USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Lyndeborough > The history of the town of Lyndeborough, New Hampshire,1735-1905 > Part 41
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As the Forest road to Greenfield nears the foot of the moun- tain, a road branches from it toward the west which is known as the "gulf road " to Peterborough. It was built in the for- ties of last century, with the purpose of avoiding the hills. The place where it turns off from the Forest road is known as the Benjamin Crosby place.
At the very foot of the Winn mountain a road turns southeast and passes in front of schoolhouse No. 9. After passing a short distance south of the schoolhouse, it left the old Capt. William
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ROADS AND BRIDGES
Dutton place and took a southerly course by the Jotham Hil- dreth place down to the brow of the hill west of Elmer Blanch- ard's. From near the Dutton place, back of the present resi- dence of Mr. S. M. Buck, the road bears still southeasterly by the old Moses Pearson place, now Frank Reynold's, and joins the road which runs from the Hildreth place to the Foster Woodward place.
About an eighth of a mile from the corner near schoolhouse No. 9 toward Greenfield, a road descends into the woods west- ward, which is the old road to Peterborough. This joins "the gulf road " near the old Stephenson mill site, crosses the river and passes on through what is called " happy hollow " to Peter- borough, or over the north end of the mountain.
Taking our bearing now from the Centre, the roads to Green- field and Francestown have both been described. The old road to New Boston is next to be noticed. This started as the east- ern part of the fork formed by the roads near the residence of Mr. Herman Walker and passed by the David Badger, or James Karr place, the Capt. William Barron, or Frank B. Tay place, by the Robert Badger, or Harry Richardson place, and over the north side of the mountain down to North Lyndeborough. From there the roads divide, one passing to New Boston and another to Francestown.
Again, a newer road passes down the hill in front of the church and runs over the " Scataquog " mountain to the Bailey place. Here it intersects with the road to New Boston.
Still another road passes nearly north from Jonnson's corner and runs direct to New Boston. Near the northeast corner of Lyndeborough a road branches eastward from the New Boston road toward Mont Vernon.
There are' besides these, several short sections of highway which it seemed difficult to include in this compendious view of our roads. These roads are in general well cared for and well marked with guide boards at their intersections ; and it is believed that any one following the lines of highway here indi- cated will see that the town endeavored to afford all its citizens the most thorough and abundant facilities for travel in the nature of the case. Large sums of money have annually been expended for repairs and improvements of these highways.
BRIDGES.
The bridges of the town are small, and for this reason not
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
generally expensive. The care of these seems for a time to have rested largely upon the citizens living in the highway dis- tricts where they were situated. The support of these by the people who lived nearest to them became at times, when un- usual damage occurred, quite troublesome, and in their estima- tion an unreasonable tax. An article was therefore inserted in the warrant for a town meeting to. be held on May 5, 1818, to see whether the town would vote " to build and support certain bridges " which may be shown "to be an unreasonable tax on the district in which they are situated."* On considering this matter the town voted "to build all bridges in said town that are over ten feet in length"; and further voted that the Select- men be a committee to view the bridges, "if applied to," and "if, in their opinion, the districts are unable to support the same, then the Selectmen are to proceed agreeable to the above vote."t In harmony with these votes, we find the town again directing the selectmen " to assist those highway districts which are burthened with bridges," by giving them " materials for the repairs of the same as they think best."
* T. R. III, pp. 271, 273- t T. R. IV, P. 8
TOWN HALL. LYNDEBOROUGH.
CHAPTER XXV.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
THE TOWN HALL.
The old meeting-house failed to give general satisfaction as a town hall. Consequently, March 14, 1843,* a committee was chosen to examine the Town House and see what repairs were necessary, and estimate the cost of them ; and also to estimate the probable cost of a new house suited to the town's use. David Stiles, Josiah Wheeler, Asa Manning, Peter Cram and Israel Putnam were chosen for this service.
This committee reported April 11, 1843, and gave it as their opinion, t "that a hall thirty by forty feet will be sufficient to seat all the voters which ever will come there, and give them convenient room for all necessary operations; and that such a hall may be set off at either end of the house and well finished with a store for the sum of $240 ; and that a committee-room or selectmen's office " included may be supplied for the above sum. Three rooms might also be fitted up as a dwelling, and the house be moved about twenty feet west ; the entire cost of such changes and repairs would be about 300 dollars.
