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 40
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1843.
At the annual meeting in March, 1843, the committee on the burying-ground made the following report :
"The committee appointed at your last annual meeting to pur- chase land for a cemetery near the North Meeting-house, and fence the same, have attended to the duty assigned them, and have ex- pended the following sums, viz. :
Paid for land, $127,50
" lumber, 108,23
" stone posts, iron bolts, building fence, making road, and other labor and ser- vices, 321,10
Making in the whole, . $556,83
Your committee would state, that they deem the quantity of land which they have purchased and enclosed with the old grave yard, equal to the public wants for half a century ; that the whole, with the exception of the front, is enclosed with a fence as durable as they could construet of stone, iron and wood; that the front, until re- cently, has been occupied with sheds, which have prevented your committee from fencing the same; that a part of the sheds have recently been removed, and consequently the grave-yard is at this time entirely unprotected on the front ; and your committee sincerely hope that immediate measures will be taken to complete this work.
LUTHER ROBY, WILLIAM RESTIEAUX, & Committee." JOSEPH LOW,
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
An additional sum, not exceeding one hundred and fifty dollars, was appropriated to finish the fence around the grave-yard, and the horse-sheds were ordered to be removed.
The next year the cemetery was laid out in lots or plats, for the use of families, according to a plan drawn by Capt. Benjamin Parker, under direction of the committee of the town. The committee were authorized to convey a right or title to such lots to any individual, at their discretion, at such price as they deemed proper, not to exceed the sum of ten dollars ; - to enter the name of the individual upon the number of the plan corres- ponding with his lot, and to give him a certificate, which, when entered and recorded by the town-clerk, in a record kept for the purpose, his title to such lot shall be absolute and exclusive .*
The town also voted to "accept the donation of a lot of land from Mr. Charles Smart, for a burying-ground, and the select- men be authorized to fence the same." This lot lies easterly, at the foot of Stickney's hill, so called, and near the road that runs across from the Stickney Hill road to the old Dunbarton road. Jonathan Stickney, who formerly owned the land, died of the small pox, November 19, 1792, and through a fear of spread- ing the infection he was buried by his friends in that retired spot ; as were, also, subsequently other members of the Stickney family. Mr. Smart bought the land of the heirs of Mr. Stickney, and made a donation of it to the town for the purpose specified.
The selectmen were directed to take a conveyance to the town from Abraham Bean of the property which was conveyed to him by Benjamin Green, and to settle with Mr. Bean agreeably to the conditions of his bond to the town, relating to that prop- erty .¡
By a vote of the town the selectmen were "authorized to send to the New-Hampshire Asylum for the Insane, at their discretion, any or all insane persons who are now or may become chargeable to the town."
Strict police regulations were this year adopted, respecting the
* See Records, 1844.
t This Benjamin Green is an Englishman by birth, a native of Yorkshire, aged at this time 61 years. lle spent several years with the Shakers at Canterbury, left them, married and settled in Concord. He is subject to seasons of mental derangement, fancying himself a mon- arch, and authorized to put down all usurpation. Ile is now an inmate of the Insane Hos- pital.
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TOWN ORDINANCES.
extinguishment of fires and safe keeping of gunpowder; no per- son being allowed to keep more than twenty-five pounds. Among the offences against the police laws of towns, which were prohib- ited with suitable penalties, were the following : No person shall make any brawls or tumults in any street or publie place ; or be guilty of any rude, indecent or disorderly conduct ; or insult or wantonly impede any person passing in the streets. No person shall sing or repeat any lewd, obscene or profane song, or write or mark in any manner any obscene or profane word or obscene or lascivious figure or representation on any building, fence, wall, or any thing whatever. No person shall wantonly injure or deface any building, or cut or injure any tree standing in the highway, or rob any garden or field of fruit or vegetables. No person shall use any juggling or unlawful games or plays, or play at any game for money or other property. No one within the compact part of the town shall fire or discharge any cannon, gun or pistol, or beat any drum (without authority from a military officer) or fire any rockets, squibs or crackers, except by permis- sion of the police. Nor shall any person bathe or swim, undress- ing for that purpose, in the day time, within view of any dwelling- house. If any person shall be found drunk in any street, or other public place ; or shall be a common street-walker or prosti- tute, such person shall be punished therefor : and no person shall sell, give or furnish to any pauper, or person committed to any house of correction, or to any spendthrift or idle person, under guardianship, any spirituous liquor.
