USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Weare > The history of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888 > Part 52
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* TAX-PAYERS, 1850.
Adams, James
Buxton, Alvalı
Colby, Tamson
Dow, Lorenzo
Alley, Jonathan
David,
Thomas,
Nathan C.
Ash, James
David, 2d
Collins, Abner P.
Stephen,
Bailey, Amos W.
Ira,
John,
Winthrop,
Daniel,
John,
John B.
Dunlap, Samuel Eastman, Charles F.
Ebenezer,
Carr, Aaron
Jonathan, Samuel,
Enoch A.
James, Jr. Samuel,
Charles F.
Corliss, James
Francis,
Balch, William P.
Charles H.
James, 2d
James,
Barnard, Buswell
Chevey,
John,
James M.
Daniel,
Cosmus,
John, 2d Josiah,
Josiah B.
John,
David G.
Couch, Henry C.
Samuel C.
Morrill,
Eli,
Cram, Abigail, Wid.
Squire G. Thomas,
Barrett, Jacob
John, 2d
Daniel,
Eaton, David
.James,
John, 3d
James,
James,
James, 2d
John W.
Joseph,
James, 2d
Bartlett, Enoch
Jonathan D.
Jonathan,
Jane, Widow
John,
Otis,
Moses,
Moses,
Lewis,
Peter,
Moses W.
Nathan,
Bean, Luther C.
Peter A.
Nathan,
Thomas,
William G.
Samuel W.
Nathan, 2d
Thomas, 2d
Bonner, John
Stephen B. Winthrop,
Cross, Cleaveland,
John,
Green,
Nathan,
David, John,
Thomas,
.John,
Cilley, Amos W.
Currier, Levi
Emerson, Albert H.
John, 2d
John,
Moses,
Betsey,
John A.
John, 2d
Moses F.
Daniel,
Nathaniel,
Jonathan,
Thomas, Wells,
Jesse,
Bowls, William S.
Levi,
Danforth, Josiah
John,
Breed, Amos Asa,
Richard,
Davidson, Walter
John, 2d
David C.
Clark, Sebastian S.
Marden, 2d,
Isaac B.
Clement, Ezra Jesse,
Day, George James G. John,
Walter,
John C.
Jesse, Jr. .Jonathan D.
Dearborn, John
John G. William,
Micajah,
Moses,
Favor, Hiram
Moses,
Clough, Daniel, Gilman, Lewis,
Sarah, Widow
Moses G.
Stephen P.
Cochran, Isaac N.
Dow, Daniel G. David,
Sarah,
Thomas F.
Colburn, Mark
Zephaniah,
Colby, Clark David,
Ezra,
Felch, Abigail
David F.
Ebenezer,
George A.
Benjamin, Ira,
Elisha,
Hiram,
Huldah,
Jonathan,
Josiah,
Ichabod,
John G.
Justice,
Lydia,
Jacob,
John Q.
Leonard,
Margaret,
John,
Josiah,
Lewis,
Sarah,
Samuel,
Josiah, 2d
President,
Butterfield, Wm. A.
Stephen B.
Levi H.
Squier,
David H.
Ruth, Widow
John L.
Daniel B.
Baker, James
Chase, Amos
Conant, John W.
Ephraim,
Edmund,
David C.
Page,
John,
Cleveland,
Willis,
Beard, Sumner
Stephen,
Thomas, William,
Edmunds, Ezra
Boynton, Daniel David,
Cheney, Mary S.
Edwards, Oliver
George,
Parker,
Joseph W.
Davis, James Jeremiah,
Moses E.
Lewis,
Clifford, William
Josiah G.
Peter,
John,
Nathan,
David, 2d,
Thomas, William,
Brown, Deborah
Elijah,
Elbridge,
Greeley,
Emery, Caleb
Jonathan,
Seth N.
Marden,
John,
Charles,
John L.
