USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Newport > The history of Newport, New Hampshire, from 1766 to 1878 > Part 14
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Another movement was made in 1872, when a reform club was organized, and weekly meetings have since been held. It has had a marked success, and its influences upon the commu- nity have been salutary. A. V. Hitchcock, C. II. Little, E. A. Whipple, Philip Royce, and H. P. Leavitt are among its lead- ing members.
In 1873, a Catholic temperance society was organized. It was composed of Irish citizens, a large proportion of whom joined.
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TEMPERANCE.
A Woman's Christian Temperance Union was organized in May, 1877, designed for the promotion of temperance :- Mrs. Edward Wyman, president ; Mrs. A. V. Hitchcock, Mrs. Put- nam George, and Mrs. Jacob Reddington, vice-presidents ; Miss Mary D. Chellis, secretary ; Miss F. M. Hewlett, treasurer.
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CHAPTER XXIV.
CEMETERIES.
T IIE PINE STREET CEMETERY, the earliest one in town. is situated on the west side of Pine street, just north of the residence of George H. Fairbanks. A tract of land for this purpose was presented to the town by Benjamin Bragg, by a deed bearing date Dec. 31, 1771. It had been used as a bury- ing-place several years before the title was confirmed to the town. The first burial there was that of a child of Maj. Jesse Wilcox, the first child born in town. It was born Feb. 28, 176S, and died March 9 of the same year. Here are slabs, marble and slate, erected to the memory of Benjamin Giles, Ezra Parmelee, Christopher Newton, Samuel Church, the Wil- coxes, Hurds, and most of the early settlers.
The new PINE STREET CEMETERY, situated on the east side of Pine street, south of the Aiken residence, was purchased by the town, Aug. 29, IS14, and was used, by those needing new lots, for nearly ten years.
NORTHVILLE CEMETERY. At the annual meeting, March 10, 1795, it was "Voted that the town buy half an acre of land of Joel Wakefield for a burying-place. and fence it." The grounds were enlarged in 1876, by additions at the north and south. The beautiful pine trees which surround it were planted by public-spirited individuals residing in that part of the town. The tomb in that place was built by Jonathan Emerson in IS42. This is an important cemetery, is favorably situated, and has several fine enclosures. The old Baptist church, an important institution in its day, was located just south of the south line of this cemetery.
The MAPLE STREET CEMETERY, which is on the south side of Maple street and east of the Congregational church, was pur-
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CEMETERIES.
chased in 1824, and was enlarged in 1855, at the south, to nearly twice its original extent. It has been the principal one used since its purchase. Tradition says there was an animated con- troversy over the question whether the new cemetery should be located here, or on the plateau north of the present Baptist church. The tomb in this cemetery was built in 1842 by Sam- uel Bailey, of Sunapee. The Cheney monument and enclosure, the first in town, were erected in 1852, and since then the many other monuments and enclosures which adorn the different cem- eteries.
The need of more ample grounds, and a more favored loca- tion for the burial of the dead, and which should meet the wants of after generations, had long been felt ; and in accord- ance with this feeling, the town, at the annual meeting in 1873, appointed a committee, consisting of George W. Nourse, Dex- ter Richards, Edmund Wheeler, Nathaniel O. Page, and Isaac A. Reed, to see whether the old grounds could any of them be enlarged, and to select suitable grounds for a new cemetery. The grounds at Northville, at their suggestion, have been en- larged ; but the committee have thus far failed to agree upon a locality which combines all the desired requisites.
The regulations concerning the tolling of the bell, funeral ceremonies, and other matters relating to the burial of the dead, which have since been in practice, were adopted by the town at a meeting in 1841. They were prepared and submitted by Amasa Edes, Esq.
The old hearse, which was of home manufacture, and which had been in use many years, gave place, in 1876, to a new one, which is of more modern style, and cost $4SS.
The Catholic cemetery, on Summer street, was consecrated in August, 1877, by Bishop Healy. The land for this purpose had been purchased two years previous.
CHAPTER XXV.
MAINTENANCE OF THE POOR.
