USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Derry > Willey's book of Nutfield; a history of that part of New Hampshire comprised within the limits of the old township of Londonberry, from its settlement in 1719 to the present time > Part 15
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It is, however, by his witty sayings and happy bon mots that he will be best remembered. In his public career his creed was anti-slavery, non- resistant, and non-religious as religion was preached. During the Civil War he would counsel no violence, but if the town needed either money or men, he would furnish the former and advise the latter. And here occurred one of the most ungallant acts ever perpetrated by the man. An unmarried lady, well up in the forties, lent the town several thousand dollars, which remained on interest several years, and Brown, in town meet-
The first time I ever saw Dr. Brown was in the summer of 1845. At that time the church building in the East Parish was undergoing repairs and being remodeled. Brown had bought the old shingles from the roof and was on the ground with a wagon to remove them. Resting a moment from his toil, James Thom, who lived in the vicinity, came around the corner of the build- ing with the question, "And what is Dr. Brown thinking of now ?" Without a moment's hesita- tion Brown replied, " I am wondering whether this church will hereafter take the form of a dove or a dragon, for then I should know whether I am gathering scales or feathers." Later in the same season, when the work was nearly completed and the pews were in position, Brown was sitting on the front scat watching a painter graining the pulpit base. It was then a new art and attracted much attention. Rev. Mr. Parker came up the aisle, not seeing Brown till they came in contact. Immediately a wordy war ensued, till Mr. Parker exclaimed : "If we cannot agree, Dr. Brown, let us agree to disagree." "I cannot do it," said Brown, " for I may want to change my mind some time, and that trade would prohibit it."
During the war, when Brown was securing money and men for the service, he was equally careful in watching expenditures. The writer was a selectman at that time, with Isaac H. Jones, still alive, and Benjamin Merrill, while Brown was auditor of accounts, and he claimed the privilege by right of office to examine and criticise bills as fast as they were incurred. This interference was not resented, as the man was too valuable an ally for us to take offence at his claims. The select- men were not extravagant, and with Brown's drubbing, the town was carried through the war with less per cent of debt than any other place in the county.
I well recollect one call from Brown at that time made just at the dinner hour. I was then building what is now known as Hildreth Hall, and a dozen workmen were taking dinner at my table. I invited Brown to' take a seat with the rest, but
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
he declined. The men continued to cat. Brown Returning to the farm in 1835, he continued to continued to talk. 1 did both. After all were reside there until his death, which occurred May satisfied and had left the table, Brown remarked : " I see that your company have all left, and there is still food. I will accept your invitation to dinner." A plate was laid and he took his seat at the table. After filling the plate, he, with bowed head and raised hand, asked a most appropriate blessing on his host, the family, and the food. He had eaten but a few bites, when, laying down his knife and fork and rising from the table, he went out doors to his wagon and returned with a quart bottle of cider. Pouring a glass for himself and another for me, he recommenced his dinner. I soon inquired, "How is it, doctor, that you ask a blessing over the food and take the cider without any ?" The response was, " The cider is so good it don't require blessing." The cider was execrable; perhaps the doctor thought the food was.
The doctor's common conversation was con- stantly interlarded with these witty sayings, com- bined with much valuable common sense, which attracted the attention of all unprejudiced persons. One more anccdote and I have done. Joseph Garland of Hooksett, in a trade, had beaten Brown out of a large amount of money. One day Garland was seated on an old-fashioned wooden settle that stood in a store in Derry Village, when the doctor entered. Brown saw him at once, and pulling an old clay pipe from one vest pocket and a match from another, he strode along to the stove, struck the match on the funnel, and while it was sputtering remarked :
The Garlands can no garlands wear Until their honest debts are square.
Then, seating himself by Garland's side, without appearing to notice the man, poured out a terrible invective against him for his dishonesty.
One thing is apparent, that the world lost the benefit of a very powerful mind when Sylvanus Brown became a religious maniac.
E
LISHA SMITH, son of David and Lois Smith,
was born in Londonderry Jan. 25, 1801. During his minority he remained on his father's farm, and then he learned the cloth manufac- turing trade, which he followed for several years in Pepperell, Mass., and in Sandown and Salem.
ELISHA SMITH.
