The history of Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, from 1752-1887, Part 32

Author: Norton, John F. (John Foote), 1809-1892; Whittemore, Joel
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: New York : Burr Printing House
Number of Pages: 1016


USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Fitzwilliam > The history of Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, from 1752-1887 > Part 32


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Tradition asserts that the first line of stages in this town was established by Simon Crosby, to run to and from Worcester, Mass., and connecting there with a line to and from Boston, but as he was taxed for three horses only his business could not have been large. About 1809 Simon Piper (said to have been engaged in the same business) was taxed for three or four horses only. So far as can be known the stage horses taxed in 1826 numbered three ; in 1827, eight ; in 1828, twelve, and from that date till 1839 the average was from fourteen to eighteen. Early in this century there was a line of stages from Boston through Fitzwilliam, to Keene and beyond, and some time later there were lines running to or through the town from Worcester, Lowell, and Brattleborough, Vt., and some- times a second and competing line to and from Boston.


The meeting of so many different stage-lines liere made this town in those times a place of considerable importance, and few towns of its size had direct communication with the out- side world in so many directions.


In his leeture of 1842, Rev. Mr. Sabin said : " A little esti-


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HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.


mate has been made this winter past, how much is carried on the road between this and Boston, and been reckoned at two hundred and fifty tons, both ways-say fifty tons carried from this and brought here two hundred tons. What carried from us consists in small part of the produce of the soil, but nearly all of palm-leaf hats, tubs, some chairs, etc. These do not in- clude common lumber from the saw-mills nor the almost un- told loads that go by the general name of wooden-ware."


As Mr. Sabin was a very careful and conservative man, this estimate was probably under rather than above the actual amount of transportation over this thoroughfare.


CHESHIRE RAILROAD.


This road was opened through this town in May, 1848, and, in consequence, there has been an enormous increase in the pas- senger and freight traffic of the place. The number of pas- sengers leaving Fitzwilliam annually by this road is more than six thousand, while each year nearly five thousand enter it on tickets sold in other places. The road brings into the town about two thousand tons of freight annually, and carries away each year more than ten thousand tons.


The elevation of the road at the highest point in Fitzwilliam (which is understood to be the highest over which it passes) is eleven hundred and fifty-one feet. Its length in the town is abont nine miles, but the distance in a straight line between the points of its entering and leaving our territory is about seven and a half miles.


George W. Parker was the Fitzwilliam station agent at the opening of the road, but for very many years this office has been filled by Mr. Elbridge Cummings.


The location of this important railroad through nearly the centre of the town, and in close proximity to the most exten- sive quarries of granite, makes it of inestimable value to the people of Fitzwilliam.


MERCHANTS AND TRADERS.


An ancient tradition, which is considered reliable, states that opposite the inn of General James Reed, on the old military


397


MERCHANTS AND TRADERS.


road, stood a small building about fifteen feet square in which the first goods were offered for sale in Monadnock No. 4. These consisted of run, molasses, salt, and a few other common gro- ceries, with the addition of a few needles, pins, and other neces- sary articles that could not be supplied by home manufacture.


Who opened and stocked the first store in what is now Fitz- william village, it seems impossible to determine with any de- gree of certainty. The earliest town tax-list that has been preserved is for the year 1793. In this list Simon Crosby is taxed on fifty pounds stock in trade, Joseph Fox on two hun- dred pounds, Jonas Robeson on one hundred and seventy-five pounds, and Phineas Reed on one hundred and thirty pounds. The tax of Mr. Reed was on his tannery, but all the other persons named are understood to have been traders. Robeson was in business at the north village, now Troy, while Crosby and Fox were at the south village, now Fitzwilliam village. The larger tax paid by Mr. Fox seems to show that he kept the larger stock of goods, and may justify the inference that his was the older store, though tradition asserts that the first store here was kept by Mr. Crosby.