At a town meeting, May 27, 1843, the following resolution, offered by Asa Fowler, Esq., was adopted : " Resolved, That the selectmen be requested to grant the use of the Town-hall for the purpose of meetings, to any citizen or citizens who may apply for the same, without regard to the particular religious, political, or other sentiments, if such citizen or citizens will be responsible that the public property shall not be injured by such use."
1844.
Failing to elect representatives this year, the town voted " That Franklin Pierce, Richard Bradley and William Low, Esqs., be a committee, with instructions to apply for leave to be
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
heard in behalf of the town before the Legislature," on the sub- ject of a new proportion of public taxes.
One hundred dollars were appropriated for building one or more reservoirs on Main street, between Francis N. Fisk's and Porter Blanchard's.
On the question taken at a town meeting, November 4th, "Is it expedient to abolish capital punishment ?" yeas four hundred and three, nays one hundred and fifty-four.
On the question, " Is it expedient to alter the Constitution ?" yeas four hundred and eighty-seven, nays one hundred and sev- enty-thrce.
A lot of Parsonage land near Little pond, containing nine and a half acres, was sold to Daniel Farnum for $237,50.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS AND ANECDOTES RELATIVE TO THIS PERIOD.
[1835.] A company, called the " Sewall's Falls Locks and Canal Corporation," took active measures, at the beginning of the year, to construct a canal from Sewall's falls to the East village in Concord, for the purpose of carrying on manufacturing operations. A dam was constructed at the falls above Sewall's island, and a canal commenced at the same place, to terminate near Federal bridge. Both were left in an unfinished state, and the whole enterprise failed, with a heavy loss to the corporation.
As John Shepard, of this town, stage proprietor, was riding in an open wagon to Hooksett, on Wednesday, January 21st, the harness broke while descending a hill. The horse ran, over- turned the wagon, and threw Mr. Shepard out, whose leg was broken by the fall. Another person in the wagon escaped with- out much injury.
MAY DAY. The return of this anniversary was celebrated in fine style by the members of the "Concord Literary Institution."
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INTERESTING INCIDENTS.
The scholars assembled at the Court House early in the morning ; then made an excursion into the neighboring fields and woods, in search of flowers. Upon their return the court-room was taste- fully decorated with evergreens and artificial fruit trees, and tables spread loaded with bountiful provisions. At half past six in the evening the pupils again assembled. A beautiful hymn, composed for the occasion, was sung, and an address on social habits was delivered by the principal, Mr. T. D. P. Stone. The festivities of the evening then commenced, accompanied with music, and continued until about nine o'clock, under the form of a festive social party.
Died in this town, June 7th, Mrs. Nancy Hazen Brigham, aged forty-two, relict of Mr. Levi Brigham, of Boston, and daughter of the late Capt. Richard Ayer. For the last twenty- five days of her life she endured the most intense sufferings from a total obstruction of the intestinal passage. The disorder had been gradually increasing for the last ten months. She bore her sufferings with remarkable patience and equanimity, sustained by the hope of a blessed immortality through Jesus Christ.
On Wednesday, June 17th, agreeably to appointment by the New-Hampshire Legislature, Hon. Nathaniel G. Upham deliv- ered an eulogy, in the old North Meeting-house, commemorative of the life and services of Gen. LaFayette. The address occu- pied one hour and forty minutes in the delivery. It was well and ably written. Two hymns, composed for the occasion by Hon. Philip Carrigain, were sung-one by the choir and the other by Mr. George W. Dixon. The discourse was published by order of the Legislature.
In June a company was incorporated in this town, with a capital of $75.000, for the manufacture of silk. Albe Cady, Esq., was chosen president, Moses G. Atwood corresponding secretary, and G. Parker Lyon, treasurer. Albe Cady, Isaac Hill, Abner B. Kelly, Stephen Brown, Samuel Evans, Charles Smart and John Whipple, were chosen directors. The farm for- merly owned by Ballard Hazeltine, Esq., in the south-west part of the town, near Turkey pond, was purchased for the pur- pose. The house was handsomely repaired and several hundred
28
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
mulberry trees set out. Silk was manufactured in small quanti- ties for a few years, and the business was then relinquished.
THE MORMONS.
On Tuesday and Friday evenings, June 25th and 28th, one of this sect -a Mr. Green - held forth in the Town Hall ; and he proposed to continue his lectures until he had given a full exposition of the doctrines and practices of what he termed the " Church of the Latter Day Saints." He made no converts in this town to his new doctrine.