458
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1850.
nineteen miles, the next November, and Henniker, twenty-five and one-half miles, Dec. 10, 1850, when the whole line was operated.
Samuel H. Price was the first superintendent, Abraham Mitchell, road-master, Joseph Knowlton, freight agent, and James Priest, wood agent.
Robert Moore was the first conductor, and held the place till Sept. 1, 1853; Charles H. Hurlburt succeeded him for a short time, when Charles W. Everett was appointed, Dec. 7, 1855, and has ever since held the position.
The fare from Henniker to North Weare was twenty cents, to East Weare thirty cents, to Oil Mill forty cents, to Parker's forty- five cents, to Goffstown fifty cents, to Goffstown Center sixty cents, and to Manchester seventy-five cents.
George Stoning, a curious genius, was one of the first passengers
Fifield, Robert S.
Gove, Squire
Lufkin, Cyrus, Lull, Dudley
Flanders, Ebenezer Elijah, John,
Squire D.
Hoyt, Randall F. Warren, Huntington, Abner Andrew, Benjamin,
James,
Jonathan,
Grant, Isaac
Gray, Dodevah H.
John,
Manning, John L.
Moses,
Jonathan, Nathan,
Olive, Widow Thomas, Huntoon, Amos S.
Marshall, Joseph
Samuel,
Greenleaf, Lewis
Huse, Moody Orlando,
William,
George, Jesse
Alonzo,
Hussey, James
Martin, Arnold
Lewis,
Hannah, Wid.
Moses,
James W.
Jewell, Jacob Otis, Jewett, Fifield H.
Jonathan, Samuel, Williamn, Matthews, William
Nathan,
Jolın L. John R.
Johnson, Abijah Amos, Daniel,
Mckellips, Silas
Gile, Daniel
Hanson, David D.
Edmund,
Melvin, Abraham Abraham, 2d Oscar, Merrill, Jacob
Humphry N.
Solomon,
Jonathan,
John,
James,
Harriman, Cleora, Wd H. B.
Mary, Wid.
Mitchell, Daniel R.
John,
Haskell, George W.
Moses,
Moore, David
Luther E.
Moses R.
Ezekiel W. Robert,
Charles,
Hannah,
Keazer, Samuel P.
Morrill, Abraham Alba,
Dana B.
John, Moses,
Kelley, James
Morse, Moses W.
David,
Hedding, Damon
John R.
Moulton, Jonathan B.
Ebenezer,
Hoag, Israel Joseph,
Kendrick, Gorham P. Mudgett, Ebenezer Samuel T. Jesse W.
Elijah F.
Hodgdon, Moses A. Kenney, Charles A.
Moses,
Enoclı, Ira,
Holmes, George W.
Jane, Wid.
William,
Janies,
Hoyt, Amos Daniel B.
John,
Muzzy, Benjamin Benjamin F.
Johnson,
Enos,
Samuel, Thomas, Kinson, Richard
Dimond, 2d
Levi,
Francis,
Knott, Charles
Gilman,
Levi W.
George,
Leighton, David Ephraim, John,
John D.
Moses,
Horace J.
Jonathan P.
Paige E.
John,
Locke, Benjamin
Reuben A.
Peter C.
Joseph B.
Benjamin, 2d
Thomas,
Samuel,
Lucretia,
Lufkin, Almond
William,
Gibson, Jacob
Hamilton, Alfred,
Gillett, Jolın
James,
Elijah,
Nathan,
Eliphalet,
Gould, Daniel David,
Otis S.
John,
Lydia,
Nancy, Widow
Jesse,
Gove, Abner
Hazen, Cyrus Hamon,
Rhoda, William,
Daniel,
Edwin,
Holliday, Lymall
Kimball, Arthur
Moses, 2d
John M.
Daniel F.
Josiah,
Enos, 2d
Moses H.
Pelatiah,
William B.
William H.
Jefferson, John, Lynch, Alfred
Follansbee, Benj. Jacob,
Green, Ezra
Ransom,
Moody, Seth N.
