USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Dublin > The history of Dublin, N.H. : containing the address by Charles Mason, and the proceedings at the centennial celebration, June 17, 1852, with a register of families > Part 50
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One evening in the year 1772, the wife of Ebenezer Cobb, who lived on lot eight, range nine, heard her pig squeal, as if in great distress. She caught her broom, ran to the pen, and found a bear holding her pig by the top of his neck. Not willing to lose her pig, she began to pound the bear with her broom, calling at the same time for help; and she drove him off, and saved her pig, before any help came.
Mrs. Ivory Perry, after she was ninety years of age, was heard to say that, in the winter, she used, in the early days of the town, to ride to meeting on an ox-sled, but that she some- times went on foot. Returning alone from meeting, one Sun- day afternoon, she saw a wolf near where John Brooks once lived. The wolf was walking along by the side of the road. She thought it was a dog; but, on seeing afterwards a stuffed wolf-skin, she recognized it as belonging to the same kind of
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animal that she saw on the road. Mrs. Perry said that they were sometimes obliged to cut up their corn to prevent bears from destroying it. On one occasion, she went to the corn- field at the beginning of twilight to gather ears of corn. She had filled her apron; and her son John, then a small boy, had filled a basket. John suddenly screamed out, "Mother, there is a bear!" The bear sat up on his haunches, eating green corn. She called the dog, but he did not come; and the bear, apparently undisturbed, continued eating, while she and her son walked away. The bear was seen again the next evening.
The habitations of the early settlers were not always sub- stantial log cabins; but sometimes they were temporary huts rather loosely put together, and, in one instance certainly, affording small protection against the inclemency of the weather. We have good authority for the following statement: Thomas Atwood, who settled on lot twenty-one, range six, came to Dublin in the autumn, and lived the first winter in a kind of shanty which had no chimney; the fire was made against the perpendicular side of a large rock. In the course of the winter, they had a child born during a storm of rain. The only way they could contrive to prevent the rain from falling on Mrs. Atwood was to extend over her a side of leather which had been recently purchased.
During the period of the Revolutionary War, there were many instances of severe hardship. Those women especially whose husbands were in the army experienced heavy trials. We give an instance of one which exhibits both patriotic forti- tude and enduring domestic toil and perseverance. It is taken from a "Sketch of the Life of Nathaniel Belknap," by his son, Lawson Belknap: -
"In the summer of 1779, the situation of the American army became somewhat critical, and a call was made for more troops. Richard Gilchrest was selected to go; but the situation of his family was such as to make it necessary for him to be at home. He requested Mr. Belknap to go in his stead. Mr. Belknap said he would go, if his wife were willing. After the situation of the army and the necessity of more men were explained to her, Mr. Belknap put the question, 'Are you willing I should go?' It was a trying moment, even for a woman of the Revolution. She had two small children, the oldest but two and a half years old, three cows, and some other young stock, and her husband would not return before mid-winter. She turned to Mr. Gilchrest, and said, 'If we are
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sick or need help, will you assist us?' His answer was, 'Yes.' Then, turning to her husband, she said, 'You may go and fight, Mr. Gilchrest will take care of us.' During Mr. Belknap's absence, Mrs. Belknap took care of her children and cattle. Mr. Gilchrest assisted in bad weather, harvested her corn and potatoes; and she worked at her loom so much that money enough was earned to purchase another cow, which she bought and paid for before her husband's return. Mr. Belknap served six months, was promoted to the post of orderly sergeant, and was discharged in Rhode Island at the time of the great snow-storm, 1780. He was engaged in no general battle, but took part in several skirmishes, in one of which his right-hand man fell, and he saw his cousin's head split open by a British sabre. He received pay for his services in paper money; the worth of which may be judged from the fact, that, while on his way home, he paid fifty dollars for a pair of snow-shoes, twenty-five dollars for a meal of victuals, and five dollars for a glass of brandy."
From Mr. Belknap's "Sketch," we make a few more excerpts; as the facts stated indicate, in some respects, the general hard- ships of the early settlers: -
"When Mr. Belknap moved his wife to Dublin, her marriage portion from her father was one cow. As the grass on the newly cleared land was abundant, there was a large supply of milk, a part of which was lost for want of suitable vessels. These could not be obtained at a nearer distance than New Ipswich. Mr. Belknap started one morning on foot for New Ipswich, with a bag under his arm to bring home whatever utensils he might purchase. He procured two earthen pots; one of which he put in each end of his bag, and placed them on his shoulder. On returning homeward, he met one of his townsmen in Peterborough, who kindly offered to carry his pots to Dublin. From the rough condition of the roads, or, as Belknap rather thought, in consequence of having taken too much flip, his friend let the pots swing together, and one of them was broken and spoiled; and thus, after a journey through the woods of more than thirty miles, he returned with only one pot."