In the summer of 1835 Mr. George Thompson, a celebrated anti-slavery lecturer from England, came to this country. In the month of August he visited Concord, and caused great ex- citement by his denunciations of slavery, and of all those who did not embrace his views on the subject. On Thursday eve- ning, September 3d, a public meeting was held at the Court House, agreeably to a call signed by seventy-four citizens of Concord, at which Ralph Metcalf, Esq., presided, and George W. Ela and Joseph Robinson were secretaries. The meeting was numerously attended, composed of persons of both political parties - Democrats and Whigs. Addresses were made by Hon. Isaac Hill and Samuel Fletcher, Esq., of Concord, and Hon. Ichabod Bartlett, of Portsmouth. Resolutions were adopted, of which the third was as follows :
" Resolved, That we behold with indignation and disgust the intru- sion upon us of foreign emissaries, paid by the money of open enemies to our form of government, who are traversing the country, assailing its institutions and distracting the quiet of the people."
The next day the friends of Mr. Thompson posted up hand- bills, giving notice that a meeting would be holden on Friday evening, at seven o'clock, at the Court House, to be attended by George Thompson and John G. Whittier, when the principles, views and operations of the abolitionists would be explained. This notice produced a general and intense excitement, which it was evident would end in disturbance and tumult, should the meeting be held. Seeing this state of things Gen. Robert Davis, chairman of the board of selectmen, called on George Kent, Esq., a friend of Mr. Thompson, and advised that the meeting
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INTERESTING INCIDENTS.
should not be held. He also directed Mr. Constable Bean to close the door of the Town Hall - the door of the Court Room (in the same building) being also closed by the sheriff. At the hour appointed, however, persons of both parties began to as- semble around the Town Hall. Soon three men were seen approaching, of whom one was supposed to be Thompson - the other two being Whittier, and Joseph H. Kimball, editor of the Herald of Freedom. These three were immediately assailed by the multitude with tumultuous shouts. Dirt and gravel were thrown at them, and they were followed up Washington street, down State street, to the house of Col. William A. Kent, when the people were assured that Thompson was not one of the number. Next the multitude - about two hundred - went to the house of George Kent, Esq., where Thompson was hospitably entertained. Aware of their approach, Thompson left the house, and Mr. Kent also withdrew, leaving the house in charge of Mrs. Kent. Just at this time Gen. Davis arrived, and ascer- taining that Thompson was not in the house, and that Mrs. Kent was sick, notified the people accordingly; assured them that Thompson would not attempt to lecture on anti-slavery in town ; that their assembling under such circumstances might be deemed riotous, and requested them at once to desist and withdraw. Col. Philip Carrigain seconded the motion, and, lifting his hands and voice, cried, " Come, let us go !" All moved off together ; but, constructing an effigy, they paraded it through the principal streets, and afterward burnt it in the State House yard, concluding the whole with a display of fire-works and discharge of cannon .*
On Wednesday evening, December 23d, a fire was discovered in the garret of Hill's brick building, which originated from a defect in the chimney. The night was intensely cold - the wind blowing fresh from the north-west, and the thermometer twenty degrees below zero. As soon as the fire was discovered Mr. C. R. Winter, clerk in the Patriot counting-room, and J. R. Whit- temore, clerk in Brown's book-store, rushed into the garret, which was filled with smoke and flame, and by well directed efforts extinguished the fire, which otherwise must have rapidly spread and caused immense loss of property.
* See N. H. Patriot, September 7, 1835, and Herald of Freedom.
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
[1836.] A meeting was held at the Court House, on Thurs- day, March 31st, on the subject of a hospital for the insane - Richard Bradley, Esq., in the chair, and Dr. Ezra Carter secre- tary. After the passage of resolutions approving of the object, the following delegates were chosen to attend the meeting at Portsmouth, on Wednesday, April 3d : Nathaniel Bouton, Hall Burgin, Joseph Low, Charles H. Peaslee, Thomas Chadbourne, Richard Bradley, Theodore French, Ezra Carter, William Kent, Benjamin Gale, Timothy Chandler, Cyrus Barton, George W. Ela, Jacob B. Moore, E. E. Cummings, Samuel Herbert and William Gault.
