USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Warner > The history of Warner, New Hampshire, for one hundred and forty- four years, from 1735 to 1879 > Part 22
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This road was built, under the supervision of N. G. Ordway, in 1873 and 1874, commencing at Hurricane Gate, and extending to near the top of the mountain.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1873.
Stephen S. Bean, moderator. Augustus R. Putnam, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Ezekiel A. Straw, 153
James A. Weston, 226
Samuel K. Mason,
Representatives.
John E. Robertson, John .W. Clement.
Charles H. Colby, Jr., -
John H. Dowlin, Selectmen.
Stephen S. Bean,
George S. Rowell, collector.
Superintending School Committee.
S. S. Bean, Walter Sargent, Frank W. Graves.
Voted to exempt the capital stock in the Shoe Factory from taxation for the term of ten years.
419
FUNDING THE DEBT.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1874.
Samuel Davis, moderator. Augustus R. Putnam, town-clerk. For Governor.
James A. Weston, 242
Luther McCutchins, 172
Representatives. John E. Robertson, John W. Clement.
John H. Dowlin,
J. M. Harriman, Selectmen. . George W. Dow,
George Upton, collector.
Superintending School Committee. S. S. Bean, S. C. Pattee, S. Davis.
FUNDING THE DEBT.
Voted to fund the town debt in what is known as 5-20 Bonds ; the amount not to exceed $30,000; the bonds to be in denomina- tions of not less than $50, nor more than $1000; the rate of interest not to exceed 6 per cent.
James M. Harriman, Albert P. Davis, and Samuel H. Dow were appointed as a board of commissioners to prepare said bonds and determine the denomina- tions of the same ; also, to have full authority to negotiate and sell said bonds, provided they shall not be sold at less than par.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1875.
Stephen C. Pattee, moderator. Augustus R. Putnam, town-clerk.
420
HISTORY OF WARNER.
For Governor.
Person C. Cheney, 202
Hiram R. Roberts, 238
Representatives.
John H. Dowlin, Nehemiah G. Ordway.
J. M. Harriman,
George W. Dow, Selectmen.
Philip C. Wheeler,
George Upton, collector.
Superintending School Committee.
Messrs. Bean, Davis, and Pattee.
ASSESSORS.
At a special meeting, August 14, 1875, S. S. Bean offered the following resolution :
Resolved, That the town proceed to choose by ballot six persons to serve as assessors the present year.
The resolution was adopted, and the following per- sons were chosen,-viz., Charles Currier, Hezekiah C. Dowlin, Samuel H. Dow, Bartlett Hardy, Reuben Clough, and George Savory.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1876.
N. G. Ordway, moderator. Augustus R. Putnam, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Person C. Cheney, 253
Daniel Marcy, 222
Representatives.
John H. Dowlin, N. G. Ordway.
·
421
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
Jesse D. Currier, Philip C. Wheeler, Selectmen. Paine Davis,
George W. Smith, collector.
Superintending School Committee. S. C. Pattee, E. C. Cole, R. Eugene Walker.
On the question, "Is it expedient to revise the Constitution of the State ?" the vote stood, yeas, 139; nays, 114.
On motion of A. P. Davis,-
Voted that the Selectmen be authorized to sell the Stock in the Warner and Kearsarge Mountain Road Company, held by the town, at public auction.
At the presidential election, November, 1876, N. G. Ordway acting as moderator, the Hayes electors re- ceived 253 votes ; Tilden electors, 219.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
N. G. Ordway and William H. Walker were chosen delegates to the constitutional convention, to be held in Concord the December following.
Albert P. Davis, Warren C. Johnson, and Wm. K. Morrill were appointed a committee to take into con- sideration the question of enlarging and repairing the town-house.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1877.
N. G. Ordway, moderator. Benjamin F. Heath, town-clerk.
For Governor.
Benjamin F. Prescott, 256
Daniel Marcy, 213
422
HISTORY OF WARNER.
Representatives.
