■ 44 L19 P3 :opy 1 r>-T^":.' ^m Hal^q li Ancient IB I iiiiffii li Hhi yu I I \ Ijiiiii liiiiiii li!{ Rook. -L-IH-A^. 4 '4i Major John Aldricli in 1901 LAKEPORT'S ANCIENT HOMES RECOLLECTIONS Major John Aldrich (AGED 93 YEARS) OF FRANCONIA EIGHTY YEARS AGO AND OF THE HOMES OF LAKEPORT IN 1844 WITH NOTES OF THEIR OCCUPANTS THEN AND LATER WITH MANY ILLUSTRATIONS Published for the Author Lakeport, N. H. 1917 THE TUTTLE COMPANY, PUBLISHERS ^v.x\s\z (Hitg ^««» RUTLAND, VERMONT M?y^t3r2, c'./': Ancient Homes of Lakepori CONTENTS Page Introduction. 7 Sketch of Major Aldrich. 9 Lakeport Houses in 1844, East Side: 1. Merrill, 133 Valley Street (gone). 11 2. Moulton, now 23 Fore Street. 14 3. Folsom-Cook, 610 Union Avenue. 15 4. Carr-Hayward, 628 Union Avenue. 16 5. Martin-Bunker, 636 Union Avenue. 17 6. Gilman-Hayward, 642 Union AvenuelS 7. Bugbee-Adams, 662 Union Avenue. 19 8. Lang-Ferguson, 670 Union Avenue. 20 9. Sleeper-Dow, 678 Union Avenue. 21 10. Cole-Saltmarsh, 692 Union Avenue. 21 11. Sanborn-Gordon, 702 Union Avenue. 21 12. Towle-Hopkins, 716 Union Avenue. 23 13. Moulton, now Park and Gold Streets.23 14. Robie, Park Street (gone). 24 15. Goss-Ham, 15 Park Street. 24 16. Warner Adams, Elm Street (now 37 Gold Street). 25 17. First house on East side, 95 Gold St. 25 18. Bugbee store, Gold and Fore Sts. 26 A n c i e 71 f Ho m e s of Lakeport Page 19. Noah Smith, Union Avenue (gone). 26 20. Clark-Donovan, nov/ 1159 Union Avenue. 29 21. John A. Cole, 933 Union Avenue. 31 22. Barron-Bean, 891 Union Avenue. 32 23. Buzzell-Ward, 885 Union Avenue. 33 24. Blaisdell-Richardson, 881 Union Av. 34 25. Samuel Davis, Harrison Street (gone). 34 26. Hotel (site of Mt. Belknap House). 34 27. Moulton-Adams, 743 Union Avenue. 35 28. Isaac Cole-Aldrich, (now 130 Mech- anic Street). 37 29. Benj. J. Cole— H. B. Quinby, 713 Union Avenue. 38 30. Sanborn- Ward, 699 Union Avenue. 38 31. Cole-Sanders, 113 Mechanic Street. 40 32. Bugbee-Lane, 105 Mechanic Street. 40 33. David Sanborn, Mechanic Street. 40 34. Samuel Sanborn-Tuttle, 90 Mechanic Street. 41 35. H. Bugbee-Odell, 691 Union Avenue. 42 36. H. Oilman, now 981 Union Avenue. 43 37. Thyng-Quimby, 679 Union Avenue. 44 38. S. C. Gilman-Pepper, 665 Union Avenue. 44 39. Baptist Parsonage, now Collins, 655 Union Avenue. 46 A n c i e n t Homes of Lakeport Page 40. Hibbard-Pepper, 651 Union Avenue. 46 Note on West Side Houses. 47 Folsom-Batchelder-Davis House, Franklin Square. 48 Other facts about old Lakeport Houses. 50 Major Aldrich's Recollections: I. Early Franconia 58 II. Lower Iron Works 63 III. The Bear Hunt 66 IV. The Jessemans 68 V. The Sham Battle 70 VI. Lakeport in 1832 71 VII. New Hampshire in the '30's 73 VIII. Lakeport in 1844 74 The Aldrich Family Line. 76 Bibliography. 85 Mrs. Mary Elizabeth (Colo) wife of Major John Aldrich Ancient Homes of Lakeport INTRODUCTION Lakeport, when Major Aldrich came here from Franconia, N. H., in 1844, was a village of about seventy houses and sev- eral mills; the western part, across the Winnipesaukee river, was until 1855, in the town of Meredith (originally incorporated as New Salem, 30th December, 1768) until 1874, when it became part of the town of Laconia, while the part on the eastern side of the river was, until 1893, in the town of Gilford, which was settled in 1778 and incorporated the 16th of June 1816, being set off from Gilmanton, which was settled in 1761. The village was settled by Abra- ham Folsom about 1766 and originally called Folsom's Mills; thereafter from 1825, Batch- elder's Mills, until about 1830 it began to be called Lake Village, which name it re- tained until 1891 when the name was chang- ed to Lakeport. The village became a part (Ward 6) of the city of Laconia on its incorporation in 1893 but still keeps the name of Lakeport for all local purposes, Ancient Homes of Lakeport including the railway station and post- office. Major John Aldrich, who wrote the following work, made a list of the houses here on his arrival seventy three years ago, and in 1916 amplified some earlier notes which he had written and loaned to the late Horace G. Whittier and which Hon. Martin A. Haynes had printed in 1915 as part of Chapter VII. in ^'Historical Sketches of Lakeport," without knowing that Major Aldrich was the real author of the list of buildings. Ancient Ho in e s of Lakeport SKETCH OF MAJOR ALDRICH Major John Aldrich was born at Fran- conia, N. H., on the 1st day of June, 1824, and was the second son of John and Hannah (Cole) Aldrich. His family record is set forth as an appendix in the later pages of this volume. Major Aldrich married, April 12th, 1846, at what is now Lakeport, Mary Eliz- abeth, daughter of John A. and Mary (Ryan) Cole. She died March 23rd, 1907, aged 80 years, 6 months, and 18 days. Mr. Aldrich acquired in 1857 the in- terest of his uncle, John A. Cole, in Cole, Davis & Co., afterward, Cole Mfg. Co. John Aldrich enlisted 16th September, 1862, as a private and was elected captain by the enlisted men going with him from Lake Village and vicinity to the headquar- ters at Concord, numbering over 100, and his company being the first to arrive, was given the first letter of the alphabet and became Co. A, Fifteenth New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry. Capt. Aldrich received his commission 3rd Nov., 1862, his must- ering in to date as of 20th Oct.', 1862. He was promoted to be Major 8th April, 1863, Ancient Homes of Lakeport and was mustered out with the Regiment August 13th, 1863. During many years Major Aldrich was Superintendent of the Wardwell Needle Co., but retired from business some years ago, and as these lines are written, is enjoying th^ fruit of his own planting from his own garden adjoining his commodious and attrac- tive home, 36 Manchester Street, Lakeport, with his sister Mrs. Lane, and his nieces, the Misses Edna and Alice Wardwell; an unusually long life of integrity and service, crowned by the regard and affection of generation after generation of his fellow citizens, has been and still is his to enjoy, in this, his ninety-fourth year. HENRY COLE QUINBY. New York City, October 1, 1917. 10 Major John Aldrich in 1863 Ancient Homes of Lakeport THE HOUSES IN LAKEPORT IN 1844 By Major John Aldrich In the spring of 1845, I made memo- randa of the seventy dwellings in Lake Village at that time, commencing on the Main Street leading south to Meredith Bridge, now named Union Avenue, near the junction of Messer Street. The forty on the east side of the river were as follows:' No. 1. A house on the east side owned and occupied by Enoch Merrill. The house was torn down or . removed many years ago and a two story double tenement erect- ed in its place. Enoch Merrill had resided in this place many years and was not far from 70 years of age in 1844. His wife was Deborah Jane York. Her parents were said to have lived near what is now Valley Street, which leads through that peculiar valley and connects Mechanic with Stark Street and is about half a mile in length. In 1857, I bought a few acres in the south end of that valley, which was then a swamp covered with alders, mostly with trees of full growth at the foot of hills on either side. In clearing the land, I dis- 11 Ancient Homes of L a k e p o r t covered the remains of an old cellar and near by an old well partially filled up. These ruins were not more than 30 rods from my house toward the northeast, on the lot now owned by Charles W. White at 133 Valley St. From the appearance of the growth at the ruins it was evident that the occupants of the house had not lived there for forty years. Old residents claimed that it was the site of the York residence. Enoch Merrill owned a small piece of land near his house and probably was a farmer by profession. He and his wife both passed away within a few years after I first knew them. His eldest daughter Sally married Horace Merrill; Mary the youngest married Winthrop Merrill, a brother of Horace. They were distant relatives of Enoch and did not live here in 1844. Winthrop died about the year 1850. He was a moulder by trade and worked for Cole & Co. His widow lived here many years, but I cannot tell how long she sur- vived. They left no children. Horace and his wife after many years were cared for by the city, and passed away at the County Farm. They had one son, Charles Henry, an unfortunate deaf mute. He was other- wise apparently, both mentally and physically. 12 A n c i e 71 t Homes of Lakeport a normal child, but never having received any suitable education, he was of no use to the community and ended his days at the County Farm. Enoch Merrill's wife's name was Debo- rah Jane York, but I cannot learn any- thing about her parents. He was sexton of Hillside Cemetery when it was first laid out. Enoch's wife died several years before his decease, probably about 1860 and he married the widow of John Goss who lived in house No. 15 Park Street afterward own- ed by Thomas Ham. I do not know her maiden name, nor where she was buried, probably in Gilford where her first husband belonged. Enoch Merrill and Deborah Mer- rill, his first wife, were buried in Hillside Cemetery. Their daughter Arianna, also a deaf mute, was educated at an institution for deaf mutes and lived with her parents in Lake Village and died when about 20 years of age. Enoch Francis Merrill, sec- ond son of Horace and Sally Merrill, died before reaching maturity. He was appar- ently a well-developed child physically and mentally. The two youngest were buried in Hillside Cemetery. There is no record of the burial of Horace Merrill. 