USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Warner > The history of Warner, New Hampshire, for one hundred and forty- four years, from 1735 to 1879 > Part 21
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31
Edward W. Harrington, 261
Representatives.
John P. Colby, Hezekiah B. Harriman.
Moses D. Wheeler, - Selectmen.
E. R. Gilmore,
C. G. McAlpine,
Charles P. Rowell, collector.
Superintending School Committee.
H. S. Huntington, S. C. Pattee, L. W. Collins.
Voted to instruct the Selectmen (if in their power) to change the town debt from the present rate of six per cent. interest, to the rate of 5 per cent. for three years, or four per cent. for 5 years.
398
HISTORY OF WARNER.
At a legal meeting, held June 4, 1864, the following resolution, offered by F. P. Harriman, was adopted :
Resolved, That the Selectmen be authorized to raise, by note or otherwise, a sufficient sum of money to pay three hundred dol- lars each to drafted men or their substitutes, who are now or may hereafter be drafted, to fill the present or any future quota of the town.
RAISING THE BID.
At a meeting, held July 7th of the same year,-
Voted to adopt the resolution of Stephen S. Bean, which was as follows :
Resolved, That the Selectmen of the town of Warner be author- ized to procure volunteers to be enlisted into the service of the United States, to be credited to said town, a number not exceed- ing fifty, and that they be authorized to pay a sum not exceeding $800 to each volunteer so enlisted, and that they be further au- thorized to borrow, upon the credit of the town, a sum of money, not exceeding $40,000, for said purpose.
At another meeting, held Aug. 20th of the same year,-
Voted, That the Selectmen be hereby instructed to pay Oliver P. Reddington, a sum of money not exceeding $300, as bounty for a substitute furnished by him, and credited to the town.
Voted to choose an Agent to recruit soldiers in the insurgent States, as provided by an act for that purpose, approved August 19, 1864.
Christopher G. McAlpine was appointed as such agent.
Samuel Davis, Jr., was appointed to recruit in War- ner and Concord.
399
WORTHLESS RECRUITS.
BOUNTY-JUMPERS.
The town, state, and national bounties now amount- ed to $1,000 or $1,200 to a man, and " bounty-jump- ing " became a business. A man would enlist for a certain town, take his bounty, desert, and, under another name, enlist for another town; and so con- tinue, enlisting and deserting, to the end of the war.
The South was visited, the great cities were hunt ed, and Canada was raked over for recruits. Even the doors of jails and prisons were opened, in certain cases, and the inmates were granted immunity from punishment on enlisting as soldiers to vindicate the integrity of the government. Of such recruits, 625 were sent forward to fill the depleted ranks of the 11th N. H. Regiment, but only 240 of them ever reached the regiment at all. Other commands fared no better, and some not as well ..
The N. H. Adjutant-General's Report (vol. 2, 1865), beginning on page 574, and ending on page 590, gives the names of 425 recruits who were enlisted in 1864, under the stimulus of these extravagant boun- ties, 300 of whom deserted in less than two months after being mustered into the service; 122 are not accounted for (most or all of whom undoubtedly de- serted); two died; and one served his country !
400
HISTORY OF WARNER.
MORE MEN.
A call for 500,000 more men was made by the pres- ident in August, 1864, and another meeting, to pro- vide ways and means to meet that call, was held in Warner on the 27th day of that month.
N. G. Ordway offered a preamble and resolution, which were adopted, setting forth what had been done at previous meetings, and approving the same ; also approving of what had been done by the select- men and the agents appointed to procure recruits, and instructing the selectmen and agents to use their best efforts to fill the quota of the town, under the last call of the president, in any legal manner.
Frank P. Harriman presented the following resolu- tion, which was adopted :
Resolved, That the town be authorized to pay a sum of money, not exceeding $800, as heretofore voted, to all who have been res- idents in town for three months, who may be or have been en- listed for three years, under the last call of the President for 500,000 men, or in that proportion for a less term of service ; and also, that the town be authorized to pay the sum of $300, in addition, provided the State bounty be, by any means, cut off ; also the town be authorized to pay $200, in addition to the $800, provided the present quota of the town be filled without a draft.