N. G. Ordway, Henry C. Davis.
Jesse D. Currier,
Paine Davis, Selectmen.
James G. Ela,
George Savory, collector.
Superintending School Committee.
Messrs. Pattee, Cole, and Walker.
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
The constitutional convention, which assembled at Concord in December, 1876, continued in session eleven days, framed a constitution, and submitted the same in thirteen questions to the qualified voters of the state. At the annual election, March, 1877, the vote was taken, and all the propositions were adopted by a two-thirds vote (that being required), except the first and twelfth. Those were defeated.
The vote of Warner, on the several propositions, stood as follows :
1. Do you approve of striking out the word "Protestant " in the Bill of Rights, as proposed in the amended Constitution ? Yeas, 93; nays, 228.
2. Do you approve of so amending the Constitution, that the general court shall be authorized to provide for the trial of causes in which the value in controversy does not exceed one hundred dollars and title to real estate is not concerned, without the in- tervention of a jury, as proposed by the amended Constitution ? Yeas, 196; nays, 123.
3. Do you approve of the biennial election of governor, coun- cillors, members of the senate and house of representatives, and
Despedaply@
423
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
biennial sessions of the legislature, as proposed in the amended Constitution ? Yeas, 203; nays, 117.
4. Do you approve of a house of representatives based upon population, and constituted and chosen as provided in the amend- ed Constitution ? Yeas, 28; nays, 294.
5. Do you approve of a senate of twenty-four members, to be constituted and chosen as provided in the amended Constitution ? Yeas, 188; nays, 131.
6. Do you approve of the election, by the people, of registers of probate, solicitors, and sheriffs, as provided in the amended Constitution ? Yeas, 208; nays, 105.
7. Do you approve of abolishing the religious test as a qualifi- cation for office, as proposed in the amended Constitution ? Yeas, 136; nays, 83.
8. Do you approve of prohibiting the general court from au- thorizing towns or cities to loan or give their money or credit to corporations, as proposed in the amended Constitution ? Yeas, 182; nays, 130.
9. Do you approve of changing the time for holding the state election from March to November, as proposed in the amended Constitution ? Yeas, 233; nays, 89.
10. Do you approve of authorizing the general court to provide that appeals from a justice of the peace may be tried by some other court without the intervention of a jury, as proposed in the amended Constitution ? Yeas, 182; nays, 126.
11. Do you approve of authorizing the general court to increase the jurisdiction of justices of the peace to one hundred dollars, as proposed in the amended Constitution ? Yeas, 144; nays, 266.
12. Do you approve of the proposed amendment prohibiting the removal from office for political reasons ? Yeas, 149; nays, 166.
13. Do you approve the proposed amendment prohibiting money raised by taxation from being applied to the support of the schools or institutions of any religious sect or denomination, as proposed in the amended Constitution ? Yeas, 205; nays, 101.
NEHEMIAH GEORGE ORDWAY was born at the extreme west end of the North village, Nov. 10, 1828. At the
424
HISTORY OF WARNER.
age of eight years he went to live with his grand- father, Isaiah Flanders, at Warner village. In sum- mer seasons, till he was about 17 years of age, he assisted in the cultivation of his grandfather's farm. After a time, in the winter season, he was engaged successively in the country stores of H. D. Robertson, Robert Thompson, and George Wadleigh. At the age of 18 he attended a high school at Bradford, taught by Gilbert Wadleigh. The next year he went to Bos- ton, purchased a stock of goods, and set up a small store near the ground that Union Hall now stands upon.
In June, 1855, he was elected a doorkeeper of the New Hampshire house of representatives, and in 1856 was reelected to the same office. He was also elected assistant clerk, pro tem., of the house, in 1856. In July of the same year he was appointed by Gov. Haile sheriff of Merrimack county, and in the fall of that year he removed to Concord. In 1857 he was elected marshal of that city, and collector of taxes.
During the political campaign of 1860, he served as chairman of the Republican State Committee.
In 1861 he was appointed general agent of the Post-office Department for the New England states.