They also reported that a new house of the size mentioned, one story high, with the underpinning of the old house, door- steps, etc., would cost 650 dollars. # March 11, 1845, the town voted to build a Town House, and chose William Jones, Josiah Wheeler, and Levi Tyler a building committee. Voted further that this committee dispose of the old Town House, all above the underpinning, and that one half of the proceeds be paid to the pew-holders.
To the latter committee were added two other persons, viz .: Peter Cram and David Putnam, as a committee to locate the house on the common. This committee reported, March 22, 1845, that they have agreed and determine "the location in question to begin directly west of the old Town House, as far as the ledge of rock will admit, thence extending east the length of the house so that the corner of each end shall lay nearly parallel with a line drawn from the new meeting-house
*T. R., IV, p. 470. + P. 475. +P. 531.
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
to the well-house near the house of David Stiles, but being a little to the right of said line." This report was signed by William Jones Josiah Wheeler Levi Tyler David Putnam
The building committee above named was authorized to draw from "the Treasury an amount not exceeding six hundred dollars of the Surplus Money."
An attempt was made at a meeting called on March 31, 1845, to have the town " rescind all the votes relative to building a Town House, passed at the last annual town meeting."* The meeting voted, "to indefinitely postpone " t the article covering this subject, 83 for, and 69 against ; and by a vote of 82 to 68, adjourned the meeting indefinitely.
CITIZENS' HALL.
Citizens' Hall, South Lyndeborough, was built in part by the town for the accommodation of a library, and partly by the sub- scriptions of citizens who desired better conveniences for hold- ing such gatherings and reunions as the Lafayette Artillery, Grand Army of the Republic, Woman's Relief Corps, Sons of Veterans, and other assemblies, both military and civic, are accustomed from time to time to enjoy. Before its erection there were two halls in the village, "Tarbell's Hall," over the store, and "Armory Hall," over the railroad station. But both together did not with any comfort contain the people who were usually present at the annual celebration of Washington's birthday by the Lafayette Artillery. This fact showed the people the urgent need of better accommodations in general, which they set out to secure. A site for a hall was purchased, and funds were collected to assist in building it.
A committee of five persons, namely, Jason Holt, C. Henry Holt, B. G. Herrick, Andy Holt and Fred A. Richardson was chosen to have charge of the work. Money was raised and the work was commenced in the spring of 1888. The building is sixty feet by forty, two stories high, and was sufficiently finished for occupancy that year. The lower story contains entry, ante-rooms, a spacious dining hall, and kitchen supplied with fine range and other serviceable appointments ; and also, a gun room or armory for the muskets and other equipments of
*T. R. IV, p. 538. +T. R. IV,p. 539.
CITIZENS HALL. SOUTH LYNDEBOROUGH.
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PUBLIC BUILDINGS
the Lafayette Artillery. The upper story contains the hall, having a seating capacity of about four hundred, a broad stage and convenient dressing rooms, &c. &c. Connected with the building are a good well, a barn, and the house for the cannon. The artillery company contributed three hundred dollars towards the fund for its erection, and the entire cost was $2842.91. For the conveniences which it affords the company, they pay a moderate annual rent. It has been used for all kinds of gather- ings. Religious meetings were held in it while the church was undergoing repairs.
When Captain Tarbell's golden wedding occurred, Jan. 15, 1889, so large was the number of guests expected, that it was thought best to hold the celebration in the new hall; and this was the first public occasion on which the hall was used, and was one of general interest and unusual good feeling.
Some of our citizens, it is said, were greatly opposed to building this hall, so much so that they never have entered it. But this opposition, like almost everything mundane, has largely disappeared, and Citizens' Hall is now generally considered a great convenience, and a credit to the town.
SCHOOLHOUSES, BY J. A. WOODWARD.
