USA > Vermont > Windham County > Rockingham > History of the town of Rockingham, Vermont, including the villages of Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Rockingham, Cambridgeport and Bartonsville, 1753-1907, with family genealogies > Part 48
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500
North Walpole .
1,500
Total .
7,257
CHAPTER XLIII.
CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS IN ROCKINGHAM
1704, March 5 .- First Christian sermon ever preached in Vermont, at the mouth of Williams river in Rockingham, by Rev. John Williams, an Indian captive from Deerfield. From this the river has its name.
1735, January 15 .- First charter granted to Rockingham under authority of King George II., by the Province of Massachusetts Bay to Palmer Goulding and fifty-nine others. Name of township under this charter was "Goldenstown."
1752, December 28 .- Second charter of Rockingham, under which present titles hold, granted under authority of King George II., by the Province of New Hampshire to Samuel Johnson and fifty-eight others.
1753, March 28 .- First meeting of the "grantees " or "Proprietors " of the township held.
1753, "In the spring."-First three settlers, Moses Wright, Jonathan Bigelow and Simeon Knight came into town. They returned to Northfield, Mass., "within a few months, driven back by the Indians."
1760, July 17 .- The proprietors voted to assist Michael Lovell in building the first saw-mill.
1761, "Last Wednesday of March."-First town meeting held. Rev. Andrew Gardner moderator and Moses Wright town clerk.
1770, March 28 .- Town voted its first salary to the town minister : "Seventeen bushels of Indian corn be Delivered to the Rev'd Anderew Gardner by the Overseears out of the Rent that Nath" Davis ows to the Town."
1771 .- First census taken showing "225 souls" in town.
1773, August 25 .- Voted to build a small meeting-house. Its size was to be thirty-five by twenty-five feet, -- " till the town be able to Build a Larger."
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1773, October 27 .- First church in town organized, and Mr. Samuel Whiting ordained as its first pastor.
1774, December 12 .- Town meeting held for the first time in the new meeting-house. They had been held in tav- erns and private houses until this date.
1775, March 12 .- " About 40 good, true men " of Rock- ingham marched in a body to Chester to endeavor to dissuade Judge Chandler from holding court in Westminster the following Tuesday.
1775, March 13 .- From sixty-five to one hundred Rock- ingham citizens marched to Westminster and took part in the "Westminster massacre."
1783 .- First settlement made in the village of Saxtons River.
1785 .- First toll bridge across the Connecticut river built by Col. Enoch Hale. It was the only bridge across the river at any point until 1796.
1787, April 10 .- Voted to build the present meeting-house after the pattern of the Charlestown meeting-house. It was the only public building owned by the town for just one hun- dred years.
1791 .- Second census of town taken, showing 1,235 inhabitants.
1792, March 28 .- First division of the town into school districts.
1792 .- Work upon the building of the Bellows Falls canal commenced. Canal corporation was chartered the year before.
1792 .- First settlement made in the village of Cambridge- port by a man named Adams.
1798 .- The second church in the town (Immanuel), organized. It held its meetings in Rockingham village until 1816.
1801, January 1 .- First post office in town established at Rockingham village, with *Roswald Bellows as postmaster.
1801, April 1 .- First post office established at Bellows Falls, with Dr. William Page postmaster.
* Spelled " Roswald " by P. O. Department.
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History of Rockingham
1802 .- Bellows Falls canal finished and first boats passed through.
1802 .- First paper-mill established in Bellows Falls by Bill Blake. He had built the first one in the vicinity in Alstead in 1799.
1807, November 26 .- First meeting of citizens to organ- ize for building a union church in Saxtons River village. The building was finished and dedicated August 23, 1810.
1809, February 4 .- Rev. Samuel Whiting first town minister, resigned after thirty-six years of service.
1812, May 11 .- First great conflagration in Bellows Falls, among the mills, with a loss exceeding $40,000.
1812, June 18 .- Baptist church at Saxtons River organ- ized.
1816, March 20 .- Immanuel church voted to move from Rockingham and build a church building at Bellows Falls.
1817, January 1 .- First newspaper established in Bellows Falls, Vermont Intelligencer and Bellows Falls Advertiser. Owned by Bill Blake & Co., edited by Thomas Green Fes- senden.
1817, February 16 .- First Masonic meeting held in the town.
1818, December 2 .- First post office established in Sax- tons River, with Daniel Kellogg postmaster.
