USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hillsborough > The history of Hillsborough, New Hampshire, 1735-1921, Volume 1 > Part 36
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Chandler E., son of Joseph and Ann (Drake) Potter, was born at East Concord, March 7, 1807, and he was educated in the common schools and at Pembroke Academy, graduating from Dartmouth College in the class of 1827. He taught high school at Concord and Portsmouth, while studying law. He practiced his profession at Concord, but in 1843 removed to Manchester, where he became editor of the "Manchester Democrat", and in 1852 and 1853 was editor of "The Family Monthly Visitor,"
AMERICAN HOUSE
AMERICAN HOUSE.
AMERICAN HOUSE.
KIMBALL & ROACH
RUMRILL BLOCK.
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LAWYERS, CONTINUED.
during which period he contributed for each number an historical article of great interest and which attracted wide attention. He was a writer of marked power and wide research, becoming noted for his Indian knowledge, contributing an article for School- craft's work upon the Indians. In 1856 he wrote and published a History of Manchester, which was a little storehouse of historical information relating not only to his adopted city but to the state. Upon completing that he wrote "The Military History of New Hampshire." which was published by the state.
For several years he was Judge of the Police Court, and acquired a reputation for the ability and impartiality in which he' discharged the duties of that office.
He became commander of the Amoskeag Veterans, which gave him his official standing, and added much to his reputation by the efficient manner in which he conducted himself in connec- tion with this body.
The Pierce brothers, Colonel Frank H. and Kirk D., nephews of President Pierce, enjoyed a lucrative practice at the Lower Village for several years, until the former received the appoint- ment of United States consul to Matanzas, Cuba, by President Cleveland. Kirk D. removed to an office in Post Office, where he is still located and enjoys a good patronage, the oldest lawyer now in town.
Judge Samuel W. Holman opened an office in Opera Block in 1878 and has remained here ever since, enjoying a lucrative practice. Upon the establishment of a probate court herein, he was made Judge, which office he is still holding.
The latest comer of the legal fraternity is Ralph G. Smith, who formed a partnership with Judge Holman under the firm name of Holman & Smith. Mr. Smith has rapidly acquired the confidence and respect of the public, so he ranks to-day among the leading lawyers of the county.
Among those who have spent a shorter period in town prac- ticing his profession was Jay Calwyn Browne, a young lawyer of great promise and eloquence as a public speaker. He had an office with Kirk D. Pierce at Bridge Village, while he had a branch office at Henniker. He removed to Lebanon, after two years here.
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
J. Willard Newman, son of James Newman, studied law under the direction of Brooks K. Webber, was admitted to the bar, and established an office in Chicago, where he was successful in his chosen profession.
It will be seen that Hillsborough's long list of attorneys is a very respectable one, which may account for the fact that the town has suffered very few lawsuits of any magnitude. This may be explained by the truth that her lawyers have been safe advisers, and usually counseled a client to avoid the expense of a lawsuit if it could be accomplished by an amicable settlement. And this is the highest ethics of law.
EDUCATORS.
Hillsborough's educational record is very creditable to the town and has reflected honor and the good name of the town far and wide. Few towns of its size can furnish a longer or more distinguished list of men and women who have sought higher advantages than could be secured at home.
COLLEGE GRADUATES.
Only brief mention will be made of those who are noticed elsewhere in this History, while others come in for a more ex- tended description. First on the roll of collegiates was Abraham Andrews, who graduated from Dartmouth College in 1811, and became an eminent teacher.
Col. Benjamin Kendrick Pierce, entered Dartmouth as a classmate of Abraham Andrews, but at the end of his third year he left college to take up the study of law, which he abandoned at the breaking out of the War of 1812, and won distinguished military honors.
Francis Danforth was the son of Jonathan Danforth, born February 28, 1793. He fitted for college at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass., and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1819, to begin his studies at the Theological Seminary, Andover, Mass., graduating in 1822. The following year he was ordained pastor of the first Congregational Church in Greenfield, July 1I, 1823, remaining here until 1831. After a pastorate here of eight years, he was installed at Hadley, Mass., December II, 1839, and was there in 184I.
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COLLEGE GRADUATES.
Amasa Symonds was born September 9, 1799, the son of Eliphalet Symonds, and prepared for college at North Andover, and Phillips Academy, South Andover, Mass. He entered Dart- mouth College in 1821. He had barely entered upon his second year, when he was obliged to come home on account of illness, to which he succumbed November 8, 1822, a young man of excellent promise.