In December, 1863, he was elected sergeant-at- arms of the United States House of Representatives, and was reelected in 1865, '67, '69, '71, and '73, so that he held this office for twelve consecutive years.
425
NEHEMIAH GEORGE ORDWAY.
He served on the staff of Gov. Smyth, with the rank of colonel.
At the March election in 1875 he was elected as one of the representatives from Warner to the legisla- ture of the state, and was reelected in 1876 and 1877. In 1875 and 1876 he served as chairman of the Com- mittee on Railroads, and in 1877 as chairman of the Committee on Finance.
In the fall of 1876 he was chosen a delegate to the constitutional convention, which met at Concord in December of that year.
In November, 1877, he was appointed by the gov- ernor a member of the tax commission, which board reported, at the session of the legislature in 1878, nineteen bills for changing the mode of the assess- ment and collection of taxes upon the various classes of property in the state.
At the November election of 1878 he was elected, under the amended constitution, to the state senate, for the Merrimack district, for the term of two years.
The remodelling and enlarging of the hotel at Warner village was mainly due to Mr. Ordway, and his prominence in the bank, in the construction of the Mountain road, and in the establishment of the Fair grounds, is set forth, to some extent, elsewhere in this and in the XXVIIth chapters.
Mr. Ordway married, in 1848, Nancy, youngest daughter of Daniel Bean, Sen. Their children who
426
HISTORY OF WARNER.
have lived to mature age, are Mrs. E. L. Whitford, of Concord, George L. (who is spoken of in Chapter XXXI), and Florence.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1878.
· L. W. Collins, moderator. B. F. Heath, town-clerk.
For Governor.
. B. F. Prescott, . 248
Frank A. McKean, 236
Representatives.
Henry C. Davis ; one vacancy.
L. W. Collins,
Benjamin C. Flanders, Selectmen.
Reuben Clough,
George Upton, collector.
Superintending School Committee.
E. C. Cole, Fred Myron Colby, Geo. N. Tewksbury.
On motion of A. P. Davis,-
Resolved, That our Representative in the General Court be in- structed to vote against any appropriation for the purpose of re- building the County Poor-Farm buildings.
COUNTY BUILDINGS.
At a special meeting, April 13, 1878, Leonidas Har- riman, moderator,-
Voted to return to the Town system of supporting paupers. Yeas, 236; nays, none.
Voted against rebuilding the County Buildings, which had been destroyed by fire. Yeas, 210; nays, none.
427
TOWN RECORDS.
Resolved, That we believe the best interests of the county require that the county property at Boscawen should be sold im- mediately.
UNDER THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
Under the new constitution, State elections are to be held biennially, on the first Tuesday of November. Town elections are held, under a law of the state, an- nually, in March, as usual. The first election under this constitution took place Nov. 5, 1878, when a gov- ernor, members of congress, councillors, members of the senate and house of representatives, and county officers, were elected for two years. Warner having a less population than 1800, is entitled to but one representative under the new constitution.
1
At this election in Warner, L. W. Collins was cho- sen moderator.
For Governor.
Natt Head received 227 votes. Frank A. Mckean received 247 votes. Warren G. Brown received 6 votes.
Charles H. Couch was elected representative.
A committee was appointed, consisting of A. P. Davis, P. C. Wheeler, and J. H. Dowlin, to re-fund the bonded debt of the town.
ANNUAL MEETING, MARCH, 1879.
L. W. Collins, moderator. Lloyd H. Adams, town-clerk.
28
428
HISTORY OF WARNER.
L. W. Collins, B. C. Flanders, Selectmen. Reuben Clough,
George Upton, collector.
Luther J. Clement, treasurer.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO RE-FUND THE DEBT OF THE TOWN.
