USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Lyndeborough > The history of the town of Lyndeborough, New Hampshire, Vol. II > Part 8
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The Asa Hill place .- Abel Hill, Asa Hill, Asa Hill heirs, W. C. Wilder, Merrill T. Spalding.
The Needham place .- Daniel Plummer, David Stiles, Jr., Martin Whitney, William L. Needham, Warren Needham, Mrs. Harry Morse.
DISTRICT NO. 7 .- JOHNSON'S CORNER.
John Johnson to Adam Johnson, Dec. 29, 1746, Lot 45, Ist division.
Elias Taylor to Adam Johnson, March 17, 1758, Lot 45, Ist division, with a full share of common or undivided land.
Adam Johnson to Rachel Johnson, April 9, 1768, Lot 59, Ist division.
Elias Taylor to Adam Johnson, March 17, 1758, Lot 46, Ist division.
John Johnson to Adam Johnson, April 8, 1772, Lot 58, Ist division.
James Johnson to B. Lynde, Sept. 22, 1772, Lot 56, 2nd division.
James Boutwell to Adam Johnson, Jan. 14, 1775, Lot 58, Ist division.
Solomon Cram ·to Adam Johnson, July 1, 1772, Lot.23, Ist division.
The above transcripts from the registrar of deeds office shows the amount of land in part owned by the Johnson family, and why that section of the town was early called Johnson's Corner.
The David Carkin place .- David Carkin, Asher Curtis,
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
Alfred Nourbourn. Mr. Nourbourn occupies this place now as a summer home.
The Edwin Patch place .- Joseph Chamberlain first built on this place. Edwin N. Patch, - Clough, Robert T. S. Shep- ard, Robert T. S. Shepard heirs.
The Rose place .- Solomon Cram was first settler on this land. Timothy Putnam, Abram Rose, Brackley Rose, George Rose, George Rose heirs, Willard Rose.
The Eli Clark Curtis place .- This land was part of the Carleton estate. Dudley Carlton built the brick house. Ama- ziah Blanchard, E. C. Curtis.
The Amaziah Blanchard place .- Amaziah Blanchard first settled on this land. William W. Curtis, Asher Curtis.
The old Carkin homestead or Robert Lynch place .- John Carkin, Aaron Carkin, Rufus Chamberlain, Robert K. Lynch, W. W. Curtis, Edward W. Curtis.
The Andrew Tyler place .- Andrew Tyler built the house on this place. Sally Curtis, William Richardson.
The Asa Manning place .- Jacob Manning, Asa Manning, Solon Richardson, Willis Perham, Walter S. Shepard. This record is imperfect. Between Manning and Richardson were probably transfers of this land of which we have no information.
This place was once used as the Mont Vernon poor farm. Some of the older residents of the town can remember when it was thus used, but we have been unable to find anyone who could tell the reason of Mont Vernon's coming over into Lynde- borough for a place to maintain their paupers.
The William H. Bowen farm .- This place was originally part of the Johnson property. A man named Brown once lived there, but whether he built the old set of buildings which were on the place when Burnham Russell bought it cannot now be told. Orrin Russell built the present house. Burnham Russell, Orrin Russell, Joseph White, William H. Bowen. . Mr. Bowen has added to and remodeled the whole set of buildings.
The Burnham Russell farm .- John Johnson, Adam Johnson, Edmund Perkins, Burnham Russell, Aaron W. Russell.
The Kilburn S. Curtis place .- Amos Wilkins, William Car- son, Josiah Russell, John Ramsdell, Asher Curtis, Kilburn S. Curtis, Mrs. Frances Curtis. Kilburn S. Curtis built the pres- ent set of buildings. The old house was once struck by light- ning and badly damaged.
The David D. Clark place .- Jacob Wellman, John and Polly
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REAL ESTATE
Wellman, David D. Clark, Fred Lowe, George J. Carson. The house standing on this farm is said by the Rev. Mr. Clark to be one of the oldest in town.
