o 0^ Oo. - ^x ^^/. v^' \^' .^■''' s .A ^,. .-^^ v^*^ -^ct ■>^ -^ ^^" '^^ cV .s -n*.. ^'^• 'OO' N^\-^ HISTORY LANCASTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE. * WRITTEN AND EDITED BY REV. A. N. SOMERS. Published and Issued by Order op the Town JAMES W. WEEKS, HENRY O. KENT, CHESTER B. JORDAN, Its Co7)i7nittee. i898. CONCORD, N. H.: THE KUMFOKD FKE55. 1899. PREFATORY NOTE BY THE COMMITTEE At the annnal March meeting, 1892, the town took its first steps towards a history. It was then contemplated that the history should embrace a narrative, an account of the trades and business, churches, schools, and the like, and also personal biography of the early settlers and their families. As the work grew it was found that all this could not be included within one volume, and it was therefore deemed best to exclude all personal biography and the genealogy of families, save as the same might appear in narrative and other form. The town has a large amount of biographical material to be used at some future day, when another volume of history may be published. It was gathered by the committee for this volume, but left out for the reason that it would make the book too large. The committee regret the necessity of such action, but congratulates the town that it now has in safe keeping much valuable matter concerning its pioneers, who acted so well their parts in founding a town and a civilization that we trust will bring no discredit upon them or their works. James W. Weeks, Henry O. Kent, Chester B. Jordan, Committee Lancaster, July i, 1898. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PART I. Chapter I. Discovery and Exploration of the Upper Coos II. Location and Charter of the Town III. The Town as a Civil Organization IV. The Settlement of the Town .... V. The Survey, Relocation, and Allotment of the Lands VI. The Organization of the Town .... VII. The Building of Roads and Bridges VIII. The Revolutionary Period ..... IX. The Town from 1776 to 1800 . . . . X. The Town from 1800 to 1850 .... XI. The Town from 1850 to 1897 .... XII. Education in Lancaster ..... XIII. The Establishment and Development of Religion in Lancaster XIV. Lancaster in Relation to the Vermont Controversy XV. Some Early Marriages and Deaths in Lancaster XVI. Some Early Private Accounts with the Town XVII. Religious Holidays, Musters, Raisings XVIII. Some Temperance Movements in Lancaster XIX. The Political History of the Town XX. Some Authors of the Town and their Writings XXI. The Early Post-riders and the Mails . XXII. Some Epidemics that have Prevailed in Lancaster XXIII. The Railroads PART II. Chapter I. The Natural History of the Town II. Localities, Streets, Parks, and Cemeteries III. Material Growth of the Town IV. Domestic Life in Early Times V. Games, Sports, and Amusements of Early Times VI. Mercantile Enterprises and Merchants VII. Manufacturing Enterprises of the Town VIII. Banks and Other Corporations IX. The History of Education . X. The Churches . XI. The Newspapers of the Town XII. The Learned Professions XIII. Fraternal Societies XIV. Public Buildings XV. The Fire Department XVI. The Civil List of the Town XVII. The Soldiers of Lancaster . XVIII. The Centennial Celebration of the Settlement of the Town of Lancaster, 1764-July 14, 1864 ..... 563 X LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Weeks, Major John W. Weeks, William D. Wells, John Sullivan Whidden, Beni- Franklin White, John H. • • White Mountains from District No. lo Williams, Jared Warner, Governor . face page 94 137 464 472 464 316 464 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. CHAPTER I. THE DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION OF THE UPPER COOS. The Indian name of Cohoss, or Cowas, was known to the settlers of the towns in the southern part of New Hampshire and Massachu- setts since the beginning of the troubles with the Indians and French. In a vague manner it signified a large and valuable tract of land along the Connecticut river. As early as 1704 we find this name appearing in the Provincial Records, Vol. VI, pp. 278, 874. Hun- ters had followed their craft within this territory for many years, and had brought to the settlements glowing accounts of its fertile meadows and. richness of timbers, as well as its abundance of game. In the spring of 1752, John Stark, afterward known as General Stark, his brother William, Amos Eastman, and David Stinson were set upon by a party of St. Francis Indians while hunting on Baker's river, in the present town of Rumney. John Stark and Amos East- man were captured, while David Stinson was killed, and William Stark made his escape. These two prisoners were taken to the set- tlement of the St. Francis tribe in Canada, passing through the Cohoss country, halting to hunt at points along the route. They camped the first night at the mouth of John's, river. These two young men had thus a good opportunity to view the famed " Co- hoss Meadows " so much talked of in the lower settlements of New Hampshire. On the return of Stark and Eastman, who were ransomed in the summer of 1752, they gave a glowing account of the Cohoss country, which excited renewed interest in the previous desire and immature plan for its settlement. During that year Governor Wentworth made several grants of townships on both sides of the Connecticut river, by which he hoped to secure the settlement of this coveted country. Accordingly a party set out to lay out a township on either side of the river where Newbury, Vt., and Haverhill, N. H., now are. A prompt remonstrance on the part of the St. Francis Indians led to the abandonment of the plan for a period of ten years. 2 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. In the spring of 1754, the governor sent Colonel Lovewell, Major Talford, and Captain Page out in command of a company, with John Stark as their guide, to explore the Cohoss country. They left Rum- ford (now Concord) on March 10, 1754, and in seven days reached the Connecticut river at Piermont, where they tarried but one night and then beat a hasty retreat, reaching Rumford after an absence of thirteen days. In the absence of any recorded reasons for such a failure to carry out an order of the government we are left to infer that these explorers were afraid of meeting the Indians who claimed the territory they had entered upon. The same season another exploring party was sent out on the same mission. This party consisted of Captain Peter Powers, of Hollis, N. H., Lieut. James Stevens, and Ensign Ephraim Hale, of Townsend, Mass., with a company of soldiers. They left Rumford on Saturday, June 15, 1754, and proceeded with much difficulty from bad weather and swollen streams, up what Captain Powers called the " Great Valley," or Cohoss. From the journal of Captain Powers it is quite certain that his company reached Isreals river, within the present locality of the village of Lancaster, and remained but a single day, long enough to mend their shoes, and then returned on account of the exhaustion of their provisions. Captain Powers and two of his men marched up the Connecticut river five miles, where they discovered evidences that the Indians had been encamped within a day or two, making canoes. Captain Powers's party were prudent, at least in avoiding any chance of meeting the Indians. They were not sent out to conquer the inhabitants of Cohoss, nor to take any formal possession of the country, but to examine it and report to the government. Powers's description of the country through which he passed is accurate, terse, and clear. He named Isreals river Powers' river, in which he no doubt acted in good faith. It is not at all probable that he had any knowledge of its previous name in honor of. Isreal Glines, who had his hunter's camp on it many years before, while John Glines, a brother of Isreal, had a camp on John's river. Powers gave as a reason for the river being called John's river the fact that John Stark had lodged on its banks while a captive of the Indians in 1752. He seems, from these con- siderations, to have known nothing of the Glineses. The Glines brothers, as also one Martin, who hunted on the meadows and pond that bear his name, came here for no other pur- pose than to hunt and trap. Whatever information they conveyed to the lower settlements on leaving the Cohoss country about 1752, is merely a matter of conjecture. As hunters they were not interested in having the country settled. Powers's expedition, on the contrary, was sent out to gain accurate information of the country and report the same to guide the government in its designs to have the country DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION OF UPPER COOS. 3 settled before the French should seize it and erect forts and hold it for France, Little or nothing resulted from the Powers exploring expedition, unless it had the effect to allay the fear of the French occupation of the Cohoss country. No effort was made by the authorities of the Province to form settlements above " No. 4" (now Charlestown), after the Assembly refused to concur with Governor Wentworth in granting townships in 1752, until 1761, although many petitions were made for authority to do so. The dangers and expense accompanying the formation of new settlements many miles away from the older fortified settlements, was the chief and only reason holding in check many families anxious to acquire lands in the rich "Cohoss Meadows." The projects of the governor and one Captain Symes, and Theodore Atkinson, who pressed the ques- tion upon the attention of the Assembly at home, and the agent of New Hampshire, and the king abroad, involved a military occupation of the country. They saw and urged the necessity of a strict mili- tary government of their proposed settlements involving the erec- tion of strong garrisons in the centre of the settlements. Such, indeed, would have been the situation had the Assembly concurred in the governor's plans, for not only was there a strong determina- tion on the part of the Indians to prevent further encroachments upon their hunting grounds, but the French were ready, and only too willing, to offer the Indians all possible encouragement to resist the extension of English settlements northward. The French hacj by that time made Crown Point as much of a stronghold on Lake Champlain as Quebec was on the St. Lawrence river, and were jeal- ous of any encroachments upon the territory above " No. 4." These projects only related to the " Lower Coos," as it came to be known later ; but if such were the dangers confronting settlers at that point how much greater would they not have been in the " Upper Coos" ? So great was the hostility and daring of the St. Francis Indians that they attacked "No. 4," as late as the 30th of August, 1754, which at the time was defended by a garrison under the noted Captain Phineas Stevens, and carried away into captivity eight per- sons. So great seemed the dangers from these Indian attacks that towns as far south as Fort Dummer (Hinsdale), Westmoreland, Keene, and Swanzey sent up petitions to the General Court, and even went so far as to petition the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony for protection against the Indians. The controversy between Massachusetts and New Hampshire over the boundary question had been settled by King George II in favor of New Hampshire in 1740, which naturally lessened the interest of Massachusetts in the territory in dispute between the New Hamp- shire settlers and the Indians. New Hampshire was not strong 4 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. enough at that time to invite the combined assaults of the French and Indians, hence many plans for the settlement of new territory in the north had to be abandoned until a more promising time. That time came only with the close of the last French and Indian War, lasting from 1755 until 1760, when Quebec and Crown Point had been wrested from the French, and the St. Francis tribe of Indians had been almost annihilated by the famed Robert Rogers and his Rangers, who, returning from that memorable victory, passed down the Connecticut river through the " Upper Coos." This ever-memorable expedition of Rogers's Rangers did more to open the way for the exploration and settlement of the " Cohoss " country than all movements combined, for it crushed the hostile spirit of the Indians, and admonished the French that the English purpose to have and hold the Connecticut valley was indisputable. Rogers had been in the "Upper Coos" early in the season of 1755, and erected a fort near the mouth of the Upper Amonoosuck, which he named Fort Wentworth. The site of this old fort is a matter of some interest in the early traditions of the " Upper Coos." In his report of the expedition he says of " Coos" (he spells it Cohas), " it is a tract of twenty miles in length and six in breadth, which, for its beauty and fertility, may be deservedly styled the ' Garden of New England.' " On their way from St. Francis, Rogers's Rangers passed through the " Upper Coos." Pressed by hunger and fatigue, some of them sought to get out of the wilderness by passing through the White Mountain notch. Several of them passed up Isreals river toward the " notch " with an Indian guide, who seems to have misled them. Only one of their number, one Bradley, succeeded in making the trip, to tell the sad story of their sufferings. Others of the Rangers passed down the Connecticut river. Too weak to bear the burdens of their guns and knapsacks, they hid them among the rocks and passed on, empty-handed, to the settlements on the river below. Many of these relics have since been found in the town of Lunenburg, Vt. CHAPTER II. THE LOCATION AND CHARTER OF THE TOWN. David Page of Petersham, Mass., having become dissatisfied with an allotment of land to him in Haverhill, N. H., of which he was one of the grantees, in 1762, immediately set about making arrange- ments to found a settlement, in which his fancied rights should be duly respected in the land allotments. In company with sixty-nine Ox Israels River, Lancaster. Starr King Mountain. Presidential Range from LeGro Hill. THE LOCATION AND CHARTER OF THE TOWN. 5 other persons, he procured a charter for a town in the Upper Coos country, then known to be very rich meadow-land on the Connecti- cut river. Page had in his employment at the time a young man by the name of Emmons Stockwell, who is supposed to have been in this region before, as one of Rogers's Rangers. Whether he was one of the party that destroyed the village of St. Francis in 1759, is not certainly known. There is a chance that he might have accom- panied Major Rogers in 1755, when he built Fort Wentworth in Northumberland, near the mouth of the Upper Ammonoosuc river. On that occasion detachments from various companies were assigned to Major Rogers for that purpose, and we predict that the name of Emmons Stockwell will be found in some Massachusetts company, as he was a resident of that state. Then, too, young Stockwell, and even Edwards Bucknam, another young man of Petersham, in the employment of David Page, may have hunted in the " Upper Coos Meadows." At all events it was from the knowledge these young men had of the country that led Page to secure a charter for it, and enter into the scheme for its settlement. Knowing how desirous Governor Wentworth was to grant charters, and lay the whole country under the rule of the king, Page and his followers were encouraged to ask for a charter of the rich meadows, which was no sooner asked for than granted. In fact, many of the governor's warmest friends were among the grantees. Without any previous survey of the lands, the governor, probably with the assistance, and at least by the suggestion, of his petitioners, blocked out a township of certain arbitrary dimensions, to contain a definite number of acres, and granted it under the name of Lan- caster. This grant was supposed to cover all the broad meadows, now in Lancaster, and known as the " Upper Coos Meadows," and the water power of Isreals river. How arbitrary the grants of towns were can readily be seen by a glance at the plots that were always made out on the backs of the charters, and are now repro- duced in the "State Papers, Vols. 24 and 25, Tow^n Charters." The north line of Lancaster was to be the same as the south line of Stonington, granted to John Hogg and others, Oct. 20, 1761, In consequence of the general ignorance of the governor's petitioners in respect to an unsurveyed country, it happened that the south line of Stonington was some eight or nine miles lower down the river than they supposed, and included all the coveted meadows of the Upper Coos. That threw Lancaster still further south ten miles, upon territory, now included in the towns of Dalton, Whitefield, and Littleton. As granted, and by the description in the charter, Lan- caster was to corner on the Connecticut river a short distance below the mouth of Beaver brook. 6 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. But for the failure of the grantees of the town of Stonington to take possession of their territory and settle upon it, David Page and his followers would have found themselves forced to move off the rich meadows of the present Lancaster, and either content them- selves with the less desirable territory within their grant, or to have sought still another location. The desire of David Page to get as good land as there was within his supposed grant, led him to take possession of the broad meadows, then near the centre of Stoning- ton, under the supposition that he was within his lawful limits. The charter for Lancaster was granted July 5, 1763, and David Page sent his son, David Page, Jr., and Emmons Stockwell to take possession of the territory that same year. Tradition says they came some time in the fall, built a log cabin on the meadows, cut grass, and stacked it to feed their cattle that were to be driven up early the following spring. One tradition says that after accomplishing this task they returned to Massachusetts, and came back with David Page and several other young men the following April to find that the spring freshets had carried their hay off and flooded their cabin. Another tradition says that these two young men remained here all winter and subsisted by hunting and fishing. This latter tradition is the more plausible one, and is probably true. It would seem much more likely that the mistake of locating the Lancaster settlement on the territory granted to the Stonington people was made by these young men coming in advance of the elder Page. They knew something of the country, at least Stock- well did, and as it was supposed that under the charter they were going to take possession of the Coos Meadows, they pitched upon the most valuable lands. That was undoubtedly their instruction from David Page. Then, too, we must consider the fact that these young men would not have the charter to guide them in fixing the bounds of the town. It may be doubted whether David Page, Sr., himself would have done better even with his charter to aid him in fixing upon the bounds of the town. There is no reason to suppose that the grantees of Lancaster intended to dispossess the grantees of Stonington of their valuable territory. The fact that the former found themselves upon the lands of the latter, after a renewed effort had been made by John Hogg and his followers to regain the land they lost by a failure to comply with the terms of their charter, does not convict them of stealing the lands of their more fortunate neighbors, who had received a prior grant of them. That the readers may better judge how easy it was to make mistakes in finding the rightful limits of the towns arbitrarily laid out without a previous survey of them, I will give here the descriptions of the bounds of Stonington that they may be compared with those of Lancaster in the charter which follows : THE LOCATION AND CHARTER OF THE TOWN. 7 Bounds of Stonington. "Beginning at A Maple Tree wliich Stands on the Easterly Side of Connecticut River and is about Thirty Miles on A Straight Line from Ammoiuisek Rivers Mouth and from thence Northerly up Connecticut River as that runs about nine miles on a Strait Line to an Elm marked Standing on the Southerly Side of the mouth of a Small Brook running into Connecticut River & carrying that Breadth Back between two East lines so far as that A Paralell Line to the Strait Line from the Maple afore Said to the Elm afore Said will make the Contents of Six Miles Square and that the same be, and hereby is incorporated into a Township by the name of Stonington." [State Papers, Vol. 25, p. 394-] Taking Cargill brook in Northumberland as the small brook referred to here, we would have a distance of nine miles to the point I have designated as the intended northwestern corner of Lancaster. LANCASTER CHARTER. " Province of New-Hampshire. Lancaster GEORGE, the third < P. S. S By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, ^ >.^v^ ' Defender of the Faith &c. To all Persons to whom these Presents shall come. Greeting, Know ye, tiiat We of our special Grace, certain knowledge, and meer Motion, for the due Encouragement of settling a New Plantation within our said Province, by and with the Advice of our Trusty and Well-beloved Benning Wentworth, Esqr; Our Governor and Commander in Chief of Our said Province of New Hampshire in New England, and of our Council of the said Province ; Have, upon the Conditions and Reservations herein after made, given and granted, and by these Presents, for us. our Heirs, and Successors, do give and grant in equal Shares, unto Our loving Subjects, Inhabitants of Our said Province of New- Hampshire, and Our other Governments, and to their Heirs and Assigns for ever, whose Names are entered on this Grant, to be divided to and amongst them into Seventy Six equal Shares, all that Tract or Parcel of Land situate, lying and being within our said Province oi New-Hampshire, containing by admeasurement Twenty three Thousand & Forty Acres, which Tract is to contain six Miles square, and no more ; out of which an Allowance is to be made for High Ways and unimprovable Lands by Rocks, Ponds, Mountains and Rivers, One Thousand and Forty acres free, according to a Plan and Survey thereof, made by our said Governors's Order, and returned into the Secretary's Office, and hereunto an- nexed, butted and bounded as follows, Viz. Beginning at a Stake & Stones standing on bank of the Easterly side of Connecticut River, which is the South Westerly Corner bounds of Stonington, thence running South fifty five Deg' East seven Miles by Stonington To the South Easterly corner thereof, then turning off & Runing South Sixty nine Deg^ West Ten Miles, then turning off again & Runing North twenty six Degrees West to Connecticut River thence up the River as that tends to the Stake & stones first above Mentioned the Bounds begun at And that the same be, and hereby is incorporated into a Township by the Name of Lancaster And the Inhabitants that do or shall hereafter inhabit the said Town- ship, are hereby declared to be Enfranchized with and entitled to all and every the Privileges and Immunities that Towns within Our Province by Law Exercise and Enjoy : And other further, that the said Town as soon as there shall be Fifty Families resident and settled thereon, shall have the Liberty of holding Two Fairs, one of which shall be held on And the other on the annually, which Fairs are not to confine longer than the respective following the said ^ and that as 8 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. soon as said Town shall consist of Fifty Families, a Market may be opened and kept one or more Days in each Week, as may be thought most advai,tagious to the Inhabitants. Also, that the first meeting for the Choice of Town Officers, agreable to the Laws of our said Province, shall be held on the first Tuesday in August next which said Meeting shall be Notified by Uavid Page who is hereby also appointed the Moderator of the said first Meeting, which he is to Notify and Govern agreable to the Laws and Customs of Our said Province ; and that the annual Meeting for ever hereafter for the Choice of such Officers for the said Town, shall be on the Second Tuesday of March annually, To Have and to Hold the said Tract of Land as above expressed, together with all Privileges and Appurtenances, to them and their respective Heirs and Assigns forever, upon the following conditions, viz. I. That every Grantee, his Heirs or Assigns shall plant and cultivate five Acres of Land within the Term of five Years for every fifty Acres contained in his or their Share or Proportion of Land in said Township, and continue to improve and settle the same by additional Cultivation, on Penalty of the Forfeiture ol his Grant or Share in the said Township, and of its reverting to Us, our Heirs and Suc- cessors, to be by Us or Them Re-granted to such of Our Subjects as shall eflec- tually settle and cultivate the same. II. That all white and other Pine Trees within the said Township, fit for Mast- ing Our Royal Navy, be carefully preserved for that Use, and none to be cut or felled without Our special License for so doing first had and obtained, upon the Penalty of the Forfeiture of the Right of such Grantee, his Heirs and Assigns, to Us, our Heirs and Successors, as well as being subject to the Penalty of any Act or Acts of Parliament that now are, or hereafter shall be Enacted. III. That before any Division of the Lands be made to and among the Grantees, a Tract of Land as near the Centre of said Township as the Land will admit of, shall be reserved and marked out for Town Lots, one of each shall be allotted to each Grantee of the Contents of one Acre. IV. Yielding and paying therefor to Us, our Heirs and Successors for the Space of ten Years, to be computed from the Date hereof, the Rent of one Ear of Indian Corn only, on the twenty-fifth Day of December annually, if lawfully demanded, the first Payment to be made on the twenty-fifth Day of December, 1763. V. Every Proprietor, Settler or Inhabitant, shall yield and pay unto Us, our Heir and Successors yearly, and every year forever, from and after the Expiration of ten years from the abovesaid twenty-fifth Day of December, namely, on the twenty-fifth day of December, which will be in the Year of Our Lord 1773 One Shilling Proclamation Money for every Hundred Acres he so owns, settles or pos- sesses, and so in Proportion for a greater or lesser Tract of the said Land ; which Money shall be paid by the respective Persons abovesaid, their Heirs or Assigns, in our Council Chamber in Portsmouth, or to such Officer or Officers as sliall be appointed to receive the same ; and tliis is to be in Lieu of all other Rents and Services whatsoever. In Testimony whereof we have caused the Seal of our said Province to be here- unto affixed. Witness Benning Wentworth, Esq; Our Governor and Com- mander in Chief of Our Province, the Fifth Day of July in the Year of our Lord Christ, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty three and in the Third Year of Our Reign. B. Wentworth — By His Excellency's Command, With Advice of Council, T. Atkinson Jun*- SeC? Province of New Hamp' July 6 1763 Recorded according to the original under the Provincial Seal m T. Atkinson Jun"- Sec'? Plan of Town on Back of Charter, with Na.mes of Grantees. THE LOCATION AND CHARTER OF THE TOWN. The Names of the Grantees Lancaster, — David Page David Page Jun' Abraham Byaur Reuben Stone John Grout John Grout Jun' Jonathan Grout Solomon Willson Joseph Stoweli Joseph Page William Dagget Isaac Ball Solomon Fay Jotham Death John Sanders Elisha Crossby Luke Lincoln David Lawson Silas Rice Thos Carter Ephraim Sterns James Read Timothy Whitney Thomas Rice John Sawyer John Wait Samuel Marble Joseph Marble Jonathan Houghton John Rogers Abner Holden Stanton Printice Benj" Willson Stephen Emes John Phelps William Page Nathaniel Page John Warden Silas Bennit Thomas Shattock Ephraim Shattock Silas Shattock Isreal Hale Isreal Hale Jun"" Daniel Hale William Read Benj" Baxter Math'' Thornton Esq And'' Wiggins Esq"" Mesech Weare Esq' Maj"" John Tolford Benj» Man Daniel Miles Thomas Rogers John Duncan Nathaniel Smith Charles How Daniel Searles Isaac Wood Nathaniel Richardson Ebenezer Blunt John Herriman Ephraim Noyce Benjamin Sawyer Hon : Jos*' Newmarch Nath* Barrel Daniel Warner James Nevin J Rev"! Mr. Joshua Wing'* Weeks & Benj" Stevens Esq"^ His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq' a Tract of Land to Contain Five Hundred Acres as Marked B — W— in the Plan which is to be Accounted two of the within shares. One whole share for the Incorporated Society for the Propaga- tion of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, One Share for a Glebe for the Church of England as by Law Established, One Share for the first settled Minister of the Gospel & one Share for the benefit of a school in said Town Province of New Hamp' July 6*'^ 1763 Recorded from the Back of the original Charter of Lancester under the Provincial Seal f) T. Atkinson Jun"" Sec'^^ lO HISTORY OF LANCASTER. :? Pro' of New Hampr July 6 1763 Recorded from the Back of the original Charter of Lancaster under the Pro Seal T. Atkinson Jun"" Sec^y [Additions to the town were made at subsequent times. Barker's Location was added to it June 22, 1819. A portion of Stark was annexed December 4, 1840, and a portion of Kilkenny December 15, 1842. State Papers, 21;, (Vol. IL) 187.] It was a piece of unheard-of boldness on the part of Gov^ernor Wentworth, and his council, to parcel out a large, unsurveyed terri- tory among so many townships, by simply starting at a certain kind of tree — maple or elm — or a stake and a pile of stones, or a bend in the river. The country, with its maple and elm trees, bends in the river, and stakes and stone-piles, was as unfamiliar to "Governor Page" and his followers as it was to Governor Wentworth and council who un- dertook the foolish task of parcelling it out on almost imaginary lines.* The arbitrariness of the procedure was at the root of many, *In 1760, Governor Wentworth commissioned Joseph Blanchard, of Dunstable, N. H., to make a survey of the Connecticut River, in which he was to mark trees, or plant stakes on both sides of the stream every six miles to serve as corners of town- LANCASTER. 1 1 if not all, the conflicts between the towns with respect to their boundaries. Aside from the matter of the boundary of the town- ship the terms of the charter were very liberal and reasonable. The proprietors were not hampered in any respect save the restriction in regard to making use of, or destroying, such timbers as were suitable for masts in his royal highness's navy. Even that restriction was not a grievious one, for there was more good timber beside such as the king reserved than they knew what to do with. If traditions and estimates are to be relied upon at all, the first settlers rolled millions of feet of good pine timber into the rivers to get rid of it with the least trouble possible. The lands were all heavily timbered, and until within the memory of men still living the choicest of pine was to be found in Lancaster. His majesty never got any ship masts or other ship timbers from Lancaster, for within a dozen years of the settlement of the town his subjects rebelled against his rule and annulled his rights and took things into their own hands ; and none of his subjects exceeded his Lancaster settlement in doing things their own way. In fact from the very inception of the town, though preserving the form of obedience to the royal government, they were among the most democratic people on this continent. Many of them hailed from Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, towns where the spirit of true democracy was seen, and manifested, at its best. They were a sturdy, thrifty, and law-abiding people who settled this town. While they loved liberty above everything else they yet had a due regard for law and good order. They were neither ad- venturers nor speculators who came here and erected log cabins and lived contentedly in them. They were home-seekers and home- builders, and in building homes they helped to lay the foundation of that greater structure of which we are so proud — the nation. CHAPTER III. LANCASTER. The town of Lancaster is situated in Coos county, in the northern part of New Hampshire. It lies along the Connecticut river a dis- tance of more than ten miles, running back on its northeasterly line ships to be surveyed from them. This task was performed on the ice in the month o£ March, from No. 4, (now Charlestown) to the north-east corner of Newbury, Vt. During the next year, and in the same manner, Hughbastis Neel began where Blanchard left off and continued the survey as far as the north end of the " Upper Coos," which probably was at a point near where Maidstone, in Vermont, and Northumberland in New Hampshire, meet. It was the custom of Governor Wentworth to take these marked trees or stakes as starting-point and block out his projected townships, two tiers deep on both sides of the river. Such a method was as full of difficulties as the river was full of bends, and made the settlers no small amount of trouble in the division of their town lands. 12 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. seven miles, and on its southeasterly line ten miles, and its southerly line is two and a half miles. As originally designed it was to con- tain six square miles. It is bounded on the north by Northumber- land, and Kilkenny, east by Kilkenny, south by the towns of Jeffer- son, Whitefield, and Dalton, and on the west by the Connecticut river, the west bank of the river being the boundary. The town consists in the main part of fine meadows lying on the Connecticut river and Isreals river, and what the early settlers called " upland." Beginning with the first river terrace the " up- lands " slope gradually up to the foot of the hills, which rise rap- idly into quite high hills, or mounts, the highest of which is Mount Prospect on the southerly line of the town. This mount reaches an altitude of 2,090 feet and affords a very fine view of the surrounding country for many miles. It is easy of ascent, as a good road was some years ago built up its northerly slope to a hotel erected on its summit. Mount Pleasant just south of the village and Mount Orne — the three being known as the " Martin Meadow Hills" — are the highest hills in the town ; but these are not very high, nor are they so steep but good farms have been cleared almost to their summits. The Connecticut river has a fall of less than two feet in more than ten miles of a course along the western bounds of the town. The main elevation of the town is about 900 feet above sea-level. South Lancaster has an elevation of 867 feet and Lancaster village (Main street) 870 feet. Isreals river has quite a rapid descent for about two miles before entering the Connecticut river, affording three good water-powers within the limits of the village. The Isreals river valley (East Lancaster) comprises a river-basin on the level of the second terrace of the Connecticut of about thirty-six feet. In the south part of the town is Martin Meadow pond, covering an area of about one hundred and fifty acres. Near by it, to the eastward, is another pond known as Blood pond. Beside Baker pond and Spot pond, two small ponds within the village limits, these are the only ponds in the town. There are no swamps of any considerable extent in the town. What few there are are so situated as to be easily drained, and converted into fertile meadows. From a scenic point of view Lancaster is one of the most beauti- ful sections of New Hampshire. It is completely encircled by mountains, and its surface sufficiently varied to present to the eye one of the most pleasing landscapes. The outlines of the landscape are bold, yet even in their curves. The shadings of mountains, hills, and forests are varied in degree. From any eminence one looks down upon fine farms, neat buildings, with the village nesthng at the foot of Bunker Hill and Mount Pleasant. The earliest settlers were not slow to recognize the beauty of the LANCASTER. I 3 scenery, and generally their houses were located so that the outlook was the best afforded upon their lands. Many of them sought to enhance the beauty of the scenery by planting trees about their premises, and along the village streets and highways. Many of the giant elms that line our streets and along the highways were planted a century and over ago. The geological formation of the town (described in Part II) gives it a pleasing surface. In contrast with its rocky hillsides lay the beautiful diluvial meadows, possessing a wonderful degree of fer- tility. The " uplands " are fertile also, and capable of profitable cultivation with the exception of certain slopes where the glaciers deposited vast quantities of the coarsest rubble. These hillsides, however rough, afford good pastures, and are generally utilized as such. The rocks are of such formations that their gradual disinte- gration adds elements of fertility to the soil. The agricultural and grazing importance of the town is not excelled by that of any other town in the northern portion of the state. The entire intervale of the Connecticut river above the Fif- teen-mile Falls was once the bed of a lake through which the river ran, as it now does through the Connecticut lake. The basin-like arrangement of the surface, surrounded by the high rim of moun- tains, affords shelter from the strong and prevailing winds in 4D0th summer and winter. While the winter temperature goes very low, sometimes reaching from thirty-six to forty degrees below zero, there is very little wind accompanying the fall of temperature. The air is dry and calm during these cold turns. The summer tempera- ture often exceeds ninety degrees. It occasionally reaches ninety- six or ninety-eight. The average temperature is one very favorable to vegetative growth, consequently good crops are raised in fields and gardens, and a rank growth of wild plants and forest trees occurs every year. As in other places in this latitude, frost is sometimes seen nearly every month of the season ; and not infrequently the late severe frosts of the spring retard planting if they do not injure crops, yet the growth is so rapid that late planting does not necessarily indi- cate danger of injury from the frosts of the fall. In the early years of the settlement of the town, frosts sometimes destroyed whole crops. Now, and for many years past, the like of it is unknown, and well-matured crops are the rule. The fertility of the soil was so great at the time of the settlement of the town that it was thought manure was uncalled for, and it was thrown into the river as offering the easiest means of getting rid of it; but continuous cropping for many years convinced the people of their errors, and now not only barnyard manures, but the com- mercial fertilizers, are extensively used, and to the best advantage. 14 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. This section had long been a favorite hunting-ground of the Indians when first discovered by the white hunters, who penetrated far beyond the settlements early in the eighteenth century. There is no evidence to show that any permanent settlements of Indians, or clearings by them, ever existed. The long winters and short summers did not invite the shiftless Indian to a point so far from the more congenial localities with which he was acquainted, except on hunting excursions. It is doubtful if any of them ever tried to spend the winters here. There is abundant evidence that they were in the habit of passing through the Connecticut river valley spring and fall to hunt and fish. They no doubt had temporary camps at various points along what they called " Quinne-attuck-auke," or "Long-deer-place" (the Connecticut river). There was a trail from the headwaters of the St. Francis river in Canada to the headwaters of the Connecticut river, and down the latter to Isreals river (called by them Siwoog-a-nock), where a branch trail passed through the White Mountain Notch to Pickwa- qet (Conway — Pigwaket) on the Saco river. The main trail down the Connecticut was intersected by a branch of the White Mountain Notch trail, near the mouth of the Ammonoosuc river, and thence the main trail continued down the Connecticut through " Lower Coos," to the various settlements along that river. They left but few relics behind them. Once in a while the plow of the white man has turned up an arrow-point or a rude stone hatchet. These were lost in hunting. There were never found any ruins of villages, or burial grounds, in the limits of the town. In the spring of 1894 a freshet washed out a cache of arrow-points on the meadows, on the Vermont side of the river, just above the Union, or South Lancaster, bridge. These had no doubt been hidden for use on some subsequent trip to the place by an Indian hunter who failed either to find them, or to return on a proposed hunting-trip. At that point it is said they were accustomed to remain for a time to make, or mend, boats on their hunting-trips along the river. The only relic of importance that has ever been found in Lancaster was a very curiously carved dish turned up by a plow in working the road just east of Prospect Farm, owned by George P. Rowell of New York. This interesting dish was badly broken by the plow that turned it up, and no effort was made to save the fragments. From the de- scription of it there can be little doubt that it was the product of more skilful hands than those of the tribes known to have laid claim to the lands of " Upper Coos." All the Indians known to have frequented this section of country were Algonquins. They were known by various tribal names, but were of the same stock. Northern New Hampshire was held by LANCASTER. 1 5 Abenaquis and Taratines, residing for the most part on the Penob- scot, Saco, and Piscataqua rivers. Those on the Penobscot river were known by that name, while those on the Saco were called Pickwaqets. Those residing on the Androscoggin (Aneriscogin) river were known by the euphonious name of Arosagontacooks (St. Francis tribe). These were local names applied to them by the settlers who had imperfect knowledge of them. The Connecticut river valley and Vermont was claimed by both the Abenaquis and Iroquois, as their rightful hunting-ground. The Abenaquis and Mohawks (Iroquois) were bitter enemies of each other, and were in constant hostilities. That may, in a measure, account for the very slender hold the Abenaquis had upon this sec- tion of the country, and failed to develop permanent settlements in it. Both nations hunted in the disputed territory, and neither held it by occupation or abode. After many contests with the colonists in Massachusetts and the southern part of New Hampshire the various tribes of the Abenaquis nation being either destroyed, or rendered peaceful in the main, their incorrigibles and outcasts found a refuge with the St. Francis tribe in Canada, from whence they continued their attacks upon the frontier settlements. During that period this medley St. Francis tribe made the Coos country their highway from their stronghold at the mouth of the St. Francis river to the settle- ments of English in New Hampshire. This lasted for a period of more than fifty years, and was encouraged by the French occupants of Canada who were glad to beat back the tide of English settle- ments by means of exciting the Indians to depredations of the most diabolical sort. Their threats, and their known evil character, pre- vented the settlement of the country long known in the older settle- ments by the names of " Cohoss " and " Moose Meadow." Among the St. Francis tribe thus feared were outlaws from King Phillip's bands, the tribes once led by Paugus, Massaudowit, Kan- cauragus, and Wahawa. The vicious character of these outlaws was well known, and led old pioneers to look upon them as the sum of all evil aggravated by French intermeddling. They delayed the set- tlement of Coos county by half a century, and would not then have yielded to the English occupancy of the country but for the chastise- ment they received at the hands of Major Rogers's Rangers. After the French and Indian War had been in progress for some time, and Crown Point had fallen into the hands of the English and was strongly fortified, General Amherst determined upon proper punishment of the Indians. Among other very important steps taken by him for the future safety of the settlements on the frontier was the sending of Major Rogers, in command of a small force of his famous Rangers, to destroy the village of St. Francis and punish the Indians. i6 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. He marched against the place and on the morning of October 6th, 1759, led an assault upon the village in which every Indian except a few women and children was slain. The Rangers found more than six hundred scalps that had been taken in their assaults upon the frontier settlements, or lonely hunters who had ventured into the forests in pursuit of game and furs. From that time on, the St. Francis tribe of outlaws never recovered the loss they sustained at the hands of Rogers's Rangers. From that time the Coos country became a safe place for hunting, and soon was open to settlement, as we shall see. It does not appear that there was ever any conflict between the whites and the Indians in the limits of Lancaster. It never became necessary to erect a garrison, or fortify the houses against the Indians. Not even during the Revolutionary War did the Indians commit any depredations upon the settlers in Lancaster, while in other places they were a source of much danger and annoyance. There were frequent alarms spread through this and other settlements, and on several occasions the little bands of brave, men and women were brought to the resolution to quit the country when some one of more courage than the rest would shame, or persuade, them into remain- ing. The most important reminders of the Indian occupants, or rather claimants, of this territory, are the names they gave to the country, its streams and mountains, animals and plants; and yet these have been almost supplanted by names given by the white settlers. The Anglo-Saxon has but little regard for aboriginal names. His apt imagination and self-assurance lead him to invent and apply names to localities with an aptitude never quite equalled by the American Indians. His new names supplant the aboriginal ones so readily as to cause them to be almost forgotten in a single decade. Such was the case in Lancaster. When the whites did attempt to preserve and use the Indian names they corrupted their spelling and pronunciation so as to completely change them. The Indians gave the name of " Coo-ash-auke," to the meadows at Haverhill and Lancaster. As their names always had some definite meaning there has been a difference of interpretation of this name. A very early interpretation of " Coo-ash-auke," and one very gener- ally accepted by the earlier writers, is '* the-crooked-place." This meaning had the very plausible facts of the great bends or " ox- bows " and " cat-bows" as they were called, to sustain it. To that class of interpreters the terms of "Lower" and "Upper Coos," soon came to mean the lower and upper bends in the river. The similarity of the bends in the river and the fact that they were early known as " Lower," and " Upper Coos," was taken to mean lower and upper bends, or " crooked-places " to follow the Indian idiom. A later interpretation of " Coo-ash-auke " gives it the Original Town Pocketbook. LANCASTER. 1 7 equally possible meaning of " Pine-tree-place," or place of pines. That these intervales were covered with giant pines to the river's edge admits of no doubt. It has been asked, — " Were there not pines all along the rivers? " There were, and the evidences of it remain to this day. I do not attempt to settle this mooted question. The reader must do that for himself until we have a final authority to which we can appeal, if such is possible. This name has been greatly corrupted in the spelling. What seems to have been the first corruption of " Coo-ash-auke " was " Cowasse." Later this was shortened into "Cowass;" then the spelling was changed to " Kohass ; " still later we meet with " Cohas," " Coas," " Cohos," " Cohoss," " Cooss," "Coo-ash," and finally shortened down to " Coos," which we cannot help regarding as a mistake. Either '* Cohos " or " Co-ash " would have been a more euphonious sound than our present " Coos." The name given to the Connecticut river was " Quinne-attuck- auke " — the long-deer-place — from which our form of spelling was easily derived. Our Isreals river they called " Siwoog-a-nock," the meaning of which seems to have been lost at a very early date. The present name is in honor of one Isreal Glines, as before stated, who hunted and trapped on the stream at a very early period. He had his camp on the stream for some time while his brother John had a camp on the present John's river running through Whitefield and Dalton. As near as can now be ascertained at this time they were here some time between 1740 and 1752. When John Stark was captured by the St. Francis Indians on Baker's river in 1752, and carried to Canada along the Connecticut river trail, he relates that they camped on Johns river and hunted beaver, indicating that the name had attached to the stream long enough to have become known to him before the time of his capture. The Indian name of the Ammonoosuc river was " Namoas-auke," — " Fish-place." The change to our present form of spelling was a simple one. The spruce they called " hackmatack," larch was " tamarack," and mountain ash, " moose-missic." These names were retained by the whites for a time until they became familiar with the com- mon names of the trees, when their Indian names were dropped. The same was no doubt true of many other names of things. 3 1 8 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. CHAPTER IV. THE SETTLEMENT OF LANCASTER. Lancaster was settled by a company of people from Massachu- setts in the year 1763, instead of the petitioners of the governor and Assembly from the older settlements in the southern part of the province of New Hampshire. For more than a decade Governor Wentworth and the Assembly had been urged by New Hampshire men to open up the " Cohoss Country " to settlement. The gov- ernor was, indeed, willing to grant their requests, but the Assembly would not agree with him in his policy of granting new townships so far beyond the frontier settlements. As early as 1748, Governor Wentworth, in the spirit of avarice, which was one of his chief characteristics, began his policy of grant- ing charters for new towns on both sides of the Connecticut river. His grants of charters were so numerous that soon there were not enough actual setUers to occupy the new townships, which led to speculation in the lands of the towns by absentee holders of rights in many of them. Such was the case in Lancaster, as we shall see later ; and it was a source of no small trouble to many of the actual settlers whose burdens were often gready enhanced by the failure of non-resident landholders to develop their lands, and bear an equitable share of the burdens of taxation, as we shall see in the course of this narrative. The active ones among the original proprietors and settlers of Lancaster were Massachusetts men. Some were interested in the scheme of settlement in the hope of gaining lands upon which to build homes for themselves and their children, while others were merely speculative holders of lands from which they hoped to reap a rich gain as the community should become prosperous. The land was a gift, costing nothing in the first disposal of it, and the conditions upon which it was to be held were so easily complied with that it invited speculation. The leading spirit among the first settlers was David Page of Petersham, Massachusetts. He was, in 1761, a grantee of Haver- hill, where he was assigned several lots, none of which suited him. He abandoned his rights in that town and returned to his former home in Massachusetts to brood over his fancied wrongs in the allotment of the fertile lands of " Cohoss Meadows," as the place was then called. Page was a real pioneer, and had come to enter- tain hopes of identifying himself with some prosperous new town. Perhaps he was not without an ambition to promote and maintain his importance to such new community, for we find that for some reason he became known as " Governor Page," an epithet that must THE SETTLEMENT OF LANCASTER. 1 9 have been bestowed upon him because a natural leader among the proprietors and settlers. There was residing in Petersham a young man by the name of Emmons Stockwell, who was, in some way, connected with Rogers's Rangers in that famous raid upon the village of St. Francis, which crushed the power of the French and Indians in the northern section, and made it safe to undertake the planting of new settle- ments so far from the garrisoned ones farther south. It is probable that young Stockwell was in the company that had been sent from Crown Point to convey provisions to the mouth of the upper Ammonoosuc river for the relief of Rogers's men on their return from St. Francis. In that event he would have marched up to Fort Wentworth and returned along the Connecticut river, afford- ing him a good chance to see the advantages offered in the " Upper Cohoss." At all events, the knowledge young Stockwell had of this section of country, so rich in fine meadow and uplands, fine streams and abundant timber, served to make him a valuable assistant to David Page in founding the town of Lancaster. Procuring a charter from Governor Wentworth, in company with sixty-nine others, the next year after abandoning his claims in Haverhill, David Page sent his son, David Page, Jr., and Emmons Stockwell, who acted in the capacity of guide, to the " Upper Coos," in the latter part of the summer of 1763. It was the intention of David Page that these two young men should select good lots of land, and erect some sort of shelter against his coming, early the following spring. These two young men blazed a track from Haverhill to Lancaster, as they proceeded through the dense forests, for the guidance of those who should follow them the next spring. They pitched on the table-lands on the rear of the Holton home- stead, where the " cellar-hole " of their house is still to be seen. They built here, of logs, the first house occupied by white men in town. This house remained for many years, and was pulled down by Mr. Holton, within the memory of many persons now living. He also dug up a large tree near it, that was its " shade," and beneath which the first weary settlers rested, and the first children born in town used to play. They subsisted by hunting and fishing through their first winter, which must have been a lonely and long one for them, separated by fifty miles from the nearest settlement at Haverhill. They were no doubt cheered by the hope that their friends would join them in the spring; and in this they were not disappointed, for on the 19th of April, 1764, David Page, in company with Edwards Bucknam, Timothy Nash, and George Wheeler, landed here, bringing with them twenty head of catde, and other things essential to the hard 20 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. task of winning a livelihood from an untamed region. David Page is the only one of the first settlers who brought a family, or portions of their families, here that year. His daughter, Ruth, came with him from Petersham, Mass., in August, arriving here on the 26th of that month, to enjoy the distinction of being the first white woman to set foot upon the soil of her father's new township. The wife of David Page came here at some subsequent time, of which we have no exact knowledge. It has been often said that she did not reside in Lancaster, but that is evidently not true, as there are in existence letters of the year 1782, that refer to her departure from Lancaster, her passage down the Connecticut river in a canoe, and her resi- dence and death at Winchester. (Whether Winchester, N. H., or Winchester in Massachusetts, is not certain, though the former is probably the one meant.)* Ruth Page was only about eighteen years of age when she started with her father for Lancaster, over three hundred miles away, and some fifty miles beyond the nearest settlement. The fact that within a year of her arrival in Lancaster she became the wife of young Stockwell, lends color to the supposition that she must have known and entertained a warm affection for him. At all events, she would hear no arguments against her undertaking so long a journey, and leaving behind her all the benefits of civilized life, for life in a cabin in the wilderness. Be that as it may, her presence and in- fluence did much for the settlement. She and Edwards Bucknam, who came with her father in the spring, did more to give shape and character to the settlement than any, or all others, of the first settlers. She was the embodiment of all female qualities essential to pioneer life ; and she left her characteristics and personality stamped, not only upon her own descendants, who were numerous, but upon the entire settlement. She was a Avoman of action, full of courage and hope. With a determination that knew no such word ^.•~,fail, she filled the hours and days so full of toil and song, that there was no time to be lonesome. Her example had a wonderful influence upon the other members of the settlement. While Ruth Page was a source of inspiration and cheerfulness to the settlement, Edwards Bucknam was, in his sphere, the most uni- versal genius of the settlement. There was little, if indeed anything, that needed doing in a new settlement that Bucknam could not, and did not, do. No other man, at any time in the history of the town, has exerted so powerful an influence as he did. He adapted him- self to his situation in a masterly manner, helping, in many ways, the prosperity of the new settlement. He kept the first stock of * In "Hammond's Town Papers," Vol. XII, pp. 351-361, is found a petition from David Page to Governor Wentwortli, for more land, in which he alleges that he brought his own family to Lancaster. His will is dated at Lancaster, in the county of Grafton, state of New Hampshire, November 13, 1778, in which he refers to himself " of Lan- caster." THE SETTLEMENT OF LANCASTER. 2 1 goods for barter among the settlers ; surveyed their lands ; acted as clerk to the proprietors, and later for the town ; was the first justice of the peace ; acted as scout in times when the Indians threatened the peace of the settlement ; built the first roads that allowed the passage of loaded teams from Haverhill to Lancaster ; was a safe •and constant advisor of his neighbors on all manner of subjects, and ■at all times. He was often unmindful of opportunities for self- advancement and gain when he could serve his neighbors. He was always trusted by his neighbors as one of the most reliable of men, nor was their confidence ever imposed upon. His public actions and neighborly relations were always above criticism. Of his early life little is known beyond the fact that he was born in Athol, Mass., June 21, 1 741, of English parentage; and that he married Susannah Page, a daughter of David Page. Until the time of his death, March 20th, 181 3, at the age of 72, his life bore relations to about every- thing in the history of Lancaster, as we shall see in the progress of our narrative. Until Parson Willard arrived, he performed all the marriage ceremonies of the town and region. Not so much can be said of David Page, although the real pro- jector and founder of the settlement. While he possessed, in a large measure, the spirit of the pioneer, he was not destined to be the masterly personality that should stamp itself upon the settle- ment. His time was, more or less, divided between interests here and in Petersham, Mass., where he owned a farm, which he, how- ever, sold to Charles Ward Apthorpe of Bloomingdale Island, N. Y., a speculator, to whom he also sold ten full rights of land in Lan- caster in 1766. Page was badly involved in debt most of the time, and often drawn into litigation. His business transactions seem to have not always been either wise or fair. Be that as it may, he never seemed to have become the controlling spirit he desired to be in the settlement. His five children, however, as well as his brother and a nephew, held honest places in the town, and were among the most trustworthy of its citizens. David Page was the owner of much land in Lancaster, and Lunenburg, Vt., in the chartering of which latter town he was also concerned. He is credited with hav- ing built the first frame house in Lancaster. Certain!}' he was an enterprising man, full of business ventures, and not without the refinements and social graces of his time. His services to Lancaster were valuable, even if his personality was not accepted as the con- trolling spirit among the settlers. He was a selectman from 1769 until 1776. He was designated and given power in the charter to call the first meeting and preside as moderator. The proprietors' records having been lost in the burning of Edwards Bucknam's house, we have no knowledge of what relation he sustained to the settlement previous to 1769. 22 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Timothy Nash and George Wheeler seem to have never come into any prominence in the settlement. The former did, however, discover the old Indian pass through the White Mountains, now known as the " White Mountain Notch," in the year 1771, while on a hunting trip. Having tracked a moose up one of the rivulets he was led near the highest point of land, and eagerly climbed a tree for a longer view of the rocky defile. Satisfied that he had dis- covered the pass affording the shortest route to Portland he confided his discovery to a hunter by the name of Sawyer. These two soon appeared before Governor Wentworth and made known to him the discovery ; and in his spirit of liberality the governor rewarded them by the grant of a tract of land since known as " Nash and Sawyer's Location." In this manner, Timothy Nash has left a memorial of himself for all time. Wheeler appears only a few^ times on the records of the town, or its landholders, and then as a common laborer, or renter of the lands of others. He held a lease on a certain portion of the famous "Cat-Bow" tract in the southern part of the town in consideration of having cleared the land, after which he disappears from the notice of both public and private records so far as we can learn. Such were the first little band of settlers who broke the primeval forest, and tamed the soil, and were the nucleus of a town peculiar in its situation and history for more than a century. In addition to what young Page and Emmons Stockwell did through the winter of 1763 in clearing land, the settlers were able to plant a crop of twelve acres of corn the first season on the meadows. Their corn did well, and promised an abundant crop until on the night of August 26th, when a frost killed it. They report that this first crop raised in town "stood twelve feet high, was eared out, and in the milk " on that date. This was to them the greatest dis- couragement that ever befell the little company. There seemed nothing left for them to do but to abandon the place. Their entire dependence for bread was swept away in a single night; and the season was too far spent to hope to retrieve their losses by planting any other crops that year. It happened that on the day preceding this destructive frost, David Page had returned from Petersham accompanied by his resolute daughter, Ruth, then a girl of about eighteen years of age. She proved to be of inestimable value to the disheartened settlers. After all hands had agreed to abandon the place she refused to accede to their judgment, and begged them to remain and try again to make good their determination to establish a community of their own. Half persuaded, half ashamed of their timidity in the presence of that brave girl who had given up so much to share their lot with them, they reluctantly agreed to risk their all and remain another year. THE SETTLEMENT OF LANCASTER. 23 But for the earnest pleadings of that girl against the judgment and fears of the six men comprising the settlement, the history of the " Upper Coos" would have been a different story than the narrative we shall trace through more than a century and a quarter. Knowing that great hardships were in waiting for them through a long winter, they gave themselves resolutely to the task of wresting a living from the forests. They managed, however, to subsist on game together with such roots and berries as they found palatable. One can scarcely imagine a company of people going into one of our long winters, more than fifty miles from the nearest settlement, without the semblance of food in their cabins, and forced to rely upon the flesh of wild animals from day to day for subsistence. Young Page and Stockwell had, however, demonstrated the possibility of such a thing by subsisting for nearly a year in that manner. They were re-enforced by Edwards Bucknam, who, if he was not then, afterwards became, one of the most expert moose-hunters in this region. Nash, too, must have been something of a hunter and adventurer, for we find him chasing moose in the "White Mountain Notch" in 1771. Fortunately for the settlers that winter this region abounded in moose, and other game and fur-bearing animals. Then the streams abounded in fish of the best quality, easily taken in the spring. The Connecticut river then teemed with salmon every spring, and the settlers soon came to look to it as a source of supply in meat. The fine flavor of the salmon must have afforded them a pleasant change from moose and bear meat to which they would be confined for the greater part of the year. We must not forget, however, that David Page brought with him in April, twenty head of stock, and during the summer added twenty more. They must have had milk in abundance ; and in case of necessity could have dressed and eaten their cattle. The only wonder is, how they subsisted so long on a flesh diet without bread or vegetables. They were probably but little worse off than other settlers in the nearest settlements, as the great frost extended as far south as Massachusetts. Their cattle wintered well and everything assumed a promising aspect in the spring of 1765. They planted again, but reaped a scanty harvest, that, and the succeeding year ; but the next year, their fourth year of effort was crowned by a most abundant harvest. From then to the present time no season has passed that has not yielded enough to feed the people. Some seasons, as we shall see later, were less bountiful than others in the yield of certain crops; but as soon as the people learned to raise a variety of crops, and not trust their all upon a single one, the period of want and uncer- tainty was passed. 24 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Some supplies were brought from Haverhill and Newbury, Vt., during the first decade. The settlers managed to get along for some twenty years without a mill for grinding their grain. They relied upon the use of the pestle and mortar during that time. The mortar was made of a log of hard wood some three feet long, one end of which was hollowed out, and into which the grain would be poured, and beaten with a pestle, which was sometimes of stone, but often of wood, mounted on a spring-pole, either in the yard or one corner of the kitchen. The corn was sometimes hulled by soaking until the hull would burst, when by drying it could easily be separated from the kernels. Sometimes the corn was mixed with beans, or rye, or perhaps both. This mixture was called samp, and was boiled after which it was sometimes baked. It has been thought that this dish was one the whites learned from the Indians the process of making. That may be true ; but all men living under the same circumstances will do similar things. Our ancestors were mote inventive than the Indians, and would have worked their way through difficulties more rapidly. The Anglo-Saxon race never fails to adapt itself to any conditions under which it must live and work out its destiny. These first settlers of Lancaster were a striking proof of this claim. We may- regard their coarse and simple fare with surprise and feel a pity for them ; but it was one best calculated to fit them to their labors. They derived from it the muscular energy that enabled them to perform most herculean tasks ; and they were a healthy class of people because of their simple life. Their coarse and simple food, regular exercise in daily employments and outdoor life, kept them well and strong. For many years the majority of the people lived in log houses, often far from comfortable in their appointments. The year 1765 was spent by the little company of settlers in enlarging their clearing and building more cabins for the shelter of their band. During that year Emmons Stockwell and Ruth Page were married. They rode all the way to Walpole, N. H., in order to find some one authorized to solemnize a marriage. Upon their return Stockwell erected a log cabin on his land which adjoined that of Page on which the first clearing was made. He was a prosperous pioneer, honest, industrious, and frugal, and in every way worthy of the noble wife who was the mother of his fif- teen children. They both lived to a great age, and long enough to see the little settlement grown into a prosperous community. After some years they built a frame house to take the place of their log cabin. That little house is still standing as the L part of the present house on the Stockwell farm, and is the oldest frame build- ing in town. It was out of a window of this buildinc: that Ruth Stockwell THE SETTLEMENT OF LANCASTER. 25 shot a bear one day. Hearing a great noise and commotion among the domestic animals she opened the door and looked out in time to see a large bear prowling about in the yard. She shut the door, took up a loaded gun, and raising the window fired at the bear, severely wounding him. The report of the gun attracted her hus- band from the fields to the house to see what the matter was. Mr. Stockwell finished the bear with a club. Ruth Stockwell's courage never failed her, nor was she ever slow to take every advantage in a difficult situation. Often when her husband was absent she would have sudden and unannounced calls from roving bands of Indians, who would call for food, or to warm themselves beside her hearth ; but never did her suspicions of them give way to alarm, or cause her to show Signs of fear. In her treatment of them she was always kind but firm. If they insisted on remaining through the night she allowed them to do so ; but she required them to give up to her all their weapons which she put away for safe keeping until they were ready to leave, when she would hand them back to their owners, who always departed in peace. Even during the War of the Revo- lution when Mr. Stockwell was away on duty as a scout, these bands of Indians would continue to call at the Stockwell home, sometimes for powwows and dances, often making free use of liquors, but never did they forget the kindness of their host and his brave wife. The British used every means to induce the Indians to harass the frontier settlements ; but not once through the whole long and bitter struggle was the defenceless settlement at Lancaster disturbed. It is creditable to the memory of those noble men and women, that in all those turbulent times they never treated the Indians unkindly, and in turn the Indians refrained from harming them. Justice and mercy will win the good will of even a savage. Thus the sense of justice and humanity in the conduct of these pioneers averted all dangers of attack from the savages. From the earliest years of the settlement, bands of Indians wan- dered through Lancaster, hunting and stopping to traffic with the white settlers. Emmons Stockwell, David Page, and Edwards Bucknam carried on quite a trade with the Indians by which they accumulated considerable stocks of furs which they traded for sup- plies. Among the private papers of Edwards Bucknam, who administered upon the estate of David Page, I find a letter and bill consigning to Page a stock of goods for such traffic : "Boston, January, 1767. '' Mr. David Page, Sir- Agreeable to our conversation I have sent the goods I talked of, of which you have an Invt. to be sold on my account & Risciue. I hope they may sell well among the Indians, & you will take care to send me down to Boston the Neat 26 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Produce of them in Beaver skins as Early in the Spring as possible After deduct- ing charges for certain commissions etc. y Most Hble Servt. W. Molineaux." The inventory referred to in Molineaux's letter is this: " Invt. of Sundry good Delivered to Mr. Saml Jennison to cart to Lancaster in New Hampshire directed for Mr. David Page of Lancaster & these to be sold by him to the Indians & to Receive Beaver in Return on the Propper Risque of W. Molineaux, Mercht in Boston. I grind stone I Doz. Scythes I Doz. Sickles I Doz. Wood Axes 5 Barrs Lead I Bagg Flints for guns lo .VT. iC^ Nails, at 7/ I Whole Barr,i Gun Powder I Cask for do. I Barr,i Rum, 96 gal. at i/g 3 Barr,'» for Do. I P"". Indian Blanketing 1 P=. 30 yards Half thick 2 Russian Saw bans 166 I Barr English steel 16/ £ sh. d. 6 0. n 13 4 16 3 4 0. I 9 0. 5 0. 3 10 0. 7 10 0. 2 8. 8 8 0. 9 0. 6 9 6. 2 9 4- 3 17 5- 8 Lawful money Boston January 1767. £Ai 17 Errors Excepted W. Molineaux." One may well doubt whether Page ever sold the grindstone or any scythes to the Indians; but the blanketing, rum, lead, and powder no doubt found ready conversion into their market value of beaver skins and other furs. Furs were abundant, and large packs of them were carried out on horseback during the first few years, and later " carted " down the Connecticut river on the ice. There were no wagon roads to the Upper Coos when the goods, above referred to, were " delivered to Saml. Jennison to be carted to Lan- caster," for as late as February, 1768, we find the Provincial Assembly dealing with a petition from David Page and others for a road to Upper Coos [Provincial Papers, Vol. 7, pp. 151, 152, 195, 266, and 313]- At the time referred to the settlers used a sort of sled called a " car" for transporting goods on the snow and ice. It was made of two long poles dressed thin enough at a particular distance from the butt ends to allow the slender ends to bend up and answer for shafts by which the vehicle was drawn by a horse. Knees and cross-bars bored into the portion of poles resting upon the surface, THE SETTLEMENT OF LANCASTER. 2 J allowed the load to be adjusted high enough to pass over ordinary obstruction met with on the ice. In this way large loads were drawn with considerable ease and dispatch. This style of car was not peculiar to Lancaster, nor to the period of its settlement. It had been used by all the early settlers in different parts of the country as early as 1630. It is still in use in the mountainous sections of the Virginias, and possibly throughout the whole Alleghany Moun- tain regions. These early settlers were full of resources. They could surmount almost any difficulties liable to be met with in their wild surroundings. Edwards Bucknam who came here in the employment of David Page, and worked for him some years, married his daughter, Susannah, and located at the mouth of Beaver brook. Just when he built his log cabin there is not known ; but there he lived through- out the remainder of his eventful life, and near the site of his first house he lies buried in a grave that has long been unmarked, but over which his grandson, Edward F. Bucknam, is now erecting a suitable monument. There his ten children were born. There seem to be some discrepancies in regard to General Bucknam's children. Tradition has it that he only had six children, two sons and four daughters ; but the record of births in his family as found in volume i, p. 189, gives the names and dates of birth of ten chil- dren, three sons and seven daughters, as follows : •'Eunice, born June 4 th, 1767. Mary, '' July 22d, 1769. Soffia, " Feb. 13, 1 77 1 , died Nov. 16, 1771. Lydia, " Nov. 5, 1772. Susanna, " Nov. 5, 1774, died April 7, 1776. Susanna {2d), '' Feb. 7, 1777. Edwards, " Feb. 15, 1780. Grove, " Jan. 12, 1783, died April 13, 1783. Sally, " May 22, 1784. George, " Sept. 27, 1786." It is also claimed by some that Eunice Bucknam was the first white child born in Lancaster. This claim is not true, for we have a reliable record of the birth of Emmons Stockwell's children that shows that the distinction of being the first white child born in Lan- caster belongs to Polly Stockwell, born December 25, 1765. From a family record in the possession of A. P. Freeman, son of Betse>- Stockwell, the eleventh child of Emmons and Ruth Stockwell, I take the following facts : " Children of Emmons and Ruth Stockwell : Polly, born Dec. 25, 1765. Sally, '« April 27, 1768. David, " July 7, 1769. 28 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Charlotte, born Oct. 24, 1770. Dolly, " Sept. 2, 1772. Ephraim, " Oct. 25, 1774- Liberty, " Aug. 27 , 1776. Ruth, ^' Sept. 21 , 1778. Emmons, ' " Oct. II, 1780. Phebe, ' Oct 14, 1782. Betsey, ' June 18, 1784. Samuel, ' ' May 27, 1786, William, ' ' Feb. 17, 1788. John, ' Dec. 25, 1790. Mary, ' ' April 4, 1792." These two records are authentic and settle all points in regard to this question at issue between the descendants of these two first fami- lies. Some credit and interest always attaches to the privilege of being the first person born in a new settlement, and that certainly belongs, in this case, to Polly Stockwell, unless the tradition be true, that there being no other women in Lancaster, Ruth Stockwell went to her mo- ther in Petersham, Mass., to be confined. If that was the case, then the honor of the first birth in Lancaster goes to the family of Ed- wards Bucknam, and his daughter Eunice carries off the honors. This tradition is a plausible one, and there is no direct evidence against it. The wife and the rest of David Page's family came to Lancaster as near as we can learn about 1767. It is altogether likely that this one lone woman in a pioneer camp of a half dozen men would prefer the fatigue of a journey of more than three hundred miles to be with her mother at the time her child was born than to have remained here without any one capable of giving her the care she required at such a time. The practical good sense of the commu- nity led them to provide for such emergencies in the future by voting at the first proprietors' meeting, "To give one good Right of land to the first good Midwife that shall come and settle in Lancaster on or before the first day of next December." That meeting was held March 10, 1767, at the dwelling house of David Page. CHAPTER V. The Location, Survey, and Allotment of the Town Lands — Terri- torial Conflict with the Town of Stonington — Re-location of Boundaries — Renewal of the Charter — Final Allotment and Dis- tribution of Lands, and Settlement of Conflicting Claims to Titles. Some time between the actual settlement of the town and the first proprietors' meeting we have any knowledge of, March 10, 1767, the discovery had been made that Page, Stockwell, and Bucknam LOCATION, SURVEY, AND ALLOTMENT OF TOWN LANDS. 29 had located on territory covered by the charter of Stonington. Although it does not seem that the grantees of Stonington had taken any action at that time to dispossess these settlers, they became deeply concerned over the possible danger of losing the homes they had sacrificed so much to establish. They made it a matter of public action. David Page, who had no doubt been the real discoverer of their mistake, was authorized by the vote of that meeting to " change the boundaries of the town," and was voted, also, a compensation of one dollar on each right for his services in that undertaking. Not satis- fied with the results of their own change of the location of the bounds, they sent to Portsmouth in 1 769 and had Lieut. Joshua Tol- ford, son of John Tolford, one of the proprietors, come up and survey the town, hoping no doubt to give his survey the weight of the governmental sanction, as he was one of the governor's deputy surveyors-general. Tolford seems to have run on the same lines that Page located two years before, and gave entire satisfaction to the proprietors. He laid out the town plot provided for in the charter, and also the first and second divisions of the town lands. These divisions consisted of twenty-acre meadow lots, and fifty-acre house lots lying contiguous to them on the first elevation of the hill- lands. The town plot consisted of seventy one-acre lots lying along both sides of a street four rods wide, beginning at a point about where E. V. Cobleigh's house stands on Prospect street and running east to the second bend in Isreals river, near the dam of the old paper mill. The design was that every proprietor should build his house on one of these lots which were disposed of by "draft" in the same manner that the first and second divisions had been. Just what disposition was ever made of this allotment is not so clear. The plan laid down for them by Governor Wentworth to form a vil- lage community, after the old system that had prevailed in England some centuries before that time, did not seem to meet the approval of the hardy pioneers. So far as we know anything of the original proprietors or actual settlers, they built their houses upon their sev- eral " house-lots." There is no doubt that the "town plot " was a failure, for we soon discover that the town bought six of those lots for their " meeting-house lot " on the western end of the street. There is no evidence that there was ever a street opened and used there until the present Pleasant street was laid out in i860, easterly from the Meeting House common. Tolford's survey was laid before the governor, but just what action, if any, he ever took upon the matter is not known. It may be inferred, however, that he did nothing about it at the time, for the governor then was John Wentworth, a nephew of Benning Went- worth, who had granted the charter, and who, if he had then been 30 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. in office, would no doubt have given his Lancaster friends what they asked for. The new governor seems to have hesitated, or to have had more conscience than his old uncle, and the unsettled question was left for the future to take care of. The proprietors were kept in a troubled state of mind over their territorial limits for a considerable time. They had taken action upon the matter in 1766, 1767, 1769, and again in 1773. The towns of Woodbury, Cockburn, Coleburn, and Stonington, now regranted as Northum- berland, were as greatly disturbed, for if Lancaster was to hold the territory she claimed, it would either rob Northumberland of three fourths of her best lands or compel her to move up the river upon territory granted to Cockburn in 1770, and renew her territorial •conflicts with that town. At the proprietors' meeting, August 26, 1773, .the location of ten rights bought up by Charles Ward Apthorp, a land speculator hving in New York, was made, in which the proprietors recognized a possible difficulty in holding their claims. These rights were to be in the south part of the township on what is known as the Cat-Bow on Connecticut river. It was to contain the three hundred and sixty acres of meadow land in that famous tract and front two miles on the river and run back toward the eastward far enough to include ten full rights of two hundred and seventy-four acres each in a body. In granting that location this clause was inserted in the vote con- firming the location, viz. : The grant hereby made to him (Apthorp) shall not operate to the disadvantage of the rest of the proprietors by the intervention of any foreign legal claim under •color of a mistake in the boundaries of the township. In 1769 the proprietors found that they had not quite complied with the terms of their charter, and had requested and received a renewal of it from Gov. John Went\vorth. In that document refer- ence is made to a survey made under the direction of Isaac Rindge, surveyor-general of lands of the province, which survey was that of Joshua Tolford, but no change of boundary was mentioned or made in the renewed charter given below. Under this charter, which tacitly conceded the survey of Tolford as the one on which the original charter had been granted, the settlers continued to act as a body politic upon its rightful territory ; and yet they were not •quite satisfied with the validity of their titles as is seen in the allot- ment of Apthorp's ten rights. That renewed charter, under which the people tried to comfort themselves in the security of their titles, is an important document, and we give it here in full : LOCATION, SURVEY, AND ALLOTMENT OF TOWN LANDS. 3 I LANCASTER CHARTER RENEWED 1769. Province of New > George the Third by the grace of God of Great Britain Hampshire ^ France and Ireland King Defender of the faith and so ^ Lancaster > forth. I extended ^ .^ — ^ Whereas we of our special grace and mere motion for the due / L. S. > encouragement of setling a new Plantation within our Prov : of New ' v.^v-^ ^ Hampshire in New England by our Letters Patent or Charter under the Seal of our said Province Dated the 5th day of July Annoque Domini 1763 in the Third year of our Reign ; a Tract of Land equal to six miles square bounded as therein expressed (& since surveyed admeasured, marked & ascertained by our Order to Isaac Rindge Esq' our Surveyor Geni of Lands for our said Province) Granted to a number of our Loyal subjects whose Names are entered on the same to hold to them their Heirs and Assigns on the Conditions therein Declared, and to be a Town Corporate by the name of Lancaster, as by reference to the said" Charter may more fully appear. And whereas the said Grantees have represented to us that by the great inconveniences which occur in the Settlement of New Townships so remotely situated from any other Town- ships or Settlements that can afford any Assistance hath rendered it impracticable for the whole number of Grantees to perform that part of the condition that relates to the Cultivation of such a portion of said Grant. That there are a Con- siderable numbers of Families now resident on the Premises, which affords them hopes of a final Settlement without delay. And humbly supplicating us not to take advantage of the Breach of said Condition, but to lengthen out, and grant them some further Time for the performance thereof. Now know ye that we being willing to promote the end proposed Have of our further Grace and favour suspended our Claim of the forfeiture which the said Grantees may have incurred, and by these Presents Do Grant unto the said Grantee their Heirs and Assigns the further Term of Five Years from this Date for performing and fulfilling the Conditions, matters and things by them to be done as aforesaid. — Except the Quit Rents, which are to remain due and payable as expressed and reserved in the Original Grant or Charter. In Testimony whereof we have caused the Seal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed Witness John Wentworth Esq"" our Governor and Commander in Chief of our aforesaid Province This 2o"i day of September in the 9"^ year of our Reign Annoque Domini 1769, J. Wentworth. By his Excellency'' Command with advice of Council Theodore Atkinson Secy Pro* of New Hampshire 16''' Nov 1769 — Recorded according to the Original Grant under the Province Seal P"" Theodore Atkinson SeC-^ This renewal of the charter must have been a disappointment to the proprietors, for instead of settling their question of title it left it open to harass them in the future. For more than a quarter of a century they were concerned with this troublesome question. The governor having failed to render the relief prayed for in the petition for a new charter on the lines of Tolford's survey, the peo- ple in their characteristic resoluteness renewed their appeals to the government for legel acknowledgment of the re-location of the town- 32 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. ship. At the meeting, above referred to, of August 26, 1773, the following vote was passed : looted that it appears to this proprietary as a matter of some uncertainty whether doubts may not arise with respect to the northerly extent of the boundaries of this township which upon a construction set up by sundry persons will deprive the whole of the settlers (one only accepted) [that one was Bucknam — Ed.] of their lands, possessions and improvements and reduce the township to very inconsider- able compass, and the proprietors laboring under very great uneasiness from the apprehension of, or expecting a calamity, do therefore request that Ammi R. Cutter, Esq., and Mr. Jacob Treadwell will be pleased to lay before his Excellency the Governor such representation upon the subject as may appear to them most proper to induce his Excellency to grant to the proprietors an explanatory charter ascertaining the limits of the said township as the same as was actually surveyed by Joshua Tolford and is now allotted to the proprietors and possessed and enjoyed by the inhabitants. There were residing in Portsmouth and vicinity a number of the most influential among the proprietors, friends of the Wentworths, like Matthew Thornton, Esq., Maj. John Tolford, Andrew Wiggin, Esq., Meshech Weare, Esq., Hon. Joseph Newmarsh, Esq., Nathaniel Barrel, Esq., Daniel Warner, Esq., James Nevins, Esq., and Rev. Joshua Wingate Weeks. These no doubt pressed the claims of Lancaster, and the governor yielded to the pleadings of a letter from Jacob Treadwell and confirmed the survey of Tolford, by which he had only to crowd Northumberland further up the river in order to give it its full territory as set forth in the charter thereof. He did not re-issue any of these charters, but simply ordered Northum- berland and the towns above it to move up the river and readjust their limits. This arrangement seemed to settle matters for a time, and in 1787 the proprietors felt sufificiently satisfied in their titles to vote for a final survey and allotment of the unappropriated lands of the town. They accordingly set Jonas Baker, who had become something of a land surveyor by that time, to work to divide these lands into what they called one-hundred-acre lots, or the third division. Of these there were to be one hundred and forty, two each for every pro- prietor, but did not include the rights that had been previously bought by Apthorp. This division included a right each to schools^ glebe, and meeting-house. It was found, after all these claims had been satisfied, that twelve full lots and many gores of irregular size still remained untaken. The proprietors voted : Any one holding a right of land in the town of Lancaster may pitch his share on any unoccupied lands, and have the same surveyed by a sworn surveyor, have a plan and description made of it and have the same recorded by the proprietors' clerk in the liroprietors' records, and he shall hold the same forever. These lands were eagerly sought for. Soine persons fared well in their choice, but many were dissatisfied with what was left for LOCATION, SURVEY, AND ALLOTMENT OF TOWN LOTS. 33 them, and portions of these gores were never located, and possibly remain unlocated to-day, but not unclaimed. The proprietors were generous in their gifts or appropriations of the lands of their township. They wisely set apart for mills a strip of land two rods wide on both sides of Isreals river from the head of the island, just below Main Street bridge, to the second bend of the river, where the Paper Mill dam now is, the rental of which was to go for the support of schools. These lands were later rented to different persons at the nominal rental of one pint of wheat per year, if demanded, which was to be used in the support of schools. These rents, of course, being merely nominal, have never been called for by the town. At the first proprietors' meeting, March lO, 1767, a right was set off for the first minister that should settle in the town. Another full right of land, and it was to be a " good " one, too, was voted to the " first good midwife that shall come and settle in Lancaster on or before the first day of December next." Two hundred acres were voted, at the same meeting, to David Page for building a black- smith shop and keeping tools for the same ; and a half right of land to the first physician that should settle in Lunenburg or Lan- caster within one year from that date. Of course, their only wealth was in land, of which the}' had more than they could utilize for the ordinary purposes. If they could induce professional and skilled men and women to come here and ply their arts and professions, it was wise to offer such inducements to them. It is not certainly known whether Page's blacksmith shop ever came to be a realized concern, or whether any ph}'sician or midwife ever laid claim to the bonus offered to their respective professions. The final allotment of the lands did not allay the suspense under which the settlers rested for so many years. The claims of parties were kept alive, but seldom pressed farther than the making of sur- veys and the threats of going to law to sustain the claim of priority of title under the Stonington or Northumberland charters. The first actual settlers in Northumberland found abundant lands of a good quality and were satisfied with their situation so far as to which town they should finally be found to be living in. The fact that those upper towns laid so dangerously near the frontier infested by Indians and threatened with incursions of English and Indian soldiers, made them of comparatively little value ; and the proprietors found it difficult to induce people to settle there even on the most liberal conditions. Matters continued in this somewhat unsettled condition until the Revolutionary War broke out and diverted the interest and atten- tion of all parties to these disputes over titles. The intense anxiety 4 34 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. and fear of the inhabitants of all these upper towns drew them together in a common effort to defend their homes against British invasion which was momentarily expected to take place. For a time, in the presence of a threatened danger, they suffered them- selves to ignore the old contention and stand together through twelve anxious years, during which time the little settlements were weighed in the balance. The only garrison built in this northern section was in the immediate vicinity of those towns aggrieved at Lancaster, and they were largely built and manned by Lancaster men. At such a time it was not likely that any one thought to contend with his neighbors about titles when the title of the Ameri- can people to their country was often a doubtful one. Once the war was over and peace declared, lands were much more valuable than they had ever been before in this section of the state, and the old disputes again arose in threats of lawsuits to recover the territory once granted as Stonington. In 1790 Jonas Wilder, Edwards Bucknam, and Emmons Stockwell were appointed a committee to appear before the general court and ask for a new charter to the original grantees which should cover territory in dispute, and forever confirm the title thereof. The question hung very evenly in the balance, and there appeared no strong advo- cates for Lancaster as before when this same plea was made in 1773. Colonel Goffe, however, seems to have championed the cause of Lancaster, rather as an apology or explanation of the stupidity of Benning Wentworth in granting unsurveyed lands in an arbitrary manner certain to bring about conflicts of claims. He mentions as some of the reasons why these disputes existed — "The loose and uncertain bounds of Lancaster through the geography of the River Connecticut not being at the time of the said grants particularly known, whereby it made a material alteration in the bounds of said Lancaster, and consequently affected the lines of Dartmouth." The action upon this petition was taken at a time when the Wentworth regime had come to a close by the election of Dr. Josiah Bartlett over Joshua Wentworth as president of New Hampshire. Failing to get a new charter to confirm their claims, the people of Lancaster twice again appointed committees to lay their case before the president and general court, but to no effect. Having failed to get their rights confirmed they changed their tactics, and at a meeting in 1796 voted to employ Richard C. Everett, Esq., a young lawyer then recently settled in Lancaster, as their "Agent to act in behalf of the proprietors of Lancaster to defend any lawsuit or suits, or to commence any action or actions against any encroachments that are or may be made upon said township of Lancaster, to make any settlement of all or any dis- putes which are or may be had with adjacent towns respecting LOCATION, SURVEY, AND ALLOTMENT OF TOWN LOTS. 35 boundaries of said town, and to petition the Honorable General Court with any agent or agents of the neighboring towns, whose boundaries are disputed, or disputable, for their interference in the premises." The people felt their title good enough, through the long term of their peaceable occupation of their lands, to risk them being carried into the law courts, though they never were. Attorney Everett was alert and ready for action at any time but never had occasion to go to court, nor do w^e know if he ever petitioned the general court in relation to the disputed titles. The feeling of uncertainty, however, affected some people for a long time. When the Rev. Joseph Willard, the first settled min- ister in the town, accepted a call to settle here and received the right allotted to him, he required of the town the execution of a bond of guarantee to him against loss of title in event the town should lose its title to the granted township as then located. This bond was readily given as the people had no fear of ever being called upon to make good any such loss. Not until 1853 did the last shadow of fear for their rights pass forever away for the inhabitants of Lancaster. In that year one Atkinson brought suit against one Goodall to obtain possession of lands in Bethlehem under the claim that they belong to the grantees of Concord Gore, described in its charter as cornering on Lancaster. The Hon. James VV. Weeks, a land surveyor of con- siderable reputation, of Lancaster, was employed to survey and make a map of the Concord Gore and adjacent territory. When the case came to trial in Exeter the court decided that although the land in dispute was once intended to be a part of Concord Gore, that it was then a part of Bethlehem, and that the accepted bound- aries of towns, occupied as long as these had been, could not be disturbed by reason of variance from intention of original charters. This decision has dispelled all shades of doubt from the minds of Lancaster people, and gave undisputed validity to all titles. We deem it of sufificient interest to subjoin hereto the names of the original grantees and the numbers of the several lots that com- prised their respective rights of land in the distributions above referred to. HISTORY OF LANCASTER. THE ORIGINAL ALLOTMENT OF LANDS. Proprietors' Names: ■-J SS > m S2 Third Division. i:< (i3 •-1 M u 4J ^ 4J -.- rt J P^ hJ Charles Howe Isreal Hale Isreal Hale, Jr Daniel Hale William Dagget Isaac Ball Solomon Fay Jonathan Death John Sanders Elisha Crosby Luke Lincoln David Lawson Silas Rice Thomas Carter Ephraim Sterns William Read Nathaniel Smith Thomas Rice Daniel Searls Isaac Wood Nathaniel Richardson Ebenezer Blunt John Wait Ephraim Noyce Benjamin Sawyer John Herriman Samuel Marble Joseph Marble Jonathan Houghton John Rogers Abner Holden Stanton Prentice Benjamin Wilson Stephen Emes John Sawyer John Phelps James Reed Benjamin Baxter Mathew Thornton, Esq Andrew Wiggin, Esq Meshech Weare, Esq Maj. John Tolford Hon. Joseph Newmarsh, Esq Hon. Nathaniel Barrel, Esq.. Hon. Daniel Warner, Esq. . . David Page David Page, Jr Abraham Byam Ruben Stone John Grant John Grant, Jr Solomon Willson Jonathan Grant 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 33 34 67 66 65 40 41 59 25 27 26 47 31 3 5 46 21 44 28 35 17 48 24 29 ^8 7 4 ID 23 II 12 43 45 14 19 39 38 22 15 50 51 42 6 52 18 69 70 71 72 73 74 33 34 67 66 65 40 41 59 25 27 26 47 31 3 5 46 21 44 28 35 17 48 24 29 'I 7 4 ID 23 II 12 43 45 14 19 39 15 50 51 42 6 52 18 23 18 26 I 24 5 26 I 22 12 7 19 3 27 15 10 13 3 23 9 28 9 27 8 27 15 12 20 24 14 23 19 23 16 10 II 5 17 6 14 12 25 13 24 ID 24 23 27 26 4 25 28 29 27 25 27 18 24 27 30 15 13 23 9 15 10 29 9 28 II 30 16 13 24 25 23 24 20 25 '7 II 14 21 21 17 17 13 28 14 24 16 Cat Bow. CatBow. Cat Bow. CatBow. LOCATION, SURVEY, AND ALLOTMENT OF TOWN LOTS. 3/ THE ORIGINAL ALLOTMENT OF LANDS— Co////«« to 51 »^ o ■^ V a3 D h-) ■^'^ O 3 fcO M lU en ni o 5 o O ES cfiS C4 h-i (^ hJ O Joseph Stovvel Joseph Page William Page Nathaniel Page John Marden Silas Bennet Thomas Shattock Ephraim Shattock Silas Shattock Benjamin Man Daniel Miles Thomas Rogers John Duncan Timothy Whitney James Nevins, Esq Rev. John Wingate Weeks. . Benjamin Stevens First Settle Minister Gov. Benning Wentworth, two rights.* Right for School Church of England Ch. of Eng. Glebe S3 20 54 13 6o I i6 36 37 49 9 61 32 64 62 53 20 54 li 57 58 I 2 16 36 37 49 6? 32 64 62 1 14 4 18 8 1 16 21 4 17 23 4 8 8 15 7 8 6 8 2 13 '5 20 29 27 3 I I I 2 5 I 1 I 5 5 32 25 15 II 26 8 12 18 25 30 li I 2 2 I 6 6 3 I I I I Cat Bow. Cat Bow CatBow. ' ' The foregoing draft of the several lots placed to eache grantee of the first, second, and third divisions in the town of Lancaster were entered, examined, and recorded, the same agreeable to vote passed at a Proprietors meeting held in said Town by adjournment October 14th 1789. By me Edwards Bucknam, Proprietors' Clerk." *The two rights of Governor Benning Wentworth, reserved in granting the charter, was outside and independent of the seventy-four equal shares into which the town was to be divided, and was located on the back of the charter in northwest corner of the township. HISTORY OF LANCASTER. CHAPTER VI. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN: ITS PROPRIETARY AND CIVIL GOVERNMENT. Although the charter of the town made it a body pohtic, and enjoined upon it the civil mode of government then prevailing in the province, on and after the first Tuesday of August, 1763, it seems to have been governed wholly by a proprietary system until 1769, when a civil form of government was inaugurated by the election of a board of five selectmen — David Page, Abner Osgood, George Wheeler, Emmons Stockwell, and Edwards Bucknam — a town clerk, and other civil ofificers. Several influences no doubt intervened to prevent an earlier com- pliance with the requirements of the charter. Most of the proprie- tors did not intend to locate on their lands. They accepted them as a matter of speculation, and yet, no doubt they were cautious not to allow the mere handful of actual settlers to have too much liberty in the management of the town under the provisions of the prevailing .system of town government. The few actual settlers who came before 1769, may have felt some hesitancy in assuming the necessary ofifices, as there were not enough to fill all the oflfices and leave any- body to be governed. The situation would have been even more grotesque than on a subsequent occasion when the citizens turned out on a muster day, and after filling all the offtces necessary to a proper drill, there was left but one private. There were not enough men present the first few years to fill the ofifices. They could, and did, however, carry out the wishes of their associate grantees in the management of the affairs of the town by the election of a moderator, clerk, and treasurer, with such committees as were from time to time needed. The charter designated David Page as the rightful authorit}- to call the first meeting of the proprietors on the first Tuesday of August, 1763, and preside as moderator. If such meeting was held, it must have been somewhere else than on their granted territory. The first March meeting may have likewise been held at some other point, and probably was. It is quite likely, too, that when the first settlers discovered that they were not settled upon the territory actually described in the charter as belonging to them, that they delayed the matter of an early organization, and were content to feel their way under a proprietary management of their affairs. The first meeting that was held in Lancaster was strictly a proprietary meeting, on March 10, 1767. The only actions taken were in regard to the dis- posal of lands and the appointment of a committee to locate a road to connect with the settlements to the eastward, and with Portland, THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN. 39 Me., and to " Lower Coos." The record of that riieeting is of such unique character that I am persuaded to give it, as the proprietors' records, from which it has been previously quoted, are now entirely lost. Only some of the votes passed at that meeting are preserved, and these are as follows : " Voted: That any person or persons that have rights of land in Lancaster, shall have the liberty to pitch them on any unsettled Land upon his performing the Duty, which is to clear, plow and sow with Rye or Wheat three acres upon each right, and build a house sixteen feet square shall answer for two rights. And if any person or persons clear more land than his proportion upon the laying out of the Town and lots shall cut them off, shall have the improvements of said land until he is paid so much money as two or three indifierent men may judge for the clearing thereof. " Voted : That the Minister's Lott shall be pitched on the south side of Isreals River, in the Meadow at the lower end of the first falls. " Voted : That Mr. David Page, Mr. Emmons Stockwell. Mr. Edwards Buck- nam, Mr. Timothy Nash, and David Page, Jr., be a committee to Look out and mark the road to Pigwakett or to Andriscogin, or to the first inhabitants, and also to the Lower Coos. " Voted : To give one good Right of land to the first good Midwife that shall come and settle in Lancaster on or before the first day of December next. " Voted : Mr. David Page two hundred acres of land where he shall think proper, not infringing on the Meadow or House lotts, for his building a Smith's Shop and keeping tools for the same work. " Voted: To give half a Right of land in Lancaster to the first Doctor that shall settle in Lunneburg or Lancaster within one year from this day." Tradition says that at this same meeting the ten rights bought up by Charles Ward Apthorp were located on the Cat-Bow tract. Apthorp was a wealthy man and bought up vast tracts of land in many places for purposes of speculation. He proved to be a source of much trouble to Lancaster, as he bought up thirty-six rights between the years 1765 and 1770, at which time he owned a con- trolling interest in the town ; and he was not slow to dictate the management of their local affairs. He entertained an antipathy toward David Page that he dragged into the business management of the town as early as 1771. David Page had mortgaged a farm in Petersham, Mass., to Nathaniel Wheelright, a merchant in Boston, Mass., who on retiring from business a short time before his death gave to his nephew. -Charles Ward Apthorp, all his accounts and cer- tain other property. The farm was occupied by Jonathan Grant at the time David Page removed to Lancaster, but in 1767, Page gave Apthorp a deed for the farm, and a dispute arose between him and Apthorp over some two hundred dollars of rent due from Grant. Apthorp was always hostile to Page, and used every means he could to prevent him from holding any ofifice of importance in the town. Apthorp owned at that time the rights that had been allotted to the following persons: David Page, 22 ; Abram Byam, 50; Reuben 40 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Stone, 51; Solomon Wilson, 52; Joseph Stowell, 53; William Page, 54; Silas Bennet, 55; Thomas Shattock, 56; Silas Shat- tock, 58 ; Ephraim Shattock, 57 ; Benjamin Man, i ; Daniel Miles, 2 ; John Duncan, 36; Nathaniel Smith, 37; Charles How, 68; Isreal Hale, 69; Isreal Hale, Jr., 70; Daniel Hale, 71; William Dagget, 72; Isaac Ball, 73 ; Solomon Fay, 74 ; Jonathan Death, 33 ; John Saunders, 34; Elisha Crosby, 67 ; Luke Lincoln, 66; David Lawson, 65 ; Silas Rice, 40; Thomas Carter, 41 ; Ephraim Stearns, 59 ; James Reed, 25 ; Timothy Whitney, 26; Isaac Wood, 31 ; Nathaniel Rich- ardson, 3; John Sawyer, 4; John Rogers, 24; Samuel Marble. 35. = 36 rights. With this majority of rights, Apthorp domineered the town, in some important measures for a number of years to the positive detriment of the actual settlers who had come here to make homes, and sacrified their chances elsewhere and bound up their destiny with that of the town. Things not going to suit him, Apthorp, through his attorney, one W. Molineaux of Boston, Mass., called a meeting of the proprietors in the fall of 1771, and sent Edwards Bucknam the following letter which needs no explanation, as it is written in simple and clear language : " Boston, Oct. 2ist 1771. Mr. Edw'ds Bucknam. Having this day given you my Power of Attorney to vote at the meeting now to be called by the proprietors of Lancaster, I would have vote agt David Page being choose into any office with the Proprietors & upon a meeting being called that you would vote for the following officers to be choose viz : Emmons Stockvvell, Mod- erator, Edwards Bucknam, Clark & Collector, George Wheeler, Assessor, John Cross & David Page Jr Treasurers. The officers being thus choose, you are to re- consider all the votes passed on & since the 12th March 1771 & vote that whereas after due consideration & debate, you find that all such votes that have passed on & since the 12th March 1771, is not only unlawful but detrimental to the Interests & settlement of said Township. David Page Esq having acted arbitrarily & against the sense of the meeting in consequence of his having a power to appear for Mr. Apthorp the owner of 36 rites, whose directions he violated to answer his own private purposes ; therefore voted that all the votes aforesaid since 12th March 1 77 1 till this present meeting are and ought to be null, void & of no effect. Then you are to vote that David Page Senr. Esq. immediately deliver up to the new dark all the votes, papers, and books in his possession, & if upon refusal to com- ply with the vote of the meeting, then it is resolved that said Page be sued forth- with by the Clark for withholding said papers &c for the sum of five hundred Pounds lawful money to make good the damage that ensue from the want thereof. Then you are to chose a committee of three to Examine his accounts & to see that he gives credit for all the taxes he has received, and that you have regular and lawful proof of such charges he makes for making roads, surveying &c & all other work done according to the votes from the first meeting of the loth March 1767 to the 12 of the month the day it was dissolved & if after examination the committee find a balance due to the proprietors you are to pass a vote that said Page shall pay or cause to be paid the said ballance into the hands of the new Treasurer within 20 days in failure of which to be sued for the same immediately & when recovered to be expended in laying out roads, surveying ect that shall be found for the benefit of the township. Voted that the i6th vote on March loth 1767 that THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN. 4I Charles W. Apthorp shall have set oft" to him, beginning at the upper part of the Cat Bow, running down the River 2 full miles upon a straight line & to go so far back towards the rear of the Town as to take in 10 full shares or rites of Land, in good form Be & is now confirmed, & Ratified irrevocable and that it is now further voted, that no Person whatsoever shall have right now or at any time hereafter to Pitch upon or occupy any part of 10 rites without the written directions or Power of said Apthorp or his attorney anything to the contrary voted notwithstanding, as it is the opinion of this meeting that it will be for furtherance and better settlement of the Town that he or his attorney or who they shall suffer to settle thereon have the sole direction thereof. Then voted that this meeting be ad- journed till tomorrow at 10 o-clock A. M. and then to vote that the whole of the foregoing vote be & hereby is confirmed & ratified irrevocable, then adjourn from month to month meeting at each time to do such other business as shall be found necessary. Sir Yr Very Humbl Servt W. Molineaux Attorney to Charles Ward Apthorp." We have now no source of information concerning such meeting as is. here ordered, or if it actually took place what transpired at it. Of what took place during that year and the following year we can never know anything definite, as the records were burnt in 1772. We find, howev^er. that the town records, still in a good state of pre- servation, show nothing of what took place after the meeting March 1 1, 1769, which happened to be preserved on a scrap of paper, until March 9, 1773, when we have a full record of that meeting, and of every subsequent one down to the present day. Either nothing w^as done worthy of record, or else it found its only record in the proprietors' books that are lost. The new book of rec- ord that was begun with the meeting of March ii, 1769, contained only the transactions of the annual meetings for the first few years, ^vhich were civil rather than proprietary in character, showing an unmistakable drift from proprietary to a civil control of affairs in the town. With the controlling power of the proprietary rights in the hands of an absentee, disposed to antagonize the leaders and the in- terests of the actual settlers of the town, it would have been strange if they had not tried to wrest the power of control from their worst adversary. The way was open through the form of local, town gov- ernment then prevailing throughout New England for the residents of the town to work themselves out of the coils of a mischievous, ab- sentee, landlord domination of their affairs. In a civil, town meeting the majority of voters present and participating in that meeting ruled. Here were the advantages of the New England democracy over land- lordism, and the men who came here to found a town were fully im- bued with its spirit. They were mostly from western Massachusetts and Connecticut, where they had learned the advantages of indepen- dence in the management of local affairs, though none the less loyal to the provincial government. 42 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. In disregard of Apthorp's wishes and dictation, David Page was continued in office and appointed on important committees for many years ; and after the records resume the narrative of the civil actions of the people we see nothing more of the domination of Apthorp or his attorney. The people gradually got control of their own civil affairs and later settled their difficulties with Apthorp in the courts. Once organized as a civil division of the province of New Hamp- shire, the people applied themselves to the task of developing their town as rapidly as their meagre means would allow. They elected^ from time to time as they had need, such civil officers in whom they had confidence to carry out the wishes of the people as a town rather than as a proprietary company. By the time of the annual meeting' of 1773 foreign domination and landlordism had been utterly up- rooted and the resident voters were in the full control of their local affairs, though their powers were somewhat restricted by the Provin- cial laws of that time. They voted appropriations for such public improvements as were most urgently needed, and in every way fos- tered the interests of the residents rather than those of the absentee landholders. As early as June 8th, 1773, they voted an appropria- tion of eighty-six pounds and eight shillings to assist David Page build a mill on Indian brook, and sixty-four pounds for roads. In August of the same year they voted one hundred and ten pounds for roads, and thirty pounds to assist David Page rebuild his mill, that had been burnt almost as soon as it was completed. At that meet- ing Emmons Stockwell and E.d\vards Bucknam were elected road surveyors. This office had been filled by David Page and Bucknam^ from 1769, which is the earliest intimation of its existence. Nothing but stern necessity could have led these few men to tax themselves so heavily as they did during those few first years of the settlement. Roads and mills w^ere essential things, and must be had at any cost, so they bravely bore the burdens in the hope of future prosperity from their use. Of money they had little, so we soon find them making their appropriations for all sorts of public enterprises in wheat, when bushels and pecks displaced pounds and shillings in the computations in those transactions. During the first few years, beaver, moose, and sable skins were their chief currency ; but as these animals were already becoming comparatively scarce to an in- creased population and wheat was a staple, it became the medium of exchange in their traffic, and even the taxes were paid in wheat. Of course the taxes on the roads were invariably worked out by the citizens at a given amount of wheat for a day's work. Wheat was worth about six shillings at that time ; and as there was generally a poll tax to the amount of six shillings, and about four shillings allowed for a day's work, every voter would perform a day and a half of work on the roads in addition to the assessments upon their property. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN. 45 This arrancfement was not burdensome to the residents who were on the ground to work out their tax on the roads ; but it must have seemed a large tax to the non-resident landholders, whose only inter- est was in holding their lands for a rise in prices, in order to sell them at a profit. It was not long before the non-resident landholders began to think themselves unduly taxed for the benefit of the actual settlers, and they refused to agree to being freely taxed for local improvements, and refused to pay the taxes when assessed upon their lands. There does not seem to have been any disposition on the part of the resi- dents of the town to take any unfair advantage of the non-residents. All their taxes fell equally upon the land and chattels. Of course, for many years the chattels did not amount to much, as the people were absorbed in the improvement of their farms and accumulated as little personal property as possible until their farms were cleared and good houses built. Finding it somewhat difificult to collect taxes on the lands of non- residents, the people went to the general court on petition as early as 1787, asking for the passage of an act allowing them to lay and collect a tax of three pence on every acre of land (public rights ex- cepted) for one year, and one penny a year for five years, to be used for the construction of " roads, bridges, meeting-house, &c, &c." In their petition they set forth the fact that they had appealed to non- resident land-owners in vain for help in these important improve- ments. Their petition was granted by the passage of such an act, and from that time forward the way was clear for raising the means of public improvements. Taxes were levied on the lands, and when not paid after a reason- able time they were sold. Much of the lands of the town were sold at these sales to satisfy the town's claims against them for taxes; and the non-resident land-owners found that their lands did not grow in value as fast as they had hoped for. The collectors were repeat- edly authorized by vote of the citizens in town meetings to sell the lands of the delinquent taxpayers. It was characteristic of those collectors that they never proceeded against the delinquents without having first given them some warning of their purpose and one more chance to settle up and save themselves extra costs. Prior to tax- sales of lands notices like this were sent out, generally printed in the New Hampshire Gazette, which was read by many people in all parts of New England : " State New Hampshire, ) Grafton ss. ^ Lancaster. Notice is hereby Given to the Delinquent Proprietors and owners of Land in the Township of Lancaster Tliat said Proprietors at their meeting held in said 44 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. town the 8th Day of June 1773 by adjournment ; Voted four Dollars on Each Right to Pay David Page Esq. for Rebuilding the Mills in said town and three Dollars on Each Right to open and Repair the Roads and at their meeting held in said town the 26th Day of august 1773, Voted fifteen Pounds to be assest on the Proprietors as their Proportion of opening a Road to the Eastward of the white hills Being four Shillings and three Pence on Each Right and at their meeting held in Said town the loth Day of august 1774 by adjournemnt Voted four Dollars on Each Right to be Laid out on the Roads in Said town and Eight Shillings and four Pence more on Each Right to David Page Esqr. to Rebuild the mills in Said town after Being Consumed by fire that unless the Delinquent Proprietors and owners of Lands in the township of Lancaster Pay Each and all the afresaid sums or taxes to me the Subscriber by the first Day of June Next that their Rights or Shares of Land will be advertised in theNewhamp- shire Gazettee for Sale to Pay Said Taxes with incidental charges Edwards Bucknam, Collector. Lancaster. April 20th, 1789." While Lancaster was diligentl}' making public improvements with these taxes laid upon her rich acres, she was, like all other New England towns, looking after the intellectual and spiritual interests of her citizens. Of equal importance as a bridge over Isreals river was a meeting-house in which, as they said, " to worship that Being to whom we owe our existence." As early as 1786, the town had voted thirty-two dollars to be expended for preaching at the hands of a committee consisting of Maj. Jonas Wilder, Edwards Bucknam, and Lieut. Emmons Stockwell. During the next six years various sums and amounts of wheat were voted for the purpose of hiring preaching. When paid for in wheat, five bushels was the price for a " day's preaching." A clay's preaching included two sermons, one of which would occur in the morning, and the other followed an intermission of an hour or more in the middle of the day, during which time the people held social intercourse or partook of refresh- ments. In 1 79 1, active steps were taken for building a meeting- house on the old common on the hill south of Isreals river. This building, fully described in another place, was an imposing structure for its day, and two years elapsed before its completion. Like all meeting-houses in New England, those days, it served as a place of public assemblage for all occasions. The first use we have any knowledge of its being put was for holding the annual town meeting, March 11, 1794. The house was then only partially completed. Sev- eral ministers were employed for short periods, with long intervals between, from 1786 until 1794, when the town voted to unite with the church in calling the Rev. Joseph Willard, who accepted the call and became the first settled minister of the town. The town assumed the amount of his salary, and for more than a quarter of a century paid it. This expenditure the town continued to meet for some forty }'ears, when through disaffections and divisions in church. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN. 45 many of its members left it to unite with other churches then being formed on the poHcy of a voluntary support of their ministers. Just when the voluntary support of the church began we do not know, but after the split in the First church over the Trinitarian controversy, we find the Orthodox Congregational church appoint- ing a committee to solicit money to pay for preaching. This was in 1836. Since that time the town has made no appropriations for any church, and how long before is uncertain. Some trouble was had in the Rev. Joseph Willard's time in collecting the " minister's tax." This term has no real meaning to the }'ounger generation, although some of the older people still call their contributions to the support of their churches " the minister's tax." Lancaster was equally zealous in the matter of education. The first schools were, no doubt, private enterprises started by such persons who felt an interest in the education of their own and their neighbor's children. Tradition says that Ruth Stockwell, at a very early day, taught the children of the settlement in her own house. Her teaching probably only extended to instructions in the alphabet, spelling, and reading, with possibly a little attention given to numbers — the three R's which lay at the root of all learning. I have before me as I write some old letters on the blank margins and backs of which Edwards Bucknam's children made their first efforts at the use of the pen. The paper of the time was coarse and porous, making the writing of the best penmen seem mean. Schools were maintained in both the Stockwell and the Bucknam neighborhoods as early as 1787. The Stockwell neighborhood probably had a school-house before 1789, when a Mr. Bradley taught in that section. As early as 1787, the Bucknam neighbor- hood had a school taught by one Burgin from Boston, Mass. He probably taught in some private house, and may perhaps have moved about from one house to another as some of the early teachers did in other parts of the town at a much later day. The earliest public support we have any knowledge of the town giving for its schools was in 1790. At a special meeting held on December 13, 1790, it was "voted to raise thirty bushels of wheat including what the law directs to be laid out in schooling the present winter." The province Avas then governed by the laws of 17 19 as regards the matter of school taxation, which was discretionary with the selectmen. I have not been able to discover any change in that law until 1792, under the constitution. In 1789, Massachusetts led all the colonies in the matter of dividing the towns into school dis- tricts. In 1 79 1, New Hampshire towns began to follow that example, and by 1794, its merits had appealed to Lancaster people so strongly that at the March meeting of that year they appointed a committee of nine men to divide the town into school districts. 46 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. What division they made is not known, but whatever it was, it lasted until 1 8 14, when a new committee was appointed to redistrict the town. The first settlers were intelligent men and women who believed in education, and not a few of them were scholarly for their times. They were liberal in the support of their schools, and ingrained in their descendants a policy of liberal support for the schools. During the first century of the town's history, its schools were the best in all this northern end of the state. Even to-day when statistics show that illiteracy in the state is on the increase because of a large increase of foreign-born population, it is decreasing in Lancaster. In matter of secondary education the town has been comparatively slow. At a time when it should have had good secondary schools it has had only tolerable ones, chiefly due to the lack of proper super- vision. The town is not, and never has been, parsimonious in the support of its schools. VVhatever defects may have been found in the schools of the town at any time within the past generation have been due to the defective system the state imposed upon its people. In 1798, the school tax for the Bucknam district, or No. 2, was only $13.55. ^s this is the first school tax I have been able to dis- cover, I give it below, that the taxpayers of to-day may compare it with their own. " School Tax of 1 797-1 798. Edwards Bucknam, John W. Brackett, Jonathan Hartwell, Coffin Moore, Moses Page, Edward Spaulding, Joseph Wilder, Peter White, John Weeks, Stephen Bucknam, Isaac Purdoe, ^ . Joseph Bell, .213 Ashbell Web, -133 = $I3-35S-" At the rate Master Burgin taught in that district ten years before, viz. : " $5 per month and board around," this sum would not fur- nish quite three months of school, whereas Burgin taught six months in 1787. If the schools kept open six months or more in the year the patrons of them must have found it necessary to raise consider- able funds over and above the school tax. The first provincial and county tax collected in Lancaster, of which we have any knowledge, was collected on a warrant issued Dec. 22, 1773, for the amounts of: Province tax, one pound, two shillings, and one pound county tax, lawful money. These taxes .695 .212 Joseph Brackett, $ Phineas Hodsdon, 993 .107 William Moore, 358 .249 .742 John Mclntire, Waiter Philbrook, 752 194 •593 •332 William Ayres, Nath'l White, 3 394 12 .000 Mathew White, 107 •173 .147 Jeremiah Wilcox, William Ewen, 250 127 .269 •213 Elijah Laton, Ashbell Web, Honrrl-if I'n f li a f rli'cfi-irf ff 109 133 THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN. 47 the town continued to pay with promptness until about 1787, when it was thought that the tax bills the town received from the govern- ment were out of proportion to the advantages they received from the province, and accordingly they remonstrated with the general ■court in the form of a petition they made also the medium of a request for help in building roads and bridges to connect the new town with the outside world, especially with the seaports, where they must purchase their supplies and find a market for their furs and salts of lye, which were about the only articles of trade pro- duced in the settlement up to this time. They were willing to pay tax on the principle that taxes should help and not hinder the growth of a community, and they frankly told the government so. It may seem to us a small matter for the town to pay a few pounds a year in taxes, and even cause us to wonder if they did strain a point in their objections to the burden it imposed upon them. We must not forget that the general court made provisions to assist the outlying towns to build roads, but Lancaster had never received a cent to help it. The people here were left to their own resour- ces; but after a time they literally hewed their way through miles of dense forests, and had bridged, in a primitive way, it is true, some of the smaller streams, before the state came to their aid at all. The first relief they got was in the privilege to tax themselves, and recoup themselves from the persons who should afterward occupy the lands through which the roads were built. A little later the government adopted the policy of granting the public lands freely in return for the building of roads. That method led to an unjust scramble, in which much of the most valuable lands were given for very poorly constructed roads. This w^as not the relief to Lancaster and the other towns north of it that it was supposed it would be. The roads so built were generally out of repair in a short time because poorly built, and no provisions were made to keep them in repair. There is, then, little wonder that the poor settlers felt that they were unduly burdened by what may seem to us a small tax bill. They were getting nothing for it, at most not an adequate and just return of state aid in a task that is now no longer regarded as a local matter. All these experiences tended to develop a spirit of self-reliance and independence in the citizens of the town. Lancaster, for purposes of representation in the New Hampshire congress and house of representatives, was classed with other towns until 1817, when its population was large enough to entitle it to its own representative. In 1775 the town was represented by Capt. Abijah Larned of Cockburn (now Columbia), who was elected by "Apthorp, Lancaster, Northumberland, Stratford, Cockburn, Colburn, Conway, Shelburne, and other towns above." The journal 48 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. of the house docs not show that Captain Larned, though a good man and warm friend of the upper towns, did anything to further their interests. During the three following years the same class of towns were represented by Col. Joseph Whipple of Dartmouth (now Jef- ferson). He was a man of means, well known in the older towns of the province, and fully interested in the development of these new towns, as he had become a large landholder in Dartmouth. He secured legislation favorable to the towns in his class ; and at sub- sequent sessions, for he served as representative five years in all. he secured assistance in the construction of the road through the White Mountain Notch, which was one of the greatest benefits to Lancas- ter and neighboring towns for many years. It was not until 1793, however, that a Lancaster man was elected to the general court. In that year Jonas Wilder, Jr., was elected to represent Lancaster, Littleton, Dartmouth, and Dalton. As the class of towns became smaller it gave the representative a greater chance to promote the interest of his own town. In 1796, Col. Richard C. Everett, the first lawyer to settle in the practice of his profession in Lancaster was elected to represent the same class of towns. The town found in him an able servant, one entirely in sympathy with, and fully interested in, the prosperity of the town, for he was already engaged in various enterprises here beside his profession. He was a man of considerable means, a recent graduate from Dartmouth college, and of an active and pleasing manner. The records of the house show that he labored faithfully to bring his town into the favorable notice of the state. He did much to convince the repre- sentatives of the older towns in the southern portions of the state that Lancaster was a town with a future and destiny that its inhabi- tants could well feel proud of. The time had not come, however, for Lancaster to ask and receive the recognition she deserved. For the whole period of the Revolutionary War, the people of all sec- tions had learned to make sacrifices of their own interests for the common good and safety, await the coming of a time of safety and prosperity in which to take up their own interests and problems for adjustment in the forum of politics. The only politics they had known and practised during that period and trial of their strength against one of the strongest nations in all the world, was patriotism, a patriotism in which self-interest sunk out of sight in the common effort to promote only the general interests of the whole country. Beginning in 1790, and continuing until 1803, there was a deter- mined effort to induce the general court to erect a new count}' out of these northern towns, and to include Conway beyond the White Mountains on the east. In 1790 the selectmen of Lancaster and Northumberland drew up and signed a petition to the general court, which convened that year in Concord, praying that these THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN. 49 northern towns, with Conway, be set off into a new county by the name of Coos. In that petition they say : "That our located situation in the northern part of the state is such, that it will be particularly beneficial for us, to have Conway and adjacent towns annexed to us, in the formation of the northerly county in said state, not only on account of the occupancy and improvement of our most advantageous road to seaport, but in order to promote Emigration, and agriculture in this fertile and healthy teri- tory ; the promotion of which we humbly conceive will be of publick utiHty and the state to which we owe our allegiance, will receive emolument in proportion to the opulency of this part of the state." This petition failed to influence the legislature to take favorable action for the relief of the petitioners although signed by the select- men of the two towns named above. Edwards Bucknam, Emmons Stockwell, and Francis Willson signed it on the part of Lancaster, and Joseph Peverly and Jeremiah Eames signed as selectmen of Northumberland, and Elijah Hinman and James Brown signed as selectmen for Stratford. The failure did not discourage the resolute people, for we find them sending up another petition from Lancaster the next year signed by forty-seven men, who probably comprised the leading taxpayers of the town at the time. That petition is so character- istic of the people of the Lancaster of that day that I cannot pass it by, but insert it in full : Petition for a New County. " To the Honorable the General Court of the State of New Hampshire The Petition of the Inhabitants of Lancaster in the County of Grafton, Humbly Sheweth, That Your Petitioners live at the distance of near sixty miles from the nearest shire Town in this County, That a very considerable part of the Inhabitants of this part of the County live above us and are under similar disadvantages with us, That the Roads to Haverhill our nearest shire Town are exceeding bad and at some seasons of the year unpassable. Wherefore we your petitioners pray that we may be seperated from said County of Grafton and made a new County by a line drawn from Connecticut River between the Towns of Concord alias Gunthwait and Littleton and on Eastward taking in the Towns of Conway Eaton &c to the Province line so called and we as in duty bound shall ever pray Lancaster Novr. 22nd, 1791. Edwards Bucknam, William Bruce, Stephen Wilson, Jeremiah Wilcox, Emmons Stockwell, Robert Gotham, Francis Willson Joseph Bruce Jonas Wilder Jr. Asaph Darby John Weeks, John Hartwell, Nathaniel Lovewell, Joseph Wilder, Samuel Johnson, Dennis Stanley, Isaac Darby Phinenas Bruce Elisha Wilder John Rosebrook Bradford Sanderson. Zadoc Samson. Jonathan Ros, Daniel How, David Stockwell, Daniel Chany, John Wilder Jonas Wilder Mannassah Wilder Charles Rosebrook 50 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Jonas Baker Ezra Reves David Page Jonathan Cram Benj. Twombly James Twombly Edward Spaulding Walter Philbrook Coffin Moore Wm. Moore Moses Page Phiehas Hodgdon Joseph Brackett John Macintire William Johnson" Ephraim Wilder Abijah Darby. [12 Hammond's Town Papers, 358-359]. All these petitions failed, at the time, to secure this much- desired object ; and yet the people of these northern towns never despaired of some day getting a county formed of this territory that laid so far from the shire town where all their court business must be transacted, which at the time was growing to be consid- erable, especially in the probate business, as lands were being transferred, and estates settled with increasing frequency owing to the considerable increase in population due in a measure to the increasing value of their lands after the war, and the remarkable prosperity that began to crown the efforts of the pioneers' descen- dants of the first generation after the settlement of the rich " Upper Coos Country." Then, too, the same causes operating in other portions of Grafton county as they did here began to crowd the courts and county offices with a mass of business that made it necessary to reduce by some means. The people in the northern end of that vast county could see no way to lessen their burdens and expenses but by the creation of a separate county that should bring their own part of that business home. Every argument against the project for a new county of the "Upper Coos" was easily met by a recital of the inconveniences to which the people were put by being compelled to travel some sixty miles over the worst roads in the country to get a deed or other legal paper recorded, or to attend courts, which were sometimes so over- crowded with business as to compel persons attending upon them to remain away from home at unusual expenses a longer time than seemed necessary to transact their business. Indeed it seems the most reasonable solution of the problem that could have been suggested that a new county be erected out of the large territory lying about several considerable villages like Lancaster, Littleton, Northumberland, and Colebrook. There can be but little doubt that Richard Claire Everett, Lan- caster's rising young lawyer, had a great influence in determining the general court to yield to the people's wishes and grant the formation of the prayed-for new county of Coos. At any rate, Lancaster probably was the greatest influence in bringing about the formation of the county; and once formed, as it was in 1803, Lan- caster was the proper place to locate its courts. It was later found necessary to make Colebrook a shire town with its court sessions for the better accommodation of the citizens of the county. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN. 5 1 Lancaster has always held a prominent place in the government of the state since 1796, when she sent R. C. Everett as her rep- resentative to the general court. Since then the town has always been honored by the election of some of her citizens to honorable positions in the state government. Some of the highest offices in the gift of the state have been accorded to citizens of Lancaster, and many of the most responsible positions of trust have been filled by her citizens without an instance of disloyalty or abuse of a public trust. Mistaken her citizens have sometimes been, but in purpose they have been always among the most loyal of the citizenship of the state, patriotic and trustworthy. The people of the town have never favored severe and coer- cionary measures. Even in the earliest days they did not go as far as many other towns in carrying into effect the inherited Puri- tanical notions of the more strict among their number. As we have shown, with respect to various public actions, they were capable of originality in the conduct of their town affairs ; but they did not hold a usage or convention of practice so rigidly that they could not change it upon finding what to them seemed a better way of doing the business of the community. Like all towns of that day Lancaster elected tithingmen for some years ; but it does not seem that it was an office much called for, or that ever did any good in the town. The only recorded action of that functionary, tithingman, is the following complaint against some persons for traveling on the Sabbath : "Lancaster, ist Aug. 1792. " To Edwards Bucknam Esqr., one of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Grafton in the State of New Hampshire cometh the subscriber and com- plaineth of William Rosebrook & Samuel Howe Esq. and wife who did on the Eighth day of July last being Lord's Day Travel . Also Henderson on the twenty-second of sd. July did travel (it being Lord's Day) all said conduct being in open violation of the Law and against the Peace and Dignity of State, therefore in my capacity pray your worshij) that warrant may issue and the above said persons be delt with as the Law Directs. Elisha Wilder, Tithingman. (L. S.)." His " worship," Justice Bucknam, issued the following warrant, and upon the back of it is recorded its service ; but the docket of Bucknam does not show that they were " delt with as the law directs." The reader's attention is called to the clauses in the warrant following the formal " as the law directs," viz. : " and yics- tice may appertaind." Bucknam's warrant was as follows : 52 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. " State of New Hampshire To the Sheriff of the County of Grafton, His Grafton SS. under sheriff of deputy or to eitlier of the Con- stables of the Town of Lancaster Greeting : "Complaint being made as above In the name of the State of New Hampshire you are hereby commanded to apprehend the above named Per- sons, if to be found in your Precinct and him or them safely so that you have them before me Edwards Bucknam Esq. one of the Justices of the Peace for said County, or some other Justice in said County so that he or they may be Examined Touching the Premises and Delt with as the Law & Justice appertain. Fail not but make due Return of this Writ with your Doings thereon. Dated at Lancaster this 20th. Day of August A. D. 1792, Edwards Bucknam, Just. Peace." On the back of this warrant we find the following entry of service : " State of New Hampshire Grafton SS. Pursuant to the within precept I have taken the Body of William Rose- brook and him delivered to the within Magistrate, Edwards Bucknam. Esq. Lancaster August 27th, 1792. Wm. Moore, Constable, Lancaster. Fees, travel ish. 6d. service i " 4"." What disposition was ever made of the case, and whether the other persons mentioned in the warrant were ever taken does not appear from any documents now in existence. Perhaps the Court Records would have shown the disposition of the case, for hav- ing been delivered to the justice of the peace the prisoner cer- tainly had a trial. Although General Bucknam believed in law and order as well as the tithingman, yet we may infer that as the case did not excite much attention, and as there seem to have been no others that ever got upon his docket, that under the announced purpose to try the defendants according to justice, that justice decreed that he should be discharged. The tithingman, " Deacon Wilder," as he was called, was an austere man in religion and politics, though in other respects a a very worthy sort of man. He talked a great deal about what he called "a sane religion." Just what that meant no one ever knew, except that everything he did believe was sane, and what he did not believe was opposed to his "sane religion." He was equal!}- narrow and intolerant in politics. He believed in John Adams and Alexander Hamilton implicitly. He declared that if "Jefferson was elected president of the United States that all our bibles would be burned and our churches turned into horse-stables; and our sons be given up to fight the battles of Napoleon Bonaparte." ROADS AND BRIDGES. 53 A man of short-sightedness, and narrowness of thought, and utter lack of confidence in men and measures with which he did not agree was likely to take a false view of the conduct of men when it did not correspond with his standards of usage. His opposition seems rather to have been to the different way of conducting one's self on Sunday than against the moral of the fact of traveling on that day. So far as we can learn that was the only instance of any effort being made to enforce the old Sunday laws against traveling. With but few exceptions the men of the Lancaster of one hun- dred years ago were too sensible and practical to go back to the old Puritanical laws of the province when under the domination of Massachusetts. There was here no opposition to religion or the church ; and if men took a mild view of their conduct on Sunday, it was from necessity of going contrary to established usages rather than an evidence of contempt for them. CHAPTER VII. ROADS AND BRIDGES. Roads to the Cobs Country — Road from Haverhill to Lancaster — Road FROM Lancaster to Portland Through the White Mountain Notch Roads to Adjacent Towns — Roads and Bridges within the Bounds of Lancaster — Surveyors of Roads — Systems of Repairing Roads — Keeping Roads Open During Winter. As early as November 29, 1752, the Provincial Assembly made an appropriation of money to cut a road to " Cohos," which, of course, meant the " Lower Cohos," or Haverhill. This road was probably "cut" as a mere bridle-path from Portsmouth to " Cohos." It does not seem that it was a very good road, for as late as 1774 Col. John Kurd petitioned the governor to have it " improved and made safe." This was the first attempt at road-making to open up the " Cohos Country" and make it accessible to the would-be eager settlers. That accomplished, still left Lancaster over fifty miles from the nearest road up to 1770, and that not safe. Haverhill was reached from No. 4 (Charleston) on the ice on the Connecticut river for all heavy freight until a much later date, as was also Lan- caster. There is a tradition that Emmons Stockwell and David Page, Jr., cut a road from Haverhill in the fall of 1763 on their way to locate in Lancaster; but we must remember that the term road meant, in those pioneer days, a bridle-path rather than what we would now' 54 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. call a road. It is probable that these two young men cut a mere bridle-path, one that could be followed by their friends in the follow- ing April. Even that was a big undertaking. It does not appear that David Page brought with him any kind of vehicles when he " drove up twenty head of cattle, and some horses, with other useful articles," in 1764; and when his daughter Ruth came that year it was on horseback. On December 17, 1763, the assembly passed an act to open a road from Durham to Cohos [Prov. Papers 6, p. 885]. This action of the assembly indicates a general interest to open up a highway to this section ; but the difficulties in the way of these projects were great, and even this action amounted to nothing at the time. Haverhill had been settled, and other grants of towns had been made beyond it, Colebrook, 1710, and Stonington (on territory now held by Lancaster), 1761. It was urged upon the authorities by the grantees of these towns that they should have roads built at public expense, or at least that they be given authority to build the roads at the expense of the holders of lands through which they should pass. The assembly acted on a petition from William Moulton and James Paul for themselves and the inhabitants of Stonington for a road from " Great Cohoss to Moultonborough," October 26, 1768. This petition had no doubt been encouraged by the passage of an act by the assembly, January 4, 1765, for building roads to Coos, which received the governor's signature. In the early spring of 1768, David Page and others petitioned the assembly for a road to "Upper Coos." The petition was read in the house February 1 1 , 1 768 ; and again acted upon February 18. [Prov. Papers, 7, pp. 58, 151, 152, 195, 266, 268, 313.] All these efforts seem to have been in the interest of a road along the Connecticut river, to connect with Portsmouth, No. 4, and Bos- ton. Any road from that direction would have to pass through long stretches of unsettled country, held chiefly by non-resident landholders, who were not willing to contribute to the building of roads. The settlers of Lancaster began to look for an outlet in another direction. At the first meeting of the proprietors, March 10, 1767, it was voted " that David Page, Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Buck- nam, Timothy Nash, and David Page, Jr., be a committee to look out and mark a road to Pigwakett (now Conway), or to the Andris- cogin, or to the first inhabitants, and also to the Lower Coos." This proposed road through the White Mountains to Portland promised a shorter outlet for communication with a good market than the one down the river, which the proprietors made a sort of alternation, or second choice of roads. Communication with the ROADS AND BRIDGES. 55 markets of the country must be had ; and this road was built as far as Pigwakett or '• the nearest inhabitants," which might have meant for them a shorter distance than Pigwakett, as the settlements on that side of the mountains were passing up toward the " Notch " through which it was known an Indian trail had long existed. Port- land was then a small town, but it was a seaport from which the settlers could get the articles of commerce needed by them, and where their products would find sale. This undertaking certainly was never carried into effect, for the Indian trail through the Notch was not discovered by Timothy Nash until the winter of 1771, when by the mere accident of track- ing a moose up one of the ravines he chanced to gain the first sight of the famous Notch. The ice on the Connecticut river furnished a good highway in winter, although there were some elements of risk and danger in that sort of road. The unwary traveler sometimes happened to drive upon weak spots in the ice and break through into the water. It is said that Emmons Stockwell on one occasion, while riding down the river on the ice, with a heavy roll of furs on his horse, broke through and narrowly escaped drowning for him- self, losing his horse and his load of furs, worth a large sum. Year after year went by carrying down one after another of the projects for better roads, with the river as the best highway. In winter the ice made it a fairly good road ; and in summer the canoe was called into. use. For more than twenty years all the settlers above Haverhill had but little better roads than the savage Indians had used for centuries. They felt this disadvantage very keenly, and were accustomed to attribute all their failures in the develop- ment of the towns to the lack of roads, or the bad conditions of the ones they had been able to open in a very feeble way. The prosperity of the new and remote towns was certainly less than it would have been if they had been provided with good roads. With little more than trails and bridle-paths to these remote sec- tions it was difficult to induce new settlers of the more desirable class to come here. Not only was it very difificult to reach these towns, but when they had produced something to barter for the common necessities of frontier life it was well-nigh impossible to get it to a market during two thirds of the year. To await the freezing of the river, meant increased inconvenience, if not, indeed, actual suffering. At the end of the first five years of the settlement of the town the proprietors were forced to ask for a renewal of the charter, be- cause they had not been able on account of bad roads to induce enough actual settlers to meet the conditions of the grant. Even as late as 1787, when the tax bill was sent for collection the people felt justified in remonstrating with the general court against what they regarded as a burdensome amount, in which they alleged 56 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. as a reason of the lack of prosperity "the badness of the roads." They appointed a committee to lay their grievances before the gen- eral court. That committee consisted of Jonas Wilder, Edwards Bucknam, and Emmons Stockwell. Under date of September 4th, 1787, they drew up a respectful and strong petition which was pre- sented to the general court on the second Wednesday of Septem- ber, 1787. It reads as follows: " To the Honourable, the Senate and the Hon^'''^ House of Representatives in General Assembly convened on the second Wednesday in September A. D. 1787— "The Petition of the Town of Lancaster in the County of Grafton, humbly Shevveth — "That the inhabitants of said Town labour under many and great inconveni- ences, and without that succor and relief which Every infant Country expects from the Government to which she owes her allegiance, they must remain in but very indignant circumstances ; and the State not receive that Emolument, that it might justly expect from a Country so fertile as this, when properly peopled. Nothing more effectually hinders the emigration of inhabitants to this part of the State, than the badness of our roads, and the want of a convenient place to worship that being, to whom all owe their existence. The formation of the town is very pecu- liar, on account of marshes, creeks and large streams and the number of inhabi- tants being very small; consequently the expense of making and mending roads, building bridges, meeting house &c must be very great — One large stream known by the name of Isreals river, is so formidable where it must be dridged, to accom- idate the travel up and down Connecticut river and likewise the travel to and from Portsmouth (our most advantagious port) that it must cost, at a moderate com- putation, two hundred pounds. The inhabitants have solicited the non-resident landowners for assistance (many of whom live out of the State) but they have entirely refused — "Your petitioners are, therefore, necessitated to pray your honors to pass an Act empowering the selectmen of said Lancaster to levey and collect, a tax of three pence on each acre of land (Public Rights excepted) for the purpose of mak- ing roads, building bidges meeting House &c. &c, and a continuation of one peney on the acre, annually for the term of five years, to be appropriated to the aforesaid purposes " [State Papers, ii^pp. 178, 182, 188, 339.] • This petition was granted and an act was at once passed author- izing the selectmen to levy and collect a tax that proved a great boon to the town, for within three years one hundred people came to Lancaster, and among whom were many men that proved to be of great service to the new community. The sum derived from this tax was large enough to enable the town to begin, and carry out for five years, a systematic effort at opening new roads and putting existing roads in better repair. At the town-meeting, March ii, 1788, "seven pounds and ten shillings were voted to Major Whipple for carrying through the land tax at the General Court." Lancaster was not represented in the general court that year, consequently had to employ Major Whipple to lobby its measure for it. This law proved to be of very great value to the town, as it. ROADS AND BRIDGES. 57 at once, began building and repairing its roads, making them pass- able and safe. From 1769, the office of road surveyor had existed, and was filled by the election of such men as David Page, Edwards Bucknam, and Dennis Stanley. The annual town-meeting, March 9, 1773. "voted sixty-eight shillings for repair of roads." A poll- rate of six shillings was voted as a road tax, and an allowance of four shillings a day for each man in work on the roads. In 1784, ten pounds were appropriated for the repair of roads. The next year twenty bushels of wheat were voted to be spent in keeping the roads open. At the annual town-meeting, February 27, 1787, twelve pounds was voted for roads. These sums were as large as the " land tax " yielded, but the latter fell with equal weight upon the non-residents, while the actual settlers were on the spot to work out the taxes to their advantage. Having entered into their new schemes for better roads, the settlers of Lancaster, and other towns above it, found themselves badly handicapped by the refusal of the non-resident owners of the lands in Dalton and Littleton, through which they must pass to reach the older settlements, to assist in making roads through those towns. Having several times failed to induce the cooperation of these landholders to do what seemed their plain duty in the matter of making roads these upper towns joined in a petition to the general court for the passage of some measure of relief. Accordingly on May 10, 1788, the towns of Lancaster, Northum- berland (formerly Stonington), Stratford, and Percy (now Stark) united in this petition to the general court: "To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives: — The Inhabi- tants of A Place called Upper Coos that they began settlement at that Place now more than twenty-three years ago and Ever Since have continued their Settle- ment through many Dificulties Especially on account of the badness of the Roads through Littleton and Dalton which have never been properly cleared nor bridged by which means wagons or Sleighs pass with the greatest Danger and never more than half a Load which subjects the inhabitants of said Coos to very Large Expence in transporting necessary foreign articles and others in Removing with their families and effects from Connecticut Massachusetts and the Easterly part of New Hampshire is the same Dificulties which very much Impedes & Hinders the Setelment of the towns on Connecticut River &c., Lying above said Littleton at Dalton. Your Petitioners beg Leave to farther Suggest that the Townships of Littleton and Dalton being owned by only a few Gentelmen and the Towns not vested with Power nor the Inhabitants with ability to Lay out and clear bridge and make Passible said Road through which Your Petitioners must Pass on any Business belonging to the Probate, or County matter, wherefore your Petitioners Pray your Honors to take their case into your Wise Consideration and order that the Road be made Passable and kept in good Repair through said Towns of Littleton & Dalton to the acceptance of a Committee to be appointed for that Purpose or by some other way as Your Honors Shall see fit and Your Petitioners- will Ever Pray." 2 Hammond's Towns Papers, 354-355 ! 21 State Papers, 467. 58 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. This petition was signed on the part of Lancaster by a com- mittee consisting of Jonas Wilder, Amasa Grant, Jonas Baker, Joseph Brackett, Edwards Bucknam, Phineas Hodgdon, Francis Willson, John Weeks, Abijah Darby, Walter Philbrook, Samuel Johnson, Hopestill Jennison, David Page, Emmons Stockwell, Ephraim Griggs, William Johnson, and Jonathan Hartwell. An equal array of names from the other towns adorns this forcible petition. Just what disposition the legislature made of this petition is not certain ; but I have before me the bills and receipts showing that during the next few years much work was done on the roads here referred to. The taxes prayed for in these several petitions were authorized and laid. Much difficulty was experienced in collecting them, however ; and resort had to be had to the advertisement of the lands of non-residents. The taxes of nearly twenty years before by the action of the proprietors' meetings for making roads, build- ing bridges, and rebuilding David Page's mill that was burnt, which fell most heavily on non-residents, had been very hard to collect, and even now, after the civil organization of the town, it was no easy matter to levy and collect taxes on the lands of non-residents, although sanctioned by act of legislature. In the petitions of 1792 and 1793 the petitioners for a special tax on all private lands requested the legislature to appoint a committee to disburse them in the building of such roads and bridges that it should be found advisable to undertake for the relief of these distant towns. This feature was a necessary one, too, from another consideration : As the proposed road was to have passed through the territory of other towns, it would be necessary for the state to control an undertaking of the kind. These new towns were jealous of their rights, and respected one another's rights though free to criticise, and often to condemn the selfishness of their neighbors in not doing what seemed their duties in the development of the larger civil unit — the state. What effect these petitions had upon the legislature is a matter of conjecture rather than history, as the records do not show a final disposition of them. From the fact that the citizens of Lancaster petitioned the legislature in 1793 for the right to levy and collect a tax of one penny a year for three years on every acre of land in the town, to build and repair their own roads and bridges, and assist in opening up a road through Whitefieid to Plymouth, it would seem that their petitions must have met with some discouragements. This next petition was an important movement on the part of Lan- caster, in that it was a request on the legislature to allow them to assume a burden, and such it was, that the state was either unable or unwilling to assume. It was not so polished and clear in style as some other petitions that Lancaster has sent to the general court. ROADS AND BRIDGES. 59 but it pressed an urgent demand for relief from a condition of affairs that was retarding the development of the town. It set forth, " That the said town of Lancaster is such that the public Road leading through said town on Connecticutt River is upwards of ten Miles in Length and is attended with many Creeks, vales, and .Streams that leads into said River, where Bridges and Casways are needed to be built, and the Road leading through said town up Isreals River towards Conway is attended with the like Impediments and that one other Road is much wanted to be opened through the Center of said town from Connecticutt River leading a Corse through said town and Whitefield and on to Thornton and Plymouth which road if opened would shorten the Distance from Lancaster to Plymouth about thirty miles which road will in all probability be opened in said town the ensuing year The Inhabitants of said town being but small in Numbers, having the season past erected a large Meeting house and are loaded with great expense for the same, their Roads &c ; the major part of the Proprietors and land owners of said town live at New York and out of this State and are unwilling to assist the inhabitants of said town in their Bur- thensome matters altho, — they are as much benefitted thereby in the Rise of their lands as the Inhabitants of said Town Therefore Your Petitioners pray Yours Honors would make a Grant of three pence on Each and Every acre of land in said Town viz. one penny each year the three next Succeeding Years and appoint a Committee to ley and Collect the same and apply it in Open- ing the New and Repairing the other Roads and Bridges in said Town. Edwards Bucknam ^ ^^^^^j^^^^ ^^ ^^^^j^ Emmons Stockwell S ^f Lancaster. Jonas Baker j December ye 21 st. 1793."* I find by reference to the town records that at a legal meeting of the town, November 22, 1793, Col. Edwards Bucknam, Capt. John Weeks, and Jonas Baker were appointed a committee to draw up this petition; and Bucknam, Stockwell, and Baker were appointed a committee to sign it on behalf of the town. Also, that Col. Edwards Bucknam was voted the town's agent in the matter of the presentation of the petition. This formal, " legal" action no doubt seemed necessary on account of the failure of the petition of 1792, which was signed by the twenty-eight following citizens: Fortunatus Eager, John Rosebrook, Jun., Charles Rosebrook, Jonas Wilder, William Bruce, Titus O. Brown, Jonathan Cram, John Holms, Elisha Wilder, Phineas Bruce, John Rosebrook, Emmons Stockwell, Joseph Wilder, Asahel Bigelow, Nathan Lovewell, Benja- min Orr, David Stockwell, Moses Page, Dennis Stanley, William Moore, David Page, Abijah Darby, Joseph Brackett, Walter Phil- brook, Jonas Baker, Edward Spaulding, William Johnson, Cofifin Moore. This measure seems to have been as fruitless of good results as pre- ceding ones to get the road to Haverhill put into passable and safe condition. It was very natural that the inhabitants of Lancaster * 12 Hammond's Town Papers, 360-361. 6o HISTORY OF LANCASTER. should prefer a good road to Portsmouth, and the lower towns through Haverhill. Their old homes and early association were in that direction. They had come hither over paths leading through that territory. This town was in Grafton county with the public ofhces and courts located at Haverhill. All their legal business had to be transacted there. There were, for a considerable length of time, no magistrates in Lancaster ; neither were there any lawyers located here to attend to their legal business or give council during the first thirty years after the settlement of the town. Edwards Bucknam, universal genius that he was, was the first justice of the peace in Lancaster. He received his appointment to that ofhce about 1792. These inconveniences harassed the people for many years, driving them at last to seek relief in the division of Grafton county and the formation of a new county by the name of Coos, alleging always as one of the chief reasons for such action the bad roads and the incon- venience of traveling over them for all their legal business which increased with the growth of population. Meanwhile the road to Pigwaket had been constructed, and the tide of emigration from the sea-board towns began to fiow through the White Mountain Notch. As early as 1773, Nash and Sawyer's location was granted for building roads through that tract of land. Col. Joseph Whipple and Samuel Hart of Portsmoiith settled in Jef- ferson, then called Dartmouth, about 1773. From that time on, the Notch road was steadily improved. In 1786, the legislature was petitioned to appoint a committee to sell land about the mountains, and use the money thus raised to repair the road through the Notch. That petition set forth that the road was badly out of repair from the effect of a recent freshet. Such a committee was appointed, and did sell large tracts of land from time to time, and expended the revenue thus raised in repairing this important road. That committee was in active existence for a period of ten years, when it settled accounts and got discharged. The committee and its friends got most of the lands and the public a very poor road. Tradition says that the first article brought through this Notch road to Lancaster was a hogshead of rum; and that the first article shipped from Lancaster through the Notch was a quantity of tobacco raised by Titus O. Brown, then a farmer on Great brook, and later a merchant or trader in the village. That was in the fall of 1773. This road continued to be Lancaster's best road to market until the coming of the railroads so near as to open up other outlets. In 1803, a charter for a turnpike through the Notch was granted by the legislature and at once built. This gave a good road through the section hitherto so difficult to keep in repair. Soon after the build- ing of this turnpike, one was built through Jefferson to connect with it at a cost of twenty thousand dollars. It began at the point where ROADS AND BRIDGES. 6 1 the Whitefield road branches from the Jefferson road near the home of the late Edward Howe, and ran southeasterly by the Whipple place over a spur of Cherry mountain to the Rosebrook place. It was a \vell-built road, and gave Lancaster an easy passage of the mountain section to Portland. After the great freshet of August, 1826, which completely destroyed some sections of the turnpike through the Notch, its proprietors abandoned it, and the Jefferson turnpike soon fell into ruin and was abandoned. The building of a turnpike on the line of the old " Cohos road" from Plymouth to Haverhill in 1808, together with the advent of the stage coach soon after that event, did much to awaken the interest of Lancaster people in the old roads south. Meanwhile the towns of Dalton, Whitefield, Littleton, Lyman, and Bath to the .south were being settled rapidly and a local interest in good roads coming to exist in so many sections along the old trail over which the first set- tlers came, that it began to be improved all along the line. Concord was then becoming a place of considerable importance. It had become the permanent capital of the state, besides having been favored by the sitting there of thirty-two of the sixty-one ses- sions of the legislature prior to 1808, when it became the permanent capital of the state. Lancaster, before that time, had become one of the most important communities of northern New Hampshire. Its citizens took an active interest in political matters, and had busi- ness of importance in the higher courts, which drew them to the capital. The settlement of the towns north of Lancaster, and the «arly development of the lumber and dairy interests in addition to the considerable agricultural and mercantile interests that existed, required good roads and rapid communication with the larger centres of trade and industry. It will thus be seen that not the actual necessity and resolute de- termination of the early settlers, but later and more remote causes led to the development of the roads. Neither the state nor the town could afford to build good roads in the earliest period of the history of the town. As we have seen, generous sums were appropriated by the town for roads ; but the largest expenditure they could afford to make would not go far in making, or even mending, roads. It took a period of more than two generations to reach a point at which road-making could be put on anything approaching a scientific basis. So desirable an end has not yet been reached, but is one of the possible things in the near future now that the town owns modern, improved road machinery. As settlements were made on the Vermont side of the river soon after Lancaster was settled there soon came the demand for some means of crossing the river. To build bridges was out of the question, so ferries were provided. About 1790 some interest was 62 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. manifested in ferries, and the legislature was applied to for charters for them. In 1792 there were three of them chartered and in operation within the limits of the town. Uriel Rosebrook had the first one, located at the south line of the Dennis Stanley farm, now owned by Capt. A. M. Beattie. Just how long he operated it, and how profitable it was we do not know, but it may be inferred that it paid a good return, for very soon Rosebrook had competition in the business. John Weeks procured a charter for a ferry, and con- ducted one about thirty rods above Union bridge at South Lan- caster. Neither history nor tradition can enlighten us very much upon the success or period of duration of this ferry. About the time these two ferries were started a movement was set on foot to take out a charter for one to be owned by the town. A petition to that effect was laid before the legislature praying for a charter in the name of the town but the legislature refused to grant one. Whether opposed to towns holding such franchises or the indi- viduals owning the other ferries, convinced that body that no need existed for another competitor is not known. The journal of the house shows that the petition was seriously considered several times before a committee and reported unfavorably to that body. About the time this charter was refused the legislature granted one to Maj. Jonas Wilder. He located his ferry on his own farm, now known as the Holton farm. This ferry existed for a period of some ten years, and was in operation when the Lancaster Bridge company was formed in 1804. Although Major Wilder was an enterprising, public-spirited man, we do not find his name, nor that of John Weeks, on the list of original stockholders in that remark- able enterprise. Uriel Rosebrook, whose ferry was already declin- ing in its earning power, took one share of stock in the Bridge company. The distance of Weeks's ferry from the bridge, and the fact that at that time the Bucknam neighborhood was almost as populous and important as that where the Pages and Stockwells lived, may have enabled that ferry to continue doing a good busi- ness for some years later than its rivals. The earliest setUers for many years forded Isreals river in summer and crossed it on the ice in winter. The place where the new iron bridge now crosses it on Main street was known as " the fording- place," and is so referred to in very early documents. After a time, but just when we do not know, Emmons Stockwell built a bridge at this old " fording-place." In their petition for authority "to levy and collect a tax of three pence per acre on all lands (public lands excepted), and a continua- tion of one penny per acre for a term of five years," the petitioners name as the objects upon which it was to be spent, roads, bridges, and meeting-house. That petition of 1787 was favored by the ROADS AND BRIDGES. 