.
THE ARMY MOVES.
At a meeting, held Sept. 3, 1864,-
Voted to pay to one year's men $600.
Voted three cheers to Gen. Sherman and his Army for taking Atlanta !
401
TOWN RECORDS.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, NOVEMBER, 1864.
Robert Thompson, moderator ; prayer was offered by Rev. Lemuel Willis.
The Lincoln electors received 203 votes. Mcclellan “ 275
Voted to pay Don E. Scott a bounty of $150. [Scott had en- listed before the town offered bounties of $150, but was not mus- tered till afterwards. ]
Another meeting was held, Dec. 16, 1864, and the selectmen were instructed to pay $300 to any citizen of Warner who had furnished, or who should furnish, a substitute for himself, to enter the service as a part of the quota of the town.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1865.
Robert Thompson, moderator. Moses D. Wheeler, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Frederick Smyth, 190
Edward W. Harrington, 241
Representatives.
Elijah R. Gilmore, John Rogers.
C. G. McAlpine, / J. M. Harriman, Selectmen.
Geo. P. Harvey,
Samuel Davis, Jr., collector.
Superintending School Committee.
S. C. Pattee, S. Davis, Jr.
402
HISTORY OF WARNER.
On the question of the expediency of buying a county poor-farm, the vote stood, yeas, 5; nays, 145.
Voted to fund the floating debt of the town by issuing bonds to an amount not exceeding $50,000, said bonds to bear interest not exceeding 6 per cent. per annum.
TOWN FARM.
At a meeting, held Feb. 6, 1866, Samuel Davis, Jr., acting as moderator,-
Reuben Porter moved that the Town Farm be sold, and the vote stood, yeas, 21 ; nays, 23.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1866.
Robert Thompson, moderator. M. D. Wheeler, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Frederick Smyth, 194
John G. Sinclair, 257
Representatives.
Elijah R. Gilmore, John Rogers.
J. M. Harriman,
L. W. Collins, Selectmen.
Charles Currier,
Samuel Davis, Jr., collector.
Superintending School Committee.
S. C. Pattee, S. Davis, Jr., Albert Heald.
CHAPTER XXIX.
END OF TOWN RECORDS-MOUNTAIN ROAD-WARNER HIGH SCHOOL-RIVER BOW PARK-ROAD AND RESERVOIRS-FUND- ING THE DEBT - CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION - COUNTY BUILDINGS-UNDER THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1867.
Robert Thompson, moderator. John E. Robertson, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Walter Harriman, 186
John G. Sinclair, 268
Onslow Stearns, 10
Representatives.
Samuel Davis, Moses J. Collins.
L. W. Collins,
Charles Currier, Selectmen.
Joseph Mace,
Geo. S. Rowell, collector.
Superintending School Committee. S. C. Pattee, S. Davis, Albert Heald.
On the question, " Is it expedient to abolish pauper settle- ments in town, and throw the entire support of paupers upon the counties ?" the vote stood, yeas, 11; nays, 124.
Voted that the Selectmen be instructed to raise money on the credit of the Town, to renew or change notes against the town, and to take such measures as they deem expedient to meet the floating debt.
404
. HISTORY OF WARNER.
WALTER HARRIMAN was born at the foot of the Mink Hills, in Warner, April 8, 1817. Reared on a large, rough farm, he was early acquainted with work. He received a good public school and academic education, and in his early days taught schools in New Hamp- shire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. While in pursuit of a school in the latter State, he walked two hundred miles, having no money to pay fares. At the age of 22, while in New Jersey, he wrote several sermons, portions of which afterwards found their way into print. At the age of 23 he con- nected himself with the Universalist denomination, and commenced preaching in Warner. In the spring of 1841 he settled in Harvard, Mass. After remain- ing there four years, he returned to Warner, and not long thereafter abandoned the pulpit altogether. He was then engaged, for a time, in mercantile business. In 1849 he was elected as representative to the legis- lature of the state from the town of Warner. During the session of that year he frequently occupied the speaker's chair. He was reelected in 1850, and again in 1858, and was the candidate of his party for the speakership the last-named year.
