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HISTORY 
 
 TOWN OF WARREN, N. H. 
 
 FRC>M ITS EARLY SETTLEMENT TO THE YEAR 
 
 1854 
 
 INCLUBjtjvg a 
 
 SKETCH OF THE PEMIGEWASSET INDlitJS^S. 
 
 BY WILLIAM LITTLE. 
 
 CONCOED, N. H. : 
 STEAM PRINTING WORKS OF McFARLAND & JENKS, 
 
 BEAR OF low's BLOCK, MAIN STREET. 
 
 1854. 
 
WsztGI 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Sketch of the Indians, 9 
 
 Exploration of the country,25 
 
 Townships laid out, 27 
 
 Charter, 28 
 
 Names of Grantees, 33 
 
 First Meeting of Proprie- 
 tors, 34 
 
 Early Settlers, 38 
 
 Saw-Mill, 42 
 
 New Charter, .4?* 
 
 Grist-Mill, 48 
 
 Revolutioiirury War, 48 
 
 incorporation, 52 
 
 First Representative, 56 
 
 School-House, 65 
 
 Settling of the lines by the 
 
 Legislature, 67 
 
 Methodists, 77 
 
 Free Will Baptists, 85 
 
 Spotted Fever, 88 
 
 House of Worship, 91 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Copper Mine, 98 
 
 Surplus Revenue, 103 
 
 Uni versalists, 104 
 
 B., C. & M. Rai'iroad, 106 
 
 Description of Scenery,... 116 
 
 Town Office^^s, &c., 139 
 
 Census,. 143 
 
 Taxes, 143 
 
 JSVanie and situation of the 
 
 Town, 144 
 
 Memory of First Settlers,. 145 
 
 Graveyards, 153 
 
 Animals, &c., 156 
 
 Productions, 158 
 
 Postmasters, 162 
 
 Casualties, 163 
 
 Traders, 165 
 
 Physicians, 166 
 
 College Graduates, 168 
 
 Schools, 169 
 
 Circulating Library, 170 
 
 t) I ! n \ ^ 
 
>y8r 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 Ever interesting must be the history of our country. There is a 
 charm resting upon the deeds of those hardy sons who first subdued the 
 forest ; and their adventures, which involved such fearful daring and 
 enduring fortitude amid every hardship, should be remembered. The 
 red man, also, who here had his hunting grounds, where now are beauti- 
 ful fields and pastures, and who built his wigwam by the side of every 
 stream and pond which contained the speckled trout and golden salmon, 
 should not be forgotten. 
 
 That hardy generation of white men, who first settled this section of 
 New-Hampshire, has passed away. Their children are fast following ; 
 and to prevent the forgetfulness into which their deeds are rapidly pass- 
 ing, and to give a plain and correct account of the prominent events 
 which have occurred in the history of Warren, is the object of this 
 work. Of course, we have not related all the incidents that have tran- 
 spired, for many of them are irrecoverably lost ; but in procuring the 
 many facts no pains has been spared, and circumstances relative to the 
 Indians and first settlers, which at first it was considered impossible to 
 obtain, have by diligent search and comparing notes been brought to light. 
 
 The writer is deeply indebted to many persons for books and infor- 
 mation, among whom stand conspicuous James Clement, Samuel Mer- 
 rill, Nathaniel Merrill, 2d, Russell K. Clement, Dr. Jesse Little, Joseph 
 Clement, David Smith, Joseph Bixby, A. W. Eastman, James Dow, 
 Jonathan M. Eaton, Thomas Pillsbury, Amos F. Clough, Col. Isaac 
 Merrill, Mrs. Betsy Patch, Mrs. Tamar Clement, Mrs. Eliza Pillsbury, 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 Mrs. Susan C. Little, Mrs. Samuel Knight, Miss Hannah B. Knight, 
 and many others. To all his most sincere thanks are paid. 
 
 The following authorities have aided materially, and he has taken 
 much fi-om many of them : Belknap's History of New-Hampshire, 
 Whiton's History of New-Hampshire, Power's History of Coos, Jack- 
 son's Reports, Town Records, Proprietors' Records, authentic Tradi- 
 tion, &c. 
 
 In writing this History, the writer lays claim to no literary merit, but 
 was influenced to commence the work to preserve to future generations 
 that which bid fair to become buried in oblivion ; and he is sure that 
 events, however common-place they may seem, will possess a certain 
 degree of interest to all, and especially to every native-born citizen of 
 Warren. 
 
 In writing a work of this character, there will be data which will as- 
 sist the future labors of the writer of the State or National History — 
 for no National History can be correct without the History of the seve- 
 ral States, and no State History accurate without a knowledge of the 
 Histories of the many towns of which it is composed. 
 
 It is believed that the work, as far as it is possible in a first edition, is 
 correct, and it is hoped that individuals will continue to collect incidents 
 in relation to the first settlers, and other useful information, and at some 
 future day a second edition be published. 
 
HISTORY OF WARREK 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A SKETCH OF THE PEMIGEWASSETS. 
 
 Had an individual^ previous to 1760, stood 
 upon that ridge of land upon one side of which 
 flows that wild and rapid stream known as Baker 
 river, and upon the other the more sluggish wa- 
 ters of Black brook, all around him, from moun- 
 tain to mountain, from hill to hill, across that 
 whole valley, would have been one unbroken 
 forest, in which roamed free, the stately moose 
 and nimble deer, and was heard the cry of the 
 gaunt wolf — the sullen growl of the bear — the 
 low and heavy sound of the partridge, drum- 
 ing, or the whirr of its heavy flight, as it flew to 
 some distant tree-top, scared by the cunning fox, 
 and the squirrel chattering in the branches over- 
 head, as it stored away nuts for winter. The bea- 
 vers dammed the running stream, and in their 
 ponds were reflected the huge pines, towering 
 maples, and wide spread elms ; while in the shade 
 with the owners swam undistubed the duck on 
 
10 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 those lone, silent waters. The bald peaks of Moose- 
 hillock mountain looked down upon the hills and 
 valleys around, and saw only one vast solitude, 
 for centuries unbroken save by the stately tread 
 of the Indian, as he moved about his encampment. 
 Yes, here in these solitary wilds " lived and lov- 
 ed another race of beings." Here, in these val- 
 leys and upon these hills, were the hunting 
 grounds of a once powerful tribe. Here they 
 dwelt, and the uncultivated red man stood forth 
 the lord of inanimate and irrational life. In 
 the brooks and ponds they caught the speckled 
 trout, and in our own river captured the golden 
 salmon. Upon its shores the moose, the deer, the 
 partridge, the rabbit were hunted ; and the bear, 
 the wolf, the fox, the martin, the beaver, and the 
 wild loupcerviere, with the rest were captured. 
 The smoke of the fires by the wigwams curled 
 vip in beautiful wreaths among the foliage of the 
 trees. The graceful wave of the rich growing 
 maize, in their wild and uncleared fields, lent 
 beauty to solitude. The wild, joyous feast, with 
 its songs of festivity and mirth — the low, beau- 
 tiful Indian songs of sorrow and affection, breathed 
 in sweet unison with the voices of nature, the 
 wild war-whoop — all these were here ; all that 
 was sacred ; all that was dear ; all that the un- 
 sophisticated Indian loved was here scattered in 
 rich profusion. But they are gone — they have 
 
DIFFERENT INDIAN TRIBES. 11 
 
 faded, like the mist of a sunlight morning, and 
 now scarcely a vestige is to be fomid. 
 
 " Alas for tliem — their day is o'er, 
 Their fires are out from hill and shore ; 
 No more for tliem the wild deer bounds, 
 The plow is on their hunting grounds ; 
 The pale man's ax rings through the woods — 
 The pale man's sail skims o'er their floods. 
 
 ***** 
 Cold with the beast he slew he sleeps ; 
 O'er him no filial spirit weeps ; 
 No crowds throng round, no anthem notes ascend, 
 To bless his coming and embalm his end ; 
 Even that he liAxd is for his conqueror's tongue, 
 By foes alone his death-song must be sung."* 
 
 When the Europeans landed upon the shores 
 of America, they found the country filled with 
 numerous tribes of Indians. These roamed free, 
 the lords of the soil which they owned in com- 
 mon, and enjoyed their many pastimes, disturbed 
 only by the few feuds that rose between them. 
 Their wars were short and sanguine, and when 
 one party was conquered, they were governed 
 by the will of the conquerors. 
 
 The Indians who inhabited New-Hampshire 
 consisted principally of the Squamscot, Newich- 
 anock, Penacook, Ossipee, Pequawket, Pemige- 
 wasset, Coos, and several other tribes on the 
 Connecticut river. 
 
 The Squamscots and Newichanocks dwelt on 
 the river Pascataqua and its tributaries; the 
 
 * Charles Sprague. 
 
12 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 Penacooks on the Merrimack, having their head 
 quarters at Amoskeag and Concord ; the Ossipees, 
 around Ossipee pond ; the Pequawkets, on the 
 Saco river ; the Pemigewassets, on the Pemige- 
 wasset river, and around Winnipisseogee and 
 Squam lakes ; the Coos, on the Connecticut and 
 its tributaries, in the north part of the State. — 
 These Indians did not differ in language, man- 
 ners, or government, from many of the other 
 Indians of the United States. They occupied 
 no particular spot for a residence any great length 
 of time, removing often to different portions of 
 their hunting grounds, as the game became thin- 
 ned around them. Their wigwams were made 
 by planting a strong pole in the ground, and 
 also many others in a circle around it. These 
 were bent to the centre pole, fastened, and then 
 covered with bark and mats, so as to render them 
 dry and comfortable. Their beds were skins of 
 animals and mats made of reeds. In appearance 
 they were tall, strait, powerftdly made, capable 
 of enduring much fatigue and privation. They 
 had black eyes, coarse black hair, high cheek 
 bones, and teeth whiter than ivory. In dress 
 there was but little difference between them. 
 In summer they wore a short frock about their 
 waist, and in winter enveloped themselves in the 
 skins of beasts. Their moccasins were made of 
 deer skins, and in winter they wore snow shoes. 
 
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 13 
 
 and with them could overtake the swiftest ani- 
 mals. They were exceedingly fond of ornaments, 
 and the sachems, on days of show and festivity, 
 wore mantles of deer skins, embroidered with 
 white beads or copper. For a sign of royalty 
 the skin of a wild cat or a chain of fish bones 
 w^as worn. The men at times were indolent, and 
 their principal employments were hunting, fish- 
 ing, fashioning their rude implements, building 
 their canoes, and war. The women dressed the 
 food, took charge of the domestic concerns, tilled 
 the wild fields, and performed almost all the 
 drudgery connected with their household affairs. 
 
 In the use of the bow they manifested great 
 skill, and even their children, for whom they had 
 a great fondness, were adepts in the arts. Their 
 respect for the aged was also great. In fighting 
 they divided themselves into small parties of four 
 or ^Ye, and by attacking all quarters at once 
 rendered themselves very formidable, by creating 
 universal alarm. 
 
 For utensils, they had hatchets of stone, a 
 few shells and sharp stones, which they used for 
 knives ; stone mortars and basins, made of free 
 stone. Their food was of the coarsest and sim- 
 plest kind ; feasting at times when they had 
 plenty, and fasting when provision was scarce. 
 Flesh and fish they roasted on a stick, or broiled 
 on the fir«. In some instances they boiled their 
 
.14 HISTORY OP WARREN. 
 
 corn and meat by putting hot stones into water. 
 Corn they parched, especially in the winter, and 
 upon this they lived in the absence of other food. 
 
 They were a religious people, and believed in 
 the existence of two Gods ; the one good, who 
 was the superior, and whom they styled the 
 Great Spirit, and the other the evil. Both these 
 they worshipped, and besides them many other 
 deities, such as fire, water, thunder, — anything 
 which they conceived superior to themselves, and 
 capable of doing them injury. Of the creation 
 and deluge they had distinct traditions. The In- 
 dians of New-Hampshire ascribed the summits of 
 high mountains to be the residence of the Great 
 Spirit, and consequently never ascended to the 
 tops, thinking he would be angry, although they 
 roved with impimity over their sides. 
 
 At the time of the first discovery of New- 
 Hampshire these several tribes, although governed 
 each of them by a distinct sachem, yet they all 
 owned subjection to a sovereign prince called 
 Bashaha, whose residence vfas at Penobscot, Me. 
 But shortly afterwards it was found that the Tar- 
 ateens, who lived farther eastward, had invaded 
 his country, surprised and slain him, and all his 
 people in his neighborhood, and carried off his 
 women, leaving no traces of his authority. Upon 
 which the subordinate sachems, having no head 
 to unite them, and each one striving for pre- 
 
PASSACONAWAY. 15 
 
 eminence, made war among themselves, by which 
 means many of their people and much of their 
 provision were destroyed. 
 
 In this struggle the Squamscots, Newichsan- 
 ocks, and Pemigewassets, were conquered by the 
 Penacooks, and acknowledged subjection to Pas- 
 saconaway, their chief He excelled the other 
 sachems in sagacity, duplicity and moderation, 
 but his principal qualification was his skill in 
 some of the operations of nature, which gave 
 him the reputation of a sorcerer, and extended 
 his name and influence among all the neighbor- 
 ing tribes. They believed that it was in his 
 power to make water burn, trees dance, and 
 metamorphose himself into a flame ; that in win- 
 ter he could raise a green leaf from the ashes of 
 a dry one, and a living serpent from the skin of 
 one that was dead. 
 
 This sachem lived till the year 1760. Before 
 his death, on one of the great festivals of the 
 tribe, he in his farewell address told them to take 
 heed how they quarreled with their English 
 neighbors, for they might do them some damage, 
 yet it would prove the means of their own de- 
 struction. He told them that he had been a bit- 
 ter enemy to the English, and by his acts of 
 sorcery had tried his utmost to hinder their set- 
 tlement and increase, but could by no means 
 succeed. This caution, perhaps often repeated, 
 
16 HISTORY 01 WARREN. 
 
 had such an effect that m the breakmg out of 
 the war, fifteen years after, Wonolanset, his son 
 and successor, withdrew himself and his people 
 into some remote place, that he might not be 
 drawn into the quarrel. 
 
 After the death of Passaconaway, the Pemige- 
 wassets, whose sachem was Pehaungun, ceased 
 to acknowledge subjection to the Penacooks ; 
 and, having increased much in numbers, were 
 now quite a powerful tribe. Their principal resi- 
 dence was at the confluence of the Pemigewasset 
 and Baker rivers, but different families of the 
 tribe were scattered throughout their hunting 
 grounds. For about fifty years they flourished, 
 and were at peace with the English and neigh- 
 boring Indians. At the expiration of this time, 
 or in the year 1703, Queen Anne's war broke out, 
 when they joined with the other tribes in the 
 contest. This war was continued till 1712, and 
 during the time the frontier of Maine, New- 
 Hampshire and Massachusetts, was continually 
 assailed by parties of Indians that came from all 
 the tribes in these States, and the Arosagunta- 
 cook-^= tribe, in Canada. Two years after the 
 commencement of the war the Penacooks, Newich- 
 sanocks, Squamscots, with several small tribes 
 upon the coast of Maine, having lost a number 
 of their warriors in their many skirmishes with 
 
 * Commonly called the St. Francis tribe. 
 
QUEEN ANNE's WAR. 17 
 
 the English, were persuaded by the Governor of 
 Canada to unite with the Arosaguntacooks. By 
 this policy they became more firmly allied to the 
 interests of the French, and were themselves 
 better enabled to carry on the war. 
 
 The Pemigewassets were now the frontier In- 
 dians in New-Hampshire, and entered with much 
 more spirit into the contest. One of the causes 
 of their greater zeal was that they had seen 
 their neighbors disjDOssessed of their hunting 
 grounds, and they feared that some day they 
 should share the same fate ; and so, while Massa- 
 chusetts and New-Hampshire were fighting with 
 the eastern Indians, they continually hovered 
 like a dark cloud with their small parties upon 
 the almost defenceless frontiers, and by their bold 
 depredations kept the inhabitants in an alnlost 
 continual state of alarm. So greatly were the 
 settlers annoyed that they raised a large com- 
 pany and marched up the Merrimack to attack 
 them. The fourth day from home, they discov- 
 ered an Indian settlement a short distance from 
 the river ; and after carefully reconoitering, and 
 finding that the number of the Indians was less 
 than their own, they advanced to the attack. 
 The Indians did not discover the English until 
 they were close upon them, when they were ac- 
 cidently observed by a young warrior, who cried 
 out, " Owanux, Owanux, Englishmen ! English- 
 
18 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 men !" This frightened the other Indians, who, 
 rising up quickly, the Englisli fired upon them 
 and killed eight on the spot. The others imme- 
 diately fled ; and the company, with considerable 
 booty and the scalps of the Indians, returned 
 home without the loss of a man. 
 
 But the Pemigewassets immediately retaliated 
 for this loss, and killed several persons at Dover 
 and Kingston, besides taking a number of pris- 
 oners, who were carried to Canada and sold to 
 the French. Shortly after this a treaty was con- 
 cluded between the French and English, and 
 these border wars, which had been principally 
 excited by the French, ceased. 
 
 In 1722, New-Hampshire and Massachusetts 
 became involved in a war with the eastern In- 
 dians, and the Pemigewassets, contrary to their 
 wishes, by some means were obliged to take a 
 part. Shortly after its commencement two 
 hundred and fifty men were sent to the shores 
 of lake Winnipiseogee, to build a fort and cut 
 out a road from that place to Dover ; but the 
 expense so far exceeded the benefit which could 
 be expected from a fort at such a distance in the 
 wilderness, the design was laid aside, and the old 
 method of defence by scouts and garrisons was 
 adopted. 
 
 Two years afterwards, the Pemigewassets, 
 commanded by Walternumus, their sachem, with 
 
baker's fight. 19 
 
 the eastern and the Arosaguntacook Indians, who 
 had kept up the war, made descents upon Dover, 
 Durham, Kmgston and Chester, and killed and 
 captured a large number of settlers. In the fall 
 of the year, Capt. John Love well, of Barnstable, 
 with a company of thirty men, penetrated the 
 country north of Lake Winnipissiogee. They 
 discovered an Indian wigwam, in which was a 
 man and boy. They killed and scalped the man, 
 and brought the boy alive to Boston, where they 
 received the reward promised by law, and a 
 handsome gratuity besides. 
 
 By this success his company was augmented 
 to seventy. They marched again, and visiting 
 the place where they had killed the Indian found 
 the body as they had left it two months before. 
 From this place they pursued an easterly course, 
 and before returning home surprised and killed 
 a party of ten Indians, who had encamped be- 
 side a small frozen pond in the town of Wake- 
 field. The ensuing season the Indians renewed 
 the war with vigor, and the frontier settlers be- 
 gan to act on the aggressive as well as defensive. 
 Capt. Lovewell marched into the country of the 
 Pequawkets, and with them fought one of the 
 most fierce battles ever recorded in the annals 
 of Indian warfare. 
 
 Massachusetts also equipped a company of 
 men, imder the command of Capt. Baker, of 
 
20 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 Northampton, Mass., to march against the Pemi- 
 gewassets. He left that place with thirty-four 
 men, and proceeded up the Connecticut river as 
 far as Haverhill, N. H. Here he crossed the 
 height of land that divides the Connecticut from 
 the waters of Baker river, and followed down 
 this latter stream to its confluence with the Pe- 
 migewasset. At this place he for the first time 
 discovered traces of Indians, and sent forth 
 scouts to reconnoitre. These cautiously advanc- 
 ed to the river side, and opposite saw the pleas- 
 ant village of the Pemigewassets. The wigwams 
 were grouped in circles, and near by was grow- 
 ing finely the fresh young Indian corn. The 
 leaves of the trees, which were just beautifully 
 expanding, gave out a pleasant fragrance on the 
 air. The squaws were attending to their house- 
 hold duties, while the children were sporting 
 gleefully along the bank of the river. A greater 
 portion of the warriors had gone out in pursuit 
 of game, and those who were there little dreamed 
 that the pale face was near, to hurl the leaden 
 missile on its deadly errand. The scouts gazed 
 upon this scene for a few moments, and then re- 
 turned and reported their discovery. 
 
 Baker, after a short consultation, now moved 
 forward with his men with all possible circum- 
 spection. No sound, not even the breaking of a 
 twig or the crack of a gun-lock, warned the 
 
21 
 
 Pemigewassets of their impending fate. He 
 chose his position, and at a given signal the com- 
 pany opened a tremendous fire upon the Indians, 
 which carried destruction through their camp, 
 and was as sudden to them as a clap of thunder. 
 Some shouted that the English were upon them, 
 and that dreaded name echoed from mouth to 
 mouth, filling all with dismay. Many of the 
 children of the forest bit the dust in death, but 
 those who survived ran to call in their hunters. 
 
 Baker and his men immediately crossed the 
 river in pursuit, but all who were able had gone. 
 He fired their wigwams, and as the flames stream- 
 ed upward, and the smoke rolled aloft on the air, 
 a shout from the Indians echoed from hill to hill, 
 and reverberated down that valley, informing 
 Capt. Baker that the Indian warriors were col- 
 lecting to give him battle. 
 
 While the wigwams were being fired, part of 
 the company were searching about for booty. 
 They found a rich store of furs, deposited in 
 holes dug in the bank, in the manner bank swal- 
 lows dig to make their nests. Having obtained 
 these, Capt. Baker ordered a retreat, knowing 
 that the Indians would soon return, and he feared 
 in too great numbers to be resisted by his single 
 company. As they moved swiftly down the 
 river, the sound of the wild war-whoop greeted 
 their ears, which served to accellerate their speed. 
 
22 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 Often it was repeated, and each time grew nearer. 
 When they had reached a poplar plain, in what 
 is -now the town of Bridgewater, a shrill, mad- 
 dened yell, and a volley of musketry in their 
 rear, told Baker that the Indians were upon him, 
 and he must immediately prepare for action. 
 This they did by retreating to a more dense wood. 
 The Indians, commanded by Walternumus, im- 
 mediately pursued, and swarming on all sides 
 poured vollies of musketry into the woods which 
 concealed their enemies. On the other hand, 
 the little party, concealing themselves behind 
 rocks and trees, plied their muskets with heroic 
 valor and much effect. Balls rattled in showers 
 around, scattering twigs and branches of the 
 trees in every direction. While the battle was 
 going on, Walternumus accidently encountered 
 Capt. Baker. They saw each other at the same 
 time, and fired almost simultaneously. The ball 
 of the sachem grazed the eyebrow of Baker, 
 while his ball passed through the Indian's breast, 
 who, uttering a loud whoop, leaped high in air 
 and fell a corpse. 
 
 The Indians now, having lost their commander 
 and a considerable number of men, retreated. 
 Capt. Baker immediately collected his men and 
 again ordered a retreat, for he believed that the 
 Indians, though repulsed, would soon rally to 
 the attack, and their numbers constantly swell by 
 
baker's fight. 23 
 
 those who would join them. On he went^ allow- 
 ing his men no refreshment after the battle. 
 For many miles they travelled without food, 
 until hunger oppressing them they declared that 
 they might as well die by the red man's bullets, 
 as by famine. Capt. Baker, now finding it use- 
 less to try to proceed farther, acquiesced for 
 them to stop and satisfy their craving appetites. 
 While building their fires to cook their food, a 
 friendly Indian, who had acted as guide, proposed 
 a stratagem by which the Indians would be de- 
 ceived when they came up, in regard to their 
 numbers. He told them each to build as many 
 fires as they possibly could in a given time, and 
 in roasting their meat to use several forks about 
 the same piece ; then, after they were done, to 
 leave an equal number around each fire. This 
 they did, and after enjoying their hasty meal, 
 again moved swiftly on. 
 
 The Indian warriors, coming up shortly after, 
 found the fires still burning ; they counted the 
 number of forks, and being alarmed at the sup- 
 posed number of the English, they whooped a 
 retreat, and Baker and his men were no more 
 annoyed by them on their return. On the re- 
 treat of the Indians, they visited their battle 
 field and gazed with sorrow on the once proud 
 forms of their brothers. After burying them, 
 they wended their way to their once to them 
 
24 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 beautiful village. The survivors through fear 
 had not collected, and, as the warriors approach- 
 ed, their hearts were filled with emotions far dif- 
 ferent from those which but a few hours before 
 possessed them. All was ruin — 
 
 " No wigwam smoke is curling there, 
 
 The very earth is scorched and bare ; 
 
 And thej pause and listen to catch a sound, 
 
 Of breathing life, but there comes not one, 
 
 Save the fox's bark and the rabbit's bound, 
 
 And here and there on the black'ning ground, 
 
 White bones are glistening in the sun." 
 
 Here, too, the last sad offices were performed 
 to departed nature. When done, they erected 
 a few temporary wigwams, and gradually the 
 fugitives who fled from the village when attacked, 
 were collected. A few days later, the remainder 
 of the tribe joined them, and after a long coun- 
 cil it was decided to unite with the Arosagunta- 
 .cooks, as many other eastern tribes were doing. 
 It was hard to leave their pleasant hunting 
 grounds, but stern necessity compelled them, and 
 in a few days those dear and sacred places were 
 solitary and deserted. A few of the tribe re- 
 mained about the shores and islands of Lake 
 Winnipissiogee, and there dwelt a passive people 
 until the settling of the towns around it. Thus 
 the country which was once possessed by a brave 
 people, became a solitude, and for many years 
 after was seldom visited, except by a few white 
 
DEPARTURE OF THE INDIANS. 25 
 
 hunters and straggling parties of Indians, on 
 their way to the English settlements upon the 
 frontier. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 CIVIL HISTORY. 
 
 But little thought was given to the settling of 
 the northern section of New-Hampshire until 
 1752. At this time the most northern settle- 
 ment on the Merrimack river was Bakerstown, 
 (now Salisbury and Franklin,) and upon the 
 Connecticut there was none above Charlestown. 
 During the season it was proposed to establish a 
 fort and garrison at Haverhill and Newbury, and 
 a party was sent up to view the country. But 
 the Arosaguntacooks, hearing of the design, re- 
 monstrated, and threatened war if the settlement 
 was commenced. This threatening being com- 
 municated to the governor of New-Hampshire, 
 threw such discouragement on the project that 
 it was laid aside. 
 
 Early in the spring of this year, David Stin- 
 son, John Stark, (afterwards Gen. John Stark,) 
 William Stark, and Amos Eastman, were hunting 
 near a small pond, in the northeast corner of Bum- 
 
26 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 ney. Here they were surprised by a party of 
 ten Indians, under the command of Francis Tit- 
 agaw. John Stark and Amos Eastman were 
 immediately taken prisoners and bound. Wil- 
 liam Stark was upon the opposite side of the 
 pond, and John Stark shouted to him to make 
 his escape, which he did. Stinson, at the time 
 of the seizure of young Stark and Eastman, 
 leaped into a canoe, and pulled for the opposite 
 shore. The Indians called for him to come back, 
 but he heeded them not. This exasperated 
 them, and they fired upon him. The balls rat- 
 tled around him ; but, not taking effect, he still 
 pulled resolutely on, when one, taking more sure 
 aim than the rest, sent the fatal bullet on its 
 mission. A shriek,, a maddened leap U2)wards, 
 and he that was David Stinson fell into the 
 pond a corpse, and those clear crystal waters 
 were stained with his blood. From this circum- 
 stance it received the name of Stinson pond. 
 John Stark received a severe beating for calling 
 to his brother, after which he and Eastman were 
 carried to the head quarters of the Arosagunta- 
 cooks. Here they endured many cruelties, but 
 were redeemed before autumn by Capt. Stevens, 
 and on their return gave an account of the great 
 goodness of the lands lying upon the up23er 
 waters of the Connecticut and Merrimack rivers. 
 In the summer of 1754, by order of govern- 
 
CIVIL HISTORY. 27 
 
 ment, several companies were sent up to explore 
 this section, and prepare for its speedy settle- 
 ment. But the Indians again remonstrated, and 
 the French War breaking out shortly afterwards, 
 all efforts to discover new territory ceased ; for 
 in those times each individual had as much as 
 he could conveniently do to retain what he then 
 had. In a few years this war was brought to a 
 successful termination — the Indians were sub- 
 dued and conquered, and the frontier settlers no 
 longer feared the dreaded tomahawk and scalp- 
 ing knife. 
 