13 Ancient Homes of Lakeport No. 2. (House now No. 23 Fore St.) The next house northerly on the same side of the street was occupied by William P. Moulton, who probably owned an interest in it. It was a house of one story, medium size, and was bought more than 50 years ago by James H. Plummer, a noted charac- ter in Lake Village at that time, and naoved to Fore Street, a brick basement put under it and fitted up for a saloon, or a small grocery. No. 23 Fore St. An addition has been made to the house which faces Park St. It is now owned by Ara Sargent. Orlando M. Moulton, the oldest son of William P., is now living in Lakeport and is over 80 years of age, active and well and works regularly at his trade, a machinist. He has one son, Oscar, with whom he now lives near the site of the W. P. Moulton house. Orlando's wife died a few years ago. Eliza Moulton, eldest child and daughter of W. P. Moulton, is now living in Lakeport, aged 83 years. She married a Mr. Sargent, and lived in Thorn- ton, N. H.. many years; her husband died nearly 30 years ago and since then she has lived here with her two daughters, Nellie and Susan. Nellie married a Mr. Nevins and is now living near Boston, Mass. Susan 14 1 IP' I k f(t Xo. 2. Moiilton, now 23 Fore St. No. 3. Folsom Cook, 610 Uuion Ave. ^HiHni^ iml ■iig ^5 ■■■-™™ji«g^ 1 N"o. 4. Carr-Hayward, 628 Union Ave. No. 5. Martin-Bunker, 636 Union Av( Ancient Homes of Lakeport is unmarried. Nellie Moulton Pepper, the youngest daughter, is now living at 665 Union Ave. She married William H. Pepper, a prominent manufacturer of knitting mach- inery in Lakeport, who died some 25 years ago. She was the third wife of Mr. Pepper and a granddaughter of his first wife lives with her, the two inheriting the estate of Mr. Pepper. Joseph D. Moulton, third son of Wm. P., was a soldier of the Civil War, enlisting in Co. A., 15th Reg. N. H. Vol. (my Company and regiment). He was wounded at Port Hudson July 1, 1863. He died in Washington, D. C, about 25 years ago, in the hospital or Soldiers' Home. No. 3. (House No. 610 Union Ave.) Occupied by Ira F. Folsom, a native of Sanbornton, a carpenter by trade. He mar- ried a Miss Blackey of Center Harbor. Mr. Folsom died many years ago leaving three children, John Ira, Emma, Hattie and Lucian M. Folsom. He left Lakeport many years ago and lives in the town of Gilford. Mrs. Folsom died a generation ago. John Ira was a painter, a prominent mem- ber and officer of Chocorua Lodge, I. 0. O. F. He died nearly twenty years ago. His wife's maiden name was Louisa Perkins and she was from a neighboring 15 Ancient Homes of L a k e p o r t town. She survived her husband but a few years. They had but one child, a daughter who married Harry H. Wardwell of this place in 1885. She died in 1891 leaving a girl five years old who passed away the same year as her mother. Harry Wardwell built the house No. 22 Hawthorn Street now owned by John Mahomet. About 1894 he married for his second wife, Miss Grace George, a daughter of B. H. George, an old resident of Lakeport. They are now living in Philadelphia. They have two daughters named Louise and Beatrice. Louise the eldest is 19 years old and the youngest sixteen. Louise graduated from a High School in Boston and is now attending the Art School in Philadelphia. Beatrice is attending High School in the same city. Mr. Wardwell has a lucrative position con- nected with the Custom House in Phila- delphia. Jacob M. Cook built the house and lived and died about twenty years ago, in 610 Union Ave., and his widow, who be- came Mrs. Frank Brown, continued to live there. It has recently been changed some- what, in part by the addition of one story. No. 4. (House No. 628 Union Ave.) Owned by John L. Carr, but I cannot say 16 Ancient Homes of Lakeport who lived there in 1844. Mr. Carr lived there a year or two later and died there about 1850. He left a widow but no children. He was buried in Hillside Cemetery. Mr. Carr was a native of Gilford where his father owned a large farm on the Lake Shore highway, where the Lake Shore Park and Railroad Station are now located. There are none of that name now living in Gilford probably. The family was one of the most prominent in Gilford seventy years ago. Simon Carr, a brother of John L., died there a year or two ago, aged more than 80 years. He left only one child, a daughter, who married Charles E. Curtis of this place about the year 1900. They reside on the Carr homestead and have one daughter. The John L. Carr house was bought by Uzziel Hayward many years ago and remodeled, one story added and finished for two tenements. Mr. Hayward died there some ten years ago leaving a widow but no children. His widow resides there. No. 5. (House No. 636 Union Ave.) A one story house owned and occupied by Richard Martin, who belonged to a distin- guished family of that name in Strafford County, one or more of whom were minis- 17 Ancient Homes of Lakeport ters of the Free Will Baptist denomination in the early years of that sect. He was a man of somewhat below medium height and not far from 75 years old. He was affili- ated with the Second Advent Society. He died in 1869. His son Richard lived here many years and died in 1903. The second married a daughter of Paul Chase, who was a merchant in Franconia in 1844. The Martin house was purchased by Timothy Bunker who came from Barn- stead, and one story added. He died many years ago, leaving a widow and one son, Casper S. who resided there until two years ago, for many years an invalid suffering from locomotor ataxia. Mr. Bunker, his widow and son were buried out of the city. No. 6. (House No. 642-644 Union Ave.) A one story house owned and occupied by Dea. Samuel Oilman of the church now known as the Brown Church on Union Avenue opposite the railroad station. He was a zealous church member and of ultra orthodox belief and delighted in advocating that doctrine wherever he could find a listener. In 1844 he was apparently about seventy years old, of medium height and build, a good neighbor and citizen, though reputed to be parsimonious. The house and 18 0. 6. Gilmau-Hayward, 642-644 Union Ave. No. 7. Eiigbee-Adams, 662 Union Ave. m7. No. 8. Lang-Ferguson, 670 Union Ave. Ancient H o rti e s of Lakeport lot is now owned by Libbeus Hayward, station agent at Laconia. He has erected a new house on the lot and the original house has had one story added. Dea. Gil- man left no issue. His wife suddenly dis- appeared more than fifty years ago and was supposed to have been drowned in Lake Opeeche a few rods distance from the house. A human skeleton found on the shore of the lake a few years after is supposed to have been her remains. In those days there were five Samuel Gilmans living at the same time in the town, all legal voters. No. 7. (House No. 662 Union Ave.) One story house occupied by Amos Bugbee who soon after removed from town. The house was bought by Franklin Davis, a native of Governor's Island in Lake Win- nipesaukee. Mr. Davis was a retired far- mer and lived there about twenty years and made some additions and improvements, not however, changing the appearance of the premises very much. Mrs. Maria Adams, a sister of Mrs. Davis, by her will, suc- ceeded him in ownership. At her decease it passed to her son, Clarence. Miss Georgie Davis married Capt. Ralph Brown formerly 19 Ancient Homes of Lakeport in the steamboat business on the Lake, but who now is a box manufacturer in Massachusetts. No. 8. (House No. 670 Union Ave.) One story house built by Thomas M. Lang, a carpenter by trade who was employed by Cole & Co. a few years and removed from town some sixty years ago. Jere- miah S. Jewett, a native of Gilford, pur- chased the house about 1856 and remodeled it, living there several years, when he re- moved to Warren, N. H., where he became a prominent merchant. Mr. Jewett sold to the Laconia Hospital Association for $3,000, the lot where their hospital is located. He died a few years ago. Mr. Jewett was employed for many months in the survey of the route of the Boston, Concord & Montreal Railroad and afterwards in the employment of that road as foreman in the wood working department. Their son died in his early manhood, their only child. His wife was a Warren lady and passed away before her husband, according to the memory of the writer. The house was bought and improved by George A. Ferguson, a railroad engineer w^ho died there after his retirement from railroad service. 20 jK^, ■'V ^0 i I Xo. 9. Sleeper-Dow, 678 Union Ave. Xo. 10. Cole-Saltniarsli, 692 Union Ave. No. 11. Sanborn-Gordon, 702 Union Ave. X"o. 12. Towle-Hopkins, 716 Union Ave. Ancient Homes of Lakeport No. 9. (House No. 678 Union Ave.) A one story house built by Henry Sleeper, a life long resident of Gilford and prominent citizen of that town. He was elected Select- man one or more years and represented that town in the State Legislature. He was engaged in the lumber business many years in this place, and later built the house No. 847 Union Ave. now owned by Carrie E. Sawyer. No. 678 is occupied by Sidney Baker and R. P. Dow. No. 10. (House No. 692 Union Ave.) One story house built by Asa Cole, a cousin of Benjamin J. Cole, from Whitefield, who worked several years as moulder and remov- ed to Lowell, Mass., in 1846. The house was owned many years by G. W. Leavitt of Gilford, was afterwards occupied by John H. Sleeper and by W. E. Woodworth and later was bought by Dr. George H. Salt- marsh, remodeled and improved in appearance very much and it is now his residence. No. 11. (House No. 702 Union Ave.) One story house built by Nathaniel San- born, about 1840. He was a wood work- man and a foreman in Cole & Co.'s shop for nearly fifty years. He was a first class mechanic and an excellent citizen. He lived here all his life from early manhood. He 21 Ancient Homes of Lakeport married Miss Dow from Upper Gilmanton, now Belmont. They left two daughters, Julia and Hannah. Julia married George B. Randall, a railroad engineer of the B. C. & M. Railroad. He retired a few years since after a service on