Soon after the declaration of war, by Congress, against Eng- land, in 1812, Concord was selected as the place of rendezvous, both for soldiers destined for the defence of the northern frontiers and of the sea-coast. The large house built by Philip Carrigain, near the north end of Main street, about 1799, was occupied for barracks .¡ Gen. Aquila Davis, of Warner, had command of a regiment of volunteers for the northern army, of which John Carter, of Concord, was lieutenant-colonel. About this time, or early in 1813, Joseph Low, of Amherst, came to Concord, holding a lieutenant's commission in Capt. Benjamin Bradford's company, which marched to the frontiers. At the close of the campaign in 1813 Mr. Low had charge of the recruiting service here. He was also pay-master and quarter-master in the regi- ment to which he belonged. Lieut. Col. Darrington, a recruiting officer for the United States service, had barracks for his soldiers at the lower end of Main street, opposite the house of the late Dea. Willey. The whole number of soldiers who had their ren- dezvous in Concord in 1812 and 1813 was reckoned at about five hundred.
At the annual town meeting in March, 1813, some of the vol- unteer soldiers attempted to vote contrary to the decision of the moderator, Col. William A. Kent. The affair, which was at- tended with great excitement at the time, is thus referred to in the town records :
" Voted, That the conduct of one McCoy, a volunteer in the service of the United States, and not belonging to this town, in attempting, yesterday, in defiance of the moderator of the meet- ing, to vote for State and County officers, deserves severe cen- sure ; but his act of collaring the moderator while in the exercise of his official duty, we consider an outrage of the most destruc- tive character.
" Voted, That the thanks of this meeting be given to William
* See Town Records, 1813, p. 376; also, list of officers for 1812.
t The house is now owned by Robert E. Pecker and Jonathan E. Lang.
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SOLDIERS INTERFERING IN AN ELECTION.
A. Kent, Esq., the moderator, for his temperate, resolute and judicious conduct upon that occasion."
To which vote the moderator made the following reply :
" Fellow Citizens, - This expression of your approbation of my conduct, as presiding officer at the election of your State officers yes- terday, demands my grateful acknowledgment.
" Aware of the responsibility attached to the office of moderator, and having intimation of the claiming that was intended by the sol- diers stationed in this town, calling themselves United States Volun- teers, to interfere in our election, I endeavored so to decide respect- ing their voting, as would, I hoped, satisfy every man who regarded the rights of the citizen. With this view I was led to extend the right of suffrage to what was, in my opinion, and that of many oth- ers, a doubtful case : - I mean, that of admitting the votes of those in the service of the United States who were inhabitants of this town at the time of their enlistment, and not yet departed from it. The arguments in favor of their admission were, that in consequence of the rendezvous being in Concord, they had not yet left their habita- tions ; that some of them had families here ; and that they had paid taxes to the town for the year which had not yet expired.
" Having no disposition to abridge the right of suffrage, I was wil- ling to give all possible weight to these considerations ; and if I erred, that it should be in furor of that privilege. I therefore received their votes. Here I thought it my duty to stop. The soldiers from the barracks, who never were recognized as inhabitants, could not, in my view of the subject, be so considered, for the purpose of elect- ing or being elected into office. I was yesterday proceeding to state the grounds of my opinion on this subject ; but meeting with inter- ruption, evidently intended to protract the meeting to a late hour, I determined to proceed no farther in that attempt, but to come at once to that ground which I determined to maintain at the hazard of my life.
" I considered faithfulness no less a duty in a moderator than im- partiality. I viewed it as an important crisis, as it respected this town, and perhaps the State. This may be the place in which a standing army shall first attempt to lay prostrate the rights and lib- erties of the citizen. I decided that these ballots should not be re- ceived in any way or manner. The insult offered to the town by the assault on its representative, I doubt not is duly felt by my fellow citizens ; and I rejoice that notwithstanding the difference of opinion respecting our national politics, so many of those who differ from me on that part united in reprobating and resenting that indignity."
The scarlet fever broke out among the soldiers carly in March, 1813, which was very malignant and fatal. It spread also among the inhabitants. The whole number of cases was two hun- dred and forty-seven : of which, of inhabitants, ninety-three, and
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
deaths six ; of regular soldiers, forty-nine, and deaths seven ; of volunteers, one hundred, and deaths twenty-four .*
For accommodation of sick soldiers, a building was erected, as a hospital, upon land owned by Mr. Nathaniel Abbot, west of the State Prison ; which was afterwards sold, and the proceeds ap- plied to liquidate the cost of building .; A Dr. Bartley, (proba- bly of Londonderry,) was engaged to aid in taking care of the sick inhabitants ; for whose compensation the town voted, " that the selectmen should collect what they could from the persons whom the doctor visited, and the remainder of his bill be paid out of any money belonging to the town."