 During the war numerous bodies of troops 
 had passed and repassed these vallies, and ad- 
 mired the beauty and fertility of them, and now 
 that peace was restored, eagerly sought them for 
 the pm-pose of settlement and speculation. Gov. 
 Wentworth and his council immediately caused 
 a survey of the country on the Connecticut 
 river to be made, and six ranges of townships to 
 be laid out ; three on each side of the river. 
 Applications for grants were made in rapid suc- 
 cession, and the governor reaped a rich harvest 
 by the fees which were paid him. Besides the 
 fees and presents for these grants, which were 
 undefined, a reservation was made for the gov- 
 ernor of five hundred acres in each township, and 
 of lots for public purposes. These reservations 
 were clear of all fees and charges. 
 
28 HISTORY OF WAKREN. 
 
 On the petition of John Page and sixty-five 
 others, the following charter of a tract of land 
 lying in the second range of townships on the 
 east side of Connecticut river, and npon the 
 head waters of Baker river, was given them, 
 viz : 
 
 PROVINCE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 George the Thirds hj the Grace of God, of Great 
 Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of 
 the Faith, dx^. 
 
 To all persons to whom these Presents shall 
 come, greeting. — Know ye, that we, of onr special 
 grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, for 
 the due encouragement of settling a new plant- 
 ation within our said province, by and with the 
 advice of our trusty and well beloved Benning 
 Wentworth, Esq., our governor and commander- 
 in-chief of our said province of New-Hampshire in 
 New-England, and of our council of the said prov- 
 ince, have, upon the conditions and reservations 
 hereinafter 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-Hamp- 
 shire, and our other governments, and to their heirs 
 and assigns forever, whose names are entered 
 on this grant, to be divided to and amongst them 
 
CHARTEK. 29 
 
 into seventy-two equal shares : all that tract or 
 parcel of land, situate, lying and being within 
 our said province of New-Hanip shire, containing 
 by admeasurement twenty-two thousand acres, 
 Avhich tract is to contain almost six miles square 
 and no more ; out of which an allowance is to 
 be made for highways and unimproved lands, by 
 rocks, ponds, mountains and rivers, one thousand 
 and forty acres free ; according to a plan and 
 survey thereof, made by our said governor's 
 order, and returned into the secretary's office, 
 and hereunto annexed, butted and bounded as 
 follows, viz. : Beginning at the north-westerly 
 corner of Ilumney, thence running north twenty- 
 four degrees east, five miles and three quarters 
 of a mile ; thence turning off and running north 
 fifty-eight degrees west, six miles and one half 
 mile, to the south-easterly corner of Haverhill ; 
 thence south twenty degrees west five miles 
 and three quarters of a mile, then turning off 
 again, and runs south fifty-nine degrees east six 
 miles, to the corner of Rumney begun at ; and 
 that the same be and hereby is incorporated into 
 a township by the name of Warren ; and the in- 
 habitants that do or shall hereafter inhabit the 
 said township, are hereby declared to be enfran- 
 chised with, and entitled to, all and every privi- 
 lege and immunities that other towns within 
 our province by law exercise and enjoy ; and, 
 
30 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 further, that the said towiijas soon as there shall 
 be fifty families resident and settled thereon, 
 shall have the liberty of holding two fairs, one 
 of which shall be holden on the 
 and the other on the annually ; 
 
 which fliirs are not to be continued longer than 
 the respective following the said 
 
 ; and that as soon as the 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 advantageous to the 
 inhabitants ; also, that the first meeting for the 
 choice of town officers, agreeable to the laws of 
 our said province, shall be held on the second 
 Wednesday of February next, which said meet- 
 ing shall be notified by John Page, Esq., who is 
 hereby also appointed the moderator of the said 
 first meeting, which he is to notify and govern, 
 agreeable to the laws and customs of our said 
 province ; and that the annual meeting forever 
 hereafter, for the choice of such officers for the 
 said town, shall be on the first Wednesday 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. : 
 
 1st. That every grantee, his heirs or assigns, 
 shall plant and cultivate Rye acres of land within 
 
CHARTER. 31 
 
 the term of five years, for every fifty acres con- 
 tained 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 of his grant or share in the said 
 township, and of its reverting to us, our heirs 
 and successors, to be by us or them re-granted 
 to such of our subjects as shall efiectually settle 
 and cultivate the same. 
 
 2d. That all white or other pine trees mthin 
 the said township, fit for masting our royal navy, 
 be carefully preserved for that use ; and none 
 be cut or felled without our special licence for 
 so doing, first had and obtained ; upon the pen- 
 alty 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. 
 
 3d. That before any division of the land be 
 made to and among the grantees, a tract of land 
 as near the centre of the said township as the 
 land will admit of, shall be reserved and marked 
 out for town lots, one of which shall be alloted 
 to each grantee, of the contents of one acre. 
 
 4th. 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- 
 
32 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 fifth day of December annually, if lawfully de- 
 manded ; the first payment to be made on the 
 twenty-fifth day of December, 1763. 
 
 6th. Every proprietor, settler or inhabitant, 
 shall yield and pay mito ns, our heirs and suc- 
 cessors, yearly, and for every year forever, from 
 and after the expiration of ten years after 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 possesses, and so in proportion 
 for a greater or less 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 shall be appointed to receive the same, 
 and this to be in lieu of all other rents and ser- 
 vices whatever. 
 
 In testimony whereof we have caused the 
 seal of our said province to be hereunto affixed. 
 Witness, Benning Wentworth, Esq., our governor 
 and commander-in-chief of our said province, the 
 14th 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. 
 
 rrj^ B. WENTWOKTH. 
 
 By His Excellency's command, with advice of Council. 
 
 T. ATKINSON, jun., Secretary. 
 
GEANTEES OF WARREN. 
 
 33 
 
 Record- 
 
 Province of New-Hampshire, January 28tli, 1764. 
 ed in the book of charters, No. 3, page 78, 79. 
 
 T. ATKINSON, Jun., Secretary. 
 
 THE NAMES OF THE GRANTEES OF WARREN. 
 
 John Page, Esq., 
 Jona. Greely, Esq., 
 James Graves, 
 Joseph Blanchard, Esq. 
 Capt. John Hazen, 
 Ephraim Brown, 
 Joseph Whitcher, 
 Reuben French, 
 Samuel Osgood, 
 Thomas True, 
 David Clough, 
 Daniel Page, 
 Joseph Page, 
 Belcher Dole, 
 Reuben True, 
 Stephen Webster, 
 John Darlingj 
 Capt. John Parker, 
 Jona. Greely, 
 Enoch Chase, 
 Lemuel Stevens, 
 Abel Davis, 
 Capt. George Marsh, 
 
 Ebenezer Morrill, 
 Trueworthy Ladd, 
 William Whitcher, 
 jEbenezer Collins, 
 Ebenezer Page, 
 Samuel Page, 
 Moses Page,^ 
 John Page, jun,, 
 Ephraim Page, 
 Enoch Page, 
 Benj. French, jun., 
 Aaron Clough, jun., 
 Silas Newel, 
 David Morrill, 
 Nathaniel Currier, 
 Benj, Clougkr 
 Henry Morrill, 
 Jacob Hook, Esq., 
 Josiah Bartlett, 
 Peter Coffin, jun., 
 William Parker, jr. Esq. 
 Ebenezer Stevens, Esq., 
 Dier Hook, 
 
 Philip Tilton, 
 
 Nathaniel Fifield, 
 
 Andrew Greely, 
 
 Jacob Currier, 
 
 Samuel Dudley, 
 
 Joseph Tilton, 
 
 Francis Batchelder, 
 
 Joseph Greely, 
 
 John Batchelder, 
 
 Jacob Gale, 
 
 Abraham Morrill, 
 
 Jeremy Webster, 
 
 The Hon. Theodore At- 
 kinson, jun., 
 
 Nathaniel Barrel, 
 
 Samuel Graves, 
 
 John Marsh, 
 
 Moses Greely, of Salis- 
 bury, 
 
 Andrew Wiggin, Esq., 
 
 James Nevins, Esq., 
 
 Capt. Thomas Pierce. 
 
 His Excellency Benning Wentworth, a tract of 
 land, to contain ^ye hundred acres, as marked 
 B. W. on the plan, which is to be accounted two 
 of the within shares. One whole share for the 
 incorporated society for the propagation 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, and one 
 
34 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 share for the benefit of a school in said town 
 forever. 
 
 Province of New-Hampshire^ Jan. 28th, 1764. 
 
 Eecorded in the book of charters, No. 3, page 
 80. T. ATKINSON, Jun., Secretary. 
 
 At the first meeting of the proprietors, holden 
 at the inn of Col. Jonathan Greely, in Kingston, 
 N. H., agreeable to a provision of the charter for 
 the same, Jeremy Webster was chosen clerk ; 
 Jeremy Webster, Col. Jonathan Greely and 
 Lient. James Graves were chosen Selectmen. 
 After transacting some other business of minor 
 importance, the meeting was adjourned without 
 taking any measures for the settlement of the 
 town. But another meeting was immediately 
 called, and was holderrat the same place, on the 
 seventh of March, 1764, and a committee cho- 
 sen, consisting of John Page, Esq., Lieut. James 
 Graves, Col. Jonathan Greely, Capt. John Hazen, 
 and Capt. Stephen Webster, to run the line 
 round about the township. 
 
 A part of this committee came to Warren in 
 the year 1764 or 1765, and fulfilled the duty for 
 which they were chosen. At that time they 
 came into a dense wilderness. There was no 
 road, and above Plymouth not even as much as 
 a spotted line of trees for them to follow. They 
 carried their provision upon their backs, in knap- 
 sacks, and when night came on kindled a fire 
 
JOSEPH PATCH. 35 
 
 and laid down beside it to sleep, with nothing for 
 a covering but the blue iirmament, out of which 
 shone the rays of the twinkling stars and the 
 pale light of the moon. If it happened to rain, 
 each peeled the bark from some large spruce or 
 hemlock, and enveloping themselves with it, laid 
 down upon some dry knoll, where the water 
 would more easily run off. 
 
 They found the north-west corner of Eumney, 
 and commenced and marked the trees in course 
 about the whole town. While doing this, and 
 when they were on the south line, they took oc- 
 casion to pass up the river and view the land, 
 after w^hich they finished the line, and returned 
 to their homes in Kingston. For their services, 
 Jeremy Webster, Col. Jonathan Greely and John 
 Page, received, by a vote of the proprietors, at a 
 meeting held in October, 1765, at the inn of Col. 
 Jonathan Greely, the sum of sixty-four dollars. 
 At the same meeting. Col. Ebenezer Stevens, Col. 
 Jonathan Greely, Jacob Hook, Esq., Samuel Page, 
 Joshua Page, jun., John Page, Esq., and Capt. 
 Ephraim Brown, were chosen a committee to see 
 to clearing a public road through the town. This 
 committee proceeded to the business for which 
 they were chosen, but did not finish it ; conse- 
 quently the proprietors, at an after meeting, 
 chose another committee to finish the clearing of 
 the road. Before this committee had commenced 
 
36 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 their operations, which was in the spring of 1767, 
 the first settler of Warren took up his residence 
 in town. 
 
 Mr. Joseph Patch, from HoUis, N. H., a young 
 man of strong constitution, and almost passion-- 
 ately fond of the solitary wilds of the wilderness, 
 had several times traversed this section of the 
 country in hunting excursions. In this vicinity 
 to a greater extent than in many others, moose, 
 deer, and other game abounded in the recesses 
 of the heavy forest growth, while the rapid, 
 gliding mountain streams were filled with the 
 speckled trout and golden salmon. This, and 
 the fineness of the land, induced him to lo- 
 cate his residence in the valley of Baker river, 
 near the foot of Carr and Moosehillock moun- 
 tains. He chose the land now owned by Mr. 
 William Clougli, and built his cabin near Mr. 
 Clough's house, upon the opposite side of the 
 road, near the bank of Hurricane brook. The 
 place where he dug his cellar, the old pine stump 
 on which he built his stone oven, and the first 
 apple tree which he planted, are still to be seen. 
 
 If we will go back eighty-seven years, if we 
 wish w^e shall see him an inhabitant of one of 
 those rude cabins that were then thinly scat- 
 tered through the wilderness. We observe him 
 felling the forest, or tilling the soil which had 
 never been touched by white hands before. 
 
MR. MILLS. 37 
 
 There will be found around his cabin unbroken 
 silence, save when the stroke of the axe awakens 
 the echo, or the howl of the wolf disturbs the 
 dull ear of midnight. Weeks come and go, and 
 no one is here for a companion, save when a few 
 solitary individuals, passing oy on their journey 
 to other settlements, or the committee for clear- 
 ing the road, are in town. Winter comes, but 
 still we find him alone, with nothing to break 
 the dull, monotonous solitude, but the excitement 
 of the chase, when he hunts the heavy moose 
 and nimble deer. But spring comes at last, 
 bringing its beautiful flowers and fresh green 
 leaves, and also cheering neighbors. 
 
 The proprietors this spring voted to give to 
 each individual who should settle in town prior 
 to October 1st, 1768, fifty acres of land and six 
 pounds in money, or one hundred acres of land 
 without the money. The proprietors also chose 
 another committee to finish clearmg the road. 
 This committee was also to lay out twenty-five 
 lots of land, in such places as they thought proper, 
 and that each family who should settle agreeable 
 to the said proposition should have one of the 
 lots ; that the first settler take the first choice, 
 and so each in their order. 
 
 These offers had the desired effect to induce 
 individuals to settle the town. Before this, the 
 proprietors had offered little or no inducement 
 
38 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 for settlement ; and, consequently, as other pro- 
 prietors had been ranch more liberal to first set- 
 tlers, this town was not in so forward a state of 
 settlement as others around, and the reason of 
 the proprietors offering the above bounties was 
 that they were in danger of forfeiting their char- 
 ter by not fulfilling the requirements of the same. 
 
 The first settlers in the spring of 1768 were 
 Mr. Mills and his family, from Portsmouth, N. H. 
 They traveled on horseback, as did all the first 
 settlers, and in this way transported their house- 
 hold effects, of which it may be imagined there 
 was no inconsiderable variety and quantity. In- 
 deed, the state of the roads would admit of no 
 other mode of conveyance, for they were noth- 
 ing more than marked ways, with the fallen 
 trunks of trees chopped off and rolled from the 
 path. 
 
 Mr. Mills, having the first choice of the lots of 
 land laid out by the committee, chose the second 
 one north of the lot where Mr. Patch located 
 hiniself, and which is now owned by Mr. Augustus 
 K. Eaton. He built his cabin a few rods north 
 of the dwelling where Mr. Eaton now resides. 
 It was a frail habitation, but it served for a shel- 
 ter during the summer. Upon one side he built 
 a stone fire-place, and a chimney of small sticks 
 and mud. As he could bring no very heavy 
 articles of household furniture, he was under the 
 
EARLY SETTLERS. 39 
 
 necessity of constructing a few. He made a 
 table by splitting a large ash tree into several 
 thin pieces, smoothing them with an axe, and 
 then pinned them, side by side, to two other 
 pieces, which ran in an opposite direction in the 
 form of cleats. This he fastened to one side of 
 the cabin, supporting it with small posts driven 
 into the ground. But he had a more novel mode 
 of making chairs, and it was generally practiced 
 by the first settlers. The top of a spruce oiLfir 
 tree was procured, upon which several limbs 
 were growing ; this was split through the middle, 
 the limbs cut off the proper length, and after 
 smoothing to suit the fancy, the chair was com- 
 pleted. These were durable chairs, and the in- 
 stances were rare in which it became necessary 
 to send them to the cabinet-maker for repairs, 
 especially to have their legs glued in. Bedsteads 
 were made by boring two holes into the walls of 
 the cabin, about four feet apart. In these were 
 driven two sapling poles, the other ends of which 
 were supported by posts. For cords, elm bark 
 was used. All the other household utensils which 
 they needed were made in the same rough man- 
 ner. 
 
 After finishing his rough cabin, he immediately 
 commenced to clear the land around. Upon the 
 brook now ki^own as Patch brook, which runs 
 through the place, was a meadow of considerable 
 
40 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 size^ formed by the beavers flowijig it for a pond. 
 Here a large quantity of grass grew wild, and 
 he improved his opportunity of harvesting it for 
 use the ensuing winter. Several other individ- 
 uals came into town and settled during the season. 
 
 Mr. John Aiken settled upon the place now 
 occupied by George Bixby ; he built his cabin 
 east from the railroad depots. Mr. Aiken lived 
 upon the place until 1776, when it was proved 
 that he had not a good title to his land, and be- 
 ing dispossessed of it, he moved to Wentworth. 
 
 Joshua Copp, Esq., from Hampstead, commenc- 
 ed on the M. P. Merrill place, and built his cabin 
 on the old Coos road. This was the road laid out 
 by the committee chosen by the proprietors in 
 1767. From the south line of the town it kept 
 upon the west bank of Baker river till it arrived 
 at the mouth of Black brook. Crossing this 
 stream it followed along upon its east bank, keep- 
 ing upon the ridge of land to the spot where 
 the depot is now located. At this place it passed 
 down the steep bank, traversed the land now 
 occupied as the bed of a pond, and when it 
 arrived where the bridge now spans the water, 
 south of Mr. Stephen Lund's, it again crossed 
 the stream and kept upon the west bank until it 
 arrived nearly opposite where Esq. Weeks now 
 resides. Here it crossed Bowl's brook, a branch 
 of Black brook, and proceeded some distance to 
 
FIRST SAW-MILL. 41 
 
 the eastward of the old Coos turnpike, before 
 windmg up the hill long known as the Height of 
 Land. 
 
 At the time of Mr. Copp's settlement the in- 
 terval, upon which are now located those three 
 beautiful farms, owned respectively by James M. 
 Williams, E. K Weeks, Esq., and Col. Charles 
 Lane, was one large meadow, formed by the 
 beavers. Here, in some places, where it had not 
 grown up to alders, the grass grew spontaneously 
 and in great abundance, and Mr. Copp cut and 
 stacked a large c[uantity, and with his neighbors 
 drew it away upon hand-sleds the ensuing win- 
 ter. 
 
 Mr. Ephraim True settled upon the place 
 where Mr. Ira Libbey now lives, and erected his 
 cabin a short distance from Mr. Aiken's. 
 
 The first settlers suffered much for the want 
 of roads, bridges and mills. They had to go to 
 Haverhill and Plymouth for their provision, and 
 not unfrequently would travel to Haverhill and 
 bring home upon their backs a bushel to a bushel 
 and a half of meal, for the road at that time was 
 almost impassable for a horse. The ensuing 
 spring two settlers moved into town. 
 
 John Whitcher settled on the place where 
 John Whitcher now lives. He was born in Salis- 
 bury, June 19, 1749, and married Sarah Marston. 
 
 John Morrill commenced on the place now 
 3* 
 
42 HISTORY OP WARREN. 
 
 owned by Mr. Otinatiis Simpson, of Wentworth. 
 In a few years he sold his place to Mr. Joseph 
 Kimball, and commenced upon another in a dif- 
 ferent portion of the town. 
 
 For the erection of a saw-mill to supply the 
 inhabitants with boards, the proprietors the pres- 
 ent year paid Mr. Joshua Copp a bounty of thirty 
 pounds. The mill was built upon the stream 
 known as Black brook, and was situated about 
 one third of a mile below Esq. Copp's house, on 
 the road that leads from Mr. Ezra W. Keyes' to 
 Mr. Stephen Lund's, and was the only saw-mill 
 in town for many years. 
 
 Here the first settlers hauled their timber, 
 which was very plenty, and considered by them 
 of very little value, and soon, instead of their 
 rude log cabins, which were almost akin to the 
 wild Indians' wigwams, they had comfortable 
 dwelling houses for those times. Of these we 
 have a few remaining amongst us, silent moni- 
 tors of the past. One of these stands just at 
 the foot of that steep hill known as the Blue 
 Ridge, and is probably the oldest framed dwell- 
 ing house in town. This was the dwelling built 
 and occupied by Mr. Joshua Coj)p, and formerly 
 stood a quarter of a mile west of its present 
 location, near the spot where he first erected his 
 humble cabin. The first and the oldest framed 
 building in town stands near the house occupied 
 
SECOND CHARTER. 43 
 
 by Mr. Joseph Homan, and is used by him as a 
 barn. It was erected by Mr. Joseph Patch, upon 
 the place now occupied by Jonathan M. Eaton, 
 and near the place where he first settled. 
 
 This year the proprietors petitioned Gov. 
 Wentworth for a new charter, as, according to 
 the conditions of the one they now had, they had 
 incurred the penalty of a forfeiture. 
 
 In 1770 Gov. Wentworth, after being well paid 
 by the proprietors, granted them another ; they, 
 the proprietors, having set forth that in the sur- 
 veying and plotting the said township a mistake 
 was made which deprived them of a considerable 
 part of the land granted, by its interfering with 
 other grants ; and they also representing the dif- 
 ficulties they had encountered in cutting the 
 roads for the transportation of provisions and 
 other necessaries for its settlement and cultivar 
 tion. The new charter contained the same con- 
 ditions, reservations and duties as expressed in 
 the original charter, and the penalty of forfeiture 
 which the grantees had incurred, was suspended, 
 and they had four more years from the date of 
 the second charter to fulfil their contracts in rela- 
 tion to the settlement of the town. 
 
 After receiving the new charter, the proprie- 
 tors, at their subsequent meetings, evinced a 
 much more liberal spirit toward new settlers; 
 indeed, it was for their interest thus to do, that 
 
44 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 they might not incur the penalty of another 
 forfeiture. Therefore, until the breaking out of 
 the Revolutionary War the settlements were 
 more rapid than for several years after. 
 
 During the four succeeding years quite a 
 number of young men came and made begin- 
 nings, without ferming any permanent settle- 
 ment. These were sent by the proprietors, that 
 they might fulfil their obligations in relation to 
 the charter. 
 
 In the year 1772 Col. Obadiah Clement came 
 from Sandown to Warren, and settled on the 
 farm of James M. Williams. Col. Clement was 
 born in Kingston, N. H., Feb. 19, 1743, and mar- 
 ried Sarah Batchelder, who was born at Hamp- 
 ton, June 30, 1747. He built his house some 
 distance to the eastward of Mr. Williams' build- 
 ings ; and as there was considerable meadow on 
 his place, which he had bought of Col. Jonathan 
 Greely previous to his coming to Warren, he had 
 no difficulty in procuring hay enough to keep 
 his considerable stock of cattle which he drove 
 up. A few years after Col. Clement's settlement, 
 as he was ploughing a piece of land a short dis- 
 tance from his house, which he had before no- 
 ticed gave every indication of having many 
 years previous been burnt over, he turned up 
 several relicts of Indians. A greater portion of 
 the farms which lie in this valley it is believed 
 
EARLY SETTLERS. 45 
 
 once composed the bed of a natural pond, and 
 here on its shores it is supposed the Indians had 
 an encampment. Through this valley also laid 
 one of the great routes of the Indians from the 
 Connecticut to Baker river valley."^ 
 
 During the year 1773 Jonathan Clement, a 
 brother to Obadiah Clement, moved upon the 
 place where Enoch R Weeks now resides. He 
 had the previous year accompanied his brother 
 to Warren, and made commencements upon the 
 place. Reuben Clement, another brother, also 
 came to Warren this year, and for some time re- 
 sided with his brothers. 
 
 Simeon Smith settled on the place now owned 
 by Rawson Clifford, of Wentworth. Warren, his 
 son, it is claimed was the first wliite child born 
 in Warren, and was named for the town ; but it 
 is said on good authority that a daughter of 
 Joshua Copp was the first. If this is the case, 
 he was the first male, and perhaps the first child, 
 as it is said there were but a few days between 
 their births. 
 
 * There are also many other indications which prove that the Indians 
 once resided in Warren. On the farm first settled by Mr. Samuel 
 Knight were plowed up quite a number of arrow heads, stone gouges, 
 &c. Arrow heads have also been found by Mr. Moses Kimball, and by 
 Mr, James Dow. Mr. Nathaniel Merrill, 2d, recently found in his 
 field a portion of a curious stone bowl, which gives every indication of 
 having been of Indian manufacture. What there is left of it shows that 
 when entire it must have been at least eight inches in length, five inches 
 in breadth, and four inches in depth. Upon each end are small ridges, 
 evidently designed to assist in holding it more firmly in the hand. 
 
46 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 Ephraim Lund came about this time and made 
 a settlement near Tarlton pond. 
 
 Shortly afterward, a little south of Mr. Lund, 
 Thomas Clark and Isaiah Batchelder began settle- 
 ments. These last named individuals received 
 their land from Philip White, one of the propri- 
 etors. 
 
 Chase Whitcher, from Salisbury, commenced 
 in the north part of the town, on the place now 
 occupied by James Harriman, and for many 
 years was the only family in this part of War- 
 ren. In the year 1779 he was married to Han- 
 nah Merrill. His nearest neighbor was Mr. Oba- 
 diah Eastman, who about this time settled in 
 the south part of Benton. Shortly after Mr. 
 Eastman's settlement he ascended to the top of 
 Owl-head Mountain, being the first white man 
 who ever stood upon its summit. This moun- 
 tain has always been celebrated for the great 
 quantities of blueberries which annually grow 
 upon it, and as it was the season for them to be 
 ripe, Mr. Eastman beheld an abundance of deli- 
 cious fruit around him. Not willing to return 
 home without taking a quantity of it with him, 
 he began to think of w^hat kind of a basket he 
 should have to carry it in. His first thought 
 was to construct a birchen bucket, but, upon 
 putting his hand in his pocket for his knife, he 
 found that he had not taken that useful article 
 
EARLY SETTLERS. 47 
 
 with him. Here was a dilemma ; but necessity 
 was the mother of an invention in this case as 
 well as in many others. After thinking for a 
 few moments, he deliberately took of his leather 
 breeches which he had on, and tying up the 
 extremities, went to work, and in a short time 
 filled them with berries. Then carefully placing 
 them upon his shoulders, he descended the moun- 
 tain, passing through the thick woods which 
 covers its sides, and at last, after receiving not a 
 few scratches, arrived at home. 
 
 William Heath lived in this town about this 
 time, but had no particular place of residence. 
 
 Mr. Stevens Merrill and his son Jonathan, with 
 their families, moved into town in 1775. They 
 were from Plaistow, and lived for a short time 
 with Mr. Joseph Patch, who, two years before, 
 had married a daughter of Mr. Merrill. Shortly 
 afterwards they moved upon the place where 
 Mr. Samuel Bixby now lives. 
 
 Joshua Merrill- was born in Newbury, Mass., 
 and came to Warren in 1775. He settled on the 
 place now occupied by Mr. Stephen Lund, where 
 he lived till about the year 1810, when, with his 
 only son, Joshua Merrill, jun., he moved to the 
 west. But he soon returned, and having lost 
 his wife, lived with one of his daughters in Bos- 
 ton, where he died in 1839 or 1840, aged one 
 hundred years. 
 
48 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 Capt. William Butler, from Brentwood, came 
 into town in 1775, and took up his residence 
 with Mr. Mills. Shortly after, Mr. Mills was ac- 
 cidentally killed while felling trees, and Capt. 
 Butler having married one of his daughters, 
 bought out the heirs and continued to live on 
 the place. A short time afterward he commenc- 
 ed to build a grist-mill upon Baker river, almost 
 directly in front of his house, and a little below 
 the spot where the large railroad bridge now 
 spans its waters. For so doing he afterwards re- 
 ceived quite a bounty from the proprietors. 
 Here the first settlers brought their grains, first 
 products of a virgin soil, and listened, as they 
 waited for their grists, to the music of the water 
 wheels, combined with the buzz of rude mill- 
 stones. Around was the old forest wood, scarce 
 undisturbed, and in its depths the gay birds ca- 
 roled forth their beautiful songs ; or in winter, 
 when heavy snows were upon the ground, the 
 shrill wind piped its music through the now leaf- 
 less branches. But years rolled on and the old 
 mill fell to decay, and now scarce a vestige of it 
 is to be seen. The school boy who goes to swim 
 in what was once the pond, wonders for what 
 purpose those old timbers which he sees in the 
 water were there placed. 
 