this railroad for more than fifty years as engineer, without any serious accident, a record for this line of road. Mr. Randall passed away some three or four years ago and his wife one or two years later. They left no children. Their house where they lived nearly all their married life is 800 Union Avenue, opposite Railroad Square. Hannah Maria Sanborn, the second daughter, married Dyar Sargent, an. engineer on the B. C. & M. Railroad, later a fore- man at Woodsville engine house. They lived at Woodsville many years. Mrs. Sar- gent died there man}^ years ago; her hus- band died about two years ago, leaving one son, Fred, who is probably now living there. The Sanborn house is now owned and occupied by Mrs. Annie T. Gordon, widow of the late James T. Gordon who was a soldier in the war of the rebellion, a Ser- geant of Co. A, 15th Reg. N. H. Vols. Mrs. Gordon was his second wife. I have no 22 Ancient Homes of Lakeport knowledge of her family connections. Mr. Gordon died about two years ago. The house has not changed in appearance in the 72 years since 1844. No. 12. (House No. 716 Union Ave.) A one story house occupied by John S. Towle employed here by Cole & Company for years; later he went to Nashua. He was a soldier in the war of the rebellion, enlist- ing from Nashua. The house was after- wards owned by Moses R. Elkins from Northfield, who enlarged and remodeled it and resided there many years. He was ■foreman in the wood department of the railroad shops here. His wife was a sister of Mrs. Thomas Ham and died here more than twenty years ago. Mr. Elkins died about fifteen years ago. The house is now owned by Charles O. Hopkins, of the firm of E. D. Ward & Co., undertakers, and bears no resemblance to its original appearance. No. 13. (House now No. 35 Park St)., A one story house on Elm Street near the railroad tracks, occupied by Burleigh Moul- ton, used for a passenger station for a year or two after the railroad (Boston, Concord & Montreal) came here in September 1848. It was moved to corner of Park and Gold Streets for a tenement house. Mr. Moul- 23 A 71 c i e 71 t Homes of Lake port ton came from Moultonboro and returned there in 1850. His son, Mooney, was an engineer of the road many years. The house now belongs to the Masonic Lodge of Laconia, the devise of Bro. Joseph S. Tilton of Lakeport; it is now occupied by two families. No. 14. A small house occupying the site of George H. Robie's house on Park Street. It was moved to Laconia Village more than sixty years ago and is now said to be located on Orange Court. No. 15. (House No. 15 Park St.) A one story house occupied by John Goss, a native of Gilford. The house was bought in 1849 by Thomas Ham and fitted for a residence where he resided for more than 50 years. Mr. Ham was a mill-wright em- ployed by the Lake Co.; also by Cole, Davis & Co. several years. When the Lake Village Savings Bank was organized by Hon. B. J. Cole, the latter was elected president and Mr. Ham treasurer; he was afterward made president following Dr. Oliver Goss and filled the two offices over 30 years. Mr. Ham was a conservative republican in pol- itics and an active member of that party from its organization. He had represented the town of Gilford in the House of Rep- 24 Xo. i;:;. Moulton, Park cor. Gold St. No. 15. Goss-Ham, 15 Park St. No. 17. Widow Gale, 95 Gold St. No. 18. Bugbee Store, Gold and Fore Sts. Ancient Homes of Lakeport resentatives at Concord and was a 32d degree Mason. He died about fifteen years ago. His wife died a few years later. They left no issue. The house is now owned by Mrs. Sarah Ham, widow of John Ham, who was a brother of Thomas. She has a d«.ughter, Susie, who married Henry Noble and they live with Mrs. Ham. Mrs. Noble was a teacher in the City schools previous to marriage. An addition has lately been made to the house with piazzas to three sides which adds much to its appearance. No. 16. One story house formerly on Elm St., south side, at the east end of the new bridge, and was occupied by Warner Adams. It belonged to the Winnipiseogee Lake Company, and was subsequently sub- divided and removed, the ell to Gold St., where it became a tenement house, and the house itself enlarged to a double tenement. No. 17. (House No. 95 Gold St.) Said to be the first house built on the east side of the river. It was occupied by the widow of Gale, whose son, Daniel S. Gale, married a daughter of Thompson Ames of Gilford. She died a few years later, leaving a daughter who, I understand, is now living in Meredith with her husband, a Mr. Berry. The Widow Gale moved from Lake Village 25 Ancient Homes of Lakeport before the Civil War, but I have no knowl- edge of where she located. The house appears just as it did in 1844. Erastus P. Jewell of Laconia delivered an historical address 1 Aug., 1905, after- wards published in an edition of twenty copies by Hon. Martin A. Haynes for private distribution. Mr. Jewell says that in 1813 Laconia Village contained but thirty houses and says (p. 13): ''At Lakeport at this time, I think there were but two houses. Some portions of one of these houses still remain in the small house next to the H, J. Odell store on Gold St." (No. 17 in this list.) Rev. J. P. Watson, the historian of Gilford, says: ''Daniel Stevens located on the Gilford side of the river, and his house, still standing (1885) was for many years the only house at that place (Lower Weirs, i. e.. Lake Village) on the Gilford side." No. 18. A small tenement attached as an ell to the Bugbee store at the corner of Gold and Fore Streets. I think it was vacant in the fall of 1844, but it has been enlarged since then and finished into two or more tenements. No. 19. A small one story house, long gone, near where the pumping station of 26 Ancient Homes of L a k e p o r t the Laconia Water Works now is. It was occupied by the family of Noah Smith, a soldier of the War of 1812. Mr. Smith was a picturesque figure frequently seen in the village about the platform of the railroad station after the railroad came here, often with a wood saw and horse, looking for a job. I remember an incident while I was station agent here in the fifties of the last century. One day when the train from the south rolled to the station, stopping for a minute or two for any supplies needed, as it often did, a tall dignified stranger hurried from the car and enquired if any one there knew Noah Smith, who formerly lived there. Mr. Smith hap- pend to be nearby and I pointed him out to the stranger. Uncle Noah, as everyone called him, stared with wonder as the man approached him, called him by name and held out his hand which was grasped so feelingly by the old soldier that it attracted the attention of the by-standers: but the "all aboard" sounding, the stranger was forced to part with him in a hurry. On en- quiry as to the name of the stranger, we learned that it was no other than ''Long John Wentworth," the famous Member of 27 Ancient Homes of Lakeport Congress from Chicago, Illinois, during the troublous times preceding the Civil War. They were both natives of the town of Sandwich and neighbors, and had not met before for many years. Mr. Smith died at Lake Village a few years after this inci- dent here related. There are none of that family now living about here. 28 Ko. 16. Warner- Adams, now 37 Gold St. No. 20. Samuel C. Clark, now 1159 Union Ave. Xo. 21. John A. Cole, 933 Union Ave. No. 22. Barron-Bean, 891 Union Ave. Ancient Homes of Lake port No. 20. (House now No. 1159 Union Ave.) A house formerly on the site of the late Samuel C. Clark's residence. The Clark family had lived here many years previous to 1844. The family at that time consisted of four brothers and two sisters, their par- ents having died some years before that date. John R. and Noah S. were in the vicinity for 30 years; Caroline; the other one's name I do not recollect. As they were unmarried daughters I am not supposed to know their ages, but think they were younger than the two brothers mentioned; Joseph B. about 25 years, Samuel C. about 12. John R. and Noah S. died many years ago, unmarried. One of the daughters mar- ried William Hoyt of Moultonboro, for- merly of Gilford. The other daughter re- mained single and died more than fifty years ago. Joseph B. Clark, the third son, was liberally educated and taught school several years and after a few years he located in Manchester, where he studied law and was admitted to the Bar. Soon after the commencement of the Civil War, he enlisted in the 11th Reg. N. H. Vols., and was commissioned as Captain of Company H, in 1863, and was severely wounded before the close of the war and discharged Ancient Homes of Lakeport in consequence. He afterward married and settled in Manchester and practiced law sev- eral years, dying there nearly forty years ago. His wife passed away a year or two before him. They left two children, a son and daughter in early youth. They are both supposed to be living, but I cannot give further information concerning them. Samuel C, the youngest son and last sur- vivor of his father's family, inherited his estate. He received a liberal education and studied law. He was a clerk of the Superior Court of Belknap County several years and afterwards practiced law in Lake Village. He built a fine residence on the site of the former house, beautifully situated on Lake Paugus; it is numbered 1106 Union. Avenue. He was a Republican in pol- itics and an active member of that party. He died about fifteen years ago, leaving an only . daughter, Claribelle Clark, who is the sole survivor of her father's family. There had been also a son Samuel. Mr. Clark's wife was Miss Hall from Belmont or Dover. She passed away several years after her husband. Miss Claribelle Clark is prominent in the society of the city. She resides at