63 passage of an act giving to the town the right prayed for. Such a tax was levied and collected in part; and it is fair to presume that as Isreals river was the only stream of any magnitude in the town, it was bridged by the use of that tax. It was probably about 1 790 that Stockwell built the first bridge, of which we have no descrip- tion whatever. Tradition has preserved the story of Stockwell being the first person to cross his bridge, but whether on foot or in some vehicle, no one seems to know. The right to cross the new bridge first was sold at auction, and Stockwell bid it off for five gallons of brandy, which must have cost him a handsome sum, for I find by reference to old accounts of that year that brandy cost forty-two shillings a gallon. Tradition does not say what became of the brandy, but it may be presumed that the jolly crowd dis- posed of it in celebrating the event. This old bridge took the name of its builder at a very early date, for we find it referred to as " Stockwell's bridge" in a contract between a committee appointed to let the mill privileges of the river in 1792 and Emmons Stock- well, the original of which I have before me. This old bridge served until 1805, when it was pulled down, and another of a better design took its place. At a special town meeting held July 6, 1804, a committee consisting of Richard C. Everett, Jonathan Twombly and Levi Willard recommended a plan for building a bridge over Isreals river, which report was adopted, and a committee consisting of Richard C. Everett, John Moore, and Nathaniel White, were appointed to superintend the construction of this bridge. The committee procured the materials, and had everything in readiness by the following spring, when it was voted at the annual meeting in March to pull down the old bridge, and make a tempo- rary one of its timbers, to be used while the new one was being built. In that vote it was stipulated that this work was to be done at "no expense to the town except for liquor for the men invited to pull down the old bridge by what is called a Bee." Of the " Bee" we know positively nothing, as it was never made a matter of record ; but we may safely presume that any man, in those days, would have considered it an honor to be invited to participate in such an enter- prise. The liquor, of course, was used as the stuff now is, as a safe- guard against sickness from contact with the water, or as a stimulant to fit them for the excessive fatigue from such heavy work. It may reasonably be doubted that the free liquor was intended as a com- pensation, or to induce men to perform a severe and dangerous task at a cheap rate. Lancaster had some old " topers " at that time, but they would hardly be invited to so dangerous and heavy a service. Liquor was freely used by nearly everybody those days, and especially at gatherings like house-raisings, and " Bees " of all 64 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. sorts. The town could not be expected to be less hospitable and generous than its individual citizens. This practice of giving liquor on such occasions was general throughout the country at that time, and continued down to within a few decades. Happily, however, with improved methods of doing such work, and the growth of bet- ter sentiments and public opinion, those practices have passed away. This second bridge was a well-built one that served its purpose until 1837. It was replaced by an uncovered structure of hewn timbers resting on strong stone abutments, with one pier in the middle of the stream, and green posts supporting the double spans of heavy sills. The grade of Main street, on both sides of the river, was then much lower than at the present time. The height of the bridge was very nearly as great as that of the iron bridge of the present time, and was reached by long, and rather steep, graded approaches on both sides. In 1848, this one gave place to another wooden bridge, with latticed sides, about six feet high. These two bridges were along the line of improvement in bridge architecture, but they had to give way to the " covered bridge," which made its appearance about forty years ago. At the annual town meeting in 1862, steps were taken to erect a covered bridge on the same site of these previous uncovered ones. All preparations being made, and the material for the new structure being ready for its erection as soon as the old one could be pulled down, work began on its demolition, October 2, 1862; and by November i8th, teams were passing over the new bridge, which was not completed, however, for some weeks later. This bridge was by far the best that had ever been thrown across Isreals river. It had a double track for teams, and two side- walks. The people felt a pardonable pride in their covered bridge. They had a bridge of the regulation style, for at that time a covered wooden bridge was considered the best thing in that line. This bridge was doomed to meet a fate, however, that none of the poorer old structures before it had ever met. In 1886, there was a heavy freshet when the ice went out of the river. An ice gorge formed at the head of the dam of Frank Smith & Co.'s mill, and forced a large stream of water down Mechanic street, which broke over the banks just above the bridge, and car- ried the two-story door, sash, and blind factory of N. B. Wilson & Son, standing above the bridge on the south side of the river, out into the stream, and against the bridge, damaging it so much that a new one became necessary. By this time the art of bridge-building had been so developed as to have abandoned wooden bridges for iron and steel ones, on account of the many advantages of the latter kinds over the wooden structures. Flood, Israels River, February, 1870. American House and Ice Freshet, 187c Ice Freshet, 1870. ROADS AND BRIDGES. 65 The people having become aware that to build more wooden bridges over this stream, so liable to excessive rise from the more rapid drainage of a section of country nearly divested of its forests, w'as unwise, and liable in the long run to be more expensive, decided upon a steel bridge. The contract for it was let to the Boston Bridge Company. Work was begun on it at once, and the bridge was open to the passage of teams in a very short time. This proved a wise choice as to the architecture of the bridge, for it did away with the unsightly covered structures formerly in use. The new bridge was entirely satisfactory, and even an ornament to the village, and what was better still, the people felt safe as to its future. But, alas ! a sad disappointment was in store for the town. In the spring of 1895, when the ice went out of the river, a dam in Jeffer- son broke letting into a very much swollen stream 700,000 feet of logs, which added to a vast quantity of ice came rushing down, carrying everything before it. When this mass of ice and logs reached the dam of Frank Smith & Co.'s mills where they had about 500,000 feet of logs, and where an equally large quantity of ice had accumulated their boom broke leaving this entire mass of ice and logs to pass over their dam in one of the wildest scenes of confu- sion the village ever witnessed, the bridge with all its Herculean strength of steel could not resist the strain upon it, which was not only against its side but upward, lifting it bodily off the abutments and carrying it some eighty rods down the stream upon the mass of logs, where it was dropped a distorted and dilapidated mass. The selectmen at once set about the task of building a foot-bridge of the pontoon style of architecture above the dam by which travel was only impeded for a half day. The Mechanic street bridge re- ceived no serious injury in consequence of its great height above the water, and was available for teams at the risk of those who cared to use it. It was decided by the selectmen to use such portions of the steel bridge as were not too badly damaged in its reconstruction, which was undertaken at once. The Boston Bridge Company again took the contract on the work, supplying such new portions as were necessary to a good bridge. The structure was completed in August at a very moderate sum. The reconstructed bridge was raised nearly two feet higher than it was in 1895, ^^^^ the ap- proaches graded up, making a slight increase in the grade, and yet not materially affecting the appearance of either street or bridge. This bridge has a double track, and two sidewalks. It seems well adapted to meet the requirements of the community ; and so far as human wisdom can forecast the future it may be expected to stand until worn out by use and the ravages of time. The river, however, has become very much changed in character 6 66 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. from the denudation of the country of its timbers, and through the drainage of a number of swamps that served in early times as a sort of check upon the river by holding portions of the surface water back to run off more slowly. At present when the snows of winter go off, and the ice breaks up, if it happens to be accompanied by rain the streams become rapidly and greatly swollen, by which all bridges are endangered. This condition of things is likely to grow worse rather than better as time goes by. It has become necessary for the protection of property to raise the banks by the addition of stone walls of rubble at several points within the village limits. The Mechanic Street Bridge. — In early days a wooden bridge was built over Isreals river on Mechanic street. It was a single- span, wooden structure that served its purpose well until 1862, when it became unsafe, and was replaced by the present one. This bridge has rendered good service, aud although it sustained some injury from the great freshet of Feb. 18, 1870, remains serviceable yet. There are a few small bridges in various parts of the town, mainly over very small streams, which are substantial and meet all demands upon them in a satisfactory manner, and little need be said of them here. THE LOCAL ROADS. For the first three decades after the settlement of the town the roads were marked by committees of the proprietors, and built by assessments on proprietary rights in the town lands. The history of the very earliest roads, during the proprietary period of the set- tlement, is obscure, a mere matter of tradition, due to the loss of the proprietors' records in the court house fire of 1886. From 1792, down to the present day, the records of laying out, changing, or abandoning of roads are complete, and preserved in the Town Records. The earliest record of any highway we have, then, is that of the road from Stockwell's bridge to Colonel Wild- er's mills on the north side of Isreals river, a distance of seventy-two rods, the width of which was three rods. Most of the principal roads of the town were laid out by the selectmen in 1795, and full records of them are to be found entered upon the Town Records. The roads back from the rivers have been much changed from their first locations. They formerly ran over the higher grounds for the sake of escaping the wet lands on the levels. These roads were laid for the convenience of the new comers who invariably settled on the high lands back from the rivers to escape the early frosts, and because the soil is equally pro- ductive. The road to Dalton, Main street, and North Main street remain THE LOCAL ROADS. 6/ to-day where they were first laid out. All others have changed more or less. The road to Northumberland was from the head of Main street, by North Main street, past the house of E. B. Stockwell, following the river bank, thence to the Stanley house along the bank of the river, until it united with the present road near the Hadlock place. The first road east was a continuation of the road from Stock- well's bridge to Colonel Whipple's mills, to beyond the top of the hill about twenty rods back of the Plummer Moody house, thence passing over Sugar Hill to the bridge over Great Brook and on to the eastern settlement. A branch of this road extended past the Faulk- ner and Crandall places, over the hill, joining the Jefferson road near the George W. Webster place. In passing through Jefferson it ran twenty rods east of the present highway from the Samuel Marden house, and high above the Waumbek House, crossing Stag Hollow brook a mile above the present bridge across that stream. The road from Lancaster to Whipple Meadows ran from Stockwell's bridge along the south bank of the river. At an early date it was changed from near the old meeting-house and ran south of the present road to near the Jefferson mills. Old and rotten corduroy, sunk in the mud, marked the course of these old highways until within a very few years. The old road toward Whitefield has been changed from about three quarters of a mile south of Stockwell's Bridge to near where the old red schoolhouse stood in old District No. 8. This old road reached some noted old homesteads. Some fifty rods be- yond General W^illson's, the James Boutwell place by the cold spring, Isaac Darby, noted bear hunter, miller, and gun- smith, lived, and reared a large and respectable family. A mile beyond, -and near the cross-road to the Richard Eastman farm, was the Levi Willard farm, afterward owned by Asa Wesson. Levi Willard was one of the most prominent men in town in his day. He was sheriff of the county of Coos for the first seven years after it was erected. He held other responsible positions and offices. Some forty rods farther on was the farm of Jonathan Twombley, and later of his son Elijah D. Twombley. Thirty rods farther on was the farm of Esquire Joseph Farnham, later occupied by William Elliot. At the height of land was the home of David Perkins, later of Ephraim Leighton. There were at that time six large and valua- ble farms with good buildings, of which to-day not a vestige remains, unless it be an old dilapidated barn on the Willard farm. Those early roads were rude highways, crooked, and almost wholly undrained. The small streams and boggy places were crossed by corduroy, made by laying timbers lengthwise of the road, six or seven feet apart, covered with cross-timbers, usually round 68 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. poles, some eight feet long. These primitive highways answered the wants of the people quite well as they used only ox-carts and a lumbering sort of "two-horse wagon," a two-wheeled vehicle. Those primitive roads continued to serve their purpose until the advent of the four-wheeled vehicles, which was in 1822. Imme- diately the habit of horse-back riding, and the stately old chaise began to give place to the one-horse, four-wheeled wagon, with a crooked frame firmly bolted to its wooden axles. It is claimed by Alonzo P. Freeman that Dr. Lyman brought the first four-wheeled wagon to Lancaster, and he says he remembers it distinctly with its wooden springs. It excited no little curiosity on the streets, and w'ell it might. The innovation was as great as the modern horseless carriages of to-day. Dr. Lyman is said to have procured his famous wagon in Connecticut. He was himself from that state, as were many other prominent men \\'ho came to Lancaster. The next vehicle was one with wooden springs, and regarded as a great improvement on the original wagon. Nothing but "chaises" until 1854, when Wallace Lindsey bought the first four-wheel buggy or phaeton. Not long afterward, however, the real covered "buggy" made its appearance, since which the vehicles in use have been fully up to date with the progress in construction. The most important vehicle, the one to compel better roads, was the stage coach. When travel began to demand more rapid progress, and more comfort than the primitive means would furnish, this grand vehicle made its appearance, and once on the roads they had to be kept in good condition to insure dispatch and ease. Another incentive to road-building was the unparalleled pros- perity of this section from 1 790 to 1 800. The farms produced as they never had before, and some other commodities were produced, all demanding better roads to the markets. The territory of the town was at an early day divided into high- way districts, and a surveyor of roads, was annually elected over each one. The system was a very satisfactory one in some respects, though it failed for lack of uniformity of method in road work. There was no sufificient supervision, and sooner or later every sur- veyor was working on his differing plans, giving good roads, it is true, in some districts, while in others the roads were poor. If one surveyor did good work during his term of offtce the next one to suc- ceed him might undo it all or do little or nothing to sustain what had been well built. Even a much-increased highway tax did not guarantee good roads. They were a disgrace to the town after a time, and later became actually unsafe to travel. This state of things lasted until 1886, when the town made the radical change of employing a superintendent to have charge of all the road work, requiring him to give bonds for the faithful performance of his duties THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 69 and the expenditure of the pubhc moneys raised for repair of roads. The result in a single season fully justified the change, for the con- dition of the roads bore no comparison to what they had been for many years previous. The stones were removed, and the old " water-bars " on the hills, that had been a nuisance for a whole generation, were done away with, and seventy out of the eighty-two miles of roads in the town were put in good condition, and have so remained to this date. The roads are now entirely safe, and of easy grades, and wider of track. The cost of repairing roads has been reduced fully forty per cent, by the new system, with the result of making better roads every year. In 1884, the town procured a Victor road machine, and in May gave it a thorough and satisfactory trial, after which it purchased the machine. This new method of road-working has proven a great advantage to the town, both in point of economy and better roads. It has enabled the repair of roads to be reduced to a system under a com- petent head. The road agents are now engaged with reference to their knowledge of the business of road repairing; and as very many less of them are necessary under the new system than under the old, one man is not undoing one year what his predecessor did the year before. Permanent improvements are added every year no matter who the agents may be ; and so in time a good result is seen in the cumulative efforts of the agents. In 1893 the town invested in a second road machine. These machines do more work now in one day than was often done by a large crew of men in a week under the old methods. In 1892 the town bought a stone-crusher, since which time there have been several of the streets, most notable Elm and South Main streets, macadamized. Sidewalks of crushed stone have been some- what in use, although the tendency has been in favor of concrete walks, and every year there are additions to the amount of that kind of walks made in the villag-e. CHAPTER VIII. THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. From the settlement of the town to the breaking out of the War of the Revolution the population had not probably reached four- score souls all told. A census taken, by order of Gov. John Went- worth, in 1773 gave the following numbers: ^o HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Unmarried men from i6 to 60 . 3- Married men from 16 to 60 6. Boys 16 and under ........ 8. Females unmarried ........ 10. Females married . ...... 7- Widows .......... I. Slaves .......... 0. When the war-shadows had begun to gather, the new govern- ment ordered another census taken; and this time, 1775, we find a considerable increase for the last two preceding years. This census taken by Edwards Bucknam, as one of the selectmen, shows as follows : No of souls in Lancaster Sept. 22, 1775 : Males under 16 Males from 16 to 50 not in the army Males above 50 gone in the army Females ....... Negros & Slaves for life .... 8 guns fit for use, 7 guns wanted, and 11 lbs poder wanted." 15- 2. 27. oo.:=:6l Although the number of people here was not large, and the country was an immense, little-known region, yet there were in it homes that meant everything to the little band of brave men who had endured so much to create them. Their future was full of promise, and already they had begun to make plans for the welfare of their children. They loved their rich acres whether cleared or bending beneath the burdens of their forests. They were hardy and intelligent rnen who had tasted the sweets of prosperity, liberty, and social life before coming to this wilderness to found an Ameri- can town. They were men and women with a purpose, and among other things that purpose included the intention to develop here a typical New England township, not apart from their former neigh- bors but with them. They fully shared with the people of Massa- chusetts and Connecticut, from which states many of them had come, the pride and love of independence. They despised tyranny, as we have seen, and did not hesitate to debate their civil relations and questions with the governor 'and the general court when they felt that they had been dealt with unwisely or unfairly. They had sacrificed and endured much in order to protect their homes against the French and Indians, and now when a new combination of enemies of their safety had been formed, and a price put upon their scalps and bodies, they were not going to flinch, though some of those enemies were of their own race and country. They had no use for kings and foreign governments for they had learned to govern themselves in their own town meetings and provincial congress, which latter body, composed of one hundred and thirty-three mem- THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 7 1 bers sent by one hundred and two towns, had dismissed the king's governor and council, together with many other civil officers. The provincial government had forced upon these men a military training and provisions that made them formidable soldiers. That the men of every town might be useful in an emergency the laws had required every town to provide every male inhabitant, from sixteen years old to sixty, with a musket and bayonet, knapsack, cartridge box, one pound of powder, twenty bullets, and twelve flints. Every town was required to keep in readiness one barrel of powder, two hundred pounds of lead, and three hundred flints for every sixty men ; besides a quantity of arms and ammunition for persons not able to supply themselves. This provision the new government sought to carry out and make use of. Though remote in distance from the center of government, Lan- caster was no doubt close in sympathy with its policy in standing firmly for what were considered the interests of the American colonies in the matter of self-government, and the promotion of the welfare of American citizens. Whether Lancaster had any representation in the provincial congress, or the convention for the formation of that congress, we do not know. It is probable that its distance from the former seat of government, when the convention was called, led to its being passed by when the prescripts were sent out notifying the towns to send delegates. Lancaster had obeyed the call of the congress for taking a census, and made return, as we have seen above ; and yet it may have been with this town as it was with Conway. That town had raised a company of volunteer soldiers under the command of Capt. David Page, and sent to Exeter for a supply of ammunition when their messenger learned for the first time of the prescripts having been sent out, and that his town was either ignored or the notice had miscarried. Due apology was made to Conway by the officials, and a request sent them to send a representative which amicably arranged matters. At the session of the congress held at Exeter in Decem- ber, 1775, both Conway and Lancaster as a classed town were rep- resented by Abijah Learned, of Cockburne (now Columbia). It was at this juncture that a house of representatives was formed, and steps taken to organize the state government, as the old provincial government had been fully abolished. During the period covered by the sessions of the congress there was no civil organiza- tion that could be properly called a government, but rather a popu- lar convention called by the more prudent leaders of the people to meet a grave emergency. Acting under the advice of the con- tinental congress the provincial congress undertook the task of organizing a sovereign state of the people. Then it was that the second census, above given, was taken of the 72 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. town which reveals the first period of rapid growth of population, and what was of as much importance at such a time, a desire for guns and ammunition with which to do their share of fighting in the struggle then inaugurated by the assault upon citizens situated just as they were. The continental congress had enjoined upon the states in taking a census, which, while it should afford a fair basis upon which to base representation in the state legislatures and congress, should also reveal the amount of powder and lead in the country. The people were also cautioned against " burning their powder in shooting at birds and other game." So peaceful had times become that there were in Lancaster seven more men than guns available for the war that everybody could see was sure to come upon the frontier com- munities. If the British soldier would not come it was certain that the Indians would be incited to acts of hostility against the settlers on the upper Connecticut River valley, as it was a sort of highway from Canada to northern New England. The leading men of Lan- caster and adjoining towns felt much alarmed for the safety of the Upper Coos for that reason ; and as early as the twentieth of June, 1775, Edwards Bucknam and Seth Wales, a justice of the peace in Northumberland, wrote a lengthy letter to Colonels Jacob Bailey and John Hurd of Haverhill, N. H., giving them a vivid account of the situation of affairs along, and beyond, the Canadian boundary. From that account it appears that Bucknam and Wales had taken the precaution to send a scout as far as Lake Memphremagog in search of two men, and there had the good fortune to fall in with a party of friendly Indians, among whom was one Black Lewa by name, who was well known in Lancaster and Northumberland. He was an honest Indian, and a true friend of the white settlers, one whom they had entire confidence in. Lewa told the scouts that some time during the winter previous, he, with other Indians of his tribe, set out to guide two British officers from Canada to Coos, but upon learning that their object was to discover the most practicable road over which to lead an army to lay waste to the river settlements the following spring (1775), they quit the service of the ofificers and returned home. He denied all sympathy with the British, and professed his old-time confidence in the settlers. He was pleased to find an opportunity to expose the hostile intentions of the British officers. He also told the scouts that there were two thousand British soldiers making preparations to invade the states from that quarter some time the coming winter (1775-76). He told of large offers being held out to the Indian to induce them to join that proposed expedition, but without success. On the contrarj', Lewa assured the scouts, the Indians and even many of the French were disposed to join the THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 73 Americans whenever they were ready to send an army to take Quebec. Lewa was sanguine in his expectation that all Canada would join the Americans in the hope of breaking the British rule in Quebec. Lewa offered his services as a spy to discover the movements of the British and bring the settlers information of them ; and this olifice he was well fitted for, as in the guise of a hunter and trapper he could move among the enemy without raising any suspicions whatever. Bucknam and his neighbors believed Lewa's story ; and it made a strong impression upon them. Bucknam and Wales, in the letter referred to, urged strongly upon Colonel Bailey to visit the Indian and interview him and be assured of the probable truth of the story he told the scouts. The people of this section were certain that their valley would be visited by the enemy because it was so near to Canada where the British army would be uninterrupted in their preparations for war, and where, it was feared, the Indians could so easily be induced to join with them in laying waste to this fair country. And while it happened that their worst apprehensions were not realized, there was no feeling of security in this section of the country until some time after peace had been declared. During the month of July, 1775, Colonel Bailey and Lewa visited the provincial congress then in session at Exeter, and the Indian again told his story. It made such a deep impression upon William Whipple, acting chairman of the committee of safety, that he at once ordered Captain Bedel to proceed immediately with his com- pany to Lancaster or Northumberland, and, after due consultation with the people, to build a fort sufficient for defence against small arms, and then to go still farther up the frontier and build such other garrisons as might be necessary for the protection of the people. He was instructed to use every endeavor to gain and hold the friend- ship of the Indians by making such presents as would please them. From Exeter Colonel Bailey and Lewa proceeded to the camp of the American army at Cambridge, Mass., where the Indian repeated his news to the commanders ; and how much influence it may have had in determining an expedition against Quebec it is not easy to conjecture, but it must have had some weight with General Washington. Captain Bedel came to Lancaster, and upon mature deliberation three forts were decided upon, two of which were built in North- umberland, and one in Stratford. One of these forts was built at the mouth of the Ammonoosuc river, near where the old Fort Wentworth had been built more than twenty years before ; and the second one was located\ on what was known as the Marshall farm. The one in Stratford was in the north part of the town. 74 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Wild consternation filled the minds of the scattering settlers in this section. Some fled for places of greater safety, others wished to follow them ; but there were a remnant of the people who refused to leave their homes, and but for those brave men and women the entire population would have fled, leaving their homes to fall into the hands of the roving Indians that came along soon. The young wife of Caleb Marshall, on whose farm one of the forts in Northumberland was build, had her household goods hidden away, and then, with one child of two years of age and an infant less than a month old, mounted a horse and fled to Hampstead, a distance of more than a hundred and fifty miles from her home, for safety. Scouts were at once sent out to learn, if possible, the movements of the enemy, and a sufficient number of men were kept at the forts to properly garrison them so as to afford a safe retreat for the women and children in case of an attack from either the British or their Indian allies. In such a state of suspense and hourly expectation of danger, the first year of the war passed without either actual warfare or even an attack from the enemy. The hope of these hardy frontiersmen was that in the event of an invasion of the river settlements they might be able to hold the enemy in check or drive him back, and so save the lower settlements from an invasion. Their forts were located with reference to keeping the enemy out of the valley. Lancaster asked for no fort or garrison, but urged the location of them farther up the river, where the people would be first, and most exposed to the depredations of the Indians in event the British should make allies of them. The spirit of these northern frontiersmen was as worthy of praise as that of any section of our whole country. Everything pointed to this valley becoming a sort of highway for forays from the enemy, who was safely making preparations for the war just over the line where once the French and Indians had laid similar plans. The settlers never feared an invasion from any other point than across the Canadian line north of them. It was against that point of danger that they wished to fortify their country, and by defending themselves prevent the enemy from going down the river to other towns. So great was the fear of attack that all interests gave way to the defence of the Upper Coos valley. These upper towns petitioned the Committee of Safety for a suit- able garrison to hold these forts, and check any invading force of either Indians or British that might reach this section. This petition seems to have had no response accorded it, for no soldiers were sent here upon its almost pathetic appeal. The reason must not be attributed to any indifference upon the part of the committee of safety, or the general court, for much danger was THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD, 75 feared from this quarter. Soldiers could not be spared from more exposed points, and the means for their equipment were too scanty. All the men and equipments available had to be sent to hold the grounds gained in the vicinity of Boston, and. guard the Champlain Lake region where it was evident efforts would be made to land forces to flank the New England forces and march upon New York. From the gravity of their situation on a frontier where attacks were so certainly expected, and the forces wholly inadequate to offer any formidable resistance, the people no doubt felt somewhat aggrieved at both the central committee of safety and the general court. When the new government sent out its precepts notifying the towns to send representatives to the general court in 1775, some of the leading spirits in Lancaster, and notably among them David Page, replied to it in the following terse manner : "To the Honorable Provincial Congress conveaned at Exeter Dec. 20 A D ^775— ... " Respected Gentlemen — we sould take this opportunity to inform your Honor- able House That the nine Towns in the upper Cohos have not complied with the precept of the last Congress issued to them for the election of a Representative the reasons of which conduct are these — first, the needy circumstances of the people render it impossible for them to be at the expence of supporting one. 2 the distance of the inhabitance and difificulty of communacation is so great that it prevented a general attendance in the meeting for to chuse a representative we write to your honorable house as individuals but at the same time as being well acquainted with the minds of the people it is their universal desire not to be taxed to defray aney Expence of delegates maintaining this principel that their ought to be no ta.xation without representation we are with the highest respect for your house much respected Gentlemen your most obedient humble servants. Lancaster, Dec, 14th. 1775. David Page <( Selectmen for Lancaster. James Brown. -^ Selectmen for Stratford. Josiah Walker, inhabitant of Stratford," This communication was signed by Page, and from its style and spirit I think it was written by him with the knowledge and consent of his few most confidential advisors on local matters. It was not the action of the town through its voters in any public meeting for no such meeting was ever held ; but notwithstanding, this refusal to convene the voters and choose a representative, the town was rep- resented by Col. Joseph Whipple of Dartmouth who was the follow- ing year elected, and Dartmouth was in Lancaster's class of towns for representation from 1776 to 1778. During the session of the legislature of 1776, Colonel Whipple was appointed a commissioner to take into consideration the difficulties and grievances that existed in several towns in Grafton county with respect to the form of the new government. Among those disaffected towns was Lancaster. Colonel Whipple was brought into close relations with the leaders among these northern towns, and whatever he may have reported to the legislature in regard to their attitude towards the new form of y6 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. government did not affect his relations to the people here, for all through the long war we find him acting with them. When he was appointed colonel of the Twenty-fifth regiment of militia he secured Edwards Bucknam as his lieutenant-colonel. He seems never to have lacked in confidence of Bucknam and Eames. It is likely that Colonel Whipple had a salutary influence over these northern towns during this period of disaffection, and that he, as much as anybody else, prevented the split in the matter of the Vermont controversy. He was close in his relations with the gov- ernment, and had full confidence in its ability and patriotic inten- tions to serve the people faithfully in a time so critical as that of the revolutionary struggle for a common freedom that all Americans might rejoice in. A spirit of renewed confidence in the government seems to have taken possession of the people in the month of June, and as great fears were entertained that an attack was being planned to take effect at an early day from the north, the people turned to Exeter once more in a petition that is almost pathetic for soldiers, to defend their section against one of the worst of enemies. Their petition was as follows : " The humble petition of a number of inhabitants belonging to the several towns in the upper Cohoss (so called) humbly sheweth : That your petitioners having moved themselves and families from the interior part of this Colony, at a great expense and difficulty, and by industry have cleared such a quantity of Land as by close application have Spported their families, this day have information by letter from the Committee of Safety for the tovi'ns of Bath, Gunthwaite, Lan- dafF& Lyman, that our army in Canada consisting of about iiooo men, were drove to St Johns by 30000 Regulars, 1500 Canadians & 500 Indians." As it was impossible to get soldiers from the front, where open hostilities were rife, to defend a section of country not yet invaded, the hardy frontiersmen next conceived the plan of having one of their own number invested with the authority to raise a company of volunteers at home, and in the near-by towns, to stand guard over this river pass that it seemed so very certain the enemy would take advantage of, and especially as he could likely induce the Indians to again take up the hatchet against the whites who so severely chas- tised them some twenty years before. If they could not have soldiers sent them in their hour of sorest trial they could, at least, organize a company of good soldiers out of their scouts and the heads of families who did not care to fly to some other point of safety and leave their homes to be plundered by Indians and British soldiers bent on laying waste to the country. They accordingly sent the following petition to the congress at Exeter: "Whereas we the inhabitants of Lancaster, Northumberland, Guildhall & Strat- ford are fully sensible of the dangers of being attacked by the Canadians which THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 'J'J are the worst of enmeys <& although some of our neighbors have Quit the ground, yet we the subscribers Do Joinly & severaly promis & ingage to Stand our ground providing the Honorable Counsell sees Fit to grant our request That is this, that you will please us your petitioners so far as to appoint Mr. Jere'h Ames of North- umberland our friend and Neighbor, Commander of our Fort which with a great deal of fatage we have almost accomplished & likewise for him the said Ames to have orders to inlist as many men as the Honab'l Cort in their wisdom will see fit, we do ingage to inlist ourselves & obey his orders as long as he is stationed in ui> per Coos and Commander of our Fort. July 6, 1776." This petition was signed by the following persons : " Thomas Blodgett, James Curtiss, Archippus Blodgett, Emmons Stockwell, Josiah Blodgett, Joseph Barlow, Nathanile Caswell, Sam'l Nash, Abijah Earned, Moses Ouimby, Ward Bailey, James Blake, David Earned, Sam'l Page, Abner Osgood, Dies Sawyer, Abel Earned, John Frickey." Elizer Rosebrook, Abner Barlow, This petition had its desired effect ; and inside of a week the cen- tral committee of safety addressed the following communication to Capt. Jeremiah Eames : "You are hereby authorized to Enlist Fifty good able bodied and effective men officers included, to serve as soldiers under you for three months (unless sooner discharged) as scouting parties to make their head Quarters at Great Cohoss, not taking more than ten of the Inhabitants of said Great Cohoss in number: and you are to make return as often as you can conveniently of your Routs, discoveriey &c. to Col.^ Bailey, Hurd and Col. Johnson at lower Cohoss, and take their instruc- tions from time to time for your future conduct. The men you Enlist are to be paid thirty shillings as a Bounty, and assure them they shall receive forty shillings per month when your roll is made up ; and the company are to choose a Eieut. Ensign & 2 Sergt.' You as Captain shall receive £fi, your Eieutenant ,^^4, and Ensign £},, Each Sergt. 48 sh. per month. The Capt., Eieuts. & Ens."» to re- ceive no bounty." Captain Eames at once set about raising his company, and in order to fill his quota made a trip to Haverhill and the towns lower down the river. By the time he was ready to enlist men, August, the month of harvesting their crops was upon him. The crops of that year were abundant, and it was thought best not to encourage the farmers to neglect gathering them as against their future neces- sities. Captain Eames was successful enough, however, to enlist, and bring into service thirty men to garrison the new fort in North- umberland at the mouth of the Ammonoosuc river, which they had named Fort Weare, in honor of Meshech Weare, president of the state congress. These men were used as a garrison and for scout- ing purposes in order to learn the presence and plans of the enemy. There is no record of their doings, but from fragmentary allusions to their actions we conclude that they were kept in action mostly as scouts, for at one time complaint was made that the fort was entirely 78 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. deserted by the garrison, which left the women and children ex- posed, as they thought, to sudden attacks by the Indians and Can- adians. There is no evidence that this desertion of the fort by the garrison was unwise or due to a lack of caution. The enemy was supposed to be in the country, and they were seeking to discover his whereabouts. That was as much a part of their duty as to gar- rison the fort. It was not the intention of the committee of safety that these soldiers should remain inside the fort and allow a shrewd enemy to flank them, and get into the lower towns. By a constant patrol of the country northward and westward it would be an easy matter to apprehend the movements of either an army of regular soldiers or a band of Indians, which were as much to be feared as the British regulars. The conduct of Captain Eames and his company did not seem to restore confidence and a feeling of safety. On the contrary, the people seemed to have grown restless and fearful as the period for which the company had been enlisted drew to a close. Under the feeling that they had been poorly served by Captain Eames's company of soldiers, and that the danger was just as great as at any time previous, the people of Lancaster and other towns appointed Capt. Edwards Bucknam to go to Exeter in the fall of 1776, and lay before the general court their grievances against Cap- tain Eames and his men and ask for some new measures of relief. Captain Bucknam went provided with a document given by the peo- ple, and setting forth some of their grievances as well as express- ing their wishes in the matter of relief. Among other things this document sets forth a rather deplorable condition of affairs, and recommends Captain Bucknam for any office the court may see fit to entrust him with in behalf of the safety of the people, as follows: " We recommend Capt. Bucknam in behalf of the inhabitants aforesaid for any office or command of any party of men that the Court in their wisdom should see proper to be raised and sent for our protection. " Likewise a Commissary which may be likely to give content and be faithful to the Colony, as some of these Preveleges may prove incoragments to these Frontier Settlements. " The commander of the company Now Stationed Hear & Comasary Have Not conducted themselves agreable to the minds of the Inhabitants Nor for the Bene- fit of the State — therefore it is Desired that the inhabitants may not be imposed upon by these two Gentlemen any longer than their first ingagements are Expired — and although the Honorable Court Has seen fit to send for our Protection a Number of able Bodyed men are now stationed amongs us in order as we soposed to Build or Erect any fort or Breastworks or at least to complete the fort we the inhabitants had Built, with storehouse and Barracks that we might have had some place of Refuge to flee to with our families at any Suden Danger or Surprise — But Notwithstanding all our Expectations & Hopes of Safety we are unhapily Dis- appointed — for our fort stands just as Capt. Eames found it without the least alter- ation Except age — Thus we do desire you the said Capt. Bucknam in the behalf of the inhabitants to inforn the Honorable Court of our Setuation that we are now THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 79 ill, and Prehaps they think we shall Be in a much worse Condition if we are Driven into our Naked fort without anything to seport Nature or Cover our Heads which if there is No Better Management than there is at Present No Doubt Will Be the Case." From such representations of things here it may be inferred that Captain Eames's company did Httle else than .scout duty. Perhaps the captain may have been convinced from the situation of affairs that the fort would never be needed, and that every family could take care of its own question of " supplying nature, and covering their own heads." Whatever was the situation nothing had been done to reassure the people of safety. If only Indians were to have been expected to assail the people, then perhaps the best way would have been to have met them by their own tactics of war, and hunted them down like wild beasts that they were. At all events the people were not satisfied and desired a change in the order of things, and were not slow in making known their wishes to the government. Just what was done for their relief and satisfaction is not known ; but it does not appear from anything that we can learn of the situation in this section that any radical change was effected, or that the old forts were repaired, or that the scouting service was changed very materially, for that service continued until after the news of the surrender of Cornwallis had reached the upper Coos. Nothing but a treaty of peace, and the withdrawal of the British army could restore a feeling of safety in this section. Although the whole of the year of 1776, the most eventful year of all the seven long years of the war for New England, had passed without any attacks upon the Upper Coos, or even any serious alarm, yet the people were uneasy and tormented with the fear of what did come later — the invasion of the country by the Indians and French half-breeds, whom they regarded with more dread than an army of regular soldiers. These savages knew and respected no honorable methods of warfare. They knew only how to plunder the homes of the absent settlers and carry into captivity their wives and children. As things turned out it was well that these frontiers- men were alert and careful to guard their homes against these savages. Although the British may not have at any time seriously considered an attack upon this section, they did later incite the Indians and half-breeds to plunder the frontier settlements and carry off captives, as we shall see later. The year 1777 was not so eventful as the preceeding one for Lancaster. The scouting party seems to have kept itself in the field or in readiness to respond to any alarm or even suspicion of an invasion of this section ; but no fighting took place during the year. 8o HISTORY OF LANCASTER. As the expenses of the war began to fall heavily upon the treasury and exhaust it during the first year of the war, a ne.w apportionment of state taxes was made. Male and female slaves between the ages of sixteen and forty-five were taxed, but Lancaster never knew a slave of any kind in service to any of its citizens. Among other things that were regarded as liable to contribute to the treasury, the means of prosecuting the war, was " So much orchard as will in a common season produce ten barrels of cyder one acre." Less than ten barrels-per-acre orchards were exempt. We do not know how such items affected Lancaster, but they helped to swell the sum total of state taxes. If Lancaster had neither slaves nor "cyder" in ten barrel lots, and other sections had both in goodly quantities, as they no doubt did, it rather increased the burdens of Lancaster as her proportion of taxes were four pounds, eleven shillings and two-a-half pence on each thousand pounds. The valuation of the town, it seems, was not considered, and no such valuation was ever taken as a basis of this tax bill so far as we can learn. There was a feeling that the tax bill of that year was dispropor- tionate to the ability of the people to pay it, and a mild protest was made in the following communication to the general court: " To the Honorable the General Court held at Exeter for the state of New Hampshire — We the subscribers being chosen Selectmen for the town of Lan- caster, Beg Liberty to inform your Honors that about the 25th of January Last we received a tax bill from the Treasury of this state of one hundred Eighty two pounds Eight shillings and four pence which we apprehend to be considerable more than our proportion of the forty thousand therein mentioned Which we must suppose must be through a misrepresentation in our last Proportion and our num- ber being lesened By the War render us the less Capable of Paying so large a sum. Also would inform the Honorable Court that at the last Proportion we were not informed how much Each Pole Each acre of improved Land Stock &c was this set at. Wherefore we pray our grievances may be taken into your wise consideration and some suitable measure Pointed out for our conduct which will Excite us to a speedy compliance to the above mentioned order — and as in duty bound shall Pray. " Lancaster Feby 7th 1778." That this tax had some effect in determining Lancaster to look for relief from a burdensome relation to the state of New Hamp- shire by casting her lot with either Vermont or the proposed new state of New Connecticut, then talked of so much, there can be little or no doubt. The controversy over the boundary between New Hampshire and Vermont was at its height during the years 1778, and 1779, and as we have seen, elsewhere, Lancaster no doubt favored the for- mation of a new state, and there were not lacking those among her citizens who would have gladly cast in their lot with Vermont. At THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 8 1 all events the relations between Lancaster and the state seem not to have been of the most cordial and confiding character during the year 1778; but as we have seen, in dealing with the Vermont Controversy, Lancaster abandoned that movement when it assumed a phase of insubordination to the union of the states, and undertook to defy the continental congress under a threat of allying itself with the British. Lancaster wanted the independence of the states, and was always loyal to the general government, imperfect as it might have seemed to the people at their distance from its scenes of activity during the long years of the war. Lancaster and other towns north of it did not consider themselves generously dealt with by the state government, convening always in some of the older tide-water towns, and no doubt greatly under the influence of those older and richer communities. These frontier towns felt that the state should do more to assist them and to make their burdens lighter. This last ta.x was a very heavy burden to fall upon so small a number of taxpa}'ers as Lancaster must have then had. Her number of ratable polls in 1783 was only ten, as certified to by lidwards Bucknam under oath before Jeremiah Eames, J. P., December 2, 1783. While we have seen that the population of Lancaster was sixty-one in 1775, it had even decreased by the withdrawal of a number of the men to enter the service of the army. The few men able to pay any sum of taxes would have been practi- cally bankrupted by the above-mentioned sum. Lancaster, be it remembered, was not accumulating wealth then as she might have done had there been passable roads to the markets. She was practically without markets, and could do little more than barely make a living for the people so far removed from the sources supplying luxuries in those days. What little produce there was to sell would not more than pay its transportation over the bad roads of that time, so the people were without encouragement to do more than make a living and improve their lands and houses in the hope that with the return of peace better roads could be had. Under such circumstances we cannot wonder that loyal men should beg for some measures of relief from an excessive tax bill, amounting to something like a hundred dollars per capita for the taxpayers. The year of 1778 wore away without serious trouble from the enemy. There were some rumors of the approach of Indians, but careful scouts failed to find them ; and a feeling of greater safety would be received on the return of the scouts. The British authorities had offered, and did pay, bounties for either captives or their scalps taken along the border during the latter years of the war. Eleven dollars were paid for scalps, and fifty-five dollars for prisoners taken by the Lidians. This fact being known to the people of this section accounts for their great fear of 82 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. the Indians and the French half-breeds. The people took every precaution to keep on friendly terms with the Indians in order to insure their own safety. During the spring of 1779, however, the Indians from the mission camps in Canada had grown restless, and longing for the excitement and plunder offered by their methods of warfare, began to grow bolder in their designs. They began to make raids upon the thinly- settled frontier and kill or carry off some of the whites. With Vermont threatening to unite with the British, and no hope of the formation of a new state in the Connecticut River valley, these northern towns again turned to Exeter as the only source from which to hope for assistance. Lancaster, Northumberland, and Stratford united in sending a petition to the council and house of representatives as follows : " The Memorial of Sundry of the Inhabitants of the Towns of Lancaster North- umberland & Stratford humbly Sheweth, that on Thursday the 24th. Inst. June A party of Indians aboute fifteen in Numlier Commanded by A French man, came into Stratford took two Prisners Phindered two FamiHes of everything Valuable which they had, we humbly pray that your Honors would take the matter into your Sereous Considerations and provide such Assistance for our future Security, from those Barbarous Savages, as your Wisdom shall Direct and your Memorial- ists as in duty Bound shall Ever Pray. — Lancaster 27th June 1779. Joseph Peverly Ward Bailey Thomas Peverly Caleb marshall Daniel Spaldin Emmons Stockwell Nathan Caswell moses Page Dill Sawyer Jonas Wilder Enoch Hall Edwards Bucknam." [13 Hammond's Town Papers, 474-475.] The two men referred to in this petition as being taken and carried off by the Indians were Joseph Barlow and Hezekiah Fuller. What disposition their captors made of them we do not know. Their names figure in business transactions at a subsequent date, from which we may infer that they either escaped or were ransomed from the Indians. It was a matter of frequent occurrence for towns to pay the ransom of such captives. Elijah Blogget of Stratford ransomed Gilbert Borged and Josiah Blogget the 19th of July, 1781. These men may have been simi- larly ransomed, but of which fact we happen to have no account. Besides these four persons we have no actual knowledge of captures. Peter Poor of Shelburne was shot by Indians in August, 1781, and several persons were captured and others killed just over the line in Maine. These invasions of the towns then acting together for common safety was enough to arouse the people. Whether their petition of June 27 received no immediate attention, or there existed THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 83 sufificient reasons to expect a repetition of the invasion, we do not know, but the people were aroused, and called a meeting of the inhabitants of Lancaster, Northumberland, and Stratford to convene at Northumberland to take action for some immediate measure of relief. At this meeting, which has been dignified by the name of convention, the people took the matter into their own hands and organized for their defence. This record of the meeting, so char- acteristic of the men of this section, is found in " Hammond's Revo- lutionary Rolls." We give it in full just as it was penned by Edwards Bucknam : "At a meeting of the Inhabitants of Lancaster Northumberland & Stratford to hear the Report of Joseph Peverly Esqr and also to agree upon Sum Proper Place for the Scouting Party to Be Stationed, Viz — first — " Chose maj'r Jonas Wilder moderator — " 2d. Choose Cap't Edw'ds Bucknam Clark "3d Voted that the Place for the Scouting Party to Be stationed, at Mr James Browns in Stratford "4 Voted that Every man in Each town Viz. Lancaster Northumberland and Stratford to work one Day at the fort In Stratford Immediately — " 5 Chose Nathan Caswell Captain over these three towns for the Present "6 Chose Nathan Barlow Lieut " 7 Chose Dennis Stanley Ensine " 8 Chose majV Jonas Wilder the man to go Down to E.xeter "9 Chose Joseph Peverly Esq'r Capt Edw's Bucknam and Al'r John Hold- brook a Committee to Give Directions to maj'r Jonas Wilder and draw a Purticion to the general court to send by maj'r Wilder " 10 Voted that m'r John Gamsby m'r James Blake and Mr John Holdbrook a Committee Plan out the fort at Stratford." " Northumberland July loth 1779." These were the last active measures the people of this section were called upon to take, but the vigilance of the scouts was not dispensed with for two more years. The Indians and half-breeds did not venture another attack in the upper river valley. The fright they had given the settlers did not subside very soon. During the nearly five years that the war had continued, these In- dian raids were all that this section saw of hostilities. New England had been abandoned by the enemy, who was moving southward to his fate. During the year 1780, and following to the end of the war, there were no activities on the part of Lancaster of importance, ex- cept the constant watchfulness of her scouts. Stratford petitioned for a guard in 1780, but the scare that led them to that action did not extend to Lancaster. The people were able to go about their business with a feeling bordering on safety, though at no time did the feeling of security lead them to neglect their preparations for defence. Every man kept his trusty old gun ready for action on a moment's notice. When the war was finally over and the scouts were called in, an 84 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. account of Lancaster's expenditures during the war was made and certified to by Emmons Stockwell and Jonas Wilder, the selectmen at the time. This bill, amounting to nearly two hundred pounds, was presented to the general court for settlement as a debt incurred on behalf of the state. Col. Joseph Whipple, representative then, presented the bill for settlement. These military accounts were not kept in any regular form, as there was not the organization of the forces that one meets with in other sections of the country. The people of the Upper Coos, while they were assisted to some extent, were left largely to take care of themselves. They were busy with their home cares, and when called into military service they had lit- tle time, or may have even lacked in experience necessary to organ- ize themselves as military bodies generally were in those times. As scouts, their parties were small and under the directions of some woodsman who was more familiar with the methods of the hunter or Indian fighter than he was with military tactics. They did their work of patrolling the country fully as well, and perhaps it may be better than a regularly organized body of soldiers would have done it. And when it came to presenting their claims for a service ren- dered the state, they were more in the form of mere memoranda. We present some of them below, written on mere scraps of paper, that have been preserved among the private papers of Gen. Edwards Bucknam. As many of them have never been put on record in a manner to preserve them for future generations, we insert them here lest some day they should get lost. They throw light upon the questions that concern us in the history of the stirring events of that time, and are worthy a place in the town's record of daring and sac- rifice for freedom. Statement of service and provisions furnished by the town during the war : ~\ The amount of the Scouting by the inhabitants of the Town '775 ^y ° vof Lancaster in the Upper Coos in the War with Great Briton '' ' ~ ■ ) & the sum of Provisions Expended for Scouts, To 457 Days Scouting ^ . ^j^ ^ To Provisions expended for Scouts > '^ ■ if, ■ at Sundry times J May 10 1791 The above amnt taken from minutes kept by us of the Scouts that went out of the town Lancaster in the time of the War Attest '\ Select Edards Bucknam ( men E. Stockwell I Lancaster J for 1791-" The following summary of scouting and expenses bears no date, but is of value as showing who were the scouts : THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 85 " The following Role is a true and exact account of what Scouting the inhabi- tants of the Town of Lancaster have done at their own expense for the security and safety of the frontier Towns on & near The Connecticutt in Upper Coos. " Names. Time when entered service. No. days served. When discharged or returned from scouting. Moses Page John Indian June 15, 1775 Do 15 Do 1 1 days 1 1 June 26, 1775. Do Do Do. James Rosebrook Do 15 Do II Do Do Do Do. David Page David Page Do Do Emmons Stockwell Do Do Do Do July 2, 1775 August 10, 1776 August 20, 1 78 1 May 26, 1775 Sept. 10, Do June 4, 1776. 10 10 12 12 8 15 July 12, 1775. Aug. 26th. 1776. Sept. 2, 1 78 1. June 1st. 1775. Sept. 1 8th. Do. June 19, 1876." Alarms Durinc} the War. The following account I find in Bucknam's papers, signed by him- self and Jonas Wilder, under date of June 22, 1786: "An account of the alarms in the Upper Coos during the war: In July, 1776, i alarm; Sept., 1777, i alarm; 1778, do; in July 1779, i alrm. Indians took prisoners at Stratford; in June, 1780, i alarm; August, 1780, do; Oct., 1780, i do; Thos. Worcester taken ; in July, 1781, i alarm; some wounded men came in and said Pritchett was near; Sept., 1781, i alarm. Pritchett went to Wip- ple's ; in May, 1782, r alarm, Abel Learned taken; June, do, i alarm; in Oct., r alarm. Nix taken." The following account or memorandum was found among Gen. Bucknam's private papers, and is inserted here as showing some of his activities during the war. I thought best not to alter it in any- particular. It was simply the memorandum of his services upon which he may have based his claims in a bill for services and provi- sions furnished the scouts at various times: " State of New Hampshire to Edwards Bucknam, Dr. ^^ > To 17 Days scouting in the Upper Cohas at 4 sh. J, , I To 9 days scouting at 4 sh. Pd. John Indian Sept 1777. To 10 days Scouting Sept 1778. To six Days 5 Do Scouting 1781 ) ^^ ^ Day forting r > To Provisions Delivered to -•""^ ) Capt. Caswell & Party 10: 6:3. (in silver). 3 • 8: 0. I : 16 : 1 : 2 4: 4: : 14- 3- 86 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. To 6 Days Paid Saml. Page at 4sh. To 3 Do more Errors Excepted, Edw."!" Bucknam." Another memorandum : " Sept 4 1780 Capt. Gasslin and Party that had come from Canada to Provisions & Rum I : 4:0. o : 12 : o £^ silver money ^0:15: 5:0 2 :o to ten meels Vittels i 6 Pr meel to five Gills Rum ....... to two Do Do more ....... Reed. Payment Lieut Gassclin, Capt." Among Gen. Bucknam's papers I find this interesting receipt, and insert it here as showing how business was transacted in these parts during the war. It is in French, but we offer a translation for the English reader. '' Je sousigne'' avoir recus du Capt Boknem 90 de Pork et one pinte de sell de le 21 Avril 1779 de plus recus deux fusil Come jai recus deux fusils de Capt boknem J''ai donne le present four remetre au general Balay a Coos da Gassclin Capt." Translation : The undersigned received of Capt Bokem 90 pork and one pint of salt April 21, 1779, and also two guns. The receipt for the two guns must be given to Gen. Balay of Coos. Gossclin, Capt. The following account I find among Gen. Bucknam's papers. He was one of the administrators of the estate of David Page, Sr., who died in 1785, and this came into his hands as many other papers of " Gov. Page " did. We insert it as a curious relic of the customs of the time, and as throwing additional light upon our subject : Coll. John Goffe Dr. to David Page. "1779 March 6 To fifteen Pounds six ounces Pork To six Pounds Beef To 4 meeals of meet To 4 meeals Spon vittels To 4 meeals Spon vittels To 4 meeals meet . To 4 meeals meet . To 4 meeals meet vittels " Delivered to John Moor & the Rest of the Dartmouth company on Coll Goffe Order." 0:15 :4. o :03 :o. o :02 :o. o :oi -.4.. o :oi -.4. o :o2 :8. o :o2 :o. o :o2 :8. ^I :ll :o. THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. 87 To these interesting accounts I add the following, taken from Re- volutionary Rolls of New Hampshire, as probably the last of the records of the war in which Lancaster was concerned financially. " State of New Hampshire Grafton ss. " Rations due to twelve men while in service in the state of New Hampshire & raised for a Scouting Party on the frontiers in the upper Co'os in the year 1782 and inlisted the 13th Day of April 1782, and discharged last day of Nov. follow- ing and each man found hisself said Term. When When Months in Rations " Names inlisted. enlisted. discharged. service. Days. due. James Blake Sergt. Ap. 13, 1782. Nov. 30 day. 7 17 days. £i-~ Archippus Blodgett " 13 .' - 30 " 7 17 " " 12 Joshua Lamkins " 13 " " 30 " 7 17 " " 12 James Brown " 13 " " 30 " 7 17 " " 12 Elijah Blodgett " 13 " " 30 " 7 17 " '' 12 Dennis Stanley " 13 " - 3c " 7 17 " " 12 Moses Page " 13 " " 30 " 7 17 "■ " 12 James Wilder " 13 " " 30 " 7 17 .. " 12 Caleb Marshall " 13 " " 30 " 7 17 " " 12 James Burnside " 13 .' - 30 - 7 17 " •' 12 Nathan Caswell " 13 '• " 30 " 7 17 " " 12 James Curtis " 13 " - 30 " 7 17 .. " 12" After the war was over and the soldiers had been discharged and returned to their homes, or sought new places of residence, many of their claims for services and rations remained unpaid for a number of years, as the treasury of the state was emptied long before its debts to its citizen soldiers were settled. To wait for a term of years until the treasury was full enough to allow the settlement of these claims entailed hardships on many of the men. Their pay was very meagre, and as the years of unsettled conditions had gone from one to seven, these men were growing older by so much, and their chances for promoting their interests had gone by. Many of them were not able to prosecute their own claims as they lived at too great a distance from the seat of government. It was at this time that General Bucknam and other public-spirited men came to the relief of these old soldiers and paid their claims and took their accounts for collection, accompanied, in man\- instances, b}^ a power of attorney. I have before me several dozen of these assignments of claims made to Gen. Edwards Bucknam and others. Whenever the considerations are mentioned they are always in full of the claims transferred, from which we infer that the service they thus rendered their fellow soldiers was as noble as the spirit of patriotism was strong when they marched together in these wild ^>8 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. regions. Of the number who sold these claims there were some who in after years became quite noted citizens in Lancaster. A number of the men, who had served under Gen. Moses Hazen through a portion of the time, came to Lancaster, drawn here, per- haps, by the fact that the old general himself had purchased a large tract of land here, and intended to make Lancaster his home. CHAPTER LX. FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE NINETEExNTH CENTURY. An Era of Prosperity — Rapid Immigration and Increase of Population — -Public Improvements — Establishment of Churches and Schools — The Coming of New Industries. It must have filled the hearts of the people with joy to learn that the war was over and peace declared, and that they could now turn their attention to the development of their neglected industries of peace. At least there was hope that their crippled fortunes might be, in a good measure, retrieved, as their lands were productive, and the clearings were growing larger in spite of all the interruptions the war might have brought them. To the remaining citizens large families were growing up, among \vhom were some strong and sturdy sons who could be a help to their fathers in clearing lands and tilling them, building roads, and hunting and fishing to furnish their tables with meats, and furs to clothe the families. The out- look was not bright, but there were some encouraging features in it; and the brave men and women bent their energies to make the most of their situation, as we shall see. The eight years of unsettled conditions had consumed much of their substance and time, but their hearts were as strong as ever. Their hope had not left them for, as some of them had said in the beginning of that time of trouble, they had come here to make homes, to live and die here. They had braved great dangers in order to stand by the homes the}' had builded, and now there was again some hope that they could go on and achieve the plans they had laid on coming into this region so favorable to the enterprises of pioneers. In the early years of the war some families had left, and never returned again. A number of the young men had enlisted in the Continental Army, and were either lost in the battles of the war, or else having followed its fortunes so far into other sections of the country that few, if indeed any, of them returned to this first land of their choice and hopes. Landowners who might have had seri- AN ERA OF PROSPERITY. 89 ous intentions of locating here never came. Some, discouraged at the prospects of safety on their lands, had sold them, so that by the close of the war there were new landowners holding titles to large tracts of the most valuable lands in the town with no interest in the town beyond the hope of some day selling their lands at a large profit on their investments. Fortunately some of the land sold by the non-resident owners fell into the hands of men who were induced to locate upon their new purchases, and in a short time proved themselves to be a valuable addition to the citizenship of the town. Lancaster soon felt the returning tide of prosperity that always follows the desolation and waste of war. The people who had suf- fered hardships and wants now, through industry and economy, began to enjo}- some of the fruits of their many years of toil. New families came, and larger social relations and intercourse followed, and new and unheard-of enterprises sprang up among the people. About the year 1785 the tide of emigration began to move from the older towns in the southern part of this state, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. This tide of earnest home-seekers moved northward along the Connecticut river valley until the advance of it reached the Upper Coos country ; and from that class all these northern towns can count scores of the most important families that have helped to make them what they are to-day. Of that class Lancas- ter received many men of the most sterling worth and integrity. The first settlements of the town were made at the extreme ends of the intervale. The Pages and Stockwells settled at the north end on account of the splendid meadow-lands found there ; and it is thought that Edwards Bucknam located at the mouth of Beaver Brook on account of the extensive beaver meadows there, which afforded a supply of grass for his cattle until he could clear the lands and raise the domesticated grasses. We know that the beaver meadows on Indian brook were mown by David Page for the same reason ; and that Thomas Burnside sought the beaver meadows on what is now known as Burnside brook for hay to feed his cattle for some years until he cleared and cultivated his lands. The vast level section along Isreals river had lain uncultivated and waiting settlement for twenty years before any one located on it. About the year 1786 Stephen Wilson put up a log house on the intervale, on the site of which Henry Hilliard now lives, and after- wards sold it to Stevenson and moved into the village. A village plot, consisting of a houselot for each and every grantee of the town, had been surveyed on what is now the meeting-house common, and along Pleasant street; but for some reason, unknown to us, the proposed village of the charter was never built, but instead every man built his house upon his farm lands. 90 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. The village was slow to develop, and until within the recollection of men still living consisted of only a few* shopkeepers and their shops, with a few impecunious laborers lacking the ambition or ex- perience to carry on enterprises of their own. There was nothing to encourage the growth of a village, as the earliest settlers all lived on farms. It was many years before any other industry than farm- ing existed in Lancaster. Until near the beginning of the present century the only stocks of goods kept for sale were kept in the dwelling houses of the settlers. In the year 1786, and for several years following, there came to town such men as Capt. John Weeks, Joseph Brackett, William Moore, Phineas Hodgdon, Walter and Samuel Philbrook, all from the older and more advanced settlements of this state. From Mas- sachusetts and Connecticut came Titus O. Brown, Jonas Baker, Jonathan Cram, Humphrey Cram, Joseph Wilder, Benjamin Board- man, Elisha Wilder. Some of these men possessed considerable means, and all of them brought new and larger experiences into the new community. They infused new life into it, and greatly .stimu- lated the older settlers to renewed efforts. They either had bought lands before coming or did shortly after their arrival. As the lands had all been divided into even portions and were known and treated as rights descending from the original grantees to these later pur- chasers, these men got pretty evenly distributed over the township. The new arrivals of families pushed the settlement throughout the whole length of the river valleys and up over the first highlands, which forced upon the attention of the town the question of build- ing roads to reach these new homes that were everywhere springing up. For more than twenty years following the close of the war the town enjoyed the advantage of an expansion of its settlements. The little group of homes in the north end was added to until they began to push eastward over Page hill ; and in the south end the settle- ment surrounding Bucknam grew so large as to push its wa)^ up Stebben's hill, and well up to where the village now is. The larger bodies of land, that had been bought up by the few men of ampler fortunes than the original settlers possessed, began to be broken up into smaller holdings to accommodate the new famil- ies that were seeking to locate here. During this whole period of rapid growth of population, condi- tions of domestic life remained in pretty nearly the primitive sim- plicity and scantiness that they had been from the very first, owing chiefly to the fact of well-nigh impassable roads. Those who had the wherewithal of furnishing their homes could not bring much of it with them on account of the poor roads, which were little more than passable for horseback riders in man)^ places. The first houses were but cabins, and their furnishings must have been of the most INCREASE OF POPULATION. 9 1 scanty kind. Upon the arrival of a new family a cabin was built, and around it a clearing was begun, which grew from year to year into a farm. The first cleared patch was a garden, and afforded the family a supply of vegetables for the table, while a good share of the meat that was eaten was taken from the streams that then swarmed with fish of the choicest kinds, especially salmon and trout, and game from the great forests that surrounded them. The do- mestic animals were few for a long time. The best, and so far as we know the only accurate, description of one of those early homes is that preserved in a letter written by Capt. John Weeks to his wife in Greenland, N. H., from which place he had emigrated to Lan- caster with his son John, then a lad of not more than six years old, and built his first house near General Bucknam on the road to South Lancaster, on the lands now owned by Sam F. McNally. In this interesting missive he says : " We shall move into our log house this week. It will be a very comfortable one. The logs, all peeled, are smooth and clean. The house is eighteen feet wide and twenty feet long. We shall have one comfortable room and two bed rooms. Our family now con- sists, besides myself, of one hired man, one girl (Patty), one boy (John), one cow, one heifer, one sheep, one hog, one pig, one dog, one cat, one hen, and one chicken. We also have a pair of geese at Coll. Bucknam's, which we shall take home in the fall. You would be pleased to see our little family and Patty's management of^ it." This letter was written early in the season of 1787, for in another written the 17th of June, 1787, Mr. Weeks informs his wife that the teacher of the school to which his son John was going, a Mr. Bergin, boarded with them the week previous. Those little houses were like the proverbial "stage-coach;" there was always room in them for another person. When it came Captain Weeks's turn to take the schoolmaster for a week I presume there was no complaint that his 18x20 house with three rooms, only two of which were bed rooms, was too small. They were a hospitable class of pioneers, and if their accommodations were not ample they did not hesitate to extend them to the sojourner among them. Captain Weeks had moved nothing here to furnish his house with except what could be carried on the backs of two horses ridden by his son John Wingate, and his daughter Patty (Martha who married Edward Spaulding), while he drove his cattle. This w^as in the early spring of 1787, and his wife and other children followed in the fall of that year through the Notch of the White Mountains. Mrs. Weeks made the journey on horseback carrying her seven months' old child (after- ward Mrs. A. N. Brackett) in her arms, and her youngest son, James Brackett Weeks, on the horse behind her. These newcomers were welcomed by the original settlers, and as 92 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. they were generally men of wider experience they rose to prom- inence in the management of local and state affairs. Captain Weeks was chosen as the delegate of the district (consisting of Lancaster, Northumberland, Stratford, Dartmouth, Cockburnc, Colburne and Percy) to the convention that ratified the Federal constitution. He was one of the fifty-seven delegates voting in favor of the constitu- tion as against forty-six voting in the negative. In i 792 he repre- sented the town in the general court, and held many other ofifices in the town. Those were days when a man was considered for his worth and abilities rather than the length of his residence in the town, or the fact that he was born in it. So all these newcomers fitted into some useful relation to the new community in which the\- had cast their lot, and the lapse of time made them a homogeneous community. Midway between General Bucknam's place and Isreals river Bry- ant Stevenson had taken up his residence at an earlier day, on lands formerly owned by Col. Stephen Wilson, and now owned by Capt. H. S. Hilliard. Capt. Stevenson was interested in the schools of the town, and was for many years clerk of District No. 2. So rapid had been the increase of families in town that the num- ber of taxpayers had increased from ten in 1783 to fifty-nine in 1795' siicl there were ninety-one voters in 1799; and a year later the entire population had reached four hundred and forty. About 1790 the settlement began to push up toward the higher lands around Mts. Pleasant and Prospect. John Mclntire, a man of remarkable powers of body and mind, though not as well educated as his fellow townsmen, settled on the northerly slope of Mt. Pleas- ant. Here he developed a productive farm, and reared a large famil\' of sixteen children. Mr. Mclntire was born in York, Me., Jan i, 1765, and at the early age of sixteen volunteered as a soldier in the Revo- lutionary army. His education was thus neglected, but he developed a ruggedness of body and mind that, in a large part, made up for the deficiency of his schooling. He was a man of sterling moral in- tegrity and patriotism. It is said that he came into Lancaster at the age of twenty-five with a yoke of oxen, an axe, and a bushel of salt as his entire capital of worldly goods. He at once set to work and carved a home out of the forest. Few men were held in higher es- teem than he was. He married Sally Stockwell, second daughter of Ruth Page and Emmons Stockwell. To them were born eleven children — John, Sallie, William, Mary, Mercy. Silas, Samuel, Susan, Emmons, Dorothy, and Eben. On September 19, 18 12, his wife died. About a year later he married Susanna Bucknam, the sixth daughter of P^^dwards Buck- nam, and a cousin to his first wife. To them were born five chil- dren — Eunice, Edward, James, Jane, and Laura. His second wife INCREASE OF POPULATION. 93 died July 23, 1832, and he followed her April 5, 1850. He left an honored memory and a snug fortune to his many children who sur- vived him, and who have been among the best citizens of the town. About the time that we are now speaking of, Edward Spaulding, a lineal descendant of the noted Mrs. Dustin, settled on the northern slope of Mt. Pleasant, a near neighbor to John Mclntire. He was the son of Daniel Spaulding (whose wife was Phebe Dustin), born in Londonderry, N. H., and carried in his mother's arms to North- umberland in May, 1769, where they began life in a log cabin. These young emigrants started for this region, with a few articles for housekeeping, traveling on horseback. They reached Haverhill, from which point there was only a path to their destination in North- umberland. They tarried over night with some family, and in their haste to get ready in the morning Mrs. Spaulding sat her baby down upon the floor for a moment, when he crawled to the fireplace and pulled a kettle of hot water over upon himself, scalding his feet. In consequence of this accident, it was decided that Mr. Spaulding should go on alone to the north and leave his wife and child, to re- turn for them in a short time. But not returning, as she expected him to do, on a given date, Mrs. Spaulding set out on foot to find her husband, carrying her baby in her arms, with a small copper tea- kettle, in which were packed some parcels of garden seeds to plant when they got to their new home (this teakettle is now in the pos- session of her great-granddaughter, Mrs. Debby A. Kent, in Lan- caster). She traveled all day alone by a path marked by blazed trees. Just as night was settling down upon her she reached what is now known as " Streeter's Pond," which she would have to ford. She decided to wait until morning before making the venture. She looked about her for the best shelter she could find, and having dis- posed of her sleeping child and buried her kettle of priceless seeds, she sank down, tired and lonely, to wait for the coming of the morning light which should enable her to press on to the north to find her husband, whom she feared had met with some misfortune, as he had not returned for her as soon as she had expected. Tired and anx- ious, she thought she would keep a sleepless vigil over her sleeping child to shield it from harm ; but her exhausted nature found re- freshment in a sound sleep that continued until the dawn of the morning for which she felt so anxious. She immediately renewed her journey with the determination not to spend another night alone in the forest. Just as the sun was casting its last slanting rays on the hilltops she spied a house in the distance. She had reached Lancaster, where she was made welcome and comfortable over the night. She started the next morning to make the last six miles of her long and lonely journey, not knowing what fate might have be- 94 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. fallen her husband. She found him there just ready to return for her, after having delayed to erect a cabin to receive her. Here they resided for many years. When Edward was about 2i years of age he married Martha Weeks and began the clearing of the farm we have mentioned. Martha Weeks was born in Green- land, N. H., Dec. 20, 1 77 1, and came to Lancaster with her father and brother, John W. Weeks, in 1786. Mrs. Spaulding was a re- markable woman, well fitted to be the wife of such a sturdy pioneer as was Mr. Spaulding. She was the mother of six children — Edward C, John W., William D., James B., Eliza W. (married William Moore), Martha B. (married Charles D. Stebbins). Mrs. Spauld- ing lived to be nearly a hundred years old, having lived till 1871. She survived her husband some twenty-six years, he having died in 1845, at the age of seventy-nine. Eor ten years their first house, a log cabin, was small and without a floor. Then was built the house still standing on the old farm, and now owned and occupied by James S. Peavey. Here Mrs. Spaulding spent eighty-one years of her life, and was at the time of her death the only person who had come to Lancaster as one of its original settlers. The descendants of Mr. and Mrs. Spaulding are numerous, and have always occupied prominent places in the town. John Hubbard Spaulding, a grandson of Edward and Martha Spauld- ing, assisted in building the first hotel on Mount Washington, and for some years conducted both the Summit and the Tip-Top houses. He also wrote a very interesting and valuable " Guide, and Histori- cal Records of the White Mountains," and various other matters of interest. ^ It was in 1793 that Lancaster hospitably welcomed her first law- yer in the person of Richard Claire Everett. Mr. Everett first came to Lancaster in 1782. He was then a mere youth of eighteen years. He had but recently been discharged from the Revolutionary army, after the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, Va., and with a Mr. Blake and his wife came to Lancaster in search of a home. It is said that this party came here from Providence, R. I., with all their earthly effects loaded upon the back of one horse, and the three adult persons walked, and carried loads themselves. As Mr. Blake was loaded nearly as heavy as his horse, and his wife less able than young Everett to carry a baby, he brought it in his arms all the way. He was an orphan boy, and having learned to help himself, had also learned to make himself helpful to others ; and all through his life this trait was characteristic of the man. It is said that his extreme youthfulness and conditions excited the interest of General Washington in him, and that he assigned the sixteen-year-old boy to some personal service about his headquarters. If he had served the "Father of his country," why not his friends in this menial capacity? Richard Clair Everett. The first lawyer and judge in Coos county. , .^'i''^ Adino N. Brackett. Sali.v, \Vid(j\v of Gen. Edwards Bucknam. (Taken on her rooth birthdav.) Maj. John W. Weeks. PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 95 Both young Everett and Blake went to work for Major Wilder soon after coming here, and remained for some time in his service. These two men hauled salt through the White Mountain Notch for Major Wilder in the winter of 1782 ; and as the road was but a path they had to clear it much of the way in order to allow of a sled passing. Feeling that his whole dependence was upon himself, young Everett was industrious and economical, for he wanted to improve his education. He went to Hanover in the spring of 1783 to fit himself for college, and by much persistent effort he was making some progress in his undertaking when he suddenly discovered him- self the heir to quite a sum of money, which he secured. He now found his way open for an education, and in due time was graduated from Dartmouth college. He next turned his attention to the study of law as a profession, with the intention of locating in Lancaster. Having completed his law studies, and being admitted to practice, he came to Lancaster in the spring of 1793, and soon was married to Persis, daughter of Maj. Jonas Wilder, to whom he had been engaged for a period of seven or eight years. During the fall and winter of that year he built the house now standing on the corner of Main and High streets, known as the " Cross House," it having been for a long time occupied by Col. Ephraim Cross, his son-in-law.^ Mr. Everett at once began to build up a law practice, and for many years was the leading lawyer in town. He was identified with many industries and enterprises in the town, was always public- spirited, and did much to foster the interests of the community. For eleven years he attended the court sessions at Haverhill, the shire town of Grafton county. Tradition says that he exercised a potent influence in securing the erection of the new county of Coos in 1803. He was the first to bear to Lancaster the welcome news that the spring term of the Court of Common Pleas for 1805 would be held in Lancaster, and at once set about getting ready to enter- tain the court oflficers and lawyers that were expected to attend it. He built an addition to his house which was just large enough for his family. This addition, the north end of the present house above referred to, was to contain the guest-rooms for the distinguished people connected with work of the court. Tradition says that Judge Livermore, Daniel Webster, Levi Woodbury, Ichabod Bartlett, and Joseph Bell, among the old-time distinguished lawyers and jurists, have been entertained in those rooms. There was at that time no public house in Lancaster. Major Wilder kept transient travelers through the town in his spacious dwelling-house, now known as the " Holton Place," at the north end of Main street. This house, the first two-story frame house in town, was built in 1780. Religious services were held in it, and various other public assemblages con- 96 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. vened there until there was a church building, and hotels, and halls erected for their convenience. This influx of population hastened the opening- up of better roads, and established better communication with the outside world. As we have seen elsewhere in speaking particularly of the roads, there was not a passably good road for vehicles of any kind into Lancaster from any of the centres of trade from which the people must be supplied with such articles as they could not produce themselves at home. There was a sled road to Portland soon after 1780, and a poor road to Haverhill, N. H. The river afforded the best road to the lower towns; but that was only passable a few months in mid- winter, with some elements of treachery even in that. For several years after the first settlers came here there was no mill for grinding breadstuffs nearer than No. 4 (Charlestown), more than one hundred and twenty miles distant. No bulky furniture, or any large implements of industry could be transported for several years as the roads did not admit of the passage of loaded vehicles of transportation. Only the smaller articles that could be packed upon horses or oxen could be brought through the narrow and uneven paths the emigrants were compelled to travel over. These inconveniences were, in a large part, overcome by the inherent genius and determination of the people to succeed. They had evi- dently made up their minds to endure hardships and privations, in short, to make the most of circumstances that were not favorable to comfort. The men made all the implements they used with a few simple hand-tools they brought with them, such as axes, saws, augurs, and drawing-knife. Every pioneer was probably more or less skilled in the use of these simple tools by which so much has been accomplished in the development of the industries of every civilized countr}'. I have seen, in the Alleghany Mountains, fifty miles beyond where a vehicle had ever penetrated, houses, and their furnishings made by the use of these few tools, and in which there was no metal used at all. It was not until far into the present century that Lancaster cast aside its simple constructions for the more artistic ones of the fac- tory and machine shops. Every home was a sort of manufactory of the things most essential to pioneer life, and so remained, to a large extent, until about 1825. Much of their clothing was made in the homes from wool and flax of their own production. Their leather was tanned at home by Dennis Stanley and others. Moose skins were dressed and made into moccasins, which they spelled ** moga- sheens," at first, and later " mogershins." I find that General Buck- nam was skilled in that kind of work, and that he made moccasins and leather breeches for his neighbors, and for Col. Joseph Whipple, to be taken to other places for barter or sale. PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 97 Among the first wants of the community that could not be met by every man for himself, were a mill, a blacksmith shop, and a tan- yard. When the families had grown too large, or the people's time was too valuable for so slow a process as grinding, or rather crushing, their grain in a wooden mortar, a mill became manifestly the great- est need of their times. This, it is said, was sought to be supplied by the erection of some sort of a mill run by horse-power some- where at the north end of Main street; but for some reason it proved to be a failure and was soon abandoned. David Page tried to meet this urgent want of the settlement by the erection of a small mill on Indian brook, directly north of Bun- ker Hill, taking advantage of an old beaver dam as his supply of water and where a suf^cient fall was had to meet the requirements of a tolerable water power. After this mill had been in operation for some time, and no doubt was looked upon as a great blessing and the pride of the town, it took fire one night and all but its name was swept out of existence. The heart of Governor Page was no doubt heavy at this terrible calamity ; but the people who had come to look upon it as one of the handiest of their institutions must have felt equally, if not more, disappointed than its owner, for they had tired of the wooden pestle and its coarse meal, and had become accustomed to a finer bread produced from the meal made at Governor Page's mill. Their cul- tivated taste that had been catered to by the finer product of this mill, received a shock that appealed to their sympathies and gener- osity, and at the next town-meeting an appropriation of money was voted to David Page to help him rebuild his mill. The appropri- ation was a generous sum for those times, as it amounted to eighty- four pounds. This was voted at a meeting held June 8, 1773, and paid Oct. 19, 1778, as shown by a receipt from Page to Colonel Bucknam who was collector for the proprietors. This tax amounted to four dollars on each of the seventy landholders at that date. Another sum of sixty-six pounds was voted Governor Page at a meeting held Dec. 4, 1774, and paid June 13, 1774, for which I have the receipt given by Page to Bucknam. This last sum seems to have been given because Governor Page abandoned his old site on Indian brook and located his new mill on the south fork of Isreals river, just under the sand hill. To this mill he added a saw- mill, which was, no doubt, the cause of an addition to the sum voted a little less than a year before. From this fact we see that the people had stirred themselves to assist Governor Page in build- ing these mills to meet growing wants in the settlement. They had now given a bonus of one hundred and fifty pounds to Governor Page to encourage his enterprises. At his mills was evidently sawed s 98 ' HISTORY OF LANCASTER. the lumber for the first frame houses in town. Emmons Stockwell erected a small frame building, now standing as the ell part of the dwelling-house on the old Stockwell place. Here at Page's saw- mill Major Wilder must have got the sawed lumber for his two-story house (the Holton house), for his own sawmill and grist-mill on Isreals river, just back of Whitney's Granite Works, was not built until 1 78 1, and his house was built in 1780. The proprietors had voted, March 10, 1767, to give David Page two hundred acres of land as a reward for bringing a set of black- smith's tools and maintaining a shop in town. We cannot learn with certainty whether Mr. Page ever complied with these conditions, and built, and kept such a shop or not; but tradition says that the first blacksmith shop was established at the north end of the present village precinct at a very early day. One tradition places it on Major Wilder's lands near the north end of Main street. Be it as it may, the first shop was evidently kept somewhere in that locality. At a later date a Scotchman by the name of Clark Braden estab- lished his smithy at the south end of the town near the Bucknam neighborhood, and for many years conducted a business there. The reader will find the subject treated at length in Part II, Chapter VII. As we have seen, the tan-yard of Dennis Stanley was located here at a very early day, probably about 1778. For many years he did the business for the community, but when he became an old man and gave up the business another tannery was started, this time in the village on Elm street, by David Burnside, opposite the S. W, Cooper house. Another public improvement that soon concerned the people was some means of crossing the Connecticut river at all times with safety and convenience. The rich meadow lands across the river had led the very first settlers to make clearings on the Vermont side, and soon a number of important families located there, so that after a lapse of twenty years there were living just across the river in Guildhall and Lunenburg a number of families that found it con- venient to trade in Lancaster. Common interests bound them closely together, and it soon concerned them to have some means of crossing the river with teams. It gave them no trouble to cross in the earlier days, as every man would jump into his canoe and paddle across the stream with ease ; but now had come a time when people living on either side of the river wanted to cross it with their teams. A bridge was out of the question for them. Their only hope lay in a ferry. Edwards Bucknam, the natural leader of the communit}-, came forward with the scheme of establishing a ferry. This enterprise, however, would cost a considerable sum to equip and maintain; PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 99 and unless one could be reasonably sure of controlling the business for a term of years it would prove unprofitable. So a charter was thought of as a means of protection of the interests of the invest- ment, and Bucknam sought such charter of the general court by petition in 1784, for a ferry at the falls in Northumberland. The petition for this charter is an interesting document, and we present it here as illustrating the manner of doing business in those early days. It is as follows : ''The Petition of Edwards Bucknam of Lancaster in the County of Grafton in said State Humbly Sheweth that there are Cateracts or falls in the River Con- necticut adjoining Northumberland in said County convenient for building mills and for keeping a ferry boat. " Your Petitioner is Now Actually erecting a set of mills both for sawing and grinding on said falls. Therefore prays that the Honorable Court would be pleased to grant and convey unto him his heirs and assigns the priveledge of using and improving the Earth and Waters between the Easterly and Westerly Banks of said River in Width ; and in length the Distance of one mile Each way from the center of said falls." This petition was favored by the grant of a charter, and Bucknam kept a ferry there for a number of years, and then leased it as he did also with his mills. Bucknam's ferry was not entirely satisfactory to Lancaster people, and in 1792 they petitioned the legislature for a charter to be vested in the town as public property. This petition was signed by some of the most influential men in town, but the legislature refused to grant it. To that document I find the names of the following persons attached : John Weeks, Emmons Stockwell, Jonas Baker, Jonas Wilder, Joseph Wilder, Edwards Bucknam, and Joseph Brackett. The objection to granting a charter to the town is not known to me ; but the same year the legislature granted a charter to Eleazar Rosebrook on the following petition : " Lancaster, June i, 1792. " To the Hon' General Court to be convened at Dover in said State the first Wednesday of said June — Humbly Sheweth Eleazar Rosebrook — that he has opened and kept a Ferry across Connecticutt River at said Lancaster for several years past by means of which the public have been considerably benefited — and that during the time which he has kept said ferry it has been rather an Expense to him than otherwise, and most probably no great advantage can arise thereby for some time yet to come, though it may be profitable at some future period — whereof he prays Your Honors to grant him his heirs and assigns the exclusive priviledge of keeping a ferry across said River under such restrictions and regulations as may appear proper and your Petitioner will ever Pray." This petition, with the one referred to above, was acted upon some months after presented, from which we infer that the legisla- ture took time to duly consider matters of this nature. Rosebrook's LofC. lOO HISTORY OF LANCASTER. petition was granted, and a charter issued to him authorizing him to keep a ferry between Lancaster and Guildhall for the term of forty years, after which the right was to be vested in the town of Lancas- ter. Rosebrook's right was exclusive, with the exception that the town might keep all other ferries that be needed to accommodate travel between the towns adjacent to Lancaster. We shall see, in the chapter on roads, that John Weeks kept a ferry at the south end of the town for the convenience of the people wishing to reach the lower settlement from Lunenburg ; and as the two towns were settled at the same time, and under the management of David Page, intercourse between them was desirable. Communication could be had with less travel to the Bucknam neighborhood than that farther up the river where Governor Page lived. Those ferries were of more benefit to Lancaster, financially, than to the other two towns that they connected with it, as it drew trade to Lancaster, which was on the more direct roads to Haverhill and Portland. The new community, then growing rapidly, had other concerns that engaged the attention of the people and showed the enterprise and character of its citizens. From the earliest times the people had subsisted largely upon fish taken from the brooks and the Connecticut river. Every brook was full of the choicest trout, and the Great river, as they called the Connecticut, was abundantly stocked with salmon. Every family, it is said, made it a rule to salt down a barrel of salmon every year in the season for them. This was considered an evidence of prudence and thrift; and if any family fell short of making this necessary provision for the many months that would intervene before the next return of these fish, they were considered improvident, and were subject to some degree of condemnation or reproach among their more prudent neighbors. This condition of affairs pertaining to salmon lasted about twenty years, when it became evident that this important source of their choicest food was rapidly giving out, and scarcity would be expected unless the free ascent of the river be guaranteed the fish. The people lower down the stream were taking, what seemed to the people of this section, an unfair advantage over the salmon by erecting dams, pots, and weirs in the rapids of the river. By these devices the fish were stopped almost entirely from reaching the upper portion of the river. The people in this town began to feel the evil effects of such wholesale slaughter of the salmon, and could no longer provide themselves the necessary amount of salted fish to carry them through the busy seasons of the year. They stood it until the spring of 1788, when the fishermen about Walpole obstructed the stream with their pots and other devices at Bellows PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. lOI Falls to that extent that salmon were so scarce that fishing no longer yielded any meat to Lancaster. The people were incensed at such manifest unfairness in fishing, and at once sought to bring the matter to the attention of the legis- lature in hopes of having a stop put to that method of fishing. Accordingly a petition was drawn up and signed by some of the most influential men in Lancaster. This was their only resource, and they availed themselves of it in plain language, asking what seems only a fair measure of encouragement to the brave men and women who had put such a long distance between themselves and the ordinary sources of food supply. Their petition was as follows : " State of New Hampshire ) " To the Honorable General Court of the State Lancaster May, 17, 1788. S of New Hampshire "The Petition of the inhabitants of Lancaster, Dartmouth, Northumberland and Stratford and other inhabitants on Connecticutt River above Charlestown — " Humbly Sheweth : — that there is a Create Number of Parsons that Live on & Near Connecticutt River, that make it their Business in the Time of the year that Salmon are going up said River, to set Nets or Seens acrost the River in the Neight & other times, which Stop all the Salmon, and also Put or Place in Weres a sort of Pound or Pots in the Very Perticular Places where Salmon Pass or git up the Rapids in said River and Perticularly in the Crete falls at Walpole called Bellow's Falls, where a Number of Parsons have combined together, and have placed in them Pots or Pounds in the only Places where the Salmon can pass or git up Said falls, as there is But one or two Places that they Can any ways Pass ; which in all Probability will Stop Every Salmon, as they have almost Done it in years Past. That those Parsons among us who used to Stabb with their Spears 18 or 20 Salmon in a Neight, they can now scarcely see a Salmon to Catch and if there Cant be some Stop to those obstructions — we that are settling and Cultiva- ting the New lands & at a great Distance from the Sea Coast, must be Deprived of what the alwise being has in his Wisdom Provided for us, therefore your Petitioners — Pray that your Honors would take it under your wise Consideration, and Pass Such act or acts that will Prevent any and all such Stoppages of the Salmon being made in Connecticutt River through this State — and your Peti- tioners will Pray — Edwards Bucknam Joseph Brackett Jonas Baker Walter Philbrook Samuel Johnson Francis Wilson." John Weeks This action led to some restrictions being placed upon the stop- page of the stream by the means complained of in the petition, and salmon continued to be reasonably plenty until some twenty years later after dams were built across the river at several points. The fish found so many obstructions placed in their way that they did not reach points as high as Lancaster in quantities any longer. They gradually grew less, and at last entirely disappeared. Other, but inferior, kinds of fish continued plenty for many years ; but since so many sawmills and other factories have multiplied and pol- luted the water, these have grown less plentiful. For many years the little pickerel hav^e been taken in considerable numbers in Lan- 102 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. caster. A few black bass are caught. The common river suckers are quite plenty, but the cultivated taste of the people eschews sucker these days. For many years the brook trout continued plentiful, but even they are now scarce with all the effort the state makes to stock the brooks. As the fish supply gave out the people began to give more atten- tion to raising their meats. They soon found that more reliance could be placed upon a well-stocked farm than a river that cunning men below them could seine or dam and clear of its fish so easily as appears from their complaint in the above petition. From 1790 to the beginning of the present century the number of swine, sheep, and cattle increased so rapidly that increased attention must have been given to the breeding of these animals with a view to meeting the increasing demand for meats. The hunting of wild game became less and less an avocation and partook more and more of the nature of a sport. It is related of one Caswell, a worthless sort of a hunter, that he started in one win- ter during the period of which we are speaking to kill a hundred moose. It appears that he came very near filling his number, leav- ing the carcasses to lie upon the ground to rot. The people be- came so incensed, however, at his diabolical waste that they banded together and drove him out of the country by threats of dealing summary vengeance upon him if caught. Hunting as a recreation and sport has always continued a chief feature of Lancaster life. Almost everybody hunts and fishes at some season of the year yet, though game has not been plentiful for many years. For more than a century past hunting and fishing afforded the chief respite from toil and the monotony of country life, and many a jolly party of the hard-working pioneers made the woods resound with the discharge of their old smooth-bores and fiint-locks, and the hearty laugh at the fine shots one another made, or did not make. Interesting anecdotes have come down to us of their hunting bouts, brave or cowardly encounters with bears and other fierce, wild ani- mals. The strategy or bravery one displayed in the chase won for him the praise of his neighbors, and guaranteed the connection of his name with the best stories that would be told by the crowd that gathered in the stores and taverns after the day's work was done. It is fair to presume that then, as now, a fish grew more rapidly in the stories told about it than it did in the river or brook ; and that the bears were much more fierce in the story than they were in the woods, for there is no animal that exceeds a bear in cowardice. But it afforded pleasure to those old-time hunters to bring in a good lot of game, and it probably did not partake of that barbarous spirit that characterizes our modern so-called sportsmen, who go about PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. IO3 the forest destroying animal life in the most indiscriminate manner, as if to merely kill some inoffensive animal afforded pleasure or was an evidence of skill. There is but little gunning done to-day that would not bring the blush of shame to the faces of our grand- fathers if they could behold their degenerate offspring indiscrimi- nately destroying innocent and useful animal life that can neither give advantage nor pleasure to a man with a heart of flesh in him and an enlightened mind. Fortunately our law-makers have of late years been striving to afford animal life some protection against the degenerate brutes in human guise. Lancaster was one of the first towns to see the necessity of such protection ; and for many years it has lent the weight of public opinion to every endeavor to limit useless waste of animal life, and to encourage the increase of fish and game. Another question that deeply concerned the town was that of its back taxes. As we have seen, the taxes during the war and imme- diately after it, fell very heavily upon the people who had about ex- hausted all their resources to defend themselves, and as they be- lieved, the country below them from invasion by the British army and its allies. This was, to a considerable extent, true so far as stopping the French and Indians from reaching points lower down the river which they no doubt would have done but for the prompt action of these few upper towns. This, the people thought, en- titled them to some recompense or release from taxes that fell so heavily upon them at the time as to forebode much difficulty and suffering if they had to be paid at a time of such great scarcity of everything that could be converted into money. Besides they had expended a sum more than equal to all the tax claims of the state against them to support the scouts, build forts, and repulse the in- vaders during the war. All this they either taxed themselves for or generously advanced at the time it was needed. With the excep- tion of a little assistance at the. very outset of the Revolution by a single company of soldiers, these men had fought their own battles, or rather got ready to fight them, as they supposed they should be called upon to do, and stood guard at what was agreed by all to be a very vulnerable point on the frontier of the country. It was only fair that they should now at this time appeal to the state to render them some relief either by allowing their bills for services rendered, or through the abatement of all or a portion of the large tax bills. The people went to the legislature and asked an accounting and gen- erous consideration of their unfavorable situation. The matter hav- ing been brought before the house of representatives was referred to a committee that reported to the house on February 22, 1786, a recommendation of abatement to offset all the claims of the town against the state for scouting services, building forts, and other sup- 104 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. plies during the war. These taxes had been levied to furnish army supplies ; and here was a little band of men who supplied them- selves the same things that the state was furnishing to other soldiers in the field, but not to these Upper Coos men. That committee grouped together in their recommendations Lancaster, Dartmouth, Northumberland and Stratford, giving the same relief to them all. This was a wise measure, one best calculated to accomplish the relief that was asked for; and the people received it with glad hearts. What they had done during the war was cheerfully done, but at the same time it exhausted their limited means to a degree that made it a great sacrifice. Had they been required to pay these taxes they would have been bearing a double burden, unless their claims for services and supplies had been allowed. The legis- lature took into account the facts that these people lived far re- moved from the rest of the population of the state, their constant exposure to a savage enemy, the discouragements of the people due to the withdrawal of so many of their young men to enter the Con- tinental army, and the desertion of others, the amount of time the inhabitants of these towns had spent in the service of their country on an exposed frontier in scouting and building forts, and that their continuing in this threatened section and keeping their families here was a great advantage to the state as it relieved it from keeping an army here to hold the savage allies of the British army in check, al- lowing the use of the regular soldiers at other points of greater advantage to the cause of American independence. Following the recital of all these generous acts on the part of these Upper Coos towns that committee closed their report as follows : "Your committee, therefore beg leaf to report, as their unanimous opinion, that said towns be discharged from all arrearages of taxes for soldiers, beef, rum, and all other requisitions on them by this state prior to the year 1784 ; and that the Treasurer be directed to discharge the same accordingly ; and that full abate- ment or discharge of taxes be considered as a full satisfaction for all accounts of scouting, alarms &c which said towns may have against the state to the present time." This measure afforded the people great relief, and no doubt had some weight in influencing home-seekers to locate here. It added to the value of the lands then being put upon the market by many of the non-resident owners. The people went about their tasks, no doubt, with lighter hearts. Their burdensome taxes were cancelled by an uncertain account against the state. In the year 1786 a new valuation of the towns was returned. The return for Lancaster is interesting as showing the ability of the peo- ple to pay taxes in that year. The rate was one half of one per cent, of the nominal value of property, and yielded the following sum of taxes, which I give just as it stands on the town records against the several taxpayers, resident and non-resident: PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS, 105 " Jonas Wilder Capt. D. Page Lt, Emmons Stockwell Edwards Bucknam Moses Page Dennis Stanley Saml. Johnson James Mchard Steph. Jennison Richd. Stalbird Elisha Wilder Walter Bloss Jonath. Willard Peter Blanchard William Johnson Eph. Griggs Jonath. Hartwell Darby* Joseph Lacoos John Wilder £6- 3 15 10. 2 15 GO. 2 19 6. 2 2 7- 2 10 6. I 9 6. I 3 6. 12 00. 17 00. I 6 GO. 14 OG. 16 GG. 14 00. 12 OG. 12 00. 12 OG. 12 OG. 12 GG. 12 GO. Non-resident valuation. .^31 II- Gen. Moses Hazen has 24 righ ts at - oar ght at ye half of i Pr cent is . 3 12 00. John Molineaux 5 rights in Cat Bow I IG OG. Jacob Treadwell 2 do . 6 GO. Ami Cutter I do . 3 GG. Henry Prescott 2 do . 6 GO. Meshech Weare I do . 3 OG. Capt. Weeks 2 do . 6 OG. Moses Blake I do . 3 GO. C. Ward Apthorp 7 rights I I GO. £7- -10 — — GG. Total . ■ £39— — I — — 9- This interesting record presents some very important features to the student of Lancaster's history. Here we have an entire, nominal valuation of less than forty thousand dollars held by twenty-nine persons, nine of whom are non-residents holding forty-five seven- tieths (45-70) of the lands of the entire township, and paying ^y, 10 s., while the twenty men holding twenty-five seventieths (25-70) of the lands paid £^,1, 1 1 s., 9 d., or more than 62 per- cent, of the entire tax. More than that, the non-residents refused to pay their taxes, in many instances, and made it necessary for the resident taxpayers to sell the lands of the non-residents. They generally got the taxes collected in this way, and at the same time it put some of the lands *This was probably Isaac Darby, the noted old miller and gunsmith, of whom many anecdotes are told. I06 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. held for speculative purposes on the market so that actual settlers could buy it. Some of the non-residents were men of good purposes ; they bought land with the expectation of settling upon it; but in some instances like that of General Hazen, misfortune prevented them from carrying out their designs, which had they been able to do the community would have greatly profited by it. More than a mile square of these lands formerly held by non-residents had fallen into the hands of Major Jonas Wilder, who appears from the above valuation, to have been the richest man in town in 1786. His hold- ings extended from the " Holton place" to Isreals river and to a point near where the Boston and Maine railroad crosses the river, thus giving him the finest lot of land in town, and upon which the village was destined to be built. He had moved upon his large tract and built an elegant house, and had shown himself one of the most hospitable of men. His house was the temporary home of any emigrant who came this way in search of a place to build up a home of his own. Town meetings and religious services were held in his house. In every way he had proven himself in hearty accord with the people. The other men of considerable means were David Page^ Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam, Moses Page, Dennis Stanley, Samuel Johnson, James Mchard, and Richard Stalbird. These nine men paid more than half of the taxes at the time of which we are speaking. The wealth of those men was in lands they had im- proved. There was very little property outside of lands and their im- provements at that time. Unimproved lands had a nominal value of thirty pounds per right of over two hundred and seventy acres. Thus we see how the burden of taxation fell upon the hard toil of the men who had done so much to settle the town. There need be little wonder if men should have grown tired of that sort of thing and sought a way to equalize the burden of taxes, for they were a burden. The proportion of the taxes that fell upon the labor of the community was too great. The question of it had been growing more and more serious every year for at least a decade, and now the time had come when the injustice could be borne no longer. The matter had, no doubt, been discussed at every fireside in town, and at every chance meeting of the taxpayers. It was now thought best to discuss it in a special town meeting where some action could be taken to bring the matter to some sort of test and settlement. Accordingly the selectmen called a meeting of the voters at the house of Major VVilder as the following notice or warrant shows : "Whereas Sundry Persons inhabitants of the Town of Lancaster have repre- sented to us the subscribers, that it is necessary there should be a meeting called of all the male inhabitants of said town to consider and act on several matters for the benefit of the inhabitants thereof and the good of the Publick — When met first to chose a moderator to Govern said meeting — 2nd. To see if the town will raise any money to repair the roads in said Town or to Hire Preaching a few more PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 10/ Sundays or for schools etc. — 3rd. To see if the Town will agree to and sign a Petition to send to the General Court of the State of New Hampshire for a tax of 3 pence on each acre of Land on the whole Town of Lancaster for the purpose of making a Bridge over Isreals River & repairing roads etc. 4th. To chose some Person to attend on the General Court at Charlestown the 2nd Wednesday of Sept. next to carry in said Petition to said Court & also to raise some money for the Purpose of Gitting said Petition through Court or for the expense of any Person that may undertake the Business in Behalf of the town. Therefore we the sub- scribers do hereby notify and warn all the male inhabitants and voters of the Town of Lancaster to meet at the Dwelling House of Major Jonas Wilder on Friday the 31, Day of this instant August, 1787. Edwd. Bucknam ^ Saml. Johnson > Selectmen." Jonas Wilder ) The citizens answered that call, and after deliberating upon the proposition to petition for a tax on all lands, appointed a committee consisting of Jonas Wilder, Edwards Bucknam and Emmons Stock- well, to draw up a petition and sign it on behalf of the town. This duty they performed on September 4, 1787; and the petition was duly presented to the legislature and carried through by Col. Joseph Whipple, for which service the town voted him seven pounds and ten shillings at the March meeting in 1788. This petition the reader will find in Chapter VII; on roads. This tax proved to be a radical measure that drew from the selfish non-residents a portion of the aid they should have gladly rendered to assist in the development of the roads and other public improve- ments that enhance the value of landed estates more than anything else. They yielded grudgingly to the calls of the tax-collector ; and in many instances they suffered their lands to be sold for the taxes. This the town ofificers did promptly, for they had become aroused and determined that every man holding lands should do his duty by the struggling town. The act passed by the legislature was just what the petitioners asked for, the right to tax all lands not comprehended in what were known as " public rights." The church, school, and glebe rights were regarded as public grants. Dartmouth college had acquired something over fifteen hundred acres of land in town in the year 1782, and as there was, at some previous time, an act passed by the legislature exempting the lands of this college from public taxes, the institution undertook to evade this 3-penny tax in 1788. Although the legislature did not intend to repeal the act exempting the college lands from taxes this last act virtually did do so. At all events that was the interpretation the town officers put upon it ; and they went ahead to collect it by a sale of the lands. The Rev. John Wheelock, president of the college, wrote several times to the selectmen to stay proceedings ; but it was of no avail. One of his letters to the selectmen throws some I08 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. light on the early disposal of some of the original rights, and I deem it of sufificient interest to insert here. It is as follows : " Dartmouth College, Oct. 28, 1788. "Gentlemen, " You are doubtless acquainted that by a particular Act of our General Assem- bly the lands belonging to this College are all freed and exempted from public taxes of this and of the lands belonging to the College in the town of Lancas- ter I have written & sent several times to the Selectmen of said town, and once sent them a copy of the act of the Assembly concerning the same You have probably seen the copy & the act can be seen at any time in the Secretary's office. I am informed that there is a grant of a tax to be levied on the lands, and as taxes may arise from time to time on the lands, tho'' I suppose you are already sufficiently acquainted with the lands of the College there and of their exemption from taxes, Yet, for fear any difficulties & disadvantages may possible arise I have embraced the present opportunity to write the folowing, being the lands which belong to the College in your town " Two hundred & twenty acres to the right of Jonathan Grant Two hundred & twenty acres to the right of Joseph Marble Two hundred & twenty acres to the right of Thomas Rogers Two hundred & twenty acres to the right of Joshua Tolford and about Two hundred & thirty acres in each of the rights of Daniel Warner Esq. & Nath. Bartlett Esq. exclusive of their house and meadow lots. " The whole of the aforesaid lands amounting to about fifteen hundred and sixty acres of land Recorded in Grafton ss 23 Augst. 1782 I have given this notification to prevent any damage that might arise to those, who should sell them and pursuant to the Act of assembly, and in behalf of the trustes desire you would attend to the matter, that there be no sale of any of said lots for taxes, they being the property of College I am with truest esteem. Gentlemen, Signed in behalf of J Wheelock, President, the Trustees of Dart : College To the Selectmen of the town of Lancaster." The people of Lancaster were doubtless well acquainted with the college's holdings of lands in the town and its liability for taxes under their special act, as is shown above. The taxes were laid and collected as the town ofhcers meant they should be — without favor to anyone. After the Dartmouth college lands had been sold for delinquent taxes, the selectmen gave the institution the following notice : " Lancaster Sept. 9th. 1789. " Sir— We have received one or two letters from you respecting your lands in Lancas- ter that they are free from Taxes by an Act of the Genl. Court of the state of New Hampshire the said Court has also laid a Tax of two pence Pr acre for the year 1788 & I P Pr acre for three years following on all the lands in Lancaster to re- pair roads and to build Bridges in said town, Publick Rights only Excepted, the Lands that you own are not out of Publick Rights and as the act for the tax above mentioned was Passed some time after the Court had Passed the act to Clear your PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. 109 lands ot Taxes and our act says on all the Lands in Lancaster savin'outh, characterized by a spirit of adolescence; its maturit}', characterized by virility; and its old age, characterized by senility. They who would be leaders in the affairs of the community would do well, therefore, to give due heed to " Rohmer's law of parties." Society is never a yielding mass of humanity that will stay long molded in any arbitrary form under the powerful touch of a leader. Its elasticity and life will bring it back to its normal conditions sooner or later. Lancaster is a good example of these facts ; it has gone steadily on developing without any of the " hot-house" methods that promise so much and perform so little for a communit^^ For sixty years its growth of population, business, and wealth has been normal. The growth from 1820 to 1850, was a solid one, neither rapid nor slow. It indicates that the people were intelligent, industrious and honest, and that all their affairs received careful attention. From 1825 to 1840 there had been a gain of a number of houses in the village, which prior to that time was called very truly " the street." With its thirty-four houses strung along more than a mile of street, dusty in summer and piled full of snow in winter, there was little of the appearance of a village, — simply a street where the houses were a little thicker than through the farm- ing sections. The population had reached the number of 1,316, about one fourth of whom lived in the village and found employ- ment in its mills, sawmill, cloth mill, tannery, clapboard mill, shingle mill, carriage and furniture factories, blacksmith shops, stores, cooper shops and the various professions of law, medicine, divinity and the like. About everybody was employed at some use- ful occupation, and plenty blessed every home where happy wives, mothers, and children e\'en, were bus\' with some of the man\' tasks 134 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. that go far to stop the leaks and add to the productive power of a community. It was a settled doctrine of the people of those times that every able-bodied person should be a producer as well as a consumer of wealth. In an address delivered before the Coos Agricultural Society in i82i,AdinoN. Brackett urged the prop- osition that every one in the family should have some share in its work with many very cogent arguments, devoting a large portion of his address to that one doctrine. So generally was that doctrine believed and acted upon that the town was free from habitual loafers and idlers. There were a few old " topers," who squandered the most of their substance on " flip," and rum at the taverns, and a very few who did small jobs about the village at small prices. There were many workmen of a high grade of skill employed at the various trades, then followed in the village, who became independent in their worldly circumstances. Lancaster had gone through the panic of 1837 without scarcely feeling the disturbance that carried down so many business enter- prises elsewhere. There was not an instance of bankruptcy in the town; but on the other hand there was a condition of prosperity, while other sections of the country suffered so severely from the panic. The Millerite excitement of 1843, although creating some interest among its few adherents in town, had not called attention away from business affairs as it had done in Whitefield, and several adjoining towns in Vermont. There had come to be quite a variety of religious beliefs held by Lancaster people, but they were of the less fanatical types, and consequently things were more even in their way through that distressing craze about the world's ending, than in many another section of the country. When the twenty-third day of October, on which Millerites predicted the end of the world was to be witnessed, came, the people went about their business as usual. I have not been able to learn of any persons who gave up their occupations to look for the end of things. The late R. P. Kent recorded in his diary on that day, " This day, according to the predictions of the Millerites is the end of world"; but he went on waiting on his cus- tomers just as if it were not the last day of time. So did the rest of the people, I fancy. But if religious excitement had no effect upon the people of the town they were not proof against the excitement of war or politics. When the " Indian Stream" war broke out in 1835, a number of men flocked to the village to offer themselves for service in the Twenty- fourth regiment; but of the number only the five following persons were needed to complete Capt. James Mooney's company: James H. Balch, Douglas Ingerson, Dennis Jones, John Perkins, and Charles F. Stone. Although this was not an affair that affected the town in any way yet there was much interest felt among Lancaster people in hav- A TRANSITION PERIOD. 135 ing the trouble speedily settled as it had kept the country to the north in an unsettled state ever since 1819. When the call to arms came again in 1847, on the occasion of the war with Mexico, Lancaster furnished a number of men for the service who were included in Pierce's and Ransom's command, the Ninth or New England Volunteers. Although the sentiment of this section of the state was strongly against the war, a number of men yielded to what they were pleased to consider their country's call to duty and went to the front. The recruiting ofificer arrived here Sunday, April 1 1, 1847, and on Tues- day, the 13th, a detachment of recruits left for the front. Some of them died during the hard marches in Mexico. Those who served in that war have been mentioned in our chapter on military affairs in Part II, and the reader is referred to that chapter for fuller in- formation. The political and civil consciousness of the people of this town and surrounding section of country was early awakened, hence the more than common interest felt by them in all public matters. Seldom was a town settled by such public-spirited men as the pioneers of Lancaster ; and for many years the best men who came to the then distant town were men of like mind with the first settlers. The same was true of the other towns with which they were brought most in contact, — Haverhill, Jefferson, Northumberland, and Guildhall in Vermont. In all those towns the leading men took a deep and vital interest in the affairs of the state and nation. Then conditions were such here, on the frontier of the nation, that they felt a responsibility in standing as the advance guard of the state and country in Northern New England. These facts cultivated in them an interest in matters of politics and state, and that interest has never lost its hold upon the people of this town. No political movement of any magnitude is ever contemplated in the state without reckoning on Coos county, and particularly on Lancaster. Perhaps no decade in the history of the town saw so many, and such radical changes as that from 1840 to 1850, during which nearly all vestiges of the old, provincial customs gave place to new and cosmopolitan customs. By its own success the older life of the town had worked this change, which was in no wise announced with heraldry or trumpets. The people never said by convention, " Go to now, we will make radical changes, and many of them in our town." They came as silently as growth does in the life of a child, so slow and insidious that the most careful observer does not see it until it is accomplished. So with the passing of the old forms and customs once so prevalent in the life of the people of Lancaster. No revolutions were planned and executed with rancor and conten- tion over the relative merits of things old or new ; but a grand evo- 136 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. lution was working out results that involved the best thought and efforts of four or five generations since the Puritan ancestry of these people had landed on the shores of New England. Few, if any, of the men and women of that period were conscious of the results that were destined to follow the earnest and persistent efforts they were putting forth in the competition and cooperation that was going on in the life of the communit)-. Perhaps they were content with their daily bread, the comfort and the happiness they enjoyed from well-ordered lives, not for a moment aware that these things were the greatest factors of change in the life of a village or town. To the student of history there were present symptoms of all the changes that have since taken place ; but one never seems to be able to fully comprehend the remote significance of the activities with which he is most intimately connected, and the movements of which he is a part. The business, social, and intellectual life of the town was struggling for closer connection with the life of the coun- try at large. There were earnest efforts being put forth to render communication with the larger centers -of trade and social life easier and quicker. With the coming of railroads so near as Lowell, Mass., the distance to Boston did not seem ^u/^c so long; and when the railroad reached Concord, N. H., it was possible to reach Boston in a little over twenty-four hours by stage and rail in 1849, and later, when the Passumpsic railroad reached Mclndoes Falls, the trip was •still shortened by some hours. People at once began to travel more ; their products and the merchandise for which they were exchanged •could reach their destinations in their respective markets in a few ■days. The entire life of the people in all their concerns now as- sumed a quickened pace. The quiet and deliberate manners of the past began to yield to the nervous, impulsive manners of the larger communities. The merchants caught up the proverb of the city merchant — "Quick sales and small profits" — and the people began to look for those quick sales and cheaper goods in the hope of get- ting more for their labor. No sooner had the commercial life of the town come under the spell of the new era of rapidity of action than the whole life of the town pulsed with the almost wild enthusiasm. The business men and farmers were alike interested in inducing a railroad to connect Lancaster with Concord, N. H., or Portland, Me. The valley of the Ammonoosuc and the notch through the White Mountains were explored in the hope of engaging some company to build a road through either one or the other of those regions. P^verything seemed to depend on the quickening of the activities of the town, and in keeping in step with the onward march of progress through- out the country. While all this effort was being put forth there was going on every James W. Weeks. William D. Weeks. William D. Spaulding. Enoch Lip.f.ev Colhy A TRANSITION PERIOD. 137 conceivable degree and kind of change in the Hfe of the people. They began to see how, with railroads, could be turned to account the hitherto unused resources of the section of timberland to the north, and which could be handled here with profit to the com- munity. Such routes were to be opened up through this northern section, and Lancaster was anxious to have them pass through its territory. The circumstances of life we have been recounting had the ten- dency to produce a class of men of great capability in many ways. From the earliest times the conditions had been such, in this north- ern section of country at least, as to produce in the inhabitants a degree of versatility or readiness to adapt themselves to a variety of occupations. Such conditions and traditions tended to make the men of the second and third generations conscious of their inherited abilties, and led to a disposition to assert and maintain their posi- tion before the public. They were frequently called into the service •of the state and nation because of their capability of rendering val- uable services. Many of the men of that time living in the town could take a surveyor's compass and run a line with as much accuracy as any man of our day. Their education was of a practical kind. It was no uncommon thing for surveying to be taught in almost any school that was in the least degree above the ordinary school of the " three R's." Almost every family had in its membership some bright boy who would learn to use the compass. When the boundary survey between the United States and Canada was made in 1845, ^o'-"'' Lancaster men were called into the service and did very good work during the course of that portion of the survey under the charge of Commissioner Albert Smith of Portland, Me., from Hall's Stream to Lake Champlain. These men were: Hon. James W. Weeks, his brother, John Weeks, John Hubbard Spaulding, John M. WHiipple, and Joel Hemmenway. To James W. Weeks was assigned the task of making the preliminary surveys and sketches for the topographical map of the entire line, while the other Lancaster men acted in various capacities as chain carriers, setters of the monuments, and using the compass on the topographi- cal work. This party was fitted out in Lancaster, April 29, 1845. The commissioner and some of his surveyors and engineers arrived in Lancaster on April 28, and at once sought some one who pos- sessed a knowledge of the section of the country between here and where their work lay. It was soon found that the man who pos- sessed the knowledge they sought was James W. Weeks, a land- surveyor of some reputation who had been engaged in the survey of state lands on Hall's stream in the town of Pittsburg, some }'ears previous to this time. He produced a rough map of the section 138 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. which the commissioner and his chief engineer copied, after which Mr. Weeks was engaged to join the party which he did in a few days as soon as he could arrange his business to be absent for some months. He at once joined the party, and found the three other Lancaster men I have named already engaged for their respective parts in the business. The actual work began in May, and lasted until September. After the completion of the survey and the party was disbanded, the work of completing the topographical map of the line was assigned to Mr. Weeks to be done in Lancaster. Mr. Weeks com- pleted his map, and upon the direction of Major John Pope of Bull Run fame delivered it to him on September 26, 1845, ^^ Richford, Vt. This piece of work gave the best of satisfaction, and has never been found defective in any respect. Surveys and Marking of the Eastern Boundary of N. H. — When the boundary line between the states of Maine and New Hampshire became a matter of greater importance than when at first established, giving rise to disputes, the two states, by commis- sioners appointed by their respective legislatures, caused a survey to be made in 1828. The commissioners on the part of New Hampshire were the Hon. Ichabod Bartlett of Portsmouth and Hon. John W. Weeks of Lancaster. These commissioners, acting with those of Maine, began work at East pond, the head of Salmon Falls river, and during that and the next season ran the line to the northern limit, marking the same by a few stone monuments and by blazing trees. In time this marking became a matter of uncertainty, giving rise to disputes as the timber lands of that region were rapidly increasing in value. Accordingly, the two states again appointed commissioners in 1858 to " ascertain, survey, and mark " the boundary line from the northwest corner of Fryeburg to the Canada line. The governor of New Hampshire appointed Col. Henry O. Kent, then clerk of the house of representatives, as commissioner on that survey on the part of this state. Receiving his appointment on June 28, 1858, Colonel Kent at once began preparations for the task before him, and he took as assistants Lieut. James S. Brackett and Lieut. John G. Lewis of Lan- caster. Joining the commissioner of the state of Maine, the party started September 14, 1858, from Wilson's Mills on the Magalloway, for the northern end of the line. The task was an arduous one, but was finished on October 13, 1858, by the erection of the last monument at the northeast corner of the town of Fryeburg. The line was marked by renewing the old markings and monuments, and the erection of many new monu- ments at road crossings and other conspicuous points along the line. A TRANSITION PERIOD. 139 Their work was so well performed that the line has never since been a question of important uncertainty or dispute. The men of the decade between 1840 and 1850, those who were leaders in thought and action in the community, were of good sense and judicial judgment. There were then a number of men in Lancaster who could have filled any position of responsibility in the state, and others who were shrewd men of affairs. A lively interest was taken in all the important questions of the day, and not a few men and women among them were possessed of a considerable criti- cal faculty. One of the most knotty problems, however, that Lan- caster men ever ran against was what was known at the time as " spirit rappings." The notorious Fox sisters of Hydeville, N. Y., in 1848, set the world wild over what were supposed to be the rappings of the spirits of the dead. All over the country ignorant and visionary people were being frightened almost out of their wits by a self-imposed delusion. But long before the Fox sisters, the delusion reached Lancaster, and, as usual with it, the attack was upon a bevy of school-girls in the stilly and mysterious time of early night when all things are hushed into that stillness in which one can almost hear the workings of his own mind. All of a sud- den rappings were heard by them, as they supposed, on the wall be- tween the room they were in and an adjoining one. Alarm at once took hold of everybody. Was it some one trying to work upon their fear or credulity? A search by an irate father of some of the girls failed to discover mischievous boys hidden away in the house. He laid by the whip with which he intended to administer a mer- ited punishment upon the wicked boys, and gave his thought to a solution of the mysterious rappings, becoming more bold and loud as longer the frightened family listened to them. What could it be? Was it not a miracle? Was it some token of good or ill given by a good God? Or was it the work of a demon? If not one or the other of these, might it not be what everybody had heard so much about — the raps from spirits? Court was in session, and the village was favored with the pres- ence of some of the ablest jurists on the bench in New Hampshire. Why not call into requisition this and the local talent at solving mysteries ? That is just what was done. A gathering of distinguished men was summoned to investigate the mysterious phenomena, among whom we find the names of such reputable men as Judge Tillotson, Judge Cushman, Maj. John W. Weeks, Esq., A. N. Brackett, Reu- ben Stephenson, Gov. J. W. Williams, Col. John H. White, Gen. John Wilson, besides many others almost as noted for learning and sound judgment. This company set themselves seriously to the task of unravel- I40 • HISTORY OF LANCASTER. ing the mystery that had thrown the village into a furor of excite- ment. They observed, they experimented, and they discussed the question; but in the end they had to give it up as unsolved, if not, indeed, unsolvable, and the community in general accepted their decision as wise and just. The matter never reached as high a degree of excitement here as in many other villages throughout the country, but there have always been a few persons who regard the so-called phenomena as a mystery, portentous of something, they hardly know what. Such delusions have never carried many people into the extremes so well calculated to mislead the unscientific minds of the masses in this town. So far as we can learn, there has never been subse- quent occasion for the formation of investigating committees in town to study this or any other delusion. An occasional ghost story has been invented by the " smart young fellows of the streets," whose tastes have been about as crude as their ignorance was dense. Nothing of importance has ever come of such attempts to play upon the fear and credulity of the ignorant and unwary. One of such attempts called out from an editor at one time the suggestion that a shotgun was the best antidote for ghosts, and volunteered to go as one of the pall-bearers. The ghost took the hint. Such has invariably been the attitude of the community toward ghosts. CHAPTER XI. LANCASTER FROM 1850 TO THE PRESENT TIME. The middle of the present century marks a point in time when Lancaster was rapidly leaving off her old characteristics and taking on the new ones that were destined to make her a community like all others throughout New England. The old pioneer customs and institutions were practically gone by 1850. The community was astir with feelings of anxiety to get into line with other towns in the acceptance of all sorts of improvements. Lancaster was only forty-eight hours from Boston by the means of travel then in vogue, and the railroad was expected to shorten that by nearly one half within a few years. In 1848 steps had again been taken to get a railroad to Lancaster, and it was only a few years until the ''White Mountain" did get as far as Littleton (1853), running up from Wells River. Times had been fairly good, and the people were in a prosperous condition by the middle of the century. The population of the town had grown to 1,559, a majority of whom lived in the village and found means of livelihood at something else than farmine. In Mt. Prospect. Mt. Pleasant. From Bunker Hill. Village and Meadows fro.m Bunker Hill. LANCASTER FROM 185O TO THE PRESENT TIME. 141 fact, the town did not then seem so much a farming community as it had for so many years. This of itself may be taken as an indica- cation of prosperity. No town is prosperous when all its people follow the same occupation, be it what it may. It does not take a body of workers long to produce more of a giv^en class of things than it has use for, and decline must as inevitably follow such accum- ulation of goods that are steadily decreasing in value in propor- tion to their increase in volume. The tiller of the soil can only find a profitable sale for his commodities when there are many people producing something else while they are not competing with him. When Lancaster ceased to be a town in which every man was a farmer, or again every man a maker of potash or potash barrels, it began to expand and prosper. By the time of which I am speaking, a majority of the people were following occupations that were practically new ones in the town, such at least as their fathers had not been called upon to follow. Some vocations had ceased to exist, but the growth was from the demand for new ones to meet the changes that had come. All kinds of business transactions were greatly accelerated by the approach of "the railroads. Even in 1850, when the railroad had reached no nearer than Wells River, the merchant could order goods from Boston by mail and have them upon his shelves inside of six days, a thing that fifty )'ears before would have been thought utterly impossible within that length of time. Such, however, was the truth. I find in the diary kept by the late R. P, Kent that he ordered goods from Boston by the noon mail on Monday, Nov. 1 1 , 1850, and received them at noon the Saturday following, November 16. That event was considered one of importance, and rightly, too, for it was fraught with great significance to the business interests of the place. The most important feature of the transaction was in in the lessening of the freight rates. This change brought the rates down to seventy-three cents from Boston to Lancaster, by rail and team. This w^as a portentous event, one that stands as a milestone on the road of development. A little circumstance like this often has the effect to throw the schedule of economic values out of order and demand their readjustment on a basis of new facts ; and that is just what occurred then in Lancaster. For a few years all kinds of business affairs were restless. Some accommodated themselves to the changed condition of things and prospered the more for it, while others, either unable or too slow to make the change in methods of transacting business, suffered loss or failed. The greatest gain from the coming of the railroads so near was in connection with the lumber interests. The wealth of timber that covered the hills of Lancaster and towns adjoining it was practically of no commercial value on account of the distance from the markets. 142 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. It was then considered feasible to use the rivers as highways for the shipment of lumber, but it was not possible for an individual of limited capital to float logs a hundred miles or more into close proximity to the markets, and there cut the lumber, as is now done by such large corporations as the Connecticut River Lumber Com- pany, which cuts some years as many as seventy-five million feet of lumber from logs chiefly floated down the river from this country. The most valuable pine, and other timber, had been extravagantly cut, and in some instances wasted in the early days of the present century. No one seemed to see in the timber of the town any great wealth until about the time the railroads came so near that it was profitable to cut the lumber and haul it to the roads for shipment to the large markets ; by that time very little good timber remained in Lancaster. When the Atlantic & St. Lawrence railroad (now the Grand Trunk) reached Northumberland in 1852, the people began to utilize their timber by getting it into shape for shipment on that line of road. An important interest was centered in what was called " ship knees." These were made from the stumps of the tam- arack, following the bend of the roots as they diverged from the trunks of the trees ; a knee, or right-angled bend could be got out of most any tamarack tree. These were used for knees, or braces, in the old style of ship-building before metal came into use for braces, as at present. The swamps of this town and adjoining towns were covered with a large growth of tamarack, and for some years afforded the people an occupation that paid well. From the trunks of the trees, from which the knees were taken, what was called " ship tim- ber" was made, which was an equal source of gain to the people engaged in the enterprise. There were no persons who devoted all their time to this work ; but the farmers and their farm-hands found it a profitable means of employing the winter months " to keep busy." This industry was followed until the tamarack was all cut off. The late R. P. Kent noted in his diary, January 5, 1855, that teams ^numbering 40 horses had passed his store that day drawing ship )knees and ship timber to Northumberland. This winter occupa- tion in no way interfered with the farming enterprises ; but on the contrary made it more profitable, as it came at a season when the farmer would otherwise have lain practically idle for several months. It was an equal source of profit to the laboring class who depended upon being employed by others. At that time there was no float- ing population following the lumber business as now. The operator in those enterprises had to secure his help from the town, off the farms, and from the village; and what profit resulted from such un- dertakings helped more directly to develop the enterprises of the town. LANCASTER FROM 185O TO THE PRESENT TIME. 1 43 When the ship timber was exhausted the people next turned their attention to getting out lumber for sugar boxes, shooks, and common grades of lumber, which for many years continued a profit- able business. From 1850, until the breaking out of the civil war, times were good, and this section of country was prosperous. Those engaged in the various kinds of lumber business made money ; and the farmer got good prices for his products. In 1855 farm produce was uncommonly high. Wheat was $2 a bushel; corn, $1.25; oats, 30 cents; buckwheat, 50 cents; butter, 20 cents a pound; cheese, 10 cents; lard, 14 cents; pork, 8 cents; beef, 4 1-2 cents; potatoes, 50 cents; hay, $10 per ton; wood, $1.20 per cord. With a railroad to Northumberland, only 10 miles distant, and another to Littleton, 21 miles, goods were being cheapened and com- petition in trade much encouraged by the lower freight rates, only then about one half what they had been a few years before. About this time the traveling salesman began to appear in almost all lines of commercial business. He could reach a wide territory by the combined service of railroads and stage-coaches. When the new Lancaster House was opened for the reception of guests for the first time on the fourth of August, 1858, commercial travelers were on hand to the number of eight, from which we may infer that they were pretty plenty. Business was brisk in this northern section of the state, and Lancaster was then, as now, a trading center for a large section of country about it. About this time Lancaster, especially the village, began to be stirred up over the anti-slavery question. The centre of the " infec- tion," as it was then regarded, was the Rev. George M. Rice, minis- ter of the Unitarian church, who was a rabid abolitionist. He prob- ably never saw a slave in his life, but reached his position of enmity to the institution from the literary and humanitarian grounds, for it was then being vigorously discussed all over the country. The Cods Republican, established by Daniel A. Bowe and David B. Allison, December 10, 1855, took strong anti-slavery position on all political questions ; and being ably edited for a country news- paper, had considerable influence in the community. In the early spring of 1859, public lectures were delivered upon the subject. The first lecture of the kind, outside of the pulpit, was delivered by a Mr. Depp, an enfranchised negro, who had been a slave. He lectured in the town hall, March 7, 1859, to a large audience of Lancaster people. On August 5, 1859, William Lloyd Garrison, the famous champion of anti-slavery doctrines, lectured in the town hall on "American Slavery." But the people felt interested in that cause, as we may infer from the fact that in the fall of 1856, a popu- lar contribution was made for the so-called " Free State " sufferers 144 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. in Kansas. A box of things contributed for that purpose was shipped from here by the contributors on October 22, 1856. When the question of slavery came into national politics as one of the causes contributing to the attempt at the disruption of the union, it was not a strange question to Lancaster people. They had given it serious consideration, as they had done all the great questions of the times, for they were not slow to take an interest in national affairs. From the formation of the town down to to- day its people have always been keenly interested in state and national affairs. When the census of i860 was taken it showed a population of 2,020. Of that number about 1,400 lived in the village, which then comprised 103 houses located on thirteen streets. The town then cast 345 votes in the November election. The growth in popula- tion was healthy, there being an increase of 461 for the last decade; and the growth of wealth kept in about the same ratio of increase. Such was the community that }'oung Emmons Stockwell must have dreamed of helping to plant, as alone he wandered through these broad meadow lands more than a century before, when returning from the expedition into Canada against the Indians, which had crushed out one of the cruellest bands of savages that this section of country had in it, making possible the settlement of these fine lands, heretofore a hazardous and dangerous undertaking from which the strongest heart shrank with fear. It had had its reverses, as we have seen, but it had also had its prolonged seasons of prosperity, and the last three decades had been prosperous ones for Lancaster. She had, in i860, reached a point in numbers and wealth that only the most far-sighted of her former citizens had ever thought of. Little did any one surmise that there was awaiting this, as thousands of other prosperous and peaceful places, an experience that was to leave her people wiser, but infinitely sadder over the loss of the choicest of her sons who were destined to go to the slaughter of one of the most cruel wars in the history of this, or any other country, while those who were to survive and return to their native firesides were to come back broken in body and spirit to pass the remainder of broken lives where all had seemed to offer them so much pros- perity and happiness a year before. But such was to be one of the chapters in her history ; and when the crisis came, when the red hand of sedition, rebellion, and disunion had been raised in defiance of law and the peace of the nation, Lancaster heard the call to arms as the lovers of their country only hear — to obey. LANCASTER DURING THE CIVIL WAR. In the fall election of i860, the town cast 233 votes for Lincoln as against iio for Douglas, and one each for Breckinridge and Bell, LANCASTER FROM 185O TO THE PRESENT TIME. 1 45 the four presidential candidates. This fact shows that the union sentiment in Lancaster was strong; nor must we reckon the fol- lowers of Douglas as indifferent to the Union, for many of them were found among our volunteers when the Rebellion was de- clared and troops were called for. One week to a day from the issuing of the call by President Lincoln for 75,000 volunteers, for three months, to put down the Rebellion, a recruiting ofifice was opened here with Col. Henry O. Kent as recruiting officer, April 22, 1861. In two days twenty- four men were enlisted. Recruiting continued rapidly, until nearly a full company was raised and sent to Portsmouth, where the Second Regiment was then forming, making the bulk of Company F. The regiment left the state June 21, reaching Washington in time to be in the Union lines at the Bull Run battle. The First Regiment was mustered out August 9, 1861 ; but most of them re-enlisted under the call for 300,000 men for three years. Under this second call for volunteers there were enlisted twenty-three men from August 13-20, for the Third regiment, E. Q. Fellows, colonel, and sent to camp at Concord. On August 27, 1 86 1, Capt. Edmund Brown was commissioned to raise a company. He enlisted a number of men, and finally on October 7, 1861, joined the famous Fifth New Hampshire Volun- teers then being raised by Col. E. E. Cross, a native of Lancaster, at Camp Jackson, Concord. We cannot here follow the Lancaster men who went into the service of their country at this trying time, for to do so would require that we recount a large portion of the history of the Civil War, as these men were in many commands, and often engaged in the hard-fought battles on which the settlement of the great conflict hinged. Others have told the story of their service ably; and the state has generously provided for the publication of a history of every separate regiment of its soldiers during the war, which his- tories are now or soon will be available in all public libraries. Lancaster contributed the following men to the Second New Hampshire Sharpshooters : Joseph K. Hodge, James S. Kent, Reuben F. Carter, Thomas S. Ellis, Reuben Gray, Horace F. Morse, and Timothy Grannis. During those periods, when enlistment of volunteers was going on, all interests centered upon the recruiting office. Martial music filled the air, and patriotic speeches were made, and in every way the younger men of the town were made to feel the call of duty singling them out as the ones who were needed at the front to put down the Rebellion, and save the Union inviolate and glorious to their posterity. Mr. A. F. Whipple trained a band in i860, which furnished the 146 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. music on those occasions of recruiting, and the departure of the men, which latter event called out many citizens to see them off for duty and danger. In October, 1862, Jared I. Williams was commissioned as recruit- ing officer to raise a company for the Seventeenth New Hampshire Volunteers. It was soon discovered that our army, so hastily massed, with nothing previously done for its health and comfort either in camp or on long marches, or in the hospitals, was the prey of diseases and casualties which the men were wholly unaccustomed to. Their sufferings were so great as to appeal to the sympathy and humane feelings of their fellow-citizens at home in that most practical manner that made the " United States Sanitary Commission " and the "United States Christian Commission" institutions of the war scarcely second to those of any of the army or government depart- ments. All over the country people who had friends at the front were aroused to send to the hospitals and camps such things as the revenues of government could not readily obtain. Not unmind- ful of their neighbors thus exposed, the citizens of Lancaster held a public meeting at town hall, October 21, 1861, to take measures for making a practical and generous response to the call of the Sanitary Commission. Richard P. Kent was chosen chairman of the meeting, and Mrs. H. F. Holton secretary. It was considered best to appoint one person in each of the school districts of the town to solicit such articles as the people might be able to contribute for that purpose. The following persons were appointed to solicit in their respective school districts : No. I. (Comprising the village north of the river) Mrs. Howe, Mrs. George F. Hartwell, and Mrs. Henry O. Kent. 2. Mrs. William Rowell. 3. Miss Maria P. Towne (afterward Mrs. Dr. Bugbee). 4. Mrs. Asa H. Aspinwall. 5. Mrs. Samuel Twombly. 6. Mrs. Albert F. Whipple. 7. Rev. Moody P. Marshall. 8. Mrs. James Mclntire. 9. Miss Sarah Smith. 10. Mrs. Susan Boyce. 1 1. Mrs. S. H. Legro. 12. (That part of the village south of the river) Mrs. Thomas S. Underwood, and Mrs. Jared I. Williams. 