Alexander Carson place .- Alexander Carson, Benj. Gould, John Wellman, William R. Duncklee, Isaac L. Duncklee, Leonard G. Brown. Ira R. Brown built the present house.
The Leonard G. Brown place .- Ezekiel Upton, James L. Clark, Robert R. Brown, C. H. Holt, Leonard G. Brown. Be- tween the ownership of Mr. Upton and Mr. Clark, a man named Marvell lived here, but whether as owner or tenant is not known.
The Charles L. Perham place .- John Hutchinson, first set- tler. Rev. Mr. Clark says that "he gave a bond to Jonathan Peal of Salem, Mass., July 10, 1736, that he would have within four years a dwelling house, 20x18, built and twelve acres cleared, broken up, and fenced in." The deed was given Sept. 27, 1760, and the conditions were fulfilled.
The next owner of which we can get any account was Abel Hill, but between Hutchinson and Hill there were probably tranfers of the land. It is known that David Butterfield lived there for a time. This' farm was deeded by Abel Hill to James L. Clark, Apr. 20, 1815. Asa Clark, Oliver Perham, Charles L. Perham.
The Haggett place .- John Haggett, Joseph Haggett, Joseph Haggett heirs, D. Whiting & Sons, E. C. Curtis.
The Micah Hartshorn place .- Micah Hartshorn, Samuel N. Hartshorn. Samuel N. Hartshorn heirs, Eliphalet J. Hardy, Owen E. Hardy, Edward G. Hall.
The Persons S. Holt place .- Now owned and occupied as a summer home by the heirs of John Herrick.
The Jeremiah Carleton place .- Jeremiah Carleton, James Donnell and John Hartshorn, Joseph Chamberlain, Israel Cur- tis, Eli C. Curtis.
DISTRICT NO. 8.
The Jesse Simonds place .- Jonas Kidder took a deed of this land from Benjamin Lynde May 1, 1766. After Mr. Kidder re- moved to Hudson there were one or two transfers of the prop- erty of which we can find no record. He was the first settler on the land, and kept a tavern there. The old tavern built by him was torn down in the early 60's by Jesse Simonds, who built the present house. In 1840 Jesse Reed owned the place, then Charles Woodward, Jesse Simonds, John D. Butler, Robert C. Mason.
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
The Levi Spalding place. - The house on this place was built by one of the Spalding family, Henry Spalding, proba- bly. Levi Spalding, Levi Spalding heirs, Frank Starrett, Warren Nichols.
The Daniel Woodward place .- There is a tradition that there was a log house on the land when Daniel Woodward bought it, about the year 1800. He built a brick house there in 1820. Daniel Woodward, Jr., Sumner French, Sumner French heirs, Willis J. Stephenson. House destroyed by fire.
The Dutton place .- Reuben Dutton, Benjamin Dutton, Bet- sey E. Dutton, John Fletcher.
The Houston place .- Dea. Samuel Houston first built here, and the farm was owned by the Houston family until their re- moval to Iowa. Buildings long since torn down.
The Whiting place .- Dea. Oliver Whiting or his father first improved this land. After he removed to New York, there were transfers of the property of which we have no record. The buildings have been torn down, and part of the land is owned by D. B. Whittemore.
The Nathan Cummings place .- This was a part of the large tract of land once owned by Edward, Stephen, Capt. Levi, and Henry Spalding. It is probable that one of these men built the old house which stood there. Nathan Cummings built the present cottage. Henry Joslin, Nathan Cummings, Mrs. Na- than Cummings.
Sherebiah Manning place .- Benjamin Jones built the large, two-storied house which stands on this farm and was the first settler there. Sherebiah Manning built the barn. Benj. Jones, Sherebiah Manning, Levi P. Spalding. Millard Wilson.
The " Paige " Spalding place .- A comparison of records and traditions seems to show that Capt. Nathaniel Bachelder was the first settler here. Dea. Abram Patch, Edward P. Spalding, Edward Parry, Edward Parry heirs.
