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 62

Author: Fogg, Alonzo J., comp
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Concord, N.H., D. L. Guernsey
Number of Pages: 728


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 62


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For this foul and bloody deed, worse than murder, Evans has been convicted and sentenced to be hung, within the walls of the State's Prison, the third Tuesday in February, 1874. If Evans lives, there is no doubt but the sentence will be executed.


542


STATISTICAL TABLE.


TABLE


Showing the Number of Convicts in the Prison, committed, discharged, pardoned, deceased, and escaped, in each year, since the establishment of the Institution, 1812.


YEAR.


In Prison.


Committed.


Discharged.


Pardoned.


Removed to


Asylum for Insane.


Died.


Escaped.


1812


1


1


....


..


1813


12


11


....


.....


1814


22


14


4


1815


23


14


5


2


1816


48


31


5


1


1817


59


29


13


00


1


1


1818


69


26


16


..


1819


72


16


20


1


1


2


1820


61


18


15


2


2


1821


65


23


15


2


2


1822


58


16


19


2


3


1823


66


26


11


5


1


1824


62


19


17


or


1


1825


66


24


13


3


1


2


1826


57


13


15


4


1


1827


48


12


14


7


2


1828


86


20


8668


Co


1832


82


19


10


00


1


1833


81


16


8


6


1834


79


13


4


11


1835


78


23


6


16


1836


86


21


8


4


1


2


1837


72


12


15


10


1838


70


5


4


co


1839


73


30


10


15


2


1840


78


24


4


14


1


1841


48


28


13


7


2


1843


99


28


17


4


1844


88


25


19


15


1


1845


81


14


00


12


1846


74


30


5


22


1847


61


14


12


13


1848


77


42


14


14


1849


82


17


9


2


1


1850


91


36


10


14


1


2


92


26


7


11


1


1


1852


111


44


11


11


6


1853


24


9


15


2


105


28


13


13


6


1855


26


10


17


1


6


1856


94


32


19


68


00


3


1859


105


37


22


16


1


...


1860


110


35


18


10


1


1


1861


119


42


19


10


4


1862


112


31


20


12


1


5


1863


101


22


13


14


5


1


1864


70


9


17


DO


1


5


...


111


60


7


15


2


1


118


45


17


16


3


2


135


46


13


13


co


129


39


24


19


2


118


32


20


18


1


3


1


1871


91


29


38


14


2


2


1872


80


25


24


8


4


1873


88


33


19


4


2


1555


800


536


6 104


20


1829


50


11


7


H


1830


63


31


4


..


1831


81


24


1842


92


20


9


3


2


1


1


1


1854


97


1857


86


23


27


1858


110


49


14


14


17


..


1865


1866


1867


1868


1869


1870


92


22


1851


109


3


4


4


..


1


1


...


5


....


543


NEW-HAMPSHIRE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.


The foregoing table reveals some curious facts for moralists to ponder, who are continually advocating that the world is growing more wicked instead of better.


At the commencement of the war in 1861, there were 119 con- victs within the walls of the prison, and 42 commitments, the larg- est number in one year up to that date. In 1865, at the close of the war, there were but 70 in prison and only nine commitments for the year. The next year (1866) the number of convicts had increased to 111, and the commitments were 60, being 14 more than ever were committed to prison in a single year. The largest number ever in the prison at a single time was 135, in 1868; and the same year 46 were committed. Since the latter date the num- ber has been gradually diminishing, and in 1873 there were but 88, with our cities constantly increasing in population.


One of two things is evident ; either our laws are executed with less rigor and the county work-houses absorb the small criminals ; or the mass of the people are growing better as the world grows wiser.


NEW-HAMPSHIRE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.


BOARD OF INSTRUCTION .- Horatio O. Ladd, A. M., Principal; Abbie H. Holton, Preceptress; Carrie E. Hall, William E. Wal- ker, Assistants.


