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 6
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ADDRESS OF CHARLES MASON
within the memory of many of us. Some thirty years ago, in the latter part of a dry summer, the fire from a clearing on the side of the mountain made its way up to the higher regions, where, feeding upon the decayed wood, and nourished by the wind and the drought, it extended itself over almost the entire northern side. As the daylight paled, giving place to the dark- ness of night, there might be seen from out the dense sea of livid, flame-tinged smoke, in which the mountain was enveloped by day, countless fires lighting up all along the extended range, glowing with a more vivid brightness as the darkness thick- ened, until the whole mountain-side blazed with its myriad tongues of waving flame. It was a spectacle beautiful and grand in itself, but rendered sublime and awful by the thought of the dread power of the devouring element, and of the terrible destruction that must ensue, if, the wind and the drought con- tinuing, it should burst its mountain barrier, and invade the domain of man. But fortunately, before such a catastrophe was reached, a drenching rain extinguished the fire, and thus put an end at once to the grandeur and the terror of the scene.
Here, formerly, in the mountain fastnesses, wild beasts had their haunts, whence they issued forth, making havoc and devastation of the cattle and flocks and crops. When wearied out, at length, by their repeated depredations, or stimulated by the love of adventure, the hardy yeomen of the contiguous towns, with their muskets and other weapons of offence, by a concerted movement, were wont to turn out, and surround the mountain, carrying destruction into their places of fancied security. In later days, the adventurous fox-hunter, mounted upon his clumsy snow-shoes, following his hounds in pursuit of the wary game, braving the intensest cold, has often been led to a weary chase over the Monadnock's snow-buried sides.
The summit of the mountain, standing lofty and lonely, has ever been watched with interest, as an index of the weather. Enshrouded in dense clouds, or veiled in impenetrable mist, it bespeaks the present genius of the impending storm. There, too, dwells the hidden force, which, in the sultry heats of sum- mer, attracts the cloud, "surcharged with wrathful vapor," from whose dark bosom darts the crinkling lightning, and the descending thunder-bolt bursts, shivering the rocks, cleaving deep fissures, or tumbling huge fragments down the precipices.
Neither should we omit to mention the brightness and beauty of the sunlight, which, in a clear evening, lingers around the top of the mountain, as if loath to depart; nor the glittering
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HISTORY OF DUBLIN
display, when, on a winter's afternoon, the scattered slanting rays of the descending sun are thrown from the surface of the ice-encrusted snow; nor yet the cold, dazzling brilliancy which, in a winter's sunrise, encircles its snowy head; nor, finally, that more enchanting sight, vouchsafed to imagination's credulous vision, which, in the soft beauty of a moonlit summer's evening, was charmed with the pure light of the flaming, storied car- buncle.
Amidst these rude and primitive aspects of nature, not desti- tute of beauty and grandeur, but in which, nevertheless, the stern, the hard, and the real so strongly predominate, our town has reared a race of plain, earnest, unpretending, matter-of- fact men, of good common sense, of solidity of character, in- dustrious and frugal, exempt in a good measure from the frivoli- ties and vices, while wanting in the graces and adornments, of a more refined, polished, and luxurious state of society; men who, as a general thing, may with considerable confidence be relied upon to be more than they profess, to do more than they promise.
And now my part in the performances of this day at length draws to its close. The occasion, which has brought us together, as it is to us wholly novel, is one of the like of which not an in- dividual here present shall witness the recurrence. It is an oc- casion which, appealing to early and happy recollections, has led many a wanderer back, to witness once more scenes long unvisited, not forgotten; and to meet kindred and friends from whom he has been separated by years of absence. Many of us, who went out from this our birthplace, are here. Many more, who went forth with us, have not returned, nor ever shall; whilst of multitudes whom we left here, aye, of some who set out in life long after ourselves, "time's effacing fingers" are already obliterating the inscriptions upon their tombstones. Let us accept with gratitude the occasion which has drawn to- gether so many of the living, to interchange friendly greetings, chastened though our joy must needs be, and tinged with a shade of melancholy, by the remembrance of the absent dead, and the consciousness of the ravages of time.