The Twitchell place .- Of this place we can get but little in- formation. Asa Twitchell lived there for a time as did George R. Barnes. It is now owned by Mrs. M. A. Sweetser of Stone- ham, Mass. and occupied as a summer home.
The Whittemore homestead .- Daniel Whittemore took a a deed of the lot, numbered 124, 2nd division, April 28, 1770. It is one of the four farms in Lyndeborough which are tilled by a direct descendant of the first settler on the land. Aaron Whit- temore, Aaron Whittemore, Daniel B. Whittemore.
CHAPTER XXXII.
TOWN FAIRS AND CELEBRATIONS.
THE TOWN FAIRS OF 1879 AND 1880. BY H. W. WHITTEMORE.
In the olden time, as has been intimated in another chapter, the people of Lyndeborough were industrious to a fault. But the reason is not far to seek; it took pretty nearly all their time to earn a living.
Within comparatively recent times, however, the towns- people have become accustomed to taking a day off for some sort of recreation, and that fact is easily explained, too. The stone walls that cross and re-cross the town in every direction were nearly all built long ago. Clearing the land of the stone for walls left the fields in readiness for farm machinery; and with the advent of the mowing machine, the horse-rake, the . hay-fork, the corn-planter, and the cultivator, out-of-door work that used to be done slowly, by hand, is done rapidly now by machine. A similar revolution has taken place within the housekeeper's domain, for much work formerly done in the kitchen, by hand, is now done by machine in factories of many kinds, at a distance.
Having more of leisure in it, the life of the average citizen has been modified, perhaps, by the bright city cousin and the jolly summer boarder who have been coming to Lyndeborough for many years to enjoy, for a season, the wholesome hospitality of a New Hampshire country town. Be that as it may, the stranger from " down below " often helps to enliven the basket picnic that, on occasion, calls together men, women and chil- dren from all parts of the town.
One such picnic was held years ago on the top of Pinnacle Mountain. Several ox-teams were employed by the committee on transportation, and it is safe to say that more oxen were up there that day than can be found in the whole town now. One man rode in a wagon all the way up - a feat probably lever performed before or since.
Other picnics have been held at "Purgatory " Falls, at Barnes' Falls and in a grove near the old Parker place on the turnpike. A brass band, with headquarters at North Lynde-
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
borough, assisted in drawing people to this grove, and on at least one occasion the Lafayette Artillery Co. was present.
More ambitious attempts at making a holiday distinguish the years 1879 and 1880 when town fairs were held at the centre.
At a public meeting held in August, 1879, a committee was chosen "to see what action the people would take to start a town fair." The committee was as follows :
Fred A. Richardson, David C. Grant, David G. Dickey, Luther Cram, Joel H. Tarbell, Franklin Senter, Wm. W. Burton, E. C. Curtis, George Rose, D. B. Whittemore, Jotham Hildreth, Charles L. Avery.
This committee met on August 25th, voted to organize for a town fair, and chose Daniel B. Whittemore, president ; George Rose, vice-president ; John H. Goodrich, secretary and treas- urer ; Eli C. Curtis, general superintendent. The committee also appointed the following persons trustees :
District No. I. F. A. Richardson, Martin Whitney, David G. Dickey. 2. Benjamin G. Herrick, David C. Grant.
3. Charles F. Tarbell, Artemas Woodward, Luther Cram.
4. Erwin D. Wilder, Franklin Senter.
5. Wm. W. Burton, Wm. N. Ryerson.
6. Geo. W. Parker, Charles Tarbell, John Batchelder.
7. Geo. Rose, Chas. L. Perham.
8. D. B. Whittemore, L. P. Spalding.
9. Jotham Hildreth.
IO. Chas. L. Avery.
At later meetings a constitution and by-laws were adopted, judges were appointed, other necessary arrangements were made and October I was fixed upon to be the day of the fair.
