USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Newport > The history of Newport, New Hampshire, from 1766 to 1878 > Part 18
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The agricultural portion of the people have had social times peculiar to themselves, among which were huskings, in which the people came together of an evening and husked out a neighbor's corn, in which both sexes joined, after which they would indulge in a supper and a social chat. On these occasions the finder of a red ear of corn was entitled to a pawn. If the finder chanced to be a young lady, there was sometimes a controversy among the beaus in regard to who should cancel the obliga- tions. Raisings were also occasions on which all the neigh- bors came together for social enjoyment. Log-rolling, in which the neighboring men all joined in piling up the massive logs which covered our forests, for burning, was another occasion of social enjoyment in the earlier days. Quiltings-occasions when the women met in the afternoon and did the work, and the men came in the evening for a supper and a social time- were formerly much in vogue. Apple-parings, in which the neighbors came together and prepared apples for sauce or dry- ing for the winter, were still another.
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MAMMOTHI COD ASSOCIATION. Among the many institu- tions which have enjoyed their day of popularity in Newport, we may reckon the Mammoth Cod Association, established in 1854. As its principles commended themselves to the tastes of men of all parties, it had many friends and no enemies. The annual suppers were occasions of great interest. The ta- bles were loaded with every kind of fish, from the savery oy's- ter to the largest cod, served up in all the most approved styles. One dish was invariably there ;- in the middle of the table was a baked mammoth cod, and the largest the market could afford. After the cloth was removed, speeches were made, toasts were drank, and songs were sung. At different gatherings original poems were written by Matthew Harvey, Charles H. Bartlett, and George S. Barton. The occasions were always graced by the presence of the ladies. To Henry E. Baldwin, Esq., be- longs the honor of having originated this institution, so full of social enjoyment.
CHAPTER XXXI.
STORIES.
T' HE following story is related of an old resident of this town by the name of Hall. He was a champion story- teller, always brimful of fun and anecdote, and who, as is the case with too many men of large hearts and generous impulses, had a weakness for what in those days were called "flip" and "eggnog." One day this man, having some important business on hand, started on foot early in the morning for Claremont ; but when he had proceeded as far as the Richards tavern, then in the western part of this town, he met a crowd of jolly com- panions, who besought him, while warming his hands and tak- ing his flip, to tell them a story. As usual, when once in, he kept the crowd in one continual roar of laughter,-in return for which they kept his mug bountifully replenished. Before he was aware, the hours had passed unheeded by, and it was even- ing ; and he gave up his journey and returned home. The next day he renewed the attempt, but with no better success than before. He met the same crowd, fell into the same tempta- tion, spent the day, and returned home with his mission unful- filled.
On the third morning, after receiving some very decided ad- monitions from his better half, he crooked his elbow, and start- ed, with a most unflinching determination that on that day, at least, no allurements, however enticing, should divert him from the path of duty. On his way he encountered for the third time the same crowd, who, if possible, were still more urgent in their entreaties than before ; but this time, seeming not to hear them, he marched straight by, with his eyes steadi- ly fixed upon the path before him. But when some twenty rods past the house, and the crowd had despaired of inducing him
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to come in, he stopped suddenly, and, clapping his hands, ex- claimed, " Well done, old Resolution ! you have done nobly ! Now go back, and I'll treat you !" So saying, he marched back, took his mug of flip, and then went successfully and grandly on to the end of his journey.
SCRIBNER'S DOCK. In the earlier days, a deep, sluggish stream crossed the road in the village between the river and the corner south, over which was a bridge. One day a man by the name of Scribner, disobeying the command, " Tarry not at the wine-cup," got on too liberal a horn of those choice liquors then so common at all the stores and taverns, and while at- tempting to pass this bridge lost his balance, and. tumbling backwards head-foremost into the stream, stuck in the soft, muddy bottom. He was rescued, but was so wet, so disguised with liquor, and so covered with black mud from head to foot, that he presented a most ludicrous appearance. Ever after, un- til the stream was turned away and its channel filled up, the place was known as Scribner's Dock.
