USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hancock > The history of Hancock, New Hampshire, 1764-1889 > Part 29
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May 10, 1802. A road was accepted, running westerly from Jesse Barker's barn to Amos Barton's land, and thence through Barton's land to the County road, crossing a bridge near said County road.
Also, May 31st, one in the west part of Hancock, beginning at a beech tree, on lot No. 10, second range south of the road leading from Salmon Woods' to the meeting-house; thence running in a north-easterly direction to the road west of the house-spot formerly occupied by Abraham Moors, crossing said road, and thence to a point north of the old house-spot.
"N. B. Voted, That those the road is for have two years to open it in if they please."
April 8, 1803. A road was accepted, beginning at a point be- tween Captain Lakin's and Josiah Blodgett's, near a little brook, and running eastwardly through Lakin's land, by William Lakin's house, to Joseph Washburn's land.
Also, one beginning at a point about fifteen rods west of William Lakin's house, and running in a north-easterly direction through Cap- tain Lakin's land; thence through Jeremiah and Samuel Eaton's land, to Ebenezer Ware's line, near the south-west corner; thence about twenty rods upon Ware's south line; thence north-easterly, across the corner of Ware's land, to a point on the west side of Stoddard road. Damage to Ebenezer Ware, $8.
June 1, 1804. A road was accepted, beginning at Stephen Pierce's, and running southerly, through Samuel Spear's land, to a point on the north side of the County road. The old road, from Samuel Whitcomb's, by Mr. Pierce's, to the new County road, was discontinued.
Dec. 30, 1805. A road was accepted, from the house of Henry Cummings to a point in the road near Mr. Gates' barn, said road running in a north-easterly direction. Damage to Gates, $83; to Cummings, $47.
March 3, 1806. A road, from the north-east corner of John Gil- son's barn, thence running three rods west of Josiah Taylor's barn in a north-east direction till it comes to a brook; thence north to Antrim line.
May 13th. One from near Hezekiah Ober's barn, thence running in a southward direction, near Moses Gray's barn, to the old road.
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ROADS AND BRIDGES.
June 18th. One beginning at a point " on the road that Leadeth to Benj" Ball on land of Peter Fox runing southward on said Foxes land to the old road"; thence through land of Thomas May in a southerly direction to near May's barn; thence through May's "mowing" and land of Moses Boynton and land of Dea. Stephen Kittridge, to the old road on the west side of Kittridge's buildings.
Oct. 22d. One beginning at a point on the road leading from Levi Priest's, and running between Peter Fox's house and barn in an eastern direction to Ninian Clark's line; thence running in a northern direction through Clark's land to a point near the school- house.
One beginning at a point on the road north of Moose brook, and south of Eli Maynard's house, and running in an eastern direction to a point on the line of William Robinson's land, south of his house.
Feb. 21, 1807. One from a point south-west of Oliver Davis', and running in a southern direction across Charles P. Hayward's land to Dublin line.
May 30th. One beginning at the County road, south of Stephen Pierce's, and running in a northern direction forty-two rods to Pierce's south line. Damage to Samuel Spear, $30.
Oct. 30, 1810. One beginning at a point near William Keyes' house, "on the west side of the road that now is," and running in a southern direction about seventy-five rods, to the "new road that leads to the County Bridge."
May 30, 1812. One beginning at the end of the causeway west of Ward's, and running in a northern direction to " the old road," thence crossing the road to a marked stump north of William Grimes', thence in a north-west direction to the south-east corner of Moses Hunt's barn.
Oct. 15, 1812. A road was accepted beginning at a point in the road about eighteen rods west of Asa Whittemore's barn, and run- ning in a north-west direction about sixty-two rods to Whittemore's west line.
June 6, 1814, One beginning at a point near the river bridge, near Burtt's mills, thence in a south-east direction to the south-west corner of Chapin Kidder's land, thence north to the north-west cor- ner of Kidder's house, thence south-east to near Ebenezer Burtt's barn.
Nov. 6, 1815. Voted, To discontinue a road between Jeremiah
18
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Bacon's and Samuel Gates', leading by the spot where the old school- house formerly stood, and coming out on the old Stoddard road be- tween John Morrison's and Charles Symonds'.
Voted, To discontinue the old road leading from the new road west of Asa Whittemore's, to Jacob Emerson's old building spot.