BOARD OF TRUSTEES .- George T. Day, President, Dover; Hi- ram Orcutt, A. M., Secretary, West Lebanon ; Hon. Ezekiel A. Straw, Governor, Manchester ; David G. Beede, Superintendent, Sandwich, with thirteen others.


C. M. Whittier, Treasurer, Plymouth.


Terms begin February 25, and September 11, 1874.


EXPENSES .- Board, $ 3 to $4 per week. Tuition, $8 to $10 per term.


NUMBER OF GRADUATES-Fall Term, 1871, 6; Spring Term, 1871, 9; Fall Term, 1872, 28 ; Spring Term, 1873, 32; Fall Term, 1873, 26.


ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSES OF THE SCHOOL .- This Institu- tion was established by act of the Legislature, in June, A. D., 1870, to obtain a better training of teachers for the common schools of the State; was located at Plymouth, and its first term of eight weeks was held there during the spring of 1871, under the management of Amos Hadley, A. M.


544


STATE REFORM SCHOOL.


Before the Fall term 1871, Silas H. Pearl, A. M., was elected Principal, remaining in charge until his decease in August, 1873, when the Trustees employed the present Principal.


TERMS OF ADMISSION, AND COURSE OF STUDY .- Candidates must pass examination in the fundamental rules in arithmetic-the natural and political divisions of the earth, and the general geog- raphy of this State, in geography ; and the first principles of gram- mar and analysis.


There are two courses of study-the first including the common English branches ; the second, the higher. Graduates of the first course are entitled to teach in this State, without further requisi- tions, for three years, and for the second course, five years.


LOCATION AND BUILDINGS .- Plymouth is near the geographical center of the State, at the confluence of Baker's River and the Pemigewasset, on the line of the Boston, Concord and Montreal Railroad, about fifty miles fromn Concord. The buildings are mod- ern in style and convenience, the school buildings having cost near- ly $ 20,000, and the boarding house being situated just above it, on one of the most beautiful sites in the village-overlooking the valleys of both rivers and with a fine view of the mountain region at whose gateway this charming summer resort stands. See engrav- ing of building on page 306.


STATE REFORM SCHOOL.


TRUSTEES .- Hon. Daniel Marcy, Pres., Portsmouth ; David Gillis, Esq., Nashua, Hon. William P. Wheeler, Keene, Hon. Daniel Clark, Sec., Manchester, D. C. Churchill, Esq., Lyme, Hon. L. P. Cooper, Croydon, Edward Ingham, Sup't. and Treasurer.


The New-Hampshire State Reform School was chartered in 1855, and one hundred acres of the Gen. John Stark farm, lying on the east bank of the Merrimack River, in the city of Manchester, one and one-half miles from the City Hall, was, the same year, pur- chased for its location, at a cost of ten thousand dollars-to which ten acres more land, from the same farm, have been added, at a cost of one thousand dollars.


Buildings, suited to the design of the Institution, were immedi- ately erected, at a cost of three thousand dollars, and, in 1858, it was opened for the reception of " Juvenile and Female Offenders against the laws," under the title of "The House of Reformation ", which was subsequently changed to its present name.


545


STATE REFORM SCHOOL.


To this date, Oct. 14, 1873, 742 children, including both sexes, have been committed to its care, all of whom have been more or less benefitted by being subjected to its restraints and discipline, and a large proportion have come to be of average character with other citizens of the State.


The Institution is regarded and managed as reformatory rather than penal, and is supported by an annual appropriation of six thousand dollars from the State, which, with the amount collected for the maintenance of the inmates-two dollars per week-togeth- er with their earnings, is amply sufficient to meet the ordinary ex- penses. It has a fund of ten thousand dollars-bequeathed to it before it had a being even-by a former citizen of Manchester, the late James Mc'K. Wilkins, Esq., and also, of three thousand dol- lars, donated by Moody Kent, Esq., late of Pittsfield, both of which are kept intact in principal.