CHAPTER II PROCEEDINGS of the CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION, June 17, 1852.
A MEETING of persons interested in celebrating, in an appro- priate manner, the close of a century since the settlement of the town, was held at the Town Hall, February 14, 1852.
RUFUS PIPER, Esq., was chosen Chairman, and WARREN L. FISKE,1 Secretary. A Committee, consisting of HENRY C. PIPER, RANSOM N. PORTER, and JESSE MORSE, was chosen to get an article inserted in the warrant for the annual town-meet- ing, to see if the town would take any measures to bring about such a celebration; and also to recommend a plan for con- ducting the same.
At the same meeting, it was voted to choose a Committee of two from each school district, to collect facts and incidents relating to the history of the town since its first settlement in 1752.
Chose -
For District No. 1, Rev. LEVI W. LEONARD, DD., and RUFUS PIPER, Esq.
For District No. 2, JOHN BROOKS and ABIJAH RICHARDSON.
3, LAWSON BELKNAP and ZAMAN A. GOWING.
4, JOSEPH EVLETH and DEXTER DERBY.
5, Deacon JESSE MORSE and CYRUS FROST, Esq. 6, THOMAS FISK, Esq., and JONATHAN K. SMITH. 7, AARON SMITH and Rev. HENRY ARCHIBALD.
66 66 8, LOVELL HARRIS and SILAS P. FROST.
9, RUEL BRIGHAM and LEWIS P. RANDOLPH.
10, NAHUM WARREN and JOHN GILCHREST.
The plan proposed by the Committee first named, and adopted by the town in town-meeting, was to choose a Chief Marshal by ballot, to conduct the exercises on the day of cele-
1 Mr. Fiske is the sole survivor (May, 1916) of all who were chosen to serve on the various committees appointed to make arrangements for the centennial festival; probably the only survivor of those whose names appear in this chapter. He is hale and hearty, in his ninety-first year. - J. L. S.
.
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HISTORY OF DUBLIN
bration, so far as is customary for such an officer to do so, and also to choose a Committee of Arrangements, consisting of one member from each school district, - the Chief Marshal to act as chairman of said Committee, and that he appoint as many Deputy Marshals as he may think proper.
RUFUS PIPER, Esq., was chosen Chief Marshal.
The following-named persons, all natives of Dublin, were chosen for the Committee of Arrangements, viz .: -
District No. 1, ASA H. FISK.
66
2, LUKE RICHARDSON.
3, ALMERIN GOWING.
4, JACOB GLEASON.
66
5, JESSE MORSE.
6, JONATHAN K. SMITH.
7, AARON SMITH.
8, AMOS E. PERRY.
66 9, JONATHAN TOWNSEND.
66 10, BELA MORSE.
The first meeting of the Committee of Arrangements took place on Tuesday, the 1st day of April, when the organization of the board was completed by choosing ASA H. FISK, Esq., Secretary.
It was voted to hold the celebration on Tuesday, June 17, 1852.
Voted to invite Charles Mason, Esq., of Fitchburg, Mass., a native of Dublin, to give an address on the occasion.
Chose Rev. Levi W. Leonard, D.D., Jonathan K. Smith, Lawson Belknap, Thomas Fisk, Esq., and Henry C. Piper, Committee of Publication.
Chose Rev. Dr. Leonard and Rev. Alonzo Hayes to confer with the several choirs of singers in town, relative to furnishing sacred music on the day of celebration, and to select appro- priate pieces for performance.
Chose Jonathan K. Smith, Asa H. Fisk, and Dr. Ransom N. Porter to invite guests, and also to prepare sentiments, and make arrangements to have them responded to.
Chose Moses Marshal, Esq., Thaddeus Morse, and Jesse Morse to gather statistics in regard to the physicians, traders, and mechanics of Dublin. Chose Rev. Dr. Leonard and Rev. Mr. Hayes to do the same by ecclesiastical matters. Chose Ebenezer Greenwood on town and county officers.