A road had been laid out by the court's committee from Peter- boro' line, by Captain Bradford's, and coming out nearly opposite the Rev. Reed Paige's. The town voted that it was dissatisfied with said road.
In September, 1817, the town voted to build the above road within one year as far as Captain Bradford's.
Sept. 25, 1817. A road was accepted, beginning at the County road at the east side of Forty-shilling hill, so called, and running in a north-western direction by the west end of Stephen Tenney's barn, to the north-east corner of the yard of James Matthew's barn, thence in a north-east direction to the road that runs from the Thayer farm to Jesse Barker's.
Also, one from the north-east corner of the yard at James Matthew's barn, running in a western direction to the same road mentioned above, meeting that road at the east side of the bridge below the old mill.
May 3, 1819. A road was accepted from the house where Mansel Alcock then lived, to the house of David Ames, Jr., beginning at the County road and running in a northern direction by the west end of Mansel Alcock's house, on land of Samuel Spear's, by the west end of the house owned by Doctor Lee, thence on the "ground " now traveled to David Ames, Jr.
Oct. 17, 1820. A road was accepted from a point on the old County road east of Asahel Cummings', running in a western direction to an apple tree near a large stone on the new County road, the above was accepted on the condition that Mr. Cummings should make the road, give the land, and make a watering trough on the new County road, and keep it in repair to accommodate the public. The old beech-tree to be given to Mr. Cummings.
Sept. 12, 1823. One from a point near Joseph Hill's house, run- ning in a northern direction about seven rods, thence north-east over a stone causeway about forty rods to a wall that runs north and south, thence by said wall to the dwelling house of Joseph Hills, Jr.
Oct. 17, 1828. One from Antrim line west of Moses Hunt's
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ROADS AND BRIDGES.
barn, running in a south-east direction about seventy rods to the old road.
June 8, 1829. One from a point on the west side of the new road near " Alcock's meadows," running in a south-west direction to the old Stoddard road south of Moses Hunt's house.
May 6, 1829. One from a point in the road near George Knight's, running on Knight's east line thirty-four rods, thence in a south-east direction across Moose brook twenty-six rods, thence to Joseph Symonds' grist-mill.
Feb. 10, 1835. A road was laid out " beginning at the highway west of Jason Ware's house, thence south-east four rods, thence easterly eighteen rods to a stake two feet south of a pear tree, thence easterly six rods to the south-east corner of a shed, thence easterly six rods to the south-west corner of Stephen Buxton's house."
Oct. 3, 1835. One from the east side of the old road near Ebenezer Russell, Jr.'s, house, thence in a north-eastern direction twenty-two and one-half rods by stakes on the east side of said new road to the road " now traveled " from Russell's to Hancock meeting-house.
This road was through land owned by Reuben Hills.
May 8, 1836. The road in a south-eastern direction from near the Oliver Lawrence house was straightened ; said new road was forty-three rods long.
July 7, 1836. A road was accepted, beginning at a point west of Daniel Priest's house on the south side of the road that was then traveled, thence west and north-westerly through Priest's land twenty-four rods to said traveled road.
May 2, 1837. The road from near Simon Lakin, Jr.'s, house in an eastern direction, twenty-seven and one-half rods was straight- ened. The new road was through land then owned by Washington Brooks.
April 20, 1842. A road was laid out beginning at the foot of the Pratt hill, so called, thence running north-east of the old road to near the top of the hill, thence north-westerly till it came to the old road, at or near the place called Blodgett's ladder, said road being forty-four rods in length, and running through land owned by Charles Hayward.
May 1, 1844. A road was laid out by the selectmen, " beginning at the road near the house of Joseph Kimball, thence northerly by
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Benjamin Kimball's house about one hundred and twelve rods to Oliver L. Dow's south line, thence northerly through said Dow's land to the south side of the old County road, so called, about one hundred and fifty-eight rods.
Oct. 4, 1845. In reponse to a petition signed by Lemuel Eaton and twenty other citizens, requesting that the highway leading " from Sampson Tuttle's, southerly by Lemuel Eaton's," be straight- ened at a place near the old Fox house, so called ; the selectmen met the parties interested, and after hearing all the evidence offered, and having made a personal examination of the route proposed, they granted the prayer of the petitioners, and laid out the new road as follows: "Beginning at a stake in the highway south-east of the Fox house, so called, thence north-westerly twenty-one and a half rods to a stake in the highway, on the hill north of said house; the line above described is to be the middle of the highway, and the highway is to be three rods wide. Lemuel Eaton, the owner of land taken for said highway, released his claim to damages."