the homestead of the family. The old house moved across the street to the 30 Ancient Homes of L a k e p o r t top of Black Brook hill, became the property of John G. Donovan and has long been occupied by his widow. No; 21. (House No. 933 Union Ave.) Built by John A. Cole in 1836, opposite the wharves at the landing of the lake. Mr. Cole was born in Boxford, Mass., in 1801; married Miss Ryan of Plymouth and lived at Franklin two years, removing to Lake Village in 1827. In 1836 he became part- ner of the firm of Cole & Co. and later of the firm of Cole, Davis & Co. till 1857, when he sold his interest in that firm to his son-in-law John Aldrich, and retired from business. He died in 1866. He had four daughters by his first wife and two sons. Mary Elizabeth, born Aug. 5, 1826, married John Aldrich, the writer of these lines, April 12, 1846, and died March 23, 1907; Marcia B., born in 1828, married Charles P. S. Wardwell about 1850; she married a second husband in June, 1880, and died in 1892. Belinda R. Cole, born in 1830, mar- ried Alexander Stanwood from Ellsworth, Maine, in 1852, and died about 1860. Mehitable, the youngest daughter, born in 1832, married John S. Young in 1852 and died in 1876. John L. Cole, son of John A., born in 1833, died in Ohio in 1866 un- 31 Ancient Homes of Lakeport married. An infant son of John A. born in 1836 died when but a few weeks old. John A. Cole married his second wife Abigail Davis of Canterbury, in 1839, by whom he had one son, Stephen B. Cole, born in 1840, who married Caroline, daughter of Jarvis J. Sanborn, for many years road master of the railroad. S. B. Cole's wife died several years ago leaving an adopted daughter, who married Walter Boyson from Cambridge, Mass. Stephen B. Cole passed away in December, 1915. No. 22. (House No. 891 Union Ave.) One story house built by Capt. John V. Barron about 1832. He was a soldier of the War of 1812, and came here from Wood- stock, N. H., and was a prominent citizen of that town. His wife was Laura Robbins of New York State. There were five child- ren, viz. John v., Jr., Edwin R., Alfred, Ellen and Charles. John V., Jr., was a merchant at Lake Village for several years, afterwards was wholesale dealer in flour and grain in Concord, N. H., many years. He married there but whom I do not know. He died there many years ago leaving two daughters, Nellie, who married Dr. Brainard, a specialist of Boston; the other unmarried, and both living in Boston at last accounts. 32 Ancient Homes of Lakeport Alfred was a tailor in Concord several years and died early. Edwin R. Barron went to Iowa fifty years ago, and in company with his young- est brother Charles, established a large wholesale store dealing largely in the produce of the state. Ellen Barron married James M. Foss, a master mechanic and railroad engineer of Lakeport, where they resided many years and over 40 years ago removed to St. Albans, Vt., having accepted a high position with the Central Vermont Railroad there. Mrs. Foss died about 25 years ago and Mr. Foss a few years later and both were buried in Hillside Cemetery. They left no children. The Barron house is own- ed by the heirs of the late Charles Bean and occupied by his widow. It has not changed perceptibly since 1844. No. 23. (House No. 885 Union Ave.) One story house with basement, owned and occupied by Miles Buzzell. He was a wood workman and lived there ten or twelve years. His wife died about 1850 leaving five small children. Latter he married a second wife. Miss Ford from Sanbornton, and removed to Concord, N. H. One of his daughters married John Y. Sanborn of Sanbornton, a soldier of the Civil War, and 33 Ancient Homes of L a k e p o r t lives at Laconia. The house is owned by E. D. Ward and is not changed in appear- ance. No. 24. (House No. 881 Union Ave.) Owned and occupied by John Blaisdell, a prominent citizen of Gilford and a leading politician of the Democratic party. He was a merchant here several years and a post- master previous to the war. He died many years ago leaving two daughters, neither of w^hom reside here. The house is owned by the heirs of Charles T. Richardson and has not changed in the past seventy years. No. 25. Small house occupied by Sam- uel Davis, for many years an employee of Cole & Co. It was situated north of the Brown Church just back from Union Avenue. It was moved away more than fifty years ago. He died many years ago. There are a few of his descendants living in *the vicinity. What is now Harrison Street runs directly across the site of the house. (It is said to have been moved to Black Brook.) No. 26. The Harlow house, so called. A large two story house occuping the site of the present Mount Belknap House. It was built by a man named Harlow about 1830, who commenced to build a blast fur- nace here for smelting iron ore which he 34 11 ^PPT Xo. 23. Euzzell-Ward, 885 Union Ave. No. 2-1. Blaisdell-EiehaKlson, 881 Union Ave. No. 27. Moulton-Adams, 743 Union Ave. JSTo. 28. Isaac Cole-Aldrich, now 130 Mechanic St. Ancient Homes of Lakeport expected to obtain from one of the Gilford mountains. The stone stack for the fur- nace was partly completed, standing where the private way now is that leads to the Ba^^side Mill. "The project was a failure, and the remains of the stone stack were a prominent object for twenty-five years." The house was used as a tenement house in 1844, but was soon opened for a hotel on a limited plan, and operated by two or three different landlords until 1858, when it was burned to the ground. It was re- built within a year or two with brick walls as a precaution against fire, but ill fortune seems to have followed it as the building has been totally destroyed or badly damaged, at least four times during a period of about sixty years. The New Belknap Hotel which has replaced the old one has been greatly enlarged and two stories added, finished elaborately and furnished with modern equip- ment; it is a worthy representative of the Lake City's hotels. No. 27. (House No. 743 Union Ave.) Built by Otis M. Moulton about 1830, and occupied by John C. Moulton for several years. It was owned and occupied by Thomas Wilder in 1844 and about 1850 sold to Horace Adams. It afterwards came 35 Ancient Homes of Lakeport into possession of his brother Ralph, who resided there more than 50 years. John C. Moulton who lived there a few years prior to 1840, removed to the '' Bridge" as that portion of Laconia was called before the city was chartered. ''In the year 1841 he came to Meredith Bridge, now Laconia, and from that time until his death was one of the formative and directing forces in the growth and development of the town. He was the first landlord of the popular Belknap Hotel, next a book seller and druggist, then postmaster . of the village for about six years, appointed by President Tyler. Dur- ing President Lincoln's term he was suc- ceeded by a Republican after sixteen years in the post-office." Thomas Wilder, who succeeded Mr. Moulton in this house, re- sided there for eight or ten years and about 1850 sold it to Horace Adams and removed to the west side of the river. He was en- gaged in mercantile business several years with Deacon Eliphalet Blaisdell and retired many years ago. Horace Adams went to California soon after the discovery of gold there and became a prominent citizen of San Francisco. Ralph Adams succeeded his brother Horace in the ownership of the house about 36 Ancient Homes of Lakeport 1856. He married Maria Gilman of Gilford. He was a locomotive engineer and for many years master mechanic of the B. C. & M. Railroad. They had two children, Clar- ence and Hattie; Hattie died young. Clar- ence was a railroad employee for many years, now station agent at Tilton. The house is now owned by Clarence Adams, who lives there. His wife died suddenly not long ago. The house is not changed in appearance very much since it was first built. No. 28. (House now No. 130 Mechanic Street.) Isaac Cole built his home here in 1827 between what are now Gov. Quinby's home, 713 Union Ave., and the Adams house, 743 Union Avenue. The house was a story and a half with an ell used as a kitchen. The house was moved back to the west side of Mechanic St., a little north of a direct line east of its former site and was owned by the Smith family. The, ell was left, and Isaac Cole's son Solomon built a story and a half house there. This was sold by Solomon Cole to Maj. John Aldrich about 1866 and he lived there from then till 1873, when he sold it to Miss Ellen A., daughter of Benjamin J. Cole, and it was occupied for several years till about 37 Ancient Homes of Laheport 1877 by Mr. and Mrs. Quinby and their two children. It was then occupied by Mr. Griffin, father of Frank, Will and Bertha, and later was moved down Union Avenue and is now on Messer Street below the fork of the road. No. 29. (House No. 713 Union Ave.) Was built in 1838 by Hon. Benjamin J. Cole, just prior to his marriage in June of that year to Mehitable A. Batchelder. Mr. Coje died there 15 Jan., 1899, his wife hav- ing predeceased him 15 July, 1893. Their daughter, Ellen A. Cole, died 9 May, 1897. Octavia, their only surviving child, is the wife of Henry Brewer Quinby, former Gov- ernor of New Hampshire, and they occupy the house at the present time. No. 30. (House No. 699 Union Ave.) House at the northeast corner of Union Avenue and Laurel Street, built by Isaac Cole about 1830. About 1842 the place was bought by Dr. Thomas M. Sanborn, a native of Sanbornton who resided there the remainder of his life, passing away in 1869, aged 58 years. His wife was aj, Massachusetts lady from the town of Rockport. She out- lived her husband nearly 30 years, passing away in 1898, at the age of 84 years. Dr. Sanborn acquired an extensive practice in 38 No. 30. Sanborn-Ward, 699 Union