 About this time commenced the American 
 Revolution. The policy of Great Britain tow- 
 
REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 49 
 
 ards this country for many years previous was 
 in every way tyrannical and oppressive, and well 
 calculated to call into action the efforts of every 
 friend of liberty ; and a people in whose very 
 natures were born the principles of freedom 
 were not long in rising to repel these oppressive 
 acts of injustice. 
 
 " True hearted volunteers rallied to the calls 
 of the brave and wise men of our country, im- 
 bued with a spirit worthy of the little band 
 which defended the pass of ThermopylaB. They 
 fought and conquered, and their declining years 
 were cheered with the knowledge that the coun- 
 try, for which they had struggled so long and 
 fearfully, was prosperous and happy, and that 
 their deeds were gratefully remembered." 
 
 The citizens of Warren were not behind those 
 of other towns in points of patriotism, consid- 
 ering their numbers and ability. Many individ- 
 uals bravely left their homes and rallied aroiuid 
 the American standard, determining to fight for 
 their country's cause rather than bow to despotic 
 oppression. The town, though then unorganiz- 
 ed, raised men and paid them for serving in sev- 
 eral campaigns. 
 
 When Burgoyne, with his army invaded Ver- 
 mont and New York, that General purposely 
 sent out several companies of soldiers, with 
 papers upon them, purporting that three detach- 
 
50 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 ments of soldiers and tories were to be sent to 
 the Connecticut river valley : one to Newbury, 
 one to Royalton, and one to Charlestown, N. H. 
 One of these parties was captured by a company 
 of Americans and brought to Charlestown, and 
 the papers found upon them. The news spread 
 through the country with great rapidity, and filled 
 the people with consternation. They immedi- 
 ately left their homes with such light articles 
 as they could carry, and driving their cattle be- 
 fore them fled into the back towns. Many who 
 lived at Haverhill and Newbury came to Warren, 
 and for the short time they were here, were gen- 
 erously provided for by the inhabitants. At that 
 time Col. Obadiah Clement kept a tavern, and 
 as it was a convenient place of accommodation, 
 man}^ vv^ent to his house. In the hurry and ex- 
 citement of those times we cannot reasonably 
 expect that they were burdened with funds, and 
 consequently many were unable to pay Col. 
 Clement. But he sustained them gratuitously, 
 remarking, " I had much rather give my prop- 
 erty to my fellow countrymen, than be forced 
 to pay any part of it to king George or his 
 imps." But the sending of these companies to 
 the Connecticut valley was only a stratagem 
 of Burgoyne, to divert the Americans from his 
 army, but it returned upon his own head with a 
 vengeance ; for the people were aroused by it. 
 
REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 51 
 
 and tliey flocked to the standard of General 
 Stark in scores, wisely concluding that it was 
 best to attack him at his head quarters, rgther 
 than he should send his soldiers abroad to devas- 
 tate the surrounding country. 
 
 Immediately after the return of their Haver- 
 hill and Newbury friends to their homes, Joshua 
 Copp, Esq., Reuben Clement and Joseph Whitch- 
 er, left Warren and joined the forces of Gen. 
 Stark, and fought under him at the battle of 
 Bennington, where this brave New-Hampshire 
 son, though acting independently of Congress, 
 rendered such efficient service to his country, 
 and, as said by eminent historians, " turned the 
 fortune of war." 
 
r^9. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 CIVIL HISTORY. 
 
 In the year 1779 the General Court of New- 
 Hampshh^e passed an act, that whereas the towns 
 of Warren, Wentworth, Bath and Canaan, owing 
 to their unsettled state, had not paid their due 
 proportion of State and Continental taxes, the 
 State Treasurer issue his warrant against them, 
 and collect their due proportion of taxes for the 
 years 1777, 1778 and 1779 ; and it was further 
 enacted, that as the towns of Warren and Went- 
 worth had not their necessary officers, Samuel 
 Emerson, of Plymouth, N. H., be authorized to 
 call meetings in the towns of Warren and Went- 
 worth. 
 
 Pursuant to the conditions of this act, the in- 
 habitants of the town of Warren were notified 
 to meet at the house of Obadiah Clement, on 
 Thursday, the twenty-eighth day of July, 1779. 
 At this, the first meeting of the inhabitants of 
 Warren under the new State organization, Joshua 
 Copp, Esq., was chosen moderator, Obadiah Clem- 
 ent town-clerk, and then adjourned to meet 
 the twelfth day of August at the same place. 
 
 At the adjourned meeting, Obadiah Clement, 
 Joshua Copp, Esq., and Israel Stevens were 
 
FIRST TOWN MEETING. 53 
 
 chosen selectmen for the present year. Simeon 
 Smith, constable, William Butler, Reuben Clem- 
 ent and Thomas Clark, surveyors of highways. 
 
 At a meeting, warned by the selectmen and 
 holden on the twenty-eighth day of August, chose 
 Gardner Dustin moderator, and then voted to 
 raise one hundred and fifty pounds, to lay out 
 on highways, and one hundred pounds to defray 
 town charges the present year. 
 
 In the month of February, 1780, Obadiah 
 Clement received a commission, appointing him 
 captain of the ninth company of the twelfth 
 regiment of militia, at that time commanded by 
 Col. Israel Morey. By it he was required^ to 
 hold himself in readiness to answer to all calls 
 of the Committee of Safety, or any superior 
 officer, according to military usage and discipline. 
 
 This commission was given by an order of the 
 Council, then in session at Exeter, and signed by 
 the Hon. Meshech Weare, the first President or 
 Governor of New-Hampshire. For an individ- 
 ual to hold a captain's commission in those times 
 was a high honor, and there was no greater day 
 with the first settlers than that when they met 
 to perform military duty. For uniforms, good 
 woolen frocks and strong tow trowsers were more 
 numerous than any others. For arms to use on 
 such occasions they had blunderbusses, which 
 looked as though they had done service in the 
 
54 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 days of old Noll ; ancient and marvelously 
 wrought fowling pieces, and muskets taken from 
 the French. The sound of the drum and the 
 shrill notes of the fife would take away the 
 stooping position caused by hard labor, and a 
 martial, dignified air was the result of that 
 music, as its strains echoed over the forest from 
 hill to hill. The first training took place on the 
 farm of Joshua Copp, Esq. This farm had been 
 cultivated nearly as long as any in town, and 
 consequently, in respect to stumps and logs as 
 obstructions, would be more free than those 
 cleared at a subsequent date. 
 
 This year it was voted to raise one hundred 
 and fifty pounds to defray town charges, and 
 seven hundred and fifty pounds to be laid out on 
 highways at nine pounds per day. This was con- 
 tinental currency, and for many causes had de- 
 preciated to its present value. Some of the 
 causes were that the British government used 
 every exertion to get public opinion to run in a 
 channel against it, and it was also extensively 
 counterfeited. Thus were the finances of our 
 government in a measure almost ruined. 
 
 On the 10th of July, 1780, a meeting of the 
 inhabitants was called. When assembled they 
 ^^ voted to raise soldiers to serve in the war at 
 the present time." 
 
 Joshua Copp, Esq., and Obadiah Clement were 
 
SOLDIERS FOR THE WAR. 55 
 
 chosen a committee to procure the same for the 
 town, and also " Voted, to exempt those who had 
 done turns in the war until others had done turns 
 equalling them." Thus did the hardy and patri- 
 otic inhabitants of Warren, like the rest of their 
 countrymen, although poor and still in their in- 
 fancy, raise soldiers and pay them for serving in 
 the war which they deemed just and right to be 
 carried on. It was also voted at the same meet- 
 ing to pay the soldiers who served in the militia 
 belonging to the town, the same amount when 
 they were called up, that the soldiers hired by 
 the town receive. 
 
 The number of legal voters in town this year 
 was twenty-five.* 
 
 Early the ensuing year the selectmen were 
 empowered to hire one more man to serve in 
 the continental army during the war, or for 
 three years. The individual that the selectmen 
 hired at this time was Charles Bowls, a young 
 minister of the Baptist persuasion, who had re- 
 
 * Names of the Legal Voters of Wai-renfor the year 1780. 
 
 William Butler, Daniel Clark, Joshua Merrill, 
 
 Isaiah Batchelder, Ephraim Lund, Simeon Smith, 
 
 Thomas Clark, Joseph Lund, Ephraim True, 
 
 Joshua Copp, John Morrill, Moses True, 
 
 Obadiah Clement, Stevens Merrill, Chase Whitcher, 
 
 Jonathan Clement, Jonathan Merrill, Reuben Whitcher, 
 
 Reuben Clement, John Marston, John Whitcher. 
 
 Gardner Dustin, Nathaniel Niles, 
 
 Joseph Kimball, Joseph Patch, 
 
56 HISTORY OF WARREN 
 
 cently moved into town and commenced upon 
 the place now owned by Mr. Chase Marston; 
 and after the war was over he came back and 
 resided there many years. Mr. Bowls, though a 
 minister of the gospel, and an advocate of peace, 
 was a high whig, and ardently espoused the 
 cause of freedom, and used his influence to in- 
 crease the band of patriots; and when there 
 were none at home who could conveniently 
 leave their families, he, being then a young, un- 
 married man, shouldered a musket and joined 
 those who were enduring every privation and 
 toil for their country's cause. 
 
 About this time a convention was held at 
 Charlestown, N. H., and Obadiah Clement was 
 chosen to attend it. The town also chose Joshua 
 Copp, Esq., William Butler, John Whitcher, 
 Thomas Clark and Josiah Batchelder a commit- 
 tee to give him instruction in relation to the 
 course which he should pursue at the conven- 
 tion. 
 
 * At the regular meeting for the choice of town 
 officers the present year, a committee was chosen, 
 consisting of Joshua Copp, Esq., and Col. Obadi- 
 ah Clement, to provide a stock of provision for 
 the town, to be dealt out in case of alarm ; the 
 
 * The new settlers in the year 1781 icere 
 Peter Stevens, Joseph Frencli, William Whiteman, 
 
 Jonathan Foster, William Tarlton, Charles Bowls, 
 
 Henry Sunbury, Amos Heath, John Hinkson. 
 
H . A STOCK OF PROVISION. 57 
 
 stock of provision to consist of two hundred 
 pounds of flour and two hundred pounds of beef 
 The reason for this was, not but what every man 
 had provision enough, but they had apprehen- 
 sions that their friends in the towns north might 
 be obhged to pay them a visit. 
 
 Vermont, at the time of the Revokition, al- 
 though she acted a conspicuous part, and her 
 sons by their heroic deeds and whole-souled pat- 
 riotism gained their distinctive appellation. The 
 Green Mountain Boys ; a title which their descend- 
 ants are proud to bear to this day, was not ac- 
 knowledged as an independent State by Congress ; 
 and although she asked admittance. Congress did 
 not dare to grant it, for the States of New-Hamp- 
 shire, New York and Massachusetts, each had 
 conflicting claims to the territory ; and it was be- 
 lieved by Congress that it would not be policy 
 to decide in favor of either. The British gov- 
 ernment were well aware of this fact, and of the 
 excited state of feeling in Vermont in regard 
 to it, and they entertained strong hopes that they 
 should detach her from the common cause and 
 bring her to espouse the interests of the mother 
 country. For this purpose they employed indi- 
 viduals to travel in every town, to influence 
 public opinion in their favor. To do this they 
 promised the most liberal rewards to all who 
 
 would favor them, and threatening with ven- 
 4 
 
58 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 geance all who should favor the interests of the 
 country. Many would listen to these proposals, 
 but Vermont had her true men in every settle- 
 ment, and these were particular objects of hatred 
 to those tories whom the British government 
 generally employed for this work. To secure 
 these, burn their dwellings and carry their pris- 
 oners to Canada, that they might be rid of their 
 influence, was the object of many expeditions 
 of the tories into the grants. 
 
 The towns of Haverhill and Newbury suf- 
 fered much by these expeditions, but Newbury 
 to a far greater extent than Haverhill. There 
 were many individuals in these towns whom the 
 tories were desirous of taking, and the people 
 were every day in danger of an attack. This 
 being known by the citizens of Warren, that they 
 might not be without the necessary means for 
 rendering assistance provided it was wanted, pro- 
 cured the above stores. 
 
 In the year 1783, Obadiah Clement was chosen 
 to represent, in the General Court to be holden 
 at Exeter in 1784, the towns of Warren, Went- 
 worth and Coventry, (now Benton.) This was 
 the first representative who went from Warren, 
 but the town had been represented before, but as 
 it was classed with other towns the representation 
 was previously from them. Mr. Clement, of 
 whom we have several times before spoken, was 
 
FIRST SCHOOL. 59 
 
 a young man of much ability, but never had the 
 advantages of a liberal education, having attend- 
 ed school but two days in his life ; notwithstand- 
 ing, he was a well informed man for those times, 
 and could write a very legible hand, and was ca- 
 pable of doing any town business. Thus we find 
 him during the first organization of the town 
 taking the lead in its affairs. 
 
 * The town previous to this time had done 
 nothing for the support of public schools, but 
 there had been many private ones patronized by 
 individuals, and they in this way had done as 
 much for educating their children as other towns 
 around them. But this year they commenced 
 those public schools of which we have enjoyed 
 so many^ privileges, and to which New England 
 people principally owe their standing in the 
 world. There was no school house in Warren at 
 this time ; and the first public school was taught 
 in a barn owned by Mr. Stevens Merrill, by Miss 
 Abigail Arling. For her services she received 
 the sum of three pounds. Here, for three months 
 during the summer, the young lads and lasses 
 studied their Psalter and Primer, (the only books 
 used at that time,) in a building without windows. 
 When it was a sunny day the light of a beauti- 
 ful gold color streamed through the many crev- 
 
 * The new settlers in the year 1782 icere 
 Jonathan Harbord, Moses Noyes, Henry Shaw, 
 
 Nicholas Whiteman, Gordon Hutchins, Barnabas Holmes. 
 
60 HISTORY OF WARKEN. 
 
 ices^ reflecting in its rays the myriads of particles 
 ever floating in the air. If it was cloudy, the 
 big barn doors were thrown wide open, that they 
 might better see to learn the lessons assigned 
 them. For seats they had rough boards, placed 
 upon blocks, and their tables were of the same 
 materials. In the roof the merry swallows, as 
 they built their nests and fed their young, twit- 
 tered with a joyous happiness. The following 
 winter there was a private school kept in Mr. 
 Merrill's house. 
 
 Up to this time all records belonging to the 
 town had been kept upon slips of paper, and the 
 town now having purchased the necessary books, 
 paid Mr. Obadiah Clement the sum of eighteen 
 shillings for transferring the records to them. 
 
 Among the many jDersons who had recently 
 moved into town was Mr. Samuel Knight. He 
 commenced this season upon the place where he 
 resided until his death, in 1846. Mr. Knight, al- 
 though not a very large man, possessed great 
 muscular power, and was well calculated to con- 
 vert the wild forest into fruitful fields. He being 
 unmarried, for a greater part of the time during 
 this season boarded with Mr. Stevens Merrill, but 
 sometimes would, when he had provision enough, 
 remain in his camp over night. One unusually 
 hot day in the month of June, when he had been 
 hard at work felling trees, he concluded so to do y 
 
SAMUEL KNIGHT. 
 
 61 
 
 and altlioiTgli if it should happen to storm it 
 might not afford a very good shelter from the 
 rain, still it was such a beautiful day he thought 
 it would be amply sufficient for the night. He 
 ate his supper, and then sat down to enjoy the 
 beautiful scene. The moon was just rising, and 
 showed its bright round upper edge, as it stole 
 slowly up between Cushman and Carr mountains. 
 The twinkling stars came out one by one, and 
 made the blue azure vault overhead glow as if 
 set with innumerable diamonds. The frogs croak- 
 ed with a joyous tone, for they were filled with 
 gladness by the genial warmth the summer sun 
 imparted. The night-hawk screamed sharply as 
 it flew circling round overhead, or uttered its 
 heavy poiize as it dove swiftly down. The wliip- 
 powil sang its happy chant in the alders by the 
 purhng brook, accompanied by the voices of its 
 happy mates. But as he sat meditating on this 
 beautiful solitary scene, he was suddenly startled 
 by the sharp flash of lightning, followed by the 
 low rumbling of distant thunder. A few mo- 
 ments more and the before beautiful sky was 
 completely enveloped with the dark clouds which 
 the freshening breeze now rolled up. Soon the 
 big drops began to patter down in quick succes- 
 sion, accompanied by the crashing of the bellow- 
 ing thunder, which rolled along the hill tops and 
 echoed through the many defiles which were 
 
62 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 now lighted up by the ahnost coiitmued blaze of 
 sharp flashmg lightning. The rain poured down 
 in torrents, and Knight's clothes were soon thor- 
 oughly saturated by the falling water. Cold and 
 wet he made up his mind to go home. The 
 clouds had not cleared away, and he had proceed- 
 ed but a short distance before he found that he 
 had undertaken a task not to be easily accom- 
 plished. When he arrived at Berry brook he 
 found it very much swollen by the rain. He 
 waded through and followed on until he came to 
 the foot of the hill near where Albert Bixby now 
 lives. Here he lost his path, and while searching 
 about for it was startled by a low, deep growl, 
 and looking up he saw what appeared to be two 
 balls of fire directly before him ; and the break- 
 ing of the many dry twigs told Knight that some 
 large animal was approaching. He shouted, but 
 that only accelerated the speed of the bear, for 
 such it proved to be, which in a few moments was 
 upon him : and rearing upon its hind feet grasp- 
 ed Knight with its fore paws. It was a desper- 
 ate time for him, but his right arm was free, and 
 quick as thought he pulled a knife from his 
 pocket, and, opening it with his teeth, thrust it 
 with desperate force into the side of the bear. 
 Luckily it pierced its heart, and instantly relax- 
 ing its hold, reeled around upon the ground in 
 mad frenzy for a few moments, striking with fury 
 
FIGHT WITH A BEAR. 63 
 
 every thing that came in its way, and then ex- 
 pired. Knight was terribly lacerated by the 
 claws of the bear, and sitting down by his now 
 dead enemy, concluded to remain during the 
 night. But the clouds clearing away shortly af- 
 terward, and the moon shining out brightly, he 
 changed his determination, and resolved to go 
 home ; and soon finding the path had no further 
 difficulty in so doing. 
 
 The next morning, on returning with some of 
 his neighbors to the place of encounter, they 
 found a bear of the largest class, who gave evi- 
 dent tokens that she was engaged in rearing her 
 young. This circumstance probably induced her 
 to make an attack upon him whom she consid- 
 ered her natural enemy, which is a thing this 
 species of animals in any other circumstances 
 seldom do. 
 
 In March, 1784, he married Miss Mary Mer- 
 rill, and moved into his cabin the day following 
 the one he built it. It was' so illy finished that 
 he could lie in his bed and count the stars 
 through the crevices in the roof. But in a few 
 years Mr. Knight had a more comfortable dwell- 
 ing. 
 
 This season he had a piece of corn a short dis- 
 tance from his house, and the bears came into it 
 so often that he was in danger of losing the 
 whole. One day, a Mr. Homan, who had recently 
 
64 HISTORY OF WARREN. * 
 
 come into town, and afterward settled near by, 
 came to see him; and when it was near evening 
 Mr. Knight mentioned the circumstance, and 
 Homan agreed to accompany him to take re- 
 venge u}3on the bruin gentry. They then loaded 
 their guns, and immediately proceeded to the 
 corn field. Here they ensconced themselves be- 
 hind an old root, turned up by the wind, and 
 patiently waited until near ten o'clock without 
 discovering any appearances of bears. Homan 
 now begged Knight to return to the house; but 
 almost instantly after they heard the bushes 
 crack upon the opposite side of the field, and 
 soon Homan and Knight, as they looked cau- 
 tiously from their hiding-place, discovered the 
 dark forms of two or three large bears approach- 
 ing. Presently they stopped near by, and in the 
 way they took the ears from the parent stock, 
 reminding Knight and Homan of a good husk- 
 ing frolic. Knight now fired and succeeded in 
 wounding one of them, and the others imme- 
 diately fled. The wounded bear was fast follow- 
 ing his companions, when Knight ran in front to 
 stop him. The animal, now mad with pain, 
 made directly at his opposer, who was obliged 
 to use the breech of his gun to defend himself 
 Homan during this time had stood looking on, and 
 Knight now called lustily to him to shoot the 
 bear. He advanced a few steps, but did not fire. 
 
FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE. 65 
 
 " Fire J you fool! " shouted Knight. Homan cock- 
 ed his gun, and as Knight's words rang in his 
 ears, turned his head in an opposite direction, 
 and "let off." The contents took effect in the 
 ground but a few feet from where he stood. 
 Knight now used his gun barrel, which was bro- 
 ken from the stock, with redoubled zeal about 
 the bear, who, becoming weak from the loss of 
 blood, fell under a few well directed blows, and 
 Knight succeeded in dispatching him. When he 
 had recovered his breath, he asked Homan why 
 he fired so awkwardly. "Why, why," said 
 Homan, " I ain't used to these running fires." 
 
 During the present season the inhabitants 
 formed themselves into a union, for the purpose 
 of better enabling them to build a school house. 
 This they did without raising a direct tax, but 
 by choosing a committee, who called upon them 
 as fast as labor or lumber was wanted ; and thus 
 each worked in turn until it was finished. This 
 school house stood a short distance above the 
 present site of the railroad depots, nearly oppo- 
 site the saw mill now owned by Mr. Alba C. 
 Weeks, and for many years bore the name of 
 " The Union School House." At the time of its 
 erection there was no clearing save for the road, 
 and no building nearer than Mr. "Stephen Mer- 
 rill's. All around was the silent old forest. In 
 front murmured on the dark waters of Black 
 4* 
 
Q6 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 brook; while behind, the never silent Baker 
 river rushed furiously onward over its rocky bed, 
 at times a furious torrent, and then again but 
 little water in its channel. The sun, morning 
 and evening, cast long shadows of huge pines 
 and other forest trees before the school house 
 door, while through the thick branches the blue 
 tops of the distant mountains were seen. The 
 building was built in the style common to those 
 times; a huge fire-place occupying one end, and 
 long rough benches and desks for the scholars. 
 Instead of plastered walls, the room was ceiled 
 with beautiful white pine boards, which would 
 be considered almost treasures at the present 
 time. As soon as finished, Mr. Nathaniel Knight 
 was engaged to keep a school in it. Here, during 
 the winter, three families in the immediate neigh- 
 borhood sent twenty-five scholars. 
 
 In the granting of the townships upon the 
 east side of Connecticut river by Gov. Went- 
 worth, little regard was had to make the lines of 
 townships to coincide ; consequently, when the 
 towns came to be settled, and the lines run 
 again, quite a controversy arose as to where the 
 lines were. Each town's charter bounded them 
 to run so far, and in the running of the lines it 
 proved that each town was claiming a part of 
 the towns adjoining. 
 
 To settle these difficulties, the proprietors of 
 
SETTLING THE BOUNDARIES. 67 
 
 many of the towns met at Plymouth ; but after 
 a long and stormy meeting they were unable to 
 effect it, but shortly after they nearly all united 
 in petitioning the Legislature to effect it for them. 
 This body immediately chose a committee to run 
 the lines and report thereon. The committee 
 chosen shortly proceeded to the work, and after- 
 wards their report was accepted, and conse- 
 quently the bounds of the towns established in 
 their present position. By the running of the new 
 lines the town of Warren lost a considerable por- 
 tion of its territory, upon its southern and west- 
 ern borders. Isaiah Batchelder and Thomas Clark 
 were taken into Piermont. Simeon Smith, Peter 
 Stevens, Joseph Kimball, and Lemuel Keazer 
 into Wentworth. But the town of Warren, al- 
 though it thus lost considerable of its territory, 
 still contained more than was granted by its 
 charter. 
 
 The road running upon the west side of the 
 river in Wentworth to Warren did not cross the 
 river as it now does, but kept upon the west side 
 until it arrived near the present location of the 
 mills owmed by Mr. P. Baldwin, where it crossed 
 Black brook and then kept on in its present 
 course. The people who lived on the east side 
 had always been obliged when they wished to go 
 to the centre of the town to ford the river. To 
 do this at times was a great inconvenience, and 
 
68 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 the proprietors, being petitioned by the inhabit- 
 ants, granted them quite a sum to aid in the 
 construction of a bridge to be located where the 
 present one, spanning Baker river just below the 
 village, now stands. But the sum which the pro- 
 prietors had thus liberally bestowed was not suf- 
 ficient to complete it, and the citizens the present 
 year voted to finish it at the town's expense. 
 Accordingly it was set up at auction shortly after 
 their meeting, by the selectmen, and the one 
 agreeing to do it for the smallest sum to have the 
 job. Col. Obadiah Clement bidding six pounds, 
 it was struck off to him. This was the first 
 bridge ever built in Warren over Baker river, 
 and as soon as done there were two roads lead- 
 ing from the town on its southern border. The 
 one on the east side of the river, passing over 
 Red Oak hill, is not much travelled at the present 
 time, except by the inhabitants near whose dwell- 
 ings it runs. 
 
 1785. During this year the second saw-mill 
 ever constructed in Warren was built by Mr. 
 Stevens Merrill. It was located on the present 
 site of the Baldwin mills. At this place the 
 water fell nearly perpendicular over a ledge the 
 distance of eight feet, and by constructing a 
 short dam, six feet more of fall was secured ; 
 thus affording an excellent water privilege. The 
 proprietors paid him for erecting this mill the 
 sum of twelve pounds. 
 
NEW EMISSION OF MONEY. 69 
 
 Among the votes passed this year was one that 
 constable Butler pay in the new Emission Money 
 belonging to the town to the selectmen. This 
 money was an emission of paper bills funded on 
 real estate, and loaned on interest. The people 
 felt themselves distressed by the burdensome 
 taxes, and this appeared the most easy remedy. 
 But this money shortly decreased much in value, 
 and finally the act authorizing the issue of it was 
 repealed. 
 
 In the year 1786 the selectmen failed to post 
 up the necessary legal warning to call a town 
 meeting for the choice of officers and transaction 
 of other business for the year ; consequently, 
 there was none holden, and the town was with- 
 out its customary officers. 
 
 On the petition of several individuals, the 
 Legislature which convened in June following 
 appointed and authorized Capt. Absalom Peters 
 to call a meeting of the inhabitants, for the pur- 
 pose of choosing a town clerk, selectmen, and 
 other necessary officers, according to law ; and 
 that Capt. Peters attend and open the meeting, 
 and preside as moderator through the whole elec- 
 tion. 
 
 By a resolve passed by the Legislature, Sep- 
 tember 24, the selectmen of Warren were em- 
 powered to take an inventory of all the polls and 
 estates in town, and collect the inhabitants' taxes 
 the same as if done in April, as the law directs. 
 
70 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 In the year 1787 there were two school dis- 
 tricts in town. The first embraced all the south 
 part of the town as far north as Mr. Joshua 
 Copp's land, now Col. Charles Lane's. The second 
 commenced at Esq. Copp's, and occupied the re- 
 mainder of the town. The Upper School House, 
 so called for many years, was built about this 
 time. It was located near the residence of Enoch 
 R Weeks, Esq., and was quite a large and com- 
 modious building, in which the inhabitants for 
 many years after held their town meetings. 
 
