USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Weare > The history of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888 > Part 60
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25. THE FRIENDS' NEW SOUTH CEMETERY is one-fourth mile from the Old South cemetery, and was begun in 1850. Elvira Gove, 1851, was the first to be buried in it.
26. THE SAMUEL OSBORN, SR., GRAVE-YARD is on the south slope of Mount Wallingford, lot fifty-two, range three. Mr. Os- born was buried in it in 1850. His wife, Elizabeth, aged seventy- nine, is the oldest person interred here. She died Oct. 23, 1858. Whole number of interments, eight.
27. THE LUTHER LOCK BURIAL-GROUND is situated west of the Peacock, on the old road from the Hodgdon place to Deering, and
526
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE. [1850.
was first occupied in 1850; Dodevah II. Gray, aged fifty-six, was buried in it. Luther Locke, who was a soldier and pensioner in the 1812 war and died July 14, 1875, aged eighty years, is the oldest person buried here. At his death he would weigh three hundred pounds. Nine persons in all are here interred.
28. THE JOSEPH WILSON TOMB, built by Amos J. Wilson about 1850, is on the hill a mile west of Oil Mill village, and de- posited in it are the remains of Joseph and Rebecca Wilson, father and mother of Amos, also the wife of James Cram, and their son James.
29. THE WELLS CURRIER BURIAL-LOT is beside the road to the mountain district, and Mr. Currier was buried there April 28, 1853. His son Samuel G. is the only other person in the lot. .
30. THE MOUNT PLEASANT CEMETERY, on the south side of the road from the old cemetery at East Weare, was established in 1858. Moses Johnson sold the land to George Day, Rodney Worthley and Enos Hoit, a committee for the proprietors. It was afterwards deeded to Albert B. Johnson. About fifteen interments have been made here.
31. THE DAVID BUXTON BURYING-GROUND is situated on the farm now owned by George W. Colby, in the valley of the Peacock, lot fifty-two, range one, and was first taken up in 1863. David Buxton, who died Dec. 3, 1863, aged eighty-eight years, was the first and oldest person buried there. Dorothy, David's wife, and a few other persons sleep in this yard.
* 32. THE NEW CEMETERY at the Center was begun about 1868, the land being taken from the John Robie farm, lot forty, range five. It is near the Center Square and joins the center rangeway. There are about twenty-five interments.
33. JOHN GILLET sleeps alone in his own little cemetery at North Weare, the yard heavily walled in.
34. THE MUDGETT BURYING-GROUND, on lot fifty-six, range one, is well walled in. It is one-half mile west of Dearborn's tav- ern, and a mile south of the old cemetery at South Weare. William Mudgett's first wife and son and perhaps Mr. Mudgett's father are buried there. There are no grave-stones, only a rough boulder at the head of each grave.
35. THE CRAM BURYING-GROUND, by Moses Cram's, in the south-west part of the town, contains but two graves, those of Mr. Cram's father and mother.
527
CEMETERIES.
1876.]
36. THE BEAN BURIAL-PLACE, on Burnt hill, is near the old pest-house. The young daughter of Samuel Bean and perhaps a few others are buried there.
37. THE BENJAMIN FELCH TOMB is on lot twenty-three, range six. It was built by him about 1840. He and his wife and their son, Joseph Felch, are buried there.
In old times the yards were not so well cared for as now. The fences about them were poor, or if walls, they had toppled down ; the grave-stones yielded to the tooth of time, some had fallen, some were gone, and many of the graves were sunken in. Whittier thus tells of the old grave-yard : -
" A winding wall of mossy stone, Frost-flung and broken, lines A lonesome acre thinly grown With grass and wandering vines.
" Without the wall a birch tree shows Its drooped and tasselled head ; Within, a stag-horned sumach grows, Fern-leafed, with spikes of red.
" There sheep that graze the neighboring plain, Like white ghosts come and go; The farm-horse drags his fetlock chain, The cow-bell tinkles low.
" Above the graves the blackberry hung In bloom and green its wreath, And harebells swung as if they rung The chimes of peace beneath."