Rev. Aaron Foster, born July 15, 1804, graduated at Dart- mouth College in 1822; entered Andover Theological Seminary in 1825 ; became a home missionary, and died at thirty-seven.
Lieutenant Amos B. Foster, born July 15, 1804, was educated at West-Point, from which he graduated in 1827. He joined the regular army, and while performing his duty at Fort Howard, Green Bay, he was shot by a private whom he had reprimanded for disorderly conduct. This tragedy is described elsewhere.
Hon. Franklin Pierce was the next collegiate, who graduated from Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Me., in 1824. Rev. Harry Brickett, in speaking of this says: "He obtained from the college not only a good liberal education and the president's name to his diploma, but something which he regarded of vastly greater value, the heart and hand of the president's youngest daughter, Miss Jane M. Appleton, who proved to be both the ornament and the honor of his home, whether in his unostentatious one at Hills- borough or in the more conspicuous one at the White House at Washington."
Rev. Henry Jones, son of Benjamin Jones, was born Sep- tember 29, 1804, prepared for college at Union Academy, Plain- field; graduated at Dartmouth in 1835; married Betsy, daughter of Eliphalet Symonds in April 1836, and became preceptor of an academy at Chattanooga, Tenn.
Williard Jones, a brother of Henry, was born July 17, 1809. He was fitted for college at Union Academy, Plainfield, grad- uated from Dartmouth in 1835. He acquired a Theological education at the Lanes Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio, and at the Theological Seminary, Andover, Mass. He was ordained as a missionary at North Weymouth, Mass., and on the same day was united in marriage to Miss Meriam Pratt, of that town. The
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH
Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Jones went to the missionary station in Oeroomiah, Persia.
Abraham Andrews, son of Solomon and Sarah Andrews, born December 14, 1786, prepared for college under the direction of his uncle, the Rev. Ephraim P. Bradford, graduated at Dart- mouth College in 1811, and was for many years an eminent in- structor at Charlestown and Boston, Mass.
John Appleton Burnham graduated at Amherst College in 1833, gave up a profession for the manufacturing business and became the Agent of Stark Mills, Manchester, which position he . filled with signal success for many years.
Jeremiah Stowe was the oldest son of Dea. Joel Stowe, an enterprising citizen of Hillsborough, born February 15, 1795. He followed the course taken by his fellow-students of his day, prepared for admission to college at Union Academy, Plainfield, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1822; and from Andover Theological Seminary in 1825. He was employed as a home missionary for several years, but finally settled in the ministry at Livonia, N. Y., where he was much loved and respected. He fell a victim to consumption November 15, 1832, in his 37th year. He married July 26, 1826, Miss Austress, daughter of David Stewart of Amherst, who survived him. -
Joel Buchanan Stowe, the son of Dea. Joel Stowe, was born June 30, 1813. He graduated from the Teacher's Seminary, An+ dover, Mass., to become an instructor at Plymouth, N. H. Eventually he went to a higher position in Cincinnattl, Ohio, where he became a noted teacher.
Clark Cooledge, son of Lemuel Cooledge, entered Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., but died in July, 1840, a promis- ing young man.
George Harvey Monroe, already mentioned among the phy- sicians, son of Col. Hiram Monroe, graduated at Dartmouth Col- lege in 1858, possessing rare scholarship and the promise of un- usual success, which was overthrown by an early death.
Alfred B. Dascomb, son of George and Mary Dascomb, graduated at Dartmouth College in 1858. He became a teacher, which profession he finally gave up to enter theology, to become a
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COLLEGE GRADUATES, CONTINUED.
Congregational minister, having pastorates in Vermont and Massachusetts, highly successful in his calling.
Gov. John B. Smith fitted for college at Francestown, Academy, intending to follow a collegiate course but chose instead to devote his mind and energies to industrial pursuits, with a success that warranted him in his choice.
Warren McClintock and his brothers Charles, James H., and John C., sons of Luke McClintock, afford a sad case of a family inheritance of that dread scourge consumption. The first named graduated from Dartmouth College in 1864, and entered at once upon the work of teaching as his life calling. Of great promise, he died in 1871, aged thirty-one. His brother Charles was fitted for college, but stopped there and enlisted to serve three years in the Civil War. Suffering with malaria at the time he was mustered out, he died on his way home and his body was given burial in a Southern field where he sleeps to-day in the land he helped to save. The younger brother mentioned thought to avert the fate that overhung his family, by choosing an open air life, only to fall a victim to the fatal disease in early manhood.
