USA > New Hampshire > The statistics and gazetteer of New-Hampshire. Containing descriptions of all the counties, towns and villages statistical tables with a list of state officers, etc. > Part 43
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productions. The face of the town is beautifully diversified by hills and vales. The soil is deep, and similar to that of other towns on the Connecticut River. The inter- vals are extensive and afford ex- cellent tillage; while the uplands are inferior to none in the State. Many of the farms are highly cul- tivated, and very productive.
Rivers. Connecticut River washes the western border of the town. Cold River passes through the north part, affording some water power, and unites with the Connecticut, about one mile south of Bellows Falls. Near these falls is a cragged mountain abruptly rising 800 feet above the surface of the river. The road from Charles- town to Walpole passes along between this mountain and the falls, and at this point presents a wild and picturesque scenery to the traveler. On the opposite side of the river, in Vermont, is the thriving village of Bellows Falls. At this point four railroads have their termini-viz. Rutland, Sulli- van, Cheshire and Connecticut River Valley Railroads.
Village. About four miles south from Bellows Falls, is situated the pleasant village of Walpole, on a plain, high above the river. The main street runs north and south, and is broad and beautifully shaded with grand old elms and maples. Bordering on either side are the houses, stores, shops and churches. Many of the residences are elegant and costly, and adorned with spa- cious and beautiful yards, carpeted with green grass, and made fra- grant by blooming flowers; while other dwellings have a rich, an- tique appearance which are sug- gestive of days in the past.
There is a handsome common, neatly laid out and ornamented with beautiful shade trees. This common furnishes a delightful promenade for the quiet villagers, or their visitors, on the pleasant summer evenings, just as the sun settles below the horizon and re- fleets its golden beams on the western sky, or upon the crest of the towering mountains beyond the Connecticut, the whole presenting a picture far beyond the most splendid drapery of human im- agination. The general neatness and quiet which prevail, together with the beautiful scenery of the surrounding country, render this one of the most delightful and attractive villages in New-Hamp- shire. Many summer tourists spend their vacation in this village, and it is becoming quite a summer resort. It is the centre of a large mercantile trade, and many of the stores have a metropolitan ap- pearance.
Employments. The inhabitants are generally devoted to agricul- ture. 38,000 bushels of corn, large quantities of tobacco, and 39,000 lbs. wool are annually produced. The number of bushels of corn, an- nually raised, exceeds that of any other town in the State by over 13, 000 bushels. The manufacturing is considerable. The value of shirts and collars annually manufactured, is $ 71,000; 1,100,000 feet of boards, and 220,000 shingles are annu- ally sawed; 30,000 bushels grain, ground, 1,000,000 pill boxes made, besides leather, towel racks, etc., are produced. The total value of manufactured productions, is $ 131, 600. Drewsville is a village of some trade and considerable man- ufacturing. It is romantically sit-
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uated near the falls, and contains a hotel, post-office and church.
Resources. Agricultural pro- ductions, $254,095; mechanical labor, $ 34,200; stocks, etc., $ 36, 600; money at interest, $60,620; stock in trade, $25,725; deposits in savings banks, $ 43,960; from sum- mer tourists, $ 4,000; professional sources, etc., $ 60,000.
Churches and Schools. There are five churches, viz. Congregational, Rev. W. E. Dickenson, pastor; Unitarian, Christian, Episcopal, and Catholic. There are fourteen school districts, and fifteen schools in town; average length, for the year, twenty-two weeks. Amount annually appropriated for school purposes, $ 3,386.64. Walpole has been distinguished for its efforts to promote the interests of education. There is a school fund of $ 1,577.50. The Walpole High School is a pop- ular institution. Mr. C. R. Crow- ell is the principal.
Library. Walpole town library has 1,500 volumes. The town ap- propriates annually $ 75 for ex- penses, and, for the purchase of books, $ 100.
Hotels. Wentworth House, and at Drewsville, Cold River House.
Livery Stable. W. A. Maynard, 14 horses, valued at $2,000.