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Chose Moses Marshall, John W. Learned, and Richard Strong, Esq., to get the names of the Revolutionary officers and soldiers of Dublin, and all other matters relating to those "times that tried men's souls."
Chose Jesse Morse, Moses Adams, and John Piper to make out a list of militia officers of Dublin, and get other matters relating to the militia.
Chose Rev. Dr. Leonard, Jonathan K. Smith, and Thomas Fisk, Esq., on the subject of common schools.
Chose Rev. Dr. Leonard, Dr. Asa Heald, and Dr. R. N. Porter to collect facts relative to health, sickness, and diseases in Dublin.
On the 8th of May, the Committee of Arrangements again met, and chose Jonathan K. Smith President of the day; and John Wilson Learned, Richard Strong, Moses Marshal, Ben- jamin Marshal, and Abijah Richardson, Vice-Presidents. Chose Asa H. Fisk and Henry C. Piper toast-masters.
May 29, the Committee met and voted that on the day of celebration the tables be set in picnic style, furnished by volun- tary contributions from the inhabitants of the town, and that the refreshments be gratuitous to all who attend.
Chose Ebenezer Greenwood, Calvin Learned, and Charles A. Hamilton a Committee to prepare a place suitable to convene the people for dinner and other purposes on that occasion, ar- range the seats and tables, and appoint assistants for waiting upon the people, etc.
Chose Thaddeus Morse, Ephraim Foster, and Asa Heald, the selectmen of Dublin, a Committee of Finance, to provide funds to carry through the celebration agreeably to the vote of the town. Chose Rufus Piper, Jonathan K. Smith, and Asa H. Fisk to report a programme of exercises and order of pro- cession on the day of celebration.
June 8, Voted, that the table be set in the grove near the new road, south of the town-house, on land of Mr. Joseph Perry. Chose, Dr. R. N. Porter, Col. Rufus Piper, George A. Gowing, Joseph Perry, Samuel F. Townsend, Henry C. Piper, and their ladies to decorate, in a tasteful and proper manner for the oc- casion, the church1 occupied by the First Congregational [Uni- tarian] Society, and build a stage therein for the speakers. Chose Daniel Fiske, John Piper, and Franklin Bond to procure
1 The second meeting-house that stood on or near the site of Mrs. Farnham's house. - J. L. S.
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HISTORY OF DUBLIN
movable seats for the aisles of the church. Voted to meet at the town-house on the day of celebration, at nine o'clock, A.M.
June 15, the Committee of Arrangements met, and chose Jonathan K. Smith, Luke Richardson, and Jacob Gleason to assign the several religious exercises of the day to the different clergymen present. Requested the selectmen to appoint a suit- able number of constables to act, if necessary, on the day of celebration.
Calvin Mason was appointed to act on the day of celebration as a member of the Committee of Arrangements, in place of Jonathan K. Smith, who was to act as President of the day.
The Chief Marshal appointed the following persons as Dep- uty Marshals, viz .: Col. Cyrus Frost, Col. Charles W. Pierce, Capt. Joseph Evleth, Capt. Dexter Mason, Capt. Jason Phelps, Capt. Curtis Smith, Capt. Henry C. Piper, Capt. Joseph W. Powers, and Mr. Lyman Russell.
June 17, 1852, the Committee met at 8 o'clock, A.M., and voted, that, as the meetinghouse cannot convene the numerous assemblage, the procession, when formed, march immediately to the grove, and occupy the seats there for the exercises of the day.
The national flag was kindly furnished for the occasion by Mr. James G. Piper of Boston; and its ample folds were spread to the breeze on "Meetinghouse Hill," at an early hour, amid the firing of cannon and other marks of rejoicing.