"Mr. Belknap suffered his part of loss from the destruction of sheep by wolves. He had increased his flock to the number of eight, and was not a little elated with the hope of having a plenty of the warm woollens - which his wife well knew how to manufacture - wherewith to clothe himself and family.
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But, going one morning to the rear of his buildings, he found the mangled remains of his sheep, all of which had been torn in pieces by the wolves; and, with them, his faithful dog, that, in attempting to protect the property of his master, had shared the same fate. On another occasion, he had eleven out of thirteen sheep killed in a single night."
"Mr. Belknap had erected a barn large enough to hold all his crops; but, on the 20th of October, 1788, a severe thunder- storm passed over the town, and his barn was struck by light- ning, and his hay, grain, and potatoes, with all his farming tools, were destroyed. Nothing was saved except a single pumpkin, which his son, seven years old, rescued from the burning building, and rolled down the hill almost to the next neighbor's. The people of the town immediately turned out, and erected another frame on the same foundation, and, in a short space of time, the new barn was completed."
For many years after the first settlement of Dublin, there were but few sleighs. The travelling was all on foot or on horse- back. The practice, from the south part of the town to the great road, was, when the snow became deep, to begin at Twitchell's Mills, and proceed to Moses Greenwood's in the following manner: the oxen and young cattle were turned unyoked into the road, and one person went before them to commence a track, and he was followed by the cattle. When the man on the lead became tired, another took his place. At each settlement, the fresh cattle were put forward; and, by being thus driven in Indian file, a good horse-path was made.
The food of the first settlers was of the plainest kind. While clearing his farm, Mr. Belknap boarded at Samuel Twitchell's during the season for work out of doors. His food for a certain day, as he described it, would seem not at all suitable for a laboring man in modern times. His breakfast, he said, was bean-porridge; his dinner, a piece of baked pumpkin, with a thin slice of pork baked upon it; and his supper, bean-porridge. For breakfast and supper, bean-porridge was a common dish. Dinners were more varied; but Mr. Belknap was often heard to say, he believed he had eaten a well-full of bean-porridge. No recipe is given, that we know of, in modern books of cook- ery, for the making of this article of food; but, if it were water in which meat had been boiled with beans added, it must have commended itself in hard times by its nutritive qualities, and, to the hard-working and hungry man, might not have been unsavory to the taste. The recipe has not been lost. Within
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recent years, bean-porridge has been prepared, under the direction of aged persons, to be served at gatherings calculated to reproduce the styles and manners of the past. Like other articles of food, the quality of this soup will depend upon the skill and liberality of the cook, but, when properly prepared, it is delicious to the taste. The almost constant use of it in the olden time, and the frugal manner in which it was too frequently made, were responsible for the fact that it was not always relished, and came to be considered a "common" article, suitable for humble families. Properly made, it is an appetizing and very nutritious article of food.
ANECDOTES
Among the early settlers in school-district number three, were John and Simeon Russell. They were brothers, but their dispositions were not of that character which contributes to the peace and harmony of society. They were often engaged in petty wrangling with each other, especially when they had been partaking of the intoxicating cup. It happened that one of them found a swarm of wild bees in a hollow tree standing on the land of the other, and he claimed them as his property. The other claimed them on the ground that they were on his land. Many an altercation took place in relation to the bees. The time arrived at length for taking the honey, and the finder started for that purpose. He felled the tree, but his brother, warned probably by hearing the strokes of the axe, came to the spot, and a sharp quarrel was begun. Both claimed the bees, and both were determined to have them. The con- tention was continued for a long time, but neither would yield. At length one of them kindled a fire, as is generally done in such cases, to destroy the bees. This enraged the other still more, and the contest was renewed with additional vigor. While they were thus struggling for the mastery, the fire took strong hold of the tree, which proved to be dry, and consumed the entire contents of the tree, leaving the contending brothers with bloody noses, but not one drop of honey. Such is the result, if not literally, yet figuratively, of many a quarrel.