T HE town has always exhibited a thoughtfulness and liberal- ity towards those whose misfortunes made them depend- ent upon public charity for support. In common with other towns, in order to protect themselves, they sometimes resorted to the legal process of warning out of town those vagrants who had been sent here by other towns, or who, having had belonging elsewhere, voluntarily came here to obtain support, and had often omitted to tax them for the number of years in succession requisite to make them legal residents,-but to their own poor they were kind and generous. At first, the selectmen procured places for them ; afterwards, their maintenance was contracted for with the forms of a public auction, being assigned, usually, to the lowest bidder, except such as a partial allowance would enable to remain with their friends. This practice continued until 1840. At this time the number of persons needing assist- ance was so greatly augmented by the great depression of busi- ness occasioned by the revulsion of the times, that it was thought expedient to purchase a town farm. Accordingly, a committee, consisting of Silas Metcalf, Amos Little, and J. M. Wilmarth, was appointed to look out a farm. After examining all the farms for sale in town, they reported in favor of the one now occupied by Augustus Wylie, at Northville, then owned by Nathaniel Cotton, and on the 10th of March this farm, of 220 acres, was purchased for the sum of $3,000 ; but the farm, not originally very well adapted to the purpose, and lacking, also, in the proper management, soon fell into discredit, and was sold, in 1845, to David Wheeler, Jr., for $2,500. Another farm,- the A. G. Savory place, on Thatcher hill, containing some 160
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MAINTENANCE OF THE POOR.
acres,-was purchased. in 1860, for $2,000. Subsequently the county farm was established, and to it were removed most of our poor ; and the farm, no longer needed, was sold, in IS70, to Mr. George C. Dean, for the sum of $1,700.
One pecuniary advantage was thought to result to the town from owning a farm: it enabled the selectmen to get rid of those leeches who were preying upon the public, but who would rather earn their own bread than go to the poor-farm.
CHAPTER XXVI.
LAWYERS.
C ALEB ELLIS was the first lawyer in town. He was born in Walpole, Mass. ; graduated at Harvard college in 1793. When admitted to the bar he settled in this town, and here, in ISoo, received his first political honors. From this town he removed to Cornish, and from there shortly after to Claremont. He was a representative in congress from 1805 to 1809 ; was a member of the council ; and in I811 was elected to the state senate. In 1812 he was one of the electors of president and vice-president. In 1813 he was appointed judge of the supreme court of New Hampshire, and continued in that office until his death, which occurred May 9, 1816, at the age of forty-nine years.
HUBBARD NEWTON, born Jan. 1, 17So, was a son of Chris- topher and Mary (Giles) Newton, who came from Groton, Conn., in 1779. His early youth was devoted to farming. After a thorough preliminary training, he entered Dartmouth college, and graduated with honor in the class of 1804. He chose the legal profession, the study of which he pursued in the office of Samuel Bell, Esq., at Francestown. He was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in this town in 1806. He was at Amherst for five years, and subsequently, as law partner with his son, Wm. F. Newton, at Claremont, for two years, but spent most of his active life in his chosen occupation in his native town. He had a taste for agriculture, and was engaged for many years in farming. He was one of the originators and a trustee of the Newport academy, was superintending school committee, took a deep interest in ed- ucational matters, and was one of the earliest advocates of
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LAWYERS.
temperance on the basis of total abstinence, delivering many addresses in this and adjoining towns. He was moderator seven years, and a representative in IS14 and 1815. [See Literature, Press, and Genealogy.]
WEARE TAPPAN was born in East Kingston, N. II., March 3. 1790 ; fitted for college at Atkinson and Exeter academies ; graduated at Dartmouth college in ISHI; studied law with Judge Ellis, of Claremont ; came to this town and commenced the practice of his profession. He was a law partner with Hubbard Newton, Esq. He shortly, however, removed to Bradford, and opened an office, where he continued in the prac- tice of the law until his death, which occurred April 6, IS6S, at the age of seventy-eight years. He married Lucinda Atkins, of Claremont, by whom he had five children, a part of them born here,-Mason W., the oldest son [see sketch] ; Caroline L., wife of Daniel W. Carr; Elizabeth A., wife of Joseph K. Lund ; Helen MI., wife of Silas Wilkins, all residing at Brad- ford ; and Charles C., a United States mail agent, residing at Concord.
AMASA EDES was born in Antrim, N. H., March 21, 1792. The greater part of his minority was spent at Peterborough. Resided also at West Brook, Me., and at Keene. He gradu- ated from Dartmouth college in IS17; read law one year in the office of Wilson & Porter at Belfast, Me., and two years with James Wilson, senior, at Keene ; and was admitted to the bar in IS22. In December of that year he came to Newport, where he has since continued in the practice of his profession. He has naturally a legal mind. It is related of him, as a lawyer, that in his very early student life the more advanced students in the same office would submit to him cases laid down in the books for opinion, and that his decisions, from his intuitive sense of justice, were almost uniformly in ac- cordance with those given by the court. He was one of the pioneers in the cause of temperance, and has ever been its earnest advocate. He is also a warm friend of educa- tion, and was for several years principal of the New Ips- wich academy, and subsequently of the academy at Newport.
