USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > Lancaster > The one hundred & fiftieth anniversary of Lancaster, New Hampshire, 1764-1914; the official report of the celebration held in August, nineteen hundred and fourteen; > Part 6
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the meeting place of the thousands, assembled for the literary feast of the Anniversary.
The many temporary seats placed about the platform were adequate to care for but few of the vast assembly, composed of men, women and children, residents and visitors. It would have been difficult to have improved the program of the after- noon which had excellence and variety. The addresses were eloquent and there was vocal and instrumental music with a series of folk-dances by the younger girls of the Town.
The President of the Day was a distinguished citizen of Lancaster, whose devotion to her best interests never wavers and who, by his works, has brought honor not alone to himself, but to his State and to Lancaster-Hon. Irving W. Drew. It is needless to say that Mr. Drew presided ably and elo- quently, and that his introductions were a notable feature of the program.
His Excellency, Governor Samuel D. Felker, of Rochester, brought a warm greeting from the State, and his kindly re- marks and presence were appreciated.
The selection of speakers for such an occasion was important. All Lancaster was present to hear the story of the years, and it was vitally essential that the words should come from hearts in sympathy with the theme. Lancaster listened to the old story, clothed in new and eloquent phrases by men who cherish her traditions. One needed but to raise his eyes to the beautiful library, or to look beyond to the summit of majestic Mt. Prospect, to appreciate that the regard of Senator Weeks for his native Lancaster was second to no man's. Although early in youth called away from the fertile fields and quiet life of his New Hampshire home, to render service of a larger nature in the busy marts of finance and later in the halls of the United States Senate, he has never failed to keep fresh in mind the home of his ancestry and the charms of far-away Lancaster. For years Lancaster had awaited an opportunity to hear this distinguished son, and Senator Weeks was listened to by a kindly and appreciative company of friends.
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Albert R. Savage left Lancaster nearly half a century ago to continue his studies and later settled in Maine, where to-day he is Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The youth Albert Savage, to whom Lancaster had bade good-bye, so many years ago,returned upon this Anniversary as Judge Savage, but with a keen sense of appreciation of his boyhood home, and a message of encouragement.
Hon. Edmund Sullivan, native of Lancaster, has never been other than a loyal son. Although for some ten years he has practiced his profession in Berlin his visits to his native town have been many, and his devotion to her interests has often- times been expressed.
Thus Lancaster listened to the messages of congratulation, and good cheer from those qualified in all ways to bring them. The addresses published elsewhere in detail gave an epitome of Lancaster's history and placed emphasis upon those qualities other than material that have conserved Lancaster as a prosperous and industrious community.
The singing was led by a chorus and the vast assembly joined in the songs. Rev. William Palmer Ladd of Lancaster, Profes- sor of Church History in Berkeley Divinity School, Middle- town, Connecticut, offered the Anniversary Prayer. The Charter of the Town was read by Ossian Ray (2nd) of Boston, Mass., whose father had read it upon the occasion of the One Hundredth Anniversary. Mr. Drew, in introducing Mr. Ray predicted that Mr. Ray's son, Ossian Ray (3rd), would read the Charter at the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Town.
The series of Folk Dances were entirely new to a Lancaster audience, and added a pleasing variety to the program. The young girls, representing the Camp Fires, had been carefully drilled and the graceful dances, given in costume, won liberal applause. A delightful feature was a solo dance given by Mrs. Willard Hubbard, formerly an instructor at Wellesley College, and who had drilled the younger girls in their dances.
The offerings of the afternoon had been so many that it was
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Hon. Irving W. Drew
ANNIVERSARY
necessary to omit some other features and two of the addresses on account of the lateness of the hour. The exercises had proved helpful and stimulating and as the band played the closing march of the afternoon, the crowd left the Park know- ing more of the rugged and firm structure upon which their present Lancaster had been erected.
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The Folk Dances
The series of folk dances presented a new form of entertain- ment locally and illustrated some special topic. The dances were presented by members of the local Camp Fires. The dances were eleven in number and were given between the other parts of the afternoon's program in sets of two and three.
THE DANCES.
Dance of Greeting
"I See You"
Klap Dance Chebogas
Shoemaker's Dance
How Do You Do?
Bleking
Ribbon Dance
Ace of Diamonds
Carousel
Norwegian Mountain March
THE DANCERS.