The whole number in the school, during the year 1872, has been 139; the number received, 47; of these, 17 have been discharged at expiration of sentence ; 10 have been honorably discharged by the Trustees, for good conduct ; 5 have had homes found them by the Superintendent, and 1 has been sent to his alternate sentence. Five have escaped, leaving 101 in the school. Average time of detention of the children discharged, 2 years and 6 months.


Of the whole number 47 are Americans; 77 Irish ; 9 French ; 1 German; 1 English ; 4 Mixed (African); and were committed by Supreme Judicial Court, 31; Manchester Police Court, 41; Dover Police Court, 7; Concord Police Court, 7; Nashua Police Court, 6; Portsmouth Police Court, 6 ; Somersworth Police Court, 1; Farmington Police Court, 1; Great Falls Police Court, 1 ; Justices of the Peace, 38.


For the term of minority, 45; 7 years. 4; 6 years, 3; 5 years, 14; 4 years, 8; 3 years, 21; 2 years, 18; 1 year, 25, and 1 till payment of fine and costs.


For the offence of stealing, 61 ; firing buildings, 4 ; house break- ing, 27 ; night walking, 1 ; stubbornness, 24 ; idleness or vagrancy, 10; truancy, 11; forgery, 1.


At the age of 7 years, 3; 8 years, 5; 9 years, 11; 10 years, 12; 11 years, 12; 12 years, 14; 13 years, 14; 14 years, 19; 15 years, 26; 16 years, 22 ; 17 years, 1.


There is a chair shop attached to the school in which the chil- dren have earned, the past year, $6,222.26.


546


RELIGION.


RELIGION.


The constitution of New-Hampshire guarantees to every individ- ual the right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, provided he does not disturb the public peace, nor dis- turb others in their religious worship. In July 1819, the memora- ble act called the toleration law, was passed by the legislature of New-Hampshire, which provides that no person shall be compelled to join, or support, or be classed with, or associated to any church or religious society, without his express consent first had been obtained, and that any person may withdraw from a society of which he is a member, by leaving a written notice with the clerk of the same.


The following notes comprise accounts of all the principal de- nominations found within the limits of our State.


ORTHODOX.


CONGREGATIONALISTS .-* The organization of the first Congre- gational Church in New-Hampshire was in 1638, 18 years subse- quent to the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers, at Plymouth. It is an unsettled question whether the first church was that at Exeter, of which the celebrated John Wheelwright was pastor, or that at Hampton of which the Rev. Stephen Bachilor was pastor. Both doubtless were formed in 1638-the latter in the fall of that year. Settlements had previously been begun at Dover and Ports- mouth. In the former place, a meeting-house was erected as early as 1633, and William Leverich, " a worthy and able puritan min- ister," was engaged as a preacher. To him succeeded one Burditt, and then Hanserd Knollys, or Knowles. But a church was not formed in Dover till 1639, and no pastor was regularly settled till 1642. However it may be a question whether Wheelwright, of Ex- eter, or Bachilor of Hampton was first in the order of New-Hamp- shire pastors, it should be acknowledged that the oldest church now in existence in the State, is that of Hampton, the first Exeter church being dispersed on the removal of Wheelwright, about four years afterwards, to Wells, in Maine. The only towns in the prov- ince in which ministers had been settled, previous to 1670, a half century from the landing of Pilgrims, were Hampton, Exeter, and Dover. Of the seven that had been pastors in those towns, only two were then in office, viz., Samuel Dudley, of Exeter, and Seaborn Cotton, of Hampton. In 1671, a church was organized, and Rev.


* From historical discourse by Rev. Nathaniel Bouton, D. D.


547


RELIGION.


Joshua Moody settled the same day, the first minister of Ports- mouth, though he had preached there since 1658, and occasional preaching had been enjoyed since 1640.