Of soldiers belonging to Concord who marched to the northern frontiers, the following were in Capt. Flanders' company, 45th regiment, of which Marshall Baker, of Concord was first lieu- tenant : Ebenezer Frye, James Emerson, John Uran, Daniel Arlin, Jonathan Uran, Jonathan B. Worth, Nathaniel Parker, James Elliot, Samuel Emerson.
In the 4th regiment were John Elliot, Jonathan Uran, # John Dunlap, John Virgin, and James Dunlap, who died.
James Elliot reenlisted in the fourth regiment ; Asa Hardy served in both the forty-fifth and fourth ; Jonathan Elliot was on
* The names of the soldiers who died of scarlet fever in this town, 1813, as recorded by the late Jolin Farmer, Esq., were -
March 6. Joshua Belknap ; 66 16. Kendrick Iloughton.
17. John C. Boyd.
April 4. James Taggart, of Hillsborough.
66 7. Samuel Davis, Chester.
66 7. Bradbury M. Carr, Chester.
66 9. Nathan Stearns, Goffstown.
13. John Abbott, Warner.
66 13. Elias Davis, Bow.
14. One Jones.
66 15. Alexander Witherspoon, Bridgewater.
16. Isaac Smith, Goshen.
17. William Gage, Wendell.
18. Ebenezer Woodbury, Dunbarton.
18. Robert Crawford, Bridgewater.
66 18.
66 19. - Whitney, Henniker.
19. David Patch, New-Boston.
19. David Ilart, Goffstown.
¡ Mr. Abbot bought the building, moved it on to Main street and fitted it up for a dwelling - house. It now foris a part of the house owned by Dea. James Moulton, on Washington street.
# Ile served part of the time in the 45th and part in the 4th regiment.
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PATRIOTIC MANIFESTATIONS.
the peace establishment, and died at Rock Island, in the Missis- sippi river, Illinois. Timothy Abbot, of Andover, was a Concord recruit .*
In 1814, August 29th, the selectmen were authorized " to hire all soldiers which may be called for, in licu of drafting." In March, 1815, they were directed to pay four dollars per month to each soldier detached for the defence of Portsmouth, in the service of the United States. As Portsmouth, the only sea-port in New-Hampshire, was in peculiar danger from armed vessels of the enemy, public attention was particularly directed to that quarter. For the names of the men from Concord, sta- tioned there in 1812, '13, '14, and '15, with their respective commanders, reference must be had to the documentary chapter.+
Capt. Peter Robertson's volunteer company of artillery, that was in service twenty days, from September 10th to 29th, marched from Concord on the Sabbath, passing the old North Church, over Federal bridge, thence on the turnpike to Portsmouth. In this company were several highly respected citizens still living.
But the spirit of patriotism was not confined to the men who actually marched to the field of danger. Venerable, aged men, some of whom had served in the War of the Revolution, who were exempted from active service, offered themselves for the defence of their country.
Sometime in September, 1814, at the instance of JOHN T. GILMAN, the then Governor of New-Hampshire, a public call was made for volunteers of that class of citizens who were by law exempt from military duty, in the ranks of the militia, to form themselves into companies, for the purpose of home defence in case of necessity from invasion. Some of the most respectable citizens of Concord immediately responded to the call ; held a pub- lic meeting, and organized a company for that purpose, numbered the sixth company of volunteers. The officers chosen by the company were- Stephen Ambrose, Esq., captain ; Samuel Spar- hawk, Esq., 1st lieutenant, then Secretary of State; Nathan Ballard, Esq., 2d lieutenant ; Ezra Hutchins, ensign ; Moses Long, 1st sergeant, orderly and clerk ; G. W. Rogers, ex-cap-
* Reminiscences of Lieut. Marshall Baker. See Baker family, in Genealogical Chapter. t Document No. 1, for Chapter XII.