Millie Fisher
Ada Marchant
Maude Monahan Ethel Parsons
Esther Hartford
Edna Woods
Edyth Coates
Margaret Horne
Anna Colby
Helen Bailey Laura Keeler
Beatrice Laughrey
Angeline Praught
Amalie Smith
Anna Smith
Margaret Keir
Mildred Donahue Eva Woods Louise Conner
Annie Paschal Hortense Kingsley
Clarice Craigie
Edythe Carleton
Alice Monahan
Katherine Costello
Ruth Nesmith
Adelaide Monahan Helen Monahan
Agnes Truland Lulu Currier
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Inez Gordon
Ruth Farnham
ANNIVERSARY
Eileen McGinley Elizabeth Gillespie
Marguerite Armstrong
Kathleen Bernier Vera Whyte
Lurline Gillanders Evelyn White
Marion Wark
Lillian Simonds Geraldine Letter
Violet Praught Lillian Paul
Elmira Clark
Katherine Underwood Evelyn Hill Maude Coates
Muriel Covell
Cora Merrow
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Lancaster Charter
"Province of New-Hampshire. GEORGE, THE THIRD
Lancaster
P. S. By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, KING, Defender of the Faith &c.
To all Persons to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting.
Know ye, that We of our special Grace, certain knowledge, and meer Mo- tion, for the due Encouragement of settling a New Plantation within our said Province, by and with the Advice of our Trusty and Well-beloved BENNING WENTWORTH, Esqr; Our Governor and Commander in Chief of Our said Province of NEW HAMPSHIRE in New England, and of our COUNCIL of the said Province; HAVE, upon the Conditions and Reservations herein after made, given and granted, and by these Presents, for us, our Heirs, and Successors, do give and grant in equal Shares, unto Our loving Sub- jects, Inhabitants of Our said Province of New Hampshire, and Our other Governments, and to their Heirs and Assigns for ever, whose Names are entered on this Grant, to be divided to and amongst them into Seventy Six equal Shares, all that Tract or Parcel of Land situate, lying and being within our said Province of New-Hampshire, containing by admeasurement Twenty three Thousand & Forty Acres, which Tract is to contain six Miles square, and no more; out of which an Allowance is to be made for High Ways and unimprovable Lands by Rocks, Ponds, Mountains and Rivers, One Thousand and Forty acres free, according to a Plan and Survey thereof, made by our said Governors's Order, and returned into the Sec- retary's Office, and hereunto annexed, butted and bounded as follows, Viz. Beginning at a Stake & Stones standing on bank of the Easterly side of Connecticut River, which is the South Westerly Corner bounds of Stoning- ton, thence running South fifty-five Degs East seven Miles by Stonington To the South Easterly corner thereof, then turning off & Running South Sixty nine Deg® West Ten Miles, then turning off again & Runing North twenty six Degrees West to Connecticut River thence up the River as that tends to the Stake & stones first above Mentioned the Bounds begun at And that the same be, and hereby is incorporated into a Township by the Name of Lancaster And the Inhabitants that do or shall hereafter inhabit the said Township, are hereby declared to be Enfranchized with and entitled to all and every the Privileges and Immunities that Towns within Our Province by Law Exercise and Enjoy: And other further, that the said Town as soon
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as there shall be Fifty Families resident and settled thereon, shall have the Liberty of holding Two Fairs, one of which shall be held on.
And the other on the. annually, which Fairs are not to contine longer than the respective. .following the
said. . and that as soon as said Town shall consist of Fifty Fam- ilies, a Market may be opened and kept one or more Days in each Week, as may be thought most advantagious to the Inhabitants. Also, that the first meeting for the Choice of Town Officers, agreable to the Laws of our said Province, shall be held on the first Tuesday in August next which said Meeting shall be Notified by David Page who is hereby also appointed the Moderator of the said first Meeting, which he is to Notify and Govern agreable to the Laws and Customs of Our said Province; and that the annual Meeting for ever hereafter for the Choice of such Officers for the said Town, shall be on the Second Tuesday of March annually, To HAVE and to HOLD the said Tract of Land as above expressed, together with all Privileges and Appurtenances, to them and their respective Heirs and Assigns forever, upon the following conditions, viz.