The fifth church organized was at Dunstable, under the jurisdic- tion of Massachusetts, now the first church in Nashua, and a minis- ter settled in 1685. Subsequently other towns bordering on the sea coast, as New Castle, Newington, Stratham, Durham, Kingston and Rye, had ministers. Thence, very gradually, settlements were made in the interior, and ministers settled in Londonderry, (1719) Concord, (1730) Chester, Winchester, Pembroke, Hudson and Keene. In the latter place, Rev. Jacob Bacon was settled in 1738, a century after the settlements at Exeter and Hampton. He was the fifty-fifth, pastor in order, settled in the State. But at the forma- tion of the convention in 1747, there were only about thirty min- isters living. The progress of settlements continued slow, extend- ing into the interior, averaging till after the revolutionary war only about four annually in the whole State; but subsequently the growth was more rapid. The number of pastors living at different periods in the history of the denomination is as follows :


In 1670, 2; 1700, 5; 1747, 30; 1776, 65; 1800, 76; 1820, 90; 1847, 117.


In 1870, there were in the State 169 churches, and 169 church edifices, capable of seating 67,951 persons, and valued at $ 1,150, 380. In 1860, there were 179 churches, capable of seating 70,457 persons, and valued at $ 637, 200. This shows a loss in ten years of ten churches, and an increase in valuation of church property of over $ 500,000.


BAPTISTS-The first Baptist church in this State-indeed, the first north of Boston, was organized in Newton, Rockingham Coun- ty, in 1755. The members were separatists for " conscience's sake" from the Congregational church and were the fruit of the "great awakening" under Whitefield and others in 1740. Walter Powers became pastor at its organization.


The first Baptist communicant known in the State was Rachel Thurbur of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, who became Mrs. Scammon, and moved to Stratham, 1720. It was the result of her labors that Dr. Samuel Sheperd became connected with the denomination in 1770, under whose indefatigable labors the Brentwood church and its branches were organized, in connection with which he lived to introduce more than six hundred members.


548


RELIGION.


More than a century before any Baptist church existed in this State, Hanserd Knollys came to Dover and afterwards became an eminent Baptist. Mr. Knollys was a graduate at Cambridge College, England, and ordained by the Bishop of Peterborough in 1629. Becoming afterwards a Puritan minister, he came to this country, and to Dover in 1638. He organized the first Congrega- tional church in Dover, being the second in the State. In 1641, he returned to England and organized a Baptist church in London, where he remained till his death in 1691.


The number of Baptist churches in this State in 1755, 1; 1780, 9; 1800, 26; 1853, 96; 1860,92; and in 1870, 102. Church or- ganizations, ninety church edifices, capable of seating 31,935 per- sons, with church property valued at $ 492,200; in 1860, its proper- ty was only valued at $ 246,500.


CHRISTIANS .- Number of churches in 1850, 25; in 1860, there were thirty-three churches and church edifices, capable of seating 8,934 persons, with church property valued at $ 43,150; in 1870 there were nineteen churches and church edifices, capable of seat- ing 4,600, with church property valued at $ 42,400.


EPISCOPALIANS .- This denomination was among the earliest es- tablished in the State. A church was erected at Portsmouth prior to 1638, and Rev. Richard Gibson was the first minister, who re- mained until 1642.


In 1860, there were seventeen church edifices, capable of holding 820, with church property valued at $ 112,700 ; in 1870 there were twenty-one churches and twenty-two church edifices, capable of seat- ing 7,475, with church property valued at $ 203,800.


FREEWILL BAPTISTS .- The first church of this denomination in New-Hampshire, was founded at New Durham, in 1780, by Elder Benjamin Randall. This denomination was recognized as a dis- tinct sect by an act of the legislature, December 7, 1804.


In 1860, there were ninety-seven church edifices, capable of seat- ing 27,324 persons ; and church property, valued at $ 162,600; in 1870, there were eighty-two churches and church edifices capable of seating 19,900 persons, with church property, valued at $ 167,300.


FRIENDS OR QUAKERS .- The Friends made their appearance in New-Hampshire at a very early date, and at first suffered severe persecution. A society was formed at Seabrook as early as 1701.