 Col. Obadiah Clement at this time had an ac- 
 count against the town of nine pounds, eleven 
 shillings and three pence. This account was for 
 recording upon the town books a journey to Ex- 
 eter to get the toAvn incorporated, drafting jury- 
 men, &c. The town thought the account was 
 unjust, and had voted at their previous meetings 
 not to accept it. Col. Clement, believing that it 
 was just, had held in his possession all the town 
 books and papers, thinking to hold them until he 
 received his pay. July 27, the town chose Jona- 
 than Merrill, Joshua Merrill and Lieut. Ephraim 
 True a committee to demand them, make a set- 
 tlement with Col. Clement, and report at the 
 next meeting. On the sixth of August another 
 meeting was held and the committee's report was 
 accepted. The town at this meeting voted to 
 pay a part of Col. Clement's account, but he 
 
TAXES PAID IN PRODUCE. 71 
 
 would not receive ahy part without the whole, 
 and strongly demanded it ; but the town, still not 
 willing to pay, chose Stevens Merrill and Lieut. 
 Ephraim True a committee to farther treat with 
 him, or to follow suit or suits at law, if he com- 
 mence one or more against the town, to final 
 end and execution. But Col. Clement did not 
 choose to go to law, but still continued to pre- 
 sent the matter to the citizens of the town, until 
 they were brought to see the justness of his claim, 
 and at a subsequent meeting they voted to pay 
 him his whole demand. The town would never 
 have refused to pay the demand, had not a few 
 individuals, who were enemies to him, by their 
 plausible stories made the citizens believe that 
 his account was illegal ; but finally justice, as it 
 always should, and harmony, again prevailed 
 among the early settlers. 
 
 At the regular meeting in 1788'^* the town 
 voted to raise nine pounds to defray town 
 charges, to be paid in wheat at ^ye, rye at four 
 and corn at three shillings per bushel. This 
 was a very common pay for taxes, or for any 
 
 ■^ Names of the individuals u-Jio had come into ioicn from 1782 up to 
 this time. 
 
 Samuel Knight, Enoch Homans, Caleb Homan, 
 
 Stephen Lund, Nathaniel Knight, Elisha Swctt, 
 
 Stephen Richardson, Levi Lufkin, Nathaniel Clough. 
 
 Aaron Welch, John Stone, 
 
72 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 other commodity they wished to buy. Money 
 at this time was very scarce. 
 
 This year the town was obhged for the first 
 time to make provision for a town pauper, al- 
 though in a short time they found means to rid 
 themselves of the person. On account of this, 
 several poor persons, who were likely to gain a 
 residence in town, were warned out, according 
 to a law for that purpose. 
 
 In 1789* the road leading from the Society 
 School-House, on the old Coos road, to Benton, 
 was laid out. For several years after, Mr. Aaron 
 Welch, who lived where Robert E. Merrill now 
 does, was permitted by a vote of the town to 
 have two gates upon it between his house and 
 the Society School-House. There was also built, 
 below where Mr. Jonathan M. Eaton now lives, 
 a long bridge, running from the first bridge that 
 now spans the little rill below his house, to the 
 south end of the one over Patch brook. About 
 this period several freshets occurred, causing 
 Baker river to overflow its banks, and a large 
 part of the water, uniting with the water of 
 Patch brook, would naturally flow under this 
 bridge. From this circumstance the people 
 
 * Names of those ivho moved into town in 1789. 
 John Abbot, Abel Merrill, Jonathan Hidden, 
 
 Jonathan Fellows, John Badger, Amos Little, 
 
 Ebenezcr Hidden, Samuel Fellows, Richard Pillsbury. 
 
 Silas Lund, 
 
BRIDGE OVER PATCH BROOK. 73 
 
 thought it would require a bridge to span the 
 whole distance from bank to bank. For this 
 purpose the town raised twenty pounds to defray 
 the expense, and chose Joseph Patch, Stephen 
 Richardson, Stevens Merrill and Joshua Copp, to 
 superintend the work ; but the sum raised did 
 not near finish the bridge, and a great deal more 
 money was expended before it was completed. 
 This bridge did not remain many years, for the 
 people discovered that they might as well travel 
 for three fourths of the distance upon the 
 ground as upon its j)lanks. 
 
 1791. This year chose Joseph Patch and Jon- 
 athan Clement deer-keepers. 
 
 During the year Dr. Joseph Peters settled in 
 town, and resided with Mr. Stevens Merrill. He 
 was the first physician who ever lived in War- 
 ren, and was a well educated man, and having 
 good success in his practice, gave general satis- 
 faction. 
 
 A committee was chosen at the town meeting 
 to lay out several roads, viz. : one leading from 
 C. William Whiteman's, who lived on the top of 
 the height of land, round Tarlton pond upon the 
 
 New settlers in 1790. 
 Amos Clark, John Gardner, C. William Whiteman, 
 
 Daniel Pike, James Little, Thomas Pillsbury. 
 
 In 1791. 
 Dr. Joseph Peters, David Badger, Enoch Page, 
 
 Joseph Knight. 
 
74 HISTORY OF WAllREN. 
 
 east side, and one leading from Mr. Joshna Mer- 
 rill's, who lived where Mr. Stephen Lund now 
 does, by Mr. Abel Merrill's, who lived on the 
 place now owned by Nathaniel Merrill, jnn.^ to 
 Wentworth line. The roads up to this time were 
 very poor, and the town was obliged to carry on 
 a suit at law, which was commenced by some 
 persons who had received injuries while travel- 
 ling upon them, owing to the bad condition they 
 were in. 
 
 =^May 7, 1792. The people of Warren voted 
 unanimously against all the amendments of the 
 constitution, except the two last articles; for 
 these there was an unanimous vote also. 
 
 In the year 1794, chose Joshua Copp, Reuben 
 Batchelder, Joseph Patch, Thomas Boynton and 
 John Whitcher, a committee to report where it 
 would be convenient to set a meeting-house, 
 and what measures were best to be taken to erect 
 the same. At the next regular meeting this 
 committee reported, but, through some unex- 
 plained reason, took no action upon the matter, 
 and the subject was dropped. 
 
 *Neiv settlers in 1792. 
 Josiah Magoon, Uriah Cross. 
 
 In 1793. 
 Abram Alexander, John Chase, 
 
 David S. Craig, Daniel Welch. 
 
 In 1794. 
 Stephen Badger. 
 
 In 1795. 
 Stephen Flanders, Barnabas Nilcs. 
 
ERECTION OF MEETING-HOUSE. 75 
 
 ^''- Til the spring of 1796, Keuben Batchelder 
 and Stephen Flanders, jun., followed np Baker 
 river to East Warren, and commenced settle- 
 ments. Mr. Batchelder began on the place now 
 occupied by Seth J. Brown, and Mr. Flanders 
 just above him, on the place occupied by La- 
 fayette W. Parker. The town at its regular 
 meeting voted to lay them out a road, which 
 was done that season ; but for many years it 
 was nothing more than a brushed out path. Mr. 
 Batchelder lived on the place he this year com- 
 menced upon for a number of years, when he 
 sold out and began on the place now occupied 
 by Mr. John Libbey. Here, in raising his house, 
 he was accidentally killed. 
 
 In March, 1798, the town voted to accept a 
 piece of land from Joshua Copp, Esq., situated 
 on the easterly side of Mr. Copp's land, and on 
 the north side of the highway leading to Haver- 
 hill, for the purpose of erecting a meeting-house 
 thereon, which was to be of the same size as the 
 one at Bumney, and for a burying ground and 
 
 
 #_ 
 
 New settlers in 1796. 
 
 
 Thomas Boynton, 
 
 
 James Harran, 
 
 Joseph Jones, 
 
 Nathan Barker, 
 
 
 Dr. Levi Root, 
 
 Olncy Hawkins. 
 
 William Kelley, 
 
 
 John Weeks, 
 In 1797. 
 
 
 Benjamin Kelley, 
 
 
 Joseph Orn, 
 In 1798. 
 
 Jesse Niles. 
 
 Dr. Ezra Bartlett, 
 
 
 James Dow, 
 
 Asa Low, 
 
 
 
 Abial Smith. 
 
76 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 training field. Ghose Joshua Copp, Esq., Joseph 
 Patch, Stephen Richardson, Obadiah Clement, 
 and Levi Luf kin, a committee to provide timber 
 for the meeting-house, to be drawn the ensuing 
 winter. Each individual was to pay for the 
 house according to his proportion of taxes, and 
 all should hold themselves in readiness to work 
 on the building, after three days' notice given 
 them by the committee. At a meeting of the 
 town, held the ensuing summer, after considera- 
 ble discussion, in which the subject of their 
 ability to build was thoroughly canvassed, they 
 voted to dispense with the idea of building a 
 meeting-house for the present. 
 
77 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CIVIL HISTORY. 
 
 In July, 1799, Methodism was first introduced 
 into Warren, by the Rev. Elijah R. Sabin. Rev. 
 Mr. Sabin was a missionary in the cause, and 
 travelled from town to town on horseback, 
 preaching in the houses and barns of the people, 
 wherever he could get a congregation to hear 
 him. At the time of his first preaching in War- 
 ren he had but little success ; but before leaving 
 succeeded in forming a class, consisting of three 
 members, viz. : Chase Whitcher, Dolly Whitcher, 
 (afterwards the widow Atwell,) and Sarah Bar- 
 ker; but many in hearing him preach were con- 
 victed of the truth of his doctrine, and before 
 the next conference they numbered about thirty 
 members. During the summer season, for many 
 years afterward, they held their meetings in a 
 barn belonging to Mr. Aaron Welch, and during 
 the winter in his house or the houses of the 
 neighbors in the immediate vicinity. There was 
 also quite a class formed upon the height of 
 land, among the inhabitants living in the imme- 
 diate vicinity of Tarlton pond. For many 
 years Warren was a part of LandafP circuit. 
 
 In the spring of this year Mr. James Williams 
 
78 HISTOKY OF WARREN. 
 
 settled on the north side of Baker river, in East 
 Warren, nearly opposite Mr. Reuben Batchelder 
 and Mr. Stephen Flanders, jun., and upon the 
 place now owned by Jesse Eastman, and shortly 
 after erected for himself a fine, large, framed 
 house. The town, during the summer, laid out 
 a road from the foot of the hill up to his house, 
 and soon after his brother, Mr. Moses Williams, 
 came and settled on the place now owned by 
 Mr. Calvin Cummin gs. Mr. Caleb Homan set- 
 tled on the place now occupied by Mr. Samuel 
 shorn, and not long after, Mr. Samuel Merrill 
 settled upon the place where he now resides. 
 These individuals were far from any settlement, 
 and were almost pioneers in a wilderness • but 
 in a few years they had fine farms, and even- 
 tually were all men of considerable property. 
 
 March 20, 1800. Brought in forty votes 
 agrainst a revision of the constitution, and one in 
 favor of it. 
 
 1801. The town voted this year not to build 
 a meeting-house. 
 
 In the year 1802 the doctrine of the Free- 
 will Baptists was first preached in Warren by 
 the Rev. Joseph Boody, but no society was 
 formed. His meetings were held at the house of 
 
 The neiv settlers in 1799 tvere 
 Benjamin Brown, James Williams, Benjamin Gale. 
 
 In 1800. 
 Daniel Davis, Luke Libbey, Jacob Low, 
 
 Samuel Jackson, Job Eaton, Abel Willard. 
 
LAST MOOSE. 79 
 
 Mr. Stevens Merrill. Mr. Merrill was highly- 
 pleased with Mr. Boody and his doctrine, and as 
 he was an agec^ man, and thinking he might die 
 when Mr. Boody was far away, he resolved to 
 have his funeral sermon preached before Mr. 
 Boody's departure. Accordingly, he signified his 
 intention to the reverend gentleman, who com- 
 plying, a day was appointed, and the sermon 
 preached from II. Timothy, 4th chapter, 6th, 7th, 
 and 8th verses : "For I am now ready to be of- 
 fered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 
 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my 
 course, I have kept the faith : henceforth there 
 is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which 
 the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at 
 that day; and not me only, but unto all them 
 that love his appearing." From this text it is 
 said the Bev. Mr. Boody preached a very excel- 
 lent discourse, and Mr. Merrill and his friends 
 were well pleased. Mr. Merrill died two years 
 after, in 1804, aged 72 years. 
 
 In the spring of 1803 were killed the last^ 
 moose ever known in this section. Joseph Patch 
 and Stephen Flanders, jun., had followed up Ba- 
 ker river nearly to its source on a hunting excur- 
 sion. The day was nearly spent, and they were 
 thinking of building a camp in which to pass the 
 night, when Patch, who was yet a keen hunter, 
 discovered signs of moose, and that they were 
 
80 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 in tlieir immediate vicinity. It was now nearly 
 clarkj and they knew it would be impossible to 
 capture them that night. As they were so near 
 the moose they did not dare build a large camp 
 or light a fire, for they knew that it would 
 frighten them away : so, breaking a few fir 
 boughs, they formed themselves a bed upon the 
 snow, and wrapping their blankets around them, 
 laid down to spend the night. There were no 
 clouds in the heavens, and the stars twinkled 
 brightly above them, as seen through the clear, 
 frosty air ; but the men were used to such scenes, 
 and had often encountered them before ; and so 
 the night to them was far from being cheerless, 
 and the morning dawned nearly as quick as if 
 they were in their own snug homes. As soon as 
 it was light they arose, and making a hasty meal 
 from some almost frozen provisions, took the trail 
 of the moose and proceeded cautiously forward. 
 After travelling a short distance, and then turn- 
 ing abruptly round a little spur of the hill, they 
 discovered lying in a large yard, beside a little 
 mountain stream, three fine large animals. Patch 
 and Flanders now carefully examined their guns, 
 and making sure that all was right, they each 
 aimed at a different moose and fired. This 
 brought all three of the fine large creatures to 
 their feet; but two of them, after staggering 
 about for a few moments, fell dead, while the 
 
PLAN OF THE TOWN. 81 
 
 third started off at a smart trot down the 
 stream ; without waiting a moment, they sent 
 their dogs after him, and, loading their guns, 
 immediately pursued, and in less than half an 
 hour came up and killed the third. They then 
 went to work, dressed and quartered the moose, 
 and then hung them up in trees, and started for 
 the settlement, where, procuring help and sleds, 
 they returned and brought home their ^ne 
 mornmg's work. Thus perished the last of that 
 race of animals in this section, so many of 
 which at one time roamed in the valleys around 
 Moosehillock mountain. 
 
 At the regular meeting, in 1804, the town 
 voted to choose a committee of three persons, to 
 provide an accurate plan of the town of Warren. 
 Chose Joseph Patch, Nathaniel Clough and Sam- 
 uel Knight, for the committee. These individ- 
 uals had a difficult task before them ; but by 
 procuring copies of all the surveys previously 
 made, they at last produced the fine plan which 
 now stands as a front-piece in the old book con- 
 taining the records of the first proprietors of 
 Warren, and which plan has been so much used 
 by the citizens of the town. The plan is now 
 nearly vforn out, and the town will in a short 
 time be greatly in need of a new one ; and it is 
 to be hoped that they will follow the excellent 
 example set them by many other towns in the 
 5 
 
82 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 State, which is that of having a plan accurately 
 printed. 
 
 The town appointed the selectmen a commit- 
 tee to unite with the selectmen of Ellsworth to 
 look out a convenient location for a road from 
 Ellsworth (once called iVecothick,) to Warren, 
 and report thereon. This committee proceeded 
 to the work for which they were chosen, and 
 examined the section of the country between 
 the two towns ; but as no record was made of 
 any report, or any action of the town taken 
 upon it afterwards, it is probable the committee 
 thought the route highly impracticable. 
 
 A small burying cloth was bought by the 
 town, of Col. Obadiah Clement and Jonathan 
 Clement, and Aaron Welch's house chosen as a 
 place of deposit. 
 
 The sum of one hundred and thirty dollars 
 was paid Mr. Enoch Davis, who lived where Mr. 
 Addison Gerald now resides, for the future main- 
 tenance of a pauper, — the second one that had 
 become chargeable to the town. 
 ^ At a town meeting held during the year it 
 was voted that the device for the weights and 
 measures belonging to the town should be 
 
 Wn. 
 
 This device was presented by Dr. Ezra Bartlett. 
 In 1806 the town empowered the selectmen 
 
coos TURNPIKE COMPANY. 83 
 
 to sell the ministerial lands to Mr. Caleb Homan 
 or Stephen Flanders, jun.;, or to any other per- 
 son, if they considered the sale of the lands an 
 advantage to the town. Chose Col. Obadiah 
 Clement, Capt. William Butler, Mr. Jonathan 
 Fellows, Capt. Joseph Patch, Lieut. Stephen 
 Flanders, jun., and Mr. Aaron Welch, a commit- 
 tee to choose another committee of three un- 
 prejudiced persons, living out of town, for the 
 purpose of establishing a suitable place in War- 
 ren for erecting a house of public worship. At 
 a meeting held Dec. 17, voted not to build a 
 meeting-house, but the town declared by a unan- 
 imous vote that they were willing one should be 
 built by subscription. 
 
 March 10, 1807, brought in sixty-three votes 
 against revising the Constitution. 
 
 The old Coos Turnpike Company having re- 
 ceived a charter from the Legislature on Dec. 
 29, 1803, this year commenced to build their 
 road. It was twelve miles in length, and com- 
 menced near the spot where the Society school- 
 house was built, and running over the height 
 of land, terminated at Haverhill Corner. The 
 road was not fully completed until several years 
 after, and cost fifteen thousand and seventy- 
 four dollars. It was contracted for by different 
 individuals, who took short sections. The first 
 section extended from the location of the Soci- 
 
84 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 ety scliool-liouse, above the Blue Ridge, and was 
 bnilt by Mr. Joseph Merrill. The cutting through 
 this large ridge of land required a great amount 
 of labor and much time, and before it was fin- 
 ished the people thought it was a hlue job for 
 Mr. Merrill, hence the name Blue Ridge. When 
 the turnpike was finished, the inhabitants who 
 lived upon it were permitted to pass over it free 
 from cost, and consequently several roads which 
 had been previously built, not being now re- 
 quired, were discontinued. 
 
 1808. Voted to build a pound, thirty feet 
 square within the walls, and eight feet high. It 
 was to be constructed of good pine logs, and to 
 have a stout, substantial door, hung with iron 
 hinges, and to be fastened with a staple, hasp, 
 and padlock. For some reason, never explained, 
 this contemplated pound was not built. 
 
 Liberty was given to Mr. Moses H. Clement 
 to construct a canal under the road near Joseph 
 Merrill's saw mill, to carry the water from Baker 
 river to Black brook, provided he indemnify the 
 town for all damages done the road. This canal, 
 although not completed until three years after, 
 was a great work for an individual in those times, 
 and shows Mr. Clement to be a person of much 
 enterprise. The underground passage was built 
 of pine logs, and although placed there forty- 
 four years ago, are still in almost as good condi- 
 
FREE WILL BAPTIST SOCIETY. 85 
 
 tion as when cut. When the railroad was built 
 the engineer caused the earth to be removed 
 from the lower ends of them, thinking that they 
 should be obliged to supply their place with a 
 stone culvert ; but upon an examination he 
 thought they would answer for many years to 
 come, and now daily pass over them the heavy 
 laden cars, with the heavier engine, with as much 
 safety as though they had the solid earth be- 
 neath them. 
 
 In March, 1809, chose the selectmen a com- 
 mittee to provide powder and ball for the use of 
 the militia of the town, as provided for by an 
 act of the Legislature in June last. 
 
 From the year 1802 up to 1810 there had 
 been several ministers of the Free Will Baptist 
 denomination, successors of Joseph Boody, who 
 had preached occasionally in town, viz. : Joseph 
 Boody, jun., Louis Harriman, Thomas Perkins, J. 
 Marks, and Wallace. These were succeed- 
 ed by Elder James Spencer, under whose influ- 
 ence the first Free Will Baptist Society was com- 
 menced. The members consisted of Samuel 
 Merrill and wife, James Dow and wife, Caleb 
 , Homan and wife, Aaron Welch and wife. True 
 Stevens and wife, Mrs. Betsey Bamsey and Mrs. 
 James Williams. Elder Spencer labored with 
 the society for many years after. 
 
 In the year 1811 chose Jonathan Merrill as 
 
86 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 an agent to carry on the suits pending against 
 the town in relation to bad roads. Voted to 
 divide the town into districts for the working 
 out of the highway tax. 
 
 About the year 1812 commenced the sec- 
 cond war between the United States and Eng- 
 land, and for three years there was much 
 fighting done without any signal advantage to 
 either country, when, by the consent of both 
 parties, the war was closed and an amicable 
 treaty formed between the two governments. 
 New-Hampshire raised a large militia force to 
 guard her frontier, by drafting men from her 
 towns. Abel Merrill was appointed by the State 
 to draft men from Warren, and the following 
 individuals served at times during the war, viz. : 
 George Libbey, Nathaniel Libbey, Nathaniel 
 Kichardson, Jesse Eastman, Tristram Pillsbury, 
 John Abbot, John Copp, Daniel Pillsbury, David 
 Patch and Maj. Daniel Patch. These men all 
 returned to Warren at the close of the war, or 
 the end of the time for which they enlisted, 
 except John Abbot, who died while in the army. 
 
 1813. This year about the greatest freshet 
 ever known in this section of the country oc- 
 curred. Many of the bridges across the streams 
 were carried away, and the roads much damaged. 
 
 In 1814 the people of Warren gave fifty-five 
 
FIRST STAGE LINE. 87 
 
 votes against revising the Constitution and none 
 in favor. 
 
 During this year the first stage line from Con- 
 cord ma Plymouth, up the valley of Baker river 
 to Haverhill, was established. There had been 
 another line from Concord to Haverhill via Leb- 
 anon, commenced a short time previous, but this 
 latter was a much longer route, and as the citi- 
 zens of the former section wished for the facili- 
 ties that would be afforded by a line of stages, 
 several individuals, headed by Robert Morse, of 
 Rumney, succeeded in establishing one. The 
 stock of the company was raised principally 
 among the farmers along the line. The time it 
 commenced running was a great day to the peo- 
 ple who lived in the section through which it 
 passed. The coaches, although far different from 
 those used at the present time, were a great 
 novelty to those who saw them, and had large 
 wooden axles, — iron ones being unknown at that 
 time, — and the driver held a high station in the 
 estimation of the public. Col. Silas May was 
 the first driver upon this route, and instead of 
 the long tin horn which drivers at that time 
 usually had, to warn the people of their ap- 
 proach, he played in an excellent manner upon 
 a fine bugle. He was an exceeding good 
 reinsman, and not unfrequently drove six horses 
 with one hand, while with the other he held his 
 
88 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 bugle and played those beatiful tunes^ the glad- 
 denmg echoes of which floated over forest and 
 dell, and lost themselves upon the far off tops of 
 the distant hills and mountains. The first time 
 he drove through, he arrived at Haverhill three 
 hours before the other stage. "When within half 
 a mile of that place, by some accident a linch- 
 pin was lost from the end of one of the axles, 
 but as the wheel did not come off, owing to his 
 skill in driving, he succeeded in reaching Haver- 
 hill Corner without replacing it. 
 
 In the year 1814 gave fifty votes against re- 
 vising the Constitution, and none in favor. 
 
 In 1815, and for two years previous, a furious 
 epidemic raged throughout New - Hampshire, 
 known by the name of the spotted fever. It 
 was a disease new to the physicians, and break- 
 ing out suddenly in many places, baffled for a 
 time their skill. Individuals, strong and healthy, 
 and in the prime of life, even though guarding 
 by every possible means against infection, would 
 be suddenly stricken down, and in a few hours 
 the once proud form was a loathsome corpse. 
 Old and young were alike a prey to it. The 
 people were alarmed ; town-meetings were called 
 in many towns, and the selectmen instructed to 
 procure aid of the best 23hysicians possible. 
 
 The malady first broke out in Warren upon 
 Beach hill. One of the younger members of 
 
FATAL MALADY. 89 
 
 Mr. George Bixby's family was suddenly taken 
 alarmingly ill. A physician was sent for; he 
 came, and not discovering the nature of the dis- 
 ease, gave, as he thought, a simple remedy, and 
 took his departure. In a few hours the young 
 man was dead. The corpse was laid out, and 
 two young men, sons of Amos Little, came to 
 watch by it through the succeeding night. The 
 next day one of them, James Little, was taken 
 sick, and in a few hours was dead. The disease 
 spread rapidly, and soon all was consternation. 
 There was no physician in town, and the inhab- 
 itants were obHged to send to Piermont for one. 
 Dr. Wellman, of that place, came, and a short 
 time after, while visiting a man sick with the 
 disorder, was himself taken sick, and in a short 
 time died. 
 
 One third of the inhabitants living on Beach 
 Hill were cut off by it, and the whole town for 
 a time bid fair to be depopulated ; but as the 
 fall advanced, and cold weather came on, the 
 disease gradually disappeared, and since but very 
 few cases have been known. 
 
 The town of Warren paid out for physcians' 
 fees nearly two hundred dollars ; besides this, 
 numerous individuals paid large sums. Many 
 years elapsed before the town recovered from 
 the loss it received from the death of its inhab- 
 itants from this dread malady, and the numerous 
 
 5=^ 
 
90 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 tomb-stones in the grave-yards, bearing the date 
 of 1815, testify to its fearful ravages. 
 
 "The year 1816, though the last of ten years 
 of uncommon seasons and dearths, yet it is to 
 be distinguished from any preceding year. The 
 whole face of nature appeared shrouded in 
 gloom. The lamps of Heaven kept their orbits, 
 but their light was cheerless. The bosom of the 
 earth in a midsummer's day was covered with a 
 wintry mantle, and man, and beast, and bird, 
 sickened at the prospect. For several days the 
 people had good sleighing, and it seemed as if 
 the order of the seasons was being reversed. 
 Autumn returns, alas ! not to fill the arm with 
 the generous sheaf, but the eye with the tear of 
 disappointment. On the sixth of June, the day 
 of General Election, the snow fell several inches 
 deep, followed by a cold and frosty night, and 
 on the two following days snow fell and frost 
 continued. Also, July ninth, a deep and deadly 
 frost, which killed or palsied most vegetables. 
 The little corn which had the appearance of 
 maturity, was destitute of its natural taste or 
 substance ; and yet the providence of God was 
 bountiful in supplying the article of bread from 
 the crops of rye, which were uncommonly good. 
 
 1817. After the first of June a very great 
 change was observable in the atmosphere and the 
 vegetable world. The winds were generally 
 
FIRST MEETING-HOUSE. 91 
 
 from the southwest for more than half a year. 
 The air became warm and natural ; vegetation 
 unusually rapid, and autumn poured forth her 
 blessings in rich abundance." 
 
 In November of this year Mr. Frederick 
 Clark, a native of Piermont, was ordained an 
 itinerant preacher of the Free Will Baptist 
 denomination. Previous to his ordination Mr. 
 Clark gave the selectmen a written agreement, 
 signed by himself, by which he gave up all the 
 right which would accrue to him, by his ordina- 
 tion, to the ministerial lands in town. 
 
 At the regular meeting of the town in the 
 year 1818 the inhabitants voted to build a meet- 
 ing-house, the size to be forty feet by fifty feet, 
 within joint. Chose Jonathan Merrill, Nathaniel 
 Clough, Abel Merrill and James Williams a com- 
 mittee to superintend its building, and for that 
 purpose was appropriated all the money due the 
 town on the leases, including the present year, 
 and also the avails of the wild land belonging to 
 the town. 
 
 To the building of the house the committee 
 proceeded with a right good earnest. The frame, 
 that good old oaken one, which is yet as good as 
 new, was hauled from many a dark recess of the 
 old woods by the laboring oxen — the inhabitants 
 ready to assist, giving many a long day's work ; 
 and by the first of July it was ready for erec- 
 
92 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 tion, and the fourth — the glorious old Fourth — 
 was decided to be the time when the raising 
 should take place. The morning of that expect- 
 ed day at last dawned, but ere the golden beams 
 of the sun had lighted up the bald top of 
 Moosehillock or the green wooded summit of 
 Mount Carr, the workmen were on their way. 
 Few indeed were the sleepy persons found that 
 morning, for a raising was a raising in those days ; 
 but the raising of a meeting-house was a sight 
 seldom witnessed but once in a lifetime. 
 
