The history of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888, Part 61

Author: Little, William, 1833-1893. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Lowell, Mass., Printed by S. W. Huse & Co.
Number of Pages: 1240

USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Weare > The history of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888 > Part 61

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535

EARLY SAW-MILLS.

1832.]

upon whose farm it was built, had some interest in it. Perry Rich- ards, of New Boston, once owned it. Not a large amount of busi- ness was done, and it was last used about 1850.

The Abner Hoit mill was built by him about 1832 at site twenty- nine on Huse brook. Abner Hoit, Jr., afterwards owned it, and it was operated by the Hoits for a long time. It rotted away about 1865.

The Spofford & Kimball mill, lot eighty-eight, range seven, was built by them in 1835 at site twenty-six on Choate brook and within four feet of Hopkinton line. It is a small mill; now in use. The proprietors live in Hopkinton.

The James Cram mill was built by him about 1840 at site fifty- three on Ferrin brook, in the south-west part of the town. In 1845 it was moved to site fifty-four, where it is still in use, and is now owned by John F. Cram, son of James. The mill-dam makes a large pond, and Ferrin pond is at the head of the stream .*

The Robert Peaslee mill, lot twelve, range four, was built by him, for himself and Moses Peaslee, in 1844, at site fourteen on the south side of the Piscataquog, near "Boston." In this mill were sawed many factory beams fifty feet long. It was called "Peas- lee's new mill," and afterwards was owned by Ebenezer Peaslee. At his decease it passed into the hands of George Foster and Moses A. Hodgdon, and went to decay about 1870.

The George Dunlap mill was built by him in 1851 at site forty- one on the Peacock, south of Clinton Grove. It was run a few years, then rotted away.

The Moses A. Hodgdon mill was built by him about 1852 at site forty-three on the Peacock, near his residence.t The building is still standing, although it has not been used for many years.

* Ferrin pond is 275 rods in circumference; its shortest diameter is 24 rods, and its longest 112 rods. The water is 11 feet deep, under which is 17 feet of mud into which a pole can be thrust. Like some conflagrations where there is more smoke than fire, here there is more mud than water. The pond was measured on the ice in April, 1887, by Mr. Paige and Eben B. Bartlett.

t HON. MOSES A. HODGDON, son of Moses and Hannah (Austin) Hodgdon, was born at the old family homestead, where he now resides, June 7, 1817. He received his education at Clinton Grove, Moses A. Cartland teacher, and at the Friends' school, Providence, R. I. He has been one of the most successful farmers in town, for many years was extensively engaged in the wood and lumber business in Weare, Derry and Windham, has owned many lumber mills, and at one time 6000 acres of land and also had a half-interest in the Weare woolen mill.

He has been a member of the Republican party from its formation, represented the town in the legislature in 1861 and 1862, and was one of the executive council in 1868 and 1869. A natural leader in each of these positions, he ranked with the fore- most of his associates.

To the integrity of his ancestors, generous impulses and sympathies are added in Mr. Hodgdon's nature, and he has ever been a prompt and efficient aid in cases of mis-

536

HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

[1848.

The Sebastian S. Clark mill was built by him about 1848 at site sixty on Center brook, and is at present owned and operated by himself and son, Josiah B. Clark.

The George Saunders mill was built by him about 1865 at site forty-five on the Peacock. But little was done, and it soon went to decay.

The Benjamin F. Cilley mill was built by him in 1882 at site twenty-five on Cilley brook. It is a small mill doing some business.

Besides these water mills there have been a dozen or more steam saw-mills operated on various lots, but they have been so ephemeral that no record has been kept of them .*

SHINGLE-MILLS. Shingles were as necessary as boards to the early settlers, but they had no machines for making them. They had to be made by hand, and shingle-weavers were common in Weare in the earliest times. They felled great pine trees, sawed off blocks of suitable length with a cross-cut saw, rived them up with a froe, and with shaving-horse and shave properly smoothed them into short and long shingles, as they wished. It was a splendid lot of clean, white shavings they piled up behind them, with such a healthy, piney fragrance. Shingles made in this manner would last more than fifty years. They did not rot out, they only wore out. Matthew Puffer, Jacob Follansbee and Winthrop Clough were some of the most noted shingle-weavers in Weare. They often camped in the woods while engaged in their labors.