Samuel, 2d
Hadley, Abner L.
John,
George,
McCain, William
Moses E.
John, 2d
459
THE ROAD MORTGAGED.
1851.]
from North Weare. He bought a ticket for Manchester. He got on board; the cars started; they went too fast for him; his head began to whirl; he commenced to holloa; he wanted them to stop; he lost his wits, and he made such a fuss that the conductor did stop and put him off. That was George Stoning's first and last ride on the cars.
The cost of the road thus far was $546,587.49, and to pay the $200,000, which was a debt above the stock subscribed, it was voted at a meeting of the stockholders, held at Goffstown Jan. 23, 1851, to issue bonds to that amount, to be dated Jan. 1, 1851, and to mortgage the road to secure the payment of the same. Daniel Clark, Mace Moulton and Frederick G. Stark, all of Manchester, were chosen trustees of the mortgage for the bondholders. The bonds soon fell into the hands of J. W. Clark & Co., who were going
Nichols, Elbridge A. Philbrick, Betsey
Simons, Enoch
Waldo, Jolin C. Walker, Ruel
Hiram,
Ephraim,
George, Harrison,
Wallace, James
Simeon,
Jeremiah W.
Hiram,
Watson, Levi H.
Osborn, Daniel
Daniel B.
Josiah,
Joseph,
Webster; Betsey Rachel,
Daniel, 2d
Judith,
Lewis, William B.
Dustin Q.
John,
Moody,
Sleeper, George W.P. Ż. M. P.
Jolın,
Samuel,
Nathan,
Reuben A.
Samuel, 3d
Samuel,
Smith, Ethan Ivers, Reuben,
James S.
William,
Pierce, Artemus
Spaulding, Abcl
Jesse,
Paige, Albe
Preble, Thomas M.
Southwick, Isaiah
Whittle, H. G. O.
Daniel, 2d
Purington, Elijalı
Stone, Betsey
Willard, Cyrus S.
Daniel, 3d
Putnam, Elbridge
Stoning, George Jonathan,
Williams, Alonzo K. John, Luther L.
George,
Raymond, Jere. P. Stephen B. Thomas, William,
Paige H. Samuel,
Joseph,
Joshua,
Reed, James
Tenney, William
Robert,
Lemuel W.
Terrill, Alfred
Rodney,
Reuben,
Richards, John Perry,
Tewksbury, Geo. H. William,
William,
Samuel, Samuel, 2d
Robie, John
Thompson, Josepli William I.
Wingate, Aaron
Parmeter, Aaron Peaslee, Abigail Daniel R.
Rowell, Stephen
Thomas W.
David,
Russell, Levi
Wilson,
John, Lyman,
David, 2d
Saltmarsh, Jonathan Thorp, Abraham Thomas, Isaac H.
Caleb P.
George,
Sargent, Elbridge
Isaac H.
Daniel P.
James,
Jacob,
Joseph W. William,
George,
John,
Joseph M. Samuel,
Town, Luke
James W.
Jonathan, 2d
Saunders, George W. Tucker, William
Nathaniel,
James,
Tutherly, Rufus
Nathaniel, 2d
Sawyer, Allen Daniel,
Tuttle, Benjamin Simon,
Woods, James M.
Robert,
Stephen,
Humphrey,
Twiss, Jeremialı
James,
Peterson, James
Moses, Nathan, Philip,
Vitty, Albert John A.
Samuel,
Phelps, Almond
Simons, Christopher Wadleigh, Rufus
Tamar,
Philbrick, Andrew
Elbridge,
Waldo, James
James,
Jonathan,
Moses C.
Whittaker, Alvalı
Samuel, 4tlı
Willis,
Daniel,
Priest, James
Stanley, David S. John,
David,
Putney, Perley
Jacob,
Straw, David T. Israel,
Willson, Amos Elvira,
John,
John, 2d
Robbins, Adda
Rogers, Thomas
Thorndike, Henry John,
Wood, Cyrus E.