Two members of the Baptist Church, a Mr. Rollins and a Mr. Riggs, had a misunderstanding with regard to some deal- ings between them, and Mr. Riggs took occasion to call his brother Rollins an old skin-flint. Mr. Rollins considered it
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scandalous, and reported his brother Riggs to the church for discipline. A meeting was called, and presided over by Elder Willard. Mr. Rollins stated his grievance, and the brethren discussed the matter, and gave their opinions. The elder cautioned them against being hasty, and suggested the pro- priety of ascertaining the definition of the opprobrious epithet by consulting a dictionary. A messenger was sent for a diction- ary, and one was procured; but they were doomed to be dis- appointed, for the word could not be found. In this dilemma, they felt somewhat perplexed; but the elder proposed that Brother Riggs should state to the church what he meant when he called Brother Rollins an old skin-flint. Mr. Riggs, who had been sitting in silence during the whole proceedings, rose up and said in a sonorous and lisping manner, that was natural to him: "I meant that Brother Rollins was a right-down, honest, clever man."
This must, of course, in the absence of other testimony, have been deemed satisfactory.
William Spaulding, who went from Dublin to reside in Cavendish, Vt., lived eight years with Rev. Mr. Sprague, beginning in 1801. He often drove Mr. Sprague in his coach to Keene, on a visit to Mrs. Sprague. On one occasion, he said, Dr. Daniel Adams, with Dr. Nathan Smith, called on Mr. Sprague. Rev. Mr. Ainsworth, who was present, was previously acquainted with Dr. Smith, and, after shaking hands with him, he said, "Shall I introduce to you Daddy Sprague?" Mr. Sprague, taking no notice apparently of the rude mode of introduction, said, "I am happy to see you, sir; I have often heard of you as an eminent surgeon;" and, putting his hand on Mr. Ainsworth's shoulder, continued, "I have a foolish fellow here, and I want you to trepan him; take out two ounces of his brains, and put in a little common sense and decency."
A number of clergymen were present one evening at the house of Mr. Sprague; and, while he was out of the room, they began to discuss the question of disinterested benevolence, which, in that day, was a topic of no small interest. Experienc- ing considerable difficulty in finding a satisfactory example, they agreed to refer the matter to Mr. Sprague for a decision. Accordingly, when he came in, Mr. Ainsworth stated the point of discussion, and the difficulty which they encountered,
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and requested him to solve the question by furnishing a satis- factory example. Mr. Sprague quickly replied, "Surely, brethren, I find no difficulty in deciding. I have a case in my mind, a clear and evident one; one, in short, that must forever settle the question." But, as he hesitated, and seemed unwil- ling to state the case or example, the brethren urged him to proceed. "Well," said he, "it is the people of Jaffrey, who pay Brother Ainsworth three hundred dollars a year for preach- ing, when they do not get, nor expect to get, the least particle of benefit from it. That is what I call pure, disinterested benevolence."
Moses Adams (the first of the name in Dublin) and John Muzzy were highly esteemed for their sound judgment and strict integrity. They were often called upon as referees to settle difficulties among their neighbors. It is related that Mr. Adams, being requested by John Farnum to act as referee in a case between him and Dr. Nathaniel Breed of Nelson, for taking too much toll for grinding his grain, inquired how much Farnum supposed he had lost in that way. Mr. Adams, on being told, went to his own grain, measured out the amount, delivered it to Farnum, and thus settled the matter.
FATAL CASUALTIES
The first death in Dublin was occasioned by the falling of a tree. John Robinson had settled on lot ten, range one, before Samuel Twitchell was married. Mr. Robinson had built an oven, and Mr. Twitchell, having commenced housekeeping without one, took the dough for a batch of bread, on an after- noon in 1767, and, accompanied by his wife, went to Mr. Robinson's for the purpose of using the oven. Mr. Twitchell inquired for Mr. Robinson, and Mrs. Robinson said he was in the woods not far off chopping down trees; but she added that she had not heard the sound of his axe for some time. Mr. Twitchell repaired to the chopping, and found his friend fatally injured by the falling of a tree, a branch of which struck him as it fell. It is said that every person in town was present at the funeral of Mr. Robinson. By what clergyman the funeral service was performed is not known to us. His body was buried, it is said, without the limits of the present grave- yard, in the road, south-east of the old meetinghouse spot, near the place where the hearse-house formerly stood.
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William Greenwood was killed, June 27, 1782, by the falling of timbers at the raising of a barn.
Joseph Mason was killed, March 11, 1806, by the falling of a tree.
Joel Kendall, a brother, on a visit at his home, and his son, Moses Kendall, a young man of about sixteen years of age, were killed by the same stroke of lightning, June 1, 1806.