 From every quarter they came; the good 
 man and his buxom dame, and their rosy daugh- 
 ters, who had spent a long hour more at the 
 toilet that morning than usual. All were there, 
 and by the presence of those fair faces many a 
 young man was stimulated to perform herculean 
 feats of lifting, and mounting giddy heights, 
 every way worthy his ancestors. All around 
 near the destined spot lay strewn the heavy tim- 
 bers. The old men, with shining broad axe, were 
 shaping pins, or smoothing the end of many a 
 tenon, while the master builder, with rule under 
 his arm, and feeling the great responsibility rest- 
 ing upon him, was moving hither and thither ; 
 now giving directions to one party and then to 
 another, who were tugging, lifting, and straining 
 themselves into very red faces, as they carry the 
 heavy timbers over the numerous blocks and 
 
^ RAISING OF THE CHURCH. 93 
 
 chips. The building committee were there also, 
 giving instructions to each other, the master 
 builder, and every one else. And now one huge 
 broadside is ready. Those stalwart forms range 
 themselves side by side ; the master builder gives 
 the word, and, creaking and groaning, that old 
 oaken broadside goes slowly up : a pause — the 
 stout following poles hold, and now long pike 
 poles are applied, guided firmly by strong arms, 
 and again that broadside goes up, as a hush 
 comes over the anxious crowd, eagerly watching, 
 but who soon breathe more freely as the huge 
 timbers erect settle firmly into their resting 
 places ; and now, with no laggard hands, the re- 
 maining broadside and the cross timbers are put 
 in their places ; and long ere the rays of the 
 setting sun had departed, the roof, with its crown- 
 ing steeple, towering above, were in their proper 
 positions. Here succeeding generations must la- 
 ment the loss of that speech, every way worthy 
 of the occasion, which was delivered from the 
 ridge pole to all who were refreshing themselves 
 upon the ample bounties provided by the com- 
 mittee. The gentle breezes of that summer day 
 wafted it afar over the green foliage of the 
 wood to the distant hill sides, where it was re- 
 corded in their beautiful shaded dells, but no 
 man can read their phonography. 
 
 After the raising, the finishing of the house 
 
94 HISTORY OF WAHREN. 
 
 progressed steadily, and early in the fall, though 
 it was not in its present finished state, it was 
 dedicated. Rev. Edward Evans, a minister of 
 the Congregationalist order, preached the dedi- 
 catory sermon. The house on the occasion was 
 filled to overflowing ; many haviSiig come from 
 other towns, and all were pleased with the dis- 
 course. Mr. Evans was hired the ensuing year 
 to preach in it one half of the Sundays, and the 
 town voted in 1819 to appropriate the interest 
 of the minister lands toward paying him. 
 
 1819. Sept. 21, at a town meeting held for the 
 purpose, the following report of the building 
 committee was read and accepted, viz. : 
 
 1st. The meeting-house finished except the 
 painting. 
 
 2nd. All the pews disposed of and are the 
 property of the purchasers when paid for, other- 
 wise the property of the committee. The pur- 
 chasers and owners of pews to have the liberty 
 to pass and repass the doors and aisles to and 
 from said pews, whenever the doors are opened 
 for public worship or town meetings. 
 
 3rd. The other part of the house to be for 
 the use of the town, upon the following condi- 
 tions, viz. : that the town pay over to the com- 
 mittee all the money and land that they agreed 
 to give to encourage a committee to undertake 
 to build said meeting-house, which was three 
 hundred dollars, or thereabouts. 
 
SURVEY FOR A CANAL. 95 
 
 4th. The committee respectfully request the 
 town to unite with them and adopt the best 
 measures or means to finish the painting of the 
 house and erect door steps. 
 
 Jonathan Merrill,"] 
 Nathaniel Clough, I ^ ... 
 Abel Merrill, [ Committee. 
 
 James Williams, J 
 N. B. There are demands in the hands of the 
 committee arising from the sale of two pews, 
 viz. : number forty-one and forty-two, to the 
 amount of fifty dollars or more, besides what we 
 have laid out in painting said meeting-house. 
 
 1820. Amos Burton this year erected the large 
 building now occupied by Damon Y. Eastman as 
 a wheelwright shop, and commenced to trade on 
 a much larger scale than any individual ever be- 
 fore had done in town. About this time War- 
 ren was created a post town, and Mr. Burton was 
 appointed postmaster, being the first ever in 
 Warren. 
 
 1821. Gave eighty-six votes against revising 
 the Constitution, and none in favor. 
 
 During the year 1825 a survey was made 
 through this section of the country for a canal. 
 It was to commence at Dover ; thence by the 
 way of lake Winnepiseogee to the Pemigewas- 
 set river ; then up Baker river to Warren, and 
 from there down the Oliverian to the Connecti- 
 
96 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 cut at Haverhill. The town of Warren present- 
 ed numerous obstructions to building the canal, 
 but the persevering engineer, Mr. McDuffee, at 
 last overcame all these, and reported the route 
 a very practicable one. The chief difficulty met 
 with was the insufficient quantity of water to be 
 had upon the Summit. To obviate this, Mr. Mc- 
 Duffee intended to take the water from Tarlton 
 pond and convey it round the hill in a winding 
 manner to the place where it was required. This 
 would involve a considerable outlay, but would 
 afford an adequate supply of water in the dry- 
 est season, and consequently was the only one 
 practicable. This proposed canal was never built, 
 for the reason that a sufficient amount of stock 
 could not be disposed of; consequently the com- 
 pany, though chartered and well organized, for 
 the want of funds failed in carrying out their 
 plans. There was also another company charter- 
 ed, to construct a canal to extend up the Merri- 
 mack and Pemigewasset rivers, to intersect with 
 the first mentioned one at Holderness. 
 
 In 1826 the town raised fifty-seven dollars sixty- 
 three cents, in lieu of the avails of the wild land 
 voted to the committee appointed to build a 
 meeting-house in 1818. 
 
 In the year 1833 the people residing in the 
 south portion of the town of Coventry (now 
 Benton) made application to the town of War- 
 
REFUSAL TO ANNEX COVENTRY TO WARREN. 97 
 
 ren to be annexed to the same^, but a majority 
 of the inhabitants of Warren voted not to ac- 
 quiesce in having a part of Benton annexed to 
 Warren. At the same meeting the inhabitants 
 gave seventy-nine votes against and none in 
 favor of making a revision of the Constitution. 
 
98 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 CIVIL HISTORY. 
 
 During the year 1834 Mr. True Merrill dis- 
 covered upon his farm, not far from his residence, 
 a large vein of ore, which upon a subsequent 
 examination proved to be copper, intermixed 
 with several other kinds of ores. Such was the 
 extent of this mine, and the abundance of ore 
 it promised to yield, that shortly after a com- 
 pany was formed, consisting of Mr. H. Bradford 
 and others, and the mine opened ; but as the 
 company who commenced had but a small cap- 
 ital, and a large outlay being required before 
 any considerable remuneration could be realized, 
 the company discontinued its labors upon the 
 work. The mine has at different times since 
 been wrought, but only to a small extent. 
 
 At the present time " the known and meas- 
 ured width of the tremolite bed, containing the 
 copper ore, is forty-eight feet, but the nearest 
 wall rock on the west is ninety-four feet from 
 the east wall of the bed on the western side. 
 A covering of soil prevents our ascertaining 
 whether the bed extends to the mica slate. 
 
 " Across the top of the opening of the mine 
 the width is thirty-eight feet, and the depth of 
 
IRON AND COPPER MINE. 99 
 
 the excavation is six feet five inches through the 
 soil, and a little less than thirty in the tremolite 
 rock. In the eastern wall rock there are veins 
 of the pure yellow copper pyrites, with veins of 
 quartz. A bed of copper pyrites also occurs 
 along the line of junction of the tremolite rock 
 with the mica slate. Several veins of copper 
 ore, with large bunches of iron pyrites, and re- 
 splendent black blende, are found in the midst 
 of the tremolite, and occasionally some large 
 crystals of rutil, or red oxide of titanium, accom- 
 pany the iron pyrites. 
 
 " Most of the tremolite is mixed with copper 
 pyrites, and may be completely separated from 
 it by stamping and washing. The rock contains 
 from six to twelve per cent, of metal ; while the 
 pure ore yields thirty-two per cent, by assay in 
 the crucible, and contains thirty-four per cent., 
 as proved by analysis. 
 
 ^^It is easy to drain the mine to the depth of 
 one hundred and fourteen feet, without any ma- 
 chinery for pumping, since there is a rapid 
 descent from the hill-side to the brook along a 
 ravine, which affords drainage in that direction. 
 The brook will furnish a valuable water power 
 for stamping and washing the ore. The mine 
 is now not properly opened, and in future ope- 
 rations it must be covered and protected from 
 
100 HISTOUY OP WARREN. 
 
 snow and rain, so that tlie work may proceed in 
 the winter. 
 
 ^' There is a small vein of copper pyrites, distant 
 forty rods S., 20° W. from this mine, on the land 
 of Mr. Joseph Copps. The vein is in quartz, 
 which is twenty inches wide, while the copper 
 ore is but one or two inches thick. It is not of 
 sufficient magnitude to be considered valuable. 
 Two miles and a half N. E. from this mine, cop- 
 per pyrites, in small veins, have been found on 
 the land of Mr. Stevens, but are not rich. One 
 hundred yards north of the tremolite bed, an 
 extensive vein of black blende, mixed with cop- 
 per pyrites and galena, has been opened, and the 
 mine promises to be valuable. The principal 
 vein is six feet wide. I have analyzed and 
 assayed average lots of this ore, and have dis- 
 tilled from it from twenty to thirty per cent, of 
 metallic zinc by the usual process. 
 
 " I regard this mine as valuable, and have no 
 doubt that it will ultimately be wrought for zinc. 
 Either copper or zinc may be manufactured, or 
 they may be combined in the form of brass. 
 These ores also contain a considerable amount of 
 silver. Near the copper mines a vein of largely 
 crystalized epidote occurs, and had been mista- 
 ken for a zinc ore. On blasting this vein, im- 
 mense crystals, of a beautiful green color, were 
 observed, some of which are eight inches in 
 
BERRY BROOK ROAD. 101 
 
 diameter. They are contained in quartz, and 
 are very abundant. The smaller crystals are 
 very perfect, and present several modifications 
 in their crystalline form, that will prove interest- 
 ing to mineralogists. Hemitropic crystals, with 
 salient angles at one end and re-entering angles 
 at the other, are most abundant. 
 
 " The large crystals are apt to be shattered to 
 pieces by blasting with gunpowder ; hence only 
 a small charge should be used to crack the rock, 
 which may then be forced apart by the crow- 
 bar and broken up by a heavy sledge hammer, 
 so as not to communicate the vibrations too pow- 
 erfully to the crystals." 
 
 This year the road running through the val- 
 ley of Berry brook, and commonly called the 
 Berry Brook Koad, was commenced, but it was 
 several years before it was finished. The road 
 running over the Height of Land, owing to the 
 steep hills, was a difficult one, for the numerous 
 teams to draw their heavy loads upon ; and as 
 this was the direct route from northern New- 
 Hampshire and Vermont to Boston, it became 
 a matter of interest to all persons engaged in 
 the mercantile business in those sections, to find 
 some easier road. Accordingly, individuals were 
 employed to look out a different route, and as 
 the valley of Berry brook afforded the most con- 
 venient locality, the subject was agitated consid- 
 erably to have a road constructed through it. 
 
102 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 Many of the inhabitants of Warren were 
 strongly opposed to building this road, for the 
 reason that it would subject them to much cost, 
 and that as it ran through an uninhabited sec- 
 tion, it would cost a large sum each year to keep 
 it in repair ; but the town, at a legal meeting 
 held on the 22d of July, 1834, chose Nathan- 
 iel Clough, Solomon Cotton and Samuel Bixby 
 a committee to examine and explore all routes 
 thought proper for a highway through the town. 
 But the town was tardy in its movements, and 
 some individuals, wishing to have the work pro- 
 ceed faster, carried the subject into the court of 
 common pleas. The court, after a hearing 
 upon the matter, decided that it was just that a 
 road should be built through the Berry Valley, 
 and appointed a committee to lay out the road. 
 This was done, and the town, having been ob- 
 liged to pay a large fine on account of the bad- 
 ness of their roads, and seeing that they could 
 not avoid building it, called a meeting on the 
 8th of December, and voted that the road 
 should be built. They also chose Solomon Cot- 
 ton, Samuel L. Merrill and Joseph Bixby a com- 
 mittee to carry the work through, and author- 
 ized them to raise the sum of ^\e hundred dol- 
 lars to commence with. But this sum only made 
 a beginning to the work ; for before it was fin- 
 ished some three thousand dollars was expend- 
 
SURPLUS REVENUE. 103- 
 
 ed, and it was not until the 22d of December, 
 1836, that persons were permitted to pass over 
 it. At that time the selectmen were authorized 
 to post up a notice at each end of the road that 
 people could travel over it at their own risk. 
 
 The town voted that the selectmen should ob- 
 ject to Mr. Horace Webber being ordained in 
 town, unless he would sign an acquittal to the 
 ministerial rights which he might obtain by 
 being ordained. This Mr. Webber did, and was 
 ordained a minister of the Free Will Baptist 
 denomination. 
 
 Gave at the regular town meeting nineteen 
 votes in favor of revising the Constitution and 
 fifty-five against it. 
 
 In the year 1837 the town received nearly 
 eighteen hundred dollars as her share of the sur- 
 plus revenue. This money had been accruing 
 for many years in the United States Bank, and 
 after that institution was dissolved, government, 
 after paying her debts, passed a resolve that the 
 surplus should be divided among the difierent 
 States, and then distributed to the towns of which 
 they were composed. By a vote passed at the 
 regular meeting the selectmen were empowered 
 to go to Concord and receive the money. It 
 was also voted the selectmen put the money out 
 at usury, not letting any one individual have 
 more than two hundred dollars. 
 
104 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 In 1838 the town voted that the selectmen 
 call in enough of the surplus revenue to pay up 
 for the building of the Berry Brook Road ; also 
 chose Solomon Cotton an agent to take charge 
 of the money, and then voted that the select- 
 men hire it of Mr. Cotton, and pay their debts 
 with the same. 
 
 About the year 1830, and perhaps at an earlier 
 date, different clergymen of the Universalist de- 
 nomination preached occasionally to the be- 
 lievers in a world's salvation from sin and suffer- 
 ing ; but the first society was organized in the 
 year 1838 under the ministry of the Rev. John 
 E. Palmer. The society have had preaching 
 since but a part of the time during each year. 
 In 1851 Mr. Nathaniel Clough at his death be- 
 queathed to them a small fund, the interest of 
 which is to be annually appropriated for the 
 support of Universalist preaching. The names 
 of the ministers who have labored with the so- 
 ciety will be found in the statistical part of the 
 work. 
 
 March 10, 1840, the town gave four votes in 
 favor of, and ninety against dividing the county 
 of Grafton. 
 
 1841. This year the town became involved in 
 a perplexing lawsuit with the town of Went- 
 worth. A certain Mrs. Sarah Weeks, wife of 
 Benjamin Weeks, had become chargeable to 
 
-^^ '"> -. ' VOTE ON THE CONSTITUTION. 105 
 
 Wentworth for support, and the town thinking 
 that it was the duty of Warren to support her, 
 asked the tow^n so to do ; but Warren consider- 
 ing the request unjust, refused, and Wentworth 
 sued for the money they had paid for the sup- 
 port of Mrs. Weeks. The town of Warren 
 defended the case and was beaten ; but not will- 
 ing thus to give it up, at a town meeting called 
 expressly for the piu^j)ose, Nov. 22, 1843, they 
 passed the following vote : That the agents cho- 
 sen to carry on the case between Warren and 
 Wentworth have it tried where they think prop- 
 er : That the agents ascertain whether the re- 
 view destroys the decision of the former trial : 
 if it does destroy it, then the agents are to settle 
 with Wentworth, by that town paying the legal 
 cost the town of Warren would recover by law, 
 and they also support Sarah Weeks ; if they 
 will not settle upon these conditions, then the 
 agents are to proceed with the case. But the 
 town of Wentworth did not wish to risk another 
 trial, and so, before the sitting of the next term 
 of the court, the agents of that town came and 
 wished to settle the case with those of Warren, 
 which was effected by agreeing to the above 
 proposition. 
 
 March 8, 1842. Three voters were for, and 
 seventy-four against a revision of the Constitu- 
 tion. 
 
 6 
 
106 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 In 1844 gave fifty-five votes in favor of and 
 eighty-six against the abolition of capital pun- 
 ishment. 
 
 At the June session of the Legislature, iij 
 1845, that body passed an act incorporating the 
 Boston, Concord and Montreal railroad coinpany ; 
 the road to run from Concord, N. H., ma Lake 
 Winnipisseogee and the Pemigewasset and Baker 
 rivers to the Connecticut, and from thence to 
 Littleton, N. H. The company immediately or- 
 ganized, and the people along the route freely 
 paid their mone}^ for a survey, which was made 
 this season by Mr. Crocker, throughout the whole . 
 length of the line, and a considerable amount of 
 stock being subscribed for, the grading of the 
 road was commenced upon its lower sections, 
 and the road gradually completed eighteen -miles, 
 from Concord to Sanbornton Bridge. _ . > : 
 
 During this season a destructive fire occurred 
 upon the old homestead of Amos Little. All 
 the male liiembers of the family had gone away, 
 while Mrs. Little, who w^as unwell, had retired 
 to her chamber. There was a barrel standing 
 in the shed adjoining the house, in which some 
 meat had been placed to smoke, and as the 
 family had smoked their meat here the preced- 
 ing spring, and no accident having occurred, it 
 was considered safe. 
 
 From this the fire took. It was a beautiful 
 
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE. 107 
 
 summer day ; there was no wind stirring, and all 
 around was - still. All at once an individual 
 standing near tke meeting-house happening to 
 
 . direct his attention in the direction of the house, 
 saw curling ^owly- up in the clear air, a thin 
 hazy column of blue smoke. One mpment more 
 and the ciy of ^^ fire rung out in clear, start- 
 ling tones from his -stentorian . lungs^; that roused 
 
 ^ every ^ neighbor -around. The inmates of the 
 school-chouse hear by -were dismissed, and the 
 young urchins 'dispatched in all tlirections to 
 give the alarm. When the first individual ar- 
 rived at the houee^ had he had but another per- 
 son to assist hiih, the flames mighif have been 
 stayed, but it was otherwise, and before another 
 had arrived the flames had gained/much head- 
 .way> -and- were breaking out iipbn the roof of 
 
 V the.:: shed! ' Mrs. Little, hearing 'the-; noise, now 
 
 rcame out to see what was the matter' and seeing 
 tiie - flames, . almost swooned with . fright, but 
 
 ' quiekly recovering, with the rest of the individ- 
 uals^ commenced carrying^the furniture from the 
 house. In an almost incredible short space of 
 time almost every individual in the village had 
 arrived. Some tried to tear down the shed con- 
 necting the house with the three large barns, 
 but before it was half demolished, the flames 
 and blinding smoke drove them from the under- 
 taking. The whole attention of every individ- 
 
108 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 ual was now directed towards saving what they 
 could from the burning buildings. Such w^as 
 the haste and excitement of many persons that 
 windows were taken from their casings in the 
 second story, and thrown to the ground, where 
 they were picked up and borne away by others; 
 looking-glasses and other furniture easily demol- 
 ished, shared the same fate. The flames were 
 now advancing rapidly, and it was evident that 
 the building must soon be abandoned ; but one 
 man, Mr. Miranda Whitcher, wishing to save 
 some article of furniture which was in a room 
 on the east side of the house, went thither. He 
 had scarcely entered it before the flames sprung 
 up behind, and firing an unplastered wall, made 
 a retreat almost impossible. A dense volume of 
 smoke now filled the room, choking and blinding 
 him ; but Mr. Whitcher, being a resolute man, 
 resolved to make an efibrt to save his life. Yf ith 
 one bound he shot through the flame, and tread- 
 ing quickly along the tottering floor, which now 
 creaked beneath his step, made for a distant 
 window. Here the people below saw him and 
 loudly shouted to him to jump out upon the 
 ground; but he seemed possessed of a strange 
 fatality, and not noticing them, gazed wildly 
 around. The flames w^ere creeping rapidly along 
 the floor behind, and, scorching the poor man, 
 
DEATH OF ME. WHITCHEK. 109 
 
 he grasped the window sill and slowly let him- 
 self down, but did not relinquish his hold. The 
 fire at that instant bursting from the window 
 ..below, circled up and around him. Individuals 
 loudly entreated him to let go, but he heeded 
 them not, until at last, exhausted, his hands 
 slowly relaxed and he fell. It was now almost 
 impossible to approach near enough to remove 
 the poor man ; but two individuals resolutely 
 advanced almost into the scorching flames, and 
 succeeded in reaching him, whither he was re- 
 moved to a little field situated on the north side 
 of the road. The large buildings were now com- 
 pletely enveloped in flames, crowned by an im- 
 mense column of black smoke, which rolled 
 itself aloft in the still air. Nearly all of the 
 many individuals who were there had gathered 
 around the almost dying man, whose groans, 
 minoflino^ with the crackling; of the flames and 
 the roar of the burning building, made a scene 
 truly awful. In a few moments more, after one 
 convulsive quiver, it fell, and the fine old house 
 was a mass of burning ruins. Mr. Whitcher was 
 then conveyed to his home, and in a few hours 
 died. 
 
 1847. This year the Methodist Episcopal So- 
 ciety, under the pastoral charge of Hev. Sulli- 
 van HoLMAN, built them a convenient little 
 chapel in which to hold their meetings, and short- 
 
110 HISTORY OP WARREN. 
 
 ly after^ during the time Rev. L. L. Eastman was 
 their pastor^ they purchased the beautiful toned 
 bell that now hangs in its steeple. How many 
 beautiful reflections are woke up in the mind, as 
 listening, on some clear summer's day, its solemn 
 peals float out on the air, echoing in many a 
 shady dell and around the hill tops, at last die 
 away in the distance. There is a charm in mu- 
 sic that will soothe the wildest passion, and wake 
 uj) to action man's better nature. 
 
 At the Conference held at Claremont in June, 
 1843, the Methodist Episcopal Society became 
 a station, having been for a number of years pre- 
 vious joined with Wentworth and Orford in a 
 circuit. 
 
 In 1848 several new routes were surveyed 
 through Warren for the railroad, by Mr. Thomas 
 Piersons. 
 
 At the regular town meeting this year it was 
 ^^ Voted, that it is not expedient to act on the 
 subject of spirituous liquors in the town of War- 
 ren." 
 
 At a meeting held November 7", the represent- 
 ative of Warren to the legislature was instruct- 
 ed to procure a copy of the charter of Peeling, 
 now Woodstock. For a few years past this lat- 
 ter town had been laying claim to a considera- 
 ble part of East Warren. By its charter, Wood- 
 stock was granted as nearly a square township, 
 
STATE CONVENTION. Ill 
 
 which at the present time it is not ; and Wood- 
 stock, believing that Warren encroached on her 
 territory, made the claim. But in the trial that 
 was had on the case it was proved that the leg- 
 islature in 1784 had established, by an act for 
 the purpose, the boundary lines of Warren and 
 the towns around it, and the case was decided 
 in favor of Warren. 
 
 In the year 1849, early in the summer, the 
 house of Mr. Vowel Leathers was burned, to- 
 gether with his wife. It was on the Sabbath, 
 and Mr. Leathers v/as absent, as was also his son. 
 This fire created a great excitement in the pub- 
 lic mind, and as Mrs. Leathers was blind, and 
 could not help herself in any manner, there was 
 a great deal of conjecture as to the cause of the 
 fire. As yet, that cause has not been satisfacto- 
 rily explained, and probably will forever remain 
 a mystery. 
 
 1850. March 9, upon the question of the ex- 
 pediency of altering the Constitution, there 
 were eighty-seven votes in favor and forty-six 
 against. 
 
 October 8. Chose Enoch K Weeks a delegate 
 to attend the State Convention, to be holden at 
 Concord the sixth day of November, for the 
 purpose of revising the Constitution. 
 
 During the summer the present year, the Bos- 
 ton, Concord and Montreal Kailroad caused a 
 
112 IIISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 new survey of the route from Warren to "Woods- 
 ville to be made ; and as the road was nearly 
 finished from Plymouth to the south line of War- 
 ren, a contract was made with Mr. Warren II. 
 Smith, an enterprising gentleman residing at 
 Sanbornton Bridge, to complete it to Warren 
 village. The w^ork was commenced the ensuing 
 fall, in October, and before the first of April fol- 
 lowing, the grading and bridges were nearly 
 completed. As soon as the ground was suffi- 
 cientty settled, Mr. Smith commenced to lay the 
 track, and on the twenty-fifth of May it was 
 completed to Warren Village, the first steam 
 engine running into Warren the day before. 
 
 On the evening of the 25th there vfas quite a 
 celebration of the event by the people of War- 
 ren, and Mr. Smith gave a bountiful and excel- 
 lent supper at L. C. Whitcher's hall. The follow- 
 ing Tuesday the Company held its annual meet- 
 ing at Wentworth, and on the first Monday in 
 June the cars began to run regularly from War- 
 ren. 
 
 At the meeting of the Company at Wentworth 
 it was voted to prefer six hundred thousand dol- 
 lars of stock, with which to construct the road 
 from Warren to Woodsville ; and early in the 
 fall the grading was contracted for by Mr. War- 
 ren H. Smith and rapidly commenced. The cut- 
 ting through the ledge upon Warren Summit in- 
 
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. 113 
 
 volved a large amount of labor, and occupied a 
 hundred and fifty men, seventeen horses, with a 
 number of yokes of cattle, a year and a half. 
 The expense amounted to above one hundred thou- 
 sand dollars. The cut is nearly three fourths of a 
 mile in length, and in some places from fifty to 
 sixty feet in depth. Near the north end a little 
 rill of pure, clear water comes dashing down over 
 the huge rocks, and at the bottom divides itself 
 into two streams ; the waters of the one run- 
 ning north emptying themselves into the Con- 
 necticut, eventually find their way into the 
 ocean through Long Island Sound, while those 
 running south unite with Merrimack river, which 
 discharges itself into the ocean nearly two hun- 
 dred miles from the mouth of the Connecticut. 
 
 The cars commenced running over this last 
 section in the fall of 1852 as far as East Haver- 
 hill, and early the ensuing spring the road was 
 finished to Woodsville, where it connects with 
 the Passumpsic Railroad and the White Moun- 
 tains Railroad. 
 
 1851. The town voted, by quite a large ma- 
 jority, in favor of the Homestead Exemption 
 bill. 
 
 In 1852, voted, by a large majority, that it is 
 expedient to alter the Constitution. 
 
 Previous to 1853 those large tracts of timber 
 
 upon our hills and mountains have almost re- 
 *6 
 
114 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 mained untoucheclj for the reason of the incon- 
 venience of getting the timber to market, and 
 the consequent nnprofitableness of the business ; 
 but now, through the medium which the rail- 
 road affords, a rapid and convenient communi- 
 cation is opened with the large towns upon the 
 sea-shore, and thereby the business of lumbering 
 is much more profitable ; consequently several 
 individuals are now extensively engaged in the 
 work, and large quantities are sent to market. 
 
 Wood has also become an object of impor- 
 tance, and the once heavy forests are fast dis- 
 appearing. Upon the side of Carr mountain a 
 large company are now chopping, under the su- 
 perintendence of Col. Charles Lane. This indi- 
 vidual, more easily to facilitate the transporta- 
 tion of the wood from the mountain side, has con- 
 structed a sluice nearly two and one fourth miles 
 in length, extending to the valley near the rail- 
 road. The sluice is twenty inches in width 
 and sixteen inches in height. In it he has 
 turned the waters of Patch brook, a wild moun- 
 tain stream, and placing the wood in this, it rap- 
 idly descends, in its serpentine course, now cross- 
 ing some deep gully, then spanning the torrent, 
 and then creeping rapidly along on the side of 
 some steep bank, it at last reaches the valley, 
 having descended in its course over a thousand 
 feet. 
 