At this meeting Charles H. Peaslee, Esq., who from the first had manifested a deep interest in the establishment of an asylum for the insane, made an able and effective speech in behalf of the object. Gov. Isaac Hill also recommended the subject strongly in his message to the legislature in June, 1836.
Rev. George B. Cheever, of Salem, Mass., author of the famous "Dream about Dea. Giles's Distillery," by invitation delivered a temperance address in the old North Meeting-house, on the annual Fast-day, in April. Opposition was shown by sundry persons in the rum interest, and in the evening a party of them- about seven in number - passed through Main street in a noisy manner, and, stopping before Rev. Mr. Bouton's house, where Mr. Cheever was, assailed the front door - shaking it vio- lently and calling for the man " who dreamed a dream !" The police soon coming, the party withdrew to the State House yard, where they burnt a man of straw in honor of Mr. Cheever ! The next day the rioters were arrested, tried before Albe Cady, Esq., and fined three dollars each.
On Friday evening, June 10th, Samuel E. Coues, Esq., of Portsmouth, delivered a very interesting address in the Repre- sentatives' hall, upon the nature and extent of insanity, and the best method of treating it- enforcing the utility, importance and necessity of a hospital for the insane in this State.
The thermometer on Friday, July 8th, was snug up to one hundred degrees in the shade .*
The joiners' shop belonging to Capt. John Miller, on State * N. H. Patriot.
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INTERESTING INCIDENTS.
street, in this town, was entirely consumed on Friday, August 26th. The loss was about $300, and no insurance. The fire was discovered about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and in thirty minutes the building was demolished and the fire extin- guished. The house, which was connected with the shop, had a narrow escape.
A printer by the name of Charles Watrous, boarding at the Merrimack hotel, committed suicide by taking laudanum, on Thursday, September 22d. He lately published a paper at Chelsea, Vt., and his valedictory article bears evidence that he had for some time labored under insanity. He was a man of intemperate habits, aged about 36.
DEDICATION OF THE SOUTH CONGREGATIONAL MEETING-HOUSE.
[1837.] On the 1st of February the house erected for the use of the South Congrega- tional Church and Society was ded- icated to the wor- ship of God. The building is of wood, with a base- ment of stone - 77 feet in length and 64 in width, and has one hun- dred and eight pews on the low- er floor. In the basement is a con- venient vestry, 64 feet in length and 36 in breadth. In front of the vestry DERRICK are two rooms de- signed for stores. The house was built under the direction of
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
Capt. Philip Watson. The whole expense of the house was about $10.000.
The body of a man was found in the Merrimack river, July 13th, in the south part of the town, too much decayed to be recognized; but from some articles found with it, it is supposed to be that of John Givens, a native of Ireland, who was missing some time in November last, and supposed at the time to have been drowned in the river.
[1838.] Died in this town, in February, Mrs. Lucia Anne, wife of George Kent, Esq., and daughter of the late Hon. Daniel Farrand, of Burlington, Vt., aged thirty-nine. Mrs. Kent was a woman of uncommon decision and energy of character, com- bined with cultivated taste and religious sentiment. As a wife, mother, sister and friend, she was greatly esteemed and beloved. A friend and helper of the poor and afflicted, and ardent in all benevolent enterprizes, her charity always reached to the full extent of her means. For several years she was president of the Concord Female Anti-Slavery Society, in which cause she evinced great zeal and resolution. In a period of unusual ex- citement, in 1835, she showed her decision, in opposition to pre- vailing prejudices against the blacks, by taking a colored woman with her into church, and sitting by her side in the same pew. When Mr. Kent's house was assailed in search of George Thompson, Mrs. Kent, in feeble health, boldly went to the door, asked what they wanted, and assured them Mr. Thompson was not there. At the time of her decease she was a member of the South Congregational Church. Her funeral was attended by a large concourse of people.
A lad by the name of J. Q. Symonds, aged ten years, was drowned July 10th, a little above Concord bridge, while bathing. He was in the water but about fifteen minutes, yet all attempts to resuscitate him were fruitless.
A direct line of stages leaves the Phenix Hotel, Concord, for Hampton Beach, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, at seven o'clock in the forenoon. Fare, two dollars and fifty cents.
Nathaniel Ewer, Jr., living in the north part of this town, was drowned in Lovejoy's mill-pond while bathing, on Sunday after- noon, July 29th, aged sixteen.
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INTERESTING INCIDENTS.