Among the eccentric geniuses who have from time to time resided in town, was a man by the name of Kempton,-Jo, as he was familiarly called,-who delighted in saying and doing half-serious waggish things. He was once employed by Dea. Asa Hurd, a man of piety, and whose prayers indicated him to be a firm believer in the rigid theology of his day. One day, while at work together, Jo said to him, " Deacon, I don't like your prayers." When asked for his reasons, he said, "You don't talk right about the people. You run 'em down too much. You call 'em depraved, corrupt, and wicked, and make 'em out awful bad. You ought not to do so. You ought to speak well on 'em, and praise 'em, and call 'em a pretty good sort of people, rather more than middling. The Lord will be a good deal more apt to take'em."
One of the early settlers, who lived at the junction of the Goshen and Break-neck Hill roads,-a stout, rough man, who did not naturally appreciate the obligations and courtesies which should exist between husband and wife, and upon which so much of the mutual happiness of each depends .- became so overbearing and cruel that the neighbors felt that something must be done. They resorted to this expedient : they all agreed
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to treat him to a ride on a rail. One of their number, befriend- ing him, told him what they were going to do, and the reasons why. When the hour approached, he fled to the woods, and took refuge upon the top of a flat rock upon the mountain east of his dwelling. He had not been there long when a large black bear, as if commissioned by Providence to assist them in the good work, raised himself on his hind legs, placed his huge fore paws upon the rock near him and gave a fierce growl, which so frightened the poor sinner that he rushed screaming towards his house, where, after recovering his breath, he begged pardon of all his neighbors, and was ever after a kinder and better husband.
Similar expedients, since his day, have produced like happy results.
RODNEY RUSSELL was an eccentric genius, and when he had imbibed too freely was not always over-scrupulous in regard to his conduct. As was his habit for six or eight months in the year, he would hire himself out to our farmers, and was the most faithful and obliging of help; at the end of which he would take his money and go to the village, and give himself up to a good time, during which he was up to all manner of pranks. One of his favorite games was to mislead people. As a specimen : One day, while at Claremont, he heard a man inquiring for black sheep. Russell told him there was a lady at Northville, in this town, who had three or four, which she would be glad to sell. The man was very much pleased, and the next day harnessed up, and, taking a hand with him, trav- elled some ten miles for his sheep, but on his arrival was very much chagrined to learn that the lady was never the owner of a sheep. A few months after, Mr. R. received word from Claremont that his mother, who resided there, was dead, and the funeral was to be the next day at ten o'clock. Taking it in good faith, he procured a team, dressed himself in his best, and, putting a weed on his hat, went to the east part of the town to get his sister ; and they wended their way, with sor- rowing hearts, to the funeral. When they arrived, to their sur- prise, they found their mother sitting at the window, knitting, entirely innocent of any knowledge of her death or funeral. After dinner he returned home, feeling that the amount he had
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invested in black sheep had been returned to him, principal and interest.
At one time, hearing a boy inquiring for a pack of cards, he referred him to a store kept by one of our most exemplary Bap- tist deacons, telling him he was odd, and might say he did not keep them, but to persevere, and he would get the cards. The deacon, with his store full of customers, including the clergy- man and several members of his church, was greatly annoyed by the persistent young man, who affirmed that he knew he kept them. He was obliged to tell him he must stop, or leave the store.
At another time he hired a young man from Vermont to teach school at Kelleyville. He told him he was to board with Col. Perry, and to take the wood for the school-house from his shed ; and also told him the colonel was an odd stick, and might order him off, but he must go right along, and not mind him. He went there, as directed, unloaded his baggage, and took the wood and started the fire. After breakfast, he went up and staid until noon, with no appearance of scholars. After dinner, he began to listen to what was said to him, concluded he had been humbugged, offered to pay his bills, and departed for home.
A stranger passing through town called at the store of James Breck to inquire the way. Samuel Noyes, a waggish man who was in the crowd, gave him the direction, asking at the same time if the stranger had heard the news,-to which he replied in the negative, asking what it might be. Mr. Noyes replied, " The devil is dead." To which the stranger, in apparent as- tonishment, exclaimed, " Ah ! oh!" Then deliberately tak- ing out his purse, he handed Mr. Noyes a shilling piece, quiet- ly remarking, as he rode away, "I always pitied poor fa therless children."
A miserly man, who was denying himself all the luxuries and many of the comforts of life, and even oppressing the poor that he might hoard up his gains, was once boasting, in the presence of a crowd, of his accumulations. After a panse in his boasting, Dea. Jonathan Cutting, who happened to be present, quietly remarked, " Friend, I think you are foolish to hoard up so. You ought to be good to the poor, and enjoy a part of it
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as you go along. You can't carry it with you into the other world, and if you could I am afraid it would melt."
