USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Warren > The history of Warren; a mountain hamlet, located among the White hills of New Hampshire > Part 33
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Absalom Clifford touched off; a light smoke curled up from the burning fuse.
Pull, shouted the man on the raft, and the doctor and the min- ister pulled. "Pull! Pull! or I shall be blowed up," screamed the fuse lighter, and the man of physic and the man of the gospel
383
AN EXTRAORDINARY FISHING ADVENTURE.
pulled, -- pulled with all their might. But alas the rope broke; a terrible explosion was soon to follow, they could not die there, and the doctor and the reverend fled far into the deep woods.
A. Clifford knew his danger, there was no escape, and taking one last lingering look of mountains and green woods around, lay down on his raft, closed his eyes and resigned himself to his fate.
Soon the powder burned; but there was no terrible explosion, only a few bubbles on the surface and then all was calm and still.
A long time after, the doctor, the minister, the hotel keeper, and the farmers, came creeping back. Absalom sat bolt upright on his raft. He was now as brave as a lion, and spoke many gentle words to the bold rope pullers who had left him to die alone.
They felt " cute enough."
Absalom, with a piece of board paddled himself ashore, and the party gathering up all their tubs, kits, and holders, and cover- ing them with green boughs in their wagons, wended their way to their homes, exceedingly delighted with the many congratula- tions of their friends over their success, and the almost miraculous escape of A. Clifford.
CHAPTER III.
HOW THE TURNPIKE WAS BUILT, AND OF DIVERS THINGS THAT HAPPENED THEREBY.
NEW things came fast to our hamlet among the hills, at the beginning of the present century. In the last chapter of the preceding book, we enumerated many of them, and at the com- mencement of the present, told of the new religions that came to town. In the land of the Coosucks, far to the northward, the people were similarly blessed, and having a great desire for a further supply of useful commodities, began to make efforts for the building of better roads on which they might come.
About this time a mania had arisen for turnpikes, throughout the whole land ; people believed they would be profitable invest- ments, and every body knew they would help develop the country. Nearly twenty of the roads had been chartered and built in New Hampshire, and December 19, 1805, a charter of the old Coos turnpike was obtained. The enterprising people of Haverhill Corner - they don't live there now - were mainly instrumental in procuring it, and the corporation* the ensuing spring, engaged the services of Gen. John McDuffee, a distinguished engineer of those times, and the survey was immediately commenced.
* The turnpike corporation consisted of Moses Dow, Absalom Peters, Joseph Bliss, David Webster, Jr., Asa Boynton, Charles Johnston, Alden Sprague, Moody Bedell, William Tarleton, John Page, and Stephen P. Webster. The first meeting was called by Col. William Tarleton and Stephen P. Webster, by publishing a no- tice in the Dartmouth Gazette.
The " Coventry turnpike" was chartered December 29, 1803, but it was never built.
385
THE COOS TURNPIKE SURVEYED.
There were two points at which it must terminate. Haverhill Corner on the west, and Baker river, the Asquamchumauke, "near Merrill's mill " on the east, and it must be the straightest and short- est line, if it did run plump over the mountain long known as the Height-o'-land. Surveyor McDuffee looked over the route first, and then commencing at Haverhill Corner, ran southeasterly towards the Asquamchumauke in Warren. He was all summer perform- ing the work, getting the bearings, estimating the grade, driving the stakes, and cutting bushes. Thomas Pillsbury of Warren was one of the surveying party, and helped carry the chain. Then the general made up his plan, and in the autumn of 1806 advertise- ments were posted for proposals to build sections of one hundred rods each, on the whole line.
Joseph Patch, Jr., and his brothers, contracted for and built from the commencement at the narrow point between Baker river and the Mikaseota or Black brook up to the Blue ridge. Joseph Merrill took the job cutting through the high embankment of Run- away pond. It required a great amount of labor and much time, and before it was finished the people thought it was a blue job for Mr. Merrill, hence the name Blue ridge. Amos Little built the. hundred rods above Blue ridge, over the Mikaseota, and one of the Clements the section above that. Captain William Butler also built a section.
In 1808, the turnpike approaching completion, a toll-gate was constructed and located where the road crosses the outlet of Tarle- ton lake. Here was a narrow ravine and there was no way to proceed except through the gate. Nine pence was the toll for a horse and rider, one shilling for a horse and wagon, one and six pence for a two horse wagon or sleigh, and three shillings for large teams .*
The people who lived beside it were permitted to travel upon it at a small cost; they working out their highway taxes upon it in part payment .; Joseph Merrill was superintendent of repairs for the south division. Several roads not being longer needed were now thrown up .¿
* For an extended table of tolls, see charter in office of Secretary of State.
