USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Lyndeborough > The history of the town of Lyndeborough, New Hampshire, Vol. II > Part 6
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The house was built by Mr. James C. Bradford. Others who inade their home here for a time were John Emery, William Young, Charles Young, F. H. Hallett and Mr. Martin.
Again ascending a steep hill to a kind of landing, we reach the home of Mr. Frank Winn, on the south side of the road. He purchased the place a little more than a year ago, from Mrs. Houghton of Boston, who had owned the place as a sum- mer residence for about two years. She bought the place from Mr. George Murch, who had owned it about ten years, having bought it of Mr. Edward Weston, who was the successor of his father-in-law, Mr. Artemas Woodward. Mr. Woodward built the barn, one of the large, fine barns of the town. Mr. Murch was a carpenter and made additions to the house and repaired it much. He also built the carriage house.
Walter S. Murdo and wife, Hattie D. (Steele) Murdo lived here a short time, as tenant for Mrs. Houghton; as did also Mr. Richard Cram and wife.
This is known as one of the very old places of the town, begun by John Cram, Jr., son of John, the first settler, and afterwards owned by Benjamin Cram. It is said that three Benjamin Crams lived here at one time.
Rising another steep, westward from Frank Winn's place, one comes to Mr. Pettingill's place. He married Clara N., daughter of the late Mr. William Ryerson, March, 1897, and has since been a resident on this place.
It is the old place of Ephraim Putnam who came liere from Danvers, Mass., and who, to distinguish him from two others of the same name in the town, was called " Danvers Ephraim." He owned a large tract of land in Lyndeborough. He died May 11, 1821, aged 76. His son Ephraim succeeded him in the old homestead. He was known as Ephraim 2nd. He married Esther, daughter of Ebenezer Pearson, Jr. They were
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the parents of Mrs. Joel H. Tarbell, whose maiden name was Esther Putnam. Mr. and Mrs. Joel H. Tarbell lived on this place several years after the death of Mrs. T's parents, and sold the place to William N. Ryerson, whose widow still lives in her old home with Mr. and Mrs. Pettingill.
Going still westward the next place is that of Mr. Azro D. Cram. The house was built by Mr. Jonathan Putnam, brother of Ephraim Putnam, 2nd, for his son, Jonathan Putnam, Jr.
Still westward and up another quite steep hill, fifty or sixty rods away, is the home of Mr. J. C. Miller. This was first the home of Jonathan Putnam above named, who lived and died there. His son, Ephraim Hildreth Putnam, commonly called "Hildreth " Putnam, lived here with his parents, and also after their death. He sold the place to Benjamin F. Tenney, and the latter sold it to Solomon Cram, the father of Azro, above named. Mr. Orin Cram, one of his sons, lived here with his father, and after his father's death sold the place to Mr. Benjamin Gould, who sold to Mr. Miller, its present owner, and went to Califor- nia. This is very near the height of land on this highway.
After passing Mr. Miller's, a person will descend quite a steep way and then come to a level spot where once stood a dwelling. This was the home of a Mr. Hodgeman, who mar- ried the oldest daughter of Mr. Solomon Cram. Mr. Hodgeman was killed by lightning here, and his widow afterwards mar- ried Alban Buttrick.
The next building on that road is the schoolhouse of district No. 5. The road passes on westward a short distance and in- tersects with the road which runs from Lyndeborough Centre past the Hildreth place toward Temple.
South of this last intersection are two others before the main road reaches the Wilton line. The first turns southwest and passes the home of Mr. Foster, who bought the place about two years ago. He is a painter and paper-hanger as well as a farmer. He bought of Mrs. Thomas Dale. Others who had previ- ously lived there were Samuel K. Russell, George H. Blood and John Fletcher, who probably built the house. It is the last house before reaching the Temple line.
An eighth of a mile farther south a lane turns to the right to the home of Marshall B. Richards. The place was occupied about a century ago by Jedediah Russell, a revolutionary sol- dier, and afterwards by his son, a soldier of 1812. It was owned
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later by Herman Wright, Edward D. Smith and its present owner.
On the southward road a short distance away, are the fine buildings of W. W. Burton, the last before reaching the Wilton line. Here at the southwest corner of our town is one of its fine farms. The place contains 273 acres and was owned by the present Mr. B's father, Dexter Burton, in his day prominent among the military men of this district.