Abby Sawyer McClintock, a sister to the above brothers, graduated at Appleton Academy, New Ipswich, but she fell early by the wayside, as did three of her sisters.
Frank H. Pierce was a graduate at Princeton College, and was admitted to the bar at twenty-three.
Harry L. Brickett, son of Rev. Harry and Eliza C. Brickett, fitted for college and graduated at Oberlin College, Ohio, in 1875, and entered at once upon teaching and taught two years, 1875 and 1876, at Schroon Lake, N. Y. In 1876 he came to Hillsborough as principal of the Valley Academy and Union School at Bridge Village. He remained here three years when in 1879, he entered Andover Theological Seminary, to graduate in 1882. While in his senior year he was called to preach at Lynn- field Centre, Mass., where he remained several years. He is now settled at Southboro, Mass.
Ellen J., daughter of Rev. Harry and Eliza C. Brickett, graduated from the Ladies Literary Department of Oberlin Col- lege in 1875. That year she began to teach with her brother, Harry, at the Valley Academy and Union School at Bridge Vil-
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
lage, finishing here in 1879, when she taught at Deering Academy 1879-1880. Miss Brickett next taught in the grammar school at Hooksett. She resides in Manchester.
Julia E., second daughter of Rev. Harry and Eliza C. Brickett, graduated at East Lake George Academy, N. Y., in 1875, but died at Hillsborough the next year aged seventeen.
Mary I., youngest in the family, graduated at Abbott Aca- demy, Andover, Mass., in 1884.
Several in the Dutton family have won distinction as teachers and educators. Samuel T., son of Deacon and Mrs. Jeremiah Dutton was a graduate at Yale College, became a successful teacher ; was superintendent of schools in New Haven, Conn., and accomplished much in educational work.
Silas Dutton, brother of Samuel T., was a student at Yale College, standing high in scholarly accomplishments, but fell a victim to disease early in his career.
Jacob B. Whittemore, son of William B. Whittemore, fitted at Phillips Exeter Academy, and was for a time a student at Yale College.
Sarah Ellen Whittemore, sister of above, graduated at Brad- ford Academy, Bradford, Mass., to follow teaching for several years with marked success. She taught at Bradford, N. H., and at Hillsborough Bridge. She married James H. Brown, and their daughter, Eva, is an accomplished teacher in the Union school at Bridge Village.
Ellen Eliza Marcy graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1862; taught at Washington Heights, N. Y .; Irvington-on-the Hudson, N. Y .; and Jersey City Heights, where she was Principal of No. 14 Primary school for ten years, and until her death in 1879 at the age of 39 years. Miss Marcy was a proficient and faithful teacher, loved and respected by a wide circle of friends. She was a singer in the Dutch Reform church and Sunday school teacher.
Sarah Fuller (Bickford) Hafey, teacher and author, the only daughter of James D. and Elizabeth (Conn) Bickford, was doubly esteemed in her chosen professions. She was educated in the district schools and the academies of Washington and Fran- cestown, both of which institutions were regarded with great
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AUTHORS.
favor in their day, and while not aspiring, perhaps, to such lofty ideals as the high schools of to-day, nevertheless graduated pupils fully as well fitted for the practical duties of their lives as is bestowed by the modern diplomas. She taught in such institu- tions as Perkins Institution for the Blind and Laselle Seminary.
As a writer of prose and verse, she attained a wide recogni- tion as an author, contributing to many of the leading magazines and periodicals. She married Charles M. Hafey, a lawyer in New York city, but broken in health returned to her early home, where she passed away January 31, 1920. She sleeps as this is written in Maplewood churchyard, the silent city under the hill where rest so many of the town's departed sons and daughters.
Adah Buxton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Buxton, graduated at Tilton Seminary, in 1884. She became a successful teacher for several years and has since been librarian of the town library. She married Herman G. Brown.
Reuben W. Lovering, son of Reuben and Martha A. Lover- ing, was another young man with a most promising future, stand- ing foremost in scholarship and manly exercises at school, but succumbing to disease almost immediately upon his graduation at Harvard University in 1880.
AUTHORS.
Hillsborough has been noted for its industrial and military rather than its literary activity. Among those who have written for the press with success have been Mary Adelaide Farrar, daughter of Dr. Isaac Farrar. She contributed regularly to the contemporary papers, among them the Boston Traveler.
Archibald Robbins, was the author of a volume of 275 pages published in 1818, entitled "A Journal of an Account of the Slavery and Sufferings of the Author and the Rest of the Crew of the Brig Commerce upon the Desert of Zahara in the Years 1815-1817." This is a highly interesting work upon the customs of the Arabs and other peoples.