A large inscription, extending across the front of the meeting- house, was furnished by Messrs. Orlando and Charles Marshal, in the following words: -
"WE WELCOME THE ABSENT SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF DUBLIN TO THEIR NATIVE HOME"
The interior of the church was neatly and very tastefully ornamented with evergreens, etc., for the occasion.
At half-past nine o'clock, the procession was formed on the common in front of the meetinghouse, in the following order, viz: -
CHIEF MARSHAL BAND OF MUSIC
PRESIDENT AND ORATOR OF THE DAY VICE-PRESIDENTS CLERGY
COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
SPECIALLY INVITED GUESTS SINGERS CITIZENS FROM OTHER TOWNS CITIZENS OF DUBLIN
At ten o'clock, the procession marched to the grove, where, under the direction of the Table Committee, seats were pro- vided for over two thousand persons, arranged in semicircular form, with the speakers' stand, and platform for band and singers, in the centre, and the tables on each wing, extending about ten rods from the centre, in front. The seats were all filled, and many were obliged to stand during the exercises.
The vast assembly having been seated, and called to order by the President of the day in a short address, the exercises were conducted according to the following programme :-
1. Voluntary, by the band.
2. Invocation, by Rev. ALONZO HAYES, pastor of First Trinitarian Congregational Society.
3. Anthem, by the choir.
4. Selections from Scripture, by Rev. LEVI W. LEONARD, D.D., pastor of First Congregational [Unitarian] Society.
5. Prayer, by Rev. SAMUEL F. CLARK, of Athol, Mass., a native of Dublin.
6. Anthem, by the choir.
7. Address, by CHARLES MASON, Esq., of Fitchburg, Mass., a native of Dublin.
8. The following hymn, by J. K. SMITH, was read by Rev. S. F. CLARK, and sung to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne" by the assembly at large, led by the choir: -
"An hundred years! what wondrous change A century has wrought! With deeds, events, and doings strange, Its passing years are fraught. Stern old Monadnock, 'mid a flock Of hillocks great and small, Reared then, as now, his crown of rock, The monarch of them all.
"But o'er the landscape round him spread No human dwellings rise:
One mighty forest lifts its head Exulting to the skies.
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HISTORY OF DUBLIN
But, as our fathers, here and there, Among the groves are seen, Ere long their rude log-huts appear, And fields arrayed in green.
"And lo! these lowly homes to grace, Fond female hearts incline;
To rear, in this then distant place, Affection's magic shrine. Thus gloomy forests disappear, And homes their joys impart,
Whence merry childhood's words of cheer Come ringing to the heart.
"Time passes on; and years of toil Their pressing wants supply,
Drawn from the treasures of the soil By sturdy industry.
And yet their views were not confined To things of earthly need:
They saw neglected soul and mind Might make them poor indeed.
"And soon the church, in modest pride, Adorns the forest glade;
And then the schoolhouse, by its side, Sends forth its timely aid.
The church and schoolhouse still are ours, By our wise fathers given:
This can unfold our mental powers; That, point the way to heaven."
9. Prayer, by Rev. HENRY ARCHIBALD, late Baptist minister of Dublin.
10. Singing, by the choir.
11. Benediction, by Rev. HENRY A. KENDALL, formerly minister of Dublin.
AT TABLE
1. Blessing invoked by Rev. GEORGE F. CLARK, of Norton, Mass., a native of Dublin.
2. Repast.
3. Thanks, by Rev. Z. S. BARSTOW, D.D., of Keene.
RECESS OF THIRTY MINUTES
The multitude of people was fed most abundantly and gratui- tously; and much food was left unconsumed.
Son ofmith
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
AFTERNOON
Order being restored, the afternoon exercises were as follows, viz .: -
1. Music by the band.
2. The President called for the first sentiment, which was as follows:
"THE FIRST CENTENNIAL OF DUBLIN. - An occasion of 'welcome home' to our friends from abroad, of solemn reflection for the past, of hopeful anticipations for the future."