The present generation has more care for the graves of its kindred .* The lots are nicely trimmed, the mound above the grave is kept green, the head-stones are not fallen, handsome monuments
* March 14, 1876, the following resolution was passed : -
" Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to take into consideration the propriety of building one or more receiving tombs, and that the selectmen appoint the committee."
Nov. 2, 1876, the committee, Albert B. Johnson, Luther E. Gould and John W. Han- son, reported in favor of building three receiving tombs, -one at South Weare, one at the new cemetery near Center Square and one at East Weare, -at an expense not to exceed $333.3313 each. The town voted that said committee build the tombs, and that the selectmen hire the money to pay for the same. The committee did not at- tend to their duty, because the vote was not legal.
March 9, 1880, the sum of $50 was appropriated to decorate soldiers' graves, and an equal amount each year since.
Nov. 7, 1882, the town instructed the selectmen to appoint a committee of three, to see what a hearse can be purchased for, and if thought proper, to purchase one.
March 13, 1883. " Voted, That the selectmen purchase a hearse suitable to meet the needs of the inhabitants, and to pay for the same out of the town's money." It was bought at an expense of $500.
March 10, 1885, the sum of $400 was appropriated to build a receiving tomb at Hillside cemetery, South Weare, and Luther E. Gould, Alonzo Hadley and Amos J. Stoning were appointed a committee to build it. They built a handsome tomb at said cemetery at an expense of $500, the town afterwards appropriating $100 additional.
528
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1887.
are erected, bushes are cut away, and the yards are well fenced. The town has been generous towards the burial of the dead. Hearses have been bought, a receiving tomb built, and each year $50 is appropriated to decorate soldiers' graves.
The feeling in favor of the general or central grave-yard is gain- ing. Many bodies have been taken up and removed to them, and a few private yards abandoned. The reason for this is, people feel that in the central yard their graves will be cared for, while they know that the family grave-yard, when the farm changes hands, will be neglected and in time obliterated by the strangers who may come into possession.
There is a growing respect for the old settlers who felled the trees and cleared the broad acres. It is remembered that -
" Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield; Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe las broke; How jocund did they drive their team afield! How bowed the woods beneath their sturdy stroke!"
And that now -
" Each in his narrow cell forever laid, The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
" The breezy call of incense-breathing morn; The swallow, twittering from her straw-built shed; The cock's shirill clarion and the echoing liorn No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed.
" For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn, Or busy housewife ply her evening care; No children run to lisp their sire's returil, Or climb his knee, the envied kiss to share."
All honor to the fathers and mothers of New England ! May their deeds never want appreciation, and may their memory be for- ever green in the hearts of their descendants.
CHAPTER LXVII.
INDUSTRIES.
FARMING is the principal industry in Weare, but along with it there has always been much manufacturing. The town has excel- lent water-power, and on its river and brooks are sixty-two mill sites, named for the first occupant, where mills have been or are
EAST WEARE.
......
529
MILL SITES IN THE TOWN OF WEARE.
1752.]
operated .* They are numbered in the appended note from towards the source, down the stream, and the year they were first occupied is given with each. A large reservoir was built in Deering in 1884, and the sites on the Piscataquog never fail, there being plenty of water at all seasons.
SAW-MILLS were the earliest manufactories on these sites. More than fifty of them have been erected since the earliest settlement.
The Proprietors' mill was the first one, as has been told. It was built by the Robiestown proprietors in 1752 at site thirteen, the mill lot, on the north bank of the Piscataquog. It stood but a short time, being swept away by a great freshet.t In 1779 Ebenezer
* MILL SITES IN THE TOWN OF WEARE.
The Piscataquog has twenty-two mill sites : -
1. THE DOW SITE, 1800.
2. SILAS PEASLEE SITE, 1770.
3. PAIGE-PEASLEE SITE, 1790.
4. CALDWELL SITE, 1770.
5. SHAW SITE, 1818.
6. JOHN W. CHASE SITE, 1846.
7. AMOS CHASE SITE, 1836.
8. WINTHROP DOW SITE, 1826.
9. CALEB PEASLEE SITE, 1800.
10. PURINGTON SITE, 1780.
11. WOOLEN MILL SITE, 1848.
12. SAMUEL PAIGE, JR., SITE, 1790. ROBIESTOWN SITE, 1752.
13.