Ave. Xo. 33. David Sanborn, Mechanic St. Ancient Homes of Lakeport this community and was universally respected as a citizen and practitioner. They had three children, Mary E., born in 1845, Jennie S., born in 1847, married Edwin D. Ward, died in 1884. Lucy A., the youngest, died at the age of about 6 years. Mary E., the eldest, was unmarried and suffered a long and painful illness previous to her decease at the early age of twenty-two years. Of the Sanborn family, not one are now living. They were buried in the family lot in Hillside Cemetery. Edwin D. Ward, who owned and oc- cupied the house, came here from Bradford, New Hampshire, about 1870 and engaged in the business of photography, which he followed for many years and built up a prosperous business. Mr. Ward was a prom- inent member of Chocorua Lodge, No. 51, I. O. O. F. He was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire for 1895 and 1896 and Grand Representative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge in 1896 and 1897. Mr. Ward was engaged in the bus- iness of undertaker, under the firm name of The E. D. Ward Company. He married a second wife some 20 years ago, a Mas- sachusetts lady. The house has been en- 39 Ancient Homes of Lakeport larged and remodeled since it came in pos- session of Mr. Ward, who died 23 Oct. 1917. No. 31. (House No. 113 Mechanic St.) House at the junction of Laurel and Mechanic Streets, built by Isaac Cole, Jr., in 1844. It was occupied by John Aldrich, Sr., who moved from Franconia in July of that year. It was later sold to Plummer M. Davis and occupied by different families, and about 1870 was sold to Frank Sanders, form- erly of Gilford. He died many years ago and the property belongs to his estate. The house has been enlarged and remodeled within a few years and is now No. 113 Mechanic Street. No. 32. (House No. 105 Mechanic St.) House occupied by Orrin Bugbee who removed to Lebanon a few years later, where he engaged in the dry goods business. The house was bought by John Lane many years ago, who resided there till his decease in 1890, when it became the property of his son, John P. Lane, who was a veteran of the Civil War, a Lieut, of Co. G, 12th N. H. Vol. Inft. The house has changed but little in appearance in the past 70 years. No. 33. House at the corner of Laurel and Mechanic Streets, built by David San- 40 No. 29. Cuie-Quiiiljy, 713 Union Ave, Hill I ig lo. 31. Cole-Sanders, 13 3 iMeehanic St. No. 32. Biigbee-Lane, 105 Mechanic St. i Ancient Homes of Lakeport born about 75 years ago. He resided there many years, a moulder by trade, which he learned at the iron foundry of the Cole Manufacturing Co., where he labored many years as journeyman and foreman. He sold the place about 40 years ago and bought a few acres of land on the west side of the river in this village, erected a set of buildings and occupied his remaining years, after re- tiring from the foundry, in cultivating his plot of land. He was twice married: his first wife was Miss Dow of Belmont. They had two sons, George A. and Elbridge E. George married and settled here, building the house now No. 645 Union Avenue, where he resided till his decease, four or five years ago. His wife passed away several years before him. They left no issue. He was a mach- inist and worked at that trade in his native village until he retired about 15 years ago. Elbridge, the youngest son of David San- born, died in early life. David Sanborn's first wife died more than sixty years ago, and a few years later, he married Miss Mary J. Smith of Center Harbor. He died about twenty years ago and his widow sur- vived him until a few years ago. No. 34. (House No. 90 Mechanic St.) A small house opposite Hillside Cemeter^^, 41 Ancient Homes of Lakeport occupied by Samuel Sanborn and his wife, an aged couple, former residents of Belmont. Their two sons, David and Nathaniel San- born, were twins and the same as those mentioned as residents of House No. 11 and No. 33. They both were life long residents of this place from early manhood, and also were highly esteemed employees of the Cole Manufacturing Company for nearly fifty years. Samuel Sanborn and his wife died within a few months of each other, more than sixty years ago. An addition was made to the house years ago by its present owner, Frank L. Tuttle. No. 35. (House No. 691 Union Ave.) House on the southeast corner of Laurel Street and Union Avenue, built by Horace Bugbee about 80 years ago. He was a native of Hartland, Vermont, and lived at Plymouth, N. H., several years before com- ing to Lake Village. He married Elizabeth Cole, fourth daughter and sixth child of Isaac and Hannah (Atwood) Cole. He bought the store at the corner of Gold and Fore Streets, now owned by Mr. Dauphin, who came here from Canada over a year ago. Mr. Bugbee continued in the mer- cantile business nearly 40 years. None of the family are now living in this place. 42 npp Hpi . No 34. Sam Saiibuni-Tuttle, 90 Meclianie St. Xo. 35. H. Bugbee-Odell,691 Union Ave. ^|£|"aJ N'o. 36. H. Gilman, now 981 Union Ave. Xo. 37. Thyng-Quimby, 679 Union Ave. Ancient Homes of Lakeport James Bugbee, the youngest son, unmarried, was living in Portsmouth at latest accounts. Arthur W. Bugbee, the oldest son, removed to Kansas many years ago, where several of his children and grandchildren now reside. Horace O. Bugbee, second son of Horace, died in Rhode Island about a year ago. His only daughter married Ed Cheney and is now living in Rhode Island. His only son, Almon, died this winter and was buried here. Horace Bugbee's wife, Elizabeth, died in 1841. He died about 40 years ago. The house was occupied about thirty- five years ago by Hon. Martin A. Haynes, formerly editor and proprietor of the Lake Village Times, and a Congressman; later by Joseph L. Odell, now deceased, father of Rev. Willis Odell. No. 36. (House now No. 981 Union Ave.) House built by Hiram Gilman about 1840. He lived there for many years, and about 35 years ago he removed to the Thomas Sewell estate, in the town of Gil- ford. Mr. Oilman's wife was Dorothy Sewell, daughter of Thomas Sewell. Mr. Oil- man died nearly twenty years ago and Mrs. Oilman outlived him about 15 years. Their only child, Alice Oilman, inherited the Sewell estate and is said now to be living at the Old 43 A n c i e n t Ho m e s of Lakeport People's Home in this city. She is un- married. The house has been removed to opposite the Laconia Water Co. pumping station and is now No. 981 Union Avenue. A two story double tenement house was erected on the site of the old one twenty odd years ago by Charles F. Brown, and now belongs to his estate, and is No. 683 Union Avenue. No. 37. (House No. 679 Union Ave.) A one story house built by Joseph Thyng eighty years ago and occupied by him and his family till near the close of the last cen- tury. Their only child was Joseph Thyng, 2d, who died here several years ago. His only children were Warren Thyng and George. The latter died a few months ago leaving a widow and three children. War- ren is now living in Manchester. The house has changed but little in appearance. No. 38. (House No. 665 Union Ave.) House built by Samuel C. Oilman in 1840. He resided there till about twent}^ years ago, when he purchased a few acres on the west side of the river in this village and built a set of buildings there. Soon after the close of the Civil War he removed to Kansas and engaged in farming a few miles south of Topeka in the Kaw Valley. Mr. Oilman 44 Ancient Homes of Lakeport married a daughter of John Webster, an early resident of this village. They had two sons, Otis S. who was a soldier in Co. A, 15th Reg. N. H. Vols, in the Civil War. I have not heard from him for man}^ years and if he is now living, he is probably in Kansas. He was unmarried at last accounts. A younger son of Samuel C. Oilman went to Kansas with his father, but I cannot re- call his name. He was living in Kansas on the farm owned by his father about 20 years ago. Samuel C. visited Lake Village in 1884. His wife had died but a short time before and I have learned that he sur- vived but a few years after his return. He was for many years an employee of the Cole Manufacturing Co., a foreman in the black- smith department. The house was bought by W. H. Pepper more than 40 years ago, and remodeled, and he resided there until his death about fifteen years ago. Mr. Pepper was a manufact- urer of knitting machinery for many years and made many valuable improvements in that line. Mr. Pepper was a native of England and came to this place about 1860, about the same time that several of his countrymen came, among them John Pepper, his brother, the Appletons, Maj. Shackford, 45 Ancient Homes of L a k e p o r t Messrs. Holt and Lee. Mr. Pepper was married three times. His third wife was Nellie Moulton, daughter of W. P. Moulton; she now resides in the house. No. 39. (House No. 655 Union Ave.) The parsonage of the Baptist Society. It was built about the year 1838. I do not recall who occupied it in 1844, but for a portion of the time for several years after it was rented to others than the Baptist pastor. George A. Collins bought the house and remodeled it for his private residence about twenty years ago and has lived there till the present time. Mr. Collins has an apothecary store at No. 59 Elm Street. No. 40. (House No. 651 Union Ave.) A one story house built by Tenney Hibbard about 1840 where he resided some 15 years when he removed to a brick house which he built a few rods south on the same street. Mr. Hibbard was a native of the White Oak district in the town of Gilford, his father being an early settler there. He was incapacitated by the illness which caus- ed his decease nearly sixty years ago. He married Olive Sanders of Gilford. Their children were Carrie, who married Ezra S. Smart, Sarah, who -married John McNally, Emma, who married a Mr. Jordan of 46 No. oS. y. C. Gilman-Pepper, 665 Union Ave. No. 39. Baptist Parsonage, 655 Union Ave. No. 40. Hibbard-Pepper. 