USA > Vermont > Orange County > Newbury > History of Newbury, Vermont, from the discovery of the Coos country to present time > Part 32
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There is a curious bill among the Johnson papers :
Feb. 12, 1790.
"The town of Newbury Dr. to Joshua Swan, to Diging the Reverend Jacob Woods Grave, £0. 6. 0.
to Diging Jona Emersons Grave, 0. 3. 0. 0. 9. 0."
Why it cost twice as much to dig the minister's grave as the pauper's is among the "whys" which it is often very easy to ask concerning the town's affairs.
One Mr. Hearn, or Heron, is often mentioned, and the name is singular from the fact that he is always spoken of as Mr. Hearn, while other recipients of the town's bounty are called by their proper names. In some long-forgotten way the town became involved in a lawsuit about this Mr. Hearn. Poor man! his troubles were over in this world more than a hundred years ago.
No person is entitled to expect relief from a town unless he is a resident of it, and to determine what constitutes residence has always been a perplexing question, and has given rise to more lawsuits between towns than almost anything else, and various laws have been passed, and decisions of the Supreme Court handed down, which bear upon this question. There was, formerly, a law, in most of the New England states, which provided a way by
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HISTORY OF NEWBURY, VERMONT.
which towns could prevent any newcomer, from gaining residence, and thus freeing the town from responsibility for support of such person. The process was called "warning out of town," and consisted in the reading in the hearing of such a person, by a constable, or by leaving a copy of a warrant, issued by the selectmen, of which the following is a specimen.
State of Vermont Orange County, ss.
1 To the first Constable of Newbury in sd County.
Greeting. By the authority of the State of Vermont, you are hereby required to warn A. B. and family, now residing in Newbury to depart sd Town. Hereof fail not, but of this precept and your doings due return make according to law. Given under our hands this 27th day of December, 1814.
ASA TENNEY, JOSHUA HALE, JONAS TUCKER,
Selectmen of
Newbury.
State of Vermont
Newbury, Jan. 6, 1815.
Orange Co. ss.
I then served this precept by leaving a true and attested copy with the said A. B. and family. Attest, Abner Bayley, Constable. Fees Travel 10 miles, .60
Copy, .17 .67
Newbury Town Clerk's office Jan. 10, 1813.
Recd and recorded, I. BAYLEY, Town Clerk.
This thing was quite profitable for others, if rather unpleasant for the person who thus received a hint that his residence was not desired, as there was a fee for the selectmen who prepared the warrant, another for the constable, and another for the clerk. There are 112 such warnings recorded in the first book of town proceedings. The first is dated January 5, 1787; the second, July 20, 1806; and the last, November 12, 1816, when the law was repealed. One of these warrants includes twenty-four families.
In 1823 it was voted, "not to build a poorhouse." It. was the custom for many years to "sell the poor at auction," as it was called. The support of the homeless poor was set up at auction, in town-meeting and struck off to the lowest bidder. This was quite apt to be some sordid soul, who pinched and starved the unfortunate beings, who were thus at his mercy. This gave rise to some scandals, which may as well not be recalled.
In 1837, the "surplus money," from the United States, was divided among the towns, and Newbury received $5,376.03, and with a portion of this the town bought the Simon Blake farm at West Newbury, for a town farm, Charles Hale, Moody Chamberlain and A. B. W. Tenney being the purchasing committee. This was the last carthly home of many unfortunates, during the twenty-ninc years it was thus occupicd. No record was cver kept of the deaths that occurred there. In 1846 there were eleven persons whose agcs averaged 76 years. In 1866 the town sold that farm to William C. Carleton, and purchased the farm of O. C. Barnett, who bought it back the next year. Two persons
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CEMETERIES-CARE OF THE POOR-THE MILITIA.
died there while that was the town farm. The present farm was bought of Porter Watson in 1867, and the main part of the present structure was built, and the barns remodelled, in 1885, under the management of John S. George, the overseer. The deaths at the present farm have been forty. The system of herding all the helpless beings of a whole county under one roof never has been adopted in Vermont.