Commencing again at E. W. Dolliver's intersection on the way towards Greenfield, the first house is that of Mr. Sewall M. Buck, a painter and paper-hanger by trade. His house stands back from the highway, and was formerly the home of Capt. William Dutton, who married Sarah, daughter of John Beasom, and they brought up a large family on this place. The Dutton heirs sold the place to Israel Cram, and he bequeathed it to the Congregational church, whose agents, N. T. McIntire and Peter Clark, sold it to Mr. Buck, a civil war veteran, and an upright, industrious citizen.
Nearly west from Mr. Buck's is the cellar of what was known as the "The Mountain House," conducted for a time by Mark D. Langdell, who was succeeded by several others. Its reputation was none of the best; and when it burned to the ground, there was very little lamentation over it among law- abiding citizens, it is said.
Nearly opposite this, between the small cemetery and the in- tersection of " the gulf road," is the house known as the Crosby house. It is now owned by Roy Burton, son of John Hale Bur- ton, and son-in-law of Mr. S. M. Buck. It is at present the home of Mr. Holden, who married the owner's sister. It was previously the home of Abram Wright, John Flint, William Dolliver, and perhaps others, but took its name from Benjamin Crosby, a worthy and highly esteemed citizen.
About half a mile away on the direct road to Greenfield is the old cellar of the house of John Stephenson, who appears to have been the son of the John Stephenson who called the first meeting under the town charter. He built the mill on Rocky River which has now disappeared, though traces of the old mill dam remain. The place is thought to have been owned previ- ously by John Woodward and Chase Hadley.
Next on the Forest road towards Greenfield, and standing far back from it on the right hand is the house of Mr. George Newton. The old road was crooked and went near the house.
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The Forest road avoided the bends and left the houses some- times inconveniently situated. It was formerly the home of Harvey M. Newton, Mark Hadley and perhaps Thomas Bof- fee. The place is the last in Lyndeborough on that road. For Thomas Boffee see pp, 174 and 175.
The old road to Peterborough, after crossing the bridge near the site of the Stephenson saw-mill, passes up by the house of Jotham Sumner Stephenson, a grandson of the builder of the mill. The house was for a time the home of his aunt, Mary ·Stephenson. He bought the place of Josiah Swinington, who built the house and for a time lived in it. To distinguish him from his father, Jotham, he is known as Sumner Stephenson.
Passing south through Mr. Stephenson's door-yard, twenty or more rods away, is the old building for many years the dwell- ing of Job and Betsey Swinington. They were among the con- stituent members of the Baptist Church. (p. 338.) The old building is no longer used as a dwelling, but serves as a poultry house.
Passing on still west on the Peterborough road from Mr. Stephenson's there is the old cellar of a small house built by Olney Butler ; and next is a house now occupied by Leon Dra- per, a son of the late James Draper of Greenfield. It was built for a harness shop by Horace Butler, and was later the home of Lucinda Searles, who died in March, 1888. The house has been unoccupied much of the time since, till Mr. Draper found a home in it.
The last house in Lyndeborough on this old road is that occu- pied by Mrs. Emery, a widow, and a sister of the last-named Leon Draper. Till a recent day this place was the property of the late Dr. James Butler of Lempster, a son of Jacob Butler and grandson of Jonathan Butler, a Revolutionary hero. (See Roll p. 176.) This house was doubtless built by Jonathan, and was in the hands of his grandson till within a very few years. The barn connected with this house has a historic interest. It was the old town house which served the Congregational Church as their third meeting-house, and was only given up after they built their present church, in 1837. It was after- wards sold to Jacob Butler, who took it down, piecemeal, and transferred it to its present site. The mechanism of it reflects no whit of discredit upon its builders.
Between the bridge over Rocky River and the house of Mr. Sumner Stephenson a road turns to the right, which is a con-
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tinuation of the gulf road. There is on it but a single dwelling before the Greenfield line is reached, and this has been vacant much of the time in years past. It belongs to Mr. William Fish, who bought it of Everett Swinington, its builder. Ever- ett and Josiah were sons of Job and Betsey Swinington.
This accounts for nearly all the places on the west side of the town whose owners' post-office address was South Lyndeborough until Rural Free Delivery was established, March 1, 1901.
We return again to the village and commence at the school- house in District No. 3. The lot was given, as we have heard, . for a schoolhouse. The old schoolhouse was burned, and this present house has been its successor since about the year 1859, and was then reported by the superintending committee, Rev. E. B. Claggett, as "an excellent house." But that was long ago.