651 Union Ave. A n c i e 71 t Homes of L a k e p o r t Haverhill, Mass., and two sons, Fred and Frank, twins. Fred died many years ago. Frank married for his second wife Mrs. McKean a year or so ago and they are now living at 17 Laurel Street. The Hibbard house was changed very little in appearance in the past seventy years. It belongs to the estate of W. H. Pepper. WEST SIDE HOUSES The foregoing completes all the dwelling houses on the east side of the river in 1844. The change made in the topography of the west side of the village by the great fire of May 26, 1903, has made it impracticable to follow the same lines of description as in those already completed. Of the 30 dwellings on that side of the river in 1844, the only one now remaining is what is known as the Batchelder house on" Franklin Square, except one or two small houses at the north end of Elm Street and outside of the settled part of the village. Of the persons who owned or occupied those houses in 1844, there are none now living probably and scarcely any in this place who can recall 47 Ancient Homes of Lakeport many of their names or point out the location of their homes. Since the fire, the city authorities have changed the grades and lines of the streets in many places and many of the lots have changed ownership and any person who was well acquainted with that section of the vil- lage fifteen years ago and has not been here since, would hardly recognize the place w^ere he to visit it today. THE BATCHELDER HOUSE The Batchelder house is on the west side of the river, facing Franklin Square, and is one of the largest and most noticeable dwellings in town. It was built by Abra- ham Folsom, the first settler, who also built the mills soon after the Revolution, and whose name identified the village in the earliest days as Folsom's Mills. A son born in that house became an officer in the United States Army and was stationed at San Francisco, in which city Folsom Street was named for him. The house and mills were acquired about 1825 by Nathan Bat- chelder of London Ridge, N. H., who mar- ried Peace Clifford and his ninth child and youngest son, Richard N., also born in 48 No. 41. Folsom-Batchelder, Franklin Square. Ancient Homes of Lakeport that house (27 July, 1832) likewise became an officer in the United States Army and was stationed in San Francisco; he later became Quartermaster General of the Army and died, unmarried, at Washington, D. C, 4 Jan., 1901. Mehitable A., another child of Nathan and Peace Batchelder, was mar- ried in the house above mentioned, 18 June, 1838, to Benjamin James Cole, whose father Isaac had foundries in town, having come here from Franconia in 1827, at which time this village had but seven houses, without a shop or store of any kind. The old Fol- som dam was here. The Pepper Mill com- menced to run in 1828 or 1829 and some thirty or forty houses were built. The Batchelder house, built probably in 1788-9, has seen many changes, and es- caped the conflagration which destroyed its neighbors in 1903. Albert H. Davis C' Mil- ler Davis'O and his wife, Lydia (Sanborn) lived in the old house many years, with his children, including Prof. Fred and Mary J., who married Dr. J. Grant Quimby in the same house, 28 June, 1888. Then it had an interior staircase from the lower to the upper floor, very unusual and interesting, which has since been removed. Henry LaChance lives there now. 49 Ancient Homes of Lakeport OTHER FACTS ABOUT EARLY LAKEPORT Hon. Martin A. Haynes published in 1915 Horace G. Whittier's ''Historical Sket- ches of Lakeport", in an edition of only forty copies for private circulation. That extremely valuable collection contains the following items about the buildings of Lake- port in 1844 and earlier: Nathan Batchelder came here from Loudon, to work, in the fall of 1823. In 1825 he bought the Abraham Folsom farm and appurtenances, but did not permanently establish his home here until 1827. He was enterprising and did very much towards building up the village. He built the old Wilder store, on Franklin Square, now oc- cupied by George H. Dame as a store and tin shop. Also two houses to the rear of this building,* both of which were destroyed in the great fire of May 26, 1903. At or near the same time he built another and smaller house farther down the street, in front of the mill lately occupied by Horace H. Wood & Co. This was taken down about forty years ago. 50 Ancient Homes of Lake port Besides building these several dwelling houses, he erected the ''old wooden mill", which was destroyed by fire Februray 16, 1885. This mill stood west of the grist mill upon the site now covered by the Boulia-Gorrill plant. This was early known as the ''old Pulcifer mill", and when burned was occupied by P. Bartlett & Son as a hosiery mill. "The old cotton mill" as it was famil- iarly known, as well as the one known as "the lower mill", and later as the "Belknap Mill", were built by Mr. Batchelder. The latter was nearly doubled in size after pass- ing from his ownership. These mills were both occupied by Horace Wood & Co. for the manufacture of hosiery when burned in the great fire of 1903. Another business enterprise destined to be of very great importance to the village was the establishment of an iron foundry by Isaac Cole, the father of Benjamin J. Cole. In 1828 a man by the name of Harlow came to Gilford to prospect for iron, having heard that the metal was to be found in great abundance on Belknap Mountain. There being less than a dozen houses, all told, in the vicinity, he concluded to build, 51 A n c i e n t Ho m e s of Lakeport and erected a large house on the site of the present hotel, which was occupied as a boarding house by his employees. The first steamboat on Lake Winnipe- saukee was the ''Belknap", which was built at Lake Village in the fall of 1832 and spring of 1833. The venture was financed by a stock company, in which Stephen Lyford and James Jewett were largely in- terested. The ship yard where the boat was built was upon the hill at a point nearly in front of where the Ham house now stands, on Park Street. It was 96 feet long, the hull 17 feet beam, and 33 feet over all. The ''Belknap" did a fair freight and passenger business until wrecked on Steamboat Island in October, 1841. On the west side of the river, in what was then a part of the town of Meredith, there were in 1844 just thirty houses, situ- ated mostly on Elm and Belvidere Streets. The great fire of May 26, 1903, destroyed all of these except the Batchelder house, on Franklin Square, and three or four small ones at the north end of Elm Street, out of range of the fire. The whole territory of the village, which two or three years later was formed into a fire precinct, com- prised less than two square miles, or about 52 Ancient Homes of L a k e p o r t one thousand acres, nearly equally div- ided between the two sides of the river. The streets on the Gilford side were Union Avenue, as it is now called, running the whole length of the village, one and one- half miles; an unnamed street which is now the east end of Elm Street, connecting with Union Avenue near the passenger station and running northwesterly to the river; thence turning sharply to the right along the bank of the river to the old bridge; thence easterly to Union Avenue again near the northerly end of the passenger station; Laurel Street, running easterly from Union Avenue a few rods to what is now Mechanic Street; a highway called 'Hhe new road" (now Stark Street), leading to Gil- ford. There was no part of Mechanic Street laid out until 1846, but there was a private wa}^ leading from Laurel Street to Hillside Cemetery. Besides the forty buildings here des- cribed and the thirty on the west side, there were the following on the east side of the river: The old Lyford saw mill, with two upright saws — no other machinery, unless possibly, a shingle machine, and no addition to original building. A mill for manu- facturing cardboard from straw, where the 53 Ancient Homes of Lakeport present Bay side hosiery mill stands; this was burned in the spring of 1845. Small frame building with a brick basement under- neath, which is still standing, being the iron foundry of Cole & Co., stove and pat- tern shop; a plow shop, now the office of the Cole Manufacturing Co. And scattered around were one or two small shoemakers' shops, a small blacksmith shop, two cooper shops, a storehouse on the shore of Long Bay, the Free Baptist chapel, the school house. On the west or Meredith side of the river were a saw mill and a grist mill, a small woolen mill, a carding and fulling mill, a small cotton factory, and a larger mill not yet equipped with machinery, all owned by the Lake Company. The saw mill was torn down many years ago. All the other buildings mentioned, with twenty- six of the thirt}^ original dwellings, were de- stroyed in the great fire of May 26, 1903. The old Batchelder dwelling house, the Pitman and Barron Store and three small houses near the north end of Elm Street are all that remain of the buildings on that side of the river in 1844. Enoch B. Prescott moved here in 1844 from the old homestead farm on the White Oaks road. He was a blacksmith and 54 Ancient Homes of L a k e p o r t worked at his trade in a building situated where the Tetley box shop now stands. In the spring of 1830 Jairus E. Strong, then preaching in Maine as a licentiate, came to the Baptists at Lake Village and was called by them to the ministry. Ac- cordingly he was ordained as a Christian minister on April 27, 1831, and remained with them until 1834. It was during his pastorate