Number of churches, in 1850, was 15 ; in 1860, there were twelve church edifices, capable of seating 4,200 persons, with church prop-


549


RELIGION.


erty, valued at $ 11,700; in 1870, there were thirteen church edi- fices, capable of seating 4,585 persons, with church property valued at $15,500.


METHODISTS .- In July 1791, Jesse Lee preached the first meth- odist sermon in New-Hampshire, at Portsmouth. On the 26th of Aug- ust, of the same year, he preached in a private house in Greenland. Two weeks after this time, he again preached in Portsmouth, stand- ing upon the Court House steps. He also visited, the same year, Rindge, Marlborough, Chesterfield, Dublin and some other towns. In 1794, Joshua Hall was appointed to preach in New-Hampshire, but the following year the appointment was withheld. On the first of January, 1795, Mr. Lee again visited Portsmouth, and preached to an audience of four persons.


The first Methodist society in New-Hampshire was organized at Chesterfield, in the latter part of 1795. At the Conference of 1796 this reported sixty-eight members and became a regular circuit. Philip Wager was the first stationed preacher, and reports his cir- cuit more than fifty miles square.


The New-Hampshire Conference was organized and held its first session at Barre, Vermont, June 23, 1830. The Vermont Conference was separated from the New-Hampshire Conference in 1845. The New-Hampshire Conference is divided into three dis- tricts, viz : Dover, Concord and Claremont districts. O. H. Jasper Presiding Elder of Dover district; residence at Dover; S. G. Kel- logg, Presiding Elder Concord district; residence at Tilton ; M. T. Cilly, Presiding Elder, Claremont district.


The New-Hampshire Conference Seminary, Tilton. (See Literary Institutions.)


.


The number of members reported in the State, in 1798, was 122. The Methodist were recognized by law as a distinct religious sect June 15, 1807.


In 1850, there were 103 church edifices, capable of seating 32,600 persons, with church property valued at $175,500. In 1860 there were 117 church edifices, capable of seating 36,050 persons, with church property valued at $ 232,200, and in 1870 there were 118 churches, and church edifices capable of seating 36,351 persons with church property valued at $ 475,000.


PRESBYTERIAN .- In 1850, the Presbyterian Regular church had thirteen church edifices capable of seating 6,500 persons, with church property valued at $ 71,000; in 1860, there were sixteen


550


RELIGION.


church edifices, capable of seating 6,980 persons, with church property, valued at $ 83,462; in 1870, there were seven churches, capable of seating 3,470 persons, with church property, valued at $ 65,000.


ROMAN CATHOLIC. This religious denomination has made rapid progress in this State in the past twenty years, both in fol- lowers, number of churches and wealth. In 1850, there were two church edifices, capable of seating 1,450 persons, with church property valued at $ 20,000; in 1860, there were twelve church edifices, capable of seating 7,600 persons, with church property valued at $ 97,450; in 1870, there were sixteen church edifices, capable of seating 9,950 persons, with church property valued at $ 267,500.


SHAKERS .- New-Hampshire contains two societies of those inter- esting people, called Shakers or United Believers ; one is located in Enfield, on the shores of Mascoma Lake, the other in Canterbury, on a considerable elevation affording an extensive view of the sur- rounding country. These two societies contain about two hundred members each.


The founders of the Shaker sect in America, were Ann Lee, William Lee, and James Whittaker, who, with six others, emigrated from England and landed in New-York, August 6, 1774. In 1782, the leaders sent out two missionaries, viz. Ebenezer Cooley and Israel Chauncy, who visited Hartland, Vermont, where resided one Zadock Wright, a member of their church. He with Cooley and Chauncy then journeyed to Enfield, and called upon one James Jewett, arriving September 1, 1782. The first Shaker meeting ever held in New-Hampshire was holdon at the house of Asa Pattee, about the above date. This Shaker doctrine was preached at Canterbury the same Fall. Although this society with others in the vicinity embraced their faith in the year 1782-'3, they did not form a compact body or church until the year 1792, about ten years after they first embraced the faith. In the beginning of the year 1792, the members of the society adopted the order of a joint union, and an equal interest in all they possessed, being governed by no other spirit or influence than that which governed the prim- itive Christians at the day of Pentecost.