Dec. 15, 1845. In response to a petition signed by Daniel Priest and thirteen other citizens of Hancock, after due examination and a hearing from all the parties interested, the selectmen laid a road described as follows: Beginning at the foot of the hill east of Daniel Priest's house, thence southerly through land of said Priest twenty rods, thence south-westerly ten and one-half rods to Mark Bowers' north line, thence in the same direction through land of said Bowers thirty-five rods to the old road that leads by Bowers' house, thence on the old road about ninety-two rods to land of Warner B. Bullard, thence in a southern direction through Bullard's land forty-two rods to the north line of the Fairbanks farm, so called, owned by Bowers, thence through the Fairbanks farm to a gate-post, and on to stake and stones sixty-two rods, near the house on the Fairbanks farm, thence to the Brook bridge fifty-two rods, thence through land of John Brooks, 2d, and Hiram Fuller twenty rods, thence nine rods to a spruce tree, thence thirty-three rods to a hemlock tree, thence twenty rods to a beech tree, thence twenty- eight rods to a maple tree, thence sixteen rods to land owned by Mrs. Paige, thence through Mrs. Paige's land seventeen rods to stake and stones by the road in the hollow north of Marcus An- thony's, that leads from Hancock to Bennington.
June 11, 1846. There seems to have been some dissatisfaction in regard to the location of a part of the above road, as the parties
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ROADS AND BRIDGES.
interested presented a petition in April, 1846, for a road to take the place of the southern portion of it. Said new road as described, began at the maple tree mentioned above, thence running in a south-easterly direction sixteen rods to land of Mrs. Paige and others, thence on said land fifteen and one-half rods, thence south- erly on said land about four rods to a stake and stones by the wall, thence same course to the centre of the road leading from Hancock meeting-house to Antrim.1
May 13, 1850. A road was laid out, beginning at the house of of John Flint, and thence south through land of John Flint and Dolly Ware seventy rods to the highway leading by the house of Thomas Matthews.
July 14, 1851. Daniel Lakin and twenty-five other citizens of Hancock presented a petition to the selectmen that a road might be laid out, beginning at a point on the Forest road, so called, directly east and near the house of Ips Wyman, and thence running in a northern direction to a point near the house of Daniel Lakin.
The selectmen at first refused to lay out the road. An appeal was made to the Court of Common Pleas, and in April, 1852, the road was laid out. Said road was two hundred and twenty rods long, and ran through land owned by David B. Dow, Z. W. Brooks, and Daniel Lakin.
About this time the selectmen were instructed to lay out a road petitioned for by William Gray, David Patten, and others.
Sept. 23, 1856. Oliver L. Dow was permitted to make a slight change in the highway leading by his house.
At the same date, in response to a petition signed by Moses Lakin and one hundred and three others, the selectmen, after due deliber- ation and having heard all the parties interested who desired to be heard, laid out a road described as follows: "Beginning at a stake in the line between the towns of Dublin and Hancock, about twenty- five rods south of Joshua S. Lakin's barn, in said Lakin's meadow, thence north-easterly through land of Joshua S. Lakin one hundred and seventy-four rods to a stake near the wall between John Hay- ward's and Joshua S. Lakin's, thence north-easterly through John Hayward's land eighteen rods to a stake, thence northerly through
1 I am not quite sure that any change was made in this road; the description is somewhat ambiguous. It will be noticed that in the second description it is stated, " land of Mrs. Paige and others." In awarding the damages the second time, one dollar was awarded to each of Mrs. Paige's children or their representatives; noth- ing was said about them in the first instance.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Joshua S. Lakin's land sixty-six rods to a stake by the wall between Ebenezer Ware, Jr.'s, and Joshua S. Lakin's, thence northerly through Ebenezer Ware, Jr.'s, land sixty-six rods to a stake near a large rock, thence north-easterly through land of said Ware seventy- two rods to a stake near a pair of bars on the west side of the old road south of said Ware's house."