Each man had to work a day and a half on the turnpike to pay for what he used it .- Gen. M. P. Merrill's statement.
#Voted to discontinue from Bowles' to the old Potash, (so called,) near Mr. Weeks' so long as the public can pass on the turnpike, free from "towl."
Y
,
386
HISTORY OF WARREN.
And now, when the road was opened, how the people rejoiced ! It would bring new life to the town! Their property would be of higher value, and the world at their doors.
These bright expectations were fully realized; travel greatly increased. Great teams, as they were called, canvass covered wagons, drawn by eight or ten horses, went rumbling by every day in long trains, almost like caravans in the East. Going north they invariably hired all the horses and oxen at the foot of the Height-o'-land that could be found, to help them up. My uncle, Anson Merrill, said that when a boy, he had been to the top of the Height a hundred times or more to take back the oxen or horses. Four shillings or four-and-six-pence was the price of a yoke of cattle or a span of horses over the mountain. The highest point on the road where they dismissed the boy, was about two thousand feet above sea level, and a barn now standing on the turnpike sum- mit is a real water-shed, the rain and melting snow running from one roof flowing into the Connecticut, that from the other roof into the Merrimack. In winter two-horse pungs, with jingling bells and shouting drivers, came from the fertile hill-sides of Ver- mont, and made trains miles in length on the winter road. Num- erous pod teams, or one-horse sleighs, also joined the great caravan to the seaboard.
It was a romantic trip these pungs had to Dover, Portsmouth, and Newburyport. Mr. Samuel Merrill,* "Uncle Sammy," who lived in the East-parte regions, used to narrate his adventures " going down by the sea.". When the deep snow had come and the weather was cold, he loaded up his great steel-shod, - shoes of steel more than an inch thick,-market pung. Whole hogs, frozen stiff, apple-sauce, butter, cheese, poultry, feetings, mink, fox, sable, fisher-cat, and bear skins, caught by his boys, sheep's pelts, and all the various articles of country produce, make a heavy load. Then he would take a whole trunk full of pies, cakes, cold
Voted to discontinue the old road from the north side of Coventry road to the turnpike above Mr. Swett's as above.
Voted to discontinue from Joseph Merrill's to the saw-mill as above.
Voted to discontinue from Captain Craige's house to Jonathan Clement's inn. Captain Craige lived in Joshua Merrill's house on the west side of the Mikaseota. -Town Clerk's Records, Vol. i. 190.
* Samnel Merrill was the son of Rev. Nathaniel Merrill, a very able Congrega- tional minister. Nathaniel was a brother of Joshua and Stevens Merrill, early settlers in Warren.
387
FREIGHT AND TRAVEL TO THE SEABOARD.
meat, cold fowl, and cheese, for himself, and several bushels of oats for his horses. He did not like to pay much money to the thousand and one landlords who kept hotels and furnished drinka- bles all along the road to the markets, which were known as places down country. Just think of the little man mounting the semi- circular step behind the sleigh for the start, amid the tender good- bys and kind wishes of those who were to stay behind, and who must now pass days and perhaps weeks, if drifting snow or a " January thaw" should intervene, before the old mare and her four year old colt should make their appearance, coming up the hill home again. "Out to the road," and he joined the throng coming down the turnpike, and was lost in the hurrying caravan. At the market towns he bought salt, spices of all kinds, steel traps, powder, shot, fishing tackle, and a host of coveted luxuries, and then he was off for his home again. The old mare and the four year old colt turned out of the throng and off the turnpike road instinctively, and was there not joy in the household that night when he unloaded his treasures. James Williams, his neighbor, had a two-horse market sleigh, as did Joseph Patch, Jr., Captain Butler, Obadiah Clement, and several others. There were like- wise numerous pod teams owned in town, that made annual pil- grimages down country with the rest.
Freighting and travel to the seaboard so much increased, on account of the turnpike, that one or two new taverns were opened in town. Mr. Nathaniel Clough* had one near the south line of Warren, Captain Butler and Jonathan Clement each kept one in the valley of Runaway pond, and Col. Tarleton, Joseph Merrill, 'Squire Jonathan Merrill, and Lemuel Keezer, t still continued their hostelries and bought hay and grain of all the farmers in the country round.