14. Miss Sarah W. Emerson (now Mrs. S. W. Brown), 15. Mrs. George H. Watson. On motion, Mrs. Jacob Hamlin, Mrs. A. L. Robinson, Mrs. I. S. M. Gove, Mrs. H. C. Walker, and Mrs. Nelson Kent were LANCASTER FROM 185O TO THE PRESENT TIME. 1 47 appointed a committee to receive money contributed, and appro- priate it in making purchases of such articles as would best meet the object in view. Mrs. Royal Joyslin was made custodian of the articles collected, and the post-ofifice designated as a depot for the deposit of them until ready for shipment to Dr. Howe, the agent of the Sanitary Commission at Boston, Mass. On November i, 1861, three large boxes of supplies were shipped to Dr. Howe. Other contributions were made at later dates, and at no time did the interest of the citizens in their neighbors at the front slacken in the least. The town made ample provision for the wives and children of the men who enlisted. It happened that there were a number of families wholly dependent upon the daily wages of the men who felt it to be their duty to volunteer in their country's defence. These the town made ample provision for the sustenance of, while the husband and father was in the service. During the fall of 1862 a number of men were enlisted for the Seventh regiment by Capt. J. I. Williams. In the hope of stimu- lating an interest and making it more an object for men to enlist, a public war meeting was held at town hall, July 27, 1862, on a notice signed by seventy of the most prominent citizens. It was decided that a bounty of $100 should be offered to men who would enlist for three years, and $75 for nine months' enlistments. This meas- ure had some effect in increasing the number of enlistments for a few months, for it was certain that if the full number was not secured by volunteers a draft would be made, and most men would rather volunteer than run the risk of being drafted ; a pride that is worthy of some commendation. The coming of every mail was watched by the people with a keen interest for news from the seat of war. With feelings of dread would they scan the columns of the daily papers lest their sight should catch the name of a fellow-citizen among the dead or wounded of some dreadful battle, or from the scourge of diseases peculiar to camp-life. Often was that fear realized, for Lancaster men were in many of the hottest contests of the war, and at times the regi- ments to which they belonged sustained fearful losses in battle. When a decisive victory was won by the Union army there were demonstrations of rejoicing on the streets. When the news came May 12, 1862, that Norfolk had fallen, and that the Rebel ram, Merrimac, had been destroyed by the Monitor, a national salute was fired, and general rejoicing was indulged in by all in the hope that the war would soon terminate ; but alas ! more defeats were needed to break the spirit of the enemy. In 1863 the much-expected and talked-of draft came. On Sep- tember 26, a draft was made in presence of Henry W. Rowell of Lit- tleton, in which fifty-three men were drawn. This draft included 148 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. some of the best young men the town could boast of ; and most of them wilhngly went to the front, some of whom made remarkably good soldiers. Others were able to secure substitutes by paying large sums. In July, 1863, the news of the death of Col. Edward E. Cross, of the Fifth regiment, was received and threw the whole town into mourn- ing, for the people had come to recognize in him one of the bravest of ofificers. He had led his regiment through some of the worst battles of the war, and had come out of them all, although wounded, as though he possessed a charmed life. His regiment had been in the siege of Yorktown and Williamsburg, the battle of Fair Oaks, the seven days' battle in the retreat to Harrison's Landing, and at Antietam had won its name of " The Fighting Fifth." They were in the charge on Marye's Heights under Hancock, opposite Fred- ericksburg, at Chancellorsville, and finally at Gettysburg, where Colonel Cross received a fatal wound while leading a brigade. His body was returned to his native town for burial, and his shattered regiment was returned to Concord to be recruited. A movement was at once set on foot to erect a suitable monu- ment to Colonel Cross, which after some delay was accomplished. Renewed calls came for more men to fill the quota of the town. Enlistments had ceased, and now the town at a meeting, April 15, 1864, voted to pay a bounty of $300 to all men enlisting until the town's quota was filled; and also $iOO to such persons out of the town whose enlistment shall count to the credit of the town. This liberal bounty did not have the desired effect. Only a few enlisted under its tempting offer. It was thought better to induce men to volunteer than to risk a draft, as the draft was a mere matter of chance, and was as likely to fall upon men that could least be spared from the support of their families or their business, and even upon such as were least able to secure substitutes. Another town-meeting was called for August 29, 1864, when it was voted to offer bounties of $800 for enlistments for one year ; $1,000 for two years; $1,200 for three years; and $100, $200, and $300 to one, two, and three year men, aliens, but who should be credited to the town. This offer had the effect to call out twenty-two men at once, and later a few others were enlisted. The town thus at considerable cost met its quota, and in every way discharged its obligations in furnishing the army for the nation's defence. It was this year, of 1864, that marked the century point in the town's history ; and the event of its settlement and first century of growth was duly celebrated, the story of which we tell in Part II, of this history, and therefore simply refer to it here in its proper place in the narrative. The event was of more than ordinary importance. LANCASTER FROM 185O TO THE PRESENT TIME. 1 49 It turned the people's thought upon themselves and their situation, their opportunities and responsibilities in a way to awaken in them self-consciousness, by which the community is as truly born to a higher life as is the individual ; and we know how when one be- comes conscious of himself he enters into a higher life, not content with life as it is, but strives to make it like the ideal that floats before his vision. With the turning of the people's thought upon them- selves, and back along the way over which their forefathers toiled to build the institutions they enjoy, a community is born again. New visions of life are evolved, and man is challenged by all that is best in him to make good the aims for which so many genera- tions, as he may be made conscious of, have toiled, and toiled for him, too. A community bestirs itself to make its second century better than its first by profiting by the accumulated experience of those who have gone before them over the same road they must travel. The first fruits of this new devotion to the ideal floating before the people, wafted hither on the wings of oratory, music, and good cheer, was the purchase of the plot of ground, on which the celebration was held, as a park, now named Centennial Park. With the coming of peace within a year from the date of the cen- tennial of the town, renewed interest was manifested in everything pertaining to the good of the community. It was with feelings of unbounded joy that the people heard, on the 14th of April, 1865, that Lee had surrendered, and that the war was ended. This bit of good news was made the occasion of a celebration. One of the old six-pounder iron cannon (known as the " Bennington cannon," because captured of the British at the battle of Bennington) was brought out of the arsenal, placed on the northwest brow of Baker hill and fired until it burst into fragments from an over-charge. The joy with which families received their absent ones back, as they were mustered out of the service through the summer, was un- bounded, though many hearts were heavy almost to breaking over the lost ones who fell on Southern battle-fields, or on the long marches, or in camp or hospital, of diseases and fatigue little less fatal than the chances in battles. There went from the town a long and honorable list of men, of whom many were numbered among the dead and missing, and whose places have been vacant in the homes and hearts of their families and neighbors. Many of those who did return were battle-scarred and broken in health, illy able to take up again their tasks in civil life where they had laid them down four years before to try the uncertain fortunes of war ; but bravely they applied themselves to the old tasks, or sought new ones by which to win a livelihood for themselves and those dependent upon them, grateful for what degree of success has come to them. ISO HISTORY OF LANCASTER, Lancaster is proud of her veterans ; and she is justly proud of her part in the history of the great drama by which the Union was pre- served one and inviolate, a Union of free states. Until 1866, a daily mail from the south and one from ihe east had been the quickest means of communication with the world at large. Those facilities, when first secured, put Lancaster very nearly on a footing of equality with other towns in New England ; but the times had changed. The age of electricity had come ; the subtle force was beginning to do a larger share of the world's work, especially in the transmission of news. The telegraph, through its 60,000 miles of lines, had ramified almost the entire country, and had been ex- tended to unite the two hemispheres, bringing the world so close to our feet that we could send our thoughts and wishes around the globe in a few minutes. No more did Lancaster want telegraphic connection with the rest of the country than the rest of the country wanted such means of communication with Lancaster — with every community where men lived and did business. Accordingly the American Telegraph Com- pany, later the Western Union, began the erection of its lines to Lan- caster from Littleton in May, 1866. This brought Lancaster and Boston within a few minutes of each other; and since then no service rendered the public by any corporation has been more welcomed than that of the telegraph, until the coming of the telephone, which now puts us within speaking distance of nearly one half of the continent. After the close of the war an era of general improvement was ushered in. During the four years of carnage and waste, incident upon the diversion of attention and interest upon the questions at issue in the War of the Rebellion, but little improvement had been made in anything. Almost all enterprises of a new character seemed to stand still until weightier questions should be settled. No sooner, however, was peace restored, than the people began to inaugurate innovations of various kinds. In 1868 the first concrete sidewalks were laid in the village. Un- til then sidewalks had been of a more primitive kind. Board walks had been in very general use for many years ; and here, like in other villages where such walks were in use, there was continual complaint about their condition. As early as 1855, some one, I know not who it was, laid stones for a walk from the centre of the village toward the court-house on the west side of Main street. This walk, however, was not a success, and in the summer of 1868 the selectmen were induced to lay the first concrete walks in the village. Beginning in August of that year, Samuel H. Legro laid concrete walks from the Isreals river bridge, on Main street, as far as the store of J. A. Smith. He laid crossings on Main and Middle streets, and con- tinued a walk on Middle street, from Main street to L. F. Moore's LANCASTER FROM 185O TO THE PRESENT TIME. 151 house. This experiment was so successful that in October of the same year he began at Smith's store and extended the concrete walks as far as to R. P. Kent's store. This was by way of experiment, but when the next season proved that there was nothing better for the construction of walks, it was decided by the selectmen to extend them from the points where they left off as far as the court-house and the Catholic church on Main street. Those walks remain to-day in a good state of repair, except between Bunker Hill and High streets on the east side, at which point the grade has been raised and some repairs made. Otherwise no repairs have been made upon them since they were laid down in 1868 and 1869. It has long since been accepted as the proper kind of walk for comfort and economy, and from time to time the amount of concrete walks has been in- creased until nearly every street of any importance has one or both walks laid of that material. It has become the settled policy of the town to lay a certain amount of that kind of walk every year, with the intention of finally covering the entire village walks with it. Some walks have been made of crushed stone since the town has owned and operated its own stone crusher; but these walks have proven to be but makeshifts. A few pieces of brick v/alk, laid by individuals in front of their premises, still exist ; and there remains but a single section of wooden walk in the village — a short piece on North Main street. The spirit of improvement that secured the concrete sidewalks in 1868 and 1869, called for the lighting of the streets during the latter year. By private enterprise a number of kerosene lamps were placed on the streets, which was a decided improvement in helping people to pick their way along on dark nights. These private lights were in use for more than a decade before the town took the matter in hand to properly light the streets at the public expense. There often seemed other need of lighting the streets than the mere com- fort it afforded. In 1872 the rumor gained credence in the village that an organized gang of thieves from New York city were planning to visit the village and operate here. This called the citizens out, in a meeting held at the counting-room of R. P. Kent, to take steps to have the streets properly lighted and patrolled for a term of six months from November of that year. This was taken, however, as more of a scare, and nothing was done in either direction more than to make the people a little more vigilant in the matter of looking after their own property and rights. The street lights were kept trimmed and burning with a little more than ordinary care ; but the thieves did not come. The village had grown, meanwhile, to the formidable number of 1,100 souls, with enough more in the rural districts to swell the en- tire population of the town to 2,248 in 1870. There were then, by 152 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. actual count, 240 houses in the village. This showed an increase of 206 over the 34 cheap houses, only eight of which had ever been painted, in 1825. Everything else had increased in about the same ratio of importance during that period of forty-five years. The vol- ume of commercial business had greatly increased during that event- ful period ; and agriculture and manufactures had enjoyed an equal degree of prosperity. The manufactures of the town had become very considerable, though we have no means of getting at their value for lack of statistics upon which we may rely. In regard to the agri- cultural interests and products of the town we are more fortunate in having the following reliable return, made in connection with the as- sessment for the year 1875. The books of the town show that for the year from April i, 1874, to April i, 1875, an agricultural prod- uct to the value of $409,265 was secured by the enterprise of the town, as shown by the following table of items : Agricultural statistics of the town of 1875: Lancaster from April i, 1874, to April i. Hay 10,962 tons. $i3i'544 Straw 416 tons. 2,496 Potatoes 62,435 bushels. 24,974 Other roots . 1,050 " 315 Corn, shelled 2,121 " 2,121 Wheat . 1,953 " 2,929 Oats 21,415 12,849 Rye 65 " 65 Indian wheat 1,097 " 548 Peas and beans 388 " n(^ Fruit 1,650 660 Small fruit 2,500 quarts. 250 Butter . 57,764 pounds. 17,334 Cheese . 4,010 " 668 Pork . 67,780 6.778 Eggs . 5,365 dozen. 1,073 Poultry 4,693 pounds, 782 Maple sugar 27,400 " 2,740 Wood cut 11,108 cords, 27,770 Lumber 2,237 M, 1 1,185 Horses, April i, 1875 572, 48,286 Cattle, 1,580, 57,288 Sheep, " 2,012, 8,132 Help hired 608 months. 15,200 Mutton and lambs ■ 5,301 Beef . . 26,990 Total $409,265 Dogs, April I, 1875 ...... 89 Valuation ........$ 1,060,684 Number of po lis 654 LANCASTER FROM 1850 TO THE PRESENT TIME. 1 53 Here was an income of about $340 per capita in the actual prod- ucts of the farms in that year. The wages of the farm laborers averaged twenty-three dollars and thirty-five cents. The homes of the people were comfortable ; and plenty, cheer, and hope abounded on every hand. The aggregated wealth of the town, as shown by the assessment, was much above the million dollar mark. At that time there were no wealthy men in town. This wealth was much more evenly distributed then than it now is, so it can readily be imagined that the prosperous and comfortable people of the town were many; and if there were any persons who knew what want was they were extremely few, and the generosity of the town was exer- cised in their behalf. No town could be more mindful in the relief of distress and the help of the unfortunate than Lancaster has always been. In 1878 the village was visited by two calamities by which much valuable property was lost. On the evening of April 9, 1878, a fire was discovered in some hay and rubbish in a barn, in the rear of Rowell & Allen's store on Main street, where Eagle block now stands. The flames soon communicated with the store, and then from one to another building until fifteen business places and several residences were consumed, together with most of their contents. But little of the goods and household effects was saved. There was a loss of over $50,000 worth of property, with little more than half enough insurance to cover it. The buildings were poor wooden structures of but little value, which were the smallest items in the loss. There were many heavy stocks of goods lost upon which the insurance was light. On account of the inflammable character of the buildings and their contents, the fire got beyond control of the fire companies which were on the scene soon after the alarm was given ; but with the inadequate supply of water and the meager apparatus at their command they were helpless in the presence of so formidable a fire. Fortunately A. J. Marshall, whose place of busi- ness was where L. F. Moore's store now stands, on Middle street, had a force pump which he trained on the fire and stopped it in that direction. About one half of the business portion of the village was consumed. The fire swept everything away from Dr. Stickney's house where Benton's block now is and the river on Main, and on the north side of Middle street. So intensely hot was the fire, which raged all night, that buildings on the west side of Main street were charred from the sidewalk to the ridges of the roofs. They were saved only with the utmost exertion of almost the entire popu- lation. The women turned out and helped to save what goods could be carried to a safe distance from the flames, and also to carry refreshments to the men who were heroically striving to save the vil- lage from complete ruin. 154 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. The following were the chief losses sustained by the conflagration : Kent & Griswold, dry goods, loss on stock, $4,000, insured in the Hartford for $3,500. H. Whitcomb & Co., harness and saddlery, loss about $600, insured in the Home for $500. Kent, Cobleigh & Co., tin shop, loss $10,000, insured in Hanover & ALtna, for $3,500. Chas. E. Rowell, M. D., loss $1,000, insured in North America, for $500. E. T. Wilson, photographer, loss $500, insured in Shawmut, for $300. W. G. Baker, groceries, loss, $2,500, insured in Hartford, for $1,500. Mrs. Eliza R. Spaulding, building, loss $3,000, insured in Shoe & Leather and Fanueil Hall, for $2,400. Jacob Benton, Nutter block, loss $3,000; no insurance. Express company, slight loss. O. H. Kimball, dentist, loss about $300 ; no insurance. Coos Republican Association, printing ofifice, loss $3,500; no insurance. Oliver Nutter, household furniture, $1,500 ; no insurance. Charles W. Garland, spring bed manufacturer, loss $200 ; no insurance. Rowell & Allen, dry goods and groceries, on stock and building, $7,000, insured in yEtna and Home, for $4,000. Coos Lodge, No. 35, and Waumbek Encampment, No. 24, L O. O. F., loss about $1,000; no insurance. Frank Smith & Co., flour and grain, loss on stock and building, $6,000, insured in North America and New Hampshire for $2,300; Jas. S. Smith, building, loss $1,000; no insurance. A. Cowing, barber, loss $100 ; no insu- rance. D. W. Smith, groceries, loss on stock and building, about $8,000, insured in Springfield and Shoe & Leather, for $3,500. Wm. Clough, building, loss $350, insured in Springfield for $250. Hosea Gray, meat market and provisions, loss $2,000 ; no insurance. Geo. K. Stocker, fish and oyster market, loss $250; no insurance. Mrs. Stickney, dwelling house, loss about $1,700, insured in the Home for $1,000. Slight damages to Emmons S. Smith, Dr. D. L. Jones, A. D. Benway, Mrs. N. Sparks, C. E. Allen & Co., J. A. Smith & Co., Geo. W. Lane, Fred C. Colby, A. J. Marshall, Lizzie C. Thomas, post-ofhce, telegraph ofifice, town clerk's office, Mrs. Bowman, Ladd & Fletcher, Benton & Hutchins, Dexter Chase, W. & H. Heywood, J. G. Crawford, Thos. S. Underwood, Ray, Drew & Jordan, Guernsey & Howe, John P. Hodge and several others. Steps were at once taken to rebuild the most important business places, and in a short time the burnt structures were replaced by better business blocks than any the village had ever known ; and in time the fire was looked upon rather as a blessing than a ca- lamity, as it made better buildings both possible and necessary. It also impressed upon the minds of the people the need of better facil- ities for protection against fire. The cause of this fire was some- what obscure, though credited to three tramps who had been seen in that vicinity only a short time before its discovery, and who were not seen afterward. II Part of Main Street, 1872. South Main Sikkki I imhk iw u./c. LANCASTER FROM 185O TO THE PRESENT TIME. 1 55 Again in the fall of that year another, and in some respects more disastrous, fire visited the village. This time, on the morning of September 28th, a fire was discovered in the third story of the ell part of the Lancaster House. The fire companies were promptly on the scene of the conflagration ; but owing to the location of the fire and the rapidity with which it spread after communicating with a tarred roof they could do nothing to stay its ravages. The heat was so intense that it drove the firemen to such a distance that they could accomplish nothing with their feeble apparatus and the slender streams of water at their command. The loss on the building and its contents was estimated at $30,000, with $25,000 insurance. This hotel had been recognized by the people as one of the most important enterprises of the village and now that the proprietors did not see fit to rebuild it, they realized that the fire was one of the greatest calamities that had visited the village at any time in its his- tory. There was not another hotel of any importance in the village ; and it seemed a necessity to the accommodation of transients doing business here that there should be a first-class hotel. The matter of rebuilding the hotel ran along for three years before anything of a practical character was done to accomplish that desired end. On the evening of February i6th, 1881, a public meeting of the citizens was held at Eagle hall to take some steps to secure the rebuilding of the hotel. As one result of that meeting a company was organized to build a good hotel on the site of the one that was burnt in 1878. This company was known as the Lancaster Hotel Company. The chief personality connected with it was the late John Lindsey, a somewhat noted hotel-keeper. At a town meeting held March 27, 1881, it was "Voted that the selectmen buy the land of the old Lancaster House site of Ray & Benton for $2,000, and hold the title to the same, and rent it to the Lancaster Hotel Company for $1 per annum, when they shall have completed a hotel to the value of $10,000 on the premises; and if said company at any time make a tender of $2,000 the selectmen shall quitclaim the property to said company." (See Town Records.) It was not until May, 1882, however, that the work on the new hotel was begun. On the 8th of May, 1882, John Lindsey began work on the present Lancaster House building ; and by November 28th had it completed. On the evening of that date it was lighted for the first time by gas generated on the premises. On the evening of November 29th the house entertained the first guests, consisting of six traveling men. This house was then, and has remained since, a first-class hotel. Mr. Lindsey, in company with his sons, continued to conduct the house until his death in 1890. His son, Ned A. Lind- sey, deceased, and his son-in-law, Lauren A. Whipp, conducting it to this time. 156 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. During the period between the burning and the rebuilding of the Lancaster House much discussion had been indulged in with respect to the possibility of making Lancaster a summer resort, with ade- quate hotel accommodations. This induced Mr. William H. Smith in 1883 to build a hotel on the crest of Mount Prospect, south of the village, which commands one of the finest views that can be found anywhere within miles. The atmosphere on the mountain is charming; and a good spring of pure water offered a supply equal to all demands upon it. A road had been built up the mountain in 1859. A good carriage road was built up the north side of the mountain in the fall of 1882 by Mr. Smith who for several seasons was landlord. The house became a financial loss to its owner. It has since fallen into ruins through the combined agency of decay and the vandalism of the men and boys, mostly the latter, who visit it. It is to be regretted that so splendid an opportunity for conduct- ing a summer house should have been abused and given up. In 1882, the people became much interested in the matter of a better water supply. Until that year every family had to provide its own water from the capricious and uncertain sources of springs or wells. In the earliest times the well had its old-fashioned " sweep," consisting of a long pole mounted in the crotch of a post, and to the longer end of which another pole was made fast to carry a bucket down into the water, while the other end of the sweep was weighted with stones to serve as the force that would lift the filled bucket from the well. Such primitive contrivances were seen on nearly all premises until quite late toward the middle of the present century, when pumps began to come into use. The first pumps were metal ones, and very expensive, so that they were little used. The people could not afford them ; but Yankee genius was never without resources, and they imitated the metal pump with wood. A log was bored through the centre and properly connected with a wooden cylinder in which the valves were located, and let down into the well. A wooden rod was connected with the lever and valve, and as good results were obtained as if a high-priced metal pump had been used ; and the wooden one did not cost more than a very small fraction of what the metal one would have, and generally out- lasted it, too. At a still later date, about 1850, the hydraulic ram was the pop- ular device for conveying water as it possessed the power of lifting it over hills and other obstructions in the course where it was wanted to be conveyed. One Perry W. Pollard, a tinsmith in the employ of R. P. Kent, astonished the natives in 1854, by fitting a lead pipe into a well on the Gotham farm, and by the now well-known princi- ple of the syphon, lifting water out of the well and conveying it to a lower level. One can well imagine the open-mouthed wonder with LANCASTER FROM 185O TO THE PRESENT TIME. 1 57 which the simpler ones viewed the young mechanic from Providence, R. I. No doubt some thought him in possession of supernatural powers ; but they learned from him a useful lesson in regard to the principles and powers of the syphon. Water from the various springs against the hillsides was conveyed into the houses in the village below by means of wooden pipes, which consisted of logs bored through with an auger properly fitted for the purpose. These so-called "pump-logs" have continued in use to the present time, though most of them have given place to lead or iron pipes. The best, and most durable, pump-logs were made of tamarack from six to eight inches in diameter and fifteen feet long. Balsam fir was used to some extent, but was not so durable as the tamarack. There were many persons engaged in the business of boring and laying pump-logs; but Shadrach P. Hartford, brother of Stephen Hartford of East Lancaster, was forty years ago regarded as the past master in the art of making and laying pump-logs. Some of his work still remains to this day in good repair and is doing daily service in conveying water. For many years the village had no other source of water supply than wells and these pump-logs from springs on the hills. The south side of the village was supplied from springs opening into the bank where Prospect street now is, and from a large one on Holton Hill. The noted cold spring on the Whitefield road, south of the stone-crusher, furnished a large supply of the best of water, and this is still connected with the Lancaster House. When the Lancas- ter House was built in 1858, it took all its supply from this spring. What was known as the Pleasant Spring Aqueduct Company took water from a large spring on the south side of the east road, a little east of where the Maine Central round house now stands. This line covered and supplied Middle street and Main as far north as the J. A. Smith residence near the corner of Bunker Hill street. Another famous spring was the Everett spring located in the Everett pasture on the north slope of Bunker Hill, which fifty years ago was a cleared pasture but is now grown up to a second growth of pines. This spring afforded a fine stream of the best water in town. Judge Everett brought the water to his house — the old Cross place — on the corner of High and Main streets. Later a portion of this stream was deeded to Elizabeth Everett, his sister-in-law, by Ephraim Cross and carried to the house which since its removal is now owned by the Forshees on Summer street, but which then stood where the Van Dyke house now stands. Still another portion of that stream was sold to Isaac B. Gorham who lived where Charles Howe now does on Main street; and at a still later date, 1840, Richard P. Kent, who had just built the homestead where Col, E. R. Kent now lives, bought another share of this spring. In 1848, 158 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. George Bellows, then living where Cyrus D. Allen now does on Main street, bought for a company the remainder of that stream and conveyed it to his house, and a number of others on that street. The volume of water began to shrink soon after that time, and as the stream was much divided no small trouble resulted to families who depended upon it for their water. This led to Frederick Fisk, and later, Charles E. Allen, putting down a system of modern tubing and later iron pipes, with a view to collecting water from a number of springs on several hillsides and carrying it through the village under one system and manage- ment. This was a great improvement over the old way of every family looking after its own pump-logs. This system was inadequate to the demand upon it. It was not of sufficient volume to furnish water for street sprinkling, nor did it meet the requirements of the village in case of fires. There was an urgent demand for a better system; and in i89i,a private company undertook to bring water from the Garland brook beyond Matthew Smith's, some six miles distant from the village. This company built the present hydrant system, one of the best systems to be found in all New England. The water is as pure as can be found, coming as it does from the large forest section of the town of Kilkenny. The water is taken out of Great brook, and carried directly to the service pipes, with a reservoir on the side of Mount Pleasant in which is a sufficient storage for all emergencies — 180 feet above Main street. The company made a contract with the fire precinct to turn over the system within a given time if the precinct (village) wished to purchase it upon the payment of the cost of construction and 10 per cent. -additional. In 1894 the village fire precinct purchased the plant. A committee consisting of Col. H. O. Kent, J. I. Williams, and Henry Heywood was appointed to make an award, and adjust the price, which they did, allowing for the plant the sum of $74,000, which was raised by the sale of bonds which was authorized by special act of the legislature at the session of 1895. The precinct then organized a water commission under the management of which the system has given entire satisfaction to all using the water. The water is pure and delicious — is a profitable and excellent invest- ment and has checked every fire — so that no conflagration has since ensued. Again in 1882, the question of lighting the streets came up for discussion ; and finally the matter was carried before the November town-meeting, at which time the following vote was passed : " Voted, That the town light the village streets with suitable lights, to be pro- cured and kept as the judgment and discretion of the selectmen may direct, and the said selectmen are authorized to draw money from the town treasury therefor " (Town Records). The judgment of the LANCASTER FROM 185O TO THE PRESENT TIME. 1 59 selectmen was that twelve kerosene oil-lamps were sufficient, and they provided that number and arranged for the proper care of them. This did not satisfy many of the villagers. They thought that twelve public, and thirteen private, lights were not sufficient to light a village containing a population of 1500. covering an area of about two square miles. The discussion that followed the plac- ing of these lights on the streets resulted in the organization of a company in 1889, for lighting the streets with electric lights. The Electric Light company put in a plant, using the incandescent lamps, by means of which the streets have been well Hghted. The power is furnished by Frank Smith & Company at their mills. Two dyna- mos are used for the two circuits — street and indoor circuits. There are maintained 108 lights on the streets; and many offices, stores, and residences are using the company's lights. The plant has been a very satisfactory one, rendering a good service, and at a moderate cost to both town and citizens, the estimated cost of lighting the streets for 1897 being $1,224 for 108 lights. Few concerns have rendered the community better service than the Lancaster Electric company. Certain important improvements are contemplated by the company which will very much enhance its efficiency to the public service. At the March town-meeting in 1889, the sons of the late Richard P. Kent made the offer to the town of a fountain to be located in front of his late residence on Main street as a fitting memorial to their parents, who had been identified with the business and social interests of the town and community since 1825. The offer of this fountain was made on the condition that the town maintain it in the future in accordance with the designs of the donors as affording drinking water to man and beast as well as serving as an ornament to the village streets when the, then contemplated, system of water works should be completed. The town accepted the offer, and the fountain was finished by the time of the completion of the water works, and put in use on the first of December, 1892. This foun- tain is a fine piece of workmanship in design and execution, and an ornament to the village, keeping fresh the memory of one who helped develop the industries of the town, upon which its pres- ent prosperity rests, and serving thirsty men and animals with one of the noblest services man can render his fellows, the offering of the "cup of cold water." The structure is of granite. A large and convenient water-box with two streams of water, is provided. An ornate arch surmounts the water-box supporting a bronze Victory. On the face toward the street, is this inscription : l6o HISTORY OF LANCASTER. IN MEMORIAM. Richard Peabody Kent, Emily Mann Kent." On the face toward the sidewalk ; " To the Town. From Henry O. Kent, Edward R. Kent, Charles N. Kent." On the keystone of the arch ; " 1892." At the same time that this fountain was building another one was designed and given the town by Mrs. Louisa Dow Benton, widow of the late Jacob Benton, in memory of her husband who died from the effects of an accident in the fall of 1892. Mr. Benton had long been a resident of the town. He had attained prominence as a law- yer, business man and politician. This memorial fountain is a neat and tasteful structure standing on the corner of Main and Mechanic streets, directly in front of the doorway of the present Town Hall building. It is of red granite, and contains a water-trough for animals, a separate stream for drink- ing purposes for man, and a trough for dogs and lesser animals, which latter arrangement is a very thoughtful and humane one. By this arrangement a grateful service is rendered the smaller animals of the community, which often spares them much inconvenience and suffering from thirst. Man is a selfish animal ; he will not live without these animals about him, and yet he so often, for the lack of thoughtfulness, makes either inadequate or no provisions for their comfort. This fountain is inscribed with the following memorial : " In memory of Jacob Benton as a gift to the town this fountain was erected by his wife Louisa D. Benton, on the day of his death September 29, 1892." On the face toward the street, and directly above the water trough, is this inscription : " Thou shalt bring forth them water out of this rock. So shalt thou give the congregation and their beasts drink." On the globe surmounting the fountain the words ; "Pro Bono Publico." These fountains render to the village, and to the traveler over our streets, a valuable service, one that it is impossible to properly esti- mate in words or figures. One has to see the use of them, especially Summit Mt. Washington, »»»i| Ml^.^^Hfc, Kent Fountain. •^< Benton Fountain. LANCASTER FROM 1850 TO THE PRESENT TIME. 161 on the hot days of summer, and the mute expressions of comfort shown by the animals daily throughout the year, in order to appre- ciate their worth to the community. No more fitting memorial can be made of the dead by their friends. One such fountain docs more for humanity and civilization than all the granite and marble that can be piled up in a cemetery, I care not how artistic that pile may be. The one is a living memorial, imparting life, strength, health, cheer and comfort every day ; the other is a dead thing, a " storied memorial." In 1890, the population of the town had reached 3,367, and the valuation, as shown by the assessment for that year, $1,636,813.00. The valuation is low, and probably does not represent more that 75 per cent, of the actual value of property in the town. The value of the property of the people of this town shows conditions that are satisfactory evidence of prosperity, and that all the comforts of life can be found among the citizens. The showing of the present time is much better than seven years ago. Add to the valuation, which is the basis of the taxes of the town, the vast amount of property not taxed by the town, and the wealth record of Lancaster would be swelled to a very much larger sum, a sum that would rank it as one of the wealthiest of country towns in the state. An event of considerable interest, and well worthy a place in these chronicles, was. the coaching parade of 1895, which was repeated in 1896, with great success. For many years coaching parades have been held at Bethlehem and Conway, and other places of resort for summer tourists in this mountain section. These events have always been highly appreci- ated, both by the visitors and the citizens of the places in which they have been held. In 1895, it was thought by some parties that Lancaster, inasmuch as it was quite a resort for tourists, should have a parade, or as they are more popularly styled, a gala day. After considerable corres- pondence with the managers of other coaching parades, railroads, and proprietors of the mountain hotels and boarding-houses, com- mittees were appointed at a public meeting called at the Lancaster House for that purpose, and all necessary arrangements were made for a gala day on August 15, 1895. The name under which it was advertised and managed was " The North-Side Coaching Parade." Encouragement was received that the proprietors and guests of the leading hotels and boarding-houses about the mountains would take part in the parade. The railroads, especially the Maine Central^ cooperated to its success. This road generously loaned the commit- tee enough bunting to decorate all the public buildings of the vil- lage. The citizens took a deep interest in the movement, and by contributions of money and the elaborate decoration of their houses 1 62 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. guaranteed its success. The enterprise was well advertised ; and when the day came it was one of those glorious days of summer that puts every living thing at its best. Heavy rains a few days be- fore had laid the dust and refreshed all nature. The day broke with a clear sky, and by eight o'clock the streets began to fill up with people. Streams of teams kept coming over the hills, and large excursion trains arrived from all the railroads, so that by ten o'clock there was such a throng of people as is rarely seen in a country village. Gov. Charles A. Busiel, and many distinguished citizens from abroad, were present to witness the event. Scores of finely- decorated coaches and carriages were in line, as well as a variety of exhibitions of the various industries and enterprises of the town. Two bands, the Berlin Cornet band and the Saranac band, of Lit- tleton, discoursed music on the occasion. Taken all in all, it was an indescribable profusion of beauty and pleasure, a scene never to be forgotten, but one that surpasses the powers of anyone to describe in the limits of the space that we can devote to it. Grand as was this first gala day, as great as its success was, it was repeated the next year under the same management and committees. There were in it such variations from that of the previous year that made it even more attractive in many respects. SEWERS. Taken together with the completed system of water-works, the sewer system constitutes one of the most important public improve- ments in the history of the town. After the water-works were com- pleted there became a demand for adequate sewer facilities to render the use of the hydrant system more effective, as there was no means of disposing of a surplus of water consequent upon many uses of such a system. This, together with the question of disposing of sur- face water, and especially the sanitary requirements of the village, made a sewer system necessary. There had been some public sewers and many private ones put in from time to time, but these were small and generally disconnected. Many of them discharged into the river within the limits of the village, which from an aesthetic and sanitary point of view made them extremely objectionable. It was desired to either do away with these or combine them and find a place of discharge farther down the river. The first sewer ever put down in the village was in 1848, by Rob- ert Sawyer, surveyor of highways. It was a plank box, running from Dr. Stickney's of^ce, where W. I. Hatch's jewelry store now is, to the river near the north end of the bridge. This undertaking pro- voked a great deal of comment and criticism at the time ; but it proved to be a very serviceable sewer for many years. In fact, it Coaching Parade, 1895. Ak( H ox Main Stkkkt, 1895. LANCASTER FROM 185O TO THE PRESENT TIME. 1 63 would be as good to-day as any if the proper precautions had been taken to keep it from fiUing with silt from the streets. It was never flushed, except as the surface water flushed it after a heavy rain- fall. When the sewer was cut through in the summer of 1896, at the corner of Main and Middle streets, the plank were found to be perfectly sound, and will last yet for many years. Other sewers were put in from time to time as there was a press- ing demand for them. In the March meeting of 1894, a move was made to have a complete and perfect system of sewers put in. A committee was appointed to investigate the needs of the village and have a survey made, and report to the next meeting as a basis of action in the matter. This committee took the matter in hand, and securing the services of F. H. Fuller, C. E., had a survey made of the village streets, and reported the results to the annual meeting of 1895. The matter was discussed, and brought up at an adjourned meeting. It went over again until at the March meeting of 1896, when a committee was appointed to act in connection with the se- lectmen in putting in a system that should meet the demands of the village, and also Grange village in the eastern part of the town. The sum of $30,000 was raised by bonding the town to pay off its float- ing indebtedness, the remainder to be used upon the construction of the sewer system as far as it would complete it that year. The work to be done upon the sewers was to be so done as to be the beginning of a system that could, in the future, be completed and perfected to meet the needs of the village. The committee appointed to serve in connection with the select- men were: I. W. Drew, J. I. Williams, H. O. Kent, Burleigh Rob- erts, and George F. Black. The selectmen were : William H. Hart- ley, Joseph D. Howe, and Gilbert A. Marshall. This joint commit- tee met and organized March 21, 1896. Henry O. Kent was made chairman, W. H. Hartley, clerk. G. H. Allen, C. E., of Manchester was engaged to examine ex- isting sewers and investigate the several plans proposed. Previous surveys made by Williams & Osborne were approved by Mr. Allen, and the work of construction proceeded. It was found that after providing for the payment of town debts then outstanding there was left, available for sewer construction, $10,000. The work commenced June 23, 1896, under the direction of W. H. Hartley, J. D. Howe, and G. A. Marshall (selectmen), as an executive committee of the joint committee. G. H. Allen was made consulting engineer, with Williams & Osborne doing the de- tails of the engineering work on the ground. The committee decided to employ only labor from the town, by which means encouragement was offered to the working men of the town, instead of bringing in foreign labor of a cheaper and question- 1 64 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. able order. This was a wise measure from several points of view, and was highly commended by the citizens of the town. The outlets were sought, and located on Isreals river. Three dis- tinct systems were decided upon. The first one includes all the ter- ritory south of Isreals river, and discharges into the river on Water street, a little above the bridge of the B. & M. railroad. The second division comprises Bunker Hill street east of Summer street, Summer street south of Bunker Hill street. Middle street, Hill street, Fletcher street, Richardson's court, Main street south of Bunker Hill, and Canal street, with the outlet on the Hopkinson meadow. The third division comprises Main street north of Bunker Hill street. North Main street, Kilkenny street, Bridge street, Wolcott street, Wallace street, Summer street north of Bunker Hill street. Bunker Hill west of Summer street. Cemetery street. Railroad street, and High street, and discharges near the railroad bridge. This gives the village 25,570 feet of sewers, 13,424 feet of which is of the old system, and 12,570 feet of the new. The committee recommend the future construction of 16,628 feet, necessary to cover the entire village. There was also put in 500 feet in Grange village. The entire expense of the above work was $10,597.73. With the completion of this system the village now has thorough sanitary drainage of both streets and buildings. This taken in con- nection with the water system gives every promise of a service that cannot but greatly enhance the healthfulness and comfort of life in the village. The only urgent needs to the perfection of the service of this sewer system are better grading of streets to facilitate the rapid running off of surface waters, and proper grading and mac- adamizing to facilitate cleanliness. All of these things will come, no doubt, in due time ; and when accomplished will add greatly to the already attractive appearance of the village. CHAPTER XII. EDUCATION. The First Schools — The Foundations of the Public Schools — Lancas- ter Academy — Graded School — High School — General Interest in Education— Present Condition of Education in the Town. The earliest attempts at education in the town were private enter- prises of which no records were kept, and hence after a lapse of more than a century we have very little exact knowledge of those first efforts to plant the school in Lancaster. The records of the first fifty years or more have been lost, so that all the exact informa- THE FIRST SCHOOLS. 1 65 tion we can get is found in the records of the town showing action at its meetings, as preserved in town records. Besides this there are a few private documents that throw some hght on the sub- ject. There are interesting traditions connected with the first schools that are of interest, and we give them for what they are worth. Tradition says that Ruth Stockwell, the first white woman in town, gathered the children of the first settlers into her house, and gave them some instruction in the simpler branches, as reading, spelling, and possibly arithmetic, and writing. How systematic, and how regular, or how long that sort of teaching was continued we are not informed. Tradition has been chiefly interested in connecting her name with the first real effort at teaching the children of her neigh- borhood. Her work may have been mere seed planting that ma- tured into a school, and called for what tradition also says was the first schoolhouse in town, a rude log cabin built somewhere on the river terrace eastward of the house of Ruth Stockwell, and near the house of her father, David Page. At all events, when the town was divided into districts, the one in that vicinity was numbered one, as indicating that it was older than number two in the Bucknam neigh- borhood. Just who was the first school-master in that old school in the Stockwell and Page neighborhood we are not quite sure. A Mr. Bradley taught there in 1789, and may have been the first teacher for anything that we know to the contrary. It appears that Mr. Bradley taught that school for several years; but aside from the fact of his teaching there we know very little of him. We do know, however, as a matter of history that one Joseph Bergin from Boston, Mass., was the first teacher in the Bucknam neighborhood, now known as District No. 2, although the old numbers have no real significance except to those who were familiar with the dis- trict system, which was abolished in 1885, when the present town system came into use. Of him Edwards Bucknam wrote in his diary: "June 12, 1787, Joseph Bergin came up from Boston. June 13, Joseph Bergin went to wash his clothes at Lacous's. June 14, Bergin came to my house. June 20, Bergin went to keeping school for 6 months at $5 a month." These first schools had short and irregular terms, as the people had little money to spend upon them, and the teachers were seldom men who cared to work for produce as they had no families to make use of such stuff. They could not market produce or convert it into money. When the schools were open, only the younger children could be spared to attend them. Adino Nye Brackett, who came to Lancaster at twelve years of age, said he never attended school after that time more than six months all told. Maj. John W. Weeks, who came here in 1786, left on record the statement that he 1 66 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. never attended school more than ten or twelve months in Lancaster. The same was likely true of many other families, though we have no knowledge of the fact. The first settlers here were men and women of fairly good educa- tion, who were deeply interested in educating their children ; but the conditions of life were so exacting that as soon as a boy was old enough to work he had to go with his father into the woods or fields, and do the work of man. He might be spared a few months in midwinter when the demand for his labor was the least. Some of the more ambitious boys studied by the light of birch bark around the hearth after the day's work was done, and in this way added to what they got in the schools. We have no evidence that the town gave any financial aid. to the schools until 1 790, when at a town-meeting, December 13, thirty bushels of wheat were appro- priated for the schools that year. Wheat was then a sort of circu- lating medium that took the place of money, as we have elsewhere stated. Nearly all appropriations were then voted in wheat. At that time the town must have had two schools, which would have given each one the magnificent sum of fifteen bushels of wheat for a year's support of schools. This sum was, however, " in addition to what the law directs." How much the law directed to be raised for schools I am not sure of; but under the Provincial Laws towns were required to raise certain amounts, and to provide schools for certain lengths of time. The people in this case evidently wanted longer terms of school than they were required by law to provide. They had themselves enjoyed the advantages of pretty good schools in the older towns from which they came, and wanted their children to have as good schools as they could afford. As the growth of population increased and expanded the inhab- ited area of the town, the demand for better schools grew stronger, and at the same time more schoolhouses were needed. So at the annual town-meeting of 1794 a committee of nine persons was chosen to divide the town into school districts. That they provided for three schools is very probable. As we have seen, the first two schools were started at the extreme ends of the town. The village had by this time come to have about six houses, which made it almost the equal of either of the two older neighborhoods. The committee, when they came to divide the town, probably foresaw the importance of the situation of the village section as the future centre of business and residence, and made it school district number one. As a new schoolhouse was required by the Stockwell section it was given third place in the list of districts, while the Bucknam neighborhood retained its former number as second on the list of schools. By a wise provision of the original grantees of the town the terri- THE FOUNDATION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 1 6/ tory immediately along Isreals river from the grist mill dam to the upper dam, as we know them to-day, was reserved for mills, the rent accruing from the lands to go for the support of schools. The difificulties in the way of mills were so many and so great that the rentals of the privileges, when leases were made, were only nominal sums named as rents or considerations. The mill site now occupied by Frank Smith & Company's mills was leased to Em- mons Stockwell by a committee acting for the town, for one pint of wheat a year, the same to be paid when called for by the selectmen. One equal share of the original lands of the township was set apart for a school, and a lot adjoining the church lot, in the original vil- lage lot, was designated for a school. Such school was never established because the two other schools of which I have spoken made it unnecessary. The distribution of population did not favor a school at that point; and no schoolhouse was built until 1833, when the old first district was divided in consequence of the growth of population on the south side of Isreals river in the village. This new district was known as No. 12 until it was con- solidated with No. I to form a union district in 1869 (the school- house was on the common, opposite the east end of the old meet- ing-house). Thus were laid the foundations of the public schools of the town, and it only required time to develop them, and make them a bless- ing to the thousands of men and women who have taken advantage of their services. The story of these schools we have told in detail in another place, and therefore refer to them here only as showing their relation to other events and movements as they took place. An event of great importance in the intellectual development of the town, and, in fact, to a considerable extent that of neighboring towns, was the establishment of Lancaster Academy in 1828, under a special charter from the legislature. Some thirty years of the administration of the public school system had made it evident that there was felt and recognized the necessity of an institution that should fit the sons of Coos farmers and traders for college, and to enter business life with a better training than the country, common school could give them. Accordingly some of the leading men of the town made a move for the establishment of an academy. Among that number we find named as the first trustees of the academy, William Lovejoy, John W. Weeks, Jared W. Williams, Richard Eastman, William Farrar, Thomas Carlisle, Samuel A. Pearson, Reu- ben Stephenson, and Adino N. Brackett. The academy was organ- ized, and opened its first term in the old flat-roofed court-house on the corner of Main and Bridge streets, in 1829, with Nathaniel Wil- son, a recent graduate of Dartmouth college, as preceptor. 1 68 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. At that time the country was being flooded with academies, that continued for about fifty years to serve a splendid purpose in the educational development of our country ; and some of those old institutions, those that happened to secure sufficient endowments to guarantee their existence in the struggle with the free public schools of equal grade for patronage, are still doing much good. A few of them have had sectarian support from churches; but the Lancaster academy was free from all sectarian entanglements, and so remained through its whole active period of life. The work it did was of a high grade, and many hundreds of youth secured in it a good, prac- tical education. It had often as preceptors able men, college grad- uates, and teachers of experience. When a new court-house had been built on another site, the lands on which the old one stood reverted to the heirs of Maj. Jonas Wilder who gave the land for court-house and jail on conditions of their use only for those specified purposes. The old building was bought by the academy, and in 1836 was moved to the lot now occupied by the present academy building and the Unitarian church, which church site had previously been that of the gun house. Here on the new spot an a:ddition was put on the front of the building, and it continued to be used by the institution until 1861, when it was sold for a Baptist church and a new building was erected. This academy continued to meet the wants of the community in the matter of higher education until within the past ten years when the people began to feel the influence of a better organized public school system in the state that included the furnishing of higher instruction free to the citizens. Not wishing to neglect this universal improve- ment of the free, public school, Lancaster people began to demand graded schools as early as 1865; but it was not until some years later that they could be organized. In 1869, the twelfth district was added to the first and a Union district created, and a suitable build- ing erected. From that date to the present the village district has kept pretty well up with the advance in educational development in the state. After the village district had enjoyed the benefits of a graded school for some fifteen years, the demand for a free high school existed. After much discussion of the subject, an arrangement was entered into between the district and the trustees of the Lancaster academy, by which the pupils fitted to pursue the higher studies were taught in the academy at the expense of the district. This arrangement, with some slight modifications, continued in exist- ence until 1897, when by act of the legislature. Academy and Union District were combined, under the title " Lancaster Academy and High School." The town is now quite as well equipped in the mat- ter of schools as the averasfe New Eneland town of its size and GENERAL INTEREST IN EDUCATION. 1 69 wealth. Under the present township system the eleven schools in the town district are well managed, have good houses, and are amply- provided with text-books and other appliances free to every child. These schools are open three terms of ten weeks each, making a school year of thirty weeks' school. We have treated of these separately in Chapter 9, Part II, and the reader is referred to that account, where each school has been given the attention that its im- portance merits. In the matter of the support of schools, a spirit of liberality has always prevailed in the town, though much indifference has existed at times in regard to the character of the school buildings, more especially in the Union district. The buildings and equipment of these schools have for many years been unequal to the demands made upon them by large numbers of pupils and able teachers. Public opinion favors good schools, and the attendance has for some years been very good. The number of illiterates in town is very few, and those of school age who are not able to read and write are fewer still. The large foreign-born element of our population enter into the hearty support and use of the schools. There are no chil- dren in the town but have a school in reasonable distance upon which they may attend the length of time required by law each year. In 1846 there was a great awakening of public opinion and inter- est in the matter of improving the public, or common, schools of the entire country. This movement was set on foot by Horace Mann, who was secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education from 1837 to 1848. He aroused the whole nation to a renewed sense of the importance of the free common schools. Lancaster caught the spirit of this movement, and, like hundreds of other com- munities throughout the country, called a mass convention to con- vene at the court-house on Nov. 1 1, 1846, for the purpose of organ- izing the people in order to more effectively improve the public schools. I find in the Cods Democrat, of Nov. 17, 1846, the fol- lowing report of that convention, and give it here just as it appeared in the paper : COMMON SCHOOL MASS CONVENTION. Said Convention met agreeably to previous notice at tlie Academy Hall, in Lancaster on Wednesday the iith day of November, at one o'clock P. M., and was organised by the choice of the following officers. BARKER BURBANK, Esq., President. Rev. David Perry, > Vice Reuben Stephenson, \ Presidents. Rev. H. H. Hartwell, } „ , . „ A /- f Secretaries. George A. Cossitt, ^ 170 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Voted, That a Committee be appointed by the chair to draft resolutions for this convention. S. A. Lord, Benjamin F. Whidden and Wm. A. White were appointed said committee. Mr. S. A. Lord in behalf of said committee presented a report and resolutions, and on motion, it was voted that they be taken up separately. Voted, That a committee of three be appointed by the chair to nominate a cen- tral committee. Lord, Hartwell and Cossitt were appointed said committee. Voted, That this Convention adjourn to meet at the Court House, at 6 o'clock, P. M. EVENING. Met agreeable to adjournment. The committee appointed to nominate a Central Committee reported as fol- lows : — William Burns, William A. White, George A. Cossitt, which report was accepted. Voted, That Mr. Wm A. White be invited to give an address to this Convention. After listening to the spirited address of Mr. White, the following resolutions were separately discussed by the following gentlemen, in a manner able, spirited, and worthy the importance of the subject before the convention : — Rev. H. H. Hartwell, Cossitt, Benton, Lord, Rev. D. Perry, Whidden, Rix, & Fletcher, and were adopted, viz : — 1 . Resolved, That it is the imperious duty of every true citizen and philanthro- pist, to deeply interest himself in and for the cause and advancement of Common Schools, 2. Resolved, That the cause of Common Schools most emphatically calls upon all parents and guardians, to engage with great earnestness and constancy in seek- ing to promote the advantages, and increase the benefits, which should result to their children from their schools. 3. Resolved, That any and all means, designed for the good of our young peo- ple in this way, such as conventions for discussions. Committees for examination, State enactments, &c., &r^c., ought to be encouraged. 4. Resolved, That it is with great pleasure we witness the course taken at the late session of the Legislature, to encourage and strengthen our system of Common Schools, and that it is the duty of every town to yield a hearty response to the enactments then and there made on this subject. 5. Resolved, That it is the duty of every town to take measures according to law, by which it may be enabled to receive its proportion of the Literary Fund. 6. Resolved, That it is the duty of all the separate districts of this county, to take immediate and vigorous measures by which the schools in these districts may be improved. 7. Resolved, That more care should be exercised in obtaining suitable and COMPETENT TEACHERS. 8. Resolved, That it is the imperative duty of all parents and others, to co-operate with their Teachers in sustaining an efficient and thorough system of instruction and discipli7ie, in our various schools. 9. Resolved, That it is the duty of every town to appoint, encourage and sus- tain a Superintending Committee in the faithful discharge of all their duties as designated by law. 10. Resolved, That the present low condition of the Common Schools in this county, demands of every citizen immediate action ; therefore we will unite in the commendable work of renovating them, and not cease our efforts till they give to our children a thorough, practical education. 1 1 . Resolved, That we will never abandon this reformation ; we pledge to it PRESENT CONDITION OF EDUCATION. I/I our minds and hearts in an unwavering purpose to promote the interests of educa- tion, the happiness of the rising generation and the prosperity and welfare of society. In view of a work so important, so worthy the co-operation of all good citizens, we now invite such, without distinction of party or sect to enter our ranks and aid us by their counsel and wisdom. 12. Resolved, That all Teachers are unworthy our confidence and esteem who do not in a good degree govern themselves — who do not carry out the spirit of the law, which requires of them diligently to impress upon the minds of the young, the principles of piety and justice; a sacred regard to truth, love of coun- try, humanity and benevolence ; sobriety, industry and frugality ; chastity, mod- eration and temperance ; and all other virtues which are the ornament and support of human society ; and to endeavor to lead them into a particular understanding of the tendency of all such virtues to preserve and perfect a republican form of gov- ernment, to secure the blessings of liberty and to promote their future happiness, and the tendency of the opposite vices to degradation, ruin and slavery ! Voted, That the proceedings of this convention be published in the Coos County Democrat. Voted, That this meeting adjourn to the 2nd day of DecV next at the Court House in Lancaster at one o'clock, P. M. at which time Prof. Haddock, of Dart- mouth College is expected to deliver an address before said convention. BARKER BURBANK, President. H. H. Hartwell, Geo. a. Cossitt, Secretaries. This convention continued to meet and hear able addresses upon the subject of common schools for some years. Sometimes the speakers were educators from away, but quite as often some man in town would address the convention on some feature of the common schools. Much good resulted from those discussions, particularly in the matter of inducing better management of the schools, and the selection of better teachers. There were then few normal schools in the country ; and New Hampshire did not establish her state normal school until 1870. There was, however, a "Teacher's Seminary" conducted at Ply- mouth, N. H., from 1837 to 1839, by Rev. Samuel Read Hall. Aside from the training of the colleges and academies, teachers were not regarded as a peculiar product of the schools of a higher grade. It was supposed that anybody able " to read, write, and cipher," and keep order was capable of teaching, or rather as they expressed it in those days, " keeping school." The people had found out that teaching, and " keeping" school were not synony- mous terms, and set about correcting the mistakes they had fallen into. The personal influence of the teacher was not overlooked, as we see in the twelfth resolution of the convention's report above. These popular movements were productive of much good at a time when the states were not exercising the same effective admin- istration of the public school system that they are now. 1/2 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. CHAPTER XIII. RELIGION AND CHURCHES. No New England town in the eighteenth century was so fully a civil body politic as now. Most of the early towns were founded by the church, and grew up about it as a sort of physical nexus that connected the church as a spiritual republic with the world. Very naturally in such communities the church was older than the civil organization and functions of the community. The church by its prior existence largely dominated the civil functions of the towns. Although this condition of affairs was largely changed, and break- ing down at the time Lancaster was founded, and the civil organiza- tion and functions of the state were coming more into prominence and freeing themselves from ecclesiastical control, yet religion as a social force exerted a great influence in every community. Church and state were still connected by ties that, while they were growing weaker all the time, still held them together.' In different commu- nities first one and then the other was most prominent in control- ling affairs. The first towns founded in New Hampshire, Dover, Exeter, Hamp- ton, and Portsmouth, were religious republics. Exeter, the asylum of the persecuted Antinomians, under the leadership of the pious Wheelwright and his sister, Anne Hutchinson, laid the foundation of that form of government that has prevailed, with but slight changes in New Hampshire, for more than two hundred years. In these first towns the church was considered the most important institution ; but the civil functions of the town were never dominated by ecclesiastical interference as in most of the older Massachusetts towns. By a sort of good fortune, Lancaster was largely controlled in its settle- ment and for some years afterward by men who had been either bred in those lower towns, or had been much about them. The portion of its settlers who came from Massachusetts had come under an influence that, at that time, was considerable in the northern and western part of that state. They were religious men, or at least men who regarded religion as of first importance to a community. They were the offspring of Puritans who, being bred under more favorable conditions than their fathers, had learned to be tolerant. Their religious character had been softened through the absence of intolerance. All the hard views and practices that prevailed two generations before, they had outgrown. New political and religious questions had come to the front in their day, and they had, or at least the leaders among them had, come to be liberals in both politics and religion. They were loyal as long as the king and his government did not trample upon their rights to live for the comfort and happi- RELIGION AND CHURCHES. 1 73 ness that they regarded as the reward of honest toil ; they were loyal to the church so long as it did not ask them to violate their conscience to support its dead doctrines and practice perfunctory morals out of keeping with the wants of their lives. It may be doubted if Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam and David Page knew much of what constituted orthodoxy of belief, or if knowing they cared anything for it. They were yet men who had a pro- found respect for religion and morality, and none did more, or more willingly, than they did to build a church and support it These were thoughtful men, who did not take their opinions from other minds, ready-made precepts that must be obeyed in an unquestioning ser- vility of disposition. They were not scholars, but men of practical common sense, who knew what constituted right between man and man, and trusted what we of to-day have come to call " the larger hope," — that honest men stand the best chances in the courts of heaven. While we can see the moulding influence of Massachusetts in the political and civil development of the town, we see no vestige of her religious exclusiveness manifested by the pioneers of Lancaster. Congregationalism had secured the support of the province, and in every town of any importance in the province the church of the Orthodox Congregational body had the town's support by taxa- tion. The civil authorities laid a tax for its support, and the peo- ple in their civil corporate capacity as a town had the right con- jointly with the church to call a minister. The church and town stood so nearly on a level of authority that the church had but one point of advantage over the town — the right to call on the town for the support of its minister. Neither one, however, could act in the matter without the concurrence of the other. The laws sustained this relation between the religious and civil bodies with as much appar- ent sincerity as they provided for the regulation of other matters considered wholly secular. In fact, the terms seculai' and sacred did not stand in antithesis to their thought, as they have come of late years to ours. With them things were either sacred or profane. Secularism is a term that came into use after the separation of church and state took place. In the matter of these old laws the interior and northern towns had no part. The older towns on the sea-board had secured their enactment; but at the time of which we are speaking even they had come to regard their religious statutes as a sort of Trojan Horse they had mistakenly drawn into their camp to repent of in sackcloth and ashes at a later date, for New Hampshire was slow and long in removing certain barriers it had erected against religious toleration. The last of these were removed in 1819. The law to which we refer is this, passed in the provincial assem- 174 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. bly in 1 714. It was enacted for the purpose of securing the support of the ministry and the pubHc schools. Section i, relating to the support of the ministers, was as follows : "It shall be lawful for the Freeholders of every respective Town within this Province convened in public Town Meeting, as often as they shall have occasion, to make choice of, and by themselves or any other person by them appointed, to agree with a minister or ministers for the supply of said Town and what annual salary shall be allowed him or them : and the said minister or ministers so made choice of shall be accounted the settled minister or ministers of such town ; and the selectmen for the time being shall make rates and assessments upon the in- habitants of the Town for payment of the minister's salary, in such manner and form as they do for defraying the other town charges. . . . Provided always that this act do not interfered with her Magesty's Grace (Queen Anne) and favor in allowing her Subjects Liberty of conscience ; nor shall any person under pre- text of being of a different persuasion, be excused from paying towards the sup- port of the settled minister or ministers of such town ; but only such shall be excused as conscientiously and constantly attend the Public Worship of God on the Lord's Day according to their own Persuasion." This law was liberal for the times. It contains no intention of being used for the support of a bigoted institution, or for persecu- tion. It aimed at the encouragement of religious life under some form. There was freedom for those who held views different from those of the orthodox church, but it must be used in the building up of an actual church. This law had become, at the close of the eighteenth century, a mere check against irreligiousness and immorality. It had ceased to be applied aggressively, though it remained in force until after the province had become one of the states of the Federal Union. It was repealed in 1791. When Lancaster was settled, the older towns had discovered that they had made a mistake in securing such rigorous laws in relation to matters of religion and the church. These hardy, practical men were not going to act unwisely in the matter. They had reserved an equal share of town lands for the first settled minister, and set apart a lot for a meeting-house The way was open for the settlement of a minister ; from the first had they chosen to take advantage of the provisions of the laws regulating the matter; but as the people were the town, the tax for the support of the church would have fallen on the people had they as a town voted to settle a minister earlier than they felt able to contribute to that purpose. It was just as lawful to vote a sum of money to settle a minister as one for build- ing roads. A majority voting for such appropriations to the church secured its collection and use for that specified purpose. No pro- test that did not change the minds of the majority was of any avail in such matters. It mattered not whether a respectable minority were of another religious belief than that of the Orthodox Congregational RELIGION AND CHURCHES. I 75 church, they had to pay the tax so long as it was decreed by a ma- jority vote. While the laws practically established and protected this one par- ticular church, they made no provisions for the punishment of what the church might consider heresy. Such disregard of its orthodoxy it had to deal with without state interference. The laws as they stood at that time, secured both the church and the individual citi- zen from any injury without respect to motives protecting or assail- ing an opinion. The law took cognizance only of acts affecting the welfare of either. For this reason New Hampshire has not to an- swer in the court of public opinion any charges of persecution for conscience's sake. The first settlers of Lancaster seem to have aimed to avoid any conflicts over the matter of religion and church. The body of Congregational clergymen of that day were educated men. Most of them were college bred. Many of them were grad- uates of Harvard college. They, and the people, too, recognized the fact that they belonged to a learned class to whom everybody might look for enlightenment and trustworthy moral guidance in the social relations. Lancaster was most fortunate in her pioneers. They came here free from all narrow and bigoted policies. They were tolerant and charitable men and women ; and when they formed a church under the name of the regular order, it was wisely framed to keep out bigotry and intolerance, and had it not been for coming of less lib- eral men, at a later time, in such numbers as to outnumber the original representatives of that church, it would have probably re- mained the one church of the town for many years longer than it did. The people of this Upper Coos country had learned to cherish political liberty, and that and religious bigotry could not get on together. The amended law of 1 791, while it still continued the public sup- port to the churches of the established order, left a way for those who did not wish to support it to get released from the obligation by giving notice that they were of some other sect; and in 18 19 the Toleration Act put all churches on an even footing, except that con- tracts existing between any church and the town could not be broken without the consent of the interested party — the church. As nearly as can now be learned there was no preaching in Lan- caster until the summer of 1787. At the annual town-meeting of 1786, it was "voted to assess thirty-two dollars to hire preaching the ensuing summer." Maj. Jonas Wilder, Emmons Stockwell, and Edwards Bucknam were chosen a committee to engage the services of a minister. It does not appear that the committee succeeded in finding a minister that year; and at the annual meeting, March 27, 176 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. 1788, it was voted to raise the nine pounds and twelve shillings appropriated for preaching last year and " hire Preaching this year." That year Rev. Lathrop Tomson preached six Sundays for five bushels of wheat per day. In 1788, fifty bushels of wheat were voted raised for preaching, with Col. Jonas Wilder, Edwards Buck- nam, Esq., and Dr. Francis Wilson a committee to engage a minis- ter's services. The committee were instructed to " hire preaching " about eight Sundays. That ministerial service was regarded as well paid, is seen from the fact that when the minister got five bushels of wheat a day for preaching, the highway surveyor only got one bushel a day for his services with a yoke of oxen. The early religious services were generally held in the large house of Maj. Jonas Wilder (the Holton place). The terms of engage- ment of a minister were short those times, and at irregular intervals. There was no public action taken on the matter the following year; but in 1790 sixty bushels of wheat were appropriated for preaching, and to defray town debts. At a special meeting, April 13, 1790, it was voted, " That the town will well and truly pay to the Rev. Benjamin Bell, three hun- dred bushels of good wheat, annually, on the following conditions: That he, the said Rev. Benjamin Bell, shall settle in this town of Lancaster, in the work of the Gospel ministry, and that he preach a certain portion of the time in the towns of Northumberland and Guildhall, as the towns may agree, saving to the right of the said Rev. Benjamin Bell three weeks annually for the use of visiting his friends and relations, if he see occasion, and that the Town will unite with the first Church that may be hereafter formed in the Town of Lancaster on the conditions in this vote mentioned." To this vote Joseph Brackett, William P. Hodgdon, and Walter Philbrook entered their dissent. We do not know why this vote was not carried out, unless the dissent of three prominent men was evidence that the gentleman was not capable of satisfying the relig- ious thought of the community. At a special meeting, April 12, 1791, Col. Jonas Wilder, Elisha Wilder, and Stephen Wilson were chosen a committee to " hire preaching." The committee was instructed, October 11, to " apply to Mr. Thursting (Thurston?) whom is preaching with us, to preach with us another term as soon as may be after his engage- ments are out other where ; to preach with us on probation as we have a view of settling the Gospel with us." At this same meeting it was voted to proceed to build a meeting-house, and a committee of seven men was chosen to look into the matter, and report a place for it. The meeting was adjourned to November 8, 1791, when the committee made a report recommending the plain on the south side of Isreals river as the most suitable place for such a building. The committee consisted of Col. Edwards Bucknam, Col. Jonas Wilder, Capt. John Weeks, Lieut. Emmons Stockwell, Lieut. Joseph RELIGION AND CHURCHES. 1 77 Brackett, Lieut. Dennis Stanley, and Capt. David Page. The com- mittee was continued, and instructed to lay out six acres as a meet- ing-house lot on the plain as recommended, and inspect its clearing. The meeting was adjourned to December 13, 1791, at which time it was " voted that John Rosebrook, Jonathan Cram, and Doct. Zadoc Sampson be admitted as voting in all matters respecting building a meeting-house." The meeting then adjourned to December 22, 1 79 1, when it was "voted to accept the plan of the meeting-house with this alteration, the length of the posts to be 26 ft., and the jet 26 inches." Lieut. Emmons Stockwell, Capt. John Weeks, Mr. Jonas Wilder, Lieut. Jeremiah Wilcox, and Jonas Baker were chosen a committee to build the meeting-house. They were instructed by the following vote that passed unanimously : "That the pews be sold at pubHc vendue. That each person give his note to the committee, who shall be authorized to receive the pay and appropriate the same. That each person be subjected to the following method of payment. That the whole sum be divided into four parts, to be paid the four next succeeding years. That each person pay six shillings and eight pence on the pound the first year, one half in June, the other in November, the rest to be divided into three equal parts and paid in November of each year. That four shillings on the the pound be paid in cash, or salts of lye, and the rest in wheat at four shillings per bushel, or beef at seventeen shillings and six pence per hundred weight, with this restriction, that the committee shall receive each man's equal proportion of timber, boards, clapboards, shingles, etc., if good and merchantable, and deliv- ered when the committee shall call for them. That each person who buys a pew, shall procure sufficient bonds for payment, and his obligation to be lodged in the hands of the chairman of the committee, which shall be taken up or endorsed by a receipt from the committee." — Town Records. The committee proceeded with their task ; but it was no ordinary undertaking for a small community to build so large a structure. It required over three years to complete the building. We have no records of the conversion of the salts of lye, beef, and wheat into money ; but we know that those articles were a common substitute for money. The people wisely gave themselves three years in which to pay their indebtedness to the committee. The building, which we have described elsewhere, was sufificiently completed to hold a town-meeting in it March ii, 1794. While the building of the meeting-house progressed the town continued to vote appropriations of money and wheat to pay for preaching. In 1792 fifty bushels of wheat were voted for preaching and the next year nine pounds were voted to pay for preaching and town debts. In 1793 the sum of nine pounds was voted to fell trees on the minister's lot. There was a purpose to get ready for a minister; and as he would have to help himself to some extent it was a matter of prudence to begin a clearing on his lands so as to have them ready for a crop to piece out his living. At a meeting held April 28, 1794, it was voted " to raise Nine 178 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Pounds ' solly ' for preaching the present season." On July 28 of that year a special meeting was held, at which it was voted to settle the Rev. Joseph Willard, and a committee of nine men was ap- pointed to draw up proposals for the settlement and salary of Mr. Willard. The committee consisted of " Col. Edwards Bucknam, Col. Wilder, Capt. Stockwell, Capt. Weeks, Lieut. Brackett, Lieut. Rosebrook, Elisha Wilder, Capt. David Page, & Jonas Baker." It was further "Voted to clear the fell trees on the minister's right and fit for the harrow by the 1st. of Oct. in the year 1795, and give 20 pounds in lumber towards building on demand, and including rights given by charter to the first settled minister, to be given to Mr. Willard if he settles with us in the ministry." " Voted: To give Rev. Joseph Willard fifty pounds a year for the next three succeeding years after settlement then to rise in proportion to the valuation as it now stands to the sum of eighty pounds to be paid annually during his ministry one third in cash, the other two thirds in produce on condition that we can get such help from the neighboring towns as is now expected." A committee was appointed to confer with the other towns in re- gard to having Mr. Willard preach for them a portion of the time at proportional rates on the salary the town had • agreed to pay him. That committee consisted of Colonels Bucknam and Wilder, and Captain Stockwell. They were unable to effect satisfactory arrange- ments with the other towns, and at an adjourned meeting, August 7, 1794, the town voted to complete its proposed contract with Rev. Mr. Willard and not make any arrangements with other towns. It was further agreed to pay the proportion of his salary in produce at the " cash price," and the selectmen were authorized to agree with Mr. Willard as to the price on the first day of March each year. A committee, consisting of Colonel Wilder, Lieutenants Cram and Rosebrook, was appointed to arrange for a " theological coun- cil to attend to the installation if it thinks it needed." Further it was voted to concur with the church in giving Mr. Willard a call. Rev. Joseph Willard had been preaching here meanwhile ; and while these negotiations were pending, he had organized the First Congregational Church. A statement of belief and covenant had been drawn up and signed by some twenty-four persons, fourteen of whom were women, on July 17, 1794. The church, being intended to accommodate the religious wants of the town, its covenant was sufificiently indefinite to cover a variety of shades of Christian belief and practice. Mr. Willard being a graduate of Harvard college shared the spirit of liberality that had begun to characterize that seat of learning. From the fact that he never preached upon the con- troverted points of theology then attracting increasing attention throughout New England, justifies the conclusion that he was much more liberal than the majority of Congregational ministers of his day. RELIGION AND CHURCHES. I 79 He was practical and charitable in all his relations to the church. For many years his salary was paid by the selectmen, who took his receipt for the same. The people cheerfully voted considerable sums to assist in clearing his lands and building his house. His lands were meadow and house lots 32, and lot 6, range 15, and lot i, range 25, adjoining his other lots. This comprised a valuable lot of land of one hundred and seventy acres in a compact body. He developed a good farm, and secured from it a good share of his living. For a period of twenty-eight years good old Parson Willard, as he was familiarly called by those who knew him best, served his church to their entire satisfaction, and was loved and honored by his old neighbors and parishioners ; but there came a time when a younger generation of people and others coming into town from other localities where theological controversy had been rife, became suspicious that their minister was not " sound in the faith." They missed the allusion to the hard theological dogmas that were com- mon in other places. It began to be whispered about the town that Mr. Willard " was not sound in the faith." The town had now begun to be affected by the sectarian strife and rivalry that was rife throughout New England. The Rev. Mr. Willard had no desire to be connected with it. He deplored the whole thing, and aimed to pursue a pacific, independent course ; but that did not satisfy the disaffected ones. They clamored for what they called "strong doctrines." Mr. Willard proposed to the church that his relation as a pastor be dissolved ; but those who had known him so long as a true minister of religion would not hear to it. Things went along for a few more years, when it became apparent to Mr. Willard that the opposition to him was too formid- able to be met by pacific tactics, and he resigned. After laying the situation before his church, they this time saw fit to accept his resignation, the story of which is given by Rev. G. H. Tilton in his sketch of the Orthodox Congregational church, in Part II, Chapter 10. When Lancaster received an inflation of her population, about 1800, there came to her many shades of belief that did not readily yield to the prevailing religious thought and practices of the town. Among these new-comers were people whose training had been in other evangelical sects. In 1800, John Langdon and Rosebrook Crawford, two Methodist ministers, appeared in Lancaster, introduc- ing new methods of religious propagandism. The refined, quiet, dignified and rational methods of Rev. Mr. Willard were opposed by their very opposites. These men were loud enthusiasts, making use of sensational means to uproot and supplant the moderate " standing order," as manifested in the First Congregational church of Lancaster. While the friends of the First Church, as it was com- monly called, were shocked at this new order of teachers, they were l80 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. a minority of the population, and the sympathies of the new-comers were largely with the new preachers. The community was deeply agitated over the matter of competition, and even came to open conflict with the new order of religious teachers. The hot-headed and less reasonable element of the conservative followers of Mr. Willard took Rosebrook Crawford to the river and ducked him and offered him some other insults, chiefly by connecting his name with certain scandals, which, to an impartial mind, seem to have had some color of truth in them. Langdon escaped violence as his record seemed clean ; and aside from that he was a man of consid- erable ability and character, and did much to plant his church in these northern towns. They held their services about town in pri- vate residences and schoolhouses, and made many converts. The home of Dennis Stanley, where Capt. Alexander M. Beattie now lives, was one of their favorite preaching places for many years. Exhorters and preachers of that sect were common here for a number of years, and having made some converts to their creed, the church after a time adopted a wiser policy. They sent a more in- telligent, and in fact an educated, class of ministers here, with the result of establishing a strong church that has kept the lead among the evangelical sects of the town ever since its establishment. When the old First church became so weak from desertions from its ranks and splits within it that it could not support services in the old meeting-house, the Methodist preachers made use of that building as their meeting-place for a time. It was not long after the coming of the Methodists to Lancaster that the Baptists made a like invasion of Jefferson, and at once began to overrun the adjoining towns in manner as the former did in this town. A Baptist church was early formed in Jefferson, and other places were occupied by them as preaching points. Between the Methodists and Baptists no special rivalry existed, but both trained their weapons of aggressive conflict against the Con- gregationalist church. They made many proselytes from that old church. For some years desertions from Rev. Joseph Willard's church were common ; and some who wished to get rid of the church tax took advantage of the opportunity to nominally connect their religious contributions to some other church. Such persons could evade the support of Mr. Willard by giving notice to the town clerk that they belonged to another church. In 1802, this notice was served on the town clerk : " Gentlemen, Selectmen of Lancaster. " This may certify that the within named persons have given their names to the Baptist society in Jefferson and belong to the same, to wit : Saml. LeGro, Saml. Springer, Jr., Caleb Page. " Saml. Plaisted, Presiding Elder in behalf of this society. "Jefferson February 17, 1802." RELIGION AND CHURCHES. 151 Another notice to the same effect had been given by a preacher of the Methodist society. " This may certify to all whom it may concern that Benjamin Bishop attends our ministry and supports the same, Being a member of our Society. " Signed by Nathan Felch Jr., a licensed Preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America." " Lancaster Jan. i, 1802." There are many such notices spread upon the pages of the town records. Some of the foremost men and women of the town went over to the new sects, leaving the old church to fall into decrepitude, and its once loved old edifice into decay. Emmons Stockwell, in 1803, gave notice that he had cast his lot with the Baptists; and in the same year John Mclntire did likewise. Joel Page went over to the Methodists, asserting in his notice that he was " most consci- entious in it." In 181 7 Eliezer S. Phelps gives notice that one Frederick M. Stone has signified a " willingness to support the gospel, and has attended my meeting and wishes to be free from supporting and paying Joseph Willard." Mr. Phelps signs himself as agent of the Methodist society. This led some others, among whom I find the names of Sylvanus Chessman and Levi Stebbins, to give notice that they would no longer pay minister's tax as they had not considered themselves as members of the First church. It does not appear that this class claimed any connection with other churches. They simply wanted to quit paying the tax to support any church, other than as they might see fit to do. This refusal seems to have been heeded by the selectmen and assessors, as there is no evidence that they were taxed after the notice was given. Events like this show us how feeble the law and public sentiment were on the question of forcing one to pay for the support of a church after he no longer wished to do so. A period had been entered upon in which the old First church lost its prestige and influence as " the church " of the town. It was now being rivalled by two distinct movements that, as yet, had not shown any haste to organize churches. It was the aim of the Methodist and Baptist leaders to convert the people away from the old church. The time was not then come for them to organize. The Methodists preached here until 1831 before they formally organized a church, and until 1834 before building a meeting- house. In the winter of 18 16 and 181 7, a woman from Whitefield, called " Mother Hutchins," the grandmother of the well known Stilson Hutchins of Washington, D. C, held religious services in differ- ent places in Lancaster, more frequently at the " Gotham " school- 1 82 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. house, in what used to be old District No. 5. She frequently preached at the house of John Weeks Brackett which stood near the red schoolhouse in old District No. 8. Mr. Brackett became deeply interested in the movement, and while it was a source of comfort and spiritual strength to him yet it proved disastrous to him financially, for these religious enthusiasts, for such they were, coming from miles around, lodged themselves and teams upon him until they actually ate him out of house and home. Before that time he had been a fairly prosperous farmer ; but from the neglect of his business and the mistaken charity of feeding the multitudes that thronged his house he lost everything he had, and was forced to leave the country to seek opportunity to make a new start in life. Those people were so thoughtlessly, selfishly happy over the thought that they were getting their souls saved, that it never occurred to them that they were crowding their neighbor Brackett into bankruptcy and an early and untimely grave ; but such proved to be the case. " Mother " Hutchins was a woman of very remarkable ability, and full of tact and zeal in making converts, and her influence was not without value, as is often the case with zealots. Her influence was moral, and ministered unto the intellectual life of the people who came under it. She was a tall, strong woman, not particularly masculine in appearance and manner, at that time over fifty years of age, kindly and motherly in spirit. Her meetings were largely attended by people from adjoining towns ; and when the enthusiasm reached its height in the winter of 18 1 8-18 19, it was a common thing to see many women and girls lose their strength and fall upon the fioor, and behave, at times, in a most shocking manner. The staid adherents of the old First church were shocked in the most extreme measure to behold this wild enthusiasm. They must have thought the people possessed by demons, or gone mad. Their religious emotions had been worked upon so much that it produced a form of hysteria of the nervous system, that caused them to com- pletely lose their energies under a return of the same emotional excitement, as we have come to understand the disease in later times. Then it was regarded by those coming under its influence as, if not miraculous, at least bordering upon the miraculous. Some whole families would be overcome in their homes during their religious devotions; and at public meetings it was " the proper thing" to do to get under the " influence." In keeping with this wild enthusiasm was the mistake of encour- aging many ignorant laymen in taking part in conducting their meetings. Noise and the relation of their personal experiences, real and imaginary, was taken as evidence of religiousness, which RELIGION AND CHURCHES. 1 83 led the misguided and designing to play a part that did not always redound to the credit of their movement. This condition of affairs lasted until some time after 1830, when the Methodist church put upon the Lancaster circuit men of more education and refinement of character, who led their large following to a more quiet and sin- cere manner of manifesting their religious fervor. This had a reac- tionary influence upon the entire community ; and as time went on religion assumed a more dignified manner. The last of that class of noisy preachers was one Dyke, familiarly called " Brother Dyke," who built the first parsonage of the Methodist church in Lancaster, which is still standing on Middle street, and occupied by James A. Stebbins. He was a remarkable character in some respects, a man of considerable talent, but whose forte was in loud exhorta- tion. A Calvinistic Baptist church flourished in town as early as 1809; but its records have been lost for many years, and nothing is known of it beyond the fact that it once had quite a following. It seems that when " Mother Hutchins " came here she turned many of its adherents into Freewill Baptists, and its continuity was broken until about i860, when it was revived or replanted in Lancaster. The movement never was a strong one, and was suffered to die out after a brief struggle for existence. As we approach the middle of this century we come upon many interesting questions that engaged the attention of the churches. The people were not so provincial or insular in their religious thought as they were at the beginning of the century, when the dis- ciples of Whitefield and the Baptists invaded this region. The newspaper press had been established in Lancaster since 1837, which may be always taken as a sure sign that a local public opin- ion is breaking down and that the people are beginning to feel out in their thought to what is thought, said, and done in the world at large. At such times people of an isolated community begin to take on a larger phase of culture, and at the same time become critical in their opinions. It was so, at all events, in Lancaster. National and world-wide questions were coming to have a strong influence upon all the institutions of the community. Politics and business had already felt the influence of national movements, and had undergone important changes. Lancaster was then within forty-eight hours of Boston, the metropolis of New England, and the hot-bed of all manner of new movements in thought. Men of a national reputation as scholars and orators had been in the habit of coming into these mountains during their vacations, and as lecturers on the popular platform of that day. The old men had been dis- cussing these larger themes about the streets, and in the hotels and stores, where the long winter evenings were wont to be spent, and 1 84 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. the younger men and boys had Hstened to their observations at first, no doubt, with open-eyed wonder, but after a time in a more ques- tioning mood. Then came the debating chib, called in Lancaster the lyceum, participated in by the leading thinkers of the village. The lawyers, editors, physicians, teachers, and merchants discussed the live ques- tions of the day. We do not find the names of the clergymen on its roll of membership, nor among the disputants. Perhaps they were not interested in the subjects discussed, as they were not what were supposed to belong to their " sacred " calling. The themes considered were mostly ethical and political ones. This institution, one that did so much to train men to a ready thought upon all man- ner of questions, was a strong rival of the church, which up to the time of which we are speaking was the one institution that molded public opinion with a masterly hand. Here was an entering wedge that was destined to split in twain what had for a century or more been the double function of the churches in this country, — the influ- ence of the minister, powerful over public opinion only in the ratio of difficulties that prevented his opinions being replied to by his hearers. Now that the newspaper and lyceum had appealed to the thought of men, and had left an opportunity for reply, — in fact, they had both invited it, — the people became accustomed to do their own thinking, and uttered their thoughts with a commendable degree of freedom, a freedom not seen in Lancaster for two generations under the influence of the established order of things. Formalities and conformities had weighed heavily upon the mind and spirit of the people, but now these burdensome accretions of the community life had fallen away, and they had even come to hold them in con- tempt. Their thought and spirit had come to conform more closely to its actual environment than to the traditional ones, in which they had stood in a false awe of. For twenty years men had been read- ing and thinking upon the great problems that engaged the thought of the ablest minds throughout the civilized world. These movements had their influence upon the religious thought and life of Lancaster, for they could no longer be separated from them by any classification. To call them " secular," or " mere morality," did not destroy their influence upon the minds of the people. The time had come when men demanded that religion take cognizance of secular and moral questions. Religion, if it were to command men, must face every point of the social horizon. To worship God, and assure one's self that he was saved for another world, was not enough to satisfy the thought of the deep thinkers, of which class Lancaster had many at that time. Traditional religious doctrines and practices were called in ques- RELIGION AND CHURCHES. 1 85 tion. New doctrines and practices came to be entertained, and about this time a liberal, rational, non-creedal church came into existence in Lancaster, — " the First Congregational society" (Uni- tarian). This new society numbered among its members the men who had taken strong grounds against the Mexican War and slavery. The minister of the new church, Rev. George M. Rice, was a pro- nounced anti-slavery agitator. He went farther, however, than his society cared to follow in the matter ; but the time had arrived when churches must deal with those so-called "secular and moral" ques- tions. The churches lent their influence strongly to the temperance agitation that culminated in the prohibitory law that has existed in the state for over forty years. When the War of the Rebellion broke out, the pulpits were not silent on the great questions in- volved in that struggle for the preservation of the Union. Nor have they been often lacking in the courage to deal with questions out- side of their creeds in the past quarter of a century. Soon after the migration of Irish to this country, following the period of famine in Ireland, there were settled in Lancaster some of that race of people who have been for so many centuries devotees of the Roman Catholic church. Some time after 1850, their num- bers had increased in Lancaster to an extent that enabled them to hope for religious teachings of their own church, and in time a church. Services were held here at irregular intervals until 1858, when the old Deacon Farrar place on Main street, where the par- sonage and church now stand, was bought by the late Father Noiseux and remodeled into a residence for the priest, and a chapel in which services were held for some years. A church was insti- tuted, and as time has gone by the numbers have increased so that to-day it is the largest religious society in Lancaster, numbering more communicants than all the other societies combined. The present building, "All Saints" was erected in 1877. About the same time the Calvinistic Baptist society, already re- ferred to, was organized. The Protestant Episcopal society was organized about the same time. Since that time the history of religion in Lancaster has been very similar to that of any other community in New England. One sees here the same excess of denominationalism over and above genuine religious conviction of thought and charity that prevails throughout the country at large. Every sect numbers among its adherents intelligent, earnest, sincere men and women who are the salt of the earth, and who exert that true conservative spirit that while it does not run to excess in the erratic notions and practices of the times yet does not go backward to the dead men's ideas in the outgrown past for their example. They are capable of making and of following their own examples when circumstances of greater enlightenment 1 86 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. demand it of them. They are the true conservators of rehgion and its institutions who use them as the instrumentahties of spiritual growth, rather than bow down to them as fetiches. CHAPTER XIV. LANCASTER IN RELATION TO THE VERMONT CONTROVERSY. We cannot well pass by a matter so grave as that of the so-called Vermont Controversy without pausing to give it our serious consid- eration. This triangular controversy between New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont drew forth from General George Washing- ton the statement that the future of American independence might have been sacrificed by a wrong termination of it. A question of such serious magnitude, and one in which Lancaster bore some part, deserves careful and thorough study at our hands. This controversy, that came so near working the serious mischief that Washington saw as one of its possibilities, sprang from the pol- icy of Governor Benning Wentworth indiscriminately granting lands by charters for new towns in a territory that was in dispute between his state and New York. As we have said, elsewhere. Governor Wentworth thought to get the start of the governor of New York by granting charters to the lands in dispute, and so granted no less than sixty charters in a single year — 176 1 — for towns in the disputed territory on the west side of the river. His grants also extended up the east side of the Connecticut river a con- siderable distance, making a solid body of townships in the fertile valley. In 1 764 the dispute had grown so bitter between the two states that New York took an appeal to the king, who declared the west- ern bank of the Connecticut river, from the northern line of Massa- chusetts to the forty-fifty degree of latitude, the boundary between New Hampshire and New York. For a period of more than twelve years the towns on either side of the river put different constructions on the rulings of the king. New Hampshire towns, or those on the east side of the river, claimed that the king's ruling applied only to the future and did not undo the grants by Governor Wentworth, while the towns on the west side of the river claimed that the king meant to undo Governor Wentworth's grants, and that they were in New York, and must look to that state to make their titles valid by rechartering the townships. As we shall see presently Lancaster took the same view of the matter that the other New Hampshire towns did, but later, when another complication of the question arose, she failed to act with the seceding towns on the western side. IN RELATION TO THE VERMONT CONTROVERSY. 1 87 The matter dragged its weary length along with little friction from 1764 to the time of the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, when it took a new turn, one wholly unexpected to everybody. Both in New Hampshire and New York those disaffected towns involved in the controversy of the past twelve years interpreted the Declaration of Independence as absolving them from all allegiance to either of the two states, and that they were left in what they chose to call " a state of nature." Immediately a movement was set on foot to form a new state out of the towns on the upper Connecticut valley that were granted since 1761. The movement was welcomed by some sixteen towns in New Hampshire which accordingly re- fused to send delegates to the state convention that was called to meet at Exeter in 1779 to frame a state constitution. During the second year of the Revolutionary struggle, and while matters were far from certain as to how the issues of the war would result, the towns west of the river had called a convention which met at Windsor, and framed a constitution and declared themselves a new and sovereign state. The sixteen recusant towns in New Hamp- shire now petitioned the acting government in 1779, for permission to ally themselves to the new state of Vermont. This, of course, was refused them by the New Hampshire government, and from that time forward, for a period of three years, the strife grew hotter. Both New Hampshire and New York had disregarded the boundary es- tablished by the king in 1764; and it seemed at one time as if the disputed territory might be divided pretty evenly between the two states, thus preventing the newly formed state of Vermont from becoming a state after all. This caused Vermont to redouble its dil- igence in the matter of securing recognition as a sovereign state. The state of New Hampshire had renewed its claim to the towns west of the river in the call for the convention in 1779. The Ver- monters now pressed their claims westward into New York as well as eastward into New Hampshire. It was at this juncture of the con- troversy that Lancaster was drawn into it. The town shared the belief that the towns west of the river should go with those east of it as granted by Governor Wentworth, some seventy-five in all, and if the towns west of the river were to go to the formation of a new state Lancaster was willing to share their destiny with them. Besides, the government of New Hampshire had done little, almost nothing, to aid the towns in this Upper Coos country. There were living, at the time, in the Connecticut River valley many people who had come from the state of Connecticut; and if the territory west of the river was to be divided they would much rather have seen a new state formed of the dissatisfied towns on both sides of the river under the name of New Connecticut. This feeling had some advocates in Lancaster, and when a convention to consider 1 88 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. that question was called to meet at Dresden, then a part of Hanover belonging to Dartmouth college, Lancaster at once called a town- meeting to convene July 12, 1779, at the house of Jonas Wilder, who had only come to Lancaster the year before from Massachusetts, to elect a delegate to the Dresden convention. Major Jonas Wilder was chosen as the representative of the town to that convention. The meeting also declared itself on the question at dispute by the follow- ing vote : " Voted by all the legal voters of this town of Lancaster that it is their minds unanimously that the whole of the New Hamp- shire Grants on both sides of the Connecticut River hold all to- gether." What action that convention took, or whether it was con- founded with the one held at Cornish, in which thirty-four towns on the east side of the river were represented, we do not know as no records of either are known to have been made. It may be inferred, however, that nothing of importance was done as the movement to form the state of New Connecticut, with Dresden, the seat of Dart- mouth college, as its capital, disappeared from the drama of state- making. Vermont, however, seems to have gone on with her government, and welcomed some towns on the east side of the river into her legis- lature. Haverhill and Lebanon were represented in the Vermont legislature, as was also Apthorp, while Lancaster which was classed with the latter town still continued to be represented in the New Hampshire legislature. A rupture between Vermont and the towns on the east side of the river took place when the latter requested to be erected into a separate county. The most that the Vermont legislature would do was to set them off as a probate district. About this stage of the affair the legislature of New Hampshire brought the matter to the attention of congress, while Vermont made threats of allying herself with the British. While congress took notice of the matter there was some doubt as to the powers of the new congress but in the letter of General Washington, referred to above, to Governor Chittenden of Vermont, he frankly in- formed him that congress could, and under certain condition would use its power to coerce the state of Vermont into the recognition of New Hampshire's claims to the territory east of the river. That persuaded Vermont into a peaceable settlement of the dispute, and the towns on the east side of the river returned to full allegiance with the mother state, under whose fostering care some of them had been highly favored. This kept about 13,000 of New Hampshire's 85,000 of population in the state. Through all this period of doubt and disturbance Lancaster never seceded from her state. She favored the formation of a new state within the valley of the great river that formed their first and, for a time, only highway to the lower country. It is not known whether SOME EARLY MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. 1 89 anybody in Lancaster ever favored the dismemberment of New- Hampshire for the promotion of Vermont or any other state west of the river. The fact that Lancaster took no action to get into the state of Vermont may be taken as an evidence that her intentions were patriotic and loyal; but if a new state was to be formed by including all the towns granted by Governor Wentworth in the Con- necticut valley they no doubt favored the project. What steps they would have taken to sever their ties with New Hampshire can only be idle speculation, as not a record exists to show their attitude on the question of such severance. Lancaster never took any farther action on the question after the Dresden convention. When Ver- mont demanded of congress that she be admitted into the Union in 1780, while her controversy with New Hampshire over the boundary question was pending, she went so far as to say that if admission was denied her then she would have to make the best possible arrange- ments with the British government, when she went, so that Lancaster could not have followed her. Lancaster had taken up arms against Great Britain, and had nothing to gain by laying them down. The / town had its own Independent Company of Rangers, led by Major// Benjamin Whitcomb, in the field, beside nearly all its available men outside of this company were either enlisted in other companies or else doing duty as scouts or as garrison for the three forts in Northumberland and Stratford. Lancaster was unalterably opposed to the British government, for at the time they had manifested a disposition to make use of the Indians against the frontier towns, in fact, this section had suffered no little alarm from Indian depreda- tions incited by the war. The people were loyal to the cause of American independence, and would not take any risk of losing what it had then begun to promise, by allying themselves with a state that threatened to carry them into the hands of their enemies. CHAPTER XV. SOME EARLY MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.— 1785-1850. By Echuai-ds Bucknam, y. P. : Nathan Caswell to Lois Eames, Nov. i, 1785. William Johnson to Polly Stockwell, Nov. 13, 1786. George Brown to Polly Bucknam, Sept. 3, 1789. Nathaniel Lovewell to Charlotte Stockwell, Dec. 27, 1792. John Mclntire to Sally Stockwell, March 19, 1792. Richard Claire Everett to Persis Wilder, Dec. 17, 1793. 190 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. John Sanborn to Sally Crawford, of Guildhall, Vt., Nov. 12, 1795. Ezekiel Bruce to Hatabel Crosby, both of Southbury, Mass., April 30, 1787. Jacob Emerson, of Lunenburg, Vt., to Polly Hartwell, April 19, 1797. Daniel How, of Guildhall, Vt., to Eunice Bucknam, Sept. 7, 1788. Dr. Francis Wilson to Tempa Giddings, of Hartland, Conn., Dec, 1788. Levi Lucas to Sally Smith, Nov. 27, 1800. Marriages by Other yustices of the Peace and Clergymen : Titus O. Brown to Susanna Bundy, Feb. 16, 1794. Thomas Miner, of Littleton, N. H., to Abigail Page, March 11, 1795- Jonathan Springer to Eunice Wilder, Oct. 5, 1795. Nathaniel Babb, of Guildhall, Vt., to Olive McLitire, March 2, 1796. Jonathan Rosebrook to Polly Monroe, of Guildhall, Vt., July 17, 1796. Sylvanus Chessman to Betsey Blodget, Nov. 17, 1796. William Lovejoy to Polly Moor, of Northumberland, Dec. 29, 1796. John Brackett to Eunice Clark, of Lunenburg, Vt., April 26, 1797. Francis Cram to Polly Gustin, Feb. 13, 1797. Levi Willard to Dorcas Farnham, June i, 1797. James Perkins to Lucy Wilder, Nov. 2, 1797. Joseph Twombley to Dorcas Applebee, Dec. 28, 1797. Hope Brown to Irena Rosebrook, Dec. 31, 1797. Manasah Wilder to Nancy Springer, March 29, 1798. Joshua Hopkinson, of Guildhall, Vt., to widow Polly Rosebrook,, Sept. I, 1799. Artemas Wilder, Jr., to Catherine Sherbon, of Conway, Oct. 26, 1799. Uriel Rosebrook to Susan Fowle, of Guildhall, Vt., July 15, 1800. John Waldron, of Lunenburg, Vt., to Submit Taylor, Dec. 29, 1800. Azariah Webb to Eliza Weeks, Jan. i, 1801. Richard Eastman to Persis Faulkner, May 5, 1801. Dr. Jedediah Chapman to Eunice Wilder, Oct. 28, 1801. John Springer to Lydia Hartshorn, of Lunenburg, Vt., Feb. 8, 1801. Geo. Ingerson to Betsey Libbey Hawley, Feb. 26, 1801. Aaron Hill, of Canada, to Hannah Hopkins, Sept. 27, 1801. Elias Chapman to Polly White, March 18, 1802. Jack Page to Betsey Burgen, July 13, 1802. Sylvester Faulkner to Polly Cram, Dec. 19, 1802, Ezra Otis to Dolly Farnham, Dec. 30, 1802. Peter Fuller, of Dalton, to Betsey Hodgson, Feb. 23, 1803. SOME EARLY MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. 1 91 David White to Nabby Chapman, Feb. 29, 1803. Henry Philbrook to Betsey Stiles, Aug. ii, 1803. Samuel Glover to Rachael Taylor, Aug. 19, 1804. Thomas Jenison, of Walpole, to Martha Moore, Jan. 31, 1805. Joseph Peabody, of Northumberland, to widow Hannah Farnham, March 1 1, 1805. James Twombley to Rebekah Twombley, March 14, 1 805, Jonas Benman to Abigail Layton, Nov. 3, 1805. John W. Weeks to Martha Brackett, Nov. 17, 1805. Joseph Farnham to Mary Robertson, Dec. 25, 1806. Jonathan Cram to Katy C. Chapman, Aug. 9, 1807. Seth Fames, of Northumberland, to Peggy Moore, March 6, 1808. Francis Wilson to Betsey Moore, Oct. 27, 1808. Adino N. Brackett to Mary W. Weeks, Nov. i, 1808. Ephraim Stockwell to Sally Greenleaf, Nov. 20, 1809. James B. Weeks to Betsey Stanley, Jan. i, 18 10. Walter Philbrook to Nancy Brown, Jan. 4, 18 10. Reuben Stephenson to Mary Baker, Feb. 25, 18 10. Samuel White to Sally Freeman, April 2, t8io. Joseph Balch to Eliza LeGro, Jan. 31, 181 1. Timothy Durgin, of Colebrook, to Maria Page, Jan. 19, 181 1. Samuel Hartwell to Martha Thomas, March 31, 181 1. Joseph Pearson, Jr. to Sophia Baker, Feb. 17, 181 1. Reuben W. Freeman to Betsey Hartwell, March 25, 18 12. John Mclntire to Susanna Bucknam, Nov. 4, 18 12. Wilham Mitchell to Rebecca Martin, April 15, 1812. Moses Darby to Ruth Gotham, April 14, 18 12. Warren Porter to Celinda Cram, Oct. 14, 18 13. John Kilby to Tamson Wentworth, Nov. ii, 1813. Moses Martin to Dorcas Holmes, Feb. 8, 18 14. Abner Stone to Deborah Moulton, of Jefferson, June 19, 18 14. Eben Lane to Sophia Chessman, May 15, 18 14. Benjamin Hunking to Drusilla S. Everett, May 16, 1814. E. Andrew to Nancy Greenleaf, Nov. 23, 18 14. Wm. Huggins to Comfort Moore, Jan. 30, 18 14. John Huckins to Lucy Hemmenway, Dec. i, 18 14. Edward Spaulding to Sally Moore, Dec. i, 18 14. John Moore to Harmony Freeman, Jan. 30, 1815. Noah White, of Piermont, to Fanny Moore, Feb. 14, 181 5. Moses T. Hunt to Martha Willard, April 30, 181 5. Benj. Wentworth to Lucinda Hayes, Aug. 23, 181 5. Edward Boardman to Sarah Brackett Weeks, Jan. 25, 18 16. Samuel A. Pearson, Esq., to Sarah Ann Boardman, June 5, 18 16. James Batchelder to Betsey Holmes, Nov. 14, 18 16. John Dow to Polly Swan, June 6, 18 16. 192 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Amos LeGro to Roxanna Daggett, June 9, 18 16. Alpheas Hutchins to Eunice Greenleaf, Feb. 26, 18 17. Hezekiah Smith to Sarah LeGro, June 26, 181 7. Samuel LeGro to Fanny Marden, Oct. 16, 18 17. John Currier, of Corinth, Vt., to Mary Moore, Oct. 20, 18 17. Ephraim Cross, of Derby, Vt., to Lucy Messer, Dec. 30, 1817. Benj. C. Stephens to Sally Faulkner, April 2, 1818. Lieut. Charles Baker to Margaret Notton, Nov. 29, 181 8. Benj. Hayes to Eliza Twombley, Aug. 9, 18 18. Benj. Stephenson to Mary Wilson, Oct. 24, 18 19. Heber Blanchard to Fanny Leavens, Oct. 25, 18 19. Wm. Curtis, of Medford, to Emily Johnson, Sept. 19. 18 19. James Marden to Hannah LeGro, March 21, 1820. James Balch, of Lunenburg, to Nancy Moore, Nov. 30, 1820. Benj. D. Alexander, of Dalton, to Sally Brooks, Sept. 12, 1820. David Weed, of Whitefield, to Betsey , April 27, 1820. William D. Spaulding to Debby F. Stephenson, Feb. 11, 1821. Daniel Stebbins to Louisa Moore, March 11, 1821. Maj. John W. Weeks to Persis F. Everett, March 15, 1821. Shackford Wentworth to Hannah Smith, March 18, 1821. John W. Spaulding to Electa Stebbins, March 29, 1821. Greenleaf Philbrook to Lavinia Gotham, June 4, 1821. Abel Leavens to Sophronia Willard, Nov. 29, 1821. Wm. Bullard to Elmira Perkins, August 7, 1821. Robert C. Shackford to Nancy Cutter , June 20, 1821. Dudley Merrill to Eunice LeGro, Feb. 3, 1822. Asa Hood to Mary Putnam, July i, 1822. Charles J. Stewart, Esq., to Eliza Austin, of Jefferson, July 4, 1822. George Darby to Eliza Farnham, April 17, 1822. Benj. Stanley to Harriet Page, June 30, 1822. Jacob Batchelder, of Lyman, to Martha Holmes, June 2, 1823. Oliver Merrill to Sarah Mclntire, Oct. 30, 1823. Wm. Moore to Eliza W. Spaulding, Jan. 29, 1823. John Willard to Sophronia Stebbins, April 10, 1823. Francis Leavens to Abigail LeGro, June 12, 1823. Samuel Banfield to Dorcas Twombley, April 29, 1823. William Farrar to Triphenia Burgin, Aug. 19, 1823. Willard to Frances B. Wilson, March 18, 1824. Geo. Gamsby, of Thetford, to Olivia Hodgson, Dec. 23, 1824. John Hunt to Martha P. Moore, J-an. 2, 1826. William D. Spaulding to Sarah Ann Goss, , 1826. Geo. Draper, of Brattleboro, to Lucy R. Barnard, Feb. 6, 1826. Charles Bellows to Elvira Wilson, June 29, 1826. Henry White to Ann Moore, Dec. 26, 1826. DEATHS OF PROMINENT PERSONS. 1 93 DEATHS OF PROMINENT PERSONS FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO 1850. We do not offer the following list of deaths as complete, the imperfect sources of information preventing. The names and dates here given are taken from various sources, and are reliable, though not as full as we should like to have had them. May II, 1800, Jonathan Hartwell. July 31, 1 80 1, Betsey, wife of Deacon Jonas Baker, aged 45. Aug. 23, 1 801, Joseph Farnham, Esq., aged 62. March 15, 1802, Elizabeth, wife of Maj. Jonas Wilder, aged ^y . March iq, 1804, Eunice, wife of Jonathan Springer. July 19, 1804, Widow Deborah Turner, aged 88. July 15, 1806, Elijah Page, aged 21. Aug. 19, 1809, Joseph Daggett, aged 38. Feb. 5, 1808, Martha, wife of John W. Weeks. July 25, 1808, the wife of David Greenleaf. April 28, 1809, Nathaniel White, aged 57. Feb. 4, 1 8 10, Col. Jonas Wilder, aged 79. 181 1 — Francis Wilson, aged 49; Lieut. Jonathan Cram, Aug. 28, of small pox, aged — ; Mary, wife of Stephen Wilson, aged 45 ; Asa W. Burnap, aged 45. 1813 — John Wilson, aged 80; Lieut. Humphrey Cram, aged 41; Nicholas White, aged 54; Col. Stephen Wilson, aged 45; Lieut. Dennis Stanley, aged 26; Jonathan Cram, aged 28; Soloman Hemmenway, aged 64; Caleb W. Wilson, aged 55 ; Dea. Joseph Brackett, aged 73 ; John Haven, aged 78 ; John Moore, aged 62 ; Polly, wife of Col. Stephen Wilson, aged 45 ; Lieut. Dennis Stanley, aged 64; Gen. Edwards Bucknam, aged 72 ; Orasmus Page, son of Moses, aged 14, died in the army. 1 8 14 — Mary, Avife of the late Jos. Brackett, aged 70. 181 5 — Hon. R. C. Everett, aged 51 ; William Bothwell, aged 66. 18 1 7 — Mrs. Ann Hazen, aged 83; Rachel, widow of Capt. David Page, aged 69. 18 18 — Capt. John Weeks, aged 69; Daniel Howe, aged 54. 1819 — Ephraim Mahurin, aged 78; Emmons Stockwell, aged 79; 1820 — Mrs. Ruth Adams, wife of Andrew Adams, aged 83. 1821 — Elisha Wilder, aged 87; Mrs. Mehitabel Wilder, aged %•]. 1822 — Artemas Wilder, aged 48 ; Mrs. Elizabeth Hunnux, aged 6^. 1825 — Silas Chessman, aged 84. 1826 — John Aspinwall, aged 26; Rev. Joseph Willard, aged 66. 1827 — Ruth Stockwell, aged 81 ; Jonas Baker, aged 74; John Bur- gin, aged 'j6. 1829 — Thomas Peverly, aged 32 ; Joel Page, aged 58. 14 194 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. 1830 — David Page, Jr., aged 85 ; David Greenlcaf, aged 80; Will- iam Lovejoy, aged 58. 1832 — Andrew Adams, aged 97 ; Benjamin Boardman, aged 66. 1835 — Bryant Stephenson, aged y6. 1836 — John Mason, aged 59; Mrs. Bryant Stephenson, aged — . 1837 — Charles J. Stewart, aged 46. 1840 — S. A. Pearson, aged 56; Benjamin Stanley, aged 42. 1841 — Coffin Moore, aged 71. 1842 — Jonathan Twombley, aged 81. 1843 — Ashael Going, aged 72; John Wilder, aged 80; Maj. Joel Hemmenway, aged 62 ; Frederick Messer, aged 70 ; Thomas Hodgdon, aged 86; Joanna Hays, aged 81. 1845 — Edward Spaulding, aged 79; Thomas Carlisle, aged 64. 1846 — Josiah Bellows, 2d, aged 72; George W. Perkins, aged 68; Stephen Wilson, aged 81. 1847 — Benjamin Adams, aged 66; Adino N. Brackett, aged 70; Manasah Wilder, aged 78. 1849 — Asa Wesson, aged 54; Stephen Hartford, aged 64; Widow Lovejoy, aged 72. 1850 — Dea. William Farrar, aged 69; John Mclntire, aged 85; Joseph C. Cady, aged 46; Samuel Wentworth, aged 93. CHAPTER XVI. SOME EARLY PRIVATE ACCOUNTS WITH THE TOWN. It will, no doubt, interest the reader to know something definite in regard to the early transactions of individuals with the town. Fortunately, among the private papers of Gen. Edwards Bucknam and "Governor" Page we have some of their accounts with the town from 1772 to 1792. These are not only curious, but they throw side lights upon the story of the development of the new community, and it is for this latter reason that we give them here. A new settlement must have one or more active men of a practical turn of mind to direct things. It happened that David Page and Edwards Bucknam possessed the requisite qualities for leadership. They both were born leaders and pioneers, and Bucknam was pos- sessed of an almost universal genius and able to do about anything that needed doing in such a new community, hence we find him connected with so many of the early transactions of the town. Page was the nominal head of the colony, which won him the hon- orary title of " Governor." In the following accounts, kept by General Bucknam, we discover what valuable services he rendered the little community from its SOME EARLY PRIVATE ACCOUNTS WITH THE TOWN. 195 earliest days down to a time when, as we have seen elsewhere, the population was much increased and capable men were compara- tively plenty to what they were during the first thirty years of the settlement. General Bucknam had served the town, both under its proprietary and civil managements, as clerk for twenty years. He was on many of its most important committees, and often commis- sioned to perform valuable services for the people, and for that rea- son his accounts are of value and interest to the student of history. From these accounts it will be discovered that it was in the capacity of town clerk, collector, and agent of the town that he performed most of these transactions. Not infrequently, however, he per- formed some humble service in making roads, surveying the lines of the town lands, and making long journeys to perform some ser- vice for the proprietors of the town. " The Proprietors of the Township of Lancaster to Edwards Bucknam, Dr. " 1772, June, To 14 days worlc at 4 sh. ..... _;^2: 16:00. " " , Nov. To 17 da\s work on roads at 4 sh. . . . 3:8 :oo. 1773, May, To 9 days work at 4 sh. per day . . . . i : 6:00 *' " , June, To 8 days work at 4 sh. " " . . . . 1:12 :oo 1774, May, To 10^ days work at 4 sh. Paid Ezra Currier for work done sd road 1 772-1 773, Paid Moses Page for work on the road in 1 772-1 773, Paid Emmons Stockwell for work on sd road 1 772-1 773, Paid David Page Esq. for work done in 1772, 1773, 1774, Paid David Cross for work done on the road in 1 772-1 773, Paid William Marshall for work done on Marshall Bridge, and I have his receipts therefor ....... 2 : 6 :oo. 2 :i3 :oo 3 :io :oo. 4 :I2 :oo. 5 : 8 :oo. 6:15: 6. I :oo :oo. ;^49: 12:00." To work done on the roads from the 23rd. of May 1775, to May, 1787. ^ c- ^ { ^1 ' / Paid David Page Esq. for work on sd roads to Sept. 25th. ^ & M Paid Capt. David Page for work on roads .... Paid Lt. Emmons Stockwell for work on roads ) and have his receipts ....... ^ Paid Col. Jonas Wilder for work on roads . . . . . Brought forward ......... Carried forward ........ 1778, Paid David Page Esq. Eighty-four Pounds which was four dollars on each right voted to him for building mill To David Page Esq. said thirty Pounds voted to him to } re-build the mills after being burnt . . . . ^ To Jacob Treadwell Paid fifteen Pounds voted by the Proprietors as their proportion to cutt & open the Road to the Eastward of the White Hills Brought forward ^16:13:00 21 :07 :oo 7 : I : 3 5:13:00 13 : 6 : 2 7: 8: 5 71: 9: 5 49:12:00 • .£121: I : 5 . ^86: 8: o. • i;30: o: o. • ^15: o- o. . 131 : 8: o. 121 : I : 5. £252 ■■ 9- 5-" 196 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. " 1774, To collecting one assesment of seven dollars on each right for 72 Rights ........ To one assesment of ^30 voted to David Page Esq. To one assesment of ^15 to cutt Marshall road at 4 sh. 3d. per right, collected ..... . . To one assesment of two dollars on each right for roads To one assesment of two dollars on each right for roads To one assesment of two dollars a Right for lotting To one assesment of three dollars a Right for lotting out said town Brought forward • ^5 8 0. 5 8 0. 5 8 0. 5 8 00. 5 8: 0. 5 8 0. 1 5 8 0. £37 16 0. 252 9: 5- £^9°- 5: 5-" Carried forward " 1767. The Proprietors of the Township of Lancaster to Edwards Bucknam Dr. March loth. To attending their meeting at the house of David Page, Esq. as their clerk at 6 sh. . . . . . .^0:6:0 To I day myself attending their meeting of Mar. 12 by adjournment, as clerk . . . . . . . . . . 0:6:0 Oct. 23rd, 1772, To niNself going from Hampton to Portsmouth to advertise a Proprietors' meeting, 35 miles, three days myself & horse & expenses . . . . . . • . 1:4:0 To paying of the Printer for printing ye Warrants . . . 0:18: o 1773 y^ \ To myself one day attending the Proprietois' meeting as June 8 \ clerk . . . . . . . . . 0:6:0 1773 August 26 To myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk £r- 6 ^ , > To one day attending their meeting May. To i Day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk June. To i Day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk Aug. loth. To I Day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk A' ^ > To I day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk . 1780 Apl. 4th. 1783 Oct. 14th. 1785 Feb. 25th. Aug. 1 8th. To I day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk ^ , S To I day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk June 20th. To h day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk Nov. 20. To h day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk ^ ' ^v / To h. day m3'self attending Propr. meeting as clerk Dec. 25th. To h day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk \' . > To i day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk Jan 1st. ^ ■' ■' 01 o To I day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk To I day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk To I day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk o : 6 : o. o : 6 : o. o : 6 : o. o : 6 : o. o : 6 : o. o : 6 : o. o : 6 : o. SOME EARLY PRIVATE ACCOUNTS WITH THE TOWN. 197 June. To i day myself attending Propr. meeting as clerk . . ^o : 3: o. 1780. > To myself & horse three days going from Hampstead to Feb. ^ Exeter & to Col. Thornton to git him to call a Propr. meeting for the Proprs. of Lancaster & my expenses to paying Col. Thornton . . . . . . . . . 0:6:6. PI > To one Bound Book to Recording the Proprs. Proceedings o:io: o. Brot Forward in Silver £300: 7: S. "July 2d. 1790. Settled the above acct : and Due to the Pro- prietors of Lancaster from Edwards Bucknam Esq. as Collector Eighteen Pounds, Sixteen Shillings and four jjence-half-penny. Jonas Wilder ^ Committee of the Emmons Stockwell > Proprietors of John Weeks _) Lancaster." On the above settlement the following receipt, in the handwriting of Capt. John Weeks, was given Bucknam : " Lancaster July 2nd. 1790, " Received of Edwards Bucknam Esqr. Three hundred and Ninety pounds, twelve shillings in full of all Demand against him and against the late David Page Esqr : deceased as Collectors of Taxes for the Township of Lancaster Excepting Eighteen pounds. Sixteen shillings and four pence-half-penny which sum the said Bucknam is now Indebted to the Proprietors of said Lancaster as Collector for said Proprietors. Jonas Wilder \ Committee of the Emmons Stockwell > Proprietors of John Weeks j Lancaster." " 1790 > The Proprietors of the Township of Lancaster to Ed- July gth. ^ wards Bucknam, Dr. To 5 days myself serveying in running the Town plot Planing the same into 74 lots & assertaining the quantity of undivided Land in said Town at 12 sh. per day To 3 men i day with me at 5 sh. 6 d. per day To myself 3 days surveying at 12 sh. . To myself 6 days at surveying at 12 sh. To 3 men 6 days with me surveying at 5 sh. 6d. . Paid to Moses Page for work in linding hands with th days at 5 sh. 6d. • . . . . Due Bill by the committee ..... Do Do Capt. Weeks .... Paid Jonas Baker acct. ..... Do Dennis Stanley finding hands with surveyor , Paid Emmons Stockwell account with surveyor Paid Col. Jonas Wilder acct. with surveyor . T^ > To paying I2sh. for Coppy of ye Charter We do not find any account of the settlement of this last account among the private papers of General Bucknam, and as the Proprie- • £3 0. 16 6. I 16 0. 3 12 0. 4 19 0. e surveyor 5 I 7 6. I 7 6. 12 0. 14 17 0. I 4 9- 9 0. • 33 2 9- 12 0. £62: 5: 6." 198 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. tors' Records have been lost we have no source of information ; but it was probably settled as other accounts of Bucknam's were. General Bucknam was one of the administrators of the will of David •Page, and the later's private accounts fell into the hands of Buck- nam, and they have been preserved along with his papers. Among them we find this account with the town : " David Page's account with the Proprietors for the work done. " Lancaster June 26th. i " To one days and half work Nov. 1772 to Four days work December Eight days April 1773 Two days to work Fourteen days and half To work three days and half To work Four days To two days To Clearin the River . November 1773 to five days and half February 1773 three days work April 1773 Five days work . to three days and half . to work Four days to two days at Samuells to four days man . May 30 to John one day June 2 day three and half same May 1774 to work at the highways 12 days 774- CHAPTER XVII. £0 4 6- 12 o- I 4 o* 8 o- 2 18 o- 12 o- 16 o- 8 o- 4 o- 16 6- 9 o- I o- 14 o- 14 o- 8 0. 3 0. 12 0. 1 8 0. ^15: 8: 6.' THE OLD-FASHIONED HOLIDAYS— RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS, MUSTERS, AND RAISINGS. In the early days of Lancaster Christmas was not observed ex- cept in the breach of the rule for its observance. The Puritans had condemned it as savoring too much of Popery, or at least as under the patronage of the church of England, both of which were odious to them. The people here were influenced by the conservative no- tions of their ancestors in these matters, and this holiday, now so universally observed was neglected until about 1875. In this respect there is nothing for us to chronicle in Lancaster that was not com- mon in almost all New England villages. There were a few men, however, who did make some account of Christmas, chief among whom was Captain John Weeks. He never failed to call around him his family and friends to partake of roast goose on Christmas day. THE OLD-FASHIONED HOLIDAYS. 199 Fast day had not lost its original sigi^ificance and taken a new mean- ing as it later did. It was observed with a good conscience. From the rise of the sun to its going down not a morsel of food did any one dare to take. This strictness was not peculiar to devout and religious people, but all shared in it alike. It was the one day of the whole year when the conduct of saint and sinner did not differ. There came a time, about the beginning of the present century, when the strictness of Fast day observance began to relinquish its hold upon a portion of the community. With a settled state of peace and prosperity, when no foreign foe seemed to be lurking about our borders, and prosperity had come to the country, there seemed less reason for fasting, and more reason for feasting. Thanks- giving day grew more important from year to year until it had sup- planted Fast day in interest for the masses. Fast day began to be used for an occasion of amusement. The older people took it more as a day of rest, a brief respite from the heavy and prolonged labors common in the life of the early times, while the young men and boys, with a surplus of energy to put into motion made it an occa- sion for horseback riding. It came at a season when the roads were in that condition, the older people were accustomed to call, " be- tween sleighing and wheeling." In fact wheeled vehicles were scarce at the time, and as the sleigh was no source of comfort in the mixture of snow and mud that usually characterizes the roads on that day, they naturally took to horseback riding. This practice was continued so long that it gained that force of custom which makes a thing respectable in the eyes of those who participate in it. If the men and women of a century ago could see a troop of small boys dash- ing up Main street at a break-neck speed, and on reaching the end of the street wheel round and dash off in the opposite direction, repeating the process for hours, on the Fast day of to-day, they would think it a most oudandish desecration of the day. But the day has lost its original meaning, as nobody now believes that he should "mortify the flesh" to win the favor of God. We have come to think that God is pledged to the help of all his creatures in the right. We know now that we must think, and put ourselves in right attitudes to enjoy the favor of the All Father. We do not regret that civic Fast days are no longer kept as our ancestors kept them, but that they have become seasons of amusement. Our modern Memorial day, May 30th, has become the patriot's day of remembrance of national and individual obligations. Memorial day was first observed in Lancaster in 1869. As the day for its observance fell on Sunday the clergy and churches were not at all in sympathy with it, nor did either take part in the observ- ances. The old soldiers were determined, however, to do honor to the memory of the comrades who had fallen in battle at their sides, 200 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. or by disease in camp or on the march. As they appeared upon the streets with banner and music the sight appealed at once to pubhc spirit and sympathy and the people followed them to the graves of loved and honored dead. Since then the clergy and churches have been in most hearty accord with the veterans in this most becoming memorial of our deceased soldiers. Lancaster was one of the first towns in the northefti part of the state and adjoining parts of the "north country" to make public ap- propriations for the fit observance of Memorial day, and has always been very liberal in its support of Memorial day observances. Thanksgiving day was the great day that every boy was glad to see come, as it meant feasting and the reunion of families ; and youth and maiden hailed it as the day that flooded their lives with sun- light, joy, and love. Not infrequently the day was preceded by dancing, as the evening before Thanksgiving and New Year were set apart to that amusement into which the young people of every com- munity entered with zest. This holiday has changed less, perhaps, than any other on the calendar. To-day the people spend it as their ancestors did a hun- dred years ago, in feasting and family reunions. Thanksgiving does not exceed Christmas to-day as a holiday. Everybody keeps Christ- mas, though business is not entirely suspended as on Thanksgiving day. The holidays of the early settlers that gave everybody the chance to give way to the spirit of mirth and merry-making were the muster da)^s. The general muster and the May and fall trainings were the most important holidays. These were the days of all days that brought the people together for a real hearty time. It gave the boys a chance to see the men muster, and the }'outh of eighteen years was included among the men, as the militia requirements included all males between the ages of eighteen and forty-five. These the captain of the company notified to appear at such time and place as seemed most suitable. The law required every man to appear at the training grounds "armed and equipped with a musket and bayonet in good condition, knapsack, canteen, cartridge box, capable of hold- ing twenty-four rounds of ammunition, priming wire and brush, and two spare flints." It was a custom to approach the officers' quarters before sunrise, and by firing of guns, beating of drums, and other vociferous dem- onstrations, " wake them up," and call for a speech, which was always supposed to be closed promptly for the first " ration of grog." In this the militia were never disappointed, for rum was considered as much a necessity at a training as powder was in a battle. Without those potations, a muster or training would have been a tame, perfunctory, and spiritless performance of duty. THE OLU-FASHIONED HOLIDAYS. 201 The rudiments of military exercise were quite well understood by the men and boys, but the exercises were not of the polished and precise order that the many old soldiers about town had seen in actual service in the War of the Revolution and the War of 1812. It is remembered that some of those old veterans could but illy con- ceal their contempt for the whole performance, and we need not wonder that a training in a country village, removed by hundreds of miles from the scenes of war, should seem a sort of boy's play to men who had seen service under some of the best military disciplinarians of our two wars with Great Britain. That we give a better impression of the early drills, I will insert here a military announcement that went the rounds in 1799, and a "manual of arms" used at that time : " Hanover, New Hampshire, " 27th. June, 1799. " Brigadier Genl. Bucknam, "Sir: " Major General Brewster is informed, by a communication from His Excel- lency Governor Gilman, of his intention to review the 2nd Division of Militia, in the Month of September next. If agreable it is the Major General's wish that you would attend a meeting of the Field Officers of some of the Regiments in your Brigade (to whom notice will be given by the Major General) at the dwell- ing house of Major Joseph Bliss in Haverhill on Monday the fifteenth day of July next, at two o'clock afternoon, to concert the most proper measures to advance the respectability of the Grafton militia on the occasion. A general review of as many regiments as it may be practicable to convene together is contemplated. It is a favorite object with the Major General that the Sixth Brigade, which he has lately had the honor of commanding, as their Brigadier, should at the Review make a display of as great taste and knowledge in military art as any other corps in the State of New Hampshire. «' By order of Major General Brewster, " Wm. Woodward, Aid de Camp. "P. S. Be so kind as to inform the field officers of the twenty-fourth regi- ment of the meeting and request their attendance. \V. W." The following " manual of arms," in the handwriting of General Bucknam, though it bears no date or other mark by which we can be certain of the fact, was, no doubt, prepared for this or similar occasions, when it was desired that his brigade should make a good appearance in the muster or review. It ran as follows : 1 1 . Draw Rammer. 12. Ram down cartrage. 13. Return Rammer. 14. Shoulder firelock. 15. Order firelock. 16. Ground firelock. 17. Take up firelock. 18. Shoulder firelock. 19. Secure firelock. 20. Shoulder firelock. ' I . Attention. 2 . Raise firelock. 3- Cock firelock. 4- Take aim. 5- Fire. 6. Half cock firelock. 7- Handle cartrage. 8. Prime. 9- Shut pan. 10. Cliarge with cartrage. 202 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. 21. Fix Bayonet. 25. Charge Bayonet. 22. Shoulder firelock. 26. Shoulder firelock. 23. Present arms. 27. Advance arms. 24. Shoulder firelock. 28. Shoulder firelock." Having gone through these evolutions in the " manual of arms," the instructions of the manual continues : . "The Colonel then commands by Platoons to the right Wheel march, the whole wheel by platoons to the right and march by the General, the Colonel at the head of the Batahon with the Major behind him followed by the Drums of the Right Wing the Adjutant on the left of the fifth platoon. " The officers and colors salute when within eight paces of the General and the Colonel having saluted advances to him." " Inspection of batalion : "After having been reviewed, the officers fall into the ranks, the colonel then orders By Companies to the Right Wheel, march — a quater round then halt, when Captain orders non-comiccioned officers to the front march the officers take post 4 paces & non-commissioned 2 paces in front of their Companies the whole when the General is within 30 paces order Present Arms. When ye General arives on the left then the Colonel orders Shoulder Firelocks. " The Inspector begins on ye right with ye field & staff officers & inspects the companies and when inspection is over the Colonel forms the batalion and causes any exercises or manoevre the Inspector shall think proper." The old soldiers, the remnants of noted armies, were the leaven that leavened the whole mass, for the citizen-militia took great pains to imitate their military carriage and manners. Poor as the militia training must have been, one can yet, at this late day, tell who had the good fortune to share in its advantages, for it had great advan- tages. There is a remnant of the old-timers left who profited by the training of those musters, and they show it in their bearing and manners, that are above those of the younger generation in point of elegance. It would be well if the young men of to-day could have some such training. It would relieve them of much awkwardness that is characteristic of the movements of the younger men of our day. In the graded and well-managed schools of the cities and larger villages this is partly made up by a system of drills that, while they are not in accordance with military discipline, are yet beneficial in correcting the faults of bearing and manner, and teach a boy how to use his legs in an orderly fashion. It is to be regret- ted that our system of public education does not make a greater effort at training the youth to bear themselves in better form than they drift into if left to their own unguided habits. In the autumn came the half day of drills, but the great day was that of the general muster. The only regiment of the section was the old Twenty-fourth, which for a long time was enrolled from the whole of Coos county, giving a well-selected quota of men of good bearing in the ranks. The only "Independent Company" was the THE OLD-FASHIONED HOLIDAYS. 203 troop. This company was a well-mounted one; the men were good riders, and at one time numbered as many as forty horsemen. Their uniforms were quite imposing, consisting of black trowsers, red coats with black trimmings, helmets of leather with scarlet sides and red plumes eight inches long standing erect, with bear skin trimmings extending from the front over the tops of the caps, while yellow bands and gorgeous tassels dangled over their backs. Their arms consisted of long sabres, a pair of "horse pistles " in holsters cov- ered with bear skin. The most popular commanders of this company were Captains Thomas Carlisle, Charles Hilliard, and John Loomis. There were several other persons who shared in the honor and distinction of the command of this noted company, but these I have named were the notables among them all. This company took the leading part in all the manoeuvres and sham fights which invariably closed a regimental muster. They bravely charged against the infantry squares, discharging their pis- tols and retreating as the manual called for. For this performance a good horse was an important factor. The horses differed as much as the men. Some of the horses used in the troop were remarka- ble for the intelligent spirit with which they entered into the duties of the occasion. Most notable among them was a large, black horse with a white face, that Maj. John Weeks brought from the army at the close of the War of 18 12, and which was always in demand at the musters. He was a fine beast, with a high step and proud manner. When dressed in his regimental trappings, he mani- fested great pride and seemed to know his part as well as his rider, and not infrequently, it seemed, he knew it a little better than his rider. This animal was used in several regiments, being passed from one to another for some years. In 1823 an artillery company was formed, with John Wilson as captain, and in 1828 Capt. Perley Foster settled in Whitefield, and military organizations and activities at once revived. He was a great religious and military enthusiast. He had been in the regular army, and managed a gun on McDonough's fleet in the battle on Lake Champlain. This service gave Captain Foster great prestige among the military spirits of his time. He soon organized a rifle company, the ofificers of which were Capt. Perley Foster ; Henry Fiske, lieutenant; Thomas H. Kimball, ensign. The uniform of this company consisted of blue coats richly embellished with bright metal buttons, tall bell-crowned fur hats, with shining metallic plates in front and white plumes of liberal size with red tips, and gaiters of the same colors as the head-gear. This company soon became very popular with the people. Among the boys who drank in all this inspiration and military glory from the standpoint of lookers-on^ 204 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. was Captain Foster's own son, who won great distinction in the late War of the RebelHon — Maj. and Maj.-Gen. John G. Foster. One who saw those musters can never forget the joy it gave the boys to see their fathers, uncles, and sometimes older brothers, deport themselves creditably on the training-field, and win the applause of their neighbors — the old men, women, and children. One of the old-time stones told, is that of the muster held here in 1845, on H. F. Holton's plain. Gen. R. M. Richardson commanding. A company of infantry, sometimes called "flood wood," from an adjacent town, appeared, and were without musical escort, so the captain applied to Allen Smith, an 18 12 drummer, and Stephen Hayes, a veteran fifer, for the occasion. As this company appeared on the field, these old veterans struck up the " Rogue's March," and the company was placed in line. Anything that was music was good, and as no one of the company knew much about different tunes, it passed off well until the captain was told how he and his men came on the field. "Thunder! " said the captain, "I supposed it was Hail Columbia." The band hid immediately. All this may look to the younger generation of our day as the glory of a child's play with his " tin soldiers," but not so, as the sequel will show. There came an evil day when, through the mis- taken greed of a few men, the state was induced to pay for the ser- vice rendered on the training field. The true military spirit that had moved the men of the early days to such a wonderful degree began to decline, and the paid service was rather looked down upon as a sort of mercenary chance to earn a small fee. The pride and glory of the old-time musters and trainings passed away, and left the people no adequate compensation for the care they had exer- cised all those years to keep a class of citizen soldiers in proper training. I do not question the superior organization of the militia under the later arrangement, but it removed it too far from the peo- ple. The new order of militia no longer interested the masses, giv- ing pleasure to the men and nothing less than unbounded joy to the boys, as the old system did. Its glory had departed, and the pleas- ures it afforded to old and young has become a memor)' only. The decline of the musters and trainings did not leave the people without a holiday or day of recreation, for the "raisings" took the place, in a large measure, of the day of amusement afforded by the musters. The raising of a large building in early times was no small affair. To raise the heavy hewn frames called for all the able- bodied men in the neighborhood, for the builders had to rely on them for help. The frames were generally very heavy, as the sills, plates, posts, and beams were seldom less than eight inches square, and of solid timbers. If the building was to be a large one, it would require upwards of fifty men to raise it. Accordingly the THE OLD-FASHIONED HOLIDAYS. 205 requisite number would be invited, and that gave the boys a holi- day. Every boy for miles went to the raising to which the men of his family were invited ; they felt entitled to that much pleasure, at least, to see the building go up. Whether they were permitted to partake of the dinners provided on such occasions for the workmen, and the potations that were considered an indispensable article at raisings, my information does not warrant me in stating, farther than that almost any boy could be useful on such an occasion in some capacity when he was counted a worker among the company. If he were not large enough and industrious and curious enough to carry water for the crowd, carry tools to the workmen, or run errands, then we are not so sure about his prestige and standing. He probably stood afar off with open-mouthed wonder at the ope- rations going on before his sight. It may well be counted a misfor- tune to any one who has never been a boy at a raising, first as an on-looker, then as actor in some humble capacity, as the carrying of the water-pail or handing the tools to the busy workmen, and, finally, taking a man's part in the more responsible parts of the ope- ration, an experience the younger generation knows nothing of. When invitations were extended to man or boy to attend a rais- ing, it was in good faith, and no one thought of treating such an invitation with any slight whatever, as he would be expected to be present or give some plausible excuse for his absence. When all hands were present on the grounds, a friendly drink was taken, and then the business was proceeded with in the following fashion : First the two sides of the structure were put together on the sills and underpinnings and securely pinned in the joints. Long poles called, in the vernacular of the trade, " follerin poles," were chained to the upper and outside corners. The next step, generally, was to stop and take another drink preparatory to the tug of war that was coming. This feature of the business being attended to, and all being in perfect readiness, the master workman distributes the men at such places in which he thinks they can best serve. The oldest and most trusty men were assigned to the task of tending the foot posts, to guide the tennon into the mortice as the framed side rises serenely in the air, The master workman now took a position from which he could see all his men, and from which all could see him as he gave orders. He called out in lusty and commanding tones, " Are you all ready?" When all had responded affirmatively to the question, he commanded, " Pick 'er up," in response to which every man laid out his strength to comply with the command. The frame was lifted as high as men could lift by hand, when handspikes and pike- poles were brought into use. The master workman next called out, " Heave at the follerin-poles." The " foUerin-poles " having been duly " heaved on," the frame was raised until the tennons sank home 206 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. in the mortices, and the whole side reached a perpendicular position. It was then securely fastened by temporary braces and stays. The second side went up after the same manner as the first, after which •' all hands took another drink," and had a short breathing spell. They next proceeded with ends, and middle timbers of the frame, in the same manner as with the sides. At this point a situation of affairs was reached in which the courage and agility of the more venturesome and level-headed young men could show off their skill to great advantage. Some one was needed to mount to the corners and guide the tennons into the mortices and pin them together. This task generally fell to the lot of apprentices at the carpenter's trade, or the carpenter's assistants, called joiners and finishers, or in the absence of such, to some young man possessed of the requisite courage and skill for a task so far above ground. Once the body of the frame was up, and the beams in place, the next step was that of placing the rafters in position, a pair at a time, when they would be securely pinned. This done, the work of pin- ning the ribs to which the shingles were to be fastened was divided between two forces that strove for the privilege of placing the ridge- pole, which privilege belonged to the party that got their ribs on first. This was the finishing touch of a raising, the last thing the assembled crowd could do for the building. The time for merri- ment had come. Although many drinks had been indulged in up to that point, nobody would be drunk, just a little jolly, with once in a while one a little hilarious. Hon. James W. Weeks gives the following account of this kind of ceremony. It was a large barn on the place of Asahel Allen, where Phineas Hodgdon now lives, that was raised and to be " named " : "The Southend of the frame stood ten or twelve feet from where Allen afterward had his cooper shop for making pearl-ash barrels, so that the ridge-pole at that end of the building must have been fully forty feet high. Two men, one at each end of the frame, clam- bered to the ridge-pole, bottle in hand, and on reaching the top or ridge, stood erect. The one at the south end called out, 'This is a fine frame and deserves a good name.' All hands responded, ' Oh, yes ! Oh, yes ! ' and 'What shall we call it?' The man on the north end of the ridge responded by giving a high-sounding name, upon which the man at the other end, James Meserve, once a sailor, responded, ' Oh, yes ! ' and proceeded to recite some doggerel verse that ended in these lines : ' The owner is a cooper, a jolly old soul, We 11 drink all his rum, but leave the ridge-pole.' " Standing erect, they drained, each one, his bottle, while all hands below cheered in the loudest tones. All took another drink, and the raising was over, every man started for his home. So ended the old-fashioned raisings." TEMPERANCE ORGANIZATIONS. 20/ CHAPTER XVIII. TEMPERANCE ORGANIZATIONS. Sixty years ago there were no temperance organizations, and little was said or done in the way of agitating what we call the tem- perance question to-day. In fact, it may be doubted if the people of that time had any questions ov^er the drink habit. About every- body drank New England, or West India, rum, and kept a little brandy in the house for special occasions, as in times of sickness, marriages, births, funerals, and the visits of the minister. The laborers in the field had their dram at eleven, and again at four o'clock, and thought it sustained their flagging energies against the excessive toils incident to pioneer life. With all this habitua-l drinking, the people of the town could not be called drunkards. It was extremely rare for one of those old- time fellows to become what they called a " toper," or what we now call a drunkard. Every family kept a supply of rum, which was considered as much of a necessity as bread. Those who could afford it generally laid in at once enough to last through the year. If one expected to have a log house, or a frame one, or a " clearing bee," during the course of the year he must have some rum to treat his neighbors properly. The most casual caller would expect some- thing set out to drink, and he who did not comply with that custom was considered by his friends and neighbors as too " close-fisted and stingy" to be respectable. If on any occasion any one imbibed too freely and became drunk or disorderly, he was scorned by his neighbors, and his sin was rebuked by his minister. These habits were deeply imbedded in the social life of this, as other New Eng- land communities. When grave offences were committed against law, public senti- ment, or morality, the fact was not then, as now, charged to the drink habit. The quantity of alcohol in their drinks was not very great, and then the rugged, out-door life they led did not make them such ready victims to its ravages as are the victims of drink at the present time. There is a superstition or tradition that the liquor was purer then than now ; but that was only relatively true. It is true that there was much less adulterated liquor used then than now. But that it was purer than the same article that is made to-day, is not true. It is very true that the alcohol in the liquor of to-day, that is procured in dram-shops, is not as injurious as are the adul- terants that are put into it to increase the profits to the venders. Whisky was not much used, and but little known, in Lancaster until about 1815, when its manufacture from potatoes was com- menced. Even then it was not regarded as fit for use, but was 208 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. shipped off to trade for other commodities. It was of such a fiery nature as to literally burn the throat of the drinker, and no one cared for it save as a source of revenue or gain. Up to 1845 there had never been known a case of delirium tremens in town. Some years previous to that date drinks contain- ing larger proportions of alcohol, and also adulterated drinks, had produced a number of drunkards, some of whom suffered from delirium tremens about the middle of the present century. As this condition of affairs became somewhat common, a number of ladies began to make a move to induce the men to take the pledge to abstain from intoxicating drinks. This was not an organized move- ment at first, but after a few years it opened the way for the estab- lishment of a " Total Abstinence Society," under the auspices of w^hich meetings were held about town in the schoolhouses. As is the case in such movements the pledge was signed chiefly by women and children who of all classes least needed the reform. It no doubt did the boys good to pledge themselves against drinking; but the men most addicted to the evil habit were not easily induced to make so strong a resolve as to quit drinking rum and gin. The movement had some good results in creating a public sentiment against drunkenness. Even habitual drinkers began to leave off drink to some extent. They would fall back into the old habit on holidays, town-meetings, musters, and other occasions. The men of Lancaster who had been convinced that drink was a serious evil began to moderate their habits rather than abstain from the use of liquor altogether. The legislature in 1791 passed a law entitled "An act to regulate licensed houses," which remained in force until far into the present century. It provided that no person should carry on the calling of " taverner or retailer " of liquors without a license procured from the selectmen of the town. A violation of this feature of the law subjected the offender to a fine of forty shillings, and any one could sue for the same and recover for himself half the fine, the other half going to the county. Such license had to be duly recorded in the town records. A license could only be issued for a term of one year. The law provided that no taverner should suffer any of the inhabitants of the town to remain in his house tippling after nine o'clock p. m., or on the Sabbath, nor at any time to drunkenness, nor should he sell to minors, or servants, without their parent's or master's consent. He should not allow any gaming of any kind to be conducted in his house or on his premises. The retailer was not allowed to sell any mixed drinks of any kind in less quantity than one pint, and that was not to be allowed to be drunk on his premises. All these provisions were backed up by fines ranging from twenty to forty TEMPERANCE ORGANIZATIONS. 209 shillings for each and every offence. In the main they were lived up to by the taverners and store-keepers. I cannot learn that any of them ever violated these provisions in this town. One finds many such licenses recorded on the town records. They were granted to many of the leading citizens of the town, including the names of Emmons Stockwell, Fortunatus Eager, Edwards Bucknam, Jonas Wilder, Richard C. Everett, Sylvanus Chessman, Stephen Wilson, Artemas Wilder, Jr., John Toscan, Jonathan Carlton, Thomas Carlisle & Co., Benjamin Hunking, Francis and John Wilson, William and Noyes Dennison, Charles Baker, Benjamin C. Stevens, Ephraim Mahurin, Samuel White, and many others less known to history than they, but all keeping their transactions within the bound prescribed by law. Most of them were simply retailers of it as an article of trade in their stores, where it was as much an article of barter and trade as any other, and sub- jected the dealer to no odium or condemnation as he did not allow it to be consumed in his place of business. This line of trafftc, how- ever, was destined to suffer a great change. When the " Washing- tonian Movement " reached Lancaster about 1845, with its battle- cry of " moral suasion," the stores began to give up the trade in liquors until in a few years it was left wholly to the taverns. The farmers still kept their supplies in their cellars to be used at the annual " butcherings, sheep-washings, sheep-shearings, and in haying." About this time the churches began to take active measures against intemperance. The Orthodox Congregational church, formed in 1836 by seceders from the First Congregational church, had pledged themselves in their church covenant not to use dis- tilled liquors, except as medicine. No church, however, had been active in preaching against intemperance openly as a specific evil. The Washingtonian movement was organized, and for some years did much good in counteracting the evil of intemperance. As a sort of offset to the temperance movement there sprung up a habit of brewing so-called " health drinks." Among these were spruce beer and birch beer. The " brewing day," in the spring of the year, was one of much importance. The tender twigs of spruce, alder bark, and tags (the catkins), wild cherry bark, mountain ash bark, princess pine, dandelion roots, and various other roots and barks, that might be thought to possess flavoring or medicinal qualities, were sometimes added. This medley of roots and barks were boiled and the liquid strained off and allowed to "work." This was the spring and summer tonic of many of the best families in town. This stuff was no better than some of the drinks the people had been persuaded to give up. It cultivated an appetite for stronger stimulants much more effectively than it "strengthened" 15 210 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. the users of it. Even this form of drink did not escape the hearty denunciations of the Washingtonians. From 1845, down to within a few years, many temperance organ- izations were instituted, as we have shown elsewhere, all of which have contributed to the development of a sound public sentiment against intemperance. The public action of the town in relation to the matter are of interest to the student of social affairs. In the very early years grog was furnished at the expense of the town in connection with labor performed on the highways, bridges, and other public enter- prises. On one occasion when there were some logs drifted against or into the bridge over the Connecticut river, the town voted to authorize Sylvanus Chessman to notify the people to haul them off, and at the completion of the job give them a drink of grog at the expense of the town; and again in 1805, when the bridge over Isreals river was torn down to give place to a new one, the town voted to invite men enough to do the work with no other compen- sation than the liquor they needed to drink while engaged at the work. In 1830 sentiment had so changed that the town voted that no part of the money voted for highways should be spent for spirit- uous liquors. In 1846 there was an article in the warrant for the annual town- meeting, asking whether the town would instruct the selectmen not to grant any licenses for the sale of liquors. The measure was de- ferred by a vote to postpone action ; but the postponement was only for a year as at the next annual meeting a vote was had upon the question whether " it was expedient to prohibit the license and sale of liquor and spirits." Sixty-seven votes were given in the afifirmative, and seventy-eight in the negative. This was not, how- ever, a full vote. Many persons did not vote at all, as is shown by the fact that the vote for governor at the same meeting was three hundred and thirty-five, or one hundred and ninety more than all the votes cast on the license question. Maine had her prohibitory law, and the subject of prohibiting the sale of liquors as the surest means of preventing drunkenness was gaining ground with the people. The discussion of the subject drew nearly all the people into the expression of their opinions, and of course there was little to be said in favor of the liquor traffic, and nothing in favor of the use of alcoholic drinks, so public sentiment grew stronger with the passing years, until at the annual town-meet- ing of 1 85 1, it was voted not to license taverns or stores to sell liquor. This was done under the old local option law, which has later given place on the statute books to a law that is prohibitory in its aims. POLITICAL HISTORY. 