Before speaking of the militia system which prevailed after the establishment of the national government, it is well to consider why that system first became necessary. From the earliest settlement of New England down to the close of the War of Independence, the fear and dread of the Indian entered, as one of the conditions of existence, into every-day life. It was necessary for self-preservation, that there should be some system of military training among the settlers, that men might know what to do, and where to resort, in case of attack, and under whose orders to place themselves. The militia system was brought from England, and adopted to meet new conditions in America. In every new settlement, one of the first things which the settlers attended to was the formation of a military company for self-defense. Thus we have found that in 1764, while the settlements at Coös were hardly two years old, the able-bodied men were formed into a company of militia, of which Jacob Kent was made captain. When the revolution came on, all these military companies were of vast service, as furnishing men for the field, who already knew a little of military discipline.
Soon after the war began, all the able-bodied men between the ages of sixteen and fifty were enrolled in the "train-bands." These bands met for regular drill, and when there was 'a call for men, as many as were needed were sent out from these bands. Besides these, was the "alarm list," in which were enumerated all the men between fourteen and sixty-five, who were liable to be called upon in an emergency. At two or three times of peril during the war the alarm list was resorted to. One of these was during the last weeks of the campaign of Burgoyne, when all the stronger men went to the seat of war, while the old men and boys kept watch and ward at home. After the war, and down to about 1847, all the able-bodied men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years were, with few exceptions made by law, enrolled in the militia, and required to do military duty. Every man was obliged to keep himself constantly provided with such arms and equipments as were necessary for actual service, and, for so doing, his poll was exempt from taxation. The military force of the state amounted to about 25,000, and was divided
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HISTORY OF NEWBURY, VERMONT.
into four divisions, ten brigades, and thirty-five regiments, with from eight to twelve companies each.
Belonging to most of the regiments was also one company of cavalry, one of artillery, one of light infantry, and in many cases, more than one, of each. Each division was commanded by a major-general, with a division inspector, a division quarter-master and two aids; each brigade by a brigadier-general, with a brigade inspector, brigade quarter-master, and one aid; each regiment by a colonel, lieutenant-colonel and major, with the customary staff; and each company by a captain, lieutenants and ensign, with the usual non-commissioned officers. The major and brigadier-generals were appointed by the legislature. The field officers were chosen by the commissioned officers of their respective regiments, and the several companies chose their own officers. Such was the military system of our fathers, and it had both its good and evil effects. It constituted an organized force, which acquired some knowledge of military discipline, and which, when the war of 1812 came on, was immediately effective. It was also of value, as teaching an erect bearing and an alert air to those who took pride in military evolutions. In the course of years it came to pass that those who were fond of military display formed themselves into crack companies, which were composed of picked men, and which, while computed in the regular militia, were enrolled as independent companies. These were uniformed, and their equipments were superior in quality. These companies frequently met for drill and inspection; their officers were men of wealth and standing in the community; the men took a great deal of pride in their organizations; and these companies, whether of cavalry or infantry, in their handsome uniforms, presented, by their correct evolutions and military bearing, a marked contrast to the regular companies, who were not uniformed. These latter, which included all not otherwise enrolled, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, were derisively termed the "floodwood companies."
The select companies generally adopted some designation, the "Washington Guards" or the like, while the regular companies were made up of men who had not time, money, or perhaps inclination to join the expensive select organizations. Still a captain was a captain, and a colonel was a colonel; the title once won, usually attached itself to a man's name through life, but more than one man in this town was ruined by the self-conceit which the accession to the "little brief authority," gave to an inferior personality.
The militia were ordercd out to training in June, and in the fall the brigade met for "general muster." The first training field was that in the rear of R. J. Hibbard's house, but after many years the militia living cast of Hall's brook met at the upper meadow, or on the hill back of Wells River. Those west of the brook drilled at West Newbury. General muster was held on the "old parade
.
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CEMETERIES-CARE OF THE POOR-THE MILITIA.
ground" at East Corinth, where fairs are now held, and that plot of ground has seen more military display than any other piece of land in this county. There was an artillery company in Topsham and a company of cavalry, wholly or partly made up in this town. The Newbury militia were long attached to the first regiment, second brigade, and fourth division of the state militia. In 1821, Moody Chamberlin was colonel; James A. Bayley, Dudley Carleton, and James Wallace were captains; A. B. W. Tenney was captain of a company of cavalry which numbered forty men; there were ten men in the band and each company had its drum corps. The rank and file on parade numbered 590 men.