One of the five ancient dwellings of the village was the par- sonage. It was built by Daniel Putnam, Esq., previous to the year 1800. That year, on the occasion of a military muster, he was licensed to keep a tavern for forty-eight hours. The builder of the house was a carpenter by trade and lived in this house, as did also his son, David Johnson, commonly called Johnson Putnam. Johnson was for a time organist at the centre church. The Baptist Church held its meeting in this house when the council convened which decided upon its recognition.
After Squire Daniel's death, the house had many tenants. To name them in order is hardly to be expected. We give the names obtained, viz .: William Holt, called "honest Billy," the first merchant, after selling his store lived there ; Ezra Dane, also a merchant ; George W. Hutchinson, the Christian minis- ter ; William Duncklee, Joseph H. Ford, Morris Emery and William Young, of whom it was bought for a parsonage in 1876. Since then all the pastors of the Baptist Church, S. B. Macomber, William R. Warner, H. G. Hubbard, Gaylord B. Smith and D. Donovan have lived in it.
The nearest neighbor east of the parsonage is Mr. C. H. Tarbell, son of C. F. Tarbell, deceased, and grandson of the late Capt. Joel H. Tarbell. The house was built by J. Alonzo Carkin in 1893. After occupying it a short time, he moved out of town. It was then let for a time to Dustin Wheeler, and was afterwards purchased by Walter S. Tarbell, who sold it to his brother, C. H. The latter added the two-story ell part and the neat veranda at front and east side.
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Farther up the road on its north side is the homestead of Dea- con David Putnam. The house was built by Deacon David, who died in 1870. David Putnam, his son, made alterations in it and added to it, but a few years ago arranged to have the place carried on by his eldest son, Algernon W. Putnam. The latter, in 1903, greatly enlarged the house by building the two-story central part, which, with the western wing, he oc- cupies, while his parents reside in the eastern part.
Still farther east, on the brow of the long hill, south of the old road to the centre, is the neat, well-kept cottage of Mr. Lawrence of Cambridge, Mass. From the broad veranda added by Mr. Lawrence to this fine cottage, may be obtained one of the broadest, pleasantest views afforded by any point in our town. To the west and southwest are the grand old mountains, and to the south are the Wilton highlands, cut by the turbulent Souhe- gan, winding its course through Milford and Amherst toward the valley of the Merrimack and the sea.
Mr. L. bought the place from Capt. McIntire of Hyde Park, Mass., who had owned it a few years. He got it of C. Henry Holt, whose second wife was Hattie Lowe, daughter of Mr. John Lowe, and whose only daughter, Effie Holt, was sole heir to the property. Mr. Holt took care of his wife's parents in their closing days, and had charge of the estate on behalf of his daughter Effie, who received the avails of the sale in due time. Mr. Lowe had purchased of Lorenzo Holt, a carriage painter, who was a brother of C. Henry, and removed to Peterborough. He bought the house from the builders of it, John F. and Harvey Holt.
Nearest neighbor east of Mr. Lawrence is Mr. E. H. Putnam, whose place is doubtless one of the oldest in town. Who built the house does not seem to be known to the family occupying it or to our oldest inhabitants. At some point on this place, John Cram, so far as present evidence indicates, the first settler in Lyndeborough, built his home in 1736, or thereabouts. Tradi- tion credits him with having command of the garrison-house, or fort, a command which seems to have been transferred to his son-in-law, Ephraim Putnam, after he sold him the place. Ephraim Putnam took possession in 1753, the year that the town took the name of Lyndeborough. The house in which he first lived here was destroyed by fire, but he built a new house. Neither the date of the fire nor of the erection of new house has been positively ascertained. Valuable records are said to have
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been consumed in the old house. It was in the house of Ephraim Putnam that "the first meeting in Lyndeborough in the interests of a settled ministry " was held Sept. 3, 1756. The new house was, very likely, that in which his son, Ensign David, lived, who was also deacon of the church at the centre. It seems to have been Ensign David who, after attending a council called for the ordination of a pastor which refused to or- dain on account of unsound doctrinal views, said, "We have had a flustration instead of an ordination."
Col. Timothy Putnam, a son of Ensign David, also seenis to have lived in it for a time. Joshua Sargent also owned the place once, and lived here with his daughter Ruthy and her husband, Captain Israel Putnam, and here he ended his days. The house stood on the corner, nearly in front of what is now Mr. Lawrence's summer cottage, until July 23, 1883, when it was torn down, and found lined with brick between the boards and lathing of the lower story, perhaps both a reminder and successor of the old fort of Indian war times.