The committee, appointed on the 5th day of November, 1878, for the purpose of re-funding the bonded debt of the town at a lower rate of interest, in making this preliminary and partial report, beg leave to say, that they have sold nearly $19,000 of the new 5-20 4 per cent. bonds, leaving only about $1,000 unsold at this date. Your committee have no doubt, when the 1st day of May, 1879, arrives, at which time the old 6 per cent. town bonds are redeemable, that without borrowing, and from the sale of the new bonds alone, they will have sufficient money with which to redeem every 6 per cent. bond outstanding.
Your committee congratulate the town over this successful financial operation, whereby a saving in interest alone will result to the town of more than $2,300 during the period before these 4 per cent. bonds are due-a sum equivalent to the payment of 12 per cent. of our bonded debt.
A. P. DAVIS, P. C. WHEELER, J. H. DOWLIN, Committee.
Warner, March 1, 1879.
CHAPTER XXX.
KEARSARGE GORE-THE MASONIAN PROPRIETORS-THE CURVE LINE-SURVEY OF THE GORE-WILMOT INCORPORATED-THE GORE RECORDS.
THE history of Kearsarge Gore is interesting in every line, and especially so to the inhabitants of Warner, because for sixty years and upwards the Gore has constituted a part of Warner. This chapter will set forth, in detail, the story of that mountain region.
The Masonian proprietors cannot yet be dismissed. They played an important part in the early history of the Gore, as well as in that of Warner. Capt. John Mason's grandsons were John and Robert Tufton, and Mason left a large property to these grandsons, on condition that they would take his name. This they did. John Tufton Mason had the Mason interest in New Hampshire. He sold this interest (as has been already stated) to a company of twelve gentlemen, whose names appear on a former page. These gran- tees of the Mason property are usually called "The Masonian Proprietors." They were men of character and standing in the province, and they conducted
430
HISTORY OF WARNER.
themselves generally with commendable prudence. They were certainly generous towards actual settlers upon their lands.
Previous to the time when the twelve came into possession, much litigation and strife had grown out of the Mason claim. The government of the province had, to a certain extent, recognized and defended this claim, and the people, many of them, were greatly irritated thereat. Cases of assault occasionally grew out of this matter. There are still in existence the original depositions, on oath, of Barefoot (deputy gov- ernor) and Mason, relating to an assault made on their persons by Thomas Wiggin and Anthony Nut- ter, who had been members of the assembly.
These two men went to Barefoot's house, in Ports- mouth, where Mason lodged, and entered into discus- sion with the latter about his proceedings, denying his claim, and using such language as provoked him to take hold of Wiggin with an intention to thrust him out at the door. But Wiggin, being the stronger man of the two, seized Mason by the cravat, and threw him into the fire, where his clothes and one of his legs were burned. Barefoot, coming to the rescue, met a similar fate, having two of his ribs broken, and one tooth knocked out.
Another incident, showing the contempt in which these men and their measures were held, even by the lower class of people, is the following :
431
KEARSARGE GORE.
Mary Rann, aged 30 years, or thereabouts, witnesseth, that the 21st day of March, 1684, being in company with Seabank Hog, I heard her say,-it was very hard for the governor of this province to strike Sam Seavey before he spoke. The said Hog said also that it was well for the governor that the said Seavey's mother was not there, for if she had, there had been bloody work for him. I heard the said Hog say also, that the governor and the rest of the gentlemen were a crew of pitiful curs, and did they want earthly honor ?- if they did, she would pull off her head-clothes, and come in her hair, to them, like a parcel of piti- ful, beggarly curs as they were ;- come to undo us, both body and soul ; they could not be content to take our estates from us, but they have taken away the gospel also, which the devil would have them for it.
Sworn in the court of Pleas, held at Great Island (New Castle) the 7th of Nov., 1684.
THE CURVE LINE.