Dr. Cummings states, apparently on the authority of Mrs. Doreas (Amadon) Rice, that Mr. Crosby commenced business on the Townsend place, and removed to where the Everett House stood, and another account locates him at a later date on the northeast corner of the Common where the post-office is at the present time. Mr. Crosby continued in business till 1798, and removed to Vermont a year or two later. The Townsend House was situated near the place where Edward A. Nutting now lives, and the brick house at the north end of the Common ocenpies the site of the Everett House.


Joseph Fox was succeeded by Jonathan Fox-perhaps a younger brother-and Thomas Goldsmith under the firm name of Goldsmith & Fox. They were taxed four years, 1794-97, when Mr. Fox removed to Jaffrey and Mr. Goldsmithi took the entire business, which he continued till about 1806. Mr. Goldsmith's store was located on the site now occupied by the Cheshire Hotel, and it is supposed that Goldsmith & Fox and Joseph Fox were located at the same place.


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HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.


Jonas Warren was taxed on a potash manufactory in 1793 and on stock in trade two hundred pounds in 1794, and on three hundred and thirty-four dollars in 1795. Daniel Gould, Jr., was taxed on three hundred dollars stock in trade in 1796. Ezra Saunders was in trade from 1798 to 1803 at the Town- send place before referred to, and perhaps Warren and Gould were located at the same place, following Crosby and preceding Saunders.


Elisha Brigham, the youngest son of Rev. Benjamin Brig- ham, succeeded Mr. Crosby at his last place of business, and continued in trade about two years, his capital being furnished by his brother-in-law, General Humphrey, of Athol.


Jonas Robinson or Robeson commenced business in Marl- borough about 1791, occupying for over a year a part of the house of Reuben Ward in the south part of the town. He then bought a small piece of land of Joshua Harrington near said Harrington's grist-mill, in the north part of Fitzwilliam, on which he built a store. This was about half a mile west- erly from his former location and is the site now occupied by the store of Charles W. Whitney. About 1805 Robeson and his brother-in-law, Reuben Ward, Jr., opened a store in the Carter House at the south village. This is the same place previously referred to as the Everett House. A year or two later he built the three-story building now known as the Fitz- william Hotel, into which he moved when completed. The store business was taxed to Ward aud Robeson & Ward in 1805 and 1806, but after Robeson's removal he assumed the entire business, and Ward soon returned to Marlborough, his native place, where he died in 180S. A little later Mr. Robeson built a two-story extension on the west side of his house to which he removed his store, and where he continned in trade till 1816, when he retired from business. When Mr. Robeson moved to the south village, the business in the north or border village (which became Troy village in 1815), was left in charge of Daniel W. Farrar, first as elerk, then as partner, and in 1813 he bought out Mr. Robeson's share in the business. At or about this time Curtis Coolidge became a partner with Mr. Farrar, the partnership continuing about three years, when Mr.


John m. Deuker)


399


MERCHANTS AND TRADERS.


Farrar took the entire business, which he conducted till about 1837, when he was succeeded by his son, David W. Far- rar, and John Whittemore, Jr., from Fitzwilliam, under the firm name of Whittemore & Farrar. About 1842 Mr. Whitte- more returned to Fitzwilliam, Mr. Farrar (David W.) contin- ning the business alone.


When Farrar & Coolidge dissolved partnership in Troy, Mr. Coolidge came to Fitzwilliam, and, forming a partnership with Luke B. Richardson, succeeded to the business at the Robeson store. As near as can be ascertained from the tax- lists and other sources, the succession of occupants at this store seems to have been as follows :


Coolidge & Richardson, in 1817-20 ; L. B. Richardson, 1821; Richardson & Robeson (Jonas Robeson, Jr.), 1822 ; Coolidge & Robeson, 1823-24 ; Coolidge alone, 1825-34 ; Coolidge & Potter (John Potter), 1835-36 ; Hayden & Potter (Daniel T. Hayden), 1837 ; D. T. Hayden & Co. (Joel Hay- den, Jr.), 1838 ; Jesse Stone, draper and tailor, 1842-44 ; Joel Hayden, Jr., general store, 1845-46 ; Charles Sabin, apothe- cary and drug-store, 1847-48 ; Protective Union Division, No. 317, general store, 1852-57; A. A. Parker & Co. (Asa S. Kendall), 1857-65 ; A. A. Parker alone, 1865 ; John M. Parker & Co. (P. S. & S. Batcheller), 1865-87 ; D. W. Firmin & Co. (P. S. & S. Batcheller), 1887.