In 1853 he was elected state treasurer, and in 1854 was reëlected by seventeen majority, though his party in the legislature, at that session, was unable to elect senators or a state printer.
In 1856 he was appointed by the president of the
405
WALTER HARRIMAN.
United States on a board of three commissioners, to classify and appraise Indian lands in Kansas Territory. The amount of land to be appraised was equal to about two thirds of the state of New Hampshire. The commissioners, in the discharge of their duty, often slept on the open prairie, and sometimes in Indian wigwams.
In 1859 he was elected to the state senate from District No. 8, and was reelected in 1860.
In the spring of 1861 he became the editor and one of the proprietors of the Weekly Union, at Man- chester, which. paper strongly indorsed the national administration in its efforts to preserve the unity of the republic.
In August, 1862, he was appointed colonel of the 11th Regiment N. H. Vols., and was with his com- mand at the closing scene when Lee surrendered. [See Chapter XXXII.]
In June, 1865, he was elected by the legislature as secretary of state, and in 1866 was reelected to the same office.
In 1867, being a candidate for the office of gov- ernor, he met the opposing candidate, Hon. John G. Sinclair, in joint debate, at thirteen different places. He was elected by a decisive majority, and was re- elected, after a severe contest, in 1868.
Upon the accession of Gen. Grant to the presiden- cy, he was appointed naval officer at the port of Bos-
406
HISTORY OF WARNER.
ton for four years, and was reappointed for a like term in 1873.
He has taken part, in one and another of the excit- ing political campaigns of the past, in many of the states of the Union.
In a discussion at the old meeting-house, in Loudon Centre, with Hon. Cyrus Barton, of Concord, Februa- ry, 1855, Mr. Barton dropped dead at his side.
Mr. H. gave the oration at the centennial celebra- tion in Concord, July 4, 1876.
The honorary degree of A. M. was conferred on him by Dartmouth college, in 1867.
In the spring of 1872 he became a resident of Con- cord, his present home.
He married, in September, 1841, Apphia K., daugh- ter of Capt. Stephen Hoyt. She died in September, 1843. In October, 1844, he married Almira R. An- drews. Their oldest child and only daughter (Geor- gia ) was born July, 1846. She married J. R. Leeson, a merchant of Boston. The two sons are spoken of in Chapter XXXI.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1868.
Robert Thompson, moderator.
John E. Robertson, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Walter Harriman, 222
John G. Sinclair, 274
407
TOWN RECORDS.
Representatives.
Samuel Davis, Moses J. Collins.
Charles Currier,
Gilman A. Bean, Selectmen. John W. Clement, )
George S. Rowell, collector.
Superintending School Committee.
Samuel Davis, A. Heald, H. S. Huntington.
Voted that one half of the Railroad Tax, and one half of the remainder of the Literary Fund now on hand, be divided equally among the several School Districts in Town, and the remaining one half among the scholars.
John E. Robertson having resigned the office of town-clerk, the selectmen, Dec. 8, 1868, appointed Gilman C. George to fill the vacancy.
ANNUAL 'MEETING, MARCH, 1869.
Robert Thompson, moderator. Gilman C. George, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Onslow Stearns, 214
John Bedell, 269
Representatives.
Christopher G. McAlpine, Lemuel W. Collins.
Gilman A. Bean,
John W. Clement, & Selectmen. Isaac K. Connor,
Cyrus Hale, collector.
Superintending School Committee.
Messrs. Huntington, Pattee, and Heald.
408
HISTORY OF WARNER.
MOUNTAIN ROAD.
The Warner and Kearsarge Road Company was chartered by the legislature in 1866.