211 CHAPTER XIX. POLITICAL HISTORY. Lancaster from a very early period has held a prominent place in the political history of the state. Its earliest settlers were men from the older towns in the neighborhood of the seat of government, and naturally they were interested in the affairs of state. They had, from their youth, been in close contact with the leading politicians and statesmen of New Hampshire and New England. Very natur- ally when they had become the prominent men of a new town they continued to feel their former interest in the important questions of state somewhat intensified by the consciousness of added responsi- bilities as the leaders of the new town. No political questions of any great magnitude affected Lancaster until after the close of the Revolutionary War. Previous to that time the questions that challenged their attention and interests had been one-sided questions, like those of defence against the Indians, French, and British, and the Vermont Controversy. Those were simply business affairs that did not require party action. The peo- ple comprised a unit on all issues involved in them ; and once they were settled the people were free to give their attention to the weightier matters of the policy of the general and the state govern- ments. Though far removed from the scenes of party contest that went on in the towns along the seaboard, the men of Lancaster were neither ignorant nor indifferent concerning the state government. The first action taken on any political measure in Lancaster was at the annual town-meeting of 1783, after Meshech Weare had been elected president of the provisional government that preceded the adoption of the constitution of 1784. Much dissatisfaction with the government existed in some parts of the state. Lancaster, however, was satisfied with the form of government and voted unanimously, " That the present form of government now in force in this state be continued in full force until the loth day of June, 1784." There were but six votes cast at that time, but they were all in favor of the government as it then existed. In the warrant for the annual meeting of 1784, every voter who paid taxes was notified to bring in a vote for president of the state, and a senator. Weare received eight votes, all that were cast, for president, and Moses Dow the same number for senator. In 1785, the thirteen votes of the town were cast for John Langdon for presi- dent. In 1786 there were eleven votes cast for George Atkinson for president, and the same number for Moses Dow for senator. The same number of votes were cast for the Grafton county officers. 212 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. maintaining the town's habit of voting unanimously for all candi- dates. In their devotion to Atkinson they threw their votes away as he only received a few hundred of the whole vote of the state, which was eight thousand. His votes were reckoned among " eight hundred scattering " in the election returns. Just what was Lan- caster's reason for voting for so unpopular a candidate we do not know. He must have numbered some of the leaders here among his personal friends to have carried the entire vote of the town. Then, too, such events seem to indicate that a few men must have practically controlled the majority of the voters in town. There seems to have been little use of the names of the great political parties of the time, for they are not mentioned in any public or private documents of that time. We find, however, the use of other terms that indicate pretty well how public opinion ran here. In the record of the vote for state officers in 1787 the town clerk, Gen. Edwards Bucknam, says: "Twenty votes were cast, and were divided by political candidates. Twelve friends to popular rights, however, prevailed." Gen. John Sullivan, the Federalist candidate, received the votes of the "twelve friends of popular rights." Whether the eight voters who voted against General Sullivan should be counted as anti-Federalists we have no assurance. A time had come, however, when an intense party spirit was to characterize the voting in Lancaster. The formation of the constitution of the national government was to bring that document before the people for adoption. The election of the state government, that was to vote upon the Constitution of the United States in 1788, was one of the most important matters that had ever engaged the attention of our local politicians and embryo statesmen. Six states had already adopted the constitution, and others were to act about the same time that New Hampshire would, which made it a matter of great importance whether the friends or the foes of the constitution should win. A few hundred votes might turn the scale one way or the other. Langdon and Sullivan were candidates for president, and divided the vote nearly even. There were only thirteen votes cast that year. Sullivan received six, while his competitor received seven. Later, in the same year, when the first election for members of congress occurred, the votes, twenty-seven in all, were divided as follows: Samuel Livermore, eight; Benjamin Bellows, eight; Elisha Paine, two ; Christopher Toppan, one ; Paine Wingate, one ; John Pickering, one, and Simon Olcott, six. For presidential electors the vote stood as follows: Beza Woodward, eight; Benjamin West, nine; Elisha Paine, eight ; Woodbury Langdon, nine; Christopher Toppan, eight; Moses Dow, two, and Samuel Livermore, one. .Party spirit had taken possession of the people, and contests POLITICAL HISTORY. 213 began to be bitter and earnest. In 1788, the candidates for gov- ernor were John Langdon, Republican, and General Sullivan, Fed- eralist. Langdon received eight votes, and Sullivan only seven. Nearly half of the votes of the town were not cast when that ofifice was voted for, either from a feeling of indifference or because the factions to which the non-voters belonged had no candidates. The election of 1789 was a hotly-contested one as there were four candidates for president, and all of them were good men. The issue was on their party alliances and not on their merits as statesmen or their efficiency to fill that office. In Lancaster John Picker- ing, Federalist, received every vote cast. Pickering, however, was beaten by General Sullivan when the election was carried before the legislature. When the election came around the following year with Pickering as Federalist candidate sixteen votes were cast for him, with only four against him, in favor of Joshua Wentworth. Neither candidate, however, was chosen as the legislature elected, and Dr. Josiah Bartlett was their choice. The full number of twenty-seven votes were cast at this election. Both candidates for congress in 1793, Jeremiah Smith and John S. Sherbourne, received the full ^ote of the town. No serious changes had taken place in the division of the vote on other officers during the last few years; but in the election of 1794, opinion had so effec- tually changed that for the first time in the history of the town the whole vote was given to Beza Woodward who ran for governor in opposition to John Taylor Gilman, the long-tried Federalist leader of the state. The number of votes cast that year was thirty-five. As once before, the entire vote of the town went for nothing by being given to the candidate who stood no show of election, as Gilman received four votes to Woodward's one. During the long term of Governor Gilman's holding the office — thirteen years — politics in Lancaster were at a low ebb. It is impossible to discover any evi- dence of more than the most common-place interest in elections. Other matters seem to have engrossed the attention of the people. The town had seventy polls in 1794, and its wealth had increased considerably, so that when the state tax reached twenty-seven thousand dollars Lancaster's proportion was thirty-eight dollars and eleven cents, which was a large sum for those times. The school tax was one hundred and sixty-six dollars and sixty-seven cents, one third of which had to be paid in silver money, and two thirds could be paid in marketable wheat at the rate of one dol- dollar a bushel. The people were more concerned about paying a little more than two hundred dollars taxes, than they were about the difference between a Federalist and a Republican acting as governor of the state. Under the lone and honest administration of Governor Gilman 214 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. the state enjoyed a marked degree of prosperity. Law and order characterized the conduct of the people everywhere ; and a good class were attracted to the state as settlers. Many from the older communities south of the state came into it and settled upon its cheap and abundant lands. In this general immigration Lancaster shared, as the fame of the Upper Coos country had gone abroad. As the century was drawing to a close a new order of things was apparent in the life of the town. The hard struggle for existence was to give way to a better condition of things. New settlers were now coming to buy the vacant lands, and to open up new farms, and build homes. Most of these newcomers were men and women of marked worth and character. From Portsmouth, Greenland, and other of the older settled towns there came many men and women of ability, of mind and character, and fully fitted in other respects to enter into the renewed life of the town. This influx of intelligent population made many improvements of things pos- sible. They changed the character of the town to a great extent, though their political relations did not immediately work a great change in the party standing of the vote of the town. In 1801 there were cast for Gilman fifty-six votes for governor ; but a year later he only received fifty-three, while his competitor, John Lang- don, received seven. A point had been reached in the development of the town when, through immigration and the reaching of their majority of a large number of the sons of the older settlers, the voters rapidly increased until in 1804 there were ninety-nine votes cast in the state election. The candidates that year were Gilman and John Langdon. Gilman received ninety votes while Langdon got only nine. The contest was a hot one from a party point of view. The two great parties, Federalist and Democratic-Republican, were bitterly arrayed against each other over grave national issues. The election of Jef- ferson as president had filled the Federalists with gloom. They abused the president and predicted all kinds of calamities as certain to take place because of the change in the party administration of the general government. Lancaster then became so thoroughly aroused over party politics that thenceforth she has always been divided in her vote on strict party lines. The time had gone by when any man could secure all her votes for any high office in either state or national governments. It was at that election of 1804 that the first ofificials of Coos county were elected. Party lines did not hold as strictly in the selection of county officers as they did in the election of state and national officers. Although Moses P. Payson received seventy-five votes for senator in the twelfth district as against five for William Tarlton, it would seem that many voters broke over the party lines POLITICAL HISTORY. 21 5 when it came to voting for county officers. William Lovejoy re- ceived eighty-seven votes for register of deeds, while his competitor, Stephen Wilson, only received two. Joseph Peverly received seven- ty-seven for treasurer, while Jeremiah Eames for the same office only received one. Stephen Wilson was a good man, while it may be doubted if Lovejoy was his equal in point of popularity. These facts go to show that the voters were governed more by their politi- cal opinions or preferences for particular fitness in the candidate for office ; and that they had got done voting at the dictation of prominent local leaders. At all events from this time forward the development of political parties went on more rapidly than before in town. There was much zeal displayed in local, as well as state and national, politics. Federalism was, and had been, rampant and triumphant for more than a decade, and it seemed as if it was so thoroughly entrenched in the confidence of the people that it would hold sway for many a year to come ; but such appearances were deceptive, for at the election of 1805, John Langdon, the bitter and obstinate opponent of Federalism, was elected governor by a majority of four thousand. For some years the vote of Lancaster was so divided that a fair-sized majority went to the support of the Democratic-Republican party. The prophesies that the country would go to ruin under the ad- ministration of Jefferson proved false. On the contrary there was much prosperity enjoyed ; and some of the peculiar doctrines of his party were either ignored or violated by Jefferson, as in the matter of the " Louisiana Purchase." The president and his party won friends everywhere, even in far-off Lancaster. There was left but a remnant, and that not a very large one, of the Federalists. At the election of 1808, only thirty-five votes were cast in Lancaster. Of them Langdon, Republican, received eight; Oilman, the tried and proven Federalist, received sixteen. Jeremiah Smith, Federalist, got one vote, and R. C. Everett, ten. This was evidently due to the complete reversion of political power in the election of 1805, for the election of the year following was without the appearance of rivalry among the parties. It is difficult to surmise the cause of such a heavy decline in the votes cast for the two popular party candidates in 1808, on any other ground than that of a complete indifference in politics from the defeat of 1805, during the next two years. At all events but few of the people voted. Many, no doubt, were in- fluenced by the religious opposition to Jefferson. He was called an atheist, and it was said he was hostile to religion, the church, and especially the Bible. Jefferson was nothing of the kind nor was he hostile to church or Bible. Good old Deacon Wilder was one of the "false prophets" in Lancaster; and as he was popular in the church probably influenced many persons into a state of political in- 2l6 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. difference during the few years referred to. The events leading up to the embargo act, and the non-intercourse act, had the effect to arouse the FederaHsts, who were the chief commerciaHsts of New England, to renewed activity in 1808. The excitement did not reach Lancaster, however, that year ; but in the following year the town felt the influence of the mighty wave of public sentiment that was sweeping over the entire country. The commerce of the country was being ruined ; and industries of every kind were being paralysed. The commerical prosperity enjoyed for many years by Portsmouth had been completely ruined ; and the Federalists believed that the Republican administration and party were responsible for it. The Federalists wanted our marine protected against British and French interference, and the administration had suffered it to be outraged on the very coasts of our own country. A distrust and revulsion of public sentiment favored the chances of the Federalist party coming back into power; and in 1809 there was one of the hottest party contests that have ever • been seen in this country. A Federal delegation to congress had been secured in New Hampshire. This gave the Federalists new hopes, and they put forth most heroic efforts to carry the state, which they did by a majority of a little more than two hundred for Jeremiah Smith as governor. Nearly thirty-one thousand votes were cast, while at the preceding elec- tion not more than fifteen thousand votes were thrown, of which Langdon, Republican, had received thirteen thousand, and Oilman, Federalist, twelve hundred and sixty-one, with a few hundred scat- tering votes for other candidates. In 1809 Lancaster aroused from her indifference. While she had but thirty-five votes in 1808, in 1809 she cast ninety-five votes, of which Jeremiah Smith, Federalist, received seventy-three, and Langdon, Republican, twenty-two. A renewed interest in politics was taken, and in 18 10 one hundred and eight votes were cast, of which Jeremiah Smith received eighty-five and Langdon twenty- three. This marks quite a growth in the Federal party. That party, however, had gained control of the entire state government and the delegation in congress. This tidal wave of political rever- sion turned back in the opposite direction the next year, and as completely put everything in the hands of the Republicans. A compensation for this may be found in the fact that it spared New Hampshire the humiliation that would have inevitably followed the election of a senator and members of congress opposed to the ad- ministration, and such a party representation in congress might have prevented the declaration of war, a calamity that would have been simply incalculable in its effects upon the destiny of the United States. The Federalists of New England were blind to the faults of Great Britain, while they magnified the sins of France against our POLITICAL HISTORY. 2 1/ commerce into gigantic proportions. The Republicans, on the con- trary, were bold to denounce the wrongs of England against our commerce. Federalism had a strong hold upon Lancaster voters, who were conservative, and seem to have had less respect for the national government than their otherwise patriotic conduct in the past would lead one to expect. There was a remnant of the people of the state, however, that were moved by the recollection of British wrongs to Americans, and in the election of i8ii gave Langdon a majority of nearly three thousand votes. This called upon him an unmerited amount of abuse from the Federalist party of the state. They forgot his patriotic services in the War of the Revolution, and heaped upon him every imaginable reproach ; but the legislature supported his policy, and together they held the state to her duty during that period of crisis. The Federalists boldly talked of sepa- ration from the Union and an alliance with England. While that sentiment was sustained by many voters in this town, there were few who dared openly to advocate it. Much strong feeling existed on the subject. In 1 8 ID, during the period of intense party strife, the question of the revision of the state constitution was voted on. Lancaster gave but one vote in favor of it, and forty against it. This was not a political question, and as party strife ran high, neither party cared to risk any change in the constitution lest it should operate against its future welfare. In the election of 1812 the full strength of the Federalist party was shown by its vote in this town. All the candidates, among whom was Daniel Webster, candidate for congress, received ninety- one votes, while the opposition only carried twenty^-seven. The Republicans — or as they were then beginning to be called, Demo- crats — carried the election, securing the election of William Plumer, Jr., as governor. He had been up to that date a Federalist, but upon the stirring questions of the day he could no longer be classed with the Federalists. Through the campaign of that year Plumer was accused before the public as having been once a zealous Bap- tist preacher, and then an unbeliever. The fact that he was for years a Federalist, and had become a Democrat, was charged against him. Through the sectarian religious prejudice, as well as party prejudice, against him and Judge Smith, the election was thrown into the legislature, where he received one hundred and four votes to eighty-two against him, in favor of Oilman. He made a good governor, and carried New Hampshire proudly through the War of 18 12. His Democratic predecessor had kept the state militia in good condition, so that when Plumer came into office he found it no hard task to comply with the demands upon the state for sol- diers for the war then upon the country. Lancaster was not slow in 2l8 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. responding to that call, for Capt. John W. Weeks raised a company and was attached to Col. Moody Bedel's regiment, the Eleventh United States Infantry, mainly made up of New Hampshire men. A majority of the one hundred and forty-six men in Captain Weeks's company were Democrats; some of them, after their return to civil life, were among the leading local politicians of that party. Party lines were closely drawn in Lancaster. The excitement and the issues at stake in the war did not change the relative number of votes between the parties. In the election of 1814 the Federal- ists cast ninety-one votes for Oilman, while only twenty-nine were given Plumer. The small vote for the latter is to be accounted for in the absence of so large a number of men in the army who were Democrats, and who, had they been at home would, no doubt, have given Plumer nearly as large a vote as Oilman received. The Fed- eralist party had espoused a bad cause in obstructing certain meas- ures of the war, which was now drawing to a close with a complete vindication of the position taken by the Democrats. The Federalist party had received its death wounds, inflicted by its own hand. Its adherents in Lancaster yielded slowly and with anything but patri- otism and gracefulness. As a condemned party it died hard. Men of prominence continued to vote with it long after its doom was sealed by public sentiment recorded in a vote against it that in- creased every year by a significant majority throughout the country. This general decline of their party had no effect upon Lancaster Federalists ; they adhered to the dying party with a devotion that was anything but commendable. As late as 18 16, when Joseph Sheafe of Portsmouth was the Federalist candidate for governor, he received seventy-two votes to thirty-nine for Plumer, who was elected by a decisive majority. The Federalists sustained a com- plete defeat, as had been foreseen by Oilman, who refused to be any longer his party's candidate for governor. Seeing their party was going to its doom, many Federalists voted for Plumer in 181 7. He received that year fifty-one votes, the same number that Sheafe did. For state senator, the vote was the same. In the following year there were only ninety-one votes cast, of which Plumer received fifty-one, and Jeremiah Mason forty. Plumer was elected by about the same relative majority throughout the state that he received in Lancaster. The pace of Federalist decline had been set, and Lancaster was falling into line for a change to the opposite party. In the election of 18 19 the difference had grown still greater, for Samuel Bell, Democratic candidate for governor, received fifty-seven votes, while William Hale, Federalist, only received thirty-nine. The votes for members of congress show a most remarkable depart- POLITICAL HISTORY. 219 ure from the party vote for governor. No less than fifteen persons were voted for, with the following results : Josiah Butler, forty-nine ; William Plumer, Jr., forty-three; Nathaniel Upham, forty-eight; Clifton Claggett, forty-four; Joseph Buffum, Jr., forty-one ; Arthur Livermore, seventy-six ; Joseph Buffum, five ; William Plumer, one ; Jeremiah Smith, forty-three ; John Haven, forty-two ; Stephen Moody, four; Parker Noyes, forty-one; Levi Jackson, forty-one; Mills Olcott, thirty-six ; Jonathan Wilcox, two. This result of vot- ing was partly due to the irregular manner of bringing congres- sional candidates before town elections, but mainly to the spirit of political independence that characterizes people at the time of party decadences when they are readjusting themselves. The voters were disposed to assert some right to select the men of either party most in favor with them. Besides, the so-called "Era of good feeling " was at hand in which everybody was rejoicing at the re- turn of prosperity and peace. Our country had taken her stand on great international questions, and had won the day. The na- tion was honored abroad and loved at home. The Federalists were heartily ashamed of the part they played in that great drama, and the Democratic-Republican party had covered itself with honor by its management of the war and the manner in which national harmony was produced. A spirit of perfect union and concord was now ushered in. Party spirit ran low at the time. Samuel Bell, Democratic-Republican candidate for governor in 1820, received nearly all the votes of the town, one hundred and twelve, with seven recorded as "scattering." No great excitement took place over the election of president. It was a foregone conclusion that Monroe would be elected. At the November election the highest number of votes cast for electors was twenty-three for Ezra Bartlett. William Plumer received twenty, and the other six, from eight to nineteen votes. There was little to indicate party spirit except that a few Federalist votes were cast for Jeremiah Mason and Jeremiah Smith in the election of 1821. The former got one vote, and the latter six, while Samuel Bell was honored with one hundred and fourteen. Ezekiel Webster also got two votes. Bell had proven himself a good executive ofificer and had won the confidence of the people, and therefore he received the bulk of the votes. Nothing was to be gained by voting him down for another, though any of his rivals that year were his equal in worth and ability as citizens and statesmen. In the following year Bell received ninety-seven votes, and Mason only three. Not more than three fourths of the people voted, for there must have been not less than one hundred and fifty voters in town at the time. In the election of 1823, party spirit again broke out in something of its old-time fervor. Samuel Dinsmore 220 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. was the Democratic-Republican candidate, with young Levi Wood- bury opposing him. Lancaster gave Dinsmore one hundred and nine votes, and thirty-one to Woodbury. John Wilson was elected representative that year on party issues, as Adino N. Brackett had been two years before. The vote for congressman was much divided. Edmund Parker received fifty-five, Richard Odell thirty, and Arthur Livermore thirty-six. There were that year one hun- dred and fifty-four voters in town, only one hundred and twenty-one of whom exercised the right of franchise. This would seem to indi- cate considerable indifference in the matter of party relations. The next year the country was much stirred over the four candidates for president, and New Hampshire, and Lancaster even, partook of that excitement. The four candidates of that campaign Vv'ere Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and William H. Craw- ford. An effort had been made to secure regular party candidates through the Caucus System, but it failed, and the campaign degen- erated into a personal scramble for the office, giving rise to the designation of the campaign as " The scrub race for the presidency." So far as New Hampshire was concerned the issues of the race lay between Adams and Jackson. The real issue was over the so-called construction of the constitution of the United States. The terms "Loose" and "Close Constructionists" were used to determine whether the candidates favored a close or loose construction of the constitution in regard to matters of " Internal Improvements and a Tariff for the Protection of American Industries." These designa- tions so completely ignored the old party names that they became the forerunners of a new name and new party. Adams was elected as a " Loose Constructionist " by the house of representatives, as the popular vote failed to make a choice. Because of the united oppo- sition to Adams's administration of the " Strict Constructionists," the Democratic-Republican party, which by this time was struggling to either swallow or drop its tail and go by the designation of Democrats alone, Adams and Clay, led their factions under the name of " National Republicans," which name a few years later was changed to that of "Whigs." Under both those names the party maintained the Loose Construction principles of the Federalist party. In that memorable campaign Lancaster gave Levi Wood- bury, Jacksonian Democrat, one hundred and twelve votes, and David L. Morril, Loose Constructionist, twenty-five votes only. For electors the Adams candidates all received fifty-four votes, except Moses White who received only forty ballots. Both of the leading parties had lost their distinctive names and had come to accept others not calculated to last long as they simply designated a national policy that would certainly be settled soon. This directed attention to the ability and integrity of the candidates POLITICAL HISTORY. 221 to carry that question of the construction of the constitution to an early issue. In the election of 1825, coming within a week of the inauguration of Adams and Calhoun, the Loose Construction party's candidate, David L. Morril, all but carried the town of Lancaster unanimously, for he received one hundred and twenty-nine votes, with only two against him. In the state he received nearly thirty thousand as against five hundred and sixty-three, set down as " scattering." The elections were conducted with reference to national questions ; there were no state or local political questions in this state or town. Andrew Jackson was growing in popularity, and his name had in it a charm for the old-time Democrats. Adams was losing popu- larity all the time. When Benjamin Pierce was put forward in 1826, as a Jacksoriian Democratic candidate for governor, he proved to be the most popular man before the voters. He received one hundred and twenty-nine votes in Lancaster, and Morril, who had been so popular the year before, only got twenty-four votes. The excitement over the two champions — Adams and Jackson — was so great as to call out the heaviest vote ever cast in Lancaster, one hun- dred and fifty-three. So popular had Pierce become that the next year he received an almost unanimous vote throughout the state. This year John W. Weeks was elected to the state senate as a Jacksonian Democrat, and Richard Eastman was elected as representative. Matters were shaping themselves to involve Lancaster in the hot- test political contest she had ever seen. As politics had turned so largely upon personal leadership, instead of on political questions, the contest that was coming for 1828 was to be a hot one. Jackson's grievances had been preached all over the country so much that the masses began to sympathize with him as a wronged man. His heroism at the battle of New Orleans — his marked personality — appealed to the people strongly ; they were anxious to vindicate him. At the March meeting of that year, John Bell, the Adams can- didate, received one hundred and two votes, while Pierce, the Jacksonian candidate, got eighty-eight. This shows a marked gain of the Jackson party. In the November meeting for choice of presidential electors, the Adams candidates received one hundred and fourteen votes to one hundred for the Jackson men. Jackson was elected president, however, and when another election occurred his influence was visible in the result of the ballot. The Adams candidate, John Bell, only received ninety-five votes for governor, while Pierce carried one hundred and twelve votes. Pierce was badly beaten in the state, but that did not cool the ardor of his party whose hero-leader was in the presidential chair. Of the two 2 22 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. hundred and ten voters in town, two hundred and seven cast their votes at that election There was no indifference to stop any one from voting then, as had often been the case before. Party feeHng and party zeal were rife that were to crystallize into two strong na- tional parties. The next year, 1830, shows another hot contest be- tween the followers of the two great champions. Matthew Harvey was the Jacksonian candidate for governor, with Timothy Upton arrayed against him as an Adams man. There was a decided Dem- ocratic gain, for Harvey got one hundred and twenty-five votes, and Upton only ninety-six. The Adams party were not holding their own in the contests, while the Jackson party were making rapid gains. It was at this election that Jared W. Williams was first elected rep- resentative as a Jacksonian Democrat. That was the beginning of a bright political career for Williams. He entered public life on the high tide of Jacksonian Democracy, and held his place until his death. The campaign of 1831 was a hotly contested one, and one of considerable interest to Lancaster. The candidates for governor were Samuel Dinsmore, Democrat, and Ichabod Bartlett, an Adams man, who still held to the Federalist principles. Bartlett was one of the most famous lawyers in the state, ranking with Daniel Web- ster, Levi Woodbury, and Jeremiah Mason. Party ties were strong and could not be broken for even so gifted a man as Bartlett. His devotion to doctrines held by Adams was against him. His op- ponent received one hundred and forty-four votes, while he only secured seventy-nine. The state and town were too much de- voted to Jackson to swerve an inch for even the best men in the state. The vote for members of congress this year was substan- tially the same as that for governor, with the exception of Maj. John W. Weeks of Lancaster, who received a heavier vote than any other candidate. He was one of the most prominent citizens of the town, and as a matter of compliment some of his neighbors crossed the party lines to vote for him. The following year showed no important change in the situation; the same candidates for gov- ernor were up and received substantially the same vote as the year before. Dinsmore received one hmidred and thirty-eight, and Bart- lett sixty-six. Nineteen less votes were cast than on the previous year, which was of more interest, as members of congress were elected that year, and in 1832 only state and county officers were elected, which did not call out the full vote. The year 1833 was of uncommon interest in the history of poli- tics in this state, as in that campaign the Adams party almost entirely disappeared from the political arena. Incredible as it may seem, the party of John Quincy Adams, the lingering relic of Fed- eralism, received almost no votes that year. The party's candidate POLITICAL HISTORY. 223 for governor, Arthur Livermore, one of the most noted jurists in the state and a man of unimpeachable character, only received three thousand nine hundred and fifty-nine votes in the entire state, while his competitor, Samuel Dinsmore, received twenty-eight thousand two hundred and seventy-seven. Dinsmore carried one hundred and thirty-seven votes in Lancaster, and Francis Ferrin of Lancas- ter, one. The following year the vote for governor was almost unanimous. William Badger received one hundred and eleven out of one hun- dred and thirteen cast in this town. Jared W. Williams was elected to the state senate by a handsome majority, as was Richard Eastman to the house of representatives. The Jacksonian Democracy was now dominant throughout the country. Devotion to Jackson's party was about synonynous with patriotism. Jackson had gotten his opponents under his feet, and his party was following his example everywhere. William Badger of Gilmanton was the Democratic candidate for governor in 1834, and received one hundred and eleven votes in Lancaster, while Ichabod Bartlett could count but two. Badger's vote in the s^ate was twenty-eight thousand five hundred and forty- two, as against one thousand six hundred and thirty-one for Bartlett. These annual contests were often reversed in a measure, and it happened that in 1835 the Whig candidate carried away from his Democratic competitor many votes. Joseph Healey, Whig candi- date for governor, received about fifteen thousand votes in the state, and seventy-one of them were cast for him in Lancaster, as against one hundred and twelve for Badger, the Democrat. Until this time New Hampshire had no party leader who was not the shadow of some politician of national prominence ; but there was coming the time when one of her own sons was destined to become the controlling spirit in her political contests. That person- ality was Isaac Hill of Concord. Isaac Hill had been in Concord as editor of the Amei'ican Patriot since 1809; and now, after more than a quarter of a century of devoted service to politics, he had succeeded in moulding public opinion after the fashion of his own mind. He was a man of decided convictions and tireless ener- gies. He wrote with great force and clearness, carrying to others the sincere convictions that prompted him. Naturally, he had be- come the most influential politician in the state, and was destined to be, henceforth, the controlling spirit of the Democratic party; and so effectually did he dominate it that it was not long before the term "Isaac Hill Democrat" was as current as "Jacksonian Demo- crat" had been. The hero of New Orleans was eclipsed by the editor of the Patriot in New Hampshire. Mr. Hill had been named by President Jackson for a place in the treasury department in 1830, 224 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. but the senate refused to confirm his nomination. Hill's next move was to secure his election to the United States senate, which he easily accomplished. Isaac Hill was master of the political situation in New Hampshire, for he had the most devoted support of such men as Pierce, Hibbard, Atherton, and others of ability and prominence throughout the state. His will was supreme in the councils of his party; and when he planned one of those annual political contests it always went as he directed. Success attended his leadership, and his friends became evermore devoted to him. When he sought election as governor in 1836, he carried everything before him. In Lancaster he received ninety-eight votes, while Joseph Healey, Whig, secured but one vote. More than one half of the voters did not vote that year, for Lancaster had nearly two hundred and thirty polls at the time. The Whigs, as the successors of the Federalists, were quite numerous in Lancaster ; but they lacked leadership to bring them into action against such an organized force as the " Isaac Hill Democrats," with local leaders like Jared W. Williams and Maj. John W. Weeks, and still others younger and more ardent than these. It is worthy of note, though not of any political or party signifi- cance, that at this election a vote was called for the expediency of erecting an asylum for the insane. The vote was seventy in favor of the measure, with only eight against it in this town. Pretty nearly the same unanimity was expressed by the towns of the state, and the asylum was erected at Concord. There was no political or organized effort made against this object. The votes cast against it were simply such as are always cast against any public expendi- tures by people too ignorant or selfish to appreciate, or discrimi- nate in regard to such measures. The election of 1837 was even more perfectly dominated by the Hill party than that of the preceding year. The old governor received every vote cast for that ofifice, unless the town clerk was remiss in his duty of making proper record, for not a vote was recorded as cast for the Whig candidate. Isaac Hill received ninety-nine votes. Jared W. Williams was elected to congress with no votes cast for his rival ; but strange as it may seem, Adino N. Brackett, a Whig of pronounced opinions, was elected to the legis- lature. This must be accounted for on the ground of his superior fitness for that office which he had filled a number of terms to the entire satisfaction of all persons regardless of party. A time had now come when Lancaster was to become the scene of hot party contest. The Whigs had been without local or state leaders of any magnetism or ability to cope with so formidable a rival as Isaac Hill and his cohorts. The Whig party was without a POLITICAL HISTORY. 225 press to advocate their doctrines. They now began to organize and establish newspapers for their dissemination. In Lancaster a com- pany of the most prominent Whigs was formed for the publication of a newspaper, the White Monntain y^gis, published under the firm name of A. Perkins & Co. The paper was edited by Apollos Perkins, and the composition and press work were performed by himself and another young man by the name of J. F. C. Hayes, a veteran of the Civil War, and a resident at Groveton, where he died April 30, 1898. For a full ac- count of this paper the reader is referred to Chapter 11, Part II, of this history. This paper was very ably edited. Its first issue was on Tuesday, May 22, 1838, in which the editor presented an address to his patrons, in which he set forth his aims to conduct a thoroughly sound Whig newspaper, holding ever to the principles of Washington and his compatriots. The editorials were very able, and its influence in arousing the lethargic Whigs in Lancaster and other towns in Coos county can be seen in the first election held after the launching of this new enterprise. The March meeting had been carried by the Isaac Hill party, for the old leader was still in his prime, and not a follower of his had ever weakened under the per- suasions of the opposition. Lancaster gave Hill one hundred and thirty-two votes, and the Whig candidate carried off one hundred and seventeen. This was pretty nearly the full vote of the town. Richard Eastman, Demo- crat, for representative received one hundred and seventy votes, Adino N. Brackett, Whig, carried to his party one hundred and nineteen votes, leaving three to be recorded as " scattering." The influence of the ^Sgis was to be seen in the election of 1839. It had aroused its party, and had succeeded in stirring the opposition into a fury. The old men of the Hill party led in council, but its young men led in the open assaults upon the enemy in the cam- paign. It was at this time that John S. Wells and Harry Hibbard threw themselves into the front ranks of the Democratic party and made themselves names as party champions of no small degree. Wells was a young lawyer of marked ability, and Hibbard was a law student of remarkable versatility and volubility of speech. Wells was the Hill party's candidate for representative against Royal Joyslin, a Whig and man of considerable influence in the community, one of the leading merchants of the town since 1825. Wells received the full party vote, and defeated Joyslin. Hibbard had been very active in the campaign, and the grim humor and sarcasm of the leading men of that time suggested to them that perhaps he had been a little too forward for one of his years, and one man promptly nominated him for hogreeve. The idea was no sooner expressed than it was accomplished. Mr. Hibbard found 16 226 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. himself an officer of the town to the merriment of his poHtical rivals. This was intended as a rebuke to him ; but he promptly announced his intention of faithfully filling the office even to the extent of " taking up the biggest hog in town the first time he met him on the streets," meaning thereby the man who made the motion upon which he had been elected to an office that carried with it some degree of stigma, especially to one who aspired to something higher. Higher honors, however, were awaiting young Hibbard. At the ensuing session of the legislature he was made assistant clerk of the house, a position he filled with much ease and dignity. In after years he became a prominent leader in his party, and a lawyer of great repute. He was later member of congress, and candidate for United States senator. In the presidential contest of 1840 political excitement ran high in Lancaster. The national contest lay between Harrison and Van Buren, men of marked ability as candidates. The campaign in Lan- caster, as elsewhere, was known as the " hard cider campaign." Lancaster was much agitated over the contest. Enos Stevens, Whig candidate for governor, received ninety-nine votes, and John Page, Democrat, one hundred and forty-two. John S. Wells was again elected representative by one hundred and twenty-eight votes. Democratic electors received one hundred and sixty-four votes, while the Whigs carried as high as one hundred and thirty-six. This shows a marked growth of Whig sentiment in two years since they began to stir themselves for a better party organization. Much of this gain must be credited to the White Mountain y^gis, which was now reaching nearly every family in town, and its influence must have been considerable as it tore the veil of political hypocrisy off the leading questions of the day. So powerful had this new paper become that the leaders of the Democratic party saw the im- portance of establishing a rival paper, which they did by issuing the first number of the Cods Democrat on Tuesday, September 11, 1838. The enterprise was promoted and backed by such leaders of the party as Maj. John W. Weeks, Jared W. Williams, and John S. Wells. The office of the paper was in the Wells building, now the store of E. R. Kent and the banking-rooms of the Lancaster Savings Bank and the Lancaster Trust Company on Main street. The edi- tor of the new paper was James M. Rix, a young man of excellent ability and a devoted Democrat. He had associated with him in the enterprise as a partner J. R. Whittemore, w^ho was styled propri- etor and publisher. The editors of these rival papers, both young men of talent, were not disposed to handle each other's sayings with much tenderness or considerateness. Their editorials were often more forcible than polite, but they served to deepen party spirit and keep alive the flames of partisan strife. POLITICAL HISTORY. 22/ Party lines were beginning to break along a new line of cleavage hitherto unknown in American politics. The Abolitionists were making demands upon the political parties of the country, and as they were slow to recognize and favor their demands a new party was being called into the arena of political discussion and destined to make its demands known at the polls. In the campaign of 1841, the Abolitionist party, the Free Soil party, first appeared. The Democratic party carried the state by a large majority. It received over twenty-nine thousand votes, while Enos Stevens, the Whig can- didate, received twenty-one thousand, and Daniel Hoit, the Free Soil candidate, received nearly three thousand votes in the state. In the Lancaster vote the results were : John Page, Democrat, received the usual majority. William Holkins, Free Soil candidate for governor, received five votes. John S. Wells and Royal JoysHn were the candidates for representative. Wells received one hundred and twenty-five votes to Joyslin's one hundred and fifteen. So well was this election conducted that it shows every voter as voting. The Whigs were making a gain even in New Hampshire, dom- inated as it was by the influence 6f Jackson and Isaac Hill. In Lancaster they were reducing the Democratic majorities every year. In the election of 1842, with three candidates for governor, Hub- bard, Democrat, only received ninety-four votes. Anthony Colby, Whig, received eighty-one, and John H. White, Independent Dem- ocrat, sixty-two. The records show no Abolitionist vote. John S. Wells was again elected to the legislature with a much-reduced majority. This quadrangular form of contest had tended to deepen the interest of all parties in the issues of the near future. It was evident that with two Democratic parties and an Abolition party in the field advantage must be to the Whigs. This gave them fresh hopes of carrying the town and state at no distant day. The next year there were four candidates for governor : Henry Hubbard, Democrat; Anthony Colby, Whig; John H. White, Independent Democrat; and Daniel Hoit, Free Soil. Hubbard led with ninety-four votes ; Colby followed next with eighty-one ; White was third on the list with sixty-two ; and Hoit had but four this year. There could be no choice made for representative, and the town was not represented at the June session of the legislature of that year. The split in the Democratic ranks had left them no stronger than the Whigs. The campaign of 1844, with Henry Clay as the Whig candidate for president, stimulated the Whigs to renewed energy and effort to win the contest. With them it was a foregone conclusion that Clay would be elected, and the hope inspired the Whigs of Lancaster to put forth their best efforts to ride into power on the high tide of popular interest in the party's presidential candidate. There were the four candidates for governor 22 8 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. as on two previous years. John H. White, a resident of Lancaster, was the standard-bearer of the Independent Democrats ; Anthony Colby, the Whig representative; John H. Steele, Democrat; and Daniel Hoit, Free Soiler. In the state Steele received a small majority, while White received nearly two thousand votes. The Whigs polled fifteen thousand, and the Free Soilers nearly six thou- sand votes. In the town meeting there was great excitement. The scale had turned. The Whigs were coming to the front. So easily were they carrying the day that they brought forth for representa- tive William D. Weeks, a young man only twenty-six years of age, who received one hundred and twenty-five votes as a Whig. Amos LeGro, Democrat, received but ninety-six, John H. Spaulding had ten votes, and John Aspenwall, five. Col. Ephraim Cross of Lan- caster received one hundred and twenty-four votes for state senator, as against one hundred and thirty-five for all other candidates. He was a well-known Democrat, but being a citizen of Lancaster and a man much esteemed by all his neighbors he received many compli- mentary votes from other parties and factions. In the November election of that year the Democrats again car- ried the town for their electors for president, receiving as many as one hundred and sixty votes. The Whig candidates received one hundred and thirteen, and the Free Soil party eighteen votes. This turn of the vote from that of the March meeting was a great sur- prise and disappointment to the Whigs. At that election two state measures were voted upon. The ques- tion of calling a constitutional convention for the revision of the constitution of the state was one, and it was negatived by nearly the entire number of votes cast. The other question was upon abolish- ing capital punishment. This was likewise voted against by two hundred and two votes to ninety in favor of its abolishment. Lancaster has always held human life in sacred esteem, and at no time has public sentiment been in favor of dealing lightly with him who would ruthlessly destroy the life of his neighbor ; nor is this sentiment tempered with cruelty. The citizens of the town have always been noted for their humanity. They are bold and fear- less in criticism of one another, but they never have been fighters among themselves. Their political and other contests have often been bitter, but no man ever lifted his hand against his neighbor in mortal combat. The annual election of 1845 presents no severe contest. There were three parties in the field with their candidates for governor. The Democrats presented Governor Steele again. He received one hundred and fifty-three votes. Anthony Colby, the Whig candi- date, received ninety-one, and Daniel Hoit, Free Soiler, twenty-four. The Free Soil party had made a gain of six in a year. The Abo- POLITICAL HISTORY. 229 lition sentiment was destined to grow in Lancaster, though it had arrayed against it two strong competitors. At that election Harvey Adams, a Democrat, was elected representative, and Col. Ephraim Cross was reelected to the state senate. The following year politics grew more interesting for Lancaster people. It had become apparent that the Democratic party was liable to a defeat in 1846. Some anxiety was felt by its leaders in town as to who could carry the state against the growing Whig party. Jared W. Williams put the question to Maj. John W. Weeks, whom the party had better bring forward as a candidate for gov- ernor at the election of that year? The Major replied, "Be governor yourself." That was the first intimation of such a possi- bility for Williams. Thinking the matter over seriously, however, he threw himself into the field and secured the party's endorsement of himself as candidate for governor. Excitement in Lancaster ran high over the candidacy of Williams. He carried a heavy vote in his own town, receiving one hundred and ninety-eight. Colby, the Whig candidate, who was elected by the legislature, received only sixty-nine votes. The Free Soil candidate, Nathaniel S. Berry, secured twenty-eight votes, an increase of four over the previous year. Harvey Adams was again elected representative by the usual vote. Mr. Williams was not elected ; but the next year, not discouraged by his defeat, he tried the question over, and this time secured a majority. He received only one hundred and eighty-five votes this year, which was twelve less than the previous year. Colby and N. S. Berry ran again as candidates of the Whig and Free Soil parties. Their combined votes did not exceed one hundred and twenty. It was at this election that James M. Rix, for nine years the able and successful editor of the Cods Democrat, entered the political arena as a candidate. He was chosen representative by a good majority. Mr. Rix was an able and a bold local leader, and did much to mold opinion in this section of the state. He was honest, impetuous, and often irritable in speech and action, a merciless critic of his political opponents. He was a patriotic citizen, and his party had unbounded confidence in him. He was reelected to the legislature the following year. At this election of 1848, Gov- ernor Williams was reelected by a slender majority over Nathaniel S. Berry, Free Soil candidate. Williams received 32,245 votes in the state, and Berry, 28,829. There were 468 set down as " scat- tering." The Whigs had no candidate that year, which left the contest between the Democrats and Free Soilers. Lancaster gave Williams one hundred and ninety-two votes, and Berry one hundred and six. In Lancaster, as throughout the state, the majority of the Whigs voted with the Free Soil party when they had no candidate 230 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. of their own. This was, no doubt, an ominous sign to the Demo- crats, who could not but see in it a fate awaiting them. Again, in in 1849, there were three candidates for governor. The Democrats brought forward Samuel Dinsmore, Jr., who received 30,107 votes against 18,764 for Levi Chamberlain, Whig, and 7,045 for Berry, Free Soil candidate. In Lancaster, Dinsmore received one hundred and eighty-two votes ; Chamberlain, eighty-four, and Berry, twenty- eight. The vote had fallen back to the old party limits of several years before. At this election, Benjamin F. Whidden was elected to the legislature as a Democrat. Mr. Whidden later left the party and united with the Republican party, as many other Democrats did. Mr. Whidden was reelected the next year. He was again chosen representative in 1867. He held other offices; he was solicitor for Coos county, judge of probate, and held an appointment under the national government as first minister to the republic of Hayti. Politics had become very much disturbed about 1850. The Abo- litionists, arising as a party in 1844, were not a strong party in Lancaster ; but they were persistent. There was here a station of their " underground railroad " for helping runaway negroes into Canada. The original members of the party were from the old Whig party, and there was a hope that the entire Whig party would espouse their cause, which hope was later realized. The Demo- cratic party had already split in two, the come-outers styling them- selves " Independent Democrats," and John H. White, a Lancaster man, had been their candidate for governor in 1842 and 1844. The candidates for governor in 1850 were Samuel Dinsmore, Jr., Democrat, Levi Chamberlain, Whig, and Nathaniel S. Berry, Free Soil. Dinsmore received the usual heavy vote of the party, one hun- dred and ninety-one. The Whigs cast ninety-six votes for Chamber- lain, and Berry only got twenty-three. The vote had stood stubbornly at about these figures for some years, showing a firm determination on the part of the voters to hold their ground against any change that might be lurking in the near future, so full of threatening possi- bilities. This year there was a special election called in October to choose delegates to a constitutional convention at Concord, on the sixth of November. John H. White, a Democrat of independent proclivi- ties, was sent as delegate from Lancaster. His choice was one agreeable to all parties, as he was not an extreme party man. The next year was one of uncommon political activity and inter- est, and 1 85 I went down on the page of New Hampshire's history as its most remarkable campaign. The Democratic convention nominated that year the Rev. John Atwood, of New Boston, for governor. No sooner was he in the field than he was interviewed and written to on the slavery question. He soon became entangled POLITICAL HISTORY. 23 1 in the position he took on the question, and drew down upon him- self a vast amount of hostile criticism, even from his own party, as his sympathies carried him in the direction of the Free Soil party's position, Mr. Rix, editor of the Cods Democrat, was pronounced in his opposition to him. Others discussed the question of a min- ister entering the political field, and very many silly things were said that marked his critics as being either ignorant or hypocritical. The feeling was so bitter against Mr. Atwood that the party reconvened the convention and dropped Mr. Atwood from the ticket, substitut- ing for him Samuel Dinsmore, Jr., who had twice been elected. Resolutions were passed severely condemning Mr. Atwood. Hav- ing been soundly berated by the Democrats as being a Free Soiler, Mr. Atwood was taken up by that party on the eve of the election, and made its candidate for governor. The hostility of the Coos Democrat to him, evidently based upon the supposition that he was in sympathy with the Abolitionist people, but veiled under the popular feeling, based wholly on ignorance, that a minister has no political rights, led many Democrats and Whigs to his support. The excitement ran high in Lancaster; so that when the election came, Mr. Atwood received one hundred and twenty-five votes. Samuel Dinsmore, Democrat, received only eighty-nine. Thomas E. Sawyer, Whig, received eighty-two, and Joel Eastman, not a reg- ular candidate, one. The vote of Lancaster was similar to that of the state at large, Atwood received 12,049 votes; Dinsmore, 27,- 425; Sawyer, 18,458. The Whig vote had fallen seventy-four be- low that of 1850 in the state; the Democrats had lost 3,326, and the Free Soil party had gained 5,577 in the state, Lancaster was thus in line with the state in the reversion of its votes. No candidate that year could command a majority for the legis- lature, and the town was not represented at the June session, James M, Rix was his party's candidate for the state senate that year, and was not elected by the popular vote and Joseph Pitman of Bartlett was chosen by the legislature. His own town gave him only a plural- ity of one. His vote was one hundred and three, while Isaac Abbott of Littleton received only one less than Rix, and Pitman eighty-nine. Lyman Blandin received fifteen votes, Rix had overdone his as- sault on Atwood, and had turned many of his friends from his sup- port. The people had said by their votes that the minister, no more than the lawyer, physician, merchant, or farmer, should be ruled out of public service, Rix's defeat was simply a party bolt among Democrats, The election of the following year shows different results, Mr, Atwood was again the Free Soil party's candidate for governor, and received but one hundred and three votes. Sawyer, Whig, received the same number that Atwood did; and Thomas E, Martin, Demo- 232 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. crat, one hundred and four. There was one vote each for Joel East- man and Lewis Cass, who were not regular candidates. At this election Mr. Rix again came forward as his party's candidate for the state senate, and was this time successful by a small majority. George A. Cossitt was chosen representative. The election of 1853 is an important one as marking the turning of some of the old leaders to the Free Soil party. Among that class was John H. White, who this year was the Free Soil can- didate for governor. He received only thirty-four votes in his own town, but a fair vote in the state. Governor Martin was again a candidate, and received one hundred and forty votes. James Bell, Whig, received one hundred and twelve. James M. Rix was again elected to the senate, and this year was president of that body. The Kansas-Nebraska trouble was now at its height, and in Lan- caster there was much sympathy felt for the Free Soil party. A contribution of clothing and other things had been collected here and forwarded to the sufferers in that struggle against the en- croachments of the slave power. Staunch Whigs- took a lively inter- est in the matter. The state was drifting away from her Democratic moorings. In Lancaster the excitement was deepening every year. Nathaniel B. Baker, Democrat, received one hundred and one votes for governor; James Bell, Whig, got one hundred and six ; Jared Per- kins, Free Soiler, one hundred and twenty-eight. On the other candidates the vote was divided more evenly, due wholly to local causes. It was this year that Jacob Benton entered the political arena as a Whig candidate for the legislature. He was elected, receiving one hundred and forty votes. John W. Lovejoy and William Burns, the latter a Democrat, received something over fifty votes each for the same ofifice. Lancaster was much affected by the changes that were now going on throughout the country. The Know Nothing party, a secret po- litical clan, was organized here. It had a hall, where it held its secret sessions, in a carriage-shop standing where the stable of the Van Dyke residence now is. The building was later moved to the corner of High and Summer streets, and is now owned by Wheelock H. Little. Here a little band met in the upper story to do, nobody knows just what. The rancor of the movement was directed, however, against foreign born citizens holding office. The organization contributed somewhat to intensify the excitement and feeling then prevailing, and continued two years. There is quite an exaggerated tradition still afloat of how Editor Rix got an observer, said to have been William H. Smith, to unite with the society and get its secrets for him to make a grand exposure of the party ; but when sifted, it turns out to be of no importance what- ever. The new party did, however, rally together 32,769 votes for POLITICAL HISTORY. 233 Ralph Metcalf in 1855, by which he was elected governor. He re- ceived two hundred and sixty votes in Lancaster, the largest vote ever, up to that date, given any candidate for that office. Governor Baker, Democrat, only received ninety-four; Asa Fowler, Free Soil, five ; James Bell, Whig, fifteen. Jacob Benton and Edmund Brown, Know Nothing candidates for representatives, received the same vote that Metcalf did. This was the first year that Lancaster was entitled to two representatives in the legislature. Benton had dominated the Whig party the year before, and now had carried it over to the new party of Know Nothings, called at this time the American party, and Edmund Brown was a Free Soil leader. The spring election of 1856 was one of great excitement, and marks the beginning of a change destined to deepen the feel- ings of jealousy between the factions now coming together to form a new party against the Democrats. This was the last election in which the Whig party appeared under that name, as was also the case with the new American party and the Free Soil party. Daniel A. Bowe had started the Coos Republican as an anti-Nebaska or- gan in Lancaster, a newspaper destined to wield a large influence in the town in the years to come. The Republican party was be- ing organized throughout the country in January of that year, though old party names were still recognized in the March meeting in Lan- caster. The new party was not named in the town records until the November election of that year. On January 30, 1856, a convention was held at the town hall to organize for action against the Democratic party. This convention was for the whole of Coos county. Among the Lancaster men who took an active part in its deliberations and actions were : E. F. East- man, B. F. Whidden, Jacob Benton, John H. White, William R. Stockwell, Edmund Brown, John M. Whipple, Daniel A. Bowe, and A. L. Robinson. These were appointed a committee for the town of Lancaster, to organize the party. Other committees were ap- pointed for other towns in the county. Seth Savage was chairman of this convention ; William R. Joyslin, secretary. The secretaries of the permanent organization were B. B. Ockington and O. M. Twitchell. Some eight resolutions were passed against slavery and its extension, the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, sectionalism, armed invasion of Missouri and Kansas, the national administration, endorsing the action of New Hampshire's representatives in congress relative to the election of speaker, and other measures. The first Republican town caucus was held Jan. 26, 1856, John H. White, chairman ; Henry O. Kent, secretary. Delegates to Connty Convention. — B. F. Whidden, S. W. Cooper, Charles Plaisted, and Seth Savage. 234 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Delegates to State Convention. — J. Benton, S. W. Cooper, W. R. Stockwell, J. M. Whipple, and D. A. Bowe. At the March election Ichabod Goodwin, Whig, received for gov- ernor but four votes ; John S. Wells, Democrat, one hundred and three votes; Governor Metcalf, American or Republican, two hun- dred and sixty-one votes. The only Democrat that received any favor at the hands of Lancaster was William Burns, one of the best citizens of the town. He was elected state senator by a good ma- jority in the 12th District, and was reelected the following year. At the November election the fight was between the new Repub- lican party and the Democrats, destined to be the two parties of im- portance in the country for many a year to come. The Republican electors each received three hundred and one votes, while the Buchanan or Democratic electors, only received one hundred and thirty-six each. The tide had now turned. The Whigs and Free Soilers had united forces against the old Democratic party. There was not perfect harmony between these two wings of the new party. Still some lingering relics of the old strifes of the past lurked in them. Among the Independent Democrats, or Free Soilers, were such men as John H. White, Edwin F. Eastman, Edmund Brown, Samuel H. LeGro, George A. Cossitt, and others. Jacob Benton, as we have said, was the dominant leader of the Whig contingent of the new party. His associates were Royal Joyslin, William D. Spauld- ing, Richard P. Kent, Horace Whitcomb, Turner Stephenson, and other younger men. The leading Democrats were James M. Rix, George C. Williams, James W. Weeks, William Burns, William Heywood, A. J. Marshall, and J. A. Smith, with a considerable fol- lowing of younger men. The Republican party, as the champion of the anti-slavery senti- ment, now rapidly growing more popular and powerful every day, gathered to its support many young men of activity in Lancaster. They formed a semi-military company known by the name of " Wide Awakes," under Henry O. Kent as captain who had served as assistant clerk of the lower house of the legislature in 1855-56, and who later was chief clerk of the house in i857-'59, and Ossian Ray as lieutenant. This band did much to arouse interest in the new party. Their opponents tried to ridicule them into oblivion by casting reproaches upon their youthful ages ; but their tin horns were blown even more lustily; they sang patriotic songs, and marched in uniforms and with flying banners to no little advantage to their party. On December 20, 1856, a Republican club was organized in Lan- caster, with Benjamin F. Whidden, president. The vice-presidents were Jacob Benton, Edmund Brown, Albro L. Robinson, Charles POLITICAL HISTORY. 235 Plaisted, and Thomas S. Hodgdon. Henry O. Kent, corresponding secretary ; William A. White, recording secretary. Executive com- mittee : Oliver Nutter, David B. Allison, Samuel F. Spaulding, Robert Sawyer, James S. Brackett, and Chapin C. Brooks. This club was an active body in the local campaigns, and did much to develop the phenomenal strength of the new party. The March meeting of 1857 saw the two parties. Democrat and Republican, squarely arrayed against each other in their first local contest. The candidates for governor that election were John S. Wells, one of the most prominent Democrats in the state, and Wil- liam Haile, Republican, a manufacturer new to politics. Haile re- ceived two hundred and eighty-one votes, and Wells one hundred and thirty-seven. Haile was elected. He was again his party's candidate in 1858, and elected again. He received in Lancaster two hundred and ninety-eight votes, while Asa P. Gate, Democrat, only received one hundred and sixteen. The new party gained the balance of power in town, and for some years held an even vote on almost all important offices. In the contest of 1859, the Republican vote numbered two hundred and ninety-four for governor; the Democrats secured one hundred and twenty-eight for Mr. Gate. George G. Williams, recently a Democrat, was sent to the legisla- ture as colleague of Seth Savage, Republican. From 1 86 1 to 1872 division and conflict existed within the domi- nant party, entailing important consequences. In the latter year a large and influential section, acting at first as independent, or "lib- eral " Republicans, with others of like mind, perfected a state organ- ization, and in November sustained a joint electoral ticket, with the Democrats for Greeley and Brown, running a complete state and congressional ticket at the March election of 1873, and formally uniting with the Democracy on a common platform and ticket in March, 1874. As the movement involved state and national politics, it is con- sidered here no farther than to refer to local candidates and results. In 1 86 1 was one of the hottest contests in the March meeting ever seen in town. Moody P. Marshall and Henry O. Kent were the Republican nominees for representatives, but a third Republican candidate was run. After two full days balloting there was no choice, and the town was unrepresented in the legislature. The candidates for governor were Nathaniel S. Berry, the old Free Soil leader, Republican, who received two hundred and ninety- five votes, and Gen. George Stark, descendant of the Revolutionary hero. Democrat, who received one hundred and thirty-nine votes. In 1862 the contest was intensified by discussion of the issues of the great Givil War then in progress. Governor Berry was again, the candidate with two hundred and eighty-six votes to one hundred 236 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. and nine for General Stark. Paul J. Wheeler of Newport, who ran as a " War Democrat," received twenty-five votes. The Republican nominees for representatives were again Messrs. Marshall and Kent, and they were elected, there being but thirty-two Republican votes in opposition. The campaign of 1863 saw three state tickets, headed respectively by Joseph A. Gilmore (superintendent Concord railroad), Repub- lican, ex-Judge Ira A. Eastman, late of the supreme bench, Demo- crat, and Walter Harriman (afterward colonel, and brigadier-general of volunteers), "War Democrat." Gilmore had two hundred and ninety-eight votes, Eastman, one hundred and twenty-five, Harri- man, two. Moody P. Marshall and Samuel H. LeGro, Republicans, were chosen representatives by the usual party majority. In 1864 Governor Gilmore was again the Republican candidate with three hundred and four votes, and Edward W. Harrington of Manchester, Democrat, with one hundred and tw^enty-three votes. Samuel H. LeGro and Dr. James D. Folsom, Republicans, were elected representatives by the usual majorities. In 1865 Frederick Smyth and Edward W. Harrington, both of Manchester, were respectively the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial nominees, each polling the regulation party strength. Ossian Ray and Edward Spaulding were the Republican nomi- nees for the legislature, but William F. Smith, also a Republican, w^as run, and William F. Smith and Edward Spaulding were elected. In 1866 Governor Smyth was the Republican nominee, with three hundred and six votes, and John G. Sinclair, the Democratic nom- inee, with one hundred and thirty-three votes. After two days' balloting for representatives the town voted not to send. In 1867 there was a bitter contest for governor throughout the state between Walter Harriman and John G. Sinclair. In Lancas- ter Harriman had three hundred and twenty-three votes, and Sin- clair, one hundred and forty-two votes. Benjamin F. Whidden and Charles Plaisted, Republicans, were elected to the legislature. Jacob Benton was the nominee of the Republicans for congress, and Ossian Ray for the state senate. In 1868 Harriman received three hundred and sixteen votes for governor, and John G. Sinclair, two hundred and two votes. A successful effort was made by the Republicans to unite the party on representatives, and Henry O. Kent and Ossian Ray were nominated. Both were voted for on one and the same ballot, in- geniousl}^ arranged like this POLITICAL HISTORY. 237 HENRY O. KENT. ■AVH NVISSO SO that by turning the ballot from right to left, or left to right, would bring the name of the particular friend of any Republican voter on top. The candidates received the full party vote and were elected. At the presidential election in November the Grant electors re- ceived three hundred and fifty votes, and the Democratic electors, one hundred and fifty. In 1869, Onslow Stearns, Republican, superintendent of the Northern railroad, received three hundred and twenty-nine votes, and Gen. John Bedell of Bath, one hundred and fifty-three votes. Henry O. Kent and Ossian Ray were again representatives as before. Dr. John W. Barney of Lancaster, Democrat, was state sen- ator, and Josiah H. Benton, Jr., of Lancaster, assistant clerk of the house. The town had great weight and influence in the legislatures of 1868 and 1869. The former year. Colonel Kent was chairman of the committee on railroads, and Mr. Ray, chairman of the commit- tee on elections. In 1869 Mr. Ray was chairman of the judiciary committee, and Colonel Kent chairman of the finance committee. These four committees largely shape legislation. Important schemes for railway development were pending, and as the outcome of the work of the sessions, the Concord & Montreal railroad was extended north from Littleton in 1869, reaching Lancaster in Octo- ber, 1870, and the Grand Trunk a year later. A new court-house at Lancaster was secured by vote of the delegation, and important changes in the statutes were considered and determined, em- bracing the application of the election laws to contested cases. In 1870 the Temperance party and the Labor Reform party were organized in the state. The Labor Reform people held meetings Feb. 28, 1870, addressed by John G. Crawford, who came to Lan- caster from Michigan in 1869, and who now resides in Manchester, and March 2 by Mr. Hayward of Worcester, Mass. Lancaster politics were unsettled and there were four candidates for governor; Governor Stearns had two hundred and thirty-five votes, John Bedel one hundred and twenty-seven votes, Samuel Flint of Lyme, Labor Reform, seventy-two votes, and Lorenzo Bar- rows, Prohibitionist, fifty-three votes. There was no choice of representative this year by reason of existing causes and this quadrangular gubernatorial contest. 238 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. The campaign of 1871 was a critical one in the state, and Lancas- ter was affected by the peculiar features of the contest. Rev. James Pike of Newmarket, a Methodist clergyman and former presiding elder, late colonel i6th N. H. V., and member of congress, was the Republican gubernatorial nominee with two hun- dred and fifty-seven votes, James A. Weston, ex-mayor of Man- chester, Democrat, one hundred and ninety-six votes, while Lemuel P. Cooper of Croydon, Labor Reform, and Albert G. Corning, Pro- hibitionist, had between them and a Mr. Walker, not a regular nominee, twenty-one votes. No candidate had a majority of the popular vote and the election going to the legislature, Weston was elected, the first Democrat to be governor since Nathaniel B. Baker in 1854. A union betvv^een Democrats and a portion of the Republicans elected James LeGro, a former Republican, and Benjamin F. Hunk- ing. Democrat, representatives, and so close was the house of rep- resentatives, that this delegation held the balance of power, electing William H. Gove, of Weare, speaker, and aiding to so fill the sena- torial vacancies in convention, as to make James A. Weston gov- ernor. In 1872 Governor Weston received two hundred and thirty-nine votes for governor, and Ezekiel A. Straw, of Manchester, the Repub- lican nominee, two hundred and ninety-nine votes, while thirty votes were divided between Lemuel P. Cooper, Labor Reform, and John Blackmer, Temperance candidates. John W. Spaulding and Seneca B. Congdon, Republicans, were elected representatives. The " Liberal Republican " party was this year organized in state and nation, the national convention being holden at Cincinnati, where Horace Greeley, the great editor, and ex-Gov. B. Gratz Brown, of Missouri, were selected as candidates for president and vice-president. Henry O. Kent was a delegate at large to this convention, mem- ber of the national committee, and chairman of the state committee, acting with Hon. John G. Sinclair, chairman of the Democratic state committee, in the management of the joint campaign, after the na- tional Democracy had endorsed the Cincinnati candidates, and a joint state electoral ticket had been nominated in separate state con- ventions of the Democratic and Liberal Republican parties. Grant and Colfax was the Republican national ticket nominated in the national convention at Philadelphia to which Ossian Ray was a delegate at large. Mr. Greeley was the guest of Henry O. Kent at Lancaster, August 12, 1872, and then addressed a great concourse from the porch of the Lancaster House. A mass meeting was organized in the IIOKACK (;i »'-5o; Yarn 78 5 .-. c.. „^; f^b7«"!..:''si.eT;;f:?o?'Gei:; rc.;'r.^.'»"" '^-'^ ''■''-' ton Co.h So'°Ss™vd' Chim;,^f-,i """ ' "i "'■ "^ ' ladies Shoes „ ; Co.- Na.s ,e ..I c.s"^,b.f BH^iTpSt f^o";::- z^^- j v'i,.Tr..*.v,=d""*' *' ^'- • m2'Z^^.T- '''''' '°' f """]'"=^ °' y"^^' ""'" b^'te'- ^^ids, and hro ,r. ^ "^'" °' P™duction in manufactured commodities be observed" that'hl """^" j--"- '" "- -ho'-ale markets. It vi i De oDserved that home products were quite cheap, while all articles zi 7eikrz::''i:i\ ^"^ '^' '" p^^^- '° ^^ -counted fot; rn^h freight rates. It took a team twelve to fifteen davs to m!,Z oiDetter roads the same trip could be made in ten davs Fven he": teThis wa ""' *' ' ,'""' '° ^"^'P P-^'-'^ '° Port nd^^'d the rate this way was no less. After manv years prices ran down .830 t^oTdforT °'/" .=''"°^"°'-' '°- "' the wheat crop'; .a^e;^:iV:;^i!'r,'l3--;™idere^ de-d'in'eTr^^caVer."^^^"^ '° *^ '-' ""' ^»--'-- ^ °- Pri™rhon'Z'°/l^°' ' """ ""''' °'^'=''" ''°'"-d ^'"d washing, in privaehou.es, at $1.50 per week. At tliat time R. P Kent and ^^Et °s? e"t ITI^' °"' ''%r' •'"'"'•"g' "- Sampsoi;"store in urance The h^* ' ^'f , ^''"^ ^'"''^ ='''°"' ^■° '^•^«. ^-nd no System of h \ '.5"' °' "'" ""^'-'^ha-'^ was done chiefly on a system of barter and credit. "Notes of hand due bills Lh orders," from a creditor upon his debtors, were a common in the Very mtl nZT''" '""'"=^ '" "^-'° ^^ ^ank checks are t^^day very nttJe money was in use in trade. ^ ' 332 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. The near approach and final coming through Lancaster of the railroads worked a greater change in trade than anything else in the history of the town. Now the conditions of commercial life are the same here as elsewhere. The merchant of Lancaster to-day, like those of all other communities, attends to his business and awaits the coming of the traveling representatives of the manufacturers and wholesale dealers with their samples to select his stock of goods, or uses the mails to give his orders, which are filled with dispatch. The prices of some farm products have declined since the rail- roads have brought the Lancaster farmer into competition with the West, while other products like hay, eggs, butter, potatoes, have increased, the mountain houses making an excellent market for the farm products of the town and region. SOME OLD HOUSES. With an abundance of the finest timber that ever grew, and the early erection of sawmills, the most prosperous settlers of the town were soon tempted to build frame houses. In 1783, within nineteen years of the coming of the first families to town, there were eight frame houses. The log cabins have been so long given up for commodi- ous frame structures that the town has in it to-day many very old houses in a good state of preservation. The first frame building erected in town was what is now the L to the house on the old Stockwell farm as elsewhere stated. Just at what date it was built is not exactly known, but the tradition is well accepted that it is the o\dcsty?-ame structure standing in Lancaster. T/ie old Wilde?- House, now better known as the " Holton House," was the first two-story house in town. Maj. Jonas Wilder was a man of considerable wealth, and a large family. He began this work on the noted "Dark Day," May 19, 1780, which has fixed the exact date of this old landmark. The darkness was so great that workmen, who were engaged in excavating for the cellar, were compelled to stop. Filled with terror, as they must have been, they possibly thought the end of time was upon them. But as kindly nature resumed the even order of things, work went on ; and on July 26, 1780, the frame was raised. Just how soon the house was completed we do not know. All the work was done by hand. The boards were planed by hand tools; the nails wrought upon the blacksmith's anvil. Such nails were costly at that time. In 1767 they cost, at wholesale, 70 cents per 100. In 1801 they were sold for 16 2-3 cents per pound. For many years Major Wilder's house was used as an inn, and also as a place of holding religious meet- ings before the town built a meeting-house. The Ev€7-ett House. — In 1793 Richard Everett came to Lancaster to settle in the practice of law. He had already been here, but Emmons Stockwell House. Ell, 1768; Front about 1780. Brackett Homestead. Ell in 1794. Blacksmith Shop. Foot Sand Hill. (Stage wagon found mounted on roof.) HoLTON House, 1780 Edward Spaulding Farm on Stebbins Hif.l. One of the First Clearings in Town. Sugar Party at E. S. P'reeman's. MATERIAL GROWTH OF THE TOWN. 333 had gone to college and aftenvard studied law. Having been engaged to one of Major Wilder's daughters he determined to make Lancaster his home. He was married in 1793; and, as near as can be learned, built his house where is now the corner of Main and High streets the following year, where he lived until his death March 22, 181 5. On his return from the term of court held at Haverhill in 1803, at which time it was made known that there would be held in 1805 the first term in the new county of Coos, at Lancaster, Mr. Everett set about the task of enlarging this house to accommodate the three judges who were to hold that court. He built an addition, which comprises the two north rooms. Tradition makes these rooms' the lodging-place of many notable judges and lawyers, among whom were Daniel Webster, Levi Woodbury, Ichabod Bartlett, and Josiah Bell. The Rosebrook House. — The old square, flat-roofed house on North Main street, owned by John S. Ingerson, was probably the second, and not later than third, two-story frame house built in town. It was built by Charles Rosebrook; but at just what date cannot now be learned with any degree of certainty. Among the other very old houses are the Joyslin house on Middle street, where Dr. Frank Spooner lived ; the Baker house, on Elm street; the ell of the Brackett house, on the South Lancaster road ; the Weeks house, on Mt. Prospect farm ; the Hunnex house on North Main street. All these are very old ; and beside them there are many others nearly as old. Richard P. Kenfs Statistics, and Directories of Lancaster . — The late Richard P. Kent, who was a very methodical man in all matters, has left us in his diaries, and personal memoranda, several very complete directories of the business concerns of the town from 1825, when he came to Lancaster, down to nearly the time of his death. From these we are able to show the condition of business enterprises at various intervals, from which the reader may easily draw comparisons between the Lancaster of from sixty to twenty years ago and to-day. We give these statistics and directories in his own language, as copied from his diaries. STATISTICS AND DIRECTORY OF THE VILLAGE IN 1828. Lancaster Academy organized. Taverns. — Wilson's, at north end of Main street, stage tavern, Francis Wilson, proprietor ; Wilder's tavern (Holton House); Coos Hotel, Ephraim Cross, proprietor; American House. Stores. — Guy & William Cargill, at North End, R. P. Kent & Co., at South End. Post-office. — Kept by S. A. Pearson, in his law ofhce (in the old building known as the Fletcher house, on Main street). 334 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Mills. — Two grist-mills, Wesson Mill and Stockwell Mill; two sawmills adjoining the grist-mills, as above. Clothing Works. — John S. Haines had a cloth-mill at the lower dam, and A. Going, one on Canal street (where N. H. Richard- son's shop stands). Tannery. — Burnside's (on Elm street, where the creamery now stands). Furniture Factory. — Francis Bingham (on Elm street, west of where the Burnside House now stands). Tailor. — George W. Perkins. Blacksmiths. — Harvey Adams, Warren Porter. Dwelling Houses. — The Going house, standing at foot of Baker Hill. Later was moved by Stephen Hadley to the corner of Main and North Main streets, and occupied by Stephen Wilson. It is now known as the " Lindsey house." The Rosebrook and Hunnex houses on North Main street. Pearson's house, in which his law of^ce and the post-ofifice were kept. The Boardman house, on Main street, just across the Boston & Maine Railroad, and now occupied by Ethan Crawford. This house was built by Benjamin Boardman, who kept a store at one time in the northeast corner room. The Deacon Farrar house, now the priest's house at the Catholic church (1859). The Everett house, better known as the " Cross house " (on the corner of Main and High streets). A one-story house on Main street (opposite Lancaster House), burnt in 1840. (Turner Stephenson's.) Dr. Stickney's house. Reuben Stephenson's house, on corner of Main and Middle streets (now next east of Cross house on High street.) The mill house, belonging to the Stockwell Mills, on Middle street, near where William Clough's dwelling-house stands, and occupied by David Greenleaf, the miller. The old mill house, corner of Middle and Main streets, near where the Lancaster National Bank building stands. The old "Wesson House" (on Middle street). Maine Central tracks run through site of cellar. STATISTICS AND DIRECTORY OF THE VILLAGE FOR 1856. POPULATION OF THE VILLAGE ABOUT 7OO. Public Buildings. — Court-house of brick ; jail an old and poor building; county building for offices, on Middle street, where Frank Smith & Co.'s store now is; academy; three churches, — Congrega- tional, Unitarian, Methodist; two schoolhouses, Nos. i and 12. 1^\'i-;rett JrloMKSTEAD (Col. Cross Place), 1844: j;lilt 1794. Everett Homestead (Mr.s. 1'. F. Ciiasi, ). 1899. MATERIAL GROWTH OF THE TOWN. 335 Wheehvrights. — A. J. Marshall, large shop, with steam power, employs from fifteen to twenty men in the manufacture of wagons, buggies, sleighs, carts, bedsteads, furniture. Keeps shop for iron- ing, painting, and trimming carriages and sleighs. Harvey Adams has a large shop wath water-power (where the Monnahan blacksmith shop stands just above lower bridge) for the manufacture of carriages and sleighs. Employs about half as many men as Marshall. Saddlers and Harnessmakers. — Allen Smith and Horace Whit- comb. Watchmaker and Jeiveler. — C. B. Allen, new shop and large stock of goods (where Syndicate block now is.) Shoemakers. — Orange Smith, Vernon Smith, Heber Blanchard, Alfred Greenleaf, Willard Jackson. Foundry. — Owned and carried on by S. & W. M. Rines. Man- ufactures plows, cultivators, stoves, and mill-gearing. House Carpenters. — N. B. Wilson, Zebulon Black, William Row- ell, Lyman Rowell, William S. Clark, William C. Fiske, Henry Wil- liams, Rufus Hodgson, William Boswell, Chester Stebbins, David Young, Edward Melcher. Tailors. — Robert Sawyer, T. S. Underwood, cutter and foreman in employment of D. A. Burnside. Bricklayers and Masons. — Jacob Hamlin and Charles Baker. Gtins7niths. — Thomas Morse and Daniel T. Johnson. Dagiierrean Artist. — F. White. Patent Horse-rake Factory. — By Fenner M. Rhodes. Blacksmiths. — Warren Porter, S. R. & Geo. Willey, O. W. Bemis, and shops in connection with the wheelwright manufacturies. Gravestone Makers. — H. J. Rounds & Co. Printing Offices. — Bowe & Allison, publish the Coos Refublican^ a weekly paper. J. I. Williams publishes the Cods Democrat. Stores. — (Dry goods, groceries, and hardware.) R. P. Kent, Moore & Wentworth, R. L. Adams & Co., D. A. Burnside, In- crease Robinson, and Royal Joyslin. Book and Drug store. — Dr. John W. Barney. Milliners. — Mary Smith and E. A. Everett. Town Agent for the sale of Liquors. — Robert Sawyer. Groceries. — Frank Smith and Abel H. Wesson. (These were rather restaurants than groceries as is understood by the term to- day. — Ed.) Taverns. — The American House, kept by Frederick Fiske ; the Coos Hotel, kept by D. G. Smith. Lawyers. — Jacob Benton, Ossian Ray, William Heywood, S. W. Cooper, Turner Stephenson, J. W. Williams, G. C. Williams, J. I. Williams, George A. Cossitt, Hiram A. Fletcher. 336 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Physicians. — Jacob E. Stickney, John W. Barney, J. D. Folsom, Freedom Dinsmore, Benjamin Hunking, and E. Lyman. Clergymen. — George M. Rice, Unitarian; Prescott Fay, Congre- gationalist; James Adams, Methodist. Bank. — The White Mountain Bank, capital $50,000; G. C. Wil- hams, cashier; J. B. Sumner, president. Grist-mill. — Owned by John Dewey, newly fitted up, and one of the best in the state. Sawmills. — One owned by S. & W. M. Rines, with upright saw; one by O. E. Freeman, with circular saw, in the building formerly occupied for cloth-dressing and carding (at the south end of the dam). Tow7i Hall. — Occupying the second story of the building used by Royal Joyslin for his store (being the old meeting-house). Odd Fellows' and, later, Masonic Hall. — In the attic over town hall. '■'■Know Nothing s Hall.'''' — A hall in the Burnside store, fur- nished for the Know Nothings, but now used for a variety of pur- poses. Kent''s Hall. — A small hall in the chamber of my store ; has been used by Sons of Temperance, Masons, brass band, singing- schools, and other things. STATISTICS OF LANCASTER, 1875. Churches. — Congregational, Charles E. Harrington, pastor; Methodist Episcopal, James Noyes, pastor; Baptist, no minister; Unitarian, no minister; Catholic, Isadore H. Noiseaux, priest; Episcopal, J. B. Goodrich, rector. Physicians. — Mark R. Woodbury, Frank Bugbee, Ezra Mitchell, Nath. H. Scott, allopathists ; Dan Lee Jones, homeopathist. Lawyers. — Burns & Heywood (Wm. Burns, Henry Heywood), Ray, Drew & Heywood (Ossian Ray, Irving W. Drew, and Wm. Heywood), Fletcher & Fletcher (Hiram A. Fletcher, Everett Fletcher), Daniel C. Pinkham, John G. Crawford, Jacob Benton, Benjamin F. Whidden, George A. Cossitt (not in practice), William S. Ladd (now a judge, and out of practice). Stores. — Richard P. Kent & Son (Richard P. Kent, Edward R. Kent), general variety store ; James A. Smith, general variety store ; Porter Brothers (Henry H. Porter, Horace R. Porter), general variety store; Rowell & Rhodes (James M. Rowell, Wm. H. Rhodes), general variety store; Orrin Tubbs & Son (Orrin Tubbs, George Tubbs), general variety store; Kent & Griswold (Nelson Kent, Charles L. Griswold), dry goods; Samuel G. Evans, general variety store ; Cleaveland & Powers (Chas. A. Cleaveland, Jonas Powers), groceries and crockery; Richard W. Bailey, groceries ; ^MATERIAL GROWTH OF THE TOWN. 337 Walter S. Bailey, oyster saloon ; Albion G. Evans, groceries ; Emmon S. Smith, nuts, fruits, and oysters; William Shannon, gro- ceries; David S. Smith, groceries; Charles A, Nutter, fruits, nuts, and oysters; Frank Smith & Co. (Frank Smith, A. M. Bullard), grain and flour; Erastus V. Cobleigh & Co. (Erastus V. Cobleigh, Richard P. Kent), stoves and castings, tinware, house furnishings, and tin shop; Mrs. Rhodes, millinery goods; Mrs. N. Sparks, mil- linery; Parker J. Noyes, drugs, medicines, books, and stationery ; Vernon E. Smith & Co. (Vernon E. Smith, D. C. Pinkham), boots and shoes ; Nathaniel G. Stickney, boots and shoes ; Thomas S. Underwood, merchant taillor; Edward Savage, drugs, medicines, books, and stationery. Insiirance. — Henry O. Kent, agent, Coos Mutual, and many stock companies. Coos County Savings Bank. — Henry O. Kent, treasurer. Jewelers. — Clrarles E. Allen, George A. Martin. Furniture. — N. H. Richardson. Hotels. — Lancaster House, B. H. Corning, proprietor; American House, Francis Richardson, proprietor; Dew Drop Inn, Bernice Stuart, proprietor. House Painters. — Dooley & Blair (Fred Dooley, George W. Blair), Edward Stuart. Landscape Painter. — Edward Hill. Carriage Factory. — A. J. Marshall, manufacturer of carriages, sleighs, furniture, painting, and blacksmithing. Iron Foundry. — Ellis & Olcott (Thos. S. Ellis, Barzillai T. Olcott). Machine Shops. — A. Thompson & Co. (Alexander Thompson, Charles. Bellows, Kimball B. Fletcher, Frank Twitchell). Harness Shops. — Horace Whitcomb & Co. (Horace Whitcomb, R. Baxter Whitcomb) ; Charles Howe, Enoch L. Colby & Son (Enoch L. Colby, Charles F. Colby). Sash, Blinds, and Boors. — Smith & Burns (Frank B. Smithy Charles E. Burns). Marble Shop. — Johnson C. Hunter. Bagucrrean Artist. — Erdix T. Wilson. Blacksmiths. — Riley Hosmer, Mathew Monahan, Jas. McCarten. Bricklayers and Plasterers. — Henry C. Forbush, Jacob Hamlin. Soap Boiler. — William Bonett. Shoemakers. — Shepard Knight, Josiah Payne. House Carpenters. — Peter N. Shores, William L. Rowell, David Young, Joseph C. Reed, Joseph L. Nutter, Edward Melcher, Hollis Jordan, Ephraim Smith, Charles Smith, J. A. Stebbins, David Goodall, Alonzo Stillings, Benjamin F. Leonard, George S. Wolcott, John H. Smith, Frank B. Smith. 22 338 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Ncws^a^ers. — Coos Republican, owned by an association; Tndepetident Gazette, Geo. H. Emerson, editor and proprietor. Tannery. — A. J. Congdon, not in operation at present. Lancaster Manufacturing Co. — Henry O. Kent, treasurer; John S. Koster, manufacturing agent ; manufactures straw and manila wrapping paper. Milk Dealers. — John H. Hopkinson, John W. Savage. jFile Cutters. — Moody & Cave (George Moody, George E. Cave). We give below a directory of the business enterprises of the town to-day. This shows the natural growth of more than a century and a quarter, of the enterprise of the town. Many business establish- ments have existed under conditions that have passed away, giving place to those born of the inevitable changes that are characteristic of the life of every community, and the country at large. DIRECTORY OF LANCASTER, 1 896. Merchants. — R. P. Kent & Son. Edward R. Kent, surviving partner; Blood & Marshall; Bailey Brothers; Kent & Roberts. Groceries. — J. L. Bass; Howe Brothers; Clough & Sawyer; R, P. Kent & Son ; Frank Smith & Co. ; W. E. Ingerson & Co. ; Nourse Brothers. Hardware. — L. F. Moore ; Frank Smith & Co. ; Kier & McCaf- fery. Drug Stores. — P. J. Noyes Manufacturing Co. ; Fred C. Colby; G. W. Carpenter. Candy and Friiit Stores. — F. S. Linscott; S. N. Evans; J. R. Flanders. Boot and Shoe Stores. — E. E. Smith & Co.; I. W. Quimby; Geo. V. Moulton. Shoetnakers. — Vernon Smith, T. Cunningham. Ilarnessmaker. — Charles Howe. 'Jezvelers. — W. I. Hatch ; Whitcomb Brothers. Milliners. — Mrs. S. G. Evans; Cook & Stoughton ; Ella M. Twombley. Furniture Stores. — Richardson & Porter; Cummings & Co. Variety and Toy Stores. — C. E. Kimball; Fred C. Colby. Barbers. — Charles Thompson; John Mclntire ; Fred Laforce. Bakers. — Lancaster Bakery; Mrs. Alex. Thompson. Meat Markets. — Clough & Sawyer; Frank Smith & Co.; J. L. Bass; Chas. A. Hill. Banks. — Lancaster Savings Bank ; Lancaster National Bank ; Lancaster Trust Company ; Siwooganock Savings Bank. Tailors and Clothiers. — T. S. Underwood & Son ; Lane Cloth- ing Company; W. C. Sherburne; C. Dietrich. MATERIAL GROWTH OF THE TOWN. 339 Livery Stables. — Murphy Brothers; J. E. McGraw ; G. M. Stickney; C. H. Gotham; Lancaster House Livery. Laundries. — Lancaster Steam Laundry; Leon Wah, Chinese Laundry. Bicycles.— \i. N. Beach; W. L. Rowell.Jr. ; A. F. Rowell ; R. P. Kent & Son. Lllectric Light Plant. — Lancaster Electric Light Company. Telephone and Telegraph. — New England Telegraph and Tele- phone Company ; Western Union Telegraph Company. Laivyers. — L W. Drew; C. B. Jordan; W. P. Buckley (firm of Drew, Jordan & Buckley) ; Fletcher Ladd ; Everett Fletcher (firm of Ladd & Fletcher) ; W. H. Shurtleff ; Edmund Sullivan (firm of Shurtleff & Sullivan); Crawford D. Henning; Merrill Shurtleff; Jared L Williams; Henry O. Kent. -Auctioneers. — John T. Amey ; George M. Stevens. Physicians.— Ezx2iM\tc\\Q\\\ W. H. Leith; E. F. Stockwell ; H. B. Carpenter; D. L. Jones; Frank Spooner. Ministers. — G. H. Tilton, Congregationalist ; R. L. Danforth, Methodist; Joseph Fames, Episcopal; M.J. B. Creamer, Catholic; A. N. Somers, Unitarian. Civil Engineers and Surveyors. — J. L Williams; H. T. Osborne. Blacksmiths. — J. M. Millette; James McCarten ; Hosmer & Ryan. Mills and Sazumills. — Frank Smith & Co., grist-mill and sawmill ; James O. Stevens, grist-mill; Ethan A. Crawford, grist-mill; J. M. Whipple, sawmill. Factories. — Thompson Manufacturing Company; Richardson & Porter, furniture manufactory; Frank Smith & Co., doors, sash, and blinds; P. J. Noyes Manufacturing Co., medicines; Hosmer & Ryan, steel sleds ; Harry Jones, belt hooks ; Isreals River Creamery, manufacturers of butter. Marble and Granite Works. — A. G. Wilson & Co., marble works ; Diamond Granite Works, V. V. Whitney, proprietor. Insurance Agents. — Geo. M. Stevens & Son ; Nourse & Kent. Printing Offices and Newspapers. — The Coos County Demo- crat, ]. D. Bridge, editor and proprietor: The Lancaster Gazette, Amos F. Rowell, editor and proprietor. Hotels. — The Lancaster House, L. B. Whipp, proprietor; the Williams House, J. M. Hopkins, proprietor. Boarding TIo2ises. — The Village Boarding House, Mrs. J, H, Heaney, proprietor; the Stewart House, Mrs. Call, proprietor; Green's Cottage, Frank Green, proprietor. Painters. — A. B. Meacham, sign, ornamental, and carriage painter; Fred Dooley, carriage and house painter; F. E. Congdon, 340 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. house painter and paper hanger; E. R. Stewart, house painter and paper hanger ; George Gould, house painter and paper hanger. Cari'iage Makers. — George S. Norris ; S. W. Van Ness; Frank Peabody. Contractors and Builders. — John H. Smith ; Simons & Connor ; E. W. Wyman. Bricklayers and Plasterers. — H. C. Forbush, Robert Dexter; Charles Couture ; Barney McGinley. Stone Masons. — W. C. Putnam; Peter Small; John and David Parks. Wool Carding:— ^. W. Hartford. Dressmakers. — Mrs. Bishop; Mrs. A. D. Warren; Miss Mc- KilHps. Photographers. — D. E. Rowell ; A.J. Rosebrook. Art Teachers. — Mrs. I. W. Ouimby, teacher of oil and water color painting; Miss Belle Whipple, teacher of art embroidery. Dray7nen. — Thomas Sullivan; Charles L. Sedgell ; C. H. Inger- son ; W.C.Sherwood; George Cummings. Hackmen. — Thomas Howard ; Michael Conroy; Patrick Hurley. CHAPTER IV. THE DOMESTIC LIFE OF LANCASTER IN EARLY TIMES. By Hon. James W. Weeks. Few persons who have not actually passed through it, can have any idea of the changes which have taken place in the domestic life of the town within the last sixty years. The town of Lancaster has never been behind other towns and cities in New England in the matter of adopting new ideas whether they be for good or for ill. In some of the old and westerly towns of Massachusetts the old, colonial type of domestic life prevailed not fifty years ago, while the newer ideas had taken strong hold here in Lancaster. The domestic life in Lancaster remained almost without change for the first seventy years of its settlement. There were the same industries ; the large families, nearly independent of the outside w^orld ; the abundance of all the necessaries of life ; the absence of foreign business ; the same absence and almost igno- rance of wealth. The town was a sort of little republic, almost independent, and with all the elements of prosperity within its own limits. The tanner tanned the hides and sent finished leather to Boston ; the hatter sheared the lambs and made the hats for the people, and sent felts (shapes for hats) to market; the clothier carded the wool and dressed the cloth woven by the women in their THE DOMESTIC LIFE OF LANCASTER. 34I homes ; the blacksmith not only shod the horses and oxen, but made all manner of things composed of wrought iron except scythes and shovels ; the shoemaker had a place in every family sometime during the year when he made the shoes. Every farmer had a flock of sheep, and he also raised flax. Both the wool and flax were worked up in the homes of the people by hand methods. A. N. Brackett, Esq., said, in an address before the Agricultural society in 1822, that "At least two thirds of all the cloth used in Lancaster was of home manufacture." Large a,mounts of both woolen and linen cloths were exchanged at the stores for such goods as could not be manufactured in the homes of the people.* If the pioneers of Lancaster clung to their log cabins after the building of sawmills it was only for a brief period, for they had the choicest of timber in great abundance. f Not only in Lancaster, but throughout the Connecticut River valley, the house was but one story, but of ample proportions on the ground plan. At least one fourth was occupied by the kitchen, out of which opened a buttery and stairway. Overhead the beams were bare, from which hung numerous hooks. Upon these rested three or four poles, called clothes-poles, and all manner of things found a place upon them. Usually the kitchen was a large room of perhaps fifteen by twenty- four feet, with a door opening directly out into the weather. There was an immense fireplace of seven or eight feet wide and three feet deep. To this fireplace a hardwood log was brought, sometimes drawn on a hand sled. This log was between three and four feet long, and often twenty inches in diameter. The coals of the previ- ous day's backlog, as it was called, were drawn forward, and this new backlog rolled into place against the brick or stone back of the fireplace. A long-handled shovel and a pair of tongs were called into use by the operation of replenishing the fire in this man- ner. On the backlog another log, as large as would lay there, was placed. This one was called the back-stick. The fire dogs were then set up against these, and another large stick called the fore- stick laid upon them, and the brands and coals were filled in along with small wood when the fire was fixed. From that burning mass a glow of heat reached every corner of the room. A crane suffi- ciently strong to hold a five-pail kettle full of water was hung to the left jamb. On this was a trammel, with hooks which could be taken up or let down as occasion demanded, and also another hook on which pots and kettles were hung in cooking. A capacious brick oven was built on one side of the fireplace. This oven was * I liave before me the ledger of Gen. John Wilson, who kept a store at the north end of Main street for the years 1799 and 1800, in which I find inany credits to his customers who ran accounts for " flax, and woolen yarns, linen and woolen cloths." — Ed. t The selectmen took a census of the town in 1783, and report eight frame houses and five barns and other buildings. Three of those buildings remain standing to-day. — Ed. 342 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. heated once a week when the family baking was done. These com- prised the outfit for heating and baking and cooking in the old-time kitchen. There were a dozen strong-framed kitchen chairs, with seats woven of elm bark or of basket stuff of some kind ; a long, move- able, pine table, capable of seating ten or a dozen persons, while turned down against the wall was a smaller table, supported by a brace when in use, upon which the bread was kneaded. The fam- ily, without distinction, except the small children who had bread and milk morning and night, took their meals at the long table in the kitchen. At the midday meal (dinner), all the children who were large enough to sit at the table ate their meals with their parents. A word about the cooking utensils : There was the large " dinner pot," in which pieces of beef or pork, with the berry or suet pudding, was boiled. The bean or pea porridge was made in this same pot. There was a broad, flat-bottomed kettle in use for frying doughnuts and baking pancakes, and in which potatoes were also boiled. Then there w^as another one known as the dish kettle. Next in importance was the gridiron ; and long-handled frying-pan in which to fry meats or griddle cakes. The " Dutch oven" held its place for a long time, but was finally superseded by the tin baker. This oven was a broad, flat-bottomed kettle, with long legs and an iron lid or cover with a rim turned up about an inch and a half high around it. This lid had a ring in the middle by which it was handled with tongs. In using this oven a bed of coals was drawn forward and the oven set in them. The bread or biscuit were placed in the oven, the lid was placed in position, and then a few shovels- ful of burning coals were placed on top of it. It baked in a man- ner not surpassed by any modern ovens. Potatoes were roasted, not baked, in the ashes, and the "Christmas goose" was roasted by suspending it before the fire on the kitchen hearth, being often basted from the dripping-pan by means of a long-handled spoon. In the old kitchens, when not in use for work-rooms, or for din- ing purposes, the boys would gather in the evening to play their tricks and pranks, many of which often " tended wonderfully " to develop their youthful muscles. If the games were not conducted on scientific principles they surely were not effeminate. Occasion- ally some boy more studious than the majority were, would throw himself upon his face and study his lessons in his school work, or read some book in which he was interested, by the light of blazing pine knots on the hearth. Those knots and pitchy pieces of wood were called " lightwood." That sort of light was far superior to the tallow candle of later times, or even the oil lamp that succeeded the tallow candle and preceded the use of kerosene oil. THE DOMESTIC LIFE OF LANCASTER. 343 Adjoining the kitchen was the sanctum of the mistress of the house into which the noisy boys were seldom allowed to enter ; this was the nursery where generally slumbered an infant in an old-fashioned cradle. There would be found also the younger children. If the family did not have a girl of ten or twelve years of age to look after the infants, one was secured from some neighbor who had a surplus of such help. There in her sanctum the mistress of the house did her work, which consisted in making and mending clothes, often making over old garments until they "were just as good as new." Here she was preceptress of her own children, teaching them by conversational methods accompanied by a disci- pline that was as firm as it was tender. This room contained a fire- place, not so large as that of the kitchen, but ample for the comfort of the inmates. There was also a bed, turned up against the wall, a lot of strong wooden chairs disposed about the room, with a table in the centre upon which laid the sewing and other handiwork of the matrons of those days. There stood a lightstand upon which laid the family Bible and a few other books. The elder daughters of the family, when not engaged elsewhere, were to be found here with their mother assisting her with the work of the family. There the clock, that imposing device for measuring the flight of time, was to be found, and often was its face scanned by the tireless matron who had to plan her labors so as to bring out many occu- pations on schedule time. In the more pretentious houses there was another apartment similar to this room called the "square room," without carpet. But there came a time when carpets of home manufacture began to appear, accompanied by some elegant furniture. There was generally a small bedroom with a spare bed, out of the way of the noise of the kitchen, with a fireplace in it. This room was used only on rare occasions for company, or in case of sickness. The children of the family occupied the second floor as their sleeping apartment. The beds, except of the very poorest people, were of feathers. There were no mattresses those days. Beds were either feathers or straw. Every farmer, and nearly everybody was a farmer, even the minister, doctor, merchant, and mechanics, all cultivated some land, and therefore had their flocks of geese. Two or three times in a season the geese were picked ; the fine feathers w^ent for making beds, and the quills were saved up and brought a good price for making pens. Metallic pens had not then appeared, and whoever could write had to use the quill pen. There was then both a jackknife and a " penknife." Every writer had to learn the art of making and repairing pens with his small- bladed knife. These " goose-picking times " were times of excite- ment, and the boys were all on hand to catch the birds. The girls 344 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. would don their oldest clothes and tie a handkerchief over their heads to protect their hair from the flying feathers and down. An old stocking was run over the heads of the geese to prevent from biting, and the work of taking all the available feathers pro- ceeded. Every family made its own butter, cheese, soap, and candles. The dipping of candles took place in the fall after the " butchering" season when the tallow was rendered, and candle-dipping was a day hardly less to be remembered than the picking of the geese. In the process of candle-making the little children took great delight. With glee they watched the dipping of the dozen or more wicks hung upon rods into the molten tallow in a great kettle, and sus- pended from slats placed upon the backs of chairs, to cool from repeated dippings until they were of the required size. Candles were later run in tin molds when but few were required. Candle wicking was an important article of trade at the stores. Sometimes in case of necessity tow was substituted for the cotton wick, but with poor results. The making of sausages was another notable day's work, looked forward to with interest. All hands were busily engaged cutting the meat with knives. The manufacture of soap was a notable event of the year, and took place in the early spring. The scraps of fatty meats, waste grease, bones, and the like were saved up from the winter's stock of meats and boiled out for " soap grease." Then, too, the accumulation of ashes from the winter fires was large. Leaches were set up and the lye run off. The great kettles were filled with lye and condensed by boiling, after which the requisite amount of grease was added for soft or hard soap, as they wished. This was an important industry in every home, and called for a considerable degree of skill to always get good soap. Every family, especially every farmer, killed and packed his own meat for the season. A fatted cow or ox along with several hogs were slaughtered. A portion was hung up to freeze, while the larger part was salted down for the later season of the year. Pork was summer meat. Very little fresh meat was eaten in summer except game and fish. In the warmer season when a calf, lamb, or sheep was killed, portions of the carcass were distributed . among the neighbors to be paid in the same kind and quantity a few days or weeks later when they should slaughter an animal. A well-stocked poultry yard was an important source of food sup- ply. The forests and streams were full of game and fish, and much of it was taken; but there were no "sportsmen" to destroy it as in later times, when game and fish were wantonly exterminated for the mere pleasure of killing with improved devices of destruction. In the fall an ample supply of all the then-known vegetables filled THE DOMESTIC LIFE OF LANCASTER. 345 the cellars of the Lancaster farmers of early years. Apples of good quality were abundant for winter use; and eight or ten barrels of cider were not considered an over-stock for the winter drinks of family and visitors. All the women drank cider, and most of the men took something stronger without feeling that they were violat- ing any law, human or divine. Even the minister, when he called, was asked to "take a little Jamaica" which he never thought of refusing. (The ledger of J. Wilson shows that good Parson Willard even bought his own brandy by gallons and quarts. — Ed.) The ladies at quiltings and other social times would take a little toddy ; and it was a common practice to give it to the babies, to relieve them of their peculiar ills. Among the articles of household furnishings essential to the com- fort of our great-grandparents was the warming-pan. This was a brass or copper pan, twelve or fifteen inches in diameter and quite shallow with a cover perforated. It had a wooden handle three or four feet long. It was filled with glowing coals from the kitchen fire and when slid around between the sheets, gave them a thorough warming so that they were entirely comfortable to get into. The people aimed to use flannel blankets in cold weather, but often such were not available, when they had to resort to linen which though they might have been bleached until white as snow still possessed all the chill of the snow. Linen, being a good non-conductor of heat, made a pleasant garment for the hot season of the year, but a very cold one for winter use. Cotton either as clothing or sheeting was then unknown. Ludicrous mistakes were sometimes made in using the warming-pan. Not in Lancaster, but very near it, lived an old gentleman of note who w^as grievously afflicted with rheuma- tism. Being a captain and a sort of privileged character, he could swear most vehemently, possessing anything but a sweet temper. His devoted wife was not remarkable for shrewdness or wit, but was a most excellent nurse. She was told that the fumes of burning sugar dropped upon the warming-pan were a good remedy for rheu- matism. She dropped it on the lid of the pan one evening and warmed the bed. The sugar melted and spread out like wax. She turned to the old gentleman and said, "Jump right in. Captain, it is piping hot now." The captain crawled in, but he jumped out much quicker than he got into bed. The storm that raged for a time in that house is difficult to describe, and we leave it to the reader's imagination to depict the scene. It is said, however, that the captain got better of his rheumatism. When families were large, the chambers were usually roughly divided into rooms. We have been speaking of Lancaster as it was prior to 1825. There were a few houses of more than one story, some of which were " air castles " (the fronts roughly finished and 346 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. the family living in one corner). Most houses, however, were well finished and commodious. There were always some exceptions. There have always been rough people in Lancaster, who lived roughly; but in the main people lived as comfortably here as in other communities of like age and opportunities. We have hinted at the industries of the time in speaking of the manufactures of wool and flax. One would think that the girls and women of "ye olden time" had little leisure, for they not only spun the wool and flax and wove the cloth, but helped with milking, and always took the entire care of the milk, making butter and cheese. With all those tasks it does not appear that there existed that awful pressure, both physical and mental, that has been depleting our country of its native-born population. Our ancestors had few books, but they read what they had with a degree of thoroughness that is uncommon among the reading masses of to-day. The boys read history and biography, perhaps because they could not get literature like the New Yo7'k Ledger^ stories of adventure in the Wild West, and the like of which boys read to-day. The girls read "The Children of the Abbey" and "Scottish Chiefs," and the like. Girls had what they called " stints," as the spinning of a certain number of skeins of yarn, or the weaving of a certain number of yards of cloth in a day. Any smart girl could finish her "stint" in a half day. It did not cost more to spin, weave, and make up a "pressed cloth" dress then than it does now to trim and make a worsted dress. All underclothing was of home manufacture. In boy's clothing there was a great economy secured in its character ; the wool or flax when worked into cloth was of unbroken fiber, hence the strength of the fabric was equal to that of leather. Specimens of fancy needle work that have come down to us from our grandmothers, together with the letters they wrote, reveal a cul- tivated taste that equals that of to-day ; and in every respect they were the equals of those who grace any place in life. They fully adorned their station. The boys, when occasion required it, worked with their fathers and at the same kinds of work. There were no idle boys ; and the boy who could not shoot well at long range or catch trout, was in poor repute among either boys or men. One of the fixtures of the house in those times was the long gun hung on hooks in the kitchen with the powderhorn and bullet pouch hanging under it. It kept its place for a long time after there was any use for it. It was a formidable instrument of destruc- tion. The barrel was about four feet long, and it carried nearly an ounce ball which crushed or paralyzed whatever it struck. If this style of gun was charged with double B shot for ducks or geese it swept a space a yard and a half wide at a distance that would THE DOMESTIC LIFE OF LANCASTER. 347 astonish a sportsman of to-day. Such a gun in the hands of Buck- nam, Blake, or Stanley was good for a moose at one hundred and fifty yards ; and at a much later period there were those who were sure of a deer at the same distance. Those old hunters usually charged their gun with two bullets or a double charge of shot, with the requisite amount of powder, and when they discharged it a tre- mendous report rang through the neighborhood. With respect to the amusements of boys, we have said the old kitchen was practically given up to them in the evening. There they played their games and tricks, and practised jokes on one an- other. One of their tricks was to place a pin in the rail (batton) of the kitchen door about ten inches from the floor. Then a boy laid down on his face and stomach, his feet near the pin, and tried to throw himself, first onto his head, then rise upon his hands and walk backward upon his hands and try to take the pin out of the door with his teeth. Some boys could perform the feat, but many of them would utterly fail. Another trick was making a circle with chalk about six feet from the floor and a foot in diameter on the wall. A boy would go back to the other end of the room, take a candle in his hand, fill a plate with water, take it by the rim with his teeth, walk the length of the room without spilling any of the water, and touch the center of the circle with the plate. On one occasion a number of quiet and sober boys were gathered in Captain Stephenson's kitchen trying this last-named trick. In the company was one of the neighborhood " old fellows " who had an exceedingly sharp-tongued, sour wife (this was before the days of saloons and he had to consort with the boys in the kitchen). So he sought social excitement among the boys. His presence was not welcome. So the boys got him to try their trick as a means of driving him out. They were using a pewter plate, and had brought a wad of tow as inflamable as powder, and folded it over the rim of the plate under pretext of avoiding marking the plate with their teeth. They fitted him out and sent him toward the circle. As he took the plate in his teeth portions of the tow were arranged so as to fall down upon his breast. With the candle in his hand, the plate filled to the rim with water, his eyes upon the circle, he took up his line of march, and proceeded bravely as he had a good set of teeth. It seemed to have become necessary to hold the candle very close in order to see that he did not spill any of the water. When he got about half way across the room, by some apparent accident the candle flame touched the tow and set it on fire. It flashed as quick as lightning. All hands fell to and assisted in putting out the fire which was not accomplished until his face, hands, hair, whiskers, and eyebrows were badly scorched. Man was made upright but " boys have sought out many inventions." 348 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Ill regard to the dress of those days I ma}' say, that the com- mon dress of the women was simple and durable, almost entirely manufactured by their own hands. Flannels formed the larger por- tion of their dress goods, and were colored to suit the taste of the wearer. Their dresses were made in a manner that no woman of to-day need be ashamed to wear. Silks were more common than to-day, but they were worn only on rare or state occasions. A • sort of calico, called chintz, served for an afternoon dress. The bon- nets or hats assumed all the variety of shapes of the present day. The choicest of furs were in general use by the women of that time. Our grandmothers did not consider themselves properly dressed for cold weather, without the sable muff that would let the arm into it up to the elbows, and protect the whole upper portion of the body when held up before their faces. Mrs. Major Weeks's muff and cape probably contained as many as eighty prime sable skins. These skins were often dressed and made up by those who wore them. The feet of both women and children were protected by good, strong calf-skin shoes, or boots made by the local shoemaker. A pair of thin morocco slippers were held in high esteem when our mothers wished to show off their feet to ad- vantage. In winter all wore good, heavy knit socks outside their shoes. There were those who thought the wearing of ornaments of any kind a deadly sin. They usually wore very dark clothing, some- times drab. Their bonnets were pasteboard frames covered with cambric of the desired color, drawn tight over it by means of strings sewed to the covering. When finished they were in the shape of a flour scoop. That class did not attend church at the old meeting- house. The clothing of the men was called " sheep's gra}%" that is, a mix- ture of white and black wool. Nearly every farmer kept a few black sheep, or brown ones, for the purpose of making gray cloth. This cloth when dressed by the " clothier " made garments that no one need be ashamed to wear. An every-day suit of these clothes seemed to defy the effects of time and use. After a }'ear or two of wear in sun and storm, it was not easy to tell what the original color had been unless it was " sheep's gray." The men at their work usually wore a frock of striped woolen cloth, or a leather apron fall- ing a few inches below their knees. This apron was divided in the lower part and tied around the legs with strings, the lower one being a little below the knees. This garment was put aside when not at their work. Those men who affected some style had a coat of broadcloth and a fancy vest of some kind of figured goods. As to hats they varied in shape about as much as at the present time. But a hat made by Frederick Messer or Ephraim Cross was no slight GAMES, SPORTS, AND AMUSEMENTS. 349 affair. The hat might get " rusty," but did not wear out. At one time the dress hats made of fur were ridiculously large and a more absurd shape could scarcely be imagined. As every farmer, and all were farmers until about 1835, killed his own meats there were many hides and skins to go to the tanner, which after about a year, returned as leather. At the approach of cold weather, Heber Blanchard, John Dow, and other shoemakers commenced their rounds called " whipping the cat." Each with his kit of shoemakers' tools took up his place in one corner of the kitchen of one of his customers, where he stitched and pegged away until the whole family were thoroughly shod for the winter from the oldest down to the youngest child. This task finished, his presence was welcomed at the next house. In this way the people of Lancas- ter had their shoemaking done for more than two generations. While this operation was going on rolls of cloth from the " clothiers " be- gan to come home. The clothier received his pay for dressing the cloth in wheat, butter, cheese, sugar, and other produce from the farm. Soon after the shoemaker followed the tailor with his tapes and shears and a couple of sewing women. He cut the clothing, especially the coats and other important garments, and the women made them up. The sewing women sometimes cut as well as made boys' clothes. The tailor took his pay in farm produce, but the sewing girls always required cash at fifty cents a day. The cloth- ing was thus made by tailors and sewing women going from house to house as did the shoemakers. CHAPTER V. GAMES, SPORTS, AND AMUSEMENTS OF EARLY TIMES. The Public Gatherings, Social Entertainments, Frolics, Games, and Customs of Earlier Days — Regimental Musters — Terms of Court — Spelling Schools — Donation Parties — Quilting and Paring Bees — Turkey Shoots or Shooting Matches — Squirrel Hunts — Pitching Quoits — Round, Long, and Drive Ball — Athletic Sports — Huskings, with Scraps of Husking Songs. By Henry O. Kent. In no respect, perhaps, has the change within the last half century been greater to residents of Lancaster, than in the character of public gatherings and social customs and amusements. Before the advent of railroads and telegraphs there was little from the outside world to challenge the attention of the people. The 350 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. merchant made semi-annual trips, spring and fall, to Portland or Boston, to purchase goods, — there were no commercial travelers. The clergymen attended annual conference, the lawyers the courts in the adjoining counties, and on rare occasions at Concord or Portsmouth, and political magnates attended the state conventions. The local newspaper was the medium of intelligence and compen- dium of information, save when Hill's JVew Uamps/iire Patriot, or McFarland's New Hampshire Statesman secured lodgment in occasional families. The people were self-reliant in their gatherings and amusements as in material things. The annual regimental muster, and the semi-annual terms, in May and November, of the higher courts, all at Lancaster, were the great occasions of the year. The county, in addition to its present territory, until 1848, com- prised the towns of Jackson and Bartlett, below the White Moun- tains, now annexed to Carroll county. There were two regiments of militia in Coos, the original Twenty- fourth, and later the Forty-second, corresponding in territory to the present northern judicial district for the Twenty-fourth, and the southern judicial district for the Forty-second. The occasion of the annual fall parade, when the regiment was assembled and exercised by its ofificers, and inspected and reviewed by the brigade general, was in fact as in name, a " muster day," — a muster of the people from far and near to accompany the local troops, to witness the evolu- tions, to make necessary purchases, meet business appointments, exchange greetings with friends, and have a good time generally. From before dawn until late at night, a representative crowd thronged the streets, pressed upon the picket line, and, thoroughly good humored, stored up experiences to be narrated during the coming year. The terms of court were of equal interest. Lancaster was then the full shire of the county ; litigation was general, each town was likely to have its famous case, and both plaintiff and defendant had loyal following among kindred and neighbors. The old work of counterfeiting silver coin was then in frequent operation, and crimi- nal actions, while not common, were not infrequent. A grand jury, with two petit juries, the numerous parties and witnesses, made up a retinue that filled the quiet hamlet to overflowing. Hotel accom- modations were limited. The Court usually had rooms at some pri- vate house, while the lawyers preempted the Coos Hotel, the best hostelry of the region. The American House was packed, and the overflow filled the " Temperance House, By George, Howe Enter- tainment for men and Beasts," as the swinging sign of George Howe's little Temperance House, standing where J. P. Haseltine's building on Main street now is, quaintly announced, — filled it so GAMES, SPORTS, AND AMUSEMENTS. 35 I full that Artemas Ward, then an apprentice at the printing business, and a boarder therein, averred that " Brother Howe " would put a juryman to bed, with his limited accommodations, and as soon as he was asleep take him carefully from his couch and hang him up on a -peg in the spare room till morning, serving each new comer the same way, and again awaking them, in turn, in the bed from which they had been taken. Trials were hotly contested ; the court-house was continually filled for a term of from four to six weeks, Saturdays and Mondays included, and the scenes at the court-house furnished the staple for discussion and narrative in the homes of the county. The mer- chants were busy " during court," people turned an honest dollar by taking " court boarders," and our visitors brought a freshness of demeanor, independence, and varied experience to the county seat, at once entertaining and valuable, aside from materially increasing the business and life of the village during their sojourn. Up to about this time, 1S50, the apprentice system prevailed in all the shops of the town. There was then no closing of the stores on any evening, no lectures, sometimes a " lyceum " at the academy, a " debating society," or a spelling school, but these were rare occurrences. From September to March the shops were lighted and the apprentices "worked evenings." From March to September work ceased in the shops at sunset. It was a summer recreation on Saturday evenings for the appren- tices " after they had knocked off work," and such clerks as could get away from their respective stores, together with the occasional law student, or " academy teacher," to "go in swimming" in the clear cool waters of the river, not as now polluted by sewerage and sawdust, but fresh from the crystal springs and deep forests on the slopes of Mount Washington, fragrant, almost, with the odors of the pines and the hemlocks, and musical with the song of the trees and the winds. The mill pond was the place chosen, the hour just after dark. The mill pond was the deep, clear pool above the dam, between the sawmill and the fulling-mill, where the dam now is, above Main Street bridge, ten feet or more in depth, clean gravel bottom, while below the dam lurked cavernous depths to tempt the adventurous diver. A "spring board," a tough spruce plank, was always extended from the flume above the old sawmill, on the northern bank, out over the deep, clear water, and athletic exercises of a high order were performed thereon, — a swift dart from the bank across the plank, and a bounding leap into the water ; a balancing of the body communicating a springing motion to the end of the plank, and a spring from this tense leverage, throwing the di\'er high in air ; or, best of all, a somersault between the plank and the water, 352 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. striking the latter with hands, pahns together extended, above the head, were the feats in greatest demand and received with the greatest favor, while the daring spirits dove into the abyss below and beneath the dam, emerging in subterranean recesses under the planking; or above the dam, " swum under water," to the ecstatic alarm of smaller boys and admiring friends. For years during the warmer season this was the weekly gathering and revel of the young men and boys of the village. Pitching " quates " (quoits) was another and favorite amusement much practised by clerks and students who had occasional leisure during the golden summer days. Two stakes, or pins, were set or driven into the ground from fifty to sixty feet apart, protruding, per- haps, six or eight inches ; the players, armed with fllat, iron scale weights, or stones, or sometimes horseshoes, placed the left heel against one of these " hubs," the other foot extended before him, the weight or missile in his right hand, and essayed to heave and land it so it would touch the other hub, or be as near it as possible. The succeeding player attempted the same thing, being privileged to knock away his predecessor's quoit by his own, if possible. He who landed his quoit nearest the hub, was the victor of that score, and an agreed number of points made up the game. Wrestling was a favorite pastime, and a test of quick foot, quick eye, and lithe body. There was the " side hold," " back hold," " back to back," " arm's length," each expressive of the position of the friendly contestants. If a man was brought to his knees, he was beaten; if he was laid upon his back, he was vanquished. There were noted champions in Lancaster and the towns around about. "A wrestle — a wrestle, make a ring " — was sure to call a goodly crowd, who made a ring around the athletes, to see fair play and encourage favorites. There were stalwart, sinewy boys and young men always ready to uphold the honor of "proud Lancaster, "^ and equally wary and " cordy " fellows on our borders, who dis- puted our preeminence. Jefferson was especially prolific in splendid specimens of physical manhood. Every muster field had its hero. The old meeting-house common knew what wrestling meant, the stable yards of the Coos Hotel and American House, and even the precincts of the Temperance House, were arenas for these gladi- ators, transferred in winter to the broad floors of the hotel stables. Accidents were rare, and muscle, courage, and local and physical pride were alike developed. Rolling tenpins was another popular amusement. The original " ninepins," set in the form of a cocked hat at the farther end of the hard-wood alley, were under the anathema of legislation, so another pin was inserted in the middle of the triangle of nine, and "tenpins" was a legal and commendable game, developing muscle GAMES, SPORTS, AND AMUSEMENTS. 353 and calling into use delicate touch of the ball and quick conception of the " break " it was desirable to make. Phenomenal "strings" were rolled on Cady's old alley, in rear of the Coos Hotel, situate on the edge of a little rolling green field sloping down to the river, and about where the row of small houses now is between Canal and Main streets. The "spares," "strikes," and "flops" of those days lin- ger yet in the memory of many a Lancaster boy of maturing years. "Fireworks" were unknown, but effervescing patriotism was never unknown to the denizen of our town. Fourth of July was always celebrated, and a Fourth of July evening would have been a dismal failure but for a flaming beacon on the sawed-off limb (fifty feet above the street) of the old elm tree then standing in the cen- tre of Main street, about opposite the south line of Centennial park ; and " throwing fire balls." These " fire balls" were a domestic pro- duct. A great lot of candle wicking soaked in a tub of turpentine was the crude article, loosely wound to a ball of perhaps six inches in diameter, and left until use in the inflammable bath. The pro- duct awaited the dark and the deft manipulation of the throwers. The ball, taken from its bath, was lighted, and thrown by its first sponsor, to be caught bare handed by the next and instantaneously dispatched on another blazing flight through the sky. The rapidity of handling prevented burning hands, and deft players would soon have the air alive with fiery arcs, tangents, parabolas, and, as the balls burned out, blazing stars of fragments. " Round ball " was the country ancestor of modern " baseball." Parties " chose up " by matching hand over hand on a " ball club." He who last could hold the end of the club by the edge of his closed hand, above the hand of his rival, with a grip sufficiently strong to swing it without its falling, had the first choice. The " umpire," or his prototype, "kept tally" by cutting notches on a wooden "tally stick " as parties were caught out, or " ran round the goolds," and a given number of " tallies " made the game. When one side was " caught out," the other had a chance. " Long ball " was a kind of cross between " round ball " and "drive ball," and was a favorite game. We find it in the diary of a former citizen, whose advent to town was seventy years ago, that the day of his arrival "being Election Day (June), I engaged in a game of Long ball on the Holton Common." Drive ball was, perhaps, akin to modern football, save that it was played with bats and a ball of common size, each side endeavoring to drive the other up or down the long street, by forcing the ball beyond them. "Three-year-old cat" and "four-year-old cat" were ball games for juveniles. Each game had a pitcher and catcher, and one or two at the bat or bats, all in line, the ball being thrown alternately 23 354 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. each way ; the game being in "catching out" the boy at the bat, who then took the pitcher's or catcher's place. "Lifting at stiff heels" was another athletic test, one party ex- tending himself on his back on the ground, his legs straight, close together, and stiff at the knees; the lifter placing himself astride these legs at the feet, clasping his hands under them at the calves, and essaying to raise his prostrate, but thoroughly alive, subject to an upright position; the contortions of the " stiff" frequently baffling the muscle of the champion. Any movement of the prone body was admissible; only the legs must be kept " stiff." It is, perhaps, pertinent to preserve here the mystic formulae of childhood, through the observance of which high questions were decided and mighty champions selected, or, perchance, caitiff pre- tenders unmasked. The language of magic is recondite and mystic, and so came down to the youth of Lancaster from the days of the Druids, if not from Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. Ranged in a trembling or expectant line, the neophites watched the finger of the Sybil, in turn transfixing each, accompanied by the mysterious polyglot, — " Entry, mentry, cutery corn, Apple seeds and apple thorn, Wire, brier, limber lock, — Six geese in a flock. Sit and sing by the spring, — O-u-t — out!" or,— " One-e-ry — u-ger-y — ick-er-y ann, Philosy, pholosy, — Nicholas John, — En-e me-ne mo-ne-mi, — Pester lady bode si, — Argy — dargy — walk ! " the one remaining of the company in either case being champion or victim as the game decreed. The " shooting match," or " turkey shoot," was another occa- sion appealing strongly to the marksmen and young men of the community. These matches were holden in the autumn, and usu- ally just before Thanksgiving. While turkeys were the usual game competed for, chickens, and sometimes other fowl, were placed upon the stands. These matches were sometimes held at the north end, about the Holton place or Francis Wilson's, the site of Mrs. Jacob Benton's residence, but the favorite and usual spot was Cady's meadow. Here were combined the proximity of the hotel, and incidentally its bar, the ten-pin alley on one side of the lot, and central location. Cady's meadow, fifty years ago, was the land now covered by Canal street and the buildings on either side, and so far east as the rear of the original lots on Main street. It was a green, pleasant GAMES, SPORTS, AND AMUSEMENTS. 355 field, sloping down from the hotel buildings and ten-pin alley to Isreals river, in the centre of which was an emerald island, now nearly worn away, then known as Cady's island. In the midst of this meadow was a large, graceful elm, its roots laved by the bab- bling little brook that coursed down from Bunker hill, crossing Main street in front of the J. A. Smith store, then the site of Sam Rines's blacksmith shop. The turkeys or other prizes were fastened by their legs upon stands, generally a board nailed to the top of a stake driven into the ground, the stakes being at the lower end of the lot near the present shops of the Thompson Mfg. Co. The marksmen were at the other end of the field, or nearer, as the rules allowed; the arms were rifles, and to secure the prize the ball must draw blood, the price per shot being regulated before the lists opened. Marksmen came from near and far, and the day was not without its excitement, the cracking rifles, the frightened birds, and the incidents of the shoot combining to fill out the picture. Of perhaps broader interest was the " squirrel hunt." This, too, occurred in the fall after the leaves had fallen. Some two recog- nized good fellows were agreed upon as captains, who then pro- ceeded to " choose sides" until every skilled marksman or owner of a good weapon was enlisted on the one side or the other. The day which should terminate the hunt was then fixed and the list and value of all game was agreed upon. As the occasion was called a squirrel hunt, the squirrel — common red squirrel — was taken as the unit of count and rated as lo. Every animal known to the region was listed, the black bear being 500, and figures approximating the scarcity of the animal or difficulty of capture applied to each. The two sides were to scour the country, and diplomacy as well as powder and shot was called into account. It mattered not how the tokens of game were procured — actual possession determined the count. The tail, ears, or head of the animal, as the case might be, must be the evidence when the game was counted up. This was the finale of the several weeks' hunt. Judges, who had been agreed upon, met at one of the village hotels on the evening of the last day of the hunt, and to them was submitted by either side in turn all the heads, tails, ears, of animals shot or secured. The count was made, and the side having the smallest score was bound to pay for a supper, and the best the tavern afforded, for all the hunters of both sides. Great skill must be exercised by the judges that only fresh game should be counted. Old game used in other places or at former hunts must be discovered and thrown out if possible. In one of the last of these hunts, an ingenious apprentice, whose wit was more active than his legs or gun, actually manufactured a lot of leather 356 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. muski'at tails, which successfully passed the scrutiny of the com- mittee and decided the hunt. It was a notable evening — that of the hunting supper. The roar- ing tavern fireplaces, the ruddy, jolly hunters, the loaded tables, the jest, song, and thoroughly good fellowship, marked an occasion that dwells pleasantly in memor}'. Donation parties were common among all the denominations. They were held to eke out, or to add to, the pay and comforts of the minister. The date was after harvest and " killing time " and the first snow. All the people came, and brought of their abun- dance, grain, meat, sled-length wood, homespun cloth, rolls, maple sugar, butter, from the farm ; furniture or iron work from the shops ; goods from the stores ; and the miscellaneous items selected by the village people. Father, mother, children — old folks and young folks — came to see the pastor, shake hands, visit with attending neighbors, express their goodwill, enjoy an abundant lunch selected by a committee of ladies from their own benefactions, listen to the swelling tones of some grand old hymn by the church choir, a kindly, earnest prayer from the minister, and the benediction. Many a year was the spare pantry, the empty woodyard, the vacant mow filled to bursting by kindly parishioners, and bonds of love between pastor and people renewed and strengthened through these gatherings. There is a shading to almost every picture, and until the days of their decadence donations were as here set down. There were always some stingy souls manifested thereat, whose punishment doubtless came in the crackling of their own shriveled consciences and the quiet but observant comments of their more generous neighbors. The quilting-bee was a woman's institution, perhaps not unlike the more modern " sewing circle." There were few if any dress- making establishments. The dressmaker of those days, like the tailor and the shoemaker, went around from house to house, with shears, goose, or lapstone, there remaining until the season's outfit for the family was completed. All the pieces of print, merino, alpacca, or rare bits of silk or satin were rigidly preserved. The mother and girls of the house- hold cut these pieces of cotton or silk into squares, piecing them together in kaleidoscopic pattern, the many tiny bits making a whole square, and the many squares, perhaps the accumulations of years, the entire outside of the quilt or " bed comforter." Every well-regulated house had a set of quilting frames, smooth, straight pieces of pine, two inches wide, one inch thick, and ten feet long, to one edge of which was tacked a stout piece of cotton cloth, perhaps two inches wide. The day of the quilting-bee came ; the lining of the quilt or com- GAMES, SPORTS, AND AMUSEMENTS. 357 forter was placed upon the floor of the spare room ; cotton batting or cotton wadding, generally batting, to the desired thickness was spread upon this ; the patchwork outside placed on top of all, the whole being "tacked together" by occasional threads. Then the two long sides of the quilt were stitched to the strips on the edge of two quilting bars, these bars then supported at either end by being put between and upon the horizontal back-slats of four straight-back, splint-bottomed upright kitchen chairs; the quilt was then stretched taut and held in place by the two remaining bars, being placed at either end, and held in place by " gimlets " bored down at the point of intersection. Maids and matrons then ranged their chairs on either of the two sides of the quilt, the pasteboard patterns of the "figure " agreed upon after deep thought, scalloped, herring-boned, diamond, etc., etc., laid upon the surface of the work, the emery balls and beeswax at hand, the needles threaded, and the work began. As it progressed the gimlets were withdrawn, the quilting-bars rolled up and again fastened, until the two sides met each other, and the work was done. Then followed the supper, prepared in the spacious kitchen, be- fore the open fireplace, and there partaken of, the greatest triumphs of New England housewifery being then produced and enjoyed with neighborly chat and narrative. Many of these quilts were indeed wonders, and exist to-day to evidence the taste, skill, and industry of our grandmothers. The apple-paring was a less notable, although not unusual, gath- ering, and was enjoyed more particularly by the young people. Nearly every farm had its apple orchard, and apples entered largely into the sum of farm products. As the crop could not all be used when gathered to preserve a part, the apples were pared, cored, and sliced, and then strung on strings or coarse thread, a large needle making the puncture, the strings of apple being hung in festoons on the poles, which were then suspended in every kitchen, and used as occasion demanded, for drying yarn from the dye-pot, clothing, pumpkins sliced and cut in spirals for winter use, and ap- ples as here prepared. Pitchers of cider and heaps of butternuts were at hand to regale the parers, for whom a bountiful supper was furnished when the work was done. The red apple, with its attendant salutation from sweetheart or " beau," was never overlooked, in attending to the store of fruit. The spelling-school was another institution of much interest, if not usefulness, and was enjoyed throughout the town during the autumn and winter months. Sometimes a school was organized be- tween scholars of the same district, but more generally one district challenged another district, and occasionally some district challenged or was challenged by a district in an adjoining town. 358 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. The first thing in organizing the session was for the two most accomphshed spellers to choose sides for the match, unless one district was pitted against another district. These leaders, male or female, alternately chose one clansman, personally for his or her excellence in spelling, alone. It was no anomaly for an adept to be a poor scholar generally but a wonderful speller. The attendance being thus enrolled on either side, the opposing forces took places, standing in line, in the back seats of either side of the schoolhouse. Some favorite was chosen, — perhaps the teacher, perhaps the pru- dential committee for the district, perhaps the local magistrate, or possibly some phenomenal adept from out of town, — to preside and " put out the words." Taking his place in the teacher's desk, the visiting citizens filling the lower seats or convenient chairs, the busi- ness of the evening commenced. The words first presented were simple and harmless. The leader of the side challenged had the first call ; if spelled .correctly, the next word came to his next in order ; but if failure ensued, the unfortunate member took his seat, and the next word went in like manner to the other side. Gradually the words grew harder, and the interest greater; man after man, or boy and girl after boy and girl, went down before the fateful battery of wonderful words, selected for the occasion by the erudite presiding genius; at last but a diminishing few remained, and the polyglot words grew fearful and strange to unaccustomed ears. At last, when excitement was at fever heat, all had missed and been "spelled down " but one ; and then the decision came, that his or her side had beaten, and that he or she was the champion of the evening. The ride to the rendezvous and the more thrilling ride home un- der the stars, over the crisp and snowy roads, through welcomed covered bridges where " taking toll " was permitted, was not an immaterial part of the evening's enjoyment. The incidents of the trial, how such and such a one faltered at a new and astounding word ; how they went down before the recur- ring bombardment, or gathered the forces of memory and intui- tion and repelled the shaft and won new honors, were topics of fire- side conversation and gratification to admiring friends. Huskings occurred in the later autumn months, and were largely attended and popular. Every farmer raising a considerable crop of corn, invited his neighbors to help husk it out. The great farms on the intervale of the Connecticut, however , were more natural corn land, raised larger crops, and offered larger opportunities for this noticeable festival. The husking at Col. John H. White's, Major John VV. VVeeks's, Esquire Adino N. Brackett's, William Brown's, Gorham Lane's, Roswell Chessman's, Ezra Brooks's, Emmons Stockwell's, Josiah Bel- lows's, Mrs. Holton's, Dr. Benjamin Hunking's, Col. Ephraim Cross's, GAMES, SPORTS, AND AMUSEMENTS. 359 Gov. Jared W. Williams's, were, half a century ago, notable affairs, and each place had its particular reputation for the gathering assem- bled, the variety of work and fun likely to be had and enjoyed, and the excellence of the husking supper that crowned the evening's observance. Let us look upon a husking floor ready for use. The ears of corn are piled along the length of one side of the long floor from the big doors at one end to the big doors at the other, sometimes the pile being four feet on the floor, and reaching an equal height against the feeding-place or the mow. On this, at perhaps ten feet inter- vals, were placed the empty baskets to be filled with the husked corn ears as the work progressed, pumpkins were placed along the base of the heap for seats for the buskers, and pitchforks, the tines firmly stuck into the hay of the scaffold, the handles projecting out over the corn heap, suspended the lanterns of the period — round cylinders of tin, punched with holes in regular patterns, through which holes the light of the tallow-dipped candle inside struggled to give illumination. Men were detailed to carry away and empty the baskets as fast as filled, and all was in readiness. The company assembled by 7 p. m., and the work was usually completed two hours later, some- times with a big pile of ears, or a scant company an hour later than -this. These were male gatherings, the damsels reserving their presence for " waiting upon the tables " at the supper later in the evening. As the work progressed singing was always in order. There were well-known and popular singers in each community whose presence was much sought on these occasions, and who prided themselves upon their accomplishments and their popularity. Melody and tune was not necessary, although of frequent occurrence. A strong voice and a collection of the popular songs were the chief requisites. Story-telling and practical jokes were not wanting, and the events of each neighborhood were the topics of homely and witty comment. Although the damsels were not present, the finder of the traditional red ear came in for the marked attention of the company in the form of a bombardment of hard ears of husked corn, from which he was glad to hide his head, or perhaps retreat temporarily from the scene. The writer recalls a husking at the barn of a noted Democratic manager and politician, a barn once standing where the Lancaster House swings and tennis grounds now are, then standing directly back from the big elm where the barn of the William Burns place on Main street now is, now standing on Ethan Crawford's place near the Main street railroad crossing. (1897). A good time was expected (and had) and the attendance large. 36o HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Among the crowd was a zealous Democratic lad from a home long ago laid in ashes, then standing on a road now for many years abandoned, and near the famous cold spring, from which the Lan- caster House is supplied. Harry had found a red ear, and the pelt- ing became fast and furious. For a time it was borne with good humor; but annoyance and a sense of personal injury followed, until in a voice choked with rage and tears, the victim announced if he could n't " come down to Colonel Cross's to a Democrat husk- ing without getting thi'ozved corn at, he should vote the Whig ticket next election." The threat was sufficient, the shower of husked ears ceased ; but the logic of premise and conclusion is recalled as not wholly unlike that of many patriots of later years, as to their reasons for the votes they give. Our description of a husking would be incomplete without recall- ing scraps of the favorite songs of those occasions as they linger in memory. They were a strange composite — sentimental, patriotic, and some bordering upon broad license, but never far enough to provoke deserved censure. Here is a verse of a wailing song, descriptive of piratical life, a calling that always seems to have especial attractions to the young : '♦ We met a gallant vessel a-sailing on the sea. For mercy, for mercy, for mercy was her plea ! But the mercy that we gave her, we sunk her in the sea, Sailing down on the coast of the Low Barbar-i?^." Another favorite narrated the sad consequences that came to the young man who was false to his own true love : '« My father's in his winding sheet. My mother, too, appears. While the girl I loved is standing by, A-wiping off the tears. They all have died of a broken heart, And now too late I find That God has seen my cr\xe\tee To the girl I left behind." "Lord Bateman" was always popular, as the interminable verses droned out, — " Lord Bateman was a noble lord, A noble lord of high degree." A song always received with hilarious applause, akin in rhythm and narrative to "One-Eyed Riley" of the " Fighting Fifth," started into full swing with, — GAMES, SPORTS, AND AMUSEMENTS. 36 1 " There was a rich merchant in London did dwell ; He had but one daughter, a beautiful gell. For wit and for beauty none did her excel ; And she married for her husband a trooper. Li whack fol de riddle, fol lol de rol diddle, Li whack fol de riddle do da." And another chronicled the adventures of a barber who had filled his pockets with stolen butter and cheese, and on the adv^ent of the owner had hidden himself uf the chimney : " I being up the chimney and seated at my ease. The fire began to melt the butter, likewise to toast the cheese. The master being in the house, he thought the devil was there ; For every drop that fell in the fire, oh Lord ! how it did flare ! " Love and shipwreck came in the ballad of " Roy Niel " : " They sailed away in a gallant bark, Roy Niel and his fair young bride. There were joyous hearts in that bounding oak. As she danced o'er the silvery tide. But a storm arose as they left the land. And the thunders shook the deep. And the lightning's flash broke the short repose Of the weary sea-boy's sleep. Roy Niel he clasped his fair young bride, And pressed her trembling hand. ' Oh, love ! 'twas a fatal hour,' he cried, ' When we left our native land.' " " Young Albion," a song of the Pemigewasset river, was always eagerly listened to. It narrated how •' On the Pemigewasset at break of the day, A birchen canoe was seen gliding away. As swift as the wild duck that swam by its side, In silence the bark down the river did glide. At intervals heard 'mid the bellowing sigh. The hoot of the owl and the catamount's cry, The howl of the wolf from his lone granite cell, And the crash of the dead forest tree as it fell. Young Albion, the chief of his warriors, was there, With the eye of an eagle, the foot of a deer." The buskers were never tired of hearing how " Down in the lowlands a poor boy did wander, Down in the lowlands a poor boy did roam. By his friends he was neglected. He look-ed so dejected, This poor little sailor boy, so far away from home." 362 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Some lingering trace of the old fraternal feeling for France, for her help in our Revolutionary contest, I suppose warmed the hearts and prompted the applause that always greeted " The Bonny Bunch of Roses, oh ! " and the filial devotion of the young king of Italy, as expressed in the words, — " Then up stepped young Na-po-Ie-on And took his mother by the hand, Saying ' Mother, dearest mother, when I am able to command, 'Tis I will take an army, and o'er the frozen Alps I '11 go, And I will reconquer Moscow, and return with the Bonny Bunch of Roses, oh ! ", Equally a favorite was the ballad of " Mary of the Wild Moor" : " One night the wind it blew cold, Blew bitter across the wild moor. When Mary came wandering home. Wandering home to her own father's door, " Crying, ' Father, oh, pray let me in ; Take pity on me, I implore, Or the child at my bosom will die From the winds that blow o'er the wild moor.' " But her father was deaf to her cries ; Not a sound or a voice reached the door. And that night Mary perished and died From the winds that blew o'er the wild moor. " Oh, how must her father have felt When he came to the door in the morn ! There he found Mary dead, and the child Fondly clasped in its dead mother's arms." But the candles flicker in the swaying lanterns, a big pile of husks attests the labors of the evening, and the corn is safely spread on the chamber floor to dry. Adjournment is made to the farmhouse kitchen, illumined by the roaring fireplace and garnished by coils of drying pumpkin and strings of quartered apples. The tables groan under stores of pumpkin-pies, " sage cheese, spearmint-tinc- tured cheese, horsemint-tinctured cheese," brown bread, apples, and pitchers of cider, the incidents of the evening are discussed with the supper, and after an hour of moral fun the jolly buskers separate under the stars for the scattered farms on hillside or along the river, or wend their way down the sleeping street, past the Gun House and burying ground, under the weird shadows made by the straight Lombardy poplars that line the street, or the magic thrown by the Great Willow standing on the left of the line reaching south from the site of the present Lancaster House. Perhaps some adventur- ous spirits, spurning slumber, prepared an object lesson for the MERCANTILE ENTERPRISES AND MERCHANTS. 363 village fathers by launching " Old Hundred " in the muddy pool engendered by insufficient drainage near the sign-post of the Coos Hotel, or with lump of chalk striped the red sign-post of Brother Howe's Temperance House to the semblance of a barber's pole ; but these were occasional and harmless frolics, devoid of malice. Usu- ally a half hour after the close of the husking-supper, town and village were locked in slumber. The amusements of the earlier days were simple, harmless, enjoy- able. They developed at once muscle, character, patriotism ; they nurtured a sturdy race. It is not without the province of a history of the town — the story of its birth, life, and condition — to record in its pages this imperfect record of our recreations and customs in the years that are gone. CHAPTER VI. THE MERCANTILE ENTERPRISES AND MERCHANTS OF LAN- CASTER. At the time the town was settled, the trade in furs and skins had attained such proportions that these articles were as good as cur- rency. The first stock of goods brought to town was by David Page in 1766. It was stipulated in the bill of the goods that they were to be " traded out," and paid for in furs and skins, moose and bear skins being particularly mentioned as desirable. In those first years there was probably very little money in circulation, as every settler was on an equal footing with every other one. They had but little. The world lay at their feet, a great possibility to be tried, and, if possible, conquered, and homes built and made comfortable. Utility, not elegance, was the quality that recommended any- thing to them. When Merchant Molineau of Boston, Mass., was putting up a load of goods to be sent to Lancaster, he included : "Axes, grindstones, scythes, sickles, nails, flints for their guns, pow- der, blanketing, lampwick, and rum." Articles like these were indispensable to a new settlement, but their sale could only be effected by barter. For several years David Page and Edwards Bucknam kept such important articles for trade, though they made no attempt at it as a business. The goods were carted here at an expense about equal to the first cost. They came high and left little profit for the sellers. Fortunately, furs and skins of bear and moose were plenty and everybody generous, so that the trader could no doubt square his accounts with the wholesale merchants in the cities. As the community grew, and the wants of the people became 364 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. more numerous, and they had more to buy with, traders began to multiply ; and soon the first merchant came to town in the person- age of a French ex-consul from Portsmouth, who lost his post by the accession of Napoleon Bonaparte to the throne of France on the overthrow of the Bourbons in 1799. Early in the year 1800, he came to Lancaster and opened a store in the south part of the town, just opposite the residence of Capt. John Weeks, on the east side of the road leading to South Lancaster. Here for four years this man, John Toscan, sold goods as his only business in a log house. His house and its contents were burned in 1804, ^^^ he left town to return to Portsmouth. The next person to become a merchant in town was Stephen Wilson. Although Mr. Wilson had kept goods in his hotel at the north end of Main street while Toscan was a merchant here, it was only for barter in a small way. After the loss of Toscan's store there was a demand for a better stock of goods, and Wilson im- proved the opportunity to make his store the leading one in the village. Very soon other stores were opened at that end of the street. These stores sold all sorts of things needed in a new coun- try, and took their pay in things as varied as those they sold. I have before me the ledger of Stephen Wilson, which shows a traffic in a variety of things that are no longer on the markets. He credits his customers against their debts to him with lumber, butter, cheese, ashes, salts of lye, furs, eggs, cloth (of home manufacture), livestock, and the labor of both men and women. During the first quarter of this century stores were kept about the north end of Main street, mostly in dwelling houses, by James Dewey, Thomas Carlisle, William Cargill, George W. Perkins, George V. Eastman, William Carlisle, John M. Dennison, and Benjamin Boardman. Boardman kept his goods in the northeast corner of the house in which Ethan Crawford now lives. The Car- gills kept their stores in rooms connected with their dwelling houses. Titus O. Brown, for some years one of the leading business men of the town, kept a stock of goods at the south end of Main street, near the south end of the bridge on the west side of the street. The site of his store is now occupied by the old post-ofifice building, in which Charles Howe has his harness shop. A little later, Samuel White, father of the late Nathaniel White of Concord, N. H., well known to the older people of Lancaster, kept a store in his bar-room in the old Chessman Tavern that stood where Kimball's block now does, on the corner of Main and Elm streets. He kept here as late as 1825. Nearly all of these early storekeepers failed. Some of them lost all their property ; others, the greater portion of it. Coming down to 1825, a new era in mercantile pursuits in Lan- Royal Jovslin. James Brack ett Weeks. •^ :|K?^ Richard Peabodv Kent. Nelson Kent. MERCANTILE ENTERPRISES AND MERCHANTS. 365 caster began. In that year the first merchants who ever made a success of the business came to Lancaster — Royal JoysHn and Richard P. Kent. About the same time, Guy C. and WilHam Cargill came here. They were also quite successful as mer- chants. Royal Joyslin was a nephew of Thomas Carlisle, a mer- chant in Lancaster many years, but who did a small business. Mr. Joyslin had lived with his uncle from 1808 to 18 12, when he went to Bath, N. H., as a clerk in a store belonging to his uncle, Carlisle, Bellows & Dewey, where he remained for ten years, when he left them to go into business for himself in partnership with Hosea Edson. In 1825 he sold out and came to Lancaster, bringing with him the late Richard P. Kent, who worked for him as clerk. He opened a stock in the " Carlisle Store," where John T. Amey's house now stands. He opened a second store in the old " Samp- son Store," later occupied by Hartford Sweet, on Elm street, oppo- site the old American House stable. For one year these two were the only stores in town. In 1828 Guy C. Cargill came to Lancaster from Bath, N. H., and in partnership with William Carlisle, opened a store in the old Carlisle building. Richard P. Kent formed a partnership with his employer, Mr. Joyslin, that year, they occupying the Sampson store, or as it was often spoken of, the " Red Store." Business had by this time begun to drift toward the south end of Main street, in the vicinity of the mills. Very soon Guy C. Cargill moved his store down into the old " Green Store," where the Evans block now stands. About this time William Sampson came from Northumber- land and opened a store in the old Carlisle building. Joyslin & Kent did a good business for four years, at the end of which time they dissolved partnership, each acting on his own account. R. P. Kent bought the Cargill stock (the Green store),, while JoysHn remained for three years in the old stand. Joyslin moved the old "Red Store" (the Carlisle store) down Main street to where the Lancaster National bank now is, and occupied it until 1845. If* ^845 the town removed the old meeting-house down from Sand hill to where it now stands as the main part of Masonic Tem- ple or Music Hall, and fitted up a store on the ground floor. The second story was used for a town hall, and the attic was fitted up as a hall for the Odd Fellows. Here Mr. Joyslin continued until 1867, when, on account of age and infirmities, he retired from bus- iness. He sold to Porter Brothers. Mr. Joyslin was in business here for the term of forty-two years. R. P. Kent occupied the old "Green Store" until 1837, when he moved into the building formerly standing near the site of the stone house built by John S. Wells, and which, enlarged in 1853 and rebuilt in 1890, is now known as the "Kent Building," on Main 366 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Street, where he remained until his death, in 1885. In April, 1837, he took Lewis C. Porter into partnership with him, which relation lasted only three years. From 1840 to 1844 Mr. Kent had no partner. His brother Nelson was his clerk since 1836; but in 1845 he took Nelson into partnership, the firm name being R. P. Kent & Co. This partnership only lasted three years, when R. P. Kent became the sole owner of the store until 1862, when he took his brother Nelson and his son, Edward R. Kent, into partnership, as R. P. Kent, Son & Co. After seven years Nelson retired to form a partnership with John W. Spaulding. The old firm since that time has been known as R. P. Kent & Son. Mr. Kent, from his first venture in business in Lancaster, always kept what was known as a " general store " — his stock including almost everything on the market. Having for many years carried a heavy stock of stoves and tinware, also doing tin work, he made that a separate depart- ment in 1865, and took Erastus V. Cobleigh into partnership with him under the firm name of Kent & Cobleigh. This partnership lasted until 1882, when Mr. Kent sold his interest in the hardware business, and the firm became Cobleigh & Moore. Mr. Kent was, at the time of his death, the oldest merchant in tow^n, having been in business on his own account for fifty-seven years, and as clerk three years in Lancaster, and sixty-five years from his first service as clerk in a store at Lyman. The only one who has been in mercantile pursuits a longer time in the town is his brother Nelson, who has been behind the counter in stores over sixty years. R. P. Kent was, with Gen. John Wilson, Royal Joyslin, and Apolos Perkins, a partner in the publication of the White Mountain yEgis, the first newspaper published in the town in 1838. From 1841 to 1885 he kept a diary, in which events that engaged the attention of men in town, state, or nation were recorded. In this way he saved much of local history from uncertainty, if not oblivion. He says of mercantile business soon after he came to Lancaster : " Nearly all our early sales were made on credit or barter. During my four years with Mr. Joyslin we bought 3,000 bushels of ashes yearly, which we worked into 'potash and pearlash,' mostly the latter, which netted about $800 by their sale in Boston. Large quantities of grain were brought in by farmers, much of which we had, often, to carry over one season. The weavil appeared in the Connecticut valley in 1831, and through the destruction of the winter crop we sold one thousand bushels of wheat at one dollar per bushel in the winter of 1 83 1. Large dairies were kept those times ; and most of the milk was made into cheese, which we marketed chiefly at Rutland, Vt." Mr. Kent for over forty years never missed making his regular semi-annual trips to Boston for the selection of goods; and even after commercial travelers were on the road with their samples, or MERCANTILE ENTERPRISES AND MERCHANTS. 