J. Stanley Grimes, counsellor at law and president of the Western Phrenological Society and Professor of Medical Juris- prudence in the Castleton, Mass., Medical College, wrote a treatise on Phreno-Philosophy and another on "Mesmerism and
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
Magic Eloquence," in 1849. This work was well received and he was popular as a lecturer on those and kindred subjects. These volumes of nearly 400 pages were reprinted in London.
Adeline Dutton Train Whitney, granddaughter of Silas and Nancy (Tobey) Dutton, contributed with marked success and became a well-known author of articles for the magazines and books of high literary merit. She died a few years since.
Among the authors of local repute is Mrs. Florence Kimball Favor, who has written many poems for the local papers and recently published a volume of poetical selections entitled, "Songs of the Field."
Emma Burnham Warne has contributed considerable to periodicals and magazines, and has written a work upon the Con- toocook River, entitled "The River of a Hundred Waterfalls," which is in the publisher's hands.
Mrs. Alice D. O. Greenwood, at the present time a resident of Hillsborough, though not a native, has written numerous poems of high merit for papers and magazines, and has had two volumes of poems published, "Husks and Nubbins," "Cawn Dodgahs," while she has a third volume that is to be published soon, entitled "Along the Byways."
As if one poet in the family was not sufficient Mr. Albert O. Greenwood, has written some very acceptable poems and ballads, which have the ring of Will Carleton in their rhyme and rhythm. He has written what is probably the best Life of Tecumseh that has been told.
Dana Smith Temple is another native of Hillsborough who has written considerable for the periodical press, mostly verse.
Mrs. Agnes Barden Dustin came to Hillsborough from Lebanon nine years ago, and has a beautiful home on Pleasant Heights. She has written for periodicals and magazine for a period of twenty years, among them being The Youth's Com- panion, American Boy, Woman's Home Companion, Farm and Fireside, Wellspring, the David Cook publications and nearly all of the Sunday School publications. Her writings carry very much of the outdoor spirit.
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FRATERNAL NOTES.
MUSICIANS.
Edward Robbins Johnson, born July 28, 1810, prepared for college at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass., and at Boscawen Academy. He entered Dartmouth College in 1830, but abandoned the course after two years to begin the study of law. This he also gave up and became an instructor of music, winning a high standing in this profession. He removed to Hartford, Conn.
Miss Josie Burtt, daughter of Kneeland Burtt, showed an early talent for music and became a noted cornetist.
Among the noted musical composers of the country Mrs. H. H. A. Beach (Amy Marcy Cheney), a resident of Hillsbor- ough, takes high rank. From earliest childhood Mrs. Beach displayed her unusual musical gifts, and at the age of sixteen made her first public appearance in Boston. Many honors have fallen to the share of this gifted woman, both abroad and at home, and she has cordially been recognized as a musical authority by eminent musicians and musical organizations. (For a more extended sketch see Vol. II.)
SECRET SOCIETIES.
While secret societies and fraternal orders have existed in one form or another in limited numbers from time immemorial, it has been only within comparatively recent years that they have flourished so abundantly that frequently a person belongs to so many he cannot remember their passwords so he could get into one of their meetings without help. Before the Revolution men and women were kept too busy building their homes in the wilderness and in caring for their large families to find time to have many "evenings out." It was enough that they were on friendly terms with their neighbors, and neighborly meetings came next to going to church with them.
Following the close of the Revolution a few of General Washington's officers, himself at the head, formed the Order of Cincinnati, and one of Hillsborough's Revolutionary veterans, Col. Benjamin Pierce, was an honored member, a Vice-President at the time of this death. No one could belong to this select society who was not an officer or the son of an officer in the struggle for Independence.
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
MASONS.
Finally a few of the leading citizens of the town decided to organize a body of the Masonic fraternity, and accordingly Har- mony Lodge, No. 38, Free and Accepted Masons was constituted by virtue of the following Dispensation :
By the authority vested in me as Grand Master of Masons in and throughout the State of New Hampshire .- Be it known that I, Joshua Darling, on application and recommendation of George Dascomb, David Fuller, John Burnam, and others, all Master Masons, for a new Lodge to be holden at Hillsborough, in this State, do hereby empower said Brethren and others to assemble at Hillsborough as a Lodge of Masons to perfect themselves in the several duties of Masonry, to make choice of officers, to make regulations and By-laws and to admit candidates in the first degree of Masonry, all according to the ancient customs of Masonry and to be called Harmony Lodge.