The surveyors of the king's woods once cut an immense pine tree near the Piscataquog for a mast. They cut round the butt end for a chain knob, but as it had fallen into a swamp they could not get it out. It lay there near a hundred years covered with moss and mud, and then a couple of shingle-weavers worked it up. It was better than it was the day it was cut, for the sap had rotted off. In early times shingles were fastened on the roof with wooden pins.

Shingle machines were operated in Weare in the first half of the present century. They would turn out shingles a great deal faster

fortune. For years he was a willing helper in building up the anti-slavery sentiment of his native town. He has always been a member of the religious society of Friends. Mr. Hodgdon married, first, June 9, 1842, Abigail, daughter of Israel and Anna (Aus- tin) Peaslee, who died Nov. 30, 1852, and second, March 3, 1859, Julia Anna, daughter of Enoch and Sophronia (Foster) Page. By his first wife he had one child, Ellen H., born June 29, 1844, married Edwin Hill, of Yonkers, N. Y., and they have four children, three girls and one boy.

* In 1870 lumber mills in Weare were thus reported for the census : Mills, 3; cap- ital, $5000; men employed, 6; annual pay roll, $1400; clapboards made, 9000; shingles and laths, 15,000; boards and dimension lumber, 920,000; value of products, $14,000.

537

SHINGLES, CLAPBOARDS AND LATHS.

1803.]

than they could be made by hand, but they were not so durable as those rived with a froe and shaved.

James Baker, 1803, probably had the first shingle machine in his mill at site four on the Piscataquog. He and his son sawed shingles there for more than forty years.

The Johnsons made shingles at their mill, at site nineteen on the Piscataquog, as early as 1825.

The owners of the Bassett mill, at site twenty-eight on Bassett brook, made many shingles as early as 1840.

Robert Peaslee had a shingle machine in his mill at site fourteen in 1844, and also in his mill at site thirteen in later years, both mills on the Piscataquog, and made many shingles.

The Simonses, about 1845, made many shingles in the basement of their saw-mill at site twenty-two on the Piscataquog.

Harrison Simons made many shingles in the old grist mill at site twenty-two.

Sebastian S. Clark and son have had a machine in their mill, at site sixty-one on Center brook, which they have operated more or less since 1850, and recently have put in a good shingle machine in the saw-mill at site sixty.

Moses Philbrick made shingles in his mill, at site fifty on Cur- rier brook, in the south-west part of the town, in 1867 and since.

Abraham Melvin Flanders has manufactured shingles in his mill, at site eight on the Piscataquog, since 1868.

H. Romeyn Nichols put a shingle machine in his mill, at site forty- four on the Peacock, about 1880, and has since made many shingles.

CLAPBOARD MILLS. In old times all clapboards were rived and shaved like shingles. When circular saws came into use they were sawed one at a time, the block from which they were cut being turned over for each board. The Simonses made many in this way in their saw-mill at site twenty-two. Daniel Philbrick is said to have had the first clapboard machine in his mill at site thirty- eight, on Meadow brook, about 1840. Harrison Simons made them at site twenty-two. Robert Peaslee has made clapboards at site thirteen on the Piscataquog since 1856, and at present his machine is the only one operated in town.

LATH MACHINES have been numerous in town. Robert Peaslee made laths at site fourteen as early as 1844, and now manufactures them at site thirteen. Homer F. Breed at site fifty-eight, and W. Scott Bailey at site four, also make laths.

538

HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE. [1840.