Probably no one cause has ever made so many troubled times in our country communities as the location of the district school- house. Our ancestors as well, perhaps, as ourselves, were ex- ceedingly jealous of their school privileges. They had large families and they naturally wanted the schoolhouse within con- venient distance from their homes. They valued education, but they did not want their children to go a greater distance than was just to obtain their schooling. As the schoolhouses became dilapidated and the districts were obliged to build new, there were sometimes lively efforts made to get a little advan- tage, which was simply human nature.
As nearly as can be ascertained, the first schoolhouse built within the limits of what was District No. I was situated near the intersection of the roads leading from the " Centre " to what was afterwards District No. 2. This point is sometimes called " Monument corner." It stood for many years on the north side of the road, and probably accommodated the settlers to the west, as well as those of the middle of the town. The date of its erection cannot be ascertained, but was probably during the Revolutionary war. It was ultimately burned.
1
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
The next schoolhouse to be built was located a short distance above the intersection of the roads, near where Frank B. Tay lives, and it is probable that another schoolhouse was built about the same time in the middle of the town, for as early as 1809 two schools were running.
Tradition says there was trouble in the district and they divided. About the year 1850 the northerly school was discon- tinued and the building sold to Amos Pratt. It is now a part of the L or shed on the David G. Dickey place. Thereafter there was but one school in District No. I.
Dec. 18, 1809, the selectmen were petitioned to call a meeting of the voters of the district. At this meeting it was "voted to build a schoolhouse of the same dimensions as the house in Dis- trict No. 3, near Capt. Putnam's," and that "the selectmen fix upon a location for said house." They voted to adjourn for three weeks, and at the adjourned meeting they voted to recon- sider all former proceedings. But in the meantime the select- men had attended to their duty and reported "that having measured the road, considered the situation of each individual as related to travel and estates, are of the opinion that the schoolhouse ought to be built where the "Goodman house for- merly stood." Where the Goodman house stood cannot be de- termined at this day, but it was probably just west of Badger pond. May 19, 1812, the district tried again and voted to build a schoolhouse at "the crotch of the road leading to Eleazer Woodward Jr." This would be near Herman A. Walker's place. A committee was chosen to view the spot and fix upon that one which was most convenient, and it was voted to ad- journ to meet at the old schoolhouse on the second Monday in June. Where that "old " schoolhouse stood no one can now tell. Perhaps the schoolhouse near Frank Tay's was meant. But this was not satisfactory, for at the adjourned meeting, June 8, it was voted to reconsider that vote, dismiss the com- mittee, and purchase a piece of ground of Israel Hutchinson Goodridge to build a schoolhouse upon, near the Goodman place, so called-the place that the selectmen formerly pitched upon. It was voted to raise money and have the house built in five months. There was evidently still division of sentiment, however, for Oct. 5, 1812, it was voted to build the house "near the cherry tree on Capt. William Clark's land instead of building where the district voted to." This meeting, by ad- journment, "voted to sell the old schoolhouse, reserving the
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PUBLIC BUILDINGS
bricks and mantle-tree." But the end was not yet. This spot was not satisfactory to many, and April 12, 1813, the dis- trict voted to call a committee from out of town to decide the question. This committee consisted of William Lovejoy, Rob- ert Clark and John Carleton. Their report was as follows :
" We, the subscribers being mutually chosen and agreed upon by the inhabitants of the first school District in Lyndeboro to examine and fix upon the most suitable ground to build a schoolhouse upon, and having examined the district, heard the observations from its members and agreed to report, and do report that the corner of land owned by the Gould heirs and at the corner where the roads leading from Francestown and New Boston intersect, being about forty rods north of Dr. Benj. Jones' house, if it can be obtained ; if not, the nearest convenient ground to it will best accommodate the District and is the most suitable place to erect a school for its members, according to our best skill and judg- ment." This report is dated April 19, 1813.
The next year, 1814, they built the schoolhouse, but it is pretty hard to tell from the records just where it was located, though it must have been not far from where it stands now. It was the "old red schoolhouse " so well remembered by many of us. It is now used as a tool-house, and was moved to its present location in 1828 at Dr. Nathan Jones' expense. Its total cost was $350. In 1854 between fifty and sixty pupils attended school within its walls. They had to sit three at a bench in those days, and generally one pupil at the teacher's desk as a place either of honor or punishment.