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
tain, 2d do .; Samuel Davis, West Parish, ex-captain, 3d do .; Samuel Runnels, 4th do. Corporals not recollected. There were some over an hundred privates enrolled in the company, many of whom had held offices, both civil and military, as the secretary of the State and treasurer, seven justices of the peace, one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, one major, and nineteen captains. Quite a majority of the company were made up of some of the most respectable citizens and yeomanry of the town; among whom may be recollected the elder Esq. Bradley, Esq. Charles Walker, Wm. Stickney, inn-keeper, Capt. Richard Ayer, Major Timothy Chandler, Capt. Edmund Leavitt, Capt. Charles Eastman, Capt. Jacob Eastman, Jeremiah Pecker, Millen Kimball, Asa Kimball, Asa Graham,* &c., &c.
The meeting preliminary to forming the above company was held September 10, at Stickney's hall; Col. Wm. A. Kent, chairman ; Seth Tucker, clerk. A committee, consisting of Col. Wm. A. Kent, Stephen Ambrose, Jonathan Eastman, Isaac Dow, and John George, reported the following preamble and res- olution, which were adopted :
" Whereas, in defence of our altars and fire-sides, our property and our country, Americans can have but one opinion :
Resolved, That it is expedient to form a military association in the town of Concord, of such persons as are not enrolled in the militia, to be in readiness, at a moment's warning, to act under the direction of the Commander-in-Chief, for the defence of the State."
Capt. Richard Ayer, Capt. John Eastman, Hon. Wm. A. Kent, Mr. Isaac Dow, Mr. Philbrick Bradley, Mr. Daniel Clark, Ballard Hazeltine, Esq., Mr. John Garvin, Capt. Samuel Run- nels, Nathan Ballard, jr., Timothy Carter, Esq., and Capt. Pearl Kimball, were appointed a committee to give information, and form a plan, &c., for the association, which was duly organ- ized.
This company of venerable men, fully armed and equipped, paraded in town, October 1, and marched through Main street. " Their appearance was accompanied with the proud conviction
* Reminiscence, by Dr. Moses Long, of Rochester, N. Y., who was clerk of the company.
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INTERESTING INCIDENTS.
that this nation can never be conquered when such defenders shoulder the musket."*
A squad, or small company of volunteers, was also formed in East Concord, in consequence of a rumor that the British in- tended to destroy the United States seventy-four gun ship Wash- ington, then on the stocks at Kittery, Maine. This company was also under drill by Dr. Moses Long, and consisted of about twenty men, of whom Gen. Isaac Eastman, Gen. Simeon Ste- vens and Col. Robert Ambrose, are recollected .;
MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS.
On Thursday evening, August 17th, 1809, at about half an hour before midnight, the inhabitants of the town were roused from sleep by the dismal cry of "fire ! fire!" supposed to have originated from the heat of an air furnace or forge in the clock manufactory of Major Timothy Chandler. The manufactory, with all its contents, house, barn, (full of hay,) &c., sheds, and other buildings belonging to Maj. Chandler, with two large barns of hay, belonging to Robert Harris, Esq., were consumed. Maj. Chandler's loss was estimated at $5.000 ; for his relief $1.200 were generously subscribed by inhabitants of the town and of the vicinity. Mr. Harris's loss was about $1000.
MAD DOG.
A dog, belonging to Mr. Charles Emery, supposed to be mad, bit a number of other dogs, and snapped at several persons. He was immediately killed .¿
Died in this town, January 16, 1810, Henry, the only son of Mr. Henry Chandler, aged about nine years. At his funeral the scholars of the fifth school district, of which the deceased was a member, being clad in mourning, formed a procession, walked to the house, preceded by Peter C. Farnum, Esq., preceptor of the
* N. H. Patriot, October 4, 1814. t Dr. Long. # Patriot, August 29, 1809.
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
school, and attended the funeral. The regularity and decorum of these youths reflected credit on themselves and their in- structor.
Mr. Abraham Osgood, who lived in school district number four- teen, came to his death by a wound received from a mill-saw .* He was sitting on the log, in meditation, and was imperceptibly drawn so near to the saw that it caught him, and before he could extricate himself was mortally wounded - deep incisions being made in his side through the ribs, into his abdomen. With great strength and firm nerve he turned the saw some inches from its course ; shut down the gate, and walked a few rods to a near house, from which he was borne on a litter to his home, and in about three weeks died, aged forty-four.
Several creatures which were bitten by a mad dog in the month of April died about three weeks afterwards, exhibiting all the symptoms of canine madness.
EXTRAORDINARY CALF.
A cow belonging to Mr. Abner Farnum, jr, of this town, last week brought two calves, one of which had two perfect heads, with two back bones running parallel to each other - two perfect intestines - two hearts, &c., with only four legs. Its body was about the size of a common calf at a month old. The other calf was of perfect shape and the common size - both lived for a short time .;
The tannery of Mr. Abner Farnum, jr., of Concord, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday, 27th February, 1811.
