USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Warner > The history of Warner, New Hampshire, for one hundred and forty- four years, from 1735 to 1879 > Part 17
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311
MASONIC.
To show the standing of this lodge while it had an existence, the following extract from the report of a " visiting brother," is presented.
1842. I went to Warner in December last, where I found a good number of brethren assembled. Warner Lodge is not, per- haps, second to any lodge in point of respectability, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge.
Samuel Jones,
D. D. G. M.
Formation of Harris Lodge, No. 91, F. and A. M., Warner, New Hampshire.
A petition, signed by Gilman C. George, Alonzo C. Carroll, Wesley R. Leversee, Wm. W. Davis, Samuel Davis, James G. Ela, John R. Cogswell, Garland Calef, Hiram Buswell, Augustus R. Putnam, C. G. McAlpine, Philip C. Wheeler, Frank W. Graves, John E. Robert- son, Lemuel Willis, Stephen W. Davis, Zebulon Davis, Rufus Rand, Philip C. Bean, and N. G. Ordway, was presented to the M. W. Grand Lodge of New Hamp- shire, at its Annual Communication in May, 1875, praying for a charter for a lodge at Warner, to be named Harris Lodge, which petition was granted.
September 30th, 1875, the lodge was constituted, consecrated, and its officers installed by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of New Hampshire, at the town hall. The ceremonies were performed by R. W. Bro. Solon A. Carter, M. W. Grand Master.
The ladies who furnished the collation, and others, about one hundred in number, were present by special invitation.
312
HISTORY OF WARNER.
The following are the names of those installed as officers of Harris Lodge :
Gilman C. George, Master. Wesley R. Leversee, Senior Warden. Philip C. Wheeler, Junior Warden. Alonzo C. Carroll, Treasurer. James G. Ela, Secretary. Augustus R. Pitman, Senior Deacon. John R. Cogswell, Junior Warden. Rev. Lemuel Willis, Chaplain. Frank W. Graves, Marshal. Samuel Davis, Senior Steward. Stephen W. Davis, Junior Steward. Wm. W. Davis, Tyler.
September, 1876.
Elected. Appointed.
Gilman C. George, W. M.
Fred. Bean, S. D.
Benjamin F. Heath, S. W.
J. R. Cogswell, J. D.
Samuel Davis, J. W.
S. W. Davis, S. S.
Alonzo C. Carroll, T.
Henry C. Davis, J. S.
James G. Ela, S.
Philip C. Wheeler, Rep. to
Grand Lodge.
Philip M. Wheeler, Tyler. Lemuel Willis, Chaplain. A. R. Putnam, Marshal.
October, 1877.
Elected.
G. C. George, W. M.
Philip C. Wheeler, S. W.
J. R. Cogswell, J. W.
A. C. Carroll, T. James G. Ela, S.
B. F. Heath, Rep. to G. L.
Appointed. Fred. Bean, S. D.
Charles C. Cole, J. D.
Henry C. Davis, S. S.
Philip F. Clough, J. S.
Samuel Davis, Marshal,
Lemuel Willis, Chaplain .. Warren C. Johnson, Tyler.
October, 1878.
Elected. G. C. George, W. M.
A. R. Putnam, S. W.
Appointed. C. C. Cole, S. D. Wm. W. Burbank, J. D.
313
GILMAN C. GEORGE.
W. Scott Davis, J. W. A. C. Carroll, T.
James G. Ela, S.
J. R. Cogswell, Rep. to G. L.
Edgar W. Stevens, S. S.
Moses H. Roby, J. S.
Philip F. Clough, Chaplain.
Samuel Davis, Marshal. Fred. W. Davis, Tyler.
GILMAN C. GEORGE. William George, an English- man, settled at Lynn in 1637. James George is found in Haverhill, Mass., as early as 1653, Richard in Bos- ton in 1655, and John in Charlestown in 1657. It is probable that one of these was the ancestor of Gilman C. George, who was a son of James and Hannah (Church) George, and a grandson of Dea. Austin George. Born in Dunbarton, Oct. 10, 1820, Gilman C. enjoyed the advantages of a good common-school, and subsequently of an academic course of study at Hopkinton and Franklin. He taught school several winters. The family removed to Warner in March, 1840, and settled on the farm now owned and occu- pied by Ira P. Whittier.