IS19 .- First church bell in town presented by Gen. Amasa Allen to Immanual church and the village of Bellows Falls, the same in use now, cast by Paul Revere & Son. Public banquet of citizens in his honor held January 29, 1819.
1824 .- There were but fifty-eight buildings of all kinds in the villages of Bellows Falls and North Walpole, includ- ing barns and out-houses.
1826. December 13 .- The "Barnet," reached Bellows Falls, being the first steamboat to ascend so far above tide- water. Great celebration of the event.
1831, November 9 .- Bank of Bellows Falls, the first bank of town incorporated.
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Chronological Record
1834, January 30 .- First charter of Bellows Falls adopted by the village corporation by a vote of seventy-four to thirty- two.
1835, February 2 .- Post office established at La Grange with Samuel Jackson postmaster.
1835, February 22 .- The Congregational church of Sax- tons River organized.
1835 .- "Early in this year " Bellows Falls became a reg- ular station for preaching services for Methodist church ; church building erected in 1836.
1836, January 4 .- The Union Meeting-house society of Cambridgeport held its first meeting, and the church building was erected during the same year.
1840, July .- Tucker toll bridge over the Connecticut river (the present structure) used for the first time, and the one built in 1785 cut down the same month.
1840, July 8 .- Daniel Webster spoke to three thousand people in the Square at Bellows Falls.
1842, February 9 .- Post office established at Bartonsville, with Alfred Sargeant postmaster.
1835 to 1845 .- A craze of silk worm culture in different parts of the town.
1847, November 23 .- First savings bank established. "The Bellows Falls Savings Institution."
1848 .- First public water supply brought from Gage's Mills by "Second Bellows Falls Aqueduct Co."
1848 .- First Catholic Mass said in Bellows Falls by Father Daly, a missionary of the Franciscan order. He was here frequently until 1863. First church building (corner School and Cherry streets) purchased May 1, 1854. Land for a new church bought in 1872 and the present church dedicated November 4, 1885.
1849, January 1 .- First railroad train came to Bellows Falls from Boston and went to Charlestown with an excursion party. No railroad bridge crossed the Connecticut and the station was on the New Hampshire side of the river.
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1849, December .- Rutland and Burlington railroad com- pleted from Bellows Falls to Burlington.
1850, July 23 .- First Congregational church of Bellows Falls organized. First meeting in the new church building held September 22, 1851.
1850 .- First water supply from Minard's pond completed by " The Bellows Falls Water Co." Chartered 1848.
1851. Island House erected.
1851 .- Vermont Valley railroad completed from Brattle- boro.
1852, February II .- First lodge of Odd Fellows char- tered.
1855, August .- The second church bell in town hung in the tower of the Congregational church in Bellows Falls.
1856, August 6 .- The Bellows Falls Times issued its first number. It was edited and published over thirty-two years by its founder, Hon. A. N. Swain.
1866, September 28 .- Mount Kilburn formally christened with appropriate exercises by a large party from Amherst college, banquet at the Island House, etc.
1858, January 15 .- First Masonic meeting held in town after a discontinuance of thirty years because of the Anti- Masonic movement.
1858, August 17 .- First news of completion of Atlantic cable received in Bellows Falls and appropriate exercises in commemoration held by the Vermont Teachers' association in session here.
1860, March 14 .- The most disastrous fire in the history of Bellows Falls occurred among the business houses on the Square. Eleven different buildings destroyed.
1867, December 25 .- First service held in the new (the present) Immanuel church building.
1868 .- Vermont Farm Machine company began business as the "Hartford Sorghum Machine Co." in the second story of the Towns livery stable on Bridge street.
1868 .- The Spiritualist church organized at Bartonsville and the church building erected.
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Chronological Record
1868, April 16 .- The Congregational society of Cam- bridgeport organized.
1869, March 20 .- Last town meeting held in old meeting- house at Rockingham village, and voted to hold future meet- ings at Bellows Falls.
1869, April 15 .- The first contract was entered into between Hon. William A. Russell and Jabez Hills regarding power from the Bellows Falls canal which resulted in the systematic utilization of the water for pulp and paper manu- facture. Foundations of the first pulp-mill commenced within a week thereafter.
1869, June 22 .- Vice President Schuyler Colfax spoke from the balcony of the Island House.
1869, August 27 .- President Ulysses S. Grant spoke from the balcony of the Island House.