Feb. 25, 1822, it was voted at a meeting of the district that all those on the northeast section of the district -- that is, all on the road leading from the schoolhouse, at the crotch of the road near Mr. Merrill's to New Boston, including Chase Hadley and I. H. Goodridge - have liberty to withdraw from the district and be disannexed from said district, provided they wish to be disannexed therefrom, and the district is to pay them thirty cents on the dollar for what they actually themselves paid for the building of said schoolhouse above mentioned, provided they relinquish all right and title to the above house both as indi- viduals and as a district of any name or nature. The records do not show whether the " northeast section " ever took advan- tage of the offer.
The following transcripts from the records may be of interest for comparison with present expense of schools. In 1836 Dea. Wm. Jones agreed to furnish two cords of good hard wood, fitted for the stove, for $1.50 per cord, and the next year he bid
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
off the board of the teachers' for the summer term at 6272 cents per week. In those days it was the custom to sell the furnishing of the wood and the board of the teacher to the lowest bidder.
March 29, 1830, Timothy Richardson bid off the wood at $1.50 per cord. March 8, 1833, N. Jones bid off the wood for $1.30 per cord. March 13, 1839, voted to receive the scholars from District No. II by paying their school tax in this district, and voted not to receive the scholars from any other district. March, 1843, Dea. Wm. Jones bid off the board of the teacher for the summer term for 6212 cents per week, and R. C. Boutwell for the winter term at $1 per week. There is a tradition that com- petition was once so keen, and the anxiety to have as long terms as possible was so great, that one man boarded the teacher and paid 10 cents per week for the privilege. The whole amount expended for schools in this district in 1843 was $72.07.
In 1859 it was decided to build a new schoolhouse more in accord with modern requirements. March 10, 1859, at a meet- ing of the district it was " voted to build a new schoolhouse the present year." Voted to locate the schoolhouse near the intersection of road, above the present schoolhouse, near the northeast corner of Deacon Jones' field, where he formerly had a hop field. This would be about opposite Herman A. Walker's house. This vote precipitated another controversy. March 29, 1859, the vote was reconsidered, and it was voted to locate the schoolhouse on one-half acre of land laid out in a square in the southeast corner of Oliver Bixby's field east of his garden. Another lot was finally chosen by a committee. It is said that in the former case one of the women of the district went in the night and pulled up the boundary stakes and carried them away. The second location would be just east of where E. K. Warren lives.
April 18, it was "voted to build our schoolhouse and wood- shed as far as practicable on the east end of the lot laid out by the committee " and here the house was built. Probably no bleaker or more wind-lashed spot could have been found in the district. The following from the district records is suggestive considering where they placed the house. Voted " to have the committee put up a good strong frame well braced " for the house. John Richardson offered to give a piece of land for the house, opposite the church or any spot in his pasture on the road from Deacon Jones' to the parsonage, but the inhabitants of the north section of the district strenuously opposed going
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PUBLIC BUILDINGS
farther south, and the struggle was a rather bitter one. They paid Oliver Bixby forty-eight dollars for the lot, and David C. Grant built the house. Its total cost was $721.50 and it con- tained many modern improvements in schoolhouse furnishing. It served the purposes of the district until April 7, 1892, when it caught fire from a fire running in grass and was burned. That same season the neat and commodious house at the centre was built by the town school district, the law at that time hav- ing done away with the old district system.
The date of the building of the house in District No. 2 can- not be given. There are no records and no traditions. It is known to have been built previous to 1820 and it is pretty safe to say it was built soon after the one that stood near Monument corner was burned, or about 1800. It is one of the three oldest schoolhouses in town, though like the other two it has been repaired so many times that practically the frame is all that remains of the original building. March 2, 1850, a committee reported to a meeting of the district that they had attended to the duties assigned them by the district with Messrs. John Gage and David Gage and come to final settlement between the parties, and received from them satisfaction that we are "sittis- fied " with. It is inferred that there had been some trouble about disturbing the school. The total amount of money ex- pended in this district in 1853 was $88.40.