367 it had become possible for merchants to order by mail, he still visited the wholesale houses and selected his stocks. He was one of the most careful and persistent of men. He met with many losses from casualties, and the failure or dishonesty of debtors, but never pined over them. Full of courage, purpose, and confidence in the integrity of business men with whom he had to deal, he went on about the business he loved, and made a success of it. After the death of R. P. Kent his son, Edward R. Kent, continued under the same name. (Its business was closed in 1898, by reason of ill health of the remaining partner.) Kent & Spauldtiig, Kent & G7-iszvoId, Kent d: Roberts. — When Nelson Kent retired from the firm of R. P. Kent & Co., in 1869, he formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, John W. Spaulding, under the firm name of Kent & Spaulding. They kept only dry goods, and for a number of years did a good business. Mr. Spaulding retired from the firm after a few years to engage in other business, when Charles L. Griswold, from St. Johnsbury, Vt., who had been a clerk in the store of R. P. Kent & Co. for a number of years, succeeded Mr. Spaulding as a member of the firm of Kent & Griswold. Mr. Griswold, who was son-in-law of Mr. Kent, died in 1883, and Mr. Kent took into partnership with him Burleigh Roberts, who remains in that connection with him still. (1897). yames A. Smith. — One of the first men, a native of the town, to make a success of mercantile business was James A. Smith, son of Allen Smith, for many years a leading saddler and harness- maker of Lancaster. James A. Smith began business in Reuben Stephenson's house, corner of Main and Middle streets, but later built and moved into the building on Main street where he re- mained the rest of his life. His store occupied the site of S. Rines's blacksmith shop. Here for about forty years Mr. Smith carried on a very successful business. He was a careful and sagacious man. Hosea Gray. — One of the most successful men of Lancaster was the late Hosea Gray. For many years he conducted a freight- ing business between Lancaster and Portland, Me. On one of his trips he had the misfortune to get a leg broken, which made a change of work necessary. He opened a store in the Reuben Stephenson building, corner of Main and Middle streets. This old building was later moved to High street and converted into a dwelling house, and is now owned and occupied by Thomas C. Carbee. Mr. Gray's success as a merchant was so great that he soon had to seek larger quarters to accommodate his growing trade. He moved into the old Cargill store, where the Evans build- ing now is, in 1857. Here for a number of years he remained. In addition to his store he bought cattle and drove them to the large markets. During the period of the war, and later, he bought up 368 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. the bulk of the potato starch, then being made in large quantities in the region, and held it for a rise in price, which soon came ; and he made a fortune out of the transaction. For nearly fifty years he was one of Lancaster's most successful business men. He died August 27, 1882. Besides these there were many others who ventured in mercantile pursuits, and either finding them less profitable or themselves little adapted to them, failed or went out of trade for something else. Among them were the following : R. L. Adams and Oliver Nutter, who were merchants for a time. Charles Bellows, a son of Josiah Bellows, 2d. He bought almost anything that promised a bargain, and in that way carried on quite a successful business for many years. G. F. Hartwell had a store a short time on the corner of Main and Bridge streets, where E. Sullivan's house now stands. His venture was not a success. David Burnside was in business here for many years. He was a tanner by trade. He made a good property loaning money and owning and renting real estate in the village. He was interested in a variety of enterprises, and in all of them he was successful. His son, David A. Burnside, was a merchant in company with Sabin C. Woolson, and afterwards proprietor of the Lancaster House. Orrin Tubbs conducted a store on the site of the Amey House for some time, but it was one of the short-lived enterprises of the town. For some years S. G. Evans run a store in the Evans block. Be- sides these there were many other ventures in the mercantile line. Bookstores. — Few enterprises in Lancaster are more worthy a place in its history than the book trade. For fifty years few towns of its size could boast larger stocks to select from than those car- ried in Lancaster. So far as can be learned, the first stock of miscellaneous books brought to town was by Perkins & Company, publishers of the White Mountain yEgis, in 1838. Previous to that time some of the merchants, had carried a small stock of school books, Bibles, and religious books. After this first newspaper got fairly estab- lished it began carrying a considerable list of publications. When James M. Rix began to publish the Coos County Demo- crat in 1838, he brought to Lancaster a very fine stock. Mr. Rix was a lover of books, and interested himself in getting his neigh- bors to read the very best volumes in print. His favorite way of calling attention to a new stock was to head the lists in the Demo- crat, " Books that are Books." Mr. Rix carried also a stock of " Yankee notions," medicines, and garden seeds. He first estab- lished his bookstore in the south end of Wells' building, where the Kent building now is, then in the Hartwell store which had been moved down from the North End, to the site of P. J. Noyes's block.. MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 369 This Store was burned January 8, 1848, by which fire he lost $1,400, with $500 insurance on his stock. He next moved into the building occupied by I. W. Quimby's shoe store, now a part of Syndicate Block, on Main street. Here he continued his trade in books until the time of his death in 1856. He did much to encourage and cultivate a taste for good literature in the town. His own private library was large and of the very choicest of books. The next book store in town was kept in connection with a drug store by Dr. John W. Barney and George F. Hartwell, where Colby's drug store now stands. Hartwell retired from the business in a few years, and Barney conducted it alone a short time, when he sold it to Edward Savage, who in turn run it a few years and sold to the late Dr. Frank A. Colby and E. B. Hamlin. Colby and Hamlin only run the store for two years, when they closed out their stock of miscellaneous books, but continued to carry school-books. P. J. Noyes and others carried stocks of school-books also until 1882, when the school laws were changed so as to require free text- books to be purchased by the school officers. In 1882 George H. Colby opened a book-store in his brother's drug store. After a time he occupied the second story of that building with a large stock of books and stationery. He later moved into the Hazeltine building on Main street, remaining only a short time, when he moved into the Hartshorn block on Main street. Here for a number of years he carried a large stock of books and stationery. In 1894 he moved his store into the McGee building on Middle street, where he now is with a lar^e stock of goods. CHAPTER VII. MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES OF THE TOWN FROM ITS SET- TLEMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME. FoT AND Pearl Ashes — Cloth and Clothing : Clothing Mills and Tailors — Tanners — Shoemakers — Gunsmiths — Furniture Factories — Piano Sounding Boards — Blacksmiths — Wagon Makers or Wheelwrights — Clock Factory — Harness Makers — Hatters — Mills : Grist-mills and Sawmills — Door, Sash, and Blind Factories — Strawboard Mills — Starch Factories — Thompson Manufacturing Co. — File Factories — Diamond Granite Works. Pot and Pearl Ashes. — Aside from hunting and trapping fur- bearing animals and the moose, whose pelt afforded good leather, the making of pot and pearl ashes was the first industry that afforded the early settlers with an article of commerce to exchange in the markets for the limited stock of goods brought here. The 24 370 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. land was heavily timbered, and during the winter months burning it for ashes to sell at the stores was a common occupation for men and boys for many years. The merchants traded goods for them, and then leached and boiled the lye into a dark salts, sometimes referred to as " salts of lye." This salts was treated to a second process, which made the pearl ash (Potassii Carhonas Ini^tira., U. S. P-)- Gen. John Wilson had a " pearlash " in the rear of I. W. Drew's house on Indian Brook ; the Cargill store had one some twenty rods south of Wilson's, near the same stream, used also by Thomas Carlisle when he was in business at that end of the village; Benjamin Boardman had his pearlash just opposite the stone house of I. W. Hopkinson on Main street; Reuben Stephen- son had one a little off Middle street, near where L. F. Moore's back store stands ; and Samuel White had his on the south side of the river near the bridge. The late Richard P. Kent wrote in his Personal Memoranda, that from 1828 to 1832, while he was a part- ner of Royal Joyslin, they took in trade three thousand bushels of ashes a year. The business soon began to decline after that date, and has long since been given up. It is now only known as a prim- itive and crude product and business of the pioneer age of the town. The early settlers of the town were by necessity compelled to make such articles of apparel, furniture, and implements as they used, because they were so far from the markets as to make it prac- tically impossible to buy all these things, even if they had been for sale. The first load of goods brought to town by Gen. Edwards Bucknam cost more for transportation than they were billed at ; and these had to be bartered for furs and skins mainly. Fortunately those early pioneers possessed skill enough to build their own houses, dress skins and furs, spin and weave cloth, and make their own clothes. As the community grew in numbers and resources, more skilled artisans migrated here and found employ- ment at their various trades. The Mannfachire of Cloth and Clothing. — Until about 1820, nearly all the cloth worn in Lancaster was made by hand in the homes of the people. They spun the wool, the flax, and the tow, and wove it in their own looms. They colored the yarn or cloth, largely by the use of barks and a few simple chemicals. For many years the wool and flax were even carded by hand. About 1820, what was known as "cotton yarn" began to be carried in stock by the merchants. This was used chiefly as warp in the weaving of a variety of mixed cloths, and its use was hailed by the hard-worked housewives as a boon, for it saved half the work of carding and spinning, and it made, in some respects, a finer article of clothing than the former fabrics. The various processes of spinning, weaving, coloring the cloth, MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 37 I and making the garments came in alternating seasons. The wool was spun during the early summer, woven and dyed in the fall, and made up in the early autumn, which put everybody into their woolen clothes ready to brave the winter, while on the other hand the flax and tow were dressed in winter, spun, woven, and made up ready for their adoption on the approach of warm weather in the spring. Cloth Mills. — As early as 1805, Richard C. Everett, who was a man of considerable means, enterprising and public-spirited, erected a large grist-mill nearly on the site of the present sawmill on Isreals river, in which he did also carding of wool and fulling or dressing cloth for those who made it and brought it to the mill to be treated. This was called a "cloth mill," and for half a century these mills were common. The Isreals River Manufacturing Company later for many years occupied this site, known as the " fulling mill." In 181 5 Asahel Going erected a " cloth mill" on the branch of the river below the Main Street bridge, on what is now Water street, about on the site of the present furniture factory. This mill did a good business until about 1839, when it fell into the hands of Fred- erick Fisk, who converted it into a pail factory, and which factory later became a starch mill run by Fisk & Tillotson (Frederick Fisk and John M. Tillotson), and after the starch business was aban- doned was converted into a furniture factory by N. H. Richardson, who still runs it as such. Wool carding is still carried on by N. W. Hartford on Canal street, where rolls are also kept for sale by him. Tailors. — Just when tailors made their advent in Lancaster is not now known. The first to follow the business were no doubt simply seamstresses who developed superior skill in cutting and planning garments. After a time professional or skilled tailors came to town. These, at first, went from house to house, cutting and fitting the more difificult or finer garments. They w^ere often accompanied by sewing women, who made the articles up after they were cut. The tailor simply took the measures, planned and cut, and then would go to the next house, followed in time by the tailoress or seamstress. The first person to open a regular tailor shop in town was George W. Perkins, some time before 1823. Since then Lancaster has never been without a good tailoring establishment. The successors of Perkins have been his son-in-law, George W. Ingerson, Harrison Copp, Jacob Windus — " the German tailor," Woolson & Co., Robert Sawyer, l^elson Sparks, T. S. Underwood & Son, Lane Clothing Co. (ready-made clothing), and Christian Deitrich. The last three are still in business here. Ready-made clothing, of late years, has limited the trade of the tailors materially, while large stocks of that class of goods are car- 372 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. ried by several houses, — R. P. Kent & Son, Lane Clothing Co., Kent & Roberts, and W. C. Sherburne. Tanneries. — One of the earliest industries of an}' community is that of manufacturing leather for foot wear. Just when, and under what circumstances, the art was introduced into Lancaster cannot now be satisfactorily determined. That hides were tanned at a very early date we know, and that there were men who made it a business at or before the beginning of this century. Lieut. Dennis Stanley, who came to Lancaster about 1777 or 1778, was a tanner. He dressed moose skins for clothing and tanned hides for leather. Following him were Asa Burnap, Jonas Batchelor, William Weeks Moore, and David Burnside. Burnside's tannery was in operation within the memory of many persons still living. It was on Elm street, where the creamery now stands, his dwelling adjoining the yard on the west. Shoemakers. — One among the first to be needed in a new settle- ment is the shoemaker. Some of the pioneer settlers of Lancaster were able to make shoes and moccasins, then called " moggasheens." Just previous to the beginning of this century there were a num- ber of shoemakers, who went from house to house, making up for the people the leather they had tanned from the skins of the animals used for food. In January, 1786, John Johnson made shoes for Gen. Edwards Bucknam three days, and received four shillings {66 2-3 cents). I have before me a bill of William Brown, shoemaker, against Gen. Edwards Bucknam, and reproduce it here in order that the present generation may see what the shoemaker's art could com- mand in wages nearly a century ago. "Edwards Bucknam, To William Brown, Dr. I- Sh. p. March 23, 1797. To Making one pr of boots for selt, ... 7 To Making one pr shoes for Son gorg . 3 To Foxing one pr shoes for Suesy ... 19 To Soling and meneng one pr Shoes for gorg, i 3 To Making one pr Shoes for Suesy ... 3 May 13, 1797. To Mending one pr Boots for Self ... 9 To one piece of Nankeen . . . . . 12 To Making one pr shoes for son Edward . . 3 Polly hartwell to Making one pr Shoes . . 3 Wm. hartwell one pr Do ..... 3 To Foxing one pr for Do ..... 19 Received pay, Wm. Brown . . . £.1 15 6. July 3, 1797, By cash one Dollar ...... 6 " Two years later John Weeks was making shoes for General Buck- nam. From these dates on down into this century the leading shoemakers were: Josiah Smith, Samuel Hunnex, Samuel Went- MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 373 worth, John Dow, Heber Blanchard, Coffin Moore, Orange Smith, Shepherd Knight, and others named elsewhere. The first stock of ready-made shoes offered in Lancaster was brought here by Hartford Sweet in 1846. Since then that class of goods has steadily and irresistibly reduced the shoemaker almost to a mender of shoes. Lancaster to-day, with over 5,000 population, has not as many shoemakers as it had when the population was only one tenth as large. Gunsmiths. — In the settlement of almost every community in New England, the gun was an indispensable instrument. If not called into use to defend the settler's home from savage Indians or jealous rivals seeking the conquest of territory for different rulers, it certainly was often relied upon to supply his table with meat. A family without a gun, in the first fifty years of the settlement of the town, was sadly handicapped in this respect. The first person to tinker guns and make them as a trade, was Isaac Darby, familiarly known as " Squire Darby," the miller. He attended the old Wilder mill, and while the grist was grinding mended the guns that were out of order, or perhaps worked upon a new one. It is said by some, still living, who used his guns, that they were of a very good qual- ity of workmanship. At all events they had an enviable reputation. " Squire Darby" could use a gun with deadly effect, if traditidn is to be relied upon. He was a noted hunter of bears, and many of them yielded to his deadly fire with one of his long guns. Another gunsmith of great notoriety was one Thomas Morse, a Pennsylvania Dutchman, who had his shop on Sand Hill, formerly the meeting-house common. He made many guns of a superior quality, which won for him fame that is not even now forgotten. It is said that the late Hiram A. Fletcher, at the time of his death, owned seventeen of the guns made by Morse, which he had picked up and held as relics of the past. Daniel T. Johnson ("Tiger" Johnson), who died in the military service during the Rebellion, was also a gunsmith. Furniture Manufacturing. — What kind of, and how much, fur- niture the first settlers had we are not quite sure, but that it was simple and scanty may well be imagined when we consider that they were more than fifty miles from any market where furniture could be purchased. Undoubtedly, some articles of a simple and rude quality must have been used by the first and second genera- tions of the town's inhabitants. None of such articles, however, are in existence to-day. Very early in the present century, tradition makes it about 18 14, Samuel Philbrook came to Lancaster, and located on Mill Brook, south of the village, on the road to South Lancaster, and began to manufacture furniture. He erected what was then called a " cabinet maker's shop," for the manufacture, on 374 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. a pretty large scale, of chairs, tables, light-stands, bedsteads, and bureaus. Many of these articles are still in existence, and doing as good service as if just from some great modern factory. Walnut and wild cherry timber were very plenty in those days, and Mr. Phil- brook used it chiefly in the construction of his furniture. In 1820, Francis Bingham from Charlestown, N. H., located in the village for the manufacture of furniture. He opened a " cabinet- maker's shop " on Elm street, next west of where the Burnside house now stands. He conducted a very successful business there for many years. He sold out to Oliver W. Baker to take charge of the Fairbanks shops at St. Johnsbury, Vt. Mr. Baker continued the business for some time. At a later date Orville E. Freeman and Anderson J. Marshall conducted furniture manufacturing successfully for a number of }'ears. Harvey Nutting and Samuel W. Brown had a furniture factory in the second story of the foundry building on Middle street for a number of years, in which they were successful manfacturers. Some articles of all these factories are yet to be seen in the older families, and in garrets, where they have been doomed to lie neglected for newer styles that have taken their place. In 1867, N. H. Richardson and his brother, H. R., came to Lan- caster and bought out Nutting's interest in the starch factory on Canal street, which business they conducted until burnt out in the fire that destroyed the starch mill, peg mills, and other buildings. They later bought the old starch mill property on Water street. Here they did a good business, making a fine line of furniture that found a ready market. Mr. N. H. Richardson took W. R. Porter into partnership later. The firm of Richardson & Porter continued to do a good business until the fall of 1895, when they became heavily involved, and made an assignment. The property was bought up by Fred E. Richardson, a son of N. H. Richardson, and is now conducted by him. Eben C. Garland & Sons built a sawmill and furniture factory on Great Brook about 1865, for the manufacture of hard wood lumber, chairs, and casks for potato starch. They also used steam power, and for several years did a good business. Their mill was burned. They rebuilt, but their losses, and the building of the Kilkenny rail- road led to the speedy depletion of the tract of timber upon which they relied, and they finally failed. Piano Soimding-Boay'ds. — In 1850, John H. Spaulding built a sawmill in the eastern part of the town, just beyond the " Great Rock; " and after running it only a few years sold it to John M. Whipple, who converted it into a factor}' for making sounding- boards for pianos. The plant was a very good one for some years ; but Mr. Whipple finally gave his attention to the manufacture of MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 375 hard wood sheathing, a business that has been a profitable one in this section of country. Blacksiniths. — Just at what time the first blacksmith established his shop in Lancaster is not known ; but tradition informs us that it was near the Holton place, at the north end of Main street. Col. Sylvanus Chessman was for many years the only blacksmith of the town, and for many more years the leading one. In those days the blacksmith's trade was a laborious one, and called for much more skill than it does to-day. His material was not so well prepared for him as it is for the blacksmith of to-day. He forged and turned his own horseshoes, made the nails to fasten them on with ; he made nails for the use of carpenters and joiners ; the axes, hoes, and plow- irons were in many instances of the local blacksmith's manufacture. Warren Porter was skilled in making edge tools. His sign was a broad axe, the symbol of his skill in the making of such im- portant implements. His shop was on Main street, nearly opposite his house. He followed Mr. Chessman. The next to follow that trade in town after Warren Porter were : Benjamin Bishop, Abel Porter, John Moore, Benjamin Adams, l./'' Harvey Adams, and Samuel Rines. Benjamin Adams had his shop on the Aaron Guernsey place, three miles below the village. He was noted for the excellent quality of hoes he made. He branched out on one occasion and distilled potato whiskey on a limited scale in addition to his trade. His whiskey never won him half the fame his hoes, shovels, and hay-forks did. Samuel Rines, whose shop stood where the J. A. Smith store building now does, was among the early village blacksmiths. For many years he conducted a shop on that site, and later became in- terested in a sawmill standing just east of where the grist-mill now is, on the north side of the river. He made a plow that won fame for him; abandoning his old stand, he erected a foundry and shop near the sawmill, and devoted much of his time to the manufacture of his plow. He purchased the land between Middle street and the river, including the mill site and the old mill-house which stood where William Clough's house now does, and built a large two-story factory, extending from Middle street to the water. In the end next the street, on the first floor, he established his foun- dry, the first one in Lancaster. In the other end of the building, on the same floor, he set up lathes, planers, and other tools and machinery. Here he did business for many years under the firm name of S. & W. M. Rines. Webster M. Rines was his son, and afterwards ran a sanitarium in Delaware, where he died recently. The firm made great numbers of the celebrated plows, which found ready market far and near. Some of the older farmers now living remember the plow, and speak of it as a fine implement. This 1^6 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. shop was succeeded by J. I. Williams & Co., and Thompson, Wil- liams & Co., predecessors of the Thompson Manufacturing Co. Harvey Adams had shops at various places about the village, but while running his shop on the south side of the river, near the old carding- and fulling-mills, he did his most successful business as a blacksmith. He is still remembered by the older citizens as a good workman and a good citizen. His blacksmithing was of a general range, making and mending all sorts of things. This stand has been occupied by a smithy ever since he established his there, replacing an old pot and pearl ashery. Mr. Adams later became a wagon maker, and will be mentioned again as such. Since his time there have always been from two to three shops in the village, but the character of the work now done in blacksmith shops does not rank them among manufacturies. Wagon Alakers and Wheehvrights. — Abijah Darby was the pioneer wagon maker of the town. He followed the business for many years, making carts and wagons ; he did repairing also. He also made the famous " Portland sleighs," at one time the most aris- tocratic vehicle in use in this land of long winters and fine sleighing. The business in the hands of Mr. Darby became an important indus- try. When he reached an advanced age he sold out to Levi Wil- lard, Jr., in 1822, who was for a long time the leading wagon maker of the town, extending the business to a wider range of vehicles than Darby had made. In 1830 Stephen Hadley opened a shop as a wheelwright on the site of Samuel White's old pearl ashery, where the Monahan shop now stands. He conducted a fairly successful business there for ten years, selling out to Frederick Fisk in 1841, who did business here for only a short time when he was succeeded by Harvey Adams, the blacksmith before mentioned. Mr. Adams manufactured wagons, sleighs, hoes, and hay forks, and would have been very successful had it not been foK repeated fires and freshets that ravaged his shops. He lost heavily from those sources. In those days much of the water of Isreals river, in times of freshets, came down the old channel between Mechanic street and the hill south of it and entered the main stream between Mr. Adams's shop and the bridge. He was thus badly exposed, and consequently lost much from that source. He was finally compelled to relinquish the busi- ness. About this time one Edward Dufoe, a noted violinist and favorite at all the dances of the region, who had married into the Stanley family of the town, had a shop on Main street, where the lawn of George Van Dyke now is, in which he made wagons and carriages. He was the first carriage maker to make use of the eliptical springs on his vehicles. Previous to that time the only spring in use was MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 377 what was called the "thorough brace;" the device of leather had its day, doing good service, no doubt, but destined to yield to progres- sive ideas of comfort. In 1840 James W. Weeks entered into partnership with Ashbel Pierce, an experienced workman from Claremont, N. H., for the manufacture of wagons and buggies. They located on the site now occupied by the large store building of L. F. Moore on Middle street. After some three or four years, not finding the business a paying one, Mr. Weeks bought out his partner and closed the fac- tory, with the exception of keeping one or two men on repair work. In 1847 he sold the stand to the late Anderson J. Marshall, who made it profitable. In 1852 it was destroyed by fire. He rebuilt the factory on a larger scale, and continued to do a thriving bus- iness until his retirement from active life. The plant was continued by Antipas P. Marshall, his son, and George R. Eaton, doing good work, but on declining profits, as they had to compete with larger factories that were then flooding the country. They had to discon- tinue the business after a short time, and the old factory stood idle until 1895, when it was pulled down and replaced by one of the largest and best appointed store buildings in northern New Eng- land — L. F. Moore's hardware store. Later, Parcher Brothers sold carriages and sleighs here. . Beyond repair work there is little done in the trade of the wagon maker or carriage maker in Lancaster to-day. Clocks. — It is a matter of curious interest that Lancaster once had in its bounds a real, live Yankee clockmaker who for a time did a good business. At the beginning of this century Yankee genius ran to clocks as naturally as ducks take to water. Nearly every New England village of any prominence about that time had a clock factory in it. One Samuel Wright located here in 1808, for the manufacture of clocks, and we are informed by tradition that he did well for some years, until the larger factories using machinery could produce and sell cheaper clocks than he could make by hand. The business soon gave way to the regular trade, as at present con- ducted by the so-called watchmaker and jeweler, who are rather repairers of such articles than makers of them. John W. Williard opened a watchmaker's shop in 1825, which he conducted for some years. William Purington was the next to follow the business in town. He worked in a little yellow shop standing on the lot now occupied by the residence of the late Charles E. Allen, as early as 1837. His house is now standing on Cemetery street near the Bos- ton & Maine railroad depot, on the south side of the street. It has been somewhat remodeled, but is in outline the same as when Pur- ington occupied it. After Purington, Charles B. Allen, — who succeeded him and who 378 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. bought his shop, then standing on the site of Eagle block, — George A. Martin, Charles E. Allen, W. I. Hatch, J. M. Kimball, Whitcomb Brothers, and Charles Morse hav^e been in the business. Mr. Hatch, the Whitcomb Brothers, and Morse are now in trade here, carrying large stocks of goods and doing repair work. Others have, for brief periods, followed this line ; but these named have been the chief representatives of the watchmakers' and jewelers' craft in Lancas- ter. Harness Makers and Saddlers. — It was not until about 1808 that Lancaster became large enough to present attractions to saddlers and harness makers to locate here. In that year Jonathan Carleton opened a saddler's shop in the village, and for a number of years conducted the business with reasonable success for a small com- munity. The next person to engage in this work in Lancaster was Allen Smith. He was from Hanover, N. H., but learned his trade in Ha- verhill, N. H. On the breaking out of the War of 1812 he enlisted as a drummer, serving the term of that war faithfully. On being discharged he came at once to Lancaster and opened a shop on the site now the lawn of the stone house owned by I. W. Hopkinson on Main street. He married Adaline, daughter of Daniel Perkins, and lived for many years where Odd Fellows' block now is. He was a zealous Methodist, and his house was the home of the itinerant preachers of that sect. The next person to open a shop here was Horace Whitcomb, who long years was a harness maker of prominence in town. He came here from Newbury, Vt., was at one time colonel of the regiment, and always active in the affairs of the Congregational church. His first shop was near the north end of the Stockwell bridge, by the Lancaster National bank, and later on Middle street next east of Richardson block; his home is still standing next east of Masonic Temple on Mechanic street. Later Charles F. Colby did work for some years. For a number of years Charles Howe, who succeeded his father, Charles Howe, who came from Concord, Vt, has been the leading harness maker, doing well since 1866. For several years A. E. Stratton conducted a harness maker's shop on Middle street, but on account of poor health gave up business in the winter of 1895, ^"^ died the follow- ing July. Hatters. — During the first half of this century hats were made in almost every village of any size throughout the country. Lancaster had a succession of prominent and skilled hatters during that time. The first to follow that trade in town was Frederick Messer, who made his own felts from lamb's wool or furs, shaped and finished them ready for the market. Messer's shop stood very nearly in Allen Smith. Joseph Farnham. John Staluird. Alonzo p. Freeman. MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 379 Main street, in front of James McCarten's blacksmith shop, on what is now the corner of Main and Mechanic streets. Here at the foot of the steep hill, up which ran the wooden stairs to the plain upon which the old meeting-house stood, he made hats for many years. The next hatter was Ephraim Cross, followed by Isaac B. Gorham. Their shop was located near the north end of Stockwell's bridge over Isreals river, in a building on the site of the present Colby block. Here Gorham long followed his trade. I find his illustrated adver- tisement in the first issue of the White Mountain ySgis, published on May 22, 1838, in which he returns thanks to his patrons for their trade for three preceding years, from which we learn that he was established here as early as 1835. The styles are gorgeous, judg- ing from the cuts that accompany the offer of his wares. He built the house next south of the Methodist church on Main street, about 1839. Ephraim Cross carried on the business later in a shop on his own lot near the corner of Main and High streets for some years. Hats began to find their way into the regular channels of trade about 1840. As factories arose throughout the country and made cheap and stylish hats, they gradually forced the oldtime hatter to the wall. Gi'ist-mills and Sazvmills. — One of the most interesting chap- ters in the history of the town is that concerning its mills. When the town was laid out, the water privileges on Isreals river were re- served as public property. The letting of them for building mills has therefore become a matter of public record. Their history is a part of the public acts of the town. The first settlers had to bring their flour and meal from Haver- hill, N. H., or subsist upon " samp," which was simply coarsely broken corn. Every family had its " samp mortar and pestle," mounted in or near the house. This device consisted of a log of wood about three feet long, hollowed out at one end in the shape of a mortar, into which the corn, or whatever else was to be " ground" and cracked by a pestle, worked either by hand or mounted on a spring pole. This only broke the grain into coarse fragments, somewhat like hominy; but it remained for a long time the chief food of the settlers, even after mills were in operation. The first mill of any pretensions was run by horse power; but it was a failure, and was soon abandoned. To David Page belongs the credit of building the first mill and sawmill in the town. As early as 1766, only two years after the settling of the town, money was voted for building a mill on Isreals river, but probably the sum was so small as to discourage anyone from undertaking the task. At all events, no mill was then built on the river. David Page built, on his own account, a grist-mill and sawmill on Indian brook, just back of the Thomas Hicks place, tak- 3 So HISTORY OF LANCASTER. ing advantage of an old beaver dam as affording the cheapest and best water power. These mills were erected in 1770, and were de- stroyed by fire in a few years. Tradition says that he rebuilt them, and that they were burned a second time ; but of this I can find no proof. There is in existence, and I have it before me, a memoran- dum of appropriations by the town while Gen. Edwards Bucknam was town clerk. It is in his handwriting, and must be regarded as genuine. This memorandum says that the town voted to pay David Page thirty pounds to rebuild a mill that was burned. It is supposed, therefore, that it applied to the second mills. David Page gave Edwards Bucknam, " collector for the proprietors of Lancaster," a receipt for sixty-six pounds lawful money paid to him June 13, 1775, for mills he had built. These must have been the second mills on Indian brook, and the money voted as an indemnity to cover losses sustained in his efforts to serve the public, for at a town-meeting held at the house of Edwards Bucknam June 8, 1773, it was voted to raise eighty-six pounds for mills on Isreals river. This appropriation was paid to David Page, Oct. 19, 1778, the receipt for which is before me. The mills for which this money was paid were on the south branch of Isreals river, running at that time at the foot of Sand hill, and forming an island of the high ground along Mechanic street, later known as Chessman's island. Page's mills on Isreals river stood just back of the dwelling-house of John Palmer. Tradition, confirmed by indications, say that at that time this south- ern channel of the river was the larger of the two. This mill was so far an assured matter on April 17, 1773, that David Page leased it to Hezekiah Fuller, the articles of agreement of which lease are before me. It was signed by Page in his remarkably poor and pe- culiar handwriting, and Fuller made his mark to his name written in the handwriting of Timothy Nash, Jr., who was one of the wit- nesses, Samuel Page being the other one. As is seen, the eighty- six pounds were not appropriated until on the thirteenth of the June following this transaction ; nor was the money paid until more than three years later. This was owing, no doubt, to the fact that the non-resident taxpayers failed to pay their taxes. Edwards Buck- nam, collector, notified them that if they did not pay up, their lands would be advertised for sale in the Nezv Hampshire Gazette on the tax of Aug. 10, 1774, to pay David Page for rebuilding the mills on Indian brook, and the tax of June 8, 1773, to pay Page for rebuilding on Isreals river. This mill of Page's on Isreals river must have been a poorly con- structed one, especially its dam, for we find Page and Fuller appeal- ing for help to rebuild the dam on Sept. 8, 1777. There is a tradi- tion that this mill was burned ; but I can find no confirmation of it. The mill was either destroyed or fell into decay at an early date. MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 38 I Remnants of the mill and dam existed within the memory of several old men with whom I conversed in regard to it. 77/1? Wilder Mills. — Major Jonas Wilder, a man of considerable wealth for those days, came to Lancaster in 1778. He was public- spirited, and full of enterprise. In 1781 he built a grist-mill and sawmill on Isreals river just above the granite works of V. V. Whit- ney. These mills were in operation for a long time, doing a suc- cessful business. Here Squire Darby tended mill for many a year. He is still remembered by some of the oldest men as a genial and ingenious man. This mill of Wilder's underwent extensive repairs in 181 7, and after that time was known as the "Wesson mill." The residence of the miller, called "The Mill House," stood on the site of the tracks of the Maine Central railroad near Middle street. Near where the present railroad track runs there was a steep road down to the mills. The mills fell into decay some fifty years ago, and have passed away, leaving not a vestige of their remains to mark the spot on which they once served this community so well. Brozuns Alills. — The next public action taken by the town con- cerning mills was at the annual town-meeting, March 13, 1792, when a committee, consisting of Lieut. Emmons Stockwell, Capt. David Page, Col. Edwards Bucknam, Capt. John Weeks, and Lieut Dennis Stanley, was chosen " to receive proposals of any gentleman concerning building mills on Isreals river near Stockwell's bridge." Page's mills had been built for nineteen years, and must have been destroyed or fallen into decay at this time, else Page would not very likely have been put on the committee to let the privilege of build- ing other mills in competition with his own and Wilder's. I have before me a proposition, in writing, from Titus O. Brown, in which he offers to "build a sawmill and grist-mill, and furnish good attendance and keep them in good repair, on condition that the town lease to him, his heirs and assigns, for the term of nine hundred years such quantity of the common lands, on Isreals river, and land under the river; also the waters of the same as shall be sufficient to build a mill and mill-yards, and also a road to the said mill privilege for and during said term of nine hundred years; he, the said Brown, paying to the selectmen of the town of Lancaster yearly one ear of Indian corn, annually, if demanded." This pro- posal bears date of March 20, 1792. It seems that the committee did not see fit to accept it ; but instead leased the privilege to Emmons Stockwell on May 7, 1792. I have the lease before me written in the hand of Capt. John Weeks, and signed by Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam, John Weeks, David Page, and Dennis Stanley, " Committee of the Town of Lan- caster," and witnessed by Zerubabel Eager and Stephen Wilson. 382 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. On the next day, May 8, 1792, Emmons Stockwell re-leased this privilege to Titus O. Brown on the exact terms that he received it, except that he retained the right to erect iron works and take water from the same dam that Brown bound himself to build, where the present dam of Frank Smith & Co.'s mill now is. The rental in both the lease and the re-lease was a pint of wheat annually when called for by the selectmen, and the rentals were decreed to be for the benefit of schools. I have before me a copy of this re-lease to Brown by Stockwell in the hand of Samuel Brooks, recorder for Grafton county. By the terms of the lease to Stockwell the mills — a sawmill, grist- mill, and a fulling-mill — were to be located between Stockwell's bridge and the old mills (Wilder's). Brown undertook to build a sawmill by the first day of December, 1792, and a grist-mill "with a good bolt," by the first day of December, 1793, and a fulling-mill by the first day of December, 1794. He built the sawmill on the site of the new block of Frank Smith & Co. ( 1 898 ) . He made an arrange- ment with Richard C. Everett by which the latter built a large grist- mill 100 feet long and three stories high, in which there was run a carding and fulling-mill. This mill building was very nearly on the site of the present grist-mill. It was burnt some time previous to 1800, and was rebuilt by Titus O. Brown on the same site. A mill house (miller's residence) stood about where the National Bank building now does. This second mill was also burnt in 18 19. Another, and a much better, mill was erected, and a mill house built on the south side of Middle street about where William Clough's residence now stands. David Greenlief, the noted miller, is still remembered by some of the older men who were then boys. Mr. Greenlief had been a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was a man full of reminiscences that pleased his customers to hear while waiting for their grists to be ground, for in those days people took their grists to the mill in a bag thrown across the back of a horse, on top of which they rode, and waited for the grain to be ground and took it home in the same way. The interval of waiting was often filled by an entertaining bit of story-telling by the miller. This old mill gave place in 1830 to one of a much better kind, built by Dr. John Dewey, in which the then most improved machinery was used. After the second mills on this site were burned, the carding and fulling-mills were built on the south side of the river. As the iron works were not erected, the contemplated space saved for them was given up to fulling-mills and other purposes. An " up and down " sawmill ran for many years between the dam and the iron works. The finding of bog ore on the Beaver brook and Connecticut river meadow lands filled the fancy of some of the early settlers with MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 383 visions of an iron furnace, that should supply them with enough of that indispensable metal for their own use, at least, if no more ; but it never came to anything. From this time onward to the present, this dam and the sites on both sides of the river have been occupied by various persons for mill purposes. Among those who have owned mill privileges on these sites have been : Titus O. Brown, Ephraim and Liberty Stock- well, John Mclntire, Richard Eastman, Moses T. Hunt, Thomas Carlisle, Joseph C. Cady, Isaac and Samuel Pearson, John Dewey, Emmons Stockwell, Jr., Sylvanus Chessman, John Moore, Peter Paddleford, Levi Willard, Philip Paddleford, Reuben Stephenson, John W. Weeks, J. W. Williams, Oliver Frost, S. and W. M. Rines^ O. E. Freeman, Geo. A. Goodrich, J. L Williams, Thompson, Wil- Hams & Co., Hovey & Bullard, A. W. Morrill, Ellis & Olcott, Smith, Hodge & Bullard, and Frank Smith & Co., the present owners. Several others may have had, and no doubt did at times own, inter- ests in these mills and privileges, but these named were the chief Owners of them for 104 years. Other Sawmills in Lancaster. — About 1823, or 1824, Major Joel Hemmenway built what was known as the Hemmenway mills on Otter brook, at what is now called the Grange Village, occupy- ing the site on which Amadon & Co.'s mills now stand. He also built the house owned and occupied by George Wood. His mill did a good business for many years, sharing the patronage of the town with Stockwell's sawmill in the village. Later John Lang built a sawmill on the outlet of little Martin Meadow pond on the Whitefield road, which cut lumber for some years. Eben C. Garland & Sons built a sawmill on Great brook where Edward C. Grannis now lives. Quite an effort was made in the early '70's to build up a village at South Lancaster. A bridge had been thrown across the Con- necticut, connecting with Lunenburg, one mile from the village of that name. Lewis Barter of Concord erected a wholesale grain and flour store near the tracks of the B., C. & M. railroad, and other enterprises were started there. In 1873 John H. Locke, until then an inn keeper at Hillsborough Bridge, for many years until recently connected with George Van Dyke in lumber operations, built for a Concord corporation whose principal members were Joseph A. Dodge, superintendent of the rail- road; George Clough, retired conductor and capitalist; George A. Pillsbury, now of the great flouring mills of Minneapolis ; Stephen A. Brown of Hillsborough, et als., a large steam sawmill at this point and equipped the river with booms and piers. This mill after several years was leased to George Van Dyke at the commencement of his business career, arid after he had run it 384 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. for a while to D. H. and T. G. Beattie who were operating it when it burned. Since the burning of the mill, business has departed from South Lancaster, only a cheese factory remaining. About the same time Allen and Hilliard had a steam sawmill on the same stream a mile south of the village, capable of cutting nearly as much lumber as the South Lancaster mills. This only existed a short time. One Goodrich had a steam mill on the plain opposite the Baker pond whence it drew its logs. For fully fifty years the first sawmills only cut boards and plank by the old upright saws. A few of these were in use for a longer time ; but the circular saw began to be used forty years ago. The choice pine with w^hich this section abounded was ripped into great planks an inch or more thick, and often over thirty inches wide. These were dressed by hand planes, the uneven marks of which are to be seen on some of the boards that have been in old build- ings for over a century. I have taken the measure of many boards over thirty inches wide in old houses. This history has been written on a table, the top of which is a single board taken out of the walls of the " Cross house " on the corner of Main and High streets, built by Col. R. C. Everett over a century ago. Lathes were not made then as now. They consisted of thin, wide half-inch boards which were split, or rather splintered, with an axe, and, as they were being nailed on the walls, separated by a wedge until the nails were driven, affording spaces for the mortar to hold to. Shingles were not sawed, but split or riven, here for many years. About 1830 the method of cutting them from steamed blocks by means of a lathe was introduced, and was considered quite an innovation. About a decade later the method of sawing them by means of a circular saw came into use, and prevailed as long as there was suitable timber left for shingles. There are now but few made for lack of timber suitable for that use. About 1850 the present method of manufacturing clapboards was introduced in Lancaster. The first clapboards were of equal thick- ness on both edges, and of varying widths. The first grist-mills were simple and primitive in their construc- tion. One Caleb Young and Peter Blanchard made millstones and mill machinery here and in Northumberland. Since Dr. John Dewey introduced modern and improved machin- ery into his mill, grist-mills have kept pace with the advances in industry, and have had good machinery. The grist-mill and saw- mill of to-day do first-class work in their respective lines. Sas/i, Door, atid Blind Facto7'ies. — The first person to make any extensive and successful attempt at manufacturing sash, doors, and blinds in Lancaster, was the late Nicholas B. Wilson, who came MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 385 here in 1850, and worked several years for Col. O. E. Freeman; and later went into business on his own account, occupying the site and buildings previously used by Harvey Adams in the manufacture of wagons, and sleighs, just west of where the Monahan blacksmith shop now is. Mr. Wilson did a good business until 1886, when by high water he lost his factory and much valuable machinery. He was later succeeded by Leavitt & Hartford, who did a good business for some years. Since they retired this line of work has been car- ried on extensively by the Thompson Manufacturing Company. During the year 1894, Frank Smith & Co. erected a sash, door, and blind factory, and planing-mill in connection with their lumber business, and have for two years past done a considerable amount of that kind of work. Strazvboard and Paper Mills. — In 1864, the town, at a spe- cial meeting, voted to lease to K. B. Fletcher & Co., for the nominal rental of one dollar a year, in perpetuity, the water of Isreals river and its bed, and the lands on both sides of the stream, as given by the original proprietors to the town, in consideration that the lessees should erect a strawboard mill, or other manufacturing concern of equal importance to the town. This company consisted of K. B. Fletcher, Edmund Brown, Henry O. Kent, Jason H. Woodward, J. W. Spaulding, Charles W. Roby, Frank Smith, and Charles E. Allen. Steps were taken by the company to organize and begin business on receiving their lease. Buildings were commenced, and a canal cut to its dam. In 1855, by special act of the legislature, a corporation under the name of the Lancaster Manufacturing Company had been chartered. The grantees of that charter were Jacob Benton, L. F. Moore, Ed- mund Brown, Jared I. Williams, William Burns, Harvey Adams, Royal Joyslin, B. F. Whidden, Joseph Roby, Frederick Fiske, Hart- ford Sweet, E. L. Colby, H. C. Walker, D. A. Burnside, J. E. Stick- ney, A. L. Robinson, Turner Stephenson, and Frank Smith. This corporation was " authorized to carry on the manufacture of such articles as are usually made of wool, cotton, wood, or timber; also of paper and woodenware, in all the various departments con- nected with such manufactures, in the town of Lancaster, county of Coos, New Hampshire." This corporation had not organized, and its valuable franchise was unused for a period of nine years ; and then it conveyed its franchise to K. B. Fletcher & Co. The incorporators met in the office of Henry O. Kent, March 25, 1865, for the first time upon a regu- larly issued call, and organized temporarily, by the election of L. F. Moore, president, and Frank Smith, clerk. Henry O. Kent, Jason H. Woodward, John W. Spaulding, C. W. Roby, and Charles E. Allen, of the K. B. Fletcher & Co. firm, were elected associates in 25 386 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. the benefits of the charter. It was next voted to allow all the origi- nal grantees of the charter to withdraw from the corporation except Edmund Brown and Frank Smith, which they did do. The corporation then voted to adopt the act of incorporation, and also a set of by-laws for its government, and adjourned the meet- ing to March 29, 1865, at which meeting the organization was completed by the election of J. W. Spaulding, agent; Henry O. Kent, clerk; Charles E. Allen, treasurer. The stock was fixed at 240 shares of $100 each, and was taken as follows: Edmund Brown, 30; Henry O.Kent, 30; Jason H. Woodward, 40; J. W. Spaulding, 40; Charles W. Roby, 40 ; F. Smith, 30; C. E. Allen, 15 ; Isaac F. Allen, 15. This gave the projectors of the K. B. Fletcher & Co. firm the rights and title of the Lancaster Manufacturing Company. The real estate of the former firm was transferred to the latter company; and the new company completed the factory, and at once began the manufacture of strawboard. This was for a number of years a very important industry for the community, as it afforded the farm- ers a good market for the product of their farms, and gave employ- ment to a number of people at good wages. The company paid as high as from five to ten dollars a ton for oat and rye straw, and consumed annually about five hundred cords of wood for fuel. The community was well served by the business, but its projectors had to wait until 1870 for their first dividend, which was only a ten per cent. one. They had spent much of the earnings of the factory on its equipment with the best of machinery. Their product was good and prices fair; but just at that time the country began to be flooded with strawboard, and with declining prices and high freight rates the business soon became an unprofit- able one. When the returns for its product were so low as not to allow the manufacture longer, it was decided to change to straw and manilla wrapping-papers. This course was wise and profitable, as the company made good profits for a time. After a while the intro- duction of wood pulp and active competition drove the prices down ; and although the company made a good article, freights being against them, and in favor of mills nearer the market, their profits dwindled again, so that it became necessary to increase the capital stock of the company $12,000, making their working cap- ital now $36,000. Soon the stockholders were assessed on their stock to keep the mill running. About 1867, S. H. LeGro became a stockholder, and as agent and treasurer of the company proved a valuable member. He was a careful and persistent man, who always succeeded in his undertakings, and in whom all who knew him had perfect confidence. It was finally decided, in 1879, after a thorough trial of its pros- MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 387 pects, to close the mill. S. H. LeGro and Henry O. Kent took the entire stock and met the company's indebtedness. They paid up all claims, and sold the mills, machinery, and stock on hand to Thomas M. Stevens of Boston, Mass., for $20,000, taking in pay- ment for the same Stevens's equity in two apartment hotels in Boston, Mass. In this sale only the property of the corporation was transferred to Stevens, Messrs. LeGro and Kent retaining and still owning the stock and rights granted by the charter. The shares have been reduced to twenty, and the Lancaster Manufac- turing Company still exists with a capital of $2,000. At its last annual meeting Mr. S. H. LeGro (now deceased) was president, and Henry O. Kent, secretary and treasurer. Stai'ch Factories. — The manufacture of potato starch was intro- duced here by Frederick Fisk and John M. Tillotson, several years before the war. They built and conducted a factory or mill on the site of N. H. Richardson's furniture shop, on Water street, and were very successful in the business for some years, the industry proving a valuable one for the community as it afforded a good market for its surplus of potatoes, and also used up potatoes otherwise unmarketable, at fair prices, largely the huge "California" pota- toes at twelve and one half cents per bushel. Other factories soon started up all over New England, the market became over- stocked, and prices went so low as to make the business a poor one. Many of the new mills made a poor grade of starch, used larger quantities of potatoes to the ton than formerly, and the " potato rot " broke out, which taken altogether reduced the w^ork to a poor venture. It gradually declined in Lancaster, the railroads so appreciating the price of potatoes for market as to make the man- ufacture unprofitable. The Lancaster Starch Company was the chief sufferer in this manufacture. It was a joint stock company of forty shares, of one hundred dollars each. It purchased land and water power where the Thompson Manufacturing Company buildings now stand. This company sought to monopolize the business in this section by buy- ing out the Fisk and Tillotson mills, of Benjamin H. Plaisted of Jefferson, and by offering fifty cents a bushel for potatoes when other factories were buying them for from thirty-two to thirty-five cents. Others unloaded their stock of potatoes upon the Lan- caster Starch Company, which took in one season fifty thousand bushels, and by their freezing and rotting lost a large portion of them. And then it took four hundred bushels of potatoes, by their processes, to make a ton of starch while other factories re- quired only from one hundred and eighty to two hundred and fifty bushels to the ton. It was not at first understood that the higher grades of potatoes contained the most starch. Panic spread among 388 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. the stockholders, some of whom got rid of their stock at ahnost any figure to avoid liabihty in the ruin they foresaw. A fire destroyed their factory on Canal street, February 7, 1869, together with the peg mill of L. F. Moore and the furniture factory of the Richard- sons. Added to this heavy loss were the many lawsuits that fol- lowed, which consumed the capital of the company, and left it still heavily involved in debt. There were many heavy losers among our best farmers, but the heaviest was the late William D. Weeks, one of Lancaster's most honorable men. He might have saved himself by alienating his stock ; but he was hopeful of being able to close up the business without complete loss, and save the credit of himself and associates. It has ever been the pride of Lancaster business men of the old stock, that in all business enterprises involv- ing risks their creditors must not suffer by the failure of their ven- tures. Many of the business enterprises of that class of men have failed, and they have lost heavily, but their creditors have almost invariably been paid to the last penny of their just claims. Pleasant Valley Starch Company. — On October 19, 1868, several farmers from Northumberland and Lancaster met at the Great Rock schoolhouse in district No. 15, and organized a com- pany for the manufacture of potato starch. A site for a mill was purchased of James Bain, and it was voted to erect the mill at once. The ofificers elected were: J. C. Marshall, president ; Moody P. Mar- shall, secretary; James Bain, treasurer. James Bain, Moody Marshall, and Zeb. Twitchell were elected a committee to erect the buildings of the company. They employed Moses Woodward to superintend the construction of the mill, he having had considerable experience in the business of manufactur- ing starch. There was raised the sum of $300 to expend on the mill; and the meeting adjourned until October 31, 1868, when a constitution and by-laws were adopted, which required as ofificers a president, a secretary, a general managing agent, these to constitute a board of managers. The original shareholders were Robert Jaques, i ; Moody P. Marshall, 5 ; James Bain, 2 ; John W. Savage, 5 ; Patrick Connary, 3 ; Charles Montgomery, i ; Thomas Jaques, 3 ; William G. Ellis, I ; Thomas S. Ellis, i ; John Farnham, 3 ; Zeb. Twitchell, 2 ; George Farnham, 2 ; Ransom Farnham, i ; Abiathar Twitchell, i ; Edward Fox, 2 ; Zebulon Black, i ; Charles Lee, i ; Thomas H. Sheridan, i ; Stephen Hartford, 3 ; William Osborn, i ; Isaac F. Cotton, 2 ; George Cummings, 2 ; Samuel J. Gerrish, 2. The mill of the company was completed in due time, and the manufacture of starch was carried on for a number of years with varied success. For a while the prices kept up pretty well, and good returns were secured for the product. The owners began, after some MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 389 years, to sell their shares with which to pay debts, or else to get happily rid of a venture in which they could see but slight hopes of future gains. Most of the shares came into the possession of Col. H. O. Kent and Mr. J. A. Smith, the one a successful financier and the other a successful merchant. From 1871 they had complete control of the factory, and by careful management made some money for themselves and kept a better market for the farmers' potato crop. For twelve years they kept the mill going; but the time came when even they could make nothing out of it, and finally were forced to close it to avoid losses. In 1883 it was closed and some of the property sold. Mr. Kent and the heirs of Mr. J. A. Smith still own the mill and water privilege on Caleb brook. James W. Weeks ran a starch mill successfully for a series of years at Grange Village, and a good mill was long in operation on Mar- den brook, near the Jefferson line, on the East road. Pleasant Valley was the last mill in operation for the manufacture of starch in Lancaster. The business has since then been entirely given up as unprofitable in competition with larger producers in other sections of the country. While the lands of Lancaster are quite as productive as those of other sections of the country, it yet costs more to produce and market a crop of potatoes, as the more improved machinery cannot be used to any profitable extent. The work has, in the main, to be done by hand, which increases the ex- pense of the crop. The introduction of railroads, as said, also injured the starch business, as it enhanced the value of potatoes for the market above a price at which they could be profitably manu- factured. The Thompson Manufacturing Company . — In 1858, Jared I. Williams bought out S. & W. M. Rines, who were then running a foundry and manufacturing plows and other articles just east of the site of the mill and store of Frank Smith & Co. Mr. Williams con- ducted a profitable business here, using more improved machinery than the Rines firm did. The business was conducted under the firm name of J. I. Williams & Co., although Mr, Williams was the sole owner. The second story of the large building was used by Nutting & Brown with their furniture business, which was extensive. In 1865, Alexander and Daniel Thompson were admitted into the firm of Williams & Co. The Thompsons were men of great skill and ceaseless perseverance. They removed the plant of the Chase Foundry Company here from Concord, Vt., and consolidated it with the plant of the J. I. Williams machine shop and foundry. The new firm was styled Thompson, Williams & Co. This company did a good business. In 1869 it was incorporated as "The Lancaster Iron Works." Under this name it only existed one year, when the property was divided up. Williams took the foundry and the 390 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Thompsons the machine shop. WilHams later sold the foundry to Richard Hovey and A. M. Bullard. They soon sold it to A. W. Morrill, who in turn sold it to W. H. Ellis and B. S. Alcott, and Williams took it back, and sold the personal property to Alex- ander Thompson and the real estate to Frank Smith & Co. The Thompsons continued to run the machine shop on Middle street until 1873, when the shops were burned, making a total loss. They lost about $15,000; but being men of boundless courage they pur- chased the property of the lately collapsed Lancaster Starch Com- pany, on Canal street. Here Alexander Thompson laid the founda- tion of the present Thompson Manufacturing Company in the little one-story dry-house of the Starch Company, the only part of their plant that was not consumed in the fire. Thompson only pur- chased one half of the water power on that site. For the first year he occupied that one little building, 24x30 feet, which is still a part of the present shops. In enlarging the shops from time to time, they have built around this original building. After a hard struggle in building up his business, Mr. Thompson sold a half inter- est to K. B. Fletcher, Jr., and F. H. Twitchell, both of whom had been trained into skilful workmen under his watchful care. At this time the firm only employed three men. They were engaged in the manufacture of sawmill machinery, general jobbing, and steam fit- ting. Close attention to business and hard work improved it, so that the plant grew steadily into prominence, and yielded a good income. Alexander Thompson's health failed in the early spring of 1882, so he was forced to give up business the first of May. He died the following September. The surviving partners continued the business under the old firm name until May 7, 1884, when Thompson's interest was sold to William T. Jones, of Whitefield, N. H., and Charles H. Balch, of Lancaster. The name of the company was changed to " The Thompson Manufacturing Company." On May 21, 1888, the company bought out the door, sash, and blind factory of Leavett & Hartford, in an adjoining building, on the same water power. This they added to their former business, and have ever since made it a profitable industry. This factory also turns out a general line of builders' materials. C. H. Balch died May 18, 1889, and Ossian Ray and Joseph W. Flanders bought his interest in the company the following Septem- ber. In October. 1892, a consolidation was made with Charles W. Sleeper, of Island Pond, Vt., formerly of Coaticook, P. Q. By this arrangement the Thompson Manufacturing Company became the manufacturers of a machine, the invention of Mr. Sleeper, for the automatic construction of tin cans for meats and fruits. This is the MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES. 391 only machine of the kind that takes sheet tin and cuts and makes a completed can automatically. The new company have found in Mr. Sleeper such a genius as the old one had in Alexander Thompson. In 1893 the private company formed a stock company, under the same name, with a capital of $50,000. It now employs about fifty men throughout the year. Of late years it has been devoting con- siderable attention to the manufacture of machinery for making wood pulp and paper. The company holds patents on these ma- chines, as also on a number of other inventions, tools, and devices. File Works. — We mention as an evidence of the enterprise and genius of the town, the fact that at one time there flourished a fac- tory in which were made a very good grade of files. It was located on Canal street, and conducted by Moody & Co., — George Moody and George E. Cave. Later it was owned and managed by Ellis & Olcott (Thomas S. Ellis and Barzillai S. Olcott). It was not destined to long survive, in competition with large factories turning out a larger product in a single day than it could in a year. Be- sides, it was not located near enough to the markets in which its material had to be bought, and those in which its products could find sale. The Diamond Granite Company . — For a number of years V. V. Whitney had conducted a private business in the manufacture of granite monuments in Lancaster; but in 1894, in order to further develop the business, he consolidated with that of an incorporated company under the name of "The Diamond Granite Company." Mr. Whitney had previously erected the extensive factory and sheds on Middle street for the accommodation of his work. This became the company's plant, and for a year extensive operations were car- ried on. A large force of men have been employed in both the quarry and factory most of the time for the last three years. Some very fine work has been turned out. They quarry the Kilkenny granite from their ledges, taken from the Kilkenny mountains, in the southern edge of the town of Northumberland. This granite, which exists in an inexhaustible quantity, comes to the surface and is eas- ily gotten. Its quality is very good, as is shown by analysis. It is a sienitic granite, of three shades, — dark green, bluish, and light gray. The most of it is of the greenish tint. Its specific gravity is 2.707, which is .047 higher than the average of sienitic granites. It possesses a crushing resistance of 15,360 pounds to the square inch ; and its heat resisting power is great, making it a valuable stone for building and monumental purposes. Arthur G. Wilson & Company carry on an extensive business in marble and granite work, having a wide and valuable connection. Their new shops and salesrooms are on Elm street, opposite the Williams House, where very fine work is designed and completed. 392 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. CHAPTER VIII. BANKS AND CORPORATIONS. The Lancaster Bank — The White Mountain Bank — The Lancaster Sav- ings Bank — The Lancaster National Bank— The Siwooganock Sav- ings Bank — The Lancaster Trust Company — The Lancaster Bridge Company — The Coos Mutual Fire Insurance Company — Agricultural Societies. THE BANKS OF LANCASTER. It was not until 1832 that the business interests of Lancaster demanded a bank. Up to that time business had followed the orderly course of development of a new community. Trade in the earliest times was chiefly " barter." Comparatively little money was used. The early merchants used the little ready money or credit they had to procure a stock of goods, and then sold it out, mostly for the produce of the farms, and the primitive manufac- tures like "pot and pearl ashes." These they shipped to the cities in payment of their purchases. Added to these were the furs and peltries they received of the hunters and trappers ; this trafBc, to a limited extent, still prevails here. Some very fine lots of furs and pelts are bought up by the traders of to-day which go through the same channels of exchange they did a hundred years ago. An early, and important, medium of exchange between a rural community like Lancaster fifty years ago was the "cattle drover." This important personage would come into town and purchase for ready cash large herds of stock from farmers, thus furnishing to the community a large amount of money to do business on. Some of the traders were more or less connected with this means of ex- change. This, in time, made a demand for a money exchange rather than supplying it, and a bank was the result. In 1832, business men began to feel the need of a bank and took steps to secure the establishment of one. A number of the most prominent merchants and citizens of means secured from the legislature a charter for a bank for twenty years. This institution was known as the Lancaster Bank. It began business July ist, 1833, in Gen. John Wilson's dwelling house at the north end of Main street, where the Benton residence now stands. Its incorporators were David Burnside, Benjamin Stephen- son, Turner Stephenson, Ephraim Cross, and Warren Porter. Its first president was John H, White, and Gen. John Wilson was cash- ier. The capital was $50,000. This capital was simply subscribed for and paid up in securities of one kind and another, and not wholly in cash before starting in business as is now the requirement of law. BANKS AND CORPORATIONS. 393 On July 1st, 1835, the bank was moved to a room in what was known as the " Green store " standing where the Evans block now does on Main street near Isreals river bridge. This room corres- ponded to that now occupied by G. V. Moulton's shoe store, while R. P. Kent kept a store in the other end of the building. Mr. Kent was appointed cashier of the bank, a position he held for five years, when he resigned and was succeeded by Gen. John Wilson. This bank did a good business, and served the community faithfully for the period for which it was chartered. A few years before the ex- piration of its charter it lost heavily through the failure of its debtors, and did not ask for an extension of its charter, choosing rather to go out of business honorably, paying up its creditors, than to take risks in the future. It finally closed up its business in 1855, two years after the expiration of its charter, without the loss of a cent to any of its creditors. Royal Joyslin succeeded John H.White as president, and held that position throughout the existence of the bank. George A. Cositt succeeded General Wilson as cashier and held that position until the bank went out of business. The White Mountain Bank. — In 1852 another bank was char- tered under the name of " The White Mountain Bank," with a capi- tal of $50,000. Its first president was J. B. Sumner; G. C. Will- iams, cashier; directors, J. B. Sumner, Dalton ; Barton G. Towne, Hezekiah Parsons, Jr., Colebrook ; Moses Woodward, Jefferson; James W. Weeks, E. C. Spaulding, Lancaster; and Oliver B. Howe, Shelburne. This was a bank of issue, and did a good business for many years. Gov. J. W. Williams became president in 1858, and continued in that office until his death in 1864. William Burns succeeded Gov- ernor Williams, and Jared I. Williams was chosen cashier. In the redemption of notes, it was found that a former cashier had made an over issue of some $53,000 in notes, and had also sunk $40,000 more of the funds of the bank. William Burns, J. I.Williams, J. W. Weeks, and Barton G. Towne settled up the affairs of the bank in a creditable manner, though some of its stockholders lost very heavily, especially the Governor Williams estate. The Lancaster Savings Bank. — This is the oldest bank now doing business in Lancaster. Its charter was procured by Col. Henry O. Kent in 1868. While serving as bank commissioner of the state he came to think that a savings bank could fill a useful place in Lancaster, and accordingly set about to establish one. It was organized July 29, 1868, as "The Savings Bank of the County of Coos." ' Its first trustees were H. A. Fletcher, R. P. Kent, Henry O. Kent, A. J. Marshall, B. F. Whidden, Edmund Brown, S. H. 394 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. LeGro, J. I. Williams, L. F. Moore, C. W. Smith, E. Savage, and E. V. Cobleigh. In 1876, James W. Weeks, William Burns, Hosea Gray, A. Guern- sey, J. H. Hopkinson and J. H. Woodward were elected trustees. The first president was the late Hiram A. Fletcher, a man of large ability and unbending integrity, who held that position until July, 1878, when failing health obliged him to retire. Anderson J. Mar- shall was elected as his successor, holding the position until his de- cease in 1883. He was succeeded by the late Richard P. Kent, who held the office from 1883 to 1885. James W. Weeks was elected in 1885, and held the position until 1894, when he was succeeded by Samuel H. LeGro, and at his decease Dr. Ezra Mitchell, the present president, was elected. Col. H. O. Kent has been its treasurer from the organization of the bank. The management of this bank has been able and careful from the first, winning confidence and a large patronage from the community and people desirous of saving against their possible needs in the future. It now has assets of $609,282, as shown by its "statement of its condition June 30, 1896," with a surplus and guaranty fund of $33,233. Its place of business has always been in the Kent block, on Main street, where it has the finest appointed banking rooms in the county, with vaults of the most improved construction. The charter of the bank is perpetual, and it is a legal investment for trust funds. Its present officers are (1896) Ezra Mitchell, president; Henry O. Kent, secretary and treasurer; trustees, Henry O. Kent, Ezra Mitch- ell, Frank Jones, E. V. Cobleigh, Edward R. Kent, James H. Curtis, Charles A. Cleaveland, Henry Percy Kent, Stetson Ward Gushing, and Joseph D. Howe. The Lancaster JVational Dank. — This institution was incorpo- rated in 1 88 1, with a capital of $125,000. It began business in 1882, in its present location with the following ofificers : George R. Eaton, president; Everett Fletcher, vice-president; Frank D. Hutchins, cashier. Board of directors: Ossian Ray, Geo. R. Eaton, William Clough, C. B. Jordan, A. J. Marshall, Everett Fletcher, Seneca S. Merrill, R. H. Porter, and H. O. Coolidge. This bank has done a large and successful business, and enjoys the full confidence of the community. Its surplus is $25,000. The first president and cashier are still in office. The following, among Lancaster's best business men, are its directors: George R. Eaton, Irving W. Drew, F. D. Hutchins, Burleigh Roberts, George M. Stevens, John L. Moore, K, B. Fletcher. The Siwooganock Guaranty Savings Bank. — This bank was organized in 1887, with the following ofificers : W. S. Ladd, presi- dent; F. D. Hutchins, treasurer; G. R. Eaton, W. S. Ladd, C. B. Jordan, W. Clough, E. Fletcher, C. A. Bailey, and F. D. Hutchins, Mt. Prospect. Mt. Pleasant. Connecticut River and Toll Bridge. Lof; Jam at Toll Buidge, 1895. BANKS AND CORPORATIONS. 395 trustees. Its incorporators were: W. S. Ladd, C. B. Jordan, I. W. Drew, G. Van Dyke, W. Clough, F. P. Brown, C. T. McNally, J. H. Dudley, O. Ray, W. R. Danforth, G. M. Stevens, C. A. Cleaveland, B. C. Garland, W. F. Dodge, B. A. Taylor, D. H. Beattie, G. R. Eaton, F. D. Hutchins, E. Fletcher, B. Roberts, C. A. Bailey, A. M. Beattie, J. I. Parsons, A. R. Evans, F. N. Day, J. C. Pattee, E. W. Scribner, R. McCarten, S. Cole, L. T. Hazen, S. E. Paine. This bank has done a fine business, and has won the confidence of the community as one of its safe and useful institutions. Its capital, or guarantee fund, is $60,000. Its assets April i, 1896, $441,675. Its present officers are : President, I. W. Drew ; treasurer, F. D. Hutchins. Trustees; I. VV. Drew, Geo. R. Eaton, Everett Fletcher, F. D. Hutchins, Burleigh Roberts, Geo. M. Stevens. The Lancaster Trust Company . — This is a state bank, incorpo- rated in 1 89 1, doing business in Kent's building in the same rooms also occupied by the Lancaster Savings bank. Its charter is a very comprehensive one, enabling its managers to do the general busi- ness of a trust company, discount bank, real estate and financial agency. So far, only a banking department has been organized. Its cash capital is $100,000. Its first board of oflficers elected June 21, 1891, was as follows: President, Henry O. Kent; vice-presidents, Chester B. Jordan, Geo. Van Dyke; treasurer, Henry Percy Kent; secretary, Willie E. Bul- lard. Directors : Henry O. Kent, Frank Jones, George Van Dyke, Ezra Mitchell, C. C. O'Brion, Chester B. Jordan, Erastus V. Cob- leigh, Edward R. Kent, Willie E. Bullard. This bank has done a steadily increasing and prosperous business, and is properly regarded as one of the strong financial institutions of the state. Its statement of August i, 1896, shows a capital of $100,000. Surplus, $8,473.29 ; deposits, $50,620. Its present officers are: President, Henry O. Kent; vice-presi- dents, Chester B. Jordan, Ezra Mitchell; clerk of the corporation, Charles A. Cleaveland ; treasurer, Henry Percy Kent. Directors : Henry O. Kent, Frank Jones, Chester B. Jordan, Ezra Mitchell, Edward R. Kent, Erastus V. Cobleigh, Charles C. Cleaveland, Henry Percy Kent, H. H. Danforth. THE LANCASTER BRIDGE COMPANY. In the settlement of the Connecticut river valley, the rich meadow lands on both sides offered extra inducements to develop settlements east and west of the river at the same time. This was so in the " Upper Coos " settlement. Lancaster and Northumberland on the New Hampshire side, and Lunenburg and Guildhall on the Ver- mont side, kept abreast of each other in their development. As 396 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. pioneer life changed with the growth of the several villages in these towns, communication between them became increasingly impor- tant, demanding better means of crossing the river than the primi- tive custom of fording it. Northumberland and Guildhall villages were more populous than Lancaster and Lunenburg, for a time, from which consideration those two villages were connected by a ferry at the hands of Gen. Edwards Bucknam, which he later sold to Jonathan Grant, Sept. 9, 1803. Bucknam had petitioned the gen- eral court, Oct. 8, 1784, for the privilege of using the river for build- ing mills and a ferry, which privilege was granted him, and by which he controlled the river for one mile below and above the falls. About the time Bucknam sold his ferry, Lancaster was becoming a village of more importance than either Guildhall or Northumber- land, as a trading center. An increased demand for better facilities for crossing the river at Lancaster led a few public-spirited men to take steps to build a toll bridge. The towns along the river were not able to meet the expense of a free bridge, and such a bridge was the only thing that could be had at the time. The legislature was applied to, and granted a charter by special act, incorporat- ing the Lancaster Bridge Company. The charter authorized the company " to build a bridge, and maintain it, over the Connecticut river at a place called ' Waits Bow.' " In the charter, Richard C. Everett and Levi Willard were desig- nated to call the -first meeting of the stockholders. The lands of the company were not to exceed five acres adjoining the bridge. The rate of tolls was also fixed by the charter, as follows : " I. For each foot passenger, i cent. 2. For each horse and rider, 4 cents. 3. For each Chaise, Chair, Sulky or other riding carriage, drawn by one horse, 10 cents. 4. For each Riding Sleigh drawn by one horse, 5 cents. 5. For each Coach, Chariot, Phaeton or other four-wheeled carriage for pas- sengers, drawn by more than one horse, 20 cents. 6. For each Curicle, 12 cents. 7. For each Cart or other carriage of burthen, drawn by two beasts, 10 cents, and 2 cents for each additional yoke of oxen or pair of horses. 8. For each horse, exclusive of those rid on, 3 cents. 9. For each Neat Creature, i cent. 10. For each Sheep or Swine, d cent, and to each team one person and no more shall be allowed, as a driver, to pass free of toll." These rates were to hold good if at the end of three years the profits did not exceed twelve per cent. If they exceeded that in- come, then the justices of the superior court were authorized to reduce them ; and thereafter at the end of every six years the same ruling was to hold. The court also had the authority to raise them if they fell below six per cent. BANKS AND CORPORATIONS. 397 The incorporators were liable for the bridge in the same terms that a town is for its roads and bridges, and was indictable on the same grounds of lack of repair. The stock was issued in forty shares of fifty dollars each, and the following persons held it at the organization of the company : Isaac Bundy, 2 shares; Thomas Carlisle, 2 shares; Richard C. Ev- erett, 3 shares; William Lovejoy, i share; Levi Willard, 2 shares; Stephen Wilson, 2 shares; Jonathan Cram, i share; David Perkins, 2 shares; James Baker, i share; Titus O. Brown, i share; Hum- phrey Cram, i share ; David Bunday, i share ; William Hines, i share; Artemas Wilder, 12 shares; Elisha Bunday, i share; David Dana, i share; Urial Rosebrook, i share; Lemuel Holmes, i share; Asa Holmes, i share ; Samuel Howe, i share ; Timothy Faulkner, I share ; Bowman Chaddock, i share. The first corporation meeting was called for August 20, at which a preliminary organization was effected, with Richard C. Everett, chairman, and Thomas Carlisle, as clerk. A permanent organiza- tion was effected September 24, by the election of Daniel Dana, president, Thomas Carlisle, clerk, and Richard C. Everett, treas- urer. This bridge served a valuable purpose, and was a source of con- siderable profit, though profits never ran so high as to subject its rates to the scaling-down provided for in its charter. Its stock was always regarded good, and found buyers whenever its owners wished to dispose of it. During the many years of its existence there were sundry changes in its list of stockholders, and also its officers. The late R. P. Kent, who came to Lancaster in 1825, became an owner of stock, and an officeholder in the corporation, and for forty years served as clerk and treasurer. At the time of his death he was one of the largest holders of its stock. The first bridge was built in 1804, and was, for the times, a sub- stantial structure; but in 1828 it was rebuilt, and in 1840 a new one, the present one, was built. All were heavy wooden struc- tures, but served a valuable purpose in bringing to the village of Lancaster the trade of the Vermont side of the river for a consider- able distance. The present bridge becoming a source of considerable expense with a rate of income too small to afford profits, and to enable own- ers to replace it in case of loss, it was decided to sell it to the three towns adjoining it, — Lancaster, Lunenburg, and Guildhall. Accord- ingly steps were taken to dispose of it, and as public sentiment was strong against toll bridges, it was arranged between the towns referred to, to take action upon the matter; Lancaster and Guildhall, at their respective town-meetings, and Lunenburg by private sub- scription, in the spring of 1894. This action was favorable to the 398 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. purchase of tlic bridge by the three towns jointly. Lancaster ap- propriated $2,000, Guildhall $300, and Lunenburg $200, which was accepted by the bridge company, and the property was conveyed to the towns in the spring of 1894. The toll house was sold for $400, and a dividend was made of the amount between the thirty-eight shares standing out at that time. For ninety years the old bridge served the public, and in keeping with the tendency of the times to make all public service free, it has yielded to the inevitable. Its last ofificers were : Henry O. Kent, president ; Henry Percy Kent, secretary and treasurer ; directors, Henry O. Kent, Isaac W. Hopkinson, and Henry Percy Kent. THE COOS MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY. This company was incorporated by special act of the legislature July 13, 1855. The incorporators were: Benjamin F. Whidden, Charles B. Allen, Enoch L. Colby, Daniel C. Pinkham, Reuben L. Adams, David A. Burnside, Aurin M. Chase, Daniel A. Bowe, Nel- son Kent, and William R. Stockwell. The first three of these were named to call the first meeting, which was not done until May 6, 1862, when notice was given the incorpo- rators to meet at the law office of Benjamin F. Whidden on May 17, 1862, for the organization of the company. Only a temporary or- ganization was effected, with B. F. Whidden, chairman, and D. C. Pinkham, secretary. The act of incorporation, section 16, chapter 1794, private acts, was adopted. At this first meeting, William Heywood, Henry O. Kent, John Whittemore, and S. W. Cooper were elected associates in the corporation. A board of directors, consisting of B. F. Whid- den, E. L. Colby. C. B. Allen, WiUiam Heywood, S. W. Cooper, and Henry O. Kent, was elected. On June 3, 1862, permanent officers were chosen, consisting of B. F. Whidden, president; S. W. Cooper, secretary. At this meet- ing, John Whittemore of Colebrook and William A. White of Lan- caster were appointed a committee to solicit business for the new company, which gained the confidence of the people, and a fair amount of business was transacted from the start. At an ad- journed meeting, on Aug. 13, 1862, H. O. Kent was elected perma- nent secretary, and held that position throughout its existence. The company,- as its name indicates, was wholly mutual, all of its patrons becoming members in the corporation upon the insur- ance of their property. The business was conducted economically, and in every respect it was a first-class protection against loss by fire, and as cheap as mutual insurance could be afforded at the time. Within a year of its organization, C. B. Allen, L. F. Moore, and BANKS AND CORPORATIONS. 399 H. A. Fletcher were elected directors, and served in that relation throughout its existence. Intending to be absent from the state during the year of 1862, Mr. H. O. Kent was authorized by the directors to appoint an assist- ant secretary, which he did by selecting D. C. Pinkham. Upon his return to Lancaster, December i, 1862, he resumed his duties as secretary July i, 1863. On September i, 1863, a new board of directors was elected, this being its annual meeting. That board consisted of B. F. Whid- den, E. L. Colby, William Heywood, Jacob Benton, L. F. Moore, C. B. Allen, John Whittemore, Joseph Colby, and Merrill C. Forest. A schedule of salaries was established as follows: President, $10 per year ; secretary, fifty cents on each policy, and fifty cents for each directors' meeting; treasurer, $3 per day and expenses; all ofhcers $2 per day for settling losses; agents fifty cents on each policy from the company, and the same amount from the insured, and fees for services necessitating extra service ; directors, fifty cents for each meeting, five cents for each application approved, and ten cents a mile one way for travel in attending directors' meetings, not to exceed four meetings a year. At a meeting of the directors, the same day, the following ofhcers were elected: E. L. Colby, president; H. O. Kent, secretary; Ira S. M. Gove, treasurer. The ofhces of the secretary and treasurer were located in the Kent block. Main street, Lancaster. The busi- ness by this time had grown to promising proportions. Losses were promptly met, and the finances of the corporation were in good condition. Mr. Kent intending to be absent again for some time, was given authority by the directors to appoint an assistant secretary. He appointed George H. Emerson, but changed it to William Hey- wood, until July 11, 1864, when, on his return, he resumed his duties in that ofhce until the close of its career. In 1864, the late H. A. Fletcher was elected treasurer, and served in that capacity for a term of eight years, when he was succeeded by Charles E. Allen, who served in that relation to the company until it went out of business. E. L. Colby was president from his first election in 1863, until December 30, 1875, when he was succeeded by William Heywood, who continued in that ofhce until the close of the com- pany's career. John Whittemore of Colebrook, N. H., F. I. Bean of Berlin, N. H., W. A. White of Lancaster, William Goodman of Norway, Me., and E. L. Colby of Lancaster, served the company most of the time as its agents in the solicitation of business. The time came when the mutual companies could not afford as cheap insurance as the old line companies ; and this one, as legions 400 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. of others throughout the country, had to yield to the inevitable and go out of business. Accordingly at its meeting of May 15, 1877, it was " voted to discontinue issuing policies after twelve o'clock, May 31, 1877, and to close up all business of the company." Ar- rangements were made with the Springfield Fire and Marine Insur- ance company for the insurance of all its policy-holders who might wish to make the change at a lower rate than they had been paying in the Coos Mutual, and for the immediate protection of its policy- holders during the time of closing up business. Due notice was sent by circular letter to all the policy-holders. The claims of the company were settled, as also all its liabilities, and on December 9, 1879, the last meeting was held, at which final disposition of its affairs was made, and the Coos Mutual, once a useful institution, joined that innumerable company of things that have become outgrown by the marvelous changes that have come over our modern civilization, concentrating enterprises into larger and new forms of cooperation. Early in the century there was a local mutual fire insurance company in operation in Lancaster — we think the prototype of its successor here referred to. Its career was honorable, but it was not long in business. No trace can be found of its records or official lists at this time. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND RIDING PARK. The Coos Agricultural Society — The Coos and Essex Counties Agri- cultural Society — The Riding Park of Coos County. An agricultural society, called The Coos Agricultural Society, was organized in the county about 1820, and for four years held " county fairs," with considerable success at Lancaster. This society fell into decay, and for nearly a half century nothing like it existed here. Finally, Lancaster came into line in a movement that was universal in this country about 1869, and organized another agricultural society, and again held county fairs of great interest for a number of years. What was called the " Coos and Essex Counties Agricultural Society " was organized in 1870, and comprised the territory of the two counties of those names, lying on opposite sides of the Connecticut river. The first officers of this society were : William D. Weeks, president; John W. Hartshorn of Lunenburg, Vt., and Hazen Bedel of Colebrook, N. H., vice-presidents; Henry O. Kent, treasurer ; Charles E.Benton, Guildhall, Vt., and George H. Emerson of Lancaster, secretaries. There was also a large execu- tive committee selected from the various outlying towns. This society held fairs with a considerable degree of success for some years, and then, with declining interest and increasing debts, suspended opera- tions. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND RIDING PARK. 4OI In 1870 the Riding Park Association of Coos county was organized. This was composed of some of the best business men of the town, who made a substantial success of their undertaking. An organization was effected May 26 of that year; and twenty acres of desirable lands were secured on the main road to Northumber- land, a part of the Emmons Stockwell farm, and a good track was built and all other necessary improvements were made, giving the association a fine track and grounds. This was a voluntary cor- poration under the statutes of the state. For a number of years this, like its predecessors, flourished, and like them it had its evil day. Interest in speeding horses died out, and with diminishing proceeds from its exhibitions for several years, it became a los- ing undertaking, and after sinking some eight or ten thousand dollars in it the association sold it to George P. Rowell of New York, a former resident of the town. He undertook to revive interest in the speeding of horses and county fairs, and succeeded in bringing together another society or rather the reorganization of the old Coos and Essex Counties Agricultural societies. On January 22, 1884, this society was reorganized under chapter 1 5 I of the General Laws of New Hampshire. The following persons constituted the association : Edward Spaulding, A. J. Congdon, Frank Smith, William Clough, Henry O. Kent, Edward Emerson, I. W. Quimby, Proctor Jacobs, George H. Emerson, William D. Weeks, Isaac W. Hopkinson, W. C. Spaulding, Henry S. Webb, George P. Rowell, Edward R. Kent, John Lindsey, Joseph Winch, James W. Weeks, John Costello, H. I. Guernsey, Henry S. Hilliard. Since then forty-seven other persons have become members of the society. Its first annual meeting fell on February 2, 1884, when the following officers were elected : George P. Rowell, president; I. W. Drew, E. R. Kent of Lancas- ter, and J. M. Dodge of Lunenburg, Vt., vice-presidents; I. W. Quimby, secretary; H. S. Hilliard and H. S. Webb, assistant secre- taries; George H. Emerson, treasurer; J. Winch, G. E. Carbee, J. Evans, J. H. Woodward, J. W. Weeks, Jr.. Henry Heywood, and \\\ D. Weeks, directors. This organization revived the old-time county fairs, and added to the other attractions horse trotting, bicycle racing, wrestling, jumping, and a variety of other kinds of racing, which proved an attraction for several years. The agricultural exhibits for a time were good, and then for various reasons declined, and finally were given up by their promoters among the farming population. The old Riding Park Association and some new members formed what is now known as the Lancaster Driving club, and the grounds are now known as the driving park, owned mostly by the Mount Washington Stock Farm (Geo. R. Eaton, Geo. M. Stevens, George 26 402 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Van Dyke). This club holds annually a fair and frequent trotting races, at which good premiums and purses are offered, and which are well attended though it is not a money-making enterprise for its managers. In fact they lose money on it, but being public-spirited men they keep the institution alive for the good of the community ; and in this respect it does much good for the farmers and stock- raisers of the immediate section of country. Among its promoters are Hon. Irving W. Drew, George Van Dyke, George R. Eaton, and George M. Stevens. Its present officers are: George R.Eaton, president; George M. Stevens, general manager; George E. Stevens, secretary ; Fielding Smith, assistant secretary; George E. Stevens, treasurer. CHAPTER IX. EDUCATION. Founding of Schools — Early Teachers — Schoolhouses — School Dis- tricts — The Town System. By James S. Brackett. It is a difficult task to get at the facts in relation to the schools of the towai. Certain facts, however, are a matter of record, and are therefore reliable, while much more is traditional and must pass for what tradition is worth. There is nothing definitely known of the action of the town in regard to education until the year 1790, when at a town-meeting on December 13 of that year it was "voted 30 bushels of wheat, including what the law directs to be laid out in schooling the present winter." There had been schools in different parts of the town at irregular intervals, taught by men and women who happened to be here and were thought sufficiently proficient in reading, writing, and arithmetic, to instruct the youth of the set- tlement. It is generally conceded that Mrs. Ruth Stockwell {nee Page) was the first person to give instruction in the town, but she kept no regular school. The early settlers were precluded by the very nature of their surroundings from having schools or acquiring much education. Their immediate task was one of securing homes. The clearing of their lands and building their first rude houses engrossed their whole attention. There was little time left for books if they had possessed them, which they did not to much extent. Theirs was the struggle for existence. Even the first settlers were men of some education. They could all read and write, and were men of good judgment and sound common sense. They had their Bibles and a few other books, mostly religious literature, in their homes. High School Building. Primary Department of Lancaster Academy and High School. (Site of Lancaster]Academy, 1S37-1895.) EDUCATION. 403 Edwards Bucknamwas something of a scholar. He wrote a good hand and was a practical surveyor (he surveyed the town for the proprietors), and could impart his knowledge to others. The first schoolmaster in Lancaster of whom we have definite knowledge was Joseph Bergin, an Englishman, who came here from Boston, Mass. He arrived at Edwards Bucknam's, June 12, 1787, and after "washing his clothes at Lacous's, June 13, and returned to my house the 14th," as Bucknam wrote in his diary, must have gone to teaching at once; for on June 17, John Weeks, writing to his wife in Greenland, N. H., says: "John (his son, J. W.) values much on his reading and spelling at school, as he gets the better of all his age, and many much older. The schoolmaster — Mr. Ber- gin an Englishman — boarded with us last week : we take turns to board him weekly." This, of course, was the same one of whom Bucknam spoke as beginning to teach school June 20, at five dol- lars a month, for a term of six months. Bucknam also mentions the fact that his son Edward went to school to a Mr. Bradley, and boarded at D. Stanley's. This school was in the Stockwell and Page neighborhood. The first schoolhouse was built in that sec- tion on the Stockwell farm, just on the bluff to the left as one ap- proaches the old Stockwell house. Here is no doubt where Master Bradley taught at that time. It is somewhat singular that records, or memoranda of some kind, were not kept and transmitted to us showing the early history of education in this intelligent community. I have heard my father say (he was twelve years old when he came to town with his father in 1789) that all he attended school in Lancaster did not exceed six months; and Major John W. Weeks said that he never went to school more than ten or twelve months in Lancaster. The teachers were not well paid at first. While Master Bergin was teaching at the rate of sixty dollars a year, Edwards Biicknam was paying a common laborer on his farm ninety dollars a year. In the year 1789, the general court of Massachusetts gave towns the right to divide their territory into districts, and establish district schools. Lancaster, perhaps with that precedent in mind, appointed a committee of nine persons at the annual town-meeting, March 11, 1794, to divide the town into school districts. We have no record of their action, but it is very probable that three districts were then formed, as there had practically been as many before that time. The town was settled in a way that naturally divided it into three sections of nearly equal population, and about equally distant from the centre of the town. The first school had no doubt come into existence in the Stockwell neighborhood, the second in the Bucknam neighbor- hood at the south end of the town, and the next one in what is now the village. As nearly as can now be ascertained, the district com- 404 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. ' prised the limits of the present High school district (old Union district comprised of Nos. i and 12). It extended from the old Parson Willard place to Indian brook, and east as far as the town was then settled, which was nearly the present village limits. Dis- trict No. 2 comprised all the territory south of the Willard lot to Dalton line, and has always retained its number. District No. 3, all the territory north of Indian brook to Northumberland line, and east to the limits of the settlement on Page hill. This was the first action of the town in organizing and providing for the management of its schools. For nearly thirty years after the settlement of the town, the only school advantages it afforded its youth were those of private schools, sustained through the pri- vate funds of the few settlers who thought more of the benefits of a simple education for their children than they did of hoarding their limited wealth. It seems that those who took the initiative in the matter were the settlers in that section of the town that has become District No. 3. Those who settled in what is now the village High school district and at the south end of the town, were early inter- ested in founding schools. One can readily imagine that the mothers tried to teach their children the alphabet, and that the fathers contributed their scanty store of general knowledge, gleaned from their earlier lives in the set- tlements of Massachusetts before coming to New Hampshire. The instruction thus imparted was given, in many cases, to the less favored of the companions of the boys and girls, and in this way the little spark of knowledge was kept from going out; and later it was kindled into a bright flame which has grown brighter with each suc- ceeding generation, until its radiance equals that of almost any com- munity in New England. As science has developed and shed its light upon our country, Lancaster has caught its rays and concen- trated them upon the path of her life. Many men and women have borne testimony to the great difificul- ties they labored under in acquiring even the rudiments of an edu- cation. Books of any kind were scarce. School books were not only scarce, but of the most primitive character and design, and it took many hard knocks to get their intent and meaning into the minds of the youth who sought their aid. In my father's possession was a manuscript copy of an arithmetic, having only the funda- mental rules, — that is, the rules and examples of addition, subtrac- tion, multiplication, and division, with a few examples in interest and the " Rule, of Three." It was because there were so few books that this labor of transcribing was bestowed upon it ; and it must have been regarded as a treasure, crude and simple as it was. Judge Everett also copied arithmetics for his girls. The old residents, the first settlers, have told us how they read EDUCATION. 405 and studied evenings by the light of blazing lights of pitch-knots on the stone hearths of the log cabin. Tallow was scarce, and the " tallow dip " was only used when some guest was present, or on other like important occasions, such as weddings or funerals. This " pursuit of knowledge under difftculties " was after a hard day's work in the forest or field, clearing land, or cultivating or harvest- ing the crops. The winter afforded more time for study, while the snow was piled high about the cabin and in the little clearings, and the only path to a neighbor's cabin was indicated by the blazed trees through woods dense and deep, and almost as illimitable as the sea. With the Bible and " Sternhold's and Hopkins's version of the Psalms," and an arithmetic, such as has been described, parents and children read and repeated over and over again, the wonderful prophesies, or the sacred songs, or perhaps with charcoal worked out the arithmetical problems on pieces of bark. A monot- onous life it was, but it strengthened many for the broader fields upon which they entered. District No. I . — The first schoolhouse in District No. i was of hewn logs, similar in its outward construction to the log houses of the first settlers. It had rows of low seats around the sides. The teacher's desk was at the end of the room near the low doorway that admitted the pupils. At the other end of the room was a huge fireplace built of stone, with a chimney of the same material. This house, however, gave place to a frame structure, occupying nearly the same site, early in this century, and is described by one who knew it well, in the following narrative: "The schoolhouses indicated pretty clearly how the settlement progressed. The school- house in district No. i stood directly north and adjoining the pres- ent court-house lands. The northeast corner was crowded into the street twenty feet or more from the present limits. The house was a large, flat-roofed structure, capable of accommodating, after a fash- ion, more than a hundred pupils. The windows were so high that the boys and girls could not see into" the street or meadows without standing up. The house was warmed by an immense fireplace some six feet wide and three feet deep. There was a broad board seat next the wall all around, except at the teacher's desk ; and there were as many as four or five rows of seats, with an occasional table on each side, with a chance for entrance at the ends, and from a narrow alley through the middle. There were seats in front of the tables or desks on which the smaller pupils sat. These were often so high that they could not touch their feet to the floor. The seats and tables were raised by an inclined plane, two feet or more at the back side of the room. Directly opposite the fireplace, and at the other end of the room, was the teacher's desk, raised two steps above the fioor. At the northeast corner of the house was a large 406 ' HISTORY OF LANCASTER. entry, where the boys hung their hats, and in the opposite corner of the same end of the room there was a large closet where the girls hung their cloaks and bonnets. It has been said that there was a sort of rivalry between what is now the village school, or district No. i, and school district No. 2. General Bucknam lived in No. 2, near the mouth of Beaver brook. Col. Stephen Wilson lived on the place which has passed successively through his hands and Richard Ste- phenson, Ephraim Cross, John Mason,W. J. Brown, Samuel Rowell, J. W. Savage, R. W. Dickson, and is at present occupied by H. S. Hill- iard. The extensive Beaver meadows and the beautiful intervales made the location particularly desirable to Captain Weeks and Lieut. Joseph Brackett; and Joseph Toscan sold goods in district No. 2 as early as any were sold in town." (MS. of James W. Weeks.) This old building, erected about 18 10, in the village dis- trict, continued in use, somewhat remodeled inside, until 1869, when the present graded school building was built. In 1870 this old building was moved down Main street and placed upon a lot then made vacant by the removal of the old county building. Later it was moved to Canal street and placed upon the rear end of the lot once occupied by the old Coos hotel. The building was taken down in 1897. District No. 2. — The first schoolhouse in district No. 2 was of logs, and stood on land owned by General Bucknam, on the south side of the road leading from the village to Dalton, and about fifty rods westerly of the site of the old brick schoolhouse that was built in 1837 and pulled down in 1889. The first framed schoolhouse in that district was built in 1800, on the north side of the road, at the top of " Brackett Hill," as it was called, on land owned by Capt. Briant Stephenson. It was of nearly the same style as that in dis- trict No. I, — a square, flat-roofed structure. The seats, however, were on the northerly side, rising from the floor on an inclined plane about two and a half or three feet on the back side of the room. The space on the floor was occupied by several long, rude benches, on which the little children sat, enduring torture from having no means of resting their backs or supporting themselves from the floor ; for in many cases their legs actually dangled in the air. Some teachers, however, were thoughtful enough to give the little ones some rest, by allowing them to change their positions by reclining upon the benches, if there was room, or by letting them have a longer recess out of doors, if the weather would permit of it. Expe- rience taught a lesson of misery never to be forgotten, as the small boys and girls were sometimes required to sit bolt upright, and as rigid as mummies, hour after hour. Some teachers, possibly most of them, were thoughtful and considerate of the comfort of children. There was one teacher, however, whose whole course of conduct EDUCATION. 407 toward the small children was brutal. He was too great a coward to " tackle " the older ones. On one occasion the day was very cold, the big fireplace was piled high with wood, and the fire roared up the great chimney, but there was not enough heat to make the room comfortable at its farthest limits. Many were the " permis- sions " asked, "May I go to the fire? " These were granted. After the larger boys and girls had been allowed to go to the fire and warm themselves, and a place was open before the great fire, a little fel- low asked, "May I go to the fire?" He was allowed to do so; and one after another of the small boys and girls, emboldened by his success, made the same requests until fourteen of them were ranged about the hearth, when with the fiendish joy of a savage, the master arranged them in a semicircle about the roaring fire, then with the long poker he stirred the fire and added fuel, keeping every one of the children in their tracks, while the blood, in two or three cases, ran from their noses. He savagely said to them, " I '11 learn you to ask to go to the fire ! " The school suffered that act of sav- agery as long as it could, when some of the older boys arose and told the suffering children to go to their seats, and breathed threats of vengeance against the cowardly wretch, who dared not resist their orders. The result was, that some of the children were made ill by the roasting, and the teacher was summarily dismissed from the school. This man was a clergyman's son, and perhaps he thought it best to put to a practical application some of the theology of the times. Capt. Briant Stephenson, before mentioned, was the first clerk of the district, and held that position for many years. His handwrit- ing was almost perfect — " plain as print." He was a gentleman of the old school, neat in his personal appearance, and courteous to all. The old book of records, nearly filled by him, has unfortu- nately been lost. Among the schoolmasters in this old house were Samuel Webb of Lunenburg, Vt., John Dwight Willard, James W. Weeks, and James M. Rix. Among the schoolmistresses were Miss Eliza Moore, who later married Capt. Charles White, Miss Ann L. Whid- den, Miss Cynthia Stanley, daughter of Lieut. Dennis Stanley. Samuel A. Pearson was superintending school committee for the town many years, and his visits to the schools near the end of each term caused a great deal of trepidation among the pupils, as he put them through a pretty rigid examination, and was somewhat stern in his demeanor. Deacon William Farrar for a time held that office. He was not as large as " Squire Pearson," nor had he as imposing a presence ; but he was thorough, and gave many a boy and girl a " set back," who had come to think themselves remarkably profi- cient in their studies. Glibness of tongue failed to impress the dea- 408 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. con with a conviction of the sohd attainments of the pupils. Like Gradgrind, what he wanted was "facts, sir, facts." Another com- mittee man in his remarks, after the examination, ahvays alluded to the possibility that before him was a future president of the United States ; at least there might be a governor or a judge. Another committee man when he arose to deliver his remarks, disclaimed the intention to make a speech, but thought it best " to throw out a few hints," invariably interlarding his discourse with Latin phrases and quotations, which the boys and girls knew as lit- tle of as they did of the language of the Indians, who a few years before had hunted and fished among these hills and along the streams. In 1836 the inhabitants of district No. 2, after a long controversy upon the location, decided to build a brick schoolhouse on the northerly side of the road, near the mouth of Beaver brook. The location was the worst that could have been chosen, the Connec- ticut river here coming within four or five roHs of the west and north sides of the building and the highway, much traveled, pass- ing close to the enclosure, with a high, rocky bank immediately in front, leaving no play-ground except the dusty and dangerous road, and what could be had by trespass upon the neighboring fields. It was a compromise measure, and as such measures generally are, was never entirely satisfactory to either party. The easterly and hill portion of the district wanted it located near where the old schoolhouse had stood; the westerly and southerly, or " Cat Bow" inhabitants, as they were called, wanted it still farther down the river. There was a deed in existence conveying the land to the dis- trict where the log schoolhouse had stood, and the land might have been held, if the people of the district had decided to build on that lot ; but it reverted to the owners of the farm from which it had been taken. The plot was thus lost, and the hill portion of the dis- trict was set off as District No. 14, in 1837. The brick with which the old brick schoolhouse was built were made on the farm of Judge Spencer Clark in Lunenburg, Vt., loaded upon a scow and floated down and across the river to the mouth of Beaver brook. The inner wall was laid up with clay morter, and the plaster laid upon the bare wall without furring or lathe. One can readily imagine the chilliness and dampness of the house in cold or cloudy weather. There were no means of ventilation except a broad and capacious fireplace and chimney. In summer the bare walls on the south and west sides would become heated to a very high tem- perature, there being no blinds to shut out the rays of the blazing sun, and its heat being intensified by the dusty road and scorching bank in front made the room intensely hot. There was one compensation, however, the back windows could be raised and EDUCATION. 409 the cool air from the broad and beautiful river, and the fragrance of the meadows, rich and fair, penetrated the room and renewed some- what the languor of spirit that otherwise must have pervaded the place. The first term of school taught in this house in the winter of 1 837-1 838, was by the late Hon. Benjamin F. Whidden, then a student at Dartmouth college. There were about twenty-five pupils. The comforable seating capacity of the room was about fifty. Then the pupils were from the families of the Berkeleys, Gosses, Whites, Chessmans, Weekses, Fields, Bracketts, Bakers, and Lanes on the river road, and the Hodgdons, Mclntires, Stebbinses, and Jennisons from the hill, or what was set off and became district No. 14. From over the river in Lunenburg, Vt., there were the Clarks, Moores, and one or two other families. The second winter term was commenced by George B. Hemmenway, also a student at Dartmouth college, a son of Solomon Hemmenway, whose health failed so that he had to give up the school. He went to Virginia and remained there until he died of consumption in 1844. He was a young man of great promise. Mr. Whidden filled out the remain- der of his term. Whidden was a good teacher, and introduced some new methods in his work by which the school greatly prof- ited. There were then but two terms of school in a year, — a winter term of three months, taught by a man, because all the big boys were in attendance, and a summer term of the same length, taught by a woman, because only the smaller children attended at that time of the year. The list of teachers among the men employed in this school is a long and honorable one, — college students and those who had acquired their education in the common school and at the Lancaster academy, men who subsequently made honorable records for themselves in the great, busy world. Among the women were some mature and experienced teachers, while not a few had just entered upon this means of obtaining a living, some of whom were successful and others utter failures. In those early days, and up to about i860, this district held its reputation as being foremost in scholarship of any in town, not even excepting the village district, which was deservedly high. [This may well have happened, for the village district only expended $62.13 for school purposes in 1853, of which $5.13 went to mend the windows, and $4.50 for wood, leav- ing $52.50 spent on teachers. In 1859 it spent on account of teach- ers $1 12.16, since which time the expenses have grown and the school has improved in the ratio of expense for teaching talent. — Ed.] Owing to various changes in the population of district No. 2, the number of pupils decreased, and there was not that stimulating rivalry that had formerly obtained, and the school lost its high place 4IO HISTORY OF LANCASTER. in the rank of schools in the town. The old brick schoolhouse was thoroughly repaired in 1854, by a committee consisting of William A. White, John S. Clark, and James S. Brackett. More modern seats and desks displaced the old pine ones, which bore the marks of many a jackknife, in quaint letters and designs. In 1889 the old house was dismantled and the present one erected. The present schoolhouse stands on the site of the barns built by Andrew Adams, a cousin of the famous John Adams, second president of the United States. Mr. Adams lived on this farm for many years, and was suc- ceeded by his son, Benjamin Adams, who raised a large family. This house is finished and furnished in accordance with the pro- gressive ideas of the times, with what is necessary for the physi- cal, mental, and moral training of the young ; and over it floats the flag of our country, as it does over many of the schoolhouses in our town. District No, 3 comprised the farms and families of the Stock- wells, Pages, Lieut. Dennis Stanley, and several others. The first schoolhouse was built and maintained for a number of years on the high bank, on the south side of the old road, a short distance east of the old Stockwell house, now occupied by a grandson of Emmons Stockwell. On this farm Emmons Stockwell, David Page, and Edwards Bucknam struck the first blow and felled the first trees to make a settlement in Lancaster. This old schoolhouse, probably the first one in town, was built on the same plan of the others men- tioned and described, — square, low, and flat-roofed. A. N. Brackett, then a young man, taught here several terms, and his experience, he always maintained, was of much benefit to him. The old house became too small for the growing number of pupils, and another was built. It was later moved up to near the place where A. J. Congdon lives, and after a few years it was removed to the site now occupied by it, on the more direct road to Northumberland. District No. 4 was all that remained of the territory not set off by boundaries into school districts in 1794. From this district were taken all the remaining districts except No. 12, which was a part of No. i, and has been united with it since 1869, and No. 14, which was a part of No. 2. There was no schoolhouse built in dis- trict No. 4 for a long time after those of the districts taken from it. As now defined it embraces the Aspenwall, McGerry, and Farnham neighborhoods. The district has a comfortable house and an attend- ance of over twenty pupils. District No. 5. — This district lies along the road from the village to Jefferson Mills, or Riverton, and the cross-roads westerly from the first-named road. The first schoolhouse built in this district, then called the Gotham district, stood on the south side of the road lead- ing from the Jefferson road to the Judge Eastman place, now^ owned EDUCATION. 411 by Charles Chessman, and near where a road leaves this one to pass east of Mt. Prospect. It was like the other houses described, with the exception of its desks, which were so constructed as to seat but two pupils, and the teacher, without having an elevated platform and desk, had a table and chair on the level of the floor. This house was very early used as a place of worship by the " Calvinist Baptists," of which faith were the Gothams. People of that faith from Jefferson and the east part of the town thronged it on Sundays to hear the scriptures expounded from their point of view. After district No. 1 1 was taken from this district, a new house, more mod- ern in architecture and better fitted and adapted to educational pur- poses, was built on the west side of the Jefferson road and on the southern slope of LeGro hill, a few rods south of the Samuel Twom- bly place. District No. 6. — This is the " out east" portion of the town. It comprised the families of Goss, Twombly, John Savage, Balch, and Douglas Spaulding, and others. It became a separate district in 1825, and a schoolhouse was built on the east side of the road, not far from the location of the present one. It conformed to the scrip- tural teaching and was built upon a rock. It was built upon a smooth ledge of rock, difificult of access. It resembled, in general appearance, all those which had preceded it in town. Grace and adornment had not entered into the practical and hard-worked souls and bodies of these men and women who wrought against odds in their struggles to make homes for their children and grandchildren. They conquered the wilderness, and made it " blossom as the rose." They founded schools and churches ; and if their buildings were not models of beauty and art, their characters of honesty and worth are worthy of imitation and remembrance. Many persons now living can remember the time when this district was very thinly settled. The woods were everywhere. Now it is beautiful for its scenery, and the well-cultivated farms, neat and commodious farm buildings, all of which is indicative of the intelligence of its inhabitants. District No. 7. — This was, not long ago, more sylvan than No. 6 ; but the same general character pervades it now. It comprised, when set off as a new district, all of the territory "out east" not embraced in districts Nos. 4 and 6 ; that is, all the territory west- erly of the farm of Samuel L. Whidden and now of Reuben F. Car- ter, including what is now called Grange village as far as the Abbott place. The present schoolhouse is said to be the first and only one the district has had, although it has undergone extensive changes and repairs, with improvements upon the old structure. District No. 8. — This district covered a large territory at first. It extended to take in all the settlements on both sides of Martin Meadow pond as far as Abiel Lovejoy's. The first schoolhouse was 412 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. built about 1820, and was situated on the westerly side of the road leading to East VVhitefield and about eighty rods north of the house where James B. Weeks lived, on the highest point of land on the road. This house was somewhat of an improvement on some of the former schoolhouses of the town. It retained the flat roof, high windows, and the big fireplace as its predecessors had. After this house had become dilapidated to a certain extent, and had become unfit for occupancy, another house was built at the forks of the road leading to Whitefield and East Whitefield, very nearly on the site of the dwelling-house once occupied by John W. Brackett, a loca- tion much more pleasant, and more sheltered from the bleak winds that swept over the height of land where the old house had stood, although it does not command as fine a view of the surrounding coun- try. Mr. John W. Brackett and family were zealous Freewill Bap- tists, and those people of the same faith living^within ten or fifteen miles of his house made it their centre of religious activities ; and when the old schoolhouse was not otherwise occupied they held their meetings in it. Many were the scenes there and then enacted that would seem very strange to the people of to-day. Prior to the building of the first schoolhouse in this district, as had been the case in nearly all the others, the school itself " went around." Hon. James W. Weeks, who remembers those events, says of district No. 8 : " There were at least twenty children in this district of school age, and they lived nearly two miles apart. The school would com- mence in a room at Cofifin Moore's (he lived where James E. Mcln- tyre now does), where there were twelve children, but some of them were away. Reading, writing, and arithmetic were taught. The school would continue at Moore's two or three weeks, or what was his proportion of the time, determined by the number of pupils, when it would be announced that the school would move. The time having arrived for moving, the larger boys would take the benches (which were made of slabs, with sticks set in augur holes for legs) upon their sleds, and go to J. W. Brackett's, where there were ten children. A room would be vacated, and the benches moved in. A table on which to write Hvould be borrowed, or rudely constructed of pine boards, and the school opened again. The teacher boarded with the family until their proportion of the time was filled out. Then the school would make another move to J. B. Weeks's, and from there to Mr. Bucknam's, from whence it next would go to Abial Lovejoy's, and round out its term. The teachers were women competent to teach the common English branches, and in a few instances they were able to teach the higher branches." District No. 9. — This district comprises what is known as the Gore. In this district the Leavitts, Wentworths, Moultons, Smiths, and Mardens* received their education. For many years much of EDUCATION. 413 the territory of this district was a wilderness, but it is now mostly reclaimed, as is most of the land of the entire town. District JSfo. 10. — This district was taken from the territory of No. 8. This district was settled by David Emerson, Elder Lewis, the Taylors, Bullards, and Straws. When the first schoolhouse was built in this district, the modern ideas of comfort and economy had advanced so far as to displace the fireplace by stoves. Fireplaces were no longer considered essential in schoolhouses, and stoves had become popular. This district lies in the extreme southwestern cor- ner of the town. In early times this section of the town was a famous resort of game. On one side of it lies that beautiful sheet of water known as Martin Meadow pond, frequented by deer in great abundance ; and on its banks the otter had his slides. Southerly lies Cherry mountain, just beyond a dense forest, in which the shaggy bear was accustomed to roam in quest of his food ; and here, too, was to be found the sable, making his nightly raids upon the squirrels and harmless birds. The hunters and settlers need not go far for game. Now all this is changed, and this district is a quiet rural section, dotted with farms and much frequented, as affording fine views of the surrounding mountains. District No. II. — This district was taken from No. 5, and embraces on the east the farms of Orange Wilder, Richard East- man, and Ezra Darby; on the west the farms of Joseph Howe, Dan- iel Stebbins, and John W. Hodgdon. The first schoolhouse was located on the old road south of the Darby place. For some years Judge J. W. Weeks was the teacher in this old house. When the present road to Whitefield was laid out lower down the mountain, a new schoolhouse was built on the west side of the road, which remained in use until 1895, when it was abandoned and another one built on the north side of the road over Stebbins's hill. The farms on the old road high up against the western side of Mt. Prospect, where Twombly and Swan lived, have been abandoned and become grazing fields. This district is now a populous one, and a good school has been sustained for a number of years. District No. 12. — This district was taken from No. i, in 1833, in consequence of a large increase of pupils in the village. Instead of enlarging the schoolhouse, a new district was made out of that portion lying south of Dr. J. E. Stickney's place, now occupied by Kent & Roberts's store and south of the river. A schoolhouse was built on top of the high sandbank on the Jefferson road, on what is now the triangular park on Portland street, cornering on Pleasant street. The house was a small one, and soon became too small to meet the demands upon it, and an addition was put on. This dis- trict took in the Parson Willard place on the west, and what is now Elm street, and on the north side, as far as stated, including the 414 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Reuben Stephenson place (where the Richardson block and Eagle block stand), and all Middle street to where George R. Bush now lives on the east road to the western boundary of district No. 5. This district was united to No. i, in 1869, to form Union School District, No. i. District No. 13. — For some years this district was known by this number, and had an existence as a district ; but it never had a schoolhouse. It embraced that section known as Page hill. It is now annexed to No. 3, of which it was virtually a part from 1794. District ]Vo. 14. — This has been described in connection with No. 2. It was set off in 1841. It embraces the farms where once lived Capt. John Weeks, Edward Spaulding, John Mclntire, and William Moore, a brother of Cofhn Moore. It has a schoolhouse on the north side of the road leading from South Lancaster to the village over Stebbins's hill. District No. 15. — As late as 1844 this district was a wilder- ness known as the Great Rock district. Its schoolhouse is at the forks of the roads which lead to the extreme east part of the town, and the road to Lost Nation, in Northumberland. The settlement and growth of this district was chiefly due to the building of mills about 1848, on Great brook, by John Hubbard Spaulding. These mills are now known as Whipple's mills. It is now a highly prosperous section of the town, containing good farms and good citizens. The school now numbers about twenty-five children. The Town Syste?n. — Until 1885 the old district prevailed. With changes in the school laws of the state, and the reforms in the administration of the department of public instruction, the present town system was put into practice in Lancaster. There is much difference of opinion as to its advantages over the former system. It has secured uniformity of text-books and better supervision than under the district system. It is also true that better teachers are now employed than before, and newer methods have been intro- duced in instructions now given. The town district has a board of education, consisting of three members. The town board for the year 1896, are James E. Mclntire, Gilbert A. Marshall, and J. S. Peavy. The number of schoolhouses in the town district is 10; teachers employed, 10. UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT, NO. i. The Union of Districts Nos. i and 12 — The Graded School — Graded School Building — Relation of the Graded School with Lancas- ter Academy — The Lancaster High School. In 1869, after much discussion of the matter, districts Nos. i and 12 were united under the name of Union School District, No. i, for the purpose of maintaining a graded school. The old schoolhouse EDUCATION. 415 on the brow of the hill south of Isreals river was sold and the pro- ceeds applied to school purposes. The school was conducted in the old house in No. i until the present graded school building was erected in 1870. A graded school was then organized, and has steadily grown in numbers and usefulness. The records of the district for 1 869 are missing ; but from those of the next few years we glean the facts that more room was a grave question that caused concern to those who took an interest in the school. An effort was made to buy the old court-house, standing where the pres- ent one now does, of the county for school purposes ; but the county authorities refused to sell it. It was finally decided to build a suit- able house, and the present graded school building was the result. It was finished in 1870. An arrangement was entered into between the Union district and the Lancaster academy, by which the more advanced pupils of the district might take advantage of the higher course of study offered by the academy, the district paying for the same, a rate of tuition about that usually charged in high schools. This arrangement, with several modifications at different times, remained in force until the present year. At an adjourned annual school-meeting. May 29, 1895, the district voted "to establish and maintain a high school, in which the higher English branches and the Latin, Greek, and modern languages shall be taught." This action enjoined upon the board of education the necessity of organizing an independent high school as well as to retain the graded school here- tofore in existence. In the early period of the existence of Union District, No. i, a prudential committee, of from one to three members, had the super- vision of the school. This was later changed to a board of educa- tion, which at present consists of six members. In 1894 an effort was made to secure more room to accom- modate the rapidly growing grades below the high school. At first it was aimed to meet this demand by the enlargement of the present graded school building, but no vote was secured. Afterward a move was made to build a primary schoolhouse. This, too, failed to receive the support of the voters of the district. The matter of more room was agitated for two years, when, after several votes to build two primary schoolhouses were voted down, a vote was passed to build a high school building, to cost, when fully equipped, not over $35,000. Later, at a special school meeting, it was voted to rescind that vote. At the annual school meeting, March 7, 1894, Mrs. K. B. Fletcher was elected a member of the board of education, and enjoys the distinction of being the first woman to serve in that capacity in Lan- caster. Since then Mrs. Mary R. Kent was appointed to serve out a part of the term for which Hon. C. B. Jordan was elected in 1895. •416 . HISTORY OF LANCASTER. She was reelected at the annual meeting in 1896; and at that time Mrs. Lizzie D. Buckley was elected. All these women have been teachers, and have experience coupled with a profound interest in matters of education, and have proven that women are valuable members of school boards. The school, graded and high, is now thoroughly organized with a force of nine teachers engaged for the next school year. A new course of study has been arranged by the board of educa- tion, and many needed reforms effected, by which the school is fully up to the rank of the best high and graded schools of the state. There were enrolled in all grades of the school last year, 398 pupils. There was expended for the same year on the school, $4,936.53. The schoof revenue, including appropriation for build- ing, for the ensuing year, is $15,329.17. The board of education, elected at the last annual school-meeting, is as follows : For the term of three years, Rev. A. N. Somers, president; Mr. John L. Moore, secretary and treasurer. For two years, Mrs. Mary R. Kent and Dr. E. F. Stockwell. For one year, Mrs. Lizzie D. Buckley and Mr. Charles A. Howe. LANCASTER ACADEMY. Lancaster academy is one among the oldest institutions of sec- ondary education in the northern part of the state. It was chartered by a special act of the legislature, December 24, 1828, in which William Lovejoy, John W. Weeks, Jared W. Williams, Richard East- man, William Farrar, Thomas Carlisle, Samuel Pearson, Reuben, Stephenson, and Adino N. Brackett are named as incorporators. These were among the most representative men of the town at the time. The state granted 'certain lands as an endowment; and the act of its incorporation made $10,000 the limit which might be held in real estate and personal property. The academy was or- ganized February 2, 1829, with William Lovejoy, president; John W. Weeks, treasurer; Jared W. Williams, secretary, and the above- named incorporators with them as trustees. This board of trustees was made perpetual. The academy occupied the old court-house on the corner of Main and Bridge streets, from its opening until 1830, when a new court-house was built on the site of the pres- ent one ; the old one ceasing to be used as a court-house, re- verted to the original owners of the land on which it stood, the land having been given to the county in 1804, to be used for a site for a court-house, to revert to the donors in event of its ceasing to be so used. The old building was given to the academy, and was moved upon the lot now occupied by the present acad- EDUCATION. 417 emy and the Unitarian church, which had formerly been the site of the Httle "Old Red Gun House" of the Regiment. The building was enlarged by the addition of twelve feet on the front, which afforded dressing-, recitation-, and apparatus-rooms, and surmounted by a tower in which hung the little old bell that had served the court-house, by being mounted on a tripod in front of the building. The same bell now does service on the graded school building (see chapter on the court-houses). The work on the building was done by Richard Eastman, one of the trustees, who was a carpenter. For many years this academy was an important institution of learning for a large section of country. Students attended it from Colebrook, Maidstone, Lunenburg, St. Johnsbury, Whitefield, Little- ton, Bath, and Haverhill. Its classes were large, and it enjoyed the labors of many very able teachers. From the time of its opening until within thirty years, it had a patronage sufificient to enable it to run as an independent school ; but since the public schools have developed rapidly and are better organized and equipped with good teachers and appliances at the public cost, academies, and all other private schools, not amply endowed, have gradually fallen into de- cay, and are no longer able to compete with the free public schools offering equally as good advantages. Lancaster academy, having a very small endowment, suffered quite as badly as the average academy in New Hampshire for lack of patronage. In 1844 the records show ninety-three students, paying tuition at the rate of $3.50 a term, and the trustees advertising that good board could be had in private houses from $1 to $1.50 per week. Daniel C. Pinkham was then preceptor. At the close of the fall term of the school that year was held a notable exhibition, in accordance with a rule of the academy, at the old meeting-house on the hill, it being the last public service of any kind held in that building before it was moved to its present loca- tion on Main street. Preceptor Pinkham said of that event years afterward: "The belfry of the house was dilapidated, the windows and doors all broken down, the pews were badly damaged, and in every respect the house was entirely unfit for occupancy. By board- ing up the windows and doors, putting a stove into the body of the house, and running the pipe through a window, we made it — not comfortable, but tenantable. By the indulgence of the audience, we succeeded in going through with our performance to the satis- faction of the school and the public." This exhibition was an elab- orate affair, judging from the following programme furnished me by the late Judge B. F. Whidden a few months before his death ; and as it was a typical performance, in which the boys and girls of the school were required to take part, I reproduce it here for the benefit of the interested ones of the present generation and those to come. -7 4i8 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. These exhibitions took place at the end of the fall term from the opening of the academy down to about the time of the late Civil War, when other interests took their place. Also in the earliest days of the school the students were required to visit the old meet- ing-house on Sundays and listen to the sermons, and on Monday morning make a report of them as a part of their school duties. EXHIBITION! AT THE OLD MEETING-HOUSE IN LANCASTER, Tuesday Evening Nov. 26 1844. Commencing at 5 o'clock, precisely, when will be performed the following pieces. PRAYER. Salutatory, H. C. Harriman. DIALOGUE— THE ARCHERS. Prince John, De Bracy, OUR SCHOOL— (Orig.) J. I. Williams. I Locksley, E. Sawyer. | Herbert, MUSIC. H. O. Kent. W. R. Joyslin. W. H. SMITH. RICHELIEU. A Drama. Louis King of France Richelieu Chavigni \ Latemas > Richelieti' s Party, Norman ) Count de Blenanu Cinq Mars Fontrailles J Oration — Orig. E. Brown. J. H. Spaulding. Wm. Stockwell. E. R. Derby. Curtis Bean. Parsons. Wm. H. Farrar. G. Stephenson. Duke of Orleans Henri de La Mothe Philip the woodsman Anne Queen of France Madam de Beaumonte Pauline de Beaumonte Mad'lle de Hauteford Louise Soldiers, Robbers and attendants. MUSIC. THE OMNIBUS. Wm. Meserve. Hanson. J. T. Bullard. Miss Mary Page. Miss Andalusia Gould. Miss Caroline Perry. Miss Mary Pinkham. Miss Rachael Bullard. J. H. Balch. A FARCE. Leger, Pat Rooney, Mr. Dobbs, Tom Dobbs, Declamation. — Orig. E. Brown. E. W. Porter. Wm. Meserve. O. G. Stephenson. Farrier's Boy, Julia Leger, Mrs. Dobbs, Ladies, &c. B. F. Hunking. Miss Harriet Blanchard. Miss Rachael Bullard. B. F. Hunking. music. Alonzo, Spanish General Zanga, Captive Moor, Carlos, Alonzo's friend, Manuel, Attendant. THE REVENGE. A TRAGEDY. Don Alvarez, a Courtier, J. H. Balch. A. B. Davis. E. W. Porter. Parsons. Jarius T. Bullard. Leonora, his Daughter, Miss Mary Pinkham. Isabella, Moor's Mistress, Miss Mary Page. MUSIC. EDUCATION. 419 Oration — Orig. • J. H. Spaulding. MUSIC. To conclude with the Comedy of COLLEGE LIFE! Dramatised by the late Judge Nelson Cross of Boston, Mass. Frank Webber, "j Capt. Power, I Charley O'Malley | Co Harry Nesbit, I s Cecil Cavendish, | 2 Moore, 5" ist Jib, I ■ 2d Jib, J Mickey Free, Servt. Dr. Mooney, The Purser. J.G Stephenson. J. H. Balch. A. B. Davis. E. Brown. Clemens. Wm. Meserve. White. C. Bean. E. W. Porter. Lord Beaumond, Sir Geo. Dashwood, Mansfield, ] rj Curtis, I ^ Melville, , ^ Telford, J ^ Serv't of Sir Geo., demons. Curtis Bean. O. G. Stephenson. Clemons. E. Brown. 0. G. Stephenson. Miss Lucy Dashwood, Parsons. Miss Maccan (alias Webber), J. G. Stephenson. Note. — The Archers was from Scott's " Ivanhoe," — the passage of arms at Ashby, J. I. Williams, son of Gov. J. W. Williams of Lancaster, still resides here, and is a civil engineer and surveyor. Edmund Sawyer, a son of Robert Sawyer of Lancaster, for some years a tailor in Lancaster, died in New York, 1S56. Henry O. Kent, son of the late R. P. Kent of Lancaster, has had a varied and successful career as journalist, statesman and financier. He is now officially connected with the Lancaster Sav- ings bank and the Lancaster Trust Company. W. R. Joyslin, son of a Lancaster merchant and now a Congregational minister at Centreville, Mass. W. H. Smith (Uncle Bill) of Lancaster. Retired from business cares, and spends his summers in Lan- caster, and the winters with his son in Washington, D. C. Edmund Brown was of Lan- caster, now deceased. J. Hubbard Spaulding of Lancaster. He was connected with the Tip-Top House, on Mt. Washington, and wrote and published " Historical Relics of the White Mountains and a concise White Mountain Guide " in 1S56. W^illiam Stockwell, a grandson of Emmons Stockwell, one of the first settlers of the town, went to Califor- nia soon after the discovery of gold there in 1S49, ^" 1 1 ^J^Mfllfci^'^l'i II ■ N»|3| -fWHtltiTiiilt^ lag Methodist Church. UX IT. via AN CUL KCH. THE CHURCHES. 421 Ian W. Page, William A. Odell, Lyman Walker, A. W. Tenney, O. C. Palmer, J. C. Irish, S. A. Jones, A. K. Whitcomb, Jonathan Smith, William W. Holman, William W. Morrill, G. C. Fisher, Rich- ard Sanborn, Rolfe, J. W. Armington, W, A. Burbeck, Thos. MacomBer, Isaac L. Rogers, F. B. Spaulding, and D. T. Timber- lake. The legislature of 1897 passed an act authorizing the acceptance by Union school district of the academy property — conditioned for the maintenance of school buildings on the old academy site and the designation of "Lancaster Academy and High School" for both. The act was ratified and the Academy and High School are now merged as one. CHAPTER X. THE CHURCHES. The First Congregational Church — The Unitarian Church — The Meth- odist Episcopal Church — The Baptist Church — The Roman Catho- lic Church — The Protestant Episcopal Church — Other Sects that have Preached in Lancaster. HISTORY OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. By Rev. Geo. H. Tilton, Pastor. It was customary a century ago in New England for each town to provide for the preaching of the gospel within its own limits. The early settlers of Lancaster were strong men, who did their own thinking and had the courage of their convictions. It could not be expected that they would agree perfectly respecting the doctrines of religion. But as the town was new and the citizens few in number, they could sustain only one church, for which an appropriation was made at each annual town-meeting. For the first few years, however, the neighboring towns of Guildhall and Northumberland cooperated with Lancaster in paying the preacher's salary, and he gave them a proportionate share of his time. Although several ministers preached in these towns each for a brief period, we know little of their history except that they were paid largely in produce raised on the farms. As early as 1786 the town of Lancaster voted "that thirty-two dollars be assessed to hire preaching the ensuing summer, and that Major Jonas Wilder, Edwards Bucknam, and Lieut. Emmons Stock- well be a committee to hire a minister." Money must have been scarce in those days, as we read that the Rev. Lathrop Thompson in 1787 preached six Sundays for five bushels of wheat per day. On the 1 8th of August, 1788, a meeting of the freeholders and other 422 HISTORY OF LANCASTER, inhabitants of the town of Lancaster was held in Col. Jonas Wilder's barn to take action about settling a gospel minister. A committee was appointed for this purpose, with Colonel Wilder as chairman. Rev. Mr. Thompson was retained for a time, and received a vote of thanks from the town for his services. In 1790, Rev. Benjamin Bell was hired at a salary of three hundred bushels of wheat annually, with the privilege of three weeks' vacation. In 1 79 1 a Mr. Thurston preached. During that year action was taken with regard to building a meeting-house. A committee was appointed to find a suitable spot, and after reporting, were author- ized to lay out six acres on the " plain above tlie sand hill " as the meeting-house plot. This committee consisted of the seven following names : Cols. Edwards Bucknam and Jonas Wilder, Capts. John Weeks and David Page, Lieuts. Emmons Stockwell, Joseph Brackett, and Dennis Stanley. A plan having been adopted, the following method of raising the necessary funds was recommended : " That the pews be sold at public vendue. That each person give his note to the committee, who shall be authorized to receive the pay and appropriate the same. That the whole sum be divided into four parts, to be paid the four next succeeding years. That four shillings on the pound be paid in cash or salts of lye, and the rest in wheat at four shillings per bushel, or beef at seventeen shil- lings and sixpence per hundred weight, with this i^estriction, that the committee shall receive each man's equal proportion of timber, boards, clapboards, shingles, etc., if good and merchantable, and delivered when the committee shall call for them." These conditions were accepted by the people, and Lieuts. Em- mons Stockwell, Jeremiah Wilcox, Capt. John W^eeks, Jonas Wilder, Jr., and Jonas Baker were appointed as building committee. The meeting-house was ready for occupancy in 1794. Its site is known as " meeting-house hill," where it stood until 1845, when it was removed to the foot of the hill near Isreals river, and has since been used as a town hall, though the ownership is vested in the Masonic fraternity, by whom it has been remodeled and enlarged. The first settled pastor was the Rev. Joseph Willard, a broad, liberal-minded man, who had served in the War of the Revolution. He was descended from one of the best families of New England. His father was the Rev. John Willard, D. D., of Stafford, Conn., and his uncle was the Rev. Dr. Joseph Willard, president of Har- vard college, and his great-great-grandfather, the Rev. Samuel Willard, was vice-president of the same institution. His brother, the Rev. John Willard, was settled over the Congregational church in Lunenburg, Vt., in 1802, the year of its organization, and remained its pastor for many years. And so it happened that the two broth- THE CHURCHES. 423 ers, Joseph and John, were for a long time contemporary pastors of neighboring churches. The Congregational church of Lancaster was organized on the 17th of July, 1794, under the leadership of Parson Willard, who was installed as its pastor on the eighteenth of September of that year, the churches of Conway, Rochester, and Fryeburg, Me., being rep- resented in the council. The original members of the church were twenty-four in number, and their names are given as follows : Jonas^ Wilder, John Rose- brooks, Elisha Wilder, Joseph Brackett, Jonas Baker, Samuel Phelps, Nathaniel Sheperd, Phineas Bruce, Reuben Lamson, Joseph Wilder, Elizabeth Wilder, Mehitabel Wilder, Sarah Rosebrooks, Mary Brackett, Lydia Rosebrooks, Mindwell Clark, Betty Baker, La- vina Phelps, Deborah Weeks, Persis Everett, Elizabeth Saunders, Polly Wilder, Sarah Stanley, Ruth Stockwell. These names are appended to the short and simple creed and covenant, which was doubtless drawn up by Mr. Willard, who acted as clerk of the church till his resignation in 1822. The creed was sufficiently indefinite to admit to membership all who called them- selves Christians, whether Armenians or Calvinists, Orthodox or Liberals. The doctrine of the trinity is vaguely stated in the first article, which reads : " We believe in God the Father Ahiiighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in his Son Jesus Christ, as the sole Saviour of the world, and in the Holy Ghost, as the comforter and sanctifier of the people and Church of God." There is no doubt that this broad creed represented the broad- ness of the pastor's mind, and its breadth may have seemed to him necessary in order to include all the diverse religious views of the members. This latitudinarian creed, however, did not prevent the development of two factions within the church, the one orthodox and the other liberal. Mr. Willard, adhering to his liberal views, refrained from expounding doctrinal themes in the pulpit, and his mind seemed singularly free from doctrinal thoughts. For this rea- son his ministry was wanting in that power and aggression which was deemed so essential in those days. A strong creed, with a man of strong convictions behind it, built up many a strong church in those early days, for the people were trained by the great Puritan divines to think their thought after them. But here was a weak creed, vague in its doctrinal teachings, with a pastor who held lib- eral notions respecting some of the evangelical tenets, and the result was that the church lacked cohesion and strength. Notwithstand- ing Mr. Willard's excellent character, which every one respected, he failed to hold the people together, and they on their part failed to give him an adequate support. It was stipulated that he should 424 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. receive fifty pounds a year to be increased to eighty pounds as soon as the growth of the town should warrant it. Instead of being increased, it gradually fell off, and he complains in his letter of res- ignation in 1822 : " For a number of years I have received upon an average considerably short of $200 per annum, which, you must be sensible, is far from being an adequate support." Three years before this he wanted to resign on account of troubles in the church, but was overruled by some of the members who wished him to make a further trial. Matters, however, grew worse rather than better. To quote again from his letter of resignation, — " It is unhappily the case that this town is very much divided in religious sentiment, one crying out for Paul and another for Apollos." The records of these years show also a deterioration in public morals. Intoxication was not uncommon even in the church, and one of the deacons was con- strained to resign on account of the " too free use of ardent spirits." Discipline had also to be exercised in respect of other and more delicate matters. No wonder that Parson Willard was discouraged ! He had allowed persons to come into the church on their simple subscription to the creed, without special inquiry into their motives, and the piety of the body was at a low ebb. The elements of dis- union which were destined a few years later to separate it into two rival bodies, were already at work in the congregation. The large and influential council which met to dissolve the pas- toral relation, October 16, 1822, came to the unanimous conclusion that Mr. Willard's request should be granted. The council found that " his health was much impaired, that his salary was inadequate to the support of a clergyman, and above all it was evident that the people were in a scattered, divided, and broken condition, and that the prospect of Mr. Willard's usefulness was very small." At the same time the council felt called upon to reprove the people : " It is not in our hearts to condemn you," they said, " but we very readily say that had every one done his duty, it is our opinion that things would not so soon have arrived to their present state." So far as intemperance is concerned, it should be borne in mind that the drinking customs of that day were different from what they have come to be since. Liquors were kept on the sideboard in almost every home where they could be afforded, and even clergy- men counted it no disgrace to take a friendly glass. At the time of Mr. Willard's dismission the church, with all its faults, had some members of deep and earnest piety. They deter- mined to meet statedly on the Lord's day and invite others to meet with them, and when they had no preaching, " to maintain the pub- lic, solemn worship of God by attending to praying, singing, and reading sermons, hoping to meet with a blessing from on high, and in this way to keep together agreeably to covenant obligations." THE CHURCHES. 425 Notwithstanding her trials, this old first church was yet destined to be the mother of churches. From worshipers within her walls the Methodists were largely recruited, as were the Unitarian and Episcopal congregations in later years. After the dismissal of Mr. Willard the people sought to secure a new pastor without delay. Their attention was directed to the Rev. James R. Wheelock who, after a pastorate of four years at Newport, had recently been dismissed from his charge. He seemed a most desirable candidate, and the people after hearing him preach, gave him a call. In this call some of the families in Guildhall united and assumed part of the salary. He was to receive in all $450 a year, the people of Guildhall paying $113 as their portion, in considera- tion of which Mr. Wheelock was to preach every fourth Sunday in that town. In regard to the $337 to be raised by the people of Lancaster, it was agreed that a third should be paid in cash, and the remainder in wheat, rye, oats, pork, beef, butter, and cheese. Of the amount to be paid in Guildhall, the pastor was to be content with a fourth part in cash. In accepting the call, Mr. Wheelock asked the people to provide him, in addition to the sum specified, a suitable parsonage and twenty-five cords of hard wood, annually. To these terms he sup- posed the people had acceded, and so did the council which was called to install him, Jan. 27, 1824. But at this point an unfortu- nate misunderstanding occurred. Probably the people did intend to provide him a parsonage, for they had said as much in their letter of invitation ; and had the new pastor succeeded in winning the hearts of his people, all might have gone well. But this he failed to do. He was a man of fine scholarship and of upright character; a grandson of the first and a son of the second president of Dart- mouth college; and yet, before a single year had closed, he was constrained to ask for a dismission. The people had done nothing to secure him a parsonage, and virtually withheld their sympathy and support, complaining that he was formal and stiff in his bear- ing and Calvinistic in his theology. And yet, this act was one of the links in the chain of cause and effect. The church, as we have seen, was weakened by factions within itself. The liberal party would take no interest in Mr. Wheelock's Calvinistic views, and the orthodox party were too feeble to sustain him alone, and they had no heart to make the effort. The end of this unfortunate pastorate left the church feeble and discouraged. It is almost pitiable to see the people turn again to good old Parson Willard and reengage him for $150 a year, with the privilege of reading his old sermons. But the preaching days of this godly man were nearly over. He died suddenly on Sunday morning, July 22, 1826, and lies buried in the old cemetery, where 426 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. a plain white marble slab marks his resting-place. His death was lamented by all, and his name will ever hold an honored place in the history of the church and the town. That the church did not enjoy greater spiritual prosperity during his long ministry was due in part to his loose theology and in part to the opposite and irrecon- cilable views of its members. For the next three years little interest was manifested, and things were allowed to drift. A good man of the name of Orange Scott came this way, a Wesleyan Methodist, who preached in the town church for about a year, and succeeded in gaining the good-will of all the people and also in strengthening the cause of Methodism in the town. The next minister was the Rev. John Fitch. Mr. Fitch resided in Guildhall, where he taught the Essex county grammar school, often spoken of in those days as the Guildhall academy, since re- moved to Concord, Vt. In 1829 the church engaged the services of the Rev. Luke A. Spofford, who is most honored in the person of his son, Ainsworth R. Spofford, the distinguished bibliographer and librarian of con- gress. During, his pastorate of three years, Mr. Spofford built with his own hands the house now occupied by Mr, Cyrus D. Allen, which was long used as a parsonage. In 1832 there was a revival in the church, owing to a protracted meeting, in which no less than eight of the neighboring clergymen took part. These meetings were directed by a Mr. Holt, who sup- plied the pulpit for a short time. As a result of this awakening more than forty persons united with the church. This made the outlook more hopeful than it had been for years. But there were breakers ahead, though scarcely visible at the time. One of the eight men just spoken of as assisting in the revival was the Rev. Andrew Govan, a Scotchman from Barnet, Vt. The people liked him and called him to the vacant pastorate. Though he was eccentric and a rigid Calvinist, he had a strong personality, and the church was much quickened during his three years' pastor- ate. He labored hard to stiffen the old creed in the interests of Calvinism. He was especially anxious to emphasize the doctrine of regeneration by inserting the words of Titus 3:5, — "He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." The liberal party strongly opposed this revision of the creed, and succeeded in fighting it off. This movement, obstinately pressed by Mr. Govan, and persistently resisted by the liberals, resulted in the discomfiture of the former, who was constrained to resign August 25, 1835. Twenty-seven had joined the church dur- ing his pastorate of three years. The orthodox members now resolved to secede from the church, THE CHURCHES. 427 which they did under the leadership of the Rev. Edward Buxton, a young man just beginning his ministerial work. On Friday, Sep- tember 23, 1836, thirty-eight members of the church convened in the court-house and drew up and signed a strong Calvinistic creed, in which all the evangelical doctrines were stated unequivocally. The article on the Trinity was changed so as to read as follows : " We believe that God is revealed in the Scriptures, as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and that these three are one, and in all divine attributes equal." This action of the church was ratified by a council which met October 12, 1836, and thus was formed THE ORTHODOX CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LANCASTER. The new creed was signed by the following persons : William Farrar, Porter G. Freeman, John Wilson, Horace Whitcomb, John C. Howe, John Wilder, Ephraim Wilder, James Stone, Samuel L. Whidden, Oilman Wilder, Edmund C. Wilder, Daniel Stebbins, Edward Spaulding, John Stalbird, Sarah Cady, Persis Everett, Edna Porter, Elizabeth Smith, Olive B. Holkins, Mehitabel Wilder, Mary S. H. Stickney, Tryphena Farrar, Abigail A. Bergin, Lucinda Baker, Catharine J. Whitcomb, Lydia Howe, Mercy Freeman, Mary N. Whidden, Rhoda Wilder, Sophronia Denison, Rebecca Denison, Ruth E. George, Harmony Moore, Amanda Stebbins, Sarah Ann Moore, Mary Jane Moore, Sarah White, Lydia Bellows, Martha Phil- lips, Anna Bergin, Louisa Stebbins, Persis Fayette Weeks, Julia J. Joslyn, Sally B. Stalbird, Ann L. Whidden, and Clarissa Hemenway. At the meeting of the council the following article relating to tem- perance was adopted and put on record : "In view of the evils brought upon the community and upon the church by the use of distilled liquors, we promise to abstain wholly from the use and sale of them, except as a medicine." It is needless to relate ihe excitement and bitter personal feeling which followed this act of secession, or to mention the gulf of sepa- ration between the mother church and the seceders which required seven years to bridge over. The seceders, in order to justify them- selves in their unwonted course, requested Dea. William Farrar, a lawyer by profession, to draw up a paper setting forth the reasons therefor, and this is the substance of what he prepared : " In our judgment such a step was required of us that we might be faithful to the Saviour, to whom we feel bound by the highest possible obligations. The grounds of these obligations we believe to be set forth in the following funda- mental doctrines of the Gospel : " The sovereignty of God in the salvation of sinners ; the divinity of Christ, by which he thought it not robbery to be equal with God ; the atonement which he 42 8 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. made for the sins of the world, by suffering in the sinner's stead, the just for the unjust ; the total destitution of the human heart by nature of true holiness ; the necessity of a radical, instantaneous change of the disposition of the heart from sin to holiness by the special influences of the Holy Spirit in order to salvation ; and that the present life is the only period in which any of the human race may receive the grace of regeneration, which is essential to salvation. " Such being our view of the Christian doctrines, from which we infer that men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father, how could we remain in a situation in which we should be compromising with those who either reject or lightly esteem these doctrines? While systematic and persevering efforts are mak- ing to introduce into the churches a system of faith which rejects these doctrines, we could not be satisfied with anything short of a full and unequivocal declaration of them. The light which is to guide souls to heaven must be held forth dis- tinctly. "How could we retain our membership in a church in which the fundamental doctrines of the Gospel were so obscurely stated or implied in the articles of faith that they were constantly subscribed by persons who entirely rejected them? The church had refused to incorporate into its articles a smgle verse of Scripture [Titus 3 :5] expressing the necessity of regeneration and the sovereignty of God in the salvation of sinners. " Now when we saw that this state of things caused error to prevail and the love of many to wax cold, and that some in the church were assisting to raise a standard which we believe to be another Gospel; and when, in fine, we were per- suaded that said church could not be extricated from such a state of things under the existing organization, was it not to be expected that we should earnestly desire to be reorganized? As we could see no way to accomplish this result without secession from the said church, we have therefore seceded from it and formed our- selves into a new church, known by the name of "THE ORTHODOX CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN LANCASTER." As we might expect in such a condition of things there was grief as well as bitterness. There were those who deeply regretted this division in the Congregational body and one or two spasmodic ef- forts were made for a re-union. To this end we find recorded a meeting of the mother church on the i6th of March, 1837, ^^ which a committee was appointed to see if a union could not be brought about. Among the prominent male members of the old church at this time were Richard Eastman, Adino N. Brackett, Gorham Lane, Charles Baker, John Mason and Seth Savage. Nothing came of this movement and no further action was taken for several 3^ears. Only time and the grace of God could soften the asperities of temper and heal the hearts so sorely wounded. Meanwhile the new church moved on under the leadership of good men and in 1839 a church edifice was commenced. The mother church soon ceased to hold meetings owing to the impossibility of maintaining a separate organ- ization. Mr. Buxton, who had led the secession movement of the new church, accepted a call to Boscawen (now Webster) where he spent the remainder of his life, preaching his forty-fifth anniversary ser- mon in 1882. THE CHURCHES. 