To this sentiment the President of the day, JONATHAN K. SMITH, responded as follows: -
It becomes my pleasing duty, as the organ of my fellow- townsmen, to extend to our former townsmen, who have come up here to unite with us on this interesting occasion, a cordial " welcome home." And I am sure I do but express the unanimous wish of the people of Dublin, when I give them more than a mere formal reception here. Welcome, thrice welcome, my friends, to our festival; welcome to our homes and our hearts! [Three cheers.] We thank you, brethren, for leaving your homes and your several occupations, to cheer us by your presence, and animate us by your words of counsel, encour- agement, or admonition. And I trust the occasion will be im- proved to the utmost in social intercourse, and in communing with each other; and that a friendly, fraternal feeling like the electric current, will pass freely from heart to heart, till the whole assembly is pervaded by its benign and heaven-born influence.
The occasion naturally suggests a retrospective view of the past. We have arrived at one of those eminences in the path- way of life, whence we can look back through a long vista of years. In the dim distance we see, first, a single family coming over the line from the east, and commencing the settlement of the town. One by one, the sturdy pioneers arrive; and we see their settlements scattered here and there amidst the dense wilderness that surrounds them.
Gradually, their encroachments upon the domain of the for- est become visible; and, at length, broad fields and waving harvests minister to their necessities, and supply their urgent wants. The venerable forms of our fathers and mothers rise up before us, in their honest simplicity of character; and we be-
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HISTORY OF DUBLIN
hold with admiration their strenuous and persevering efforts to change the wilderness to blooming fields for the benefit of their descendants. Their earnest, self-denying exertions, their daily and severe privations, their toils and hardships for the welfare of coming generations, bespeak our admiration for them as men, and invite our gratitude towards them as public benefactors.
When we contemplate the great disadvantages, both physical and mental, which they had to encounter, and compare, or rather contrast, these with the present state of things, we can scarcely fail of being grateful to a kind Providence, that our lot was cast in more favored times, and under more auspicious circumstances. .
Surrounded as we are with the necessaries, the luxuries, and conveniences of life, it is difficult for us to conceive the hardships and privations to which they were subjected. Without roads or carriages, or even beasts of burden, their own brawny shoulders bore the grain to the distant mill, with no other guide than marks upon the trees. With the lofty forests frowning upon them on every side, it was their mission to "go ahead" with their own powers of locomotion, and "make the wilder- ness blossom as the rose."
A century has elapsed since the incipient settlement of this town. During this period, what changes have occurred! How different the aspect of everything around us! Yonder moun- tain, indeed, still presents its serene brow to invite our contem- plation, and the smiling lakelet at its foot still mirrors the benignant heaven above it; but all else how changed! Our fathers and mothers, - where are they? Their bodies mingle with the dust of yonder "village of graves"; their spirits are with Him who gave them. And with them have passed away the primitive habits and manners and customs which then pre- vailed. These have given place to other customs and usages; in some respects far better, in others not so good.
The century we are reviewing has been distinguished for rapid advances in the arts and sciences. Art has been the handmaid of science, and science has directed the labors of art, until results almost miraculous have been realized. We har- ness steam to our carriages, and fly, as on the wings of the wind, along our iron roads. The broad Atlantic has been shorn of its dimensions, and Europe brought almost within hail of our shores. And the very lightning has been disarmed of its thunder-bolts, and is sent as an errand-boy to do our bidding.
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
The means of mental improvement here have been almost in- finitely multiplied. The log schoolhouse has given place to the elegant structure; the four-pound appropriation has gone up to more than three hundred; and, instead of a school in three places, "the schoolmaster has been abroad" through the length and breadth of the town. Have the intelligence and virtue of the present generation kept pace with their far greater privi- leges? Happy will it be for us if the shades of our fathers do not rise up and condemn us for a misuse of the ten talents committed to our keeping.