Abont 1859 Messrs. Parker & Co. erected a new store build- ing, to which they removed, and in which the business still re- mains. The premises vacated were finished off as an addition to the hotel.


Drs. Benjamin Bemis and Amasa Scott built the store op- posite the town meeting-house, now Town Hall, on land of Dr. Bemis, probably in 1809. The store was taxed with the land to Dr. Bemis and the stock to Dr. Scott, till Dr. Bemis left town in 1812 or 1813, after which both store and stock were taxed to Dr. Scott. He was taxed on stock six years, 1811-16, but the business may have been commeneed some- what earlier, as Bemis & Scott were licensed to sell spirituous liquors in 1809, and B. Bemis & Co. in 1808.


Quite early in the century John Whittemore, Sr., com-


400


HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.


meneed trade in a small way in his dwelling-house, situated on the road to Royalston about a third of a mile from the village, being the premises now owned by J. C. Baldwin.


The exact date when he commeneed business is not known, but he was licensed to sell spiritnons liquors as early as 1804, though he was not taxed on stock in trade till 1808. In 1820 he took his son Dexter as partner, with the firm name of J. Whittemore & Son. In 1821 Dexter bought the Scott & Bemis store and the business was removed to the village, where it was conducted under different styles as follows : John Whit- temore & Son, 1821-25 ; D. Whittemore alone, 1826-27 ; D. & D. Whittemore (Danvers), 1828 ; Dexter Whittemore alone again, 1829-50 ; D. Whittemore & Son or Sons (Thomas W. and Charles), 1851-56 ; Joel Whittemore, 1858-68. Since the last-named date the store has been unoccupied.


It may be added that Daniel W. Farrar, of Troy, to whom reference has been made in this chapter, and Dexter Wliitte- more, of Fitzwilliam, were the first traders in this vicinity to abandon the sale of ardent spirits.


James Stone, Jr., was in trade long enough to obtain the title of " marchant Stone," but not long enough to be taxed at any time on stock in trade. He lived in the " market house," the estate now owned by Wright Whitcomb. The early traders were accustomed to exchange goods very largely for farmers' produce, and it is related of Mr. Stone that on ac- count of lack of capital he was not able in all cases to settle for produce when he received it, in which case he would promise to deliver the goods on his return from Boston. He usually went to the city with a single horse, and his enstomers were so anxious for their pay that they were generally at his store when the goods arrived, though these were not always in sufficient quantities to meet all the demands. Mr. Stone was licensed to sell spiritnous liquors from 1812-18. His sales of these goods must have been of considerable amount, as in 1816 and 1817 (the only years for which returns are at hand) he paid the same United States revenne taxes as were paid by the other dealers in town.


In 1822 or 1823 Luke B. Richardson, having withdrawn from


Joel Whittermore


401


MERCHANTS AND TRADERS.


the Robeson store, erected a new building and commenced busi- ness ou the Crosby site. From this time the successive occu- pants at this place have been as follows : Luke B. Richardson, 1823-26 ; Spaulding & Perkins (Daniel Spaulding, John Per- kins), 1827-32 ; D. Spaulding alone, 1833 ; Spaulding & Noble (Gideon C. Noble), 1834-35 ; D. Spaulding alone again, 1836-40 ; Wales & Morse (Jacob Wales, Royal T. Morse), 1841-42 ; Whittemoreat Damon (John Whittemore. Jr., Luke R. Damon), 1843-45 ; John Whittemore, Jr., alone and with his son-in-law, William Pratt, and son George A. Whittemore, 1846-73 ; Whittemore & Co. (George A.), 1874-78, Harry J. Pratt & Co., 1879-81.