At a legal meeting, held in Warner, Sept. 1, 1869, to take into consideration the building of a road to the top of Kearsarge mountain, Stephen C. Pattee was chosen moderator. H. H. Harriman, in behalf of the petitioners, explained the feasibility, distance, and grades of the proposed road, and estimated the whole expense, including land damages, at $5,000.
N. G. Ordway, in remarks favoring the road, pro- posed to guarantee the building of the southerly end, from a point in McHammond's pasture to a junction, at some suitable point, with the Tory Hill road, free of expense to the town, if the town would lay out and build the balance.
Voted that a committee of seven be appointed by the Modera- tor, to examine the proposed route, and make an estimate of the cost of the road.
The moderator appointed H. H. Harriman, W. Scott Davis, L. W. Collins, C. G. McAlpine, Uriah Ager, G. C. George, and Wm. R. Sargent.
At a subsequent meeting the committee made a long report, and after much discussion the meeting adjourned, no action having been taken.
WARNER HIGH SCHOOL.
In the will of the late Franklin Simonds, dated August 19, 1869, the following clause appears :
409
WARNER HIGH SCHOOL.
My wish is to leave some token of my regard for the town of Warner, which has so long been the place of my residence. An appropriation towards the support of a High School in said town, occurs to me as the best form of such a token. In order to secure for the school proper interest and oversight, as well as adequate support, I desire that it shall be so constituted that the town will have the right and duty to sustain it, and that its advantages will be open to all the inhabitants of said town without any distinc- tion whatever on account of religious or other opinions.
I therefore give to Robert Thompson, George Jones, Gilman A. Bean, Stephen S. Bean, Stephen C. Pattee, Samuel W. Colby, and Henry S. Huntington, all of Warner, and to their survivors and successors, appointed, as is hereinafter provided, the sum of Twenty Thousand Dollars, in trust for the following uses and purposes, and subject to the conditions following.
Then the " conditions" are stated in detail, and at length. In substance they are as follows: The trus- tees are to manage the fund, and apply the income to the support of the school ; the whole town to be made and constituted, under the General Statutes of New Hampshire, a high school district; such district to pro- vide and maintain a suitable building, of the value of not less than $6000, for the use of the school; said building to be located in Warner village.
If the high school district should not be constitut- ed, or if the building should not be provided, within the space of three years after the decease of the tes- tator, then the bequest was to fall. If, again, said high school district should be dissolved, or should neg- lect, for the space of twelve months in succession, to maintain a school, then the fund was to be withdrawn.
Mrs. Abigail K. Simonds (wife of the above), by her
410
HISTORY OF WARNER.
will, dated Sept. 1, 1870, added $5000 to the fore- going fund. She also gave $5000 towards building the school-house.
FRANKLIN SIMONDS. The writer has but little knowl- edge of the ancestry of Mr. Simonds. He may have descended from Moses Simonds, who was born in Ley- den, who came to this country in the ship Fortune, in 1621, and settled in that part of Plymouth which is now Duxbury. This Moses was one of the original purchasers of Dartmouth, Mass., and one of the pro- prietors of Bridgewater.
Franklin Simonds was born at Lexington, Mass. He left home when 20 years of age, to engage in busi- ness in New Ipswich, N. H. During his residence there he became acquainted with his future wife (Abi- gail Kimball, of Fitchburg), who was a teacher at New Ipswich. After his marriage, Mr. Simonds lived at Peterborough, at Drewsville (a village of Walpole), and at Newport, before coming to Warner. After coming to Warner, which occurred about the year 1836, he carried on the cotton factory above Gould's mills a short time, and was also engaged in trade at Waterloo. He served as deputy sheriff seventeen years, and two years as representative in the legisla- ture. He also served a number of years as president of Warner Bank. His only child, who lived to ma- ture age (Miss Alice Simonds), died suddenly at Rye Beach, a few years before the decease of her father.