January 23, 1844, Mr. George married Nancy, daughter of Elliot C. and Judith (Sawyer) Badger. H. Maria, Adelaide B., Ambrose (who died in infancy), Frank G., and Nellie F. are the children who have been born to this couple. In 1859 (after the death of his parents) Mr. George sold his farm and removed to Warner Village. Here he carried on the stove and tin ware business till January, 1870, when he was elected cashier of the Kearsarge National Bank. In 1874 he was elected treasurer of the Kearsarge Sav- ings Bank, which two positions he still holds.
314
HISTORY OF WARNER.
He was a captain in the state militia in 1843 and 1844, and was town-clerk in 1868, '69, '70, and '71. He is a justice of the peace and a notary public ; also, an active member of Warner Grange, and of the Or- der of Sons of Temperance. He has been Worship- ful Master of Harris Lodge, No. 91, continuously since its organization in 1875.
DIVORCE OF CHURCH AND STATE.
The year 1819 was an epoch in the religious his- tory of New Hampshire. The Toleration Act, so called, was passed by the legislature of that year, and approved July 1, 1819. The vital part of that act here follows :
Provided, that no person shall be compelled to join or support, or be classed with, or associated to any congregation, church, or religious society, without his express consent first had and ob- tained ;
Provided, also, if any person shall choose to separate himself from such society or association to which he may belong, and shall leave a written notice thereof with the clerk of such society . or association, he shall thereupon be no longer liable for any fu- ture expenses which may be incurred by said society or associa- tion.
The public mind had long been getting restive un- der the compulsory support of the ministry, and this act was simply the outgrowth of a strong, predom- inating sentiment. It put an end to all town action relative to the support of the church, and to all irk- some taxation levied on an unwilling people, but it
315
HERESIE.
did not diminish the amount contributed for the maintenance of public worship.
To show something of the growth of religious tol- erance, a few sections are here introduced from a stat- ute on heresy, passed at an early day in Massachu- setts.
HERESIE.
Although no Human Power is Lord over the faith and con- sciences of men, yet to avoid damnable Heresies, tending to the subverting the Christian Faith spreading among the Inhabitants of this Jurisdiction, 'tis enacted that if any person within this Jurisdiction shall broach and maintain any Damnable Heresies, as denying the Immortality of the Soul, or the Resurrection of the Body, or any sin to be repented of in the regenerate, or any evil to be done by the outward man to be accounted sin, or shall deny that Christ gave himself a ransom for our sins, or shall af- firm that we are not justified by his Death and Righteousness, but by our own Merit; or shall deny the morality of the 4th Commandment, or shall openly condemn or oppose the Baptizing of Infants, or shall purposely depart the Congregation at the ad- ministration of the Ordinance of Baptism, or shall deny the Ordi- nance of Magistracy, or their lawful authority to make War and Peace, and to punish the outward Breaches of the first Table, or shall endeavor to seduce others to any of those opinions, every such person lawfully convicted shall be Banished this Jurisdic- tion.
If an offender after said Conviction, or Recantation shall com- mit the same offence a second time, he shall be Banished or put to Death as the Court shall direct.
Blasphemous Books of John Veers or Lodowick Muggleton to be delivered to the next Magistrate on penalty of ten pounds for every Book found, half to the County and half to the Informer.
All the Books found in any person's custody to be burnt by the Hangman the next Lecture day.
No Master of any Vessel may bring any Quaker or other Blas- phemous Heretick into this County on penalty of one hundred
21
316
HISTORY OF WARNER.
pounds to be paid to the Treasurer, and give security to carry the persons back again, and to lie in Prison till the Fine be paid and Security given.
Persons concealing such Quaker or Blasphemous Heretick, knowing them to be such, on Conviction shall pay 40s an hour for such concealment, and shall lie in Prison till the Fine be paid.