This warrant of Dispensation is to continue in full force for one year, unless sooner installed.
Given under my hand and the Seal of the Grand Lodge this 14th day of June, A. L. 5821.
Josuah Darling, Grand Master.
Thomas Beede, Grand Secy.
A true copy examined by
Reuben Hatch.
The first regular meeting of the Lodge was held July 16, A. L. 5821 (1821), with George Dascomb as W. M., David Fuller, S. W., and John Burnam, J. W., and they chose as officers at that meeting, Bros. Samuel Barnes, Treas., Reuben Hatch, Secy., Silas Marshall, Sr. Dea., Hugh Jameson, Jr. Dea., William Sargent and Daniel Priest, Stewards, Moses Woods, Tyler, John Lawton, Chaplain, Ezra Woods, Marshal, Thomas Wilson, Mason Hatch and Jacob Gibsen, Select Committee. This meeting was held at Brother Samuel Kimball's at the Lower Village. There is no record to show who were the Charter Members of the Lodge, or who were present at this meeting, except as their names appear as Officers or members of Committees, of which no less than fifteen were chosen mostly to make the necessary preparations and arrangements for Installment, and the 13th of the following September was fixed upon, as the time for that ceremony. The following is the list of the names of the Brethren whose names thus appear. George Dascomb, David Fuller, John
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THE MASONS.
Burnam, Samuel Barnes, Reuben Hatch, Silas Marshall, Hugh Jameson, William Sargent, Daniel Priest, Moses Woods, John Lawton, Ezra Woods, Thomas Wilson, Mason Hatch, Jacob Gibson, John Lewis, Samuel Kimball, Joseph Bickford, Alexan- der Parker, Stephen Rolf, Stephen Wyman, John Foster, John G. Flint, "Tim" Wyman, John Towns, Thomas Cheney, Timothy Kendall, Nathaniel Johnson, Abraham Andrews, and Joseph Minot. Benjamin Wilkin's name also appears upon the record of the first meeting, but as he is admitted to member December 3rd A. D., 1821, he could not have been a Charter Member and the names of Foster, Johnson and Minot are not appended to the first Code of Bylaws. All these Brethren except seven, Bros. Foster, Wyman, Johnson, Minot, Burnam, Gibson, and Kendall were members of Mount Vernon Lodge then located at Wash- ington, and received their degrees in whole or part in that Lodge. The oldest (masonically) was Brother John Towns who was initiated March 8th, 1803, and the youngest Bro. John G. Flint who was raised to the third degree April 16, 1821.
At this first meeting the application of John Sargent to be made a mason was received, they also voted to accept the report of the Committee on Bylaws to purchase jewels, badges, and the necessary "wood furniture."
A Fellow Craft's Lodge was opened for the first time, Octo- ber 8, A. L. 5821, and that degree conferred upon Alpheus Crosby, but it was not until November 5, 1821, that a "Master's Lodge was opened in Due and Ancient Form" and Brother Crosby was raised to Sublime Degree of Master Mason therein. Masonic custom, as practised in Harmony Lodge at that time, was that proposals for initiation, balloting for the same was done in an entered Apprentice Lodge. Proposals for Fellow Craft degree and the ballot upon the same in a Fellow Craft's Lodge and only proposals for the Masters degree and for membership, were made or acted upon in a Master's Lodge. The first Code of Bylaws contained the following section :
The regular fee for the three degrees was fifteen dollars, divided as follows :
Accompanying the application, $3.00; for conferring the Apprentices Degree, $9.00; for conferring the Fellow Craft's
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
Degree, $1.00; for conferring the Master's Degree, $2.00.
The year 1822 was one of prosperity, seven being initiated, seven passed to the degree of Fellow Craft, six raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason, and seven admitted to the Membership.
Brother Barnes died that year and was probably buried with Masonic honors as a Committee was chosen "to express the thanks of this Lodge to the wife of our late Brother Samuel Barnes for her particular attentions at the funeral of her late Husband."
Another meeting was now held and Major John Lewis was chosen Master at the annual meeting. The Bylaws were amended so that one blackball should not only exclude from the degrees and form membership, but the Brother casting it should not be questioned as to his reasons for so doing. They also changed the time of meeting from Monday on or preceding, to Wednesday, on or preceding, each full moon at 2 o'clock, p. m. Nothing further worthy of note occurred during this year, the average attendance was 231/2.
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