429 After him came the Rev. C. W. Richardson, who preached for a short time, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Edward Burke, a young man from Woodstock, Vt., who was here during the building of the new meeting-house, and preached the sermon at its dedication. He was regarded as an able preacher but failing health soon com- pelled him to withdraw from the ministry. The new church edifice was completed and ready for occupancy in 1840. The names of the building committee were Gen. John Wilson, Presbury West, and Solomon Hemenway. The Rev. Clark Perry, a man remembered chiefly for his pro-slavery principles, next supplied the pulpit. His health soon gave way and his brother, the Rev. David Perry of HoUis, took his place in accordance with an invitation of the church uuderthe date of April 14, 1843. He labored earnestly to bring the two alienated churches together again, and in a union meeting, held November 20, 1843, the following resolutions were adopted: Resolved: That we deeply deplore the division, and consequent alienation of feeling among those in this place who profess love to the Saviour, and are in principle Congregationalists. Resolved: That to evince our sincere desire for the restoration of peace and Christian feeling, on honorable and Christian principles, we hereby certify our willingness to disband the church organization to which we respectively belong, and submit, if necessary, the principles on which a new organization shall be formed, to a council mutually chosen. All the members of the old church and all but seven of the new church were in favor of this plan. Accordingly a clerical council was called which advised the re- union on the basis of a new and modified creed, a compromise between the first and the second. In this third creed the doctrine of the Trinity is expressed as follows : " We believe that in these Scriptures there is revealed a distinction in the Godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and that this distinction though in- comprehensible to us, is yet perfectly consistent with the Unity of the Divine Being." These articles of faith were adopted December 29, 1843, and sixteen members of the old church were added to the new organiza- tion. Seven of the seceeding members at first refused to sign the new statement of belief but subsequently all came into harmony. The creed has stood unchanged to this day. Thus were the two churches quietly dissolved into a third. For a time the old differ- ences seemed to be adjusted, and during Mr. Perry's pastorate there was but little friction. Still the reconciliation was but superficial; the original causes of discord slumbered deep within the body, and the day of final and irrevocable separation was only postponed. Mr. Perry was dismissed January 20, 1847. " He was an energetic man with a good spice of self-appreciation in his nature." 430 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. After a time the church agreed to call the Rev. Stephen A. Bar- nard, who began his ministry here May 9, 1847. M^. Barnard had been a Unitarian minister, and was ordained in that church at Wilton in 1830. Finding, as he said, that men were not converted by vague teachings, he became a Congregationalist. While here it would seem that he preached what are known as the evangelical doctrines ; yet one can hardly avoid the feeling that his mind was biased in favor of Unitarian views. At any rate the Unitarian element in the church gained in strength and boldness during his seven years' pas- torate, and that party appeared to be satisfied with his statement of religious doctrines. It was feared by the orthodox members that the liberal party would make an effort to seize the church property, and in order to forestall such an attempt, they took action them- selves as quietly as possible, and on the 30th of July, 1852, John W. Lovejoy, Porter G. Freeman, and others met and formed them- selves into a corporate society under the name of THE LANCASTER ORTHODOX CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH SOCIETY. This action caused bitter feeling, and the Unitarian party hoped even then to get possession of the church property. After Mr. Barnard's dismission May 29th, 1853, they were suf^ciently influ- ential to secure preachers of their own order to supply the pulpit. The contest became exciting as well as bitter. On the first of Jan- uary, 1854, the liberals hired the Rev, George M. Rice, a Unitarian minister, to supply the pulpit for an indefinite period. This was more than the orthodox party could stand ; they felt that the church was rapidly drifting away from sound principles. A crisis was inev- itable. Mr. Rice had preached six successive Sundays; it was now the second Sunday in February; on that day Dea. Seth Adams rose in the meeting and announced that the Rev. Isaac Weston of Cumberland, Me., would occupy the pulpit the following Sabbath. The day came and Horace Whitcomb, a strong man of military bearing, was stationed near the pulpit to see that Mr. Weston was not interfered with. There the two ministers met, each expecting to preach. It was a critical moment, but through the courtesy of Mr. Weston, it was arranged that Mr. Rice should occupy the pul- pit in the morning and he in the afternoon. Now came the final separation ; and this separation was the nat- ural culmination of divisive ideas and forces which had been operat- ing for half a century. From that time the two streams of tendency flowed on in separate channels. The Unitarians held their services in the court-house with Mr. Rice as preacher till they could build a church of their own. A few of those who went off with Mr. Rice soon returned as they disliked his constant preaching on the subject of slavery. Still the Episcopal Church and Rectokv (I iilT CoN(,Ki-(..vi loNAi, Church, 1841. Congregational Church. Remodeled 1S9S. THE CHURCHES. 43 I church was crippled and its numbers small ; it was obliged to call on the Home Missionary Society for aid. Mr. Weston's labors with the church closed September 24, 1854. During most of the ■following year, the pulpit was supplied by the Rev. E. B. Chamber- lain, who afterwards married Miss Mary Jane Moore of this town. Mr. Chamberlain introduced to the people the Rev. Prescott Fay, a young man from Andover seminary who was ordained and installed over the church in March, 1856. During this year several families came over from South Guildhall and greatly strengthened the church. Before Mr. Fay left. May 15, 1865, the people had become independent of Home Missionary aid, and gave gifts in return. Mr. Fay's nine years' pastorate covered the trying period of the Civil War. On the whole the church was prosperous and a good number of converts were received to membership. During the revival of 1848, no less than forty-nine members were added to the church, twenty-six of them at one time, Sunday, July 4th of that year. Mr. Fay was born in Westboro, Mass., December 8, 1826. Since leaving Lancaster he has had several pastorates East and West and is now preaching at Quechee, Vt. Upon the departure of Mr. Fay, the church immediately procured the services of the Rev. Henry V. Emmons, who was installed Sep- tember 27, 1865. Like his predecessor he came with his young bride, having married Annie, daughter of Prof. George Shepherd of Bangor, Me., September 6, 1865. Mr. Emmons won the love and confidence of the people in a high degree. Soon after he came the meeting-house was repaired and renovated at considerable expense. , The growth of the church during his pastorate was in character rather than in numbers, although some were added to its member- ship. During this time the Y. M. C. A. was organized in town and some of the members of this church became active workers therein ; meetings were held all through the town at the various schoolhouses — as at Great Rock, Spaulding Neighorhood, South Lancaster, Brick Schoolhouse, and in the then vacant Baptist church. Mr. Emmons was the son of the Hon. William Emmons of Frank- lin, Mass. He was born at Augusta, Me., November 3, 1832 ; was graduated at Amherst college in 1854, and Bangor Theological seminary in 1859. After an absence of nineteen years, he writes of his charge here: — " My nine years' stay (our stay) at Lancaster, was full of pleasant intercourse with a people to whom we were warmly attached and the memory of it is very dear. They — all of whom come before us at a moment's recollection — live yet in our hearts and make us a part of what we are. To me they were always generous, considerate, kindly, faithful, and my heart kindles with prayerful desires for their welfare." There is one virtue which pertains to this church as commenda- 432 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. ble as it is rare, it has always avoided hearing a long list of candi- dates; Mr. Emmons succeeded Mr. Fay without a break, and so did Mr. Charles E. Harrington succeed Mr. Emmons, and so it has been to the present time ; in each case the church selected its man, heard him preach and gave him a call. The Rev. Mr. Harrington was ordained and installed as pastor of this church October 27, 1874, and Mr. Emmons was dismissed by the same council. Mr. Emmons is now settled at Kittery Point, Maine. Mr. Harrington remained with the church until Feb. 24, 1878, on which da}' he preached his farewell sermon to a crowded house. And on April 18, 1878, he was installed as pastor of the South Congregational church in Concord. The church never had a more popular pastor than Mr. Harrington. Strong, genial, and faithful to his charge, he easily won all hearts. The parsonage at No. 7 Summer street was erected for his occupancy in the summer of 1875, Seneca Congdon taking the contract for $2,600. As Mr. Harrington was a power for righteousness here, so he has been elsewhere. He was born in Concord, Oct. 5, 1846, of sturdy Puritan stock. He received a thorough academic education, grad- uated at Bangor Theological seminary, and was chaplain in the New Hampshire legislature in 1881. From Concord he went to Dubuque, Iowa, where he was pastor of the First Congregational church for three years. From Dubuque he was called to the First church in Keene where he remained till the autumn of 1893, when ill health compelled his resignation. He is now traveling in Europe. He has preached and lectured in many places and on many themes, particularly temperance, of which he is a strong advocate. He re- ceived the degree of D. D. from Iowa college in 1889. Mr. Harrington was succeeded by the Rev. Charles E. Sumner, who began his labors here May i, 1878, and ministered to the peo- ple about three years, until March 3, 1881, when his health became impaired and he was unable to fulfil the duties of his office. He was a kind, good man, and a faithful pastor, and his affliction was a grief to many friends. He has recently supplied the pulpit of the Congregational church at Alton Bay, and at the present time is at Brooklyn, Conn. The next pastor of the church was the Rev. Sydney A. Burnaby, a graduate from Bangor Theological seminary, who was ordained and installed here Sept. 21, 1881, Dr. S. C. Bartlett preaching the sermon. During I\Ir. Burnaby's pastorate of ten years, a debt was cleared from the parsonage, and about $1,400 raised in 1886-87 for improvements on the meeting-house. He was active in organizing the local Y. P. S. C. E. and held preaching services on each alter- nate Sunday at the Grange. He was dismissed Sept. 29, 1891, and is now pastor of the church at Southbridge, Mass. THE CHURCHES. 433 The present pastor, Rev. Geo. H. Tilton, was installed over the church Dec. 8, 1891, and dismissed 1896. DEACONS OF THE CHURCH. Jonas Baker, chosen May 20, 1796. Resigned Nov. i, 1820. Land surveyor. Samuel Phelps, chosen 'Slay 20, 1796. Revolutionary pensioner. Resided in Guildhall, Vt. Joseph Wilder, chosen May 4, 1800. Elias Chapman, chosen Oct. 30, 1801. Died July 18, 1836. Reuben VV. Freeman, chosen June 4, 1813. Died June 27, 1866. Resided in Guildhall, Vt. Porter G. Freeman, chosen Nov. 27, 1823. Died Aug. 18, 1866. William Farrar, chosen Sept. 23, 1836. Lawyer. Leader of the choir. Gilman Wilder, chosen May 3, 1844. Seth Adams, chosen March 17, 1854. Died July, 1883. Azro Burton, chosen Oct. i, 1876. Resides in Guildhall, Vt. William P. Freeman, chosen Oct i, 1876. N. H. Richardson, chosen assistant deacon Oct. 5, 1885. July 17, 1894, the church celebrated its looth anniversary in the same building in which it began its work, it being at this time the property of the Masonic fraternity, and used for business purposes, as a town hall, and for Masonic apartments. A large concourse of people were in attendance. There were present many of its former pastors and friends from other towns and states. The occasion was graced by the presence of His Excellency, Hon. John B. Smith, governor, who delivered a practical, scholarly address on the his- tor}' of Congregationalism. C. B. Jordan welcomed the people back to their old home. Rev. C. H. Tilton gave the substance of the foregoing history. Henry O. Kent, Deacon William P. Free- man, and others spoke in a reminiscent mood. Pastors of neighbor- ing churches, offshoots from this, brought good tidings and good cheer. A most sumptuous banquet had been provided by the ladies, and sweet singing from the sweetest of our singers inspired every heart. On the platform sat three men who had sat under the preaching of Parson Willard and of every preacher of the church since his time. The day was a most enjoyable one. In the even- ing the church was filled and the exercises there continued to be of interest. Deacon Dwight Carleton gave an excellent historical ad- dress ; ministers of the town's churches extended congratulations, the choir rendered some of the old-time h}'mns, and when at a late hour the services were closed, all felt that the Congregational church had not existed in vain, and that the toils of her people had not been altogether fruitless. 28 434 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. By Rev. D. C. Babcock. Conferences were first named in 1800, and presiding elders dis- tricts in 1 801. The New England Conference was set off from the New York in 1799, and held its first session in Lynn, Mass., July 8, 1800. It included all of New England except that part of Connec- ticut west of the Connecticut river. The Landaff circuit, which extended from Rumney to Upper Coos, on both sides of the White Hills, made its first appearance in the Minutes of 1801, and included Lancaster. It was then on the New London district, with John Broadhead, presiding elder, and Elijah R. Sabin, circuit preacher. Laban Clark was born in Haverhill, N. H., in 1778, and moved to Vermont at an early age. He became a Methodist, and began to preach in 1799. He was associated with John Langdon, evidently an older man, and one of the founders of Methodism in Vermont. In the summer of 1800 those two men crossed the river from Lun- enburg and held a service, probably at the Emmons Stockwell place, west of the fair ground. Mr. Langdon preached and Clark exhorted. Mr. Clark says: "We were now able to form a class of from fifteen to twenty." We thus infer that there had been previous efforts to organize a society. Some days later, Langdon, Clark, and Rosebrook Crawford were assailed by a mob. " The rabble cowered before the courage of Langdon, who was a gigantic and brave man, but carried off Rosebrook Crawford and ducked him in the river." He was warned not to hold any more meetings in Lancas- ter, but persisted in spite of repeated warnings and harsh treatment. His brother Joseph also preached in Lancaster. It was under one of his sermons that Mrs. Benjamin Bishop was awakened and con- verted. Her husband was then " an intemperate blacksmith." As we have noticed above, E. R. Sabin was in charge of Landaff cir- cuit in 1801. Under his preaching Benj. Bishop was converted. He became a preacher, and joined the New England Conference in 1804. His wife became widely known as " a powerful exhorter." Opposition to Methodist preaching in Lancaster was no doubt largely due to the fact that " Parson Willard," of the town church, was supported by a tax, and other denominations were regarded as intruders on vested rights. It may also be noted that differences in doctrine then caused much bitterness, and that many of the Metho- dists were noisy and some of them ranters. Benjamin Bishop was a brother of Mrs. Lieutenant Dennis Stan- ley, who then lived in what is now Captain Beattie's farmhouse. Lieutenant Stanley was grandfather of Judge James W. Weeks. Methodist meetings were held at Lieutenant Stanley's house, and THE CHURCHES. 435 that no doubt helped to give them standing. In this connection we notice that the journal of Jesse Lee says: " Saturday, Sept. 6, l8oo, we set out early in the morning, and rode out to the Connecticut river, at the Northumberland meeting-house ; there I left my com- panion and rode down the river through Lancaster and Dalton." That was Lee's last tour through New England. He had entered upon his work in New England eleven years before, and now left it with eighty preachers, fifty circuits, and ten thousand members. That was a good record for one decade of labor. In 1802 Landaff circuit was on the Vershire, Vt., district, with John Broadhead presiding elder, and Phineas Peck and Martin Ruter, circuit preachers. In 1803 Landaff was on the Vermont district. Joseph Crawford was presiding elder, and T. Branch, P. Dustin, and S. Langdon, circuit preachers. In i8o4-'o5 Landaff was on the New Hampshire district, and John Broadhead was presiding elder. Thomas Skeel and William Stevens were the circuit preachers in 1804, and Joel Winch and Asa Kent in 1805. In 1806 Landaff was again on the Vermont district, with E. R. Sabin presiding elder, and Asa Kent and Isaac Pease circuit preachers. In i8o7-'o8 Lan- daff was again on the New Hampshire district, with Elijah Hedding (afterwards a bishop), presiding elder, and Dyer Burge and E. F. Newell, preachers in 1807, and Zacharia Gibson in 1808. Martin Ruter was presiding elder in i8o9-'io, and Joseph Peck preacher. David Crowell was on the circuit with Mr. Peck in 18 10. Solomon Sias was presiding elder in i8ii-'i4. John W. Hardy and Joseph Peck were the preachers in 181 1 ; Robert Hayes and James Jaques in 1812; Jacob Sanborn and Benjamin Burnham in 18 13; and J. Emerson, J. Payne, and D. Blanchard in 18 14. From 1807 to 18 14, Lunenburg was in the New Hampshire district. David Kilburn was presiding elder in 18 15-': 8. Jacob Sanborn and John Lord were on Landaff circuit in 181 5 ; Walter Sleeper and Hezekiah Davis in 1 8 16; Jacob Sanborn in 1817, and Lewis Bates and Samuel Norris in 1818. Jacob Sanborn was presiding elder in i8i9-'22, and Lewis Bates and Richard Emerson were on Landaff circuit in 18 19, the year before the Lancaster circuit was formed. During the winter of i8i6-'i7, "Mother Hutchings " of White field, whose husband was employed at Lancaster, got the privilege of speaking in the town church, as Mr Willard was away. Her address produced "a great sensation." The next day, during a call at the house of Daniel Perkins, who lived on the old road at the northwest base of Mount Prospect, Mrs. Perkins was so impressed that she " lost her strength," but was soon restored. A powerful revival followed these efforts. Among the converts was Miss Ada- line Perkins, who became the wife of Allen Smith. They were among the founders of the Lancaster Methodist Episcopal church. 436 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Mrs. Smith was born in 1800, and lived till the 13th of November, 1 89 1. She had been a devoted Christian and earnest Methodist for seventy-four years, and was highly esteemed by all who knew her. She was buried from her late residence on Main street, on Sunday afternoon, November 15, by the writer of this sketch. Lancaster circuit made its appearance in the Minutes of the New England Conference in 1820, with David Culver as preacher in charge that year. Local history records a " Quarterly Meeting " held in the town church in the winter of i8i9-'20. Rev. Jacob Sanborn, the presiding elder, preached to a crowded house. Being detained by a heavy snowstorm, he held meetings during the week, which resulted in many conversions, Charles Baker was the preacher in i82i,and Charles Baker and James Norris in 1822. Benjamin R. Hoyt was presiding elder in i823-'25. James B. H. Norris and N. S. Spaulding were the preachers in 1823 ; Benja- min Brown and Nathan Howe in 1824, and Rowse B. Gardner in 1825. The Danville, Vt., district was formed in 1826, and Lancaster placed on it. John Lord was presiding elder in i826-'28, and E. Wells in 1829; Roswell Putnam and David Stickney were on Lan- caster circuit in 1826; Orange Scott and Joseph Baker in 1827; Orange Scott, Nathan W. Scott, and M. G. Cass in 1828, and Has- kell Wheelock and Holman Drew in 1829. Orange Scott spent all his time in Lancaster in 1828, and occupied the town church, as no successor to Mr. Willard, deceased, had then been selected. Mr. Scott was an able and effective preacher, and did much to advance the cause of God, and remove prejudice from Methodism. The New Hampshire and Vermont Conference was set off from the New England in 1830, and Lancaster was placed on the Plymouth district. Lunenburg, Vt., was included in the Lan- caster circuit. John W. Hardy was presiding elder in i830-'3i. Haskell Wheelock and William McKoy were the preachers in 1830, and Caleb Lamb and Russell H. Spaulding in 1831. The First Methodist Episcopal Society of Lancaster, N. H., was organized in July, 1831. The following names are attached to the constitution, in the record book, in the hand-writing of the sub- scribers : Wm. W. Chapman, Harvey Adams, Abel Leavens, Jr., Joseph Howe, Allen Smith, John Aspenwall, David Stockwell, Samuel F. Spaulding, William Peck, Ezra Kenison, Samuel Mclntire, S. P. Williams, G. C. Philbrook, Alvah Twombly, Isaac N. Cotton, Ben- jamin Adams, John Stockwell, James Mardin, John Smith, Benj. Wentworth, Benaiah Colby, Joseph Wentworth, Shackford Went- worth, Frederick Fisk, Daniel Field, George Howe, William Pear- son, Shepard Knights, John H. Meserve. THE CHURCHES. 437 During the fall and winter of that year, 1831, a parsonage was built on Middle street, on land donated by Harvey Adams. An exhorter, familiarly known as " Brother Dike," originated and car- ried on that enterprise. That house was used as a parsonage till 1870. It stands on the north side of the street, east of the M. C. R. R., two lots from Fletcher street as it now is. In 1832 the name of the conference became "The New Hamp- shire Conference," but with no change of territory. The Vermont conference was set off from the New Hampshire in 1845. E. Wells was presiding elder of Plymouth district in i832-'35. William Peck and E. T. Manning were on Lancaster circuit in 1832; William Peck, J. H. Stevens, and N. O. Way in 1833, and Sylvester P. Will- iams and Abel Heath in i834-'35. ^'^^'- Williams is remembered as "a strong man" by some of the aged people of Lancaster. The first Methodist Episcopal church edifice was erected during his pas- torate. His name and that of William Peck are in the list of sub- scribers to the constitution in 1831. The records of that time show that on the 4th of February, 1834, Harvey Adams, Joseph Howe, and Allen Smith were chosen a committee to " ascertain the practi- cability of building a Methodist chapel in this village." They were subsequently appointed a building committee. A draft was pre- pared by the preacher in charge, and a house built, the cost of which was probably somewhat above $1,000. The dimensions of the chapel were 40 x 60 feet, with 16-foot posts. We find no refer- ence in the records to the dedication of that house, which was on the site of the present church edifice. B. R. Hoyt was again presiding elder in i836-'39. D. Field and C. Olin were on Lancaster circuit in 1836; D. Field and Erastus Pettingill in 1837; L.Hill and J.A.Gibson in 1838; and Amos Kidder in 1839. In 1840 Charles D. Cahoon was presiding elder, and John Smith pastor at Lancaster. The Haverhill district appears in 1841 with C. D. Cahoon presid- ing elder in i84i-'43. Erasmus B. Morgan was pastor at Lancaster in i84i-'42, and James G. Smith in 1843. Justin Spaulding was presiding elder in 1 844, and Russell H. Spaulding in 1 845-'49. A. T. Bullard was pastor in i845-'46; H. H. Hartwell in i846-'47, and Henry Hill in 1848 and to the spring of 1850. In 1849 the New Hampshire Conference met in Lancaster, Bishop L. L. Hamline presiding. On conference Sunday Bishop Hamline preached, standing in a window on the north side of the church. His text was " Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord." The house was filled with ladies, and a great throng stood and sat on the hillside of what is now known as "the old cemetery." Reuben Dearborn was presiding elder in i850-'53. J. W. Guern- sey was pastor in i850-'5i, and L. L. Eastman in i852-'53. Wil- 438 HISTORY OF LANCASTER, Ham D. Cass was presiding elder in i854-'55, and Josiah Hooper, a transfer from Maine, was pastor those years. Haverhill district disappeared in 1856, and Lancaster was placed on the Concord district, with Lewis Howard presiding elder in i856-'59. James Adams was stationed at Lancaster in 1856, and Lewis P. Cushman in i857-'58. His pastorate is notable because of a great revival which stirred the entire place. The pastors of the Congregational and Methodist churches worked together with excel- lent results. During the latter year the church building was remodeled. The floor was leveled, new pews were put in and the number increased, the gallery was removed, an orchestra built, and the walls papered. A tower with spire was erected, and a new entrance and vestibule constructed. The cost of the repairs and improvements was $1,500. The rededication occurred in Sep- tember, 1858, a sermon being preached on the occasion by Rev. J. H. Twombly, D. D., of Boston. Elijah R. Wilkins was pastor in i859-'6o, and George N. Bryant fn i86l-'62. James Pike was presiding elder in i86i-'62. During 1862 he became colonel of the Sixteenth New Hampshire regi- ment, and William D. Cass filled out that year. Elisha Adams was presiding elder in i863-'66, and L. D. Barrows in i86y-'68. Simeon P. Heath was stationed in Lancaster in i863-'65 and D. J, Smith in i866-'68. The White Mountain district was formed in the spring of 1869, and continued till 1871, with D. J. Smith as presiding elder, when its territory w'as again merged in the Concord district. Charles H. Smith was pastor at Lancaster those years. In 1870 a new parson- age was erected on High street at a cost of about ^^4,000. S. G. Kellogg was presiding elder in 1 871 -'73, and Otis Cole pastor. T. L. Flood was presiding elder in 1874; James Pike in i875-'76; and J. W. Adams in i877-'8o. James Noyes was pastor in 1874-75, and N. M. Bailey in i876-'78. On the 9th of April, 1878, the New Hampshire Conference began its second session in Lancas- ter, Bishop S. M. Merrill, D. D., presiding. It was greeted with what is known as " the great fire," on the first day of the session, and the ministers rendered efificient service in staying its ravages. M. T. Cilley was presiding elder in i88i-'84; G. W. Norris in i885-'89. S. C. Keeler, the present incumbent, began his term in April. 1890. D.J. Smith was pastor, for a second term, in i879-'8i. He was followed by W. E. Bennett in i882-'83,and he by A. C. Coult in i884-'86. Rev. J. A. Bowler began his three years' pastorate in the old church in April, 1887, and in the spring of 1888 it was decided to build a new church on the site of the one which had done such good service for fifty-four years. Plans were drawn by George H. Guern- THE CHURCHES, 439 sey of Montpelier, Vt. A building committee, consisting of Rev. J. A. Bowler, Charles Smith, and M. E. Hartford, was chosen, and May 27, 1888, the last service was held in the old church. The pastor preached a farewell sermon from Haggai ii, 3 and 9. "Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory?" "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts." The old church was sold and removed in two parts, one of which is located on Bunker Hill avenue and the other on Cemetery street and both are finished into tenements. The new church was dedicated on Wednesday, March 20, 1889. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Charles Parkhurst, D. D., editor of Zioii's Herald, Boston, from Hebrews viii, 5. Addresses were made by Revs. Henry Hartwell and W. E. Bennett, former pastors, and congratulatory letters from several other former pastors were read. The building was presented by W. E. Bullard, chairman of the board of trustees, and dedicated by Rev. G. W. Norris, presiding elder of Concord district, assisted by Rev. J. E. Robins, presiding elder of Claremont district, and a number of ministers who were present. The pastor announced that the cost of the building, exclusive of a considerable amount of labor which had been given, was $7,800, and that $1,500 were necessary in addition to the sub- scriptions already made. This amount was subscribed during the afternoon and evening. The extreme dimensions of the church are 79 and 55 feet. It is lighted by a Wheeler reflector having sixteen lamps. The glass of the rose windows is from the works of Redding, Baird & Co., of Boston ; the children's window and thd other windows of leaded work are from the works of Samuel West, Boston. The bell weighs 1,325 pounds and was cast by the Cincinnati Bell Foundry Co. The pews were manufactured by the Globe Furniture Co., North- ville, Mich. Contributions for memorial windows were made by William H. Clark for Allen Smith, Emmons Smith for Adaline Smith, George Lovejoy for his father, Daniel Green for his parents, S. H. LeGro for his parents, Mrs. A. C. Russell for her father, Jos- eph D. Howe and sister for their parents. Windows were also placed by the Webb and Bullard families and the children of the Sunday-school. Mr. Bowler issued a neat pamphlet in 1S89, entitled "Methodism in Lancaster," from which we have culled in preparing this sketch. It contains cuts of the old church as it was in 1858, after it was rebuilt, and of the present edifice. D. C. Babcock began a three years' term in April, 1890. Dur- ing that year the debt on the church property was all paid. At the close of his term of service the High street parsonage was sold, and a new one has been erected east of the church. Another house 440 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. that stood on the site of the new parsonage has been moved to the southeast part of the lot and rebuilt for the use of the church sexton. The Methodist Episcopal society now has a fine set of buildings, and is well equipped for good work. During his third year Mr. Babcock organized a distinct branch of the Methodist Episcopal church at Grange village, where a good Sunday-school has been gathered, and afternoon preaching is well sustained. The Rev. R. T. Wolcott, began his work in April, 1893, and entered the new parsonage in October. Under the care of Mr. Wolcott the church prospered. • The branch of the church at the Grange village erected, under the charge of Rev. R. T. Wolcott, a very neat chapel during the summer of 1895. At the annual conference of 1896, Mr. Wolcott was assigned to the Woodsville church, and Rev. R. C. Danforth located in Lan- caster. Mr. Danforth has started on what seems a promising pas- torate. THE FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY OF LANCASTER. By Rev. A. N. Somers, In Lancaster, as all over New England, Unitarianism grew up within the pale of the Orthodox Congregational church. In Lan- caster, as elsewhere, it first took form as a protest against Calvinism; and its advocates, in adopting biblical phraseology to express their Arminianism, came to accept the Arian interpretation of some fun- damental theological doctrines, which in time, led them into the " Trinitarian Controversy," which prepared the way for the forma- tion of the Unitarian church. The history of the old " First church " of Lancaster reveals the fact that Arminian views were held by a considerable number of its earliest communicants. It is certain that the first minister of the church, the Rev. Joseph Willard, shared with them in holding those views, though he never preached much upon theological topics and so avoided conflict with the Calvinistic members of his church. The creed of the church was not distinctly Trinitarian. The doc- trine was not named in it. Any Unitarian could conscientiously subscribe to it at that period in the development of Unitarian thought. The creed upon this question reads : "We believe in God the Father,^ — Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth, and his son Jesus Christ, as the sole Saviour of the world, and in the Holy Ghost as the comforter and sanctifier of the people and church of God." In spite of the vagueness of the creed and the silence of the min- ister upon the doctrines of Calvinism and Arminianism, there grew up withm the church two parties that in time were destined to di- vide it. The one was Orthodox, the other Liberal. THE CHURCHES. 44I The Rev. Mr. Willard resigned the pastorate of the church in 1822, and was succeeded by the Rev. J. R. VVheelock. A majority of the church (the Liberals) refused to accept his services and sup- port him upon the discovery that he was extremely Calvinistic in his theology. That protest against his Calvinism led to his beino- dis- missed ; and the Rev. Joseph Willard was again settled ove" the cnurch until his death, which occurred in 1826 From the death of " Parson" Willard, as he was lovingly called by all, down to the time when the Orthodox (Calvinistic Trinita- rian) portion of the "First Congregational Church " seceded in ian) "^^^""''^y of the congregation were Arminians (Unitar- During the pastorate of the Rev. Andrew Govan, who preached much upon theological questions from 1832 to 1835 the Liberal portion of the congregation came to openly avow their Unitarian doctrines The position taken by the Liberals of Lancaster was es- sentially that of Unitarians in other parts of New England— anti- Tnnitanan and anti-Calvinistic. The Rev. Mr. GovaS sought to remedy matters by inserting in the creed these words from Titus 111:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." The Unitarians being the majority (and in fact the church was to all intents and purposes a Unitarian church), prevented the revision of the creed which, as adopted at the formation of the church, was neither Calvinistic nor Trinitarian. It had been framed for the ac- commodation of Arminian views, and now that those holding those views had come, by a natural process of theological growth" to be Unitarians they were not disposed to see the church handed over to Irinitarian Calvinism by any revision of its fundamental basis of organization. The Unitarians had been from the f^rst strong enough in numbers chnrrh "^"'' to control the preaching in the "Congregational church down to the spring of 1854. In 1836 the Orthodo.x mem- bers of the church, seeing themselves in a hopeless minority, seceded LancalrN "T"'"n '^' " ^''^^°^"" Congregational Church in Lancaster, N. H. By that move they left the Unitarians in the peaceable possession of the church property and records as" The Con- gregationa Church " of Lancaster. The Orthodox scolders recog- nized the church as a Unitarian church in a " statement of reasons hv n ' formation of the Orthodox Congregational church" prepared by Deacon Farrar in which he says : " Some in the church are assist- ing to raise a standard which we believed to be another gospel-" and systematic and persevering efforts to introduce into thS church a system of faith which rejects these doctrines (new creed of the 442 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Orthodox church)"; and again "The church could not be extri- cated from such a state of things." During the next seven years there was very Httle activity dis- played on the part of either of the rival churches. In the early part of 1843, the Orthodox church called the Rev. David Perry, who set- tled as pastor over it. He was not disposed to let things rest as he found them, and set about to reunite the two Congregational churches. A meeting of the two churches was held on Nov. 20, 1843, at which a plan of union was adopted, and ratified by both. A new creed was drawn up and subscribed to by all of the Con- gregational church (Unitarian), and by all but seven of the Or- thodox Congregational church. The Unitarians sacrificed the first creed in which the ground of contention — Trinitarianism and Unitarianism — was covered by vagueness, and the Orthodox threw to the winds their undisguised Trinitarian creed ; and the two united upon one that is avowedly "agnostic" on that point, as is seen in Article 3, of the new com- promise creed, which is still the creed of the Orthodox Congrega- tional church. It reads as follows : "We believe that in these Scriptures there is revealed a distinction in the God- head of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and that this distinction, though incompre- hensible to us, is yet perfectly consistent with the Unity of the Divine Being." The reunited church continued its work until 1854. The Rev. Mr. Perry was dismissed Jan. 20, 1847, ^^id Rev. Stephen A. Barnard, who had been ordained as a Unitarian minister, was settled on May 9, 1847, after having preached some two months on trial. Although once a Unitarian he had declared himself Orthodox in faith. His preaching was entirely satisfactory to the Unitarians, and while the church grew considerably under his ministrations, the new growth only tended to strengthen the Unitarian numbers and confirm their faith. The Unitarian portion of the congregation were entirely satis- fied with the Rev. Mr. Barnard and his ministry, and on account of an attempt to incorporate the society so as to better perform its obligations to him, and enable it to lawfully hold its property, the Orthodox portion of the congregation became alarmed lest the Unitarians might get legal hold and control of the church property, and accordingly they made a hasty move and organized "The Ortho- dox Congregational Church Society," and assumed the proprietor- ship of the church property, which that body still holds. The Rev. Stephen Barnard's pastorate closed May 29, 1853. During the next few months several distinguished Unitarian ministers, visiting in the mountains, occupied the pulpit of the church at the solicita- tion of the Unitarians. During the winter months following there were no regular services sustained ; and as the Orthodox society THE CHURCHES. 443 showed no disposition to renew services the Unitarians secured the services of the Rev. George M. Rice to begin on Jan. i, 1854, and to continue for an indefinite length of time. After he had preached for six weeks the Orthodox portion of the church began to grow anxious over the probable results of so much Unitarian preaching, and a settled minister of that faith. They secured the services of the Rev. Isaac Weston of Maine, and on Feb. 12, announced that he would preach Feb. 19, from the pul- pit then occupied by Rev. G. M. Rice. When the day came the two ministers met at the pulpit with their respective followers in the pews anxiously awaiting the results of what proved to be the crisis in their conflicts over the use of the church property. Influences that had been antagonizing each other for more than half a century were pitted against each other for a final settlement. There was but one course open to the two ministers, which was to allow the Rev. Mr. Rice to preach at the morning service and the Rev. Mr. Weston in the afternoon. That was the plan agreed upon by the ministers. The Rev. G. M. Rice was the duly authorized minister of the church, as he had been legally called by the majority of its constituency. The minority of the church though acting as the legally incorporated society had served no notice on the Unitar- ian majority to vacate the pulpit for their use on that occasion. Be- ing in the lawful possession of the church as the majority of the members of the one church worshiping there under the same name — Orthodox Congregational church — Mr. Rice would have been un- true to the terms of his contract to preach for them an "indefinite length of time " had he relinquished the pulpit to another without the consent of his employers. The Rev. Mr. Weston was an old man, and possibly not fully aware of the true situation of the affairs confronting him on that Sunday morning. An undue amount of credit has been given him by his Orthodox friends for his display of " courtesy " toward Mr. Rice in yielding the pulpit over which he had no lawful claim though in the service of the legal owners of the building. The credit was equally due both ministers that they set- tled so difficult a question in a way that could reflect no disgrace upon the cause they were serving. The Unitarians, seeing that by shrewd practices and defiant methods they were liable to be crowded out of the church with no regard for their rights, now called a meeting of the " First Congre- gational Society of Lancaster," at the Coos Hotel, on Feb. 13, 1854. At that meeting a committee was appointed to confer with the Orthodox Congregational society, in regard to their rights in the meeting-house. At a subsequent meeting that committee re- ported that the Orthodox society " refused to hold any communi- cation on the subject of the meeting-house." 444 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. At the meeting on Feb. 13, 1854, the society was duly reorgan- ized, and officers elected. It retained the old name of the First church, viz., "The First Congregational Society of Lancaster." To its constitution we find subscribed the following names: Wil- liam D. Spaulding, James W. Weeks, B. F. Whidden, John H. White, James B. Weeks, John W. Barney, John Lindsey, William A. White, C. B. Allen, E. C. Garland, J. W. Merriam, A. L. Robin- son, Edward Spaulding, Wm. Burns, R. Sawyer, James B. Spauld- ing, Charles D. Stebbins, James S. Brackett, Hiram A. Fletcher, Hosea Gray, Edward C. Spaulding, Nelson Kent, Edwin F. East- man, Benj. Hunking, S. F. Spaulding, J. H. Spaulding. The following names were added to the list within the next few years: William D. Weeks, John M. Whipple, E. L. Colby, Kimball B. Fletcher, Samuel S. Mudgett, Jared W. Williams, Jos. M. Thompson, Wm. H. Clark, S. J. Greene, Ira S. M. Gove, D. C. Pinkham, Frank Smith, Lafayette Moore, Ossian Ray, and A. T. Johnson. The first officers of the society were the following: Hon. John H. White, president; B. F. Whidden, secretary; James W. Weeks, Wm. Burns, and William D. Spaulding, executive committee; C. B. Allen, treasurer and collector. Having ascertained through the investigations of a committee consisting of B. F. Whidden and William Burns that their legal rights in the meeting-house were complicated, and could only be secured through disagreeable litigation, the First Congregational society began holding its services in the court-house on Feb. 26, 1854, and continued to meet there until their present meeting- house was erected and dedicated, Oct. 24, 1856. On Feb. 20, 1854, the society was incorporated as "a body politic " according to the requirements of the laws of the state, notice of which was published for three succeeding weeks in the Cods County Z)e?noc7'at, beginning Feb. 22, 1854. As soon as the society was duly organized and holding regular services as a Unitarian society, steps were taken to form a church in connection with the parish society, and on the afternoon of Sunday, March 12, 1854, a church w^as organized by the adoption and acceptance of the following " Church Covenant," which is with but slight changes the form of covenant used by the Second church of Boston, Mass., under the distinguished Puritan ministers, John Cotton and John Wilson. Church Covenant. " We whose names are hereunder written, declare our faith in the One Living and True God ; in the Lord Jesus Christ, that he was sanctified of the Father, and sent into the world, that the world through Him might be saved ; and that THE CHURCHES. 445 Gospel which was confirmed by the death and resurrection of its Author, and which is binding upon us as the rule of our faith and practice. " Being united into one congregation or church under the Lord Jesus Christ, we do hereby solemnly and religiously promise to walk in all our ways according to the rule of the Gospel, and in all sincere conformity to his holy ordinances, and in mutual love and respect to each other, so near as God shall give us grace." This covenant was accepted by the following persons on the date named, and from time to time by others until its roll of members included many of the best people in the town: George M. Rice, William A. White, Ellen C. White, WilHam D. Spaulding, Sarah A. Spaulding, James W. Weeks, M. Eliza Weeks, Persis F. Weeks, Nancy D. M. Sawyer, Ellen A. White, Susan D. F. Cargill, Eliza D. Whidden, Debby A. Kent, Harriet E. Stalbird. Some of these had left the Orthodox Congregational church on letters of dismissal in order to unite with the Unitarian church, while some who had formerly acted with the Unitarians joined the Orthodox church. At a public meeting of the parish Sept. 27, 1855, steps were taken to build a house of worship. James W. Weeks, Dr. John W. Barney, William D. Spaulding, and William A. White were appointed a committee to procure plans, and an estimate of costs, for a suitable building. Plans for the building now used by the society were drawn and presented to it by Mr. W. B. O. Peabody, an architect of Boston, Mass. The building was completed and ready for occupation within the year following, chiefly through the earnest efforts of the Rev. Mr. Rice and William D. Spaulding, chairman of the building committee. The little society found sym- pathetic friends among other Unitarian churches that knew them to be worthy and needy of assistance in getting established. Among its friends who helped it financially and otherwise were the Rev. Thomas Starr King, the famed pulpit orator of the Hollis Street church, Boston, Mass., Rev. A. P. Peabody of Portsmouth, N. H., who was then editor of the North American Review, Rev. Samuel Longfellow, brother of the poet H. W. Longfellow, and Rev. Charles T. Brooks of Newport, R. L The Rev. G. M. Rice was the first avowed Unitarian minister to preach as a settled minister in Lancaster. At the time became here he was of mature years, a man of marked ability, fearless, frank, and faithful in the discharge of his professional duties. He was thoroughly conscientious in all he said or did. In addition to the full discharge of his obligations to his church he made ex- tensive journeys to collect funds to build the meeting-house, pro- curing some seven or eight hundred dollars for that purpose out- side of Lancaster. By the time the church had become thoroughly organized and 446 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. its house of worship completed, the minister gave much of his time and attention to the slavery question, which was then the most prominent political and moral question of the country. The Rev. G. M. Rice was a thorough-going abolitionist, as were nearly all Unitarian ministers of that time, and no doubt often discussed the slavery question in his sermons. On account of his abolitionist utterances, rather than his theologi- cal attitude, a considerable number of his congregation deserted him and went over to the other churches. His theology recognized all men, regardless of race, creed, or other accidents, as constituting a single brotherhood, and all men as truly the sons of God ; so he accepted it not only as a political, but religious, duty to proclaim against slavery as an abomination and crime. It cannot be learned that he was ever partisan in his advo- cacy of the anti-slavery doctrine, or that he labored for any political party. Had he been less conscientious than he was, he might have, through silence on a vexed question, held all his followers, and have drawn others to them. Some of the best friends of the new society were among the pro-slavery opponents of Mr. Rice, but they re- mained with the church because truly and intelligently Unitarians. The period in the history of the church covered by the Rev. Mr. Rice's ministry, 1854-185 7, was the most critical one through which it has passed ; and if the church had not had for its friends and sup- porters many of the most intelligent and influential families in the town it would have perished in its birth. The breaking of its alli- ance with the Orthodox church after more than half a century of cooperation severely handicapped it. Then came this anti-slavery agitation, in which the minister took what his congregation, very generally, thought a too active part. While there was much fault found with the preaching of the minister, his motives and charac- ter were never condemned. No clergyman ever left a church with a cleaner record than did he. His church thought politics and re- ligion should not be mixed ; but he thought that in a question that involved three millions of his fellow creatures, children of the living God, they should be mixed ; and with a conscience he mixed them. Those were trying times for a minister who felt that slavery was the greatest evil of our country, and the situation was doubly try- ing for Mr. Rice. He felt constrained to resign his charge and let the church he had helped to found, and which he loved, try its fortune with some other pastor. He accordingly handed in his res- ignation on the 27th of September, 1857. At a meeting of the society on the day following, it was voted not to accept his res- ignation. But as Mr. Rice demanded entire freedom of speech in the pulpit as the only condition of remaining longer, the society at a subsequent meeting reconsidered its action and accepted his res- THE CHURCHES. 447 ignation, but not without expressing, by vote, their full confidence in his Christian character and ability. The next settled minister of the society was the Rev. George G. Channing, a brother of the distinguished William Ellery Channing, the foremost leader in the Unitarian movement in this country. The Rev. Mr. Channing was settled May 23, 1858, and remained until May 8, i860, leaving on account of serious illness. He was a faith- ful minister, of kindly and sympathetic disposition, and the society prospered during his ministry. He came at a time when they were burdened with debts ; but he had the satisfaction of seeing that bur- den removed, chiefly through the generosity of William D. Spauld- ing, who assumed all the society's debts, about $800, taking in consideration therefor some pews that remained unsold at the time. He left with the church a farewell letter that is full of the prophetic spirit. He is remembered with much love by many of the older members. For a number of years next following, the terms of ministerial ser- vice were short. A Rev. Mr. Edes preached about a year, and was succeeded by Rev. George Osgood, who remained a year. Then for several years the church was only open during the summer months, with Revs. Thomas Howard, W. W. Newell, and George L. Chaney as ministers. Rev. J. L. M. Babcock served the society as pastor for three years. At the annual meeting of the society on April i, 1862, its name was changed from " The First Congregational Society" to "The First Unitarian Society," as at present. This step was taken under the conviction that its distinctive theology and religious aims would be less liable to be misunderstood and misconstrued, as they were while trying to work in competition with the Orthodox church under the single name Congregational. Despite its change of name it is, and always has been, the only church in Lancaster strictly con- gregational in its government. Rev. Lyman Clark, a young man just graduated from the theological school at Meadville, Pa., was invited to supply the pulpit in the winter of 1870. After preaching several months and giving satisfaction, he was called as its minister; and on July 20, 1871, was duly installed the first minister ever so set over the church and parish. Under his ministry the society prospered, clearing itself of debt, and even contributing to v^arious charitable enterprises away from home. He reorganized the society April 4, 1 87 1, and increased its membership to about one hundred persons during the time he served it. He resigned July 5, 1874, and now resides at Andover, N. H. For nearly a year the church was either closed or hearing candi- dates for its pulpit. On May i, 1875, Rev. R. P. E. Thatcher began a year's engagement, during which time there was a loss in both 448 HISTORY OF LAN'CASTER. numbers and finances from which all became so much discouraged that for four years there was no settled minister. There was preach- ing during the summer months by several ministers, who spent their vacations in the vicinit}* of Lancaster. Among them was Rev. \V. H. Fish of South Scituate. Mass. Through his efforts, aided by S. J. Beane, the New England missionar}' of the American Unitarian Association, the societ}- was induced to settle a minister again. In June. 1880, Rev. J. B. Morrison was settled as pastor. During his period of service the society prospered, regaining much, in numbers and financial abilit}-, that it had lost during the five preceding years. The meeting-house was twice extensively repaired during the nearly ten years he was the minister. He resigned in ^lay, 1 890, and was succeeded by Rev. C. A. Young, who was ordained and installed September 25, 1890. He remained until September, 1893. After that date the church heard several candidates, but closed during several months of the winter following. On April i, 1894, Rev. A. X. Somers preached, and was invited to supply the pulpit for a 3'ear, at the end of which time he was invited to remain for another year. There have been connected with the society, from its earliest years to the present, various important auxiliaries and clubs. A "Ladies' Benevolent Societ}-" was organized ]\Iarch 8, 1854, which has continued actively engaged in works of charity, and in aiding the church financially, as well as in promoting the social interests ofthe church and communit}'. This society changed its name to that of "The Women's Alliance," Jan. i, 1895, that it might be one in name and method of work with the "National Alliance of Unitarian and other Liberal Christian Women." There has always been a Sunday-school in the society, and while it has never been large and has suffered many reverses, yet it has sowed the seeds of a rational, ethical, and inspiring spiritual life among the young people of the parish. Various literary clubs have existed at times as the needs of the people called for them. The society has exercised a wholesome influence upon social amusements in the communit}-. Instead of condemning them all, it has discriminated between the pure and the immoral, and sought to purify and make useful such as have an aesthetical and moral value to the young. At a meeting called for the purpose of organizing a young peo- ple's society, Jan. 19, 1896, over thirty united in an organization under the name of "The Lancaster Young People's Union." for their mutual improvement intellectually, morally, socially, and reli- giously. With this broad aim the societ\' has started out to dis- cover to the young people of the church and community' their place, their work, and their responsibilities in the life of their town and THE CHURCHES. 449 nation. It is a branch of the National Unitarian Union of Young People's Societies. In all things this little church has been an influence for good in the communit)' that no words can measure. Intellectually, morally, socially, as well as religiously, it has led and never followed the mind and heart of the people. On all questions of reform, it has taken a rational and progressive stand. To-day it stands in the front rank of progressive thought and conduct. And though never large in numbers, with interrupted ser\-ices, and never a pros- elyting societ}', it has yet been an inspiring institution that has led to what is best in the true mission of a church — character-building. The intellectual, moral, social, and theological progress of the com- munity has always been toward, and never away from, the ideals it has steadily held before it as the guide to all that is best and highest in life, now and evermore. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. The Catholic faith gained acceptance with the St. Francis tribe of Indians, inhabiting this and still further Northern sections of the country, prior to the settlement of the first white inhabitants in 1764. As the Indians retired before the march of civilization represented by early white settlers of the town, the Catholic faith was soon with- out adherents. The great tide of Irish immigration that set in this direction about 1830, reached Lancaster in 1833. That year the Connary family settled in Lancaster, where ever since they have been prominent Catholics, and highly respected citizens. The first mass celebrated in Lancaster was at the dwelling-house of Patrick Connary, ^lay 4, 1850. He lived at that time in the house now occupied by Cyrus G. Burley. There were present at that service, Patrick Connan,' and wife. John Connary and wife, Thomas Connan," and wife, Patrick Clarey and wife, then all the Catholics in Lancaster, or near it. The second mass was celebrated at the house of Patrick Clarey. where ]\Iartin A. Mona- han now lives. The same parties were present that attended the first mass. At this service the sacrament of baptism was adminis- tered for the first time in Lancaster, and to the first Catholic child born in the town, Mary, daughter of Patrick Connar}*. The first public mass was celebrated in the old town hall in 1855. by the Rev. Fr. Daley. At that time the number of Catholics had increased considerably, and from that time forward Lancaster was a recog- nized mission in connection with Concord. John, Francis, and Daniel Kellum had settled here by that time. Ser\Mces were con- ducted occasional!}- by Revs. O'Reiley, Brady, and others. In 1S56, Bishop Bacon gave all the missions in the Connecticut -9 45 O HISTORY OF LANCASTER. river valley from Colebrook, north, to Ashuelot river, south, together with the White Mountain region, to Rev. Isadore H. Noisseaux as his mission field. He was a zealous and faithful priest going about among the scattered ones of his faith, ministering to them the con- solations and comforts of his church. Father Noisseaux at once organized a parish in Lancaster, and purchasing the old " Deacon Farrar " place where the church and parsonage now stand, fitted it up as his place of residence, and added a chapel to it in which ser- vices were held .until 1877. In 1869, Bishop Bacon, of Portland, Me., visited the parish for the first time and administered the sacrament of confirmation. Dur- ing that same }'ear Father Noisseaux purchased land on Spring street for a cemetery, and blessed it. Father Noisseaux remained with the parish that he had organized until 1876, when he was transferred to Brunswick, Me., and was succeeded in Lancaster by the Rev. M. P. Danner. During his second year in Lancaster Father Danner built the present church edifice. J. L Williams was the architect, _and S. B. Congdon the builder. The new building was blessed by Bishop Healey, who preached and administered the sac- rament of confirmation at the time of the dedication. Father Dan- ner was succeeded in 1880, by Rev. Fr. McKinnon, who, failing in health, was obliged to retire after one year of service in the parish. He died at Portland, Me., in 1881. He was succeeded by the Rev. Fr. H. Lessard, who remained four years. At the beginning of the year 1886, the parish, which had grown too large for the care of one minister, was divided. Whitefield, Percy, Jackson, and Con- way were takeii from it, and North Stratford added to it. The Rev. M. J. B. Creamer succeeded Father Lessard in 1885. He was transferred to Manchester in the winter of 1898. In 1887 he built a church at North Stratford, and relinquished that mission which had then become a separate parish. In 1889 he built a church at Twin Mountain, and in 1890 he renovated the church and house at Lancaster, and placed a bell in the tower. In 1891 he purchased a church property in Groveton, N. H., where is still a mission. He has done much during the last two years in decorating the church in Lancaster. He is a hard worker, and it his privilege to min- ister to the largest congregation of worshipers in the town of Lan- caster. In 1895 he purchased lands on North Main street, and laid out a new cemetery for his church. Rev. Fr. D. Alex. Sullivan succeeded Father Creamer in 1898. THE BAPTLST CHURCH. There was once a small society of Baptists in Lancaster, and although they have ceased to exist, a brief notice seems proper in the history of the town. THE CHURCHES. 45 I The first preacher of this denomination was the Rev. Henry I. Campbell, who came here during the winter of i859-'6o. He divided his ministrations between Lancaster and West Milan for several months, and then removed to Jefferson. While a resident of that place he still retained his connection with the society here until 1 86 1, when a church organization was effected, and he became its first settled pastor. The old academy building (now the public library building) was purchased by the society July 6, i860, and removed to its present location and repaired for their use. Prior to the occupancy of this church building the societ}^ held its services in the court-house. In 1862 an ecclesiastical society was formed under the name of the "First Baptist Society of Lancaster." The Rev. Mr. Campbell remained its pastor until about 1863, when he was succeeded by the Rev. George A. Glines, a licensed preacher. Mr. Glines was shortly after his location in Lancaster regularly ordained, and re- mained pastor for nearly four }'ears. For a year following the de- parture of Mr. Glines, the societ}- had no regular preacher. During this time the Rev. David Gage of Manchester, N. H., the agent of the New Hampshire State Convention, occasionally occupied the pulpit with great acceptance. In December, 1867, the society again settled a minister, the Rev. Andrew W. Ashley. He re- mained only a few months. It was not until the spring of 1871 tliat they again had a settled pastor, when the Rev. Kilburn Holt began his ministry over the society. He remained until 1875, when he resigned and left Lancaster. Since that time the society has had no preaching, and has passed out of existence. Its members have mosth' found their place in the other churches. THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The Protestant Episcopal denomination began holding occasional services in Lancaster about forty years ago. The first service held, of which we have any certain knowledge, was on the evening of Aug. 6, 1856, by Bishop Chase. At that time the wife of the late William Heywood was confirmed. In 1863, Bishop Chase returned and held services again, at which time he confirmed seven persons. From the first service alluded to, up to 1875, services were con- ducted by ministers visiting here during the sunmier season and at the mountain resorts near by. During the year 1S75 the Rev. James B. Goodrich divided his time between Littleton and Lancaster, serving the two missions. The present church building was erected during that, and the succeeding }^ear, at a cost of $9,000, including the lot. Through all his life, as through the first years of its existence, the Hon. W^illiam Heywood was very much devoted to the church, and was of great service to 452 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. it in many ways. He served as warden from its organization to the time of his death. Its regular ministers have been : Rev. James B. Goodrich, from 1875 to 1884; Rev. E. P. Little, from 1884 to 1886; Rev. C. J. Hendley, from 1887 to 1889; Rev. William Lloyd Himes, state missionary, from 1889 to 1892; Rev. Joseph Eames,'from 1892 to the present time. The title of the church is "St. Paul's Episcopal church." In addition to its church building the society owns a good rec- tory, on the rear of the large lot upon which the church stands. Its present organization is, — Wardens, Henry O. Kent, Ezra Mitch- ell ; secretary, Irving W. Drew; treasurer, Frank D. Hutchins. OTHER SECTS THAT HAVE, AT TIMES, PREACHED IN LANCASTER. The mild and gentle Quakers have held services in some portions of the town, but never to develop an organization. The Free Bap- tists for a while held meetings in the schoolhouse of district No. 8, but never gained enough adherents to form a church society. The Christians have been heard on various occasions, but they, too, failed to develop any organization. Restorationist doctrines were once preached by certain Universalist ministers, but without finding much acceptance, if indeed they made any converts, to their faith. The Millerites or Second Adventists created quite a sensation here when that system was holding the attention of many throughout New England. They held meetings that were largely attended, but as their prophesies were not fulfilled the few converts they made fell into apostasy very soon after their conversion. CHAPTER XI. THE NEWSPAPERS OF LANCASTER. The White Mountain ^gis — The Coos County Democrat — The Coos Republican — The Independent Gazette — The Coos Herald — North- ern News — Journal of Familiar Science. THE NEWSPAPER PRESS OF LANCASTER. The first printing establishment in this section of the state was at Lancaster in 1838. An association consisting of Richard P. Kent, Gen. John Wilson, Royal Joyslin, and Apollos Perkins, was formed to publish a newspaper, and run a job-printing office. This asso- ciation purchased the press and material, being indemnified, as they supposed, by a sub-subscription. A newspaper, a copy of the first THE NEWSPAPERS OF LANCASTER. 453 issue of which is before me as I write, was started with Apollos Perkins as editor, and J. F. C. Hayes, foreman. This paper was called The White Mountain ^gis. It was only published in Lancaster one year when it was removed to Haverhill, Grafton county, under the control of Mr. Hayes, and named the Whig and y^gis. The paper while published in Lancaster was Whig in poli- tics, and was ably edited. It devoted much space to agriculture, as also to literary matters. Upon the whole, it was a better edited paper than any of the country newspapers of to-day. It abounded with poetry, mostly selected from the great poets of all periods, and with interesting stories. Numerous woodcuts, displaying the varied wares of the merchants of the village, adorned its pages. There one sees cuts of Isaac B. Gorham's hats, Kent & Porter's cook- ing stoves, Chadbourne's plows, stage coaches, and Edmund C. Wilder's array of furniture. Within less than a year after the paper was started it had a rival in the Cods County Democrat. The editor of the latter paper said sharp things against the yEgis. Among the defects he held up to public gaze was the fact that it was printed on a second- hand press, and from old type. To this the editor of the y^gfs made reply, to the effect that his press was indeed a second-hand one, it having been used to print a religious paper on, and later for printing Biblesi But its sacred associations did not save it from a loss of patronage in a community much stronger Democratic than Whig in politics. Mr. Perkins for a long time after leaving Lancas- ter resided at Lowell, Mass. Mr. Hayes was many years in the West, connected with newspaper work, and for some time a land broker at Des Moines, Iowa. He recently removed from Cleveland, O., to Groveton, N. H., where in the evening of life (1897) he rests from the cares and anxieties of business. Nat. Hibbard was a printer on the yEgis, and George Wilson and William George were ap- prentices while the paper was published in Lancaster. The office of the paper was in the second story of what was once the Masonic hall on Main street, but now a part of Syndicate block, owned by Drew, Jordan and King, and occupied by I. W. Quimby and others as stores and offices. The paper was not a success. Four years after it was launched forth as an exponent of Whig politics it failed, and the effects of the office were sold by the original owners. The press was bought by Lyman J. Mclndoe, then running a job office at Newbury, Vt., sub- sequently merged into the Aurora of the Valley establishment. The type went mostly to G. S. Towle, then editing a paper at Haver- hill, The True Democrat and Granite Whig, afterward moved to Lebanon, N. H., where it was known as The Granite State Whig, and the predecessor of the Granite State Free Press of that place. 454 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. THE COOS COUNTY DEMOCRAT. In 1.838, shortly after the White Mountain yEgis started as the organ of the Whig party, an association of prominent business men, leading Democrats started the Cods County Detnocr at as the organ of their party. That association was composed of Hon. John W. Weeks, M. C. ; Hon. Jared W. Williams, later governor and United States senator ; Hon. John S. Wells, later United States senator ; and Hon. John H. White, sheriff of the county, and others of considera- ble note. The paper was edited by Hon. James M. Rix, with James R. Whittemore as publisher. During the first year Mr. Rix per- formed the editorial duties and worked at the case ; but the next year he gave up " the stick " and devoted his whole time to the editorial work of the paper, and retained that relation to the paper until the time of his death in 1856. Mr. Amos F. Abbott was fore- man in the office. The paper was first issued from the second story of the build- ing owned by John S. Wells, now the L of the Kent Building, on Main street. In 185 i it was removed to the store building of the late J. A. Smith on Main street. After the death of Mr. Rix, March 25, 1856, the ofifice was removed to the post-office building on the south side of the river. Jared I. Williams was then its edi- tor for some years, with Joseph W. Merriam of Stratford, later an editor of the Patriot, and afterward an attorney in Chicago, 111., as assistant editor. In 1859 the Donoo-at was moved to North Stratford, under the editorial control of Charles D. Johnson, then recently admitted to the bar of Coos county. Mr. Johnson died the following year, and after his death the paper ceased to represent its party as the party organ. The material of the plant was purchased by various persons, members of the opposing organization, and the Democrat was a nondescript. The internal dissension among its owners was dis- played by the placing of a cut of a bull, bottom side up, under the title of "A Man Overboard." This, by its nominal editor one week, followed in the next issue by a denunciation of the manager by the owners. After nearly a year of this sort of " management," the material was again sold. It was bought by A. J. Walker of Lunen- burg, Vt., who undertook to run a job office on "Baptist Hill," in that town. Mr. Walker failed in his enterprise and sold the estab- lishment Oct. 6, 1866, to Col. Henry O. Kent, who removed it to Lancaster, and set it up in the same room where it had been used nearly thirty years before to print the Democrat on. Only a por- tion of the material being of service in his office for the publication of the Coos Republican, Mr. Kent sold the press to C. O. Barney of Canaan, N. H., for the establishment of the Canaan Reporter. THE NEWSPAPERS OF LANCASTER. 455 For a period of twenty years the Democrat slumbered like Rip Van Winkle, while some of the most remarkable events in the nation's history were taking place. A veritable new world had come to be during those twenty years. Lancaster had caught the spirit of many new enterprises, and was pushing forward along new lines of business, intellectual, and social life, when one October day in 1884, one F. A. Kehew launched a new edition of the old Cods Democrat upon the world. He appropriated the title and serial number of the paper as last published. He ran it until 1887, when he sold it to W. C. Colby, who conducted it until 1890, when he sold out to John D. Bridge of Littleton, N. H., who still owns it. Mr. Bridge has run the paper as a straight Democratic paper with good suc- cess. We cannpt pass the long and honorable list of employes of the old Democrat office while it was published in Lancaster without saying something of them. They are of deserving mention in any permanent record of the town and its enterprises. I borrow from the address of Col. H. O. Kent before the New Hampshire Printers' and Publishers' Association at Concord, N. H., Jan. 17, 1872. He says of them : " Hon. James M. Rix, subsequently president of the state senate, was a ner- vous, vigorous writer, and acute politician well known to the public of the state. His death occurred in March, 1856, from consumption, aggravated beyond doubt by the cares of editorial and political life. "James R. Whittemore, his original associate in the publication of the Detno- crat, became later a Thompsonian physician in Cincinnati, Ohio. " Edward E. Cross of Lancaster served his time in the Democrat office as an apprentice, and then assumed management of the office as foreman. From Lan- caster he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and entered the' Dollar Weekly Times office. He soon became a traveling correspondent for that paper, and for several years his letters written from all parts of the land, over the 7iom de plume of 'Edward Everett," were among the most agreeable matter in its columns. Of an adven- turous spirit. Cross readily entered into a plan for establishing mining operations in Arizona, and with a company started, by way of th^ Texas route, for the El Dorado. With their outfit he took a printing press and material and on their arrival at Tubac commenced the publication of the Arizonian, the first newspaper published in the territory. While in Arizona, Cross had a difficulty with Sylves- ter Mowry, Lt. U. S. A., since a delegate in congress, now dead, and a duel fought with Burnside rifles, which encounter at that time attracted general atten- tion, was the result. Mining operations being suspended by Indian depredations. Cross went over into Mexico to enter the military service of the Mexican Liberals, but learning of the rebellion at home, hastened north. In the summer of 1861, he was commissioned by Governor Berry colonel of the Fifth New Hampshire Infantry, which regiment bore the well-earned sobriquet of the ' Fighting Fifth.'' The military record of the Fifth and its commander is a part of the history of the state. Decimated by battle the regiment was always recruited rapidly; fore- most in desperate work its losses were fearful. Colonel Cross asserted on a pub- lic occasion in Concord, in January, 1863, that at Fredericksburg his dead lay nearer the rebel rifle-pits than those of any other regiment of the Army of the Potomac. Cross was shot through the thigh at Fair Oaks, shot again and again 456 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. at Fredericksburg, and while leading the First Division of the Second Army Corps at Gettysburg was fatally shot through the abdomen. His remains were interred at Lancaster, amid a great concourse of people, by the Masonic fraternity, of which he was a member."* "Charles Francis Brown, better known as ' Artemas Ward,' entered the Demo- crat office from Norway, Me., as an apprentice, and served his time until the incident occurred resulting in his exchange to a wider sphere, and to that career whicii is now known on both hemispheres. Brown was a 'wayward brother' in the minor duties, a pronounced lover of the good things of this life, attainable to an apprentice in a country printing office, and the constant author of scrapes and practical jokes. The old red sign-post of the 'Temperance House' (kept by George Howe, a simple-minded old man), striped with chalk in ludicrous imita- tion of a barber's pole, the disconsolate cow of his employer, Mr. Rix, who for lack of intuitive perception to comprehend her amateur ' milk-maid,' and conse- quent failure to ' give down,' had her hip broken by a blow from the milking stool, and finally the pied cases in the office, the result of a squabble during office hours with a chance caller, are flowers culled from the chaplet of Artemas's embryo greatness. He was ' the plague of his life ' to Rix ; the malady culminat- ing in a grand tableau in the old ofiice, a stand overturned, the contents of its cases pied upon the floor, Artemas in deadly grapple with his opponent, writhing and reeling among the debris, and the nervous editor bounding in at the door to vent his anger and discharge the future humorist. It was at the Democrat office that Brown began his career of letters. From there he entered the office of the Cleveland Plaindealer, and that career, now so well known, closed with his lamented death at Southampton, England, March 7, 1867. "Charles W. Smith entered the Democrat office in 1846, and served his apprenticeship, becoming foreman of the office. He was absent a year, being engaged upon the Dover Gazette, managed at that time by Major Gibbs. Returning to Lancaster, he again became foreman, under diff"erent managemenis. until the paper left Lancaster for North Stratford. In 1857 he was foreman of the Tunes at McGregor, Iowa. He subsequently entered the office of the Coos Republican, \vh\c\\ \iO?,\t\or\ he held until 1870, when he was elected register of deeds for Coos county. " Richard E. Cross, a brother of Col. E. E. Cross, was another apprentice in the Democrat office. After serving his time he left Lancaster and entered the regular army. He was a private in the engineer battalion, which formed an important part of the small force displayed at Washington to the first inaugura- tion of President Lincoln in 1861. This duty performed, the command was sent to Fort Pickens. In the summer of the same year Cross came north and was commissioned lieutenant in his brother's (Col. E. E. Cross) regiment. He rose through several grades to that of colonel, his muster under the latter grade being prevented only by the inadequate number of enlisted men. Colonel Cross, several years later, removed to Glencoe, Canada, where he married a daughter of the Hon. A. P. McDonald, a member of the provincial parliament, a gentleman heavily engaged in the construction of railways. Colonel Cross was, for a time, in business in that line with him, being engaged upon the Intercolonial Railway line below Quebec." f * A monument was later erected to his memory by his fellow townsmen and citizens of the state. — Ed. t He later became a so-called "magnetic healer," and practised that supposed art for a time. He also made and sold medicines, and engaged in a variety of pursuits. He was United States guard of the treasury at Washington, U. C, where he died in the line of duty in September, 1894. He was interred in the old cemetery at Lancaster beside his brother with Masonic and Grand Army honors. — Ed. THE NEWSPAPERS OF LANCASTER. 457 "Dexter Chase, who afterward married a sister of the Cross brothers, was also, at one time, an apprentice in the Democrat office in the days of Rix, and later was employed by Rix in his book-store. Mr. Chase was for a time employed as collector for the /juiepefident Democrat . (He later entered into other business, the manufacture of the first spring beds in this country, in Boston, Mass. At a still later date he returned to Lancaster and engaged in the insurance business, being advanced by the companies for which he labored to the position of inspector in New Hampshire, in which occupation he continued until his death early in 1896. He, too, was mterred in the old cemetery at Lancaster beside Edward E. and Richard E. Cross.) " Albert Bradley Davis, a native of Lancaster, and afterward an actor of con- siderable ability and reputation, for a long time manager of McVicker's theatre in Chicago, 111., served his time as an apprentice in the Democrat office. "Captain John G. Derby of Lancaster, still a resident here, and connected with several business enterprises, and especially noted for his long service in the fire department, was an apprentice in the Democrat office when C. F. Brown was there. " Lyman Stillings of Jefferson was also an apprentice in the office at one time. He later went West and died there. " S. J. Green of Shelburne. who, after leaving the office, was up to the time of his death in 1869, a clerk in the different stores in Lancaster; Edmund M. Waters of Stratford, now deceased, selected as a clerk and protege by Mr. Rix; Leland H. Plaisted, afterward foreman in Nicholson & Sibley's job office at Paw- tucket, R. L ; Albro Bean, at one time foreman in the office of the rermotit Patriot, at Montpelier, Vt. ; and Frank Goss, who went West, were among the other employes of the office, whom memory recalls."'' The Cods .Republican. — This paper, next in date of issue, was estabHshed at Lancaster in December, 1854. It was first pubhshed in the town hall building, by Daniel A. Bowe, of Middlebury, Vt., for several years preceptor of Lancaster academy. David B. Alli- son, an old Concord printer, was manager, the two uniting as the firm of Bowe & Allison. The Republican was started as the organ of the party of that name but just organized. The health of Mr. Bowe was poor, and he was forced in the autumn of 1857 to give up business. He died of consumption the April following. Col- onel Allison continued the publication of the Republican until December, 1858, when the establishment was purchased by Henry O. Kent, and removed to Kent's building, Main street (a part of the time occupying rooms formerly used by the Coos County Dem- ocrat), where it remained until sold by Kent in October, 1870. After disposing of the paper Colonel Allison worked at type-set- ting, both at Concord, and at several ofifices in Maine, in which state he died some j^ears later. "Among the employes of the Republicati, under its original management, were John L. Parker, later of Woburn, Mass., Budget Lane of Laconia, N. H., Richard O. Young, who died of disease while serving in the United States Army, and the three apprentices, Rowell, Smith, and Berry, who remained with the office after its transfer to me. For twelve years, from December, 1858, to Octo- ber, 1870, the paper was owned by me, and was under my direct control, save 458 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. during the period of my absence with my regiment, when it was leased to Daniel C. Pinkham, Esq., the clerk of the courts for the county. . . . " Levi W. Rowell, the senior apprentice, at the time of my purchase, was fore- man until May, 1859. Mr. Rowell was afterwards connected with the Caddie at Littleton. N. H., and the Ti?nes at St. Johnsbury, Vt. "Charles W. Smith, to whom allusion has been made in the sketch of the Democrat, commenced with me as foreman in May, 1859, '^"^ continued in that position until April, 1870. Mr. Smith was a first-class printer, and in the man- agement of the office and business details he proved, during twelve consecutive years, an invaluable foreman. "William H. Berry of Winthrop, Maine, had charge of the office, as foreman, for a short time after Mr. Smith left it. " Richard H. C. Valentine, a Louisianian born, but at the time hailing from New York city, became foreman in July, 1870, and held that place while the paper was in my hands. He remained with the new management but a brief time, when he returned to New York. He was later in charge of the printers' warehouse, a branch of the business of George P. Rowell & Co., advertising agents of that city. Mr. Valentine was an accomplished printer. "The different apprentices who served in the Republican office, during my ownership, were : " Henry B. Berry, afterward in the army, and later a printer in Boston, Mass., George P. Smith of Gorham, N. H., Thomas Blake of Stratford, N. H., George H. Emerson of Lancaster, later senior member of the newspaper and job printing firm of Emerson, Hartshorn & Co. of Lancaster. Mr. Emerson had been for several years in the treasury department at Washington, but voluntarily retired to enter active business. He entered mercantile pursuits, but finally engaged in the printing and publishing business." " Henry W. Denison of Lancaster, afterward for several years a clerk in the customs department at Washington, and subsequently connected with the consu- lar service in Japan, where he now is; Richard H. Emerson of Lancaster; John A. Smith of Lancaster, now resident of Akron, Iowa; Frank Foster Thomas of Lancaster, afterward journeyman at Portsmouth, N. H. ; George H. Colby of Lancaster, afterward in the newspaper business, conducting a paper at Hono- lulu, Sandwich Islands, and again at Waterville, Me., and now engaged in the book trade at Lancaster; Harry C. Hartshorn of Lunenburg, Vt., who was later the partner of George H. Emerson, his brother-in-law, in the firm of Emerson, Hartshorn & Co. above referred to; Charles H. Rowell of Hunt's Hollow, Liv- ingston Co., N. Y.. supposed to have been killed by the explosion of the mine, in the siege of Petersburg, Va. ; Charles E. Rowell of Littleton, N. H., now a physician at Stamford, Conn. ; Edward Hoogs of Boston, Mass. ; Robinson Y. Russell, later of the Lynn Transcript; William Oliver Burbeck of Haverhill, N. H. ; Nellie Rowell and Nellie Eastman, both of Lancaster, were frequently engaged upon the paper. " The Republican was purchased of me by Chester B. Jordan, October, 1870, and removed to rooms over the post-office on Main street." The Cods Re-ptiblican Association was subsequently formed, and bought the paper of Chester B. Jordan. In August, 1870, the asso- ciation sold the paper to F. E. Shaw, who soon resold it to the association. When Mr. Jordan relinquished the editorial charge of the paper, Wesley W. Pasko of New York, a writer for the Press of that city, became editor. After him came Josiah H. Benton, Jr., B. F. Whidden, Jonathan Smith, F. W. Williams, W. C. Mahurin, THE NEWSPAPERS OF LANCASTER. 459 F. E. Shaw. From July, 1877, when Mr. Mahurin, for a second time, gave up editorial charge of the paper, a Mr. E. W. Kingsley was editor for the association until April, 1878, when the office was destroyed by fire. In May, following the fire which destroyed the plant, James S. Peavey removed his printing office from Littleton, N. H., to Lancas- ter, and began the publication of the Republican, in a store building opposite the old American House on Elm street, until the following October, when he moved the office into the newly-finished Eagle block, where he continued the publication of the paper until the succeeding December, when he sold it to A. F. Rowell and C. D. Batchelder, who took C. L. Griffing into partnership with them, which partnership continued until June, 1882, when Rowell and Batchelder retired from it, leaving Griffing the publisher of the paper until September, 1883, when C. D. Phelps and J. H. Baird bought it. Mr. Baird soon bought out his partner, and conducted the business alone until 1884, when the publication ceased. Rowell, Batchelder & Griffing in 1881 changed the name of the paper from The Cods JRepiihlican to The Lancaster Republican. In 1884, when the publication of The Taucaster Republican ceased, the press, type, and other material were sold at auction, and were bought by F. A. Kahew of Littleton, N. H., who began the re-publication of the Cods County Democrat, which latter paper now occupies an office in the new Odd Fellows' block on Main street. The next publication in order in Lancaster was The Prohibition Herald. Its editors were the Rev. L. D. Barrows and Dr. John Blackmer. It was the state organ of the temperance party, and was published at the job printing office of Emerson, Hartshorn & Co., for one year from January, 1871 . It was then moved to Concord, N. H. The Independent Gazette. — This paper was started as an inde- pendent newspaper in January, 1872, by George H. Emerson and Harry C. Hartshorn as publishers. The editor was James S. Brackett for a tim.e, after which Mr. Emerson became the editor, and contin- ued in that relation to the paper until August, 1877, when the paper was sold to I. VV. Quimby and W. F. Burns. Mr. Burns soon sold his interest to Joseph Roby, Jr., who, after only a few months, sold out to Mr. Quimby, who continued the publication of .it until Novem- ber 10, 1883, at which time he sold out to the Lancaster Printing Company, which was the name under which George P. Rowell, the well-known newspaper advertising agent of New York city, con- ducted the business in the publication of the Lancaster Gazette, to which name Mr. Quimby had changed the paper in 1879. Mr. Rowell conducted the paper successfully, until for some reason he saw fit to abolish it entirely in 1885. He sold the material out in job lots, here and there, hoping it was so effectually scattered as to 460 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. terminate its use together again ; but, Phcenix-like, it arose by its scattered parts coming together at the behest of Mr. Ouimby, its former owner, reappearing with the same headhnes, form, and in every way the same Lancaster Gazette it had before been. This reappearance was on September 25, 1885. Mr. Ouimby sold out the plant to James S. Peavey in 1887. Mr. Peavey conducted it only two years, when he, in turn, sold out to A. F. Rowell and Charles R. Bailey, who have made the paper a first-class local news- paper. In politics it has been Republican. On the ist of July, 1896, Mr. Bailey sold his interest to his partner, leaving A. F. Rowell sole proprietor and publisher. Several other publications of minor importance call for passing notice : The Cods Herald. — In the winter of 1856 Charles N. Kent, then only thirteen years old, printed and published a little paper under the above title. It was a creditable enterprise for one so young. Mr. Kent was for many years connected with the firm of George P. Rowell & Co., New York. The A^orthern JVews. — This little sheet, 8x12, edited and pub- lished by Fletcher Ladd and Edward Ray, at the age of eight years, was another juvenile enterprise in the printer's art that is remem- bered with pleasure by their friends. Mr. Ladd is now an attorney, practising in Lancaster, and Mr. Ray resides in Whitefield. The Journal of Familiar Science. — During the year 1870 the firm of S. Randall & Co., druggists, published a quarterly under this name. It was another of the short-lived ventures, promising well, but failing to find support. CHAPTER XII. THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. The Lawyers — The Physicians— The Dentists — The Druggists. THE BENCH AND BAR. From the settlement of New Hampshire, or rather the erection of its territory into a royal province by King Charles II, in 1679, until 1770, all New Hampshire, for judicial and financial purposes, com- prised a single court, the supreme judicial court, sitting at Ports- mouth, Dover, and Exeter. In 1 771 the province was divided into five counties, and three courts of justice were established, — the superior court of judicature, the inferior court of common pleas, and the court of general sessions. In 1855 the superior court of judicature was abolished, and the THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 46 1 supreme judicial court reestablished, and continued in operation until 1874, when it was superseded by the superior court of judi- cature and the circuit court, the first being the law court and the latter the trial court, which continued to 1876, when they were abolished, and the present supreme court established in their stead. The inferior court of common pleas continued from 1771 until 1820, when it was abolished for five years. From 1825 to 1859, it was again in force and operation. In 1859 it was abolished, and its business transferred to the supreme judicial court. In 1874 this court was revived, but only lasted two years, when its business passed to the supreme court. The court of general sessions of the peace had for its judges all of the commissioned justices of the peace in the county, and was accompanied by grand and petit juries. This court had entire con- trol of the financial affairs of the county. In 1794 the functions of this court were transferred to the court of common pleas. The side judges of this court attended to the financial affairs of the county. In 1855 a board of county commis- sioners was created, which did away with the side judges, as the financial affairs of the county passed under the jurisdiction of the county commissioners. All that remains of the court of general ses- sions to-day is the sessions docket, as a branch of the business of the supreme court, and relates only to entries for laying out high- ways. Beside these courts there is the probate court, which has jurisdic- tion in the probate of wills, granting administration, and determining matters relating to the sale, settlement, and final disposition of estates of deceased persons. It also has original jurisdiction in relation to the adoption of children, assignment of dower and homestead in the estates of deceased persons ; and in the appointment and removal of guardians of minors, insane persons, and spendthrifts. It is also a court of insolvency, and has jurisdiction over petitions for partition of real estate when title is not in controversy, and grants changes in names of persons. The law profession has always held a prominent place in Lan- caster because it was and is the shire town of the Upper Coos country, where the first court was held and where the first lawyers of the county resided. There have always been able men in the profes- sion, either residing or practising here. In the first years after the establishing of the county some of the local lawyers did but little before the law court. They prepared their cases and had them presented before the court by abler men, who made a practice of traveling from one court to another throughout the state. Among them were such lawyers as Bartlett, Bell, Cushman, Wilson, Daniel Webster, Jeremiah Smith, and Jeremiah Mason. 462 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Richard Clai?- Everett was the first lawyer to reside in Lancaster. He was born in Attleboro, Mass., March 28, 1764, the year the first settlement of this town was made. At the age of fifteen Mr. Ever- ett entered the Revolutionary army from Westminster, Mass., and was retained by Gen. George Washington as a body servant for two years, at the end of which time he was discharged from service, and came to Lancaster as a pioneer. He was a young man of high aspirations, particularly in the direction of education. He had a strong desire to procure a good education, but as an orphan boy he found it difificult to accomplish much in that direction. He re- mained in Lancaster, working as a hired man until 1784. For- tunately, while struggling for an education, he came into posses- sion of some property through the death of a relative in Rhode Island, and at once set about to accomplish the plans he had laid to graduate from college. He at once entered with renewed courage into his plans. He accordingly fitted for college at Hanover, entered in 1786, and graduated from Dartmouth in 1790; and immediately began the study of law at Albany, N. Y. Having completed his professional studies he settled in Lancaster in 1793, for the practice of his profession, and there married Persis, daughter of Major Jonas Wilder, December 17, of the same year. During the following year he built the old house on the corner of Main and High streets, known now as the " Cross House," and lived there until his death in 1 8 1 5 . As a lawyer Mr. Everett was successful, displaying tact and prac- tical judgment. In 1805 he became judge of the court of common pleas, which offtce he held until the time of his death. He also represented the town in the state legislature several terms with much ability. He also held the military commission of colonel. He was a tall man of commanding presence, and strict military bearing. He was of pleasant address, and an able speaker before the court or the public. Mr. Everett was also quite e.xtensively engaged in milling and cloth dressing. He built a large two-story mill on the site of the present grist-mill, in which were also carried on wool carding and cloth dressing. Being a public-spirited man he took an interest in many things outside of his professional business. He did much to start the educational, religious, and social interests of the town in the right direction. Abram Hinds. — But little can be learned of Mr. Hinds as a law- yer beyond the fact that he practised here in the court of common pleas, and the superior court for some years. He was register of deeds soon after the organization of the county, but on account of the loss of the county records it is not certain whether he was the first register of deeds or not, but it seems from tradition that he was. THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 463 As early as 1807 he was appointed postmaster, which office he held four years. Samuel A. Pearson. — Mr. Pearson graduated from Dartmouth college in 1803, and immediately opened a law office in Lancaster. He was a man of fine bearing, good address, and scholarly. He soon won a good share of the legal business of the community, and for some years had a good practice. In 1812 he was appointed post- master, and held that office seventeen years. During this time he continued active in the practice of his profession, but for some reason, probably the division of his time between his professional business and an office that exacted much time and yielded a small income, he lost most of his law business. In the later years of his practice he often yielded to the temptations bred, no doubt, of his impecunious circumstances, to resort to sharp practices to increase his income, from which he lost business and standing. He died poor, September 2, 1840, at the age of 56. William Fai'var. — Mr. Farrar, familiarly known as Squire or Deacon Farrar, was a lawyer of a wide practice. His justice docket was said to have been the second largest ever known in the county, added to which he had, and held, for many years a large clientage. He was a popular lawyer, and added to his able reputation he had the distinction of having been a classmate of Daniel Webster's, graduating from Dartmouth college in 1801. He was a man of genial man- ners. He was for many years the support of the choir in the old meeting-house on the hill with his bass viol, which instrument he played with ability. He died March 3, 1850, at the age of 69. Levi Barnard wdiS another early Lancaster law}'er who had a good practice for many years. He was noted for the manners and habits he affected, which were those of a gentleman of a generation preceding his time. He was an able and honorable man, and held in esteem by all who knew him. He died Oct. 12, 1832, at the age of 60. Charles y. Stewart. — Mr.' Stewart was a graduate of Dartmouth college in 1809. Fie was a classmate of the distinguished Levi Woodbury. Mr. Stewart was a man of fine address, and of con- vivial nature, too fond of drink to give his attention to his business. His death, at an early age, was hastened no doubt by intemperate habits. He lies interred in the old cemetery on Main street. yohn L.. Sheaf e. — Few men in the profession have added so much learning and exemplary qualities to it as John L. Sheafe. At an early age he opened an office at the North End in 1828, and contin- ued in practice here for some years. He left after a time to locate in New Orleans in the practice of his profession, and held very high rank there as a lawyer. He later returned to Portsmouth, his early home, where he died at a ripe old age. 464 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Hubbard Wilson, a graduate of Harvard, a fine lawyer for so young a man, a most thorough scholar, died here in 1819, at the home of his father, aged 24. Ttirne?' Stephenson. — Mr. Stephenson was born in Lyme, N. H., and came to Lancaster when quite a young man. He had been for a time a student at Dartmouth college, not graduating however. He was a man of honor and strict integrity, highly esteemed by all who knew him. He was successful in his profession and acquired con- siderable wealth. He was judge of the probate court from 1855 to 1865. He died Jan. 26, 1872. Although twice married he left no children. yared W. Williams. — Mr. Williams was born in West Wood- stock, Conn., in 1796. He graduated from Brown college (now- Brown University) in 18 18, and studied law at the noted law school of Litchfield, Conn. He came to Lancaster on some business soon after beginning his practice, and liking the town decided to return and locate here, which he did in 1822. He opened an office, and soon had a good practice. He returned to Connecticut in 1824, to bring as his wife Sarah Hawes Bacon, a most estimable lady. Mr. Williams received the honorary degree of A. M. from Dartmouth college in 1823, and the degree of LL. D. from Brown University in 1852. As a lawyer Mr. Williams was very successful ; but his taste for politics and his sociable and agreeable manners soon opened the way for him into public life. He held many offices with ability and to the satisfaction of his constituents, hi 1830 he was elected to rep- resent Lancaster in the state legislature, and reelected in 1831. From 1832 to 1837 he was register of probate. He was elected state senator in 1833, and reelected twice during the next 'two years. During those last two years in the senate he was its president, and presided with dignity and satisfaction, that won him the credit of being an able representative of the people. In 1837 he was elected to congress from the old Sixth district, and reelected at the expira- tion of his first term. He filled this higher office with the same ability he had filled the lower ones in the legislature of his state. In 1847 he was elected governor of New Hampshire, and again in 1848. In 1852 he was appointed judge of the probate court. Upon the decease of Hon. C. G. Atherton, United States senator, in 1853, he was appointed to fill out the unexpired term. In 1864 he was delegate to the National Democratic Convention at Chicago, 111. His death occurred Sept 29, 1864, at the age of 68. Ira Young. — Gen. Ira Young was born in Lisbon, N. H., May 5, 1794. He was the son of Col. Samuel Young, an officer of New Hampshire troops in the Revolutionary War. Ira Young received the limited education of the common schools of his town, C/U^tx2^^^'^.^ ^ John Sullivan Wells. jmi^:^z^-^- .'^-.. John H. White. THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 465 and at the age of twenty entered the law office of Samuel Swan, a noted lawyer of that time at Bath, N. H. After his admission to the bar Mr. Young became a partner of Mr. Swan, and remained associated with him until his death. After the death of his partner Mr. Young continued his practice in Bath, until burned out, losing his law library, and all the effects in his office. He then removed to Colebrook, where he remained in the practice of his profession until 1839, when he came to Lancaster and opened an office, and continued in practice until his death in 1845. He was a brigadier-general in 1835, when the " Indian Stream War " broke out, and was ordered to the frontier to suppress a band of organized law-breakers, operating along the Canada line. He had but one slight engagement with the rebels, after which he cleared the county of them. For his promptness and bravery in that short war the legislature of his state afterward made a public recognition. Having become broken in health in 1845, he sailed for Cuba in the hope of restoration ; but on the next day after he landed his death occurred. He was buried in the churchyard of the old cathe- dral and within a hundred yards of where the ashes of Columbus lay. He left a widow and three children, two sons and a daughter. The two sons did brave and faithful service in the War of the Rebel- lion. H. DeForest Young was captain in the famous Second reg- iment of New Hampshire, and served as chief of ordnance of the Third Corps, staff of Major General Sickles. Richard Otis, the other son, died in hospital. yohn Sullivan Wells. — Mr. Wells was a prominent lawyer in Lancaster for some years. He was born in Durham, N, H., 1804, studied law with Hon. William Mattocks, Danville, Vt., and be- gan the practice of his profession at Guildhall, Vt., in 1828, where he remained for seven years. He removed to Bangor, Me., in 1835, but only remained there one year, when he came to Lancaster and opened an office. He practised here ten years, during which time he represented the town in the state legislature, and was the speaker of the house. He was also solicitor for Coos county, a portion of the time he resided here. He was what people are accustomed to call a " self-made man." What education he gained was through his own unaided efforts. He worked at the trade of cabinet-maker to earn nfoney to enable him to attend school. He was an honest and industrious man, able and eloquent in the behalf of his client's interests. During his residence in Lancaster he did much for the improvement of the village. He moved to its present site the L part of the Kent block on Main street ; but his best landmark in Lancaster is the stone house on Main street, now owned and occu- pied by L W. Hopkinson. This remarkable structure was reared 466 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. from material procured b}- splitting up a gigantic boulder of granite near the Northumberland boundary of the town. He removed from here to Exeter, and while there was appointed attorney-general in 1848. He only held that office a short time, resigning to enter politics. He was elected to the state senate in 1852, and reelected in 1853. During both terms he served as president of the senate. He was twice a candidate for governor, 1856-57, but failed election. He was appointed to fill the unexpired term of the Hon. Moses Norris, deceased, in the United States senate. William Heyzvood. — William Heywood was born in Lunen- burg, Vt., October, 1804. His education was acquired in the academy at Concord, Vt. He read law with Judge Charles Davis of Waterford, Vt., and later with William A. Fletcher of Detroit, Mich., and was admitted to the bar at Guildhall, Vt., where he began his practice. He removed from there to Lancaster in 1854, where he acquired a large and profitable clientage. Mr. Heywood was a quiet, unassuming man, but methodical and conscientious in all his business affairs. He was grave in manners and speech, a man of medium height. He was noted for his humor, that would flash like lightning from a clear sky at unexpected moments. While a resident of Vermont he was state senator in i837-'38. He was state's attorney for Essex county for fifteen years, and a member of the constitutional convention of Ver- mont, 1850. \n his religious connections he was Episcopalian and much de- voted to his church. It was chiefly through his efforts that his denomination was enabled to erect a church here and develop its organization. He died in 1893, at the age of eighty-eight years, full of honor, and is remembered by all who knew him as an hon- ored and useful citizen. No greater compliment could be paid him than to say that Rt. Rev. W. W. Niles, bishop of New Hampshire diocese, attended the funeral and delivered a eulogy of over an hour's length of great power and feeling. It was his first public utterance at a funeral in the twenty-five years of his service in the state. Hiram A. Fletcher. — Hiram A. Fletcher was born at Spring- field, Vt., Dec. 14, 1806. During his infancy his parents removed to Charlestown, N. H., and later from there to the " Indian Stream " country in the northern part of Coos county, now Pittsburg, as one of the first settlers. Mr. Fletcher was a man of considerable means, and aside from developing a fine farm, built mills, and transacted a laro-e amount of business. With but little advantages from schools, his son, Hiram A. Fletcher, began reading law at the age of nineteen, - in the ofifice of Gen. Seth Cushman, at Guildhall, Vt. Later he read law in the offices of J. L. Sheafe and J. W. Williams, in Lan- William Hevwood. William Burns. Jacoi! Uenton. Hiram Adams Fletcher. THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 467 caster, and also with Governor Hubbard of Charlestovvn, N. H. At this time he had for a fellow-student Chief Justice John J. Gilchrist, who was admitted to the bar with him at Newport, N. H., in 1830. Mr. Fletcher opened an office at Springfield, Vt., where he practised for a year. In 1833 he opened an office in Colebrook, where he practised sixteen years, removing to Lancaster in 1849. He soon acquired a good practice here. For many years he had partnerships with, first, William Heywood, and later William Burns, and during the last four }'ears of his life with his son, Everett Fletcher. He was a good lawyer, a close student, and an honored citizen. He died Jan. 30, 1879, from consumption, loved and honored by the entire community in which he resided for nearly a half centur}-. William Burns. — William Burns was born at Hebron, N. H., April 25, 1 82 1. He was the son of Dr. Robert Burns, a Scotchman of great vigor and persistency of purpose, and a former member of congress, from whom the son inherited qualities that enabled him to obtain a vast store of knowledge and attain success in his busi- ness enterprises. Mr. Burns was fitted for college in the academies at Plymouth and New Hampton, and entered Dartmouth college at the age of sixteen, graduating with the class of 1841. He was a clever and faithful student, always standing well in his classes. He chose the law as his profession, and at once entered upon the study of it in the ofifice of Judge Wilcox of Orford At a later date he entered Harvard college law school, graduating from it in 1843. The next year he was admitted to the bar of Grafton county, and began the practice of his profession in Littleton, only remaining there a little more than a year and a half, when he came to Lan- caster and purchased the legal business and interests of John S. Wells, opening an ofifice here in May, 1846. In 1847 he was ap- pointed by Gov. J. W. Williams as member of his staff with the rank of colonel. A little later Governor Williams appointed him solicitor for Coos county, which position he held for five years. He formed a partnership with the late B. F. Whidden, which lasted some years, and later with Hiram A. Fletcher, that lasted for eight- een years, during which time they were attorneys for the Grand Trunk railroad. Beside this, they held a large clientage, and both won distinction as honorable, as well as able, lawyers. In 1869 Mr. Burns formed a partnership with Henry Heywood, which lasted until 1876, when, on account of ill health, he reluctantly relinquished his practice. In politics he was a Democrat, and was recognized by his party as one of its truest and ablest advisors and advocates. He was an able political speaker, often in demand upon the stump. His ability and faithfulness to his party were rewarded by his elec- tion to the state senate twice, — 1856-'57. In 1859, 1861, 1863, he was a candidate for congress in the old Third district. He was a 468 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. delegate to the National Democratic Convention in i860. In 1876, by a unanimous vote, he was elected a delegate from Lancaster to the constitutional convention of New Hampshire. In religion Mr, Burns was a pronounced Unitarian, and as loyal to his church and religion as he was to his business and politics. He died at Plymouth, April 2, 1885, after a long and painful illness due to an accident he met with in a railroad wreck many years before. He lies buried in the old Livermore churchyard at Holder- ness, where are buried many of his ancestors. He was dignified and affable in his bearing, of simple tastes and kindly disposition. As a lawyer he was eminently successful, due to a large knowledge of his profession and his practical common sense and sound judg- ment. As an advocate he was strong before a jury in consequence of his conscientious, unaffected, simple, and manly style, which often rose to a solemn dignity that is rare in forensic oratory. George A. Cossitt. — George Ambrose Cossitt was born in Clare- mont, the son of Ambrose Cossitt, and of the fifth generation from Rene Cossitt, the first of his ancestors, who came to this country from France. Mr. Cossitt had good educational advantages in his native town, and had free access to the law library of his father, who was an able lawyer. His father was president of a bank in Claremont, and George incidentally picked up much knowledge of the business that became of service to him in later years. Mr. Cossitt came to Lancaster from Whitefield in 1836. He held the of^ce of register of probate from 1837 to 1852, and held the same position under John M. Whipple from i860 to 1874. In connection with this office he became recognized as an authority on probate law, and was much consulted on the subject. He was at one time a partner of S. W. Cooper, though never very active in the courts. He also was con- nected with the late B. F. Whidden as a law partner for a time, but his forte was not in the law practice. He was a man who took life easy and was fond of his comforts. Temperate in habits, ardent of spirit, and of a kindly disposition, he was yet easily aroused and became vehement in manner under excitement or strong feelings. He was for ten years cashier of the Lancaster bank. He held many ofifices in the town, often acting as an auditor, or member of the school committee. He evinced a leaning toward the Roman Catho- lic church, though never identified with any sect. For a number of years he made his home with his daughter, Mrs. O. H. Kimball, where he died December 14, 1895, almost ninety years of age. yacob Benton. — Mr. Benton was born in Waterford, Vt., August 19, 1 8 14. His education was gained at the academies of Lyndon, Peacham, Newbury, and Manchester, Vt. He graduated from the latter in 1840, and began the study of law in the ofifice of Heaton & THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 469 Reed, Montpelier, Vt. In the fall of that year he became principal of the academy at Concord Corner, Vt., and remained in that posi- tion four years. He read law in the office of Judge Henry A. Bel- lows at Littleton, N. H. In 1844 he came to Lancaster and entered the office of General Ira Young, completing his studies, and was admitted to the bar. He formed a partnership with General Ira Young in the spring of 1845. After the death of General Young in the fall of that year, Mr. Benton conducted an office by himself for ten years, when he formed a partnership with Ossian Ray in 1855, which lasted for ten years. From 1867 to 1871 he had as partner Colonel J. H. Benton, Jr., and H. I. Goss from 1885 to 1887. Although he gained a large law practice, Mr. Benton never confined himself strictly to his law business, but was a money maker and a politician, in which capacities he was successful. He made and lost large sums of money. He was a large and strong man of great good sense upon every subject, and a power in the town for half a cen- tury. In politics he was first a Whig, but when that party broke up he became a Republican and was one of its staunchest supporters to the day of his death. In 1854 he represented Lancaster in the state legislature, and was reelected the two following years. He was twice elected to con- gress from the Third district in 1867 and 1869, in both of which places he made a most creditable record as debater and legislator. He was made brigadier-general of the Sixth brigade of state militia in 1857. As a politician and legislator he was bold, daring, and strong. Had he confined himself strictly to his law practice he might easily have won great distinction as a lawyer. He had great command of terse English, and was a strong antagonist on the stump and before a jury. He died Sept. 29, 1892, from an injury received by the running away of his horse. He was of a strong family physically and mentally. Many of the race besides himself became distin- guished as lawyers. He built the Benton manor at the head of Main street, and soon after its completion married Louise Dow, daughter of General Neal Dow, who survived him but a few years. Benjamin F. Whidden. — Benjamin Franklin Whidden was born in Greenland, N. H., in December, 1813. When a lad he re- moved to Lancaster with his father. His early years in Green- land and Lancaster were passed on a farm. At the age of fourteen he commenced to learn the trade of cabinet-making, and served four years, attending school winters. His preparatory education was acquired at Kimball Union academy. He entered Dartmouth college in 1836, and was graduated in 1840. He worked at his trade, and taught, to defray the greater portion of his expenses. He was principal of Lancaster academy several terms. He also 470 s HISTORY OF LANCASTER. taught the school in district No. 2, in 1837. He was a capable teacher. He then went to Hanover county, Virginia, as a teacher in languages and mathematics, and remained until 1845 ! passing his vacations in Washington, where he had the use of libraries, and the opportunity to hear the foremost men of that day — Webster, Clay, Calhoun, Benton, Adams, Marshall, Wright, Choate, McDufifie, Preston, and Crittenden. This he highly prized as a most valuable part of his education, and that epoch was full of choice memories. He returned to Lancaster in 1845, and completed his studies in the office of J. W. Williams, and was admitted to the bar in 1846. He was appointed school commissioner for Coos county in 1850 and 1 851; he represented Lancaster in the state legislature in 1849, 1850, and 1867. His election in 1849 ^^''is under circumstances which show the confidence reposed in him. The two parties in town were so nearly equal in strength that neither could elect — Mr. Whidden being the nominee of the Free-soil party, then largely in the minority. He w^as elected not on party issues, but upon his honesty, integrity, and ability as a man. He advocated and secured the passage of the Homestead law. He was county solicitor from 1856 to 1863; he was appointed by President Lincoln United States commissioner and consul-general to Hayti, on the recogni- tion of that government by the United States in 1862, with plenipo- tentiary power to conclude a treaty of amity, commerce, and navi- gation, and for the extradition of fugitive criminals. The treaty was made in 1864, and immediately confirmed by the governments. Mr. Whidden did efificient service for the Union in this capacity, discharged its duties with gentlemanly courtesy, and was highly complimented by Secretary Seward. He resigned his post in 1865, on account of ill health, and returned to Lancaster. He was judge of probate in 1868, and held the office until 1874; presidential elector in 1872, and delegate in 1876 to the Republican national convention at Cincinnati. He traveled in Europe in the summer, and fall of 1874; after his return he resumed the practice of law at Lancaster. In 185 I, Mr. Whidden married Eliza Turner Spaulding of Lancas- ter. She was a most estimable lady and beloved by all who knew her. She died in 1868. l\\ 1874 he married Kate J. Brooks of Cincinnati, Ohio. She was a lady of rare mental and personal attractions, and much respected by those of her acquaintance. She died in 1879. Mr. Whidden was especially noted for his exactness, honesty, and integrity, and his devotedness to all interests intrusted to his care. He had an admiration for the classics of not only the modern but the ancient languages. Fine literary tastes and scholastic cul- ture, a broad liberality combined with a keen sense of justice, a THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 4/1 practical intelligence broadened by extensive travel, and a genial, kindly spirit, were all united in this true gentleman and scholar. George C. Williams. — George Canning Williams was the old- est son of Gov. J. W. Williams, born in Lancaster, Aug. 7, 1827. He prepared for college at Lancaster academy, and graduated from Dartmouth in 1844. He studied law with his father, and was admitted to the bar in 1848. He was a young man of brilliant powers and a good education. He was county solicitor for a num- ber of years, and clerk of the New Hampshire state senate. He also represented his town in the legislature in 1859 and i860. In 1858 he was appointed commissioner of state lands. He became cashier of the White Mountain bank, and through speculation in Western lands, and over-issue of circulation, the bank became in- volved and went into liquidation. He had a large docket, but be- came engaged in many other interests, to the detriment of his prac- tice, and was unfortunate in his personal habits, dying in 1865. He held many positions of trust and honor, was an active trustee of Lan- caster academy, and took an interest in education. He was grand master of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in New Hampshire, and also a prominent Free Mason. He never married. Ossian Ray. — Ossian Ray was born in Hinesburg, Vt., Dec. 13, 1835. He was deprived of his mother's care at the early age of twelve. After that he lived at Irasburg, Vt., and was engaged in out-door labors, with only such educational advantages as the com- mon schools afforded. He later spent a few terms at the Irasburg academy, and from there entered the academy at Derby, Vt. He was fitted for college with the exception of mathematics and Greek. The lack of means deprived him of the advantage of a collegiate education. Having to give up the hope of a college course, he en- tered the law office of Jesse Cooper, and at once commenced the study of law. He hungered for knowledge, and with an aptitude for public speaking, made good use of his time in acquiring an education, obtaining knowledge, and making an application of his professional attainments. In 1854 he came to Lancaster through the influence of S. W. Cooper, a brother of Jesse Cooper of Irasburg, Vt., with whom young Ray had been studying law. The object of his coming here was to assist Mr. Cooper to close up his business, which had become necessary on account of his failing health. Here he formed many acquaintances, and after a varied career, teaching school, studying law, practising in justice courts, he returned to Lancaster in 1855, and formed a partnership with Jacob Benton the following year, when but twenty-one years of age. He was admitted to the Essex county bar in Vermont that year, and the next year to the Coos county bar. During the War of the Rebellion he was deputy provost marshal. 472 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. He advanced very rapidly in his profession, was admitted to prac- tice in the United States courts; and in 1872 was admitted to practice in the United States supreme court at Washington. Mr. Ray possessed many quahties that fitted him to succeed in his cho- sen caUing. He was active, persevering, and thoroughly in love with his profession, a great worker, rising to the height of every occasion, and wonderfully successful. When Mr. Benton was elected to congress in 1867 their partner- ship was dissolved, and , he entered into partnership with W. S. Ladd, with whom he continued until Mr. Ladd was appointed to the bench of the supreme court in 1870. In 1872 Mr. Ray took Irving W. Drew into his oflfice to finish his studies. From 1873 to 1876 he had William Heywood as a partner. Chester B. Jordan, who had just been admitted to the bar, suc- ceeded Mr. Heywood in the firm. In January, 1882, Philip Car- penter was admitted into the firm, which was then Ray, Drew, Jor- dan & Carpenter. After one year Mr. Ray withdrew, and was with- out a partner until 1885, when G. W. Patterson was associated with him for about a year. For years he was attorney for the Grand Trunk Railway Company and many other large corporations. Like many other Lancaster lawyers, Mr. Ray was drawn into pol- itics. In iS6S-'6g he represented Lancaster in the state legislature. From 1862 to 1872 he was county solicitor for Coos county. In 1879 he was appointed by President Hayes United States Attor- ney for the District of New Hampshire. He resigned this ofifice, however, in 1880, to become a candidate for congress, to fill the unexpired term of Hon. Evarts W. Farr, deceased. He was elected at a special election in December, 1880, by a larger majority than his opponent had votes, and at once entered upon his duties, serving the short and long terms. He was reelected by a large majority in 1882 to represent the Second Congressional district, formed by a redistricting of the state while he was serving his first term. In congress he was active, doing much to promote the interests of his constituents. He was instrumental in reducing letter postage, placing a bounty on sugar, and helping the soldiers. Mr. Ray died Jan. 28, 1892, leaving a widow and four children. His funeral was from the Congregational church, and was attended by a great num- ber of friends from far and near. He had been a progressive, gen- erous man all his life, doing much for the town, and his death was widely mourned. William Spencer Ladd was born in Dalton, Sept. 5, 1830. At- tended the schools of Dalton and Whitefield, graduated from Dart- mouth college in 1855, taught for a year in Massachusetts, then entered the law ofifice of Hon. A. A. Abbott of Salem, where he remained till 1858, when he was called back to Dalton. He soon Turner Stephenson. Benj. Fkaxki.in Whiuden. OssiAN Rav. William S. Ladd. THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 473 entered the office of Burns & Fletcher, was admitted in 1859, mar- ried July 5, i860, to Miss Mira B. Fletcher. Mr. Ladd went to Cole- brook, opened an office, and remained till 1867, when he returned to Lancaster and formed a copartnership with Hon. Ossian Ray. They made a strong team, a most excellent combination. Mr. Ray was bold, venturesome, magnetic; Mr. Ladd quiet, conservative, me- thodical, discriminating. In the drawing of papers no one excelled him in the state. He was not an easy talker, but wielded a facile pen. Their services were in demand fn New Hampshire and Ver- mont. Their business reached extensively into the Federal courts. Oct. 31, 1870, Mr. Ladd was appointed judge of our highest court. In 1 874 the court was reconstructed and made into two — a trial and a law court. Judge Ladd was one of the three constituting the lat- ter, under the name of the Superior Court of Judicature. Here he remained until both courts were legislated out of existence in 1876, and the present supreme court instituted in their stead. The judge resumed practice and had a large clientage. His opinions rank high as sound exposition of the law, gracefully, strongly stated. He was appointed state reporter of the court decisions in 1883. In 1887 Dartmouth college conferred upon him the degree of LL. D. A year or two before his death he began to fail physically. Travel and rest were resorted to for a balm. Only temporary relief was afforded. May 12, 1891, his great labors on earth came to a suc- cessful close. Bishop Niles and several of the Episcopal clergy were in attendance upon his funeral on the 15th of the same month. He was a ripe scholar, an able jurist. In addition to these lawyers named and commented upon, all of whom have done their work and passed away, there are remaining fn practice a number, among whom are some of the ablest men the county and town have ever been honored to own as residents. y. I. Williams. — Jared I. Williams, son of Gov. J. W. Williams, studied law, was admitted to the bar, and is still in practice. About 1856 he was editor of the Cods County Democrat. After his con- nection with the newspaper, he took up civil engineering, for which he had prepared himself in Brown university. Heni-y O. Kent. — Colonel Kent was admitted to the bar in 1858, but gave up active practice in the courts a few years later. His partners were Hon. Turner Stephenson, later judge of probate, to 1 86 1, and Hon. William Heywood in department claims, 1866. Later he was for twelve years editor and owner of the Cods Repub- lican, and has since been connected with manufacturing, insurance, and banking, being now president of the Lancaster Trust Company and treasurer of the Lancaster Savings bank. He is the senior trustee of Norwich university, where he gradu- ated in 1854, and which institution has since conferred upon him the honorary degrees of A. M. and LL. D. 474 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Moses A. Hastings. — Mr. Hastings qualified and entered upon the practice of law in 1868. He was for a time in Gorham, until appointed clerk of the courts of Coos county in 1874, which posi- tion he still holds, consequently he has not practised since then. He was born in Bethel, Me., and came from that town here. He is a man of sterling integrity and great scope of mind. F. D. Hntc/ifns. — Mr. Hutchins studied law, was admitted to the bar of Coos county, and practised from 1876 to 1 881, as partner of Hon. Jacob Benton, when he became cashier of the Lancaster Na- tional bank. He still holds that position, and has not practised since thus engaged except in such cases as are connected with the bank. Heni'y Hcy-ivood. — Henry Heywood, son of Hon. William Hey- wood, born in Guildhall, Dec. 6, 1835, graduated from Dartmouth scientific department in 1855, ^^^^s in Wisconsin as civil engineer until 1857, was admitted in i860, and has been engaged in the practice of law in Lancaster since 1869, with success. Before 1869 he was at Guildhall, Vt. He has had as partners, Hon. William Burns and his father. Eve7-ett Fletcher. — Mr. Fletcher is a son of the late H. A. Fletcher, was born in Colebrook, Dec. 23, 1848, has been in the practice of law in Lancaster since his admission to the bar in 1870. He now has as a partner, Fletcher Ladd. Mr. Fletcher is a close lawyer, painstaking and methodical. He was on Gov. Samuel Hale's staff as judge advocate general and was made judge of pro- bate in 1885, having a long and useful term of ofifice. Fletcher Ladd. — Fletcher Ladd is a son of W. S. Ladd, and for some years has practised law in association with his uncle, Everett Fletcher. He is a graduate of Dartmouth and of the law school. He is a man of fine attainments in law and literature. Has traveled much in foreign lands and has a fine mind stored with choice knowledge. He is a learned man. Irving W. Drezu. — Irving W. Drew was born in Colebrook, Jan. 8, 1845, of excellent parentage and one of a large family of children. He inherited a generous store of common sense. He fitted for college in the schools at home, at Colebrook academy, and Kimball Union Academy, graduating from the latter in 1866, and from Dartmouth in 1870, and immediately entered the law oflfice of Ray & Ladd. In 1871 he was admitted into partnership with Ray & Heywood. His partners since then have been C. B. Jordan, Philip Carpenter, and Will P. Buckley. He soon developed into a strong man, and has been growing till now. He is a logical, analytical, persuasive speaker before jury, courts, and upon the platform. He is engaged in much important litigation in and out of New Hampshire, and his advice and services are often sought in large business transactions running up into millions of dollars. He THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 475 has been an ardent political worker for others, but declined that sort of preferment for himself. He has often refused to be a candidate for congress, but did once consent to be state senator, making an admirable record. He has been delegate to four Democratic national conventions and was major in the Third regiment. New Hampshire National Guard. In November, 1869, he married Miss Carrie B. Merrill, daughter of Hon. S. R. Merrill of Colebrook. He is generous, active and efficient in all good work and projects for his town. He has a large library which is in constant use. Chester Bradley 'Jordan came to Lancaster from Colebrook, where he was born Oct. 15, 1839, to take the office of clerk of the court June i, 1868. He served as such clerk until Oct. 23, 1874. In the meantime he had been reading law and November, 1875, was admitted to the bar. In May, 1876, he was made a member of the firm of Ray & Drew, and has been with Mr. Drew ever since. In 1 88 1 he w^as admitted to the federal courts. He was elected town representative in 1880, by one majority, making a net gain for his party in town that year of loi votes. Although it was his first year as a legislator, he was unanimously nominated by the Republican caucus for speaker of the house and elected by a handsome vote. In 1867 Governor Harriman offered him a place on his staff, but it was declined,, but in 1872 he served on the staff of Governor Straw. In 188 1 Dartmouth college conferred upon him the degree of A. B. In 1883 he was made an honorary member of the Third regiment of New Hampshire National Guard ; a member of the Webster Historical Society of Massachusetts; in 1884 of the Seventh New Hampshire Veteran Association ; has long been a member of the New Hampshire Historical Society ; for several years first vice-presi- dent of the Grafton and Coos Bar Association ; is the oldest member — save six — in time of service of Evening Star Lodge of over 100 Masons ; has held position in one or the other of the Lancaster banks ever since the National was established, and is a member of the Sons of the Revolution. In the fall of 1 896 he was elected state senator from the first district by a very large vote, and unanimously chosen president of that body. In the thirty years of his residence in Lancaster he has done what he could for the town, and no town-meeting except one, has been held in which he has not borne his part. July 19, 1879, he married Miss Ida R. Nutter, a Lancaster girl. He has rendered efficient public service and his home life and intercourse with the people of the town have been worthy of the commendation and good-will that have followed them. Williajn H. Shiirtleff. Mr. Shurtleff began the study of law in Lancaster in 1862, but dropped it to enter the war service in 1864. 4/6 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. He, however, completed his studies upon his return from the service, and was admitted to practise in 1866. He practised in Colebrook until 1892, when he located in Lancaster, and is now associated with Edmund Sullivan in the practice of his profession, in addition to holding the office of fish and game commissioner. He is a man of good sense and judgment, and a genial soul, socially. W/// P. Buckley came from Littleton to Lancaster seven years ago, soon after graduating from Dartmouth, where he held high rank as a scholar and an athlete. He united with the firm of Drew, Jordan & Buckley, and is a member yet. He is strong mentally and physically, and although a young man is in the forefront of the lawyers of the state. He has a quick, discerning mind full of logic and analysis. He is a thorough scholar, easily mastering and remembering any literary subject. His distinctions are finely yet practically drawn, and he is, withal, very popular among all classes. He married Miss Lizzie F. Drew in 1891. Edmimd SitUivan began his practice in Lancaster in 1891, and formed a partnership with W. H. Shurtleff, under the firm name of Shurtleff & Sullivan. He was born here, is getting a good business, and is bright and active. He is thorough in his work. Merrill Shurtlef was admitted to the bar in 1896. He also is a Dartmouth graduate and a young man of excellent character and abilities. He is with Drew, Jordan & Buckley, where he has been ever since leaving college. He has been a close student, is a good lawyer, and will be heard from in the near future. He married in June, 1897, Miss Emily Porter, one of Lancaster's many good girls. Harry B. Amey, A. B., Dartmouth; Charles Fred Cleaveland, A. B., Dartmouth; and Henry Percy Kent, LL. B., Boston univer- sity, were admitted to the bar in 1898. Mr. Amey removed to Milton, Mr. Cleaveland and Mr. Kent commencing practice in Lan- caster. THE PHYSICIANS OF LANCASTER. The first physician, so far as can be learned, that practised medi- cine in Lancaster, was Dr. Samuel White. He was located in New- bury, Vt., in 1773, and visited Lancaster professionally for several years. Dr. White died on "Jefferson Hill," Newbur}', Vt., Jan. 25, 1848, aged 98 years. Dr. Francis Wilson was probably the first physician to locate here. The exact date of his coming cannot now be learned. A Dr. Chapman soon followed the example of Dr. Wilson and located here. These two attended the people in their sickness for many years. I find among the many papers left by Gen. Edwards Bucknam a receipt from one Dr. Gott, as follows : " Lunenburgh may 13th, 1783. Received of Edw'ds Bucknam one Pound, four Shillings as a gratis for my Coming up and Settling In Eliphalet Lyman, M. D. Benjamin Hunking, M. D. Jacob E. Stickney, M. D. John W. Harney, M. D. THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 47/ the Practice of Physick in Lunenburg as witness my hand Nath'l. Gott." (He was elsewhere referred to as " Revd. Nath'l. Gott.") From this transaction I infer that Dr. Gott must have practised in Lancaster also. About the time of the Revolutionary War there was an old lady by the name of Stalbird living in Jefferson, who practised as a nurse and " Doctress." She was familiarly known as " Granny Stalbird." These held undisputed sway in their profes- sion in Lancaster until 1796, just a century ago this year, when Dr. Samuel Legro, an intelligent and skilful physician, came here to settle in the practice of medicine and surgery. He soon won distinction as a man of great wisdom, skill, and usefulness. He was a genial character, liked by all men. He lived to the ripe old age of 79. He left descendants who have filled many useful places in society. In 1805, Dr. Benjamin Hunking of Newbury, Vt., located in Lancaster in the practice of his profession. He was a graduate of the medical department of Dartmouth college. He built up a very extensive practice, which he held for many years, although di- viding his time between his profession, politics, and ofifice-holding. He was judge of probate from 1829 to 1852. During the War of 18 1 2 he received a commission as assistant surgeon of the United States navy. . He was stationed at several stations and aboard ship during the entire period of the war. On his return from the navy he married Drusilla, daughter of Judge Everett. His life was spent in Lancaster, where he died in 1868, at the age of 86. In 181 5, Dr. Eliphalet Lyman, a native of Connecticut and a graduate of Dartmouth college, located in Lancaster and soon built up an extensive practice in medicine and surgery. He was a faithful and able physician. After many years he gave up his profession and opened an of^ce as a justice of the peace. He was active in Masonry, and did much to promote it in Lancaster. He died at the Coos hotel of paralysis, July 19, 1858. The next physician to locate here was Dr. Jacob E. Stickney of Maine. He came to Lancaster in 1821, and followed the prac- tice of medicine until his death in 1869. He was successful and much liked as an able physician, and a true and genial friend. He had as partner for a time Dr. George T. Dexter, of Boston, Mass. I find their card in the White Mountain y^gis of October 23, 1838, during its first year of publication in Lancaster, announcing that they offered their services to their friends and the public in medicine and surgery, and that Dr. Dexter was prepared to per- form all operations in dentistry. So far as I have been able to ascertain. Dr. Dexter was the first to practise dentistry in Lancas- ter. 478 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. In 1843, Dr. John W. Barney of St. Johnsbury, Vt., located here, and won the recognition and confidence of the people as an able physician. For many years he held a large practice; but, like other physicians of Lancaster, he had political tastes and aspirations. In 1868 he was elected to represent the old Twelfth Senatorial dis- trict in the New Hampshire legislature. He was reelected in 1869. At a later date he went to Concord, to live, and remained there until his death in 1883. He was buried in the Summer Street Cemetery, finding a resting-place in the town he served so long and loved so well. Dr. Freedom Dinsmore, a retired physician of considerable prom- inence, lived in Lancaster from 1846 to the time of his death in 1863. Dr. James D. Folsom practised medicine here from 1853 to about 1870, and removed to St. Johnsbury, Vt., where he continued his work. One Charles Going, son of Asahel the clothier, practised here for some years. A talented young man, but died from effects of intemperance at the age of twenty-six. Dr. John W. Bucknam, a grandson of Gen. Edwards Bucknam, one of the first settlers of Lancaster, practised his profession here for some years before the War of the Rebellion ; and, on the break- ing out of the war, received a commission as assistant surgeon in the famous Fifth N. H. Regiment, and was with it through the service. He died at Somersworth, in 1869. Until 1880 Dr. Frank Bugbee enjoyed a very extensive practice here for many years. In 1880 he, with his entire family, consisting of his wife, daughter, his wife's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Barton G. Towne, met tragic deaths by poison, administered, as it was sup- posed, by a young woman living in the family. Upon the exami- nation of the contents of several of the stomachs of the victims arsenic was found in quantities sufificient to cause death. Dr. M. R. Woodbury practised here about the same time. Dr. Frank A. Colby was born in Colebrook in 1852, and came to Lancaster with his father, the late E. L. Colby, at the age of two years. He was educated here and at Phillips Exeter acad- emy, and received his degree of M. D. from Dartmouth college. He practised his profession here for a time, and also was in the drug trade in company with E. B. Hamblen for some years. He later sold out, and located in the practice of medicine in Berlin, where he died from the effects of an incurable trouble, which induced acute heart disease, July 15, 1896. Dr. Oscar Worthley, formerly a surgeon in the Second Regiment N. H. Vols., located here in the practice of his profession, and con- tinued until the time of his death in 1890. THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 479 The physicians now here in the activ-e practice of medicine and surgery are : Dr. Ezra Mitchell, who came from Maine in 1871, and has en- joyed an extensive and profitable practice. Dr. Emmons F. Stock- well, a descendant of Emmons Stockwell, one of the founders of the town, located here in practice of medicine in 1871. He, too, has enjoyed a large and profitable practice. In 1886 Dr. W. H. Leith of Haverhill, a graduate of the Medical school of Dart- mouth college, settled here in the practice of medicine and surgery. He has met with success, and has built up a wide practice. In the fall of 1895, Dr. H. B. Carpenter of St. Johnsbury, Vt., a graduate of Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York city, located here in the practice of medicine and surgery, and has met with encouragement. These physicians, so far mentioned, have all been of the regular, or allopathic school. Lancaster has had as representatives of the homoeopathic school, the following ph}'sicians : Dr. C. E. Roweil, Dr. Daniel L. Jones, and Dr. Frank Spooner. The latter two are still here in practice. Dr. Francis L. Town, a native of Lancaster, commenced the prac- tice here about 1858, but entered the army as assistant surgeon iin 1 86 1, rising through all the grades to be colonel and assistant sur- geon-general,. U. S. A. He is now on the retired list. DENTISTS. For many years in Lancaster, as in every other community, den- tistry consisted solely in " pulling teeth," and was practised either by the physicians, or by men of little skill and with nerve enough to use the turnkey or a pair of rude forceps. Very soon after dentistry became a specialty, the art was introduced in Lancaster by Dr. George T. Dexter, who came here from Boston, Mass., in 1838, and entered into partnership with Dr. Jacob E. Stickney, paying attention to dentistry. The next dentist of which we have any certain knowledge was Dr. Stocking. He is referred to in a diary kept by the late Richard P. Kent as " treating teeth," and " making artificial teeth," in 1846. He practised here for some years. The next person to follow the practice of dentistry here was Dr. E. G. Cummings. He had his office at his residence in the old Deacon Farrar house, now the par- sonage of the Catholic church, and in Kent's building from 1853. After many years of successful practice he left to locate in Concord, N. H., where he has been ever since. Dr. George O. Rogers practised the profession here for some years, and then went to China, where he enjoyed royal patronage for a period of ten years, making a fortune out of his labor. He 48o HISTORY OF LANCASTER. returned to his native country, and is located somewhere in Oregon. When he left Lancaster his place was taken by Dr. B. T. Olcott, who had studied with him. Dr. Olcott was here some years, and then removed to Keene, N. H., where he is still in practice. When Dr. Olcott left here he was succeeded by Dr. E. B. Gush- ing, who after some few years of successful practice, left Lancaster to locate in Laconia, N. H., where he is still. Dr. Gushing was succeeded in i88i by Dr. S. B. Wellington, who for ten years enjoyed a good business here in the same oflfice that Drs. Olcott and Gushing had occupied — over the Lancaster National bank. When Dr; Wellington left, his practice was taken by Dr. W. H. Thompson, who had studied with him, and had then just graduated from the Philadelphia Dental college. Dr. Thompson has enjoyed a good practice, and still remains in the old office. About the time that Dr. Wellington began practice here, Dr. O. H. Kimball opened an office and practised for the period of fifteen years, at the end of which he retired upon his farm a few miles ea.st of the village. Dr. Kimball's practice was taken by Dr. A. W. Wark, who had just graduated from the Philadelphia Dental college, and who has continued in the practice to the present time with success. DRUGGISTS. For nearly a century Lancaster could not boast of such a thing as an " apothecary shop." In fact few New England villages of its size, and so remote from the large cities, had such an enterprise, now so well-nigh indispensable to every community. I find that David Page was presented with a bill for medicine, but by whom I cannot learn, amounting to 8 pounds, 13 shillings, 6 pence, under three items as follows : "To medicine for your family ; to medicine for your family and chatties; to Gum Camphor for yourself." This was probably from some merchant of the earliest period of the settlement. Near the middle of the present century the merchants began to include in their stocks of medicines a larger variety of new drugs and proprietary remedies. The earliest inhabitants used but few remedies besides the herbs reputed to possess curative powers. Many of these were wild herbs found growing about the country, and not a few of them gained their reputation through Indian tra- ditions. After physicians began to locate here the number of drugs and proprietary remedies used increased so that the merchants brought quite large stocks of them when they made their trips to the cities for goods. In the first issue of the White Mountain y^gis, a newspaper published at Lancaster, May 22, 1838, I find this advertisement of drugs and medicines by Kent & Porter : THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 48 1 " Kent & Porter, Main street, Lancaster. Have for sale, a good assortment of drugs and medicines, among whicli may be found the following : Tartaric, muri- atic, proligenous, sulphuric and nitric acid; crude antimonia; carbonate, aqua, and spirits of ammonia ; Newton's and Richardson's bitters ; Thompson's eye- water ; salt rheum, pile and itch ointment; bayberry, cascarilla, winter, peruvian and prickly ash bark ; aloes, arable, assofoetida, guiacum, shellac, and copal gum ; senna, uva ursa, and digitalis leaves; peppermint, wormwood, lemon, hemlock, annis, cedar, cloves, origanum, croton, harlem, spike, amber, soap, British, cas- tor, and olive oil; Thayer's, Lamott's, Newton's, Hygean, Brandreth's, Kingley's, and Lee's pills ; Dover and James's powders ; blistering, mercurial, adhesive, Oliver's, diachylon, plasters; rosemary, senneka, columbo, gentian, jalap, San- ders, squills, snake, epicac, curcania, arrow, valerian, and pink root ; Epsom, glauber, tartar ammonia, and lemon salts ; carbonate of soda ; arsenic ; Ander- son's cough drops; borax; balsam copavia ; pulmonary do.; chloride of lime ; castile soap ; calomel ; cream tartar ; cammomile flowers ; castor fiber ; corrosive sublimate ; colocynth ; cowage ; coculus indicus ; carbonate of iron ; paragoric and propriettatis elixer ; hyoscyamus and belladonna extract ; iodine ; licorice ; lapis caliminus ; red lavender ; magnesia ; Moore's essence of life ; acetate of morphine; nux vomica; oxide bismuth; red precipitate; phosphate of iron; picra ; quick silver; quinine; quassia; rheubarb ; squills; sulphuric ether; spirits of nitre ; saffron; tincture muriatic iron; unguentum ; white vitriol, etc., etc., etc." A rival firm, B. H. Chadbourn & Co., had an advertisement in the same issue of the paper bearing date of May 15th, one week earher than the first issuing of the paper, as follows : ' ' Preserve Your Health ! Call on the subscribers and (amongst many other very important articles), you will find the following Valuable Medicines, which are genuine : Newton's Panacea, Remedy for Dispelling Pain, Jaundice Bitters, Pul- monary Balsam, Eye Water, Cathartic Pills, Itch Ointment ; Lee's Pills ; Thayer's Pills ; Ewen's Pills ; Moors Essence of Life ; Thayer's Oil Soap ; opodeldoc ; gum camphor ; picra ; Cort Peru ; Rhad Rhei ; sugar lead : cantharides ; opium ; mag- nesia, &c., &c. All of which are genuine and of the best quality. " They have also a few dozen of Doct. Brandreth's Pills, which they recommend to be Counterfeit, and warranted good for nothingl Honesty is the best policy. B. H. Chadbourn & Co. Lancaster, May 15." In the same number of the paper we find the following advertise- ment : ''Pulmonary Balsam and Brandreth's Pills. Dr. Carter's Compound Pulmonary Balsam — Brandreth's Vegetable Universal Pills, and Moors Essence of Life, for sale by William T. Carlisle. Lancaster, May 22, 1838." While many of the remedies of those early times were proprietary, it will be seen that vast quantities of drugs, in the bulk, were kept by merchants from which physicians' prescriptions, or private formulas, were filled. The parties selling drugs were not required to under- stand the properties of their goods, nor the rules governing their compounding. That was left for the physicians and the purchaser to do on their own responsibility. In 1856, Dr. John W. Barney opened a regular drug store, the 31 482 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. first one in Lancaster. It was on the spot now occupied by Colby's drug store, on Main street. He conducted a successful business there for a number of years. He took Edward Savage into partner- ship with him, and in 1868 sold out to Savage, who continued until 1873, when he sold out to Dr. Frank Colby. Dr. Colby took his brother, Charles F. Colby, into the firm in 1876. The latter is still in the business at the same stand. In 1868, Parker J. Noyes of Columbia came to Lancaster, and bought the two-story building erected by T. S. Hall, who married Mary Page, — the building standing on the corner of Main and Bun- ker Hill streets, where James M. Rix's bookstore was previous to the fire that destroyed his stock in 1846; which store was originally the George F. Hartwell store, standing where E. Sullivan's house now is. Mr. Noyes opened a retail drug store on a very modest scale, later buying the medicines and good will from the Kent store. His success soon made it necessary to enlarge the build- ing, and from time to time the same building has been thus added to until now it is a large structure, but still being outgrown by the healthy growth of his trade. This growth was due to the man- ufacture of medicines, not of the so-called " patent medicines," but standard remedies carried by the regular drug trade, and also for physicians. That portion of Mr. Noyes's business has been of chief importance, although he has always conducted the largest retail drug store in northern New Hampshire. Mr. Noyes has possessed a genius for invention, in both chemical processes and mechanical appliances. As manufacturing chemist he felt the need of improved machinery, and not finding what he needed in the market, he made it. More than ten years ago he invented a " pill machine," that still holds the first place in ma- chinery for that process. In addition to that important piece of machinery he has improved several others, adding greatly to their usefulness. The most remarkable piece of machinery used in his extensive laboratory is his " automatic forming and coating ma- chine," for the manufacture of pills and tablets. This ingeniously devised machine forms the tablet and coats it all in one machine and process. This permits using any kind of effervescent material for coatings, such as chocolate and sugar of milk. The coatings are made by a dry process. The machine, with one attendant, turns out 5,000 tablets per hour. He is now using three of them in his laboratory, and turning out an enormous product to meet the grow- ing demands from the regular drug trade and physicians. An important feature of the business of the P. J. Noyes Manufacturing Co., which was formed with a $50,000 capital in 1889, is filling physicians' orders for their own prescriptions. Upon this new machine and its processes Mr. Noyes holds five patents. The FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. 483 mechanical work on it was done by the Thompson Manufacturing Co. of Lancaster. The P. J. Noyes Manufacturing Co. have em- ployed much of the time for the last few years as many as thirty persons in their laboratory, and just at the present time they are enlarging it by the fitting up of a large building adjoining their own building as an annex to their already large laboratory. In 1892, Charles A. Graves opened a drug store in the Kimball block, corner of Main and Elm streets, in which he continued until the fall of 1895, when he sold out to George W. Carpenter of Lis- bon. Mr. Carpenter has conducted the business since then with success. He manufactures a few proprietary remedies, chief among which is " Merrill's Sarsaparilla," which has met with considerable favor at home and abroad. CHAPTER Xin. FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. Masons — Odd Fellows — Knights of Pythias — Catholic Order of For- esters — Knights of the Maccabees — Grand Army of the Republic — Woman's Relief Corps — Woman's Christian Temperance Union — Washingtonian Temperance Society — Sons of Temperance — Good Templars — Friendship Temperance Club — Patrons of Husbandry. MASONRY IN LANCASTER. North Star Lodge, No. 8, A. F. & A. M.—ln lygy the fol- lowing persons, all Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, residents of Lancaster and Northumberland, petitioned the grand lodge " to be erected and constituted a regular lodge of Free and Accepted Masons " : George Kimball, John Weeks, Mills DeForest, Thomas Burnside, Edmund Head, Jabez Parsons, Samuel Phelps, John J. French, William Cargill, Nathaniel Wales, HoUoway Taylor, Josiah Sawyer, James Chamberlain, Azariah Webb, and Warren Cook. Their petition was granted Dec. 18, 1797, and a charter issued under the title and designation of North Star lodge. No. 8. George Kimball was appointed master; John J. French, senior warden; John Weeks, junior warden ; " with power and authority to con- vene as Masons within the town of Northumberland, and state of New Hampshire." Not until Jan. 21, 1800, at the annual election, did the lodge have a full list of ofificers. They were as follows : Samuel Phelps, W. M. ; Daniel Dana, J. W. ; Artemas Wilder, treasurer; Richard C. Ever- ett, secretary; Warren Cook, S. D. ; Joseph Dyer, S. D. It is not known if, or for how long, George Kimball served as 484 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. W. M., nor when the first election of officers was held, as the records are too meager to determine these questions. James Chamberlain was W. M. in 1798. Special communications were frequent in the early years of the lodge. The opening was on the Entered Appren- tice degree, and all business of the lodge was done on that degree, Fellow Craft and Master Masons lodges being opened only for the purpose of conferring these degrees and delivering lectures. The communication of Jan. 21, 1799, was the last one held in Northumberland. Although North Star lodge was by charter located in Northumberland, then a more prosperous village than Lancaster, it was removed to the latter place in 1800. A commu- nication from the grand lodge in January, 1800, shows that a request for its removal was made, and granted. The first communication of the lodge in Lancaster was a special Feb. 1 1, 1800. The lodge had a hall about 1804. frequently referred to in the Lancaster Bridge Records — as " Masonic Hall " — standing where L W. Drew's house is. This building came down town and is now a part of Syndicate block. The lodge in 1852 met in a hall then but recently used by the Sons of Temperance — over Harvey Adams's blacksmith shop, where the Monahan shop now is, then in the hall of the American House, W. G. Wentworth, then in 1854 in rooms over R. P. Kent's store, then over D. A. Burnside's store de- stroyed by fire in 1878, where Eagle block now is, then in 1859 in the hall fitted up by the Odd Fellows over the town hall, and since 1888 in its present commodious quarters in the building which the Masonic corporation owns. During the first years of the lodge the fees were twenty cents for each member each communication attended, making yearly dues of two dollars and forty cents. The lodge celebrated St. John Baptist's day (June 24) 1801, in due form, but privately. That was the first time it had cele- brated this anniversary. At the second regular election of the lodge, Jan. 19, 1802, Stephen Wilson was chosen W. M. Dur- ing that year the lodge passed through some serious troubles, and it was seriously attempted to return the charter. After much discussion on various occasions, it was voted, Aug. 17, 1802, " that the charter shall not be returned." Previous to 1803, it had been customary to elect officers at any communication that suited the convenience of the lodge ; but it was voted on December 20th of that year to comply with the request of the grand lodge, and elect officers annually in December. The working hours during those early years were long and often tedious, from i to 8 in the after- noon. In 1806, differences again disturbed the lodge, and in April the move to return the charter was voted down by a slender majority. FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. 485 The records of that year are missing ; but it is known that Stephen Wilson was re-elected W. M. On June 2, 1807, it was voted "to return the charter of the lodge to the grand lodge;" and Daniel Dana, J. M. Tillotson, and Elijah Foote were appointed a com- mittee to take charge of records, jewels, implements, and property of the lodge, and return the charter to the grand lodge. Some time before 18 14, when the records take up the narrative of the lodge, it had been revived by vote of the grand lodge, with Stephen Wilson, W. M., he having held that position for eight years. St. John's day was observed in 1815, the first time it was publicly observed by the lodge. The members, in a body, marched to the old meeting-house where an address was delivered by Rev. Dyer Berge, after which they proceeded to their hall at the North End and partook of refreshments. The first visitation of the grand master of New Hampshire to North Star lodge occurred Sept. 3, 181 5, when William H. Wood- ward, G. M., delivered an address. During that year the records show that the sum of $10 was voted to Jeremy L. Cross in consid- eration of his services as a lecturer, in which capacity and through the publication of several editions of his " Hieroglyphic Monitor," and as an organizer of lodges, he won a national reputation and dis- tinction. During the^ first twenty years or more the only elective offices were W. M., S. W., J. W., secretary, treasurer, representative to the grand lodge, and financial committee. On March 4, 181 7, the by-laws were changed so as to bring the annual communication in March instead of December as before. On April ist of that year it was voted to adopt and wear the white aprons, not previously in use. St. John's day, 1817, was observed by an address by Benjamin Hunking at the old meeting-house, and refreshments at the inn of William and Noyes Dennison, later known as the "American House," situated on the corner of Main and Elm streets, where Kimball's block now stands. At the annual communication of March 9, 18 19, William Lovejoy was elected W. M. He appointed the wardens, the first instance of the kind in the history of the lodge, as they had before been elected. At the celebration of St. John's day, 18 19, the address was given by Eliphalet Lyman, followed by a " sumptions dinner" at William Cargill's, after which the brethren retired to their hall and " drank a goodly number of regular and volunteer toasts under the direction of a toast-master." Although their by-laws forbade " irregularities and intemperance, or anything which may impair their faculties or debase the dignity of their profession," they did drink " West India rum," and "New England rum" on occa- sions. It was voted Dec. 7, 1824, "that Bro. Spencer Clark be re- quested to procure five or more gallons of West India rum, and five 486 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. or more gallons of New England rum, for the use of the lodge; that the secretary be directed to call on all the brethren indebted to the lodge to make immediate payment." On Sept. 27, 1825, a vote was passed against the use of liquors in the lodge. In December of that year some of the more bibulous brethren secured the passage of a v^ote " that the vote passed September 27, prohibiting the use of ardent spirits in the lodge for a year, be rescinded ! " From Feb. 11, 1826, the records are lacking until 1852. It is known, however, that the lodge continued through the period of the anti-Masonic, or Morgan, crusade. In June, 1844, it surren- dered its charter. In 1852, under license issued July 13, by Grand Master Horace Chase, the members of the lodge met in the Sons of Temperance hall, over ]Iarvey Adams's shop. In 1852 its charter was reissued, and the lodge "once more met. Sept. 4, as before stated. Its officers were : Eliphalet Lyman, W. M. ; Ephraim Cross, S. W. ; Charles Baker, J. W. ; Jacob E. Stickney, secretary; Benjamin Hunking, treasurer ; George Ingerson, S. D. ; Allen Smith, J. D. ; John Savage, tyler. It is supposed that these were the officers in 1845, when the charter was surrendered. They were unanimously elected at the annual election of officers, May 24, 1853, and with the exception of Charles W. Smith, entered ap- prentice, were all the members present at the meeting. During 1853 the lodge moved to " Wentworth Hall," in the old American House, where it continued to meet for about a year, when it re- moved to rooms over R. P. Kent's store. It remained there one year, when it removed to a hall over David Burnside's store, stand- ing where Eagle block now does. The building was later known as Rowell's block. Here it remained for some time, and had a reason- able growth; for in June, 1855, a vote was passed to authorize the treasurer "to procure twenty-nine working aprons, with suitable insignia upon them for the officers ; also a square and compass of solid silver." The latter, it is said, are the ones still in use b}' the lodge. In 1856 the lodge removed to the hall in the attic of the town hall building, formerly the old meeting-house, where it still remains in a remodeled and elegant hall of its own. The hall at that time was known as Odd Fellows' hall. At a special commu- nication, held May 26, 1856, it was voted "that all business of the lodge, including the balloting for candidates, be transacted in a Master Masons lodge, with the exception of the work of conferring entered apprentice and F. C. degrees. The use of liquor in the lodge was prohibited. St. Evangelist's Day, Dec. 27, was celebrat- ed by the lodge by going to Whitefield, where dinner was had at the John's River house, with toasts and addresses. The noted Indian, Louis Annance, was the only one of his race who ever belonged to North Star lodge. He was cordially loved FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. 487 by all, and kindly remembered by the lodge in his old age by the gift of $25 on one occasion, when in indigent circumstances. The first public installation of ofificers took place in the town hall, May 5, 1868, and in December following the silver jewels now in use were purchased. In 1878, the lodge receiv^ed a bequest of $50 from the estate of Rev. Daniel Austin, once a farmer in Jefferson, clergyman, and man of fortune and leisure, once a debtor within the jail limits of Lancaster. He was made a member in 1832. His memory is now substantially commemorated by the lodge altar, pur- chased with his bequest. In 1880, the lodge offered a reward of $50 for tidings of Silas Hurlburt, an old and feeble man, who wandered away from his home into the woods on Page hill and was lost, no tidings of whom have ever been received. He was made a member in 18 19, and in 1880, at his request, had been promised by the W. M. Masonic burial. In 1884, the lodge bought the town hall property. "The North Star Corporation " was formed under the laws of New Hampshire,- and acquired title. North Star Lodge, North Star Chapter, and North Star Commandery combined, and hold equal shares in the building, each appointing two of the six trustees for the govern- ment of the same. The custody of the building is entrusted to a janitor. W. L. Rowell has held that office since the arrangement was effected. Henry O. Kent, E. V. Cobleigh, John L. Moore, E. R. Kent, Moses A. Hastings, and W. L. Rowell are the trustees, La Fayette Moore and S. H. Legro, deceased, having served. At the annual town meeting in 1888, an arrangement was entered into between the town and the corporation, by which the town re- linquished to the corporation certain rights to the town hall on the second floor of the building, and paid $2,000 in consideration of the completion of certain repairs and the subsequent maintenance of the pubHc hall for town purposes. In May, 1888, work was begun on the town hall and the second story was opened to the public on Jan. 9, 1889. This spacious auditorium is frequently designated as " Music Hall." A dedicatory service w^as held, and on St. John Baptist's day, June 24, the Masons dedicated their spacious hall and apartments on the third floor. The frame of this building is the old meeting-house that stood on the plateau south of it, now known as Soldiers' Park, for fifty years. It ceased to be used for church purposes when the present Congregational meeting-house was built in 1840. The last use of the building on its old site was for an entertainment given by the students of Lancaster academy, Novem- ber, 1844. The house having been built by the town, was town property when it was no longer used for church purposes. In 1845, arrangements were made with Royal Joyslin, a merchant, to move the building to the site it now occupies. The building was set upon 488 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. blocks six feet high, and the street graded up to the level of its sills. The ground floor was cleared of its pews, and used by Mr. Joyslin as a store. Part of the galleries were removed and a floor placed for a town hall, which is the present " Music Hall ! " The attic of the building was a little later fitted up for the Odd Fallows. The dedication of the remodeled Masonic temple, June 24, 1889, was an important event in the history of Lancaster as well as in the history of Masonry. Invitations had been sent out and responded to in large numbers by the following Masonic bodies: Evening Star Lodge, No. 37, of Colebrook; Gorham Lodge, No. "ji, of Gorham ; White Mountain Lodge, of VVhitefield ; Burns Lodge, No. 66, of Littleton ; St. Gerard Commandery, of Littleton ; Palestine Com- mandery, No. 5, of St. Johnsbury, Vt. The dedicatory services occurred at i 130 o'clock, and were participated in by five hundred Masons, who assembled in Masonic hall, while the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire gathered at Odd Fellows' hall, which had been ten- dered for the occasion. After the opening of North Star Lodge in due and ancient form, an escort brought the grand lodge to Ma- sonic temple, to dedicate the new hall to the uses of Masonry. Eagle hall was the place of banqueting, whither the throng of guests and their hosts repaired for a feast seldom equalled, and never surpassed, in magnificence, in Lancaster. In the evening the large Music hall was crowded by the frater- nity, their wives, and citizens of Lancaster, to listen to fine music and eloquent speeches. The principal address was delivered by Bro. Henry O. Kent, Past Master. It was a finished and scholarly ora- tion. This address was afterward published and widely circulated. North Star Lodge has sent forth of its members the nuclei of the following lodges, that owe their origin to the training which their charter members received in this mother lodge : Evening Star Lodge, No. ^y"] , of Colebrook; Kane Lodge, No. 64, of Lisbon; Burns Lodge, No. 66, of Littleton; Gorham Lodge, No. 73, of Gor- ham ; White Mountain Lodge, No. 86, of Whitefield ; Passump- sic Lodge, St. Johnsbury, Vt. ; Island Pond Lodge, Island Pond, Vt. Its present list of officers are as follows for 1896- 1897: Chester P. Brown, W. M. ; George B. Underwood, S. W. ; John C. East- man, J. W. ; Erastus V. Cobleigh, treasurer; Charles E. Mclntire, secretary; James R. Flanders, S. S. ; William L. Rowell, Jr., J. S. ; D. Eugene Rowell, S. D. ; Joseph Smith, J. D. ; Ivan W. Ouimby, marshal; Nelson Sparks, chaplain; Ephraim C. Roby, tyler; Henry O. Kent, Frank Spooner, finance committee. Number of members, 207. The centennial of this ancient lodge was celebrated with great ceremony by the lodge and its offspring above referred to, by a public Masonic banquet of 414 plates, in the town hall, Monday, FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. 