Woodbury, Andrew
Ebenezer,
James,
.Jonathan,
John, Willianı,
Worthley, Betsey, Cleaveland C.
Perkins, Benjamin Enoch,
Upton, John
Moses,
Jesse,
Horace,
John S.
James,
White, Dustin
Ezekiel W.
Mary, Widow
Samuel,
Root. Nathan H.
460
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1853.
to extend the road to the Connecticut river and do many other things for it, all which they failed to accomplish.
The road had troubles from the first. The people of Concord, the Concord and the Northern railroads were very jealous of it. It could not make connections either at Henniker or Manchester, and the Contoocook Valley railroad, in defiance of the law, would carry passengers from Henniker to Manchester for twenty-five cents, or free, rather than have them go over our route. No dividends could be paid on the stock or bonds, nor money enough earned to meet running expenses. This state of affairs could not long continue, and April 10, 1853, the road, by an act of the legislature, was consoli- dated with the Concord & Claremont, under the title of the Merri- mack & Connecticut Rivers railroad. This new corporation was as poor as the old, and soon after made default. It was then placed in the hands of the mortgage trustees and was operated for them by the Northern railroad.
Joseph A. Gilmore, superintendent of the Concord railroad, and afterwards governor of New Hampshire, got possession of the road in 1853. In managing it he had no regard for ethics or good morals. In operating it he used the engines, cars, wood and oil of the Con- cord railroad. He paid the repairs, taxes and other unavoidable expenditures, out of the money of that road. From the earnings of the Weare road he simply paid the help and put all the rest of the money into his own pocket. Sunday, Oct. 31, 1858, with the rolling- stock and employés of the Concord railroad, he tore up the rails for six miles from Henniker to North Weare and sold them for $17,000, pocketing the money. For this act he has been held in execration by all good citizens. He also removed a large amount of other iron from the road, appropriated the proceeds and supplied its place with iron taken without right or permission from the Concord road.
The citizens of Weare, under the lead of Moses Sawyer and with the help of neighboring towns, made a strong effort to get the law repealed which, enacted by Gilmore's influence, had authorized the taking up the rails; but they were unsuccessful. The citizens of Concord, the railroads and Gilmore were too strong for them.
Gilmore, assisted by Robert N. Corning, then bought the interest of the mortgage trustees for $55,000, and the management went on as before. They soon got the road rechartered by the legislature, and the incorporators were authorized to select their own name. They chose the present one : the Manchester & North Weare railroad.
461
THE RAILS TORN UP.
1866.]
In 1866 the Concord railroad becoming very much dissatisfied with Gilmore's management, bought Mr. Corning's interest for $7000 to be paid at once, and $20,000 more in four annual instalments. About the same time Gilmore took from the funds of the Concord railroad, in his hands as superintendent, $20,000 as payment to him- self towards his share of the apparent balance of earnings of the Weare railroad then standing on his books to its credit. No such sum was due Mr. Gilmore, and he had it without right. He died shortly after, and his interest in the Weare railroad was seized by the Concord railroad for what he owed it and had embezzled from it; and after paying a debt of $23,000, that road came into the full ownership. Only a nominal organization has since been maintained, - a good thing for the nominal or formal board of directors, who get free rides over the Concord railroad and all its branches .*
After tearing up the rails, but two trains were run daily between Manchester and North Weare, t- one up, the other down; and both were mixed - freight and passenger. When the Concord road came into full possession they made fares and freights tolerably cheap, and business much increased.' Six towns are accommodated by our road: Goffstown, Dunbarton, New Boston, Francestown, Deering and Weare. Four trains -two all passenger and two mixed-now run each week day, and two trains on Sunday. A milk car is sent from North Weare to Boston every day. There are eight depots on the route, several flag stations, and so accommodating is the man-
* OFFICERS OF THE ROAD.
SUPERINTENDENTS.