Married in this town, Mr. Ebenezer Ball to Miss Nancy Cu- more.
When Cupid with his fiery dart Had pierc'd this maiden to the heart,- The most extra'rdinary thing of all, She's not afraid to face a Ball. J. W.#
Married in this town, Mr. Robert Ambrose to Mrs. Cleasby, the ages of both (79 and 67) make 146 years. One great-grand- daughter, 18 years of age, attended the wedding.§
* The date is not certainly known, but sometime in 1810. The occurrence took place at " Lovejoy's Mills," so called. Mr. O. was born in Salisbury, Mass.
t Patriot, January 22, 1811. # Ib., March 26, 1811. § Ib., April 12, 1811.
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INTERESTING INCIDENTS.
Capt. John Roche, or Roach, died in this town May 11, 1811, aged 74. He was a native of Cork, Ireland, and came to Con- cord during the Revolutionary War, about 1778. The tradition is that Capt. Roach was the master of a vessel engaged in the fur trade .Having loaded at Quebec for London, he most unaccount- ably got out of his latitude and made Portsmouth harbor, where he disposed of his furs on his own account ! He afterwards mar- ried Major Robert Rogers" wife, [who was divorced from her husband,] whose maiden name was Elizabeth Furness, of Ports- mouth .¡ Moving to Concord, he settled on the farm lately owned by Gov. Isaac Hill. The house where he lived is still standing - known as the " Rogers House." Many anecdotes are related of Capt. Roach, which, as they illustrate vices rather than virtues of character, may be passed over. He was, however, a regular customer at Mother Osgood's tavern and at the store kept by John Stevens. The story is told that he often bought New-Eng- land rum in a wooden bottle or small keg; but sometimes a trick would be played upon him, by taking out the stopple, or boring the bottle with a gimblet, in which cases the Captain would dis- charge a volley of oaths !
Benjamin Hanniford died on the 6th of May, and was interred on the 9th in the Friends' Burying Ground.
CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE JULY 4, 1811.
The anniversary of American Independence was celebrated in Concord by the republican citizens of this and the adjoining towns, those of Amherst and Wilton, and by other gentlemen from various parts, with greater splendor, dignity and hilarity, than had been witnessed on any former occasion in this State. At the dawn of the morning a salute of eighteen guns was fired from the Artillery, stationed near Capt. Solomon Mann's, which was answered by an equal number from the ship President, lying at anchor near Concord Bridge. At ten o'clock an immense collection of republicans met in convention at Capt. Mann's, and
* The spy-glass used by Maj. Rogers in the French War, is now in possession of Mr. Charles Hutchins, of Concord.
t Related by Ilon. C. E. Potter.
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
chose Hon. TIMOTHY WALKER president of the day, with other officers.
A procession was formed, the centre of which was opposite Major Timothy Chandler's, which, at a signal gun from the ship President, moved to the meeting-house, where prayer was offered by the Rev. Mr. RUTER, of Northfield. The Declaration of In- dependence was read, and an oration delivered by CHARLES G. HAINES, Esq., of Canterbury.
At the close of the exercises at the meeting-house the proces- sion marched to the bower appointed for the entertainment; but on the way a naval battle was fought between the ship President and His Majesty's sloop of war, the Little Belt, of which we have the following notice :
" SHIPPING MEMORANDA."
" INTERESTING INTERIOR SHIP NEWS. The United States frig- ate President, sailing with four wheels on dry land, emblematic of our dry dock policy, and mounting one irou and twelve wooden swiv- els, while passing Horse Shoe Pond, near Concord, N. H., the 4th inst., fired upon the British sloop-of-war Little Belt, (an old canoe, or rather, a hollow log, each end being well secured with mud to keep it from sinking,) and, shocking to tell, made such havoe and confu- sion among the musquetos, that she struck her colors and surrendered at discretion."
After this glorious victory the President hauled her wind, tacked to the southward and came in under an casy sail to the bank of the bower - east of Mr. Mann's tavern - for the enter- tainment prepared ; where, after a grand salute of eighteen guns, which was answered by an equal number from the artillery, and three cheers from her crew, which were responded to by the spectators, she dropped her anchors.
After dinner toasts were drank, with appropriate music, amid the thunder of artillery.
The following volunteer toast was offered by Timothy Dix, Esq., father of Hon. John A. Dix, of New-York :
" God guard our President from harm,
Long may he weather out the storm ;
Long may he live to quell his foes, And hold the Essex Junto by the nose."