26, 1887. He was married Nov. 25, 1830, to Rachel Sanborn of Sandown, who was born Feb. 25, 1810, and died March 23, 1893. Of this union
RACHEL (SANBORN) SMITH.
three children were born who still survive : Nathan S., Sherburn D., and Henry C. The last namcd still lives on the home farm.
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
T HE RICHARDSON FAMILY, which for several generations has resided in the north- western part of Londonderry, and is represented by various engravings and sketches in this history, traces its origin back to one William Richardson, who came to America about 1643 and located at Newbury, Mass. He was of English birth and about twenty-three years of age at the time of his emigration. A brief outline of his descendants is herewith given for the benefit of those who may feel an interest in the earlier generations.
William Richardson of Newbury married Elizabeth Wiseman, Aug. 22, 1654. He died
March 14, 1658, and left three children : Joseph, born May 18, 1655; Benja- min, March 13 1657, and Eliz- abeth, born March 14, 1658. Joseph Rich- ardson of New- bury married Margaret, daughter of Peter Godfrey and Mary Browne, who was the daugh- ter of Thomas Browne, “wea- ver," who came to this country in 1635. She was born the same year in which he arrived, and according to the "History of Newbury and Savage's Genealogy" was the first white child born in Newbury.
DR. WILLIAM RICHARDSON'S RESIDENCE, NORTH LONDONDERRY.
To this marriage were born eight children : Mary, born April 16, 1682; William, born March 22, 1684; Joseph, born Dec. 31, 1686; Elizabeth, born Feb. 28, 1689; Daniel, born April 4, 1692; Sarah, born June 19, 1694 ; Thomas, born Feb. 15, 1697; Caleb, born June 9, 1704.
Caleb Richardson settled in Methuen and married Tryphena Bodwell, daughter of Captain Daniel Bodwell and Elizabeth Parker, and to this marriage were born ten children : Mary, born Jan.
8, 1736 ; Parker, born March 7, 1738; Caleb, born Sept. 26, 1741; Tryphena, born Jan. 13, 1743; Abigail, born Sept. 8, 1746; Samuel, born Feb. 22, 1749; John, born Sept. 1, 1751; Abigail, born Feb. 25, 1754; William, born Oct. 21, 1756; Eliphalet ; born July 6, 1759.
This William Richardson married Lydia Messer about 1784. She was born about 1767, and died July 14, 1843. He died March 21, 1836. Nine children were born to them as the fruits of this marriage : Caleb, born January 3, 1786, died March 16, 1870; Lydia, born Dec. 14, 1792, died March 18, 1875; William M., born Feb. 12, 1795, died May 19, 1871 ; Sophia S., born April 7, 1797, died Oct. 20 1879; Nathan- iel W., born March 12, 1 799, died September 1848; Thomas J., born June 14, 1801, died Sept. 20, 1873 ; Elizabeth P., born July 25, 1 803, died Nov. 13, 1892 ; Sam- uel R., born July 19, 1807, died Feb. 19, 1872 ; Mary H., born Aug. 29, 1809, died Feb. 19, 1839.
The above William Richardson of Methuen was the first member of that family who settled in Londonderry, though not the first of the name, as old records mention other Richardsons, arriving there prior to 1812. Some of the younger children came with him, the others remaining at their former home in Methuen. Of those who went to Londonderry with William Richardson not all settled permanently, but after a few years some returned to their native town to spend their strength and energy among friends of longer standing, and others married and went elsewhere to reside. William Richardson followed the occu- pation of a blacksmith, and in that trade his sons
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elected to work. When he removed from Methuen to Londonderry he went prepared to set up a shop and do business in a newer country. He erected the first ox swing in Londonderry, bringing parts of it from Mcthuen. Portions of it still exist. In London- derry, both the father and son William Messer worked at their trade. Their black- smith shop was located in the northwestern part of the town. He was one of the committee ap- pointed to locate or build the Lon- WILLIAM MESSER RICHARDSON. donderry Baptist church. The father was a drummer in the Con- tinental Army in the Revolutionary War, and his brothers were also enlisted in that war. He died in Londonderry, but both he and his wife were buried in Methuen.