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HISTORY OF NEWPORT.
He was a trustee of the Newport academy, and often one of the superintending school committee of the town. He was a representative in 1834, and is now President of the Sullivan County Bar.
DAVID HALE descended from a brother of Sir Matthew Hale, and was born at Alstead, in this state, in 1783. He was the oldest of a large family, and being obliged to provide means for his own education, was compelled to depend upon that hereditary mental wealth which for generations seems to have been the portion of his kindred. He had not the advantages of a college education, but his inquiring mind as well as assidu- ous habits of thought enabled him to take a prominent posi- tion among our scholars. He studied law, and was admitted to the bar in ISII. He then opened an office in Newport, where he practised his profession until his death. He married Sarah Josepha Buell, oldest daughter of Gordon Buell, of New- port. He died in 1822, leaving five children, the oldest in his eighth year. To educate these children in some measure as their father would have done, was the motive which induced his widow to devote herself to literature. By the aid of the Masonic friends of her husband,-Mr. Hale having been a prominent Free Mason,-this object was successfully pursued. [See Genealogy.]
JOSIAH FORSAITH, son of Dea. William and Jane (Wilson) Forsaith, was of Scottish descent, and was born at Deering, N. H., Dec. 14, 1780, and died at Newport, March 30, 1846. He fitted for college, and was graduated at Dartmouth, in the class of 1807. He read law with Hon. George Baxter Upham and Hon. Caleb Ellis, both of Claremont. He was admitted to the bar, and practised his profession at Goffstown, in this state, and at Boston, Mass., from 1810 to 1822, at the end of which time he came to Newport, and here continued in practice until his decease. He took an interest in educational matters, gave private tuition, and was a superintending school committee. He was a representative in 1841. In connection with James Breck, Esq., he built the Eagle hotel, now Eagle block, which was a fashionable house, and in its day added greatly to the at- tractions of the village.
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LAWYERS.
RALPH METCALF was born at Charlestown, N. H., Nov. 21, 1798. He was son of John Metcalf, who came to that place, in 1792, without money, without friends, and without acquaintance, and purchased the farm on which his son, Hon. Horace Metcalf, now lives, and who married the only daughter of John and Keziah (Nichols) Converse, who originated in Rhode Island, and grandson of Samuel Metcalf, of Oakham, Mass., who was an officer in the Revolution, and died soon after the close of the war, leaving seven sons and five daughters, and who married a lady by the name of Montague, who was of a highly respectable Irish family.
Mr. Metcalf lived with his father, laboring on the farm, till August, ISIS, when, owing to a lameness, he decided to engage in some profession. He fitted for college at Chester academy, Vermont, under the charge of Joel Manning, Esq., and a Mr. Holton. In August, IS19, he entered Dartmouth college, and continued his studies till the fall of IS21, when, against the kind and sound advice of Professors Haddock and Chamber- lain, he accepted an invitation to become a professor at Norwich University. The next year, however, at commencement, he was readmitted to his class, and graduated with them in 1823. He then entered the office of Gov. Hubbard, at Charlestown, where he remained two years, with the exception of three months, which he spent in the office of Richard Bartlett, Esq., of Concord. In the summer of 1825 he went into the office of Hon. George B. Upham, of Claremont, where he remained till he was admitted to the bar in September, IS26. He then came to Newport, and began practice in the office formerly occupied by David Hale, Esq., then lately deceased, where he remained until 1828, when he went to Binghampton, N. Y., residing there till 1830, when he returned to New Hampshire and opened an office at Claremont. In June, 1831, he was elected secretary of state, and removed to Concord. While secretary, he was appointed, by Gov. Badger and council, to the office of attorney-general, which office he declined. He held the office of secretary till IS38-seven years. Soon.after this, Hon. Levi Woodbury, then secretary of the treasury, offered him a clerk- ship in his department at Washington, which he accepted, and held till IS40, when, not pleased with life at the capital, he
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HISTORY OF NEWPORT.
resigned and returned to New Hampshire. While at Washing- ton he was proffered the chair of an editor of one of the lead- ing journals, with a most lucrative salary attached, which he declined. Upon his return, he opened an office at Plymouth, but remained less than a year, when he returned to Newport, where he had begun his professional career. In October, 1845, he was appointed register of probate for the county of Sullivan. He was a representative in 1852 and 1853 ; was one of a com- mittee of three to codify the laws of New Hampshire in 1853 ; was trustee of the insane asylum in 1855 ; and governor of New Hampshire in 1855 and 1856.