LICENSE LAW. 115 
 
 Mr. Lane also constructed a large canal, of 
 about one half a mile in length, through which 
 he has turned the water of Baker river into a 
 large mill pond situated on Black brook. The 
 cost of the work was about two thousand dol- 
 lars. It was finished late in the fall, and the 
 water first let in on the 28th of November. 
 
 During the winter of 1854 the buildings of 
 Mr. Amos Clement, together with nearly all their 
 contents, including thirty-three valuable sheep, 
 which' they could not drive from the fire, a hog 
 and a yearling steer, were destroyed. 
 
 March 14, at the annual meeting of the legal 
 voters of the town of Warren it was voted to ap- 
 propriate fifty dollars to repair the meeting-house 
 built in 1818, and also passed a resolve that the 
 selectmen of Warren shall prosecute, at the ex- 
 pense of the town, all violations of the License 
 Law, which shall come to their knowledge. This 
 vote shows the admirable ground upon which a 
 majority of the people of Warren at the present 
 time stand, in relation to temperance. May they 
 long maintain it. 
 
116 
 CHAPTEH VI. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF SCENERY. 
 
 There is beauty in all of nature's productions 
 — yet in some far more than in others. New- 
 Hampshire scenery will equal that of any other 
 country. Her tall mountains are grand and sub- 
 lime ; her beautiful lakes, constrasting with a 
 milder beauty; while the gliding on pf her 
 noble rivers, or furious rushing of her moun- 
 tain torrents, show a stern majesty combined 
 with impetuous fury. The town of Warren has 
 her liberal share of New-Hampshire wildness and 
 beauty. The roaring torrent, the more smoothly 
 gliding stream, the beautiful pond, the lofty 
 mountain, towering far above the lower ranges 
 of hills, and the craggy steeps, all lend their aid 
 to deck her in nature's charms. 
 
 Among the most imposing and grand of the 
 scenes around us is Moosehillock mountain. This 
 high elevation, as viewed from the south part of 
 the town, presents two distinct peaks, each hav- 
 ing a bold, sharp outline. An ascent to its sum- 
 mit, although toilsome, when once gained, well 
 repays, in the magnificent prospect it affords, for 
 all the labor incurred. Standing upon its high- 
 est peak, and looking down thousands of feet be- 
 
MOOSEHILLOCK MOUNTAIN. 117 
 
 low in the deep and dark ravine where the rays 
 of the sun scarce ever come, one sees the water 
 trickling over the moss-covered rocks and form- 
 ing the furious mountain torrent; further off 
 the other neighboring mountains seem low down 
 beneath, while in their valleys are the pleasant 
 farms of the sturdy yeomanry of New-Hamp- 
 shire. Looking south over the " Smile of the 
 Great Spirit," above all, in the farthest off 
 blue hazy distance, is seen the sky, settling down 
 with azure tints into the almost boundless ocean. 
 In the north a series of hills, divided by the wa- 
 ters of the Connecticut, stretch far away to the 
 high table lands of Canada. To the east are the 
 lofty granite White Mountains, terminating in 
 Maine, with Mt. Pleasant on the south and Mt. 
 Abrams and Bigelow on the north ; and to the 
 west lay the rolling ranges of the Green Moun- 
 tains ; while over them tower Camel's Hump in 
 Vermont, and Mt. Marcy, of the Cat skill Kange, 
 in New- York. The vegetation around upon the 
 top of the mountain is similar to that of other 
 high mountains of New-Hampshire. Blueberries, 
 mountain cranberries, and harebells abound 
 amid the crannies of the rocks, but no forest 
 trees grow near the summit. 
 
 Moosehillock receives its name from the circum- 
 stance of there once being many moose found 
 around it, and tradition says the Indians called 
 
118 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 it by a similar name tliongli of a different meaning, 
 it being Moosilauk ; Moosi in tlieir language 
 meaning bald, lank place ; bald place, a name 
 very appropriate, considering its bald summit. 
 Of the many stories related concerning this 
 mountain tbe following is the richest one : 
 
 Long before the country was settled, and on 
 the retreat of Major Kogers, after destroying the 
 village of the Arosaguntacooks, the company, 
 being short of provision, separated into small 
 bands, that they might better supply themselves 
 with food by hunting. One of these parties fol- 
 lowed up the wild Amonoosuc, and in wandering 
 about upon its upper waters were lost, and in 
 time two of them climbed to the top of the 
 mountain. Here they saw spread out before 
 them the country, which was covered by a dense 
 forest, and they traced the course of the rivers 
 that ran south. They then descended upon the 
 southern slope, and T\dien they arrived at the 
 forest stopped to quench their thirst at a little 
 mountain rill. One of them drank and proceed- 
 ed slowly on, but the other, as he kneeled to sip 
 the sparkling water, saw shining in the sand at 
 the bottom v/hat appeared to be bright grains of 
 gold. Picking up a handful of these, he tied 
 them in a corner of his handkerchief, and after 
 heaping a small monument of stones on the 
 bank, departed. The particles which he collect- 
 
SCENERY OF WARREN. 119 
 
 ed he carried to Boston, and on showing them to 
 a jeweler was informed that they were gold, and 
 received for them fifty dollars. The man now 
 made preparation to return to his golden foun- 
 tain, but being taken sick, shortly after died, and 
 the golden stream has not since been discovered. 
 Following round upon the east line of the 
 town, and noticing the principal objects which 
 serve to form Warren's varied scenery. First, 
 to the south of Moosehillock, upon the left rises 
 the Walternumus, so called from an Indian 
 chief. It is a green, wooded mountain, with three 
 summits, which are in Woodstock. At its foot 
 runs Baker river, which rises on the north side 
 of Moosehillock, from a lo.rge spring situated in 
 an immense circular basin, formed by two spurs 
 of thptt mountain. Thence, for several miles in 
 the dark ravines about these mountains, wdien 
 the snows are melting or heavy rains have fallen, 
 it rushes onward a furious torrent, until it reach- 
 es a more level country, where it looses its wild, 
 turbulent spirit ; and, flowing on in fertile mead- 
 ows, receiving in its course the water of many 
 other streams, it at last unites v/ith the Pemige- 
 wasset in Plymouth. This stream receives its 
 name from Capt. Baker, who defeated the In- 
 dians at their encampment near its mouth, in 
 1725. There is a tradition in vogue that the 
 
120 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 Indians called the river Pehaungun, and the 
 Pemigewassets once had a chief of that name. 
 
 We do not wish to be finding fault with the 
 names by which many of our mountains, ponds 
 and rivers are known ; but who would not rather 
 they would all be called by those harmonious, 
 beautiful, rich, swelling names, bestowed by the 
 red men of the forest, who once battled and 
 hunted around them ; for every lake, river and 
 forest in our country was designated by them 
 with a name appropriate to its situation and 
 character. The Indian language was a beautiful 
 nomenclature ; but it seems that our forefathers, 
 with driving them from the soil, were anxious to 
 obliterate almost every trace of their existence, 
 and now only few of their names remain with us. 
 
 Next to the Walternumus is Kineo mountain, 
 standing in the north-east corner of the town — 
 deriving its name from another Indian chief. 
 This mountain is also densely wooded. East 
 Branch takes its rise upon its western sloj^e, and 
 falls into Baker river near the place where it also 
 receives Merrill brook, from the side of Moose- 
 hillock ; while, in the valley separating from 
 Cushman mountain, is Kineo brook — a small 
 stream, whose fountain is but a few rods distant 
 from that of another stream, which runs east 
 through Woodstock, and unites with the Pemi- 
 gewasset. This mountain is 2700 feet high. 
 
CUSHMAN MOUNTAIN. 121 
 
 wliile its neighbor, Cushman mountain, is 3000 
 feet. The highest point of Cushman mountain 
 is in Warren, although a greater portion of it is 
 in Woodstock and Ellsworth — the latter towns 
 forming their corner on its northern side. 
 
 The mountain receives its name from a hunter 
 of olden time, who, late one autumn, was trap- 
 ping sable upon it. One day, after being busily 
 engaged in his labor, he entered his camp, and 
 night had scarcely begun to come over him, 
 wiien the melancholy howl of the wolves struck 
 on his ear, the mournful echoes of Vvdiich w^ere 
 repeated through every part of the forest. Eve- 
 ry moment they seemed to aj)proach nearer, and 
 soon his camp is surrounded by a pack of the 
 hungry creatures. Snatching his gun, he scram- 
 bled up a small sapling near by, just in time to 
 save himself from their jaws. Being disappoint- 
 ed of their prey, they howled and leaped about 
 in mad fury. Cushman now thought he would 
 treat them with a little cold lead, and aiming at 
 the leader of the pack, fired. The wolf gave a 
 mad howl, and, leaping several feet in the air, 
 fell to the ground, and was torn in pieces by his 
 hungry companions. Loading his gun, he fired 
 at another, who shared the same fate. Again 
 he fired and killed the third, w^hen the wolves, 
 seeing their numbers decreasing, and having 
 satisfied their appetites upon one of their own 
 
122 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 species, fled, and Cusliman was no more annoyed 
 by them that night. 
 
 The last of this range is Mount Carr, which is 
 located partly in each of the towns of Warren^ 
 Ellsworth, Rumneyand Wentworth, and is 3381 
 feet in height. 
 
 " It is composed," says Dr. Jackson, " of gran- 
 ite, overlaying mica slate ; and from the vertical 
 dip of this rock at its base, it would seem highly 
 probable that the granite had been erupted 
 through it, forming a cap on its summit." The 
 mountain is wooded to the top ; but owing to 
 the great elevation, the trees are stunted and 
 gnarled in appearance, and consist principally of 
 low firs and mountain birch. From this circum- 
 stance it is seldom ascended, as it would be al- 
 most impossible to obtain a good prospect of the 
 surrounding scenery. 
 
 When the country was first settled, and its 
 geography but little known, a certain Mr. Carr, 
 wishing to proceed from Ellsworth to Warren, 
 attempted to cross the mountain. At the time 
 he left Ellsworth the sky was free from clouds, 
 and every appearance gave sign of pleasant 
 weather. But he had proceeded but a short dis- 
 tance in the woods before there arose a terrific 
 shower, common to mountainous regions, and 
 after raining a short time, instead of clearing 
 away, a thick fog set in, and a long rain ensuing, 
 
CARR MOUNTAIN. 123 
 
 it did not lift itself from the mountain for three 
 days. At the commencement of the shower Mr. 
 Carr crept under the trunk of a large tree which 
 had fallen across a knoll ; and as it did not cease 
 raining, but continued to fall more violently, he 
 concluded that he should be obliged to remain 
 in his present situation during the night. The 
 log over his head was an immense hemlock, and 
 peeling some of the loose bark from the trunk, 
 he sat it with sticks of rotton wood against the 
 sides of the tree, more effectually to shield him 
 from the falling water. He had no means of 
 lighting a hre ; and as he had gained a consider- 
 able elevation, as night came on he began to feel 
 the effects of the cool air. He had taken provi- 
 sion enough for his dinner, but nothing more ; 
 and as he sat, hungry and shivering, the scene 
 to him was a solitary one. The rain, as it fell 
 upon the large green leaves, or sifted through 
 the evergreen boughs of the hemlock and spruce, 
 kept up a confused, pattering, sifting noise ; and 
 as it grew dark, he laid down and tried to sleep, 
 listening to its doleful music. But this was al- 
 most impossible, for as a drowse would steal upon 
 him, some great owl overhead would scream out 
 suddenly; and then, as its rough music died 
 away, the other inhabitants of the forest took up 
 the strain ; and he heard the hoarse howl of the 
 wolf, and the long-drawn halloo of the bear, 
 
124 HISTORY OP WARREN. 
 
 ecliomg from every part of the forest. Thus the 
 night passed away — its long hours seeming Kke 
 weeks, until at last the dark, misty light of morn- 
 ing began to dawn around, and reveal the huge, 
 gnarled trunks of the trees through the thick 
 fog. Numb with cold, he arose and resolved to 
 make an effort to find his way out of the woods. 
 He started on as he thought up the mountain, 
 and traveled until he imagined he had reached 
 the top. He then descended until he arrived at 
 the foot, and began to have hope that he should 
 find the settlement ; but he was doomed to dis- 
 appointment, for he had traveled but a short 
 distance before he began to ascend again. He 
 then tried to retrace his steps, but it was of no 
 avail, and after wandering about for a long time 
 he found himself standing upon the shore of a 
 small pond. It still rained, and the descending 
 drops, as they struck upon the smooth surface of 
 the little mountain lake, made strange music 
 for the ear of Carr. He now made up his mind, 
 as it was near night, to remain here until the 
 following day. He built himself a slight camp 
 by the side of a rock, and sitting down passed a 
 much more dreary night than the first. Cold 
 and shivering, as he lay by the side of that sheet 
 of water he heard the hoarse croaking of the 
 frogs, mingling with the voices of his serenaders 
 of the previous night ; but exhausted nature 
 
MR. carr's adventure. 125 
 
 would at times overcome these diificulties, and 
 sleep for a few moments steal upon him ; but 
 even then his anxieties would not leave him, and 
 he would awake unrefreshed to a true sense of 
 his situation. The nighty though a long one to 
 him, at last passed away. It had ceased raining, 
 and although foggy, he was able to distinguish 
 the position of the sun when it rose, and by it to 
 learn his points of compass. Two nights h?td 
 passed and he had not tasted food, and hunger 
 was now oppressing him severely. To satisfy it 
 he proceeded to a small stream near by, that ran 
 from the pond, in hope that he might catch some 
 fish ; but after a few ineffectual attempts he gave 
 up the design, and proceeded back to the pond. 
 As he stood looking at the water, he saw swim- 
 ming about and hopping along the shore numer- 
 ous frogs — his last night's serenaders. A hungry 
 man will do almost any thing to satisfy his crav- 
 ing appetite, and Carr, after catching and killing 
 a number of frogs, cut them up with his knife, 
 and made quite a meal upon the ra.w flesh. — 
 Feeling now much refreshed, he resolved once 
 more to make an attempt to find the settle- 
 ment. Taking a westerly course, he at last again 
 found himself upon the top of the mountain. 
 The clouds hung thick around, making it impos- 
 sible to distinguish any object a few feet distant; 
 and once more Carr found himself in a critical 
 
126 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 position. But proceeding cautiously he at last 
 began to descend, as he believed upon the oppo- 
 site side. For a number of hours he slowly de- 
 scended the mountain^ crossing in his course sev- 
 eral furious torrents, until at last, reaching the 
 level country, after traveling for some time, final- 
 ly began to think that he should be obliged to 
 spend another night in the woods ; but as he 
 commenced to look around for a convenient 
 camping place, the sharp ringing of some settler's 
 axe greeted his ear. Instantly relinquishing his 
 design of camping, he proceeded towards what 
 was to him the joyful sound, and soon emerged 
 into a recent clearing. In the centre stood a 
 snug cabin, and he quickly found himself within 
 its hospitable walls. Here he was generously 
 provided for, and after somewhat recovering from 
 his fatigue, related his adventure in the woods. 
 Gradually the story circulated through the neigh- 
 boring settlements, and the people gave his name 
 to the mountain upon which his adventure hap- 
 pened. 
 
 Upon the east side of this mountain, situated 
 in what might be called an immense horse-shoe 
 basin, are three small, beautiful sheets of water, 
 called Glen ponds, two of which are in Warren, 
 and the remaining one in Ellsworth. There is 
 no settler within several miles of these little 
 lakes, and the persons who visit them — as many 
 
GLEN PONDS. 127 
 
 do to obtain from their waters the beautiful trout 
 with which they abound — see the same appear- 
 ances that have characterized this vicinity for 
 ages anterior to the settlement of the country 
 by the w^hite man. No house or field is visible, 
 nor no clearings upon the distant hill-side are 
 seen. The steep mountain sides show nothing 
 but the dark foliage of the spruce and fir, with 
 here and there a scraggy stump peering above 
 it. The little rill that unites the waters of the 
 two ponds murmurs on in solitude at noonday. 
 The low blueberry bush and the brakes grow 
 thick upon its banks, and here the owl finds his 
 day retreat, and at night, attracted by the bright 
 camp-fires of fishermen by the shore, sallies forth 
 to startle them with his loud To wJioo ! To ivlioo ! 
 and make their repose any thing but agreeable. 
 Well may they be called by the name they bear, 
 for here is always the shaded glen. On its 
 northern slope rises Carr brook, and not far from 
 the head waters of this stream, from several 
 springs situated near the summit, and more than 
 three thousand feet above the ocean, Patch 
 brook, receiving its name from the circumstance 
 that Mr. Joseph Patch first erected his cabin 
 upon its south bank, near its confluence mth 
 Hurricane brook. From its fountain it flows 
 along for a mile or two through dark ravines, 
 shaded still darker by the heavy growth of spruce 
 
128 HISTORY OF V/ARREN. 
 
 and hemlock, among wliich until very recently 
 the axe of civilized man never made an opening, 
 — -just before leaving the forest it rushes madly 
 down several steep precipices, forming a number 
 of beautiful cascades. This cataract in the spring 
 of the year, when the snow is melting, or a large 
 freshet has occurred, to fill the stream with 
 water, is a most magnificent water-fall, and tum- 
 bles, by a series of successive leaps, over the 
 rocks the distance of one hundred feet. At the 
 foot, the water, all white with foam, rushes madly 
 around the circling eddies, as if frightened by 
 the wild leaps it had taken. The old forest, 
 composed of gigantic hemlocks and spruces, in- 
 termingled with birch and maple, shuts out all 
 but a few straggling rays of the sun, giving a 
 twilight mildness to the scene. 
 
 From this place it flows on, a sluggish stream, 
 receiving in its course the waters of many a 
 sandy-rimmed spring, and at last unites with Ba- 
 ker river near the south line of the town. 
 
 A little east of Patch brook, and situated be- 
 tween this stream and Hurricane brook, which 
 receives its name from the circumstance of a ter- 
 rific whirlwind once occurring along the ravines 
 through which it flows, and in which it forms 
 several beautiful Avater-falls, is Peaked Hill. — 
 This is a beautiful conical eminence, and its sides 
 are covered with a fine growing wood, while its 
 
PEAKED HILL. 129 
 
 summit is in summer a green pasture, and in 
 winter presents a white snow cap to the forest 
 below. A view from the top is picturesque and 
 beautiful. Around are all the various features 
 of nature's beauty and grandeur: the forest- 
 crowned height, the abrupt declivity, the shel- 
 tered valley, the deep glen, the grassy glade, the 
 silent grove. Here are the lofty maples, the 
 beach that wreaths its old fantastic roots so high, 
 the rustling pine, the waving birch, and the ever- 
 green, with its perennial shoots. Here, too, is the 
 thick shrubbery, and the wild flower creeping up 
 the moss-covered rocks. All around there rests 
 a beautiful calm, disturbed only by the breeze 
 that murmurs through the waving top of the 
 forest, or the notes of the warbler pouring forth 
 its joyful song. To the east we behold, towering 
 heavenward thousands of feet above, the blue, 
 forest-clad Mt. Carr, while on either hand are 
 distant hills and lofty mountains. Turning and 
 looking down a thousand feet below is seen wind- 
 ing slowly at times, and then coursing madly 
 along over its seemingly white, rocky bed, the 
 sparkling waters of the Baker. Winding slowly 
 along to unite with it are seen Patch brook and 
 Hurricane brook, while farther off Black brook, 
 its ponds adding lustre to the scene, and Cold 
 brook, a tiny stream, running with a purling, 
 joyous noise from its sandy rimmed spring, which 
 
130 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 gushes up so gaily from its pebbly white bottom. 
 Along upon the sides of the old road, north and 
 southj are seen the prosperous farm houses of the 
 thrifty husbandmen ; the fine blue smoke, curl- 
 ing up gracefully from the weather-beaten chim- 
 neys ; while upon a slightly elevated spur of land 
 stands the pleasant little village, with its white 
 cottages and sombre-hued station houses, and 
 heavy iron track, leading to and from ; over which 
 the huge iron horse so proudly courses. The 
 beautiful and white painted churches upon 
 the green, while upon its borders, casting a beau- 
 tiful shade, are the vigorous growing maples. 
 The busy workshops, the mills, with their musical 
 water wheels ; the opening vistas, are all before 
 us, and we breathe amid the fresh and varied 
 labors of men. 
 
 Leaving Peaked hill, which receives its name 
 (although it deserves a better one) from its con- 
 ical form, we pass through the valley of Baker 
 river across the railroad, and that wild stream, 
 and find ourselves upon the western hill-side 
 from the village. Here the ground is rocky, and 
 broad strips of stone peer out on the surface. 
 Upon the top of a high, jutting rock, we find cut 
 four concave holes, representing the four points 
 of compass. How long these have been formed 
 no one at the present time happens to know, and 
 some date their formation back to the time of 
 
TARLTON POND. 131 
 
 the red sons of the forest, and say they were 
 made by the Indians. Be this as it may, they 
 perhaps will always remain a mystery. From 
 this point the land rises gradually to the top of 
 Sentinel mountain, so called from its isolated 
 position. This mountain, which is twenty-five 
 hundred feet in height, is covered with a fertile 
 soil, and is wooded upon its summit, while upon 
 its sides are located many fine farms. Near the 
 top rise two small streams. One of them, Avhich 
 runs south into Wentworth, is called Leathers' 
 brook, from a man by that name who lived near 
 it, and it is said he descended from a Gipsy tribe. 
 The other is a branch of Bowls' brook, which 
 runs into Black brook, and is so called from 
 Charles Bowls, who lived by it. 
 
 This range of mountains was termed by Dr. 
 Dwight the Lyme range, and, as said by him, af- 
 forded some of the most beautiful scenery to be 
 found in this section of New Hampshire. Upon 
 its northern slope is Tarlton pond, which lies 
 partly in Piermont and partly in Warren, al- 
 though much the larger portion of it is in the 
 former town. This sheet of water is two miles 
 in length and nearly one in bredth, and receives 
 its name from a family by the name of Tarlton, 
 who, in the early settling of the town, cleared a 
 farm upon its shore. It discharges its waters 
 through the town of Piermont into the Connect- 
 
132 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 icut river. A boat ride upon it in a summer 
 day presents a very picturesque view. To the 
 east is seen the towering summit of Moosehil- 
 lock and the other dark and sombre hued moun- 
 tains that cluster around it, while in the west 
 Cross' hill, and further off in the distance the 
 green, variegated sides of the far off mountains 
 of Vermont are visible. 
 
 To the south of this pond are two others in 
 Piermont, and between these and the first named 
 runs the old Turnpike. Upon this road, near 
 the height of land, a Mr. Samuel Flanders was 
 once traveling; and as he was passing a piece of 
 woods had his attention attracted by the cack- 
 ling of a goose, and looking up saw an enormous 
 wild cat, who had caught it and was now strip- 
 ping off the feathers, preparatory to making his 
 supper. The cat was too fond of poultry to have 
 a prudent regard for his own safety, and Mr. 
 Flanders not having a thought of the danger 
 he would be in, with a large goad stick in 
 his hand attacked the cat, and with a well directed 
 blow stretched it upon the ground and succeeded 
 in dispatching it. 
 
 North-east from Tarlton pond, and situated in 
 the north part of the town, near Benton line, is 
 Webster Slide. In viewing it from day to day 
 one beholds its same sharp outlines and precipi- 
 tous face, which its hard rocks have sustained 
 
WEBSTER SLIDE. 133 
 
 since its upheaval. A view from its summit is 
 very picturesque. On the south hes at its base 
 a Httle lake, surrounded with green woods, receiv- 
 ing the many purling rills which gush from its 
 side and trickle over its moss-covered rocks. — 
 Beyond, the towering summits of the eastern 
 mountains are seen, with the valley of Baker 
 river intervening, and in the west several sheets 
 of water, while farther off in the distance several 
 conical peaks of granite mountains are in full 
 view. 
 
 In the early settlement of the town an inci- 
 dent occurred upon this mountain, from which 
 originated the name it now bears. A certain 
 Mr. Webster in the fall of the year was out hunt- 
 ing for moose. He started one in Piermont, and 
 followed him by Tarlton pond into Warren. — 
 Here he tocJk an easterly course, evidently de- 
 signing to' cross over the lower ranges of moun- 
 tains, and make for Moosehillock. When he 
 reached the summit of what is now called Web- 
 ster Slide, the dogs came up with him and pressed 
 upon him so hard, that he took a southerly course 
 upon the top of the mountain, and arrived upon 
 the edge of the precipice without noticing the 
 critical position in which he was placed. The 
 dogs were close upon him, and as he turned they 
 attacked him, and in the encounter a quantity 
 of loose stones and earth, upon which they stood, 
 
134 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 .chanced to give way, and the moose and one of 
 the dogs were precipitated down the steep side. 
 As Mr. Webster was following on, he met the re- 
 maining dog returning, and with it proceeded to 
 the place where they encountered the moose. 
 Webster cautiously approached the edge of the 
 precipice, and looking down saw the track of the 
 slide. He then descended upon one of the sides 
 which was not so steep, and following round 
 near the base, he at last found near the foot of 
 the mountain the dead bodies of the moose and 
 dog. 
 
 To one travelling from place to place, every 
 change in position presents a new scene, and 
 there is consequently ever passing before the 
 eye a beautiful picture, beholding which gives 
 delight to every lover of nature's scenes. So in 
 passing from Webster Slide to the shore of Mead- 
 er pond, one finds himself by the side of a sheet 
 of water, surrounded by thick woods^ scarce yet 
 disturbed by civilization. Looking across the 
 surface of this little lake, he sees before him 
 the sharp, precipitous face of the mountain rising 
 up almost perpendicular out of the water. Upon 
 the high top among the huge rocks are growing 
 a few solitary clumps of stunted firs and spruces ; 
 while in the numerous crannies thrive the hare- 
 bell and blueberry bush. On either side, except 
 a little pasture near the foot of the mountain, 
 
BLACK BROOK. 135 
 
 is the darkj old evergreeen forest, with its huge 
 hemlocks and spruces mingling their branches 
 with other kinds of wood. Paddling out upon its 
 surface one sees rising into view the tops of the 
 distant hills and mountains, but in no direction 
 is human habitation visible. 
 
 This is the largest sheet of water wholly with- 
 in the town, and receives its name from Paul 
 Header, who settled near it. It contains about 
 fifty acres, and it is said when first discovered its 
 waters were destitute of fish ; they not being able 
 to pass up Oak Falls. But this is believed by 
 many to be a mistake, for in the short space of 
 two years after a Mr. Heath and Mr. Johnson 
 had put some very small ones into it, several 
 were captured, each of which weighed from ^Ye 
 to eight pounds. 
 
 From Meader pond runs Black brook. This 
 stream for a short distance meanders through the 
 heavy growth of vf ood ; then, flowing on in the 
 open field until it arrives at the top of a high, 
 precipitous bank, about three-fourths of a mile 
 from the pond. Here, in falling down, it forms 
 a beautiful cascade, known by the name of Oak 
 Falls. Standing at its top, and looking down, 
 one sees the white foaming waters beneath, shad- 
 ed upon either side by the thick growth of wood. 
 At the foot, two hundred feet below, stands an 
 old mill fast falling to decay, and a little farther 
 
136 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 off is the deep railroad cut, upon the Summit. 
 Looking up, the towering peak of Moosehillock 
 mountain is seen, while on the right Mount Carr, 
 with its sides covered to the top with green 
 woods, looms up against the sky. On the left, 
 Black mountain in Benton, and Owl Head, with 
 its steep granite face, fills up the picture. 
 