PLANING-MILLS came into use about 1840. They are a great labor- saving machine. The cotton factory company at site twelve, Rock- land, was among the first to have one in Weare. Robert Peaslee has operated one since 1860 at site thirteen. Homer F. Breed, site fifty-eight, Charles H. Thorndike, site three, W. Scott Bailey, site four, the Riverside Match company, site five, the East Weare Toy shop, site eighteen, Squire L. Gove, site forty-six, now operate planing-machines.

AXE HANDLES AND SPOKES were made in large quantities by machinery in 1841 at site twenty-two, Oil Mill village, by Wheeler Perkins and brother.

CARRIAGES AND SLEIGHS. Their manufacture has always been a prominent industry in Weare. Christopher Simons carried on the business at the mountain as early as 1810. He afterwards continued it (1815) at site twenty-two, Oil Mill village, till 1838. Samuel Davis carried on the business at East Weare in 1815, Samuel Foster in 1820, William Hart in 1825, and James Gould in 1830, who has continued it to the present time, 1887. His son, Rodney W. Gould, works in the same shop with him. Elijah Johnson in 1838, at site seventeen, did a large business, and had a blacksmith shop and trip- hammer connected with it. William Batchelder began business at South Weare about 1835. He had a water power at site thirty-nine on Meadow brook. Mark Colburn succeeded him in 1840 and is yet at work, 1887. Elisha Frye built a carriage shop at site six on the Piscataquog, west of North Weare, in 1830, and followed the business several years. He was succeeded by Thaddeus Hanson and Daniel Sawyer, and they by James Hanson in 1842. Amos Chase made carriages at his shop at site seven from 1836 to 1844, when the shop was burned. The stone shop near by it was saved at the time by covering the roof with wet blankets. David B. Leighton began the manufacture of carriages by steam power about 1857 near Slab City, and with his sons is still doing business. G. W. Pike Sleeper did carriage work at Weare Center for many years until his death, and John H. Gove now does carriage work at North Weare. All these shops, in addition to making carriages and sleighs, made wheels and did general repairs.

WOODEN DISHES were made by John Gillett about 1830, where George S. Daniels now lives, north of East Weare village. Jeremiah Bassett turned them for many years at site twenty-eight on Bassett brook.

1840.]

SASH, BLINDS AND DOORS, BARRELS, ETC.

539

SPINNING-WHEELS were made by Amos Purington, otherwise known as " Skimmer " Purington, about 1820. He sold them to ped- dlers, who carried them all about the state. Mr. Ferguson made spinning-wheels on Alexander's brook, just over the line in Dunbarton.

BASKETS. Samuel Colby, in 1823, made them near Peaslee's mill at site thirteen. Colby's daughter Betsey was an excellent basket weaver. James Wyman made baskets for many years, and recently John W. Chase has followed the business.

SASH, BLINDS AND DOORS. Houston & Co. made them at Amos Chase's mill, site seven, about 1840. Wheeler Perkins & Brother carried on the business in 1841 at site twenty-two, Oil Mill village. About 1855 Campbell & Foss came from Goffstown and started the business in the building of the Weare woolen mill at site eleven, North Weare. They were succeeded by Campbell & Austin, Daniel B & George W. Austin, Austin & Batchelder, and they by Foster & Robertson. About twenty hands were employed. The mill was destroyed by fire in 1862 and never rebuilt. John Thorndike made doors a few years, beginning in 1860, at site three on the Piscataquog.

BOXES, of wood, have been made by Charles H. Thorndike at site three since 1867. There is much demand for them, and the business is profitable.