First Settlers. Walpole was granted, by the government of New-Hampshire, February 16, 1752, to Colonel Benjamin Bellows and sixty-one others. It was first settled by John Kilburn and his family, in 1749. Colonel Bellows settled here in 1757. His descend- ants are numerous and highly re- spected. The late Hon. Henry A. Bellows, Chief Justice of New- Hampshire, and one of the most estimable men in the State, was a
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native of this town. He died sud- denly at his residence in Concord, March 11, 1873. Walpole was originally called "Great Falls," or "Bellows Town." During the first years of its settlement, the inhab- itants were subjected to some of the savage cruelties of the Indians and Canadians. The indomitable bravery of Colonel Bellows and John Kilburn, with the men under their command, soon convinced the . Indians and their French allies, that, for their own personal safety, they had better give Walpole a wide birth, in their vandal excur- sions. We give a few extracts in relation to the troubles of the first settlers with the savage hordes sent upon them, by men who pre- tended to respect civilized war- fare. To-day the French nation are reaping their just reward, for the cruelties which their fore- fathers inflicted on the first settlers of New-England.
" An Indian by the name of · Philip, who had acquired sufficient English to be understood, visited the house of Mr. Kilburn in the town of Walpole, in the spring of 1755, pretending to be on a hunting excursion, and in want of food. He was treated with kindness, and flints, flour and other things were furnished him. After he had been gone a short time, it was ascer- tained that the same Indian had visited all the settlements on the Connecticut river, about the same time, and with the same plausible pretensions. Kilburn being some- what acquainted with Indian strat- agem, suspected, (as it afterward proved,) Philip to be a wolf in sheep's clothing. Soon after, a friendly Indian, sent from Albany by Governor Shirley, communica-
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ted the startling intelligence, that four or five hundred Indians were collected in Canada, whose pur- pose it was to massacre all the white inhabitants in Connecticut valley. We will leave it for the reader to imagine the terror in the feeble white settlements, when they learned of the impending ca- lamity. To forsake their homes, their crops of grain, and their cat- tle, would be giving up all for which they had so diligently toiled, and to oppose the savage horde' from Canada, was a hope- less resort. But, accustomed to the privations and dangers of frontier life, they determined to protect themselves, or die in the cause. Kilburn and his men, with their rude implements, strength- ened their position with fortifica- tions, consisting of a palisado of stakes driven into the ground.
"At the fort, about a mile south of Kilburn's house, were about thirty armed men, under command of Col. Benjamin Bellows; but he could afford no protection to Kil- burn while attending to his cattle and crops.
"The time of the attack of the Indians, no one could foresee nor prevent, although the inhabitants were daily expecting their appear- ance. August 17, 1755, as Kilburn, his son John, then a young man of eighteen, a man named Peak, and his son, were returning from their work, they discovered their expect- ed and savage foes in an alder swamp. They speedily ran to the house, secured the door, and made preparations for an obstinate resis- tance. There were at this time in the house, besides these four men, Kilburn's wife and his daughter Hitty, who contributed greatly to
the assistance and encouragement of their companions, and, at the same time, kept watch upon the movements of the enemy. In about fifteen minutes the Indians were seen crawling up a bank, east of the house, and one hun- dred and ninety-seven were count- ed, as they crossed a footpath, one by one; about the same number remained in ambush near the mouth of Cold river.
"The Indians thought it would be best to way-lay and capture Col. Benjamin Bellows and his men, who, they had learned, were at work in a mill about a mile east, before attacking those who had sought shelter in the log house. As Bellows and his men, about thirty, were returning home, each with a bag of meal on his back, their dogs began to bark and show signs of the approach of the enemy. Bellows well knew the intrigue of the Indians, and the language of his dogs. Believing that the Indians intended to form an ambuscade, he acted accord- ingly. The men were ordered to throw down their meal, advance to the rise, crawl up the bank, give one whoop, and instantly drop into , the sweet fern. This stratagem resulted as he had expected. As soon as the Indians heard the whoop, they arose from their am- bush, and formed a semi-circle around the path Bellows was to follow.
"His men instantly improved the splendid opportunity afforded them for a shot. This so thwarted the plans and expectations of the Indians, that they hastily fled to the bushes, without firing a gun. Bellows, judging them to be too numerous for him. ordered his
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men to retreat to the fort. Soon the Indians made their appearance on the eminence east of Kilburn's house, and Philip came forward, and sheltering himself behind a tree, summoned those in the house to surrender, offering them quar- ter; 'Quarter!' shouted the older Kilburn, with a voice of thunder that rang through every Indian heart, 'you black rascals, begone, or we'll quarter you.' Philip then returned to his companions, who commenced the war-whoop, after a few moments consultation. Kil- burn was fortunate in obtaining the first fire, before the smoke from the enemy's guns obstructed his aim. An Indian was seen to fall, and Kilburn, judging from his size and appearance, supposed him to be Philip. The Indians kept up the work of destruction; some were busily engaged in destroying the hay and grain, and others fell to butchering the cattle, while a shower of bullets continually rat- tled against the house. It is esti- mated that not less than four hun- dred bullets were lodged in the house at the first fire. Kilburn and his men were not idle. For convenience in loading, their pow- der was poured into hats, and they were prepared for a successful re- sistance or a glorious death. Al- though they had several guns in the house, they were kept hot by incessant firing; and having no ammunition to waste, special aim was taken to have every bullet count. When their stock of lead grew short, the women suspended blankets from the roof of the house, to catch the bullets of the enemy, these were run into bul- lets and loaded by them, and sent back to the Indians with equal
velocity. A number of attempts were made to force open the doors but the bullets within com- pelled them to abandon the rash undertaking. The manner in which the Indians fought evident- ly evinced that they were not insensible to the effect of Kil . burn's bullets.