On the 19th of April, 1859, a petition having been presented to the selectmen by Joshua S. Lakin and five others, a road was laid out, beginning at a point near J. S. Lakin's barn and running in a north-eastern direction, on substantially the same route as that of the road mentioned above.1
July 4, 1857. In response to a petition signed by William Gray and thirty-eight others, the selectmen laid out a road beginning at a point in the highway near the house of T. D. Lakin and running in a north-western direction about one hundred and twenty-five rods through land of Jason Robinson and land of Taylor D. and Melinda Lakin, thence in a south-western direction through land of Henry Knight and land of Samuel Knight and land of A. C. Cochran one hundred and seventy-six rods, thence in a north-western direction through land of A. C. Cochran fifty-nine rods to a point "on the road that leads from Wood's mill to Hancock Village."
From the records it appears that this road, for some reason, was not satisfactory, as in March, 1858, we find recorded the following votes : --
"Voted, Not to build the new road laid out round the Knight hill."
" Voted, To discontinue the new road laid out by the selectmen on the petition of William Gray and others."
At a special town-meeting held the 19th of May, 1859, it was "voted to have the town build the new road round the Knight hill, so called." This road that was built was laid out by the county commissioners. As no record of their work was made, we must refer the reader to the map to ascertain its location.
Sept. 3, 1878. In response to a petition signed by William Rob- inson and ten others, the selectmen laid out a road, "Beginning at a stake twenty-four rods and fourteen feet, measuring in a direct line in an easterly direction from the south-east corner of the 'May- nard house,' so called, thence in a north-easterly direction thirty
1 The first laying out proved illegal.
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ROADS AND BRIDGES.
rods and nine feet to a stake twenty-five feet westerly from the west line of the Peterboro' & Hillsboro' railroad, and [adjoining land owned by the Northern railroad company."
BRIDGES.
In March, 1784, it was voted that the town petition to the Gen- eral Court to have a tax laid upon the non-resident lands to help enable them to build two bridges. These bridges were probably over the Contoocook river. How early they were built we have no means of determining. They were, without doubt, frail structures, as the records show that frequently they needed repairing.
In 1792 Captain Cummings and Samuel Cross were appointed to repair our part of said bridges, "supposed to be one-half." Captain Cummings was appointed the next year to assist the selectmen about repairing these bridges.
The location of what was called the "County bridge" not prov- ing satisfactory, in April, 1797, Deacon Duncan, Edmond Davis, and Oliver Lawrence were appointed to confer with Captain Cum- mings in regard to moving it. They reported that he would permit a road to be built on his land that would enable them to make the change for $15. It was voted that Hancock would pay one-half of the $15 if Greenfield would pay the other half. If Greenfield was not willing to do this, then Hancock graciously gave Greenfield per- mission to " do the way they think best."
In August, 1797, the selectmen were directed to "lay out a road through Captain Cummings' land from the County road near the old bridge to where the new bridge is to be built, and offer him what they think right for said road unless they can agree with him otherways."
At this meeting the town had voted to join with Greenfield to build the new bridge between the two towns, on the County road, at the turn of the river just below where the old bridge stood. Jonathan Sawyer, Oliver Lawrence, and Captain Brooks were en- trusted with this work, and were directed, at their discretion, to apply to the selectmen for money to perform it.
In October of this same year a committee was appointed to in- spect a bridge that Nicholas Lawrence was to build over the brook near his mill, on the County road. If in their opinion the bridge would answer a good purpose for the town and public, then the town was to pay Mr. Lawrence for building it.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
In June, 1798, the subject of the County bridge came up again. The town was to find iron, and Captain Cummings was to make from it, at his cost, iron bolts, to be used instead of wooden knees, to support our part of the bridge. It was also voted to give Captain Cummings $5, with which to purchase tar and caulking to be used in the construction of the bridge.
June 17, 1799. It was voted to rebuild the bridge near Mr. Jo- seph Putnam's. (See p. 126.)
Nicholas Lawrence had failed to build his bridge (or possibly it had been washed away), and the town voted to afford the County road some assistance towards rebuilding it.
Captain Cummings was, at this meeting, directed to finish the County bridge.
April 14, 1800. The town voted to build a bridge over the brook between Sampson Tuttle's and Jason Ware's. A committee was ap- pointed to join with Greenfield in repairing the bridge over the river near Moses Dennis'.
Sept. 9, 1801. Committees were appointed to repair the County bridge, the bridge near Mr. Putnam's, and the bridge near Jason Ware's.