BARRELS. Coopers were plenty in Weare about the beginning of the present century. There was an abundance of red oak in town, and it was worked into molasses hogsheads and sugar, beef, pork and fish barrels. They were made and set up, heated and bent in the cooper's great fire-place, the heads fitted in, and the hoops driven home; then they would be taken to pieces and packed compactly to ship. What music the cooper made as he went round and round the barrel! What tunes he could drum out with his mallet and stake! Thomas Raymond, son of John Hogg, made barrels near the present Everett railroad station. He sent them to Boston by an ox-team and brought back store goods. Gilman Farley worked for him, and Edward Lufkin drove the team. Enos Merrill, who married the daughter of David Cross, was a cooper at East Weare. He made fish-barrels, and a four-horse team carried a hundred and eighty of them at a time to Squog landing, whence they were sent down the Merrimack in boats. Jesse Tuttle made hogsheads and sugar-barrels at South Weare about 1820. He sent them to Boston, whence they were shipped to the West Indies. Hiram Simons and Harrison Hobson carried on an extensive cooper business (1834)

540

HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

[1808.

at Oil Mill. Perry Richards succeeded them, and Gilman Farley and sons worked for him. William Whitcher, who had left the Canterbury Shakers, made pails and keelers at Oil Mill. James Simons and French & Quimby succeeded him in the pail business. Joseph Collins made tubs and pails near Joe pond at East Weare. Aaron Proctor made hundreds of cider-barrels for the farmers. John E. Carr got out shook for the West India trade. Richard Hadlock was an excellent cooper at South Weare in 1808, and Joseph Webster was the most ingenious one that ever lived in town; he made vessels of exquisite workmanship no larger than a quart mug.

CARPENTERS have always abounded in town .*

FURNITURE was made almost as soon as the town was settled, and cabinet shops were plenty at the beginning of the present century. Abner Jones, grandson of Abner, who settled among the hills north of the Piscataquog, made the nicest furniture of any in the land. It was famous for its elegance and finish. He carried on business previous to 1800. Amos Purington was a chair-maker, and worked at his house below Rockland mills. Christopher Simons made furniture at Oil Mill about 1818.

John Dow, called "Grand- sir Dow," succeeded him, and made old-fashioned, straight-backed, flag-bottomed chairs. William Stevens, and with him Jacob Fol- lansbee, made bedsteads in the oil mill at site twenty-two on the river, in 1830. French & Conant went on with the business, and James Simons continued it till the great fire in 1848. Daniel Phil- brick had a cabinet shop in his mill at site thirty-eight on Meadow brook, and did business from 1830 to 1867. He had a huge over- shot wheel that furnished the power. C. E. P. Emerson succeeded him for a short time. Moses Osborn built a cabinet shop at site fifty-five on Thorndike brook, and made excellent furniture, about 1825. He sold his business to Isaac Morse and Thomas Fisher, and

* The following are best remembered :-

Thomas Davis, James Caldwell, Richard Collins, James Leighton, Augustine W. Collins, Daniel Worthley, Jonathan Colby, Timothy Hovey, Ephraim Leighton, Harry Hadley, Henry White,

George W. Colby, Hiram H. Gove, Alfred Boynton, Rodney W. Gould, John Muzzy, Ebenezer Breed,

Dinsmore Muzzy, Horace J. Hoit, Harvey B. Felch, Jolin Buxton,

Samuel Peaslee,

James Corliss,

Josialı Philbrick,

Amos Purington, David B. Leighton,

George F. Hadley, Moses Hazen, Daniel Philbrick,

Andrew Philbrick, Amos J. Stoning, James N. Cochran, George H. Boynton, Alfred Hamilton, John Paige,

Henry Collins, Richard Breed,

Joseph Hoag,

Ichabod Eastman,

Daniel Breed, Moses Osborn, Thomas Fisher, John R. Hadley, Jas. M. Philbrick,

Jesse A. Hazen, John Corliss, Levi Watson, Squire L. Gove, Clement Jackson, Nathaniel Boynton, Buzzell Barnard, Otis G. Cilley.

541

FURNITURE, WOOD-TURNING, ETC.