Samuel H. Price, Sept. 10, 1850, to Aug. 1, 1851.
True Dudley, Aug. 1, 1851, to Dec. 1852. Hiram Rice, Dec. 1852, to June 1, 1853.
WOOD AGENT.
CLERKS.
Mason W. Tappan, Lewis Smith, Geo. W. Pinkerton, Franklin E. Paige. Franklin N. Poor,
TREASURERS.
Franklin N. Poor, Oct. 1848, to Feb. 27, 1852. Franklin E. Paige.
TICKET-MASTERS.
Edson C. Eastman, June 1, 1850, to Nov. 1853. Henry C. Sherburn, Nov. 1853, to 1854. Jas. R. Kendrick, Jan. 1854, to Nov. 1, 1854. Amos C.Warren, Nov. 1, 1854, to Apr. 15, 1855.
Abraham Mitchell.
t STATION AGENTS IN WEARE.
OIL MILL.
James Priest, 5 years,
John Cross,
James Simons,
James M. Boyce,
Richard E. Harvey, David Grant,
Samuel H. Boody, Frank Batchelder,
Hiram H. Favor,
Rufus Fellows,
Abner Frost, 16 years, Edward M. Hadley.
FREIGHT AGENTS.
Joseph Knowlton. James R. Kendrick, Jan. to Nov. 1854.
James Priest. CONDUCTORS.
Robert Moore, Dec. 10, 1850, to Sept. 1, 1853. Charles Henry Hurlburt, Sept. 1, 1853, to Dec. 7, 1855. Charles W. Everett, from Dec. 7, 1855, to the present time, thirty-two years.
ROAD-MASTER.
EAST WEARE. NORTH WEARE. Stephen Breed, Moses H. Sawyer, Jason P. Simons.
Albert B. Johnson, 25 years.
462
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1886.
agement, that a train will stop almost anywhere for passengers to get on or off. In Weare there are four stations at the present time : Oil Mill, Everett, formerly Raymond, East Weare and North Weare. The road pays good dividends on the sum the Concord railroad paid for it.
Many citizens still hope to see the rails relaid between Weare and Henniker, the road extended to Bradford and connections made with other roads to Ogdensburg. Then our road would be a through route, thirty miles shorter, from the lakes to the sea, than any other ; dozens of trains passing each day, and the same busy life apparent as when the great teams and scores of pungs went down to Salem market in the times long ago.
CHAPTER LX.
FARMING.
" It snows, it blows, it's cold, stormy weather, In comes the old man drinking down his cider."
MANY of the winter days are of this sort and the farmer of old times could do little else than fodder his stock and keep a roaring fire on the hearth. It is narrated of Eben- ezer Peaslee that he drew in with his horse hundreds of oak and maple back-logs, larger than he could lift, to the cavern- ous fire-place in his great kitchen. Then his wife, Abigail, who lived to be near a hundred years old, would sweep the stout plank floor after him ever so neatly, with her deft broom of hemlock boughs, brought by her boys from the woods. But it is sometimes pleasant and balmy in winter. Then the farmer turns his stock into the high enclosed barn-yard ; hay is carried out to be eaten in the crisp sunshine, and colts gambol, sheep bleat, cattle lock horns and try for the mastery, geese cackle, turkeys gobble and roosters crow, for the pullets are just beginning to lay. A great pile of logs is drawn from the forest to the sheltered side of the shed to be cut into fire-wood, and a few logs are hauled to the mill to be sawed into shingles and boards for needed repairs. The store, the mill and the post-office are visited for groceries, meal, letters and newspapers, for
463
FARMING.
1870.]
Sunday reading must be had. At the present time hay is often car- ried to Manchester, and the farmer in the early morn, as of times long ago, hears the creaking of the sled on the frozen snow and sees the steam rising from the frost-rimmed nostrils of his team.