14. ROBERT PEASLEE SITE, 1844.
15. HUNTINGTON SITE, 1831.
16. FIFIELD SITE, 1785.
17. COLLINS SITE, 1788.
18. GIBSON SITE, 1794.
19. EDMUND JOHNSON SITE, 1785.
20. HOGG SITE (1), 1790.
21. RAYMOND SITE, 1806.
22. MARTIN SITE, 1756.
Cilley brook has three sites : -
23. STRAW-ROWELL SITE, 1768.
24. MORRISON SITE, 1836.
25. CILLEY SITE, 1882.
Choate brook has one site : -
26. SPOFFORD-KIMBALL SITE, 1835.
Bassett brook has two sites : -
27. BROCKLEBANK SITE, 1768.
28. HOGG SITE (2), 1770.
Huse brook has two sites : -
29. HOIT SITE, 1832.
30. WORTHEN SITE, 1795. The Otter has three sites : -
31. TRISTRAM JOHNSON SITE, 1810.
32. WORTHLEY SITE, 1790.
33. CROSS SITE, 1820.
Meadow brook has seven sites :-
34. HADLEY SITE (1), 1812.
`35. HADLEY SITE (2), 1812.
36. WHITING SITE, 1815.
37. CORLISS SITE, 1820.
38. DANIEL PHILBRICK SITE, 1830.
39. BATCHELDER SITE, 1840.
40. TUTTLE SITE, 1790.
The Peacock and its branches have eleven sites in Weare, and one in New Boston : -
41. DUNLAP SITE, 1850.
42. PELETIAH GOVE SITE, 1830.
43. HODGDON SITE, 1852.
44. SAMUEL PHILBRICK SITE, 1775.
45. SAUNDERS SITE, 1865.
46. SQUIRES GOVE SITE, 1820.
47. WEED SITE, 1783.
48. BAILEY SITE, 1814.
49. GEORGE SITE, .1780.
50. DANIEL GOVE SITE, 1812.
51. GOVE-JOHNSON SITE, 1815. Currier brook has one site : -
52. MOSES PHILBRICK SITE, 1867. Ferrin brook has two sites : -
53. CRAM SITE (1), 1840.
54. CRAM SITE (2), 1845. Thorndike brook has one site : -
55. OSBORN SITE, 1826. Zephaniah Breed brook has two sites : -
56. LEIGHTON SITE, 1820.
57. STEPHEN DOW SITE, 1790. Center Brook las five sites :-
58. CHARLES CHASE SITE, 1830.
59. R. & E. PHILBRICK SITE, 1809.
60. CLARK SITE, 1848.
61. EDWARDS SITE, 1840.
62. BLAKE SITE, 1800.
t Oct. 19, 1778, there was an article in the warrant for the town-meeting "to see if the town will sell the mill privilege to any body that will appear to buy it and build a good mill and keep it in good repair with a good miller forever." " Voted to dis- miss the article," for the reason that the town did not own the property.
Feb. 17, 1779, John Robie, Elijah Purington and Ezra Pillsbury, a committee chosen by the proprietors of the town of Weare, sold the mill privilege to Ebenezer Peaslee, Jonathan Peaslee and Abner Hoit for £153.
34
530
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1755.
Peaslee and Abner Hoit built a saw-mill at this site on the south bank. Ebenezer Peaslee soon after bought out Mr. Hoit and operated the mill till 1817. Since that time Moses Peaslee, and after him, Robert Peaslee have continued the mill to the present day.