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INTERESTING INCIDENTS.
About four hundred dollars in money and produce were sub- scribed by the citizens of Concord, for the relief of sufferers by fire in Newburyport, Mass.
POST RIDER'S NOTICE.
" Look Ye!
" From Concord to Walpole through Charlestown, I say, I have rode through the mud and the dust of the day :-- I have met with the showers and the shines in their turn, And sometimes a storm which would cause me to mourn- To bring you the news !
" And now, my good patrons, let us square our newspaper accounts -you with me, and I with the printers, on the first week of Octo- ber next. JOSEPH SMITH.
September 10, 1811."
Capt. Charles Emery, who died October 10, 1811, aged thirty- one years, was interred with military honors, attended by a very numerous and respectable concourse ; nearly four hundred of whom followed his remains to " the house appointed for all living."
Died suddenly in this town, December 28, 1811, (at Mrs. Duncan's,) Hannah Shapley, aged eleven years. Her death was occasioned by a fall - her head striking the door-step before her body reached the ground. The neck was so injured that she expired immediately.
On Saturday morning, February 15, 1812, a fire broke out in the building occupied by Messrs. Mann & Robertson, traders, and Capt. George W. Rogers, cabinet-maker, which stood on the spot where Mr. Richard Herbert now lives. The shavings and other combustible materials soon enveloped the upper part of the build- ing in flames, and it was consumed. The fire greatly endangered the " Upper Bank," which, however, was preserved by the spir- ited exertions of the citizens, with the help of Concord engine No. 1- the only fire engine then in town. The bank vault was then in a small building adjoining the house now owned by Rev. Dr. Bouton, and the north room of said house was the office of the Cashier and Directors. The house was entirely cleared - the windows and doors taken out, in the expectation that its
23
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
destruction was inevitable. The contents of the vault were also removed to a place of safety.
COLD WINTER.
We believe there has not been within the recollection of the oldest inhabitants a winter in which the cold has been so severe and of such long continuance. Even now the sleighing is good in the interior of the State, and the Merrimack is in most places passable on the ice .*
About one hundred feet of Concord bridge was carried away by the ice, Sunday morning, April 12th.
Mr. Stephen Swett, of the U. S. army, was drowned in the Merrimack river, July -, supposed to have entered in, in a deranged state. He leaves a wife and several children in Andover.
In March, 1813, a mail commenced running between Concord and Amherst, through Dunbarton, Bedford and Goffstown.
CONCORD PRICE-CURRENT IN TIME OF THE WAR-1813.
Corn, $1,12} to $1,33; rye, $1,33; wheat, $2,00; oats, 50 cents per bushel. Veal, 4 to 6 cents per pound ; butter - very scarce - 20 cents per pound.
A child of Mr. Ephraim Farnum was killed by the falling of stones from a wall .;
On the 3d of September, 1813, Joseph, son of Mr. Joseph Wheat, of Concord, was drowned in Merrimack river.
A society was formed in Concord this year, "for discounte- nancing vice and immorality," of which Rev. Asa McFarland was president, and George Hough secretary. In December a petition was forwarded to Congress, praying that restrictions might be laid upon " the distillation of bread-stuffs into ardent spirits," as a means of remedy for the exhorbitant price of pro- visions, and to check the growing evil of intemperance.
In January, 1814, the members of " the Concord Female Charitable Society," with other ladies of Concord, raised and transmitted the sum of one hundred and sixty-four dollars and
* Patriot, March 31, 1812. + Ib., July 6th.
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TOWN OFFICERS.
seventy-seven cents to Portsmouth, to be distributed among the women and children who are sufferers by the late calamitous fire in that place.
In 1814 a bounty of one hundred and twenty-four dollars was offered to soldiers who should enlist in the United States service, one hundred and sixty acres of land, and eight dollars per month, with rations and clothing.
Master Francis Thompson, son of Hon. Thomas W. Thompson, aged ten years, was drowned in Merrimack river, on Wednesday evening, June 22, 1814, while bathing. He was accompanied by Hamilton Hutchins, John B. Chandler, and Artemas David- son. The place where the occurrence took place was then known as Sandy Point, - the bend in the river about a mile south-east of the State House. The companions of Thompson were terri- fied, ran home so soon as they saw what had happened, and gave no alarm. In the night, Hutchins being aroused from sleep, and enquired of what had become of Thompson, said, "he is in the river."
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