We record the following for the sake of the moral : A clergy- man, eminent for his usual good judgment, was about to meddle with a quarrel in his choir. A lawyer friend of his admonished him of the dangers in his pathway, to which the clergyman re- plied, "Let me interfere to make peace, won't you?" The lawyer replied, "Let me relate a fable : An honest sheep, distressed at the bloody noses of two rams who were having a fierce encounter, sought to make peace by placing her head between the belligerents. The poor creature found by the act, not reconciliation between them, but her own brains crushed out." The clergyman's interference resulted in a speedy resig- nation of his pastorate. Moral : Meddle not with other people's quarrels.
The following was often repeated of one of the jolly old fel- lows who used to resort to the "old brick store," where the evening would be spent in drinking flip, smoking, and telling stories. The merchant had been boasting of the fine quality of his powder. He said to the large crowd which surrounded him, " I can vouch for that, gentlemen, for I was sitting here one evening with others, when one of the company, in lighting his pipe, accidentally dropped a live coal into an open keg. I saw it drop, and catched a pail, and put for the river at my biggest gait ; but if you'll believe it, when I got back, that pow- der was more'n half burned up!"
While Joseph Hutchinson, a lad, son of Rev. Elisha Hutch- inson, was lying on his death-bed, feeling that his earthly pil- grimage was nearly at an end, he desired a last season of pray- er and communion with his fellow-Christians. Many doubts were felt whether it would be prudent in his very low condi- tion. But his solicitations were so urgent that a meeting was at length appointed. At an early hour the room was filled with sympathizing friends. All were subdued in the presence of the dying boy. A deep, indescribable solemnity pervaded all hearts, was visible on every face, in every remark, and was manifest in every prayer. The Holy Spirit seemed indeed present, giving unction to all that was done and said. Near the close of the meeting, so full of deep interest and tender feel-
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ing, there was a pause. All hearts seemed flooded with emo- tion too deep for utterance. During this interval young Hutch- inson, recovering his strength and rising from his couch, with a countenance pale as in death, with only a sheet wrapped about him, stepped forward to the door. Extending both hands, and gazing upward, the vail seemed to be drawn aside, and he stood looking upon the glories of the other world. Turn- ing from these scenes with a countenance radiant with inspira- tion, he addressed his companions with an eloquence and a pathos which, heightened by his ghost-like form and snowy apparel, made him seem like a celestial visitant, and produced an effect upon the company which could be felt, but which no tongue or pen can describe. All eyes were bathed in tears, all hearts were melted. At the close, turning upward his wild, lustrous eyes, he exclaimed, "Loved ones, farewell ! The angels are waiting. Meet me in heaven." Then falling back into his father's arms, he was carried to his bed, whence, lin- gering yet a little while, he was called home. The spirit of that meeting soon spread throughout the town, and was followed by one of the most precious revival seasons Newport has ever witnessed, during which hundreds were added to the church, including all those who were present at the meeting.
CHAPTER XXXII.
CASUALTIES.
TN 1771, a daughter of Samuel Hurd, aged 10 years, was killed by the falling of a tree near the old South church. The tree had been girdled, instead of felled, as was much the practice with the earliest settlers.
June 26, 1793, Charles Seamans, aged 19 years, a son of the Rev. Job Seamans, of New London, fell from the plate while assisting at the raising of the old meeting-house, which stood at the foot of Claremont hill, and was so badly injured that he survived but a few hours.
July 10, 1799, Enoch Whittier, a lad of 10 years, was drowned in the Goshen Branch of Sugar river, east of the residence of the late T. J. Eastman.
A son of Ebenezer Merritt, one of the first settlers, fell from his cart, at Northville, and broke his neck.
Asa Kelsey, son of Ensign Kelsey, was killed by falling from the frame at the raising of the house at the P. Whitcomb place.
Mary Corbin, a daughter of Dr. James Corbin, had her skull broken by the kick of a horse. By a successful trepanning, she recovered, and lived to an advanced age.
May 7, 1801, a daughter of Jesse Lane, one of the earliest set- tlers, while crossing a foot-bridge on her father's farm, at the A. Pease place, fell into the river and was drowned.