489 December 27, St. John's (Evangelist's) day, 1897, an account of which is published in an elaborate illustrated pamphlet. NORTH STAR COMMANDERY, KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. In 1857, a few Master Masons of North Star Lodge and com- panions of the Royal Arch, desiring the benefits of Christian Ma- sonry, obtained the honors of knighthood at Portland, Me., and Manchester. These, with Curtis Cleaveland, an old Sir Knight from Burlington, Vt., then residing at Northumberland, sent a peti- tion to Hon. William B. Hubbard, Grand Master Knights Templar in the United States, asking a dispensation to organize a Comman- dery at Lancaster. On May 8, 1857, a dispensation was issued, and on May 1 1 the Sir Knights met and organized North Star Com- mandery, with the following officers: Jared L Williams, eminent commander; La Fayette Moore, generalissimo; George C.Williams, captain-general. Immediately after the organization of the commandery the order of knighthood was conferred on James A. Smith and James D. Fol- som. As there was no chapter of Royal Arch Masons in this jurisdic- tion nearer than Concord, consent was obtained of Blazing Star Chapter for Haswell Chapter of St. Johnsbury, Vt., to confer the Royal Arch degrees upon candidates from northern New Hamp- shire. Later, many North Star Masons took the chapter degrees in Franklin Chapter, Lisbon. North Star Commandery continued to work under dispensation until Nov. 24, 1859, when it was organized under a charter from the Grand Encampment of the United States, as North Star Commandery, No. 3, of New Hamp- shire. It had then increased in membership from eight to fifteen members. The following officers were elected : J. I. Williams, emi- inent commander ; La Fayette Moore, generalissimo ; George C. Wil- liams, captain-general ; Henry O. Kent, prelate ; John W. Barney, senior warden; David A. Burnside, treasurer; Henry O. Kent, re- corder; James A. Smith, standard bearer; Curtis Cleaveland, sword bearer; Benjamin F. Hunking, warder; Alex. Thompson and Dan- forth Willey, captains of the guard. The same ofificers were reelected in i86o-'6i, '62, '6^,. In i860. North Star Commandery assisted in organizing the Grand Commandery of New Hampshire. The commandery has had from the first a steady growth, until to-day it numbers 214 members, with the following list of ofificers : Sir William Hinkley Thompson, eminent commander ; Sir Thomas C. Beattie, generalissimo ; Sir Garvin R. Magoon, captain general; Sir Joseph Fames, prelate; Sir George B. Underwood, 490 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. senior warden; Sir Joseph Smith, junior warden; Sir Erastus V. Cobleigh, treasurer; Sir Ralph L. Drisko, recorder pro tern; Sii" Levi H. Parker, standard bearer; Sir Stetson W. Gushing, sword bearer; Sir Parker J. Noyes, warder; Sir John C. Eastman, Persian guard ; Sir WilHam M. Heath, second guard ; Sir Charles L. Dol- loff, first guard ; Sir Ephraim C. Roby, sentinel ; Sir Ernest E. Smith, organist; Sir Henry O. Kent, Sir La Fayette Moore,* finance committee; past commanders, E. Sir Jared L Williams, R. E. Sir Henry O. Kent, E. Sir Benjamin F. Hunking,* E. Sir Edward R. Kent, V. E. Sir Thomas S. Ellis, V. E. Sir Moses A. Hastings, E. Sir Thomas S. Underwood, E. Sir Frank Spooner, E. Sir Ivan W. Ouimby. NORTH STAR CHAPTER ROYAL ARCH MASONS, NO. 1 6. This chapter was instituted in Lancaster in 1868. The dispensa- tion signed by Nathaniel W. Cumner, G. H. P., bears the date July 8, 1868. Dr. George O. Rogers was the prime mover, and it was mainly through his efforts that the chapter was established. Its charter was signed by Daniel R. Marshall, G. H. P., June 8, 1869. The charter members were : Geo. O. Rogers, Samuel H. LeGro, Ezra B. Bennett, E. V. Cobleigh, J. S. Ockington, H. O. Kent, Ed- ward Savage, Philo S. Cherry, Richard Hovey, Edward R. Kent, Daniel C. Pinkham. The first convocation was held under dispensation of July 8, 1868, in the office of Dr. Rogers, at the corner of Main and Middle streets, now occupied by Dr. VV. H. Thompson, at which the follow- ing companions were present: George O. Rogers, H. P.; Samuel H. LeGro, K. ; Edward Savage, S. ; the grand council was named in the dispensation, and J. S. Ockington, E. R. Kent, H. O. Kent, W. H. N. Prince, D. Thompson, E. V. Cobleigh, P. S. Cherry, and E. B. Bennett were members. At the first annual convocation held in Masonic hall. May 19, 1869, the following officers were elected: Edward Savage, E. H. P.; Samuel H. LeGro, E. K. ; W. H. N. Prince, E. S. ; Edward R. Kent, C. H. ; Chester B. Jordan, P. S. ; Daniel Thompson, R. A. C. ; Philo S. Cherry, M. 3d V.; William L. Rowell, M. 2nd V.; Abner Thompson, M. ist V.; Jphn S. Ockington, treasurer; Alex. Thompson, secretary; Richard Hovey, t}-ler. These officers were installed at a special convocation Sept. 22, 1869, at which time the chapter was dedicated. This chapter has been self-sustaining, and on a sound financial basis, from the first year of its existence. It owns a one-third interest in Masonic tem- *Deceased. FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. 49 1 pie. It now has a membership of 235, with the following list of ofificers for 1896, '97: George B. Underwood, E. H. P.; Parker J. Noyes, K. ; Fielding Smith, S. ; Erastus V. Cobleigh, treasurer; Charles E. Mclntire, secretary; Fred H. Nourse, C. H. ; Joseph Smith, P. S. ; Charles R. Bailey, R. A. C. ; Joseph Fames, chaplain ; Edward A. Wood- ward, M. 3rd v.; D. Eugene Rowell, M. 2nd V.; James R. Flan- ders, M 1st v.; Charles L. Dolloff, S. S. ; Ralph Drisko, J. S. ; Ephraim C. Roby, sentinel ; Edward R. Kent, Ivan W. Quimby, finance committee. The companions who have served as high priest are as follows : Edward Savage, 1870-1874; Charles A. Cleaveland, 1875-1879, and 1883; Nelson Sparks, 1880-1882; John H. Smith, 1884-1887; Ivan W. Quimby, 1887. NORTH STAR LODGE OF PERFECTION A. A. SCOTTISH RITE MASONS. A dispensation to form a lodge of A. A. S. R. M. in Lancaster was transmitted to 111. Bro. Henry O. Kent, 33°, by 111. Bro. George W. Currier, 33°, deputy for New Hampshire. By the authority thus conferred upon him, Bro. Kent summoned the illustrious brothers of the 32°, of the A. A. Scottish Rite Masons, to convene at the Masonic temple, Nov. 27, 1894, where he presided, and 111. Bro. S. W. Gushing, 32°, was appointed secretary, with 111. Bro. Moses A. Hastings, 32°, as marshal. The following officers were named in the dispensation : III Bro. Edward R. Kent, 32°, thrice potent grand master; 111. Bro. Frank Spooner, 32°, Hiram of Tyre, deputy grand master; 111. Bro. Garvin R. Magoon, 32°, venerable senior grand warden ; 111. Bro. Herman E. Oleson, 32°, venerable junior grand warden. The dispensation was read, and it was decided to proceed to com- plete the full list of officers, which was done by ballot, showing the following persons elected : 111. Bro. Fred W. Page, 32°, grand orator; 111. Bro. Erastus V. Cobleigh, 32°, grand treasurer; 111. Bro. Stetson Ward Gushing, 32°, grand secretary; 111. Bro. John M. Wilson, 32°, grand master of ceremonies ; 111. Bro. John C. Pattee, 32°, grand captain of the guard; 111. Bro. Willie E. Bullard, 32°, grand hospitaller; 111. Bro. Levi H. Parker, 32°, grand tyler. These officers of North Star Lodge of Perfection, A. A. S. R , were then proclaimed, and proclamation was made by the authority of the warrant of dispensation that the lodge was created, instituted, and ready for the* transaction of business. The following named persons were charter members : E. R. Kent, F. Spooner, G. R. Magoon, H. E. Oleson, H. O. 492 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Kent, W. A. Loyne, A. S. Twitchell, G. Davis, H. A. Graves, W. W. Pike, H. W. Hinds, C. H.Thayer, F. W. Page, M. B. Lougee, E. W. Evans, F. W. Noyes, W. C. Perkins, G. E. Hutchins, C. H. Evans, E. V. Cobleigh, S. W. Gushing, J. C. Pattee, J. M. Wilson, G. A. Norton, C. C. O'Brion, E. Blood, J. Smith, R. C. Chesman, H. A. Moore, P. S. Terrell, H. B. Gilkey, W. E. Bullard, J. D. Howe, C. O. Whipp, H. B. Hinman, J. R. Perkins, L. B. Whipp, J. S. Phipps, J. B. Noyes, C. A. Cleaveland, M. A. Hastings, V. V. Whit- ney, C. O. Stevens, G. A. Lane, F. P. Washburn, W. H. Little, C. W. Brown, M. Perkins, J. C. Hutchins, J. W. Crawshaw, L. H. Parker, F. H. Nourse, — 52. The present number of members is 62. The following are the ofificers for 1896 : 111. Bro. Frank Spooner, 32^, T. P. G. M. ; 111. Bro. Garvin R. Magoon, 33°, H. of T. D. G. M. ; 111. Bro. John C. Pattee, 32°, V. S. G. W.; 111. Bro. Herbert A. Moore, 32°, V. J. G. W. ; 111.. Bro. Fred W. Page, 32°, G. O. ; Ih. Bro. Erastus V. Cobleigh, 32°, G. Treas. ; 111. Bro. Stetson W. Gushing, 32°, G. Sec'y ; 111. Bro. Phil- lip S. Tirrell, 32°, G. M. of C.; 111. Bro. Manasah Perkins, 32°, G. C. of G. ; 111. Bro. Wheelock H. Little, 32°, G. H. ; 111. Bro. Levi H. Parker, 32°, G. T. ; 111. Bro. Joseph D. Howe, 32°, 111. Bro. Joseph Smith, 32°, finance committee, — 62. Persons from Lancaster who have held ofifices in the grand bodies of Masonry, state and national : Grand Lodge of New Hampshire. — Stephen Wilson, district deputy grand master, 1823-26 and 1843, '44. John Wilson, grand sword bearer, 1824-26, and district deputy grand master, 1842. William Lovejoy, district deputy grand master, 1827 and 1830. Jared W. Williams, district deputy grand master, 1831-39. Eliphalet Lyman, district deputy grand master, 1840, '41. Jared I. Williams, grand lecturer, i854-'57; district deputy grand master, 1858, '59; junior grand deacon, i860; senior grand deacon, 1861. Henry O. Kent, grand lecturer, i860, '61 ; district deputy grand master, 1862, '6'^, '66, '69. Grand Co?nniandery of New Hampshire. — Henry O. Kent, grand sword bearer, i86o-'62; grand junior warden, 1863; grand senior warden, 1864; grand captain general, 1865-66; generalis- simo, 1867; grand commander of Knights Templar, 1868—69; representative of the Grand Commandery of Vermont since 1870; deputy of the grand master to constitute North Star Commandery, 1859. Edward Savage, grand captain of the guard, 1867, '68. Thomas S. Ellis, grand sword bearer, 1875, '']6\ grand junior FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. 493 warden, 1877; grand senior warden, 1878; grand captain general, 1879. (Grand lecturer, 1877, 'jS; district deputy grand master, 1879, '80, grand lodge.) Edward R. Kent, grand captain of the guard, 1877; grand war- der, 1878 ; grand sword bearer, 1879; grand standard bearer, 1880; grand junior warden, 1881 ; grand senior warden, 1882-84; grand captain general, 1885; grand generalissimo, 1886; deputy grand commander, 1887; grand commander of the Grand Com- mandery of Knights Templar, 1888; representative of the Grand Commandery of Indiana since 1886. George C. Williams, grand marshal, i860, '61 ; junior grand deacon, 1862; grand sword bearer, 1864, '65. Grand Lodge. — Benjamin F. Hunking, grand lecturer, 1864- 1867; Edward Savage, grand lecturer, 1870-1873; D. D. G. M., 1875-1876; Charles E. Mclntire, grand lecturer, 1885. Grand Commandery. — Moses A. Hastings, grand captain of the guard, 1888; grand sword bearer, 1889; grand standard bearer, 1890; grand senior warden, 1 89 1 ; grand captain general, 1892; grand generalissimo, 1893; deputy grand commander in Grand Commandery Knights Templar, 1894; grand lecturer of the fifth Masonic district in the grand lodge, 1 886-1 887. Grand Chapter. — Edward Savage, grand steward, 1870; grand master of first veil, 1871 ; grand master of second veil, 1872; Thomas S. Ellis, grand steward, 1879; Thomas C. Beattie, grand steward, 1894- 1895 ! I^'^n W. Ouimby, grand steward, 1889. Grand Co7nmandery . — Jared I. Williams, grand captain general, 1 860- 1 86 1 ; George C. Williams, grand junior warden, 1862. OLIVE BRANCH CHAPTER OF THE ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR. This chapter of adoptive Masonry was instituted in Lancaster, at Masonic hall, March 16, 1870. The ceremonies of instituting the chapter and installing its officers was conducted by Grand Com- mander Forbes. A meeting for that purpose was called at 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the above date, and after an address by Com- mander Forbes, the degrees of the Order of the Eastern Star were conferred upon the following named persons: Ann I. Savage, Ruth A. Hovey, Helen Cherry, Martha A. Rowell, Richard Hovey, Abner Thompson, Philo S. Cherry, Ellen E. Cobleigh, Sarah B. Cleaveland, Martha J. Thompson, Edward Savage, Erastus V. Cob- leigh, Charles A. Cleaveland, and William L. Rowell. An election of officers resulted in the choice of the following per- sons : Edward Savage, W. P.; Ann I. Savage, W. M. ; Ellen E. Cobleigh, A. M. ; Martha J. Thompson, treasurer; Helen Cherry, secretary; Sarah B. Cleaveland, C; Ruth A. Hovey, A. C. At an adjourned meeting in the evening of the same day Com- 494 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. niander Forbes installed these officers, and conferred the degrees upon Mrs. Eudora Smith and Miss Emma Marshall. A code of by-laws, prepared by a committee consisting of Sarah B. Cleaveland, Ann I. Savage, Martha A. Rowell, Edward Savage, and Abner Thompson, were adopted, and with but slight changes are the same that are in force to-day. The first public installation of officers of the chapter took place Jan. 26, 1877. The ceremony was conducted by Frank Peabody, W. P., assisted by Rev. George H. Pinkham of Whitefield, after which the assembled company partook of an elaborate banquet, the first ever given by the chapter. In January, 1885, the chapter gave a public entertainment from the proceeds of which they purchased an organ, and placed it in Masonic hall. The chapter has been a popular and a useful institution in the community. It has enjoyed a healthy growth, and now numbers over one hundred members. The chapter was organized on what is known as a " McCoy Char- ter," which left every lodge independent of all other lodges. This charter was given up under the advice of Rev. C. J. Henley, in 1888, for a charter issued by the grand chapter of the United States. This charter was granted to the entire membership of the first lodge, as No. I of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, May 12, 1888, with the following charter members: Lucy Spooner, Jo- sephine Bailey, Helen A. Stuart, Persis F. Chase, Luella Peabody, Carrie M. Smith, Abbie L. Roby, H. Alice Peabody, Kate Hatch, Annie O. Kent, Addie Wilson, Grace Whitcomb. On May 12, 1891, the Grand Chapter of New Hampshire was or- ganized in Lancaster. There were then only seven chapters in New Hampshire, six of which represented in the convention for the organization of a grand chapter for the state. Most appropriately Olive Branch Chapter, No. i, was privileged to act as hostess on that occasion. The Lancaster chapter was honored by the selection of the following of its members as officers in the grand chapter: Dr. Frank Spooner, grand patron ; Luella E. Peabody, grand asso- ciate conductor; Helen A. Stewart, grand marshal; Lucy Spooner, grand Martha. The officers for 1896 are: Emma F. Roberts, W. M. ; Washington D. Marshall, W. P.; Addie E. Wilson, A. M. ; Kate M. Marshall, secretary ; Sarah E. Griswold, treasurer; Clara A. Roby, C. ; Gertrude Noyes, A. C. ; Alice Woodward, W. ; Mabel C. Thompson, Adah ; Blanche A. Moore, Ruth; Mary Porter, Esther; Gertrude P. Crawford, Martha; Nena H. Edmunds, Electa; Hattie B. Smith, chaplain; Mary N. Brackett, marshal; Nellie B. Kent, organist; E. C. Roby, sentinel. The past worthy patrons have been : Edward Savage, H. H. Por- ter, Frank Peabody, Dan Lee Jones, Edward R. Kent, Eugene FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. 495 Leavitt, C. J. Henley, Frank Spooner, C. W. Brown, Chester P. Brown, W. H. Thompson, Herbert A. Moore, W. D. Marshall. The worthy matrons have been : Ann I. Savage, Ellen E. Cob- leigh, Eliza M. Spaulding, Emma F. M. Jones, Martha A. Corning, Grace Whitcomb, Hattie Smith, Lucy Spooner, Helen A. Stewart, Luella E. Peabody, Emma F. Roberts. Back in the fifties there was an organization of Adoptive Masonry, embracing wives and daughters of Master Masons. John VV. Bar- ney, the presiding officer, was the "Helion" of the ritual. Henry O. Kent, Jared I. Williams, James D. Folsom, La Fayette Moore, B. F. Hunking, John S. Ockington, and the active Masons of those days, with their wives, were members. This society was the precursor of the existing chapter chronicled above. THE ODD FELLOWS. In 1849 a lodge of Odd Fellows was organized here under the name of the White Mountain lodge, chiefly by a number of civil engineers then at work on the line of the Atlantic & St. Lawrence Railroad (now the Grand Trunk), which it was hoped would be built through Lancaster. This lodge flourished for a time, but became extinct soon after its original promoters left town. On Sept. 27, 1850, Coos lodge, No. 35, L O. O. F., of Lancaster was instituted,. in response to a desire on the part of a number of old residents, among whom were the members of the former White Mountain lodge. It flourished for a few years, but became defunct in 1856. Until 1874 there was no attempt to resuscitate it. In that year a few of the surviving members revived the lodge, since which time it has had an eventful career, out of which it is emerging into what promises to be a prosperous future. When the lodge was reinstated in 1874, it began holding its meetings in a hall standing where Eagle block now stands. Here it met until the great fire of 1878 destroyed its hall. The lodge lost all its properties. With courage, however, the lodge resumed its meetings in a shed room of the old Lancaster House. Its tarrying was short here, lasting only from September 9 to September 28, when the Lancaster House was burned. Another removal brought the lodge to the old engine house, on the north bank of Isreals river near Frank Smith & Co.'s mill, on Middle street. It continued its meetings here until some time in November, 1878, when it removed to the hall on the third floor of the Benton block, on Main street. Here the lodge has found a home ever since, and during this period of its history it has grown steadily, so that to-day it is in a flourishing condition. It is now engaged in erecting a large building on the site of the Allen Smith house, on Main street, near the corner of Main and Bunker Hill streets. The building is a brick veneer, and of fine 496 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. appearance. It was begun in May, 1896, and completed for occu- pancy Sept. I, 1896. The building operations were conducted by a stock company, incorporated under the general laws of the state. The lodge is at present the largest stockholder, and it is privileged to purchase up the stock as fast as it can do so, in order to become the owner of the property, which, with its real estate, is valued at $20,000. The building contains a commodious hall on the third floor for lodge purposes, a dining-room and kitchen, ladies' parlor, gentle- men's parlor, paraphernalia room, regalia room, ladies' toilet room, gentlemen's toilet room. The second floor is occupied by the printing establishment of J. D. Bridge, editor and publisher of the Coos County Democrat, and other offices. The first floor comprises a single store-room, occupied by the Lane Clothing Co. The building is heated throughout by steam and lighted by elec- tric lights, and is one of the finest in Lancaster. The following ofUcers were elected and installed for the term beginning July i, 1896; Fred H. Clough, N. G. ; C. E. Willoughby, V. G. ; George N. Kent, secretary; George V. Moulton, treasurer; E. A. Woodward, conductor; J. B. Cloudman, warden; George M. Congdon, O. G. ; Thomas Ryan, L G. ; C. W. Sleeper, R. S. N. G. ; H. W. Smith, L. S. N. G. ; Elmer Whitcomb, R. S. V. G. ; F. W. Grant, L. S. V. G. ; R. M. Langworthy, R. S. S. ; Benjamin Benton, L. S. S. ; W. H. Thompson, chaplain; J. R. Flanders, P. G. ; J. D. Bridge, J. R. Flanders, representatives to grand lodge; F. H. Clough, C. E. Wil- loughby, George V. Moulton, J. B. Cloudman, D. R. Remick, N. Tuttle, George A. Woods, visiting committee; P. J. Noyes, W. H. Thompson, Isaac Bartlett, finance committee ; W. E. Lyon, janitor. PERSEVERANCE REBEKAH LODGE, NO. 56. This lodge was instituted as an adjunct to Coos lodge, I. O. O. F., on Dec. 15, 1893, with the following ten charter members: Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Bridge, Mr. and Mrs F. H. Clough, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Bartlett, Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Nourse, Mr. and Mrs. W S. Matthews. There were forty-four candidates initiated at the first meeting, on the night of the institution of the lodge. OBJECTS AND PURPOSES. The objects and purposes of Rebekah lodges are declared to be : 1 . To aid in the establishment and maintenance of homes for aged and indigent Odd Fellows and their wives, or for the widows of deceased Odd Fellows ; and homes for the care, education, and support of orphans of deceased Odd Fellows. 2. To visit the sick, relieve the distressed, and in every way to assist subordi- FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. 497 nate and sister Rebekah lodges in kindly ministrations to the families of Odd Fel- lows who are in trouble or want. 3. To cultivate and extend the social and fraternal relations of life among lodges and the families of Odd Fellows. This lodge has been remarkably prosperous from the first, and now numbers 140 members and ranks high in the state. It has conducted its work in a quiet way, and has not become as well known as many institutions that have done less good in the com- munity than it has. Members of the lodge always attend the sick of their numbers, and in many ways care for their members in sick- ness and death. The lodge meets the first and third Friday evenings of each month, in Odd Fellows' hall. The present officers are : Mrs. J. D. Bridge, N. G. ; Mrs. C. F. Moses, V. G. ; Mrs. F. H. Clough, secretary; Mrs. B. M. Matthews, treasurer; Miss Gertrude Noyes, conductor; Mrs. F. E. Richey, chaplain; Mrs. J. B. Cloud- man, I. G. ; Miss Kate Spaulding, O. G. ; Mrs. Isaac Glynn, R. S. N. G. ; Mrs. George V. Moulton, R. S. V. G. ; Mrs. Isaac Bartlett, L. S. V. G. ; Miss Lillian Rosebrook, R. A. S. ; Mrs. A. E. Avery, L. A. S. ; Mrs. P. J. Noyes, Mrs. Ada Amadon, Miss Alice Folsom, finance committee; Mrs. J. D. Bridge, Mrs. C. E. Matthews, Mrs. F. H. Clough, Mrs. B. M. Matthews, Mrs. George Woods, Mrs. A. D. Howe, Miss Susie Mclntire, visiting committee. KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS. A lodge of the order of Knights of Pythias was instituted in Lan- caster on Sept. 28, 1888. It is known as Pilot lodge, No. 32, Knights of Pythias. The charter members were : Fred L. Linscott, Amos F. Rowell, F. H. Carlton, E. C. Amey, Everett Fletcher, Charles F. Colby, J. R. Hannaford, Manassah Per- kins, Rollin J. Brown, Joseph Streeter, George H. Beckwith, Harry H. Jones, Frank E. Richey, Holman H. Noyes, Fielding Smith, Joseph B. Cloudman, George E. Stevens, G. B. Underwood. The lodge has grown rapidly, and at present numbers 103 mem- bers in good standing. It meets on Monday evenings, in its new and desirable apartments in Moore's block, on Middle street, in some respects the best appointed rooms for fraternal and social pur- poses in town. The officers for 1 896 were as follows : H. B. Amey, C. C. ; H. DeF. Hilliard, V. C. ; W. E. Hartford, M. A. ; Arthur Simonds, Pre. ; H. H. Noyes, K. of R. S. ; Robert Hadley, I. G. ; Fred Thomas, O. G. ; F. L. Linscott, H. H. Jones, R. J. Brown, trustees. 32 498 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. THE CATHOLIC ORDER OF FORESTERS. All Saints Court, No. 366, of the Catholic Order of Foresters, was organized in Lancaster, on June 20, 1893, in the old hall over Matthew Monahan's blacksmith shop, with fifteen charter members : Edmund Sullivan, James Horan, James A. Monahan, Michael J. Foley, James M. Monahan, Martin J. Monahan, Timothy McCaffrey, Mar- quis Largy, Edward Gillespie, Michael Purtle, Timothy Long, Thomas Heney, Owen McCaffrey, Edward M. Monahan, and Thomas McGinley. The court was organized by Fred N. Blanchard of Island Pond, Vt., with the following ofifiicers : Edmund Sullivan, chief ranger; James A. Monahan, recording secretary; Michael J. Foley, finan- cial secretary; James M. Monahan, treasurer; Martin J. Monahan, Timothy McCaffrey, Marquis Largy, trustees ; Edward Gillespie, senior conductor; Michael Purtle, junior conductor; Thomas He- ney, inside sentinel ; Timothy Long, outside sentinel ; Dr. E. F. Stockwell, medical examiner. The first regular meeting was held July 14, 1893. Its regular meetings are held the second and fourth Friday evenings of every month. The next regular meeting was held in Odd Fellows' hall, in the Benton block. Since then the court secured the hall over the Lancaster National bank, and continues to meet there to the present time. During the short time it has existed, the court has increased from its fifteen charter members to seventy-five at present. Its financial condition has always been sound, and in every respect it is one of the prosperous institutions of the town. Its permanence and use- fulness are proven, and give it rank among our fraternal bodies. The officers for the ensuing year are: C. R., O. F. McCaffrey; V. C. R., P. Fraught; P. C. R., J. Horan; R. S., T. A. Hopkins; F. S., T. McCaffrey; treasurer, P. Noonan ; J. Smith, M. Brown, J. A. Monahan, trustees; S. C, O. J. Gormley ; J. C, P. Rines ; I. S., M. J. Millette; O. S., R. Powers; chaplain. Rev. Fr. M. J. B. Creamer; medical examiner, E. F. Stockwell; delegate to state convention, J. Smith; alternate, James Truland. KNIGHTS OF THE MACCABEES OF THE WORLD. During the summer of 1896 Mr. F. E. Hand, state commander of the Knights of the Maccabees for Maine and New Hampshire, organized a tent of that order in Lancaster. The Knights of the Maccabees is a fraternal beneficiary society, incorporated under the laws of the state of Michigan, June 11, 1881, with the supreme tent at Port Huron, Mich. Membership Aug. I, 1896, 245,957. FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. 499 Starr King Tent, No. 3, was instituted in Lancaster, July 22, 1896, with twenty-five charter members, with the following officers : Sir Kt. Past Com., Arthur G. Wilson; Sir Kt. Com., Wm. H. Thomp- son; Sir Kt. Lt. Com., C. P. Brown; Sir Kt. R. K., A. H. Sweet- ser; Sir Kt. F. K., Jas. Flanders; Sir Kt. Chap., Fred R. Clough ; Sir Kt. Phys., Harry B. Carpenter; Sir Kt. Sergt., C. Welcome Brown ; Sir Kt. M. at A., Harry Bailey; Sir Kt. ist M. of G., Lewis Hosmer; Sir Kt. 2d M. of G., Wm. E. Lyon; Sir Kt. Sen., J. H. McClintock; Sir Kt. Pic, Wm. R. McClintock. Tent meets the fourth Wednesday of the month in the L O. O. F. old hall. THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. Col. E. E. Cross Post, No. 16. Col. Edward E. Cross Post, No. 16, Grand Army of the Republic, was originally organized Jan. 16, 1869, by Daniel J.Vaughn, depart- ment commander, and Samuel F. Murray, assistant adjutant-general. The charter members were Henry O. Kent, Charles P. Denison, Horace G. Fabyan, William L. Rowell, Stephen Emery, Thomas S. Ellis, Phineas R. Plodgdon, Hezekiah E. Hadlock, George H. Em- erson, and Charles C. Beaton. The meetings were holden in the small hall in Kents building. The books of record are lost and we can only say that after a few years' active existence for some reason the charter was surrendered. The old charter now hangs in G. A. R. hall. On Nov. I, 1878, Col. E. E. Cross Post of the G. A. R. was re- organized under a new charter, but of the same name and number as that of the old. The following persons were charter members: William G. Ellis, Solon L. Simonds, H. DeF. Young, E. W. Wyman, B. L. Olcott, P. J. Noyes, H. S. Hilhard, Thomas S. Ellis, H. O. Kent, L. H. Parker, Ira E. Woodward, Thomas Sweetser, A. A. Dow, Charles E. Mclntire, Richard Fletcher, Jared L Williams, H. Richardson, G. E. Chandler, E. A. Rhodes, Zeb Twitchell, Geo. H. Emerson, F. H. Perkins, J. M. Morse, J. G. Sutton, R. M. J. Grant, and Geo. W. Morgan. The first officers elected and installed under the new charter were : Thos. S. Ellis, commander; P. J. Noyes, S. V. commander; E. A. Rhodes, adjutant; Ira E. Woodward, quartermaster; R. M. J. Grant, chaplain; W. G. Ellis, officer of the day; F. H. Perkins, officer of the guard; S. L. Simonds, sergeant-major; Geo. E. Chan- dler, quartermaster sergeant. The new post enjoyed a rapid and healthy growth, and has done much good in its work of charity among war veterans and their families, and in every way worthily exemplifying its motto of " Era- 500 " HISTORY OF LANCASTER. ternity, Charity, and Loyalty." The post has secured, and by the generous aid of the town, maintained the proper observance of Memorial day, strewing the graves of the fallen soldiers with flow- ers, and sowing seeds of patriotism in the minds and hearts of younger generations. This post has brought to Lancaster many able and patriotic speakers on the returning anniversary when this most tender and kindly recognition of services of the soldier to his country is made. Through its efforts the flag now floats over all the schoolhouses in town during the sessions of school. Already this important work has taken a new hold upon the generation soon to be entrusted with the affairs of the town, state, and nation. The children of the public schools, last spring, on finding their flag badly decayed, did not wait the move of others, but by the cooper- ation of their teachers issued stock in shares of ten cents each and purchased their own new flag with the proceeds. The children have thus been taught to love their country's flag. On the last Memorial day they marched to the cemetery and participated in the decora- tion of the soldier's graves. Col. E. E. Cross Post of G. A. R. has been actuated wholly by unselfish and patriotic motives. Its influence has been of the very best, and the community regards it as one of the most important in- stitutions it is blessed with. This post now has about 150 members, and is entitled to four delegates to the state encampment. Its rank is a high one in this department of the G. A. R. The whole number mustered into its ranks are about 200 of which it has lost by death and demits from its rolls about fifty, leaving at present a membership of 150. The ofUcers of the post at present are : P. J. Noyes, commander; Nathaniel M. Davenport, S. V. com- mander; Charles Forbes, J. V. commander; H. DeForest Young, adjutant; Daniel T. Timberlake, quartermaster; George H. Emer- son, chaplain ; Charles Couture, officer of the day ; John G. Derby, officer of the guard; Levi H. Parker, sergeant major; Joseph B. Cloudman, quartermaster sergeant ; Ezra Mitchell, surgeon. The commanders have been, under the first charter, Charles P. Denison, Plezekiah E. Hadlock. Under the new charter, Thomas S. Ellis, Henry O. Kent, Levi H. Parker, Jared I. Williams, Parker J. Noyes, Thomas Sweetser, Samuel L. Wellington, Henry S. Hilliard, Wm. W. Hendricks, Charles E. Mclntire, D. T. Timberlake, Geo. H. Emerson, Reuben F. Carter, James S. Brackett, Nathaniel M. Davenport. Some commanders above named have been reelected out of chronological order. FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. 5OI THE woman's RELIEF CORPS. Among the secret and fraternal organizations in Lancaster none has a stronger hold on the people than Edward E. Cross Woman's Relief Corps, No. 39. We give its history in the words of Mrs. Clara I. Noyes, one of its charter members, and an of^cer, or member of some of its com- mittees, during the ten years of its existence. A preliminary meeting was called at the Lancaster House at 2 o'clock in the afternoon of Sept. 21, 1886, for the purpose of elect- ing officers for the Woman's Relief Corps. The meeting was called to order by Mrs. Addie S. Hughes of Ashland. Mrs. Bernice A. Kent was elected president for the afternoon, Persis F. Chase, secre- tary. Clara L Noyes and Sarah W, Brown were appointed as tell- ers to count the votes. Ofiticers elected were : Mrs. Persis F. Chase, president; Mrs. Clara L Noyes, senior vice president; Mrs. Sarah W. Brown, junior vice president; May M. Wyman, secretary; Mrs. Emma H. Sweetser, treasurer; Mrs. Ber- nice A. Kent, chaplain; Carrie M. Smith, conductor; Mrs. Ella Carter, guard; Mrs. Josephine A. Bailey, assistant conductor; Mrs. Emeline J. Cram, assistant guard. This meeting was adjourned to meet at Odd Fellows' hall at 7 o'clock in the evening, where a public installation was held, Mrs. Addie S. Hughes, department inspector, acting as instituting and installing officer. There were twenty-one charter members who signed their names to these rules and regulations : We, the subscribers, members of Edward E. Cross Relief Corps, No. 39, of Lancaster, Coos county, Department of New Hampshire, Woman's Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, do hereby subscribe to the rules and regulations for the government of the Woman's Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, as revised by the National Convention, Denver, Col., July 25th and 26th, 1883, and to any revisions or alterations that may here- after be legally adopted in accordance with the provisions of the present rules and regulations ; also to such rules and regulations or by-laws, as have been or may hereafter be legally adopted by Edward E. Cross Corps, No. 39, of Lancaster, Department of New Hampshire Woman's Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, for their government. For each year these are the following committees appointed : " Executive Committee " who are to plan and carry out everything in the way of entertainments for the purpose of raising money to carry on the good work and arrange everything for Memorial Day. " Finance or Auditing Committee " to approve all bills presented and audit the books of the secretary and treasurer. " Relief Com- mittee," to look after th'e sick and needy, the chairman to report at every regular meeting any one who may be sick or in trouble. There are other minor committees appointed for any wants that may 502 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. come before the corps. We have initiated 103 members, but at the present time we have only sixty members in good standing. Six have died and many have gone to Hve in other towns or states, and for various reasons have been granted an honorable discharge. In the nearly ten years the corps has been organized we have helped many families^ and every member who has been sick or had sickness in her family has received many courtesies and delica- cies. The corps has a general fund and a relief fund. The relief fund is to be used only for soldiers or their families, the general fund for whatever purposes may be deemed necessary. We have expended for relief from the relief and general funds $260.67, ^"^ probably $100.00 would not more than cover the amount we have given in clothing and food. Corps 39 has been very generous in helping to furnish the Soldiers' Home at Tilton, and also the new hospital, a part of the same, which was built in 1895. ^^^ 1895 a committee of three or more were appointed from each corps in the state to introduce the flag salute in our schools. Through the influ- ence of the committee of Corps 39, nine schools in Lancaster are using the salute. The corps has furnished two flags. This commit- tee also succeeded in introducing the salute in two schools in Nor- thumberland. ' Our motto is " Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty," the broad foun- dation on which to-day stands the Grand Army of the Republic. The ofificers of the present year are : Mrs. Addie E.Wilson, president; Mrs. Abbie S. Call, senior vice- president ; Mrs. Ella F. Hall, junior vice-president; Nettie McKel- lips, secretary; Mrs. Susan Folsom, treasurer; Mrs. Elizabeth S. Pierce, chaplain; Etta L Baker, conductor; Jennie Phillips, guard; Mrs. Mary Hartley, assistant conductor; Addie P. Forbes, assistant guard. The corps holds its meetings the second and fourth Saturday even- ings of each month. THE \Y0MAN'S christian TEMPERANCE UNION. There was a meeting of a number of women held at the residence of George E. Carbee, on Sept. i, 1888, for the purpose of organizing a Woman's Christian Temperance Union. After some discussion of the subject, it was voted to organize such a society, which was done, with the following list of ofificers : Mrs. W. S. Ladd, president; Mrs. W. A. Folsom, corresponding secretary; Mrs. M. J. Hartford, recording secretary; Mrs. S. A. Brown, treasurer; Mrs. W. D. Marshall, Mrs. F. D. Hutchins, Mrs. Persis F. Chase, Mrs. Mary H. Williams, vice-presidents; Mrs. Frank Spooner, Mrs. C. E. Allen, and the vice-presidents, visiting com- mittee. FRATERNAL SOCIETIES OF LANCASTER. 503 This organization has done much for temperance. It has not only agitated the temperance question with respect to reforms, but has helped to correct intemperance in many ways. It has sent several intemperate men to the Keeley Institute for treatment. It has taken care of the families of others while at the various Gold Cure establishments, and in various ways has administered much charity to the unfortunate. It has organized and carried to success the reading-room movement, which is now one of the permanent institutions of the town supported by public funds. It has dis- tributed literature to the prisoners in the county jail and to inmates of the county almshouse, and to the lumbermen in the camps dur- ing the long, dreary winters. For a number of years these earnest women have been serving warm dinners at town-meeting and the fall elections, in the town hall. OTHER TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES. Lancaster has at no time been exceptional to other New England towns. The drinking habits of the early colonists, characteristic of the Anglo-Saxon race, were planted here in the life of the earliest set- tlers. Rum was regarded as indispensable to health, comfort, and sociability. Everybody drank in the early days, until habits of in- temperance were formed in the lives of the second or third genera- tions, who, having more ease and means, sought excitement in the convivial customs of their day. Within a generation from the found- ing of the town it had its confirmed inebriates, and at no time since then has the community been free from that class of unfortunates. As early as 1825 the Masons passed a vote prohibiting the use of liquors in the lodge, which was an arraignment of the intemperate habits of the community. It was not until ten years later that the churches took a very active stand against the drink habit. There was no public agitation of the question until that great tidal wave of ex- citement accompanying the Washingtonian movement. In due time Lancaster had a Washingtonian society organized, and here, as else- where, it had its course, giving way to other organizations after a time. The next temperance organization in town was the Sons of Tem- perance. This organization flourished for a time, and after a lapse of some few years a lodge of Good Templars was organized in the room over R. P. Kent's store, on Main street, Dec. 4, 1865, by par- ties from Littleton. These, no doubt, did much to foster temper- ance sentiment among their members, but their influence was neces- sarily limited by the secrecy surrounding their actions. About 1880 the Temperance Union was formed. Its aim was to unite all the churches and the religious sentiment of the community against the evils of intemperance and the liquor traffic. Its meetings were held on the third Sunday evening of every month, and usually 504 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. there was given an address on some phase of the temperance ques- tion. In 1895 this society was disbanded and an auxiHary branch of the New Hampshire Law and Order League formed in its place. This latter movement is the outgrowth of changes in public senti- ment on the temperance question. No longer is intemperance regarded as an evil to be remedied by moral and religious senti- mental agitations, but a sociological question that must be regulated by law. Intemperance is now regarded by all intelligent persons as a disease, and a propagation of a diseased condition of life is com- ing to be looked upon as a violation of all social order. The drinking habit in Lancaster is restricted, and tippling is regarded with contempt by the intelligent and respectable people of the town. Gradually more sensible views on the question be- came entrenched behind a body of intelligent social customs, and the habits of the people are improving with respect to temperance. The " R. S. C. club " was a secret organization, with a weird ini- tiation and ritual, composed of the choice spirits of the day in the late 40's, and held its meetings in the hall over Adams's blacksmith shop. Its initials, " R. S. C," stood in some occult way for " Ros- cicrucian," — the delvers in ancient magic ; perhaps, as Bailey Al- drich's " Rivermouth Centipedes," were so named from having a cent-a-ptece. O. G. Stephenson, Edward Wilson, Edward E. Cross, B. F. Hunking, and others now departed from town or from life, were of the elect, and some staid citizens now residents, could recall the "work" of those years. MOUNT PROSPECT GRANGE, NO. 24I. Mount Prospect Grange, No. 241, was organized March 13, 1896, by State Deputy T. H. White, assisted by Deputy Gilbert A. Mar- shall, of Lancaster Grange. It starts out with the largest list of charter members in the United States. The first meeting was at Eagle hall, and at 8 p. m. a goodly company was present to wel- come the visiting officials, and Messrs. J. D. Howe and C. E. King, who had labored earnestly for the success of the farmers' cause in Lancaster. Deputy White called the members to order in a happy speech, in which he told of the work of the grange, its mission, and then ex- plained the secret work in four degrees. J. D. Howe reported ninety charter members, and the election of officers was called for by the deputy, with the following result : C. E. King, worthy master; Chas. A. Howe, overseer; B. C. Morse, lecturer ; J. S. Peavey, steward ; Fred Holton, assistant stew- ard ; Ira G. Noyes, chaplain; J. E. Mclntire, treasurer; J. W. Flanders, secretary; J. S. Woodward, gate keeper; Miss Mary PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 505 Batchelder, Pomona; Mrs. Florence Morse, Flora; Mrs. Irving Mc- Intire, Ceres; Miss Lilla Hartshorn, lady assistant steward. After the officers were chosen they were installed by Mr. White, and conducted to their chairs by Mr. Gilbert A. Marshall, and the grange turned over to the worthy master, C. E. King. In Deputy White's closing remarks he spoke of this grange being the largest he had ever organized, and predicted a large degree of success for it in the future. Following is a list of the charter members: C. E. King, Irving Mclntire, Geo. H. Johnson, H. F. Richardson, E. L. Morse, Alfred E. Remick, W. G.' Baker, J. D. Bridge, Mrs. J. S. Peavey, I. W. Hopkinson, Selden C. Howe, Ira G. Noyes, Geo. H. Stalbird, W. H. Hartley, J. W. Flanders, T. T. Baker, D. W. Batchelder, Mary E. Batchelder, Nellie A. Woodward, C. A. Howe, W. C. Hodgdon, C. W. Evans, J. S. Peavey, Annie Abbott, B. C. Morse, Mary M. Clough, Mrs. M. E. Stowell, F. C. Grant, Alma P. Hilliard, H. S. Webb, Mrs. O. J. Morse, Mrs. A. M. Beattie, C. W. Brown, Albert Chase, Payson E. Fernald, Geo. S. Stockwell, Elden Farnham, A. B. Sleeper, H. Adams, B. S. Adams, Mrs. W. A. Thompson, Mrs. J. E. Deering, Pearl Cummings, Geo. H. Morse, Mrs. L. R. Hosmer, Mrs. C. E. King, Mrs. Irving Mclntire, Mrs. Geo. H. Johnson, Mrs. H. F. Richardson, Mrs. E. L. Morse, Mrs. Alfred E. Remick, Mrs. W. G. Baker, Mrs. J. D. Bridge, Ida M. Peavey, Mrs. I. W. Hop- kinson, Mrs. Seldon C. Howe, Jennie M. Noyes, Fred Holton, Mrs. W. H. Hartley, Mrs. J. W. Flanders, Mrs. T. T. Baker, Annie J. Hodgdon, Ed A. Woodward, J. S. Woodward, Lilla Hartshorn, J. E. Mclntire, Etta A. Evans, Irving D. Hodgdon, Louisa T. Rosebrook, E. B. Morse, M. E. Stowell, Mrs. C. A. Howe, H. S. Hilliard, Emily T. Hilliard, J. H. Morse, A. M. Beattie, Geo. S. Peavey, Mrs. Mary E. Brown, E, P. Corrigan, Mrs. Mary Fernald, Mrs. Geo. S. Stockwell, Mary Farnham, Mrs. Ellen M. Sleeper, Mrs. H. P. Adams, W. A. Thompson, J. E. Deering, M. B. Evans, Mrs. W. C. Hodgdon, L. R. Hosmer, Mrs. H. S. Webb. CHAPTER XIV. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The old Meeting-house — The Jails — The Court- houses — The Hotels — The old Red Gun House, and the State Arsenal — The Public Library. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. Prominent in the history of Lancaster have been its early public buildings ; and among them none has enjoyed so much promi- nence as the old meeting-house, the first church building in the S06 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Province of New Hampshire north of Haverhill. For many years the early settlers, though religious in profession and reared under Puri- tan influences, got along without a meeting-house. We find by consulting the town records that preaching was sustained for a number of years prior to the building of a church building, or the organization of the Old First Church Society. In 1791, steps were taken looking to the erection of a meeting-house, which culmi- nated in the building of a spacious structure on a scale that was indicative of the character of the pioneers. They attached great importance to the community they had founded, and made large sacrifices to uphold and perpetuate it. When it came to building a meeting house they laid out one large enough for a community much larger than Lancaster has yet become. After the growth of a century the old structure still holds the largest popular assem- blages of the town with room to spare. The old meeting-house was erected on a common known as Meeting-House Hill, now known as Soldiers' Park, purchased by the town, and consisting of six acres, six town lots. Most of the land has been suffered to be lost to the town through carlessness on the part of the people, due no doubt to the diversion of interest in the old church, with the growth of other churches at later times. The land on which the building stood was level from the crest, and preserved a clear outline on the same level from Pleasant and Cot- tage streets. The building faced south, and stood square with the points of the compass. The western end was about six rods east of John M. Whipple's line; and the north side about on a line with the south side of Cottage street. The meeting-house was reached from the north by a road cut into the side of Sand hill, which was very narrow and steep ; and by three flights of steps from the north- west, one above another, each flight consisting of .some twelve steps. The landing at the foot of the hill was about where the southeasterly corner of the Boswell house now stands. The building, in outline, as it then stood, is still preserved in the first and second stories of Music, or Town hall, as many call it. As it stood on the common there were two porches containing stairways to the galleries that run around the entire building, except about one third of the north side where the pulpit stood, they would seat between four and five hundred people on their three rows of seats raised one above another. The stairway on the west end of the building continued up into the belfry and spire to a height greater than anything in this region. All the seats were so arranged that they could be seen from the pulpit. The front row of seats were known as the " singers' seats," and would accommodate about fifty persons. The body of the house was entered by doors from each porch, Old Meeting-house. Built 1794. Remodeled and Enlarged into Present Masonic Temple. Masonic Temple and Town Hall, 1889. Front of Two Lower Stories being the Meeting-house of 1794. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 507 and a double door on the south side directly opposite the pulpit. The broad aisle extended from this door to the pulpit, which was built with considerable taste, and was reached by a flight of steps It was so high that a view of the galleries could be had from it, as well as of the body of the house. There was a row of pews all around the body of the house, under the galleries, except as it was cut through by the doors, and the space of the pulpit on the north side. The broad aisle divided the house into two equal parts, and aisles divided the wall pews from the body pews, of which last there were two tiers on each side of the broad aisle. The wall pews were raised two steps above the floor of the aisles. The pews were oblong in shape, finished and divided by paneling two and a half or three feet, surmounted by a slight balustrade and cap, so that a boy seven or eight years old could sit in one of the wall pews and look through and study the house and its occupants. Board seats extended across the back sides and both ends of the wall pews, and across one side and one end of the body pews. There was no upholstering whatever. All the seats, except the wall seats, were hung by means of loose iron hinges so as to admit being turned up when the congregation stood for prayers. The din and noise of rising and turning up the seats, and turning them down again in sitting down, can be better imagined than described. Many seemed to vie with one another to see who could make the most noise in manipulating the seats. Over the pulpit hung the sounding-board, resembling an inverted tunnel five feet across. It was suspended from the ceiling by an iron rod, and hung directly over the head of the minister. Doubt- less the mind of many a boy, at times, wandered from the preach- er's theme to conjecture the possible results of that rod breaking and dropping the sounding-board upon the head of the minister. The " deacon's seats" were directly in front of the pulpit, and in fact below where the minister stood, facing the audience. In front of the deacon's seat stood a broad-leafed table, on which the com- munion service was set on stated occasions. This table was sus- tained by iron braces and was let down when not in use. On the pulpit and the deacon's seats was the only attempt at painting about the house. These were covered with a slight coating of lead color. As to means of warming the house in winter, there was not even an attempt, until the house had been in use more than twenty-five years, when a stove was set up directly in front of the pulpit in the broad aisle. So far as it affected the temperature of the im- mense building it might as well have been set out on the common. How ever the worshipers kept from freezing in that cold house in dead of winter is a mystery we will not attempt to solve. However, the women dressed in heavy flannels, and wore heavy knitted socks 508 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. over their shoes, and every thoughtful matron, when she entered the church, was followed by a boy carrying her foot-stove, a tastily made wooden frame with a bail, inside of which was a tin or sheet-iron lining, about eight inches square, perforated on top. In this stove was a sheet-iron pan holding a quart or more of burning coals. The matron seated, the boy placed the stove under her feet, which she would pass to her daughters as occasion demanded. But the men and the boys ! I fancy that their gallantry and the lack of enough coals to burn through a Puritan service of more than an hour in length, left them with cold feet. Be that as it may, the old meeting- house had a hold on the inhabitants of the town that no modern one has ever enjoyed. In front of the house, and a little distance from it, were two " horse blocks," which were cut from immense pine logs, of the requisite height, with two steps in each, to enable the ladies to mount and dismount their steeds, for many of them were accus- tomed for many years after the early occupancy of the meeting- house to ride on horseback. Many of the young women were adepts in that manner of riding. Not a few of the more sprightly girls would disdain the horse block and mount from the ground by placing their hands on the necks of the horses and springing into the saddle. Tradition says that Lucy Howe, who married Ethan A. Crawford, and Betsey Stanley, who married James B. Weeks, were accustomed to mount their horses in that manner. The latter is remembered by a few who still survive as an excellent rider even in advanced age. Excepting the stately and aristocratic chaise, of which Parson Willard owned the first in town, carriages were not in use in Lan- caster until about 1820; and those who did not own a chaise had to ride on horseback or travel on foot. A walk of two or three miles for the boys and girls of that day was thought to be only a refreshing exercise. The girls usually exchanged, by the roadside, their heavy walking shoes for their thin morocco ones, that would show their feet to better advantage, before reaching the church. The elderly people usually came to church on horseback, some with a child riding behind them ; but those who could afford a chaise, and there were many, neither walked nor rode horseback, no matter how near the church they might live, or how they got about town on week days. On Sunday morning the chaise was hitched up, and the mistress of the house with her children, rode to meeting in what was considered becoming style. And it is said by one who still remembers those scenes, that it would do any one of to-day good to see the grace and dignity with which madame would alight from her chaise, while one of her boys, or a man who had preceded her on foot or horseback, took her horse and chaise away and cared for PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 509 them while she entered the house and took her seat in her pew. In fact, the whole congregation seemed to enter the church with a pe- culiarly reverential awe that can hardly be understood by the people of the present generation. THE CONGREGATION. The congregation that assembled in that ancient place of worship was one of uncommon character; and we borrow the following des- cription of it from the pen of Judge James W. Weeks, who remem- bers the old church and the congregation since before 1820, as he was born in 181 1, and is of almost unimpaired faculties at the pres- ent writing. He says : " I occupied, with my parents, the first wall pew west of the front door, and usually sat in the corner next the broad aisle and the lesser aisle west, so I was able to look through between the banisters and study the house, the whole of which was exposed to my view except small and unimportant sections. Directly in front of me, in the first body pew on the left, sat Deacon Farrar, his wife, and Miss Abbie Bergin, who usually dressed in white, and attracted the attention of boys by the deliberate manner in which she entered the pew and took her seat. The deacon was a dark complexioned, dyspeptic little man, with his thin black hair combed up to the top of his head to cover his baldness. In the second wall pew on the left sat .Mrs. John Moore and her son William, who carried his head a little to one side. His first wife I do not remember seeing at church ; but his second wife (Mary Sampson) soon made her appearance, full of life, bright and handsome as any of her daughters. In the first wall pew on the right of the door from the west porch, sat Captain Stephenson, his son Turner, and his daughter Eliza. The captain was an old man, quite bald and stooping. Richard Eastman and family occupied the body pew directly in front of the west door. David Burnside, fresh and ruddy, with blue coat and bright buttons, showed him- self with his wife in the second wall pew on the left of the west door. Thomas Carlisle, also wearing bright metal buttons, with his dressy wife, occupied the next wall pew adjoining Burnside's. The minister's pew was the first one next to the wall west of the pulpit. Mrs. Everett, a handsome widow, with her daughters, occupied about the fourth body pew on the right of the broad aisle. Mrs. Board- man occupied the next pew adjoining toward the pulpit. " That congregation is arrayed before me as if it were but yesterday that I saw it last. A little later, perhaps 1822, Jared W. Williams from Connecticut, with his wife, appeared in the old church. Royal Joyslin also returned from Bath. He was straight and handsome as a man is ever likely to be. Soon an exceed- ingly pretty lady, Julia Barnard, changed her seat, and was seen sitting in church with Mr. Joyslin. Nothing attracted my boyish attention more than the different ' manner in which the people stood during prayers. The women usually stood erect, with their heads on the railing of the pews. Some fidgetv men and wo- men were constantly changing their position. There was Major Weeks, tall and stately, six feet and two inches in his stockings, standing like a post, perfectly erect, with arms folded and eyes cast upon the floor a few feet in front of him as if on parade, never moving a muscle, however long the service might be. Deacon Farrar and a few others, leaned over the tops of their pews. " There was one thing that troubled my boyish mind! I could not see the sing- ers. All I could see were several men and women come into the gallery from tlie 5IO HISTORY OF LANCASTER. east porch, and at the close of the service, as the congregation passed out, Will- iam Lovejoy, with strong and sonorous voice, would announce marriages intended, and the like. This seemed a part of the service. After a time I got a seat in the gallery, when my curiosity was gratified. The singers were twelve or fifteen powerful men, and perhaps as many ladies. What the music lacked in culture and taste it made up in power ; and such strains of melody as went up to the Great Majesty on high were neither faint nor to be misunderstood. " No choir seems blessed with perpetual peace. This one was no exception to that rule, for one morning in the days of Orange Scott, Francis Bingham ap- peared in the singers' seats with a bass viol. The hymn was started, and the strings of the viol vibrated. That caused the ancient chorister to stop; and ad- dressing the fancied offender, said, ' Mr. Bingham, you must put away that fiddle. We can't sing.' The • fiddle,' however, held its own on that and many succeed- ing Sundays, and was soon joined by the tones of a flute in the hands of O. W. Baker, and a clarinet played by Walter Sherman. "At the close of the services the Doxology was usually sung to the tune of ' Old Hundred.' The benediction followed, when the congregation left as rever- ently as it had assembled." Such, reader, was the first church of Lancaster, from a hundred years ago down to within the recollection of men and women still living ; and what the influence of such men and institutions have had in shaping the destiny of our civilization can scarcely be con- jectured. One thing is certain: the reverential influence of the scenes here described by Judge Weeks, show themselves in the lives of the men and women of those days who still linger with us, in a manner that should cause the younger people to carefully consider them as worthy of much thoughtful respect and imitation. THE JAH.S OF LANCASTER. The Old yail. — The first prison in Lancaster consisted of a room in the Wilson tavern at the north end of Main street where the first court sessions were held in the hall of that building, 1804- 1806. For two years that prison room was kept by Judge Will- iam Lovejoy, who along with many other distinctions adds that of being the first jailor of the county. In 1806, when the first court-house was erected there was a jail in course of construction also. Both buildings were erected on lands given for their res- pective purposes by Artemas Wilder, who owned a large tract of land at the north end of Main street. This jail was a wooden structure, two stories high, with a residence for the jailor's family. It had an upper and lower room for prisoners. That portion of the building was constructed of hewn elm logs eighteen inches square bolted together with iron bolts, its heavy wooden doors se- cured by padlocks. Isaac Derby, "Squire Derby" as he was called, hewed the elm logs for this old jail. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and the War of 18 12. He tended the old Wilder mill for many years. Original Court-house. Now Public Library. (Originally with flat roof, without porch or tower.) -i- rr t ' , y ; ^"■^'f Brick Court-house, i 835-1 868. From Old County Map. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 5 I I This building stood on the same lot where the present jail now stands only a little to the east of the present one. It was built on con- tract by Colonel Chessman and Nathaniel White. The old building was the scene of many struggles between its keepers and the vicious "border rufhans," — murderers, counterfeit- ers and smugglers — confined within its massive walls. Great iron rings and chains were fastened to its floors to which many of the more violent criminals had to be fastened. For fifty-two years it served the end for which it had been erected. In the early morning of January 9, 1858, it was discovered to be on fire, having taken fire from a defective adjustment of a stovepipe. Among the early and more prominent jailors were Colonel Dennison and George W. Ingerson. The latter was jailor at the time of the burning of the "Old Elm Jail." The next jail was a stone structure since replaced by a modern jail of steel cells and outside corridors, encased in wooden walls. THE COURT-HOUSES. For two years after Coos county was organized, and Lancaster was set apart as a shire town, the courts were held in a hall in Col. John Wilson's tavern, a large wooden building standing about where the Benton residence now stands, and later moved out and up the street, as a tenement. The same hall served for a while as a lodge room for the Masons, and as a place of assemblage for various pur- poses for many years. The first court-house was built in 1806, on land given for that purpose by Artemas Wilder, on the corner of Main and Bridge streets. The building is still standing, and used as a public library building on the south side of Centennial park. It was a square wooden building, one story, and of but one room. This was the court room, the juries retiring for their deliberations to a room in Wilson's hotel, where the courts had formerly been held. The room was heated by a sort of furnace consisting of a brick arch over the top of which was an inverted " potash kettle," with a hole through the bottom, to which a pipe was attached to carry off the smoke. For many years that heater did splendid service. The room could be heated so easily that for many years funerals were held there during winter months, as the old meeting-house was large and not provided with means of heating. After 1829 Lancas- ter academy was conducted in the same room, so that men were educated there, received justice meted out there by jurists of sterling integrity, and eulogized there and commended to the favor and mercy of the courts of heaven, all in the same room. It was neces- sarily a utilitarian age in which men were forced to study how to get the most out of their opportunities ; and they solved the prob- 512 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. lem well, for meeting-houses were places not only for religious and Sunday assemblages, but there their business meetings took place. After a time a bell that was brought into the country by Jacob Smith, known as " Guinea Smith," which he used for a while at a factory, was procured for the court-house by Jared W. Williams, secretary of Lancaster academy, for the joint use of courts and academy. It was mounted on a tripod of poles in front of the building. This same bell, as near as can now be ascertained, the first one brought into the Coos country, is now mounted in the tower of the graded school building, having been contributed by Jared I. Williams for that purpose. Mr. Williams came into pos- session of the bell after the building had ceased to be used for academy purposes, and was sold to the Baptist church and remod- eled. The inscription upon the bell is : "Doolittle. Hartford. For W. & B. 1818." This first court-house became too small and inconvenient to meet the demands upon it in twenty years after its erection. The ques- tion of a new court-house was agitated, but a disinclination upon the part of the people, and especially the county officials, deferred the matter so long that they lost the opportunity of decision through Judge Arthur Livermore's decree ordering a new building. He even prescribed the plans on which it was to be built. This second court-house was located where the present one now stands, and was sufficient for the county until 1868, when it became necessary to rebuild it. In 1853 a county building was erected on the banks of Isreals river, where Frank Smith & Co.'s store building now is, next to the National Bank building. In this building there was provided room for the county offices. It seems to have been poorly built, and became unsafe in ten years after its erection. This building and the court-house being in bad repair it was determined to pull them both down and erect a larger and more suitable court-house that should contain the county offices also. When the old court-house, a one- story building, high posted and graceful, was torn down in July, 1868, there was found securely fastened to the arch of the eastern gable a package containing a copy each of the Have^'hill Demo- ci'at-Refiiblican and the New Hani^sJm-e Patriot,, then the two leading newspapers of the northern part of New England, together with the following bit of the history of the old building, in the hand- writing of Richard Eastman : " This building was erected for holding the Courts in the County of Coos, state of New Hampshire. Commenced June 7, i83i,and will probably be completed by October i, of the same year, expense about $1,800. The stone and brick work was undertaken by Gen. John Wilson and Lieut. Joseph C. Cady. The stone work cut and hammered by Elisha Cushman and William Holmes. Master workman of the brick work, Capt. Peter Merrill. Assistant workmen, William i Court-house, i 868-1 886. Court-house, \{ PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 513 Page, Zadoc Cady, Joseph C. Cady, Calvin Willard, Jonathan W. Willard. Tend- ers, Josiah G. Hobart, Samuel Banfield, William W. Moore, William Horn, Frank- lin Savage. The carpenters' work done under the superintendence of William Moody. The joiners' work done by Richard Eastman, Elijah D. Twombly, Arte- nias Lovejoy. The committee who superintended the whole building of said house were John W. Weeks, Thomas Carlisle and Richard Eastman." The third court-house, built in 1868, was a two-story brick build- ing 70 X 40 feet in size with a cupola and bell mounted in it. It was finished in May, 1869. The first floor contained two jury rooms, offices of probate judge and register of deeds. The second story contained an ample court room and the offices of the county com- missioners and county treasurer. Its first cost was about $17,000, but through alterations in the course of construction and afterward, this sum was increased to nearly $30,000. The building was, in every way, entirely satisfactory, and was pronounced for those times a model court-house. This building was in use until November, 1886, when some repairs were being made upon the vaults which were considered unsafe for the custody of the county's records cover- ing a period of eighty-two years since the organization of the county. In the process of drying the vaults, stoves had been set up and used ; and at the same time steam heating apparatus was being adjusted in the building up to midnight on the 4th of November, at which hour the custodians of the building left, feeling that everything was safe ; but about two o'clock in the morning following the building was discovered to be on fire. All possible efforts were made to save it, but in vain. Both the building and contents were entirely lost. But few of the records were saved and they in a mutilated condi- tion. This was the second conflagration of the county records, the first being the court records kept in the office of the clerk, James M. Rix, in the wooden building where P. J. Noyes's manufactory is on Main street, burned during Mr. Rix's absence. In consequence of having failed to inform the insurance compa- nies, and getting their consent, the county was unable to collect the insurance from the fire of 1886. The loss of the building was the smallest item of all. The loss of the records will be felt for all time. Hon. W. S. Ladd, who had his law office in the building, sustained the loss of a very valuable library and all his law papers. The county convention was convened in town hall, Lancaster, Dec. 9, 1886, and steps were taken at once to rebuild the court-house. Other towns began to make movements to secure the location of the new court-house with them. Groveton, which had then become a railroad junction of the Concord & Montreal railroad (now Boston & Maine) and the Grand Trunk railroad, offered a considerable sum of money toward rebuilding as an inducement to locate it there. Berlin, however, was the strongest competitor of Lancaster for the location of the county seat. That town generously offered to 33 514 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. build and give the county a court-house if the people would accept it and locate the county seat there. When the question was voted upon the vote stood thirteen in favor of Lancaster to six against it. The convention instructed the county commissioners to rebuild the court-house at once. The contract was awarded to Mead, Mason & Co., of Concord, for $17,000. The citizens of Lancaster raised a large sum by subscription for extra work on the building. The building was completed in due time, and has proven to be a model building of the kind. It is 70 x 50 feet, with a projection on each side of 6 feet, making a front of 66 feet, three stories high, and a cupola and spire, reaching 100 feet from the foundation. The build- ing is of brick, with stone trimmings. On the first floor are the ofifices of probate court, register of deeds, county commissioners, grand jury and solicitor, and clerk of the courts. On the second floor is the court room, 50 x 50 feet, well lighted on three sides. There are in front on this floor three rooms, the lawyers' room, judges' room, and private consultation room. On the third floor, front, are the petit jury rooms, sheriff's room and the county sealers' room. There are three large, fire-proof vaults in the building, — in the clerk's ofhce, probate ofifice, and register of deeds office. There is a basement under the entire building. The building is heated with steam and lighted by elec- tricity throughout. THE HOTELS. For many years Lancaster had a number of " taverns." These establishments afforded accommodation for the few travelers who might chance to get so far toward the frontier towns of the state. The taverns served drinks to the citizens of the town. They were all licensed to sell " mixed drinks," " foreign and domestic liquors," " West India rum," " brandy," of which commodities quantities were consumed in the early days of the town. Many of the leading men of the town held license to sell liquors. The tavern met the wants of the new community, however, as well as the hotel of to-day does that of a community fully abreast of the country in all respects. The first of them kept in town were by Major Jonas Wilder, Stephen Wilson, and Gen. John Wilson, at the upper end of Main street. Major Wilder kept his tavern in his, then large, new dwell- ing house, which is known as the Holton place to-day. Here he lodged and fed man and beast, and sold " flip," rum, and other drinks. The town being without a meeting-house at the time his home was thrown open as a place for holding religious meetings. The Wilson tavern was the large, square, flat-roofed building now standing on the west side of Main street, near the corner of Bridge Old Lanxaster House. Burned 1S78. :fr;i3iffni^rp £i-«a.;s/-.-.iL-«*.«s»ffl«S!a«B(W2a»ti»>*-.'^«**>»« 4^ luWN Hali. and Aa[erica\ House, 1876. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 5 15 street. It then stood where the Benton dwelling now does. For many years this was the most famous tavern in Lancaster. The same building served also for a store, furnished jury rooms as be- fore stated when court was in session at the old one-room court- house on the corner of Main and Bridge streets, now the public library, after having served as academy, church, and armory ; and in one room was extemporized the first prison within the limits of Coos county. About the year 1812, Sylvanus Chessman built a tavern on the corner of Main and Elm streets. At this time business was begin- ning to move toward that locality. Chessman's tavern was a land- mark for many years and enjoyed a good patronage. Col. Sylva- nus Chessman kept the house for some years himself, and aside from his many other distinctions became a famous landlord. After Chessman gave up this tavern it was kept by Samuel White, father of Nathaniel White, later of Concord, during which period it was known as White's tavern. Mr. White kept a stock of goods in the bar-room also. He was succeeded by Noyes S. Dennison, who was landlord for a number of years, when it passed into the hands of William G. Wentworth, who improved the place and renamed it the American House. It bore this name always afterward. Land- lord Wentworth was succeeded by Frederick Fisk. The other land- lords of this old house were John P. Dennison, Thomas J. Crawford, W. K. Richey, William Wolcott, Nichols & Fling, and Francis and Will A. Richardson. The old hotel was afterward burned. The front door of this noted old landmark is now doing service in the L of John G. Derby's house on Williams street. The next hotel of any importance in the village was the old Coos Hotel, on the corner of Main and Canal streets. It was built by Ephraim Cross in 1827. Mr. Cross ran the house for some years, when it fell into the hands of Joseph C. Cady, who put an addition to it in 1837. For many years this was the leading hotel of the town and region and was successful under the managernent of Landlord Cady. The building fell into the hands of George C. Williams who removed it to the rear of the lot in 1865. The hotel had declined after the building of the Lancaster House, which was a very much better hostelry than any the village had ever had before. It is now, with additions, the large livery stable on Canal street. On August 4, 1858, the first Lancaster House was opened for the reception of guests. This house stood where the present Lancaster House does. It was built by moneys paid to the town by the Atlantic & St. Lawrence railroad because of their failure to build their road through Lancaster in accordance with an arrangement to that effect. In return for the violation of their agreement they paid over to the projectors of that arrangement the sum of $20,000. $l6 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. After the payment of certain expenses connected with railroad efforts, the custodians of that fund thought they would be serving the town by erecting a first-class hotel. Accordingly they pur- chased a lot of Dr. John Dewey, and entered into a contract with the late John Lindsey to erect the building. A hotel company had been formed, and purchased the building before its completion. Mr. John Lindsey was one of the company, and landlord for some years. Other landlords were D. A. Burnside, who was its owner, Elijah Stanton, B. H. Corning, and Lewis Cole. This first Lancas- ter House was burned Sept. 28, 1878, at a loss on building and furnishings of $30,000, with but $2,500 insurance. The house was at once rebuilt, which building is the Lancaster House of to-day. Our people contributed by subscription over $6,000 to the enterprise. It has rooms to accommodate 150 guests, is heated by steam, lighted by gas manufactured in the building, by electricity, and in every respect is a first-class hotel. Since the death of Mr. Lindsey, his son, Ned B. Lindsey, was proprietor, and remained so until his death in February, 1 891, to be succeeded by his widow, Mrs. Carrie B. Lindsey, since which time it has been most successfully conducted by his son-in-law, Lauren B. Whipp. T/ie Willia7)is House. — In the spring of 1872, John M. Hopkins bought the old Governor Williams residence on Elm street and fitted it up as a hotel by building an L to it, and in 1889 raised the main building one story. The main portion of the building was erected by Governor Williams in 1847. By many additions and improvements it was converted into a very comfortable host- elry. It contains twenty-three rooms for guests, is heated by steam, and lighted by electricity throughout. It is kept at present (1896), and has been most of the time, by John M. Hopkins. The Tempe?'ance House. — A one-story cottage, with rambling additions, standing where the Hazeltine block is on Main street, was kept for a score of years from the early 40's by George Howe, a harmless, peculiar herb doctor and exhorter. It was a neat and com- fortable place and much favored by jurymen and economical travelers. The Steivart House and Green s Cottage, on Mechanic street, are comfortable, home-like hotels of a modest class. For several years between the burning and rebuilding of the Lan- caster House, and later, B. F. Hunking used his brick residence on Main street as a hotel, "Elm Cottage," with great success and com- fort to guests. THE OLD RED GUN HOUSE. At a very early day Lancaster, being so near the northern boun- dary of the country, was looked upon as a sort of outpost. In the first settlement of the " Upper Coos" a fort was erected at Northum- New Lanxaster House. Samuel H. LeGro. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 5 17 berland, but as Lancaster outranked all the adjoining towns through the valor of its soldiery in the several conflicts with the Indians and French, it was early looked upon as furnishing both a good share of the " sinews of war " and the generalship for its direction. Here was the home of the noted Twenty-fourth, and later of the Forty- second regiment, among the most creditable regiments in the state. The artillery company had its field piece for the accommodation of which a gun house was erected on the lot adjoining the mound of the old cemetery, about where the Unitarian church now stands. This house was painted red, and was referred to as the " Red Gun House." It was a landmark in the village. Here was stored a three- pounder brass gun. In 1842 a state arsenal, with two cannon and 2,000 stand of arms for use in this section of the state, was estab- lished at Lancaster. This old red gun house was a small one-story building, just large enough to accommodate the equipment of the artillery com- pany. When it fell into disuse it was moved over to the foot of Baker hill, and is still in existence as a shed on the Hosmer place on Elm street, near the corner of Williams street. While this old building remained in its original location there stood a liberty pole on its south side, keeping watch over its treas- ures, while proudly waving from it was the flag under which many a Lancaster man marched to the defense of the nation. Later the artillery had a modern six-pound brass gun, which with a like gun of the Twenty-fourth at Stewartstown, went to war in the New Hampshire battery in 1861. THE STATE ARSENAL. In 1842, as a result of the agitation over the Ashburton treaty and the northern boundary and of changes in the number and terri- tory of the regiments of the state, a new arsenal was erected at Lan- caster on the corner of Elm and Spring streets. Coos county was originally all embraced in the Twenty-fourth regiment; later the Forty-second, covering practically the Southern judicial district, was formed, leaving the Northern district country as the Twenty- fourth. This was a larger structure, and a larger equipment was stored here. Here were brought two six-pounder iron cannon, said to have been captured by General Stark in the battle of Bennington, Vt., in the Revolutionary War. They were brought through the Notch of the White Mountains, from Portsmouth, on the freight teams of Francis Wilson in 1842. These, with 2,000 small arms, constituted the armament of the arsenal. This arsenal remained here until the reorganization of the militia of the state was made necessary by the War of the Rebellion. The two historic guns were left here when the armament was removed in 1861. 5l8 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. In 1862 Col. Henry O. Kent, then a member of the legislature from Lancaster, secured the passage of an act for the removal of these two guns to Concord, to be placed in the rotunda of the state house. In consequence of the events of war the contemplated removal of these guns was delayed, and they remained in the old arsenal building. On the night of April 14, 1865, on hearing the news of the sur- render of Lee and the Confederate army, the citizens of Lancaster brought out one of these guns to celebrate the news of final victory in the preservation of the Union. The gun was placed on the crest of Baker hill, northeast, and charged with five pounds of fine rifle powder, tamped with dry sand to the muzzle, and slow matched. The explosion burst the gun into fragments. One of these frag- ments was afterwards dug out of the road over forty rods away, where it buried itself deep in the hard ground in the road in front of the Ockington place. It bears the " broad arrow" of the British ordnance ofifice, the imperial crown, and the letters, " G. R.," Georgius Rex, or George the King. This fragment is now to be seen in the banking oflfice of the Lancaster Savings bank, where it is kept as an historic relic. The companion gun is now at the state house, Concord, as con- templated by the action of the legislature in 1862, but not exposed as directed, being stored in its cellars. LANCASTER PUBLIC LIBRARY. The first settlers of Lancaster were men of few books. Every family had its Bible or a New Testament and the Psalms, and possi- bly a few of the then standard volumes of theology and sermons. They appreciated those few books within their reach. They sought for their children a good education, and often made commendable sacrifices to provide schools. The second and third generations born in Lancaster developed a remarkable taste for good literature. As I peruse their old letters, diaries, and other records, I find quota- tions and allusions to the best literature of this country, showing a greater degree of familiarity and love of it than one sees to-day in people of common advantages. Their familiarity with ancient his- tory and classical literature was evidently very considerable. Until within the present decade or two, the men and women of Lancaster were noted for their individuality and independence. The " level- ing down " influences came into Lancaster life within thirty years, virtually with the railroad, telegraph, and daily newspaper. Not until these things came did the people study to affect the opinions and conform to the usages of the rest of the country. Since then Lancaster, like every other community, has relatively less prominent men, because it has vastly more average men. The average, how- PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 5 19 ever, is higher to-day than formerly, but one misses the rare, strong personahties that shone Hke stars among mankind. Learning and the hterary taste is more democratic now than formerly. There is relatively more poor, if not indeed bad, literature read to-day than fifty years ago ; but the amount of good literature is greater now than then. The remnants of the private libraries of some of the old families evince what must be conceded a very good taste and sound judgment of books. Lancaster long ago became noted for the quality and quantity of good literature sold here ; and to show more fully this fact, I will give two lists of books offered for sale through the medium of newspaper advertisements. This first one is taken from the While Mountain yEgis, in 1838, as follows: A PERKINS & CO. Have just received a new supply of Books, consisting of the following : Goodrich's History of the U. States, Whelpley's Compend, Vose's Astronomy, Political Class Book, Watts on the Mind, Charles the 12th, Le Burn's Telemaque, Nugent's Dictionary, Adam's Latin Grammar, by Gould, Jacob's Latin Reader, Cicero's Orations, Goodrich's Greek Grammar, " " Lessons, Jacob's " Readers, Wilson's " Testaments, Ainsworth Dictionary, &c, French Word Books, Day's Algebra, French Grammar, Abbott's Abercrombie, Blair's Lectures, Cooper's Virgil, Benjamin's Architecture. Here is another of the many lists offered from month to month by J. M. Rix in the Cods Democrat for 1846 : Alison's Modern Europe, 3 vols. Gibbon's History of Rome, 4 vols. Brougham's Speeches, 2 vols. Festus. Howitt, Milman and Keats. Wilson's Miscellanies. Hallam's Middle Ages. Essays of Elia, by Charles Lamb. Jefferson's Life and Correspondence, 4 vols. Political Economy, works by Say, Chalmers and Wayland. 520 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Prescott's Conquest of Mexico, 3 vols. Botta's American Revolution, 2 vols. Mill's History of the Crusades. History of the Huguenots. Ranke's History of the Popes. Kane's Chemistry. Spurzheim's Phrenology, 2 vols. Thiers' French Revolution, 2 vols, for $2 only. Rollin's Ancient History, 2 vols, for $3. Tosephus, $1.12. Poetical works of Shakespeare, Byron, Moore, Campbell, Thomson, Hemans, Young, Cowper, Pollok, Burns, Landon, Kirke White, Elliott, &c. Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge. Roscoe's Lorenzo d'Medici. Kendall's Santa Fe Expedition. Rowan's French Revolution. Ingersoll's War of i8i2-'i3. Napoleon's Expedition to Russia. Defoe's History of the Plague. For a number of years Mr. Rix conducted a bookstore in connec- tion with his newspaper business, and carried a large stock of good books. In i860 a "Reading Circle" was organized in Lancaster, and began to collect books with a view of establishing a library. In a short time a good circulating library was in operation. An enter- tainment was given in the town hall, Nov. 27, i860, to raise money for that purpose. This library grew steadily in number of books and in favor in the community, so that in seven years the idea of a public library had gained so much favor that steps were taken to bring it about. An organization was effected. Hon. William Heywood was the first president of the library association, and Dr. George O. Rogers, at whose office the library was kept, was its first librarian. There were then but 554 volumes in it, 66 of which had been contributed by the older society, the Reading Circle; 140 were donated by inter- ested individuals, and the remainder purchased from funds of the association. After a three years' sojourn with Dr. Rogers, the library was moved into a room furnished and fitted up for the pur- pose in Parker J. Noyes's drug store. A catalogue of the books was prepared and published. It only remained one year in this location, when it was removed again to Dr. Rogers's ofiice, where it remained for a time, and after several other moves was located in a room in the Kent building. Mar. 29, 1876, from which it was moved in 1884 to its present location, in what was the old academy build- ing for many years, on the south side of Centennial park. Main street. At the annual town-meeting of 1884, the library association offered to give their books to the town on condition that the PUBLIC BUILDINGS. 52 1 town maintain a public library free to all its citizens. This condi- tion they met very cheerfully, and agreed to appropriate four hun- dred dollars a year for its proper maintenance. A board of trustees was elected and given the custody and management of the library. The first trustees were J. I. Williams, Frank D. Hutchins, Geo. P. Rowell, I. W. Drew, and Emily Rowell. Geo. P. Rowell gave the use of the old academy building free for a term of five years on condition that the sum of five hundred dol- lars be raised by popular subscription. This condition the citizens very generously met by promptly raising that sum. Mr. Rowell also provided at his own expense a catalogue of the library at the time. This catalogue was of 140 pages, containing about 3,000 titles. This first catalogue of the public library was prepared by Rev. J. B. Morrison, minister of the Unitarian church, and Mrs. Philip Carpenter, the librarian. The library was thrown open to the public July 29, 1884. Since that time it has enjoyed a healthy and continuous growth, reaching close to 6,500 volumes at present, besides many pamphlets and public documents. In 1895 the town bought the land on which the building stands. It now has the use of the whole amount of the appropriation of $400 per year, as the town remitted the rent at the annual meeting in March, 1896. At the annual town-meeting of 1895 an appropriation of $500 was voted for the preparation and publication of a new catalogue of the library. The work of catalogueing the books is now complete at the hands of Mrs. Sarah J. Williarns, Mrs. M. A. Hastings, Miss Hawthorne, and a suitable catalogue has been published. The present board of trustees is I. W. Drew, Geo. P. Rowell, J. I. Williams, F. D. Hutchins, and Mrs. M. A. Hastings; Mrs. Sarah J. Williams, librarian. The library is much used, and is one of the most helpful institu- tions of the town. THE READING-ROOMS. During the spring of 1889, several ladies connected with the Women's Christian Temperance Union opened reading-rooms with a gymnasium connected in the north rooms of the town hall build- ing now occupied by Flanders's fruit store. Chief among the pro- moters of the enterprise were Mrs. M. A. Hastings, Mrs. C. A. Howe, and Mrs. Sarah W. Brown. These ladies secured funds enough on a subscription to meet the expenses of the rooms, about $350 a year. The rooms were well patronized from the start, especially the gymnasium. After a time, however, the privileges of that depart- ment were abused and it was closed. After the first year of the S-2 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. experiment it was seen to be a matter of considerable importance in the way of furnishing a place of resort for idle boys and young men who profited considerably by its services, and several men brought the matter before the town at the annual town-meeting of 1890. and secured an appropriation of Si 00 toward the expense. This amount was given by the town for four years, after which it was increased to $150, and next to $200, until at the town-meeting in March, 1896, when the town assumed the entire expense, and appointed a committee consisting of Mrs. M. A. Hastings, ISIrs. C. A. Howe, and ^Merrill Shurtleff, to have charge and manage the rooms as a town institution. In 1892 the rooms were moved to their present location in the south side of the town hall building. At that time a young people's friendship temperance club was organized, and assisted financially to the amount of $50 in fitting up the rooms, after which the club declined, and is not in existence. After the g}'mnasium had been given up a boys' brotherhood was organized and conducted by Rev. C. A. Young, minister of the Unitarian church, for some time ; but this is not now existing. The rooms have been used by the Woman's Christian Temper- ance Union always, as well as for other purposes, except evenings, when it is open to the public. That organization has, until the present year, 1S96, raised nearly two hundred dollars for the support of the rooms by soliciting subscriptions, and by ser\-ing dinners at town-meetings and sociables. The rooms are generously supplied with literature of a great variet}' — newspapers, magazines, illustrated papers, and books. They are also arranged for, and supplied with, a variety of games. A large number of boys and young men are constant visitors. After the periodical literature has done its full service in the rooms it is taken either to the jail, or to the lumber camps in winter and does sen-ice over again until worn out. The influence of the institution is thus widened. It is not conducted as a charitable or a reformaton,' concern, but as a public institution designed to meet a real want in the life of the village. It has had for a number of years the ser\-ices of Thomas D. Carbee for janitor and custodian. 'Sir. Carbee has taken a generous and kindly interest in the patrons of the rooms, and through a firm but kind discipline has managed them well. It is hoped that the time is not far distant when the public library- and the reading-rooms will be properly housed in one suitable building with the arrangements and conveniences required for such institutions.* * This hope has been fulfilled by the removal in 1899 of the " reading-room " to the library building. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. 523 CHAPTER XV. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. Until 1834 neither the town nor the village had any means of protecting property from the ravages of fire, except the simple one of pouring water upon it by means of pails. In that year a petition was signed by a goodly number of persons asking the town to take action toward adopting and defining portions of an act of the legis- lature of ]\Iarch 22, 1828, with respect to the duties of fire wards, and others in certain cases. The selectmen, in compliance with the wishes of the petitioners, called a special town-meeting on July 4, 1834. The meeting took favorable action on the petition, and appointed the following named men as fire wards : David Burnside, Warren Porter, Harvey Adams. Turner Stephenson. John Wilson, Royal Joyslin, Benjamin Stephenson, and Ephraim Cross. Since that time the list of fire wards has always been full, and has included among its members the most substantial business men of the village, until the village was incorporated as a special fire pre- cinct, since which time a different organization has obtained. Under the old system the village managed to protect itself against fires with very good success for more than twent}- years. During the greater portion of that time a rotary hand engine was used with satisfactory results, as most of the houses were only one stor\\ or one and a half stories high, with very rarely a two-stor}- building. Under the directions of the fire wards a volunteer company did etti- cient service, in return for which they were exempt from dut\' on "muster days,"- jury duty, etc. About 1850 taller and more valuable buildings began to be erected, and a growing demand for more adequate fire protection resulted in the organization of a new fire company in accordance with the laws of the state, which had become much improved with respect to the matter of protecting property from fire. In 1853 the town voted an appropriation of S200 for the purchase of a fire engine, on condition that enough more be raised by sub- scription to make the purchase of a satisfactory engine. Xot until 1857 was this measure carried out. At that time citizens had sub- scribed enough money to secure the best apparatus then in use. A committee consisting of David Burnside and Perr}- W. Pollard was appointed to make the purchase of the desired engine. They bought one for four hundred dollars, which was in use a long time. It was named the .E^tna. This engine gave ven»^ good satisfaction. In the following year, 1858, the old volunteer fire company gave place to one " organized according to law." This company was known as the " Lancaster Fire Engine company." Its organization 524 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. was perfected March 27, 1858, by the adoption of a constitution and an elaborate set of by-laws for its government. There were forty-five members, with the following officers: ist foreman, David B.Allison; 2d foreman, Anderson J. Marshall; ist leading hose, Webster M. Rines; 2d leading hose, O. E. Freeman; ist suction hose. Perry W. Pollard; 2d suction hose, J. G. Derby; treasurer, Charles B. Allen; clerk, Henry O. Kent; board of directors, D. B. Allison, J. G. Derby, P. W. Pollard, Gilman Colby, W. W. Hatch. At the annual town-meeting in March, 1863, the town voted to adopt chapter 1 1 1 of the Revised Statutes, which defines the duties and authority of fire wards. At that time it was found that the water supply was insufficient to meet possible demands upon it, and a reservoir system was adopted and built by a committee consisting of R. P. Kent, Jared I. Williams, and E. B. Bennett. Towards this enterprise citizens subscribed the sum of three hundred dollars, the town meeting the rest of the expenses. This system was reasonably satisfactory for some years, until larger amounts of water were neces- sary to effectually fight fire. In 1865, at a special town-meeting, called January 18, the sum of one thousand dollars was voted for the purchase of a better fire en- gine. E. B. Bennett, E. R. Kent, and J. I.Williams were appointed a committee to make the purchase. They bought a second-hand one in Boston that had done duty at Lynn, Mass., for the sum of $891. This engine was named the Lafayette. It did good work in the hands of a trained company, and saved much valuable property to its owners, the town feeling a just pride in it. In 1878 the town appropriated the sum of eight hundred dollars for the purchase of a force pump, to be placed under the grist-mill, to fill the reservoirs in case of fires. This measure was not carried out until 1885, when it was attached to a hydrant system. In 1890 the town voted to pay any "company, corporation, or village precinct that will construct sufficient fire hydrants of fifty pounds pressure to the square inch, one thousand dollars." At a special meeting Oct. 6, 1891, the town voted to organize a fire precinct, "under chapter 107 of the General Laws of New Hamp- shire." The old fire company was retained in force as Lafayette Fire company. Since Sept. 7, 1891, the village fire precinct has been a distinct civil or municipal body, holding its own elections, and providing for its own government under the laws of the state. At an adjourned meeting, Oct. 6, 1891, a committee consisting of E. R. Kent, N. H. Richardson, J. L. Moore, W. E. Bullard, and V. V. Whitney, was appointed to confer with the Lancaster Water company, a corpora- ation then constructing a system of water-works in the village, as to the cost of a competent hydrant system, and the number and loca- THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. 525 tion of hydrants sufficient to serve the demands of the village for fire purposes. At another adjourned meeting, held October 20 of that year, this committee recommended an agreement with the Lancas- ter Water company, by which the company was to provide a system of water-works, with a reservoir of 2,000,000 gallons' ca- pacity, with a twelve-inch main to Middle street along Main street, with a pressure of not less than eighty pounds to the square inch, and fifty-eight hydrants, at an annual rental of thirty-five dollars per hydrant, and three water-cart hydrants free of cost, and also two streams of water for public water troughs, and to supply water to families for domestic use at eight dollars per year, provided that the precinct rent the hydrants for a period of five years. This company also agreed to sell its system to the precinct at anytime prior to 1897, at the cost of its construction with ten per-c'ent. bonus and interest at six per cent, on the cost of construction less the net earnings of the company. At that meeting this proposal was accepted by the precinct, and a board of fire wards was elected, consisting of E. R. Kent, W. E. Bullard, W. L. Rowell, J. L. Moore, and K. B. Fletcher, with in- structions to conclude the agreement recommended by the previous committee. This board organized by the election of the following officers : E. R. Kent, chief engineer; W. E. Bullard, W. L. Rowell, J. L. Moore, and K. B. Fletcher, assistant engineers. Three hose companies and one hook and ladder company were formed as follows : E. R. Kent Hose Company, No. i. — George Congdon, fore- man ; Fred. W. Streeter, assistant foreman; Thoma^ Powers and W. B. Wilson, hosemen ; W. E. Ingerson and C. A. Root, in charge of hydrants ; F. Smith and Fred Streeter, executive committee ; W. H. McCarten, secretary and treasurer. yEtna Hose Company, IVo. 2. — J. M. Monahan, foreman; M. McHugh, assistant foreman ; Thomas Sullivan, clerk and treasurer. Lafayette Hose Company, JVo. j. — L. B. Porter, foreman; H. S. Webb, assistant foreman; H. Bailey, A. Pierce, hosemen; H. H. Noyes, clerk and treasurer. A. M. Billiard Hook and Laddei' Company , No. ^. — L. H. Parker, foreman; F. D. Peabody, assistant foreman; H. A. Keir and C. W. Brown, executive committee ; B. M. Leavenworth, clerk ; Fred B. Spaulding, treasurer. A new and commodious fire department station was fitted up by Frank Smith & Co. in a building of theirs on Middle street, where the several companies have their headquarters, and the apparatus is stored. The second floor of the building affords a large hall in which companies hold their meetings. The first floor is devoted to 526 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. the storage of trucks, hose carts, and other apphances. The build- ing has connected with it a tower for drying hose. Fire alarms are sounded upon a gong connected with the engines of Frank Smith & Co.'s mills and electric light plant.* One hose cart and hose is stationed on Main street, just above the Boston & Maine railroad crossing for use in emergencies in the north end of the village, while another hose cart and four hundred feet of hose are stored on Winter street for use in the Baker hill section of the village. All the apparatus is of the most improved kind, and the compa- nies are faithful in the use of it whenever danger calls them out. Few villages of its size has so good a fire protection. With its pres- ent organization, its boundless supply of water from the system which the precinct now owns, having purchased the water-works of the Lancaster Water company, property is in very little danger from fire. THE VETERAN FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION. For more than fifty years Lancaster has had some kind of organ- ized fire protection. Nearly every man connected with the business interests of the village has, at times, belonged to some of those organizations. The surviving members of the several companies of the past and present organized a Veteran Firemen's Association at a meeting called for that purpose on June 4, 1896, with the fol- lowing list of oflficers : John G. Derby, president; Henry O. Kent, Frank Smith, Edward R. Kent, vice-presidents ; Loring B. Porter, secretary ; Erastus V. Cobleigh, treasurer ; W. H. Thompson, A. G.Wilson, L. H. Parker, M. Monahan, M. Vashon, directors; E. R. Kent, L. H. Parker, Vernon Smith, E. R. Stuart, committee on by-laws. The first fire engine was what was termed a rotar}^ engine. The water was poured into the tub by a line of men (and at fires, wo- men) leading to the place of supply, while another line, facing the first, passed back the empty buckets. The machine was worked by cranks, with polished iron arms extending, when in place, eight feet each side of the tub, and capable of engaging, perhaps, twenty men at a relief. The house of this engine was at the northwest corner of the inn yard of the Coos hotel, next beyond the coach shed and alongside the garden, about where the rear of the livery stable on Canal street now is. The original rotary engine was dismembered, the pump connected with the machinery of Williams's machine shop and set * A complete fire alarm system by districts was established in 1899, with about a dozen stations, the alarm bells being that upon the Congregational church and one placed upon the roof of the Masonic Temple or Town Hall building. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. 527 in the basement as a force pump. It was destroyed by the fire that consumed that building. The yEtna, the strong but crude machine bought by David Burn- side and Perry W. Pollard in 1857 at St. Johnsbury, was housed temporarily in convenient sheds until the winter of that year, when Henry O. Kent and John G. Derby secured contributions of mate- rials, labor and a little money, and built the engine-house now in ruins, standing just east of the grist-mill. v^Itna engine had this until the Hunneman tub, "Lafayette," was purchased in 1864, when an engine-room and hall was finished off for the yEtna in rear of Frank Smith's block on Main street, where the north end of Eagle block now is, and which was burned in the great fire of 1878. ^tna was thereafter housed " under the arch," in comfortable quarters in the town hall building, until the era of the new fire department and erec- tion of the present commodious headquarters, when it was sent out to Grange Village, where it now is. "Lafayette" remains for special service ; but modern hydrants, hose companies, and hook and lad- der companies have supplanted the old firemen who " run wid der machine," or used the ponderous " fire hooks," of which a speci- men still exists at the old headquarters. The date of the organization of a fire department is from the erec- tion of the engine-house in 1888, and the establishing of quarters for two engines. From that date the fire wards, or their successors, the fire engineers, assumed command, placing engines and directing operations at fires. Edward R. Kent is easily the " Nestor " of the department, having served as fire ward and engineer for twenty-four years. PERSONS WHO HAVE HELD THE OFFICE OF FIRE WARDS SINCE 1835, TO THE ADOPTION OF THE FIRE PRECINCT IN 1 892. 1835. David Burnside, Warren Porter, Harvey Adams, Turner Stephenson, John Wilson, Royal Joyslin, Benjamin Stephenson, Ephraim Cross. 1836. John Wilson, Warren Porter, Benjamin Stephenson, Ephraim Cross, Joseph C. Cady, Royal Joyslin, Harvey Adams, Levi F. Randlett. 1837. David Burnside, Warren Porter, Benjamin Stephenson, John Wilson, Ephraim Cross, Harvey Adams, Apollos Perkins, John S. Wells. 1838. Royal Joyslin, Harvey Adams, Joseph C. Cady, Benjamin Stephenson, Warren Porter, John Wilson, Ephraim Cross, Noyes S. Dennison. 1839. John Wilson, John S. Wells, Benjamin Stephenson, War- ren Porter, Harvey Adams, David Burnside, Ephraim Cross, Royal Joyslin. 528 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. 1840. John S. Wells, John Wilson, Benjamin Stephenson, War- ren Porter, Harvey Adams, David Burnside, Ephraim Cross, Royal Joyslin. 1 841. Amos Balch, Royal Joyslin, David Burnside, John Wil- son, Ephraim Cross, John S. Wells, Benjamin Stephenson, Warren Porter. 1842. Warren Porter, Ephraim Cross, Harvey Adams, David Burnside, John Wilson, Royal Joyslin, Joseph C. Cady, John S. Wells. 1843. Joseph C. Cady, Ephraim Cross, John Wilson, David Burnside, Harvey Adams, Benjamin Stephenson, John S. Wells, Warren Porter. 1844. Warren Porter, John S. Wells, Ephraim Cross, Samuel Rines, Oliver W. Baker, David Burnside, Richard P. Kent, Reuben Stephenson, Harvey Adams. 1845. Ephraim Cross, Joseph C. Cady, Harvey Adams, James H. Hall, Royal Joyslin, Warren Porter, Samuel Rines. 1846. Harvey Adams, Joseph C. Cady, Reuben Stephenson, Ephraim Cross, Royal Joyslin, George F. Hartwell, James W. Weeks. 1847. Ephraim Cross, Harvey Adams, Reuben Stephenson, Albro L. Robinson, Royal Joyslin, George F. Hartwell, James W. Weeks. 1848. Ephraim Cross, Harvey Adams, Joseph C. Cady, Samuel Rines, Hazen C. Walker, Charles B. Allen, Jacob Benton, Charles S. Palmer. 1849. Harvey Adams, Jonathan Hovey, Lucius M. Rosebrooks, Jacob Benton, Richard P. Kent. 1850. Jonathan Hovey, Lucius M. Rosebrooks, Jacob Benton, Richard P. Kent. 185 1. John Lindsey, Webster M. Rines, Edwin F. Eastman, William Burns, Reuben Stephenson, Hosea Gray, George C. Wil- liams. 1852. John Lindsey, Harvey Adams, John W. Lovejoy, Horace F. Holton, George C. Williams. 1853. Anderson J. Marshall, David Burnside, John Lindsey, Royal Joyslin, Hazen C. Walker, Turner Stephenson. 1854. Richard P.Kent, John W. Lovejoy, Horace F. Holton, William Burns, Robert Sawyer, Frederick Fisk. 1855. Perry W. Pollard, Webster M. Rines, Robert Sawyer, Richard P. Kent, David Burnside, James A. Smith. 1856. John G. Derby, Richard P. Kent, John Lindsey, Enoch L. Colby, George Bellows, Frederick Fisk, George C. Williams. 1857. Jacob Benton, David Burnside, Samuel Rines, Richard P. Kent, John Lindsey, Perry W. Pollard. It seems that the $200 THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. 529 that was voted by the town in 1853, had laid in the hands of the selectmen. This year by a vote of the town it was paid over to the Engine Co. 1858. Henry O. Kent, Anderson J. Marshall, George A. Cos- sitt, David Burnside, John Lindsey, Ephraim Cross, John G. Derby, Richard P. Kent. 1859. Henry O. Kent, Anderson J. Marshall, David A. Burn- side, John Lindsey, Charles B. Allen, John G. Derby, Richard P. Kent. i860. Richard P. Kent, Anderson J. Marshall, David A. Burn- side, John Lindsey, Jared L Williams, Harvey Adams, Hartford Sweet, John H. Hopkinson. 1861. Anderson J. Marshall, John H. Hopkinson, George A. Cossitt, Hartford Sweet, Oliver Nutter, Enoch L. Colby, John. Lind- sey, Kimball B. Fletcher. 1862. Anderson J. Marshall, John H. Hopkinson, George A. Cossitt, Hartford Sweet, Oliver Nutter, Enoch L. Colby, Kimball B. Fletcher. 1863. Anderson J. Marshall, John H. Hopkinson, George A. Cossitt, David A. Burnside, John Lindsey, Ephraim Cross, John G. Derby, Richard P. Kent. 1864. John H. Hopkinson, Anderson J. Marshall, George A. Cossitt, Hosea Grey, Hartford Sweet, Enoch L. Colby. 1865. Anderson J. Marshall, John H. Hopkinson, George A. Cossitt, Hosea Grey, Hartford Sweet, Enoch L. Colby, Frank Smith. 1866. Anderson J. Marshall, George A. Cossitt, Hartford Sweet, Henry O. Kent, Enoch L. Colby, Hosea Grey, John H. Hopkinson, Kimball B. Fletcher. 1867. Henry O. Kent, Enoch L. Colby, Hosea Grey, John H. Hopkinson, Kimball B. Fletcher, Hartford Sweet, George A. Cos- sitt, Anderson J. Marshall. 1868. Henry O. Kent, Enoch L. Colby, Hosea Grey, John H. Hopkinson, Kimball B. Fletcher, Hartford Sweet, George A. Cos- sitt, Anderson J. Marshall. 1869. Henry O. Kent, Charles W. Smith, Ariel M. Bullard, Anderson J. Marshall, George A. Cossitt, Daniel Thompson, Kim- ball B. Fletcher, Orville E. Freeman, John H. Hopkinson. 1870. Henry O. Kent, George A. Cossitt, Anderson J. Mar- shall, Orville E. Freeman, Charles W. Smith, Edmund Brown, John H. Hopkinson. 1 87 1. Henry O. Kent, Anderson J. Marshall, George A. Cos- sitt, Charles W. Smith, John H. Hopkinson, Kimball B. Fletcher, Hosea Grey. 1872. Charles W. Smith, Henry Porter, Frank Smith, Erastus 34 530 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. V. Cobleigh, Charles E. Allen, George H. Emerson, Edward R. Kent. 1873. Charles W. Smith, Erastus V. Cobleigh, Edward R. Kent, Charles E. Allen, Henry H. Porter, Frank Smith, George H. Emer- son. 1874. Erastus V. Cobleigh, Edward R. Kent, Charles E. Allen, Henry H. Porter, Frank Smith, George H. Emerson, Ariel M. Billiard. 1875. William L. Rowell, Erastus V. Cobleigh, Edward R. Kent, Charles E. Allen, Henry H. Porter, Frank Smith, Ariel M. Bullard. 1876. Erastus V. Cobleigh, Horace R. Porter, Charles E. Allen, John G. Derby, Edward R. Kent, James Monahan. 1877. Erastus V. Cobleigh, Edward R. Kent, Ariel M. Bullard, John G. Derby, Charles E. Allen, James Monahan, William L. Rowell. 1878. Erastus V. Cobleigh, Edward R. Kent, Ariel M. Bullard, John G. Derby, Charles E. Allen, James Monahan, William L. Rowell, Frank Smith. 1879. Edward R. Kent, Ariel M. Bullard, Erastus V. Cobleigh, John G. Derby, Charles E. Allen, James Monahan, William L. Rowell, Frank Smith. 1880. Edward R. Kent, Ariel M. Bullard, Erastus V. Cobleigh, John G. Derby, Charles E. Allen, James Monahan, William L. Rowell, Frank Smith. 1 88 1. Edward R. Kent, Charles L. Griswold, Erastus V. Cob- leigh, Ariel M. Bullard, Charles E. Allen, John G. Derby, James Monahan, Frank Smith. 1882. Edward R. Kent, Charles E. Allen, Charles L. Griswold, Frank Smith, James Monahan, Erastus V. Cobleigh, John G. Derby, Ira E. Woodward. 1883. Edward R Kent, Ira E. Woodward, Charles E. Allen, Charles L. Griswold, Frank Smith, Erastus V. Cobleigh, James Monahan, John G. Derby, Ivan W. Quimby. 1884. Edward R. Kent, Erastus V. Cobleigh, Charles E. Allen, James Monahan, William L. Rowell, John G. Derby, F'rank Smith, Ira E. Woodward, Ivan W. Quimby. 1885. Edward R. Kent, Erastus V. Cobleigh, William L. Rowell, Charles E. Allen, Frank Smith, James Monahan, John G. Derby, Ira E. Woodward, Ivan W. Quimby. 1886. Edward R. Kent, Erastus V. Cobleigh, William L. Rowell, Frank Smith, Charles E. Allen, Nathaniel H. Richardson, Robert McCarten, Ira E. Woodward, William A. Folsom. 1887. Edward R. Kent, Erastus V. Cobleigh, Fielding Smith, Robert McCarten, Charles E. Allen, John G. Derby, Charles A. Howe, Ira E. Woodward. THE CIVIL LIST OF LANCASTER. 53 1 1888. Edward R. Kent, Erastus V. Cobleigh, Fielding Smith, Robert McCarten, Charles A. Howe, Willie E. Bullard, Isaac W. Hopkinson, Kimball B. Fletcher, Jr. 1889. Edward R. Kent, Erastus V. Cobleigh, Fielding Smith, John G. Derby, Charles A. Howe, Horace F. Whitcomb, Kimball B. Fletcher, Jr., WilHe E. Bullard. 1890. Edward R. Kent, Erastus V. Cobleigh, Fielding Smith, Charles A. Howe, John G. Derby, Horace F. Whitcomb, Kimball B. Fletcher, Jr., WilHe E. Bullard. 1 89 1. Edward R. Kent, Erastus V. Cobleigh, John G. Derby, Charles A. Howe, KimbaU B. Fletcher, WilHe E. Bullard, Virgil V. Whitney. At the first annual meeting of the fire precinct March i, 1892, it was voted that the officers elected be called engineers instead of fire wards. The first board of fire engineers were : E. R. Kent, W. E. Bullard, J. L. Moore, K. B. Fletcher, and W. L. Rowell. 1893. The same reelected. CHAPTER XVI. THE CIVIL LIST OF LANCASTER. The Names of Citizens of Lanxaster who Have Held National, State, County, and Town Offices. Senator in Congress. Jared W. Williams, U. S. Senate (appointed to fill vacancy), i853-'55- Representatives in Congress. John W. Weeks, 1829-33. Jared W. Williams, 1837-41. Jacob Benton, 1867— '71. Ossian Ray, 1880-84. Governor. Jared W. WilHams, 1847-48. Councilor. John H. White, 1839-42. Presidential Electors. William Lovejoy, Republican, 1828. John W. Weeks, Democrat, 1840. 532 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. John H. White, Free Soil, 1848; RepubHcan, 1856. Henry O. Kent, Repubhcan, 1864. Benjamin F. Whidden, RepubHcan, 1872. Fede7'al Aff ointments. "^ Benjamin F. Whidden, minister to Hayti, 1862-65. James M. Rix, government printing-office, 1853. Jacob Benton, inspector of customs, 1849. Ephraim Cross, inspector of customs, 1845. Henry O. Kent, postmaster U. S. Senate, i863-'64. Henry O. Kent, naval officer, port of Boston, i885-'90. George H. Emerson, clerk interior department and customs inspector, 1863. Delegates to JVational Political Conventions. Jared W. Williams, Democratic convention, Baltimore, Md., 1832.- James M. Rix, Democratic convention, Cincinnati, O. (alternate for Robert Ingalls of Shelburne, and attended in his place). John H. White, Republican convention, Philadelphia, Pa., 1856. Jacob Benton, Republican convention, Chicago, 111., i860. Henry O. Kent, alternate delegate at large, Republican conven- tion, Chicago, 111., i860; attended. William Burns, Democratic, Charleston, S. C, and Baltimore, Md., i860. Jared W. Williams, Democratic, Chicago, 111., 1864. Enoch L. Colby, Republican, Baltimore, Md., 1864. Ossian Ray, Republican convention, Philadelphia, Pa., 1872. Henry O Kent, Liberal Republican convention at Cincinnati, 1872. B. F. Whidden, Republican convention, Cincinnati, O., 1876. Irving W. Drew, Democratic convention, Cincinnati. O., 1880. Henry O. Kent, Democratic convention, Chicago, 111., 1884. William S. Ladd, Democratic convention, St. Louis, Mo., 1888. Irving W. Drew, Democratic convention, Chicago, 111., 1892 and 1896. State Senators. John W. Weeks, 1826-29. Jared W. Williams, i832-'35. ^ Ephraim Cross, 1844-46. James M. Rix, 1852-54. William Burns, 1856-58. John W. Barney, 1868-70. Irving W. Drew, 1883-85. Henry O. Kent, 1885-87. Chester B. Jordan, 1897-99. THE CIVIL LIST OF LANCASTER. 533 Presidents of the State Senate. Jared W. Williams, 1833-34. James M. Rix, 1853. Chester B. Jordan, 1897. Clei'k of the Senate. G. C. Williams, 1853-54. Clerks of the House. Henry O. Kent, 1855-59. Josiah H. Benton, Jr., 1870. Speakers of the House. John S. Wells, 1841. Chester B. Jordan, 1881. 3Ie?nbers of Constitutional Conventions. David Page, 1781. John Weeks, 1788, convention to ratify the constitution of the United States. William Cargill, 1791. John H. White, 1850. Jacob Benton, 1876. William Burns, 1876. William S. Ladd, 1889. WilHam H. Smith, 1889. y list ice of Supreme fudicial Court. William S. Ladd, 1870-74. Justice of Superior Court of fudicature. William S. Ladd, 1874-76. Justices of Court of Common Pleas. Richard C. Everett, 1813-15. Richard Eastman, i84i-'48. Reporter of the Suprejne Court. William S. Ladd, 1883-91. Judges of Probate. Benjamin Hunking, 1829—52. Jared W. Williams, 1852-53. 534 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. James W. Weeks, 1853-55. Turner Stephenson, 1855-68. Benjamin F. Whidden, i868-'74- William D. Weeks, 1876-85. Everett Fletcher, 1885-95. Clerks of Courts. Jonas Baker, court of common pleas, 1804— '10. Adino N. Brackett, court of common pleas and superior court of judicature, 1810-37. William Farrar, court of common pleas, i837-'39. James M. Rix, court of common pleas, 1839-56; supreme judi- cial court, 1847-56. Daniel C. Pinkham, court of common pleas and supreme judicial, 1856-68. Chester B. Jordan, supreme judicial court, 1868—74. Moses A. Hastings, superior court, 1874-76; and supreme judi- cial, 1 876-. Registers of Probate. William Lovejoy, 1822-29. George H. Emerson, 1875-77. Jared W. WiUiams, 1829-37. Charles B. Allen, 1877-80. George A. Cossitt, 1837-52. George H. Emerson, 1880-86. John W. Barney, 1852-55. Joseph W. Flanders, 1886-95. Albro L. Robinson, 1855-60. Fielding Smith, 1895-97. John M. Whipple, 1860-75. Burleigh Roberts, 1897- ON STATE COMMISSIONS. To Adjust Eastern Boundary of State. John W. Weeks, 1828. Henry O. Kent, 1858. To Survey and Allot Public Lands. Ephraim Cross, 1844. John M. Whipple, 1858. George C. Williams, 1858. Bank Commissioners. Jas.M. Rix, 1843-46; 1848-54. Henry O. Kent, 1866-69. On Construction of State Library. Irving W. Drew, 1894. On Construction of JVezv Prison. John W. Barney, 1874. THE CIVIL LIST OF LANCASTER. 535 Fish and Game Commissions. William H. Shurtleff, 1892. School Commissioner for Cods. Francis Laban Towne, 1858. State Board of Agricidttire. Barton G. Towne, 1871. Joseph D. Howe, 1893. Horace F. Holton, 1873, James W. Weeks. High Sheriffs. Levi Willard, 1805-12. Enoch L. Colby, 1857-67. Lemuel Adams, 1816-20. Samuel H. LeGro, 1872-77. John W. Weeks, i820-'25. George M. Stevens, 1887-93. John H. White, 1830-39. John T. Amey, 1893-95. Reuben Stephenson, i849-'5 5. Thomas C. Beattie, 1895-. County Commissioners. George R. Eaton, 1879-83. Andrew J. Congdon, i867-'70. James W. Weeks, 1873-76. Solicitors. Abraham Hinds, 1807. William Farrar, 1816-21. Jared W. Williams, 1821-38. John S. Wells, 1838-47. Saunders W. Cooper, i847-'49. William Burns, i849-'53. George C. Williams, i853-'56. Benjamin F. Whidden, i856-'63, Ossian Ray, 1863-73. Henry Heywood, i875-'77. William S.'Ladd, 1879-80. Abraham Hinds. Asa W^ Burnap. Wjlliam Farrar John M. Dennison. Reuben Stephenson, i830-'39. John W. Lovejoy, 1839-49. John S. Roby, 1849-55. Ira S. M. Gove, 1855-61. Registers of Deeds. Hezekiah B. Parsons, 1 861— '66. Benjamin F. Hunking, 1866—71. Charles W. Smith, 1871-76. Joseph W. Flanders, 1876-82. Charles A. Cleaveland, 1882-87. James M. Rowell. 1887-93. Charles E. Mclntire, 1893-95. Henry S. Hilliard, 1895-. County Treasurers John W. Weeks. Richard Eastman. George A. Cossitt, 1865-67. James M. Rowell, 1879-83. George R. Eaton, 1885-91. William H. McCarten, 1894-. 536 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Rep7'esentaiives to the General Court* Jonas Wilder, Jr., 1793. Jonathan Cram, 1795. Richard C. Everett, 1796-97; 1799-1802. WilHam Lovejoy, 1803-11. Adino N. Brackett, i8i3-'i'7. Richard Eastman, 18 18. Adino N. Brackett, 18 19. Richard Eastman, 1820. Adino N. Brackett, 1821-22. John Wilson, 1823-25. Richard Eastman, 1826-27. Adino N. Brackett, 1828. Richard Eastman, 1829. Jared W. Williams, 1830-31. Richard Eastman, 1832-34. Jared W. Williams, 1835-36. Adino N. Brackett, 1837. Richard Eastman, 1838. John S. Wells, 1839-42. In 1843 voted not to send. William D. Weeks, 1844. Harvey Adams, 1845-46. James M. Rix, 1847-48. Benjamin F. Whidden, 1849-50. In 1 85 I voted not to send. George A. Cossitt, 1852. Royal Joyslin, 1853. Jacob Benton, 1854. Jacob Benton, Edmund Brown, 1855-56. John M. Whipple, Jacob E. Stickney, 1857-58. George C. Williams, Seth Savage, 1859-60. In 1 86 1 voted not to send. Moody P. Marshall, Henry O. Kent, 1862. Moody P. Marshall, Samuel H. LeGro, 1863. Samuel H. LeGro, James D. Folsom, 1864. William F. Smith, Edward Spaulding, 1865. In 1866 voted not to send. Benjamin F. Whidden, Charles Plaisted, 1867. Henry O. Kent, Ossian Ray, i868-'69. In 1870 voted not to send. Benjamin F. Hunking, James LeGro, 1871. ♦Lancaster was a classed town from 1775 to 1S17, after which the town had its own representatives. THE CIVIL LIST OF LANCASTER. 537 John W. Spaulding, Seneca B. Congdon, 1872-73. George S. Stockwell, Edward Savage, 1874. John E. Dimick, James McCarten, 1875-76. George S. Stockwell, Francis Kellum, 1877— '79. Jared I. Williams, William Clough, 1879-80.* Chester B. Jordan, James Monahan, i88i-'82. Henry O. Kent, William S. Ladd, 1882-84. Frank Smith, Matthew Monahan, 1884-86. Charles A. Cleaveland, Robert McCarten, 1886-88. John M. Clark, Matthew Smith, 1888-90. Joseph D. Howe, George Farnham, Patrick Small, i890-'92. Alexander M. Beattie, WilHe E. Bullard, Gilbert A. Marshall, 1892-94. William R. Stockwell, John L. Moore, James W. Truland, 1894- '95- George W. Lane, George A. Hartford, James A. Monahan, 1896-98. County Coroners. W. Rosebrook, 1806. Benjamin Boardman, 1817. William Farrar, 1818. Ephraim H. Mahurin, 18 18. Benjamin Boardman, i8i'8. Reuben Stephenson, 1828. Benjamin Boardman, 1828. Reuben Stephenson, 1836. Benjamin Stephenson, 1840. Reuben Stephenson, 1841. Benjamin Stephenson, 1843. Oliver G. Stephenson, 1852. Amos LeGro, 1852. Oliver G. Stephenson, 1857. Anderson J. Marshall, 1859. Ira S. M. Gove, 1865. E. V. Cobleigh, 1884-91. Charles E. Allen, 1891-96. E. V. Cobleigh, 1896. J. M. Dennison, 1807. A. W. Burnap, 1808. Orrace Wallace, 181 1. Jonathan Carleton. Reuben Stephenson, 18 14 E. H. Mahurin, 1818. Noyes Dennison, 1820. William Dennison, 1822. Reuben Stephenson, 1825 Francis Wilson, 1826. Charles Bellows, 1826. John H. Willard, 1830. Deputy Sheriffs. Thomas Carlisle, 1831. Benjamin Stephenson, 1834. John Dean, 1836. William Cargill, 1838. Ephraim Cross, 1838. Reuben Stephenson, 1839. Noyes Dennison, 1840. Ephraim Cross, 1840. Reuben Stephenson, 1840. Benjamin H. Chadborne, 1844. Reuben Stephenson, 1847. Ephraim Cross, 1850. *Under the amended constitution the election of representatives occurs biennially, and offices hold for two years ; since 1878. 538 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. James H. Hall, 185 i. Oliver G. Stephenson, 1851. Ephraim Cross, 1854. W. S. Clark, 1857. Seth Adams, 1859. William Cargill, 1859. Ira S. M. Gove, 1863. Joseph S. Green, 1864. Charles F. Colby, 1866. Enoch L. Colby, 1867. William W. Lindsey, 1870. George S. Stockwell, 1872. William W. Lindsey, 1873. Leroy S. Stalbird, 1873. Freedom M. Rhodes, 1875. Benjamin F. Hunking, 1875. Leroy S. Stalbird, 1877. George M. Stevens, 1877. George M. Stevens, 1882. Richard Fletcher, 1886. George M. Stevens, 1886. Richard Fletcher, 1887. Geo. M. Stevens, 1887; 1892-93, Edgar Ingerson, 1893- • Moderators. Capt. Thomas Burnside, 1769.* David Cross, 1773. David Page, 1774-79. Jonas Wilder, 1780-82. David Page, 1783. Jonas Wilder, 1784. Emmons Stockwell, 1785. David G. Mason, 1786. Jonas Wilder, 1787-88. John Weeks, 1789. Jonas Wilder, 1790-92. John Weeks, 1793-99. Jonas Baker, 1800. John Weeks, 1801-02. Bryant Stephenson, 1803. Capt. John W. Weeks, 1804-05. Richard C. Everett, 1806. Stephen Wilson, 1807. Richard C. Everett, 1808. Bryant Stephenson, i8o9-'io. Stephen Wilson, 181 1. William Lovejoy, 18 12. Richard C. Everett, 18 13. Stephen Wilson, 18 14. Richard Eastman, 18 15. Adino N. Brackett, 18 16- 18. John W. Weeks, 1819-20. Adino N. Brackett, 1821. John W. Weeks, 1822. Eliphalet Lyman, 1823. John W. Weeks, i824-'2 5. Adino N. Brackett, 1826. Eliphalet Lyman, 1827-28. John W. Weeks, 1829. Richard Eastman, 1830-31. John W. Weeks, 1832-34. Richard Eastman, i835-'36. Eliphalet Lyman, 1837. Richard Eastman, 1838. Jared W. Williams, 1839. John H. White, 1840-41. Jared W. Williams, 1842. Gen. Ira Young, 1843-44. John H.White, 1845. George A. Cossitt, i846-'49. James W. Weeks, 1850. George A. Cossitt, i85i-'52. Jacob Benton, 1833-56. Benjamin F. Whidden, 1857-58. Henry O. Kent, 1859. Jacob Benton, i860. George C. Williams, 1861-62. Henry O. Kent, 1863-65. Benjamin F. Whidden, 1866. Henry O. Kent, 1867. Jacob Benton, 1868. * The Proprietors Records being lost from 1765 to 1769, it is not possible to give the names of the moderators during that period. -7" THE CIVIL LIST OF LANCASTER. 539 Henry O. Kent, 1869-72. Chester B. Jordan, 1872-73. Henry O. Kent, 1 874-75 • Chester B. Jordan, 1876. Henry O. Kent, 1877-80. Chester B. Jordan, 1881. Henry O. Kent, 1883-85. Irving W. Drew, 1886-88. Chester B. Jordan, 1889-90. Henry O. Kent, 1891-94. WiUiam P. Buckley, 1895- Tozun Clerks. Edwards Bucknam, 1769— '89. Samuel Johnson, 1790. Jonas Baker, 1791-96. Isaac Chaffee, 1796-1800. William Lovejoy, 1801-07. Briant Stephenson, i8o8-'o9. William Lovejoy, 1809-16. John Wilson, 18 17. William Lovejoy, i8i8-'2 2. John Wilson, 1823-25. George Wait Perkins, i826-'27 Turner Stephenson, 1828. Thomas Carlisle, 1829—31. Thomas Dennison, 1832-36. John W. Lovejoy, 1837. Reuben L. Adams, i837-'45. John S. Roby, 1845-49. Reuben L. Adams, 1849-57. David B. Allison, 1857-59. Reuben L. Adams, 1859-64. Charles E. Allen, 1864-66. Edward Savage, 1866-76. Charles E. Mclntire, 1877. John G. Crawford, 1^78. George H. Emerson, 1879. Charles E. Mclntire, 1879-81. Charles B. Allen, 1881. Charles E. Mclntire, 1882-86. Charles B. Allen, 1887-88. RolHn J. Brown, 1889-. Selectmen. 1769. David Page, Abner Osgood, George Wheeler, Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam. 1770. David Page, Edwards Bucknam, Emmons Stockwell. « 1 77 1. David Page, Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam. 1772. David Page, Emmons Stockwell, David Cross. 1773. David Page, Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam. 1774. David Page, David Cross, David Page, Jr. 1775. David Page, Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam. 1776. David Page, Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam. 1777. Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam, Moses Page. 1778. Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam, David Page, Jr. 1779. Jonas Wilder, Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam. 1780. Edwards Bucknam, Jonas Wilder. Emmons Stockwell. 1781. Jonas Wilder, Edwards Bucknam, Emmons Stockwell. 1782. Jonas Wilder, Edwards Bucknam, Emmons Stockwell. 1783. Edwards Bucknam, Jonas Wilder, Emmons Stockwell. 1784. Jonas Wilder, Edwards Bucknam, Emmons Stockwell. 1785. Edwards Bucknam, Jonas Wilder, David Page. 1786. Edwards Bucknam, David Page, Emmons Stockwell. 540 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. 1787. Edwards Bucknam, Jonas Wilder, Samuel Johnson. 1788. Jonas Wilder, Edwards Bucknam, Emmons Stockwell, Samuel Johnson, Jonas Baker. 1789. Edwards Bucknam, John Weeks, Jonas Wilder. 1790. Edwards Bucknam, Emmons Stockwell, Francis Wilson. 791. Emmons Stockwell, Edwards Bucknam, Francis Wilson. 792. Emmons Stockwell, John Weeks, Jeremiah W^ilcox. 793. John Weeks, Jonathan Cram, Jeremiah Wilcox. 794. Jonathan Cram, John Rosebrook, Titus O. Brown. 795. John Rosebrook, David Page, Dennis Stanley. 796. John Rosebrook, David Page, Dennis Stanley. 797. Richard C. Everett, Titus O. Brown, Nathaniel White. 798. Stephen Wilson, Nathaniel White, Titus O. Brown. 799. Stephen Wilson, Nathaniel White, Titus O. Brown. 800. David Page, Joseph Wilder, Levi Willard. 801. David Page, Benjamin Twombley, Jr., William Bruce. 802. William Bruce, Adino N. Brackett, Sylvanus Chessman. 803. Adino N. Brackett, Elias Chapman, Levi Willard. 804. Adino N. Brackett, Richard Eastman, Elias Chapman. 805. Adino N. Brackett, Richard Eastman, Elias Chapman. 806. Adino N. Brackett, Richard Eastman, Nathaniel White. 807. Adino N. Brackett, Nathaniel White, Richard Eastman. 808. Adino N. Brackett, John W. Weeks, Benjamin Boardman. 809. Adino N. Brackett, Richard Eastman, Jonas Baker. 810. Richard Eastman, John W. Weeks, Uriel Rosebrook. 811. Richard Eastman, John W. Weeks. 812. Richard Eastman, Ebenezer Twombly, Stephen Wilson. -813. Richard Eastman, Benjamin Boardman, Reuben W. Freeman. 8«4. Stephen Wilson, Abiel Lovejoy, Richard Eastman. 815. Adino N. Brackett, Abiel Lovejoy, Richard Eastman. :8i6. Richard Eastman, William Lovejoy, John Aspenwall. 817. Adino N. Brackett, John W. Weeks, William Lovejoy. 818. Adino N. Brackett, John W. Weeks, William Lovejoy. 819. Adino N. Brackett, Richard Eastman, John W. Weeks. 820. Adino N. Brackett, John W. Weeks, Richard Eastman. 821. Richard Eastman, Sylvanus Chessman, Joel Hemmenway. 822. Richard Eastman, John W. Weeks, Joel Hemmenway. 823. John W. Weeks, William Lovejoy, Joel Hemmenway. 824. John W. Weeks, William Lovejoy, Nathaniel Goss. 825. John W. Weeks, Nathaniel Goss, Samuel White. 826. Richard Eastman, Ephraim Cross, Nathaniel Goss. 827. Nathaniel Goss, John H. White, Ephraim Cross. 828. William Lovejoy, Edward B. Spaulding, Benjamin Stephen- son. 1829. Ephraim Cross, Richard Eastman, John H. White. THE CIVIL LIST OF LANCASTER. 541 830. John H. White, Reuben Stephenson, James B. Weeks. 831. Richard Eastman, Reuben Stephenson, Ephraim Cross. 832. Reuben Stephenson, Amos LeGro, John Smith. 833. John H. White, Adino N. Brackett, Richard Eastman. 834. John W. Weeks, Abiel Lovejoy, Reuben Stephenson. 835. Reuben Stephenson, John H. White, EHjah D. Twombley. 836. Reuben Stephenson, EHjah Twombley, Harvey Adams. 837. Solomon Hemmenway, Reuben Stephenson, Harvey Adams. 838. John H. White, Harvey Adams, William Holkins. 839. Reuben Stephenson, Harvey Adams, Barton G. Towne. : 840. Reuben Stephenson, William D. Spaulding, Barton G. Towne. 841. William D. Spaulding, Barton G. Towne, Richard Eastman. 842. Reuben Stephenson, William Lovejoy, William Holkins. 843. Reuben Stephenson, John W. Hodgdon, William Lovejoy. 844. Adino N. Brackett, Samuel Mclntire, John W. Hodgdon. 845. Barton G. Towne, Samuel Mclntire, James W. Weeks. 846. Reuben Stephenson, James Marden, Edward B. Mclntire. 847. Reuben Stephenson, James Marden, Edward B. Mclntire. 848. James W. VVeeks, Edward B. Mclntire, Barton G. Towne. 849. Reuben L. Adams. William R. Stockwell, James Mclntire. 850. John H. White, John W. Hodgdon, Joseph B. Moore. 851. George Alexander, William R. Stockwell, Joseph B. Moore. 852. Seth Sav^age, Silas Mclntire, Hiram Twitchell. 853. Seth Savage, William S. Clark, John W^ Hodgdon. 854. Seth Savage, James LeGro, William S. Clark (until August), William R. Stockwell (from August 26). 855. Seth Savage, James LeGro, Seth Adams. :-856. Charles Plaisted, William A. White, Seth Adams. 857. Charles Plaisted, William A. White, Fenner M. Rhodes. 858. Fenner M. Rhodes, William D. Weeks, Hiram Savage. 859. William D. Weeks, Hiram Savage, Samuel H. LeGro. 860. Samuel H. LeGro, William F. Smith, Charles B. Allen. 861. William F. Smith, Charles B. Allen, James W. Weeks. 862. Samuel H. LeGro, Edward Spaulding, Horace F. Holton. 863. Edward Spaulding, Horace F. Holton, Horace Whitcomb. 864. Seth Savage, Joseph B. Moore, Fielding Smith. 865. Samuel H. LeGro, Jason W. Savage, Charles B. Allen. 866. Samuel H. LeGro, James W. Weeks, Charles B. Allen. 867. Samuel H. LeGro, James W. Weeks, Charles B. Allen. 868. Samuel H. LeGro, Charles B. Allen, Jason W. Savage. 869. Samuel H. LeGro, James W. Weeks, Charles B. Allen. 870. Samuel H. LeGro, James W. Weeks, Hiram Savage. 871. Samuel H. LeGro, James W. Weeks, Hiram Savage. 872. Seth Savage, Charles S. Hodgdon, William J. Harriman. 873. Seth Savage, Barton G. Towne, Edward Emerson. 542 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. 874 876 877 878 879 880 881 883 884 885 886 887 888 889 890 891 892 893 894 895 896 897 898 William Clough, Francis Kellum, Edward Emerson. Seth Savage, Barton G. Tovvne, Philip Hartley. Seth Savage, Philip Hartley, Thomas S. Ellis. Samuel H. LeGro, Roswell W. Chessman, John Daley. Samuel H. LeGro, Roswell W. Chessman, John Daley. Samuel H. LeGro, Roswell W. Chessman, John Daley. Roswell W. Chessman, Edward Spaulding, Isaac W. Hop- kinson. Edward Spaulding, Erastus V. Cobleigh, Sylvanus R. Chessman. Edward Spaulding, Erastus V. Cobleigh, Jonas Powers. Samuel H. LeGro, John M. Clark, Daniel Truland. Samuel H. LeGro, John M. Clark, Daniel Truland. Samuel H. LeGro, James Bain, Charles C. Noyes. Samuel H. Legro, James Bain, Charles C. Noyes. Edward Spaulding, H. J. Guernsey, Willie E. Bullard. Frank Smith, Joseph D. Howe, Thomas C. Sheridan. Edward Spaulding, Henry S. Hilliard, Jonas Powers. Edward Spaulding, Jonas Powers, Richard H. Chessman. Charles A. Cleaveland, Thomas S. Ellis, Alvin J. Clark. Edward Spaulding, Henry S. Webb, George A. Cummings. Joseph D. Howe, Loring B. Porter, William R. Stockwell. Richard H. Chessman, William H. Hartley, Thomas S. Ellis. Richard H. Chessman (until June), William H. Hartley, Thomas S. Ellis, Willie E. Bullard (from June). William H. Hartley, Joseph D. Howe, Gilbert A. Marshall. Edward Spaulding, Gilbert A. Marshall, Fred S. Linscott. George M. Amadon, Frank Smith, Fred S. Linscott. Postmaslers . Stephen Wilson, Jr., 1803-08. Abraham Hinds, 1808-12. Samuel A. Pearson, 1812-29. Benjamin Hunking, 1829-42. Reuben L. Adams, 1842-50. Robert Sawyer, 1850-53. Harvey Adams, 1853-58. James A. Smith, 1858-61. Royal Joyslin, 1861-66. Oliver Nutter, 1866-73. John W.' Spaulding, 1873-78. Charles E. Allen, 1878-87. Charles E. Mclntire, 1887-91. Erastus V. Cobleigh, 1891-95. THE SOLDIERS OF LANCASTER. 543 John T. Amey, 1895-97. Fielding Smith, 1897-. WilHam G. EUis, Grange Village P. O., 1887-. Edward A. Steele, South Lancaster P. O., 1891-96. Thomas Sweetser, South Lancaster P. O., 1896-. CHAPTER XVIL THE SOLDIERS OF LANCASTER. By Col. Henry O. Kent. It is not within the province of this chapter to gather the names of all residents of the town who have served the state in the recur- ring wars of the country, or who have been enrolled in the militia. Frontier scouts or rangers and soldiers of the old French War were among her first settlers. Officers and soldiers of the War of the Revolution early gave force and character to her citizenship. Citizens of Lancaster served with distinction in the War with Great Britain, in the second decade of the present century, others were engaged in maintaining the authority of the state during the trou- bles at Indian Stream, and others enlisted in the gallant regiment that Pierce led and Ransom commanded in the War with Mexico. During the war for the preservation of the Union the town con- tributed freely of her people and her treasure to maintain the nation's life, and during all the years reaching back to the earliest settlement an enrolled, and most of the time an active, militia fur- nished the reserve from which officers and men were drawn for ser- vice on the battle-fields of the country or for duty at home. It is manifestly impossible to compile a list of all the soldiers of the town in the state's service during that long period when all able-bodied citizens between the ages of eighteen and forty-five were enrolled and mustered for regular duty, because such a roster would, in its entirety, comprehend nearly the entire male popula- tion. It has been decided, however, to collect in this connection the names of all citizens of Lancaster who have borne commissions in the federal or state military service, and to publish entire the list of all who served for the town in the great contest of 1 861— '65, with names of others in actual service in other wars. The rolls of the adjutant-general's office at Concord are not com- plete, but they have been carefully examined, and such information as they furnish is here presented. The state was early divided into territory assigned to each regi- 544 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. ment, and as the population increased this territory was in many instances restricted, while the number of the regiments gradually increased until, when the old establishment was at its height, about 1850, there were forty-two regiments; that in the territory corre- sponding nearly to the southern judicial district of Coos county being the Forty-second ; a single command, the Twenty-fourth, prior to this division comprising the entire county as at present constituted, and Jackson and Bartlett in the county of Carroll, then part of the county of Coos. For very many years there was an artillery company in each regiment; one always at Lancaster, and after the division, one at Stewartstown, in the Twenty-fourth. The original Lancaster com- pany had a light 3-pound brass cannon, without limber or caisson, manipulated by drag ropes attached to hooks at the ends of the wooden axle. The later guns were brass 6-pounders, with limber, managed in the modern way with horses and handled by bricoles. They were sent away during the days of the war to be rifled and recast, or turned in toward the procurement of the equipment of the First New Hampshire light battery. There were at times a cavalry company and several independent or light infantry companies. Lancaster has had at one time, under the old regime, an artillery company, an independent company, and the old line company, or, as it was sometimes most disrespect- fully called in the days of its decadence, the floodwood. Perhaps the crack light infantry company of the county was the Jefferson Guards, a company of splendid physique, striking in white pants, with black leggings, black plumes, and bearing a white silk banner on which was a life-sized bust portrait of Thomas Jefferson. Of course the command was from the town of Jefferson. But again a digression is checked. This chapter is not a history of the old militia or a description of its musters. It will not breathe of the shrill fifes or rattling drums, as heading the companies from Stark, or Carrol, or Dalton, or Jefferson, which streamed into Lan- caster before light of a muster morning, — they told of "The White Cockade," " The Road to Boston," or " Boney over the Alps " — but merely present a chronological record of the men who bore com- missions and who served the country in her later wars ; and so the Assembly is ended and the Roll-Call begins: Governor and Captain-General. Jared Warner Williams, June 3, 1847. June, 1848. Major-Generals. John Wilson, Second division, June 15, 1824. the soldiers of lancaster. 545 Brigadier-Generals. Edwards Bucknam, Sixth brigade, 1800. John Wilson, Sixth brigade, June 29, 1822. Ira Young, Sixth brigade, June 16, 1836. Jacob Benton, Sixth brigade, June, 1857. Staff Officers. Richard C. Everett, inspector and brigade major Sixth brigade, 1800. Charles J. Stuart, brigade inspector Sixth brigade, Aug. 10, 1822. Jared W. Williams, brigade inspector Sixth brigade, Gen. Lewis Loomis, Sept. 21, 1823. William Cargill, aid to Gen. George P. Meserve, Sixth brigade, Aug. 9, 1824. Jared W. Williams, division inspector to Maj.-Gen. Geo. P. Meserve, July 16, 1825. Ira Young, division inspector to Maj.-Gen. Jonathan Poole, April 19, 1826. Turner Stephenson, quartermaster Sixth brigade, Gen. John Wilson, Aug. 10, 1822. David Burnside, quartermaster Sixth brigade, Aug. 9, 1824. Jared VV. Williams, aid to Brigadier-General Wilson, Sixth brigade, Aug. 10, 1822. Hiram A. Fletcher, judge advocate Eighth brigade, 1850. Mark R. Woodbury, aid to Brig. -Gen. Moses Cook, Sept. 25, 1834. On Governor's Staff. Albro L. Robinson, aid to General Gilman, Aug. 17, 1839. Charles B. Allen, aid to General Gilman, Aug. 3, 1840. Col. John S. Wells, aid to Gov. John Page, July 4, 1839. Henry O. Kent, colonel and division inspector, Maj.-Gen. Nelson Converse, June, 1857. Ira S. M. Gove, brigade major Sixth brigade, June, 1857. Levi B. Joyslin, aid Sixth brigade, June, 1857. Col. William Burns, aid to Governor Williams, June 21, 1847. Col. George C.Williams, aid to Governor Dinsmore, June 15, 1849. Col. Edmund Brown, aid to Governor Metcalf, June 20, 1855. Col. Chester B. Jordan, aid to Governor Straw, June 6, 1872. Col. Edward R. Kent, aid to Governor Weston, June 19, 1874. Col. Ossian Ray, aid to Governor Prescott, June 7, 1877. Brig. -Gen. Ezra Mitchell, aid to Governor Bell, June 23, 1881. Brig. -Gen. Everett Fletcher, aid to Governor Hale, June 26, 1883. Brig. -Gen. Philip Carpenter, aid to Governor Currier, June 17, 1885. 35 546 history of lancaster. Twenty-Fifth Regiment. Col. Joseph Whipple of Dartmouth (Jefferson), commanding. Edwards Bucknam, lieutenant-colonel, 1787. Twenty-Fourth Regiment. field. Edwards Bucknam, lieutenant-colonel commanding, Dec. 28, 179-' Edwards Bucknam, colonel, 1797. Nathan Barlow, lieutenant-colonel commanding, June 9, 1801. Richard Clair Everett, major First battalion, 1802. Hopestill Jennison, major Second battalion, 1802. Richard Clair Everett, lieutenant-colonel, 1805. Stephen Wilson, major, 1805. Stephen Wilson, lieutenant-colonel commanding, 1812. Sylvanus Chessman, major, 18 12. John Wilson, colonel, 18 18. John H. White, colonel, June 18, 1825. Ephraim Cross, colonel, June 21, 1832. Ira Young, colonel, June 25, 1833. Jonathan W. Willard, lieutenant-colonel, July 8, 1826. Ephraim Cross, lieutenant-colonel, June 22, 1821. John M. Denison, lieutenant-colonel, June 9, 18 16. John W^ilson, lieutenant-colonel, June 19, 18 17. John M. Denison, colonel, June 19, 181 7. Jonathan W. Willard, colonel, June 26, 1827. John M. Denison, major, June 14, 18 14. Sylvanus Chessman, major, 1812. Joel Hemenway, major, June 23, 18 19. John H. White, major, June 15, 1824. Jonathan W. Willard, major, June 18, 1825. Ira Young, major, June 21, 1832. STAFF. John H. White, adjutant, June 22, 1820. Charles Baker, adjutant, July 9, 1824. Charles A. Going, adjutant, June 23, 1826. Ephraim Cross, adjutant, July 22, 1829. Joseph C. Cady, adjutant, June 22, 1831. George W. Perkins, adjutant, June 3, 18 14. William Denison, adjutant, July 3, 1818. Richard Eastman, quartermaster, June 11, 1811. Noyes Denison, quartermaster, Dec. 24, 1816. John W. Hodgdon, quartermaster, Nov. 10, 1827. THE SOLDIERS OF LANCASTER. 54/ George Bellows, quartermaster, July 22, 1829. William T. Carlisle, quartermaster, Aug. 23, 1838. Edwards Bucknam, paymaster, Dec. 9, 18 16. William Holkins, paymaster, July 9, 1824. Benj. H. Chadbourne, paymaster, Aug. 15, 1837. Eliphalet Lyman, surgeon, June 9, 1813. Jacob E. Stickney, surgeon, Dec. 21, 1836. George T. Dexter, surgeon's mate, Dec. 8, 1838. James R. Wheelock, chaplain, July 9, 1824. Orange Scott, chaplain, July 5, 1827. Haskell Wheelock, chaplain, July 22, 1829. LINE. Cavab'y. Thomas Carlisle, captain, June 9, 1813. Charles Hilliard, captain, Dec. 9, 18 19. Jesse Carr, lieutenant, June 7, 18 13. James Dewey, lieutenant, Dec. 9, 1816. Stephen Wilson, lieutenant, Aug. 9, 18 14. Samuel Bundy, lieutenant, June 9, 1813. John Lucas, lieutenant, July 15, 1820. William Mitchell, cornet, June 3, 18 14. Art i Her y. John Wilson, 3d, captain, June 13, 1820. Edwin F. Eastman, captain, Dec. 24, 1836. Seth Adams, captain, April 21, 1837. John Mason, captain, April 5, 1838. Josiah G. Hobart, captain, Aug. 8, 1828. William W. Chapman, captain, July 22, 1829. Jabez D. Philbrook, captain, March 3, 1831. Erastus Woodward, captain, July i, 1834. John W. Spaulding, lieutenant, June 13, 1820. Fred G. Messer, lieutenant, Aug. 8, 1824. Jabez D. Philbrook, lieutenant, July 22, 1829. Joseph C. Cady, lieutenant, March 2, 183 1. Erastus Woodward, lieutenant, Aug. 11, 1831. Seth Adams, lieutenant, July i, 1834. Caleb Walker, lieutenant, June 24, 1837. Ephraim Cross, lieutenant, June 13, 1820. Hezekiah M. Smith, lieutenant, Aug. 8, 1825. Harry Hobart, lieutenant, July, 1828. Joseph C. Cady, lieutenant, July 22, 1829. Erastus Woodward, lieutenant, March 2, 183 i. 548 HISTORY OF LANCASTER, Seth Adams, lieutenant, Aug. ii, 1831. Elijah D. Twonibly, lieutenant, July i, 1834. John Mason, lieutenant, Dec. 21, 1836. Joseph Greenleaf, lieutenant, April 5, 1838. Prescott Lovejoy, lieutenant, Feb. 17, 1840. FIRST COMPANY. Light Itifaniry. Samuel White, captain, Dec. 9, 1824. Abel Leavins, Jr., captain, Aug. 10, 1827. Joseph Chessman, captain, March 2, 1831. Daniel W. Allen, captain, Dec. 21, 1836. George W. Perkins, lieutenant. Dec. 9, 1824. Benjamin Stanley, lieutenant, July 18, 1828. Seth Savage, lieutenant, Dec. 21, 1836. Abel Leavins, Jr., lieutenant, Aug. 8, 1825. Oliver W. Baker, lieutenant, March 2, 1831. Oren Mason, lieutenant, Dec. 21, 1836. Infantry. John Wilson, captain, June 3, 18 14. Joel Hemmenway, captain, Sept. i, 1817. William Stanley, captain, Aug. 9, 18 19. Jonathan W. Willard, captain, June 17, 1820. Adna Crandall, captain, Aug. 8, 1825. Greenleaf C. Philbrook, captain, June 24, 1828. Levi F. Ranlet, captain, April 26, 1830. Harvey Adams, captain, June 14, 1832. Joseph Brackett Moore, captain, March 23, 1835, Daniel W. Allen, captain, Dec. 21, 1836. William D. Weeks, captain, April 25, 1839. Joel Hemmenway, lieutenant, June 3, 18 14. Samuel White, lieutenant, June 3, 18 14. Bailey Denison, lieutenant, Sept. r, 18 17. Jonathan W. Willard, lieutenant, Aug. 9, 18 19. Charles Baker, lieutenant, June 17, 1820. William Moore, 2d lieutenant, June 17, 1820. Adna Crandall, lieutenant, May 31, 1824. Greenleaf C. Philbrook, lieutenant, Aug. 8, 1825. John C. Moore, 2d lieutenant, Aug. 8, 1825. John C. Moore, ist lieutenant, June 23, 1828. Levi F. Ranlet, lieutenant, June 23, 1828. Harvey Adams, lieutenant, April 26, 1830. William D. Weeks, lieutenant, June 21, 183 1. THE SOLDIERS OF LANCASTER. 549 Joseph B. Moore, lieutenant, June 13, 1832. Seth Savage, 2d lieutenant, March 23, 1835. Seth Savage, ist lieutenant, Dec. 21, 1836. Daniel W. Allen, lieutenant, March 23, 1835. Oren Mason, lieutenant, Dec. 21, 1838. Edward F. Bucknam, lieu4:enant, April 25, 1839. John Sargent, lieutenant, April 25, 1839. Forty-Second Regiment. Organized, as before stated, from the division of the Twenty-Fourth regiment, in 1840. The last Regimental Muster was holden Saturday, Sept. 22, 1849, on " Burnside's Field on the Sand Hill" — the land now embraced by Pleasant Street, and its abutting properties. James H. Hall was colonel, Horace Whitcomb, lieutenant-colonel, and Orville E. Free- man, major. July 12, 1850, all parades, save of independent vol- unteer companies, were abolished. The muster of 1848 was on Baker Hill, where Winter street now is. In September, 1847, was an " Of^cers' Drill " of three days, on Cady's meadow, Gustave A. Breaux, a Norwich cadet, still living in New Orleans, being the instructor. FIELD. John S. Wells, colonel, June 22, 1840. James W. Weeks, colonel, July 6, 1846. James H. Hall, colonel, June 30, 1849. Horace Whitcomb, colonel, Jan. 8, 1853. Joseph W. Merriam, colonel, March 30, 1855. Orville E. Freeman, colonel, March 20, 1857. William D. Weeks, lieutenant-colonel, June 20, 1844. Erastus I. Abbott, lieutenant-colonel, June 22, 1848. James H. Hall, lieutenant-colonel. May 24, 1849. Horace Whitcomb, lieutenant-colonel, Aug. 21, 1849. Joseph W. Merriam, lieutenant-colonel, Jan. 8, 1853. Orville E. Freeman, lieutenant-colonel, March 30, 1855. Henry O. Kent, lieutenant-colonel, March 20, 1857. William D. Weeks, major, Dec. 7, 1840. James W. Weeks, major, Dec. 20, 1845. James H. Hall, major, Aug. 5, 1848. Jason F. Nutter, major, June 3, 1849. Orville E. Freeman, major, Aug. 31, 1849. Charles E. Connor, major, March 30, 1855. Henry O. Kent, major, Dec. i, 1855. Henry J. Whitcomb, major, March 30, 1857. 550 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. George A. Cossitt, adjutant, Oct. 2, 1841. William A. White, adjutant, March 8, 1844. John M. Whipple, adjutant, Aug. 5, 1848. Joseph W. Merriam, adjutant, Aug. 3, 1849. Henry J. Whitcomb, adjutant, April 18, 1853. Jared I. Williams, adjutant, April 9, 1857. James H. Hall, quartermaster, Sept. 4, 1847. James Spaulding, quartermaster, Aug. 3, 1849. Paschal M. Hovey, quartermaster, April 18, 1853. Robert Sawyer, paymaster, July 8, 1844. David A. Burnside, paymaster, Sept. 14, 1848. Jacob E. Stickney, surgeon, Oct. 2, 1840. George T. Dexter, surgeon, March 20, 1843. John W. Barney, surgeon, March 30, 1844. Henry Hill, chaplain, Aug. 3, 1849. LINE. Artillery. Prescott Lovejoy, captain, March 4, 1841. John Mason, captain, July 25, 1844. John Weeks, captain, Nov. 20, 1844. Erastus I. Abbott, captain, April 25, 1846. Jason F. Nutter, captain, Sept. 4, 1848. John M. Lindsey, captain, April 29, 185 i. Joseph H. Balch, lieutenant, Aug. 28, 1841. John Weeks, lieutenant, July 25, 1844. Erastus I. Abbott, lieutenant, Nov. 20, 1844. Jason F. Nutter, lieutenant, April 25, 1846. John M. Lindsey, lieutenant, Aug. 31, 1849. Mark Reed, lieutenant, April 30, 1850. George F. Stone, lieutenant, April 29, 185 I. John M. Smith, lieutenant, Aug. 28, 1841. Benj. H. Darby, lieutenant, Nov. 20, 1844. Orville E. Freeman, lieutenant, April 28, 1847. M. D. L. F. Smith, lieutenant, Aug. 31, 1849. Edward E. Cross, lieutenant. May 14, 1850. John G. Derby, lieutenant, April 29, 185 i. James S. Brackett, lieutenant, June t8, 185 i. Infantry. Edward I". Bucknam, captain, Oct. 2, 1840. James W. Weeks, captain. May 8, 1843. Samuel H. LeGro, captain, April 25, 1846. James Mclntire, captain, April 4, 1848. THE SOLDIERS OF LANCASTER. 551 Horace Whitcomb, captain, April ii, 1849. Charles E. Connor, captain, Aug. 31, 1849. William H. Heath, captain, April 16, 1855. Josiah Harrington, lieutenant, Oct. 2, 1840. James R. Whittemore, lieutenant, Sept. 2, 1841. James W. Weeks, lieutenant, Aug. 8, 1842. John Weeks, lieutenant, May 8, 1843. Samuel H. LeGro, lieutenant, Sept. 2, 1843. James Mclntire, lieutenant, Aug. ii, 1844. Horace Whitcomb, lieutenant, April 4, 1848. Charles E. Conner, lieutenant, April 11, 1849. Charles S. Hodgdon, lieutenant, Aug. 31, 1849. Jared I. Williams, lieutenant, April 2, 1856. James S. Freeman, lieutenant, Aug. 31, 1849. William R. Joyslin, lieutenant, April 2, 1856. In 1857 the militia was " reorganized " — all able bodied males between the ages of eighteen and forty-five were enrolled yearly by the selectmen when taking the April inventory, and returned to the adjutant-general. Three divisions and six brigades were desig- nated geographically, and major and brigadier-generals, with staff ofificers, appointed. There was no active militia for several years thereafter, and until after the great Civil War, save several incorporated associations, such as the "Amoskeag Veterans" and " Governor's Horse Guards," and a few independent companies, not more than half a dozen in all. The Governor's Horse Guards. A command of four companies of cavalry organized as a regi- ment. Its especial duty was to act as escort for the governor-elect at the capitol on " election day." It first paraded in i860, and its last parade was in 1865. Henry O. Kent, colonel, March 17, 1864. Henry O. Kent, major, Jan. 11, i860. Second Regiment, Volunteer Militia, lancaster rifles, company i. Jared I. Williams, captain, March 24, 1865. John G. Derby, ist lieutenant, March 24, 1865. Francis L. Cross, 2d lieutenant, March 24, 1865. Disbanded 1868. 552 history of lancaster. Third Regiment, Infantry. FIELD. Irving W. Drew, major, April i8, 1878. STAFF. Frank A. Colby, surgeon. May 8, 1878. LANCASTER RIFLES, COMPANY F. William G. Ellis, captain, April 11, 1878. Moses A. Hastings, captain, July 25, 1879. George H. Emerson, captain, Aug. 30, 1882. Frank A. Colby, lieutenant, April 11, 1878. Solon L. Simonds, lieutenant, June 25, 1878. Moses A. Hastings, lieutenant, June 25, 1878. Willie E. Bullard, lieutenant, July 25, 1879. George H. Emerson, lieutenant, June 24, 1882. Henry J. Cummings, lieutenant, Aug. 30, 1882. Richard B. Whitcomb, lieutenant, April 10, 1884. James H. Darby, lieutenant, April 10, 1884. Disbanded May 16, 1884. ACTUAL SERYICE. In the earlier da}^s of the state, regiments and companies were raised for scouting duty, for garrisons, or for different military expe- ditions, as occasion required, such as the taking of Crown Point, and the capture of Louisburg. In 1760 there were appointed ten regiments. The Twenty-fourth regiment was organized in 1792, after the adoption of the new state constitution. So far as can be ascertained from tradition and scattered mem- oranda, the men of Lancaster who were participants in the French and Indian wars and in the War of Independence, were as follows: FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS, 1755-63. Emmons Stockwell, Major Rogers Rangers. Thomas Burnside, Major Rogers Rangers and John Stark Rangers, David Page, Jr., Major Rogers Rangers. REVOLUTIONARY WAR, 1775-83. John Burgin, lieutenant. Dennis Stanley, ensign. John Weeks, lieutenant. Phinehas Hodgdon, sergeant. Joseph Brackctt, lieutenant. Moses White, aide to Major-Gen- eral Hazen. THE SOLDIERS OF LANCASTER. 553 Privates. Rev. Joseph Willard, Richard Clair Everett, David Greenleaf, Ebenezer Twombly, Isaac Darby, Samuel S. Wentworth, John Mclntire, Nathaniel White, Jonathan Willard, Abner Osgood, Samuel Page, Moses Page, James Rosebrooks, Eleazer Rosebrooks, James Hardy. Lieut. John Weeks was in service in the vicinity of Albany, N. Y. ; Lieut. Joseph Brackett served at the forts about Portsmouth (N. H.) harbor; Ensign Dennis Stanley was engaged on scouting parties; Jonathan Willard, Abner Osgood, Samuel Page, John Page, and Moses Page served under Captain Eames at the forts in the Cohas country; James Rosebrooks served in Whitcomb's Rangers from 1776 to 1779, and Eleazer Rosebrooks, James Hardy, and the other men in the foregoing list, not specially designated as on duty elsewhere, were in the Continental Line regiments. WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN, i8i2-'i5. John W. Weeks, major iith U. S. Infantry. John W. Weeks, captain iith U. S. Infantry. Benjamin Stephenson, lieutenant iith U. S. Infantry. Amaziah Knight, sergeant nth U. S. Infantry. Edwards Bucknam, sergeant iith U. S. Infantry. Allen Smith, musician iith U. S. Infantry. Orvin R. Dexter, musician iith U. S. Infantry. Privates nth Stephen Bullard, Gad Beecher, John Burgin, 2d, John Bickford, John English, Joel Farnham, Samuel Gotham, Robert Gotham, Alpheus Hutchins, John Hicks, John M. Holmes, Daniel Holmes, George W. Lucus, Jacob Mclntire, U. S. Infantry. Harvey Moore, Shepherd Morse, Jacob B. Moore, John W. Moore, Daniel Perkins, James Perkins, Levi Pratt, Edmund Sanborn, James B. Stanley, Israel Sanderson, John Wilson, George Ingerson, Abram Sanborn. 554 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Capt. Edmund Freeman's (of Lebanon) company at the Canada line, 1812 : Joel Hemmenway, sergeant. Stephen Hayes, fifer. Privates. Gustavus A. Hall, Amasa Page, George W. Moore, David Taylor, John Perkins, Benjamin Upham. Capt. James Mooney's* company at Indian Stream, 1835. The Indian Stream, or "Applebee War." Privates. James H. Balch, Eli Kenerson, Harry Boutwell, John Perkins, Alfred C. Greenleaf, Charles F. Stone, Douglass Ingerson, John Sweet. Dennis Jones, In Capt. Daniel Batchelder's (Bath) company. Ninth or New England regiment, Mexican War, 1 847 : Privates. James Powers, Harvey Wade ("Tinker" Wade), Jefferson Perkins ("Gentleman" Perkins). WAR OF THE REBELLION, i86i-'65. In the State Service. Henry O. Kent, aide to the adjutant-general with rank of colonel, April 16, 1 86 1 (detailed to organize recruiting in Coos county) ; assistant adjutant-general of New Hampshire, with rank of colonel, April 30, 1861. In the United States Service. FIELD. Edward E. Cross, colonel Fifth volunteer infantry (killed at Gettys- burg, in command of a brigade, July 3, 1863). Henry O. Kent, colonel Seventeenth volunteer infantry. * Captain Mooney was from Stewartstown. THE SOLDIERS OF LANCASTER. 555 Richard E. Cross, lieutenant-colonel Fifth volunteer infantry (com- missioned colonel 1865, but not mustered by reason of deple- tion of regiment). Richard E. Cross, major, Fifth volunteer infantry. It seems proper, from the value and prominence of their services, to add the names of, — Nelson Cross, born and reared in Lancaster; colonel of New York volunteer infantry; brigadier-general and major-general by brevet, who died in 1897. Harris M. Plaisted, born in Jefferson; educated and always at home in Lancaster; colonel of Maine volunteer infantry; brigadier- general United States volunteers, and governor of Maine, who also died in 1897. STAFF. John W. Bucknam, surgeon Fifth infantry. James D. Folsom, surgeon Seventeenth infantry. Horatio N. Small, assistant surgeon Seventeenth and Thirteenth infantry, and surgeon Tenth infantry. Ira S. M. Gove, commissary Seventeenth infantry. REGULAR ARMY. Francis L. Towne, assistant surgeon United States army, 1861 ; retired with rank of colonel; assistant surgeon general United States army, 1896. UNITED STATES NAVY. Alfred Titus Snell, rank of commander. SPECIAL DUTY. Ossian Ray, commissioned lieutenant and deputy provost-marshal during the later years of the war, assigned to duty in Coos county. Horace A. White, sutler Fifth infantry. Frank Smith, sutler Seventeenth infantry. LINE. Hugh R. Richardson, captain Company C, Second. Harrison D. F. Young, captain Company H, Second. Henry S. Hilliard, captain Company B, Fifth. Edmund Brown, captain Company B, Fifth. Charles P. Denison, captain Company A, Seventh, Freedom M. Rhodes, captain Company E, Fourteenth. 556 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Jared I. Williams, captain Compaii}^ A, Seventeenth. John G. Lewis, lieutenant Company H, Ninth. James S. Brackett, lieutenant Company A, Seventeenth, Joseph Chase, lieutenant Company A, Seventeenth. Charles N. Kent, lieutenant Company C, Seventeenth. Walter S. Bailey, lieutenant Company A, heavy artillery. John C. Jenness, lieutenant Company I, heavy artillery. Richard E. Cross, lieutenant. Company H, Fifth infantry. William H. Shurtleff, lieutenant Company I, heavy artillery. RESIDENTS OF LANCASTER, AT PERIODS SINCE THE WAR, BUT NOT DURING SERVICE. (This list is necessarily incomplete, but as full as possible from attainable data. ) \ Dr. Ezra Mitchell, Ninth Maine, medical cadet U. S. A. E. W. Wyman, lieutenant Maine infantr}^ Parker J. Noyes, Eighth Vermont ; lieutenant United States colored troops. Alexander M. Beattie, Company I, Third Vermont ; has congres- sional gold medal of honor. Sergeant Levi H. Parker, Eighth Vermont. Dr. Dan Lee Jones, Fourth Vermont and U. S. A. Thomas Sweetser, Fifth and Fiftieth Massachusetts. Thomas S. Thayer, Fifth New Hampshire. Stephen Simmons, Seventeenth Vermont. James N. King, National Guard. Frank M. Lucas, Eighth Vermont. George R. Bush, Sixth Vermont. Alvah B. Sleeper, Eleventh Vermont. Davis T. Timberlake, Twenty-third Maine. Charles Couture, Nineteenth Maine. Sergeant Charles E. King, Seventeenth New Hampshire. Harlow Connor, D, First Cavalry. Edward B. Beach, Ninth Vermont. Frank C. Grant, Vermont Volunteers. George W. Cummings, Sixth, Ninth, Seventeenth New Hampshire. Patrick Gleason. Joseph Forshy. Sergeant Charles Forbes, Company H, Thirteenth New Hampshire. John W. Stevens, First Vermont Cavalry. Calvin Fuller, Third Vermont. Henry J. Cummings, A, Third New Hampshire. (It is impossible to present the. names of non-resident soldiers, deceased, sometime resident of Lancaster.) THE SOLDIERS OF LANCASTER. 557 Second Regiment Infantry. Chas. W. Fletcher, sergt. Co. F. Richard O. Young, Co. F. Charles Buck, Co. F. George Burt, Co. F. Joseph Benway, Co. F. George W. Morgan, Co. F. Patrick McCaffrey, Co. F. Charles F. Nutter, Co. F. George Robinson, Co. F. Gilman Aldrich, Co. F. Levi P. Barrows, Co. F. Jerome H. Brown, Co. F. Ebenezer Carpenter, Co. F. Ira G. Douglass, Co. F. Oliver P. Day, Co. H. Morrill C. Day, unknown. James Martin. Charles E. Mclntire, Co. G. Samuel O. Nutter Co. F. John Puryea, Co. K. Benjamin Sawyer, Co, F. Joseph Thompson, Co. D. Third Regiment. Orville R. Moulton, sergt. Co. I. Thomas Cassady, corp. Co. I. Edwin R. Jones, corp. Co. I. Nelson B. Lindsey, corp. Co. I. John W. Morse, musician Co. I. James Blanchard, Co. I. Frederick T. Bennett, Co. I. John H. Cameron, Co. I. Oscar Gaines, Co. I. Charles H. Kane, Co. I. William Wilkins, Co. I. Calvin O. Wilkins, Co. I. Frederick A. Wentworth, Co. Charles M. Blood, Co. I. Andrew J. Fowler, Co. I. James Moulton, Co. I. John W. Moulton, Co. I. Orange Fisk, Co. H. Charles Williams, Co. Michael Geno, Co. D. Fourth Regiment. George L. Harrington, Co. K. K. James Taylor, Co. C. Fifth Regiment. Freeman Lindsey, wagonmaster. John G. Sutton, Co. B. William A. Corson, Co. B. James Cummings, Co. B. Alexander Cummings, Co. B. W^illiam G. Ellis, Co. B. Levi J. Corson, Co. B. Michael Cassady, Co. B. James Cassady, Co. B. Michael Eagan, Co. B. Erastus W. Forbes, Co. B. Leonard W. Howard, Co. B. Francis Heywood, Co. B. Sylvanus Chessman, Co. F. Richard Fletcher, Co. B. George H. Nickerson, Co. F. Milton A. Adams, Co. A. Enoch N. Clement, Co. A. James Colby, Co. B. Reuben F. Carter, Co. K. Joseph Hart, bugler, Co. D. Joseph P. Matthews, Co. H. Martin McCormic, Co. F. Daniel Mahone}-, Co. F. George W. Marden, Co. A. Charles D. Farrington, Co. B. 558 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Louis Lapointe, Co. B. Edward Sweeney. Eldad A. Rhoades, sergt. Co. B. Solomon Wilson, Co. B. Hosea Stone, Co. B. Jonathan Dow, Co. B. Sixth Regiment. Edward Gillingham, Co. H. Theodore Hagerman, Co. K. Harvey Knip, Co. A. Harvey H. Lucas, Co. H. Charles Parker, Co. F. Charles E. Rogers, Co. H. Aaron Wight, Co. L Franklin Walker, Co. A. Seventh Regiment. Frederick Ingerson, Co. A. James S. Lucas, Co. A. Alden Lewis, Co. A. Philip McCaffrey, Co. A. John L. Meserve, Co. A. Cyrus Savage, Co. A. Charles C. Beaton, Co. G. Daniel T. Johnson, Co. G. James A. King, Co. B. Joseph Lary, Co. H. Eighth Regiment. Wellington Brown, Co. G. William Cloutman, Co. F. George C. French, Co. C. William B. Hetson, Co. E. John Jordan, Co. E. Allen Johnson, Co. F. James S. Lome, Co. H. Peter Larson, Co. D. Jonathan Metcalf, Co. G. Charles O. Merry, Co. G. Michael O'Flanigan, Co. G. Adam Osborne, Co. C. Jacob Renold, Co. G. Oliver Sules, Co. G. William H. Veazie, Co. G. Joseph G. Wolcott, Co. G. William Brown, Co. F. Ninth Regiment. Frederick Morse, corp. Co. H. William H. Allen, Co. H. William H. Farnham, Co. H. Henry H. Moulton, Co. H. Freeman H. Perkins, Co. H. Henry H. Sanderson, Co. H. Lucien F. Thomas, Co. H. Simon Connary, Co. H. George W. Cummings, Co. H. Ira G. Douglass, Co. F. Loren E. Stalbird, Co.. H. Joseph E. Hodge, Co. H. Edwin R. Jones, Co. H. John G. Lewis, 2d, Co. H. Harvey H. Lucas, Co. H. Paul Perkins, Co. H. Charles E. Rogers, Co. H. Sanford E. Dinsmore, Co. H. Harrison E. Round, Co. H. George Tenry, Co. F. William H. Wilkins, Co. John Boudle, Co. H. Nelson Palmer, Co. H. Sumner Perkins, Co. H. John Mooney, Co. H. H. Eleventh Regiment. John Burgin, Co. G. THE SOLDIERS OF LANCASTER. 559 Thirteenth Reglment. Otis B. Harriman, Co. D. Fourteenth Regiment. Hiram J. Round, sergt. Co. E. Lewis P. Summers, sergt. Co. E. Abel H. Wesson, Co. E. Frank Boutwell, Co. E. Moses Colby, Co. E. Alden A. Dow, Co. E. Joseph M. Gray, Co. E. Ida A. Hodge, Co. E. Edward Jarvis, Co. E. William Jarvis, Co. E. Andrew J. Lang, Co. E. Charles E. Nutter, Co. E. Spaulding S. Rich, Co. E. William Sherwood, Co. E. W. H. H. Stalbird, Co. E. Edward B. Wilder, Co. E. David Young, Co. E. Thomas Cassady, Co. F. Frederick O. Hayes, Co. F John McMahon, Co. L William Blair, Co. E. Edward Lotcher, Co. F. Thomas Wentworth, Co. E Benj. F. Moulton, Co. E. Seventeenth Regiment. John P. Denison, com. sergt. Ezra H. Bennett, sergt. Co. A. Charles A. Larkin, sergt. Co. A. Geo. H. Emerson, corp. Co. A. H. E. Hadlock, hdqrs. Co. A. Thomas P. Moody, corp. Co. A. Harvey H. Lucas, Co. A. Walter S. Bailey, hdqrs. Co. A. Simpson E. Chase, wardmaster, Co. A. Thomas Cunningham, Co. A. John G. Derby, ord. sergt. Co. C. Willard A. Jackson, Co. A. Alfred L. Jackson, Co. A. John C. Jenness, clerk, O. M. S. John C. Moore, Co. A. Henry McCarthy, Co. A. Sidney H. Peaslee, wagonmaster, Co. A. Sumner Perkins, Co. A. Alfred C. Pratt, Co. A. William C. Putnam, Co. A. Frank Rafferty, Jr., Co. A. Albro L. Robinson, hosp. steward. James Ross, Co. A. William L. Rowell, sergt. Co. A. Jason Sherwood, Co. A. John W. Smith,. Co. A. Cyril C. Smith, Co. A. Eighteenth Regiment. Michael Early, Co. H. Patrick Cassady, Co. K. Heavy Artillery. William G. Ellis, Co. L Joseph H. Wilder, Co. L Zeb Twitchell, Co. L William M. Gushing, Co. L Richard M. J. Grant, Co. I. Phineas R. Hodgdon, Co. L Horatio O. Lewis, Co. L Joseph P. Matthews, Co. I. $60 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Charles Sherwood, Co. I. John Monahan, Co. I. George Robinson, Co. I. John G. Monahan, Co. I, Isaac F. Cotton, Co. I. Samuel S. McDonald, Co. I. Roswell C. Chessman, Co. I. Orville R. Moulton, light battery, Joseph B. Cloutman, Co. I. or Co. M. Richard H. Emerson, Co. I. Jason Sherwood, Co. I. John M. Farnham, Co. I. Hezekiah E. Hadlock. Edwin Farnham, Co. I. Company G, Second United States Sharpshooters. Zeb Twitchell. Joseph K. Hodge. Reuben F. Carter. James S. Kent. Thomas S. Ellis. Horace F. Morse. Reuben Gray. First New England Cavalry. Kimball A. Morse, Co. L. John K. Burton, Co. F. Michael Leary, Co. F. Commissions, 21 Enlistments, 240 Total, 261 Probably about 230 different soldiers. Regiment and Company Unknown. Allison Chapman, recruit. George C. Wilson, recruit. Henry Long, recruit. Harpless Ellison, recruit, William Ward, recruit. Nelson Heath, recruit. Luke Odell, recruit. George Williams, recruit. Alexander Lilley, recruit. Louis Warren, recruit. Joseph Staples, recruit. Charles Wilson, recruit. Peyton Jackson, colored, Washington, August, 1864. William Harden, colored, Washington, August, 1864. John F. Sims, colored, Washington, August, 1864. John F. Newman, colored, Washington, August, 1864. It is perhaps needless to say that the foregoing lists of sol- diers do not comprehend the names of all present or past citizens THE SOLDIERS OF LANCASTER. 56 1 of Lancaster who have served in the miHtia or the armies of the Union, but only of those who were citizens of the town during their time of service, and who are credited to Lancaster on the official records of the period, and of those now resident in town. Since the compilation of the foregoing, the following additional information concerning the of^cers in command of the militia in the regiments embracing the county of Coos has been furnished by Hon. A. S. Batchellor, state historian : Field officers of the militia regiment, covering the northwestern part of Grafton county (then embracing the present county of Coos) : The Provincl\l Period. From 1773, 1774, 1775, until August 24: John Hurd, colonel, Haverhill. Asa Porter, lieutenant-colonel, Haverhill. William Simpson, major, Orford. Revolutionary Period. The state was divided into sixteen regiments August 24, 1775, 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, 1780, 1781, and to January 12, 1782 : Israel Morey, colonel, Orford. Charles Johnson, lieutenant-colonel, Haverhill. Jonathan Child, first major, Lyme. John Hale, second major, Haverhill. By act of assembly. Lieutenant-colonel Charles Johnson was given command of the regiment in place of Morey, January 12, 1782, on account of the relations of the latter with the " Vermont movement" (the forming of an independent government, by the towns on either side of the river, in the Connecticut valley, with Hanover as the focus). No record is found as to the other field officers. After the promotion of Johnson, who was colonel to 1785, Major Child was, however, mixed with the Vermont movement, as was Morey. Twenty-Fifth Regiment. A new organization of the regiments, and increase in their num- ber, was effected in 1785, the field officers of the regiment in this territory being for 1785, 1786, 1787, 1788, 1789, a break in the records here appearing until March 26, 1793 : Joseph Whipple, colonel, Jefferson (then Dartmouth). Edwards Bucknam, lieutenant-colonel, Lancaster. John Young, major first battalion, Lisbon. Asa Bailey, major second battalion, Landaff. -,6 562 history of lancaster. Twenty-Fourth Regiment. March 26, 1793. Edwards Bucknam, lieutenant-colonel commanding, Lancaster. John Young, major first battalion, Lisbon. Jabez Parsons, major second battalion, Colcbrook. Young retired as major in 1798, when Amos Wheeler of Fran- conia was commissioned major of the first battalion. 1799 and 1800 — Jabez Parsons, Colebrook; Amos Wheeler, first battalion, Franconia ; Nathan Barlow, second battalion, Strat- ford. i8oi-'o2-'o3 — Nathan Barlow, Stratford ; Richard C. Everett, Lan- caster; Hopestill Jennison, Lancaster. June 4, 1804 — Richard Clair Everettif, Lancaster; Stephen Wilson, Lancaster; Jeremiah Fames, Jr., Stewartstown. THE WAR WITH SPAIN AND IN THE PHILIPPINES. (We are enabled, just as this chapter goes to press (1899) to add in this connection names of Lancaster men, so far as ascertained, engaged in the Spanish War and its consequent service.) John W. Weeks, captain Massachusetts brigade naval militia. Harry Hayes, U. S. S. Pawnee. Charles Cragie, 71st N. Y. Vol. Inf. Alexander Kier, ist N. H. Vol. Inf. Fred Fuller, ist N. H. Vol. Inf. Ernest Dow, 14th Minn. Vol. Inf. Charles French, ist Vt. Vol. Inf. Frank Cassady, ist Vt. Vol. Inf. *N. H. Prov. Papers, Vol. 7, p. 578 ; N. H. State Papers, Vol 4, pp. 256 and 558. t Upon the promotion of Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson, at this time, by reason of the removal of Colonel Moray from his command, on account of his identification with the "Vermont Movement," and the consequent ]:)rejudicial effect on the regiment, one or more vacancies in the field officers resulted, but what appointments or promotions resulted is not shown by the records. Major Child was in the same boat as Morey, as regards the Vermont affair. Old records mention Hale, by the title of colonel (possi- bly lieutenant-colonel). Child would not have been promoted — Hale might have been ; there is doubt concerning such promotion, however. \ New Hampshire State Papers, Vol. 8, p. 928. § New Hampshire State Papers, Vol. 20, p. 261. II New Hampshire State Papers, Vol. 22, pp. 738-740. T[ In 1805 Coos county was organized according to the act of 1803 establishing it, and December 13, 1804, that part of Grafton outside the limits of the new county that had been included in the Twenty-fourth regiment was " set off " for the Thirty-second regi- ment. The militia of Coos remained the Twenty-fourth regiment, mustering annually alternately at Lancaster and Colebrook until 1S40, when that part in the present southern judicial district of Coos was assigned to the Forty-second regiment, and so remained until the abolition of the militia system in 1850. Main Street, aijove Lancaster House, il Main Street, above Court-house, 1868. CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 563 Patrick McRae, Mass. Vol. Inf. Frank McRae, Mass. Vol. Inf. Thomas Hopkins, 26th U. S. Vol. Inf. Isaac McGoff, 26th U. S. Vol. Inf. Elwyn R. Marsh, 46th U. S. Vol. Inf. Henry C. Whittier, 46th U. S. Vol. Inf. George W. Foshey, 46th U. S. Vol. Inf. CHAPTER XVIII. CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN OF LANCASTER. [Being a reprint of the essential parts of the "Centennial Pamphlet" of 1864, — "J. M. W. Yerrington, Reporter. Published by Edward Savage, Bookseller."] In accordance with a notice extensively circulated by a committee of the citizens of Lancaster, the one hundredth anniversary of the settlement of this town was celebrated on Thursday, July 14, 1864. Invitations had been extended to very many of the former residents of the town, now scattered throughout the broad Union, to revisit their early home, and take part in the exercises of the occasion. To these invitations a large number responded in person or by letter. Among the prominent gentlemen from abroad were Hon. Edward D. Holton, of Milwaukee, Wis.; John B. Brown, Esq., of Portland, Me. ; Nathaniel White, Esq., of Concord, and I. B. Gorham, Esq., of St. Johnsbury, Vt. A national salute, fired from two old field pieces, taken from the British by Stark, at Bennington, the display of flags and the ringing of bells, ushered in the day. At an early hour the stream of travel from the neighboring towns, on both sides of the river, commenced, and soon the usually quiet town presented an animated and holiday aspect. In the village itself all labor was suspended, and the people gave themselves up to the unrestrained enjoyment of the day, and the exercise of a general and cordial hospitality. The day was one of enchanting loveliness. Nature, with radiant smiles, welcomed her truant children, returning from crowded city or town to her motherly embrace, and fanned them with the breath of gales that " winnowed fragrance round the smiling land." Well might these wanderers from the lovely valley where their youth was cradled repeat the lines of Gray, on revisiting Eton : Ah, happy hills! ah, pleasing shade ! Ah, fields beloved in vain ! Where oft my careless childhood strayed A stranger yet to pain ; 564 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. 