Gov. Metcalf was a great lover of romance, and always read and re-read all the standard authors. He wielded a ready and humorous pen, and once won a valuable prize offered for the best original poem. Few are the men who are so fond of social life, or who have contributed so freely to its promotion. He died at Claremont, where he had removed, Aug. 26, 1858, aged 63 years.
In January, 1835, he married Lucretia Ann, daughter of Na- than Bingham, Esq., of Claremont. She died April 1, 1836, leaving an infant three weeks old, which died the August fol- lowing. November 10, 1843, he married Martha Ann, daugh- ter of Capt. John Gilmore, of this town.
Ralph, born Aug. S, 1844 ; graduated at Norwich Univer- sity ; is a broker in Nebraska.
Frances E., born Aug. 16, 1845 ; married, Jan. 22, 1867, Col. McDermid, of Chicago, Ill.
BENJAMIN B. FRENCH [see Literature, also Press] was a clerk of the court while he remained in town. He was a law- yer by profession, and practised to some extent while here. His time, however, was mainly absorbed in his editorial and clerical duties.
EDMUND BURKE. The subject of this sketch was born, in the town of Westminster, Vt., on the 23d day of January, 1809. His father was a farmer, not wealthy, but possessed of a com- petency quite sufficient for the support of himself and a numer- ous family. His circumstances, however, required that he should labor with constant industry,-the lot of most New Eng-
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LAWYERS.
land farmers,-and bring his family up to the same habits of active toil. The subject of this notice was not exempt from the salutary training and discipline in the habits of robust and health-giving labor, from which but few of the sons of the tillers of the soil are exempt. He labored with his father, from the time his age and strength would permit, until he was fifteen years of age, going to the common-school of the village in which he was born, in the summers in the tenderer years of his life, and during the winters when he had arrived at an age when his services were valuable and necessary upon the farm.
At the age of fifteen his father, unable to give him an academ- ical education, but desiring that he should have every advan- tage in his power, to give him a respectable position in society, proposed that he should make an effort to become a member of one of the learned professions, offering to give him his time, and promising to extend to him such aid as might be in his power, if he would accept the generous offer of his parent. He readily embraced the opportunity, and immediately began the study of Latin, with the view of pursuing the study of the law. He continued the study of that language with great in- dustry for six months, under the tutorship, first, of William F. Hall, Esq., formerly of Bellows Falls, Vt., and recently a clerk in one of the departments at Washington, and subsequently of the late Chief-Justice Henry A. Bellows of this state; and at the end of that time, being then in his sixteenth year, he en- tered as a student at law in the office of the Hon. William C. Bradley, of Westminster, then and for a long time one of the most eminent counsellors and jurists of the state. Mr. Bradley was also distinguished as a politician as well as lawyer, and possessed conversational powers of most remarkable eloquence and brilliancy. It is not strange that he should insinuate his opinions and principles (which were of the Democratic school of politics) into the mind of a susceptible and impressible young man. To this circumstance, and also to the hereditary princi- ples of his family, enforced by the precept and example of his father,-who was a devoted disciple of the Jeffersonian school, and was also a man of extensive reading, for one in his station in life, and possessed of a strong mind,-Mr. Burke undoubtedly owes the very decided political cast of his character.
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HISTORY OF NEWPORT.
Having followed his professional studies during a period of nearly five years, the term required of students who had not the advantage of graduation at a college, Mr. Burke was admitted to the bar of Windham county in that state. He was soon after admitted in Cheshire county, in this state, and in the spring following (April, 1830) he emigrated to Coos county. He first settled in the town of Colebrook, but subsequently removed to Whitefield, where he made a permanent location. Mr. Burke remained in Whitefield, in the practice of his profession, until the fall of 1833, when he removed to Claremont, in Sullivan county, in order to take the editorial charge of a newspaper in that town called the Argus.