Quakers, not Inhabitants, may be apprehended by any Consta- ble or Select-man, and conveyed from Constable to Constable till they are brought before a Magistrate, who shall commit them to Prison without Bail till the next Court of Assistants, when they shall be tryed by a special jury, and being convicted shall be Ban- ished, not to return on pain of Death.
Wandering, Vagabond Quakers, having no dwelling nor appar- ent business but to seduce others to their opinion, shall be whipt at the Cart's Tail through the Town where they are apprehended, and then be conveyed from Constable to Constable till they are carried through the last town in the Jurisdiction.
The Constables shall disburse the Charges in apprehending, whipping and passing of Quakers, to be repaid by the Treasurer out of the next County rates, and Constables may impress Carts, Horses, Oxen, or Men for, the execution of this Law.
It is a pleasure to state that these laws, and such as these, were never enacted on New Hampshire soil ; but New Hampshire belonged to the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, and it is humiliation enough to know that her soil has been disgraced by the execution of such laws upon it.
QUAKER WOMEN WHIPPED. .
In December, 1662, three Quaker women were publicly whipped in New Hampshire. In the depth of winter, the constables were ordered to strip them and tie them to a cart; then to drive the cart and
317
QUAKER WOMEN WHIPPED.
whip these three women through eleven towns, with ten stripes apiece in each town. The route lay through Dover, Hampton, Salisbury, Newbury, Row- ley, Ipswich, Wenham, Lynn, Boston, Roxbury, and Dedham, a distance of eighty miles. They were whipped at Dover and Hampton, and then marched " through dirt and snow, half-leg deep," in a very cold day, to Salisbury, and there whipped again. They would probably have fallen dead long before reaching the end of the journey, but at Salisbury they were happily released. Walter Barefoot persuaded the constable to make him his deputy, and having re- ceived the warrant, he set them at liberty, and they returned to Dover.
6
CHAPTER XXIII.
TOWN RECORDS-THE TORNADO.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1820. Benjamin Evans, moderator. David Bagley, town-clerk.
For Governor,
Samuel Bell, 234
Richard Bartlett, representative.
Richard Bartlett,
Reuben Porter, Selectmen. Timothy Flanders,
The support of the town's poor (there being eleven persons) was sold to the lowest bidder. The prices ran from 22 to 79 cents per week.
The record of this meeting continues :
David Bagley Choosen Collector at one cent and seven mills on the dollar.
the sense of Legal voters was taken Relative to forming a new County ; against the new County 207-in favor of the new County 35.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1821.
James Bean, moderator. Abner B. Kelley, town-clerk.
319
TOWN RECORDS.
For Governor.
Samuel Bell, 217
David L. Morrill, 12
James Bean, representative.
James Bean,
Timothy Flanders, Selectmen.
Nathaniel Flanders,
The support of the poor was sold to the lowest bid- der, one person being put up at a time. This course was followed several years.
Voted that no swine shall be allowed to go at large in the Maine road from Hopkinton line to Sutton and Bradford lines, without being liable to be impounded by Hogreeves.
Abner Woodman, Jr., was appointed collector of taxes.
The town records are now in perfect order; the orthography is correct, and the handwriting faultless. Abner B. Kelley, the new town-clerk, was a son of Rev. Wm. Kelley, the first minister of Warner. He was born March, 1788. He obtained a good academic education, and when a young man he was considera- bly engaged in school-teaching. After his marriage, he lived just above his father, near the Parade, a few years. Subsequently he went into business at the Lower Village, where J. Noyes Rand now resides. He served frequently as town-clerk and as representa- tive of the town. In June, 1830, he was elected state treasurer, and he held that office six years. He was
320
HISTORY OF WARNER.
afterwards a clerk for six years in one of the depart- ments at Washington. He was post-master at Warner from 1855 to 1861; and he died in Warner, January, 1872, aged 83 years.
He left three daughters, viz., the widow of Rev. J. Wellman, the wife of Dr. Peabody of Henniker, and Miss Lavinia Kelley of Concord ; also, one son, Moses Kelley, of Washington, D. C.