that the first church was built in 1832 and '33. It occupied the same site as the present church, on Union Avenue. It was during the last pastorate of Mr. Hall that the old meeting house was torn down and the new one erected. Work was commenced in 1868, but the work was not finished until 1871. The Free Will Baptist Church of Lake- port was organized at the house of Isaac Cole, July 13, 1838, with nine members, all of whom are now deceased. From the organization of the church until May 16, 1840, the meetings were held in private houses and in the school house. At this time a room was fitted up in what was called the lower mill, and meetings were held there until a chapel was built on Union Avenue. This chapel building is now oc- cupied as a dwelling, No. 874 Union 55 Ancient Homes of Lakeport Avenue. It was used for church purposes until 1852, in which year a church was built in Park Street. It was decided to build a school house. The exact date of this building cannot be given. It must have been in the early '30's. This first school house stood where the Lougee residence is now located. It now does duty as a dwelling house, having been remodeled and moved across Gold Street to a point nearly opposite its original site. The School Street house, built in 1844, was used for school purposes until February 2, 1903, when the school moved into the new house, just completed, on Washington Street. It had thereafter a life of but three months as the hose house for Hose Company No. 6, when it went up in the great fire of May 26. The first Post Office was opened here in 1844. It was located at the west end of the Gold Street bridge, in a small build- ing that was later moved down to the lower mill, so called, and was used by William Clow & Son as a dry room for their hosiery mill. This building was burned down at the time of the big fire in 1903. The first fire in this village, as recorded in Lancaster's History of Gilmanton, was 56 Ancient Homes of Lakeport the burning of Abraham Folsom's mills — ''both for grain and lumber"— in 1788. The next fire of any size was the burning of the ''paper mill", so called, in the spring of 1845. The writer of these sketches dis- tinctly remembers seeing this fire, which, as it was the first burning building he ever saw, made a lasting impression on his mind. This mill stood on the ground now occupied by the Bayside Mill. The first floor was occupied by George Hoyt for the manu- facture of straw-board. He removed his business to Holderness (now Ashland). The second story was occupied by Ira Folsom as a cabinet shop. Hillside Cemetery was laid out in 1843. Otis Moulton, brother of John C, in the early thirties kept a store on the cor- ner of Fore and Gold Streets, while John V. Barron and Horace Bugbee were in the same business in the old mill store on Franklin Square. 57 Ancient Homes of Lakeport RECOLLECTIONS BY MAJ. ALDRICH I. MEMORIES OF FRANCONIA, N. H. My earliest recollections date back to the year 1827, when my father's family were living on a small farm in Franconia, on the west side of the south branch of Gale River, which unites with the Ammonoosuc River about six miles below Littleton, N. H. The farm buildings were less than half a mile from the Haverhill and Franconia Iron Company's factories and directl}^ op- posite the little hamlet of their workmen, across the mill pond which supplied the water power that operated their machinery. They were situated on a swell some sixty rods from the pond and as many feet above its level and overlooking the plant of the Iron Compan}^ On a September afternoon of that year, an alarm of fire startled every one within hearing and proved to be for the large Iron Foundry, which had not been in operation for some weeks. I was aroused from an after- noon nap and carried to the field back of the house, in full view of the fire, where 58 Ancient Homes of Lakeport I was instantly attracted by a huge column of black smoke which arose from the foundry and which, a few moments later, burst into a sea of flame. This was the first accidental fire I had ever witnessed and its effect on my in- fantile mind was such that it has never been effaced from my memory, although more than 90 years have elapsed since that occurrence. The total destruction of the building with all the improvements and pat- terns connected w^ith it, was a heavy loss to the company; and together with the fact that the mine which supplied the ore for their works had given evidence of being nearly exhausted, caused the company to hesitate before rebuilding their foundry. An investigation of the condition of their mine convinced them that their supply of ore would not warrant the rebuilding of the foundry. They therefore decided to close the business of the company and sell their property in Franconia as soon as practicable. They engaged my father to take charge of the establishment till the company could secure a person competent to close the bus- iness. Their then agent, Mr. Reynolds, an aged gentleman, did not desire to under- 59 ^4. ?i c i e n t Homes of L a k e p o r t take the task. Accordingly, my father mov- ed his family to the house of the agent near their establishment in March, 1828, where we remained for several months. The little village known locally as ^'The Upper Works" consisted of about a dozen dwelling houses, a large boarding house, several store houses, office, sales room and four large sheds for storing char- coal for smelting their ore. The factory buildings were a cast iron foundry, a mal- leable iron forge, blacksmith shop, with a trip hammer, and a building for crushing and separating the ores from earthy matter before smelting. What was known as the ^^ Lower Works" was the New Hampshire Iron Factory Com- pany, a similar establishment to the Upper Works but on a more extensive scale and established a few years previous to the for- mer company and which will be alluded to hereafter. The change made by the family in the spring of 1828 from a strictly rural home to that busy little community was an eventful one to the writer. Soon after our removal, a great freshet in the valley to the south of the works carried away the dam at the outlet of the pond, creating a panic 60 Ancient Homes of Lakeport among the few villagers who were gathered on the bridge a little below the dam watch- ing the rising waters. The dam had been built some twenty years and being con- structed of wood, was not considered very substantial. Suddenly the dam gave way with a mighty crash, and lodged against the west abutment of the bridge, releasing the large volume of water in the pond and carrying away some small buildings below the bridge. Those on the bridge escaped to the eastern shore on high ground near the ruins of the burned foundry. The bridge was not destroyed, as it was high above the bed of the stream. The two startling incidents here nar- rated, produced on the mind of the writer, not yet four years of age, a permanent impression which has continued to the pres- ent time and remains as vivid as though of but recent occurrence. The huge stone stack of the burned furnace loomed up directly in front of our residence like some ruined castle of the Old World and the silent machinery of the abandoned factories, which for months engrossed my attention, served only to emphasize the weird impression. Agent Reynolds returned to his home in Massachusetts soon after the dam was 61 Ancient Homes of Lakeport carried away. '^Squire Dow", as he was called, occupied the large boarding house of the company and probably managed the same when the factories were in operation. I remember him as a portly middle aged gentleman, of dignified aspect and pleasant appearance. He removed from the place that summer, and several years later I heard of him as living in Charlestown, Mass., where his son was engaged in the printing business, and was the editor and publisher of a popular magazine. He ac- quired a fortune in that business and in after years founded and endowed an edu- cational institution widely known as Dow Academy in Franconia, as a memorial to his parents who formerly resided in that town. Another prominent man who came about the time my father moved away, was James M. Warner, who was probably the person selected to close up the affairs of the company. He went from there to St. Johnsbury, Vt., and I have been informed that he was living there about 1880. The only remaining building of that little hamlet is the house of the former agent of the company. The parties who purchased the site of the water power built a new dam on the old site and a grist mill was 62 Ancient Homes of Lakeport erected on the east side of the stream, but the dam was carried away many years ago and the mill disappeared soon after. The site of the mill pond is grown up with bushes and weeds, even the ruins of the old foundry have been demolished and noth- ing is left to indicate the location of the industry of a century ago but a few foun- dation stones of some of the old buildings. I visited this locality in the summer of 1912 and I could hardly recognize the place, but on crossing to the west side of the valley, on the road toward the place of my birth, the magnificent range of the Fran- conia Mountains, reaching from the Moosil- auke in the south, to the Presidential group of the White Hills, forty miles to the north- east, opened to view the same impressive scenery which fascinated my youthful days in the early decades of the nineteenth century. II. THE LOWER IRON WORKS The so-called '^ Lower Works" were situated two miles north of the Upper Works at the junction of the South Branch with the Gale River, near the east line of the town of Lisbon. This village was the 63 Ancient Homes of Lakeport center of business of the town of Fran- conia. The first settlement