The old turnpike road had a lively history for a quarter of a
* FAMILY RECORD OF NATHANIEL AND BETTY (Keezer) CLOUGH. Jonathan, born Dec. 28, 1790, at War- Amos, born May 12, 1797. ren.
Nathaniel, born Aug. 17, 1792.
Sally, born Apr. 28, 1799.
William, born Sept. 5, 1794.
Betsey, born Feb. 15, 1803. Juliana, born Oct. 6, 1813.
t Lemuel Keezer in his old age got Captain Daniel Merrill to live with him and take care of him. Captain Daniel among other things agreed to furnish Mr. Kee- zer a pint of good rum a day during his natural life. Captain Daniel was also a deacon, and Keezer used to say of him, "Now then Daniel always hangs up his deaconship on a peg at home, when he goes out buying cattle, and don't take it down again till Saturday at 4 P. M.
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388
HISTORY OF WARREN.
century, and on it has happened many a fond adventure. The Height-o'-landers were in old times a jolly, jovial, hilarious set of roisterers. The Days, especially, who once lived there, were fond lovyers of good grog, and many a break-neck ride they took with bottle and bag, a stone in one end of the bag to balance the bottle, to the hotels in the valley of Runaway pond, and on the banks of the Asquamchumauke, to obtain the " good creature." It is told by superstitious people that they used to see ghosts on the road going home o' nights.
But the wildest adventure, a terrible ride, happened on the turnpike about the year 1812, soon after the road was first opened. A teamster of short and stout frame from northern Vermont, used to drive four powerful black horses, freighting to the seaboard. In the hot summer he would travel nights and rest daytimes. He left Tarleton's hotel by Tarleton lake one evening to go over to the Asquamchumauke valley. He came through the Tamarack swamp by the pond, climbed the highest summit and went down to the top of the sharp pitch where commence the cascades of Ore-hill brook. Here he chained his wheel, mounted his load and started down. He had not proceeded a rod when the chain broke. The horses could not hold the heavy load and it forced them into a run down the hill. It was dark as pitch, he could not see to rein his team, he could not hold them, and their speed accelerated every moment. The sparks flew from the steel-shod hoofs, and long trails of light flashed back in the darkness as the wheels rumbled over the rocks. As the speed increased, ghosts seemed to shriek out to him from the murky air, and he could almost see their eyes flashing like meteors,- in fact he did see stars, although the whole sky was covered with thick clouds, for just at the foot of the hill where the road turns to the right before crossing the stream, the wagon struck a rock, breaking nearly every timber in it. The leaders cleared themselves and ran, the hind horses were thrown down and one of them killed, while the driver was thrown from the load against a stone, and one of his legs was broken in three places.
He shouted for help, but there was no house within a mile of the spot, and no one came to his assistance. To stay there was to die in agony, and to move did not increase his pain. On his hands
389
A TERRIBLE RIDE.
and knee he crawled to his team, cut the harness of the living horse and got him up. Mounting him he rode to Jonathan Clem- ent's inn, a mile and a half away, roused the family, and was assisted into the house. When a light was brought, his hair, dark before, was found to be white as snow.
The horses that ran were found standing quietly under the . tavern shed. Dr. Bartlett set the teamster's broken limb, and every thing possible was done for the unfortunate man, but it was four months before he was able to walk a step .*
For a whole generation the turnpike corporation flourished and paid good dividends to the stockholders. Then the feeling became prevalent that a road should be built by which the steep hills and mountains might be shunned. After a long contest one was built and travel ceased over the Height-o'-land. The tavern- keepers in the valley of Runaway pond and on the shore of Tarle- ton lake; then took down their signs, and the places once bustling with the activity of teamsters, stage-drivers, and travelers, became almost solitudes.
Still the old turnpike did good service for the dwellers beside it of a second generation; but to-day, riding over it, it seems like a monument of a people past and gone. Especially did it , seem so when in the spring of 1868, in company with my esteemed friend, Mr. James Clement, we came down from Cross' iron mine, through the Tamarack woods by Tarleton lake. It was a cloudy, wet evening the last of May; the lonely farm house be- side the road was deserted, not a human being was to be seen, but from the swamp and dripping wood came the warbling melody of the winter wren, the sweet song of the white-throated spar- row, and trilling sweeter, richer, and far more beautiful than all the rest, the mellow, flute-like notes of the wood thrush.