Capt. Nathaniel Flanders was a son of Zebulon, and the oldest of a large family of children. He married a daughter of Dea. Nehemiah Heath. He always resided within half a mile of the place of his birth, where he died at a good old age, about the year 1860. Two sons and one daughter, only, survive him, viz., John and Nehemiah Flanders, of Stewartstown, and ยท Mrs. Keyser, on the old homestead.
THE TORNADO.
High winds have always been considered one of the greatest disparagements to a country. In tropical climates these are much more common than farther from the equator. The discoverers of that part of the United States, then called North Virginia, which now composes New England and the states of New York and New Jersey, in speaking of its natural advantages to the Crown, said, that by the appearance of the forests, hurricanes did not often visit the land.
Webster says, a tornado is " a violent gust of wind,
321
THE TORNADO.
or a tempest, distinguished by a whirling motion ;" and Worcester says, "In a tornado, the wind blows from its borders towards the centre." The winged messenger of death, which bore down through Warner on & that fatal September day of 1821, was a tornado, and so let it hereafter be forever known.
The day and hour when this visitation occurred, in Warner, was Sunday, September 9, 1821, about five o'clock in the afternoon. The 8th and 9th were warm days : the latter was sultry. About five o'clock a black cloud was observed to rise rapidly in the north- west, and to bear south-easterly, illumined in its course by incessant flashes of lightning. There was a most terrifying commotion in the cloud itself, which gave warning of fearful desolation. A high wind pre- vailed as far back as Lake Champlain, but the tornado acquired no destructive force till it passed over Gran- tham mountains. In Croydon the house of Deacon Cooper was shattered, and his barn, with its contents, was entirely swept away. No other buildings were directly in its narrow path, till it nearly reached Sun- apee lake. Here it came in contact with the farm and buildings of John Harvey Huntoon, of Wendell, now Sunapee. There were eight persons in the house. They had beheld the frightful appearance of the cloud ; had seen the air before it filled with birds, and broken limbs of trees, and rubbish of all kinds ; but there had not been much time for reflection or
-
322
HISTORY OF WARNER.
for seeking safety. The tornado, after a moment's warning, was upon them, and the house and the two barns were instantly prostrated to the ground. A broadside of the house fell upon Mr. Huntoon and his wife, who were standing in the kitchen. The next moment it was blown off and dashed to pieces. Mrs. Huntoon was swept at least ten rods from the house. A child eleven months old was sleeping on a bed in the west room : the dress it wore was soon after found in the lake, a hundred and fifty rods from the house. The child could not be found. The Wednesday fol- lowing, its mangled body was picked up on the shore of the lake, whither it had floated on the waves. The bedstead on which the child was sleeping was found in the woods, eighty rods from the house, northerly, and clear out of the general track of the cyclone. The other seven persons of the household were in- jured, but none of them died. Every tree on a forty- acre lot of woodland was levelled to the ground. A bureau was blown across the lake. A horse was dashed against the rocks and killed.
The tornado passed across Sunapee lake, drawing up into its bosom vast quantities of water. New Lon- don suffered a loss of property estimated at $9,000. Eight or ten barns, five or six houses, and many out- buildings were entirely or partially destroyed in that town. From New London the tornado passed across. the northerly part of Sutton, cutting a swath through
323
THE TORNADO.
the forests which is visible to this day, but coming in contact with no buildings. It then bore up the north- west side of Kearsarge mountain, apparently in two columns. In pitching down over the mountain into the Gore, the two columns merged into one, and came with crushing force. The thunders rolled fear- fully, the forked lightning flashed on the dark back- ground, and the flood was driven with the gale. In this valley, between the two spurs of the mountain, stood seven dwelling-houses. The tornado first struck the barn of William Harwood, and demolished that; passing onward, its outer limits came in contact with the houses of M. F. Goodwin, James Ferrin, and Ab- ner Watkins. All of these houses were damaged : Ferrin's barn was destroyed, and Watkins's unroofed. Next in the line of march stood Daniel Savory's . house. Hearing a frightful rumbling in the heavens, Mr. Samuel Savory, aged 72, the father of the propri- etor (who was away), hastened up stairs to close the windows. The women started to his assistance, when the house whirled and instantly rose above their heads, while what was left behind,-timbers, bricks, etc.,-almost literally buried six of the family in the ruins. The body of the aged Samuel Savory was found at a distance of six rods from the house, where he had been dashed against a stone and instantly killed. His wife was severely injured. Mrs. Daniel Savory was fearfully bruised on the head, arms, and
324
HISTORY OF WARNER.