"For the remainder of the day until nearly sundown, the fight was kept up, but as the sun disap- peared behind the western hills the cry of the war-whoop and the sound of the guns died away in silence. By this day's encounter, the Indians were induced to return to Canada, and thus an effectual check was put to the expedition, and it is reasonable to conclude that hundreds of the settlers were saved from the horrors of an Indian Massacre".
First Ministers. Rev. Jonathan Leavitt settled in 1761, dismissed in 1763; Rev. Thomas Fessenden, settled in 1767, died in 1813.
Boundaries. North by Charles- town and Langdon, east by Alstead and Surry, south by Surry and Westmoreland, and west by West- minster and Rockingham, Ver- mont. Area, 24,331 acres.
Distances, Sixty miles south- west from Concord, and fourteen north-west from Keene.
Railroad. Cheshire Railroad passes through this town in a northerly and southerly direction.
WARNER.
MERRIMACK COUNTY. Warner is one of the most important towns in the county, both in agriculture and manufactures. The surface is broken by hills, but the soil is excellent, producing good crops of wheat, corn, hay, &c. On some
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
of the hills are large orchards and fine pastures.
River and Ponds. This town is watered by Warner River, a pleasant and rapid stream which takes its rise in Sunapee Moun- tains, in Newbury. From New- bury it passes through Bradford, and enters Warner at the north- west corner, thence running in a south-easterly direction through the town, separating it in nearly two equal parts, and uniting with the Contoocook River, in Hopkin- ton. In its passage through War- ner, it receives a considerable stream, coming from Sutton. This river produces many good water privileges. There are four ponds, viz. Tom, Bear, Bagley and Pleasant Ponds. Pleasant Pond has no visible outlet or inlet, though its banks are overflowed in the driest season. Its waters are clear, deep, cold and abound with a great variety of fish.
Elevations. Kearsarge Moun- tain, a lofty elevation, is situated mostly within the limits of the town. Its sides are covered with deep forests, while its summit is naked rock.
Minerals, &c. The rocks in this town are gneiss and mica slate; the latter containing beds of soap and lime stone. The quarry of soap-stone is large and valuable. The gneiss contains finely colored pyrope garnets. There are several peat bogs, one of which contains twenty-two acres, and is twenty- five feet deep. From this bog sticks have been dug, from various depths, plainly showing imprints of beavers' teeth.
Summer Resorts. Warner Vil- lage is one of the pleasantest in the central portion of the State. It
is located on Warner River, while the hills, on either side, tower far above the spires of the village churches. The main street ex- tends along the upper bank of the river for nearly a mile, and is well shaded by the beautiful rock ma- ple. On this street are located the churches, schools, stores, banks, hotel, and many fine dwell- ing houses. Everything around betokens an air of neatness, thrift and the wealth of its inhabitants. For a few years past, this village, with the surroundings, have at- tracted the attention of many sum- mer tourists. It is only about five miles to the summit of Kearsarge, which affords some of the finest scenery in New-Hampshire. The Kearsarge Mountain Road Com- pany have constructed a new road from the village nearly to the summit, on the · south-east side of the mountain. About one half mile from the summit, is a beauti- ful site for a Hotel, which doubt- less will be built ere long. From this point a very fine view of the southern portion of the State, can be obtained. When all these pro- jected improvements are finished, no doubt but Warner will be one of the important points in the State for summer tourists to visit.