The Nathaniel Martin mill was built about 1755 at site twenty-two, where is now Oil Mill village. At that time there was a beaver dam extending from the west shore, near where is now the north-west corner of the present saw-mill, to a large rock near the middle of the river, which flowed the water back about one mile. There was also a natural pond of five or six acres about seventy- five rods above their dam, which was raised a considerable height. There were beavers living here when James Emerson settled on its eastern shore. A few years later James Emerson, Stephen Emer- son and Henry Clement built a new saw-mill, which they ran for some time. In 1770 James Emerson sold his share to Taylor Little, and Henry Clement soon after sold to Samuel G. White, who event- ually owned the whole. White, Feb. 10, 1779, sold ten-twelfths to Benjamin Gale, who operated the mill till Jan. 10, 1810, when he sold all his rights to Simon Houghton and John Whitney. Gale, while he owned the mill, raised his dam much higher than he had a right, greatly damaging the town's highway and the riparian owners. Jan. 1, 1814, Whitney deeded his half to Jonathan N. Philbrick, and May 5, 1815, Houghton's heirs sold their half to Christopher Simons .* Philbrick died in 1838, and in April that year Simons bought all the rights of the heirs to the mill and privilege. The mill was a source of great profit to him, he sawing a large amount of oak into ship timber and immense pines into deck plank forty-six feet
* CHRISTOPHER SIMONS, son of John and Elizabeth Simons, was born in 1776, in that part of Weare called the mountain. He early learned two trades, wheelwright and cabinet-maker, and in addition had a small farm which he cultivated. He car- ried on business at the mountain about twelve years, and in 1815 moved to Oil Mill village. In a short time he owned and successfully operated the saw-mill, grist-mill, linseed-oil mill; had a store, a wheelwright shop, a cabinet shop, a paint shop, a cooper's shop, in all which business thrived ; did a large amount of lumbering, par- ticularly in furnishing oak and immense deck plank for ship-building; bought and carried on nearly every farm in the neighborhood, which was situated in Weare; built a hotel, and by 1845 owned almost every house in the village. He was probably at that time the most wealthy man in town. He' then aided his sons to start in busi- ness, all of whom have been highly successful. In 1848 he suffered severely by a dis- astrous fire, but soon rebuilt and went on as before.
Mr. Simons was not an office-seeker or holder; he had no time for that. He was a Democrat in politics, and so were all his sons; but he belonged to no church and gave himself no concern about creeds.
He married Nancy Locke, of Deering, and to them were born nine children, Hiram, Clarissa, who married Perry Richards, James, Langdon, Harrison, Lewis, Lurinda, who married James Priest, Eliza A. and George.
Mr. Simons died Aug. 20, 1854, aged seventy-eight years. Mrs. Simons died May 15, 1866, also aged seventy-eight years.
Lewit Simons
531
EARLY SAW-MILLS.
1768.]
long. Mr. Simons, in 1845, sold the mill to his sons Lewis,* Hiram and Harrison, and they did a large and profitable business till 1853. Subsequent owners of this mill have been Abner Hoit, Amos and Hiram S. Hoitt, Ezra Gove and Charles E. Gove, and it is still in active operation.
The Straw-Rowell mill was built in 1768 by Jacob Straw and William Rowell at site twenty-three on Cilley brook. Abner Hoit, then of Hopkinton, was the millwright who did the work. They had two ponds for reservoirs. The mill was operated to some extent till about 1790, when it went down.
The Samuel Brocklebank mill, lot ninety-three, range four, was built in 1768 by Mr. Brocklebank at site twenty-seven on Bassett brook. It was a small mill, did a limited amount of business and went out of use before 1796.
The John Hogg mill, lot ninety-seven, range five, was built by Mr. Hogg in 1770 at site twenty-eight, on Bassett brook. In 1792 Mr. Hogg sold the mill to John Bassett, of Dunbarton, who sold it the same day to his son, Jeremiah Bassett, and he soon sold one-half of it to John Peaslee, 3d. The mill has since had many different owners: Israel Peaslee, Oliver Barnard, Jonathan Cilley, 2d, John
* LEWIS SIMONS, son of Christopher and Nancy (Locke) Simons, was born Aug. 12, 1815. He was educated in the district school at Oil Mill and attended one term at Henniker academy in the fall of 1835, where he was a classmate of the late ex-Gov- ernor Harriman. He then taught school in his own and other districts with marked success for five winters. He also worked at farming, lumbering and in his father's saw-mill. In 1842 he went into trade, but this was not congenial to his tastes, and in 1845 he sold his store to his brother George. He then formed a partnership with his brother Hiram in the lumber business, which was very successful. In 1853 he sold his share and removed to Manchester, where he has since profitably continued the same business with various partners. Mr. Simons has been more than usually suc- cessful and fortunate. His judgment in estimating values, his thorough knowledge of all the details of working and sawing lumber, his executive ability and thorough personal devotion to the management of his business, together with his sagacity and prudence in putting his merchandise upon the market at the right time, or in pre- serving and holding it till a better market would insure its full value, have won for him an enviable business reputation and much wealth.