I. That every Grantee, his Heirs or Assigns shall plant and cultivate five Acres of Land within the Term of five Years for every fifty Acres contained in his or their Share of Proportion of Land in said Township, and continue to improve and settle the same by additional Cultivation, on Penalty of the Forfeiture of his Grant or Share in the said Township, and of its reverting to Us, our Heirs and Successors, to be by Us or Them Re-granted to such of Our Subjects as shall effectually settle and cultivate the same.
II. That all white and other Pine Trees within the said Township, fit for Masting Our Royal Navy, be carefully preserved for that Use, and none to be cut or felled without Our special License for so doing first had and obtained, upon the Penalty of the Forfeiture of the Right of such Grantee, his Heirs and Assigns, to Us, our Heirs and Successors, as well as being subject to the Penalty of any Act or Acts of Parliament that now are, or hereafter shall be Enacted.
III. That before any Division of the Lands be made to and among the Grantees, a Tract of Land as near the Centre of said Township as the Land will admit of, shall be reserved and marked out for Town Lots, one of each shall be allotted to each Grantee of the Contents of one Acre.
IV. Yielding and paying therefor to Us, our Heirs and Successors for the Space of ten Years, to be computed from the Date hereof, the Rent of one Ear of Indian Corn only, on the twenty-fifth Day of December annually, if lawfully demanded, the first Payment to be made on the twenty-fifth Day of December, 1763.
V. Every Proprietor, Settler or Inhabitant, shall yield and pay unto Us, our Heir and Successors yearly, and every year forever, from and after
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the Expiration of ten years from the abovesaid twenty-fifth Day of Decem- ber, namely, on the twenty-fifth day of December, which will be in the Year of Our Lord 1773 One Shilling Proclamation Money for every Hundred Acres he so owns, settles or possesses, and so in Proportion for a greater or lesser Tract of the said Land; which Money shall be paid by the respective Persons abovesaid, their Heirs or Assigns, in our Council Chamber in Portsmouth, or to such Officer or Officers as shall be appointed to receive the same; and this is to be in Lieu of all other Rents and Services whatso- ever.
In Testimony whereof we have caused the Seal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed. Witness BENNING WENTWORTH, EsQ; Our Governor and Commander in Chief of Our Province, the Fifth Day of July in the Year of our Lord Christ, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty three and in the Third Year of Our Reign.
By His EXCELLENCY's Command, With Advice of COUNCIL,
B. Wentworth-
T. Atkinson Jun" Secry
Province of New Hamp™ July 6 1763
Recorded according to the original under the Provincial Seal
T. Atkinson Jun' Secry
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Honorable Irving W. Drew
Irving Webster Drew. Born at Colebrook, New Hampshire, Janu- ary 8, 1845, the son of Amos Webster and Julia Esther (Lovering) Drew. Fitted at Kimball Union Academy and graduated from Dart- mouth, 1870. Moved to Lancaster and studied law with Ray & Ladd. Admitted to bar in November, 1871. Became member of firm of Ray & Drew, since successively named Ray, Drew & Heywood; Ray, Drew & Jordan; Ray, Drew, Jordan & Carpenter; Drew & Jordan; Drew, Jordan & Buckley; Drew, Jordan, Buckley & Shurtleff; Drew, Shurtleff & Morris; Drew, Shurtleff, Morris & Oakes. Admitted to Federal Court in 1877. State Senate, 1883-1884. President New Hampshire Bar Association, 1899. Delegate to Democratic National Conventions, 1880, 1892, 1896. Since Bryan's nomination for Presi- dency in 1896 has been a Republican. Member State Constitutional Convention, 1902, 1912. Commissioned Major of Third Regiment, New Hampshire National Guard, 1876, and served three years. Direc- tor Upper Coos Railroad, 1887; president, 1909. For many years director of the Hereford Railroad. President Siwooganock Savings Bank, 1891 to present time. Director Lancaster National Bank since organization. Trustee and President, William D. Weeks Memorial Library (public library). Member New Hampshire Historical Soci- ety and other organizations. Knight Templar and Odd Fellow. A loyal citizen of Lancaster and a leading member of the bar of New England.
Mr. Drew married, November 4, 1869, Caroline Hatch Merrill, daughter of Sherburne Rowell and Sarah Blackstone (Merrill) Merrill of Colebrook. Two of their four children survive, Pitt Fessenden Drew and Sally Drew, wife of Edward Kimball Hall.