What changes have occurred in the nations and governments of the earth during the period now under consideration! Thrones and dynasties have tottered and fallen; nations have been swept away by its unceasing current; and others, then unknown, have come into being, and risen to power. The whole life of Bonaparte has been comprised within it, and the public life of Washington is included in the first half of it; - the one sweeping, meteor-like, across the political firmament, consumed by its own brightness; and the other, the pole-star of liberty, towards which the eyes of the nations are still turned in admiration and hope, - striking examples for warning or imitation.
But the century, with all its scenes and events, is now among the things that were. Its successive generations of men have come upon the stage and passed off, in the fulfilment of na- ture's law, and we are left in their places. We, too, must suc- cessively yield our places in life to others.
The youngest among us cannot hope to witness the second centennial of Dublin. Long ere that shall come, this whole con- gregation will "sleep the sleep that knows no waking" on earth. What is to transpire during the coming century cannot be foretold, and it is useless to conjecture. From what has taken place in the past, we may reasonably expect an accel- erated progress in the several departments of art and science and discovery. Let us hope it will also be fruitful of means for improving the physical, intellectual, social, and moral con- dition of man. If this town is "a good one to emigrate from," let the specimens we send abroad testify to our faithfulness in educating them; and may those remaining here ever sustain the reputation of our common mother, so that the former may not blush to own the place of their nativity.
Once more, my friends, I welcome you to your native town.
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HISTORY OF DUBLIN
"Though wintry winds come stealing Along our northern hills, Our hearts' warm fount of feeling Nor time nor absence chills."
3. The choir sang "Greeting Glee."
4. The following letter from AARON APPLETON, Esq., of Keene, was read: -
KEENE, June 7, 1852.
GENTLEMEN :
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 15th ult., inviting me to attend the celebration of the hundredth an- niversary of the settlement of the town of Dublin, on Thursday, the 17th inst.
Be pleased, gentlemen, to accept my sincere thanks for this mark of your attention. The object proposed by the people of Dublin, which will assemble together natives of the town and persons who have resided there, as well as others, meets my cordial approbation. It is now many years since I resided in Dublin; but I have oftentimes visited it, and have always taken an interest in its welfare and prosper- ity. It would afford me much pleasure to join in the festivities of the occasion. I regret to say, however, that my ill health will not permit me to accept your polite invitation.
With best wishes for the success of the celebration, and for your own personal happiness, I remain, gentlemen, very respectfully,
Your friend and servant,
AARON APPLETON.
Messrs. JONATHAN K. SMITH, ASA H. FISK, and RANSOM N. PORTER, Committee of Invitation.
5. The second sentiment was read: -
"THE PRIMITIVE INHABITANTS OF DUBLIN. - Simple in manner wise in deliberation, energetic and persevering in action, - their hardships and their virtues have consecrated their memories to the admiration of posterity, and should lead us to prize the privileges we enjoy."
MUSIC BY BAND
Letter from THOMAS HARDY, Esq .: -
DOVER, July 5, 1852.
GENTLEMEN :
I received your circular, inviting me to attend your centennial celebration in Dublin on the 17th ult., the 2d inst. Of course, it was rather too late to be present on that occasion. It bears the post-mark of June 4. The postmaster informed me it arrived the preceding
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
evening; so that it must either have slept in some office several weeks, or have been carried round "Robin Hood's barn" the same length of time. I assure you, gentlemen, nothing would have given me greater pleasure than to have taken a part in that social and festive meeting. To have been there would have brought fresh to my recollection scenes that are now numbered with things past and gone, and which "the memory fondly delights to recall." Had I been present on that occasion, I should probably have met some of my old contemporaries and friends, with whom I was once well acquainted, though most of them have immerged in the ocean of eternity. I rejoice that "Dub- lin is what she is"; and that the cause of education is "still upward and onward," receiving aid from patriotic fathers and matron moth- ers. I have seen a laconic account of your celebration in the "prints"; and, judging from that, conclude you had a splendid one. I would like to see it more in detail, which I presume might be found in a Keene paper. Accept, gentlemen, my cordial thanks for your polite invitation, while I am thine, in every laudable undertaking,
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