1869, October 4 .- Occurred the most disastrous freshet in the history of the town. All parts of the town suffered, but the village of Bartonsville was ruined. Estimated loss in town exceeded $200,000.
1869 .- First Bellows Falls village building erected on Rockingham street.
1872 .- Bellows Falls Village Corporation purchased the Minard's pond water supply from the Bellows Falls Water Co. for $22,000.
1872 .- Fall Mountain Paper company incorporated. First paper for the great dailies made here in July of 1873 for the New York Herald and Baltimore American.
1872 .- High School established in Bellows Falls.
1873 .- Towns Hotel erected.
1878, August 8 .- Bellows Falls lodge of Odd Fellows, which had been dormant twenty years, reinstated.
1879, February .- First Universalist church of Bellows Falls organized. Church building dedicated August 4, 1881.
1881, March .- The first magnetic telephone placed in Bellows Falls.
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History of Rockingham
ISS4, December 18 .- Congregational church organized at Bartonsville.
1885 .- First sewers put in at Bellows Falls.
1886, June 28 .- The town accepted a gift of $20,000 for the poor from David R. Campbell.
1887 .- Town building in Bellows Falls, opera house block. erected. Opera house used for the first time on the evening of September 12, 1887.
1888, September 11 .- Rockingham Free Library opened and the first books given out.
1895, April 18 .- Bellows Falls village accepted a gift of $10,000 for the poor from Luther G. Howard, in memory of his wife, Sarah Burr Howard.
1899, October 5 .- Work begun on Bellows Falls and Saxtons River Street railroad; open for traffic its entire length, July, 1900.
1904, November 1 .- The Tucker toll bridge at Bellows Falls made free by the towns of Walpole and Rockingham. Toll had been gathered continuously for one hundred and nineteen years.
1905, March 20 .- New steel arch bridge across the Con- necticut river at Bellows Falls opened to the public.
CHAPTER XLIV.
MISCELLANEOUS
EARLY FISHING IN TILE CONNECTICUT
Hoyt, in his History of Indian Wars, says, "No river in New England afforded a greater number of fish than the Connecticut," and all references to the subject by early writers are to the same effect. The Connecticut, the longest river in the territory mentioned, with a fall of nearly 1,600 feet from its source to the sea, and containing the purest water of all the rivers, afforded especial attractions for the finny tribe, of which they availed themselves to the fullest extent. Fish of various kinds were found in large numbers throughout the entire length of this beautiful stream, but it was at Bellows Falls that certain varieties were found in the greatest abundance.
The traditions of the red men when first the pale-face settlers came here were to the effect that the reputation of the "Great Falls" had been known to them generations earlier, and that at certain seasons of the year pilgrimages were made from distant points by parties of red men, to secure generous supplies of this necessary article of food. The first settlers also depended largely upon the river to supply their food during a portion of the year, one of the earliest historians stating that fishing was one of their principal industries in this town of Rockingham.
The fish most abundant here in early times were the salmon and the shad. The former could pass the rapid waters of the falls, while it is said the shad were never seen above them. Annually, in the months of April and May, these two species set out from their ocean winter home for the head waters of the Connecticut and its tributaries. They came as far as these falls in great numbers, and, as even the salmon could not ascend higher except with the water at a
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medium height, they gathered in great numbers below the falls, extending some distance below the eddy so plentifully that it was said "The water was black with them, and it seemed almost as though one could walk across on their backs."
The first settlers held what were termed "fishing rights" in various advantageous places on the river as far north as here, and suits at law have in some instances been success- ful within a few years at different points in Massachusetts, based upon the old fishing rights held by families since the very earliest residence of the white man. A number of old residents remember the remains of the old "Chevre de Frese," as it was termed, erected in the eddy below the falls by those who claimed the first fishing rights here, to assist in the drawing of the large shad nets. The structure was located about two-thirds of the distance from the mouth of Saxtons river to the lower end of the falls, a little east of the centre of the river, and almost directly opposite the north end of the Casein company's factory. It was built of logs, about thirty feet square, and at ordinary water arose about four feet above the surface. It was filled with heavy stones and in general appearance looked like the log cribs above the dam, except that it had a large post set strongly in the centre and rising about six or eight feet into the air. This was used for a windlass upon which to wind the ropes of the large shad nets. The stones of this structure have been seen within a few years when the water was extremely low, but it is said that the logs were drawn away one year upon the ice after the disappearance of the shad in this vicinity had rendered the contrivance of no further value.