In 1804 a committee was appointed to repair the bridge near John Dustin's, and Deacon Kimball was engaged to provide hemlock plank, three inches thick, to cover our part of the County bridge.
In June, 1807, the County bridge was to be rebuilt. The town of Greenfield was willing to join with Hancock in rebuilding it on its former site; to this Hancock was ready to assent. " Hancock turnpike," so called, was attracting the attention of the town. A committee chosen to investigate had reported in favor of the turn- pike, and a desire was manifested that it should be built, thereby relieving the town from the expense of keeping in repair the County road and the County bridge.
The turnpike was not built, and the two towns could not agree upon a site for the bridge; so they were obliged to apply to the Court's committee to settle the matter. The town met the 12th of October, to hear the report of the Court's committee, and to act thereon ; but for some reason, when met, the town refused to hear the report, and voted that it was ready to join with the town of Greenfield in building the bridge at Cummings' falls, so called, and the selectmen were instructed to notify the selectmen of Greenfield accordingly.
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ROADS AND BRIDGES.
At this meeting Moses Dennis and David Wood were chosen to repair the Dennis bridge.
In May, 1808, Moses Dennis, Capt. John Bradford, and David Wood were chosen to join with Greenfield in building the County bridge at the new spot fixed by the Court's committee at Cum- mings' falls, so called.
In November, 1808, the town voted to instruct the selectmen to "enter a complaint before the grand juror against the town of Green- field for not joining with this town in building the County Bridge." The trouble in regard to the locating of the bridge continued. In the spring of 1809 the selectmen were instructed to attend to the mat- ter and manage it as they might think best, in order to get the spot established at Cummings' falls and prevent the town from being fined. A year later it was decided that the selectmen be instructed to agree with the town of Greenfield respecting the building of the bridge, or, if that could not be done, to leave the matter in the hands of a disinterested committee.
This, as far as the records show, closed the long controversy in regard to the location and the building of this bridge. Of the bridges over the smaller streams in town we have but little infor- mation, as they were, most of them, built and repaired incidentally as a part of the regular work on the highway. We will add, how- ever, that the bridges over the Contoocook river, from the begin- ning, have been a constant source of anxiety to the town, and that, from an early period down to the present time, a special committee has been chosen at the annual meetings to take charge of each bridge.1
THOROUGHFARES, RAILROADS, TELEGRAPHS, AND POST- OFFICES.
The earliest thoroughfare in Hancock was what is now known as the old Stoddard road. The date of the building of this road does not appear in any record that has come to hand. As early as 1786 it is mentioned as a landmark in the transcripts of other roads. The probability is that it was never laid out, but was simply the track that the early settlers took. It will be remembered that the first settlement of the town was near Half-moon pond, and at an early date there was quite a settlement in the vicinity of Lake Nubanuset.
1 The present excellent truss bridge near Cavender's station was built about 1863, M. N. Spalding being Hancock's agent for their part. The covered "County Bridge," near A. Rockwell's, was built by Greenfield and Hancock, at an earlier date. Charles Gray was architect and contractor in building this.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
This road connects the two settlements. (See map.) Beginning at Peterboro' line, it continues past the places marked on the map - E. Washburn, John Hayward, E. Ware, R. Tuttle, E. G. Matthews, and other residences - to Antrim line. It became for a few years a great thoroughfare from northern New Hampshire and Vermont to Boston, and in the winter-time scores of ox-teams often passed over it in a single day.
Later, towards the close of the century, the County road, so called, took a large share of the through travel. The exact location of this road may not be traced on the map, there have been so many changes ; but it entered the town over the " County bridge," passed through the village and over Moose brook at the place marked XI, and so on to Antrim line, not far from the "Stoddard " road at that point. The " Forest road," so called, built later, and which can be easily traced on the map, must, through much of its course, have taken the place of the County road. " Hancock turnpike" never had an existence, except on paper.
For a term of years the Forest road was a great thoroughfare. After the building of the Cheshire railroad the business from the north was somewhat lessened, yet it continues to be a route of con- siderable importance.
RAILROADS. - Allusion has already been made to the Manchester & Keene railroad (see Annals of the Town). The first earth was moved on the line of this road in Hancock, on land of Lewis Sy- monds, in the spring of 1876.1 It was opened in 1879, but not used much till a year or two later. It has shared the experience of many enterprises of the kind, and at the present time is under the control of the Boston & Maine railroad company.
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