It is proper here to remark, that Mr. Burke has been often heard to observe that he never spent three years of his life so profitably as those he spent in the town of Whitefield. He says he went into Coös county with the impression that the people were less informed than those who lived in regions longer settled, but he soon found his error. On the contrary, he says he has never met with a community of men generally more intelligent, more imbued with strong common-sense, more patriotic in sentiment, and more generous in their feelings. than he found in Coös county. Among these people he laid in a large store of practical knowledge of men and things.
But to resume the thread of our narrative : His connection with the Argus was Mr. Burke's first introduction to the edito- rial profession, and perhaps the foundation of his subsequent political career. Of course the Argus, under his control, was a political paper, Democratic in its politics, and of very decided character. After publishing the Argus in Claremont till the autumn of 1834; Mr. Burke was induced to remove, with his paper, to this town, where, with the exception of a residence of five years at Washington, D. C., he has ever since resided, and now resides. A short period after his removal, the Argus was united with the New Hampshire Spectator, then owned by the Hon. Simon Brown,-the new paper assuming the title of Argus and Spectator, and being also, under the editorial control of Mr. Burke. Our space will not permit us to comment particularly on Mr. Burke's career as an editor while in charge of the Argus and Spectator.
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LAWYERS.
It is sufficient to say, that, under his control, that journal advo- cated with great zeal the radical doctrines of the party to whose interests it was devoted, and, we believe, to the very general satisfaction of its patrons. It is due to Mr. Burke to say, that he started some doctrines in the columns of the Argus and Spectator, which were regarded by some of his own support- ers as rather novel and startling at the time, but which have since become cherished articles of faith in the Democratic creed.
So industriously and ably had Mr. Burke conducted his pa- per, that at the end of three years he had acquired a reputation as a political writer which induced the late ex-President Polk, and the late Felix M. Grundy, then United States senator from Tennessee, to offer Mr. Burke the editorship of the Union, the leading Democratic organ of that state, published at Nashville, at a high salary. Mr. Burke accepted the offer, and published his valedictory in the Argus and Spectator, preparatory to his migrating to Tennessee. But many of his patrons, hearing of his intention, proposed to him to remain ; and, as an induce- ment, they offered him the nomination for congress, then, by the usages of his party, due to Sullivan county. This high and unexpected compliment an aspiring and ambitious young man could not decline. He accordingly permitted his name to be used, and succeeded in obtaining the nomination. This was in the summer of IS3S. In the election of March, 1839, Mr. Burke, with his colleagues on the Democratic ticket, was elected a representative for New Hampshire in the twenty- sixth congress of the United States, being then but thirty years of age. He took his seat in that body at the commencement of the session of 1839-40, and was subsequently twice reelected,- making, in the whole, a congressional term of six years.
In referring to his congressional career, we think we do Mr. Burke no more than justice to say that it was creditable to him- self and honorable to the state. He was a true party man, and the few speeches made by him while he was a member were devoted to the support of the principles and measures of the Democratic party. They secured to their author great popu- larity with his party. His speech upon the independent treas- ury, and also his speech upon the tariff, are monuments of in- tellectual labor, of which any man might be proud. They bear
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HISTORY OF NEWPORT.
the marks of profound and critical research. But there was one speech delivered by Mr. Burke, while a member of con- gress, which commanded the applause of all his constituents, without distinction of party. We allude to his eloquent and beautiful defence of our state against the rude and unprovoked attack of a Mr. Arnold, a member from Tennessee. We have seldom read a retort so condensed, conclusive, and overwhelm- ing. This effort alone entitles Mr. Burke to the gratitude and praise of every true son of New Hampshire, and fully justified his claim to the high regards of the native-born citizens of the Granite state. While a member of congress, he was also an ac- tive, industrious, and efficient member of important commit- tees,-among others of the select committee appointed to in- vestigate the suffrage movement in Rhode Island, of which he was chairman, and in which capacity he prepared a long re- port, based upon the principles of Democracy and of the con- stitution. It was regarded by the leaders of the Suffrage party as the best political history of Rhode Island ever written. The Rhode Island report is a monument to the capacity of Mr. Burke for rapid and efficient work. In consequence of an un- expectedly early adjournment of congress, Mr. Burke had but thirty-six hours in which to write his report, and arrange the voluminous documents connected with it, for publication. The report embraces one hundred large congressional printed pages and two hundred and thirty-two documents, all making eleven hundred and fifty printed pages of matter. Mr. Burke com- menced this great labor on Saturday night, and on the next Monday morning the report was written, the documents all collated and numbered, and the report made to the House, pre- cisely as it was subsequently printed.
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