He has also engaged extensively in building operations, and Mercantile block, Music Hall block and Webster block on the main street in Manchester, built by him- self and others, are among the best in the city.
He has never been an ambitious politician or office-seeker, but has served as alder- man and been the candidate of his party for mayor; he failed of an election because his party was in a minority.
For many years he was a prominent member of the Universalist society. Latterly he has attended the Unitarian church, and has been president of its board of trustees.
Early in life Mr. Simons entertained a love for the military and connected himself with the volunteer militia company of Weare. Afterwards he served with distinc- tion in the Goffstown light infantry and later in a rifle company. Every year to the disbandment of the state militia he did military duty in every rank of the line, and lie was among the first to favor the project of the organization of the Amoskeag Vet- erans, of which he has ever since been a valued and efficient member, and after liav- ing held every office in its gift, he is now its popular and successful commander.
He married first, Hannah H., daugliter of Charles Gove, of Weare, and to them were born six children, Langdon, Almeda and Minot living to maturity ; Mrs. Simons died in January, 1861; second, Mary J. Gilmore, who died in 1886. Mr. Simons still re- sides in Manchester.
532
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1770.
Johnson, Moses Johnson, Alfred M. Hamilton, John H. Day, being some of them. It is now owned by Lydia C. Johnson. .
The Silas Peaslee mill was built in 1770 by Mr. Peaslee at site two, on the Piscataquog at the foot of the great meadow, and was run a few years by Silas Peaslee and Tristram Collins. One day the men went to a barn-raising, and when they returned at night they found the flume had broken away and the mill had fallen into the stream. It was never rebuilt. The pond must have been of great extent, as the stumps of trees, cut on the ice, stood on the higher parts of the meadow, six feet in height, for more than one hundred years.
The Caldwell mill was built about 1771 by Lieut. Samuel Caldwell at site four, on the Piscataquog, west of North Weare. He operated it about thirty years. James Baker, of Salisbury, Mass., bought it in 1803, put it in good repair and operated it many years. Capt. Samuel Baker succeeded his father. In 1848 he sold to Levi H. Dow, who did business a few years, and sold to Nathan C. Paige, of Danvers, Mass. Mr. Paige sold to John Thorndike, and at his decease, W. Scott Bailey, the present owner, bought it.
The Purington mill was built in 1780 by Chase Purington at site ten, on the Piscataquog at North Weare. He operated it a few years, when other mills took its place.
The Joseph George & Co. mill was built about 1780 by Mr. George, Samuel Collins, Nathan Cram, Ezekiel Cram, Jabez Morrill, Jonathan Atwood, James Buxton, Daniel Bailey and Joseph Quimby, at site forty-nine on the Peacock. It was operated for twenty years or more and then rotted away.
The Fifield mill, lot ten, range four, was built in 1785 by Col. Nathaniel Fifield at site sixteen on the Piscataquog, near what is now " Boston." The colonel built a house near by and would move down there from Sugar hill when he was operating it in the spring. Joseph Collins once tended it for him. He would set off a board, start the saw and then take his gun and go partridge hunting, while the saw was running through one cut. He run the carriage back by hand. In 1810 Abraham Fifield owned the mill. It went out of use in 1815.
The Benjamin Collins mill, lot one hundred, range five, was built by Mr. Collins in 1788 at site seventeen, on the south side of the Piscataquog, near where is now East Weare depot. It was not
533
EARLY SAW-MILLS.
1790.]
a very successful mill, and disappeared previous to 1820. The land and privilege were owned by Elijah Brown.