But the sun is all the time coming back from the southern solstice ; the days grow longer ; the winter wears away; the warm wind blows from the south-west; the snow begins to melt and the sound of little brooks is heard under the drifts. Dogs bask for hours on sunny door- steps ; the sturdy chopper's axe is swung all day long above the win- ter-gathered pile, and the bluebird's note comes from the leafless apple-tree in the orchard near by, or from the box on top of a pole.
A few go to the sugar bush with bit, spouts and buckets ; the trees are tapped ; with pails and yoke the sap is brought to the camp; there is a crackling of dry beech limbs ; a roaring fire ; a sim- mering and seething of the sweet fluid in the kettles, before it leaps up in white, dancing foam. The sugaring-off is a rustic jubilee. The cool, well-strained syrup is poured in the kettle, the fire lighted, the steam grows more fragrant, the hot honey thickens till it clings in double drops on the edge of the skimmer, or hardens to a delicious gum when poured on the cold snow. Then is the time to eat. When all have had their fill the remainder is " stirred off " into nice, white, dry sugar, or run into cakes. A better way is to make it into bright, clear honey, bottle it for future use or send it to market. Sugar to the amount of two thousand four hundred seventeen pounds and two hundred sixty-two gallons of honey were made in 1870, in the maple orchards on Barnard hill, at the mountain, on Sugar hill and on Craney hill.
As the sun runs still higher and the days grow warmer the fertile banks smile in green, the birds come back, the fields are vocal with their songs, frogs peep in the meadows, the bright-colored hepatica pushes up through the mat of moist leaves on the ground and the trailing arbutus, of heavenly fragrance, begins to bloom.
Soon the men and boys are out in the fields. Fences are mended, stones picked, manure hauled, and the plough goes round and round; the fresh earth yielding a delicious, health-giving odor, while the brown thrush follows, picking grubs in the broad furrows. Young orchards are set out, old trees are grafted and numerous shade trees are or ought to be planted by the road-side.
Jacob Carr was one of the first in town to push along his spring's work. It is handed down how he was hauling out manure with a
464
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1870.
very smart yoke of cattle, when some visitors were present. He told them he could load his oxen to a single grain, and if he put on a grain more they could not pull it. His visitors did not believe it, but he said he convinced them. He loaded up and when he got into the hill over the river he stopped his team to rest. "See," he exclaimed, " they have pulled it so far well enough." Then he took out his jack-knife and placed that on the load. The cattle tried and tried and they could not start it. He took off the knife and they drew the load up the hill with perfect ease.
The mothers and daughters are in their gardens. They mend the walks, make the beds and sow the seeds. Early peas are planted and a little later many kinds of beans. Roots and bulbs are care- fully transplanted, the springing vines trained, the rose-bushes and flowering shrubs trimmed.
The wheat and the rye, the oats and the barley are sown with careful, even hand. The potato field is furrowed out and the pota- toes dropped and covered with a hoe ; the corn is often "put in" with a " corn-planter," a great labor-saving machine.
The dairy has always received much attention. A large amount of butter is made ; fifty-four thousand one hundred and nine pounds in 1870, most of which is sent to market. Weare's housewives are cel- ebrated for their nice, sweet, yellow butter, the best being made in June. Some cheese is manufactured for home consumption, the amount in 1870 being eleven thousand eight hundred and seventy- three pounds. The best spring calves are kept for stock on the farms and the others sent to city butchers. In 1870 stock to the value of $34,830 was slaughtered or sold to be slaughtered, and there were one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine cattle in town. Among the early settlers who were particularly noted for keeping many cows were Col. Nathaniel Fifield, Joseph Huse and Abner Hoit. The latter once had a three-years-old heifer that appeared as though she had been sucked or milked in the pasture. He would find her legs spattered with milk, and she was continually lowing and uneasy. So Hoit kept her up one morning two or three hours ; then turned her out and watched her. She went to a great rock, walked around it several times, lowing, when a large black snake came out and sucked the milk from her bag. After the reptile had its fill she seemed satisfied and walked away with the rest of the herd. Hoit told his neighbors, but they were loth to believe him. To satisfy them he kept the heifer up another morning, then turned her out,
465
ABRAHAM MELVIN.