Reader, riding over the old turnpike, remember that once this solitude was the busiest and most traveled thoroughfare in all northern New Hampshire.
* Dr. Jesse Little's statement.
The old sign of Colonel Wm. Tarleton, that creaked for more than half a century in the winds that blew over Tarleton lake, is still (1869) in existence. When taken down it was nailed upon an inside stable door, where the writer saw it in 1869. It was made of a broad oaken board and was beautifully painted. On the top of the visible side is the name of William Tarleton, and the date 1774 at the bottom. Between the name and the date is an excellent likeness of Gen. Wolfe with drawn sword and full uniform. Wolfe was the hero at that time, and Wash- ington and his generals were hardly known.
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CHAPTER IV.
ABOUT THE 1812 WAR; OF DRAFTING AND VOLUNTEERING, CLOSING WITH A GRAND MUSTER WHEN WARREN'S HILLS HEARD LOUDER MUSIC THAN EVER BEFORE.
IN the selectmenship of Jonathan Merrill, Benjamin Merrill, and Joseph Merrill, high functionaries of Warren, the second war with Great Britain broke out. It originated in a series of aggres- sions made upon our commerce by British naval commanders, they claiming the right to search our ships and of impressing our sea- men. This presumption having been carried on with a high hand, a number of our vessels having been fired into, the United States made a declaration of war.
In New Hampshire Gov. Plumer, by order of the President and the Secretary of War, commanded five companies of soldiers from the first brigade of the New Hampshire militia to proceed to Portsmouth for the defence of that seaport, and upon representa- · tions of the people in the north part of the State that there was danger of predatory incursions of the enemy from Canada, and that contraband trade was rife on the frontier, defrauding our government of its revenue and furnishing the enemy with sup- plies, another company was ordered to the north to be stationed at Stewartstown, N. H. Brig. Gen. John Montgomery was com- manded to furnish the company from the sixth brigade, and he immediately ordered each company of the several regiments com- posing it to furnish its respective quota.
By his order the military company of Warren was compelled
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391
THE 1812 WAR.
to furnish ten men to serve six months. They were to be drafted July 27th, 1812, and each member of the company having been notified, they met on the parade in front of Joseph Merrill's inn, for that purpose .*
It was a day of great interest to all the people of Warren. There was not much sleep in town the night before, and every military man was up bright and early.
But they did not find fair weather. Those who were up before the sun said they saw the rain gathering around the head of Moose- hillock, and the red stars trembling between the flying clouds. At day break it was evident a great rain was coming on. The wind was north-east and the echoing woods of the valley even seemed to foresee the storm. Soon its spirit was heard roaring in the dark forests of Mount Carr; and men at their breakfast saw the ragged clouds hurrying across the heavens, their edges tinged with light- ning; saw the winds roll them along the mountain sides, and heard the deep thunder echoing over the crests. By eight o'clock it was pouring in torrents and the brave members of the Warren military company looked solemn as they assembled on the parade amid the rain that came down on the north-east wind.t War was some- thing new for that generation, and the men who should go might be killed on the battlefield, or die of lingering disease in the hospital.
Still, at ten o'clock the company was formed in line at the beat of drum, the command of forward march was heard, and they marched to the floor of the great barn connected with the inn .¿
Here they were paraded in line. The captain made a short speech, telling them that volunteers were better than drafted men,
* 1809 .- " Voted that the selectmen be a committee to provide powder and ball as the law directs, the ensuing year."-Town Clerk's Records, Vol. i.
t Paid Nath. Clough and others for labor, timber, and plank, for repairing highways in the Forks district, No. 1, after the great freshet, $29.85.
Joseph Merrill and wife went to James Williams' at the East-parte just after the volunteering. It rained two more days; all the bridges were carried away and he had to leave his wife, horse, and wagon, and come all the way home on foot, keeping on the north bank of the river.
# Stephen Richardson was a captain of militia about this time. He was an excellent officer, and his son, Nathaniel Richardson, relates what a fine appear- ance he made when dressed in his uniform. The son says his father was a gay feeling man, and when he stepped on training days he was so light eggs would not break under his feet.