At II o'clock, A. M., on the day named, a procession was formed in the following order :
Capt. Andy Holt, Chief Marshal George E. Spalding, Marshal Mont Vernon Brass Band Lafayette Artillery Co. Town Team, composed of thirteen yoke of oxen Citizens in carriages
On the common, during the day, there were various tests of strength and endurance, and on an improvised track, near by, there was a horse-race, probably the only formal race of the kind ever seen in Lyndeborough. (Sometimes, it may be said, the ringing of the church bell has excited the horses of people making their way, single file, towards the centre of the town, so that they became, practically, unmanageable. . In such
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cases usually the best horse arrived first. But horse racing has always been held in much disfavor by most Lyndeborough people.)
Some of the best live stock in town, cattle, horses and sheep, was on exhibition and in the town hall there was to be seen the best the people could do in the way of fruits and vegetables, butter, cheese, and bread, some of it made from home-grown wheat.
Besides, there were exhibits of needle work, both ancient and modern, and a number of articles, interesting on account of age or associations, such, for example, as the chair, 110 years old, which was once the property of the Rev. Sewall Goodrich, and the samples of cloth shown by Mrs. E. Cram. This cloth was woven in 1772 by the great-grandmother of the exhibitor.
After dinner the president of the day called the company to order and speeches were made by Mr. David C. Grant, Mr. C. H. Holt and Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, of Worcester, Mass.
The officials of the second fair, held Sept. 22, 1880, were about the same as those of the previous year, with the exception of the judges, who were more numerous and whose names follow :-
Live Stock .- Luther Cram, Erwin D. Wilder, Geo. E. Spalding; F. A. Richardson, Charles Tarbell, Charles L. Perham; Rufus Chamberlain, Nathan Richardson, Edwin N. Patch; Wm. H. Clark, James H. Karr, Al- bert Cram; J. A. Woodward, B. J. Clark, Robt. K. Lynch.
Fruit, Vegetables and Seeds .- Rev. T. P. Sawin, John E. Batchelder, David Putnam; Geo. Rose, Everett E. Lowe, Geo. H. Stevens; David G. Dickey, Benj. G. Herrick, N. W. Tarbell.
Bread and Dairy Products .- David C. Grant and Mrs. Grant, Mrs. Geo. Rose.
Knit and Fancy Goods, Embroidery, Cut Flowers, etc .- Mrs. E. C. Curtis, Mrs. D. B. Whittemore, Mrs. G. E. Spalding; Mrs. B. G. Herrick, Mrs. D. G. Dickey, Mrs. J. E. Batchelder; Mrs. C. L. Perham, Mrs. J. C. Ordway, Mrs. C. F. Tarbell; Miss Ida Patch, Mrs. Belle Boutwell, Mrs. J. A. Woodward.
The list of prizes awarded in 1880 is given in full in the Mil- ford Enterprise of Sept. 27, and is, approximately, a catalogue of the products of the town. The names of a large proportion of the families of Lyndeborough appear in this list, or somewhere else in the secretary's book.
The music of the day was by the Mont Vernon band. Mr. David H. Goodell of Antrim, who was Governor of New Hamp- shire a few years later, made an address.
These town fairs were good examples, on a very small scale, to be sure, of the thoroughly respectable agricultural fair that
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
used to entertain and instruct great numbers of New England people, and provide the occasion for dignified speeches by the governor of the state and by other men of note.
THE CELEBRATION OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF LYNDEBOROUGH.
BY J. A. WOODWARD.
There was a strong desire on the part of many of the people living in Lyndeborough at the time the town had reached the age of one hundred years, to fittingly celebrate the event, and some steps were taken to do so. But for some reason the scheme fell through. It would seem now that it was unfor- tunate for the history of the town that the people did not carry out their good intentions. A historical sketch written at that time would be very interesting to compare with that which we have been able to gather now.