breast, and an infant which she held in her arms was killed. The house of Robert Savory stood very near this place, and that, also, was utterly demolished. Mrs. Savory and the children (six in number) were buried together under the bricks and rubbish. Some of them were severely injured, but none killed. Not only the houses, but the barns and outbuildings at the two Savory places, were utterly cleaned out. Not one stone was left upon another. Trees, fences, shin- gles, the legs, wings, and heads of fowls, filled the air. Crops were swept off clean ; stones partly buried in the earth were overturned ; trees of every description were denuded of their branches, or twisted off at the trunk, or torn up by the roots. There were twenty- four hives of bees at the Robert Savory place, -- per- haps the property of both families : these were swept out of sight in an instant. The ground was sweetened with honey for half a mile, but no hive and no sign of a bee has since been seen. The Savorys and Ab- ner Watkins had caught a noble old bear on the mountain, and had chained him to a sill of Robert Savory's barn, intending to exhibit him at the muster, which occurred the 10th day of September, back of George Savory's present house. Though the barn was entirely destroyed to its foundation, the sill to which the bear was chained being a cross-sill, and bedded into the ground, remained in its place, and the bear was unhurt. But he was not exhibited the next day on the muster-field.
325
THE TORNADO.
John Palmer, who lived up to the eastward of the Savorys a third of a mile, saw the terrible cloud, in shape like an inverted tunnel. He saw the air filled with leaves, limbs, quilts, clothing, crockery, and almost every conceivable thing. He heard the omi- nous rumbling, and sprang to enter the house with the purpose of fleeing, with his wife, to the cellar. He got the door but partly open, when the house gave way, burying Mrs. Palmer under the rubbish, and inflicting serious injuries. In this valley between the hills, everything in the direct course of the tor- nado. was rooted out. Bridges made of logs were scattered in every direction, timbers being thrown to the right and left, and even to the rear, as well as to the front.
The tornado passed on over the next spur of the mountain, two and a half miles, and then bore down on the houses of Peter Flanders in Warner, and of Dea. Joseph True, just in the edge of Salisbury. [Peter Flanders was the father of True and Oliver Flanders, the latter of whom occupies the old home- stead.] Dea. True was father-in-law of a Mr. Jones. Jones and his wife were on a visit at True's. Being at the door, they were apprised of the danger, and they called out lustily to the family to seek refuge as best they could. The buildings were whirled aloft and torn into fragments, falling around the family like missiles of death ; but no one at this house was killed
326
HISTORY OF WARNER.
outright. The buildings of Mr. Flanders, also, were scattered like chaff, the violence of the gale being unabated. Anna Richardson, an elderly woman living with Mr. Flanders, and a child of the latter, were crushed to death. Several others were grievously wounded, one of whom (a child of Mr. True's) died a short time afterwards.
From here this remarkable cyclone passed on over Bagley's pond, drawing up vast sheets of water from its surface, and, after destroying the house of a Mr. Morrill, near Boscawen line, it lifted itself into the heavens and vanished.
At the close of a mass meeting which the writer addressed at Painesville, Ohio, in 1869, an old gentle- man, to appearance bowed with sorrow, came forward and made himself known as Mr. Huntoon, the father of the child that was destroyed by the tornado. He had left the shores of Sunapee and the marks of the desolation of 1821, forty years before this, and had established his home in Ohio. He appeared discon- solate and care-worn ; but he has now gone where the inhabitant doth not say,-
"I am sick, and I am weary."
.
CHAPTER XXIV.
A NEW COUNTY-THE NATION'S GUEST-TOWN RECORDS-CAT- TLE SHOW.