Ladies and Gentlemen: One hundred and fifty years ago last April, David Page, Edwards Bucknam, Timothy Nash and George Wheeler came to the Town of Lancaster. In the following August David Page came and brought with him his daughter, Ruth Page, who subsequently married Emmons Stockwell, who with David Page, Jr., came to this Town in thefall of 1763. The Stockwell family had fifteen children, all of whom lived to manhood and womanhood. Miss Ruth Page was the heroine of this Town. On the night after she arrived here or the night before she arrived here there was a frost so severe that it killed all the crops which Edwards Bucknam and John Page, Jr., and the three men who came here with David Page had planted in the spring of 1764. After a conference by the six men, with respect to the wisdom of remaining here or of abandoning this place in seeking some more genial climate in which to establish their homes, they decided to leave. When it was announced to Ruth Page, she said, "No! No! We will not leave. What did we come here for? We came here to
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establish homes; we came here to build a community. Let us stay. Nature cannot always be so unkind. Nature will give us good weather and give us ample harvests." And the six men yielded to Ruth Page, and they re- mained here. For the first two years their crops were not satisfactory. But in the third year they had a bountiful crop and they and their descend- ants have always had good crops since. So, I say that Ruth Page, the heroine of the Town of Lancaster, is the one person to whom to-day we should look with the highest degree of honor.
We have with us to-day men who are to talk to you about the different features of the Town of Lancaster. One of them, Honorable John W. Weeks, the junior Senator from the State of Massachusetts, is one of the ablest men who represents us to-day in the United States Senate; a man who is listened to under all circumstances, when he has anything to say upon any subject; the man who has done more than any other one man in helping to build up the town. He is the man who built the beautiful library building in memory of his father, Honorable William D. Weeks who was Judge of Probate for this County for several years. He has also given a Home for Aged People, which is named for his mother, The Helen Fowler Weeks Home for the Aged, in honor of her. It is the Jacob Benton place near the head of Main Street. He is here to-day to give you his reminiscences, his study and his sentiments in respect to the Town of Lancaster. It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you Honorable John W. Weeks.
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Senator John W. Weeks
John Wingate Weeks. Born in Lancaster, April 11, 1860, son of William D. and Mary Helen (Fowler) Weeks. Educated in Lancaster schools. Graduate U. S. Naval Academy, 1881. Midshipman, 1881- 1883. Civil engineer, 1883-1885. Member of firm of Hornblower and Weeks (Boston and branches), brokers and bankers, 1885-1913. Ten years in Massachusetts Naval Brigade, six years as commander. Also as commander Second Division, U. S. Auxiliary Naval Force on Atlantic Coast during Spanish-American War. Alderman of Newton, Massachusetts, 1900-1902. Mayor of Newton, 1903-1904. Member of National House of Representatives, 1904-1913. Member of United States Senate, 1913 -. Member of many important com- mittees. Chairman Massachusetts Republican State Convention, 1895. Member Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Acad- emy, 1896. Important banking and social connections. In 1885 married Martha A., daughter of the late Hon. John G. Sinclair of Bethlehem. They have two children, Katherine Sinclair, wife of John Davidge, and Charles Sinclair. Senator Weeks has always been a faithful son. He has erected a summer home at the summit of Mt. Prospect. He presented to Lancaster the William D. Weeks' Memorial Library and the Helen Fowler Weeks' Home for the Aged, both of which stand as proof of his regard for his native Lancaster.
I appreciate the friendship which has prompted Major Drew to give me a somewhat flattering introduction, but I am not here because of my public service or for any other reason than that I am a native of the Town and wish to join with you in properly celebrating this important anniversary.
Those of us who were born or have lived in Lancaster would be in- different to the benefits and attractions which nature has furnished if we did not give a high value to our surroundings and were not ready to express our pleasure that some part of our lives had been passed in such a com- munity. I very often feel that we do not appreciate the things which are common to us in our everyday life until we have had experiences with which they may be compared.