A few rods in front of this house a road turned sharply to the west and passed on to the house of David Putnam, Jr., a son of Ensign David Putnam. David, Jr., built the old house on what is now the D. P. Hartshorn place. He sold out to John Hartshorn, David P.'s father, whose wife was Susanna B. Putnam, and then built the house where the present Deacon Putnam and his son Algernon live. After John Harts- horn took possession, he built the " Hillside House," and was for many years a thrifty and prosperous farmer. This is said to be the first place in Lyndeborough to entertain summer board- ers, and the house has been filled many seasons with influential and honored guests.
A short distance east of the above house is the home of Mr. F. B. Richards, a brother-in-law of Mr. D. P. Hartshorn. Mr. R. built here soon after his marriage to Miss Lizzie Hartsliorn, and considerate of the filial spirit of his wife, who wished to live near her excellent mother, concurred with her in locating. near her old home. Mr. R. and family have been the sole occupants of this place, including Mrs. R.'s portion of her father's estate.
Returning again to the intersection of the road, to the place once fixed upon as the centre of old Salem-Canada township, where was the home of John Cram, the first settler, we may delay a few moments for a glance at his family and connections. Whether by purpose or accident, the estates of his children seem
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remarkably near his first home. It is quite probable this was the house of Ephraim Putnam which was burned. His oldest son, Capt. Jonathan, lived over the hill southeast of Mr. Luther Cram's, on what is known as the John A. Putnam place. His daughter Phebe married Moses Stiles, who lived southeast of his home, and almost within hailing distance. His son Joseph owned the place now known as the Emery Holt place. His daughter Huldah married Ephraim Woodward, and lived toward the north part of the town. His son John settled in Wil- ton, where Ephraim Putnam first settled, almost in sight of his father's home. It looks as though he might have exchanged places with his sister's husband, with his father as intermediary. Saralı Cram married Ephraim Putnam and came back to live in the old home. Elizabeth, twin sister of Sarah, married Jona- than Chamberlain, Sr., who received seventy-five acres of lot 41, for taking care of Joseph Cram and giving him Christian burial. The most likely conjecture about the building of the house in which Edwin H. Putnam now lives is that it was built by Jona- than Chamberlain, above named. The house seems to be on lot 41 and on the part of it deeded to him. Benjamin Cram, also a twin son, settled in Lyndeborough, probably on the place where Percy H. Putnam now lives. Thus the Crams, Stiles', Wood- wards, Putnams, Chamberlains and others whom we cannot now name, were drawn together and united with each other, and large sections of their estates were not only in plain view, but also widely contiguous. Thinking then of the central point again, the oldest house, unquestionably, on Putnam Hill at present is Mr. E. H. Putnam's.
Many years ago a very aged man called at the place that he might once more see the home of his early days. It was a Mr. Herrick who had gone west and returned to visit his native place. Here lived Timothy Thurston Putnam, who was Albert Hardy's successor, and here at an earlier day lived John Carleton. A complete list does not seem at this date attainable.
About northeast from Mr. E. H. Putnam's, and in plain sight from the dooryard is the home of Mr. Emery Holt and also of his eldest son, Harvey and family. The main part of the house faces the road, and is two-story in front. Extending back from the rear of the two-story part is an older part which is one-story, and connects with the other buildings. A structure older than either of these was taken away to give place for the present one. This was built by John F. Holt who lived here
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himself, and whose father lived in the older part. Joseph Cram, a son of John, the first settler, is said to have owned the place first. It seems to have been owned later by both Daniel and John Chamberlain,* who were probably grandchildren of Elizabeth (Cram) Chamberlain, Joseph's sister, who, with her liusband, had the care of her brother in his last days, and aided in giving him "Christian burial." It joins the Manuel place on the southwest, and in the pasture southeast of the house is found a very ancient and almost obliterated cellar hole. Mr. Emery Holt bought the place of his kinsman, John Fletcher Holt, and has lived here many years.