As nearly as can be ascertained in the absence of any record, the present schoolhouse in District No. 3 was built in 1857 or 1858. David C. Grant was the builder. The summer that this house was in the process of erection the school was kept at the house of Dea. John Hartshorn. The new house was built on the site of the old one. It is probable that the old schoolhouse was one of the first built in the town. It was in existence in 1800, and as the first settlements in the town were made in the near vicinity it would seem that the first schoolhouse must have been built nearby.
There is no record to show when the first schoolhouse in Dis- trict No. 4, North Lyndeborough, was built. According to Capt. Peter Clark's "diary " a new one was raised Aug. 14, 1793. This new house stood near the intersection of roads north of the Clark homestead. After serving the purposes of the district for many years, it was sold to Deacon John C. Good- rich and now forms part of the buildings of J. H. Goodrich. It was of rather an unusual pattern, and differed from most of
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
the schoolhouses of that day. It was some fifty feet long and about sixteen feet wide, with an aisle running through the center of the room from end to end. From each side of this aisle the seats sloped upward to the walls of the house. The boys sat on one side of the room and the girls on the other. In 1820, David Atwood taught the winter term in this house and had eighty pupils.
Oct. 5, 1857, the district voted to build a new schoolhouse and chose Luther Odell, Wm. K. Cochran and John C. Good- rich a building committee. The next year the house was com- pleted in the new lot selected. It was built by Luther Odell and its total cost was $464.00.
In 1821, Benjamin Goodridge bid off the board of the teacher for eighty cents per week and Daniel N. Boardman bid off the wood for seventy-five cents per cord, said wood to be two feet six in length.
In 1822, they voted to repair the east end of the house and move the chimney, and they voted to set up the attending of the masons to the lowest bidder. Bid off by Luther M. Wheeler for seventy cents per day, and every item of the job was sold the same way.
In those days there was more or less friction as to when the winter term of school should be "set up." Those families hav- ing well grown boys wanted their work on the farm and natu- rally tried to have the winter term commence as late as possible, while those families with younger children wanted it to com- mence as early in the fall as practicable, to escape snow storms and bad travelling. The record of this and of other districts shows many "reconsidered " votes as one party or the other won or lost. In 1854, the total amount of money expended for schools in this district was $50.97.
The schoolhouse in District No. 5 used to stand on the road leading from where Mr. Eastman lives, or the Adoniram Russell place, to the Dolliver place, above the intersection of roads. In 1850, after the schoolhouse in District No. 9 was built, this house was removed to its present location, as being more con- venient for the district. It has been thoroughly repaired at one time or another. No record can be found of when it was first built. Like all the districts in town, more especially those away from the villages, this one has suffered a diminution in the num- ber of pupils attending school, and for a time it was united with District No. 9.
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PUBLIC BUILDINGS
The early records of District No. 6 seem to show that previ- ous to 1821 there were two schools kept in the district, and that they were taught in private houses.
Dec. 31, 1821, the district, at an adjourned meeting, voted that " We have a school this winter at Jotham Blanchard, Jr.'s; and Samuel Hartshorn's, according to our proportion. Voted to give Hartshorn and Blanchard one dollar a week for house rent and fire wood."
" Struck off the board at the east school to Lieut. Blanchard at 60 cents per week." ·
"Struck off the board at the west school to Samuel Harts- horn at 74 cents per week."
In 1818 or 1819 the schoolhouse in this district was burned, which probably accounts for the school being kept in private houses. What was saved from this old house was sold at auc- tion Sept. 24, 1821, viz .:
Mantlepiece to Lieut. J. Blanchard, 35 1bs., at 5/2, $1.90
I lott of old iron to J. Howard 1.29
Window to Asa Perham ·43
I lott of brick, J. Howard 1.00
They seem to have divided the district into classes, for under date of May 24, 1817, it was " voted to receive Mr. A. Blanch- ard, Mr. Oliver Perham, Jr., and Mr. S. Perham, all as mem- bers of this class. Nov. 4, 1819, it was " voted that each head of said class that sends children to school give a 'note ' to the clerk for their proportion of wood, at the rate of $2 per cord, note to be given up when the wood is delivered at the school- house, if in season."
It is evident that all the school districts were beginning to find the custom of bringing so much wood for each pupil sent, rather unsatisfactory.
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