When Dr. G. C. Noble dissolved partnership with Daniel Spaulding, he opened a drug-store in a part of the shop of his father-in-law, Robinson Perkins. He continued in business from 1836-42, when he was succeeded by Jared D. Perkins, 1843-49, and he in turn was followed by Phillip S. Batcheller, who is in business on this site at the present time. With the exception of a few years his brother Stephen has been with him, the firm name being P. S. & S. Batcheller. The build- ing they occupy has passed through more changes by way of alterations and enlargements than any other place in the village.


About 1833 Milton Chaplin opened a store in District No. 1 in a building standing between the houses of Hyman Bent and Moses Chaplin, where he traded about seven years. In 1839, having purchased the house in the village where he now lives, he built a store near it, where he did business till 1847, when he purchased the place now owned and occupied by Amos J. Blake, Esq. Here he did business till 1851, the last three years with Anson Streeter as partner, under the name of Chaplin & Streeter. Mr. Chaplin then went into business in Boston, and later removed to Adrian, Mich.


The building last referred to was erected by Levi Haskell, and the lower story having been fitted for a store had been previously occupied by Joseph A. Wilson, 1838-42, and J. A. Wilson & Co. (John G. Wilson), 1843-47.


About 1845 Luke R. Damon, having dissolved partnership with John Whittemore, Jr., commenced business in the three-


26


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HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.


story building at the head of the Common. The business was continned by L. R. Damon, 1846-47 ; Howe & Damon (Nel- son Howe), 1848-49 ; Damon & Farrar (James Farrar), 1850-52 ; Samuel Smith & Co. (Anson B. Smith), 1853. Damon & Farrar removed to Adrian, Mich., and Smith & Co. to Winchendon.


A store was opened in Howeville in 1853 by N. & J. Howe, who continned in trade till they closed their manufac- turing business in 1867.


In 1868 Daniel R. Spaulding, who had been in trade several years in Richmond, formed a partnership with Calvin B. Perry (Spaulding & Perry). They bought the storehouse at the depot village built by N. & J. Howe & Co., and com- menced business therein. In 1874 the partnership was dis- solved, Mr. Perry taking the business, which he still continues.


At the State line a store has been kept by John N. Richard- son, 1855-73 ; Martin L. Bartlett, 1874-78, and Joel L. Gil- son, 1879 to the present time.


Frank B. Frye has had a store at the depot village from 1876 to the present time.


Abner Gage had a store for several years at the village, and Melvin Wilson was in trade for some time at the depot.


INNS AND HOTELS.


The disproportion between the number of these and the population of the township for a number of years after its set- tlement and incorporation appears quite remarkable, for before the close of the last century there must have been as many as six inns open at the same time in Fitzwilliam, and how many more it is impossible to determine, as no licenses for keeping them were recorded before 1793.


The first public-house that was opened in Monadnock No. 4 was kept by General James Reed, in the first framed house erected in the place. This house stood on the old military road not far from the late residence of Mr. Gilbert C. Bemis. At this inn the proprietors of the township held their meet- ings for a number of years, and there, or in the shop of Mr. Johnson nearly across the road, the first pastor, Rev. Benja-


-


CALVIN BRIGHAM PERRY


PHOTO GRAVURE UN Y


403


INNS AND HOTELS.


min Brigham was ordained. Later, this inn was kept by Colonel Sylvanus Reed, son of General Reed, till about 1795.


John Mellen kept an inn for a number of years in the house built for him by his father, Daniel Mellen, which stood upon the spot where Mr. Sylvester Drury now lives. This house of Mr. Mellen was kept as an inn late in the last century by Benoni Shortliff.