1870 ]
a Columnel T .hà all the other,
The fumo
un the winds
· Ging and tore !
Ming
When bob-o-From vege Bathing Arki
.
.
470
'$ NONSE MO
1
465
ABRAHAM MELVIN.
1870 ]
and Colonel Fifield, with all the others, witnessed the same thing. They killed the snake with a club, and Hoit lost no more milk.
The farmers of Weare have greatly improved their stock. Devons are the most beautiful in form and color, Durhams are the largest and strongest, Jerseys are the best for butter, but the old-fashioned cows of our fathers produce the most milk. Thousands of gallons are now sent by special car to Boston market daily, Denis A. Paige and Archibald R. Gove loading and forwarding it. Although the farmers get a little less than three cents a quart, they find it more profitable than making butter and cheese.
When the young crops come up the corn has to be lined, or images set up to scare away the crows, who do much more good than hurt. Hoeing has to be done, but it is far easier now since the era of nice light hoes and patent cultivators. At the same time sheep have to be washed and sheared. Then the brooks and the river are a lively resort. Many farmers wash their sheep by Emerson bridge over the Piscataquog. Another favorite resort is by Peaslee bridge on the mill lot. Jonathan Kimball was washing sheep there one bright day when bob-o-lincolns were fluttering and singing above the blossom- ing apple-trees in the meadows below. He was a heavy, pussy man and was dropping the sheep from the bridge into the water, where the men would catch them as they swam down stream. A large wether was too strong for hin, struggled, caught one of its horns in his vest pocket and both went "ker-souse " into the river together, where it was eight feet deep. Kimball had to be helped out, or he would have drowned. The click of the shears as the wool is clipped is sweet music in all the barns. Weare has been celebrated for her flocks. John Hodgdon and Daniel Breed were among the first to raise improved varieties, and Abraham Melvin,* following in their
* ABRAHAM MELVIN, son of Capt. Jolin and Jane (Little) Melvin, was born Nov. 29, 1799, on Barnard hill. His paternal ancestor, Patrick Melvin, a Scotch-Irishman, so called, came with his wife, Mary, from the North of Ireland before 1735, and settled in Chester. They had six children.
Abraham, the second son of Patrick and Mary, and the one from whom all the Melvins in Weare have sprung, moved to this town about 1767. He married a Widow Colburn, and they had four children.
John, the eldest, bought of his father in 1791 fifty acres of land on the northerly side of Barnard hill, cleared a part of it, built a house and Dec. 28, 1797, married Janc Little, a very superior woman, born in Goffstown. They had three children : Nancy, Abraham, the subject of this sketch, and Phebe.
Abraham, being the only son, much against his inclination, decided to remain at home with his parents, upon the promise that he should have the farm and other property on their decease. He received only a limited, common-school education. but he had excellent common-sense, good judgment, and seemed to have inherited all the better qualities, shrewdness, tact, energy, untiring activity, of both his par- ents. In fact, he was well-born.
About the year 1812 Moses Hodgdon and Daniel Breed, his townsmen, had given their attention to raising sheep, and young Melvin eagerly watched their efforts.
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HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1870.
footsteps, raised the most sheep and wool of any man in New Hampshire. In 1870 there were two thousand eight hundred and fourteen sheep in town, and Melvin owned far more of them than any other man.
Ebenezer Peaslee* had great success rearing sheep. One year he raised from his flock of one hundred, one hundred and one lambs. He sold one hundred of them to a drover named Jenkins for $2 a head. The drover turned them in, at Boston, on drift as bought for $2.25 a head. When Peaslee learned through the papers what the lambs sold for, the butcher learned from Peaslee what they were bought for. The transaction utterly ruined the drover, who after- wards could neither buy nor sell to advantage.
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