Dr. Prentice, of Springfield, a surgeon in the 31st Regiment, while returning home from a muster at the village, was thrown from his horse near the Daniel Wilmarth house, and so in- jured that he died in a few hours.
In IS01, Edward Stevens and family, of this town, were lost at sea, while on their passage between Savannah and New York.
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A log rolled over Jonathan Haven with such weight as to cause the blood to flow from his mouth, nose, and ears. It was thought the injury must prove fatal, but he soon recov- ered.
Charles J. Colby descended into the well at the house next north of the new town hall, for the purpose of cleaning it out. While there, the wall caved suddenly in, and buried him. The stones, however, caught and wedged in before reaching quite to the bottom, and left him in the space below. With great effort, continuing several hours, he was rescued alive, but survived only a short time. He said that while there he could hear distinctly all the conversation of those above ; that his heart sunk within him when they thought of giving up his release alive as a hopeless job, and leaped with joy as they resumed their labors.
George, son of Azotes Chamberlin, was instantly killed, while passing on the highway where men were blasting rocks, by a piece of the falling rock.
In 1825, Wealthy Jane, a little daughter of Capt. John Russ, aged 4 years, came to her death by a bean lodging in her wind- pipe.
July 15, 1826, Jonathan, son of David Cutting, aged 7 years, while fishing in the pond near the Newport mill, fell in and was drowned.
March 9, 1832, three little lads, two of them sons of William Mitchell, the tanner, and one the son of Nathan Taylor, while at play with their sleds, accidentally slid into the canal. near the Scribner mill, and were all drowned.
John W., son of Samuel F. Chellis, while at work in the bobbin-shop at the Diamond mill, was caught in the machinery and carried several times around by the shafting. His clothes were torn from his body, and he was badly but not fatally in- jured.
Owen, a son of Stephen Hurd, who lived on the S. Howe place, in the south-west part of the town, came to his death in this wise : On the 9th of March, IS29, he and his father had been out with the neighbors breaking roads, and were return- ing with a load of wood. While the father was busy behind, talking with the neighbors, the boy ran forward and jumped
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HISTORY OF NEWPORT.
upon the sled, and, unnoticed by the father, accidentally slid off in front. and the sled ran upon him. The team soon stopped, and, upon search, the missing boy was found doubled up under the sled, and crushed to death in the most horrible manner.
Asa Kelsey, of Croydon, was killed in this town, in 1834, by the fall of a timber while at a raising.
Joel, son of Samuel Wright, while washing sheep at Kelley- ville, ventured too far from the shore, and, being unable to swim, was drowned.
Ora B., son of Ichabod Morse, was killed by the kick of a horse.
Dec. 2, 1850, Stephen Parker, Esq., aged 60 years, fell from a staging, near the Granite mill, upon the frozen ground, with such force as to fracture the skull, a portion of the brain pro- truding. He survived but a short time.
On the 4th of July, 1851, Sylvester, son of Maj. David Harris, in the employ of the Western Railroad, lost his life while stand- ing upon the cars, decorating them with flags. His head came in contact with a bridge, killing him instantly.
July 5, 1852, Chester Averill, while in the act of mounting his loaded stage, at Bradford, fell directly before the coach, and the wheels passed over his body. His injuries were thought to be fatal. Subsequently, in 1876, while at East Lebanon, fish- ing, he slipped from a log and broke his hip, and died a few days afterwards.
Abel Howe was thrown from his wagon and fatally injured at Randall's mill in 1855. The horse became frightened, and ran over a log in the yard, and threw him out.
In May, 1853, David B., son of David S. Newell, while on his way home from Georgia, was on board the train at the time of the terrible railroad disaster at Norwalk, Conn., and was one of the victims of that horrid catastrophe, being killed instantly, aged 22 years.
May 16, 1855, George E. Wilcox, son of Dea. Joseph, fell from the foretop of the ship Mary Robinson, near Liverpool, a distance of some fifty feet, into the sea, and was drowned. The accident occurred by the breaking of a rope upon which he was standing to make repairs.
In November, 1857, a child of Henry Davis, aged 5 years,
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while in the field with his father, stepped into a pool of water and was drowned.
In April, 185S, a son of Chester Walker, aged 5 years, tipped a grindstone over upon himself, which caused his death.