William Messer Richardson married Betsey Pet- tengill Dec. 28, 1820. She was born Nov. 28, 1801, and died Jan. 4, 1889. Five children were born to them : William P., born July 26, 1821, died May 13, 1893; Margaret, born Feb. 5, 1823, died Sept. 4, 1859; Eliza J., born Sept. 7, 1827; Mary A., born Nov. 15, 1837, died Mareh 6, 1885; Samuel, born Mareh 30, 1845. He was a private in a com- pany of cavalry attached to the New Hampshire militia in the War of 1812. His company was composed of men from the towns of Londonderry, Windham, Pelham, and Salem, and though not called into actual service, were for several weeks under orders to be in readiness at a moment's warning. It is related of Mr. Richardson that once when his company was ordered to Ports- mouth, and the order being countermanded before they got there, he was so anxious to return home that he rode faster than his eommander. When taken to task for it, Mr. Richardson replied : "I couldn't help it. My horse was bound to go."
William Pettengill Richardson, son of the preceding, was a lifelong resident of Londonderry, his birth and death occurring in the same loeality in which he lived and conducted his business. His father and grandfather had been blacksmiths, and from them he learned the trade when quite young and continued to follow that occupation for many years. He was a skilful workman, and the plows, wagons, and sleighs manufactured by him com- manded a ready sale. He married Sarah H. Good- win Dec. 10, 1855. Their children were: Harry, born July 14, 1857, died Jan. 22, 1892; William, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this work ; Myron, born March 21, 1864; Sarah, born April 10, 1866. In 1863 he built a sawmill on the Little Cohas brook and engaged in lumbering. For a few years he used the old fashioned up-and-down saw, but afterward refitted his mill with modern machinery. In this mill and in his eider mill he did considerable business for several years, until ill health compelled him to give up active work. The eider mill was destroyed by fire three times, and each time rebuilt. Finally, on Oct. 26, 1893, both mills were burned to the ground and were a total loss. Mr. Richardson was a strong-willed
man, self-reliant and energetie, honest and straightforward in all business relations. He was a self-made man, having been obliged to get his education as best he could. While still young he undertook the task of relieving his parents of their burden of debt, and he not only accom- MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM P. RICHARDSON. plished it, but accumulated considerable property in London- derry and Manchester during his lifetime. He held the office of justice of the peace for forty years. A few years before his death he purchased
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
a piece of land in Londonderry, ncar his home, tised medicine in Lowell, Mass., in Alexandria, which he converted into a cemetery. The lot Salisbury, and Londonderry, N. H. In June, 1887, hc located at Westford, in the town of Ash- ford, Conn .. and built up a sueeessful practice. which he chose for his final resting place is marked by a handsome granite monument, ereeted in 1892. While driving home from Manehester one day in the autumn of 1892, his carriage col- lided with another vehicle, and he was thrown out, sustaining injuries from which he never recovered. He died May 13, 1893. For many years he had for a neighbor one William Plumer, an eeeentric man who lived alone mueh of the time, as he never married. Mr. Plumer was almost miserly in his habits, and by shrewdness and hard work accumu- lated considerable property. Besides farms and
other land in Londonderry, he had several traets of real estate in Auburn, Hooksett, and Manchester. He lived for many years on the farm adjoining the Richardson place on the north, formerly called the McAllister farm. He dicd Oet. 8, 1862, aged eighty years lacking one day, at Ebenezer Colby's, where he lived during his last illness. He and Mr. Richardson were good neighbors and friends, and in his will, made shortly before his death, he appointed John W. Holmes and William P. Richardson executors. Mr. Holmes deelined to serve, thus leaving to Mr. Richardson the whole responsibility. It was no small task to care for all this property, for by the provisions of the will some of it was to be disposed of immediately, some in ten, fifteen, twenty, and thirty years, and some not for a mueh longer period. He was liberal in his declining years, willing to the Baptist church and society in Lon- donderry the MeAllister farm, to be used as a parsonage, besides other bequests. The proper attention and eare of this estate took considerable of Mr. Richardson's time, and he did not live to see it all settled.
William Richardson, M. D., the son of Wil- liam P. Richardson, was born at the old home- stead in Londonderry, Feb. 26, 1860. He was educated in the district school and at the McGaw Normal Institute at Reed's Ferry, N. H. When about twenty years of age he began the study of medieine and received the degree of M. D. at Dartmouth Medieal College in November, 1883. He was married Aug. 27, 1884, to Esther F. Whidden of Auburn. For a short time he prac-
WILLIAM RICHARDSON, M. D.