About a half-mile northeast of Mr. Emery Holt's the road divides, the right hand branch going toward the meeting-house and the left hand going very nearly north towards the Stephen- son homestead, now occupied by Mr. Willis J. Stephenson. This name seems to be variously pronounced and spelled, as if Stimson and Stinson. The schedule attached to the Masonian Charter, and the charter itself, each, contains the name in one of these forms. From these records it is evident that David Stinson or Stimson owned a share in the town, numbered, Home Lot 48 ; together with Second Division Lots 58 and 59, before it was chartered under the name of Lyndeborough, that is, before Dec. 5, 1753.1 The Rev. Frank G. Clark wrote, that "David Stephenson and wife settled on the farm still called by that name, and owned early in the history of the town the lots north and northwest."# Mr. Stephenson's house. was built by his father, the late Jonathan Stephenson, who passed away in his 97th year ; long a prominent man in the business and counsels of the town, selectman, town clerk, overseer of the poor and town representative. He built on the site of the former house which burned down, and in which many of his valuable papers were destroyed.
Retracing our way back to the road which passed the furnace and the cemetery, the next dwelling is that of Mr. Rufus Chamberlain, south from the cemetery. Mr. Chamberlain built the house in which he lives. It stands on the farm which con- tained 75 acres, deeded to his great grandfather, Jonathan Chamberlain, by the Cram heirs, on condition of his supporting his brother-in-law, Joseph Cram, and giving him "Christian
* The late Mrs. S. P. Hartshorn testified that "Jolin Chamberlain made nails at the iron furnace " before Henry and James Cram 2nd. carried it on. He was probably the maker of those referred to on page 457.
t See Charter, p. 48, and Schedule, p. 53. # S-C., p. 27.
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burial." An older house had been removed from this site to make place for the new one. In the old house had lived Henry Cram, who owned and operated the furnace, and also his son Peter, who was a capable man and an honored citizen. The latter sold his place and later went West to live. It was after- wards sold to Mr. Chamberlain who now has passed his eighty- sixth milestone, and is honored and respected by his fellow-citi- zens.
The next place is Mr. Luther Cram's. Here he has culti- vated his ancestral acres and built the fine house in which he lives. It stands on the brow of a broad hill which overlooks the South village nestling in the basin to the westward. It is reached from the west by a beautiful avenue shaded by fine maple trees of his own planting, adding a special charm to the place of his nativity. The view obtained from his summer house, a little to the south of his dwelling, is unsurpassed even among the many grand and pleasing prospects of the town. He is now one of the sturdy, aged men of our town, clear-headed and liberal minded. Though he looks somewhat old, "his age is as a lusty winter, frosty but kindly." He is one of the history committee, and has assisted much in securing the publication of the history of his native town. He has served the town in all the principal offices within its gift.
The place next south of Mr. L. Cram's is Mr. Elbert Barrow's. Mr. Barrow is a son-in-law of the late Mr. E. J. Hardy, and came here from the West about three years ago, and bought the place on which Mr. Charles Carr had lived. The latter bought of Mr. Nello Tarbell, who had lived on it about a year. It had been sold to him by Albert Cram of the fifth generation from the first settler. The house was built by James Cram, 2nd, Albert's father. Mr. Barrow, since coming here to live, has added to his estate, which is partly in Wilton, about fifty acres more of Wilton territory.
The next place going east was formerly that of Uriah Cram, a Revolutionary minute-man, and grandson of the first settler. The cellar of his old house which was two story (see Revolution- ary roll, p. 182), is but partially covered by the new building erected by the late Jolin A. Putnam, whose widow now occupies it. She was Louise Cram, daughter of Joseph, and grand- daughter of Uriah Cram. Here her sister, Harriet Russell, ended her days in November, 1900. Her grandchildren, the Misses Bertha and Susie Chenery, have here a home with her.
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The barn connected with this house covers a portion of the cellar of the old house of Capt. Jonathan Cram, the eldest son of John, who came here from Massachusetts soon after his father came. He was a prominent man in town. Five sons and two daughters were settled in Lyndeborough, Jonathan who later lived in Wilton, David, Jacob, Solomon and Uriah. The daughters, Elizabeth and Rachel, married respectively, John Carkin and Ephraim Putnam 3rd. Jonathan is said to have served in the French and Indian war before coming to Salem-Canada.
The place east of his is known as the Ellinwood place. Samuel Ellinwood lived in school district number three in 1808, and Samuel Ellingwood and Ira S. Ellinwood were reported in 1819 as having produced certificates that they were "members of the Baptist Society." (See page 337.) Samuel is reported to have lived to a great age and died on this place. There re- mains only the old cellar now to show where his house once stood.
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