Employments. The inhabitants are principally employed in farm- ing; but manufacturing is an im- portant and growing interest. Warner River affords abundant water-power in its passage through the town. The different manufac- turers have bought up the Blais- dell Pond flowage which will give a large increase of staple water- power. There is one woolen mill, one straw-board mill, whose an- nual production is $ 75,000. 60,000
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WARNER.
clapboards, 650,000 shingles, and 1,375,000 feet of boards are annu- ally sawed; besides there are ex- celsior mills, chair factories, grist mill, tannery, bedsteads, wooden ware, card board, and carriage hub manufactories. A large build- ing has been erected this Summer (1873) for the manufacturing of sale boots and shoes. The total value of manufactured goods, annually produced, is $ 212,000. (See Tables.) .
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 164,172; mechanical labor, $ 41,100; stocks, &c., $ 53,400; money at interest, $ 35,616; depos- its in savings bank, $ 131,225; stock in trade, $ 28,593; from summer tourists, $ 3,000; from professional business, trade, etc., $ 60,000.
Churches and Schools. Congre- gational, Rev. M. A. Gates, pas- tor; Methodist, - -; Bap- tist, - - -. There are twenty- two school-districts and twenty- four schools. Average length of schools, for the year, six- teen weeks. The late Franklin Simonds, Esq., bequeathed to this town, $ 20,000, for the endowment of a High School. To this endow- ment, his widow, Mrs. Abigail K. Simonds, subsequently added $ 5, 000. For the erection of the High School building, she also gave $ 5, 000; Messrs. Gilman A. Bean and Samuel H. Dow, $2,098.52, each, George Jones, C. G. Mc Alpine and John E. Robinson, $ 250, each, Reuben Clough, $20., Leonidas Harriman and John C. Bean, $ 10. each, and William K. Morrill, $5. Several of the citizens gave work amounting to $ 73.75, making the whole expense of the building, including the lot, $ 9,992.04.
Ground was broken for the High School building, in May, 1871, and it was dedicated the following December. The first term opened, December 4, under the instruction of Edmund C. Cole, A. B., as prin- cipal, and Miss Helen E. Gilbert, as preceptress.
Libraries. Warner Social Li- brary, 200 volumes; Warner High School Library, 150 volumes; and Lemuel Willis' Library, over 400 volumes.
Banks. Kearsarge National Bank. The . Kearsarge Savings Bank has been chartered. (See tables.)
Hotel. Warner Hotel.
First Settlement. Warner was granted by the government of Massachusetts to deacon Thomas Stevens and sixty-two others, in 1735, under the name of Number One, and then New Amesbury. It was afterwards regranted to sixty- two persons, by the Masonian pro- prietors, from which a controversy arose, which was not finally settled until 1773. The first settlement was commenced in 1762, by David Annis and his son-in-law, Reuben Kimball. It was incorporated under the present name, Septem- ber 3, 1774.
Tornado. On Sunday, Septem- ber 9, 1821, at five o'clock P. M., one of the most terrific tornadoes which ever occured in New-Hamp- shire, swept through the town, leaving in its track, desolation and death. In this calamity, four houses and seven barns, besides out buildings, were totally demol- ished; five persons were killed, and ten or fifteen severely wound- ed. Every tree, bush, stone wall .or board fence in its way, was leveled with the ground.
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE GAZETTEER.
First Ministers. Rev. William Kelly, Congregational, ordained in 1772; dismissed in 1801.
Boundaries. North by Sutton, Wilmot, Andover and Salisbury, east by Salisbury and Webster, south by Hopkinton and Henniker, and west by Bradford and Sutton. Area, 31,851 acres ; improved land, 20,792.
Distances. Seventeen miles north of west from Concord.
Railroad. Concord and Clare- mont Railroad passes through this town, in an easterly and westerly direction.
WARREN.
GRAFTON COUNTY. Baker Riv- er, called by the Indians the As- quamchumauk, flows through this town from north to south. Black Brook, the Mikaseota, Berry, Mer- rill East Branch, Batchelder and Patch Brooks are considerable streams running into it. Glen ponds, Kelley pond, Wachipaukea or Meader pond and Tarleton lake are situated upon the boundaries. These streams and ponds abound in trout, and more than 50,000 in number are caught yearly.
Warren is surrounded by lofty mountains. Moosehillock, Indian name Moosilauke, on the north, be- ing about 5,000 feet high. They are all heavily wooded and wild game is plenty. Many deer, bears, wild cats, sables, minks, and foxes are captured each year.
Indians. An Indian trail, the principal route of the Indians from the Merrimack valley to Coos and Canada, followed up Black Brook, and captives, in early provincial times, often travelled it. In the valley of Runaway Pond, was once an Indian village; and arrow
heads, gouges, and other relics have been found there.