On account of the serious illness of his father he returned to Londonderry in 1892. Three children have been added to their family : Florence Edna, born March 28, 1886 ; Mabel Edith, born Nov. 21, 1891; William Percy, born Nov. 17, 1894.
G REENLEAF C. BARTLETT was born May 7, 1822, in Nottingham. He was a descendant, on both his father's and mother's side, from Revolutionary stock, his grandfather, Judge Thomas Bartlett, being an active participant in that war, and one of the most popular and distin- guished citizens of that town. Gen. Joseph Cilley, of Revolutionary fame, was Mr. Bartlett's great- grandfather, his daughter marrying Judge (then General) Bartlett. Although with the most limited means for obtaining an education, Mr. Bartlett had worked himself up to be one of the best lawyers of the county, and enjoyed an extensive and luerative praetiee. He located in Derry in 1855, always taking an active part in the welfare
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
of the town. He married Charlotte J. Kelley of Salem and had six children, four of whom are now living.
C CHARLES BARTLETT established, in 1876, a printing offiec, stationery store, and after- ward a drugstore, occupying the same location for nearly twenty years. He has built up, from humble beginnings, a very large and successful business. He has now in his employ seven persons. The Derry News, published by Mr. Bartlett, was established in 1880, and was then a four-page sheet, each page measuring 11 x 16 inches, with four columns to the page. It has since been many times enlarged, and now contains eight pages 15 X 22, six columns to the page, enjoying the largest circulation of any newspaper published in a town of like size in the state, numbering 3,000 copies. In 1894 it absorbed the Weekly Mail, its only competitor. (See page 184.)
J. P. PALMER, DERRY.
WILLIAM NEVINS' RESIDENCE, LONDONDERRY.
J. C. WHEELER, NORTH LONDONDERRY.
WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
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VIEW OF MANCHESTER .- LOOKING EAST FROM THE TOP OF THE KENNARD.
ATLE
NOINA
11
THE FIRST CHURCH IN NUTFIELD.
T THE oldest organization with an unbroken history in what may be termed the Nutfield section of New Hampshire,- older even than the civil government itself - is the First Church in Derry. Before the first settlers had secured the incorporation of their town, or had decided what name to give it, or had even obtained a satisfac- tory title to the land they had selected, and prob- ably within six weeks of the day when the first log cabin was built, they took measures for the per- manent establishment of religious ordinances. In the month of May, 1719, they organized them- selves into a Christian church and ealled the Rev. James MacGregor to become their pastor and religious teacher. The exact date of his installa- tion is unknown, but it was in the month of May, and could therefore have been but a few weeks after the preaching of the first sermon on the shore of the lake, an account of which is given on page 52. There being no presbytery in New England at that time, and it being impossible for them to instal their minister in the regular way, those Scotchmen, who were accustomed to dealing with emergencies, took the matter into their own hands and appointed a day for the solemn service. Where this service was held, whether in some log house or barn on Westrunning brook, or in the open air, we do not know, but Mr. MacGregor himself conducted the services, offering the in- stallation prayer and preaching the installation sermon. His text was from Ezekiel xxxvii. 26: " Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them ; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will place them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore." During the first year, as Rev. Dr. Wellman has
pointed out, no movement seems to have been made by the colonists to build a house of worship. At a public meeting, however, held June 3, 1720, it was voted that a small house should be built " convenient for the inhabitants to meet in for the worship of God," and that it should be placed " as near the senter of the one hundred and five lots as can be with conveniance." The location of the meeting-house was definitely determined at another general meeting, held on the 29th of the same month, the site ehosen being a little north of the present house of worship. Six months later, or on Jan. 11, 1721, it was voted that "a meeting- house shall be built in this town as speedily as may be," and that "it shall be fifty feet in length, forty-five feet broad, and as high as may be con- venient for one set of galleryes." For some rea- son, however, probably from lack of means to meet the cost, or because they had not yet ob- tained an altogether satisfactory title to the land selected for their town, the work of building was not begun until the following year. In June, 1722, a charter was obtained, and the town incor- porated. It was thus about three years after the first log house had been erected that the church was completed and dedicated. During these first three years, however, the settlers faithfully main- tained religious ordinances, holding their services either in one of their log dwellings or in the open air, as the season of the year and the weather might permit. This first house of worship was not built without great sacrifice on the part of the settlers, nor without some pecuniary aid from abroad, but it is significant of their conscientious- ness and devotion that in their straitened eir- cumstances they built a framed house of worship,
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
" convenient and well finished," while they con- structed their own dwellings of logs and covered them with bark.