1 feel the gales that round ye blow A momentary bliss bestow ; As waving fresh their gladsome wing, My weary soul they seem to soothe, And redolent of joy and youth, To breathe a second spring. A procession was formed at 9 : 30 o'clock, on the south side of Elm street, the right resting tipon Main, which soon after ten o'clock moved in the following order : Aid. Marshal-in-Chief. Aid. Lancaster Cornet Band, Lt. Albert F. Whipple, leader. North Star Commandery of Knights Templar, ' Sir Kt. J. L Williams, commander. Aid. North Star Lodge No. 8, A. F. & A. M., Aid. B. F. Hunking, W. Master. Engine Company, No. i . State and Town officials. Aid. Committee of Arrangements. Aid. Officers of the Day and Committees. President of the Day. Distinguished Visitors in carriages. County officials and Government officers. Soldiers bearing the National Flag. Venerable settlers and residents of the Town, in carriages. The Reverend Clergy. Lancaster Glee Club. Aid. The Sabbath Schools Aid. connected with the various churches. Aid. Citizens of Lancaster. Aid. Aid. Citizens of other towns. Aid. Appropriate banners and flags were displayed by the several societies, and the glorious stars and stripes, conspicuously exhibited at several points, thrilled the heart w-ith their patriotic associations. The route of the procession was up Main street to the Lancaster House, where the president of the day, with other distinguished guests, was received ; thence up Main to North, and down again to the space adjoining the Congregational church, where the literary exercises were to take place, a window having been removed from the north side of the church, and a temporary platform erected that all, both inside and out, might have an opportunity to see and hear. The church was soon crowded to its utmost capacity, and the space adjoining well filled by a large company waiting the com- mencement of the exercises. The number present was variously estimated at from two to three thousand. Inside the church several of the most venerable citizens occupied the front seats. Among them were Emmons Stockwell, Reuben G. Freeman, Francis Wilson, Douglass Spaulding, Ephraim Stockwell, Spencer Clark, William Holkins, Benjamin Hunking, and Beniah Colby. CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 565 At 1 1 o'clock the exercises were commenced with music by the cornet band, at the conclusion of which Colonel Kent, chief marshal, said : My friends, I regret to commence the exercises of the day by making excuses or apologies ; but it is necessary I should do so, in order to a correct understand- ing of the remaining part of the programme. It was thoroughly understood that Colonel Farrar, of Oregon, was to deliver the oration, and he gave me his per- sonal pledge, on the 5th inst., that he would be here without fail. He was in Washington a few days ago, and the recent rebel incursion into Maryland, sun- dering the connection between that city and the rest of the country, has, I suppose, rendered it impossible for him to be here. Several gentlemen, who were invited, and also expected to be present. His Excellency, Governor Andrew, of Masaachussetts and His Excellency, Governor Gilmore, of this state, among others, have found it impossible for them to be here, in consequence of the busi- ness that has been thrust upon them from the same cause — the rebel raid. I have received letters from several of these gentlemen, which will be read at the proper time. But I am happy to say, that on this anniversary of the settlement of our good old town, we are not to be without speakers who will entertain us. There are gentlemen present from abroad, who, having served their country honorably in posts of danger, have come back to join with tliose who remain at home in cele- brating this glorious anniversary, and others, who, in civil life, have honored by their success the town of their nativity. From them, you will be glad to hear. I take pleasure in saying that the programme at the dinner will be fully carried out. And now, fellow-citizens, I am happy in introducing to you the president of the day, Hon. David H. Mason, a Lancaster boy, whom yon will rejoice to welcome here to-day, who will preside on the occasion, and will address you, in the absence of the orator. Rev. David Perry, of Brookfield, Vt., then invoked the divine blessing upon all the proceedings of the day, after which the follow- ing song, written for the occasion by Henry O. Kent, Esq. (music by L. O. Emerson of Boston), was sung by the Glee club in a most acceptable manner : The mountains look down in their grandeur and pride. On the home of our childhood to-day ; On the wandering children who roamed from their side To gather rare flowers by the way. They're united again in the dear old town, 'Mong the streams and the woods of yore. They have fought well the fight for gold and renown, And they turn to their childhood's door. There are those who have lingered around the old home. While their brethren were far in the strife ; Who have tilled the old fields through the years that are flown. In the quiet and comfort of life ; These welcome ye back with hearts full of joy, A joy that commingles with pride, As they greet with warm fervor each wandering boy To the town where his forefathers died. 566 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. We gather to-day among scenes so endeared, To crown with the fame of her sons, The time-silvered locks of the mother revered, While an hundred long winters have flown ; - To wreathe a full chaplet of daughters' warm love 'Mid the silvery sheen of her hair, As enduringly pure as the azure above That smiles on an homage so fair. Welcome home, from the East and the West and the South, Welcome home, on this dear natal day ; The kiss of some loved one is warm on each mouth ; Ye have tarried a long time away. Welcome home, and forgetting the wearying care That compassed the pathway ye trod, Throw off the chill years and be young again here, In the smile of a love born of God. Welcome home, to each spot so remembered of yore, Welcome home, to each love that endures ; Gather strength for the journey that stretches before. Ere our sails leave these vanishing shores. Go forth from among us with tokens of love. Glad burdens each journey to crown ; So shall memory's banquet be spread as ye rove From the home that's behind ye — our dear old town. The Preshjent. We will commence with the opening chapter of the history of Lancaster. I therefore call upon Ossian Ray, Esq., to read the charter of the town. Mr. Ray. Mr. President : The original document is not to be had upon this occasion. Whether it was deposited, like some ancient charters that we read of in history, in the hollow of a tree in this town, or elsewhere, and has thus been lost, I know not. But we have, at any rate, 2ifac simile of the original document, nearly as old as that. I propose to read from that copy. [Published elsewhere in this volume.] The President. This is a day of jubilee, and I propose to call for three cheers for the quaint old charter. My friend, the chap- lain, says it is all right, even in a meeting-house. Col. Kent will lead off in the cheers. The audience responded to this call with three hearty cheers, which was followed by another song, entitled " Our Lancaster," written by Mrs. Mary B. C. Slade. (This song, also, was set to music by Mr. Emerson.) The sturdy tree of Pilgrim stock Its root had struck 'neath Plymouth Rock ; And sweet savannahs smiled to see The Coming of the Chivalry ! CENTENNIAL- CELEBRATION. 5^7 When, turning from the vales of ease, On lowlands washed by sunny seas, With heart of hope, a noble band, Came toiling up our mountain land. Through dark pine forests. North and West, The warwhoop rushed across their rest. While creeping up the eastern sky, The British thunder cloud drew nigh. But Coos smiled, the meadows rang, Siwoogannock sweet echoes sang ; And circling hills and placid wave Their welcome and protection gave. Here, loyal sons, your patriot sires Enkindled Freedom's altar-fires ; The fathers' watchword ours shall be, — The Union, God, and Liberty! Here grew they free and strong and brave. Till fierce Oppression crossed the wave ; Ask storied battlefields how, then. For Freedom stood the mountain men ! The Aloe drinks the sun and rain. Nor blooms her answer back again. Till, lo! a flowery crown she wears. The blossom of an hundred years. The mountain winds, the valley's stream. The winter's snow, the summer's gleam, ■ A hundred years have brought to her To-day's bright bloom, our Lancaster ! Where, long ago, the Indian found A resting-place and hunting ground, To beauty's pilgrims rest we lend. Ere they to snow-capped heights ascend. God of the Mountains! bless our home, , While through its paths to thee we come ; Till o'er its purpled heights we see The White Hills of Eternity ! ADDRESS OF HON. DAVID H. MASON. Ladies and Gentlemen : A hundred years ago, the last act in the drama of the French and Indian war had just closed. France and Spain had ceded all claimed rights to the possession of territory east of the Mississippi river, and England held undisturbed sway in the vast country, stretching from the Gulf to the Arctic sea, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean. The last great struggle of the native Indians to recover their hunting grounds was over. The brave Pontiac, with his five and twenty Indian tribes, scattered all along from the Shenandoah to the great lakes, and down the Ohio to the very banks of the Mississippi, over the mountains and through the prairies, had buried the tomahawk and scalping-knife, and smoked the pipe of peace. At the first dawn of security the indomitable sons of the Pilgrims plunged into the wilderness with their a.xes and their rifles, to plant new homes for themselves and their posterity. 568 HISTORY or Lancaster. On the 19th of April, A. D. 1764, Captain David Page, liis son David Page, Jr., about 18 years of age, and Emmons Stockwell, witli perhaps one or two others, having puslied up the Connecticut valley from Petersham, Massachusetts, through the town of Haverhill, reached the spot where we now are. They were charmed by the natural loveliness of this valley, and their fondest desires were gratified. Standing on yonder elevation, with those majestic mountains behind them, the unrivaled Pilot range on their right hand and the green hills on their left, with those bald sentinels guarding the passage before them, they gazed down into this paradise of meadows, with the meandering river, like a silver cord, run- ning through them, all clothed in the fresh verdure of the opening spring. What a heaven was here spread out before them ! With hearts full of gratitude, they thanked the God of nature that his mysterious providence had guided them here. They came on the 19th of April, a day since made sacred in the nation's history ; the day on which was shed the first blood of the Revolution on Lexing- ton Green ; the day on which flowed m the streets of Baltimore the first northern blood in the War of the Rebellion ; the same day on which was founded the first Normal school in the new world, that crowning glory of our system of popular education. It was fortunate for our ancestors that they came to this valley, and that was a fortunate birthday for our beautiful town. The war for existence had passed ; the war for principle was approaching. The North American colonies had cost tlie mother country, at the close of the French war, nearly seven hundred millions of dollars. Her treasury was exhausted by the long and fierce struggle with the continental powers. In look- ing about for some way to restore the equilibrium between her magnificence and her means, she fell upon the plan to tax these colonies. The right to do this was indignantly denied. Her peerless statesman, the immortal Pitt, to whose genius and wisdom she owed the chief glories of the eighteenth century — the true friend of the colonies — was no longer in office, and the soung king had called to his council men of moderate ability. The war of the Revolution followed. At the period of its commencement, our town contained but eight families. None of its inhabitants joined the army; they were too few in numbers, too far from the strife, and were out of sight in the wilderness. Their families were exposed to the depredations of the savages, and in common with all the new settlements along our northern frontier, they suffered greatly from dangers and privations, through that long and bloody war. Their stern duties at home were paramount to all public considerations. Thev had, however, in many ways, their courage and their patriotism. The dauntless Stockwell was in one of the expeditions which went up for the invasion of Canada, during the French war. He was an orphan boy in his native town, bound out to service during his minority. In order to encour- age enlistments and to fill the ranks of our army, a regulation was made that inden- tured apprentices should be entitled to their freedom, if they would enlist in the public service. Stockwell, tliough a mere boy, possessed the spirit of a man, and took advantage of the provision which gave him his liberty. On his return from this unfortunate expedition, with a few stragglers he came down the Connecticut river, and for the first time beheld the magnificent valley. Its attractions led him, a few years later, with those hardy pioneers, to choose it for his future home. Some of the Revolutionary heroes settled in Lancaster after the close of the war. I remember very well Major Moses White, of Rutland, Mass. He was a true gentleman, of the old Revolutionary school. He had filled many high posi- tions in the continental army with ability and honor, and was rewarded by a grant from the government, through General Hazen, of the Catbow tract of land in Lancaster, where he fixed his residence and passed the remainder of his life. He attained very great consideration in his adopted state, and was very widely and favorably known. Wherever his duty called him, he never lost his dignity or forgot the courtesies of life. CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 5^9 When our independence was acknowledged and peace was restored, our settle- ment began to increase in numbers. But tlie country nowhere prospered as was contidently expected. We had no national credit and no commerce to bring us trade. Though we were independent upon the land, England was still mistress upon the sea, and it soon became apparent if we would prosper as a nation our flag must be respected and our commerce built up. The impressment of a tew seamen was not of vast public importance, but the great principle that the flag of a nation shall protect its citizens on the land and sea was of inestimable value ; and for this the second war with England was waged. Its triumph was complete, and we came out from that controversy with our honor vindicated and our rights established. In this second national war our citizens bore an important part. You all remember Major John W. Weeks. On the 5th day of July, A. D. 18 [4, by a brave and timely movement of his command, he turned the tide of victory at Chippewa. He was the captain of the first company, Eleventh regiment of infantry, and held the extreme right of our line. Having discovered the enemy advancing upon the centre with a heavy column, he threw his command, by a quick move- ment, upon their flank, and delivered a destructive fire, which broke their ranks and hurled them back in a disastrous retreat, leaving their dead and wounded upon the field. He was promoted for his gallantry to the rank of major. He came to this town in 1787, when only six years of age. He learned the trade of a house-joiner, and received his education from the scanty means the settlement afforded. He arose to various high positions in public life, and represented his district in congress with credit, at a time in our history when to be in congress was an honor, and men of the highest ability and character were chosen to the national councils. He was a man of strong and comprehensive mind, a great reader and close reasoner. whose opinions and judgment upon public questions were respected by our public men in the state and country. By his side at Chippewa were other citizens of Lancaster. There was Alpheus Hutchins, of whose bravery and bearing I have often heard his commander speak in terms of great commendation. There was Benjamin Stephenson, also, who, now in a happy old age, is reaping the rich rewards of an honorable life. Since the close of the second war the prosperity of the town, as well as of the country, for nearly fifty years, has been rapid and uninterrupted. The number of its voters and its material wealth have quadrupled, and to-day we find its hills and its valleys covered with handsome habitations and an industrious and a happy people. ' Would to God that the darkness which now hangs over our national prosperity would disappear and reveal a future as propitious as the past ! We celebrate to-day the termination of the first century of municipal life. One centennial space is filled in the history of Lancaster. We have arrived at a point of time convenient for the measurement of our prosperity. Standing, therefore, as we do at the end of a century, we can look across the chasm that separates us from its beginning, and contrast the difterence in the appearance and condition of our town. Forgetting intervening events, we will look into the first years of its settlement, and place what we see beside the developments of this day, and mark the progress and the change. The charters for the towns of Lancaster and of Lunenburg, opposite to us, bear the same date, were granted on the same day, to the same person, by the same hand ; and these names were given to us in memory of the two towns similarly situated, near the early homes of the first settlers in Massachusetts, and thus they sanctified their new homes by the fond recollection of those of their youth. The whole country was then a dense wilderness ; not a highway had been constructed in or to our ancient town. The pioneer settlers found their way by marked trees through the woods. They drove before them some twenty head of cattle, with bags of salt, provisions, and farming tools fastened on their horns. They erected 570 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. their first camp on the Holton meadows, and cleared, the first spring, twelve acres of land on the old Stockwell place, which they planted with corn. It grew so luxuriantly that by the 25th of August it was twelve feet in height and full in the milk; but on the fatal night which succeeded, it was utterly destroyed by the early frost. Although our town is 800 feet above the sea, in this high latitude and in the midst of lofty mountains such a calamity has happened but three times in sixty years. Our persevering settlers, not discouraged by this disaster, cut their grass on the open lands on Beaver brook, and thus kept their cattle through the winter, and were ready to renew the struggles of another year. It was many years before any traveled public way was constructed. The near- est mill was perhaps at Plymouth, but the most accessible was at No. 4, in the town of Charlestown. From that place they brought their meal and grain, travel- ing on foot, on horseback, or upon the river in their bark and log canoes, which they paddled with wonderful skill ; and many a joyous feast did our ancestors have from the rare luxury of brown bread and Indian pudding, the rewards of their perilous and arduous journeys. I can almost see the young Mrs. Stockwell preparing for some great occasion, sitting before her blazing wood fire, watching her baking bannock, which she had spread upon a huge chip, and set up between the great andirons, a style of cooking not quite obsolete in this ancient town twenty-five years ago. The canoes were their only carriages, and were made with their own hands from the trunks of huge pines, or from bark peeled from their own trees. They were strong enough to be trusted on the deepest waters, and light enough to be carried upon their shoulders around the falls, or from pond to pond. The strong women rowed tliese same rude barks up and down these rivers, from settlement to settlement, from Stockwell's to Bucknam's, or whenever they went out to spend the afternoon, or on some errand of business. It will not be supposed that the settlers depended upon the food transported from Charlestown for their daily use. Their more common food was prepared by means contrived by themselves ; our ancestors had no patent for their invention which stood for a mill. Have you never heard of the good old-fashioned ''thump?" Emmons Stockwell kept a huge mortar, which held about two bushels; into this they put their corn, beans, and rye ; then they pounded it with a great wooden pestle, as none but they could pound. With this they mixed potatoes, well baked and peeled, and the varieties of vegetables their tastes might select, and the whole was baked together into magnificent thump. Seasoned with good appetites, it was found a delicious dish by the early inhabitants of our glorious old town. The tables of these hardy pioneers had other dainties. The rivers and streams were full of fishes, and the forest of moose and game ; and our ancestors of both sexes could use the rifle and the fishing-rod with astonishing skill. It is some- what remarkable that no deer or wolves were found here till long after the coun- try was first settled, and it is said there were no eels in the river till the extermi- nation of the beaver. But the moose \vere abundant, and were most mercilessly slaughtered by the wicked hunters, for the mere pleasure of killing. One Nathan Caswell killed ninety-nine in a single season, ana leftmost of them to decay in their native woods. All honor to those humane settlers who turned him out of their houses as a reward for this ignominious sport. I can never forgive those African and South American explorers for their wanton destruction of the noble beasts of the forests ; nor can I understand how they can wish to couple the his- tory of such exploits with that of their noble discoveries. The first mill erected in our town was turned by horse power, and was but little better than the old Stockwell mortar. Major Jonas Wilder built the first grist- and sawmill. Major Wilder brought his large and very respectable family to Lancaster in 1780. He had acquired a little fortune for those days, in his native state, and some few years before had purchased here a tract of land one mile CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 571 square, which included the present burying-ground. In 1779, being chosen on a committee to select a public burying-ground, he presented this mound to the town, to be used for that purpose. He commenced to build the cellar of the Hol- ton house on the famous dark day. The town-meeting was held at his house in 1779, and he was chosen one of the selectmen, which was his earliest appearance on the official records of Lancaster. He was a very valuable accession to this settlement, and has left a record of his life of which his descendants may well be proud. Governor Page, so called by way of distinction merely, never was a resident of Lancaster, though named in the charter. He was only a sort of director of the settlement, making frequent journeys to visit the new colony, and by his coun- sel and his services rendering them great aid in the management of their affairs. His daughter, Ruth Page, came here a spinster. On the night of the great frost, the 25th of August, 1764, she slept in the woods in Orford. on her way to Lan- caster, where she arrived the last of that month. She came to cook the food and do the work for the little colony, then more than forty miles from their nearest neighbors. She was the first white woman who came to our town. The next year she married Emmons Stockwell, and began housekeeping on the old Stock- well place. She was then eighteen years of age, and he was twenty-three. They lived together more than fifty-five years, and had fifteen children — seven sons and , eight daughters — all of whom grew to maturity ; and in her old age Mrs. Stock-A" well could call around her one hundred and ninety living descendants, three of whom yet survive — Ephraim, Emmons, and John Stockwell — whose combined ages are two hundred and forty-seven years. She died at the age of eighty-two ; her husband at seventy-eight. David Stockwell, their oldest child, was the first son of Lancaster. After a long and useful life, he perished a few years since in the conflagration of a portion of his dwelling. Edwards Bucknam, a young follower of Governor Page, soon after married another of his daughters, and settled at the mouth of Beaver brook, where for many years Mr. Benjamin Adams resided. A hunter, named Martin, caught vast numbers of beaver, which abounded in the stream running through these mead- ows. The ingenious hunter gave his name to the meadows, and the ingenious animals to the stream they occupied. Bucknam was an accomplished surveyor, a man of unbounded hospitality, and of great usefulness to the colony. He could " let blood," "draw teeth," and perform the marriage service before the minister and doctor arrived. He did the business of the colony which required education. He laid out a large portion of the town, and many of the highways. At the beginning of the present century there was a very good road leading up the river by his residence. In a few years the settlers in that vicinity crept back from Martin's meadows, and cleared off the hills behind them. They all lived in log huts, quite rudely constructed, with roofs made of bark. They had no school, and what to them was an infinitely greater hardship, no place of worship. Buck- nam had six children, from whom have descended the Moores, the Howes, the Mclntires, and Bucknams. His daughter Eunice, the first child of Lancaster, was born in 1767. David Page, the son of the governor, so called, came herewith the first settlers, married his cousin, of Haverhill, and had thirteen children. The Page family were highly respectable. Any alliance with them was honorable. It was not so difficult for Stockwell and Bucknam, poor as they were, and lowly as their condi- tion had been, to marry into high life. The young ladies, so elevated in society and beautiful in person, could have had no better overtures in this settlement than those, which the young gentlemen were emboldened to make and the young ladies to accept, because it was plainly the only change to which they seemed eligible. Stockwell possessed prodigious strength, and was capable of great endurance. He could not read or write till he was taught by his accomplished wife. He had 572 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. a firm and vigorous mind, with a large sliare of common sense. In the days of the Revolution he was the salvation of the colony. The hardsliips and dangers which surrounded them, the successive failure of their crops, the capture of two or three of the settlers by the hostile Indians, and the stormy future prospects of the country, shook the resolution of the settlers, and they met at StockwelPs house to discuss the abandonment of the town. The dauntless Stockweil declared, notwith- standing these things, " My family and I sha'n't go." He had seen this valley in 1759, and was enamored with its loveliness. He had chosen it for his home, for the better or for the worse, and he knew of no such thing as failure. A few fam- ilies rallied around him, and the settlement was saved. For many years there were no schoolhouses or schools. Mrs. Stockweil was a respectable scholar for those early days. She could read the Psalter, and write and cypher very well, and in her own house taught the cliildren of the settlers. She had wonderful general capacity, which supplied all the wants of this new colony. She was one of those remarkable persons who could do everything that was necessary, and did everything well. In 1 791 the inhabitants of Lancaster voted to build a meeting-house, and in town-meeting chose, as a committee to locate and build it, Col. Edwards Buck- nam. Col. Jonas Wilder, Capt. John Weeks, Lieut. Emmons Stockweil, Lieut. Joseph Brackett, Lieut. Dennis Stanley, and Capt. David Page. From the military titles of the committee, one would expect great dispatch in this work ; but the structure was not completed for some years afterward. Taxes were assessed, pay- able in wheat, rye, and corn, labor, and lumber at certain fixed prices, to aid in its construction. In 1794 the first town-meeting was held in this meeting-house. Previous to this date they met at private houses to transact their business, and, as their numbers increased, selected larger houses. Colonel Wilder's splendid new mansion answered well till the meeting-house was ready. There was no regular preaching of the gospel, and no settled minister, till the eighteenth of September, 1794, when the Rev. Joseph Willard was settled here as pastor over a church "gathered" in July previous, consisting of twenty-four per- sons. He presided over the religious affairs of the town for twenty-eight years. He had been in the Continental army through the Revolutionary War. He had a noble, commanding presence, a firm and measured step, which he preserved through his lifetime. You may all thank God tliat in his providence he sent to the town of Lancaster such a man as Joseph Willard. He was a noble specimen of goodness and religious faith ; was wise in counsel, learned in doctrine, and full of true charity and grace. Ail honor to the memory of the Rev. Joseph Willard. The church was an imposing structure for those days. It was erected upon the plain, on the very brow of the hili just south of the village. It had a tower at the west end, with two porches for entrance, and a broad entrance on the side. It had a high gallery, a lofty pulpit crowned with a high sounding-board, and, what is yet more characteristic, the seats were all so arranged in the square pews that they could be raised during prayer, when the congregation stood up, and when the prayer was over would fall, one after another, with a horrible clatter. The old church has passed away, or rather been moved away, down the hill, disman- tled of all its sacredness, and made into a house of merchandise, except the pleasant room which rejoices in the name of the town hall. Even its foundations have been dug away; not a vestige of the long flight of stairs now remains, and the places that knew it shall know it no more forever. It will only live hereafter in the songs and chronicles of its exterminators. It was many years after the first settlement of the town before schoolhouses were erected. I tliink the church preceded the schoolhouse. It was some years before they built even framed huts with a single room. The Stockweil and Buck- nam houses, of very moderate proportions, on the old homesteads, you will remember. The two first splendid mansions, as they then called them, were the CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 573 famous Holton house and the old Wilson tavern, at the north end of the street. The latter, and the little red cottage on the opposite side of the street, below it, were the two first painted houses in Lancaster. 1 think a portion of the present Stockwell house and the Holton mansion are all that now remain of those very old structures. The first town-meeting which assembled in Lancaster was at the house of David Page, in 1769. Capt. Thomas Burnside was moderator; Edwards Bucknam was chosen clerk, to which office he was reelected for twenty-one years. They chose five selectmen. Unfortunately, the dwelling-house of Mr. Bucknam was destroyed by fire in 1772, and with it perished the town records to that year. It is well known that Bucknam and Stockwell, Page, Wilder and Weeks, composed the town government for nearly thirty years. The salary of the " settled minister" was fixed at fifty pounds, one third of which was payable in cash and two thirds in produce. This was to increase as the inventory of the town increased, till it reached eighty pounds. The first lawyer in Lancaster was Richard C. Everett. He was born in Provi- dence, R. I., and was left an orphan early in life. He was at one time, during the Revolutionary War, a servant of General Washington. He came to Lancaster in October, 1787, and with two other hardy men cut out the road through the Notch for the purpose of transporting salt to upper Coos. He saved his earnings, and went through Dartmouth college ; studied law in New York and at Haverhill, in this state, and in 1793 began practice here. He rose to be district judge, and to a high position as a sound and honorable man, and has left a spotless character in the memory of men. The first bridge erected was the old Stockwell bridge, across Isreals river, and the right to cross it first was put up at auction, and bid off" by Emmons Stockwell for five gallons of brandy, which cost him forty-two shillings a gallon. It was many years before any wheelwrights or wheels were found in Lancaster. The early settlers transported their merchandise upon two long poles, fastened together by a cross-piece. One end answered for shafts, to which the horse was attached, the other dragged upon the ground. It was similar in construction to the modern truck, without the wheels. There are many present who will remem- ber the caravans of farmers who, every winter, carried their produce to the Port- land market in sleighs, where they purchased their annual supply of luxuries for domestic use ; and they will remember, too, their adventures and frolics, when, snow-bound on the journey, they were compelled to wait, sometimes for days, till the fierce storms were over and the roads were passable. I have thus given you, to-day, only the outlines of a picture of Lancaster a hun- dred years ago. The same heavens are indeed over our heads, the same moun- tains wall in the valley, and the same river winds gracefully through the meadows, but all else, how changed ! It will not be thought invidious, on an occasion entirely our own, to say, in compliment to ourselves, that we may defy the world to produce a lovelier village, or more beautiful farms, or a better and happier people, than are found in our noble town ; and with its natural scenery, embracing mountains and valleys, rivers and lakes, what spot is there on the earth of which we could feel prouder, and to which we could return with more delight? And how can we wonder, as the summer approaches, that men leave the great cities, their business and their homes, to look on this scenery, and breathe the air of these mountains, and drink their inspirations? It may not be unprofitable to enter the chasm between the bounds of our cen- tury, and learn something of the causes of our municipal growth and success. We owe much, my friends, to the morality of our community. I am inclined to think that the theology of our early days was derived, in some measure, from the great Doctor Wheelwright, who, banished from Massachusetts, settled in the vicinity of Exeter, and there led the religious development of our northern New England. 574 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. He was a little more tolerant and less bigoted than the full-blooded Puritan, but just as firm in his faith and unyielding in his opinions. They tried and Iimig the witches; he only tried \.\\&xa.. He had a mantle of charity, small as it was; they had none at all, and gloried in their severity. I am inclined to believe that we have enjoyed a softer persecution between religious sects, a more tolerant theology, for which we are indebted to this gifted preacher. We owe much to the richness of our soil. The first settlers of this town regarded the productions of their meadows in their earliest cultivations as wonderful. The grass grew so luxuriantly that rakes were in disuse, and the pitchfork was only needed to gather up the enormous crops. All kinds of vegetation, when the spring was open, came forward with such rapidity, and with such a wealth of verdure, as they had never known before ; and if a market were lying at your doors, to stimulate the use of modern applications to bring forward vegetation earl}-, your meadows would now find no rivals in their productiveness and value. We owe much to natural scenery ; and in this connection I will only say that the early settlers had a quick eye for the beautiful. I cannot help thinking that one of our oldest inhabitants — Mr. Edward Spaulding, a descendant of the famous Mrs. Dustin — who was brought here, when a mere child, in his mother's arms, afterward fixed his residence on the spot where he lived and where he died, because of the exceedingly lovely landscape there spread out before him ; and there is not a single spot in our beautiful town which exceeds in beauty that where Spaulding lived. He was a noble and generous man, too good ever to be unkind. He has gone to his repose, and left an honored memory. I need not apologize for the distinction in saying to you now, that I believe we are largely indebted to the energy and principle, the faith and the works of Stockwell and Bucknam, for the prosperity and real value of our ancient town. They were good, and, in their way, great men. In our country, great and manly qualities are found in every class and condition of men. Extreme wealth and extreme poverty furnish most of the profligacy and licentiousness of society. Its chief strength, health, and vigor are derived from the great middle classes, which represent the labor and the sound judgment of the country. I have often heard it said that the race of great men is dying out in our land. This is not the fact ; but great ability seeks now the avenues of trade, commerce, and agriculture, because they yield a better reward than statesmanship, or the professions, and men of second-rate ability, with more cunning than wisdom, have been permitted to stand in the places of the giants of former years. You will recognize in the names of the descendants of these pioneers the large part they have borne in our material wealth and prosperity. How large a portion of our population can look back with distinguished pleasure to these, their worthy ancestors ! Almost all of their descendants have settled among us. They have falsified the truth of history, which declares that a stock of virtue in a family will run out in three generations ; for the great qualities of these first settlers have come down through their chil- dren to this day unimpaired. All honor to the names of those noble pioneers; and to the memory of that brave and noble-hearted woman, who, at that tender age, came through the wilderness to aid the infant settlement, and nursed it for more than threescore years into life and prosperity, and left such a long list of mourning descendants, we pay our grateful homage. W'e owe much of our prosperity to the little academy standing there bv the graveyard, in its new dress to-day, which I have never seen before. It shows that it is prosperous, and that the old ancestral fires have not yet gone out. I tell you, seriously, that the education found within its walls for the past thirty years, for all the practical uses of life, has been not much inferior to that of our colleges; and in proof of what I say, I adduce the history and success of its numerous graduates, both men and women, to show how well, in practice and in fact, they have stood l:)eside those who received their education in our great CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 575 schools and universities. Having received here the best instruction in elemen- tary studies, the student has gone out into the world as well prepared for the struggles of life, and to advance alone in the higher walks of attainment, as is commonly the case where they have pursued a regular course of college education. Our students have studied here in maturer life, with firmer health and better con- stitutions. They have taken in and appropriated what they have learned. It has formed their characters and given shape and vigor to their minds. I know it may be said they are deficient in higher literary culture, which gives a finish to education. I grant this ; but they have here gained the strength and will to climb alone to higher and more rugged ways in after life, and through their lives, than any mere refinement of schools or colleges could give them. I do not, by this, mean to give any preference for the mere culture of earlier days, or to reflect upon that of our own ; but I do mean to say that the times and ways of business have pressed upon us the necessity of educating our youths at too early an age, and that elementary studies are too much neglected ; so that we lose more in strength than we gain in advantages. I wish we might retain the great virtues of earlier times, to be added to the improvements of more modern systems; and if our children do enter upon active life later, they will have more character and strength for the duties and perils that await them. Of what benefit is study, if the knowledge we get is not our own, and does not in some way enter into the character of the man? The little particles of matter absorbed by the roots ascend through the body to the limbs and leaves, and when purified and prepared, be- come a part of the great tree, with its mighty trunk, its broad branches and rich foliage. And so is the growth of character from the particles of knowledge, experience, and truth, which, under the blessing of Almighty God, are gathered up in life. My friends, I have thus imperfectly sketched the settlement and condition of this ancient town. This is a day of jubilee. We welcome home her children. The citizens of the town have opened their houses and their hearts, and bid you welcome. You can here see the old familiar faces you left behind you, the pic- tures on the walls, the old curtains by the windows, the crockery on the table. They will recall to your minds pleasant reminiscences of your earlier days ; they will fill the canvas of memory with images of the past ; they will speak to you of childhood, and you will live over again, in a few brief hours, childhood's happy days. In yonder mound, formed by the hand of Nature for a country church- yard, repose the ashes of our fathers; and the green turf of the new-made graves tells us of some fresher griefs. Sadness and joy, sorrow and gladness, are strangely commingled in a day like this. But such is the lesson of life; its little history is filled with events of which the experience of this day is but a brief epi- tome. When we again leave these homes of childhood, may we go with fresh strength and firmer wills to the performance of all the duties of life; and as gene- ration after generation shall come and go in future centuries, may the virtues of our ancestors never be forgotten, and may peace and prosperity forever dwell in this lovely valley ! The President. — I see here to-day a gifted son of Lancaster. I refer to Hon. Edward D. Holton of Wisconsin. The audience are waiting to hear him. ADDRESS OF MR. HOLTON. Mr. Chairt/iati, and Ladies and Gentlemen : The first thing I desire to do here to-day (although it was not upon my pro- gramme when I left home), is to thank King George the Third.- I never heard the magnificent charter of this old town read before, and I come here to thank 576 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. that good old king, — we called him "good" in those days, though we did not like him a few years after, and had a good round turn with him, — 1 come here to thank him that, among other things, he laid down grand laws for the government of this town. How wise was that provision which granted a tract of land for the support of the ministry! Parson Willard enjoyed the benefits of that provision up there on his farm ; and the benefits were mutual. Although the Puritans dif- fered with him in some matters, yet there was the grand, magnificent fact, — a gospel for man ; the great foundation principle of man's progress and welfare. Mr. Chairman, the grand tribute which you have just paid to the memory of Stockwell and Page and Bucknam most thoroughly agrees with all that I have heard of those noble men. There were other men, it seems, who came to Lan- caster with them ; but it remained for Stockwell, particularly, as the learned ora- tor has told us, to stay the infant settlement. I am told that the first year the corn grew well for a time, and the people, who had lived upon suckers and clams taken out of the river, were looking with hope and confidence to the little patches of corn in the meadows; but the frost came in August and killed it all, and with it destroyed all their hopes. Several of those men then said: " It is no use to live in this country. Here are beautiful meadows and streams, to be sure ; the aspects of nature are grand, but food man must have, and here, right in the midst of summer, it is all cut off, and we cannot live here; we must leave you." Stockwell said: "I shall not go back, and I beg you not to go back." "We must go back." "Well, I shall stand here. I will go into the woods and kill the wild beasts in winter. I will stand here on the spot." And stand he did. Mr. Chairman, it is a blessed thing, growing out of our English character, this love of home, — this grand old Saxon idea of home. When I got your message, bidding me come here from a thousand miles away, I was so circumstanced that it was exceedingly difiicult for me to leave. But I remembered my early home ; I remembered that here was the place of my birth, and though I had traveled far and seen many flourishing communities, and been cognizant of numerous settle- ments tiiat had sprung from the wilderness, as Lancaster did, still none of these had taken the place of that loved home, and though I got off from a sick bed, my heart bounded with joy when I turned my face homeward. When I got to Chi- cago I met Jim and Nat and Selden (three of the White brothers), and as we rode along we talked and laughed and joked and were like boys again. What a ride was that ! When we went out we had to journey a thousand miles, through a country much of it occupied by savages ; we had to walk or ride on horseback a great part of the way, and now on our return we came careering on twenty- five miles an hour, so that in fifty hours we spanned the thousand miles between our far Western homes and this our natal spot. As we were riding along in Canada a gentleman who sat behind me called my attention to a range of mountains across the magnificent St. Lawrence, and said: " Those mountains look splendidly. Do you know whether they are in New York or in Vermont? " " Well," said I, "I do n't think we have got down to the Ver- mont line yet; I think they must be in New York." "Well," said he, "they look good to me. I haven't seen any mountains for ten years. I was born among the mountains." "Ah! where were you born?" ''I was born in New- Hampshire." "What town in New Hampshire?" (I always claim kindred with New Hampshire people wherever I meet them. I claim them as cousins, and generally kiss the women — feeling at liberty to do that.) The President. — I warn my friend not to come coiisinmg down to Boston in his way. (Laughter.) Mr. Holton (resuming).— " Well," said he, "I was born in Lancaster." "Indeed! that is my native town, sir. Pray tell me your name." "My name CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 577 is Derby." " Indeed ! 30U are a descendant of Isaac Derby." " Yes," said he, " my father was Andrew Derby." " Indeed ! and your mother was Mary Green- leaf." "Yes." "Ah, I went to school to your mother, Mary Greenleaf." Where do you live?" "At Cedar Rapids, Iowa." "What is your busi- ness?" "I am a merchant there; I sell books." He had made his way through the states as hundreds of others have done, as a schoolmaster, and finally found himself located in that magnificent country, the most beautiful that human eyes ever rested upon, — the valley of the Cedar river — and has carried out there, from the old hearthstone, the fires that shall now be planted by him, in his turn, in that new country. He said there was another Lancaster boy on the train, and presently he brought him along and introduced him as a Chessman boy. Thus we met, children of this good old town, and recalled the pleasant memories of bygone times. I do not know that I am right, but it has always seemed to me that Lancaster was a better town than Percy (formerly Stark) or Guildhall (I hope our friends from those towns will pardon me), and I have often reflected what it was that thus distinguished my native town. I believe all that the learned orator has said in regard to the influence of Lancaster to be true ; but what are the causes that have produced this influence? It will be profitable for us to consider that question as we meet here to-day. He has said that Mrs. Stockwell was the mother of fifteen children, and counted, before her death, one hundred and ninety descendants. Why did you not clap your hands when he made that statement? There is not so honorable a person in the world as she who gives human life. Stockwell and David Greenleaf, who had twenty-one children, ought to have monuments to their memory. The President. — Their children are their monuments. " These are their jewels." Mr. Holton continued. — What are the principles that produced these results? Mrs. Stockwell was a model woman. She not only read the Psalter, as the orator has told you, but in the absence of a settled minister, she drew the people around her, in her own house, to hear that great principle which stands first related to human welfare, namely, obedience to God. But it is not alone of those early people, of whom I know nothing except from hearsay, that I would speak. I come down to people within my own memory, a goodly company. I remember Parson Willard well. So stately was he, so august his manner, so magnificent his bearing, that we boys were rather afraid of him. I recollect that I used to run across the street when I saw him coming. But that fear did not keep us quiet in meeting, and sometimes we received a pointed rebuke from the pulpit, or the deacon came up into the gallery to pinch our ears. (Laughter.) But who shall measure the influence and power of such a man? He stamjDed his influence upon all who came around him. Every man and woman — even those who did not go to his church — felt it. Nor was he the only man who exerted an abiding influence for good. I well remember when other good men came here. I came back in the days when Rev. Mr. Peck was here, and other men of the same class. And what a power were those men in this community, even in the last half of this century,— Peck and Hilburn and Orange Scott and Wheelock ! And, by the way, Mr. Wheelock lives out in Wis- consin now, nearly ninety years of age, and an efiicient man he has been for twenty-five years in every good and noble work in that state. I have met him often in conventions that have had for their object the promotion of the moral and religious welfare of the community. We have had energetic men in Lancaster and in this neighborhood. The successors of those early settlers, Bucknam and Stockwell, were men of power. Here, too, were the Weekses, and old Major 37 578 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. White (my friend has done no more than justice to that glorious man) and old Colonel Wilson. These were sterling men ; these were men of force and power, and they have left their mark upon the town. Then there has been a class of educated men among us. I have often reflected upon that. At the upper end ot tiie street, when I was here, there was Pearson, there was Farrar, there was a lawyer by the name of Sheafe, a very accomplished man. These were men of mark ; these were men who made their influence felt in this community. Besides these there was A. N. Brackett, a modest, unas- suming man, not a man of education — self-made, almost entirely. My mother, who relied upon him for counsel in times of adversity, used to send me down to his house, and I always found him reading or studying. I heard him deliver one or two orations here. I remember him as a man of great philanthropy, emi- nently just and patriotic, and a good man in the community. What a man of power was John W. Weeks! I remember meeting him on one occasion, and he laid his hand on my head and said : " Young man, you are one of Mrs. Helton's sons, aren't you?" " Yes, sir." " What are you going to do?" " I don't know; I shall dig my way along, I suppose." "Why don't you go West? If I had ten boys I would spank everyone of them if they did n't go West." (Laughter.) That was a blunt remark, but he was a steady, thoughtful, and cautious man. Edward Spaulding has been alluded to. I remember him as a most excellent man. Then there was William Lovejoy, a neighbor of ours. My recollection of him is of the most satisfactory kind. He used frequently to come, with his basket in his hand, and saddle-bag of tools on his back, to his day's work as carpenter and joiner, I have seen him many times wheeling his bushel of corn down to the mill to be ground. I recollect him as a man of singular beauty and dignity of character. How did virtue stand out in his life, and how is it seen streaming along down through a goodly family! I want to say, once more, that the lives of such men fill the world with goodness. Well have I known some members of this family. I wanted, above all things, to see John Lovejoy here to-day, and exceedingly regret that I cannot. Now, how has it been with those sons of Lancaster who have gone out from this valley to try their future in other parts of the land? So far as I can reckon them up, and I have endeavored to keep an eye on a few of them, they have done tolerably well. Perhaps I may be permitted to say, leaving the two speakers on this occasion out, that, so far as I know, none of them have gone to the state prison (laughter), none of them have dishonored their town. On the other hand, many of our Lancaster men have ornamented the various walks of life. If you want to buy any sugar go to Portland and buy of Mr. Brown. If you want to iDuy any clothing, you will find the White boys, at Chicago, fair dealers. If you want any scales, go to St. Johnsbury, and buy of Baker, Bingham & Porter. Those St. Johnsbury scales have a great reputation ; there is not a merchant on the con- tinent who would think he could get along without them, and I believe there are no better scales in the world ; but I think they would have failed without our Lancaster boys, Oliver Baker, Chandler Porter, and Mr. Bingham. Then we have a distinguished representative of Lancaster on the bench, in the person of Judge Woodruff; so, if you have suits to be tried, try them before him. If you want a lawyer, go to Oregon and get Farrar ; but be sure you get him here before your suit comes on! (Laughter.) Mr. Chairman, the hours are rapidly passing away. I shall not trespass much longer upon your patience. There is a long list of names that I have run over in my mind, as those of men particularly worthy of mention on an occasion like this ; but, in the hasty remarks that I have made, many of them have slipped from my memory. These men deserve to be remembered and honored, for they laid broad and deep the foundations of pul)lic and private virtue in this town, without which the welfare of no community can be secured. Let every man, and especially CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 579 these young men, understand this, that in this day of our country's peril and our country's need, when there is accumulating upon us such a burden of debt, pri- vate virtue is the only thing that will shield us in these trying hours. It is the virtue of the individual men and women who have lived within her borders that has shielded Lancaster in the past ; it is that which has brought us together here, and made us joyful beyond measure in the greetings of this centennial day. Let me say, in conclusion, that I come home with increasing love for my native town. And let me exhort you to stand by the principles of your fathers. I shall go back to the West feeling more and more the importance of those principles, and feehng called upon to gird myself up, so long as I live, to maintain those principles, and help to lay the same foundations that our fathers laid. There is one other matter to which I wish to refer. You, sir, alluded to our first preceptor, Mr. Wilson. I also want to thank him. They used to thrash us most tremendously, those old schoolmasters. No doubt the boys and girls needed considerable whipping, but they pounded us most unmercifully. When Mr. Wilson came here he turned over a new leaf. He said, " You are gentlemen and fine fellows." That pleased us amazingly. We accepted his word, and he never had occasion to whip any of us, I think. I want to say that I owe a great deal to Mr. Wilson for the noble reformation that he made in this respect. He first taught our school here in the old schoolhouse, and then assumed the charge of the academy. I had the pleasure of attending just one term at the school and then one term at the academy, and I never gained in my life, from any one mind, so much benefit as I derived from that gentleman's instruction in those few brief months. I have always attributed much of my success in life to the excellent ideas and excellent spirit which he inculcated. Be careful, you that are engaged in teaching, how you deal with young minds. Learn from him to deal gently, kindly with them. To lead is better than to drive. We are all able to speak of the excellence of that school, which has existed now the major part of half a cen- tury. My friends, this is indeed a joyous day. You, sir, spoke of the beauty of our town. I come back to testify to the same thing. I have had an opportunity to look over this country quite extensively, and I can say that you enjoy one of the most favored spots that are to be found in this whole land. So far as healthful- ness of climate, soil, and temperature, and the other great elements that go to make up the prosperity of any country are concerned, I should scarcely know where to go rather than to this very locality. In 1862 I had occasion to travel through New England when the land was suffering severely from drouth, and as I approached Portland there were a thousand acres on fire'; the roots of the grass were being burned up ; all that region was as barren as a desert. I came to Lan- caster, and this beautiful valley was green as the garden of Paradise. It is so to-day. All through the West we are suffering from a severe drouth. The farm- ers are not expecting to get half a crop. Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio, are suffering dreadfully. But everything here is green and beautiful ; and, take it year by year, I do not know where you could go to better your fortunes. Not but that you can find magnificent openings in the West, but the man who has got a good home let him not sell out that home because he expects to find a better. He may find a better one in some respects, but I tell you, look far and long before you part with these green fields and these magnificent slopes because of any hearsay story of better lands. Mr. Chairman, I have trespassed too long upon your patience. We shall not meet at Lancaster again at the end of another century. Time, with many of us, flies quickly. Let us act well our part, upon the principles that have been sug- gested, and whether we meet here again or not, all is well. 58o HISTORY OF LANCASTER. The Presh^ENT. — My honorable friend has not trespassed upon our patience. I would beg leave, however, to make a simple cor- rection of one of his remarks. When he spoke of the Lancaster boys who had not been to the state prison, he excepted himself and excepted me. I desire to relieve him from excepting me. He shall enjoy that distinguished honor alone. (Laughter.) Another piece of music was then performed by the band, after which the procession was reformed and marched to the field a short distance south of the church, where a rustic bower of evergreens and maples, covering two thirds of an acre, had been constructed, affording a pleasant and grateful shade. In this bower tables had been spread for two thousand five hundred people, and were abun- dantly supplied with substantial and attractive viands, to which the large company, filling the capacious bower, did full justice. Prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Fay of the Congregational church, and then a half hour or more was spent in discussing the bountiful re- past, which was served by a committee of ladies, who devoted them- selves assiduously and untiringly to the comfort of their guests. The wants of the physical nature having been satisfied, the president called the company to order. The President. — The ladies are requested, as far as possible, to be seated. For the first time in all the world some of them are obstructions. (Laughter.) I am not aware of any way by which we can contrive to be heard unless the audience remain silent. We have a few gentlemen present whose names are prominent in our minds, and we shall desire to hear from them, for they must have something to say. Having occupied your attention so long this morning, I will not preface the exercises here with any remarks of my own. I therefore call upon the marshal for the first regular toast. Colonel Kent. — In the absence of the toastmaster, various toasts, sentiments, and letters have been committed to my care. The toasts, as hereafter indicated in italics, were then read, re- sponses being made on the call of the president. The Officers and Soldiers Present. The President. — We have scarcely referred to-day to the mili- tary spirit of our ancient town, and yet I think it may be remem- bered with pride. There occur to me at this moment the names of many of our citizens who have done noble service for their country, and I desire to read a little notice, which I find in the Brooklyn (N. Y.) Union, of the services of a gallant gentleman whom I see before me. [This notice referred to the part taken by the Sixty-seventh New York, volunteers (First Long Island) in the war, and Col. Nelson Cross, its present commander.] CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 58 I That is a truthful description of the noble part taken by Colonel Cross in the present war. It speaks for itself. I have read it be- cause it is a record so honorable. He has been in every fight; he has done his duty faithfully, and comes here to-day, having passed unharmed through every danger. I now beg leave to call upon Colonel Cross, Sixty-seventh New York regiment, for a few re- marks. SPEECH OF COL. NELSON CROSS. Men and Women of Lancaster : I heard of your celebration in the army, some weeks before my time expired. I was then so circumstanced that I thought it doubtful, in more than one view, whether I should be able to be with you to-day. I thought your celebration was to be on the 12th, and I took the evening cars on the nth, determined to be here at the close of the exercises, if I could not before. But on my way I met some friends on their route, who informed me that it was to be on the 14th, and that I was still in time. I was glad to know it. I wished to be here, to meet my old friends, and to witness that reunion of Lancaster peo- ple which I knew would be so productive of pleasure to us all. I wished to come simply to mingle with you as one of your citizens, not to take an active part; and when I was asked to address you here, I rather declined. I wished to be a sim- ple looker-on. I never felt less like speaking than I do to-day. This coming together of old friends — this thronging upon me of old memories, the dearest of my life ; this standing amidst the old scenes of my boyhood, is too much for me. It utterly unmans me, and unfits me to address you as I should. My career in the army has been alluded to. It is true I have been in the army for three years. I went there, not because I had been bred to the profession of arms, not because I had any liking for that profession, for I had not, but because I saw the country in danger, and I felt that the great danger arose from the fact that we were not a military nation. We had become one of the greatest commer- cial nations on the face of the earth ; we had become a great agricultural people ; but we had devoted less time and money to military training, to preparing our- selves for human butchery, than any other nation in existence ; and I felt, as a citizen, called on to go forth to the field, and I gave up all and went. I spent some time in organizing a regiment in Brooklyn, N. Y., where I happened to be living, raising and organizing it in opposition to some of the leading politicians of the place ; but when I called upon the general government to accept it, they thought they did not want it ; they thought they had enough ; seventy-five thou- sand men, they thought, were more than sufficient to crush out this rebellion, Finally, however, they were prevailed upon to take us. On the 20th of June, 1 861, we were mustered into the service, and from that time to this we have par- ticipated in the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac. Further than this, for myself, I cannot say. We have done our duty. We have gone wherever we have been sent ; we have stayed wherever we have been put. I brought home but the fragment of a regiment. That is the saddest part of it all. The soil of Virginia has been made sacred in this war as it was never made before. Among you, how many there are who have cause to mourn the loss of some relative or friend, who has been left on the field, or here, on yonder sacred hill, sleeps among his dearest friends, whose career has been cut short by this terrible war, which, I fear, is not yet near its end ! I have this to say for the citizen soldiers, however, as a general remark : No better soldiers ever lived, no braver men ever went forth to battle, than the men who have been sent forth by your state and by other states, — men who, from the counting-house and the plough, all unskilled in the art of war, sprang to arms 582 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. when their country was threatened, and went forth, as I said before, to the field. They have done all that is vested in human power to do; they have combatted an enemy as fearless, as determined, as persistent, as ever an enemy was, and have failed to overcome him, simply because they have met him — as a general thing — at great disadvantage, and frequently, too frequently, with overpowering numbers opposed to them. During the last campaign, we attacked him in his fortified positions, and everywhere we found him ready to receive us, and in force equal to our own. You wonder, perhaps, why Richmond has not been taken. If you had been with me, if you had passed through the scenes I have passed through, you would know why Richmond has not been taken, and you would know that you have got more to do at home before Richmond can be taken. You must make further sacrifices ; more men must go forth to battle. I would it were not so. But let us rest where the old Roman rested, on whose sword was inscribed, "Draw me not without cause; sheath me not without redress" — on patriotism and valor. You have drawn the sword in the most sacred cause in which man was ever engaged — the preservation of your liberties. I beg you not to sheath that sword until the work is accomplished ; until the power of the rebel- lion is crushed, and the country is restored to peace. I hope you do not think I am making a political speech. I am no partisan ; I have given up party, and I know but one principle, and that is, to stand by the country at all times, at all hazards, and under all circumstances. (Applause.) When the chairman told me I was to say something to-day, I felt as I have told you — utterly unprepared to give voice to the feelings that crowd upon my soul. I feel so now. Instead of offering a sentiment to call up some one individual, I will conclude with a sentiment which addresses itself to all, which I have pre- pared since I was invited to speak, and you will excuse me from saying more now. I would say, however, that there is no individual among you who experiences a higher pleasure or a sincerer gratitude to God that he is permitted to mingle with you to-day than I do. A few years ago, in Milwaukee, I met the gentleman who has addressed you (Mr. Holton), and we had some conversation in regard to a reunion of Lancaster people ; but the war broke out soon after that, and these things were forgotten. But in spite of the war, you determined to bring about such a reunion, and I rejoice that you have been so successful in drawing together Lancaster people from all parts of the country, and have given occasion to every one to rejoice in the embrace of old friends. Once again the blooming valley Offers up its grateful charms, And the circling hills securely Fold you in their shielding arms. Lo, the mountains ! famous ever In the architectural plan, — Thus it is that God, the Father, Here reveals himself to man. In these wondrous works behold him. See his image, hear his voice. Who hath made the hills to blossom. And the mountains to rejoice. Reared within these classic borders, Edged and tempered for the strife. Ye have probed the world's disorders. Leading men to better life. CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 583 Art and science, manifestations Of the Infinite and True, Ye have spread among the nations, Foremost where there's work to do. Bring your laurel branches hither. Lay them on the altar's hearth ; They will keep your memory greener In the land that gave you birth. The second regular toast was then read : The Day We Celebrate. The President. — Some years ago, I happened to be traveHng through the Western country, and came to the city of Milwaukee. It presented a New England appearance. I always find that I can trace New England people by the New England houses and scenes around them. Take a New England man and cast him into the wilderness, and he will sow, as far as he can reach, New England principles and habits. On inquiry, I found in that city a New Eng- land man, whom they told me was one of the fathers of the place ; having lived through its entire history. I remember that only thirty years ago Wisconsin was made a territory, and it has been a state but fifteen years. I find that it is six times as large as the state of New Hampshire, and has 150,000 children in the public schools. Who could stand with such prosperity? Who could lead and direct it; who create it? Well, my friends, I will show you the man who contributed to it largely ; one of my old schoolmates, Edward D. Holton. And now, if he is here, I would like to know what he has to say about Wisconsin. There was one thing more that I saw in Milwaukee. I went down to the market, and found there a cart-load of salmon trout floundering about, that had not been out of the lake, apparently, more than half an hour. They were as large as calves ! (Loud laughter.) It is the greatest country I ever saw, out there, and Milwaukee is one of the greatest places; and this gentleman (Hon. Edward D. Holton) is one of the greatest men in that place. (Renewed merriment.) SPEECH OF HON. E. D. HOLTON. I wonder if there is any justice of the peace here ? I want to have this young man indicted. (Laughter.) He has dealt most profusely in broad statements, which I think ought to expose him to a great deal of censure. I think he is in- dictable, though I am not much of a lawyer. Now about those salmon, big as calves ! That is a big story. Old Billy Ingerson never saw as big salmon as that in the Connecticut, in all his life, although he saw awful big salmon, as well as big bears. (Laughter.) I heard the name of Milwaukee, the city where I have the honor to live, men- tioned by our excellent and esteemed president. Well, friends, it has been my 584 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. fortune to see what, perhaps, falls to the lot of but few persons of my age to see. I have witnessed every brick raised in that city of now sixty thousand inhabitants. When I went to Milwaukee it was a hamlet, and there was but a single brick house — a one-story building. Now it is literally a city of bricks. One of the peculiarities of the town is, that there is an extraordinary deposit of clay, that makes a yellow or cream-colored brick. Those bricks are found all over the country. There is scarcely a city in the United States that has not now some handsome structure built of those bricks. They make a peculiarly handsome material for building. Milwaukee is a cream -colored city — the natural color of the bricks. Very superior bricks are these ; they are equal to marble for endur- ance. It has been my privilege also to see that people grow. I have seen the people come trooping in until the state has reached a population of a million. Many of these people are Germans. I have seen a great deal of the Germans, and I have come to love them very much. At least twenty or twenty-five thou- sand of the inhabitants of Milwaukee are Germans. They are a noble people. They have some peculiarities. They arefvery fond of lager beer, and deal in it almost everywhere; but now and then a Yankee likes a little lager. But still, they are a most industrious, law-abiding people, and a people of great productive power. To illustrate the stability of the Germans, I will mention that I took a lad, twelve years old, from the street, who was indentured to me, in the old- fashioned way, for six or seven years. That was in 1842, twenty-five years ago, and that boy has remained with me from that time to this — that is, in the differ- ent stations I have occupied. He is now a bookkeeper in one of the banks, to which I introduced him, having brought him up to that business. This steadi- ness and tenacity in business are what we need, and we shall borrow them from the German character. Another characteristic of the German is his love for home. Any Yankee will go to work and fix up a farm, and then sell it right out, without even asking per- mission of his wife, if he can get his price. Not so with the Germans, Mr. Chairman. I can take you to many a German who would not sell his farm if you covered it with gold. It is worth twenty dollars an acre, perhaps. You say to him, "I will give you twenty-one." "No." "I will give you twenty-two." "No." " I will give you twenty-five." "No: you can't buy it at all." "Why not?" "It is my house — my home." Well, this stability of character, united with the characteristics of our people, is really going to improve us. A good cross is an advantage. That boy to whom I have referred is now a young man, and is worth $25,000, which he has accumulated by little savings. I want to call the attention of young American men to this element of the German character — steadiness, perseverance, and economy. It is an element which we need to in- corporate into the American character. So, in Milwaukee, I congratulate myself at the new type of character that the German population will bring among us. They are peculiar in some things, as I said before. They have departed from the old faith of Luther to a considerable extent. They are a little degenerate in the matter of theology, but that we hope to remedy. Our schools are open; the New England element comes in, and we hope to gather up all the children to meet together in our common schools. We hope to keep ourselves well up with the times in that regard. We have now nine school- houses, three stories high, which have cost from fifteen to forty thousand dollars apiece. I know of no public buildings around there that are so handsome and elegant as they are. Into those schools we introduce the best talent that can be got, as teachers. Our common schools will carry the young man or the young maiden up to the languages, and perfect them in everything they need. And we are spreading this education broadcast, as you do, to all those German and Irish and Scotch and Welch that come among us, and thus we will produce a homogeneous population, that shall spread out and produce, we hope, a higher order of char- CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 585 acter than we have yet seen on the continent in that valley of the Mississippi. God, we trust, will bless the efforts that are being put forth, not only by Mil- waukee, but by other cities and towns in the West. The great city of Chicago might be instanced, in a far grander sense than Milwaukee, for they have done nobler and better in all those matters that stand related to the highest welfare of the community. By applying these instrumentalities, we hope finally to prepare a population that shall be, with you here, a sheet-anchor, that shall hold the nation against any force that may be brought against it. The President. — This is an occasion when the forms of men rise up before us swifter than thought. Of the oldest inhabitants, I cannot help mentioning the name of Barnard, whose white locks and venerable appearance I well recollect, for he was aged when I came to Lancaster. He was a man of extensive culture, a fine speaker, and an honorable gentleman. He has gone from among us, but his life and character will be valuable, now and always. I remember, too, Richard Eastman, one of the most honored and honorable men in our town. He was a man without reproach. Fortunate is he who successfully follows his example. Henry Ward Beecher once said that he wanted to live among the hills, where there had been trouble ; where there had been steam power which had thrown up, in some grand convulsion, great mountains. It was a very ancient engine that burst when these hills were blown up from their deep foundations. There is a gentleman here to-day who has always been familiar with steam power, and on the train of fortune. But he loves his mountain home. He is a son of Lancas- ter, who went out into the world alone, and has come back, bearing the record of an honorable and successful life. I mean Nathaniel White, Esq. He sends me this sentiment, being too modest to speak : May our town always keep on the track of prosperity, and may her merchandise be transported as successfully as this occasion transports us. The third regular toast was then read : Our Friends fro7n Abroad. The President. — The gentleman who was expected to respond to that toast was the first preceptor of the academy in this place, Nathaniel Wilson, and I know there are many of his old pupils here to-day who will be delighted to see and hear him. He claims not to have educated me wholly, but only half of me. I am sorry to say, however, that in that he is mistaken ; it was her sister. (Laughter.) The value of the services that gentleman has ren- dered the town cannot be calculated. His pupils all speak of him with respect and affection. If present, I wush he would come for- ward and address them a moment. [Mr. Wilson did not respond, and the president continued.] 586 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. My friends, before any of you retire, there is a little business to be transacted. I propose that when we adjourn, it be to meet again at this place on the 14th of July, 1964 (laughter and applause), and I venture, in behalf of the committee of arrangements, to invite all of you to be present. (Renewed merriment.) The orator will by that time be ready to dehver his oration, and the governors of Mas- sachusetts and New Hampshire will be able to attend. If it is your wish, when we do adjourn, to adjourn for a hundred years, and to meet as proposed, you will say "Aye." ("Aye," "aye.") It is a unan- imous vote, therefore you will all be here. (Great merriment.) The next regular toast was then read : Ou7' Honored Dead, Responded to by Henry O. Kent, giving statistics of enlistments, mortality, and notable acts on the part of the town and natives of Lancaster in the service. The PRESH3ENT. — I do not mean to say, ladies and gentlemen, that Lancaster has ever felt very materially any of its great losses, because its resources have been so unbounded. It has, however, been quite a custom in times past for inquiring young men, and also sometimes for sober, serious, and disconsolate older ones, to make pilgrimages to our mountains, to recuperate their health and restore their spirits. They often came to Lancaster for relief, and for a spiritual medicine, carry off our daughters to adorn other homes in other states. I have seen here to-day one of these fortu- nate men from Massachusetts, a valued acquaintance and friend of mine for some years. If Mr. Ezra C. Hutchins is in the audience, I would like to ask him what sentiment he cherishes for the town of Lan- caster, the birthplace of his better half? I know he has very happy feelings and a most thankful disposition concerning us. I will venture to say he is a very fortunate man, and must know it. (Laughter.) Mr. Hutchins sent up the following toast: May the daughters of Lancaster be found as lovely in the future as they have been in the past. Fourth regular toast : Our Conunon Coufitry. The President. — I have been requested to call upon Daniel C. Pinkham, Esq., to respond to this toast. In the necessary absence of Mr. Pinkham, the next sentiment was announced : The Ancient Fraternity . Colonel Kent. — I will call upon Sir Knight Jared I. Williams to respond to that sentiment. He was early connected with the CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 587 revival of the order in this town, and it is as much indebted to him as to any person for its present flourishing condition. SPEECH OF SIR KNIGHT J. I. WILLIAMS. I could wish, sir, that some older member of the fraternity, some one better versed in its history, and whose eloquence would do better justice to it than any words of mine, had been designated to respond to this sentiment ; but as I make it a rule never to shrink from trying, at least, to do my part, I will say a few words. In 1797, I think, authority was given to Mr. John Weeks and associates to establish North Star lodge. From that time down to the Morgan excitement the lodge worked on, with that varying fortune that marks all human institutions ; sometimes meeting with a high degree of prosperity, and at other times sinking to a very low state. At that time, when unprincipled politicians — then, as always, ready to seize upon anything to accomplish their ends — grasped at the alleged abduction of a worthless citizen to raise an outcry against the order, the lodge languished, and finally the charter was returned to the grand lodge, where it remained until 1852, when Dr. Eliphalet Lyman procured its restoration. Since then it has prospered to a great degree, and now numbers some hundred and fifty members. What we have accomplished for the good of the town, how far our lessons of love and kindness taught in the lodge have gone toward uniting the people of this town, will only be known when the last records are made up and we all stand before our Master and wait his final inspection. This much we know, that the honored names of those who have presided over us, and who have assisted us in all our undertakings, are those of our most respected citizens — men of worth, whose names are sufficient vouchers that we have been engaged in noth- ing wrong, but that we have always wrought for the best interests of our native town. The names of Weeks and Savage and Wilson and Chapman, and others familiar to the older citizens of this town, are good sureties for our well meaning, and, I think, for our good conduct. To-day we have met together and carried before you the banner of the knights of old, the emblem of our order. With pleasure we have done it, and we hope it has reminded you, as it ever reminds us, that in our course of life the cross of our blessed Saviour should be our only guide. I would here remind my brother Masons that this is the first time that we have been called out on an occasion of festivity. Our meetings have been generally those of sorrow and mourning. Soon after the restoration of our lodge we were called to lay the remains of Dr. Lyman in the silent tomb, and pay to them the last sad honors which were denied by his kindred. We recorded his virtues upon our records, and threw over his frailties the mantle of Masonic charity. Since then we have been called upon to bury many of our most influential members. I was struck with the mention, by the marshal, of Colonel Cross, Lieutenant Lewis, and others, who have fallen in this Civil War, and whom we have laid in the grave. But, citizens of Lancaster, as we joyously assist you on this occasion, so we ask you to assist us with your smiles and your encouragement, that our Masonic trowels maybe more efficient in spreading the cement of love and Union ; that our Masonic swords may be sharper to smite asunder the arrows of temptation, and that our armor may be proof against them. The next regular toast was then read : The Volunteer Army. 588 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Seventh regular toast: The Federal Navy. Colonel Kent. — I desire to call upon a son of Lancaster to respond to that toast; a young man whose bravery is only equaled by his modesty; who has gone through the several gradations in the navy, until he now holds the honorable position of lieutenant. I refer to Alfred T. Snell, late of the ship Lancaster. The Preshjent. — I happen to know something of the manner in which Lieutenant Snell has performed his duties, and it has been so creditable that I am sure his name will be written among the honored sons of the town. Lieutenant Snell having left the bower, Colonel Kent said : I desire to call for a toast from an old and respected citizen, whose long and honorable career has been without spot or blemish ; whose descendants have sprang up around him, and whom we all rejoice to see here to-day. I allude to Col. John H. White. Will he favor us with a sentiment, or some remarks? Colonel White said he had no speech to make, but he would offer as a sentiment, — Lancaster as it was one hundred years ago, a howling wilderness, now blossoming like the rose. Never need a son look beyond his own town to find anything surpassing the sublime beauty of its scenery. Eighth regular toast : The Churches and the Sabbath Schools. To this toast there was no response, and the next was read, as follows : The Early Settlers of Our Town. SPEECH OF REV. WM. R. JOYSLIN OF BERLIN, VT. Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : I thank you for the invitation to respond to this toast. I am one of those who revere age, and it is exceedingly pleasant to me, when I come back here, to see so many reverend and revered men and women, who have given character to our town. The earliest settlers have passed off the stage. Stockvvell, Bucknam, Spaulding — they have passed off, as indi- viduals, from the stage of action, but their descendants remain; and this town, in the families of the Spauldings, the Savages, the Stockwells, the VVeekses, and their descendants, directly and indirectly, with their comfortable homes, attests the character of those settlers. They were industrious, thrifty, sturdy men, and they gave character and life to this town. Their descendants are of the same class, and we know — as we look abroad over our community — that they are its bone and sinew. Our fathers endured stern hardships and privations. Mr. Edward Spaulding, who settled upon the hill, was brought here in the arms of his mother — the first infant brought to this town. Many came from Massachu- setts, as we have heard. They came into the wilderness and laid the foundations CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 589 upon which our prosperity has Ijeen built up. Among other things — and it may become me to speak of it, my friends — they brought with them and estabhshed the Gospel and its institutions. The early settlers reared the old meeting-house, and there the families gathered in those pews — every pew representing a family ; and thus the people of this town were brought together in a bond of religious and spiritual union — a union that will outlast all other unions. Our stability, my friends, is in following the example that has been exhibited by the lives and the actions of the early settlers; holding fast to the truth, building upon the founda- tions that they laid, and standing by the principles that have been committed to us by a Christian and pious ancestry. I believe that in this rests our strength, and that by this we shall conquer. May we, my friends, be as faithful in our day and generation — those who are coming upon the stage and those who are now in middle life— as the early set- tlers of this town ; and 7nay the prosperity of this town henceforth be an honor to us, as it has been an honor to them. May we all stand in the principles that were left to us, and be a united and a happy people. In this connection, a communication received from Judge Wood- ruff of Ohio, whose wife is the daughter of Hon. John H. White, was read. Colonel Kent continued : Several other toasts have been handed in by various parties during the day, to which no person has been assigned to respond. I will read them. By Nathaniel Wilson, Esq., the first preceptor of the academy, of Orono, Me. : Lancaster' . — In the grandeur and beauty of her natural scenery unrivaled, but in her social relations more notable, more truly beau- tiful. As her generations in the past century were distinguished in all the elements that constitute an intelligent and virtuous commu- nity, may the present and the future rival the past. By Rev. John Lovejoy, the chaplain designated for the occasion, who, much to our regret, is unable to be with us to-day: Lancaster. — Beautiful for situation — the joy of all resident and absent citizens. Surrounded by the " Mountains of God," may her love for liberty, education, religion, and religious institutious be as permanent as the White Mountains. The United States. — The most glorious, the happiest, " the most magnificent dwelling for men on earth." Its disunion is sought by worthless men. Let the language of every loyal heart be, " The Union MUST and SHALL be preserved." May the eternal God be its refuge, and underneath, the everlasting arms. T/ie Ladies. — No celebration is complete without the presence of the ladies. At this time we welcome them with peculiar pleas- ure. We attribute the present position of the town, in wealth, cul- ture, and influence, to the force of their example and the effect of their labors. While we cherish with the warmest affection the name 590 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. of the town of our youth, we can never forget the dear ones that have made and still rend^er it doubly dear. The Committees of the Occasion. — Better labor was never more cheerfully rendered than that by our men, matrons, and maids, in preparing this enthusiastic welcome to the old home. May the efforts they have shown in our behalf bear abundant fruit in the harvest of pleasant recollections that will spring from the seed here planted. The Citizens Gene7-ally. — From the farm, the ofifice, the shop, and the counter the people have come up to enjoy this day's fes- tivity. As we glance over the luxuriant fields and among the evi- dences of prosperity that surround us, we may well have reason for a day's festive congratulation on the peaceful progress that has passed over the happy valley. During long years to come may we, the people of this good old town, dwell in harmony, peace, and plenty, striving for the common good, and diffusing influences that shall endure long after they have lain down to sleep beneath the shade of the hills that smiled over their cradle. The Sons and Daiightei's of Lancaster . — May those of them who have left their homes, honor their native town by their deeds as much as she has honored them in their birth. The President. — My friends, we have had some disappoint- ments to-day, but I am sure we have had also considerable happi- ness. It is hardly proper for us to pass by, with a single sentiment, the labors of the several committees here to-day. They have been so well performed, and in all respects are so creditable, that I think the children of Lancaster who reside out of the town and the state ought to give them some special commendation. I therefore pro- pose that the thanks of the sons and daughters of Lancaster be given to the various committees of arrangements, for the highly satisfactory manner in which they have discharged their duties. Those in favor of that proposition will say "Aye." "Aye," " aye." Contrary minded, " No." (No response.) Everybody is satisfied with those committees. (Applause.) And now, my friends, it remains for us simply to congratulate ourselves that we have had such a beautiful day. Providence has smiled upon this occasion in a peculiar manner. There is much felicity in what has been said and done. It has been clearly dem- onstrated to-day that the love and friendship of the people of Lan- caster are stronger than their politics and party spirit. Not one word has been uttered reflecting upon any man or set of men under heaven. It is a precious blessing, and a cause of rejoicing, that there are still some occasions in life when we can meet in friendship CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 59I and harmony. I trust that when we separate we may go with the right temper and right feehng, and with a fixed determination that we will hereafter do nothing which will reflect dishonor upon our native town ; that we shall go forth self-reliant, and with the firm purpose to accomplish whatever we undertake, as becomes the sons of Lancaster. I trust, too, that we shall be true to ourselves and the virtues of our fathers, and as often as we remember them, renew the resolution that their posterity shall never be unworthy of them. Colonel Kent. — My friends, this closes the exercises of the day. A levee will be held at the town hall this evening, which we hope will be made one of the pleasant incidents of this occasion, by the presence of our friends from all parts of the country, and the interchange of cordial greetings and sentiments, of friendship. We hope to see you all to-night, and that you will extend this notice as much as possible, that there may be a large attendance. This meeting stands adjourned until the 14th da)' of July, 1964. (Laughter and applause.) The President. — Colonel Kent will conduct the exercises on that occasion. (Rei>ewed laughter.) levee at the town hall. The festivities of this interesting occasion were fitly terminated by a levee in the evening, at the town hall — the ancient meeting- house, the first erected in the town, and itself, therefore, a link be- tween the present and the past — which was crowded to overflowing by the residents of the town and their friends from abroad. The hall was handsomely decorated with flags and wreaths of evergreen, while a magnificent bouquet, gigantesque in size, but arranged with exquisite taste, hung over the platform, like the breath of Imogen, perfuming the room. The gathering was an informal one, and the principal portion of the time was spent in the exchange of friendly greetings and conversation, in which the reminiscences of the past held a conspicuous place. Old friends, long parted by time and widely separated by distance, here met, to renew once more the in- tercourse of early years and revive the pleasant memories of the past. The following songs, written for the occasion, were sung in a spirited and effective manner by the glee club : (By Henry O. Kent.) In the grateful shade of our mountain home A glad throng gathers to-day, To welcome with joy to the old hearthstone Companions so long away. And list, 'mid our welcome resounding clear, A plaintive strain from afar, That sweetly falls on our gathering here Through the listening summer air. 592 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. The greeting of friends to the olden home, Now rested from mortal strife ; Whose spirits attend ye, as back ye come To haunts of their earthly life. Warm is the greeting and strong the embrace That welcome ye home again ; Which bid ye forget the wearying race That led from this peaceful plain. Ring the glad chorus full joyously out, While the old, old tales are told; Let silvery laugh and echoing shout Prove hearts that have not grown cold. Aye, the sturdy old town is glad to-day, As she welcomes home her own. And her jocund smile is as blithe and gay As that of her youngest born. Ye have done her honor where'er ye strove. Her dead have been leal and true ; The pride of her sons and her daughters' love Been pure as our mountains' snow. * Let us strengthen here this union of ours, Near the graves of loved ones gone ; Renew at this altar our youthful vows, And cheerfully journey on. WELCOME HOME. (By Mrs. Mary B. C. Slade.) Mountain winds and singing waters Sound our old home's gladsome strain : Climb the hills, my Sons and Daughters ! Welcome, welcome home again ! Climb the hills, my Sons and Daughters ! Welcome, welcome home again ! Climb the hills, my Sons and Daughters! Welcome, welcome home again ! Haste from prairie, lake, and ocean ; From the crowded cities come. And afar from war's commotion. Soldiers, brothers, welcome home! Come, unseen ones, at our calling, Who, our glory and our loss, Nobly fought, as nobly falling. With the brave and gallant Cross ! Lovely spot, sweet home of beauty, On her birthday bright and clear, At the call of love and duty. All shall find a welcome here. CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 593 Crown with love each joyous hour, Write each name so dear to her On the Inindred petaled flower. Sweet wild rose of Lancaster. In the course of the evening, Albert Holton, Esq., of Bangor, proposed that the natives of Lancaster, now resident abroad, should purchase the field where the dinner had been given, and present it to the town for a public common, as a memorial of their affection for the place of their birth. The proposition was heartily seconded by Nathaniel Wilson, Esq., of Orono, Me., and J. B. Brown, Esq., of Portland. A subscription paper was drawn up, and considerable progress made in obtaining the- requisite amount. A resolution was also passed authorizing Colonel Kent to procure all available statis- tics in regard to the history of the town, to be printed with the account of the celebration. At 10:30 o'clock the company separated (the band playing "Home, Sweet Home"), to seek their several homes, their souls strengthened and their hearts inspired, we trust, by the events of the day, and a store of fragrant memories treasured up for the years that are to come. As a matter for future reference in this connection, we insert the names of those officials who were present and acted on the occasion : President. — David H. Mason, Boston, Mass. Vice-Presidents. — Nathaniel White, Concord; John B. Brown, Portland. Me. ; L. C. Porter, St. Johnsbury, Vt. ; Edward D. Holton, Milwaukee, Wis. ; Nathaniel Wilson, Orono, Me. ; Spencer Clark, Lunenburg, Vt. ; John W. Lovejoy, Hatfield, Mass. ; Reuben G. Freeman, Guildhall, Vt. ; Charles Baker, Royal Joyslin, J. E. Stick- ney, Horace Whitcomb, Allen Smith, William Lovejoy, Seth Sav- age, William Holkins, William Burns, Douglass Spaulding, Emmons Stockwell, W'arren Porter, Amos LeGro, Porter G. Freeman, Joseph Howe, John H. White, Benjamin Hunking, Turner Stephenson, J. W. Williams, James W'. Weeks, Ephraim Cross, Charles D. Steb- bins, Richard P. Kent, Samuel Mclntire, Gilman Wilder, Ephraim Stockwell, Beniah Colby, Daniel Stebbins, William Moore, Lan- caster. Coniniittee of Arrangements. — J. W. Barney, William R. Stock- well, J. L Williams, Samuel H. LeGro, Edward Savage, H. J. Whit- comb, E. R. Kent. Marshal-in-Chief. — Henry O. Kent. Aids to the Marshal. — Levi B. Joyslin, Edward R. Kent, Ira S. M. Gove, Frank Smith, Loren B. Porter, Chapin C. Brooks, William C. Spaulding, Oscar F. Bothel, H. G. Hodgdon, H. F. Whitcomb, Sylvanus Chessman, William Warren, James S. Brackett, \\. D. Stockwell, G. H. Emerson, Philastus Eastman, P^-ed C. Colbv. 38 594 HISTORY OF LANCASTER. Special Marshal/or Sabbath Schools. — Harvey Adams. Ass/slants. — Joseph C. Marshall, Seneca Congdon, George M. Smith, Albert T. Johnson, C. M. Winchester. In the absence of the orator selected, William H. Farrar of Ore- gon, addresses were delivered by David H. Mason of Boston, Mass., and Edward D. Holton of Milwaukee, Wis. Cha-plain. — Rev. David Perry of Brookfield, Vt. Toastinasters. — The President and Marshal-in-Chief. Reader of the Charter. — Ossian Ray. Committee on Dinner. — Frederick Fisk, E. R. Kent, A. H. Aspin- wall, G. H. Watson, W. F. Smith, C. E. Allen, G. O. Rogers, H. J Whitcomb, L. B. Porter, E. Spaulding, J. B. Moore, W. D. Weeks J. Moore, R. L. Hodgdon, W. J. Harriman, Charles W. Hodgdon Francis H. Wentworth, Alonzo P. Freeman, Dudley N. Hodgdon, 2d Barton G. Towne, James LeGro, Hiram Savage, John W. Spaulding J. W. Savage, O. F. Bothel, Warren Marden, R. G. Kimball, Joseph Colby, Zeb. Twitchell, J. S. Brackett, George W. Webster, S. H. Le- Gro, C. D. Allen, Charles Mclntire, Nelson Kent, William Darby, C. B. Allen, William L. Rowell, B. F. Hunking, L. F. Moore, W. H. Clarke, J. C. Marshall, George Cotton, Nelson Sparks, John E. Field, and their wives ; Horace Spaulding, Henry VVebb, and their sisters ; George S. Stockwell, Phineas R. Hodgdon, Miss Rebecca Colby, and Miss Abigail Colby. Letters were received and read from Gov. John A. Andrew of Mas- sachusetts, United States Senator Aaron H. Cragin of Lebanon, A. Curtis and. W, H. Stockwell of Cincinnati, William W. Field of Fen- nimore, Wis., J6hn E. Haines and Col. Joseph W. Merriam of Chi- cago, Edward B. Moore, M. D., of Boston, John G. Foster, major- general United States Volunteers, and Gov. Joseph A. Gilmore. I N D EX Abbott, Amos F'. 454 Abbott, Annie 505 Abbott, Erastus I. 549' 550 Abbott, Samuel ...... 121 Abraig, Samuel ...... 121 A^o^latv,,r T .,,..-> of o,- ^_, ^^^ ^T< ^-r CORRECTION. By some fatality the name of the beautiful river flowing through the village — the ancient Sawa-coo-nauk, or Siwooganock — is per- sistently printed " Isrrals," instead of " Israels " as it should be spelled, in honor of Israel Glines, the pioneer hunter and trapper. Alden, Henry Aldrich, Gilman . Alexander, Benjamin D. Alexander, George Allen, Asahel Allen, Charles B. Allen. Charles E. Allen, Cyrus D. Allen, Daniel W. Allen, Isaac 267 -67' 323, 335. 377. 398, 399. 444 528, 529, 534, 539. 541, 545 258, 337, 377, 378. 385. 399, 530, 537, 539, 542 158 548 121 557 192 541 206 . 524 594 386, . 594 . 594 . 549 -,86 I N DEX Abbott, Amos F'. Abbott, Annie Abbott, Erastus I. Abbott, Samuel . Abraig, Samuel Academy, Lancaster Accounts, Early Private, with Adams, Andrew . Adams, Benjamin Adams, B. S. Adams, Elisha Adams, Ezra E. . Adams, Harvey Adams, Rev. James Adams, J. W. Adams, Lemuel Adams, Milton A. Adams, Reuben L. Adams, Ruth Adams, Seth Agriculture . Agriculture, Commissioner on Agricultural Societies Alcott. B. S. Alden, Henry Aldrich, Gilman . Alexander, Benjamin D Alexander, George Allen, Asahel Allen, Charles B. Allen, Charles E. Allen, Cyrus D. . Allen, Daniel W. Allen, Isaac the Town 229, 258, 267, 505, 523, 527, State Board of . 267, 323. 528, 454 505 549. 550 121 121 275' 333^ 416-421 194-198 131, 194, 410 13I' 194, 375' 410, 436 505 43^ 420 335' 37S^ 376, 385' 436, 437 529, 536, 541, 542, 548, 593 336, 438 438 13I' 535 557 33S^ 368, 398, 539' 542 193 433' 538. 54I' 547, 548 126, 152 535 126, 400, 402 390 121 557 192 267, 541 206 335' 377, 398, 399. 444> 5^4 529. 534' 539- 541, 545' 594 258, 337, 377' 378. 385- 386, 399, 530, 537, 539, 542, 594 158' 594 548, 549 386 334 528 258, 267, 430, 596 INDEX. Allen, Maria Allen, William H. Allison, David B. Alverson, Thomas Amadon, Ada Amadon, George M. Ames, Jere'h Amey, John T. Amey, Harry B. . Amey, E. C. Amusements of Early T Andrew, E. Animals Annance, Louis Anti-Slavery Movement Applebee, Dorcas Apthorp, Charles Ward Armington, J. W. Arsenal, The State Ashley, Rev. Andrew \\ Aspinwall, A. H. Aspinwall. John . Atkinson, Theodore Austin, Rev. Daniel Austin, Eliza Babb, Nathaniel . Babcock, Rev. D. C. Babcock, Rev. J. M. Bacon, Sarah Hawes Bailey, C. A. Bailey, Charles R. Bailey, Daniel Bailey, Harry Bailey, Jacob Bailey, Josephine A. Bailey, N. M. Bailey, Richard W. Bailey, Walter S. Bailey, Ward Bailey, William W. Bain, James Baird, J. H. Baker, Benjamin T. Baker, Betsey Baker, Charles Baker, Charles O. in Lancaster 143. 235. 93. 263 131, 192, 209, 335, 428, 486, 546, 548, 325. 558 457, 524. 539 1 2 1 497 542 77 339, 535, 543 476, 497 497 349- -363 191 289, 292 313. 486 143, 144 190 21, 30, 3c , 42 421 5i7> 518 451 594 228, 436, 540 3,8 487 192 190 434, 439 447 464 394. 395 460, 491 121 499. 525 72 494, 501 438 336 337^ SS<^^ 559 71 ^ 82 121 ■ 388, 542 459 121 193 423 546, 548, 593 323 INDEX. 597 Baker, C. W. Baker, Etta I. Baker House Baker, James Baker, Jonas Baker, Lucinda Baker, Mary Baker, Oliver W. Baker, Sophia Baker, T. T. Baker, W. G. Balch, Amos Balch, Charles H. Balch, James H. Balch, Joseph Balch, Joseph H. Ball, Ebenezer Ball, Isaac . Banfield, Samuel Banks . Bank Commissioners Baptists Barlow, Abner Barlow, Joseph Barlow, Nathan Barnard, Julia Barnard, Levi Barnard, Lucy R. Barnard, Rev. Stephen Barney, Dr. John W. Barrel, Nathaniel Barrows, Rev. L. D. Barrows, Levi P. Barstovv, George . Bartlett, Isaac Bartlett, Dr. Josiah Bass, J. L. . Batchelor, D. W. Batchelor, Jonas . Batchelor, Mary E. Batchelder, C. D. Batchelder, Jacob Batchelder, James Beach, Edward B. Beach, H.N. 323 . . . 502 333 397 32, 59, 90, loi, 131, 177, 193, 197 422, 423. 433. 534, 538, 539, 540 427 191 374, 510. 528, 548 191 505 505 528 390 134, 192, 418, 419, 554 191 550 121 40 192. 513 336. 338, 392-395 534 80, iSj. 450. 451 11 . 11, 82 83, 546 509 131.463 192 430, 442 237, 267, 275, 335, 336, 369, 444, 478 481, 489, 495, 532, 534, 550, 593 ?~ 438, 459 557 420 496 34 338 505 372 505 459 192 191 556 338 598 INDEX. Bean, Albro Bean, Curtis Bean, Lieut. Riciiard Beadier, Gad Beaton, Charles C. Beattie, Capt. Alexander M. Beattie, D. H. Beattie, Thomas C. Beattie, T. G. Beckwith, George H. Bell, Rev. Benjamin Bellows, Charles . Bellows, George . Bellows, John Bellows, Josiah, 2d Bellows, Lydia Bemis. O. W. Benman, Jonas Bench and Bar, The Bennett, Chester . Bennett, Daniel . Bennett, Ezra B. . Bennett, Frederick T. Bennett, Nathaniel Bennett, Rev. W. E. Bennett, Zera Benton, Benjamin Benton, Hon. Jacob Benton, Josiah H., Jr. Benton, Louisa Dow Benton, Reuben C. Benway, Joseph Bergin, Abigail Bergin, Anna Bergin, Joseph Berry, Henry B. Berry, William H. Bickford, John Bigelow, Asahel Bingham, Francis Birds of Lancaster Bishop, Benjamin Black Lewa Black, Zebulon Blackmer, Dr. John Blair, George W. 160, 232, 233, 234, 336, 385, 468. 418, 121 499, 62, 244, 395, 505, 537. • 384, 489, 493, 176, 192, 267, 337, 36S, 131, 267, 528, 131, 194, 261, 460, 490, 524, 438, 236, 240, 267, 272, 275, 528, 531, 532, 533, 536, 237, 458, 469, 427, 165, 121, 131. 334, 293 181, 375' 335' 457 419 121 553 558 556 395 535 384 497 422 537 547 267 358 427 335 191 476 121 I2l 559 557 121 439 121 496 335 538 533 160 275 557 509 427 403 458 458 553 59 510 -316 434 72 388 459 2.37 INDEX. 599 Blair, William • 559 Blacksmiths 98, 375' 376 Blake, James • n, 83, 87 Blake, Thomas ■ 458 Blanchard, Harriet 418,419 Blanchard, Heber 131, 192, - 267, 335' 349, 373 Blanchard, James • 557 Blanchard, Joseph 10 Blanchard, Peter . ■ 384 Blodgett, Archippus • 77.87 Blodgett, Betsey . 190 Blodgett, Elijah . . 82, 87 Blodgett, Josiah . ■ n, 82 Blodgett, Thomas n Blood. Charles M. ■ 557 Blood, E. . • 492 Boardman, Benjamin 90, 131. 194, 334, 364, 370, 537. 540 Board man, Edward 191 Boardman, Sarah Ann . 191 Bonett, William . 337 Borged, Gilbert . 82 Bosvvell, William . 335 Botany of Lancaster 283-288 Bothel, Oscar F. . 593. 594 Bothwell, William 193 Boudle, John 558 Boundary Surveys 137-139 Boutwell, Frank . • 559 Boutwell, Harry . • 554 Bowe, Daniel A. . 143. 233, 234, 398, 420, 457 Bowler, Rev. J. A. 438 Brackett, Adino N, . 131, 165, 167, 191, 194, 220. 224, 225, 267, 341 358, 410, 416, 428, 534, 536, 538, 540, 541, 578 Brackett, A. N., Jr .267 Brackett, Lieut. James S. . 138, 235, 257, 402, 410, 444 459, 500. 550, 556, 593, 594 Brackett, John 190 Brackett, John Weeks .... 182, 412 Brackett, Deacon Joseph 59, 90, 99, loi, 193, 262, 406, 422, 423, 552, 553 Brackett, Mary ..... 193' 423 Brackett, Mary N. 324. 494 Brackett, Martha ..... 191 Brackett House, The Old • 333 Bradley, Sole Survivor of Rogers Rangers 4 Braden, Clark ..... . 98 Brainard, John ..... 121 Bridge Company, The ] -ancaster 395-398 6oo INDEX. 23. Bridges Bridge, J. D. Brigham, Tliomas Broolcs, Cliapin C. Brooks, Ezra Brooks, Kate J. Brooks, Sally Brown, Benjamin Brown, Charles Francis Brown, Chester P Brown, C. W. Brown, Edmund . 145 Brown, F. P. Brown, George Brown, Hope Brown, James Brown, J. B. Brown, Jerome H Brown, John Brown, M. . Brown, Mary E. Brown, Nancy Brown, RoUin J. Brown, Samuel W. Brown, Sarah W. Brown, Titus O. 59, 60, 90 Brown, Wellington Brown, William Brown, William J Bruce, Ezekiel Bruce, Phineas Bruce, William Bryant, George N Buck, Charles Buckley, Lizzie D Buckley, Will P. Bucknam, Gen. Edwards (Artemas Ward = 34 190 385 3^8 386 319 )93 326 . 61-66 339' 497. 505 492. 495' 418, 419. 529, 235' 319' 488, 495, 499' 505- 53^1. 545- 364' 381, 382, 5, ig, 20 52, 54' 56, 84, 87, 89, > 209, 212, 255, 329, 330, 363, 422, 539, 540, Bucknam, Edwards, Jr. Bucknam, Edward F. Bucknam, Eunice Bucknam, George Bucknam, Grove . 497' 501, 83' 397- 372, 67' 358, 59' 59. 339. 476, , 23, 25, 27, 34, 38, 39, 42 57, 59, 60, 72, 76, 78, 82 j8, 99, loi, 107, 112, 193, 262, 289, 291, 313, 325, 327, 370, 372, 396, 403, 406, 410, 545. 546, 547, 553, 561, 562, 27, 549 . 27, 28. 190 75 '83 593 35S 470 192 436 456 499 525 555 395 189 190 '87' 323 557 121 498 505 191 539 374 521 540 558 558 406 190 423 540 438 557 416 539 < 44 . 83 194 328 421 571 27 550 571 27 27 INDEX. 60 1 Bucknani, Dr. John W Bucknam, Lydia Bucknam, Mary Bucknam, Polly Bucknam, Sally Bucknam, Soffia Bucknam, Susanna Bugbee, Dr. Frank Bui lard, Ariel M. Bui lard, A. T. Bullard, Jarius T. Bullard, Rachel . Bullard, Stephen . Bullard, William . Bullard, Willie E. 244, 328 Bunday, David Bunday, Elisha Bundy, Isaac .Bundy, Samuel Bundy, Susannah Burbank, Adino J Burbank, Daniel Burbank, Hazen Burbeck, W. A. Burbeck, William Oliver Burgen, Betsey Burgin, John Burgin, John, 2d . Burgin, Samuel Burgin, Triphenia Burke, Rev. Edward Burley, Cyrus G. . Burnaby, Rev. Sydney A. Burnap, Asa W. . Burns, Charles E. Burns, John Burns, W. F. Burns, Hon. William Burnside Brook Burnside, David . Burnside, David A. Burnside, James . Burnside Meadows Burnside, Capt. Thomas Burt, George Burton, Azro 395 . 439 67, 275 491 492, 524, 525. 131- 325, 478, 555 27 27 [89 27 27 >7, 92, 191 33^, 478 390, 529, 530 437 418, 419 418, 419 121, 553 192 552 397 397 397 547 190 420 121 121 421 458 190 558 531, 537, 54- '93. 55- 232, 234, 239, 240, 269, 394, 444, 467, 528, 532, , 368, 372, 392, 509, 523, 335. 368, 385. 121, 553 131 192 429 449 432 193. 372, 535. 537 337 121 459 275- 336, 385. 393 533. 535. 545. 593 . 318 527, 528, 529, 545 398, 489. 529. 550 87 • 318 318, 483, 538, 552 557 433 6o2 INDEX. Burton, John K. . Bush, George R. . Buxton, Rev. Edward Byam, Abram Cady, Charles Cady, Lieut. Joseph C. Cady, Sarah Cady, Zadoc Cady^s Meadow Cahoon, Charles D. Call, Abbie S. Cameron, John H. Campbell, Rev. Henry Carbee, George E. Carbee, Thomas D. Cargill, Guy C. Cargill, Susan D. F. Cargill, William . Carlisle, Thomas . Carlisle, William T. Carlton, D wight . Carlton, F. H. . Carlton, Jonathan Carpenter, Ebenezer Carpenter, G. W. Carpenter, Dr. Harry B Carpenter, Gen. Philip Carr, Jesse . Carter, Ella . Carter, Reuben F. Carter, Thomas . Carter, Zebulon Cass, M. G. Cass, William D. Cassady, Frank Cassady, James Cassady, Michael . Cassady, Patrick . Cassady, Thomas Cassin, Warren Caswell, Nathan . Caswell, Nathaniel Cat Bow Tract Catholic Church, The 129 560 414, 556 427, 428 39 194, 267, 268, 383, 512, 515, 527, 528, 546, 67, 267, 333' 333. 364, 365. 483, 533. 537, 538, 131, 167, 194, 203, 209, 364, 365, 3^3, 397, 416, 509, 513, 537, 539, 129, 267, 364, 09, 378, 338, 339. 479. 472, 145. 411, 00, 5 57, 57, 77, 82, 83, 87, 185, 449- 267 513 547 427 513 354 437 502 557 451 401 C21 36s 445 545 370 547 547 433 497 537 557 483 499 545 547 501 560 40 121 436 438 562 557 557 559 559 122 311 189 39 450 INDEX. 605 Cattle, first in Lancaster Cave, George E. . Cemeteries ..... Census of Lancaster at Various Periods Centennial of Settlement of the Town Centennial Park . Chadbourne, Benjamin H Chaddock, Bowman ChaiTee, Isaac Chaffee, Otis Chamberlain, Rev. E. B Chamberlain, James Chandler, George E. Chaney, Rev. George L, Channing, Rev. George Chapman, Allison Chapman, Elias . Chapman, Dr. Jedediah Chapman, Katy C. Chapman, Nabby Chapman, William W. Charter of 1769 . Charter Charter, Renewal of Chase, Albert Chase, Aurin M. . Chase, Dexter Chase, Horace Chase, Joseph Chase, Persis F. . Chase, Simpson E. Cherry, Helen Cherry, Philo S. . Chessman, Charles Chessman, Joseph Chessman, R. C. . Chessman, Richard H. Chessman, Roswell Chessman, Roswell W Chessman, Silas . Chessman, Sophia Chessman, Sylvanus Christian, Levi H. Cholera Church, Levi Church, Moses 23 338, 391 325-328 70, 328-340 148, 149, 563-594 149 129, 481, 537, 547 397 539 121 431 483, 484 499 447 447 560 90. 433> 540 190 191 191 436, 547 31 4-1 1 30-32 505 39& 457 486 556 494, 501, 502 559 493 490. 493 411 548 492, 560 542 35& 542 13I' 193 191 113, 128, 131, 181, 190, 209, 319, 375 383, 511, 515, 540, 546, 557. 593 121 262 131 13J 6o4 INDEX. Churches 172- 186, 336, 421-452 Cilley, M. T. • 438 Civil List, The 531-543 Clarey, Patrick 449 Clark, Alvin J. . ■ 542 Clark, Eunice 190 Clark, Guy . 121 Clark, John M. . 244, 537, 542 Clark, John S. . 410 Clark, Rev. Lyman 447 Clark, Mindwell . 423 Clark, Morris 269 Clark, Seth . 121 Clark, Solomon B. 121 Clark, Spencer 485, 564 ^lark, William H. 439, 444, 594 Clark, William S. 335, 538, 541 Cleaveland, Charles A. . 243. 336 394, 395, 491, 492. +93, 535, 537, 542 Cleaveland, Charles F. . 476 Cleaveland, Curtis ■ 489 Cleaveland, Sarah B. . 493, 494 Clement, Enoch N. 557 Clerk of Courts • 534 Clerk of House of Representatives 533 Clerk of State Senate 533 Clerks of the Town • 539 Clocks, Manufacture of in Lancaster 377 Clough, Fred H. . 496 Clough, Fred R. . 499 Clough, J ere 121 Clough, Mary M. • 50s Clough, William . . 240 241, 334, 375, 394, 395, 401, 537, 542 Cloutman, Joseph B. 496, 497, 500, 560 Cloutman, William • 558 Coaching Parade, North Side 161-162 Cobleigh, Ellen E. 493- 495 Cobleigh, Erastus V. 337, 366, 394, 395, 487, 488, 490, 49' 492, 493, 53°, 531, 537, 542 Colby, Abigail 594 Colby, Benaiah 436, 564, 593 Colby, Charles F. 32,7^ 378, 482, 497,538 Colby, Enoch L. . 2>2>7, 385 .398 399, 444, 528, 529, 532, 535, 538 Colby, Dr. Frank A. . 263, 369, 478, 482, 552 Colby, Fred C. 338, 593 Colby, George H. 369, 458 Colby, Gilman 418, 419, 524 Colby, James • 557 INDEX. 605 Colby, Joseph Colby, Moses Colby, Rebecca Colby, W. C. Cold Seasons Cole, Rev. Otis Cole, S. Collins, Charles Collins, John Collins, Winthrop Commissioners, County Commissioners, Fish and Game Commissioners, State Concord Gore Concrete Sidewalks Connecticut, Early Settlers from Congdon, Andrew J, Congdon, F. E. . Congdon, George M Congdon, Seneca B. Connary, John Con nary, Mary Connary, Patrick Connary, Simon Connary, Thomas Conner, Charles E Conner, Harlow Conroy, Michael Cook, Warren Coolidge, H. O. Cooper, Moses Cooper, Saunders W Cods County Democrat . .226 Coos County Coos Country Coos He?'ald Coos Hotel . Cods Republican . Copp, Harrison Corning, B. H. Corning, Martha A. Corrigan, E. P. Corson, Levi J. Corson, William A. Cossitt, George A. Costello, John 229 230 38, 399 23 89-90 38, 401, 410 496 39- 450. 537 388 325 549 233, 234, 267, 335, 398, 399 335, 339, 454, 368, 453, 457 ■33, 261 335, 338, 454. 272, 276, 232, 234, 335, 336, 393, 529, 534, 535, 536, 538, 324, - 594 559 594 455 -124 438 395 121 121 121 535 535 534 35 150 , 187 , 535 339 , 525 , 594 449 449 , 449 , 558 449 , 551 556 340 483 394 121 - 535 . 459 124 1-17 460 -262 ■ 457 371 337 495 505 557 557 468 550 401 6o6 INDEX. Cotton, George Cotton, Isaac F. . Cotton, Isaac N. . Coult, Rev. A. C. Councilor, State . County Commissioners County Coroners . County Solicitors . County Treasurers Court-houses Couture, Charles . Cragie, Charles Cram, Celinda Cram, Emeline J. Cram, Francis Cram, Humphrey Cram, John . Cram, Jonathan . Cram, Polly Crandall, Adna . Crawford, Ethan . Crawford, Ethan A. Crawford, Gertrude P. Crawford, John C. Crawford, Hon. John G Crawford, Maria . Crawford, Rosebrook Crawford, Sally Crawford, Thomas J. Crawshaw, J. W. Creamer, Rev. Fr. M. J Crosby, Elisha Crosby, Mehitabel Cross, Benjamin . Cross, David Cross, Col. Edward E. Cross, Col. Ephraim Cross, Francis L. Cross, Jeremy L. Cross, Nellie W. Cross, Gen. Nelson Cross, Col. Richard E. Culver, Rev. David Cummings, Alexander Cummings, Dr. E. G. 511 340, 500. 190. 537 90, 193, 262, 326. 59, 90, 191. 193, 326, 327, 397, 536 339 11^ 241 179 388, 328, 339, 450 195. 538 145, 146, 148, 325, 455, 456, 457, 504, 550 . 95, 192, 228, 333, 348, 358, 379 406, 486, 515, 523, 527, 528, 529 534. 537. 538, 540. 541, 546, 547 246, 248 267, 555 456, 457, 555 594 560 436 438 531 535 537 535 535 -514 556 562 191 501 540 397 131 540 190 548 334 508 494 336 . 539 250 . 434 190 515 492 ,498 40 190 121 . 539 . 554 . 392 . 532 . 593 551 485 . 249 ,581 ,556 436 557 479 INDEX. 607 Cunimings, George Cummings, George A. Cummings, George W. Cummings, Henry J. Cummings, James Cummings, Pearl . Cummings, S. E. Cumner, Nathaniel VV. Cunningham, T. . Currier, Ezra Currier, George W. Currier, John Currier, Sylvanus Curtis, James Curtis, James H. . Curtis, William Gushing, Dr. E. B. Gushing, Stetson Ward Gushing, W. M. . Cushman, Elisha . Cushman, Lewis P. Cutter, Ammi R. . Cutter, Nancy Daggett, Joseph . Daggett, Roxanna Daggett, William Daley. John Dana, Daniel Dana, David Danforth, H. H. . Danforth, Rev. L. R. Danforth, W. R. Danner, Rev. M. P. Darby, Abijah Darby, Benjamin H. Darby, Ezra Darby, George Darby, Isaac Darby, James H. Darby, Moses Darby, William "Dark Year," The Darling, Flora Adams "Dartmouth College Lands' Davenport, Eli Davenport, Nathaniel M. 394. 67, 340, 388 542 556, 558 552, 556 557 • 505 420 490 338, 559 195 491 192 121 • 77, 87 394 192 480 490, 491, 492 325- 559 512 438 32 192 193 192 40 542 483, 48s 397 395 339. 440 395 450 59. 376 550 413 192 t3i, 373, 553 552 191 594 124 258 [07-109 121 500 6o8 INDEX. Davenport, Phineas Davis, Albert Bradley Davis, G. Davis, Moses Day, Eliphalet Day, F. N. . Day, Morrill C. Day, N. D. Day, Oliver P. Dean, John Dearborn, Reuben Dearth, Jonathan Deaths of Prominent People from Settlement Debating Clubs Deering, J. E. De Forest, Mills Delegates to National Political Conventions Denison, Bailey . Denison, Charles P. Denison, Henry W. Denison, John M. Denison, John P. Denison, Noyes S. Denison, Rebecca Denison, Sophronia Denison, Thomas Denison, William Dentists Derby, Andrew Derby, Edwin R. Derby, Isaac Derby, John G. . 457. 500' 524, 5^6, 527 Dewey, James Dewey, Dr. John . Dexter, Dr. George T. Dexter, Orrin R. . Dexter, Robert Diamond Granite Works, Th Dickson, R. W. . Dietrich, Christian Dimmick, John E. Dinsmore, Dr. Freedom Dinsmore, Sanford E. . Diphtheria . Directories of the Village at Various Times Dodge, John Dodge, Luimer f the 528, 13'- Fown 131, 529, 261, till I 131, 209, 418, 419, 850 364, 515' 93- 499, 500, 535, 537, 515, 27, 537, -09- 537, 479- 418, 510, 530, 531, 55°, 551, 364, 275- 336, 383, 3S4, 477, 479, 547, 121, 338, 240, 336. 263 333- 121 457 492 121 121 395 557 269 557 537 437 40 -194 184 505 483 532 548 555 458 546 559 546 427 427 539 546 -480 577 419 577 559 547 516 550 553 340 391 406 371 537 478 558 -264 -340 12 I INDEX. 609 Dodge, W. F. DoUofF, Charles L. Domestic Life Dooley, Fred Douglass, Ira G. Dow, Alden A. Dow, Ernest Dow, John . Dow, Jonathan Dow, Louise Draper, George Drew, Holman A. Drew, Hon. Irving W. Drew, Lizzie F. Drisco, Ralph L. Druggists, The Dudley, J. H. Dufoe, Edward Duncan, John Durgin, Timothy Dustin, Phebe Dyer, Joseph Dyke, " Brother " Eagan, Michael Eager, Fortunatus Eames, Capt. Jeremiah Eames, Jeremiah, Jr. Eames, Rev. Joseph Eames, Lois Eames, Seth Eames, Thomas . Early, Michael Eastern Star, Olive Branch Chapter of the Or Eastman, Amos Eastman, Edwin F. Eastman, George V. Eastman, John C. Eastman, L. L. Eastman, Nellie . Eastman, Philastus Eastman, Richard Eaton, Charles Eaton, George R. Edmunds, Nena H. 39 490, 90, 340- 337> 557> 499. 9I' 349' 243, 277, 336, 339, 370, 394, 395, 402, 452, 474, 521, 532, 534, 539, der of 490, 480- 167, 190, 223, 225, 383, 512, 513, 533, 535, 536, 395 491 -349 339 558 559 562 373 558 469 192 456 401 552 476 491 -483 395 376 40 191 93 483 183 557 59, 209 n. 81 562 339, 452, 489, 491 189 191 308 559 493-495 I 28, 547 364 488, 490 437 458 593 413, 416, 417, 428, 509 538, 540, 541, 546, 585 276 311^ 394, 395, 402, 535 494 'y:>^ 34> 444. 5 6io INDEX. Education . , 1 64-1 71, 402-421 Egypt 319 Ellis, Thomas S. 145 337. 388, 395, 490, 492, 493, 499, 500, 542, 560 Ellis, William G. 258, 388, 499. 543. 552, 557. 559 Ellis, W. H. 390 Ellison, Harpless 560 Emerson, David . 413 Emerson, Edward 401, 541, 542 Emerson, George H. 338, 399, 400, 401, 458, 459, 499, 500 530. 532, 534. 539. 552, 559. 593 Emerson, Jacob . 190 Emerson, Richard H. . 458, 560 Emery, Stephen . • 499 Emmons, Rev. Henry V • 431 English, John 121, 553 Epidemics . 259-266 Evans, Albion G. 325. 337 Evans, A. R. 395 Evans, C. H. 492 Evans, C. W. ■ 505 Evans, Etta A. 505 Evans, E. W. • 492 Evans, J. . 401 Evans, M. B. • 505 Evans, Samuel G. 33S. 368 Evans, S. N. • 338 Everett, Drusilla . 191. 477 Everett, E. A. 335 Everett House 332 Everett, Persis F. 192, 423, 427 Everett, Hon. Richard Clair 34, 48, 51, 63, 94, 189, 193, 209, 215 248, 371, 382, 396, 397, 462, 4S3, 533 536, 538. 540, 545. 546, 553^ 562, 573 Fabyan, Horace G 499 Farnham, Dolly . 190 Farnham, Dorcas 190 Fai'nham, Edwin . 560 Farnham, Elden . • 505 Farnham, Eliza . 192 Farnham, George 244, 38S, 537 Farnham, Hannah 191 Farnham, Joel 121,553 Farnham, John • 388 Farnham, John M. 560 Farnham, Joseph . 191, 193 INDEX. 6ll Farnham, Mary . Farnham, Ransom J. Farnham, William H. . Farrar, Tryphena Farrar, Deacon William Farrar, William H. Farrington, Charles D. Faulkner, Persis . P^aulkner, Sally Faulkner, Sylvester Faulkner, Timothy Fay, Rev. Prescott Fay, Solomon Federal Appointments . , Felch, Nathan Fernald, Mary Fernald, Payson E. Ferries Across Connecticut River Field, Daniel Field, John E. File Works . Fires, Main Street Fire Department . Fire Wards . Fish .... Fish and Game Commissioners Fisher, G. C. Fishing Fisk, Anson Fisk. Frederick . . 158, 267 Fisk, Henry Fisk, Orange Fisk, William C. . Fitch, Rev. John . Flanders, James . Flanders, James R. Flanders, Joseph W. Flanders, Walter P. Fletcher, Charles W. Fletcher, Everett . Fletcher, Hiram A. . . 256 Fletcher, Kimball B. Fletcher, Kimball B., Jr. Fletcher, Mira B. Fletcher, Richard 335 371 131, 167, 192, 194, 407, 416, 433. 463, 509, 534. 535. 418, Z7^, 385, 387, 390, 98- 436, 98, 436, '53 527 527- 15,528, 488, 491, 504, 505. 534, 505 388 558 427 427 S37 419 557 190 192 190 397 431 40 532 181 50s 505 100 337 594 391 -155 -531 -531 311 535 421 102 267 594 203 557 335 426 499 496 336, 335. 339. .394. 395. 420, 474. 497. 534. 336, 373. 393. 394, 399. 444. 466, 328, 337, 385, 394, 444, 525, 529, 390. 535 420 557 545 545 531 531 473 499, 538, 557 6l2 INDEX. Flood, T. L. Foley, Michael J. Folsom, Alice Folsom, Dr. James D. Folsom, Susan Folsom, William A. Foote, Elijah Forbes, Addie P. Forbes, Charles Forbes, Erastus W. Forbush, Henry C. Foresters, Catholic Order Forest, Merrill C. Foshy, George W. Foshy, Joseph Fort Weare . Fort Wentworth . Foster, Maj.-Gen. John G. Foster, Perley Fowle, Susan Fowler, Andrew J. Fox, Edward Fraternal Societies Freeman, Alonzo P. Freeman, Harmony Freeman, James S. Freeman, Mercy . Freeman, Orville E. Freema.i, Porter G. Freeman, Reuben G. Freeman, Reuben W. Freeman, Sally Freeman, William P. French, Charles . French, George C. French, James French, John French, John J. . Frickey, John Frost, Great (1764) Frost, Oliver Freewill Baptists . Fountain, Benton Memorial Fountain, Kent Memorial Fuller, Calvin Fuller, Fred Fuller, Hezekiah . 33^ 236, 374 336, 383. 478, 489, 495, 536, 500, 2,37' 483- 27, 68, 385, 524, 529, 549, 427, 430, 433, 19I' 433. 160- 159- 82, 438 498 497 555 502 530 485 502 556 557 340 498 399 563 556 77 . 19 204 203 190 557 388 -505 594 191 551 427 550 593 564 540 191 433 562 558 121 121 483 77 22 383 452 161 160 556 562 380 INDEX. 613 Fuller, Jeremiah . Fuller, Lemuel Fuller, Luther Fuller, Peter Furniture, Manufacture of Gage, Rev. David Gaines, Oscar Game . Games in Early Times Gamsby, George . Gamsby, John Gamsby, Peter Gardner, Rowse B. Garland, B. C. Garland, Eben C. Gay, Abner Gazette, The Independent Gazette, The Lancaster Gazette, The New Hanipshh Geology of Lancaster Geno, Michael George, Ruth E. . George, William . Gerrish, Samuel J. Gibson, J. A. Giddings, Tempa Gil key, H. B. Gillespie, Edward Gleason, Patrick . Glines, Rev. George A Glines, Lsrael Glines, John Glover, Samuel GofFe, Col. John . Going, Ashael Going, Charles A. Goodall, David Goodrich, George A. Goodrich, Rev. J. B. Goodwin, Wells . Going, Dr. Charles Gore, Concord Gorham, L B. Gormley, O. J. Goss, Frank Goss, H. L 374, [31. 121 121 121 I go 557 311 349 192 83 121 436 395 ;83, 444 121 338, 459 459 43 !8l-282 557 427 453 388 437 190 492 556 451 2, i7> 317 2, 17, 317 . 191 34, 307 '94, 331, 334 546 337 383 536, 451, 452 121 • 478 35 267, 379 • 498 • 457 469 6i4 INDEX. Goss, Natlianiel . Goss, Dr. Nathaniel Goss, Sarah Ann Gotham, C. H. Gotham, Lavinia . Gotham, Robert . Gotham, Ruth Gotham, Samuel . Gould, Andalusia Gould, Asa Gould, George Govan, Rev. Andrew- Gove, Ira S. M. . Gove, John M. Governor Grand Army of the Republic Grange, Mount Prospect Grange Village Grannis, Timothy Grant, Frank C. . Grant, F. W. Grant, Jonathan . Grant, Richard M. J. Grantees of Lancaster Graves, C. A. Graves, H. A. Gray, Hosea Gray, Joseph M. . Gray, Reuben Great Brook '"'"^ . Green, Daniel Green, Elisha B. Green, Frank Green, James Green, Joseph S. Greene, S. J. ^"^-v Greenleaf, A. C. . Greenleaf, Alfred Greenleaf, David . Greenleaf, Eunice Greenleaf, Joseph Greenleaf, Mary . Greenleaf, Nancy . Greenleaf, Sally . Greenleaf, Seth Greeley, Horace, in Lancaster Griffing, C. L. . 399 444. 131. 535. 537. 267, 194. 538, 367. 272 394, 476, 121 , 418, 426, 545. 555. 499- 383. 505. 39. 499. 444. 528, 145. 444. 334, 382, 553. 272. 238. 540 477 192 339 192 553 191 553 419 267 340 441 593 269 531 -502 504 411 145 556 496 396 559 9 483 492 529 559 560 318 439 121 339 121 53S 457 554 335 577 192 548 577 191 191 323 239 459 INDEX. 615 Griswold, Charles L. Griswold, Sarah E. Guernsey, Aaron Guernsey, H. I. Guernsey, H. J. Guernsey, J. W. Gun House, The Old Red Gunsmiths . Gustin, Polly Hadley, Robert Hadley, Stephen Hadley, William H. Hadlock, Hezekiah E. Hagerman, Theodore Haines, John S. . Hale, Daniel Hale, Ensign Ephraim Hale, Israel Hale, Israel, Jr. . Hall, Ella F. Hall, Enoch Hall, Gustavus A. Hall. Henry Hall, James H. . Hall, T. S. . Hamblen, E. B. . Hamblen, Jacob . Hamilton, Peter . Hannaford, J. R. Hannux, Samuel . Harden, William . Hardy, James Hardy, John W. . Harness- makers and Saddlers Harriman, H. C. . Harriman, Otis B. Harriman, William J Harrington, Rev. Charles E. Harrington, George L. Harrington, Josiah Harris, Mrs. J. B. Hart, Joseph Hart, Samuel Hartford, George A. Hartford, M. E. . Hartford, N. W. . 267, 528, 336.367, 530 494 375' 394 401 542 • 437 516-517 373 190 • • 497 334, 376 420 499, 559' 560 ■ 558 • 334 40 2 40 40 502 82 • 554 121 538, 549, 550 482 369, 478 335, 337 122 497 131 560 553 436 378 267, 418 • 559 541,594 336, 432 • 557 551 246 325, 557 60 245, 537 • 439 3 40, 371 6i6 INDEX. Hartford, Stephen Hartford, M. E. . Hartley, Mary Hartley, Philip Hartley, William H. Hartshorn, Harry C. Hartshorn, Lilla . Hartshorn, Lydia Hartwell, Betsey . Hartwell, George F. Hartwell, Rev. Henry H Hartwell, Jonathan Hartwell, Polly . Hartwell, Samuel Harvey, James Hastings, Moses A. Hatch, Kate Hatch, Obed S. . Hatch, W. I. Hatch, W. W. . Hatters Haven, John Hawley, Betsey Libbey Hayes, Benjamin Hayes, Frederick O. Hayes, Harry Hayes, J. F. C. . Hayes, Lucinda Hayes, Stephen . Hays, Joanna Hazen, Ann Hazen, Gen. Moses Hazen, L. T. Head, Edmund Heath, Nelson Heath, William H. Heath, William M. Hemmenway, Clarissa Hemmenway, George B Hemmenway, Joel Hemmenway, Lucy Hemmenway, Solomon Henderson, Joseph Hendley, Rev. C. J. Hendricks, William W. Heney, Thomas . Hening, Crawford D. 137 474 194 487, 267, 490, 590, 491. 368, 369, 437. 492> 493' 534- 383, 540, 193' 194, 505- 458- 338, 378- 04, 267, 325- 546, 548, 409, 429, 452, 494, 388 497 502 542 542 459 505 190 191 528 439 193 190 191 121 552 494 121 378 524 -379 193 190 192 559 562 453 191 554 194 193 88 395 483 560 551 490 427 409 554 191 541 121 495 500 498 339 INDEX. 617 Henry, Samuel . . . . . . . . . . .121 Herald, The Prohibition • 459 Herald, The Coos 460 Hetson, William B. • ■ • 558 Heywood, Francis 325. 557 Heywood, Henry 336, 401, 474, 535 Heywood, Hon. William 234. 275. 335' 336,: 98, 399, 451, 466, 520, Hibbard, Hon. Harry . 225, 420 Hibbard, Nat. • 453 Hicks, John 121, 553 Hill, Aaron 190 Hill, Charles A. . ■ • • 338 Hill, Edward • 337 Hill, Henry 437, 550 Hill, L. . . . • 437 Hilliard, Alma P. .505 Hilliard, Charles . 203, 547 Hilliard, Emily T. • 505 Hilliard, H. DeF. • 497 Hilliard, Capt. Henry S. 8 9, 92 401, 406, 499, 500, 505, 535, 542, 555 Himes, Rev. William Lloyd . • 452 Hinds, Abraham . 256, 462, 535, 542 Hinds, H. W. . . 492 Hines, William . • 397 Hinman, Joseph . . 326 Hinman, H. B. . . 492 Hobart, Harry • 547 Hobart, Josiah • 131 Hobart, Josiah G. 513,547 Hodgdon, Annie J. • 505 Hodgdon, Betsey 190 Hodgdon, Charles S. . 541, 551 Hodgdon, Charles W. 594 Hodgdon, Dudley N., 2d 594 Hodgdon, H. G. • 593 Hodgdon, Irving D. 505 Hodgdon, John W. 267, 413, 541, 546 Hodgdon, Olivia . 192 Hodgdon, Phinehas 90, 552 Hodgdon, Phineas R. 499, 559 Hodgdon, R. L. . 594 Hodgdon, Thomas 194 Hodgdon, Thomas S. 235, 267 Hodgdon, W. C. • • 505 Hodge, I. A. • 559 Hodge, Joseph E. • • • 558 6i8 INDEX. Hodge, Joseph K. Hodgson, Rufus . Hogg, Jolin Holbrook, John . Holbrook, Sheldon HoHdays, In Early Times Holkins, Olive B. Holkins, William Holman, William W. Holmes, Asa Holmes, Betsey . Holmes, Daniel Holmes, Dorcas . Holmes, John Holmes, John M. Holmes, Lemuel . Holmes, Martha . Holmes, William Holt, Rev. Kilburn Holton, Edward D. Holton, Fred Holton, Homestead Holton, Horace F. Holton, James Holton, Joseph Hood, Asa . Hoogs, Edward . Hooper, Josiah Hopkins, Hannah Hopkins, John M. Hopkins, T. A. . Hopkins, Thomas Hopkinson, Isaac W. Hopkinson, John H. Hopkinson, Joshua Horan, James Horn, William Hoskins, Robert Hosmer, Lewis Hosmer, L. R. Hosmer, Riley Hotels, The Hotels American House Coos Elm Cottage 19. 370. 176, 59 121 323' 574, 504, 329, 332, 354, 528, 535- 398, 337> 41, 5 145' 198 47, 564, 339' 401, 505, 531, 338, 394, 514- 339, 350, 514, 123, 560 335 5' 6 83 121 -207 427 593 421 397 191 553 191 121 553 397 192 512 451 583 505 514 541 323 131 192 458 438 190 516 498 563 542 529 190 49S 5'3 121 499 505 ?>?>7 -517 515 515 515 516 INDEX. 619 Hotels, continued. Green's Cottage Lancaster House Stewart House Temperence House Williams House Houghton, Neh. . Houses, Some Old Hovey, Jonathan Hovey, Paschal Hovey, Richard . Hovey, Ruth A. . Hovey, Stephen . How, Charles How, Daniel Howard, Leonard W. Howard, Lewis Howard, Rev. Thomas Howe, Charles Howe, Charles A. Howe, Daniel Howe, Edward Howe, George Howe, Harvey Howe, John C. Howe, Joseph Howe, Joseph D. Howe, Lupy Howe, Lydia Howe, Nathan Howe, Samuel Howe, Selden C. Hoyt, Rev. Benjamin R. Huckins, John Huggins, William Hunking, Dr. Benjamin Hunking, Benjamin F. Hunnux, Elizabeth Hunnux House Hunnux, Samuel . Hunt, John . Hunt, Moses T. . Hunter, Johnson C. Huntoon, George Huntoon, Greenleaf 244 394 420. 439' 155. 157 390, 490 340 304, 337, 338 328, 416, 504, 530 350. 436 413, 436, 437, 492, 504, 535, 537. 436. 131, 191, 238, 257, 260, 267, 336, 444, 477, 485, 486, 533, 542, 564, 327, 418, 419, 489, 490, 493. 504, 516, 533, 536, 538, 564. 13I' 191 516 515 S16 516 516 121 332 528 550 493 493 261 40 190 557 438 447 378 531 193 60 516 267 427 593 542 508 427 43& 397 505 437 191 I9t 358 593 495 594 193 335 372 192 383 337 122 620 INDEX. Huntoon, Willard Hurd, Col. John . Hurlburt, Silas Hurley, Patrick Hutchins, Alpheus Hutchins, Frank D. Hutchins, G. E. . Hutchins, J. C. Hutchins, "Mother" Hutchins, Ruth Stockwell Hutchins, Stilson Indians Indian Brook Independent Gazette Ingerson, C. H. . Ingerson, Douglas Ingerson, Edgar . Ingerson, Frederick Ingerson. George Ingerson, George W. Ingerson, John S. Ingerson, W. E. . Insects Insurance Co., The Coos Mu Irish, J. C. . Israels River Jackson, Alfred L. Jackson, Peyton . Jackson, Willard . Jackson, Willard A. Jails Jacobs, Proctor Jaques, Robert Jaques, Thomas . Jarvis, Edward Jarvis, William Jenness, John C. Jenison, Thomas . Jenison, Hopestill Jennison, Samuel Joe, Captain John, Captain Johns River . Johnson, Allen Johnson, A. T. tual Fire 121 • 53, 72 487 340 121, 192, 553 569 394, 395, 452, 474, 521 492 492 181 1 -183 -4, I 338, 134, 486, 435 272 181 4-17 317 459 340 554 538 558 553 67, 371, 338, 398 511 333 525 292 -400 421 12, 14, 17. 6: ..64, 317 • 559 560 335 559 510 -511 401 388 388 559 559 556, 559 191 546, 562 26 308 308 :, 17, 444. 317 558 594 INDEX. 621 Johnson, Daniel T. Johnson, Emily . Johnson, George H. Johnson, John Johnson, L. Johnson, Moses . Johnson, Samuel . Johnson, William Jones, Alexander . Jones, Dr. Dan Lee Jones, Dennis Jones, Edwin R. . Jones, Emma F. M. Jones, Frank Jones, Harry Jones, Harry H. . Jones, S. A. Jones, William T. Jordan, Hon. Chester B Jordan, Hollis Jordan, John Joyslin House Joyslin, Julia J. Joyslin, Levi B. Joyslin, Royal 336, 50, 339. 242, 475. 1 13, 129, 131, 225, 365, 366, 370, 385, Joyslin, Rev. William R. . ... Judges of Probate .... Justices of the Court of Common Pleas . Justices of the Superior Court of Judicature Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court . Kane, Charles H. Keeler, S. C. Kehew, F. A. Kellogg, S. G. Keir, H. A. Kellum, Daniel Kellum, Francis Kellum, John Kenerson, Eli Kenerson, Ezra Kent, Annie O. Kent, Bernice A Kent, Charles N. 01, 107, 59- 479' 494. 134. 557: 394. 243. 245, 339' 394' 395' 4i5' 490. 532, 533' 534' 537. 539: 545' 227, 234, 25S, 267, 269, 331, 393' 452' 4^7' 509' 523' 527^ 536, 542, 33, 418, 419. 335' 373 55S 192 505 372 269 420 539 189 122 556 554 558 495 395 339 497 421 3':«> 458 545 32>7 S5& 333 427 593 335 528 593 551 533 533 533 533 557 • 438 455' 459 • 438 • 525 449 240, 449, 537, 542 449 • 554 436 494 501 160, 460, 456 622 INDEX. Kent, Debby A. . Kent, Col. Edward R. Kent, Emily Mann Kent, George N. . Kent. Col. Henrv O. Kent, Henry Percy Kent, James S. Kent, Mary R. . Kent, Nellie B. . Kent, Nelson Kent, Richard P. i6o, 336, 338, 366 494, 524, 525 138, 145, 234, 236 324. 349, 393, 395 518, 524, 529, 532 113, 127, 129, 131 327, 328, 331, 333 372, 393 Kidder, Amos Kier, Alexander Kilby, John Kimball, Albert Kimball, C. E. Kimball, George Kimball, J. M. . Kimball, Dr. O. H. Kimball, R. G. . Kimball, Thomas H. King, Charles E. King, James A. . King, James N. . Kingsley, E. W. . Knapp, Joshua Knight, Amaziah Knight, Shepard . Knip, Harvey Koster, John S. . Labare, Joseph , Labare, Peter Ladd, Fletcher Ladd, Hon. William S Laforce, Fred Lamb, Caleb Lamkin, Joshua . Lamson, Reuben . Lancaster Gazeite, The Lancaster, First Settlement of 24; 336 394 394, 395, 401, 487. 526, 527, 530, 531 238, 239, 240, 242, 398, 400, 418, 454, 533, 534, 536, 538' 551^ 394 336, 366, 367, 160, 234, 248, 255, 335, 336, 337, 365, 394, 397, 452, 524. 595' 472, 513, 93, 445 490, 491, 493 545, 593, 594 160 328, 496 244, 245, 306 473, 487, 499 543, 545, 549 554, 591, 593 395, 398, 476 145, 560 415,416 494 398, 444, 594 267, 269, 275 366, 367, 370 528, 529, 593 437 562 191 246 338 483 378 480 594 203 05, 556 558 556 459 122 J2I, 553 yoi^ 373, 436 558 338 504, 5 339' 533, 18 122 460, 474 535, 537 • 338 436 87 423 257, 339 . 172-173 INDEX. 623 Lancaster, Grantees of . Lancaster House .... Lancaster, Location of . Lancaster Manufacturing Co. Lancaster, Organization of the Town of Lancaster, Relocation of Boundaries of Lands, Original Allotment of Lancaster Public Library, The Lane Brothers' Clothing Co. Lane, Eben Lane, G. A. Lane, George W. Lane, Gorham Lang, Andrew J. Lang, David R. Lang, John Langdon, John Langworthy, R. M Lapointe, Louis Largy, Marquis Larkin, Charles A Larned, Abel Larned, Abijah Larned, David Larson, Peter Lary, Joseph Laton, Abigail Lawson, David Leary, Michael Leavens, Abel Leavens, Abel, Jr Leavens, Fanny Leavens, Francis Leavenworth, B. M Leavitt, Eugene Lee, Charles LeGro, Amos LeGro, Abigail LeGro, David LeGro, Eliza LeGro, Eunice LeGro, Hannah LeGro, James LeGro, Dr. Samuel LeGro, Samuel H. . . . 276, 323, 490. 535. 192, 28, 518- 371- 245. 67, 358, 537. 541 436, 238, 541, 180, 192, 234, 236, 240, 325, 386, 387, 394, 395, 439, 536, 541, 542, 550, 551, 593, 9 515 28 338 38 28 36 ■521 •372 191 492 537 428 558 420 383 179 496 558 498 559 .85 , 77 77 558 558 191 40 560 192 548 192 192 525 495 388 593 192 325 191 192 192 594 477 487 594 624 INDEX. Leith, Dr. W. H. Leonard, Benjamin F. Lessard, Rev. H. Lewis, Alden Lewis, Lieut. John G., Lewis, Horatio O. Libbey, Henry C. Lilley, Alexander Lincoln, Luke Lindsey, Carrie B. Lindsey, Freeman Lindsey, John Lindsey, John M. Lindsey, Ned A. . Lindsey, Nelson B. Lindsey, Samuel . Lindsey, Wallace . Lindsey, William W. Linscott, Fred S. Little, Rev. E. P. Little, VVheelock H. Livermore, Judge Arthur Localities, Names of Locke, John H. . Long, Henry Long, Timothy Loomis, John Lord, John . Lord, Samuel A. . Lome, James S. . Lotcher, Edward . Lougee, M. B. Lovejoy, Abiel Lovejoy, Artemas Lovejoy, George . Lovejoy, John W. Lovejoy, Prescott Lovejoy, Hon. William Lovewell, Nathan Loyne, Rev. W. A. Lynds, Ziba Lucas, Frank M. . Lucas, George W. Lucas, Harvey H. Lucas, James S. . 155 271 72, 401, 138, 339. 325^ 252, 325' 555^ 325^ 444> 516, 5 338. 497, 32, !i6. 55' 411, 412, 540. 131^ 232, 267, 430, 528, 535, 548, 131, 167, 190, 194, 397, 416, 485, 492 531, 534, 536, 538, 539. 540, 541, 59. 122 558 325 479 337 450 558 558. 559 276 560 40 516 557 529 550 516 557 122 68 538 542 452 492 512 -320 383 560 498 203 43& 420 558 559 492 541 513 439 539 550 ,510 593 189 492 131 556 553 559 558 INDEX. 62 i Lucas, John Lucas, Levi . Lyman, Dr. Eliphalet Lyon, William E. Macomber, Thomas Magoon,. Garvin R. Mahoney, Daniel . Mahurin, Ephraim Mahurin, Ephraim H. Mahurin, W. C. . Mails, The . Mann, Benjamin . Mann, John Manning, E. T. . Manufacturing, First Marble, Samuel Marden, Fanny Marden, George W. Marden, James Marden, Warren . Marriages, Some Early Marsh, Elwyn R. Marsh, Sylvester . Marshall, Anderson J. Marshall, Antipas P. Marshall, Caleb . Marshall, Daniel R. Marshall, Emma . Marshall, Gilbert A. Marshall, Joseph C. Marshall, Kate M. Marshall, Rev. Moody P. Marshall, Washington D. Marshall, William Martin, An Early Hunter Martin, George A, Martin, James Martin, Moses Martin Meadovi^ . Martin Meadow Pond Martin, Rebecca . Mason, David G. Mason, Hon. David H Mason, John Mason, Oren Masonic Lodge 40 234 335 68 337 i3i> 374 261, 376, 477. 485. 393^ 244. i94> 486, 394, 414, 406, 113- 524, 504- 235, 428, 547 190 492, 538, 547 496, 499 421 489 491,492 • 557 131, 193, 209 537 • 458 254-259 40 • 314 • 437 -130 , 369-391 40 192 • 557 192 436, 541 594 189-192 • 563 420 528 529, 537 377 . 82, 87 490 • 494 505 537, 542 388, 594 494 236 388, 536 494, 495 • 195 • 316 337, 378 • 557 191 . 316 316-317 . 191 • 538 565, 567 547, 548, 550 548, 549 483-495 626 INDEX. Matliews, Joseph . Mathews, Joseph P. Matliews, W. S. . McCaffrey, Owen F. McCaffrey, Patrick McCaffrey, Philip . McCaffrey, Timothy McCarten, James . McCarten, Robert McCarten, WilHam H. McCarthy, Henry McClintock, J. H. McCIintock, Wilham R McCormic, Martin McDonald, Samuel S. McGinley, Thomas McGoff, Isaac McGraw, J. E. McHugh, M. Mclntire, Charles E. Mclntire, Dorothy Mclntire, Eben Mclntire, Edward Mclntire, Edward B, Mclntire, Emmons Mclntire, Eunice Mclntire, Irving Mclntire, Jacob Mclntire, James Mclntire, James E Mclntire, Jane Mclntire, John Mclntire, John, JV Mclntire, Laura Mclntire, Mary Mclntire, Mercy Mclntire, Olive Mclntire, Sallie Mclntire, Samuel Mclntire, Sarah Mclntire, Silas Mclntire, Susan Mclntire, Susie Mclntire, William McKellips, Nellie McKoy, William McMahon, John , 328 , 488 491 92 493 181 499 500, 191, 267 557, 559 496 498 557 558 240, 337. 339, 243, 395, 53°, 531, 525, 535, 539, 542, 557, 92, 541, 550, 412, 414, 504, 194, 338- 383^ 414, 67, 436, 541 537 537 535 559 499 499 557 560 498 563 339 52s 594 92 92 92 541 92 92 505 553 551 505 92 553 92 92 92 92 190 92 593 192 541 92 497 92 502 436 559 INDEX. 627 McNally, C. T. . McRae, Patrick . McRae, Frank Meacham, A. B. . Melcher, Edward Mellen, James Memorial Day Mercbandise, First Stocks of, Merchants, The . Mercantile Pursuits, The Vai Meeting-house, The Old Merriam, Joseph W. Merriam, William Merrill, Carrie B. Merrill, Dudley . Merrill, Oliver Merrill, Capt. Peter Merrill, Seneca S. Merry, Charles O. Meserve, John H. Meseive, John L. Meserve, William Messer, Frederick G, Messer, Lucy Metallak (Indian) Metcalf, Jonathan Methodists, The Early Methodist Episcopal Church, Miles, Daniel Millette, M. J. . Military History of the Town Millerite Excitement, The Mills, Appropriations for Mills, "Cloth" . Mills, First . Mills, Grist and Saw Mills, Lands Set Apart for Mills, Starch Miner, Thomas Mitchell, Dr. Ezra Mitchell, William Moderators . Molineaux, W. Monahan, Edward M Monahan, James . Monahan, James A. Monahan, James M. Brou eht to Town -113 444, 131^ 194, The 336, 339- 394, 395' 452, 334, 479- 5 395 563 563 338 267. 335, 2,2>7 122 199 26, 1 12, 363 363-369 129, 363-369 506-509 454, 549, 550 122 475 192 192 512 394 558 436 558 418, 419 348, 378, 547 192 309, 310 • 558 179-181 434-440 40 339' 498 543-563 452 42 334, 371 • 96-97 336, 379-384 • . 2>3> 387-389 190 00, 545, 556 191, 547 538-539 26 • 498 530. 537 245, 498, 537 498, 525 628 INDEX. Monahan, John Monahan, John G. Monahan, M. Monahan, Martin A. Monahan, Martin J. Monahan, Matthew Monroe, Polly Montgomery, Charles Montgomery, L. Moody, George Moody, Thomas P. Moody, William Mooney, Capt. James Mooney, John Moor, Polly Moore, Ann Moore, Betsey Moore, Blanche A. Moore, Coffin Moore, Comfort Moore, Eliza Moore, Fanny Moore, George W, Moore, Harmony Moore, Harry Moore, Harvey Moore, Herberta Moore, Jacob B. Moore, J. B. Moore, John Moore, John C. Moore, John L. Moore, John W Moore, Joseph B. Moore, L. F. Moore, Moore, Moore, Moore, Moore, Moore, Moore, Moore, Moore, Moore, Moore, Louisa Martha Martha P Mary Mary Jane Nancy Nathanie Peggy Sally Sarah Ann William . 63, 394, 191, 416, 242, 59^ 93' 487, 94- 43, 337 338 67, 325 9^373 267 492, 122, 62, 375, 383 267, 548, 245, 394, 416, 487, 524, 525, 531, 122, 541, 548, 241, 323, 338, 370, 377- 385, 394- 399, 444, 487, 489, 490, 495, 7, 52, 59, 90, 94, 131, 192, 414, 509, 548 560 560 526 449 498 . 537 190 388 269 . 391 . 559 513 134 558 190 192 191 494 412 191 407 191 554 427 122 553 495 553 594 594 559 537 553 549 398 594 192 191 192 192 431 192 122 191 191 427 593 INDEX. 629 Moore, William Weeks Morgan, Erasmus B. Morgan, George W. Morrill, A. W. . Morrill, William W. Morrison, Rev. J. B. Morse, B. C. Morse, Charles Morse, E. B. Morse, E. L. Morse, Florence Morse, Frederick Morse, George H Morse, Horace F Morse, J. H. Morse, J. M. Morse, John W. Morse, Kimball A Morse, Shepard Morse. Thomas Moultoh, Benjamin F. Moulton, Deborah Moulton, George V. Moulton, Henry H. Moulton, James . Moulton, John W. Moulton, Joseph . Moulton, Orville R. Moulton, William Mount Pleasant Mount Prospect . Mount Washington Mount Willard Mountains, Presidential Range of Mudge, Ebenezer Mudgett, Samuel S. Muster Days Nash, Samuel Nash, Timothy Nash, Timothy, Jr. Nash and Sawyer's Location Nash Stream Neel, Hughbastis Nesbit, James Nevins, James Newell, Rev. W. W. 19 23> 39 54 372, 513 437 499- 557 383- 390 421 448, 521 504, 505 378 505 505 505 558 505 145, 560 505 499 557 560 122 553 335. 373 559 191 338 496 558 557 557 267 557, 560 54 . 12, 92 12, 92, 318 14 318 12-13, 14 122 444 200 -204 77 55, ?,i7^ 318 380 22, 60, 317 317 II 122 32 447 630 INDEX. New Hampshire Gazette Newman, John F. Newmarsh, Joseph Newspapers, The Newspapers, The First Nickerson, George H. . Noisseaux, Rev. Fr. Isadore Noonan, P. . . Norris, George S. Norris, G. W. Norris, James Northern N'ews, The North Side Coaching Parade, Norton, G. A. Notton, Margaret Nourse, Fred H. . Nourse, J. B. Noyes, Charles C. Noyes, Clara I. Noyes, F. W. Noyes, Gertrude . Noyes, Hohnan H. Noyes, Ira G. Noyes, Rev. James Noyes, J. B. Noyes, Jennie M. Noyes, Lieut. Parlter J. Nutter, Charles A Nutter, Charles E Nutter, Charles F Nutter, Ida R. Nutter, Jason F. Nutter, Joseph L. Nutter, Oliver Nutter, Samuel O Nutting, Harvey O'Brion, C. C. Ockington, B. B. Ockington, John S. Odell, Luke Odell, William A. Odd Fellows, The OTlanigan, Michael Olcott, Barzillai S. Olcott, Dr. Brainerd T. Oleson, Herman E. H. The 324, 337 482, 483, 490, 491 496, 23s 43 560 32 452-460 132, 452 557 328, 336, 450 • 498 340 • 438 436 460 161-162 492 192 491, 492 496 542 . SOI 492 494, 497 497. 525 504, 505 336, 438 492 505 499' 500. 556 • 337 • 559 • 557 . 475 549' 550 337 542 557 374 258, 368, 529, 395. 492 233 490, 495 560 421 336, 495-496 • 558 337' 391 480, 499 491 INDEX. 631 Olin, C Orr, Benjamin Orr, Stephen Orthodox Congregational Church, Osbourne, Adam . Osbourne, H. T. . Osbourne, William Osgood, Abner Osgood, Rev. George . Otis, Ezra .... Otter Brook Padelford, Peter Padelford, Philip Page, Abigail Page, Amasa Page, Caleb . Page, David The . 38, 4, 5, 6, 8, 18, 19, 2 39, 42, 54, 57, 59 195, 198, 291, 313 Page, David, Jr. Page, Elijah Page, Fred W. Page, Harlan W. Page, Harriet Page, Jack . Page, Joel Page, John . Page, Maria Page, Mary . Page, Moses Page, Orasmus Page, Rachel Page, Ruth . Page, Samuel Page, Susannah Page, William Paine, S. E. Palmer, Charles S Palmer, Nelson Palmer, O. C. Paper Mills, The Paris . Parker, Charles Parker, John L. Parker, Levi H. 6, 19, 22 437 59 122 421-433 • °S58 339 . 388 n^ 539' 553 246, 447 190 . 3'8 • 383 • 383 190 • 554 180 o, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 38 , 71, 75, 85, 86, 89, 97, 100. 112, 194 325. Z^l>^ 379' 380, 41O' 422, 533, 538 539, 540, 568, 571 3, 39, 53, 194, 539, 552, 568, 571 193 491, 492 421 . - . 192 190 131, 181, 193 • 553 191 418, 419, 482 195' 325. 539' 553 193 193 24' 44. 571 11^ 86, 553 21 40, 513 395 528 • 558 421 385-387 319 • 558 • 457 490, 491, 492, 499, 500, 525, 526, 556 59-8 2, 85 87' o, 22 632 INDEX. Parks, David .... 340 Parks, John ........... 340 Parks, The Public .......... 322-325 Parsons, Hezekiah B. . . . . . . . . . -535 Parsons, J. I. ......... . 395, 483 Party, American ........... 233 Party, Abolitionist ....... 227, 228-229, 230 Party, Democratic . . 217, 218, 221, 222, 225, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 23s, 237, 238, 240, 242, 244, 245 Party, Federalist 216, 217, 218, 219 Party, Free Soil .... 227, 228, 232, 234 Party, Greenback 241, 242 Party, Independent Democrats 227, 230, 234 Party, Know-nothing 232, 233 Party, Labor Reform 237 Party, National Republican . 220 Party, Prohibition 237, 241, 242, 244, 245 Party, Republican . . 216, 217, 230, 233, 234, 235, 237, 242, 244, 245 Party, Whig . . . 220, 223, 224, 225, 227, 228, 230, 231, 232, 234 Parties, Political .......... 211-246 Pasko, Wesley W. . . . 458 Pattee, John C 395,491,492 Patterson, Rev. G. W. 472 Paul, James ..... 54 Payne, Josiah .... 337 Peabody, Alice .... 494 Peabody, F. D . ■ . . .525 Peabody, Frank .... 340, 494 Peabody, Joseph .... 191 Peabody, Luella E. . . . 494, 495 Pearson, Isaac .... • 383 Pearson, Joseph, Jr. . 191 Pearson, Samuel A. . 131, 167, 191 194, 256, 257> 333' 383- 407, 416, 463 Pearson, William .... 436 Peaslee, Sydney H. 559 Peavy, George S. . 505 Peavy, Ida M. . 505 Peavy, J. S. 414, 459. 460, 504, 505 Peck, William .... 436, 437 Perkins, Adeline .... • 435 Perkins, Apollos .... 225, 366, 452, 453, 527 Perkins, Daniel .... 122,435,553 Perkins, David .... • 397 Perkins, Elmira .... 192 Perkins, F. H 499' 558 Perkins, George W. . • 131. 194. 267, 334, 37I' 539' 546, 548 INDEX. 633 Perkins, James Perkins, Jefferson Perkins, John Perkins, J. R. Perkins, Manasah Perkins, Paul Perkins, Sumner , Perkins, W. C. Perry, Caroline Perry, Rev. Clark Perry, Rev. David Petition for New County Petition on Making of Roads Pettingill, Erastus Peverly, Joseph Peverly, Thomas Phelps, C. D. Phelps, Eleazer Phelps, Lavina Phelps, Samuel Philbrook, Greenleaf C Philbrook, Henry Philbrook, Jabez D. Philbrook, Samuel Philbrook, Walter Phillips, Jennie Phillips, Martha Phillips, Theodore Phipps, J. S. Physicians, The Pierce, Ashvel Pierce, Elizabeth S. Pike, Col. James Pike, W. W. Pinkham, Daniel Pinkham, Daniel C. Pinkham, Mary Pixley, Orange Plaisted, Charles Plaisted, Harris M. Plaisted, Leland H Plaisted, Samuel . Poets of Lancaster Political History of the Town Pollard, Perry W. Poor, Peter . Porter, Abel 336 337 398, 399 417. 130. T22, 190, 131. 134, 558, 418, 429, • 57 82, 83, 82, 423, 433^ 131, 192, 436, 90, 131 59, 90, 10 1 420, 233. 444, 235, 2 523. 5 476. 377, 458, 490, 418, 36, 536, 246- 21 1- 24, 527, 553 554 554 492 492 558 559 492 419 429 442 49 , 59 437 215 193 459 181 423 483 548 191 547 373 191 502 427 122 492 -480 525 502 438 492 122 534 419 122 541 555 457 180 -254 -246 528 82 375 634 INDEX. Porter, Edna Porter, Emily Porter, E. W. Porter, Henry H. Porter, Horace R. Porter, Lewis C. Porter, Loring B. Porter, Mary Porter, R. H. Porter, Warren . . . 131, 191, 334 Porter, W. R. Postmasters of the Town Post-offices Post Riders, Early Potash Potter, Benoni Pound Keepers, The Pounds, The Town Powers, Capt. Peter Powers, James Powers, Jonas Powers, R. . Powers, Thomas Pratt, Alfred C. Pratt, Levi . Praught, P. . Preceptors of Lancaster Academy Presidential Electors from Lancaster Presidents of State Senate from Lancaster Prices of Produce at Various Periods Prince, W. H. N. Prohibition Herald Proprietors, First Meetings of Protestant Episcopal Church, The Prospect Farm Prouty, Caleb Public Buildings . Purington, William Purtle, Michael . Puryea, John Putnam, Mary Putnam, Roswell . Putnam, William C. Quakers in Lancaster Ouimby, Ivan W. Ouimby, Moses 338 401 335 453 375, 459, 525, 392, 418, 336, 494, 336, 267, 323, 526, 542, 593, 523^ 118, 128- 27, 528, 56, 542- 254, 25-126, 336, 427 476 419 530 53° 366 594 494 394 593 374 -543 258 256 369 122 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 554 542 • 525 559 122, 553 • 498 420-421 531-532 533 9' 143. 'hl^ 490 459 39 85. 451-452 14 122 334 ■hn 498 557 192 436 559,340 452 490, 491, 493, 530 n INDEX. 635 Rafferty, Frank, Jr. Railroads " Raisings," in Early Times Rangers, Rogers . Ranlet, Levi F. Rathbone, Albert Ray, Edward Ray, Martin Ray, Hon. Ossian Readfield, Anthony C. Reading Rooms, The . Rebekah Lodge, No. 56 Records, Proprietors, Lost Recruiting Officers, during War of Reed, Joseph C. . Reed, Josiah Reed, Mark Register of Deeds Register of Probate Remick, Alfred E. Remick, D. R. . Renold, Jacob Reporter of Supreme Court Representatives in General Court Reptiles, The Revolutionary War, The Period of Rhodes, Eldad A. Rhodes, Fenner M. Rhodes, Freedom M. Rhodes, William H. Ricard, Truman . Rice, Rev. Geo. M. Rice, Silas . Rich, Spaulding S. Richardson, Rev. C. W Richardson, Francis Richardson, Fred E. Richardson, Henry Richardson, H. R. Richardson, N. H. Richardson, Gen. R. M Richardson, Will A. Richey, Frank E. Richey, W. K. . Rindge, Isaac Rines, P. 236, 237, 241 444, 471. 53ii Rebellion 136-137, 141-142, 266 204- 527- 242, 272, 323, 336, 390, 394, 532, 535' 536, 545, 555> 566, 521- 496 40 334 143' 2,Z7^ 336, 371, 69 430, 374, 536- 288- 88, 187, 558, 335> 25, 538, 443, 445^ 337, 499. 374. 433, 524- 204, 559 -278 -206 , 15 548 122 460' 122 395 594 122 -522 -497 21 145 337 121 55» 535 534 505 496 558 533 -537 -289 561 499 541 555 336 420 447 40 559 429 515 374 505 555 530 323 515 497 515 30 49& 62,6 INDEX. Rines, Samuel Rines, Webster M. Rix, Hon. James M. Roads Roberts, Burleigh Roberts, Emma F. Robertson, Mary Robertson, Robert H. Robinson, Albro L. Robinson, George Robinson, Increase Robinson, Jedediah Roby, Abbie L. . Roby, Charles W. Roby, Clara A. . Roby, Ephraim C. Roby, John S. Roby, Joseph Roby, Joseph, Jr. Rogers, Abram Rogers, Charles E. Rogers, Dr. Geo. O. Rogers, Isaac L. Rogers, John Rogers, Robert . Root, C. A. Rosebrook, A. J. Rosebrook, Ariel Rosebrook, Charles Rosebrook, Eleazer Rosebrook, Irena Rosebrook, James Rosebrook, Jonathan Rosebrook, John Rosebrook, John, Jr. Rosebrook, Lillian Rosebrook, Louisa T. Rosebrook, Lucius M. Rosebrook, Lydia Rosebrook, Polly Rosebrook, Sarah Rosebrook, Uriel Rosebrook, William Rosebrook House Ross, James Kound, Hiram J. i3i> 335. 336, 355, 375- 383. 389. 335. 32,(>^ 375. 383. 389. 524, 226, 229, 231, 232, 234, 368, 454. 455. 513. 532, 533. 534, 38, 40, 53-69 394. 395. 494. 233. 234. 385. 444, 528, 479. 490. 5 534. 545. 557. !, 490, 491, 535. 267, 62, 20, 4. 5 59. 77, 99. 59> 423. 90. 397. 51. )35. 528 528 407 536 ,96 534 495 191 1 22 559 560 335 122 494 386 494 494 539 385 459 122 558 594 421 40 . IS 525 340 131 333 553 190 553 190 540 59 497 505 528 423 190 423 540 537 333 559 559 INDEX. ^17 335 Rounds, Harrison E. Rounds, Samuel . Rowe, Elihu T. . Rowell, Amos F. Rowell, Dr. Charles E Rowell, Charles H. Rowell, D. E. Rowell, Emily Rowell, Geo. P. . Rowell, James M. Rowell, Levi W. Rowell, Martha A. Rowell, Nellie Rowell, Samuel Rowell, William Rowell, William L. 32 Rowell, William L., ]x Russell, Robinson Y. Ryan, Thomas Samp Sampson, Mary . Sampson, Williani Sanborn, Abram . Sanborn, Edmund Sanborn, Rev. Jacob Sanborn, John Sanborn, Richard Sanderson, Henry H. Sanderson, Israel Sanford, John Sargent, John Sash, Door, and Blind Factories Saunders, Elizabeth Saunders, John Savage, Ann I. Savage, Cyrus Savage, Edward . Savage, Franklin . Savage, Hiram Savage, Jason W. Savage, John Savage, John W. Savage, Seth Sawyer, Benjamin Sawyer, Dies 339 487 490 233. 493. 499' 525. • 558 267 420 339, 459, 460, 497 458, 479 • 45S 340, 488, 491 521 14, 401, 459, 521 336, 535 457. 458 493, 494 • 458 406 262, 335, 337 530. 531. 559. 594 • 458 496 24 509 267, 365 122, 553 122, 553 436 I go 421 558 22, 553 122 384- 493. 494, 325. 239, 337. 369, 394, 482, 490, 492, 493. 494. 537. 539. 563. 541, 541, 338. 388, 406, 428, 536, 541, 542, 548, 549, Z^l, 318, 549 -385 423 40 495 558 491 593 513 594 594 486 411 593 557 n 638 INDEX. Sawyer, Dill Sawyer, Edmund Sawyer, F. A. Sawyer, John Sawyer, Josiah Sawyer, Nancy D. M. Sawyer, Robert Sawyer's Rock Scarlet Fever Schools School Commissioners School Tax List, 1797-1 Scott, Dr. Nath. H. Scott, Nathan W. Scott, Rev. Orange Scribner, E. W. . Sedgell, Charles L. Selectmen of Lancaster Senators, State Senators, U. S. Sewers Shackford, Robert C. Shannon, William H. Shattuck, Ephraim Shattuck, Silas Shattuck, Thomas Shaw, F. E. Sheafe, John L. . Sheperd, Nathaniel Sherbon, Catherine Sherburne, W. C. Sheridan, Thomas C. Sheridan, Thomas H. Sheriffs, Deputy . Sheriffs, High Sherman, Walter . Sherwood, Charles Sherwood, Jason . Sherwood, W. C. Sherwood, William Shirland, George Shirley, John Shoemakers Shores, Peter N. Shurtleff", Merrill Shurtleflf, Hon. William H. Simmons, Stephen 16: . 235 258 267, 46, 335: 165, 371. 169, 444, 402, 426, 406, 4 436, 5 418 28, 54 90, 338 08, 39 62 59' 372 339. 476. 339. 475, 476, 82 419 121 40 483 445 550 318 264 416 535 46 336 436 547 395 340 -542 532 531 -164 192 337 40 40 40 458 463 423 190 372 542 388 537 535 510 560 560 340 559 122 122 Z72> 337 522 535 556 INDEX. 639 Simonds, Arthur Simonds, Solon L Sims, John F. Slade, Mary B. C. Sleeper, Alva B. Sleeper, Charles Sleeper, Ellen M. Small, Horatio N. Small, Patrick Small, Peter Small Pox . Smith, Allen Smith, Carrie M. Smith, Charles Smith, Charles H Smith, Charles W Smith, Cyril C. Smith, D. G. Smith, D. J. Smith, Elizabeth . Smith, Emmons S Smith, Ephraim Smith, Ernest E Smith, Eudora Smith, Fielding Smith, Frank Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Sm Frank B. George M George P. Gideon Hannah Hattie B. Hezekiah Hezekiah M H. VV. J- . J. A. Jacob James G. Job . John John H. John M. John W. Jonathan Joseph 204 267 335 378, 394 499. 247, 566, 505. 390. 244, 260- 436, 437. 486, 553, 494. 337. 458,486, 529, 530, 62, 335, 337. 338. 402, 491,497, 530, 531, 534, 541, 242, 243, 245, 276, 335, 337, 338, 339, 383, 385, 390, 401, 444, 525, 526, 529, 530, 537, 542, 555, 435. 456. 234 ,258 . 336 367, 375 389. 454. 494. 458, 489. 5 28, 436, 437. 337, 340, 421, 490, 491, 497 552 560 592 556 496 505 555 537 340 -261 593 501 439 438 535 559 337 438 427 439 337 490 494 543 386 593 337 594 458 131 192 495 192 547 496 498 542 512 436 122 541 491 550 559 458 492 640 INDEX. Smith, Josiah 131.372 Smith, Mary 335 Smith, Matthew . 244, 537 Smith, M. D. L. F. . 550 Smith, Nathaniel . ■ . . . . 40 Smith, Orange 335. 373 Smith, Sally 190 Smith, Vernon E. 335. 337. 338 Smith, William . .121 Smith, William F. 236, 536, 541, 594 Smith, William H. 156, 232, 418, 419, 533 Smugglers, in Early Times 120 Snell, Alfred Titus 555 Social Life, in Early Times 130, 132-134 Soldiers of Laricaster . 543-563 Somers, Rev. A. N. 339, 416, 440, 448 Southworth, Luther 122 Sparks, Nelson 258,371,488.491,594 Spaulding, Daniel . 82, 93, 262 Spaulding, Douglas 411, 564, 593 Spaulding, Edward 59, 93, 191, 194, 236, 290, 313, 401 414, 420, 427, 444, 536, 541, 542, 574, 594 Spaulding, Edward B. . 540 Spaulding, Edward C. . 94. 393. 444 Spaulding, Edward, Jr. 236 Spaulding, Edward, Sr. 93-94 Spaulding, Eliza M. . . . .495 Spaulding, Eliza Turner 470 Spaulding, Eliza W. 94. 192 Spaulding, Fred B. 298, 421, 525 Spaulding, Horace 594 Spaulding, James . 550 Spaulding, James B. 94, 444 Spaulding, John Hubbard 94, 137, 228, 374, 414, 418, 419, 444 Spaulding, John W. . 94, 192, 238, 239, 258, 366 367,385,386, 537,542, 594 Spaulding, Justin . 437 Spaulding, Kate . 497 Spaulding, Martha B. 94 Spaulding, N. S. . 436 Spaulding, Russell H. . 436, 437 Spaulding, Samuel F. 235, 436, 444 Spaulding, Sarah A. 445 Spaulding, William C. . 401, 593 Spaulding, William D. . • 94 , 192, 234, 267, 269, 444, 445, 447, 541 Spencer, Elihu 122 Sperry, Jacob 122 INDEX, 641 Spiritualism in Lancaster Spofford, Rev. Luke A. Spooner, Dr. Frank Spooner, Lucy Springer, Eunice . Springer, John Springer, Jonathan Springer, Nancy . Springer, Samuel, Jr. Stackpole, Samuel Stalbird, George H. Stalbird, "Granny" Stalbird, Harriet E. Stalbird, John Stalbird, Loren E. Stalbird, Leroy S. Stalbird, Sally B. . Stalbird, VV. H. H. Stanley, Benjamin Stanley, Betsey Stanley, Cynthia . Stanley, Lieut. Dennis Stanley, James B. Stanley, Sarah Stanley, William . Staples, Joseph Starch Mills Stark, Gen. John . Stark, William State Commissioners State Senators Stearns, Ephraim . Stebbins, Amanda Stebbins, Charles D. Stebbins, Chester . Stebbins, Daniel . Stebbins, Electa . Stebbins, J. A. Stebbins, Levi Stebbins, Louisa . Stebbins, Sophronia Steele, Edward A. Stephens, Benjamin C. Stephens, Joshua . Stephenson, Bryant O. Stephenson, Lieut. Benj 333 339. 479 488, 139- 490, 491, 492, 494, 494, 131. 92, 194 191 57, 59, 62, 83, 87, 96, 193, 197, 312,325, 372,422,434, 540,552, 122, 131 , 262, 387- I1 2, 17, 94, 444, 192, 413, 427, 2^8, 129, 194, 121, 131, 192, 392, 527, 528, 537, 540, 553, 140 426 495 495 193 190 190 190 180 122 505 477 445 427 558 538 427 559 548 508 407 262 553 553 423 548 560 -389 I 534 532 40 427 593 335 593 192 337 181 427 192 543 192 122 538 523 569 642 INDEX. Stephenson, Briant Stephenson, Uebby Stephenson, Eliza Stephenson, John G. Stephenson, Lucitanus Stephenson, Oliver G. Stephenson, Reuben Stephenson, Richard Stephenson, Hon. Turner Stevens, Benjamin C. Stevens, CO. Stevens, Enos Stevens, George E. Stevens, George iVl. Stevens, Lieut. James Stevens, James O. Stevens, J. H. Stevens, John W. Stevens, Capt. Phineas Stevens, Reuben . Stewart, Charles J . Stewart, E. R. Stickney, David Stickney, G. M. . Stickney, Jacob Stickney, Dr. Jacob E. Stickney, Nathaniel G. Stickney, Mary S. H. Stiles, Betsey Stillings, Alonzo . Stillings, Lyman . Stinson, David Stocking, Dr. Stockwell, Betsey Stockwell, Charlotte Stockwell, David . Stockwell, Dolly . Stockwell, E. D. . Stockwell, Dr. E. F. Stockwell, Lieut. Emmons Stockwell, Emmons, 2d 536 131 509. 385 413 267, 406, 407, 418, 418, 419, 504, 537, 131, 167, 191 , 260, 267, 370, 383, 416, 528, 534, 537, 234, 267, 334, 33S' 3S5' 392, 523, 527, 528, 534, 539, 545, 477, 479. 339, 394, 486, 402, 395' 535, 7, 92, I 536, 547, 593 94 28, 59, 436, 539 192 509 419 267 538 334 540 406 464 593 209 492 219 . 497 538 339 437 556- 3 122 463 340 436 339 131 550- 337 427 191 337 457 I 480 28 189 571 593 339, 416, 479, 49S 5, 6, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 34 38, 39, 42, 44, 53, 54, 55, 56, 59, 62, 77, 82 84, 85, 99, 107, 113, 131, 177, 181, 193 195, 209, 272, 282, 325, 329, 358, 381, 3S2 410, 421, 422, 538, 539, 540, 552, 568, 571 28, 383, 564, 571, 593. INDEX. 643 Stockwell, Ephraim Stockwell, George S. Stockwell House, The Stockwell, John Stockwell, Liberty- Stock well, Mary . Stockwell, Phebe . Stockwell, Polly . Stockwell, Ruth . Stockwell, Ruth Page Stockwell, Sally . Stockwell, Samuel Stockwell, William Stockwell, William R. Stodard, David Stone, Abner Stone, Charles F. Stone, Frederick M. Stone, George F. . Stone, Hosea Stone, James Stone, Reuben Stonington, Conflicts with the Town of Stores . Stowell, Joseph Stowell, M. E. Stratton, A. E. Stratton, Daniel . Straw, John Streeter, Fred W. Streeter, Joseph . Streets Streets, Lighting of Stuart, Bernice Stuart, Charles J. Stuart, Edward Stuart, Helen A. . Sules, Oliver Sullivan, Rev. D. Alex Sullivan, Edmund Sullivan, Thomas Summers, Lewis P. Sumner, Rev. Charles E Sumner, J. B. Sutton, G. . Sutton, John G. . Swain, John C. 233 28, 131, 191, 383, 564, 571, 593 239, 240, 420, 505, 537, 538, 594 332 28, 131, 436, 571 28, 383 28 28 . 27, 28, 189 28, 165, 193 402, 423, 572 . 27, 92, 189 28 28, 418, 419 234, 245, 398, 537, 541, 542, 593 333, 335. 33^ I 34, 320 151, 15^ 131, 494, 339, 476, 340, 336, 191 554 181 550 558 427 40 28 338 40 505 378 122 131 525 497 -322 -159 337 545 337 495 558 450 498 525 559 432 393 499 557 122 644 INDEX. Swan, Polly Sweeney, Barnard Sweeney, Edward Sweet, Hartford . Sweet, John :Sweetser, A. H. . -Sweetser, Emma H. Svveetser, Thomas Tailors Tanners Taverns Chessman White's Wilson Taxes Taylor, B. A. Taylor, David Taylor, Holloway Taylor, James Taylor, Rachel Taylor, Submit Telegraph, The Telephone, The Temperance House, Th Temperance Organizatii Tenney, Hon. A. W. Tenry, George Thatcher, Rev. R. P. E. Thayer, C. H. . Thayer, Thomas S. Thomas, Frank Foster Thomas, Fred Thomas, Lucien F. Thomas, Martha Thompson, Abner Thompson, Alexander Thompson, Charles Thompson, Daniel Thompson, Joseph Thompson, Joseph M. Thompson, Rev. Lathrop Thompson, Mabel C. . Thompson Manufacturing Company Thompson, Martha J. Thompson, W. A. Thompson, Dr. W. H 43 337 191 325 • 558 2>7l^^ 385. 529 • 554 499 501 499, 300, 543, 556 334. 333' 335. 514. ,46. 389. 103- 104, 557 191 190 150 150 516 207-211, 502, 503, 504 421 558 447 492 556 458 497 558 191 494 490 • 338 389, 490, 529 557 444 421 494 389-391 493 505 0, 489, 495, 496, 499 05 371 372 515 515 515 514 -1 10 395 554 490. 493. 390, 391, 489, INDEX. 645 Thornton, Matthew Tillotson, John M. Tilton, Rev. Geo. H. Timberlake, D. T. Tirrell, Phillip S. Tithingmen Tobacco Culture . Tolford, John Tolford, Lieut. Joshua Tolford's Survey . Tomson, Rev. Lathrop Toscan, John Tovvne, Barton G. Town Clerks Town, Dr. Francis L. Town Lots Transition Period, A Tread well, Jacob Truland, Daniel . Truland, James . Truland, James W. Trussell, Jacob Tubbs, George Tubbs, Orrin Turner, Deborah . Turnpikes Tuttle, N. . Twitchell, Abiathar Twitchell, A. S. . Twitchell, F. H. . Twitchell, Frank . Twitchell, Hiram . Twitchell, O. M. . Twitchell, Zeb Twombley, Benjamin, J Twombley, Ebenezer Twombley, Elijah D. Twombley, Ella M. Twombley, James Twombley, Joseph Twombley, Rebekah Twombly, Alvah . Twombly, Dorcas Twombly, Eliza . Twombly, Jonathan Typhoid Fever, Epidemics of 32 371, 387, 485 . 283, 339. 421, 433 421 500, 556 • 492 SI . 318 . 29, 32 • 29, 30 29 . 176 I 12, 209, 364, 406 478, 535. 541, 542, 594 539 479 535. 555 . 29, 36 1 14-140 32, 195 • 542 . 498 245. 537 122 336 336, 368 • 193 I lO-III 496 388 492 390 ■ 337 • 541 233 388, 499, 559. 560, 594 540 540, 553 513. 541, 548 • 338 191 190 191 436 192 . 192 63, 194 263 646 INDEX. Underwood, George B. Underwood, T. S. Union School District Unitarianism Unitarian Church, The Utley, Daniel Uphani, Benjamin Valentine, Richard H. C. Valuation of Town, The First Valuation of Town, The Last Van Dyke, George Van Dyke, Hon. Thomas H Van Ness, S. W. Vanschork, Samuel Veazie, William H. Vermont Controversy, The Veteran Firemen's Association, Th Village, The Wade, Harvey Wagon Makers and Wheelwrights Wakefield, John H. Wakefield, Thomas L Waldron, John Wales, Nathaniel . Wales, Seth Walker, Caleb Walker, Franklin . Walker, Hazen C. Walker, Lyman . Wallace, Orrace . War of 1812, Enlisted Men War, The Mexican War of the Rebellion War of the Revolution Wark, Dr. A. W. Ward, Artemas Ward, William Warner, Daniel Warren, George Warren, Louis Warren, Simon Warren, William Washburn, F. P. Washburn. Josiah Water Supply and System of Works 488, 489, 491, 497 335' 337' 338, 37^^ 390 414 184-185 430-440, 444 122 554 376, 383 104 395' 245. 186-189, 526 I, 10, 123, 126-127, '5°- 458 -105 161 402 277 340 12 2 558 562 -527 -151 554 376-377 420 420 190 • 483 72 547 ■ 558 385, 528 420 537 121 , 329 135 145-149 69-87 480 351. 456 560 32 122 560 122 593 492 122 156-158 INDEX. C47 Waters, Edmund M. • 457 Watson, G. H. . 594 Way, N. 0. 437 Way, Spofford A. . 218 Weare, Meshech . 32 Webb, Azariah 190, 483 Webb, Henry S. . 401, 505. 525. 542, 594 Webster, George W. 594 Weed, David 192 Weed, Joseph 122 Weeks, Deborah . 423 Weeks, Eliza 190 Weeks, James B. 191. 314. 412. 444. 508 Weeks, Judge James W 35. 137. 234, 240, 269, 288, 289, 315. 316, 323 326 . 340 377. 388, 393. 394. 401, 407. 412, 413 420 , 434 444. 445. 509. 528, 534. 549. 535. 550, 538, 541 551. 593 Weeks, John . 59 62, 90, 9 I. 99 100, 114, 137, 177. 193. 197. 198, 203 IT- 2. 403 , 414 , 422 483. 533. 538, 540, 550. 551. 552, 553 AVeeks, Major John W. 94, 121, 131. 138, 165, 167, ] 91. 192, 221, 222, 224, 22t: 5, 22g , 260 , 262 283, 291, 312, 358, 383. 403. 416, 454 50 5. 513 . 531 . 532 534, 535. 538, 540, 553. 562, 569, 578 Weeks, J. W., Jr. 401 Weeks, Rev. Joshua W ngate 32 Weeks, Martha 94. 193 Weeks, Mary W. 191 Weeks, M. Eliza . • 445 Weeks, Persis F. 427, 445 Weeks, Hon. WilHam E ). 228, 323. 534. 327. 536, 388, 541, 400, 548, 40 1 , 444 549. 594 Weeks House 333 Wellington, Dr. S. B. 480 WelHngton, Samuel L. 500 Wells, E. . 436, 437 Wells, Col. John S. 225, 226, 227. 234, 235. 267, 454. 465 » 527, 528, 533. 535. 536, 545. 549 Went worth. Benjamin 191, 436 Wentworth, Gov. Benni ng I, 7.8, 18, 19, 22, 29, 34, 186 Wentworth, Francis H. 594 Wentworth, Fred A. . - 325. 557 Wentworth, Gov. John : -9. 30. 31 Wentworth, Joseph 436 Wentworth, Samuel 194, 372 Wentworth, Samuel S. • 553 Wentworth, Shackford 192, 436 Wentworth, Tamson 191 Wentworth, Thomas 559 648 INDEX. Wentworth, William G. 515 Wesson, Abel H. 335. 559 Wesson, Asa 67, 194, 267 West, Presbury . 258, 429 West, Presbury, Jr. 269 Weston, Rev. Isaac 430. 443 Wheeler, George 19, 22, 38, 539 Wheeler, Jere 122 Wheelock, Rev. Haskell 436, 547 Wheelock, Rev. James R. 425, 441, 547 Wheelock, Rev. John . 108 Wheelwright, Nathaniel 39 Whidden, Ann L. 407, 427 Whidden, Judge Benjamin F. . 230, 233, 234, 236, 262, 327, 336, 385 393. 398. 399. 409. 420, 444. 458, 469 532, 534. 535. 536, 538 Whidden, Eliza D. ......... . 445 Whidden, Mary N. . 427 Whidden, Samuel L. 411,427 Whipp, CO. 492 Whipp, Lauren B. 155. 339. 492, 576 Whipple, Albert F. 145. 564 Whipple, Barney B. 122 Whipple, Belle ' . 340 Whipple, John M. 137. 233. 234, 339. 444. 534. 536, 550 Whipple, Col. Joseph . 48, 60, 75, 84, 96, 546, 561 Whitcomb, A. K. 421 Whitcomb, Maj. Benjamin 189 Whitcomb, Catherine J. • 427 Whitcomb, Elmer 496 Whitcomb, Grace 494. 495 Whitcomb, Henry J. 549, 550, 593. 594 Whitcomb, Horace 131, 23^ U 267 . 335 . 337 378, 427. 430, 541, 549, 551, 593 Whitcomb, Horace F. . 531, 593 Whitcomb, R. Baxter . 337. 552 White, Allen 122 White, David 191 White, Ellen A. . 247, 445 White, Ellen C. . 445 White, Dr. Samuel 476 W/iite Mount ai7i ^'Egis, The . 225, : 226, 366, 368, 453 White, Eunice (Aunt) . 261 White, F. . . . • 335 White, Henry 192 White, Horace A. • 555 White, James H. 323 White, Jeremiah . 122 INDEX. 649 White, John E 323 White, Hon. John H. . 131, 227, 228, 230, 233, 234, 247, 267, 275, 358, 392 444, 454, 531, 532, 533, 535, 538, 540, 541, 546, 593 White, Moses ......... 131, 552, 568 White, Moses H. 420 White, Nathaniel . • 63, i93> 511. 540, 553 White, Nicholas . 193 White, Noah 191 White, Polly 190 White, Samuel 131 191, 209, 323, 364, 370, 376, 515, 540, 548 White, Sarah 427 White, William A. 235. 39S, 399. 410, 444, 445, 541, 550 White Mountain Notch 22, 48, 55, 60, 318 Whitney, James . 122 Whitney, Silas 121 Wiiitney, Timothy 40 Whitney, V. V. . 339' 391. 492, 524, 531 Whiton, Thomas . 122 Whittemore, Ji)hn Colebrook 398, 399 Whittemore, J. R. 226, 454, 455, 551 Whittier, Henry C. 563 Wiggin, Andrew . 32 Wight, Aaion 558 Wilcox, Lieut. Jeremiah 177. 319. 422, 540 Wilder, Artemas . 397, 483, 510, 511 Wilder, Artemas, Jr. 190, 193, 2og Wilder, Edmund C. 427 Wilder, Edward B. 325.559 Wilder, Elisha . 51, 52, 59, 90, 193, 423 Wilder, Elizabeth 193. 423 Wilder, Ephraim . 427 Wilder, Eunice 190 Wilder, Oilman . 427. 433. 593 Wilder, James < 87 Wilder, John 194. 427 Wilder, Maj. Jonas 34, 44, 56, 59, 62, 82, 83, 84, 95, 99, 107, 167, 177. 193 195, 209, 325, 329, 381, 421, 422, 423, 514, 538, 539, 540, 570 Wilder, Jonas, Jr. ......... 48, 422 Wilder, Joseph 59, 90, 99, 423, 433, 540 Wilder, Joseph H. ..... 559 Wilder, Lucy 190 Wilder, Manassah 190, 194 Wilder, Mehitabel 193.423.427 Wilder, Orange . 413 Wilder, Persis 95, 189, 462 Wilder, Polly 423 Wilder, Rhoda . 427 650 INDEX. wiiKins, <„aivin u. 557 Wilkins, Elijah R. 43S Wilkins Jotham . 122 Wilkins, WiUiam . 557 Wilkins William H. . 558 Wilkinson, John . 122 Willard, Calvin 513 Willard, Jonathan 3f 319 553 Willard, Jonathan W. . c 13, 546, 548 Willard, John 192 Willard, John Dwight . 407 Willard, John H. ■ \ , 537 Willard, Parson Joseph 21,35 , 44, 131, 178, '79 193 345 422, 423, 425, 440 553 572 Willard, Levi 63, 67, 190, 383, 396, 397, 535 540 Willard, Levi, Jr. 376 Willard, Martha . 191 Willard, Sophronia 192 Willard' 5 Basin 318 Willey, Danforth . 489 Willey, George 335 Willey, 3. R. . 335 Williams , Charles 557 William* , F. W. . 458 Williams , George 560 Williams , Col. George C. 234. 235, 335, 336,. 593, 4 ^7I, 489, 493 515, 528, 533, 534, 535, ! 36, 538, 545 Williams , Henry . 335 Williams , Capt. Jared L 146, 241, 276, 324, 328,. 535. 2 39. 383, 385 389, 393. 394, 418, 419, - 120, 4 50. 454, 473 489, 490, 492. 493, 495, ^ ^99, 5 GO, 512, 521 424, 529. 537. 550. 551, . 556, 5 64, 587. 593 Williams , Gov. Jared W. 131 , 167, 222, 223, 224, 226, 229, : 67, 320, 335 359 ,383 393. 416, 444, 454, - 04, A ^92, 509, 512 531 . 532 533. 534. 535. 536, 538, 5 44, 545, 593 Williams House, The . 516 Williams , John M. 122 Williams , Mary H. 502 Williams , Sarah J. 521 Williams , Rev. Stephen 316 Williams , Sylvester P. . 436, 437 Williard, John W. 377 Willoughby, C. E. 496 Willow Tree, The Old, Illust) ation of an i Poem on 248 Wilson, Absalom 122 Wilson, Addle E. 494, 502 Wilson, Arthur G. 3 39. 3 91, 499 INDEX. &51 Wilson, Benjamin . 121 Wilson, Caleb 193 Wilson, Charles . 56a Wilson, Edward . 504 Wilson, Elvira 192 Wilson. Erdix T. 248, 337 Wilson, Frances B. I92 Wilson, Dr. Francis lOI, 131 , 176 190, 191. 193. 209, 267. 333' 476, 564 Wilson, George . 453 Wilson, George C. 56a Wilson, Hubbard 464 Wilson, Gen. John 122 , 131 193, 203, 209, 220, 260, 267, 341, 345 366 , 370 392, 393> 427, 429, 452, 492, 512, 514 523. 527. 528, 536, 545. 546, 553 Wilson, John M. . 491 492 Wilson, John, 3d 547 Wilson, Mary 192 193 Wilson, Nathaniel 167, 420 Wilson, Nicholas B. 335. 384 Wilson, Polly 193 Wilson, Solomon 40, 558 Wilson, Stephen . { ?9, 92, 112 . 131 193. 194, 209, 215, 256, 330. 334. 364 397 406 ,484 . 485 492, 514, 538 540 546 547 562 Wilson, Stephen, Jr. 542 Wilson, W. B. . 525 Winch, Joseph 401 Winchester, C. M. 594 Witherell, James . 122 Windus, Jacob 371 Wolcott, George S. 337 Wolcott, Joseph G. 558 Wolcott, Rev. R. T. 440 Wolcott, William 515 Wood, Isaac 4<> Woodbury, Dr. Mark R 336, 478, 545 Woods, Andrew . 122 Woods, George A. 496 Woodward, Alice 494 Woodward, Edward 112 Woodward, Edward A. 491. 496, 505 Woodward, Erastus 547 Woodward, Ira E. 499. 53c^ Woodward, Jason H. 319. 385, 386, 394. 401 Woodward, J. S. 504. 505 Woodward, Moses 388, 393 Woodward, Nellie A. 505 Woodward, William 201 6^2 lSDYX. Woodward. Wuliam H. - . 4S5 Woo"-5os. Sabin C. . . . 3*^5 Wo— ar/> ChrL'^rian Temperance U-'c". The . ;r:-;r3 Wonra-'s Relief Coras, The 5Ci-5r2 Worcicster. Thossas ..... S5 WcrthlT. Dr. Oscar .i-S WrUi:^ Si=cel . ::r. -.-7 Wrrnaa. £. W. 340. 499. 556 WT-sn. Mav M 501 Wratt, John R 1^2 Yoang. Cal^ ...... 3S4 Yoannjr, Rev. C. -\. 44S. ss- Yooi^. David 355" 537- 559 Yaang, Capt. Hairisoii De J 465, 499. 500. 555 Yom^, Gen. Ira . 464. 538. 545- 546 Yoong. Mary - 319 Yoang. Richard Cms ... 465. 557 464 Yoonj. Gen. J .A. ^64-465 > ^^J- -^ \ * ^ v^^ -.^^ %, cl"^ <^^"^<^. ^ ,-i>" '^ V" ^>. ". %■ .<^' s^' -^ .00 V LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 996 901 7«