Died, August 9th, Mr. Joseph Bickford, aged sixty-nine. His death was occasioned by falling backwards from a wagon and breaking the spine of his neck. The accident occurred in East Concord, on the road to Canterbury, near the foot of the long hill south of Jacob Hoit's.
NEW-HAMPSHIRE ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE.
The first meeting of this corporation was held, agreeably to public notice, at the Grecian hall, (in the Eagle coffee-house,) August 14th. Richard H. Ayer was chairman, and Samuel E. Coues, of Portsmouth, secretary pro tem. The act of incor- poration was adopted, and a committee of five appointed to draft by-laws, regulations, &c., viz .: Daniel M. Durell, of Dover ; John H. Steele, of Peterborough ; Charles J. Fox, of Nashua; Joel Parker, of Keene ; Charles H. Peaslee, of Concord.
BALLOON ASCENSION.
Mr. L. A. Lauriat, a foreigner, proposed a grand balloon ascension in Concord, with his little son in company, September 11th. He was not, however, wholly successful in filling the balloon with gas; but just as it began to rise from the ground Mr. Amasa Powell, of Concord, jumped into the car and went up some two hundred feet, and made a safe descent two miles distant, south of the village. On the 21st of September Mr. Lauriat made a successful and grand ascension. His balloon, completely filled with gas, rose from the ground near the State House, about five o'clock in the afternoon, in the midst of an immense throng of spectators, and slowly and majestically as- cended with the daring æronaut about five thousand feet, moving in a north-westerly direction ; then it changed to the north-east and went directly over the Shaker village in Canterbury, when a rope was thrown out, by which the balloon was pulled down. After partaking of the Shakers' hospitality, Mr. Lauriat again ascended, and was borne away toward Northfield, where he de- scended at six and a half o'clock, sixteen miles from Concord. The greatest altitude he reached was eleven thousand feet. A. part of the time he was far above the clouds ; at other times in the midst of them, and was wet to the skin by vapor.
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HISTORY OF CONCORD.
Died at the hospital, in Boston, of typhus fever, November 6th, Isaac Shute, Jr., son of Mr. Isaac Shute, of this town, aged twenty-four. Young Shute was a youth of much prom- ise, enterprise and intelligence, and his death was deeply de- plored.
Died in this town, on Friday evening, November 9, 1838, Mrs. Elizabeth McFarland, aged 58 years, widow of the late Rev. Asa McFarland, D. D. Mrs. McFarland was born in Bos- ton, March 19, 1780; the only daughter of Mr. Bartholomew and Mrs. Susanna Sewall Kneeland. Her grand-father, Samuel Sewall, of York, Me., was a kinsman of the distinguished chief justice Samuel Sewall, of Massachusetts. She was married to Mr. McFarland in September, 1803. Possessed naturally of superior endowments of mind and heart ; with a good education, refined manners, and of singular conscientiousness, humility and devotion of spirit, Mrs. McFarland rendered herself eminently useful in the station which she occupied. In her domestic rela- tions she was a pattern of industry, order, frugality and diligence. Rising early at all seasons of the year, she spent a season in private devotion, before other members of the family were up ; thus, as she said, she was prepared and strengthened for the duties of the day. In the instruction of her children, she usually went over with them the studies they were pursuing at school ; but most assiduously taught them lessons from the holy Scriptures, and aimed to form within them right moral and relig- ious principles, and to mould them to habits of virtue and piety. By her charity, her self-denial, simplicity in dress and manners, her eminent social qualities, and, above all, by that " orna- ment of a meek and quiet spirit," which she always wore, she greatly endeared herself to all who knew her, without ever exciting the envy of any. Mrs. McFarland was one of those who not only " devised," but executed "liberal things." She first suggested the plan of the New-Hampshire Cent Institu- tion, in 1804, and of the Concord Female Charitable Society, in January, 1812. With her commenced the first offerings made in Concord for foreign missions. She originated the first female prayer meeting held in town; and by her agency, especially, was the monthly female prayer meeting established
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in the First Church, in 1816, which is sustained till this time.
After the death of her husband, less occupied with domestic cares, Mrs. McFarland spent a greater portion of her time, each day, in religious devotions and active christian duties for the wel- fare of others. The north chamber of her house was her closet, which seemed to all who entered it to be hallowed by her devout spirit. In her last sickness, of lingering consumption, she enjoyed in a remarkable degree the presence of her Redeemer and the consolations of his religion. She died in the complete triumph of faith, and in joyful expectation of a glorious immor- tality.
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