For nearly fifty years the people worshipped in this first sanctuary, and in 1769, during the ministry of Rev. William Davidson, a larger and more imposing edifice was crccted. Its dimen- sions were sixty-one by forty-five feet, and it was high enough for the introduction of gal- leries and a lofty sound- ing board suspended over the high pulpit. It was also ornamented with a steeple more slender and towering higher than the present one. This house, wc arc told, was well finished, and equalled, if it did not surpass, in its appearance, most of the church edifices of that period. The "raising " of the building was a great event. A large multitude of people as- sembled, and the parts of the huge, heavy-tim- bered frame were lifted into position by hun- dreds of strong arms amidst the thundering of commands and the mighty shoutings of the people. According to the custom of the time, a custom which to our modern seems hardly consistent with earnest piety, intoxicating liquors were dispensed on the occasion with lavish hand. How our forcfathers reconciled drunken- ness with religion we do not know, but they did it successfully.
This second house of God, built in 1769, cn- larged in 1822, remodellcd in 1845, and renovated, adorned and redcdicated in 1884, is still the home of the First Church in Derry. In this house Rev. Edward L. Parker prcached for forty ycars,
men, one at each end.
REV. EDWARD L. PARKER.
and during the first twelve years of his ministry it stood unchanged as it had been built in 1769. He has left on record a description of the interior, which is as follows :
As you approached the pulpit you first came to the deacons' seat, elevated like the pews, about six inches from the floor of the aisles. In the deacons' narrow slip usually sat two venerable Back of the deacons' seat, and elevated ten or twelve inches higher, was the pew of the ruling elders, larger than that of the elders and about square. Back of the elders' pew, and two or three feet higher, and against the wall, was the pulpit. There was appended to the pulpit an iron frame for the hour glass that was turned by the minis- ter at the commencement of his discourse, which was ex- pected to continue during the running of the sands. Some- times, when the preacher deemed his subject not suffi- ciently exhausted. the glass would be turned again, and another hour in whole or in part occupied. .... In many of the meeting-houses of that day there were. on each side of the centre aisle and in front of the pulpit. two or three seats of sufficient length to accommodate eight or ten persons. These were designed for the elderly portion of the congregation and for such as had no pews. In these the men and women were seated separately. on opposite sides. On these plain seats our grave and de- vout forefathers would content- edly sit during a service of two hours, without the luxury of cushions or carpets, and in the colder seasons of the year without stoves, and in houses not so thoroughly guarded against the penetration of the cold as those of the present day.
The enlargement of the church in IS22 was effected by cutting the house into two parts and then inserting between the two parts twenty-four fect of new structure, thus making the building, as it is today, eighty-five feet in length. In this first change the general internal arrangement was re- taincd. The pulpit remained on the north side,
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WILLEY'S BOOK OF NUTFIELD.
and high galleries on the other three sides, but the rattling seats, were replaced by the straight and old sounding board over the pulpit disappeared. narrow slips. The audience room was painted and Two new front doors, about twenty-four fect frescoed in most excellent taste, and the general appearance of the interior was modernized. apart, were inserted on the south side, nearly op- posite the pulpit, cach opening into an aisle, Thus the church stood until 1884, when, after being thoroughly repaired, renovated, and beauti- ficd, it was rededicated. On that occasion Rev. Dr. J. W. Wellman, who had been pastor of the church from 1851 until 1856, preached a notable sermon, in which he paid these tributes to the benefactors and prominent members of the church : whereas previously there had been but one door on that side, opening into one central aisle; and there was also a door at cach end of the edifice as before. The new seats in the gallery facing the pulpit were reserved for the singers. But the old square pews on either side of the new ones re- mained, so that from 1822 until 1845 there were the old square pews on cach end of the church, and between them the new straight and narrow slips, like a piece of new cloth on an old garment. The old and unusually lofty and slender steeple was taken down and a stronger one erceted in its place ; and in this new steeple was hung the first church bell ever heard in Derry. It was the gift by legacy of Jacob Adams, who founded Adams Female Academy.
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