1836.]

in a few years they sold to Thomas Thorndike. Thomas Thorndike and Ephraim Leighton long ago made bedsteads at site three on the Piscataquog, where is now the box shop. Amos Chase had a cab- inet shop at site seven, west of North Weare, in 1836, and Moses S. Willard made excellent furniture there till 1840. In 1866 Charles Black bought the Edmund Johnson mill-privilege at site nineteen, East Weare, built a large furniture shop and carried on an exten- sive business for ten years, employing thirty hands some of the time.

Simon Perkins, who lived on the flat south of Mount Dearborn, was perhaps the earliest chair-maker in town. He bottomed them with elm bark. He had peeled all his own elms, bought all the bark his neighbors would sell him, and still wanted more. So one night he went to William Dustin's meadow to peel a tree; he cut round at the butt, tore the bark in strips up to the limbs, then climbed up to cut them off. Without thinking how he should get down, he cut every strip, and just then saw Dustin coming. Now he must get down quick. He grasped the trunk with his legs and arms, slid down the slippery surface like a shot, struck the ground with a thud and "put for home." Dustin followed, walked right into Per- kins' house and began to accuse him of stealing his bark. Perkins was in bed and pretended to be fast asleep. Soon he woke with a yawn and said he had not been outdoors that night. Then he got up, brought on the grog, and after each had drank a few times, they parted, the best of friends.

WOOD-TURNING. There were several shops for this business in town. Oliver Edwards had one at his shop at site sixty-one on Center brook, as early as 1838. James B. Hussey built one about 1846 on the south side of the river at North Weare, and got his power from the Weare woolen mill, site number eleven. He turned stair-posts and did general " wood-working" there for four years and then sold to Richard and Albert Breed. William H. Gove bought them out. David G. Chase operated one at site eight on the Piscataquog many years, west of North Weare, and made handles for files and chisels.

WOOD-SAWING mills have been plenty of late years. Ephraim Leighton built one for that purpose at site fifty-six on the Zephaniah Breed brook, which he called the " Folly mill."

MATCHES were first made by Amos Chase at site seven, about 1836, west of North Weare. In 1846 Dr. Lemuel W. Page made

542

HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

[1885.

matches in a shop owned by the Emersons at East Weare. After- wards Edward D. Baker, a peddler, made them at the same place and sold them for $1 a gross. He had a patent process, and could make them cheaper and better than others, as he claimed. In 1885 Samuel M. Christie and associates began the manufacture of matches at site five, where once was the Jonathan B. Moulton tannery build- ing, under the style of the Riverside Match company, and are now doing an extensive business.

RAKES were made by Albert H. Emerson & Brother at Chase's machine shop, site six on the Piscataquog, about 1850. A. G. Han- son has since continued the business.

SHOE-PEGS were made in large quantities at site twenty-two, Oil Mill, by James Simons,* from 1841 to 1848, and at site seven.

BOBBINS AND SHUTTLES were manufactured at site eighteen, East Weare, by Josephus Baldwin, of Nashua, from 1855 to 1860. Joseph Mayo, once warden of the state prison, succeeded him in the business.

WHEELBARROWS were made in quantities at Weare Center in 1866, by Charles H. Leighton.

CLOTHES-DRIERS, TOWEL-RACKS, COMB-CASES AND LOOKING- GLASSES, the last three combined, were manufactured at site eighteen, East Weare, by Reuben A. Smith and Charles H. Moore, about 1870.

BUTTONS were made of wood by Samuel and Jonathan Osborn at their place west of Weare Center. Samuel carried a quantity to Boston to sell. In a few days he came home, and his friends asked him what luck he had selling buttons. He said he didn't sell any. They asked him why, and he replied that he went through every street in Boston, and " nobody axed him if he had buttons to sell !"