Luther Pratt, a son of John and Rebecca (Derby) Pratt, who lived on lot eight, range eight, on or near the spot where John D. Grimes lives, was drowned, August 8, 1819, above East Harrisville.
Nathaniel Watts of Peterborough was killed, October 14, 1822, by the premature explosion of a charge of powder from a rock, which he was blasting in the well of Joab Evleth, where the latter's son, Joseph, settled.
An infant daughter of Nathan Jones was suffocated, Novem- ber 18, 1822, by a bean in the trachea.
Peter Morse died, November 17, 1823, from injuries which he received by a log rolling upon him, while at work in his mill, about a week previously.
Aaron Greenwood died, June 10, 1827, by suicide.
Minott Hayward was so injured by a fall in a building which he was erecting that he died a few days afterwards, April 21, 1828.
John Hayward died, December 21, 1828, killed by the wheels of his wagon passing over him.
Franklin Derby died, September 6, 1836, by suicide.
Francis W. Fiske, a young son of Daniel Fiske, lost his life in a singular manner, June 20, 1839. He was walking in the yard with a light shawl put over his head and fastened under the chin. Passing in front of an ox-team, one of the oxen inserted one of his horns under this garment, lifting the lad from the ground by his neck in such a manner that the child was strangled to death.
Elliot Due, a colored man, residing in Hancock, was found drowned, April 19, 1843, in the north part of Dublin, in shallow water. Intoxication was supposed to be the cause of the accident.
Neverson Greenwood, on sliding from a hay-mow, came forcibly upon the end of a pitch-fork handle, which entered his body and caused death in a few days, on February 22, 1845.
Ellen R., infant daughter of Franklin J. Ware, of East
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Harrisville (then in Dublin), died, May 1, 1850, from the effects of swallowing some hard substance.
Mrs. Amanda C., wife of Webster Corey, died, February 22, 1856, from the breaking of a blood vessel, at the age of 19.
Luther Darling died, April 26, 1860, from the effects of being thrown from a wagon on the nineteenth of the same month.
John A. Kendall, who had enlisted in Co. I., 3d Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, was drowned at Concord, N. H., August 23, 1861, while bathing.
Sylvester C. Abbott of Sullivan, but who enlisted from Dublin, in Co. E., 6th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, died at Hatteras Island, N. C., February 3, 1862, of disease con- tracted in the army.
Alexander Lyle, who enlisted from Dublin, in Co. G, 2d Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, was killed in battle, at Williams- burg, Va., May 5, 1862.
Levi Willard, of Co. K, 6th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, was killed in the 2d battle at Bull Run, Va., August 29, 1862.
William Beal, of Co. E, 6th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, was killed in the 2d battle at Bull Run, Va., August 29, 1862.
Charles P. Phelps, of Co. G, 2d Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, was killed in the 2d battle at Bull Run, Va., August 29, 1862.
John H. Monks, who enlisted for Dublin, in Co. E, 6th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, was killed in the 2d battle at Bull Run, Va., August 29, 1862.
Frank Wetherbee, in the 2d Company of Sharpshooters, was killed in battle at Antietam, Md., September 17, 1862.
Rufus Cogswell, of Co. F, 10th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, died at Washington, D. C., September 26, 1862, of disease contracted in the army.
William A. Allison, a young son of James Allison, died of lockjaw, October 5, 1862.
Albert Kimball, about nine years of age, son of Stephen Kimball of Harrisville, then a part of Dublin, died, October 6, 1862, of a fractured skull, caused by his falling thirty feet from a cherry tree, on Sunday, October 5, and striking his head upon a rock.
Edgar E. Towne, of Co. G, 6th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, was killed in battle at Fredericksburg, Va., December 14, 1862.
John Phillips, of Co. G, 14th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, died of a disease contracted in the army, at Offutt's Cross Roads, Md., December 19, 1862.
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George W. Warren, a former resident of Dublin, of Co. E, 6th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, died of disease contracted in the army, at Philadelphia, Pa., January 2, 1863.
Asaph W. Pierce, of Co. A, 14th Regiment, N. H. Volun- teers, died of disease contracted in the army, at Poolesville, Md., January 21, 1863.
Henry H. Holt, of Co. G, 13th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, died of disease contracted in the army, at Portsmouth, Va., August 21, 1863.
Solomon S. Sawtell, who enlisted for Dublin in Co. E, 6th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, died at Louisville, Ky., October 2, 1863, of disease contracted in the army.