Long and bitter controversies grew out of the ques- tion of the north-western boundary of the Mason grant. That question, after much dispute, was finally determined. The sixty-mile bound on the south was fixed on the line between Fitzwilliam and Richmond, and on the east at the point in Conway where the Saco river enters the state of Maine. A straight line from point to point would pass over Monadnock moun- tain, through Antrim, Henniker, Boscawen, over Lake Winnepesaukee and Ossipee mountain, to the Saco river. Warner, on this basis of settlement, would have been outside of the Masonian grant. It would have belonged to the province, and not to individuals, and the proprietors of the town (or those who intend- ed to become such) would have gone to the govern-
432
HISTORY OF WARNER.
ment of the province for their grant. But the Ma- sonian proprietors claimed to a curved line, that should be substantially sixty miles from the ocean at every point. Before the final determination of this matter the proprietors of Warner had bought their township of the Mason claimants, and had paid them $600 for it. The state subsequently recognized this claim, on the part of the Lords' proprietors, to a curved line, and Warner and Kearsarge Gore were within the Mason grant. That curved line sweeps around to the west and north of Kearsarge mountain, passing, in its course, through Sunapee lake.
SURVEY OF THE GORE.
At a meeting of the Masonian proprietors, at Ports- mouth, April 7, 1779,-
Voted that Messrs. John Penhallow and John Pierce be a com- mittee to employ Capt. Hubertus Neal, or some good Surveyor, to take a survey of the ungranted land in and about the Moun- tain Kier Sarge, and to lay out the same into 100 acre Lotts.
In December, 1781, those proprietors divided up sundry tracts of their unappropriated lands in the state between themselves, and among those tracts was the following :
A Tract of land Surveyed and Returned by Henry Gerrish, called Kyah Sarge, all the lots in said Plan, with a reserve in each lot, of five acres for high ways if wanted.
The proprietors put the numbers of these lots, and of lots in other parts of the state, upon bits of paper,
433
KEARSARGE GORE.
dropped these bits into a hat, and drew therefrom. Thomas Wallingford drew twelve of the Kearsarge Gore lots, John Wentworth drew ten, Mark Hunking Wentworth eight, Solloy and Marsh drew a number, and the rest of the proprietors did likewise, till all were gone.
So, before any settlements were made in Kearsarge Gore, the lands there were held by individuals, of whom the settlers purchased their lots.
WILMOT INCORPORATED.
Kearsarge Gore, at the time mentioned, stretched over the mountain northward, nearly to the present village of Wilmot Centre. Till the year 1807, this Gore constituted a sort of a town by itself. In the Gore records it is often called a town. The inhabitants met annually, chose their town officers, and conduct- ed, in many respects, like organized towns. In June, 1807, Wilmot was incorporated, taking two thirds of its territory from New London, and the other third from the Gore. A part of the language of the act of incorporation is as follows :
"And also, all the lands and inhabitants within said Kearsarge Gore, north of a straight line begining at the south-west corner of Andover, thence running westerly to the highest part of said Mountain, thence westerly," &c., to Sutton line.
That boundary on the mountain has never been changed.
434
HISTORY OF WARNER.
THE GORE REORDS.
State of N. H. ) Application being made to me by a No of Hillsboro' S. S. ) the Inhabitants of Kearsarge Gore in said county seeking forth that they Laboured under many difficultys on account of not haveing A legal meeting to appoint publick officers, Praying that a warnt might essue forth at purpos, these are Theirfore in the name of the State of N. H. to Notify and warn all the freeholders and others Inhabitants belonging to said Gore, Qualified by law to Vote in town Meeting to assemble and meet at the House of Mr. Joshua Quimby's in said Gore on Mon- day the 25th day of this Instant August 1794 At one o'clock in the afternoon when met to Act as follows viz- -
1, ly, to Chuse a Moderator to Govern Said Meeting.
2, ly, to Chuse a Clark to Record the Procedings of Said Meet- ing.
3, ly, to See What sums of Money the Inhabitents will vote to Raise this present year and what Meathod to take to make the taxes in one or more.
4, ly, to Chuse Select Men and A Collector for the Present year.
5, ly, to Chuse tythingmen for this present year.
6, ly, to Chuse High way Surveyors and all other Publick offi- cers that the Law Requires.
7, ly, to Act on any other Business thought proper When Met.