The shad nets were often nearly half a mile long and from eight to twenty feet deep. To each end of the net was attached a long rope, as long as the net itself or longer. The net would be taken up the river, upon one side, the length of the rope, then, striking out into the stream the fish- ermen would row across, paying out the net, and return to the Chevre de Frese with the other end of the rope and wind
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Indians Spearing Salmon
up the two ropes as rapidly as possible by means of the wind- lass, drawing the net over a large space of the stream. Shad in great numbers were caught in this way. Drawing nets in this manner was continued to a later date further south than at this point, and one record shows over two thousand shad taken at a single drawing of the net.
On the top of the large rock in the river at the lower end of the falls, known as "The Nine Holes," is a drill hole put there by an owner of fishing rights, from which to draw his nets, and an early deed refers to "the rock with a drill hole used by the shad fisherman." Solomon Hapgood, one of the early residents, used to tell the names of those who formerly owned the different rights about the eddy. Few, if any, now living have ever seen the drawing of the nets, so important a matter a century and more ago.
A very old man, known as " Dr. Kilburn," over fifty years ago used to tell present citizens of the manner in which the Indians used to take the salmon in his childhood, previous to the building of the dam here. Their operations were con- fined largely to a reach of two miles or so above the falls and to the time of year when the salmon were passing up the river. Above the falls, as far as the Millikin place, a distance of about two miles, there were rapids which were difficult of navigation. Two Indians would carry their light bark canoe to the head of these rapids and launch it. One with his light paddle would sit in the stern and guide it through the devious channel in the current, while the other stood in the prow and drove his spear firmly into the backs of the great salmon which, having worked hard in coming up through the falls, were naturally somewhat spent and thus not as wary as they would have been below the falls. Fish weighing from twenty to thirty pounds were speared in this way. Day after day, the Indians would proceed in this way down into the falls, as far as the small eddy in front of the present stone house in North Walpole which was formerly used as a school-house. Here they would draw out the
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History of Rockingham
canoes and carry them up the river again to the head of the swift water and repeat the trip.
The building, about 1800, of the dams, across the river prevented the shad and salmon from coming as far north. An early picture of the toll bridge here shows a man sitting in a chair suspended by a rope from the bridge, let down near to the water, and spearing salmon as they passed. The shad were taken in smaller quantities by scoop nets, or in baskets fastened to poles, but the quantities would seem large when compared with present-day success in fishing.
As long as the salmon and shad were taken here in marketable quantities, the Connectiont river brands of both species commanded a fancy price, owing to their good size and delicate flavor, accounted for in early times by the reputed purity of the water.
Brook trout weighing from four to six pounds were often taken in the Connecticut, and also in Williams and Saxtons rivers. As late as 1850 a trout weighing four and one-fourth pounds was taken at the foot of the locks by George Kimball, a cousin of George W. Kimball. This was put into the basin of one of the three fountains then on the grounds of the Island House and kept there for some time.
There were no pike in the Connecticut until about 1840, when they are supposed to have come from " Plymouth ponds," on Black river. Some years earlier these lakes had been stocked with them and protected by the state. A flood broke down the barriers and washed many of them down the river, and from that into the Connecticut, both north and south from the mouth of the Black river. Some good pickerel and black bass are now found but pike are the largest and most valuable fish now in the Connecticut. Some of the records for weight are as follows : In September, 1841, a pike weighing eighteen three-fourths pounds was caught at the foot of the locks by Henry Hills. The fish was so large that Mr. Hills was unable to land it and it was shot. This was seved up at Davis & Russell's tavern, the old Bellows Falls Stage house, and twenty citizens partook of the dinner.
A SECTION OF "THE SQUARE" IN BELLOWS FALLS, ABOUT IS6S.
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Large Fish Caught at Bellows Falls
About 1844 Hon. William Henry, one of the most noted local fisherman of his day caught one in the eddy weighing seventeen pounds. One of the same species weighing ten and one-half pounds was caught by an Irish lad in May, 1860 ; another of the same weight May 27, 1862 ; a seven-pounder in October 1862, by L. A. Nourse ; one which weighed fourteen and a half pounds by Col. C. L. King, at the mouth of Williams river, May 6, 1873 ; a ten-pounder in May 1857, by Peter Brower, master mechanic of the V. V. R. R. One which weighed twelve pounds and five ounces was landed by "Master" Fred L. Amadon May 16, 1868. About 1870, William Kiniry caught a huge one weighing eighteen and three-fourths pounds. In one day C. E. Capron landed a fourteen-pounder, and Charles Barker a seventeen-pounder ; while only two years ago Elmer Porter and George Wright, living near the scythe snath shop secured two which together, with the stick on which they were carried tipped the scales at thirty-eight pounds.