 Here once occurred a tragical scene. A Mr. 
 Meader with several others were rolling logs 
 down the steep bank near the falls. They had 
 rolled down several during the day, and had 
 nearly finished their work, when one of the men 
 with the team hauled a very large one to the 
 edge of the precipice ; some of them immediate- 
 ly took hold to roll it off*, and among them Mr. 
 Meader. Something obstructing it, he let go, 
 and, taking up a lever, with a hook attached, 
 fastened it to the log. They then all lifting suc- 
 ceeded in starting it, and then stepped back out 
 of the way, except Mr. Meader, who, in attempt- 
 ing to disengage his lever, stumbled, and having 
 a firm hold of it, was thrown over in front of the 
 log. His companions heard one unearthly 
 scream, and, looking over, saw the huge stick 
 thundering far down the precipice after its pred- 
 ecessors, while Mr. Meader laid but a short dis- 
 tance below, a mangled corpse. 
 
 From the cascade the water, after flowing a 
 mile and a half, supplying in its course a motive 
 
BLACK BROOK. 137 
 
 power for macliinery upon its banks, assumes a 
 sluggish, black appearance in the meadows, which 
 formerly must have been the bed of a large pond 
 containing a number of hundred acres, but which 
 now comprises several beautiful farms. At the 
 place where must have been the mouth of this 
 now runaway pond, was built the first saw-mill 
 ever erected in Warren. Half a mile below this 
 it receives, in a large mill pond which it forms, 
 a part of the water of Baker river, through a 
 canal and an underground passage. Half 
 a mile from this place, after turning numerous 
 water wheels, it unites with Baker river a short 
 distance below the village. From the blackness 
 which has always characterized the waters of this 
 stream, it has borne the name of Black brook 
 since the settlement of the town. 
 
 Upon the right hand of Black brook, as one fol- 
 lows along by its running waters, or rides after the 
 swift steam horse from the Summit, is a large swell 
 of land, upon which are located many excellent 
 farms, which the owners are every year improv- 
 ing and making more beautiful. Upon the east- 
 ern side of this ridge runs Berry brook, which 
 rises upon the north-west side of Moosehillock, 
 and flows on the same level with the Olive rian, 
 within one half a mile of that stream. They 
 then take opposite directions — the Oliverian flow- 
 ing west, and emptying into the Connecticut, and 
 
138 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 the Berry brook south, through a large hollow, 
 shaded by a high jutting spur of Moosehillock ; 
 at one time meandering along in its solitude and 
 then swiftly rushing over some rapid fall, for 
 two or three miles, when it reaches the open 
 country and unites with Baker river near the 
 centre of the town. 
 
 Before the settlement of the country this 
 stream abounded with ponds formed by the 
 beavers' dams, and the remains of many of them 
 are still to be seen. Here, generation after gen- 
 eration sported in its waters or fashioned their 
 neatly finished mud domicils. It was a secluded 
 place, and their habitations Avere in but little 
 danger of being disturbed. But as the lower 
 section of the country grew more jDopulous, this 
 vicinity was considered a rich hunting ground, 
 and numerous were the hardy individuals who 
 traversed it. A short time before its settlement 
 a young man by the name of Berry came to this 
 section on such an excursion, and captured many 
 beavers upon this stream. From this circum- 
 stance it received its name. 
 
 There is also much other fine scenery, and 
 beautiful rides in every direction. Hundreds of 
 smaller eminences overlook the landscapes and 
 views that would adorn the canvas of the paiilc- 
 er, and here the seeker of pleasure and rural life 
 finds all that can attract and charm the mind. 
 
139 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 TOWN OFFICERS, &c. 
 
 Since the organization of the town by the 
 State, it has had its board of officers regularly 
 chosen with but very few exceptions. In the 
 commencement, when the town contained but 
 a few inhabitants, it classed with several 
 other towns for representation; consequently 
 there would sometimes many years intervene 
 between the representation of the people of 
 Warren by one of its own citizens. From 1800 
 to 1828, as the representatives were not chosen 
 at the annual town meetings, the town clerks 
 were negligent about recording the names of 
 those who represented the town ; consequently 
 some of them may possibly be omitted. 
 
 Selectmen from 1779 to 1854. 
 
 1779. 
 Ob ^'^ "'lement,-^ 
 
 Ephraim True, 
 
 Joseph Patch. 
 
 Simeon Smith, 
 
 1786. 
 
 JosLi ■ -jpp, 
 
 Joshua Merrill. 
 
 Joshua Copp, 
 
 Israel Stevens. 
 
 1783. 
 
 Stephen Richardson, 
 
 1780. 
 
 Obadiah Clement<"^ 
 
 William Butler. 
 
 Joshua Copp, 
 
 Joshua Merrill, 
 
 1787. 
 
 Thomas Clark, 
 
 William Butler. 
 
 William Butler, 
 
 John Whitcher. 
 
 1784. 
 
 Joshua Copp, 
 
 1781. 
 
 Obadiah Clement,*' 
 
 Stephen Richardson. 
 
 Obadlah Clement,^ 
 
 Stevens Merrill, 
 
 1788. 
 
 William Butler, 
 
 Samuel Knight. 
 
 Joshua Copp, 
 
 Isaiah Batchelder. 
 
 1785. 
 
 Ephraim True, 
 
 1789. 
 
 Obadiah Clement,-^ 
 
 Nathaniel Knight. 
 
 Joshua Copp, 
 
 Stevens Merrill, 
 
 
140 
 
 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 1789. 
 Nathaniel Knight, 
 Samuel Knight, 
 Moses Copp. 
 
 1790. 
 Nathaniel Knight, 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Stephen Richardson, 
 Abel Merrill. 
 
 1791. 
 Joshua Copp, 
 William Butler, 
 Stephen Richardson. 
 
 1792. 
 Ephraim True, 
 Joseph French, 
 Samuel Knight. 
 
 1793. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Joseph French, 
 Jonathan Clement. ^ 
 
 1794. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Thomas Boynton, 
 Aaron Welch. 
 
 1795. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Thomas Boynton, 
 Joseph French. 
 
 1796. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Abel Merrill, 
 Elisha Swett. 
 
 1797. 
 William Butler, 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Joseph French. 
 
 1798—99. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Abel Merrill, 
 Elisha Swett. 
 
 1800. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Ezra Bartlett, 
 William Butler. 
 
 1801. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Ezra Bartlett, 
 Abel Merrill. 
 
 1802—3. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Abel Merrill, • 
 
 Elisha Swett. 
 
 1804. 
 Ezra Bartlett, 
 Abel Merrill, 
 Elisha Swett. 
 
 1805. 
 Abel Merrill, 
 William Butler, 
 Daniel Patch. 
 
 1806. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Daniel Patch, 
 Jonathan Fellows. 
 
 1807. 
 Abel Merrill, 
 Joseph Patch, 
 Elisha Swett. 
 
 1808. 
 Joseph Patch, jr., 
 Aaron Welch, 
 Ebenezer Barker. 
 
 1809. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Joseph Patch, jr., 
 Jonathan Fellows. 
 
 1810. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Abel Merrill, 
 Amos Tarlton. 
 
 1811. 
 Abel Merrill, 
 Joseph Patch, jr., 
 Amos Tarlton. 
 
 1812. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Benjamin Merrill, 
 Joseph Merrill. 
 
 1813. 
 Joseph Patch, 
 Thomas Whipple, 
 Stephen Flanders. 
 
 1814. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Abel Merrill, 
 Joseph Patch, jr. 
 
 1815—16. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 
 Abel Merrill, . 
 
 Moses H. Clement.^ 
 
 1817. 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Abel Merrill, 
 James Williams. 
 
 1818—19. 
 Joseph Patch, jr., 
 Moses H. Clement, 
 Stephen Flanders. 
 
 1820. 
 Joseph Patch, jr., 
 Nathaniel Clough, 
 Jacob Patch. 
 
 1821. 
 Nathaniel Clough, 
 Jacob Patch, 
 Amos Tarlton. 
 
 1822. 
 Jacob Patch, 
 Amos Tarlton, 
 George Libbey. 
 
 1823. 
 Abel Merrill, 
 Joseph Patch, 
 Joseph Bixby. 
 
 1824. 
 Jacob Patch, 
 Moses H. Clement, 
 William Clough. 
 
 1825. 
 Moses H. Clement, ^"'"'^ 
 Jacob Patch, 
 William Clough. 
 
 1826. 
 Jacob Patch, 
 William Clough, 
 Enoch R. Weeks. W,, 
 
 1827. r 
 
 Moses H. Clement, ^'^ 
 Enoch R. Weeks, 
 Stevens Merrill. 
 
 1828. 
 Moses H. Clement, 
 Enoch R. Weeks, 
 Samuel Merrill. 
 
 1829. 
 William Clough, 
 Samuel Merrill, 
 George Libbey. 
 
TOWN CLERKS. 
 
 141 
 
 1830. 
 Jacob Patch, 
 Benjamin Little,"] 
 Samuel Merrill. 
 
 1831—32. 
 Jacob Patch, 
 Benjamin Little, 
 Anson Merrill. 
 
 1833. 
 Enoch R. Weeks, 
 Moses H. Clement, 
 Samuel L. Merrill. 
 
 1834. 
 Moses H. Clement, 
 Samuel L. Merrill, 
 Samuel Merrill. 
 
 1835. 
 Jacob Patch, 
 Isaac Merrill, 2d, 
 Solomon Cotton. 
 
 1836. 
 Samuel L. Merrill, 
 Solomon Cotton, 
 George Libbey. 
 
 1837. 
 Samuel L. Merrill, 
 George Libbey, 
 Enoch R. Weeks. 
 
 1838. 
 William Clough, 
 William Pomeroy, 
 
 Jonathan Little. 
 
 1839. 
 William Pomeroy, 
 Jonathan Little, 
 Joseph Bixby. 
 
 1840. 
 Jonathan Little, 
 Joseph Bixby, 
 Stevens M. Dow. 
 
 1841—42. 
 Enoch R. Weeks, 
 Solomon Cotton, 
 Nathaniel Merrill, 2d. 
 
 1843. 
 Enoch R. Weeks, 
 William Pomeroy, 
 Russell F. Clifford. 
 
 1844. 
 Isaac Merrill, 
 Russell F. Clifford, 
 Stevens M. Dow. 
 
 1845. 
 Isaac Merrill, 
 Russell F. Clifford, 
 James S. Merrill. 
 
 1846. 
 Samuel L. Merrill, 
 James S. Merrill, 
 James Clement. ■ "" 
 
 1847. 
 Jesse Little, 
 
 Solomon Cotton, 
 Ira M. Weeks. 
 
 1848. 
 Jesse Little, 
 Ira M. Weeks, 
 David Smith. 
 
 1849. 
 Samuel L. Merrill, 
 David Smith, 
 Thomas P. Huckins. 
 
 1850. 
 Samuel L. Merrill, 
 Thomas P. Huckins, 
 Alba C. Weeks. 
 
 1851. 
 Samuel L. Merrill, 
 Alba C. Weeks, 
 Michael P. Merrill. 
 
 1852. 
 Samuel L. Merrill, 
 Michael P. Merrill, 
 Joseph Clement. «,mw 
 
 1853. 
 David Smith, 
 Joseph Clement, a*** 
 Jonathan Little. 
 
 1854. 
 William Pomeroy, 
 Ezra W. Cleasby, 
 James Clement. «tfn 
 
 Town ClerJiS. 
 
 1779. 
 1785. 
 1787. 
 1788. 
 1790. 
 1793. 
 1803. 
 1805. 
 1806. 
 1807. 
 1809, 
 1811. 
 
 Obadiah Clement,' 
 Joshua Copp, 
 JosJuia Merrill, 
 Nathaniel Knight, 
 Joshua Copp, 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Ezra Bartlett, 
 Abel Merrill, 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Abel Merrill, 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Benjamin Merrill, 
 
 6 years. 
 1 year 
 
 1 year. 
 
 2 years. 
 2 years. 
 
 10 years. 
 2 years 
 1 year. 
 
 1 year. 
 
 2 years. 
 2 years. 
 2 years. 
 
 1813. 
 1815. 
 1816. 
 1817. 
 
 1818. 
 1820. 
 1827. 
 1828. 
 1831. 
 1838. 
 1844. 
 1846. 
 
 Thomas Whipple, 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 Joseph Patch, jr., 
 Robert Burns, 
 Joseph Patch, jr., 
 Moses H. Clement, 
 Enoch R. Weeks, 
 Anson Merrill, 
 Jesse Little, 
 Russell K. Clement, 
 Isaac Merrill, 
 Russell K. Clement, 
 
 2 years. 
 1 year. 
 1 year. 
 
 1 year. 
 
 2 years. 
 7 years. 
 
 1 year. 
 4 years. 
 
 7 years. 
 6 years. 
 
 2 years. 
 
 8 years. 
 
142 
 
 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 Representatives. 
 
 1784. 
 
 Obadiah ClemenfT 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1830. 
 
 Moses H. Clement,'"'^ 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1789. 
 
 William Tarlton, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1831. 
 
 Enoch R. Weeks, 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1793. 
 
 Jonathan Merrill, 
 
 3 years. 
 
 1833. 
 
 Jacob Patch, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1797. 
 
 William Butler, 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1834. 
 
 Moses H. Clementr ' 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1800. 
 
 William Tarlton, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1835. 
 
 Jacob Patch, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1801. 
 
 Abel Merrill, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1836. 
 
 Moses H. Clement,""^' 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1805. 
 
 Ezra Bartlett, 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1838. 
 
 Moses H. Clementy^ 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1808. 
 
 Abel Merrill, 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1839. 
 
 Enoch R. Weeks, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1810. 
 
 Daniel Davis, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1840. 
 
 Jesse Little, 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1811. 
 
 Abel Merrill, 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1842. 
 
 William Clough, 
 
 2 years . 
 
 1813. 
 
 Daniel Davis, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1844. 
 
 Russell K. Clement,' 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1814. 
 
 Joseph Patch, jr.. 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1846. 
 
 Jonathan Little, 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1816. 
 
 Daniel Davis, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1848. 
 
 Russell K. Clement, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1817. 
 
 Joseph Patch, jr., 
 
 4 years. 
 
 1849. 
 
 L. C. Whitcher, 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1822. 
 
 Amos Tarlton, 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1851. 
 
 William Pomeroy, 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1825. 
 
 Abel Merrill, 
 
 2 years. 
 
 1853. 
 
 Isaac Merrill, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1828. 
 
 Jacob Patch, 
 
 1 year. 
 
 1854. 
 
 Russell K. Clement. 
 
 
 Mode7'ato7's. 
 
 Joshua Copp, 1779, 82, 98, 99 j Thomas Clark, 1780, 1 ; William Butler, 1783, 4, 
 7, 8, 91, 4, 1801 ; Stevens Merrill, 1785, 9, 90 ; Absalom Peters, 1786 ; Ephraim True, 
 1792; Thomas Boynton, 1793, 5; Abel Merrill, 1796, 1802, 3,5, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 
 17, 18, 19, 20, 25 ; Aaron Welch, 1797 ; Ezra Bartlett, 1800, 8, 11 ; Obadiah Clement, 
 1804 ; Jonathan Merrill, 1806, 9 ; Daniel Patch, 1816,21,2,3,4; George Libbey, 
 1826, 36, 7, 8, 9, 40, 2 ; Jacob Patch, 1827, 8 9, 30, 1, 2, 3, 4 ; Anson Merrill, 1835 ; 
 Isaac Merrill, 1841, 3, 8, 52, 3; William Pomeroy, 1844, 5, 7; Francis A. Cushman, 
 1846; Michael P. Merrill, 1849, 50, 1, 4. 
 
 School Committees. 
 
 1829. 
 David C. French, 
 Horatio W. Heath, 
 Robert E. Merrill 
 
 1830 
 Jacob Patch, 
 Anson Merrill, 
 Jonathan Little. 
 
 1831. 
 saac Merrill, 2d, 
 Job E. Merrill, 
 Russell F. Clifford. 
 
 1832. 
 Jonathan Little, 
 John L. Merrill, 
 
 Nathaniel Merrill, 2d. 
 
 1833. 
 Job E. Merrill, 
 Stevens M. Dow, 
 Russell K. Clement."* 
 
 1835. 
 Job E. Merrill, 
 Stevens M. Dow, 
 Anson Merrill. 
 
 1837. 
 Jesse Little, 
 Moses Merrill, 
 Russell K. Clement,.^ 
 
 1844. 
 Michael P. Merrill, 
 
 David Smith, 
 James M. Williams. 
 
 1845. 
 David Smith, 
 Michael P. Merrill, 
 James M. Williams. 
 
 1846. • 
 Michael P. Merrill, 
 Dudley B. Cotton, 
 Ira M. Weeks. 
 
 1847. 
 David Smith, 
 Dudley B. Cotton, 
 Ira M. Weeks. 
 
STATISTICS. 
 
 143 
 
 1848-9. 
 Dudley B. Cotton, 
 Ira Merrill, 
 James M. Williams. 
 
 1850. 
 William Merrill, 
 Alba C. Weeks, 
 
 Joseph B. Cotton. 
 
 1851. 
 William Merrill, 
 Joseph B. Cotton, 
 James M. Williams. 
 
 1852. 
 Michael P. Merrill. 
 
 1853. 
 James M. Williams, 
 Ira Merrill. 
 
 1854. 
 Ira Merrill. 
 
 Population at different periods. 
 
 1780 
 1790 
 1800 
 
 about 125 
 206 
 336 
 
 1810 
 
 1830 
 
 506 
 
 1840 
 
 938 
 
 544 
 
 1850 
 
 900 
 
 702 
 
 1854 
 
 1256 
 
 Amoii'ivt of money raised each year to pay toivn charges 
 
 1779 
 
 £100 
 
 1798 
 
 10 
 
 1817 
 
 60 
 
 1836 
 
 250 
 
 1780 
 
 150 
 
 1799 
 
 
 
 1818 
 
 30 
 
 1837 
 
 250 
 
 1781 
 
 500 
 
 1800 
 
 13 
 
 1819 
 
 75 
 
 1838 
 
 300 
 
 1782 
 
 4K* 
 
 1801 
 
 
 
 1820 
 
 50 
 
 1839 
 
 400 
 
 1783 
 
 6 
 
 1802 
 
 15 
 
 1821 
 
 30 
 
 1840 
 
 600 
 
 1784 
 
 5 
 
 1803 
 
 30 
 
 1822 
 
 40 
 
 1841 
 
 400 
 
 1785 
 
 
 
 1804 
 
 70 
 
 1823 
 
 50 
 
 1842 
 
 800 
 
 1786 
 
 5 
 
 1805 
 
 160 
 
 1824 
 
 75 
 
 1843 
 
 1000 
 
 1787 
 
 
 
 1806 
 
 40 
 
 1825 
 
 60 
 
 1844 
 
 1200 
 
 1788 
 
 3 
 
 1807 
 
 40 
 
 1826 
 
 75 
 
 1845 
 
 C50 
 
 1789 
 
 6 
 
 1808 
 
 75 
 
 18i27 
 
 150 
 
 1846 
 
 525 
 
 1790 
 
 9 
 
 1809 
 
 80 
 
 1823 
 
 200 
 
 1847 
 
 425 
 
 1791 
 
 e 
 
 1810 
 
 
 
 1829 
 
 300 
 
 1848 
 
 1000 
 
 1792 
 
 
 
 1811 
 
 
 
 1830 
 
 200 
 
 1849 
 
 900 
 
 1793 
 
 4K 
 
 1812 
 
 300 
 
 1831 
 
 200 
 
 1850 
 
 700 
 
 1791 
 
 6 
 
 1813 
 
 100 
 
 1832 
 
 200 
 
 1851 
 
 800 
 
 1795 
 
 3 
 
 1814 
 
 245 
 
 1833 
 
 150 
 
 1852 
 
 600 
 
 1796 
 
 
 
 1815 
 
 
 
 1834 
 
 150 
 
 1853 
 
 500 
 
 1797 
 
 $i:^S3 
 
 1816 
 
 30 
 
 1835 
 
 400 
 
 1854 
 
 550 
 
 *Si 
 
 Iver money. 
 
 
144 
 
 CHAPTEE VIII. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 Warren derives its beautiful name from Admi- 
 ral Warren, of Louisburg notoriety. This com- 
 mander rendered efficient service in wresting that 
 almost impregnable fortress from the French. 
 The troops sent against it were principally New 
 Hampshire and Massachusetts men, and the pro- 
 prietors, wishing to honor him, mentioned his 
 name as the one by which they wished the town- 
 ship called. The town bears also the same name 
 as Gen. Warren, one of those revolutionary he- 
 roes who fell as a martyr to the cause of freedom 
 at the battle of Bunker Hill, and whose deeds 
 are remembered by every true-hearted American 
 with pride. 
 
 Warren is situated in Longitude 5 ^ East from 
 Washington ; Latitude 43^50: It is bounded 
 on the north by Benton and Woodstock, east by 
 Woodstock and Ellsworth, south by Wentworth, 
 and west by Piermont. It is seventy miles from 
 Concord, on the route of the Boston, Concord & 
 Montreal Railroad, twelve from Haverhill, and 
 ninety-eight from Portsmouth. 
 
 The town is rough and uneven, except on the 
 river, but the soil is generally of a fertile char- 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 145 
 
 acter, and by fair cultivation yields respectable 
 crops ; although the first settlers realized better 
 ones than are obtained at the present time. The 
 soil was then new and had not been exhausted 
 by a perhaps sometimes injudicious method of 
 farming. But the individual who now walks over 
 the pleasant fields, and little dreams of the hard 
 toil that has been spent to make them what they 
 are, if he will but consider a moment, he will 
 perceive that he is more blessed by what he 
 receives from the earth than was the early pioneer. 
 The early settler was a stranger to many of 
 the conveniences and comforts of life. He had not 
 the implements for cultivating his land which 
 are now possessed, and it was a long distance 
 to populous settlements. Instead of houses of 
 worship and other instruction, mills, stores and 
 shops, around them was the wild wilderness ; and 
 it was not unfrequent to see the harmless moose 
 approach the humble cottage, and the inoffensive 
 deer was seen feeding on their little improve- 
 ments. The beaver, the otter and the muskrat 
 sported up and down the rivers and the brooks 
 almost unmolested, while the midnight howling 
 of the bear and wolf announced to them their 
 intended dej^redations on their flocks, herds and 
 fields. Although wood and timber was plenty, 
 so much of it was more of an evil than a blessing. 
 Their household and farming utensils were rude, 
 
146 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 and for the fine plows, barrows, hoes, shovels, 
 carpets, sofas and pianos, they had the wooden 
 plow, the wooden-toothed harrow, the crotchet 
 stick for a fork, and home-made spinning wheels 
 and looms. For the want of carriages they trav- 
 elled in smmmer on horse back, and in winter rode 
 upon sleds to meeting or in visiting their neigh- 
 bors. They were a hardy race, and many of 
 them excellent horsemen. When they w^ent to 
 meeting in summer, the good man mounted his 
 horse, and rode with his wife behind him, with 
 perhaps a child in her arms, while he carried one 
 before him on a pillow. But the good woman 
 did not always ride behind, for when she wished 
 to visit her friends she generally mounted and 
 rode off alone upon a spirited horse, without 
 guide or protector. 
 
 When East Warren was first settled, and the 
 road nothing more than a path with the trees 
 and underbrush cleared from it, Mrs. Samuel 
 Knight and Mrs. Caleb Homan, accompanied by 
 several other women and a young man by the 
 name of Webster, who was from Landaff, went 
 to Mr. Stephen Flanders' to pay the family a 
 visit. On their return home, when they arrived 
 near the Williams bridge, Mrs. Knight and Mrs. 
 Homan challenged young Webster, who was 
 mounted on a very fleet horse, to a race. He at 
 first did not like to consent, but they urged him 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 147 
 
 SO strongly that at last he acquiesced ; and whip- 
 pmg up, they went over that rough road for the 
 distance of a mile and a half at almost lightning 
 speed, when Webster, who had the smartest horse, 
 proved the winner, much to the chagrin of Mrs. 
 Knight and Mrs. Homan. Mr. Webster, now an 
 old man, remarked in telling the story that he 
 had rode over that piece of road many times 
 since, but never a quarter so fast as then. 
 
 These were a specimen of the women of that 
 day ; hardy and strong ; firm and daring. They 
 could attend to their household affairs, or, when 
 necessity called, could chop wood, drive oxen, 
 plovv^, sow and harvest crops, as well as the men. 
 Their clothing was simply tow and linen in sum- 
 mer, and woolen frocking for the men and woolen 
 dresses for the women, in winter. 
 
 The men had for amusements, raisings, train- 
 ings, wrestling, lifting and chopping bees, while 
 the women had quilting parties and carding bees. 
 Tea and coffee were then almost unknown; still 
 their visitors were treated in the most hospitable 
 manner, and for supper were served with various 
 kinds of broth ; corn, bean and barley broth being 
 the most common. As a substitute for these, 
 hasty-pudding was not uncommon, and this dish 
 constituted the almost standing supper in most 
 families; food not so delicious as perhaps is eaten 
 at the present time, but far more healthy. The 
 
148 HISTORY OP WARREN. 
 
 men in winter wore shoes with woolen leggings 
 tied at the top, to exclude the snow. They were 
 more conveniently made, and much cheaper than 
 boots. In summer both men and women went 
 barefoot a greater portion of the time. Great 
 coats and surtouts were seldom seen. 
 
 Every town has had its witch or wizard, and 
 Warren among them. It is told that in olden 
 time, when there were but a few clearings in 
 town, a young man went to see his lady love. — 
 While there, the happy moments flew swift, and 
 time had crept far into the small hours before he 
 thought of taking his leave. On his way home 
 he had to cross a stream on the trunk of a fallen 
 tree, and when he arrived at this point, as he was 
 stepping upon the log which was shaded by the 
 foliage of the huge trees around, and through 
 which a few straggling rays of the moon-beams 
 struggled, he saw standing on the other end a 
 white, airy figure, which looked to him anything 
 but earthly. He gazed upon it for a few mo- 
 ments, and then stepped from the log. As he 
 did so the figure followed his example, and he 
 saw it standing on the water. He now thought 
 he would venture across, but the moment he was 
 on the log, that light form was there also. Now 
 filled with terror, he gazed upon it a few mo- 
 ments longer, and beholding as he thought its 
 ghastly visage, he turned about and swiftly made 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 149 
 
 his way back to the house where he had so agree- 
 ably spent the evening, and waited till dajdight 
 before returning home. 
 
 A certain individual had at one time dealings 
 with another person, who was reputed to be a 
 wizard. In the transaction the first named gen- 
 tleman is said to have incurred the latter's dis- 
 pleasure, and he swore revenge. A few days 
 after, a son of the first named man, who was deaf 
 and dumb, commenced to act strangely. He 
 would be found running upon the ridge poles of 
 barns and upon the tops of fences, which he was 
 never known to do before ; at times he would 
 seem to experience the most excrutiating torture 
 and would writhe for hours in agony. When 
 asked who tormented him, he would go with an 
 individual and point out the house in which he 
 said his tormenter lived, but never in any in- 
 stance could he be persuaded to enter it. 
 
 Thus it continued until at last some of the 
 gentleman's neighbors induced him — although 
 he was incredulous as to believing in witches — to 
 try some experiments upon the boy, thinking to 
 make his tormentors • cease from troubling him. 
 Accordingly some of the boy's blood was pro- 
 cured, corked up in a bottle and placed under the 
 hearth of the fire-place. Immediately after the 
 reputed wizard was taken suddenly with a violent 
 bleeding at the nose, and for a long time it could 
 
150 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 not be stopped. It finally was, and upon looking 
 at the bottle the cork was found to be out, and 
 the blood had run therefrom. The boy began 
 to cut the same antics as before, and his tortures 
 were nearly doubled. Again some of his blood 
 was procured and carefully corked in the bottle. 
 Soon the wizard began to bleed at the nose, and 
 continued so to do, until at last, by a powerful 
 effort and a great deal of cursing, it stopped. — 
 Soon after, the boy began to behave a great deal 
 worse than before, and would at times act in a 
 manner truly terrible. This could not be borne 
 long, as they had found a short remedy ; and 
 again procuring a larger quantity of blood, placed 
 it in the bottle, and as a caution against its be- 
 coming uncorked, a small sharp sword was placed 
 in the cork. 
 