As a boy, while probably I was not insensible to this beautiful country, this healthful climate, and the benefits to be derived from such surround- ings, I am sure that age and experience have given me a keener apprecia- tion of their value; and, having traveled somewhat extensively and lived somewhat permanently in three sections of the United States, I now realize that I had failed to give proper consideration to the advantages which one has in being born, brought up, and living under such conditions. In coming back even briefly as I have done year after year I have looked with
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renewed interest on the familiar scenes of my youth surrounded by the everlasting hills so that I now feel, if I have not in the past, that I might well sing with all my heart that old hymn which begins "My willing soul would stay in such a frame as this."
The interest of this occasion will be very largely in retrospection. We will talk with our old friends and neighbors about the things with which we were familiar and we shall revive as far as may be our interest in the things which have been of value to this Town and community, in its historical personages, and indeed in all those good citizens, many of whom lie in yonder cemeteries, who have been the makers of conditions which have been the means of putting this Town in the list of ideal communities.
IMPORTANCE OF RECORDING HISTORY
One of the failures in most such places has been the neglect to record history which to those immediately in touch with events has frequently seemed trivial but which becomes of value as time goes on-a value which will increase in the centuries to come. In many such towns the only authentic history is found in the town and probate records and in the inscriptions on memorials in the cemeteries. Lancaster is fortunate in having a reasonably complete history prepared by three prominent citizens in which has been collected many of those things which should be preserved covering the first one hundred and twenty-five years of the settlement of the Town. I remember how often I talked with my uncle, the late James W. Weeks, who was born on the south side of Mount Prospect within fifty years of the first settlement and who therefore had known personally most of those who had been connected with the Town's affairs up to the time of his death in 1899, and how many times I had suggested to him that the incidents of real value which he carried in his mind-and it was a storehouse of in- teresting events in the Town's history-should be put in some permanent form. Fortunately during his life and while that distinguished native son of Lancaster, Colonel Henry O. Kent, was still active in all the affairs of this community, as he had been from his early youth, aided by Lancaster's first citizen, still with us, who in official place and in many other ways has given distinction to his home town as well as to bring great credit to him- self, our universally beloved Governor, Chester B. Jordan, this work was finished, but it was necessarily incomplete because proper records had not been preserved; and this should be sufficient notice to those who now live and those who are to follow that they should make a record of matters which will be at least of interest to their descendants if not to all of those as- sociated with the Town, so that in the next century some student may bring its history down to date, having the material to assure him that the facts he will relate are as accurate as such historical matter can be. An historical society should be organized-I am well aware it could not bring together a
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large collection of material which would be of any greater than local interest -yet it could collect articles and material relating to the earlier history and even later period of the Town's history which would always have a local value. If this is not done soon, such matter will become dissipated, its value will be lost sight of, and our descendants will have just cause to com- plain that we were not sufficiently alert in performing this trust which is a part of the duty of the citizens of every generation.
While, as I have stated, the subjects which you will discuss will be of the past, the real value to be derived from the celebration of the anniversary of the founding of a city or town depends entirely on the spirit that goes with it. It may properly be made a halting place from which the past may be viewed for the purpose of obtaining from it such lessons as come from experience and, based on those lessons and the conclusions which may be drawn from them, we may set our course for the future. Practically speaking, the past is of no value except for the experience and benefit it gives us as an example. It is the future which is all important and the lessons of the past will enable us to look forward to it with calmness and faith if our application of those lessons is likely to be wise.
If this were a retrograding town, if its history were not one in which to take pride, if the character of its inhabitants were less exalted than formerly, if the enterprises which go to make up a self-sustaining community had become extinct, then we might look to the past with feelings of regret and look into the future with the greatest apprehension. Fortunately we find no such lesson in the past. During its one hundred and fifty years this Town has represented those things which are best in a New England com- munity. It is true that we cannot boast of its having been the birthplace or home of great statesmen, great poets, great musicians, or geniuses in any particular walk in life; but while men and women having unusual attainments may be valuable elements in the total which goes to make up our composite life they are not essential to the material success or to the happiness of a community. Indeed, the qualities to be hoped for in the citizenship of any town are those old standard virtues-honesty, enterprise, frugality, and loyalty to home and government and religion. Without them a community may have many of those who have superlative qualities in some form and yet it will not fulfill the best in life. With these qualities whether they are accompanied by genius of every kind or not a community will be self-sustaining and a valuable integral part of the larger field which goes to make up a nation.
INFLUENCES FROM THE PAST
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