Toys were made by John Page at site eighteen, East Weare, in 1875. He was succeeded by John A. White & Co., and the business has continued till the present time. About thirty hands are em- ployed. J. H. Wallace began making toys at site six, west of North

* JAMES SIMONS, son of Christopher and Nancy (Locke) Simons, was born at South Weare, Dee. 26, 1808. He lived with his father till twenty-seven years old, when he commenced the manufacture of shoe-pegs in the oil-mill building at Oil Mill village. He was afterwards interested in the manufacture of pails, also furniture and cabinet work of all kinds, and continued the business till the great fire in 1848, which burned the mill. He then came into possession of his father's homestead farm, and has since occupied a part of his time in its cultivation and improvement. From 1849 to 1855 he kept the village tavern. He married Hannah, daughter of Jesse Clement, in 1834, and to them were born four children : George Franklin, Ellen Mariah, Lewis Arvin and Marietta, none of whom are living. Mr. Simons has been a successful business man and farmer, and has acquired a handsome competeney.

Das Simons

543

SKIMMERS, CLOCKS, MACHINE SHOPS, ETC.

1876.]

Weare, in 1876, and still carries on the business. John Colvin, from Connecticut, bought the mill at site nineteen, East Weare, in 1879, and made toys till 1884, when the mill was burned. Levi B. Laney now owns the site.

SKIMMERS were manufactured by Amos Purington from 1815 to 1835. He lived "over the river," about half a mile below the Rockland mills, and had a shop, where he followed many trades. He was known as "Skimmer" Purington all over the country. Peddlers bought old brass kettles and sold them to him; he made skimmers out of them, nicely polished, and sold them to the ped- dlers. He had a man to help him; his son also worked at the business.

CLOCKS, as good as any the world ever saw, were made in Weare. Jesse Emery, son of one of the early settlers, made the first. He lived not far from the South Weare meeting-house, near Meadow brook. James Corliss, who owned the grist-mill a little farther down on Meadow brook, also made excellent clocks. It is said he stole the trade by " peeking" into Emery's windows nights. Abner Jones made large, old-fashioned, eight-day brass clocks, that readily sold for $50 each. They were the pride of the owners, were beauti- fully finished, gave the correct time of day, the day of the week and of the month, the name of the month and the changes of the moon. One of these clocks sold at auction in 1885, more than a hundred years after it was made, for $83. Hon. John L. Hadley, now seventy-six years old, has one of them made long before he was born. It keeps as good time as ever.

MACHINE SHOPS, where iron has been wrought, have been operated in Weare for more than half a century. Jonathan Shaw first utilized the water-power at site five on the river in 1818. He had a trip- hammer and did an extensive business. He was succeeded by John Buxton, then by Enoch Gove and Ezra Dow. Amos Chase had a shop from 1836 to 1844 at site seven on the river. Oliver Edwards, a very ingenious man, did heavy iron-turning at his shop, site sixty- one on Center brook, in 1838. He also repaired machinery for the Rockland mills.

SCREW-PLATES, HOLLOW AUGERS and other tools, were manu- factured by Moses F. Currier at site seven, west of North Weare, from 1850 to 1870. He did much business.

SKIVERS were first made by John W. Chase at site six on the river, from 1846 to the time of his death. The shop was then

544

HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

[1851.

bought by Daniel Hanson, who still carries on the business. A skiver is a machine to shave leather to a uniform thickness.

IRON FOUNDRY. William H. Gove* and Peter C. Gove, with Homer F. Breed, established one in 1851 at North Weare, on the south side of the river, below site ten. They made many kinds of small iron ware. Their blast furnace was supplied with air from a fan in the woolen mill.

BLACKSMITHING. The early blacksmiths were manufacturers. They made nails, hinges, door handles and latches, scythes, axes, hoes, chisels and augers, bolts, plow-irons and all kinds of farmers' implements. Thomas Stevens had a shop east of Sugar hill. His daughter, Lydia Stevens, was a very skilful artisan. She could make the handsomest door handle of any one in town.

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The history of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888, Part 61

Author: Little, William, 1833-1893. cn Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Lowell, Mass., Printed by S. W. Huse & Co. Number of Pages: 1240

Author: Little, William, 1833-1893. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Lowell, Mass., Printed by S. W. Huse & Co.
Number of Pages: 1240