Thomas Goldsmith and Jonathan Fox were licensed to keep a tavern in 1793, and this partnership continued for three or four years, when Goldsmith alone kept the inn till 1808. Timothy Johnson succeeded Mr. Goldsmith in the tavern, and his successor in the same business was Dr. Thomas Richard- son. Matthias Felton was licensed as an innkeeper in 1795. Ilis tavern, which he kept about fifteen years, was on the spot where George W. Simonds resided, but Mr. Felton's house was burned forty or forty-five years ago.


Colonel Levi Brigham kept a tavern on what is called Brig- ham Hill, in District No. 3. In the east part of the town, at the place where Henry T. Hall now lives, Abner Stone kept a tavern for many years, while about a mile and a quarter south, on the same road, was the tavern of Abijah Warner. Both of these men were in this business before 1793. On the same road, still farther south, and a short distance beyond the State line, was another tavern, kept by one Kidder. These three men were popularly known as Honest Stone, Cheating Warner, and Lying Kidder.


All of the storekeepers in the town for a long course of years were licensed to sell spiritnous liquors as well as the inn- keepers. In addition to these quite a number of persons were licensed for one or two years, near the close of the last and early in the present century, who do not appear to have been either traders or innkeepers.


At a later date, perhaps thirty-five or forty years ago, there were four hotels in Fitzwilliam, viz., the Spaulding Tavern, in the southeast part of the town, Bowker's, in the north part (which was kept as a public-house for a short time only), and two in the village. The inn of Messrs. Goldsmith, Johnson, & Richardson stood where the Cheshire Hotel now stands,


404


HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.


and since the house was rebuilt it has been kept as a public- house by Pratt & Perry for a short time, then by David Perry alone for about twenty years, and later and at present by O. K. Wheelock. The Fitzwilliam Hotel has been kept by John Foster, John Reed, Abner Gage, J. L. Perry, and others whose names cannot be given.


The list of innkeepers is very incomplete.


FREE MASONS.


Charity Lodge No. 18 F. and A. M. was chartered July 23d, 1806, and at the institution of the lodge the following officers were installed :


Joshua Harrington, Worshipful Master.


Joseph Winch, Senior Warden.


David (Daniel, probably) Farrar, Junior Warden.


Benjamin Bemis, Jr., Treasurer.


Joseph Carter, Secretary. Benoni Shurtleff, Senior Deacon.


Edward Perkins, Junior Deacon.


Alexander Foster, Steward. Josiah Goldsmith, Tyler. Benjamin Bemis, Rep. to Grand Lodge. Joseph Carter, Proxy.


SUCCEEDING MASTERS OF THE LODGE.


Benjamin Bemis, Jr., 1807 ; Joshua Harrington, 1808. Joseph Carter, 1809 ; Robinson Perkins, 1810-11. Joshua Harrington, 1812-13 ; Joseph Carter, 1814. Abel Wilder, 1815 ; Edward Bayley, 1826-27. Silas Jillson, 1829-39 inclusive ; Edward Bayley, 1840-42. John J. Allen, 1843-45 ; Edward Bayley, 1846-47.


The lodge was located in Swanzey in 1817-18, and in Troy, 1819-26, when it returned to Fitzwilliam, where it remained until 1847, when it removed to Jaffrey. It is now located at East Jaffrey.


The first Masons made in Charity Lodge were William Barnard and Amasa Scott, of Fitzwilliam, and Robinson Per- kins, then of Jaffrey. In the succeeding years members were


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ODD FELLOWS' LODGE-WILD ANIMALS.


admitted from Marlborough, Richmond, Keene, Sullivan, Swanzey, and New Ipswich, N. H., and Winchendon, Royal- ston, Greenfield, and Townsend, Mass. Largest number of members, about sixty.


The members of the order now residing in town generally belong to the lodge in Troy.


ODD FELLOWS' LODGE.