Eels are found in large numbers and of some size in the canal when the water is shut out, but they are not as plenty as formerly. The late Edward Blake, agent of the canal company, caught them weighing from nine to twelve pounds, and one night while in charge of the canal he secured two hundred and sixty in one lot.
Minard's pond, one and a half miles from Bellows Falls, and two hundred and eighty five feet higher than the Square, was in former years a noted fishing resort. In 1817 it was stocked with pickerel and for many years the fishing was good, the pickerel being plenty and attaining a size exceeding five pounds, while perch and pout were abundant. In later years they have nearly all disappeared. This is the only still water area within the borders of Rockingham.
FOOT-PRINT OF A PRE-HISTORIC BIRD
Until about the beginning of the nineteenth century, a natural curiosity in a rock at Bellows Falls excited interest in scientific circles of the country. Near the head of the canal,
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History of Rockingham
upon the point of rock extending into the Connecticut river, between the canal and the foundation of the present Sullivan railroad bridge, there was the clearly defined foot-print of a huge bird of some unknown species. It was described as an exact reproduction of an exaggerated hen's track and meas- ured five feet in length. It had an appearance likened to that of a bird of that size stepping into a plastic substance, as of the rock when in its formative stage, and ever thereafter remaining as left by the imprint of the foot. It was in a particularly hard specimen of gneiss rock which at that point was in layers of about one foot in thickness.
For many years this curiosity attracted the interest of visitors, travelers, and scientists. It was described in differ- ent publications, and strangers coming here frequently requested to be guided to its location as one of the attractions of the place.
About the year 1800, the faculty of Dartmouth college arranged to secure the curiosity for their museum. A time was set for the removal to Hanover, of the section of stone in which it was embedded. Some unappreciative and jealous persons, learning of the plan to remove it, a day or two before the proposed visit blew the interesting specimen into fragments with powder, rather than to have it taken from this vicinity.
RAFFLING, AND SHOOTING FOR PRIZES
In early days, as the Thanksgiving season approached, all the good marksmen were wont to attend the "turkey shoots," turkeys and other game being set up at a fairly long distance and shot at by the contestants until blood was drawn, the bird then being the property of the lucky marksman, who had previously paid so much per shot. In a similar way all kinds of property were disposed of, the shooting being at a mark. The proprietors of the hotels were usually those in charge of the shooting, as it would largely benefit their bar, the crowd attending such "shoots " usually being a thirsty one. The local papers abound in frequent advertisements
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Turkey Shooting and Destroying Crows
regarding these. Among the landlords of the vicinity most frequently advertising such sports were John Robertson of " Robertson's Tavern," which stood where Hotel Windham does now, Peter Evans and John Pierce at Charlestown, John R. Gibson and Amos Hitchcock at Rockingham.
The following advertisement in the "Intelligencer" of January 14, 1822, is a sample of many others which varied according to circumstances and the property to be disposed of. These, in those days, took the place of the present practice of " selling by ticket."
TO SPORTSMEN
The Subscriber, on the 24th inst. at 9 o'clock A. M. will set up a target to be shot at, distance thirty rods, tickets one dollar each, not exceeding fifty-four. The prize will be an OX weighing eleven cwt, well fatted. The marksman who comes nearest the centre of the target to draw the prize. Likewise a large Fat Cow will be set up if the tickets can be sold.
Tickets to be had at the bar of said Robertson's Hotel.
John Robertson.
RAID AGAINST CROWS
In 1804, the people of the town had suffered great dam- age from crows in their corn fields, and at a town meeting they authorized the selectmen to pay the sum of twelve and one-half cents for every crow killed in the town from April to July. In consequence of this vote, there was a general war declared against all crows, and every man who had a gun was constantly on the watch ; crow killing became a money making business ; not only .were the old crows shot and captured in great quantities, but the tallest trees in the forest were climbed and the young crows taken from their nests. The number of crows presented to the selectmen was so great that they became suspicious that in some cases the same carcasses might come for bounty more than once, and they consequently required that the heads of the birds be left
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