First Settlers. Warren was char- tered, July 14, 1763. Joseph Patch, a hunter, built his camp by Hurri- cane Brook, in 1767, and John Mills, James Aiken, Joshua Copp, and Ephraim True, with their fam- ilies, moved into town in 1768. These men, for the first few years got their supplies from Haverhill and Plymouth, bringing them twenty miles home through the
woods on their backs. Wild beasts annoyed them very much, and on winter nights wolves fre- quently put their noses against the window pane of John Mills' cabin, and looked in on the family seated by the open fire place. Moose were plenty, and Joseph Patch often had twenty-five barrels of Moose meat in the cellar at once. The first settlers took an active part in the revolution. Three of them, Capt. John Mills, jr. Capt. Wil- liam Tarleton, and Capt. James Aiken, commanding companies, and in all about eighteen men, in a population of less than one hun- dred served in the army. Joshua Copp, jr. was the first child born in town, John Marston was the first man married, and John Mills the first who died, he being killed by the fall of a tree in 1779.
First Ministers. Rev. Peter Powers preached the first sermon in Warren, but no minister was settled until after 1799, when the Methodists established a church.
Employments. The principal employment is agriculture, but about six million feet of lumber are annually manufactured and sent to market. Window shades, bobbins, and potato starch are made, in large quantities.
MOOSEHILLOCK, FROM WARREN.
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WASHINGTON.
Summer Tourists. Many fam- ilies take summer boarders. The Moosehillock House, kept by D. G. Marsh, accommodating a large number. An excellent turnpike, built by Daniel Q. Clement, runs to the Prospect House on Moose- hillock, and hundreds of people visit the summit every season. For many years James Clement has been the landlord there, and from his house is seen one of the grandest mountain views on this side of the American continent.
Mines. On Ore hill is the War- ren silver mine. Lead, copper and zinc also abound, and gold in small particles is found in all the streams.
Church and Schools. Metho- dist, Rev. Wm. Eakins, pastor. There are eleven schools, of which two are graded. Average length of schools, for the year, fifteen weeks.
Railroad Facilities. The B., C. & M. Railroad runs through the town. There are two stations, Warren and Summit.
Boundaries. North by Benton and Woodstock, east by Woodstock and Ellsworth, south by Went- worth, and west by Piermont.
Distances. Twelve miles from Haverhill, sixty from Concord and ninety from Portsmouth.
WASHINGTON.
SULLIVAN COUNTY. The surface of Washington is uneven and broken with hills, but the soil is deep, moist, and fertile, and when properly cultivated, produces fine crops. Clay of superior quality is found, also peat is plenty in the swamps.
Villages. Washington village is pleasantly located. In this village are several stores, hotel, church,
academy, post-office, hosiery man- ufactory, lumber mills, improved turbine water wheel, and several other small shops. At East Wash- ington are two or three stores, church, school house, post-office, bobbin and rake manufactories, grist mill, lumber mills, black- smith shop, etc.
Rivers and Ponds. A branch of Ashuelot River has its source in Ashuelot Pond, also a branch of Contoocook River has its source from several small ponds in the eastern part of the town. These streams afford some very good water power. There are sixteen ponds ; the largest and most prom- inent of which are Island, Half- moon, Ashuelot, and Brockway's ponds. Long Pond lying partly in this town and partly in Stoddard, is the largest body of water.
Mountains. Lovewell's Moun- tain, so called on account of Cap- tain Lovewell's killing several In- dians near its summit, lies in the southerly part of the town, and is the principal elevation.
Employments. Farming is the principal employment of the in- habitants, although manufacturing is carried on quite extensively. 10,000 dozen men's socks are man- ufactured, valued at $ 34,500; 5,000 clapboards, 200,000 shingles, and 350,000 feet of boards &c., are sawed annually; 4,000 boxes of clothes pins, and 300 dozen rakes are manufactured. An improved turbine water-wheel is made here ; also there are various other small manufactories. The total value of manufactured goods, annually produced, is $ 85,700. (See tables.)
Resources. Productions of the soil, $ 57,319; mechanical labor $ 25,300; stocks, and money at
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interest, $ 15,958; deposits in sav- ings banks, $ 37,548; stock in trade, $ 12,517; professional busi- ness, $ 15,000.
Churches and Schools. Congre- gational Church, Rev. II. H. Col- burn, pastor ; at East Washington, the Baptist Church, - -; Meth- odist Church, -- . There are ten schools in town. Average length of schools, for the year, six- teen weeks.
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