Zanklin Simonel,
411
HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Warner, Jan. 4, 1870, S. C. Pattee acting as moder- ator,-
Voted that a Committee of nine be appointed by the Modera- tor to solicit subscriptions towards building a School House, to report at a subsequent meeting what further sum of money may be thought necessary to comply with the Will of the late Mr. Si- monds, also incidental expenses of running the school; and that when this meeting adjourn, it adjourn to meet at this place on Saturday previous to the next annual town meeting.
The moderator appointed N. G. Ordway, Samuel H. Dow, Henry S. Huntington, Albert Heald, Samuel Davis, W. Scott Davis, Gilman A. Bean, C. G. McAl- pine, and John Rogers for said committee.
HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
At the adjourned meeting, March 5, 1870,-
Voted that the town resolve itself into a High School District.
The committee appointed Jan. 4, reported that they had obtained subscriptions towards building a house for the high school, amounting to $1,912.76. They also expressed it as their judgment that the number of pupils for whom provision should be made in the high school building is about 100. In regard to the current expenses of the school, such as repairs of the building, insurance, fuel, etc., the committee presented the following resolution :
Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that the funds received from scholars from adjoining towns, in the nature
27
412
HISTORY OF WARNER.
of tuition, will fully cover the annual expense of running the school.
In reference to the hiring of teachers, the following resolution was adopted by the committee :
Resolved, that in the judgment of this committee, good and competent teachers for the High School can be secured by the in- come of the fund left by Mr. Simonds.
In reference to the cost of the school-house, the fol- lowing resolution was adopted :
Resolved, That in the opinion of this committee, $6000 will furnish a suitable wooden building for a High School.
The committee further reported, that,-
As the amount raised by subscription is $1,912.76, it will be seen that the balance to be raised by the Town is $4,087.24, and we recommend that this sum be raised by tax upon the town.
The meeting, after receiving the foregoing report of the committee, adjourned, without taking action, to the 26th day of March.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1870.
Stephen C. Pattee, moderator.
Gilman C. George, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Onslow Stearns, 193
John Bedell, 224
Samuel Flint, 19
Representatives.
C. G. McAlpine, L. W. Collins.
413
DISTRICT DISSOLVED.
John E. Robertson, E. M. Dunbar, Selectmen. Jacob Osgood,
Cyrus Hale, collector.
Superintending School Committee.
Messrs. Huntington, Heald, and Davis.
HIGH SCHOOL AGAIN.
At the adjourned meeting March 26, 1870,-
Voted to proceed to choose a Prudential Committee.
S. C. Pattee, W. S. Davis, and L. W. Collins were chosen.
Then the following resolution was passed :
Resolved, That this meeting does not deem itself called upon, by sound policy, to entertain any proposition now before it, look- ing to the sale of the Town House to the High School District.
Voted to dissolve the meeting.
DISTRICT DISSOLVED.
At a special meeting, held March 1, 1871, S. C. Pat- tee acting as moderator,-
Resolved, That the High School District, established and consti- tuted by the vote of the town on the 5th day of March, 1870, be and is hereby discontinued and dissolved.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1871.
S. C. Pattee, moderator. G. C. George, town-clerk.
For Governor.
James A. Weston, 259
James Pike, 176
414
HISTORY OF WARNER.
Representatives.
Charles Currier, Moses D. Wheeler.
John E. Robertson, E. M. Dunbar, Jacob Osgood,
Selectmen.
Cyrus Hale, collector. Superintending School Committee.
H. S. Huntington, S. Davis, Walter Sargent. REVIVIFIED.
At a legal meeting, held, at the town hall, March 18, 1871, Stephen S. Bean, moderator,-
Resolved, That the town of Warner, in view of the bequests of Franklin Simonds, late of Warner, of twenty thousand dollars, and of Abigail K. Simonds, late of Warner, of five thousand dol- lars, as a fund, the income to be applied for the purpose of a high school, establish a high school, and that said town be and hereby is constituted a high school district, including the whole territory of said town.
THE HOUSE ERECTED.