Give Under my hand and Sealed at Warner in said County the first Day of August 1794.
James Flanders, Justice of the Peace.
[How much of the poor spelling and bad grammar in the above belongs to the justice of the peace, and how much to the "Clark," or whoever made the record, no one can tell.]
Warner, Aug. 1, 1794-Mr. Wm. Quimby you are here by Ordered to Post up this in the most Public Place in the Inhab- ited Gore fifteen days before the last Monday of August, Present to the James Flanders in Warner I have Posted up said warning at the house of Mr. Joshua Quimbys in said Gore. [This is not signed. ]
435
KEARSARGE GORE.
Present to A warrent met at a Time and place Meeting appoint- ed by Esq. Flanders proceeded to Chuse a moderator Nathan Clough, then Chused persons of the following Names into office Voted Wm. Quimby Clark Swarn into office.
Select Men Voted Wm. Graves, Abner Watkins, Nathan Cross. Collector Voted, Nathan Clough.
Constable Voted, Nathan Clough.
Highway Surveyors Voted, Samuel Quimby, Thomas Cross, Elisha Smith.
Meeting Adjourned to the second Monday of September next at the house of Mr. Joshua Quimby's in said Gore met at the said time and place Agreeable to the Adjournment to Act on the articles wich was Prospound.
1, ly, Voted to raise fifty & lawful Money this present year.
2, ly, Voted Isaac Chase Heigh way Survar-
Said Meeting Dismisst.
The Gore had been settled a few years before this . meeting was called and this organization effected. A few families had got in on both sides of the mountain as early as 1788. Clough, Graves, Cross, and Smith belonged to the north side of the mountain; the Quimbys, Chase, and Watkins, to the south side. Joshua Quimby, at whose house the first meeting was held, lived on a road (then in existence) leading from the Savory places up easterly. to the Currier Quimby place, in the edge of Salisbury. Perhaps it was at the very spot where John Palmer's house was afterwards destroyed by the tornado.
At the annual Meeting of the Inhabitants of Kearsarge Gore leagerly warned and held in said Gore at the house of Mr. Wm. Quimby's on Monday 30th day of March, 1795-
Voted Nathan Clough moderator.
Voted Wm Quimby Clark for the insuing year.
436
HISTORY OF WARNER.
Voted Abner Watkins, Wm. Graves, Nathan Cross, Selectmen for the insuing year.
Voted Abner Watkins to see the petision through the general Court. [This was a petition asking the Legislature of the State to levy a penny tax (a tax of one penny per acre) on the non- resident lands in the Gore.]
Voted to raise $10 to defray town charges, and $25, to repair highways, to be- laid out in labor.
The annual meeting of March, 1796, was held at the house of Thomas Wells.
Nathan Clough, Moderator, Ebenezer Scales, clerk.
Nathan Clough, Abner Watkins, and Nathan Cross, Selectmen. Timothy Walker received 16 votes for Gov. Raised $32, to de- fray town charges.
Voted to receive what Abner Watkins said at the Court Con- cerning the penny Tax.
" Voted that the said watkins is to take the Care of the same.
" Voted Jason Watkins Collector and Constable for the year in- suing."
Voted to raise forty dollars for school.
The following record now appears :
This may Certifie that Moses Palmer the son of John Palmer was Boarn June the 12, 1791.
At the annual meeting of March, 1797, Abner Wat- kins was chosen moderator, and Jason Watkins, clerk.
Abner Watkins, Samuel Priest, and Nathan Cross were chosen selectmen.
At the annual meeting of 1798 the officers of the preceding year were chosen, except in one instance : Thomas Wells was substituted for Abner Watkins as selectman.
437
KEARSARGE GORE.
Voted to raise 15 & for schooling.
At a meeting legally called, and holden at the house of Jonathan Watkins, July 6, 1798, among other things,-
To see where the People will vote to take a part of the School money that was raised for School last spring to help build a school house and how much Money they Will take out of that sum on this side of the mountain.
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