Their church government may be called Episcopal, being vested in Bishops and Elders, after the form of the primitive church. The central or leading authority in this country devolves upon a


551


RELIGION.


succession of ministry or order of bishops residing alternately at New-Lebanon and Watervliet, in the State of New-York. The societies in New-Hampshire are under the Episcopal jurisdiction of a succession of ministry alternately resding at Canterbury and Enfield.


We quote a few extracts of their religious faith. First that the Deity is composed of two great and fundamental essences, viz. power and wisdom, or male and female principles. For proof of this, they quote Rom. I. 20.


" That Christ has made not only his first, but his second appear- ing. That these are both to be considered as emphatically spirit- ual manifestations ; the first as seen in and through the mission of Jesus of Nazareth, and the second as seen in the same manifesta- tions through Ann Lee. Through these two manifestations, they recognize a spiritual parentage, or the father and mother of the new creation.


"That the object of these two appearings of Christ, first in the male, and secondly in the female-was to make an end of sin, and bring in everlasting righteousness ; to make an end of the world, or order of the flesh perfected in the first Adam and Eve, that all who would, might come into the order or dispensation of the new creation, through regeneration, or the spiritual parentage of the second Adam and Eve. Through this agency they believe a new heaven and a new earth are being instituted, as seen in their order. Hence celibacy is rigidly and tenaciously observed, in every instance.


"That the resurrection concerns the soul or spiritual body only, and can have nothing to do with the natural.


In short the above leading points of doctrine would seem to indi- cate a foundation, with no borrowed material, since Christ, or the declension of the primitive church.


As in respect to their peculiar style of dress, they were not dis- tinguished from other people in the early days of their organization, nor would they be to-day only as they have retained the old style of dress in puritan days, which everybody else has changed.


They have been noted for many years for their honesty, and punctuality in all their business transactions, and by means of their industry and frugal habits, they have accumulated a respectable property, besides bestowing much for charitable purposes.


While we are not a full believer in the Shaker faith, nor in their


.


552


RELIGION.


peculiar style of living, in every respect, still there is much in their every day life which would be well worthy to be imitated by people in every phase of business life.


SECOND ADVENTS .- This peculiar sect of people believe that the Bible fully states the time by mathematical demonstrations, the final consummation and destruction of all things on earth, and pro- duce plenty of figures and facts which they obtain from the Bible to prove their statements, and which no person can deny, but still very few believe. Up to the present time their calculations as to destructions of the earth have not proved correct, but still their faith is quite as strong, their zeal has not cooled, and they still believe that the day of their deliverance is near at hand.


In 1850, their were four church edifices, capable of seating 1100 persons with church property valued at $ 3,000; in 1860, there were ten church edifices, capable of seating 2,265 persons, with church property valued at $ 7,600, and in 1870, there were twenty church edifices, capable of seating 4,400 persons, with church prop- erty valued at $ 25,000.


UNITARIAN .- This religious sect are liberal in their belief of Christianity, and are steadily increasing.


In 1850, there were thirteen church edifices, capable of seating 8,380 persons, with church property, valued at $ 72,800; in 1860, there were fifteen church edifices, capable of seating 7,260 per- sons, with church property valued at $ 125,800 ; and in 1870, there were twenty-two church edifices, eapable of seating 7,830 persons, with church property valued at $ 207,000.


UNIVERSALISTS .- The first society of this denomination was formed at Portsmouth as early as 1781, and they were recognized by law as a distinct religious sect June 13, 1805.


In 1850, there were thirty-eight church edifices, capable of seat- ing 14,280 persons, with church property valued at $ 83,100; in 1860, there were forty-two church edifices capable of seating 14,938 persons, with church property, valued at $ 112,550; and in 1870, there were twenty-three church edifices, capable of seating 8,800 persons, with church property valued at $ 154,200.




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