in town was made here in 1775, or perhaps a year or two later by Captain Artemas Knight, whose lot comprised most of the intervale where the village is located and which afterwards became the property of the Lower Works Iron Co. Capt. Knight built a large two story house on the Bethlehem road about one fourth mile north of the river on ground some thirty feet above the intervale. This house was many years after moved whole, including a large ell, across the intervale for a hotel and boarding house by the Iron Company, to replace their boarding house which was burned, though this may not be exactly correct as it is based 'wholly on memory. The writer, then a kid of about six years, witnessed the moving. Three lines of oxen comprising seventy-five yoke were emplowed, and the building was mov- ed across the intervale and a brook, to its site, without a break. The New Hampshire Iron Factory Com- pany was incorporated near the commence- ment of the nineteenth century and their business was practically the same as that of the Upper Works. The failure of their mine was the cause also of abandoning 64 Ancient H o 7n e s of Lakeport their works, although they continued in business for ten or fifteen years longer than the first named, and their business was much more extensive. There is now noth- ing remaining to indicate the former prin- cipal business of the village but the granite stack of the old foundry. The agent of the Lower Company for the last fifteen or twenty years of its existence was Philemon Putnam, a retired sea captain from Salem, Mass. I remember him as being slightly below medium height, dark complexion, keen black eyes and per- haps about sixty years of age, gentlemanly and honorable in his dealings and popular in the community. He was postmaster in the town many years. Louis Graham and Thomas Spooner were the principal clerks of the company and after that business closed, they removed to St. Johnsbury, Vt., and were employed by the Fairbanks Scale Company for many years. Mr. Graham was the son of Lewis Ingraham, a resident of Franconia, but had his name changed by leaving off the first two letters, and also of the abbreviation ''Jr." at the end of his name. Isaac Cole was superintendent of the pattern and wood working department of the company for several years. About 65 Ancient Homes of Lakeport 1822 he went to Salisbury, now Franklin, N. H., and established an iron foundry, and in 1827 he removed to Batchelder's Mills, now Lakeport, where he built an iron foundry and conducted it until 1836, when his sons Benjamin J. and John A. succeeded him under the name and firm of Cole & Co. III. THE BEAR HUNT ' On a Sunday afternoon in the summer of 1834, as church going people were re- turning from the little church at Fran- conia village, those on the road leading south up the east side of the South Branch near Stinson Hill, were met by a man on horseback, who shouted that a big bear was in the woods opposite, across the river, and a company of men were driving through, expecting the bear would cross the river near us. Several men who lived near, hurried to their homes for arms and am- munition, and on their return were stationed at intervals on the bank of the river to shoot or intercept the bear on its appear- ance. Five or six boys (myself one of them) of ten or twelve years, excited by the rumor and anxious to witness the result, had 66 Ancient Homes of Lakeport stopped near where a Mr. Harris was station- ed, who cautioned us not to make the least noise. After waiting for some time, a rustling was heard in the leaves and brush across the river, and the same time Mr. Harris raised his gun to his shoulder point- ing directly into the bushes on the op- posite shore, when an excited boy cried out, ^^ There he is," and the bear turned at once and ran from our sight. Mr. Harris did not fire, but whether from over-excitement or failure to obtain a good sight is not known. The bear made his way down the river and when opposite the next sentry, a Mr. Hall, we saw him take aim and in- stantly fire into the woods across the stream. The shot proved a fatal one, breaking the bear's spinal column, and he did not move his length after he fell. Five or six shots were heard after the bear fell, from men on the drive, apparently at close range. After the bear's pelt was removed, it was clear that the first one cut the spinal cord, and only two other wounds were found, and those in the head by pistol bullets. In order to get the bear across the river to the road, a raft was constructed, the bear placed upon it and three or four of the men on the drive, anxious to cross at the same 67 Ancient Homes of Lakeport time, jumped on the raft and overloaded it, causing it to sink in the middle of the stream, unloading both bear and men into deep water. Fortunately, Mr. Hall re- mained on the raft and succeeded in assist- ing all those in the river to regain the raft but one who had sunk, not being able to swim. Mr. Hall at once plunged into the stream, brought the drowning man to the surface and swam with him to the shore where he was drawn to land by those on shore and he soon recovered from his peril- ous condition. Jacob L. Hall, or possibly Hull, was the name of his rescuer, also the same man who killed the bear, and became at once the hero of both incidents. He was choir master at the little church near the Gale River bridge. The bear was recovered and was weighed on the Iron Company's scales and tipped the beam at 403 pounds. The writer was an eye witness of both events and can vouch for the authenticity of this narrative. IV. THE JESSEMANS For several years after our removal from ''Upper Works," the family remained 68 Ancient Homes of L a k e p o r t at their old home and during that time our nearest neighbors were Solomon Jesseman and a family of ten children. His farm ad- joined to ours, with the house about fifty rods distant on the opposite side of the high- way. His father, George Jesseman, emigrated from Scotland with a large family of children and settled in Franconia soon after my great grandfather, Edward Aldrich, settled there in 1780. My knowledge of this George Jesseman is wholly from tradi- tion, as he died early in the nineteenth cen- tury. He is said to have lived on a farm in Scotland, though by trade he was a weaver, using a hand loom with sixteen treadles, while the labor on the farm was mostly performed by the females of the family. The description of his loom would indicate that, he was an expert at his trade, and I have seen specimens of work that were ascribed to him which were artistic and beautiful. Two sisters of my grandfather, Lydia and Olive Aldrich, married Alexander and George Jesseman, Jr., and there are many descendants of those two families now liv- ing in the towns of Lisbon and Franconia. The original Scotlanders were of the genuine Scottish type, slightly below the medium 69 Ancient Homes of L a k c p o r i stature of Americans, of sandy complexion, industrious and hospitable, making the best of neighbors and citizens. V. THE SHAM BATTLE A fearful accident occurred to two brothers, citizens of Franconia, and near neighbors of ours, named Levi and William Quimby, Jr. It happened at an annual muster of the 32nd Regiment, New Hamp- shire Militia, in September, 1833, at the Cobleigh Meadows, one mile north of Lis- bon village. The brothers were members of an artillery company, assigned as gunners, and while loading their cannon during a sham battle, the cartridge or charge ex- ploded prematurely, killing Levi almost in- stantly, and wounding his brother William, Jr., so severely that he was a cripple during life. Both of the victims were married, one family having two children and the other, four, all of whom were school mates of mine while I lived in Franconia. The mem- bers of these two families have long since been numbered with those who have passed to the Great Beyond. 70 A 71 c i e n f Homes of Lakeport VI. LAKEPORT IN 1832 The year 1832 was a sorrowful one to the members and friends of our family. At this time there were four children, the two eldest, sons, and the others, daughters; the oldest, Hannah Almeda, was taken suddenly ill Sabbath morning, August 19th, and at sunset of the next day, August 20th, 1832, she had passed to the future life. A council of able physicians decided that it was a case of cholera, though no similar case had occurred in this state at that time, but an epidemic of Asiatic cholera was prevailing in many places in the United States. Her age at death was five years, six months and ten days. In September of this year, my par- ents visited Grandfather Cole at Lake Village, taking the writer with them, and that was my first introduction to the place. My principal remembrances of that visit was the frame work of the hull of the Steamboat Belknap, which had been set up near the present site of the Park Street church. The two large bodies of water and the river connecting them, the cotton factory, mills and machinery located upon them, with the great contrast in the sur- 71 Ancient Homes of Lakeport rounding scenery compared with that of my native town, occupied my attention to the exclusion of other things equally deserv- ing my notice. I scarcely remember the names of any of the residents then living there, excepting a few boys of my age. Any impressions I might have obtained of per- sons at that time would hardly be worth noting even if I could recall them. In the Spring of 1835, my father ex- changed his Cooley farm for the Appleby farm, so called, but the family did not move there until late in the fall, as the house was badly out of repair and a new one built before our removal. In fact, the farm had been abandoned for three or four years, though it was one of the best farms in town originally.