392
HISTORY OF WARREN.
and that it would be more honorable to the company for the requi- site number to volunteer. Then the tenor drum played for volun- teers, and eight men immediately stepped forward. Two others were soon obtained by the offering of small bounties, and George Libbey, Richard Whiteman, Nathaniel Libbey, Nathaniel Richard- son, Ephraim Lund, Daniel Pillsbury, Joseph Pillsbury, Jacob Whitcher, Obadiah Whitcher, and Jonathan Weeks, were the ten men who constituted Warren's quota .*
Addison Patch, Anson Merrill and several other boys, sat on the hay-mow that day, listening to the music of the company band mingled with that of the rain rattling on the long shingles of the roof, and witnessed the volunteering.
Captain Ephraim H. Malurin of Stratford, N. H., commanded the company, John Page, Jr., was Lieutenant. Perkins Fellows was ensign, and George Libbey of Warren was one of the ser- geants, while Richard Whiteman who lived and died at Warren summit, was first corporal. The whole company was raised from the old 13th regiment, which at the time of the breaking out of the war was commanded by Lieut. Col. John Montgomery, John Kimball of Haverhill, Major of the first battalion, and Daniel Patch of Warren, Major of the second battalion.
The company immediately proceeded to its rendezvous by Indian stream, in Stewartstown. "But as good fortune would have it, they saw no bloody fight, and achieved no high honors on the battle-field. Yet they had lively times building block-houses and chasing after smugglers, whom they never caught. Part of the company under Lieut. John Page, who was afterwards governor of New Hampshire, went down through Dixville notch to Errol dam, ostensibly to protect the settlers of that locality from the Indians, of whom old Metalic was chief and the whole tribe, but in fact to prevent a few enterprising Maine men from driving cat- tle up the Megalloway river to Canada, and there selling them to the British forces.
The party had exciting times performing their duties, and the
* John . Abbott went for Haverhill as a drummer, and Perkins Fellows, calling himself from Piermont, went with Warren's volunteers. Perkins Fellows married a daughter of Jonathan Clement, inn-keeper.
" Let Richard Whiteman have when he went as a soldier, $5.00."-See Select- men's Records, Vol. i,
393
SECOND DRAFT.
brave commander, Lieut. John Page, got so terrifically lame, Sept. 12, 1812, chasing Maine cow-boys through the woods, that he did not get well during the remainder of his term of enlistment. But Sergeant George Libbey said he had the best time catching the great five pound trout on the falls of the Androscoggin river, and shooting wild fowl that congregated in great numbers on the clear waters of Umbagog lake. Jan. 27, 1813, the time of their enlist- ment was up and Warren's men, if they did enlist on a terribly rainy day, all came home safe and sound, well pleased with their exploits on the northern frontier.
Warren had some ambitious men. Tristram Pillsbury went into the western army, John Abbott went away, joined some regi- ment and died while in the service .* Major Daniel Patch was a private and fought at the battle of Bridgewater, where he was wounded. But David Patch gained more distinction as a soldier than any other native of Warren. He enlisted in some other State, got a commission, fought in several battles, got promoted for bravery, and commanded a regiment as a colonel, at the battle of Sackett's harbor .¡ Here he was taken prisoner, carried to Halifax, and was so badly treated that he was attacked by consumption. When peace was declared, he came home, and shortly after died. To-day, he is lying in an unmarked and almost forgotten grave in the village burying ground.
In 1814, numerous British men-of-war appeared off the coast of New Hampshire, and so great was the panic they created, that Governor Gilman ordered the entire body of the New Hampshire militia, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, "to hold themselves in readiness to march at a- moment's warning."} Many companies were immediately ordered to Portsmouth, and a draft was once more to be had in Warren. Four men was the quota of our little hamlet this time, and the mighty rulers who were elected this year in our little democracy, Jonathan Merrill, Abel Merrill, and Joseph Patch, Jr., were ordered to see that the men were forthcoming.
Again the company which bore such euphonious names as the slam-bang company, the string-bean company, and the old flood-
* John Abbott died of scarlet fever, April 13, 1813, at Concord, N. H.
t David Patch was wounded at the battle of Sackett's harbor. It is doubtful about his ever having held a commission as colonel.
# Adjutant General's Report, 1868, part 2d, p. 130.
394
HISTORY OF WARREN.
wood company, was warned to appear on the parade in front of Joseph Merrill's inn. It was a bright day this time, Sept. 27, 1814, when they assembled, and the men were drawn up before the tavern door. Once more there was a harangue for volunteers, once more the drum rolled out a patriotic strain, and when it ceased, four men, Moses Ellsworth, Stephen Whiteman,* Cotton Batchelder, and another,; all " little runts of men," a little over four feet tall, stood valiantly forth, each anxious to be one of his country's defenders.
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