Fifty years later at the March meeting, 1889, the question of celebrating the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary was brought up and it was unanimously voted to hold a celebration .* The following committee was chosen to make the necessary ar- rangements : -
Fred A. Richardson
Harvey Perham
Henry H. Joslin
Eli C. Curtis
Fred B. Richards
Daniel B. Whittemore
Erwin D. Wilder
Sewell M. Buck
William W. Burton
Charles L. Avery
A special town meeting was called on Aug. 10 for the pur- pose of perfecting arrangements and appropriating money to pay expenses, and it is a curious, and in some respects a ludicrous fact, that this meeting extended into three days before the "red tape " of the law could be complied with and the money legally appropriated. This with no opposition to the measure. The sum of three hundred dollars was placed in the hands of the committee to carry on the work.
David C. Grant was chosen president of the day, Andy Holt chief marshal, and Jacob A. Woodward, toastmaster. A mam- mnoth tent was hired in Boston and was pitched on the common, just south of the town hall.
*At the time this celebration was proposed, Mr. David C. Grant and many others inter- ested in the event, were of the opinion that John Badger was the first settler within the limits of Salem-Canada, and that he made his beginning in.1739.
Later researches, however, serve to prove that so far as his being the first settler such was not the fact, and that really the celebration should have been held in 1887. So far as the celebration is concerned this matter is immaterial now, and this note is inserted to explain any discrepancy which a careful reader of the foregoing chapters of this history might find.
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ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
The day selected, Wednesday, Sept. 4, was all that could be desired in the way of weather. Cloudless skies, cool, bracing air, and warm sun, made an ideal day. Sons and daughters of Lyndeborough had come from all over the country to visit their native town, and to help by their presence in making the day one to be remembered. Many of the citizens had decorated their homes in honor of the occasion. The residence of Charles R. Boutwell was especially noticeable. On the front was the inscription, 1739-1889. The grounds as well as the house were beautiful with national colors and other devices. George E. Spalding also put out numerous flags, and displayed a por- trait of the first settled physician in town. At sunrise the bells were rung and a salute was fired. At 9 o'clock a procession was formed on the common in the following order : -
Platoon of Police Chief marshal, Andy Holt, and aides C. Henry Holt in command of militia, and staff Peterborough Band, 22 pieces, C. E. White, leader Lafayette Artillery Co., A. S. Conant, captain Section of Artillery, Sergeant A. T. Ford Post Harvey Holt, G. A. R., Jason Holt, commander Color Guard Sons of Veterans, Edward Ross, captain
Woman's Relief Corps, and citizens in private carriages.
The route of the procession was through the historic street of the "centre." In the evening the village was illuminated, and there was a fine display of fireworks, generously paid for by Boutwell Bros. of Lowell, Mass.
At 10 o'clock A. M. the meeting which had assembled . under the large tent was called to order by the president of the day, Mr. D. C. Grant, who said : -
The hour has arrived which was assigned by the committee for the celebration of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of Lyndeborough. If we had arranged a day to our own liking, we could not have selected a more beautiful day than this. We have come to- gether upon a very interesting occasion, for the purpose of connecting the future with the past by a golden link which cannot be broken. One hundred and ninety-nine years ago, whoever was traveling through the village of Salem, Massachusetts, would have seen a little band collected together to go on an expedition to Canada. That little band was com- manded by Capt. Samuel King. That expedition returned late in that season, having met with defeat and disaster. They found the exchequer of Massachusetts depleted, and they were not paid for their services.
One hundred and fifty-four years ago last June the Commonwealth of Massachusetts granted to Capt. Samuel King and his co-laborers, for their services, a certain tract of land six miles square, lying west of Nar-
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HISTORY OF LYNDEBOROUGH
ragansett No. 3 - so called then, now Amherst and part of Mont Vernon. One hundred and fifty-four years ago the proprietors who were associated with Capt. Samuel King met together and had their land surveyed ; and the remains of it are what is now left of Lyndeborough, but at that time a part of Wilton, Mont Vernon and Milford.