 It was evening when this was done, and shortly 
 after the boy went to bed. In the morning when 
 he awoke he seemed to be in great glee, and 
 immediately informed the family by signs that 
 his tormentor was dead, which proved to be the 
 case. Upon examining the bottle it was found 
 that the sword had penetrated through the cork 
 to the blood. From that time tradition says the 
 boy was no more troubled. 
 
 An old gentleman once wishing to go upon a 
 journey several miles from home, mounted his 
 horse and started. He had hardly got a dozen 
 
MISCELLANEOUS. 151 
 
 { rods from his door, when the animal suddenly 
 stopped and refused to go farther. The rider sat 
 in the saddle in a strange fit of abstraction, as if 
 gazing upon the revels of fiends incarnate, in 
 some far off world. The horse seemed to behold 
 the same scene also ; and great drops of sweat 
 trickled from every part of its body. All at 
 once the rider roused himself, and strove by every 
 means in his power to make the horse proceed, 
 but in vain ; and at last, weary in the attempt, 
 he turned the animal into the pasture and relin- 
 quished the journey, much to the surprise of 
 several persons who had witnessed the scene. 
 
 Of course the reader must judge how much of 
 these stories of supernatural events are true, and 
 make every allowance for the prejudices of those 
 times. For ages the belief in ghosts and goblins 
 had prevailed ; indeed, the individuals who did 
 not believe in them were considered almost her- 
 etics. For many hundred years England had an 
 established code of laws against witchcraft, and 
 it was considered a capital offence. The learned 
 Baxter, who lived in the seventeenth century, 
 considered all persons as obdurate Sadducees Avho 
 did not believe in it, and Sir Matthew Hale, one 
 of the brightest ornaments to the English Bar, 
 tried and convicted several persons for the crime 
 of witchcraft. 
 
 But the hallucinations of other generations are 
 
152 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 passing away, and few are the persons at the 
 present time who indulge in the belief of goblins 
 and ghosts. " True it is, the mediums, and other 
 modern notions, bring to mind the diablerie of 
 old Salem, when our fathers were sorely tried; 
 but they don't go for much except as a means of 
 speculation in money matters." 
 
 The dwellers in a new settlement, far away 
 from the older towns, were just the ones to in- 
 dulge in the belief of the supernatural. Around 
 them were thousands of old solitudes ; and as 
 the deepening shades of night cast her sombre 
 mantle over the forest, it required no active 
 imagination to picture the forms of huge giants, 
 stalking away among the trees ; to see numerous 
 Jack-o'lanterns gliding noiselessly along to guide 
 the lone traveller onward, until he was lost in the 
 dark, intricate windings of some dismal old 
 swamp ; to hear the infernal music of the old 
 crones, as they charged in huge battalions through 
 the tops of the lofty trees, mounted upon their 
 never-tiring steads, a broom-stick. But they are 
 all gone. No more do we see the individuals 
 who indulge in such fancies ; and although there 
 were, and they still live in history, we have little 
 right to laugh at them. If our ancestors did in- 
 dulge in them, still they had exalted notions of 
 piety, and thousands of good deeds, which latter 
 it would be well if we would imitate. 
 
FIRST GRAVE-YARD. 153 
 
 In those primitive times, when fences v^ere 
 rare and sheep were nimble, it was found neces- 
 sary to record the marks by which one's sheep 
 might be known and recognized. Accordingly 
 we are certified that Obadiah Clement's sheep 
 are marked by one half crop on the upper side 
 of the right ear, and one half crop on the under 
 side of the left ear ; Joshua Merrill's, a crop from 
 off each ear; Stevens Merrill's, a fork, like a 
 swallow's tail, on the end of the left ear ; Joseph 
 Merrill's, a crop off the left ear ; Jonathan Mer- 
 rill's, a crop off the left ear and a slit on the 
 under side of the same ; Caleb Homan's, a fork 
 like a swallow's tail, on the end of the left ear 
 and a crop from off the right one ; Amos Little's, 
 a slit on the end of the right ear ; Joshua Copp's, 
 a fork like a swallow's tail, on the right ear, and 
 a crop on the left. 
 
 The first grave-yard was located a short dis- 
 tance below the village, on land now owned by 
 the railroad company, and formerly owned by 
 J. , M. Eaton. It was situated on the right hand 
 of the road, as one travels south, at the top of a 
 little hill formed by what might have been the 
 bank of the river. In this yard about twenty 
 were buried, among the first of whom was Mr. 
 Mills, one of the first settlers. When excavations 
 were made for the railroad the remains of several 
 
 bodies were exhumed, but the overseer of the 
 
 8 
 
154 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 work dug the graves deeper, and in them again 
 deposited the remains. Here rest many of the 
 settlerSj with no monuments to mark their graves. 
 A life interspersed with joys and sorrows was 
 theirs. 
 
 " Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield ; 
 Their furrows oft the stubborn glebe has broke ; 
 How jocund did they drive their teams afield, 
 How bowed the woods beneath their sturdy stroke. 
 
 But now each in his narrow cell forever laid, 
 The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep. 
 
 The breezy call of incense-breathing morn, 
 The swallow, twittering from her straw-built shed ; 
 The cock's shrill clarion or the echoing horn. 
 No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed. 
 
 For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn. 
 Or busy house-wife ply her weary care ; 
 No children inintolisp their sire's return, 
 Or climb his knee, the envied kiss to share." 
 
 There were also two other burying grounds, 
 which have become almost unknown. One of 
 these was located near the present site of the 
 railroad depots ; and the other on the farm of 
 Col. Charles Lane, or on the piece of land which 
 the town voted to accept of Joshua Copp, Esq., 
 for the purpose of erecting a meeting-house, and 
 occupying as a burying-yard and training-field. 
 
 There are now five burying-yards in to^vn; 
 one on the bank of Patch brook; one at East 
 Warren; one at Warren Summit; one on the 
 height of land, and one on the little hill-side 
 
INSCRIPTION ON TOMB-STONES. 155 
 
 near Kobert E. Merrill's, one half mile from the 
 meeting-house. The latter is a beautiful place. 
 There the departed rest. Side by side sleep kin- 
 dred and friends, who were beautiful in life and 
 in death were not divided. Just above them the 
 winds murmur through the lofty pines, while a 
 little distance off from the back of the yard, is 
 heard the plaintive music of a tiny purling brook. 
 The earliest tomb-stone reads thus : 
 
 " Hie jacet Josiah Bartlett, son of Ezra and 
 Hannah Bartlett, who died Sept. 26, 1802, aged 
 11 months. 
 
 " Sleep on, sweet babe, nor fear to rise 
 When Gabriel's trump shall rend the skies." 
 
 Among the most beautiful of the tomb-stones 
 is that of Mrs. Hannah Dow, wife of James Dow : 
 
 " Here lies a friend we loved so dear, 
 The loss to us it seems severe : 
 But God has ordered all things Avell : 
 She now has gone with Christ to dwell." 
 
 The following beautiful epitaph, so well ex- 
 pressed, is on the tomb-stone over the remains 
 of a young child of Josiah and Sarah Swain : 
 
 " This pretty rose, descendant from above — 
 Awhile on earth did bloom in sweetest love : 
 Till some fair angel saw the heavenly prize, 
 And gently bore it to its native skies." 
 
 For the past few years, places of the dead 
 huve greatly improved their appearance, and 
 
156 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 are becoming as they should be. They are the 
 vestibule of a beautiful land, and art and affec- 
 tion should do their utmost to adorn them. 
 
 The animals, birds, fishes, insects, reptiles, 
 trees, shrubs and plants, found in Warren, are 
 the same as those in other parts of northern 
 New-Hampshire and Maine, with but few varia- 
 tions. Those animals marked thusf in the follow- 
 ing catalogue were found by the first settlers ; 
 and although still living in the dense forests 
 which cover the greater portion of Northern 
 New-England, have disappeared from this section. 
 
 The different kinds of animals are the bear, wol- 
 verine,f beaverf, muskrat, catamountf , wild cat, 
 black cat, or the Indian woolaneag, moose,-}- deer, 
 caribou,f fox, wolf, hare, squirrel, rabbit, mole, 
 mouse, rat, porcupine, skunk, ermine, usually 
 called sable, mink, otter,f weasel and woodchuck. 
 
 Of the different kinds of birds are the eagle, 
 two varieties ; hawk, four ; crow, owl, duck, teal, 
 gull, crane, loon, sheldrake, water-hen, partridge, 
 wood-pecker, king-bird, crow, black-bird, cuckoo, 
 plover, turtle-dove, whippowil, humming-bird, 
 curlew, robin, sky-lark, thrush, thrasher or 
 mocking-bird, bobolink, yellow-bird, blue-bird, 
 wren, red-winged black-bird, king-fisher, wood- 
 cock, quail, hedge-bird, cross-bill, cat-bird, gol- 
 den-robin or gold-finch, spring-bird, hang-bird, 
 snow-bird, wild pidgeon, house swallow, barn 
 
ORDERS OF BIRDS. 157 
 
 swallow, ground swallow, black martin, blue-jay, 
 herrywicket. 
 
 Birds are divided into six orders, namely : ra- 
 veners, percliers, climbers, scratchers, waders and 
 swimmers. The Raveners are those which are 
 remarkable for their plundering habits, and are 
 also the most perfect in their forms. They have 
 a strong beak, short and strong legs, and toes 
 armed with crooked claws, as the eagle, owl, 
 hawk, &c. 
 
 The Perchers form the second order, and they 
 have three toes before and one behind, as the 
 king-fisher, robin, and bobolink. Among the 
 birds of this order are those which most delight 
 us with their varied music. Many of them were 
 almost unknown before the settling of the white 
 man, and seem to have increased and multiplied 
 with him ; journeying wherever he subdued the 
 forest, and enlivening the groves about his cot- 
 tage with their matin and evening songs of 
 matchless melody. 
 
 The Climbers form the third order. They 
 have two toes before and two behind on each 
 foot. The cuckoo, wood-pecker, &c., belong to 
 this order. 
 
 The Scratchers form the fourth order, and are 
 so called from an action common to many of 
 them. This order includes the partridge, pigeon, 
 &c. ; game sought after by the sportsman, and 
 
158 PISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 birds which delight us by the beauty and ele- 
 gance of their forms and the rich variety and 
 splendor of their colors. 
 
 The Waders form the fifth order, and are so 
 called because of their long legs, which enable 
 them to traverse marshes and ditches in search 
 of fish, snakes and worms. The crane, snipe 
 and water-hen belong to this order. 
 
 The Swimmers form the sixth order. These 
 are web-footed, which enables them to swim rap- 
 idly through the water. The duck, loon, &c., 
 belong to this class. 
 
 All the fishes that formerly inhabitated our 
 waters are still found, except the salmon. They 
 are the trout, pickerel, sucker, eel, red perch, 
 shiner and minnow. 
 
 The amphibious animals are the turtle, toad, 
 frog, lizard and swift. 
 
 There are but few serpents. These are the 
 striped snake, green snake, water adder, and one 
 other species of a smaller size. Black and rattle- 
 snakes are not found. 
 
 Among the insects most common are the bee- 
 tle, grasshopper, cricket, butterfly, fire-fly, black 
 fly, moth, flea, ant,musquito, spider, hornet, wasp, 
 humble-bee, honey-bee, various kinds of bugs, and 
 several species of worms. 
 
 The indigenous trees and shrubs are the 
 white, black, ground, mountain and red ash; 
 
HORTICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 159 
 
 balm of Gilead, bass wood, beach, birch, butter- 
 nut or bihiut, blackberry, blueberry, bayberry, 
 cedar, black and red choke cherry, wild cherry, 
 wild currant, dogwood, elm, elder, fir, gooseberry, 
 grape vine, hazel, hemlock, ground do., hornbeam, 
 larch ; sugar, white and red maple ; moosewood, 
 juniper, red oak, poplar, plum, white and Norway 
 pine, sumac, thorn-apple, wild-pear, spruce, wil- 
 low, wickapee or leather wood, sheep laurel, rasp- 
 berry, thimbleberry, wild rose, &c. 
 
 The principal medicinal plants and herbs are 
 the fir, balsam, yarrow, sweet-flag, may-weed, sar- 
 saparilla, spikenard, everlasting, burdock, worm- 
 wood, wild turnip, coltsfoot, milk-weed, white 
 root, celandine, snake head, winter-green, horse- 
 radish, sweet fern, gold-thread, apple of Peru, 
 thoroughwort, queen of the meadow, wild hoar- 
 hound, avensroot, penny-royal, liverwort, hop, 
 round wood, elecampane, blueflag, dandelion, cat- 
 nip, wood sorrel, garget, broad leaved dock, el- 
 der, golden rod, tansy, snake root, ginsing, mai- 
 den hair, hard-hack, adder-tongue, sweet cicely, 
 and many others. 
 
 The horticultural products are the apple, cher- 
 ries of several kinds, Canada plum, wheat plum, 
 pear and grape. 
 
 The most important culinary plants, roots and 
 herbs, are the anise, artichoke, bean, beet, cara- 
 way, currant, carrot, hop, mustard, onion, pea, 
 
160 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 pepper pumpkin, sage, squash, cabbage, turnip, 
 cranberry, parsnip, &c. The common plants 
 found in this latitude abound. Besides these 
 are a number of floral plants. 
 
 In the early settling of the town many indi- 
 viduals planted large orchards, and from the pro- 
 ducts of these a considerable amount of cider 
 was manufactured and drank. But the drinking 
 of cider as a beverage is going into disuse, and 
 the value of fruit as a luxury is better appreci- 
 ated. Many of the old orchards have been ren- 
 ovated by grafting, and nurseries are annually 
 planted. The first apple tree was planted by 
 Joseph Patch, and is still standing, though near- 
 ly dead, on land owned by Jonathan Clough, and 
 not far from the Clough school-house. The 
 plum and cherry are abundant. There are but 
 few pears, and peaches do not thrive. 
 
 For many years, but a common breed of stock 
 was raised, yet of these there were many fine 
 animals reared. In later times, through the per- 
 severance of Dr. David C. French, there are 
 now some very fine specimens of short horned 
 Durhams. There are also fine specimens of 
 horses, various breeds of sheep, and a considera- 
 ble amount of wool is sold annually. Several 
 thousand dollars worth of fat cattle are now 
 yearly sent to market. Pork was formerly rais- 
 ed in considerable quantities for market, but 
 
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 161 
 
 since the decline of prices, and prevalence of the 
 potato disease, the quantity does not greatly ex- 
 ceed the home consumption. Poultry raising 
 is on the increase, and large quantities of the 
 common kinds and eggs find a ready sale. 
 
 The business of cheese-making is not now so 
 much attended to as formerly ; but still rather a 
 larger quantity than is needed for home con- 
 sumption is made. But the manufacture of but- 
 ter is on the increase ; most of it is of an excel- 
 lent quality, and many hundreds of firkins find 
 a quick demand abroad. 
 
 The making of maple sugar is also an impor- 
 tant item to the farmers of Warren. In the 
 year 1850 there were twenty tons made, and a 
 large amount of cakes and maple honey is sold 
 in the larger towns of this State and Massachu- 
 setts ; but for all this, many hundred weight of 
 southern manufacture is sold in town each year. 
 
 Formerly a sufficient supply of corn, rye and 
 oats was raised to meet the consumption of the 
 inhabitants, but since the commencement of the 
 railroad, owing to the large number of hands 
 employed upon it during its building, and the 
 large number engaged in the lumbering business, 
 which, since the running of the cars has become 
 profitable, a considerable amount of oats and corn 
 is brought into town each year, to meet the in- 
 creased demand. 
 
162 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 Very little barley is now grown ; beans are 
 raised in considerable quantities, but peas are 
 not an object of much attention, beyond the pro- 
 duction of early ones, to be used when green. 
 There is a considerable crop of wheat grown 
 each year, but it does not thrive so well as for- 
 merly, and there is not enough raised to meet 
 the home demand ; consequently many hundred 
 barrels of flour are annually brought into town 
 and sold. Potatoes are very extensively culti- 
 vated, and although there is not so large a yield 
 as in former years, still many thousand bushels are 
 annually sent to market, or manufactured into 
 starch. For several years the ravages of the rot 
 bid fair to exterminate the culture of them, but 
 for one or two years they have been much less 
 affected by it. Many carrots are also raised, and 
 the farmers are beginning to appreciate their 
 value as food for cattle, horses and swine. 
 
 There are eleven mills driven by water for the 
 manufacture of various articles from wood. Of 
 these, four have been built during the past six 
 years. One by Sylvester Merrill, one by Isaac 
 Sawtell, and two by Levi F. Jewell ; two grain 
 mills, one tanning and currying establishment, 
 two carriage manufactories, one starch factory, 
 eight blacksmith shops, and three stores. 
 
 The first post-office was established about the 
 year 1818, and was kept for several years by 
 
DEATHS BY CASUALTY. 163 
 
 Amos Burton. He was succeeded by Anson 
 Merrill ; Dr. Jesse Little, who held the office of 
 post-master nine years ; Dr. David C. French five 
 years ; L. C. Whitcher three years ; Asa Thurs- 
 ton three years ; G. W. Prescott, one year, and 
 C. C. Durant. 
 
 ' The first death by casualty in town was that 
 of Mr. Mills, who was killed by the fall of a 
 tree ; the second that of his son, who was killed 
 in the same manner. Amos Eaton, killed by 
 the fall of a tree about the year 1780. Richard 
 Pillsbury, killed at the raising of a barn in 1800 ; 
 Reuben Batch elder, jr., killed at a raising in 
 1802 ; a child of Joshua Copp drowned in a wash 
 tub; Caleb Merrill, deaf and dumb, killed by 
 the fall of a tree, June 8, 1808 ; Joseph Patch, 
 the first settler of Warren, killed by a fall about 
 the year 1832. For several years previous he had 
 been a cripple, brought about by the excessive 
 fatigues he had undergone in his hunting excur- 
 sions. A child of William Kelley, jr., drowned 
 in Kelley pond ; Mr. Paul Meader, killed in 
 1834 by a log rolling over him ; Ward C. Batch- 
 elder, killed in 1836 by the fall of a limb from a 
 tree which he was chopping. A Mr. Merrill, 
 from Groton, was killed about 1840 by a pitch- 
 fork falHng upon him ; Miranda Whitcher was 
 burned to death in 1845 ; Abigail Weed, wife of 
 Wilson Weed, was killed in 1846 by falling upon 
 
164 HISTORY OF WAllREN. 
 
 a pitchfork ; Calvin Cummings, killed in 1848 by 
 falling from a frame; Mrs. Leathers, wife of 
 Vowell Leathers, burned to death in 1849 ; Da- 
 vid Antrine was drowned in Meader pond the 
 same year ; an adopted son of Calvin May was 
 accidentally killed by the tine of a manure fork 
 in 1850 ; an Irishman killed in 1852 while at 
 work upon the railroad, by a tree falling upon 
 him ; a Mr. Anderson was burned to death while 
 tending a coal-pit in 1852. 
 
 The first individual who traded in Foreign and 
 West India goods was Samuel Fellows. He oc- 
 cupied a store near Joshua Merrill's, where Ste- 
 phen Lund now lives ; and after trading a short 
 time was taken crazy. He would sometimes 
 leave home and wander to the neighboring 
 towns ; and when his friends went for him it 
 would be extremely difficult to influence him to 
 return. At one time he went to Haverhill, and 
 a young man was sent after him. He found him 
 at the tavern, and to make good friends, asked 
 him whether he would have flip or brandy to 
 drink before going home. Fellows looked up 
 sharply and said he guessed he would have the 
 brandy while the flip was making. To him suc- 
 ceeded, first, Charles Bowls ; then George W. 
 Copp ; next, Abel Merrill, who traded in 1804. 
 Others who have successively done business are 
 Benjamin Merrill, from 1805 to 1811 or 12. He 
 
FIRST TRADERS IN WEST INDIA GOODS. 165 
 
 built the house now occupied by Stephen Mars- 
 ton, and occupied it both as store and dwelhng- 
 house. Lemuel Keezer succeeded him, and 
 traded until 1815 ; then Michael Preston, 
 about three years, followed by Amos Burton, 
 who erected the building now occupied by Da- 
 mon Y. Eastman as a wheel-wright shop. Others 
 who have traded in that building are respective- 
 ly Samuel L. Merrill. William Merrill, Anson 
 Merrill, Wm. Wells, John T. Sanborn, Asa Thurs- 
 ton, Quincy Cole and Francis' A. Cushman, 
 George W. Prescott and Wm. A. Merrill. Stevens 
 Merrill and Tristram Cross traded for a consid- 
 erable length of time in a store now standing 
 near the dwelling recently owned by Gen. M. P. 
 Merrill. About the year 1846 F. A. & M. E. 
 Cushman erected the building now occupied by 
 A. W. Eastman as a wheel-wright shop, and trad- 
 ed for a few years. James Clement built the store 
 now occupied by the Durants, and in company 
 with Joseph Clement traded for a considerable 
 length of time. Those who have traded there 
 since are E. C. Durant, C. C. & H. H. Durant, J. 
 & C. C. Durant. George W. Prescott erected 
 the store he now occupies, in company with J. 
 M. Williams, about the year 1847, and has since 
 traded in it. Ezra Libby commenced to trade 
 at Warren Summit in company with Jonathan 
 Stickney in the year 1853, and has since done 
 considerable business. 
 
166 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 The first physician who practiced in town was 
 Dr. Joseph Peters. He came in 1791, and lived 
 in town about two years. 
 
 Dr. Levi Hoot commenced practice in 1795, 
 and practiced three years. 
 
 Dr. Ezra Bartlett, when a young man, came 
 to Warren in 1798, and commenced practice. 
 He built the large two-story house on the place 
 now owned by Russell K. Clement, on Beach hill. 
 Dr. Bartlett was a man of fine abilities, and held 
 many responsible offices. In the year 1804 he 
 was elected to represent the towns of Warren 
 and Benton in the Legislature. In 1809 he was 
 appointed a Justice in the Court of Common Pleas 
 for the county of Grafton. In 1812 he moved 
 to Haverhill, and a few years after was elected a 
 Senator to the State Senate for a number of 
 years, after which for one or two years he was 
 Councillor. 
 
 Dr. Thomas Whipple practiced in town from 
 1812 to 1814, when he moved to Wentworth. 
 Several years after, he was a number of times 
 elected a Bepresentative to Congress ; a position 
 which he filled to the satisfaction of his con- 
 stituents. 
 
 Dr. Robert Burns practiced from 1816 to 
 1818, when he moved to Hebron, and from 
 thence to Plymouth, where he now resides. 
 
 Dr. John Broadhead practiced in town from 
 1818 one vear. 
 
LIST OF PHYSICIANS. 167 
 
 Dr. Laban Ladd, a native of Haverhill, came 
 to Warren about 1820, and practiced two years. 
 He then moved to Haverhill, where he shortly 
 after died. 
 
 Dr. David C. French, a son of Joseph French, 
 one of the early settlers of Warren, commenced 
 practice about the year 1821, which he con- 
 tinued to the satisfaction of his numerous friends 
 until the year 1853, when, wishing to retire 
 from business, he sold out his practice. 
 
 Dr. Jesse Little, also a native of Warren, and 
 son of Amos Little, who came to Warren in 
 1789, graduated at the medical college at Han- 
 over, in the year 1828, and has practiced in 
 town since 1830. 
 
 Dr. James Emery practiced in Warren a short 
 time in 1845. 
 
 Dr. A. Busell has practiced from 1852 to the 
 present time. 
 
 Dr. Alphonso G. French, son of Dr. David C. 
 French, graduated at the medical school at Han- 
 over in 1853, and is now practicing in town. 
 
 Dr. William Merrill, son of Abel Merrill, grad- 
 uated at the medical school at Hanover, and 
 after practicing at Lisbon for a short time, died. 
 
 Dr. Robert (t Merrill, son of Samuel Merrill, 
 graduated at the medical school at Hanover, and 
 for a number of years practiced at Meredith. 
 From this place he removed to Pembroke, where 
 he holds a worthy rank in his profession. 
 
168 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 The following persons, natives of the town, 
 have attended college. Joseph Merrill, jun., son 
 of Joseph Merrill, graduated at Dartmouth Col- 
 lege, and is now a minister of the Congregation- 
 al denomination, and preaches at Dracut, Mass. 
 Lemuel Merrill, another son of Joseph Merrill, 
 graduated at Dartmouth College, and is now an 
 attorney, practicing in one of the Southern 
 States. 
 
 John Merrill, son of Abel Merrill, entered 
 Dartmouth College in 1806. He died while a 
 member of the sophomore class, aged 23 years. 
 The following lines are to be found upon his 
 tomb-stone : 
 
 " Behold the blooming youth is gone, 
 The much loved object's fled ; 
 Entered his long eternal home, 
 And numbered witli the dead. 
 
 But he shall live, and rise again. 
 Enrobed in bright array ; 
 Shall take his part in heavenly strains 
 In everlasting day." 
 
 Many of the first settlers of Warren were of 
 the Calvin Baptist order, and they early turned 
 their attention toward the formation of a 
 church and the employment of a minister. But 
 as their number was few, they united with their 
 brethren at Wentworth, and for many years Dea- 
 con Aaron Currier labored with them. 
 
 The next society formed was the Methodist. 
 
METHODIST SOCIETY. 169 
 
 Their first minister was the Rev. Elijah R Sabin. 
 
 Those who have succeeded him are, Skeels, 
 
 Winch, Jacob Sanborn, John Lord, Wil- 
 liam Plumbly, Davis, Sleeper, Newell 
 
 Culver, Charles Baker, Nathan Howe, Damon 
 Young, Caleb Dustin, J. H. Hardy, N. W. Aspin- 
 
 wall, C. R. Harding, J. W. Morey, Peck, S. 
 
 A. Cushing, Enos Wells, Reuben Dearborn, Mo- 
 ses Merrill, J. W. Johnson, Salmon Gleason, Ben- 
 jamin R Hoyt, Kimball Hadley, Lorenzo D. 
 Blodget, Barker, James Martin, J. A. Sweat- 
 land, Kellog, Sullivan Holman, J. A. Scar- 
 
 ritt, L. L. Eastman, Rufus Tilton, James Adams. 
 
 The names of the Free Will Baptist ministers 
 are as follows : Joseph Boody, sen., Joseph Boo- 
 dy, jun., Lewis Harriman, Thomas Perkins, J. 
 
 Marks, Wallace, James Spencer, Joseph 
 
 Quimby, Messer, Aaron Buzwell, S. Doane, 
 
 Leavitt, G. W. Cogswell, J. Moulton, 
 
 Sargeant, Horace Webber, J. D. Cross. 
 
 The names of the Universalist Ministers and 
 the dates of their preaching are as follows : Rev. 
 John E. Palmer, from 1838 to 1841 ; Samuel A. 
 Johnson, from 1841 to 1845 ; Alson Scott, 1845 
 to 1849; Macey B. Newall, 1849 to 1851; 
 Charles C. Clark, 1852 to 1853 ; S. W. Squire, 
 1853 to 185 . 
 
 The town is divided into eleven school dis- 
 tricts, in the most of which a school is supported 
 
170 HISTORY OF WARREN. 
 
 nearly half of the year, and in some more than 
 that length of time. About 325 children and 
 youth annually attend for a longer or shorter 
 period. The school-houses, although most of 
 them passable, are not what they should be. 
 Education is the grand secret of the prosperity 
 of this nation, and if we would go on thinking 
 we must cherish and enhance the value of our 
 institutions. 
 
 There was a circulating library, which con- 
 tained a number of hundred volumes, commenc- 
 ed about the year 1808, and was incorporated 
 by an act of the Legislature. The books were 
 most of them printed in the ancient style, and 
 being but little read, were distributed among the 
 owners a few years ago. Another library was 
 commenced by the Warren L. B. Association in 
 1851, and contains many volumes of an inter- 
 esting and useful character. 
 

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