The Samuel Paige, Jr., mill, lot twenty-four, range six, was built about 1790 by Mr. Paige at site twelve, on the south side of the Piscataquog, in what is now Rockland, and operated by him nearly fifteen years, when he sold to Oliver and Josiah Edwards. They sold in 1813 to Joshua Folsom, William Whittle and Enoch Breed, directors of the Weare Cotton and Woolen factory, and other mills took its place.
The Paige-Peaslee mill was built at site three about 1790 by John and Daniel Paige and Nathaniel and Abner Peaslee. It was run a few years and then went down.
The John Hogg mill on lot seventy, range three, was built by Mr. Hogg in 1790 at site twenty on the east side of the Piscataquog, near Everett railroad station. It was operated till 1804, when it was burned.
The Benjamin and Simon Tuttle mill was built by them about 1790 at site forty on Meadow brook. It was used a few years and then rotted down.
The Edmund Johnson mill, lot one hundred, range five, was built by him in 1792 at site nineteen on the north side of the Pis- cataquog. He had built a grist-mill on the same site in 1785. A freshet cut a channel between it and the road, leaving it on an island, and Mr. Johnson built the saw-mill to fill the new channel. The mill did a large business till 1857. The succeeding owners of "Johnson's saw-mill " were Edmund Johnson, Jr., Robert Johnson, Edmund and Moses Johnson, and Albert B. Johnson. In 1866 Charles Black bought this privilege and on it erected a furniture shop.
The Worthley mill was built by Jonathan Worthley about 1790, at site thirty-two on the Otter. It was near the famous "Cold Spring." Worthley rebuilt it in 1832. It was subsequently owned and operated by James Worthley, Moses E. George, Joseph Sawyer, Hiram Simons and Lewis Simons. A large business was done here. The mill went to decay about 1867.
The Worthen mill was built by Samuel Worthen before 1795 at site thirty on Huse brook. It was run by his sons for several years and went out of use about 1820.
The Dow mill was built by the brothers, Elijah and Winthrop Dow, about 1800, at site one on the Piscataquog, one-half mile east
534
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1800.
of Deering line. The Dows and their neighbors run the mill for a few years for building purposes and then let it go down.
The Caleb Peaslee mill was built by him and David Nason about 1800 at site nine on the Piscataquog at North Weare. Andrew Woodbury bought the mill, and he was succeeded by his sons, Wil- liam, Caleb P. and George W. This saw-mill went down many years ago.
The Raymond mill, lot seventy, range three, was built by Jere- miah P. and Thomas Raymond in 1806 at site twenty-one on the east side of the Piscataquog, just south of where is now Everett rail- road station and fifty rods south of Hogg's mill. It was rebuilt in 1821 and went to decay about 1835.
The Tristram Johnson mill was built by him about 1810 on site thirty-one on the Otter. It was afterwards owned by Moses E. George, and was taken down by him.
The John Favor mill was built by him about 1817 at the Sam Philbrick site forty-four on the Peacock. Squires Gove owned this mill for a long time, and after him William H. Hutchins. H. Romeyn Nichols now owns and operates it in connection with other machinery.
The Theodore Cross mill was built by him about 1820 at site thirty-three on Otter brook. The beavers had a pond there before the town was settled. Charles Gove owned the mill for a long time, and while in his possession, an apple-brandy still belonging to Amos W. Bailey was stolen and hidden in his pond. Gorham Ken- drick was the next owner, and then it rotted away.
The Winthrop Dow mill was built by him and Enoch Gove about 1826 at site eight on the Piscataquog, west of North Weare. Dow soon bought out Gove and operated the mill during his life. His sons, David and Winthrop, succeeded him; they sold to Moses A. Hodgdon about 1860, he to George Foster, who sold one-half the privilege to Abraham M. Flanders. The latter took down the saw- mill and erected other mills in its place.
The Charles Chase mill was built by him about 1830 at site fifty-eight on Center brook, one-fourth mile below Duck pond. It was afterwards owned by Samuel W. Chase, and is now owned and operated by Homer F. Breed.
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