One of the good results of the old militia system was its fostering of the love and practice of martial music, and there were several fine bands in this county which are now forgotten. The West Newbury drum corps is the legitimate successor of one of these old organizations, and some of the young men in it are grandsons and great-grandsons of its members, eighty years ago. Great were the days of "June training," and nothing could eclipse the glories of "annual muster," and if any of the present generation want to hear some good stories, let them go to some of the few who remain, who "used to train."
It would require more time than the editor of this work can command to ascertain the names of captains in the old militia; the colonels before 1800, were, some of them, Frye and Joshua Bayley, Nehemiah Lovewell, Jacob Kent, father and son, and Robert Johnston. Later, and of a younger generation, were Waterman Wells, A. B. W. Tenney, Charles Hale, John Bayley, Amherst Bayley, Jacob Kent (grandson), Horatio Brock and Levi Rogers.
There was, however, another side to the old militia system. Many men, especially the officers, expended much more money than they could well afford, and the trainings and musters were seasons of riot, drunkenness and fighting. Among the thousands who flocked to the parade ground were many hard characters. Gambling and vice were unblushing, and the prevalent custom of "treating" led to evil results. It was the custom for a company to assemble at the captain's house, and fire a salute, when that officer appeared and treated the crowd. The late Ezekiel White of Topsham, was one of the first to substitute a good dinner in place of a "treat," and the custom was often adopted as temperance sentiments began to prevail.
The militia system fell into disrepute in the early '40's. It had become unpopular with the rank and file to whom the loss of time, and the expense incurred was considerable; it was many years since there had been a war; the whole system was felt to be an unnecessary burden; temperance sentiment was not in harmony with the excesses which attended it, and public opposition was
19
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HISTORY OF NEWBURY, VERMONT.
strong enough, about 1847, to abolish all the militia laws. The volunteer companies generally maintained their organization for some years. After the civil war the militia system was revived for a few years, but soon fell into disfavor, and was, in its turn, abolished. The military organizations now connected with the state militia are wholly voluntary.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
STAGES, INNS, AND POST OFFICES.
FIRST STAGES .- QUEBEC AND BOSTON STAGE .- STAGE LINES .- TAVERNS .~ THE SPRING HOTEL .- THE NEWBURY HOUSE .- THE LOVEWELL TAVERN .- OTHER INNS .- POSTAL ROUTES .- FIRST POST OFFICE .- POSTAGE .- PRIVATE CARRIERS .- NEWBURY OFFICES .- OFFICIAL LIST SINCE 1832.
T HERE was no public conveyance for passengers between here and Concord until after the century began. In 1805, a charter was obtained for a turnpike from Haverhill corner to Baker's river, which was finished in 1809, and soon after, the mail carrier, Silas May, drove a wagon along the route, in which he carried the mail, and any chance passenger. This turnpike went over the hills from Haverhill to Warren. The road through Oliverian Notch was not built till 1826.
In the New Hampshire Patriot for December 25, 1810, appears the following advertisement :
"NEW LINE OF STAGES FROM BOSTON TO QUEBEC.
Public notice is hereby given that there is a regular line of stages erected, to run from Quebec through Craig's Road to Boston, and will commence on the fourteenth of January next, and will be regularly kept up by the subscribers, the proprietors of the said line. Will run as follows: Start from Quebec and Boston on Monday of each week, meet at the line of 45 degrees of north latitude at Stanstead on Wednesdays and arrive at Boston and Quebec on Saturday of each week.
JOSHUA STILES. JOHN GRIFFIN. R. W. GOOLD. *JONA. SINCLAIR. JAMES GARDNER. "HENRY STEVENS.
Newbury, Vt., Dec. 17, 1810."
This notice has called out some speculation, and there have been. doubts expressed if the enterprise ever began. Certainly it could
*Mr. Sinclair was of Haverhill, Henry Stevens of Barnet.
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HISTORY OF NEWBURY, VERMONT.
not have continued long. The war came on soon after, and would have put an end to the business, had it survived till that time. Little's History of Warren says there was a line of stages begun in 1811, which soon failed up. This may be the same.