In IS60, while George Cutting was loading his threshing- machine, one of the skids gave way, letting the whole weight of the machine upon him, crushing him. He survived but a short time.
In July, 1861, a son of Dexter Richards, aged 9 months, was scalded to death by pulling a pot of hot tea upon himself.
In 1871, Sylvester Warren, while grinding at Sibley's seythe shop, was instantly killed by the bursting of a grindstone. He was thrown back several feet, and remained in a sitting posi- tion.
In 1854, a grindstone belonging to B. F. Haven, Esq., weigh- ing about one thousand pounds, burst, with a noise like a can- non, injuring a Mr. Baker, but not seriously.
In September, IS65, the stage filled with passengers. while returning from Bradford, was upset, throwing them all into a deep ditch. Some of the passengers were seriously, but none fatally, injured.
In November, IS63, while engaged in digging a ditch for an aqueduct across the land of Nathan Mudget, for the purpose of supplying the F. W. Lewis house with water, Daniel Muzzy and Benjamin Dunham were buried alive by the caving of the quicksand of the high bank through which they were shovel- ling. One was covered to a depth of six feet, and the other still deeper. It was half an hour before the one was dug out, and the other was under ground for nearly an hour. They were both taken out alive, neither of them receiving any permanent injury. Three days after, " Billy" Hoben, an Irishman, after boasting somewhat roundly of his courage and ability to finish the job, was caught in the same trap, and buried still deeper. When his body was so far released as to admit of respiration, before the sand was out of his eyes, he sent up a fearful vell for "Whis-key-whis-key!" It was brought him ; and between two neighbors he soon marched off in triumph.
June 1, 1863, Lavina Fitch, while riding in a boat on Lily pond, with a party, fell overboard and was drowned.
16
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HISTORY OF NEWPORT.
Saville M., son of Lewis Pillsbury, while jumping from a sled, was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun. The contents lodged in his head, entering at his left eye. He sur- vived but a short time.
The doctrine that calamities always come in pairs is well illustrated in the circumstance that a few years since two young men by the name of Carr,-Isaac and Benjamin F.,-the one living on East mountain, and the other on Wilmarth mountain, nearly at the same time lost each an eye by the hook of an ox.
Carroll W. Peabody was killed in 1864, while felling a tree at the old homestead in the west part of the town.
Albert H. Sprague, Jan. 5, 1866, while returning home from the village, on foot, the night being cold and blustering, got off the road on the hill north of the school-house at Kelleyville, and was found the next morning frozen to death. His age was 56 years.
The wife of Milon Booth, while standing with her back to the stove, at her new home in California, had her clothing take fire, resulting in a most skocking and painful death.
In 1866. Capt. Zina Goldthwaite fell from his hay-loft upon the barn floor, where he was found in an insensible condition, with one hip broken, and otherwise badly injured.
In August, 1869, Miss Parmelia Bowers, a sister of S. L. Bowers, Esq., was thrown from a carriage and badly injured. While the horse was under full headway, one rein gave way, the team turned suddenly around, and upset the carriage.
Henry M., son of Joseph Chase, while at work in a mill at Manchester, was caught in a belt and thrown around the shaft- ing, by which accident he lost his right arm.
June 3, 1869, Millard Osmer, a young man at work in the Granite mills, retired to his bed with a night-lamp and book. About twenty minutes after being left alone, with his lamp upon his breast, reading, a smoke was discovered about the house, and a noise was heard in his room. Upon entering it, a most horrid spectacle was presented. The remains of the young man were found lying upon the floor, burned in the most shocking manner. He was subject to fits, and it was supposed that he had fallen into one when his bed took fire.
In February, 1871, John Burke, an Irishman, a teamster in
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the employ of S. H. Edes, Esq., was thrown from his wagon, near the summit at Newbury, and was so seriously injured that death soon after resulted.
April 22, 1872, David Wilmarth, aged 72 years, was precip- itated upon the floor of his barn from the scaffolding by the sliding of a ladder upon which he was descending. He was so severely injured that he died in a few days.
Willis Partridge, a native of Croydon, while at work in the Coffin & Nourse factory, was caught in a belt and severely in- jured.
October 4, 1872, Horace Sprague, while attempting to cross the railroad in the west part of the town, with a team, was struck by a passing engine and badly injured. One of his horses was killed.
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