During the summer of 1871, the high school build- ing, with brick walls, was erected and finished. The first term of school in it commenced the 4th day of December of that year. The cost of the building, fences, etc., was something above $10,000, but the whole amount was contributed by individuals, as fol- lows :
Mrs. Simonds, $5,000
Gilman A. Bean, 2,160
415
ROADS AND RESERVOIRS.
Samuel H. Dow,
$2,160
George Jones,
250
C. G. McAlpine, 250
John E. Robertson,
250
Ira Harvey, Wm. K. Morrill, Reuben Clough, Leon- idas Harriman, and John C. Bean made smaller con- tributions.
RIVER-BOW PARK.
In 1871 Stephen C. Pattee inaugurated a home fair at Warner. That year and the next the exhibitions were in the street. In 1873 Nehemiah G. Ordway laid off from his intervale land, between the river and the railroad, ten or twelve acres for a fair ground. He erected buildings and stalls, and made a track for horse-trotting. In 1875 the "River-Bow Park Com- pany " was incorporated by the legislature. The company, which embraces eight or ten of the sur- rounding towns, organized in 1876, and purchased the grounds and buildings. The presidents of this society have been Levi Bartlett, E. C. Bailey, N. G. Ordway, and S. C. Pattee, and its exhibitions have been suc- cessful.
ROADS AND RESERVOIRS.
A special meeting was called, October, 1871, to see if the town would aid "The Warner and Kearsarge Road Company " to the extent of $3,000; also, to see if the town would exempt from taxation, for the term of ten years, one half of the taxable value of the mill
416
HISTORY OF WARNER.
property, upon Warner river, of those mill-owners who have paid their proportion of the expense of forming a reservoir at Long pond in Sutton ; also, to exempt from taxation, for ten years, the whole of said mill property, whenever said mill-owners shall, to the sat- isfaction of the selectmen of said town of Warner, in the like manner, have established Bradford pond as an additional and permanent reservoir for the water- power of said river, and to instruct the representatives of the town to procure the necessary legislation for the foregoing purpose.
After discussion, voted to pass over both articles in the warrant.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1872.
Stephen C. Pattee, moderator. Augustus R. Putnam, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Ezekiel A. Straw, 188
James A. Weston, 249
Representatives.
Charles Currier, Moses D. Wheeler.
John E. Robertson,
Chas. H. Colby, Jr., Selectmen.
John H. Dowlin,
George S. Rowell, collector.
Superintending School Committee.
H. S. Huntington, S. Davis, Walter Sargent.
417
ROAD BOND.
At the presidential election, November, 1872, Ste- phen S. Bean, moderator,-
The Grant electors received 152 votes. Greeley 254
The town proceeded to act on the third article in the warrant, having reference to aid to the Mountain road. Stephen C. Pattee introduced a resolution, authorizing and instructing the selectmen to subscribe for and hold, in the name of the town, twenty shares, of the value of $100 each, of the stock of the " War- ner and Kearsarge Road Company," provided, how- ever, that the foregoing resolution shall not be bind- ing on the part of the town until said road is com- pleted, or until responsible parties shall furnish a bond, to the satisfaction of the selectmen, to build said road without further assistance from the town.
Samuel Davis proposed the following amendment to the resolution :
And provided further, that the town have two fifths of the five directors, and that the first and second selectmen shall be ex officio said directors.
The amendment was adopted, and the resolution, thus amended, passed.
ROAD BOND.
N. G. Ordway and Wm. E. Chandler furnished a bond, in the sum of four thousand dollars, on the 27th day of February, 1873, to complete the Mountain road, without expense to the town of Warner beyond
418
HISTORY OF WARNER.
the appropriation of $2000 made in November, 1872 ; the said Ordway and Chandler binding themselves to complete the road on or before the first day of June, 1874, to a point about eight rods below the summit of Kearsarge mountain,-and the selectmen, for the town, coming under obligation to pay over the $2000 appropriated, on these conditions.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.