In 1814 a line of stages began to run from Haverhill to Concord, which kept up till the railroad was opened in 1848. In the same year, a stage line went into operation down the river, and connected to New York. There were many enterprising men in Haverhill Corner in those days, and it became the centre for a number of stage lines, and the place where the stages laid up over night. This gave occupation to a large number of taverns, and, in the busy season, it was not uncommon for from 150 to 200 travelers to pass the night there. There were lines to Plymouth, Hanover, Lancaster, Danville, St. Johnsbury, Montpelier and elsewhere. In 1832, a stage left Haverhill three times a week, at six a. m., for Albany via Chelsea and Royalton, where it lodged, and left at five a. m., the next day for Poultney or Fort Ann, where it lodged again, reaching Albany on the third day, in season for the afternoon boat to New York. The fare was six dollars.
Stage drivers were great men in those days; hardy, tough (they had to be), men of energy, with fertility of research to meet the exigencies of their exacting occupation. It was a hard life, and stage drivers were rough, but kindly. Mr. Harry B. Stevens, of Bradford, is an old stage driver, one of the last who are left, and he could fill a good-sized volume with recollections of his experience.
Mr. Livermore says that in 1820, the eastern stage left Haverhill on Tuesdays and Fridays at four o'clock in the morning, taking breakfast, "which seemed late," at Morse's inn in Rumney, and arriving at Concord at six in the evening, "unless detained by adverse conditions of weather, spring and autumn mud, and the like." Two days were spent in going to Boston. In 1835, the traveler had choice of several routes between Concord and Boston.
"Old stage times," a title which denotes an era long passed away, denotes also one of hospitality, of good cheer in the old taverns, belated travelers, and much stir and bustle. People could travel easier, but there was still no easy way of marketing produce. Farmers went to market in winter with their own teams, carrying the more valuable and portable products of the the farm. Most farmers went, at least once, in the winter, "down below." Many of the old "pungs" in town, have made the journey time and again, long before their present owners were born. Pungs were built to last, they never wore out. Old residents of Concord say that they used to scc strings of teams, a mile long and more, of farmers from up country, on their way to market, their teams walking as close behind each other as they could go. There were men who made a business of teaming from Concord to the north country, driving four, six, or cight horses.
----
STRING U . TEL.
THE SPRING HOTEL AS IT APPEARED IN 1865.
SPRING KOTEL.
THE SPRING HOTEL IN 1878.
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STAGES, INNS, AND POST OFFICES.
When all the travel went along the public roads, taverns were common. Mr. Leslie has given an account of early inns at Wells River. Nearly all the taverns in Newbury were on the river road. In 1800, Jeremiah Ingalls built a large house at the top of what is now called Ingalls hill where he kept a tavern called Ingall's Inn, about ten years. The old Johnson house on the Ox-bow was opened as an inn in 1775, and was long a noted tavern, kept by Colonel Johnson, and by his son, Moses. The town records show that Col. William Wallace was an innkeeper as early as 1785, whether in the house which afterwards became the Spring Hotel or not, is not known. In 1800 he kept the latter tavern. It was then a square, two-story house, much like the old Bliss tavern at Haverhill Corner, in which Mr. Leith lives. In 1810 Mr. Edward Little owned it, enlarging it, and adding a third story. Barnard Brickett succeeded Mr. Little, and in his time it was called Brickett's Inn. Peter Wheelock, from 1833 to 1836, was succeeded by Joseph Atkinson, who gave place to Tappan Stevens, in whose hands it remained until nearly the end of his life. Judge Stevens, as he was called, enlarged the building. During much of its history the Spring Hotel was run in connection with the sulphur springs. These springs were discovered about 1782, and there is a record of their being resorted to for curative purposes in 1804. What is now called Montebello House was built by James Spear-the front part of it-and was enlarged from time to time and bathrooms added. Little can be accurately learned about its various proprietors. It was remodelled and enlarged to its present appearance in 1873, by Rev. William Clark.