Almira M., wife of John A. Wheeler, committed suicide, December 17, 1863.
Corporal Malachi W. Richardson, of Co. G, 13th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, was killed in battle, at Cold Harbor, Va., June 2, 1864.
First Sergeant Almon G. Pierce, of Co. G, 14th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, died at Camp Parapet, La., June 8, 1864, of disease contracted in the army.
First Lieut. Jesse A. Fisk, of Co. K, 14th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, was killed in battle at Winchester, Va., in the great struggle known as the battle of Opequan, September 19, 1864.
George W. Hazen, of Co. G, 14th Regiment, N. H. Volun- teers, was killed in battle at Winchester, Va. (battle of Ope- quan), September 19, 1864.
Corporal Lewis D. Learned, of Co. G, 14th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, was killed in the battle of Cedar Creek, Va., October 19, 1864.
Samuel P. Holt, of Co. A, 14th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, died, October 24, 1864, of wounds received in battle.
Albert C. Greenwood, of Co. A, 14th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, died, December 3, 1864, of wounds received in battle.
Nathan M. Derby, of Co. E, 6th Regiment, N. H. Volun- teers, died at home, April 20, 1865, of disease contracted in the army.
Edson S. Hazen, of Co. G, 14th Regiment, died at home, October 5, 1865, of disease contracted in the army.
William P. Heald, who was of Co. B, 8th Regiment, N. H. Volunteers, died, February 17, 1868, of disease contracted in the army.
David F. Harradon, son of William and Lucinda Harradon,
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was drowned, Sunday morning, July 19, 1868, in Stone Pond, in Marlborough.
James E. Lewis was killed, October 6, 1868, by the cars, in Fitchburg, Mass.
Richard Stephen Doyle died, October 17, 1868, from cutting an artery in his leg with a jack-knife.
Daniel Fiske was fatally injured, August 9, 1878, by a fall in his shed, death being almost, if not quite, instantaneous.
Isaac Remick died, October 11, 1879, as the result of an accident, from which he bled to death. He was ill and, in attempting to go from his bed to a chair, he fell, striking his left wrist upon the sharp edge of one of the side-pieces of his bedstead, which cut an artery and, before a physician reached him, he died from the loss of blood.
Franklin Bond, suffering from a painful malady, in a fit of extreme nervous depression, became unbalanced and hung himself in his barn, July 8, 1882.
John Edwin Kendall, who was working for Elmer Howe, was drowned, July 17, 1883, in the pond near Mr. Howe's, sometimes called Farnum Pond. He and Oscar Howe were bathing. In diving, Kendall stuck in the mud. Howe endeav- ored to save him, but could not bring him to the surface. Rev. Reuben Kidner of the Episcopal Church, then a young man, and skilled in diving, made the attempt on the following morning and brought young Kendall's body to the surface of the water. Kendall was named for an elder brother, John A. Kendall, who, as already noted in this chapter, was drowned at Concord, N. H., August 23, 1861, shortly after enlisting in the army. The one drowned at Concord had also been rescued from drowning in Monadnock Lake, several years before.
A man named Richard Parker was kicked by a horse, August 9, 1888, from which death resulted.
Frank T. Adams committed suicide, by shooting, April 2, 1899.
Albert A. Adams, a brother of the preceding, only a few weeks later, also committed suicide, by shooting, May 23, 1899.
Richard France and Lewis Joseph Edward Ellis were drowned in Monadnock Lake, May 20, 1903. They were in a boat with another person. The boat was capsized. Their companion reached the shore, but these two boys, either being unable to swim, or seized with cramps, were drowned. France was a butler of George B. Leighton. He was a native of Old- ham, England, and was twenty-five years of age. Ellis was
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a Keene boy, sixteen years of age, the son of Henry and Louisa E. (Campbell) Ellis. He was employed by Benjamin Willard.
Frank E. Pierce, a native of Dublin, then living in Peter- borough, going from the latter town to Dublin, November 17, 1903, upon the mail wagon, was seized with a heart affec- tion, and died very suddenly, as the vehicle was near the house where his brother Fred. A. Pierce then lived (where the Walkers are living, as we go to press).
Luke F. Richardson, who died, August 16, 1910, not long previously, at different times, had suffered the amputation of both legs. It was hoped that, by the former operation, the progress of the malady would be checked. It was afterwards thought that the only possible chance of saving his life was in the amputation of the other limb. The operation, however, did not prevent the disease from terminating fatally.
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