Those early settlers, those earlier proprietors, made an effort to have the land surveyed, and one hundred and fifty years ago this last season they had built a few cabins, and they spent the winter of 1739-40 in the limits of old Lyndeborough, planting the first settlement, laboring against the forces of nature to establish for themselves and for their pos- terity a home. That home has been transmitted to us, and we, their children, to-day have met to connect, as I said before, with a golden link, the bright silver chain of circumstances which has brought this town into its present position. Last March a few of the citizens of Lyndebor- ough conceived the idea that we had neglected the works of those noble and worthy men in that distant day as they came here into this forest home and established the homes which we now this day enjoy. The town unanimously voted to celebrate that event, and invitations have been extended to you, and you are here today to unite with us in con- necting that important event with the events of this day and with the future. We thank you for having responded so nobly and so generously to that call; and the God of heaven has smiled upon us, and lest we should forget our dependence upon that God, the God of our fathers and our God, let us all unite in calling upon His name to assist us in these services, that they may redound to His glory and to the benefit of man- kind. I will call upon the Rev. Mr. Childs to lead us in prayer.
Rev. Mr. Childs of Lyndborough Centre then offered prayer.
The President. We have with us to-day one who was born and reared in our midst, and we could discover nothing very remarkable in him while a boy. As he grew up to manhood he served us as superintending school committee, first as school teacher, then as merchant. He has since wandered from the fold, and has gained the reputation of being as good a specimen of the live Yankee as Lyndeborough has ever been known to produce. I have the pleasure of introducing to you William W. Curtis.
Mr. Curtis. Fellow-citizens of the Town of Lyndeborough : Let God be praised for having set apart so perfect a day for this commemora- tion of our illustrious fathers and mothers, who fashioned and moulded the golden principles of justice, honor and manhood and handed them down to us, that they might be everlastingly perpetuated to all future generations of the sons and daughters of this, their native home.
Mr. Curtis then read a poem, the manuscript of which is not available for this history.
The President. We have with us, to-day, another one of the noble sons of Lyndeborough who spent his youthful days with
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us, who has gone forth as an educator and an instructor; after- wards, to preach the everlasting Gospel to the people. He comes to you to-day, after many years of experience and after many months of hard searching upon our musty records. He has gleaned much from them and will now lay before you a part of the results of his labors. I have the honor and the pleasure of introducing to you the Rev. F. G. Clark, of Medford, Mass.
The address of Mr. Clark was listened to with close attention and was greeted with much applause. It was the first con- nected story of Lyndeborough or rather Salem-Canada-Lynde- borough, to which the great majority of the citizens of the town had ever listened. With his permission much of it has been incorporated in this history.
During the delivery of the Historical Address, a pause was made for the singing of a hymn, concerning which Mr. Clark said : The hymn now to be sung is a hymn that was written by Dr. Herrick for the last service held in the old church which stood where the present town-house now stands.
The exercises were resumed at 2 P. M., and the president said : We have with us to-day another of the sons of Lynde- borough, who grew up amongst us, who went to our schools, who played with us, and who, in his early manhood, prepared himself to teach others. He has wandered away, and he has returned to us with a message. I have the honor and the pleasure of introducing to you Professor Daniel Putnam, of Ypsilanti, Mich.
(Prof. Putnam then delivered the following oration.)
Ladies and Gentlemen : - I am both proud and glad to address you as my fellow townsmen. It is true that in one aspect we are strangers. Your faces are new to me as mine is to you. Five and forty years seem to the young an almost endless age. They do indeed form a large part of any ordinary human life. So many years have passed since I ceased to be a resident of this my native town. Only seldom during all these years have I visited for a brief time these once familiar scenes. A gener- ation and more has passed away. I meet the children and the grand- children of my school-fellows. They may be pardoned for looking upon me as a preserved relic of antediluvian times, a returning Rip Van Winkle of the days "before the war."
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