T the June session of the legislature of 1821, a resolution was adopted directing the selectmen, in the several towns embraced in the contemplated new county of Merrimack, to insert the following article in the warrants for the next annual town meetings :
To take the sense of the legal voters, by yeas and nays, regard- ing the expediency of erecting a new County in this State, to be composed of the following towns, viz. : Allenstown, Bow, Canter- bury, Concord, Chichester, Epsom, Northfield, Pembroke, Loudon, Pittsfield, Andover, Boscawen, Bradford, Dunbarton, Fishersfield, Henniker, Hopkinton, New London, Salisbury, Warner and Wil- mot: Provided some one town near the centre of said proposed new county, shall furnish, free of expense to the county, a suffi- cient Court House for the accommodation of the courts in said proposed new county.
In March, 1822, on this question, the vote stood :
YEAS.
NAYS.
Andover,
202
5
Boscawen,
230
9
Canterbury,
152
8
Concord,
522
6
Dunbarton,
140
18
328
HISTORY OF WARNER.
YEAS.
NAYS.
Epsom,
29
53
Hopkinton,
3
324
Loudon,
199
5
Pembroke,
142
53
Salisbury,
240
19
Allenstown,
11
55
Bow,
190
6
Fishersfield,
5
85
Henniker,
4
97
New London,
8
92
Northfield,
172
2
Sutton,
3
135
Warner,
41
171
No returns from Bradford, Wilmot, or Pittsfield, can be found; but the majority for the new county was decisive. For some reason, however, the legisla- ture, at its next session, took no action on this ques- tion. But, by act of the legislature at the June ses- sion of 1823, the county of Merrimack was created.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1822.
Benjamin Evans, moderator. Abner B. Kelley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Samuel Bell, 150
Voted to send two representatives.
Representatives.
Benjamin Evans, James Bean.
Timothy Flanders,
Benjamin Evans, Selectmen.
Nathaniel Flanders,
Abner Woodman, Jr., collector of taxes.
329
TOWN RECORDS.
On the question of creating a new county, there were 41 yeas and 171 nays.
Chose Beaman French culler of Staves.
Voted to make Capt. Cyrus Watson some compensation in con- sequence of his being hurt in March, 1821, by means of obstruc- tion in the highway near the Bridge by the Baptist Meeting House.
Voted to give Capt. Watson sixty dollars if he will be satisfied with that sum.
Voted that the Poor of the town be set up at auction on the same terms as they were last year.
There were 16 persons to be provided for, and the board ranged from 9 cents to $1.49 per week.
Voted to give Enoch Osgood $15 for injury received in falling from the bridge by the Baptist Meeting House.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1823.
Benjamin Evans, moderator. Abner B. Kelley, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Levi Woodbury, 186
Scattering, 13
Representatives. Benjamin Evans, Henry B. Chase.
Timothy Flanders,
Benjamin Evans, Selectmen.
Daniel George,
Struck off the collection of Taxes, at one cent 5 mills on the dollar, to James B. Straw.
The support of the poor was this year put up in gross, and " struck off to Samuel Hill at $279.50."
330
HISTORY OF WARNER.
Samuel Hill was the oldest son of Benjamin Hill. After the father had gone from town, Samuel occu- pied the homestead awhile, which was the present poor-farm.
Voted that the Selectmen be a Committee to examine the clothes of the paupers, and see that they [the paupers, not the clothes ] are treated with humanity.
Major Daniel George was a son of John George, and was born at Hopkinton Lower Village. He was actively engaged in mercantile business in Warner a great many years. He also built and kept a hotel, near his store and dwelling-house. He was a lieuten- ant in Capt. Joseph Smith's. company, in the war of 1812, and was afterwards a major in the state militia. He was considerably in public life, and was a very prompt, energetic man. He was twice married, his first wife being the sister, and his second wife the daughter, of John Bean. He had a large family of children, but only two of them remain,-Daniel B. George, of Cincinnati, and Mrs. Henry C. Barnabee, of Boston. His second wife, now the widow of Rev. Lemuel Willis, still survives.
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