The Spring Hotel was kept by Nelson B. Stevens after his uncle, Judge Stevens, retired from it. This hostelry was one of the noted inns of the north country, and always enjoyed the reputation of being a well-kept hotel, with a good run of custom, and was a popular summer resort in connection with the sulphur springs. About 1868, it came into the hands of Samuel L. Kendall, who added, in 1869, a fourth story with a French roof and cupola, and a wing containing thirteen rooms. He introduced gas, manufactured upon the premises. The main building then contained about forty rooms, was painted white, and was a very conspicuous landmark. In that house, as originally constructed, there was a secret apartment, known only to the proprietor, reached by a winding passage around one of the great chimneys, and fitted up with huge chests for the concealment of smuggled goods. After Mr. Kendall the house was owned by John E. Chamberlain, and while kept by his son, R. W. Chamberlain, was entirely destroyed by fire, September 5, 1879. Its site remained vacant until the library building was erected there, seventeen years later. According to family records, the house in which Mr. E. H. Farnham and his sister live, was
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HISTORY OF NEWBURY, VERMONT.
opened as a tavern in 1788, by Joseph Smith, and kept by him till his death.
The old Newbury House was built by Timothy Morse, about 1834, the brick part of it, and was an addition to the wooden part, which was owned as a store by Moses Wallace. This tavern often changed hands, and the name of all its proprietors cannot be given. Nelson B. Stevens kept it for several years, also Hiram Hill, and from 1854 to 1856, Ezekiel Sawyer.
The oldest part of what is now the Sawyer House was built soon after the revolutionary war, by Capt. Nehemiah Lovewell, who kept tavern there till his death in 1801, and his widow succeeded him, keeping it till 1825. This was, originally, a two- story house, the third story being added later. In 1833, it was purchased for a seminary boarding-house. Mrs. Lovewell had trouble with Col. Thomas Johnson over a barrel of rum, which she bought of him, and which she averred was more than half water. The colonel stoutly affirmed that it was rum, and nothing but rum, when it left his premises. The affair made much talk, and the colonel sued the widow for slander. It came out in the trial that the barrel had taken a whole night to travel the mile which lay between the two taverns, a circumstance which Mrs. Lovewell's hired man, and two others, were very backward about explaining. But peace was restored.
At South Newbury, Col. Remembrance Chamberlain, and his son Col. Moody Chamberlain, kept tavern on what is now called Riverside Farm, for many years. The house was burned in February, 1876. Col. John Smith opened, about 1804, a tavern, on the farm now owned by his grandson, the present John Smith, at West Newbury. The old tavern sign is preserved by the latter. Gideon Tewksbury kept tavern for a long time, on what is now called the Cunningham place, near the Bradford line. At the Centre, Samuel Gibson built and occupied for a tavern, the house in which the late John Wood lived, and which was burned in March, 1899. Other houses in town were used as taverns at one time, or another. In days when people went to market with their own teams, they usually carried their provisions with them, and grain for their horses, sleeping at night on the bar-room floors. Ten cents was usually charged for lodging, in this manner. The principal revenue of the inn came from the bar.
During the time that Wells River was the terminus of the railroad, there were lines of stages from there to Littleton, St. Johnsbury, Danville and other points. Hotel business was thriving; a few made money; others lost about all they had. Several went into the business there who were not adapted to the occupation, and failed in consequence.
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STAGES, INNS, AND POST OFFICES.
Before the revolutionary war there was nothing resembling a postal service, conducted by the government, in this part of the country, and all the letters which came to Coös were brought by private hands. In those days it was considered the proper thing, if a man was going to a distant place, to let his neighbor know his intention beforehand that they might send any letters which they wished, by him. There were merchants in Salem and Boston who made themselves popular with their customers up this way by caring for letters left with them, and any one from Coös going to such places was expected to call at their stores and get such letters as were to come this way, and bundles of newspapers were among the most desired freight of a sleigh returning from market in winter.
In 1776, for military purposes, the council of safety appointed a post-rider to go from Portsmouth to Haverhill, once in two weeks, by way of Dover and Plymouth, and return by way of Hanover and Keene. This was primarily intended for the conveyance of military information, but the carrier, John Balch, was allowed to carry private letters for a small sum.
In 1783, the first mail route was established in Vermont, from Bennington to Albany, once in two weeks, and two years later the service was extended to Rutland, Brattleboro, Windsor and Newbury. The carriers went once a week, and received two pence a mile, hard money, between Brattleboro and Newbury. When, in 1791, Vermont entered the Federal Union, the general government assumed the mail service, but for some reason the northerly portion of the route was discontinued, and Hanover remained, for some years, the last post office on the river.
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