On the petition of Nelson Howe and four others, this was instituted July 19th, 1849, by Grand Master Lyford, and Nel- son Howe was appointed District Deputy Grand Master. The number of the lodge was 29, and it had in 1849 thirteen mem- bers and funds amounting to one hundred and ninety-two dol- lars. In 1851 there were twenty-three members, and a year later, when Artemas Stone was appointed District Deputy, there were twenty-two members, and funds amounting to forty-eight dollars. In 1854 the Grand Master reported No. 29 as virtually extinct, because of the loss of business and bnsi- ness men from Fitzwilliam, and recommended that the char- ter be withdrawn, and the property, after a debt of fifty dol- lars should have been paid, returned. This course seems to have been pursned.


WILD ANIMALS.


These were numerons one hundred and twenty-five years ago in portions of Southern New Hampshire, and especially in the towns around the base of Mount Monadnock. As beasts of this nature retire before the approach of civilized man their numbers were the greatest, and they remained the longest where the white population, for any reason, was the least, and the latest in commeneing their settlements. These conditions met in Fitzwilliam, for the township had a slow growth and, moreover, was settled later than most of its neigh- bors. Long after the wolves and the bears had been driven from the territory north, south, east and west, they found a comparatively safe retreat on the almost inaccessible sides and in the deep ravines of Monadnock, and here they maintained themselves with great boldness and vigor.


406


HISTORY OF FITZWILLIAM.


As wolves rarely attack men, except when nearly starved, they were chiefly dreaded because of the depredations made by them upon the calves and sheep of the settlers. The bear was a more dangerous animal to encounter, while the thought of the catamount caused trembling in many a log hint of this region toward the close of the last century. Casnal encounters with these beasts and the hunting of them (sometimes by large companies of armed men) served to break up the monotony of the life of the carly settlers of this town, as the statements that follow will show conclusively.


The accounts here given have been condensed chiefly from the papers of Dr. Silas Cummings, and especially from a lee- ture prepared by him from materials that he had been colleet- ing for many years, and which he appears to have delivered before his fellow-townsmen in 1873 :


In the early times wild cats were among the destructive ani- mals, though they do not appear to have been very numerous. So far as known none were killed in this town till 1811, when Deacon Angier found the remains of several sheep that a wild cat had killed, and started in pursuit. Captain Chace followed him with his dogs, and Deacon Angier shot the animal in the west part of the town. Its weight was twenty-three pounds.


James Stone lost a sheep and found three wild eats feasting upon its carcase. Mr. Stone mounted his horse and rode near enough to shoot one of the animals, and afterward had the satisfaction of taking both the others in a trap.


Another was followed by several hunters who failed to shoot it before it reached its den, not far east of the house of Benja- min Byam.


In the early times two little boys, seven and nine years of age, were sent by their father from the extreme southern part of the town with a yoke of oxen, to borrow a cart. They had several miles to travel after the cart was obtained, and night came upon them before they could reach their home. They were near where the Fitzwilliam railroad station now is when a paek of wolves came upon their track, and by their barking and yelping frightened the poor boys terribly. One of them, more than twenty years after, told Dr. Cummings that his


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ENCOUNTERS WITH WILD ANIMALS.


hair stood erect and his flesh crawled as he expected the wolves would spring upon them every moment, while the affrighted oxen seemed to fly over stumps, roeks, mudholes, and pole- bridges as if possessed. All escaped unharmed.


A Mrs. Kelley seems to have had an evening school two miles or so west of the village, and Levi Tower and Oliver Damon, when little boys, were her pupils. Late one night as they were returning home they were followed and terribly frightened by a pack of wolves. But their outeries, as they approached the home of one of them, brought them help. The tracks of the hungry animals were found around the barn of Mr. Tower the following morning.


Mrs. Withington, living east of the village, went out to pick blueberries with her babe in her arms, when she found that a bear was her only companion in the field, a sight that sent her home with such rapidity that she had no time or courage to look behind her.




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